Zinedine Zidane oversaw his first training session with the France national team on Monday as Les Bleus prepared for the start of the new Nations League campaign.

Under the gaze of some 50 journalists, the 1998 World Cup winner led a dozen of his players through a light training session at the country’s national football centre, Clairefontaine.

Read moreMbappe says having Zidane as France coach ‘like a film’

With many of France’s stars in action with their clubs across Europe last weekend, not all of Zidane’s 23-man squad were present.

Michael Olise, Eduardo Camavinga, Jules Kounde and Dayot Upamecano featured in the 12-strong group but captain Kylian Mbappé, who played in Real Madrid‘s derby loss to Atletico Madrid on Sunday, was a notable absentee.

Read moreFrance’s new head coach Zidane unveils team line-up for Nations League matches

Zidane was joined for the session by his assistant David Bettoni, who worked alongside him at Real Madrid, and former teammate from the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning sides, Fabien Barthez, who is France’s goalkeeping coach.

The session concluded with a short practice match, followed by shots on goal from crosses delivered by Zidane himself.

France face four Nations League fixtures following this first training camp of the Zidane era: away matches in Turkey and Belgium on September 25 and 28, followed by home matches against Italy and Belgium at the Stade de France in early October.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP) 

SOFI STADIUM (Los Angeles) – The Los Angeles Rams rebounded from an embarrassing loss in Australia to start the year by cruising to a 28-6 victory over the visiting New York Giants on Monday Night Football in the team’s home opener.

Dubbed the “Dream Team” to start the year because of the team’s blockbuster moves to secure defensive game changers like defensive end Myles Garrett, cornerback Trent McDuffie and the return of defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the Rams finally looked like a team that could possibly live up to that billing in front of the team’s home fans at SoFi Stadium.

However, Los Angeles was buoyed by New York losing quarterback Jaxson Dart (knee) for the game in the first quarter. Ultimately, the Rams improved to 1-1 with the win, while the Giants dropped to 1-1.

Here are my takeaways:

The Rams almost traded Adams to the Philadelphia Eagles this past offseason in a deal that would have brought wide receiver A.J. Brown to them in return. However, head coach Sean McVay decided to hold onto Adams in part because of his great chemistry with quarterback Matthew Stafford.

With Brown now on the injured reserve with the New England Patriots due to a high ankle sprain, the decision has potentially proven to be a good one for the Rams. Without Puka Nacua on Monday because of a hip injury, Adams more than filled the void, totaling eight catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

It was a party for Davante Adams and the Rams offense on Monday night at SoFi Stadium. (Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

Adams led the league in receiving touchdowns with 14 in 2025. He’s now tied for No. 4 in the NFL all-time with Marvin Harrison Sr. and Cris Carter with 29 two-touchdown games.

As they leaned into last year, the Rams were effective using 13 personnel (three tight end sets). Per Next Gen Stats, Los Angeles used 13 personnel on 28 plays (54.9%) of the offensive snaps, averaging 10.4 yards per play and scoring two touchdowns with that personnel grouping.

When the Rams used 13 personnel, that left Adams on the field as the lone receiver – and he thrived.

Stafford finished with 327 passing yards and four touchdown passes, moving past Philip Rivers (425) on the all-time TD list with 426.

Not all was great for the Rams, though. Kicker Harrison Mevis missed a 43-yard field goal wide left, as special teams remained an issue. And the Rams also had two turnovers – a Stafford interception on a ball forced into double coverage to Adams and a fumble by running back Kyren Williams that led to a 24-yard field goal for the Giants.

New York lost its starting quarterback on the opening drive of the game when Dart was sandwiched between Los Angeles edge rusher Byron Young and Josaiah Steward, suffering a left knee injury. Dart left the field on his own, but after being evaluated by New York’s medical staff in the injury tent, he then went to the locker room for further evaluation.

Jaxson Dart walks off the field after suffering a knee injury in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Dart did not return to the game and was replaced by veteran backup Jameis Winston. The absence of Dart severely limited the Giants’ offense. New York’s No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers also had to leave the game in the first half with a shoulder injury but later returned.

With the team’s two top playmakers out, the Giants were held to 182 total yards of offense.

Along with Dart, Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury at the end of his team’s 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and is week-to-week. And Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow again in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys and is out indefinitely.

After a two-year absence and months of anticipation, Donald finally took the field for the Rams. The Pittsburgh native received a loud ovation from fans during player introductions.

Aaron Donald’s entrance was a memorable one on Monday night at SoFi Stadium before the Rams’ win over the Giants. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Once the game got going, Donald was a contributor, making a big run stuff on running back Najee Harris to force a field goal near the goal line. He finished with three combined tackles and one quarterback pressure on 32 defensive snaps, playing 58.2% of the defensive plays for the Rams.

“Aaron’s looked great,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said before the game. “He’s really impacted a lot of positive things. I think our defense is feeding off his energy. He’s been a real positive for us.”

3 ½. What’s Next?

The Rams will try to keep the positive vibes going with a trip to the Mile High City, taking on the Denver Broncos in Week 3 on Sunday night. The Broncos rebounded with a big home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars following a disappointing loss in their season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

However, Los Angeles is still looking up at the 2-0 Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West division standings.

The Giants will look to rebound at home against the 0-2 Tennessee Titans. All eyes will be on Dart this week and whether he can get back on the field.

Photo credit: Vansh Bedi Instagram account

NEW DELHI: Delhi wicketkeeper-batter Vansh Bedi has denied any connection with the controversy surrounding a sting operation that alleged the misuse of confidential team information in Indian cricket, saying attempts to link him to the case are “false and defamatory”.Bedi, who was part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) set-up during IPL 2025 and later played for Central Delhi Kings in the Delhi Premier League (DPL), broke his silence on Tuesday after his name began circulating on social media following an undercover investigation involving former domestic cricketer Rachit Bhatia.In a statement posted on Instagram, Bedi said he was not the unnamed CSK player mentioned during the sting operation and had no involvement in the allegations made by Bhatia.“I categorically state that I am not the individual referred to by Ex-Ranji Trophy cricketer Rachit Bhatia in the sting operation concerning alleged match-fixing involving a CSK player, nor do I have any involvement whatsoever in any such activity,” Bedi wrote.He also said that any attempt to connect him with the allegations was defamatory and that his legal team had started the process of taking action.Bedi said his lawyers were pursuing “appropriate civil and criminal action” against those responsible for circulating the claims.The original undercover investigation did not identify Bedi as the player who allegedly supplied confidential information to Bhatia. However, his name later began circulating online.Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) also responded to media reports about alleged corruption in the Delhi Premier League, calling the allegations “unverified”.“DDCA would like to clarify that the allegations referred to in these reports are unverified and have not been established by any competent authority. The Association believes it would be inappropriate to draw conclusions about any individual, player or franchise based solely on such allegations,” the DDCA said in a statement.“Given the seriousness of the matter, DDCA has written to the respective authorities and shared the information that has come to its notice, requesting that the matter be examined through the appropriate established processes.”

Teofimo Lopez has been ordered to defend his WBA world title against Briton Jack Catterall.

Lopez became the WBA ‘super’ welterweight champion with a points win over Rolando Romero last month.

Catterall, 33, is Lopez’s mandatory challenger but the American has been campaigning to fight WBC champion Ryan Garcia in a unification bout instead.

The WBA has now announced they expect Lopez to fight Catterall next, and the two parties have until 22 October to reach an agreement or there will be a purse bid.

Catterall became the number one challenger and WBA ‘regular’ title-holder after beating Shakhram Giyasov in May.

He acknowledged the WBA’s ruling on X, saying: “Hi Teofimo Lopez.”

The Chorley native last fought for a world title in 2022 when he was controversially beaten by then undisputed light-welterweight champion Josh Taylor.

Lopez, a three-weight world champion, could withdraw from negotiations and relinquish his world title, which may lead to Catterall being upgraded to world champion.

Lopez attended the Garcia v Conor Benn fight week in Las Vegas earlier this month and was stopped from entering the ring after Garcia’s quick win.

Catterall has just two defeats on his record – to Taylor and American Arnold Barboza Jr – with 33 wins and 14 stoppages.

Lopez, 29, also has two losses during his career, a 2021 points loss to George Kambosos Jr and more recently a decision defeat by Shakur Stevenson in January.

A new cycle for international football begins with the Nations League over the next three weeks as many teams enter a new era under fresh leadership.

Jurgen Klopp’s comeback is the leading story of the international break as he returns to the dugout for the first time in two years, hoping to rebuild Germany after their calamitous World Cup exit to Paraguay in the last-32.

Klopp’s maiden outing will be against Germany’s storied rivals the Netherlands, who themselves have a new figure at the helm in the form of Barcelona legend Xavi. Scotland are another nation starting fresh with Belgian coach Sebastien Pocognoli succeeding Steve Clarke, while Roberto Mancini begins his second stint as Italy manager hoping to emulate the glory of his first.

But all eyes will not be on the technical area, with a plethora of players having a point to prove in a post-World Cup landscape, whether they played in North America this summer or not.

Here are 10 players to watch during the international break:

Florian Wirtz, Germany

Off the back of an underwhelming debut campaign at Liverpool under Arne Slot, Wirtz has so far failed to kick on under Andoni Iraola, whose playstyle was supposed to suit him better. Real doubt are now creeping in whether the £100m-man will ever live up to his price tag at Anfield – and some, like Jamie Carragher, feel the influence of Jurgen Klopp might be his only hope. Can he find some form for his country before bringing it back to Merseyside?

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

Ronaldo, 41, is still going. The Portugal captain played what is surely his final World Cup this summer and did not win it, with the Selecao succumbing to eventual champions Spain. Lionel Messi fell to the same fate in the United States and has since called time on his international career, but Ronaldo remains in the fold, selected by new manager Jorge Jesus who he worked under at Al-Nassr. Ronaldo is desperate to prove he’s still got it on his way to 1,000 goals, but going off performances for the past couple of years, critics will feel he’s taking up a spot in the squad from someone more deserving. Under a new managerial regime, that doesn’t seem to be changing.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, England

Who saw this coming, eh? Alexander-Arnold looked like he’d been iced out of England contention by Tuchel after being snubbed for the World Cup, not even getting a sniff when right-back Tino Livramento got injured. But the Real Madrid man is back and he’s back as a right-back, with Thomas Tuchel confirming as such. There have always been concerns of Alexander-Arnold defensively but this is chance to put those to rest. “He always said he’s up to fight for his place, especially for England, so it’s on him to prove,” Tuchel said.

Jeremie Frimpong, Netherlands

From a former Liverpool right-back to the man brought in to replace him at Anfield, things haven’t gone to plan for Frimpong over the past few months. He was snubbed from Ronald Koeman’s World Cup squad after a disappointing debut season for Liverpool, and has already fallen behind loanee Ronald Araujo – a centre-back turned makeshift right-back – in the pecking order under Andoni Iraola. Yet he’s been thrown a lifeline by Xavi, who has recalled him to the Oranje setup and given him a chance to impress. Whether he’s trying to make an impression on his club, his country or other potential suitors, Frimpong desperately needs a decent showing.

Oli McBurnie, Scotland

McBurnie has earned his long-awaited recall to the Scotland squad, having not made an international cap since 2021. The Hull City striker was snubbed for the World Cup, news which emerged days before he scored the last-minute play-off final winner to send the Tigers to the Premier League. Scotland went on to be toothless up top in the tournament, while McBurnie has gone from strength to strength, trusted in the top flight by starting every league game during Hull’s remarkable early-season run. Steve Clarke’s decision to omit McBurnie in the summer is seen by some as misguided in hindsight; under Pocognoli, the striker now has the chance to prove just that.

Robbie Ure, Scotland

From a redemption story up front to a debuting prospect, Ure is one of five newcomers to the Scotland squad as Pocognoli tries to usher in a new era. The 22-year-old joined LaLiga side Sevilla in the summer after stamping his mark in Sweden with 15 goals in 15 games. As the move away from the old guard begins, Ure will be keen to become one of the faces of Scotland’s new era.

Charalampos Kostoulas, Greece

Brighton’s Kostoulas has started the new campaign in scintillating style, bagging three goals and two assists in six games across all competitions; the 19-year-old looks the real deal. His country are staring down the barrel of some mouthwatering fixtures against the Netherlands, Serbia and Germany (twice) – if he can bring his form to the international scene against that kind of opposition, suddenly we’re talking about one of the brightest young talents on the planet.

Morgan Gibbs-White, England

Gibbs-White thought he’d have to prove his point to Tuchel while playing Nottingham Forest instead of England after he was snubbed for the 26-man squad announced last Friday. Some injury misfortune for others, however, means the 26-year-old has got his call-up, which many thought he deserved in the first place. Gibbs-White has started the season positively and there was an argument that he should’ve been ahead of Marcus Rashford in the pecking order, who he’s since replaced. Now comes the job of proving his worth so that Tuchel keeps him in the fold.

Nick Woltemade, Germany

Despite being one of the most expensive German players in history, it isn’t out of the question that when Klopp next selects a squad, Woltemade is nowhere to be seen. That’s because the Newcastle man, flogged on loan to Juventus, just doesn’t seem to fit the mould for heavy-metal football. He doesn’t seem to possess the intensity that Klopp will demand from his players. But thanks to Klopp’s decision to name a 44-man squad to try and figure out what he has at his disposal, Woltemade has a chance to make his mark.

Sandro Tonali, Italy

Italy are in need of some serious inspiration as the new international cycle begins. The gut-wrenching disappointment of a third World Cup missed on the bounce will still hurt. Under returning boss Mancini, Tonali is one of the central dressing room figures – but the midfielder needs to shake off what has been an utterly appalling start to life at Tottenham. His £100m price tag is already beginning to haunt him and Spurs will be desperate he can find his feet under the familiarity of Italian football before returning to north London a rejuvenated man.

The highly-rated teeneager has asked to leave the club and has held talks with Barcelona

Wayne Rooney has said that JJ Gabriel’s potential move away from Manchester United has been known to those close to the situation for “a while”. The highly-rated teenager has expressed his desire to leave the club.

Gabriel and his family have since flown over to Barcelona to hold talks with the Spanish giants over a possible move. He was expected to be part of the first team squad for the Carabao Cup clash against Brighton before the bombshell revelation.

United legend Rooney, who himself made his breakthrough into first team football as a teenager and has a son, Kai, playing in the academy, has now hinted that United were aware of the forward’s desire for some time. He also suggested a move to Spain could be on the cards.

Speaking on Disney+’s Stick to United, Rooney said: “I think that anyone close to it knew that was coming. In fairness to Manchester United, they’ve done everything, they’ve done absolutely everything to keep him, to keep him at the club.

“I think it’s been known that there’s been a desire to go and play probably in Spain, I think, I might be wrong, but this is what you’ve heard over the years. The club have treated him probably differently to the other players because he is such a special talent.

“I know, I recognise, I understand that because I was that player at Everton and I was getting that treatment at Everton which was you’re getting a bit more, your parents get given stuff, you’re getting that special treatment more than the other players are getting. Which as a club you need to do to try and keep your better players.

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“It’s just disappointing, of course, because he is such a top player and he’s a lovely kid. So you never know whether it’s gone too far and whether there is a chance to stay.

“But I think everyone close to it has probably known that that was going to come”

Gabriel is one of the most exciting talents in the United youth teams. Despite being just 15, he has scored 29 goals and provided four assists in 32 appearances for the club’s Under-18s team. He has also scored two and provided two assists in two appearances for the Under-21s.

Speaking about the situation, United boss Michael Carrick is keen to protect the young player. “He’s a young boy, JJ, and I think it’s important that we certainly don’t play anything out here,” he said.

“I think the exposure and the scrutiny and everything, you’ve got to be careful and be sensible and think of him as much as anything. So the situation will work itself out, whatever way it’s going to work itself out. Making sure he’s okay is the important thing.”