Are you staying up for England v Mexico? Struggling to stay awake? Then keep yourself busy with this quiz.

How many previous sides can you name that the Three Lions have faced in World Cup knockouts?

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FIFA cleared US star striker Folarin Balogun to play in the World Cup co-hosts’ showdown with Belgium despite his red-card ban after a personal phone call from President Donald Trump, it emerged Sunday, igniting a furious row that has rocked the tournament.

Balogun had been set to miss Monday’s last-16 knockout clash with the Belgians after receiving a straight red card following video review for stepping on the foot of a Bosnian defender in a round-of-32 clash that the US won 2-0.

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Under FIFA rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-game ban, which cannot be appealed by the player’s team.

But world football’s governing body said Sunday the ban will now be suspended for a year, in a stunning move for which no specific explanation was offered.

Two sources familiar with the matter told AFP that Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino asking him to review Balogun’s punishment.

“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The decision was immediately slammed by Belgian football officials, who released a statement saying they are “astonished” by a move that is in “direct contradiction” with FIFA’s own rules.

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The Royal Belgian Football Association is “investigating all potential options” to “safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport,” it said.

“I didn’t know that at the FIFA World Cup, the 5th of July is now the 1st of April, and that it’s April Fool’s Day,” added Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, at a press conference.

Trump spoke with Infantino on Wednesday, the same day that the red card was given, sources told AFP on condition of anonymity.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also publicly called for the card to be rescinded.

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The decision to suspend the ban was taken by FIFA’s disciplinary committee.

– ‘Boost’ –

Top scorer Balogun has been key to the USA’s progress in the tournament, netting three times, and his absence against Belgium would have been a blow to the team in the game in Seattle.

The stakes are huge for the co-hosts. Playing on home soil, a strong US start to the tournament has raised expectations to fever-pitch levels among the American public.

The co-hosts are targeting a historic run to at least the quarter-finals, which they have not reached since 2002, or even further.

Balogun himself had said Friday the red card ban was “something I have to just accept.” 

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But US players and officials welcomed the news Sunday.

“It’s a fair decision because it should have never been a red card,” said head coach Mauricio Pochettino, calling the punishment “too big” for an uninentional foul.

“It’s not that we are victims, but we are not the bad men, the mean ones here,” he said.

Star forward Christian Pulisic called the decision a “boost” while governing body US Soccer said it was “pleased.”

– ‘Surprise’ –

In its statement, FIFA pointed to “article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code” which allows the suspension to be “suspended for a probationary period of one year.”

Balogun would serve the ban only if he commits another similar foul in the next year, it said.

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There is some precedent for the decision.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo earned a three-game ban for an elbow during qualifying last year, but had two matches of his ban suspended.

The move, which allowed Ronaldo to play in Portugal’s World Cup opener, drew criticism at the time.

“We’re not defending the national team or the federation. We are defending football, whether it’s ethics or integrity,” said coach Garcia on Sunday, as Belgium protested the latest U-turn.

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said it was “a bit of a surprise” that Balogun was cleared to play just a day before the match.

“Had it been done earlier, we’d have been able to be mentally more prepared, perhaps,” he said.

amz/rcw

Feet issues have troubled General Salute for much of his career, but the five-year-old put those concerns aside at Rosehill to secure a much-anticipated victory in the Listed Winter Stakes.

Co-trainer Gerald Ryan disclosed that the gelding has experienced foot problems almost from birth. He was sidelined for a year following his unplaced run in the 2024 Hawkesbury Guineas, only to encounter a new complication upon his return.

“He had an operation on his foot as a foal and we’ve had heaps of trouble with it,” Ryan said. “He kept getting quarter cracks. When he had that long break (after the Guineas), we cut all his foot away and turned him out to let it grow out. He came back, then after he ran at Randwick he chipped a joint and had to have surgery. He’s had problems all his life, so it was good to see the horse do that.”

Despite his physical battles, General Salute has been a profitable performer for his connections. While Saturday’s Winter Stakes (1400m) marked his first win in 15 months, he has finished in the top three in all but one of his last eight starts, proving competitive against notable gallopers like Autumn Glow in last year’s Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) and Headley Grange in the Alan Brown Stakes (1400m).

“He won nearly $400,000 last time in without winning a race,” Ryan noted.

General Salute’s ninth in the recent Civic Stakes (1400m) was an outlier, with Ryan admitting the horse was likely asked to bridge too large a distance gap from his 1100m first-up run.

“It was probably my fault for doing that. He should have had a shorter race in the meantime,” he conceded. “Because he was so fresh, we stuck the work into him more than we would normally do since then and, older horse, he’s copped it good.”

Under jockey Tim Clark, General Salute ($8.50) unwound a strong run along the inside to defeat Mchale ($10) by a length, with Midnight Dynamite ($4.80) filling the minor placings.

The stable will monitor the horse’s recovery before deciding on his potential participation in the Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill on July 18. General Salute returned excellent value for punters at $8.50 according to leading Aussie betting sites, while Mchale and Midnight Dynamite also featured prominently in betting apps Australia markets.

Brazil vs Norway Live: Lineups are in! Ryerson returns for Norway; Martinelli replaces Paqueta

The official team sheets are in from New Jersey, and both managers have made one crucial unforced change to their starting elevens due to injury.

For Brazil, Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli steps into the starting lineup to replace the injured midfield maestro Lucas Paquetá. Meanwhile, Norway receive a massive defensive boost as Borussia Dortmund full-back Julian Ryerson completely recovers from his injury knock to reclaim his spot on the flank.

Brazil (4-3-3): Alisson Becker; Danilo da Silva, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Douglas Santos; Rayan Vitor, Bruno Guimarães, Casemiro; Gabriel Martinelli, Matheus Cunha, Vinícius Júnior.

Norway (4-3-3): Ørjan Nyland; Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjørn Heggem, David Møller Wolfe; Martin Ødegaard, Sander Berge, Patrick Berg; Alexander Sørloth, Erling Haaland, Antonio Nusa.

The Benches:

Brazil Substitutes: Weverton, Ederson Moraes, Ederson Silva, Alex Sandro, Neymar Jr., Raphinha, Bremer, Léo Pereira, Fabinho, Danilo dos Santos, Endrick, Luiz Henrique, Roger Ibañez, Thiago Silva.

Norway Substitutes: Sander Tangvik, Egil Selvik, Morten Thorsby, Leo Østigård, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Fredrik Aursnes, Fredrik André Bjørkan, Kristian Thorstvedt, Valentin Aasgaard, Andreas Schjelderup, Oscar Bobb, Jens Petter Hauge, Jostein Gundersen Langås, Max Williamsen Falchener.

MUST WATCH Women’s Wimbledon champion and world No. 3 Iga Swiatek of Poland (left) and  Philippines’ Alexandra “Alex” Eala (currently No. 29 in the world) go all out in the women’s singles third-round tennis match at Wimbledon on Saturday. —Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos heaped lavish praise on tennis superstar Alexandra “Alex” Eala following her historic win at Wimbledon Centre Court on Saturday night (Manila time), calling her victory a force that united a country greatly divided by politics.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson also expressed a similar sentiment in a social media post on Sunday morning in which he described Eala as a “unifier of a deeply divided nation.”

Marcos was ecstatic over the 21-year-old tennis phenom’s win, making not one, but two fist pumps, as he shared the news with reporters at the conclusion of his official visit to Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday.

READ: Tennis legend Bllie Jean King praises ‘inspiration’ Alex Eala

He also praised Eala for being an inspiration to young people for becoming the first Filipino to advance to the fourth round of the prestigious Grand Slam tournament.

World-class performance

“She really is becoming a true inspiration especially for younger people, younger Filipinos,” the President said.

He congratulated Eala for her “world-class” and “terrific” performance at Wimbledon, adding, “She’s just getting started. Our young athlete still has much more to achieve.”

READ: Alex Eala a ‘unifier of a deeply divided nation’ – Lacson

The 29th-ranked Eala stunned defending Wimbledon champion and world No. 3 Iga Swiatek of Poland, 7-6(9), 6-2, in their third-round match.

Her next foe is 13th-seeded Jasmine Paolini whom she needs to defeat to secure a spot in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. The Italian tennis player was the 2024 Wimbledon runner-up.

Marcos had more to say about Eala in his official social media accounts, praising her for bridging divisions across the country.

“There are days when an entire nation celebrates together. Today is one of those days,” he said.

“Thank you for showing young Filipinos that they, too, can dream big and reach the world’s biggest stage,” he added.

The President also expressed support for Eala on behalf of all Filipinos, saying the entire nation continues to rally behind her as she competes and brings honor and recognition to the Philippines on the international stage.

“Keep it up. We’ll all be here. The whole Filipino nation is cheering you on,” Mr. Marcos said.

“We know that you are fighting, making us proud, and bringing luster and honor to the Philippines,” he added.

‘Detoxifier’

Lacson also expressed his gratitude to Eala whom he called the “detoxifier that our country’s highly toxic atmosphere needs and an influential unifier of a deeply divided nation.”

“Thank you Alex Eala for lifting the Filipino spirit. God bless you and the Philippines,” he said on X (formerly Twitter).

Lacson previously hailed Eala when she took down Maya Joint from Australia during the second round, describing the Filipino athlete as having an “indomitable spirit” that makes “every Filipino proud.”

As she continues to make history, Eala said every milestone is dedicated to her younger self and to the Philippines.

“It’s incredible to have my countrymen cheering me on, and knowing that, you know, we’re all in this together. So this goes out to them, this goes out to my family, this goes out to all of the little girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks. It means the world,” she said. /cb

Jannik Sinner may have reached his fifth consecutive Wimbledon quarter-final, but the world No. 1 says his focus remains on improving with every match.

The defending champion defeated Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3, 7-6(6), 6-3 to extend his winning streak at Wimbledon to 11 matches and book another place in the last eight.

Despite the straight-sets victory, Sinner praised Mochizuki for making life difficult throughout the contest.

“First of all, thanks for staying this long. I didn’t know what to expect. I tried to handle certain situations slightly better than him, which I’ve done. But he’s an incredible player.”

The Italian also applauded his opponent’s run from qualifying to the fourth round.

“Coming from qualies and playing such a high level for such a long time, it’s amazing. He should be proud of himself, and of course the whole team.”

Sinner admitted the match was far from straightforward, particularly on grass.

“Very tricky to face him. On this surface his game suits it very, very well.”

Even after recording his 41st win of the 2026 season, Sinner believes there is still another level to reach.

“Trying to step up every day a little bit better. Very happy about today’s performance.”

Next up is Jan-Lennard Struff, a player Sinner knows will present another difficult challenge.

“Very aggressive player. Big, big server. The most important thing now is to rest. I have big respect for him.”

Sinner will now face Jan-Lennard Struff, looking to take another step toward defending his Wimbledon title.

A day after he was selected to his second consecutive all-star game, Joe Ryan again proved himself worthy of the honor.

The Twins ace blanked the Yankees for seven frames Sunday, keying Minnesota’s 6-1 victory in New York. Ryan allowed just three hits, while walking one and striking out nine.

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The Yankees didn’t have a runner reach second base until there were two outs in the seventh inning, and even that required an infield single and walk. Ryan then struck out Amed Rosario to end the “threat,” as well as his day.

The Yankees’ lone run came on a groundout in the final frame.

New York (49-40) has now lost nine of its last 10 games. The Twins (44-47), meanwhile, are moving in the entirely opposite direction. This weekend’s series victory was Minnesota’s first at Yankee Stadium since 2014 and sixth in its last seven series overall.

“For me, that means a lot. This is a historic franchise, a winning franhicse,” Twins infielder Royce Lewis said of the Yankees in his postgame, on-field television interview with NBC Sports. “To come in and beat them on their turf is impressive.”

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The Twins are just four games back of the AL Central lead heading into a pivotal six-game homestand leading into the break. That opens Tuesday night with the first of three games against Cleveland.

The Twins offense has re-discovered its stride. Sunday marked Minnesota’s third six-plus run output in its last four games. A day after talliying 11 hits, the Twins one upped themselves with 12 in the series rubber match.

One of those belonged to Byron Buxton, who reached first on an infield single in the first inning. But Buxton then exited the game after re-aggravating a hip injury while attempting to steal second.

Others picked up the slack in his absence. Austin Martin went 2 for 3 with a pair of walks, Lewis had two hits and two RBI and Brooks Lee had a trio of base knocks.

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“We’re feeding off each other,” Lewis said. “Kody Clemens decided to be Barry Bonds this weekend, so we were feeding off that guy. … Josh Bell going off. Everyone was doing their thing this weekend. It was fun.”

Ryan’s standout showing came after a pair of rocky performances in his past two outings, in which he surrendered four runs in a loss to the Dodgers and was tagged for six runs across just four frames against the Astros.

But it’s hard to keep a good pitcher down for long. Seventy-three of Ryan’s 106 pitches on Sunday were strikes. Twins writer Aaron Gleeman reported on his Twitter page that Ryan is the first Minnesota pitcher to throw seven-plus shutout innings at Yankee Stadium since Johan Santana did so in 2005.

“It’s going to be seven innings, 10 punchies (with him),” Lewis said. “That’s the kind of guy that we expect and that we get, because he puts those expectations on himself. He’s that good, and he deserves all the all-star selections.”

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A former WWE Champion has seemingly confirmed his departure from the Stamford-based promotion. While doing so, the star also hinted at his plans for the future.

Earlier today, Fightful Select reported that Sheamus will soon be bidding adieu to the global juggernaut. The Celtic Warrior was reportedly approached by the company about a restructured contract while he was out injured. However, the veteran rejected it and opted to leave the company after his contract expires in the coming months.

Soon after the news broke out, Sheamus made massive changes to his social media handles. Not only did he change the usernames of his X (Formerly Twitter) and Instagram accounts, he also replaced the “WWE Superstar” written in his bio with “Pro Wrestler.” This change confirms that he would continue to wrestle following his departure from the company.

Sheamus sustained a shoulder injury right before his quarterfinal match in the Last Time Is Now Tournament in November. He had to undergo surgery the following month to nurse the injury and has been absent from WWE programming ever since.

Sheamus previously spoke about his potential retirement from WWE

Speaking during an appearance on an episode of RAW Recap in November 2025, Sheamus answered questions about his retirement from World Wrestling Entertainment.

The Irish star stated that he still had great intensity and felt like he was just getting started. He recalled his recently contested match against JD McDonagh and claimed that he would retire from professional wrestling the day he could no longer give his all inside the squared circle.

“I think it’s the intensity that’s something that I’ve always leaned into, and that’s really what sets me apart. I feel like that’s why I’m still in the game. You know, people talk about John Cena retiring, and I think he’s like a year older than me, and I feel like I’m just getting started. Last week, I was in there with JD [McDonagh], man, and just ripping it up… The day I don’t go out there and give 100% or give it everything that I possibly have every single match—I don’t care if it’s RAW, SmackDown, NXT, or if it’s Main Event that they tape before the show—I won’t go out there and not give everything I have in every single match, and especially with my neck,” Sheamus said.

The 48-year-old had been an integral part of WWE programming for a large portion of the last two decades. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the veteran following his WWE exit.