If there’s one thing that can make Indian football fans sit up, it’s the possibility of a global football legend like Xavi Hernandez coaching the national team. Yes, you read that right. The man who pulled the strings for Barcelona and Spain, applying to coach India’s men’s football team, sounds unreal, right? But believe it or not, Xavi’s name did land in the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) inbox this week, and it made plenty of headlines. But, as quickly as the excitement built up, it faded. The AIFF didn’t shortlist Xavi for the big job. But why? Let’s see.

Xavi Hernandez’s Stunning Application

Xavi, the midfield magician, actually sent an application to AIFF for the vacant India head coach position.

The AIFF technical committee was surprised, even a bit stunned, to see a name as big as Xavi, right alongside Indian football regulars like Stephen Constantine and Khalid Jamil. Xavi sent his application personally by email, making things even more striking for everyone involved.

Why Was Xavi Rejected?

Let’s cut straight to the chase. Was Xavi Hernandez rejected because he didn’t have the credentials? Far from it. His CV is almost unbelievable:

But even with all these medals, AIFF did not move forward with Xavi’s application.

The real reason? Money.

AIFF officials openly admitted that Xavi’s financial expectations were much higher than what the Indian football ecosystem could afford right now. In simple terms, Xavi’s salary demands were so high that they left the technical committee searching for words.

A committee member summed it up well: “Even if Xavi was genuinely interested in Indian football and could be convinced to take up the job, we would need a lot of money.” The budget just couldn’t stretch that far.

Some fans are a bit disappointed, but others see this as a reality check. Hiring a global superstar is tempting, but Indian football needs sustainability and development as much as glamour. The move might have made international waves, but it just wasn’t practical in 2025.

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Canada, Mexico and the United States are set to host the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the qualifiers are set to get going soon. 

The European nations are, too, set for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, as the continent gears up for the tournament which takes place in North America in just under two years time.

The 2026 World Cup UEFA qualifiers kick off in spring 2025 and will feature some of the best international teams in the world, replete with starry lineups.

Time of draw for the 2026 World Cup UEFA qualifiers

Date: December 13, 2024

Time: 11am GMT / 6am ET

The draw for the UEFA qualifiers of 2026 World Cup will be held on Friday December 13, 2024 at FIFA headquarters in Zurich and proceedings are scheduled to get started at 11am GMT.

2026 World Cup UEFA qualifiers: Pots

Teams are divided into five pots: four groups of 12 and one group of six. They will be drawn into 12 groups: six four-team groups and six five-team groups.

Teams from the same pot cannot be drawn together.

2026 World Cup UEFA qualifiers: How to watch live

Football fans in England, Italy, Spain and across the world will be able to watch the draw live on FIFA’s official website, fifa.com.

The draw will also be available to stream live on FIFA+ and its official YouTube channel. The event will be broadcast by FIFA’s various television and streaming partners across the globe.

Also Read: Breaking Down The MLS Cup Playoffs: How Teams Qualify And Compete

Mohamed Salah  has said he could be playing his last season at Liverpool, adding that “nobody has talked to me” about renewing his contract with the Reds.

The statement from Salah came after Liverpool’s thumping 3-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford.  The Egyptian assisted both goals and scored his side’s third in the 56th minute. 

“It could be the last time”

Liverpool’s comprehensive win against United and Salah’s brilliant performance were, however, overshadowed by the striker’s statements.  

“I had a good summer and had a long time to myself to try to stay positive because as you know it’s my last year at the club, he said”

“Coming into the game, I said it could be the last time (I play here with Liverpool).

Mohamed Salah said he is still yet to make up his mind on his future course of footballing career. 

“I just want to enjoy it and I don’t want to think about it. I feel like I’m free to play football and then we’ll see what happens next year.”

Salah’s hints that he might leave the club comes from the fact that his contract with Liverpool expires this summer and the management has not communicated to him regarding a potential renewal. 

“No-one at the club has spoken to me about contracts, so I’m just like, ‘OK, I’m playing my last season’ and see what happens at the end of the season.

When asked about Salah’s comments, Liverpool manager Arne Slot said, “It’s a lot of ‘if’. At this moment he is one of ours and I am really happy with him being one of ours and he played really well.”

“I don’t talk about contracts from players but I can talk for hours about how Mo played today.”

Also Read: Conference League 2024-25: League Phase Draw Pots Revealed

In July 2022, Mohammed Salah signed a new three-year deal with the Reds, reportedly making him the highest paid player in the club’s history, at more than £350,000 a week.

Earlier, Liverpool rejected a £150m offer from Saudi club Al-Ittihad for Salah last September.

The Egypt national football team captain had  joined the Reds for £34m from AS Roma in 2017 has made 253 appearances for Liverpool since then, scoring 158 goals. 

Europa League 2024-25 organized by Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is set to start from September 25-26. 36 teams will take part in the competition in this edition for the continental trophy. The final will take place on May 21, 2025, at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain.

The new format of the Europa League will have the conventional group stage transformed into a league phase. The top eight from the league stage will automatically qualify for the round of 16, while the teams placed 9th to 16th will play two-legged play-off matches to join the top-eight. The remaining teams will be eliminated from the tournament.

Europa League 2024-25: Draw Results In Full

Pot 1

• Rangers: Tottenham, Manchester United, Lyon, Olympiacos, Malmö, Union Saint-Gilloise, FCSB, Nice
• Roma: Eintracht Frankfurt, Tottenham, Braga, AZ Alkmaar, Dynamo Kyiv, Union Saint-Gilloise, Athletic Bilbao, Elfsborg
• Porto: Manchester United, Lazio, Olympiacos, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Midtjylland, Bodø/Glimt, Hoffenheim, Anderlecht
• Manchester United: Rangers, Porto, PAOK, Fenerbahçe, Bodø/Glimt, Viktoria Plzeň, Twente, FCSB
• Tottenham: Roma, Rangers, AZ Alkmaar, Ferencváros, Qarabağ, Galatasaray, Elfsborg, Hoffenheim
• Eintracht Frankfurt: Slavia Prague, Roma, Ferencváros, Lyon, Viktoria Plzeň, Midtjylland, RFS, Beşiktaş
• Ajax: Lazio, Slavia Prague, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Qarabağ, Beşiktaş, RFS
• Slavia Prague: Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahçe, PAOK, Malmö, Ludogorets, Anderlecht, Athletic Bilbao
• Lazio: Porto, Ajax, Real Sociedad, Braga, Ludogorets, Dynamo Kyiv, Nice, Twente

Pot 2

• Real Sociedad: Ajax, Lazio, PAOK, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dynamo Kyiv, Viktoria Plzeň, Anderlecht, Nice
• AZ Alkmaar: Roma, Tottenham, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, Ludogorets, Elfsborg, Athletic Bilbao
• Braga: Lazio, Roma, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiacos, Bodø/Glimt, Union Saint-Gilloise, Hoffenheim, Elfsborg
• Fenerbahçe: Manchester United, Slavia Prague, Lyon, AZ Alkmaar, Union Saint-Gilloise, Midtjylland, Athletic Bilbao, Twente
• Ferencváros: Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, AZ Alkmaar, PAOK, Malmö, Dynamo Kyiv, Nice, Anderlecht
• PAOK: Slavia Prague, Manchester United, Ferencváros, Real Sociedad, Viktoria Plzeň, Galatasaray, FCSB, RFS
• Olympiacos: Rangers, Braga, Porto, Lyon, Qarabağ, Malmö, Twente, FCSB
• Lyon: Eintracht Frankfurt, Rangers, Olympiacos, Fenerbahçe, Ludogorets, Qarabağ, Beşiktaş, Hoffenheim
• Maccabi Tel Aviv: Porto, Ajax, Real Sociedad, Braga, Midtjylland, Bodø/Glimt, Athletic Bilbao, Twente

Pot 3

• Bodø/Glimt: Porto, Manchester United, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Braga, Qarabağ, Union Saint-Gilloise, Beşiktaş, Nice
• Dynamo Kyiv: Lazio, Roma, Ferencváros, Real Sociedad, Viktoria Plzeň, Galatasaray, RFS, Hoffenheim
• Qarabağ: Ajax, Tottenham, Lyon, Olympiacos, Malmö, Bodø/Glimt, FCSB, Elfsborg
• Galatasaray: Tottenham, Ajax, PAOK, AZ, Dynamo Kyiv, Malmö, Elfsborg, RFS
• Viktoria Plzeň: Manchester United, Eintracht Frankfurt, Real Sociedad, PAOK, Ludogorets, Dynamo Kyiv, Anderlecht, Athletic Bilbao
• Union Saint-Gilloise: Roma, Rangers, Braga, Fenerbahçe, Bodø/Glimt, Midtjylland, Nice, Twente
• Ludogorets: Slavia Prague, Lazio, AZ Alkmaar, Lyon, Midtjylland, Viktoria Plzeň, Athletic Bilbao, Anderlecht
• Midtjylland: Eintracht Frankfurt, Porto, Fenerbahçe, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Union Saint-Gilloise, Ludogorets, Hoffenheim, FCSB
• Malmö: Rangers, Slavia Prague, Olympiacos, Ferencváros, Galatasaray, Qarabağ, Twente, Beşiktaş

Pot 4

• Athletic Bilbao: Slavia Prague, Roma, AZ Alkmaar, Fenerbahçe, Viktoria Plzeň, Ludogorets, Elfsborg, Beşiktaş
• Elfsborg: Roma, Tottenham, Braga, AZ Alkmaar, Qarabağ, Galatasaray, Nice, Athletic Bilbao
• FCSB: Manchester United, Rangers, Olympiacos, PAOK, Midtjylland, Qarabağ, RFS, Hoffenheim
• Hoffenheim: Tottenham, Porto, Lyon, Braga, Dynamo Kyiv, Midtjylland, FCSB, Anderlecht
• Nice: Rangers, Lazio, Real Sociedad, Ferencváros, Bodø/Glimt, Union Saint-Gilloise, Twente, Elfsborg
• Anderlecht: Porto, Slavia Prague, Ferencváros, Real Sociedad, Ludogorets, Viktoria Plzeň, Hoffenheim, RFS
• Twente: Lazio, Manchester United, Fenerbahçe, Olympiacos, Union Saint-Gilloise, Malmö, Beşiktaş, Nice
• Beşiktaş: Eintracht Frankfurt, Ajax, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Lyon, Malmö, Bodø/Glimt, Athletic Bilbao, Twente
• RFS: Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt, PAOK, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Galatasaray, Dynamo Kyiv, Anderlecht, FCSB

Europa League 2024-25: Schedule

Matchday 1: September 25/26
Matchday 2: October 3
Matchday 3: October 24
Matchday 4: November 7
Matchday 5: November 28
Matchday 6: December 12
Matchday 7: January 23, 2025
Matchday 8: January 30, 2025

Knockout Round Play-Offs: February 13 & 20, 2025

Round of 16: March 6 & 13, 2025

Quarter-finals: April 10 & 17, 2025

Semi-finals: May 1 & 8, 2025

Final: May 21, 2025 (Estadio de San Mames, Spain)

Also Read: Conference League 2024-25: League Phase Draw Pots Revealed

The Conference League 2024-25 organized by the UEFA will commence from 3 October 2024. This will be the fourth season of the tournament. 

New Format of Conference League 2024-25

The Conference League 2024-25 will be played under a new format involving a 36-team league phase. Each side faces six different teams- three at home, three away. 

The top eight by the end of the league phase will advance directly to the round of 16. Teams finishing from ninth to 24th will compete in the knockout round play-offs, with the winners going through to the last 16. Teams that finish 25th or lower in the league phase of the competition will be eliminated.

The 36 Conference League teams have been split into six pots for the league phase draw.

Pot 1
Chelsea (ENG)
Copenhagen (DEN)
Gent (BEL)
Fiorentina (ITA)
LASK (AUT)
Real Betis (ESP)

Pot 2
Başakşehir (TUR)
Molde (NOR)
Legia Warszawa (POL)
Heidenheim (GER)
Djurgården (SWE)
APOEL (CYP)

Pot 3
SK Rapid (AUT)
Omonoia (CYP)
Helsinki (FIN)
Vitória SC (POR)
Astana (KAZ)
Olimpija (SVN)

Pot 4
Cercle Brugge (BEL)
Shamrock Rovers (IRL)
The New Saints (WAL)
Lugano (SUI)
Hearts (SCO)
Mladá Boleslav (CZE)

Pot 5
Petrocub (MDA)
St. Gallen (SUI)
Panathinaikos (GRE)
TSC (SRB)
Borac (BIH)
Jagiellonia (POL)

Pot 6
Celje (SVN)
Larne (NIR)
Dinamo-Minsk (BLR)
Pafos (CYP)
Víkingur (ISL)
Noah (ARM)

Conference League 2024-25: Schedule

League phase
Matchday 1: 3 October 2024
Matchday 2: 24 October 2024
Matchday 3: 7 November 2024
Matchday 4: 28 November 2024
Matchday 5: 12 December 2024
Matchday 6: 19 December 2024

Knockout stage
Knockout round play-offs: 13 & 20 February 2025
Round of 16: 6 & 13 March 2025
Quarter-finals: 10 & 17 April 2025
Semi-finals: 1 & 8 May 2025
Final: 28 May 2025

The final of the Conference League 2024-25 will be played at Stadion Wrocław in Poland on 28 May 2025.

Often revered as one of the most prominent and popular sports in the world, football enjoys a viewership of billions throughout the world. The action-packed games, thrilling rivalries and prominent players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele, Lionel Messi and many others, have played a major role in elevating the stature of football as a highly competitive and professional sport at a global level. Additionally, with the inclusion of intensely competitive leagues and tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and the Bundesliga, the sport’s popularity has transcended to unprecedented heights in the past few decades. 

While the game of football is often acknowledged by the fans for its fuming rivalries and ever-growing competitive spirit, the game is also hailed as a pioneer in the sporting arena for its remarkable records. Although most football aficionados know about numerous stellar mainstream records smashed by their favorite stalwarts, there are numerous records that were established by legendary football players in the past and have still not been surpassed by any football player in the world. 

In this article, we will take a closer look at the top five insane records in the world of football that have never been surpassed and possess high chances of never being broken in the future.

• The Lightspeed Hat Trick 

While the illustrious past of football has witnessed numerous hat tricks being smashed by iconic footballers, the record for fastest hat trick has been established by Alex Torr while playing for Rawson Spring. Alex Torr, the then-twenty-year-old center forward, smashed a thrilling hat-trick at breakneck speed against Gardens in a mere seventy-second time span. Alex Torr’s stellar triple attack against Gadems not only uplifted the morale of his squad members but also assisted the Rawson Spring in clinching the match by a brilliant 7-1 margin. The incredible performance by Alex Torr, which made him strike three goals in a time span of 70 seconds, established him as a highly competitive and one of the most reliable forwards in the squad. 

Also Read: Top Contenders For Golden Boot In Euro 2024 Ahead Of Quarters

• The Highest Number of Red Cards 

Unfortunately, not all records established are commemorated in the world of records. Gerardo Bedoya holds one such record for obtaining the highest number of red cards in his playing career. Former Colombian footballer and current manager, Gerardo Alberto Bedoya Múnera, who played as a defender, was sent back from the field maximum times after receiving a red card for an unbelievable forty-six times. Often hailed as ‘the beast’ of the football field, he started off his youth football career with Envigado and represented senior clubs including Deportivo Pereira, Deportivo Cali, Racing Club, Boca Juniors, Colon, Puebla, Cúcuta Deportivo, Millonarios, and Santa Fe. Gerardo Bedoya received the highest number of red cards, i.e., 14 during his stint with Deportivo Cali (1998–2001, 2003).

• The Highest Number of Goals Scored by a Goalkeeper 

Although goalkeepers are generally restricted to the penalty area of their own team and don’t actively involve themselves in scoring goals for their team, a few goalkeepers in history have been trendsetters for scoring match-winning goals for their respective teams. The Brazilian goalkeeper, Rogerio Ceni, holds the record for smashing the highest number of goals in the world. In a flourishing football career spanning over 25 years, with a phenomenal total of 129 goals, Rogerio Ceni scored his 100th goal on August 4, 2011, assisting his Sao Paulo squad to a remarkable 3-0 victory. Moreover, Rogerio Ceni has also been acknowledged by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics for being the goalkeeper to have scored the highest number of goals in the history of the sport. 

Also Read: Chris Paul’s Income, Net Worth, Properties, Investments, Cars and Watch Collections 

• The Highest Number of FIFA World Cup Appearances 

The FIFA World Cup, also simply called “the World Cup”, is often hailed as the greatest football league in the world. While numerous football players have garnered enormous fame with their record-breaking performances at the FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi is also recognized as the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) for holding the record for the highest number of appearances. Representing the Argentina squad, the legendary footballer, Lionel Messi, has appeared in a total of 26 World Cup matches. Although footballers, including Lothar Matthäus and Miroslav Klose, are quite close to matching up Messi’s record for the highest number of appearances in the FIFA World Cup, no football player has been able to actually surpass Messi’s record till date. 

• The Highest Number of International Goals 

While goals in all sports are commemorated in the game of football by the fans with the same exuberance, international goals add another wave of excitement among the fans throughout the world. Cristiano Ronaldo, the stalwart of football, holds the record for scoring the highest number of international goals in his illustrious football career so far. Representing the Portugal squad, Ronaldo has scored a phenomenal total of 128 international goals, leading the Portugal side to numerous victories. While other iconic football players, including Sunil Chhetri, Lionel Messi, and Ali Daei, are often considered to be in the same race, not even one football player has been able to beat the legendary Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo at smashing the highest number of international goals so far.