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Liverpool recently announced that Bournemouth had secured Harry Wilson’s services until the end of the season through an extension on his current loan deal.

The Welshman has been a hot topic amongst Liverpool fans since his time with Derby County, where he netted 18 goals in 50 appearances and was known for rippling the net with a long-distance strike or two (via Transfermarkt). He has since enjoyed a spell on loan with Bournemouth, tallying seven goals in the Premier League this season with the Cherries.

However, despite his growth as an attacker, Ian Doyle doesn’t feel he is an option Jurgen Klopp will be looking to use in the future.

The Liverpool ECHO reporter has commented: “I don’t think there’s any chance he’ll play for Liverpool again,” (relayed via @AnfieldEdition). Doyle’s take has sparked some debate amongst Reds fans.

It seems supporters are split when it comes to Wilson’s future, with one fan sold on him being vital to the club’s growth after tweeting ‘It’s like the board doesn’t know the way forward’.  They are perhaps impressed with his stats both at Derby and Boutnemouth and feel that, at just 23-years-old, he has a future with the club.

However, others aren’t too bothered by the notion of Wilson leaving, potentially as he plays in the same position as Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah and neither are likely to be dropped anytime soon given their outstanding goalscoring records.

How do you feel about Harry Wilson, Reds fans? Should Liverpool keep him or sell him? Join the discussion in the comments below!

Glasgow Rangers have not had the best of relationships with those in positions of power in Scottish football in recent weeks and months.

Ever since the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, there has been chaos in Scottish football, and the ‘Gers have often been the ones leading the charge against the authorities.

Firstly, they accused the SPFL of corruption following their handling of the league resolution proposal, and they even pushed for an independent investigation into the governing body with the aid of a 200-page dossier as proof of their claims. The investigation was eventually quashed but, to some extent, the damage had already been done.

The latest news from the SFA has not gone down too well, either. They have announced that, due to health issues, their president Rod Petrie has stepped down temporarily, and that vice-president Mike Mulraney will take his place.

These ‘Gers supporters are far from happy with this news – they believe that Mulraney is anti-Rangers. They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below:

‘Gers fans, were you angered to hear that Mulraney is the temporary president of the Scottish FA? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Noel Whelan has said that West Ham United target Alfredo Morelos’ attitude remains in question, in an interview with Football Insider.

What does he say?

According to the Daily Mail, Rangers could be forced to part ways with Morelos this summer as they look to mitigate the impact of the suspension of the football season.

West Ham are one of the sides that are being linked with a move for the Colombian, who has scored 12 goals from 26 Scottish Premiership appearances so far this season.

Asked whether the Hammers should move for Morelos, Whelan warned that his attitude remained an issue.

“Talent and ability is not in question but attitude is,” he told Football Insider.

“West Ham have bought a lot of foreign players with the wrong attitude, that is what has let them down. They have spent a lot of money on players who have not got the heart and not got the desire and it is easy for them to jump ship when the seas get a bit rough.

“Hopefully, Morelos can be a better person at West Ham.

“It is one thing scoring 30 in the Scottish Premiership but can you do it in the Premier League. He is not going to be playing against Dundee United and Kilmarnock every week.

“He will be against world-class defenders week in, week out. That will be a massive test for him. We have seen him struggle to score against Celtic with good defenders and organisation.

“If they go out there and spend big money he needs to prove himself on and off the field.”

Transfer gamble

Morelos is a player with plenty of talent and one that has made a big impression at Ibrox since his arrival.

However, his disciplinary record is a real concern and with West Ham having faced issues in the past with players’ attitude, he might be one to avoid.

David Moyes is hoping to refresh the squad with young, hungry players that can form a new core and with that in mind, Morelos would have to prove he is willing to play the team game.

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West Ham United were humiliated in the FA Cup on Saturday, as they fell to a shock 4-2 defeat to AFC Wimbledon.

The Hammers fell 3-0 behind against a club that are currently rock-bottom of League One; and though they pulled it back to 3-2, they were still knocked out of the tournament at the fourth round stage.

On the chalkboard

No West Ham starter emerged with any credit whatsoever from the game, such was the dismal nature of their performance.

However, Arthur Masuaku was one of the worst performers of all, looking out of his depth at left-back.

Across 90 minutes, he made just one tackle and an opposition player dribbled past him twice. It bears repeating that West Ham were playing the team that are currently bottom of League One.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

The full-back has struggled for minutes in the Premier League and has been on the bench for the last four games, against Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion, Arsenal and AFC Bournemouth.

Aaron Cresswell has been in excellent form in Masuaku’s stead and it is obvious that the DR Congo full-back failed his audition for a regular starting spot.

Easy solution

West Ham have a number of issues to contend with right now; Andy Carroll is not good enough to play as a striker, and the midfield seems to have a depth problem.

But there is an easy solution at left-back when the Irons take on Wolves this week.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini merely has to start Cresswell and take Masuaku out of the firing line.

The 25 year-old has played 67 times for the club, but he could well be approaching the end of his time at the London Stadium.

After all, if he cannot turn up against Wimbledon, how can he be trusted against Premier League opposition?

The Blaugrana had to battle to secure all three points on Wednesday as they took a giant step towards qualifying for the knockout stages

The biggest takeaway from Wednesday's Champions League clash between Barcelona and Porto was that Frenkie De Jong is their most crucial cornerstone, and that they lack both tempo and leadership without him.De Jong is just one of a number of Barca stars currently out through injury, and that list was further lengthend in Portugal when Robert Lewandowski limped off in the 34th minute.

The Poland international left with what appeared to be a left leg injury, and was replaced by Ferran Torres. The Spanish international came into the role with fire, however, scoring the lone goal of the match in first-half stoppage-time following a calamitous defensive error from Porto just before the break.

Another VAR controversy came into play midway through the second period when Porto's Eustaquio appeared to earn a penalty for the home side as his battle with Joao Cancelo seemingly led to a handball from the Barca loanee. Upon VAR review, though, it was deemed that the Canada international handled the ball himself prior – though it looked like his chest and shoulder controlled the ball.

Xavi's side lacked ambition and composure, racking up eight yellow cards, including two for Gavi, who was sent-off in stoppage time. Despite that, they got the job done and earned all three points.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Estadio Do Dragao…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Marc-Andre ter Stegen (7/10):

Made saves when needed and commanded his box accordingly.

Joao Cancelo (4/10):

Call it harsh, but Cancelo failed to bring anything to the attacking momentum of the game and should have had a handball call go against him towards the end of the match. VAR saved him from embarrassment!

Jules Kounde (6/10):

Really solid evening defensively, but was caught off-guard late by a goal scored by Porto, that was eventually deemed offside.

Ronald Araujo (8/10):

Produced a brilliant match-saving tackle midway through the second-half and was brilliant all match.

Alejandro Balde (6/10):

Played his role well. Struggled to link up with Felix on the left-flank, though.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Ilkay Gundogan (6/10):

Played the midfield role well and controlled the tempo of the match.

Oriol Romeu (6/10):

Played his role effectively, but slowed the game down just a tad in the process.

Gavi (4/10):

Much more was expected from the teenager, and he just didn't offer enough going forward to link with the attack. He was sent off for a second yellow card in second-half stoppage-time.

Getty ImagesAttack

Joao Felix (6/10):

Substituted in the 68th minute, was effective in the attack, but didn't provide the final touch needed.

Robert Lewandowski (5/10):

It feels unfair to judge Lewandowski's performance as good or bad, as the Polish talisman was removed 34 minutes in due to injury.

Lamine Yamal (6/10):

Linked well with Torres once he was introduced to the match, but struggled to find the target.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Ferran Torres (7/10):

The Spain international's first-half stoppage-time goal won the match, but he failed to stand out otherwise.

Sergi Roberto (6/10):

Replaced Romeu in the 69th and played out-of-position. Did what was asked, but coasted through to the final-whistle.

Fermin Lopez (6/10):

Brought on in the 69th minute to replace Felix but was rather unnoticeable in the attack.

Marcos Alonso (N/A):

Was a late sub, held the defence together.

Xavi Hernandez (5/10):

The Barcelona boss was without key players before losing Lewandowski, but it was still an unorthodox performance from the Blaugrana. They lacked discipline and momentum throughout the match and were lucky to get away with three points.

The Clarets boss was eulogised for his sterling work last season, but his first Premier League campaign has been disastrous so far

Almost exactly seven months ago, Burnley supporters were catapulted into dreamland as victory over Middlesbrough at Turf Moor confirmed their return to the Premier League. A few weeks later, they secured the Championship title, eventually finishing with an astounding 101 points – the joint fourth-best tally in second-tier history.

Flash-forward to the present and memories of champagne corks popping and confetti raining down seem like a lifetime ago. At the time of writing, the Clarets sit 19th in the Premier League, having registered just four points from their opening 11 games. They're also the division's lowest scorers so far, with last Saturday's disappointing 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace representing the sixth time they've failed to find the back of the net this campaign.

Nobody said the top-flight would be easy, but there is still a feeling that the runaway Championship winners are underperforming, and Kompany has not been immune from criticism – something he has almost entirely avoided since taking over a Turf Moor last summer.

GettyHailed as a genius

There was little to suggest that Kompany would be a roaring success in Lancashire when he took over. His only previous coaching role was at boyhood club Anderlecht, where he failed to restore the Purple and White to their former glory.

Having initially come in as a player-manager, he soon relinquished his coaching duties after an underwhelming start, only taking on the job full time in summer 2020. Even without playing responsibilities to distract him, Kompany did not pull up any trees, finishing well adrift of the top in each of his full seasons in charge – though he did take his side to a cup final in his final campaign.

However, it soon became clear that his appointment by Burnley might be an inspired one. Kompany recruited smartly in the summer of 2022, bringing in Benson Manuel, Anass Zaroury and Josh Cullen from Belgium to replace the likes of Nathan Collins, Dwight McNeil and James Tarkowski. The loan market was used intelligently too, with Ian Maatsen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis arriving from Chelsea and Manchester City, respectively.

This overhaul was completed to shift the Clarets away from the safety-first approach they became famous for under Sean Dyche and instead adopt a more possession-based style. It did not take long for the squad to buy in. In Kompany's very first game in charge against Huddersfield Town, they completed 301 first-half passes – a figure Dyche's Burnley only bettered twice in 90 minutes during the 2021-22 campaign.

This 1-0 away victory set the tone for the season, with Swansea the only Championship side to register more passes per 90 minutes than the Clarets last term. This wasn't just sterile possession either; Burnley were scintillating going forward. Spearheaded by the free-scoring Nathan Tella, they were the second-tier's highest scorers in 2022-23. They also conceded the fewest goals, underlining their stranglehold on the division.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALLinked with summer exit

Kompany's stock was understandably high in the summer. He'd long been whispered about as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, but once it became clear that the Catalan would be staying on at the Etihad Stadium after leading his side to a historic treble, other clubs began to circle.

Chelsea were loosely linked before Tottenham were credited with a serious interest in the Belgian. In many ways, they were in a similar situation to Burnley were when they turned to Kompany, with the fans in dire need of re-energising after a season of terrible football and even worse results.

However, Kompany stood firm. Instead of taking the next step to his dream role at City, he extended his contract at Turf Moor. The club made a serious commitment too, tying him down for five years.

“Burnley and Turf Moor felt right pretty much from the start – so it also feels right to sign for the next five years. Together with the fans, we have made Turf Moor a fortress again and continue to look forward to the future and the job of making Burnley better with every step," the manager said at the time.

GettyBold transfer window

Kompany's mission to take Burnley to the next level began in the summer, when he was given a sizeable transfer war chest to strengthen the squad. The approach was similar to 2022, with the Clarets focussing on young, hungry players who would be amenable to the coach's methods.

Zeki Amdouni (22) arrived from FC Basel, James Trafford (20) was snapped up from Man City and Wilson Odobert (18) came in from Troyes. The oldest new signing was Nathan Redmond (29), while 25-year-old Sander Berge – stolen away from Premier League rivals Sheffield United – was the second-most experienced.

While Kompany got a significant amount of his preferred targets, he did miss out on 2022-23 season stars Tella and Maatsen, with their respective parent clubs refusing to sell. Harwood-Bellis, a key figure at the back, also did not return, forcing Kompany to further alter his Championship-winning starting XI.

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Getty ImagesA historically bad start

Despite these transfer disappointments, the pre-season projections were still fairly positive, with most pundits backing Burnley to finish somewhere in midtable. They were handed a baptism of fire on the opening weekend, though, in the form of a trip from Man City. They unsurprisingly lost 3-0, and followed this up with a 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa and 5-2 thrashing at the hands of Tottenham.

Brief respite from this misery was provided by a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest – where a controversial VAR decision deprived them of a winner – but normal service was resumed with successive losses to Manchester United and Newcastle.

Then, at last, a win, as Kompany edged out Luton Town 2-1 at Kenilworth Road thanks to goals from Lyle Foster and Jacob Bruun Larsen. Since then, though, Burnley have endured their most concerning run of the season. They were thrashed by an underperforming Chelsea at the beginning of October, before then losing to Brentford, Bournemouth and Palace – all sides that the Clarets need to be competing with if they want to stay up this season.

To compound matters, they even lost to Everton in the Carabao Cup, in a result Toffees fans declared their most comfortable victory of the season.

The right-back is under no illusions that Manchester City need to win the Champions League final to be considered among the greatest teams ever.

Walker has spent six glorious seasons with City, winning almost every trophy imaginable. But he wants his side to be talked about as among the best teams the Premier League has ever seen. And he knows that, without the Champions League, there will always be a question mark hanging over Pep Guardiola's side.

Despite lifting a fifth Premier League crown in six seasons, reaching a record 100 points in 2018 and collecting six domestic trophies, including beating Manchester United in Saturday's FA Cup final, Walker believes that in the eyes of many people, City are still not regarded as the very best.

He believes that title, for now, belongs to United's treble winners in 1999 and the Arsenal 'Invincibles', who clinched the 2003/04 title without losing a single game. But he knows that if his side can beat Inter in the Champions League final and complete a treble of their own, the debate will be over.

"I think that United team, along with the Invincibles, is probably up there with the best Premier League teams of all time," Walker tells a pack of reporters at City's training ground four days before the final in Istanbul.

"What us and Liverpool, to a certain extent, have done where we have been battling for the last number of years, I think we should be in consideration. Both teams as we both have fantastic players.

"But they have silverware and they have got the big Champions League trophy that we can never say we have got. For us to be in contention of talking around that we need to go and pick up this one."

Getty Images'All big teams have to go through setbacks'

Walker and City have been to the Champions League final before and lost. Their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in Porto two years ago hit Walker hard and it was the first of two agonising final defeats that summer, as England made it to the European Championship final two months later only to lose to Italy on penalties.

But Walker believes it was also something they had to go through, an obstacle they needed to climb over to build resilience.

“I don't think any great team goes straight to the final and wins it. I think you always have to go through setbacks, those nearly games, those losses – even with the national team each step of the way we have got to a semi-final, got to a final, and hopefully big things are around the corner," Walker said.

"I think all big teams have to go through setbacks to actually maybe give you the little bit of desire where you want to actually turn that… seeing people walk up the steps at Wembley and change that to you are actually walking up and people are clapping you.

“I didn't really have much time to get over it as I had to tune back into England and go and compete in a tournament for my country. It was hard seeing all the Chelsea boys there.

"You say congratulations to them because they are your team-mates now but it was tough but then I experienced a loss against Italy in the final and then I had to pick myself up again and get ready for the season. That's football, it's part of your career that everything is not going to go swimmingly well."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesBeing publicly questioned by Guardiola

Walker knows that only too well. He has spent his career dealing with doubts from outside about his ability, about the fact City paid £50 million to sign him in 2017. And this season he faced doubts from his own manager.

Guardiola took him out of the team for a sustained period between March and April, including benching him for key games against Liverpool, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich while he tried out a new system.

If that wasn't bad enough, Walker then had to endure the bizarre spectacle of Guardiola openly expressing his doubts about the player's ability in a press conference. Walker has previously spoken about how hard it was to take his manager calling him out in public. But he had little choice but to get on with it and try to prove him wrong.

“It's his opinion. He's my manager and I have to listen to him, if his opinion is right or wrong it's not my decision. He's the boss of this club and makes the decision who goes onto the field and I have to accept that, right or wrong, get my head down, do my extra work in the gym," Walker said.

"Make sure I am putting in performances on the training field so when I am called upon he's not saying 'That's why I was dropping you, because you are not playing well'. When I have got the chance I have tried to do what I do, play good football and defend well and hopefully that will give him the confidence to carry on picking me in the big games."

Walker came back fighting and two weeks later he was back in the team for the title showdown against Arsenal. He has kept his place for the biggest matches, putting Vinicius Junior in his pocket in both matches against Real Madrid and putting in another fine defensive display against United in the FA Cup final.

Standing his ground when the going gets tough

Walker has always had a thick skin, which he developed during an unforgiving upbringing on the Lansdowne estate in Sharrow, Sheffield. He has spoken before of witnessing horrific scenes as a child, such as an arson attack on his street, and a man who took his own life right by his flat.

Asked if that difficult childhood has helped him deal with footballing setbacks, he agrees. "Kind of. My upbringing is my upbringing. When I say certain things about it people look at me thinking 'What actually happened?' but that was my upbringing. It has channelled me into this path where I am now," he said.

"Do I think I can overcome certain things when the going gets tough, can I stand my heels in the ground and then keep moving? I think I can do that. But that is just the way I have been brought up, especially in England where people bring up up to pull you back down. That's the way the world works, especially this country."

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Getty Images'More excitement than nerves'

Walker's years of experience at the highest level means he will not be feeling pre-match nerves, even ahead of the Champions League final. But he will be itching for the game to start. He confessed that he dislikes late kick offs and Saturday's game at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium will be even worse as it kicks off at 10pm local time.

“I wouldn't say it's nerves, I'm 33 now so I wouldn't say I get nervous. I hate eight o'clock games because it is the wait of all day to go to the game. I'd rather it kicked off at three o'clock and then it is done then," he said.

"Obviously there is a little bit of nerves and I think nerves are good, you have to channel them in the right direction to make you perform well, but it is more excitement rather than nerves."

Before matches, all he does is "eat and sleep". "Obviously you need to get your nutrition in and move around the hotel if you need to get some treatment but it is about preparing so you are mentally fresh for the game. What else can you do, you can't bring the game forward, I just have to deal with it and have a little nap in the afternoon. Then I don't sleep after the game."

Chelsea have reportedly parted company with coach Bruno Saltor despite claiming that he would form part of Mauricio Pochettino’s backroom team.

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Spaniard joined the Blues alongside PotterTook in one game as caretaker managerIs now walking away from Stamford BridgeWHAT HAPPENED?

The 42-year-old Spaniard has, according to , seen his contract paid up, allowing him to walk away from Stamford Bridge. That agreement has been reached during private talks behind the scenes, with no public announcement being made.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Bruno had moved to Stamford Bridge alongside Graham Potter in September 2022, with Chelsea paying a world-record £21 million ($26m) compensation package to Brighton when bringing in the new manager and his coaching staff. Only two members of that group – head of goalkeeping Ben Roberts and data analyst Kyle Macaulay – remain in west London.

DID YOU KNOW?

Potter lasted 31 games across seven months in charge of the Blues, with Bruno – who took caretaker charge for a 0-0 draw with Liverpool – among those to be put on leave when managerial reins were passed to club legend Frank Lampard on an interim basis. Chelsea claimed that he had returned to the fold following Pochettino’s appointment over the summer.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

That agreement has lasted less than four months, with Bruno allowed to move on. Pochettino is hoping that those still by his side can deliver a reversal in fortunes over the coming weeks – as questions begin to be asked of his future – with big-spending Chelsea picking up just five points from six Premier League games in 2023-24, while already being without European football on the back of a 12th-placed finish last season.

It took a Panenka penalty to secure the African side their first ever World Cup quarter-final, and leaves Luis Enrique with big questions to answer

A win not just for Morocco, but for the whole of Africa, and for the whole of the Arab world. For the first time, the Atlas Lions are into the quarter-finals of the World Cup, and boy do they deserve to be.

What a shift they put in here, defending heroically for 120 minutes to hold Spain to a goalless draw in Doha, before triumphing 3-0 in a tense penalty shootout.

Achraf Hakimi, Madrid born and Morocco's star player, was the man to seal it, the Paris Saint-Germain star staying cool amid the maelstrom to score with an outrageous 'Panenka' and clinch a famous victory. How they celebrated.

Earlier, goalkeeper Yassine Bounou had saved from both Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets, with Pablo Sarabia striking his penalty against the post as Spain suffered more shootout heartache. They were beaten on spot-kicks in the last 16 by Russia four years ago, and lost the semi-final of the European Championship to Italy last year in the same manner.

Luis Enrique's side dominated the game itself, but were unable to turn possession into chances. They hit the post right at the end of extra-time through Sarabia, but could have few complaints about the outcome having managed only one shot on target in 120 minutes.

GOAL runs through the winners and losers from a dramatic last-16 clash…

Getty ImagesThe Winners

Achraf Hakimi:

It had to be him, didn't it? To sink Spain, it just had to be the player who was born in Spain and who spent 14 years at Real Madrid before heading off to further his career across Europe. Hakimi's performance here was remarkable enough, but his winning moment is one that will be replayed for years. To stay that calm, calm enough to produce a Panenka, in an atmosphere such as this, after a game such as this? Ridiculous. The PSG man is already one of the best full-backs in world football, but he has only enhanced his reputation at this World Cup. He was sensational here, defensively perfect and full of running throughout. A top-level display from a top-level footballer, capped with one of the great penalty kicks of all time. Panenka himself would have been proud.

Moroccan aggression:

The tone for this game was set inside the opening 60 seconds. As Spain looked to secure possession immediately, the ball was worked from Aymeric Laporte, the left centre-back, to Jordi Alba, the left-back. Alba took a touch before returning the ball to Laporte, but in doing so took a clobbering from Hakim Ziyech, the Chelsea man acting as the most unlikely of enforcers. The message was clear; you will have the ball, but don't expect a comfortable night. And from the first minute to the 120th, Morocco did themselves proud. Nobody summed up their approach better than Sofyan Amrabat, the Fiorentina holding midfielder, whose aggression, energy and relentless discipline was contagious. He and Azzedine Ounahi, a 22-year-old who plays with Angers, were brilliant at closing down space and protecting their backline. Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui were outstanding at full-back, Ziyech worked like he's never worked before, while centre-backs Romain Saiss and Nayef Aguerd repelled everything that came into their penalty area. Aguerd left the field injured and Saiss was on one leg by the end. They worked themselves to a standstill. Whether they'll be fit for the quarter-finals remains to be seen, but that's a worry for tomorrow morning. Tonight is the night of their lives, and they deserve the chance to enjoy every second of it.

Yassine 'Bono' Bounou:

Insert U2 joke here, I guess? It felt from a long way out that this was going to be a game in which one of the goalkeepers would turn out to be the hero, and it was Morocco's No.1 who grabbed the headlines with two crucial saves in the shootout. Having seen Pablo Sarabia, brought on at the end of extra-time specifically to take a penalty, strike the post, Bono denied both Carlos Soler and the great Sergio Busquets, twice reading the Spaniards' intentions, twice plunging to his right, twice sending his fans into raptures. As Hakimi clipped in the winning spot-kick, the place exploded. The Moroccans ran straight to their goalkeeper, and no wonder. The World Cup is for heroes, and the Sevilla star – yes, he has a Spanish connection too – was certainly one here.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe Losers

Spain's penalties:

Sometimes, it really isn't your day. Shootouts have been pretty cruel to the Spaniards in recent years. Four years ago in Russia, they were eliminated by the hosts in the last 16 after Koke and Iago Aspas failed from 12 yards. And last year, they came up short after a pulsating European Championship semi-final against Italy at Wembley. Dani Olmo and Alvaro Morata were the villains on that occasion. Third time unlucky, then. This time around, there were three players to share the blame. First Sarabia, brought on solely for the shootout, sent his effort against the post, then Soler, who looked like a deer in the headlights walking forward, produced a tame effort which was saved by Bono. Unai Simon, the Spain goalkeeper, gave them hope with a save of his own from Badr Benoun, but next up was captain Sergio Busquets and he, like Soler, failed to beat Bono, leaving Hakimi to break Spanish hearts.

Spain's attack:

There was something strangely fitting about the manner of Spain's exit, drawing a blank even when given three penalties to get themselves on the board. After all, they'd barely looked like scoring for the previous 120 minutes or more, so why would it change now? It feels remarkable to think that this is a team that began its World Cup campaign with a seven-goal win over Costa Rica, just a couple of weeks ago. Since that masterclass, the Spaniards have looked everything their critics feared they would be; a team of fine technicians, but one completely devoid of a cutting edge. Their three games since have brought more than 2000 passes, an average of 75 per cent possession, 32 shots but only two goals. And it is that, rather than bad luck or 'the lottery' of a shootout, which has cost Luis Enrique's side. They dominated the ball here, but rarely did they look like finding a way through. Their best chance of the 90 minutes fell to Marco Asensio, who smashed into the side-netting, but other than that Bono was underworked in the Moroccan goal. Sarabia did almost win it in the very last minute of extra-time, but saw his volley strike the outside of the post. It would have been cruel on Morocco had it gone in. Spain must go back to the drawing board and find a way to turn talent into efficiency.

Luis Enrique:

We all eagerly await the Spain boss' latest Twitch stream. Luis Enrique wore a wry smile at the end here, but he must know that this goes down as a huge failure for his team, and for himself. They have been one of the most consistent international sides around in the past three or four years, but the promise of the Euros was washed away here. They were so determined to dominate the ball, they forget to go and win the game. They have the talent to regroup and go again. The likes of Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Ansu Fati, Nico Williams and Alejandro Balde are all highly-gifted young players, while Pau Torres, Eric Garcia and others should start to play a greater role too. But this was surely the end of Busquets, Cesar Azpilicueta and Jordi Alba at this level, and it would be a surprise if the likes of Koke, Sarabia, Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Morata were around much longer too. A change is coming in Spain's national team, but will it include the coach?

Getty ImagesSpain Ratings: Defence

Unai Simon (7/10):

Did what he had to do, though almost gave his supporters kittens when nearly caught in possession in stoppage-time. Big save from Cheddira in extra time, and kept out Benoun's penalty in the shootout.

Marcos Llorente (6/10):

Lost his battle with Boufal in the first half. Improved after the break. Good energy, not enough quality.

Rodri (8/10):

Saw so much of the ball it felt ridiculous at times. Unflustered defensively.

Aymeric Laporte (8/10):

Like his Manchester City team-mate next to him, he had the ball constantly. Booked for a late challenge and got back well to deny Cheddiri when the forward broke clean through.

Jordi Alba (6/10):

A couple of nice passes in behind but looked rattled by Ziyech every time Morocco attacked.

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Sergio Busquets (6/10):

Played at his own pace as ever. Neat and tidy in a team that dominated the ball. Missed his spot-kick.

Gavi (6/10):

Tried to make things happen but didn't influence the game and was replaced just after the hour mark.

Pedri (6/10):

Get it, pass it. Get it, pass it. Couldn't find a key ball but kept taking responsibility.