Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha (1) applauds the crowd as he leaves after the World Cup round of 32 football match between Argentina and Cape Verde in Miami Gardens, Fla., Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — Cape Verde’s World Cup team walked into its Miami hotel after getting eliminated from the tournament, almost in disbelief at the scene in the lobby.

Dozens of people were there, cheering for them.

After a loss, no less.

READ: World Cup: Messi, Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time thriller

Let that be the first sign of how things are going to be very different in many respects for the team, at least for the foreseeable future. Such is the case when a club goes from unheralded — and practically unheard of — to taking Lionel Messi and Argentina to the brink of elimination on football’s biggest stage, before falling 3-2 in a match that went to extra time.

“It’s time to rest and think about the future,” Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha said. “But I am very, very proud of the team’s work, and I hope that in the future we can achieve great things.”

In other words, he hopes seeds were planted.

Cape Verde went 0-1-3 in its four matches at its inaugural World Cup, which won’t look great on paper. More than two-thirds of the 48 teams in this tournament won at least one game; Cape Verde wasn’t one of them.

But the record simply doesn’t tell the whole story.

READ: World Cup: Cape Verde becomes smallest country into knockout round

It played Spain to a scoreless draw to open the group stage, making the chance of advancing to the knockout stage very real. There were two more ties in group play — a 2-2 tie against Uruguay that put Cape Verde on the brink of advancing, then a 0-0 tie against Saudi Arabia that was good enough to get the round of 32 trip secured.

Argentina’s players and coaches, to their credit, insisted they did not expect a cakewalk past Cape Verde. And when the match was over, Messi — generally considered to be the greatest player of all time — had nothing but compliments for the underdog opponent.

“Some people thought the match was going to be straightforward, but that couldn’t have been further from reality,” Messi said after Friday’s match. “They pressed us really well. There are no handouts in knockout football. They’d already performed well against Spain and Uruguay, so we knew it was going to be difficult.”

For Argentina, getting the win was indeed difficult.

For Cape Verde, coming to grips that the ride ends here was also difficult.

That said, when they walked through that hotel lobby, it was like the return of conquering heroes. Bubista, the team’s coach, shook his fist in celebration. Many players couldn’t stop smiling. Vozinha shook some hands and posed for a few photos.

They were celebrities. Rock stars, almost. The score didn’t matter. The totality of three weeks that put Cape Verde on soccer’s map did matter.

“I can only thank our team for their effort and for showing so much heart on that pitch,” Bubista said. “And I think everyone should thank them for what they did for this tournament.”

Some will say it’s karma.

On the night from Saturday to Sunday, France secured their place in the World Cup quarter-finals after an extremely tense match against Paraguay.

Faced with a Paraguayan approach and fouls that were constantly flirting with the red line, as was the refereeing of Mr. Tantashev, Les Bleus still managed to come through by keeping their frustration under control.

Advertisement

But one small scene sparked a lot of discussion at the end of the match. After mocking a few Paraguayan players who came to shove him, Kylian Mbappé deliberately ignored the opposing goalkeeper, who had come to shake his hand after the match.

A gesture that clearly did not please Orlando Gill, who threw the ball at the France captain before criticizing his attitude in the press conference.

“Kylian Mbappé annoyed me. I went over to him after the match to congratulate him, but he refused to shake my hand,” he explained before calming things down.

“I quickly cooled off. I have nothing but congratulations for them. France are having an excellent World Cup and they are contenders for the title,” Orlando Gill concluded. The rest of his statement can be found below in the video.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

Japan’s Naomi Osaka (R) and Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka (L) embrace at the end of their women’s singles match on day 9 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 1, 2026. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

Naomi Osaka has her sights set on revenge over Aryna Sabalenka when the Japanese star faces the women’s world number one in the Wimbledon fourth round on Sunday.

Sabalenka leads head-to-head 3-1

Osaka hopes to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time by avenging a 7-5, 6-3 defeat against Sabalenka in the French Open last 16 in June.

The pair are both four-time Grand Slam champions who have never triumphed at Wimbledon.

They have already collided three times in 2026, with Sabalenka winning on the hard courts of Indian Wells, before clay clashes in Madrid and Roland Garros.

Having taken six out of the seven sets between them this year, Sabalenka is relishing their latest encounter.

READ: Aryna Sabalenka powers past Naomi Osaka at Indian Wells

“Yeah, it’s been a great rivalry. Every time it’s a battle. Every time it’s high-level matches. Super excited to play her,” she said.

Osaka, seeded 14th, is finally finding her groove on grass, helping by the eye-catching outfits she arrives on court wearing.

The 28-year-old believes all the talk about fashion has taken the pressure of her tennis.

“In some ways I feel like I’m a lot more equipped to talk about my clothes than about my tennis,” Osaka said.

“She’s the number one player in the world. If there is someone I had to lose to, I would pick that ranking position. If anything, I would say I learnt from all of those matches.”

Pakistan’s Babar Azam (AP/PTI)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reinstated Babar Azam as the national team’s Test captain ahead of two crucial ICC World Test Championship assignments against the West Indies and England. According to the ICC, Babar replaces Shan Masood at the helm and will lead Pakistan in a two-Test series in the Caribbean before captaining the side in a three-Test tour of England later this summer. Pakistan begin their West Indies campaign on July 25, with the second Test scheduled for early August. They will then travel to England for a three-match series starting on August 19 as they continue their World Test Championship campaign. The PCB has also named four uncapped players in the squads, giving them an opportunity to earn their maiden Test caps. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman, batter Muhammad Awais Zafar, fast bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Ghazi Ghori have all been selected for the upcoming tours. Saud Shakeel has also been included for the England series, although his participation remains subject to clearing a fitness test before the team departs. Pakistan head into the two overseas assignments looking to improve their position in the World Test Championship standings, where they currently occupy ninth place. Pakistan squad for West Indies Tests: Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah. Pakistan squad for England Tests: Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah. Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies begins with the opening Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba from July 25 to 29, followed by the second Test at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain from August 2 to 6. The England leg of the tour starts in Leeds from August 19 to 23, before the teams meet at Lord’s from August 27 to 31. The third and final Test will be played in Birmingham from September 9 to 13, with valuable World Test Championship points at stake throughout the series.

SILVIS, Ill. (AP) — Lucas Glover chipped in for eagle early and made a birdie late, his only two sub-par holes Saturday for a 2-under 69 that was just enough for him to share the lead with Lee Hodges in the John Deere Classic that now has plenty of possibilities.

Hodges had four birdies in a six-hole stretch on the back nine of the TPC Deere Run for a 67 to join Glover at 16-under 197 going into the final round.

Nine players were within four shots of the lead, a group that ranges from 50-year-old Zach Johnson to NCAA champion Preston Stout of Oklahoma State.

Glover’s three-year exemption on the PGA Tour from winning twice in 2023 expires this year, and he began the season still recovering from labrum surgery.

“You pretty much know you’ve got to go low or you’re not going to win,” Glover said. “Everybody is going to have to be aggressive, so I’ve got to hit it a little better tomorrow to achieve the ultimate goal.”

Hodges hit his stride on the back nine, with six consecutive holes leaving birdie chances of 15 feet or closer. He converted four of them to join Glover. But there is little room for error.

Zac Blair (67), Ben Kohles (66) and Jackson Suber (66) were one shot behind. Another stroke back was Doug Ghim (67). Still lurking three shots behind was Johnson, who has such a strong history at the John Deere Classic — the Iowa native considers it his home tournament — that he skipped the U.S. Senior Open at Scioto this week.

Johnson poured in a 35-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 66. He will have a chance to join a small group of players to have won on the PGA Tour Champions and the PGA Tour in the same calendar year. Phil Mickelson was the most recent in 2021.

Stout, playing on a sponsor exemption, shot 66 and was in the group four shots behind that included Max Homa and Ryo Hisatsune.

Not to be overlooked was Rickie Fowler, who had to get up and down from par on his last hole Friday to make the cut on the number. Starting the third round 11 shots out of the lead, Fowler bogeyed his last hole and still shot 63 to get within five shots. Also five shots behind was Blades Brown, the 19-year-old who already has had two chances to win on the PGA Tour this year.

Hodges won his only tour title in Minnesota in 2023. He has had conditional status this year after finishing outside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup, but one more good round could change his status. Hodges, just like everyone else in the mix, had the same outlook.

He had a big lead in Minnesota and found himself trying to hang on. Sunday at TPC Deere Run figures to be entirely different.

“Tomorrow will be a little more fun,” Hodges said. “I get to go attack and just beat people. I’m just going to keep my pedal down and just shoot lower than anybody tomorrow.”

Kohles has already won on the Korn Ferry Tour this year and will be going for his first PGA Tour win. Seven of the top 11 players have yet to win on the PGA Tour, including Blair. The Utah native had a two-shot lead at one point until hitting into a hazard and taking double bogey on the 11th hole.

Glover made his first bogey of the tournament when he missed the green at No. 9. The third round was halted for about an hour because of a late storm. Glover returned to make a 6-foot birdie putt on the 17th and close with a par.

One Manchester United alumnus was reduced to tears after learning he was no longer wanted by a former employer

The privilege of playing for Manchester United in the Sir Alex Ferguson era left a profound mark on many who once called Old Trafford home. And Mexico’s all-time record goalscorer, Javier Hernandez, was no exception.

Known for wearing his heart on his sleeve both on and off the field, Hernandez’s career hasn’t been all highs, however. And one departure in particular left him in tears after discovering he’d been shipped out.

Hernandez, whose old Mexico team host England in the World Cup on Sunday, arrived at Manchester United in 2010. This was the same summer he announced himself on the international stage at the World Cup in South Africa.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

He netted twice across four appearances when he was still on the books at Guadalajara, but soon completed a move to England for a fee in the region of £7million.

The 38-year-old proved just as troublesome in the Premier League as he had on the world stage, registering 20 goals across all competitions during his debut campaign in Manchester. Ferguson’s side claimed the Premier League title and advanced to the Champions League final that season, where Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona denied United a coveted double at Wembley.

‘Chicharito’ spent the 2014/15 campaign on loan at Real Madrid as chances at Old Trafford dried up. He later left United permanently in the summer of 2015 when he signed for Bayer Leverkusen.

While Hernandez’s United tenure had drawn to a close, he demonstrated he was still capable of causing problems for defences in the Bundesliga. He later managed to find the net 16 times during a turbulent spell with West Ham before joining Sevilla in 2019.

A brief stint in Seville yielded little reward, however, and Hernandez brought his European career to a close in January 2020 when he made the switch to MLS outfit LA Galaxy. While there were further bright moments to be had across the Atlantic for the Mexican, Hernandez was visibly emotional when acknowledging that embarking on a new chapter meant closing another in Europe.

“I wanted to speak to you guys because the thing is about to get done, it’s almost certain that I’m going to LA,” Hernandez said in an emotional video as he broke down in tears. “It’s okay, everything is perfect, it’s only that, well, it’s like the beginning of my retirement.

“We’re saying goodbye to a career that we put a lot of effort on,” he added. “We’re going to look at the bright side, but whether we like it or not we are retiring from the European dream.”

England’s 2026 World Cup kits

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

Kitbag

Advertisement

Buy Now on Kitbag

England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code DEAL.

With his European dream extinguished, Hernandez’s ambitions Stateside were only just taking shape. He found the net 39 times in 82 outings for LA Galaxy before heading back to his childhood club CD Guadalajara.

While he has yet to officially confirm his retirement, he hasn’t featured for any club since last year. Hernandez stands alone as Mexico’s all-time record goalscorer with 52 goals in 109 appearances, while Wolves’ Raul Jimenez is closest in competiton on 47 goals in 128 outings for El Tri.

Jimenez has found the net twice at the 2026 World Cup, most recently in Mexico’s round-of-32 clash against Ecuador. He will spearhead the attack against Thomas Tuchel’s England on Sunday at the Mexico City Stadium.

Jimenez is the focal point of the Mexican frontline, much as Hernandez was all those years ago. And the 35-year-old will be eager to move a step closer to matching, or even eclipsing, Hernandez’s all-time record when he stares down the Three Lions.

Moses Itauma recalls one sparring session where a former opponent “came for revenge” and attempted to take his head off.

While the 21-year-old has won most of his professional contests in double-quick fashion, it seems he is rarely afforded any such luxury in the gym.

In fact, Itauma insists his training camp is often tougher than the fight itself, which seemingly proved to be the case for his last outing.

While Jermaine Franklin offered some resistance, he was nonetheless dropped twice and ultimately stopped in round five of their heavyweight encounter in March.

Seeking a greater challenge, Itauma is now gearing up to face Filip Hrgovic, an Olympic bronze medallist and top 10 heavyweight, at London’s O2 Arena on August 29.

As always, the quality of his sparring will represent a critical factor, just as it was ahead of his August 2025 contest with Dillian Whyte.

While their fight ended in a one-round blowout, Itauma had come prepared for a gruelling affair after sharing hard rounds with Polish veteran Mariusz Wach.

Speaking with DAZN, Itauma revealed his suspicion ‘The Viking’ undertook a revenge mission after suffering a second-round stoppage defeat to the talented prodigy in 2024.

“For the Dillian Whyte fight I had Mariusz Wach in [camp]. He didn’t even ask how much I was going to pay him; he didn’t even ask where he was going to stay. That guy just came for revenge.

“I’d done six rounds with two sparring partners, then Mariusz Wach jumped in and this guy was trying to take my head off.”

Moses Itauma really has former opponents coming back for sparring, not asking the fee & wanting revenge 😂#ItaumaHrgovic | Aug 29 | Watch only on DAZN pic.twitter.com/SzOtqsAJ9A

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 1, 2026

At the age of 46, Wach will now face Tyson Fury on July 24, offering ‘The Gypsy King’ a low-risk warm-up fight at the Max Muaythai Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand.

Nonconference games can make or break a team’s season.

Preseason victories can propel a team into Playoff consideration; defeats can hold it back.

The table below shows the nonconference win percentages and win-loss records for the region’s top programs over the last 15 seasons.