It is an excellent time to be an Arsenal fan at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s side still have a long way to go, but after another practically perfect weekend, they remain atop the Premier League table, now six points clear of Manchester City and seven clear of Liverpool.

Moreover, while the North Londoners could still improve in some areas, such as scoring from open play, they currently look the best they have been in a very long time.

Arsenal’s recent form

Competition

Opponent

Result

EPL

C. Palace

1-0 (W)

UCL

Atlético

4-0 (W)

EPL

Fulham

1-0 (W)

EPL

West Ham

2-0 (W)

UCL

Olympicacos

2-0 (W)

As if that isn’t enough, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to deny that more than a handful of Arteta’s players now rank among the very best in the league, including one who is becoming even more influential than Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice.

Arteta's Arsenal leaders

During the final years of Arsène Wenger’s reign, and even under Unai Emery and early in Arteta’s time at the club, it wasn’t uncommon to hear fans and pundits alike lambast Arsenal for a lack of leaders in the team.

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However, over the last few years, such accusations have become far less prevalent, so much so, in fact, that to say such a thing today would be considered by many to be patently incorrect.

Arteta has helped turn the Gunners from a soft side that opposition teams loved playing against into a monstrous side that few, if any, teams look forward to playing.

From front to back, there are now leaders and mentality monsters all over.

For example, while he had a poor season last year, Martin Odegaard has been the club captain since the summer of 2022 and has been Norway’s captain for even longer.

Often alongside him, Declan Rice was the captain of West Ham United before his move, has now captained England on occasion and is often seen as the most vocal and ‘old-school’ leader in the squad.

Even Saka, who is still just 24 years old, has become a real leader in recent years, wearing the armband in Odegaard’s absence and keeping the side’s attack competitive when his fellow forwards have underwhelmed.

With all that said, there is another star of this Arsenal team who is not just becoming one of the most influential players at the Emirates, but within the entire league.

Arsenal's most influential player

When it comes to other leaders in this Arsenal team, it is becoming increasingly difficult to overlook the utterly superb Gabriel Magalhaes.

The Brazilian international first joined the team in the summer of 2020 for a fee of around £27m, and for the first couple of years, was seen as something of a liability at times.

However, over the last few years, the former LOSC Lille gem has managed to rid his game of the silly mistakes that were holding him back and transformed into one of the very best centre-backs in the Premier League, if not the world.

That might sound somewhat hyperbolic, but the facts suggest otherwise: since the 23/24 season, the Gunners have had the best defence in the Premier League, and over those campaigns, the 27-year-old has made 36, 28, and nine appearances, respectively.

Moreover, as things stand, the North Londoners have conceded just three goals across all competitions this year, one of which was Dominik Szoboszlai’s outrageous free-kick at Anfield.

So, there is a very real chance that the Sao Paulo-born titan could play a crucial role in breaking Chelsea’s record of conceding just 15 goals in a Premier League season this year.

Finally, while the 6 foot 3 wall’s most important job is keeping other teams from scoring, he has also become a serious threat in the opposition’s box over the years, and has been a massive reason why the Gunners are now the best set-piece team in the world.

For example, since moving to the Emirates, the towering “colossus,” as dubbed by Arsenal writer Adam Keys, has scored 22 goals and provided seven assists in 223 games, and as things stand, is now the 100th top scorer in the club’s history.

Ultimately, when you take into account his incredible defending, outrageous goalscoring threat and sensational leadership qualities, it’s impossible to disagree with Jamie Carragher’s claim that he’s “the most influential player in the Premier League right now.”

Related Forget Eze: Arsenal's 8/10 star is becoming Arteta's most important player

Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League with a win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Oct 27, 2025

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Sylvinho está conseguindo mudar o rumo de sua carreira. Após deixar o Corinthians no início de 2022 sob fortes críticas da torcida, o treinador está prestes a classificar a Albânia, seleção de pouca expressão no cenário europeu, para sua segunda participação na história da Eurocopa.

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+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

O ex-jogador do Timão comandou o Alvinegro entre a metade de 2021 e o início de 2022, acumulando 16 vitórias, 14 empates e 13 derrotas. Ele classificou o Corinthians à fase de grupos da Libertadores, mas deixou o clube com 48,06% de aproveitamento.

Desde sua chegada até o momento da demissão, Sylvinho nunca foi unanimidade entre os torcedores, tendo seu trabalho questionado com frequência pela torcida. Abaixo, o Lance! lista os problemas no trabalho de Sylvinho pelo Timão.

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ELIMINAÇÃO PRECOCE

O começo de Sylvinho no Corinthians não foi animador. O treinador perdeu os dois primeiros jogos no comando da equipe, sendo eliminado pelo Atlético-GO na terceira fase da Copa do Brasil. Assim, a torcida já passou a questionar as escolhas do treinador na equipe titular.

MUDANÇAS NA EQUIPE E SISTEMA DE JOGO

Adepto de um estilo de jogo defensivo, Sylvinho focou em montar um time sólido na defesa, mas não conseguiu resolver os problemas ofensivos, deixando o ataque corintiano estagnado, especialmente após as chegadas de Giuliano, Róger Guedes, Renato Augusto e Willian.

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Sem apresentar variação tática, o treinador foi muito criticado pela mudança tática com Fagner. O lateral era uma das principais armas ofensivas do Timão, mas Sylvinho deixou o camisa 23 com mais funções defensivas, limitando a presença do lateral no ataque.

POSTURA

Um dos motivos para a reprovação por parte da torcida corintiana com Sylvinho era uma suposta demora do treinador para fazer substituições durante as partidas ou até mesmo o número de alterações, considerado baixo por muitos em algumas ocasiões. Além disso, a Fiel prefere o estilo de treinador pulsante, que vibra e joga junto com a equipe, e Sylvinho não apresentou tais características durante sua passagem pelo Timão.

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ENTREVISTAS

Atrelado aos fatores citados anteriormente, Sylvinho conviveu constantemente com vaias das arquibancadas, e as críticas eram potencializadas após as coletivas do treinador. Na maioria do tempo ele tinha avaliações positivas sobre seu trabalho e os resultados da equipe, especialmente após empates ou derrotas. Além disso, Sylvinho adotou postura combativa com a imprensa, especialmente durante a reta final de seu trabalho.

عزز فريق مانشستر سيتي تفوقه في مباراته الجارية في الوقت الحالي ضد نظيره فريق ليفربول، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، بعدما سجل الهدف الثاني.

ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة فريقي مانشستر سيتي وليفربول، في قمة منافسات الجولة الحادية عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

وتمكن مانشستر سيتي من تسجيل الهدف الثاني في شباك ليفربول، في الدقيقة الثالثة من الوقت المحتسب بدلًا من الضائع للشوط الأول.

جاء الهدف عن طريق نيكو جونزاليس، بعد تمريرة من برناردو سيلفا، حيث وصلت الكرة إلى الإسباني الذي سددها من مسافة بعيدة، سكنت شباك الضيوف.

وتشير النتيجة في الوقت الحالي إلى تقدم مانشستر سيتي بهدفين دون رد، حيث سجل النجم إيرلينج هالاند الهدف الأول.

Durham 343 for 9 (Lees 125, Robinson 79, Worrall 4-49) trail Surrey 820 for 9 dec by 477 runsA brilliant three-wicket burst with the second new ball by Dan Worrall resurrected Surrey’s victory ambitions just when it looked as if Alex Lees and Ollie Robinson’s 152-run stand had raised Durham hopes of being able to force a draw at the Kia Oval.Lees scored a superb 125 and Robinson a 105-ball 79 as Durham eventually reached 343 for 9 by stumps on day three, but earlier both fell to paceman Worrall, as did New Zealand allrounder Jimmy Neesham, in a slide from 266 for 3 to 284 for 7.When Matt Fisher removed George Drissell with the last ball before tea, Durham had lost four wickets for 29 runs in 12 overs immediately before the interval. Afterwards, though, Graham Clark and Matthew Potts added 46 for the eighth wicket in 25 overs to hold up Surrey again as the Kookaburra ball lost its shine and hardness.Potts resisted 79 balls for his 23, until Dan Lawrence spun an offbreak to pin him leg-before on the back foot, and then Worrall returned to hit Clark’s middle stump with his fifth ball back to end a defiant 30.A hobbling Ben Raine, injured when bowling on day one, bravely emerged at No. 11 to keep Daniel Hogg company until the end of play, with Hogg even taking two fours off Fisher in the closing overs.Overall, however, bat has overwhelmingly dominated ball on an essentially flat pitch in a Rothesay County Championship match on which the draw still seems the likeliest outcome despite Durham, in reply to Surrey’s mammoth 820 for 9 declared, still being 477 runs adrift going into the final day.Opener Lees showed immense stamina, as well as notable skill and determination, to frustrate Surrey’s attack for almost six hours in all. The Durham captain began day three on 33, with his side 59 for 1, and forged a fine partnership with Robinson after seeing both Will Rhodes and Colin Ackermann depart before lunch.Rhodes edged the impressive Fisher to keeper Josh Blake to go for 26 in the morning’s eighth over, and Ackermann’s 24 was ended by an excellent piece of bowling from Sam Curran. Angling one across the right-hander, left-armer Curran saw Will Jacks cling on to a sharp catch at first slip.Robinson was fortunate to nick Curran between first and second slips for four, a technical but low chance, before he had reached double-figures and, after lunch, Curran had an impassioned appeal for lbw against Lees, on 64, turned down – much to the allrounder’s dismay.Otherwise, however, the fourth-wicket pair progressed serenely and successive fours off Fisher took Lees to 80 while Robinson went to a 76-ball half-century in style by pulling Jordan Clark powerfully off the front foot for six over midwicket.The 32-year-old Lees, capped 10 times in Tests by England, went to his 31st first-class hundred in the 74th over of Durham’s innings and – having been on the field in sweltering 90-degree temperatures for almost eight sessions – he was finally forced to leave it at 3.41pm on day three.Robinson had just been bowled by a full inswinger from Worrall, and the leader of Surrey’s attack made it three strikes overall in his second, third and fourth overs with the second new ball – taken with Durham on 255 for 3 – when he quickly added the scalps of Lees and Neesham.Lees, who faced 240 balls and hit 18 fours, nibbled fatally at a fine ball that lifted and left him and Neesham’s thicker edge to a similar delivery flew to Jacks at first slip.Clark survived a big lbw appeal from Fisher on 4 and then a mishit pull at Worrall on 5 dropped inches short of Curran, diving forward from the squarer of two midwickets, but Drissell top-edged a pull at Fisher to mid-on as Durham’s sudden decline continued apace.Durham’s innings was steadied, however, by Clark and Potts who made sure of a second batting bonus point while also denying Surrey a third bowling point. As batting conditions eased at the end of another long, hot day, it was noticeable that Worrall and Fisher were given only another five overs between them just before the close.Worrall has figures of 4 for 49 from 23 overs and, if anyone is searching for even one positive from the widely-condemned decision to deploy the lower-seamed Kookaburra (widely-used in Tests overseas) in four prime mid-summer Championship fixtures, it is that the newly England-qualified Australian displayed once again the skill and know-how with it that makes him an intriguing possible selection for this winter’s Ashes series Down Under.

Shohei Ohtani never ceases to amaze.

Just one day after the Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season thanks to a three-homer, 10-RBI performance against the Miami Marlins, Ohtani was at it again against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

Facing Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland with one runner on and two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Ohtani worked the count full. Freeland then delivered a 92-mph fastball at the letters, a pitch that almost certainly would have been ball four.

But Ohtani had other ideas, as he crushed the pitch 423 feet over the center field wall for his 52nd home run of the year as the Dodger Stadium crowd let out an audible gasp.

There is perhaps only one baseball player on the planet who could have hit a pitch that high in the zone out of the park—and that's Ohtani.

Ohtani made some more history in the Dodgers' 6–4 win, as he homered and stole a base in the same game for the 14th time this season, breaking the previous mark for a single season set by then-New York Yankees outfielder Rickey Henderson in 1986.

Ohtani, the presumptive National League MVP, has posted a .297/.378/.635 slash line with 125 runs scored, 52 homers, 122 RBI and 52 stolen bases in 151 games played this season.

The 2024 MLB playoffs are rapidly approaching. An exciting season that has seen many twists and turns is sure to produce a thrilling postseason. With that in mind, what follows is a look at the postseason schedule—specifically at when the World Series begins.

When does the 2024 World Series begin?

Game 1 of the 2024 World Series is scheduled to begin on Oct. 25, with the time to be determined. Game 2 is set to take place on Oct. 26, Game 3 is set for Oct. 28 and Game 4 will happen on Oct. 29. If necessary, Game 5 is scheduled for Oct. 30, Game 6 will happen on Nov. 1 and Game 7 would take place on Nov. 2.

If the series goes to Game 6, it will mark the ninth time MLB's season has continued into November. The other years that has happened were 2001, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2022.

When do the MLB playoffs start?

The MLB playoffs are set to begin on Oct. 1. That day will see four wild card games, all taking place at the higher-seeded team's home park. All four wild card series are best-of-three and will be decided over the next three days, with three games each in that time if necessary.

The third-ranked division winner in each league will host the final wild card team from that league, and the top two wild card teams in each league will face each other with the top seed as the host.

The division series will begin on Oct. 5, with all four of those series playing on the same day.

Finally, the National League Championship Series is set to begin on Oct. 13, with the American League Championship Series following on Oct. 14.

Who won the World Series last year?

The Texas Rangers won the 2023 World Series, taking home the title with a 4-1 series win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Shortstop Corey Seager earned World Series MVP honors.

The 119th edition of the World Series marked the first championship in Rangers franchise history. Texas had reached the Series two times previously, losing to the San Francisco Giants in 2010 and the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011.

The visitors were bowled out for 110 as Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman took five wickets between them

Mohammad Isam20-Jul-2025

Bangladesh brushed aside Pakistan in a seven-wicket win in the first T20I in Dhaka. Bangladesh’s bowlers and fielders did the main damage when they bowled out Pakistan, for the first time in T20Is.Parvez Hossain Emon struck an unbeaten 56 in the chase, slamming five sixes and three fours in his 39-ball effort. It helped Bangladesh to complete the chase in 15.3 overs.Pakistan were already on the backfoot when they were put to bat. Taskin Ahmed took three wickets while the fielders effected three run-outs. Mustafizur Rahman bowled Bangladesh’s cheapest four-over spell in T20Is, conceding just six runs. It was an all-round bowling effort from the home side, though it got off to an iffy start.Bangladesh get luckyPakistan’s batting collapse actually started after a dropped catch. Taskin spilled an easy chance at short fine leg after Fakhar had top edged a slog sweep in the first over. Taskin’s guilt was short lived as he removed Saim Ayub in the next over, caught at long leg.Bangladesh’s luck got better in the third over with Mohammad Haris, who struck a century in the last encounter between the two sides, depositing Mahedi Hasan’s long-hop into Shamim Hossain’s lap at deep midwicket. On hindsight it was a careless shot, targeting the longer of the two boundaries, with two men patrolling the fence.Fakhar caught in run outsPakistan’s hard press despite the two early wickets backfired. Tanzim Hasan bowled a superb first over to Salman Agha, who finished up mistiming a scoop to wicketkeeper Litton Das. Bangladesh’s dot-ball pressure resulted in Mohammad Nawaz’s run-out in the eighth over, when Fakhar point-blank refused to take the risky single towards short midwicket. Fakhar was then run-out himself, when Khushdil Shah refused him a second run in the 12th over. Fakhar slipped in the middle of the pitch while turning, with Litton whipping off the bails.Fakhar Zaman top-scored for Pakistan with 44 off 34 balls•AFP/Getty Images

Fizz, Taskin close out inningsMustafizur removed Khushdil who had struck a six and a four in his 17 off 23 balls. He could have had a wicket the next ball but captain Litton wasn’t convinced with the lbw appeal against Faheem Ashraf. Replays showed three reds.Mustafizur remained undeterred, finishing with figures of 2 for 6 from his four overs. It is the fewest runs conceded by a Bangladeshi bowler in a completed four-over spell in a T20I.Pakistan then lost three wickets in three balls in the final over. Taskin took two while there was a third run-out as the visitors were bowled out for 110.Bangladesh shrug off early wicketsBangladesh’s 111-run chase began poorly when Tanzid Hasan fell to a catch at mid-on in the first over. It gave left-arm fast bowler Salman Mirza his first wicket on T20I debut. He added a second when Khushdil took an excellent catch slip, off Litton’s thick outside edge.Pakistan’s use of Ayub to bowl the next over was perplexing but Bangladesh didn’t mind. Parvez launched him high into the midwicket stands for the first six, followed by Towhid Hridoy slamming him over long-on for another six. In the next over, Parvez blazed Mirza back over his head with a one-handed follow-through that looked gorgeous.Parvez puts finishing touchesPakistan didn’t help themselves when they dropped Hridoy on 12 and 30. In the sixth over, Abrar Ahmed couldn’t hold on to a tough chance at deep third, running in but spilling the chance. Then it was wicketkeeper Haris who dropped Hridoy off Abrar in the ninth over.Parvez was nonchalant at the other end. He pasted Abrar and Nawaz for two more sixes in the 11th and 12th overs, before Abbas Afridi removed Hridoy for 36. Jaker Ali struck two fours in his first four balls, before Parvez laid into Ashraf. He flat-batted one over mid-off before whipping his fifth six, which took him to his fifty. Parvez finished the over with another flat-batted strike, this time over mid-on.It left Bangladesh just six runs to win in the last six overs. Haris dropped Parvez again, on 55, before Jaker struck a superb pull shot to complete the win with 27 balls to spare.

Detroit Tigers ace starting pitcher Tarik Skubal had no trouble handling the Cleveland Guardians lineup during Game 2 of the American League Division Series, as he pitched seven shutout innings and struck out eight batters to help his club earn the victory.

But Skubal did get himself into trouble with his mother.

After inducing a grounder that resulted in an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the fifth inning, Skubal yelled, "Shut the f**k up" at the Progressive Field crowd as he walked off the mound.

Skubal's mother was not a fan of the language, and she let him know it in a post on X (formerly Twitter), even resorting to using his middle name—the universal sign that a line has been crossed.

Making an appearance on on 97.1 The Ticket on Wednesday ahead of Game 3, Skubal shared that he also received an admonishing text message from his mother in addition to the scolding tweet.

"She texted me after the game, 'Love you,' whatever, but she was saying the same thing, she's like, 'You can't do that on the road,' " Skubal said. "And I'm like, 'I know, Mom, I know. I don't what got into me.'"

"That was really funny."

Skubal, the presumptive AL CY Young award winner, has been lights-out for the Tigers this season, and in the postseason, where he has yet to allow an earned run in two starts. But apparently, one is never too old—or too successful—to avoid being reprimanded by their middle name.

"Tarik Daniel is when I was in trouble growing up, so I haven't got that in a while, probably since high school is the last time I was really in trouble with my mom."

While Skubal acknowledged that the moment gave him an adrenaline boost, he also admitted that getting so fired up towards fans was probably not wise.

"I guess I wish I would have just kept it within our team and our guys and not really interact with the fans, just because it becomes a slippery slope and some bad things can happen, especially if fans are drunk, whatever, (stuff) happens," Skubal said. "I should probably just keep that within our team going forward, but it was fun. Obviously, I fed off of it."

Skubal's Tigers won Game 3 on Wednesday by a score of 3–0. Unless Cleveland forces a Game 5, Tigers fans are unlikely to see Skubal on the mound again until the American League Championship Series.

Freddie Freeman's 2024 postseason is one to remember, that's for sure. The Los Angeles Dodgers captured the World Series title on Wednesday night over the New York Yankees, and Freeman expectedly earned the MVP honor.

Freeman hit four home runs in the World Series this year—one in each of the first four games. He broke the MLB record for the most consecutive World Series home runs in history with six, ranging back to his run with the Atlanta Braves in 2021.

His home run in Game 1 happened to be a walkoff grand slam in the 10th inning, and that definitely set the tone for his performances in the rest of the World Series.

Freeman also tied for the most RBIs in a World Series with 12 this year.

It's quite the story for Freeman this postseason as he missed two of the earlier games in the postseason while he nursed an ankle sprain. It was unclear how healthy he would be for the World Series, but he proved any doubters wrong.

It all worked out for Freeman as he ends the 2024 season as a two-time World Series champion.

Former Manchester United winger Antony has become a fan favourite and key figure at Real Betis following his move away from Old Trafford, with centre-back Marc Bartra hailing him as a mixture of Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo. The €25 million signing has rediscovered his confidence and flair in La Liga, earning admiration from those who believe he is now playing the best football of his career.

• Antony enjoying life at Real Betis after Man Utd horror show

  After struggling to make an impact at Manchester United and later falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim, Antony’s future looked uncertain. The Brazilian arrived at Old Trafford as one of the club’s most expensive signings, but inconsistent performances, limited effectiveness in the Premier League’s physically demanding environment, and relentless scrutiny saw him lose confidence rapidly. The collapse of his form became symbolic of United’s broader attacking frustration, leading both the player and club to seek a solution.

  Real Betis provided that opportunity, initially taking him on loan before completing a permanent transfer worth €25 million plus add-ons in the summer window. While he had shown flashes of his old self during his loan spell, returning full-time to La Liga has been transformative. The Spanish style of play, slower tempo, more technical interplay and freedom to take risks, has proven far better suited to his strengths.

  Fans at the Benito Villamarin have embraced Antony as a talismanic winger who can decide matches with pace, trickery and sharp finishing. Inside the dressing room, he has become admired for his work ethic and mental reset, with his attacking contributions helping Manuel Pellegrini’s side push for European qualification.

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  Bartra heaps massive Neymar-Ronaldo praise on Antony

  Bartra has been among the most vocal cheerleaders for Antony’s revival, praising both his mentality and his natural Brazilian flair. The former Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund defender says La Liga is the perfect environment to showcase the winger’s talent.

  Speaking to Mundobetis, Bartra explained why the club is finally showing the Premier League what they expected to see: “It’s a style of football that suits him very well, that’s why we’re seeing the real Antony again, even improved. The first day I spoke with him, I already saw his mentality, with that quality and that Brazilian talent. I always say he’s a mix between Neymar and Cristiano. He has the same mentality as Cristiano, always striving for more and being very focused on the game.”

  Bartra’s comments reflect the belief within the squad that Antony has rediscovered both his joy and edge in attack. His teammates view him as someone who is setting the tone for the rest of the front line.

• Antony's success at Real Betis down to more freedom

  Antony’s rise at Real Betis has been driven by a dramatic improvement in confidence and decision-making compared to his time in Manchester. At United, he was criticized for being too predictable, repeatedly cutting inside onto his left foot without creating clear chances. Defenders learned how to contain him, diminishing his impact and limiting his willingness to take risks in the final third.

  At Betis, Pellegrini’s system encourages him to drive at defenders, rotate positions more fluidly and combine quickly with overlapping full-backs. The winger has shown a renewed ability to go both ways on the dribble, making him far harder to defend against. He is also creating openings with clever passes that seemed absent from his game at Old Trafford.

  He is also benefiting from being a central focus rather than merely one of many rotating forwards. Betis supporters adore his showmanship, but also value how determined he is to deliver the end product, not just tricks.

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  Could Antony have a shot at the 2026 World Cup with Brazil?

  Antony’s challenge now is consistency — maintaining this level across a full season as Betis push to remain in the European qualification race. The club views him not merely as a short-term star but as a long-term leader of the project, justified by the significant transfer fee and continued support from the board. Betis fans believe he can cement himself as a club icon if he keeps delivering decisive performances in big games.

  Meanwhile, his turnaround has not gone unnoticed beyond Spain. Some Premier League watchers wonder if Manchester United will eventually regret allowing him to depart rather than giving him more time to adapt to English football.

  If the Brazilian continues on this trajectory, a return to the Brazil national team picture could also become a realistic ambition again as the Selecao prepare for the 2026 World Cup.