Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah watches from the sideline on Oct 7, 2023, at Huntington Bank Stadium during the Minnesota Golden Gophers’ matchup with the Michigan Wolverines, appearing at the in-state contest while continuing his broader scouting and evaluation duties. Entering his second full season as GM, Adofo-Mensah remained central to shaping Minnesota’s long-term roster direction and draft strategy. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings have fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after four years. One of the major criticisms of his tenure was his track record in the Draft. He ultimately selected 28 players — so let’s rank them from best to worst.
A few notes: We’ll focus on the impact the players had on the Vikings, not elsewhere. The draft slot will be considered. Finding a rotational player in the 7th round is great; finding that in the 1st round is a problem.
Out of respect, Khyree Jackson, who was selected in the 2024 Draft, will not be included in the list.
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27. Lewis Cine
His first pick was also the worst. Safety Cine was selected with the 32nd pick in 2022 after a controversial trade-down. He played in ten games with the Vikings, mostly contributing on special teams with a whopping one tackle. Adofo-Mensah released his first-ever choice in the summer of 2024.
26. Andrew Booth
Cornerback Booth went 41st overall in 2022. He was considered a promising talent with injury concerns and unfortunately, those continued in the Twin Cities. The Vikings shipped him to Dallas during the 2024 preseason. He was not the worst player on the list, but the production of 23 games and 256 defensive snaps was undoubtedly not worth a 2nd rounder.
25. Kobe King
King, picked 201st last year, was cut in October and the New York Jets claimed him off waivers. He played five games and made four tackles with the Vikings. There was nothing wrong with the pick in a vacuum, but combined with the exit, the selection was a flop.
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24. Esezi Otomewo
Minnesota alumnus Otomewo is the forgotten 5th-rounder from 2022, going 165th overall. In his rookie season, he appeared in five games as a rotational player, but he was axed when Brian Flores arrived in 2023. Drafted for a different scheme, Otomewo played for the Jaguars in 2024 and the Steelers in 2025.
23. DeWayne McBride
Running back McBride was a 7th-rounder in 2023. The UAB prospect dominated in the Conference USA, but never got a shot in the NFL. Folks had high hopes for him, but he looked pretty slow in the preseason and has never seen an NFL field in the regular season.
22. Jaren Hall
Aug 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall (16) calls out before the snap against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-USA TODAY Sports
Hall, a 2023 pick (164th), started a couple of games in his rookie season and he was clearly not ready for that stage, exiting concussed once and getting benched the other time. The Vikings cut him in the 2024 offseason and he hasn’t been on the field since.
21. Walter Rouse
Offensive tackle Rouse showcased solid play in his collegiate career, but his NFL journey has been rocky. The 6th-rounder from 2023 (177th) has appeared in eight games so far and the future outlook is murky. He was even held out of games in which the Vikings had injury problems at tackle. Still, he’s the first player who’s still on the team.
20. Jaquelin Roy
Tackle Roy was part of the 2023 class, joining in the 5th round with pick 141. The LSU product appeared in 12 games as a rookie but was waived entering Year 2. He contributed in New England in 2024 and has missed the Super Bowl campaign on IR.
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19. Gavin Bartholomew
Unlike Rouse, Bartholomew has not played for the Vikings, but there’s a good chance he will in 2026. He cost the club the 202nd pick in 2025 and the 6th-rounder missed his entire rookie season with a nagging back injury. He’ll feel like an additional pick this year.
18. Tai Felton
Comparable to Bartholomew but without the injury, this ranking is based on hope. Still, the 2025 3rd-rounder (102nd) has caught only three passes for 25 yards. On special teams, he has been excellent, though.
17. Brian Asamoah
Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Brian Asamoah II (6) celebrates his teams fumble recovery against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
Linebacker Asamoah was expected to be the longterm replacement for Eric Kendricks, but the 3rd-round pick (66th) turned out to be a special-teams player for three years and barely played on defense. Drafted for Ed Donatell’s defense, he was another victim of that change.
16. Mekhi Blackmon
Cornerback Blackmon was the final pick (102nd) in the 3rd round of the 2023 Draft. He showed promise as a rotational corner in his rookie season and was expected to make a jump as a sophomore. A torn ACL in training camp cost him that season and the Vikings traded him to the Colts in 2025. His Vikings tenure was unfortunate and the trade perhaps premature.
15. Vederian Lowe
Lowe is a strange case. The 2022 6th-rounder (184th) appeared in four contests in his rookie season, playing exclusively on special teams. In the 2023 offseason, the Vikings traded him to New England for a 6th-rounder. Though barely helping on the field, he returned exactly his value. Lowe has been a valuable backup for the Patriots, playing in all 20 games this season.
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14. Nick Muse
Tight end Muse cost only a 7th-rounder in 2022. His on-field contributions were limited to only one catch and help on special teams. Still, he provided depth for three seasons and moved on during the 2024 offseason to win a Super Bowl with the Eagles. Like Lowe, his pick was pretty much a wash.
13. Ty Chandler
Running back Chandler has just completed his entire rookie deal, as one of only two players from the 2022 class. He joined in the 5th round with pick 169. He has been a depth runner and kick returner, playing in 40 games and scoring three touchdowns while recording nearly 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
12. Ed Ingram
Offensive guard Ed Ingram is another tricky evaluation. He cost the Vikings the 59th overall pick, a 2nd-rounder in 2022. The full-time starter in 2022 and 2023 lost his job during the 2024 season to Dalton Risner and was traded in March of 2025. Ingram started 41 games, but his play was widely inconsistent. It’s easy to make a case for him to rank higher or lower.
11. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
Rookie Ingram-Dawkins — pick 139 in 2025 — appeared in 14 games in his first season. He’s still a raw player, but has shown promise. It’s another significant projection for the future. He’ll be a sneaky breakout candidate entering his second season.
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10. J.J. McCarthy
Perhaps the hardest person to place on this entire list, the 10th overall pick of the 2024 Draft requires some projection moving forward. At this point, he certainly hasn’t been worth his selection, but there’s still hope he can develop into a franchise quarterback. His last few games were promising. If he does improve, he’ll easily enter the top five; if he doesn’t, he’ll rank in the 20s. Unlike most players behind him, he’s still around and can actually climb the list.
9. Akayleb Evans
Cornerback Evans was Kwesi’s draft crush in 2022, ultimately costing a 4th-rounder, pick 118. After showing promise in his rookie season, he was a starter in 2023. He was waived during the 2024 season and has been a backup for the Panthers ever since. Evans played 1,020 defense snaps with the Vikings.
8. Michael Jurgens
Jurgens, a center from the 7th round of the 2024 Draft (230th) has played in 18 games through two seasons, logging three starts. In two of those, he played quite well and could be considered for the starting role moving forward. Even as a backup option, he has been well worth his draft position.
7. Levi Drake Rodriguez
During the 2024 season, Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez shared a celebration with teammate Bo Richter after delivering a key play. The moment captured the energy and enthusiasm of Minnesota’s defensive front as the young players made their presence felt. Rodriguez’s ability to disrupt and Richter’s support highlighted the team’s depth and emerging contributors on defense. Mandatory Credit: Alli Rusco, Vikings.com.
Defensive tackle Rodriguez was selected in the same round as Jurgens, but with pick 232. After a quiet rookie season, Rodriguez played in 16 games in 2025, making a couple of sacks and 43 tackles. He was an important piece in the defensive line rotation and another jump is possible.
6. Jay Ward
Safety Ward was picked 134th in 2023. The 4th-rounder has played in 50 games through his first three campaigns and he’s been excellent on special teams. Towards the end of the 2025 season, Brian Flores deployed Ward more and more. He’s another sneak breakout option.
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5. Donovan Jackson
Offensive guard Jackson arrived with the 24th overall pick in last year’s Draft. In his rookie year, Jackson appeared in 14 games. He displayed toughness when he played through a wrist injury that required surgery and he quickly returned after the procedure. The national champion had the kind of rookie season a longtime starter has.
4. Dallas Turner
The other 1st-rounder from the 2024 Draft, Turner has emerged as a true difference-maker in the second half of his sophomore year. Actually, it’s not that hard to make the case that he’s the best player on the list except for the man at the top spot, but he did cost the 17th overall pick, even if we’re ignoring the expensive trades that led to the pick landing in Minnesota. The eight sacks in 2025 are a reason for hope that he can turn into a longterm star for the Vikings.
3. Jordan Addison
Wideout Addison, the 23rd pick in 2023, has been a real weapon for the Vikings in his first three seasons. Of course, the off-field headlines are annoying, but there’s no denying that he can play the game. In 41 games, Addison has generated 2,499 yards from scrimmage and 24 touchdowns.
2. Jalen Nailor
After three straight first-rounders, here’s a 6th-rounder who has quietly put together a decent rookie contract stint. After early career injury problems, Nailor has been a reliable WR3 for two consecutive seasons. He logged 1,066 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in four seasons.
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1. Will Reichard
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings place kicker Will Reichard (16) celebrates after making a field goal against the Detroit Lions in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Of course, the best pick is Mr. Reichard, the kicker selected at pick 203 in 2024. The Alabama alumnus is coming off a flawless season, hitting all 31 extra points and going 33 of 35 from field goal range. Reichard is an All-Pro and deserves the top spot.
Tonight in London, Tyson Fury marks his return with a fight against Russian powerhouse Arslanbek Makhmudov. Heavyweight great Lennox Lewis, who is working on the broadcast, has weighed in on the match-up.
How the Brit performs will shape the remainder of his career – an impressive win making the long-awaited Anthony Joshua showdown much more likely.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, former undisputed champion said that the danger presented by the Russian is exactly what Fury needs to perform well.
“Every time you come back, it’s always risky. I think this opponent for him is a risky opponent but I think it’s a great opponent for him because he’ll realise this guy’s got two dangerous shots to worry about. Other fighters that he’s been up against had a lot more than Makhmudov. So this is a good fight for him.
We’re in the backend [of Fury’s career]. Muhammad Ali retired at 38. That’s the same time I retired, at 38. So he’s still got a couple of years left.”
In a further prediction given to the BBC, Lewis backed Fury by stoppage.
“He’s elusive, moves well, he can throw great combinations plus he’s quick. I think he does it in round seven or eight.”
Makhmudov presents a threat with his size and power, but has fallen short at the top level in the past. For that reason he is a sizeable underdog, however, Fury has admitted even he does not know how the year out of the ring will affect him.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy is making history at Augusta National Golf Club, pulling away from the rest of the field after 36 holes at the 2026 Masters. Still, he will begin Moving Day paired with the same man with whom he was tied after 18 holes, Sam Burns.
The duo will conclude Saturday’s third-round tee times at 2:50 p.m. ET as McIlroy aims to become the fourth man to win the Masters in consecutive years, joining Tiger Woods (2001-02), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Jack Nicklaus (1965-66). To do so, he will need to hold on to a six-shot lead, the largest ever at Augusta National entering the weekend.
The chase pack is highlighted by some of McIlroy’s contemporaries, including friends and foes. Justin Rose, a three-time runner-up with whom Rory battled in a one-hole playoff to win his green jacket in 2025, will play alongside 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed in the penultimate tee time at 2:39 p.m. Best friend Shane Lowry, plus Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton, are in the next two pairings with Wyndham Clark, who had one of the best rounds of Friday’s morning wave.
Though some significant names like Bryson DeChambeau have missed the cut, the Masters leaderboard is nevertheless phenomenal entering the weekend. Check out the full list of third-round tee times and pairings for the 90th Masters below, and don’t forget to dive into the 2026 Masters TV schedule and coverage guide so you know exactly when and how to watch throughout the week.
Apr 8, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks left wing Kiefer Sherwood (44) checks Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) into the boards in the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
The clock is ticking for the San Jose Sharks to get into a playoff position, and they will try to make up ground when they host the Vancouver Canucks in Saturday night’s home finale.
Saturday’s game marks the fourth and final meeting of the season between these Pacific Division rivals. San Jose has won all three meetings this season, outscoring Vancouver 14-7 in the process.
It’s crunch time for the Sharks (37-34-7, 81 points), who sit just four points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference standings. Unfortunately, they are coming off two straight losses after dropping both ends of a back-to-back, falling to division foes who are trying to lock up top playoff positions.
On Wednesday, Connor McDavid had a five-point night, including a hat trick, and the visiting Edmonton Oilers defense held the Sharks to just 14 shots on the evening. The following night, defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin scored the lone goal for San Jose in a 6-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Defenseman John Carlson got his first career hat trick on Thursday night for the Ducks, who rallied for three third-period goals against the visiting Sharks. San Jose didn’t get its first shot on goal until 13:12 and was outshot 10-5 in the first period. Anaheim outshot San Jose 30-19 on the night.
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“It’s not good enough this time of the year,” Sharks forward Kiefer Sherwood said. “We can’t be outwilled or outworked. It’s unacceptable. It doesn’t matter if it’s a back-to-back.”
He continued: “The other team wanted it more, and same thing tonight. We have to learn from it, and we’ve got to look inwards here a little bit. We’re changing the standard. It’s not OK to lose, it’s not OK to lose battles.”
Meanwhile, the Canucks (22-48-8, 52 points) were one of the first teams eliminated from playoff contention. They could be spoilers for their Western Conference opponents, but have lost four straight games and 10 of their last 11. Vancouver has been outscored 18-8 over its current skid, which includes a 4-1 loss to the Kings on Thursday.
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Defenseman Marcus Pettersson scored the lone goal for Vancouver to tie Thursday’s game 1-1 at 14:17 of the first period. Joel Armia put the Kings back in front at 15:48.
“I think (netminder Nikita Tolopilo) would have wanted that one back, I think,” Canucks head coach Adam Foote said. “It was 1-1, and they get the next one and we got frustrated.”
Tolopilo, who hasn’t won a game since March 12, made 22 saves in the loss.
“At 3-1 going into the second (period), it felt like we deserved more,” Foote said. “We were forechecking hard. We weren’t spending as much time in our end.”
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“They capitalized on our mistakes,” Pettersson added. “We had good jump throughout the game. Played some good hockey. But they were lethal, capitalizing on when we gave up looks and easy goals against. (We’ve got to) keep building. We played some good hockey, but we’ve got to clean up the mistakes.”
Nigerian goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has revealed that former Manchester United star Edwin van der Sar is his greatest goalkeeper of all time.
Okonkwo made this known during a recent interview, where he reflected on his journey and the players who inspired him while growing up. The 24-year-old said he closely followed Van der Sar and admired his style between the posts.
The young goalkeeper has been on a steady rise in recent years. Since joining Wrexham AFC from Arsenal FC in 2024, he has become a key figure for the team.
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He played an important role in Wrexham’s promotion to the Championship and has continued to impress with his performances. This season, Okonkwo has kept ten clean sheets in 38 matches, showing consistency and confidence.
Known for his calmness, quick reactions, and strong presence in the air, Okonkwo is also comfortable with the ball at his feet. His style of play has drawn comparisons with Van der Sar, who was widely respected for his composure and leadership.
Van der Sar enjoyed great success during his time at Manchester United, winning several major trophies, including the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
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Meanwhile, Okonkwo is focused on helping Wrexham finish the season strongly. The club currently sit seventh in the Championship table and remain in the race for a playoff place.
With a few matches left to play, Okonkwo and his teammates will be hoping to secure a top-six finish and keep their dream of promotion alive.
There is also growing expectation that Okonkwo could earn a call-up to the Super Eagles, which would mark another big step in his promising career.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is well underway after a gripping second-week, which included a lot more closely contested matches with teams settling into the campaign. After the end of the first phase of the campaign, the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) have made a massive early statement by remaining unbeaten.
However, for decorated teams like the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the second week ended up being an extension of the opening set of fixtures as they failed to get off the mark.
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Much like the first week, the second week of IPL 2026 also boasted predominantly high-scoring games, with the 200-run mark being casually breached on multiple occasions. Naturally, the matches ended up being a platform for players to step up, and step up they did.
On that note, let us take a look at the Team of the Week 2 of IPL 2026 (Matches from April 4 until the PBKS vs SRH match are being considered).
#1 Top Order: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel
Teenag sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi carried the early burst of momentum from the first week to end all claims of second season blues creeping in. The RR opener struck an impactful cameo against the Mumbai Indians (MI), and scored a match-winning 78 against the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He has arguably played the biggest role in the team’s unbeaten run so far, and had yet another stellar week.
KL Rahul had begun the IPL 2026 in shaky fashion, with two low scores resulting from rather unlucky dismissals. However, the opening batter showcased what he can do when he is at his best by setting up the run chase for DC against GT at home. Attempting to chase down a 211-run target, he scored 92 runs off 52 balls. Although his sublime knock ended in vain, it remains one of best batting performances of the week.
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Dhruv Jurel seamlessly settled into the No.3 role, scoring two fifties in the space of three matches. The wicket-keeper scored a 45-ball 72 and a 43-ball 81 against GT and RCB, respectively to be in the Orange Cap race in the early stages of the campaign.
#2 Middle Order: Rajat Patdiar, Heinrich Klaasen, Tim David, Mukul Choudhary
Rajat Patidar showed his range, adaptability, and versatility through his two knocks in Week 2 of IPL 2026. Against CSK, he was at his destructive best, scoring an unbeaten 19-ball 48. In RCB’s very next match, he was stranded on the non-striker’s end, witnessing a batting collapse and as a result, played through various gears to end with a captain’s knock of 63 runs off 40 deliveries.
The overseas pair of Tim David and Heinrich Klaasen starred for their respective sides with the bat in the middle-order in Week 2. The Australian showed brute force to score a stunning 25-ball 70 that completely rattled CSK. The wicket-keeper batter, on the other hand, resuced SRH from 26-4 with a sublime half-century and forging a crucial partnership with Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Possibly one of the stars of Week 2, Mukul Choudhary announced himself into the IPL in the most flashy way possible. The youngster single-handedly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against KKR at the Eden Gardens with his six-hitting exhibition. Stranded in the death overs with no recognised batter at the other end, he took it upon himself to defy odds and complete the run chase with his unbeaten 27-ball 54, which included seven stunning sixes.
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#3 Lower Order: Jofra Archer, Mohammad Shami, Rashid Khan, Ravi Bishnoi
Jofra Archer’s bowling figures in Week 2 might not be extraordinary by any means, but they do not reflect how he has delivered, especially with the new ball for RR. The Englishman has been a nightmare for the new-ball batters as he dismissed the likes of Ryan Rickelton and Phil Salt early to give RR the much needed burst at the start. Clocking regularly around the 145 kmph, batters have found it hard to negotiate the sheer pace and movement, and have found themselves lucky courtesy of misfields and streaky boundaries.
Mohammad Shami was the standout pacer in Week 2 in the IPL 2026. His slower ball masterclass against his former team SRH, left the explosive top order reeling. He registered astonishing figures of 2-9 off four overs to earn the player of the match award. The veteran seamer followed it up with a tight spell in his home ground, the Eden Gardens, against KKR.
The wrist spin duo Ravi Bishnoi and Rashid Khan, who had forgettable 2025 campaigns, have made a resounding start to the 2026 season, including a memorable Week 2. The Indian spinner holds the Purple Cap with nine wickets already, while his Afghanistan counterpart is third on the list currently.
Ravi Bishnoi picked up four wickets in the clash against GT, and even castled Virat Kohli in his most recent outing. Rashid Khan, on the other hand, earned the player of the match award for his spell of 3-17 in the high-scoring contest against DC.
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Impact Sub: Tushar Deshpande
With only two frontline pacers in the playing XI, and no genuine all-rounders in the side, RR’s Tushar Deshpande comes across as a solid impact player option, especially after his recent heroics. The right-arm pacer produced a death overs masterclass by conceding only four runs in the final over to give RR a six-run win over GT away from home.
The Champions League has been running since 1955, and in that time, only 24 clubs have ever won it.
If you follow the sports betting odds each season, you will notice the same handful of names appearing at the top of the market year after year, and history explains exactly why. Here is a look at the clubs who have collected the most titles since the competition began.
Real Madrid – 15 titles
Nobody else comes close. Real Madrid won the first five editions of the European Cup back–to–back between 1956 and 1960, and they have never really stopped. Their most recent triumph came in 2024 when they beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley, with goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr sealing yet another European crown in front of a global audience.
The most iconic moment in their modern run was arguably the 2022 final against Liverpool, where Vinicius Jr scored the only goal at the Stade de France in Paris, but it was the manner in which they eliminated Manchester City, Chelsea, and Paris Saint Germain in the knockouts that truly captured the imagination that year, a run that had sports predictions pointing toward them as favourites long before the final was even in sight. They remain the benchmark every other club is measured against, and no club in world sport has dominated a single competition across such a sustained period of time.
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AC Milan – seven titles
Milan’s seven titles span six decades, from their first in 1963 through to their last in 2007, when they beat Liverpool 2-1 in Athens in a final that felt like poetic justice after Liverpool had overturned a three-goal deficit to beat them on penalties in Istanbul two years earlier. They were the dominant force in European football across two separate eras, first in the late 1980s and early 1990s under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello, and then again in the early 2000s under Carlo Ancelotti, who would go on to win three more titles with Real Madrid.
Bayern Munich and Liverpool – six titles each
Bayern and Liverpool sit level on six titles apiece, though they arrived at that number in very different ways. Bayern’s most recent win came in 2020, when they dismantled every opponent they faced during the pandemic-era tournament in Lisbon, finishing the competition with a perfect record and beating PSG 1-0 in the final through a Kingsley Coman header.
Liverpool’s story is a more emotional one, with their sixth title arriving in 2019 with a 2-0 win over Tottenham in Madrid, 30 years after they last won their domestic league, making it one of the most celebrated nights in English football history. The most memorable moment in Liverpool’s European story remains the 2005 final in Istanbul, where they came back from three goals down at half-time to draw level with AC Milan before winning on penalties in what is widely regarded as the greatest Champions League final ever played.
Barcelona – five titles
Barcelona’s five titles are linked to one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. Four of those five came with Lionel Messi in the side, including the famous treble-winning side of 2015 under Luis Enrique, who beat Juventus 3-1 in Berlin with a performance that showcased Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez at the absolute peak of their powers. Their 2009 final against Manchester United at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, which they won 2-0, is widely considered the greatest club side of the modern era at its very best.
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Ajax – four titles
Ajax remain one of the most remarkable stories in the competition’s history. A club from the Netherlands winning four European Cups, three of them consecutively between 1971 and 1973, speaks to just how extraordinary that generation of players was under Rinus Michels and later Stefan Kovacs. That squad produced some of the most influential footballers Europe has ever seen, including Johan Cruyff, Johan Neeskens, and Ruud Krol, and their style of play, known as Total Football, changed the way the game was coached and understood for generations to come.
PSG became the 24th club to win the trophy when they lifted it for the first time in 2025, beating Inter Milan 5-0 in one of the most one-sided finals in the competition’s history, and with the Budapest final approaching in May 2026, the next name on that list is being decided right now.
Apr 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Fire FC forward Jonathan Bamba (19) and Nashville SC defender Andy Najar (31) battle for control of the ball during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images
The Chicago Fire don’t appear to have lost confidence despite an injury to their star striker.
The Fire (3-2-1, 10 points), winners of their last two matches and currently tied for fifth place in the Eastern Conference, host struggling Atlanta United (1-4-1, 4 points) on Saturday night.
Chicago was without leading scorer Hugo Cuypers (head injury) for its home match against East-leading Nashville SC on April 4. But Philip Zinckernagel’s goal just 16 seconds in — the fastest in Fire history — and four saves by Chris Brady helped the Fire squeeze out a 1-0 victory.
While the Fire have conceded just five goals through six matches this season, they look keen to change up their approach a bit against Atlanta.
“I think one thing going into this week is we’ve had a main focus on possessing and valuing the ball a little more, because I think there are some areas we feel like we can hurt Atlanta,” Brady said. “We continue to set a higher standard for ourselves, and we know that with the ball we can do a lot more.”
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Cuypers, who has been unavailable to train with the team, is in a “wait-and-see” scenario regarding his availability for Saturday, per head coach Gregg Berhalter.
“He hasn’t progressed so far to that stage (of being fully available in training). But there’s still a little bit of time, and we’ll see what happens,” Berhalter said.
Atlanta, which was dealt a 3-1 home loss to the Columbus Crew in its last outing, will be desperate for a rare road win. The squad is 0-2-0 away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium this season and has won just once in its previous 20 regular-season road games (1-13-6) since the beginning of 2025.
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“Time is scarce. We all know that. But I think it’s clear that we need to continue evolving and continue progressing, and we haven’t been able to do it as quickly,” Atlanta head coach Tata Martino said through an interpreter.
Alexey Miranchuk, Atlanta’s leading scorer (four goals), hinted at his team potentially playing more freely against the Fire as they look to pick up just their second victory of the season.
“When you’re in a winning position, you’re trying to play one-two, just to play safe, let’s say,” Miranchuk said. “But maybe we should try just to free our minds and risk it sometimes.”
The teams met twice last season, with the Fire earning a 2-2 draw on the road and a 2-1 triumph at home.
Javokhir Sindarov at Candidates (Photo by Niki Riga)
NEW DELHI: If this piece were written a few days later, the word “likely” in the headline might no longer be necessary. It feels more like a matter of time than anything that Javokhir Sindarov from Uzbekistan will be announced the winner of the ongoing FIDE Candidates 2026 tournament. As per tradition, he will be the one challenging the reigning World Champion D Gukesh for the title later this year.Qualifying for the Candidates after winning the 2025 FIDE World Cup in Goa, India, Sindarov, 20, has played exceptional chess. Unlike many of his peers who use deep thinking, Sindarov has been making moves in the blink of an eye, subsequently creating a substantial time advantage and rolling eyeballs across the chess world.His unbeaten run, headlined by 6 wins in 10 games, is the best in the current format of the Candidates, landing him some deserved limelight in the market.
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There is a massive contrast to the player who had no sponsors to support him even one and a half years ago.“There has been a problem with chess because people do not have money, although it’s a very expensive sport. You have to travel a lot. You have lots of expenses,” Tom Guilbaud, Sindarov’s 20-year-old manager, told TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive interaction.Sponsors bring relief in these circumstances. However, it is difficult to draw their attention, as Guilbaud explained, “The main thing is to understand what sponsors are looking for. We cannot really have sponsors and not offer them anything. We need to be able to have something to offer them.
Javokhir Sindarov at Candidates tournament (Photo by Michal Walusza)
That is when Guilbaud chose to create a YouTube channel for Sindarov. Launched in October 2024, the channel now has five videos and over 300 subscribers. It’s part of a well-oiled digital strategy.“That’s why I created his social media. It’s 99.9% handled by me. He (Sindarov) barely tweets. He barely opens anything. It’s pretty much me who created the account and does every tweet, every reply, and every like,” Guilbaud added.The effort has paid dividends. Sindarov has now landed two new sponsors in the National Bank of Uzbekistan (NBU) and an internet provider company.“Now we’re using social media as a notion to be able to promote sponsors and be able to be more interesting for sponsors,” he remarked.From ‘no one’ to world contenderWhen Guilbaud took up the case a year and eight months back, Sindarov had zero sponsors. Funding came primarily from his grandfather, Dr Komil Sindarov, who was Javokhir’s first coach and is now the vice-president of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation.
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From left to right Grandfather Dr. Komil Sindarov, FM Manush Shah, IM Javokhir Sindarov, IO Laszlo Nagy (Photo by Laszlo Nagy)
The other way was reinvesting his own tournament prize money, whereas being part of the Esports ecosystem has also helped him financially from time to time.“In my eyes, that’s very hard to understand that today Javokhir is a top world player,” Guilbaud admitted with a smile. “I’ve known him when he was basically top 60-70 in the world. He was 2630. He grew very fast. I’ve known this guy when he was pretty much no one.”The gamer who has no timeWhen he isn’t dominating the board, Sindarov is a dedicated gamer. He is particularly fond of Counter-Strike, but the professional grind of a world-class Grandmaster leaves little room for hobbies.“He doesn’t really have that much time. He says he’s a good gamer, but he considers himself a gamer because all his free time he plays,” Guilbaud said.However, the actual time spent gaming is minimal. “When you’re looking weekly, he plays maybe like three hours of video games a week. It’s very little space. He does that because all of his free time he’s gaming, but he doesn’t have a lot of free time.”The ‘dirty work’ on the boardInterestingly, Guilbaud, a chess coach himself for an Esports team, has occasionally helped Sindarov with chess-related preparation, though he avoids calling them “tips”.“My goal is not to give him tips cause he plays better chess than me. The goal is just to do the dirty work,” Guilbaud shared.
Javokhir Sindarov giving autograph (Photo by Michal Walusza)
During tournaments like the FIDE World Cup or the World Cup in Goa, when Sindarov’s team was smaller, Guilbaud would scout opponents.“I see that he’s facing Sarana, then I’m going to look over Sarana’s games and tell Javokhir, ‘Oh, he has a very bad win rate on the English opening,’” he revealed.Psychology of the clockAs for the blistering pace Sindarov has set in the Candidates, Guilbaud believes it is a calculated psychological move. While he doesn’t discuss specific preparation with Sindarov to respect his focus, he understands the message it sends.“Chess at this level is a very mental and psychological game,” Guilbaud said. “Playing fast is also a way of saying, ‘I know what I’m doing. I’m confident in what I’m doing. And you’re not.’ It’s sending a very strong message to the opponent in front.”As Sindarov nears the finish line in the Candidates, that confidence and the professional structure built around him appear to be the perfect combination for a potential World Champion.
Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has come out in support of Daryl Mitchell after the New Zealand batter raised concerns over Usman Tariq’s unusual delivery pause during a Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 clash in Karachi.The incident occurred during the match between Quetta Gladiators and Rawalpindi, where Mitchell pulled away twice while facing Tariq, clearly uncomfortable with the bowler’s stop-start action. During the ninth over at the National Stadium, Mitchell initially played a paddle sweep but soon appeared unsettled by Tariq’s delayed release. As the over progressed, he stepped away twice mid-delivery, pointing out the pause in the bowler’s action.The repeated interruptions prompted the on-field umpires to intervene and have a brief discussion with the batter before allowing play to continue. Mitchell was later dismissed, caught and bowled by Saud Shakeel, as Rawalpindi suffered a heavy 61-run defeat.Ashwin’s Take: “Batters Have Every Right”Ashwin, who had earlier spoken about such tactics on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, reiterated that batters are well within their rights to pull away if they feel the bowler’s action disrupts timing.”Now it’s up to the umpires and match referees to time the pause for his delivery. If the pause isn’t consistent, then the batter has every right to move away. The captains and opposition batters should raise this issue with the umpires and match referees before the game begins. Well done, Mitchell.” Ashwin wrote.Interestingly, Ashwin had earlier suggested this exact approach, encouraging batters to step away, forcing umpires to call a dead ball and thereby neutralising any advantage gained from irregular bowling rhythms. Tariq’s action has been under scrutiny for some time due to its distinctive pause before release, followed by a low follow-through. While he has been reported twice for a suspect action in the past, he has been cleared on both occasions.
England enter the 2026 Women’s Six Nations hoping to win the trophy for an eighth successive year.
The Red Roses, who also won last year’s Rugby World Cup on home soil, are the Six Nations’ most successful team – with 16 titles since it began in 2002.
France are next with six titles, while Ireland are the only other nation to have won it, in 2013 and 2015.
The competition started as the Home Nations in 1996, becoming the Five Nations in 1999 and the Six Nations in 2002.
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Spain featured in the first five years of the Six Nations, as well as the final two Five Nations tournaments, before being replaced in 2007 by Italy.
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