Some of the world just can’t seem to stomach that the Minnesota Vikings would have two QB1 options in 2026, evidenced again last week by a trade theory from Fansided that claimed third-year passer J.J. McCarthy should be shipped to the Arizona Cardinals.

Minnesota signed Kyler Murray in March, and he’s on tap to duel McCarthy in August for the Vikings’ top job. According to Wynston Wilcox, the Vikings would be best served to trade McCarthy to Arizona.

Why the Cardinals Trade Theory Falls Short

Fansided: Vikings Should Trade McCarthy to Cardinals

Wilcox claimed Saturday that Minnesota should swap McCarthy for a 5th- and 7th-Round pick with the Cardinals and lean fully into the Murray experiment.

He argued, “The writing is on the wall; Kyler Murray is the new quarterback in town, and the Minnesota Vikings even brought Carson Wentz back too. That should tell J.J. McCarthy everything he needs to know about his job security in Minnesota.”

“The only good thing about McCarthy staying in Minnesota for now is that both Murray and Wentz are injury-prone; outside of that, he’s as good as traded already. I feel like only the New York Jets would be foolish enough to take a crazy gamble on a quarterback like McCarthy, but the Cardinals also make sense for a couple of reasons.”

McCarthy ended 2025 on a high note, ranking as the NFL’s sixth-best passer per EPA+CPOE from Week 14 to Week 18.

Wilcox continued, “For one, if Jacoby Brissett doesn’t get his contract situation resolved, Arizona could use this as an opportunity to find another young passer to try and develop. The Cardinals have a lot of holes to patch on this team, and wasting a high pick on a quarterback is a risk that isn’t necessarily worth it in my opinion. That’s why they ultimately get away with a fifth-round and seventh-round pick here.”

“Because of Murray and Wentz’s injury history, I could see the Vikings waiting to trade McCarthy. That said, if he survives Week 1, his value could skyrocket if a team desperately needs a quarterback good enough to start in the interim.”

McCarthy’s Would-Be Outlook in Arizona

Let’s just be clear here: McCarthy would take over Murray’s old team, along with its weapons and defense. First-time head coach Mike LaFleur is running the show, and on offense, McCarthy would experience these playmakers:

• Jeremiyah Love
• Trey McBride
• Marvin Harrison Jr.
• Michael Wilson
• Kendrick Bourne
• Tyler Allgeier
• James Conner
• Trey Benson

On defense, well, that’s a different story. The Cardinals have ranked as follows on defense per EPA/Ranking over the last five years:

If the Fansided theory came true, McCarthy would enjoy pretty decent offensive weapons, a probably poor or average defense, and an offensive line that ranked 26th leaguewide per PFF last year. Not ideal.

The Murray Former Employer Irony

There’s some obvious irony here — the Vikings just acquired Murray, who quarterbacked the Cardinals for seven seasons. For now, McCarthy and Murray are on tap to battle for Minnesota’s QB1 job at training camp, even if Murray is the heavy favorite to prevail.

Minnesota signed Murray in March for $1.3 million — that cheap because Arizona paid him to get the hell out of town. After a few hours of suspense, Murray quickly signed with the Vikings, his childhood favorite team, and later explained that playing for head coach Kevin O’Connell, a known quarterback whisperer, was a no-brainer.

If Wilcox gets his way, Murray and McCarthy will swap jobs without an official one-for-one swap.

Of course, McCarthy would have to fight Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, and Carson Beck for the QB1 job.

Vikings Should Just Keep McCarthy

The Vikings have finally created options for themselves, a stark contrast to their predicament in 2025. Back then, Minnesota made McCarthy their singular plan: the primary strategy and even the emergency exit early in the 2025 offseason. They bypassed opportunities to retain Sam Darnold after a 14-3 season, bring back Daniel Jones, or even explore Aaron Rodgers.

Instead of gradually integrating McCarthy, they immediately handed him the starting role and accepted the consequences. While McCarthy showed flashes of potential, he didn’t fully blossom, and the Vikings consequently missed the playoffs. By February, the team recognized the need for another solution at quarterback.

That solution arrived in the form of Murray. Murray’s presence doesn’t guarantee flawless quarterback play — no player does. However, his arrival fundamentally alters the team’s dynamic. The Vikings are no longer forced to invest all their hopes in a single young quarterback to succeed instantly.

They possess two legitimate paths forward.

This is precisely why trading McCarthy would be illogical. He remains young and affordable enough to retain while the quarterback situation evolves. Considering that quarterback injuries have derailed two of the last three Vikings seasons, discarding a viable quarterback option at this stage would introduce unnecessary risk. Wilcox’s 5th and 7th-Rounder is plainly not worth it. Those are throwaway draft picks.

Minnesota spent a year experiencing the repercussions of a too-narrow quarterback strategy. Now, they finally have breathing room. Don’t squander it on a strange trade with the Cardinals. McCarthy’s full story isn’t written yet, and the Vikings can control his contract for three more seasons.

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

England suffered a World Cup setback on Tuesday as Thomas Tuchel’s side were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Ghana, leaving them with work still do as they bid to progress to the knockout stage as Group L winners. Nico O’Reilly came closest to scoring with a late header for England that hit the bar, but after the promise of their opening 4-2 win over Croatia, this was a performance that will raise doubts as to their chances of going all the way and winning the tournament. They dominated possession and had 19 shots to their opponents’ two, yet rarely looked like scoring past Ghana’s stand-in goalkeeper Benjamin Asare in a match watched by 63,983 fans at the Gillette Stadium near Boston. Both teams have four points with one game still to play in Group L, with progression to the next round all but assured but their final positions still in the balance.

Dr. Suzanne Huurman is the only female chief doctor at the 2026 World Cup. The 36-year-old from the Netherlands is working for Curacao, the smallest nation to ever qualify for a World Cup and Germany’s opponents in the first round of games.

Other than Dr. Silja Schwarz, who has been a doctor (but not the lead one) for Germany’s men side for the last three years, Huurman is the only female doctor at the entire tournament. In the history of the competition, Huurman is just the third woman ever to be any kind of doctor for a team at the World Cup.

The reasons for this are varied, but most connected to the male dominance of the football industry.

“It’s not because there are not good female doctors, because at medical school 70% to 80% were women in the classroom. When you go to elite sports medicine it’s getting less and less, especially in male sports medicine. It’s a real male dominated culture still,” Huurman told DW.

“You really have to prove yourself. It takes more time before they accept you, before they see. It’s all about proving your quality, showing you’re there to do everything the best you can to support them and their health. But it is difficult because there are a lot of barriers you have to face, a lot of prejudices. They say: ‘No, you cannot work here because you are a female and we don’t want a female in a male squad.’ I’ve heard it a million times. You just have to prove yourself, keep going and don’t give up because someone tells you no.”

Huurman’s journey is clearly proof of that. She started at the Dutch football club Go Ahead Eagles Deventer, has been a head of medical in professional sports since 2015 and worked at Real Madrid for several years.

In her experience, the problems arose at directorial and higher management levels of bigger organizations, where she was often met with the reply: “No, we cannot allow a female in a male staff.”

Huurman focused on the work

Huurman does what she can to let her work and experience speak for itself.

“Being the only female in the whole squad, I try not to focus on it,” Huurman said. “I try to do the best I can as a doctor, deliver the maximum every day, and to have everything prepared. That’s the most important thing for me.”

“Of course it’s unfair, but the whole world is unfair so we can complain about it, but the only thing you can do as a professional is prove your worth and show that you are capable.”

In March of this year, FIFA approved new legislation that women’s teams at tournaments must have at least two female staff members, with one needing to be the head or assistant coach. Nothing similar has been implemented for the men’s side of the game, where the majority of all staff members are male.

“The challenge for female doctors entering a male dominated football world is first to enter, that they accept you — even if your CV is perfect, you are still a woman,” said Huurman. “And then, once you’re there, it takes more time for them to accept you for who you are and your competence. But when you show your knowledge and skills and they see it’s top level, then it’s ok. Before that is the biggest challenge.”

Hopeful for more women in the future

Doctor parity is still a long way away, but there are some encouraging signs from other sports. According to ISAKOS (the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports), the American Olympic team saw a huge jump in the number of female physicians between the 2012 London Games and the 2024 Games in Paris. In 2012, 19% of the physicians were female but 12 years later, that number was at 32%.

“I hope at the next World Cup there are way more female doctors,” said Huurman. “I think the world is changing because in other sports you can see it more, but football is really male dominated. Hopefully in four years it’s way better.”

Thanks to trailblazers like Huurman and Schwarz, the male-dominated environment of football is being challenged. Furthermore, despite all of the challenges and the prejudices many women face in elite sport, an increasing number of women keep breaking through to deliver inspiration to the next generation. American referee Tori Penso is another example of that: She is set to be in charge of Germany’s final group-stage game against Ecuador.

Thomas Klein conducted the interview for this article.

Edited by: Carla Bleiker

England were held to a frustrating goalless draw against Ghana in their second World Cup group-stage match in Boston on Tuesday.

After so much optimism following the entertaining 4-2 win against Croatia, it was a draining afternoon for Thomas Tuchel’s side this time around in a result which leaves Group L, and specifically top spot, in the balance.

Following a drab first-half, Bukayo Saka and Elliot Anderson had decent openings in the second-half before Harry Kane spurned the best opportunity of the match late on. But the Three Lions struggled to create many chances against a dogged, defensive Ghanaian outfit, coached by ex-Man Utd assistant Carlos Queiroz.

The result, which means England have drawn their second match in their last four major tournaments, means both England and Ghana are level on four points ahead of their final matches on Saturday: England face group minnows Panama and Ghana take on Croatia.

Here’s how the England players rated after their 0-0 draw against Ghana:

England

Jordan Pickford – 6

Did not have a single save to make but was perhaps fortunate to escape without sanction after a collision with Ghana substitute Prince Kwabena Adu outside the penalty area. A welcome clean sheet after conceding two goals against Croatia.

Reece James – 6

Teamed up nicely with Noni Madueke on the right early on but was slow and predictable with the ball at his feet. Was it the sort of game where England missed the ingenuity of, say, Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back?

Ezri Konsa – 6

Made a crucial intervention from Antoine Semenyo in the box at the end of the first-half and looked more assured after his shaky World Cup debut against Croatia. Was he lucky not to give away a penalty in the second-half after a questionable lunge? Perhaps.

Marc Guehi – 7

Replacing Manchester City teammate John Stones in the starting XI, Guehi slotted in seamlessly. Should start at the back for the foreseeable, such is his poise and pace. Had a header cleared off the line in stoppage time.

Djed Spence – 7

A surprise starting pick over Nico O’Reilly, Spence was solid on his first World Cup start. While he didn’t actually face a single one-on-one battle with Antoine Semenyo, he did cover well to deny Marvin Senaya after his second-half burst into the box.

Elliot Anderson – 6

Struggled to influence proceedings in the same way as he did against Croatia, but perhaps inevitable given Ghana’s shape. Didn’t do enough with a free header at the back post on 61 minutes.

Declan Rice – 6

Most influential player on the pitch in a drab first-half, with a free-kick and header over the bar, but the midfield linchpin did pick up a needless booking. Set-piece deliveries were a tad predictable.

Noni Madueke – 6

Again, won the battle of the wingers, but wasn’t as impactful as he was against Croatia. Bright on the right-hand side and carved out more opportunities than Gordon on the left, but was wasteful when he had a glimpse of goal. Could lose his spot to Bukayo Saka.

Jude Bellingham – 5

A day of frustration for England’s No 10. Struggled to make an impact going forward, but did make a perfectly timed tackle to deny Semenyo a run on goal. A bit stale, nonetheless.

Anthony Gordon – 4

Quiet last week, the Barcelona winger actually started sharply but faded massively and backed out of an aerial contest with Senaya defensively, which almost cost England a goal. Gordon did have the first shot on target of the game in the 57th minute, but he hasn’t done enough over two matches and he will be lucky not to lose his starting spot for Marcus Rashford against Panama on Saturday.

Harry Kane – 5

Overtook David Beckham (watching on in the stands) in the all-time England appearances list… but that was just about as good as it got for the Three Lions captain on Tuesday. And that glorious late chance, skying high with his left foot with the goal at his mercy, will haunt him. An off day.

Substitutes:

Bukayo Saka – 7. Had a really good sight on goal after coming on, but his header ballooned over. Also worked keeper Benjamin Asare with a shot rifled towards the corner. Is he fit enough to start against Panama?

Nico O’Reilly – 7. So unlucky not to score after rising highest in the box late on, but his header rattled the crossbar.

Morgan Rogers – 6. Looked bright when he came on for Bellingham and may well get his chance from the start against Panama.

Eberechi Eze – 5. Gave the ball away cheaply, which presented a chance for Ghana on the break, and didn’t do much attacking-wise in his 20 minutes on the pitch.

Marcus Rashford – 7. The main question is: why did it take Tuchel until 82 minutes to bring him in? Immediately looked threatening on the left: direct and brave on the ball. Should start against Panama.

Ghana

Benjamin Asare – 8

Marvin Senaya – 7

Jonas Adjetey – 7

Jerome Opoku – 7

Gideon Mensah – 6

Thomas Partey – 6

Inaki Williams – 7

Caleb Yirenkyi – 6

Kwasi Sibo – 6

Antoine Semenyo – 5

Jordan Ayew – 6

Substitues

Abdul Fatawu – 6

Prince Kwabena Adu – 6

Kojo Peprah Oppong – N/A

Abdul Rahman Baba – N/A

The 2026 World Cup continues on Tuesday with four more matches, including superstars such as Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and England’s Harry Kane in action, providing top contests to take advantage of the latest DraftKings promo code, which gives new users $200 in bonus bets instantly after your first $5 wager. Portugal had a shocking 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their opener, and now take on Uzbekistan at 1 p.m. ET. SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green expects a significantly stronger performance from Portugal, backing them to win by multiple goals as part of Tuesday’s World Cup best bets at DraftKings.

Kane’s England squad takes on Ghana at 4 p.m. ET, and SportsLine expert Jon Eimer is backing a strong English offensive performance, backing Over 2.5 goals for England’s team total. England is a -550 money line favorite against Ghana, and Harry Kane is priced at +235 to be the game’s first goal scorer. Also, Green is backing Over 1.5 goals for Croatia’s team total for Croatia vs. Panama at 7 p.m. ET. Croatia is a -225 money line favorite against Panama, while the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Claim the latest DraftKings promo code, where new users get $200 in bonus bets instantly after your first $5 wager: 

Check out our DraftKings promo code review for full details.

After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Last year, Green was profitable in multiple areas on his soccer betting picks, including the Champions League (+211.25) and Bundesliga (+100). He’s also been red-hot in 2026, posting an 18-8 record over his last 26 UCL picks, returning nearly $1,000 in profit. Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.

Tuesday best bets at DraftKings Sportsbook

• Portugal (-1.5) vs. Uzbekistan (-175)
• England Over 2.5 goals team total vs. Ghana (+102)
• Croatia Over 1.5 goals team total vs. Panama (-170)

Combining the three picks into a Tuesday parlay at DraftKings would result in a payout of +404 (risk $100 to win $404, odds subject to change). Claim $200 in bonus bets after your first $5 wager at DraftKings here:

Portugal (-1.5) vs. Uzbekistan (-175)

“Portugal should dominate possession in this game, and they could clinch a comfortable win if they get the ball to Ronaldo quickly in the box,” SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green said. “Díaz tore Uzbekistan apart on the left wing, so Neto could play a similar role for Portugal in this game. The White Wolves will go down swinging, but Portugal’s vastly superior quality on the ball should make the difference. Colombia beat Uzbekistan by a two-goal margin, and Portugal should either match or improve upon that margin of victory.” Back Portugal here and claim $200 in bonus bets with your first $5 bet as a new user:

England Over 2.5 goals team total vs. Ghana (+102)

“England are generally known in the past as a very tactile and controlled team who don’t mind grinding out painful 1-0 victories over their opponents,” SportsLine soccer expert Jon Eimer said. “Their overwhelming quality across the pitch makes them a threat in every area of play. The weird thing about their match against Croatia was that we didn’t see the systematic England we are used to seeing. We saw an England side that put their foot on the gas and threw caution to the wind in their opener. They gave us all a thrilling six-goal opener in their 4-2 victory over Croatia, with Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford all finding goals. The team looked relatively weak defensively, making plenty of errors, but I don’t see this attack slowing down anytime soon.” Back England at DraftKings here and claim $200 in bonus bets instantly after your first $5 wager as a new user:

Croatia Over 1.5 goals team total vs. Panama (-170)

“Croatia’s 4-2 defeat to England was arguably the most entertaining game of the tournament so far,” Green said. “Captain Luka Modrić gave away a stupid penalty in the early stages of the match, as he accidentally wiped out England winger Noni Madueke. (The result) was disappointing for Croatia, but the forwards looked sharp, so they should be able to put a couple of goals past Panama keeper Orlando Mosquera on Tuesday.” Back Croatia at DraftKings here and claim $200 in bonus bets instantly after your first $5 wager as a new user: 

Want more World Cup picks on Tuesday?

You’ve seen some of the SportsLine experts’ Tuesday best bets. Now, get against the spread, total and money-line picks for all games, including the World Cup, MLB, and more, all from the model that’s simulated every game 10,000 times. 

Cristiano Ronaldo added another milestone to his glittering career on Tuesday, becoming the first player in history to score in six different FIFA World Cups after finding the net for Portugal against Uzbekistan in their Group K clash in Houston.

The 41-year-old striker opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he met Pedro Neto’s cross with a first-time finish, giving Portugal an early lead and creating yet another piece of football history.

The goal extended a record that Ronaldo already held. He had previously become the first player to score in five different World Cups after netting against Ghana at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Six World Cups, six scoring tournaments

Ronaldo made his World Cup debut in Germany in 2006 and scored his first tournament goal from the penalty spot against Iran.

He followed that up with goals in South Africa in 2010, Brazil in 2014 and Russia in 2018, before becoming the first player to score in five World Cups during Portugal’s opening match of the 2022 tournament against Ghana.

Ronaldo goals in each World Cup edition:

Ronaldo is already Portugal’s all-time leading scorer, men’s international football’s leading goalscorer and the player with the most international appearances.

While questions surrounded his role ahead of the tournament following Portugal’s draw against DR Congo, the veteran forward delivered the response in the best possible fashion — with a goal and another record.

The strike against Uzbekistan also boosted Portugal’s hopes of reaching the Round of 32 after a frustrating start to their Group K campaign.

Chasing one final World Cup dream

Ronaldo arrived at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the oldest outfield players in the tournament and with his international future uncertain beyond the competition.

Yet his goal in Houston showed his ability to influence matches remains intact.

While younger stars continue to emerge across world football, Ronaldo once again demonstrated why he remains one of the defining figures of the modern era.

More than 20 years after his World Cup debut, the Portugal captain is still making history on football’s biggest stage.

Former India captain Virat Kohli is second on the list of leading run-getters in international cricket. In 559 matches (626 innings) across formats, he has amassed 28,215 runs at an average of 52.73 and a strike rate of 79.62. His stats include 85 hundreds and 146 half-centuries.

Shubman Gill has been considered as the natural successor to Kohli for a few seasons now. The 26-year-old has already taken over the reins of the Test and the ODI side. In 141 matches (173 innings) across formats so far, he has scored 7,029 runs at an average of 46.24 and a strike rate of 81.87, with 21 tons and 29 fifties.

Kohli and Gill have been teammates for India in quite a few games. They have also been opponents in the IPL. In this feature, we look at four instances of the two star cricketers scoring centuries in the same match.

#1 India vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI in Thiruvananthapuram – January 2023

Kohli and Gill struck wonderful hundreds as India beat Sri Lanka by a whopping 317 runs in Thiruvananthapuram in the third ODI of a three-match series in January 2023. Batting first, India put up 390-5 on the board and then cleaned up Sri Lanka for 73 in 22 overs as Mohammed Siraj starred with figures of 4-32. With the massive win, India also clinched the series 3-0.

Gill and Kohli featured in a 131-run stand for the second wicket. Kohli top-scored with a magnificent 166* off 110 balls – a knock which featured 13 fours and eight sixes. Opening the innings, Gill contributed 116 off 97 balls. His knock comprised of 14 fours and two sixes. Before his partnership with Kohli, Gill also added 95 runs for the first wicket with Rohit Sharma, who contributed 42 off 49 balls.

#2 India vs Australia, 4th Test in Ahmedabad – March 2023

Gill and Kohli also scored centuries at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the fourth Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy in March 2023. The high-scoring Test, which saw a total of four hundreds – two from either side – ended in a dull draw.

Australia batted first in the Test and put up 480 in 167.2 overs. India responded with 571 as Kohli scored 186 and Gill 128. Kohli batted for 364 balls and hit 15 fours in his 517-minute stay at the crease. Gill’s knock came off 235 balls and included 12 fours and a six. Gill’s knock ended when he was trapped lbw by Nathan Lyon, while Kohli was caught at deep midwicket off Todd Murphy.

In their second innings, Australia responded with 175-2 declared as the match ended in a stalemate, Travis Head scored 90 off 163 balls and Marnus Labuschagne 63 off 213. Kohli was named Player of the Match for his 186.

#3 RCB vs GT in Bengaluru – IPL 2023

Kohli and Gill scored tons for their respective sides in match number 70 of IPL 2023 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. GT won the toss in this match and elected to field. Batting first, RCB put up 197-5 on the board in their 20 overs. GT, however, chased down the target in 19.1 overs, with six wickets in hand.

Opening the innings, Kohli top-scored for RCB, smashing 101 not out off just 61 balls. His blazing knock featured 13 fours and a six. The star batter, however, did not get much support from his teammates. Faf du Plessis’ 28 was the next best score in the innings, while Michael Bracewell scored 26 and Anuj Rawat 23*.

Gill guided GT home in the chase with a sublime 104* off just 52 balls, outshining Kohli’s effort. The elegant batter’s knock featured five fours and as many as eight sixes. He added 123 runs for the second with Vijay Shankar (53 off 35), who was promoted to No. 3. Gill hit the winning runs with a brilliant six off Wayne Parnell, also completing his century in the process.