Jarrad Branthwaite said that representing the England national team means “everything” to him, after a difficult and frustrating period that kept him away from the field, expressing his hope that he will finally succeed in consolidating his place within coach Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
The 24-year-old Everton defender returned to Tuchel's roster, which is preparing to play four matches in the European Nations League, after recovering from the latest in a series of injuries to his hamstring muscles, a setback that ended his season in April, and dashed his hopes of participating in the World Cup.
Branthwaite told reporters at St. George's Park: “When I left the stadium, I was very disappointed. After every time I recovered from the injury, it would reappear.”
He added: “So returning to the England national team means everything to me. All the hard work I put in during rehab and everything it took to get back to this point made it worth it. “I feel very excited to wear the England shirt again.”
Branthwaite explained that the recurrence of injuries prompted him and Everton to re-evaluate the way to deal with the problem.
He said: “When something happens three or four times, it becomes necessary to stop and reconsider what is happening.”
He added: “We found a specialist in Germany who adopts a comprehensive approach to body care. I hope this has helped me lay better foundations for the future.”
After his recovery and return to the national team, Branthwaite believes that he now has a real chance to reserve a permanent place in Tuchel’s plans, after he followed England’s journey to the semi-finals of the World Cup from afar.
In light of the renewed controversy over the priority of commitment to the club or the national team, after five players withdrew from the list on Monday due to injury, Branthwaite affirmed his full commitment to representing his country.
He said: “It is a great honor to be part of the England squad and to represent my country. “I think all the players are fully committed to playing for England.”
England opens its European Nations League campaign against Spain, the world champion, at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, before visiting the Czech Republic in Prague on September 29. Tuchel's national team will then face its Croatian counterpart in Rijeka on October 3, before hosting the Czech Republic three days later.
Virgil van Dijk, captain of the Dutch national football team, is looking forward to seeing his former Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp, but he wants to spoil his first match as coach of the German national team.
“I look forward to seeing him,” Van Dijk said before facing the Dutch and German teams tomorrow (Thursday) in the European Nations League. He is a very important person in my career as a player.”
He added: “I am excited to see him, but I hope that we will succeed in defeating him in his first match as coach of the national team.”
Klopp and Van Dijk worked together at Liverpool between 2018 and 2024, winning the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League the following season.
Van Dijk said: “He is a complete coach.” “It will be a difficult match, but we are ready.”
The Dutch national team also has a new coach, Xavi Hernandez, who replaced Ronald Koeman, who resigned after the Dutch national team was eliminated from the round of 32 in the World Cup following a loss to the Moroccan national team.
Xavi also said that he was looking forward to the match against Germany, which also exited the World Cup in the round of 32.
He said: “Jurgen is one of the best coaches in the world in recent years. It will be a great challenge for me personally, and a great challenge for the team. We must perform at our best because we are facing a great team.”
Manchester United expected today (Wednesday) an increase in its revenues in the fiscal year 2027 after qualifying for the European Champions League this season, despite its continued financial suffering by recording an annual loss for the seventh year in a row, in light of the continuing fluctuations surrounding the club’s performance on and off the field.
The club, which won the English Premier League title 20 times, spent more than a decade trying to restore the glories it achieved under the leadership of legendary coach Alex Ferguson. Since British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe acquired a minority stake in the club, a series of measures have been taken, including cutting jobs and raising ticket prices, as part of a plan aimed at reducing debt and restoring profitability.
CEO Omar Berrada said in a statement: “We will continue to follow a disciplined approach to ensure the sustainability of our financial conditions.”
Manchester United expects to achieve revenues ranging between 740 and 760 million pounds ($982.8 million to $1.01 billion) during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, compared to revenues amounting to 677.6 million pounds sterling in the fiscal year 2026.
In contrast, the club recorded a net loss of £43 million during the last financial year, compared to a loss of £33 million in the previous year.
