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Erling Haaland, Norway face ultimate World Cup test against Harry Kane’s England
Erling Haaland and Norway have ripped through the World Cup scoring for fun and toppling global powers in their path, but facing England in the quarterfinals, how far can this team go? Norway have already made history defeating Brazil and will be securing their best-ever finish at a World Cup, but they’ll be looking for more as they face Thomas Tuchel’s England on Saturday. But, with how Norway play, can it be done?
Of course, having Haaland means that there are limitless possibilities to what Norway can do, but they’ll have the slight issue of trying to stop Harry Kane on their hands. Norway like to cede possession to their opposition, and they’ve allowed the third most shots of any team at the World Cup, which signifies that England will have plenty of chances in the match. Norway play with fire, but having Haaland score eight goals means that they can get away with that.
Facing Brazil, Norway needed a penalty save as their defense allowed 10 shots and an xG of 2.61, their highest against in the World Cup so far. Brazil’s lack of a true striker and the absence of Raphinha allowed Norway to get away with that, but it’s not something that will be able to be replicated against England.
Harry Kane is in the running for the Ballon d’Or for a reason, as he has been lethal as a finisher for Bayern Munich and England, and he’s the most well-rounded number nine in the world. Against Mexico, he took his chance well to score a penalty but also created a chance for Jude Bellingham due to being just as comfortable dropping deep into midfield and creating for others.
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Brazil were missing a player who could be the focal point to create for others in Raphinha, and depending on whether Bukayo Saka starts, England may have four as they can overwhelm Norway in possession. The defense may struggle with Haaland, but one doesn’t have to stop Haaland to win; they just have to outscore him, and the Three Lions can do just that. They’ve played a few high-scoring games against Croatia and Mexico during this World Cup and have dug deep to secure wins despite the questions about mentality that surrounded them.
Now, England will enter as favorites yet again against a team that has been rowing their way through the tournament. Born in Leeds, Haaland also could have represented England, and with Marc Guehi and Rico Lewis in the England defensive corps, there are also players involved who are used to defending against him in the Premier League. On the attacking end, with Kane and Bellingham, the Three Lions will have plenty of chances, and they can come from all over the pitch.
If Norway are going to make noise, the wings will be critical because if they aren’t going to hold possession, they need to hit England over the top. The Brazil game shifted when Alexander Sorloth was taken off for Andreas Schjelderup, and proper wingers were in the lineup, and that’s something that Norway manager Stale Solbakken will need to consider when setting up his lineup for the match. England will allow space for attacks, but if Norway are going to exploit it, they’ll need their natural wingers to shine and not a striker masquerading as one, which has been a struggle so far during the World Cup.
Even so, Norway will go as far as Haaland and Martin Odegaard can take them, and while it’s been an impressive task getting to this point, England have so many ways that they can get out of a game. Tuchel is an obsessive who will have a plan for attacking this game, even with England’s flawed squad coming into the World Cup. Defensively, they aren’t up to their expected strength, but flexibility-wise, this is a side with plenty of ways to make a team pay.
England’s worst enemy is themselves, so a fast start will be critical, but after surviving the Azteca, they’ll feel much better coming into a match in Miami, as their travels during the World Cup have taken them all over the United States and Mexico. Norway will provide a challenge, but as long as England can survive Haaland, they’ll book a trip back to Atlanta to face the winner of Argentina and Switzerland and keep their World Cup dream alive and well.
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McGregor’s early injury ends great UFC 329 card on sour note
Heading into the main event of UFC 329, the card was absolutely awesome and among the best UFC events of 2026.
In the first 13 fights, there were 10 stoppages, including Paddy Pimblett submitting Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event in what was one of the most violent submissions we have ever seen inside the Octagon, as the Scouser choked the Frenchman unconscious with a D’Arce choke.
It was about just as good a lead-in to the main event as the UFC could have ever asked for, as Pimblett is, in many ways, the fighter who the promotion believes can be the face of the UFC going forward.
With the first 13 undercard fights out of the way, then came the main event, the fight that everyone was looking forward to watching: the highly anticipated rematch between UFC superstar Conor McGregor and Max Holloway.
Stepping into the Octagon for the first time in five years since he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, the return of “The Mac” was billed as one of the biggest fights in UFC history, with the promotion breaking the gate record with $26.43 million in tickets sold at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
It was a rematch 13 years in the making, as McGregor previously beat Holloway via unanimous decision in August 2013. It was a fight everyone had been looking forward to for so many years.
Then the fight actually happened.
Right away, McGregor came out and threw a kick at Holloway, falling to the floor. He got up, and then he fell again. Holloway then began pointing to McGregor’s leg and letting referee Mike Beltran know that something was wrong.
McGregor got back up, but soon he stumbled, and it was clear that he was compromised.
Just 1:09 into the fight, it ended, with Holloway winning via injury TKO.
For such a big fight, this was by far the worst possible ending. It was literally the worst-case scenario for the UFC, which now has questions to answer about what happened to McGregor.
Was he hurt coming into the fight? Did the UFC know? These are questions that fans are asking.
You cannot blame the fans for booing after the fight ended in such an anticlimactic fashion. After all, people travelled from all over the world to go to Las Vegas, spending thousands of dollars on tickets and hotel rooms to watch the return of McGregor after five years away.
But the fight literally ended in 69 seconds.
Now we have to wonder what the UFC will do next.
Holloway said he wants to run it back and do a trilogy fight between the two after they split the first two fights 1-1. But McGregor turns 38 this year, and he just blew his knee out. We know he is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, so does it make sense for him to fight again when he doesn’t have to? Not really.
According to UFC president Dana White, the doctors believe that McGregor tore his ACL, but an MRI will confirm it. Without the UFC knowing exactly what’s going on with McGregor and the extent of his injury, we don’t know what his future in the promotion will be. But given his age, it’s not ideal for him to suffer such a potentially devastating injury.
Don’t be surprised at all if this is the last time you ever see McGregor set foot into the Octagon. He doesn’t need this anymore, and after what happened in this fight, it will be hard for the UFC to trust him headlining another card, because the fans are very, very angry about how this fight ended.
The good news for the UFC is that Pimblett had a massive win, and in some ways, he emerged as the star of the event even though Holloway was technically the biggest winner on the card as he beat McGregor in the headliner.
But the way that Pimblett beat Saint Denis was absolutely electric, and it puts him right back at the top of the UFC lightweight division and close to getting a rematch against UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje after the two fought in a five-round war earlier this year at UFC 324.
In addition, flyweight Brandon Royval had another incredible performance as he submitted Lone’er Kavanagh in the Fight of the Night. It was Royval’s sixth Fight of the Night bonus in the UFC, making him arguably the most exciting fighter in the sport right now, pound-for-pound. By taking out a top prospect in Kavanagh, Royval cemented himself as a flyweight great.
Mario Bautista, too, had a standout performance, as he defeated Cory Sandhagen in their rematch to collect the biggest win of his career. As well, Robert Whittaker had a successful debut in the UFC light heavyweight division when he defeated Nikita Krylov via third-round TKO.
And finally, heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson finished Elisha Ellison in his UFC debut. Just 26 years of age, Steveson is a former Olympic Gold Medalist in freestyle wrestling; he was on the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad in the NFL, and he also competed in WWE. Training with UFC legend Jon Jones, Steveson has the potential to be one of the best heavyweights in the sport.
Overall, UFC 329 was an incredible card. There was so much to like about the event. But the way McGregor vs. Holloway 2 ended just makes everything feel like such a waste.
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Senegal dismisses men’s football coach Pape Thiaw after World Cup exit
DAKAR, Senegal — Senegal fired its men’s football coach Pape Thiaw, according to a statement issued by the national federation on Sunday.
The Senegalese Football Federation added that Thiaw’s technical staff was also dismissed.
The decision followed Senegal’s elimination in the round of 16 at the ongoing World Cup.
“After an evaluation of the performance of the national team and its prospects, the Executive Committee believes that a change is necessary in the interest of Senegalese football,” the federation said.
Thiaw, 45, was appointed in 2024 and led the West African nation to a disputed continental title in Morocco earlier this year before the victory was overturned by the Confederation of African Football. Senegal has approached the Court of Arbitration about appealing the decision.
Senegal was eliminated from the World Cup by Belgium despite leading 2-0 until the 83rd minute. The team also came close to elimination in the group stage after losses to France and Norway.
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Padres overcome pitching problems to beat Blue Jays
The San Diego Padres staked starter Walker Buehler to a 2-0 lead heading into the top of the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays. He immediately surrendered four runs and the Padres headed back to their dugout for their turn at the plate in the bottom of the inning, trailing the Blue Jays, 4-2. Both teams traded blows with the game being tied two times at 4-4 and 7-7 before Ty France hit a decisive solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead San Diego to an 8-7 win at Petco Park on Saturday night.
Buehler had his third consecutive disappointing outing. He allowed four runs on three hits with four walks and one strikeout over just two innings. Matt Waldron who just returned to the Padres, was forced into action and was effective over three innings. He did not allow a run and limited the Blue Jays to just two hits. San Diego held a 7-4 lead when Waldron left the game, but Bradgley Rodriguez came on to pitch for Yuki Matsui with two on in the top of the sixth inning and surrendered a three-run home run to Vladamir Guerrero Jr. which tied the game at 7-7.
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France responded in the bottom of the sixth inning when he connected on a solo home run with two outs in the inning that put the Padres ahead by a run. Both teams failed to add to their run totals over the next two innings and Mason Miller came on to close the game and ensure the win for San Diego.
The Padres will look to win the series against the Blue Jays to head into the All-Star break with a .500 record today at 1:10 p.m.
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‘He doesn’t know what it takes’: Jude Bellingham hits back at England coach’s ‘not happy with performance’ criticism after Norway win | Football News
Jude Bellingham appeared surprised after learning that England manager Thomas Tuchel was unhappy with the team’s performance despite their 2-1 extra-time win over Norway in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.England booked their place in the last four in Miami, with Bellingham scoring both goals. While the players celebrated on the pitch, Tuchel made it clear in his post-match interview that he was not satisfied with the overall display.The England manager said: “Not happy with the performance…“We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today.”“The result is fantastic, we’re in the last four it’s amazing, but we’re not happy with the performance. The commitment is there but we made life very difficult for us in the way we played, how we played.”“Sloppy, lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough. We were lucky today.” Tuchel said after the match.Tuchel was then asked if the pressure of the occasion had affected his players.He rejected the suggestion, saying: “It’s not a mentality problem — this is pure mentality.”“How can you ask about mentality now? This is pure mentality, you can bottle it up and sell it. It’s the quality of our games. That’s it. It has nothing to do with mentality.”Later, during his own post-match interview with ITV, Bellingham was informed of Tuchel’s comments. The midfielder appeared frustrated, responding with an eye roll and saying, “whatever.”He then added: “It is difficult out there. It was a tough shift.”Bellingham also praised his teammates for the effort they put in during the match.Asked about Tuchel’s remarks, the Real Madrid midfielder said: “Maybe he doesn’t know what it takes to play in those conditions against Erling Haaland, Nusa, Sorloth, that’s not an easy team to play against.“I think we have tried to create a positive environment we should continue that into the final four.”“I can’t think highly enough of the lads. You’re not going to win every game popping a thousand passes, sometimes you have to win dirty.”
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“Never Stops Believing”: Lionel Messi’s Utimate Social Media Tribute To Argentina Team After FIFA WC Quarter-Final Win
Lionel Messi and Argentina celebrate after their win over Switzerland in FIFA World Cup 2026.© AFP
Argentina’s legendary footballer Lionel Messi hailed his team’s resilience and fighting spirit after the defending champions survived a major scare against Switzerland to book their spot in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final for the second consecutive time. FIFA World Cup leading goal scorer Messi could not make an impact with a goal in the match; however, he stayed till the last whistle and motivated the team as Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez struck in extra time to help Argentina beat a 10-man Switzerland by 3-1.
“I feel very happy about the victory, a very hard-fought win. We knew it was going to be a very intense match. It was important for us to take this step to have a more relaxed week before what’s coming,” Messi said after the match, according to Goal.com.
Argentina netted in their 15th successive World Cup game. The only teams with longer scoring streaks in the competition are Uruguay (16 games from 1930-1962), Hungary (17 games from 1934-1962), Germany (18 games from 1986-1998), Germany (18 games from 1934-1958) and Brazil (18 games from 1930-1958).
Celebrating the win on social media, Messi shared a series of photos from the hard-fought victory and emphasised the mental strength of the squad.
“Once again we had to suffer, but this team never stops believing. We are once again among the four best in the world!!! Let’s go!!!” Messi wrote on Instagram.
Lionel Scaloni’s side will now face fierce rivals England in the second semi-final at Atlanta Stadium on Thursday as they look to book their place in the final for the second consecutive time and give themselves a strong chance to defend their title and script history, becoming the first team to defend their title in FIFA WC history after Brazil in 1962.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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‘Never seen more confused team management’: Former India cricketer blasts Gautam Gambhir’s coaching staff after 0-4 rout | Cricket News
Following India’s forgettable 0-4 T20I series defeat to England, former India batter Mohammed Kaif has launched a scathing attack on the team’s management, questioning the handling of young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and senior wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson.England completely outplayed India in the T20I leg of the white-ball tour, registering a dominant 4-0 series victory after the opening match was washed out. The defeat marked the first time India have lost four consecutive matches in a bilateral T20I series. Following the comprehensive triumph, England also replaced India as the No. 1-ranked T20I side in the latest ICC rankings. Reacting to the series, Kaif criticised the Indian team management, suggesting their decisions had dented the confidence of key players.“Never seen a more confused Indian cricket team management. The handling of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson has been far from professional. One is a generational talent, another a World Cup winner, they need to be given confidence, not doubts in their minds,” Kaif wrote on X.After the opening T20I, Sanju Samson was replaced by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the second T20I. However, in the fifth T20I, Samson returned to the playing XI, replacing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
England dominate T20I series
The five-match series began with the opener at Chester-le-Street being abandoned without a result due to persistent rain.England then took control in the second T20I in Manchester, chasing down India’s 190/7 with four wickets in hand. The match was notable for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who became India’s youngest-ever T20I debutant, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record.The third T20I in Nottingham proved disastrous for India as they were bundled out for just 76, their second-lowest total in T20I history, handing England a crushing 125-run victory.The hosts continued their dominance in Bristol, chasing India’s 158/7 in only 13.5 overs to seal a one-sided nine-wicket win.England capped off the series in emphatic fashion at Southampton, where Jos Buttler’s blistering 131 off 64 balls and Harry Brook’s unbeaten 95 powered them to 257/3, the highest total ever conceded by India in T20I cricket. India responded with 201/8, with Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma scoring half-centuries, but the visitors still fell 56 runs short.The two teams will now shift their focus to the three-match ODI series, which gets underway on July 14.
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Man United transfer news LIVE: Joao Gomes latest, Ederson claims, Andrey Santos updates
Man United have been told why they should try to beat Arsenal to the signing of Bruno Guimaraes. The Newcastle United star’s future has been the subject of intense speculation over the last few weeks, with a move away from St James’ Park becoming increasingly likely.
“Bruno Guimaraes would be the right player for Manchester United to replace Casemiro,” Reds legend Bryan Robson told Hajper. “I’ve always liked him as a captain. He’s got a great attitude. He must be a good lad to have around the place. He’s carried himself really well at Newcastle.
“You’ve got to be careful how many players you send forward but the way Bruno Fernandes gets on the ball, Bruno Guimaraes can do the work that Casemiro has done at United because he’s such an intelligent player. Casemiro got a little bit of stick for not being able to get about the park enough but he was clever too, scored goals with his head and could defend well when he was in the right position, and he was great at passing it forward through to Bruno.
“Bruno Guimaraes can do all that for you too. He’s a midfield player who can do a little bit of both, in attacking and in defence, and he’s got a very good engine. The only question mark is whether he’d be available now this summer. I’d be very surprised if Newcastle sold him in the same summer as Sandro Tonali leaving the club. I’m not sure they’d allow it.”
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Jannik Sinner v Alexander Zverev LIVE: Wimbledon 2026 final start time, prediction, latest score and updates
Wimbledon prize money: How much will the winners receive?
Record prize money is on offer at this year’s Wimbledon, with the eventual winners of the men’s and women’s singles titles each receiving £3.6m.
Prize money was a contentious subject ahead of the 2026 Championships, leading Wimbledon to announce its biggest ever single-year uplift in an attempt to appease unhappy players.
The All England Club revealed a 20 per cent increase, with the total prize pot rising to £64.2m from last year’s £53.5m.
Jamie Braidwood12 July 2026 13:25
‘Incredible’ Tokito Oda defeats Alfie Hewett in Wimbledon final for third grand slam title of 2026
Tokito Oda successfully defended his Wimbledon crown with a dominant 6-1 6-1 win over Britain’s Alfie Hewett in the men’s wheelchair singles final.
The 20-year-old has now drawn level with Hewett with 10 grand slam singles titles and is joint-second on the all-time list, behind 28-time winner Shingo Kunieda.
Between them the pair have won the last 14 majors but the rivalry has become increasingly one-sided, with Oda winning 10 and Hewett four, and the Japanese star beating Hewett in eight of the 10 finals the pair have contested.
Flo Clifford at Wimbledon12 July 2026 13:20
Why is Carlos Alcaraz not playing Wimbledon?
Wimbledon will be a quieter place this year without the talents of two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz.
The 23-year-old Spaniard is not playing this year’s tournament as he continues to recover from a wrist injury.
Jamie Braidwood12 July 2026 13:05
Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid reclaim Wimbledon wheelchair doubles crown
Great Britain’s Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid reclaimed their Wimbledon wheelchair doubles crown on Saturday, defeating Tokito Oda and Gustavo Fernandez in three sets to win their seventh doubles title as a pair at the Championships.
Hewett, 28, and Reid, 34, came from a set down on Court No 1 to avenge last year’s defeat to Martin de la Puente and Ruben Spaargaren. Hewett and Reid returned to Wimbledon as the number one seeds, with Japan’s Oda and Argentina’s Fernandez knocking out De la Puente and Spaargaren in the semi-final.
The 2-6 6-1 6-2 victory in one hour and 47 minutes for the British pair means they have now won 25 grand slam doubles titles together.
Jamie Braidwood12 July 2026 12:45
Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara reclaim Wimbledon men’s doubles crown
World No 1s Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara won the Wimbledon men’s doubles title on Saturday, reclaiming their 2024 crown with a straight-sets win over sixth seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic.
The top-seeded pair were immaculate on serve and raised their game further in two clinical tiebreaks, winning 7-6(4) 7-6(3) in a match which featured no break points.
It was redemption for Britain’s Patten and his Finnish partner after they lost the Queen’s final to the same opposition in straight sets just last month, while it marked an immediate return to the top after they lost a one-sided Roland-Garros final, and made Patten the first British man to win the Wimbledon men’s doubles crown twice.
Jamie Braidwood12 July 2026 12:25
How Linda Noskova forced herself back into Wimbledon final
“I was just telling myself that the match is starting over. I was in the bathroom. I just splashed some cold water on me, started over again. But what really helped me, like the first step I took off court, the trophies were there. I was like, I’m not going to take the small one, I’m taking the big one, I’m taking this one no matter what. If I’m going to leave my soul on court in the third set, whatever that be. I have been so close. This will probably be the heartbreak of my life. I started over.”
Flo Clifford 12 July 2026 12:05
Karolina Muchova: ‘It slipped through my fingers’
“I just wanted to fight for every point. This tournament matters to me. I’m like, okay, I don’t want to lose 2-6, 2-6. I’m like, I’m going to do everything to break her serve and keep my serve. I was still believing that I can turn it around. So that was in my head.
“I think I started really slow today. On the other hand, Linda started really strong, really good serving games. She played really fast. I was kind of looking for myself. It took a lot of power and strength out of me, I would say, to get back in that second set. I gave it my all.
“The people were cheering on me. I felt it. I felt the support. I felt the momentum in the second set, that I turn it around. It was definitely nice that it happened. It took some strength out of me.
“Unfortunately then the start of the third kind of slipped through my fingers.”
Jamie Braidwood12 July 2026 11:45
Linda Noskova’s emotional tribute to mother Ivana
“There’s one more person I’d like to thank which is my mum, I definitely would not be standing here without her, so thank you,” Noskova said before looking towards the sky and blowing a kiss, as she then became overwhelmed with emotion.
“I don’t cry normally, this is not okay for me! I have been enjoying these two weeks so much, all the sad tears, all the happy tears, all the sweat and blood put into this, it was all worth it. I will definitely never forget these two weeks.”
Jamie Braidwood12 July 2026 11:25
Wimbledon champion dedicates title to late mum in emotional winner’s speech
Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova dedicated her victory over Karolina Muchova to her late mother, Ivana, who passed away on the eve of the same tournament two years ago.
Noskova, 21, won her first grand slam title and became the latest Czech player to lift the Venue Rosewater Dish as she overcame compatriot Muchova in a thrilling three-set battle on Centre Court.
She reserved her final thank you for her late mother, who passed away following a long battle with cancer shortly before the start of the 2024 Championships. Noskova, then 19, was seeded 26th at the tournament but lost in the second round.
Jamie Braidwood12 July 2026 11:05
Upcoming Wimbledon order of play – Day 14
- Hanyu Guo (CHN) / Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) [10] v Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN) / Luisa Stefani (BRA) [2]
- Starts at 16:00: Jannik Sinner (ITA) [1] v Alexander Zverev (GER) [2]
- Tokito Oda (JPN) [1] v Alfie Hewett (GBR) [2]
- Not Before 1:00pm: Jordan Lee (USA) v Cruz Hewitt (AUS)
- Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) / Barbora Strycova (CZE) v Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) / Lucie Safarova (CZE)
Jamie Braidwood12 July 2026 11:00
Sports
Report – Inter Set Sights on Highly-Rated Ligue 1 Wingback
Serie A champions Inter remain in the market for Denzel Dumfries‘ long-term heir amid concerns surrounding Anan Khalaili’s arrival. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Nerazzurri have identified Strasbourg starlet Guela Doue as a fallback option.
Despite finding an agreement with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise over Khalaili’s transfer to Giuseppe Meazza, the transfer is at risk of collapsing. The Belgian giants have already sanctioned the 21-year-old’s €25 million sale, yet the player’s physical issues threaten to prevent the deal from crossing the finish line.
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Meanwhile, Inter are eager to find a suitable replacement for Dumfries, who has joined Real Madrid. Marco Palestra had long been Beppe Marotta’s ideal candidate, only for the former Atalanta starlet to turn down the Nerazzurri in favor of a big-money move to Chelsea.
With Palestra out of the picture and Khalaili’s arrival now in jeopardy, Inter have reportedly set their sights on Doue.
Our take on Inter & Doue
Formerly linked with Milan, Doue has enjoyed a notable rise to stardom at Strasbourg, emerging as one of the fastest-growing talents in Ligue 1. Unlike his brother, Desire Doue, who plays for France, the 23-year-old represented Ivory Coast at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, producing a string of impressive displays on the biggest stage.
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However, Inter would likely have to allocate substantial funds to sign Doue, whose market value exceeds Khalaili’s €25m valuation. On the bright side, Strasbourg are reportedly open to selling their prized assets this summer after failing to secure European football.
In addition to Doue, who would be a major upgrade on Luis Henrique, Inter remain interested in Fiorentina stalwart Dodo and Genoa youngster Brooke Norton-Cuffy.
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Stars Zack Wheeler, Tarik Skubal face off in Phillies-Tigers finale
Jul 7, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the second inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images The pitching matchup in Detroit on Sunday sounds like it belongs in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
The Phillies’ Zack Wheeler and the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal were not named All-Stars this season, but they’re easily among the best pitchers on the planet. The pair will start the rubber game of a three-game series.
Wheeler is coming off a dominant performance in Cincinnati when he matched his career high with 14 strikeouts in a 4-1 Phillies victory last Tuesday. The right-hander lasted seven innings, allowing just one run and four hits.
Wheeler has a 9-1 record and 2.28 ERA but got overlooked when the All-Stars were announced on July 4.
“I felt like that was a reminder for whoever needs to be reminded,” he said. “It pisses me off. It’s kind of BS. Maybe if I wasn’t necessarily right in (the All-Star mix), I wouldn’t be saying this. But I feel like I’ve earned it.”
According to The Athletic and NBC Sports Philadelphia, Wheeler was offered a spot that opened on the NL roster on Friday but declined.
Wheeler, who had a blood clot in his pitching shoulder last season, didn’t make his season debut until late April. He quickly reestablished his status as one of the majors’ most feared starters. He’s given up two or fewer earned runs in 11 of his 14 starts.
“I had expectations when I got hurt,” Wheeler said. “I’m going to be the same guy or even better. I’m going to use this time to get a little bit stronger, maybe just tweak a couple things. That’s what I’ve been able to do. And credit to the coaching staff, the training staff and my family for helping me get through that mentally and physically.”
He’s 1-1 with a 3.05 ERA in three career starts against the Tigers. Skubal has won both of his career starts against the Phillies, allowing three runs in a combined 14 innings for a 1.93 ERA.
Skubal (5-4, 3.06), who won the American League Cy Young Award each of the last two seasons, was not chosen for the Midsummer Classic mainly due to the fact he missed six weeks after undergoing an elbow procedure.
He’s won his last two starts, including a five-inning outing against the Athletics last Tuesday. The left-hander gave up five hits and walked two, but the Athletics only pushed across one run. Skubal struck out nine for the third consecutive start while throwing 96 pitches.
“Part of that is, I counted 20 non-competitive pitches,” Skubal said. “That’s a high percentage of my outing. The other part is, that’s a good lineup over there. I sprayed the ball a little, especially my fastball. And some changeups, too. Not my best showing by any means.”
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was much less critical of his ace’s performance.
“He’s always the hardest critic on himself,” Hinch said. “He beats himself up quite a bit. But give him some grace. He goes out and one run is deemed an OK start. Think about that standard every time you take the mound no matter what you do. The bar is really high and he can handle it.”
The teams split the first two games, with Philadelphia snapping Detroit’s six-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory on Saturday night.
With the All-Star break coming up and a six-game road trip to follow, the Tigers won’t play another home game until July 23.
–Field Level Media
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