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Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas hopes Real Madrid star Karim Benzema could return to the French club one day.

Benzema began his career at Lyon back in 2004 and spent five years on their books before being snapped up by Madrid for an initial fee of €35 million (£30m/$41m).

The France international has since established himself as one of the top centre-forwards in Europe and recently signed a contract extension at Santiago Bernabeu, but Aulas still believes that he could retrace his steps in the future.

What has been said?

“Karim has never played at Groupama Stadium before," Aulas told reporters. "The future will tell us if, when he ends his career, there is a possibility of strengthening the ties. 

"He has had an exceptional career at Real Madrid and in the French team. It is a great source of pride because he is a child of OL."

Benzema's history with Lyon

Benzema played in 148 games in all competitions for Lyon, scoring 66 goals. The powerful striker also recorded 26 assists while helping the Ligue 1 giants win four successive league titles and the Coupe de France.

What has Benzema achieved at Real?

Benzema has reached even greater heights at the Bernabeu, adding three Liga titles and four Champions League crowns to his CV among a whole host of other major honours.

The 33-year-old has found the net 281 times in 562 appearances for Madrid including two at the start of the 2021-22 campaign, and currently sits third in the club's all-time top scorers' list.

Further reading

Sadio Mane is setting himself the target of hitting 30 goals for Liverpool this season, with the Senegalese forward "so disappointed" with his return of 16 in 2020-21.

In what was a testing campaign at Anfield last time out, a 29-year-old posted his lowest tally in the final third since 2017.

He was not the only one to see standards slip as injury issues blighted the Reds' efforts, but the intention is to respond by setting a new personal best in 2021-22.

What has been said?

Discussing his targets with Liverpool's official matchday programme, Mane said: "I want to score goals, and set up team-mates, even to score 30 goals.

"Why not? The more the better as far as I'm concerned and my ambition for the team is to win trophies. Everybody is hungry for that.

"I was so disappointed with last season, and passionately so, as I thought I could have done more. Whereas I might have been scoring between 18 and 22 goals a season, then on that occasion it was no longer the case so, of course, I was going to be disappointed."

How has Mane fared for Liverpool?

Mane has been a revelation for the Reds since completing a £34 million ($47m) move from Southampton in 2016.

He hit just 13 goals in his debut campaign, but broke the 20-goal barrier in each of the next three seasons.

That end product dipped again last term, but Mane remains determined to help Liverpool silence any critics in another quest for major silverware.

He said: "In football, things move on very quickly and people forget the past. It's a shame, but that's how it is. People aren't always talking about what we have won up to today, and there's no excuse for relaxing in pursuits of our goals.

"Of course, the experiences of last season have given all of us even more motivation, and all of us are really fired up to have a terrific season this time around."

Liverpool will be back in action on September 12 with a trip to Leeds.

Further reading

Gor Mahia assistant coach Sammy Omollo has pointed out the reasons that led to the struggles by the club in the concluded Football Kenya Federation Premier League season.

The Nairobi-based side had hoped to win their fifth league title in a row but ended up finishing in eighth position with 45 points. The ex-Harambee Star has now explained why it was not easy for the team to offer a strong title challenge.

'There were many struggles'

"It has not been a smooth season for the club owing to several challenges experienced; there were many struggles," Omollo told Goal.

"If you remember, we had about five coaches; it started with Roberto Oliveira, I chipped in, we also had Patrick Odhiambo, before Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto took over and ended the season with Mark Harrison. All these coaches had their way of doing things, so we had no consistency in that department.

"Remember we also had financial challenges, it really affected the team, because motivating the players to perform was not a walk in the park. It was hard for us coaches and the entire technical bench at large.

"Then key players also left, the likes of Kenneth Muguna and Charles Momanyi, it was a blow. And on some occasions, you could plan for a match with all players, then during matchdays some are missing. It was hard for consistency."

Gor Mahia will always attract quality 

The tactician believes the former league champions will still get good players in the transfer window. He has further expressed his optimism that things will change for the best in the forthcoming campaign.

"K'Ogalo has a favourable reputation and it is the reason why we will always get quality signings," Omollo continued.

"Many players want to play for the team because they understand they stand a better chance of sealing good moves abroad. It is what all players want, and despite our financial struggles, that I am sure will improve, we will be better next season.

"We want to perform well in the Caf Confederation Cup as well as the domestic competitions. Gor Mahia will bounce back stronger for the 2021/22 campaign."

So far, free agent Robinson Kamura and former Azam FC striker Mopiana Mozizi have been linked with a move to K'Ogalo.

Argentina travel to Venezuela on Thursday as Lionel Scaloni's side look to continue their impressive form in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying tournament.

Lionel Messi and co. currently sit second in the table having recorded three wins and three draws from their opening six matches and face a Venezuela team who are second from bottom with four points from a possible 18.

Here's how to watch Venezuela vs Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers from India.

Contents

What time does Venezuela vs Argentina start?

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How to watch Venezuela vs Argentina on TV & live stream in India

In India, the CONEMBOL World Cup 2022 Qualifiers will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network. It will be streamed live on SonyLIV/JioTV.

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Venezuela vs Argentina: Team news & key stats

Lionel Messi has been named in the squad, although having played just 24 minutes so far this season for new club PSG, whether he features or not in Venezuela remains to be seen.

Paulo Dybala has been recalled to the squad for the first time in two years, while his Serie A colleague Lautaro Martinez is also included.

The hosts are without centre-back Yordan Osorio with the Parma defender pulling out of the squad with an ankle injury.

Key Stats:

Venezuela have kept just two clean sheets in their last 11 matches in all competitions and they remain one of the weakest CONMEBOL sides, having won just four of their last 29 World Cup qualifiers.

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Rivers United will be Nigeria’s last team standing in the 2021-22 Caf Champions League, according to Goal readers.

Having finished second in last season’s Nigeria Professional Football League season, the Pride of Rivers will be competing in the tournament next term.

Also taking part in the Champions League is Akwa United. Kennedy Boboye’s booked a ticket following their Nigeria top-flight triumph.

As both teams continue their preparations for the demanding task ahead, we asked our readers about the Nigerian team that will go further in the Caf Champions League this season.

In a poll conducted on the Goal Africa Twitter handle, 51.6 percent of voters claim Stanley Eguma’s Rivers United will be Nigeria’s last team standing.

The Port Harcourt-based team qualified for the competition for the first time having finished as runners-up in the 2016 edition of the Nigerian top-flight.

After seeing off Mali’s AS Bamako in the preliminary round, they kissed the competition goodbye in the first round following a 4-3 aggregate defeat to Sudanese giants Al Merrikh.

For Akwa United, they are priced at 48.4 percent, meaning that less is expected from them.

Well, this is not surprising because they are making their debut appearance in the biggest club football tourney in Africa.

Twice they have featured in the Caf Confederation Cup, and on those occasions, they failed to get past the first round.

Regardless, coach Boboye remains very positive that his team will prove the doubters wrong.

“We have moved on from celebrating our NPFL triumph and our immediate mission is the Caf Champions League,” Boboye told Goal.

“All hands are on deck to ensure we scale CR Belouizdad hurdles because they are currently Algerian Ligue 1 champions.

“I am not shocked that many don’t believe in us to do well in the competition. The same thing happened in the league and we let them swallow their words.

“It is not an easy feat to emerge as champions in Nigeria and not minding what people think about us, we are unruffled and our target is to make the country very proud.”

The first-leg fixtures of the Caf Champions League preliminary qualifiers will take place between September 10-12 while the reverse fixtures are scheduled for September 17-19.

Erling Haaland revealed he "broke Virgil van Dijk's finger" during the World Cup qualifying clash between Norway and the Netherlands on Wednesday.

The Borussia Dortmund striker tangled with the Liverpool defender on a regular basis as a 1-1 draw was played out in Oslo.

Haaland opened the scoring before Norway were pegged back, and claims to have been responsible for a rival being forced to take a painful break early in the second half.

What has been said?

Haaland told TV2: "I think I broke Van Dijk's finger. He came up to me and said, 'Damn, I think you broke my finger.' He's good, so to speak. I have no idea how it happened."

What happened to Van Dijk?

Van Dijk was forced to the touchline shortly after the interval, clearly in some discomfort. He was checked over by the Dutch medical team, who appeared to snap the little finger on his left hand back into place before taping the digits together.

The physio team announced afterwards that Van Dijk had broken no bones, with it now reported he suffered a dislocation.

Either way, no lasting damage has been suffered and the 30-year-old defender will be raring to go in the Netherlands' upcoming home dates against Montenegro and Turkey.

Further reading

Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech has been omitted from the latest Morocco squad due to "unacceptable behaviour", the country's head coach Vahid Halilhodzic has confirmed.

Ziyech has won 41 caps for Morocco since making his international debut in 2015, with his last outing coming in the 1-0 friendly victory over Burkina Faso on June 12.

The Chelsea winger also appeared from the bench in a 1-0 win against Ghana four days earlier, but he was not included in Halilhodzic's latest squad for World Cup qualifiers against Sudan and Guinea.

What has been said? 

Halilhodzic has now explained why he has left Ziyech out, revealing that the 28-year-old's conduct in the last international break fell well short of the required standard.

“His behaviour in the last two matches, especially the last one, was not that of a national team player who as a leader in the team has to be a positive role model," he told a press conference on Wednesday.

“He arrived late and after that, he even refused to work. There was no point in discussing it afterwards, as a coach the answer is right there to see. For me, the national team is above everything, nobody can hold it hostage."

The Morocco boss claims Ziyech initially feigned injury to get out of playing against Ghana and then refused to warm up when asked to come on in the second half to show his disapproval after being named as a substitute.

“For the first time in my coaching career, I have seen behaviour that disappoints me," Halilhodzic added. "A player who refuses to play a game, admittedly a friendly, on the pretext that he is injured.

“The medical staff made several examinations and said he could play. He then refused to warm up in the second half because he was disappointed to be a substitute. For me, that type of behaviour is unacceptable. You can't cheat with the national team. You are 100% there or you are not."

Ziyech controversy with Morocco

Ziyech was at the centre of a similar incident back in 2017, as then-head coach Herve Renard left him out of his Africa Cup of Nations squad due to his poor attitude in training.

The attacker was exiled from the international stage for well over a year before clearing the air with Renard ahead of the 2018 World Cup, where he appeared in all three of Morocco's group stage games.

Further reading

Jurgen Klopp believes Germany's lack of No 9 options is their greatest flaw, posing the question "England have seven strikers, why don't we?".

Germany resume their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign away against Liechtenstein on Thursday, where they will be aiming to put a disappointing showing at this summer's European Championships behind them.

Die Mannschaft suffered a 2-0 defeat to England in the round of 16, and Klopp has now admitted being envious of the attacking depth the Three Lions have at their disposal.

What has been said?

Joachim Low only had Timo Werner and Thomas Muller to call upon as natural forward options at the tournament, and Klopp is frustrated by the shortage of fresh talent coming through at youth level.

"England have at least seven classic center forwards who could play in the national team," the Liverpool boss has told RTL. "Why don't we have that? We don't have that broadly. The players have to come from somewhere. Of the few boys running around it would be cool if a centre forward came out in the long term."

Germany's road to Qatar

Germany still have plenty of work to do in order to seal their place at next year's World Cup as they currently sit third in Group J after three fixtures, behind Armenia and Noth Macedonia on six points.

Hansi Flick inherited the managerial reigns from Low following the Euros, and after his first game in charge at Liechtenstein, he will prepare his team for a must-win home fixture against Armenia on Sunday. Die Mannschaft travel to Iceland three days later.

Klopp on becoming Germany head coach one day

Klopp was heavily linked with the Germany post after Low announced he was stepping down earlier in the year, and it has been suggested that he could replace Flick once his current contract at Liverpool expires in 2024. However, the 54-year-old has now revealed that he plans to take a year out of coaching rather than stepping onto the international stage.

"When the contract in Liverpool ends, whatever it will be, I first have to find out what it is like to lead a 'normal' life again," he said. "A year off. I've never had that, but I'm deeply relaxed there."

Further reading

Christian Vieri thinks Inter are favourites for the Serie A title following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from Juventus.

Ronaldo brought his three-year stay at Juve to an end by re-signing for Manchester United in a £20 million ($28m) deal on deadline day.

The Bianconeri slumped to a fourth-place finish in Serie A in the Portuguese's final year in Turin, but he fired them to the Scudetto in both of his previous seasons and Vieri thinks his absence will give Inter an advantage as they bid to retain the trophy in 2021-22.

What has been said?

It has been suggested that the likes of Federico Chiesa and Paulo Dybala will step up to fill the void left by Ronaldo, but Vieri now believes Simeone Inzaghi has a stronger squad at his disposal at San Siro than Massimiliano Allegri has at Allianz Stadium.

"Who wins the Scudetto? Before Cristiano Ronaldo left I said: Juve attack stronger, Juve stronger," the former Nerazzurri striker told Gazzetta dello Sport. "Now I put Inter in front. I'm not convinced when I hear speeches like 'now Dybala, [Alvaro] Morata and Chiesa will give more."

Juve managed to bring Moise Kean back to the club from Everton to bolster their attacking ranks after Ronaldo's exit, but Vieri has major doubts over whether he can have a similar impact.

"When Ronaldo leaves, there is no better choice, someone else will have to score the goals he scored," he added. "Kean? I don't think so, but you have to judge him after a whole championship."

Who do Inter have up front?

Inter lost their own talismanic figure in the summer transfer window, with Romelu Lukaku re-joining Chelsea for £98 million ($135m) after two impressive years in the Italian capital.

Lukaku scored 24 goals to help the Nerazzurri win the Scudetto for the first time in 11 years last term, but Inzaghi has been able to bring in Edin Dzeko from Roma as his replacement. Inter also still have Lautaro Martinez and Alexis Sanchez to call upon, while Joaquin Correa can provide extra support after joining the club on loan from Lazio.

Asked whether Dzeko can pick up the mantle from Lukaku and be the difference-maker in the final third, Vieri replied: "Lukaku is irreplaceable, but Inter have taken Dzeko: he does not have the same physical power, he is six years older, but he is a technical forward, of the highest quality, he scores goals and makes the team play well.

"You can't replace Lukaku, but you can try to replace him and Inter have done well with Dzeko."

Further reading 

Cristiano Ronaldo went past Iran's Ali Daei to become the all-time highest international goalscorer with 111 goals in 180 international matches for Portugal. The Manchester United star scored a brace in Portugal's 2-1 win over Republic of Ireland in the 2022 World Cup European qualifying group game on Wednesday night at the Algarve Stadium in Portugal.

Ronaldo went into the tie as the join-top goalscorer and had a chance to go past Daei's record in the 15th minute of the match when Portugal won a penalty but Ronaldo squandered the opportunity. The visitors then took the lead in the 45th minute but the Portugal skipper scored twice in the 89th minute and 90+6 minute to seal the tie as well as the record.

Let's take a look at all records held by Ronaldo in international football.

1) Most international goals 

After Euro 2020 where he scored five goals in four matches, Cristiano Ronaldo was tied on 109 international goals along with Iran's Ali Daei who had held the record of scoring the most international goals for the past 15 years. But on Wednesday night, the Portuguese talisman scored a brace against Republic of Ireland and surpassed Daei's tally.

2) Most international goals in a calendar year

In 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 32 international goals for Portugal which is the most by a player in a calendar year.

3) Only player to score in four consecutive FIFA World Cups

With his first goal against Spain in Portugal's 2018 World Cup opener on June 15, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first and the only player in the world so far to score in four consecutive FIFA World Cups.

4) Oldest player to score a hat-trick at a FIFA World Cup

At the age of 33 years and 130 days, Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a hat-trick at the FIFA World Cup. It was the 2018 World Cup opener for Portugal where Ronaldo scored thrice to help his side hold Spain to a 3-3 draw on June 15, 2018 in Russia.

5) Most different national teams scored against

With a brace against Republic of Ireland, Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored against 44 different national teams which is a record. His rival Lionel Messi has scored against 29 different opponents.

6) First player to score at five Euros

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in every Euro he has taken part in since Euro 2004 and is the only player to score in five different Euros.

7) Joint Most capped European international 

With his appearance against Republic of Ireland on September 1, Cristiano Ronaldo is now the joint-most capped European international of all-time along with his former Real Madrid teammate Sergio Ramos who played the same number of matches for Spain.

8) All-time top scorer at the Euros

Before Euro 2020, Ronaldo was tied with Michel Platini on nine Euro goals as the highest goalscorer in the tournament. He took that record for himself, after scoring five goals in four games. He now has 14 goals to his name at the Euros.

9) Most victories by a player at the Euros: 12

Ronaldo was in a three-way tie for most victories at a European Championship, going into Euro 2020. He was tied on 11 wins with Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas. But with Portugal's win over Hungary in their opening fixture, Ronaldo took the record all by himself.

10) Most international hat-tricks 

The Portuguese talisman has so far scored nine international hat-tricks which is the most by any player in the world. He has scored the most hat-tricks (2 against Lithuania). Iran's Ali Daei scored eight hat-tricks while Lionel Messi has six to his name.

11) Only player to score in 10 consecutive international competitions

Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player in the world to score in 10 consecutive international competitions, five Euros (2004, 2008, 2012, 2020) and four World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018) and European Nations Cup (2018).

Ilaix Moriba has slammed Barcelona, claiming they were telling lies in the press prior to his transfer to RB Leipzig.

Moriba graduated to Barca's senior squad in January after 11 years in the club's academy ranks, but ultimately decided against extending his contract at Camp Nou.

The Blaugrana chose to sell the 18-year-old on deadline day instead of letting him leave for nothing next year with Leipzig snapping him up for an initial €16 million (£13m/$19m) fee, and he is relieved to have moved on after being targeted with hateful messages from supporters.

What has been said?

Barca president Joan Laporta indicated that Moriba had failed to compromise in negotiations over a renewal during a press conference earlier this summer, telling reporters: “We do not want players who do not want to renew, it leaves a very bad taste.”

Moriba was subsequently exiled from the Blaugrana squad and their B team, but has come out to defend himself in his first interview as an RB Leipzig player.

"The last few months have been the hardest of my life, we [my family] have received abusive messages but we have been able to get over it to be here today," said the teenage midfielder. "I don't deserve these messages.

"They [people at the club] have said many things that are not true and we have had to keep tight-lipped because of the respect that we have for Barcelona. The things that they have said in the press have not been fair."

Moriba went on to insist he bears no ill-feeling towards Barca despite the acrimonious nature of his departure before wishing Ansu Fati well after inheriting Lionel Messi's No.10 shirt.

"I have improved at Barcelona with the support of the fans, but over the past few months they have not known how to behave," he said. "I am not going to judge the whole fanbase based on these few people.

"I will always have Barcelona in my heart, it has been a complicated few months, but it has passed and I wish the best for the club, especially to Ansu, as I have seen that they have given him the No 10 shirt and he's the most suitable one to wear it, I wish him the best."

Moriba on Messi

Moriba also admitted that it was a "dream" for him to have played alongside Messi, who joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer in August after being told that he couldn't re-sign for Barca due to their over-inflated wage bill.

Leipzig's newest signing warned that their friendship will go out of the window if they meet again in European competition, adding: "It is any child's dream to play with Messi, what he has done is incredible. The best thing was that he is such a good person, he tries to help young players.

"When we play each other, we will shake hands, but when the game starts there is no more friendship, we will defend our clubs and I will give everything for Leipzig."

Further reading

Karim Benzema expects Kylian Mbappe to become a Real Madrid player "one day or another", with the Blancos retaining long-standing interest in the Paris Saint-Germain forward.

Efforts were made late in the summer transfer window to get the World Cup winner onto the books at Santiago Bernabeu, with Goal able to confirm that a €220 million (£189m/$260m) offer was tabled.

No deal was done, meaning Mbappe continues to run down the final year of his contract at Parc des Princes but Benzema believes it is only a matter of time before the 22-year-old swaps life in the French capital for the Spanish equivalent.

What has been said?

Quizzed on the Blancos' interest in Mbappe after France's 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday, Benzema told RTL: "He is a player who will play for Real Madrid one day or another. We get along really well and I would like him to be with me today in Madrid."

Will Mbappe join Real Madrid?

Those at Santiago Bernabeu are now having to play a waiting game. They can enter into pre-contract talks with the Frenchman from January if no fresh terms are agreed at PSG.

That would allow a deal to be agreed with a superstar performer who is due to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign.

Real are unlikely to be Mbappe's only suitors, but they are leading the hunt for a much sought-after signature. 

Mbappe could end up being the long-term successor to Benzema in Madrid, although a man with 281 goals for the Blancos is showing no sign of slowing down.

Further reading

Gareth Southgate says England must win the World Cup to banish the memory of their Euro 2020 final loss.

England came agonisingly close to winning their first major trophy since the 1996 World Cup at this summer's European Championships, making it all the way to the showpiece at Wembley only to suffer a penalty shootout defeat.

Southgate says the best way for the Three Lions to put that disappointment behind them is to pull together and focus on qualifying for Qatar 2022, with their next Group I clash against Hungary at Puskas Arena on Thursday night.

What has been said?

"We probably need to win a World Cup final," the England boss told his pre-match press conference. "Nothing else is really going to compare to the level of the game we were involved in and the unique circumstance that being involved in a final brings.

"We had two years of having to reflect on a World Cup semi-final and whatever we do in the next 18 months has got to be towards leading us towards challenging in a World Cup."

Three Lions defender Harry Maguire echoed his manager, conceding the pain of the loss to Italy is still fresh in the minds of both the players and supporters.

"It hurts and it always will hurt," he said. "Will you ever get over losing a penalty shoot-out to become European champions? Probably only if you win one of these major tournaments will you overcome that. Of course it hurts and it probably hurts every fan as well, not just us players and staff. It will hurt everyone."

The state of play

England are sitting top of Group I on nine points after their first three fixtures having beaten San Marino and Albania 5-0 and 2-0 respectively before picking up a hard-fought 2-1 win against Poland earlier this year.

Southgate's side can move five points clear of second-placed Hungary if they win tonight's game before their focus switches to a home fixture against Andorra on Sunday.

The Three Lions wrap up their latest set of qualifiers with a trip to Poland on September 8, and if they pick up maximum points their place in the 2022 World Cup will be all but confirmed.

Further reading

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If you’re the parent of a budding footballer, you'll know how tough it can be to find the right pair of football boots for your child. This is especially true when you don’t know where their next match will be taking place or what kind of ground they'll be playing on until they arrive. 

So which kind are best? What do all the technical-sounding terms like FG, AG, GT, DF mean?

We've decoded the acronyms and rounded up the best football boots so the mystery is finally solved. Here are the best kids' football boots for all playing surfaces.

FG (FIRM-GROUND) BOOTS

Firm ground boots are the most popular type of boots sold, as they’re perfect for playing on well-maintained pitches in the summer. They are also suitable for deep winter when the grass has frozen over. They’re best in dry to slightly wet conditions and have blade-shaped studs.

This is the kids' version of the Predator boot that elite players can’t get enough of. This particular laceless boot is fitted with a stretchy sock collar to keep a firm grip on the foot. The pink spines are called Demonskin and as well as looking cool, they help provide grip in the strike zone. Laceless boots are really popular amongst kids as there are no laces to mess about with.

Get them from Pro:Direct Soccer for £75.00 (originally £130.00)

Cristiano Ronaldo’s line of Mercurial Superfly boots in these safari print Mercurial Superfly boots - the safari Polkadot print even stretches as far as the laces which are printed with the pattern. The safari pattern was chosen to show off Cristiano Ronaldo’s cheetah-like speed and on the sole is a picture of his signature celebration stance.

The boots have a dynamic fit collar sock to keep feet locked in place and even though these have laces there are two loops on the sock to help pull boots on and off.

Get them from Sports Direct for £34.00 (originally £67.99)

SG (SOFT-GROUND) BOOTS

The great Zlatan Ibrahimovic is partial to wearing Nike Mercurial Vapor boots. Something as luminous as these brightly coloured ‘laser orange’ boots are perfect for the winter months where it can be hard to see teammates' feet. The padded ankle collar provides extra comfort for even the fussiest of boot-wearers.

Get them from Sports Direct for £38.00 (originally £52.99)

These highlighter-yellow boots are designed for speed and to help you sneak past defenders, hence the ‘ghost’ name. Players like N’Golo Kante, Karim Benzema and Thomas Muller all wear X Ghosted boots. 

Get them from Sports Direct for £32.00 (originally £45.00)

MG (MULTI-GROUND) BOOTS

Multi ground boots use a combination of stud types meaning playing on all sorts of different surfaces will be easy. Get two birds with one stone with boots that can be used on 3G/4G as well as grass. 

The Phantom GT uses generative texture technology which is something new Nike developed for these boots. The new scientifically-tested ‘GT’ is sticky in different places to help control the ball and keep grip when needed. The laces are off-centre which means that the strike zone is clear and free from distraction.

Get them from Nike for £53.97 (originally £62.95)

Kieran Trippier wears Nemeziz boots over at Atletico Madrid and Adidas puts it very nicely when they say “Just when your rivals think they have a plan for you, you rip up the rulebook. Left, right, zig, zag, gone”. These ‘screaming orange’ boots are super comfortable with a crossover cuff that has fewer distracting seams than previous models.

Get them from Pro:Direct Soccer for £35.00

TF (ASTRO TURF) BOOTS

Astroturf is an artificial turf that replicates the qualities of a grass football pitch - it’s sometimes called a 2G pitch. Because it’s artificial, you need special trainers or shoes with lots of short rubber studs to help get a good grip. 

Astroturf is an artificial turf that replicates the qualities of a grass football pitch - it’s sometimes called a 2G pitch. Because it’s artificial, you need special trainers or shoes with lots of short rubber studs to help get a good grip. 

Get them from Nike for £69.95

The Predator boots have been accused of being so good they cheat the system, but that hasn’t stopped them from sweeping the feet from every professional league and tournament. “The Yorkshire Pirlo” aka Kalvin Phillips was even wearing a pair when England beat Germany in the Euros.

They have the signature Demonscale bits on the upper material that’s been 3D printed to help get a great and secure strike on the ball.

Get them from Sports Direct for £25.00 (originally 49.99)

AG (ARTIFICIAL GRASS) BOOTS

Artificial grass can also be astro turf, but the key number you’re looking for here is 3G. Boots for artificial grass need to have plastic studs rather than the rubber of 2G. These Puma boots are designed for use on both artificial grass and firm ground which makes them a versatile option if you don’t always know what kind of pitch the match will be played on. 

These luminous neon yellow boots Puma has developed something called Fuzionfit that is a stretchy band that keeps your foot locked in place for a secure feeling shoe which has speed and agility in mind. These boots are endorsed by Brazilian forward Neymar.

Get them from Pro:Direct Soccer for £55.00 

Puma Ultra boots are worn and endorsed by French superstar Antoinne Griezmann along with some other top names like Kyle Walker, Jordan Pickford and Harry Maguire. These boots work on firm ground and artificial grass and are lighter and faster than ever because they use a TPU SpeedUnit on the studs that is inspired by professional running spikes.

Get them from Pro:Direct Soccer for £35.00

IC (INDOOR COURT/FUTSAL) BOOTS

Indoor or futsal shoes have to be flat, but non-slip to make sure the wearer doesn’t fall over when they try to run, pivot or stop suddenly. Importantly, they need to have special soles to make sure that they don’t leave a mark on the playing surface. 

If you’re a fan of the X Ghosted.3 boots, luckily they also come in a non-marking indoor court style. These have something called a Clawcollar that cradles the ankle and locks the foot in the boot when playing. 

Get them from JD Sports for £45.00

The upper of this indoor football boot is absolutely seamless which makes them perfect for those who find football boots uncomfortable to wear. These boots have a unique and bright style that will stand out for all the right reasons.

Get them from Sports Direct for £23.00 (Originally £44.99)

Top tip – Keep boots clean with this handy Boot Buddy.

It’s super helpful at getting mud off of shoes and boots before getting in the car or house, meaning you don’t have to leave your boots outside the front door all week anymore.

Get one from Sports Direct for £12.99 (Originally £14.99)

Coach Manqoba Mngqithi has explained why midfielder Mothobi Mvala is an undroppable player for Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

By looking into Mvala's stats, the coach dismissed claims that the 27-year-old South African is not a star with the calibre to play for the Pretoria giants.

"Give me a player in South Africa who, in one match, gives you two or more assists, a shot at goal, five box entries in one match," Mngqithi told FARPost. 

"I hear the hype about him [Mvala] not being the kind of player to play for Sundowns, but just take those stats that I gave you, and out of all the midfielders, just check who the better midfielder is – both offensively and defensively.

"He has the physical attributes to play at the highest level, he’s not just a player who helps you play but he has the profile to assist you with set-pieces because he is very strong aerially.

"He is extremely fit, he’s one of the fittest. He’s one player I don’t remember hearing that he’s carrying a little bit more in terms of fat percentage or weight. He’s a grinder, he’s physically in very good shape.

"Before I even talk about him as a footballer, let me tell you about him as a human being. He’s one of the most well brought up boys that I have ever worked with."

Steve Haupt, who trained Mvala at Berea Albion Academy, echoed Mngqithi's sentiment by pointing to the stars' hard work.

"He always worked the hardest, he ran the hardest, he was fearless in the air. The guy was just a great competitor," Haupt told the same publication.

"If I were to go to war with someone, it would be Mothobi next to me. When he came to the academy he couldn’t even kick the ball with his left foot, he’s the type of guy who would go and kick 1 000 balls with his left foot to make sure he improves."

On his part, Owen Da Gama, who worked with Mvala at Highlands Park, stated why the midfielder is an outstanding player.

"The boy will play the first five minutes and the last five minutes at the same tempo. He doesn’t get tired. He understands his strengths. He won’t dribble, he will do the basics, play and move, play and move," Da Gama said.

"He would actually be the first person to cheer on whoever was replacing him. He would not sulk after being substituted."

Mvala was signed for Mamelodi Sundowns by coach Pitso Mosimane before he left to take charge of Egyptian giants Al Ahly.