REQUIRED READING

WELCOME

The teams at the top of the Premier

SLAVEN BILIC

“I went backstage at an Iron Maiden gig, expecting a party. Instead, one of the members was blow-drying his daughter’s hair...”

MEANWHILE IN …

...Turkey, FC Polissya Zhytomyr handed a debut to a new signing – heavyweight boxing champ Oleksandr Usyk

GAMES THAT CHANGED MY LIFE ANTONIO VALENCIA

WATCH OUT, KIDS Sao Paulo’s under-20s match with

URIAH: THE NOVEL

A trailblazing ref has seen his life recreated in poetic fashion

JAMIE ‘CHUNK’ O’HARA

The ex-Tottenham midfielder on strip searches, domestic life with Jedward and boring dad chat

THE ULTIMATE QUIZ

Crack on with unwanted Champions League records, League Cup winners and ornithological footballers

THE COOK ISLANDS: QATAR 2022’S MOST UNLIKELY CONTENDERS

• NO MATCHES IN SEVEN YEARS • VICTORIOUS THANKS TO A VOLCANO • CLOSER TO THE WORLD CUP THAN ERLING HAALAND

THE RETURN OF THE WORLD CUP’S WORST TEAM?

After farce in 1974, DR Congo are eyeing redemption

WHY ALWAYS HIM?

His Italy career looked to be over – but now Mario Balotelli hopes to feature for the Azzurri in Qatar

ENI ALUKO

As the sporting director of Los Angeles’ newest club, the ex-England forward is working with Hollywood royalty – and her heroes

100 BEST PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYERS RIGHT NOW

HOW WE DID IT Ranking anything is generally

“I LOOKED OUT OF THE DOOR, IN MY PYJAMAS... AND THERE WAS MOURINHO!”

Fabinho initially struggled with Jurgen Klopp’s heavy metal football, but he’s now the complete defensive midfielder. Liverpool’s totem tells FFT how he became a world beater…

“IT’S A LOT OF PRESSURE, WITH ALL THESE FANTASY MANAGERS SAYING ‘WE NEED YOU TO SCORE!’”

West Ham’s scintillating wideman has hit the form of his life, making Champions League football a serious prospect. He tells FFT of non-league, potato fields and keeping his barber happy

“I’VE BEEN REALLY SURPRISED BY HOW CALM PEP IS... I THOUGHT HE WAS MUCH ANGRIER!”

Joao Cancelo is more than just the perfect Guardiola full-back: the Portuguese is three players in one. Desperate to maintain Manchester City’s dominance, he shares his secrets with FFT…

THE NIGHT THAT KILLED A LEGEND

Scotland and Wales could yet meet in a World Cup play-off final if all goes to plan… but they’ve been here before. In the struggle to reach Mexico 86, their crucial final-game decider was settled late on – before leading to the ultimate tragedy

WALES. WORLD CUP. GOLF (IN THAT ORDER)

Gareth Bale has achieved it all – apart from representing Wales at a World Cup

“I’M IN EXTRA TIME THAT I DIDN’T THINK I’D GET”

After not one but two remarkable comebacks, keeper Craig Gordon is back in Scotland’s side and desperate to finally play at a major tournament, aged 39

“I TURNED DOWN THE ENGLAND JOB BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS TOO EARLY. THAT WAS A MISTAKE”

He didn’t get much wrong in his 35-year career, but Bryan Robson still regrets the one that got away. Captain Marvel earned the respect of a generation of Manchester United players, and even the odd all-time great…

MEET THE MONGOLIAN SIMON COWELL

Paul Watson was a downtrodden non-league hopeful aiming for international football, until his proactive punt led to a management gig on the Micronesian island of Pohnpei. It was merely a beginning for the younger brother of comedian Mark: what followed featured angry locals, North Korean TV, ex-cannibals – and suitcases full of cash…

MR MEAN

Derby County’s financial woes are nothing new – in 1984, the Rams were saved by bullish media mogul Robert Maxwell, whose patchwork history left a lot even to his own imagination. What came next featured Johan Cruyff, Manchester United, Elton John… and one very suspicious death

MY PERFECT XI BRAD FRIEDEL

The former United States goalkeeper selects his greatest team-mates of all time – no mean feat when you’ve turned out for Galatasaray, Liverpool, Spurs and more

AROUND THE GROUNDS EFL • NON-LEAGUE • SCOTLAND

INTERVIEW GARY CAHILL

JIMMY IN THE MIDDLE

Jimmy Ginnelly became owner of doomed Nuneaton Borough in 2019 – having only just become their manager. Balancing jobs hasn’t been for a faint heart

IAN HOLLOWAY

When you’re a football manager, you’re pretty certain of one thing: no matter how well things are going for you right now, at some point you’re going to get the boot. And as FFT’s columnist explains, boy does it hurt

BOY’S A BIT SPECIAL

FABIO CARVALHO FULHAM LOWDOWN The thrilling playmaker arrived

THE BATTLE OF BRAMALL LANE

In March 2002, the Football League’s dirtiest game was abandoned after Sheffield United ran out of players. An encounter riddled with filth, rucks and revenge has entered into much-debated mythical legend 20 years on…

“EURO 96 WAS THE MOST DEPRESSING TIME IN MY WHOLE CAREER –I DIDN’T FEEL PART OF IT”

Sir Les on England frustrations, flying his helicopter to training... and smashing up the Blue Peter garden with Dennis Wise

“ARSENAL FANS SAY THAT I WAS GREEDY. THEY BOOED ME WHEN I CAME BACK – IT REALLY HURT”

The French defender on his Wenger love, Nasri’s big gob – and why Arteta’s cooking reflects his coaching style

“CAPELLO PICKED HIS TEAMS ON MERIT – OTHER ENGLAND MANAGERS DIDNT DO THAT”

The ex-Boro and Villa wideman on his love for Don Fabio, the Lampard-Gerrard debate – and what went wrong at Anfield

“WE WERE ALSO ON TO WIN A TREBLE IN 1999 – BUT LOSING TO UNITED COST US THE GERMAN CUP”

Bayern’s Brazilian hero on his Euro highs and lows, big dog Lothar... and Munich’s animal