XABI ALONSO REJECTS MARSEILLE: SPANIARD TURNS DOWN OM JOB OFFER AS LIVERPOOL LINKS GROW STRONGER
Xabi Alonso rejects "messy" Marseille! Discover why he turned down OM and the latest on his potential move to replace Arne Slot.
Xabi Alonso just turned down Marseille, who are deep in chaos right now. Meanwhile, talk about him heading back to Liverpool won’t go away. Alonso, now 44, got the boot from Real Madrid in January, just seven months after he left Bayer Leverkusen. Losing to Barcelona in the Super Cup final did him no favours, but honestly, trouble was brewing long before that. Several senior players felt disrespected by Alonso and didn’t buy into his style.
His tense relationship with Vinicius Junior pretty much summed up how things went wrong in the dressing room. Florentino Perez, never one for patience, sacked him. Since then, Alvaro Arbeloa stepped in, and Real seems to be getting back on track.
Alonso’s rough time at the Bernabeu, where he actually spent five years as a player, has made him picky about his next job. French outlet RMC Sport says he immediately said no to Marseille, worried the club is just too much of a mess right now.
Earlier this month, Roberto De Zerbi walked away from managing Marseille, setting off a chain reaction. After a brutal 5-0 loss to PSG, he and the club agreed to part ways. Just four days later, sporting director Medhi Benatia also announced he was leaving, saying the club’s communication had totally broken down and he couldn’t just ignore the situation anymore.
But then Frank McCourt, the club’s owner, stepped in and said Benatia will actually stay until the season ends. The fans weren't happy either; during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Strasbourg, supporters behind both goals boycotted the first 15 minutes and spent the game whistling at their own team.
After Alonso said no, Marseille gave the job to Habib Beye. He used to play for Newcastle and Aston Villa, and now he’s at the Stade Velodrome, even though Rennes just sacked him last week.
As for Alonso, he’s taking his time before picking his next move. Not long ago, he was the hottest coach in Europe. Now, all eyes are on Liverpool, with rumours swirling that he could replace Arne Slot. Last month, a journalist asked Slot if Alonso had called him to talk about taking his job, and Slot had some fun with it. “Yeah, he called me and said, ‘What do you think about the team? "I'm taking over in six months; can you fill me in?" Slot joked.
“Or maybe sooner. Maybe he takes over tomorrow! No, no, no. That’s one of the weirdest questions I’ve ever had. What’s there to say? I’ve been here for over a year and a half, and I really enjoy it. We won the league last season, and this year’s been tougher. That’s just how it goes sometimes.”
CARLO ANCELOTTI ISSUES TWO-MONTH WORLD CUP ULTIMATUM TO SANTOS STAR NEYMAR
Carlo Ancelotti confirms Neymar has two months to prove his fitness for the 2026 World Cup. Read the full Selecao update.
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Everyone’s talking about Neymar again as the 2026 World Cup edges closer. It’s the same old debate: does he still have a spot with Brazil? But this time there’s real hope on the table. Carlo Ancelotti’s left the door open for Neymar to make the cut. Even though Neymar hasn’t made the latest squads, he’s obviously still on the minds of the Selecao coaches.
Here’s the situation: Neymar's been battling injuries since he tore his ACL. He missed the season’s first 10 games after knee surgery last December. He got back on the field, but fitness issues and a suspension meant he still watched from the sidelines quite a bit. Still, Ancelotti isn’t ruling him out. In an interview with L’Equipe, Ancelotti emphasised Neymar’s reputation but also made something very clear: if Neymar wants the World Cup, he needs to earn it.
Talent isn't a question; nobody doubts Neymar’s skill. What matters for Ancelotti is being fit. No exceptions, no matter how big the star. “Neymar can come back. I’ve said it before, and it’s simple: only physically ready players get called up,” Ancelotti said flat-out. “His recovery from the knee injury is going well; he’s scoring again. He just needs to keep pushing and get fitter. He’s headed in the right direction.”
With 79 goals in 128 matches, Neymar has shaped Brazil’s football history. Ancelotti gets that fans want to see Neymar try one more time for the one trophy he’s never won. “Neymar belongs to Brazil’s football story. He’s hugely talented, so obviously people hope he’ll help us win the next World Cup. Right now, he’s under assessment not just by the CBF but by me, too. He’s got two months left to show he has what it takes for the World Cup,” Ancelotti said.
Neymar’s chance to prove himself is coming fast, with big matches for Santos ahead. He’s expected to start this Saturday when they face Atlético-MG at Vila Belmiro. If Neymar stays healthy and sharp, that final World Cup dream is still alive.
BRAD FRIEDEL LABELS WESTON MCKENNIE THE "MOST TALENTED" USMNT PLAYER OVER PULISIC
Brad Friedel sparks debate by naming Weston McKennie as more talented than Christian Pulisic for the USMNT in 2026.
Former USMNT goalkeeper Brad Friedel doesn’t think Christian Pulisic is the top American player right now. In his eyes, Weston McKennie is the most talented option Mauricio Pochettino's got, even though Pulisic usually gets all the attention as “Captain America.”
Pulisic does have his fans, but he hasn’t scored for the national team since 2024 and was pretty quiet during the last international break. The US had a rough time, losing 5-2 to Belgium and 2-0 to Portugal. Those friendlies were supposed to get the team ready for big opponents at the 2026 World Cup, but honestly, they just brought up even more doubts. McKennie was one of the few players who actually looked up for it, and Friedel is absolutely convinced he’s the best talent the US has right now.
The team was missing some key names, too. Miles Robinson, Chris Richards, and Tyler Adams were all out. Richards made it back for the Portugal game, but Adams’ absence in midfield was impossible to ignore. Friedel says people are making too much of these recent defeats. He thinks you have to judge the team on how they do in big tournaments, especially this summer. Still, he admits Adams is the one who keeps everyone connected, and when he’s out there, it makes McKennie better, which ends up making life easier for Pulisic.
Pochettino has a headache picking his squad for the World Cup. He’s still not set on his goalkeeper, his defence, his midfield, or even the attack. According to Friedel, no matter who fills those spots, the USMNT’s hopes really come down to what McKennie and Adams bring to the table.
Talking to Express Sport via Oddspedia, Friedel said, “The U.S. has always needed all our best guys. We’ve never been the kind of team that can go 30 deep and not lose quality except in 2002. That was the only year when anyone could’ve started, and we wouldn’t have missed a beat. Tyler is the glue for the team. He doesn’t care if you’re seven feet tall; if you’re not pulling your weight, he’ll call you out. He’s just that type of player.”
Friedel went on, “I coached a lot of these guys when I ran the under-19s. Weston McKennie is, for me, the most talented footballer we have. He can do so many things, but he needs to be fit and focused. With Juventus this season, he’s looked sharp, and he’s carrying that form into the World Cup. If he’s got Tyler alongside him, no matter where Weston ends up playing, Tyler keeps him disciplined. You always get the best version of McKennie when Adams is on the field. If those two are fit and playing well, they open up the space that lets Christian do what he does best.”
Pochettino is staring down a huge challenge to get this team ready for the World Cup. He knows they’re nowhere near their peak, but he keeps insisting they’re not far off either. If Adams can stay healthy, something that’s been tough for him lately, that would take a lot of pressure off the coach. Without him, it shows. With him, everything just seems to fall into place.
