Robin van Persie has been given hid marching orders as the boss of Feyenoord after being outgunned in the Eredivisie title race

Robin van Persie has been sacked as the boss of Feyenoord despite guiding his former side to second place last season.

The ex-Manchester United striker was handed his second major role in management by the Rotterdam outfit in February of last year, but has already received his marching orders.

Van Persie did have a contract until 2027 but Feyenoord have opted for a change after coming nowhere near the Eredivisie title. They finished a mammoth 19 points behind runaway winners PSV Eindhoven and were inconsistent throughout ⁠the season, enduring a damaging dip in form around November and December. Van Persie was also criticised for run-ins with players and constant tinkering ⁠with the team.

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They finished the season with just four wins in ten games, which will have ramped up the pressure on Van Persie.

“Robin van Persie has given everything for the club over the past 18 months,” the club’s technical director Devy Rigaux said. “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.”

“We conducted a thorough internal evaluation in which we looked at several factors, including the development of the team’s performances and the downward trend in points collected, both in Europe and in the Eredivisie. The conclusion was that it would be better to start the new season with a new head coach.”

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Van Persie saw Feyenoord get dumped out of the Dutch Cup in the second round while they won just two of the eight games in the Europa League. They only found themselves in that tournament after getting hammered by Fenerbahce in Champions League qualifying.

Raheem Sterling moved to Feyenoord in January after being allowed to end his Chelsea exile, but Van Persie could inspire a return to form for the Englishman. The former boss was forced to defend some of Sterling’s performances.

Van Persie leaves Feyenoord with a 51 percent win record from his 58 games. Prior to taking charge in Rotterdam the ex-United attacker had been given the chance to begin his managerial career with Heerenveen, but failed to last the season.

During his time at Old Trafford, Van Persie inspired United to the Premier League title in 2012/13 – their most recent success in the top flight – and scored 58 times in 105 appearances for the club.

Only a fifth of England fans are backing the Three Lions to win the Fifa World Cup, despite Thomas Tuchel’s squad being among the favourites to lift the trophy.

This figure places England significantly behind several European rivals when it comes to domestic support for their national team, according to new data from leading bookmakers.

Betting analysis from Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, sheds light on the extent of “patriotic punting” ahead of the men’s football tournament, which kicks off on Wednesday.

Portugal leads the pack with a remarkable 57 per cent of all domestic bets placed on their national side.

France emerges as the second most patriotic nation in terms of betting, with 29 per cent of home market wagers backing their team.

They are followed by Austria at 25 per cent and Germany at 24 per cent. In contrast, England’s 20 per cent home backing highlights a notable lack of confidence among its own supporters.

The sentiment is even lower north of the border, with just nine per cent of all bets placed in Scotland backing their team, who are currently priced at 300/1 to win.

The data from Entain covers bets placed up to and including 3 June, with figures relating to the percentage of slips and stakes placed by betters in each market on their respective home nation.

The betting stakes from Entain’s global markets shows Spain in the lead as the most-backed team overall, followed by France, while England and Portugal are level at third.

Despite confidence among rival countries, Spanish punters are less patriotic with 16 per cent of bets placed backing the home nation.

The data also revealed that there is limited cross-border support with 8 per cent of Scots putting money on England to win, and just 1 per cent of English betters backing Scotland to lift the trophy.

Tom Ritzema, group trading director at Entain, said the stakes show that “football loyalty and betting logic don’t always go hand in hand”.

“England fans are passionate, but years of near misses have made them think beyond their own country,” he said.

“Portugal clearly stands out as the most patriotic market, with fans firmly backing their team, while countries like France and Germany also show strong belief.

“What’s striking, though, is in the global picture Spain remains the most popular choice across our markets, showing that when it comes to this World Cup, neutrals and patriots alike are looking beyond national borders for their winner.”

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice will be England’s vice-captain for the World Cup.

Rice has earned 72 caps for the Three Lions and will be one of the most experienced players in Thomas Tuchel’s starting line-up.

The 27-year-old has just helped Arsenal win the Premier League for the first time since 2003-04 and reach the Champions League final, which they lost on penalties to Paris St-Germain last weekend.

Rice filled in as captain during Harry Kane’s absence for the October friendly against Wales, when Ollie Watkins replaced Kane in the England attack.

“I think I would say Declan is my vice-captain,” Tuchel said after Saturday’s friendly win over New Zealand.

Asked whether Rice knows he has that role, the England manager added: “That is a good question. I was just thinking about it. Whether it is an official thing or not.

“But I think we had this talk when Harry was not in camp with us. We started with Ollie and I think Declan was captain. That was where I told him.”

Rice and his Arsenal team-mates Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze have now joined England’s training camp in the United States and began work with the group in Florida on Sunday.

Tuchel’s side have one more friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday and will play a behind-closed-doors game with Miami FC before travelling to their Kansas City base on Saturday.

The Three Lions begin their World Cup campaign on 17 June against Croatia and also face Ghana and Panama in Group L.

On December 12, 2024, India’s chess grandmaster D Gukesh achieved what every chess player dreams of. At just 18 years old, he defeated Ding Liren to become the youngest undisputed World Chess Champion in history.

The victory appeared to mark the beginning of a new era. India had its first world champion since Viswanathan Anand, and Gukesh seemed destined to become the unquestioned face of Indian chess for years to come.

Yet less than 18 months later, the spotlight has gradually shifted.

Praggnanandhaa in spotlight

As the ongoing Norway Chess 2026 reaches its final round, it is R Praggnanandhaa and not the reigning world champion who stands on the verge of history. A victory would make him the first Indian ever to win Norway Chess, one of the strongest and most prestigious tournaments in the world.

The change did not happen overnight. It was the result of a steady sequence of performances, tournament victories, and high-profile wins that gradually transformed Praggnanandhaa from one of India’s brightest talents into arguably the most talked-about player in world chess.

But how exactly did Praggnanandhaa manage to overshadow the bright light of Gukesh’s world championship win? Let’s take a look.

Praggnanandhaa starts building momentum after Gukesh’s title win

Gukesh entered 2025 carrying the aura of a world champion. Expectations were enormous, and every tournament became a test of whether he could establish a period of dominance similar to that enjoyed by Magnus Carlsen.

Praggnanandhaa, meanwhile, began the year by making a statement of his own.

At Tata Steel Masters 2025, one of the strongest classical tournaments on the calendar, both Indians finished level at the top. However, when the title was decided in the playoff, Praggnanandhaa defeated Gukesh and lifted the trophy.

Praggnanandhaa bank on consistenty

While Gukesh struggled to convert his world title into sustained tournament success, Praggnanandhaa continued collecting elite results.

Over the course of 2025, Praggnanandhaa won the Tata Steel Masters and the Superbet Chess Classic Romania, reached the Grand Chess Tour Finals, and qualified for the Candidates Tournament through the Grand Swiss.

His classical record across 2025 and 2026 stood at:

• 
  139 games
• 
  39 wins
• 
  27 losses
• 
  73 draws
• 
  54.3 per cent score rate

By comparison, Gukesh’s corresponding record stood at:

• 
  96 games
• 
  22 wins
• 
  27 losses
• 
  47 draws
• 
  47.4 per cent score rate

The gap was not enormous, but it was consistent. Praggnanandhaa was winning more often, losing less frequently relative to games played, and repeatedly finding himself in contention for titles.

The world champion begins to struggle

The biggest shift came in 2026. Rather than turning things around after a year-long struggle, Gukesh endured one of the toughest stretches of his elite career.

Across the major classical tournaments listed in 2026, he played 40 games and was only able to win six games. He suffered 15 losses while drawing 19 games. His score percentage fell below 39 per cent.

He finished in the lower half of the standings at Tata Steel Masters 2026 and Prague Masters 2026 and struggled for consistency throughout the season.

Praggnanandhaa was hardly unstoppable himself, but he remained competitive in every major event. Most importantly, he continued producing victories against the strongest players in the world.

Praggnanandhaa starts to dominate

The virtual rivalry between Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa became increasingly important. For years, Indian chess fans had debated which teenager would eventually become the country’s leading player.

The results began to provide an answer. In key moments, Praggnanandhaa repeatedly came out on top. He defeated Gukesh in the Tata Steel Masters playoff in 2025, before securing a big win at Norway Chess 2026 during a crucial stage of the title race.

Across classical games during 2025 and 2026, Praggnanandhaa holds the edge over Gukesh:

Praggnanandhaa vs Gukesh: Head-to-head (since 2025)

• 
  Total matches: 5
• 
  Praggnanandhaa wins: 2
• 
  Gukesh wins: 1
• 
  Draws: 2

Including playoffs and tiebreaks, the advantage became even clearer.

Every time the two Indians met in a high-pressure situation, Praggnanandhaa increasingly looked like the stronger performer.

The Magnus Carlsen effect

The current generation of chess players is ultimately judged by how they perform against Magnus Carlsen. This is where Praggnanandhaa’s rise truly accelerated.

At Norway Chess 2026, he defeated Carlsen twice in classical chess—once with White and once with Black. Very few players in the world can claim such an achievement. Even fewer can do it in the same tournament.

Those victories generated headlines across the chess world and instantly elevated Praggnanandhaa’s status from elite grandmaster to genuine global star.

Praggnanandhaa shines at Norway Chess 2026

Norway Chess has historically been Magnus Carlsen’s domain. No Indian player had ever won the event.

Yet heading into the final round of the 2026 edition, Praggnanandhaa found himself just one victory away from making history.

The route to that position highlighted everything that had changed in Indian chess. He defeated the likes of Magnus Carlsen, D Gukesh, and Alireza Firouzja, all within the same tournament.

Meanwhile, Gukesh finished outside title contention despite arriving as the reigning world champion.

Why Praggnanandhaa can be considered the face of Indian chess

Gukesh still possesses the most important title in chess. No player can take away the fact that he became world champion at 18 years old. However, being the face of a sport is about more than a title.

It is about who is winning the biggest games, collecting the biggest trophies, and creating the biggest moments.

The irony of Indian chess today is striking. The reigning world champion is Gukesh.

But the player carrying the momentum, commanding the headlines, and shaping the sport’s present is Praggnanandhaa.

If he completes the job and wins Norway Chess 2026, it will be difficult to argue otherwise.

R Praggnanandhaa tournament-wise performance (2025-2026)

D Gukesh tournament-wise performance (2025-2026)

PARIS (AP) — It all came rushing back to Alexander Zverev when he was lying on his back on the French Open’s center court, his hands covering his face, and sobbing on Sunday as he realized that he had — finally — become a Grand Slam champion.

It was the same court where he twisted his right ankle and crumpled to the ground, wailing in agony before being pushed off on a wheelchair during a semifinal match against Rafael Nadal in 2022.

The same court where he wasted a lead of two sets to one against Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 championship match.

“All the emotions came out, because this court is very, very special to me. It’s special in a very positive way, but also special on the negative way, because I had some of the toughest moments of my life here,” Zverev said.

READ: French Open: Zverev to face Cobolli in final after beating Mensik

“I was laying on this court with an injury that I didn’t know if I would ever come back from. I lost a Grand Slam final here, so all of those memories for me, they’re not wiped out. They’re still with me, but this one will beat all of them.”

After so many missed opportunities, Zverev is no longer one of the best players never to win a major title.

In his fourth major final, Zverev beat Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 for the French Open title.

It was a unique opportunity for Zverev without Jannik Sinner or Alcaraz across the net and the third-ranked German took full advantage on the red clay of Roland Garros.

When Cobolli missed an overhead on the second championship point after more than four hours of the five-set encounter, Zverev joined an elite group of players that captured their first major in their fourth final: Eight-time major champion Andre Agassi, 2001 Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic and 2020 U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem.

Then when Zverev finally got his hands on the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy, he turned it upside down, held it between his legs and then hoisted it above his head with both arms as he let out a loud roar.

“This trophy for me is very important because if I would have lost this one, this self-belief would have gone down a lot,” Zverev said. “But now that I’ve won it, I feel like I can do it again.”

No Sinner or Alcaraz

Zverev had been an overwhelming favorite for the title ever since the top-ranked Sinner struggled in the first week’s heat wave and wasted a two set and 5-1 lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round. A day later, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was also eliminated.

Alcaraz, the two-time reigning champion, withdrew before the tournament with an injured right wrist.

Zverev also lost a lead of two sets to none in the 2020 U.S. Open final to Thiem and was beaten in straight sets by Sinner in the 2025 Australian Open final.

It was the 25th title of Zverev’s career.

Cobolli’s 1st Slam final

The 14th-ranked Cobolli had never been past a Grand Slam quarterfinal until this week. He was attempting to become the first Italian man to raise the singles trophy at Roland Garros since Adriano Panatta 50 years ago.

Cobolli comes from the same tennis club in Rome as Panatta did and Panatta was asked by tournament organizers to present the trophy to celebrate the anniversary of his 1976 triumph.

The honors, however, went to Zverev.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva won the women’s singles trophy on Saturday.

The match was played in perfect conditions and Zverev’s game was almost flawless at the start as Cobolli appeared nervous.

A group of women in the stands held up letters to form Zverev’s nickname: “Sascha.”

Cobolli likes to stand way over near the corner of the court and hit big kick serves out wide into the ad court. Zverev knew what was coming and returned one such kick serve early in the first set with a backhand that he wrapped around the outside of the net post. Cobolli ended up winning the point, but it was a message from Zverev that he knew how to handle his opponent’s tactics.

The next time Zverev hit a wrap-around-the-net-post return, Cobolli couldn’t handle it and Zverev won the point.

Cobolli’s supporters in his box were all dressed in blue, the color of Italy’s national teams, and as Cobolli worked his way back into the match, there were chants of “Ole, Ole, Ole; Flavio, Flavio.”

Both players were treated by a trainer as the match wore on and Cobolli appeared to run out of energy in the fifth.

“He deserved it more than me at the end of the match,” Cobolli said, adding that he was slowed by cramps.

Zverev said his cramps “were more mental.

“I actually think that the cramp helped me in a way, that I let go, I kind of hit my shots a bit more and just let go,” he added.

Moments after Zverev’s previous Grand Slam final in Australia in 2025, a person in the stadium yelled out the names of two of his ex-girlfriends who accused him of physical abuse.

One case was resolved following an agreement between German prosecutors, lawyers for Zverev and his former partner. The ATP Tour investigated another case and concluded there was insufficient evidence.

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson had a technical foul against him from Game 2 of the NBA Finals rescinded after the league took a look back.

During the Knicks’ 105-104 thrilling win on Friday to push their series lead to 2-0, Robinson and San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama were involved in a shoving match near the paint, which resulted in a whistle.

But despite both players getting physical, it was only Robinson who received a technical foul. Both players were trying to fight for position, but when Wembanyama threw his hands in the air, Robinson was the one getting a foul.

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New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson reacts to a call in the second quarter during game two of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 5, 2026. (Scott Wachter/Imagn Images)

This came with 4:56 left in the first half, and required Karl-Anthony Towns to come back in the game.

A technical foul is free throws and possession of the ball, which could’ve hurt the Knicks in the end. However, they once again stole a game on the road, as they head to Madison Square Garden for its first Finals game since 1999 against these same Spurs.

KNICKS CENTER MITCHELL ROBINSON SEEMS TO BE FIRED UP ABOUT PLAYING GAME 3 IN FRONT OF PRESIDENT TRUMP

The game came down to the final possession, where Wembanyama, who turned the ball over and fouled Jalen Brunson to allow him to hit one of two free throws for the eventual game-winning bucket, missed the final shot to suffer back-to-back losses.

Robinson was defending Wembanyama on the play, but when the 7-foot-4 big man went for the shot, he had a clear look. However, it smacked off the rim and bounced out. Devin Vassell secured the rebound for San Antonio, but there wasn’t enough time left on the clock despite banking in his shot.

Robinson ended up playing 14 minutes for the Knicks, tallying seven points, three rebounds, one block and one steal across that span.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama drives as New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson defends during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio on June 5, 2026. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

He has been playing these Finals games thus far with a surgically repaired pinky finger on his right hand, which reportedly happened at his home just days before tip-off against the Spurs. The Knicks had time to kill after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Robinson plays a key role for head coach Mike Brown’s team, being one of the main bench players who has made an impact this year. He not only spells Towns when he’s tired or gets into foul trouble, but Robinson also does well to protect the paint, grab rebounds and slam home the occasional alley-oop.

The Spurs, though, used the “Hack-A-Mitch” game plan when Towns got into foul trouble and they were trying to make a run in the second quarter of Game 2. Purposefully getting into the team bonus, fouling Robinson awarded him two free throws, but he has struggled at a historic rate. Robinson is shooting just 32% (16-50) from the charity stripe in 15 games.  

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs shoots against Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter of Game Two in the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 5, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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That will likely be used by Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson if the opportunity arises again, but both teams have certainly been physical to begin these Finals. But the NBA decided that a technical on Robinson should not have been the call, and luckily for the Knicks, it didn’t factor into the win at the end of the contest.  

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Artur Beterbiev has not fought since losing his undisputed light-heavyweight world title in a rematch with Dmitry Bivol last February. He has now revealed that he agreed to a fight with David Benavidez until the latter’s team had a change of heart.

Beterbiev became the first undisputed light-heavyweight champion of the four-belt era when he outpointed Bivol in October 2024, but the tables were turned in their rematch four months later, as Bivol claimed the throne.

Ever since, the pair have been linked to a trilogy affair, but many boxing fans seem more interested in a showdown between Bivol and Benavidez, who currently holds the WBC light-heavyweight title as well as the unified cruiserweight world titles.

However, following the WBO’s recent order, it seems as though Bivol may instead fight Liverpool’s Callum Smith if he wishes to retain that belt before he can pursue a clash with either Benavidez or Beterbiev.

As a result, there are suggestions that Benavidez and Beterbiev could meet, with the winner moving on to an undisputed clash with Bivol.

In an interview with Match TV, Beterbiev said that Benavidez’s team recently turned that fight down, despite previously agreeing to the bout following ‘The Mexican Monster’s’ win over Anthony Yarde back in November.

“Benavidez is such a person that talks a lot more than he does. But, we must admit that it is very competently conducted. He’s already a three-weight world champion, but his boxing is dirty and, of course, there are questions about some of his victories.

“He had a fight with Anthony Yarde and I agreed to come out with him after that fight. Apparently, his team didn’t expect me to agree so quickly, so they immediately changed their mind and chose [Zurdo] Ramirez.

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“That was a year ago, in general, this has become the norm in boxing – I will box, I will not, I will choose my opponents – I like this one and I don’t like that one. I have a different mentality – it is alien to me.”

At the age of 41, Beterbiev is continuing to train, hopeful of securing the opportunity to take on Bivol for a third time and cement himself as the victor of a trilogy that will be remembered for generations to come.