Sports

Spain defender Marc Cucurella has revealed he will retire from international football and get a tattoo of head coach Luis de la Fuente on his bicep if La Roja overcome Argentina in Sunday's 2026 FIFA World Cup final. The recently signed Real Madrid star said winning both the UEFA European Championship and the FIFA World Cup would mark the perfect conclusion to his international career. "If we win the World Cup, I'll call Luis the next day and tell him not to count on me anymore because I'll be retiring from the national team," Cucurella said. He added, "With a European Championship and a World Cup, there would be nothing more for me to achieve." The defender also vowed to honour Spain's coach with a permanent tribute, saying he would tattoo De la Fuente's face on his bicep if t...

US President Donald Trump has questioned  England coach Thomas Tuchel’s tactics in the World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina. In the clash, England took a second-half lead through Anthony Gordon's 55th-minute strike but then dropped deeper with Tuchel switching to a back five and ending with six defenders on the pitch as Argentina scored twice in the final five minutes plus stoppage time to reach Sunday's final against Spain. German coach Tuchel, who was overseeing England at a major tournament for the first time, has been criticised for his defensive substitutions at 1-0, which invited more pressure from Argentina with plenty of time remaining. Now, US President Donald Trump has joined the conversation about Tuchel’s tactics against Argentina, who will aim to retain ...

Nigeria have qualified for the 2026 African Volleyball Nations Cup after rallying from a set down to defeat the Benin Republic 3-1 in the ongoing Zone 3 qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The Nigerian team bounced back from losing the opening set to record a 21-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-20 victory, earning a place at the continental championship scheduled to take place in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, from September 7 to 21. Benin Republic claimed the first set 25-21 in a match marked by controversial officiating, but Nigeria responded strongly by taking the next three sets to complete an impressive comeback. The victory preserved Nigeria's unbeaten record at the qualifiers, making it four consecutive wins after earlier triumphs over Niger Republic, hosts Côte d'Ivoire and...

Turkish club Bursaspor have completed the signing of Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho on a three-year contract and they released a captivaing video to announce it.  The Green Crocodiles confirmed the arrival of the experienced striker in a social media post on Friday. “Welcome to our family, Kelechi Iheanacho 💚🤍,” the club wrote on X. Iheanacho joins Bursaspor after failing to reach an agreement with Scottish champions Celtic over a new contract. The 29-year-old enjoyed a productive spell with the Hoops, helping the Glasgow club secure a domestic double during the 2025/26 campaign.Watch the video below https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da7O0uzoX5z/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtwG8lGAG1I&t=90s...

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will go ahead as scheduled despite severe air pollution warnings affecting parts of New Jersey and New York. Health officials issued air quality alerts after smoke from ongoing wildfires in Canada spread across large areas of the northeastern United States, raising concerns ahead of Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. The poor air quality has already disrupted sporting events in the region. An MLS match between Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed on Thursday, while an NWSL game between Gotham FC and Washington Spirit in New York proceeded with additional hydration breaks due to the smoky conditions. Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman admitted the air quality affected players during...

Mohamed Salah has reached a verbal agreement to join Turkish side Beşiktaş following his departure from Liverpool. The Egyptian legend is expected to sign a one-year contract, with an option for a further year, with the Turkish club shortly. Under the proposed terms, Salah would receive a guaranteed annual salary of €10 million, with performance-related bonuses of up to €2 million potentially taking his earnings to €12 million per year. The reported agreement has not yet been described as a completed transfer, with the two parties said to have reached a verbal understanding while final steps remain outstanding. Salah, widely regarded as one of the Premier League's greatest forwards, ended his trophy-laden spell at Liverpool earlier this summer. Last season, he made 41 appearanc...

Team Nigeria has received a major welfare package ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with the National Sports Commission (NSC) unveiling improved financial incentives and support for athletes and officials before the July 23 opening ceremony. The enhanced package, introduced under the Federal Government's sports development initiative, features increased camping and competition allowances, improved travel support, and higher performance-based rewards. Under the new arrangement, gold medal winners will receive $5,000, silver medallists $3,000, and bronze medallists $2,000, with the rewards to be paid directly into the athletes' bank accounts. According to a statement issued in Abuja, each athlete and official has been provided ₦250,000 to cover transportation to the n...

New Manchester United signing, Andrey Santos, could be in line for his first run-out after being named in the pre-season squad to play Wrexham in Helsinki on Saturday. The 22-year-old Brazilian midfielder, whose £50m move to Old Trafford was confirmed last week, has been training with his new team-mates in the interim. Fellow new signings, Karl Darlow and Benjamin Sesko haven’t been included as United confirm the pair will remain at Carrington to work towards full fitness. Youri Tielemans, who joined the club this week after completing a £36m move from Aston Villa, won’t be involved. Tielemans is enjoying his break following Belgium’s World Cup exploits. The squad includes various young players, some who spent last season on loan, as Michael Carrick awaits his return to the ...

UEFA has directed its Video Assistant Referees (VAR) not to apply the newly introduced mistaken identity rule to incidents involving simulation, distancing itself from an interpretation that generated controversy during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The guidance was issued to match officials ahead of the opening qualifying rounds of this season's European competitions following concerns over how the updated VAR protocol was implemented at the World Cup. Earlier this summer, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) amended the Laws of the Game to allow VAR to intervene when a referee mistakenly identifies the player responsible for an offence, including correcting yellow and red card decisions. The revised law was invoked twice during the World Cup. In one instance, United St...

The winners of Sunday's 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will make history by becoming the first team to receive specially designed FIFA championship rings. The rings, inspired by a tradition commonly seen in major American sports such as the NFL's Super Bowl, will be presented to the victorious squad after the tournament. FIFA will award 30 rings to players and officials, while an additional 1,996 replica versions will be produced for supporters. Each ring will feature a miniature FIFA World Cup trophy along with a custom-engraved inner band. United States President Donald Trump is also expected to attend the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he will present the World Cup trophy to the champions. Although Trump has not attended any of the tournament'...