Why Cristiano Ronaldo should thank Jorge Jesus for saving Portugal It doesn't look like it, but by giving 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo a bit-part role in the national team, Jorge Jesus might have saved Portugal. Ronaldo is a football legend, and no one who disagrees with that should be taken seriously. However, his status was beginning to work against him, and his country. In the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo played every minute available except 14 against Croatia. This decision to force the Portugal captain into the lineup when he clearly didn't fit in, cost the club their World Cup hopes. Since the country got knocked out of the World Cup, many have played different factors. Some blamed Ronaldo's teammates for letting him down, some others blamed Ronaldo himself, and yet some others thought the then-manager Roberto Martinez was responsible. The truth is somewhere in between all that. Then in comes Jorge Jesus, who many suspected would not be as smitten with Ronaldo's status as previous managers were. They were right. Against Wales, Portugal won, but Ronaldo had a nightmare of an outing. In the next game, he did not feature at all, neither did Bruno Fernandes, another key player. Predictably, rumours have come out that Ronaldo is unhappy and refused to train, some said he left the camp and went home. The national team manager Jorge Jesus, has answered several questions in his press conference, making it clear that the perceived issue is blown out of proportion. He has also said that Ronaldo remains committed to the team, and his decisions. How much of that is true, remains to be seen. What he said, that many would have noticed, is that Ronaldo is a part of the team, and everyone will be judged based on whether they offer something positive in the game. This is the attitude any manager in charge of a Ronaldo-featured team should have. Martinez didn't. The former Portugal manager continued playing the 5-time Ballon d'Or winner, despite him being a negative for the teams fortunes. From what we've seen so far, Portugal won't have that problem under Jesus.

He's the Creator-in-Chief at Liverpool, not Wirtz

When Arda Guler came up against each other. The OG creator vs the upcoming star. KDB: 3 key passes, 0 big chances created Guler: 5 key passes, 1 big chance created

Here's why Hansi Flick and Jose Mourinho must fix their different issues to have a chance at glory this year. @d_pjmaks theddraft.com/2026/10/01/bar…

5 key passes, 3 big chances created, and 2 assists for Bruno Fernandes. 1.1 xA.

⚽🅰️For Goncalo Ramos today 👀

Bruno Fernandes and Goncalo Ramos link up to put Portugal 2-1 up

For owners with as much money as Man City's, no fine is big enough. Here's why anything below a relegation is a slap on the wrist @MCNOBZY theddraft.com/2026/09/30/man…

"Lamine Yamal said he was not going to beg for the Ballon d’Or. But over the last few weeks, he has spent quite a lot of time explaining why he should win it." Read the full article by @d_pjmaks: theddraft.com/2026/09/29/lam…

Lamine Yamal said he won't beg for votes, but in the last few weeks he has been doing something looking VERY close to it. @d_pjmaks explains why he should talk less about the Ballon d'Or theddraft.com/2026/09/29/lam…

Man City have been found guilty of 114 of 115 charges. The punishment is not decided. The appeal has not started. But the years covered include 3 City titles, and 2 where United finished right behind them. Here's what the verdict means for the Red Devils, and what it does not: theddraft.com/2026/09/28/man…

Thought we'd leave you Liverpool fans hanging? Of course not. Read our analysis of the Florian Wirtz 'situation'. theddraft.com/2026/09/24/flo…

How did Chelsea go from control to collapse against Brentford? A closer look at the 3-0 defeat reveals the tactical decisions, spaces and weaknesses that shaped the game. by @McNobzy theddraft.com/2026/09/23/bre…

Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brentford wasn’t just about missed chances. The tactical battle exposed major problems in Chelsea’s setup. Here’s how Brentford picked them apart. theddraft.com/2026/09/23/bre…

Arsenal created more. Brighton still won 3-0. The press did the damage. The shooting finished the job. How Hürzeler made the champions look toothless. theddraft.com/2026/09/22/bri…

Two 3–0 defeats. Two “B” teams. Brentford dismantled Chelsea. Brighton tore Arsenal apart. Meanwhile, Man City survived a wild 5–3 against Sunderland, and Manchester United somehow turned 29 shots into one point. The Big 6 Review is here. Read: theddraft.com/2026/09/21/the…

Fulham draw 1-1 with Man United as Matheus Cunha scores a late equalizer. Read our full match review and tactical analysis here by @JeremiahBimbola theddraft.com/2026/09/21/ful…

Barcelona beat Sevilla 3-1 to maintain their perfect LaLiga start, with Raphinha scoring a hat-trick after Sevilla took an early lead. Read the review theddraft.com/2026/09/20/bar…