Is Gianni Infantino’s time up as Fifa president? - The Latest

Gianni Infantino’s reign as Fifa president is in severe peril after the collapse of his plans to sell off parts of the World Cup to private investment. Lucy Hough speaks to columnist Jonathan Liew

theguardian.com

Ceuta was a carnival of anti-migrant content for hateful opportunists on the right – and a lesson for the left | Jonathan Liew

It was framed as a perfect storm because nativists dearly wanted it to be. Looking on, progressives failed to meet the moment too, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew

theguardian.com

Ceuta was a carnival of anti-migrant content for hateful opportunists on the right – and a lesson for the left | Jonathan Liew

It was framed as a perfect storm because nativists dearly wanted it to be. Looking on, progressives failed to meet the moment too, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew

theguardian.com

Ceuta was a carnival of anti-migrant content for hateful opportunists on the right – and a lesson for the left | Jonathan Liew

It was framed as a perfect storm because nativists dearly wanted it to be. Looking on, progressives failed to meet the moment too, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew

theguardian.com

Double tops: Littler and Pogacar in a class of their own, but nothing lasts for ever | Jonathan Liew

The champions are capable of shattering every record in a temporary aligning of the planets, the elusiveness of pure perfection

theguardian.com

Don’t like the result? Don’t worry, sport no longer ends on the field of play | Jonathan Liew

From the wrong headset in an F2 garage to Fifa overturning a red card, we are in a landscape where fairness is the enemy A funny and very small thing happened at the Formula Two race at Spa on Sunday. Noel León, of Campos Racing, carved his way through the field to finish seventh, earning himself six points in the drivers’ championship, and promptly left the circuit to go and do whatever it is Noel León likes to do after a race. Take a nap, hit the Belgian brews, congratulate himself on his palindromic name – whatever. Anyway, while he was doing that, more than three hours after the chequered flag, the FIA governing body called a meeting and decided to disqualify him. The reason: a serious breach of appendix 5 and article 21.5 of the F2 Sporting Regulations – and assuming you don’t have those to hand, it’s the rule governing the use of headsets. During the race, a guest of León had been spotted in the Campos garage wearing what was deemed the wrong type of headset. According to the aforementioned appendix 5, only listening devices may be used by non-team personnel. This headset had a microphone, albeit upturned and unused. Continue reading...

dlvr.it

Don’t like the result? Don’t worry, sport no longer ends on the field of play | Jonathan Liew

From the wrong headset in an F2 garage to Fifa overturning a red card, we are in a landscape where fairness is the enemy

theguardian.com

Don’t like the result? Don’t worry, sport no longer ends on the field of play | Jonathan Liew

From the wrong headset in an F2 garage to Fifa overturning a red card, we are in a landscape where fairness is the enemy

theguardian.com

What’s left after this World Cup? A kind of messy hope | Jonathan Liew

Kazakhs cheering Uzbeks, Bengalis wild for Argentina … This tournament was once a playground for nationalism. Now it shows how flimsy that allegiance is, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew

theguardian.com

What’s left after this World Cup? A kind of messy hope | Jonathan Liew

Kazakhs cheering Uzbeks, Bengalis wild for Argentina … This tournament was once a playground for nationalism. Now it shows how flimsy that allegiance is, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew

theguardian.com

Tuchel would rather put down the English game than admit to his own cowardice | Jonathan Liew

England’s coach said ball possession is not in the team’s DNA – it’s an opinion that should disqualify him from the job

theguardian.com

Tuchel would rather put down the English game than admit to his own cowardice | Jonathan Liew

England’s coach said ball possession is not in the team’s DNA – it’s an opinion that should disqualify him from the job How we talked. On late-night news shows, disembodied heads above a rolling yellow banner. On planes and trains, at bus stops and flower shops and kids’ birthday parties, trying desperately to connect the ennui of the now with the vividness of the later, trying on some level to anticipate the feelings, the blood surge, the heart rush. At the sinks in the office toilets, jerthinktheylldoit, theyactuallymighty’know, shake-shake, and your devastating analysis of the Rice-Anderson-Mainoo triple pivot gets lost in the noise of the hand-dryer. Two years of this. Countless millions sunk on tickets, hotels, Ubers, shirts, pizzas, flags, the hours spent on Google Maps trying to locate somewhere to eat after 11pm in Riga, the endless psychodrama over Jude Bellingham and whether he should have been left at home or not (turns out, not). How we bled and sweated over this, over the minor details of the journey, over whether Danny Welbeck had done enough to earn a place in the squad or not (turns out, not). All pointing towards the moment on Wednesday evening when England are 1-0 up in a World Cup semi-final against Argentina and your entire happiness rests on whether a bunch of millionaire footballers and a millionaire German coach can keep their shit together for 40 minutes, or not. Continue reading...

dlvr.it

Love and hate collide: England v Argentina is not simply a grudge match | Jonathan Liew

Look beyond the flashpoints and flare-ups and perhaps this is the greatest and most romantic of footballing rivalries

theguardian.com

Love and hate collide: England v Argentina is not simply a grudge match | Jonathan Liew

Look beyond the flashpoints and flare-ups and perhaps this is the greatest and most romantic of footballing rivalries

theguardian.com

Love and hate collide: England v Argentina is not simply a grudge match | Jonathan Liew

Look beyond the flashpoints and flare-ups and perhaps this is the greatest and most romantic of footballing rivalries It’s about the ball, right up until the moment it isn’t. On Sunday afternoon Godoy Cruz played Defensores de Belgrano in Nacional B, the second division of Argentinian football, and among the sea of blue home banners were two crosses of St George, apparently expropriated from England fans at the 2014 World Cup. One reads: “Boys & Girls From Oakwell Barnsley.” The other: “Big Al – Y-Bird – South Croydon – CPFC.” Now I want you to reflect on the levels of pure and gorgeous malevolence – pettiness doesn’t quite cover it, nor does spite – required to travel to Brazil, obtain an English flag, fold it away, bring it home in your luggage, keep it in pristine condition for 12 years, only to unveil it in your second-tier football stadium in the week Argentina play England in a World Cup semi-final. The restraint and optimism required to allow your minor act of territorial banter to fester and mature for over a decade. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a footballing rivalry. Continue reading...

dlvr.it

Love and hate collide: England v Argentina is not simply a grudge match | Jonathan Liew

Look beyond the flashpoints and flare-ups and perhaps this is the greatest and most romantic of footballing rivalries

theguardian.com

Fleeting window slammed shut as Zverev gets lost in the Sinner Zone | Jonathan Liew

German briefly threatened before falling well short against world No 1 whose only weakness appears to be the weather Shortly before 7pm, a full 162 minutes into this match, Alexander Zverev got his first break point on the Jannik Sinner serve. With the score still one set apiece and tied like a knot, this felt like a kind of hinge point. A humongous chance in a match preciously short on them. Sinner faulted. A priceless second serve for Zverev to look at. The serve was a little safer than usual and Zverev returned it with interest. After a little exploratory baseline flirting, with no breakthrough in sight, Sinner simply flicked the switch: a perfect backhand on to the sideline, followed by a perfect drop shot, sending Zverev sprawling to the turf holding his knee. And in hindsight, those few seconds – right there – was the window. Continue reading...

dlvr.it

No more Fery-tales: fantastical fever dream is over and now the hard work starts

The last person in the stadium who truly believed was Arthur Fery himself, outclassed but never outfought, a 5ft 9in battery pack in a world of power plants

theguardian.com

No more Fery-tales: fantastical fever dream is over and now the hard work starts

The last person in the stadium who truly believed was Arthur Fery himself, outclassed but never outfought, a 5ft 9in battery pack in a world of power plants

theguardian.com

Muchova into Wimbledon final after nailbiting tie-break defeat of Coco Gauff

Karolina Muchova edged out Coco Gauff in a deciding-set tie-break, saving a match point in a dramatic last-four clash to reach her first Wimbledon final

theguardian.com

Muchova into Wimbledon final after nailbiting tie-break defeat of Coco Gauff

Karolina Muchova edged out Coco Gauff in a deciding-set tie-break, saving a match point in a dramatic last-four clash to reach her first Wimbledon final

theguardian.com