“Welcome back to the shiny, rebranded 50 best form players in the Premier League. Look everyone, sometimes we get it wrong, we’re big enough to admit that (and/or blame it squarely on the editor). When undertaking our task this season of ranking (each and every month) the top 50 players in the division, we were a little clumsy with the details, compiling a mixture of players in form and players with long-standing reputations. It didn’t quite work. Hey, that’s why pencils have rubbers (erasers, to our friends in the U.S.). Not even the Mona Lisa was perfect. …”
NYT/ATH

Italy fight back to beat France 3-1 and move top of Nations League group
“Francesco Pio Esposito struck twice to inflict a first defeat on Zinedine Zidane as France’s head coach, while Italy stormed back to win 3-1 at San Siro and top their Nations League group. Michael Olise profited from a Gianluigi Donnarumma error to put the visitors in front after 10 minutes on Thursday, but Italy hit back through Esposito and Davide Frattesi either side of half-time. … Elsewhere, captain Harry Kane celebrated his record 126th cap for England with a match-winner from the penalty spot as England beat Croatia 2-1 at Wembley on Thursday to qualify for the Nations League last eight. …”
Al-jazeera (Video)

We made the pilgrimage to the Jude Bellingham underwear billboard in NYC (for work)
“I’m on the corner of Houston and Lafayette streets in New York City, and Jude Bellingham is causing a stir. A group of women is huddled around the nearest subway entrance, giggling over their phones and exclaiming loudly. Two other women are a few yards away at a street corner: One holds her dog’s leash with one foot, freeing her hands to take a photo of the other, who is performing an arabesque penché just off the edge of the sidewalk. A man across the street stops dead in the middle of the crosswalk to see what all the fuss is about. Again: It’s Jude Bellingham. Well, not Bellingham in the flesh, but Bellingham’s … ahem, you get where this is going. …”
NYT/ATH (Video)