Determining the team to attend the 2026 World Cup after Japan; New head coach of Thanh Hoa Club makes surprising comments about his predecessor Popov
Determining the team to attend the 2026 World Cup after Japan; Sancho's inconsistent performance, Chelsea still considers buying him outright; The new head coach of Thanh Hoa Club makes surprising comments about his predecessor Popov... are notable sports news in the past 24 hours.
Determine the team for the 2026 World Cup after Japan
New Zealand became the second team (not counting the host) to officially qualify for the Finals.World Cup 2026, after Japan.
In the final match of the Oceania qualifying round on the afternoon of March 24, the New Zealand team easily defeated New Caledonia with a score of 3-0, thereby participating in the biggest football festival on the planet for the third time in history, after the 1982 and 2010 World Cups.
Meanwhile, New Caledonia, despite their defeat, still has a chance to qualify for the World Cup when they participate in the intercontinental play-off round with five other teams from the Asian, African, North, Central and South American confederations.
With FIFA expanding the number of participating teams to 48, the winner of the Oceania qualifying round will be granted direct entry to the World Cup without having to participate in the intercontinental play-offs as before. This is a great opportunity for New Zealand to continue to assert its position in the region, while also preparing carefully for the campaign in the US, Mexico and Canada next summer.
Sancho plays inconsistently, Chelsea still considers buying outright
Despite Jadon Sancho's inconsistent performance and lack of significant contributions, Chelsea still plans to buy the English midfielder in the summer of 2025.
Sancho, who joined Stamford Bridge on loan from Manchester United last summer, made a strong impression with three assists in his first three Premier League games. However, since January 4, 2025, he has not scored another goal and has had just one shot on target since Boxing Day. To date, after 28 appearances in all competitions, Sancho has only scored two goals and provided six assists – numbers that are not convincing enough for many Chelsea fans.
Sancho's decline has led to a growing backlash at Stamford Bridge, with many fans calling on Chelsea to reject the £25m buyout clause and return him to United. However, if they reject the deal, the Blues will have to pay the Red Devils £5m in compensation.
Despite the doubts, according to Sky Sports, coach Enzo Maresca still sees Sancho as part of Chelsea's long-term plans. The London team is ready to spend £25 million to officially own the former Dortmund star in this summer's transfer window.
New head coach of Thanh Hoa Club makes surprising comments about his predecessor Popov
Coach Tomislav Steinbruckner affirmed that the Thanh Hoa team developed very strongly under his predecessor Velizar Popov.
"I know that in recent years, Thanh Hoa Club has developed strongly under the leadership of Coach Popov. At the same time, I also understand that recently, the team has gone through 11 matches without a win. I promise to do my best to bring success to the team and joy to Thanh Hoa fans. I am waiting to be on the field with the whole team," he said.
On March 24, Thanh Hoa FC held a ceremony to introduce new head coach Tomislav Steinbruckner. The Croatian strategist was chosen to replace coach Velizar Popov. After the match between Thanh Hoa and Hai Phong in the quarter-finals of the National Cup, the Thanh Hoa team and coach Popov decided to terminate the contract ahead of schedule.
Before joining Thanh Hoa, this coach worked for Terengganu - a strong team in Malaysia. It was Mr. Tomislav Steinbruckner who led Terengganu to face Thanh Hoa at the AFF Shopee Cup 2024/25 - Southeast Asian Club Championship. The two teams ended the match with a 2-2 draw. At the end of 2024, coach Tomislav Steinbruckner and the home team reached an agreement to terminate the contract.
In the coming time, Mr. Tomislav will face a big challenge in the task of reviving Thanh Hoa Club. The Central representative has 26 points after 15 rounds, still has a chance to compete for medals in the 2024/25 season. Thanh Hoa Club's leaders hope that Mr. Tomislav Steinbruckner can bring a dedicated and attractive playing style.
The 59-year-old coach's debut match is an away match against Hanoi FC on April 6.
Man Utd raise price for Marcus Rashford
Manchester United are considering a £60m bid for Marcus Rashford this summer, after seeing him impress on loan at Aston Villa.
Rashford arrived at Villa Park in the winter transfer window after a public row with manager Ruben Amorim at Man Utd. Under Unai Emery, the England striker has made a strong impression with four assists in nine Premier League appearances.
Although the details of the deal between the two clubs have not been revealed, many sources believe that Aston Villa could sign Rashford permanently for around £40 million at the end of the season. However, according to the Daily Star, Man Utd have increased the price to £60 million after witnessing the player's strong revival in the Premier League.
Keeping Rashford is unlikely to be in United's plans, especially with Amorim ruling out the possibility of welcoming him back to Old Trafford. The pair are said to have had serious disagreements behind the scenes, with Amorim publicly criticising Rashford's attitude and work ethic.
Selling Rashford is part of the Red Devils' strategy to raise funds ahead of a summer transfer window that is expected to cost a lot of money. Amorim wants to overhaul the squad but must wait to sell players before bringing in quality new recruits. Some of the names on United's radar include Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig), Kenan Yildiz (Juventus) and Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund). In addition, Sean Longstaff (Newcastle United) continues to be mentioned as a potential target.
