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In winning Olympic gold, the U.S. seized their moment, ousted Brazil and reclaimed their spot at the top of the women's soccer world

Six games in 16 days. It was a grueling stretch, to say the least. At times during this intense run through the 2024 Olympics, coach Emma Hayes and the U.S. women's national team had to accept that this wasn't about thriving, but rather about surviving. And they knew the reward if they could simply sustain.

For the U.S., Saturday was about more than a fifth gold medal. It was about legitimacy. It was about legacy. It was about history, nostalgia and resurrection. And they knew it would come against a Brazil squad that had it's own motivations. For them, it was about Marta, an icon. It was about a new generation. It was about taking down a Goliath that, just a few weeks ago, looked a lot more like a David.

Led by Mallory Swanson's clutch second-half goal, the U.S. outlasted Brazil 1-0 in the Gold Medal match in Paris. Saturday's final was the sixth gold medal appearance for the USWNT – out of eight Olympics in which women's soccer was contested – and they've now won five.

It was a tight, nervy affair, one defined by a series of moments. Swanson's goal was the tournament winner, but Brazil had their chances. But while they couldn't convert them, Swanson did. Sometimes that's the difference. Sometimes those moments are all it takes to win what not long ago seemed un-winnable, to change perceptions, to be reborn.

The U.S. seized their moment and, as a result – after failing to even reach an Olympics final since London 2012 – also reclaimed their spot at the top of the women's soccer world.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the USWNT's gold medal-winning performance at Parc des Princes in Paris.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Mallory Swanson

In the quarterfinals, it was Trinity Rodman. In the semifinals, it was Sophia Smith. And on Saturday, in the biggest game of them all, it was the third member of Triple Espresso that provided the one shot the USWNT needed.

It didn't take much: one line-splitting pass, one run, one tidy finish in the 57th minute of what had been a tense, physical game. Swanson smartly implored yelled Smith not to go near the ball as it came through – Smith was offside, but Swanson wasn’t.

“I was like, `Don’t touch it! Leave it, leave it leave it!’” Swanson said. “And then it was on me to put it away.”

It was all that the U.S. needed. It came down to the one moment that Swanson, fittingly enough, provided. She earned this. She really did.

The U.S. attack at Paris 2024 was spearheaded this triumvirate of young, dynamic forwards in 22-year-old Rodman, 24-year-old Smith (she celebrated her birthday Saturday) and the 26-year-old Swanson. For Swanson, on Saturday she became the 44th player in USWNT history to reach the 100-cap milestone. She is the youngest player to reach the century mark for the USWNT since 25-year-old Amy Rodriguez achieved the feat in 2012 and is the 15th youngest-player all-time to reach 100 caps.

“We’ve grown so much,” Swanson told reporters. “And that’s really cool to me seeing that. We’ve grown on and off the field. And you keep probably hearing it — we’re playing with joy. We’re having so much fun and I’m just so happy.”

Swanson was fantastic all summer long. She was exactly the spark that this team needed. She didn't get on the ball much in the final, but she capitalized on those chanced, making Brazil pay.

A year after missing out on the World Cup, Swanson is back, better than ever and now? She's an Olympic champion.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Marta

For Marta to bid farewell to the Olympic stage, major tournament soccer and, possibly the international game, with a medal? Fantastic. Brazil was not expected to get on the podium at the Games. It is in something of a transition period with these young players and a new manager, is only 12 months removed from a group-stage exit at the Women's World Cup and lost two group matches at these Games.

However, Marta will surely be disappointed that she couldn't impact this final, her and the Selecao's first on the international stage for 16 years, in the manner that she would've hoped. That she came off the bench in the final made some sense, given her game-changing abilities and the momentum the team was riding from the knockout rounds. But she was simply unlucky to be introduced only after the U.S. scored, which probably would not have been Arthur Elias' plan.

From there, Brazil struggled to find rhythm, the USWNT managed the game well and restricted the opportunities that Marta had to get on the ball and make a difference.

GettyWINNER: Alyssa Naeher

The USWNT's "Uncle" turned this group into what certainly appears to be a Golden Generation.

OK, perhaps that's a bit forced, but it's true: without Naeher, the USWNT wouldn't be here. She was spectacular all tournament, but she somehow saved her biggest moments for the finale. By the end, she was credited with just four saves, but each of them felt bigger than the last.

Called the team's Saving Grace by Rodman after the U.S. beat Germany in the semifinals, Naeher managed her third consecutive clean sheet, all coming in 1-0 victories after the group stage.

It all culminated with a fantastic stop late, one that, if not for her spectacular effort, could have sent this game into extra time. Fortunately for the U.S., Naeher got her right palm on the shot just outside the goal. Last round, it was her toes. This time, it was one single hand that kept the U.S. dream alive.

"It's Brazil, we know they're such a tough opponent, we knew it wasn't going to be easy, they weren't going to give us anything," U.S. defender Crystal Dunn told reporters. "We trusted everyone was going to do their job and I'm really proud of the backline and of course Alyssa back there is such an incredible asset to the team. It just came down to trusting everyone was going to do their job."

Naeher, 36, is deservedly being given her flowers. She's been so steady for so many years, solidifying her place among the greats. This will be her legacy tournament and, if it's her last, she'll have gone out on the highest of highs.

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GettyLOSER: The USWNT midfield

For far too long in the most important match of the year, it was looking rough for the U.S. Brazil's midfield was torturing the USWNT group, running them in circles for most of the first 45 minutes. It appeared that a lack of control in the middle could very well end up being the USWNT's downfall.

It started with a bit of controversy. Emma Hayes benched Rose Lavelle in favor of Korbin Albert entering the match, taking out arguably the USWNT's most dynamic creator. It looked like might just backfire. The U.S. struggled to get control in the midfield, lacking both the defensive steel to frustrate Brazil and the creativity to keep them honest. U.S. captain Lindsey Horan struggled. Sam Coffey ran her legs into the ground putting out fires. Albert, for much of the game, didn't contribute much.

Albert, of course, justified the decision in the second half with her assist on Swanson's game-winning goal. Hayes, ultimately, got it right. Even so, this wasn't a dominant performance in the middle and, if you're going to nitpick a bit, the midfield was close to being the reason the U.S. squandered gold.

A round-up of the Under-19 World Cup matches that took place on January 28, 2020

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2020
ScorecardSixteen-year old Emannuel Bawa must have had one of the sweetest experiences of his career on Tuesday. To score a century from No. 7 – with the team in deep trouble at 54 for 5 – and for it to end up match-winning too had to make him feel like he was on top of the world.Zimbabwe, at one point, were in very real danger of going down to Canada in Potchefstroom, but their lower-middle order showed great steel. The No. 5 Taurayi Tugwete hit a 50 off 75 balls and even the No. 9 Gareth Chirawu wouldn’t give his wicket away cheaply, cracking 54 unbeaten runs off only 45 deliveries. Bawa, though, was the star of the show, arriving to the crease in the 16th over and remaining unbeaten, with 13 fours and a strike-rate of 110.Canada suffered a similar batting malfunction, slumping to 69 for 5 in the 21st over, but they could find no one to rescue their innings as Chirawu, Sakhumuzi Ndlela and Nkosilathi Nungu picked up two wickets each.Uzzair Shah flicks•ICC via Getty
ScorecardOsama Hassan produced a fine half-century from the lower order for UAE but his 81 off 68 balls did little to prevent defeat in the fourth quarter-final of the plate group in the Under-19 World Cup. Scotland cruised to victory with seven wickets to spare thanks to opener Uzzair Shah’s nearly run-a-ball 71 and wicketkeeper Tomas Mackintosh’s better than run-a-ball 57.UAE began the game in decent position. They were 129 for 3 in the 30th over after being put in to bat, eying up a strong total. But Daniel Cairns’ offspin triggered a middle-overs collapse where they lost four wickets for 35 runs. Hassan continued to fight though, hitting seven fours and a six during the course of his innings and was the last man out in the 49th over.Shah took centre stage after that, helping Scotland wallop 176 runs by the 27th over before he was finally dismissed, by which time the contest was pretty much done.

Manchester City may be in the driving seat for the Premier League title again, but the 2023/24 campaign has been another positive one for Arsenal Football Club and one full of promise.

Mikel Arteta's side look magnitudes more composed this year, as demonstrated by their lack of collapse compared to the last two seasons, and their incredible goal difference (+57) shows how clinical and organised they have become.

It's a squad filled with excellent players such as Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and even Kai Havertz – much to the chagrin of Chelsea fans.

Still, there is one who is perhaps the most important to Arteta's system, a player who has been compared to James Maddison in the past but has seen his valuation soar past the Englishman's this term.

How Odegaard compares to Maddison this season

Of course, the player in question is Norwegian superstar and former wonderkid Martin Odegaard, who, over the last few years, has made the Gunners midfield his own.

However, before he joined the red side of North London on a permanent deal in the summer of 2021 for just £34m, there were genuine conversations among fans and pundits about whether Arteta should go for the then-Leicester City ace Maddison instead.

Edu Gaspar and Co opted to sign the former Real Madrid prospect and a couple of years later the Foxes star finally moved to North London, only instead of donning red and white, he now wears just the latter, but how have the pair fared this season? And did Arsenal make a mistake back in 2021?

So, from a purely output perspective, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, the Spurs ace has missed 13 games for club and country this season, while the Arsenal captain has remained injury-free for the most part, missing just five games for club and country in November.

Second, due to the Gunners' European adventures, the Drammen-born star has played significantly more games than his counterpart, coming in at 45 across all competitions to the Lilywhites ace's 25. So, to make it a more accurate reflection, this comparison is based purely on their Premier League performances.

Appearances

23

32

Goals

4

8

Assists

7

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.47

0.50

With that said, in his 23 games this season, the former Norwich City gem has scored four goals and provided seven assists, meaning he's producing a goal involvement on average every two games.

In comparison, the Norway captain has scored eight goals and provided eight assists in 32 league games so far, giving him a goal involvement on average every two games as well.

However, the major difference here is how the pair have played post-Maddison's injury.

In the 12 games the Lilywhites star has played since his return, he has provided just two assists and scored one goal, while his competitor has provided five assists and scored four goals of his own across the 14 league games he has played in that period.

Appearances

12

14

Goals

1

4

Assists

2

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.23

0.64

It's clear from these numbers that both players are incredibly creative and effective midfielders in their own regard, but the Englishman's drop off in output post-injury is impossible to ignore and likely to affect his valuation.

Odegaard and Madison's valuations compared

Now, while there isn't much to separate the two midfield maestros regarding their output across the season as a whole, there is a massive difference in how the pair are valued.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the "incredible" Spurs ace, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is worth just €40m, which is around £34m. In comparison, the "electric" Arsenal gem, as described by Izzy Christiansen, is valued at a whopping €150m, which converts to around £128m, or more than three times the valuation of his London rival.

This might seem like a massive difference for two quality players, but it likely takes into account the fact that Maddison is two years older than his competition, has a significantly worse injury record that shows no sign of improving, has minimal European experience, and, perhaps most crucially, he has never shown any leadership qualities, unlike the Gunners star, who captains his club and national side.

€200m (£171m)

Bukayo Saka

€80m (£68m)

Dejan Kulusevski

€150m (£128m)

Martin Odegaard

€80m (£68m)

Destiny Udogie

€100m (£86m)

Gabriel Martinelli

€60m (£51m)

Pedro Porro

€100m (£86m)

Kai Havertz

€60m (£51m)

Cristian Romero

€100m (£86m)

Declan Rice

€60m (£51m)

Brennan Johnson

Ultimately, while the Lilywhites dynamo is an undeniably talented and entertaining player to watch, Arsenal played a blinder by signing Odegaard instead, and his recent valuation is just more validation of their decision back in 2021.

Arsenal eyeing 'unstoppable' Jesus upgrade who was in London on Sunday

The incredible talent has shades of Lukas Podolski about him.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 1, 2024

Board braced for postponement and cancellations of marquee events as implications for summer gather

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Mar-2020Joe Root, the England captain, says that his team’s overwhelming reaction was one of “relief” after their two-Test tour of Sri Lanka was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The tour’s postponement was confirmed with England midway through the second day of their final warm-up match in Colombo, ahead of the first Test in Galle that had been due to get underway on March 19.The players left the field at P Sara Oval at 3.40pm local time, and immediately departed for the team hotel ahead of their flight back to London on Saturday morning.And speaking to PA prior to the departure, Root said that the team’s concerns for their friends and families back home had made it nigh on impossible to focus fully on the task of preparing for a Test series.”There was an element of relief,” Root said. “The right decision has been made.”You could see looking at the players that their minds were elsewhere thinking about people back home. Now that we can go and look after families and be with loved ones that’s put a lot of guys at ease.”Naturally there was a lot of talk in the dressing room and it got to a stage where it overshadowed the cricket. Looking at how quickly things have happened at home, you’re thinking about family and friends who might be a bit more vulnerable and that’s hard when you’re a long way away.”It was clear it was getting in the way of performance and affecting the mental well-being of the guys.”The postponement was reluctantly agreed to by Sri Lanka Cricket, who stand to make a significant financial loss, but with 3000 England fans expected in Galle for the first Test, the likelihood of a spike in Sri Lanka’s recorded cases of COVID-19 was high.ALSO READ: Counties’ pre-season plans in the spotlightAnd with that in mind, the England team had been briefed on the quarantine arrangements, should any players or staff have contracted the virus while on tour. They would have had to be removed from the team environment and placed under the jurisdiction of the Sri Lanka government, a prospect that Root said had alarmed the squad.”There were a number of different scenarios we could have found ourselves in that were pretty scary to be honest,” said Root.”You think how things might have gone – being in isolation here, disconnected from the team, without the security we would usually have around us at the ground or the hotel. If one of the lads was to get it in these conditions, or a member of the public travelling, it could be quite a scary experience.”England’s next scheduled international series is a three-Test home campaign against West Indies, with the first Test slated to begin at The Oval on June 4.But, with the UK government stating that they expect the peak of the virus to come in 10-14 weeks, right at the height of the tour, there is an increasing expectation that that tour will also fall victim to the pandemic. The ECB on Thursday outlined contingency plans to mitigate the financial, logistical and scheduling implications for the English season.Although mass gatherings in the UK have not yet been banned, the government have indicated that that may soon be on the cards. One prospect for English cricket would be for certain matches to be staged behind closed doors, as happened with Australia’s recent ODI against New Zealand in Sydney.”It would be very strange if that was to happen but if these things have to happen so be it,” Root said.”We always get supported extremely well and that has played a big part in our results in recent years. They have a big impact on the way we play our cricket, we like to interact.”We don’t know when we’ll play again. I suppose you can’t have mass gatherings so there won’t be many training camps. I’m sure over the coming weeks we’ll prepare and do everything we can to be as ready as possible but until we know more it’s just a case of common sense. Look after yourself, condition well and be ready to start.”

Kyle Walker admits that his dad "reduced him to tears" after every football match as the Manchester City star opened up on his tough childhood.

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Walker talked about his upbringingDefended his dad for being tough on himWants to instill the same set of values in his childrenWHAT HAPPENED?

Walker shared candid insights into his difficult upbringing, revealing how his father’s strict approach to parenting left a lasting impact on him. Walker’s upbringing on the Lansdowne Estate in Sheffield has profoundly shaped his approach to parenting his own children. Reflecting on his father’s tough love, Walker admitted that while he resented it at the time, it ultimately contributed to his success as both a person and a professional footballer.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT WALKER SAID

Speaking on the podcast , the Manchester City star recounted how his father’s approach to parenting, though harsh, played a crucial role in shaping his character.

"My dad, I used to hate going to football with him. No matter if I played good or I played bad, I'd get in the car and be reduced to tears," he revealed.

Walker’s father, Michael, who immigrated to England from Jamaica in his late teens, met Walker’s mother, Tracey, soon after arriving. Despite the tough love, Walker now recognizes that his father’s methods were rooted in care and a desire to see his son succeed. "I don't blame him for that because it made me the person and the player I am today," Walker explained. "At the start of my career, I was always trying to prove my dad wrong. He did it because he cared."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Walker shares four sons with his wife Annie: Roman, 11, Riaan, seven, Reign, five, and Rezon, who is just four months old. In addition, Walker has two children with Lauryn Goodman, a four-year-old son named Kairo and a 12-month-old daughter, Kinara. Despite the challenges of raising a blended family, Walker is determined to instill in all his children the same values that helped him rise to the top of his sport.

"With my kids now I don't let them win. If I keep letting them win, when they lose it will be traumatic for them," he said.

"We play football games in the garden and I give it my all because it will instil that into them, they will be better people and become winners. My dad's parents were from Jamaica and left him in England with £200 and a washer when he was 17. So, he passed it down from his parents to me. I try to not do the same as much as possible. But where he taught me to be a winner I try to pass that on to the boys."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Walker expressed a certain nostalgia for the sense of community that existed on the estate, something he feels his own children are missing out on. While he acknowledges the privileges his wealth has afforded his children, Walker insists they are not spoiled and that they must learn to entertain themselves. "They have the privileges of having nice things, but the kids have to entertain themselves. They play with their brothers, and that’s it," he said.

"I wish sometimes I could put them on an estate to mingle with different people and have different friends. When I was growing up, you’d go and call for your mates."

Liverpool squandered a two-goal lead late in Jurgen Klopp's penultimate match as the club's manager as Aston Villa fought tooth and nail to secure a draw in the Premier League and step closer toward Champions League qualification, eventually drawing 3-3.

There's been an acute drop-off within this talented Liverpool side in the past few months, who, let's be honest, were performing above expectations for much of this emotional campaign, turbo-charged by the brilliant guiding light of Klopp's swansong.

Frailties were glaring at Villa Park, but so too were the strengths and the style of a team still developing, yet to enter its new era under Arne Slot.

The future of vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold remains up in the air, out of contract at the end of the 2024/25 season and reportedly attracting ominous attention from Real Madrid, and while he's a world-class player, he will be displeased with his effort against Unai Emery's side.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's performance vs Villa

Alexander-Arnold has endured a bit of a frustrating campaign for Liverpool, producing some resounding performances when Klopp's team was at its best throughout the opening half of the campaign before falling prey to injuries that have disrupted much of the latter half of the term.

Still, he's bagged three goals and nine assists in all competitions and has started Liverpool's past five top-flight fixtures, but he flattered to deceive against the Villans.

Minutes played

90'

Touches

82

Accurate passes

49/58 (84%)

Shots on target

1

Shots off target

1

Key passes

1

Possession lost

16x

Tackles

1

Interceptions

2

Error leading to shot

1

Duels won

1/7

Dribbled past

5x

It wasn't a dreadful display but it did leave plenty to be desired, with The Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle handing the creative full-back a 6/10 match rating, noting his early attempts to push forward and affect the play but gradual shift into a more defensive role to deal with the hosts' advances.

The reporter wrote: 'Regularly drifted into a central midfield position early on but forced into more defending before break and second half more one of attrition. Denied by Martinez with one thunderbolt.'

But Doyle's thoughts do not hone in on the dismal defensive efforts that allowed Villa to slice through the Reds' defence with ease at times, winning just one duel out of seven battles all night and also being dribbled past five times.

The 25-year-old also made an error and created just one key pass. He might have fired a ferocious strike at Emiliano Martinez but this was not a good demonstration of his superabundance of talent.

As The Athletic's James Pearce aptly puts it: "Defensive issues for Slot to address this summer. One clean sheet in the last 16 PL games tells a story."

Last season, a horribly substandard and disjointed Liverpool side shipped 47 goals in the Premier League; this term, if a clean sheet is kept against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the closing day of the campaign this weekend, that figure will have been bettered only by six.

There is much work to do, and while Slot and all involved at Liverpool would despair at the thought of Alexander-Arnold plying his trade elsewhere, he will need to improve in the defensive third – this felt like something of a regression.

Darwin Nunez axed, £180m trio sign: Arne Slot's dream XI at Liverpool

Things could be looking rather different at Anfield come August.

ByAngus Sinclair May 9, 2024

GOAL US looks at the trending topics to follow for Americans Abroad in this weekend’s European matches

Another week, another opportunity for Americans abroad to impress. It's been a mixed start to the season for USMNT's finest. Some, such as Christian Pulisic, have run hot and cold. Others, such as Brendan Aaronson have burned brightly. While a few are yet to see their seasons take off.

This week could be pivotal. A few big names are involved in key fixtures early on, while some proper striking talent will look to impress ahead of the first international break of the season.

Although not confirmed to be the new USMNT manager for the friendlies next week, Mauricio Pochettino would presumably have a role in picking this squad. Those on the fringes would do well to impress over the weekend.

GOAL US takes a look at some of the biggest storylines to follow among USMNT regulars and hopefuls in major European competitions.

AFPCan Gio get on the pitch?

It is clear, at this point, that Reyna made the decision to stay at Borussia Dortmund. Despite the departure of club legend Marco Reus to LA Galaxy, there appears to be relatively few opportunities for the American midfielder in the Bundesliga.

He played just 10 minutes against Frankfurt in matchweek one. And with Marcel Sabitzer and Julian Brandt impressing in the two positions Reyna might thrive, it is unlikely that the USMNT regular will have a bigger role. This weekend, then, he will have to make the most of another cameo – or see himself slip further out of the picture.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportJosh Sargent makes his case for the No. 9

Pochettino will face a number of key decisions about his squad, should he officially take the helm. One of the biggest question marks is at center forward. The USMNT have a lot of middling options, but no single figure has yet seized the position as their own.

Thus far this season Sargent is making a pretty good case. The versatile forward has three goal contributions in as many games in the Championship, and figures to have yet another chance to impress this weekend when his Norwich take on Haji Wright's Coventry City. It's his last chance to impress before the international break – he would do well to make the most of it.

AFPBalogun falls out of the picture

Meanwhile, Folarin Balogun has stumbled. The striker is yet to make good on the immense promise he showed in the 2022-23 season at Reims. His return of seven goals and five assists in his debut campaign at Monaco was little more than agreeable.

But now, with the departure of Wissam Ben Yedder, Balogun appears to have a chance to prove himself. It was hardly a glorious start – he was benched in the 2-0 win over Lyon last weekend. The New York-born striker will hope to right the ship, and impress his manager, against Lens this weekend.

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GettyJohnny Cardoso gets his chance against the best?

The Betis midfielder impressed for short spells in La Liga last year, and was afforded a few looks by Gregg Berhalter in the USMNT setup towards the end of his tenure. Thus far in 2024, he hasn't quite had the same impact – and has been linked with a move away. He might yet get one, with Tottenham reportedly negotiating the rights to any future purchase as part of the Giovani Lo Celso deal.

But the attention must now turn back to his club. This weekend, Betis have a big one. Los Mejores are set to face off against Real Madrid on Sunday. Carlo Ancelotti's side, meanwhile, are coming off a disappointing draw against Las Palmas. Cardoso might just have his time to shine.

Pacer asks cricket authorities to counterbalance prohibition of saliva for ball shining by another measure

Daniel Brettig26-May-2020Cricket runs the risk producing “boring” contests, losing followers of the game and reducing the number of young aspirants to bowl fast if a better balance isn’t struck between bat and ball. These are Mitchell Starc’s views in reaction to the interim ruling offered by the ICC to ban saliva from shining the ball in the time of the coronavirus pandemic.Having bent his back on a succession of unhelpful pitches in home Test matches over the past few summers, Starc argued similarly to his colleagues Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. He thinks the ICC’s prohibition of saliva, but not sweat, from being used to shine the ball out of health concerns needed to be counterbalanced by another measure.While the ICC’s cricket committee has suggested more sporting pitches could be a solution currently, Starc was understandably wary about the prospect of administrators and ground staff acquiescing to this instruction, and instead pushed for a temporary allowance for an artificial substance with which to polish the ball. This concept, as reported by ESPNcricinfo, was discussed by the ICC committee before being ruled out on the basis that it took the game too far from its existing laws.ALSO READ: Social distancing, ‘safe’ ball management among ICC’s dos and don’ts”I understand that completely and hear what they’re saying in terms of a foreign substance, but whether that can be controlled by the umpires in terms of they have a portion of the wax and you can only use a small amount, I don’t know, but there needs to be a maintaining of the even contest,” Starc said. “I understand what they’re saying with foreign substances and that it’s black and white in terms of that, but it’s an unusual time for the world and if they’re going to remove saliva shining for a portion of time they need to think of something else for that portion of time as well.Getty Images”Whether it be the wickets being not as flat or at least considering this shining wax to a degree, there needs to be some thought on that I think. I guess you use both those things [saliva and sweat] to shine the ball. I’ve probably been a bit more on the sweat side, just trying to not get my hands in my mouth too much, but yeah, I agree completely with what Pat commented on last week – that contest with bat and ball, we don’t want to lose that or get further away from that even contest, so there needs to be something in place to either keep that ball swinging.”They’ve mentioned that it’s only going to be there for a period of time and then once the world gets back to a relatively normal situation then saliva can come back into shining the ball. But if it’s going to be a window of time there, maybe then instruct people to leave more grass on the wickets to have that contest or if they’re going to take away a portion of maintaining the ball, there needs to be that even contest between bat and ball, otherwise people are going to stop watching, and kids aren’t going to want to be bowlers.”Administrators have long supported the concept of more lively pitches for bowlers, but far too often the practical outcome has been the preparation of surfaces devised to see a Test last for five days, typically producing a very attritional brand of cricket. Starc was clearly casting his mind back to India’s previous tour of Australia in 2018-19, where after two evenly-fought matches on fair pitches in Adelaide and Perth, Virat Kohli’s team ground the Australians into the beige turf of the MCG and SCG to close out the series.”I think as we saw in Australia the last couple of years, there’s some pretty flat wickets, and if that ball’s going straight, it’s a pretty boring contest,” Starc said. “I think Kookaburra have been developing a shining wax or something of the sort, so whether there’s consideration of that, there needs to be some [thought to] maintaining that even contest. Generally the spinners reckon that the wickets that seam a bit also spin, so maybe if you bring the bowlers back into the game, you’ll tick all the boxes.”

In a chat with R Ashwin, Kohli said the process was one of ‘earning trust’ over several years

ESPNcricinfo staff30-May-20202:08

‘I was always in Dhoni’s ear’ – Kohli

Virat Kohli has credited MS Dhoni with playing a significant role in anointing him as his successor as India captain.Kohli took over as the full-time Test captain when Dhoni retired from the format midway through India’s tour of Australia in 2014-15, and later became captain across formats when Dhoni quit his limited-overs post in early 2017.Kohli said the process was a gradual one of “earning trust” over several years.”I was always inclined towards taking responsibility,” Kohli said of his early days in the India dressing room, while speaking to his team-mate R Ashwin on his Instagram Live show . “After that it was all about just wanting to play, wanting to be in the XI regularly. I didn’t play all the games, but I wanted to be discussed, that ‘whether this guy is good enough to play or not.’ That is a transition that slowly happens.”Then with your interest in the game you start talking to the captain regularly. I was always in MS’s ear, standing next to him, saying, ‘We can do this, we can do that.’ He would deny a lot of things but he would discuss a lot of things as well. I think he got a lot of confidence that I can do this after him.”A large portion of me becoming captain was also to do with him observing me for a long period of time. It can’t just happen that he goes and the selectors say, ‘Okay you become captain.’ Obviously the guy who is there takes responsibility and says, ‘Okay I think this is the next guy. I will tell you how it is going.’ And then slowly that transition is formed. He played a big role in that, and that trust you have to build over six-seven years. It doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a process.”Kohli was first appointed vice-captain for the 2012 Asia Cup, which followed India’s tour of Australia for a Test series and a tri-series in 2011-12. In a tour that otherwise went poorly for India, who were blanked 4-0 in the Tests and failed to reach the tri-series final, Kohli emerged with distinction. He scored his maiden Test century in the fourth match in Adelaide, becoming the only India batsman to reach three figures in that series. In the ODIs, he made his then highest score in the format , smashing 133* off just 86 balls as India chased down a target of 321 in 36.4 overs to keep their hopes of making the final alive.The relationship between Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni solidified over time•Associated PressKohli said that tour helped him become aware of his game and hone it significantly. “I remember that whole season,” he said. “It was from that Test hundred in Adelaide to continuously stringing scores. That was a phase of six to eight months where I really realised a lot about my own game and came into my own as far as my skills were concerned.”I was very competitive but I wasn’t very sure or in control of what I wanted to do before. When you come in new, you’re still figuring out how to go about it. At the international stage you want to be feared, you want to be respected. You don’t want to walk in and hear, ‘He’s one of the youngsters, we’ll just knock him over.’ We all play for that. That was a phase where I started to realise this.”In the Asia Cup that followed, Kohli made 183 in another tall chase, against Pakistan. He revealed that during this knock, he had negated the threat posed by Saeed Ajmal by treating the offspinner as if he were a legspinner.”I told myself I’m going to start playing him like a legspinner,” Kohli said. “Because his was quite difficult to face and his offspinner was not that lethal. So I said I’m going to try and hit him over cover consistently, and it just paid off. As soon as I negated his , the potency of his threat became lesser and lesser.”In that game I scored most of my runs against him through the off side [29 runs on the off side and 7 on the leg side]. My only aim was I’m going to make him unsettled with his . He should fear bowling the doosra to me, then I’m on top of my game.”

Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland is reportedly splashing out £2.1 million ($2.8m) on two private jets, as his business empire expands.

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Norwegian striker flying on & off the pitchIntends to branch out into other fieldsChasing down more silverware with CityWHAT HAPPENED?

The Norwegian striker, who has claimed Premier League Golden Boots in each of his two seasons in English football, has already been starring on the field in 2024-25 – with the prolific 24-year-old registering four goals, including another hat-trick, through two games.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Haaland is taking off as much off the pitch as he is on it, with it revealed that his image rights firm York Promotions Ltd has branched out into the world of aviation. A statement within their annual accounts says: “The company has entered into an agreement to acquire an interest in two aircraft for an amount of £2,155,342.”

DID YOU KNOW?

York Promotions Ltd have built up £12m ($16m) in assets for the 12 months through to December 2023, with £7m in cash and £5m still owed to Haaland by various big-name brands that he boasts partnerships with. Those funds are allowing the City frontman to travel in style.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Haaland has big plans for his off-field endeavours, with reporting on a business model that intends to move in various different directions – including following Argentine icon Lionel Messi into the energy drink market. Papers filed at the UK's Intellectual Property Office by Haaland’s lawyers during a legal battle to re-trademark his name state that the Norway international wants to sell: “Drinking water; sports drinks; energy drinks; fruit drinks; fruit juice beverages; protein drinks; carbohydrate drinks; protein-enriched sports beverages; energy drinks containing caffeine; energy drinks [not for medical purposes].”