The World Cup Heads for Spain

Spain are the winners as they edge past Argentina 1-0 as Ferran Torres strikes in extra-time to seal Spain as World Champions. A dominant display against 10-men Argentina in New York saw the Spanish side scrape past last years winners in which was much described as a one-sided final in which seems to be Lionel Messi’s last dance on the big stage at age 39. Spain throughout the entire 120 minutes racked up 20 shots with 12 on target with Argentina surprisingly only having two shots which both came in the second half of extra-time which concluded with 0 shots on target with main man, Messi being rather quiet. Spain could’ve had it wrapped up in normal time if it wasn’t for Aston Villa man Emiliano Martinez making numerous top saves but just couldn’t keep it up as Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the game after 106 minutes. Spain are now unbeaten in all competitive competitions since the 28th March 2023 in a 2-0 defeat in Mount Florida at Hampden Park as Scotland ran away winners in the Euro qualifications. The Spain goal scorer said: “I think in the end the goal came from 47 million people, not just those of us that are here. Today destiny was written, it was made for us to win. We’re far from our people today but we tried to be as close as possible to them. “Finals are hard. When you have Messi on the opposing team you do get worried but we always backed ourselves and tried to show our football and I think we managed to do it once again. “A huge relief [to score]. I’ve been criticised throughout the whole tournament but as as I said before destiny was written. Thanks to God, he always gives me the strength to continue and in the end he grants things to those that most deserve them.” This is Spain’s just second World Cup trophy since 2010 after winning in South Africa after defeating Netherlands 1-0 after extra-time after Iniesta scoring deep into extra-time. This World Cup saw Barcelona defender, Pau Cubarsi winning Young Player of the Year for the World Cup, Simon collecting Golden Glove and Rodri winning Player of the Tournament. France striker, Mbappe ended the tournament as top goal scorer. Despite defeat, Martinez broke a record in a World Cup final after 11 saves by Spain. Overall, a deserved final win for Spain after a disappointing attacking display by Argentina as Spain are crowned world champions for 2026 and for Lamine Yamal, a World Cup at the age of 19.

Beau Reus Joins Hearts to Strengthen Goalkeeping Options

Heart of Midlothian have completed the signing of Dutch goalkeeper Beau Reus, adding a promising young talent to their squad ahead of the new season. The 24 year old arrives in Edinburgh after developing his career in the Netherlands, where he earned a reputation as a reliable and composed goalkeeper. Standing at over six feet tall, Reus combines strong shot-stopping ability with confidence in possession, qualities that are increasingly important in the modern game. Reus began his football journey in the Dutch youth system before progressing into senior football. His performances demonstrated consistent improvement, earning praise for his command of the penalty area, and ability to remain calm under pressure. The club’s recruitment team has focused on identifying players capable of adapting to Scottish football while fitting the tactical approach of the coaching staff. Reus appears to meet that profile. Comfortable playing from the back and capable of organising his defence. Hearts supporters will be eager to see how the goalkeeper settles into his new surroundings. The club has built a strong reputation for developing players and providing opportunities for emerging talent, creating an environment where new signings can establish themselves. As preparations continue for the campaign ahead, Reus will focus on integrating with his new teammates and adapting to the demands of Scottish football.

Cormac Daly Joins Arbroath on Loan from Hearts

Arbroath have strengthened their squad with the signing of exciting young winger Cormac Daly on a season-long loan from Hearts. The 19-year-old only joined the Edinburgh club earlier this summer after leaving Nottingham Forest, where he spent three years developing in the Premier League club’s academy. During his time in England, Daly also gained valuable senior experience on loan with Lincoln United and Hereford. Now, the Scotland Under-19 international will continue his development at Gayfield, with regular first-team football expected to play a key role in his progress. Known for his pace and attacking flair, Daly is capable of playing on either wing and enjoys taking on defenders. His performances during previous loan spells showed his ability to create chances and make an impact in the final third. The move gives Arbroath another exciting attacking option ahead of the new campaign, while Hearts will be hoping Daly can build on his senior experience before returning to Tynecastle. Speaking when he signed for Hearts earlier this summer, Daly described himself as a direct and quick attacking player and said gaining senior football through loan moves had been vital to his development. For Arbroath, the signing represents another investment in young talent, with the club continuing its recent approach of bringing in promising players eager to prove themselves at Championship level.

Motherwell set to receive a club-record-fee for the New Zealand International

Elijah Just is set to complete a deal with EFL Championship side, Swansea City which will be the new club-record-fee, overtaking Lennon Miller. Swansea are set to complete the signing of Motherwell star, Elijah Just which is set to be in the millions for the New Zealand man impressed in the USA at the World Cup this year, scoring three times which two against Iran and one against Belgium. Celtic have been rumoured with signing Just but it looks like the Welsh club have beaten the Glasgow outfit to the signature of the Motherwell play-maker. The fee is set to break the record of Lennon Miller which is tagged at £5million after joining Italian side, Udinese with Just set to re-unite with his former Fir Park teammate, Stephen Welsh after being sold by the Parkhead side. His agent revealed the midfielder has been loving his team in Lanarkshire but with his strong performances this summer, this has left many clubs chasing for his signature as a move away looks very close with Swansea being the most likely to be his new club. The Steelmen have lost two crucial players very lately which saw Callum Ward joining EFL side, Queens Park Rangers for £1million and Elliot Watt joining Turkish side, Samsunspor. The well’ have so far done very well to keep Maswanhise but clubs will most certainly be soon knocking on the door for the Motherwell man.

“the performance was really good” – Glen Whelan on their 1-1 draw with Partick Thistle

Glen Whelan expressed his feeling following their draw with the Jags, despite losing out on a bonus point in the penalty shootout. The two sides who will most likely to battling for the Championship title come the end of the season went head-to-head in the League Cup which ended in a 1-1 draw with Mark Wilson’s men gaining the extra point after winning 3-2 on pens. Despite not holding onto the one goal lead, the Livingston boss claimed he was not frustrated by the equaliser and penalty defeat. Whelan said: “Not frustration no, lots of positives going forward, it’s a little different because it’s not a league game we have to make some changes to protect some lads, to try and get them up to speed and get fitness in the legs. So, yeah one-nil up but I think it was, you know Partick had made a few attacking changes, we look over our shoulder and we have three or four young lads, it’s a little bit more difficult, but I think overall, I think the performance was really good, I think the chances we created were really good, so lots of positives.” With many new faces in the camp, Glen Whelan is very pleased with how is squad is coming together ahead of the new season in recent displays. He added: “Yeah, I think if you asked me that question four weeks ago where we would be and where we are now, I think you have to give loads of credit to the lads because they have taken the information on, they’re trying to play the right way, they’re trying to do things positive, it was a real positive performance today against a so called team that will be right up there this season. Whelan has been delighted on the performances by Tyrese Sinclair since arrival after scoring at Brechin last Tuesday and securing a man of the match against Partick Thistle. Whelan said: “Yeah, no definitely Tyrese, front three with [Stevie] May and Robbie [Muirhead] have been excellent for me since they have come in, Robbie [Muirhead] has carried a lot of the minutes because we have a lot of injuries in the attacking third, that we are still probably very lightened in that department and we have lost Lewis Smith in the last couple weeks so, yeah, no the lads have put in a right shift and obviously the goal the three of them created today was unbelievable going forward, so, yeah it’s all positive in that front and hopefully we will get another few in.    

“12 months that changed my career” – Watt lauds Motherwell after Turkish switch

Motherwell have confirmed the permanent exit of Elliot Watt to Turkish outfit Samsunspor, and the midfielder was quick to thank the side for the life-changing move to Fir Park. The 26-year-old joined from Burton Albion last summer. With 42 appearances for the Steelmen, Watt was a crucial cog in Jens Berthel Askou’s side, helping them impressively finish 4th in the Scottish Premiership last year. Speaking to the Motherwell website, Watt praised the support The Steelmen offered him and his family. “I would like to take this chance to thank everyone connected to the club for the last 12 months – 12 months that have changed my career and life. “The support and positivity I felt from the first minute I arrived gave me the confidence to learn, improve and perform. “I hope I was able to put a smile on the fans’ faces. My family and I will be forever grateful and will always be watching; we will hopefully be back soon – I don’t think I will be able to keep my boys away from Fir Park for too long.” Motherwell added, “We wish Elliot and his family the very best for the future and thank him sincerely for his efforts.”

Talking Points: Aberdeen 2-1 Queen’s Park

Five talking points from Aberdeen’s narrow win over Queen’s Park.  Pittodrie-debut delight  Summer signings Dan Happe and Lewis Smith both impressed and both got their first goals for Aberdeen in their first Pittodrie outings. Happe opened the scoring inside three minutes, heading home from close range from a Ronan corner. Not long later, Smith made it two, drilling the ball home following a lovely team move. Outwith their goals, both players impressed. Happe put in a very solid defensive display and also started the move for the second goal, winning the ball high up the pitch. Smith looked lively and showed his ability to go to the line or cut inside, as did Yogane.  Müller or Mitov?  New signing Müller made his Dons debut and certainly impressed the Aberdeen faithful. The German shot-stopper, who joined from Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg, made a terrific triple save and made a stunning save in stoppage time to prevent penalties. Mitov, who gave Aberdeen fans a moment that they will never forget in May last year, will have to work hard to earn his spot back in the starting XI.  Connor Ronan  Connor Ronan was another one of the new signings that impressed in his first outing at Pittodrie. The creative midfielder whipped in the corner which resulted in the opening goal and was involved in the second goal, flicking the ball into the path of Nisbet, who played the ball to Smith, who made no mistake with the finish. The Irishman, as a result of his display, picked up the player of the match award, which follows an impressive debut against Brora Rangers, where he played the ball to Nisbet for the second goal. Two assists in two, Ronan is definitely a player that the Aberdeen faithful can get excited about.  Brilliant Briedl   Summer signing Alexander Briedl came off the bench yesterday and made his mark. The Austrian showcased his defensive attributes as well as his range of passing and his ability to whip in a dangerous corner. One Aberdeen fan stated: “Very tidy on the ball, will get better once he gets more match fit.” Another fan stated: “A very impressive cameo and he can take a decent corner.” Vulnerability from set pieces On 61 minutes, Aberdeen conceded from a corner, making the final half an hour very cagey. In the Premiership last season, the Dons conceded the most goals from set pieces (22). Aberdeen supporters will be disappointed to see old habits returning in a fresh season. Overall, there were some aspects of Aberdeen’s performance yesterday that would have worried the Aberdeen supporters – letting Queen’s Park back into the game and inability to defend set pieces. However, there were also a lot of positives to take – Müller’s crucial saves, the fast start, Ronan’s display, Briedl’s cameo, Aremu’s performance and Happe’s top defensive display. 

Braga “completely focused” on Hearts ahead of Champions League Dream

Claudio Braga is focused solely on Hearts’ Champions League Qualifier with Sturm Graz, describing the match as one of the club’s most significant in recent years. The 26-year-old has drawn interest from top-flight clubs in France and England following a standout debut season in Gorgie, where he tallied 17 goals and 5 assists. Having secured multiple Player of the Year awards, the Portuguese star has firmly established himself as a target for some of Europe’s elite leagues. “I’m here, and I’m completely focused on that. Of course, it’s interest, but at the same time, I can’t focus about that while I’m here. I’m here, I’m a Hearts player and that’s all you guys need to know, and that’s all I need to feel. I’m a Hearts player and I’m here 100 per cent. “I’m trying to be as professional as I can and not care about that, because I leave that to my agents. We had talks in the beginning but I told him exactly the same as I told you guys. I’m here 100 per cent. I’m a Hearts player. I’m really happy. Of course, there may be interest or not, but that’s something that I can’t control or can’t focus on while I’m here. That would just be bad for me and for the club. I’m just focusing on Sturm Graz now.” Hearts face Sturm Graz in the 2nd Qualification Round of the Champions League. In a footballing journey that has taken him from Portugal to Norway to Scotland, Braga is excited to achieve a lifelong dream. “I’ve dreamed of this since I was three or four! Every time I saw football, of course, you play football and you like to watch these kinds of games more than anything. To watch Champions League and for it to be possible to be a part of it is something really big. Of course, it’s different leagues that we came from, but at the same time, once you get here, because there are so many new guys, you just need to adapt fast, and you can do it because there are a lot of new guys. The summer arrival of new head coach Wouter Vrancken could see Claudio’s role change. Having been regularly deployed in a front two for Derek McInnes, Vrancken’s 4-2-3-1 will mix up his game, playing in a lone role or deeper number 10 position. “I think I have two options in this case,” Braga added. “Play as a false nine like I was playing in the first half or as a lone striker with a 10 behind me. It just depends on the position; it’s different of course. When I’m playing as a striker, I need to hold up a little bit more, and just try to stretch the team a little bit more instead of coming as much. As a 10, it’s more a little bit about freedom and just try to link up and be that extra man in the midfield and then just also go to the box. “I’m also a striker, so if I’m playing 10, then I can link up and still go to the box, which is good and I like it. But if I’m playing as a striker, that’s the position that I play all my life, so I really like it. I think it’s kind of a striker role. There’s not that much difference on what he tells me, but I think we have a good communication about that, and of course some details here and there. But whatever he tells me, I try to follow up to the max. Braga looked ahead confidently to the Sturm Graz tie, and believes that Friday’s friendly win over Europa Conference League Finalists Rayo Vallecano shows they can compete against Europe’s elite. “I feel like we have a good team. We proved it last year, a lot of new players, but we proved it on Friday also that we can play against international teams and we can still do a good job. I think we need to be confident. We’re not going to Sturm Graz to lose or to draw. We’re going there to win and make the best result possible and then even better, hopefully, at Tynecastle. I feel we are confident in the locker room.” Sturm Graz v Heart of Midlothian Champions League Qualifying Round 2 First Leg Tuesday 21st July 7:30 PM Stadion Graz Liebenau