118 - Lionel Messi within 118 seconds of coming on against Iceland (subbed on 69:04):
69:57 - First touch by Messi
70:01 - Successful through ball by Messi
70:04 - Argentina penalty (GK foul after 1v1)
71:02 - Penalty converted by Messi
Midas.
Over the last two seasons, Aston Villa have the best injury record of all English clubs competing in European competitions, and the sixth best overall. During this time their players have missed c150 days less than #Arsenal's. Arnaldo Abrantes appointment is ruthless evolution.
Arteta went from ‘trust the process’ memes to becoming the Premier League’s longest serving AND the only title winning current manager. Life comes at you fast!
Sir Alex won the league in the first seven years of his reign at Manchester United but didn't make the champions league final even once in his first seven years. I doubt he even made the semi finals. Arteta also won the league and made the champions League final.
And before anyone says Arteta had more funds than Sir Alex, that's not even true at all.
Sir Alex broke the next British transfer record TWICE in his first 7 years. Pallister and Roy Keane were record signing then. Let's also not forget Mark Hughes and Parker were all big money signings.
Arteta may not achieve as much as Sir Alex did, but he is definitely on his way to greatest if he continues to improve himself.
Here is everything I discovered about Arnaldo Abrantes, the new doctor who is likely to replace the departed Zafar Iqbal at Arsenal.
Arsenal are reportedly close to appointing Arnaldo Abrantes as first-team doctor after Zafar Iqbal’s departure and if you don’t know his background, this is not your typical “club doctor” hire.
This is a man who once represented Portugal as a sprinter at the Olympics. Not a local meet. Not semi-pro. The Olympic Games. Then he made one of the most unusual but impressive transitions in sport, from elite athletics to elite football medicine.
He didn’t just “switch careers”… he built a second one at the highest level.
From Estoril to Nottingham Forest, where he helped oversee one of the most demanding physical rebuilds in English football, to Aston Villa, where Unai Emery’s entire performance structure has been reshaped around detail, fitness, and availability. Abrantes has been part of environments where marginal gains actually decide seasons.
What stands out isn’t just his CV, but the pattern: high-intensity teams, high-pressure rebuilds, and managers obsessed with fitness levels. That tells you everything about the kind of medical culture he operates in.
Arsenal aren’t just replacing a doctor here, they’re potentially adding someone who understands elite performance from both sides: the athlete’s body and the club’s demand.
If this goes through, it’s one of those quiet appointments that might end up mattering more than most signings.