By María Paula Mijares Torres

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. economists have run the numbers on the World Cup and — much as others have done — concluded that Spain are the most likely to come up winners in the epic football contest.

“Our prediction aligns with the historical pattern that the World Cup almost always comes back to Europe after having been won by a South American team,” Goldman economists led by Jan Hatzius wrote in a note Friday.

Goldman’s statistical model showed Spain with a 26 per cent probability of winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The analysis combined historical match data, team rankings, scoring talent and geographic factors to forecast the tournament’s outcome. The model relies heavily on Elo ratings — a system originally created for chess, which measures team strength based on results and opponent quality.

Spain, the 2010 World Cup winner, currently holds the highest Elo rating, ahead of Argentina and France. Its odds were also supported by “scoring talent,” the Goldman team said.

France has a 19 per cent probability of becoming a three-time champion, Goldman’s model shows. Argentina slots in with a 14 per cent chance of becoming the first back-to-back winner since Brazil in 1962. Brazil is on 8 per cent, with England and the Netherlands at about 5 per cent.

For the semifinals, the model projects an all-Europe matchup of France versus Spain, and a battle between the South American giants, Argentina and Brazil. Goldman sees Spain ultimately defeating Argentina in the final in New York on July 19. 

Goldman’s model incorporates data from nearly 20,000 mandatory international matches played since 1978. Recent momentum and mentality factors were also part of the mix.

Teams with prolific scorers and strong recent performances tend to outperform, while reigning World Cup champions often struggle in the following tournament — hurting Argentina’s odds as defending champion — the Goldman analysis showed.

England was also downgraded despite a strong Elo ranking because of what the report described as historical World Cup underperformance and potential geographical disadvantages, including the possibility of playing Mexico in high-altitude Mexico City. 

Among the projected marquee matchups are a possible US-Iran game in the round of 32 and a quarterfinal between Argentina and Portugal that could feature a final World Cup meeting between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Goldman said its model is “largely blind” to factors including health. Spain’s teenage star Lamine Yamal was injured in the run-up to the games and reportedly will miss the start of the contest.

When the Minnesota Vikings embarked on free agency in March, their very first signing — one of the few — snagged cornerback James Pierre from the Pittsburgh Steelers. And for their troubles, Minnesota evidently acquired one of the league’s most clutch players, says Pro Football Focus.

PFF’s Bradley Locker identified the top 4th Quarter and Overtime performance across the business, and Pierre was included.

Pierre Brings Real CB3 Intrigue to Minnesota

PFF: Pierre Has the Juice with Games on the Line

Among names like Maxx Crosby and Colston Loveland, Locker tucked Pierre’s name into his analysis.

“Across 79 fourth-quarter coverage snaps, Pierre allowed just two receptions for 19 yards. He also recorded six of his nine pass breakups during fourth quarters. His fourth-quarter PFF coverage grade of 91.3 ranked first in the NFL and likely would have been even higher had he managed to keep both feet in bounds on a near interception against his current team, the Minnesota Vikings, in Week 4,” he wrote.

“Among the receivers targeted while covered by Pierre in the fourth quarter were Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr. and Jerry Jeudy. None managed to record a catch against him.”

Locker also called out former Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave for his late-game prowess. Hargrave now works for the Green Bay Packers.

A Small Sample, but Vikings Will Take It

Seventy-nine snaps in the 4th Quarter isn’t much of a sample, but his gloriousness during those opportunities is certainly better than struggling in the 4th Quarter, for example. The Vikings will welcome all comers when it comes to clutch performance.

In fact, since the dawn of the Kevin O’Connell era in 2022, the Vikings have played 44 games decided by eight points or less, the second-most in the NFL behind the Atlanta Falcons. That’s right. Sixty-four percent of all Vikings games in the last four seasons have been decided by one score, going down the wire in one way or another.

If that trend continues, well, Minnesota now has a James Pierre to help close out opposing pass-catchers.

The Numbers As a Whole

Pierre’s appeal begins with what the Vikings truly needed from their CB3. Minnesota wasn’t searching for a flashy player or another cornerback requiring extensive creativity. They needed a seasoned professional capable of handling outside snaps, tackling effectively, communicating clearly, minimizing mistakes, and supporting the secondary, and to hedge the bet in case Byron Murphy Jr. or Isaiah Rodgers miss time due to injury. Pierre meets all those requirements.

He logged nearly 400 defensive snaps last season and earned an impressive overall 86.8 PFF grade. Additionally, he allowed a passer rating of just 41.4, which Vikings fans will surely appreciate after the challenges with Jeff Okudah in 2025.

His background in Pittsburgh is another significant asset. Pierre spent six years under Mike Tomlin, and corners typically don’t last that long in Pittsburgh without good reason. The experience gives Minnesota solid confidence in his ability to adapt to Brian Flores’ defensive scheme.

While his ceiling is clear — he turns 30 in September, so we shouldn’t expect him to become a superstar at this stage in his career — if he can deliver one reliable season, it will justify the signing. Two or three would be a bonus. As a dependable veteran cornerback, he may be exactly what the defense needs.

Free Agent EDGE Joey Bosa Gets the Nod

Because Minnesota traded Jonathan Greenard, along with a 7th-Round draft pick, to the Philadelphia Eagles in April for two 3rd-Rounders, the club may need a free-agent EDGE rusher for depth before the summer ends.

Conveniently, Joey Bosa is available, and — also conveniently — Bosa earned a spot on the clutch PFF list.

“There may not have been a bigger gap between early-game and late-game performance in 2025 than the one displayed by Joey Bosa. After several injury-shortened seasons, it is fair to wonder whether his peak years are behind him, yet he still looked like a game-changing pass rusher once the fourth quarter arrived,” Locker explained about Bosa’s late-game heroics.

“Bosa earned a modest 59.5 PFF grade across the first three quarters of games last season before erupting for a 91.8 PFF grade in fourth quarters and overtime. Of Bosa’s 54 total pressures in 2025, 23 came during fourth quarters or overtime, along with three of his five sacks. His pressure rate jumped dramatically from 11.2% through the first three quarters to 22.6% once the fourth quarter began. Only Aidan Hutchinson generated pressure at a higher rate in those situations.”

In theory, Minnesota could ink Bosa to a one- or two-year deal and employ a duo of dazzling 4th Quarter demons.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Coming on the heels of weighlifting and athletics triumph, two judokas from Akwa Ibom have also qualified for the Commonwealth Games coming up in Glasgow later this year.

The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Sports on Friday, May 29, 2026, received Commonwealth Trials medalists, Enku Ekuta and Immaculata Ufot, following their impressive outing at the 2026 Commonwealth Trials organized by the Nigeria Judo Federation in Abuja.

The athletes were formally presented to the Honourable Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, by the state Judo team led by coaches Kachi David and AdeSuji Adebiyi during a reception held at the Ministry of Sports.

Enku Ekuta competed in the female -63kg category, while Immaculata Ufot featured in the female -57kg category at the trials held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, where the athletes distinguished themselves by qualifying for the Commonwealth Games.

Receiving the athletes and officials in his office, Elder Bassey paid glowing tributes to the judokas for once again placing Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria in positive national reckoning through hard work, discipline and determination.

The Sports helmsman stated that Judo has consistently remained one of the state’s most dependable sports anytime athletes are called upon for national assignments, expressing confidence in the team’s capacity to excel at bigger international competitions.
He commended His Excellency Governor Umo Eno for laying the foundation for success
“ I will never be tired of appreciating our sports friendly Governor for all the successes we are receiving so far.
“The stand alone sports ministry, state sports festival and the availability of equipment for all the sports has started yielding excellent fruits” he said.

He commended the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD, for his unwavering commitment to sports development and for instituting a reward system that continues to motivate athletes across the state to pursue excellence.

According to the Commissioner, the state government’s sustained investment in sports has continued to yield positive results, with Weightlifting, Track and Field, and now Judo recording medal-winning performances in recent national and international outings.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Mrs Rosemary Ubia, confidently described the Akwa Ibom Judo team as a gold-winning team, noting that their performances at the trials further justified the state government’s continuous investment in sports development.

Mrs Ubia welcomed the athletes back from the trials, congratulated them for returning with medals and assured them of the Ministry’s sustained support as they prepare for future national and international engagements.

In her vote of thanks, Judoka Immaculata Ufot expressed profound appreciation to His Excellency the Governor for the encouragement, motivation and support extended to the athletes, noting that the gesture has inspired the team to train harder and remain committed to winning more medals for Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria.

Receiving the team alongside the Commissioner were the Director of Sports, Mrs Brigid Otton, and the Director in charge of the Coaching and Technical Unit, Coach Catherine Ekuta.

INFO/PR Unit,
Ministry of Sports.
29.05.2026.

A new grand slam champion will be crowned at this year’s French Open after Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner were knocked out on consecutive days to blow the tournament apart.

A day after overwhelming pre-tournament favourite Sinner collapsed from two sets up, Djokovic suffered the same fate as the 39-year-old was stunned by the brilliance of Joao Fonseca.

Between them, Sinner, Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev have combined to win every men’s grand slam title since the start of 2021. But all four are now out of contention in Paris.

Alcaraz was unable to defend his title due to a wrist injury, with the Spaniard also set to miss Wimbledon, and an unexpected name is now confirmed to follow him.

Additionally, for the first time in the Open era, the last-16 will start without a former grand slam champion in the draw. Here, we look at the contenders in the men’s French Open.

Alexander Zverev (2nd seed)

Unequivocally, this is the moment Zverev has been waiting for. A mainstay at the top of the sport for nearly a decade, the 29-year-old German has lost all three of his grand slam finals. Now, six years on from serving for the match in the US Open final against Dominic Thiem, surely this is his time to break the duck? With Djokovic, a possible semi-final opponent, now out, Zverev is the most experienced player left in the draw, and will be the favourite in every match he plays. That brings pressure, too.

Rafael Jodar (27)

A teenage winner at the French Open? What a story that would be, the first champion of such an age since Nadal in 2005. And some believe that Jodar, like his compatriot before him, is capable. The 19-year-old made his grand-slam debut at this year’s Australian Open, reaching the second round, and he has already bettered that effort by reaching round three in Paris. More pertinently, however, Jodar entered the French Open on the back of his first pro title, on the same surface on which Roland Garros is played: just last month, he won an ATP 250 trophy on Moroccan clay. He has the form, he has the youthful confidence, and he has zero pressure on his shoulders.

Joao Fonseca (28)

He’s beaten Djokovic, now can Fonseca follow in the footsteps of three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten and bring a grand slam title back to Brazil? The 19-year-old has the firepower to go all the way, as he proved in the closes stages of his unbelievable comeback against Djokovic from two sets down. He has the guts, too, having fought from two sets down in consecutive rounds. “There’s a lot of excitement around him and rightfully so,” Djokovic said. “Hopefully he can be the the next great thing and win slams.”

Casper Ruud (15)

Suddenly, the Norwegian might be dreaming of banishing his repeated Roland Garros heartbreak. He’s going to do it the hard way, though. After feeling “like a zombie” due to the heat in his first-round win, Ruud had to save match point as he fought from two sets down to beat Tommy Paul in the third round. He has the game, though, and the skill on this surface. In 2022 and 2023, Ruud made stellar runs to the final of the French Open, only to encounter Rafael Nadal then Novak Djokovic at the end. He will play Fonseca in the fourth-round.

Felix Auger-Aliassime (4)

On the right side of the draw and positioned perfectly to attack a breakthrough in the grand slams. The Canadian could be on a collision course with French teenage sensation Moise Kouame should both advance to the fourth round. First up, American Brandon Nakashima, but the 25-year-old must surely be eyeing up a career-best performance at Roland Garros after two fourth rounds in 2022 and 2024, while his career-best performance in the grand slams is the semi-final in the US Open in 2021 and 2025.

Jakub Mensik (26)

After collapsing on court with heat exhaustion at the end of his second-round win, the 20-year-old Czech produced a stunning recovery to defeat eighth Alex de Minaur 0-6 6-2 6-2 6-3. Now resurrected, Mensik could be a threat to any player in the draw, having won a breakthrough title by beating Novak Djokovic in the final of the Miami Open last year.

Matteo Berrettini (unseeded)

What a romantic story this would be. The Italian reached a Wimbledon final in 2021 before injury nightmare struck. He missed Roland Garros in four consecutive years but is now back in Paris for the first time since his top-10 peak. With one of the biggest serves in the game, Berrettini, now 30, can be a threat to any player and is the only player in the top half of the draw to have previously reached a grand slam final.

Frances Tiafoe (19)

The popular American, who has retrieved his racket from a fan after victory over Hubert Hurkacz following a social media plea, is the highest seed remaining in the ‘Sinner-quarter’ of the draw, but the worry is whether he will have enough left in the tank. He came through a five-set battle in nearly five hours against Hurkacz in round two but, while his grit and athleticism can take him far, he’ll need to be more clinical in his matches if he wants to go deep into the second week. For the 28-year-old, a first Grand Slam final is now a very realistic possibility.

Moise Kouame (unseeded)

Why not? The 17-year-old wildcard is making a name for himself in Paris after becoming the youngest player to reach the third round of a grand slam since Rafael Nadal in 2003. He will have the backing of the French crowd, who were electric in his brilliant five-set win over Adolfo Daniel Vallejo in the second round. Sure, he’s completely inexperienced, having won just one professional match before this week, but Kouame is a showman, capable of hitting winners from all angles.

Men’s French Open Winner 2026 odds

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings’ RJ Abarrientos during a game vs Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals Game 5. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—RJ Abarrientos has made a living with his offense in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals for Barangay Ginebra.

In Game 5 on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, Abarrientos once again delivered offensively to help power the Gin Kings past Rain or Shine, 111-104.

According to Abarrientos, the reigning Rookie of the Year, simply stuck to the game plan laid out by the coaching staff.

“My coaches told me that I needed to work on everything about my game,” said Abarrientos. “I just needed to double or triple my work to get open and be involved in our offense and defense.”

Abarrientos waxed hot from the field with 31 points that went with eight assists, four rebounds and two steals to help give Ginebra the pivotal 3-2 series lead.

The former Far Eastern University Tamaraws standout bounced back from a forgettable outing on Wednesday, when he scored just eight points in the Gin Kings’ 97-85 loss.

Still, Abarrientos believes there is plenty to improve on heading into Game 6.

“We just have to keep getting aggressive on both offense and defense,” he said. “We have to fix everything we do on offense and our scorers on the bench are also very important. We have to keep going, we have our veterans to do that too.”

Abarrientos and the Gin Kings try to punch their ticket back to the PBA Finals on Sunday in Game 6 at Ynares Center Antipolo.

Mar 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts after his team scores against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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The Minnesota Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard not necessarily because they wanted to, but in some facet, because they needed to. He had an expensive cap hit, and he wanted an extension beyond what they could commit.

Vikings Cap Space Decision Carries Defensive Consequences

The problem is that those realities were present heading into the offseason, and Minnesota waited until the final hour to do a deal. Sometimes you extract more value by allowing time to place constraints, but it was always the Vikings who were up against it when it came to Greenard’s future.

Philadelphia had been rumored as a potential suitor from the outset, and they got a deal done while giving up just a pair of third-round picks. Only one of them was available in 2026, and the 2027 pick isn’t likely to be high given the Eagles’ expectations.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell looked at what other defensive line talents earned in trade compensation, and it’s hard not to be disappointed in what looks like a light return for the Minnesota Vikings.

However, defensive tackles like Quinnen Williams and Dexter Lawrence landed first-round picks in deals, and edge rusher Maxx Crosby (briefly) netted the Raiders two first-rounders.

The Vikings were facing a difficult cap situation this offseason, but the four-year, $98 million deal Greenard signed with the Eagles is structured in a team-friendly manner. Greenard will have cap hits of $6.2 million in 2026 and $11.1 million in 2027. The Eagles will face a potential dead cap hit for Greenard well down the line, but the Vikings could have opted to give Greenard this same deal while reducing his cap number by nearly $16 million in 2026 and more than $11 million in 2027 in the process.

I understand wanting to open up more snaps for Turner, but for what they landed and what they apparently needed to pay Greenard to make him happy, I’d rather have kept one of my best players around for another year or two.

Bill Barnwell – ESPN

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Dallas Turner looked good as he continued to carve out a greater role last season. He also had Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel to force the opposition to prepare for. Not only is that safety blanket now half gone, but the Vikings don’t exactly have depth behind the youngster, either.

Right now, there is an argument to be made that the Turner deal was both misguided and light. There’s an avenue for it to get really bad if the Eagles get the 2024 version of Greenard (Pro Bowl, 12.0 sacks) and Minnesota is looking for answers on the edge.

Ted Schwerzler is a Minneapolis based blogger that covers the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. Sharing thoughts constantly on Twitter, … More about Ted Schwerzler

Fonseca has long been touted as the next big thing, first garnering attention when he followed in the footsteps of Sinner and Alcaraz to win the 2024 ATP Next Gen finals – the end-of-season showpiece for players under the age of 21 – before bursting into the spotlight with his victory over Rublev in Melbourne barely a month later.

He clinched his maiden ATP title on the clay courts of Buenos Aires in February 2025 before reaching the third round on his French Open debut, where he lost to Britain’s Jack Draper. And wherever he went, a carnival of Brazilian flags followed.

Twelve months after making his bow in Paris as the world number 65, he returned as the 28th seed but, while there have been flashes of promise in that period – reaching the third round at Wimbledon, a second career title at last October’s Swiss Indoors, and a quarter-final at the Monte-Carlo Masters – there was a sense he hadn’t quite lived up to his precocious talent.

No more. At the sixth time of asking, Fonseca is through to the second week of a major.

He’s gone where no teenager has gone before in beating Djokovic at a Grand Slam, and is only the sixth to do so at any ATP Tour-level event.

He is the first player since Philipp Kohlschreiber, in 2009, to knock Djokovic out before the quarter-finals at the French Open and the first to do so at any Slam since the 2024 US Open.

“Joao Fonseca has definitely announced himself now,” Annabel Croft said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “He can proudly say he has lived up to the hype, because everyone was saying he hadn’t done much since the hype.

“When all the Brazilians and South Americans were running to the courts to watch him play a couple of years ago, now we know why.”

“It took time for him to find his feet, and the crowd was going to play such an important part if he could get them going, and it literally ended in fireworks,” added former French Open semi-finalist Jo Konta on TNT Sports.

“It was exactly the situation Joao needed to bring out that level of tennis.

“He just played one of the biggest matches we’ve seen for some time.”

USA President Donald Trump has made a massive move on the stock market as WWE Clash in Italy draws close, according to reports.

Trump has been closely involved with WWE in the past, even having made some on-screen appearances. He has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame in the celebrity wing in 2013. His contributions to the Stamford-based promotion were numerous, including his participation in the “Battle of the Billionaires” at WrestleMania 23.

According to a report from HuffPost, Trump has apparently purchased between $15,001 and $50,000 of stock of TKO Group Holdings. It should be noted that TKO is the parent company of both the Stamford-based company and UFC. The purchase reportedly happened earlier this month on the 25th.

Donald Trump’s association with WWE has been criticized by some notable veterans

Mick Foley made headlines a while back after he openly criticized Donald Trump, and chose to end his ties with the Stamford-based promotion.

Foley announced that he would be leaving the promotion and not renewing his legends contract with the company. Taking to Instagram, he wrote:

“PARTING WAYS WITH WWE. While I have been concerned about WWE’s close relationship with Donald Trump for several months — especially in light of his administration’s ongoing cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrants (and pretty much anyone who ‘looks like an immigrant’) — reading the President’s incredibly cruel comments in the wake of Rob Reiner’s death is the final straw for me,” he wrote.

Furthermore, Jesse Ventura has also been very vocal about his disdain for Trump. In an interview on the SpinSisters podcast, Ventura noted that the USA President seemed intent on fracturing the country.

“Make this part of Canada, because it’s obvious Donald Trump doesn’t want us. It’s obvious that he’s ready to fracture the whole country for his own folly, whatever he’s doing. I think we should petition to get out of the United States. If they don’t want us, I’m sure Canada would be happy to take us,” he added.

The authorities of the pro wrestling company have yet to make any moves regarding these criticisms and their association with Donald Trump.