these hydration breaks are calm, but itโs funny how during ramadan people completely lost their heads over games being paused for 30 secs - 1 minute so muslim players could break their fast. i still remember the game vs leeds when cherki, ait-nouri & marmoush were booed. the hypocrisy is unreal
๐จ๐ธ๐ด ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ | Somali referee Omar Artan will officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup match between PSG and Aston Villa. โ
Statement: "The decision to appoint Artan to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match has been made in the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding recently signed between UEFA and CAF to encourage cooperation in many areas, including refereeing."
"UEFA and CAF are united by a shared commitment to developing football at all levels and promoting the core values of unity, equality and non-discrimination."
I am deeply grateful for the overwhelming support, encouragement, and kind messages I have received from people around the world. Your solidarity has reminded me that football unites us beyond borders. Thank you to everyone.
Pep Guardiola
๐ฃ๏ธโVirgil van dijk is the only player I dream Of playing for Manchester City during my time at the club, arguably the most complete defender Iโve ever seen on planet Earth.โ
Absolutely NO evidence of this by the way. Never been flagged up in any other country heโs attended.
Theyโve seen that it was a PR disasterclass, theyโre desperate to save face now. Throwing stuff at the wall and hoping it sticks.
Lowest of the low behaviour on show here.
๐จBREAKING: Didier Drogba says if the USA didn't want other Countries citizens in the US they shouldn't have bid for the Fifa world cup 2026 and says denial of Iran supporters and Somali referee Omar Artan is totally unacceptable, Football should be separated from politics
"When a country bids to host the biggest football tournament on the planet, it knows exactly what comes with it. Players, referees, officials and supporters from every corner of the world are part of the package."
"I look at the situation involving Somali referee Omar Artan and I feel disappointed for him. FIFA selected him because he earned that opportunity on merit, yet he was unable to participate after being denied entry."
"Then you hear about Iran's football federation claiming that its supporter ticket allocation was withdrawn just days before the tournament. If true, that leaves ordinary fans paying the price for issues that have nothing to do with football."
"The people suffering are not politicians. They're supporters who save money for years hoping to follow their national team at a World Cup."
"Football has always been one of the few things capable of bringing different cultures together. The moment politics starts deciding who gets to be part of that experience, everyone loses."
"I played in World Cups and international tournaments. The beauty of those events is seeing supporters from dozens of countries sharing the same streets, the same stadiums and the same passion."
"No fan should be judged because of their nationality, and no referee should miss the biggest moment of his career because of political circumstances beyond his control."
"FIFA, governments and football authorities need to find solutions because the headlines right now are about visas, travel restrictions and disputes instead of the football itself."
"The World Cup should belong to the world. That's what makes it special. The game must always come first, and politics should never be allowed to overshadow football's greatest celebration."
What an absolute disgrace. A FIFA-certified referee being denied entry to the United States purely because he is Somali.
The World Cup is meant to bring people together. This is racism, plain and simple. Shameful.
https://t.co/rpSgTmmPU4
Hi darling @ToniKroos
You spent months criticizing Qatar and talking about every possible issue before and during the 2022 World Cup, yet it turned out to be one of the best-organized tournaments in history. Public transportation was free, fans could travel easily between stadiums some fans saw 4 matches in the stadium in same day, and the overall organization was praised by millions of visitors.
Now, when concerns are being raised about visa delays, strict entry procedures, and travel difficulties surrounding tournaments in the United States, we don't hear the same level of criticism from you. There have also been complaints about organizational decisions and match arrangements that many fans consider unnecessary or difficult, yet your voice is nowhere near as loud as it was when Qatar hosted the World Cup.
If your criticism is truly based on principles, then the same standards should apply to everyone. But when Qatar receives endless criticism while similar concerns elsewhere are met with silence, people are naturally going to question whether your issue was really about organization at all.
Fuck you.
When it was Qatar 2022 BBC, Sky News and ITV News were doing segments for 40 days and 40 nights about human rights abuse and campaigning for alcohol to be allowed during the World Cup. But USA is refusing to allow a referee and Iranโs team in and theyโve gone quiet. Cowards
The World Cup is meant to unite the world, yet ahead of 2026 World Cup weโre discussing shootings, visa restrictions, and fans being unable to attend. Qatar faced a ridiculous amount of scrutiny, but now many of the same voices are silent. The double standard is hard to ignore.
Rio Ngumoha averaged more successful dribbles per 90 (4.9) than any other player in the 2025/26 Premier League season among those with 500+ minutes played. ๐
England's next breakout star? ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟโจ
The Barca goals, the Spurs goal, the way you wouldn't see much of him for a few months and then the derby would come around and he'd suddenly reappear with nothing but total disdain for the institution of Everton Football Club. Just a perfect man โค๏ธ