At Stamford Bridge, with the captain's armband on his sleeve and Barcelona desperately trying to survive Chelsea's suffocating press, Ronald Araujo made a horrendous decision that he will see in his sleep for years to come. A mistimed step, a poorly judged lunge, and a second yellow card in a matter of minutes, and once again he left his team to chase a Champions League night with 10 men.
This season, Mike Maignan is the captain of AC Milan, but that could change next season, with Rafael Leao in line for the armband. With Maignan's situation at Milan, there is a lot of focus on the other aspects of him leaving. Who will take the goalkeeper spot, and where will he go? However, there is a pretty big detail being overlooked at this moment.
Bild put forth a surprising possibility - returnee Leroy Sané. Bild's reasoning is that Sané is the most capped national player in the current squad, minus the injured Kimmich. With regular vice-captains Kai Havertz and Antonio Rüdiger also injured long-term, the logical (?) choice for interim captain is the most experienced player on the squad. This has been an unspoken tradition in the Germany national team. Sané currently has 70 caps.
Only two footballers have had the honour of captaining England in a senior World Cup final: the late Bobby Moore and Millie Bright, who announced her international retirement on Monday. That alone ensures the 32-year-old's Lionesses career will leave an indelible mark on English football. Her entry on to the list of England greats had been guaranteed a year earlier, though, as one of the key heroines of the summer of 2022.
Liverpool's relative struggles, Mohamed Salah's form and a tough trip to Chelsea make it easy to ignore their assets and stick with red-hot Erling Haaland as captain this week. And if you haven't already, this is your sign to load up on Arsenal players as they have the best run of any team over the next six gameweeks.
Harry Maguire. I don't know why the captaincy got taken off him. Bruno Fernandes is not a leader. He's a great player but I look at Harry Maguire in the Chelsea game, he's at it and he's being physical, aggressive, he's speaking to his teammates. Fernandes has been an exceptional performer for Manchester United since joining the club. However, there is no doubt that Maguire is more of a leader in the dressing room.
Tony Popovic has called for his side to play with more confidence and belief in the second leg against New Zealand. But the Socceroos boss continues to insist that the young players need to earn their stripes rather than expect to be handed opportunities and international caps. The point of this exercise was to bring young, talented, potential players for the future and see where they fit in. We'll be happy either way.
Frank acknowledged the challenges of being new to Tottenham, especially regarding team leadership decisions and player contracts. His cautious approach reflects both confidence and uncertainty.
Shubman Gill produced an individual performance that defined and dominated the game, forcing opponents into fatigue and impacting their batting. His skill and stamina were crucial as India reduced England to 25 for three at the end of the second day, influencing the match's outcome. Gill's capacity to perform under captaincy pressure showcases his brilliance and adaptability. His 430 runs at Edgbaston is a historic feat, placing him on significant records in Test cricket, emphasizing his rising stature in the sport.
