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Good teams grind out wins when they are not at their best and that is exactly what Celtic did at Easter Road with a 2-1 win against Hibernian on Wednesday night in the Scottish Premiership.

It took two penalties, one of which came in stoppage time, to secure all three points for the Hoops as they struggled at times against Nick Montgomery's side.

The Hoops ended the match with only three shots on target for their efforts – to Hibernian's four – and two of those came from the penalties that were converted by Adam Idah.

Celtic's deadline day addition on loan from Norwich City will take the headlines with both of the goals on the night but Brendan Rodgers' true hero was Liam Scales at the heart of the defence.

Adam Idah's penalty heroics for Celtic

The Ireland international was handed a full debut by the manager and repaid the faith shown in him by burying both of his penalties with conviction, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way both times.

It took serious bottle for the 22-year-old to step up and convert as the first came after a lengthy stoppage due to a head injury sustained by Alistair Johnston and then with the game on the line in stoppage time.

However, it was not a perfect display from the young dynamo and there will be lessons to learn for him ahead of the rest of the 2023/24 campaign.

Idah missed one 'big chance' and only completed six of his 11 attempted passes throughout the match. He also lost four of his five ground duels and Rodgers may look to work with him to get more involved in matches, in possession and in battles off the ball, over the coming weeks and months.

Liam Scales' dominance at Easter Road

One player who was better than the Irish marksman was his international teammate Scales, who dominated at Easter Road and produced a complete performance.

The former Aberdeen loanee has established himself as a regular starter, with 23 league starts, and showcased his quality once again against Hibs on Wednesday night.

As you can see in the table above, Scales was a rock at the back for Celtic as he won 90% of his duels, which included all three of his battles on the deck and six of his seven aerial contests.

He dominated the opposition at almost every opportunity to prevent them from causing more issues for Joe Hart between the sticks on the night, and could do little to stop Dylan Levitt's superb strike from the edge of the box to make it 1-1 on the hour.

One crucial intervention came towards the end of the match as Hibs looked set to counter with pace down the right but Scales adjusted brilliantly to intercept and control the ball, which allowed the Hoops to build an attack of their own.

The Irish colossus was also composed in possession of the ball with a whopping 126 passes completed (88% success rate) from 157 touches of the ball.

Scales only gave the ball away 17 times from those 157 touches. Whereas, Idah lost possession nine times from his 21 touches at the top end of the pitch.

Overall, the central defender produced a complete performance with his reliability on the ball and in his exceptional defensive work, whereas his compatriot left a lot to be desired away from his crucial penalties, which is why the former Shamrock Rovers star was the best player on the park for the Hoops.

Jarrad Branthwaite's last-gasp, close-range header handed Everton a reprieve from the vertiginous problems painting their half of Merseyside a solemn shade of blue, but Tottenham Hotspur will be dismayed that they squandered the chance to clinch back-to-back victories in the Premier League.

Ange Postecoglou's summer appointment has refuelled the fire in the north London club after a tough period, anointed to spark vision and verve back into an ambitious outfit that had trundled to an eighth-placed finish in 2022/23.

In fairness, Spurs are just two points behind Aston Villa in the top four, having bolstered in January, seen key players filter back in from the medical room and put the skid before the festive period firmly behind them.

However, Postecoglou fashioned a blistering start to the season and while this highlighted the quality within the squad, it camouflaged the issues that will take more than a couple of months to do away with.

4/10 Spurs man who made fewer touches than Vicario was anonymous vs Everton

The Lilywhites suffered a setback in their bid to secure a top-four berth…

By
Robbie Walls

Feb 3, 2024

The winter additions were a step toward plastering such cracks and aggressive Radu Dragusin and versatile Timo Werner have strengthened Spurs' accord, and while the latter has slotted right into the starting line-up, he was unable to produce a convincing performance against Sean Dyche's men.

Timo Werner's game vs Everton in numbers

Spurs took the lead on two occasions at Goodison Park courtesy of Richarlison's red-hot goalscoring form – that's nine goals from eight matches in the Premier League now – but Werner was unable to complement the talisman effectively on Saturday afternoon.

Signed from RB Leipzig on a six-month loan (with a buy option inserted for around £15m), Werner, aged 27, placed assists across his first two league appearances for Tottenham but failed to impress against a Toffees backline braided with resilience and boosted by a cacophonous home support.

Against Everton, as per Sofascore, Werner completed 86 minutes of action but took just 26 touches – only three more than Dejan Kulusevski, who replaced Brennan Johnson after the hour mark – and while he completed 80% of his 20 attempted passes, making one key pass, there wasn't enough on offer to convince Postecoglou that he is deserving of a regular starting berth.

Indeed, having won just one duel and failed to even attempt a dribble or take a shot, the former Chelsea forward flattered to deceive and few would bemoan Postecoglou if he were to relegate him to the bench next time out.

Handing the German international a lowly 4/10 match rating, football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold penned his thoughts on an ineffectual effort: 'Caused Everton some problems with his runs down the left and had one effort saved before being flagged offside. He could have had more conviction in getting to a Johnson cross that was instead intercepted by Godfrey.'

While Werner struggled to perform, he wasn't the only player to miss the mark on Merseyside, with centre-midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur failing to spark any invention into the Spurs attack and consequently leaving Werner with little fuel from which to engineer openings.

Rodrigo Bentancur's performance vs Everton

Bentancur has started the past four Premier League matches for the Lilywhites after returning from injury problems that ruled him out of most of the first phase of the campaign, but it's probably fair to say he's been something of a mixed bag thus far.

Hooked shortly after 60 minutes for the industrious Oliver Skipp, Bentancur was nullified in the centre of the park and failed to make an impact, unable to place a single key pass and winning just three of his 12 contested duels.

While Gold provided Bentancur with a marginally better match score than Werner – giving him a 5/10 – he did note: 'Another very quiet display from the Uruguayan who seems to be still feeling his way back into regular Premier League football.'

It wasn't that the 27-year-old was objectively bad, he's just not maximising his myriad of midfield tools and is struggling to slot himself right back into prominent standing.

But then, of course, this will hardly fill Postecoglou with worry; the 6 foot 1 Bentancur spent the lion's share of 2023 on the sidelines and has been plunged back into the deep end over the past month and a bit.

Described as "technically immense" by broadcaster Adam Smith, Bentancur has enjoyed some moments since his comeback, scoring a well-taken goal to restore parity against Manchester United at Old Trafford several weeks ago, and kept it crisp with his passing.

Though he wasn't at the races against Everton and a case could be made that he was off the race in midweek against Brentford, substituted at half-time with the home side trailing.

There is, in what will be mellifluous words to Spurs supporters' ears, a solution, with Pape Matar Sarr replacing his South American counterpart against the Blues, having returned from the African Cup of Nations this week after Senegal's exit.

Sarr has started 16 times in the league this season, posting two goals and two assists, and is proving himself to be one of the division's hottest prospects; his return from AFCON is massive.

As per FBref, the 21-year-old ranks among the top 10% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 9% for assists, the top 18% for pass completion and the top 19% for progressive passes per 90.

Moreover, he's averaging five ball recoveries per game in the Premier League this season and will bring the energy and tenacity needed to ensure that Tottenham take control of midfield battles over the coming months.

With Yves Bissouma's Mali knocked out of AFCON on Saturday, Postecoglou will soon boast an engine room in its full force and the burden on Bentancur's shoulders will be eased somewhat, allowing him to continue to build up fitness and rekindle his best form.

Tottenham dropped points against Everton and lost their short-lived hold on the top four. Still, there is much to be confident about going forward and there is every chance that a return to the continent's pinnacle competition will be achieved in May.

England's Euro 2024 campaign has not gotten off to a start that Gareth Southgate wanted and tensions are reportedly rising.

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• England start Euros with win and a draw
• Reports suggest tensions within players' families
• Southgate criticised for selection biases

• GETTY
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  England travelled to Germany earlier this month for Euro 2024 and did so as one of the outright favourites to lift the trophy at the Olympastadion on July 14. However, despite them sitting atop their group, all has not gone to plan as they struggled to a 1-0 win over Serbia before a frustrating 1-1 draw against Denmark. Reports from the Independent suggest that there are tensions among the players' families.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report has suggested that when the players met their families in Frankfurt after the drab draw against Denmark, there was a lot of 'tension' between all that were involved but not due to the result. It is believed that a lot of players and their families are convinced Southgate has reservations towards certain senior players and will not select players in form over them.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  While the report suggests players' unhappiness towards Southgate for his biases towards senior players, that has not been the case in his squad picking for the Euros' 26-man squad. He left a number of big names back at home in favour of young talent like Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo, Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

  The Three Lions' management and the players themselves will look to put behind the murmurs surrounding the 'brokenness' of their camp as they look to take on Slovenia in their final group stage match on June 25.

After failing to reinforce the squad during the January transfer window, Newcastle United could be gearing up for a summer of big-money arrivals once again under PIF. The Magpies were fearful of breaching the Premier League's Financial Fair Play rules last month due to their reported losses of £155m, but when the summer window swings open, they may be in a position to spend again.

Newcastle transfer news

With the summer transfer window only a matter of months away, Newcastle's attention away from the action at St James' Park has turned towards reinforcements. Already, names such as Amadou Onana have been mentioned again, alongside Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly, who is set to be a free agent this summer upon the expiry of his current contract.

Meanwhile, reports suggest that the Magpies are keen to sign another top striker to compete with Alexander Isak and the injury-prone Callum Wilson, who has suffered another minor setback recently.

Given Wilson's increasing injury concerns, it's no surprise to see Newcastle linked with another forward. According to Calcio Mercato, Newcastle are in pole position to sign Albert Gudmundsson alongside fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, due to the lure of England's top flight and the duo's ability to meet higher salary demands.

"Hugely important” Newcastle hero could miss Bournemouth clash

Yet another fitness setback for Eddie Howe to contend with.

By
Henry Jackson

Feb 13, 2024

Genoa manager Alberto Gilardino refused to sell Gudmundsson in the January window, but a €35m (£30m) offer could see the forward depart in the summer, amid interest from the aforementioned English clubs and Serie A giants Juventus. After an impressive season in Italy, Gudmundsson may well have done enough to earn a big move.

"Devastating" Gudmundsson can replace Wilson

With Wilson now 31-years-old and struggling to stay fit for prolonged periods, it won't be long before Newcastle will be forced to find a replacement. And that's where Gudmundsson could come in for Eddie Howe. The Genoa forward has enjoyed an unbelievably clinical campaign in front of goal and, at 26-years-old, still has plenty of time to step things up even more, especially if he completes a move to the Premier League.

What stands out most from Gudmundsson's stats is his expected goals (xG). The Genoa man has overperformed his xG by nearly double, with nine goals from 4.6 expected, and he wasn't far off that sort of record last season either, nabbing 11 goals from 8.3 expected based on the quality of his chances. In fact, he ranks in the bottom one percent of players in Europe's big five leagues for non-penalty xG, but is in the 41st percentile for actually putting it in the net, suggesting his end product could explode in a superior team who create more chances.

The Newcastle target has also earned deserved praise from former AS Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman, who told Il Secolo XIX via Football Italia: “They used to say that if Salah was more clinical, he would be playing for Liverpool, and that is exactly what happened. All joking aside, Gudmundsson is a devastating player and also an exemplary professional."

Toni Kroos came away with a positive perspective about Germany's Euro 2024 campaign despite his playing career ending in heartbreak against Spain.

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• Kroos made Germany return for Euro 2024
• Midfielder's career ended with semi-final loss
• Veteran reflected on his experience

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kroos announced before the tournament that he would retire from the game after Euro 2024. Having already ended his club career with a La Liga and Champions League double at Real Madrid, he hoped to guide Germany to European domination on home soil after Julian Nagelsmann brought him back into the fold.

  His team's journey ended at the quarter-final stage on Saturday, though, as Germany were beaten 2-1 after extra-time against Spain. Despite the heartbreak, though, he expressed pride in the national team after their performances.

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• WHAT KROOS SAID

  He wrote in an Instagram post: "[September 29, 2023]: my phone rang. Caller: Julian Nagelsmann Request: return to national team. First thought in my mind: I'm not stupid! First thought in my heart: fuck yeah! The heart decided to know.

  "My first thought this morning 7/6/2024: I'm glad I did. Despite all the sadness and emptiness since the whistle yesterday. I've seen more and more in the team than she has shown in recent years. But I didn't expect that it is possible in such a short time to have a really realistic chance at the title and to be up to date with the best again! That’s why I’m very proud of what this team did! And that can be all of Germany again. A special thanks to you out there who made this home [European Championship] a special one. We have seen you, experienced and felt you! On a personal level, I would like to thank you for a really very special warmth and affection over the last weeks. This was very special. And finally a request: Now that Germany has won back its beloved child: don't let it go! The path of this team continues. And it helps brutally if you stand by her even in bad phases! Because one thing I can assure you: this is a group of great people who do everything they can to succeed!"

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Early in the match against Spain, Kroos' heavy challenge injured Spain and Barcelona midfielder Pedri, who had to be substituted after eight minutes and has since been ruled out of the rest of the tournament.

  Kroos ended his message with an apology to the 21-year-old, saying: "I would also like to say something very important: I apologise and get well soon to Pedri! Obviously it wasn't my intention to hurt you. I hope you get better quickly and all the best. You're a great player."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Germany will regroup after their defeat against La Roja as they look to improve for the 2026 World Cup. They will head into that tournament without Kroos as the 34-year-old enters life after football following his retirement.

Now top of the Scottish Premiership and on course to complete a remarkable title comeback over Old Firm rivals Celtic, Rangers could enter their first summer transfer window under Philippe Clement in the best position possible. But that isn't going to stand in the way of one young gem departing, according to reports.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers used the January transfer window perfectly to their advantage, welcoming Fabio Silva, Oscar Cortes and Mohamed Diomande, who recently scored an excellent first goal for the club, all on loan.

The trio of arrivals have helped Clement's side finally leapfrog Celtic to top Scotland's first division, but it looks increasingly likely that departures will be first to steal the headlines when the summer transfer swings open rather than initial incomings. The likes of Borna Barisic and Kemar Roofe are set to leave as free agents upon the expiry of their contracts, whilst young gem Alexander Smith could also be set to leave.

Rangers released gem in 2018 who is now worth more than Ben Davies

Rangers let a former defender go seven years ago but now his valuation is more than Davies’

By
Ross Kilvington

Feb 22, 2024

According to The Sun, Arsenal are ready to make an offer for Smith, who is reportedly on the brink of joining the Gunners. The Premier League giants are ready to offer a six-figure compensation package for the 15-year-old, having tracked the midfielder for some time. This will come as a frustrating blow for Clement and Rangers, whose focus will be on ensuring their place at the top of Scottish football for years to come, using players of Smith's calibre.

Swapping Ibrox for The Emirates, Smith will now look to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Bukayo Saka by rising to stardom in North London. Rangers, by contrast, will have to turn their attention towards finding young players of a similar ability.

Smith can follow Saka path

Whilst potentially losing Smith will come as a blow for Rangers, a club of Arsenal's calibre is a difficult prospect to turn down, especially given the route into the first team that Mikel Arteta offers. The Spaniard's best examples of that are Emile Smith Rowe and Saka, of course, who have both more than played their part in returning the Gunners to Europe's top table.

But it is also worth noting Ethan Nwaneri, who has made appearances for Arsenal at just 16-years-old. Smith, one year off that, will be hoping to do the same.

Rangers, meanwhile, will be forced to watch on as their midfielder potentially realises his potential elsewhere. Between now and the end of the season, it will be interesting to see whether we get any glimpses of the youngster's quality through an Ibrox debut or if he remains in the academy sides. With the Premier League and Arsenal seemingly beckoning, whether it comes this season or in the next couple of years, Smith's opportunity is certainly one to keep an eye on.

The Killers stopped their O2 gig to watch England beat the Netherlands at Euro 2024 before plunging straight into Mr Brightside.

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• The Killers in action at the O2
• England taking on Netherlands at the same time
• Bang stop gig to watch dramatic ending

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As part of their “Rebel Diamonds” tour, celebrating 20 years of hits, Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Ronnie Vannucci Jr., and Mark Stoermer were in the British capital. But in a stunning gesture for their UK fans, The Killers decided to pause their show and broadcast the closing moments of the game live on the arena’s screens. As England secured their victory, the atmosphere inside The O2 erupted with confetti filling the air, and 20,000 fans cheering in unison. The jubilant celebration peaked when red and white streamers were launched from the stage, marking a perfect blend of sport and music.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Following the final whistle, The Killers wasted no time in transitioning from football fever to their musical extravaganza. They launched into their signature song, "Mr. Brightside," a track that has become an anthem for many. Released in 2003, "Mr. Brightside" reached number 10 in both the United States and the United Kingdom and remains the band’s most successful single. The song recently achieved Diamond status in the United States, signifying over 10 million sales.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  England's semi-final success was cheered on by a host of celebrities and WAGs, including superstar singers Adele and Ed Sheeran, who were present in the stands to support Gareth Southgate’s squad.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has opened up on key talks with INEOS over the summer and how he kept his job at Old Trafford.

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• Ten Hag staying on as United boss
• Held "confrontational talks" with club over summer
• Discussions held on several topics

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Man Utd looked set to part ways with Ten Hag after the club endured their worst-ever Premier League finish last season. However, the Dutchman went on to guide the Red Devils to FA Cup glory by beating Manchester City at Wembley which helped save his job. United did speak to a number of other candidates, including Thomas Tuchel, but ultimately decided that Ten Hag was the best man for the job.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ten Hag has revealed that United's decision to stick with him followed intense discussions in Ibiza where a number of issues were raised. The Dutchman also claimed he was not too worried about losing his job but was willing to walk away if agreements on how to work together going forwards could not be found.

• WHAT TEN HAG SAID

  Ten Hag told : "It's not like I panicked. Why? It's a decision that wasn't in my hands. I just waited for it. At that moment you just think in two scenarios: whether we continue, or not. It's that simple and I'm level-headed enough to look at it that way.

  "They didn't say 'we still want to go on', but: 'we want to go on.' The argument they gave was in a short summary: we looked at everything and put it next to each other, but we think we already have the best manager in house. Then I said: 'then we have to discuss a number of things, about how we interact with each other and work together.' We had a good, honest, but also confrontational conversation about that. As it should be at the top. I also said to them then: 'if you think this is not the way, then we just have to break up."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD

  United have gone on to back Ten Hag by splashing out on Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee. The club are also hoping to add Manuel Ugarte from PSG to the ranks as part of a much-needed summer overhaul. Ratcliffe and Co. will now be hoping the summer signings can help United build on their FA Cup win and that Ten Hag can turn the Red Devils into title challengers once again.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is now set to be without a member of his squad for the rest of this season after a "devastating" recent injury.

Spurs battling Aston Villa for Champions League place

Spurs are currently tussling with Unai Emery's Aston Villa for fourth and a spot in next season's Champions League group stage pot.

Club preparing to lose £100m star as Tottenham push for his signing

Spurs are allegedly making a “concerted” effort to bring him in.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 7, 2024

The importance of European football for Tottenham cannot be underestimated, not just from a playing perspective. The riches that come with it could significantly help to bolster Postecoglou's ranks in the transfer market as well, whilst helping the north Londoners to remain in the boundaries of FFP.

Postecoglou has proved a popular figure at Spurs since his arrival from Celtic last summer, having re-introduced a brand of entertaining, fan-engaging football, but the Australian's overall mark will be strongly determined by their finish to the campaign.

The Lilywhites have done well coping with absences to key players at points this term. Both Micky van de Ven and James Maddison suffered long-term injuries which kept them out for large parts of the mid-season, while Cristian Romero has been unavailable multiple times over 23/24.

Postecoglou was also without Son Heung-min, Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr during their brief trips to AFCON and the Asia Cup, with summer signing Manor Solomon unable to contribute effectively due to his large spells on the treatment table.

In fact, since the start of this season, Van de Ven, Maddison, Solomon, Ivan Perisic, Romero, Richarlison, Brennan Johnson, Giovani Lo Celso, Ashley Phillips, Ryan Sessegnon and Rodrigo Bentancur have all spent a month or more on the sidelines (Dan Kilpatrick).

If Spurs are to beat Villa to fourth, they'll need a near-fully fit squad, but one player who's set to miss the rest of the run-in is the ever-unlucky Sessegnon.

The Englishman has been unable to prove his worth under Postecoglou, recently undergoing slow rehabilitation and getting time on the grass after a hamstring injury. However, in a cruel twist of fate, Sessegnon injured his other hamstring in a Spurs Under-21s match last month.

“33 minutes was when he went down. You looked at him and he stayed down with his hands on his head, he was absolutely gutted," said football.london journalist Alasdair Gold after the news.

"The physios worked on him for five minutes, and he couldn’t even put much weight on it. It was just rubbish. From what I understand it is a hamstring problem, but this time it’s on the other side."

Ryan Sessegnon set to miss rest of the season at Tottenham

Sharing an update, Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey report that Sessegnon is out of action for the rest of the season after his "devastating" new Tottenham injury.

The defender underwent surgery late last month and is now ruled out for the remainder of the campaign, in what can only be described as an extremely unfortunate situation and one of real frustration for Sessegnon. It remains to be seen if the 23-year-old features in Postecoglou's long-term plans.

Lionel Messi scored one goal at the 2024 Copa America, suffering an injury in the final, but has still been named in the Team of the Tournament.

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• All-time great found the target just once in semis
• Forced out of the final after rolling his ankle
• Canada, Uruguay, Ecuador & Brazil represented

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner may not have been at his inspirational best – as he was at the 2022 World Cup – but still skippered his country to a second successive continental crown. Messi went goalless through the group stage, with his solitary strike coming in a semi-final win over Canada.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He exited the battle for ultimate glory in tears, after rolling his ankle, but hobbled his way to pick up trophy No.45 of his record-breaking career after seeing Argentina overcome Colombia 1-0 in extra-time. Messi has been included in the Copa Team of the Tournament attack alongside countryman Lautaro Martinez and Brazilian winger Raphinha.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Rodrigo de Paul and Cristian Romero also make the cut for Argentina, along with enigmatic goalkeeper Emi Martinez. He enhanced his reputation as a penalty-saving king when helping the Albiceleste to prevail in an epic quarter-final clash with Ecuador that went to a shootout and saw Messi clip a Panenka effort onto the crossbar.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  James Rodriguez starred for Colombia, and gets the nod, while Manchester United-linked midfielder Manuel Ugarte is the sole representative for Uruguay. Canada impressed many by reaching the semi-finals, and Alistair Johnston is selected at right-back. Davinson Sanchez and Piero Hincapie of Colombia and Ecuador respectively complete the defensive unit.