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• Daniel Maldini the missing piece to Italy puzzle, believes Spalletti

  Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti believes Daniel Maldini has been the creative spark the national side has been lacking ahead of their Nations League clash with Belgium. 

  Maldini could follow in the footsteps of his father, Paolo, and grandfather Cesare, both former Italy captains, should he represent the Azzurri at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday. 

  The 22-year-old came through the ranks at Milan, managing 24 appearances in all competitions and scoring once, but spent three seasons out on loan from 2022 to 2024. 

  Maldini spent the second half of last season on loan with Monza before making his move permanent in July, netting five goals in 19 outings to help Raffaele Palladino's side to a 12th place finish in Serie A. 

  Now under the guidance of Alessandro Nesta, Maldini has begun to flourish, completing more dribbles (12) than any of his team-mates in the league so far. 

  The young Italian was one of four players given their senior call-up by Spalletti for their Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Israel, with the Monza forward replacing Lazio's Matteo Zaccagni. 

  And Spalletti is confident Maldini can make an impact, saying: "He is the (kind of) player we were missing."

  Italy come into the contest off the back of an impressive opening to their Nations League A2 group, beating Israel and France last month. 

  After a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign that saw them lose to Switzerland in the round of 16, Spalletti insisted that their encounter against Belgium is crucial to their development.

  "We will immediately become a great team in every match where we will be able to give the best of ourselves," Spalletti said.

  "It is a crucial match for our future."

  Spalletti, however, has his eyes set on the 2026 World Cup, a tournament the Azzurri have won on four occasions throughout their history. 

  But Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 editions of the competition, but have since won the European Championships against England in 2021 under Roberto Mancini. 

  While Spalletti signified the importance of the World Cup's influence on the Azzurri's illustrious history, he said his players must focus on each game as it comes. 

  "It is a tournament that has determined our history, it has made many people happy," Spalletti concluded. 

• Harder hat-trick downs Arsenal in Women's Champions League opener

  Pernille Harder's hat-trick handed Bayern Munich a winning start to their Women's Champions League campaign, beating Arsenal 5-2 in Group C. 

  Harder, who scored 24 times in 48 appearances for Arsenal's London rivals Chelsea, once again haunted the Gunners, striking her first goals in the competition in almost two years.

  After three games in the Women’s Super League, Arsenal sit sixth, having won once and drawn twice, with the latest defeat piling more pressure on head coach Jonas Eidevall. 

  The Gunners started brightly and took the lead in the 30th minute when Katie McCabe's delivery was swept home by Mariona Caldentey. 

  However, the hosts drew level two minutes before the break when Georgia Stanway's searching ball picked out the head of captain Glodis Viggosdottir, who towered over her marker to loop the ball beyond Manuela Zinsberger. 

  Bayern then took the lead in the 56th minute as a fast break saw Sydney Lohmann finish at the near post, only for Eidevall's side to respond nine minutes later when McCabe's corner was headed home by Laia Codina. 

  But the German champions found themselves back in front soon after with a corner routine of their own, with Harder netting her first of the encounter with a header from Carolin Simon's cross. 

  The Dane then notched her second with another well-taken header, before sealing her treble with an effort from close range, despite the best efforts of Zinsberger. 

  Harder recorded a staggering 1.59 expected goals (xG) tally of 1.59 to Bayern's 1.89 total, with Arsenal wasteful with their chances, with six of their nine shots on target but unable to trouble Maria Grohs for the most part. 

  Elsewhere in the other early kick-off, Hammarby recorded a historic 2-0 victory over Austrian side St. Polten at the Tele2 Arena for their first triumph in the group stage of the competition. 

  Vilde Hasund handed the hosts an early lead in the 18th minute with a brilliantly taken finish, striking the ball low into the bottom corner following Ellen Wangerheim's lay-off. 

  The victory was sealed two minutes from time by substitute Cathinka Tandberg, who took a touch and placed the ball beyond Carina Schluter to put them top of Group D ahead of Manchester City's star-studded clash with Barcelona. 

• Mason Holgate delighted, ready to play part in Boyz World Cup qualification bid; set to debut against Honduras in Nations League

  After much contemplation and being torn between representing the Three Lions of England or donning the Jamaican colours, defender Mason Holgate has finally made his decision and it is the Reggae Boyz that will have his full allegiance moving forward.

  The 27-year-old, who qualifies to represent Jamaica through his grandparents, has officially committed his international future to the Caribbean nation, a choice that brought a wave of excitement to fans and team members alike.

  For Holgate, the decision was far from easy given his upbringing in England and years of competing in the English football system.

  In a previous interview, Holgate said he was open to representing Jamaica, while in another he expressed optimism about an England call-up, noting that "everybody wants to play for England. When you're a kid, that's the ultimate.”

  Yet, it is his Jamaican roots that eventually pulled at Holgate’s heartstrings, and he is now set to make his debut with the senior Reggae Boyz in their upcoming Concacaf Nations League fixture against Honduras at the National Stadium on Monday.

  Though he is with the squad in Nicaragua for their Group B top-of-the-table clash in League A, Holgate will sit out that contest as the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) awaits clearance from FIFA.

  

  Still, Holgate is brimming with excitement.

  “I am really excited to be part of the team, and I can't wait to get out there for my first game,” Holgate declared.

  “My grandparents on my dad’s side are Jamaican, and so much of who I am is connected to this place. There's obviously a lot to look forward to in this team, so I'm excited to be here.  Obviously, the boys made me feel quite welcome straight away, so, I've enjoyed the day or so that I've been here so far,” he added.

  Holgate’s path to international football has been a unique one. He started his career at Barnsley before making the move to Everton, where he spent several seasons honing his skills in the English Premier League (EPL).

  During that time, he earned caps for England at the youth level, featuring for the Under-20 and Under-21 teams. The senior call, however, never materialized, and that left him at a crossroads regarding his international future.

  The tipping point for Holgate came as he watched Jamaica’s gradual improvement in recent years, particularly where the make-up of the team is concerned in their push for World Cup qualification.

  Seeing the likes of former Everton teammate Demarai Gray, West Ham United’s Michail Antonio, Leicester City’s Bobby Reid, and others demonstrate their unflinching desire to bring success to Jamaica’s football made it clear to Holgate that he could play a pivotal role in helping the Reggae Boyz reach the next level.

  

  “I got on really well with Dimmy [Gray], and since we both left Everton, obviously he moved to Saudi Arabia, so I haven’t seen him for a year or so now. But we're good friends; we speak all the time, so I was really looking forward to seeing him, and when I got here and saw him, I was buzzing,” Holgate shared.

  “But, yeah, I've been in the Premier League and the Championship going on League One for 10 years, so quite a lot of the boys, I know from just playing against and stuff like that. So it's been quite easy for me to come in because I've played against and knew quite a lot of them before,” the West Bromwich Albion loanee stated.

  Holgate’s experience at the highest level of English football will undoubtedly be a boost to Jamaica’s defensive ranks, and his versatility across the backline makes him a valuable asset as Englishman Steve McClaren looks to fortify his squad with a 2026 FIFA World Cup appearance in mind.

  “I think it's just a very exciting time to be part of the team. Obviously, with the new manager who's done so much before in football, and also, if you look at the squad, it gets better and it seems to look stronger every camp. We all have the goal of going to the World Cup, and that's what I want to do, and that's why I am here, and I believe that I can help get us to that point,” Holgate ended.