Martin Odegaard says Arsenal must use the pain of last season’s near-miss to fuel a renewed push for the Premier League title.

The north Londoners enjoyed a campaign to remember under Mikel Arteta, only for perennial champions Manchester City to pip them to top spot at the death.

It was a galling end to a promising season for Arsenal, whose captain Odegaard says the ultimate disappointment will spur them on as they look to topple Pep Guardiola’s men.

“We have to use it,” he said. “The end of the season was tough for us and very painful after leading for so long.

“That is always going to hurt but we have to use it in a good way to come back stronger and be even more motivated and even hungrier.

“That’s what we did last year after we missed the Champions League the year before. We came back stronger and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Asked if it was hard to erase last season, Odegaard said: “It was difficult to be honest. We were very close and had the big dream and goal to win something.

“To be so close to doing it with this team is always going to hurt but you have to deal with it in a good way and move on and that’s what we’re going to do as a team. That is the only way.”

Arsenal have not wallowed in self-pity since falling short in the title race.

Instead, they have gone on an eye-catching spending spree bringing in Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and £105million Declan Rice.

“Every time I played against him I saw the quality,” Odegaard said of the former West Ham skipper.

“He’s a leader as well so it’s great for me to work together and hopefully we can help each other a lot.

“Every time I played him it was a tough one. We had some tough battles so I’m happy to have him on the team and hopefully we can find a good connection very quickly.

“I think his presence in the game (stands out). He’s good on the ball, he can take it forward and physically he’s very strong.

“He’s good in many areas, is physical and is a leader so a lot of areas.”

Make that three former high-profile FC Barcelona players now on Inter Miami.

The MLS club will sign veteran defender Jordi Alba, reuniting him with Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets.

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas announced the move Tuesday, while also confirming Messi and Busquets will make their team debuts on Friday against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.

"He will debut on Friday," Mas said of Messi. "How much, when, what he does, that’s up to him and (coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino)."

Messi and Busquets both participated in their first practice with Miami on Tuesday, three days after Messi officially signed a 2 1/2-year contract that will be worth between $50-60million per year.

Messi, who turned 36 years old last month, revealed on June 7 that he would be joining Miami after 11 years with Barca.

Inter Miami announced the addition of Busquets a few weeks later and then disclosed in late June that Martino, who coached Barcelona in 2013-14, would be the club's new head coach.

The 34-year-old Alba joined Barca in 2012, and helped the club to six La Liga titles, five Copa del Rey trophies and the Champions League in 2015.

In 458 appearances for Barcelona, he registered 19 goals and 91 assists.

He'll continue his career with an Inter Miami team that is in last place in the Eastern Conference and mired in an 11-match winless streak since its last victory on May 13.

Marcus Rashford has signed a new five-year contract at Manchester United.

The 25-year-old forward came through the Old Trafford youth set-up and has gone on to score 123 goals in 359 first-team appearances.

He said: “I joined Manchester United as a seven-year-old boy with a dream. That same passion, pride and determination to succeed still drives me every time I have the honour of wearing the shirt.

“I’ve already had some amazing experiences at this incredible club, but there is still a lot more to achieve and I remain relentlessly determined to win more trophies in the years ahead.

“As a United fan all my life, I know the responsibility that comes with representing this badge and feel the highs and lows as much as anyone.

“I can assure you that I will give everything to help the team reach the level we are capable of and I can feel the same determination around the dressing room.

“I couldn’t be more excited for the future under this manager.”

The England international broke the 30-goal barrier for the first time in his United career last season under Erik ten Hag and his current deal was due to expire next summer.

The news comes on the same day that United agreed a deal to sign goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan, while defender Jonny Evans has rejoined the club on a short-term contract.

Manchester United football director John Murtough said of Rashford’s deal, which expires on June 30, 2028: “Ever since he joined our academy 18 years ago, Marcus has epitomised what it takes to succeed as a Manchester United player.

“He is a brilliant talent but also humble, dedicated and driven.

“As he enters his prime years, we know there is still so much more to come from him and we can see the hunger that Marcus feels to achieve the highest levels of success here at Manchester United.

“Working with Erik ten Hag and his coaches is the perfect environment for Marcus to continue to develop into one of the best attacking players in the world.”

Everton winger Demarai Gray was the only Reggae Boy selected to the Concacaf Gold Cup Best XI unveiled on Monday.

The 27-year-old made the most in his first five matches with Jamaica, scoring two goals and chipping in with two assists while completing 86 percent of his passes. Jamaica lost to eventual champions, Mexico, at the semi-final stage.

The full team of the tournament is as follows: GK Guillermo Ochoa (MEX), DF Fidel Escobar (PAN), DF Johan Vasquez (MEX), DF Jorge Sanchez (MEX), MF Luis Chavez (MEX), MF Adalberto Carrasquilla (PAN), MF Orbelin Pineda (MEX), MF Edgar Barcenas (PAN), MF Demarai Gray (JAM), FW Jesus Ferreira (USA), FW Ismael Diaz (PAN)

Brighton have rejected a second bid from Chelsea for star midfielder Moises Caicedo.

The Blues’ latest offer for the Ecuador international is believed to be around £70million.

Caicedo requested to leave Albion in January amid interest from Arsenal but in March signed a new contract until 2027.

The 21-year-old, who last season helped the Seagulls qualify for Europe for the first time and reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup, remains of interest to a number of Premier League rivals.

Caicedo joined Brighton from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle for a reported £4.5m in February 2021 before being loaned to Belgian side Beerschot.

He made his top-flight debut in April 2022 and has played 53 times during his time at the Amex Stadium, scoring two goals.

Chelsea and Brighton are scheduled to meet on Saturday in Philadelphia in a six-team Premier League pre-season tournament.

New Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino is in the process of overhauling his squad following the club’s worst season in almost 30 years.

Forwards Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson have already arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer, while Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic are among a host of departures.

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana has undergone reconstructive surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament.

The 22-year-old centre-back begins his rehabilitation at the Blues’ Cobham training ground while the squad travel to the United States on a pre-season trip.

Fofana, who joined the Londoners from Leicester in 2022 for £75million, featured just 15 times for Chelsea in the Premier League last season as he suffered a number of injury setbacks.

This latest problem comes two years after the Frenchman broke his leg in a pre-season friendly for Leicester against Villareal which saw him miss a large part of the 2021-22 campaign.

Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Alfie Gilchrist and Bashir Humphreys are the remaining centre-back options at Mauricio Pochettino’s disposal in the US as he prepares for Thursday’s opening pre-season clash against Wrexham.

Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana is set to join Manchester United after a deal was struck with both player and club, the PA news agency understands.

The 27-year-old shot-stopper has been top of Erik ten Hag’s wish list this summer as United replace long-serving David De Gea.

United have now reached an agreement with Serie A side Inter to sign Onana for an initial 51m euros (£43.8m) with a potential further 4m euros (£3.4m) in add-ons.

Personal terms are also understood to have been agreed with the goalkeeper, who is set to sign a five-year deal with the option of a further season.

A medical is imminent but it remains to be seen whether the respective paperwork will be completed in time for Onana to be on Wednesday’s flight to the United States for their pre-season tour.

The Cameroon international will become United’s second signing of the summer after bringing in Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount earlier in the month for an initial £55m.

The goalkeeper should slot seamlessly into Ten Hag’s system thanks to his ability and confidence on the ball, which he used to great effect at Inter and prior to that under the Dutchman at Ajax.

A new goalkeeper had not initially been a key priority for the United boss this summer, but towards the end of the campaign it was decided to pursue a new number one.

Onana is now set to succeed De Gea after his recent departure on a free transfer, while speculation continues over the future of Dean Henderson and Tom Heaton.

Sportsmax.tv continues its build-up towards the FIFA Women's World Cup with some insight on Panama's team to the July 20 to August 20 global showpiece in Australia and New Zealand.

Written by José Miguel Domínguez Flores

Overview

Panama’s journey to their first World Cup appearance began at the 2018 Concacaf Championships, where a defeat to Jamaica on penalties in the third-place playoff meant they missed out on qualification for France 2019. That tournament, though, was a watershed for players such as Lineth Cedeño, Karla Riley, Hilary Jaén, Yenith Bailey, Marta Cox and Wendy Natis, who have played a key role in getting Panama to the big show this time around. 

The road was not easy, and Panama were forced into the intercontinental playoffs in February this year. Papua New Guinea were seen off 2-0 in the semi-finals before a meeting with Paraguay in the final. Cedeño’s 75th-minute header was enough for a 1-0 win and a history-making qualification. "We will prepare 10 times better because we will face the best in the world,” said the manager Nacho Quintana, who took over in 2021. “We will measure ourselves against Brazil and France and this should keep us even more motivated."

Apart from leading the Panama to their first Women’s World Cup, Quintana has also fought for equal opportunities and salaries between the men's and women's teams. He likes to play a 5-4-1 formation and says the World Cup “is the beginning of the real project we have”.

The tournament will be a learning experience for the squad. Results in the warm-up matches have not been great and included a 7-0 defeat against Spain, so there is little chance of the side qualifying from the group stage. However, in a World Cup there are always teams that surprise, and Panama could be one of them.

The coach

Before joining Panama, Ignacio “Nacho” Quintana was a technical assistant for the Nicaragua women’s team and coached at teams such as Reforma Athletic Club and Lioness FC. Born in Mexico City, Quintana says he retired from playing at the age of 18 and immediately turned his attentions to coaching, though he also studied gastronomy before turning to football full-time, and eventually earned the A-license as a technical director. Says he wants his team to play with a smile during the tournament. “We can't lose that happiness,” he told fifa.com. “That's always our No 1 rule because that happiness which runs through the country, which you get a sense of in every street when you're in Panama, is something we need to convey out on the pitch so that the people of Panama feel we're representing them properly.” 

Star player

Marta Cox is the star of the team. The midfielder was introduced to football by her aunt Raiza Gutierrez, who was captain of the national team in the late 1990s and made her debut for Panama’s under-20 team aged just 14. She has gone on to win the league title with Chorrillo FC and CD Universitario and became the first Panamanian player to win the Costa Rica women's league when with Alajuelense. In 2021 she became the first Panamanian to play in the Mexican Women's MX League with Club León and in 2022 the first Panamanian to play for Pachuca Femenil, where she shares a dressing room with elite players such as Spain’s Jenni Hermoso. Cox is an idol for girls from poor neighborhoods who see in her an inspiration that it is possible to travel the world and play football regardless of social class.

Rising star

A move to Europe in the near future is not out of the question for 18-year-old Deysiré Salazar. The player from Colón has excelled for the national side since making her debut in 2020 and is already a league champion with her club side Tauro. She could go on to be one of the most important players in Panamanian football history and is on the radar of clubs in the US.

Did you know?

Forward Karla Riley – nicknamed “the Empress of Goal” – wears different coloured boots while playing in support of children with Down’s syndrome.

Standing of women's football in Panama

Panamanian women's football has had many changes, some negative and others very positive, but today there are infant and youth leagues and there are more and more academies and teams dedicated to women's football. The semi-professional Women's Football League (LFF), founded in 2017, seeks to provide a base for the players, but faces challenges such as lack of broadcasting. Furthermore, the fact that there is only one tournament a year, in contrast to the two tournaments in men's football, limits the development of the 398 registered players.

Realistic goal

The main aim is to leave a plant a seed, either as a group or individually, for future World Cups. The Panamanian Soccer Federation president Manuel Arias has highlighted the potential for inspiring the next generation of players. “I want Panamanian football to have professional contracts, for the players to be high-performance athletes and to make a living from soccer like the European players," said Marta Cox.

Sportsmax.tv continues its build-up towards the FIFA Women's World Cup with some insight on Panama's team to the global showpiece in Australia and New Zealand.

Written by Roberto Rivera for Datitos TV

Name: Farissa Córdoba

Position: Goalkeeper

Date of birth 30 June 1989

Club: Ñañas Club, Ecuador

The goalkeeper was one of the last called up to the squad – edging out Stephani Vargas as the likely third choice – and something of a surprise as she wasn’t part of the play-offs squad in February, or the friendlies in mid-June. However, she does have experience within the national setup, having played in the 2018 Concacaf Championship and the World Cup qualifiers that finished a year ago. Graduated from Panama’s metropolitan university of science and technology in electrical engineering and also from the technology university of Panama in mechanical engineering, so it is no surprise to hear her nickname is “the engineer”.  She has also played in Guatemala, Costa Rica and, more recently, Maccabi Holon in Israel. When Panama qualified for the World Cup she wrote: “I applaud my colleagues who fulfilled the dreams of past generations.” She can now live that dream in New Zealand and Australia. 

Name: Yenith Bailey 

Date of birth: 29 March 2001

Position: Goalkeeper 

Team: Tauro Panama

Profile: She played as a midfielder until 2017 when Víctor Suárez, the current head of youth football in Panama, persuaded her to start playing in goal and she hasn’t looked back. In the Concacaf W Championship of 2018 she won the Golden Glove – age 17 – for best goalkeeper of the tournament with 24 saves, including a string of stops against the United States. None other than the US great Hope Solo singled her out for praise that summer, saying she hoped Panama would reach the 2019 World Cup because Bailey deserved to be there. It didn’t happen then, but she will be there in Australia and New Zealand. “That tournament made me realise I could be a professional,” Bailey said. She has had stints in Colombia and Paraguay, where she played in the Copa Libertadores. Her brother José Gonzales has played professionally. A favourite of the fans for her whole-hearted efforts.

Name: Sasha Fábrega 

Position: Goalkeeper

Date of birth: October 23, 1990

Team: CA Independiente, Panama

Decided to finish her studies before dedicating herself totally to football and she graduated as a physiotherapist, something that naturally helps her in her current profession. Her Instagram feed is full of punishing workouts as she gets ready for the World Cup. Fábrega, who made her national team debut in January 2020 against the USA, was at Tauro in Panama but a lot of competition meant she moved to look for more first-team football at CAI, one of the best clubs in her country. And she doesn’t need to look any further than home for her biggest supporters. “My parents are the most important people in my life. They guide me to be better every day, their support is unconditional, and they encourage me to pursue my goals and dreams. They make me feel loved and greatly valued."

Name Katherine Castillo 

Date of birth: 23 March 1996

Position: Defender

Team: Tauro

One of the few in the Panama team to have played in Argentina, an experience that helped her improve a lot in her position as a full-back. She can get forward and adds an attacking threat in the air in the opposition’s penalty box. She is one of the manager’s most reliable players and gives peace of mind to her fellow defenders, having made her debut in the senior team in 2018. She attributes her success in football to several things, including a four-legged pet. “The important people in my life are God, who always gives me the strength and desire to move forward, and, above all, my partner, who has been encouraging me at every moment since day one. And I also want to mention my little dog, which is the most precious thing I have, and my family."

Name: Rosario Vargas

Defender

Date of birth 9 August 2002

Team: Rayo Vallecano Spain

One of the youngest in the squad but with an interesting career already, having played in youth teams in Madrid and Valencia. She also had a spell in Costa Rica in the 2017-18 season, although she now plays for Rayo Vallecano, another Madrid-based team. At national level, she was in the squad for the Under-20 Concacaf Women’s Championship, where Panama was knocked out in the quarterfinals by Canada. But by then she had already attracted the attention of the senior team and she made her debut in Tokyo in a friendly against Japan in April 2021 (sadly a 7-0 defeat). For her the World Cup will be an incredible experience. She said: “I'm psyched up for New Zealand. From everything that happens in life we must learn to get the positive and make ourselves stronger and continue to grow.”

Name: Hilary Jaén 

Position: Defender

Date of birth August 29, 2002

Club: Tauro

From a family of Panamanian singers, Hilary instead put her efforts into football – playing on concrete pitches with her cousins – and she quickly showed she was a precocious talent, being the only girl in a team when she was seven years old. “That was a good experience,” she says, “because you achieve more. I had to raise the intensity of my game.” She began to represent her country and moved through the various youth levels before making her debut for the senior team in 2018 in their last World Cup qualifier. She studied business administration and has already gone through the university leagues in the USA, playing for South Alabama Jaguars and Jones County Bobcats, although she is now with Tauro in her home country. “Studying is a very important part of my life because I want to show that you can study and play at the same time."

Name: Yomira Pinzón

Position: Defender

Date of birth 23 August 1996

Team: Saprissa, Costa Rica

Has been playing in Costa Rica for two years now, the centre-back nicknamed Yomi first foray abroad was in Spain with Pozoalbense. She then returned home and won two league titles with Atlético Nacional. She made her debut for the senior team at the age of 21 in 2017 and is a regular under the current coach Nacho Quintana. Reaching the World Cup, she says, was “a really big happiness and emotion. This was a dream for me and my teammates.” And her family are incredibly important to her: “My parents are always there and will always support me, like my sisters, they are the most important people in my life. And my brother: he is very special to me: I play football for him. I want to dedicate the qualification for the World Cup to him.”

Name Carina Baltrip-Reyes 

Position: Defender

Date of birth: 1 July 1998

Club: Maritimo, Portugal

She started playing football at the age of three when her father gave her her first boots and from there, she never looked back. The defender who can play anywhere across the back currently plays for Maritimo, on the Portuguese island of Madeira. But her career in Europe started in the Serbian league with Spartak Subotica, where she stayed for four months, gaining Champions League experience, but she left in December 2021, moving on to Houston Dash in Texas. She played her first match with the national team in October 2021 against Trinidad and Tobago. Full of energy, she can make powerful runs from her own area all the way up either flank. Born in Austin, Texas to a Panamanian father and American mother, she studied in Florida, where she graduated in biology and then received a master's degree in sports administration. 

Rebeca Espinosa 

Date of birth 5 July 1992

Position: Defender

Team: Sporting San Miguelito, Panama

Her sister Marjorie was the person in her family who taught her, age 11, to play in her home province of Chiriquí, but she never forgets her late brother, Riquelme. “He is my reason to fight for my dreams,” she says. Today her husband is the support: “Ever since I’ve known him, he has always backed me unconditionally and has understood what this beautiful sport means to me.” She played in Paraguay, for Club Sol de América, where she ended up facing her compatriot, Yenith Bailey, in a decisive league game - “it was beautiful,” says Espinosa. She made her debut with the national team in October 2018 in a World Cup qualifier against Canada but was on the losing side. Now, facing up to finally playing in the tournament, she looks back on how far the team has come. “These are the second chances we get in life,” she says. She is one of Nacho Quintana’s most important players and was part of the back five in the historic playoff win against Paraguay in February.

Name: Nicole de Obaldía 

Position: Defender 

Date of Birth: 16 March 2000

Team: Herediano, Costa Rica

Well-known in her country, not only for her football but also because of her presence on social networks and, because of her high profile, being sponsored by big brands. She joined Chorrillo FC in Panama City where she matured as a player and then moved to Tauro, the biggest team in women's football in Panama. She won the league and then joined Plaza Amador, Tauro's arch-rival, for a season before going to play in Costa Rica, where she has also won the league. At national level, she has worked her way up through all the youth categories and made her senior team debut on 21 September 2021. Pinki, as she is known by her friends, is working her way to qualify as a football coach and she has a very clear message: “I tell all the girls, don't give up on your sports dreams and never stop studying.”

Name Wendy Natis 

Position: Defender

Date of birth: 19 August 2002

Team: América de Cali, Colombia

Grew up playing volleyball, basketball and wrestling but only took up football when she was 16. Still, despite her age and relative lack of experience, she is already one of the most important players in the team. She was in the Under-20 Concacaf Women’s Championship team in 2022 that reached the quarterfinals. She had made her senior debut by then already, in February 2021. She was back playing for the seniors in the 2022 Concacaf W Championship that served as a qualifying tournament for this World Cup. When it came to the play-offs earlier this year, she was a rock at the back, playing both games, as Panama did not concede a goal. Nicknamed the Wall, she has been vital for her club as well, becoming the first Panamanian to win the Colombian women’s league. “Respecting my teammates with whom I lived and respecting the rules of the club made it easier for me to adapt in Colombia,” she says.

Name: Marta Cox 

Date of birth: 20 July 1997

Team: Pachuca Mexico

Position: Midfielder 

Profile: From a neighbourhood in Panama City called Chorrillo, Cox is the captain and the respected leader of the Canalera and that is why at almost 26 she already has more than 50 caps. She has played in Colombia and Costa Rica and became the first foreigner to play for Pachuca when she signed two years ago. From midfield she pairs her playmaking with an eye for goal – scoring a spectacular bicycle kick in the 2-0 playoff semi-final win against Papua New Guinea in February – and is not afraid to shoot from distance with her powerful left foot. She says: “I realised since I was very young that I could be a footballer, even if not a pro. But I never stopped pushing my sporting boundaries and I think that is what has made me who I am today.” She has set her sights on even greater things at club level. “I want to be among the best and play in an even more professional league. Then I can prepare myself for university and have my own business.”

Name: Carmen Montenegro

Position: Midfielder

Date of birth: 5 December 2000

Team: Sporting San Miguelito

A very skilful young player who was part of the group that won the play-off final in February despite her limited international experience. Yet she was on the outside looking in a year ago, a ready deputy in case of an emergency. That was a time when she put in a lot of effort, waiting for her chance. That came when Nacho Quintana tried her out in midfield and it was a revelation, as she had been a striker up to then. “I feel really good in this position,” she says. “And I’ve improved physically as well as technically.” She took up the game when she was 12 but preferred baseball when growing up. She studies physical education and wants to work in sport when she stops playing. Her middle name is Milagro, which means miracle.

Name Schiandra González 

Date of birth 4 July 1995

Position: Midfielder

Team: Tauro

Started out on the right-wing but under the national coach Nacho Quintana she moved centrally and deeper to play as more of a midfield ball-winner. She has a long history with her national team, playing in the 2012 Concacaf Under-17 Championship, and making her debut with the seniors in March 2018 against Trinidad and Tobago. Playing for her country is something she never takes for granted. “It is very big what I am living. It is a dream that I never imagined would touch me. I want to fulfill it with all my might, for myself and for the whole country. I really like the group; it is very happy and focused at the same time.” Born in the western province of Chiriquí although raised in Panama City,she calls her dogs “her daughters”. They play a big part in her Instagram feed, including giving them ice lollies. 

Name: Emily Cedeño 

Position: Midfield

Date of birth: 22 November 2003

Team: Plaza Amador, Panama

She took up the game when she was three and a few years later began to play futsal and by the age of 14 was playing for Panama’s Under-15s. Her parents supported her all the way, telling her to strive hard if she wanted to succeed. “The dream I had when I was a little girl playing with friends in the street, I’m able to say I’ve achieved it now,” she says. “I hope I can be an example to all those young boys and girls.” She did not feature in the qualifiers in the summer of 2022 but was then called up for all the mini training camps in the buildup to the play-offs in New Zealand in February. She made her debut with the senior team in a friendly in October 2022. And now: “I’m going to play in Panama’s first World Cup – it is something that I could not believe.”

Name: Aldrith Quintero 

Position: Midfielder

Date of birth: 1 January 2002

Team: Alhama FC, Spain

Quintero earned a place in this team, as she puts it, for her daily work and her improvement since she moved to Europe, first playing for Tenerife and now with Alhama FC in Murcia. She is the first woman from her country to play in Spain’s first division. Her father and brother played in a team called Tierra Firme in the lower leagues in Panama. Her mother Laura Marie was her motivation and the person who took her to all the training sessions as a child. First though, athletics was her main sport, especially long jump, but she complained to her mother about doing it. Her mother once told young Aldrith that she didn’t know how to play football but changed her mind after watching the girl play. Something of a prodigy, she made her debut in the national team in December 2017, one month shy of her 16th birthday. She said reaching the World Cup “was her dream come true as a girl”. 

Name: Deysiré Salazar 

Position: Midfielder

Date of birth: 4 May 2004

Team: Tauro

She is one of the youngest and smallest in the national team but with a giant heart. Born in Rio Alejandro in the province of Colón, where José Fajardo, a striker for the men’s national team, also comes from. She started playing at the age of six and soon her love for football was noticeable. Her mother Amayansi said that she had to look for her because she only spent her time out on the pitch, although she never neglected her studies. She currently plays for Tauro and at only 17 was the best player in the championship, while she has also been captain of the Under-20 team. For her, football is freedom. “When I play football I feel like a fish in water, I am free, I forget about all the problems. I am happy. And at that time, it was already clear to me what it meant to play for the national team. It is a source of pride and a great responsibility.”

Name Laurie Batista 

Position: Midfielder

Date of birth 29 May 1996

Club: Taurus

Her nickname is GPS, which tells you a lot about the captain of Tauro, the biggest team in the country. She is one of the most complete players in Panamanian football and has played for the national team at every age level. Although the defensive midfielder did not make the squad for the play-offs, she has been recalled since qualification and is one of the players to watch. She admits not being involved earlier this year was the lowest she has felt in her career. She said: “It was difficult not going to the play-offs, but it was a joy to see that my teammates qualified. I’m now happy for the call from the coach and I have to work to earn a place.” Her reason for getting into the sport? “My brothers, from a very young age. My family is very proud of me for achieving my dreams.”

Name: Riley Tanner 

Position: Forward

Date of birth: 15 October 1999

Club: Washington Spirit

Profile:

Fast and with great ball control, Tanner scored the second goal in Panama’s 2-0 semi-final playoff win against Papua New Guinea as they sought to qualify for their first World Cup. Her nickname is Frozen because of her resemblance to Elsa, from the film. Born in the United States but qualifies as her mother was born in Panama, she studied and played in her native Michigan and currently plays in the US professional league. She graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in public health. She realised she had made instant new friends when she was in her first training camp with Panama in January as she found out she had been picked in the draft by Spirit. She says: “That moment was when my dreams became reality. I took the draft call in the bathroom and when I came out everyone dogpiled me. Being new to the Panama team, just having that support from them was really special and made me feel like I was a part of their team.”

Name: Lineth Cedeño 

Date of birth: 5 December 2000

Position: Forward

Team: Sporting San Miguelito, Panama

Profile

Wrote her name in her country’s football history for her play-off final goal against Paraguay in February. It was the only goal of the match and one that put Panama in the Women’s World Cup for the first time. At the age of 22, she has more than 40 caps and has broadened her horizons by playing in Spain and then two years in Italy, for Verona and Sampdoria. Her time with Samp did not go so well, ending eight months early and without a goal or an assist. Affectionately known as “the stick” because of her thin build, she is a penalty-box predator, although due to her speed she can also play on the wings. Always has a smile on her face. Was left out of the squad for the two friendlies in the second half of June as Nacho Quintana decided to look at a few other contenders for the World Cup squad.

Name: Erika Hernández

Date of birth: 17 March 1999

Position: Forward 

Team: Plaza Amador

Profile

When Yomira Pinzón was asked how she would cope for a whole month in February, away from home, for the play-offs, she replied: “We have Erika.” Her Panama teammates call her Siri because of the amount she talks and is known as the most upbeat and lively member of the squad. She has played in Argentina, at the Buenos Aires club Uai Urquiza, which she says helped her development. On the pitch she can drop a bit deeper to get involved in the play but she is at her most effective in the box. In addition to playing football, she is studying to be a physical education teacher. She loves social media and has gone viral more than once with her dancing. Sponsors also love her to give talks because of her ease when it comes to communicating. 

Name Natalia Mills 

Position: Forward

Date of birth: 22 March 1993

Ld Alajuelense, Costa Rica

La Capi, as Natalia is called, is the veteran of the team who has come out of retirement, having hung up her boots for the national team in 2019 when they did not qualify for the France World Cup. She played in all the youth categories of the Panama national team before making her debut for the senior team aged 20. Her mother has provided her with all the support she has ever needed. She says: “Ask me about an important person in my life I have to mention my mother, Beatriz Urnaga. She is everything to me. She is the one who has always been with me at all times, in good times and bad. She always supports me unconditionally, without judging me.” When she does finally retire, she wants to stay in the game and help find new talent so that women's football in Panama continues to grow.

Name Karla Riley 

Position: forward 

Date of birth 18 September 1997

Team: Sporting FC, Costa Rica

Her attributes have earned her the nickname “the empress of goal” and she has taken her talents around the world. She went to Pozoalbense in Spain, has played for Tauro in her home country and, in 2022, Cruz Azul in Mexico. She made her debut for the senior team in February 2017 and has more than 30 caps. She believes the team has made the most of their time since they qualified. “We have five months of preparation that we did not have before. Those who play in Panama have worked like never before and have got stronger thanks to the training camps.” She has lent her support to all women in football around the world. A post on Instagram had her voice coming from an empty chair, saying: “Does it surprise you not to see me? This is how thousands of players around the world feel. We need you to see us, respect us and support us more than ever. This is our real fight.”

England’s players have expressed their disappointment at talks with the Football Association over their bonus and commercial structures not being resolved before the start of the World Cup.

In a statement from the team posted on social media by captain Millie Bright, the Lionesses said they would “pause discussions, with full intentions of revisiting them following the tournament”.

The European champions’ campaign at the showpiece in Australia and New Zealand gets under way on Saturday when they face Haiti in Brisbane.

The statement said: “Last year we presented the FA with concerns relating to our bonus and commercial structures. The hope was that discussions would lead to a solution before the commencement of our World Cup.

“We are disappointed that a resolution has still not been achieved.

“We view the successful conclusion of these discussions, through player input and a transparent long term plan, as key for the growth of women’s football in England.

“With our opening game on the horizon, we Lionesses have decided to pause discussions, with full intentions of revisiting them following the tournament.

“We collectively feel a strong sense of responsibility to grow the game. And while our focus now switches fully to the tournament ahead, we believe every tackle, pass and goal will contribute to the work we are committed to doing off the pitch.

“We look forward to playing for our country (at) this World Cup, with pride, passion and perseverance.”

Last month FIFA announced a new financial distribution model to apply to this summer’s tournament.

Under that model, players will be guaranteed performance-related remuneration directly from FIFA, with amounts increasing the deeper teams go in the tournament, ranging from 30,000 US dollars (£23,000) per athlete for the group stage to USD 270,000 (£206,000) allotted to each champion.

Previously, it was up to individual national governing bodies to decide how money was allocated, with some still agreeing to fund additional payments in 2023 beyond the new deal.

England players were understood to have been left disappointed by the fact the FA was not following the lead of the Australian and American federations – where collective bargaining agreements are in place – in paying bonuses on top of the prize money being paid to players direct by FIFA.

Players were also understood to be frustrated over a lack of clarity over what their cut from any commercial deals done by the FA linked to the Lionesses will be, as well as the restrictions around their personal sponsorships.

The Professional Footballers’ Association released a statement from its chief executive Maheta Molango, who said: “Although the issues the Lionesses have highlighted are specific to the negotiations with the FA, they join players from a number of countries at the World Cup who are prepared to make a stand when they don’t think they are being listened to.

“It’s a massive mistake to underestimate the genuine strength of player feeling on these issues.

“It’s no coincidence that this is a particular issue for nations where there is no proper collective bargaining agreement in place between players and governing bodies.

“These longer-term agreements require negotiation and will nearly always involve difficult conversations. But when they are completed, they ensure a far higher degree of stability and security.

“They mean that everyone knows where they stand, and that’s obviously a massive advantage going into major tournaments when players just want to be focused on the football.

“The PFA’s view has always been that player rights and conditions should be addressed proactively and viewed as a partnership.

“There will always be consequences when players feel they are having to come back issue by issue to push for parity and progress. It doesn’t need to be like this.”

Hristo Stoichkov is reluctant to compare Lionel Messi's arrival in MLS with that of David Beckham, as he hailed the Argentine's "spectacular" impending impact.

Messi was officially unveiled as a new Inter Miami player on Sunday, having confirmed his intention to join the MLS side as a free agent in June, following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.

He will be joined by ex-Barcelona team-mate Sergio Busquets, while Jordi Alba could yet follow the duo to Florida.

Miami are part-owned by Beckham, who himself made the switch from Europe to MLS back in 2003, when he joined LA Galaxy from Real Madrid.

Former Barcelona star Stoichkov, who also spent time in MLS with Chicago Fire and D.C. United, does not believe the two transfers can be compared, however.

He told Stats Perform: "They cannot be compared. I never liked doing it, because those are different times.

"Since 1996, when players began to arrive [in MLS], like Marco Etcheverry, Carlos Valderrama, Lothar Matthaus, later Jorge Campos, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and many Mexicans like Pavel Pardo.

"Then came [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, David Villa and David Beckham.

"But they are all different, I don't like to compare because each one lived their moment.

"It was incredible that despite the rain there were 25 thousand people waiting to see that moment, the arrival of Leo Messi and Sergio Busquets and [it is incredible] that we are going to see them playing in Florida."

Stoichkov is sure Messi will have a huge impact in MLS.

"It's a big thing," he added. "Since I played in MLS, it has always grown and moved forward.

"Don Garber has done an excellent job since 1999 when he became the commissioner of MLS and he continues to give everything to this great league.

"I remember when I was unveiled in 2000, with Matthaus, and it was amazing that we came from Europe and many years later players continue to arrive.

"Before it had been [Johan] Cruyff, [Franz] Beckenbauer, George Best, Pele and from there MLS began to grow."

While Miami are struggling in MLS this season, the city itself has enjoyed a fine year from a sporting perspective, with the Miami Heat making the NBA Finals and the Florida Panthers reaching the Stanley Cup Finals.

"Before, Miami was a tourist city and everyone wanted to come and see it, but that [sporting recognition] is more the case now," Stoichkov continued.

"I believe that with the arrival of Messi, Busquets, Jordi Alba and other important players, this city will be much more recognised around the world.

"This is a path that has been thought through a lot and I am very grateful for the efforts of Beckham and [Miami managing owner] Jorge Mas, who have promoted this project for Inter Miami.

"Many people who have come on vacation will now return to see if they can find Messi in a restaurant, in a supermarket or having a coffee.

"I have known Leo for a long time, since he was 12 or 13 years old and I was at Barcelona, and nothing has changed.

"He continues to be humble, affectionate and has returned that affection to children by taking photos and signing autographs. This adds a lot to MLS and Inter Miami.

"The impact will be spectacular, just by seeing that the tickets for the games where Messi will play are already sold out. This is because a legend has come, someone who has won everything in his sports career.

"Despite all this, the most important thing is his humility."

Bethany England says she stayed longer than she should have at Chelsea feeling “wasted” as the striker looks to take her fine form for Tottenham into the World Cup.

After an impressive 2019-20 campaign with the Blues which saw her named PFA player of the year, the 29-year-old subsequently found herself in and out of their starting line-up, and was part of it only twice in the first half of the 2022-23 Women’s Super League season.

She subsequently made a January move to Tottenham, went on to score 12 goals in as many league starts and earned an England recall – her first involvement since last September – when boss Sarina Wiegman named her squad in May for this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

England said: “They (Chelsea) brought Sam Kerr in halfway through the (2019-20) season and I built up a great relationship playing with Sam, and then obviously it didn’t transpire to the next season where we didn’t play with a front two.

“Emma (Hayes, the Chelsea manager) opted for singular number nine, which made my chances much more difficult based off Sam being who she is – and she is a prolific goalscorer.

“So it was hard to kind of fight my way back in from that point and I think I probably overstayed maybe a year, a year-and-a-half too long, where I felt like I was just wasted there, and I wasn’t being used enough.

“It was a very difficult time, but I think I built up a lot of resilience from that and was able to take that into other scenarios in football.”

England, who joined Chelsea in 2016 and scored a total of 74 goals for them, added: “I think there was ultimately lots of reasons why I left, the World Cup being one of them.

“I think the move has paid off for me and, as you would say, (it has been) vindicated. Ultimately, I think if I had stayed where I was, sat on the bench, I would never be here today.”

England’s wait for an international recall initially went on after the January transfer despite her hitting goals for Spurs from the off, and she said: “I didn’t get selected for the (February) Arnold Clark Cup, and then I went and scored against Manchester United (running with the ball) from the halfway line.

“I think that was my ‘have some of that’ type thing. It was more like: ‘Look, I know I am good enough’.

“But equally, I had to balance not focusing too much on what was going on (with England), because ultimately if I didn’t do the job at club level, I wouldn’t have been here.”

Having continued to flourish with Tottenham, England, who was a member of Wiegman’s Euro 2022-winning squad as an unused substitute, is now among three main number nine options in the World Cup 23, along with Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly.

“I want to help the team and put the ball in the net, however they may go in,” said England, who has scored 11 goals in 21 international appearances.

“The biggest thing I would say is leading into the World Cup Sarina has been able to see me more, playing regularly, scoring goals.

“I am hoping, as a collective, everyone can see what qualities I can bring. They know I can bring that to this team and hopefully I am put in a position where I can help showcase that.

“I think me and Alessia are very different players. I would say I am more similar with Rachel. I think we are all great in our own way and whatever tactics suit the game at that time is going to showcase that.

“It’s a tough decision because we have all got different qualities, but whoever Sarina chooses to go for is her preference.”

England open their campaign by playing Haiti in Brisbane on Saturday.

Chelsea will get their Women’s Super League title defence under way with a clash against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on October 1.

The 5.30pm kick-off between Emma Hayes’ champions and Spurs, in their first match under new head coach Robert Vilahamn, is one of three games on the 2023-24 season’s opening day that are set to take place at Premier League grounds.

Last term’s runners-up Manchester United play Aston Villa at Villa Park in the day’s earliest contest (12.30pm kick-off), and Arsenal face Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

Promoted Bristol City will begin their WSL return by taking on Leicester at Ashton Gate.

Tuesday’s fixtures announcement also revealed Manchester City are to go to West Ham and Everton host Brighton on the opening day.

Chelsea – who have lost their opener in each of the last two campaigns, and are bidding to secure a fifth successive title, and seventh overall – earlier this month announced the club were committed to holding four WSL games at Stamford Bridge during the 2023-24 season.

Arsenal had already confirmed they would be playing five at the Emirates, and after their match against Liverpool, the Gunners are scheduled to also play there in their next home fixture, against Villa on October 15.

The stadium is then set to host Jonas Eidevall’s side playing Chelsea on December 10, Manchester United on February 18 and Tottenham in a March 3 derby. Last September, Arsenal beat Spurs 4-0 there in front a WSL record crowd of 47,367.

The second round of fixtures on October 8 features Manchester City v Chelsea and Manchester United v Arsenal.

The ‘Women’s Football Weekend’ pencilled in for March 23-24 includes derbies of Manchester City hosting Manchester United and Everton entertaining Liverpool, while the concluding round of fixtures, on May 18, includes Chelsea playing United away.

The new top-flight season starts six weeks after the conclusion of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the final of which takes place on August 20.

The Women’s Championship is set to begin on August 26 with Birmingham, who finished second last season, facing Blackburn at Ewood Park, while promoted Watford hosting Durham is among five fixtures taking place the next day.

Republic of Ireland midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn believes footballers cannot shy away from the spotlight if they want to escalate the growth of the women’s game.

The 33-year-old is one of 23 women selected by manager Vera Pauw to represent the Republic in their first World Cup, a monumental moment that has drawn unprecedented attention to the team and individual players.

The full World Cup experience comes with corresponding changes off the pitch – more photo shoots and social media followers among them – a fact of life Littlejohn encouraged the players at this Australia and New Zealand-hosted tournament to embrace like England’s Lionesses after their Euro 2022 victory blasted them into their country’s consciousness.

Speaking at the Girls in Green’s team hotel in Brisbane, she said: “It’s full on. The other day we were doing pictures and I was shattered, and I kind of felt sorry for the camera guy because I was just dead tired. Hopefully the pictures look OK.

“But look, this is it, we wanted to be here and now we’re going to need to embrace the change and manage all the way. I’m not a superstar so I think it’s going to be different for me but it could be different for the likes of Denise [O’Sullivan] and Katie [McCabe].

“Look at other teams. Like, you see the Lionesses, how their lives have probably changed massively. It’s probably been a big adjustment for some of them and I’m sure it’s not always easy.

“I’m sure there’s moments where they’re like, ‘oh, leave me be’. Let me go and get a Nandos and leave me in peace please’. But look, that’s where the game’s going and we kind of need to embrace that and learn now to deal and manage situations.”

The effects of England lifting the European trophy last July were keenly felt throughout the following 2022/23 domestic Women’s Super League (WSL) season, which according to a league report saw attendances up 173 per cent compared to the previous campaign.

All but one of the WSL’s 12 sides broke a club or stadium record during a season that also set the three highest attendance records in the English top flight, including the league record 47,367 who turned out for the North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham at the Emirates.

Littlejohn’s side are now just two sleeps away from their World Cup opener, when they will face Group B rivals and tournament co-hosts Australia in Sydney, and says “you know it’s on party mode back home”.

It will be some time before the legacy of the World Cup in the Republic of Ireland crystallises, but ex-Aston Villa player Littlejohn is already starting to notice a shift.

The native Glaswegian, who swapped allegiances through her Irish grandparents after representing Scotland at youth level, added jokingly: “It was the Euros last summer. Obviously deep down I’m gutted that England won.

“I’m just about over it. It was great for the game there, the WSL. It’s only going in one direction and I think the change that they’ve made is massive, and now you can see the change that hopefully we can all make on this world stage.

“It’s just exciting to see. You can even see that, round about the hotel, there’s a few young girls running about with Ireland tops on. I mean I would have never been taken anywhere to a different country to watch a game of football.

“I don’t know how these people are getting to do it, but that’s amazing that there’s so many people tuning in and it’s a reality for people now. This can become a job for you. You can go and do this too if you want to do it.”

With the 2023 staging of the FIFA Women's World Cup set to kick off in a few days, Sportsmax.tv will be featuring Player Profiles and Team Guides for three of the CONCACAF nations set to represent at the global showpiece in Australia and New Zealand. Today, we start with Haiti.

Written by Pierre Richard Midy

Overview

“There’s a lot of unhappiness in the country and football is the joy.” This quote from midfielder Danielle Etienne says everything about what qualifying for the World Cup means to the people of Haiti. There is no doubt that Les Grenadières have written a new page in their history by reaching this stage.

Nicolas Delépine’s side have finally matched the men’s achievement of qualifying for the World Cup in 1974 after coming close on several occasions. With a fulcrum based around several members of the squad that made it to the U-20 World Cup in 2018, including star player Melchie Dumornay - known as Corventina - Haiti defied expectations by beating Chile 2-1 in the inter-confederation playoff.

The Caribbean nation has been hit with a raft of crises, with the assassination of the president Jovenel Moïse in 2021 adding to the country’s insecurity amid a series of natural disasters.

The country was also shaken by the sexual abuse scandals that have stained Haitian football, particularly those involving the then president of the football federation, Yves Jean-Bart. Fifa’s ethics committee handed Jean-Bart a lifetime bans in November 2020 for alleged harassment and sexual abuse against female footballers after a series of investigations by the Guardian. That sentence was overturned by the court of arbitration for sport in March 2022, but Fifa has since appealed that decision. Jean-Bart denies any wrongdoing. 

A normalisation committee has been in charge of Haitian football since December 2020 when Jean-Bart was first accused but Etienne, who is the daughter of former Haiti striker Derrick Etienne and was born in the United States, is hoping the World Cup can be the start of a brighter future. “We want that for the country as a whole, to have a breath of fresh air and kind of step aside from anything going on,” says the player.

The coach

A native of Nantes, Nicolas Delépine has more than 20 years of experience in French football, particularly with Nantes, Montpellier, Guingamp and more recently as coach of the Grenoble women's team. Having taken over Haiti in February 2022, Delépine has achieved an unprecedented feat: qualifying for the Women's World Cup. “We had to get to know the players first, find out what drives them, their strengths and their culture, so we could get the best out of them,” he said. “That’s how you get players to play to their potential: when you go out looking for the positive points but especially when you learn to get to know each other. We didn’t want to impose things but to build together."

The 43-year-old structures his teams according to the opponent and does not seem attached to a particular setup. In their last five matches, Haiti have fielded five different formations and Delépine is confident of causing a few shocks in a group containing England, China and Denmark. “We’re going there as outsiders and we’ve said that the bigger the mountains and the bigger the challenges, the more beautiful the success,” he said. “You might think we’re a bit crazy or out of our minds, but we want to go and spring a surprise, maybe a couple and, why not, make the last 16.”

Star player

Despite her tender age, 19-year-old Melchie Dumornay will arrive at the World Cup with the dreams of a nation on her shoulders. Solid, fast, technical, an excellent goalscorer and a very good passer, Dumornay participated in the adventure of the U-20 World Cup in 2018 when she was not even 15 years old. With a new contract already agreed at one of the biggest clubs in Europe, Lyon, after shining at Reims last season, the stage is set for Corventina to become an even bigger superstar. 

Rising star

At 24, Nérilia Mondésir has accumulated a lot of experience but is still improving. Known as Nerigol, the captain of Haiti scored all three goals for her country at the U-20 World Cup and was instrumental in helping the senior side to qualify for this World Cup having scored against Senegal in the playoff semi-finals before setting up Dumornay for a goal against Chile in the final. “We trust our group, we do everything together,” she says.

Did you know?

Midfielder Etienne actively participated in Haiti's qualification for the 2023 Women's World Cup less than three months after giving birth to a baby. Her great talent, love and dedication to the national team has earned Etienne huge admiration from the press and the public in Haiti.

Standing of women’s football in Haiti

Media and TV coverage of women’s football in Haiti is very low. But Dumornay's breakthrough and the senior women's team's first World Cup qualification is turning the tide. Currently Haitian people shiver with passion at the approach of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. The hope is that participation in the World Cup can serve to boost women's football in the country. 

Realistic aim at the World Cup?

“When you take a step back and look at the women’s world ranking, we’ve got the hardest group in the tournament,” said Delépine. “We’re up against England, who are fourth, as well as China who are 14th and Denmark who are 18th [now 13th]. But we will certainly give it our best shot.”