Trinidad and Tobago's Andre Raymond knows all too well that opportunities in football often come with their fair share of challenges and setbacks. Though those setbacks are sometimes harrowing, much like his jail-time experience in Portugal, Raymond, like the professional he is, has learned to smile in the face of adversity.

In fact, it is Raymond's resilience and determination that ensured a bad situation took a positive turn and brought him back on track to pursue his professional dreams, as he recently signed with St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership, where he had an encouraging start in a 2-0 win over Morton on Saturday.

“I was very happy with my debut. I needed to get some minutes in the tank and build a bond with the team and the intensity was really high—it was really good,” said Raymond, whose last competitive outing was a friendly international against Guyana in May.

“I didn’t know the coach [Craig Levein] had asked Dan [Phillips] about me. Then, in March, I got a phone call saying he was interested. He’d done some research and liked what he saw, so things started moving then. I made my mind up straight away; I wanted to join St Johnstone because the Scottish league is a top league,” he told The Courier.

Prior to his move to Scotland, Raymond, whose speed, defensive acumen, and ability to contribute offensively made him a sought-after player, caught the eye of scouts from various clubs, including SC Braga, one of Portugal’s top football teams.

The opportunity to sign with Braga seemed like the perfect next step in Raymond’s burgeoning career. However, his aspirations were abruptly halted by an unexpected turn of events.

During his trip to finalize the deal with SC Braga, Raymond was detained by Portuguese authorities for overstaying on a previous visit. This oversight resulted in him being thrown into prison for two days.

“I was at university in America and did one semester. While I was at home, my friend was going with an academy team to Spain. I was dropping him off at the airport, and the coach of his team asked me what I was doing and why I wasn’t playing football and going with them,” Raymond recalled.

“He wanted me to go with them, so he spoke to my dad about it, but my mom was saying, ‘No way, you have to go back to school,” he shared.

In the end, Raymond managed to persuade his parents, and a few days later, he joined the Academy team in Spain for the tournament.

“After that, we went to Portugal, and I ended up with Braga, but then some stuff happened—I got arrested because we’d been away from home for so long, and I ended up staying for four months instead of three. I went back home to get my documents and then back to Portugal for pre-season with Braga, but they didn’t let me in and threw me in jail,” Raymond explained.

“I was in there for two days; it was horrible. I was allowed a 15-minute phone call and locked in a cell. I know it was only two days, but that was enough. It was a new experience, that’s for sure, and I wouldn’t want anyone to go through it,” he added.

The detention not only affected Raymond personally but also jeopardized his professional prospects. The deal with SC Braga fell through as the club, wary of the legal complications, decided not to proceed.

For Raymond, it was a devastating blow, as the young defender was on the brink of a significant career milestone.

“They sent me back to Trinidad, and I had to spend three months out of Europe before I could go back. But, because of the length of time it was, Braga had moved on and signed another left-back, and that left me without a club.

“I felt like giving up football again, to be honest, but I got the chance to sign for Vilar De Perdizes, so I decided to do that. My mom wanted me to go back to school, but my dad said I should push on and keep going,” Raymond revealed.

Through resilience and his father’s unwavering support, the now 23-year-old continued to push and inevitably caught the attention of St Johnstone through a timely referral from his Soca Warriors teammate Dan Phillips.

Now a part of the St Johnstone squad, Raymond is eager to leverage his skills and experiences to help the Perth-based club succeed while continuing to develop as a player.

“I spent the last few months of the season watching the team play, looking at the players, the style of play, and the atmosphere in the stadium. All the time I was speaking to the manager and hoping they would stay in the Premiership, and I was very happy that they did,” Raymond said.

“I wanted Dan to stay, but he has goals and aspirations of his own. We still speak a lot. He told me to come here because it’s a good club and I would fit in here. He said that my style of play would match up with Scottish football, and I’m feeling that too because I like to defend, but I also like to get forward,” he ended.

Alvaro Morata and Rodri have been charged by UEFA following their actions during Spain's trophy celebrations after winning Euro 2024. 

The Spanish duo, who were a key part of La Roja's record fourth European Championship success, were at the centre of complaints from Gibraltar's FA over unacceptable chanting during the trophy parade in Madrid. 

Manchester City midfielder Rodri could be seen chanting "Gibraltar is Spanish" on the stage, with Morata later encouraging the crowd to join in with the same chant.

Last Friday, UEFA confirmed they had opened an investigation and have since come to their conclusion. 

The pair have been charged with "violating the basic rules of decent conduct, using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature, and bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute".

Rodri was named the player of the tournament in Germany, with Morata scoring once in their Group B opener against Croatia in Berlin. 

In a statement, the Gibraltar FA said: "The Gibraltar FA welcomes the announcement today that UEFA has decided to open formal disciplinary proceedings against Rodri and Alvaro Morata further to the complaint filed by the Gibraltar FA with UEFA.

"This is an important first step in order to establish the unlawfulness of the chant on the basis of the grounds put forward by the Gibraltar FA in its complaint.

"The Gibraltar FA now awaits the decision of the UEFA Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body when the matter is heard."

Mohamed Salah headlined Liverpool's initial 28-man squad for their pre-season tour to the United States as Arne Slot continues his preparations for the upcoming campaign.

Salah, who scored 25 goals in 44 appearances in all competitions last season, chose not to feature for Egypt at the Paris Olympics in order to be ready for the new season.

Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones, and Jarell Quansah are among the other notable names included, having made 74 Premier League appearances under Jurgen Klopp last term.

Liverpool will be without the majority of their representatives from the recent European Championship and Copa America, with 11 of their key men on an extended break.

Only Dominik Szoboszlai, Andy Robertson and Vitezslav Jaros have returned from their post-tournament break so far. 

The squad includes the 25 players who featured in their 1-0 defeat to Preston North End last week. 

Slot's side will play three fixtures stateside, the first of which comes against Real Betis in Pittsburgh on Friday.

They will also square off against Premier League opposition in Manchester United and Arsenal before returning to Merseyside ahead of their opening game of the season away to Ipswich Town on August 17. 

Hansi Flick wants Barcelona to adopt a more direct approach during his first season in charge, though the German will not sacrifice the Blaugrana's tiki-taka principles.

Former Bayern Munich and Germany boss Flick was named as Xavi's replacement in May, after Barca finished a distant second to rivals Real Madrid in LaLiga.

Flick's Bayern side were known for their aggressive approach in and out of possession, winning a Bundesliga and Champions League double under him in 2019-20.

Between Flick's appointment in November 2019 and his exit in June 2021, Bayern averaged the highest possession share in the Bundesliga (62.55%) and won the ball in the final third 489 times, 172 clear of Borussia Dortmund, who were second by that metric (317).

They also led the way for wins (45), total shots (1,023) and goals (174) in that span, averaging exactly three goals per Bundesliga outing.

Barca have traditionally upheld the ideals of Johan Cruyff and later Pep Guardiola, basing their approach around patient build-up, but Flick is planning some tweaks.

"Here the tradition is to play with passing, but I also want them to go straight to the goal. They should focus a bit more on scoring," Flick told Barca One.

"I don't think my style has any major changes. I'm looking for the same thing, to press high up, and to play in the opponent's midfield. 

"But, at the end of the day, you have to win. Everything is about winning games and at Barca, you have to play well.

"All I can say is that we want to be an active team. We have to be active with and without the ball. It's up to us to make it that way. 

"We can make the opponent go in the direction we want and win the ball back as quickly as possible. 

"I like my teams to press the opponent at the right moment, and sometimes higher up. With the ball, all players have to have as much freedom as possible. That's how I see it from a technical point of view."

Barcelona were the only team in LaLiga to average over 60% possession last season (64.7%), though both Madrid (87) and Girona (85) bettered their 79 goals.

Girona (1.62) were the only side to attack with a slower direct speed than the Blaugrana, who moved the ball upfield at an average speed of 1.67 metres per second.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and midfielder Bruno Guimaraes should stay at St James' Park despite being linked with moves elsewhere, believes Joelinton.

Howe has been touted as a contender to replace Gareth Southgate following his resignation as England manager, which came in the wake of their Euro 2024 final loss to Spain.

The former Bournemouth boss, who led Newcastle to a fourth-place Premier League finish and the EFL Cup final in 2023-24, insisted his commitment to the Magpies was "unwavering" last week.

Guimaraes, meanwhile, saw his future called into question at the end of last season, with Newcastle battling to comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.

Linked with both Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, he had a £100million release clause in his contract, but it expired at the start of this month.

As Newcastle bid to improve on last season's seventh-place Premier League finish, Joelinton hopes disruption can be kept to a minimum.

Speaking about Howe, as quoted by The Daily Mail, the Brazilian said: "He's done a lot for me from day one. 

"He's a great coach, a great man. I love him. I have a lot of respect for him. He changed my career.

"He and his staff changed things, they gave a new mentality and helped my football. I will be grateful forever. 

"We love him here, we want him here. Hopefully he will stay for many years. He's a great coach and I know he can take us to the next level."

Asked about the future of his club and international team-mate Guimaraes, meanwhile, Joelinton told The Athletic: "I hope he stays. I know him, he loves the club as well. 

"He loves the fans, he enjoys his life in Newcastle. I think he's glad to be there for his life as well as for football. Newcastle want him to be happy and stay for many years.

"I think he's going to stay. He tells me he's going to come back next week and get ready for the season."

New United States women's head coach Emma Hayes is hopeful of creating "a new history" with the national side, starting at the Olympic Games in Paris. 

The USWNT come into the competition on the back of their earliest exit from a World Cup, losing to Sweden on penalties in the last 16 last year. 

The United States arrive in Paris aiming to claim a fifth gold medal in the tournament, last triumphing in the competition at London 2012. 

"This team is past that. I think this team is firmly focused on, you know, creating a new history together," said head coach Hayes, reflecting on the 2023 World Cup.

"Our motivation isn't always about righting the wrongs. Far from it. We're excited. We're prepared."

Since Hayes' arrival at the helm in May, she has won three of her four games in charge, securing four clean sheets in the process. 

But a goalless draw with Costa Rica in their final pre-tournament fixture has supporters worried about their gold medal prospects.

"The team is exactly where it needs to be at this stage," Hayes assured. "And for us it's just so, so important we continue to focus on that process."

Hayes' side open their Group B campaign against Zambia, who have Barbra Banda in their ranks, the striker who has 12 goals in 12 games for Orlando Pride. 

The USWNT are among the favourites to scoop the top award in Paris, with reigning world champions Spain also tipped for gold on their tournament debut. 

But Hayes, who won seven WSL titles with Chelsea, feels the age-old assumption of American dominance in the women's game is disrespectful. 

Hayes acknowledged that ambition is important, but emphasised that expectations for these Olympics must be amended due to the global growth of women's football. 

"I think one of the biggest problems is that too often is that we talk about what we're going to do in Paris or what happens when we get to the semis and finals - I think it's disrespectful to the rest of the world to talk like that," Hayes said.

"I think the game has moved to a point where that isn't the case. It isn't a shoo-in to get somewhere. It has to be earned and there's no given right.

"There's top footballing nations in this tournament. I don't think shocks in the women's game exist any more.

"I think we have to reframe our focus a little bit and have respect for the rest of the world."

Having been treated to a month of non-stop international football with Euro 2024 and the Copa America, the fun continues at the Olympic Games in Paris. 

Sixteen teams will play across seven different stadiums in the men's tournament, and all will hope to have a gold medal placed around their necks on August 9 at the Parc des Princes. 

There will be a new champion this time around, with Brazil, who triumphed in Tokyo, not participating in this year's tournament. 

Will it be Thierry Henry's France, or will Argentina and Spain continue their recent international success on the global stage?

Here, we have a look at all the key information ahead of the action unfolding.

Football at the Olympics

In Olympic football, the general rules align with those of domestic and international play. However, for the men's teams, there's a notable difference in the age requirement for each nation. 

Each of the 16 countries have confirmed their 18-man squads ahead of the tournament, but are only allowed to select three players over the age of 23. 

The action will start on 24 July, with Argentina and Spain kicking off their respective campaigns in the day's early matches.

The tournament format consists of four groups containing four teams, with the top two advancing to the knockout stages. 

A bronze medal match will take place a day prior to the final, and due to the number of fixtures needing to be played, the action will kickstart two days before the Olympics' official opening ceremony on July 26. 

How do the groups look?

While France are considered among the favourites at their home Games, they have been placed in a group that contains one-time silver medallists United States and Tokyo 2020 quarter-finalists New Zealand, as well as minnows Guniea.

Henry's side have impressed in their pre-tournament preparations, scoring 12 goals in their three matches against the Dominican Republic, Japan and Paraguay. 

Having been placed in the 'group of death' at Euro 2024, albeit they went on to lift the trophy anyway, Spain will sleep a little easier knowing they are to play two sides in Group C who are yet to participate at the Olympic Games. 

La Roja feature in a group containing Uzbekistan and the Dominican Republic, but will also play Egypt, who are making their 12th appearance in the competition. 

Argentina are placed in Group B, with their biggest test coming in their opening game against Morocco, with Iraq and Ukraine rounding out that pool.

Japan are the standout side in Group D, having previously featured in 11 editions of the Games; they will square off against Paraguay, Mali and Israel. 

Spain and Argentina gunning for gold, but France will have their say

Spain and Argentina are the hot favourites to build on their summer tournament successes, though France, as hosts, are certainly right in the mix.

Argentina have the chance to clinch a record-equalling third gold medal in Paris, and would go level with Great Britain and Hungary as the most successful nation in the competition's history. 

La Albiceleste previously triumphed in back-to-back Olympic Games, securing their maiden win in Athens 20 years ago, followed by another gold in Beijing four years later. 

Javier Mascherano is coaching Argentina, and his squad includes two Copa America winners in the form of Nicolas Otamendi and Manchester City's Julian Alvarez. Thiago Almada, who has just signed for Botafogo in Brazil, was a star of MLS in recent years and is certainly one to watch.

Argentina have, however, failed to get out of the group in their previous two appearances at the games, but will be confident of reaching the knockout stages this time around. 

Spain are in search of a first gold medal since Barcelona 1992, and they will hope to make up for their defeat to Brazil in the Tokyo final.

Their squad includes Fermin Lopez, Eric Garcia and Pau Cubarsi.

But France will pose a significant threat, especially with the advantage of the Games being played on home soil.

Eleven of Les Bleus 18-man squad play their football in France, and they will be hopeful of leading their nation to a first gold medal since the Los Angeles games back in 1984, and there are some real stars in Henry's squad.

Alexander Lacazette brings the experience as captain, Jean-Philippe Mateta is coming off the back of a fine season, and new Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise is arguably the best player involved in the entire competition.

Who could upset the odds?

Uzbekistan, led by Timur Kapadze, are one of three teams making their debut at the Olympics, alongside Ukraine and the Dominican Republic. 

They qualified for the tournament after reaching the final of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup earlier this year, losing to Japan 1-0 in May. 

However, they face a difficult task to reach the knockout stages in their maiden appearance at the tournament, having been placed in Group C alongside Spain and Egypt. 

Japan, meanwhile, are competing at their 12th Olympics, a record only bettered by the United States (15), France (14) and Egypt (13) of this year's participating sides.

Having won all three of their group games at the Tokyo Games, Japan went close to equalling their best result in their home games, having previously claimed bronze in 1968. 

They were beaten 3-1 by Mexico in their bronze medal match four years ago, and will be keen to earn a first top-two medal finish. 

The USA are another side looking to restore some pride on the international stage following their group stage exit at the Copa America last month. Their best result came in 1904 when they won silver in St. Louis, with Marko Mitrovic the man tasked with delivering in Paris this time around. 

No Paris return for Mbappe or Messi

While some of the world's brightest talent will descend on Paris this month, there are some huge omissions from the 16 nations taking part. 

Kylian Mbappe is arguably the biggest of those.

Having failed to lead Les Bleus to European Championship glory, the former Paris Saint-Germain striker will not be able to make up for it in the city he called home for the past seven years. 

Mbappe has completed his move to Real Madrid, signing a five-year deal with Los Blancos. The 36-time LaLiga champions said they would not release any of their squad to compete at the Games, although Mbappe said he was keen to play earlier this year.

Lionel Messi is another huge player who will not be present in Paris, having just led Argentina to a third-straight major tournament win. 

Messi played five times for Lionel Scaloni's side at the Copa America, scoring once in their semi-final win over Canada. 

The 37-year-old was forced off in the final against Colombia after picking up an ankle injury, but would not have featured anyway having alerted Mascherano of his desire not to feature. 

Messi has won all there is to win as a professional footballer, including an Olympic gold he clinched at the 2008 Games.

And having become the youngest player to appear in a major international tournament final, Spain's Lamine Yamal will also not be competing at the Paris games. 

Yamal starred for La Roja at Euro 2024, tallying five goal involvements in seven appearances in Germany.

The 17-year-old played 50 times for Barcelona last season and will miss the tournament in order to manage his workload ahead of the new La Liga season. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

France - Jean-Philippe Mateta

All eyes will be on host nation France, with Henry's squad boasting a plethora of attacking talent heading into the games. 

Les Bleus will be led by former Arsenal striker Lacazette, but attention will be focused on Crystal Palace striker Mateta, who enjoyed a rich vein of form in the Premier League.

Mateta scored 16 goals last term, having previously only scored seven times for the Eagles, including a run of nine goals in Palace's seven-game winning run under new head coach, Oliver Glasner. 

His former Palace team-mate Olise, fresh from his £50million move to Bayern Munich, is also a part of Henry's plans, along with Lacazette's Lyon team-mate, Rayan Cherki. 

Argentina - Julian Alvarez

Fresh from his Copa America success, Alvarez will be keen to add another international honour to his trophy cabinet. 

Alvarez is one of three overage players picked by Mascherano alongside Otamendi and Geronimo Rulli.

The 24-year-old scored two goals in Argentina's 16th Copa success, netting 19 times in 54 appearances in all competitions for Pep Guardiola's side last term as they claimed a record fourth consecutive Premier League crown. 

With his participation in the tournament, Alvarez will miss City's pre-season tour of the United States and their Community Shield fixture against rivals Manchester United.

Spain - Fermin Lopez 

Along with Alex Baena, Fermin is one of two players from Spain's Euro 2024-winning squad heading to the Olympics.

Lopez played just 28 minutes for La Roja in their record-setting fourth success at the Euros, but he is guaranteed more game time in Paris. 

The 21-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough year, scoring eight goals for Barcelona in La Liga, which included a strike against Real Madrid in his second Classico appearance. 

Lopez and Baena are looking to make history by becoming the first outfield players to win both the Euros and Olympic gold in the same summer.

Morocco - Achraf Hakimi 

Despite failing to build on their World Cup 2022 semi-final run at the recent Africa Cup of Nations, PSG star Hakimi will be hopeful of guiding Morocco to gold.

Hakimi will lead the Atlas Lions out for their eighth appearance at the Games, having been given permission to miss his club's pre-season preparations. 

The 25-year-old, who has made over 70 appearances for his nation, helped Luis Enrqiue's side to a domestic treble last term, recording nine goal contributions in 25 Ligue 1 outings. 

Guinea - Naby Keita

Having endured a difficult season with injury at Werder Bremen, former Liverpool midfielder Keita will captain Guinea in their second appearance at the Olympics. 

Keita made the switch from Anfield to Germany last year but made just five Bundesliga appearances, missing the final five games of the season after refusing to play their game against champions-elect, Bayer Leverkusen.

The 29-year-old has 56 appearances for Guinea across a seven-year international career, scoring 11 times.

Wendie Renard says it is France's "time to strike" as they prepare for their Olympic Games opener against Colombia on Thursday.

France are competing in the Olympics for the third time after qualifying as hosts, though they failed to win a medal in either of the previous appearances.

Their best-ever finish came at London 2012, when they finished fourth after conceding a stoppage-time goal in a 1-0 defeat to Canada.

Despite never reaching a major tournament final, Les Bleues are among the favourites to win the gold medal in Paris.

And after regularly reaching the knockout stages of tournaments during Renard's time as captain, she is confident now is the right time for her team to finally get the glory.

"Winning the Olympic gold is the dream," she told The Guardian. "Personally, I rank playing for my country very highly.

"So far it's been a lot of ups and downs, but you learn from the defeats. Life isn't only made up of victories – many winners have fallen again and again before being crowned.

"I hope that our efforts over the years will be rewarded this summer.

"I think there's a bit of fear on the part of the teams we face because we're so well-rounded. But when we look back at the matches in which we were knocked out, we weren't missing a lot. It's the little details that send you home.

"We see that we've fallen behind compared to other countries – even though at one point we were ahead. Now would be the right time to strike, and I say that in all modesty – it would be ideal for us."

France will also face Canada and New Zealand in Group A.

Cucho Hernandez is certain the top players from across MLS and Liga MX will give everything to win when they face off in Wednesday's All-Star Game at his club home in Columbus.

Lower.com Field – home to MLS Cup holders the Columbus Crew – will play host to the 28th edition of the MLS All-Star Game, with a team comprised of Mexican football's finest the opponents.

This will be the third edition of the All-Star Game to use the inter-league format. 

The MLS All-Stars beat their Liga MX counterparts on penalties in 2021, then triumphed 2-1 in a repeat fixture in 2022 with Carlos Vela and Raul Ruidiaz scoring.

Though Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will miss Wednesday's game due to injury, Hernandez is expecting a high-quality contest and is relishing the chance to play alongside those he is used to facing.

"Nobody holds back," he said. "Even when it's a game of ping pong, you want to win. That's how we are as players. 

"We were born competitors and it'll definitely be an intense game that both teams want to win.

"What I really like is meeting new people. Sometimes you see this level of players on television and say, 'What a player!' or 'What a golazo!' 

"Then he's here beside you and you can chat with him. It's a really nice experience."

Hernandez, who was selected by his club boss and All-Stars coach Wilfried Nancy, could be partnered in attack by Denis Bouanga, who won the 2023 MLS Golden Boot and has 16 goals in the competition already this term.

The forward, though, insists his priority is always team success, saying: "I try to be as decisive as possible for the team with the players around me, to bring something each day.

"That all speaks to the collective, I'm not being decisive and making my team win so I can be named MVP or get the Golden Boot."

Club America coach Andre Jardine will lead the Liga MX All-Stars after capturing both titles on offer in 2023-24 – the Apertura and the Clausura. 

Like Hernandez, Jardine – who has selected a squad containing the likes of Salomon Rondon, Andre-Pierre Gignac and Sergio Canales – will take the game seriously.

"We won't be able to do much tactically, because we will hardly have training, but there is great quality with these players and we want to win," he said.

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

MLS All-Stars – Luciano Acosta

As the reigning MLS MVP and the captain of the All-Star side, FC Cincinnati talisman Acosta should take centre-stage, particularly with compatriot Messi ruled out.

Acosta's 82 chances created in MLS this year are more than any other player in the competition, while his 26 goal involvements (11 goals, 15 assists) are also the most in the league.

Liga MX All-Stars – Salomon Rondon

Rondon has already proven his worth on US soil this year, firing Venezuela to the Copa America quarter-finals, where they were edged out on penalties by Canada.

Only Golden Boot winner Lautaro Martinez (five) bettered his tally of three goals at the tournament, with those efforts coming from chances worth 2.44 expected goals (xG). The target man also ranked joint-eighth for chances created with eight, recording one assist.

MATCH PREDICTION: MLS ALL-STARS WIN

Victories have been hard to come by for the MLS All-Stars in recent years, though the calibre of opposition has certainly played into that.

Indeed, since beating Bayern Munich and Tottenham in back-to-back editions of the game in 2014 and 2015, the MLS All-Stars have only triumphed on two of seven occasions.

However, their conquerors through that spell have been Arsenal (twice), Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus. 

Their two victories both came versus teams made up of Liga MX's finest, and given the level of attacking talent found in Nancy's squad, not to mention the experience of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, they go in as favourites. 

Top European leagues and players' union FIFPRO have launched legal action against FIFA, accusing the governing body of abusing its dominant position and harming player welfare by oversaturating the calendar.

The European Leagues – a body representing 39 leagues including the Premier League – has filed a complaint to the European Union's antitrust regulators.

The move comes amid controversy regarding the calendar, with the first edition of FIFA's expanded Club World Cup set to take place in the United States next year.

Last month, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti suggested the European champions could boycott the competition, only for Los Blancos to subsequently confirm their participation in a statement.

FIFPRO launched legal action against FIFA at the Brussels court of commence in the ensuing days, claiming the decision to schedule the Club World Cup had violated players' rights.

The union has now joined a number of leagues in taking the issue to EU lawmakers, with a joint statement reading: "The international match calendar is now beyond saturation and has become unsustainable for national leagues and a risk for the health of players.

"FIFA's decisions over the last years have repeatedly favoured its own competitions and commercial interests, neglected its responsibilities as a governing body, and harmed the economic interests of national leagues and the welfare of players.

"National leagues and player unions, which represent the interests of all clubs and all players at the national level and regulate labour relations through collectively agreed solutions, cannot accept that global regulations are decided unilaterally.

"Legal action is now the only responsible step for European leagues and player unions to protect football, its ecosystem and workforce from FIFA's unilateral decisions."

Madrid and Manchester City are among 12 European clubs to have booked a spot at the first 32-team Club World Cup, due to their recent Champions League successes.

Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter and Juventus will also feature, with most qualifiers being determined by a ranking system that awards points for victories in the Champions League.

Despite a slightly improved performance, Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz suffered another defeat and is now all but out of contention at the Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship, as Costa Rica and United States seem set to secure the top two Group A spots to the quarterfinals in Mexico.

In fact, United States, who registered a 4-0 win over Cuba, are already through to the knockout stages as they lead the group on six points, while Costa Rica’s 3-0 win over Jamaica propelled them into second place on four points. Cuba sits third on a point, while the young Reggae Boyz, are yet to get on the board.

The young Reggae Boyz, looked much better than they did in a 0-9 trouncing to United States, but their misery continued on Monday at the Miguel Aleman Valdez Stadium in Celaya.

This, as they lost Makai Bond Welch to a straight red card in the 71st minute, while goalkeeper Joshua Grant, who ended the match with five saves, was consistently called upon to keep them in the game.

Grant made consecutive stops in the 19th to deny Esteban Cruz and Jose Pablo Aguero on the rebound. He also came up big to deny Walter Ramirez in the 30th minute and Alberth Barahona in the 45+3.

Jamaica got their efforts from Makai Bond Welch, who was denied by Costa Rica’s goalkeeper Berny Rojas in the 45+5, while captain Adrian Reid Jr’s shot from a distance went just wide as the score remained goalless at the break.

However, Costa Rica eventually broke the deadlock from the penalty spot as Claudio Montero converted in the 50th.

Andy Rojas doubled Costa Rica’s lead in the 67th with a laser-sharp effort from just outside the 18-yard box, which gave Grant no chance at a save.

After Makai Bond Welch was given marching orders, the Central Americans capitalised on the numerical advantage, as Andy Rojas completed his brace and the victory in the 83rd, when he fired home from Ramirez’s cross.

In the feature contest, Ethan Kohler opened the scoring for United States in the 15^th, before Zavier Gozo added another in the 26th.

Taha Habroune put the three-time champions further ahead in the 58th, with Marcos Zambrano capping the win in the 90+1.

Despite the loss, Cuba still stands a chance of progressing should things play out in their favour in the final fixtures on Thursday.

This, as Jamaica will have to blank the Spanish-speaking Caribbean team by a wide scoreline to stand a slim chance of possibly securing one of the two best third-place spots up for grabs.

Meanwhile, a wide margin of victory for Cuba over their Caribbean neighbours could see them secure one of those two third-place slots or even second position, provided United States hammer Costa Rica in the top-of-the-table clash.

Bordeaux will play in the third tier of French football next season after a proposed takeover by Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) fell through.

The six-time French champions, who last won Ligue 1 in 2008-09, have spent the last two seasons in Ligue 2 after finishing bottom of the top flight in 2021-22.

They finished 12th under former Liverpool and Spain winger Albert Riera last term, but their long-term financial struggles came to a head when the Direction Nationale du Controle de Gestion (DNCG) recommended they be demoted to the Championnat National.

Bordeaux successfully appealed the same sanction in 2022 but after FSG withdrew from talks regarding a takeover, they have accepted the punishment ahead of 2024-25.

"While discussions had resumed in recent days, FSG representatives indicated yesterday, Monday, July 22, to Bordeaux and its shareholders their desire not to follow through despite the assurances provided by various stakeholders," a club statement said.

"Therefore, in the absence of new elements, Bordeaux withdrew the appeal lodged against the decision of the DNCG.

"As a result, Bordeaux accepts the sanction of administrative demotion to the Championnat National for the 2024-2025 season and will be summoned again to present its budget to the DNCG.

"The period which is opening should allow FC Girondins de Bordeaux to come back stronger and at the highest level."

Pep Guardiola insists he is content at Manchester City and focused purely on the season ahead amid suggestions he could succeed Gareth Southgate as England manager.

Southgate announced his resignation after eight years in charge of the Three Lions last week, in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.

Homegrown bosses Graham Potter, Eddie Howe and Lee Carsley have been touted as possible candidates to succeed Southgate, as has Mauricio Pochettino.

Reports have also suggested the Football Association could approach Guardiola with the intention of having him take over in 2025, when many believe he could step down as City boss.

While Guardiola has previously spoken of his desire to take an international job, for now, he is focused on City's bid to win an unprecedented fifth straight English top-flight title.

"I'm really excited for this upcoming season," he said during a press conference on Tuesday.

"I'm really happy here. Every season I need the break, definitely, but after that, I recharge my batteries and I have the same energy as usual. 

"I know the competition is coming, and I am fully focused on that."

City kick off their pre-season tour of the United States when they face Celtic in North Carolina on Tuesday, with fixtures against Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea to follow.

Mexico have appointed Javier Aguirre as their head coach for a third time after Jaime Lozano was sacked in the wake of their disappointing Copa America campaign.

Mexico finished third in Group B in the United States, only scoring once in their three group-stage matches as they finished behind Venezuela and Ecuador.

El Tri have now suffered three group-stage exits in their last four participations at the Copa America (also in 2011 and 2015), having reached at least the semi-finals at five of their first seven editions.

Lozano paid the price for their failure to reach the knockout stages as he was sacked less than a year after taking over, with the Mexican Football Federation saying he rejected the chance to stay on in a backroom role under a new boss.

Aguirre, who previously led the team between 2001 and 2002 and from 2009 to 2010, has returned for another stint, with Barcelona great Rafael Marquez as his assistant.

"Both are undisputed leaders with distinct personal styles," said national team director Duilio Davino.

"Aguirre is characterised by being a leader who guides and convinces his players and coaching staff through his vision and by creating bonds with his team.

"Rafa leads by example, supported by the fact that he was a high-performance footballer in Mexico and Europe."

Aguirre and Marquez will get the chance to lead their country on home soil at the 2026 World Cup, with Aguirre having previously overseen last-16 exits at the 2002 and 2010 tournaments. 

He led Real Mallorca to the Copa del Rey final last season, only to lose on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao in April.

Robert Vilahamn has committed his future to Tottenham by signing a three-year contract to keep him at the club until 2027.

Vilahamn initially joined Spurs last year from Swedish side BK Hacken and enjoyed an impressive first campaign in charge.

He led Spurs to a top-six finish for just the second time in the Women's Super League and a first-ever FA Cup final, which they lost 4-0 to Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.

"To sign a new contract with the club feels amazing," Vilahamn told SPURSPLAY.

"My first contract here and moving to London was a big thing, but now I have been here, met people at the club, I feel the potential is a good match.

"I just want to stay and keep working to make sure this team are taking the steps to the top."

Spurs won eight of their 22 league games under Vilahamn last year, and went on an eight-match unbeaten run under him in all competitions in the first half of the season.

They will begin their next WSL campaign against Crystal Palace on September 22.