PATRICK COLLINS: Manchester United against Cambridge is what the FA Cup is all about. ‘The magic of the Cup’ may be a desperate cliche but, in truth, there are times when only a cliche will do

The most depressing words of this young sporting year were spoken by Jimmy Anderson. One of the more discordant sounds of an English summer is the distant drone of him sledging.

PATRICK COLLINS: The Mail on Sunday's Chief Sports Writer is retiring after 50 years on Fleet Street. To mark his departure, he has picked 10 great events from his memories.

PATRICK COLLINS: Bolt, Ali, Woods, Pele, Bradman and a precious few others — Jack Nicklaus, certainly, and, in time, Lionel Messi — constitute an elite on whom the term ‘genius’ sits lightly.

PATRICK COLLINS: When his massive contribution has been adequately assessed, Jimmy Hill will be seen as one of the most significant figures in the modern history of British football.

PATRICK COLLINS: Fifty-two years have passed since that February dawn, yet still the cry comes ringing down the decades: ‘Ah shook up the world! Ah shook up the world!’

JAMIE REDKNAPP: Sadio Mane's reaction to being told he had just scored his 100th goal in the English game said it all. There are no egos in this Liverpool team.

COMMENT: Perhaps, the one plus side to this summer's European Championship being moved to 2021 is that it offers Kane time. The team figurehead will not have to rush to get back.

The evergreen pair of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may continue to defy the laws of time but a changing of the guard has started to emerge at football's elite level.

Maurizio Sarri launched into a bizarre outburst at the expense of his Juventus side, following their abject 1-0 defeat to Lyon in the Champions League last 16 first-leg. No punches were pulled.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar's deal is currently set to expire in June 2022, and Juventus hope to convince Ronaldo to commit his future to Turin.

Gary Neville has revealed he angered Cristiano Ronaldo by leaving the pitch at the Mestalla long and unwatered when his Valencia side hosted Real Madrid back in January 2016.

Cristiano Ronaldo chose to join Manchester United in 2003 because every other club that was interested in signing the winger wanted to loan him back to Sporting Lisbon, Jorge Mendes has revealed.

The Frenchman has been heavily linked with the exit door at Old Trafford, with his agent fuelling the fire of his impending move away, and it is thought he could be eyeing up a return to the Serie A giants.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest paid footballer in Serie A, earning £27.5million per season. He could leave Juventus if he demands the lost wages back rather than sign a contract extension.

Cristiano Ronaldo had initially agreed to swap shirts with former Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino before his penalty was saved during a 3-0 win in Turin last year.

Cristiano Ronaldo is doing his bit to help Juventus cut costs in the coronavirus outbreak but due to the astronomical success of his business away from the pitch, he's unlikely to notice the financial hit.

Italian Football Federation are hoping to restart the Serie A season in mid May, and with that in mind Juventus have allowed Adrien Rabiot to return to France for the remainder of the lockdown period.

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in 2003. To improve his game, Mike Phelan has said the club needed to teach him to become a 'team player' to help him to grow.

Ronaldo put in a sensational performance for Sporting Lisbon in a 3-1 pre-season friendly win against United before moving to Old Trafford in a £12.24 million deal just days later.

Ronaldo started his career at Nacional, representing the club between 1995 and 1997 before winning a move to Sporting Lisbon but returned as he tried to kill time during the football shutdown.

Sadio Mane had an ally in Lionel Messi after being 'left with a bitter taste' by Jurgen Klopp's decision to back Virgil van Dijk for last year's Ballon d'Or.

Cristiano Ronaldo was left frustrated after plans to return to Juventus were delayed by restrictions on his private jet flying out from his Madeira home. But he before he then relaxed with a beverage.

Cristiano Ronaldo has finally arrived back in Turin after having his private jet refused permission for takeoff in Spain on Sunday. The Juve forward has suffered a logistical headache in getting back.

The Portugal star made it back to Italy on Monday and is spending 14 days in quarantine before he can return to training with the Serie A side. Ronaldo uploaded a photo onto his Instagram page.

CHRIS HATHERALL IN SAINT-ETIENNE: Croatia fans threw flares on the pitch and fought in the stands as their team threw away a 2-0 lead against the Czech Republic to draw 2-2.

UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against the Croatian Football Association for the chaotic scenes that saw Mark Clattenburg halt the Euro 2016 Group D fixture on Friday night.

Czech national team manager Pavel Vrba has quit the job and signed a contract with Anzhi Makhachkala, the Czech Football Association and the Russian Premier League club announced.

CHRIS WHEELER AT GENERALI ARENA: It wasn’t pretty by any means but Northern Ireland have the point they wanted to get their World Cup qualifying campaign up and running.

The draw for the inaugural UEFA Nations League takes place in Lausanne on Wednesday morning as the 55 European nations participating discover who they will play. Follow it all live here.

The manager of the Czech Republic national team Karel Jarolim has left his position by mutual consent, the country's Football Association said on Twitter on Tuesday.

Gareth Southgate's men are among the top seeds and will be in a five-team group while Wales and Scotland will join Germany in pot two and Northern Ireland and the Republic in pot three.

With Euro 2020 being held across Europe, there are no automatic qualifying berths and every side at next summer's tournament will have had to earn their spot. Here, we take a look at who's on track...

SAMI MOKBEL AT THE SINOBO STADIUM: Gareth Southgate ordered England to muster an immediate response after admitting his side were dealt a deserved reality check in Prague last night.

Jordan Pickford insists England were not complacent as they slipped to defeat against the Czech Republic on Friday night and are itching to bounce back in Bulgaria.

Stuart Dallas has called on Northern Ireland to pick themselves and get a result in Monday's friendly against the Czech Republic after Thursday's last-gasp defeat to Holland left them floored.

Sancho got back down to work on Saturday alongside his England team-mates as they look to respond emphatically following their disappointing 2-1 loss to the Czech Republic.

Wales fought to a creditable draw at home against Croatia but qualification for Euro 2020 is now out of their hands. 

TOM COLLOMOSSE AT THE CARDIFF CITY STADIUM: Gareth Bale had Wales daring to dream of a Euro 2020 place, on a night when Daniel James suffered a sickening blow to the head.

Ryan Giggs has criticised brain injury charity Headway for questioning Wales' medical department following an apparent concussion incident involving winger Daniel James.

Before the tournament begins Gareth Southgate's side will travel to Vienna on June 2 to play Austria, before returning to England for a tie against Romania at an undecided English stadium.

England have dodged the proverbial 'group of death' at the next UEFA Nations League tournament after drawing Iceland, Denmark and Belgium in the group stages.

She's about to head back to work as a coach on The Voice.

Gwen Stefani has inspired some serious fandom. And while hitting a red carpet for her Las Vegas show she came upon an admirer who had her face tattooed in detail on one of his calves.

Taylor Swift will join the next season of The Voice as a mega mentor. The ME! hitmaker will be joining Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, John Legend and Kelly Clarkson as she helps coach.

Blake Shelton fought for respect on Tuesday's episode of The Voice, sparring with his fellow judges and failing to pick up singers before finally scoring one at the end. 

Gwen Stefani was the epitome of chic on Saturday as she went shopping in a red jumpsuit and embroidered green jacket at The Grove in Los Angeles alongside her son Kingston.

They celebrated her birthday together on Thursday at her home in Los Angeles. But an at-home celebration was just the first part of Gwen Stefani's 50th birthday party.

The 43-year-old country star showed his softer side Monday on The Voice as he recalled the humble beginnings of his career after a contestant performed his signature song, Ol' Red.

The 44-year-old singer had an emotional moment on Tuesday's episode of The Voice as he marveled at how little separated him from a contestant in the battle rounds.