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.
