Trainer Charlotte Littlefield is on the verge of heading back to the UK in just over a week to participate in a charity race at the prestigious Glorious Goodwood Festival.
The Magnolia Cup is a celebrated charity event this year lending its support to Education Above All. The initiative aims to raise crucial funds to provide educational access, skills, and opportunities for children and young women globally who face challenges such as poverty, conflict, and disadvantage.
Littlefield’s ambition is to follow in the footsteps of Lizzie Jelfs, who achieved victory in the Magnolia Cup, the opening race on Ladies Day at Goodwood in 2024.
This year’s edition of the race is scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 30.
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Having grown up in close proximity to Goodwood, Littlefield has been intensifying her trackwork riding and gym commitments in her bid to win the Magnolia Cup.
“I started taking it a little easier on trackwork over the last six to 12 months because of the good riders available and I like to watch trackwork, but it’s been good for me as I’ve got back into it and I’ve really focussed on the riding,” Littlefield commented.
“I love it and I think that’s one of my strengths as a trainer being able to ride my own horses and I’ve ridden more each morning, ridden a few more gallops, and really enjoying it.”
Littlefield indicated that she has been treating the training process with considerable seriousness, acknowledging the race’s support for a significant cause.
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She mentioned that this dedicated work has helped her shed a few kilos and considerably boosted her overall fitness, as she aims to avoid any feelings of inadequacy during the event.
“I’ve been at the gym twice a week,” Littlefield stated.
“I’m not very good at the gym, so I’ve had to have some personal training with Maddison Morris who had to drive me quite hard at the start and keep me focussed.
“I wanted to lose a few kilos while also being nice and strong and fit and not too heavy.”
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Littlefield revealed that a strong contingent of supporters will be travelling to Goodwood, including her father, who is making the trip from the south of France.
“I used to live down the road (from Goodwood), so it’s come full circle,” Littlefield remarked.
“My Dad, who has never really got to see me in action ever, he’s only been out here once, for him to come over and be a part of it, is great.
“I’ll have other friends and family members, it’s going to be very special.”
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Littlefield is preparing to field three runners at Flemington on Saturday: Angel In Black in the ATA Trainers’ Trust Handicap (1400m), Chowdown in the VRC Member Erica McKissack Trophy (1700m), and Tajanis in the Deane Lester Flemington Cup 1849 (2800m).
A win from any of her three horses would ideally contribute to her charity fundraising endeavours, and Littlefield is anticipating Tajanis performing well over the extended distance.
“Tajanis would rather it a little bit heavier as I think it’s going to dry out a bit, but he’s a proper two-mile horse, and to get back up to the 2800 metres after running over 2500 metres will really suit,” Littlefield explained.
“He needs every inch of that, and I’ve done a lot of different work with him to keep that interest.
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“Eventually he’ll go jumping and we’ve done a lot of work behind the scenes educating him and for me, it takes a year, at least, to educate one, and next year he will be competitive.
“He’s a tough horse, a nice horse to deal with, and I hope he can find that form when he was third in the Sandown Cup.”
The Deane Lester Flemington Cup 1849 is a feature race that will attract significant attention from those looking for the best racing odds.
Jul 17, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Andres Chaparro (87) acknowledges the dugout after hitting a two RBI single and advancing to second base on an error during the sixth inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images
Andres Chaparro hit two homers and had eight RBIs — more than doubling his season total from 7 to 15 — as the Washington Nationals torched the lowly Athletics 23-4 on Friday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
The Nationals opened the scoring with a three-run third before busting the game wide open with four-plus runs in the fifth through seventh innings. That proved to be more than enough for Cade Cavalli (6-4), who gave up two runs and four hits over six innings.
Chaparro went 4-for-5 with a walk and four runs and Daylen Lile and Harry Ford each homered for the Nationals, who set a season high for runs, matching the second-most in franchise history. Curtis Mead was 4-for-6 with four runs, three RBIs and three doubles, and Nasim Nunez had three hits and three runs.
Tyler Soderstrom hit a two-run homer and Shea Langeliers belted a solo shot for the Athletics, who lost their 10th consecutive game. Gage Jump (3-5) of the A’s allowed four runs (three earned) and four hits in 3 2/3 innings before their bullpen was hit hard by Washington’s lineup.
Royals 7, Padres 6 (10 innings)
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Carter Jensen’s two-run, walk-off single capped a four-run 10th inning which helped Kansas City rally for a victory over visiting San Diego.
The Padres scored three times in the top of the 10th, beginning with Miguel Andujar’s third double of the night down the right field line against Lucas Erceg (4-3) to score the automatic runner. Fernando Tatis Jr. followed with an RBI single, and Xander Bogaerts made it 6-3 with a sacrifice fly.
However, Michael Massey’s third hit of the game drove in the first run of the bottom of the 10th off Kyle Hart (0-2). Isaac Collins’ RBI groundout left runners on second and third for the Royals, then Jensen delivered his third hit through a drawn-in left side of the infield to score two and snap Kansas City’s five-game skid.
Red Sox 10, Rays 0 (Game 1)
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Jake Bennett threw six scoreless innings before a six-run sixth allowed Boston to score a lopsided win over visiting Tampa Bay in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.
Masataka Yoshida and Carlos Narvaez each homered as part of three-hit games and Caleb Durbin went 3-for-4 for the Red Sox, who banged out 15 hits.
Bennett (5-3) allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out three. Alec Gamboa went the rest of the way, allowing just two hits over the final three innings for his first career save. Rays starter Griffin Jax (5-7) struck out six but yielded seven runs in five-plus innings.
Red Sox 5, Rays 3 (Game 2)
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Wilyer Abreu hit home runs in his first two at-bats as Boston completed a doubleheader sweep with another win over Tampa Bay, extending its winning streak to 11 games.
Willson Contreras also homered for the Red Sox, who won a bullpen game with six relievers combining to throw 6 2/3 scoreless innings with four hits behind Eduardo Rivera, who allowed three runs over the first 2 1/3 innings. Greg Weissert (2-2) got the win, and Aroldis Chapman pitched a clean ninth for his 20th save.
Junior Caminero, who hit a solo home run in the third, and Jonny DeLuca both had multi-hit games for the Rays. Mason Englert (0-3) was tagged for five runs and eight hits over five innings before the Tampa Bay bullpen combined for three no-hit innings of relief work.
Dodgers 2, Yankees 1
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Max Muncy hit a go-ahead two-run homer with nobody out in the seventh inning against Gerrit Cole and Los Angeles earned a victory over New York in the first meeting at Yankee Stadium between the teams since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series.
The Dodgers snapped a three-game losing streak in their first trip to the Bronx since scoring five unearned runs off Cole in the fifth inning of Game 5 to clinch the first of their back-to-back titles. Roki Sasaki allowed an unearned run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings for the Dodgers.
Cole (3-5) entered the seventh at 90 pitches and started the inning by walking Mookie Betts. Manager Aaron Boone visited the mound and kept Cole in the game. Muncy fouled off three pitches before ending the at-bat by hammering Cole’s 2-2 slider about halfway up the second deck in right field. Cole had held him hitless in five previous encounters. Cole allowed two runs on four hits in six-plus innings.
Braves 15, Rangers 1
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Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson and Austin Riley all homered and Chris Sale pitched seven scoreless innings to lead Atlanta to a win over visiting Texas in the opener of a three-game set.
Sale (10-6) became the 10th National League pitcher to reach double-digit wins. He allowed only two hits, never allowed a runner to reach third base and struck out six. Sale also recorded his 2,700th punchout. Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, Mauricio Dubon and Jim Jarvis also pitched in with two hits apiece.
Rangers starter Cal Quantrill (3-2) was roughed up for six runs on 11 hits, both season highs, in four innings. His ERA spiked from 3.11 to 3.93 due to the rough outing. Right-hander Emiliano Teodo followed with 1 2/3 innings and allowed two runs in his major league debut.
White Sox 12, Blue Jays 4
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Braden Montgomery had four RBIs and Colson Montgomery added three RBIs as visiting Chicago throttled Toronto.
Sam Antonacci hit a two-run home run for the White Sox, who saw starter Anthony Kay allow two runs and two hits over four innings. Reliever Tyler Schweitzer (1-0) allowed one infield hit and a walk over the final three innings to earn his first major league win.
Luis Urias, George Springer and Brandon Valenzuela hit solo shots for the Blue Jays, who have lost all four games against the White Sox this season. Spencer Miles (4-2) was tagged for six runs on six hits in four-plus innings.
Orioles 3, Astros 2
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Taylor Ward hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to lift Baltimore to a road victory against Houston.
The Orioles extended their season-best winning streak to five games. They had barely mustered any offense until Adley Rutschman led off the eighth with a double and Ward followed with his seventh homer of the season. Baltimore collected five hits and four walks while striking out 13 times.
Astros starter Peter Lambert struck out 10 batters in six innings but his efforts weren’t enough. Lambert was charged with one run on three hits. Yordan Alvarez drove in a run and Jeremy Pena scored both runs for the Astros.
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Giants 7, Mariners 0
Willy Adames hit a grand slam and Landen Roupp pitched seven innings of two-hit ball as San Francisco returned from the All-Star break with a shutout victory against host Seattle.
Bryce Eldridge added a two-run shot for the Giants, who won their third game in a row to tie their season-long winning streak. Roupp (7-8) allowed only a two-out single to Josh Naylor in the fourth inning and a leadoff single to Luke Raley in the fifth.
Mariners starter Bryce Miller (4-4) gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings.
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Twins 5, Cubs 2
Ryan Jeffers belted a go-ahead three-run home run in the third inning and Minnesota held on for a win over host Chicago.
Trevor Larnach and Ryan Kreidler also drove in one run apiece for the Twins, who have won three games in a row after entering the All-Star break with back-to-back victories. Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (7-3) allowed two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Seiya Suzuki went 1-for-3 with a double and a run for Chicago. Michael Busch notched the lone RBI for the Cubs. Colin Rea (7-6) gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits in six innings.
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Brewers 2, Marlins 1 (10 innings)
Garrett Mitchell grounded an RBI single up the middle with two outs to score Jackson Chourio from second base, giving Milwaukee an extra-inning win over visiting Miami in the opener of the three-game series.
Joey Ortiz homered and singled for the Brewers, who had lost their last three games before the All-Star break. Logan Henderson was trying to win his fourth straight start, but did not earn a decision after allowing one run and three hits over five innings. Craig Yoho (1-0) recorded his first major league win with a scoreless 10th.
Griffin Conine homered and Otto Lopez had two hits for the Marlins, who had also lost their last three games before the break. Sandy Alcantara limited the Brewers to one run and three hits in six innings, and Lake Bachar (1-1) took the loss.
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Reds 7, Rockies 2
Spencer Steer hit a two-run homer and an inside-the-park solo home run, Brady Singer tossed seven strong innings and Cincinnati opened a three-game series against Colorado with a win in Denver.
Elly De La Cruz went 4-for-5 with a solo homer and Eugenio Suarez homered in his third straight game for the Reds, who have won 17 of their last 20 against the Rockies, including seven straight at Coors Field. Singer (4-9) allowed two runs on four hits.
Willi Castro homered among his two hits for the National League-worst Rockies (39-60), who have lost five of their last six. Gabriel Hughes (1-0) yielded two runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings before his replacement, Jimmy Herget, allowed homers to the first two batters he faced in Cincinnati’s three-run sixth.
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Cardinals 5, Diamondbacks 4
Ivan Herrera delivered the game-winning RBI on a ninth-inning sacrifice fly to lift St. Louis to a win against Arizona in Phoenix.
After their 2-0 first-inning lead was erased, JJ Wetherholt put the Cardinals ahead 3-2 in the fifth inning on a solo homer. Masyn Winn added an eighth-inning sac fly to make it 4-2 St. Louis. Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy allowed two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The Diamondbacks tied the game on a two-run homer off the right field foul pole from Corbin Carroll in the bottom of the eighth. Arizona starter Merrill Kelly gave up three runs (one earned) on four hits in five innings for the Diamondbacks, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Tim Tawa also homered for Arizona.
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Tigers 2, Angels 1
Hao-Yu Lee lined a two-run double into the gap in right-center with two outs in the top of the ninth as Detroit rallied for a victory over Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Matt Vierling had two hits and a stolen base and Riley Greene and Ben Malgeri each doubled for the Tigers, who snapped a two-game losing streak and won for the 10th time in the last 13 games.
Zach Neto had two hits and scored a run and Mike Trout had a double for the Angels, who lost their third straight game and fell to 2-11 in the last 13 games. Reid Detmers was denied his first win since June 16 at Arizona after allowing four hits over six shutout innings.
The Crown Prosecution Service sees first-hand the impact that domestic abuse has on victims.
It says that of every five cases the police refers to it, four result in charges being brought.
Olivia Rose, the CPS’s National Stalking Lead, says it does not just see physical abuse. There is coercive and controlling abuse too.
“It’s crucial for victims to spot the signs early,” Rose said. “What our prosecutors see can include monitoring of victims’ phones and social media, often inundating them with dozens of messages.
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“There’s also emotional blackmail, such as threatening to kill themselves if their partner leaves.
“It’s incredibly important that we get the message out to say that behaviour like this is not just unacceptable: it’s illegal.”
The CPS, the government department responsible for prosecuting criminal cases, say it works closely with the police and women’s charities to ensure that action is taken to stop such behaviour and to help victims to get away.
It says it needs help from communities too. And it is urging people to look out for friends, family and neighbours who could be vulnerable during the World Cup.
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“If you can step in to help, you could be making a life-changing difference,” Rose said.
She also wants to get the message to victims that they will be supported if they speak out.
“We understand how difficult it can be to report domestic abuse,” she added. “But if you come forward, you will be taken seriously, and we will bring offenders to justice.
“The World Cup should bring communities together, and it should never be an excuse to fuel abusive behaviour.”
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Anyone experiencing domestic abuse who is in immediate danger should always call 999. Victims can also report abuse to the police on 101.
Confidential support services are available. Anyone affected can contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 in England, or the Live Fear Free helpline on 0808 80 10 800 in Wales.
Club Brugge manager Ivan Leko has made his feelings clear regarding star forward Christos Tzolis’ imminent move to Arsenal. The Gunners are reportedly set to sign the 24-year-old Greece international in a £33.8 million deal, as per the Standard.
Ivan Leko has all but confirmed the winger’s departure as he was absent in Club Brugge’s 3-2 defeat against Heerenveen in a pre-season friendly on Friday, July 17. He admitted that he is sad to lose such a brilliant player and backed him to succeed at Arsenal.
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Leko has lavished praise on the former Norwich City star for how hard he trained and how well he progressed during his stint at the Jan Breydel Stadium. The Croatian manager has tipped the Greek winger to showcase his talent in the Premier League and the Champions League. Leko said, as quoted by the Standard:
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“(I am) very happy for him. I am very sad for me on one side, because we are losing a top player. This is one fantastic example of somebody who was first coming on the training base, last staying there. Every training was like game for him, giving so much for his career, and then you get the reward to sign for one of the biggest clubs in Europe.”
Leko added:
“(It is a) big thing for him, big thing for Club Brugge, big thing for Belgian football. Good lesson for all young boys that we have, that in football you need to work. Stop the talk, work, try to do everything to improve yourself day by day, exactly what Christos was doing.”
The Club Brugge managed concluded:
“I am convinced that he will have his minutes, that he will show some highest level in the Premier League and Champions League at Arsenal, and he will show that he is a top player and absolutely deserves to go and be there.”
Tzolis joined Club Brugge in 2024 in a deal worth a reported €6 million from Norwich City. During his time at the Belgian club, he established himself as one of the best players in the league scoring 43 goals and providing 45 assists in 108 appearances.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a brilliant 2025-26 season, scoring 22 times and producing 29 assists in 52 games, helping his side win the Belgian Pro League. He is expected to replace Leandro Trossard at Arsenal following the Belgian’s move to Besiktas this summer.
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Nacho Monreal urges Arsenal to sign FIFA World Cup star for whatever the price
Former Arsenal left-back Nacho Monreal has urged the Gunners to do everything in their power to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. Rogers has been the subject of interest from the Gunners but Villans are expected to demand north of £100 million for his services.
Nacho Monreal has claimed that Rogers is one of the best players in the Premier League. He has urged Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to secure the 23-year-old’s signature regardless of how much he would cost. The Spaniard said:
“Morgan Rogers is one of those players that Arsenal should look to sign for whatever price. He’s young and he did unbelievably last season for Villa. He’s already one of the best players in the league and in the future he’s going to continue being that because he’s special. He has something very special.”
Morgan Rogers has proved to be a wonderful bargain for Aston Villa, who paid only £8 million for his signature in February 2024. He has scored 31 goals and provided 29 assists in 132 appearances for Unai Emery’s side since his move from Middlesbrough.
But they were outclassed on a punishing evening in Auckland as first-half tries from Patrick Tuipulotu, Ardie Savea, Will Jordan and Asafo Aumua put the All Blacks in control.
Jack Conan claimed Ireland’s only score of the opening period after New Zealand flanker Luke Jacobson escaped with just a yellow card for a dangerous clearout on Josh van der Flier, while Joe McCarthy and Hugo Keenan went over in the second half.
Damian McKenzie and Anton Lienert-Brown added further scores for New Zealand and fly-half Ruben Love kicked five conversions as they maintained their perfect start to the competition following victories over France and Italy.
Which is the only team to have competed in every World Cup? And which has won the most? Throughout the tournament, we asked fans about World Cup records.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta believes the FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain will be another example of La Masia’s influence on world football, with Lionel Messi leading Argentina and several Barcelona players representing Spain.Laporta is in New York ahead of Sunday’s final at New York/New Jersey Stadium, where current and former Barcelona players will feature on both sides. Spain’s squad includes eight Barcelona players, while Messi will captain Argentina.The Barcelona president said the club’s academy will once again be in focus on football’s biggest stage. He added that seeing so many La Masia graduates in a World Cup final reflects the success of the club’s youth system, regardless of who wins the trophy.Laporta also spoke about the significance of seeing Messi and Lamine Yamal on opposite sides in the final. While he praised Messi’s contribution to Barcelona over the years, he described Yamal as the player who will carry the club forward.“Messi has also reached the final, and I’m delighted,” Laporta told RAC1. “He’s a source of pride for La Masia. Messi is the past and the present, and Lamine (Yamal) is the present and the future. We’re very happy to have what is the genuine Barça style of play.“As president, I’m proud to have developed these two players at home, and if we add Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, [Pau] Cubarsi, who’s having a spectacular World Cup, [Dani] Olmo, Gavi, Pedri, Ferran [Torres]… It’s spectacular.”Barcelona will have a strong presence in the final, with academy graduates and first-team players spread across both squads.The title clash between Argentina and Spain will not only decide the next world champions but also provide another stage for La Masia products, from Messi to Yamal and Barcelona’s Spain contingent, to leave their mark on international football.
As we count down to the first college football game of the 2026 season, we continue our new series: The records of each top CFB program in the West against all the others in the region.
Some schools have met many times over the years, while others are beginning new rivalries in the wake of recent realignment.
For each opponent in the table below, we provide the total games played, wins, losses, ties, winning percentage, first year played, and most recent contest.
We continue with Oregon State, which has played 885 games against regional foes, winning 336, losing 518, and recording 31 ties, for a winning percentage of .397.
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The Beavers have recorded the most wins (49), played the most games (129), and lost the most games (70) against Oregon.
Here is a breakdown of Oregon State’s records vs. the region’s teams.
Oregon State Football Wins vs. the Top Programs in the West
Argentina captain Lionel Messi says it is “crazy” to be facing Spain’s Lamine Yamal in Sunday’s World Cup final after being photographed with him as a baby.
In 2007 Lamine Yamal’s parents won a charity photoshoot at Barcelona in which 20-year-old Messi held their five-month-old baby.
Speaking to Messi during a news conference in New York, NFL legend Tom Brady called the photos “very prophetic”.
Messi said: “That photo is incredible. The fact that we’re both playing in the World Cup now is crazy.”
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Lamine Yamal made his Barcelona debut at 15 and has inherited the number 10 shirt from Messi.
He helped Spain win Euro 2024 and, now aged 19, could become the youngest player to win the European Championships and the World Cup.
“He’s one of the best in the world right now,” said 39-year-old Messi.
“I wish him luck because his success will be Barcelona’s success.
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“We’ll try to keep him from playing at his best. Spain has a great team, not just him.
“He’s a tremendous player – a global star. He’s 19 years old and has his whole career ahead of him. I wish him the best, but we’ll give it our all to ensure he doesn’t become champion this time.”
Messi attended a fans’ event on Friday with Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Spain captain Rodri.
After the news conference, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni hugged Spain counterpart Luis de la Fuente, who was one of the instructors when Scaloni gained his Uefa Pro coaching licence in Spain.
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Former England defender Rio Ferdinand and actor Kevin Hart hosted the event, while tennis legend Novak Djokovic and NBA star Kevin Durant joined Brady in asking questions.
Brady continued his ongoing feud with Logan Paul as they argued on stage before the record seven-time Super Bowl winner slapped the YouTuber turned WWE star, with New York Knicks player Karl-Anthony Towns splitting them up.
It’s in elevated moments like this, when all the usual talk in football takes a more metaphysical hue, that even the most single-minded players can’t help looking for signs and omens.
In Spanish training, where Lamine Yamal is “wrapped in cotton” due to recent injuries, they have still been noting every turn and finish in training. “That’s how you’re going to win the World Cup final.”
It’s quite a prospect to consider.
With Argentina, there has meanwhile been more wistful commentary about how this is Lionel Messi’s first appearance at the Metlife Stadium since the 2016 Copa America final. At that point, his entire international legacy was completely different. Argentina had lost a third tournament final in three years and it looked like it was never going to happen. Messi himself seemed to confirm that as he announced his retirement. “I’ve done all I can, I’ve been in four finals and it hurts not to be a champion.”
Lionel Messi (left) and Lamine Yamal will clash in the World Cup final (Getty Images)
Everyone could see exactly how much it hurt, from a widely-published photo of Messi in pained tears.
The image, the product of a Unicef promotional campaign that Yamal’s family won a raffle for, is such an astonishing coincidence that you would have trouble believing it’s real, were it not now so ubiquitous.
It may even be perfect given what this World Cup final offers, beyond the uplifting opportunity to lift the trophy: this is not just the first time these Barcelona prodigies have met, but the first time the World Cup has potentially had such a clear passing-of-the-torch moment.
There’s never really been anything like it in 22 previous finals, not even an established Kylian Mbappe facing Messi four years ago. That was more akin to 1974, when Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer met, having each won the Ballon d’Or over the previous two years. There was also Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane in 1998 after they’d been one and three in the voting for the same award, but the narratives weren’t even about that.
None of the stories really compare.
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The coincidence is so profound that there’s almost a sense of planetary alignment, even if that is tempered by the feeling of this being so ideal for a World Cup in the world capital of celebrity entertainment.
The very extremities at play emphasise this, with a 39-year-old against a teenager. It is master against successor. You can’t quite call it master against apprentice since Yamal is already a star in his own right – and that 2007 photo was actually one of the few times they have even met.
Messi is said to not even think about his potential successors. He just doesn’t see things in that way, a little like the rivalry with England. In any case, there have been so many potentials he’s seen off, until we finally had Yamal.
A 16-year-old Yamal winning the best young player award at the 2024 Ballon d’Or (AFP/Getty)
As was said in Barcelona when he started to break through, in almost mythic language, “there is another”.
Yamal doesn’t have Messi weigh over him in that way, either, because nothing fazes him. That was illustrated by how he immediately started illuminating major games as a 16-year-old.
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All of this actually affords this final, and this meeting, a rare vitality. The stories of their World Cups and wider careers only play into that, as well as the grander themes of the tournament.
It has so far been a pity that we haven’t seen the best Yamal, but that could now offer opportunity, maybe even a better ending. The 19-year-old might not have defined this World Cup but he is determined to define its final.
There are other historical echoes there, which are all the more pointed when the Spanish camp have been keen to point out parallels with 2010. Back then, Andres Iniesta went into the competition badly struggling with injury, only to finally be set from the quarter-finals on. He then won the World Cup.
History beckons. Present realities also influence.
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Yamal’s ongoing hamstring recovery has meant he hasn’t been able to maximise the freer role that Luis de la Fuente gives him, but the very fact Spain have a deeply more-defined tactical idea has equally ensured there isn’t the same dependence on him. He has still performed a crucial role, even if it is not Yamal performance as it could be.
The same could actually be said of Messi from a completely different perspective. This is not Messi as we’ve known him, and he’s still performed the crucial role.
Messi notched both assists as Argentina beat England in the semi-finals (Getty)
Everything Argentina do is through him. It’s perhaps just as well the pressure of never winning went away with the last World Cup because, in purely tactical terms, they’ve never needed Messi more.
His ability to repeatedly deliver amid such demands has somehow only added another element to his legacy, following on from how the World Cup has ended up affording him his finest achievements – maybe a third Golden Ball, maybe a first Golden Boot, maybe a second winners’ medal – after it had once been the sad mark against him.
If 2022 was Messi’s equivalent of Muhammad Ali reclaiming the heavyweight title in 1974, this could be his Ali-Frazier II: the undisputed. Should Messi win, he might even eye Pele’s record of three in 2030. Why not when MLS preserves that preternatural technique?
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And while Messi may still only lack this 2026 World Cup to truly give him a unique standing, Yamal arguably needs it to fully ascend, especially in the absence of a Champions League title.
Reference to the club game may bristle amid the purity of a World Cup final, but it remains remarkable how Barcelona have two such talents in quick succession.
It also shapes the teams’ matches in new ways. Whereas virtually every other Argentina match is singularly defined by Messi, and how the opposition simply must adapt to him, Lionel Scaloni now has to respond to Yamal.
Yamal completely caught out Lucas Digne in the semi-finals, winning a penalty (Getty)
Both can just decide this final in an instant, with one instinctive run, regardless of how much the ball is kept away from them. Their very presence can provoke chaos, suddenly changing the very nature of the game, no matter what tactical shape it takes.
You could say it’s another remarkable coincidence that Barcelona do have both, but it isn’t. One of the biggest clubs in the world went and got a young Messi, while Yamal’s young family migrated to one of the wealthiest cities on the planet. He was spotted at the age of six, reflecting the rigour of Spanish scouting. In this case, you couldn’t miss him.
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Their personal stories nevertheless bring another dimension.
Messi has a complicated history with Spain, given that he could have played for them, while his long residence there was once cast against him in Argentina. Yamal has meanwhile had to face the kind of dismally-racist discussion that comes with immigration, although that is also one area where he has marked himself out from Messi: Yamal is willing to speak out politically.
From that, it’s hard not to wonder what he thinks of some of these very same Argentine players singing chants deriding the African heritage of French players. It is partly applicable to him.
For now, in the build-up to the biggest game in football, both players are feeling a calm. It is a calm that only comes with this level of talent at this level of game, the awareness of the heights you can now go to. There have not been too many footballers who know what that is like.
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There may never be another final like this one, which is so much about two players forever linked. One will enjoy the most perfect image of all: lifting the World Cup.
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