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As the Gunners prepare to face West Ham in the 2023 final, GOAL takes a look at how their last players to lift the trophy fared since

Arsenal are looking to end a 14-year wait for FA Youth Cup success on Tuesday night when they host West Ham in the 2023 final.

It promises to be a special night for head coach Jack Wilshere, who was part of the last Arsenal side who lifted the prestigious trophy back in 2009 after a dominant two-legged victory against Liverpool.

Wilshere was just one of a number of stars in a team that included the likes of Francis Coquelin, Luke Ayling and Kyle Bartley.

Ahead of Tuesday night’s final, GOAL tracks down what the crop of 2009 are doing now, and with the help of midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong – who was talking to us via Lord Ping – looks at what each player brought to Steve Bould’s legendary youth side…

James Shea

Arsenal’s Youth Cup-winning goalkeeper brushed off doubts over his height to go on and have a fine career.

That said, Shea never made a senior appearance for the Gunners, and after leaving in 2013 he dropped into non-league.

But after a spell with AFC Wimbledon he joined Luton Town in 2017, and he is still with the Championship club now as they chase promotion to the Premier League

Frimpong’s view: “James was very quiet and hard working. At the time, there were questions about his height and worries about whether he was going to be tall enough, but he was a decent keeper. “

AdvertisementCraig Eastmond

Eastmond was a 'fighter', a player who could operate in several positions.

He was one of the stars of the 2009 Youth Cup team, and went on to make his senior debut just a few months after the victory against Liverpool in the final.

In all, he made 10 first-team appearances, including one in the Champions League, before leaving for Colchester United in 2013.

He then moved to Yeovil Town before signing for Sutton United in 2015. He has stayed with Sutton ever since, making more than 250 appearances for the club, including one against Arsenal in an FA Cup fifth-round clash in 2017.

Frimpong’s view: “Craig was very technical. He could play right-back or be in the midfield. He was very intelligent, very funny and always had a smile on his face. He was definitely one of the players that you needed in a team because he wasn't the biggest but he could fight.

"The last time I was on Twitter I saw he made the record amount of appearances for Sutton. It tells you the kind of player he is. He’s done really well for his career so far.”

Getty ImagesThomas Cruise

A full-back who became a bit of a cult hero because of his name.

Cruise was a cultured defender who made one senior appearance for Arsenal, starting a Champions League group-stage game away at Olympiacos in 2009.

He joined Torquay United in 2012 before being released three years later.

Cruise then stopped playing football, with reports suggesting he started training to become an accountant.

Frimpong’s view: “Thomas was another shy and quiet one. Very technical, He wasn't vocal but he was a very good player. He was probably one of the guys that you knew was going to the top because he was very technical and very smart. However, football never goes to plan. He was a very, very good player.”

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Getty ImagesKyle Bartley

Arsenal signed Bartley from Bolton Wanderers in 2007 in what was quite a high-profile transfer for a teenager.

The towering centre-back went on to captain the reserves side and played a key part in the 2009 Youth Cup success.

Big things were expected of Bartley, but he only made one appearance for Arsenal, starting in the same Champions League game against Olympiacos as Cruise did.

He left for Swansea City in 2012 and has gone on to have a fine career, also playing for Birmingham City, Leeds United and, currently, West Brom.
Frimpong’s view: “We used to call Kyle 'Bambi on Ice' because he used to run like Bambi! Kyle improved a lot when he moved over from Bolton. I remember when he first came he wasn’t the best and struggled to head the ball. I remember Neil Banfield, worked with him and pushed him a lot. I remember that very, very well. Steve Bould also worked with him a lot after the training sessions.

"He really improved and I think Kyle owes a lot to the Arsenal coaching staff at the time because they really helped. He had a high composure on the ball but sometimes he did make one or two mistakes, but they were all rectified. He turned out to be a really good defender.”

Ivan Toney has claimed that “someone is out to get me” after seeing his World Cup dreams with England dashed by a betting investigation.

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Bees star breached FA rulesSuspended until January 2024Missed major tournament in QatarWHAT HAPPENED?

The Brentford striker has been hit with an eight-month ban from football after being found guilty of 232 breaches of gambling regulations laid out by the Football Association. Said bets were placed between 2017 and 2021, but it was only in May 2023 that he was punished – some six months after news of the allegations first broke.

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Toney was left out of England’s plans for Qatar 2022 as a cloud hung over him – despite netting 32 Premier League goals for Brentford in two seasons and being included in previous squads – and claims to have been the victim of a much bigger conspiracy. He has told the of why he was overlooked by Gareth Southgate: “I guess it comes down to the allegations from the betting scandal. But personally, I felt like it was a bit of a questionable time when they decided to bring it all out, only to then actually deal with the situation at the end of the season. It was kind of like: 'Why did you bring it out then wait to punish me?'”

AND WHAT'S MORE

Pressed on whether the betting scandal was broken in order to keep him out of the England squad, Toney added: “I assume so, to make it a bigger story. I don't know if that's true, I'm not to know what's behind the scenes but I feel like if you have somebody going to the World Cup that's supposed to be betting – it's a bigger story. It was a bit of a coincidence when they decided to bring it all out. I feel like 'yes I'm banned now' but the biggest punishment for me was missing out on the World Cup. I felt more hurt around that time and I was down. I felt like 'someone is out to get me' to stop me playing for England. It doesn't add up in my head. It's everybody's dream to be playing at the World Cup, to miss out and then further down the line to banned as well? It's a double hit I feel. If you were gonna stop me than going to the World Cup, do it then and deal with the whole situation.”

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Toney was capped by England during a Euro 2024 qualifying clash with Ukraine in March 2023, but is now having to wait until January 2024 before being freed to return to training and resume his Premier League career with Brentford.

GOAL takes a look at the Inter Miami star's latest free-kicks and where he ranks among the best to do it

It felt like a moment of destiny, one that few players other than Lionel Messi have been able to conjure up quite so often. There he was, the player seen by many as the greatest of all-time, standing over the ball in another big moment. On his Inter Miami debut, his true introduction to North America, Messi buried a free-kick in the last minute to seal a win for his club in their first Leagues Cup match.

A moment of destiny, another goal that felt like fate. It seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime goal. Messi's first impression on American shores was him producing the impossible.

And then, just 16 days later, he did it again. Similar scenario, similar result: Messi standing over the ball, picks his spot, crowd goes wild. In his first four games in Inter Miami's pink shirt, Messi buried two free-kicks, with both coming after the 85th minute with the game in the balance.

Would you expect any less? Well, if you've been following Messi throughout his career, probably not. It's what he does, after all. But where does Messi rank among the best of all-time when it comes to those heroic set-pieces? And, as he adjusts to life in MLS, is there any chance that he can prove himself as the league's best-ever free-kick taker, even at age 36?

Two moments of magic

Even David Beckham couldn't believe his eyes. The ex-England star, himself one of the most iconic free-kick takers the game has ever seen, was reduced to tears. That's the magic of Messi in a nutshell, isn't it?

With the match level in the 95th minute on his debut against Cruz Azul, Messi stepped up to the ball. There was no way he could bury it, right? It was too Hollywood, even for Beckham's club. Storytellers couldn't have written it any better.

Messi defies storytelling conventions, though. A few steps and a pinpoint effort later, DRV PNK Stadium was sent into hysteria. Miami had won the game, and the iconic Argentine was to thank.

In the weeks since, Messi simply hasn't let up. He scored two from open play against Atlanta United, leading the way in a 4-0 rout. Two more goals came in the next round against Orlando City as Inter Miami took down their local rivals. And then, in the Leagues Cup round of 16 against FC Dallas, Messi went wild again, opening the scoring just six minutes in.

His magic moment, though, came in the 85th. Down a goal and needing to score to stay alive in the competition, Miami earned a free-kick. Was there any doubt what would happen next?…

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Make no mistake: goals from free-kicks are an anomaly. There's a reason that some of the game's most memorable finishes have come from set-pieces. Think Beckham against Greece, Roberto Carlos against France, Cristiano Ronaldo against Portsmouth… all iconic finishes because every single thing had to go right to even make them possible.

According to , direct free-kicks only have a six percent probability of ending in a goal. That means only one of 17 free-kick attempts ends up hitting in the back of the net. For Messi to have two in four games? Almost too ridiculous to believe.

You can count his head coach, Gerardo 'Tata' Martino, among those that can't really fathom what he's seen so far. “Many times there is a free-kick in that sector and only with him, and it happens that you have the sensation that he is going to score,” Martino said. “A free-kick is not something that is going to end up being a goal – 90% of the time, it is not a goal. But when he has it, it’s the opposite: a 10% chance that it won't and a 90% chance that it is. So we have to take advantage of that.”

Marginal gains

Even Messi, the greatest to do it, isn't above a little tomfoolery. Shortly after his game-saving goal against Dallas, video emerged on social media showing the Argentine's preparation leading up to it. Shortly before striking the ball, as the referee gave instructions to players in the wall, Messi repeatedly inched the ball over to the left. He picked the ball up several times, innocently moving it over just a few inches.

It's the little details, huh? By doing that, Messi was able to just move the ball into the ideal position for him to strike. And strike it he did.

It's no coincidence. Messi knew exactly what he was doing. He knew here he wanted the ball and why. Once he got it there, all that was left to do was find the back of the net.

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Getty ImagesLessons from Maradona

It's hard to believe but, at one point, Messi wasn't even seen as a top free-kick taker at La Masia. And, it wasn't really until 2009 that he truly took his next step in the art of dead-ball striking.

Credit will go to his teacher who was, of course, none other than Diego Maradona. In February 2009 in Marseille, the then-Argentina head coach gave a lesson to his heir apparent, and that lesson stuck.

"I saw Diego coming, he took him by the shoulder and said: 'Little Leo, little Leo, come here, man. Let's try it again.' It was like a teacher with his pupil," Maradona's assistant Fernando Signorini told . 

"He continued: 'Put the ball here and listen to me: don't take your foot away from the ball so fast because otherwise it won't know what you want.' He then stroked the ball with his left foot straight into the angle of the net, with Messi's face full of admiration."

Jadon Sancho reportedly feels like a scapegoat at Manchester United because Erik ten Hag continues to favour underperforming players ahead of him.

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Red Devils winger dropped for Arsenal gameDutch coach questioned training levelsForward disagrees with those commentsWHAT HAPPENED?

The England international forward has been thrust back under the spotlight at Old Trafford after being left out of the Red Devils’ squad for a Premier League clash with Arsenal. Ten Hag has claimed that decision was taken on the back of performances in training.

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Sancho has responded with a statement of his own, claiming that he has “been a scapegoat for a long time which isn't fair” while defending his actions behind the scenes and maintaining that he wants to “play football with a smile on my face”. He may face consequences for speaking out against his manager.

DID YOU KNOW?

It is, however, being claimed by that Sancho feels unfairly treated by his Dutch coach. The 23-year-old has not been in the best of form himself since completing a £75 million ($94m) transfer from Borussia Dortmund in 2021, but he is struggling to understand how others are “getting a game every week”.

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Sancho is said to be looking for an opportunity to prove his worth, having been given time by Ten Hag to work on his fitness, but those chances have not materialised. Instead, the likes of Antony and Anthony Martial have continued to see game time despite facing plenty of questions regarding their uninspiring performances. Sancho has seen just 76 minutes of action this season across three substitute appearances.

The summer signing capped an impressive performance with the opening goal of the game as Jurgen Klopp's side got back to winning ways

Liverpool made it two wins from two in the Europa League group stages as they ran out 2-0 winners over Union Saint-Gilloise at Anfield on Thursday. Ryan Gravenberch's first goal for the club got things going, with the Dutch midfielder capping an encouraging performance with a tap-in after a handling error from goalkeeper Anthony Moris.

Jurgen Klopp made nine changes to his side from Saturday's controversial defeat at Tottenham, but that did not stop them dominating possession from the off. Mohamed Salah was denied by Moris early on, while Darwnin Nunez missed what should have been a tap-in after being played in by the Egyptian forward.

Gravenberch eventually broke the deadlock after Moris spilled Trent Alexander-Arnold's low effort at his feet shortly before half-time. Klopp made three substitutions at the break, which led to the hosts losing some rhythm in the second period, though Diogo Jota and Gravenberch both saw efforts tipped over by Moris while Luis Diaz hit the post, albeit he looked offside in the build-up (though you never can be sure these days!).

Belgian side Union pushed for an equaliser in the final 20 minutes, but they barely tested Alisson Becker before Jota sealed the victory with a stoppage-time strike.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Alisson Becker (6/10):

Quick thinking sparked the counter-attack that ended in Gravenberch's goal. One flap at a corner aside, solid in everything he did.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (6/10):

Had to shake off some early rust upon his return from injury but began to find his passing range and played a key role in the opening goal with his driving run and shot. Replaced after an hour.

Ibrahima Konate (7/10):

Got back to make some good last-ditch challenges and blocks. Led the backline well in Van Dijk's absence.

Jarell Quansah (8/10):

Remarkably composed for a player of his inexperience. A couple of off-target passes aside, another impressive outing for the youngster.

Kostas Tsimikas (6/10):

As always, better going forward than when required to defend. More than capable cover for Robertson.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Ryan Gravenberch (8/10):

Deserved his goal after a bright first half. Silky smooth in possession and always looking to break the lines, the Dutchman will be worth a Premier League start sooner rather than later. Faded a bit after the break, but still came close to netting a second when forcing Moris into a decent save.

Wataru Endo (6/10):

Kept the Reds ticking over and dealt well with the visitors' press. Half-time substitution suggests he will come in for the suspended Jones against Brighton.

Harvey Elliott (7/10):

An energetic midfield display from the 20-year-old. Constantly made himself available for team-mates and looked to carry the team forward.

Getty ImagesAttack

Mohamed Salah (6/10):

Will feel he should have opened the scoring inside five minutes when he was denied by Moris. Threatening when on the ball, but saw too little of it before going off at the break.

Darwin Nunez (4/10):

Another gilt-edged chance missed by the Uruguayan forward, who also had a goal disallowed for offside and an effort parried by Moris. One of three players replaced at half-time.

Diogo Jota (5/10):

Struggled to get involved in the first half. Moved centrally after the break but continued to have little influence until netting in stoppage-time with a slotted finish.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Curtis Jones (6/10):

Had some nice moments of incision after coming on at half-time.

Alexis Mac Allister (6/10):

Joined his brother on the pitch for the second half and kept Liverpool ticking over in midfield.

Luis Diaz (5/10):

Struggled to get into the game despite looking to run in behind. Hit the post late on.

Joe Gomez (6/10):

On for Alexander-Arnold and looked assured once up to speed.

Dominik Szoboszlai (6/10):

Had little impact after coming on for Gravenberch with just over 10 minutes to play.

Jurgen Klopp (7/10):

Got the result he wanted while still being able to rest the majority of his starters for at least 45 minutes. Just needs wins in this competition and can worry about performances in the knockouts.

Eddie Howe expects Sandro Tonali to be available for Newcastle's match against Borussia Dortmund despite reports he will be banned for 10 months.

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Tonali involved in betting scandalFaces 10-month suspensionCould still face Dortmud in UCLWHAT HAPPENED?

Tonali faces a lengthy suspension after being implicated in a betting scandal, alongside Italy team-mates Nicolo Fagioli, who has already been hit with a long ban, and Nicolo Zaniolo. It was reported on Tuesday that the midfielder is set to enter a plea bargain with prosecutors that will see him accept a 10-month ban.

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A suspension for 10 months will be a significant reduction from the initial ban for around three years that Tonali faced. His punishment was expected to be more severe than that of Fagioli after the 23-year-old admitted to betting on matches involving AC Milan while he was still at the club, though he reportedly insisted he did not gamble in games in which he played.

WHAT THEY SAID

Howe is not aware of any agreement over the length of Tonali's absence and is assuming he will be available for Wednesday's Champions League match.

He told reporters: "As far as I’m aware, I’m expecting him to be available. I will plan like that until told differently. I can’t second guess what will happen. He has trained today and is available. “

"If that’s the case [that UEFA don’t want him involved], you know more than I do. I know very little. I’ve been preparing for the game. So I will wait to hear if anything concrete comes through."

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Newcastle have four points from their first two matches in the Champions League and will hope to preserve their unbeaten start when they host Dortmund.

Harry Kane made a sensational move from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich and has now revealed which teammate has helped him through the move.

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Kane talks about move to BayernTalks about how Muller helped him settleHas had an exceptional start to seasonGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Kane finally moved to Munich over one of the longest summer transfer sagas, with the Bavarians agreeing to pay Spurs €100 million (£86 million/$110 million) for his services. With 17 goals in 11 Bundesliga games and 21 goals overall across all competitions, Kane has made an immediate impact in Germany. He has also gotten accustomed to the country with the help of teammate Thomas Muller.

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Speaking to FourFourTwo, Kane said [via @iMiaSanMia on X]: "Thomas [Muller] took me out for a round of golf with some of his pals after I arrived, which was really kind of him. It’s tough coming to live in a new country and trying to make some friends, so I appreciated it. We had loads of fun."

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As per BILD, Kane's €480,000-per-week deal includes a "scorer-points" provision that is expected to yield him an additional substantial payment. It's been reported that Kane will receive a €25,000 bonus if he scores 40 goals across all competitions.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

Kane is expected to feature for the Three Lions in their Euro 2024 qualifying matches on November 17 and 20, respectively against Malta and North Macedonia. On November 24, after completing his international obligations, he will return to Germany to play for Bayern against Koln.

Lionel Messi was all smiles as he began training with his Argentina team-mates ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches.

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Messi back in Argentina trainingStar smiling ahead of World Cup qualifiersAlbiceleste to face Uruguay and BrazilWHAT HAPPENED?

Messi reunited with his Albiceleste co-stars this week and began preparing for the clashes with Uruguay and Brazil. He shared an image on social media of himself smiling during practice.

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Messi and Argentina hope to increase their lead at the top of the South American qualification group. The reigning world champions are five points ahead of Uruguay, Brazil and Venezuela after four matches.

WHAT MESSI SAID

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner arrived at Argentina training on Monday and shared his delight at being back with the team, posting on Instagram: "Happy to be back as always".

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WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

Argentina will host Uruguay at the Alberto J. Armando stadium before visiting Brazil at the Estadio Jornalista Mario Filho. Messi will be hoping to impress after taking a break from competitive action due to Inter Miami's failure to make the MLS playoffs.

Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong outjumped Nottingham Forest's Serge Aurier to head the Super Eagles into a 1-0 lead in the AFCON final.

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Nigeria take 1-0 lead against Ivory CoastCaptain Troost-Ekong scores againDefender Aurier left on the floorGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Nigeria took the lead against the run of play thanks to Troost-Ekong's powerful header in the Africa Cup of Nations final. The defender showed terrific athleticism to get there above former Spurs man Aurier after the Ivorians failed to clear a corner in the 38th minute at at Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

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Despite falling behind, Ivory Coast secured a superb comeback win thanks to second-half goals from Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller as the hosts scooped the trophy in front of raucous 60,000 fans on Sunday night. The Ivorians picked up their third AFCON title, following their triumphs in 1992 and 2015.

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WHAT NEXT?

Ivory Coast, who sacked manager Jean-Louis Gasset following their 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea in the group stages last month and replaced him with his assistant Emerse Fae, will hope to defend their AFCON title when the tournament takes place again in the summer of 2025 in Morocco.

Ruben Neves has confirmed he will be staying at Al-Hilal, despite links to Newcastle, and stresses he is happy in Saudi Arabia.

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Newcastle linked with move for NevesVote to ban loans between linked clubs failedNeves' Al-Hilal are top of Saudi Pro LeagueWHAT HAPPENED?

Neves has confirmed that he will be staying at Al-Hilal, at least for the time being. The Portuguese midfielder joined the Saudi side from Wolves in the summer in one of the league's many marquee signings but is already being linked with a return to the Premier League via Newcastle. A recent vote to ban loans of players between two linked clubs was unsuccessful, meaning Newcastle would be able to sign Neves on loan, should the clubs and player agree.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT NEVES SAID

Speaking to the about a potential loan switch to Newcastle, Neves said: "I don't go. I think that's rumours because of the owner of the clubs of course, and because I've played in England as well.There was Newcastle interest before I came here but I'm really happy here, my family's really happy, so I'm having a great time."

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While Neves will not move this window, his return to the Premier League feels inevitable. Arsenal and Newcastle are long-term admirers of the Portuguese midfielder and the latter's ownership makes the move all the more likely. Both Newcastle and Al-Hilal are owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the recent vote to allow loans between the linked clubs only further legitimises business between the parties.

Newcastle were criticised for selling Allan Saint-Maximin to fellow PIF-owned Al-Ahli, with many claiming the transfer fee was overinflated. Given Saudi Arabian clubs are not held to Financial Fair Play rules, there is the possibility Newcastle can circumvent the rules and bring in new players in favourable financial packages.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR NEVES?

Neves' Al-Hilal dispatched of title rivals Al-Nassr 3-0 last night as they extended their lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League to seven points. They face Iranian side, Nassaji Mazandaran in the AFC Champions League on Monday.