The brutal scenes set to unfold on the South Lawn to celebrate his birthday (and 250 years of US independence) sum up the president better than anything

It is a vanishingly rare, communal experience – and no matter what the moneymen do to it, it exerts an incomparable hold on the global imagination

This episode is a sports desk takeover ahead of the World Cup. What's going to happen when Iran plays their first match on US soil? Why is FIFA facing allegations of trying to sell tickets using unofficial platforms? And could England win the World Cup?    Andrew Butler, is joined by George Simms, Jessica Hayden and Rory Smith - as they battle it out to pitch the top World Cup story of the day.    **We want to hear what you think! Email us at: newsmeeting@observer.co.uk  Follow us on Social Media:  @ObserverUK on X  @theobserveruk on Instagram and TikTok @theobserveruk.bsky.social‬ on bluesky    Host: Andrew Butler   Producer: Amalie Sortland   Executive Producer: Jasper Corbett   To find out more about The Observer:   Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk  Download the Observer app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

The Parisiens deserve to be European champions, yet again. But they are also the champions the game deserves

“Arsenal’s suffering went all the way to the end. There could be no other way.”

A downturn in form, injuries and an unhappy Mohamed Salah led to a perfect storm the Dutchman couldn’t quite navigate

As another season draws to its close, Observer sports writers pick their most memorable moments from the campaign

The club failed to notice that the Premier League was changing around it. Relegation is the price of that ignorance

There were frenzied celebrations for the Tigers after their Championship promotion – and for EFL bosses, who will be relieved this farce is over

How the Paris Saint-Germain manager dealt with the death of his nine-year-old daughter Xana

The legendary manager leaves City after 10 years, 20 trophies and having revolutionised football in England

The Europa League and Conference League finals are examples of how football has become engineered to a point where domestic clubs are cast as unromantic behemoths

Set-pieces, structure and relentless organisation have made Arsenal the new benchmark for coaching in modern football

With clubs circling the same coaches, the market looks alarmingly short of elite candidates

A heartbreaking end doesn’t discount a phenomenal season for Hearts

After two years of penalty box mayhem, a foul is finally called in the biggest moment of the Premier League season. Why did it take so long?

A hamstring injury is keeping the 18-year-old off the pitch for now – but he continues to play a starring role off of it

End of season blues engulfs two teams ready to see back of this league campaign

José Mourinho seems bound for a return to football’s biggest soap opera