Managers of England and USA have different demeanours but share the same overall philosophy – know your people The buildup to England women’s friendly against the USA on Saturday has lived up to its title. Whatever animosity there was between the teams in the past, the current managers have packed their media appearances with mutual compliments, and radiated enough warmth to defrost the Wembley pitch. Emma Hayes, who swapped Chelsea for the USA a year ago, is looking forward to a hug from Sarina Wiegman. The Dutchwoman, in turn, was thrilled for Hayes’s instant gold in Paris this summer, only 72 days after she began training the side. If the Netherlands, Wiegman’s previous team, hadn’t scuppered Team GB’s Olympic qualification, the first meeting between Wiegman and Hayes might not have been quite this friendly. But the first time that the English game’s two most successful female football coaches met on the pitch was always going to be a fascinating prospect, whenever it happened. Continue reading...

Nottingham Forest forward Chris Wood speaks to BBC Sport and says number nines never went out of fashion and praises boss Nuno Espirito Santo for getting the best out of him.

The former Aston Villa manager on helping USA to Olympic glory, pushing herself to the limit and a return to the dugout Fully in “holiday mode”, Carla Ward had enjoyed a few drinks when the surprise phone call came from Emma Hayes. The USA head coach was asking her to come and work for her during a large sporting event taking place in France in July and August. “I’ll be really honest, I’d had a few glasses of wine or a few strawberry daiquiris, I can’t remember which, and I didn’t take it seriously,” the former Aston Villa manager recalls. “I was like: ‘I’ve got a holiday booked, let me see if I can change it.’ And my friend said: ‘What is wrong with you? This is the Olympics!’ – then it dropped in my brain. Emma meant: ‘Come to the Olympics.’” Ward is certainly glad she said yes. The 40-year-old joined Hayes’ backroom team as a scout analysing opponents during a campaign that ended with the US team winning gold in Paris, and speaking in the buildup to the USA’s match against England at Wembley, she recalls an unforgettable learning opportunity. “There was never one doubt in my mind that she was going to win gold,” Ward says of Hates. “Being around the team 24/7, you knew there was an air of calm, there was an air of confidence. People hang on her every word, and rightly so. To see how she delivers messages and creates this environment is sensational. For me, she’s the best in the world.” Continue reading...

A new left wing-back could be a priority for Manchester United's new head coach Ruben Amorim, but the club face a battle for one of the players best-suited to the task

Manchester United left-back was never going to let rehab end her dream and hopes for Wembley bow against USA Gabby George had been with Manchester United for one month when her move of a lifetime abruptly turned into a season to forget after she tore an anterior cruciate ligament for the second time. The rehabilitation is daunting but George, knowing the prize on offer was playing again for the club she had supported since she was a little girl, there was never any doubt in her mind she would make it. In September, after 11 months out, George returned to competitive action and an additional reward has emerged: a place in the England squad for the first time since November 2022. It was a call from the Lionesses head coach, Sarina Wiegman, that stunned the left-back. Continue reading...

United States goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher announces she is to retire from international football.

Former Chelsea manager is back in London for friendly with Lionesses and targeting World Cup glory with USWNT Sitting in a makeshift press conference room on the dance floor of Camden’s Underworld music venue, beneath the World’s End pub, Emma Hayes breaks into a big grin. “Thankfully it still smells of fart and feet,” she says. “It was a big indie place for me back in the day. I’ve definitely not seen this place in the daylight, so that’s refreshing.” Hayes is home in London and with another grin declares: “I’ve got my mojo back.” The head coach of the US women’s national team is back where it all began for her in preparation for the showpiece friendly on Saturday between her Olympic champions and the European champions, England, at Wembley. This week her cultures are colliding, as she brings her team from the US, where she spent a number of formative years coaching, to London, where she grew up, played and became one of the world’s best. Thanksgiving will be celebrated at the training ground of the team she supported as a child, Tottenham. This will be a special week. Continue reading...

Analysis - The All Whites need to be playing more matches outside of the main centres, writes Mathew Nash.

Champions League updates from the 8pm GMT kick-offLive scoreboard | Moving the Goalposts | And mail Sarah An lovely bit of news has dropped in the last hour too, 80,000 tickets have been sold for England v USA on 30 November. A huge crowd for a great encounter. I saw people making winter puns with player names and I’d love for you to share yours with me. The best I have come up with is Sam Brrrr, so as you can see I need some help. Send me yours via email. Continue reading...

Club criticised ‘unacceptable and hateful’ messagesManager Sonia Bompastor hit out at ‘crazy’ reactions The Chelsea captain, Millie Bright, and manager, Sonia Bompastor, have strongly condemned homophobic abuse aimed at Sam Kerr, after the Chelsea striker and her partner, West Ham’s Kristie Mewis, shared news that they are expecting a baby. Kerr, the Australia captain, and Mewis, a USA international, shared photos of Mewis’s baby bump but Chelsea soon issued a statement criticising “unacceptable and hateful” messages among the comments, which had to be switched off by Kerr. Continue reading...

Toone, Charles, James and Parker also ruled out injuredLaura Blindkilde Brown and Ruby Mace get first call-ups Lauren Hemp and Ella Toone have been ruled out of the England squad for back-to-back friendlies against the USA and Switzerland, with the former having undergone knee surgery. Manchester City said Hemp would “return to the City Football Academy to work closely with the club’s medical team on her rehabilitation” after successful surgery. Continue reading...

ANALYSIS: Darren Bazeley’s side are two wins away from booking a return to world football’s showpiece event, with competition for places heating up.

Chelsea plotting summer bid for Caoimhin Kelleher, Christian Pulisic attracting interest from Premier League clubs, Ruben Amorim to work with more modest budget at Manchester United, and more.

With two games left to qualify for the World Cup Darren Bazelely is focused on just one thing, winning.