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Also, most runs in boundaries in a Test innings, and ODI debuts in the World Cup

Steven Lynch09-Dec-2014There were 396 runs in boundaries in New Zealand’s total in Sharjah. Is that a record for a Test innings? asked Steve Rafferty from Hong Kong

New Zealand’s 690 against Pakistan in Sharjah recently included 66 fours and a record 22 sixes, a total of 396 in boundaries. It turns out that there have been four higher boundary-counts in all Tests: India hit 101 fours and a six (410 runs) in their 705 for 7 dec against Australia in Sydney in 2003-04; Pakistan’s 643 against New Zealand in Lahore in 2002 included 422 in boundaries; and Australia’s 735 for 6 dec against Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003-04 featured 434 runs in fours and sixes. But the record was set by Sri Lanka, in the course of making the Test-record total of 952 for 6 dec against India in Colombo in 1997: their batsmen struck 109 fours and two sixes, or 448 in boundaries. For the full list, click here.Thisara Perera is approaching 1000 runs, after 87 one-day internationals, and has already reached 100 wickets. What is the record for the fastest double? asked Ali from the United States

After 87 matches (I’m writing after the third game of the current series against England), Thisara Perera was 51 runs short of completing this double – he’s already got 108 wickets. He’s not going to beat the overall record: Shaun Pollock completed the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in his 68th one-day international, Abdul Razzaq of Pakistan did it in 69 matches, and Pollock’s South African team-mate Lance Klusener in 70. Six other players got there in fewer than 87 matches. However, Perera should comfortably set a new record for Sri Lanka: currently their fastest double was achieved by Farveez Maharoof, in his 99th match. Of the 56 players who have done this double so far, the slowest was Sourav Ganguly, who completed it in his 311th and last match, in November 2007.Brendon McCullum’s triple-century against India earlier this year came in his side’s second innings. Has anyone ever done this before in a Test? asked Michael Phillips from New Zealand

Brendon McCullum’s 302 against India in Wellington earlier this year was only the second Test triple-century in a side’s second innings. The first was scored by Hanif Mohammad, who made 337 to stave off defeat after Pakistan followed on 473 runs behind against West Indies in Bridgetown in 1957-58. Someone who came very close was Martin Crowe, with 299 – New Zealand’s previous-highest Test score – in the second innings against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 1990-91. There have been only 32 scores of 200 and above in Test second innings. Only five of those have come in the fourth innings, in which George Headley’s 223 for West Indies against England in Kingston in 1929-30 remains the highest.Taijul Islam took a hat trick on his one-day international debut recently. Has anyone ever done this before? asked Cherise Asha Clarke from Trinidad

Slow left-armer Taijul Islam, playing against Zimbabwe in Mirpur last week, took the 36th hat-trick in one-day internationals – the fourth for Bangladesh – but the first by anyone on debut. The Pakistan paceman Jalal-ud-Din’s hat-trick – the first in one-day internationals – against Australia in Hyderabad in 1982-83 came in only his second match. Australia’s Anthony Stuart took one in his third ODI – against Pakistan in Melbourne in 1996-97 – and rather surprisingly never played another one. Three bowlers – Maurice Allom (England), Peter Petherick (New Zealand) and Damien Fleming (Australia) – took hat-tricks on their Test debuts.Is Mohammad Hafeez the first player to be dismissed in the 190s twice in Tests? asked Ibrahim Kamara from Sierra Leone

There have been 72 scores between 190 and 199 in Tests now, eight of them not-outs. Mohammad Hafeez – who followed 196 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2012 with 197 against New Zealand in Sharjah recently – is the 13th to register two, after Mohammad Azharuddin, Ian Chappell, Rahul Dravid, Herschelle Gibbs, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar (one not out), Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell (both not out) and Younis Khan. But there are three batsmen who have three to their names: Mohammad Yousuf was out for 192 against England, then 192 and 191 against West Indies, in the space of four Tests in 2006; and Kumar Sangakkara was out for 192 against Australia in Hobart in 2007-08, then made 199 not out and 192 in successive Tests against Pakistan at Galle and Colombo in 2012.Are there any players who have made their ODI debut in the World Cup? I can’t think of any from India, asked Anurag Manke from India

There have actually been 194 players whose first official one-day international has come during a World Cup. Most of those are either from early on, when there weren’t many ODIs going on elsewhere – there were 39 debutants in the first World Cup in 1975, and 27 in the second in 1979 – or come from Associate teams, which didn’t have a programme of matches outside the World Cup until quite recently. Things have settled down now: in 2007, the only debutant from anywhere was the West Indian Kieron Pollard, while in 2011 there were seven – Devendra Bishoo, Kirk Edwards and Andre Russell of West Indies, the Canadian pair of Tyson Gordon and Karl Whatham, Imran Tahir of South Africa, and Holland’s Berend Westdijk. Overall, six players from India have made their ODI debuts in the World Cup, but none since 1992: Mohinder Amarnath, Anshuman Gaekwad and Karsan Ghavri in 1975, Surinder Khanna in 1979, Navjot Singh Sidhu in 1987, and Ajay Jadeja in 1992.

Plays of the day from the match between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings, in Mohali

Siddarth Ravindran10-Apr-2013The mystery call
In the seventh over of the chase, with Super Kings coasting, Kings XI Punjab seemed to have found an opening when Ryan Harris arrowed in a throw from mid-off that seemingly had Michael Hussey run-out. Hussey had put in the perfect dive, stretching flat out but looked fractionally short. The third umpire watched endless replays and though there was no conclusive evidence that Hussey was in, the giant screen flashed ‘Not out’. Even Hussey and Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming were surprised by the decision. Rarely has a batsman got such a generous benefit of doubt. As Adam Gilchrist said at the post-match ceremony, “They’re not playing run outs any more”.The triple threat
On the fifth ball of the 11th over, Super Kings had three chances of getting a wicket. First up, the bowler R Ashwin belted out a loud lbw appeal against Gurkeerat Singh, only for it to be turned down. The ball rolled off the pads in the direction of square leg, and there was major confusion over whether to take a leg-bye. The non-striker David Hussey hesitated, and would have been run-out by yards if MS Dhoni had hit direct. Dhoni missed, and there was an overthrow. Hussey motored back for the second, and though there was a direct hit this time, he made it in time. Rarely has there been a more action-packed delivery.The drop
Super Kings pride themselves on being one of the better fielding sides in the tournament. With the likes of Suresh Raina, Dwayne Bravo, Michael Hussey and Ravindra Jadeja in the line-up, it is a well-earned reputation. M Vijay is also usually a safe fielder, but he put down a regulation chance at mid-off to reprieve Kings XI’s most important batsman, David Hussey. In the sixth over, Hussey moved away from the stumps and mistimed the ball towards Vijay. It went flat towards the fielder, but Vijay didn’t move forward quickly enough, and by the time he reacted it was too low for him to clasp the ball properly. Chris Morris, on IPL debut, was the unlucky bowler, and covered his face in disappointment at missing out on his first wicket in the tournament.The attempt
There have already been some spectacular catches this season, and Bravo nearly added to the list with a stunning effort. Ashwin bowled a legspinner which Gurkeerat hammered towards long-off, and the ball seemed destined for a six; Bravo, who was a few metres in from the rope, hared across to his left and towards the boundary before leaping with his right arm outstretched. While in mid-air, he nearly latched on to the ball, but his extraordinary effort only ended up saving his team two runs, as the ball dribbled to the boundary for four.The innovation
Towards the end of the innings, batsmen will run for everything, even for byes when the ball goes straight through to the keeper. To counter that, Dhoni decided to keep wickets with only his left glove on, allowing him to collect the ball and throw immediately. The strategy, previously used by Dinesh Karthik in the IPL, paid off for Super Kings in the final over. When Parvinder Awana failed to connect on his fourth ball in a row, Praveen Kumar decided to try steal a bye, but Dhoni’s dead-eye throw caught him well short.

Plays of the day from the match between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in Jaipur

Siddarth Ravindran09-May-2011Three strikes
Suresh Raina and M Vijay were timing the ball beautifully during their half-century stand, and with their kamikaze running, a run-out seemed Rajasthan Royals’ best chance to break through. In the 14th over, Vijay glanced the ball to fine leg and was zipping back for the second when he realised Raina didn’t want the second. The throw missed, and he survived. Two balls later, he was haring for a single which Raina didn’t want. Again the throw missed, and he survived. In the next over, Vijay toe-ended the ball towards backward point and jogged through for a single, looking back to see where the ball was. Johan Botha fielded and unleashed a slide-rule throw which caught the dallying Vijay just short.Dwayne Bravo checks in
It took a marathon journey, including four stopovers, to transport Dwayne Bravo from the Caribbean to Jaipur. He was so tired that he was the only member of the Chennai squad to be given a business-class ticket for the final leg of his flight, from Mumbai to Jaipur. If he was feeling any effects of the exhausting voyage, he didn’t show it during the match. In the second over of Rajasthan’s chase, he almost pulled off a stunning bit of fielding. He swooped on the ball from point, and under-armed it at the stumps as he fell over. He would have got the big wicket of Shane Watson if the throw had hit. It narrowly missed, and Watson batted on.How not to catch
Shadab Jakati doesn’t have the reputation of being the most sure-fingered of fielders, and he showed why in Jaipur. When Watson top-edged a sweep, the ball swirled towards Jakati, who settled under it but nearly fumbled. The ball popped out of his hands two times, and a relieved Jakati clasped it on the third attempt. In the 12th over, another top edge looped towards him at mid-off. He got under the ball early and attempted to take it Australian-style but he overbalanced and the ball bobbled out of his hands, and on to the ground.How to catch
Suresh Raina is among the finest fielders in India, and he showed why in Jaipur. Rajasthan’s challenge was just about being kept alive by a dashing half-century from Ajinkya Rahane. In the 15th over, Rahane tried to club Bravo over long-on. It was a flat, brutal hit that seemed headed for the crowd, but Raina intercepted it with a well-timed leap to pluck the ball overhead, landing just a couple of yards inside the rope.A double take
There have been plenty of surprises from the bowlers this season. There have been several double-bouncers, and Vinay Kumar has shown off a Lasith Malinga-style sidearm delivery. Add to that list the Jakati two-timer. On the final delivery of the 11th over, he walked up to bowl, and half-rolled his arm over without actually releasing the ball. He went through with his bowling action once more, and the second time he did fire the ball in towards the unsettled batsman, Johan Botha, who chipped it to mid-on. Umpire Simon Taufel quickly walked over to Jakati and warned him not to repeat the trick, as it constituted unfair play.Keeping his feet on the ground
Doug Bollinger has always been termed a trier, someone who gives it everything when he’s on the field. Bollinger found himself on the floor early during the Rajasthan chase, when he fell over after attempting a pacy bouncer. Even in the penultimate over, with the match safely in Chennai’s bag, there was no shortage of enthusiasm. He slipped in another short ball, which Botha top-edged. The ball soared high and was going to land just behind the stumps. Bollinger called early for the catch, and sprinted to pouch it. He got there in time, and hung on to it. Once again he couldn’t balance himself, though, and tumbled over clumsily.

Like Mohammad Ali, the boxing legend who used to spend hours painstakingly scrawling out his spidery autograph, Glenn McGrath has reproduced his signature deliveries for almost 15 years

Cricinfo staff30-Apr-2008

Yo Mahesh is a stripling in the shade of a giant sequoia, but on Wednesday night he actually conceded one run less than Glenn McGrath from his four overs. For most of the 90 minutes though, he and pretty much every other pace bowler playing in this competition would have been
absorbing a masterclass in the art of limited-overs bowling. Like his old mate in baggy green, Shane Warne, McGrath has been out of the game for a year, but you wouldn’t have known it if you’ve flown back from Mars and watched him bowl at the Feroz Shah Kotla.Like Mohammad Ali, the boxing legend who used to spend hours painstakingly scrawling out his spidery autograph, McGrath has reproduced his signature deliveries for almost 15 years. Not for him the beguiling variety of a Wasim Akram or the hair-raising pace of Brett Lee. The McGrath method has always been about perfect calibration, of pinpointing the centimetres outside off stump where the batsman is most vulnerable.From the minute he landed the first ball of the innings in the McGrath corridor, the Bangalore Royal Challengers would have known what they were up against. “They had to come out and play shots,” he said later, referring to the security of the 191 runs. Even then though, there was little
fiddling with the tried and tested. Praveen Kumar, a worthwhile experiment at the top of the order, did thump one over cover, but as he has done so many times over the past decade, McGrath had the last word.Ross Taylor, whose explosive strokeplay will surely be missed now that he’s off to join New Zealand’s tour of England, also attempted to disrupt the McGrath rhythm with a powerful shot or two, but then ruefully discovered the dangers of going cross-batted against a man whose
reputation was based as much on the ability to extract bounce as it was on the accuracy.Wasim Jaffer was next, with steepling bounce again doing the trick. The speed gun never went past 130 kph, and the obsession with it was put into perspective by McGrath’s uncanny knack of landing the ball in what every bowler now refers to ‘the right areas’.His last act was the finest though. Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid, a combination perfectly equipped to bat through a full day in a Test match, had shown that quality can prevail in any form of the game with a superb 87-run partnership. Though the asking rate was still steep, Bangalore had seven wickets in hand to mount a late charge.Virender Sehwag, whose bowling changes and composure impressed yet again, then played his ace, throwing the ball to McGrath for the 16th over. A slower one and a yorker kept Kallis to one run from the first two balls, and when Dravid then gave himself some room for the big loft, McGrath calmly slipped the ball outside off. “Have a go”, he seemed to say. Dravid did, miscued it, and Sehwag made no mistake running across to mid-off.McGrath wasn’t the only ANZAC hero out there though. Daniel Vettori will play no further part in the tournament, but his farewell spell had Bangalore in a bind. Dravid spoke later of the overs from Vettori and Yo Mahesh that effectively settled the contest, and Sehwag too was gushing
in his praise of a man he called one of the greatest T20 bowlers.While Sehwag answered questions in Hindi, a relaxed McGrath sat and grinned, with an “I agree” quip after one Sehwag reply inducing peals of mirth. “I’m a happily married man. I don’t look at girls anymore,” he said with a big grin when asked about the missing cheerleaders. “For an old
bloke, I’ve enjoyed every single minute of it [the IPL].”When asked about his team’s travails, Dravid spoke of the missing X-factor. On Wednesday night, it wasn’t missing, it was on the other side. A familiar face, a nemesis from another time and place. Like Ol Man River, McGrath just keeps rollin’ along.

Milos Kerkez has hinted that a summer move to Liverpool is on amid talk that the Premier League champions are keen to sign the Bournemouth star.

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Liverpool reportedly keen on KerkezFull-back addresses speculationAppears keen on the moveFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Reds have a long-standing interest in Kerkez, who has impressed at left-back for Bournemouth this season. Quizzed about a potential move, the Hungarian told Nemzeti Sport that the speculation acts as "fuel that drives me forward".

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT KERKEZ SAID

Kerkez said: "Of course, something always leaks into the news. I think it's normal that if you play well and the team does well, then you get into the news and end up on the front page, and everyone talks about you. I see this as fuel that drives me forward. All this doesn't break me, but it doesn't boost my ego either. It teaches me humility and motivates me."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Arne Slot is said to be keen to upgrade his left-back options this summer, with Andrew Robertson having suffered dips of form during the 2024-25 campaign. Kerkez was voted into the Premier League Fan Team of the Season after making a big impact for Bournemouth once again.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

The Premier League champions look set for a busy summer of transfer activity, with a deal to sign Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen already done and Florian Wirtz likely to follow him through the door for a huge €130m fee.

Thomas Muller marked his first Vancouver Whitecaps start with a dramatic penalty, later revealing how Robert Lewandowski once borrowed his technique.

• Muller scored late penalty to seal 3-2 win on his first start
• Admitted record at Bayern declined as Lewandowski replaced him
• German star stepped up despite not being the designated taker

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Muller scored a dramatic match-winning penalty in the 14th minute of stoppage time to seal a 3-2 victory for his new club, Vancouver Whitecaps, against St. Louis City, fooling former Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki to open his account in his first start for the MLS side.

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• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Muller was once the first-choice penalty taker at Bayern Munich but was eventually replaced by Lewandowski after missing crucial spot-kicks, notably in the 2016 DFB-Pokal final and at Euro 2016. The 35-year-old revealed that he took the vital penalty for Vancouver despite Brian White being the designated taker, citing his experience and a sense of responsibility in the high-pressure moment.

• WHAT MULLER SAID

  Speaking on Lewandowski copying his technique, Muller told reporters: "There were reasons why I was no longer the number one penalty taker at FC Bayern. My percentage has declined somewhat over the years. I think I overdid it with the techniques in the end. With Lewandowski, it was the other way around. He copied my technique and improved it. He also outfoxed goalkeepers, but took the penalty even more firmly."

  On his decision to take the kick, he added: "Of course, I continued practicing penalties in private. I wasn't supposed to be Vancouver's first taker, since Brian White had already converted the first one. But as an experienced player, I do see myself as responsible, and that's why I took the penalty."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MULLER?

  After his heroic start to life in MLS, Muller will aim to help Vancouver build momentum as they continue their campaign. The World Cup winner has already established himself as a key player and will be central to the Whitecaps' push for a playoff position. Muller also confirmed he will briefly return to Germany in the coming days to "pack a few extra pairs of underwear."

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo apresentou de forma oficial, nesta terça-feira, seu primeiro reforço para a temporada 2023. Trata-se do volante Marlon Freitas, que defendeu as cores do Atlético-GO no último ano. O jogador ressaltou que encontrou um elenco unido em sua chegada e falou sobre que posições pode atuar e ajudar Luís Castro na montagem do meio de campo alvinegro.

+ Veja as principais movimentações do Botafogo no mercado da bola

– Quero agradecer a Deus pela oportunidade, ao mister, comissão, jogadores. Me receberam muito bem e já me sinto em casa. Em dois três, dias dá pra ver quem é uma família. Todos unidos em um objetivo que é conquistar títulos. Podem ter certeza que vou dar meu melhor sempre – afirmou.

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– Eu me sinto à vontade nas três posições (do meio de campo). Isso é uma coisa que nós iremos conversar. Mas estou apto para poder ajudar, estou muito feliz e é uma alegria imensa vestir a camisa do Botafogo. Fui muito bem recebido e posso dizer que é uma família mesmo. Em três dias de clube eu vejo que é uma família com jogadores muito unidos Isso vai contar muito para os nossos objetivos na temporada. Com isso, me sinto muito à vontade nas três posições e estarei apto a ajudar – completou.

Revelado nas divisões de base do Fluminense, o volante atuou no futebol da Eslováquia, no Samorin, e dos Estados Unidos, no Fortlauderdale Strikers. No Brasil, além de vestir as camisas do Tricolor e do Dragão, também jogou por Criciúma e no Botafogo-SP.

No clube goiano, Marlon se destacava também por chegar à frente, pisar na área e levar perigo ao gol adversário. Durante a entrevista, o atleta falou sobre a última temporada e disse que espera também contribuir estufando a rede.

– Estou apto a ajudar, independente da posição que o Mister precisar, estarei aqui para ajudar o clube e o grupo de jogadores. Como falei, estou muito à vontade aqui, muito feliz. Todos me receberam muito bem. Foi uma temporada muito boa. Meu maior número de gols foi no ano passado. Espero repetir neste ano. Dar muita alegria para o torcedor botafoguense e conquistar títulos. É o maior desafio e por isso aceitei esse desafio. Acho que o aceitei em meu melhor momento e espero criar as oportunidades. Vou dar o meu melhor sempre para a alegria do torcedor – explicou.

Por fim, o jogador resumiu sua carreira em uma palavra que leva consigo desde que deixou o Fluminense e se aventurou no futebol mundial: disciplina. Além disso, o meio-campista também revelo o motivo de ter escolhido e abraçado o projeto do Botafogo.

– Acho que a mentalidade de saber que o futebol não é só dentro das quatro linhas. Futebol também é fora de campo. Eu venho colhendo frutos de muito trabalho e dedicação. E uma palavra que uso comigo depois daquela saída do Fluminense é disciplina. Eu tenho que ter disciplina não só dentro de campo como fora também. O período que eu estiver em casa com minha família. Alimentação, sono, que contam muito. E o trabalho fez toda diferença para eu poder chegar até aqui. Vou continuar com essa disciplina porque eu não carrego só meu sonho, carrego vários sonhos da minha família. Vou fazer isso aqui no Botafogo. Acertar e errar faz parte, mas sempre vou procurar dar o meu melhor. Jamais se omitir da minha responsabilidade. Eu sei da grandeza do Botafogo, sei da camisa que estou vestindo – o peso dela – e darei o meu melhor sempre – salientou, antes de completar:

– Primeiramente pela grandeza do clube. O Botafogo é gigante, tem uma história tremenda. O projeto que foi apresentado a mim é muito interessante. Quando me foi apresentado, conversei com meus representantes e empresários e aceitei logo. Sei que será uma oportunidade muito boa para mim. Pelo elenco que o Botafogo formou e manteve a base para esse ano, isso conta muito. Tenho certeza que vou me encaixar bem nos estilo do Mister. Como falei, vou tentar ajudar, vou procurar dar o meu melhor sempre nos treinamentos e procurar jogar. Foi mais pela grandeza e pesou o lado familiar. Nasci em Magé, mas minha família é do Rio de Janeiro. Minha mãe mora em São Gonçalo, tenho familiares em Piabetá. Para estar ao lado deles, pois carrego sempre eles comigo. Darei sempre meu máximo para conquistar títulos e ficar na história do clube – acrescentou

O Botafogo faz sua estreia pelo Campeonato Carioca no próximo domingo, às 16h, contra o Audax-RJ. O jogo será realizado no estádio Raulino de Oliveira, já que o Nilton Santos passará por reforma no gramado. Na sequência, medirá forças com o Volta Redonda e terá o primeiro clássico do ano diante do Vasco.

The Spain wonderkid needs to be wary of the pitfalls of global fame as he follows in the footsteps of a Blaugrana legend

After many months of anticipation, Lamine Yamal finally signed his new six-year contract at Barcelona on Wednesday. That agreement reportedly made the teenage winger the highest-paid player in Hansi Flick's squad on an annual salary of €30 million ($34 million), which is a reward for his incredible contribution to the team's domestic treble success in 2024-25.

But perhaps most importantly, Yamal was also bestowed with the No.10 jersey previously worn by Lionel Messi. That iconic shirt was vacated when Ansu Fati joined Monaco on loan earlier this summer, with the academy graduate ultimately unable to handle the weight of history that came with it.

It's very difficult to imagine Yamal experiencing the same problem, though. "I don't feel pressure; I'm at the best club in the world. Messi has made his way, I'm going to make mine, and the '10' comes from Ansu anyway. I'll try to make my own way," he told Barca's official media channels.

That fearlessness is what has set Yamal apart from his peers since his stunning breakthrough in the senior team. Walking the same path as Messi, and the likes of Ronaldinho, Romario and Diego Maradona before him, does not faze the Spain international. After all, he had already racked up 74 goal contributions for club and country en route to winning four major titles, including the European Championship, prior to turning 18 on July 13.

Yamal may even become the youngest Ballon d'Or winner ever later this year, having consistently delivered awe-inspiring performances in the biggest matches. The sky is the limit if he continues on his current trajectory. But to do that, Yamal will have to avoid the same trap Neymar fell into back when the Brazilian also had the world at his feet in Catalonia.

Birthday party controversy

Yamal's new contract has been somewhat overshadowed by the headlines generated from his lavish 18th birthday party last Sunday. It has been reported that around 200 guests attended the bash at a rented country mansion in the town of Olivella, including a host of musicians and influencers as well as team-mates Robert Lewandowski, Alejandro Balde, Gavi and Raphinha.

As per , there was a cocktail bar area and gourmet catering, while a huge cake decorated with chocolate pistols and wads of banknotes was rolled in to fit the 'Italian Mafia' party theme. Yamal set the tone by wearing a striking all-white suit complete with a red rose and diamond-encrusted cane.

But controversy was sparked when a group of dwarves was filmed heading to the venue. They were allegedly hired by Yamal to provide entertainment, which has been described as "unacceptable in the 21st century" by the Association of People with Achondroplasia and other Skeletal Dysplasias in Spain (ADEE).

The ADEE also filed a complaint with the Spanish government calling for a full investigation "to determine whether the law and, therefore, the rights of people with disabilities have been violated".

One of the dwarves who was allegedly present at the party has since insisted to that everything was above board and "we do this job because we want to", but, at best, the whole incident will go down as a serious error of misjudgement on Yamal's part and, at worst, his reputation could be permanently tarnished.

AdvertisementInstagramNeymar a 'bad influence'?

According to Spanish journalist Pipi Estrada, Barcelona are "very worried" about Yamal's behaviour away from the pitch this summer. The teenage ace was also seen on holiday with OnlyFans model Fati Vazquez, and he visited former Barca star Neymar at his home in Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro.

Yamal documented his trip to Brazil for his fans on social media as he played footvolley with Neymar, relaxed by the swimming pool and exchanged shirts with the Santos poster boy, who is currently trying to rebuild his career at his childhood club after an injury-plagued spell in Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal. But the has reported that concerns have been raised over Neymar being a potentially 'bad influence' on Yamal.

Neymar initially developed a party-goer reputation at Barcelona between 2013 and 2017, which threatened to get out of control after his world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. The Brazil international made more headlines for his appearances at nightclubs in the French capital than he did for his footballing exploits, and was regularly criticised for a perceived lack of commitment.

Some of that was a touch unfair given Neymar was also dealt a cruel hand with injuries, but there's no doubt he didn't do enough to justify his €222 million (£200m/$262m) price tag at the Parc des Princes. In that sense, perhaps Neymar is not the best role model for Yamal as he starts to take on even greater responsibility at Barcelona.

Getty ImagesCan't become distracted

Neymar achieved great things at Barcelona, winning La Liga and the Champions League while forming part of the acclaimed 'MSN' front three alongside Messi and Luis Suarez, but the consensus is that he never quite reached his full potential. That could be a mindset issue, but it's also possible he just didn't strike the perfect balance between work and play.

Yamal shrugged off the backlash around his 18th birthday party by saying, "I work for Barca, but when I’m outside the training ground, I enjoy my life" – which is absolutely fine, but he must be careful to ensure he doesn't become distracted. If Yamal allows his level to drop even slightly, and Barcelona suffer a dip in results, he will be subject to the same widespread disapproval that Neymar endured.

Even though Yamal is just a kid who is still maturing physically and mentally, he will be judged as an adult because he's already earned a standing among football's elite. Fortunately, he has a strong support network.

According to columnist Guillem Ballague, Yamal's parents "play a crucial role in keeping his feet on the ground" and are not afraid to "tell it as it is". They have not only helped to nurture Yamal's singular talent, but also drummed into his head the importance of hard work and striving for excellence.

"My ambition is simple: to keep winning and improving every day – I'm still young, and there's so much ahead of me," Yamal added at his contract signing. As long as he maintains that attitude, the future is very bright, for him and Barcelona.

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Getty/GOALAhead of Messi

Yamal has the competitive edge required to be one of the greats, but also plays with a carefree abandon that makes him so thrilling to watch. That's why he is so often compared to Messi, who was similarly bold and creative in his early years at Barca, but the Argentine magician has always been a quiet character who doesn't seek out the spotlight.

In stark contrast, Yamal seems to relish it. He's reportedly one of the loudest members of the current Barca dressing room, and has no qualms about using social media as a tool to wind up his rivals or detractors.

While Messi took time to adjust to fame, Yamal is seemingly unburdened by self-consciousness. That may go some way to explaining why he is actually a lot further ahead in his development than Messi was at the same age.

Indeed, Yamal has played 200 more minutes for Barcelona than Messi had managed by the time he'd turned 21. At 18, Messi had just one professional goal to his name and no assists, while he had yet to win his first cap for Argentina. Yamal has already scored 25 goals in a Barca shirt and set up another 34, and has made 21 appearances for Spain.

Those statistics are simply extraordinary, but even more impressive is the fact that Barca already rely on Yamal as their main source of inspiration, which was not the case for Messi until Ronaldinho left the club.

AC Milan target Granit Xhaka is in talks with Saudi Arabian club Neom over a possible transfer that would see the midfielder earn a sizeable wage.

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• Granit Xhaka greenlit Saudi move
• Midfielder to snub AC Milan
• Also has new interest from Turkey

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Milan's plan for a midfield revolution has hit a roadblock. According to , the 32-year-old has reached a verbal agreement with Saudi club Neom SC. The Swiss midfielder can reportedly earn up to €10 million per year should the move go through. This comes as a blow for Milan who were planning to re-negotiate with Bayer Leverkusen after their failed bid for Club Brugge's Ardon Jashari.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Saudi club have contacted Bayer Leverkusen, and the two clubs have been discussing transfer fees. Reportedly, the German club have put a price tag of €6m on the ex-Arsenal player. The negotiations are progressing well, with the clubs expected to reach an agreement this week. Turkish giants Fenerbahce are also keeping tabs on Xhaka and might make a move for the midfielder should his switch to Saudi fall through.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Xhaka's future has been extremely uncertain after the departure of former head coach Xabi Alonso. The player was also in talks with Milan earlier and had agreed to a move to Italy, but the clubs could not reach an agreement. The talks eventually died down further after Milan's bid for Jashari. After Brugge rejected Milan's initial bid, the Italian club wanted to reopen talks for the Swiss player, but Saudi's involvement brings new complications.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LEVERKUSEN?

  The 2023-24 Bundesliga champions wanted Xhaka to continue in Germany, having lost many key players such as Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Jonathan Tah. New head coach Erik ten Hag had major plans for the central midfielder and wanted him to lead the team in the upcoming season. However, with many clubs interested, it will be a hard task for the Dutch manager to hold onto the midfielder.

Amid increasing rumours linking Alexander Isak with a move to Arsenal this summer, a former Invincible has revealed the similarities between the Swede and former teammate Thierry Henry.

Arsenal Invincible compares Isak and Henry

The rumours surrounding Isak should come as no surprise. The forward has been the star of the show at Newcastle United in recent seasons and perhaps no more so than in the current campaign, scoring the Magpies’ second goal on their way to defeating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

That form has only continued at international level too, as he scored a stunning goal for Sweden in a thrashing of Northern Ireland this week.

If Newcastle’s reported price tag is anything to go by, then they’re well aware of the battle that they’ll have on their hands this summer. The Magpies have reportedly slapped a valuation as high as £120m to sell Isak this summer in the hope of fending off the likes of Arsenal.

Only adding fuel to the transfer flames, however, Arsenal Invincible Philippe Senderos has revealed the three traits that the talented striker shares with former teammate and Gunners legend Henry.

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Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, when asked about whether Isak can reach Henry’s levels, Senderos said: “Well, why not?

“He definitely has the attributes to be able to do that but to reach the heights of the likes of Thierry Henry, you need to be special in terms of your mental approach to the game and this is developed over years, but you have it when you start. To be compared to Thierry is a big big honour because Thierry was and is a special type of person.

“Speed, for sure, dribbling attributes and direct to the goal, links up well. He’s (Isak), not only a goalscorer, he also makes his teammates play and do better. Yes, he does, but again I go back to Thierry and the amount of years that he’s been doing it and how special he is and was as a player, he still has a long way I would say.”

Isak must be top of Arsenal's wishlist

On course to lose out on the Premier League title for a third season in a row, Arsenal must send a statement this summer – Mikel Arteta must welcome a big name and a striker capable of winning the Golden Boot.

His side have enjoyed an impressive rise since his arrival six seasons ago, but the Spaniard must now take the Gunners to that next level. And Isak would play a large part in that alongside rising stars Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, who are expected to play larger roles next year to strengthen the squad even further.

Whilst Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have scored a combined 22 goals, Isak alone has found the back of the net 23 times in all competitions for the Magpies. His price tag may be hefty, but there is no doubt that the Newcastle star would be worth every penny.

A player who has similar traits to Henry, as revealed by Senderos, Isak looks destined to steal the headlines this summer.