Tennessee to wear Dolly Parton tribute on helmets during 2026 college football season

31 August 2026 at 23:19

Beloved singer died last week at the age of 80
Parton was born 30 miles from college campus

The Tennessee Volunteers will be honoring Dolly Parton with a helmet sticker this season, the college football team’s head coach, Josh Heupel, announced on Monday.

Parton, a Tennessee native, died last week at the age of 80 from cancer.

Manchester City gazump Spurs over Iliman Ndiaye and eye Enzo Fernández deal

The Guardian

By: Jacob Steinberg and Jamie Jackson

31 August 2026 at 22:32

City agree £65m deal with Everton for Senegal winger
Richarlison to stay at Spurs, who agree Mudryk loan

Manchester City are poised to bolster their attack by buying Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye for up to £65m and have opened talks with Chelsea over a deal to sign Enzo Fernández.

City’s hijack of Tottenham’s deal for Ndiaye came after their attempts to sign Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo broke down. The Senegal international is poised to undergo a medical after a fee of £60m plus £5m in add-ons was agreed with Everton, who have little time to find a replacement for one of their most important players before the transfer window shuts on Tuesday night.

Lionel Messi’s international retirement serves as a reminder: watch him while you still can

The Guardian

By: Pablo Iglesias Maurer

31 August 2026 at 21:51

The Argentinian’s international career was singular, and his exit is a reminder that all good things come to an end

It was among the defining moments of the 2026 World Cup: Lionel Messi standing arms akimbo, looking up towards Argentina’s fervent supporters after losing the final. Tears streamed down his face after his team’s embarrassing loss to Spain in what we now know was Messi’s final match wearing that famous Argentina kit.

It was not the first time he’d cried at the tournament. There had been tears of joy in Argentina’s opening match, when Messi rolled back the clock to his glory days with a trio of spectacular goals against Algeria. There had been more when his brace against Austria pushed Argentina through to the knockout round as group winners, and even more when his equalizer against Egypt threw la Albiceleste a much-needed lifeline. Later, the world found out that Messi had been struggling all the while with the health struggles of his father, Jorge, a fact that clearly weighed heavily on him as Argentina made a dramatic return to the final in a bid to defend their 2022 title.

Aston Villa v Arsenal: Premier League – live

The Guardian

By: Scott Murray

31 August 2026 at 22:17

⚽️ Premier League updates from the 8pm BST kick-off
⚽️ Email Scott and follow us on TikTok and Bluesky

The teams are out! You know what everyone’s wearing. A reduced capacity of around 37,000 at Villa Park, with the North Stand closed for the season to facilitate its expansion. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.

Pre-match postbag. “Poor Villa. They were so great last year. Then management sells off the heart of their team. Today they will get embarrassed by the Gunners. What a present to their ever loyal fans” – Mary Waltz

Marseille’s squad is being gutted but their manager is staying – for now

The Guardian

By: Luke Entwistle

31 August 2026 at 19:11

It has been a tough transfer window for Marseille and a 2-0 defeat at Monaco suggests it could be a long season

By Get French Football News

A humid night in Monaco provided an opportunity to gauge the temperature of the Marseille supporters. Despite the ban on away fans at the Stade Louis II, plenty were in attendance for their 2-0 defeat in the Principality. There were cheers for their new manager, Bruno Génésio, and boos for Geoffrey Kondogbia, but it was the silence for much of the second half that spoke volumes.

Génésio, who replaced Habib Beye in the summer, has been appointed to keep a lid on things. The former Lille manager has been part of a larger reshuffle at Marseille, with the president and the sporting director also replaced. The new arrivals have inherited a mess. After making promises to Uefa and the DNCG – French football’s financial watchdog – Marseille were allowed to compete in Europe this season. However, if they fail to reduce their wage bill drastically, they will not be allowed to do so next season.

Fifa extends ban on man who secretly filmed female footballers in Austria

The Guardian

By: Suzanne Wrack

31 August 2026 at 19:06

Former SCR Altach employee now banned worldwide
Move follows pressure from players’ unions

Fifa has extended worldwide the ban on a former match official and SCR Altach employee found guilty of taking secret videos and photographs of members of the club’s women’s team.

In February, a regional court in Feldkirch, Austria, handed the man a seven-month suspended prison sentence, a €1,200 (£1,046) fine and ordered him to pay the victims €625 (£545) each in compensation after he was found guilty of filming and taking photographs of players, including minors, in the changing room, gym and showers of Altach’s women’s team between 2018 and 2025.

Messi was a deity among Argentina’s unholy rabble

www.telegraph.co.uk for the latest news from the UK and around the world.

By: Oliver Brown

31 August 2026 at 18:30

Little sorcerer calls time on playing for his country six weeks after World Cup final defeat which was marred by brutality of his team-mates

Argentina’s Lionel Messi retires from international football: ‘This hurts me a lot’

The Guardian

By: Billy Munday

31 August 2026 at 18:19

Argentina great’s last game was in World Cup final
Player’s father Jorge died earlier in August

Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football seven weeks after Argentina were beaten by Spain in the World Cup final in the US. The 39-year-old captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022 and two Copa América titles after winning his first cap in 2005.

On Monday, Messi posted a picture on Instagram of notes that he wrote on 21 July, two days after the World Cup final, confirming he was ending his Argentina career and said the death of his father, Jorge, in early August made him feel “more convinced than before”. Messi was often visibly emotional during the tournament and revealed in the knockout stages that Jorge was undergoing medical treatment.

Liverpool sign Barcola in £123m deal and expect Gakpo to stay after City offer £80m

The Guardian

By: Will Unwin

31 August 2026 at 19:38

France international says title ‘one of my biggest dreams’
Club rejected weekend Gakpo bid from Manchester City

Bradley Barcola is aiming to win the Premier League after completing his move to Liverpool from Paris Saint‑Germain for an initial £106m, which could rise to £123m. The France international has signed a five-year deal.

Andoni Iraola has prioritised signing wingers this summer after replacing Arne Slot. Barcola follows the arrival of Victor Muñoz as the former Bournemouth head coach aims to rebuild the front line.

Chelsea’s perfect yet unserious start to the Premier League season | Jonathan Wilson

The Guardian

By: Jonathan Wilson

31 August 2026 at 17:40

Xabi Alonso’s side have scored seven and conceded five in two wins so far, a product of the squad’s constant churn

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Two Premier League games played for Chelsea under Xabi Alonso: two wins and seven goals scored. It’s the sort of start that would delight many new managers – only two other clubs can boast about a six-point start this Premier League season (albeit with Arsenal to play later on Monday). Points gained in this odd transitional phase, when almost nobody seems quite ready, could prove extremely valuable come the end of the season. And yet, for all the attacking potency, there must also be concerns about Chelsea’s openness and the five goals conceded.

Context must also be considered, and it projects both ways. It’s early in the season. There has been, as ever, a lot of change at Chelsea. They will get better; they will achieve greater coherence. But equally there has to be a sense of realism about the nature of the teams they’ve played. Brighton may have thrashed a shambolic Aston Villa 4-0 last weekend, but they were missing seven frontline players at Stamford Bridge and still put three past Chelsea on Sunday. And while Fulham looked very lively as Chelsea won 3-2 on the opening weekend, they couldn’t muster a shot on target against Sunderland on Sunday.

This is an extract from Soccer Desk, a newsletter from the Guardian US. Subscribe for free here.

Fiorentina’s Serie A renaissance feels a way off after chastening centenary | Nicky Bandini

The Guardian

By: Nicky Bandini

31 August 2026 at 16:27

The home game against Frosinone seemed a perfect way to celebrate their landmark. It did not work out that way

Fiorentina’s 100th birthday party had been going for four days, starting with a fan procession through the historic centre of Florence on Wednesday night and extending to their home game against Frosinone on Saturday afternoon. The club was founded on 29 August 1926, but a decades-old discrepancy in the reporting of that date has led supporters to celebrate traditionally on the 26th.

This time they started a few hours earlier, gathering in their thousands beneath the marble façade of the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella on the evening of 25 August and building to a firework show beside the river Arno at midnight. The club’s president, Giuseppe Commisso, stopped by to give a speech. At least one former player, Borja Valero, was among the crowd.

Elversberg and ‘miracle village’ prove that Bundesliga fairytales still exist | Andy Brassell

The Guardian

By: Andy Brassell

31 August 2026 at 14:52

German football has long insisted there is more to their elite league than a title race. Now they have a story that shows the world that surprise and wonder does live here too

Friday night was no first day fun for VfB Stuttgart as they got first-hand proof of what the rest of the Bundesliga feared: that Bayern Munich are perhaps mightier than ever. The curtain-raiser, though, didn’t actually set the tone for the the weekend. German football has long insisted there is more to their elite league than a title race, and now they have a story that shows the world that surprise and wonder does indeed live here too.

Bayer Leverkusen arrived into their opening fixture of the campaign thinking their season might contain greater certainty than the last one, a more tranquil voyage after being blown off course by almost €300m of player sales and the ill-fated appointment of Erik ten Hag. Enter SV Elversberg, Bundesliga first-timers and representatives of – a “miracle village” as Bild put it – Spiesen-Elversberg, a town with a population of just over 13,000, situated 15km north-east of Saarbrücken, 30 minutes’ drive from the French border.

Arsenal trying to lure Julián Álvarez after agreeing deals to sell Martinelli and Jesus

The Guardian

By: Ed Aarons

31 August 2026 at 13:45

Atlético say they will not allow Barcelona to buy Álvarez
Jesus poised for Barça and Martinelli for Al-Hilal

Arsenal are running out of time to persuade Julián Álvarez to join them from Atlético Madrid after agreeing to sell Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Fábio Vieira in deals collectively worth more than £70m.

Álvarez has his heart set on Barcelona despite Atlético’s insistence they will not sell to their La Liga rivals and returned to training on Sunday after being left out of their squad for the win over Sevilla. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is understood to have spoken to Álvarez last week in an effort to persuade the former Manchester City forward to return to the Premier League and to have been informed the Argentina international wants only Barcelona.

It’s time to get shirty about the short life of the football top

The Guardian

By: Tanya Aldred

31 August 2026 at 13:00

With millions of club shirts going to waste every season, a radical recycling rethink is needed

When Joanna Czutkowna buried a Manchester United jersey, a cotton T-shirt and a wool-cotton jumper in her Lancashire farm and dug it up a year later, the video went viral. The T-shirt had disappeared, apart from the seams (sewn with polyester thread), the jumper was 80% gone, but the United shirt remained – grubby but indestructible. (Insert joke here)

The big reveal was not a surprise, certainly not to Czutkowna, who has worked in textiles and sustainability for 20 years, but it was a reminder: a football jersey is not just for Christmas, or even the next hundred Christmases.

Football transfer deadline day looms: Liverpool sign Barcola, Chelsea target Koné, and more – live

The Guardian

By: Dominic Booth (now) and Gregg Bakowski (for a bit · earlier)

31 August 2026 at 17:52

Liverpool announced a major signing from Paris Saint-Germain while Everton and Newcastle are busy reshaping their attacks

Some slightly lower-key deals for you:

Rotherham United have confirmed the signing of Manchester United youngster Jayce Fitzgerald on loan for the rest of the season.

Barcelona have signed 16-year-old prodigy Mikael Baza from Hamburg – he will join their youth ranks.

Jaden Heskey is to return to Sheffield Wednesday from Manchester City on loan after impressing last season.

Watkins faces Toney clash as strikers push for Saudi supremacy and Tuchel’s attention

The Guardian

By: John Duerden

31 August 2026 at 12:01

Al-Hilal’s signing from Villa is thrown straight into big game against Al-Ahli and faces the highest of expectations

Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney spent 33 minutes on the pitch together a few weeks ago in Miami as England defeated France 6-4 in a game for third place at the World Cup. They will be reunited on Tuesday in Riyadh for Al-Hilal v Al-Ahli, the first big clash between title hopefuls in the Saudi Pro League season.

Aston Villa fans will be hoping that, starting against Arsenal on Monday, Nicolas Jackson can quickly help them to forget their departed talisman. That’s what Toney did at Brentford in 2020 when he replaced Watkins. It may not only be supporters in the West Midlands and west London who will be curious to see how their alumni get on in west Asia. England’s head coach, Thomas Tuchel, will surely tune in (or even turn up?) to get a look at the two forwards battling to become the clear understudy to Harry Kane as a new international cycle starts.

Football transfer rumours: Liverpool to sign Estêvão? Christian Pulisic to Spurs?

The Guardian

By: Dominic Booth

31 August 2026 at 11:22

Today’s chatter is talking about its dreams again

Elite football clubs splash out millions on their scouting efforts these days, gather reams of data and spend countless meticulous hours assembling their recruitment plans, yet somehow the final days of the transfer window remain a desperate scrap, for some, to recruit players.

After an underwhelming start to the season and with a slightly threadbare frontline, Liverpool certainly find themselves in that bracket and, despite the fact Bradley Barcola is en route from PSG, the Reds want more wide forwards. Much seems to depend on Cody Gakpo’s future – with Manchester City and Tottenham in pursuit – but Andoni Iraola’s side have been linked with Chelsea’s Estêvão, as well as Yankuba Minteh and Ismaïla Sarr. What on earth Iraola’s forward options will look like in a couple of days is anyone’s guess.

Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

The Guardian

By: Guardian sport

31 August 2026 at 10:00

Newcastle players look revitalised, Liverpool’s curious transfer strategy and a worrying start for Palace

Amid the concerns at Manchester United, one player unquestioned is Senne Lammens. The goalkeeper produced some important first-half saves against Ipswich to keep his side in the game in difficult circumstances. A relaxed character, the Belgian is a calming influence in an emotional environment, especially with a panicked defence. When Julio Enciso was through on goal, Lammens had to decide when to come and how far, getting his distance and angles perfect to ensure the Paraguay attacker was repelled. His distribution was also excellent, instigating rapid attacks and bringing the dynamism demanded from the modern goalkeeper. Will Unwin

Match report: Manchester United 5-2 Ipswich Town

Reaction: Carrick hails United’s grit after rout of Ipswich

Will Unwin: Rashford return feels like marriage of convenience

Match report: Liverpool 2-2 Nottingham Forest

Reaction: Iraola angered by substitution delay

Match report: Chelsea 4-3 Brighton

Aston Villa and Chelsea still enemies despite transfer pipeline, insists Emery

The Guardian

By: Ben Fisher

31 August 2026 at 04:00

Martínez and Jackson latest duo to move between clubs
Goretzka and Suzuki could make debuts against Arsenal

Unai Emery has said Aston Villa and Chelsea are enemies rather than friends, insisting the clubs want to “kill” each other despite regularly doing business in recent years.

Emiliano Martínez became the latest player to move between the teams, after Chelsea paid £117m to sign Morgan Rogers from Villa this summer. Nicolas Jackson, who could become Villa’s record signing after joining in a deal worth up to £65m, and Alejandro Garnacho both joined Villa from Chelsea in this window, the latter on a loan deal with a conditional obligation to buy.