Alex Eala battles world No. 13 Linda Noskova as she eyes a place in the 2026 Berlin Open final.
Berlin Open schedule
June 20, Saturday
8pm (tentative) – Alex Eala vs Linda Noskova
Philippines’ Alexandra Eala serves the ball to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina during the women’s singles quarter-final match at the WTA500 Berlin Tennis Open tournament in Berlin on June 19, 2026. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala looks to turn the tables on Linda Noskova in their semifinal showdown at the 2026 Berlin Open on Saturday.
Their match is scheduled for 8 p.m. (Manila time) at Steffi Graf Stadium.
The last time Eala faced Noskova, she absorbed a 6-2, 6-0 loss on the hard courts of Indian Wells last March.
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Eala, who is enjoying a phenomenal grass-court campaign, is well aware of the challenge posed by the world No. 13 from Czechia.
“She’s a big hitter, and she’s young, but she has a lot of experience, and she’s very powerful,” Eala said of Noskova, who beat Paula Badosa to advance to the semifinals.
“My last match with her proved to be very difficult for me. So, coming into the semifinals, I hope to prepare and make some improvements and show what I’ve got.”
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Infinity Nikki 2.7 will be releasing across all servers on June 23, 2026 (UTC -7). This update will take players back to the Sea of Stars region for a refreshing summer event. Brand new summer-themed outfits, events, and quests will also be available for players to participate in.
This article provides details regarding the new outfits and banners which will go live once Infinity Nikki 2.7 is released.
All outfits and banners in Infinity Nikki 2.7
Once Infinity Nikki 2.7 goes live globally, a total of four outfits will be available for players to obtain:
Rippling Reverie(new; 5-star)
Warm Miracles(new; 4-star)
Water’s Echo(rerun; 4-star)
Enchanted Writing(rerun; 4-star)
Here are the details about these outfits:
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Rippling Reverie (5-star)
5-star outfit Rippling Reverie (Image via Infold Games)
The new 5-star outfit Rippling Reverie will be featured on the “Refrain of Reunion” resonance banner in Infinity Nikki 2.7. This outfit has a Sweet main attribute, and an outfit ability titled “Celestial Tide”, which can be used once all the outfit pieces have been collected. After using this ability, Nikki summons a wave mid-air, which she can jump and stand upon.
Additionally, this ability also lets Nikki place three Starlets nearby on the map, which act as waypoints that she can teleport to. These Starlets are temporary, and they disappear if Nikki moves too far away from them, or if players log out of the account.
All outfit evolutions for Rippling Reverie (Image via Infold Games)
Rippling Reverie can be evolved into the following:
4-star outfit Warm Miracles (Image via Infold Games)
Players can pull for the 4-star outfit Warm Miracles on the “Refrain of Reunion” resonance banner, alongside the 5-star outfit Rippling Reverie. This outfit has a Sexy main attribute, with its special ability titled “Astral Bubbles: Whimsicality”. Upon using this ability, Nikki uses a wand to blow star-shaped bubbles in the air.
Warm Miracles evolutions (Image via Infold Games)
Warm Miracles has the following evolutions:
Warm Miracles: Astral Crown
Warm Miracles: Shimmer(full glow-up evolution)
Water’s Echo (4-star)
4-star outfit Water’s Echo (Image via Infold Games)
The 4-star outfit Water’s Echo will be having its first rerun in Infinity Nikki 2.7. Players can pull for it on the “Whispering Stream” resonance banner, and all previous pull counts for this banner will carry over to the current one.
Water’s Echo has a Sweet main attribute, and its outfit ability is called “Nature’s Nurture: Whimsicality”. Using this ability lets Nikki summon a comfortable rocking chair, upon which she perches, eating fruits from a goblet.
Outfit evolutions for Water’s Echo (Image via Infold Games)
Water’s Echo can be evolved into:
Water’s Echo: Wave Song
Water’s Echo: Melody (full glow-up evolution)
Enchanted Writing (4-star)
4-star outfit Enchanted Writing (Image via Infold Games)
Enchanted Writing is another 4-star outfit that will be rerunning in Infinity Nikki 2.7. It will be available on the “Magical Scribbles” banner, and pull counts for the previous banner will be honored for the current one.
Enchanted Writing’s main attribute is Elegant, and its outfit ability – titled “Scribble: Whimsicality” – lets Nikki pen down words on a magnificent, magical scroll.
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Enchanted Writing outfit evolutions (Image via Infold Games)
The Megaphone is available as a purchasable gear in Grow a Garden 2. This item was added with Update 1 as a novelty tool, which can be used to play sounds from the Roblox sound library. It can be used as a communication tool, for celebratory purposes, and other novelty use cases. The Megaphone is one of the three gears added with Update 1, alongside the Player Magnet and the Pet Server Teleporter.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Megaphone in Grow a Garden 2.
An overview of the Megaphone in Grow a Garden 2
The Megaphone in the Gear Shop (Image via Roblox)
The Megaphone is available in the Gear Shop for 8,000 Sheckles, making it one of the most inexpensive items in the shop. Like the other items in the shop, the inclusion of this gear in the shop stock is RNG-based.
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Every shop in the game operates on RNG, where low-rarity items have a higher chance to be available in the shop stock and vice versa. The Megaphone has been designated the Rare rarity, which makes it one of the more common items available.
Once you get the Megaphone, you can use it to play any sounds available in the Roblox sound library. This entails entering the Music Code corresponding to the sound, musical track, or meme that you may wish to play. You can find a list of Roblox Music Codes here, which includes tracks like “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley, “Fur Elise” by Beethoven, and more.
The Megaphone is a purely novelty item; its usage doesn’t impact your farm or pets in any way. Its utility is minimal, being useful for communicating with other players through memes and other sounds. Most often, the item is used to play music that is available through the Roblox sound library. You can paste the Music Codes into the Megaphone interface and enjoy the tunes as you play the game.
WWE SmackDown this week witnessed a major development in the storyline. The show was headlined by Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan, who competed against Charlotte Flair in the semifinals of the Queen of the Ring tournament.
The Judgment Day member qualified for the finals and is now set to face IYO Sky at Night of Champions 2026. Additionally, the Bloodline Saga progressed on SmackDown as Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa were engaged in an interesting backstage segment.
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In this article, let’s take a quick look at six things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown this week.
#6. Cody Rhodes could lose his Undisputed WWE Title at NOC
The American Nightmare RETAINS the Undisputed WWE Championship! 🤩 @CodyRhodes
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Cody Rhodes retained his Undisputed title against Gunther on the blue brand. The Prodigal Son defended his title twice and still walked out as the Champion. The second match ended in a disqualification after Sami attacked them.
However, it’s official that at Night of Champions 2026, Rhodes will defend the title in a triple threat match against the Ring General and the former Honorary Uce. The announcement of this match subtly teases that the American Nightmare could lose his Undisputed Title at the Saudi Arabia show.
One of the main reasons for this belief is that Rhodes doesn’t need to get pinned for a title change, as it’s a triple-threat match.
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#5. Sami Zayn is turning heel very soon
Sami Zayn worked as the special guest referee on SmackDown in the Undisputed Championship match. His behavior in the match already teased his heel turn.
Over the past few months, WWE has been slowly building Sami’s villainous turn. As he is finally set for an Undisputed Championship match, it subtly confirms that he is about to switch character very soon.
#4. Finn Balor could get back with Damian Priest down the line
Finn Balor was part of a backstage segment with R-Truth. Truth is currently working as Tag Team Champion with Damian Priest on SmackDown. When R-Truth was talking to the former Universal Champion, the Archer of Infamy appeared.
Truth was making a plan for hanging out with Damian and Finn together, but the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion canceled that plan. This segment suggests that Finn Balor is likely to get back with Damian down the line, and we might witness a reunion of former Judgment Day members.
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#3. Solo Sikoa might go back to the Bloodline after the MFTs kick him out
Jacob Fatu confronted Solo Sikoa on WWE SmackDown and warned him for taking too long to make his decision. Following this, the MFT leader was at the ringside during a tag team match with R-Truth and Damian Priest.
Here, Solo accidentally cost his faction members. The MFT member also walked away from their leader.
Later, Sikoa confronted the Samoan Werewolf and warned him to stay away from the faction. This development subtly hints that the former US Champion might go back to the Bloodline after being kicked out by his family tree faction.
#2. Jade Cargill vs. Charlotte Flair is in the works for WWE SummerSlam
Charlotte Flair lost the Queen of the Ring tournament semi-finals match. A big credit for Liv Morgan’s victory goes to Jade Cargill. Before the main event, Cargill and his group attacked the Queen and eventually injured her before the showdown.
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This helped the WWE Women’s World Champion, as Morgan eventually secured the victory. The progress on SmackDown subtly confirms that Jade and Charlotte’s match for SummerSlam 2026 is in the works.
#1. Jey Uso winning the King of the Ring tournament
So much HISTORY between @samizayn and Jey Uso! ✍️
Jey Uso defeated Je’Von Evans and now will face Oba Femi in the finals at Night of Champions 2026. The YEET Master moving to the finals subtly confirms that he is about to be crowned as the 2026 King of the Ring soon.
The Ruler has already called out Brock Lesnar twice since Clash in Italy 2026. So, the chances are higher that the Beast Incarnate will appear at the show in Saudi Arabia to cost the former WWE NXT Champion.
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This will help Jey Uso to emerge at the top. Additionally, the Samoan Twin was engaged in a backstage segment with Sami Zayn. The former Honorary Uce claimed that if the YEET Master wins KOTR, he might face him at SummerSlam.
The chances of this bout unfolding are real, as Sami will lock horns with Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a triple-threat match at WWE Night of Champions 2026 for the Undisputed title.
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Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) discusses strategy with head coach Kevin O’Connell on Sep 14, 2025, during first-half play against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The two reviewed adjustments on the sideline as the rookie continued gaining command of the offense under O’Connell’s guidance in the early stages of his first NFL season. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
Kevin O’Connell doesn’t foresee a scenario where this thing goes down to the wire. Ideally, the Vikings will shift the workload more and more to the QB1 so as to better prepare the successful combatant. Or, at least, that’s the plan.
The Vikings’ skipper did a press conference last week, allowing him to explain that he’s hoping the competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy gets settled before too long. “Those guys both know,” O’Connell clarified, “we have a plan in place to make sure that the decision we make that is going to be about what’s best for the Minnesota Vikings. And the timeline of that does involve making sure that we get our starter ready to go.”
Not too long afterwards, Coach O’Connell foreshadowed giving the upcoming winner “ample time” to prepare for Week 1.
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Later on, O’Connell did say that the team could start shifting a heartier workload over to a specific guy in training camp and/or the preseason to further glean evidence about who deserves the top job. Across the reflections, O’Connell tied the individual ability of these two passers to being able to make the team better. That will be the key, folks. Whoever proves capable of allowing the team to compete will win the individual job.
Kevin O’Connell Wants Passer Battle Decided with Time to Spare
Most think that Kyler Murray is the leader in the clubhouse. And, to be sure, there’s good reason for that belief.
Consider as a basic starting point the reality that Murray has proven to be a tremendously-accurate passer in the NFL. Boasting a 67.1% completion rate means being unusually accurate. In the past, Kevin O’Connell has clarified that accuracy is the top criteria to be his quarterback. Murray isn’t the world’s best fit for the scheme but he does fulfill that basic ability that the HC so desperately desires.
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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) warms up near midfield following the national anthem before a road matchup against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field in Seattle on Dec. 22, 2019. Murray prepared for the NFC West contest during his rookie campaign as Arizona closed out the regular season against a familiar division rival in primetime conditions. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports.
Meanwhile, McCarthy was struggling to complete passes with regularity last year, finishing his debut season as a starter with a 57.6% completion rate.
Do note, though, a few details. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, McCarthy’s expected completion percentage came in at a considerably healthier 62.8%. Consider, as well, that McCarthy’s final five games of the season featured the kid completing 64.1% of his passes, pointing toward the growth he demonstrated over the season.
So, there’s good reason for some optimism about where his game is going.
Kevin O’Connell is going to get the final call on who becomes the starter. He will, nevertheless, get plenty of feedback from trusted voices such as OC Wes Phillips and QB coach Josh McCown (among others). Nolan Teasley will surely have an opinion, but he’ll need to trust his coaching staff with the final call.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell chats with cornerback Tavierre Thomas before kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., Aug. 9, 2025, as the Vikings prepare to face the Houston Texans during preseason action. O’Connell surveys warmups while addressing Thomas along the sideline inside the stadium moments before the game begins. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Best guess on this end of things is that the end of August is a soft deadline for making the final decision. The Week 1 Packers game gets rolling on Sunday, September 13th. Finishing off the competition by the end of August (at the latest) would mean giving the QB1 a minimum of a two-week runway to prepare.
The ‘Prestianni Rule’ was executed for the first time in Friday’s match between Paraguay and Turkiye.
Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón was given a straight red card in the first half for covering his mouth during a confrontation, becoming the first player to ever be sent off for doing so.
The infraction came during first-half stoppage time in the Group D match when Almiron and Mert Mulder exchanged words following a foul near midfield. Almiron covered his mouth while saying something to Mulder, who immediately appealed to referee Ivan Barton for punishment.
Barton went to video review and quickly ruled that Almiron would be given a red card and ejected.
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This is a new rule added by FIFA ahead of the World Cup to avoid any discriminatory statements being made by players.
It was created after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni covered his face with his jersey to reportedly make a racist remark to Real Madrid’s Brazilian star Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League game in February.
“If you have nothing to hide, you don’t cover your mouth when you say something. It’s as simple as that,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said of the new rule, per Yahoo! Sports. “If a player covers his mouth and says something that has a racist consequence, he obviously needs to be sent off. There must be a presumption that he said something he shouldn’t have.”
The Ultimate X match for the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) X Division Championship at Slammiversary on June 28 was set on Thursday night’s “Impact.”
Cedric Alexander, the current X Division champion, knew he was going to defend the title against Leon Slater already. But the four new challengers were announced. Frankie Kazarian, KC Navarro, Mr. Elegance, Fabian Aichner and Amazing Red joined the fray.
Frankie Kazarian makes his entrance during Showdown at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 7, 2025.(Kevin Sabitus/WWE)
Alexander defeated Slater for the X Division Championship a few weeks ago, thwarting Slater’s chance at becoming the longest reigning X Division champion of all time. Aichner made his presence known after the match and threw his hat in the ring weeks later. Kazarian has been in and out of TNA since 2003 and has been the X Division champion six times.
KC Navarro and Mr. Elegance have yet to win any titles in TNA, but are poised to get their hands on gold.
Meanwhile, Amazing Red is a TNA original and he was announced for Slammiversary earlier in the week. He could have been challenging Mustafa Ali for the TNA International Championship, but is now in one of TNA’s most innovative matches.
It’s sure to be one of the most exciting matches on the card for Slammiversary.
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Leon Slater makes his way to the ring during SmackDown at OVO Arena Wembley in London on Jan. 16, 2026.(Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
Mustafa Ali has been the TNA international champion since Rebellion in April. He’s has been one of the more dominant champions on the roster, only rivaling TNA world champion Mike Santana, and with the Order 4 behind him, the sky seems to be the limit.
TNA announced that Ali will have to put his title on the line at Slammiversary as one of the six championships being defended on the card. It will be in an open challenge format.
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So, for now, Ali’s opponent remains a mystery. But there’s not a shortage of potential challengers who could step up and grab the championship from Ali’s grasp.
American professional wrestler Tasha Steelz speaks during SiriusXM’s Busted Open Broadcasts Live Special WrestleMania Party at Texas Live! in Arlington, Texas, on April 2, 2022.(Omar Vega/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
While those who have departed TNA received a ton of coverage over the course of the week, TNA announced a slew of re-signings as well.
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Tasha Steelz and Trey Miguel both re-signed with the company, TNA announced. The company also announced it officially signed Allie.
The announcements bolster the TNA roster as the company appears headed for a new era after Slammiversary.
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
Team India will take on Afghanistan at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk in Chennai on Saturday, June 20 in the third ODI of the three-match series. The Men in Blue have already clinched the series by winning the first two matches. They would now be aiming for a 3-0 clean sweep.
India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets in the first ODI played in Dharamsala. In a game reduced to 25 overs per side, they bowled first and held the opposition to 194 as debutants Gurnoon Brar and Harsh Dubey claimed three scalps each. In the chase, India got over the line in 22.5 overs as Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 84 off 66 balls.
The Men in Blue thumped Afghanistan by 170 runs in the second ODI in Lucknow. Sent into bat, India posted 402 as Gill hammered 154 off 110, while Ishan Kishan scored 125 off 79 balls. In the chase, Afghanistan were all-out for 232 in 44.3 overs as Arshdeep Singh and Brar claimed three wickets each.
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Team India’s ODI record in Chennai
The ongoing match between India and Afghanistan marks the Men in Blue’s 16th ODI clash at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Out of the earlier 15 one-day matches they have played at Chepauk, India have won eight and lost six, while one game produced no result.
Team India’s first ODI in Chennai was against Australia in the 1987 World Cup. They suffered a one-run heartbreak in this game, falling tantalizingly short in a chase of 271. India’s most recent match at the venue was also against the Aussies. This match was also played as part of the ODI World Cup in 2023. India won this game by six wickets as KL Rahul scored 97* off 115.
India hammered New Zealand by eight wickets in December 2010 in the fifth ODI of a five-match series. Batting first, the Black Caps were bowled out for 103, a total India chased down in 21.1 overs. Yuvraj Singh was the Player of the Match for scoring 42* off 46 and claiming 2-5 in two overs.
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India also registered an impressive 35-run win against South Africa in Chennai in October 2015. Batting first, the Men in Blue scored 299-8 as Virat Kohli hit a magnificent 138 off 140 balls. In the chase, the Proteas were held to 264-9 despite AB de Villiers’ 112 off 107 as Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed three wickets and Harbhajan Singh two.
Wales are preparing for head coach Craig Bellamy’s possible move to Burnley with a shortlist of potential successors which includes former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper.
Football Association of Wales (FAW) bosses held informal talks with Cooper before news emerged of Burnley’s renewed interest in Bellamy, while ex-Wolves manager Rob Edwards is also under consideration.
Burnley have not yet reached an agreement with the FAW, which wants at least £1m in compensation.
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If Bellamy rejoins the club where he worked as an assistant coach under now Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany, the FAW already has a list of possible replacements.
Former Forest and Swansea City boss Cooper is a leading candidate and would not require a compensation fee as he has been out of work since leaving Danish side Brondby earlier this year.
Like Cooper, Edwards would have been in a strong position to get the Wales job when Bellamy was appointed in 2024, had he not been at a Premier League club – Luton in Edwards’ case.
The FAW has also kept tabs on Eric Ramsay, the former Wales and Manchester United assistant coach who was briefly in charge of West Bromwich Albion during the 2025-26 season.
Tommy Fleetwood remains optimistic about his chances at the US Open, despite a challenging second round leaving him seven shots adrift of leader Wyndham Clark, as conditions are poised to become even more formidable over the weekend.
The Englishman carded a one-over-par 71, placing him joint 22nd after Friday’s play.
Fleetwood, who will again play alongside Ludvig Aberg, faced the tougher side of the draw, missing Thursday’s more favourable scoring conditions that Clark capitalised on, before battling stiff winds as the course dried out on Friday.
Forecasters predict gusts could reach 33mph on Saturday afternoon, suggesting significant shifts are possible.
Reflecting on his performance, Fleetwood admitted: “I should have shot a couple better and that’s a little bit frustrating, but at the same time you take what you get and I did a lot of good stuff and at the end of the day we’re still in a pretty good position.”
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Wyndham Clark leads the US Open on -7 after two rounds (Getty)
He highlighted the unpredictable nature of the tournament, adding: “You have one person that is a long way in front and Wyndham has had an unbelievable two days and aside from that you have three under which is the next best score. Anyone who’s made the cut and has a good front nine and is three or four under, you are only three shots from second place.
“That’s what US Opens are like. If you make the cut you just never know what can happen if you grind it out, depending on conditions. I don’t feel like I’m in that bad of a position. I’d like to be a couple back, but there’s 36 holes to go and you just have to keep fighting the golf course and see where you end up.”
Tommy Fleetwood is confident he can still challenge for the US Open title (Getty)
While Clark holds a commanding lead, the chasing pack features a host of major champions. Sheffield’s Matt Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffle are both at three under, with Collin Morikawa at two under and Justin Thomas one under. World number one Scottie Scheffler and world number two Rory McIlroy are both at level par, teeing off an hour and a half before the final group.
Scheffler, who is attempting to complete a career grand slam, quietly moved into joint 11th with a two-under 68. The four-time major winner commented: “The tournament is halfway done. I did a good job of kind of hanging in there the last two days and hopefully start making a bit of a move over the next couple of days.”
With challenging conditions expected to intensify, the stage is set for a dramatic weekend where resilience and strategic play will be paramount.
Long after Brazil’s 3-0 win over Haiti had eased to the pace of a training game, and Carlo Ancelotti was actually playing some of the positives down, there was suddenly a rush of energy near the press conference room. People were hurrying over, in a way they weren’t quite doing for Matheus Cunha or even Vinicius Junior.
In the corridors leading up from the Philadelphia Eagles dressing room, where the post-game media duties were taking place, was a proper constellation of stars.
All of Romario, Bebeto, Rivaldo and Kaka were just… milling around waiting to go somewhere. They were so idle, in fact, that they were happily posing for the multiple requests for selfies. People were of course doing the cradle celebration to Bebeto, who was only too delighted to smile along.
Now with silver hair, the former striker was wearing a resplendent blue suit and pink tie, making him look like a Republican senator.
On his lapel, though, was one reason for all the fuss. He and Rivaldo had little pins of the World Cup itself, given they’ve actually won it.
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Romario wasn’t quite dressed like that, since he is working for Brazilian television. The star of USA 94 in fact conducted the flash interview with Vinicius.
Vinicius Junior isn’t fazed by much but perhaps an interview with Romario did it (AP)
While the Real Madrid forward is hardly fazed by much, you can imagine how intimidating it could be to be interviewed by a legend who has done what you never have but an entire nation is desperate for
And that, as well as all the buzz around legends, raises something else around this Brazil team. It was already written in these pages last week that the famous yellow shirt has lost its allure. That goes hand in hand with how this team – at least as a concept – have lost their fear factor.
Sure, you are still wary of them. You wouldn’t want to face them in the knockouts. But are you really scared of them? Are you intimidated by what they can do to you in an instant, in the way Romario or Bebeto could?
You can see all of that old awe in the very wonder at their presence. They inspire delight because of how devastating they used to be.
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Even in victory, this Brazil team aren’t as intimidating as previous iterations (Getty)
The likes of Cafu, Rivaldo and Bebeto still have an aura about them (Reuters)
One of many tricks such stars pulled is that they actually played in dour sides – in both 1994 and 2002 – but what lasts in the memory are the moments of magic; those flashes when they’d suddenly illuminate and decide a match in seconds.
That’s what this shirt used to represent. It was spectacle, sparkle and… stardust. It was awesome, as they say here, but in the truest sense of the word.
You were afforded a rare glimpse of a higher level of player. You feared what they could do to you. This was Brazil.
Now, it’s just another good team, with some stars. If England were to face them in a potential quarter-final in Miami, could they really be considered favourites?
The 1994 Brazil team were actually pretty dour but the moments of magic live long in the memory (Getty)
Brazil haven’t even had a properly good World Cup since they last won it.
Little wonder they’ve lost their fear factor. In the 24 years since Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho all won it – and the other two ‘Rs’ were also here tonight in even more elevated circumstances – Brazil have got past the quarter-finals just once. And that ended up being the worst experience of the lot, as a home World Cup clouded by so much nervous energy collapsed into that 7-1 humiliation against Germany.
They’ve otherwise been beaten by France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Croatia in relatively staid eliminations.
The former winners present in Philadelphia aren’t just heroes, then. They’re ghosts, whose success haunts every team. You can see some of this – the sense of some kind of mythic quest – in one of the main obsessions around the team.
They are still looking for the messiah, the singular figure arising out of their history to carry the team again.
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Neymar’s time as the golden boy of Brazilian football has passed (Reuters)
So it is that Neymar is in the squad almost as a totem, with Endrick now the chosen one. The majority Brazilian crowd were desperate for his eventual introduction from the bench, especially when Raphinha went off injured. Endrick offered real spark and then scored, only for the strike to be ruled out for offside.
One of Ancelotti’s most important responsibilities with this team might be to temper all of that, to bring the kind of balance that his famous composure lends itself to. Here, he had to explain why Rayan initially came on.
The win over Haiti otherwise duly showed how this Brazil aren’t quite one level or the other. They don’t look elite as a side, but there is quality in moments. They are exceptional in certain positions, but so mediocre in others.
They put on a bit of a show, but that in a game where it was still occasionally difficult not to turn to your phone for distraction. Maybe the most important development, however, is how they are picking up momentum as Ancelotti gradually figures things out.
Carlo Ancelotti is slowly figuring things out as Brazil boss (AP)
Vinicius made it two goals in two, while scoring another that is classically Vinicius. How many times have we seen him outstrip a defence to finish like that?
He may not yet have the aura that his predecessors present here tonight did, but it shouldn’t be forgotten he’s one of the best in the world.
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The same could be said of Alisson for his position, and the goalkeeper even added to the show with one fine turn.
Gabriel and Marquinhos are both so secure at centre-back. Bruno Guimaraes is sought-after in the engine room and, for all the focus on the midfield, were the workmen of 1994 and 2002 like Mauro Silva and Kleberson really better?
Matheus Cunha may have offered Ancelotti an answer to one of his problems (AP)
The first showed a poacher’s instinct. The second was the type of thrashed high finish he has already made a trademark for Manchester United.
Just when you thought the chance had gone, Cunha produced something. Maybe it will be like that for the team as a whole.
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Typically, though, just as one solution presented itself another problem arose. Raphinha went down injured, when he’d been so impressive in stretching the game.
Ancelotti addressed this in the same tempered way. Maybe it will be the story of their campaign.
No, Brazil do not have that fear factor. But they do have something, and it can grow.
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