Arsenal have been forced to pull their new home shirt from shelves while a “design error” is corrected by kit manufacturer Adidas.

The authentic home shirt, with a retail price of £110, has been made temporarily unavailable and Adidas has said supporters who had already purchased the 2023/24 jersey will be refunded.

The shirt honours Arsenal’s ‘Invincible’ season 20 years on from when Arsene Wenger’s side went unbeaten throughout an entire Premier League campaign.

Within the design, the outcome of the 38 results is detailed with a row of W’s and D’s to highlight the wins and draws from across the season.

However, the authentic shirt – that which is worn by the players on a matchday – only carried 32 of those results and has since been removed from sale.

“The 2023-24 Arsenal home authentic jerseys are temporarily unavailable while a design error is being corrected,” Adidas said in a statement to the PA news agency.

“We are working closely with the club and our partners to ensure restocked jerseys are available as soon as possible, and are offering full refunds to fans who have already bought one.

“This design error falls short of the standards we set ourselves as a brand, and we apologise to the club and its fans.

“The replica ‘fan’ version of the home jersey is unaffected and widely available now.”

The ‘fan’ shirt is the same design but is a cheaper option for supporters, retailing at £80 through Arsenal’s official club shop.

Hibernian will take on Vikingur of the Faroe Islands or Andorran side Inter Club d’Escaldes in their European opener.

Hibs begin their campaign in the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League on July 27. Details of the fixtures are still to be confirmed.

Lee Johnson’s side were seeded in the draw and avoided some tough opponents in their section such as Danish side Aarhus or Swedes Hammarby.

Inter were seeded in the draw for the first qualifying round. They beat Faroese opposition, HB Torshavn, in the Champions League qualifiers two years ago, and also beat Fiorita of San Marino last season.

Inter ultimately went out at the second qualifying round of the Conference League last season, losing to Romanian side Cluj 4-1 on aggregate after a first-leg draw.

Vikingur beat opposition from Gibraltar in the Conference League qualifiers last season before suffering a 4-0 aggregate defeat by Slovakian side Dac in the second round.

Kyle Magnnis has signed for Kilmarnock on a two-year contract after being allowed to leave Hibernian.

The 24-year-old midfielder made 49 appearances during a near three-year spell at Easter Road which was badly affected by injuries.

The former St Mirren captain was delighted to team up with Killie boss Derek McInnes.

“The gaffer has always been interested in me and he’s someone I wanted to work with, so over the past few weeks the move has fallen into place,” Magennis told his new club’s website.

“It’s a fresh start for me. I’ve had a tough few seasons with injuries, but I’m feeling good and ready to go. I know that if I’m playing, I’ll be a big asset to the club.”

Hibs agreed to terminate the midfielder’s contract and manager Lee Johnson said: “Kyle was a well-respected member of the squad, and we wish him well for the future. He will always be welcome at Easter Road.”

Arsenal are progressing well in talks to sign Chelsea forward Kai Havertz as they prepare to launch a third bid for West Ham captain Declan Rice.

The Gunners are aiming to add to the squad that manager Mikel Arteta led to second place in the Premier League last season.

Rice emerged as a top target earlier this year, but the PA news agency understands a move for Havertz could also now be close to fruition.

The 24-year-old has hit 19 Premier League goals in 91 appearances for the Blues, but could be set to move across London and link up with the Gunners.

It is believed a new bid has yet to be lodged for Havertz, but the difference in valuation between the clubs is close.

West Ham on Tuesday knocked back a second offer for Rice, which would have made the England midfielder Arsenal’s all-time record signing.

The structure of add-ons to Arsenal’s bid is believed to be the issue for West Ham, who are keen to stick to their guns and receive £100million for their skipper.

Arsenal have also been linked with moves for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia and Jurrien Timber of Ajax.

VAR has been given a massive thumbs-down in a new fans’ survey published on Wednesday.

Almost two thirds (63.3 per cent) of supporters said they oppose the use of VAR, with only 26.8 per cent saying they were absolutely or somewhat in favour of it. The National Supporters Survey was commissioned by the Football Supporters’ Association and covered 9,645 fans, running online in March and April.

Only one in 20 (5.5 per cent) of fans who had experienced the technology being used in stadiums rated their experience of it as good or very good.

The survey also found overwhelming support for the introduction of an independent regulator for English football, with 88.2 per cent of those surveyed agreeing on the need for the regulator to ensure the game is run more sustainably.

The negativity towards VAR in 2023 contrasts with the 2017 FSA survey – prior to VAR’s introduction – which found 74.6 per cent of fans favoured the use of video referees to support on-field officials with game-changing decisions.

More than three quarters of match-goers (79.1 per cent) and two thirds of TV viewers (65.4 per cent) now rate their experience of VAR as either poor or very poor.

Almost 92 per cent said decisions were taking too long to make, while 80 per cent said fans should be able to hear discussions between the
VAR and the on-pitch referee.

Referees’ chief Howard Webb is determined to provide greater transparency around VAR in the English game, within the bounds of what is allowed by the laws of the sport.

He appeared on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football programme on May 15 to talk through how a number of decisions from earlier in the season had been made, and often how complex these decisions can be and why time is needed to ensure accuracy.

He also pointed out that, under the game’s current laws, the conversations between referees and VARs cannot be broadcast live.

FIFA trialled a system where referees communicated the final outcome of VAR decisions to fans in the stadium and those watching on television at the Club World Cup in February, and is considering continuing the trial at this summer’s Women’s World Cup.

While Webb’s MNF appearance was a one-off for last season, it is understood this could become a more regular feature next season. Professional Game Match Officials Limited is also in ongoing dialogue with FSA representatives.

Fan support for independent regulation was overwhelming, with almost nine in 10 supportive of such a body being established.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said earlier this month that the Government’s consultation response on the White Paper for football governance would be published this summer, but it is not expected that a regulator backed by statute could be up and running until the 2024-25 season at the earliest.

Fans clearly feel the need for action on the way the game is run, with only 37.8 per cent saying they felt optimistic about the future of football.

FSA chairman Malcolm Clarke said: “Football has said for years that it can regulate itself. The findings from our survey show that it has become apparent to the overwhelming majority of fans that it cannot, and that independent regulation is required to safeguard the future of our clubs, and the game itself.

“Football clubs can’t continue to be allowed to mark their own homework, and so we will be pressing the Government to make sure what the regulator laid out in their White Paper becomes a reality.”

Fans are also concerned about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.

One in five (21.7 per cent) fans said they were attending fewer games because of the rising cost of living, and almost a third – 31.9 per cent – had reduced their matchday spending on items such as food, drink and programmes.

The survey also found nine in 10 supporters favoured an away fan price-cap in the EFL following the announcement of its new record television deal with Sky Sports.

Manchester City have agreed a £30million deal with Chelsea to sign midfielder Mateo Kovacic, the PA news agency understands.

The treble winners are set to pay an initial £25million for the 29-year-old Croatia international, with a further £5million to follow in potential add-ons.

Kovacic, who joined Chelsea from Real Madrid in 2018, is entering the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge.

City will now look to complete the formalities of a move with the player.

Kovacic will become City’s first signing of the summer and give manager Pep Guardiola more midfield options at a time when captain Ilkay Gundogan’s future is uncertain.

Gundogan’s contract expires at the end of this month and the Germany international has not yet agreed new terms.

Kovacic, who won the Champions League three times with Real and once with Chelsea, could be one of several summer departures from the London club as new manager Mauricio Pochettino trims his squad.

N’Golo Kante will join Saudi club Al-Ittihad when his Chelsea contract expires at the end of June, the club has confirmed.

The 32-year-old midfielder joined from Leicester in 2016 and has won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge.

He had been an integral part of the Foxes’ surprise title success under Claudio Ranieri after arriving in England from Caen in 2015, just two years after having played in the French fourth tier.

Chelsea co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley told the club website: “N’Golo’s impact and influence during his time at Chelsea cannot be overstated. His tireless performances in midfield contributed to several trophy wins and has guaranteed him a place in the club’s history.

“We wish him well as he embarks on the next chapter in his career.”

His final season at the club was blighted by injury. He required hamstring surgery in October and was unavailable to former manager Graham Potter until March, in all making only seven Premier League appearances across the campaign.

He becomes the first major departure since Mauricio Pochettino was confirmed as the club’s new manager, with a reduction in size of a bloated first-team squad amongst the Argentinean’s priorities.

Kante, who won the World Cup with France in Russia in 2018, becomes the latest in a succession of high-profile names to move to the Saudi Professional League.

His international team-mate Karim Benzema has already agreed to join Al-Ittihad after 14 seasons at Real Madrid, following Cristiano Ronaldo who moved to Al Nassr from Manchester United in December.

Wolves captain Ruben Neves has reportedly agreed a £47million move to Al Hilal with an announcement expected from the club this week.

At 26 he will be the youngest big name to leave a European club for Saudi Arabia.

Chelsea outcasts Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Romelu Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have also been linked with moves to the Gulf state.

What the papers say

The Daily Mail reports Arsenal have made an improved bid for Chelsea forward Kai Havertz. The Gunners are set to offer £60m for the 24-year-old, after previously having a £50m offer turned down. The extra funds could be just enough for the deal to get over the line, as the Blues seek to bolster their finances for their own recruitment plans.

Fulham are eager to sign Manchester United midfielder Fred, according to The Telegraph. It is believed the 30-year-old Brazil international would be open to the move, however bosses at United reportedly value Fred at a higher price than Fulham are willing to pay.

The Sun says Everton are looking at Crystal Palace keeper Sam Johnstone. It is said to be a pre-emptive move, ahead of an expected approach for current keeper Jordan Pickford from Manchester United.

And The Independent reports Newcastle are weighing up ending their interest in Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

James Maddison: Sky Sports says Leicester want more than £50m for the England midfielder, who is on the radar of Tottenham and Newcastle.

Georginio Wijnaldum: Paris St Germain are looking to offload the midfielder this summer, according to Foot Mercato.

Steve Clarke admits Scotland’s 2024 Euro qualifier against Georgia should have been stopped before Callum McGregor scored the opening goal in the rain-interrupted 2-0 win at Hampden Park.

A heavy rainstorm in the lead-up to the Group A fixture had rendered the match farcical in the opening stages and Clarke and opposition boss Willy Sagnol had flagged up concerns before midfielder McGregor scored in the sixth minute with a drive.

Hungarian referee Istvan Vad immediately halted the game with an announcement confirming an initial 20-minute delay for the pitch to be cleared of water before a pitch inspection.

When play eventually resumed it was over 90 minutes after it had been halted.

Midfielder Scott McTominay added a second two minutes into the second-half with his fifth goal in four qualifiers before Georgia superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia missed a penalty in added time.

“That’s when the game should have been stopped,” said Clarke of the period when it was goalless, as he joked, “apart from the birth of my three children it was the longest day of my life”.

“It was pretty obvious from kick off that the pitch wasn’t ready,” he said.

“They have a time limit. You know it is going to dry up, it’s only a shower. A big shower mind you, a heavy shower, but you know it is going to dry up.

“That would have been the logical time to call it or maybe not even start it and just delay the kick off.

“Obviously the who dynamic changes once there is a goal in the game. They want it stopped. We don’t. That’s normal.

“If they had scored they wouldn’t have wanted the game stopped so thankfully it dried up, everybody did their job and the best part is the players did their job.”

Scotland cemented their top spot in the group with a win which confirmed 12 points from their opening four fixtures ahead of the trip to Cyprus in September.

The Scots are eight points clear of Georgia, unbeaten in eight competitive games and are on course for an appearance in the finals in Germany next summer.

Clarke said: “I have to mention the fans, they were magnificent.

“It would have been easy for them to get a little bit down, thinking about going home because the game could have been called off.

“They stayed and every time we went on to the pitch they cheered and got behind us.

“All the volunteers who got the brushes and the brooms to get the water off the pitch, you have to say thank you because eventually we came out with a massive three points, 12 points to lead the group is a fantastic start.”

Sagnol claimed his players had been treated as “objects” as he criticised the communication from UEFA and the decision to play on after both Clarke and himself raised concerns.

The former Bayern Munich and France defender said: “I think everybody tried their best but I don’t know why the game started because after five seconds everyone could see it was impossible to play.

“The fact the referee stopped the game just after the first goal, he put himself under so much pressure.

“He could have stopped after both Steve Clarke and I spoke together and asked him to stop the match before the goal. It was about the third minute. If he had done it at that moment things would have been much easier.

“We both asked the fourth official, he said it’s not possible. The fourth official said ‘we can’t stop the match before the delegate comes down’. Then after that we were told it was the referee that had to make the decision. It was a lot of nonsense and biased communication.

“But we restarted the game as we have been asked – under massive pressure from UEFA, I have to say.

“The only thing in these moments I regret as a manager is the lack of communication. You don’t know why they decide things, they don’t really give you explanations. Then you have to cope with your players, you have to wait and wait and wait and get cold and wait.

“We feel we were considered as objects – ‘shut up and do what we tell you’.”

Sagnol denied his players had refused to come back out at one stage.

“The only thing we asked was to communicate with us, because we had to speak with our players,” he added.

“For example, the last time they came, the UEFA delegate said we had to play in six minutes. How can you say to players who have been inside for 30 minutes, who haven’t had proper dinner for five and a half hours? How can you say that to professional players?”

Scotland took another step towards next summer’s European Championship with a 2-0 win over Georgia in their rain-interrupted qualifier at Hampden Park.

A heavy rainstorm in the lead-up to the Group A fixture had rendered the match farcical in the opening stages, before midfielder Callum McGregor scored in the sixth minute with a drive through the puddles.

Hungarian referee Istvan Vad immediately halted the game, with an announcement confirming an initial 20-minute delay for the pitch to be cleared of water before an inspection.

Supporters kicked their heels in the stands until the pitch was declared playable, with the players warming up again before restarting at the 10th minute mark – over 90 minutes after it had been halted.

On resumption, midfielder Scott McTominay added a second goal two minutes after the restart – his fifth in four qualifiers – before Georgia star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia missed a VAR-awarded penalty in added time.

Scotland cemented top spot in the group having now taken 12 points from their opening four fixtures ahead of September’s trip to Cyprus.

Steve Clarke’s side are eight points clear of Georgia, unbeaten in eight competitive games and are on course for an appearance in the finals in Germany, although on this occasion the weather almost beat them on their own patch.

A long and rather bizarre night had begun amid a mood of Scottish optimism.

After a late 2-1 comeback win against Norway in Oslo on Saturday night – which followed victories over Cyprus and top seeds Spain –  the Tartan Army’s spirits could hardly have been higher.

However, Hampden Park was sodden by the time Scotland kicked off and the state of the pitch drew gasps from supporters as passes stopped in puddles, with players leaving the ball behind as they tried to drive forward.

Scotland’s opening goal came when John McGinn’s corner from the right was partially cleared to McGregor and the Celtic captain’s drive from 12 yards was parried into the net by Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Referee Vad did not restart the game, instead stepping off the pitch to speak to an official before returning to inform the players that the game was to be stopped while groundsmen – and then some of the ball boys – brushed water from the pitch.

Fans had booed the initial announcement of a 20-minute delay and that of a pitch inspection 10 minutes later and there was relief when the game eventually got under way again just after 9.30pm following a few more delays.

The pitch was still far from perfect but the Scots adapted slightly better, albeit the delay appeared to have dampened the enthusiasm of the home support.

Five minutes from the break McGinn came close with a header from a Kieran Tierney cross before completely missing the ball eight yards from goal.

Then McTominay’s angled-drive was tipped around a post by Mamardashvili but the visitors held out.

The second half had barely begun when McTominay pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the box and fired a low drive past Mamardashvili to re-energise the flailing Tartan Army.

Georgia’s Otar Kiteishvili thundered a shot from distance just over the crossbar on the hour but there was no real sign of a comeback.

Scotland defender Ryan Porteous headed a Gilmour cross over from close range in the 72nd minute, before Georges Mikautadze hit the side-netting with an effort at the other end.

In the second minute of four added on, referee Vad consulted the pitchside monitor before declaring the ball had hit the arm of Aaron Hickey, but Napoli’s Kvaratskhelia hammered the spot-kick over the bar.

Ultimately, Scotland will be glad that a match that looked more than in doubt at one point was completed as qualification for a second successive Euros draws ever closer.

James McClean is banking on the Republic of Ireland’s big-game mentality to force them back into Euro 2024 contention.

Ireland belatedly registered their first win of the qualifying campaign at the third time of asking when they beat Gibraltar 3-0 in Dublin on Monday evening.

Coming after a hard-fought 1-0 home defeat by France and a less-impressive display in a 2-1 reverse at the hands of Greece in Athens on Friday night, victory was the very least they needed ahead of September’s trip to Paris and the Netherlands’ visit to the Aviva Stadium three days later.

Asked about the Dutch in particular, McClean, who won his 100th senior cap against Gibraltar, said: “I don’t want to create headlines and be disrespectful, but they seem to have a lot of very good individual players, but maybe as a team they are not where they want to be and hopefully we can exploit that.

“I actually think we perform better in the big games, as you have seen here against France.”

Realistically, Ireland will need to get the better of the Netherlands over the two fixtures if they are to stand any chance of escaping from Group B, and the odds remain heavily stacked against them despite Monday’s win.

They went into that game having been roundly criticised for their performance in Athens and with manager Stephen Kenny feeling the full force of a concerted backlash.

McClean, who provided assists for both Evan Ferguson and Adam Idah, said: “Nobody likes being criticised, that’s the way it is. No one likes it, but we’re not stupid. This is the game we are in.

“If you don’t perform and do well, criticism comes along with that, as does praise when you are doing well, so you have to take the bad with the good.

“We bounced back. It’s a massive win to take us into September and hopefully we can pull off one of those famous wins.”

Ireland boast famous wins over then world champions Germany and at Euro 2016, fellow aristocrats Italy in the recent past, but under Kenny have fallen heart-breakingly short, if only just, against Portugal and France.

However, McClean, 34, is confident the belief and spirit which contributed so much to those landmark victories has been retained by a new-look squad.

He said: “I don’t think that’s something that can ever be questioned, the togetherness in the Irish team.

“There is a lot of ability in those young lads. If you can get them playing with confidence, you are on to a winner. Hopefully they can create special memories for themselves.”

McClean added his own special memory on Monday when he completed his century and was presented with his 100th cap by President Michael D Higgins before kick-off.

He said: “Having my family on the pitch, the president of the association and of the country handing me an honour, the reception of the crowd, having the whole family there, the way the lads treated me this week leading up to it and how they treated me after the game… Look, it couldn’t have gone any better.”

Gareth Southgate has indicated an ongoing lack of game time at Manchester United could impact Harry Maguire’s international role as the England boss braces for summer movement in his squad.

Monday’s 7-0 Old Trafford annihilation of North Macedonia made it four wins from as many Group C games, meaning it is a case of when rather than if their place at Euro 2024 is secured.

June’s matches were played out against a backdrop of talk about England players’ club future, with injured Jude Bellingham completing a big-money move to Real Madrid during a camp that ended with Arsenal’s club-record offer for West Ham skipper Declan Rice.

Harry Kane, Kyle Walker, Mason Mount, Jordan Pickford and James Maddison are also the subject of summer interest, while the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Conor Gallagher and Harry Maguire have decisions to make on their future.

Phillips says he intends to fight for his place at Manchester City and England stalwart Maguire continues to be linked with a move due to the Manchester United captain’s drop in game time and form.

“He is captain of an incredible football club so that is a difficult situation,” Southgate said.

“He will obviously be frustrated not to play as much as he would like but I think he has handled that really well, he has publicly talked well about supporting the team.

“We have got a few players with a lot going on, really.

“They have managed to park that brilliantly in their period with us but there is potentially quite a few moves this summer that would be hugely important for their own careers, never mind for us.”

Asked if Maguire needs to play a bit more, Southgate said: “It’s clear, really.

“I think him and Kalvin are the two who have played the least in terms of guys in this squad this season.

“But we have gone with them because in these two positions we think they are still ahead of others that might have played more.

“But it is then hard when that competition gets more even and you are not playing regularly to see their form, see their fitness, so that is the challenge for everybody.”

Maguire was named in the Euro 2020 team of the tournament for his excellent displays in England’s run to the final two years ago, as was Raheem Sterling.

The 28-year-old endured a tough 2022-23 season following his £47.5million switch to Chelsea and missed June’s fixtures as he recovers from a nagging hamstring issue.

“He’s a fighter,” Southgate said of 82-cap forward Sterling. “What we know is he’s scored an incredible amount of goals for us, important goals, that’s now a more even competition.

“In the past he was the name on the team sheet. we knew his goals were critical. There is now more competition there, but I will expect him to respond.

“He’s not been happy with this season at his club this year, the part he has to get right this summer is his physical fitness and I would expect him to be flying next year.

“If we have all of those players available when we need them then that’s brilliant but it rarely happens.”

As for Southgate, the England boss says his biggest challenge is to “keep pushing this team” and looking for improvements – a pursuit of progress that saw Trent Alexander-Arnold successfully deployed in midfield this month.

The Liverpool right-back scored in a man-of-the-match display against Malta and produced a fine assist in Monday’s 7-0 drubbing of North Macedonia.

Those displays means Southgate “would have no hesitation” picking Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder against even better teams going forwards.

“He’s an exceptional player for Liverpool in whatever position he plays,” the England boss added.#

“It’s not for me (to say what he needs to do at his club). He has produced any number of assists for Liverpool and has had a massive impact on their team.
Our team is different, the balance of our team is different.

“And the way we have been able to play is different, and the way we defended is slightly different.

“The most pleasing thing for me is that he has probably had his most enjoyable England camp ever. He’s desperate to be a part of the team, he has shown everybody what he can do in that role.

“I felt that way for a long time but when he is not doing those things regularly it is harder to transfer. His performances have spoken for themselves.”

Jack Grealish has made no apologies for his high-profile celebrations at the end of a mammoth season as he claimed any “party boy” image is misplaced.

The England international helped Manchester City to an historic treble, culminating in a Champions League final win over Inter Milan.

After the match, Grealish was the centre of attention for City’s celebrations as he drank and partied with his team-mates.

Much was made of his approach but he still reported for England duty and came off the bench in Monday’s 7-0 win over North Macedonia.

“I don’t think it is a party boy thing,” he said when asked about the response to his revelry.

“I would never sit here and lie to you and say ‘Yeah, I don’t drink and I don’t party’ because I do but then there’s so many people that will come here and say to you ‘I don’t do this, I don’t do that’ when they do.

“I’m just truthful because when you see me doing anything, you’d be like: ‘Oh, hold on. He said a few weeks ago in an interview that he didn’t do that’.

“But listen, I just enjoy myself, I’m living my dream of playing for the best club in the world in my opinion, we’ve just won the treble so I’m going to obviously have a break now with my family and my friends and then I’ll be raring to go again in four weeks.

“I knew (what) I was doing, that’s just the way I am, I’m like that when I party usually. Actually, I’m not like that usually but we’ve won the treble and it’s something that (may) never happen again.

“So I went and enjoyed myself and I wasn’t the only one – I think a lot of the time you’ll see everyone recording me, I could show you all this stuff of other people where they were the same.

“Listen, we all enjoyed ourselves, other people enjoy themselves where the cameras weren’t but that was just me enjoying myself, I’d had the most successful season of my life.

“It is now June 19, I came into training last year on July 13. Years ago, you’d have a season for nine months, I’ve just laid out a 12-month season. I’ve been into a World Cup, I’ve won three trophies and then I’m going to be back training now in four weeks or so, why not enjoy myself?”

Grealish said he had not been spoken to by England manager Gareth Southgate as he met up with the squad and felt he contributed as normal.

England won both games to take a massive step to Euro 2024 qualification and Grealish reported for duty as expected.

“I don’t know what you guys read and think sometimes. I have a great relationship with him (Southgate), honestly. A brilliant relationship,” he added.

“I kind of knew in the back of my head that I wouldn’t play on the Friday (against Malta). But even so I came into camp on Tuesday night, I was a bit hungover but I wasn’t drunk or anything.

“I came into camp with the other guys, we slept then woke up and trained on Wednesday. We trained on Thursday and, like I said, in the back of my mind, I knew I wasn’t going to play on the Friday.

“Then on the Saturday, I trained and trained well. Then on the Sunday. I thought it was going to be a toss up with who plays.

“I came on (against Macedonia) and I’m just happy. I’ve had a brilliant season, the most successful season of my life and I think there is a time now I can just sit and relax.

“My emotions have been so high. When I was sitting in the camp on Thursday, it was the biggest high I’d been on in my whole life at the weekend.

“You come into the camp, you sit on your own in your room and think ‘Will I ever feel that high again?’.”

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated becoming the first male player to reach 200 international appearances with a last-minute winner for Portugal against Iceland.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star was honoured ahead of his country’s European Championship Group J qualifier in Reykjavik with a Guinness World Records certificate.

And Ronaldo, 38, who broke Kuwait forward Bader Al-Mutawa’s 196-cap record in March, scored the only goal of the game in the closing stages with his 123rd for Portugal.

Iceland were reduced to 10 men after 80 minutes when Willum Willumsson was sent off.

After four matches played, Portugal sit two points clear of Slovakia, who won 1-0 at Liechtenstein thanks to Denis Vavro’s first-half strike.

In the group’s other fixture, Luxembourg secured a 2-0 win at Bosnia.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland continued his incredible scoring run with a double in Norway’s 3-1 victory against Cyprus.

After Ola Solbakken netted Norway’s opener in the Group A clash, Haaland scored two goals – one from the penalty spot – in four second-half minutes to end the season with a remarkable 56 strikes for club and country, and contribute to Norway’s first win of their qualifying campaign.

Romelu Lukaku put his Champions League final disappointment behind him with a brace in Belgium’s 3-0 win at Estonia.

Lukaku, who made a second-half appearance for Inter Milan in their defeat against City earlier this month, scored twice in the first half to put the visitors in control.

Johan Bakayoko completed a comfortable Group F win for the Red Devils with a third in the closing minutes.

Belgium remain three points adrift of Austria, who stay top of the group following a late victory against Sweden.

The fixture looked to be heading for a goalless draw before Christoph Baumgartner netted a brace for the home side. Austria have played one game more than Belgium.

In Group G, Hungary took top spot after winning 2-0 against Lithuania, while Serbia secured a 1-1 draw in Bulgaria following Darko Lazovic’s stoppage-time equaliser.

Meanwhile, in Group E, Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski scored for Poland but could not stop his side from slipping to a 3-2 defeat in Moldova as Albania claimed a 3-1 win in the Faroe Islands.

A frustrated Isaac Price said Kazakhstan had been “there for the taking” in Northern Ireland’s 1-0 Euro 2024 qualifying defeat at Windsor Park on Monday night.

Northern Ireland could not convert any of the 13 efforts they had at goal – with only one on target – and were punished at the death as Abat Aimbetov broke away to snatch an 88th minute winner.

It was a third consecutive 1-0 defeat for Michael O’Neill’s side, but where Friday’s loss away to Denmark had brought optimism, given a battling display against the group’s top seeds, a home defeat to a side ranked 50 places below Northern Ireland left a flat feeling.

“It’s very tough to take, frustrating really,” said Price. “We know we weren’t good enough. We knew they were there for the taking and we didn’t take our chances. We have to look back on it and improve for the next fixtures in September.”

O’Neill knows he must be patient with the many youngsters pressed into service ahead of schedule given an injury list which stretches into double figures. Price, 19, is on that list but the midfielder was not cutting himself any slack after the match.

“Personally I wasn’t good enough, technically on the ball and I didn’t create enough chances,” he said. “It was the same for the whole team really. We have to improve in the final third.

“We’re not too bad at the back, but we conceded a silly goal at the end so instead of taking a point, we lost everything.

“There was optimism coming in from the game on Friday night. We thought we deserved more against Denmark. We have to look back at the game and see where we can improve. There are so many areas where we can improve.

“We have two tough away games coming up in September, we have to go and try and get three points in both.”

Price, earning only his fourth cap, was starting a second-consecutive match, having also been asked to play in an advanced role behind the lone striker in Copenhagen.

“I’m delighted to play, the experience is something which you can’t get anywhere else,” he said. “International football is very different to the football you play at your club.”

Price is now set to start a new adventure, having this month signed a four-year contract to join Standard Liege after rejecting a new deal at Everton.

The move promises the opportunity to get more playing time and learn in a very different environment.

“I can’t wait to go over now,” he said. “Hopefully I can improve a lot more over there and in a different side of the game. It’s a lot more technical.

“I just can’t wait to get over and get started now.”