International
Forbs handed Ronaldo’s No. 7 as Portugal turn to an unexpected successor
Forbs inherits Portugal’s famous No. 7 shirt after Ronaldo’s exit, with Denmark next up.
Carlos Forbs has been given Portugal’s No. 7 shirt, becoming the first player to wear it since Cristiano Ronaldo’s international retirement. The 22-year-old winger, whose spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers did not produce a breakthrough, is now set to carry the number for at least this month after being named in Portugal’s official squad list on UEFA’s website.
The decision comes with the Nations League leaving Jorge Jesus little room to manoeuvre ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Denmark. The coach, who played a significant role in Ronaldo’s abrupt retirement, has now placed the spotlight on Forbs, a player many observers would not have expected to inherit such a shirt.
That surprise is understandable for anyone whose main memory of Forbs is his difficult loan at Wolves during a 2024-25 campaign spent fighting relegation. Even so, the Club Brugge forward has long been viewed as a talented wide player. He was once part of Manchester City’s academy from the age of 10 and later earned Premier League 2 Player of the Season recognition in 2022-23 before Ajax paid €14 million ($15.4 million) for him as a teenager without a senior appearance.
His path since then has been uneven. A challenging first season in the Netherlands was followed by a loan move back to England, where he struggled to fit into Vítor Pereira’s system. “To do what I want in this system is difficult for him when we are defending,” Wolves’ Portuguese coach Vítor Pereira explained. “He doesn’t have the skill to go and come back to defend, it’s difficult.
“It’s not about his quality because he has quality, he’s strong one against one, he’s very fast. But in my system, he cannot play inside in between the lines because he doesn’t have these skills. And to play outside is a different profile of player.”
Forbs had only one senior international cap before this break, but he already knows what it means to wear the shirt. When Ronaldo was last absent, Forbs stepped in and came off the bench to win a penalty in Portugal’s 9-1 victory over Armenia after the veteran had been sent off against the Republic of Ireland.
Now, after being overlooked for the World Cup squad and the autumn fixtures, he has been handed the number that carries so much weight.
International
Marsch rejects speculation as Pochettino’s move leaves a new opening
Jesse Marsch has ruled out leaving Canada after Mauricio Pochettino’s sudden move created a USMNT vacancy.
Jesse Marsch has made clear where he stands amid the latest managerial upheaval involving the U.S. men’s national team.
Speaking on Friday, the Canada manager responded firmly to the sudden vacancy created by Mauricio Pochettino’s shock move. Pochettino’s departure arrived after a plan that surfaced only days earlier, ending his renewed four-year agreement with the U.S. Soccer federation signed in August and carrying a $10 million repercussion for United.
Marsch did not hide the strength of his commitment to Canada. “When I signed my contract to stay here [with Canada], it was with the full intention that, no matter who was coming or what was coming or anything, I’m not leaving,” Marsch said Friday. “I’m staying here. I love this job. I love this team. I love this federation and the sport in this country.”
The 53-year-old from Wisconsin has previously spoken openly about wanting the USMNT role. He believed he had secured the position in 2022, even turning down an offer from Leicester City for it, before U.S. Soccer changed course and brought Gregg Berhalter back.
Marsch later took charge of Canada in the spring of 2024, only months before Pochettino was hired by the U.S. side. With his current stance now unmistakable, any thought of him emerging as a long-term answer for the vacancy appears to have been ended.
His focus remains on Canada, where the team has already delivered its strongest World Cup run to date. This summer brought a series of firsts: a 1–1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina gave Canada its first-ever point at a World Cup, the 6–0 win over Qatar delivered its first-ever World Cup victory, and second place in Group B secured a first-ever knockout stage berth.
International
USMNT omissions: the most valuable players left out for November
Pochettino’s November USMNT squad leaves out several high-value names despite recall for some regulars.
Mauricio Pochettino has taken a youthful approach for the United States men’s national team’s November fixtures against Haiti, but the latest squad still leaves out several established and high-value names.
Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie are back in the group after being rested in the previous international break, yet the 25-man roster does not include Ricardo Pepi. The PSV Eindhoven striker has only just returned from injury, appearing in each of his club’s last three matches after a month out, and Pochettino said the omission is linked to a need for more recovery time.
Pepi is the highest-valued player missing from the squad, and Brenden Aaronson is another notable absence. The Leeds United midfielder is not sidelined by injury, but has been left out after an inconsistent spell that has seen him start only three Premier League games this season.
Johnny Cardoso and Timothy Weah, both valued at $22.3 million, also miss out. Cardoso had only recently returned from a thigh injury and featured against Barcelona on Sunday, which explains his exclusion. Weah, by contrast, has been omitted despite contributing several goal involvements recently for Marseille.
Yunus Musah will end the calendar year on 50 caps after another snub. The AC Milan midfielder has started eight Serie A matches this season, but has not done enough to win a recall.
There is no place either for Josh Sargent or Haji Wright. Sargent has been left out, while Wright has missed the entire current campaign with a muscle injury and is still awaiting his comeback.
Zavier Gozo has made only three appearances for Crystal Palace since his summer move, so his omission is no surprise. Aidan Morris, however, is a tougher call after an encouraging start at Middlesbrough. Tanner Tessmann is also absent despite starting Lyon’s last four matches, and he has not played for the USMNT since April.
International
Rashford omitted as Tuchel names England group for November break
Tuchel leaves Rashford out as England prepare for decisive November internationals.
Thomas Tuchel has confirmed his 25-man England squad for the November international break, and Marcus Rashford is not part of it.
There had been an expectation that the Manchester United winger might return to the group, but his name was missing when the squad was announced on Friday. Rashford has featured for United since the last international window, coming off the bench for one minute in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and then starting the 2-0 loss to Atlético Madrid. He has not been involved since.
The reason is his ongoing hip issue, which has now kept him out of United’s last four matches in all competitions. With doubts still hanging over his fitness, Tuchel has opted to go in another direction for England’s crucial Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain.
Rashford is understood to be stepping up his recovery, but reports indicate he will not be ready to play until after the international break. That has left England looking to alternative wide options, with Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze, Barcelona’s Anthony Gordon, Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha and Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers included instead.
England’s situation in Group 3 leaves little margin for error after the loss to Spain in the previous break. Tuchel’s side are locked in a direct battle with Croatia for second place, and a draw would be enough to secure that position. There is still a route to first as well, though it depends on England overturning Spain. The Three Lions are currently four goals better off than the world champions.
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion), James Trafford (Leeds United)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Inter Milan), Ben White (Arsenal)
