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Asier Illaramendi scored a sensational volley for FC Dallas in their clash against the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday evening.

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Asier Illaramendi scores brilliant volleyFC Dallas defeats SJ Earthquakes 2-1Secure win in stoppage-timeWHAT HAPPENED?

The former Real Madrid man brilliant took the ball down on the edge of the box, lifting it over his body before hammering home a low-driven volley. The Spaniard's first-ever MLS goal, he found the back of the net on his 15th appearance stateside in the 25th minute to level the game at 1-1.

It stayed that way until second half stoppage-time, when midfielder Dante Sealy knocked home a late winner to see Toyota Park erupt in joy.

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Illaramendi joined the MLS side in August 2023, where he made 14 appearances without finding the back of the net. Now, just one game into the 2024 MLS season, he's officially opened his MLS account – and it came in style!

Prior to landing with FC Dallas, he made 197 appearances across all competitions for Real Sociedad in Spain from 2015-2022. However, prior to his time there, he crafted his trade with Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu where he made 90 appearances over two seasons from 2013-2015.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ILLARAMENDI AND FC DALLAS?

The Western Conference side will be taking on Eastern Conference heavyweights CF Montreal in week two. They'll look to take down the Canadian club when they hit the road to Toyota Stadium.

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Celtic are interested in signing Borussia Dortmund right-back Jeremy Toljan, according to Tuesday’s print edition of The Daily Mail (page 78) via The Daily Record.

What’s the word?

That position has long been identified as a problem area for Celtic.

With Anthony Ralston out of action due to ankle ligament damage, Mikael Lustig has the right-back role to himself while Cristian Gamboa has failed to make the substitutes bench in the three matches since the winter break. Lustig and Gamboa are both out of contract in June.

Ralston looked like a right-sided Kieran Tierney when he was given a short run last season but after picking up an injury he has never quite recovered and spent time on loan at Dundee United.

So far this season Toljan has only featured in the Regionalliga West but last term he played in 27 first team matches. In total, the 24-year-old has 72 Bundesliga appearances from Dortmund and Hoffenheim to call on.

Whether he would commit to a permanent move remains to be seen but with three days left in the transfer window a loan deal could suit everyone’s requirements.

Exactly what Celtic need

If there is one position that Celtic fans want to welcome a signing in, it is surely at right-back.

Lustig has taken the club to heart but unfortunately his legs are no longer able to provide the same sort of contribution that made the 2016/17 season so special – highlighted by his solo goal in the 5-1 win at Ibrox.

Toljan looks to have all the attributes to come in and hit the ground running. Whether he can be convinced to sign a permanent deal is another matter but the back four needs balance and stability on the right-hand side as soon as possible.

The attacking midfielder totaled 31 goal contributions during the regular season, and could yet be a future option for Gregg Berhalter

There is no doubting who the biggest star is in MLS anymore. Lionel Messi will wear that crown for as long as he calls Inter Miami his home, drawing in massive crowds wherever he goes. He may not have been able to lift his new team into playoff contention in 2023, but as the postseason rumbles on without him, the league remains abuzz from it's first brush with 'Messi-mania'.

As well as the biggest name, Messi is almost certainly the best player in MLS right now. But despite his quite ridiculous nomination given how little he played in the league due to his injury problems, he will not be taking home the MLS MVP award for 2023. That prize is Acosta's.

Lucho Acosta has spent the past season spearheading FC Cincinnati's best-ever regular season, as they were crowned Supporters' Shield winners while also earning a place in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup, where they were beaten by Messi and Miami.

Acosta tallied 17 goals and 14 assists across all regular season competitions, and as a result, was handed the MVP honors. Actively in the process of acquiring his United States citizenship, the 29-year-old is also looking to earn eligibility to represent the U.S. men's national team, and potentially play a role in the 2026 World Cup on American soil.

What the diminutive Acosta lacks in size, he makes up for in skill, intelligence and awareness across the entire pitch. If Gregg Berhalter has the opportunity to add Acosta to his ranks, it automatically raises the standards of the USMNT.

From a failed move to Paris Saint-Germain to turmoil with D.C. United, and now MVP with FC Cincy, Acosta has adapted and continued to excel in MLS. Now, he's finally being recognized for his brilliance.

Getty ImagesWhere it all began

Acosta could barely have gotten a better footballing education as he worked his way through the youth ranks at Boca Juniors; the Argentine giants known as the club of the late, great Diego Maradona.

At just 21, Acosta made the move to the United States, joining D.C. United on loan in 2016 from his beloved Boca. He made an instant impact, with three goals and eight assists in his first season, and United turned his initial loan deal into a permanent one during his first year with the club.

Two years on, Acosta was regarded as one of the best players in MLS, and his lore only grew after D.C. added legendary Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney to their ranks. The duo even scored what might be the most famous goal in league history, while Rooney dubbed Acosta as "one of the best I've played with" during his time in the capital.

However, after a collapsed transfer to PSG, Acosta left United in 2020 on a free transfer, joining Liga MX side Atlas, but returned to MLSwith Cincinnati in 2021 as a Designated Player. Now, two years on, the Argentine has turned Cincy from cellar dwellers to MLS Cup challengers.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesParisian dreams up in smoke

In January 2019, Acosta was the darling of MLS. Flourishing alongside Rooney, he asserted himself as one of the brightest up-and-coming players in the league. Meanwhile, with Miguel Almiron having completed a $27m move from Atlanta United to Newcastle of the Premier League months prior, all eyes were on MLS for who the 'next Almiron' would be.

PSG certainly felt that Acosta fit the bill, and they pursued him like hawk late in the MLS transfer window. Per The Athletic, then-GM of D.C. United, Dave Kasper, traveled with Acosta to Paris to meet with the French giants through an 'unnamed intermediary' – but that's when the deal began to collapse.

The intermediary appeared to give false information to both parties ahead of time, and the two sides couldn't come to an agreement regarding a fee for Acosta, who United valued at $13-15m, while PSG's offer was $9.1m.

Whether Acosta would have made the grade at such an established European powerhouse is anyone's guess, but PSG's interest highlights the level of talent we are talking about here.

Getty ImagesA captain & a champion

When FC Cincinnati joined MLS as an expansion franchise in 2019, they were genuinely awful. There's no point in holding back or trying to frame it in a polite manner. They were awful, and it wasn't just one year of it; it was three-straight seasons where they finished as the worst team in MLS, managing just 14 league wins in that stretch.

Their fortunes changed in the summer of year three, though. Acosta arrived, and they built a squad around a player who had previously shown so much potential in MLS, but left due to the club refusing to build around him and provide the talent needed for him to truly succeed. Cincy didn't make that mistake.

Come 2022, Acosta's first full season with the Orange and Blue, he was named captain, and they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Progress.

This time around, however, has been the stuff of dreams. Cincy went seven games unbeaten to start the season, and only suffered one loss through their first 22 matches in all competitions. Acosta kept scoring, assisting and leading them to glory, and the Argentine even earned the captains' honors for MLS in their 2023 All-Star game against Arsenal in July.

The 2023 regular-season campaign from Cincinnati has gone down in league history as one the best-ever, only second to the 2021 run by the New England Revolution. Acosta was named on the ballot for 2023 MVP, and is now the first-ever winner of the award for the Orange and Blue. He almost single-handedly turned the franchise around, and is now being touted as an individual who could do that on the national stage – only not with Argentina.

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Getty ImagesBerhalter's next dual-national?

The 2026 World Cup is still over two years away, but the USMNT's planning for the tournament – which America will co-host – began the minute team crashed out of the 2022 edition in the last 16.

One aspect of that planning, that admittedly began before Qatar last winter, has been the convincing of dual-nationals to commit to joining Berhalter's squad. Berhalter has been part-coach, part-recruiter over the past few years, and has secured the services of enough players to make his roster one of the world's most talented.

Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson, Malik Tillman, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jesus Ferreira are just some of the high-profile names to have committed themselves to the U.S. cause in recent times, while the successful pursuit of Folarin Balogun earlier in 2023 left fans abuzz with anticipation as he rejected England's advances. Recent dual-national call-ups Kristoffer Lund, Kevin Paredes and Lennard Maloney could yet become reliable members of the squad in the build-up to 2026, too.

Next on Berhalter's radar is Acosta, who earlier this year started his American citizenship process with a dream of playing for the USMNT. In June, Acosta told that he would "obviously" accept a call-up to the squad if it arrived. The Argentine midfielder added: "It’s one reason I started (the citizenship) process."

Securing Acosta's services would offer the USMNT a veteran presence in their incredibly youthful attack, while allowing them to have an alternative to Gio Reyna at the No.10 position. Reyna's injury history is a cause for concern, and there is no clear back-up for the Borussia Dortmund youngster in the current U.S. squad. Acosta ticks every box that the USMNT need.

Despite showing strong form for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, the hero of the 2014 World Cup hasn't made an international appearance in two years

As the United States men's national team prepares to host Ghana in a key friendly on Tuesday, it's hard not to think of past moments in these teams' shared history. It's an unlikely rivalry, one forged not by geography, but by competition on the biggest stage possible.

It's hard not to think of the 2006 World Cup, when a U.S. team that included now-USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter first fell to the Black Stars. It's hard not to think of what happened four years later, when Asamoah Gyan led Ghana to another victory and the World Cup quarter-finals with a goal in extra-time. And it's hard not to think of a young John Brooks soaring for a header in 2014, looking at his hands in disbelief after scoring the biggest goal he'd ever score.

All of that feels like ancient history these days… except for the Brooks part. The USMNT has largely moved on from that 2014 squad, which makes sense given the fact that it's been nearly a decade since Brooks' magic moment. The center-back, though, is still playing at a top level, still contributing in the Bundesliga even after all these years.

Yet, for much of Berhalter's tenure, Brooks has been excluded from the USMNT. It's been years since we've seen him in a USMNT shirt, and, despite the freshness of a new cycle, it doesn't seem likely we'll ever see Brooks again. But why?

Getty ImagesThat magic Ghana moment

It's one of the most iconic goals in USMNT history, one made all the more endearing by the sheer shock of it all. No one could believe it, not even Brooks, who had a look of pure amazement on his face as he struggled to even comprehend what had just happened

Brooks had scored, and he'd scored late. His goal had given the USMNT the lead in their World Cup opener. They would protect that lead, earning a win over their fierce rivals Ghana, before qualifying for the knockout stages of the 2014 World Cup.

It was an incredible moment for the then-21-year-old defender, who was less than a year into his USMNT career. Realistically, he wasn't even supposed to be in the game, having only come on as a substitute to replace the injured Matt Besler. With that goal, he became the first American to score as a substitute in the World Cup and, perhaps more importantly, sealed his place in USMNT history.

It looked like the beginning of a long USMNT career for Brooks but, as it turns out, it wouldn't be as long as anyone would have expected.

AdvertisementElsaHighs and lows under Klinsmann and Arena

As Jurgen Klinsmann began his second USMNT cycle, Brooks became an integral part of the team. He played in five of the team's six matches at the Copa America Centenario in 2016, missing only the Bronze Medal match. All the while, he remained a key player in the Bundesliga, playing for both Hertha Berlin and Wolfsburg for the better part of a decade.

However, it wasn't all positive. He was a key starter at the beginning of the USMNT's 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, playing in the opening loss to Mexico in Columbus. He then put in one of the most infamous performances in USMNT history, totally losing control of the game in a 4-0 drubbing in Costa Rica that ultimately cost Klinsmann his job.

Brooks, though, remained a regular throughout 2017 before suffering a torn thigh tendon in August, ruling him out for several months. It was during that time that the USMNT's 2018 World Cup dreams famous crumbled in loss to Trinidad & Tobago in October.

GettyFalling out of the picture

At the start of Berhalter's tenure, Brooks was very much still in the national-team picture. The defender was still only 25, a player that had likely not even entered his prime years as a defender.

Brooks began Berhalter's tenure in 2019 by starting a friendly against Ecuador before appearing once again in a vital Nations League win over Canada that November. The following year was, for many, a wash due to the coronavirus pandemic, although Brooks did start the 0-0 draw with Wales that November in the USMNT's return to action.

In 2021, though, he seemingly found his stride, headlined by a run that saw him start four out of five games en route to the Nations League triumph over Mexico that June. By the start of World Cup qualifying in September 2021, Brooks appeared to be a player that would be relied upon heavily on the road to Qatar, starting back-to-back games against Canada and Honduras. The U.S. struggled in that match against Canada, a 1-1 draw in Nashville, while Brooks was surprisingly withdrawn at halftime of the eventual 4-1 win over Honduras three days later.

As it turned out, that first half against Honduras was the last time we saw Brooks in a USMNT shirt, as he's spent the last two years totally out of the reckoning.

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GettyBerhalter explains, Brooks responds

It began in November 2021, when Brooks was surprisingly first excluded from the USMNT squad. He had been a key player for the U.S. for years, one of the few holdovers from the 2014 World Cup and one still with plenty of years left in him at a high level.

At the time, Berhalter opted to lean on the likes of Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman, Chris Richards and Mark McKenzie, pointing at Brooks' up-and-down performances during the previous window. "Regarding John Brooks, it was a really difficult decision,” Berhalter said at the time, “and a lot of it was based on how we felt his performance was with the team, the last time he’s been performing.”

Brooks, for his part, agreed. He felt he wasn't good enough in those two World Cup qualifiers, and vowed to be back better than ever in the future, telling : “The decision to leave me out of this camp isn’t surprising, given some of my recent performances for the USMNT that aren’t up to my standards. My job now is to work hard to be the very best I can be. I feel great about this week’s Champions League performance and my recent play with Wolfsburg, and will keep building on my performance there, until I reach my goal of helping the USMNT reach the next World Cup.”

Berhalter replied, saying: “That’s all you can ask for as a player’s response, right? Normally what players do is they start picking off other players and saying, 'Well, this guy is doing this', and all John did was take accountability for his own performance. “

It seemed everyone was aligned and on the same path, but what looked like a one-window exclusion turned into one that hasn't yet come to an end.

Alisha Lehmann celebrated with glee after her perfect attempt at a bottle challenge.

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Lehmann performed bottle challengeNailed it on her second attemptVilla star celebrated her successWHAT HAPPENED?

The Aston Villa and Switzerland star took on the challenge of knocking a bottle off a high railing from distance. After her first effort hit the rail, she had another crack at it and made a clean connection before wheeling away in celebration.

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The 25-year-old forward has become a social media sensation, amassing over 16.4 million followers on Instagram. The former West Ham star has attracted even more headlines recently after resuming a relationship with Aston Villa men's star Douglas Luiz as the pair shared pictures and videos of their Valentine's Day together.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LEHMANN?

Lehmann, who has started five of her eight appearances in the Women's Super League this season, will hope to be involved when her side take on Tottenham on Saturday. Villa are currently eighth in the 12-team league, while Spurs sit six points above them in sixth.

Cristiano Ronaldo may have been hit with a one-match ban in the Saudi Pro League, but the Al-Nassr forward says he “can’t stop”.

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Portuguese serving one-match suspensionSanctioned for reaction to terrace tauntsKeeping himself busy away from the fieldGetty Images – Goal ARWHAT HAPPENED?

The Portuguese superstar will sit out a meeting with Al-Hazm on Thursday after being sanctioned by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF). That punishment relates to the crude gesture he performed during a dramatic 3-2 victory over Al-Shabab – as he reacted to more “Messi” taunts from the stands.

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Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo will now be taking an enforced break from competitive action, but that does not mean that he will be putting his feet up away from the field. As a man famed for his relentless work ethic, CR7 is keeping himself busy in the gym.

WHAT RONALDO SAID

As his team-mates ready themselves for another Pro League outing – in a bid to keep themselves in title contention – Ronaldo has posted a “can’t stop” message as he seeks to be ready for a return to action in the first leg of an AFC Champions League quarter-final clash with Al-Ain on Monday.

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Ronaldo will be a big miss for Al-Nassr as, despite now being 39 years of age, he has maintained remarkable individual standards this season and has plundered 34 goals through 35 appearances in all competitions.

American rapper Kanye West was in attendance at the Champions League game between Inter and Atletico Madrid at San Siro on Tuesday.

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Kanye West attended Inter's Champions League clashWas accompanied by his wife Bianca Censori and met Jaden SmithInter beat Atletico Madrid 1-0WHAT HAPPENED?

West attended the game in Italy alongside his wife Bianca Censori, and also posed for photos with American artist and actor Jaden Smith. The rapper turned up at the stadium in unusual attire as he appeared to be covered head to toe. He wore a black jacket hooded up and a black mask to cover his entire face.

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The 46-year-old recently released his new album named 'Vultures 1' in collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign, who was also in attendance in Milan. West also involved a section of Inter fans from the club's Curva Nord ultras group in some of his songs, including 'Carnival'. They even received song credit in the album.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR INTER?

Simone Inzaghi's side edged out Atletico Madrid 1-0 courtesy of Marko Arnautovic's strike in the first leg of their round of 16 clash on Tuesday. Inter will next face Lecce in a Serie A clash on Sunday as they bid to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Barcelona are hoping to keep Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix at Camp Nou, but permanent transfers for the pair will cost around €105 million (£92m/$113m).

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Portuguese pair joined in summer of 2023Due to spend the season at Camp NouPermanent deals will be sought in 2024WHAT HAPPENED?

The reigning La Liga champions put loan agreements in place for the Portugal internationals during the summer window. Versatile defender Cancelo arrived from Premier League giants Manchester City, while Felix made a “dream” move from domestic rivals Atletico Madrid.

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Felix has only netted once in his last 10 games, while questions have been asked of Cancelo as Barca continue to leak goals, but sporting director Deco says the club want to keep both men on board – despite their reported fees coming in at €25m (£22m/$27m) and €80m (£70m/$86m) respectively. Deco has told : “We are still in November, it is early. But of course we are already thinking about it. We see how the season is going. There is no doubt that we want to have them next season, because they are good for the squad. We are happy with their performance. How? We’ll see, these are discussions for later.”

WHAT THEY SAID

While looking ahead to next summer, Deco has claimed that no business will be done in January – with Vitor Roque set to be the only arrival if his agreed switch from Athletico Paranaense is pushed through ahead of schedule. Deco added to : “When the squad was drawn up, it was intended for the entire year. And that idea has not changed nor will it change regardless of fair play. I don’t think we can make any move in January regardless of what happens with Roque.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Barca have faced criticism this season after struggling for consistency in La Liga and Champions League competition, but head coach Xavi retains the full support of the club’s board and the expectation is that a star-studded squad will be reinforced at some point in 2024 – despite much-publicised financial struggles being endured in Catalunya.

Emma Hayes has warned Chelsea’s rivals that there is even more to come from Sam Kerr, with a Champions League hat-trick hit at “80 per cent”.

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Blues in European action against Paris FCStar forward claimed another match ballWorking her way back to full sharpnessWHAT HAPPENED?

The Australia international has been working her way back from a calf problem that threatened to dash her World Cup dreams on home soil at one stage. Kerr is not yet fully match fit, but the prolific 30-year-old is still too good for most of those that she comes up against – with that point highlighted when claiming the match ball in a 4-1 victory over Paris FC in the Champions League group stage.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT HAYES SAID

Chelsea boss Hayes told reporters afterwards of Kerr having more gears to go through yet: “If that is her at 80 per cent – or whatever the per cent she is – then I’ll take that every week, that is not bad. I can’t wait for the 100 per cent version to come. I said to Paul (Green) in the dressing room before the game, she doesn’t get credit for all the other little bits she does and while she’s not, by her standards, top top yet, I don’t know anyone who puts the ball away like she does. She is so alert, so decisive with her movement. She can make a bad pass a good pass and I think the third goal, the lob, is just brilliant centre forward play.”

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Sophie Ingle was also on target for Chelsea against Paris FC, as she stepped off the bench to complete the scoring in stoppage-time, and Hayes was delighted with the impact made by her substitutes in what is becoming a gruelling schedule for the Blues. She added: “Sophie coming on [in the second half], I thought she brought the calm, composed impact we needed. Same with Maren (Mjelde) and Eve Perisset, Mia (Fishel) getting her first Champions League appearance. Some days, you’ve got to dig it out and need the bench. Today, the bench did their job.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Chelsea sit second in Group D, with four points taken from two games, and are top of the WSL after going unbeaten through seven games in domestic competition. They will be hoping to land multiple major honours this season, offering Hayes the perfect send off before she takes the reins with the USWNT.

Norway manager has provided an injury update on Martin Odegaard with Arsenal star yet to join Erling Haaland and Co for international duty.

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Odegaard reportedly suffered a training concussion Missed three games for ArsenalSolbakken revealed injury is not career-threateningWHAT HAPPENED?

The Norwegian has missed Arsenal's last three matches against Newcastle, Sevilla and Burnley after he reportedly suffered a concussion following a hit in the face with a ball during training. He remains unavailable for Norway's friendly against Faroe Islands in Oslo and the crucial Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland.

However, Stale Solbakken assured Gunners fans that the injury is not "career-threatening" and the club is doing their best to get him back as quickly as possible.

Getty ImagesAdvertisementWHAT STALE SOLBAKKEN SAID

While addressing a press conference, Solbakken said: "When the club is so reticent, I don’t know how right it is for me to talk about it. It’s a normal football injury that you probably recover from very well and that is not career-threatening.”

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Solbakken remained cautious about sharing the details of the injury and hinted that it could have something to do with his leg but refrained from giving the exact details. However, Odegaard might be present at the Ullevaal Stadion to support his teammates and "be with the squad" during the friendly against Faroe Island.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ODEGAARD?

Odegaard will rest during the international break so that he is fit again to face Brentford on November 25 in the Premier League once club football action resumes after the international break.

Meanwhile, Solbakken will lead his side against the Faroe Islands on Thursday before taking on Scotland on Sunday in a Euro 2024 qualifier.