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After being shown a picture of the playing surface that England will have to deal with for Saturday’s warm-up match against New Zealand, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel said he was a “little bit worried and concerned”.

England have been taking part in a training camp in West Palm Beach, Florida, and will now contest two friendlies as they continue their preparation for the tournament.

Saturday’s friendly is the first of two warm-up games for the Three Lions, with a friendly against Costa Rica coming up on Wednesday before their World Cup games begin when they take on Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday 17 June.

Why is the pitch concerning?

With under two weeks to go before their World Cup campaign begins concerns are understandable, with images of the stadium showing a pitch which the Daily Mail reported to be a “plug and play” surface.

The Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, is a multi-use venue which is the home of National Football League side the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It has hosted a Post Malone concert in recent weeks and they held an outdoor ice hockey fixture there earlier this year.

TAMPA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 25: A general overall aerial view of Raymond James Stadium August 25, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
The Raymond James Stadium is not usually set up for football (Photo: Getty)

The ground is known for having its pitch relaid more than any other NFL stadium.

The venue normally features an artificial turf, but has had to be relaid to host Saturday’s match. It will also host a friendly between Leeds and Wrexham this summer.

Before the England game, a grass field has been laid, with images showing a pitch which looks patch at best and does not appear to have entirely joined up.

What has been said about the surface?

England manager Tuchel said he was slightly worried, but has been told that the surface should be okay.

“What I have heard until now is that it should be OK and we want it, of course, to be OK,” Tuchel said in his pre-match press conference.

“I saw just a photo from your colleague that made me a little bit worried and concerned, but let’s decide when we are there. If there are any issues, we can always react to it.”

New Zealand have been training at the Raymond James, with their manager Darren Bazeley saying before the match that he believes the surface will be suitable “once it gets a bit of water on it”.

“I’ll be honest, when you see it, you think, ‘That’s going to come up’, but it trained well,” Bazeley said during his press conference.

“It was fine, the ball rolled well, and I think it will be fine once it gets a bit of water on it. It was fine.”

How could it affect the game? 

Tuchel has said that the playing surface “will not affect my team selection” – but he plans to feature every player on Saturday evening.

The England manager said every player in the squad will feature for 45 minutes, with the line-up changing at half-time.

Tuchel added that “we have a greenkeeper who takes care of the pitch and I hope it will be alright”.

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Grass pitches replacing artificial surfaces was common at the 2025 Club World Cup, which led to complaints about the way the ball moved.

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique said at the time that Fifa, football’s global governing body, needed to take the issue seriously and that he could not imagine an “NBA game played on a court full of holes”.

At the Club World Cup, England midfielder Jude Bellingham said the pitches were “not great”, with the ball holding up on some and barely bouncing and were “tough on the knees”.

Could there be similar issues throughout the World Cup?

There are a number of stadiums being used at the World Cup which lack facilities designed for football, so there will be other temporary pitches used throughout the tournament.

While the Raymond James is not hosting World Cup matches, eight of the 16 host cities will use venues with temporary pitches.

Stadiums in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New Jersey, Seattle and Vancouver usually use artificial turf and will instead have to use grass for the World Cup to meet Fifa requirements.

Following poor surfaces at the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States, Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal manager who is now Fifa’s global football development chief, said the issues would be “rectified” for the World Cup.



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Welcome to a day in the life of your average football fan at the most extortionate World Cup in history.

Step one – you get up

You wake up in your fairly average but very expensive hotel room. You’re staying close to the city centre because you want to be around other supporters from your country. You have been reading news stories about hotel companies who are “disappointed” about the number of empty rooms and they did make you laugh. Weren’t so disappointed when they whacked the prices up in the days after the World Cup draw, were they? Karma is a bitch.

Step two – you check your flights

The cost of your international flights also went up, because the choice was either to fly earlier and cheaper and pay more for the accommodation or fly out two days before the first group game and pay more for the air travel. You’re going to all three group games, so you have spent plenty on domestic flights too because this tournament is massive.

Step three – you go to the ground

You eat breakfast and think about how to get to the match. Your train option costs £73, many times more than the regular price, but hey at least it’s down from their original £112. The other options are Uber or taxis, which are also subject to a vast surcharge and you have heard horror stories about people being stranded after the match.

Step four – you remember why you left the car at home

You also considered hiring a car, but then saw the prices for inner-city hotel parking and the cost of parking at the stadium (reportedly up to £168), which obviously isn’t included in the price of the match ticket. In Germany two years ago and Qatar at the last World Cup, you remember that all public transport was free in host cities on matchdays for ticket holders. But there is money to be made out of you; best to nip that in the bud.

Step five – you take out your match tickets

Speaking of ticket holders, that was a fun game. You applied in the official ballot for tickets at the second cheapest price bracket and missed out because everybody went for those. In the end you paid a fairly exorbitant price for you and your child on the official secondary market because dynamic pricing is fine now apparently.

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 05: Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump as he receives the FIFA Peace Prize during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 05, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Hector Vivas - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Fifa are being investigated over ticket sales (Photo: Getty)

Fifa also took a 15 per cent commission on that resale, to avoid ticket dealers spamming the site apparently. That provokes thoughts that you aren’t allowed to write in your newspaper column. You also note that there are no discounts for children or the elderly, so your eight-year-old kid pays the same as you. Just another jump beyond the pale.

You bought the tickets early because Fifa promised that the matches would all be sold out: “Every match is already sold out. We keep some tickets back for some last-minute sales, of course, but every match is sold out” – Gianni Infantino, February 2026.

So it has been interesting to follow secondary ticketing sites and Fifa’s own official site over the previous few days and see a lot of tickets remaining. Also, you note that there have been at least three “last-minute” windows and “last chances to buy”. You read a story last week about the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey launching an official investigation into Fifa’s ticket practices. One to keep an eye on, you think.

Step six: your water is taken away

Still, you’re excited: this is the World Cup. You get to the stadium, where you are surrounded by hot concrete and are sweaty from the journey. No problem though, because you have planned ahead and have hard reusable water bottles for you and your child. You know that Fifa are committed to climate change, so you presume that there will be water fountains inside where fans can refill and ease the impact of extreme heat.

At the entrance, the water bottles are taken off you because you would definitely have thrown them on to the pitch. This way you can pay for water inside, presumably at ultra-cheap prices because you are definitely not a captive audience. And presumably they won’t take the lid off them so you can’t keep the bottles cooler out of the sun in your bag.

Step seven – you get some snacks

At half-time, your child asks if they can have a burger and fries and you have a beer. In Levi’s Stadium, you know that the typical cost for this is £26, although you are aware that this could be higher during a World Cup.

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Step eight – you visit the shop

You have already checked out Fifa’s online merchandise store and so know what will be on display as you walk out of the stadium after the match. A keychain and water bottle costs £45, but at least you won’t pay for delivery this way.

You have just had a normal day as a supporter at the 2026 World Cup. You are cynical and you are right to be.

There is a morality tale here, about taking the World Cup away from actual supporters and placing it only in the hands of high-end visitors. They promise that they will use your money to grow the game – but then what’s the point if the people it’s supposed to belong to don’t get to see it live?



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Newcastle United’s move for France under-21 goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen is both a statement of intent and a mission statement.

If you wanted an insight into how things will be different this summer, spending upwards of £15m – the final fee is yet to be agreed, despite positive talks on Friday – on a young goalkeeper with no experience above Ligue 2 is it.

Club insiders have long argued that financial restrictions mean Newcastle cannot afford to shop solely for players regarded as the “finished article” but recruitment has not always reflected that. Now it appears they are about to practice what they preach.

In Jaouen Newcastle would certainly be buying potential – and it is just one piece of a larger goalkeeper jigsaw at St James’ Park. Last season’s number one Nick Pope is available for transfer and has attracted interest from Ipswich. If he goes Newcastle are almost certain to move to bring in another goalkeeper.

The i Paper understands that Newcastle are yet to hold detailed discussions with Odysseas Vlachodimos, who excelled on loan at Sevilla, but the intention is to sell him this summer.

The Greece international has a long-term deal at St James’ Park but he wants to play regularly and Newcastle hope to capitalise on his fine loan spell. He has interest from Spain and Germany, although Sevilla are unlikely to be able to afford to bring him back.

Before that they have to finalise the move for Jaouen and there’s optimism on that front. The player is keen and while Newcastle sources played down talk that an agreement had been brokered on Friday, he could be on Tyneside early next week for a medical.

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - MAY 10: Newcastle United Goalkeeper Nick Pope (1) arrives for the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United at City Ground on May 10, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Newcastle United/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Pope’s future is uncertain (Photo: Getty)

Newcastle want to broker quick business this summer after the sale of Anthony Gordon unlocked their ability to spend. They want to add a left-sided forward, right-back and a “No 6” to give them more versatility in how they play under Eddie Howe next season.

But shaking up a goalkeeping department that had gone stale was always a key priority. Jaouen, who is 6ft 6ins and plays out well from the back, scored well on a number of metrics and has also passed the ‘sniff test’ when their scouts have watched him. They believe he has an incredibly high ceiling.

What are Newcastle getting from Jaouen?

Few know Jaouen as well as former Newcastle forward Demba Ba, the sporting director and part owner of Dunkerque, where the goalkeeper spent a fascinating season on loan in the 2024-5 season.

Ba tells The i Paper that he’s “excited” by the signing and recalls how Jaouen “became a different beast” during his spell at Dunkerque. He speaks of a “quiet, humble, hard-working and dedicated” person who impressed behind the scenes.

“We are a club that develops players – he came to us with just seven senior games but we decided to make him our No 1 goalkeeper,” Ba says.

“Unfortunately his first two games were not great, he had made a couple of mistakes which cost us some points but we’d decided to go with a goalkeeper who was 18 so we had to be prepared for him to make some mistakes.

“After a couple of games he got booed by the fans and our coach eventually decided to take him out of the side to protect him. We had another goalkeeper [Adrian Ortola] who was a little bit more experienced so the coach changed it.

“The kid took it very well, we talked to him and he was like ‘I made mistakes, I need to get better’. Because he’s a very quiet guy you don’t know if he was hearing it the right way or how it felt about it so I paid a lot of attention to him and his confidence.

“I think that was the best thing for him and his career. Why? Because right after this he became the second goalkeeper for a few games, he accepted it, he stepped aside and he grew so much.

“He was looking at the first choice goalkeeper at the time – Ortola – and from my point of view he’s the best goalkeeper in France, first or second division, to build from the back. He learned a hell of a lot from him when it came to playing from back and short passes.

“He looked at the other goalkeeper and instead of being mad because he took his spot he took a step back, looked at how the goalkeeper was doing and well and learned.

“Two months from the end of the season the number one got injured so Jaouen came back in and was a different beast.”

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The high spot of his time on the north coast? Stepping up to take a winning penalty against Lille during Dunkerque’s impressive French Cup run.

“The personality he showed in that moment I was amazed. It sums up a bit who he is – a guy who works hard and takes responsibility.”

What else will Newcastle do this summer?

The Magpies are aiming to do quick business and are – in the words of one insider – “spinning plenty of plates”.

Victor Munoz of Osasuna is a target to replace Gordon but Nigerian teenager Zadok Yohanna, of AIK, looks set to join Chelsea.

Newcastle had held talks with the Swedish club but sources stressed no bid had been lodged for the winger.



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My Sporting Life is The i Paper’s look behind the curtain at what drives sports stars to greatness. For the latest in the series, we sat down for a fascinating and insightful chat with John Barnes, widely regarded as one of England’s greatest players of all time. The Jamaican-born dribbler reflects on his journey to the top, including the highs and lows of his career, and the memories that will stay with him for life.

I look at my whole career as the highlight

I don’t look for individual moments, I look at my career as a whole, the good and the bad. But if I had to choose one particular highlight, it’s obviously the first league title I won with Liverpool. That for me is the most important thing, not winning the Champions League or FA Cup.

The way I was brought up, it was always about the team, not the individual. My dad was a colonel in the Jamaican army. He talked about discipline, determination, effort, commitment, understanding what it means to be a part of a team.

1989: John Barnes of Liverpool in action during the Canon League Division One match against Coventry City played at Anfield in Liverpool, England. The match ended in a 0-0 draw. \ Mandatory Credit: Simon Bruty/Allsport
Barnes made over 400 appearances for Liverpool during his 10-year stint at Anfield (Photo: Getty)

So I never got carried away when the praise was coming my way from the fans or from the media.

Graham Taylor kept my feet on the ground

Playing for England at 18, 19, everything had been going so well. But he said it meant nothing. When all of a sudden you think you’ve made it, it can come back and bite you.

The Watford players came from the Fourth Division. They were in their 30s. So when I got into the first team at 17, 18, and we were in the First Division, I could’ve easily thought, “well, I’m in the First Division, you’ve come from the Fourth Division, I’m better than you.”

But of course they were all my mentors and I was subservient to them. I understood they’d been there, seen it, done it. So they were more important than me.

I ruptured my Achilles tendon when I was 29

I should have been in the prime of my career, but they thought I wouldn’t play again, that’s how bad the injury was. It nearly finished my career. I got the injury playing for England against Finland, just before Euro 92, so I didn’t go.

As an 18 year old, I was always flying up and down the wing. That’s why I had to change the way I played. But I still managed to play for England and Liverpool for another five years after that.

The fans didn’t appreciate me as much, as I wasn’t the dynamic player I was in the past, because I couldn’t sprint anymore. I suppose under different circumstances I might have gotten depressed. But I understood my value to the team.

I almost joined Real Madrid

John Toshack wanted me to ask for a transfer from Liverpool, which would have been nice. I said I’m not asking for a transfer. If you come in and make a bid and Liverpool accept it, then we’ll talk.

Italy was another possibility. Everybody wanted to go to Italy in the 80s. Platini, Maradona, they were all playing there. The problem I had was that the Italian teams were only allowed two foreign players, so one of them would have had to leave for me to join. I nearly followed Luther Blissett to AC Milan.

Going abroad is something I would have liked to have done, but once I ruptured my Achilles, that was never going to happen. So yeah, it didn’t materialise. I’m a big believer in fate, so it wasn’t meant to be, but had I been given an opportunity at that particular time, I definitely would have done it.

Peter Beardsley was my favourite roommate

LIVERPOOL, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 01: Liverpool players John Barnes (l) and Peter Beardsley celebrate in the dressing room with the First Division Trophy after winning the 1989/90 First Division Championship after a 1-0 victory against Derby County at Anfield on May 1, 1990 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Dan Smith/Allsport/Getty Images)
Barnes, pictured with Peter Beardsley, joined Liverpool from Watford for £900,000 in 1987 (Photo: Getty)

Peter didn’t drink so, of course, when we went out, and we needed someone to drive, he would drive.

We came to Liverpool at the same time, and there was a lot of pressure on us, particularly with the money involved. We played for England together as well. So we got on really well.

I roomed with Paul Merson once for England and never again, because it was the old Paul Merson. He was always up drinking and carrying on. So I had to go to Bobby Robson and tell him to put him with someone else.

My uncle used to manage Marvin Gaye

When we first came to England, we lived in Highgate. And when I was 14 years old, my uncle brought Marvin Gaye to the house, and we played football in the garden. At the time we didn’t think anything of it, because in Jamaica we don’t see people as celebrities.

I never really looked at him as a celebrity. Bob Marley used to be on the television and radio shows with my mother. She was a television and radio presenter.

Of course, I met Nelson Mandela. Usain Bolt used to come and play football when I coached the Jamaica national team. But in terms of celebrity encounters, it doesn’t get much bigger than playing football with Marvin Gaye in the garden as a 14-year-old.

John Barnes has teamed up with Greene King to release a new rap celebrating the unbeatable buzz of watching football together in the pub, ahead of the world’s biggest tournament to date. To get fans back together in the pub for kick-off, Greene King is giving every pre-booked guest a free drink for the Mexico vs South Africa opener on 11 June at selected pubs nationwide. For more information visit https://www.greeneking.co.uk/live-sport/football/world-cup



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Andoni Iraola’s appointment as Liverpool boss has opened the door for the Reds to make a move for Bournemouth’s Brazil international Rayan – but not until January at the earliest.

The i Paper understands that Iraola is a “huge fan” of Rayan, who made a stunning start to his Premier League career with five goals in his first 15 matches. With Liverpool looking to shake up their attacking options in the wake of Mo Salah’s departure he was already on the club’s radar before the decision to appoint Iraola. That is likely to be firmed up now he is in charge.

The key positions Liverpool are targeting

Liverpool are in talks with RB Leipzig over their coveted forward Yan Diomande but the 19-year-old is valued at around £120m by the Bundesliga club. The Ivory Coast international is understood to be keen on the move – and the prospect of becoming Salah’s heir – but there would need to be movement on the price before the transfer can move forward.

FREIBURG IM BREISGAU, GERMANY - MAY 16: Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig runs with the ball during the Bundesliga match between SC Freiburg and RB Leipzig at Europa-Park Stadion on May 16, 2026 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. (Photo by Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Diomande is a long-term target (Photo: Getty)

The general feeling among recruitment executives is that this summer’s market will not reach the heights of last year, when Liverpool’s huge recruitment drive was reflective of unprecedented demand for forwards. The Reds want to add players and are also in the market for a right-back and midfielder.

Iraola has been appointed as head coach rather than manager of Liverpool and the title is probably a fair reflection of someone who, during his time at Bournemouth, was happy to work collaboratively on recruitment.

‘He’ll get the best out of what he has’

Liverpool’s transfer plans for this summer are already in motion and Iraola’s appointment will not require a drastic change of direction.

“Andoni is someone who is not obsessed with transfers or always asking for this or that – he’s a manager who likes to coach and get the best out of what he has,” one source who has worked with him told The i Paper.

The i Paper understands that Bournemouth are fairly relaxed at the prospect of Iraola encouraging a raid of his former club.

Iraola was one of the driving forces behind moves to bring Rayan and Adrien Truffert to his former club, but Liverpool already have Milos Kerkez and the Brazil forward is happy to stay at Bournemouth this summer.

He has a release clause that activates in January but it is a whopping £130m before it lowers in value in each subsequent transfer window. There’s an expectation that he will stay.

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As previously reported by The i Paper there is also an expectation that Eli Junior Kroupi will stay on the South Coast this summer. Bournemouth do acknowledge that the player – who is also a target for Arsenal and Manchester City – is a “special case”.

He has no release clause and his price tag would be “well in excess” of £100m if anyone were ready to test the market. His future may depend on whether Kroupi or his representatives push to move – something that they haven’t done yet – and then it would be up to his suitors to meet Bournemouth’s huge asking price.

But at this stage the Cherries are not expecting a flood of departures, with Alex Scott and Tyler Adams also expected to stay at a club that has the luxury of European football next term.



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There will be no shortage of kits on show at the World Cup this summer with 48 nations competing in North America.

That makes for 48 home kits, 48 away, and don’t get forget those teams with a third kit as well. Not to mention the goalkeeper jerseys.

But which nation has the best kit at the World Cup? Let’s take a look at the top 13. And no, I haven’t been paid by adidas to make this list – they’ve just played an absolute blinder…

13. Mexico home

In at 13 are co-hosts Mexico, who should open the World Cup with this belter of a home kit when taking on South Africa on 11 June.

PUEBLA, MEXICO - MAY 22: Fans of Mexico pose outside the stadium prior to the international friendly match between Mexico and Ghana at Estadio Cuauht??moc on May 22, 2026 in Puebla, Mexico. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)
The Mexico home kit is in at 13 (Photo: Getty)

12. South Africa away

Speaking of Bafana Bafana, this is a beauty of a kit and the start of where you realise I have a soft spot for the adidas Trefoil.

South Africa's forward #10 Relebohile Mofokeng runs with the ball during the friendly international football match between South Africa and Panama at the Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town on March 31, 2026. (Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA / AFP via Getty Images)
South Africa’s away kit is a beauty (Photo: Getty)

11. England away

It is a safe choice from England but the red is deeper than normal, and when combined with the central badge and Nike logo it makes for a clean look. It is difficult to make out but the subtle pattern makes the whole shirt a play on the Three Lions badge.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 27: Marcus Rashford of England during the international friendly match between England and Uruguay at Wembley Stadium on March 27, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
England in red, just like that year they won the thing (Photo: Getty)

10. Brazil home

Why sure it’s basically the England home kit but yellow and green instead, but that’s what makes it better, and there are few more iconic sights at the World Cup than Brazil in their home kit playing some ludicrous football that only sometimes pays off.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 31: Endrick of Brazil looks on during the international friendly match between Brazil and Croatia at Camping World Stadium on March 31, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
The yellow of Brazil is about as iconic as it gets (Photo: Getty)

9. France home 

The white collar and two-tone blue will look great when France maybe/probably lift the World Cup trophy on 19 July.

LANDOVER, MD - MARCH 29: France forward Kylian Mbappe (10) smiles after a shot on goal late in the game during the France versus Colombia Road to '26 international soccer friendly on March 29, 2026 at Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The winning kit in a different sense (Photo: Getty)

8. South Korea away

Some may argue this should be higher. It’s bold, it’s violet, and in classic kit jargon speak the floral pattern evokes South Korea’s ability to combine beauty with aggression. Apparently.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA - MARCH 31: Heung-Min Son of Korea Republic looks on during an international friendly match between Austria and South Korea on March 31, 2026 in Vienna, Austria. (Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images)
It’s a strong look from South Korea (Photo: Getty)

7. Scotland away

Oh she is a belter, different from the rest. Not my words, but Gerry Cinnamon’s.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 28: John McGinn of Scotland during an international friendly match between Scotland and Japan at Hampden Park on March 28, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
It’s a win with John McGinn (Photo: Getty)

6. USA home

Fair play. It is easy to trash talk the co-hosts but the home kit is nothing but net. A slam dunk from Nike. A home run. A touchdown. A, er, great football goal.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 28: Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States runs with the ball during the first half of the international friendly between the United States and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
O say can you see… a very good kit (Photo: Getty)

5. Spain away

We are now getting into very, very good territory. The trim is glorious and the floral off-white look has meant I’ve bumped this up each time I’ve looked at it. Sorry to Scotland and USA.

Barcelona, Spain - March 31: Lamine Yamal of Spain during an international friendly match between Spain and Egypt at RCDE Stadium on March 31, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Xavi Bonilla/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
Spain away gets better with every glance (Photo: Getty)

4. Norway home

The kit is the flag. And it is brilliant. That is all. Next.

OSLO, NORWAY - MARCH 31: Erling Haaland of Norway in action during the international friendly match between Norway and Switzerland at Ullevaal Stadion on March 31, 2026 in Oslo, Norway. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Erling Haaland in the home Norway kit (Photo: Getty)

3. Germany home

The best-placed home kit in this list has to go to Germany. It is a nod to past kits but expertly executed. That’s how to use your flag colours to perfection.

Athens, Greece - March 31: Arijon Ibrahimovic of Germany looks dejected during the UEFA U21 EURO 2027 Qualifier match between Greece and Germany at Apostolos-Nikolaidis-Stadium on March 31, 2026 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
U21 star Arijon Ibrahimovic sports the Germany home kit (Photo: Getty)

2. Japan away

It’s just blummin’ marvellous. The contrast of the black trims, Trefoil, badge and number against the coloured pinstripes. Shut up and take my money.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 28: Yuito Suzuki of Japan in action during an international friendly match between Scotland and Japan at Hampden Park on March 28, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
Japan’s away kit comes in second (Photo: Getty)

1. Curacao away

It had to be. In their first World Cup, Curacao have an away kit for the ages. Expect to see it worn at that hipster bar near you, and if adidas are reading, in the post on the way to my house. I’m a large, thanks. DM me. Seriously. Please.

The Curacao kit is just yes please (Photo: adidas)


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Everton are aiming to hit the ground running in a pivotal transfer window which may require player trading to land their ambitious targets.

Football finance experts believe that new squad cost ratio (SCR) rules mean the Toffees are looking at a net spend of around £50m in the second of a two-summer plan to overhaul their squad and establish themselves as one of the best of the rest in the Premier League.

Insiders acknowledge that target, which would see Everton muscling into the territory of Aston Villa and Newcastle United as a club with aspirations of breaking into the Champions League, will require aggressive work after a quiet January that ultimately caught up on them as the season tailed off alarmingly.

The club’s recruitment set-up sees a transfer committee work alongside manager David Moyes to identify and sign players.

It is a fascinating dynamic as targets are settled on by Moyes – who is keen to sign a sprinkling of oven-ready top flight performers – and a team of data and recruitment experts, overseen by highly-rated technical director Nick Cox.

A mix of experienced and up-and-coming players is the likely direction of travel although Moyes has stressed the need for new signings who can challenge immediately for his starting XI.

Free agent John Stones and Arsenal’s Ben White, as previously reported by The i Paper, are among the names put forward.

The latest on Hayden Hackney transfer

Hayden Hackney, captain of Middlesbrough, during the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final match between Hull City and Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium in London on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Trevor Wilkinson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Hackney could be set for a summer departure in the coming months (Photo: Getty)

Compromises may be required, though, and there is firm alignment on their priority target Hayden Hackney, who was on Everton’s radar before the Friedkin Group takeover.

The Toffees ideally want to broker a quick deal for highly-rated Middlesbrough midfielder Hackney, who has indicated that he is keen on a switch to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

But The i Paper understands that Boro are in no rush to cash in on their star asset, who has 12 months left on his contract, and will stand their ground if their valuation isn’t met.

With interest from Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leeds United – and Michael Carrick pushing Manchester United to move for a player he believes would be an ideal “project signing” – there is little chance of him being sold on the cheap.

Boro are regarded in football circles as exceptionally savvy negotiators and news of Everton’s interest emerging this week is unlikely to push them into a deal.

The Toffees would be aiming for around the £15m mark but the Teessiders value him much closer to the £20-25m bracket and would seek a sizeable sell-on fee to mirror the 20 per cent clause that was included in Morgan Rogers’ move to Aston Villa.

In recruitment circles there is a real buzz about Hackney, with one figure telling The i Paper there is a route into the England team for him in the next couple of years. He was likened to Elliot Anderson by one experienced talent spotter.

As of yet, there have been no direct club-to-club talks, but there seems to be a degree of confidence on Merseyside that they will be able to pull it off. It appeals to Hackney that he would join an ambitious club where he is almost certain to play.

Might Everton have to sell too?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 08: Tim Iroegbunam of Everton looks on during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Everton and AFC Bournemouth at Goodison Park on February 08, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Tim Iroegbunam has attracted the interest of several Premier League clubs (Photo: Getty)

What is fascinating is how Everton work around new SCR rules, which limit football spending to 85 per cent of their revenue.

While the move to their stunning new stadium – and a raft of new commercial partners – has given revenue a huge boost, they missed out on European football after a dire end to last season.

That could lead the club to go down the player-trading route and The i Paper understands there is firm interest from Premier League clubs in midfielder Tim Iroegbunam, including from newly promoted Ipswich Town.

Moyes is a big fan but sales may be required if Everton are to land the four or five new recruits they want to reshape their squad.

“The reality for Everton is they’ll likely be close to the 85 per cent limit given their squad value and wages,” explains Professor Rob Wilson, a football finance expert and programme director at the University Campus of Football Business.

“The headroom will be around £30-40m at a maximum. Because they’re not in Europe the value of the squad will reduce ever so slightly, which helps them. I would expect them to sell one or maybe even two of their assets and possibly do some trading on top of that.

“I’d expect them to do a net spend of £40-50m. It’s tight but not an insurmountable challenge for them.”

What about Jack Grealish?

The headroom would help them land the right-back and winger the club are prioritising, alongside bringing Jack Grealish back to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

There will be talks with Manchester City over a second loan to take him to the end of his Etihad deal, with incoming boss Enzo Maresca unlikely to stand in the way of his exit.

Sweden right-back Emil Holm was discussed in January but it remains to be seen whether Everton return to the Juventus defender, who had to pull out of the World Cup with a muscle injury.

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