🚨Zinedine Zidane on Japan displaying Wataru Endō’s jersey after their 2-2 draw with the Netherlands:
🗣️“I have played football my entire life, and moments like that remind you why this sport means so much to people. When I saw Endō’s shirt hanging on the bench and his teammates holding it after the game, it genuinely touched me.
We spend so much time talking about tactics, formations, and results, but sometimes football gives you something far more powerful. It gives you moments of humanity.
Imagine working your entire career for one final World Cup, only for an injury to take it away just days before the tournament begins. Then imagine watching your teammates refuse to let the world forget you. That’s special.
What struck me most was that Japan didn’t do it for the cameras or the headlines. You could see the emotion on their faces. It came from the heart.
The 89th-minute equaliser was incredible, but I honestly think the image of Endō’s shirt will be remembered longer than the goal itself. Some moments are bigger than football.
As an opponent, you can’t help but respect it. You could see that this team isn’t just playing for themselves anymore. They’re carrying the dream of a teammate who should have been standing beside them.
That’s what makes Japan dangerous in this tournament. Not just their quality, but their unity. They look like a team willing to suffer for each other until the very last second.
And if I’m Endō watching from home tonight, I probably have tears in my eyes. Because no trophy, medal, or speech can replace the feeling of knowing that your teammates haven’t forgotten you.”
🚨Xabi Alonso on Julián Álvarez pushing for a move away from Atlético Madrid:
🗣️ Reporter: “Xabi, what do you make of the situation surrounding Julián Álvarez and the reports that he wants to leave Atlético?”
🗣️ Xabi Alonso: “I think the most important thing is to respect the commitment you make when you sign for a club. Julián is a fantastic footballer, nobody can question that, but Atlético gave him trust, responsibility and a long-term contract. That relationship has to mean something.
“If a player decides after a few years that he wants another challenge, that is football. Careers are short and players have ambitions. But there is a professional way to handle these situations. You don’t create tension, you don’t force the club into a corner and you don’t make the supporters feel like the player has already left.
“Atlético are not a stepping stone. They are one of the biggest clubs in Europe. If Barcelona, Real Madrid or another club wants Julián, then they have to approach Atlético properly and meet the conditions of the agreement.
“And honestly, I understand why Atlético supporters would be frustrated. They bought into the player, supported him and made him one of the important faces of their project. You cannot expect them to applaud if suddenly he decides another club is more attractive.
“Wanting to leave is one thing. The way you leave tells you everything about the player. If Julián wants a new chapter, he should earn that move with respect not force Atlético to surrender.”
🚨Thierry Henry on who deserves the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award:
🗣️ Thierry Henry: “Guys, listen, this is an important award, but I think we sometimes get confused about what we’re actually voting for. The PFA award has never simply been about who won the Premier League or who scored the most goals. It’s about impact. Who was the player that made the biggest difference to his team?
“Bruno Fernandes and Declan Rice are both outstanding players. But take Declan out of Arsenal and they still have enough quality to score goals and win matches. We’ve seen them do that. Now take Bruno out of Manchester United and watch what happens. Who creates? Who progresses the ball? Who takes responsibility? Who gives them that final pass? That is impact.
🗣️ Jamie Carragher: “So who gets your vote?”
🗣️ Henry: “Bruno Fernandes. What he did last season was outstanding. He played out of position for almost half the season, then when he moved into the number 10 role, he produced 21 assists. That’s not just statistics. That’s influence. That’s a player creating opportunities for everyone around him.
“And people keep saying, ‘But Declan Rice won the Premier League.’ Okay, but since when has winning the league been a requirement for the PFA award? Steven Gerrard won it without winning the league. Cristiano Ronaldo did it. Wayne Rooney did it. Gareth Bale did it twice. Robin van Persie, Luis Suárez, Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne have also won it without being Premier League champions that season.
“So we cannot suddenly change the criteria because it’s Bruno. Rice has the Premier League medal, but Bruno had the greater individual impact. Bruno doesn’t deserve this award because he plays for Manchester United. He deserves it because he set the standard for what a playmaker should produce.
“Declan Rice is an exceptional footballer and will continue to improve, but Bruno Fernandes was the player I would vote for. This is an individual award, and when I look at the individual influence across the league, Bruno is my winner.”
@UTD_Seth001 What does he mean by flattery? He should be glad to have walked away with a point
Fulham had him running all over the place
Fulham should be crying they didn’t win
🚨Xabi Alonso on Chelsea’s 3–2 win over Álvaro Arbeloa’s Fulham:
🗣️ Xabi Alonso: “I think the scoreline actually makes the game look closer than it was. Chelsea were the better team for large periods and we controlled the match in the areas that mattered. Fulham had moments, they scored two goals, but we dictated the tempo and created the clearer opportunities.
“Álvaro will obviously be disappointed, but this is the Premier League. You cannot defend the way Fulham defended today and expect to get a result against a team with our quality. We found spaces far too easily, especially between their midfield and defence.
“I respect Arbeloa, I know him very well, but today there was a clear difference. Our players were sharper, more aggressive and more comfortable under pressure. Fulham tried to play, but Chelsea made them look like a team that had never played at this level before.
“Cole Palmer, João Pedro and Morgan Rogers were constantly causing problems. Every time we increased the intensity, Fulham struggled to cope. They had a few good moments, but they were reacting to us rather than controlling us.
“For me, 3–2 flatters Fulham. We were the team imposing our football, and they were the team trying to survive it.”
🚨Álvaro Arbeloa on the difference between the Premier League and La Liga after Fulham’s 3–2 defeat to Chelsea:
🗣️ Reporter: “Álvaro, after your first Premier League game, what’s the biggest difference you’ve noticed compared with La Liga?”
🗣️ Arbeloa: “The intensity. In La Liga, you can sometimes control the rhythm of a game for longer periods. Here, you can have control for five minutes and suddenly the opponent is running directly at your defence. There is almost no time to breathe.
“Chelsea showed that today. We played good football, created chances and scored twice, but every time we made one small mistake, they attacked with incredible speed. The physical demands are also very high. Players are constantly running, competing and fighting for second balls.
“But I enjoyed it. This is why I wanted to come here. The Premier League is unpredictable and very demanding tactically and physically. You cannot switch off for even a few seconds.
“We lost 3–2, but I’m proud of the way my players competed. If this is what Premier League football looks like every week, then I know we are going to learn very quickly.”
🚨Morgan Rogers on his debut goal for Chelsea in the 3–2 win over Fulham:
🗣️ Morgan Rogers: “Honestly, I’m still taking it all in. To score on my Chelsea debut and then win the game makes it even more special. I’ve dreamed about moments like this.
“Cole was one of the first people to come over to me. He was laughing and saying, ‘Finally, you’ve got a celebration!’ He’s been winding me up about that since I arrived.
“I told him to worry about himself, but then he scored and did his own celebration like he was trying to show me how it’s done! [laughs]
“The connection with Cole is something I’m really enjoying. We’re both confident players, we like combining and finding spaces. Hopefully this is just the beginning because I want to score many more goals for Chelsea.”
@UTD_Seth001 I’m sure people that didn’t watch la liga much doesn’t know this kid got so much confidence
He doesn’t joke around and he’s a good finisher too
🚨Michael Owen on Gonzalo García’s performance against Chelsea:
🗣️ Michael Owen: “Forget the scoreline for a minute and look at the work rate of that young man. Before this game, I said Gonzalo García could struggle. He wasn’t proven, he had very little experience and had barely featured for Madrid, and now he’s been thrown into the Premier League — arguably the strongest league in the world.
“But after that performance against Chelsea, I have to say, my goodness, what a player. He looked hungry from the first minute. His eyes were shining like a hungry lion. I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw a striker make his Premier League debut with that kind of confidence, apart from Erling Haaland.
“And look at the goal he scored. That was a pure technical finish the movement, the composure and the execution were excellent. I was speaking to Shay Given and I told him, if Arbeloa can keep giving this young man confidence and freedom, he can start performing like a world-class striker.
“The scoreline says Chelsea won 3–2, but they had to fight through every bit of sweat to get there. Fulham gave them a serious game and Gonzalo was one of the biggest positives. I loved the football Fulham played today. It’s a shame they couldn’t get the result, because that young man gave us a performance we’ll be talking about for a while.”
@UTD_Seth001 Classic Cole palmer Morgan been stealing his celebration all year at Aston villa
Now he’s close and still stealing it
Send your lawyers son
🚨Cole Palmer on what he told Morgan Rogers after his goal and celebration in Chelsea win over Fulham:
🗣️ Reporter: “Cole, what did you say to Morgan Rogers after he scored and did that celebration?”
🗣️ Cole Palmer: “I was laughing because when he scored, I already knew he was going to use that celebration. He doesn’t even have a proper celebration! [laughs] So when I went over to him, I said, ‘What is your celebration? Don’t worry, my lawyers will be in touch.’ He started laughing at me.
“Then when I scored, I showed him how it’s properly done. [laughs] I had to give him a little lesson because somebody has to teach him how to celebrate properly.
“But honestly, I’m happy for him. He scored, we’re winning and that’s the most important thing. He can keep his celebration, but now he knows what a proper one looks like.”
🚨Gary Neville on Chelsea’s 3–2 win over Fulham:
🗣️ Gary Neville: “First of all, let’s take a breath because what a game we’ve just watched! This has to be one of the games of the weekend. Both teams ran, fought and competed from the first whistle to the last. I genuinely can’t remember seeing two teams work that hard for 90 minutes.
“It was so open that you felt anything could happen at any moment. João Pedro and Cole Palmer were brilliant together the chemistry between them is exactly what Xabi Alonso will want to build at Chelsea, provided Palmer can stay fit. There were moments where they completely opened Fulham up.
“And you can also see why Arbeloa brought in players like Palacios and Gonzalo García. They brought quality, energy and personality to Fulham. Gonzalo especially looked like a player who belongs at this level.
“Chelsea will walk away with the three points, but they know they were in a battle today. They had to earn every single bit of that victory, and those are the wins you celebrate properly.
“We should thank Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso for giving us the football we want! The La Liga influence has arrived in the Premier League intensity, technical quality, attacking football and managers who want to play. This is football!”
🚨Jamie Carragher on Robert Sánchez’s performance as Chelsea lead Fulham 2–1:
🗣️ Jamie Carragher: “It’s only half-time, but this has been a fascinating tactical battle. Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa know each other extremely well from their time together, and you can see their ideas in the way both teams are trying to play. Cole Palmer has been the conductor for Chelsea, while Morgan Rogers and João Pedro have been the finishers. But Josh King’s goal was brilliant he completely fooled Robert Sánchez, and I don’t think the Chelsea goalkeeper should be conceding that.”
“Sánchez is still a big question mark for me. He’s not a complete goalkeeper, whether it’s with his feet or his hands, and Chelsea concede too easily with him in goal. What I don’t understand is why their recruitment has never properly addressed that position. If Chelsea want to compete for major trophies, they need more security there.
“Xabi Alonso will know this lead can disappear very quickly. Fulham finished that half with real fire, and if Arbeloa gets them playing with the same intensity after the break, Chelsea could be in serious trouble. Gonzalo García hasn’t had a great game either, although he hasn’t been terrible. Arbeloa will want more from him.
“This is a fascinating first game for Arbeloa, especially against someone he knows so well. They’ve shared dressing rooms and winning environments, so they understand each other. Chelsea have the advantage, but this game is nowhere near finished if Fulham keep that intensity, we could see the lead slip away and plenty more goals before the final whistle.”