🚨 Jose Mourinho on the penalty given to Belgium vs Senegal:
"I will always speak up for Africa. Because Africans are human beings, just like everyone else. And they deserve the same respect, the same decisions.”
"I just watched the footage of the penalty Belgium were given. And I’ll say it straight — that was not a penalty. Not on any day.”
"Tielemans played the referee. It was a mind game. He made it look like something it wasn’t, and the officials bought it.”
"Look at Ghana vs England. Ghana had a clear penalty. VAR didn’t even check it. Why? Is it because they’re African? Is that why the officiating is different against them at the World Cup?”
"Be honest… if you swapped the jerseys, if that was Senegal attacking and Belgium defending, VAR would not have even looked at it. Senegal would not have gotten that penalty.”
"That’s the problem. The double standard. And until that changes, African teams will keep getting punished for things others get away with.
🚨 Jose Mourinho on Senegal being knocked out by Belgium:
"I have to ask it — what’s going on with African teams at this level? It’s the same story over and over again.”
"They start strong. They lead in the first half. The football is good, the energy is there. And then, second half comes… and they collapse.”
"DR Congo did it. Ivory Coast did it. And now Senegal have done the exact same thing.”
"Senegal were in control. 2-0 up in the 84th minute. The game was theirs. And in a few minutes they gave away a two-goal advantage. That should never happen at this level.”
"People will talk about tactics, about fitness, about luck. For me, it’s mentality. It’s concentration. It’s knowing how to kill a game when you’re on top.”
"African football has the quality, no doubt. But if they want to compete and actually win against Europe’s best, they must get serious about the mental side. Because right now, they’re losing games they’ve already won.
🗣️ Nana Kwaku Bonsam (Ghanaian spiritual priest that cursed Harry Kane):
“I told you guys I've uncursed Harry Kane , I was the one who made him scored the two today against DR Congo , he will win the golden boot”
🚨 🎙️ Palestra on one of the big reasons he chose Chelsea:*
"We’re World Champions. That’s it. That’s one of the main reasons I picked Chelsea.”
"I had options. Arsenal wanted me. Manchester United wanted me. Barcelona were in the conversation. Liverpool came in. Manchester City too. Inter Milan were there as well.”
"But Chelsea? Chelsea are the World Champions. (@ChelseaFC)
When you have a chance to join the club that sits at the very top of world football right now, you take it. That badge means you’re already competing at the highest level.”
"Other clubs can talk about projects and history. I wanted to join a team that’s already proven it can win it all. That’s why I’m here. 🔵🏆”
🚨 🎙️ Xabi Alonso on choosing Chelsea over waiting for Liverpool:
"I understand this will hurt a lot of Liverpool supporters to hear, but I owe you the truth — I waited as long as I could. I waited out of respect. I wasn’t going to rush into another job before I knew what Liverpool’s plan actually was.”
"Anfield will always be a part of me. I had some of the most important years of my career there as a player. I won trophies there, I grew there, and I formed a connection with the Kop that time can’t erase.”
"When the stories started to spread, I was hearing the same things you were. Questions about the future, questions about Arne Slot, questions about what Liverpool would do next. Naturally, I was paying attention.”
"But the reality of football is that it never stops moving. Clubs have to act. Managers have to act. And if you hesitate, the moment passes you by.”
"I couldn’t stall my entire coaching career on a situation that had no clear answer. At some stage, you either take control of your future, or you let it be decided for you.”
"Chelsea came to me with a vision I could see immediately. No guessing, no waiting, no ‘maybe later’. They laid out the project, the targets, the trust. They wanted me, and they wanted me now.”
"There’s a myth that top managers can just sit and wait for their perfect club to call. It doesn’t work like that. In this game, the biggest opportunities go to the people who move at the right time.”
"Had Liverpool made a decision earlier, maybe my path looks different today. But football is not built on hypotheticals. It’s built on decisions.”
"I didn’t choose Chelsea because my love for Liverpool faded. I chose them because they showed me commitment when there was still uncertainty elsewhere. Those are two completely different things.”
"When one club is fully in, and the other situation is still unclear, the hardest decision often ends up being the smartest one. That’s football. That’s management.
🚨 Oliver Giroud on Kylian Mbappé equalling Lionel Messi’s World Cup goals after his brace vs Sweden and 9 knockout goals:
"To match Lionel Messi’s World Cup goal record is nothing short of remarkable. You’re putting yourself beside a name that will forever sit at the very top of football. For Mbappé to be mentioned in the same breath tells you exactly what kind of player he’s become.”
"Nine goals in knockout games, plus an assist on the world’s biggest stage? That’s elite territory. That’s a player who lives for pressure and thrives when everything is on the line.”
"And here’s the scary part — he’s still writing his story. He’s past the point of just trying to catch history. He’s actively building his own legacy. Every World Cup, every knockout round, Mbappé adds another chapter to a career that already feels timeless.”
"Legends aren’t made in interviews. They’re made on the pitch, under the lights. Tonight, Mbappé spoke with his football. To stand shoulder to shoulder with Messi in the World Cup records is a feat most players only dream of.”
"But greatness brings weight. The higher you go, the more the world expects. Right now Mbappé isn’t just leading Les Bleus… he’s shouldering the expectations of a generation. And yet, time after time, he steps up and delivers. 🇫🇷⭐”
🚨Didier Drogba on Amad Diallo’s goal and Ivory Coast’s getting Eliminated by Norway:
"The Elephants gave their all out there. The effort was there, the fight was there. But I’ll say it straight — the coach has to stop leaving Amad Diallo on the bench.
Norway punished us early. They scored in those first minutes and looked comfortable. But after that, we took control. We had the ball, we played the football, we made the chances. The only thing missing was the final touch. On a different night, we win that game comfortably. It simply wasn’t our night.”
"What a moment that was! You come on from the bench and instantly show everyone why you belong in the starting XI. That finish against Norway? World class. The technique, the strike, the belief that’s the Amad we’ve been watching develop into a star.”
"And I’m going to be direct: the benching has to stop. Coach, respectfully, Amad is not a 20-minute player. He’s not there just to change a game late on. He’s a starter. He has the quality, the mentality, and the courage to carry this team in major tournaments.”