General Football

After a winding career path, Abou Ali now faces the pressure of being a designated player for one of the league’s best teams

As soon as I stepped on the field on the King Abdullah II Stadium in southeast Amman in June, Wessam Abou Ali stepped off. Palestine had just had their dreams of the 2026 World Cup ended by a last-minute Oman penalty that was as soft as they come. While some players in white fell to their knees or collapsed crying into the arms of coaching staff, the 26-year-old, with scrunched-up shorts, exited stage left to head to the United States and the global stage of the Club World Cup with Egypt’s Al-Ahly, after impressing so much on the African and Asian one.

Now, after this busiest of summers, the Danish-born star has signed for Columbus Crew – a No 9 for one of MLS’s best teams in need of one, and one who takes up one of the team’s allotment of designated player spots, to boot.

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The versatile forward was at Chelsea for eight years

No love lost between clubs separated by a bridge who will tussle for Scandinavian pride and to advance in Europe

Every day, tens of thousands of people are thought to commute across the 8km bridge between Malmö and Copenhagen. The name of the bridge – Öresund if you’re Swedish or Øresund if you’re Danish – is one of only a few things that divide the people of the two cities. Another one is football.

After Malmö beat Latvia’s RFS in a Champions League qualifier last week their winger Jens Stryger Larsen, who has more than 50 Denmark caps, led the club’s supporters in a vociferous chorus of “We hate Copenhagen” – the identity of their third-round opponents no secret, the draw already made.

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In an extract from a new book, the former Portsmouth, Leeds and Exeter defender talks about the day his life changed for ever in 2015 and his healing process

Noel Blake walked through Trentham Gardens on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent staring up at the trees and making a mental note of those with the sturdiest branches. What he was trying to get clear in his head in those fleeting moments only he could really know.

There comes a time in most stroke healing – or the lack of hope for it – when the victim reflects on the dark side. For professional athletes to be robbed of that they cherished most – their athleticism – must be the hardest cut of all.

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Liverpool winger Ben Doak is the subject of interest from two Premier League rivals, while two other Scotland internationals are set for new clubs.

Paul Pogba has not played professional football in almost two years, so why have Monaco offered the 32-year-old Frenchman a return?

Our BBC Sport experts give you their top advice on how to improve as a Fantasy Premier League manager this season and hopefully win your mini-leagues.

Liverpool’s 2025/26 home and away kits with adidas pay tribute to the club’s history with stylish designs and heartfelt tributes.

Arsenal release their 2025/26 third kit, inspired by Highbury’s Art Deco heritage.

The Reds face Crystal Palace at Wembley on Sunday