Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Southgate wants greater Asian representation in football

Southgate wants greater Asian representation in football

IN the second video in the six-part series by FA during South Asian Heritage Month, Gareth Southgate said Asian communities should be better represented in football.

The senior England football team manager appeared alongside Leicester's Hamza Choudhury and Manchester United starlet Zidane Iqbal.


The Football Association launched the second phase of 'Bringing Opportunities to Communities' in 2019, focused on trying to get more people from Asian backgrounds playing a bigger part in English football.

The governing body is marking South Asian Heritage Month, running from July 18 to August 17, by releasing a series of videos aiming to inspire people of Asian heritage with positive stories about role models from across the game.

Southgate says more needs to be done to increase Asian representation as football is missing out on a "big talent pool".

"Sometimes the Asian voice has been lost in the anti-discrimination argument," England manager Southgate said.

He added: "And when you look at the percentages of the population that we're talking about, it's high numbers. Frankly, it's a big talent pool that we're missing within football. We don't have high numbers of English-qualified players playing anyway, clubs in their academies are always searching for talent.

"It's like in any business. If you're only selecting from a smaller section of the population, then what are you missing?

"What I've noticed with the England team in recent seasons is that dynamic in terms of the supporters coming up to me has changed a lot, far more Asian people, coming up to me, talking about their pride in the team, talking about the diversity of the team.

"That could only be even more powerful if someone from the Asian community was in the team as well, and we had that greater representation across the board."

Hamza Choudhury is the most senior British South Asian Premier League player and the midfielder won the FA Cup with Leicester last season.

The British-Bangladeshi footballer with seven appearances for England's U21s is keen on playing in the senior team soon.

hamza Hamza Choudhury and Danny Ward celebrate Leicester City's 2021 FA Cup title win. (Reuters Photo)

"I think almost everyone's dream [in football] today, no matter where you are from, is to represent your country," Choudhury said.

"Whether it's at a European Championships, or a World Cup or an Africa Cup of Nations - it's every boy's dream to wear the shirt you are from.

"My first call-up was for the U21 Toulon tournament. I wasn't really expecting to get called up. It was the best feeling in football, I'm yet to make my senior appearance, but it's something I'm striving to do."

Zidane Iqbal is one of the country's most promising British South Asian talents, who signed his first professional contract at Manchester United in April.

Iqbal's mother is Iraqi and his love for football comes from his father Aamar, who is a British-Pakistani. The 18-year-old is yet to represent England at youth level, and scored five goals in six games for United's U18s last season.

"When I was younger, I used to go and watch my dad play football, just at the local five-a-side pitches, and I used to take shots at him while he was in the net," said Iqbal, who has spent the last decade with United.

"I come from such a hardworking family. My parents, they were always working hard, my brother, my grandparents when they came to this country - they have inspired me to always give my best at anything I do.

"The journey - it's different for everyone, but I can tell you, it's not easy.

"It's like a rollercoaster ride, up and down [but I've always thought] enjoy it. Just enjoy the ride - whatever is meant to be is meant to be."

More For You

Heidi Klum

Heidi and Leni Klum pose together in co-ordinated Intimissimi gowns at the Venice Film Festival

Instagram/heidiklum

Heidi Klum Venice Film Festival look with daughter Leni reignites criticism over mother-daughter lingerie fashion partnership

Highlights:

  • Heidi Klum and daughter Leni walked the Venice Film Festival red carpet in matching corset-style gowns.
  • The supermodel opted for a blush pink silk design, while Leni wore an inky black version.
  • Both gowns were created by Italian lingerie brand Intimissimi, for which they are ambassadors.
  • The mother-daughter duo previously fronted a controversial campaign for the same brand.

Heidi Klum's Venice Film Festival appearances always generate headlines, but this year she doubled the impact by walking the red carpet with her daughter Leni. The pair stunned in co-ordinated gowns from Italian intimates brand Intimissimi, bringing high fashion and red carpet glamour together in one of the festival’s most talked-about moments. Their matching corset silhouettes highlighted the duo’s modelling credentials and added a striking family twist to the opening night of the prestigious event.

Heidi Klum Heidi and Leni Klum pose together in co-ordinated Intimissimi gowns at the Venice Film Festival Instagram/heidiklum

Keep ReadingShow less
Ahaan Panday

Ahaan Panday says years of blind optimism kept him going before Saiyaara

Instagram/ahaanpandayy

Ahaan Panday says Bollywood wronged him and admits he was delusional before 'Saiyaara' broke box office records

Highlights:

  • Ahaan Panday opens up on being ‘wronged’ before his Bollywood debut
  • Actor admits he spent years in ‘blind optimism’ waiting for launch
  • Saiyaara has become the highest-grossing love story in Indian cinema history
  • The Mohit Suri directorial collected £53 million (₹563 crore) worldwide

Bollywood newcomer Ahaan Panday has revealed that he felt “wronged” by people in the industry before finally making his long-awaited debut with Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara. The 27-year-old actor, who comes from the well-known Panday family, said he lived in “blind optimism” for four to five years as projects kept falling through. Despite setbacks, Ahaan maintained that he never became bitter and channelled his struggles into his performance.

Ahaan Panday says years of blind optimism kept him going before Saiyaara Instagram/ahaanpandayy

Keep ReadingShow less
Jio Platforms

Jio Platforms includes India’s largest telecom operator, Reliance Jio Infocomm, with more than 500 million users. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

Jio IPO planned for mid-2026, AI unit announced with Meta and Google

RELIANCE Industries plans to take its telecom and digital arm, Jio Platforms, public by mid-2026, chairman Mukesh Ambani said on Friday. The announcement sets a new timeline for the long-awaited IPO of a business analysts value at over $100 billion.

At its annual general meeting (AGM), Reliance also announced the launch of an artificial intelligence unit in partnership with Google and Meta.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sony next console

The top model could match the PS5 Pro at around £699.99

Nintendo

Sony’s next console could be both handheld and dockable, claim rumours

Highlights:

  • Reports suggest Sony is planning three versions of its next console
  • One model, codenamed Canis, could function as both a handheld and a docked console, similar to Nintendo Switch
  • The flagship version, Orion, is expected to be the main high-spec console
  • Pricing speculation indicates the top model could match the PS5 Pro at around £699.99

Fresh rumours claim Sony is preparing a dockable handheld version of its next-generation console, the PlayStation 6. The device, reportedly codenamed Canis, is said to target the same hybrid market as Nintendo’s Switch and the expected Switch 2.

Details of the rumour

The information comes from YouTube channel Moore’s Law is Dead (via Push Square), which suggests Sony will release three versions of the PS6:

Keep ReadingShow less
Mounjaro price rise

Eli Lilly has agreed a discounted supply deal for its weight-loss drug Mounjaro

iStock

Mounjaro’s highest dose to rise from £122 to £247.50, not £330

Highlights:

  • Eli Lilly had announced a steep price rise of up to 170% for Mounjaro.
  • A new discount deal with UK suppliers will limit the increase for patients.
  • Pharmacies will still apply a mark-up, but consumer costs are expected to rise less than initially feared.
  • NHS pricing remains unaffected due to separate arrangements.

Eli Lilly has agreed a discounted supply deal for its weight-loss drug Mounjaro, easing fears of a sharp rise in costs for UK patients. The new arrangement means that, from September, pharmacies and private services will face smaller wholesale increases than first expected, limiting the impact on consumers.

Why the price rise was announced

Earlier this month, Eli Lilly said it would raise Mounjaro’s list price by as much as 170%, which could have pushed the highest monthly dose from £122 to £330. The company argued that UK pricing needed to align more closely with higher costs in Europe and the United States.

Keep ReadingShow less