Scotland head coach Steve Clarke knew exactly what to expect from Ismael Saibari.
“He’s fast, he’s powerful and he showed against Brazil that he knows how to take chances,” he told reporters ahead of the World Cup Group C meeting between Scotland and Morocco in Boston last week.
A week earlier, Saibari had put the Atlas Lions ahead against Brazil with a brilliant chip over goalkeeper, Alisson. Scotland were warned but it didn’t make any difference as, less than two minutes into the game, Saibari again raced clear of the defense and fired an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.
A few days later, Saibari was on the scoresheet again when he stroked Achraf Hakimi’scutback into the net against Haiti. It was his 12th goal for Morocco in his 33nd international appearance, and it made him the first African player to score in all three group stage games at a World Cup.
Ismael Saibari: from Eindhoven to Munich
In the round of 32 on Monday night, Saibari will again lead the line for Morocco against a country with which he has an intimate relationship: the Netherlands, where he has scored 42 goals in 142 appearances for PSV Eindhoven since 2020.
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Last season, he was voted player of the season in the Dutch top-flight, the Eredivisie, after scoring 15 league goals as PSV won a 27th league title.
He also scored three goals in last season’s Champions League, including a long-range strike against Bayern Munich in January. PSV would go on to lose 1-2 but Saibari had caught the attention of Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany who, according to German newspaper SportBild, immediately made contact the player.
Sports Life – Football Powerhouse Morrocco
A few months later and the German champions have reportedly already agreed to pay PSV up to €55 million ($62.85 million) for the 25-year-old, beating off interest from the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.
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Saibari is set to undergo a medical while still at the World Cup, where is he demonstrating his abilities to a global audience – but who is Saibari the person?
Saibari: three nationalities, five languages
Born in Terrassa, near Barcelona, to Moroccan parents, the young Ismael moved to Belgium aged six as his mum and dad looked to start anew following the 2007 financial crash.
It was in Willebroek, in between Brussels and Antwerp, that the young footballer learned Flemish, French and English in addition to Arabic and Spanish, and obtained Belgian citizenship in addition to that of Morocco and Spain.
The regular changes of scenery have made Saibari an important cultural and linguistic conduit in the dressing rooms of the various clubs he has played for.
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“I’ve moved around a lot in my life, so I know how hard it is to adapt to new surroundings,” he told Dutch football magazine Voetbal International. “So, if I can help, I try to. I have the experience and I speak a lot of languages. I often function as an interpreter in meetings because I can speak to the younger players in their mother tongue.”
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany has long been a fan of SaibariImage: Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/IMAGO
“He is very sociable – sometimes too sociable,” said PSV head coach Peter Bosz. “Even when he should be relaxing, he’s visiting friends. Because he’s just very friendly.”
Morocco: Saibari’s ‘choice from the heart’
Before joining PSV Eindhoven in 2020, he represented several Belgian clubs at youth level including Anderlecht and Genk. However, despite an approach from former Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez to play for the Diables Rouges (Red Devils) in 2022, there was only ever one choice for Saibari internationally.
“When such a big name in football contacts you, it was incredible,” he told Dutch newspaper Eindhovens Dagsblad. “But I let him know that I was choosing Morocco. When it comes to the national team, I had to make a choice from the heart rather than a sporting decision.”
Saibari made his debut for the Atlas Lions in September 2023 in a friendly against Burkina Faso and scored his first goals a year later in Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho.
Following a tempestuous evening in Rabat, Saibari was suspended for three games and fined $100,000 for unsporting conduct after trying to prevent a ballboy from giving Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy his towel in the pouring rain.
AFCON 2025 Final: Is the real winner Senegal or Morocco?
“When I got home, I saw how bad it looked,” he admitted afterwards when asked by PSV Eindhoven’s club media about the incident. “I immediately sent someone from Senegal to apologize for me. And then when I saw Mendy at the airport, I just apologized to his face. There were a lot of emotions, I’d never experienced so many emotions, so it was just the heat of the moment.”
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It wasn’t the first faux-pas in Saibari’s career. As a youth player with Belgian side Anderlecht, he was removed from the first-team squad one day before the start of the 2015-16 season due to being overweight. He called the club’s handling of the matter “disgusting” at the time but later admitted that he had been lazy in his preparations and called the incident one of the biggest disappointments of his career to date.
And last year, he was left out of the Eindhoven squad for a Champions League game away at Arsenal for disciplinary reasons after turning up late for a team meeting. “Everyone is allowed to come late once in a while,” said head coach Bosz. “But this wasn’t the first time. Or even the fifth. I’d had enough.”
Bayern Munich: How will Saibari fit in?
Saibari won’t be able to afford such complacency in Germany, but Bayern coach Kompany – a fellow Belgian polyglot – has proven himself adept at managing young players.
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In Munich, Saibari will be an immediate replacement for – and upgrade on – Senegalese back-up striker Nicolas Jackson, who has returned to parent club Chelsea. But even if he won’t necessarily dislodge Harry Kane from the central striking role, Saibari’s flexibility means he will also provide competition for fellow forwards Jamal Musiala, Lennart Karl, Serge Gnabry and Michael Olise.
Harry Kane will likely remain the central striker but opportunities may be available elsewhereImage: Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Photo/picture alliance
Until then, though, the focus remains on the Atlas Lions and Monday’s last-32 meeting with the Netherlands in Monterrey, Mexico.
“I think he understands that the priority is currently Morocco,” said national team coach Mohamed Ouahbi – another Belgian-Moroccan who was a youth coach at Anderlecht during Saibari’s time in Brussels, and who knows Kompany “very well.”
“But we’re going to be very proud [of Saibari’s move to Bayern]. We want the best Moroccan players to play for the best clubs.”
Saibari himself said after scoring the only goal of the game against Scotland that it was a “childhood dream to play at the World Cup” with his country, adding: “I think we can go quite far.”
Jockey Tim Clark celebrated his birthday with a memorable performance at Rosehill, clinching a riding treble and taking an early lead in the Sydney jockeys’ premiership.
His earlier wins aboard Funshow and Steel Strike preceded a polished ride on Carbonados to secure victory in the NSW Jockeys Association Handicap (1300m).
Clark had to exercise patience, finding himself momentarily held up behind the leaders before seizing an opportunity in the straight.
“Carbonados travelled up well,” Clark said. “But then coming into the straight I had to figure out how well the horse (Gatsby’s) was going outside the leader. It looked like the leader was going better so I was happy to stay where I was. I had the horse to make a run when the slightest of gaps appeared and he was able to push his way through and won well.”
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The $15 outsider then burst through to win by 1¼ lengths from the fast-finishing Althoff ($9.50), with the favourite Fire Star ($4.60) taking third.
This win marked a significant turnaround for Carbonados, who had struggled in his previous three starts, finishing poorly.
“Carbonados has been a little hit and miss and hard to catch but the switching of states, changing things up for him worked well,” Clark added.
The Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Carbonados, from the Flemington stable, now has seven wins from 22 starts, with career earnings nearing $400,000.
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The Lindsay Park stable also had a successful raid on Rosehill, with Run Harry Run contributing to their stable’s double for the day.
These results place Team Hayes in a tie for the lead in the early Sydney trainers’ premiership, alongside Richard and Will Freedman, whose runners Attractiveness and Horizons also saluted on the opening day of the new season.
Meanwhile, defending champion trainer Chris Waller endured a rare winless Saturday at his home track as he begins his quest for a 17th consecutive Sydney trainers’ premiership.
India’s athletics contingent delivered one of its finest-ever performances at the Commonwealth Games 2026, finishing with a record 16 medals to spearhead the country’s memorable campaign in Glasgow.
After collecting eight medals at the Birmingham 2022 Games, India doubled its athletics tally to 16 medals, marking a remarkable 100 per cent improvement. The haul included 10 medals in athletics and six medals in para athletics, highlighting the growing strength and depth of Indian track and field across both disciplines.
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Gulveer Singh headlines historic campaign
The standout performer of India’s athletics team was undoubtedly Gulveer Singh.
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The distance runner etched his name into the record books by becoming the first Indian man to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the men’s 10,000m, where he claimed silver.
He followed it up with bronze in the men’s 5,000m, becoming the first Indian athlete to win two track medals at the same edition of the Commonwealth Games.
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His double podium finish was among the defining moments of India’s Glasgow campaign and firmly established him as the country’s leading distance runner.
Para athletics delivers breakthrough performances
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India’s para athletes also enjoyed their most successful Commonwealth Games in recent memory.
Sharmila became the first Indian para athlete to win Commonwealth Games gold in the women’s F57 Shot Put, creating history with a sensational performance.
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India also secured a memorable double podium in the event as Shilpa Shyla added the bronze medal.
The success continued in the men’s F57 Shot Put, where Soman Rana clinched gold while Shubham Juyal took silver, giving India another one-two finish.
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The six para athletics medals underlined India’s rapid rise in disability sport on the international stage.
Triple jump duo recreate Birmingham success
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India once again dominated the men’s triple jump.
Praveen Chithravel claimed the silver medal while Selva Prabhu Thirumaran secured bronze, recreating India’s double podium finish from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
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Their performances reaffirmed India’s growing consistency in the horizontal jumps.
Athletics becomes India’s biggest success story
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The athletics team’s performances reflected years of steady progress.
While India has traditionally relied on sports such as wrestling, weightlifting and boxing at multi-sport events, Glasgow 2026 showcased the country’s emergence as a genuine athletics force.
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From Gulveer Singh’s historic double to multiple podium finishes in field events and the outstanding contribution from para athletes, athletics proved to be one of India’s defining sports at the Games.
India’s athletics medal winners – Commonwealth Games 2026
Michael Carrick’s side went behind inside the first five minutes after Arnau Ortiz found the net for Atleti. But the Reds mounted a comeback in the second half and turned the game on its head with Bryan Mbeumo scoring a brace to earn a 2-1 win at Stockholm’s Strawberry Arena.
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Overall, it was an encouraging performance from United with Mount among those to stand out.
The ex-Chelsea midfielder was used in a two-man midfield alongside new £52million signing Andrey Santos and he suited that position. With the ball, he roamed in the half spaces, linked midfield to attack and created a number of chances. Then out of possession, he led the press and won the ball back on several occasions.
It felt as though Santos and Mount complimented each other in the midfield and that could be a partnership Carrick and United use more often this season, though Youri Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo are expected to disrupt that.
But Mount is still expected to have a major role for the Reds this season and Fernandes, who still hasn’t reported back for pre-season training due to Portugal’s involvement at the World Cup, was full of praise for the former Derby County loanee on Instagram. Indeed, after Mount posted four photos from the win against Atletico in Sweden, Fernandes commented: “Class bro [fire emoji].”
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Fernandes wasn’t the only player to leave a comment on Mount’s post with Shea Lacey putting three clapping emojis, Harry Maguire using a fire emoji and a clap emoji. Meanwhile, 15-year-old talent JJ Gabriel, who made his first-team debut for United against Atleti, used a ‘top’ emoji.
Mount was used in the same role for United against Rosenborg last Saturday and he admitted he ‘loves’ being trusted by Carrick to be a leader in the Reds side. “You have different types of leaders,” he said.
“You have ones that are very vocal, but I see myself as one who leads by example and never stops working. I’ve been captain previously, years ago, so I love the role. Especially with a lot of younger players on the pitch, and off it as well, being able to speak to them and make them feel comfortable, it’s something I really like.”
Lorena Wiebes sprinted to victory on the second stage of the Tour de France Femmes on Sunday after a hilly 147.9km run from Aigle to Geneva in Switzerland, much of it lakeside.
The Netherlands‘ Wiebes also won the first stage on Saturday and cut an impressive figure decked out in the yellow jersey as she burst clear of the pack from 250m out to win by several bike lengths.
The previous two winners of this race, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and Kasia Niewiadoma, along with race favourite Demi Vollering, finished with the main pack.
Dutch time-trial specialist Riejanne Markus led the race alone over the final kilometres and suffered the agony of being overtaken by the chasing pack less than 500m from the finish line.
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Sprint specialist Wiebes, a 27-year-old two-time former European champion, extended her overall lead to 14sec on Kim Le Court and 16sec on Vollering.
Italian Elisa Balsamo was second on the day and Dutch veteran Marianne Vos, 39, was third.
The peloton will roll into France on Monday’s third stage which takes in a steep 11km climb just outside Geneva but ends with a flat 15km stretch to the finish line at Poligny.
The two crucial stages of the nine-day race come Tuesday with an individual time trial and Friday when the pretenders to the title climb Mont Ventoux.
Dunum (11/1) won the final day feature, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ahonoora Handicap (Premier Handicap) for a second time this afternoon at Galway.
The course specialist, a winner of the race in 2023, and third in both 2024 and 2025, the Natalia Luipini-trained eight-year-old ran 13th at the course earlier this week, but ran out an impressive victor of the seven-furlong contest for Downpatrick owner, Maurice Burns.
Another course-and-distance win for the Natalia Lupini-trained gelding under Billy Lee in the @IrishEBF_ Ahonoora Handicap 💥 pic.twitter.com/gk0tlzXbNq
Despite an increase of 16 lbs for a course and distance win on Monday, Timurshah (7/2) doubled up at Galway, when taking the Adare Maor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle in fine fashion for four-pound claimer Conor Smithers and Kildare-based handler Aidan Melia.
Willie Mullins final day double
Blood Destiny and Paul Townend gave Willie Mullins a second winner today, and his 9th of the week, when claiming the Lord Hemphill Memorial Handicap Chase.
Owned by the Roaringwater Syndicate, Blood Destiny, runner-up last time to Jesse Evans at Listowel, gave weight all round this afternoon but held off the challenge of Coming Up Easy and Darragh O’Keeffe, by three-and-three-quarter lengths
Caher Roes Den (9/2), in the colours of Simon Brookhouse, won the Kenny Galway Puegeot Handicap Hurdle, the first part of his final day double. Ridden by his nephew, Danny, the gelding improved on his Downpatrrick fourth-place stable debut for Closutton, when taking Sunday’s event by three-and-three-quarter lengths from Mr Master Mc (9/1) and seven-pound claimer Thomas O’Connor.
Mullins, with nine winners this week, was named leading trainer at Balllybit for an 11th time.
Henry de Bromhead and his stable jockey, Darragh O’Keeffe, were on the mark in the Kinlay Hostel Handicap Chase, over the Tote Galway Plate distance of 2 miles 6 furlongs and 111 yards, with Jukebox Johnny (9/2). The grey gelding, by Jukebox Judy and bred by Victor Connolly of Burgage Stud, had four lengths in hand on Drop A Threat (6/1) and Danny Mullins at the finishing line.
Blue Blue Moon and Patrick McGettigan gave Johnny Murtagh and Moyglare Stud Farm a win in the Salthill Village Handicap, while the final race of Galway Races Summer Festival 2026 went to Galway-owned Caisleán Gear (13/2) for trainer Andy Slattery and jockey Adam Ryan, beating the Willie Mullins-trained 2/11 favourite, Linford.
Arshdeep Singh picks top 5 Indian bowlers (Image: Agencies)
India fast bowler Arshdeep Singh has revealed his picks for the five best Indian bowlers, placing veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the top of his list. The left-arm pacer shared his rankings during an appearance on Krishnank Atrey’s YouTube channel, explaining that his admiration for Bhuvneshwar influenced his choice.The ranking drew attention as Jasprit Bumrah, widely regarded as India’s premier fast bowler across formats, did not feature in Arshdeep’s top five.
Bhuvneshwar gets top billing
Explaining why he ranked Bhuvneshwar first, Arshdeep admitted there was a personal bias behind the selection, while also praising the veteran’s ability to control the new ball.“Bhuvi bhai is at the top because he is my personal favourite as well. I really like him, so I’m a little biased. I’ll rate all the fast bowlers first. At number two, I’d go with Shami bhai because, as you know, he can seam the ball on any wicket. His bowling is excellent, and he presents the seam perfectly,” Arshdeep said. Arshdeep placed Mohammed Shami second, highlighting the experienced pacer’s ability to generate seam movement in any conditions.
Kuldeep, Chahal and Ashwin complete the list
The Indian pacer ranked Kuldeep Yadav third, crediting the left-arm wrist spinner’s unique bowling style before naming Yuzvendra Chahal in fourth place.“Third would be Kuldeep Yadav because he has a very rare skill set, a left-arm chinaman. Then there’s Yuzi bhai, as we are teammates in the Punjab team, and his record is also excellent. He has taken so many wickets,” Arshdeep admitted. Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin completed the top five. Arshdeep jokingly apologised for placing the former India spinner last, insisting it was only because the other spots had already been filled.“I wouldn’t want to rate Ash bhai last, but there were no positions left, so he comes in at number five. He is great, but Ash bhai was also my first captain in the IPL, Punjab. Sorry, Ash bhai, I’ll personally message you,” he added.
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Arshdeep explains why he wiped his Instagram feed
During the same interaction, Arshdeep also addressed the buzz surrounding his Instagram account after fans noticed that he had deleted all of his posts following the IPL season.The left-arm pacer, who endured a difficult campaign with the Punjab Kings and faced criticism on social media over his performances, dismissed speculation that the move was linked to the trolling. He clarified that he simply wanted to refresh his profile after the tournament and insisted there was no hidden reason behind the decision.“IPL had ended and I felt like cleaning things up, so I was properly clearing everything out. I mean, people make an issue out of it, asking why I removed the videos and what happened to Arshdeep’s Instagram account, why he changed it overnight. But it’s nothing like that, bro. I just felt like removing them, so I did. If I feel like it, I’ll put them back. It’s just about my mood. Whenever I feel like it, I post something, ” Arshdeep Singh concluded.
Godfrey played high school basketball at North Gwinnett, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 188 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted algorithm that compiles all major recruiting media services.
Additionally, Godfrey’s commitment comes after months of uncertainty surrounding his college future. The former Tigers standout was one of several players involved in a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking an additional season of eligibility following the organization’s recent rule changes.
According to The Greenville News, Godfrey joined a group lawsuit filed on July 9 arguing that the NCAA unfairly denied an extra year of eligibility to athletes who exhausted their fourth season during the 2025-26 academic year. The NCAA approved a new rule in June allowing future athletes five seasons of competition over five years, but did not extend that benefit to players who had already completed their eligibility.
With the lawsuit ultimately successful, Godfrey will suit up for Lloyd and Arizona instead of returning to Clemson for another season. Prior to announcing his commitment, The Greenville Newsreported that Oklahoma, Arkansas and LSU had also expressed interest in Godfrey if he received another year of eligibility.
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Moreover, Godfrey is coming off one of the best seasons of his collegiate career after returning to Clemson for the 2025-26 campaign. He led the Tigers in scoring at 12.0 points per game while averaging 5.3 rebounds, helping Clemson return to the NCAA Tournament.
His second stint in Clemson followed a one-year stop at Georgia during the 2024-25 season. Across two stints with Brad Brownell’s program, Godfrey appeared in 104 games, making 33 starts while averaging 7.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest. He also shot an efficient 60% from the field during his Clemson career.
Before pursuing another college opportunity, Godfrey tested the professional waters by participating in pre-NBA Draft workouts. However, he was not selected in the 2026 NBA Draft and did not sign an undrafted free-agent contract, leaving the door open for a potential return to college if granted eligibility.
Arizona now appears poised to benefit if that happens. The Wildcats add an experienced, versatile frontcourt player with NCAA Tournament experience and proven production at the high-major level.
Ishroop Narang, in white, competes against Canada’s Coralie Godbout during the women’s 78 kg Contest for Bronze Medal Judo match at the 23rd Commonwealth Games (CWG), in Glasgow, Scotland. (PTI)
Judoka Ishroop Narang missed out on a bronze medal after losing to Canada’s Coralie Godbout by yuko in the women’s 78kg bronze medal bout as India’s judo campaign ended at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Sunday.India’s hopes of adding one more judo medal rested on the 19-year-old after she kept herself in contention with a win over Cameroon’s Georgika Wesly Djengue Moune in the repechage round. Ishroop defeated the stronger and taller Cameroonian by waza-ari after her opponent had scored two yukos.In the bronze medal contest, however, Godbout kept Ishroop under pressure throughout. The Indian received two shido penalties during regulation time before eventually losing by yuko in the golden score period.Yash Ghangas and Avtar Singh, the other Indian judokas in action on the final day, were both knocked out in the Round of 16.Judo contributed four medals to India’s overall tally, including two gold, one silver and one bronze.Yuko is awarded for a throw where the opponent lands on their side or near-side, or for a hold-down lasting 5 to 9 seconds.Ippon is the highest score and means a full point that ends the match right away. Ippon is earned through a clean throw, a long hold down, or a tap out.
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