WELCOME

James Andrew X @JamesAndrew_ E james.andrew@futurenet.com F ootball,

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

Pic Christopher Furlong/Getty NEVER FORGOTTEN

JOHN TERRY

“I don’t regret wearing full kit to lift the Champions League trophy – we got a letter from UEFA, saying I had to do it!”

THE ULTIMATE QUIZ

Test your knowledge with our questions concerning the Bellingham brothers, teen movies and Delia Smith…

JULES BREACH

The TV presenter hails England’s Under-21s, after hosting live coverage of their summer glory

ALAN DAVIES

The stand-up comedian and actor on meeting his cup final heroes – plus the best advice he received from Arsene Wenger...

GAMES THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 6 DUNDEE  0

WILL ALL THREE PROMOTED CLUBS BE RELEGATED YET AGAIN?

CHRIS FLANAGAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER @CFlanaganFFT YES

MUM’S THE WORD

Myles Lewis-Skelly shot to prominence last term – now his mother has set up a new platform to support parents of emerging footballers

WHAT’S NEW IN 2025-26

From Berkshire’s biscuit lovers, to Dutch fish baskets, FFT assesses the stories that will make this season one to remember. For one side, though, the football is secondary to honouring a fallen friend who will never walk alone

LIVERPOOL’S BID TO RETAIN THE TITLE – IN TRIBUTE TO DIOGO JOTA

J ust 36 hours before Liverpool were scheduled

RANGERS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

New boss Martin will want better in the

TRENT IN LA LIGA

S teve McManaman, Michael Owen, and this year

A NEW-LOOK CITY

“Fingers crossed we can finish above Man United

THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS IN THE WSL

Arsenal’s Leah Williamson wants more trophies... “NO-ONE THOUGHT

THOMAS FRANK AT SPURS

The Dane brings a Frank attitude to hard

EVERTON’S STADIUM

“Are you sure that’s pink and not red...”

WREXHAM IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP & 10 MORE THINGS IN THE EFL

Sky Sports presenter David Prutton tells James Andrew what to look out for

MATHEUS CUNHA AT MANCHESTER UNITED

“YOU NEED PLAYERS WITH EGOS, WHO AREN’T AFRAID

TWO BELLINGHAMS FOR ENGLAND?

T revoh Chalobah joined sibling Nathaniel as an

DEMBELE VS YAMAL FOR THE BALLON D’OR

Poor Mo Salah. Exceptional for a decade, the

HEART ATTACK VICTIM’S RETURN

He didn’t realise at the time, but AFC

THE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE’S REVAMPED FORMAT

A league phase comes to the Women’s Champions

SIX ENGLISH TEAMS IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

“I’m an inanimate object – I’m incapable of

PAUL MULLIN AT WIGAN

“We’ve got Mullin, super Paul Mullin,” was the

A REPRIEVED SAMPDORIA

The 1992 European Cup finalists were relegated to

PUMA’S PREMIER LEAGUE BALL

FFT TESTED THE NEW BALL BUT DIDN’T SCORE

FOOTBALL MANAGER’S LATEST EDITION (FINALLY)

The video game had released a new edition

PHIL COLLINS’ SON IN AUSTRIA

After waiting for this moment, for all his

RETURNING DERBIES

For the first time since 2012, best buds

AN ENTIRE STAFF OF STEVES

If you thought Pep Guardiola appointing Pep Lijnders

FABIO CHASING SHILTON’S RECORD

Fluminense’s 44-year-old goalkeeper, Fabio, helped the Brazilian club

THE DUTCH BASKET CASES

We know the who, we know the where,

ARSENAL BEING THE TROPHYLESS LONDON CLUB

“Oh, you just know Spurs fans will bang

THE BUILD-UP TO THE FIRST 48-TEAM WORLD CUP

Anyone else pining for the days of Sepp

NETFLIX AND THRILL

After a fall captured in all its miserable detail by Sunderland ’Til I Die , the Black Cats are back in the top tier – FFT looks back on an epic journey, aided by the documentary’s stars

CARDIFF: THE LATEST CRISIS CLUB

Sunderland have overcome the woes that saw them drop to League One – now it’s the Bluebirds’ turn to endure life in the third tier

“I REALLY BELIEVE IN MY POTENTIAL”

MEET BRAZIL’S BEST EXPORT SINCE NEYMAR

BUNDESLIGA

Erik ten Hag has been showing off his new-found ability to smile since joining Bayer Leverkusen – and at long last, Hamburg are finally back in the top flight

LA LIGA

Real Madrid have Xabi Alonso as boss, Barça are back at Camp Nou – Spain’s eternal duel promises to be even more thrilling

SERIE A

Kevin De Bruyne at Napoli, Luka Modric at Milan, plus Gian Piero Gasperini at Roma – there’s lots to provide intrigue

LIGUE 1

PSG face city neighbours in France’s top flight, while Monaco have snapped up Paul Pogba after an 18-month drug ban

THE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S GUIDE

FOR THE 2025-26 SEASON

“We’re going to the World Cup!”

Unfancied Jordan have qualified for the tournament for the first time ever – FFT headed to the country’s capital to witness the exuberant celebrations

WHEN FOREST RULED EUROPE

With continental competition set to return to the City Ground this term, FFT relives the story of how Old Big ’Ead captured Old Big Ears and then retained it the following season

MY PERFECT XI JEFF WINTER

NIGHTMARE

CRAIG GORDON

Still No.1 for both Hearts and Scotland, the 42-year-old goalkeeper is as determined as ever – not least to secure a place at the World Cup…

BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME, ERLING!

Telecommunications project manager Gary Lockyer pipped the country’s best to last season’s FA Cup Golden Ball Award – now he’s ready to go again

PORT VALE

BBC Radio Stoke’s Phil Bowers recalls Gareth Ainsworth magic, hoodwinking Warnock and Mourinho’s bestie…

ENGLISH FOOTBALL? COMPLETED IT, MATE!

Taking in a game at every Premier League and EFL ground is a Herculean task – let alone doing it in one season

BILLY SHARP’S GUIDE TO PROMOTION

After going up for the sixth time in his career last season, helping Doncaster out of League Two, the veteran EFL striker tells FourFourTwo exactly how it’s done

“I WAS GOING TO TURN CELTIC DOWN TO STUDY FOR A DEGREE – I TRIED MY BEST NOT TO BECOME A FOOTBALLER”

The culture vulture on being branded a ‘weirdo’ by his Chelsea team-mates and why the obsession with data will be the death of the beautiful game

“THAT CHELSEA LOSS IN 2014 STILL HURTS – WE STARTED TO BELIEVE THAT WE COULD WIN THE LEAGUE”

The Slovakian defender on suffering Premier League heartache, Gerrard’s infamous slip and why he dropped the skinhead look post-Liverpool…

“I HAD TO DIVE ACROSS THE SOFA AND SAVE A PENALTY IN AN ASTRONAUT COSTUME. AN EXPERIENCE…”

Becoming the first goalkeeper to stop an FA Cup final spot-kick led to some unusual situations – and left Princess Di shocked at Dennis Wise’s swearing…

THE BEST OF FOOTBALL

• KIT • FASHION • ART DESIGN •

THE (MOSTLY) FOOTBALL WORLD ACCORDING TO OLLIE

Ian Holloway Reach Sport £12.99

BEDALE AFC AWAY 2018-19

PUT ON THE CLASSICS

WELCOME

Rested, refreshed and ready to go again? Strap

PREMIER LEAGUE 2025-26

Liverpool want history, Manchester City seek revenge and a promoted trio try not to be bottom in a season that’ll be much ado about plenty

CHAMPIONSHIP

Relegated Premier League clubs continue to come down with parachute payments that more closely resemble yo-yos, but that financial advantage isn’t a panacea – as Luton found to their cost... 2025-26

LEAGUE ONE

2025-26

LEAGUE TWO

The 2024-25 title race was an extraordinary tale of twists and turns, collapses and recoveries – can next season live up to the bill? Big dogs and underdogs are straining at the leash, and so is FFT ... 2025-26

NATIONAL LEAGUE/2025-26

Might this be the fifth tier’s most diverse and intriguing season yet? Former Manchester City and Baller League coaches do battle with an ambitious York and Cornish history-makers...

WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE/2025-26

Chelsea bagged a sixth straight title last term, but they’ll have to fend off the European champions...

SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP/2025-26

While a new-look Rangers seek to rein in Celtic’s dominance, a host of challengers push and jostle for European spots – and that’s as wide open as ever

ABERDEEN

LAST SEASON PREMIERSHIP 5th SCOTTISH CUP Winners

CELTIC

LAST SEASON PREMIERSHIP Winners SCOTTISH CUP

DUNDEE

LAST SEASON PREMIERSHIP 10th SCOTTISH CUP Quarter-final

DUNDEE UNITED

LAST SEASON PREMIERSHIP 4th SCOTTISH CUP Fourth

FALKIRK

LAST SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP Winners SCOTTISH CUP Fourth

HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN

LAST SEASON PREMIERSHIP 7th SCOTTISH CUP Semi-final

HIBERNIAN

LAST SEASON PREMIERSHIP 3rd SCOTTISH CUP Quarter-final

KILMARNOCK

LAST SEASON PREMIERSHIP 9th SCOTTISH CUP Fourth

LIVINGSTON

LAST SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP 2nd SCOTTISH CUP Quarter-final

MOTHERWELL

LAST SEASON PREMIERSHIP 8th SCOTTISH CUP Fourth

RANGERS

LAST SEASON PREMIERSHIP 2nd SCOTTISH CUP Fifth

ST MIRREN

LAST SEASON PREMIERSHIP 6th SCOTTISH CUP Fifth