France will not abandon the attacking philosophy that carried them through the World Cup group stage despite conceding chances, coach Didier Deschamps has warned ahead of their last-32 clash against Sweden on Tuesday. 

Les Bleus topped their ⁠group with a perfect nine points, scoring 10 goals against Senegal, Iraq and Norway, but their adventurous approach also allowed opponents opportunities. 

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: All the fixtures

“We have to score one more goal, ‌not give up what we’re capable of doing,” Deschamps told a press conference ahead of the match, acknowledging that his team had conceded “a few chances too many”.  

“We have the ability to create danger and hurt the opposition. That’s our strength and I want us to keep that strength,” he added, warning his players to be wary of a Sweden team “with nothing to lose”.  

The France coach highlighted Sweden’s athleticism, ⁠pace on the counter and threat from set pieces. 

“We need to stay humble, maintain our determination and concentration,” he said. “In the group stage winning the first game gave us some margin for error, but now we have no second chances.” 

Left flank a concern 

Deschamps returned to the France team’s base in Boston on Saturday after missing the 4-1 win against Norway to fly home to attend his mother’s funeral.

Les Bleus came into the World Cup as one of the leading contenders to win the trophy, following their triumph in 2018 and defeat on penalties to Argentina in the 2022 final. 

They were impressive in the group stage, at least after a shaky first half in their opening game against Senegal, with Kylian ⁠Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise giving them arguably the most devastating attacking unit in the tournament.  

Yet the left flank has looked less settled. Theo Hernandez has not ‌fully convinced at left back, and Lucas Digne is expected to come into the side against ⁠Sweden, bringing more defensive security and a steadier delivery from wide areas. 

Further forward, Bradley Barcola is expected to replace Désire Doué on the left of France’s attack, with Deschamps looking for more direct running, pace in transition and natural width on the flank opposite the Olise-Mbappé-Dembélé axis. 

The adjustment would not ‌change France’s overall balance but could give them a more coherent left side against a Sweden team likely to defend deep, attack at set pieces and look to expose any space behind France’s defence, which has sometimes been caught off guard. 

The return of ‌William Saliba in central defence will, at least, bring some stability back. 

Outscoring Les Bleus? 

Sweden arrive as awkward opponents rather than spectacular ones. They finished second in Group F behind the Netherlands, opening with a 5-1 win over Tunisia before being torn apart by the Dutch 5-1 and drawing with Japan 1-1. 

However, they have enough physical presence and organisation to make the evening uncomfortable if France lose patience. 

The knockout stage is a different test from the group phase, when France were able to overwhelm opponents despite occasional defensive lapses. But the 2022 final against Argentina aside, France have not lost a knockout game at the World Cup since 2014. 

Inevitably, their rivals face a similar conundrum: however many goals they score, Les Bleus always look capable of scoring one more. 

Mbappé has been France’s central figure again, while Dembélé’s hat-trick against Norway and Olise’s creativity have underlined the depth of attacking options available to Deschamps. 

Barcola, Doué, Rayan Cherki, Jean-Philippe Mateta or Marcus Thuram give France the kind of bench power no team can match. 

Read moreWorld Cup 2026: Dembélé scores sensational hat-trick as France beat Norway to top group

Can Sweden cause an upset? 

“I don’t buy it. Sweden have Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Anthony Elanga. They are not a bad side, ⁠but they are nowhere near France’s firepower,” former England great Gary Lineker told French sports daily L’Equipe. 

“Of course, with four genuine forwards, Les Bleus ⁠could be vulnerable on the counter, as we saw against Norway’s second string on Friday, but they will score more goals than the other teams.” 

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

There have been discussions about a potential salary cap in college football to limit how much money could go into assembling a roster.

What would a good number be?

On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, I discuss a sobering reality for national title contenders this year.

Which ones are capable of falling well short of their goals?

The G6 Playoff berth for the 2026 season will have a host of contenders, led (some believe) by Boise State.

There’s a Mountain West team outside of UNLV that should be monitored.

00:00 Challenges of Implementing Salary Caps
05:48 College football financial disparities
08:39 Future of College Sports Reforms
12:46 National championship contenders discussion
15:18 Ohio State football predictions
17:40 Predicting College Football Team Outcomes
22:00 Jason Eck’s coaching impact
23:39 New Mexico as playoff contender
28:18 Jason Eck’s coaching impact
30:50 Potential for New Mexico Lobos

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

Morocco refused to let their World Cup story end quietly. The Netherlands, once again, found a way to make penalties feel like punishment.

At Monterrey Stadium on Tuesday morning (India time), Morocco beat the Netherlands 3-2 in a chaotic penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in their Round of 32 match, sending the Dutch to their earliest World Cup exit and moving into the Round of 16.

Ismael Saibari scored the decisive kick after Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved Crysencio Summerville’s attempt with his left hand. Saibari sent his shot low into the left corner as Bart Verbruggen went the other way, then tore off his shirt and screamed as his teammates mobbed him.

Morocco will now face Canada in the Round of 16 in Houston on Saturday.

For the Netherlands, the defeat extended a familiar agony. They had reached at least the Round of 16 in each of their previous 11 World Cup appearances, including a quarterfinal run in Qatar four years ago. This time, in the first edition of the expanded tournament in which 32 teams entered the knockout stage, they were gone at the first hurdle.

Diop saves Morocco at the death

The match had seemed to be slipping away from Morocco when Cody Gakpo put the Netherlands ahead in the 72nd minute.

The goal came after Crysencio Summerville was left on the ground in the penalty area, but still managed to assist the Liverpool forward. Gakpo finished the move, and the Dutch bench flooded onto the pitch to embrace him.

It was more than a football moment. Gakpo and his partner, Noa van der Bij, recently announced the loss of their unborn child. After scoring, Gakpo sank to his knees and sobbed, pointed to the heavens and was surrounded by teammates. His parents in the stands were overcome as well.

For a few minutes, it looked as though the night would belong to him and the Netherlands.

Morocco, however, kept pushing. In the 91st minute, Chemsdine Talbi sent a looping cross into the box from the left, and Issa Diop rose to head home cleanly. Verbruggen had no chance. Diop’s first goal for his country sent the Moroccan end into a roar, with drinks raining down from the stands.

Extra time followed, but neither side created a clear opening across the additional 30 minutes. The match then moved to penalties, where the drama became almost surreal.

The shootout that lost all rhythm

It was the second shootout of the tournament on the same day, after Paraguay beat Germany on penalties earlier on Monday. But Morocco-Netherlands produced a different kind of chaos.

Five of the 10 penalties were missed or saved. One looked saved before spinning over the line. Only one was cleanly stopped, but it proved decisive.

Teun Koopmeiners gave the Netherlands the lead with the first kick, firing into the bottom corner. Neil El Aynaoui then rattled the crossbar for Morocco. Justin Kluivert had a chance to put the Dutch in control, but struck the base of the post.

Wout Weghorst scored for the Netherlands and Talbi responded for Morocco to make it 2-2. Quentin Timber then fired wide before Achraf Hakimi struck the same part of the post Kluivert had hit.

After eight penalties, only four had been scored.

Summerville then went down the middle, but Bounou stepped right and punched the ball away almost casually with his left hand. Saibari did the rest.

  Bounou adds another chapter

Bounou came into the shootout with a reputation. He had saved two Spanish penalties in the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup and later stopped two more against Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations to help Morocco reach the final.

Against the Netherlands, he had no chance with the first Dutch penalty and watched others miss without needing his intervention. But when Morocco needed him most, he delivered.

His save from Summerville gave Saibari the chance to end the contest. The midfielder took it with conviction.

Dutch penalty pain deepens

For the Netherlands, this was the latest chapter in a long and painful history with penalties.

They have now lost four of their five World Cup penalty shootouts. Across major tournaments, they have won only two of the 10 shootouts they have contested. Only Spain have lost as many World Cup shootouts as the Dutch.

Their only World Cup shootout win came in the 2014 quarterfinal against Costa Rica. Since then, the format has repeatedly hurt them, including defeats to Argentina in 2014 and 2022 and now Morocco in 2026.

Verbruggen’s save, and then the cruel twist

Before the shootout, Verbruggen had produced one of the saves of the tournament.

Rahimi cut inside with a sharp drop of the shoulder, and the goal appeared to open up. Verbruggen narrowed the angle, tempted the striker towards the near post and somehow diverted a powerful close-range strike away with a combination of knee, hand and instinct.

The 23-year-old had already built a reputation as one of the better ball-playing goalkeepers in Europe, and his performance in open play underlined that promise.

But in the shootout, the margins were cruel. He almost stopped Rahimi’s penalty, only for the ball to roll over the line off his leg. Moments later, he could not stop Saibari’s winner.

A match too good for the Round of 32

This was not a tie that felt like an early knockout match.

Morocco entered the game ranked sixth in the world, the Netherlands seventh, making it the highest combined ranking of any Round of 32 match. On the pitch, the contest carried that weight.

The Netherlands had Premier League-proven players and tactical flexibility. Morocco had the energy, aggression and refusal to disappear that marked their 2022 semifinal run.

The game moved on a knife-edge. Morocco’s equaliser shook the stadium. The Dutch nearly dragged themselves through. Extra time offered tension without clarity. Then came a shootout that seemed determined to reject order.

For a newly expanded World Cup, this was an advert for the Round of 32: high stakes, elite teams, deep drama and a result that could not be assumed.

Koeman’s caution pays off, then falls short

Ronald Koeman changed shape for the first time in the tournament, selecting Van Hecke, Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake and Micky van de Ven together, with Denzel Dumfries on the right. It gave the Netherlands a back five and was partly designed to deal with Achraf Hakimi’s pace and direct runs.

The caution had logic. Van de Ven made one important recovery tackle on Hakimi in the second half, and the Dutch were not often opened up with ease.

But the shape also limited the Netherlands in possession. Dumfries hesitated to push forward in build-up, and Van de Ven was mostly kept wide. The Dutch needed a change, and Koeman made it in the 70th minute by sending on Weghorst for Ake.

The change worked almost immediately. Weghorst flicked on a clearance into Summerville’s path, and Summerville set up Gakpo for the opener.

Yet the Netherlands could not protect the lead. Morocco forced the equaliser, survived extra time, and then broke Dutch hearts on penalties.

Why Mexico backed Morocco

The atmosphere also carried history of its own.

The Netherlands usually travel with loud, colourful support, but in Monterrey, Morocco seemed to have the stronger backing, helped by local Mexican fans.

Chants of “no era penal” — it wasn’t a penalty — were heard early, a reference to the controversial spot kick awarded to the Netherlands against Mexico in the 2014 World Cup Round of 16, when Arjen Robben went down under a challenge from Rafa Marquez. That decision helped eliminate Mexico, and many local fans clearly had not forgotten.

Against that backdrop, Morocco’s late equaliser and shootout win turned the stadium into a North African celebration with Mexican assistance.

Morocco march on, Dutch go home early

Morocco now move to Houston to face Canada in the Round of 16. Their 2022 run to the semifinals was not a one-off memory; this team have again shown they can live in the pressure of knockout football.

They have Bounou’s calm, Saibari’s nerve, Hakimi’s threat, Diop’s timing and the collective belief to turn a match around when it appears lost.

The Netherlands leave with another penalty scar. Gakpo gave them a goal layered with emotion. Verbruggen gave them saves to remember. Koeman gave them a plan that almost worked.

But almost is where Dutch World Cup dreams have too often gone to die.

Morocco were behind in the 90th minute. They were level by the 91st. By the end of the night, they were through.

Before the Minnesota Vikings signed Jauan Jennings in free agency, some media and fans speculated that DeAndre Hopkins could join the club as the WR3 or WR4 in 2026, as Hopkins even endorsed the relationship due to his connection to new Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray. After the Jennings deal, though, Hopkins-to-Minnesota theories died off, and he remains a free agent.

Now, courtesy of CBS Sports, the idea is back.

Hopkins’ Connection to Murray Keeps the Vikings Rumor Breathing

CBS Sports: Vikings a Landing Spot for Hopkins

Brad Crawford wrote last week, “The Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs are three potential fits for Hopkins, all of which have been discussed by the former first-round pick at some point this offseason. Joe Burrow is one quarterback Hopkins said he would enjoy playing with during an interview with Sports Illustrated.”

“In Minnesota, Hopkins would reunite with former Arizona Cardinals teammate Kyler Murray. The pair played three seasons together from 2020-22, hooking up 17 times for touchdowns over that stretch.”

It’s worth noting that Hopkins already played for the Chiefs in 2024. That destination would offer a reunion.

The Quote in March

Questioned by TMZ in March about the Vikings as a landing spot for his 2026 free agency, Hopkins said, “Kyler — that’s my boy, man. Kyler is like family. I talked to Kyler throughout the year last year. I talked to Kyler after, you know, his situation in Arizona. Kyler’s like family, man.”

“I would always, you know, embrace that journey with him. He’s on a one-year deal? Whatever I can do for what someone like that — if Kyler need me he know I’m there, if the Vikings need me they know I’ll be there.”

From that moment, Vikings fans considered Hopkins a WR3 fix — until Jennings signed on the team’s dotted line.

Hopkins’s Production — As of Late and in His Career

Let’s get this out of the way: the Vikings would not be onboarding prime Hopkins or anything close to it. In fact, most would argue that he is wholly washed as a WR1 and WR2. He could, though, fill the WR4 role, especially considering his career rapport with Murray and the notion that he wanted to play for the Vikings as recently as the spring.

Here’s his career resume:

The man was a total stud from 2015 to 2020.

The Big Lead‘s Jobe Morrison also mentioned the Philadelphia Eagles as a landing spot for Hopkins last week: “The Eagles traded away A.J. Brown and drafted Makai Lemon. They also acquired Dontayvion Wicks. Even so, Hopkins could carve out a role in Philadelphia’s offense similar to the one he could fill in Minnesota.”

“Hopkins remains a savvy route runner with excellent hands, even if he no longer possesses the speed that defined his early career. He would likely compete with Lemon, Wicks, and Hollywood Brown for snaps. Could Hopkins help Jalen Hurts lead the Eagles back to the Super Bowl?”

Why Not?

Signing Hopkins as the WR3 might’ve been a bit shaky — he has not produced those numbers since 2024 or 2023 — but WR4 is a different ball of wax. For now, the Vikings have Tai Felton or rookie Dillon Bell in line to fill the WR4 responsibility. Neither man would outduel Hopkins at training camp.

There’s also Hopkins’ redzone acumen to consider. As it stands, Minnesota doesn’t have oodles of go-to playmakers inside the 20. Justin Jefferson’s yardage output has never matched his touchdown accumulation. Jordan Addison is a home run hitter, not a redzone savant. T.J. Hockenson hasn’t played like himself, or at least hasn’t been afforded the targets since 2023. And Jennings is new.

Taking the plunge with Hopkins on an inexpensive contract, per Crawford, checks boxes for the Vikings, even if he’s used sparingly and in the redzone.

Hopkins turned 34 a few weeks ago and came from the same draft as former Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes.

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

Kevin Owens has been away from the ring for several months.

The last time any pro wrestling fan saw him inside the squared circle was weeks before WrestleMania 41 when he announced to the world he needed neck surgery that would keep him out of action for several months.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

WWE Superstars Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens watch the third period of Game Three between the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

Owens has been seen sparingly since then. He’s featured on “WWE LFG” as a coach and recently made an appearance on the pre-show for NXT The Great American Bash.

Fox News Digital asked one of Owens’ best friends, Sami Zayn, about him in a recent interview prior to Night of Champions. Zayn said that Owens being in a spot where he could return to the ring just takes time.

“I don’t want to speak out of school sharing his medical stuff,” Zayn said. “The procedure that he had just takes time. He’s going to do his due diligence – do rehab exercises and all that. But it really is a matter of time when you’re talking about fusions and those kinds of procedures, you just need time to get to where it needs to be.”

Zayn added that any of WWE’s top shows – “Monday Night Raw” or “Friday Night SmackDown” – would see a significant boost in quality from Owens’ presence.

Kevin Owens wrestles Sami Zayn during the WWE Elimination Chamber at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on March 1, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)

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“I’m hoping more than anybody, I would think, that he comes back soon. I think the fans have really been … I get asked about him a lot. So, it’s clear how beloved he is and how missed he is,” he said. “It goes without saying he’s an extremely valuable talent. He’s a one-of-one talent that leaves a gaping hole when you don’t have him on your roster.

“And I just think how better our show would be with him on it whether it’s SmackDown or Raw because of what he brings to the table. So, I think when he comes (back) I think it’s really gonna add just so much depth and dimension and excitement and quality programming to whatever show he lands on. It goes without saying.”

Zayn and Owens have been mainstays in WWE since they each joined WWE.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn celebrate after defeating The Usos for the Undisputed WWE tag team championship during WrestleMania Goes Hollywood at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on April 1, 2023. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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The duo have been tag team champions twice, including beating The Usos for the titles at WrestleMania 39.

Neymar Jr. / Image: Instagram@Neymarjr

Brazil survived a major scare to book their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, defeating Japan 2-1 in a dramatic Round of 32 clash at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday, June 29. Despite the victory, one notable absentee from the action was Neymar Jr. The Brazil superstar remained on the bench throughout the contest, prompting questions about why head coach Carlo Ancelotti chose not to introduce him.Explaining his decision after the match, Ancelotti revealed that he had planned to use Neymar only if the game headed towards extra time.“I talked to Ney (Neymar). If we didn’t draw, he’d come on at 60 minutes. Since we drew, I was preserving him for the 30 minutes of extra time,” Ancelotti told the host broadcaster.With Brazil finding the winner in stoppage time, the extra period was never required, meaning Neymar remained an unused substitute despite being fit enough to feature. Ancelotti later confirmed that the veteran forward had been part of his contingency plan but was ultimately not needed.Brazil will now turn their attention to the Round of 16, where they will face the winners of the Norway vs Ivory Coast clash at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 3.Coming to the match, Gabriel Martinelli scored a dramatic 95th-minute winner as Brazil mounted a thrilling second-half comeback to defeat Japan 2-1, Japan stunned the five-time world champions in the first half when Kaishu Sano intercepted a loose ball deep inside his own half. Sano embarked on a brilliant 40-yard solo sprint before drilling a fierce strike past Alisson to make it 1-0.Ancelotti also praised Japan for pushing Brazil throughout the contest and said his team would need to improve despite advancing to the knockout stage.“Japan made us suffer for ninety-five minutes. They deserved our respect, not exaggerated celebrations. Brazil are through, but we know we must improve. Tonight we celebrate the qualification, but tomorrow we go back to work because the World Cup only gets more difficult from here,” he said.