Real Madrid is bringing back Jose Mourinho for a second stint some 13 years after he left the club, the Spanish powerhouse said Thursday. The Portuguese coach joins on a three-year contract and will officially take charge on July 13, when the preseason starts, the club said. Mourinho left no one in Spain indifferent to his abrasive, yet undeniably successful, managerial style when he first coached Madrid from 2010 to 2013. During his first run, he led Madrid to a Spanish league title and a Copa del Rey crown. Yet he is more remembered for his confrontational personality that ended up splitting his own squad and alienating all but the most hardcore fans, as well as a large part of the local media.

He will now inherit an underachieving team and rejoin a club in disarray.

Madrid hasn’t won a major title in two years with superstar striker Kylian Mbappe onboard. The club went through two coaches in Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa this season.

The record 15-time European Cup winners have furthermore been embarrassed by series of unseemly events. There was a fight between players, fans jeering the team, and players questioning Arbeloa’s decisions.

Club president Florentino Pérez added to the sense of a club in crisis by giving a press conference to announce he would call early elections, which he then won, while blasting the media for what he considered a campaign to force him to quit.

Pérez’s re-election paved the way for Mourinho’s return.

Mourinho famously proclaimed himself as “a special one” over two decades ago when he was introduced as Chelsea’s coach, having led FC Porto to a surprising Champions League title in 2004.

He lived up that boastful claim, making Chelsea a Premier League champion before he steered Inter Milan to the 2010 Champions League title, beating a seemingly unstoppable Barcelona en route to the final.

That convinced Pérez that Mourinho was the ideal coach to topple a Barcelona led by Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi in La Liga.

The rivalry between Mourinho and Guardiola took the contests between their clubs to new heights.

Following a 2011 defeat to Barcelona, Mourinho outraged Barcelona supporters, and many neutral ones, by saying he “would be ashamed” to win a Champions League like Guardiola did, claiming Barcelona was favored by the referees. Mourinho even got physical, poking an assistant coach of Guardiola in the eye during a scuffle between their teams later that year.

But after winning the 2012 La Liga title, Madrid and Mourinho parted ways in 2013 with three years left on his contract. That followed a shock loss in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid and with media reports of him falling out with some of his players like fan favorite Iker Casillas.

Now 63, Mourinho has lost his status of being a serial champion who only coaches the elite clubs.

His brilliant career has dimmed after a frustrating spell at Manchester United from 2016-2018. Since then, he has coached at Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce, and, last season, Benfica.

His only trophy since leaving United was the 2022 Conference League, Europe’s third-tier competition, won with Roma.

But it seems that Pérez believes Mourinho’s experience and his strong personality are just what Madrid needs to take on a Barcelona side that is once again dominant thanks to its new talisman, Lamine Yamal.

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The people hoping Henry Ruggs III could be paroled on Thursday were adamant he’s improved as a person, is remorseful about the accident that killed a woman in a 2021 car crash, and is ready to re-enter society. It was not good enough for the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners.

The board denied the parole request by Ruggs, and he may not get out until 2027 when a mandatory parole release date is set.

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Former Raiders player Henry Ruggs waits in court for a hearing at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas on May 2, 2023. Attorneys announced a plea agreement on felony DUI charges related to a deadly 2021 crash. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

It has been nearly five years since Ruggs, a 2020 first-round draft pick for the Las Vegas Raiders, drove his sports car at speeds of up to 156 mph and slammed into a vehicle driven by Tina Tintor.

Tintor, 23, and her dog, Max, were killed as their car burst violently into flames.

HENRY RUGGS APOLOGIZES TO VICTIM’S FAMILY DURING TEMPORARY RELEASE FROM PRISON

Prosecutors at the time said that Ruggs was legally drunk. He had a blood alcohol level of 0.16, which is twice the legal limit, in a test taken within the required two hours after the crash.

Ruggs spent the evening of Nov. 2, 2021, at Topgolf, a sports entertainment venue in Las Vegas, according to prosecutors.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III stands next to a Chevrolet Corvette involved in a fatal accident in Las Vegas, Nev., on Nov. 2, 2021. Police said Ruggs was driving the Corvette when it hit another vehicle, killing a woman. He will be charged with DUI resulting in death. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Ruggs pleaded guilty in May 2023 to felony DUI causing death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. He was sentenced in August 2023 to a three-to-10-year prison sentence.

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The prison sentence effectively ended Ruggs’ NFL career, although there have been whispers he’d like to attempt a comeback when he eventually is released. He would be 28 years old if he gets out before the 2027 NFL season.

Ruggs, in the meantime, completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama, participated in prison work and trustee programs, including a stint working at the Nevada governor’s mansion under a state inmate work program, and expressed his remorse about the incident.

Former Las Vegas Raiders player Henry Ruggs III appears in court at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Nov. 22, 2021. He was ordered to wear an ankle monitor to measure his alcohol level after missing a court-ordered test. Ruggs faces DUI charges following a fatal car crash. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye-Pool/Getty Images)

That apparently was not enough for the Board.

The Associated Press reported Ruggs will go before the parole board again three months before his Aug. 24, 2027, mandatory parole release date, according to Kathi Baker, executive director of the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners.

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If we are honest, as football fans, we needed this.

We needed an end to the gouging and the politicking and the shambles, to the power games and the bad faith actions of those who run the show.

What we needed was the show.

Thankfully that show has now begun and with the arrival of football the conversations can change a little.

Are Mexico contenders to win it all? No, not on this performance. And yet we can confidently say they will have the greatest home advantage of any team playing at this World Cup, not just because they have easily the most fervent support of the three co-hosts, but also the altitude and potentially the heat, which could benefit them against visitors to this beautifully chaotic, football-mad country.

And as football finally takes centre-stage, a word for the stage itself.

How magnificent is this glorious Estadio Azteca, blending the scale and steepling heights of the Bernabéu with the culture and traditional feel of the Maracaná. The way that top tier keeps rising into the sky, almost an exponential curve, creates a cauldron in which passion reverberates and the past echoes.

One of football’s true cathedrals, history seeps from its creaking, though recently cleaned, pores: Carlos Alberto’s galloping strike, Pele lifting the World Cup in 1970, the Hand of God, the goal of the century and Diego Maradona hoisting his own Jules Rimet all happened here. What a blessing.

In turn, what a crime to football that that final of this bloated tournament will take place at a soulless tin box in New Jersey rather than one of sport’s greatest and most historic arenas.

What a neat summation of the cultural barbarism Fifa has inflicted upon the tournament in the name of commercial gain.

The game, though. As discussed, Mexico didn’t send a message today but they did do what was necessary. It has become apparent in recent international breaks that Javier Aguirre would seek more control in games, hence his selection of Erik Lira in a holding role that had shades of an old-fashioned libero. Julian Quiñones may not be a household name around the world but he is Mexico’s best player, and he comes into the tournament positively brimming with confidence after finishing as top scorer in the Saudi Pro League. Given the talent there, that’s not an achievement to simply ignore.

It was he who had the first chance, which would have settled the nerves of a buzzing home crowd, only to go one better and successfully calm them in the ninth minute with the tournament’s opening goal. This wasn’t an iconic goal out of the Siphiwe Tshabalala drawer when these teams met in this same opening fixture in 2010. A heavy touch from Sphephelo Sithole gifted Mexico the goal from which they were always going to struggle to recover from, and when the South Africa midfielder got himself sent off minutes after the break, this game felt as good as over.

A second from an emotional Raul Jimenez secured the win, and Mexico were able to throw into the fray a few of the young talents who may, one would hope, end up making this team of relative control and calm a bit more energetic and exciting.

Gilberto Mora is chief among those. The youngest player at the tournament, and the only 17-year-old, he will be playing for one of Europe’s biggest clubs within the next year and is very much a player to watch. Armando Gonzalez replaced the veteran Jimenez up front as some would argue he should have done from the start. The Chivas youngster is another player destined for bigger things and likely Europe this summer.

Pining for these younger, more electric talents is not to say that Mexico played badly, far from it. But with the desire for control came what, at times, felt like circulation of the ball that was far too slow. César Montes’ late red card gives them an opportunity to try someone else at centre-back, perhaps the ball-playing Luis Romo, while there are also more attacking options available at right-back.

In the end though, Mexico did what was necessary. With the absurd format of this tournament they are already 94% likely to reach the knockout stages and the priority now must be winning the group in order to avoid a tough draw in the round of 32. Even winning the group and finding their way through a knockout game would likely set up a round-of-16 tie with England.

What a night that would be at this historic arena. And as the lights go out on the first match of this World Cup and we are ushered towards the exits, you can’t help but feel that just as football deserves better than Fifa, this stadium, the Colossus of Santa Ursula, deserves better than for its final World Cup match this time around to be in the round of 16.

It’s up to Aguirre to ensure the same is true for the Mexican team.

Tyson Fury is gearing up for an August outing, ahead of his eventual showdown with Anthony Joshua, touted for November.

Now, one opponent who has been linked to a clash with ‘The Gypsy King’ has promised to ‘ruin Fury’s plans’, if given the opportunity.

Fury ended a 16-month spell of inactivity by outpointing Arslanbek Makhmudov back in April, before making a beeline for Joshua in a post-fight interview and demanding a long-awaited fight with his perennial rival.

Since then, it appears as though terms have been agreed, but the event still hinges on both men being successful in their respective ‘tune-up’ bouts, with ‘AJ’ scheduled to fight Albania’s Kristian Prenga on Saturday, July 25.

For Fury, an opponent is yet to be announced ahead of a reported August bout, but former unified heavyweight champion and Joshua conquerer, Andy Ruiz Jr, has been mentioned as one potential dance partner.

Speaking to iFL TV, ‘The Destroyer’ vowed that he would ruin Fury’s plans and take his position in a fight with Joshua, if selected as his August opponent.

“I hope so [that I get the Tyson Fury fight], but if they are smart, they wouldn’t take it. What I have been telling everybody is, ‘if I get that fight with Tyson Fury, you best believe; tell Eddie [Hearn], tell Turki [Al-Alshikh], tell everybody that I am going to mess up the plans’, because I am gonna win that damn fight.

“Best believe that I am going to be the one ending up fighting Anthony Joshua, we are going to have that trilogy.”

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Ruiz then went on to reveal his hitlist, where he added Deontay Wilder’s name into the mix, keen for a big fight next, despite being winless since September 2022.

“I would love to fight Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua or [Deontay] Wilder. All of those big fights that we are supposed to make, I want to make ‘em now. Now, I am ready, I am hungry, I want a piece of that pie.”

News on Fury’s opponent is expected imminently, with another Albanian heavyweight believed to be in the running. 

When the Minnesota Vikings completed their “competitive rebuild” process in 2024, a Super Bowl window, in theory, should’ve opened. Well, according to Bleacher Report, that window has already closed — and if so, wasn’t really ajar in the first place.

BR’s Brad Gagnon analyzed each NFL team’s current Super Bowl window, and for the Vikings, he essentially said the franchise is cooked.

Why Bleacher Report Thinks Minnesota’s Window Has Closed

BR: Vikings Super Bowl Window Is Closed

That’s a wrap for Minnesota’s Super Bowl aspirations, as Gagnon explained, “Minnesota Vikings: Closed. The talent is there at the skill positions, along the offensive line and on defense, but we need to see something from either Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy first.”

For context, Gagnon noted on the Green Bay Packers, “Green Bay Packers: 2-6 years. The 27-year-old Jordan Love is in his prime and under contract for the next few years, and the Packers are already a perennial playoff team.”

“They’re far from a crossroads, but things get tricky if they can’t deliver the next two years and Love is slated to count $74.2 million against the cap in 2028.”

And for Detroit: “Detroit Lions: 1-4 years. Jared Goff turns 32 this year, and the Lions have had no playoff success the last two seasons. Another failure could mark the end of the run, while a successful rebound could keep the window open into Goff’s mid-30s.”

The Roster — and Defense — Disagrees

A Super Bowl window remains open because of a trustworthy, borderline-elite defense, and the Vikings found theirs when Brian Flores arrived in 2023. While Kevin O’Connell’s first season delivered wins, drama, and last-minute heroics, Ed Donatell’s defense made every game a coin flip.

Flores then transformed the defense into the roster’s most reliable asset, a crucial development, especially for Kyler Murray, who signed on Minnesota’s dotted line if free agency three months ago.

Murray’s tenure in Arizona often saw him compensating for subpar situations. Defenses were rarely more than adequate, and his supporting cast inconsistently matched his talent. Now, imagine him in Minnesota: Flores’ defense, O’Connell’s play-calling, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and a solid offensive line. Suddenly, an 8.5-win projection seems conservative.

Last year, the Vikings won nine games with a comparable roster and less consistent quarterback play. While losing Jonathan Greenard to Philadelphia stings, Murray offers a significant boost in offensive efficiency. His career EPA+CPOE metrics rival those of Baker Mayfield, Trevor Lawrence, Daniel Jones, and C.J. Stroud.

If the prospect of Mayfield or Lawrence in Minnesota excites fans, Murray should at least spark serious consideration. The Super Bowl window remains open if Murray returns to form and the defense maintains its high standard. The playmakers are in place, the coaching is solid, and the roster is competitive.

It’s just up to the quarterback to deliver.

All Up to Murray — and Maybe McCarthy

Of course, if Murray simply doesn’t click in O’Connell’s system, all bets are off. Murray has been in the NFL for seven seasons and has worked with two different offenses. He should be able to “figure it out” with experience in his toolkit.

If he falters, the Vikings won’t hesitate to pass the baton to McCarthy, who’s hungry to resume his development and maturation after a rollercoaster 2025 campaign. In fact, Minnesota is hosting a quarterback battle this summer between Murray and McCarthy. May the best man win.

If both men falter — yes, Minnesota will be back to square one, probably eyeing the 2027 NFL Draft for a new quarterback of the future. The class is trending toward being remarkably deep for that project, if so.

A New GM if BR Is Right

Incidentally, Minnesota hired a new general manager last week, so if Gagnon is correct about a closed Super Bowl window, the Vikings already have a jump on the next step. They won’t have to sack the front office and scratch their heads. Nolan Teasley has already joined the franchiase and will lead the club into the future.

While it’s unclear what quarterback strategy Teasley would pursue, it’s a reasonable bet to assume he’d explore all options, including the aforementioned 2027 rookie class.

But that’s only if Murray and McCarthy utterly stink.

Vegas expects Minnesota to win eight or nine games in 2026 — the same forecast was made before the 2024 campaign when Minnesota ripped off 14 wins under the stewardship of Sam Darnold. They’re also slated to finish in last place in the NFC North, according to sportsbooks.

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The grandson of boxing legend and American civil rights icon Muhammad Ali sent a message to UFC founder Dana White, as White leads a controversial revival of a law named after Ali.

The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act of 2026, a revision of a law that passed in 2000, has drawn attention as White and TKO Group push deeper into boxing through Zuffa Boxing. The bill would allow new “Unified Boxing Organizations,” or UBOs, to sign fighters, promote fights, create rankings and award titles under one system. The Congressional Budget Office says the bill would allow UBOs to contract with boxers, promote matches and run rankings and titles.

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Nico Ali Walsh walks off stage after defeating Reyes Sanchez in their four-round bout at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, Calif., on Aug. 20, 2022. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Walsh, as the grandson of the person the bill would be named after, wants to talk to White about it.

“My direct and respectful message to Dana White: We know what my grandfather’s legacy means to this sport, and we both know that as this bill stands, it should not have his name on it. I respect all you’ve done with the UFC,” Walsh said.

“We both live in Vegas, and I’m asking you, let’s have a sit-down, public or private, you choose. Let’s discuss the Ali Act, fighter protections, and what’s truly best for us fighters. Let’s do this for the sport we both love.”

Born to Muhammad’s daughter, Rasheda Ali, Nico has stepped into the ring to carry the Ali family’s boxing legacy. He is also the nephew of undefeated former boxing champion Laila Ali.

The original Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act became law in 2000, and was co-sponsored by John McCain. It was designed to fight unfair and anticompetitive practices in boxing. It also created a firewall between promoters and managers. Under current law, a promoter cannot have a direct or indirect financial interest in a boxer’s management, and a manager cannot have a financial interest in a boxer’s promotion.

Walsh argues the new bill weakens that firewall. He says it could let one organization act like promoter, matchmaker, ranking body and title system at once.

“That’s what the current Muhammad Ali Act protects from happening in boxing,” Walsh said.

The new bill is bipartisan. It has been co-sponsored by Representatives Brian Jack (R-GA) and Sharice Davids (D-KS), and overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives with cross-party backing from both Republicans and Democrats. It was referred to the Senate Commerce Committee on March 25.

DANA WHITE’S BOXING OUTFIT MAKES SPLASH CONOR BENN SIGNING IN LAS VEGAS AMID WRESTLEMANIA WEEK

Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali stands over Sonny Liston and taunts him to get up during their title fight at the Central Maine Youth Center in Lewiston, Maine. Ali knocked Liston out in one minute in the first round. (Getty Images)

Another critic of the bill is promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who argues that this new framework undermines the core of the original 2000 Ali Act, and could result in near-monopolies on the sport.

Still, even Walsh believes there are some details in the original law that could be updated now that 26 years has passed.

“There could be plenty of things updated. The bill, the, the original Ali Act was made in the early 2000s. Of course, it’s been 20-plus years, so things can be refreshed, revamped. One of the biggest things is the health benefits. So the Revival Act is pushing some health benefits. That is amazing for, for us fighters That’s great, but the health benefits at the front end doesn’t negate the, the rights that are being stripped from the fighters on the back end.”

Supporters of the Revival Act say the bill would modernize boxing. The bill includes new safety and business rules for UBOs, and its stated purpose is to “further enhance the well-being of professional boxers.”

As the bill comes under further sports and political debate in coming months, Walsh also wants to send a message to the other fighters about spreading awareness for this issue, and speaking up.

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George Foreman and Muhammad Ali box at Stade du 20 Mai in Kinshasa, Zaire, during the Rumble in the Jungle on Oct. 30, 1974. (Ken Regan/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

His larger concern is that many fighters and fans do not know what the Ali Act does. He said people often hear both sides of the debate but do not know the stakes.

“You need to know your rights as a fighter,” Walsh said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the UFC for a response.

The Atlanta Falcons are acquiring offensive tackle Wanya Morris from the Kansas City Chiefs, according to several reports.

Atlanta will also get a 2027 seventh-round draft pick, while a 2027 sixth-rounder goes to Kansas City in exchange, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

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Morris, 25, appeared in 12 games last season for the Chiefs, starting one. However, he suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first snap of Week 14’s matchup with the Houston Texans and missed Kansas City’s remaining four games.

In three years with Kansas City, Morris played in 43 games with 11 starts during the 2024-25 campaign. He even caught a touchdown pass in a Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals that season. Morris was the Chiefs’ 2023 third-round pick (No. 93 overall) out of Oklahoma.

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However, several others had moved ahead of him on the Kansas City depth chart, including six-year veteran Jaylon Moore, second-year player Esa Pole and Chukwuebuka Godrick, and undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson from national champion Indiana.

Morris is expected to fill a swing tackle role with the Falcons, as he did with the Chiefs. Atlanta has Jake Matthews entrenched at left tackle and signed Morris’ former Kansas City teammate Jawaan Taylor to be the starting right tackle. The Falcons also have Michael Jerrell on the depth chart at right tackle, who they acquired from the Seattle Seahawks last season.

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The right side of the line will be particularly important in the Falcons’ offense with Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. Atlanta also needed offensive line depth with tackle Storm Norton going on the physically unable to perform list on Thursday. Morris is also known as a good run-blocker, which has value in an offense featuring Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. at running back.

Not many can get the better of Cristiano Ronaldo, Julian Quinones did – at the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League. Playing for Al Qadsiah, the 29-year-old Quinones scored 33 goals in 31 matches. It was five more than Ronaldo’s 28 (in 30 matches) for Al Nassr. On Thursday, the Mexican forward proved he hadn’t forgotten his goal-scoring boots, striking the first goal of the FIFA World Cup 2026 against South Africa in the marquee event opener at the Estadio Azteca.

The 29-year-old struck in the ninth minute, his powerful shot going between the legs of the South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams to send the 80,000 spectators wild. It was the earliest first goal at a World Cup since 2006, when Philipp Lahm netted for Germany against Costa Rica after six minutes.

Earlier, news agency AFP reported, thousands of football fans attempted to shove their way into Mexico City’s official World Cup fan zone on Thursday, creating chaotic scenes shortly before kick-off in the opening game.

Access to the fan fest in Zocalo Plaza was hampered by metal barriers erected in recent days to prevent protesting teachers from reaching the area.

“Stop pushing and shoving, there are children here, you’re like animals!” a city official shouted through a megaphone as he tried to control access to the fan venue where the Mexico-South Africa game at the city’s Azteca Stadium will be shown on a giant screen.

Some fans threw water bottles and hurled insults at police, as well as chanting in support of the Mexican team.

“It’s crazy,” said Javier Maciel, a 25-year-old fan wrapped in a poncho with the colours of the Mexican flag. “There could have been better organization.”

The local government announced on social media that the site was “full” and suggested fans go to other plazas.

President Claudia Sheinbaum had been expected to watch the game at the fan zone but cast doubt on her presence following days of protests in the area by teachers demanding pay rises.

With AFP inputs 

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IPL 2026 News | Shami’s Sensation Leads Lucknow to First Win of Season

Patrick Mahomes had his wife Brittany Mahomes and their kids by his side as he made history.

On Wednesday, June 10, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback’s agency, Equity Sports, announced via X that he signed “the largest contract in NFL history… yet again.”

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“The magic continues,” the post read. “Congratulations.”

Calling the deal “historic” and “game-changing,” the post noted that the 30-year-old athlete’s contract is valued at $504.75 million.

“Another milestone deal negotiated by Equity Sports CEO @chriscabott,” the X post concluded.

Patrick, who has been with the Chiefs since 2017, shared a video of the special moment to his Instagram that was originally posted by his football team.

“The Mahomes are here to stay 🏠❤️,” the team’s official account captioned a video, which featured Patrick signing the record-breaking deal as his wife Brittany, 30, and their three kids were there for support.

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The couple shares daughter Sterling Skye, 5, son Patrick “Bronze” Lavon III, 3, and daughter Golden Raye, 16 months. The entire family sported the Chiefs’ signature red.

Patrick also shared photos of the special moment to Instagram, writing in the caption, “CHIEFS KINGDOM!!!! We are here to stay! Love this place and the people that are apart of it and thank yall for being there for me and my family everyday! We ain’t done yet tho! ⏰.”

Fellow player and longtime friend Travis Kelce commented on the post, writing, “LFG!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥.”

Brittany celebrated her husband’s career milestone with an Instagram post of her own, writing, “Red is our color & Kansas City is our home🙏🏼❤️.”

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ESPN broke the news of the deal, reporting that the Chiefs added two years to Patrick’s contract that ties him to the team through 2033.

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Japan’s Wataru Endo addresses fans before a training session Monday, June 8, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn., ahead of the World Cup soccer tournament. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the 2026 FIFA World Cup and announced his retirement from international football after failing to recover from a persistent foot injury, bringing an emotional end to an 11-year international career.The Liverpool midfielder had been engaged in a race against time to prove his fitness for the tournament after suffering a serious foot injury during a Premier League match against Sunderland in February. The setback effectively ended his domestic season, forcing him to spend the final months of the campaign on the sidelines undergoing rehabilitation while hoping to make one final appearance for his country on football’s biggest stage.There was optimism when Endo was included in Japan’s preliminary World Cup plans. He even returned to Liverpool’s matchday squad as an unused substitute during the club’s 1-1 draw with Brentford on the final day of the Premier League season. However, after linking up with the national team in Nashville, Tennessee, it became clear that the 33-year-old had not recovered sufficiently to compete at the level required for a World Cup campaign.The decision means Endo’s international career ends before the tournament begins, despite initially being named in Japan’s 26-man squad.

Endo announces international retirement

Alongside confirming his withdrawal from the World Cup squad, Endo revealed that he is stepping away from international football entirely.The midfielder, who became one of the defining figures of Japan’s modern era and served as captain in recent years, issued an emotional statement reflecting on both his disappointment and his pride in what the team has achieved.“As announced, I will be stepping away from the World Cup squad. Since my injury, I’ve done everything I possibly could up to this point, so I have no regrets whatsoever.“Of course, there’s frustration at not being able to participate in this World Cup, but more than that, I’m proud of how we’ve grown together since the Qatar World Cup – me as captain, leading this team and turning our goal of ‘winning the World Cup’ into something we can say as a matter of course.”Rather than focusing on the personal heartbreak of missing the tournament, Endo used his farewell message to back the next generation of Japanese players and urge supporters to continue believing that Japan can one day become world champions.“The current team is truly a wonderful team. I believe they will overcome any adversity and show us sights we’ve never seen before.“With this campaign, I will be retiring from the national team. So from here on, I’ll be cheering for the Japan national team as one of the fans. The moment when the Japan national team wins the World Cup will surely come someday.“Let’s believe in that and cheer them on together. And let’s unite Japan’s strength as one so that moment comes in this tournament – everyone, let’s take on the North and Central America World Cup together!!”He concluded with a final rallying cry for his teammates:“Everyone, give it everything you’ve got.”

An international career spanning two World Cups

Endo’s retirement brings the curtain down on a national-team career that began in 2015 and ultimately produced 73 appearances and four goals for Japan.He was first selected for a World Cup squad in Russia in 2018, although he did not feature on the pitch during that tournament. His first World Cup appearances came four years later in Qatar, where he established himself as one of the key figures in Hajime Moriyasu’s side during Japan’s memorable run to the Round of 16.By the time the 2026 tournament arrived, Endo had become captain, one of the team’s senior leaders and an important symbol of the squad’s growing ambition on the global stage.

Injury ends final World Cup dream

The timing of the injury makes the outcome particularly painful for Endo. The Liverpool midfielder underwent surgery after sustaining the foot injury against Sunderland in February, and much of the remainder of his season was devoted to recovery work in an effort to return before the World Cup.

Japan poses for a team photo ahead of the friendly soccer international between Japan and Iceland in Tokyo, Sunday, May 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

His final appearance for Japan came in their last pre-tournament friendly, a 1-0 victory over Iceland in Tokyo on May 31. Koki Ogawa scored the only goal of the game with an 87th-minute header, securing a winning send-off before the squad departed for North America.That match has now become the final chapter of Endo’s international career.

Japan appoint new captain and replacement

Japan have already moved to fill the void left by their captain’s departure. Ajax defender Ko Itakura will inherit the captain’s armband for the World Cup campaign, while Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Shuto Machino has been drafted into the squad as Endo’s replacement.Moriyasu’s side now head into the tournament without one of their most experienced leaders as they prepare for a challenging Group F campaign.Japan head into their World Cup campaign with encouraging momentum, beginning their Group stage against the Netherlands in Dallas on June 14, followed by fixtures against Tunisia on June 21 and Sweden on June 26. The build-up has been equally positive, with Japan’s men’s national team closing their preparations with a 1-0 win over Iceland on May 31, 2026. That result capped a strong set of friendlies, including impressive 1-0 victories over England at Wembley on April 1 and Scotland on March 29.While Endo will no longer be on the pitch, he made clear in his farewell message that he intends to follow every step of the journey from afar, this time not as captain, but as a supporter hoping to see Japan achieve the dream he spent years pursuing.