📸 Football’s most unlikely Father Christmases 🎅
Players in disguise, crazy fans: the most improbable Santas in football!
📸 FRANCK FIFE – AFP or licensors
📸 FRANCK FIFE
📸 ADRIAN DENNIS – AFP or licensors
📸 VALERY HACHE
📸 Michael Regan – 2025 Getty Images
📸 NICOLAS TUCAT
📸 Stu Forster – 2023 Getty Images
📸 VALERY HACHE
📸 Stu Forster – 2016 Getty Images
📸 FILIPPO MONTEFORTE
📸 Ben Radford
📸 Phil Cole – 2009 Getty Images
📸 Christof Koepsel – 2023 Getty Images
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The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations sees 24 nations vie for Afcon glory over the coming weeks, as Morocco plays host for the second time.
The 24 teams have been split into six groups of four, with the winners and runners-up progressing to the knockout phase, along with the best four third-placed nations.
The holders Ivory Coast face a testing Group F with Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique. Nigeria, the beaten finalists last time, will meet Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania in Group C.
Report: Man United are considering move to sign £80m Bundesliga forward
Manchester United Monitor Yan Diomande as Summer Plans Take Shape
Manchester United’s evolving recruitment strategy has taken another intriguing turn, with talkSPORT reporting that the club are closely monitoring RB Leipzig’s teenage sensation Yan Diomande. At just 19, the Ivory Coast born attacker represents the type of high ceiling talent United’s hierarchy have increasingly targeted in recent windows, blending long term upside with immediate impact potential.
Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis was one of the standout performers of the 2025 Super League season – but who else stood out this year? [SWPix]
With the curtain well and truly down on the 2025 Super League season, how closely were you paying attention to all the goings on this term?
Hull KR won the treble, Jake Connor earned his stripes as the Steve Prescott Man of Steel, and Super League made its debut in Las Vegas.
But these were the big moments. What is your knowledge like beyond the obvious?
Test your memory of another stellar season in the greatest game with our quiz.
Feeling all too familiar to the past, the Detroit Lions‘ 2025 season comes down to the final two games. Two months ago, I mentioned that this team was not playing to their standards, nor did they look like the same, dominant team we’ve been used to seeing. Folks will immediately point to the loss of Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson, but, personally, it goes much deeper than that.
We’ll get into all that shortly.
For now, I want to start with how this specific Lions team lost its grit and, ultimately, its way. This was a team built and defined by their resiliency and their grit.
INDIANAPOLIS — A Colts pass rush that kept posting better numbers than its play in the first half of the season has come crashing back to earth.
Indianapolis has just four sacks and 11 quarterback hits in its last four games, largely leaving an injury-depleted secondary with little help on passing downs.
🌍 AFCON: bumper Wednesday schedule, Christmas comes early
Another day of Africa Cup of Nations action this Wednesday!
[BBC]
Dundee United’s form has been very up and down this season.
Undoubtedly one of the factors behind that has been some really bad fortune with injuries, so the sight of Ryan Strain and captain Ross Graham go off injured during their 1-1 draw with Hibernian will undoubtedly have set alarm bells ringing.
Both have already had lengthy spells on the sidelines this term but the pair – who are very much viewed as key players by manager Jim Goodwin – have established themselves back in the starting line up in recent weeks.
“I’m gutted” – Alexander Isak speaks out on nightmare injury blow
Alexander Isak Sends Defiant Message After Injury Setback
Alexander Isak has moved swiftly to address Liverpool supporters after suffering an injury that will sideline him for a significant period, delivering a clear message of resilience, professionalism and intent. The forward, who has already made a tangible impact in his early months at Anfield, confirmed he is focused entirely on recovery after undergoing surgery on an ankle issue sustained in Premier League action.
[Opta]
Norwich City will aim to boost their Championship survival hopes when they welcome Charlton Athletic to Carrow Road on Friday afternoon (15:00 GMT kick-off).
The Canaries are unbeaten in their past three (W1 D2) and could move out of the relegation zone for the first time since 21 October if they win, Portsmouth lose and Oxford fail to win.
The Addicks ended a six-game winless run (D1 L5) with a 2-1 victory over Oxford last time out and are eight points clear of the bottom three.
