Stuart Broad is cherishing the opportunity to pull on an England shirt again at Soccer Aid almost a year on from a fairy-tale finish to his cricket career.
Broad bowed out last summer in memorable fashion, clinching a Test victory over Ashes rivals Australia with his final delivery before retirement.
Now, after throwing himself into a life of fatherhood and television punditry, he is ready to rewind the clock for one night only, donning Three Lions once more after signing up as part of Harry Redknapp’s England XI at UNICEF’s annual charity football match.
Despite exiting elite sport on the crest of a wave, a feat all too few achieve, this ardent Nottingham Forest fan cannot hide his enthusiasm to head back into battle for his country at Stamford Bridge on June 9.
“To put on an England shirt again, even if it’s not a cricket one, will feel pretty cool,” he told the PA news agency.
“I’ve no doubt I’ll have that competitive spirit back. I don’t think it ever leaves you. I’m at peace with the way I finished at The Oval, if I tried to play another 100 games I’d never get that high again, and I achieved my goal of finishing on my own terms rather than being told by a coach or selector that time was up.
“I didn’t leave with any bitterness, just brilliant memories. But one of the things I’ve noticed from stepping away from the game is how little you realise about the pressure you’re really under.
“It can be quite addictive, that feeling of being under pressure to perform. Soccer Aid is all about raising money and awareness for UNICEF and what it does for children all over the world, but whenever you put a professional sportsperson on a field those competitive juices flow.”
The 37-year-old is ready to embrace that familiar feeling as he eyes up a place in Redknapp’s defensive line. Broad made a handsome career as a fast bowler but he plans to pit himself one on one with an opponent who really cornered the market when it comes to speed.
“I’ve been playing five-a-side on Monday nights, but it’s a little bit of a step up marking Usain Bolt,” he said.
“I saw Harry and he told me ‘I’ve heard Usain has a bit of pace’, so I’ll need to work on that high line. I’d probably class it as diving in at the deep end, playing at the Bridge in front of a full house, live on TV, with some of the world’s best talent.
“It’s not doing things by halves. I’m looking to present myself as a no-nonsense centre-back, win my aerial battles and if I get in trouble just kick it out. I might wear a Forest under-shirt to keep the passion up.”
While Broad does not feel any pangs of regret about his retirement he admits the start of England’s Test summer could be a challenge to his equilibrium. He has no immediate plans to fill the void by stepping into any formal coaching role but is enthusiastic about working with the next generation and sharing his experience.
“I’ve not massively missed the playing side yet but seeing the England lads walk out at Lord’s or the Test at Trent Bridge, that will probably be the time I go, ‘Wow, I don’t do this anymore’,” he said.
“If you go straight into (full-time) coaching, you’re almost travelling more than the players, but I want to stay part of the game. I’ve gathered a lot of knowledge over my time playing 167 Test matches and I want to share that with people. The exciting thing for me is talking to bowlers at the start of their journey…if they can take five per cent from me that grows them as bowlers, that’s great.
“Whether I do that by stepping back in at grassroots level with Nottinghamshire, or speaking to the England Under-19s, it’s just about getting the knowledge I gained from 20 years of playing out of my brain and into theirs.”
:: Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2024 takes place on 9th June at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, with tickets available at www.socceraid.org.uk/tickets
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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