Lionel Messi and Argentina have been at the receiving end of brutal social media attacks, which have often stemmed from rivals too. The bone of contention has been the apparent ‘advantage’ that Argentina allegedly get from FIFA referees and VAR. It all started with Messi not getting a red card despite appearing to step on the calf of Algeria skipper Aissa Mandifor. Then, in a Round of 16 match against Egypt, Argentina made a miraculous escape after being 2-0 down until the 78th minute. Messi’s Argentina won 3-2. In that match, Egypt had one goal disallowed after a contentious VAR decision. If that goal had been allowed, the score would have been 3-3 at the end of regulation time.

“They are incredibly provocative. Highly provocative. They came out looking to set the whole place on fire, looking to get under your skin. They get right in your face… There was even a red card. He came out with the sole intention of provoking you,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan told Kora Plus.

“There are things that are simply out of our control. The referee completely disrupted the game… It created absolute chaos. Every two minutes there were arguments with the players, yellow cards flying, and refereeing decisions consistently going against us,” the head coach explained.

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan also reacted strongly after the defeat, announcing a personal boycott of the remainder of the FIFA World Cup 2026 while claiming his side had not received “fair play” or “justice” during the tournament.

The Pharaohs appeared on course for one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history after Yasser Ibrahim gave them a 15th-minute lead with a powerful header. Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir then produced another memorable moment by saving Messi’s first-half penalty before Salah played a pivotal role in Mostafa Ziko‘s strike that doubled Egypt’s advantage in the 67th minute.

Argentina, however, staged a dramatic late comeback. Cristian Romero reduced the deficit with a header in the 79th minute before Messi equalised four minutes later with his ninth consecutive World Cup scoring appearance.

Deep into stoppage time, Lautaro Martinez delivered a cross that Enzo Fernandez converted to complete a remarkable 3-2 turnaround.

The encounter was overshadowed by controversy after Egypt had an earlier second-half goal ruled out following a VAR review for a foul in the build-up. The decision, along with several other refereeing calls, fuelled accusations from sections of the Egyptian camp that they had been denied a famous victory.

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Lionel Messi has once again spearheaded Argentina’s World Cup charge, and he is now closing in on a Diego Maradona record.

The 39-year-old is firmly in the hunt for the World Cup Golden Boot alongside Kylian Mbappe, with both players having netted eight goals in six games.

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Next up for Messi is a first-ever meeting against England in the semi-finals of the tournament, and he will once again be looking to add to his goal tally.

The Three Lions should be genuinely worried about the form of the Argentine phenomenon, who has just beaten a long-standing World Cup record.

Lionel Messi closing in on Diego Maradona’s shot involvement record

Data from Opta Joe shows that Lionel Messi is now the player with the second-most shot involvements in a single World Cup campaign.

The Inter Miami star has managed 54 shot involvements this summer, including 33 shots and 21 chances created.

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This is the most any player has managed in a single World Cup campaign since Diego Maradona back in 1986, when he won the tournament.

During the 1986 edition of the World Cup, the Napoli legend managed 29 shots and 30 chances created, which is more than any other player.

But Messi is now well in contention to break that record when he takes the field on Wednesday to face England in the semi-finals.

The former Barcelona man has never faced England previously, but he will be desperate to fire his nation to yet another World Cup final.

Messi is already the new World Cup top scorer, and now the forward is set to break yet another record.

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While, to many, a world number one winning back-to-back titles may seem easy, the fact that only nine men have been able to do so since the start of the Open Era in 1968 proves that it is a much harder task than it appears.

One of the most consistent players in modern-day tennis

After finishing 2023 with four ATP titles, including his maiden Masters 1000 crown in Canada, Sinner elevated his game further in 2024 by winning two Grand Slam titles — the Australian Open and the US Open — three Masters 1000 trophies and the ATP Finals, while also helping Italy defend the Davis Cup. He ended the season as the year-end world number one while completing the entire year without suffering a straight-set defeat — a feat previously achieved only by Roger Federer in 2005.

Sinner successfully defended his Australian Open title in 2025, reached the finals of the Italian Open, French Open, Cincinnati Masters, US Open and Beijing Open, before winning his maiden Wimbledon title, the Vienna Open, Paris Masters and the ATP Finals. By the end of 2025, he had reached five consecutive Grand Slam finals and successfully defended the ATP Finals without dropping a set for the second successive year.

The 2026 season has further strengthened his credentials. Sinner won five consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles — Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome — becoming only the second man after Novak Djokovic to complete the Career Golden Masters and the youngest player to achieve the feat.

He also regained the world number one ranking, completed the Sunshine Double without dropping a set and defended his Wimbledon crown, bringing up his 100th Grand Slam match win in the process.

From his first ATP title in 2020 to multiple Grand Slam crowns, sustained success at Masters events and an extended stay at the summit of men’s tennis, Sinner has established himself as one of the most reliable performers of the modern era. Few players have combined consistency, adaptability and big-match success as seamlessly over such a short period.

How Sinner was able to defend his title

While Sinner did not drop a set after his first-round match, he was often pushed to the limit, with five of his sets decided through tie-breakers. However, the defending champion produced a commanding performance in the semifinals and beat Djokovic in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, to put himself one win away from a successful title defence while ending Djokovic’s dream of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.

In the final, he was up against Alexander Zverev, who put the Italian under pressure by winning the first set 7-6 and pushing the second set to another tie-breaker, which Sinner eventually won 7-6.

However, Sinner then picked up the pace and won the next two sets 6-3, 6-4 to successfully defend his title and join the elite list of players who have successfully defended their Wimbledon crown.

What makes Sinner different?

His movement has also undergone a remarkable transformation. Grass was once viewed as the surface least suited to his game, but years of refinement have turned it into one of his greatest strengths. His ability to change direction effortlessly and recover from defensive positions allows him to stay in rallies that most players would concede.

The serve has become another major weapon. Earlier in his career, Sinner often relied on baseline exchanges to dominate matches. Today, he earns numerous free points behind his first serve, shortening games and conserving valuable energy during Grand Slam tournaments.

Just as important is his tactical maturity. Rather than attempting spectacular winners at every opportunity, Sinner has learnt when to attack and when to construct points patiently. His shot selection has become more disciplined, his court positioning more intelligent and his decision-making under pressure among the best on tour.

Champion built on temperament

Did Carlos Alcaraz’s absence help Sinner?

However, suggesting that Sinner’s title defence was made easy would be an oversimplification.

The Italian entered Wimbledon carrying the dual burden of being the defending champion and the world number one. History shows that those expectations alone have undone several great players. Every opponent approached matches against Sinner with nothing to lose, while the pressure to justify his top ranking only intensified with each passing round.

The elite list of successful defences

Jannik Sinner has now joined that elite club by retaining the Wimbledon title in 2026. In doing so, he became the first Italian to win consecutive Wimbledon crowns, cementing his place among the greatest grass-court champions in the tournament’s storied history.

Men to successfully defend the Wimbledon singles title in the Open Era:

More than just a Wimbledon champion

Winning Wimbledon once is an extraordinary achievement, but retaining the crown demands sustained excellence, exceptional physical and mental resilience, and the ability to thrive under immense expectations.

At just 24, Sinner has already assembled an impressive résumé featuring multiple Grand Slam titles, ATP Masters 1000 trophies, ATP Finals success and the world number one ranking. His back-to-back Wimbledon triumphs further underline the remarkable consistency that has become his hallmark.

More importantly, he earned the title by defeating every opponent in front of him across seven matches, reinforcing that Grand Slams are won through sustained brilliance rather than circumstance.

While his maiden Wimbledon crown created history for Italy, his second cemented his legacy as one of the defining players of his generation and a worthy successor to the sport’s greatest champions.

KC Navarro is among the rising talents on the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) roster and has been in the championship conversation since he returned from a serious knee injury.

Navarro was out for several months recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last year. He told Fox News Digital in a recent interview he was feeling good and that his match against A.J. Francis was the first time he felt back to his true self.

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TNA Wrestling’s KC Navarro in the ring. (TNA Wrestling)

“I’m doing great. If you were to ask me when I first came back, I was definitely a little nervous, which everybody kind of told me, hey, when you come back from an ACL your first year, you’re going to kind of be like, ‘ah.’ But I think by the time I wrestled A.J. Francis in the street fight was the first time I really felt like myself,” he said. “And then when I wrestled (Mustafa) Ali for the international title, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah. I’m definitely back.’ So, the confidence is back. I’m feeling great. I’m doing good.

“Shout out to Hospital for Special Surgery over in New York City. They took care of me. They got me back really quick. I got back in a record time of like eight months or so. Actually, I really got cleared in seven, but I returned to TV in eight. But I’m feeling really good. I’m feeling stronger, and I’m ready to do some amazing things now.”

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Navarro has recently challenged for the X Division Championship and the International Championship and while both were in losing efforts, his prowess in the ring has pushed him forward toward a possible TNA World Championship shot against Nic Nemeth.

KC Navarro and Tommy Dreamer pose for a photo before the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, Calif., on May 13, 2026. (Don Collier/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Nemeth defeated Mike Santana for the TNA world title at Slammiversary. Nemeth has seemingly ended his friendship with Navarro has he took his place at the top of TNA.

A possible match could be on the horizon when Lockdown takes place on Aug. 23 at the Credit Union Arena in Chicago. It will be the first Lockdown in more than 10 years.

“A lot of cage matches,” he told Fox News Digital when asked what fans can expect from Lockdown. “It’s going to be nuts. I think it’s also going to be really cool because it was such a historic match in TNA.

“So, for it to be back, I think is very special and I think it’s going to be a lot of people’s first time in a cage. I know it’s going to be my first time in a cage. I’ve never been in a cage. I think all the titles are going to be on the line as well, which is also really, really cool. And it’s in Chicago, which is such a phenomenal wrestling city. So, I think the place is going to be loud. It’s going to be jam-packed and it’s going to be definitely must see for sure.”

For now, Navarro continues to emerge as a main event player on “Impact.”

He shared his reasons for why pro wrestling fans should keep tuning into the show on Thursday nights on AMC.

“Well, I think TNA is special because you got so many talents from so many different generations. You got people that are new, people that have been on the rise, that are up and coming that just never got a chance,” Navarro said. “People that were at other places that never got a chance that finally be able to showcase who they really are.

TNA Wrestling star KC Navarro heads to the ring. (TNA Wrestling)

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“And then you got legends like the Hardys, Nic Nemth, Frankie Kazarian, guys that have done it and been to the top of their game. And we all get to work together to do such an amazing thing on such an amazing platform. And I feel like we don’t really miss when it comes to shows and pay-per-views. I feel like we get new stories, something really fresh, that’s not seen. And that’s why I really think that people should continue to tune in.”

The Minnesota Vikings news cycle rarely stays sensible for long, and this week brought another round of claims that fell apart under scrutiny.

Nopedy Nopes have been tracked by VikingsTerritory for over two years, with new examples emerging almost weekly.

Here are the latest.

The Summer Narratives Outrunning Vikings Reality

The Nopedy Nope: James Pierre, who will turn 30 in September, is the best example of a Vikings breakout player in 2026.

Pierre isn’t young, but ESPN’s Ben Solak didn’t mind, selecting the veteran CB as his breakout prediction: “The Vikings like to rotate cornerbacks on cheap contracts, as coordinator Brian Flores’ zone-heavy and blitz-happy approach requires fewer snaps of prolonged man coverage than most other defenses.”

“This offseason, they snagged Pierre in free agency after he made some strong spot starts with the Steelers. Pierre had only 219 coverage snaps last season, but his passer rating allowed of 49.8 was second only to Jamel Dean among cornerbacks last season. (Dean, ironically, is who the Steelers signed in free agency).”

This offseason, the Vikings snagged Gerald Alexander from the Steelers to be their defensive passing game coordinator, and Alexander brought Pierre with him.

Solak continued, “It’s worth noting that Fabian Moreau was third in passer rating allowed at 50.5 in Flores’ defense. But the Vikings still elected to cycle Moreau out for Pierre, who was coached by Flores and passing game coordinator Gerald Alexander during their time in Pittsburgh.”

“That’s a clear sign they trust him more — and might ask for more man coverage accordingly.”

While Pierre as a breakout candidate is encouraging, that label should probably be reserved for a younger man.

The Verdict: Nopedy nope on 30-year-olds breaking out. Dallas Turner is a wiser choice.

The Nopedy Nope: Because the Vikings don’t have a QB1 right now, they’re a step behind all comers in the NFC North.

NFL writer Steve Silverman explained his theory this week, “The other three teams in the NFC North know who their starting quarterbacks will be but the Vikings don’t. The Chicago Bears found their quarterback a year ago when Caleb Williams came through in his second season led the team to the division title.”

“The Packers are secure in knowing Jordan Love is coming off an excellent season in which he had a 23-6 TD-interception ratio and led his team to the playoffs again. The Lions have Jared Goff under center as that team attempts to regain its stature after a disappointing 2025 season.”

Most Vikings fans are thrilled that the team signed Kyler Murray to a $1.3 million free-agent deal, and they are comfortable with having multiple quarterback options.

Silverman concluded, “That’s a problem that the Vikings will have to overcome, and it could turn out to be a season-long weak link. The ideal situation would have Murray asserting himself and demonstrating his excellence from Day 1. The locker room will be at risk if the Vikings struggle at the start.”

Silverman’s theory misses the boat by an inch or two because — what if Murray handily wins the QB1 job this summer and plays great in 2026? There won’t be any quarterback instability.

The Verdict: Nopedy Nope on panicking over a summer training camp competition.

The Nopedy Nope: Minnesota has the 11th-worst roster in the NFL.

Mike Clay of ESPN unveiled the No. 22 ranking for the Vikings, stating that the running backs — Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Demond Claiborne, and Zavier Scott — were the franchise’s main weakness.

Conversely, he noted the chief strength: “Biggest strength: Pass catchers. Receivers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and newcomer Jauan Jennings and tight end T.J. Hockenson form a terrific group of targets for whoever wins the QB job.”

“Even in a down season (no fault of his own), Jefferson delivered his sixth consecutive season with 1,000-plus receiving yards in 2025 and remains arguably the league’s best wide receiver. Addison produced 875-plus receiving yards and nine-plus TDs in his first two seasons before the QB woes of 2025.”

Clay is probably right that the pass-catchers are the team’s claim to fame, even though the defense’s stats are fantastic.

“Jennings broke out in 2024 with the 49ers and has a 132-1,618-15 receiving line over the past two seasons. Hockenson’s stats have been down the past two seasons, but the 29-year-old remains one of the league’s best two-way tight ends,” Clay concluded.

Clay later argued that the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders have better rosters than Minnesota’s.

The Verdict: The Vikings’ depth chart is not flawless or elite, but Nopedy Nope on it being the NFL’s 11th-worst.

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

It is officially Open Championship week and time for the 154th edition of golf’s oldest major, which is being held at Royal Birkdale for the 11th time.

But first, American pros headed over early for some links prep and went about getting on some of the U.K.’s many gems. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had some extra time on his hands after missing the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open and took in North Berwick Golf Club, one of several great courses in East Lothian, and with son Bennett in tow.

Over in England, Akshay Bhatia and Rickie Fowler explored one of the neighboring Southport courses, where Tommy Fleetwood cut his teeth in the game at West Lancs Golf Club. Very cool of them to bring junior member George Crompton along for the ride. Imagine he won’t soon forget that experience.

Jordan Spieth, the 2017 British Open champion here at Royal Birkdale the last time it hosted the Open, was out and about getting familiar with links golf and took in a round at Formby Golf Club. “Always a privilege to see one of the game’s great champions enjoying our links,” the club posted on its social media accounts.

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But the pros weren’t the only ones squeezing in some golf while overseas. Jamie Kennedy of Golf Digest had the shot of his life, a hole-in-one at the par-4 18th at North Berwick and the bartender happened to be taking a time-lapse of the sunset at the time.

Even your intrepid reporter was able to make some birdies on his way over with a pit stop near London at Walton Heath (Old) and has a tee time at Hillside, where Arnold Palmer qualified for the 1961 Open, to look forward to before we get down to serious business on Thursday. With apologies to Jim Nantz and the Masters, playing links golf as prep for the Open is the real tradition unlike any other during major season.

Adam Schupak is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the PGA Tour.

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This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Rickie, Jordan & Scottie among pros prepping for British Open at historic UK courses

Manchester United are in talks with Aston Villa in a bid to sign Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans, the Press Association understands.

Tielemans, who captained his country at the World Cup, still has two years to run on his Villa contract, but United are hoping to lure him to Old Trafford.

It is understood United’s bid to sign midfielder Ederson from Atalanta has stalled following his late call into Brazil’s World Cup squad.

A £39m fee and personal terms had been agreed for Ederson, but United have switched focus, for now, on to Tielemans.

The 29-year-old joined Villa on a free transfer from Leicester in 2023 and has played a key role for Unai Emery’s side, who qualified for the Champions League last season and won the Europa League.

Tielemans also helped lead Belgium to the World Cup quarter-finals, but he missed Friday’s 2-1 defeat to Spain after sustaining an injury in the warm-up, later reported to be a hamstring strain.

United have prioritised midfield strengthening following the departure of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte’s knee ligament injury sustained in Uruguay’s group-stage defeat to Spain at the World Cup.

They agreed a £50m deal with Chelsea last week for their Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos.

It would be a major blow for Villa should Tielemans want to push through a move to Old Trafford.

He has made over 130 appearances in all competitions for the West Midlands club, including 35 last season in which he scored two goals and made seven assists.

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The Cup Series makes its second trip of the year to EchoPark Speedway as the Quaker State 400 2026 takes place on Sunday. It’s the third race of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge, and the green flag for 2026 NASCAR at Atlanta drops at 7 p.m. ET. Tyler Reddick prevailed at the spring NASCAR Atlanta race, while William Byron, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott are all two-time victors at this track. Thus, it certainly won’t be easy to make 2026 Quarker State 400 bets with so many appealing options.

The NASCAR Atlanta 2026 odds indicate just as much, as nine drivers are listed in between +1000 and +1400. Ryan Blaney is the +1000 favorite, with Kyle Larson (+1100) and Logano (+1100) just behind him. Reddick is at +1200 to join the list of multi-time winners, while Denny Hamlin, who sits atop the Cup Series standings, is among a handful listed at +1400. Blaney, who won at this track in 2021, will start on the pole for the second time this season. Before locking in any NASCAR Atlanta predictions or NASCAR DFS lineups, you need to see the projected leaderboard from Mike McClure’s proven model.

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McClure is a legendary professional DFS player with more than $2 million in career winnings. He uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every lap of NASCAR action 10,000 times. All told, the model has nailed a whopping 30 winners since 2021 and nailed Denny Hamlin’s back-to-back wins at Michigan and Pocono last month. Anyone following his NASCAR betting picks at their favorite sportsbooks could have seen huge returns.

Now, McClure has turned his attention to the NASCAR Quaker State 400. He’s only sharing his best bets at SportsLine.

2026 NASCAR at Atlanta predictions

For NASCAR at Atlanta 2026, McClure is fading Blaney (+1000), saying despite him being the favorite, simulations have Blaney barely even cracking the top 10. Blaney had a win, a runner-up and a third place all within his first eight starts this season but has dropped off since then. He has zero top 5s over his last 11 races, and while his team in Penske has had historical success at EchoPark, it’s dealt with vehicle issues as of late. Four of the last six Penske starters in Atlanta have been involved in accidents as none of those six have placed better than 10th. Blaney has pole position, but that’s not an omen for success as he has just one victory across 18 career poles.

Another surprise: The model is high on Keselowski (+1800), who is projected to make a strong run towards the title. Keselowski has two career Atlanta victories and several more near misses. He has six top-3 finishes at EchoPark, including at this race last year. He also has the backing of a team in RFK Racing that knows its way around this track. Across RFK’s last six starts at NASCAR Atlanta, five of the six have been top-15s, with three of those in the top 10. See which other drivers the model is backing at SportsLine.

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How to make 2026 Quaker State 400 picks

McClure is also high on two other longshots of at least +1800 who make runs for the top of the leaderboard, potentially netting any backer a huge payday. You can only see who they are here.

So who wins the 2026 Quaker State 400, and which longshots could stun NASCAR at Atlanta? Visit SportsLine now to see the 2026 Quaker State 400 picks and best bets from a NASCAR model that nailed back-to-back Denny Hamlin wins last month, and find out.

2026 NASCAR at Atlanta odds, lineup

See full NASCAR Quaker State 400 picks at SportsLine.

(Odds from FanDuel, subject to change)

Ryan Blaney +1000
Kyle Larson +1100
Joey Logano +1100
Tyler Reddick +1200
William Byron +1400
Chase Briscoe +1400
Chase Elliott +1400
Austin Cindric +1400
Denny Hamlin +1400
Brad Keselowski +1800
Carson Hocevar +1800
Christopher Bell +1800
Ross Chastain +2000
Bubba Wallace +2200
Ty Gibbs +2200
Chris Buescher +2200
Alex Bowman +3000
Daniel Suarez +3500
Ryan Preece +4500
Connor Zilisch +4500
AJ Allmendinger +4500
Shane van Gisbergen +4500
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. +5500
Michael McDowell +5500
Zane Smith +5500
Todd Gilliland +5500
Erik Jones +6500
Josh Berry +6500
JJ Yeley +6500
Cole Custer +6500
John Hunter Nemechek +6500
BJ McLeod +6500
Austin Hill +6500
Ty Dillon +7500
Riley Herbst +7500
Noah Gragson +10000