Indians who have claimed fifer on Test debut: Manav Suthar creates history vs Afghanistan originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:India Test debutant Manav Suthar has bagged a fifer in his team's first innings against Afghanistan.Only a few Indian bowlers have recorded a five-wicket haul on Test debut. Narendra Hirwani still holds the record of 16/136, set in the year 1988 against West Indies in Tests, with eight wickets to his name in each innings.Manav Suthar eyes rare five-wicket haul on Test debutThe latest Test debutant for India, Manav Suthar, has hit the ground running against Afghanistan at New Chandigarh. He took his first wicket in his opening over of the game and ended Day 2 with three victims, putting Afghanistan in a position where they could score 113/5 in reply to India's total of 564/8.On Day 2, Suthar had three wickets to his name after dismissing Abdul Malik, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Afsar Zazai. At the start of Day 3, the spinner took three more wickets in quick succession to achieve a rare historic feat for India.MORE:'He is Mr. Lord's, isn't he?'Stokes hails Ollie RobinsonIndians who have taken a five-wicket haul on Test debut - by inningsIt is no secret that India has a rich history of spin bowlers who made a mark on their Test debut, and this chance is now Suthar’s, joining the illustrious company of Narendra Hirwani, Ravichandran Ashwin, Dilip Doshi, Axar Patel and Vaman Kumar.PlayerFiguresOpponentVenueYearNarendra Hirwani8/61West IndiesChennai1988Narendra Hirwani8/75West IndiesChennai1988Ravichandran Ashwin6/47West IndiesDelhi2011Syed Abid Ali6/55AustraliaAdelaide1967Dilip Rasiklal Doshi6/103AustraliaChennai1979Mohammed Shami Ahmed5/47West IndiesEden Gardens2013Axar Rajeshbhai Patel5/60EnglandChennai2021Vaman Viswanath Kumar5/64PakistanDelhi1961Amit Mishra5/71AustraliaMohali2008Mohammad Nissar5/93EnglandLord's1932Manav Suthar6/33AfghanistanNew Chandigarh2026MORE:Australia squad for Bangladesh ODI tour 2026Top 5 best bowling figures on Test debut worldwideAccording to Test records for best innings bowling figures on debut, these are the five best performances in men's Test cricket history:PlayerTeamFiguresOpponentVenueYearAlbert TrottAustralia8/43EnglandAdelaide1895Bob MassieAustralia8/53EnglandLord's1972Narendra HirwaniIndia8/61West IndiesChennai1988Lance KlusenerSouth Africa8/64IndiaEden Gardens1972Narendra HirwaniIndia8/75West IndiesChennai1988Stats:ESPNcricinfoTo keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics, visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

India debutant Manav Suthar's memorable performance against Afghanistan came with an unusual twist. While the young spinner starred with the ball on the second day of the one-off Test in Mullanpur, his family chose not to witness the feat from the stands.According to PTI, Manav's father Jagdish Suthar, a retired Physical Education teacher from Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar district, had travelled to Mullanpur along with his wife and daughter Mansi to watch the left-arm spinner receive his maiden Test cap. However, the family returned home before the second day's play because of nerves and superstition.Manav repaid the faith shown in him by India's team management with an outstanding spell of 3/21 in 15.5 overs, leaving Afghanistan struggling in their first innings."Yes, me, my wife and my daughter Mansi (Manav's younger sister) had come to watch his debut. I can't describe how it felt seeing him get the Test Cap yesterday. However today we had come back home as we were all nervous and a bit superstitious watching him live in action from the stadium," Jagdish Suthar told PTI during an exclusive interaction on the second day of the Test.Despite his son's rise to international cricket, Jagdish was unwilling to take any credit for the achievement. Instead, he highlighted the dedication Manav has shown over the years and acknowledged the role played by his childhood coach."It is completely Manav's hard work and the hours that he has put into practice. He would leave home for training in the morning and return late in the evening. It is his credit and his childhood coach Dheeraj Sharma to whom we are all indebted. Manav learnt all his cricket under him," Suthar senior said.Reflecting on his son's early years, Jagdish said there was never a single moment when he realised Manav could become a professional cricketer. Like many children, cricket was simply a game he loved from a young age."Like every other child, he was also passionate about cricket. He would play with tennis and rubber ball when he was around six to seven years old. Since I was a PT teacher, I always encouraged my son to play the sport and enjoy. When he was around 10 to 11 years old, I had enrolled him in Dheeraj sir's academy. After that I just told him, 'Tujhe jo accha lage, tu kar, mera support humesha tere saath rahega (Whatever you feel like pursuing, do it and I will give you my full support),'” Jagdish added.When asked whether he was concerned about balancing cricket with education, Jagdish said that was never an issue."Cricket was his focus but he has also completed his graduation," he informed.According to his father, Manav remains a quiet and reserved personality away from the game despite his growing reputation on the field."When he is at home, we hardly have conversations on cricket. He doesn't speak much. Yes, we know that he is a big fan of Ravichandran Ashwin and the way he had dominated world cricket during his time," he concluded.The decision to leave the venue early may have spared the family some anxious moments, but back home they would have been delighted to learn that Manav had enjoyed a dream second day in Test cricket, putting Afghanistan under immense pressure with a three-wicket haul on debut.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA - JUNE 02: Thomas Tuchel, Head Coach of England, talks to Harry Kane of England during a training session on June 02, 2026 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images) | Getty Images The England national team have been prepping for the start of their World Cup campaign by virtue of a training camp in the sweltering heat and humidity of Tampa Bay, Florida. Their players have been on a steep adjustment curve getting used to the boiling temperatures, high humidity percentages, and questionable pitch conditions with the quilt stitch esque patches of grass that get laid down on most American NFL grounds. They marched to a 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand at Raymond James stadium over the weekend thanks to a Harry Kane header just before halftime and they now have one tuneup friendly left in Orlando against Costa Rica before their World Cup opener against Croatia in Dallas, Texas.England’s camp has been unforgiving on every player in the squad, but that’s the whole reason they’ve been training in West-Central Florida. Despite the difficult conditions, Thomas Tuchel recently raved about the shape he feels Kane is in at the moment, referring to the Bayern Munich striker as being in “top shape.”“Harry is in top shape and ready to go. He showed me the whole week that he is ready, he’s determined. He also got titles, he was so influential in Bayern Munich’s campaign. He is our key player. He looks lean, sharp and he trains at the highest level. We had a defensive training session (on Friday) and he was leading the intensity. He is so used to the high press from Bayern Munich and the intensive game that they play in the opponents’ half. He is leading by example. I think he is in the best shape,” the England manager enthused in a press conference ahead of the New Zealand friendly (via @iMiaSanMia). The words from Tuchel shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise as Kane is coming off of the season of his life for Bayern. Despite falling short in the Champions League and winning the domestic double, Kane tallied 61 goals and 7 assists from a total of 51 appearances across all competitions and is an odds-on favorite for the Ballon d’Or if he has a strong showing at the World Cup with England. Barrin any injury concerns that may arise, there shouldn’t be any reason to suspect Kane won’t be absolutely vital for the Three Lions and Tuchel will be hoping his Bayern fan will just carry on in an England shirt in the United States. If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor… Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:New, improved notifications system!Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community posts

Manchester City’s Rodri admits to career-ending doubts during nightmare ACL lay-offRodri admits he questioned whether he would “ever play again” during his ACL recoveryThe Spain international says he is now “back, stronger than before” ahead of the World CupRodri sustained his ACL injury in Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September 2024Rodri has opened up on the psychological toll of his ACL injury recovery, admitting there was a moment during rehabilitation where he doubted whether he would ever play professional football again.The Manchester City midfielder sustained a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in September 2024.That paved the way for an 18-month road to recovery that included a premature comeback at the FIFA Club World Cup and subsequent hamstring and groin setbacks before he finally returned to consistent form in the second half of last season.Rodri admits to ‘questioning himself’ over fitness and Manchester City future after knee injuryNow representing Spain at the FIFA World Cup in North America, Rodri has reflected on the doubts that crept in during the most difficult stages of his rehabilitation.Rodri: I wondered if I would ever play againSpeaking to DAZN España, the 29-year-old said: “This is part of life. Not-so-good moments. You have to face it in the most positive way possible,” as relayed by Sport Witness.“It was a time for reflection, recovery. It was difficult, I won’t deny, but you recover and come out stronger. Now I’m back, stronger than before. “When I came back, I had some doubts about being able to play normally again. I felt very limited, a lot of pain.“When you stop completely, your body brings out what it hasn’t been able to give you during that time. There was a moment of doubt where I wondered not just if I would return to my previous level, but if I would ever play again.“I’ve proven that I have. I’ve returned to that consistency in my football. It’s a long road, that’s clear.”Truth revealed on Rodri’s Man City contract impasse ahead of Real Madrid presidential electionWhat is the wider context for Rodri’s recovery?Rodri’s return to consistent form in the closing months of last season was one of the defining subplots of City’s extraordinary run-in, with the Ballon d’Or winner instrumental in the wins over Arsenal, Chelsea and Brentford that kept the Premier League title race alive until the final weekend of the season.Pep Guardiola had predicted as far back as October that “the best Rodri” would arrive at the World Cup and next season, having been candid about the difficulty of managing the Spaniard’s workload through the early stages of his comeback.His words have aged well, with Rodri now representing Spain in North America as one of the tournament favourites’ key players and his contract future at the Etihad Stadium set to be resolved once the tournament concludes.

📹 Arriving in an old school bus! Germany's group rivals win heartsJust one week to go before the German national team enters the hottest phase of the summer. In their first group match, they will face World Cup newcomers Curaçao. The players from the Caribbean island nation are already winning plenty of sympathy points from fans all over the world — for example, with their spectacularly unusual team vehicle.Unlike the classic buses we know from the other teams, which are more like coach buses, they are getting around in an old school bus. The retro-style vehicle does not even have built-in windows.The country’s flag has been attached to the blue bus. Videos circulating online also show that the players are blasting loud music and drumming on the outside of the bus in rhythm. So there is definitely no lack of good vibes for Germany’s group-stage opponent. It will be exciting to see whether Curaçao can turn that energy onto the pitch on Sunday and trouble the favorites.With a population of just over 156,000, Curaçao is the smallest country ever to qualify for a Football World Cup.What do you think of this special team bus? It’s got style, right? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

Footballer Christian Eriksen’s collapse during a friendly match serves as a “reminder of the potentially devastating impact that cardiac conditions can have on so many young people”, the chief executive of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) has said.The Danish midfielder appeared to collapse during Sunday’s friendly with Ukraine, though Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen confirmed he "regained consciousness very quickly".Eriksen had previously collapsed at Euro 2020 during a 1-0 loss to Finland, and it later emerged he had suffered a cardiac arrest.He subsequently required an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator device to be fitted to ensure he could resume his playing career, but the 34-year-old sparked more fears on Sunday before the Danish Football Union provided a positive update.Dr Steven Cox, chief executive of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), said: “This second, sudden collapse of Danish midfielder Christen Eriksen is a reminder of the potentially devastating impact that cardiac conditions can have on so many young people every day in the UK and across the world.“Every week in the UK, at least 12 apparently fit and healthy young people will collapse and die suddenly from previously undiagnosed heart conditions.Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Christian Eriksen of Denmark (Getty)“This is why cardiac screening in both the general population and amongst elite athletes (more routinely and regularly) is so important. As such, CRY’s UK-wide screening programme tests the hearts of more than 30,000 young people aged 14-35 every year.”CRY wants all young people to be routinely screened to identify conditions which can potentially be life-threatening.Dr Cox added: “Over the past 30 years, we have learnt a great deal about the cardiac conditions that can affect young people. Through CRY’s screening programme, around one in every 300 people tested is found to have an underlying cardiac condition that could be life-threatening if left untreated.“We know that screening identifies most of these conditions, but we also know that in around 80 per cent of cases, there are no symptoms before collapse. Despite the progress made, there are still too many unknowns.Symptoms of a heart attackNHSSymptoms of a heart attack may include:chest pain which may feel like crushing or squeezing on your chest – the pain may also spread to your arm, neck and jaw feeling short of breath feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting) feeling like you have indigestion – you may have a burning feeling in your chest and feel full or bloated sweating pale, blue or grey skin – on black or brown skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands “Too often, the first sign that anything is wrong with a young person’s heart is also the last.“Sport itself does not cause sudden cardiac death, but it can significantly increase the risk for individuals with an underlying cardiac condition. International evidence shows that Italy, where cardiac screening is mandatory for young people participating in organised sport, has reduced the incidence of sudden cardiac death among young athletes by almost 90 per cent.“While significant advances have been made in understanding, preventing and managing these conditions, there is still much to learn. That is why continued investment in research is so important.“CRY is proud to be leading research in this field, with the hope that one day no young person will collapse or die from an undiagnosed cardiac condition.”

IND vs AFG Test 2026 Live score: Scorecard updates, toss, result and Day 3 highlights for Mullanpur Test originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Key information:Latest score: IND: 564/8 (decl.), AFG: 152 (Trial by 412 runs at Day 3)Venue: New Chandigarh, MullanpurCaptains: Shubman Gill (India), Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan)Toss result: India won the toss and chose to bat.Live Telecast: Star Sports (India), Ariana Television Network(Afghanistan), Fox Cricket (Australia), CricLife, StarzPlay (UAE)Umpires & Match officials: Richard Illingworth and Sharfuddoula (on-field umpires), Chris Gaffaney (TV Umpire), Jayaraman Madanagopal (Fourth Umpire), Ranjan Madugalle (Match referee).Session timings for Mullanpur Test (local IST): 9:30 a.m. start, Session 1 - 9:30-11:30 a.m., Lunch break - 11:30-12:10 p.m., Session 2 - 12:10-2:10 p.m., Tea break - 2:10-2:30 p.m., Session 3 - 2:30-4:30 p.m.Match result: TBDPlayer of the Match: TBDPlayer of the Series: TBDIndia vs Afghanistan Only Test 2026 at Mullanpur: Playing XIIndia XI for Mullanpur Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh KrishnaAfghanistan XI for Mullanpur Test: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Afsar Zazai (wk), Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Mohammad Saleem, Ziaur RahmanMORE:India squad for Afghanistan Test and ODI series 2026: Full team lists for IND vs AFG seriesIndia vs Afghanistan, Only Test, Day 3: Live Updates and ScorecardAfghanistan at Day 2 Stumps: 152 (Trial by 412 runs at Day 3)India maintained its supremacy in the first session of Day, dismissing Afghanistan for 152 all out and enforcing the follow-on.Left arm spinner Manav Suthar, on his Test debut, stole the show yet again and completed a fifer with a record of 6/33. He joined the list of Indian bowlers who have taken a five-wicket haul on Test debut.Afghanistan’s Rahmat Shah gave them a strong fight with a commendable half-century; however, they never regained their composure, trailing by 412 runs with the follow-on enforced.Afghanistan at Day 2 Stumps: 113/5 (Rahmat Shah 43*)Manav Suthar finished with 3/21 in 15.5 overs at the end of Day 2 as he also dismissed Afsar Zazai with a caught and bowled on the final ball of the day.Meanwhile, Rahmat Shah remains unbeaten at 43, the highest score among the Afghan batters in this Test as the visitors still trail by 451 runs.Afghanistan at Tea on Day 2: 28/1 (Gurbaz 0, Sediqullah 11)India got five overs to bowl at Afghanistan before tea, and they removed Abdul Malik. Suthar took just four balls to get his first test wicket. The pitch looks dry and the spin duo of Suthar and Kuldeep will be difficult to tackle. India declare at 564/8 (Sundar 52*, Kuldeep 9*)India scored quick runs in the second session and added 89 runs in 17 overs. Just after Sundar completed his 50, Gill called back the players to the dressing room. Siraj played a cameo, scoring 22 runs in just 12 balls, with four boundaries and a six. The Indian quicks will have close to eight overs before heading back for tea. India at lunch on Day 2: 475/6 (Sundar 14*, Suthar 9*)The morning session belonged to Afghanistan as they picked up three crucial wickets, including those of Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant. The new cherry was taken early, and Saleem Safi made the most of it. Gill nicked to the keeper, whereas Pant was dismissed while trying to launch Shahidi out of the park. Meanwhile, Jurel misjudged the line, and Safi made sure to kiss the top of the off-stump with a peach of a delivery. India would look to add another 120-odd runs in the second session before declaring. India at Stumps on Day 1: 368/3 (Pant 50*, Gill 103*)It has been a remarkable day with the bat for India as Gill and Rahul ended up scoring three-figure runs. Pant has also got his 50, which will be a massive morale booster after he lost his vice-captaincy to Rahul earlier in the series. India will look to score quickly on day two and might declare after going past 550. Afghanistan have not taken the new ball, and their quicks might take the new cherry tomorrow morning to make the most of the morning moisture. India at Tea on Day 1: 209/2 (Rahul 81*, Gill 20*)The hosts added 113 runs in the second session with a solitary dismissal. Sai Sudharsan fell for 81 runs, missing a century after attempting a drive on the up, but nicked it to the keeper.Mohammad Saleem was the bowler who struck for the Afghans once again. He has figures of 2/50 in his 10 overs so far. Gill and Rahul though, appaear to be in fluent touch as India are set to post a huge first-innings total.India at lunch on Day 1: 96/1 (Rahul 37*, Sudharsan 32*)India had a jittery opening to the one-off Test match against Afghanistan due to the early departure of Yashasvi Jaiswal, caught behind by Afsar Zazai off Mohammad Saleem while trying to glance the ball down leg side.KL Rahul seemed to be struggling early on, and after the Afghans turned down reviewing his nick off Zia-ur-Rehman due to a lack of clarity by the Afghan wicketkeeper, he escaped an LBW off Saleem that was not even appealed.Sai Sudharsan batted alongside Rahul after the early wicket of Jaiswal to take the score close to 100 runs, while Saleem took the only wicket of the session.Toss result: India opt to bat firstThe two captains, Shubman Gill and Hashmatullah Shahidi, are out in the middle for the toss. India won the toss and opted to bat first. The match kicked off at 9:30 a.m.Welcome to Cricket News' live blog for the Only Test match between India and Afghanistan at Mullanpur. The venue is set to make its Test debut - the 31st venue to host Test cricket in India.Reactions to India vs Afghanistan Test seriesHow to watch India vs Afghanistan Test match 2026 live: Start time, TV channels and streaming details worldwideIndian venues to host Test cricket matches: Mullanpur latest to joinGautam Gambhir breaks silence on Rishabh Pant's Test vice-captaincy removalShubman Gill captaincy record in all formats - Tests, T20Is, ODIs, IPL and moreTo keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our Facebook and X (Twitter) pages.

Manchester City have their eyes on two big midfield signings which they desperately needManchester City does need to bolster its midfield this summer. There is no question about that. The loss of Bernardo Silva is huge for the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders. Also, whether or not Tijjani Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez can become consistent contributors for City isn’t yet determined. It is expected that at some point this summer, Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson will sign for Manchester City. Outside of Anderson, City does need another proven midfielder. A new report indicates that is Manchester City’s summer plan, and if they get it right, City’s midfield will be revamped for a new era.Manchester City have their eyes on signing two quality midfielders this summer.In a Q&A segment for the Manchester Evening News, Simon Bajkowski has shed some light on Manchester City’s summer plans in terms of strengthening their midfield. Obviously, Elliot Anderson is Manchester City’s main summer transfer target, as per Bajkowski’s report. However, Bajkowski adds that City also have an interest in signing Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali. City’s interest in signing Tonali isn’t as an alternative to Elliot Anderson. It is reported by Bajkowski that if City did move for Tonali, it would be a separate move from Elliot Anderson. Based on Bajkowski’s report, Manchester City have their eyes on signing two quality midfielders this summer.However, if Manchester City do intend on moving for Sandro Tonali this summer a new report indicates that they will face stiff competition. Mark Brus has reported via his exclusive Daily Briefing column (subscription required) that Arsenal and Manchester United alongside City, are interested in signing the Italian international. Furthermore, Brus reports that Tonali is expected to leave Newcastle this summer with the Magpies placing a £100 million price tag on one of their most important players.There are questions that surround Manchester City’s midfield currently.There are questions that surround the Manchester City midfield as it is currently constructed. Those questions become even bigger now that City’s Mr.-Fix-It Bernardo Silva will call another club home for the 2026-27 season.Firstly, it isn’t immediately clear if Nico Gonzalez or Tijjani Reijnders are good enough to establish themselves at City. Reijnders endured a trying debut season at the club. The talent is there with Reijnders; however, it isn’t clear if he is suited to the Premier League. Nico Gonzalez fell out of favor under Pep Guardiola during the latter stages of last season. A new manager may give Nico a clean slate to work with. Nico has shown enough to indicate that he is more than a Rodri stand-in. Whether or not he gets that opportunity remains to be seen.Rodri is almost 30 and has come off a serious ACL injury. The Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder showed enough that he can lead City’s midfield last season if his body allows it. That is the biggest question with Rodri right now. The same question surrounds Mateo Kovacic, who is a useful squad member, but his 2025-26 season was wrecked by an Achilles injury. It also isn’t clear if Kovacic will be at Manchester City next season.One player who could step into midfield next season is Nico O’Reilly. If Josko Gvardiol remains at Manchester City for next season, O’Reilly could move into midfield with Gvardiol and Ait-Nouri competing for the left-back role. Nico O’Reilly is a midfielder and the next step of his evolution as a player may be becoming a mainstay of Manchester City’s midfield.If City can sign two quality midfielders, the equation looks completely different for them.As mentioned above, Manchester City do have a base of midfielders currently surrounded by question marks. If Hugo Viana can add two quality midfielders to the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders’ squad, those questions will be erased.Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali would be quality additions to the City midfield. They’d immediately bolster City’s engine room and be signings that would also be a real statement of intent from Manchester City. It now remains to be seen if City can land both players. Whatever happens this summer, Manchester City’s midfield must be stronger and include two more elite and proven midfielders.

[BBC]Sometimes a player just seems to have a perfect moment, a tournament where they really announce themselves as a superstar on the biggest stage.We saw it happen with Kylian Mbappe for France at the 2018 World Cup - we knew before we lifted the trophy in Russia that he was an incredible talent, but that was the time he really arrived.This summer, I hope another France player, Michael Olise, can do the same in the US, Canada and Mexico.Everyone knows Michael quite well already, of course, because he plays for Bayern Munich and we see him a lot in the Champions League.But this is his first World Cup and he has only played 16 games for France so far, so he is still very new on the international scene.Before the 2024 Olympics in Paris, I don't think many people in France really knew him, when he had just moved to Germany from Crystal Palace. Some people probably still don't know quite how good he is now.I worked with him at that tournament, when I was assistant coach with Thierry Henry for the French under-23 team, and I thought then that could have been his moment. The Olympics is obviously a major event, and we reached the final, and almost won gold.But the World Cup is something different, and this is Michael's first big tournament with the first team. I will be watching him at this World Cup as a pundit for BBC Sport and he is the player I am most looking forward to seeing play game after game at this level, and showing everyone exactly what he can do.Olise celebrates after scoring France's first goal in their 2-0 win over Ukraine in a World Cup qualifier in September 2025. The 24-year-old has scored four goals in 16 senior appearances for Les Bleus. [BBC]I know how good he is, and what a top guy he is too. If he can take the season he has just had for Bayern, and bring his magic to the World Cup, then he will be seen as one of the very best that we have in France.And, if he performs as well as he can do, then the team will perform well too.'Cherki never looks uncomfortable on the ball'Olise is not the only France player who has enjoyed success with their club but is at their first World Cup, or first major international finals.He's also not the only one I think can make a big impact if they get a chance to shine.Like Olise, Rayan Cherki was in our under-23 squad for the 2024 Olympics. From watching him closely, he is an incredible talent, someone with so much creative quality with both feet that he never looks uncomfortable on the ball.Clichy (back) worked with Cherki (front) when he was Thierry Henry's assistant coach for the France team at the Paris Olympics [AFP via Getty Images]He was not the complete player then, in terms of his work without possession, and he could be frustrating - but I can understand why.I think every player matures differently - everyone has got his own journey, and it is affected by how you are used by your coach.I see it now I am a manager myself, because there is nothing that is more important than winning points. So, if you have a player who wins you points, then you have a tendency to kind of close your eyes, or at least one of them, about what he is not doing and ignore that because he made the team win.Because of that, I think when you have been a player like Rayan, who has been the best player in every team he has played for since he was six, it is not that you are learning differently, but you build yourself up from a child into a young man knowing you can get away with stuff - or not doing stuff - in games, because you are so good.Some of that is unconscious behaviour, I think. Rayan maybe wouldn't think about defending because he did not see football that way. He didn't have to.That's fine when you are a kid, but year after year this is happening and your coaches are allowing you to do that. Then you get to a certain level, where you need to be good at all five phases of the game - in possession, out of possession, attacking transition, defensive transition and set-pieces.And, if you are not used to working without the ball, and getting in shape to defend, then you have to reset in a way.That reset was the challenge for Pep Guardiola when he took Rayan to Manchester City last year, and I think they have both done very well at making it happen.'Working with Pep can either make you or break you'Guardiola embraces Cherki at full-time of Manchester City's win over Chelsea in May's FA Cup final. The 22-year-old came on at the start of the second half at Wembley [Getty Images]Rayan has been exposed to the highest level of football since he was 16, when he made his Champions League debut for Lyon.So, you can forget that he is still only 22 and is still learning, and I feel like the season he has just had with City has been important for him in that way.I found myself learning at the age of 32, when I met Pep at City in 2016, so you can only imagine the effect of meeting him at such a young age has had on Rayan.Working with Pep can either make you or break you. It is a simple choice, really - because if you listen and go with what he wants, then, with the quality Rayan has, you have a good chance of becoming great.If, on the other hand, you don't understand what Pep wants, and you don't really want to go his way, you can break that relationship.That was the point I was making when I was talking before about whether Rayan could become that complete player.Pep is leaving City now of course, but for the past few months that match has worked, it has been perfect.Of course Rayan was always an outstanding talent, in terms of his quality, but you need to understand that football is about more than just having the ball - you need to work on your game out of possession too.I always thought if he could do that, and add that to his game, he is going to be trusted by his coaches - and then we could be talking about a player that gets close to Kevin de Bruyne with his statistics for making goals.He has only had one season under Pep, but if he can keep on improving, and keep on bringing the kind of performances we saw from him at City, there is just no limit for him, and what he can do.I think of Samir Nasri as an example of an individual who made the journey that Rayan is on.Samir was maybe less talented than Rayan, but he was exposed to what he needed to do in a different way - very early on, when he was still a teenager with Marseille and the pressure was massive, far more than Rayan had at Lyon at a similar age.I played with Samir and he was the same kind of guy - very skilful, and liked to express himself. But he harnessed that - he had to, to play for Arsenal and City, and France, and to win the Premier League twice like he did.Samir showed he had something about him to make the most of his talent, but I think Rayan is a level above him. I just hope he can keep performing the way he has been for City when he is playing for France.'Mateta is a proper leader'It might have surprised a few people that Jean-Philippe Mateta made the France squad, but not me.I was a bit surprised, sad even, that he did not get a big move after seeing for myself how good he was at the Olympics. He is that kind of old-school striker who is powerful physically, and who arrives in the box as a finisher too.But then you look at what he has done for Crystal Palace. I played in England for 15 years and they were always fighting relegation if they were in the Premier League.Since Jean-Philippe joined them in 2022, however, they have won the FA Cup and the Europa Conference League. For me, the maths is simple - if you have your striker performing well, then your team is performing well.Mateta celebrates after scoring against Spain in the gold medal match of the 2024 Olympics, his fifth goal of that tournament - two goals in four games for the senior France side have followed [Getty Images]For him to go to a World Cup is a reward for the way he has played this season, but it goes beyond that. The work he has been doing, even before we knew him, is phenomenal.He is a great character in the dressing room and a guy who is always in very good spirits - the kind of player who can play six games in a row for you and score six goals, but then if you put him on the bench for no reason, he will accept it and then still make an impact when he comes on.He was the reason we got to the final of the Olympics and got the silver medal, obviously because he scored goals which is what you want from a striker, but also because he was a proper leader.I am really happy for him that he has been selected, and hopefully he can contribute for France on the pitch at this World Cup - but if we are going to win this World Cup, then his personality will be important for us off the pitch too.Gael Clichy was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan

Rafael Leão: Man United attacking target’s league preference statedDespite finishing third in the Premier League this season, Manchester United have earmarked this summer as a time to strengthen the squad.Summer targetsThe club are predominantly working on midfield targets at the moment, with Ederson already all but wrapped up.United are also in talks over several midfielders, such as Mateus Fernandes at West Ham United, and have a long-standing interest in players like AFC Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.The Red Devils are thinking beyond the midfield, though, and have an interest in players at winger and full-back positions. Lewis Hall is reportedly someone whom they would love to make a move for if a deal opportunity materialises.Rafael LeaoMichael Carrick’s side have also been linked to wingers and were interested in Antoine Semenyo in January before he decided to move to Manchester City.United have been linked to AC Milan winger Rafael Leao after he announced that he would be leaving his current side after his duties with Portugal at the World Cup.The Portuguese winger has already stated that he sees himself playing in the Premier League or La Liga next season, after spending his career in Portugal, France, and Italy since 2019.Further preferenceJournalist Fabrizio Romano has highlighted in his YouTube update that Leao also has a preference for the Premier League, which would certainly aid United’s drive to sign the 26-year-old.Romano explained, “the feeling around Rafael, and from those close to him, is that the Premier League would be the absolute dream move and the ideal destination. He has had some calls from Turkish clubs over the recent weeks, but Rafael wants to wait. He believes that the World Cup can open new doors for him.”The Italian journalist continued to explain, “he feels his chapter at Milan is closed. His dream is the Premier League, even before La Liga. In a recent interview, Rafael mentioned Manchester United. A few years ago, he was mentioning Arsenal. We will see what’s going to happen in terms of the ideal club and ideal opportunities for Leão.”Romano did suggest that no deal is advanced with any Premier League team yet and that certain difficulties will have to be overcome, such as his injury-hit season at Milan.Nonetheless, after the World Cup, this is certainly a transfer that will gain traction.Rafael Leao season statsSource: transfermarkt.comFeatured images Marco Luzzani via Getty Imagesonline pollsThe Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Official: Florentino Perez wins Real Madrid presidential electionReal Madrid’s presidential election turned out to be far closer than initially expected, especially after how Florentino Perez was said to be the clear favourite after playing the €150 million trump card.In the end, however, he has officially been re-elected as Real Madrid’s president and will continue to call the shots for Los Blancos.At the midpoint in the polling, Enrique Riquelme was not too far behind as he had 35% of the vote share. Perez, however, retained the majority and will be officially reinstated as the president this week.The final numbersA total of 33,555 votes were cast by the Socios to decide who the club’s next president should be, culminating in a turnout of under 40%.Of them, 21,741 votes were in favour of Perez, while 14,814 went in favour of Enrique Riquelme. The final numbers thus show Perez winning with close to 65% of the vote share.The result will come as a relief to Perez and his entourage who would never have expected to cut it this close, especially with his opponent having just weeks to campaign. Needless to say, it will get the alarm bells ringing.Swift movesFlorentino Perez has won the elections. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)With the elections now concluded and the next president agreed on as well, Real Madrid can start making and officially announcing signings and deals.Jose Mourinho’s appointment, in all likelihood, will be the first to be made official. Soon after, one can expect the likes of Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate to be announced as well.Perez will then look to activate his €150 million star signing and possibly a couple of midfield recruits as well. Needless to say, he has a busy month ahead of him back in the office.

Dodgers linked to $32M 2-time Cy Young winner after Tyler Glasnow unfortunate injury update originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Los Angeles Dodgers have dealt with several issues keeping their starting rotation healthy through the first two months of the season. Most notably, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell have both missed significant time due to injuries.Snell is currently recovering from elbow surgery. In Glasnow’s case, he appears to have encountered an unfortunate setback.“ Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow was transferred to the 60-day injured list Saturday, another sign that his balky back is hindering his rehab progression. The 32-year-old right-hander has been out since May 8, two days after a back spasm surfaced. Initially, the team expected him to miss a short period of time. Instead, Glasnow was shut down and manager Dave Roberts said the pitcher still hasn't been cleared to resume a throwing program,” ESPN wrote.The Dodgers are expected to be aggressive at the trade deadline in search of additional starting pitching. ESPN’s Buster Olney believes Los Angeles will be a serious contender in the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes.“If they fall out [of the American League race] then you would imagine teams like the Dodgers, the Padres, the Phillies, will be having conversations with the Tigers,” Olney said.Skubal is returning from elbow surgery—the same type of procedure Snell recently underwent. Skubal made his first rehab appearance and looked dominant, showing that he has returned to form despite the injury.“Tarik Skubal underwent elbow surgery May 6. One month and one day later, he threw five scoreless innings on 54 pitches and punched out six at High-A. Maybe Skubal is just that guy, but if nanoscope technology halves the return time from bone-chip injuries, what an advancement,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan posted.A rotation featuring Skubal alongside Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and other elite arms would be dominant. The Dodgers are aiming to capture their third consecutive World Series title.Skubal is currently on a $32 million contract and is expected to command a significant payday this offseason. If there is one organization capable of paying him at that level, it is undoubtedly the Dodgers.Braves' Didier Fuentes earns first career save after future Hall of Famer calls him a secret weaponPhillies linked to $32M 2-time Cy Young winner to form elite rotation with Zack Wheeler, Aaron NolaTigers' Tarik Skubal's unthinkable elbow recovery paves the way for MLB through medical advancementBraves-Tigers trade pitch sends $32M 2-time Cy Young winner to Atlanta to pair with Chris Sale

We’ve seen the pictures this season but what are the stories behind them?! We last caught up with Ross (RJX Media) a few days after the play-off final and we thought we’d get the inside story on some of the big photos from our Premier League season! On today’s show…Ross reminds us of his story that led him to work for the club!What was the imapct of moving up to the Premier League?How easy was it to capture the opening day of the season?What was the story of the photo after beating the mags?!Ross describes the chaos of the last day of the season!All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily show.Want to get in touch with us? You can drop us an email at HawayThePodcastSAFC@Gmail.com, or you can contact us via social media – we’re @RokerReport on almost every platform. For your daily SAFC fan-written content, head over to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RokerReport.SBNation.com ⁠𝗛𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧 🎙️📸 @RJXMedia joins us to chat all about Sunderland’s incredible season — and what it was like from behind the lens!APPLE: https://t.co/ejMTEpiWzxSPOTIFY: https://t.co/GoSzZtTAkOhttps://t.co/MrScfojZL0 | #SAFC ❤️🤍 pic.twitter.com/QXEO9137Wp— Roker Report (@RokerReport) June 8, 2026

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 04: Reece James of Chelsea celebrates after the Premier League match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Etihad Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images The 14th year of the WAGNH Community Ratings is in the books, and the highest rated player throughout the course of the season is thus automatically declared the WAGNH Player of the Year.Admittedly, this methodology is not without its flaws, but I think there’s some intrinsic value in using the immediate reactions after each match to determine who actually was the best performer across the entire campaign. (Or at least the most consistently good.) Most years (9 of 14, to be exact), the player on top has been the same who also won the public vote for Chelsea Player of the Year. This year is one of the exceptions. (Also, there’s little added value in doing the same exact popularity contest on the blog as is done on the official website.)So instead of João Pedro, our Player of the Year is none other than Captain Reece James!I should note that Reecey just barely qualifies. He made 39 appearances (of 59 possible), but started only half of our games. Those numbers probably would’ve been higher had he not missed most of the last two months with injury of course. (It’s a similar situation to 2019-20, when Christian Pulisic was WAGNH Player of the Year despite missing a good chunk of the season; Mateo Kovačić won the official vote.)I suspect a not insignificant factor in James’ win is just the fact that he largely managed to stay healthy for the first time in years. But his win is also a testament to consistency: he didn’t win the most Man of the Match awards nor did he have the most top-three finishes (João Pedro led both categories). He didn’t earn the highest single-game rating of the season (JP again). But he was below the overall team average for a given game only seven times (of his 39 appearances), and he didn’t get a single rating below 5 at all. And in a season that was defined by inconsistency and some truly wild swings in performance levels (sometimes within just one game, let alone from game-to-game), it was great to see at least one player deliver consistently solid, often good, and occasionally great performances. Hopefully Reecey can build on this season and be able to deliver more often, and at an even higher level going forward (like we know he can).Overall, it’s not been a great year — second lowest-rated season in our Player Ratings history in fact, trailing only 2022-23 — and James’s average of 6.6 is the lowest winning score ever. But that’s more a reflection on everyone else.Congrats, Reecey! Here’s to better days ahead for us all!WAGNH Players of the Season:Moisés Caicedo (2024-25), Cole Palmer (2023-24), Thiago Silva (2022-23, 2021-22), Mason Mount (2020-21), Christian Pulisic (2019-20), Eden Hazard (2018-19, 2016-17, 2014-15, 2012-13), N’Golo Kanté (2017-18), Willian (2015-16), and Nemanja Matić (2013-14).(Other than this year and 2019-20, the official vote also differed in 2021-22 (Mount winning) and in both 2014-15 (Hazard winning) and 2012-13 (Juan Mata winning).)2025-26EXCEPTIONAL (8.5-9.5): —EXCELLENT (7.5-8.4): —GOOD (6.5-7.4): James (6.6)AVERAGE (5.5-6.4): Estêvão (6.4), Caicedo (6.3), João Pedro (6.2), Enzo (6.1), Cucurella (6.1), Chalobah (5.9), Sánchez (5.9), Santos (5.9), Neto (5.9), Acheampong (5.9), Hato (5.7), Palmer (5.7), Guiu (5.6), Fofana (5.6), Gusto (5.5), Gittens (5.5), George (5.5)SUBPAR (4.5-5.4): Garnacho (5.4), Badiashile (5.2), Jörgensen (5.2), Lavia (5.2), Tosin (5.0), Delap (4.8)BAD (3.5-4.4): —TERRIBLE (2.5-3.4): —All told, 24 players made at least 10 appearances.Eight others made fewer than ten appearances: Buonanotte (8), Sarr (6), Essugo (5), Colwill (4), Mheuka (4), Derry (3), Walsh (2), Kavuma-McQueen (1)Man of the Match awards: 10 — João Pedro; 7 — Estêvão; 6 — James; 5 — Caicedo; 4 — Sánchez, Enzo, Acheampong; 3 — Neto, Cucurella, Garnacho; 2 — Hato, Palmer; 1 — Colwill, Santos, Gusto, Delap, Gittens, GeorgePodium appearances: 20 — João Pedro; 18 — Caicedo; 16 — Sánchez, Enzo; 14 — Estêvão; 13 — James; 11 — Neto, Cucurella; 8 — Garnacho, Hato; 7 — Chalobah; 6 — Acheampong; 5 — Palmer; 4 — Colwill, Santos, Gusto; 3 — Fofana; 2 — Delap; 1 — Gittens, George, Buonanotte, Lavia, Derry, Sarr, GuiuHighest single-game ratings: João Pedro v. Aston Villa (9.6); Moisés Caicedo v. Liverpool (9.4); Estêvão v. Barcelona (9.2)OVERALL

Stephen Curry is regarded as the NBA’s greatest shooter of all time. His numbers and accolades back that up. What about being the greatest point guard of all time? He thinks he has a say on that honor.The names that usually pop up when it comes to the league’s best PG ever are Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and Isiah Thomas. Curry wants to make it known that he is in the Top 2 of the list.The Warriors superstar was a guest in Gilber Arenas’ show and was asked about his placing in the PG GOAT debate. He did not hesitate to put his name alongside Magic who for a long-time dominated the discussion.“Yes. I have to be. It’s me and Magic,” Curry said when asked by Arenas if he is the greatest point guard ever two years ago.Arenas tried to goad him and say that he is above the Los Angeles Lakers legend by bringing up his social impact but Curry deflected it by pointing out how great the argument is for Johnson to own the title. However, he is not closing doors and he believes he can go further.Steph Curry says he’s the best NBA point guard everArenas: “Are you the best point guard ever?”Curry: “Yes. I have to be. It’s me and Magic”Arenas: “I’m thinking about the 90s growing up. There was nobody trying to be a 6’9″ point guard. But I can witness and watch every… pic.twitter.com/dnX4CLxSkM— dank (@cptdankkk) June 7, 2026Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr will run it backCurry said he can go further and he will do it together with the people he went to battle with for the past decades. Steve Kerr is returning as a coach after a long and emotional discussion last month. Draymond Green will also return.Some critics think Curry, 38, sees his title window starting to close. And so, they need to get him a point guard who can make plays for him.Oct 9, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) calls for the ball during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images“The Warriors are going to be targeting a guard this offseason at least one,” insider Brett Siegle said.“They want another playmaker next to Steph Curry, somebody who can come in fulfill minutes next to him, be a shooter, play off the ball alongside him in some rotations.”The Warriors currently has Brandin Podiemszki for the position as well as De’Anthony Melton who was not able to finish the season due to a seasaon-ending injury,

Korda has won the Women's PGA Championship, two Chevron Championships and the US Women's Open [Getty Images]US Women's Open final leaderboard-8 N Korda (US); -7 C Hull (Eng), G Lopez (Mex); -6 I-G Chun (Kor); -5 S-Y Kim (Kor)Selected others:-3 K Romero (US), N Hataoka; -2 M Stark (Swe), J Kupcho (US), +7 L Woad (Eng)Full leaderboardWorld number one Nelly Korda won her first US Women's Open title, pipping England's Charley Hull to victory by a single shot.American Korda made a crucial birdie on the 17th hole as she posted a two-under-par 69 to finish eight under at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.It is the fourth major win of the 27-year-old's career and her second consecutive victory of the season, having reclaimed the Chevron Championship title in April.Hull, who was seven strokes behind at the halfway mark, followed her third-round 65 with a four-under-par 67 in the fourth to equal the lowest 36-hole total in US Women's Open history, but finished seven under.She has now placed as runner-up at a major five times in her career: four times since the start of 2023 and twice in her past three tournaments.Hull was tied alongside Mexico's Gaby Lopez in second, with South Korea's In-Gee Chun a shot further back and Sei-Young Kim - level with Korda at the top of the leaderboard after three rounds - five under. "It's just frustrating," said Hull. "Another second place. It's pretty annoying, but I played well the last day."Obviously missed a couple of putts on the back nine, but it was quite windy and I hit the ball fantastic, so fair play to Nelly Korda for back-to-back wins."Korda secured the win with a 34-inch par putt on the 18th hole, with the ball circling around the back lip before dropping in."It's just a dream to win here," said Korda. "The golf course holds so much history and to have my name alongside so many great champions is a dream come true."

England’s Charley Hull suffered more major heartbreak as world number one Nelly Korda claimed her first Women’s US Open title.Hull moved to the top of the leaderboard early in the final round at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, but finished one shot behind Korda on seven under par – her fifth runner-up spot in major championships.Mexico’s Gaby Lopez finished alongside Hull in second, with South Korea duo In Gee Chun and Sei Young Kim a shot further back.“It’s just frustrating,” said Hull. “Another second place, I think that’s five second-place finishes I’ve had in majors now.“It’s pretty annoying, but I played really well the last day. Obviously missed a couple putts on the back nine, but it was quite windy and I hit the ball fantastic, so fair play to Nelly Korda for back-to-back wins.“I just love playing in the majors. Like I pretty much only get up for the majors.“I loved it out there. It was so much fun. The crowds were great and it was nice to see many so many young kids around.”Charley Hull finished runner-up for a fifth time in majors (Ashley Landis/AP)Hull, who was seven strokes off the pace at halfway, started the day three shots off the lead but got off to a lightning start with an eagle three at the first hole.She added two more birdies before dropping a shot at the ninth, with back-to-back birdies to start the back nine putting her back in pole position.Dropped shots on the 12th and 14th derailed her momentum but a birdie at the 17th after getting up and down from a greenside bunker moved her back into a share of the lead.Unable to hole her chip from behind the 18th green for a closing gain, Hull holed the return putt to set the clubhouse pace and equalled the lowest round of the day with a 67.Nelly Korda reacts after winning the US Women’s Open (Ashley Landis/AP)Behind her in the closing group, Korda had nine straight pars before she birdied the par-five 17th to edge one stroke ahead.Korda had a scare as her short par putt to clinch the title rolled around the lip of the hole before dropping to secure her fourth major title with a closing 69.It followed her success in the Chevron Championship in April, meaning she holds the first two major crowns of the season.“That 14-year-old girl that stepped on the range at Sebonack in 2013, I mean, her dream has just come true sitting next to this trophy right now,” said Korda.“It’s really hard to put into words.”

Serena Williams kickstarts her much-anticipated comeback to tennis on Monday, when she will play in the opening round of the women’s doubles tournament at Queen’s.The 44-year-old announced last week that she would make her return to competitive tennis this summer, nearly four years after she last played.She lost in the third round of the 2022 US Open to Ajla Tomljanovic having previously announced that she was “evolving away” from tennis, but steered clear of the word “retirement”, leaving the door open to a return to the sport.She sparked rumours that she was eyeing a comeback when she re-entered the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s anti-doping testing pool last August, a requirement to compete on the professional tour, and she has been cleared to compete competitively since 22 February.The 23-time grand slam champion received a wildcard to play doubles at Queen’s, a major tournament in the lead-up to Wimbledon, and will partner Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, who idolised Williams growing up.The news has further fuelled speculation that she will receive either a singles or doubles wildcard to Wimbledon, where she last played in a first-round loss in 2022. When does Serena Williams play at Queen’s?Williams and Mboko play their first-round matchon Tuesday 9 June, the second day of the doubles draw at Queen’s.The pair have been drawn difficult opponents: they will play third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the USA and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe.Elsewhere Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu will reprise their doubles partnership from last year’s tournament as they have been granted a wildcard. The British pair will play fourth seeds Storm Hunter and Zhang Shuai. How to watch Queen’sViewers in the UK can follow the Queen’s tournament on BBC Two and iPlayer, with the men’s and women’s semi-finals and finals on BBC One and iPlayer.

Teenager Amina Orfi broke a 94-year-old squash record to become the youngest British Open women's champion with a 3-1 victory over Nour ElSherbini in Birmingham.The 18-year-old Egyptian overturned a 1-0 deficit to beat her compatriot 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8.And in doing so she beat the record held by Susan Noel, who was 19 years and eight months old when she lifted the British Open title in 1932.Orfi had also beaten world number two ElSherbini last month to become the youngest women's world champion.And Sunday's victory at the Rep Theatre came a day after she contested the longest women's match in British Open history - and the joint fourth longest women's match of all time - with a 110-minute marathon to get past top seed and world number one Hania El Hammamy."I feel very happy with these two results back-to-back after the world champs," she said. "I was very tired and it was a great match."New Zealand's Paul Coll lifted the men's title - his third British Open crown - with a 3-1 victory over Egypt's Mostafa Asal.World number one Asal had similarly endured an epic semi-final on Saturday, with a 115-minute match against Peru's Diego Elias.And it looked to have taken a physical toll on the world champion as he conceded the match at the beginning of the fourth game."Mostafa had a brutal one yesterday, but I still had to get him today, make him hurt, pick up as much as possible and I'm very happy with that performance," Coll said after collecting his 33rd PSA Tour title.The final PSA Squash Tour event of the season is the PSA Squash Tour Finals in Paris from 17 to 20 June.

Robin van Persie: Former Man United striker suffers major career setbackManchester United have numerous former players in management at present.The most obvious example is the club’s current permanent manager, Michael Carrick.Although not a former player but an assistant manager, Kieran McKenna has also just led Ipswich Town back into the Premier League.Robin van PersieThe Dutchman joined Manchester United in 2012 and scored 30 goals as the club retained the Premier League title from Manchester City.He would play for a further two seasons at United, before moving on to Fenerbahce and Feyenoord prior to retiring from professional football.Managerial careerVan Persie managed Heerenveen in the 2024-2025 season before being appointed to the Feyenoord hotseat.He won the manager of the month award in August 2025 and was backed by pundit Ruud Gullit to get the Manchester United job one day.SackUnfortunately for the former Manchester United striker, Feyenoord have not had the best of seasons, finishing second but a massive 19 points behind PSV Eindhoven.The side also exited the Europa League in the league phase and were disappointingly knocked out in the second round of the Dutch cup.Therefore, the club announced that “Feyenoord parts ways with Robin van Persie. Feyenoord will start the 2026-2027 season with a new head coach. The club would like to thank Robin van Persie for everything he gave during his time as head coach.”Technical Director Dévy Rigaux stated, “Robin van Persie has given everything for the club over the past 18 months. He deserves credit for guiding the team through a challenging season and ultimately securing second place. That ensured qualification for the UEFA Champions League, which is of great importance to the club.”Van Persie’s “tactical approach and man-management skills have been questioned throughout his brief stint” as Feyenoord boss in spite of their second-place finish.Van Persie's managerial statsSource: wikipediaonline pollsThe Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Tommy Fleetwood let slip a one-shot advantage to finish fourth and lose out to JT Poston at the rain-affected Memorial Tournament.Round three at Muirfield Village had to be completed on Sunday morning, but Poston’s four-stroke lead was soon wiped out and an eagle for Fleetwood at the 15th hole put him out in front in the home straight.It was followed two holes later by a bogey and Fleetwood could only watch on as Poston and Ryan Gerard finished two shots ahead on 12 under par before Poston held his nerve after two holes in the play-off.Fleetwood let his advantage slip at Muirfield Village (Getty)All eyes at the start of the week in Ohio had been on Masters champion Rory McIlroy and world number one Scottie Scheffler, who was trying to equal Tiger Woods’ feat of winning this tournament three years in a row.Ultimately, McIlroy and Scheffler had to settle for a share of joint-12th after they closed on four under following a final round of 68 and 71 respectively.Play on Saturday was halted with Poston and Gerard both on nine under on the sixth green, but the former improved his total to 12 under once round three was concluded on Sunday morning.Gerard was four shots back while Sam Burns was third on seven under, with Fleetwood and American Wyndham Clark making up the top five on six under.McIlroy started his final round with three consecutive birdies, but trouble lay further ahead and Poston remained leader until a dramatic back nine.Rory McIlroy had to settle for joint-12th alongside Scottie Scheffler (Getty)A birdie for Burns at the ninth and bogey for Poston increased the pressure and soon enough it was a four-way share of the leader until Fleetwood’s eagle at the 15th.It was short-lived with Clark able to join Fleetwood on 11 under before a bogey by the Englishman meant he carded 68 to finish on 10 under.Gerard went out alone with a stunning 37-feet putt, but Poston held his nerve on the 18th with a birdie to force a play-off.The 482-yard par-four 18th hole was required for the play-off and although both recorded par at the first time of asking, Gerard needed five shots next and Poston clinched his first win of 2026.PA

‘I’m here to defend the club’ – Florentino Perez outlines ambitious future for Real Madrid after election victoryFlorentino Perez will continue to lead Real Madrid for another four years after securing re-election as club president until 2030, and the veteran executive wasted little time in outlining his ambitions for the future.Following the confirmation of the election result, Perez addressed members and the media, celebrating what he described as another significant victory for both himself and the club.The Real Madrid president began by highlighting the level of support he received throughout the voting process and insisted that the outcome demonstrated the trust that club members continue to place in his leadership.Reflecting on the election result, Perez said, “We have won the election and we will continue to work hard to keep winning trophies. “We won at every polling station and achieved the second-best result in the history of Real Madrid elections. We also achieved the best result in 2004. It is an extraordinary result. “And I must tell you that it could have been even better because nearly a thousand postal votes have been invalidated – votes that are certified by a notary – due to procedural issues, so we are going to appeal, because we believe we are in the right.”The president also thanked club members for their support and praised what he described as a democratic and transparent electoral process.“Once again, you have demonstrated your commitment and loyalty to the club. Today, Real Madrid has won. “As president of Real Madrid, I am very proud of all of you. It has been a brilliant election day, where members have freely expressed themselves to decide the fate of the greatest club in history.”More from PerezPerez also made it clear that his motivation remains unchanged despite his lengthy tenure at the club.Addressing supporters directly, he declared, “I’m still here. The members know me. I’m here to defend Real Madrid. “We’re going to keep working so that Real Madrid continues to win titles. We’re going to continue to be proud of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the best stadium in the world. “And let there be no doubt. With me as president, Real Madrid has been, is and will always remain the club of its members.”Mourinho return and club unityBeyond the election result itself, one of the most notable aspects of Perez’s speech was his strong backing of Jose Mourinho, who is expected to begin a new chapter at the club.“Proud to have the best players in the world, proud that one of the best managers in the world is returning, a true Madridista like José Mourinho. “You have shown the world what Madridismo is all about. “What this feeling represents, uniting millions of people across the globe, including the Pope, who today, from faraway places, are prouder than ever of our Real Madrid.”He concluded by stressing the importance of remaining united and protecting the values that have helped shape the club’s success.“We must stand united. We are driven by our passion for Real Madrid. I want to continue building a club that remains at the top of all the most prestigious international rankings. The most valuable and highest-earning club in the world. And also the club with the greatest international reputation,” he concluded.Source: Real Madrid website

Just hours after Lewis Hamilton brutally exposed Ferrari’s massive 10-month engine deficit, Maranello is aggressively firing back with the only ammunition they currently have: a massive, season-defining aerodynamic overhaul. If the Scuderia cannot match the raw horsepower of Red Bull and Mercedes on the long straights of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya next week, they are attempting to claw back that lap time entirely through the corners.The stakes for this upcoming Spanish Grand Prix are absolutely astronomical. According to the latest leaks (via Autoracer) from the paddock, Ferrari rolls into Spain calling this the make-or-break GP of the season.Ferrari’s Two-Tenths Technical ArsenalTo survive the high-speed aerodynamic demands of Barcelona and compensate for its lagging power unit, Ferrari is arriving armed with a fully revamped front wing and its second major 2026 upgrade.May 24, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc (16) during the Lenovo Grand Prix Du Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn ImagesAccording to technical breakdowns circulating from Italian outlets like La Gazzetta Ferrari, the SF-26 is about to undergo a significant physical transformation. Here is the exact breakdown of the hardware hitting the track next Friday:The team is introducing a full front wing evolution.Engineers have implemented further FTM and exhaust aero development.The chassis will feature a new floor revision.This marks the first bodywork evolution of the year.However, there are no major cooling or sidepod redesigns expected in this specific package.The real headline here is what this aggressive aero sculpting translates to on the timing sheets. Internally, this package is tipped to be worth a juicy two-tenths per lap.A Desperate Roll of the Dice?In modern Formula 1, finding two clear tenths of a second in a single upgrade package is a massive structural leap. But for Ferrari, it isn’t just about closing the gap; it’s about outright survival.With Charles Leclerc actively fighting an internal war over his braking configuration and Hamilton pleading for more straight-line speed, Fred Vasseur’s entire technical department is under immense fire. If this heavily revised floor and front wing combination fails to deliver that promised two-tenths in Spain, Ferrari’s championship hopes could effectively be flatlining before we even reach the summer break.

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 07: Alexander Zverev of Germany kisses the Coupe des Mousquetaires winners trophy after victory over Flavio Cobolli of Italy in the Men’s Singles final match on Day Fifteen of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on June 07, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) | Getty Images good morning hoddlers and welcome after one of the more chaotic French Opens we’ve seen in years.On the men’s side, Alexander Zverev claimed his maiden Grand Slam title on his fourth attempt. He defeated the Italian (no, not that Italian) Flavio Cobolli in five sets on Sunday, in a match that will be less remembered for the tennis and more for the end of a strange fortnight.After World No.1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic were bounced out in the second and third rounds, respectively, the draw was wide open for someone to claim their first major. Zverev’s triumph will be the big takeaway from this tournament here, although it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to compete in a tournament when Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are both healthy.The wait is finally over ‼️Sascha Zverev is YOUR Roland-Garros Champion 🏆 pic.twitter.com/6KkpZo2TH8— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) June 7, 2026The longer-lasting legacy of this, however, might be the breakout of rising Brazilian star Joao Fonseca. The 19-year-old came back from two sets down to defeat Djokovic, and then backed that up with a win over Casper Ruud.The last couple of seasons has left tennis watchers asking who will be the player to insert themselves into the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry. After this tournament, it looks like we might have our answer: Joao Fonseca. Speaking of teen sensations, Mirra Andreeva (19) became the youngest woman to win the French Open since Monica Seles in 1992.Andreeva has had very high expectations for years. She rocketed up to the top five in the world last year after winning two WTA 1000 tournaments.Andreeva locked in after a shaky second-round match and pretty much coasted the rest of the way, defeating qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the final. Again, a final that won’t be remembered so much for the tennis and more for this being Andreeva’s major breakthrough.Like the men’s side we also come out of this asking another big question: Just how many of these tournaments will Andreeva win during her career?Ftizie’s track of the day:Runner, by TennisAnd now for your links:BBC: “Eriksen conscious after collapsing in Denmark game”Alasdair Gold: “Dejan Kulusevski delivers positive new injury update after World Cup disappointment”The Telegraph: “Alexander Zverev finally wins a major – on the court that almost destroyed him”

Cammy Devlin is reportedly emotionally torn between a new Heart of Midlothian contract and rival offers, while Robbie Keane is said to have been told he could yet be Celtic manager some day.Out-of-contract Australia midfielder Cammy Devlin is torn over big money offers from a club in Major League Soccer, one from the Turkish Super Lig and another in the English Championship as Hearts want him to stay on improved terms. (Daily Record)Porto, PSV Eindhoven and Galatasaray are among the clubs interested in Rangers striker Youssef Chermiti. (Rudy Galetti on X)The NXT Level Lab coaching centre in Marbella, Spain, says 19-year-old midfielder Bailey Rice is there to build-up his fitness to prepare for pre-season with Rangers, where he is out of contract this summer amid interest from the likes of Ajax and Aston Villa. (The National)Rangers-linked striker Joe Gelhardt will hold talks with Leeds United about his future after the 24-year-old returned from his loan to Hull City. (Alan Nixon on Patreon)Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles is concentrating on representing Northern Ireland and having a summer break amid reports of Rangers interest in the 20-year-old. (Belfast Telegraph)Monday's English & European transfer rumoursShankland can be Rangers 'revelation' - but how will Hearts replace him?Sunday's Scottish GossipCeltic will have to pay £4.4m to land Go Ahead Eagles midfielder Jakob Breum after reviving their interest in the 22-year-old who was of interest in January. (VI via Daily Record)Portuguese and Scottish clubs have already made proposals for 18-year-old Guinea-Bissau winger Ilief Mendes, who is currently with Chaves Under-19s, ahead of next season. (Rudy Galetti on X)Former Ferenvaros head coach Robbie Keane was fully aware that Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill had first refusal on the job permanently during his discussions with major shareholder Dermot Desmond and there remains a strong chance he could become the club's team boss in the future. (Irish Independent)Russell Martin is preparing to raid Rangers for sports science chief Rhys Owen should the former Ibrox head coach be appointed Leicester City manager. (Daily Record)Former Scotland midfielder Richard Hughes is in advanced talks to become Al Hilal's new sporting director, with the Saudi club willing to allow him to work on Liverpool's summer transfer window before making the switch. (Sacha Tavolieri on X)

☕️🥐FC brekkie: nothing’s going right 🏴, Curaçao’s surprise bus 🚌The Unexpected Bus from Curaçao 🚌Just a few days before the start of the World Cup, nations are gradually beginning to arrive in North America.This time, it’s Curaçao making headlines. For its very first appearance, the team was given an old school bus to transport its players.Absolutely Nothing About This Works 🏴The series Dear England will retrace England’s journey under Gareth Southgate. So of course, they had to find actors to play the different players.We don’t even know what to say.Before you see the image below, we’ll give you a moment to guess who’s who...Nostalgia Arrives at the World Cup 🎮Jules Koundé packed his PlayStation 1 in his luggage. A nice way to relax between matches this summer.Carlo Ancelotti 🤨The Brazilians had a light little photo shoot before kicking off their World Cup campaign. Carlo Ancelotti’s attitude in this video, which contrasts sharply with the players, gave internet users a good laugh.Yesterday’s Must-See Stories 🍿- Transfer roundup for June 7 💰- These stars will be playing in their last World Cup 💔- 📸 Les Bleus tease Cherki by recreating his iconic meme 🤣This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

Your reporter is excited to watch the games, even though my own team failed to qualify and saved me from the inevitable heartbreak. I have got some fascinating numbers for you to check out, just in case your team did not qualify either.FIFA proudly projects a 30 billion dollar cash injection for the host nations. Yet analysts warn the impact will be practically invisible.For an economic giant like the US, it is a drop in the ocean, with most hotels reporting bookings way below forecasts. The real winner here is Mexico. Because its economy relies so heavily on tourism, the money carries far more weight, potentially boosting its GDP by up to half a per cent, with cities like Guadalajara, Monterrey and Mexico City feeling it the most.Spanning 16 cities across a massive continent with no high-speed rail networks, fans and teams must rely almost entirely on planes. This flying circus means transport alone is estimated to generate over seven million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Total emissions could hit 15 million tonnes, making it the most polluting tournament in sports history.Finally, FIFA has adopted American-style dynamic pricing, letting ticket costs fluctuate based on real-time demand. Traditional supporters are feeling priced out. Group-stage tickets have climbed to 700 dollars, while premium seats for the final top 10,000 dollars. So you see: overpriced tickets and hotels, expensive flights, and record-breaking emissions. Sounds like fun.But let’s be honest: if your team wins, you won’t remember any of that. And if you decide to save your money, sit at home and follow the games, remember that Euronews is here to give you live updates. The best part? It is completely free.So, who are you supporting this time?Watch the Euronews video in the player above for the full story.

Spurs see bid rejected for Premier League starTottenham Transfer Latest: Brighton Stand Firm on Jan Paul van HeckeSpurs Told Van Hecke Deal Must Suit BrightonTottenham’s pursuit of Jan Paul van Hecke has already reached the stage where ambition meets resistance. According to talkSPORT, Brighton CEO Paul Barber has confirmed that Spurs have seen not one, but two bids rejected for the Dutch centre back.That, in itself, tells us plenty. Tottenham clearly view Van Hecke as a serious target, not a speculative name tossed into the transfer wind. Brighton, equally clearly, know what they have. A defender signed from NAC Breda for just £2million in 2020 has become another example of their recruitment machine turning foresight into market power.Now entering the final year of his Brighton contract, Van Hecke might appear vulnerable to a cut price exit. Yet talkSPORT report that Brighton value him at around £50million, with Liverpool and Newcastle also credited with interest.Brighton Model Faces Another TestBarber told talkSPORT: “There’s always going to be a lot of interest in our best players, and certainly in the case of Jan Paul.“We’ve been very clear that that interest has been ongoing for a while, it’s coming from multiple sources.“Yes, we have rejected a bid from Tottenham over the last week or so, in fact, two bids.“From that point of view, it has to be right for us as well as the player.“We have to be in a position to make the best trades to suit our model and also to make sure that we’re supporting Fabian [Hurzeler], because he’s got another big season ahead of him.Photo IMAGO“He’s had two seasons in the Premier League, he’s finished eighth on both occasions, this time we’ve been fortunate enough to qualify for a European competition.“We want to go as deep in that competition as we can, while also doing well in the Premier League.“To do that, we need to make sure Fabian’s got the best possible squad and we’ve got the right balance between the young players that typically we like to bring in and develop, and the more experienced players like Pascal Gross and others, who can actually help us progress in all of the competitions that we’re in.“As always, it’s a balancing act, and hopefully this summer we can work hard to pull it off again.”Defensive Rebuild Takes ShapeFor Tottenham, this feels like part of a wider reset. Spurs have already moved early, with talkSPORT reporting that Andy Robertson has arrived on a free transfer from Liverpool, while Marcos Senesi is expected to join from Bournemouth, also on a free.Van Hecke would represent a different type of signing. He is Premier League proven, physically assured, technically comfortable and entering an age bracket where development can still be paired with reliability.That matters after a season in which Tottenham’s defensive structure was too often fragile. Cristian Romero’s future is now under scrutiny, with talkSPORT noting that his suspensions, injury absence and late season travel to Argentina damaged his standing among supporters.Romero Uncertainty Adds PressureRomero remains a gifted defender, but Tottenham’s problem is no longer simply about talent. It is about trust, availability and leadership. Spurs survived a relegation battle by just two points, and that leaves scars. It also sharpens recruitment.Van Hecke would not arrive as a glamour signing. He would arrive as a statement of seriousness. Brighton’s warning, however, is clear. Tottenham can admire him, bid for him and plan around him, but they will have to meet a club that understands value better than most.Our View – EPL Index AnalysisFrom a Spurs fan’s point of view, this report is both encouraging and frustrating. Encouraging because Tottenham are clearly trying to fix what nearly broke them last season. Frustrating because Brighton are exactly the kind of club who do not blink easily in these situations.Van Hecke feels like the sort of defender Tottenham should have been targeting for years. He knows the league, he has developed under smart coaching and he appears to have the temperament needed for a side that cannot afford another chaotic defensive campaign. If Romero leaves, or even if his role changes, Spurs need someone who can make the back line feel calmer.The £50million figure will divide supporters. Some will say it is steep for a player entering the final year of his deal. Others will argue that Premier League reliability costs money, especially when Liverpool and Newcastle are also circling. Brighton are not naïve sellers. They know scarcity drives price.The interesting question is whether Spurs are prepared to behave like a serious club rather than a hopeful one. Two rejected bids suggest they are testing the market. The next move tells us whether this is a priority or merely an option.After last season, Tottenham cannot afford half measures. If Van Hecke is the defender they truly want, they may have to pay like they mean it.

Talks between Fenerbahce-Greenwood are offMason Greenwood at Fenerbahçe risks remaining just one of the many promises tied to the Turkish club’s election campaign. Hakan Safi, who had identified the English striker as one of the signature moves of his project, is indeed close to defeat in the presidential race. The entrepreneur had worked hard on the deal, eventually reaching a four-year agreement with the player and declaring his willingness to meet Marseille’s financial demands. However, with the change of scenery at Fenerbahçe’s top management, the deal—according to Fabrizio Romano—will not materialize.Roma, which has continued to monitor Greenwood closely, is closely monitoring developments in Turkey. The English striker continues to be one of Gian Piero Gasperini’s most popular prospects, as he seeks quality reinforcements for the new Giallorossi project. Negotiations between Roma, Marseille, and the player are, of course, still in the early stages. However, a possible withdrawal from Fenerbahçe would remove one of the most likely contenders from the race, allowing Roma to continue cultivating a hope they have never truly abandoned until now.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 20: Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford looks on during the Premier League match between Everton and Arsenal at Hill Dickinson Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images) | Offside via Getty Images Your daily dose of Everton news and rumoursThink you have what it takes to fill out a perfect World Cup bracket? Have a go alongside the Royal Blue Mersey team. [RBM]Everton players prepare for international duty. [EFC]Some beautiful sights from Hill Dickinson.A second team from Manchester (Manchester City this time) are the latest to join the Iliman Ndiaye transfer suitors.#ManCity are watching Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye as a potential squad signing, and his ability to play wide or No.10 has caught @ManCity’s eye.[via @reluctantnicko]— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) June 7, 2026Star youngster Braiden Graham is reportedly receiving interest from several clubs looking to take the Irishman on loan. [Echo]What to WatchSome international friendlies today as teams finish their World Cup prep.Full schedule here.Follow UsTwitter | Facebook

What channel is Knicks vs. Spurs on today? Time, schedule, live stream to watch Game 3 of 2026 NBA Finals originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.If the Knicks were not the betting favorite at the start of Game 1, they certainly are now. Through two games in San Antonio, the Knicks came out victorious, 2-0. In NBA history, 32 of 37 teams to lead 2-0 in the NBA Finals went on to win the series. This includes each team to do so while playing the first two games on the road. The Knicks Game 2 win was as close as it gets. San Antonio led by as many as 12, with the Knicks staging a second quarter comeback. In the fourth quarter, the Spurs came roaring back but were just one point short. For the Spurs to respond in Game 3, they'll need to limit turnovers more effectively. Ben Stiller caught a key turnover in slow motion in Game 1 and those numbers did not improve much in Game 2. San Antonio had 16 turnovers to just 12 from the Knicks. A tighter offense with better handling and passing is a key for the Spurs to bounce back.As they head back to New York, the Knicks will need to continue presenting and dispersing shooting threats. In Game 2, three players scored 20 or more points with five scoring 13 of more. This spacing and offensive diversity can help to prevent double-teaming and show that the team has many more effective shooters than Jalen Brunson. Here's what you need to know about Monday's matchup between the Knicks and Spurs, including broadcast information and start time.What channel is Knicks vs. Spurs on today?TV channel: ABCLive streams: ESPN app, DIRECTV, fuboKnicks vs. Spurs Game 3 will be broadcast by ABC and will stream live on the ESPN app or via DIRECTV or fubo, which offer a free trial to new users. Catch every game – try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live MLB, March Madness, soccer and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network—all included with DIRECTV.Start your FREE trial now and never miss a moment of the action. No contracts, no hassle, just wall-to-wall sports and entertainment.Knicks vs. Spurs start timeDate: Monday, June 8Time: 8:30 p.m. ETGame 3 of the NBA Playoffs series between Knicks and Spurs is set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden in New York City.Knicks vs. Spurs series scheduleNew York leads series 2-0DateGameTime (ET)WatchJune 3Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95——June 5Game 2: Knicks 105, Spurs 104——June 8Game 3 at Knicks8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTVJune 10Game 4 at Knicks8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTVJune 13Game 5* at Spurs8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTVJune 16Game 6* at Knicks8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTVJune 19Game 7* at Spurs8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTV* If necessaryNBA Playoffs bracket 2026Click here for the updated 2026 NBA Playoffs bracket from The Sporting News.NBA Playoffs schedule, key dates for 2026Here are the key dates to know for the NBA Playoffs and offseason. EventDatesNBA Finals beginJune 3NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary)June 19NBA DraftJune 23-24NBA Summer League Las VegasJuly 9-19Related LinksLatest NBA news and rumorsFull 2025-26 NBA schedule and scoresHow to bet on the NBAThe GOAT Debate: Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James

‘What does Gavi contribute? Kicks…’ – Spain star makes hilarious Gavi remark after Rodri training incidentSpain’s preparations for the World Cup briefly took an uncomfortable turn after a training-ground incident involving Barcelona midfielder Gavi and Manchester City star Rodri.The incident occurred during a practice session in the United States, where the intensity of the training appeared to mirror that of a competitive fixture. Gavi, known throughout Europe for his aggressive style of play and relentless approach to challenges, became involved in a heavy collision that left Rodri in visible pain.What’s the story?The Barcelona midfielder attempted to contest the ball but ended up making strong contact with Rodri’s ankle. The Manchester City player immediately went to ground and required attention from medical staff, causing concern among coaches, teammates and supporters.For a few moments, fears emerged that Spain could be facing a major setback ahead of the World Cup. Fortunately for the national team, the situation did not develop into a serious injury, allowing preparations to continue.Gavi quickly recognised the seriousness of the challenge and apologised to his teammate as the medical staff assessed the situation.Pino explains why Gavi is important to SpainAhead of Spain’s friendly against Peru, Crystal Palace winger Yeremy Pino addressed the media. Unsurprisingly, one of the topics raised was Gavi and the training-ground incident involving Rodri.Gavi was involved in an incident with Rodri. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)When asked what the Barcelona midfielder brings to the national team, Pino could not resist opening with a humorous response.With a smile, he replied: “Kicks (laughs). Determination, team spirit. Gavi is the heart and soul of the team. “He’s always cheerful, bantering with his teammates. He always gives his all, and I’d want him in my team every time.”The comment drew laughs, but it also showed the admiration Gavi enjoys within the Spanish squad. While his combative nature occasionally leads to risky moments, his teammates clearly value the energy, commitment and mentality he brings every time he steps onto the pitch.

Harry Kane is having a historic season. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) | Getty Images When Tottenham Hotspur’s Amazon documentary All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur came out back in 2020, one of its most notable moments was a captured conversation between then-Tottenham striker Harry Kane and then-Tottenham coach José Mourinho. In this conversation, Kane clearly expressed to Mourinho his desire to reach the level of two of the greatest players in the history of football, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.Given the England international had not even won a trophy yet, he was roundly mocked for setting his sights so high. But Kane was right to set his sights so high and, playing for Bayern Munich in the 2025/26 season, he hit numbers that rival the iconic duo’s regular tallies. 61 goals scored in 51 games. Incredible stuff.Now with England as they prepare for the World Cup, Kane has had some time to reflect on a ridiculous season. In an interview with French news site L’Équipe, he was asked if he would have believed such a tally was possible in summer 2025.“I don’t know, because it’s a pretty crazy number,” Kane admitted honestly (as captured by @iMiaSanMia), before again taking the plunge and making the comparison to the two aforementioned footballing greats. “My previous record for a single club season was 44 goals, and when you cross the 60-goal mark, you find yourself in a league recently only reached by Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. At the time, their stats seemed truly unattainable to me.”Of course, just because Kane did it once does not mean he can hang regularly with the greatest players of the 21st century. He may be in their league for now, but Messi and Ronaldo were hitting those numbers on a consistent basis at FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively. Can Kane repeat the trick next season? Besides, their best seasons’ goal tallies still eclipse Kane’s recent season. To truly reach their levels, Kane will need to hit these numbers regularly from now on. Is there enough time? Will he just decline from here?It seems silly to suggest Kane, at 32, can get anywhere near the consistency the legendary Argentine and Portuguese enjoyed, but it seemed silly back in 2020 to suggest Kane could reach their level at all. Now that he proved he can reach those levels once, it is up to him to show just how many more levels he can go up from here.If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor… Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:New, improved notifications system!Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community posts

VARAZDIN, CROATIA - JUNE 7: Josko Gvardiol and Marco Pasalic of Croatia warms up prior to the international friendly match between Croatia and Slovenia at Stadium Varteks on June 7, 2026 in Varazdin, Croatia. (Photo by Igor Soban/Pixsell/MB Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images Most4 days to go – 🇫🇷 Kylian Mbappé has the most overall goals scored in @FIFAWorldCup finals, scoring four overall – one in 2018 and three in 2022. Spotlight. #OptaWorldCupCountdownpic.twitter.com/hbzxnDjDvy— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 7, 2026Hmm🚨 Bayern president Hainer: “If Florentino Pérez wants to send us a bid for Olise – which has not happened so far – he can SAVE HIMSELF THE TROUBLE”.“Michael Olise is a player of FC Bayern with a long-term contract. We are NOT a selling club”, told BILD. pic.twitter.com/wPxlhonhx2— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 7, 2026First‘THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE’ has officially become the first movie to pass $1 billion in 2026. pic.twitter.com/jPQ9SH5cIa— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 7, 2026

Bulinews Player of the Season Awards: VfB Stuttgart’s Player of the SeasonGermany international Deniz Undav gets eight votes out of ten to finish as Stuttgart’s Player of the Season in the annual voting process by Bulinews’ team of writers. The 29-year-old didn’t get any votes last season when fellow striker Nick Woltemade finished top.Stuttgart have only managed to win one of their last five games, but they will be back in the Champions League after finishing in fourth place. They lost the final against FC Bayern in the DFB-Pokal, a trophy they had won in the previous season.Undav was instrumental throughout the season as his career-high 19 goals was only bettered by Harry Kane (36) in Bundesliga. He also extended his contract until 2029 before joining Germany’s squad for the World Cup.STANDOUT PERFORMANCE:Undav started the season slowly, having to miss four games due to a knee injury. He was off the mark on matchday 8 when he scored the winner against Mainz. He backed that up by scoring six of Stuttgart’s eight goals in November.That includes his first-ever hat-trick at MHP Arena in the 3-3 draw with Borussia Dortmund. Including his 91st-minute equalizer, all his goals came after the break in his standout performance of the season.During the second half of the campaign, Undav also broke his personal streak with goals in six successive Bundesliga fixtures. If you exclude penalties, which is something he’s yet to take in Stuttgart, the gap between Kane and Undav will drop to only seven.HONOURABLE MENTIONS:The only other player to get votes from Bulinews writers is also in Julian Nagelsmann’s World Cup squad. Angelo Stiller won the remaining two votes in his third season with the Swabians. The 25-year-old central midfielder played every Bundesliga game, with only four of them coming off the bench.

Is Suryakumar Yadav leaving MI? Former India captain unfollows Mumbai Indians on Instagram to add fuel to speculation originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Suryakumar Yadav allegedly stopped following Mumbai Indians on Instagram and deleted most of the franchise-related posts on his account.It is observed that he has also deleted the mentions of "Mumbai" and "MI" from his bio.SKY was recently replaced by Shreyas Iyer as India T20I captain.MORE:Indians who took a Test debut fifer: Suthar creates historySuryakumar Yadav's Instagram activity fuels MI exit speculationWith Suryakumar Yadav's IPL career once again being a subject of discussion among the fans, the batter has managed to generate fresh speculations regarding his possible departure from the Mumbai Indians squad due to some major alterations that he made to his Instagram account.It became public after a recent post on social media stated that the former India T20I captain has unfollowed MI, removed all mentions and photos associated with the team from his Instagram account.Suryakumar Yadav unfollowed Mumbai Indians . He removed Mumbai and Mumbai Indians from his bio. He deleted all the photos and videos related to MI. What may be the exact reason 🤔 pic.twitter.com/SkXceeZCOp— Achyut Mishra (@PulledFor_Six) June 8, 2026While the timing of the said speculations could not have been worse for Suryakumar Yadav, who was recently stripped of India's T20I captaincy and not included in any of the recent white-ball squads, he remains silent regarding the matter, as does the franchise.MORE:‘#Unpaidera’: Former Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen exposes major PSL financial crisisA difficult year for Suryakumar YadavThe rumours follow a poor IPL season for Suryakumar, during which he scored just 270 runs with an average of 20.76 and made two half-centuries while MI ended up at the ninth spot in the league table.Suryakumar Yadav in IPL 2026MatchesInningsNORunsH.SAvg.S.R100s50s6s4s131302706020.76147.54021028Following his struggles at the franchise level, there were significant developments on the international front, with Suryakumar being relieved of captaincy of India’s T20I side in favour of Shreyas Iyer for the upcoming cycle of white-ball cricket.Nevertheless, Suryakumar took to social media with a "Wishing this highly skilled group all the best for challenges ahead" message on his Instagram story on the team selection announcement day.MORE:What to expect from India's new T20I captain-coach duo of Iyer-GambhirThe Cricket News Opinion: Fresh start for SKY or just social media noise?Considering how long Suryakumar had been playing with MI and has won several championships, social media hints alone cannot prove anything about the player's next moves, at least until a formal announcement has been made.Furthermore, sometimes these "unfollows" happen due to temporary technical glitches, just as Mumbai Indians reappeared in Hardik Pandya's Instagram following list shortly after fans noticed the franchise was missing after the team's exit from IPL 2026.That being said, if a point is reached where both sides are deadlocked, the move may actually be good for both parties. Moving away from MI may just be what SKY needs to get back into his best form, while the team can also look forward to refreshing their line-up after their disappointing year.To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics, visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

‘We have stopped the sale of the club’ – Enrique Riquelme refuses to give up after losing Real Madrid presidency raceFlorentino Perez secured another term as Real Madrid president after comfortably defeating challenger Enrique Riquelme in the club’s latest presidential election. However, despite the result, Riquelme made it clear that he has no intention of disappearing from the conversation surrounding the club’s future.Speaking after the final outcome was confirmed, the presidential candidate acknowledged Perez’s victory while simultaneously positioning his own campaign as the start of a longer journey rather than a failed attempt.Vows to continue the fightWhile Perez will continue to lead Real Madrid into a new era, Riquelme believes his candidacy has already achieved an important objective by creating debate and offering members an alternative vision.Speaking after the election, Riquelme first congratulated the victorious president before outlining why he considers the campaign a success despite the defeat.“I would like to congratulate Florentino. For us, this is not the end. It is the beginning. Riquelme lost to Florentino Perez. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)“The members will not go another 20 years without voting. We have stopped the sale of the club.”The challenger also expressed pride in what his team had managed to build in a relatively short period.“This is a great victory for our campaign; in such a short space of time, we have managed to put forward a serious, committed, professional and inspiring bid.”More from RiquelmeThroughout the election process, Riquelme attempted to position himself as a candidate focused on increasing member involvement and encouraging greater discussion around the club’s direction.Following the result, he reiterated that commitment and extended an offer of cooperation to the newly re-elected president.Riquelme will continue his fight. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)“I extend my hand as I did when I launched this campaign, with the utmost respect for Real Madrid, in this case its president, and its legacy. “I extend my hand to continue the debate we have not yet had, so that ideas can be taken on board and the members’ voices heard.”Although Riquelme’s campaign may not have delivered the presidency, it appears to have established a platform that he intends to build upon in the coming years. Rather than stepping away after defeat, he is positioning himself as a representative of members who want a stronger voice in the club’s future.“We now feel a duty to speak on behalf of all Real Madrid members, who in such a short space of time have allowed us to put our candidacy forward, and we have a duty to press ahead,” he concluded.Source: AS

Roma keen on Ruggeri, but pricetag makes deal difficultRoma, awaiting the official announcement of Tony D’Amico as their new sporting director, is monitoring various situations to improve Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad. The club is looking for both tall and short wingers, namely, teammates for the only certainty, Wesley (who will miss the World Cup due to injury). The Roman club has its eye on Matteo Ruggeri. The 2002-born player developed at Atalanta under Gasperini, a coach who allowed him to blossom and move to Atletico Madrid, coached by Simeone.Roma has inquired about Matteo Ruggeri. The left-back played 109 games for Atalanta under Gian Piero Gasperini, scoring two goals and 10 assists. As La Gazzetta dello Sport reports, the 2002-born player would like to return to Italy, but convincing Atletico Madrid to sell him will require at least €25 million. Before making such an investment in a currently non-priority area of ​​the pitch, Roma will need to make some sales. Among the players who could soon leave the capital is Ziolkowski, who is interested in Nottingham Forest.

Didier Deschamps will end his 14-year tenure as France manager after the World Cup [Getty Images]The World Cup will mark the end of an era as Didier Deschamps prepares to wave goodbye to France after the finals.Already a World Cup-winning captain in 1998, Deschamps became only the third man to win the World Cup as a player and a manager in 2018 when he led France to the biggest prize in football.When France play their final game at the World Cup it will be the end of a 14-year tenure, and in Monday's friendly with Northern Ireland in Lille, the 57-year-old will lead his nation for one final time on home soil before they head to the USA. It is likely to be a night filled with emotion. "I can imagine the state of mind of Didier after all this time spent with the French team," midfielder Adrien Rabiot said. "We're all human beings, we have compassion, we have emotions and everything that comes along with it. "The coach has done a great job with the French team and I hope that he will be celebrated, because he deserves it."Will NI be 'badly behaved guests' at France's party?Euro 2016 10 years on - and NI's bright futureAs Rabiot predicts, celebrations in Lille are likely. In their previous game in Nantes on Thursday - a surprise 2-1 defeat by the Ivory Coast - fans paid tribute to Deschamps by holding up cardboard cut outs which bore his image during the match. But for the manager, he is not letting his own farewell take away from the team's send off. "Ever since I came in to camp, there's lots of things that I've done for the last time, so I'm not trying to think about all these things."I'm not too sad, I'm not going to be happy about it. What's important for me is beyond my personal case."Deschamps, who has also guided France to the last World Cup final, the Euro 2016 final and the Nations League title in 2021, thanked the French support for the gesture.Les Bleus will play Senegal, Iraq and Erling Haaland's Norway in Group I in the USA, and Deschamps wants "the positive things" from fans before they head to the finals."The tribute was nice, and even though it was during the match and the players were playing, I was trying to be focused on what's happening on the field," he added."These two matches in France before we leave for the US, being close to the supporters and lots of the people who are not able to go to the US, we're trying to get as much energy, trying to get as much good vibes from the supporters as we can, and these are positive things for the French team."'He includes everyone'With such a long stint as manager, AC Milan midfielder Rabiot said Deschamps' "ability to being players together" was one of his main strengths."He includes everyone. It's really important and it's crucial to be able to build like that. "Training is really professional, but they can also be a little fun. It's important to have a mix, especially entering a competition like the World Cup. "It can be tough. It's a long competition and his strength is probably the management of his players."We've been together for a while so we know what he expects from us, and it's such a long-lasting competition that the players' management is important."Fans paid tribute to Didier Deschamps in France's defeat by the Ivory Coast in Nantes [Getty Images]Despite the shock loss to the Ivory Coast, Deschamps feels the confidence in the squad has not been dented. After missing that defeat, Arsenal defender William Saliba and PSG's Champions League winners Ousmane Demeble and Desire Doue are all available to play in Lille.When asked about worrying about playing a friendly before going to the finals and the threat of injury, Rabiot said it was "the last rehearsal" before they play Senegal on 16 June in New Jersey. "We don't use this match as a friendly," he said."We want to do well and we want to take pleasure in playing. "We want to enjoy the moment. It's really hard to start playing 50% and it's complicated. "You have to play fully and having in the back of our heads that this is the last rehearsal and it would be good to finish on a good note, in order to arrive in the US with lots of confidence built."World Cup fixtures and group standingsHow to watch the World Cup on the BBCEverything you need to know about the World Cup

Keely Hodgkinson had to settle for second place behind Switzerland’s Audrey Werro in the 800m at the Diamond League in Stockholm.After Hodgkinson finished seventh in the 400m in Rome on Thursday, the Olympic champion was back in her favoured heat but was stunned by Werro, who finished first in one minute 53.98 seconds – the third fastest women’s 800m ever and quickest in 2026.Hodgkinson and Werro raced away from the field in Stockholm, but the British athlete was unable to keep the pace with her Swiss rival despite a personal best time of 1:54.33.“Massive respect to Audrey. That was incredible racing from her and she helped me to run faster,” Hodgkinson said.“I was glad of her pushing me throughout the race and then fighting me to the line, but I won’t let that happen again. I wasn’t expecting that from her and I thought she’d come back to me at the end, but such a surprise is good for me and for each other.“She’s getting the best out of me and I still believe in myself – the world record is still my goal in London next month. I still believe I can do it.”There were other shocks in Stockholm with pole vault champion Armand Duplantis suffering a shock loss to Kurtis Marschall after he failed to clear 6.05m.Duplantis said: “I felt a bit unfocused today and I really did not want to lose here in front of my family and fans. I have not lost in what three years? But hats off to Kurtis today who beat me fair and square and I have no excuses.”Earlier in the day there was a personal best for British runner Amy Hunt in the 200m, but she finished second behind world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.PA

Apple CEO Tim Cook attends a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and U.S. business representatives, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (Go Nakamura/Pool Photo via AP)2026-06-08T07:00:08Z Apple is expected to unveil new artificial intelligence features at its annual developers conference beginning Monday, which will be the last one featuring CEO Tim Cook before he turns his post over to John Ternus in September. The World Wide Developers Conference, which attracts thousands of developers from some 60 countries to Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters, usually focuses on software, in contrast to the fall unveiling of the latest iPhones.Analysts expect the iPhone maker to give updates on new AI features and capabilities, including developments with its Siri voice assistant. “While hardware products are rarely launched at a developer show, we could see hints of Apple’s expansion into foldables, wearables, and smart home products by way of developer and ecosystem updates,” said Emarketer senior analyst Gadjo Sevilla, who called 2026 a ”transition year” for the conference. Apple has been playing catch-up with on AI with its Big Tech peers. It uses Google’s Gemini AI model to help power its AI features.Sevilla said he anticipates Siri will be reimagined as an AI chatbot and will be more conversational, have memory to pick up previous conversations, and will be able to complete multiple tasks with single requests. There is optimism around the potential for an enhanced Siri, he said.“An upgraded, agentic version of Siri — capable of managing conversations and tasks across iPhones, Macs, and iPads — could become as ubiquitous as features like AirDrop and Handoff, which already unify Apple’s ecosystem,” Sevilla said. Read More Cook announced his retirement in April, ending a 15-year run that saw the company’s market value soar by more than $4 trillion during an iPhone-fueled era of prosperity. Ternus has been with Apple for the past quarter century, including the past five years overseeing the engineering underlying the iPhone, iPad and Mac — a role that made him a prime candidate to succeed Cook. The transition to a new CEO comes at a pivotal time for Apple. Artificial intelligence has unleashed the most upheaval within the industry since Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in 2007. Apple has gotten off to a rough start in AI after stumbling in its efforts to deliver new features built on the technology, as promised nearly two years ago. BARBARA ORTUTAY Ortutay writes about social media and the internet for The Associated Press. mailto

Nurse Victoria Bohdanova changes the diaper of a premature baby inside a temperature-controlled incubator at the regional perinatal center of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)2026-06-08T04:07:20Z ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — When Marharyta Nekhoroshyva first saw her newborn son, she was gripped by fear. Born after just 26 weeks of pregnancy, he weighed only 940 grams (2 pounds) and wore diapers no larger than the palm of an adult hand.“The doctors told me that if he survived the first three days, everything would be OK,” she said, tears filling her eyes. “I don’t believe in God, but I was praying.”Now 9 months old, Mark is energetic and lively, but he has chronic breathing problems and requires frequent hospital stays.Nekhoroshyva must navigate her son’s illness while living under the constant threat of attack in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, where hospitals board up their windows because blast waves from Russian strikes routinely shatter glass. She is doing it alone while her husband fights in the war.A rising number of babies are being born prematurely — before 37 weeks of pregnancy — in Ukraine, particularly in regions near the front lines, where some areas have seen rates nearly double since the conflict started with Russia’s invasion in 2022. Experts say the reasons for premature births are complex, but the profound psychological and physical stress the war is inflicting on pregnant mothers is contributing. The delicate work of keeping the fragile newborns alive is made only more difficult by the conflict.When their babies are at the main children’s hospital in Zaporizhzhia, Nekhoroshyva and other mothers descend with their children into the shelter each night. In the narrow, dimly lit hallways, they rock and soothe their infants to sleep. Ukraine is seeing a rise in premature birthsWhile fewer women in Ukraine are giving birth overall due to displacement, emigration and other factors during the war, a growing share of births are premature, according to data from the United Nations and recent scientific studies.In the southern region of Kherson, the preterm birth rate nearly doubled from 5.4% in 2019 to 9.8% in 2025, according to the U.N. In the Zaporizhzhia region, also in the south, it rose from 5.7% in 2019 to 7.6% in 2025. In Poltava, a region in northeastern Ukraine, the rate rose from 7.7% to 9.8% over the same period. Read More The front line cuts through both the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, which frequently see attacks on residential areas. Poltava is some distance away from the front but is frequently hit by aerial strikes. The link between maternal stress and premature birth is complex, but a growing body of research suggests that prolonged psychological strain increases the risk of babies being born early, experts say. It may be tied to an increased risk of infection, a known trigger for preterm labor, said Dr. Andrew Weeks, a professor of international maternal healthcare at the University of Liverpool. 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. “Premature birth is very affected by infection,” he said. “And if you can’t get to a place where you can get appropriate diagnosis and treatment early, then actually the chance of you going into premature labor is higher.”It’s not just premature births that are rising in Ukraine; emergency cesarean sections and other complications are, too, said Isaac Hurskin, spokesperson for the U.N. Population Fund. “We’re seeing this real link between acute stress and birthing and pregnancy-related complications,” he said.Those complications could compound a demographic crisis. Ukraine’s fertility rate has fallen to among the lowest in the world, dropping to roughly one child per woman over the past three years — far below the 2.1 replacement rate, Hurskin said. Premature babies need extensive care — and that’s difficult during a warInside an incubator in the intensive care unit at the maternity hospital in the city of Zaporizhzhia lies a baby born at 30 weeks and weighing only 700 grams (1 pound, 9 ounces) — well below the threshold of 2,500 grams (5 pounds, 8 ounces) that the World Health Organization classifies as low birth weight.Her tiny body is kept alive inside the temperature-controlled incubator. IV lines deliver nutrients and medication, while a ventilator helps her breathe. The incubator is draped with a blanket to protect her fragile, developing eyes from the harsh fluorescent lights of the ward. Treatment focuses on helping premature babies gain weight and eventually breathe on their own, but complications can be extensive, said Dr. Andrii Lobanov, head of the neonatal intensive care at Zaporizhzhia’s children’s hospital. Oxygen levels, for instance, must be managed precisely because of the risk of abnormal blood vessel growth in the eyes, leading to blindness in severe cases.Even after they leave intensive care, children born prematurely often require long-term care — possibly for life — for respiratory, neurological, developmental or immune-related conditions.That is a burden on cash-strapped countries like Ukraine.“It is very expensive and of course a country in a war situation has to decide what it’s going to spend on, so hospital services invariably get hit. Both literally and metaphorically,” Weeks said. Mothers must navigate caring for babies during the war and often on their ownAir raid sirens have become part of daily life inside neonatal intensive care units. When they sound, doctors stay beside the babies rather than rushing them to shelters, knowing that moving the fragile newborns could be even more dangerous. The sirens go off too frequently to stop work each time anyway.Dr. Nataliia Bohuslavska, head of the neonatal unit at the maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia, began one day last month with air raid alerts warning of incoming missile attacks. By the afternoon, a Russian glide bomb had struck a commercial area of the city, killing at least 12 people.Care continued all along: Doctors performed two cesarean sections and delivered a baby while also treating a 42-year-old woman who miscarried after witnessing an airstrike.The next day, a black flag fluttered by the hospital entrance to mourn those killed. Bohuslavska knows every mother on her ward by first name — their complicated cases, their fears, and their tiny babies fighting for survival. Bohuslavska has worked at the hospital for 26 years and was born there herself.The war compounds the difficulties experienced by every pregnant woman she cares for, she said.“She wonders what kind of world her child will be born into, under what conditions the birth will happen, and whether it will be a moment of joy or one gripped by fear with shells exploding nearby,” she said.Many mothers endure the ordeal alone while their husbands are fighting.“When a patient calls to say her husband has been killed in the war, the only thing I can tell her is: ‘Come to us. We will take care of you,’” Bohuslavska said.“We have to support her constantly, so that even in the midst of this terrible loss, she can find the strength to give new life a chance and save her baby.”One baby goes homeFor Mariia Skladan, it was finally time to go home.Her daughter, Elina, was born in January at just 26 weeks, weighing 740 grams (1 pound, 10 ounces). Five months later, after growing to a healthy 3 1/2 kilograms (nearly 8 pounds), doctors said she was strong enough to be discharged.Skladan has a rare liver disease that doctors warned would make it nearly impossible for her to conceive. Her pregnancy was considered a miracle, Bohuslavska said.“If there’s a war, what does it mean? Not to live?” Skladan asked. “You want to keep going.”When she and Elina emerged from the maternity hospital, her family was waiting with flowers. Skladan broke down in tears of joy.But the relief was short-lived.The very next day, Elina was back in intensive care after contracting a virus overnight.___Associated Press journalist Volodymyr Yurchuk contributed from Kyiv, Ukraine. SAMYA KULLAB Kullab is an Associated Press reporter covering Ukraine since June 2023. Before that, she covered Iraq and the wider Middle East from her base in Baghdad since joining the AP in 2019. twitter instagram mailto 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

How Enrique Riquelme positioned himself as Real Madrid’s future despite losing presidential electionFlorentino Perez may have secured another term as Real Madrid president, but attention is already beginning to shift towards what comes next for the club once his era eventually comes to an end.In that regard, it can be argued that Enrique Riquelme’s defeat has done little to damage his long-term ambitions. In fact, the campaign may have only strengthened his position as the leading candidate to succeed Perez in the future.What’s the story?The Spanish publication mentions that although he was unable to prevent Perez from extending his reign, Riquelme’s candidacy established him as a serious figure within Real Madrid’s political landscape.Five years after initially deciding to run for the elections, he launched a full campaign, investing significant effort into building visibility among Real Madrid members.Despite falling short at the ballot box, his campaign succeeded in proving that he possesses the resources and structure required to challenge for the presidency.Enrique Riquelme has made his point. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)One of the biggest hurdles for any candidate is meeting the strict financial guarantees required to stand for election. Riquelme managed to satisfy those requirements, securing backing worth close to €190 million through personal assets, which has positioned him well for future elections.Structural changesOn the sporting side, Riquelme also attempted to strengthen his project by bringing together several respected figures from Real Madrid’s history. His proposed structure included Raul in a leading sporting role, while Fernando Hierro was identified as a potential figure within the academy setup.Former club icons Iker Casillas and Vicente del Bosque were also linked with positions designed to reinforce the club’s traditional identity and strengthen connections with supporters.Furthermore, he also brought up significant names such as Rodri and Erling Haaland in the discussion during the build-up, stating, “If I am president, these 2 players (Rodri and Haaland) will play for Real Madrid.” Foundation for the next challengeRiquelme does not intend to stop here. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)While Perez will be in charge until at least 2030, Riquelme now faces a different challenge, which is maintaining relevance between election cycles.According to the report, although the businessman is expected to return his focus to his professional ventures, he is also aware that remaining visible among the Real Madrid fanbase will be essential if he wants to build on the momentum created by his first campaign.Monitoring the club’s direction, particularly any discussions involving ownership structures or major institutional changes, could become a key part of his long-term strategy.Just as importantly, he now has first-hand experience of running a presidential campaign at one of the biggest football institutions in the world. The lessons learned from this election could prove invaluable if and when he decides to stand again.For now, Perez continues to enjoy overwhelming support among members, but this election has introduced a new face into the conversation. Whether his next opportunity arrives in four years or further down the line, Riquelme has already positioned himself as the most prominent alternative to the current leadership and a serious contender for the future of Real Madrid.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 10: Gavi of FC Barcelona reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Spotify Camp Nou on May 10, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) | Getty Images Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has jumped to Gavi’s defence following criticism of the Barcelona midfielder after footage of a tackle on Rodri in training went viral.Gavi appeared to stand on Rodri’s foot which left his team-mate in some pain. He was able to continue but that didn’t stop plenty of focus being aimed at Gavi on social media.GAVI CATCHES RODRI DURING SPAIN TRAINING! 😬 Spain World Cup training pic.twitter.com/QFirWrYhek— BeanymanSports (@BeanymanSports) June 7, 2026De la Fuente was quick to try and defuse the situation in a press conference on Sunday and said there is no problem at all.“This is football, it’s training. The players give their all and nobody has to apologize,” he told reporters.“Everything is fine. Gavi has energy, drive. He has to pace himself, but I want this Gavi.”The Spain boss also spoke about his team’s next friendly and said there will be changes to the team.“The idea is to give more playing time to those who didn’t participate against Iraq,” he added. “I have the team in mind, but there will surely be changes. I have a plan for how to start the World Cup if there are no adverse circumstances. Football can always surprise you, but I won’t reveal the lineup for Wednesday.”Lamine Yamal won’t feature as he continues his recovery from injury, but he is expected to be passed fit in time for Spain’s World Cup opener against Cape Verde.

David Sullivan open to selling his West Ham United stakeFormer West Ham United vice-chair David Sullivan is open to selling his stake in the London Stadium club, according to The Athletic. The 77-year-old called time on his involvement at West Ham during the weekend, citing claims of false allegations. Sullivan owns 38.8 per cent of the Hammers and is now considering selling it having called the shots since 2016. With West Ham valued at between £710 million-£780 million, their erstwhile vice-chair could bag £300m for his stake.Co-owner Daniel Kretinsky, bought his 27 per cent stake for £182.5m in 2021, and it remains to be seen if the Czech billionaire will look to buy Sullivan’s shares. However, there is now a possibility that another buyer could emerge after PAI Capital made a £400m bid to buy the club in October 2021. While Kretinsky has no plans to leave West Ham, Sullivan could be done and the club will not be short of suitors despite getting relegated to the Championship.However, would-be buyers could be keen to offer less than £300m as relegation has affected the club’s value.West Ham fans have called for Sullivan’s departure for years and are getting close to getting their wish following his resignation.

Motorsport photoFerrari supplier Brembo has expressed “great astonishment” after Charles Leclerc blamed his race-ending Monaco Grand Prix crash on his Formula 1 car’s brakes.Although the Scuderia never was able to challenge supreme race winner Kimi Antonelli on Sunday, Leclerc was set for a solid third-place finish behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton when he crashed at Antony Noghes corner ahead of the lap-65 safety car restart.“Honestly, I'm not even going to take the **** blame,” the Monegasque fulminated on the radio. “These **** brakes!”Leclerc’s personal braking issues were carried over from his Montreal struggles, hence his growing frustration – though he made it clear that the magnitude of the alleged failure was completely unprecedented.The Ferrari driver therefore doubled down moments later when he spoke to the media following his retirement from the race: “Out of the four brakes, I had three brakes not working. So in a Formula 1 car, it's never a good thing.“The front-left was working well, the front-right was half-working, and the two rear brakes were not working at all. And when I say at all, it's that on data there's no deceleration at all. It's like the calipers were not even in the car.Charles Leclerc, FerrariCharles Leclerc, Ferrari“As long as I was doing consecutive [laps], it was inconsistent, but there was none of those problems, at least to that extent. The problem was the safety car. As soon as I did the safety car, three of my four brakes stopped working. I could never switch them on again, nothing was working anymore.“I tried to do many actions in the car to try and help it. The only solution I had was to not brake in the last corner, but I would have crashed in Turn 1.“There was just no solution.”Brake supplier Brembo immediately responded to those comments, which it labelled as “premature”, with a statement reaffirming the reliability of the components it provides to Ferrari.“The Brembo Group expresses great astonishment regarding what happened to Charles Leclerc during the Monaco Grand Prix and is very surprised by the statements made by the driver after the race,” it wrote.Charles Leclerc, FerrariCharles Leclerc, Ferrari“The partnership between Brembo and Scuderia Ferrari has been ongoing for over 50 years and also extends to other brands within the group, such as AP Racing clutches and Ohlins shock absorbers, confirming the solidity and breadth of the collaboration.”“The company is currently unaware of the causes of the problems encountered by Charles Leclerc and therefore believes it is premature to make definitive technical assessments before analysing the available data. In cases like this, it is indeed necessary to examine the telemetry data alongside the team's engineers to pinpoint the exact origin of the incident.”But Leclerc did assert the data was beyond doubt: “It's very clear. I think Fred [Vasseur, team principal] and Jerome [d'Ambrosio, deputy team principal] saw the data, and I think it's very clear for everyone. I don't think there's any doubt.”Regardless of who’s responsible for the incident, Leclerc claimed the problem was already solved for this weekend’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. “We have the solution in-house, and I'll go to the Lewis configuration from next race onward,” he added.Interestingly, a paddock rumour has been suggesting Hamilton may be using Carbone Industrie brakes after working with the company extensively during his Mercedes years, though this has never been confirmed. Read Also: Who slept worst last night: Charles Leclerc To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Former Barcelona academy star still hoping for Camp Nou return despite mounting interestBarcelona seem keen on signing a new full-back this summer, with a number of names doing the rounds.The club do not seem satisfied with the current incumbents on either flank, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde, and one of the potential targets is Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella.Now, according to Mundo Deportivo, the former La Masia graduate is prioritising a return to Blaugrana despite attracting interest from several clubs in Europe.The 27-year-old believes that his time at Stamford Bridge has come to an end, and both the player and the club are understood to be open to a transfer this summer.Hansi Flick is said to be a strong admirer of Cucurella’s talent and values the profile he brings to the table. However, any potential transfer seems to be tied to the future of Balde.Balde’s future could be keyBalde’s future is uncertain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)The report states that Barcelona would only consider signing Cucurella if there is any movement surrounding Balde.At the moment, the academy starlet is not actively seeking an exit, leaving the Catalan club in a tricky position with a difficult decision to make.While Cucurella would provide immediate experience and stability and is more rounded than Balde at this stage of their careers, it would be a difficult investment.Chelsea are said to be seeking between €40 million and €50 million for the Spanish international, especially with no shortage of interest.Barcelona may be on the clockCucurella’s desire to return gives Barcelona an advantage, but there is no guarantee.Cucurella would love to return to Barcelona. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Manchester City, Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid have all set their sights on the 27-year-old.The defender is currently on international duty with Spain, where he is set to be a starter for Luis de la Fuente, and a good showing will only drive his price further up.For Barcelona, it is a difficult situation to be in. It is a plus that Cucurella is ready to wait, but that time is not endless.If they do not make a decision on their academy graduate’s future soon, other clubs could swoop in and secure his signature, and a reunion may no longer be on the cards.

NEW DELHI: Test whites with his name on the back and spikes neatly laid out in his room, Manav Suthar was ready for the biggest day of his cricketing career. Just an hour before his Test debut, he picked up the phone and called his coach, Dheeraj Sharma, who had been waiting for his student's call."Sapna poora ho gya sir. Apna best karunga," Suthar told Dheeraj on the morning of his debut.Not wanting to keep him for long before the game, Dheeraj kept the conversation brief."Beta, sab kuch wahi hai, bas platform bada hai. Bas ye soch ke rakhna. Apne skills pe khelna, bas, baaki sab achha hoga."Soon after, Suthar walked into the ground, received India Test cap No. 319 from Kuldeep Yadav and was greeted with hugs and congratulations from teammates and support staff.And what followed was a dream start. With bat, he scored a brisk 28 off 41, including dancing down the track for two maximums.After India declared at 564/8, Suthar struck in his very first over in Test cricket and then controlled the innings with remarkable discipline.Suthar finished day two with outstanding figures of 3/21 from 15.5 overs as India tightened their grip on the contest.Rahul Dravid’s AdviceLong before Suthar earned his maiden India call-up and eventual India debut, he had already caught the attention of one of the game's greatest minds: Rahul Dravid.According to his coach Dheeraj, Dravid was well aware of Suthar's all-round abilities, particularly his batting, but repeatedly advised him to prioritise his bowling if he wanted to build a long-term future in the game."He used to regularly interact with Rahul Dravid. Dravid would often guide him during his India A and Under-19 days. He knew Manav's abilities well.He would tell him, 'You can always manage with your batting, but focus on your bowling and maximise it as much as you can'," Dheeraj told Timesofindia.com.While many young cricketers divide their attention between formats, Suthar chose to invest heavily in red-ball cricket."In white-ball cricket, there are five players ready to replace you. In Test cricket, the options are fewer. If a player gets injured in white-ball cricket, a replacement is immediately available. The competition is extremely high," the coach explained."Manav has been training with the red ball for the last six to seven years. The main objective was clear: if he wanted to play for India, he first had to become a strong Test cricketer.Around six years ago, he made a conscious decision to focus on red-ball cricket. Most of the cricket he played was with the red ball, and his focus remained firmly on Test cricket," Dheeraj added.Suthar first made headlines during the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy season when he emerged as Rajasthan's leading wicket-taker, claiming 39 wickets in just six matches.His performances for India A further strengthened his case. During the unofficial Test series against Australia A, Suthar finished among the leading wicket-takers and produced a memorable five-wicket haul, returning figures of 5/107.He also impressed during the 2023 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.In 29 first-class matches, Suthar has picked up 129 wickets, while also representing Rajasthan in 25 List A games and 29 T20 matches.Shubman Gill’s BackingSuthar's rise has also been aided by the faith shown in him by Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill. The left-arm spinner was picked up by the franchise for Rs 20 lakh at the IPL 2024 Auction and was retained for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.According to the coach, Suthar spent countless hours bowling to Gill in the nets, and the skipper too preferred facing him during practice sessions."Shubman has supported him immensely. He made sure Manav bowled a lot to him in the nets and always encouraged him. The biggest thing is mindset.“When you play alongside cricketers of that level, your thinking also starts operating at that level, and that helps you perform better. Playing with top players in the IPL and around the Indian team teaches you how to handle pressure situations," Dheeraj said.Clever like Ravindra JadejaSuthar was only 14 years old when he first walked into Dheeraj's coaching setup at the SK Bihani Cricket Academy in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.When the coach asked him what he wanted to become, the teenager had a straightforward answer: ‘a batter’.But after watching him closely in training sessions, Dheeraj realised there was something special about the youngster's bowling.The coach even padded up himself and asked Suthar to bowl at him. A few deliveries were enough to convince him that the youngster possessed rare attributes as a spinner.— BCCI (@BCCI) "Agar lamba khelna hai to bowling pe jyada dhyan dena padega," Dheeraj told him."Initially, he saw himself primarily as a batter, but I sensed potential in his bowling. Gradually, he realised that he could become even better as a bowler and started working seriously on his basics," the coach recalled.Dheeraj believes one of Suthar's biggest strengths is his intelligence as a bowler and the variety he possesses."He is a very clever bowler and has tremendous variety. He bowls with good aggression as well. When conditions offer assistance, he can bring the ball back in sharply.His seam movement and drift are excellent. His arm ball is a major weapon, and both his top-spinner and conventional spin deliveries are very effective," he said.Next Ravindra Jadeja?With Ravindra Jadeja entering the latter phase of his career and India constantly searching for the next generation of spin-bowling all-rounders, comparisons are inevitable.However, Dheeraj is cautious about placing such expectations on his student. 131580282"People call him Rajasthan's Jadeja. The journey ahead is still very long, but he has enormous potential. For now, red-ball cricket remains his top priority," the coach signed off.

NEW CHANDIGARH, India (AP) — India spinner Manav Suthar took 6-33 on debut to help bowl out Afghanistan for 152 runs on Monday in the one-off cricket test.Suthar returned the second-best figures for India on test debut, after Narendra Hirwani’s 8-61 against West Indies in 1988. He also became just the second Indian spinner to take a five-wicket haul in his maiden test innings after Amit Mishra’s 5-71 against Australia in 2008.After declaring at 564-8 in its first innings, India had a 412-run lead when it enforced the follow on. Afghanistan was 18-0 in its second innings at lunch on Day 3, with openers Sediqullah Atal (16 not out) and Abdul Malik (2 not out) batting through four overs to the interval.Afghanistan had resumed Monday at 113-5 and lost Azmatullah Omarzai — bowled by Prasidh Krishna (3-37) — in the fifth over.Suthar then picked up two wickets in two overs, having Sharafuddin Ashraf (11) caught behind and bowling Rahmat Shah around his legs.Shah was Afghanistan’s leading scorer with 60 off 135 balls, including nine fours and a six.Afghanistan’s innings was wrapped up soon after, with its last five wickets falling for 39.It is only the second test between the teams. India hosted Afghanistan’s inaugural test in Bengaluru and the home side won by an innings and 262 runs.___AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

William osula and Christian Eriksen | Credit: SmartFrame Images | Zuma PressWilliam Osula had made his first ever international appearance in midweek, coming on as a sub in the goalless draw against Yoane Wissa and DR Congo.On Sunday, the Newcastle United striker selected to make his first ever start for Denmark.William Osula selected in a friendly against Ukraine, to be played in Odense.Dorgu gave Denmark a 13th minute lead, then Maehle added another on 36 minutes.William Osula putting in an energetic performance, winning a series of free-kicks in the attacking half and the closest he came to scoring was with a shot from a difficult angle on the left that went past the right postWith that effort failing to put the Danes three up, Ukraine went down the other end and pulled a goal back only seconds later, in the 44th minute, Tsygankov with the goal.One change for Denmark at half-time and another three on the hour mark but William Osula staying on.However, only five minutes after that triple change, the moment when the Newcastle United striker will remember his first ever international start for all the wrong reasons.The game in Odense stopped on 65 minutes when Christian Eriksen collapsed, with the match abandoned shortly after, though thankfully the 34-year-old able to eventually walk off the field.The former Tottenham midfielder was fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (a type of pacemaker) after suffering a cardiac arrest during a Euro 2020 match against Finland in 2021.Denmark’s national team doctor Morten Boesen saying after the match was abandoned: “Christian is doing well and walked off the pitch by himself and as I see it, the pacemaker responded as it should. He was briefly unconscious but regained consciousness very quickly. We were quickly in contact with him and he will now undergo further examinations at the hospital to determine what caused the incident. We are in ongoing contact with him and the doctors at the hospital but Christian is doing well and he asked me to send his regards to all the players, tell them that he was OK.”Denmark manager Brian Riemer commenting: “The most important thing is that Christian is doing well. He has sent his regards to the players and now it is about us standing together, as you could see that we did in the most dignified way on the field and of course ensuring that everyone has a shoulder to lean on from here.”Our best wishes to Christian Eriksen (Pictured above with William Osula during that midweek draw with DR Congo) and hopefully he will be okay.Source