Germany beat Switzerland and Ghana in their March friendlies and it’s now less than two months until their World Cup squad will be announced. Who will be in the final 26-man selection? The core group of players is clear, but who made the most of the last international break before World Cup preparation begins and who did not?

Winners

• Kai Havertz — With nearly 60 caps, Havertz is a key part of this team. Having been out with injury for a long time, his starting place was no longer secure but a return to fitness and form is timely. His combination play in Switzerland was impressive, and his roar after confidently dispatching a penalty against Ghana was the sign of a player beginning to hit his stride again. If there were any doubts about his role in the starting eleven, Havertz dispelled them swiftly in these two games.
• Florian Wirtz — Another player who is guaranteed a ticket to the United States this summer but who still excelled. His two goals and two assists in Basel speak for themselves. It was an exceptional display and in Stuttgart he helped set the tone, often brave with his choices on the ball. It felt significant that the 22-year-old delivered this display in the absence of Jamal Musiala, the player who he combined so well with at Euro 2024. It’s clear that even on his own, Wirtz can be the man for Germany when they need a spark.
• Lennart Karl — The 18-year-old looked steady off the bench in Basel, but in Stuttgart he exploded into life. Bayern Munich’s newest jewel gave German coach Julian Nagelsmann a lot of good reasons to have him in the squad this summer. The agile playmaker worked hard to win the ball back and ran at the Ghana defense at every opportunity. His desire to take on players is exciting to watch and an all-too rare a sight for Germany these days. He should have capped his performance off with a goal, but he sent the ball wide. Nevertheless, Karl looks destined to be on the plane now.

Nathaniel Brown — Perhaps it is too generous to say a player who only played 60 minutes against a largely defensive Ghana side was a winner during this international break, but such is the concern around the left-back spot for Germany that it might just be enough. The Frankfurt defender looked more than competent when called upon. A spot in the squad looks almost certain for the 22-year-old now, and given David Raum has not exactly made the spot his own, there is a possibility that even more gametime awaits Brown.

Losers

• Angelo Stiller — He might be Stuttgart’s midfield conductor and darts prodigy Luke Littler’s favorite German player, but Stiller did not make the most of an unexpected chance. Called up after injuries to others, Stiller started both games but looked a little uncertain with the ball at times. He was also slow to close down Switzerland for their opener in Basel, a point that did not go unnoticed by Julian Nagelsmann. Pascal Gross’s decent showing in Stuttgart means it looks like this World Cup might come too soon for Stiller.
• Nico Schlotterbeck — Despite starting both games and clearly being one half of the favored central defensive pairing with Jonathan Tah, the Dortmund defender struggled. He was sloppy in Switzerland, twice making mistakes in the build-up play that proved costly. In Stuttgart he was a bit more stable, but still looked a little out of sorts at times. He will travel and will likely start, but this might have given Nagelsmann food for thought over the recent decision to make Antonio Rüdiger a back-up.
• Nick Woltemade  The plan was for the Newcastle striker to gain some confidence this break after enduring a tricky spell in England. Nagelsmann even spoke about how it made more sense to play a striker needing a boost rather than one in form (Deniz Undav). Sadly, the 24-year-old wasn’t able to make the most of it. In Switzerland, he did little with his 20 minutes off the bench other than head his one chance wide. In Stuttgart, he played almost 80 minutes but still couldn’t get on the scoresheet, missing a glorious chance in the first half and then hitting the bar in the second. He will almost certainly be in squad come May, but until then he needs to rediscover his form.

Edited by: Matt Pearson

About three months ago, the Houston Texans walloped the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wildcard Round of the postseason, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers still hasn’t made a decision about returning to Pittsburgh or retiring. According to former Minnesota Vikings wideout and Hall of Famer Cris Carter, that’s selfish and weird.

Rodgers’ drawn-out timeline keeps pulling fresh reactions from former NFL voices.

Carter teed off on Rodgers this week, speaking to the Fully Loaded podcast.

Carter Zeroes In on the Odd Rhythm of Rodgers’ Offseason

Will Rodgers eventually return to the Steelers? If so, when?

Carter on Rodgers

Carter discussed an array of topics on the show, even opining on CTE, a condition deemed “fake” by New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo.

On Rodgers, Carter opined, “You know he wants to play, but he just didn’t want to make up his mind. You need some time away from the game. It’s been a couple months from the Super Bowl. Now’s that time, before the draft, the minicamps. They’re an average team in the league. Aaron Rodgers is like a lot of these quarterbacks when they get to this stage.”

“They’re so … so selfish. They never want to be called that, but they’re so selfish, and they’re so self-centered. Aaron Rodgers wants to play. He’s got one place that he can play. That’s in Pittsburgh, the place he played in last year, that happens to have his ex-coach.”

One might argue that sums up the general public’s sentiment regarding Rodgers’s bizarre waiting game.

This Is How It Always Goes for Rodgers

Since the 2021 offseason, Rodgers has done this annually, teasing his employer about his intentions, whether to stick around, retire, or ask for a ticket out of town. This go-round, Rodgers is holding the Steelers hostage, waiting at least three months before making his decision.

He’s the only quarterback who currently does this. Before Rodgers, Hall of Famer Brett Favre did the same thing, creating a suspense thriller about his offseason outcome, dating back to the early 2000s in Green Bay and proceeding for about a decade — every offseason.

All other quarterbacks throughout NFL history either return or retire, but Rodgers and Favre prefer drama to the max. In fact, last summer, Rodgers declared that 2025 would probably be his last. The season came and went, and after this team stunk up the playoffs, he claimed it was way too early to make an emotional decision.

He must be feeling emotional three months later because nothing has happened on the Rodgers cliffhanger front.

The Current Rumor Mill

Most believe that because Rodgers has not retired, he’ll return for one more run in Pittsburgh, mainly because he would’ve retired by now.

The Athletic’s Mike Silver said about the situation this week: “I think time has kind of made them feel like ‘hey, that was a pretty good thing. We’ve been through a lot.’ And so Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers have been talking about this.”

“I think the Steelers organizationally are reasonably upbeat about the possibility of Aaron coming back and playing another season. They still don’t really have a great option for 2026 if Aaron says no or if he says, ‘You know what, I need a few more months.’ Cautious optimism in the building that Aaron Rodgers will come back.”

Betting markets suggest there’s about an 85% chance that Rodgers will return for Year No. 22.

Steeler writer Tyler Maher added this week, “It’s April, and the NFL Draft is only two weeks away, but the Pittsburgh Steelers still don’t have a starting quarterback for next season. It sounds like they’re expecting it to be Aaron Rodgers, who is still debating whether he wants to return, retire or play elsewhere after spending 2025 with the Steelers.”

“That said, Pittsburgh doesn’t have a good backup plan in place if Rodgers doesn’t return, as Mason Rudolph and Will Howard are the only quarterbacks on the Steelers’ roster at the moment. The Steelers have done a good job improving their roster this offseason, so time will tell.”

Rodgers’ Performance in 2025

In 2025, Rodgers passed for 3,322 yards with the Steelers, despite their conservative, run-heavy offensive scheme. He completed 65.7% of his passes, throwing 24 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions.

However, while his traditional statistics appeared strong, his efficiency metrics suggested a different story. Rodgers ranked around 19th in the league in EPA+CPOE, putting him in a similar tier to players like Jacoby Brissett and rookie Tyler Shough.

The 2025 version of Rodgers was reliable, but he lacked the game-changing talent that defined his MVP seasons of 2020 and 2021.

Normally, one would surmise something to the effect of “Rodgers will likely notify the team of his plan before the draft on April 23rd,” but this is Rodgers, so all bets are off.

He’ll turn 43 in December.

Man Utd defender Harry Maguire signed a new contract this week to extend his stay at Old Trafford by at least another season.

Earlier this week, Harry Maguire shared an image signing his new contract, along with his two daughters, who wore Manchester United shirts with ‘Daddy’ on the back.

The caption alongside the picture read: “My club.” Maguire has spent more time at United than any other club, but you would have got long odds on his association potentially lasting as many as nine years when he was in the doldrums in 2023.

Maguire signed a one-year deal, with the option of another 12 months, meaning he could stay in Manchester until 2028. The defender was born in Sheffield, but it’s across the Pennines where he now calls home.

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Maguire’s time at United looked set to end in the summer of 2023. He suffered a huge loss of form in 2021/22 and made eight league starts in the following campaign under Erik ten Hag, who stripped him of the captaincy.

West Ham were interested in signing him and, in another world, Maguire moved to the London Stadium. He stayed, fought for his place and enjoyed a renaissance instead. Who doesn’t love a comeback story?

Maguire has become a fan favourite and there’s no doubt that the peaks and troughs have helped to endear him to supporters. He was mocked, once being booed by England ‘fans’ on international duty, and he showed extraordinary mental resilience to come through that period.

“Sometimes it did cross my mind at the time just thinking, ‘Why? I don’t know why it has done this. I don’t know where it’s come from’,” he said of dealing with the abuse during a chat with journalists last week.

“My form dipped a little bit, yeah, of course, everyone does that in their career. But I was in a situation where I was just a lad from Sheffield playing for such a huge club. I thought this is what happens – this is the fault of the club not performing well.

“But when you look back it probably did go a little bit too far. At the time, I can remember thinking I just don’t know how this has really happened. I don’t know how it’s changed so quickly.”

Maguire’s mentality is the reason his situation has changed quickly. Not many players would be able to survive at United having reached such a low point, but the England international got his head down and worked hard.

The result is that he remains hugely important at United. The Reds needed to retain Maguire’s experience and quality, so it was a no-brainer to tie him down to a new deal on reduced terms.

There have been ringing endorsements since his contract was announced. “Harry has been here very long. I always say this in a way that is easy to understand. People like fresh meat, when you have the same meat for too long, you want a new one, and football is like that,” Bruno Fernandes told Men in Blazers.

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Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

“You have the same players and people want to change them, but when you change them and it doesn’t work out, you want those players back. People want new names, they want excitement and different people with the shirt, and that’s normal. H has coped very well with that.

“He’s been very important in many moments for us, and he deserves this recognition from the club because he’s very important for the team and the dressing room. Losing someone of his experience and his voice for a season when things will change, you still need some pillars at the club.”

Michael Carrick told Sky Sports: “We’re delighted that Harry’s agreed, and it’s been done, and I think stability and consistency [are] important. He’s been through everything at this club. He knows what it’s all about.

“The way he handles himself, his character and he’s been terrific since I’ve [come] back and credit to him for that, really. I think the experience is important. We got a really good mix within the squad of some really talented and high-end ability-wise, younger players.”

Carrick added: “We have a good number of players in what we kind of class as the peak years. And Harry’s obviously at that stage where he is getting a little bit further down the line in terms of career.

“But it doesn’t diminish the importance of what he can be and the example and the understanding [he has]. And a little bit of just knowing what it feels like to be here and so to have him around for longer is fantastic.”

Jason Wilcox said: “Harry represents the mentality and resilience required to perform for United. He is the ultimate professional who brings invaluable experience and leadership to our young, ambitious squad. Harry is completely determined to help United to achieve regular and sustained success.”

Maguire has the backing of all the important figures at United.

Duke Blue Devils Basketball transfer portal tracker live updates, news on commits, departures from the program originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Duke Blue Devils are coming off an Elite Eight loss to the UConn Huskies and look towards the future. Jon Scheyer’s team entered the NCAA Tournament as the top-seed with the best shot of bringing home a title. Now they’ll reassess the roster for the 2026-27 season and try to make a few moves.

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Duke finished the season 35-3 and the UNC loss being the only one in ACC play. But they’ll likely need to replace the production of AP Player of the Year Cameron Boozer, who is projected as a top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Patrick Ngonbag is also a projected first-rounder this year in the latest mock. Two key pieces to Duke’s overall success.

Here’s where things stand with the Blue Devils in the transfer portal.

According to On3, Duke has very little movement in the first day of the transfer portal.

Duke Blue Devils Basketball transfer portal live updates

Duke transfers

Duke Transfer news:

April 8, 2026

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• Nikolas Khamenia is expected to enter the transfer portal

April 7, 2026

• Darren Harris has entered the transfer portal

Duke transfer portal rumors:

April 10: Kansas center Flory Bidunga is “scheduled to see Duke,” according to On3’s Jaime Shaw. The top big man in the portal would make a perfect addition to Scheyer’s rotation.

April 10: Alabama Transfer Aiden Sherrell will meet with Duke coaches, according to multiple sources and first reported by TheDukeNation. The 6-foot-11, 255 pounds forward averaged 11 points and 6 rebounds with the Tide last season.

April 9: Duke transfer guard Darren Harris will visit Indiana (April 11th) and Virginia (April 14th), according to Sam Kayser.

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April 9: There hasn’t been much movement from Duke in the transfer portal during the initial first days. This seems very calculated by Jon Scheyer and his staff to get the right talent in Durham. With two NBA first-rounders on the roster, replacing them (when they enter the draft) will be the priority. 

More: Why Duke and Jon Scheyer aren’t making early waves in the transfer portal

April 9: Kansas State’s Abdi Bashir Jr. is receiving interest from Duke coaches, according to Sam Kayser.

April 8: Duke was reportedly in a three-team race with Michigan and UNC for Wake Forest’s Juke Harris. However, this was a false report off what On3’s Joe Tipton was reporting. Duke has not been involved with the ACC rival.

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April 7: Kansas center Flory Bidunga is one of the top players in the transfer portal. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year could find himself at home in Durham. According to On3, “Two early schools to watch are Michigan and Duke. Both teams were involved in his high school recruitment”

April 7: Wisconsin guard John Blackwell is one of the top guards to hit the portal. The All-Big Ten selection averaged just over 19 points per game. Duke was mentioned by On3 as a possible landing spot.

The spring basketball transfer portal window opened on April 7 and will remain open until April 21.

More college basketball news:

HoYoverse has revealed the Honkai Star Rail 4.2 livestream codes during the special preview program for the upcoming update. These codes offer various in-game rewards, including Stellar Jades in Star Rail. You can redeem these for a limited-time, as they will expire on a given date, becoming unusable.

This article will cover the Honkai Star Rail 4.2 livestream codes.

All Honkai Star Rail 4.2 livestream codes

Here is a list of the Honkai Star Rail 4.2 codes that were revealed during the special preview program of the upcoming update:

• HERESTHECODE: 100x Stellar Jades, 50,000 Credits
• SHAREANDSAVEIT: 100x Stellar Jades, 5x Traveler’s Guide
• HAPPY3RDANNIV: 100x Stellar Jades, 4x Refined Aether

Honkai Star Rail 4.2 livestream codes expiration time

The codes from the Honkai Star Rail 4.2 livestream will be available for a limited-time, and they will expire on April 11, 2026, at 11:59 PM (UTC+8). Here is a countdown till the expiry time:

How to redeem the Honkai Star Rail 4.2 livestream codes

Here are the various methods that you can use to claim the codes from the special preview program:

Redeem using the official website

• Use a browser to access the official HSR website.
• Log in to your account.
• Pick a server if the webpage doesn’t detect one already.
• Insert the livestream code in the dialogue box.
• Click the Redeem button to exchange the rewards.
• Repeat the steps for the other codes.

Redeem in-game

• Launch the game on any device and log in to your account.
• Hit Pause once the character appears on the screen. Doing so will open the Pause menu.
• Click on the icon with three dots beside your profile name.
• Choose Redemption Code to open a pop-up window.
• Enter the livestream code in the dialogue box.
• Click the Confirm button.
• Repeat the steps for the remaining codes.

Redeem on the HoYoLAB app

• Launch the HoYoLAB application.
• Select HSR from the list of games.
• Head to the HoYoGuides section.

Also read: Honkai Star Rail 2026 anniversary update leaks: Characters, free rewards, pulls, and more

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