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Brazil arrived at the FIFA World Cup 2026 carrying familiar expectations. Every tournament begins with the Selecao being discussed among the favourites, and every generation eventually gets measured against the country’s rich history of success.

Yet as the group stage unfolds, one uncomfortable reality is becoming impossible to ignore: Brazil are still waiting for Neymar.

While Lionel Messi is scoring hat-tricks for Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo is leading Portugal’s attack, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe remain central to England and France’s ambitions, Brazil’s biggest superstar continues his recovery programme away from the spotlight.

The contrast could hardly be more striking. Brazil’s opening performance exposed familiar problems

Brazil’s 1-1 draw against Morocco did little to ease concerns. Carlo Ancelotti’s side controlled periods of the match but lacked the creativity, unpredictability and cutting edge that have long been associated with Brazilian football. There were moments of quality, but there was also a sense that something was missing whenever Brazil entered the final third.

That “something” has often been Neymar for more than a decade.

Even at 34, Neymar remains Brazil’s all-time leading scorer and arguably the only player in the squad capable of consistently transforming a game through individual brilliance. When opponents sit deep and space becomes limited, Brazil have traditionally looked towards him to unlock defences. Against Morocco, there was no such figure.

The gamble that has yet to pay off

Neymar’s inclusion in Brazil’s World Cup squad was one of the most debated decisions before the tournament.

The veteran forward arrived carrying a calf injury suffered while playing for Santos and had not fully recovered when Brazil’s preparations began. Nevertheless, the coaching staff and medical department believed his experience and quality justified taking the risk.

So far, that gamble has produced little return. The forward has yet to participate in full training, missed the opener against Morocco and has now been officially ruled out of Brazil’s clash against Haiti. His availability for the final group-stage match against Scotland also remains uncertain.

More than goals and assists

Statistics only tell part of Neymar’s importance. As defender Danilo recently explained, opponents often dedicate two or even three players to marking him. That alone creates space elsewhere on the pitch.

Neymar changes defensive structures before he even touches the ball. Managers alter tactical plans because of him. Defenders hesitate when he receives possession. Midfielders drop deeper. Full-backs become more cautious.

Very few players in world football command that level of respect. Brazil’s current attack contains quality, but none of the available forwards generate the same level of fear among opponents.

Rivals have their stars. Brazil do not.

Perhaps the biggest concern for Brazil is what is happening elsewhere in the tournament.

Messi has already reminded the world why he remains football’s greatest showman. Ronaldo continues to lead Portugal despite being 41 years old. Mbappe is spearheading France’s pursuit of another World Cup title. The stars are delivering when their countries need them most.

Brazil, meanwhile, are still waiting for theirs to even step onto the pitch. At a World Cup where individual moments often separate champions from contenders, that is a significant disadvantage.

The knockout stages remain the target

To be fair, Brazil’s medical staff are focused on the bigger picture. The objective is not necessarily to have Neymar available for Haiti or even Scotland. The priority is ensuring he is fit enough to influence the knockout rounds, where tournaments are usually won and lost.

Ancelotti knows that a half-fit Neymar could become a liability. But he also knows that a fully fit Neymar could still become Brazil’s most important player.

For now, Brazil continue their World Cup journey without their talisman. Yet with every match he misses, the spotlight grows brighter and the pressure increases.

Because while other contenders are being carried by their superstars, Brazil are still waiting for theirs to arrive.

In a matter of months, Floyd Mayweather is expected to make his professional comeback and rematch old rival, Manny Pacquiao.

Now, former unified welterweight ruler and Mayweather sparring partner, Errol Spence Jr, has offered his thoughts on the fight.

After months of back-and-forth, an agreement appears to be on the horizon for Mayweather and Pacquiao to collide for a second time, at respective ages of 49 and 47 years old, as ‘TBE’ ends nine years of professional inactivity and looks set to put his fabled 50-0 record on the line.

There had been rumours that Mayweather may force the bout to be an exhibition and whilst that could still be the case, it seems as though a professional encounter is more likely for the mooted fight date of Friday, September 25, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Speaking on The Art of Ward podcast, Spence admitted that he does not ‘care for the fight’ himself, but maintained that he sees little issue with the contest when both men are at a similar age, calling it a ‘fair fight’.

“I don’t really care for it, at 50 [years old], but he is looking good. I guess it’s two 50-year-old’s fighting, at 147lbs, it is a fair fight.

“I wouldn’t want to see him fighting someone that is 30 years old or fighting a young buck, he is fighting somebody his age and I don’t know how true it is with his [financial] situation but it is something that he has probably got to do.”

Before Mayweather-Pacquiao II can be announced, Mayweather first fights Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis in an exhibition in Athens, with that bout set to take place next Saturday.

Colombia made an impressive start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a convincing 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan in their opening Group K match at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Backed by a crowd of 80,824 spectators, Néstor Lorenzo’s side combined possession, attacking quality and clinical finishing to overcome a spirited Uzbekistan team. Goals from Daniel Muñoz, Luis Díaz and substitute Jaminton Campaz sealed all three points, while Abbosbek Fayzullaev scored Uzbekistan’s only goal.

While the scoreline reflected Colombia’s superiority, the statistics behind the game further highlighted why the South Americans deserved the victory.

Colombia Dominated Possession and Territory

One of the biggest differences between the two teams was Colombia’s control of the ball. Lorenzo’s men enjoyed 61 per cent possession and completed 445 of their 520 passes, compared to Uzbekistan’s 242 completed passes from 318 attempts.

The South Americans also spent more time in dangerous attacking areas. They recorded 56 final-third entries and 27 touches inside the opposition penalty box, while Uzbekistan managed just five touches in Colombia’s area.

The first half particularly belonged to Colombia. They controlled 72 per cent possession before the break and completed over 300 passes, constantly forcing Uzbekistan onto the defensive.

Better Chances, Better Finishing

Although Uzbekistan remained competitive throughout the match, Colombia created far more dangerous opportunities.

The South Americans attempted 15 shots compared to Uzbekistan’s eight and generated an expected goals (xG) figure of 1.61 against their opponents’ 1.14.

More importantly, Colombia created four big chances during the game, while Uzbekistan managed only one.

Ten of Colombia’s 15 shots came from inside the penalty area, showing their ability to penetrate Uzbekistan’s defence. In contrast, Uzbekistan produced only four efforts from inside the box.

The difference in finishing proved decisive. Colombia converted three of their four big chances, while Uzbekistan could not make the most of their limited opportunities.

Uzbekistan’s Brief Fightback

Fabio Cannavaro’s side showed plenty of character after the interval.

After trailing 1-0 at half-time following Daniel Muñoz’s 41st-minute opener, Uzbekistan improved significantly in the second half. They struck the woodwork twice and were rewarded in the 61st minute when Abbosbek Fayzullaev equalised with their first shot on target.

For a brief period, momentum appeared to be shifting.

However, Colombia responded like an experienced World Cup side. Just five minutes after conceding, Luis Díaz restored the lead with a composed finish following excellent work from Gustavo Puerta.

The quick response effectively ended Uzbekistan’s momentum and allowed Colombia to regain control.

Luis Díaz Delivered When It Mattered

Bayern Munich winger Luis Díaz was undoubtedly the star of the match.

The Colombian forward received an 8.5 Sofascore rating after producing both a goal and an assist.

Díaz supplied the pass for Muñoz’s opening goal before scoring the crucial second goal that put Colombia back in front after Uzbekistan’s equaliser.

His overall contribution went beyond goals.

The winger completed 19 of his 24 passes, created one big chance, delivered two key passes, won eight duels and drew five fouls. He also recorded a team-high expected assists (xA) figure of 0.65 and carried the ball nearly 180 metres throughout the contest.

His performance combined creativity, direct running and end product, making him the clear standout player on the pitch.

Strong Support Cast

While Díaz grabbed the headlines, several teammates also played key roles in the victory.

Daniel Muñoz not only opened the scoring but also completed 33 of his 39 passes and registered three interceptions from right-back.

Substitute Jaminton Campaz made a major impact after coming on. He scored Colombia’s third goal deep into stoppage time and earned a 7.7 match rating.

In midfield, Jefferson Lerma completed 61 passes and added five ball recoveries, helping Colombia maintain control in key moments.

At the back, Davinson Sánchez and Jhon Lucumí combined for 142 accurate passes, providing a solid foundation for Colombia’s build-up play.

Defensive Efficiency Made the Difference

Although Uzbekistan won more aerial duels and enjoyed greater success in one-on-one dribbles, Colombia’s defensive structure remained organised.

Uzbekistan were forced into making 26 clearances as they spent long periods defending. The Central Asian side also committed costly mistakes, including an error that directly contributed to a Colombian goal.

Goalkeeping statistics further highlighted the gap between both teams. Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas recorded a positive goals-prevented figure despite being beaten once, while Uzbekistan finished with a negative goals-prevented rating of minus 1.70.

A Statement Victory

The final scoreline reflected Colombia’s overall dominance.

They controlled possession, created more chances, completed more passes and showed greater composure in front of goal.

While Uzbekistan produced encouraging moments, especially during their second-half spell, Colombia consistently looked the more dangerous side and deserved their 3-1 victory.

With Luis Díaz leading the attack and the team showing balance across all areas of the pitch, Colombia have sent an early warning to the rest of Group K that they could be one of the teams to watch at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 2026 U.S. Open begins bright and early Thursday morning as 156 players begin their quest for one of the most coveted titles in golf on one of the sport’s most iconic courses. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club will present a tremendous test for the field, and the man who emerges victorious will have more than earned his title as U.S. Open champion. 

The USGA has assembled a number of marquee groups that will grab plenty of attention from the first tee onward. However, a fog delay started at 7:05 a.m. ET on Thursday, pushing tee times back two hours as they were unable to resume play until 9:05 a.m., setting up an extremely long first round that will extend into Friday morning. Follow the action throughout Round 1 with U.S. Open leaderboard live coverage and updates on Thursday.

The first of those featured groups to go off will include the last man to win a U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, Brooks Koepka, as he’s paired alongside two other heavy-hitting Americans in Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup, going off the 1st tee at 9:30 a.m. On the other side of the course, at 9:52 a.m., the European Ryder Cup team will be well represented in a group featuring Rory McIlroy (aiming for his first U.S. Open win in 15 years), Ludvig Åberg and Tommy Fleetwood teeing off on No. 10. 

Last year’s U.S. Open winner, J.J. Spaun, will play alongside the reigning U.S. Amateur champ Mason Howell and the world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, as he begins his quest for the career grand slam at 10:14 a.m. off No. 1. 

Headlining the afternoon wave will be a 3:25 p.m. tee time featuring Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick going off No. 10. Going off the No. 1 at 3:47 p.m. will be Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama and Xander Schauffele. The final featured group of the first round will see Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm tee off the 10th at 4:09 p.m. 

Check out the complete updated U.S. Open tee times and groupings for Thursday’s first round at Shinnecock Hills, and don’t miss CBS Sports’ 2026 U.S. Open TV schedule and coverage guide so you do not miss a moment all week.

All times Eastern

2026 U.S. Open tee times, Thursday pairings 

No. 1 tee

6:35 a.m. — James Nicholas, Taylor Montgomery, Caleb Surratt
6:46 a.m. — Ethan Fang (a), Jayden Schaper, Jackson Suber
6:57 a.m. — Chase Kyes (a), Matthew Jordan, Alejandro Tosti
9:08 a.m. — Carl Yuan, Brandon Wu, Jimmy Stanger
9:19 a.m. — Padraig Harrington, Miles Russell (a), Cameron Smith
9:30 a.m. — Brooks Koepka, Cameron Young, Chris Gotterup
9:41 a.m. — Daniel Berger, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler
9:52 a.m. — Patrick Reed, Andrew Novak, Kurt Kitayama
10:03 a.m. — Harris English, Adam Scott, Nick Taylor
10:14 a.m. — Mason Howell (a), Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun
10:25 a.m. — Sahith Theegala, Jackson Koivun (a), Michael Kim
10:36 a.m. — J.B. Holmes, Filippo Celli, Jackson Ormond (a)
10:47 a.m. — Jake Peacock, Vaughn Harber (a), Kaito Onishi
2:30 p.m. — Niklas Norgaard, Rocco Paolo Repetto Taylor, Sudarshan Yellamaraju
2:41 p.m. — Laurie Canter, John Parry, Bryan Lee (a)
2:52 p.m. — Chris Kirk, Max McGreevy, Jake Knapp
3:03 p.m. — Harry Hall, Michael Brennan, Andrew Putnam
3:14 p.m. — Davis Thompson, Preston Stout (a), David Puig
3:25 p.m. — Ryo Hisatsune, Corey Conners, Ryan Fox
3:36 p.m. — Ryan Gerard, Russell Henley, Ben Griffin
3:47 p.m. — Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele
3:58 p.m. — Nicolai Højgaard, Nicolas Echavarria, Robert MacIntyre
4:09 p.m. — J.T. Poston, Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel
4:20 p.m. — Arni Sveinsson (a), Taihei Sato, Marcelo Rozo
4:31 p.m. — Nick Hardy, Cole Hammer, Jack Schoenberger
4:42 p.m. — Marek Fleming (a), TK Kim, Giuseppe Puebla (a)

No. 10 tee

6:35 a.m. — Chandler Phillips, Harry Higgs, Hamilton Coleman (a)
6:46 a.m. — Nathan Kimsey, Jackson Herrington (a), Cooper Dossey
6:57 a.m. — Peter Uihlein, Eric Lee (a), Samuel Stevens
9:08 a.m. — Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Ben Silverman, Emiliano Grillo
9:19 a.m. — Patrick Rodgers, Keith Mitchell, Graeme McDowell
9:30 a.m. — Sungjae Im, Lucas Herbert, Kristoffer Reitan
9:41 a.m. — Sam Burns, Tyrrell Hatton, Si Woo Kim
9:52 a.m. — Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Åberg, Tommy Fleetwood
10:03 a.m. — Alex Noren, Maverick McNealy, Sepp Straka
10:14 a.m. — Max Greyserman, Brian Harman, Jacob Bridgeman
10:25 a.m. — Alex Fitzpatrick, Tom Kim, Ben James
10:36 a.m. — Brandon Holtz (a), Ryuichi Oiwa, Dylan Wu
10:47 a.m. — Greyson Leach, Logan Reilly (a), Robbie Higgins
2:30 p.m. — William Mouw, Ryder Cowan (a), Hennie Du Plessis
2:41 p.m. — Adrien Saddier, Jackson Van Paris, Ugo Coussaud
2:52 p.m. — Neal Shipley, Matti Schmid, Bud Cauley
3:03 p.m. — Pierceson Coody, Zac Blair, Kevin Roy
3:14 p.m. — Aaron Rai, Collin Morikawa, Jason Day
3:25 p.m. — Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick
3:36 p.m. — Dustin Johnson, Wyndham Clark, Gary Woodland
3:47 p.m. — Joaquin Niemann, Alex Smalley, Shane Lowry
3:58 p.m. — Akshay Bhatia, Carlos Ortiz, Min Woo Lee
4:09 p.m. — Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm
4:20 p.m. — Ben Kohles, Johnny Keefer, Matt McCarty
4:31 p.m. — Angel Hidalgo, Mateo Pulcini (a), Spencer Tibbits
4:42 p.m. — Matthew Robles (a), Jake Sollon, Manav Shah

Glenn Phillips slammed his first Test century for New Zealand against England on Day 2 of the 2nd Test at The Oval on Thursday. Archer’s duel with Phillips on Wednesday night was the highlight of the first day. Archer’s barrage of bouncers landed Phillips frequently on his back, along with blows to a finger and two to the shoulder. But by the time Archer reappeared on Thursday, Phillips was on 97. Maybe fittingly, Phillips hit two runs and a single off Archer to reach his first Test hundred. Archer gave Phillips a congratulatory tap on the back.

Before that, however, Phillips faced Archer with goggles on! 

Jofra Archer unleashed a huge, deadly bouncer at Glenn Phillips in the 2nd Test against New Zealand

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– Look at Phillips’ reaction pic.twitter.com/3cldPx2SG5

— T-Celebs (@t_celebs) June 18, 2026

New Zealand was bowled out for 391 after resuming on 291-7, and Phillips was the last man out for an even 100 on a warm, sunny morning. The Black Caps would have thought 350 a bonus with their tail exposed and the new ball imminent.

But England’s own valid hopes of quickly cleaning up the tail were undermined by overdoing the short balls and not having its most potent weapon, Jofra Archer. His eight overs in a row of venom bowled at the end of Wednesday were exhilarating but probably also taxing in his first Test since December.

England’s leading strike bowler didn’t appear until close to lunch, the 19th over of the morning. He collected New Zealand’s ninth wicket, and the innings was over moments later.

Thanks to England’s misplaced short-ball tactic, Phillips and tailender Kyle Jamieson cashed in.

They scored 74 runs together in 12 overs in the first hour, and New Zealand flew past 350.

Jamieson was dropped on 15 by Ben Duckett, who was looking into the sun with his sunglasses on his cap, and New Zealand’s tallest ever cricketer at 2.07 metres (6-foot-8) was hit twice on his helmet.

From 6 overnight, Jamieson hit six more boundaries, a couple of them exquisite cover drives. He was out for 41 off 48 balls, his highest Test score in six years. He was bowled by part-time spinner Jacob Bethell, who took a team-leading three wickets.

Jamieson’s exit ended an entertaining partnership of 87 from 96 balls with Phillips.

Phillips had resumed on 49 and brought up 50 off the day’s second delivery with a top edge over the wicketkeeper. Without Archer to duck at, Phillips punished the wayward balls of Sonny Baker and Josh Tongue.

Bethell’s spin was effective after just five overs with the new ball.

Phillips passed his previous highest Test score of 87 against Bangladesh in 2023 and comfortably racked up his hundred off 133 balls with 18 boundaries, following two centuries each in one-day internationals and Twenty20s.

Then Matt Henry fell to Archer, and Phillips holed out to deep midwicket.

With AP inputs

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

South Africa came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic on Thursday. The Czechs made the brighter start and took the lead after just six minutes when Michal Sadilek found space inside the penalty area to convert Alexandr Sojka’s pass. 

Bafana Bafana gradually grew into the contest and created a series of chances after the break. Evidence Makgopa forced a fine save from goalkeeper Matej Kovar with a powerful header, while Hugo Broos’ substitutions injected fresh energy into the attack.

The decisive moment arrived in the 82nd minute when substitute Pavel Sulc was penalised for handball inside the box. Mokoena stepped up and calmly sent his penalty low into the corner one minute later to level the score. South Africa pushed for a winner in the closing stages, but the Czech Republic held firm as the two sides settled for a point apiece.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Trainer Enver Jusufovic has revealed that New York Lustre has a limited number of races left before her retirement to the breeding barn.

Her next scheduled race is on Saturday in the Brian Beattie Handicap, a 1100-metre event at Flemington.

Following this, New York Lustre is slated to compete in two Group 3 races: the Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) on July 11 and the Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) two weeks later, both at Caulfield. Last year, she finished second and fourth respectively in these races.

Jusufovic mentioned that New York Lustre has been booked to visit Tentyris, a successful Group 1 winning sprinter, for the upcoming breeding season.

The mare has a perfect record from two starts on the Flemington straight, including her last-start win in the Group 3 Begonia Belle Stakes (1100m) in the spring.

This campaign, Jusufovic has taken New York Lustre to Adelaide twice. She began with a third in the Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville, followed by a fourth in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) on May 9.

“She was probably in the wrong part of the track on the inside last time,” Jusufovic said. “There were probably a few hard luck stories, but if there was speed from the gates drawn inside, I think she would have got into a lot more favourable position and not have been hemmed in there on the fence and pushed to the slower going. Group 1 races, you need everything to go your way to win, and in the end, she was only three-quarters-of-a-length off the winner. After Saturday she’ll go to the Sir John Monash and the Bletchingly and then she’ll go off to stud as she’s already booked to go to Tentyris.”

New York Lustre has won six of her 16 starts, and Jusufovic admitted it would be a sad occasion when the nearly seven-year-old mare departs his stable.

“I think she’s still improving actually, and it will be sad to see her retired,” Jusufovic stated. “But (owner) Mike Howard is a breeder, and unfortunately for me, the breeding barn beckons. Hopefully, in time, we’ll see some of the offspring come through my stable.”

With her racing career drawing to a close, New York Lustre is being prepared for her final runs before heading to stud. Get involved with the racing betting markets for upcoming events at online bookmakers.

New York Knicks superstar guard Jalen Brunson is the toast of New York City right now after guiding his team to an NBA title, the franchise’s first in more than 50 years.

During Thursday’s championship parade, Brunson called out all of his and his team’s haters during a celebratory speech.

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“There’s a lot of people who have a lot of opinions, but when you prove ’em wrong, you really don’t have to say [expletive] to them,” Brunson told the crowd to roaring cheers. “Nah. They don’t deserve it.”

It’s hard not to imagine Brunson is calling out Las Vegas Aces coach and former San Antonio Spurs assistant Becky Hammon here, who infamously doubted Brunson was good enough to lead an NBA team to a title as a “1A” talent.

Brunson seemed to shade Hammon after Saturday’s title win, and Thursday’s speech seemed to be his latest dig.

Some NSFW language to follow.