PATRICK COLLINS: It should be remembered that the FA's initial instinct was to approach Arsene Wenger, a worthy if futile attempt to hire the very best. But then, absurdly, they changed tack.

PATRICK COLLINS: When youngsters wanted to know just what made Glenn Hoddle so very special, their fathers would search out a 20-second film clip. Tottenham versus Watford.

JAMIE REDKNAPP: With Carlo Ancelotti as a manager and Duncan Ferguson as a mentor, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is getting the best of both worlds. He can become a true No 9.

JAMIE REDKNAPP: It seems as if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is trying to keep hold of his job by being everyone's friend, and you cannot do that as manager of this Manchester United side.

JAMIE REDKNAPP: Harry Kane is at home, in self-isolation, with a series of Tottenham Hotspur shirts on the wall behind him and Sportsmail's Jamie Redknapp on the screen in front.

EXCLUSIVE: The defender who earns his living by not giving opponents an inch is contemplating the fact he now has to steer two metres clear for the foreseeable future.

Erling Haaland has scored an astonishing 11 goals in just seven games for Borussia Dortmund after sealing his £17million switch from Red Bull Salzburg in January.

Ahead of facing Watford this weekend, Fernandes opened up on the impact Cristiano Ronaldo, who he plays alongside for the Portuguese national team, has had on his career to date.

As a result of his support, Michu reached out to the Borussia Dortmund star to send him a signed Brugos jersey with Haaland's name on the back. 'Wow what a legend!!' Haaland responded.

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.

The Champions League is a must, rather than a want, for Juventus these days. It's an itch that they cannot scratch, an addiction they cannot kick and Maurizio Sarri knows it is top of his brief to go and deliver it.

David Alaba believes that Bayern Munich teammate Robert Lewandowski should be rated alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the best player's in the world. 

Lyon secured an impressive Champions League last-16 first-leg victory at home to Juventus thanks to Lucas Tousart's first-half goal, with the visitors failing to have a shot on target.

The Turin giants' duo were caught on camera at half-time, and could be overheard bemoaning a lack of support during another underwhelming display.

Jorge Mendes' house in Portugal has been searched by Portuguese tax authorities as part of an ongoing investigation.

Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala were caught on camera moaning about the paucity of the Juventus midfield and they certainly have a point. Maurizio Sarri has struggled to get a tune out of his players all season.

Tottenham were dumped out of the Champions League by Leipzig and qualification through the league is looking unlikely. The Italian giants hope that will be a factor in luring Kane to Turin.

His energy and creativity has brought new life to the United midfield - he was named Premier League Player of the Month for Feburary on Monday and has now spoken about his relationship with Ronaldo.

Writing in Spanish, she said of the Portuguese star: 'By your strength and courage you will always be our HERO. By protecting us at night and by day you will be our GUARDIAN ANGEL.'

AS report that Cristiano Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes has spent a significant amount of money buying 200,000 gowns and three ventilators for the hospital in Porto.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes will finance three intensive care units for patients suffering from coronavirus at hospitals in Lisbon and Porto - with the donation worth £1million.

The NHS have enlisted the help of leading sports stars such as England manager Gareth Southgate and Manchester City's Raheem Sterling to encourage fans to stay at home amid the coronavirus crisis. 

Football is poised for an extraordinary week of wage cuts across the board as the game attempts to forge a way out of the coronavirus crisis at Friday's Premier League shareholders' meeting.

Cristiano Ronaldo isn't particularly impressed at Bruno Fernandes' reaction to his ab workout challenge on Instagram, and took the time to troll his Portugal team-mate on Tuesday.

Rio Ferdinand believed Manchester United had lost the 2008 Champions League final to Chelsea when John Terry walked up to take the match-winning penalty. 

After a month in Madeira, the Juventus forward has decided to leave his £7m seven-storey home and relocate as he looks for more privacy for him, partner Georgina Rodriguez and his kids.

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 has rented the villa for him, his partner Georgina Rodriguez and his children, and comes with a swimming pool, top-floor games room and six bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms.

The Brazilian has faced the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo during an illustrious career but says the notoriously tricky former Chelsea striker was the toughest to get the better of.

Cristiano Ronaldo was every inch the doting dad as he shared an early morning selfie with his kids and partner Georgina Rodriguez on Saturday.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are widely regarded as the two biggest stars in world football. Though Roberto Mancini has claimed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 'on the same level'.

The prospect of the 2019-20 season being declared 'null and void' looms large over football. We take a look at some of the records, achievements and landmarks that could be erased from history.

Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville named their 'world football draft' for Sky Sports and Kylian Mbappe received plenty of recognition at the top of both lists.

Cristiano Ronaldo is spending a relaxing final few days in Madeira with his son, as he is expected to head back to Italy next week. The pair posed for a cute Instagram photo.

Neymar worked under Unai Emery in his first season at Paris Saint-Germain after completing a world record £200m move to the French club from Barcelona in the summer of 2017.

The Juventus star, 35, cosied up to his girlfriend of three years, 26, as they strolled through the rocky terrain with his oldest son Cristiano Jnr, nine, in snaps from the outing on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Juventus training from Madeira has been delayed until Monday afternoon due to travel restrictions in Spain.

The Portuguese midfielder has settled in well to life at Old Trafford and already has pundits, fans and former United players fawning over his early performances after his £68m move from Lisbon.

From haircuts and hikes to working out with friends and family, Ronaldo has kept his 216 million followers on Instagram in touch with his daily activities ahead of his return to Italy on Monday.

The forward was accompanied by members of his family and a huge security presence on Monday evening as he made his much awaited return to Italy.

The Argentine full-back was one of the last signings made by the club prior to the new owners, arriving just days before the Abu Dhabi buyout was confirmed in September 2008.

Nike versus Adidas: Who wins the battle of the brands at Euro 2016? With data provided by Repucom's new European Football Report, Sportsmail assesses the various key categories.

Andres Iniesta has no concerns over Spain's form as they prepare to begin their Euro 2016 campaign against the Czech Republic.

Spain may be the holders of the European Championship but after their display at the World Cup, Vicente del Bosque's side will need to prove they still belong among the elite in France.

Day four of this summer's European Championship sees holders Spain in action against the Czech Republic. Belgium's clash with Italy will also be a tasty affair while Ireland are in action.

Reigning European champions Spain begin their quest to retain their crown with a Group D opener against Czech Republic in Toulouse. Follow the action with MATT MALTBY.

The former Arsenal veteran believes his country should be positive after their narrow defeat to Spain but has called on his side's youngsters to step up on the big stage.

While Group A, B and C may be taking shape, attention turns to Group D and E on Friday. Italy stormed to a 2-0 victory over Belgium and will want more success against Sweden.

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.

Although the permutations over the third-place teams who will progress are complicated enough to require some serious mathematics the make-up of the individual groups are rather simpler.