يلتقي منتخب العراق مع نظيره الإمارات اليوم الخميس، في مباراة هامة ضمن التصفيات الآسيوية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026.

ويواجه منتخب العراق نظيره الإمارات، ضمن ذهاب ملحق تصفيات قارة آسيا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026، المقرر إقامته في المكسيك والولايات المتحدة وكندا.

يعول أسود الرافدين على خبرة لاعبيه في المباريات الحاسمة لمواصلة المشوار المونديالي، بعد أن أنهى الفريق وصافة المجموعة الثانية برصيد 4 نقاط خلف السعودية.

في المقابل، يسعى منتخب الإمارات لتحقيق الفوز على العراق لضمان التأهل لكأس العالم 2026، معتمدًا على عاملي الأرض والجمهور بعدما جاء الأبيض الإماراتي وصيفًا للمجموعة الأولى برصيد 3 نقاط خلف قطر.

وستقام مباراة العراق ضد الإمارات بنظام الذهاب والإياب، في الملحق الآسيوي، الفائز منهما يتأهل إلى ملحق عالمي يقام في مارس 2026، يتأهلمن خلاله منتخبان من جميع القارات التي ستخوض الملحق إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026. موعد مباراة العراق والإمارات

وتقام مباراة الذهاب بين الإمارات والعراق اليوم الخميس 13 نوفمبر في تمام الساعة 6 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، والثامنة مساءً بتوقيت أبو ظبي. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة العراق والإمارات

ومن المقرر أن تنقل المباراة على قناة قناة beIN SPORTS HD وقناة Alkass 5 HD معلقين مباراة العراق والإمارات

أسندت شبكة قنوات بي إن سبورتس مهمة التعليق على المباراة إلى المعلق الرياضي التونسي عصام الشوالي وخالد الحدي على الكأس.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

Newcastle United are good spenders. Never have the Magpies scattergunned their way through the transfer market since the PIF takeover and the arrival of Eddie Howe.

No one would deny Newcastle have been big spenders over the past four years, but then they are not the only Premier League side to have shown ambition, and they have demonstrated that desire to improve better, more effectively, than most.

This is why the Magpies have risen from relegation candidates to Champions League contenders, winning the Carabao Cup last season too after beating Liverpool in the final.

But their rise has been sustainable, with the nature of United’s development allowing them to hurdle over obstacles that spring up in their path.

Howe’s tactics and problem-solving skills are essential in this regard, but so too are the major signings on Tyneside, with Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali arguably the pick of the bunch.

Howe's best signings at Newcastle

Newcastle have welcomed a range of elite signings through the gates since the start of the PIF era, but midfielders Tonali and Guimaraes have combined – with the tough Joelinton – to create one of the meanest engine rooms across the continent.

Guimaraes was one of the first to join Howe’s Newcastle, arriving from Lyon in January 2022 for a £40m fee, while Tonali arrived from AC Milan in a £55m deal in July 2023, and he has established himself over the past year, having endured a difficult, disruptive maiden campaign in England.

Hailed for playing a “relentless” game by journalist Henry Winter, with “incredible stamina” and a completeness that suggests he is among the finest midfielders currently competing in Europe, Newcastle have hit the jackpot with Tonali.

Saying that, to say they have hit the jackpot is to say Newcastle’s success is down to chance. It is not. Here is an outfit with their wits about them, picking out an elite talent and then fashioning him into a superstar.

It was already achieved with Guimaraes, who captains the club and does so with such aplomb, ranked as he is among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe for progressive passes and the top 8% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

And not only is Guimaraes among the most talented and commanding central midfielders in the Premier League, but his fitness level is of the highest class too.

25/26

5 (5)

1 (0)

24/25

38 (38)

5 (6)

23/24

37 (37)

7 (8)

22/23

32 (32)

4 (5)

21/22

17 (11)

5 (1)

Despite a tough summer transfer window, Newcastle have signed shrewdly, packaging Howe’s squad with more exciting talent. Indeed, there’s one signing made this year who has the potential to rival these stalwarts as he goes from strength to strength on Tyneside.

Newcastle's new jackpot signing

This summer, Newcastle signed a number of new first-team players. Under the radar was the £35m signing of Malick Thiaw from AC Milan, but the central defender has been proving his worth since entering the fray.

The 24-year-old, a product of Schalke’s youth academy, has joined a robust and varied backline at Newcastle, but he has started to stake a strong claim for a regular starting role alongside Sven Botman.

Already establishing himself as a fan favourite, Thiaw’s reading of the game is almost scholarly, so sharp is he when pitted against potential danger. Positionally and through sharp timing, he is already going from strength to strength, and that bodes well when considering where he could end up on the scale of importance at Newcastle.

Across three games in the Premier League so far this term, the 6 foot 1 talent has won 63% of his duels, averaging five clearances each match and playing with a degree of confidence and composure that eludes many signings when they arrive from overseas.

Hailed as a “monster in the air” by journalist Martino Puccio, the German is proving himself to be adept across the myriad duties of a modern defender competing for a top team. His is a wide-ranging skillset.

Against Union Saint-Gilloise, he was awarded an 8/10 match rating by the Shields Gazette, having controlled things at the back and having shown his class on the ball, completing 91% of his passes and winning all three aerial challenges, as recorded by Sofascore.

And this is a consistent thing, a promising pattern. He ranks among the top 7% of centre-halves across Europe for pass completion, and the top 19% for progressive passes per 90.

Thiaw has long been regarded as a top defensive talent, but injury issues have not been kind to him during his time in Italy. However, Newcastle boast plenty of depth in central defence, with Fabian Schar and Dan Burn both into their thirties but still among the most industrious centre-backs in the Premier League.

They will all earn starting berths across the campaign, and in this way, Thiaw can be allowed to bloom in the English game and grow into a world-class asset on Tyneside, taking this remarkable Newcastle team to an even higher level.

Reporter Jordan Cronin remarked after the win in Belgium that Woltemade and Thiaw might just go down as “the best signings of the summer”.

Given that the centre-back cost about half of the striker’s £69m fee, there’s a solid case to be made that his is the shrewder signature, and that, with more strong performances, he might not only go down as the signing of the summer, but one of Newcastle’s finest captures since Howe first took his seat in the St. James’ Park dugout.

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The allrounder has termed Sabina Park as the “perfect ground” in which to bid farewell to international cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-20254:10

Russell: I want to win and finish on a high

In the lead-up to his retirement from international cricket, Andre Russell has picked out his innings in the Mumbai semi-final of the 2016 T20 World Cup as the proudest moment from his 141 matches for West Indies.When Russell walked in at No. 5 in a chase of 193 against tournament hosts India, West Indies needed 77 off 41 balls. Russell scored an unbeaten 43 off just 20 balls, smacking Virat Kohli over the midwicket boundary to seal victory with two balls to spare.”Definitely [my best moment was] the 2016 World Cup, that semi-final game against India where I brought the team home, me and Lendl Simmons, and obviously the start that we got from the other batters,” Russell said in a Cricket West Indies (CWI) interview.Related

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“Chasing 190-plus in that semi-final in India, with the crowd supporting India only, that was already a bit of pressure, but the wicket was a very good wicket, so the confidence that we had in the changing room and the batters that were left to come, it gave me the freedom and the confidence to go out and play the role that I did.”West Indies went on to beat England in a thrilling final in Kolkata and lift the T20 World Cup for the second time in four years. Russell was part of both those triumphs.”Obviously, two World Cups, it’s just a different emotion,” he said. “You sleep, you wake up [on the morning after the final], and you realise you’ve only been sleeping for two hours, but you feel well-rested because you just want to see what’s going on on the internet, you want to see all of those memories and all of those good comments.”So those are the two most important moments, playing for West Indies.”Russell will retire from international cricket after the first two T20Is against Australia on July 20 and 22, both to be played at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.”It’s a pretty good feeling,” Russell said, on signing off at his home ground. “I think, [from the] first time I came to Sabina Park as a kid, and then to actually walk on the grass and feel the atmosphere and look in the stands and everything, and [to] now, I’ve achieved so much out of cricket for the last couple of years. I did my best in every chance I got, representing West Indies.”I think it’s the perfect ground and the perfect series – against a good team as well, Australia – to end my international career. By just seeing the [social media] posts and seeing stuff going around on the internet, I get a bit emotional, to be honest, but, you know, decision already made, and I think I’ve done well enough to actually say, yes, that’s it for me towards international cricket.”

It’s shaping up to be a sensational season for Arsenal this year.

With nine games played in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side sit atop the Premier League table, six points clear of Manchester City and seven points clear of Liverpool.

Moreover, while the Gunners look impossible to score against at the moment, there is a real sense that the team could still move up a gear or two.

Even then, several Arsenal players are performing at levels fans have not seen before, including one big-money signing who is emulating Jurrien Timber’s rise.

Timber's rise at Arsenal

Arsenal made a number of impressive signings in the summer of 2023, including David Raya, Declan Rice, and Kai Havertz.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Yet the player fans probably knew the least amount, due to him not playing in England, was Timber, who moved to the Emirates from Ajax for a fee of around £38m.

Unfortunately, the supporters wouldn’t learn much about their new defender during his first season at the club either, as he suffered an ACL injury in the opening game against Nottingham Forest, which kept him out until the final match of the campaign.

Fortunately, the Dutchman didn’t miss anywhere near as many games last season and, as a result, made an incredible impact on the team, primarily by being solid as a rock on the right-hand side.

However, this year has seen the Utrecht-born monster take yet another step forward in red and white, as, in addition to being an elite lockdown defender, he has also become a genuine attacking threat.

For example, in just nine Premier League games, the 24-year-old has scored two goals and provided two assists.

Moreover, according to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of full-backs in the league this season for non-penalty expected and actual goals, shots on target and through balls, the top 6% for passes into the penalty area, and more, all per 90.

Goals

0.26

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.26

Top 1%

Shots on Target

0.64

Top 1%

Through Balls

1.03

Top 1%

SCA (Shot)

0.51

Top 1%

Passes into Penalty Area

1.79

Top 4%

GCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.13

Top 4%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.90

Top 4%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.13

Top 4%

xG: Expected Goals

0.23

Top 7%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.23

Top 7%

Progressive Passes

6.41

Top 7%

In all, Timber has become an all-action full-back who excels in all facets of the game, and as a result, it’s almost impossible to disagree with analyst Ben Mattinson’s claim that he is “one of the best Emirates-era signings.”

Therefore, it’s massively encouraging to see another one of Arteta’s big-money signings start to emulate him in certain ways this season.

The Arsenal star emulating Timber

There are plenty of Arsenal players having stellar campaigns so far this season, but someone who’s been a big surprise in the best way possible has been Riccardo Calafiori.

The Italian international joined the club in the summer of 2024, and while he did so with plenty of fanfare, he did not have the best of debut seasons in red and white.

In fact, across the whole campaign, the former Bologna star made just 29 appearances, totalling 1497 minutes, which was almost entirely down to his truly dreadful injury record, which saw him miss 30 games for club and country and spend 175 days on the sidelines.

24/25

175

30

23/24

4

2

22/23

53

15

21/22

73

18

20/21

118

33

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43

5

18/19

291

75

It was so bad, and Myles Lewis-Skelly did such a good job in his place that there were doubts over whether he’d actually be able to hold down a place in the team, or if he would suffer injury after injury before being shipped off, akin to what happened with Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Fortunately, this year has been completely different, and as things stand, he’s already made ten appearances for the first team, totalling 791 minutes, and is yet to miss a single game through injury.

This comeback is one of the similarities he shares with Timber, and the second is that, on top of simply being available, he’s also been absolutely incredible for the team this year, both defensively and especially going forward.

For example, he’s already scored a goal and provided two assists, and his underlying numbers, like the Dutchman’s, are sensational.

According to FBref, the £120k-per-week monster ranks in the top 1% of full-backs in the league for total shots, the top 4% for expected goals, the top 7% for goals plus assists, the top 10% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and more, all per 90.

On top of the incredible numbers, the Rome-born wildcard is also one of the most entertaining players to watch in the league.

Shots Total

2.20

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.13

Top 1%

xG: Expected Goals

0.25

Top 4%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.25

Top 4%

SCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.26

Top 4%

GCA (Shot)

0.13

Top 4%

Goals + Assists

0.39

Top 7%

npxG + xAG

0.31

Top 7%

SCA (Shot)

0.39

Top 7%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.65

Top 7%

Touches (Att Pen)

3.50

Top 7%

SCA (Defensive Action)

0.13

Top 10%

Assists

0.26

Top 13%

npxG/Shot

0.11

Top 16%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.39

Top 16%

Goals

0.13

Top 19%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.13

Top 19%

Passes Completed (Medium)

18.78

Top 19%

For example, the freedom given to him by Arteta and his subsequent roaming approach to the game have led him to being described as a “wild horse on the loose” by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean and “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment” by journalist James Benge.

Ultimately, while he had a poor start to life at Arsenal, Calafiori has exploded into life this season, and, like Timber, has become one of the most indispensable players in Arteta’s squad.

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Tottenham Hotspur are now showing real interest in signing a “relentless” new midfielder who has “striker-like finishing”, with a number of Europe’s top clubs keen.

Spurs looking to strengthen in midfield

Tottenham have made a patchy start to life under Thomas Frank, most recently drawing 0-0 away at AS Monaco in the Champions League, and they could have lost if not for the performance of Guglielmo Vicario, who received a SofaScore match rating of 10 for his efforts.

The Lilywhites recorded an xG of just 0.88, as a result of only creating one big chance throughout the match, with Lucas Bergvall failing to make an impact, being substituted on the hour mark after failing to complete a single dribble or get a shot away.

Given that Rodrigo Bentancur also has just one goal and no assists to his name in all competitions this term, it wouldn’t be surprising if Frank were to try and bring in a new creative spark, and a new midfielder has now emerged as a target.

That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states Tottenham are now showing real interest in signing AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit, having sent scouts to watch him in action for the Eredivisie side last weekend.

At the end of August, it was revealed the Dutch club are looking to hold out for up to €30m (£26m) for Smit, but the price tag could feasibly be driven up amid widespread interest, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea also keen.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “Talking to scouts in Europe, there are not many more names that create as much excitement as Smit.

Thomas Frank names the Tottenham player scoring for fun in training lately

The Spurs boss is very impressed.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 22, 2025

“Many clubs believe Smit is the real deal and from what I am being told there is a very good chance he moves next year.”

"Relentess" Smit could be real attacking threat for Spurs

Scout Ben Mattinson has waxed lyrical about the threat the Dutchman poses going forward, saying: “For a midfielder, Kees Smit has striker-like finishing in the box. The quality and consistency of his finishing is top drawer. He attacks the box throughout games and gets into some dangerous areas to score from midfield.”

Mattinson has also praised the 19-year-old for his engine and ability in possession of the ball, describing him as “relentless” earlier this year.

Despite still being a teenager, the Alkmaar maestro has already established himself as a regular starter for the Dutch club, chipping in with one goal and two assists in the Eredivisie so far this season.

As such, Smit could be a fantastic long-term addition to Frank’s squad, but it would be a gamble, given that he is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s major leagues.

Ben Kellaway attempted to bowl Glamorgan to victory in the absence of the injured Mason Crane with a career-best 6 for 111

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay02-Jul-2025 Gloucestershire 380 (Bracey 133, Akhter 58, Bancroft 50) and 255 for 7 (Hammond 84, Kellaway 6-111) drew with Glamorgan 528 (Kellaway 139, Ingram 117)Gloucestershire batted all day to complete their day four task and ensure a draw with Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens.Miles Hammond led the way with 84, remaining at the crease for 55 overs of the final day as the draw was settled after just three innings, the visitors ending on 255 for 7 with a lead of 107.Ben Kellaway attempted to bowl Glamorgan to victory in the absence of the injured Mason Crane and continued to show signs of promise with career-best figures of 6 for 111, adding to his century from day three.With Leicestershire and Derbyshire recording defeats earlier in the day, Glamorgan and Gloucestershire closed the gap on the promotion spaces with their high-scoring draw.Starting the day wicketless after 11 overs survived overnight, Gloucestershire needed 136 to make Glamorgan bat again. The equation for the hosts was simple – bowl the opposition out inside a day and see how much time was left to chase whatever was set.Joe Phillips was the first of a series of starts for Gloucestershire throughout the day, although balls were the crucial figure with time taken up the only aim. After nine overs of the day, Glamorgan struck – Cameron Bancroft adjudged lbw off James Harris setting Glamorgan on their way for the day.An over later, Kellaway removed the other opener with Asa Tribe completing an excellent short-leg catch off the face of the bat.Ollie Price and later Graeme van Buuren stalled Glamorgan in support of Hammond, the latter pair putting on 56. However, with three wickets at lunch, the Welsh county had more hope than initially thought.An afternoon session drifted by, Glamorgan trying all the tactics seen by Gloucestershire a day prior, plus the additional trick of Kellaway’s left-arm-orthodox, one of which a head-high beamer sent for six. James Bracey and Hammond batted time, not always convincingly, combining for 45 although that wasn’t important either. Gloucestershire losing just one wicket in the session was crucial, they now had a 46-run lead for Glamorgan to negotiate with just 34 overs left in the day.With an early handshake the expectation from the afternoon of dryness, the tale twisted again. Hammond was dropped on his first ball after tea, only to be dismissed in the same over. Then Bracey’s long, circumstantial knock ended in Kellaway’s next over, giving the 21-year-old a second career five-for, Colin Ingram receiving a second-slip catch for an early 40th birthday gift.Another period of eight overs went by which Glamorgan couldn’t afford, 30 runs added, Kellaway claiming a sixth.Eventually hands were shaken with 12 overs left in the day, at 5.24pm, the Kookaburra ball claiming a win, Glamorgan only wondering what could’ve been had Crane’s side-strain not restricted him from taking part in the final day’s proceedings.

MatériaMais Notícias

O encerramento da passagem de Bruno Lage fará o Botafogo arcar com mais uma despesa em relação ao seu antigo comandante. O clube pagará a multa rescisória pelo rompimento do acordo com o treinador.

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Lage chegou ao Alvinegro em 12 de julho, com previsão de comandar o Glorioso até o final desta temporada. A multa rescisória é estipulada em torno de R$ 4 milhões.

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Bruno Lage deixou o Botafogo após 16 jogos, com cinco vitórias, sete empates e quatro derrotas. Seu rendimento, não evitou que a equipe perdesse a Sul-Americana e a distância na liderança do Brasileirão caísse de 12 pontos para sete.

Lúcio Flávio foi escolhido pela SAF alvinegra para comandar o cargo interinamente.

A week has now passed since Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani hit his milestone 50th home run on Sept. 19. However, the saga of Ohtani's milestone home run ball appears to have just begun.

Eighteen-year-old Max Matus has sued to block the potential sale of the ball via auction, claiming that he is its rightful owner and that he had the ball forcibly wrested from his possession. The suit appeared in court records Thursday and was reported upon by cllct and ESPN.

"We are aware of the case that has been filed," a spokesperson for Goldin Auctions—a defendant in the lawsuit—said. "Having reviewed the allegations and images included in the lawsuit, and publicly available video from the game, Goldin plans to go live with the auction of the Ohtani 50-50 ball. While Goldin has been named as a party in the case, there are no allegations of wrongdoing by the company."

Goldin is scheduled to put the ball up for option Friday for no lower than $500,000.

Ohtani hit his 50th home run during a 20–4 Dodgers win over the Miami Marlins, making him the first player ever to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in one season. He went an astonishing 6-for-6 in the game with three home runs, driving in 10 of Los Angeles's 20 runs in one of baseball's all-time great individual performances.

In addition to Goldin, Matus's lawsuit names Chris Belanski and Kelvin Ramirez. Belanski emerged with the ball and in tandem with Ramirez has signaled plans to sell it.

Spain's anti-violence commission have recommended a Real Oviedo supporter is fined £3,521 (€4,000/$4,625) for allegedly directing racist abuse towards Barcelona forward Marcus Rashford. The incident is alleged to have taken place during the Spanish champions' 3-1 victory over Oviedo in La Liga on 25 September – a match in which the Manchester United loanee recorded an assist.

• La Liga detect images of the alleged abuse on social media

  In a statement on Thursday, Spanish authorities recommended the fine after La Liga detected images on social media of the Oviedo supporter, who is alleged to have aimed a racial slur in Spanish towards Rashford.

  The statement said: "La Liga detected the images on social media and filed a complaint with the National Police.

  "Subsequently, analysis of footage from the stadium's Organizational Control Unit (UCO) cameras allowed for the identification of the alleged perpetrator. The processing of this proposal will be contingent upon the final decisions made in the criminal proceedings."

  The authorities are yet to confirm when a final decision will be taken.

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• AFP
  

  Rashford was racially abused after Euro 2020 final loss

  In 2021, a man who livestreamed himself on Facebook racially abusing Rashford, Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka and on-loan Aston Villa forward Jadon Sancho after they missed penalties in England’s Euro 2020 final shoot-out defeat was jailed. Jonathon Best, then 52, was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison at Willesden Magistrates' Court.

  And in 2022, a teenager who racially abused Rashford following England’s defeat against Italy was jailed. Justin Lee Price, then 19, was jailed for six weeks at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court after targeting Rashford on Twitter (now X).

• On-loan forward has been in excellent form for Barcelona

  Rashford has been in excellent form for Barcelona after joining them on a season-long from United in the summer. The 28-year-old is the current joint-top assist provider in La Liga, having set up his team-mates five times in 10 league games.

  The England international has also impressed in the Champions League this season, scoring four goals in three fixtures, with only Bayern Munich and Real Madrid forwards Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe having netted more (five each).

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Rashford has already expressed desire to stay at Barcelona

  With Barcelona holding the option to make his loan move permanent for £28 million (€32m/$37m) next summer, Rashford has already expressed his desire to remain with the Blaugrana.

  "For sure," Rashford told when asked if he wanted to stay in Spain.

  "I'm enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player it is an honour.

  "People forget this, but 23 years of my life was with Manchester United. So sometimes you just need a change. I think maybe this is the case with me and I'm enjoying everything.”

Gerardo “Tata” Martino has returned to Atlanta United as manager on a two-year contract, the club announced Thursday. The 62-year-old reunites with the team where he enjoyed his greatest success, winning the 2018 MLS Cup and being named Coach of the Year. Martino aims to restore Atlanta’s status as a contender after inconsistency since his 2018 departure.

Getty Images SportA familiar face returns

The 62-year-old coach replaces Ronny Deila, whose tenure ended after a 14th-place finish in the Eastern Conference this season with just 28 points – despite having MLS's third-highest payroll at $28.5 million. Martino will also reconnect with one of his former stars in Miguel Almiron, who also rejoined the team last year after a stint with Newcastle United. 

“I want to thank Arthur and Chris for the opportunity to return to the club and a city where we hold wonderful memories and maintain great relationships,” Martino said in a statement. “This is a different project than my first stint with the club, however, with great ownership and the collaboration of the players, coaching staff and everyone at the club, our objective will always be to form a winning team that makes our fans feel proud and well-represented every time that they go to Mercedes-Benz Stadium.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA proven winner

Team owner Arthur Blank stressed the move to bring back Martino wasn't about trying to recreate the past and stressed the Argentine manager was hired to build a new foundation with the club. 

“Tata is an exceptional coach who set the standard for excellence within our club,” Blank said. “This is not about recreating the past, but about building a new foundation.” Martino’s career spans over 25 years and includes 11 trophies with clubs and national teams – from Barcelona and Newell’s Old Boys to Argentina, Paraguay, and Mexico.

Getty Images SportRecent success in Miami

Before returning to Atlanta, Martino managed Inter Miami during the early Lionel Messi era, capturing the 2023 Leagues Cup and 2024 Supporters’ Shield. His deep understanding of MLS and tactical identity made him the top choice for Atlanta’s front office.

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Getty Images SportRebuilding the five stripes

During Martino’s first stint, Atlanta compiled a record of 42 wins, 20 losses, and 16 draws, setting club marks for points (124), goals (140), and goal difference (+56). Now, with a Designated Player core of Emmanuel Latte Lath, Alexey Miranchuk, and Miguel Almirón, Martino faces the challenge of reviving the Five Stripes’ competitive edge ahead of 2026.