Rodri's Spain cruise to victory over Saudi ArabiaSpain are almost guaranteed a place in the World Cup Round of 32 after thrashing Saudi Arabia 4-0 in AtlantaAfter an underwhelming opening Group H draw with Cape Verde, La Roja needed a statement win to restore confidence - and they got it.Rodri, wearing the captain’s armband, gave a commanding display as Spain put the Saudis under pressure from the word go.And it took just 10 minutes to make that pressure pay, as Mikel Oyarzabal ‘s cross was turned in by Lamine Yamal at the far post.The Spanish then effectively ended the contest with two goals in three minutes on 21 and 24 minutes, with Mikel Oyarzabal the scorer on each occasion and former City favourite Aymeric Laporte providing an assist for one of the goals.Rodri looked sharp and commanding throughout and Spain added a deserved fourth just after the restart when Hassan Al Tambakti turned a Marc Cucurella shot on 48 minutes to complete a resounding win that all-but officially confirms their progress to the next phase.Rodri, winning his 64th cap, played the full 90 minutes and the victory will be a welcome early present ahead of his 30th birthday tomorrow (22 June).Belgium report to follow...City Magazine: World Cup special available now!Featuring Rayan Cherki, Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush and a greatest ever World Cup Manchester Best XI - get reading now! READ THE CITY WORLD CUP MAGAZINE!

The NFL's effort to pump up the money received from its broadcast partners apparently traces to the 11-year, $76 billion collection of TV deals the NBA did in 2024. Another deal quite possibly made the NFL even more determined to get more.Via Drew Lerner of Awful Announcing, UFC CEO Dana White believes the NFL wasn’t thrilled to learn that his cage-fighting operation finagled a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal from Paramount in 2025."I don’t know this to be true, but I fucking guarantee you it is,” White said. “The day we announced that we did a $7.7 billion deal, the executives at the NFL said, 'How the fuck did we not get this money, and how did we not know that kind of money was sitting over [there]?'”White's comments came in connection with his claim that the UFC is now competing not with other fighting operations but with the premier American sports — "the NFL, the NBA, Major League Baseball, and the NHL."Of course, the UFC isn't exactly competing with the NFL, despite the braindead notion that more people watched UFC Freedom 250 than watched the Super Bowl. (The event fell short by only 117.4 million viewers.)But that's all the more reason for the NFL to be saying WTF!?! If the UFC is worth $1.1 billion annually to Paramount, how is Paramount paying only $2.1 billion per year for the NFL package on CBS?The NFL went back to the table with CBS earlier this year, following the sale of Paramount to Skydance. To date, no new deal has been done. John Ourand of Puck recently reported that "nothing is imminent" in that regard.The NFL could have pulled the plug on the CBS deal and re-bid the remaining years, given the ownership change. But who would buy the CBS package? Fox already has a bundle of Sunday afternoon games, and NBC, ESPN/ABC, and Prime Video have their own prime-time packages. Unless an existing partner would be inclined to double up, the NFL would have to find someone else.That's where the hot-button topic of the broadcast antitrust exemption comes into play. The CBS package would have to go to a streamer, which would make the political pressure on the NFL even greater by removing key Sunday afternoon windows from free TV.Regardless, White's point is valid. The NFL is much bigger than the UFC. With Paramount paying the NFL not even twice the amount it's paying for the UFC, the NFL has left a lot of meat on the broadcast-rights bone.

Donald Trump invaded Venezuela and arrested the Latin American strongman Nicolas Maduro on January 3 in an operation that resulted in at least 80 people’s deaths. Trump then said that the U.S. is now “in charge” of the country. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg summed up the reason why Trump invaded Venezuela in one word: “unpopular.” Related “It’s terrible”: Pete Buttigieg denounces attempts to drop the T from LGBTQ+ And Buttigieg wasn’t the only Democrat to do so. All the out LGBTQ+ people in Congress also denounced the invasion, many of them using similar arguments: The invasion was illegal because Congress wasn’t consulted, the invasion risks destabilizing the region and getting the U.S. involved in a protracted military operation, and that Trump is using the invasion to draw attention away from domestic issues like the cost of living and health care. “It’s an old and obvious pattern,” Buttigieg posted to several social media platforms. “An unpopular president – failing on the economy and losing his grip on power at home – decides to launch a war for regime change abroad.” Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today “The American people don’t want to ‘run’ a foreign country while our leaders fail to improve life in this one.” It's an old and obvious pattern. An unpopular president – failing on the economy and losing his grip on power at home – decides to launch a war for regime change abroad. The American people don’t want to “run” a foreign country while our leaders fail to improve life in this one.— Pete Buttigieg (@petebuttigieg.bsky.social) 2026-01-03T17:08:38.724Z In a later post, Buttigieg echoed many Democrats’ rhetoric and asked why Trump isn’t trying to help people get health insurance instead of invading Venezuela. As of this week, millions of Americans are now paying thousands more for health insurance. If the President and Congressional GOP think Washington has the capacity to "run" Venezuela right now, why won't they fix the insurance cost crisis they've created here at home?— Pete Buttigieg (@petebuttigieg.bsky.social) 2026-01-05T14:24:55.244Z Buttigieg was far from the only out LGBTQ+ elected official to denounce the invasion. All 13 out Congress members also criticized the invasion. Buttigieg, who served as a Navy Reserve officer in Afghanistan, has previously criticized Trump for ducking military service and disrespecting military members. “Donald Trump claimed to be incapacitated by bone spurs so that he would not have to serve [in Vietnam] and let somebody go to war in his place,” Buttigieg said in June 2024. “And that spirit continued through his presidency.” “We saw it in the report that he referred to those who gave their lives for this country as ‘suckers’ and ‘losers,’” Buttigieg continued, adding, “By the way, a report that did not originate from some democratic opposition research machine, it originated from his own chief of staff, somebody who couldn’t be bothered to attend a ceremony at Normandy because it was raining.” Last March, Buttigieg said that he was “p*ssed off” with Trump’s “slash-and-burn” proposal to cut 80,000 employees from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). An estimated 25% of VA employees are military veterans, according to PBS. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The United States and Iranian militaries have offered conflicting accounts over whether the crucial waterway is open.

On this episode of "Here and Now," we're celebrating Father's Day.We'll discuss how a partnership between Mount Sinai and the Real Dad's Network is changing habits and saving lives, improving the heart health of Black men.We'll dive into Grandpas United, and how retired elders are making a difference in the lives of young people.Following that, we'll look at Black athletes of color, ones who broke barriers and reshaped the world of sports. With that, we'll be sitting down with Jackie Robinson's granddaughter.We'll also break down two basketball-based documentaries.Here and Now with Sandra Bookman airs Sundays at 12:00 p.m. on Channel 7, WABC-TV in New York City.SUBSCRIBE TO THE HERE AND NOW PODCASTDiscover more podcasts from abc7NY hereWATCH Here and Now on our Connected TV apps for Fire, Roku, Apple TV and Android TV. Click here to learn more.WATCH: More Here and Now episodesSEND STORY IDEAS TO EYEWITNESS NEWS

Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury (day three)Kent 416 & 233-7: Bell-Drummond 60; Sharma 3-30, Morgan 2-52, Helm 2-58 Middlesex 443: Holden 182, Gohar 95; Dudgeon 4-93Kent (7 pts) lead Middlesex (7 pts) by 206 runsMatch scorecardA final day showdown looms in the County Championship at Canterbury, after Middlesex reduced Kent to 233-7 at stumps, with Naavya Sharma taking 3- 30 following some inspired captaincy by Leus du Plooy.The hosts lead by 206 with three second innings wickets remaining, their top scorer was Daniel Bell-Drumond with 60.Earlier Middlesex were all out for 443, a first-innings lead of 27. Max Holden made 182 and put on a stand of 238 with Zafar Gohar, who himself made 95. Keith Dudgeon took all four Middlesex wickets, finishing with 4-93.Middlesex were 97 in arrears at the start of play, but they wiped that out during the morning session and Holden quickly moved to his 150 with a single off Grant Stewart.Holden century rescues Middlesex at KentBenjamin's 70 helps Kent edge day one with MiddlesexDudgeon then put down a chance to get Holden when he edged Hasan Mahmud when he was on 162, but it was he who finally broke the partnership when he had Zafar caught hooking by Ben Compton.Dudgeon then had Holden caught behind, but by then the deficit was only four and Tom Helm put the visitors in front when he punched Stewart through the covers. Toby Roland-Jones pulled Dudgeon for six over fine leg and one over went for 19 before Helm skied Dudgeon to Bell-Drummond for 11.The South African would have had two in two balls, but Chris Benjamin then dropped Sharma down the leg side. He did, however wrap up the innings and the session when Roland-Jones was caught at fine leg by the sub, Harry Finch for 28.Kent's second innings started slowly and Helm fired Middlesex's hopes with the early wicket of Compton, who was caught behind for four.It took the hosts over an hour to reach parity and they were only 13 ahead when Sharma bowled Ben Dawkins, off stump for 11. Sam Northeast had ground his way to 46 when Seb Morgan had him lbw in the final over before tea, leaving Kent on 80-3.Bell-Drummond and Ekansh Singh injected some impetus with a stand of 82 in the evening session. The 44th over went for 20, with both batters hitting Zafar for six, but just as it looked as if Kent were getting on top, du Plooy replaced Zafar with Sharma, who bowled Bell-Drummond off stump.Chris Benjamin was just getting going when Morgan strangled him for 16 and Sharma then cleaned up Stewart for eight after du Plooy switched him to the Nackington Road End.And there was a final flourish from the Middlesex skipper when he brought on Helm, who got the crucial wicket of Kent's last recognised batter, Ekansh Singh for 46, with the first ball of his spell.Report by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay.Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez is set to start his rehab assignment Tuesday, per Katie Woo of The Athletic.Hernandez’s rehab assignment will last 4-5 games according to Woo, and he could return before the Dodgers’ final series of June against the Athletics if it goes smoothly.Teoscar Hernández will start a rehab assignment with Triple A OKC (in Reno) starting Tuesday. Plan is for him to play 4-5 games. If all goes well, he could be activated before the series against the A’s at the end of the month. #Dodgers— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) June 21, 2026The outfielder has been on the injured list since May 29, as he suffered a Grade 1 strain in his left hamstring. Hernandez pulled up after trying to beat out a throw to first base at the end of May against the Colorado Rockies, and promptly left the game.Hernandez had just begin to find his stride prior to his injury, and had a fantastic month of May following a slow start. His OPS sat just over .700 at the end of April, and he managed to raise that number to .784 by the time he landed on the injured list. He batted .325 in May, crushing three homers and driving in 14 runs.Over the course of the month, Hernandez had a .882 OPS.May 23, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn ImagesWho Replaced Teoscar Hernandez?Ryan Ward has stepped in for Hernandez since his injury, and has been a serviceable bat for the Dodgers in the outfield. He hit his first MLB home run in the first game he played after coming back to the majors, and has since gotten a hit in all but five of his 14 games since coming up.On the year, he has a .239/.314/.522 slash line, good for a .836 OPS. He has three homers and 11 RBIs.While Ward has been impressive for the Dodgers since coming back to MLB, he could be on the chopping block when Hernandez returns from his injury.The Dodgers have five outfielders on their roster at the moment if you include the recently-returned Tommy Edman, and they’ll likely move one of them to make room for Hernandez. Ward and Alex Call are the most likely candidates, but Call is yet to go down to the minors since his arrival in LA, while Ward has jumped between the levels all season.If he can continue to produce on offense, though, the Dodgers may have to make a difficult choice.Who would you send down when Teoscar Hernandez returns?

Steven Croft was named Lancashire's permanent head coach last October following a spell in interim charge [Getty Images]Lancashire coach Steven Croft says more of his players "need to be putting their hands up" after his side went down to a heavy defeat inside three days at Derbyshire in the County Championship.The Red Rose were one of the pre-season favourites for promotion from Division Two but their nine-wicket loss at Chesterfield, sealed early on Sunday afternoon, means they have now slumped to third-from-bottom in the table.And there is potential for Lancashire to fall even further as the match between bottom sides Worcestershire and Gloucestershire continues, with the Pears just six points below them."I thought we were outplayed by Derbyshire," Croft told BBC Radio Lancashire. "We under-performed with the bat and ball. They (Derbyshire) stuck in with the bat."They managed their off stump well, in and around that channel, and then the bowlers put us under more pressure than we did with them in their first innings."[It's] very disappointing. Yes, we've got some young lads in the side but I think more of our team need to be putting their hands up."We've still got quality players in the squad. Obviously, some aren't performing. Yes, we've got injuries but we are still sending sides out expecting them do a lot better than they are."Derbyshire wrap up big win over LancashireCroft wants response from Lancashire to halt slideLivingstone admits Lancashire are lacking fightLancashire were dealt a double blow early in the season when opener Luke Wells suffered a dislocated shoulder in the field during the win at Gloucestershire and fast bowler Ajeet Singh Dale limped off in the same match with a hamstring injury which required surgery.Regular top order batting problems has meant England international Liam Livingstone has been re-introduced into the four-day side, following his heroics for the white-ball team after Chris Green's season came to a sudden end because of a broken thumb.But Livingstone's reintroduction has been unable to prevent Lancashire suffering heavy back-to-back defeats by Kent and Derbyshire, with the club now on a run of five County Championship matches without a win, picking up just two wins in 11 games in all formats."Hopefully, we do take the lessons from this phase because there has been plenty to learn from," Croft added. "We had high hopes [at the start of the season] to be up and about in the top few. We started well in those three games but a couple of injuries came along and we've not really recovered from it."There's quite a few players that have had a go and no one's really grasped and held on to that opportunity. Looking back at the numbers, three centuries from the batting unit [this season] is way below par. That should hurt as a Lancashire player."Lancashire now turn their attention to the T20 Blast where they are currently bottom of the North Group standings after six games.With a record-breaking 106-run loss to local rivals Yorkshire still in the back of many fans' minds, the Red Rose will have to improve quickly if they are to avoid a similarly embarrassing outcome in the return fixture at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday, 10 July.Croft said: "A couple of good weeks in white-ball cricket will definitely get the place in a buoyant mood."Hopefully, we've got some players coming back into the squad which is an exciting position to be in. We will give these six games our all because we need to get back up there - it is where we belong."

Jeffery Simmons continues to prove his value as Titans’ defensive leader originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Few players have become as important to their franchise as Jeffery Simmons has to the Tennessee Titans. Since being selected with the 19th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Simmons has developed into one of the league’s premier defensive tackles and the unquestioned centerpiece of Tennessee’s defense.Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi recently reinforced Simmons’ value to the organization, calling him a “pillar” of the franchise and praising both his on-field production and leadership off the field.“Jeffery Simmons is a pillar for our franchise and embodies what it means to be a Titan,” Borgonzi said in a statement. “He’s the premier defensive tackle in the National Football League and you win with players like Jeffery.”The numbers support that praise. In 99 career games, including 97 starts, Simmons has recorded 383 tackles, 42.5 sacks, 27 passes defended, eight forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries. His ability to disrupt offenses from the interior has made him one of the NFL’s most impactful defensive linemen.Simmons’ impact goes far beyond statistics. At 6-foot-4 and more than 300 pounds, he possesses a rare combination of power, quickness, and athleticism that allows him to dominate both against the run and as a pass rusher. Offensive coordinators frequently design game plans around slowing him down, often committing multiple blockers to prevent him from taking over games.Titans lean on Simmons as foundation of defensive successHis presence creates opportunities for teammates throughout Tennessee’s defense. When Simmons commands double teams, linebackers and edge rushers are often left with favorable matchups, making him one of the most valuable players on the roster even when he isn’t recording sacks.Off the field, Simmons has embraced a leadership role within the organization and the Nashville community. Teammates and coaches consistently point to his work ethic and commitment as examples for younger players to follow.As the Titans continue building toward future success, Simmons remains the player around whom the defense is constructed. His production, leadership, and consistency have made him one of the NFL’s elite defensive tackles and a cornerstone of Tennessee’s identity heading into the 2026 season.More NFL: Bills-Vikings massive trade pitch sees Buffalo break bank to acquire generational $140 million WRBears named landing spot for $123 million 115-sack Steelers star LBEagles named top landing spot for former Cowboys $21 million starter

Tom Hanks, left, and Tim Allen pose for photographers with people costumed as the characters Woody and Buzz Lightyear upon arrival at a launch event for the film 'Toy Story 5' on Thursday, May 28, 2026, in London. (Photo by Millie Turner/Invision/AP)2026-06-21T17:03:01Z NEW YORK (AP) — “Toy Story” still has a friend in moviegoers.The fifth installment in the Pixar series debuted with $160 million in domestic ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday, easily setting a new franchise record and notching the biggest opening weekend of the year.Launching 31 years after the original “Toy Story” first landed in theaters, “Toy Story 5” far surpassed the previous series-best debut: $120 million for “Toy Story 4” in 2019. Internationally, it was just as successful, with $152 million in opening-weekend sales, for a worldwide haul of $312 million.The “Toy Story” franchise is one of the most profitable for The Walt Disney Co. Before “Toy Story 5” launched, the movies had collectively grossed more than $3 billion, while also pulling in billions from merchandising.Though the series seemed to reach a conclusion with 2010’s “Toy Story 3,” the decision to revive the franchise almost a decade later — while controversial — has been extremely lucrative. “Toy Story 4” exceeded $1 billion in ticket sales, and “Toy Story 5” is all but certain to as well.Among animated films, only 2018’s “Incredibles 2” had a bigger opening weekend ($182.7 million) than “Toy Story 5.” These toys aren’t cheapKeeping the “Toy Story” movies going has gotten more expensive, though. The fifth movie cost $250 million to make, not including marketing. It returns a voice cast led by Tom Hanks (as Woody), Tim Allen (as Buzz Lightyear) and Joan Cusack (as Jessie).In the sequel, the toys are pushed aside when Bonnie gets a new tablet. It’s directed by Andrew Stanton, the Pixar veteran who helmed “Finding Nemo” (2003) and “WALL-E” (2008). “Toy Story 5” also features a new song by Taylor Swift, “I Knew It, I Knew You.”Reviews have been very good and audiences gave “Toy Story 5” an “A” CinemaScore, suggesting it should remain a force in theaters for weeks. After its chart-topping debut, Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” slipped to second place with $17 million in its second weekend. That’s not the hold that Universal Pictures was hoping for. Dropping 61% from its first weekend suggests “Disclosure Day” might not find the legs Spielberg’s sci-fi thriller needs to break out this summer. Read More Still, the $115 million budgeted movie, starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor and Colman Domingo, has grossed $160.4 million globally in two weeks. “Disclosure Day” stands a good chance of remaining the top adult-oriented option in theaters in the coming weeks.“Toy Story 5” faced little competition from newcomers. ‘Robin Hood’ misses the bullseye A24’s “The Death of Robin Hood,” a violent revisionist approach to the old legend, flopped with $2.6 million on 1,762 screens. The film, starring Hugh Jackman and directed by Michael Sarnoski, was modestly budgeted at $20 million. But after finding mixed reviews, audiences didn’t go for the movie, either. It earned a “C+” CinemaScore.Neon’s “Leviticus” came out just ahead of “The Death of Robin Hood,” with $2.7 million from 1,076 theaters. Written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, the buzzy low-budget horror film is about two teen boys who meet at conversion therapy. It’s a fine start for an indie with a small budget of $3.5 million and good word-of-mouth. But “Leviticus” also faced unusually strong competition in the still-potent horror hits “Obsession” and “Backrooms.” The top horror choice remained “Obsession,” the microbudget phenomenon by 26-year-old Curry Barker. In its sixth weekend, it nearly equaled its $17 million opening weekend from mid-May. The Focus Features release, which cost less than $1 million to make, added $14.2 million to bring its domestic total to $215.8 million and its global haul to $333.3 million.With “Toy Story 5” and “Obsession” driving sales, the summer box office is up 15% from the 2025 summer, according to Rentrak. More impressively, summer ticket sales are nearly equal to the 2019 summer at the same point, not accounting for inflation. The summer to date is just 1.9% down from that year.Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for Rentrak, expects that Hollywood is heading for its best summer since before the pandemic. And the success is coming from both expected and unexpected places. “To me, this is a hybrid summer and this could be the new blueprint for how you build the perfect summer box-office beast,” says Dergarabedian. “You throw in a mix of very eclectic films and not just the usual suspects — the big franchise films, the known brands — but also films like ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ and original films like ‘Disclosure Day.’” Top 10 movies by domestic box officeWith final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:1. “Toy Story 5,” $160 million. 2. “Disclosure Day,” $17 million. 3. “Obsession,” $14.2 million. 4. “Backrooms,” $7.3 million. 5. “Scary Movie,” $6.7 million. 6. “Masters of the Universe,” $5.6 million. 7. “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” $3.9 million. 8. “Leviticus,” $2.7 million. 9. “The Death of Robin Hood,” $2.6 million. 10. “Michael,” $2.2 million. JAKE COYLE Coyle has been a film critic and covered the movie industry for The Associated Press since 2013. He is based in New York City. twitter mailto

The Diamondbacks’ pitching carousel continued with the promotions of right-hander Jose Cabrera and left-hander Kohl Drake from Triple-A Reno, giving them a starter for Sunday, June 21, and a length option in the bullpen, respectively.To make room, the Diamondbacks optioned lefty Philip Abner to Reno and designated right-hander Yilber Diaz for assignment.Cabrera will be making his major league debut. Signed at 19 for $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic five years ago, he has steadily climbed through the Diamondbacks’ system. He posted a 3.69 ERA in 61 innings between Double-A and Triple-A prior to the promotion.Drake, one of the players the Diamondbacks received in the Merrill Kelly trade with Texas last July, would also be debuting if he appears in a game. He has had a poor season in Triple-A Reno. He has a 7.83 ERA in 54 innings and has been working with diminished velocity compared to last season.The Diamondbacks wanted the fresh arm in their bullpen in part because they are in the midst of a long stretch of games without a day off. Their next off day is July 2.Moreover, they need to figure out how they are going to get through Wednesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals. That is the next time right-hander Michael Soroka’s rotation spot comes up; Soroka landed on the injured list this weekend. One possibility could be for the club to try to throw a bullpen game against the Cardinals.Diaz was hammered on Saturday night, June 20, in a 16-8 loss to the Minnesota Twins, giving up seven runs in two-thirds of an inning in relief.Twins at Diamondbacks, 12:15 p.m., NBCSN, PeacockDiamondbacks RHP Jose Cabrera vs. Twins RHP Mike Paredes (0-0, 4.20).At Chase Field: This was supposed to be RHP Ryne Nelson's spot in the rotation, but he landed on the injured list on Friday, June 19, with elbow issues. ... Getting the ball instead and making his major league debut is Cabrera, who had a 3.69 ERA in 61 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. ... Cabrera, 24, signed with the Diamondbacks five years ago for $10,000. … The Twins entered this series with this spot in the rotation listed as TBA. They had been hoping to give the ball to RHP Mick Abel, but Abel will instead remain on the injured list. ... The past two times this spot came up, the Twins went with Paredes. … Paredes, 25, was an 18th-round pick out of San Diego State who debuted earlier this season. He has thrown 15 innings in four games (two starts).Coming upMonday, June 22: At St. Louis, 4:45 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (5-6, 5.81) vs. Cardinals RHP Andre Pallante (8-4, 3.76).Tuesday, June 23: At St. Louis, 4:45 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (6-2, 2.45) vs. Cardinals RHP Kyle Leahy (5-4, 4.63).Wednesday, June 24: At St. Louis, 4:45 p.m., Diamondbacks TBA vs. Cardinals LHP Matthew Liberatore (3-4, 5.23).(This story has been updated to add information.)This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Twins at Diamondbacks updates. More moves to bolster staff

Despite not having a first-round pick, Orlando Magic president Jeff Weltman said the team is busy examining ways to improve the roster ahead of the 2026 NBA draft and free agency.When the Magic acquired Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies last offseason, the organization parted with significant draft capital. The group sent a 2029 top-two protected first-round pick swap and four unprotected first-round picks to Memphis, including the 18th overall pick this year, leaving Weltman & Co. with just the 46th pick in the second round."We have the 46th pick, and we like our team a lot," Weltman said on Thursday. "I don't know what that's going to mean. We're having a lot of conversations with teams. This is our job: We have to explore opportunities and figure out where we can get better."Entering the summer, the Magic have 12 players under contract for the 2026-27 season, excluding free agents Jevon Carter, Jett Howard and Moe Wagner. After narrowly avoiding the luxury tax last season, the Magic are projected to be over the first apron. Depending on future signings and additions, Orlando could also be knocking on the door of the second apron, which would significantly limit their options in free agency and in the trade market.So, with financial constraints staring down the Magic, having the 46th pick is one way the team could look to improve the roster. However, the pick isn't necessarily guaranteed to produce an immediate rotation player based on recent history. Of the last five players drafted at No. 46, only two were signed to multiyear standard contracts, while two agreed to two-way contracts and one was stashed overseas. Orlando has hosted predraft workouts with several prospects projected to be second-round picks or go undrafted, who could be potential targets. That list includes Duke guard Maliq Brown, Marshall forward Wyatt Fricks, Tennessee center Felix Okpara, Georgia Tech guard Kowacie Reeves Jr. and Houston guard Emanuel Sharp, among others."I have spoken often about the financial compression that we're facing, so we're kind of working on margins here and ways to improve the team, but we're having a lot of discussions at different levels," Weltman said. "But at the end of the day, we're bullish on this group. We like the team. ... We'll see what comes along between now and the draft."Sean Sweeney has arrived in Orlando pic.twitter.com/D4s5cR4rCF— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) June 18, 2026Weltman and the front office got an early start to reshaping the team after introducing new coach Sean Sweeney on Thursday. A longtime assistant, Sweeney joined the Magic fresh off a run to the NBA Finals as associate head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.Sweeney is aiming to lead the Magic to their first playoff series win since 2010 after the group squandered a 3-1 lead against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, their third straight first-round exit. The 42-year-old has forged strong relationships with some of the top players in the league during his various stops, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić and, most recently, Victor Wembanyama, and is hopeful to continue that trend with the likes of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Bane and others.With a new coach in place and some changes expected on the horizon, Weltman and the Magic are looking to position themselves for a deep run next year and beyond. Their vision should soon become clearer when the two-night draft tips off on Tuesday (8 p.m. EDT; ABC, ESPN)."We have been quite busy, and these days, it's not really just the draft," Weltman said. "It is free agency as well. We've been plotting, ranking, and trying to figure out if-this-then-that scenarios. ... We've been at it late and doing all of the work that we need to, to try to puzzle the roster out. I do think there are some basic holes we want to punch where we can improve the roster and augment the players we have."This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Magic news: Jeff Weltman reveals draft plan for 46th overall pick

'Heavy price': India's semi-final chances hit after being 'shocking on the field' in SA defeat at Women's T20 World Cup 2026 originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:India's fielding was widely criticized after their six-wicket defeat to South Africa, with dropped catches proving decisive.Substitute fielder Radha Yadav put down Marizanne Kapp twice as she went on to make an unbeaten 81.Harsha Bhogle and Cricketwallah were among those who called India "shocking in the field" at a crucial stage of their campaign.India's semifinal chances in jeopardy after shocking loss to South AfricaIndia's first defeat of the Women's T20 World Cup 2026, a six-wicket loss to South Africa at Old Trafford, was defined as much by what they spilled in the field as by anything they did with bat or ball. A string of dropped catches let Marizanne Kapp off the hook repeatedly, and the cost to India's semi-final prospects could yet prove heavy.Kapp was the chief beneficiary of India's lapses, dropped twice at long-on by substitute fielder Radha Yadav as the all-rounder went on to make an unbeaten 81. Both chances were straightforward, and each time Kapp punished India further, building the innings that ultimately carried South Africa home with five balls to spare.The defeat leaves India second in Group 1 on 4 points, but the manner of it has prompted sharp criticism. Having posted a competitive 158/7 and reduced South Africa to 25/2 inside the powerplay, India had the game within their grasp before their fielding handed the initiative back to the Proteas.Fielding remains the clear culprit for the dayThe reaction from respected voices in the game was pointed. Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle was blunt in his assessment of where India fell short, identifying their fielding as the clear difference at this level of competition.India have a lot of batting and bowling skills but at this level, you have to be an athlete and you have to catch. India have been shocking in the field.— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 21, 2026"India has a lot of batting and bowling skills, but at this level, you have to be an athlete and you have to catch. India has been shocking in the field," Bhogle wrote on X. Senior journalist Cricketwallah echoed the sentiment, framing the dropped catches as the decisive factor in the result and warning that such lapses carry an unforgiving cost on the biggest stage.Nothing diminishes a team’s prospects of winning a match as does poor fielding. India’s catching today was appalling, a heavy price had to be paid #WOMEN’s WORLD CUP— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) June 21, 2026"Nothing diminishes a team's prospects of winning a match as does poor fielding. India's catching today was appalling; a heavy price had to be paid," Cricketwallah posted on X.The Cricket News Opinion: A heavy price for India's lapses, must bounce back against BangladeshThe numbers underline the point. Kapp finished unbeaten on 81 from 45 balls with four sixes, an innings that might have been cut short far earlier had India held their chances. Her 97-run stand with Tazmin Brits, who made 40, broke the back of the chase after the early wickets.Shree Charani was the standout Indian bowler with 3/24, including a double-wicket maiden in the powerplay, but her efforts were undermined by the fielding errors around her. India simply could not build pressure once the catches went down and Kapp settled.India's next assignment is against Bangladesh at Old Trafford on Thursday, a fixture that has taken on far greater significance after this result. A win would steady their campaign, while another slip could leave their qualification hopes dependent on net run rate and the results of others.The fielding will be the obvious focus in the days ahead. India's batting and bowling skills are not in question, but as Bhogle noted, catches win matches at this level, and on Sunday India's lapses cost them dearly at a defining moment of their World Cup.For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.

Atlético unveil special shirt for the World Cup, see pictures 📸Atlético unveiled a special jersey to cheer for Brazil at the World Cup.Black and white were replaced with green and yellow, while keeping the design with vertical stripes.On the left side of the chest, however, Galo’s crest remains.The jersey also features a detail with the phrase “I Believe” repeated several times on the front.See below how it turned out:This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

North Carolina vs. Oklahoma baseball box score: Live stats from College World Series originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The North Carolina baseball team enters a must-win scenario in a Father's Day edition of the College World Series against the Oklahoma Sooners. Game 2 in Omaha carries an interesting storyline for both squads.Oklahoma is doing something we’ve never seen in college baseball before. The Sooners finished the season with a sub .500 record in the SEC, and didn’t win a single game in the SEC tournament but advanced to the big dance. Now they control their own destiny after winning nine straight.North Carolina blazed through the tournament but are now one loss away from falling short of a championship. They'll need to win two straight to be crowned the best in baseball.First pitch in Omaha will be at 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC.2026 NCAA Baseball Championship123456789RHENorth Carolina (53-13-1)0000Oklahoma (42-22)000North Carolina vs. Oklahoma baseball box score: Live stats from College World Series NCAA ChampionshipNorth CarolinaBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP2Jake SchaffnerSS000000.356.4708Owen HullCF000000.394.5025Gavin Gallaher2B000000.292.38244Erik Paulsen1B000000.297.4211Cooper Nicholson3B000000.257.43212Tyler HoweLF000000.238.36623Colin HynekC000000.262.35018Carter FrenchRF000000.240.39025Rom Kellis VDH000000.297.338Total000000OklahomaBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP1Jason WalkCF000000.282.3849Camden Johnson3B000000.301.39948Deiten LaChanceC000000.339.4077Jaxon WillitsSS000000.307.40020Trey GambillDH000000.291.43310Brendan BrockLF000000.297.39017Dasan HarrisRF000000.370.42516Dayton Tockey1B000000.250.3836Kyle Branch2B000000.214.318Total000000How to watch: North Carolina vs. Oklahoma 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship Date: Sunday, June 21Time: 2:30 p.m. ET TV: ABCMore College World Series NewsNorth Carolina vs. West Virginia baseball box score: Final stats from CWSGeorgia vs. Texas baseball box score: Final stats from College World SeriesOle Miss vs. UNC box score: Final stats from CWS West Virginia vs. Troy baseball box score: Final stats from College World SeriesTexas vs. Texas Tech softball box score: Final Women's College World Series

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🎥 World Cup highlights: goalfest! Spain thrash Saudi ArabiaWhat a response! After the huge disappointment following the draw against Cape Verde in the opening match, Saudi Arabia must have felt today as if the Spaniards were playing a completely different sport. Passing, dribbling, speed, attacking and defensive efficiency: in this match, the European champions were superior to their opponents on the pitch in absolutely every respect. Lamine Yamal was the one who broke the deadlock early on, a brace from Oyarzabal before the break, and a slapstick own goal by Al-Tambakti after a shot from Cucurella sealed the final score. You can take another detailed look at the goal fest here: What do you think? Was the opening match just a slip-up, and are the Spaniards now back in the game when it comes to the World Cup trophy? Write it in the comments!This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

👀 Through to the knockouts, these are Germany's possible opponentsThe first two group matches for the Germany national team are now history. The record shows two wins — a clear one against World Cup newcomers Curaçao and a very narrow victory over Ivory Coast.As we all know, that means: Germany is definitely through to the knockout stage, and in any case as winners of Group E, because even if Germany lose and Ivory Coast draw level on six points with a win, the head-to-head result against the Ivorians counts.That means: Nagelsmann’s team will face a third-placed side from Groups A, B, C, D or F in Boston on June 29.We all know that FIFA’s system isn’t exactly easy to understand. Before the tournament, there were a whopping 495 possible combinations for which eight teams would finish as the best third-placed sides across the twelve groups. According to FIFA, the teams that finish third in their respective groups are then ranked in a separate table after the group stage.At the moment, the Germany team could still face 15 different opponents. The most likely: an opponent from Group C or D.If the third-placed team from Group C ends up among the eight best third-placed sides, Scotland or Morocco would be candidates. But a clash with Ancelotti’s Brazilian ball artists is also quite realistic.In Group D, Australia or Paraguay can still finish third, while in Group F it could be the Netherlands, Sweden or Japan.Exactly who Undav and Co. will face in their first do-or-die match of the World Cup will be decided at the latest once all the group matches have been played and it is clear who belongs to the eight best third-placed teams.France could then be waiting in the round of 16.What do you think? Who would you like to see the Germans face in the round of 32? Maybe there’ll be another crisp 7:1 — this time against Brazil again? Write it in the comments!This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty ImagesScotland are close to securing a place in the World Cup knockout stage.That would be a huge moment for Steve Clarke’s side and the Tartan Army.And the bar owners of the cities which will host Scotland’s games had better prepare early if it is confirmed.Scotland fans force Boston bars into emergency beer deliveriesPhoto by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty ImagesScotland supporters have already made a major impact in Boston during the first two rounds of the World Cup group stage.Fox News reported that bars in the city have been running out of beer as Scottish fans drink them dry during the tournament.That is hardly surprising given the scale of the travelling support. Scotland have played two group matches in Foxborough, near to Boston, bringing thousands of fans into the capital.One bar owner reportedly had to order “emergency deliveries” after selling more than 4,000 pints and emptying 90 kegs.That was said to be four times the amount usually consumed across a four-day holiday period such as the Fourth of July.It says plenty about the mood around Scotland. Their fans have waited a long time for moments like this, and Boston has felt the full force of that excitement.Stadium beer prices may push fans towards Boston barsThe drinking outside stadiums may also reflect what supporters are facing inside venues.At Scotland’s World Cup opener in Boston, reported concession prices showed a 16-ounce American beer at $16.Craft or imported beer was listed at around $20, while a 20-ounce draft option was around $19.Even water was not cheap, with prices around $7. For travelling fans, those costs quickly become a major part of matchday spending.Read more:Francisco Conceicao risks backlash with another honest Cristiano Ronaldo commentLamine Yamal passes Kylian Mbappe and enters Pele territory with goal vs Saudi ArabiaNedum Onuoha shares controversial view on whether Christian Pulisic should play vs Turkey

Declan Rice has revealed he has been managing a hamstring injury for the second half of the season and said he has played an “obscene” number of games in a “crazy” schedule. The midfielder supported Thomas Tuchel’s decision to take him off in the second half of England’s 4-2 win over Croatia. “It was a smart decision. I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time,” Rice told ITV. “Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that it was all behind-the-scenes stuff, but it was a smart decision. “In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it’s where you play a seventy-minute match. But that last twenty is where you really feel your body going for it. And I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I felt really, really good.” But Rice has said he is fit to start England’s second game in the World Cup, when they face Ghana in Boston on 23 June. Rice has shouldered a huge workload this season, playing 63 games for club and country as he helped Arsenal win the Premier League and reach the Champions League final. Rice felt neural pain against Croatia (Getty)The former West Ham midfielder played 4,456 minutes for Arsenal – second only to goalkeeper David Raya – as well as a further 540 for England as he has made 63 appearances in total. “You get on with it obviously. It’s an obscene amount of games,” Rice added. “The schedule was crazy, but what can we do about it? You can’t sit and complain. We have to just get on with it for the moments like I had winning that Premier League.”

Update On The Future Of This Manchester City Defender: Should They Cash In On Him?Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, journalist Pete O’Rourke offered an update on the future of Manchester City defender Ruben Dias this summer. O’Rourke said,“It does seem that there is some interest from Real Madrid in Dias, and the lure of a move to Madrid would be difficult to ignore for any player, not just him.“It’s probably going to be a saga that will drag out into the summer, but Manchester City do not want to lose Dias.“If Madrid get any indication that he could be prized away from the Etihad, they will try and bring him to the Spanish capital.”Dias’ Important Role In English FootballDias enjoyed a solid campaign at the Mancunian club as he put in a string of impressive displays for them on the defensive end of the field. The Portugal international made 33 appearances for Man City last season, scoring two goals across various competitions.The 29-year-old is currently one of the most experienced centre-backs in the Premier League. Thus, Man City should focus on retaining his services beyond this summer.His current deal at the Etihad Stadium will expire in the summer of 2029. Hence, the Mancunian giants would be under no immediate pressure to cash in on him in this transfer window.LISBON, PORTUGAL – JUNE 6: Ruben Dias of Portugal during the international friendly match between Portugal and Chile at Estadio Nacional do Jamor on June 6, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)Should Manchester City Cash In On Dias This Summer?Dias is a solid tackler of the ball and can read the danger well to secure possession back for his team inside his half. He usually clears his lines when the opposition are on the offensive and can use his strong 1.87m frame to dominate the opposition attackers in the air.The Portuguese sensation excels at playing his way out from the back. Dias has got a wealth of experience in the Premier League. He remains an important member of Man City’s squad.However, if Dias favours a move to Real Madrid, it is only fair to him for Man City to let him go this off-season. He has been a great servant to the club and deserves to go out on his terms.At 29, Dias is playing in his prime. Therefore, Man City should consider cashing in on him if they receive a good offer for him before the end of this transfer window.

Miles Russell and his father walk up the 18th green at the U.S. Open. (Screenshot)SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — There are Father’s Day gifts that Dad will forget about by Monday, like socks and ties … and then there are Father’s Day gifts that will last a lifetime. Miles Russell, playing in his very first U.S. Open, just gave his dad one of those. As 17-year-old Miles walked up the fairway at the 18th hole of the U.S. Open, he had a plan: walk to the final green with his father by his side. It was, after all, Joe Russell who introduced his son to the game of golf at the age of 2; who first noticed his son’s love of the game when he preferred watching the Golf Channel over Cartoon Network. Miles had hatched the plan several days earlier on the advice of a friend, though there were a few conditions. First of all, obviously, he had to make the cut, which he managed by a stroke — no easy feat on a course that had claimed the tournament hopes of Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and many others. Then he needed to square his plan with the powers that be. The USGA’s Rule 10.3a mandates that a player have only one caddie at a time. They got the go ahead Sunday morning, so at 18, Miles’ regular caddie and instructor, Ramon Bescansa, walked over to Joe at the rope line and handed over the ceremonial bib and bag. And from there, it was a beautiful walk up to the Shinnecock clubhouse for father and son. “It was just kind of a cool moment for both of us,” Russell told Yahoo Sports after his round, “and something we'll definitely remember.”After a round that left him at +7 for the tournament, Russell, who is off to Florida State this fall, signed autographs for nearly 20 minutes, autographing flags for kids only a few years younger than him. Joe, who declined to speak to the media, and the rest of Miles’ family stood a few feet away, smiling with pride and taking pic after pic of him as he worked through a line of admirers. Still sweating from his round — an even-par 70 — Russell took a moment to reflect on the enormity of what he’d just done. “I don't know how much harder a golf course can play,” he said. “I'm sure it can get a little tougher if we got firmer, but this is as hard as golf can get. So, to play pretty solid and shoot what I shot today, I'm pretty proud of that.”Growing up, which wasn’t all that long ago for the 17-year-old, Miles and his father would hit balls together long into the night, practicing Miles’ favorite stroke, the flop shot. Joe, a 10-handicapper, passed on his love of the game to Miles, who’s now in turn taken those lessons to the biggest stage in golf … and, in a nice full-circle moment, brought his father along with him. “Without him,” Russell said, “I probably wouldn't be here, so I can't thank him enough.”Walking alongside him at a U.S. Open, though, will probably go a long way.

Lamine Yamal scored Spain's first goal of the 2026 World Cup (Justin Setterfield)Lamine Yamal's return sparked Spain's World Cup into life as the European champions ran riot to beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta.Making his first start in two months after a hamstring injury, Yamal ended La Roja's long wait for a World Cup goal just 10 minutes in.Mikel Oyarzabal then struck twice to put Luis de la Fuente's men 3-0 up inside 24 minutes.De la Fuente's careful management of Yamal's minutes continued as the Barcelona superstar was replaced at half-time before Hassan al-Tambakti's own goal rounded off the scoring."We had to recover good feelings, correct a few things from the last game, but we need to keep improving if we want to achieve our target of getting to the final on July 19," said De la Fuente.Victory propels Spain to the top of Group H ahead of Uruguay's meeting with Cape Verde later on Sunday.Billed as one of the pre-tournament favourites, Spain got off to a slow start in a 0-0 draw against debutants Cape Verde.A pedestrian performance despite dominating possession only highlighted the importance of Yamal to their quest to be world champions for a second time.De la Fuente also warned his players had been "stung" by the criticism they faced following their opening result and they responded emphatically.Yamal's return was one of four changes in total with Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also coming into the starting line-up.After over 2,500 passes and 50 attempts at goal since their last World Cup goal, Spain finally found the net and fittingly Yamal made the breakthrough.- Pressure rises on Saudis -Oyarzabal found space in behind the Saudi defence and his low cross picked out the 18-year-old to slot in at the back post.The Saudis held Uruguay 1-1 in their opening game but there was little evidence that the billions splashed to raise the level of their domestic league has aided the national team.Coach Georgios Donis looked particularly irked that two of Spain's goals came from corners.Oyarzabal pounced on Aymeric Laporte's flick-on to give the 2010 winners the breathing space they craved.Just three minutes later, the Real Sociedad forward volleyed home from Olmo's header for his 14th international goal in his last 13 caps.Oyarzabal was inches away from a first-half hat-trick when his audacious effort with the outside of his foot from a narrow angle came back off the crossbar.But with the job done by half-time, De la Fuente could afford the luxury of replacing Yamal and Oyarzabal at the break."Had we had a different result, he (Yamal) would've played for longer but given the result and that the match was under control, we considered his contribution was enough for us to have him in the next game," added De la Fuente.The changes did not disrupt the waves of Spanish attack towards the Saudi goal, but the fourth also came via a corner.Cucurella was afforded acres of space to shoot and although his effort was repelled by Mohammed al-Owais, the rebound deflected in off the unfortunate Tambakti.To round off an ideal afternoon for De la Fuente on his 65th birthday, Nico Williams and Mikel Merino were afforded valuable minutes off the bench in the second period as they too get up to match speed after lengthy absences due to injury.By contrast, the pressure is now on Donis to deliver in Saudi Arabia's final group game against Cape Verde in Houston.Victory will likely take the Arabian Falcons into the knockout stages for the first time since the World Cup was last in the United States 32 years ago.Spain travel to Guadalajara next for the final group game against two-time winners Uruguay on Friday.kca/rcw/nf

Serena Williams will return to singles action at Wimbledon at the age of 44 after receiving the final wildcard spot into the draw. The 23-time grand slam champion had already been confirmed to be playing doubles with her sister Venus at next week’s tournament. Wimbledon had previously revealed seven of the eight recipients of wildcards into the women’s singles draw, leaving the final spot as “to be announced”. It announced on Sunday evening that the final spot would go to the American great.This is not a drill.@serenawilliams will compete in the 2026 ladies' singles at #Wimbledon as a wild card. pic.twitter.com/1vHnDEQ4xm— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 21, 2026Serena Williams made her return last week at Queen’s Club (Ben Whitley/PA) (PA Wire)Williams last played singles at the 2022 US Open, the tournament where she seemingly waved farewell to the sport following a third-round defeat to Ajla Tomljanovic, having announced she would “evolving away” from tennis - although stopping short of saying the word “retirement”. The seven-time Wimbledon champion last played at SW19 earlier that season, losing a first-round match to Harmony Tan in her first match in a year. When asked during a recent appearance at the Berlin Open whether she would have been interested in the last remaining Wimbledon wildcard, Williams was coy. “Oh my gosh, there’s some left?” she asked. “Well I better get to practice! You think I’m ready for singles? I need to get to work.” Williams made her long-awaited return to tennis for the first time since 2022 when she played doubles with Victoria Mboko at Queen’s in London earlier this month. Serena was already confirmed as a doubles wildcard alongside sister Venus Williams (PA Archive)The pair won their first-round match against third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe, but injury for Mboko prevented a second. The Canadian teenager slipped on the grass during her singles match the following day, suffering a left knee injury that forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon. Williams then headed to Berlin and played a further doubles match with Karolina Muchova, but they lost to Giuliana Olmos and Routliffe in the first round. The Williams sisters last played doubles together at the 2022 US Open. Venus Williams, who is 46, plays sporadically but still sometimes accepts wildcards into grand slams. Together, Serena and Venus have won six Wimbledon doubles titles, a record they share with Suzanne Lenglen and Elizabeth Ryan, and their last title came in 2016. With a combined age of 90, the Williams sisters will play their first-round doubles match on either Thursday 2 July or Friday 3 July at the start of the women’s doubles tournament.

The 2026 World Cup is the largest ever, so it's no surprise to see a sizable contingent of sons following in their fathers' footsteps at the event.A total 14 players at the 2026 World Cup have also had their father play for a national team at the prestigious global soccer tournament. Not all of these father-son duos have played for the same country; and even fewer have both been high-end impact players for their respective teams.Nonetheless, the family ties run deep at this year's World Cup. And nowhere are they more apparent than with the U.S. men's national team, which features two key, young players who have seen their fathers operate in sizable roles for the USMNT.Here's what to know about the history of father-son duos at the World Cup and those that will be on display at the 2026 tournament.Father-son duos at the World CupA total of 39 father-son pairings have before appeared in the World Cup. Below is a full list of the duos, listed alphabetically by the son's surname.Research compiled via ESPN, among other resources.Mazinho (Brazil) and Thiago (Spain)Miguel Ángel Alonso and Xabi Alonso (Spain)Roy Andersson and Daniel Andersson (Sweden)Roy Andersson and Patrik Andersson (Sweden)Gregg Berhalter and Sebastian Berhalter (United States)Alexandre Guimaraes and Celso Borges (Costa Rica)Danny Blind and Daley Blind (Netherlands)Cha Bumkun and Cha Duri (Republic of Korea)Sérgio Conceição and Francisco Conceição (Portugal)Domingos da Guia and Ademir da Guia (Brazil)Jean Djorkaeff and Youri Djorkaeff (France)Joseph Elanga (Cameroon) and Anthony Elanga (Sweden)Pablo Forlan and Diego Forlan (Uruguay)Bryan Gunn and Angus Gunn (Scotland)Alfe Inge Haaland and Erling Haaland (Norway)Javier Hernández and Javier Hernández (Mexico)Patrick Kluivert and Justin Kluivert (Netherlands)Ján Kozák (Czechoslovakia) and Ján Kozák (Slovakia)Lee Eul-Yong and Lee Tae-Seok (South Korea)Anders Linderoth and Tobias Linderoth (Sweden)Nicolae Lupescu and Ioan Lupescu (Romania)Cesare Maldini and Paolo Maldini (Italy)Julio Montero Castillo and Paolo Montero (Uruguay)Pablo Paz and Nico Paz (Argentina)Luis Perez and Mario Perez (Mexico)Miguel Reina and Pepe Reina (Spain)Claudio Reyna and Gio Reyna (United States)Roger Rio and Patrice Rio (France)Manuel Sanchis and Manolo Sanchis (Spain)Peter Schmeichel and Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark)Gøran Sørloth and Alexander Sørloth (Norway)Diego Simeone and Giuliano Simeone (Argentina)Włodzimierz Smolarek and Ebi Smolarek (Poland)Erik Thorstvedt and Kristian Thorstvedt (Norway)Lilian Thuram and Marcus Thuram (France)Martí Vantolrà (Spain) and José Vantolrá (Mexico)Jan Verheyen and Gert Verheyen (Belgium)Vladimír Weiss (Czechoslovakia) and Vladimír Weiss (Slovakia)Zinedine Zidane (France) and Luca Zidane (Algeria)Sweden's Roy Andersson is the only World Cup player to have multiple sons appear in the tournament. Patrik appeared in seven games in the 1994 World Cup while his younger son, Daniel, made one appearance across two tournament selections in 2002 and 2006.Father-son duos appearing at 2026 World CupAmong the 39 father-son pairings in World Cup history, 14 are represented at the 2026 tournament. That includes two on the USMNT.Here's more to know about each duo:Claudio Reyna and Gio Reyna (United States)Claudio made it to four World Cups for the United States, logging 10 appearances across those tournaments. He never scored at a World Cup but logged eight total goals across 112 career international caps.Gio is appearing in his second World Cup in 2026. After a trying time at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, the 23-year-old scored his first World Cup goal in the USMNT's 4-1 win over Paraguay, before revealing in a post-score celebration he and his wife were expecting a child.Gregg Berhalter and Sebastian Berhalter (United States)Gregg made two appearances in the 2002 World Cup but is better known for leading the USMNT into battle during the 2022 World Cup. He was the first United States player to later become a coach for the team.The elder Berhalter has since been replaced by Mauricio Pochettino, but his son – Sebastian – is on the 2026 World Cup roster. He appeared in each of the USMNT's first two group stage wins.Alf-Inge Haaland and Erling Haaland (Norway)Two of the elder Haaland's 34 career international caps came during the 1994 World Cup with Norway. The hybrid right-back-slash-midfielder never managed a goal in international competition.By comparison, the younger Haaland is already Norway's all-time leading scorer. The 25-year-old notched two goals in his first World Cup match – a 4-1 win over Iraq – and will be looking to key his country on a dark-horse run to a tournament title.Erik Thorstvedt and Kristian Thorstvedt (Norway)Haaland isn't the only Norwegian national player to be following in his father's footsteps. Kristian Thorstvedt is doing the same, as his father, Erik, made three appearances as a keeper at the 1994 World Cup – part of his 96 appearances for the national team.The younger Thorstvedt appeared in Norway's first World Cup game as a substitute. He did not score but has four goals in 38 international appearances for his country.Gøran Sørloth and Alexander Sørloth (Norway)Here's one more Norwegian connection for this year's World Cup! Gøran played one match during the 1994 World Cup while his son Alexander made his World Cup debut against Iraq.A Sørloth has yet to score a World Cup goal, but Alexander – who has 26 goals in 73 caps – will look to change that as Norway remains in contention.Zinedine Zidane (France) and Luca Zidane (Algeria)Just five father-son World Cup duos have played for different countries. The Zidanes are one of them, as Zinedine was a star for France while his son opted to represent Algeria in international competition.Zinedine notably scored in France's 1998 World Cup final win over Brazil and also notched a goal in the 2006 World Cup Final. However, he was also given a red card in the latter contest for his infamous headbutt of Italy's Marco Materazzi in the match's 110th minute.The younger Zidane has only appeared in one World Cup match to date. The 28-year-old keeper made three saves but allowed three goals to Lionel Messi in Algeria's 3-0 loss to Argentina.Joseph Elanga (Cameroon) and Anthony Elanga (Sweden)Like the Zidanes, the Elangas are also representing different countries. The elder Elanga was included on Cameroon's 1998 World Cup roster but did not log an appearance in the tournament.His son has had better luck with Sweden, scoring in his World Cup debut against Tunisia and appearing in both of the country's games. The 24-year-old has already scored seven times for his country across 32 appearances.Bryan Gunn and Angus Gunn (Scotland)Here's the lone father-son keeper duo at the World Cup. The elder Gunn served as a backup goalie for Scotland during the 1990 World Cup while his son was tapped to start for the Tartan Army during the 2026 tournament.The younger Gunn has comported himself well at the 2026 tournament, conceding just one goal while making three saves across two matches to date. He will get a big-time test during Scotland's final group stage game against Brazil as the country looks to advance to the knockout stage.Sérgio Conceição and Francisco Conceição (Portugal)Sérgio managed 12 goals across 56 international appearances for Portugal but was unable to score in his three appearances at the 2002 World Cup. Francisco made his first appearance at the 2026 World Cup in Portugal's draw against Congo. He entered the game as a substitute in at halftime and logged 0.53 expected assists.Lee Eul-Yong and Lee Tae-Seok (South Korea)The elder Lee made four appearances across two World Cups in 2002 and 2006. His son made his debut against Czechia, posting 0.45 expected goals across 69 minutes before remaining on the bench in South Korea's 1-0 loss to Mexico.Lilian Thuram and Marcus Thuram (France)Lilian appeared in three World Cups for France (1998, 2002 and 2006). He scored both of his goals in his country's 2-1 win over Croatia in the 1998 World Cup semifinals, paving the way to the country's first World Cup win.The younger Thuram appeared in five matches at the 2022 World Cup but hasn't yet suited up for France – the tournament favorites – in 2026.Patrick Kluivert and Justin Kluivert (Netherlands)Justin has yet to play in the 2026 World Cup for Netherlands, but he is a part of its roster. His father, Patrick, made four appearances for the country in the 1998 World Cup.Diego Simeone and Giuliano Simeone (Argentina)Giuliano is in a similar boat to Justin Kluivert. He is a member of Argentina's 2026 roster but hasn't yet seen the pitch. His father, Diego, made 11 appearances across three World Cups for his country.Pablo Paz and Nico Paz (Argentina)Here's another father-son combination for Argentina. Pablo was on the Argentine squad for the 1998 World Cup while Nico drew into the 2026 side.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 14 father-son duos represented at 2026 World Cup: Full list, history

Serena Williams’ comeback is in full swing. The tennis legend, who returned to the sport this spring after four years away, is officially set to compete in women’s singles at Wimbledon, the tournament announced Sunday.Williams earned the final wild card spot heading into the tournament, which begins this week. It will be her first Grand Slam singles competition since the 2022 US Open.Williams and her sister Venus are already set to compete at Wimbledon in the doubles tournament, reuniting as a pair for the first time since 2016.This story will be updated.

A popular, longtime destination for the gay community in Mobile, Alabama, was forced to close ahead of Pride celebrations in the Gulf Coast city, after an ownership transfer revealed irregularities in the bar’s liquor licensing. The three-story B-Bob’s Bar in downtown Mobile shuttered with little warning and canceled planned events for Pride Month, including a Pride-themed drag show – expected to draw hundreds on the route for the city’s Pride Month art walk – and a block party-style event featuring a voter registration drive on Saturday. Related It could be last call for Texas’ oldest gay bar. Its patrons are fighting to save it. All of the long-planned events were put on ice by the new owner, interior designer and influencer Matthew Bees, who bought the bar from the retiring owner and has vowed to preserve one of the institutions that “make Mobile Mobile,” Alabama.com reports. “I am devastated that we must close our doors for the rest of Pride Week this year,” Bees said. “We are working as hard and as fast as we can to make things right, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back through our doors very soon.” Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today “My commitment to this community is unwavering,” he said. The trouble started with Bees’ purchase of the bar earlier this year and subsequent planning for the upcoming Pride Month events. “During a review of our licensing process with the City of Mobile for the street party event, questions arose concerning the status of our liquor license transfer,” the bar said in a statement. “In Alabama, liquor licenses are issued to specific individuals or business entities and do not automatically transfer with a property sale. In consultation with the Alabama ABC Board and appropriate authorities, we have voluntarily suspended operations while these matters are addressed.” Statements from city officials and those with Alabama’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board confirm Bees’ version of events. “We want to be clear: this was never our intention,” Bees said of the closure. “We believed we were operating in compliance, and the moment we became aware of this issue, we took immediate steps to address it responsibly and transparently.” In his statement, Bees apologized to the performers slated to appear and the partners co-hosting the canceled Pride events. He said B-Bob’s employees would be paid for time off. It’s unclear how long obtaining a new license will take or if Bees has any issues of concern for the authorities granting it. No estimate for a reopening date was provided. The bar is working “closely with the Alabama ABC Board and local officials to ensure we are in full compliance with all rules and regulations applicable to our business,” Bees said. In the meantime, one silver lining for the decorator-owner: the temporary closure gives Bees an opportunity to finish much of the work he wanted to do on the building’s infrastructure without compromising his fresh take on the B-Bob’s experience. He’s already given the “Rooftop Skybar” a makeover. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

It can actually prevent your clothes from getting clean. READ MORE...

Chelsea Tipped To Go For This Manchester United Winger: Should Alonso Snap Him Up?In a recent interview with the Metro, former Premier League defender William Gallas tipped Chelsea to go for Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford. Gallas said,‘I think Marcus Rashford did well at Barcelona.‘They had a good system. I’m surprised he didn’t sign for them permanently, I don’t know what happened.‘I would say Chelsea would be a better fit given how they play. I’m sure he wanted to stay in Barcelona, but it didn’t happen.‘If he has to come back to the Premier League, or maybe go somewhere else like Italy, we will see. But I could picture him at Chelsea.’Rashford’s Impressive Loan Spell At BarcelonaRashford had a decent loan spell at Barcelona last season when he produced a string of productive displays for them in La Liga. The 28-year-old registered 14 goals and picked up 14 assists in 49 matches for the Catalan outfit in the previous campaign across multiple competitions.The England international is currently among the most talented wide players in European football. Hence, Chelsea would do well to lure him to Stamford Bridge in this transfer period.His current contract at his parent club, Manchester United, will run out in the summer of 2028. Therefore, the Blues would have to make a convincing offer if they are serious about signing him later this year.ARLINGTON, TEXAS – JUNE 17: Marcus Rashford #11 of England during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match between England and Croatia at Dallas Stadium on June 17, 2026 in Dallas, United States. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)Should Chelsea Boss Xabi Alonso Snap Rashford Up This Summer?Rashford has got the pace to cause a few headaches for his marker out in the wide positions. He has got the eye to play some decisive passes in the final third and is a good dribbler with the ball at his feet.The English attacker can shoot the ball with power from long range and can contribute by scoring and creating his fair share of goals from the flanks. Rashford is primarily a left-winger but can also operate as a right-sided wide player or as a centre-forward if required. He is already quite familiar with the Premier League and won’t take much time to settle into life at the West London club if they manage to sign him this summer.We can expect Rashford to improve the quality of Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso’s frontline. He is good enough to fight for a regular first-team spot at Stamford Bridge in the coming seasons.At 28, Rashford is about to enter his prime, which makes him a decent option for the Blues to pursue in this summer transfer period. All in all, Alonso should focus on snapping him up soon.

The U.S. Open uses a two-hole aggregate playoff to determine its champion.In this format, if two or more players are tied after 72 holes of regulation, they will compete over two additional holes with the player producing the lowest total score winning. If players are still tied, sudden death is used.For this year's edition at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, the two holes will be the 183-yard, par-3 17th and the 490-yard, par-4 18th holes. If sudden death is needed, players will play Nos. 17 and 18 in a loop until a winner is determined.The USGA implemented the two-hole system in 2018, altering it's long-standing 18-hole playoff. There has not been a U.S. Open extra session since the change.The most recent of 33 U.S. Open playoffs was in 2008, when Tiger Woods defeated Rocco Mediate over 91 holes, needing sudden death, on top of the additional 18, at Torrey Pines.As for the other men’s major playoff formats, the Masters uses sudden death, the PGA Championship a three-hole aggregate and The Open a four-hole aggregate.

Jack Draper has not played a competitive match since 13 April [Getty Images]Jack Draper says he felt he was watching his own decline during his recent injury struggles - but the Briton does not picture his career "being all injuries".The 24-year-old will make his competitive return to action at Eastbourne on Monday after struggling with injuries to his arm, knee and shoulder in the past year.Draper's injury problems began at Wimbledon last year, when he was having the best run of his career.In an 18-month period, Draper reached a Grand Slam semi-final, reached a high of fourth in the world rankings and won his first ATP 1000 title at Indian Wells.But bone bruising in his serving arm led to his cutting his 2025 season short - and he has only been able to play 11 matches in the past year.A knee injury, picked up on the clay courts of Barcelona in April, has kept him on the sidelines for two months.He will face world number 32 and recent Queen's semi-finalist Brandon Nakashima in his first match back."Tennis is a tough sport because I was top 10 in the world, doing great things, and you're losing your ranking every week," Draper said."It's not like a football team where you can have a substitute come in and take your place. It's like you're watching your decline."I don't believe I'm an injured athlete - I'm a strong athlete. I don't picture my career being all injuries."Cerundolo wins biggest title of career at Queen'sSerena Williams to make singles comeback at WimbledonDraper returns at Eastbourne - follow on the BBCDraper will have to fight his way back up the rankings, having fallen out of the top 100 during his lay-off.He is in the main draw for Wimbledon, which begins a week after Eastbourne on Monday, 29 June, but will be hoping to get plenty of match practice on the grass courts this week."I don't know how these competitions [Eastbourne and Wimbledon] are going to go in terms of my wins and losses," Draper said."I want this period to be past me now, of dipping in and out of the tour and coming back for one or two weeks."I feel like I'm able to be the player I want to be again on the court, which is a really great thing after a year of struggle."Draper will be accompanied in Eastbourne by three-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one Andy Murray.Murray has joined up with Draper for the grass-court season but told BBC Sport he he hopes to work with him on a long-term basis.Two-time Wimbledon winner Murray is set to be courtside to watch Draper take on fifth seed Nakashima at Devonshire Park."I've lost a lot of confidence in my body over the last year and having someone who believes in you is a big positive," Draper added."Our relationship is very special, and that gives me a bit more energy, especially in a moment where I'm coming back and need to have that good energy around me."How Murray was tempted back to tennis - and would he ever do a Serena?Bouzkova beats Navarro to clinch Nottingham title

Francisco Cerundolo had to fight through the longest Queen's final in history to claim the biggest title of his career, but he could hardly have timed it better.His parents arrived from their flight from Argentina in just enough time to see their son triumph - despite his father's fear of flying.Cerundolo had never won a title above ATP 250 level before and it looked as though his wait would continue when he went a set and a break down against American Tommy Paul.But after an enthralling three hours and two minutes on court, a triumphant Cerundolo threw himself to the floor in celebration after a 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-3 victory."They took the plane yesterday evening. I knew they were landing in London around 14:30 [BST]," he said. "I knew if the match is short, they wouldn't arrive to the tournament but if the match was longer, maybe they could."But Cerundolo did not know for certain if his dad would even make it to London."My dad has a phobia of planes. Since I was born, I never travelled with him and he never came to watch me in tournaments," he said."Last year he started taking therapy and trying to approach his fear."Last week, he was saying 'I will go to the grass season'. He always loved London and always loved grass, and he never came."Me, my brother and my sister were saying 'OK dad, until you are on the plane we don't believe you'."Cerundolo did not see his parents arrive during the match, but he celebrated the victory with them and the trio posed for photos with the iconic trophy afterwards.Cerundolo and his parents posed for photos together with the Queen's trophy [Getty Images]A fan favourite at Queen's Club this week, Argentina's Cerundolo delighted the crowds in London with his fierce forehand winners and never-give-up mentality.The 27-year-old has had a Diego Maradona shirt draped on a chair in his players' box all week to act as inspiration.Four of his five matches went to a decider as he spent 11 hours 33 minutes on court over the past six days.Cerundolo leaves Queen's with a second grass-court title under his belt, having previously beat Paul in the Eastbourne final in 2023.Paul, champion at Queen's in 2024, missed the opportunity to defend his title last year because of an abdominal injury and looked downcast as Cerundolo celebrated victory on Andy Murray Arena."I want to congratulate Francisco and your team. We always seem to have unreal matches and today you were the better player so I am happy for you. Congrats," Paul said.Serena Williams to make singles comeback at WimbledonDraper returns at Eastbourne - follow on the BBC'The biggest moment of my tennis career'After winning his first grass-court title at Eastbourne three years ago, Cerundolo - who grew up playing on clay courts - did not win a single match on the surface in 2024 and 2025."We don't have many grass courts back home," Cerundolo said."The first time I played [on grass was in the Wimbledon qualifiers in 2021]."After that I've won two grass-court titles, so it's incredible."His decision to fly to the UK to practise on grass before this year's tournament has reaped rewards.Cerundolo broke first in the opening set but failed to serve it out as momentum stayed with Paul in the tie-break.In a tight second set, the players traded breaks and saved multiple break points each before Paul's level faltered and Cerundolo struck a decisive blow at 5-4 to force a decider.Cerundolo broke first in the third set, but his emotions threatened to boil over when he squandered a 40-0 lead on serve and Paul carved out two break-back points.The South American let out a huge cry of "vamos" as he clung on to hold, although he was left disgruntled after four championship points went by. But at the fifth time of asking, Cerundolo hammered home his 27th winner of the day to finally seal victory."This is the biggest moment of my tennis career by far," he told BBC TV. "Coming from Argentina, winning my first ATP 500 tournament at Queen's - such a historic event. "I would never imagine lifting this trophy in my whole life and now I am the winner, so I am just super happy and proud of myself."Cerundolo is the first Argentine to win the title at Queen's, although David Nalbandian came close in 2012, having been a set up against Marin Cilic when he was defaulted for kicking an advertising board and hurting a line judge.Cerundolo will be one of the 32 seeded players when Wimbledon begins on Monday, 29 June.And Britain's Davis Cup captain Leon Smith believes Cerundolo's "unique forehand" gives him a "huge opportunity" to conquer any surface."His game is so big. The backhand has been rock solid - it's a flat shot so it's going through the court - but his uniqueness is his forehand," Smith said on BBC TV."It's a huge weapon and if the conditions stay as they are - fast, with the ball moving through the air - he's got a huge opportunity."Later on Sunday, Britain's Henry Patten and his Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara fell to a 6-4 6-3 defeat by El Salvador's Marcelo Arevalo and Croatia's Mate Pavic in the men's doubles final.

Use 'watch & listen' tab for live radio coverageCourtois makes great save to deny Iran's KananiLukaku - Belgium's all-time leading goalscorer - makes first start of tournamentBelgium drew opening game with Egypt, Iran drew against New ZealandNew Zealand & Egypt play at 02:00 BST De Bruyne threatens as Belgium start well against Iran

The Chicago city skyline is seen Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File)2026-06-21T18:47:13Z CHICAGO (AP) — A spate of shootings in Chicago has led to at least 38 injuries and seven deaths since Friday evening, police say, prompting President Donald Trump to renew his call for a military intervention in the nation’s third-largest city.“Why isn’t Governor Pritzker calling me for help. I could make Chicago a safe City in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!!” Trump said in a Sunday morning Truth Social post. The office of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender who has repeatedly rebuffed Trump’s calls for a military intervention, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Under Trump, National Guard troops have been deployed on crime-fighting missions in Democrat-led cities including New Orleans, Washington, D.C. and Memphis, Tennessee. While Chicago Police Department data shows a slight uptick in shooting incidents compared to the first half of last year, violent crime rates have generally dropped in the city over the past few years, in parallel with national trends. Preliminary information shared by Chicago police indicate there have been at least two dozen shooting incidents since 5 p.m. on Friday. Those killed by gunfire include a 21-year-old shot in the chest Sunday, an 18-year-old shot in the armpit Saturday evening and a 50-year-old shot in the chest Friday. At least 12 people in a crowd on a Chicago street suffered gunshot wounds Friday evening after an SUV pulled up and two people inside started shooting, police said. Read More The eight men and four women in the group ranged in age from 17 to 47. They were being treated at four hospitals. Police said another man suffered unknown injuries and refused medical treatment. That shooting happened on Juneteenth, a holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. Earlier Friday, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama welcomed the first visitors to his presidential center on the South Side. “What should have been a night of celebration and community reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in an X post Saturday. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones.”“Violence has no place in our city, and those responsible will be held accountable,” he said.___Associated Press writer Jack Brook contributed from New Orleans.

Giants' Matt Chapman receives intriguing 'hopeful' trade update originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The San Francisco Giants might be the one team that's already begun exploring moves as a seller this season, rather than play coy about the future of the franchise.Looking across their roster, there are a few players who make sense as trade chips who surely will receive interest and are likely to be moved. Those are Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray, rentals who are solid rental veterans. But what about their other assets?Of the big three, in Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers, and Willy Adames, the Giants got a very intriguing and "hopeful" trade update on their $100 million Gold Glove third baseman from USA Today's Bob Nightengale.Giants get 'hopeful' Matt Chapman trade update"The San Francisco Giants are hopeful of moving third baseman Matt Chapman - who is owed $100 million over the next four years and has a full no-trade clause - along with starter Robbie Ray and Luis Arraez," Nightengale writes.The Giants being "hopeful" that they can actually trade Chapman is a very noteworthy development. If they can actually trade him, that would be a huge help.Chapman is making $100 million over the next four seasons, from 2027 through the 2030 season. He's going to be very expensive.Trading him away and getting out of his contract would be a huge win. He's playing well this season, and based on this update from Nightengale, it seems there might be interest.MORE: Tarik Skubal being traded by Tigers would help him in free agencyIronically enough, a team like the Boston Red Sox could make sense, as they could take on the salary from Chapman, upgrade their third-base spot, and help make up for the mistake they made with Devers and Alex Bregman during the 2025 season.But, even if it's not the Red Sox, there seems to be more interested teams in Chapman this summer, based on this report from Nightengale.Being hopeful of trading Chapman is a very intriguing update on the Gold Glove third baseman. He might be on the move this summer, which would be very interesting because of how much money he's owed and how this potential trade would be constructed.More MLB news:5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for CardinalsEx-MLB GM projects White Sox to sell at trade deadline despite 2026 successCubs’ cost to trade for Tarik Skubal from Tigers revealed by ex-MLB GMYankees’ Ryan McMahon problem has a $25 million release solution Phillies extending Cristopher Sanchez to his $107 million deal was genius

PATERSON - When Derrick Etienne Jr.'s number appeared on the substitution board in the 81st minute of Haiti's FIFA World Cup match against Brazil, cheers erupted throughout Hinchliffe Stadium.For the several hundred gathered in Paterson on Friday night, that moment was what the watch party had been building toward all day.The Paterson-raised winger entered the match for Jean-Ricner Bellegarde late in Haiti's group-stage contest against Brazil, becoming one of the few athletes from the city to compete on soccer's biggest stage.Every touch of the ball was met with applause at the Hinchliffe watch party as Etienne immediately brought energy and an attacking threat to Haiti's front line. The game was played in Philadelphia.Many fans came to Hinchliffe for a personal reason: watching one of Paterson's own represent Haiti against one of the world's most recognizable soccer nations.People wearing Haiti and other national team jerseys cheered as the Paterson native entered the match on soccer's biggest stage.“It’s an amazing atmosphere,” said Carlos Ramirez, who wore a Brazil jersey. “To be here for free and recognize an amazing achievement is special.”“Whenever Etienne touched the ball, you could hear how invested the crowd got,” Ramirez said. “We all wanted him to score!”Fan Yury Meza said the event offered something television could not.“You don't have to be a fan of that country,” Meza said. “It’s important to be here with everyone and celebrate.”A 45-year-old man from Haiti, who declined to give his name, wore his homeland’s soccer jersey.“We all love Etienne,” he said. “Even if he lost the ball, having one of our own in this position is more than enough.” The player expressed appreciated the fan support.'Paterson has shown me so much love'"It's surreal to be recognized at such a historic field," Etienne said. "Paterson has shown me so much love, and it’s the main reason why I represent Jersey and Paterson so much." Before kickoff, fans filled Hinchliffe stadium wearing Haitian jerseys, waving flags, and taking photos in front of signs recognizing the local soccer star. When his face appeared on the stadium's video board, the crowd responded with loud cheers.Etienne said the support he continues to receive from Paterson has never been something he expected."I just wanted to play soccer. I just wanted to score goals and win trophies," Etienne said. “To know I have people from back home supporting me is an amazing feeling!”Although born in Virginia, Etienne moved to Paterson as a child and developed deep ties within the community before eventually building a professional career that included stops throughout Major League Soccer and appearances with Haiti's national team."Being able to move to Paterson and build so many relationships with the community and people in general from school days, high school, to all the connections I've made, there's always been love there,” Etienne said.Big reactions from fansThe atmosphere at Hinchliffe throughout the night reflected more than just support for Haiti or Brazil. Families gathered along the concourse, children kicked soccer balls on the stadium grounds, and fans from different backgrounds exchanged cheers and friendly banter throughout the match. Every dangerous Haiti attack drew a reaction from the crowd, but none generated a louder response than Etienne's introduction.“Whenever Etienne touched the ball, you could hear how invested the crowd got,” Ramirez said. “We all wanted him to score!”Mayor Andre Sayegh added to the crowd’s investment in Etienne’s introduction. “We had an incredible crowd tonight,” said Sayegh. “Regardless of who you wanted to win, we all smiled seeing him get subbed on.” For organizers, moments like that were exactly what the event was designed to create.Passport to Paterson co-founder Farhanna Sayegh said the initiative was designed to bring the World Cup experience to residents who may never have a chance to attend a match in person while celebrating the diverse cultures that make up Paterson. "We saw an opportunity to recreate that excitement through large-scale community watch parties where everyone can come together, celebrate, and experience the energy of the tournament," Paterson’s First Lady said.That energy was evident throughout the evening as supporters filled the stands, posed for photos, waved national flags, and embraced the communal atmosphere that often accompanies the world's biggest sporting event."Young people feed off energy and shared experiences," Sayegh said. "Watching a game at home is one thing, but being surrounded by hundreds or thousands of people cheering together creates a completely different feeling."New York Cosmos CEO Erik Stover said creating those shared experiences is one of the reasons the organization partnered with community leaders to host World Cup events at Hinchliffe Stadium."Football has always been and always will be about people," Stover said. "It's the people's game. We're in a hyper-politicized climate right now where there's so much negativity, and to put that aside to celebrate football and community is exactly what we want to encourage in Paterson.”As the crowd filtered out of Hinchliffe Stadium following Brazil's victory, conversations centered less on the final score and more on the brief but memorable appearance of Paterson's own Derrick Etienne Jr. on soccer's biggest stage.This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Derrick Etienne Jr. of Haiti cheered at World Cup watch party v Brazil

Why didn't Iran's goal count? Mehdi Taremi 1-0 lead vs. Belgium called out after VAR review originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Iran's huge fanbase was again in Los Angeles to watch the Iranian squad play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.On Sunday, they were taking on Belgium, and Iran appeared to take the lead on a goal by Mehdi Taremi.The celebrations were raucous, but then news came that the VAR (video assistant referee) was looking at it.After review, the goal was called off. It would remain 0-0.It was a brutal break for Iran, although it appeared to be the right call.MORE: Lamine Yamal outdoes Messi, Ronaldo in historic moment for Spanish wunderkindWhy didn't Iran's goal count?The goal was called back for offside.Fox's referee analyst Mark Clattenburg also made the case that a foul could've been called for encroachment on the Iran free kick.This is how the play happened:Mehdi Taremi found the back of the net for Iran, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR check determined it was offside pic.twitter.com/HebR7GY46j— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 21, 2026MORE: Eloy Room leads Curacao to astounding World Cup history"It's the right call in the end," Clattenburg said.Iran drew its first match, against New Zealand, and is now trying to stun Belgium. They nearly had the lead.More FIFA World Cup news:USA, England can't actually play on July 4thWhy Norway brought 600 pounds of salmon to the World CupCape Verde pulls off one of craziest results in World Cup historyPink cleats are everywhere at the World CupHow Folarin Balogun's mom being too pregnant to fly led him to USMNT

Uli Hoeneß backs Germany's World Cup dream: “Anything is possible!”Germany's dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast has sparked growing optimism across the country - and now Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeneß has joined the chorus of believers.While the veteran football executive stopped short of declaring Germany favourites for the title, he praised the team's fighting spirit and suggested that Julian Nagelsmann's side could go all the way if they continue on their current trajectory.“It has to be said that Germany produced an incredible fighting performance yesterday. However, there are still some very tough obstacles on the road to the title.”The 74-year-old pointed to the growing unity within the squad as one of the key reasons for optimism. Under Nagelsmann, Germany have shown a resilience and togetherness that had often been missing in recent major tournaments.“If they continue to grow together as a team in this way, and if the coach keeps making substitutions as effectively as he did yesterday, then anything is possible.”Nagelsmann's tactical adjustments proved decisive against the Africans, helping Germany turn a difficult contest into another victory and maintain their perfect start to the tournament.With six points from two matches, Germany have already secured top spot in Group E and can now approach their final group game against Ecuador without any pressure on the result.

Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesThe race to be considered the top American women’s tennis player has seen a lot of movement lately, but right now Jessica Pegula may have edged ahead. Alongside Pegula, Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova have also been part of that conversation. Each of them is currently preparing for Wimbledon, which gets underway later this month.Even though rankings aren’t the only measure of quality, Pegula is currently the highest-ranked American woman on tour, and it’s hard to argue against her having earned that spot.At 32, she’s playing some of her best tennis and has already picked up two WTA titles this year.Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesWhy Jessica Pegula stands out among American WTA playersThat tally puts her level with Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, and Marta Kostyuk, while Mirra Andreeva and Aryna Sabalenka lead the pack with three each.Pegula now has a chance to match that total after reaching the final of the Berlin Open. Even though she had an early exit at Roland-Garros, she’s responded well in her first grass event of the season.The world number four has beaten Aryna Sabalenka and Katerina Siniakova, plus Madison Keys to continue a strong record against fellow Americans.She’s now 7-0 against compatriots in 2026, which further underlines her case as America’s top player right now. She also holds a 5-3 head-to-head edge over Gauff and is unbeaten in five meetings against Anisimova.10 Best American women in the current WTA rankingsPegula, Anisimova, and Gauff are the only American players in the WTA top 10, but a few others aren’t far behind inside the top 30.Top of that group is 18-year-old Iva Jovic, who’s currently ranked 17th in the world. She has been one of the standout players on the WTA Tour in 2026 and is definitely one to keep an eye on at Wimbledon.Elsewhere, Emma Navarro, Madison Keys, Ann Li, and Hailey Baptiste have all shown enough promise recently to earn their places inside the top 30.Anisimova will get plenty of attention again this year after her breakout run last year, when she reached the final before losing to Iga Swiatek.It was an impressive season for Americans overall. She made another major final at home in New York while Madison Keys took home the Australian Open title and Coco Gauff won Roland Garros.Read more:Serena Williams shares words of encouragement Alex Eala can appreciateBad Homburg draw gives Iga Swiatek plenty to think about despite top seedingTim Henman urges shocking Tennis shake-up; Find out what he wants and why players love it

📸 Bum stops Iran taking the lead! It was a 200 IQ free-kick trickIn the second group-stage match between Belgium and Iran, the underdogs had already started celebrating. Only the assistant referee’s flag brought the festivities to an abrupt end. This free-kick routine without a happy ending definitely would have deserved wild celebrations. A 200 IQ free kick from Haji Safi ultimately went unrewarded. Instead of simply smashing it from a central position 25 meters in front of the Belgian goal, the free-kick taker played in his striker Mehdi Taremi, who had broken away from the defenders at the height of the wall and coolly slotted it home. The Belgians were completely caught on the wrong foot. But the goal didn’t count. Taremi was offside by a matter of centimeters with his backside. Looks like the gluteus maximus had been trained a little too often. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

With the first round of the 2026 NBA draft looming on Tuesday, the Brooklyn Nets have attempted to trade up, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.The Nets currently have pick Nos. 6, 33 and 43 after finishing with a 20-62 record, just one year after making five selections in the first round. They have conducted workouts with several prospects in their range, though they are considering moving up the draft board.Brooklyn is reportedly offering its sixth overall pick and additional first-round selections to try to move up into the top four. Boasting multiple first-rounders in 2027, 2029, 2031 and 2032, the Nets could have the draft capital needed to pull off such a move.The Brooklyn Nets have attempted to move up into the top-four range of the NBA Draft by dangling their No. 6 pick with future first-round draft picks, league sources told HoopsHype.The Nets have brought projected lottery picks Darius Acuff Jr., Nate Ament, Mikel Brown Jr. and Kingston Flemings in for workouts, who could be potential targets. The front office could also schedule additional visits with the top prospects in town for the draft at the Barclays Center.Of course, such a move into the top four would likely be executed to target prospects like Keaton Wagler or Caleb Wilson. However, there hasn't been much speculation that Memphis or Chicago would be willing to move down from the third and fourth picks, respectively.Certainly, plenty of rumors and speculation will surface ahead of the draft involving the Nets and other teams selecting in the first round. Brooklyn appears to be a team to monitor, with plenty of draft picks and other assets at its disposal. This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Nets rumors: Sean Marks & Co. eye potential trade up in NBA draft

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu admitted her side paid the price for a poor batting display after suffering a five-wicket defeat to West Indies in their Women's T20 World Cup clash in Bristol. Chasing just 99, the unbeaten West Indies side got home with 23 balls to spare, leaving Sri Lanka with two losses from three matches.The damage was done early as Sri Lanka slipped to 9/3 in the powerplay and never truly recovered, eventually being bowled out for 98. Athapaththu felt the conditions were challenging, but said her side failed to adjust and execute their plans with the bat.“The wicket is a little bit sticky today, and the ball is a little bit sticky too, with the tennis ball bouncing. So I feel the West Indies are bowling according to their plans and to the conditions. We have not executed our plans in the power play. We lost a couple of wickets early, and throughout the game we struggled as a batting unit. So I feel we need to score 140 plus, otherwise we can’t defend against this West Indies team. But unfortunately, we lost a couple of wickets and we struggled a lot in the middle,” she said post-match.Even though West Indies comfortably reached the target, Sri Lanka's bowlers managed to claim five wickets and briefly slowed the chase. Athapaththu was quick to defend her bowling attack, insisting that the lack of runs was the bigger issue."Definitely our bowlers bowled in right line and length, but some extras also given there, so the thing is, the 100 is not enough to defend. So we need to score more runs, otherwise we can’t blame the bowlers,” she added.Semi-final hopes hanging by a threadAthapaththu singled out the bowling unit as one of the positives from the match but stressed that improvements with the bat are urgently needed.“Our bowling department done a really good job for us, but we need to improve our batting before next game,” Athapaththu stated.Sri Lanka now face a must-win situation, with victories over Ireland and Scotland essential to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

There's no question who the fan favorite is in the final round of the 2026 U.S. Open.Wyndham Clark is looking to go wire-to-wire and win his second U.S. Open title Sunday at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York. Meanwhile, he's paired with Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 who's competing on his 30th birthday and trying to complete the career Grand Slam.Scheffler got serenaded with song on the first tee. Clark has got grumbles from the crowd and cheers more for his poor shots than anything good thus far on Sunday. But some of those fans are being booted for their behavior on Sunday.The Fried Egg's Kevin Van Valkenburg is on the ground and posted a photo of a fan being tossed out for shouting, "Don't choke Wyndham" as he's hitting shots. The jeers have come through the broadcast audibly for much of the final round, and that's far from the only thing fans are saying to go against the leader.Cops are booting people for shouting “Don’t choke Wyndham!” as he sets up to his shot. This young man got bounced for saying it before Clark’s tee shot at No. 4 pic.twitter.com/M1d1ZO687u— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) June 21, 2026Clark hopes this week could be a redemption story for him after a locker room incident last year at Oakmont was the latest in a long string of incidents that painted him in a negative light. Even with a six-shot lead with 18 holes to go, fans have not gone easy on Clark, and paired with Scheffler, he has been painted the enemy by the New York crowd.Wyndham way left off second tee at the par 3. Fans cheering. Dang, you’d expect that at Adare Manor next Ryder Cup not final round of us open.— Adam Schupak (@AdamSchupak) June 21, 2026The crowds in New York are known for being rowdy and often crossing the line. Just look at the Ryder Cup last September for an example. But Sunday at Shinnecock, fans are being thrown out for crossing the line when it comes to jeering the leader.Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor of Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Fans being ejected for heckling Wyndham Clark at US Open 2026

Giants receive 'pessimistic' trade update on Rafael Devers, Willy Adames originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The San Francisco Giants are strongly trending towards selling at this year's MLB trade deadline. While the full extent of their fire sale isn't known, it appears that some of the big names might be available for trade.Other than Logan Webb and maybe even Jung Hoo Lee, the Giants have seemingly opened the door for a trade of Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers, or Willy Adames alongside Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray.However, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the trade update on Adames and Devers isn't exactly good news for the Giants, as the club is reporting "pessimistic" that a trade with either could come to fruition for one simple reason: money.Giants 'pessimistic' they can trade Devers or Adames"They're pessimistic about the odds of trading Rafael Devers or Willy Adames with their bloated contracts," Nightengale reports.The Giants are likely sellers this summer, but the chance of seeing either Adames or Devers being traded looks slim at this point.Why this is the case is very straightforward: both Devers and Adames are under contract on deals far-too-large for teams to be interested in adding this summer.Devers is in year-three of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract that began in 2024 and runs through the 2033 season. That's a lot of money an acquiring team would have to take on, or make up for in a trade if the Giants eat some of the contract.MORE: Cubs’ cost to trade for Tarik Skubal from Tigers revealed by ex-MLB GMAdames isn't much better, as he's in the second season of a seven-year, $182 million contract that runs through the 2032 season.Both sluggers would cost a ton to acquire alone, not to mention the financial aspect, which makes a trade a lot trickier, especially with an uncertain collective bargaining agreement upcoming for MLB.While they might have teams interested in a vacuum, their contract situations make a trade very difficult to pull off, much harder than Chapman, who is under contract for only four more seasons at $100 million total.Another reason why is simple: unlike Chapman, both Devers and Adames are struggling this season. Between their lackluster production, their massive contracts, and the tricky nature of a trade, neither Adames nor Devers is looking likely to be dealt this summer.More MLB news:5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for CardinalsEx-MLB GM projects White Sox to sell at trade deadline despite 2026 successTarik Skubal being traded by Tigers would help him in free agencyYankees’ Ryan McMahon problem has a $25 million release solution Phillies extending Cristopher Sanchez to his $107 million deal was genius

The Iron Fire burns outside near Eureka, Utah, Jun. 20, 2026. (Kelly Wickens/Utah Forestry, Fire State Lands via AP)2026-06-21T19:37:05Z Extreme heat and dry, windy conditions fueled several wildfires in the West on Sunday, including an uncontained blaze in Utah that forced the evacuation of a small town southwest of Salt Lake City.The Iron Fire in Utah’s Juab County was first detected Saturday and had blackened 34 square miles (87 square kilometers), authorities said. The fire about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southwest of Salt Lake City forced the evacuation of Eureka, population 1,000, and people at a nearby ranch.No homes had been lost, and UTAH Fire Info, a multiagency operation, said in a post on X that firefighters conducted a successful backburn operation to protect the town.Kelly Wickens, a fire prevention specialist with the Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands, warned that the fire was continuing to grow amid drought conditions. Wickens said the fire was human-caused and remains under investigation. Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox visited the town Sunday. “We knew that there was going to be extreme fire danger, and sure enough we had multiple fires,” Cox said. The Iron Fire was one of six fires burning in Utah at varying levels of containment. In neighboring Colorado, the southwest corner of the state was under a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service until Monday, due to gusty winds and low relative humidity.A wildfire prompted evacuations over the weekend near Sedona, Arizona, burning about 300 acres (120 hectares) of steep and rugged terrain near Oak Creek Canyon. As of Sunday afternoon, the fire remained uncontained. Residents evacuated earlier were still not being allowed to return home. Read More Much of the Western U.S. from the Rockies to the Pacific coast saw above-average temperatures this weekend with even hotter weather anticipated for early next week. Officials also warned that the prolonged dry, hot weather and relatively low humidity increased the risk of fire danger. Much of Utah is experiencing severe to extreme drought, while parts of Arizona and Colorado are experiencing severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Extreme heat claimed the lives of three hikers in two separate incidents last week in the Grand Canyon. Temperatures were expected to climb in the Southwest on Sunday, with a forecast of up to 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42.2 C) in Carlsbad, New Mexico.Meanwhile, a brush fire in Miami-Dade County in Florida spread across 2,000 acres (800 hectares) on Saturday.

Tigers get updated potential trade return for Tarik Skubal amid Braves rumor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.There might not be a player more intriguing than Tarik Skubal at this year's MLB trade deadline. There is plenty of buzz and rumors floating around about the Detroit Tigers ace already this summer.But, there's still a big question of whether the Tigers will trade the back-to-back Cy Young winner this season. If they do trade him, what could they get in return?USA Today's Bob Nightengale shared a possible trade return for the Tigers from a team like the Atlanta Braves, who were deemed a "sleeper" for Skubal, according to predictions from several MLB executives. Tigers receive intriguing potential trade return for Tarik Skubal"The sleeper in the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, several executives predict, will be Atlanta," Nightegnale writes. "The cost could be two of their top-10 prospects, including one who's in the top 100 overall."The Tigers are bound to get something good in return for Skubal if he's traded, and this potential trade return wouldn't be a terrible one for the Tigers.According to MLB Pipeline, the Tigers would be getting two of the following prospects from the Braves in this trade idea: Cam Caminiti, JR Ritchie, Eric Hartman, Tate Southisene, Alex Lodise, Owen Murphy, Briggs McKenzie, Diego Tornes, Lucas Braun, and John Gil.But, since the Braves would be projected to send a top-100 prospect in this deal, they would have to trade one of Caminiti, who's ranked 45 by MLB Pipeline, or Ritche at 57 overall.MORE: Tarik Skubal being traded by Tigers would help him in free agencyCaminiti is a 19-year-old left-handed pitching prospect who has a 3.71 ERA in 30 games (29 starts) and 126 innings in his minor league career. Ritchie is a 22-year-old right-hander who's already made his MLB debut this year and has a 4.54 ERA in 35.2 innings.This projected return for the Tigers in a Skubal deal wouldn't be terrible, as landing a top-100 prospect, like Caminiti or Ritchie from the Braves, along with another top-10 team prospect, would be a much-better return than the Tigers would get from a compensatory pick after losing him in free agency.Of course, a trade won't happen unless the Tigers fall well out of the postseason race in the coming month and a half. But, if they do, this potential return wouldn't be a terrible one for the Tigers.More MLB news:5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for CardinalsEx-MLB GM projects White Sox to sell at trade deadline despite 2026 successCubs’ cost to trade for Tarik Skubal from Tigers revealed by ex-MLB GMYankees’ Ryan McMahon problem has a $25 million release solution Phillies extending Cristopher Sanchez to his $107 million deal was genius

Georgios Donis' Saudi Arabia were beaten 4-0 by Spain (Florencia Tan Jun)Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis said he remains "proud" of his players as he called for realism in the wake of a 4-0 World Cup thrashing by Spain on Sunday.The Arabian Falcons were 3-0 down inside 24 minutes in Atlanta as Lamine Yamal led a La Roja rout on his first World Cup start.Barcelona star Yamal opened the scoring before Mikel Oyarazbal's double put the outcome beyond doubt before the mid-half hydration break in the first half.Hassan al-Tambakti's second-half own goal rubbed salt in Saudi wounds."I'm proud of everything the players do every day, I am not going to lose my pride in the players after a poor result," said Donis, who only took charge in April."I've seen games at the World Cup that have ended 5-1 and 6-0. We are here to take the criticism, but I also expect all those that criticise us to be realists as well."The Saudis held Uruguay 1-1 in their opening game but there was little evidence that the billions splashed to raise the level of their domestic league on foreign stars has aided the national team.They do have a chance to make amends against Cape Verde in their final group game, where victory will likely secure passage to the knockout stages for the first time since the 1994 World Cup.And Donis rejected the suggestion his side had been scared of Spain."When a match isn't going your way and you've conceded three quick goals, insecurities start to creep in," he added."It's obvious we were affected. We're human, but I wouldn't call it fear."kca/jc

Brazil's Lucas Paqueta speaking to reporters at the World Cup on Sunday (Mauro PIMENTEL)Brazil must find a way to overcome the loss of injured star Raphinha as quickly as possible, midfielder Lucas Paqueta said Sunday, as Carlo Ancelotti's side prepare for their final group game of the World Cup against Scotland.Barcelona forward Raphinha came off before half-time in Friday's 3-0 win over Haiti in Philadelphia with a right thigh injury, and the Brazil team later said he would undergo "intensive treatment" with the aim of being back in time for a possible game in the last 16 in early July.The 29-year-old will therefore definitely miss Wednesday's last Group C match against Scotland in Miami, which could open the door to a return for superstar Neymar."We are all sad, especially Rafa, because of the little setback with this injury, but he can count on all of us for support. We are all by his side," Paqueta, of Flamengo, told reporters at Brazil's World Cup base in New Jersey."He is a dedicated kid, and I am sure he will do everything possible and impossible to be back as soon as possible. But in terms of how important he is, well, I don't think I need to say anything."He has had an incredible couple of seasons and has been getting better and better for the national team, so I think that when any player of that importance is missing you are going to have to restructure quickly."Raphinha's season with Barcelona was regularly impacted by problems with his right hamstring, and he has missed a total of 24 matches for club and country since the campaign began.A starter in both of the Selecao's games so far, he was replaced by the young Bournemouth forward Rayan when he came off late in the opening half against the Haitians."We all know his characteristics, his qualities, his pace, his ability to create space and his finishing ability, so I think we are losing a very important player," added ex-West Ham United player Paqueta."But we are not paying too much attention to how long he is going to be out. We just hope he is back as soon possible."Ancelotti's side have four points from two games so far, and will clinch qualification for the last 32 in one of the top two places in the section if they avoid defeat against the Scots.Neymar is being tipped to feature against Scotland after overcoming the injury which has stopped him from featuring at the tournament so far.If Brazil's all-time top scorer does play, it will be his first appearance for his country since October 2023."He is a very important player for the national team, who has a marvellous history with us and can still help us a lot," Paqueta said of the 34-year-old former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward.raa/ag/as/nf

2028 three-star cornerback Man Robinson has been a target for the Florida State Seminoles for a year and a half. They extended him an offer on Dec. 31 of 2024, and he took an unofficial visit last August when FSU played the Alabama Crimson Tide.That was the last time Robinson was in Tallahassee, but that is set to change soon. He announced on social media that he is headed back to visit Florida State."Excited to head back to Tallahassee!" Robinson wrote.247Sports has him listed as the No. 347 prospect and the No. 36 cornerback in the country. He's also the No. 51 recruit in Florida.Robinson wasn't always in the Sunshine State. As a freshman, he attended Christian Academy of Louisville in Kentucky. That's where he put his name on the national scene as he recorded 52 tackles, four tackles for loss, five interceptions (one pick-six), and five pass breakups. Robinson would help the Centurions go 12-3 and capture the KHSAA Class 3A state title, and he was also the only freshman named to the Kentucky Prep Gridiron All-State Defensive Team.Before his sophomore year, Robinson transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He played in eight games and had just six tackles, but he did log two interceptions, which included another pick-six. FSU will have to compete extremely hard to land Robinson. The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder also has offers from the Miami Hurricanes, Florida Gators, Oregon Ducks, Oklahoma Sooners, Michigan Wolverines, and others.Excited to head back to Tallahassee! @CoachJuwanFSU@ChuckCantor@evancooper2@Coach_Norvell@LaserreMatt@ZBlostein247@SWiltfong_@TomLoy247@ChadSimmons_@Andy_Villamarzo@Andrew_Ivins@JohnGarcia_Jr@Aspirationsgympic.twitter.com/PFJ9GEvSL2— Man Robinson (@midrange_man) June 21, 2026Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscienceThis article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Football: Florida State is hosting CB Man Robinson

As the Washington Huskies look to add depth to their offensive line in the 2027 class, Jedd Fisch's coaching staff picked up a crystal ball on Sunday morning to land one of the nation's top tackles in four-star Rashaun Lavata'i.Following a mid-week official visit, Rivals' Brandon Huffman projected that offensive line coach Michael Switzer will land the services of the 6-foot-6, 270-pound offensive tackle out of in-state Curtis High School, who is ranked as the nation's No. 118 overall prospect and No. 9 player at his position.Lavata'i has also taken official visits to Oregon State, Utah, and Washington State from his 13 offers as he's experienced a significant uptick in interest late in the recruiting process. The Huskies have been keeping a close eye on the Tacoma product for a long time, but didn't make that public until early March when Switzer extended an offer to him following a stellar performance at the Under Armour Next camp in Phoenix, where he was named MVP.Washington has picked up crystal balls to land three of their TOP TARGETS along the offensive line!! All the latest is coming on tomorrow's show👀Tune in and subscribe on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts! pic.twitter.com/ErIy73M70G— Locked On Huskies (@LockedOnHuskies) June 21, 2026Lavata'i, who also took home MVP honors at the Avery Strong College Showcase in early June, has a unique frame for the position with plenty of room to add weight to his frame. He is an impressive athlete who already plays with good power, and with time in a college weight program, he has all the desired tools to make an impact in Fisch's offense and in the Big Ten.On film, Lavata'i is a strong lateral mover who generates plenty of strength from his lower half, which lends to his significant rise in the recruiting rankings as his measurables and athletic profile are exactly what college programs are looking for in developmental offensive tackle prospects.The Huskies currently hold just one commitment along the offensive line from four-star center Reis Russell, but picked up two other crystal balls from Huffman on Sunday at the position, including four-star interior lineman Gecova Doyal.This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Huskies projected to land fast-rising 4-star in-state OT