Category: Sports

FIFA has officially unveiled the lineup for what is being billed as the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show — and the roster of performers is nothing short of spectacular. Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, and K-pop group BTS are all set to take the stage during the World Cup final scheduled for July 19, just outside New York City.

Additional performers rounding out the event include Afrobeats star Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and the PS22 Chorus — a choir made up of elementary school students from Staten Island, New York — who will share the stage with Coldplay.

The 11-minute show has been put together under the creative direction of Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Beyond the entertainment, the performance carries a meaningful purpose: it will raise awareness and funds for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to secure $100 million to help children around the world gain access to both education and soccer.

Bieber expressed his enthusiasm for being part of the event. “The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can,” he said in a statement. “I’m grateful to be part of this Halftime Show, and even more grateful knowing it’s already helping expand access to education for children around the world.”

Among the announced acts, Burna Boy’s inclusion carries special significance. He is one half of the official song for this year’s World Cup — a track called “Dai Dai” — which he recorded alongside Shakira. The song blends Afrobeats and Latin rhythms into a multilingual, globally-flavored pop anthem. In one section, Shakira calls out the names of competing nations and players: “Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia… Mexico, Japan, Korea, Netherlands.”

Burna Boy spoke about what the opportunity means to him. “The FIFA World Cup is one of the few moments that truly brings the entire world together,” he said. “To represent Africa on the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show is a privilege and a responsibility that I don’t take lightly.”

It’s worth noting that elaborate halftime performances are not a tradition in soccer the way they are in American football. Events like the UEFA Champions League final typically feature a pre-match concert rather than a halftime spectacle.

Adding a touch of family-friendly fun to the occasion, the halftime show will also feature some of The Muppets from Sesame Street, including Kermit and Miss Piggy.

LONDON — Just two weeks ago, virtually nobody would have predicted that Marta Kostyuk, Linda Noskova, Karolina Muchova, and Coco Gauff would be the last four women standing at Wimbledon.

The surprising group doesn’t exactly have an impressive track record on grass courts. Among the four, only Muchova had ever advanced as far as the quarterfinals at the All England Club — and even that achievement had become a distant memory after she was eliminated in the first round on each of her last four appearances there.

Despite all of that, when Muchova walks out onto Centre Court to face Gauff on Thursday afternoon — followed by Noskova squaring off against Kostyuk — one of these four players will be just two victories away from lifting the most iconic trophy in tennis, the Venus Rosewater Dish.

A First-Time Champion Is Guaranteed

Wimbledon has not seen a repeat women’s champion since Serena Williams captured the last of her seven titles there back in 2016. For the ninth consecutive edition of the tournament, someone will be hoisting the trophy for the very first time.

That reality prompted Noskova to observe: “Anybody can beat anybody, it’s wide open.”

No other Grand Slam event has cycled through so many different first-time champions in a row, a pattern that only adds to the legendary status surrounding Wimbledon.

Of the four remaining players, world No. 7 Gauff is the only one who has ever won a Grand Slam title, having previously claimed both the U.S. Open and French Open trophies. Yet even she admits her run to the semifinals caught her off guard, given how poorly she had performed on grass in recent years.

Gauff Reflects on Her Wimbledon Journey

“If you told me I would be in the semis … I’d be, ‘You’re funny’. Especially … the last two years not winning anything on here,” said the 22-year-old American, who has been a familiar face at Wimbledon since 2019, when she defeated Venus Williams in the first round as a 15-year-old.

“Do I feel like Wimbledon is part of my destiny? If you asked me seven days ago, the answer would have been no. Honestly, I was writing it off a little bit. But I hope it is part of my destiny, whether it’s this year or in the future. I definitely would love to see my name on the champions’ wall, for sure.”

Heading into their semifinal matchup, Gauff holds a commanding 6-1 head-to-head record against 10th seed Muchova. The Czech player, however, is choosing to focus on a more favorable statistic.

“I’m happy we have 0-0 on the grass. That’s a bit better balance for me there,” Muchova said with a smile.

Czech Players Have Long Thrived at Wimbledon

There is a long history of Czech women excelling on the Wimbledon grass. Since tennis turned professional nearly six decades ago, Czech players have won the Rosewater Dish seven times — a tally that includes the first two titles won by Martina Navratilova before she became a U.S. citizen in 1981.

Combined, Navratilova, Jana Novotna, Petra Kvitova (twice), Marketa Vondrousova, and Barbora Krejcikova account for more Wimbledon titles than the total of five Grand Slam titles Czech women have won at the other three major tournaments combined since 1968.

Both Muchova and Noskova also have the added motivation of potentially setting up the first all-Czech Grand Slam final in history.

Ninth seed Noskova, like her semifinal opponents, is still having trouble believing she is this close to tennis history. Still, that sense of disbelief hasn’t stopped her from dreaming of achieving “big things in the world” — just like her idol, Kvitova.

“We had two matches against each other … I was just kind of stunned that I was on the same court with ‘the’ Petra Kvitova,” said Noskova, who lost to Ukrainian 12th seed Kostyuk in their only prior meeting. “As a kid, I was always looking up to her. She was the face of Czech tennis. When she won two Wimbledons … she helped me to get into tennis a little bit. I would love to follow her in her footsteps. If the outcome’s going to be the same, I would love nothing more.”

For Kostyuk, she is hoping her deep run at Wimbledon can offer a moment of joy to her homeland, which continues to endure the hardships of war. “I’m hoping it would mean a lot,” she said.

Thursday’s Order of Play — Women’s Semifinals (Centre Court, 12:30 p.m. GMT)

No. 10 Karolina Muchova (Czech Republic) vs. No. 7 Coco Gauff (United States)

No. 12 Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) vs. No. 9 Linda Noskova (Czech Republic)

DETROIT — One of baseball’s most decorated pitchers is hanging up his cleats. Justin Verlander announced Wednesday that this season will be his last, choosing to end his career where it began — with the Detroit Tigers.

The 43-year-old right-hander, currently the oldest active player in Major League Baseball, broke the news on social media shortly after being named a Legend Pick to the American League All-Star roster.

“While I’m fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I’ve decided this will be my last,” Verlander wrote. “It’s fitting that I get to finish where it all started — with the Detroit Tigers, the organization that drafted me and gave me my first opportunity.”

Verlander returned to Detroit this past February on a one-year, $13 million deal. His 2025 campaign has been limited by injuries — he landed on the injured list early in the year with hip inflammation, and then suffered a hamstring pull during a bullpen session just as he was approaching a comeback. His only start this season came on March 30, when he allowed five runs over 3 2/3 innings in a 9-6 road defeat at Arizona.

Despite the setbacks, Verlander says the decision to retire wasn’t driven by a specific number or moment.

“I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar,” he said. “I wanted the game to tell me when it was time. Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come.”

He had been scheduled to pitch in June in what would have been his first appearance at Comerica Park since August 30, 2017 — the day before he was traded away to Houston.

Verlander’s legacy with the Tigers alone is remarkable. From 2005 to 2017, he went 183-115, claimed the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2006, and swept both the AL MVP and Cy Young Award in 2011. He helped lead Detroit to the World Series in 2006 and 2012, as well as four consecutive division titles from 2011 through 2014.

After being traded to Houston, he continued to thrive. He was named the 2017 ALCS MVP and was part of World Series championship teams that year and again in 2022. He also earned his second and third Cy Young Awards in 2019 and 2022.

“I’ve been fortunate to play with and against incredible players, for outstanding organizations, and compete in front of fans who deeply appreciate the game,” Verlander said.

He added: “It’s time for the next chapter. But first, I’m excited to finish this season the only way I know how — with everything I’ve got.”

Over his 21 major league seasons with the Tigers, Houston Astros, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants, Verlander compiled a career record of 266-159 with a 3.33 ERA across 556 starts. He struck out 3,554 batters and threw 26 complete games, including nine shutouts.

Although he won’t take the mound at the All-Star Game in Philadelphia on Tuesday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed Verlander will attend and be honored during the festivities.

“The opportunity to attend once again is something I’ll cherish and it will be an incredibly special moment for me and my family,” said Verlander, who is married to model Kate Upton and has two children.

Verlander joins Bryce Harper of the host Philadelphia Phillies as a Legend Pick for the 2026 Midsummer Classic. Previous All-Star games have honored legends including Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, and Clayton Kershaw.

Spain and Belgium are scheduled to meet Friday in a World Cup quarter-final matchup that sets one of the tournament’s most consistent sides against a Belgian team riding high after a dominant 4-1 victory over the United States — a win that came on the heels of one of soccer’s most unusual political moments in recent memory.

Before Belgium’s big win, the match was overshadowed by remarkable off-field drama. U.S. forward Folarin Balogun had been handed a one-game suspension stemming from a red card, but that ban was put on hold after President Donald Trump personally reached out to FIFA President Gianni Infantino requesting the case be reconsidered.

Despite the controversy surrounding the buildup, Belgium coach Rudi Garcia’s squad delivered a convincing four-goal performance, punching their ticket to the quarterfinals in emphatic fashion.

Now they face a much sterner test.

Spain arrive at this stage of the tournament having gone 35 consecutive matches without a defeat — a remarkable stretch that has transformed coach Luis de la Fuente’s squad from promising European title-holders into a team known for dominating their opponents with calm authority.

De la Fuente took over following Spain’s unexpected penalty shootout loss to Morocco in the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar under previous coach Luis Enrique. The current manager, who previously worked with many of these players during their youth development years, has reshaped the national team in a significant way.

The transformation has produced a national squad that plays with the kind of unity and organization more commonly associated with a club team — disciplined, well-balanced, and hard to score against.

During De la Fuente’s tenure, Spain captured the Nations League title in 2023, then claimed a fourth European Championship crown in 2024 — a long-awaited achievement for the program. They reached yet another Nations League final the following year, though they fell to Portugal on penalties after a scoreless draw.

Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo in the lineup, also happened to be Spain’s most recent opponent at this World Cup. Spain edged them 1-0 thanks to a late goal that highlighted one of the team’s most valuable assets — the impact of their substitutes.

Mikel Merino came off the bench to score the match-winner, while fellow substitute Ferran Torres provided the assist just minutes after stepping onto the pitch.

Spain’s strength doesn’t rely on a single superstar carrying the load. Instead, their depth is what sets them apart. At Euro 2024, the team found the net 15 times, with 10 different players scoring — setting a tournament record for the most individual scorers on one team in a single edition of the competition.

Even young phenom Lamine Yamal, who is still working his way back to full fitness after a hamstring injury in April, has demonstrated that even brief stretches of his creativity are enough to unsettle opposing defenses and open up opportunities for his teammates.

Belgium, meanwhile, will have to find a way to slow Spain down without one of their key players. Midfielder Amadou Onana tore his anterior cruciate ligament during the win over the United States, going down in the 21st minute after an awkward landing. Despite the injury, he later appeared on crutches to join his teammates in celebrating the victory.

His absence leaves Garcia with a significant void to address going up against a Spanish side that rarely needs much of an opening to take over a game.

That said, Belgium has already proven this tournament that they can rise to the occasion when the odds aren’t in their favor.

Kansas City Royals slugger Jac Caglianone has become the newest confirmed participant in the Home Run Derby, set to take place Monday in Philadelphia.

The 23-year-old joins New York Yankees outfielder Ben Rice and Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero as the three players announced so far. The remaining five spots in the competition have not yet been filled publicly.

Caglianone will be just the sixth Royals player ever to appear in the event. Kansas City’s previous representatives include Bo Jackson in 1989, Danny Tartabull in 1991, Mike Moustakas in 2017, Salvador Perez in 2021, and Bobby Witt Jr. in 2024. Not one of them has taken home the trophy.

Witt came the closest last year, finishing as runner-up after launching a total of 50 home runs throughout the competition. In the championship round, he connected for 13 home runs — just one behind winner Teoscar Hernandez’s 14.

In his first complete season wearing a Royals uniform, Caglianone is batting .258 with a .322 on-base percentage and a .455 slugging percentage. He’s gone 77-for-299 at the plate, leading the team with 14 home runs and adding 33 RBIs across 85 games. Those 14 long balls have traveled an average of 418 feet each — a mark tied for the best average distance in all of Major League Baseball this season.

Ipswich Town has officially brought in Brazilian striker Emersonn Correia da Silva from French Ligue 1 club Toulouse, locking him in on a five-year deal, the Premier League club announced Wednesday.

At just 21 years old, Emersonn is the first player acquired under the club’s new manager Gary O’Neil. British media reports indicate the transfer came at a record-breaking cost of 26.6 million pounds, equivalent to approximately $35.54 million.

The young forward expressed excitement about his move in an official club statement. “I am very proud to sign for Ipswich Town,” he said. “Playing in the Premier League is something I have always dreamed of and I know I have picked the perfect club to do that with.”

Emersonn added, “I will give everything for the team every time I play and I can’t wait to get started and meet my new teammates as well as the supporters.”

During his lone season with Toulouse — which he joined last September — Emersonn appeared in 31 matches and found the back of the net seven times. Prior to his time in France, the forward made 13 appearances for Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense and also had a stint with Turkish side Goztepe.

Ipswich Town will make their return to England’s top division on August 22 when they face Sunderland to open the Premier League campaign. The club last competed in the Premier League back in 2001, earning their way back after finishing as runners-up in last season’s Championship.

LONDON — Alexander Zverev broke through one of the biggest obstacles standing between him and a Wimbledon championship on Tuesday, defeating Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the semi-finals and keep alive his bid for back-to-back Grand Slam titles.

Zverev, the French Open champion and second seed, had lost his previous seven matches against Fritz — including a defeat at Wimbledon in 2024 — but put that streak firmly to rest with a commanding performance. His next opponent will be Arthur Fery, the British hope who defeated Flavio Cobolli to earn his own spot in the final four.

With the victory, Zverev became just the fifth German man to reach a Wimbledon semi-final in the professional era, which dates back to 1968. He joins an elite group that includes Boris Becker, Michael Stich, Rainer Schuettler, and Tommy Haas.

“It sounds great. I hope to play two more matches here, so we’ll see how it goes, but for now I’m extremely happy to be in the semi-finals especially after beating Taylor, who I hadn’t won against in more than two years,” Zverev told the crowd after the match. “He’s been beating me for two years straight, and yeah, I played a fantastic match.”

Zverev got off to a strong start on Court One, earning an early break to build a 5-4 lead in the opening set. He let out an audible roar of relief after holding off a late push from Fritz in the 10th game to close out the first set under bright sunshine.

Fritz’s momentum was further disrupted in the second set when he took a medical timeout after three games to address a nagging right knee issue. Zverev capitalized, breaking Fritz decisively and celebrating with visible emotion as his opponent’s chances began to slip away.

The crowd on Court One briefly shifted its attention to Centre Court, where news spread that Briton Fery had taken a two-set lead in his own match. Zverev held serve comfortably and continued to pull away.

“Nothing on a tennis court is ever easy. If I would play my 5-year-old daughter, then it would maybe be easy … for her, but I knew I had to focus from the first moment,” Zverev said. “The first game on my serve, I had three breakpoints against me and I knew that it’s going to be a difficult match, no matter what, since it’s in the back of your mind that you haven’t beaten an opponent for more than two years. I knew that I had to play an almost perfect match to have a chance, and I feel like I did that today.”

In the third set, Zverev delivered a stunning backhand winner to go up a double break at 4-1 and closed out the match without difficulty, reaching his 12th Grand Slam semi-final overall.

Zverev had some lighthearted words for the crowd when asked about facing the popular home favorite Fery in the semi-finals. “You guys can all be for Fery,” he joked. “It’s totally fine. I understand and I don’t have a problem with it. I hope it’ll be good for me, not so good for everyone else.”

He added: “But no, look, it’s going to be an exciting day for both of us, first time in the semi-finals at Wimbledon. For him, it’s a ‘Fery-tale’ story. You see what I did there? Yeah, there you go. Very clever. But I have to trust myself and trust my tennis. Hopefully I can show a good performance and then we’ll see what happens.”

Rory McIlroy has spent much of the last seven weeks back in Europe, using the time away from tournament play to rest and prepare for the back-to-back links golf events that kick off Thursday at the Scottish Open.

The break was far from uneventful. McIlroy showed up at Wimbledon’s Royal Box wearing his Masters champion green jacket, seated alongside Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald. He also made a quiet visit to Royal Birkdale — the site of next week’s Open Championship — for a reconnaissance round, though the trip didn’t stay quiet for long.

“Birkdale was definitely just a scouting trip for The Open for sure. I would have liked to have not have it known that I was there but (Nick) Faldo couldn’t put his phone away, so,” McIlroy said with a laugh. “I love Nick. In fairness, he’s great. I had a good time with him. He walked a few holes with me.”

McIlroy says his relationship with the Scottish Open venue — Renaissance Club in North Berwick — has warmed considerably over time. His comfort level there is no surprise given that in 2023, he swept the Scottish title and followed it up with a victory at the Open Championship.

He arrived Monday and settled into the same house he has stayed in for several years, with golfer Tommy Fleetwood and his family living right next door, as he shifted back into competition mode after his holiday.

“When I first came here, I wasn’t enamored with the course or the place. But as time has went on and I’ve played it more, I’ve started to like it more and appreciate the golf course a little bit more,” McIlroy said. “It’s definitely become a great venue for this tournament.”

The field this week is stacked with elite talent. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy at No. 2, No. 4 Matt Fitzpatrick of England, and No. 5 Russell Henley headline the star power in Scotland. World No. 3 Cameron Young — who has played the Scottish Open just once before, missing the cut in 2022 — and No. 6 Collin Morikawa are among the few top-ranked players sitting out. In 2025, Morikawa missed the cut after posting rounds of 68 and 76, finishing 123rd at 4-over par.

Thursday’s opening round is expected to bring mild conditions — around 71 degrees with no rain — a far cry from the typically harsh Open Championship weather.

McIlroy will tee off alongside Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who claimed the Scottish Open title in 2024, and 2025 champion Chris Gotterup. Last July, Gotterup edged out McIlroy, who tied for second with Marco Penge at 13-under par. The three past champions are scheduled to go off around 3:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, starting on the 10th hole, one group behind Shane Lowry — a fan favorite who spent time last week on a four-day trip with McIlroy and Donald.

By the time Spain’s Jon Rahm reaches the course, that group should already be finishing up. Rahm, ranked No. 11 in the world and a two-time major champion, is making his first Scottish Open appearance since 2022. He is one of seven LIV Golf players in this week’s field — a subject McIlroy has addressed openly in recent years.

“I’ve talked about wanting to have just all of the best players in the world play together,” McIlroy said Wednesday. “Yeah, I guess this is a good — and it’s not as if this hasn’t been open to them before. It’s just because Valderrama (on the LIV Golf circuit) was always this week. Having Jon in this event is better for the event than him not being here, and obviously everyone else that’s here, as well. That’s a good thing.”

Major League Soccer revealed its All-Star Game roster on Wednesday, announcing that 13 players who took part in this year’s World Cup — representing eight nations — will participate in the showcase event. American goalkeeper Matt Freese and Croatian forward Petar Musa were among the newest additions, joining the already-selected Argentina icon Lionel Messi.

The United States leads all countries with four World Cup players on the roster. They are joined by athletes from fellow co-host nations Canada and Argentina, as well as South Africa, Australia, South Korea, Croatia, and first-time World Cup participants Cape Verde.

New York City FC’s Freese was named to the squad alongside fellow American and Columbus Crew defender Max Arfsten. Two of their U.S. teammates — Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream and Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter — had already been chosen when the first 11 All-Star selections were announced last month.

Toronto FC defender Richie Laryea and Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, both of whom played a role in Canada’s memorable World Cup run, were also added to the roster.

Columbus defender Steven Moreira, who represents Cape Verde, earned his spot as well. Cape Verde captured widespread attention at the tournament after drawing with former champions Spain and Uruguay in group play before ultimately being eliminated by Argentina.

Additional World Cup veterans named Wednesday include Colorado Rapids defender Lucas Herrington of Australia, Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo De Paul of Argentina, and Croatia’s Musa, who has been on fire for FC Dallas this season with 12 goals in just 13 regular-season appearances.

Messi had been part of the initial round of selections, as had South Korean star Son Heung-Min of LAFC and Chicago Fire center-back Mbekezeli Mbokazi, considered one of South Africa’s standout performers at the World Cup.

Rounding out the All-Star roster are top MLS performers Thomas Mueller, Evander, and Sam Surridge. Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Mueller, who lifted the World Cup trophy with Germany back in 2014, has contributed four goals and four assists through 12 regular-season matches this year. FC Cincinnati’s Evander and Nashville SC forward Surridge have each found the back of the net nine times this season.

The MLS All-Stars are set to take on the best from Mexico’s top flight, LIGA MX, on July 29 in Charlotte, North Carolina. This year’s World Cup marked a record-setting moment for MLS, with 45 players from 22 clubs and 17 countries representing the league on the global stage.

Argentina Stages Stunning Comeback to Reach World Cup Quarterfinals

Lionel Messi delivered once again on the world’s biggest soccer stage. The Argentine legend scored his eighth goal of the tournament and helped orchestrate a remarkable comeback, as Argentina defeated Egypt 3-2 despite being down by two goals with just 11 minutes remaining in regulation. Messi was visibly emotional after the final whistle, with tears streaming down his face. He assisted on Cristian Romero’s header in the 79th minute, then tied the match at 2-2 in the 83rd minute with his record-extending 21st career World Cup goal. Enzo Fernandez then delivered the decisive blow in stoppage time. Argentina will next face either Switzerland or Colombia in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri. Messi’s goal also moved him to the top of the Golden Boot race.

Djokovic Grinds Out Five-Set Wimbledon Win After Five-Plus Hours

In London, Novak Djokovic showed remarkable endurance in pushing past Felix Auger-Aliassime in a grueling five-set match that lasted more than five hours. The 39-year-old seven-time Wimbledon champion won 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4) to advance to the semifinals, where he will face defending champion Jannik Sinner. The two have recent history — Sinner beat Djokovic in straight sets in last year’s Wimbledon semifinals, while Djokovic returned the favor over five sets at this year’s Australian Open. With the victory, Djokovic reached his eighth consecutive Wimbledon semifinal, surpassing Roger Federer’s record for the most consecutive semifinal appearances in men’s singles at the grass-court championship. He continues his pursuit of an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam singles title.

Royals’ Tolbert Ties MLB Record with Hits in 12 Straight Plate Appearances

Kansas City Royals outfielder Tyler Tolbert etched his name in the record books Tuesday night in New York. Tolbert tied a major league record by recording hits in 12 consecutive plate appearances, reaching the mark with an infield single against the New York Mets for his fifth hit of the night. The streak tied a record originally set by Chicago’s Johnny Kling back in 1902 and later matched by Detroit Tigers slugger Walt Dropo in 1952. Tolbert had a chance to break the record outright but was retired in the ninth inning on a fly ball to right field off A.J. Minter, finishing 5-for-6 on the night. The second-year player homered in the second inning and added singles in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh.

Pirates’ O’Hearn Crushes Franchise Record with 10-RBI Night

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Ryan O’Hearn had a night for the history books against Atlanta, driving in 10 runs on three home runs to set a new franchise record. O’Hearn opened the scoring with a grand slam in the first inning, followed by a three-run blast in the third and another three-run homer in the sixth. His 10 RBIs surpassed the previous Pirates record of nine, set by Johnny Rizzo way back in 1939. O’Hearn’s performance also leads all major league players in RBIs this season. An All-Star a year ago, O’Hearn became just the 16th player in the franchise’s 145-year history to hit three home runs in a single game.

Mbappé Speaks Out Against Racist Remarks from Paraguayan Senator

French soccer star Kylian Mbappé publicly condemned a Paraguayan senator following a string of racist social media posts directed at him after France defeated Paraguay in the World Cup round of 16. Mbappé referred to Senator Celeste Amarilla as a “despicable woman” on Monday. Amarilla’s posts mocked the French captain’s background, upbringing, education, and physical appearance. The French Football Federation announced it would refer the matter to prosecutors, and Paraguay’s own government also condemned the senator’s comments. Late Monday, Amarilla issued an open letter saying she regretted insulting Mbappé with “the same insults” she herself has faced and confirmed she deleted the posts. However, she also demanded an apology from Mbappé and threatened to pursue legal action against him.

US Men’s Soccer Team Struggles to Move Beyond Round of 16

Despite significant investment in American soccer over the years, the U.S. men’s national team continues to hit a ceiling at the World Cup. Christian Pulisic and his teammates were eliminated Monday with a 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16 — a result that mirrors the team’s inability to advance further over the past 25 years. Coach Mauricio Pochettino has indicated he plans to discuss his future with the U.S. Soccer Federation. Goalkeeping has been identified as a significant weakness, though the expansion to a 48-team World Cup format should make future qualifying easier. Young players Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman have been bright spots for the program going forward.

IOC Eases Restrictions on Russia, Kremlin Calls It an ‘Important Step’

The Kremlin has praised the International Olympic Committee’s decision to lift many of its restrictions on Russia, calling it an “important step” toward the country fielding a full team at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The IOC provisionally removed its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee and told Olympic sports governing bodies they no longer need to individually screen Russian athletes for neutral competition status. However, the IOC’s guidance is not binding on the governing bodies of individual sports.

Croatia Coach Steps Down Following World Cup Exit

Zlatko Dalić has resigned as Croatia’s head coach following the country’s elimination from this year’s World Cup. Croatia fell 2-1 to Portugal in the round of 32 less than a week before the announcement. Dalić’s tenure was marked by back-to-back top-three finishes at previous World Cups. The Croatian football federation honored his time leading the team as an “unforgettable journey” and called his departure a “proud farewell.” No replacement has been named yet.

Ohtani Becomes First Japanese-Born Player to Hit 300 Career Home Runs

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani made history in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies, launching a 409-foot leadoff home run off pitcher Michael Lorenzen for his 300th career blast. The milestone makes Ohtani the first Japanese-born player in major league history to reach 300 career home runs. The shot was Ohtani’s 20th of the season, his 31st career leadoff homer, and his seventh leadoff home run this year. Ohtani had also homered the night before in a 3-for-4 performance during the Dodgers’ 8-7 victory in 11 innings.

Egypt’s football federation is speaking out against what it calls unfair and inconsistent use of the Video Assistant Referee system following a heartbreaking 3-2 World Cup round-of-16 elimination at the hands of defending champions Argentina on Tuesday.

The Egyptian Football Association released a statement Wednesday saying it refuses to stay silent about refereeing decisions it believes directly changed the outcome of the match. Egypt had appeared on the verge of a massive upset, holding a 2-0 lead with just 11 minutes to play, before Argentina rallied with three late goals to advance.

“Several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game,” the federation wrote in a statement shared on social media.

The EFA added that football experts and analysts from around the world had identified controversial officiating moments during the contest, calling for the highest standards of integrity and transparency in a competition of the FIFA World Cup 2026’s magnitude.

At the center of the dispute was a goal by Egypt’s Mostafa Zico in the 62nd minute that would have put his team ahead 3-0. Officials disallowed the score following a VAR review that found a foul by an Egyptian player earlier in the buildup play.

Egypt’s frustration grew further late in the game when a penalty appeal for Hamdy Fathy — who went down under a challenge — was rejected. Argentina then moved up the field and scored the match-winner in the 92nd minute.

Coach Hossam Hassan and captain Mohamed Salah both voiced their disappointment after the final whistle, and former players and television analysts joined in questioning the officiating.

Former England goalkeeper Rob Green, commenting during Fox’s broadcast, questioned whether VAR should have even been involved in reviewing the play that led to Zico’s goal being wiped out. “Surely, this is not within VAR’s [realm] to review this,” Green said. “It’s a full length of the pitch away.”

Former England captain Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer, also took issue with the decision-making. “Either both are fouls or neither is. But they told us they won’t re-referee,” he wrote on social media.

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright pointed to a separate incident involving Salah. “If you’re going to pull it back for Argentina on the edge of the box to disallow a goal, you have to pull it back for this one with Mo Salah. He’s been caught. Whatever we say, it might be minimal, he’s been caught and then they go up the other end,” Wright said on ITV.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also raised questions about VAR consistency. “If that was in the Premier League, LaLiga or Serie A, it would have been a goal even after VAR review,” he said.

According to media reports, EFA President Hany Abo Rida has filed an official complaint against French referee Francois Letexier and his officiating crew. FIFA had not yet responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — When a World Cup match comes down to a split-second call in the final moments, the referee has to be in exactly the right spot — no easy feat when conditions range from sweltering Miami humidity to the thin air of Mexico City, sitting more than 2,200 meters above sea level.

While the crowd watches strikers and defenders chase the ball, referees are running just as hard. According to FIFA, officials typically cover between 12 and 13 kilometers during a single match — a distance comparable to many outfield players.

That reality has completely changed how soccer’s governing body gets its officials ready for the sport’s biggest stage.

“Referee preparation for the 2026 World Cup began almost four years ago,” FIFA told Reuters.

The preparation has mirrored what elite athletes go through. Officials have completed multiple rounds of physical testing, with training intensity ramping up significantly in the six months leading into the tournament.

The physical demands go well beyond just logging miles. A referee might battle oppressive heat and humidity in one match, then find themselves gasping for breath at high altitude in the next — all while managing long flights, shifting time zones, and extreme temperatures. FIFA noted that experience gained during the 2025 Club World Cup held in the United States was especially valuable in preparing officials for “heat, humidity and also different time zones.”

Officials work on endurance, strength, speed, agility, and acceleration — often through drills designed to mimic real game situations. Performance specialists watch every sprint, monitor heart rates, and analyze recovery patterns.

The goal is straightforward: make sure the referee arrives at every key moment before controversy does.

Studies have shown that fatigue leads to worse positioning, narrower sightlines, and slower reaction times — exactly the conditions that can produce the kind of officiating error that gets replayed for decades.

That is why FIFA now treats its referees much the way clubs treat their players.

The officiating team for this World Cup includes 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video match officials drawn from 50 member associations. They are based in Miami, living in a structured environment centered on training, nutrition, recovery, and technical development. Supporting them are 12 medical specialists, 10 physiotherapists, and a chef with a background in sports nutrition.

GPS devices track workload, heart-rate monitors measure physical exertion, and blood-lactate testing helps staff understand how each official’s body is holding up. Training programs are then fine-tuned using that data.

“We use data trackers at the same level as players,” FIFA said.

In the three days before a match, officials take part in simulated game sessions along with short bursts of explosive speed work. Once a match is over, the focus shifts entirely to recovery.

“(The two days following games) are dedicated to active recovery training, along with massages and cryotherapy, which help achieve a faster and more effective recovery,” FIFA said.

FIFA has also introduced hydration supplements and reworked training schedules to reduce officials’ exposure to direct sunlight.

It is easy to overlook all of this because referees almost never appear on highlight reels. Yet research shows that high-intensity running can make up more than a third of their total movement during top-level matches, with heart rates frequently reaching between 80% and 100% of maximum levels.

All the while, officials are tracking player positions, identifying potential fouls, reading tactical patterns, and constantly searching for the best angle to make the right call — often while running at full speed.

Even with all that preparation, injuries can still happen. During the United States’ 2-0 group stage win over Australia, German referee Felix Zwayer went down with cramps in stoppage time. Players from both teams, along with an assistant referee, had to help stretch his leg so he could finish the match.

As the tournament moves into the quarterfinal round, the spotlight will stay on the players — but behind every defining moment is a referee pushing hard to keep pace, knowing a single whistle can change everything.

A sweeping six-team NBA trade is reshuffling multiple rosters, with ESPN reporting Tuesday that veteran guard Caris LeVert is headed from the Detroit Pistons to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris, along with two second-round draft picks going to Milwaukee.

The deal is connected to a broader multi-team arrangement that also sees veteran guard Khris Middleton heading back to the Washington Wizards. Middleton is returning to Washington through a three-year, $17.6 million sign-and-trade with the Dallas Mavericks.

LeVert, 31, is midway through a two-year, $29 million deal he signed with Detroit last offseason. This past season he posted career-low numbers, averaging just 7.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 19.2 minutes per game. Those figures fall well short of his career marks of 13.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 26.9 minutes across 10 NBA seasons and 584 games — including stints with the Brooklyn Nets (2016-21), Indiana Pacers (2021-22), Cleveland Cavaliers (2022-24), Atlanta Hawks (2024-25) and the Pistons.

By moving LeVert to Milwaukee, Detroit gains a trade exception in addition to receiving Prince and Harris.

Prince, 32, put up 9.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game last season with the Bucks while connecting on 43.6% of his three-point attempts. His season was cut short to just 26 games due to a herniated disk in his neck. Across his 10-year career and 608 games, he has averaged 9.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists with stops in Atlanta (2016-2019), Brooklyn (2019-21), Cleveland (2021), Minnesota (2021-23), Los Angeles (2023-24) and Milwaukee (2024-26).

Harris, 31, played 48 games in his lone Milwaukee season, averaging 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists. While his recent production has declined, his career averages stand at 9.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists over 666 games with the Denver Nuggets (2014-21), Orlando Magic (2021-25) and the Bucks.

Middleton, 34, is making his return to Washington after being shipped to Dallas at the trade deadline in the deal that helped the Wizards land Anthony Davis. During his time in Washington, he averaged 10.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 31.5% from three-point range.

Over his 14-year career spanning 839 games, Middleton has averaged 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists while knocking down 38.5% of his three-point attempts. His 1,476 made three-pointers rank 62nd in NBA history.

Additional moves tied to this multi-team deal include John Collins joining the Pistons, the Memphis Grizzlies acquiring Isaiah Stewart, and Dallas landing Santi Aldama.

Shohei Ohtani added another milestone to his already remarkable career on Tuesday night, smashing his 300th career home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Michael Lorenzen.

The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar sent a 409-foot line drive soaring to center field on a 2-0 count, giving him his 20th home run of the current season. Rockies center fielder Cole Carrigg had no chance to make a play, watching helplessly as the ball sailed over the wall.

The blast was Ohtani’s 31st career leadoff home run overall and his seventh leading off a game this season. The milestone shot came just a day after Ohtani also went deep during a dramatic 8-7 eleven-inning Dodgers victory on Monday, capping a strong 3-for-4 night at the plate.

As Ohtani made his way back to the dugout following the historic swing, teammate Freddie Freeman greeted him with a bow in a show of respect for the achievement.

NEW YORK — Kansas City Royals outfielder Tyler Tolbert etched his name into the baseball record books Tuesday night, matching a major league record by collecting hits in 12 straight plate appearances during a game against the New York Mets.

Tolbert tied the mark with an infield single — his fifth hit of the evening — at Citi Field. The record was originally set by Chicago’s Johnny Kling back in 1902 and later equaled by Walt Dropo of the Detroit Tigers in 1952.

The second-year player could be seen grinning as he jogged back to first base after the record-tying knock. The Citi Field scoreboard lit up with a graphic celebrating the achievement.

Batting ninth in the lineup, Tolbert — who plays right field — launched a two-run home run in the second inning, then added singles in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. His final three hits of the night were all infield singles.

The hot streak began Saturday against Philadelphia, where Tolbert went 2 for 2 before being replaced by a pinch-hitter. He then started at shortstop Monday and delivered a remarkable 5-for-5 performance, including his first home run of the season.

Primarily used as a pinch-runner and defensive specialist, Tolbert had logged just 105 career plate appearances heading into Tuesday’s contest. Before Saturday’s game, he was hitting just .200 on the season — 7 for 35. His fifth hit Tuesday pushed his batting average all the way up to .404.

The family of a Bucknell University football player who lost his life after collapsing on the first day of training camp in 2024 expressed gratitude Tuesday following a decision by the Pennsylvania attorney general to pursue criminal charges against the strength and conditioning coach who ran the session.

Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr. was a freshman in July 2024 when coach Mark Kulbis directed him and his teammates to complete 100 “up-downs” — also called “burpees” — along with full-body plank exercises, according to the attorney general’s office. Dickey had sickle-cell trait, a medical condition that can significantly raise the risk of serious injury or death when combined with extreme physical exertion.

“We’re at the point where we’re just glad that someone is being held responsible for our son’s death,” Calvin Dickey Sr., of Land O’ Lakes, Florida, told The Associated Press in a phone interview. “We just want to see the process through, and we’re going to leave it to the attorney general to continue following the evidence.”

On Monday, prosecutors announced that Kulbis had been charged with felony aggravated hazing, along with misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and hazing.

Kulbis’s attorney, Barbara Zemlock, pushed back on the charges in a written statement. “While the death of Calvin Dickey is tragic, Mark Kulbis did not contribute to it and is not responsible for it,” she said. “The strength and conditioning program that was implemented was appropriate and in accordance with the training that Mr. Kulbis received, and with applicable standards.”

Sickle-cell trait is typically identified through a blood test and does not usually interfere with a person’s everyday life. However, under conditions of intense physical activity, dehydration, or elevated body temperature, it can restrict blood flow and cause muscle breakdown. In very rare instances, this can lead to collapse and death.

Following the deaths of other athletes with sickle-cell trait, the NCAA in 2010 began mandating that incoming Division I athletes be screened for the condition. The organization also began advising coaches that athletes who carry the trait should gradually increase workout intensity and be given sufficient time to rest and recover.

Dickey stood 6-foot-5 and weighed nearly 300 pounds. He grew up playing multiple sports before committing to football during his junior year of high school, his parents said. He lined up on both the offensive and defensive lines, meaning he was on the field for most of each game.

According to a federal lawsuit his family filed against Bucknell last year, they were unaware that their son had sickle-cell trait until he underwent the mandatory screening just weeks before training camp began. Calvin Dickey Sr. said that the day before camp started, the offensive line coach assured him his son would be kept safe.

Despite those assurances, Dickey Jr. began struggling and eventually passed out while performing exercises that Kulbis had assigned as punishment for players who failed to execute drills correctly, the lawsuit stated. He was taken to the hospital and died two days later.

Although it is uncommon for coaches to face criminal prosecution when athletes collapse and die, there have been prior cases. In Georgia, a girls basketball coach and an assistant were charged with murder after a 16-year-old named Imani Bell died from heat stroke in 2019 during an outdoor training session held despite an active heat advisory. That case has not yet been resolved. The school district settled the family’s lawsuit for $10 million and agreed to rename the gym in her memory.

In 2009, a former Kentucky high school football coach was found not guilty of reckless homicide and endangerment in connection with the heat-related death of 15-year-old Max Gilpin. Defense attorneys argued that medication Gilpin was taking for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder had contributed to his overheating.

Dickey Sr. and his wife, Nicole Dickey, described their son as someone who loved football but planned to use his Bucknell scholarship as a path toward a career in pharmacy. They said he became passionate about the field after talking with a family friend who worked as a hospital pharmacist.

Since their son’s death, the couple has channeled their grief into a foundation dedicated to raising awareness about sickle-cell trait in athletes and supporting the overall health of student-athletes. The foundation offers scholarships and runs a program for football linemen called the “50 Cal Big Man Camp,” named after the jersey number their son wore.

“Those are the kind of things right now that bring a smile to my face and touch my heart,” Nicole Dickey said. “We want to protect the next generation and share what we’ve learned.”

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Ryan O’Hearn turned in one of the most remarkable individual performances in franchise history Tuesday night, driving in 10 runs on three home runs against the Atlanta Braves.

O’Hearn got things started with a grand slam off Atlanta starter Hurston Waldrep in the first inning. He followed that up with a three-run home run, also off Waldrep, in the third inning. Then in the sixth, he connected off Braves reliever Connor Thomas for yet another three-run blast.

The record-breaking night surpassed a franchise mark that had been on the books for more than eight decades. The previous Pittsburgh club record of nine RBIs in a single game was set by Johnny Rizzo against St. Louis on May 30, 1939. O’Hearn’s 10 RBIs also led all major league players for the current season.

O’Hearn, who joined Pittsburgh on a multi-year free agent deal during the offseason, was named an All-Star last season while splitting time between Baltimore and San Diego. With Tuesday’s performance, he also became just the 16th player in the Pirates’ 145-year history to hit three home runs in a single game.

In an unusual move for the middle of a baseball season, the Detroit Tigers and third base coach Joey Cora have mutually agreed to go their separate ways, manager A.J. Hinch announced Tuesday.

The separation is effective immediately. First-year quality control coach Billy Boyer will take over the third base coaching duties for the remainder of the season.

Cora, 61, was partway through his third season with Detroit and his tenth overall as a third base coach in the major leagues. Before joining the Tigers, he spent two seasons with the New York Mets and five with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

A former infielder who spent 11 seasons across four different major league organizations, Cora was widely recognized for his aggressive style of waving runners toward extra bases.

Data from Baseball Reference shows the 2025 Tigers successfully took extra bases at a 54.1% clip — the second-best rate recorded since 1969. The only team to top that mark was the 1975 Oakland Athletics, who posted a 55.1% rate.

Hinch addressed the move with reporters, acknowledging it would come as a shock to many. “I know that news is going to be surprising to a lot of people,” he said. “I love Joey. Joey loved being a Tiger. He’s been instrumental in his time here. But similar to a family, sometimes it doesn’t last forever. We had some philosophical differences, and we both just agreed it’s probably best for the players and everybody to separate.”

The manager said Cora reached out to request a meeting on Monday, though the two did not actually sit down together until Tuesday. Hinch emphasized that the parting was entirely baseball-related.

Tigers players found out about the coaching change through a text message. Catcher Jake Rogers said the news hit him hard. “He wants to win, and he brings that aggressiveness every day. I can’t speak for the other guys, but it hit me kind of hard. He’s part of the fam.”

Antoine Griezmann made his long-awaited arrival in Major League Soccer official on Tuesday, joining Orlando City and calling it the realization of a dream he has carried since his teenage years.

The 35-year-old former France forward signed with the club through 2028, coming off a historic run at Atletico Madrid where he finished as the club’s all-time leading scorer. Griezmann said timing was everything in his decision, wanting to make the leap while he still had plenty left in the tank.

“Since I was 18, it was my dream to come to MLS,” Griezmann told reporters at his official introduction with the team. “It was very important for me to arrive in good physical and mental condition, and that’s why I took this step.”

Griezmann also expressed how quickly he fell in love with the city and how his family embraced the change. “I connected very well with the club, I loved the city and my children are delighted,” he said. “It has been incredible and unexpected for my family and me, and hopefully we can give that affection back.”

A personal touch from Orlando sporting director Ricardo Moreira played a key role in sealing the deal. Griezmann said Moreira’s trip to visit him at his home in Madrid “touched my heart” and helped make Orlando the clear choice.

The World Cup champion said he was pleasantly surprised by the quality of his new teammates after his first training sessions and made clear he arrived with championship ambitions. “I haven’t noticed much difference between the level here and in Europe,” he said. “I’m here to win trophies, build a connection with the fans and help my teammates grow, both professionally and personally.”

One of the most anticipated moments of Griezmann’s MLS tenure will be the Florida derby against Inter Miami, where he will once again go head-to-head with Lionel Messi. The two spent two seasons as teammates at Barcelona after years as fierce rivals in Spain. Griezmann said he has already been hearing plenty about the matchup. “They’ve told me a lot about the derby. I watched the last one. It’ll be a joy to face Messi again, and also Rodrigo (De Paul), who I have a very good relationship with,” he said, referencing his former Atletico Madrid teammate.

The WNBA revealed its 12 reserve selections for this month’s All-Star Game on Monday, with Marina Mabrey earning her first-ever All-Star nod and Nneka Ogwumike picking up an impressive 11th appearance in the showcase.

Angel Reese, Kelsey Plum, and Jonquel Jones are among the well-known names who will make their way to Chicago for the July 25 contest. The starting lineup had already been announced prior to Monday’s reserve announcement.

As part of the league’s 30th anniversary festivities, WNBA legends Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon will take on the role of honorary general managers, drafting the teams for this year’s game.

While starters were determined through a combination of fan, player, and media voting, the 12 reserves were selected by the league’s 15 head coaches — with the rule that no coach could vote for their own players. Selections were made without regard to conference affiliation.

Mabrey, 29, is making her All-Star debut in her eighth WNBA season. She joined the expansion Toronto Tempo during the offseason and last month tied the league’s single-game records with 53 points and nine three-pointers against the Los Angeles Sparks. This season she is averaging a career-best 21.1 points per game, along with 3.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Her 67 three-pointers tie her for the league lead, shooting 39.9% from beyond the arc.

The other first-time All-Star among the reserves is Seattle’s Dominique Malonga. The 20-year-old is leading the Storm with 15.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in just her second WNBA season.

Ogwumike, who celebrated her 36th birthday this month, earned her 11th All-Star selection — tying Diana Taurasi for second-most in league history, trailing only Sue Bird’s 13. In the opening year of her second stint with the Los Angeles Sparks, she is posting 16.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.

Reese has now been selected to the All-Star Game in each of her three seasons in the league, though this marks her first selection as a member of the Atlanta Dream. Through 21 games, she is averaging a career-high 14.9 points per game and leads the entire league with 11.8 rebounds per game.

Reese was one of three Atlanta Dream players named as reserves, joined by teammates Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard. The backcourt reserves also include Sonia Citron of Washington, Plum from Los Angeles, Courtney Williams of Minnesota, and Jackie Young of Las Vegas. Kiki Iriafen of Washington and Jones of New York round out the frontcourt reserve spots.

All-Star Starters:

Aliyah Boston, Indiana; Paige Bueckers, Dallas; Caitlin Clark, Indiana; Natasha Howard, Minnesota; Olivia Miles, Minnesota; Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana; Jessica Shepard, Dallas; Breanna Stewart, New York; Gabby Williams, Golden State; A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas

All-Star Backcourt Reserves:

Sonia Citron, Washington; Allisha Gray, Atlanta; Rhyne Howard, Atlanta; Marina Mabrey, Toronto; Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles; Courtney Williams, Minnesota; Jackie Young, Las Vegas

All-Star Frontcourt Reserves:

Kiki Iriafen, Washington; Jonquel Jones, New York; Dominique Malonga, Seattle; Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles; Angel Reese, Atlanta

The Los Angeles Lakers continued their offseason roster overhaul on Tuesday, reaching a one-year agreement with veteran center Kevon Looney worth $3.9 million, according to Looney’s agent, who spoke with ESPN.

The 30-year-old is expected to serve as a backup to Walker Kessler, whom the Lakers recently acquired after sending Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards last week. Looney brings seasoned frontcourt experience to Los Angeles after spending last season with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Prior to his time in New Orleans, Looney spent his first 10 NBA seasons with the Golden State Warriors, where he earned three championship rings and developed a reputation for toughness on the boards, setting screens, and defending inside. In 21 appearances with the Pelicans, he put up averages of 2.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in just under 15 minutes per night.

The UCLA product carries career averages of 4.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. His contributions have often shown up most during playoff competition, when he gave Golden State reliable rebounding and defensive flexibility in the frontcourt.

Los Angeles has been actively building around Luka Doncic this offseason, bringing in Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton before finalizing the Looney agreement.

The Lakers are also keeping the lines open with unrestricted free-agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, who was Looney’s former teammate in Golden State. General manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick held a virtual meeting with Kuminga and laid out a potential significant role alongside Doncic, ESPN reported. The team has maintained contact with Kuminga’s representatives since that meeting.

With one roster spot left following the Looney signing, the Lakers face financial constraints that could complicate a straight free-agent deal for Kuminga. A sign-and-trade arrangement may be necessary. Kuminga, who averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists between the Warriors and Atlanta Hawks last season, became available after Atlanta declined his $24.3 million team option last month.

Messi Leads Argentina’s Stunning Comeback Over Egypt to Reach World Cup Quarterfinals

ATLANTA (AP) — Lionel Messi delivered once again on the World Cup stage. The Argentine superstar scored a crucial goal and helped orchestrate a remarkable two-goal comeback as Argentina defeated Egypt 3-2, despite being down by two with just 11 minutes remaining in regulation. The defending champions will face Switzerland in the quarterfinals this Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Messi was visibly emotional at the final whistle, with tears streaming down his face. His goal in the 83rd minute — his eighth of the tournament and a record-extending 21st in World Cup history — tied the match at 2-2. Midfielder Enzo Fernandez then delivered the winning strike in stoppage time. Messi had also assisted on Cristian Romero’s header in the 79th minute, directly contributing to two of Argentina’s three goals.

Djokovic Survives Five-Hour Wimbledon Epic to Reach Semifinals

LONDON (AP) — Novak Djokovic dug deep over more than five grueling hours at Wimbledon, outlasting Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-set battle, winning 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4) to book a semifinal spot against defending champion Jannik Sinner. The two have history — Sinner beat Djokovic in straight sets in last year’s Wimbledon semifinals, while Djokovic edged the Italian over five sets in this year’s Australian Open quarterfinals. At 39 years old, Djokovic continues to rewrite the record books in pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title. He has now reached a record eighth consecutive Wimbledon semifinal, surpassing Roger Federer for the most consecutive men’s singles semifinal appearances at the grass-court major.

Switzerland Advances to World Cup Quarterfinals in Shootout Over Colombia

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Ruben Vargas converted his penalty kick as Switzerland edged Colombia 4-3 in a shootout to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals following a scoreless draw. Colombia’s Davinson Sanchez saw his attempt strike the crossbar, and goalkeeper Gregor Kobel denied Cucho Hernandez to seal the win for Switzerland. The Swiss will now face defending champion Argentina on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. It marks Switzerland’s first appearance in the World Cup quarterfinals since they hosted the tournament back in 1954.

Former Cowboys Defensive End Found to Have Early-Stage CTE at Time of Death

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland was suffering from early-stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he took his own life following a high-speed police chase in November 2025. His family released the findings of a postmortem brain analysis through the Concussion and CTE Foundation. Researchers at the Boston University CTE Center determined Kneeland had reached stage one of four of the degenerative brain disease. Kneeland was 24 years old. He had played college football at Western Michigan University before being selected by Dallas in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

US Men’s Soccer Team Remains Stuck in Place Despite Growing Investment

SEATTLE (AP) — Despite significant growth in American soccer, the U.S. men’s national team continues to fall short of expectations. Christian Pulisic and his teammates once again failed to advance past the round of 16 at the World Cup, losing to Belgium 4-1 on Monday — a result consistent with the team’s struggles over the past quarter century. Billions of dollars have been poured into developing the program, yet it remains far from world-class. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino is expected to discuss his future with the U.S. Soccer Federation. Goalkeeping has emerged as a significant weakness, though the expansion to a 48-team World Cup format should ease future qualifying challenges. Young players Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman have been bright spots going forward.

Caitlin Clark Eyes Return Against Sparks, May Sit Out Back-to-Back

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three-time WNBA All-Star Caitlin Clark is hopeful she can return from a back injury Wednesday night when the Indiana Fever visit the Los Angeles Sparks, but she may have to sit out Thursday’s highly anticipated rematch at Phoenix. Clark has missed Indiana’s last two games since leaving a June 24 contest in Phoenix with the injury. The following day, league officials handed down a one-game suspension to Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for what they described as “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area” of Clark. Clark said she anticipates playing on a minutes restriction Wednesday, targeting just over 20 minutes of action.

Serena Williams Reportedly Eyeing US Open Return in Summer of New York

LONDON (AP) — New York City is having quite a summer — and Serena Williams may be about to add to it. Following the Knicks’ first NBA championship in more than 50 years, Taylor Swift’s wedding at Madison Square Garden, and the World Cup final played just across the Hudson River, all signs point to the 44-year-old Williams making her return to the U.S. Open next month for the first time in four years. Her coach, Rennae Stubbs, confirmed that Williams’ “intention is to keep playing; the U.S. Open as well.”

Naomi Osaka Exits Wimbledon Quarterfinals, Cites Foot Pain and Aging

LONDON (AP) — Naomi Osaka may be a four-time Grand Slam champion known for her style on and off the court, but after Tuesday’s quarterfinal exit at Wimbledon, she sounded like someone who had simply had enough. Osaka fell to Karolina Muchova 7-6 (4), 6-4, ending both her tournament run and her much-talked-about fashion showcase at the grass-court Grand Slam. The 28-year-old had knocked out top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round but couldn’t find her footing against her Czech opponent. Osaka cited plantar fasciitis and fatigue as factors, saying “I’m just getting old” and adding that she “didn’t have any energy” and has “plantar fasciitis on my feet.”

Knicks Star Jalen Brunson Undergoes Left Wrist Surgery, Expected Back This Summer

NEW YORK (AP) — NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson has had surgery on his left wrist and is expected to return to the court in time for the New York Knicks to begin defending their championship, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday. No official announcement has been made about the procedure. Brunson, who is left-handed, played through the wrist issue during New York’s run to their first title since 1973, including a 45-point performance in the championship-clinching Game 5 win in San Antonio.

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has had surgery on his left wrist and is anticipated to be ready when the team begins defending its NBA championship, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to the Associated Press on Tuesday.

The source, who requested anonymity due to the lack of any official announcement regarding the procedure, indicated that Brunson is expected to get back to basketball activities at some point later this summer.

The surgery was initially reported by SNY.

Brunson, who shoots and plays left-handed, refused to let the wrist issue hold him back as the Knicks captured their first NBA title since 1973. In the championship-clinching Game 5 in San Antonio, the point guard poured in 45 points. That came on the heels of a 36-point performance in Game 4, during which New York mounted a historic comeback from a 29-point deficit. Over the course of the Finals, Brunson averaged an impressive 32.6 points per game.

LONDON — Novak Djokovic punched his ticket to a record eighth straight Wimbledon semifinal on Tuesday, outlasting Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in a marathon five-set thriller, 7-6(10) 3-6 6-3 6-7(4) 7-6(10-4), setting the stage for a highly anticipated matchup against defending champion Jannik Sinner.

The seventh-seeded Djokovic found himself in trouble during a lengthy opening-set tiebreak, smiling through several missed opportunities — only to get the final laugh when Auger-Aliassime sent a volley sailing long, handing Djokovic a set that had appeared destined to go the other way.

In the second set, a double fault from Djokovic gave Auger-Aliassime the break he needed to take a 5-3 lead, and the Canadian kept his composure to level the match. Shortly after, the Centre Court roof was closed at approximately 7:40 p.m. local time, a decision that did not sit well with Djokovic.

Despite his frustration over the roof closure, Djokovic regrouped once the third set began, tightening up his ball-striking and breaking Auger-Aliassime in the sixth game to seize control of the match.

Auger-Aliassime dropped his opening service game of the fourth set and, visibly frustrated, slammed his racket against his chair. However, the Canadian dug deep and forced a deciding fifth set by claiming the fourth-set tiebreak.

The two players remained locked together through all 12 games of the final set before Djokovic leaned on his vast experience to pull away in the match tiebreak, closing out the win to a thunderous ovation from a crowd that had been thoroughly entertained throughout the evening.

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are facing a tough stretch ahead as they attempt to stay in postseason contention without one of their brightest young stars.

The team placed 20-year-old rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after he hurt the knuckle on the ring finger of his left hand. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk told reporters Griffin is expected to be sidelined for 8-10 weeks.

The injury happened early in Sunday’s win over Washington, though Griffin stayed in the game and finished with two hits. A medical exam after the game revealed how serious the damage was.

Tomczyk explained that Griffin damaged the sagittal band, a structure that helps stabilize the ring finger. The young shortstop will wear a splint on the hand for roughly six weeks before he can begin baseball activities again.

This is the second major injury to slow Griffin’s rookie campaign. He also missed most of June dealing with a strained right forearm.

Despite the setbacks, Pirates manager Don Kelly expressed confidence in his young player’s resilience. “He’s really been a big part of our success,” Kelly said. “I think for him to learn through this, too, every single player goes through injuries. He’s just had a couple tough ones at the beginning. I know he’ll be stronger after going through it.”

When on the field, Griffin has looked like exactly the kind of cornerstone player Pittsburgh envisioned when they selected him in the first round of the 2024 draft. In 59 games this season, he is batting .276 with five home runs, 25 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases.

Infielder Jared Triolo is expected to step in as the primary shortstop while Griffin recovers. Pittsburgh entered Tuesday with a 46-45 record, sitting in the middle of a crowded group of National League teams competing for a postseason spot.

Griffin joins center fielder Oneil Cruz and first baseman Spencer Horwitz on an already lengthy injured list for the Pirates. To fill Griffin’s roster spot, the club called up infielder Jack Brannigan from Triple-A Indianapolis.

St. Louis Cardinals reliever Ryne Stanek had to be pulled from Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh inning after suffering what appeared to be a foot or ankle injury at first base.

The right-hander seemed to jam his foot into the bag while rushing to cover on a bunt single hit by Joey Ortiz. Stanek had just entered the game after newcomer Bruce Zimmerman had worked five innings of relief during the first contest of a doubleheader.

The timing of the injury is particularly unfortunate for St. Louis, coming less than a day after Justin Bruihl exited Monday’s game with a sprained right ankle — adding to what is becoming a growing list of pitching concerns for the club.

The 34-year-old Stanek is expected to take the loss after giving up a walk and the bunt single. Later in the same inning, Christian Yelich delivered a double that handed Milwaukee a 4-3 lead.

Before Tuesday’s game, Stanek had posted a 2-1 record with a 4.67 ERA across 38 appearances on the season. He also threw an inning in Monday’s 4-3 defeat.

CAIRO (AP) — A small Cairo coffee house was transformed Tuesday into something resembling a miniature stadium, packed with several hundred people — mostly men and boys as young as 7 — all eyes fixed on wall-mounted screens before kickoff.

That same electric atmosphere repeated itself across the soccer-obsessed nation as Egypt squared off against the reigning World Cup champion in a round-of-16 matchup held in Atlanta.

For millions of Egyptians, it was a landmark occasion — even as their team’s remarkable journey came to a close with a 2-3 defeat to Argentina on Tuesday.

“It’s a brutal scenario,” said Ahmed Saadany, a teacher, reflecting on the outcome. “The journey shouldn’t have ended that way.”

Led by star player Mohamed Salah, Egypt had punched its ticket to the round of 16 by defeating Australia 4-2 on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw in the round of 32 on Friday. The Pharaohs had secured second place in Group G, behind Belgium, to advance to the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

Anticipation for Tuesday’s match began building well before the 7 p.m. local kickoff. Rows of plastic and wooden chairs were arranged in front of TV screens as fans poured into hundreds of thousands of coffee houses and fan zones throughout Egypt. Street vendors hawked Egyptian flags, whistles, and team merchandise in squares and along major roads.

All day long, Egyptian flags flew from cars and balconies, and conversations in coffee houses, markets, and on television revolved around the national team’s performance and the high-stakes showdown with Argentina.

“Overall, the performance was excellent,” said Hassan Shehata, settling into a seat at a packed Cairo coffee house before the game. “We’re developing. We play and compete.”

This was Egypt’s fourth World Cup appearance, and it marked the best run ever for the most populous Arab nation — a country that has claimed seven Africa Cup of Nations titles. The 2026 tournament saw the Pharaohs break their long-standing curse of never winning a World Cup match, starting with a 3-1 victory over New Zealand and culminating in their first-ever knockout stage appearance.

“It was a dream,” said Rami Saeed, a 23-year-old university student. “(Coach) Hossam Hassan and his team have beaten our expectations.”

At a packed coffee house in Giza, fans draped themselves in Egyptian flags and chanted “Masr, Masr, Masr!” — the Arabic word for Egypt — while others banged on drums. The crowd erupted when Egypt found the net and again when the Egyptian goalkeeper stopped a penalty kick from Messi. But each time Argentina scored, a heavy silence fell over the room.

Though disappointed by the final result, fans were quick to point to the team’s historic achievement with a sense of pride.

“It’s injustice,” cried Haitham Raafat, a 13-year-old boy, breaking into tears after the final whistle. “The referee wasn’t fair.”

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi praised the squad’s “unprecedented accomplishment in the history of Egyptian football.” In a social media post, he wrote: “Thank you to the heroes of the national football team. We are proud of you, and your achievement.”

Shaban Youssef, a 45-year-old mechanical engineer, said he too felt proud of the team. “They held our heads high, especially Hossam Hassan’s support of the Palestinian people,” he said.

Egypt’s head coach Hassan used the World Cup stage to publicly advocate for Palestinians during an impassioned pregame news conference. When asked about his feelings after wrapping a Palestinian flag around himself following Egypt’s win over Australia, Hassan delivered a more than four-minute response to applause from the gathered media.

“If there is anyone in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they are not human — whether they are Arab, European, or American,” Hassan said.

His remarks drew widespread praise from Egyptians on social media. Prominent novelist Ezzat el-Kamhawi captured the sentiment in a Facebook post ahead of Tuesday’s game: “Whatever the result, our team plays tonight, and the championship is already in their pocket, thanks to Hossam Hassan’s goal against Zionism.”

During Egypt’s World Cup matches, hundreds of war-weary Palestinians crowded around TV screens in makeshift shelters throughout the Gaza Strip to cheer on the Pharaohs. They gathered outside their shelters, chanting, clapping, and waving Egyptian flags as patriotic Egyptian songs played in the background.

“It’s a duty to support Egypt,” said Soliman Salem, a young Palestinian man, speaking by phone from his shelter in Gaza after Tuesday’s match. “We’re very sad, but proud of the Egyptians.”

Another Gaza resident, Abdel-Rahman Baroud, said they had hoped Egypt would advance further, but “luck wasn’t on their side in the second half.” “We all return home, disappointed,” he said.

U.S. Soccer has announced it plans to resume conversations with head coach Mauricio Pochettino about his future with the program, following what the federation called a period of “rest and reflection” after the United States was knocked out of the World Cup with a stunning 4-1 loss to Belgium.

The 54-year-old Pochettino’s contract runs out at the end of the tournament, and questions about his future have taken center stage after the team’s disappointing exit — especially considering the U.S. had hoped to make a deep run while playing on home soil.

U.S. Soccer said the two sides had already been having “positive conversations” about the road ahead before the tournament began, and both agreed to take a break before picking those discussions back up.

“We have a great deal of respect and gratitude for Mauricio, his staff and everyone part of the program,” the federation said in a statement released Tuesday.

The lopsided defeat at the hands of Belgium deflated the growing excitement surrounding the national team and is expected to put the program’s direction under a microscope as U.S. Soccer weighs whether Pochettino is the right coach to lead the team into its next chapter.

Pochettino, who was seen kicking water bottles on the sideline in frustration during the round-of-16 match in Seattle, has not made any public statements about his coaching future with the team.

Following the loss, Pochettino reflected on his nearly two years at the helm, saying there had been “good things and not so good things” along the way, but called the overall journey “amazing.”

The federation did not shy away from acknowledging the challenges that still lie ahead.

“We have shared excitement about our potential and also shared clarity about the amount of work at all levels still required to achieve our ambition,” U.S. Soccer said.

Pochettino, who previously managed Tottenham Hotspur, Paris St Germain, and Chelsea, was brought on board in September 2024 with the goal of transforming the United States into a genuine World Cup contender. The manner of the team’s early exit, however, means the federation will be facing some hard questions in the coming weeks.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark put the brakes on any conversation about quarterback Brendan Sorsby and Texas Tech when reporters raised the topic as media days got underway Tuesday in Frisco, Texas.

“I appreciate the question,” Yormark said. “Today is not the time to address that issue. Today is about celebrating the upcoming football season and celebrating our 16 schools.”

The Sorsby situation has been a major storyline over the past seven months. After arriving at Texas Tech as one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the transfer portal, Sorsby entered a rehabilitation program for gambling addiction, acknowledged making thousands of wagers, and was ultimately declared ineligible by the NCAA. Rather than pursue an appeal through the conference or seek entry into the NFL supplemental draft — which rejected his application — Sorsby chose to shift his focus toward the 2027 NFL Draft.

On the topic of sports wagering more broadly, Yormark said the Big 12 is strengthening its existing relationship with IC360, a global advisory and technology platform, to better monitor sports betting activity within college athletics.

Yormark also reaffirmed his vision of the Big 12 as the most internationally focused conference in college sports. He noted that six member schools have campuses abroad and that roughly 20% of student-athletes hail from outside the United States. Last season, the conference launched its schedule with a game between Iowa State and Kansas State held in Ireland.

“I’m convinced we can win globally,” Yormark said.

The commissioner additionally announced that the Big 12 will convene a league-wide meeting in August to confront anti-LDS chants that have been directed at BYU.

“We have a zero tolerance for that kind of behavior,” he said.

In a separate announcement, Yormark confirmed a multi-year deal with Monster Energy that will place the brand’s logo on fields, as part of uniform patches, and throughout multiple sports. The agreement, valued at more than $20 million per year, designates Monster Energy as the conference’s “entitlement partner” and could deliver over $1 million to each of the 16 member schools. Men’s and women’s basketball branding will be updated under the deal, and this season’s conference football matchups will be officially known as “Monster Energy Big XII Football.”

The Oakland Athletics made several roster moves Tuesday, bringing shortstop Jacob Wilson back from the injured list and adding left-handed pitcher Jacob Lopez to the active roster.

To make room on the roster, the team sent catcher Brian Serven and right-hander Kade Morris down to their Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas.

Wilson, who is 24 years old, had been out of action since June 26 due to inflammation in his right thumb. The young infielder is coming off a standout campaign in which he earned an American League All-Star selection and finished as the runner-up in AL Rookie of the Year voting. This season, Wilson is hitting .277 with four home runs and 26 RBIs across 50 games. He has also dealt with a shoulder injury that cost him time earlier this year.

Lopez, 28, has gone 4-3 with a 6.75 ERA in 12 appearances this season, including 10 starts. Over parts of four major league seasons, the left-hander carries a 12-10 record with a 4.99 ERA in 41 appearances — 29 of them starts — split between the Tampa Bay Rays from 2023 to 2024 and the Athletics.

Serven, 31, appeared in just one game for the Athletics this season, marking his first major league action in two years. In parts of four seasons in the big leagues with the Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Athletics, he is a career .188 hitter with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 102 games.

Morris, 24, made his major league debut on June 6 and posted an 0-1 record with an 11.70 ERA across three appearances, including one start.

The World Cup matchup between the United States and Belgium has gone down in the record books — not just for the scoreline, but for the massive audience that watched it unfold.

Fox announced Tuesday, following the release of preliminary ratings, that the round-of-16 contest was the most-watched soccer broadcast ever aired in the United States. An estimated 30 million viewers across the country tuned in to watch the Monday night game.

Belgium handed the U.S. a 4-1 defeat in Seattle, punching their ticket to the quarterfinals and knocking out the last of the tournament’s three co-host nations in the process.

The viewership numbers didn’t just hold steady — they surged as the night went on. Fox reported the audience peaked at more than 36.8 million viewers during the 9:15 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time window.

The previous record had been set just days earlier. Fox said the U.S. match against Bosnia-Herzegovina drew 26.4 million viewers, a mark that has now been surpassed by Monday’s historic broadcast.

Wednesday’s Wimbledon quarter-final slate features some compelling matchups, headlined by French Open champion Alexander Zverev squaring off against sixth seed Taylor Fritz, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk chasing a spot in her first Wimbledon semi-final opposite former runner-up Jasmine Paolini, and British wildcard Arthur Fery continuing his remarkable run against ninth seed Flavio Cobolli.

Ninth seed Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic will also be in action, taking on Belgium’s Elise Mertens on Court Number One.

FRITZ VS. ZVEREV

Taylor Fritz is back in familiar territory at Wimbledon. The American dispatched 10th seed Alexander Bublik 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-4 on Monday to advance to the quarter-finals for the fourth time in five years. A semi-finalist at the tournament last year, Fritz has re-established himself as one of grasscourt tennis’s most reliable performers on the men’s tour, despite an injury-hampered clay season that saw him fall in both Geneva and at Roland Garros.

With a first Grand Slam title in his sights, Fritz is just one win away from matching his best-ever Wimbledon result. His opponent, Zverev, claimed his first-ever Wimbledon quarter-final berth after defeating Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(6). Fritz will draw confidence from a strong head-to-head record against the German, having won their last seven encounters to hold a 10-5 overall advantage.

KOSTYUK VS. PAOLINI

Marta Kostyuk is aiming for her second Grand Slam semi-final appearance when she meets Jasmine Paolini in the quarter-finals. The Ukrainian has translated her strong form onto the Wimbledon grass, booking her first last-eight appearance at the All England Club with a straight-sets win over Ashlyn Krueger. She has sharpened her serve and consistently manufactured break-point chances throughout the tournament.

“I think I adapt really well,” Kostyuk said. “I think just giving myself this freedom of trying different things is definitely helping.”

Paolini, who reached the Wimbledon final in 2024, earned her place in the quarter-finals by overcoming Alexandra Eala in three sets. The Italian has been dependable on serve, committing just five double faults across four matches, and has converted at least four break points in every round.

“She’s playing great tennis this year,” Paolini said of Kostyuk. “She’s improved a lot. She can be really aggressive. She’s a great athlete. She can move really well on court. It’s going to be a tough match.”

FERY CHASES SEMI-FINAL SPOT

British wildcard Arthur Fery will attempt to keep his dream Wimbledon run alive when he faces ninth seed Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday. Fery became just the fifth men’s wildcard in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals after fighting past Grigor Dimitrov in a five-set thriller.

Now the last British singles player remaining in the draw, Fery has already surpassed expectations with four victories at the All England Club.

“What I experienced today, I’m really going to cherish it for the rest of my life. Who knows, maybe I will never, ever get to experience that ever again. It’s the first time I’m playing on this stage. Who knows, that might be the first and last time,” Fery said following Monday’s victory.

Cobolli arrives in the quarter-finals riding a wave of confidence after his breakthrough run to the French Open final. The Italian reinforced his credentials with a straight-sets win over fifth seed Alex de Minaur. While Fery does hold a previous victory over Cobolli — a straight-sets result at the Australian Open — Wednesday’s match poses a far sterner challenge, with the Italian currently playing some of the best tennis of his career.

WEDNESDAY ORDER OF PLAY

Centre Court (play begins 12:30 p.m. GMT): 12-Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) vs. 13-Jasmine Paolini (Italy); 9-Flavio Cobolli (Italy) vs. Arthur Fery (United Kingdom)

Court Number One (play begins 12:00 p.m. GMT): 9-Linda Noskova (Czech Republic) vs. 25-Elise Mertens (Belgium); 6-Taylor Fritz (U.S.) vs. 2-Alexander Zverev (Germany)

LONDON — Wimbledon used to be the one tournament that gave Coco Gauff trouble. That may no longer be the case.

On Tuesday, Gauff knocked out fellow American Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Centre Court, punching her ticket to the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the very first time. The world number seven — now the highest-ranked player left in the women’s draw — called it a major turning point in her relationship with grass-court tennis.

Before this tournament, Gauff had never made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon. It was the only Grand Slam where the 2023 U.S. Open and 2025 French Open champion had not reached at least the quarter-finals. Her path to the semis was not easy either — she was pushed to three sets in four of her last four matches — but she proved she can compete on any surface.

“It feels really special considering the results I’ve had of late and just especially on this surface,” said Gauff, who will next face Karolina Muchova with a spot in Saturday’s final on the line.

“I’m able to relax a bit because, I feel regardless of how the rest of this tournament goes, I really think I’ve found a bit of a breakthrough on grass. Obviously I’m not satisfied. I want to go all the way.”

Gauff admitted she would have laughed off any suggestion she’d reach the semi-finals this year, especially given her recent struggles — including an early exit in Berlin — and back-to-back first-round losses at Wimbledon in 2023 and last year. She reached the fourth round in 2024, the third round in 2022, and the last 16 in both 2019 and 2021. Her 2019 run was particularly memorable, as she arrived as a 15-year-old qualifier and defeated Venus Williams in the opening round.

When the match ended Tuesday and Pegula’s final return hit the net, cameras caught Gauff turning to her team in the stands and mouthing in disbelief: “Oh my God, how?”

“In the past there’s commentary on my game, how maybe it doesn’t mesh with this surface, things like that,” she said. “I think just trusting myself, trusting that my groundstrokes are good enough to be with anyone on this surface. I think my last match against Belinda showed that. Obviously today against Jess I think showed that, as well.”

Gauff said the nerves settled after her match against Belinda Bencic, and she has carried that calm confidence forward. Known for her deep faith, Gauff was also asked whether she believes destiny plays a role in her Wimbledon journey.

“I do feel like in a way the story is already written. But is Wimbledon part of my story? I don’t know. I can’t tell you,” she said. “If you asked me seven days ago, the answer would have been no. Honestly, I was writing it off a little bit.”

“But I hope it is part of my destiny, whether it’s this year or in the future. I definitely would love to see my name on the champions wall, for sure.”

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Luis Lara has arrived in the big leagues, called up nearly one month after inking a seven-year, $31 million deal with the organization.

The Brewers, who currently lead the NL Central, revealed the roster move ahead of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. Along with Lara’s promotion, the team sent outfielder Blake Perkins down to Triple-A Nashville.

Milwaukee also announced that infielder David Hamilton has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring. Additionally, the club selected utilityman Greg Jones from Nashville and shifted outfielder Brandon Lockridge to the 60-day injured list.

At 21 years old, Lara was still playing for Nashville when he agreed to the long-term contract last month — a deal that extends through 2032 and includes club options covering 2033, 2034, and 2035.

Speaking through an interpreter in Spanish, Lara described how he stayed ready for this opportunity. “I just really was trying to stay prepared, you know, mentally knowing that this moment could come at any given time, and the moment came,” he said. “So now it’s just kind of doing what I was doing in Triple-A and just going out there and enjoying the game and having fun while playing it.”

Standing 5-foot-7, the Venezuelan-born outfielder has long drawn praise for his defensive abilities, but this season he has also made a major impact with his bat. In 78 games with Nashville, Lara posted a .321 batting average, a .432 on-base percentage, a .470 slugging percentage, nine home runs, 42 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases. By comparison, he hit .257 with a .369 on-base percentage and .343 slugging percentage across 136 games with Double-A Biloxi the previous season.

Reflecting on the pressures that come with a big contract at a young age, Lara shared his mindset. “I think any time you sign a contract at a young age, you think about just wanting to give the maximum potential you have, give everything you have for the team,” he said. “Really I just try to tell myself as much as possible to stay calm, to not get lost in my thoughts too much, just do what I always do.”

Brewers manager Pat Murphy noted that Lara is capable of handling all three outfield positions and brings value as a switch-hitter. “I think Luis can help us being a switch-hitter and equally good from both sides,” Murphy said. “Never touched the big leagues, but you know it’s time, and we’ve signed him to a long-term deal, obviously, that predicates that he’s going to be a Brewer, you know, and we’re excited.”

Lara’s call-up marks the second time this season that a Brewers prospect has made his major league debut following a long-term contract signing. Shortstop Cooper Pratt debuted on June 16, roughly two and a half months after agreeing to an eight-year, $50.75 million deal. Pratt, who turns 22 on August 18, entered Tuesday’s twin bill with a .204 batting average, .313 on-base percentage, no home runs, two RBIs, and six stolen bases across 18 games with Milwaukee.

Perkins, 29, was struggling at the plate before being optioned, hitting .157 with a .250 on-base percentage, one home run, 11 RBIs, and three stolen bases in 53 games with the Brewers.

New York Yankees slugger Ben Rice made his Home Run Derby announcement in a personal way, sharing a video on Instagram Tuesday showing his father, Dan, throwing pitches to him during his childhood.

Rice captioned the post with: “Dad and I are heading to the HR Derby! Swipe to see our first practice round.”

The 27-year-old becomes one of the first two confirmed entrants in the Home Run Derby, alongside Tampa Bay Rays standout Junior Caminero. The competition is scheduled for Monday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Rice is chasing a piece of Yankees history. He would become the first New York player to claim the Home Run Derby title since Aaron Judge did it in 2017. Other Yankees to win the event include Tino Martinez in 1997, Jason Giambi in 2002, and Robinson Cano in 2011.

Through this season, Rice has been the Yankees’ most productive hitter, pacing the team with a .267 batting average, 25 home runs, and 57 RBIs.

Chris Gotterup was still catching up on his phone notifications when he landed in Scotland — barely pausing after stepping off the podium at the John Deere Classic on Sunday to collect his latest trophy.

The 26-year-old made a quick trip home to pack, then jumped on a plane headed back across the Atlantic to defend his title at the Scottish Open at Renaissance Club. It’s a whirlwind schedule that has left him little time to savor the moment.

“Getting straight back to the house, packing up and getting on a plane to Scotland, I didn’t really have time to catch up on all my stuff on my phone,” Gotterup said Tuesday in Scotland. “Yeah, over the next couple weeks when I have some time, I’ll get through it all. It’s weird, the last couple times — like every time I’ve won, I feel like I’ve been in a rush to get to like my next spot. So hopefully sometime I can win one and have a week off afterwards.”

Gotterup’s rise has been swift. His victory at the 2025 Scottish Open in North Berwick — a 15-under performance that topped Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy — is widely considered the most significant of his five career wins. That win earned him a spot at the Open Championship, where he made an immediate impression by tying for third place in his debut.

Now ranked No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Gotterup enters this week’s tournament as one of the favorites rather than a long shot.

On Thursday, he’ll tee off at 3:28 a.m. ET from the 10th hole alongside McIlroy, who won the Scottish Open in 2023, and Scotsman Robert McIntyre, the 2024 champion — a grouping that represents the last three tournament winners.

“There will be a bunch of people out there I would assume. Hopefully I feel a few more fans rooting for me than against me than last time. It will be fun,” Gotterup said Tuesday. “Obviously those two are beloved here, and I’m excited for the opportunity. It’s been nice to kind of get in the mix a little bit with these big groups and just get more comfortable in that scenario. Yeah, I think that’s kind of what you want when you are playing out here. You want to be in the big groups, and yeah, I’ll be looking forward to that on Thursday.”

Gotterup, who played collegiate golf at the University of Oklahoma — as did Norway’s Viktor Hovland — credits that experience with teaching him how to hit a low, penetrating tee shot in the wind and how to use the elements to his advantage on links-style courses.

Renaissance Club has undergone some reconfiguration since his victory last year, though Gotterup says the changes aren’t dramatic. The course’s hole sequence has been reshuffled — only the 8th, 9th, 17th, and 18th holes remain in the same order as 2025. What was formerly holes 1 through 7 now plays as holes 10 through 16, and vice versa. The adjustment was made largely to improve spectator viewing around the par-3 15th hole, which now features stadium-style seating.

“I don’t think it will change how you play the holes. More the flow is a little different of the course,” Gotterup said. “But at the end of the day, I don’t think it changes much other than you’ve just got to remember what hole you’re on. All of our notes are all mixed up, though.”

Despite not sleeping much on the flight over, Gotterup — who turns 27 in less than two weeks — says he hasn’t felt the physical strain of playing four consecutive weeks heading into this event.

He acknowledged there have been moments where the rapid rise has felt surreal, but says his experience competing in high-profile groupings last year at this very tournament helped prepare him for the pressure he now faces regularly.

“I don’t know about over my skis but definitely been moments where I’m like, ‘Wow, this is kind of crazy,’” he said. “But at the end of the day, you kind of take that. It’s there and you either stand up to it or … I think that’s why this tournament last year was so big to me. I played in groups and played well and kind of faded away on the weekends but without that experience, I don’t think I would have been able to stand up on the tee on Sunday and play well.”

His goal heading into this week is simple: return home with another trophy — or two.

AUSTIN, Texas — Marshawn Kneeland, a defensive end who played for the Dallas Cowboys, had early-stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy — commonly known as CTE — at the time of his death, his family announced Tuesday. Kneeland, who was 24 years old, died by suicide in November 2025 following a high-speed chase with law enforcement.

Scientists at the Boston University CTE Center examined Kneeland’s brain tissue following his passing. Their analysis determined he was in stage one of four of CTE, a degenerative brain disease tied to repeated head trauma. The condition has been found in contact sport athletes, military combat veterans, and others who experience frequent blows to the head. It is known to contribute to severe mood swings, impulsive behavior, and depression — and can only be confirmed through examination after death.

Kneeland’s family, including his girlfriend Catalina Mancera, released a statement through the Concussion and CTE Foundation addressing the findings. “While this diagnosis does not change the tragedy of his passing, it provides important context about some of the struggles he may have been facing. We share this information to help people understand what NFL and other high contact sport athletes might be struggling with,” the statement read.

The family added: “Raising awareness is important to us. We continue to remember Marshawn with compassion for the person he was, rather than defining him by the final moments of his life. One Love.”

According to authorities, the chain of events leading to Kneeland’s death began when he failed to pull over for Texas Department of Public Safety troopers who attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. Officers temporarily lost track of his vehicle before finding it wrecked a short time later. Kneeland had fled the crash scene on foot. While officers searched for him, a dispatcher relayed word that people close to Kneeland had received a group text message from him “saying goodbye,” raising concerns he may have been suicidal. Kneeland ultimately shot himself.

CTE has been connected to deaths across multiple professional sports, including football, hockey, and soccer. A 2021 study conducted by Harvard Medical School and the Boston University CTE Center found that NFL players are more than four times as likely to develop ALS compared to other men.

Dr. Chris Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation, pointed out that Kneeland’s diagnosis occurred despite the modern era of concussion protocols and improved protective equipment in both professional and college sports.

Kneeland began playing tackle football at age 7 and went on to play college ball at Western Michigan University. The Cowboys selected him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

“We have no reason to believe the current generation is at a lower risk of CTE than previous generations. Concussion protocols do not prevent CTE, because CTE is caused by repeated head impacts, not just concussions,” Nowinski said. “If we want to reduce CTE risk, we must implement CTE prevention protocols and aggressively reduce the number and strength of head impacts at every level of the game.”

Editor’s Note: This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988. Online chat support is also available at 988lifeline.org.

The owner of Washington’s NBA and NHL franchises has received a formal letter from the chair of a powerful congressional committee, urging him to end all business dealings with Alibaba — the Chinese technology giant now fighting a Pentagon label that brands it a military-linked company.

Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., who chairs the U.S. House Select Committee on China, directed the letter to Ted Leonsis, head of Monumental Sports & Entertainment — the company behind the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals. “I would appreciate your confirmation that MSE will discontinue or has already discontinued any ongoing business relationship with Alibaba and its affiliates,” Moolenaar wrote.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter, which points to the U.S. Defense Department’s recent decision to place Alibaba on a list of companies designated as Chinese military entities. According to the Pentagon, Alibaba’s mission includes supporting China’s “military-civil fusion” strategy. Leonsis and his organization have until July 15 to respond to the request.

Alibaba has taken legal action to challenge its placement on the Pentagon’s list, which currently includes 188 entities — ranging from state-run defense contractors to private technology firms. The growing list reflects deepening concerns among U.S. officials about Beijing’s efforts to leverage private-sector companies for military advantage.

Representatives for Monumental Sports & Entertainment did not provide a response when contacted by the AP for comment.

MSE is not the only American professional sports organization with financial connections to Alibaba. Joseph Tsai, the owner of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and the WNBA’s New York Liberty, was one of the company’s co-founders when it launched in 1999.

The House committee, which was established in 2023, has previously weighed in on sports-related matters. In 2024, Moolenaar and the committee’s ranking Democratic member, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., wrote to the International Olympic Committee expressing concern about how the World Anti-Doping Agency handled a case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for performance-enhancing substances.

The committee also sent a letter last year to the then-secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, raising alarms about Alibaba’s sponsorship arrangement with the IOC and whether it could lead Los Angeles Olympics organizers to enter into agreements with the tech company. That letter also noted that the Paris Olympics had moved to limit Alibaba’s involvement in those Games.

Shortly after the committee’s letter was sent, Los Angeles Olympic organizers revealed that Google — one of Alibaba’s major competitors — had been selected as the official cloud technology provider for the upcoming Games.

SEATTLE (AP) — Despite enormous growth in American soccer over the past 25 years, the U.S. men’s national team has failed to move the needle on the world stage.

Stars like Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, and Weston McKennie delivered results at the 2022 and 2026 World Cups that look remarkably similar to what Tim Howard, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore produced back in 2010 and 2014.

“We want to be able to go and compete with some of the best in the world and we just still have that next step to come,” Pulisic said following Monday night’s error-filled 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the round of 16.

Billions of dollars have been poured into the program with the hope of lifting the Americans into soccer’s elite tier — yet the results tell a different story. After reaching the semifinals of the very first World Cup in 1930, the U.S. failed to even qualify from 1950 through 1990. Since returning to the tournament, the Americans have been eliminated in the round of 16 in 1994, 2010, 2014, 2022, and now 2026. They failed to advance from their group in 1990, 1998, and 2006, and missed qualifying altogether for 2018.

U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino offered some perspective on the team’s slow progress. “It’s not like you are in a rocket and you improve and you grow. … It’s not linear,” he said.

On a positive note, the U.S. did win three World Cup games for the first time ever, defeating Paraguay, Australia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, before losing to Turkey and Belgium. As a host nation, the Americans were seeded and avoided facing a top-10 ranked opponent until they ran into Belgium.

Looking ahead to the next World Cup — held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco with three additional games in South America — Pulisic, McKennie, and Adams will all be 31 years old.

Folarin Balogun was the team’s top scorer with three goals, establishing himself as a legitimate striker on the world stage. The 25-year-old, a former Arsenal youth player now in the fourth year of a five-year deal with French club Monaco, also made international headlines when a red card suspension — issued after he awkwardly landed on an opponent’s ankle — was lifted following a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump. A move to a bigger club could be on the horizon for him.

Midfielder Malik Tillman made history at this tournament, becoming the first player since France’s Bernard Genghini in 1982 to score two free kick goals in a single World Cup. The 24-year-old is heading into his second year of a five-year contract with German club Bayer Leverkusen, though he struggled for consistent playing time during the 2025-26 season, losing his starting spot between late March and the final match of the season.

Pochettino indicated he plans to sit down with the U.S. Soccer Federation after a rest period to determine whether the federation wants him to continue past his contract expiration this summer — and whether he’s willing to commit to a full four-year cycle.

The Argentine coach took over from Gregg Berhalter in late 2024, following the team’s first-round elimination at the Copa America. His debut year also included disappointing finishes in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League.

“We were in a mess,” Pochettino said. “I’ve seen this team show that we can play football. We can play soccer. We can compete. That we need keep improving — a lot of young players with a lot potential and future.”

The goalkeeper position, once considered the team’s greatest asset from 1990 through 2014, has become a glaring weakness over the past decade and may be at its lowest point since the 1980s. The era of reliable shot-stoppers like Tony Meola, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, and Brad Guzan feels like a distant memory.

Both Zack Steffen and Matt Turner struggled to cement themselves at top European clubs. Matt Freese, who took over as the starting goalkeeper from Turner last year, handed Belgium a gift goal in Monday’s loss — a moment that will likely live on in blooper reels for years to come.

The next wave of goalkeepers — Gabriel Slonina, Chris Brady, Patrick Schulte, and Roman Celentano — will have the next four-year cycle to prove they can step into the No. 1 role.

With the World Cup field now expanded to 48 nations and North and Central America and the Caribbean receiving six spots, qualifying should remain manageable for the region’s powerhouses: Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. All three were bounced in the round of 16, while Curaçao, Haiti, and Panama each finished last in their respective groups.

If the Americans don’t show significant improvement before the 2030 World Cup, they are unlikely to be seeded — meaning they could face a top-tier nation right out of the gate in the first round.

The family of former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has revealed that he was posthumously diagnosed with Stage 1 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE.

Brain tissue analysis conducted by the Concussion & CTE Foundation led to the diagnosis, which was confirmed by Boston University’s CTE Center. Kneeland was 24 years old when he died by suicide on November 6, 2025. Stage 1 is the least severe of the four recognized stages of CTE — a progressive brain disease that can only be confirmed through examination of brain tissue after death.

Dr. Ann McKee, who serves as director of the Boston University CTE Center and chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System, commented on the findings. “Unfortunately, I was not surprised to find CTE in the brain of Mr. Kneeland, because we have found this progressive brain disease in nearly half of the athletes we’ve studied who have died before the age of 30,” she said.

Dr. McKee added, “Thanks to the generosity of our brain donor families, we now better understand the earliest stages of CTE, and it is bringing us closer than ever to diagnosing it during life. My team and I are fully dedicated to finding effective treatments and a cure for CTE.”

Kneeland’s family, including his girlfriend Catalina Mancera, issued a statement on Tuesday addressing the diagnosis. “While this diagnosis does not change the tragedy of his passing, it provides important context about some of the struggles he may have been facing. We share this information to help people understand what NFL and other high contact sport athletes might be struggling with. Raising awareness is important to us. We continue to remember Marshawn with compassion for the person he was, rather than defining him by the final moments of his life. One Love.”

Authorities say Texas police attempted to stop Kneeland’s vehicle, but he did not pull over, leading to a chase. He ultimately crashed the car, fled on foot, and was later found dead by suicide.

Kneeland was selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft and appeared in seven games during his rookie season. Just days before his death, on November 3, he recovered a fumble and scored the first touchdown of his career during Dallas’ 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Two-time National Women’s Soccer League champions Gotham FC made a major announcement Tuesday, revealing plans to call Etihad Park home starting in 2028. The stadium, currently being built in Flushing, Queens — just across the street from the New York Mets’ Citi Field — will mark the first soccer-specific venue in New York City’s history. It will also serve as the home ground for MLS club NYCFC.

The relocation brings Gotham FC out of their former suburban New Jersey stadium and into the heart of the city. According to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the new location will be reachable within a 75-minute public transit ride for approximately three million people — a shift that is widely expected to draw larger crowds to games for the defending champions.

“It is high time that Gotham FC has a world-class soccer-specific stadium where they can play that world-class soccer right here in the city that they represent,” Mamdani said at Tuesday’s event.

The stadium news comes just days after Gotham FC announced the signing of Australian star Sam Kerr, who finished as runner-up for the 2023 Ballon d’Or and is regarded by many as one of the finest strikers of her era.

The announcement is the latest in a string of major sports developments for New York. The city recently secured the hosting rights for this month’s World Cup final, and the U.S. Open tennis facility — also located in Flushing — is currently undergoing an $800 million renovation. Additionally, New York state formed an exploratory committee last month to examine the possibility of Lake Placid and New York City jointly hosting the 2042 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

BRUSSELS — A growing number of European Parliament members are rallying support for a formal investigation into FIFA president Gianni Infantino, targeting his role in allowing U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to take the field despite a red card suspension.

Balogun received the red card during the United States’ victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on July 1. Under normal circumstances, that card would have kept him out of the team’s following match. However, FIFA lifted the suspension ahead of Monday’s game after U.S. President Donald Trump personally contacted Infantino to advocate for the 25-year-old player.

European Parliament members Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters, and Niels Fuglsang issued a joint statement condemning the move, calling FIFA’s decision to “change the rule on red card suspensions mid-tournament a disgrace and a perversion of justice.”

“Once again, we’ve seen Infantino and FIFA surrender to the demands of the Trump administration,” the statement read.

The lawmakers are urging national football associations across EU member countries to push the FIFA Ethics Committee to examine whether pressure from the Trump administration influenced the lifting of Balogun’s suspension. They are also asking the committee to look into “other potential breaches of political neutrality,” including the decision to award Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.

FIFA, for its part, has maintained that the suspension was lifted by a disciplinary committee — not by Infantino directly.

According to the lawmakers, 35 of their parliamentary colleagues have signed onto the letter so far.

“The beauty of sport is that it is based on impartial and transparent rules. When Infantino allows political pressure to determine who gets to play, this sense of fairness goes out the window,” the statement concluded.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell is staying in Cleveland for the long haul. A source with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the star guard has agreed to a four-year, $273 million contract extension with the Cavaliers.

The source requested anonymity because the deal had not yet been officially announced. Tuesday marked the earliest date the Cavaliers were permitted to offer Mitchell an extension. The seven-time All-Star still had two years left on his existing contract and could have held off on signing until next summer, when he would have been eligible for a five-year supermax deal valued at $350 million.

According to the source, the extension includes a player option worth $76 million for the 2030-31 season, along with a full trade kicker.

Mitchell had already made his feelings about Cleveland clear. Speaking on May 25 following the Cavaliers’ sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals, he said: “I love it here. I don’t know how else to say it. I have no doubt these guys can get there. We have unfinished business.”

Assuming Mitchell exercises his player option for 2030-31, the deal currently ranks as the fourth-largest contract by total value in NBA history. It trails the $314 million deal Boston gave to Jayson Tatum, the $285 million agreement the Celtics made with Jaylen Brown — who now suits up for Philadelphia — and the $276 million contract Nikola Jokic holds with Denver.

The average annual value of Mitchell’s extension comes in at just over $68 million, which stands as an NBA record, narrowly topping the $67.9 million average annual value of the contract Shai Gilgeous-Alexander holds with Oklahoma City.

Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman spoke glowingly about Mitchell on May 29, hinting at the extension discussions. “When we have a superstar of his caliber that wants to be in Cleveland, that’s our best ambassador, that’s our best recruiter. There’s guys that are here that wouldn’t be here without him, quite frankly,” Altman said. “So I think the bigger question is, the one that’s been answered is, does he want to be here and does he want to be here long term? And I think he’s answered that.”

The 29-year-old Mitchell guided Cleveland to its first conference finals appearance since 2018 this past season. During the regular season, he averaged 27.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, and added 26 points per game in the postseason.

Since arriving in Cleveland after being traded by the Utah Jazz in 2022, Mitchell has averaged 26.7 points per game across four seasons with the Cavaliers.

This extension is expected to be just the first in a series of roster moves for Cleveland. The franchise is also exploring the possibility that LeBron James could return to the team he led to its first-ever championship in 2016. Additionally, James Harden — acquired by the Cavaliers at the trade deadline — is weighing whether to sign a new deal with Cleveland after declining his player option for the 2026-27 season.

Italian top seed Jannik Sinner brought an end to one of the most heartwarming storylines at this year’s Wimbledon, defeating German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3 on Tuesday to book his place in the semifinals.

Struff had made history in his 47th Grand Slam appearance by becoming the oldest man in the professional era to reach a first major quarter-final, accomplishing the feat at 36 years old. However, any hopes the world number 74 had of pushing further into the tournament were quickly extinguished by the defending champion.

Struff had blasted 100 aces on his way to the quarterfinals and added 12 more during Tuesday’s match, but his powerful serve was not enough to disrupt Sinner’s rhythm. The Italian broke serve to go up 6-5 in the opening set and closed it out from there.

When Struff earned a set point in the 10th game of the second set, Sinner responded with an unreturnable serve to neutralize the threat. He then cruised through the tiebreak and punched his ticket to a 10th Grand Slam semifinal when Struff sent a service return long.

Sinner, who has not added to his Grand Slam title count since winning at the All England Club a year ago, will now face either Novak Djokovic or Felix Auger-Aliassime for a chance to reach the final.

Kyle Lowry kept his word. The veteran NBA point guard had long promised that when his playing days were over, he would return to the Toronto Raptors to hang up his jersey — and on Tuesday, that promise became reality.

Lowry announced via social media that he has signed with the Raptors and will officially retire, closing out a storied career with the franchise he helped guide to the 2019 NBA title. The signing is a ceremonial one-day deal, and Lowry confirmed the arrangement ahead of a scheduled news conference in Toronto later that day.

The timing of the announcement was no coincidence. The date — July 7, written as 7/7 — was a clear tribute to the No. 7 jersey Lowry wore throughout his time in Toronto.

“Thank you to my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, my opponents, the staff, the media and especially the fans,” Lowry said in his announcement. “It’s all about you. I appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you, Toronto. Thank you, Canada. And as I always told y’all, it’s officially happening. I’m retiring as a Toronto Raptor — 20 years and one day.”

The tribute messages came flooding in almost immediately. Toronto fans have long referred to Lowry as the GROAT — the Greatest Raptor of All-Time — and that sentiment was on full display following his announcement.

At 40 years old, Lowry is a native of Philadelphia who played college basketball at Villanova before being selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft by Memphis. He is one of just two point guards in NBA history to play 20 seasons, alongside Chris Paul. Mike Conley Jr. is expected to join that exclusive group during the upcoming season.

Lowry wrapped up his final playing season with the 76ers, appearing in 14 games. But it was in Toronto where he truly made his mark — becoming a six-time All-Star, earning an All-NBA selection in the 2015-16 season, and winning an Olympic gold medal with the United States at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

Over the course of his career, Lowry also suited up for Houston and Miami in addition to Memphis, Toronto, and Philadelphia. He averaged 13.8 points and six assists per game, and his 2,209 career three-pointers rank 14th in NBA history.

Even before his retirement became official, Lowry had already lined up his next chapter. He was announced last year as an analyst for Prime Video.

The New York Mets walked away from Atlanta with a hard-fought 7-6 win in 11 innings on Monday, splitting their four-game series with the Braves.

The decisive blow came from Luis Torrens, who laced a two-out double in the 10th inning off Owen Murphy — who was making his major league debut — just beyond the reach of left fielder Jorge Mateo to break the tie.

New York’s Brooks Raley (3-3) recorded the final out of the ninth inning. In the 10th, Luke Weaver surrendered an RBI double to Michael Harris II, then issued intentional and unintentional walks to Matt Olson and Mateo respectively, loading the bases. Weaver then got Mauricio Dubon to hit into a fielder’s choice to end the game, earning his first career save.

The ninth inning was anything but quiet. Juan Soto launched a three-run homer with two outs to put the Mets ahead 5-3, but Olson answered with a two-run blast — his second home run of the game and 24th of the season — to even things up at 5-5 and send the game to extra innings.

Dodgers 8, Rockies 7 (11 innings)

Dalton Rushing came through with a walk-off single in the 11th inning as Los Angeles held off visiting Colorado. Shohei Ohtani homered and knocked in four runs, clubbing the 299th home run of his career. Rushing, Ohtani, and Kyle Tucker each finished with three hits in the Dodgers’ first extra-inning game of the season.

Cole Carrigg had three hits, two RBIs, and scored three times for Colorado, while Ezequiel Tovar added a home run and two RBIs. The Rockies trailed 6-1 after four innings, battled back to tie in the ninth, but gave up a 7-6 lead in the 10th.

Royals 15, Phillies 1

Kansas City turned in a dominant performance at home, with Luke Maile, Salvador Perez, Lane Thomas, and Tyler Tolbert all going deep against Philadelphia. Tolbert was a perfect 5-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs, and the Royals scored in every inning they batted while setting a season high with 22 hits. Starter Noah Cameron (5-6) held the Phillies to one run and six hits over five innings.

Trea Turner went 3-for-4 for Philadelphia, which has dropped three of its last four. All-Star left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (10-4) had a rough outing, giving up a career-high nine runs on 12 hits in just 3 1/3 innings.

Giants 10, Blue Jays 1

Heliot Ramos slugged two home runs and Landen Roupp went eight innings — the longest outing of his major league career — as San Francisco opened a three-game interleague series with a convincing win over visiting Toronto. Victor Bericoto stole home as part of a two-hit, two-run, two-RBI night for the Giants, who were beginning a seven-game homestand. Roupp (6-8) held the defending American League champions to just three hits.

Kazuma Okamoto hit his 20th home run of the season in the sixth inning to make it 3-1, but Toronto could not get closer. Kevin Gausman (4-8) was roughed up for seven runs — four earned — on five hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Nationals 12, Astros 11

Washington staged a remarkable comeback at home, erasing a five-run deficit to beat Houston. James Wood connected on a grand slam, and CJ Abrams went 3-for-the-night including a three-run homer as the Nationals scored 11 consecutive runs to flip a 6-1 hole into a 12-6 lead.

Curtis Mead contributed a solo home run among his three hits and added three RBIs. Miles Mikolas (3-7) earned the victory despite surrendering seven runs on nine hits in six innings. Clayton Beeter recorded the final four outs for his seventh save.

For Houston, Jose Altuve and Brice Matthews each hit three-run homers, and Yainer Diaz added a two-run shot. The Astros plated four runs in the eighth. Mike Burrows (4-9) allowed 10 runs — seven earned — on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Brewers 4, Cardinals 3

Milwaukee rallied in the seventh inning to beat St. Louis on the road, with Brice Turang’s two-run single capping a four-run frame. David Hamilton went 2-for-3 with a two-run double before exiting in the seventh with left hamstring tightness. Garrett Mitchell also went 2-for-3 as the Brewers picked up their sixth win in eight games. Shane Drohan (4-2) threw six innings, allowing three runs, only one of which was earned.

Jose Fermin went 2-for-3 with a run-scoring single for St. Louis, which scored twice in the third. Dustin May threw 4 2/3 scoreless frames, but his replacement Justin Bruihl left after spraining his right ankle. Ryan Fernandez (1-2) gave up three runs without recording a single out.

Yankees 5, Rays 1

Jose Caballero homered twice against his former team and drove in four runs as New York defeated Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg. Caballero went deep in both the fifth and eighth innings as the struggling Yankees picked up just their second win in 11 games. Ben Rice also homered, and all three of New York’s hits on the night left the ballpark.

Starter Cam Schlittler (9-5) was excellent, limiting Tampa Bay to one run on four hits across eight innings. Richie Palacios went 2-for-3 with an RBI single for the Rays. Tampa Bay starter Griffin Jax (4-6) allowed only one hit but gave up three runs in five innings while striking out 10.

Diamondbacks 8, Padres 0

Max Kepler, Geraldo Perdomo, and Nolan Arenado all homered as Arizona shut out San Diego on the road. Brandon Pfaadt (2-1) cruised through five scoreless innings, giving up just four hits with no walks and six strikeouts in his second consecutive victory. The Diamondbacks won for the fourth time in their last 10 games.

Walker Buehler (5-5) had a tough night for San Diego, surrendering seven hits and seven runs in five innings as the Padres suffered their ninth loss in 10 games.

Three home runs and a dominant pitching performance powered the Arizona Diamondbacks to an 8-0 shutout victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night, with Max Kepler, Geraldo Perdomo, and Nolan Arenado each going deep.

Brandon Pfaadt earned the win, improving to 2-1 on the season after cruising through five innings without allowing a run. He gave up just four hits, walked no one, and struck out six batters. Two relievers combined to complete the shutout, holding San Diego to eight hits total.

Walker Buehler took the loss for the Padres, dropping to 5-5 after surrendering seven hits and seven earned runs across five innings. It was his second consecutive defeat. Since a strong outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 26 — a 7-1 win — Buehler has given up 16 runs in just nine innings, sending his ERA climbing from 3.81 all the way up to 5.07.

The trouble started almost immediately for San Diego. Just four pitches into the game, Ketel Marte lined a leadoff triple to center field and Perdomo was hit by a pitch. With Corbin Carroll at the plate, Perdomo broke for second base. Buehler stepped off the mound and attempted a throw but sailed it over shortstop Sung-Mun Song’s head for an error, allowing Marte to score.

Arizona added another run before the inning ended. After a one-out walk to Gabriel Moreno, Kepler lined a two-out single to left field, pushing the lead to 2-0 before Pfaadt had even thrown a pitch in the game.

The Diamondbacks blew the game open in the third inning with a four-run outburst. Carroll doubled with one out, Moreno singled, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drove in a run with a single of his own. Kepler then launched a three-run blast to right field — his first home run of the year — that traveled an estimated 417 feet.

Perdomo added to the lead in the fourth inning with his sixth home run of the season, a shot estimated at 377 feet that landed in right field, making it 7-0. Arenado then led off the sixth with his 10th homer of the year, a 361-foot drive that struck the Western Metal Supply Co. building beyond the left field wall.

San Diego struggled to threaten throughout the night, not getting a runner into scoring position until the seventh inning. Jackson Merrill reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a groundout by Song, but Rodolfo Duran struck out to end the threat.

The loss came just one night after the Padres had snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

What started as a night full of promise for American soccer fans quickly turned to heartbreak Monday, as Belgium dominated the United States 4-1, sending the U.S. home in the round of 16 and ending their World Cup run.

The lopsided result dashed the hopes of fans across the country who had rallied behind the team heading into the knockout stage matchup.

This report is accompanied by a photo gallery assembled by AP photo editors capturing the emotional highs and lows fans experienced throughout the evening.

St. Louis Cardinals reliever Justin Bruihl was forced to exit Monday’s home game with no outs in the seventh inning after spraining his right ankle.

Just moments later in that same half-inning, Milwaukee Brewers third baseman David Hamilton was also removed from the game, replaced by a pinch runner after experiencing tightness in his left hamstring following a two-run double.

Bruihl’s injury occurred when he sprinted toward the third base line to field a slow grounder hit by Garrett Mitchell of the Brewers. After throwing to first base on what was ruled an infield single, Bruihl appeared to be limping. Ryan Fernandez came in to take over pitching duties.

Bruihl had entered the game in relief of Dustin May with two outs in the fifth inning, with two potential tying runs on base. He retired Christian Yelich on a groundout to end that threat. Over 1 1/3 innings of work, he surrendered one run on a hit and a walk, bringing his ERA to 3.70 across 39 relief appearances this season.

The 29-year-old left-hander is pitching in his sixth major league season. He has previously suited up for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2021 to 2023, the Colorado Rockies in 2023, the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024, and the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025 before joining St. Louis.

Hamilton finished the game 2-for-4, leaving him with a .240 batting average, three home runs, and 15 RBIs through 74 games this season. The 28-year-old spent the previous three seasons with the Boston Red Sox and carries a career batting average of .227, a .293 on-base percentage, a .352 slugging percentage, 17 home runs, and 62 RBIs over 278 major league games.

Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic has made it clear he wants to spend his entire career in Denver — he just isn’t in a rush to put pen to paper this offseason.

Speaking to reporters in his home country of Serbia following a FIBA World Cup qualifying match on Monday, Jokic laid out his intentions plainly. “My idea is to sign next summer and stay with Denver for the rest of my career,” he said in Serbian. “My idea and desire is to stay in Denver. I’ll probably sign next year. … My desire is to play the rest of my life in Denver.”

The reason for the wait comes down to money. Per ESPN, Jokic becomes eligible for a five-year contract worth $359.5 million in the summer of 2027 — a deal that would shatter the record for the largest contract in NBA history. That potential payday gives the 31-year-old center good reason to pass on the current max extension available to him, which would be worth four years and $278 million.

Jokic put together another dominant season for the Nuggets in 2025-26, leading the entire league in both rebounding (12.9 per game) and assists — the latter a career-best 10.7 per game — while averaging 27.7 points across 65 games. Despite his brilliance, he finished second in MVP voting to Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the second consecutive year. Jokic previously won the award in 2021, 2022, and 2024.

While Jokic led Denver to the NBA championship in 2023, this past season ended in disappointment. The Nuggets finished third in the Western Conference but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games.

On Monday in Belgrade, Jokic delivered a strong performance for the Serbian national team, recording 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 94-81 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of qualifying for the 2027 FIBA World Cup.

SEATTLE — Belgium’s coach Rudi Garcia says the heated controversy over FIFA’s decision to allow U.S. forward Folarin Balogun to play in Monday’s World Cup round-of-16 match had virtually no effect on his team, which went on to defeat the United States 4-1.

The dispute centered on Balogun’s red card during the round-of-32 match against Bosnia, which would normally have triggered an automatic one-game suspension. Instead, FIFA chose to suspend that ban for a one-year probationary period, clearing Balogun to take the field against Belgium — a move that drew fierce backlash from the Belgian soccer federation and sparked a broader international outcry. U.S. President Donald Trump also weighed in, stating he had requested that the decision be reviewed.

When asked at the post-match press conference whether he used the off-field drama to fire up his players, Garcia was direct: “No, it wasn’t at all necessary.”

“What really mattered to us was our game plan. We wanted to dominate the game, avoid their pressing and play higher up. We played with mastery, with willingness and dedication. It was a great night for us and a great qualification for the quarter-finals,” Garcia said.

Garcia noted that his players had been kept informed about the Balogun situation throughout the week, but said the group handled it with maturity.

“We told them about what was happening. The group is very mature. We have leaders to help us go through that,” he said.

“I told them that what mattered the most was us. Our team trying to set the game principles, whether it’s attack or defence. We were also underlining the strength and weaknesses of the opponent, but we’re not analysing anything more. We’re not adapting to the opponent. That’s not my style as a coach,” Garcia added.

Garcia, who had previously taken aim at FIFA’s ruling — likening it to an April Fool’s Day joke — said Balogun approached him after the final whistle, a gesture he said he appreciated.

“He came to talk to me. I really liked that. It’s not his fault. He’s not the one to blame. And that’s what I told him. I really appreciate that he came to see me,” Garcia said.

As for the American side’s performance, Garcia suggested the lopsided scoreline may have been partly rooted in psychological baggage from an earlier encounter. Belgium beat the United States 5-2 in a March friendly held in Atlanta.

“At some points of the game you got the feeling that was in their heads,” Garcia observed.

Belgium will next face Spain in Los Angeles on Friday in the quarterfinals. However, the team received a significant blow when midfielder Amadou Onana was forced off the pitch in the first half with a knee injury. Onana was later seen on crutches, and Garcia indicated the injury appeared serious enough to potentially end his tournament.

“We feel bad for him, but now that we are in the quarter-finals, we want to go to the semis,” Garcia said.

Canadian swimming sensation Summer McIntosh may already be rewriting the record books, but her coach Bob Bowman believes the 19-year-old hasn’t even come close to hitting her ceiling yet.

McIntosh captured her fourth long-course world record at the Canadian trials on Sunday, breaking Liu Zige’s long-standing mark in the 200-metre butterfly final with an impressive performance in Montreal.

The three-time Olympic champion joined Bowman’s professional training program at the University of Texas last year, following the world championships in Singapore where she took home four individual titles.

Despite her already dominant presence in the sport, Bowman told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation at the trials that her absolute best is still ahead of her.

“I think she’s entering it, probably in the next four years,” he said. “I think she can be stronger. There are a lot of things that we can add to help her be faster … just in terms of her physiological maturity kind of now and in the next few years.”

McIntosh has set world records at every Canadian trials going back to 2023, a streak Bowman attributes to her love of competing in front of her home country’s fans.

“She loves it. It’s a great environment for her,” Bowman said. “Number one, there’s so much support from the whole country here. She doesn’t get that a lot. She swims in America most of the time or other places. So I think that’s important.”

On Monday, McIntosh won the 400-metre individual medley with a time of four minutes, 27.35 seconds — more than three seconds off her own world record of 4:23.65. She said she was disappointed with the result and planned to review her data to figure out where things went wrong.

One highlight that did bring a smile to her face was seeing all-time great Michael Phelps post a congratulatory message on her Instagram after the butterfly world record.

“Of course, he’s like my main inspiration always. So that was really cool to see,” McIntosh said.

SEATTLE — U.S. men’s national soccer team head coach Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged Monday that his squad simply did not perform well enough after being eliminated from the World Cup with a 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16.

Playing in front of an enthusiastic home crowd in Seattle, the Americans had entered the match with confidence following strong performances in the group stage and round of 32. Many had viewed Belgium as a beatable opponent. Instead, the U.S. turned in their most uncertain performance of the entire tournament and were thoroughly outplayed by a sharp Belgian side.

“We didn’t show our real quality as a team,” Pochettino said at a post-match press conference. “We never connected with the game. Belgium were better than us, and that’s it.”

“It was a very bad day. It wasn’t our day, collectively or individually. In a tournament like the World Cup, when that happens in a knockout stage, you are out and you need to go home.”

The Americans had a brief moment of hope when Malik Tillman found the net to tie the score at 1-1, but Belgium responded almost immediately to take back control of the match. Pochettino expressed frustration over his team’s failure to capitalize on the equalizer.

“Even when we scored, in the next action we conceded,” he said. “Normally you cannot concede in that moment.”

Questions were raised about whether controversy off the field had played a role in the team’s performance. The availability of Folarin Balogun had been a point of contention after FIFA suspended his red-card ban and Belgium’s appeal against that decision was dismissed. Pochettino pushed back firmly on any suggestion that the situation had impacted his players.

“We were not good enough today. We don’t need to find excuses,” he said. “All that was happening around was around, but it wasn’t a situation that affected us.”

With his contract set to expire at the conclusion of the World Cup, Pochettino said no determination has been reached regarding his future with the program.

“Now is a moment to rest a little bit, to think, to have conversations and then see what the decision is from the federation and from us,” he said.

Despite the disappointing result, Pochettino stood by the team’s overall growth, pointing to the strides made over the past year.

“We need to keep improving,” he said. “But I am proud. I think we settled the principles for the future.”

The United States’ World Cup dreams at home came to a crashing halt Monday night in Seattle, as Belgium dismantled the Americans 4-1 to advance to the quarterfinals. Charles De Ketelaere was the standout performer for Belgium, netting two goals and setting up another, as American defenders made costly errors in the first half. Goalkeeper Matt Freese then committed a blunder that gifted Belgium a third goal early in the second half. Romelu Lukaku put the finishing touch on the victory with a goal in stoppage time.

Much of the pregame attention had centered on U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, whose one-match red-card suspension — earned during the win over Bosnia-Herzegovina — was controversially overturned by FIFA after U.S. President Donald Trump personally intervened on his behalf. The 25-year-old, who had scored three times in the tournament, ultimately had minimal impact on the match, though he did contribute to the setup of the Americans’ only goal. FIFA’s decision to reinstate Balogun drew sharp criticism from European soccer officials, who raised concerns about the integrity of the competition.

In Geneva, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that he received a phone call from President Trump following the Bosnia-Herzegovina match, before Balogun was cleared to face Belgium. The reversal of the suspension on Sunday sparked a day of controversy off the pitch, with soccer leaders across Europe questioning whether FIFA had compromised the tournament’s credibility.

In Arlington, Texas, Spain ended the legendary World Cup career of Cristiano Ronaldo, defeating Portugal 1-0 thanks to a goal from Mikel Merino in the opening minute of second-half stoppage time. Merino had just been fouled when he quickly put the ball back into play, received a pass from Ferran Torres, and slotted it past goalkeeper Diogo Costa. Spain reached the quarterfinals for the first time since claiming its only World Cup title back in 2010 in South Africa. The Spanish side will face either the United States or Belgium on Friday in Inglewood, California.

For Ronaldo, the 41-year-old superstar, it was a quiet and somber exit from what he confirmed the day before would be his final World Cup appearance. He had been denied a goal in the first half by an outstanding save from goalkeeper Unai Simón. Walking off the field, Ronaldo acknowledged the crowd with a brief wave but showed little emotion, departing with what he described as a clear conscience after his sixth and final World Cup campaign.

Over at Wimbledon in London, Italy had plenty to celebrate Monday as both Flavio Cobolli and Jasmine Paolini punched their tickets to the quarterfinals. Cobolli delivered an impressive 7-5, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over fifth-seeded Alex de Minaur, continuing the momentum he built with his run to the French Open final. Paolini defeated Alexandra Eala 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, returning to the Grand Slam quarterfinals for the first time since back-to-back finals appearances at Roland Garros and Wimbledon two years ago. Italian Formula One points leader Kimi Antonelli was watching from the Royal Box. Defending champion Jannik Sinner is set to play Tuesday.

In the NBA, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic reaffirmed Monday that he wants to spend his entire career in Denver, though he plans to hold off on signing a contract extension until next summer. The three-time MVP made the comments after helping Serbia defeat Bosnia-Herzegovina in a FIBA World Cup qualifying match in Belgrade, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. By waiting until next summer to sign, Jokic would be eligible for a five-year supermax deal worth approximately $350 million.

In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo opened up about the emotions surrounding his trade from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat — the first team change of his NBA career. In a video posted Monday, the two-time MVP spoke with former Bucks broadcaster Jim Paschke, admitting he is “scared that the grass is not always greener.” Still, the 10-time All-Star said the fear of finishing his career with regrets ultimately pushed him to take the leap and pursue a better shot at winning another championship.

Finally, in Washington, NHL goal-scoring record holder Alex Ovechkin returned to the spotlight — but not with a retirement announcement. Ovechkin, who only committed last week to playing another season with the Washington Capitals, remained noncommittal about whether this upcoming year will be his last. He revealed his wife suggested he play “one more year, or maybe two years, I don’t know,” leaving fans without a definitive answer about when the hockey legend plans to hang up his skates.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — When Vietnamese competitor Nguyen Thanh Hien Linh entered her very first virtual taekwondo match in Singapore in 2024, she was completely lost.

“I was just kicking into the air,” the 21-year-old recalled. Even with her background as an elite national taekwondo champion, she found herself at a total disadvantage in the virtual arena — with no understanding of the strategy, the skills required, or how the technology even functioned.

Fast forward two years, and Nguyen has claimed a gold medal at a virtual taekwondo competition held in Malaysia, joining a rapidly expanding community of athletes embracing this gamified combat sport throughout Southeast Asia.

What was once an unfamiliar experiment has evolved into a structured competitive discipline. Co-developed by World Taekwondo and Singapore-based technology firm Refract Technologies, the sport merges virtual reality with traditional taekwondo techniques to attract younger, tech-oriented athletes.

Competitors put on VR headsets that place them inside a digital three-dimensional arena, while motion-tracking sensors are attached to their spine, thighs, and shins. Players use their actual body movements to control digital avatars in noncontact virtual bouts, where well-timed and rapid strikes chip away at an opponent’s virtual health bar.

One major difference from conventional taekwondo: competitors are no longer separated by age, weight, or gender. In the virtual arena, everyone competes on the same digital playing field.

The sport was featured at Singapore’s Olympic Esports Week in 2023 and held its inaugural World Championships in Singapore in 2024. This year, it is set to make its debut at the Asian Games in Japan, and it is expected to be included in the 2027 Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia.

At last month’s competition in Malaysia, athletes and coaches spoke about how the sport is changing the way people think about both martial arts and gaming.

Singapore national athlete Brian Peh, 46, said he had no interest in gaming but decided to enter the 2024 championship alongside his son simply out of curiosity. Both walked away with gold medals and have since taken part in numerous local and regional events.

Peh now teaches virtual taekwondo to students at his dojang, or training hall. “I always tell parents: your kids love games. Do you want them using their hands to play, or using their legs?” he said. “When they put on the headset and start to fight, wow, their energy is so high. They can play and play and they love it.”

Cambodian coach Vandy Yiv noted that more children and their parents in his country are becoming interested in the sport largely because of the low risk of physical injury. He said that at a local tournament held earlier this year, participation in the virtual taekwondo division actually outnumbered those competing in traditional segments.

Many people initially assumed it was simply a video game, but quickly discovered it was a physically exhausting sport. “Your whole body is moving. There is action, but no injury,” Vandy said. He expressed hope that virtual taekwondo could one day become an Olympic medal event.

Some athletes described feeling disoriented at first, experiencing dizziness before getting used to the virtual environment. Younger players, however, were often immediately drawn in by the game-like experience. Matches are fast and intense, with each bout lasting only one minute and requiring constant offensive pressure.

For Nguyen, turning things around required understanding that virtual taekwondo demands much more than just throwing kicks. “You have to guess first where your opponent is and move” before they do, she explained.

Although matches take place in an immersive digital setting, coaches emphasize that physical conditioning is just as important as technical skill. Athletes still perform front kicks, turning kicks, and spinning techniques, with the edge going to those who can execute moves most quickly rather than most powerfully.

“So our training is first stamina, muscle endurance, flexibility. Then we go toward the skills, the strategies, how to fight,” said Malaysian coach Henry Lee during a recent club training session. “Strength … is about how fast your leg can lift and strike. Speed becomes your power.”

Lee, who is also an elite national taekwondo athlete, said he looks for players who have both a strong physical build and good “game sense” — the capacity to read movement and react instantly inside the virtual environment.

One of his students, 12-year-old Victoria Siow, said the biggest challenge is judging distances she cannot physically see. “You have to work on your mind — when to kick, how far to move,” she said during a training session. “It feels like a game and like a dream at the same time.”

For 45-year-old Raja Mardiah Idris, who trains at the same club and is a member of a state royal family, virtual taekwondo has opened competitive doors that traditional full-contact sparring no longer could. She said the sport allows older athletes and women to compete safely and on equal terms. Her young daughter has also taken up the sport as a healthy alternative to screen time.

“When you wear the VR, everybody is the same,” Raja said. “You win through your technique, your strategy and your fitness.”

Raja said she plans to step away from full-contact sparring to concentrate on virtual taekwondo. She trains regularly and hopes to represent Malaysia at the SEA Games next year.

Malaysia’s national virtual taekwondo coach Tony Lee acknowledged that the sport is still in its early stages. Equipment costs are high and access may be limited in some parts of the region, but he said growing enthusiasm will push clubs to invest. Malaysia has already established national programs and coaching certification courses. “Virtual taekwondo is our future because young people like gaming,” he said.

SEATTLE — American striker Folarin Balogun was back on the field for the United States against Belgium on Monday, but despite the enormous controversy surrounding his return, the 25-year-old had little to show for it as the U.S. was eliminated from the World Cup with a 4-1 defeat in the round of 16.

Balogun, who entered the tournament having scored three goals for the Americans, received a red card during the U.S. win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. That would have meant an automatic one-game suspension, keeping him out of Monday’s match. However, FIFA’s disciplinary committee stepped in on Sunday and suspended that punishment for one year, allowing Balogun to take the field.

The decision came after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke directly with FIFA president Gianni Infantino by phone. The move drew immediate backlash from across the soccer world. European soccer body UEFA said FIFA had “crossed a red line,” and Belgium’s soccer federation formally challenged Balogun’s eligibility to play.

On the field, Balogun’s impact was limited. He did play a role in the Americans’ lone goal — in the 31st minute, Belgian defender Brandon Mechele fouled him roughly 25 yards from the goal, and Malik Tillman converted the resulting free kick. Just before the goal, Balogun could be seen pumping up American fans in the stands.

The U.S. attempted to get Balogun involved throughout the match, and he used his speed on several runs, but he could not get past Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. His clearest scoring opportunity came in the 82nd minute, when Courtois stopped a left-footed shot. Balogun was taken off the field in the 92nd minute, replaced by Haji Wright.

The red card that sparked the controversy was issued last Wednesday during the Americans’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus gave Balogun the card after he stepped on an opponent’s ankle, triggering the automatic suspension that FIFA later set aside.

Despite the disappointing finish, Balogun ended the tournament with three goals — tying Landon Donovan’s mark from 2010 for the second-most goals ever scored by an American in a single World Cup. The U.S. record belongs to Bert Patenaude, who scored four goals in the very first World Cup in 1930.

Playing in his first World Cup, Balogun also became the first U.S. player since 1930 to score two goals in a single World Cup match. However, he was unable to lead the Americans to consecutive knockout-stage victories, which would have been a historic achievement. The U.S. team’s best World Cup run since 1930 remains their quarterfinal appearance in 2002.

Cornerback Terrion Arnold, who was cut by the Detroit Lions following his arrest on eight felony charges last month, has cleared waivers, according to multiple reports published Monday.

Arnold was taken into custody on June 24 and now faces charges of armed robbery and kidnapping connected to an incident that took place in February near Tampa, Florida.

Despite the serious legal trouble, Arnold is expected to sit down with NFL teams that have already shown interest in bringing him aboard.

His defense attorney, Harvey Steinberg, shared last week that other franchises had already been in touch. “Although Mr. Arnold has been released by the Detroit Lions organization, he already has been contacted by three other NFL clubs regarding his services,” Steinberg wrote.

Prosecutors allege that Arnold served as the ringleader of a scheme to get revenge for a theft by detaining and pistol-whipping men he believed were responsible. However, authorities say none of the three teenage victims — who Arnold and alleged co-conspirators are accused of kidnapping and attacking — had any involvement in the theft.

Court documents identify Arnold, 23, who played college football at Alabama before being drafted by the Lions, as the primary conspirator in the alleged plot.

Three days before the alleged kidnapping and assault took place, Arnold had reported the theft of more than $250,000 worth of property from an Airbnb in Largo, Florida, near Tampa.

According to a report from ESPN on Monday, the Washington Commanders are planning to bring in cornerback Rasul Douglas on a one-year contract.

The agreement is said to be valued at up to $3.8 million.

Douglas spent last season — his ninth in the NFL — with the Miami Dolphins, where he appeared in 15 games and made 13 starts. During that time, he tallied 62 tackles, two interceptions, and 13 pass breakups. His strong play earned him an AFC Defensive Player of the Week award in Week 14.

The 30-year-old was originally selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Over the course of his career spanning 135 games and 93 starts, Douglas has accumulated 503 tackles, 92 pass deflections, and 21 interceptions. He has suited up for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2017 to 2019, the Carolina Panthers in 2020, the Green Bay Packers from 2021 to 2023, the Buffalo Bills from 2023 to 2024, and most recently the Dolphins.

By adding Douglas, Washington aims to shore up a passing defense that ranked 28th in the league a year ago, surrendering an average of 242.5 passing yards per game.

FIFA is standing firmly behind Brazilian referee Raphael Claus after U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at the official’s credibility following a red card controversy at the World Cup in Miami.

The dispute began when Claus, following a video review, sent off American striker Folarin Balogun during the United States’ last-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Balogun had stepped on the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic, resulting in the ejection. FIFA later suspended the red-card ban, allowing Balogun to play again.

President Trump said he had requested a review of the call, describing Claus as “a little bit suspect if you check his past” — without providing any additional details or evidence.

FIFA responded swiftly with a formal statement defending the official. “FIFA recognises Raphael Claus as one of the world’s leading professional referees and a valued member of Team One (FIFA’s elite group of referees) at the FIFA World Cup,” the organization stated. “Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.”

FIFA noted that Claus was not available to respond to media inquiries, consistent with the tournament’s policy of keeping referees away from press during competition.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino also weighed in, calling for respect toward match officials. “Once more, I reiterate that we must respect the referees and respect the rules that govern our game,” Infantino said. “It is very simple and cannot ever be overstated — without referees, there is no football.”

Claus, who is 46 years old and has officiated more than 600 matches throughout his career, is no stranger to the World Cup stage. Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer and Chairman of the Referees Committee, emphasized the organization’s unwavering confidence in the Brazilian official.

“Raphael Claus is refereeing at his second FIFA World Cup having been with us in Qatar in 2022,” Collina said. “He is an experienced and highly respected referee and we maintain full confidence in him as a trusted match official.”

Despite the controversy, Balogun was ultimately cleared to play in the United States’ last-16 matchup against Belgium and was included in the starting lineup by head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

The Calgary Flames wasted no time locking up their newest defensive addition, signing Simon Nemec to a five-year, $36.25 million contract on Monday — weeks after acquiring the young blueliner from the New Jersey Devils in a blockbuster trade.

Nemec, who is 22 years old, was selected second overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. In the 2025-26 season, he put up 26 points — including 11 goals and 15 assists — across 68 games. Since breaking into the league in 2023, he has tallied 49 total points, with 16 goals and 33 assists.

The Slovakian defenseman expressed his enthusiasm about the new deal and his future in Calgary. “I’m really happy and really excited for the next five years in Calgary,” Nemec told NHL.com on Monday. “I’ve heard so many good things from all the players so I’m really excited.”

Calgary gave up a significant haul to land Nemec, sending New Jersey two first-round picks, a second-round pick, and prospect Etienne Morin. The Flames also received forward Maxim Tsyplakov as part of the same deal.

The new contract makes Nemec the highest-paid defenseman on Calgary’s roster at $7.25 million per season — a clear signal of how much the organization values him as they look to snap a four-year playoff drought heading into next season.

Nemec said the timing of the contract works in his favor. “It’s good to have the contract right now, in this part of the summer,” he said. “Now we can plan everything else.”

He also shared his ambitions for the upcoming campaign: “If you see that D corps, I think it’s pretty good. I think it’s going to be great competition for me and the other players. I feel confident to play a lot of minutes and be one of the leaders of the team. That’s going to be my goal for next season.”

Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic confirmed Monday that his loyalty to the Denver Nuggets runs deep — but fans hoping for a quick contract signing will have to wait a bit longer.

Speaking with reporters following Serbia’s victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in a FIBA World Cup qualifying contest held in Belgrade, Serbia, Jokic expressed his ongoing commitment to remaining in Denver for the long haul. On the court, he delivered a triple-double performance, finishing with 20 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds.

The 31-year-old center’s strategy for holding off on an extension isn’t without financial reasoning. By waiting until next summer, Jokic becomes eligible to sign a five-year supermax contract valued at approximately $350 million.

This past season, Jokic earned All-NBA honors for the eighth time in his career. He averaged 27.7 points per game along with a league-leading 12.9 rebounds and a league-leading 10.7 assists, though he finished second in MVP voting behind Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Despite the Nuggets being bounced from the playoffs in the first round by Minnesota, Jokic showed no signs of wanting out. “I still want to be (with the) Nuggets forever,” he said following the early postseason exit.

The offseason has otherwise been relatively quiet for Denver. One major question still facing the organization involves Peyton Watson, a versatile guard/forward who figures to command a significant contract if the team wants to keep him around.

Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli is set to begin serving a five-game suspension on Monday, after an appeal trimmed his original penalty by two games. The right-hander had been handed a seven-game ban for his involvement in a bench-clearing altercation involving Willson Contreras and the Boston Red Sox the previous week.

Three other players who were also disciplined — Contreras, Boston’s Nate Eaton, and Washington’s Miles Mikolas — all filed appeals as well, though it remained unclear whether their suspensions would also be shortened. Mikolas took the mound in Washington’s Monday home game against the Houston Astros while his own suspension remains on hold pending the outcome of his appeal.

Major League Baseball originally handed Cavalli and Contreras seven-game bans, while Mikolas received five games and Eaton three games for their parts in the incident, which took place last Tuesday. All four were also fined, though the specific amounts were not disclosed.

The confrontation began in the fourth inning of Washington’s 8-1 victory, when Cavalli struck out Contreras. Replay footage showed Cavalli saying “Sit down, boy!” and using the word “boy” multiple times in the moments that followed. Cavalli publicly apologized the next day for the comment.

Contreras, a Venezuelan native, said after Tuesday’s game that he was uncertain whether there were racial undertones to Cavalli’s use of the word. Cavalli maintained that he had no harmful intent behind the remark.

“I’m extremely torn up about the way that things were perceived. Obviously, there was no ill intention behind that,” Cavalli said. He also acknowledged that he understands the word carries a racist history in certain contexts.

“There’s a history behind that word, and that’s just something that as a competitor, like in football or basketball, playing wiffle ball with my brother, you don’t understand it,” Cavalli said. “And then it gets perceived in a way that was not my intention, and then you learn from that. It’ll never happen again.”

During the on-field scuffle, Contreras threw his batting helmet in Cavalli’s direction and was ejected, as were Mikolas and Eaton. Contreras had also been ejected from the game prior to this incident after tapping his helmet following a disputed check-swing call, and he was involved in yet another bench-clearing situation against the New York Yankees.

Cavalli took the mound Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates while his appeal was still being reviewed, throwing just 2 1/3 innings without a decision. The 27-year-old, now in his third MLB season, holds a 5-4 record with a 3.88 ERA over 19 starts.

SEATTLE — A city widely known for political protests, grunge music, and an all-black wardrobe transformed into a wave of red, white, and blue on Monday as the United States prepared to face Belgium in a World Cup round-of-16 showdown.

Even President Donald Trump’s involvement in a controversial officiating decision couldn’t fracture the unity of American soccer fans gathered in Seattle ahead of the match.

Seattle is considered a strongly Democratic city — it has historically supported the Democratic Party in presidential elections and currently has a socialist mayor. Yet the political divide seemed to disappear as fans rallied around the national team.

Trump drew sharp international criticism after he personally asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to overturn the red card suspension handed to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun. Despite the political overtones, local fans were largely willing to look past the controversy if it meant seeing Balogun back on the field.

Brad Lawliss, 57, from Portland, Oregon, put it simply: “I don’t think soccer is blue or red. I think it’s a national sport. Actually, there’s more soccer players in this country than there are of any other sport. It’s actually a united soccer nation.”

Game day in Seattle has taken on a festive, almost ceremonial feel as the World Cup has progressed. Large sections of the city’s waterfront — once rundown — have been converted into fan zones that have expanded as the U.S. team has advanced through the tournament.

Thousands packed Washington Street, chanting “U-S-A” before the match. Ticketholders marched through the city toward the stadium, while others crowded into waterfront viewing areas, bars, and restaurants to watch the action.

Michael Scott, 54, and Eric Cutts, 47, took the ferry in from the Seattle suburbs to join the celebration. Like roughly a dozen other fans who spoke with Reuters, both said Balogun’s reinstatement was justified — and that the original red card should never have been issued.

“I didn’t like the fact that we had to have a political twist to this decision,” Scott said. “I thought it was enough that FIFA should just review it without a political push, but I understand that Trump is gonna be a fan of the USA, and he’s gonna want to do what he’s gonna do.”

His friend Cutts pushed back on the idea that Seattle’s liberal reputation means its residents aren’t patriotic. “Seattle’s a lot more patriotic than people think. I think we’re obviously all here to support the team first,” he said. “And that we have the best players on the field and on the pitch, that’s the best thing for the fans.”

Belgium supporters also made their presence felt, marching toward the stadium in a colorful procession of red, yellow, and black, accompanied by the beat of drums and chants. One Belgian fan carried a handmade cardboard sign reading “better call Infantino” — a nod to the Balogun controversy.

Brad Petts, 34, who purchased tickets for himself and his father — who is celebrating his 70th birthday — said the right outcome was reached, but the process left something to be desired. “It wasn’t a red card, so I think it is the right result,” he said. “But it happened in a pretty sketchy way, so I think they should have gotten the same result differently. We’ll go no matter what.”

WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin is lacing up for a 22nd season with the Washington Capitals, but whether it will be his final one remains an open question.

When asked if this could be the last chapter of his legendary career, Ovechkin kept his answer short: “I don’t know. We’ll see.”

The all-time NHL goals leader only confirmed his return last week, so it came as little surprise that he wasn’t ready to declare this a farewell tour. Ovechkin revealed that his wife had encouraged him to play “one more year, or maybe two years, I don’t know” — making it clear that no retirement announcement was coming anytime soon.

Instead, Ovechkin is zeroed in on proving he still has something to offer at age 41 and helping Washington compete for a championship. The Capitals have been among the most aggressive teams in the league this offseason, bringing in Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch, and Boone Jenner through trades and free agency, among other moves.

All three of those newcomers have hit the 30-goal mark at least once in their careers — something Ovechkin himself accomplished last season despite his age. Washington missed the playoffs, but the team finished with 95 points, the same total as Vegas before the Golden Knights advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. The Capitals also ranked third in the entire NHL in even-strength goal differential.

“When you look at our roster, it’s a Stanley Cup contender,” Ovechkin said. “I know I still can play, and bring energy to the locker room, energy on the ice.”

The Capitals have managed to stay competitive even as nearly the entire roster from their 2018 Stanley Cup championship has been replaced. Ovechkin and Tom Wilson are the last men standing from that title run, while Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, Braden Holtby, and Evgeny Kuznetsov have all moved on at various points. Veteran defenseman John Carlson, who spent 17 seasons in Washington, was traded away last year.

The current core now revolves around Ovechkin, Wilson, Dylan Strome, Jakob Chychrun, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and goalie Logan Thompson, along with the newly added players.

“We came in looking to add skill to our top six,” said president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan. “We wanted to get a physical, long defenseman that had a net-front presence. We were looking at veteran leadership.”

Once Ovechkin told the organization he was coming back, the contract was wrapped up quickly. “Maybe 10 minutes,” he said of the negotiation. His deal pays him a $1 million base salary with up to $8 million in bonuses — including $4.75 million if he appears in at least 10 games. The contract carries a cap hit of just $4.25 million, as Washington made good use of its available cap space.

Owner Ted Leonsis expressed his gratitude during the announcement. “Alex, thank you very, very much for the way you handled this,” Leonsis said.

Ovechkin joined the call via video conference while on vacation in Turkey. Leonsis, MacLellan, and general manager Chris Patrick were all present, though head coach Spencer Carbery — who will be responsible for fitting all the new pieces together on the ice — was not on the call.

Last season, Ovechkin scored 32 goals. The year before, in 2024-25, he netted 44 and broke Wayne Gretzky’s all-time career record of 894 goals. He remains a dangerous offensive presence, though he managed just five power-play goals on 86 shots last season — a reflection of Washington’s broader struggles on the power play.

Exactly how Ovechkin will be used this season is still to be determined.

“I think we have a pretty balanced team,” said general manager Chris Patrick. “Like a lot of our players, he can move up and down the lineup as how Carbs sees fit, and how he wants to use the lines and deploy the lines on a given night. And obviously the power-play piece as well, where Alex has proven time and again he’s an effective player.”

Ovechkin’s media session took place just before Monday’s Portugal-Spain World Cup match, and he drew a comparison between his own situation and that of two other aging sports icons. He spoke admiringly of Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi continuing to perform at a high level against younger competition.

“If you look at Messi and Ronaldo, those players show example that if you’re able to continue show the level what you have, the skill, it’s tremendous,” Ovechkin said. “You can see how they play. It’s tremendous. I’m really impressed.”

SEATTLE — U.S. forward Folarin Balogun is in the starting lineup for Monday’s World Cup round of 16 showdown against Belgium after FIFA’s disciplinary committee wiped out his one-game suspension, a move that has sent shockwaves through the soccer world.

Balogun received a red card from Brazilian referee Raphael Claus during last Wednesday’s 2-0 American victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina, after he was found to have stepped on an opponent’s ankle. That red card automatically triggered a one-game ban.

However, after U.S. President Donald Trump placed a phone call to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s disciplinary committee chose to suspend the punishment for one year on Sunday. The decision also included a $40,000 fine against Balogun — a penalty that the U.S. Soccer Federation is permitted to cover.

The move drew fierce backlash from European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, which described the ruling as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” Belgium attempted to have FIFA reinstate the suspension, but FIFA’s appeals committee rejected that effort, ruling that the Belgian federation did not have legal standing to bring the challenge.

Infantino, for his part, stated that he played no role in the disciplinary committee’s decision. Meanwhile, Belgian supporters made their feelings known before kickoff, chanting “FIFA Mafia” during their march to Lumen Field.

The U.S. fielded an unchanged starting lineup from its previous match, while Belgium made several adjustments — leaving Jérémy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne, and Romelu Lukaku on the bench to begin the game. The Belgians also left out Artur Teatre and Hans Vanaken, bringing in Dodi Lukébakio, Amadou Onana, Nicolas Raskin, and Nathan Ngoy instead.

Balogun has been the Americans’ top offensive threat at this tournament, leading the team with three goals. The U.S. has never won back-to-back knockout-round matches at a World Cup. Belgium previously eliminated the Americans in the round of 16 back in 2014.

The winner of Monday’s match will face Spain on Friday in Inglewood, California, with a semifinal spot against either France or Morocco on the line. The last time the U.S. reached the quarterfinals was in 2002, when Germany ended their run. The Americans’ furthest World Cup finish remains a semifinal appearance at the very first tournament in 1930.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Cristiano Ronaldo’s final appearance at a FIFA World Cup ended in painful fashion Monday, as substitute Mikel Merino struck in the closing moments to give Spain a 1-0 round-of-16 victory over Portugal.

Speaking to reporters after the match, the 41-year-old forward said Spain benefited from “a bit of luck” when Merino’s late goal sealed the result in what Ronaldo described as a closely contested match that could have gone either way.

“I’m sad to be leaving the World Cup like this,” Ronaldo said. “I gave it my all. I did my best and I’m leaving with a clear conscience. It was my last World Cup, yes, but I’ll now have time to reflect and be with my family. I won’t be making any rash decisions.”

While Ronaldo confirmed this was his last World Cup, he declined to say whether Monday’s defeat also marked his final appearance in a Portugal shirt, expressing a desire to avoid having personal matters overshadow the team’s tournament run.

“I don’t make decisions in the heat of the moment,” he said.

The Al-Nassr forward reflected on his legacy with the national team, pointing to three major titles he helped Portugal capture — the 2016 European Championship and Nations League victories in 2019 and 2025.

“I’ve won three titles for Portugal; before Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal hadn’t won a single title,” he said. “The biggest title the national team has ever won was in 2016, the European Championship, which, to be honest, is just as significant to me as a World Cup.”

Portugal’s exit from the tournament also marked the end of manager Roberto Martinez’s tenure with the team. Ronaldo had nothing but praise for the Spanish coach.

“I loved working with him,” Ronaldo said. “A great manager, a great human being, and what he’s done for Portugal is to be commended. I want to thank him and wish him every happiness.”

Ronaldo added that despite the bitter elimination, Portugal’s players could leave with their heads held high. “It’s always sad to be knocked out of a major tournament. It’s a World Cup. The team was really coming into its own. We played well, in my view. It could have gone either way, but that’s football. We have to pick ourselves up and carry on. It’s frustrating to go out like this, but we can hold our heads high.”

U.S. striker Folarin Balogun has been cleared to start Monday’s World Cup round-of-16 matchup against Belgium after FIFA suspended the red card he was given during the team’s previous game. A FIFA appeals committee also denied Belgium’s attempt to challenge that decision.

Balogun, who leads the American squad in tournament scoring with three goals, will line up in attack alongside Christian Pulisic. U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino named Matt Freese as the starting goalkeeper, keeping the lineup unchanged from the match against Bosnia.

On the Belgian side, notable players Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Jeremy Doku were all named to the bench rather than the starting eleven.

U.S. Starting Lineup: Matt Freese, Sergino Dest, Chris Richards, Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Tim Ream, Alex Freeman, Malik Tillman, Folarin Balogun.

Belgium Starting Lineup: Thibaut Courtois, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper, Youri Tielemans, Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere, Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Nicolas Raskin, Amadou Onana, Dodi Lukebakio.

The Columbus Crew have parted ways with their top scorer, sending All-Star forward Diego Rossi to Liga MX club CF Monterrey in a reported $8 million transfer deal.

Crew general manager Issa Tall acknowledged Rossi’s contributions to the team in an official statement: “Diego was an important part of the Crew’s success over the past three years. Our team and supporters will always appreciate his tireless work ethic and passion for our club.”

Rossi, 28, leaves Columbus having scored 37 goals and recorded 20 assists across parts of four seasons with the club from 2023 to 2026. This season alone, he notched six goals and two assists in 15 appearances. During his time with the Crew, he was a key contributor to the team’s 2023 MLS Cup title and 2024 Leagues Cup championship.

The Uruguayan native first made a name for himself in MLS with Los Angeles FC from 2018 through 2021, before a stint with Turkish club Fenerbahce from 2022 to 2023. In total across his time with LAFC and Columbus, Rossi accumulated 85 goals and 41 assists in 192 league appearances. He earned MLS All-Star honors four times, in 2019, 2021, 2024, and 2025.

The announcement arrived Friday, just one day after Columbus confirmed the signing of 29-year-old Spanish midfielder Brais Mendez from Real Sociedad of Spain’s La Liga. Mendez steps into the designated player role on the Columbus roster that Rossi previously occupied.

Boston Celtics owner Bill Chisholm opened up Monday about how hard it was for him personally to approve the trade that sent star player Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, saying the front office had to work to bring him around to the decision.

“The fan in me,” Chisholm said during a joint press conference alongside team president Brad Stevens. “It was really tough. I’m accountable for it. Brad’s accountable to me for it. They came to the conclusion, they convinced me, this was the best way to win. I got there.”

Chisholm pushed back on the idea that the trade has damaged the Celtics’ reputation as a destination for top players — something he called “unacceptable.” Despite widespread criticism of the deal, he remained firm that the organization made the right call.

“We have to be the best. We want to be the best place for players to play,” Chisholm said. “Whether perception becomes reality, we have to deal with that, but that’s not my take on how these things went down.”

According to Stevens, the Celtics explored multiple options before pulling the trigger on the trade. Early conversations included the Milwaukee Bucks, the Miami Heat, and other teams. Ultimately, Boston moved Brown — a five-time All-Star — to their division rival in exchange for Paul George and multiple draft picks.

“This was all about basically trying to win. I think we have the best front office in the NBA,” Chisholm said. “That’s the mandate, was to win. We’ll spend whatever it takes to do that.”

Stevens acknowledged the trade was a “hard decision” and that it provides no immediate financial relief for the team. He also noted he understands why the move wouldn’t sit well in “many circles.” Analytics specialist Michael Zarren was part of the deliberations.

“It was a really hard call. We understood that coming into it. That’s something you have to consider and weigh,” Stevens said. “You take in every angle and every ounce of information that you have and you put it all together. For me and Mike — and his staff might get mad at me — (analytics) was a small piece of information for me. We did the deal because we got Paul George and we got draft assets.”

Brown, who is 29 years old, responded to the trade on a livestream, saying “things went left” after what he described as positive conversations with the Celtics about his future with the team.

Stevens responded with empathy: “If he feels that way, I’m sorry about that. I really am. As I said, we had a lot of open discussions about here or elsewhere. He and, at least his agent, were well aware of even teams that had the most cursory of interest. That was well-communicated or at least communicated. I’m sorry that he would feel that way.”

Brown had been a standout performer this past season, ranking fourth in the entire league in scoring at 28.7 points per game during the 2025-26 season. He also finished sixth in NBA MVP voting the previous year, largely carrying the offensive load while teammate Jayson Tatum recovered from an Achilles injury.

Stevens also clarified that the trade does not signal any belt-tightening from ownership. The Celtics are still actively looking to add a player using the mid-level exception, which is valued at around $10 million.

George, who entered the league in 2010 with the Indiana Pacers, turned 36 in May. The nine-time All-Star put up 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game last season. However, his durability has been a concern — he has only surpassed 56 games in a season once since 2019, playing 74 games in 2023-24 with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Philadelphia 76ers went public Monday with major roster changes, formally announcing the completion of a high-profile trade for star forward Jaylen Brown and the addition of free-agent guard Anfernee Simons.

Philadelphia confirmed it received Brown from the Boston Celtics in exchange for veteran forward Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-round picks — sending them to one of the franchise’s most familiar division opponents. With Simons now on board as well, the 76ers’ core takes shape around Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe.

Brown, 29, wraps up a 10-year run in Boston that saw him earn five All-Star selections, two All-NBA second-team honors, and the 2024 NBA Finals MVP award. The third overall pick in the 2016 draft put up a career-best 28.7 points per game last season — fourth-best in the entire league — while also setting personal records in rebounds (6.9) and assists (5.1).

Across his career, Brown has posted averages of 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game, connecting on 47.8% of his field goal attempts and 35.8% of his three-point tries over 674 regular-season games, with 567 starts. He still has three years left on the five-year, $285 million supermax contract he inked with Boston back in 2023.

“I’m excited to begin this next chapter in Philly,” Brown said. “From every conversation I’ve had, it’s clear this is a group that’s hungry, competitive and committed to winning; and that’s the kind of environment I’ve always embraced.”

Philadelphia is banking on Brown’s ability to contribute on both ends of the floor, along with his deep postseason experience. In Boston, he appeared in 142 playoff games (122 starts) and was part of a championship run. Since his rookie year in 2016, Brown’s combined 523 wins in the regular season and playoffs rank first in the entire NBA.

Philadelphia managing partner Josh Harris described Brown as “one of the best two-way players in the league” and took a moment to acknowledge George’s contributions to the organization.

George, 36, spent two seasons with the 76ers, putting up averages of 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.8 steals across 78 games before heading to Boston. The draft compensation heading to the Celtics includes Philadelphia’s unprotected 2031 first-round pick, a top-16 protected 2028 first-round pick connected to the Los Angeles Clippers, and second-round selections in 2028 and 2030.

Over his career with the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Clippers, and 76ers, George has averaged 20.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.7 steals in 945 games, shooting 44.0% from the floor and 38.4% from beyond the arc.

Simons, 27, brings Philadelphia another reliable outside shooter. He averaged 14.3 points in 55 games split between Boston and Chicago last season, hitting 38.5% of his three-point attempts. He has shot at least 36% from three in each of the past six seasons. Although the 76ers did not reveal the financial terms, ESPN reported the deal is a two-year contract worth $12.3 million, with a player option attached to the second year.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — After 13 remarkable seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo is heading to the Miami Heat — and he’s not pretending the transition is easy.

As the trade was made official on Monday, Antetokounmpo released a nearly 37-minute video on YouTube in which he sat down with former Bucks broadcaster Jim Paschke to talk through his complicated feelings about leaving the only NBA team he has ever known. He also shared a shorter farewell message on social media directed at the city of Milwaukee.

“I’m scared that the grass is not always greener. … People love me here,” Antetokounmpo told Paschke during the interview. “People respect me here. People allow me to be myself here in the city. And I’m scared that I might never find that ever again.”

Still, the same competitive fire that drove him to deliver Milwaukee its first NBA title in 50 years ultimately pushed him toward this decision. The Bucks have not made it past the second round of the playoffs since winning the championship in 2021, and their last postseason series win came in 2022. Antetokounmpo, who will celebrate his 32nd birthday in December, said he found himself waking up each morning questioning whether a fresh start somewhere else might give him a better shot at another ring.

“I’m scared that maybe if I don’t take that decision, that when I’m going to be 37, 38 years old, hopefully and I’m retiring, I’m going to say: ‘Why? Why didn’t you take that risk?’” he said.

Few athletes have meant as much to a franchise as Antetokounmpo has to Milwaukee. Selected 15th overall in the 2013 draft as a slender 18-year-old, he grew into the “Greek Freak” — a two-time MVP and the most impactful player in Bucks history. He brought his entire family to Milwaukee as a young man, building roots in a city that embraced him, and eventually started his own family there as well.

“The city of Milwaukee will always be in my heart,” he said. “This is my home.”

During the conversation, Paschke asked what advice Antetokounmpo’s late father might have given him about this move. His father, Charles, passed away in 2017 and is buried in Milwaukee.

“My father would tell me go to an uncomfortable situation that can allow you to grow and chase your dream, no matter what,” Antetokounmpo said.

He departs as the Bucks’ all-time leader in virtually every major statistical category — points, rebounds, assists, blocks, games played, and minutes on the court.

His legacy in Milwaukee is defined in large part by the 2021 championship run. He hyperextended his knee during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals but sat out only two games before returning to earn NBA Finals MVP honors. He capped the run by scoring 50 points in the title-clinching Game 6 win over the Phoenix Suns.

Antetokounmpo reflected on what that championship has meant to the people of Milwaukee, describing how he began to grasp its significance through everyday encounters with fans on the street.

“You don’t understand it,” he said. “Until you take a break, take a pause and walk out on the street and people approach you and talk to you about it. That’s when you start realizing, ‘Man, man, man, man.’ It’s bigger than basketball. You made people feel something.”

Paschke, who spent 35 years broadcasting Bucks games before retiring following the 2020-21 season, made clear how deeply Antetokounmpo had touched the community.

“I think I need you to know that you’ve had such an impact on everyone,” Paschke told him. “I don’t even know if you realize the impact you’ve had.”

Bucks general manager Jon Horst addressed the trade in a statement, noting that Milwaukee received Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez, Kasparas Jakucionis, the draft rights to rookie Nate Ament, and several additional draft picks in the deal.

Horst described the move as the right outcome for both sides, but acknowledged the magnitude of what Antetokounmpo gave the franchise. “There are few players in the history of professional sports who have elevated a franchise, a city and a fan base the way Giannis Antetokounmpo has for Milwaukee and the Bucks,” Horst said.

“He became an ambassador for our city around the world and a source of pride for our entire state,” Horst added. “Through his generosity, authenticity and commitment to helping others, he touched lives throughout our community and inspired people across generations.”

Adding to the bittersweet nature of his departure is the fact that Milwaukee fans never truly got a proper goodbye. Antetokounmpo landed awkwardly on a dunk during a March 15 victory over Indiana and never returned to the court, sitting out the Bucks’ final 15 games of the season. He said publicly that he felt healthy and wanted to play, while the team cited a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise — leaving fans without a final moment to show their appreciation.

Still, Antetokounmpo did not close the door entirely on a return to Milwaukee someday. When Paschke mentioned that he would always be welcomed back, the 10-time All-Star said it “would be awesome if I could go and play and maybe come back.” He pointed to Kevin Garnett, who began and ended his career in Minnesota, as an example.

“I saw this clip of him walking into the arena, and they gave him a standing ovation, and people to this day love him,” Antetokounmpo recalled.

Sergio Garcia, one of the biggest names to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf back in 2022, says he is almost certain the breakaway league will survive into 2027 — even as its primary source of money dries up.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has announced it will stop bankrolling LIV Golf after the current season wraps up. Reports have indicated the tour could face serious trouble even before this year’s schedule is completed.

To keep going, LIV Golf is looking to raise roughly $300 million from outside investors, which would fund a 10-tournament slate in 2027.

Garcia expressed confidence that a deal will get done. “Obviously, I think they’ve had a lot of meetings with different possible investors,” he said, according to bunkered.co.uk. “I’m 99% sure that LIV is going to continue. It’s just going to look different than it has the last four years. But I’m very, very confident that it’s going to keep going. We’ll see how it develops.”

While the tour’s future remains uncertain, Garcia has been keeping busy on the course. The Spanish golfer competed in the DP World Tour’s BMW International Open last week in Germany and is expected to tee it up in at least three more DP World Tour events before the season is out. He is also planning to renew his DP World Tour membership for the 2027 season.

“Obviously, at 46, I can’t play 30 events a year, but I’m going to make an effort to see if I can at least play a handful and try to do my best there,” Garcia said.

The 2017 Masters champion has had top-three finishes across all four major tournaments throughout his career and has accumulated 38 professional victories — 11 on the PGA Tour, 16 in Europe, and two in LIV Golf.

This year, Garcia finished 52nd at the Masters and sat out both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open. He also failed to qualify for this month’s Open Championship, being held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England.

Kerr Kriisa, a college basketball player who suited up for four programs — Arizona, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Cincinnati — was indicted Monday by the Northern District of West Virginia on charges alleging he ran a $2.2 million fraud scheme.

Court documents outline five counts against the 25-year-old, and federal prosecutors are seeking a financial judgment equal to the alleged proceeds of the scheme, as well as any property purchased with those funds.

According to the United States Department of Justice, Kriisa is accused of using false representations, fabricated identities, and deceptive communications to obtain money from at least two victims.

Kentucky Sports Radio reported that the FBI arrested Kriisa last week.

The indictment alleges Kriisa “falsely representing that he and his family faced imminent danger if a victim of his fraudulent scheme did not send him money to pay a debt.” Prosecutors also allege he directed one victim to send a payment to another victim while posing under the fake name “Irene.”

Originally from Estonia, Kriisa played professionally in Lithuania and Germany before coming to the United States for college basketball. He spent three seasons at Arizona, where he began his college career as a guard.

The DOJ alleges the fraudulent operation began while Kriisa was living in Tucson in 2022 and that he was still engaged in the scheme as recently as last month.

During the 2023-24 season at West Virginia, Kriisa averaged a career-best 11 points per game, though he also served a nine-game suspension that year stemming from impermissible benefits he received while at Arizona. He then transferred to Kentucky for the 2024-25 season and Cincinnati for the 2025-26 season. Over his college career, Kriisa appeared in 127 games — starting 106 of them — averaging 8.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 28.1 minutes per contest.

Two Italian tennis stars made their mark at Wimbledon on Monday, with Flavio Cobolli and Jasmine Paolini both punching their tickets to the quarterfinals, while British wildcard Arthur Fery thrilled home fans by surviving a grueling match against fellow wildcard Grigor Dimitrov.

Cobolli, seeded ninth, dispatched Australian fifth seed Alex de Minaur 7-5, 7-6(4), 6-3 on a sweltering afternoon on Court One — a match that was interrupted twice after spectators in the stands fell ill from the heat. The victory came on the heels of Cobolli’s runner-up finish at Roland Garros, where he lost to Alexander Zverev, and he continued to show his best tennis on the Grand Slam stage. A standout moment came deep in the second set when he unleashed a spinning forehand winner that showcased his shot-making ability. After the match, Cobolli was spotted cooling off with some ice cream.

“I feel great. It was an incredible match for me. I think I played one of the best matches, especially on this surface that is always tough to play on,” Cobolli told reporters. “Today I found a way to have a high level for, I don’t know how much I played, but for all the match … I’m proud and happy to reach a second quarter-final in a row here at Wimbledon. That means a lot for me. I played for my first time here on Court One. The feeling on the court was incredible. I love to play there. The sound was amazing and amazing feeling with the ball.”

For De Minaur, the defeat stung deeply. The 27-year-old had been chasing his eighth Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance and hoping to finally break through that barrier. “I think breaking it down into possibly simpler terms, I think one of us went out to win the match, and the other went out not to lose the match,” De Minaur said. “I think it’s pretty self-explanatory who was who. It breaks me inside. That’s the reality of it. Many, many hours gets put into my craft and countless years to have moments like these. To not step up to the plate, it’s gut wrenching.”

On Centre Court, Paolini — seeded 13th — knocked out crowd favorite Alexandra Eala of the Philippines 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to keep her deep Wimbledon run going. Paolini was the runner-up at the event in 2024 and has been dealing with a foot injury that has troubled her throughout the season, but she says she’s finding her love for the game again at a venue where she feels strong fan support.

“I’m enjoying playing tennis. Of course, it’s easier when you play well. But I think it’s important to try to keep this mindset, even when things are tougher,” Paolini said.

Paolini’s next opponent will be Ukrainian 12th seed Marta Kostyuk, who opened the eighth day of competition with a 6-4, 6-4 win over American qualifier Ashlyn Krueger on Court Two. Kostyuk acknowledged the pressure she felt heading into the match. “It was a pretty stressful match for me because I was the one coming into this match with being a favourite with such a good opportunity, playing for the first quarter-final here in Wimbledon,” she said. “Of course, there was more pressure. I think just all these things kind of connected. For sure the heat didn’t help.”

The heat has been a major storyline throughout the tournament. Last week saw temperatures reach around 37 degrees Celsius (98 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking British records for June. Forecasters expect the second week to bring temperatures climbing back above 30 degrees Celsius.

In other women’s action, former Australian Open champion Madison Keys was eliminated with a 6-4, 7-6(2) loss to 21-year-old Czech Linda Noskova, who reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time in her career. Noskova, who looks to follow in the footsteps of Czech champions Petra Kvitova, Marketa Vondrousova, and Barbora Krejcikova, will next face Belgian Elise Mertens, who beat fellow Czech Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-4.

The evening’s biggest moment for the home crowd came when Fery, the last remaining British player in the singles draw, battled past Dimitrov 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(10-7) in a match that stretched nearly four hours.

On the men’s side, Taylor Fritz cruised past Kazakh 10th seed Alexander Bublik 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals for the fourth time in five years at the All England Club. Zverev, who won the French Open title, will look to stay in contention for a second Grand Slam crown when he takes on Jiri Lehecka later in the day.

ATLANTA — A dispute over a reversed player suspension has thrust the personal bond between Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino into the global spotlight, igniting outrage and raising serious concerns about whether outside influence is compromising the integrity of the World Cup.

Trump confirmed this week that he personally phoned Infantino last week to request a review of the one-match suspension handed to U.S. forward Folarin Balogun. That suspension was subsequently lifted, allowing Balogun to take the field Monday when the United States faced Belgium in the round of 16. The move drew sharp condemnation from Belgium and from UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, which charged that FIFA had crossed a “red line.”

The episode has cast new attention on the years-long relationship between Trump and Infantino, which has grown steadily more visible and intertwined with the staging of the largest World Cup in history.

Trump’s interest in the sport increased after the United States secured co-hosting rights for the tournament back in 2018, during his first term in office. He welcomed Infantino to the White House during that period, and the FIFA president made a memorable impression by presenting Trump with red and yellow cards, joking they could come in handy when dealing with reporters.

The two grew closer over the following years. At the global economic summit in Davos in 2020, they shared a dinner where Infantino referred to Trump as “my great friend.” That same year, Trump extended an invitation to Infantino for the White House signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords — a diplomatic effort to normalize ties between Israel and several Arab nations — at a time when Infantino was working to deepen FIFA’s own relationship with Saudi Arabia.

By contrast, Infantino’s interactions with Joe Biden, who defeated Trump in the 2020 election, were considerably more subdued. The two met briefly at a Group of 20 summit in 2022, and Infantino made at least one visit to the White House in 2024.

When Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Infantino publicly congratulated him the very next day and later visited Trump’s South Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, during the presidential transition period. He attended Trump’s inauguration and described the two as sharing “a great friendship.”

Earlier this year, Infantino appeared at Trump’s Board of Peace gathering in Washington, where nine governments committed $7 billion to a Gaza relief effort. Infantino pledged to contribute a new stadium, a FIFA academy, and multiple soccer fields to the conflict-affected region.

In December of last year, human rights organization Fair Square filed a complaint with FIFA’s ethics committee, alleging that Infantino had repeatedly violated the governing body’s rules on political neutrality. The complaint cited multiple instances of what it described as Infantino’s public backing of “the actions and policies of the US President, Donald Trump.”

Perhaps the most striking symbol of the two men’s alliance came when FIFA created an inaugural peace prize in November — a development that followed Trump’s public complaints about being passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize. The FIFA prize was awarded to Trump, with Infantino praising him for his “unwavering commitment to advancing peace and unity throughout the world.” At the 2026 World Cup draw held in December, Infantino presented Trump with a golden trophy engraved with his name and placed a medal around his neck.

“This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” Trump said at the ceremony, adding, “most important, I just want to thank everybody. The world is a safer place now.”

Trump has received other sports-related gifts as well. The oversized trophy crafted by Tiffany for the newly expanded Club World Cup — featuring a 24-karat gold-plated finish — spent time in the Oval Office ahead of the tournament being held in the U.S. last year. In an interview with broadcaster DAZN, Trump recalled asking FIFA when it planned to retrieve the trophy, saying he was told: “You can have it forever in the Oval Office. We’re making a new one.” Infantino also gave Trump a gold replica of the World Cup trophy, describing it as being “for winners only.”

Trump has called Infantino “probably the most respected man in sports.” The two watched the Club World Cup final together from a luxury box at MetLife Stadium in July of last year, and it was during that gathering that they began discussions about holding the World Cup draw in Washington — a location that had not been widely anticipated, as Las Vegas had been considered the likely venue.

Infantino has a history of cultivating relationships with host nations. He accepted the Russian Order of Friendship from Vladimir Putin following the 2018 World Cup and temporarily relocated to Qatar ahead of the 2022 tournament. While Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney were both present at December’s draw, Trump alone received the FIFA peace prize.

“You can always count on my support,” Infantino told Trump at the event, which ended with the Village People performing “Y.M.C.A.”

On Monday, Trump addressed the Balogun controversy directly. “I didn’t tell him what to do. I can’t tell him what to do,” he said. Infantino, for his part, maintained that FIFA’s judicial bodies operate independently and said that autonomy was “essential to the credibility and integrity of football.”

Trump has not yet attended a World Cup match, though Infantino has watched games alongside several members of the Trump administration, including the Commerce Secretary, the Secretary of State, and the FBI Director. Infantino said in a recent television interview that Trump plans to join him for the World Cup final and present the trophy to the winning team.

A large mural of Giannis Antetokounmpo may still stand in downtown Milwaukee, but the man himself has now officially said goodbye — sharing an emotional farewell video on social media after being traded to the Miami Heat.

The professionally produced video features career highlights and memorable moments while Antetokounmpo himself provides the narration throughout.

The trade sent Antetokounmpo to Miami in exchange for four players, three first-round draft picks, and additional compensation.

In the video, Antetokounmpo spoke directly to the people of Milwaukee and Wisconsin. “The city of Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin, I want them to remember this from me,” he said. “Don’t worry about the basket. Don’t worry about the championship. Don’t worry about the wins. Don’t worry about the losses.”

He went on to describe his deep connection to the city’s working-class spirit. “I tried to be like them. I believe the city of Milwaukee is blue-collar. It’s people that work extremely hard every single day. They give all their hard-earned money, just to come watch the Milwaukee Bucks. To come and feel something. To come to be a part of us.”

“I hope that I was able to represent them, the best that I could. And I was like them. I showed up to work, did everything. I was willing to do all the dirty work, just like them.”

During his 13 years with Milwaukee, the player known as “The Greek Freak” earned two MVP awards, a most-improved-player award, and a defensive-player-of-the-year honor. Most notably, he led the Bucks to the NBA championship in 2021 — the franchise’s first title since 1971.

Across 895 regular-season games with 830 starts, the 31-year-old averaged 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. He was selected 15th overall in the 2013 draft. In 84 playoff appearances, he averaged 33.0 points, 15.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. He was named to the All-Star team ten times throughout his career.

His farewell message continued: “I hope that bringing a trophy to the city meant something to them, because it meant so much to me.”

“I want you to hear it from my mouth. The city of Milwaukee will always be in my heart. This is my home. And this is a place that I had my kids. My mom is here. My father is here. My brothers played here. It made me the man that I am today. That will never, ever change.”

He closed with a powerful declaration: “No matter where I am, Milwaukee will always be my city, my team, my family.”

The video wraps up with a clip of a young Antetokounmpo expressing his dream of playing in the NBA, followed by NBA commissioner David Stern calling his name at the 2013 draft.

As the video spread across social media, Bucks general manager Jon Horst released a letter to fans addressing the trade. “This decision is in the best interest of both the Bucks and Giannis,” Horst wrote. “I understand the emotions this news brings, and I share them. I’m confident our path forward provides a strong foundation for sustained success. As we begin the next chapter of Bucks basketball, we do so with optimism, purpose and a clear vision to build on our standard of excellence while strengthening our competitive identity and winning culture under the leadership of our new head coach, Taylor Jenkins.”

A longer version of the interview from which Antetokounmpo’s narration was drawn is available on his YouTube channel.

France captain Kylian Mbappe publicly condemned a Paraguayan senator on Monday, calling her a “despicable woman” after she unleashed a racist attack against him on social media following Paraguay’s exit from the World Cup.

Mbappe’s penalty kick was the deciding goal as France defeated Paraguay 1-0 in Philadelphia on Saturday, sending France into the quarterfinals of the tournament.

Senator Celeste Amarilla responded to the loss with a lengthy, slur-filled post on X, referring to Mbappe as a “colonised Cameroonian, desperately trying to pass himself off as French” and calling him a “brute” who had not learned to write. She also suggested Paraguay’s players should have struck him after the game.

Mbappe responded directly and forcefully, standing up for himself while also defending the honor of the Paraguayan players.

“Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position. You do not represent Paraguay, that country which has sweated passion and honour throughout the competition,” he wrote.

“Through your recklessness and your brazen racism, the entire world has already forgotten the journey and the historic effort that your players accomplished during this World Cup, making way for an incompetent woman who gives the worst possible image of her country.”

He added: “I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world.”

The French Football Federation escalated the situation further, announcing it intends to pursue criminal charges against the senator. The organization described her comments as “utterly abhorrent and unacceptable.”

“These remarks are criminal and reprehensible. They must be prosecuted here as elsewhere. The FFF is reporting the matter to the public prosecutor’s office with a view to legal proceedings,” the federation stated.

“These remarks bring shame upon those who make them and those who disseminate them. The players of the French national team represent France; it is our country that is being insulted,” it added.

LONDON — American tennis star Taylor Fritz punched his ticket to the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the fourth time in five years on Monday, defeating unpredictable Kazakh opponent Alexander Bublik in straight sets on Court One.

Fritz, the sixth seed, took control of the match during a first-set tiebreak following a high-level serving battle between the two players. He stayed sharp at the critical moments throughout the match, eventually closing out a 7-6(1) 6-4 6-4 victory.

With the win, Fritz joins a prestigious group as the 10th American player to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals on four or more occasions — a list that includes legends Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, and John McEnroe.

However, unlike those celebrated American players, Fritz has not yet captured a Grand Slam title. His only Grand Slam final appearance came at the 2024 U.S. Open, where he fell to Jannik Sinner.

Next up for Fritz in the quarter-finals will be either second seed Alexander Zverev or Jiri Lehecka.

A former college basketball standout is facing serious federal charges after a grand jury accused him of swindling nearly $2.2 million from two people through an elaborate web of lies and impersonations.

Kerr Kriisa, a 25-year-old, 6-foot-3 guard originally from Estonia, was indicted by a federal grand jury in West Virginia last month. The case became public Monday after federal agents arrested him in Kentucky on Saturday. He is expected to appear in federal court in West Virginia this week to face five counts of wire fraud.

U.S. Attorney Matthew Harvey announced the charges, stating: “Financial fraud schemes erode trust and cause real harm to victims who believed they were helping someone in need.”

Kriisa built a notable college basketball career, beginning at Arizona in 2020 where he became a crowd favorite known for his aggressive play and shooting from beyond the arc. He led the Pac-12 in assists over his two full seasons there before transferring to West Virginia, where he was suspended for the first nine games of his only season after admitting to receiving improper benefits while at Arizona.

He later transferred to Kentucky in 2024, but a foot injury limited him to just nine games. His final year of eligibility took him to Cincinnati, where he started 12 games before a separated shoulder ended his season in February.

According to the indictment, the fraudulent activity stretched from 2022 through June 2 of this year. During that time, Kriisa allegedly pretended to be other people — including his own mother — and falsely claimed that he and his family were in desperate need of money to handle urgent emergencies.

In one instance from August 2022, Kriisa allegedly told a victim he had secured a loan to pay her back, and then months later claimed he was planning to sell his organs to raise repayment funds. Between 2022 and 2024, he allegedly contacted that same victim while posing as his mother, requesting money for cancer treatments and to rescue the family’s farm.

In April 2025, Kriisa reportedly signed a written agreement falsely promising to repay that victim $100,000 by February 2026.

A second victim was targeted from November 2025 through early February of this year, with Kriisa allegedly reaching out repeatedly for money while sometimes pretending to be a fictional individual named “Irene.”

Folarin Balogun steps onto the field Monday for the biggest match of his career, carrying with him a story that has become far more than just soccer — it touches on questions of identity, immigration, and American politics at the highest level.

Balogun was not supposed to be on the field at all for the United States’ round of 16 showdown against Belgium. He had been handed a red card during the Americans’ previous match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which would have automatically kept him out. But FIFA stunned the soccer world on Sunday by announcing it would lift that suspension.

The circumstances surrounding that decision are hard to miss. President Donald Trump — who has repeatedly pushed to end birthright citizenship — publicly called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to take another look at Balogun’s case. Infantino confirmed the conversation took place, though he denied that Trump’s involvement had any bearing on the final outcome.

The irony runs deep. Balogun holds U.S. citizenship because his Nigerian mother was visiting New York when her pregnancy advanced too far for her to fly home. She gave birth in the United States, then brought her newborn son back to England when he was just one month old. Balogun grew up in Britain and came through the Arsenal youth academy before eventually deciding to represent the United States on the international stage.

He had previously played for England at the youth level before formally joining the U.S. Soccer program in 2023. England, Nigeria, and the United States had all been possibilities for the talented forward.

“It feels like I’m at home here,” Balogun said when U.S. Soccer announced he would wear the Stars and Stripes.

He noted that the decision was made alongside his family, and that a vacation to Orlando played a role in winning him over. “I think that’s when I really saw the full force of the U.S. fans,” he said. “It’s just something I’m really happy that I’ve decided to do.”

At the World Cup, Balogun has emerged as the tournament’s breakout American star, scoring three goals and sparking dreams of a deep run. While Christian Pulisic — long the face of U.S. men’s soccer — remains the team’s most recognized name among sponsors, it is Balogun who has captured the imagination of fans. He even drew a shoutout from LeBron James after mimicking the NBA star’s “Silencer” celebration on the pitch.

The red card that threatened to sideline him came Wednesday, when a Video Assistant Referee review caught him planting his boot on the ankle of Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic — a contact that appeared unintentional. Pulisic put his arm around Balogun as the 25-year-old took the moment in stride, later vowing to support his teammates from the sidelines if the ban held.

It did not hold. And the timing of the reversal — coming less than a week after the Supreme Court handed Trump a significant defeat in his effort to end birthright citizenship — made the story impossible to ignore.

“The timing and the development of the story has been extraordinary to witness,” said Jorge Loweree, the managing director of programs at the American Immigration Council.

Loweree also weighed in on what Balogun’s story represents in the broader debate. “Mr. Balogun’s case is an extraordinary example of the good that is made available to us by things like birthright citizenship, giving people an opportunity that they would not have otherwise, to be their best and to contribute to the United States in ways that benefit all of us,” he said.

A Miami Herald editorial declared that Balogun “prove(s) birthright citizenship isn’t a loophole — it’s America.”

The United States is among 33 countries — the majority located in the Western Hemisphere — that grant unconditional birthright citizenship, a right rooted in an 1898 Supreme Court ruling affirming the 14th Amendment. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted this year found that most Americans oppose eliminating that right.

Balogun’s rise has also taken on added significance for U.S. Soccer itself, as the program works to move beyond its long-standing reputation for drawing overwhelmingly from white, suburban talent pools. His success on sport’s grandest stage has become a symbol of a changing American soccer identity.

SEATTLE — With just hours to go before the United States and Belgium squared off in a World Cup round of 16 contest at Seattle Stadium, ticket prices were still trending downward.

According to ticket-tracking service TicketData.com, the lowest available ticket — known as the get-in price — had fallen to $1,508 as of 1 p.m. ET on Monday, July 6. That figure represents a 27% decline over just three days. Prices had peaked at $3,115 shortly after the matchup was set on July 1, then slid as low as $1,283 on Sunday morning before bouncing back to $1,788 later that day, only to fall again Monday morning.

The pattern is consistent with what has been seen at other round of 16 matches. England’s victory over Mexico in Mexico City on Sunday night carried a get-in price of $3,820 when tracking ended four hours before kickoff. However, most other remaining knockout games have experienced notable price drops.

Argentina’s Tuesday matchup against Egypt in Atlanta started at $1,599 on July 4 and has since slipped to $1,378. The most affordable ticket among all round of 16 games now belongs to Switzerland’s match against Colombia in Vancouver, where the get-in price has fallen from $972 to $719 over the past two days.

In Dallas, Monday’s other knockout contest between Portugal and Spain has seen a more modest decline, dropping from $1,367 to $1,311.

Here is a full breakdown of round of 16 get-in prices as of 1 p.m. ET on July 6, per TicketData.com:

Mexico vs. England, July 5 (Mexico City): $3,820
Brazil vs. Norway, July 5 (New York): $1,812
USA vs. Belgium, July 6 (Seattle): $1,508
Argentina vs. Egypt, July 7 (Atlanta): $1,378
Portugal vs. Spain, July 6 (Dallas): $1,311
Paraguay vs. France, July 4 (Philadelphia): $914
Canada vs. Morocco, July 4 (Houston): $721
Switzerland vs. Colombia (Vancouver): $719

Across all round of 16 matches, the average get-in price has dropped 3% over the past three days and 8% over the past week.

The steep drop in prices for the U.S.-Belgium game is considered somewhat unexpected, given that Belgium’s base camp sits just 10 miles south of Seattle Stadium at the Sounders FC Performance Center. Monday marks the third time Belgium has played in Seattle during this tournament, having previously tied Egypt 1-1 in group play and then rallying for a dramatic 3-2 victory over Senegal in the round of 32.

Whoever wins Monday’s match in Seattle will advance to face the winner of the Portugal-Spain game, with that quarterfinal set for Los Angeles on Friday.

A human rights organization focused on sports is calling for a formal investigation into U.S. President Donald Trump’s involvement in reversing a red card suspension for American soccer player Folarin Balogun, warning it could spell the beginning of the end for FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Trump confirmed this past Monday that he had personally reached out to Infantino regarding the red card ban, which had threatened to sideline Balogun from the U.S. team’s World Cup round-of-16 clash with Belgium. FIFA’s disciplinary committee suspended the punishment on Sunday, allowing Balogun to take the field in Monday’s match.

Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, released a statement insisting that the disciplinary committee operates independently and that he played no role in the decision to lift Balogun’s ban.

FairSquare, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sports and human rights issues, argues that FIFA’s growing entanglement with political figures has been a concern dating back to the 2018 World Cup held in Russia.

“I don’t think there’s any question they’ve become far too politically aligned,” said Nicholas McGeehan, director and co-founder of FairSquare, in comments to Reuters.

“I think that the politicisation, probably on account of how Trump carries on, has become most obviously blatantly problematic (in the U.S.). But I think this is a trend that that has come into force … since Infantino came to power, for sure,” McGeehan added.

Earlier this month, 50 members of the European Parliament sent a letter to FIFA’s ethics committee supporting FairSquare’s existing complaint against Infantino. That complaint centers on Infantino’s backing of Trump’s political positions, including the decision to award Trump the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize.

McGeehan warned that continued political interference would place enormous strain on Infantino’s leadership. “I think if we continue to see those types of political interventions, that’s going to put real pressure on Infantino,” he said.

He went on to describe Infantino as a symptom of deeper organizational problems. “I think Infantino is a symptom of the problem. He’s a symptom of an organisation that has a rotten governance structure. (There’s a general understanding that) it’s dysfunctional to the point where it can never be reformed. And I think the relationship with Trump is probably what sort of catalysed that understanding.”

McGeehan suggested the red card controversy may ultimately prove to be a turning point for Infantino, who has already announced plans to seek another four-year term as FIFA president in March. “People are outraged when the sort of the reputation of FIFA is smeared,” he said.

“What I think you’ll find is that football administrators get seriously exercised when you start to jeopardize the integrity of the game. We are definitely going to ask for an investigation into the circumstances of this. If there is a quid pro quo at work here, then that is a very clear violation of (FIFA’s) code of ethics,” McGeehan stated.

FairSquare previously called for the resignation of Infantino’s predecessor, Sepp Blatter, back in 2015 — before Blatter stepped down amid a sweeping FIFA corruption scandal. McGeehan suggested that sentiment within the sport may now be shifting in a similar direction against Infantino.

“I think the sharks are probably circling,” McGeehan said. “He’s made far too many very serious missteps. And when you have a situation when you’ve got European lawmakers wading into debate about presidential misconduct, you have a problem.”

MIAMI — Before Giannis Antetokounmpo could look ahead to his future in Miami, he felt the need to look back and say goodbye to Milwaukee.

The NBA officially approved the blockbuster trade Monday that sends Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat in exchange for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, and draft picks. Antetokounmpo is expected to arrive in South Florida within a few days to formally begin his tenure with the Heat.

Before making that move, the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and 10-time All-Star shared a deeply personal video message on social media, reflecting on what Milwaukee has meant to him over 13 seasons.

“I want you to hear from my mouth, the city of Milwaukee will always be in my heart,” Antetokounmpo said in the video. “This is my home, and this is a place that I had my kids. … It made me the man that I am today. That will never ever change. No matter where I am, Milwaukee will always be my city, my team, my family.”

Antetokounmpo leaves Milwaukee as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with 21,531 points — a total that surpasses the previous record by more than 7,000 points over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s time with the team. He also holds the franchise records for rebounds and assists, and ranks second all-time in steals.

Miami Heat President Pat Riley celebrated the deal enthusiastically, calling it a landmark moment in the organization’s history.

“The announcement of today’s trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis Jr. is one of the great trades in Heat history,” Riley said. “In my opinion, Giannis is one of the top five players in the league and Bobby is one of the best power forwards. The difficult part is trading Tyler, Kasparas, Jaime and Kel’el, who have given so much to this organization. We wish them nothing but the best.”

Bucks General Manager Jon Horst also issued a statement, describing the trade as the right move for all parties and praising Antetokounmpo’s lasting impact on the franchise.

“Since we drafted him in 2013, Giannis has transformed the Milwaukee Bucks in every way — on the court, in our locker room and throughout the community,” Horst said. “Over 13 seasons, he became an extraordinary leader, teammate and representative of this city, and one of the defining players of his generation. The standard he set will continue here.”

The crown jewel of Antetokounmpo’s time in Milwaukee was undoubtedly the 2021 NBA championship. He poured in 50 points during the title-clinching Game 6 win over Phoenix, earning NBA Finals MVP honors by a wide margin.

In his farewell message, Antetokounmpo said the championship was as meaningful to him as he hoped it was to the fans who supported him throughout his career.

“I believe the city of Milwaukee is blue collar,” he said. “It’s people that work extremely hard every single day. They give all their hard-earned money just to come watch the Milwaukee Bucks, to come and feel something, to come, to be a part of us.

“I hope that I was able to represent them the best that I could. And I was like them. I showed up to work, did everything. I was willing to do all the dirty work, just like them. I hope that bringing a trophy to this city meant something to them, because it meant so much to me.”

Russian heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev is set to defend his WBA world heavyweight boxing title against Germany’s Peter Kadiru in Moscow on July 11, according to event organizers who announced the matchup on Monday.

The fight came together after French heavyweight Tony Yoka was forced to withdraw from the scheduled bout at the VTB Arena, citing a back injury that left him unable to compete.

Gassiev captured the secondary WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight title this past December by defeating Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev. He now sits atop the WBA’s heavyweight rankings after ‘super champion’ Oleksandr Usyk gave up his belts, leaving the division without a clear top titleholder.

The 32-year-old Russian enters the fight with an impressive professional record of 33 victories and just two defeats, including a loss to Usyk in the cruiserweight division back in 2018, along with one no contest.

His opponent, Kadiru, was born in Hamburg and is 29 years old. The German fighter has competed 24 times as a professional, with only a single defeat on his record.

Federal authorities have confiscated more than 600 drones that were flying near FIFA World Cup stadiums since the tournament began on June 11, the Transportation Security Administration announced Monday.

During match days, all aircraft — including drones — are banned from flying within a three-nautical-mile radius and up to 3,000 feet above ground level around the host stadiums, unless air traffic controllers have specifically granted permission. The FBI confirmed that the seized drones were recovered from restricted airspace spanning all 11 U.S. cities serving as World Cup host sites.

A young Czech tennis star continued her country’s strong tradition at Wimbledon on Monday, as 21-year-old Linda Noskova eliminated American Madison Keys 6-4, 7-6(2) to make the quarterfinals at the All England Club for the very first time.

Noskova, seeded ninth, is looking to follow a proud line of Czech champions at the grasscourt major, including Petra Kvitova, Marketa Vondrousova, and Barbora Krejcikova. Her performance Monday showed a level of maturity on grass that signals she could be next in line to make a deep run at the prestigious tournament.

The young Czech had trained under Melanie Molitor — the mother of tennis legend Martina Hingis — from the time she was 3 years old until age 19, and those lessons were on full display. Noskova successfully defended both break points she faced early in the match before seizing her lone opportunity in the 10th game to claim the first set.

The match was played on a lightly attended Court One, as many spectators sought shade from the intense summer sun. Keys, the 26th seed, was unable to replicate the dominant form she had shown in the previous round, when she had 2025 runner-up Amanda Anisimova struggling to keep up.

Noskova appeared poised to run away with the second set after jumping out to a 3-0 lead, but her serve suddenly became unreliable. Four double faults led to a break in the fifth game, allowing the 2025 Australian Open champion Keys to claw back to 3-3 and force a tiebreak.

When it mattered most, however, Noskova held her nerve. She converted her first match point with a perfectly placed dropshot winner, closing out the victory and booking her spot in the quarterfinals against Belgian 25th seed Elise Mertens.

Noskova now joins fellow Czech Karolina Muchova in the last eight, giving the Czech Republic a chance to capture the Venus Rosewater Dish for the third time in four years. For Keys, the loss brought an end to an impressive eight-match winning streak on grass that had begun with her title run in Eastbourne last month.

A stunning and controversial ruling by FIFA has cleared U.S. men’s national team forward Folarin Balogun to play in the round of 16 despite being shown a red card just one week earlier.

Balogun was ejected during the United States’ round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, a foul that would normally trigger an automatic one-game suspension. Yet FIFA made the unusual decision to wipe away that ban, allowing him to suit up Monday against Belgium in Seattle.

The ruling sent shockwaves through the soccer world, particularly after it came to light that President Donald Trump had spoken directly with FIFA President Gianni Infantino prior to the decision. That revelation has sparked a heated debate about whether political pressure played a role in overturning the standard disciplinary process.

Belgium’s football federation was not going down without a fight, filing a last-minute appeal in an attempt to block Balogun from taking the field. The rare nature of FIFA’s decision and the circumstances surrounding it have placed the governing body squarely at the center of a growing controversy.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Two decades before Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup trophy as a champion, his former Argentina coach Jose Pekerman made a calculated decision to bring a nervous 18-year-old off the bench during a match that was already well in hand — and he did it with a clear purpose in mind.

With Argentina cruising to what would become a 6-0 victory over Serbia and Montenegro in Gelsenkirchen, Pekerman introduced Messi in the 75th minute. He wasn’t simply giving a talented youngster some field time. In his mind, he was setting the foundation for what he believed would be one of soccer’s all-time great careers.

The teenager wasted no time justifying that belief. Within minutes of entering the match, Messi assisted Hernan Crespo on a goal and then scored himself, becoming the youngest Argentine ever to find the net at a World Cup.

Despite criticism for limiting Messi’s playing time throughout the tournament, Pekerman insists the approach was never about padding a scoreline. Each appearance, no matter how short, was part of a broader strategy to prepare the young player for the unique pressures of the world’s biggest soccer stage.

Brazil’s World Cup heartbreak is fresh once more, and legendary right back Cafu says the solution goes deeper than tactics or finding someone to blame. Speaking in New York on Monday, the captain of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup championship team said the real fix might start with something much more fundamental — letting kids play freely without carrying the burden of a nation’s expectations.

Just one day after Brazil suffered a gut-wrenching 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16 at the New York/New Jersey stadium — with Erling Haaland netting both goals to send the record five-time champions packing — Cafu called on Brazil to give coach Carlo Ancelotti the time and space for a full four-year rebuild.

Brazil’s quest for a sixth World Cup title will now stretch to at least 28 years without a championship, the longest drought in the nation’s storied football history. Cafu, who was part of the 1994 squad that snapped a 24-year title drought, understands exactly what that number means to those who wear the famous yellow jersey.

When asked about the pressure the next generation of Brazilian players will face, Cafu didn’t sugarcoat it. “Even greater,” he told Reuters. “If there was pressure in ’94 after 24 years, just imagine now in 2030, after 28 years.”

Cafu was in New York to help unveil a massive LEGO sculpture of the World Cup trophy at Rockefeller Plaza — an 8.47-metre-long creation made from more than 1.36 million LEGO bricks. Despite the occasion, he kept his remarks grounded and measured.

Brazil, he insisted, are still Brazil — a country measured by “the potential and the calibre of Brazilian football.” That standard, he noted, is exactly why patience will be both painful and essential in the years ahead.

“It’s not the end of the world,” he said. “It’s the start of a new cycle and a new generation, so we have to trust Carlo (Ancelotti) is the man to help Brazil win that title again.”

ANCELOTTI STEPPED INTO CHAOS

Ancelotti, who was once managed by Cafu at AC Milan, took over a Brazilian program in disarray. After three interim coaches and significant administrative turmoil, Cafu said the Italian manager wasn’t handed a team so much as a crisis.

“Ancelotti came into this World Cup to put out a fire, really,” Cafu said. “He took the reins of a ship that was already underway. He tried to right that ship mid-journey… but unfortunately he didn’t succeed.

“Now he’ll take the ship while it’s docked and will be able to set it on its exact course.”

Beyond the national team, Cafu’s concern runs deeper — into the academies and youth leagues where he believes Brazil’s trademark creativity and flair are being choked out by an adult-driven obsession with results. The country that once produced attacking full backs who could cover entire flanks with joy and freedom is, in his view, losing sight of what made those players great.

“Youth teams aren’t developing full-backs the way they should be,” he said. “A full-back has to be a full-back; he has to work on the flank.”

On a broader level, Cafu believes Brazil has confused nurturing talent with manufacturing winners.

“Today we’re not developing players, we’re developing competitors,” he said. “When you set up a youth programme where you’re obliged to win, you’ll develop competitors; you won’t develop proper athletes with creative freedom.”

The romance of street football — the barefoot games on asphalt that shaped his own generation — cannot be brought back simply by wishing for it, Cafu acknowledged. His memories belong to a different era of Brazilian life.

“That’s changed. It won’t come back,” he said. “Lucky were us who lived through that time, who lived through that era.”

The challenge now isn’t to recreate the past, but to preserve some of its spirit within the modern game’s structure.

“Let children be children,” Cafu said. “At eight, a child should be playing with a ball, laughing and having fun.”

And then he offered perhaps the simplest coaching philosophy imaginable — fitting, given the setting.

“It’s like building with Lego,” he said. “You put the pieces together one by one and enjoy yourself without even noticing you are developing a skill.”

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday took credit for prompting FIFA to take another look at a red card handed to U.S. star forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup, while making clear he did not pressure the organization to reach a particular decision.

“All I did was ask for a review,” Trump said during an unrelated Oval Office event when reporters brought up the matter. “I didn’t say, ‘You have to do this.’”

Trump confirmed he personally reached out to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and requested that the punishment against Balogun be reconsidered. The red card was issued during the United States’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina the previous week in Santa Clara, California, near San Francisco. FIFA ultimately chose to lift the mandatory one-game ban Balogun faced for a foul tackle, clearing him to take the field in Monday’s round of 16 showdown with Belgium in Seattle.

FIFA’s move to suspend the ban drew widespread celebration among American fans but sparked sharp criticism from the broader international sports community, with some calling it an inappropriate outside interference.

Speaking Monday, Trump described the original referee’s call as “horrible” and suggested it would have cast a shadow over the entire tournament if Balogun — the leading U.S. scorer at this year’s World Cup with three goals — had been forced to sit out against Belgium and the Americans had gone on to lose. Trump praised FIFA’s reversal as a brilliant decision.

“I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said. “I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled.”

Trump, who described himself as someone who understands sports “really well,” admitted he was not initially familiar with what a red card means or what consequences it carries. Once he learned that Balogun would face a one-game suspension as a result, he said he decided to get involved. He also criticized the use of video review technology to issue the red card, arguing that slow-motion replays can make routine athletic contact appear more aggressive than it actually was.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas was among those present at the Oval Office event and expressed his appreciation for Trump’s involvement.

“On behalf of all Americans, thank you for getting rid of that ridiculous red card,” Cruz said. “It was spectacular. There was a reason the FIFA trophy sat here for as long as it did.”

Cruz appeared to be referencing a White House gathering held the previous year, during which Infantino visited and brought along the World Cup trophy.

Italy’s Jasmine Paolini brought an end to Alexandra Eala’s historic Wimbledon journey Monday, defeating the young Filipino star 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in a thrilling fourth-round clash on a sweltering Centre Court.

At just 21 years old, the left-handed Eala had already made history as the first player from the Philippines to advance this far in a Grand Slam tournament. She gave Paolini, the 2024 Wimbledon runner-up, a genuine battle throughout the match before ultimately falling short.

Eala, seeded 29th, had won over Wimbledon fans with her outgoing personality and dynamic playing style, which had been enough to knock out defending champion Iga Swiatek just two days earlier on Saturday.

It was Paolini, however, equally beloved by the crowd, who stepped up when it mattered most to book her spot in the quarterfinals for the second time in her career.

The 13th-seeded Italian had entered the tournament under a cloud of uncertainty due to a foot injury that plagued much of her season, leaving her with just one grass-court tune-up match before Wimbledon began. Things looked even shakier when she dropped the opening set of her first-round match against Robin Montgomery by a 6-0 scoreline.

But the 30-year-old found her footing — and her confidence — as the tournament progressed. Speaking on court after the win, Paolini reflected on her rocky start: “I came here without many matches in the last month and after the first set in the first round, it was like ‘okay I can only get better, it can’t go worse.’”

She added: “I’m feeling better point by point and game by game. Grass is a weird surface, sometimes you love it, sometimes you hate, but when you play well and feel good, it’s the best surface.”

Paolini had notable support in the stands, with fellow Italian and Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli watching from the Royal Box alongside tennis legend Roger Federer.

Meanwhile, Eala had her own cheering section — some 8,000 fans gathered at a PhilSports Arena watch party in Manila, where her remarkable rise through the rankings has made her a national hero.

On the court, Eala started nervously as Paolini charged out to a 4-1 lead in the opening set. The Filipino teenager settled and managed to break back while Paolini was serving for the set, but then dropped her own serve with a baseline error to hand Paolini the first set.

With temperatures climbing and some spectators retreating from the sun to find shade, Eala responded in the second set with deeper groundstrokes and better consistency. After trading service breaks, she secured a crucial break and held on to level the match and force a deciding third set.

The final set was tightly contested, but Paolini’s experience ultimately made the difference. She applied relentless pressure, breaking Eala’s serve to go up 5-3 before closing out the match in the next game when Eala’s return sailed wide.