Ten years ago, Argentina’s Lionel Messi was so wounded by his penalty misfire in the Copa America final that he briefly retired from international football.

Back then, Messi was two years older than United States attacker Christian Pulisic right now.

And today, he’s a universally beloved national hero, a 2022 World Cup winner and, at age 39, still the most important player for a 2026 semifinalist.

No one is confusing Pulisic with the greatest footballer who ever roamed the Earth.

But when you zoom out, the unprecedented criticism the 27-year-old AC Milan star is receiving after the USMNT’s embarrassing 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16 resembles the turbulence Messi faced with his national team in his late 20s. And it suggests there is more time for the Hershey, Pa., native to rescue his image than the moment suggests.

Like Messi, Pulisic came of age during a time when his country’s fans were looking for someone to pick up the mantle carried by previous legends.

For Messi, it was Diego Maradona, the man who led Argentina to their second World Cup crown in 1986 and remained relevant through the 1994 cycle. For Pulisic, it’s Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, whose attacking partnership elevated the United States to a consistent knockout stage participant in the early part of this century. Donovan was even a breakout star on the 2002 team that reached the quarterfinals.

And like Messi, Pulisic’s introverted personality has been an awkward fit with the team leadership hoisted upon him, complete with the corporate visibility he has willingly accepted

When you listen to Donovan’s criticism of Pulisic’s camp, claiming they keep him at an unnecessary distance from the rest of the group, there are obvious echoes of the grievances against mid-2010s Messi, who by then had already achieved nearly everything possible in an FC Barcelona jersey, but hadn’t won a single major title for Argentina.

So we’d be foolish to discount a Pulisic second act, though he may face some obstacles that Messi hasn’t.

There’s his durability. Pulisic has now left three of his seven career World Cup starts before 90 minutes due to injury. In his club career, he is typically removed before full-time while Milan try to manage what has been described as a chronic hip issue.

It may also be difficult to find a coach as amenable to building a system around Pulisic’s strengths as Lionel Scaloni has catered to Messi since he took the job in 2018. It’s one thing to build an entire team around one of the world’s all-time greats. It would be something different to do so for someone who might not be his country’s most talented footballer by the time the 2030 World Cup rolls around.

But Pulisic also has advantages, mainly lower public standards. A return to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 would be rightly hailed as a success. Even similar competitive results could be laudable if the final defeats came against better sides than a Belgium squad in decline.

Messi is not only uniquely great, but also uniquely effective in the latest years of a great career. Pulisic’s career resurrection will have to come sooner than at age 34, when Messi first won Copa America.

But there will be chances before then, potentially at the 2028 Copa America and definitely at the 2030 World Cup. And the burden of expectation will almost certainly be lighter than this summer at a home World Cup.

As is the case every offseason and summer, some former Minnesota Vikings players from the 2025 roster are having a rough time finding employment. This go-around is no different, with six players stuck on the free-agent wire.

Hope is fading for the following men to fetch contracts, but perhaps business will pick up at the end of the month when training camp hits.

Training Camp Offers the Last Real Path Back for 2026

Fabian Moreau (CB)

Moreau quietly performed well as the CB3 in 2025. In 11 games, he allowed a 54.2 passer rating and rarely became the weak link opposing quarterbacks hoped to exploit. Since Moreau isn’t a household name, his performance largely went unnoticed. Minnesota should strongly consider re-signing him if the price is right. Moreau would be a smart choice for a fourth or fifth cornerback, possessing enough experience to step up when injuries inevitably occur.

PurplePTSD‘s Brevan Bane wrote last month about a possible Moreau reunion: “The Vikings really feel like they could use another veteran in the room to be the CB4 behind Pierre. Fortunately, that potential veteran played for them just last season. Fabian Moreau has technically had two stints with the Minnesota Vikings. The first came in 2024, when he saw 86 coverage snaps, allowing 7 receptions and 2 TDs on 10 targets for a grand total of 67 yards, per PFF.”

“So, why not Moreau? Minnesota can keep roster spots open for one of these young bucks in the corner room to have a shot at some meaningful minutes. Worst case scenario, bring back Moreau and he already knows his role and how the defense operates.”

Based on his performance last year, Moreau should have a job in the NFL. He’s not washed.

Matt Nelson (OT)

Nelson spent most of his NFL career on the fringe of the league, bouncing between practice squads and emergency depth roles without ever becoming a recognizable name.

That explains his quiet free agency period. His next opportunity will likely arise closer to training camp, if at all. Once a team has a tackle injury or decides their current depth is insufficient, Nelson should receive another call.

Jeff Okudah (CB)

Okudah’s tenure in Minnesota was largely unsuccessful.

Plagued by concussions, his on-field performance was consistently poor, as opposing quarterbacks frequently targeted him with ease. So, the former third overall pick’s draft status has become a more prominent topic of discussion than his recent play. While he may secure a training camp invitation, the “2020 draft bust” label is likely to persist.

His career could be over.

Brett Rypien (QB)

Around this time last year, Rypien was the Vikings’ QB3. What a difference a year makes.

The Vikings’ quarterback room underwent a rapid transformation, leaving Rypien to seek new opportunities. His most likely path forward is securing an inexpensive QB3 role, ideally with a team that values an experienced professional during training camp. Rypien’s extensive knowledge of various offenses still makes him a valuable asset, even if a major role is no longer feasible.

John Wolford (QB)

Wolford emerged as Minnesota’s emergency option last season when the quarterback room faced injury challenges.

He is not expected to return for the 2026 season, and his market value is likely limited to a practice squad role. Alternatively, a team experiencing injuries might consider him as a standby. Wolford’s primary value lies in his familiarity with NFL systems and his readiness to serve as a depth quarterback — probably on a practice squad.

Contextual Note

Harrison Smith is technically a free agent, but he won’t sign with another team. It’s either return to the Vikings or retire, a decision that remains a mystery through six months of the offseason.

Former Vikings quarterback Kyle Sloter recently told our Steven Hoikkala, “I actually talked to Harrison probably daily … we probably didn’t talk too much football and what’s it looking like coming back and this, that, the other. There is fire. I would say that he, just from a body standpoint as well as mentally, he’s in a place where I think he’s probably moved on. Also, I’ll say this. I don’t think, and I’m not promising anything, I’m not speaking for him.”

“This is my guess based on everything: I think that players hate training camp. They hate OTAs. Don’t want to be there for that. Especially veterans, guys that are Hall of Famers, they don’t feel the need to be there. They know the system. They know how to play football at that point in their career. It’s about their body.”

Smith turned 37 in February.

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

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Derek Chisora’s defeat to Deontay Wilder was expected to confirm his retirement, but ‘Del Boy’ is still yet to formally confirm that his career has come to an end. Now, the 42-year-old could be on the verge of a world title shot – an opportunity which would undoubtedly convince him to remain in the sport. 

Chisora had planned to walk away from boxing following his fiftieth bout, against Wilder back in April, but a split-decision defeat to ‘The Bronze Bomber’ appeared to leave him wanting more, with a potential rematch against the American tempting him to continue in the fight game.

However, that is not the only opportunity that could potentially postpone the retirement of the fan-favourite heavyweight, with a potential third challenge for the heavyweight throne, following unsuccessful attempts against Vitali Klitschko and Tyson Fury, possibly around the corner.

Speaking in a post-fight interview, after the maiden defence of his WBA heavyweight world title against Peter Kadiru, Murat Gassiev shared his interest in a possible clash with Chisora.

“If we can’t unify the belts in the near future, why not [fight Chisora]?

“Chisora and I have a good relationship. We’re friends. He’s a big name in boxing, and that fight would generate a lot of excitement.”

Gassiev halted Germany’s Kadiru after six rounds of one-sided action in Russia, but the 32-year-old has also previously called for a clash with highly-rated youngster, Moses Itauma, who fights Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic next month and is considered as the frontrunner to be Gassiev’s next opponent.

Major League Baseball’s Aug. 3 trade deadline is just a few weeks away and the standings remain a jumbled mess. Even so, certain contenders and likely sellers are already making plans for that important date on the MLB calendar. That means trade rumors continue to trickle in, especially now that we’re well into July. Sunday is no exception, and you can find the latest dose of trade talk just below. 

Rays ready to be buyers

Having logged back-to-back losing seasons, the Rays weren’t high on the list of expected contenders coming into 2026. More than halfway through the season, however, they lead the AL East and have the American League’s best record. And now they’re poised to be aggressive buyers at the deadline. Specifically, the Rays leading up to the trade deadline may be eyeing big names like ace Tarik Skubal of the Tigers, second baseman Ketel Marte of the Diamondbacks, and Luis Arraez of the Giants, USA Today reports. In Marte’s case, he’s earned the right to approve all trades as a 10-and-5 player and isn’t likely to greenlight a move out of Arizona, though his name has been the subject of rumors for multiple cycles. 

Mariners shopping Castillo

The disappointing Mariners are still trying to find their footing in the lackluster AL West, and now they may be looking to trade from their rotation depth. Specifically, the M’s are shopping veteran right-handed starter Luis Castillo, USA Today reports. The 33-year-old Castillo has a 4.93 ERA and 4.16 FIP in 15 starts and three relief appearances this season. He’s owed a bit more than $24 million for 2027, and his contract includes a $25 million vesting option for 2028. In other words, Castillo probably isn’t going to net much of a return on the market. 

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Holmes open to extension with Mets

Right-hander Clay Holmes, who has undergone a successful reliever-to-starter transition since signing a free-agent contract with the Mets, could be on the move at the trade deadline, depending on how his rehab from a fractured fibula proceeds. The 33-year-old Holmes, though, hopes to stay in Queens instead and sign a contract extension with the Mets. “Definitely open,” Holmes told reporters, including The Athletic, about the prospect of re-upping with the Mets. “I know things are not the easiest right now and hard, but it’s not like I’m sitting here hoping to run away from it. If I can be part of the solution to make things better here, I would like that.”

Holmes’ contract also includes a $12 million player option for 2027. 

Orioles may look to sell 

The Orioles were hoping for a bounce-back season in 2026, but thus far that hasn’t happened, even if the low bar for contention in the AL remains a temptation for would-be sellers. The O’s, though, may take the longer view leading up to the deadline and undertake a partial sell-off, the Baltimore Banner reports. That means that the Orioles could shop names like outfielder Taylor Ward, lefty starter Trevor Rogers, and relievers Andrew Kittredge, Yennier Cano, and Rico Garcia. 

Linda Noskova placed fingers in both of her ears to drown out the noise from the Centre Court crowd. She draped one of Wimbledon’s strawberry-red towels over her head.

And eventually – after she had wasted five match points and a 5-2 lead and conceded the second set of a drama-filled final – she left the court completely for a bathroom break.

During Noskova’s brief time off the court, two shiny objects caught her attention: the Venus Rosewater Dish that is awarded to the women’s champion and the smaller dish for the runner-up.

“I was like, I’m not going to take the small one. I’m taking the big one. I have been so close. This will probably be the heartbreak of my life,’” Noskova said. “‘I’m going to leave my soul on court in the third set, whatever that be.’” 
The 21-year-old Noskova did just as she promised herself, overcoming her second-set meltdown to beat Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in an all-Czech final for her first Grand Slam trophy on Saturday.

When Noskova finally finished it off with a service winner on her sixth match point – and first of the third set – she covered her face and dropped down to the grass on her back.

Minutes later, Noskova was being awarded the Venus Rosewater Dish by Kate, the Princess of Wales.

“It’s never easy to get the last point,” Noskova said during her victory speech. “Karo, you really made me work for it.” 
Noskova became the third Czech woman in four years to win the grass-court major, after Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024.

Muchova and Noskova played doubles together at the 2024 Paris Olympics and finished fourth.

“I am so glad that I could play my first Grand Slam final with you,” Noskova told Muchova during her speech. “We made history today. All our Czech fans at home are proud of us no matter the result. It was a good day for both of us.” 
Petra Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, was in attendance, as was the greatest Czech-born player of them all, Martina Navratilova – who won a record nine singles titles at the All England Club and was seated next to Princess Kate in the Royal Box; and Jan Kodes, the 1973 champion.

Kipling’s poem 
An excerpt of the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling that was placed above the players’ entrance to Centre Court more than a century ago summarizes the challenges Noskova had to overcome.

“If you can meet with triumph and disaster,” the excerpt says. “And treat those two imposters just the same.” 
It’s not the first time that Noskova has had to overcome adversity at Wimbledon.

Her mother died just before she played the tournament two years ago.

“I definitely would not be standing here without her, so thank you,” Noskova said in a dedication to her mother during her speech when she blew a kiss skyward.

Navratilova wiped away tears listening to Noskova’s tribute.

Moments earlier, Muchova began her runner-up speech by calling Noskova “my ex-friend.

“I’m kidding, obviously,” Muchova quickly added. “You’re so young and this was your first final of a Grand Slam and the way you handled it … was really unbelievable. … You deserve it.” 
It was the 29-year-old Muchova’s second Grand Slam final after getting beat by Iga Swiatek at the French Open in 2023.

Wasted chances 
Blasting aces and winners from all over the court early on, Noskova looked like she was going to run away with it almost like Swiatek’s 6-0, 6-0 rout of Amanda Anisimova in last year’s final, which lasted all of 57 minutes.

Saturday’s match was just 68 minutes old when Noskova earned her first match point – which ended when she landed a backhand into the net.

Two points later, there was another backhand miss from Noskova; then Muchova took advantage of a net-cord shot on Noskova’s third match point in the same game.

Serving for the title in the next game, Noskova double faulted on her fourth match point. And then on the fifth occasion to end it, Muchova produced a big serve and forehand winner.

In all, Noskova lost five straight games.

“It’s hard to watch,” Tracy Austin said on the BBC as she called the match alongside John McEnroe. “We know what that feels like when you start to get tight and you can’t loosen up and then the lead starts to unravel.” 
Noskova said, “Winning it this way, really having to fight for it, having all these ups and downs, it matters a lot. I have to learn a lot from this match.” 
Czech success 
It’s Noskova’s second grass title of the season after beating Jessica Pegula in the Berlin Open final.

But as this match displayed, it hasn’t been all straightforward. Noskova saved a match point in the third set of her third-round match against Sorana Cirstea.

The 12th-ranked Noskova will climb to No. 7 – a new career-high – when the next rankings are released on Monday.

She’s the youngest woman to win Wimbledon since Kvitova was also 21 in 2011.

Jana Novotna, one of Noskova’s first coaches, also won Wimbledon (in 1998).

How to explain all the Czech success? 
“They play on clay in the summer where you have to out-maneuver your opponent and then in the winter they go indoors and it’s first-strike tennis,” Austin said. “The best of both worlds to create an all-court player.” 
In the men’s final on Sunday, top-ranked Jannik Sinner will attempt to defend his title against French Open champion Alexander Zverev.

Manchester City have sold out a fresh allocation of over 4,000 Flexi season tickets as they open a scheme for local residents.

Manchester City knew that the jokes would come when they announced £10 tickets for their most local fans. There are thousands of original wits on the internet waiting to make a joke about empty seats.

Making fun of your rivals is part of what makes football so good, but another thing that makes the sport is people being able to go to games and watch them. That is an increasing worry in a business that was built on working-class fans but is now in the hands of sheikhs, hedge funds, and billionaires – and FIFA, let us not forget.

One of the lingering questions around City expanding their stadium again to take the capacity to over 60,000 was how they were going to fill it. That will get easier once everything else around that part of the ground is up and running, but that will take some time.

And yet City are doing just fine actually. It went under the radar given the World Cup and everything else going on in the world, but the club have recently sold out of the new allocation of more than 4,000 Flexi season tickets that have come up in the new Pep Guardiola stand.

There’s a philosophical debate to be had over how authentic the Flexi tickets are, yet the bottom line is that there will now be over 40,000 Blues in the Etihad every week who have a ticket that means they can attend every home game. The fact that half of that number was ringfenced for junior Blues means that the stadium expansion has allowed more of the next generation of City fans to get their foot in the door.

That doesn’t mean that everything at the club is perfect or that they get everything right on tickets, but when there have been concerns at City and elsewhere about families being priced out and season ticket holders being phased out these are clear steps at the Etihad to shut down the worries and reverse the trend.

This has been done at a time when it would have been very easy for City to follow most of their rivals in putting up prices around the ground and making it more and more difficult for their most local and loyal supporters. No wonder there were so many fans of other clubs responding to the new scheme with residents jealous that (Liverpool excepted) their fanbase isn’t offered that.

The offer of £10 tickets for adults who live in five wards surrounding the Etihad will not please everyone, and there are plenty of Mancunians who have stopped going in recent years because the cost or the effort got too much. The scheme, with between 100 and 500 tickets offered every game, will surely help the atmosphere for those rainy, rearranged midweek games in the middle of the season when many regulars decide to swerve a match.

At the same time though, the number of tickets has been deliberately capped at a maximum 500 after negotiations with fan board City Matters because it was felt by those regular supporters that the fanbase should not be more heavily diluted. Given the stadium will be more than two-thirds full with season-ticket holders, that is a healthy base to build on.

Giving away cheap or free tickets can see big clubs laughed at or looked down on, but in a game that is becoming more and more expensive at the top, any attempts to keep prices down should be appreciated. As a football club, you should want people to be excited to come and support the team rather than resent the price or have the expectation of being entertained.

Going to the football is not like going to the theatre or the concerts, and those in charge of setting prices should remember that. City haven’t always, but in recent years have started to listen more to their fans. When supporters voted with their feet on ticket prices, excluding the next generation, season tickets and the detested ticket transfer policy, the club have responded to try to make things better.

You could, of course, argue that it was the club that created the problems in the first place, but in a time when the general direction in football – and the country – has been to ignore the difficulties of people being increasingly unable to afford what they previously could, City deserve credit for listening and acting. Judging by recent sales, making their tickets more affordable has made them more attractive.

By showing local fans that they care about them as a community rather than simply assets, City are earning goodwill and loyalty that can rival cold hard cash for value to a football club. And with the new scheme for local residents inviting more fans, the Blues can chortle along with the jokes around it all the way to the bank as they enjoy the last laugh.

A friendly social media wager between Norwegian Air and British Airways culminated in the Norwegian carrier temporarily replacing its Instagram profile logo with British Airways’ iconic Speedmarque after England defeated Norway 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals.

The challenge, agreed upon days before the match, required the losing airline to adopt its rival’s logo for a day. Following England’s extra-time victory in Miami, Norwegian honoured the agreement with a congratulatory post, bringing to a close a light-hearted campaign that attracted widespread attention and prompted several international airlines to join the online exchange.

How the World Cup wager began

The challenge started on July 8 when Norwegian Air tagged British Airways on Instagram and asked whether it was prepared to “risk your logo”. It proposed that the losing airline would replace its Instagram profile picture with that of its rival for one day after the England-Norway quarter-final.

British Airways responded in similar fashion, first saying Norwegian should not make bets it could not win before joking that it was “Nor-way” scared. After several exchanges, the British carrier formally accepted the challenge, saying Norwegian should not be surprised if it claimed victory “at cruising altitude”.

To mark the agreement, representatives from both airlines later appeared in a joint video, shaking hands and confirming that the wager was purely a friendly contest linked to the World Cup.

Check the video here:

Bellingham then scored again early in extra time to complete England’s comeback and send the Three Lions into the FIFA World Cup semi-finals. The result meant Norwegian Air had officially lost the wager.

Norwegian Air changes its logo

Honouring its promise, Norwegian Air replaced its Instagram profile picture with British Airways’ Speedmarque logo shortly after the match.

In its post, the airline congratulated England and British Airways, saying “It’s coming home” while wishing them well for the semi-finals. It added that although Norway’s World Cup journey had ended, the friendly wager would remain memorable and expressed hope that England would go on to “bring football home”.

Check the post here:

Malaysia Airlines joked that it would watch the contest with “satay in one hand and a signature drink in the other”, while Austrian Airlines responded that it would “bring the schnitzel”. SWISS also joined the thread, joking that it had no time for popcorn because it had to prepare for Argentina and Lionel Messi.

After Norwegian changed its logo, Malaysia Airlines returned with another humorous comment, saying it respected the airline because “most airlines need six months and 14 approvals to change a logo”.

Other carriers, including Finnair, airBaltic, KLM, Riyadh Air, Qantas, Virgin Australia and Kenya Airways, also participated in the conversation, helping turn a simple World Cup wager into one of the tournament’s most widely shared brand interactions on social media.