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The young American is making waves overseas, drawing interest from megaclubs despite his unusual path

In some ways, Rokas Pukstas' path feels like the soccer version of a Mad Lib. Insert a name here, a comparison there, a country here, jumble it all together and what do you get? Well, in this case, maybe just something special.

What happens when you combine a Lithuanian Olympian, an American upbringing, a Croatian education, a German inspiration and English suitors? Well, you get Pukstas, the U.S. men's national team midfield starlet who looks bound for big things very soon. The 19-year-old dynamic midfielder continues to impress in Croatia, and it seems like a matter of time before he becomes that league's next big midfield export.

It's a league that has produced Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic, the spine of a Croatia team that has punched above its weight class for years. And, from what we've seen, Pukstas looks bound to reach a top league like those three did, either as a No.8 or a No.10.

Pukstas' story may seem wild now, given all of the stops that have brought him here, but it seems like that story is only just beginning.

Where it all began

There haven't been many superstar soccer players from the state of Oklahoma, but there also haven't been many soccer superstars that had Pukstas' upbringing. The son of Lithuanian Olympian marathon runner, Mindaugus Pukstas, the young midfielder was seemingly born to be an athlete.

While his father thrived as a runner, though, Pukstas' talents were directed toward soccer and, from an early age, he made waves across the American game. After spending time with Sporting KC's academy, Pukstas joined the Barcelona resident Academy in 2020, playing alongside fellow American starlets Diego Luna and Caden Clark. He didn't last long there, though, as the Coronavirus pandemic hastened an exit that, given his skillset, was always inevitable.

By November of 2020, Pukstas made the leap to Europe, heading to Croatia to join Hajduk Split.

AdvertisementGettyThe big break

It took some time for Pukstas to break through with Hajduk Split but, once it did happen, it felt like there was no going back. After a year-and-a-half in the youth system, Pukstas made his debut on April 22, 2022, featuring in a 2-1 win over Hrvatski Dragovaljac.

As the 2022-23 season began, Pukstas very quickly became a regular in the first-team squad while also helping the club's U-19s make a run to the final of the UEFA Youth League. In total, he featured in 27 senior matches for the club during that 2022-23 season, scoring four goals in league play.

The biggest moments, though, came in the Croatian Cup, with Pukstas starting all five matches as Split won the trophy with a 2-0 win over HNK Sibenik in the final.

Already in the USYNT pipeline, Pukstas was then called up to the U-20 World Cup, despite Split keeping hold of him during the group stage due to that Croatian Cup run. Still, even with his delayed start, he was deemed too important to leave out, with Pukstas then joining up for the knockout round.

Unfortunately, it lasted just two appearances before the U.S. was knocked out against Uruguay, but he did score a goal in the Round of 16 win against New Zealand to make his mark during what ultimately turned out to be a World Cup cameo.

Still, the message was loud and clear: U.S. Soccer is very high on Pukstas, and that brief U-20 World Cup run will, hopefully, be just one of several international tournaments for the midfielder before long.

GettyHow it's going

After his big breakthrough last season, Pukstas hasn't slowed down during the current campaign despite a knee injury that kept him out for the start of the season. Through just nine games since that injury, he already has three goals from the midfield and he's helped his side to the top of the league.

His rise has caught the eyes of some European giants, with Arsenal among the clubs linked. Fabrizio Romano reported, though, that clubs in Germany were pushing heavily for Pukstas' signature with the Bundesliga looking like his most likely next destination.

Pukstas temporarily put the transfer rumors to bed by signing a new contract recently that will keep him with the club through 2027. The most likely scenario, though, is that he never sees the end of that contract as his new deal will do little to deter interest from some major suitors going forward.

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Biggest strengths

A player who can play as a No.8 or as more of an attacking midfielder, Pukstas has shown he has goals in his game no matter how high up the field he's played.

With seven goals to his name in just 31 league matches for Split, Pukstas has had no problem getting forward and contributing. It is the Croatian League, sure, which isn't one recognized among the elite in Europe, but it's still a league that produced much of the top talent that has kept the country's national team right up there with the very best through the last two World Cups.

It's not just the goals, though, as Pukstas has also provided plenty of assists, too. His workrate is also instantly noticeable, with his father's marathon background perhaps offering a better understanding of the type of engine the young midfielder could have.

In terms of goalscoring, Pukstas is right near the top in every metric, despite playing in a midfield position, while his shooting accuracy is also right near the top of the Croatian league. Defensively, too, he's done surpisingly well for a player that is still very much developing on that side of the ball.

Real Salt Lake's Andrew Brody has laughed off his moment with Lionel Messi Wednesday evening, where the Argentine chipped his body on the ground.

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Messi audaciously chips RSL's BrodyDefender was lying on the ground28-year-old laughs off incidentWHAT HAPPENED?

The 28-year-old defender joked off being embarrassed by the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner on the pitch in their 2-0 loss to Inter Miami. The Argentine didn't comment on the moment himself, but he will have surely seen the discourse surrounding his stunning move on social media since.

AdvertisementWHAT BRODY SAID

The defender posted on Instagram, laughing off the incident, saying: "For those asking, yes, I was the cone on the ground there."

Instagram/atbrodyyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The viral video clip, that saw the Argentine genuinely chip a then-injured Brody on the ground and shoot the ball after, has garnered views and impressions from across the world. It was a brief moment on the pitch, but it was a genuine display of how absurdly talented Messi is.

For Brody, though, it might not be the best look in the moment – but it's a story he will be able to tell friends and family for years to come.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR REAL SALT LAKE AND INTER MIAMI?

The Herons and Messi are back in action Sunday evening against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Real Salt Lake, meanwhile, take on St. Louis CITY SC Saturday evening as they look to get their first result of the season.

The Premier League's top six teams are in line to be handed a greater proportion of the competition's prize money, according to a new report.

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Big clubs will receive more prize moneyCould reignite tensions amongst clubsEverton recently deducted 10 pointsWHAT HAPPENED?

Per the Daily Telegraph, the Premier League's top six clubs are set to be handed a greater proportion of revenue in a move that could further shift the power balance in the competition towards those at the top-end. Champions Manchester City earned £161m last season, while 20th-placed Southampton earned £100m. The ratio is currently 1.6 to one, but the league are planning to increase it to 1.8, which would net the biggest clubs tens of millions more.

AdvertisementGetty THE BIGGER PICTURE

The change could take place from the 2025-26 campaign, and the rise is due in part to high rates of inflation across Europe. The move will be a part of the New Deal for Football, which must still be voted on by clubs. In addition to the new rate, £130m could be allocated towards lower-league clubs.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Premier League set a new record for spending in the summer, splurging a staggering £2.36 billion ($2.36bn). Were the prize money to increase, one has to think that spending will only increase in future windows.

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Getty Images WHAT NEXT?

Premier League clubs will vote on the proposed deal. More than half of them must agree for it to pass. As we approach the half-way point in the 2023-24 season, City are back at the top of the league with 28 points from their opening 12 games.

Both Cape Cobras and Hobart Hurricanes have begun their campaigns with a defeat, and with only two more group games each to go after their Sunday afternoon clash, they will want a quick turnaround

The Preview by Abhishek Purohit20-Sep-20142:08

Blizzard looks to bounce back from opening loss

Match factsSunday, September 21, 2014
Start time 1600 local (1030 GMT)Big pictureBoth Cape Cobras and Hobart Hurricanes have begun their campaigns with defeat, and with only two more group games each to go after their Sunday afternoon clash, they will want a quick turnaround.A depleted Cobras attack ran into a red-hot Kane Williamson on Friday night, and the New Zealander’s century meant Cobras had a stiff 207 to chase. A new-ball combination of Trent Boult and Tim Southee only made things harder, and Cobras were facing an asking-rate of nearly 13 when the rain came down in the eighth over. Back from retirement, Charl Langeveldt was spot-on, but the rest of the Cobras attack could not stop Williamson. They have several international bowlers in the line-up, and will want them to step up against Hurricanes.The Australian side had Kings XI Punjab in trouble at 51 for 4 and 77 for 5 chasing 145, but Thisara Perera and George Bailey took it away from them. Before that, many Hurricanes batsmen had squandered starts and the side ended with a middling total. Four of the top six fell in their twenties. Hurricanes never looked in charge through their innings, something they will have to avoid against Cobras.Form guideCape Cobras LLWWL (most recent first, completed matches only)
Hobart Hurricanes LLWWLWatch out forRobin Peterson conceded 32 runs in three overs against Northern Districts. Peterson is an extremely experienced left-arm spinner and has taken nearly 100 wickets in this format alone. He has also played international and franchise cricket in India, and Cobras will want their lead spinner to put that knowledge to good use.Shoaib Malik was the second-highest run-getter in the recent Caribbean Premier League with 406 runs in ten innings at a strike-rate of 130. He didn’t fire closer home to Pakistan against Kings XI in Mohali, but Hyderabad is the hometown of his wife, tennis player Sania Mirza, and the son-in-law could well have some crowd support when he walks out to bat.Stats and trivia Cape Cobras’ highest total in the Champions League, 193 for 4, came at Hyderabad against Otago in 2009 Hyderabad has hosted the most Champions League games – 19Quotes”We did not put up a performance like we know we can. We just have to make sure we bounce back. It is a quick turnaround time.”

England were harbouring growing doubts about Alastair Cook’s future as one-day captain even as they expressed absolute faith in his leadership during the tour of Sri Lanka

David Hopps20-Dec-2014England were harbouring growing doubts about Alastair Cook’s future as one-day captain even as they expressed absolute faith in his leadership during the tour of Sri Lanka, according to the man who oversaw his removal ahead of the World Cup.Paul Downton, managing director of England cricket, has admitted that Cook’s loss of form had become so extreme that the plan to rely upon his track record in Australia, and trust his technique against two white balls, was increasingly open to question as the tour progressed.Downton, who was one of Cook’s most vociferous supporters, also took the opportunity to bury the notion, particularly prevalent on social media, that his role as managing director of England cricket makes him an all-powerful figure able to safeguard and remove captains as he sees fit.”There seems to be a myth that I’m in charge of everything,” Downton said. “I’m at the heart of an England management team of which the selectors are an integral part. We obviously talk very regularly but it’s not a confrontational or adversarial situation at all.”I’m very clear in my mind that my job is not a dressing room one and I’m not a selector. I will offer help if I can and as long as the processes are working well I’m happy. I don’t go to every selection meeting. I go at the invitation of James [Whitaker] and the selectors and if asked I will provide an opinion. I don’t look in any way to interfere with what the selectors decide because they watch far more cricket than me and are better qualified than me.”But I am a cricket person and I can sometimes offer up a different perspective but as long as the process is thorough, which it always has been, then I’m happy with whatever decision the selectors come up with.”Downton also defended his actions in defending Cook so emphatically in Sri Lanka when he knew that his reappointment could not be taken for granted. With six of the seven ODIs completed, and the series already lost, he described Cook as the “natural leader”, said he would be “very surprised” if he was replaced and described change as “risky”. He put that down to the need to display loyalty whatever the circumstances and rejected the suggestion that the change of tack had been embarrassing.”My job in this role is to support our team and our captain. We had one game left to play when I said that and we couldn’t predict the outcome so for me to be questioning Alastair going into the last game would have been wrong. But plans have to change if they’re not working and, while it wasn’t my decision, I completely endorse what the selectors have done because I think it gives us the best chance going into the World Cup.

He’s very raw and of course it’s a blow to have the captaincy taken away from you. Hopefully in time he will reflect that he wasn’t scoring runs and he was putting himself under an awful lot of pressurePaul Downton on Alastair Cook

“What I said then was that the decision to make Alastair captain in Sri Lanka had taken a lot of discussion with James and the other selectors. The decision that Alastair was the right man to take us to Sri Lanka and by implication the World Cup was made because of his track record over a long period of time in Australia against two white balls and because of the type of cricket we wanted to play out there.”That was the plan and we thought consistency was the best thing to do. We could also see some young players coming through and stability at the top end with some shot players around him would be the way to go. But as Sri Lanka continued it just became clearer that he wasn’t performing and if a plan’s not working eventually you have to change it.””Embarrassment doesn’t come into this. This is not about personalities. It is always about what’s best for English cricket. It was very clear to my mind and others that Alastair during the Test summer was absolutely the captain to back. It’s always been more debatable in one-day cricket.”Cook remained convinced that he remained the best candidate to lead England into the World Cup, Downton admitted. No matter how persistent his lack of runs, or how trenchant the criticism, his ambition never wavered. “He had a dream to lead England at the World Cup and it’s been taken away from him a month away from its fulfilment,” Downton said. “He still believes he’s the right man for the job but the selectors had to make a decision in the best interests of English cricket.”‘He’s very raw and of course it’s a blow to have the captaincy taken away from you. Hopefully in time he will reflect that he wasn’t scoring runs and he was putting himself under an awful lot of pressure. And that he will now free up his mind and focus on Test cricket which is what he does best anyway. I hope he’ll come round to thinking this is the best thing for him and the best thing for English cricket.”Even when he was appointed as England’s one-day captain more than three years ago, championed by the MD of English cricket at the time Hugh Morris, team director Andy Flower and national selector Geoff Miller – all of whom have since moved on – Cook felt to many observers like a Test player seeking to hone his one-day game. The appropriate leader in the supposedly superior form of the game, his task was to adapt to other formats for the sake of continuity.So would English cricket ever give equal weight to limited-overs cricket? “We have to find a way,” said Downton, well aware that England will host the Champions Trophy in 2017 and the World Cup two years later. “We do need to go to these tournaments as one of the favourites. To have two captains gives us the chance to develop a one-day side in a slightly different way. Eoin is a natural one-day cricketer and he has the opportunity now to establish himself as the one-day captain.”

ICC chief executive David Richardson has said that profitability of fixtures for broadcasters has been a stumbling block for getting top Associates Ireland and Afghanistan fixtures since their inclusion in the ICC ODI rankings table

Peter Della Penna in Dublin22-Jul-2015ICC chief executive David Richardson has said that profitability of fixtures for broadcasters has been a stumbling block for getting top Associates Ireland and Afghanistan fixtures since their inclusion in the ICC ODI rankings table earlier this year. However, he said that the possible creation of an ODI facilitation fund could help alleviate these obstacles.”It’s a fact that even matches between the lower-ranked Full Members, like Zimbabwe versus Sri Lanka for example, don’t make revenues so that the series are making a profit or if it does it’s making a very small profit,” Richardson said at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in Malahide. “You can imagine series between Afghanistan and the West Indies also cost a lot and the revenues might not necessarily be enough to cover those costs.”One of the talking points or suggestions that is being considered, and in October we’re having a joint meeting between our chief executives committee and the board on which there will be six representatives from the Associate members taking part in that discussion, will be trying to make sure that Full Members take some responsibility in scheduling fixtures against Associate members and if finances are a problem that we think of introducing an ODI fund similar to the Test fund that was introduced to help subsidise the costs of those series.”Richardson also said it is possible for Full Member countries to be forced to participate in future World Twenty20 Qualifiers. If Bangladesh or Zimbabwe finish outside the top eight spots on the ODI rankings table by September 2017, they will have to compete in the 50-over World Cup Qualifier with Associates for the final two spots in the 10-team event for 2019. That could be the case in the future for the ICC’s flagship T20 tournament as well.”When we put the package together for this next eight-year cycle, it was envisaged that we raise the profile of these qualifying tournaments, number one by making it crucial for qualification but also involving the Full Members, not excluding them from having to participate in these qualifying tournaments going forward. The objective to that is not only to make them self-sufficient and generate some more revenues for everybody for the development of the game but also just to raise the profile of these countries.”Before, for Holland, if they got to the World Cup they got a bit of profile.  If they just missed out, they lost out on that.  If we can raise the profile of these tournaments, and you’ve seen evenly matched teams provides for good entertainment, it will raise that profile. It is good for cricket in those countries as well, even if they don’t end up going to the tournament itself.”As for the ODI rankings table, if Zimbabwe were to dip below Afghanistan or Ireland, they may still be protected due to their Full Member status while the lower-ranked Associate would have a play-off with the top team in the WCL Championship for promotion into the ODI rankings table. Richardson conceded that this wasn’t meritocratic but that Zimbabwe had earned their status through historical performances, which needed to be taken into consideration.”At this stage the board, all they’ve agreed to do is say that it’s the lowest ranked Associate member who would play-off,” Richardson said. “At this stage we have got this distinction between Full Members and Associate members. I think long term, that distinction will eventually vanish but its really long term and not in the foreseeable future. A proper promotion and relegation would mean that the bottom ranked team would have to play off but that’s not the situation we’ve got. I think it’s a process and we’re working towards something.”Explaining the decision to move the World Twenty20 from a two- to a four-year cycle, Richardson argued it was done so as not to “kill the golden goose”. The increasing popularity of other domestic T20 tournaments such as the IPL, Big Bash and Caribbean Premier League were also factors.”I think the World T20 is valuable and if you play it too often it will become less valuable,” Richardson said. “We also have to recognise that around the world we have these domestic Twenty20 leagues which are high profile, are very attractive to broadcasters and it’s a case of there’s premium content out there and probably less is more.”A reduced tournament cycle means Associate nations will have fewer competitive and funding opportunities in a quadrennial World T20 cycle than the biennial tournament structure that was previously in place. However, Richardson claimed Associates will be better funded in other ways to make up for the loss in playing opportunities.”When it comes to funding for Associate members, it needs to be looked at not only in respect of participation fees,” Richardson said. “The bottom line is that a country like Ireland, with the projected revenues that the ICC is hoping to achieve over the next eight-year cycle, a doubling of the participation fee will be dwarfed by the increased funding Ireland will receive as one of the top Associate members.”Richardson commended the two host countries Ireland and Scotland for the job they have been doing in hosting the World Twenty20 Qualifier over the past two weeks. When asked what it would take to assign the World Twenty20 itself to an emerging market, similar to what World Rugby has done in awarding the 2019 Rugby World Cup to Japan, Richardson said that profitability would be the most important factor both from a gate revenue and television rights standpoint.”I don’t think it’s impossible to imagine. What we have to consider when awarding events is number one, will it at least optimise the revenues. So is it in the correct time zone, will sponsors want to get involved knowing that there’s an event in these particular places in the next four or five years? So that’s a factor that needs to be taken into consideration. At the moment we are too reliant on revenues generated out of India. It’s a problem for the game. Everybody says it.”If we can open up new markets, be it the USA, Europe or whatever, then there’s no reason we can’t take major global events to those regions. The other aspect of course is facilities. Cricket is difficult. We’ve got to have great facilities. We’ve tried Malaysia before for Under-19 events and yes everyone did their best and it wasn’t too bad but it wasn’t really good enough. So when we’re deciding whether to go to Kenya or Ireland, Ireland could probably manage it. But a major global event needs 40,000 to 50,000 seat stadiums. Those factors have to be taken into account.”

Jamie Carragher believes Lionel Messi is miles ahead of long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming the Al-Nassr star is "nowhere near his level".

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Carragher hails Messi as the GOATClaims Ronaldo is "nowhere near" his levelClashes with fellow CBS Sports punditsWHAT HAPPENED?

The retired Liverpool defender-turned pundit was explosive in his backing of Messi's ability when speaking to host Kate Abdo on CBS Sports, saying there was "never a debate" between the two star forwards. The Inter Miami and Al-Nassr players have consistently been pitted against each other over their two decades at the top of the global game, but for pundits such as Carragher, Messi's superiority has never been in doubt.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT CARRAGHER SAID

"It was never a debate," said Carragher. "Ronaldo's nowhere near the level of Messi." Arguing with fellow pundit and ex-USMNT player Charlie Davis, the former Premier League defender added: "Ronaldo is one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, Messi is the greatest player of all time, it's not even close. Ronaldo scored goals, Messi scored goals and was an unbelievable player."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Messi's historic 2022 World Cup win with Argentina — and his dazzling performances throughout the tournament — were enough to push the balance toward the Barca legend for many people, as debates rage on about who has been the better player over the years. Since joining Inter Miami in July, Messi has continued fuelling that reputation, impressing so much that tickets to see him in action are now more in-demand "than any NFL game".

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WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

It's unlikely that this debate will phase Messi at all, now that he's won everything there is to win in football. Besides, he's still got plenty of games coming up for club and country, the most pressing concern right now being to ensure his country qualify for the 2026 World Cup. And despite the fact that Messi will be pushing 40 when the competition rolls around, Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has even backed his "unstoppable" captain to play at the tournament in North America.

Declan Rice has admitted that David Beckham was the inspiration behind his long-range goal that started Arsenal's comeback against Chelsea on Satuday.

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Rice scored from distanceWas inspired by Beckham documentaryGoal sparked Arsenal comebackWHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal trailed 2-0 at Stamford Bridge before Rice capitalised on a mistake from Robert Sanchez. The Blues goalkeeper's wayward pass went straight to the midfielder and he smashed it first time into the net from outside the box. A few minutes later, Leandro Trossard went on to score another for the Gunners, securing a 2-2 draw.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The England star says he had legendary midfielder Beckham's famous goal from the halfway line against Wimbledon on his mind after he saw the recent Netflix documentary on him.

WHAT THEY SAID

"Everyone’s been talking about this Beckham documentary, and I watched it for the first time last night," Rice said to club media. "The first couple of clips are the game against Wimbledon where he scored from the halfway line and I took a lot of belief from that.

"I was just thinking that it was bizarre that I watched it last night, and then obviously today taking that shot first time and scoring. It was a special goal to kickstart our comeback, you’ve got to keep shooting – if you shoot, you score!

"In a player’s mind, you get a split second to make a decision. It’s the quickest thing that you have to do; you've got to think whether you pass the ball, Leo was free in front of me, or you go for goal yourself. I’ve just watched it back, it was a great finish so I was happy with that."

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Arsenal hope to make it three games without defeat when they meet Sevilla in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Mauricio Pochettino says it's like going "home" ahead of Chelsea's Carabao Cup final with Liverpool at Wembley – where he has a special "bond".

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Chelsea take on Liverpool at WembleyCarabao Cup trophy up for grabsPochettino relishing clash at old "home"(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The Blues are preparing for a trip to Wembley on Sunday, as Pochettino eyes his first trophy as Chelsea manager. The Argentine returns to a ground he knows very well after his old side Tottenham played home matches there between 2017 and 2019, while the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was being built. Despite not having a particularly strong record at Wembley, the former Southampton boss says he cannot wait to go back.

AdvertisementWHAT MAURICIO POCHETTINO SAID

He said in his pre-match press conference on Friday: "It means a lot for us, me and my coaching staff, to have the possibility to arrive in a final and to challenge a team like Liverpool to win our first title here, 11 years after we arrived at Southampton. It’s a dream for us and we have the possibility. We have 90 minutes to achieve that and we are going to fight. I think the team is ready, we are going to be very competitive and it is an amazing chance for us.

"Wembley is like home, because we played a lot there with Tottenham. It feels like going back to your home, because after one-and-a-half years competing there we created a very good bond between Wembley, the team and everyone there. For sure it is going to be special to play there and special if we win. We are going to give our best to compete, be better than Liverpool and deserve to lift the trophy."

Getty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After spending more than £1 billion ($1.27m) on transfers since Todd Boehly's infamous takeover in 2022, the Blues have a chance to win some much-needed silverware this weekend. This could kickstart an upturn in fortunes after a torrid couple of years by their standards and, if successful, this would be Pochettino's first trophy in English football.

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WHAT NEXT?

After Chelsea's cup final clash against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, the west London outfit take on old rivals Leeds United in round five of the FA Cup next Wednesday at Stamford Bridge. They return to Premier League action away at Brentford on March 2.

Andrew White, Ireland’s most-capped player, has announced his retirement from the game

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Feb-2015Andrew White, Ireland’s most-capped player, has announced his retirement from the game. Allrounder White, 34, was a regular in the Ireland side for a decade and played in all but one of their matches at the 2007 World Cup, bowling the final over of their tied match against Zimbabwe.White, who appeared 231 times for his country, missed out on his third World Cup after picking up a finger injury. His last appearance came against Scotland in August.”It is with a heavy heart that I am retiring from representing Ireland on the international stage,” White said. “Over the last 15 years I have poured my heart and soul into Irish cricket and to play a part in undoubtedly one of the great success stories of Irish sport has been an incredible experience.”It had been my ambition to finish my international career at the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in the coming weeks, however, suffering a compound fracture of my right index finger in September meant that this was unfortunately not going to be possible.”Particularly strong in first-class cricket, where he averaged 52.80, White was a reliable presence in the middle order who could also bowl tidy offspin. He hit the winning runs when Ireland beat the touring West Indians in 2004 and the following month made 152 not out on first-class debut against Netherlands. As well as contributing to wins over Pakistan and Bangladesh at the 2007 World Cup, he was again part of the squad in 2011.White helped Ireland to four Intercontinental Cup victories, the most recent in 2013. His tally of 1552 runs in the competition puts him fourth on the leading run-scorers’ list. A schoolteacher by profession, White intends to continue playing domestically in Ireland for Instonians and Northern Knights.During White’s time, the sport has grown to the point that Ireland have a roadmap to playing Test cricket and are pushing for regular competition against Full Members. They have qualified for the last four World T20s and three consecutive World Cups.”The memories and stories are plenty,” White said, “to have come through the disappointing failure to qualify for the 2003 World Cup, the introduction of Adi Birrell as coach, changed the sport here forever.”In 2007, we finally realised every cricketer’s dream to play in a World Cup. As players, we lived the dream to the full and shared it with so many wonderful supporters, something that will live long in the memory.”Phil Simmons, Ireland’s head coach, called White a “great ambassador for Irish cricket” and paid tribute to his many years of service.”His longevity in a 15-year career is testament to both his talent and his consistency – he rarely let his team down and it’s no coincidence that he was involved in so many key moments in Ireland’s triumphs over the years,” Simmons said. “I’d like to thank him for his efforts over an illustrious career, and wish him and his family all the very best in the future.”