Finland women’s manager Outi Saarinen has apologised after accidentally naming a 51-year-old former player in the squad for their match against Serbia. When naming the line-up, she mistakenly selected the long-retired Stina Ruuskanen instead of 23-year-old defender Nanne Ruuskanen. The error was not spotted until after the teamsheet deadline had passed so the younger Ruuskanen...
With GCSE exams coming up whilst she is away in camp, the teenager says she will have to continue studying during downtime in NI’s preparations for games against unbeaten group leaders Poland at Seaview and third-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina in Zenica. “I’ve already had two exams and I have three over the camp, but I’ll get it...
Defender Laura Rafferty is back in the Northern Ireland squad for the forthcoming Nations League double-header against Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The experienced Rangers centre-back missed last month’s 1-1 draw away to Romania, and the 1-0 win over the same opposition, through injury. Rafferty is named in a 24-strong squad which also includes veteran Newcastle United...
Cristiano’s Ronaldo’s eldest son has been called up to the Portugal Under-15s squad for the first time. The 14-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo Jr is at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia with his father, who signed for the Pro League club in December 2022. Portugal great Ronaldo, 40, posted a picture on social media of his son’s name...
I see bowlers in the domestic game who have the raw materials to be international players. Sonny Baker and John Turner are two of them, both of Hampshire (although Turner has been on loan at Lancashire), and have been identified by England despite having almost no first-class cricket behind them. Baker, Turner and others who...
Michelle Agyemang has earned her first senior England call-up as she replaces Alessia Russo in the squad for the Women’s Nations League return fixture against Belgium on Tuesday. Brighton forward Agyemang, 19, is part of England’s under-19 and under-23 squads. Russo has returned to Arsenal for further assessment on an unspecified injury. She played 73...
President Vladimir Putin has called up 160,000 men aged 18-30, Russia’s highest number of conscripts since 2011, as the country moves to expand the size of its military. The spring call-up for a year’s military service came several months after Putin said Russia should increase the overall size of its military to almost 2.39 million...
Glentoran midfielder Aimee Kerr has received her first call-up to the Northern Ireland squad for their Nations League double-header against Romania. The 18-year-old previously captained NI at under-19 level and replaces club teammate Chloe McCarron in the squad after impressing in her first Women’s Premiership season. Tanya Oxtoby’s side are second Group B1 after a...