Valencia are reportedly considering legal action, claiming the Netflix documentary 'Baila, Vini' unfairly portrays their fans as racist.

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• Valencia may sue over 'Baila, Vini' documentary
• Documentary shows controversial footage from 2023
• Three fans found guilty of racial abuse

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , the Liga club has claimed that the documentary is misleading by its suggestion of widespread racist behavior among fans during a heated match at Mestalla in May 2023. While three individuals were found guilty of racism, the club argues that the film unfairly generalises the actions of a few to the entire fanbase.

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  The Netflix documentary 'Baila, Vini', which means 'Dance, Vini' in English, is about Vinícius Junior and how he preapres himself to compete at the highest level. Footage and subtitles in the Netflix documentary suggest Vinicius was targeted with racial slurs, specifically, 'Mono, mono!', which translates to 'Monkey, monkey!', during a heated La Liga match against Valencia. The club insists that the real chant was 'Tonto, tonto!', translating to 'Idiot, idiot!'. Valencia acknowledged and condemned the racist behaviour of three fans, but argue that the documentary misrepresents the situation and could damage the club's image worldwide.

• WHAT VINICIUS JR. SAID

  Discussing the documentary on Instagram, Vinicius wrote: "A 24-year-old having a documentary sounds weird, right? My career is far from over, a biography now wouldn't make sense. But I reflected and saw that I already had something to say, there was already a story to tell. May it inspire. Smile is my identity. Today, I jokingly recount the childhood woes. That was a tough one, though. Tears well up the eyes just thinking what my life would be like without football. Thank you to everyone who allowed me to experience it all."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR VINICIUS JR AND VALENCIA?

  Vinicius Junior will continue in his attempts to combat racism in football, as the Brazilian intends to inspire younger generations, both on and off the pitch. The Brazilian and his Madrid team-mates will play the penultimate game of the 2024-25 La Liga season with a meeting with Sevilla on May 18. Valencia, meanwhile, will wait for their legal team to review the documentary further for possible defamation or misrepresentation, which could set up a possible legal showdown with the streaming giant. Their first team face Athletic Club at Mestalla on Sunday.

Nuno Espirito Santo could walk away from Nottingham Forest despite his team's incredible performances this season.

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Nuno helped Forest avoid relegation last termGuided them to top-seven finish this time aroundCould leave amid issues with club's ownerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Forest have secured a place in the top seven of the Premier League and are in with a chance of qualifying for the Champions League heading into the last game of the 2024-25 campaign.

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Despite their rise up the table – Forest finished 17th last season – the prospect of the Portuguese manager leaving is being talked about within the club, reports. Meanwhile, reports that Italian side Roma are interested in hiring him.

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Espirito Santo and club owner Evangelos Marinakis were involved in a heated confrontation on the field recently, though the latter denied there was a problem between the two in a furious statement. The former Wolves and Tottenham boss took charge of Forest in late-2023 and helped guide them to Premier League safety on the final game of last season. His current contract runs until 2026.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR FOREST?

Forest finish the season with a home game against Chelsea, who are fourth in the table, and it remains to be seen if it will be the 51-year-old's last game at the helm.

England’s Sophie Ecclestone becomes the second bowler ever to break the 800 rating points mark

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2023

South Africa’s on-field gains during a sensational and emotional Women’s T20 World Cup campaign have been supplemented by those from off the field as well with two of their key players rising to significant positions in the ICC rankings. Laura Wolvaardt, who finished the tournament as its highest run-getter, is now at No. 6 among the batters while Shabnim Ismail, who produced the spell that turned the semi-final, is up to No. 7 among the bowlers.This South African women’s team became the first from their country to make the final of a cricket World Cup at the senior level. They got there despite starting the competition with a loss and facing must-win situations even before the knockout stages ever began. Rising to that challenge were the same players who have now been recognised with better seeding by the ICC.Wolvaardt struck half-centuries in the final and in a make-it-or-break-it game against Bangladesh and as a result has moved up eight places. Her opening partner Tazmin Brits, who was named player of the semi-final for a half-century and four catches, is up five places to No. 12. Among the bowlers, Ismail, having been down at No. 11, has broken into the top 10 and her new-ball partner Ayabonga Khaka is hot on her heels, rising from 21st to 14th.Related

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Australia who won the Women’s T20 World Cup for the third time in a row witnessed gains among their own players as well. Ashleigh Gardner, already the top-ranked allrounder, consolidated her position by scoring 110 runs and grabbing 10 wickets in the tournament. Also, with seven wickets at an economy rate of 5, Darcie Brown moved up five spots to No. 3 on the bowlers’ rankings.England’s Sophie Ecclestone remains No. 1 and having had a good tournament herself – 11 wickets in five matches – she is now just the second person in history to go past 800 rating points in the Women’s T20I bowlers’ rankings. Australia fast bowler Megan Schutt peaked at 805 in 2019 and is the only other woman to reach that barrier. Ecclestone is currently on 801 rating points.These ranking updates came on the same day it was confirmed that Australia, South Africa, England, India, New Zealand and West Indies have earned automatic qualification to the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup.

The Bangladesh selectors have rested Mahmudullah for the first two ODIs against Ireland, saying that they want to see other players given a chance at the highest level. Mahmudullah, a veteran of 218 ODIs who has retired from Tests and is no longer part of Bangladesh’s T20I plans, scored 71 runs in the three ODIs against England earlier this month.”Mahmudullah is rested. We have given the others a platform to do well at the highest level. Zakir has been doing well. Shoriful is returning due to his full fitness. This is actually the easiest time to see everyone’s form in a World Cup year,” BCB chief selector Minhajul Abedin said.The selectors have also dropped Shamim Hossain and Taijul Islam from the squad, bringing in the batters Zakir Hasan and Yasir Ali, the left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed and left-arm quick Shoriful Islam.Zakir made a debut Test hundred against India while Yasir has been in the white-ball setup since early 2022. Nasum is a like-for-like replacement for Taijul, while Shoriful Islam could be included to cover for a slightly off form Mustafizur Rahman.Tamim Iqbal will lead the side with Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim among the seniors. Litton Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto will bat in the top order with Tamim, but there’s competition for middle-order places. Afif Hossain, Towhid Hridoy and Yasir will all be competing for one or two spots.Taskin Ahmed will lead the pace attack with two out of Hasan Mahmud, Ebadot Hossain and Shoriful likely to be picked. Mehidy Hasan Miraz will be handly with his offspin and batting at No 8, leaving Nasum Ahmed as the backup spin option in his hometown Sylhet.Ireland have already arrived in Sylhet on Sunday. They will play a practice match on March 15, before the ODI series will be held in the same venue, Sylhet, on March 18, 20 and 23.IN: Yasir Ali, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Zakir HasanOUT: Shamim Hossain, Taijul Islam, MahmudullahBangladesh squad: Tamim Iqbal (capt), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Yasir Ali, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Zakir Hasan

Southern Vipers recovered from 49 for 5 batting first before defeating Northern Diamonds at Headingley, helped by Anya Shrubsole’s four wickets to set up up a mad scramble for the remaining two places at next Saturday’s Finals Day.Heading into Wednesday’s final day of group fixtures, the Vipers, Diamonds, Thunder and Western Storm are all still in contention to join the already qualified Blaze. Thunder host Diamonds and Vipers host Sunrisers.A feature of this fixture was early wickets in both innings. The Vipers, having elected to bat, lost five wickets inside nine overs before recovering to 144 for 6. The Diamonds then slipped to 5 for 3 before being stumbling to 128 for 9.Youth and experience ensured the Vipers leap-frogged the Diamonds into second place in the table on 17 points.Nancy Harman hit a regional best 32 not out off 19 balls from No. 8 in her 10th competition senior appearance in orange. In defence, England seam legend Shrubsole struck three times with the new ball, removing key duo Lauren Winfield-Hill and Hollie Armitage and finishing with a superb 4 for 18.England batter Maia Bouchier looked strong on both sides of the wicket as she hit five boundaries in a 16-ball 24 at the top of the order. However, the Vipers lost regular wickets through the first half of the innings, slipping to 38 for 3.Bouchier was the third to fall when she lobbed Grace Hall up to cover. Hall, a slingy seamer with variations aplenty, has enjoyed an impressive competition so far. The 20-year-old took her tally of wickets to 10 in six games – her first appearances in senior regional cricket. After getting Bouchier, she forced Freya Kemp to play a yorker onto her stumps, leaving the Vipers five down.From there, the Vipers were forced into an innings rebuild. And they did an excellent job on a pitch used for a Vitality Blast game between Yorkshire and Derbyshire earlier in the day.The recovery was led by captain Georgia Adams, who shared 43 with Emily Windsor and an unbroken 52 with Harman. The latter two were both valuable contributors – Windsor with a measured 25 and Harman with four fours before she lofted the last ball of the innings over long-on for six off Abi Glen.Windsor had been bowled advancing at leg-spinner Katie Levick, who had earlier trapped Georgia Elwiss lbw on the way to an impressive 2 for 12 from four overs.Harman was certainly the most destructive Viper on show with the bat, while Adams was busy. The momentum they created was then built upon by Shrubsole, whose second ball in the second over – a beauty of an inswinger – ripped out Winfield-Hill’s off-stump.The other opener, Leah Dobson, then miscued to mid-on at the end of same over before Armitage chipped to cover in the fourth.Then came a counter-attack from England hopeful Bess Heath, who crashed two fours and three sixes in 26 off 12 balls, taking the score to 46 in the seventh over before falling lbw to Mary Taylor’s seam.From there, Sterre Kalis and South African overseas all-rounder Chloe Tryon shared 53 inside eight overs to put their side back in the hunt, the latter making 30 off 20 balls as the score moved to 99 for 4 in the 15th over.But they were part of another damaging collapse of three wickets to fall for six runs. The medium pace of Elwiss accounted for Tryon caught at cover and Katherine Fraser at midwicket in the 15th over before Shrubsole returned to get Kalis caught at mid-off for 32 as the score fell to 105 for 7 in the 16th.Another fightback looked a long shot, and so it proved. Scott was stumped off Adams’ off-spin. Then, with 22 needed off the last over from Taylor, Levick was run out amid an otherwise eventless over.

While hosts are preoccupied with trying to save Test cricket, Khawaja is content just playing it

Matt Roller30-Jun-2023As Usman Khawaja punched Stuart Broad’s full toss down the ground to pass 50 for the third time in four innings, he strolled down towards his partner Marnus Labuschagne. Without smiling, he shook Labuschagne’s hand and held up his bat reluctantly, as though asking the crowd to settle down so he could resume his innings.The TV cameras cut to the Australian supporters in the Mound Stand, all wearing their canary yellow caps, then the away balcony. David Warner, George Bailey, Pat Cummins, Andrew McDonald, Travis Head and Michael di Venuto sat applauding quietly.Watching from a chair at the front of the dressing room, set slightly back from the balcony, Steven Smith was waiting to bat. Smith clapped, too, then let out an uncontrollable yawn. It was that sort of afternoon at Lord’s, a soporific return to the normal rhythms of Test cricket after a series that has been played in fast-forward.Related

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Forget Joe Root’s reverse-scoop and Travis Head’s half-cut-half-slap. Ignore Cummins’ swipe down the ground for six and Zak Crawley’s cover drive. The defining shot of the first eight days of this Ashes series has been altogether more restrained.It has been played 189 times already, 34 of which came on a grim, murky Friday afternoon under the floodlights: Khawaja calmly, watchfully defending one of England’s three main seamers – Broad, James Anderson and Ollie Robinson.Khawaja has faced 486 balls from those three seamers in this series. He has defended 39% of them and has left a further 24%. He has scored 173 runs off them – at a strike rate of 35 – and been dismissed only once, when attempting to squeeze Robinson through backward point in Birmingham.There have been eight days of play in this series and Khawaja has been unbeaten overnight in half of them, the fourth coming at Lord’s on Friday. After seeing out 123 balls in the gloom, he will resume tomorrow on 58 not out with the chance to put the second Test beyond England’s reach.Khawaja has faced 711 balls in the series, more than twice as many as any other batter on either side. His strike rate of 39.52 is, by some way, the lowest of any batter who has faced more than 10 balls; his aggregate of 281 runs is more than 100 runs clear of his nearest competitor, Root.His innings on Friday was characteristic of his series: unflustered, organised and ruthless. He had a life on 19 when Anderson, at short midwicket, allowed a pull to burst through his hands, but otherwise played late and with the control that has eluded most batters. If this really is the Bazball Ashes, nobody told Khawaja.Khawaja’s opening partnership with David Warner was seen as one of Australia’s few areas of vulnerability heading into this tour; at Lord’s, they have added 73 and 63 in perhaps the toughest batting conditions that either side has faced in the match.Usman Khawaja raises his bat on reaching fifty•Getty Images

“They’ve been fantastic,” Mitchell Starc said. “They’ve played a lot of cricket together. There was a big focus heading into the series on the way they wanted to go about their cricket and they’ve both been fantastic openers for a long time. Uzzie’s form over the last couple of years has been phenomenal.”They’ve created a really good partnership over a long period of time. To come into a big series like this [and make] some of the starts they have has been quality, to see them go about their business there. Obviously the opening partnership is a key one but throughout our top order, everyone has stepped up at different moments.”While England’s openers, Crawley and Ben Duckett, have both performed creditably, Khawaja has been the difference between the teams so far. He was named Player of the Match at Edgbaston and he will have the chance to add to his 75 runs at Lord’s on Saturday.England have become preoccupied with trying to save Test cricket over the last 12 months; Khawaja is perfectly content with just playing it. He is not the sort of player that has Lord’s crowds rushing back from their long lunches or skipping dessert on the Nursery Ground; he is not the sort who will care, either.It is worth considering whether, if he qualified for them, this England team would find room for Khawaja. Earlier this year, Ben Stokes was asked by Nasser Hussain if a young Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott or Michael Atherton would have a chance of forcing their way into England’s Test plans.”I’m not saying that’s not the way to play,” Stokes replied, while hinting exactly that. “But in this day and age and this era, while I’m captain and Baz [Brendon McCullum] is coach, that’s not something we’re looking for. That’s the truth. That’s not what we want. We want players who will go out there and put pressure on the bowlers straightaway.”Khawaja is not one of those – yet he has been the best batter on either side. He will be back again on Saturday, defending against Anderson, Broad and Robinson once more.

Nortje will be fit to play from their first game and Brook will bat at No. 6, the franchise co-owner Parth Jindal says

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Feb-20243:02

Capitals, Titans and RCB get packed schedule in IPL 2024’s first leg

Rishabh Pant will start IPL 2024 as Delhi Capitals’ captain but will not keep wicket in the first half of the season, franchise co-owner Parth Jindal has said. In a chat with ESPNcricinfo, Jindal also said Capitals were expecting South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje to be fit to play from their opening game, against Punjab Kings on March 23.Jindal said the Capitals think-tank, led by the team director Sourav Ganguly and head coach Ricky Ponting, was confident about Pant starting the IPL, subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI which is imminent.”Rishabh is batting. He’s running. He has started his wicketkeeping. He is likely to be fully fit for the IPL,” Jindal said on Thursday. “I am expecting Rishabh to play IPL and he will lead from match one. First seven games we are going to play him only as a batter and depending on how his body reacts, we will take a call for the rest of the IPL.”Related

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Rishabh Pant begins match-simulation exercises in Bengaluru

The IPL will mark Pant’s return to competitive cricket since the Test series in Bangladesh in December 2022. After his horrific car crash on December 30, 2022, Pant has worked hard to make a remarkable recovery post successful surgeries to three major knee ligaments in his right leg. Having told his doctors that he would shave at least six months off their prescribed time of recovery, Pant played practice matches in Bengaluru this week, which were organised by the National Cricket Academy.On Tuesday, Pant also posted a video on his Instagram doing some wicketkeeping and mobility drills, which have become part of his lower-body conditioning over the past six weeks. On Wednesday, he batted and fielded in a 20-over match, which comprised a series of match-simulation exercises. The game was overseen by the BCCI medical staff. There were no visible concerns. Pant is expected to play at least a few more such games before joining Capitals. Once the BCCI clearance comes, he will join the side for a preparatory camp in Visakhapatnam, where the team will also play two home matches.With the second half of WPL 2024 – comprising 11 games including the playoffs – set to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, the Capitals men’s team had to shift their home base for the early part of the IPL to ensure they didn’t start on tried pitches. In the 21-match IPL schedule released on Thursday, Capitals are scheduled to play two home and three away matches. Jindal confirmed the team would return to Delhi for their remaining five home games.Anrich Nortje ‘good to go for first game’Nortje, who has been out of action for a while because of injuries, is good to go and is also expected to join the camp in Visakhapatnam, Jindal said. Nortje had recovered from a groin injury to play ten matches for the side in the 2023 season before heading home for personal reasons. He was retained by the franchise ahead of the 2024 auction.While he played the inaugural season of Major League Cricket in the USA, he pulled out of the ODI series at home against Australia in September following a suspected stress fracture in the back and was eventually ruled out of the ODI World Cup as well. Doubts about his availability for IPL persisted after he did not play the SA20 either.Anrich Nortje played ten games in IPL 2023•Associated Press

“He’s fit,” Jindal said. “Right now, he is bowing at 80% intensity. Next week, he will bowl at 100%. He’s going to make his comeback in the IPL. He is going to join our camp and should be good to go for our first game.”Jindal also said Australia fast bowler Jhye Richardson is unlikely to be fit for the initial part of the tournament as he recovers from a side strain that had ruled him out of the latter half of the BBL as well as the home ODI series against West Indies. Richardson was bought by Capitals at the mini-auction in December for INR 5 crore (US$ 602,000 approx).”He’s touch and go but will definitely be available for some part of IPL,” Jindal said.Harry Brook set for No. 6 roleJindal was confident Capitals would make the playoffs mainly because Pant’s return provided the right balance to the team. He also said Tristan Stubbs and Mitchell Marsh made the team a well-rounded unit.”We feel very confident, the balance of the team is a lot better with Rishabh coming back in,” he said. “We have a very good squad and a lot of options with players like Tristan Stubbs, who had a phenomenal SA20 [with champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape], and Mitch Marsh becoming captain of Australia’s T20I team.”Jindal said he was also expecting big things from David Warner, an IPL legend, who is likely to feature for one last season at Capitals with the mega auction in 2025. Jindal also said he was looking forward to England power hitter Harry Brook playing a key role in the lower order.Another key reason behind Jindal’s optimism for this season is the recruitment of a fresh batch of uncapped Indian players who, he said, were scouted and recommended by Ganguly. Among the uncapped Indians bought by Capitals at the auction are Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, Haryana allrounder Sumit Kumar and Madhya Pradesh batter Ricky Bhui (who is currently the leading run-scorer in Ranji Trophy).”We know our younger Indian players [better], we know which players to back in what positions a lot better than we did in the last season,” Jindal said. “A lot of credit goes to the systems and processes put in place by [Ganguly].”

Australia batter Cameron Bancroft will return to Gloucestershire this year after signing a deal to represent the club across formats in the 2024 season.Bancroft was recently overlooked by Australia’s selectors for the Test opening spot vacated by David Warner, but has been prolific for Western Australia in the last two Sheffield Shield seasons. He was named men’s domestic player of the year at the Australian Cricket Awards earlier this week.He previously played for Gloucestershire in 2016 and 2017, and also played county cricket for Durham (2021) and Somerset (2023). “I’m absolutely delighted to sign with Gloucestershire and to have the chance to return to the club where I started my county career,” Bancroft said.He will link up with the club in April and be available for the majority of the summer. “I love playing county cricket and the opportunity to play all formats with the club is something I’m really excited about,” he said. “With a new coach and a really talented playing group, I’m looking forward to the season ahead.”Gloucestershire are in a transitional period after losing senior players Ryan Higgins (Middlesex) and Benny Howell (Hampshire) last season. They were winless in the County Championship last year, finishing bottom of Division Two, and failed to qualify for the T20 Blast knockout stages and were losing semi-finalists in the Metro Bank Cup.On Thursday, they unveiled Mark Alleyne as their new coach after Dale Benkenstein left for Lancashire. “I’m really excited to have someone of Cameron’s ability and experience on board for the season to come,” Alleyne said. “We already have an exciting group of players here so to add to that with a player of international calibre in Cameron, it’s fantastic for me as a coach to have such depth in the squad.”Meanwhile, Surrey have confirmed that Kemar Roach will re-join the club for the first seven matches of the Championship season. “Everyone knows that Surrey is a second home for me, and I love coming to London to play at one of the best grounds in the world,” he said.”The Club’s ambitions in the red-ball game are a big draw for me and I want to play my role in winning another County Championship trophy. I cannot wait to start my fourth season with Surrey.”

The hosts were struggling at 121 for 6 before the game was washed out in Harare

Hemant Brar13-Dec-2023No result Rain came to Zimbabwe’s rescue in Harare, forcing a washout after Ireland had reduced them to 121 for 6 in the first ODI.Zimbabwe had started aggressively after being sent in to bat, with Tinashe Kamunhukamwe smashing 28 off just 15 balls. But once he got out, the innings fell apart. The continuous rain, though, meant the match had to be called off after only 25.3 overs.Earlier, Mark Adair got the ball to nip off the seam in both directions and even bowled a maiden to Joylord Gumbie. But from the other end, Kamunhukamwe took apart Josh Little. He hit three fours in the left-arm seamer’s first over, and a four and a six off successive deliveries in the next to move to 25 off just ten balls.That forced Paul Stirling to bring on Graham Hume. Kamunhukamwe tried to attack him as well but miscued a pull and was caught at mid-on for 28. The wicket put the brakes on the scoring rate, with Zimbabwe managing only 16 from over sixth to tenth.Craig Young then bounced out Innocent Kaia to make it 48 for 2 in the 11th over. Sikandar Raza and Gumbie tried to stabilise the innings. Raza was lucky to be dropped on 10 by wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker when he chased a full and wide delivery from Little.But Little got his man soon after with the same ploy. The only difference being this time he was bowling from around the wicket.Gumbie had occupied one end but he was struggling to keep the scoreboard moving. In the 20th over, he was run out after having a mix-up with Ryan Burl when both batters found themselves at the keeper’s end. Gumbie contributed 28 but consumed 59 balls for it.On the very next delivery, Burl also departed, under-edging Young to the keeper as Zimbabwe slipped from 79 for 2 to 81 for 5. Clive Madande and Brandon Mavuta added 40 off just 37 balls to take the side past 100 before Hume returned to castle Madande.Immediately after that, lightning forced players off the field. Soon, rain also made an appearance and brought a premature end to the contest.The second and third ODIs, to be played on Friday and Sunday, are also expected to be affected by rain.

Real Madrid icon Gareth Bale has sent a special “legend” message to retiring former team-mate Wayne Hennessey.

• Veteran goalkeeper hanging up his gloves
• Graced European Championship & World Cup
• Shares many happy memories with Bale

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  At the age of 38, and having spent three years filling back-up duties at Nottingham Forest, Hennessey has announced that he will be hanging up his gloves. The veteran goalkeeper is bringing a 19-year career to a close.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He started out at Wolves, taking in 166 appearances for them, before picking up more Premier League experience across eight seasons at Crystal Palace. A short stint at Burnley was followed by a move to the City Ground.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Hennessey is also a centurion at international level, with 109 senior caps earned for Wales on the back of making his debut in 2007. His career at that level included European Championship and World Cup outings.

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• WHAT BALE SAID

  Bale made many appearances for Wales alongside Hennessey, with the former Tottenham and Real Madrid superstar posting on social media after seeing a familiar face join him in retirement: “A Welsh football legend, some of the best times of my career were alongside you. Happy retirement.”

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