We live in a college football world of lists, rankings, and countdowns. Many players on Notre Dame’s roster have been talked about and written about over the last few months — so let’s fall in line.

This will be my official Top 20 Notre Dame Football Players ranking. I will unveil each player, and list the three things I like about them. It seems simple enough, but I have no doubt that some of these ratings will be highly criticized, but you can always share your thoughts in the comments below.

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#54 ANTHONIE KNAPP OL

Veteran by fire

With all due respect to the other Notre Dame offensive linemen, there really isn’t one that I trust more than Knapp. Without expectation, Knapp was forced into action at a position he wasn’t recruited for, and helped get the Fighting Irish to the National Championship game. He put in the work — as arduous as it was.

Unselfish at an unselfish position

Knapp is moving inside in 2026. Left tackle is a glory position in football, and Knapp has played it well for the past two seasons, but there are better fits at left tackle than him — and that’s fine (and he knows it’s fine).

Iran began their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a spirited 2-2 draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning, but football was only part of the story as political tensions, protests and a dispute over pre-revolutionary Iranian flags formed the backdrop to the Group G encounter.

Twice New Zealand took the lead through Eli Just and twice Iran responded, first via veteran defender Ramin Rezaeian and later through Mohamed Mohebi’s superb second-half header.

The result leaves all four teams in Group G level on one point after Belgium and Egypt also played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the day.

New Zealand strike first as Just shines

New Zealand made the brighter start and were rewarded when Elijah Just volleyed home from close range after being picked out by captain Chris Wood.

The goal gave the All Whites an early advantage and briefly silenced large sections of a crowd that appeared overwhelmingly supportive of Iran.

Team Melli gradually settled into the contest and found a route back into the match shortly after the half-hour mark.

Following a blocked effort inside the penalty area, Rezaeian reacted quickest to poke the loose ball beyond the advancing goalkeeper and restore parity.

The equaliser sparked loud celebrations among Iranian supporters, many of whom had spent the build-up to the game navigating the emotional intersection of football and politics.

Just and Wood combine again

New Zealand regained control early in the second half through another piece of quality involving their two standout performers.

The move began on the left flank through Liberato Cacace before Just drove forward and exchanged passes with Wood. The veteran striker returned the ball with a clever lay-off, allowing Just to race through and finish emphatically past Alireza Beiranvand.

The strike restored New Zealand’s lead and threatened to derail Iran’s comeback hopes.

Mohebi’s moment of magic

Iran’s response arrived 10 minutes later and featured one of the finest goals of the tournament so far.

A magnificent diagonal pass switched play from the left side of the pitch to the advancing Ramin Rezaeian on the right flank. The experienced defender controlled the ball, steadied himself and delivered a precise cross into the area.

Mohebi escaped the attention of defender Michael Boxall and met the delivery with a glancing header that flew in off the far post.

The finish gave the goalkeeper no chance and ensured Iran secured a share of the points.

For Iran, the goal was reward for their persistence. For New Zealand, it extended an unwanted statistic as the All Whites remain without a victory in seven World Cup matches.

Anthem boos and divided loyalties

The football unfolded against a politically charged backdrop.

Before kick-off, some supporters booed Iran’s national anthem while others responded by loudly chanting “Iran, Iran” throughout the match.

The atmosphere reflected divisions within sections of the Iranian-American community, many of whom remain deeply split over how to support the national team while also expressing opposition to the government in Tehran.

Outside SoFi Stadium, several hundred protesters gathered carrying anti-government placards and banners.

Some Iranian supporters said attending the match would amount to endorsing the current regime, while others argued that the players should be supported regardless of political developments.

The tensions were heightened by the broader geopolitical situation involving Iran and the United States, adding another layer of significance to the fixture.

Pre-revolutionary flags return despite FIFA ban

One of the biggest talking points came from the stands, where dozens of supporters displayed Iran’s pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flag despite FIFA’s efforts to prohibit it.

The flag, associated with Iran’s Shah-led monarchy before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has become a symbol used by sections of the Iranian diaspora and opponents of the current government.

In one particularly symbolic moment, a group of supporters unfurled the flags in response to the display of the official Iranian state flag during pre-match ceremonies.

Court upholds FIFA’s decision

The controversy had reached the courts on the eve of the match.

An Iranian supporter, backed by the Institute for Voice of Liberty, challenged FIFA’s decision to prohibit the Lion and Sun flag from World Cup venues, arguing that the restriction infringed freedom of speech.

The case was heard at an emergency hearing in Los Angeles just hours before kick-off.

Judge Curtis A. Kin rejected the challenge and ruled that FIFA’s ban could remain in force.

“Free speech is incredibly important, it is sacred, a bedrock of our society, but it is not without limitation, such as private actor, on private property, and as shown by previous cases, regulating in reasonable way. I deny the application.”

The judge also cited practical concerns around security and event management.

“There may be harm to some 2,500 staff members who have to deal with safety protocols,” he said.

“It is a tremendous burden to change a long-standing stadium protocol for a massive event in a period of hours.”

FIFA’s political balancing act

FIFA has consistently argued that political symbols should not be displayed inside World Cup venues.

Its tournament regulations prohibit banners, flags and other materials deemed political, offensive or discriminatory.

The governing body has maintained that the restrictions are intended to preserve security and ensure football remains free from political messaging.

Yet the scenes in Los Angeles illustrated how difficult that task can be when national identity, political opposition and global sporting events collide.

Jesse Rodriguez became a three-division world champion on Saturday when he halted Antonio Vargas inside six rounds, but a further move up to face pound-for-pound rival Naoya Inoue may be stalled.

Following Inoue’s latest defence of the undisputed super-bantamweight world titles against Junto Nakatani last month, Rodriguez has been the name that he has been linked to with many reports suggesting it is in the works to take place next.

‘Bam’ vacated his unified super-flyweight world titles and, at the weekend, made his bantamweight debut, claiming Vargas’ WBA title via sixth-round knockout. Despite the statement win, many feel that the move up in size was noticeable and took its toll.

Speaking on the DAZN broadcast, his trainer Robert Garcia confirmed that he wants Rodriguez to ‘pace himself’ and have one more fight at bantamweight before moving up to 122lbs and challenging for Inoue’s throne.

“After the fight, he did tell me, ‘Listen, I did feel the strength’, he is a bigger guy so why would we go straight into another division which is going to make a big difference. We have got to pace ourselves.”

“I have no doubt that he is going to go out there and perform against Inoue and that he is going to beat Inoue. But, I need that one more fight before that.”

When discussing possible bantamweight opponents, Garcia then picked WBO champion Christian Medina over WBC ruler and brother of ‘The Monster’, Takuma Inoue.

“Me personally, I would prefer Medina because he is a very strong fighter and he is going to give us a test.”

Whilst Rodriguez is eyeing up unifications, he has also been ordered to take on WBA ‘champion-in-recess’, Seiya Tsutsumi, and will be stripped of the WBA title if he fails to face him within six months of Saturday’s win.

A huge return of a former United States Champion happened much earlier than expected, and the star made a career-changing offer to Je’Von Evans. This, however, was rejected.

This week on RAW, Je’Von Evans was out and wanted to make his next moves. He was immediately cut off by Logan Paul, who recently underwent surgery to fix an issue with his triceps. However, he shockingly returned on the June 15 episode of RAW, wearing a brace, of course. His arm was completely covered, and he asked fans and Je’Von if they were surprised at his return. Nobody seemed particularly happy about it, although it was quite surprising because nobody expected to see him until the latter part of this year. But that doesn’t mean that he can’t appear anyway – it simply means he can’t compete.

Logan Paul and Austin Theory entered the ring and offered Je’Von Evans a spot in The Vision. When Evans thoroughly rejected them, they both told him that it wasn’t a request, it was a mandate. Evans still rejected this, leading to a match against Austin Theory.

There was no doubt that joining The Vision would have been a career-changing move for the young OG. However, he could also argue that he doesn’t need The Vision to alter the course of his career. Evans is one of WWE‘s hottest young prospects and is still in his early 20s. It’s not often you see superstars this young getting a shot on the main roster.

The Vision might end up having more success with female superstar Maxxine Dupri. For a few weeks now, Dupri has been engaged in and invested in conversations with Austin Theory backstage, and all signs point to her potentially leaving The Alpha Academy to join The Vision. Evans paid the price during his match against Theory.