Sports
Spain bid to stay on course for 2nd World Cup title vs. Belgium
Spain’s bid for a second FIFA World Cup title faces another major test Friday when the reigning European champions meet a rejuvenated Belgium in a quarterfinal clash in Los Angeles, with a semifinal spots awaiting the winners.
Nearly 16 years after lifting their first World Cup trophy in South Africa, Spain is within three victories of reclaiming football’s biggest prize. Luis de la Fuente’s side has emerged as one of the tournament’s standout teams, combining defensive dominance with clinical performances to reinforce its status as one of the favorites.
La Roja topped Group H before comfortably eliminating Austria in the opening knockout round.
They then avenged last year’s UEFA Nations League final defeat to Portugal in the round of 16, with Mikel Merino scoring a dramatic late winner to seal one of the tournament’s biggest victories.
That triumph sent Spain into their sixth World Cup quarterfinal. After losing each of its first four appearances at this stage, Spain finally broke through by defeating Paraguay in 2010 before going on to win the country’s first World Cup.
Spain’s greatest strength has been their defense.
De la Fuente’s team is the only nation yet to concede a goal in the tournament and has now recorded a World Cup record six consecutive clean sheets, a streak spanning more than 10 hours of football.
That defensive solidity has become the foundation of a side that rarely gives opponents clear opportunities.
The coach’s record in knockout competition has been equally impressive.
Since taking charge, Spain have won all six of their major tournament knockout matches, further strengthening the belief that another deep World Cup run is within reach.
History also favors Spain heading into Friday’s encounter. La Roja have won nine of their last 11 meetings with Belgium since losing to the Red Devils at Euro 1980.
While the nations have split their two previous World Cup meetings, their last encounter came nearly a decade ago, making this another chapter in one of Europe’s most intriguing rivalries.
Belgium, meanwhile, arrive with renewed confidence after one of the tournament’s most impressive turnarounds.
The Red Devils finished atop Group G despite producing less than convincing performances, then survived a thrilling 3-2 victory over Senegal in the round of 32. Captain Youri Tielemans delivered the latest goal ever scored in World Cup history to avoid extra time and send Belgium into the last 16.
That momentum carried into an emphatic 4-1 victory over co-host the United States.
Facing mounting criticism, coach Rudi Garcia made the bold decision to leave Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku and all-time leading scorer Romelu Lukaku on the bench.
The gamble paid off spectacularly as Charles De Ketelaere scored twice, Hans Vanaken added another, and Lukaku came off the bench to score for a third consecutive match as a substitute.
Belgium also brushed aside the intense pre-match controversy surrounding the Folarin Balogun red card situation, delivering its most complete performance of the tournament while maintaining an average of more than 2.5 goals per game.
Few expected such a revival.
Belgium’s group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup appeared to signal the end of its celebrated “golden generation,” but Garcia has overseen a remarkable resurgence. The Red Devils enter the quarterfinal unbeaten in their last 18 matches and dreaming of winning the nation’s first World Cup.
Belgium have reached the semifinals only once, in 1986, when they eliminated Spain in the quarterfinals before eventually finishing fourth.
Replicating that famous run would mark another milestone in the team’s resurgence.
Spain are expected to stick with the core lineup that has carried them through the tournament, though De la Fuente still faces several selection decisions.
Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz and Portugal match-winner Merino are competing for starting roles in midfield, while Nico Williams is expected to begin on the bench as he continues to recover from an adductor injury.
Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal is set to start on the right wing, while Mikel Oyarzabal leads the attack after producing 23 goal involvements across his last 17 starts for Spain.
Belgium also have key decisions to make.
De Ketelaere is expected to continue as a false nine despite Lukaku’s impressive scoring streak off the bench, while De Bruyne could return to the starting lineup after being rested against the United States.
Garcia must also reshape his midfield following the devastating ACL injury suffered by Amadou Onana, opening the door for Vanaken or Nicolas Raskin to earn a starting role.
At the back, Belgium are likely to remain unchanged, with Zeno Debast still unavailable after missing the entire tournament through injury.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said Sunday he would not challenge FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who in turn, cast himself as a champion of smaller footballing nations in his bid for another term.
Nearly four weeks after Infantino dropped his controversial plan to hand 20% of a new FIFA commercial rights entity over to private investors, the fight over who controls the future of world football remains fierce.
European governing body UEFA, backed by the regional blocs for Asia (AFC) and North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), has led the opposition and Ceferin suggested that Infantino should stand down.
During an appearance on the “The Rest Is Politics: Leading” podcast, he explained that the choice comes down to two options.
“One option is that he realizes that he doesn’t have the support, and that’s not only a political support of the ones who vote, but the political support of football community, the political support of fans, the political support of the players, former players, coaches.”
“And the second option that he goes to the elections in March, but in that case, I think he will have a candidate against him. I don’t know yet who,” Ceferin said.
Familiar sources reported last week that UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF were considering a third option, a vote of no confidence in Infantino ahead of the ballot in March next year.
The Slovenian leader confirmed he hasn’t been in touch with Infantino since the dispute broke out, believing his lack of ambition to replace the Swiss official makes his critique more objective.
Smaller Europe nations oppose
Ceferin said the proposal was a greater threat to the sport than the European Super League plan that UEFA successfully fought in 2021, and said opposition was not just from Europe’s bigger nations.
“On one side was England, Germany, who you understand don’t want that, because this money is not so big for them. But on the other side was San Marino … Liechtenstein, ‘We are not for sale,’ they said” Ceferin added.
Infantino has shown no intention of leaving the post he has held since 2016, signaling that he will rely on support from less wealthy national associations in his bid for reelection through 2031.
In a video interview released by FIFA after meeting with Caribbean Football Union (CFU) members in the Dominican Republic over the weekend, Infantino said FIFA has a responsibility to narrow the gap between wealthier and poorer associations.
“We want to grow football in every one of our 211 countries in the world,” he said.
“We need to find investments for all the others, opportunities for all the others. This is about, indeed, finding and giving opportunities, access, and resources to world football.”
“Some, unfortunately, don’t need and they don’t want that others grow, but we need to narrow this gap between the big, big countries and all the others.”
“That’s what we have been trying to do in the last 10 years and also in the last 10 weeks, and what we will be continuing to do in the next years.”
With backing from South American and African blocs, Infantino has sought to marginalize the confederations by appealing straight to individual member countries throughout the crisis
Infantino welcomed in Dominican Republic
CFU forms part of CONCACAF and Infantino said he had been very happy with how he had been received on the sidelines of an under-14 tournament in the Dominican Republic.
CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani had asked Infantino to stay away from the tournament, saying his presence would overshadow the football.
Infantino pointed to the tournament, funded by FIFA development money, as proof of the progress made under his leadership.
Meanwhile, six Nordic members, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands, met in Helsinki Sunday and released a joint statement demanding his resignation.
On his podcast appearance, Ceferin rejected claims that Europe was undermining support for poorer football nations and pushed back against attempts to paint UEFA as an entitled elite.
“What I hear is that they play on, you know, arrogant Europe is against us,” he said. “But I think someone should remind him (Infantino) that he is a European and that he was supported by UEFA, which he forgot.”
Erling Haaland debuted a new haircut for Manchester City’s Premier League opener, cutting his iconic long blond locks.
Haaland showed off his close-cropped look on social media Sunday, commenting, “New season, new trim.”
He posted another image on X showing the stages of his haircut, captioned, “Short hair don’t care.”
Hours later, Haaland walked onto the Etihad Stadium pitch to warm up ahead of City’s first league game against Bournemouth.
During a July interview with James Corden on Fox Sports, Haaland revealed he maintained his previous style on the advice of retired Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, another prolific long-haired Scandinavian striker.
Haaland told Corden, “Zlatan – you know what he told me? ‘Never cut your hair because the strength is in the hair.'”
City fans hope Haaland remains as prolific as ever despite shedding his famous haircut.
French star Michael Olise scored and set up another goal as Bayern Munich beat longtime rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the season-opening German Super Cup Saturday.
After a starring role with France at the World Cup, Olise was Bayern’s most dangerous attacker, regularly tearing down the right flank.
He found makeshift midfielder Nathaniel Brown for Bayern’s 28th-minute opener and then scored one of his own just before the break.
A late goal for former Wolves striker Fabio Silva brought Dortmund closer and the hosts could have levelled deep into stoppage time but Maximilian Beier scuffed a golden chance when through on goal.
“It’s a magnificent victory to kick off the season,” Bayern striker Harry Kane told Sky. “Winning the trophy away at our league rival’s home stadium is, of course, a great start to the season.”
Bayern were rusty and barely resembled the barnstorming side which lost just once domestically last season but had enough quality to see off a rebuilding Dortmund team playing in the season opener for the first time since 2021.
The victory meant Bayern won the trophy for the 12th time and a second time in a row since it was renamed for club legend Franz Beckenbauer in 2025.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said the win showed his side had the hunger to repeat last year’s heroics.
“Some people maybe think we’ll have a drop because we won everything last year. But that won’t be the case, we won’t rest and will try to win everything,” Kompany told reporters.
With new German coach Jurgen Klopp watching on, Bayern boss Kompany pulled a selection shock by naming left-back Brown behind Kane in attacking midfield.
Summer arrival Brown seemed to struggle in the unfamiliar role early but was on the spot to put Bayern in front.
An on-rushing Olise was felled on the edge of the box but the ball fell to Brown, who calmly slotted home.
Ramy Bensebaini looked to have equalized for the hosts when he glanced in a Julian Ryerson cross late in the opening half, but the offside flag soon quelled Dortmund’s celebrations.
Bayern rubbed salt into the wound moments later, just before the break.
Olise leapt onto a poor Jobe Bellingham backpass and kept the advancing defenders at bay before slotting home Bayern’s second.
Dortmund were better after halftime, mounting a sustained campaign on Bayern’s goal, but the visitors held firm despite wave after wave of attack.
Bayern went close to adding a third when Olise found Kane positioned centrally, but the England captain blasted over the bar.
Dortmund finally broke through with 15 minutes remaining, Silva turning in a Daniel Svensson cross after some clever work from debutant Giannis Konstantelias.
Silva had another chance with three minutes remaining but he guided his header into the waiting arms of Manuel Neuer.
In the final minute, Bensebaini saw straight red for a clumsy tackle on Bayern debutant Ismael Saibari.
Dortmund still had a chance for a late equalizer but Beier chipped over the bar when one-on-one with Neuer.
Jose Mourinho’s second stint as Real Madrid coach began with a dramatic 2-1 La Liga win at Espanyol on Saturday, as substitute Carlos Espi scored in the 90th minute to seal victory.
Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in Los Blancos’ opening fixture of the season and new signing Espi secured the points at the death after Alex Calatrava had leveled against Mourinho’s star-studded team.
“I think that we deserved to win but that Espanyol didn’t deserve to lose,” Mourinho told reporters.
“They didn’t have any players at the World Cup and have been working together for a long time and you could see that.”
Back in charge of Madrid 13 years after leaving, Portuguese veteran Mourinho must bring the dressing room under control after the chaos of last season and end Spanish champions Barcelona’s domestic dominance.
Mourinho started with superstars Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Bellingham, as well as handing debuts to Bernardo Silva, Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate.
Bellingham had an excellent first season at Madrid after arriving from Borussia Dortmund but the subsequent two were disappointing, both for him and the club, who failed to win a major trophy in either.
Mourinho installed him in attacking midfield with license to roam and the former Birmingham man was heavily involved before his goal as Madrid probed.
The England international netted the first of Mourinho’s second era at the club, heading home Arda Güler’s dangerous crossed free-kick.
Espanyol threatened midway through the first half as Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois beat away Clemens Riedel’s drive and Roberto Fernandez hooked over shortly afterward.
Madrid did not heed the warning and Espanyol leveled in the 30th minute, Calatrava slotting home Javi Hernandez’s cut-back after a fine team move.
Intense battle
Espanyol stopper Marko Dmitrovic made a good save to stop Mbappe after he got in behind on the right of the area.
The French forward, La Liga’s top scorer in both of his two seasons at the club, was not at his lethal best in front of goal.
On the left flank Vinicius had little impact, beyond winning a series of fouls from Espanyol players who were determined to shut him down by any means.
“Vini is not a saint, but what they do to him is too much, it started in the first minute, I think it’s something systemic, it’s done in a systemic way,” said Mourinho.
“First I hack him, then you, then me, then you, if I get a yellow then you do it. I have a yellow so I go off, and someone comes on without a yellow … it’s frustrating for him.”
Mourinho sent on two more new arrivals in the form of record signing Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella as Madrid sought a winner in the final 25 minutes.
Federico Valverde hit the outside of the post with a low effort from the edge of the box as Espanyol dug deep to deny Madrid clear chances.
However in the 90th minute Madrid found the goal they needed when former Levante striker Espi, the lowest profile of Los Blancos’ summer purchases, capitalized on a loose ball in the box and fired home.
“We carried out our plan well and then let in that goal at the end,” said Calatrava.
“That we conceded was a gut-punch, because we worked hard until the end.”
Earlier, Sevilla won 3-1 at Athletic Bilbao and Valencia and Celta Vigo drew 0-0.
On Sunday champions Barcelona play their first game of the season at Elche, while Atletico Madrid host Villarreal.
A Chinese humanoid robot ran 100 meters in 9.39 seconds in a preliminary heat at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday, faster than the men’s world record held by Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter.
Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, won its heat at the opening of the games’ second edition, organizers said.
The robot overtook Lightning, from smartphone maker Honor, near the finish after falling behind early in the race. Lightning finished in 9.47 seconds, also faster than the 9.58-second record Bolt set at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
The two robots lacked Bolt’s flair, slamming into a thick mat. Tiangong stumbled wildly into the sidelines, forcing onlookers to move. Lightning collapsed to the ground and was then carried away on a stretcher.
The results nevertheless marked a sharp improvement from last year’s inaugural games, when Tiangong Ultra won the 100 meters in 21.50 seconds. Tiangong also won the world’s first humanoid robot half-marathon, held in Beijing last year.
Earlier on Saturday, Chinese state media reported that Lightning had run 100 meters in 9.32 seconds in a preparatory test, reaching a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second.
Lightning won this year’s humanoid half-marathon in 50 minutes, 26 seconds, faster than the elite men’s human world record.
Lightning stood 169 centimeters tall and had 95-centimeter legs during the half-marathon. Its researchers later lengthened its legs by 10 centimeters, to 1.05 meters, ahead of the games, CCTV reported.
The 100 meters is among 51 events at the games, which include football, dancing and industrial task contests.
Strategic industry
China has promoted humanoid robots as a strategic emerging industry, with policymakers and companies betting that advances in AI and hardware will accelerate their use in manufacturing, logistics and consumer applications.
Investor enthusiasm for the sector was on display earlier this week when shares in Unitree, China’s best-known humanoid robot maker, jumped more than five-fold in its Shanghai trading debut on Wednesday, giving the company a market value of about $50 billion.
This year’s games have drawn 2,056 robots from 666 teams across 16 countries and six continents, up from 280 teams at the inaugural event.
The games, held at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval, run through Wednesday.
Manchester United made a nightmare start to the new season as promoted Hull City silenced their doubters with a shock 2-0 victory on their Premier League return Saturday.
Sergej Jakirovic’s playoff winners had been written off by pundits before a ball was kicked, with former England international Joe Cole even predicting an immediate return to the second tier. His comments sparked anger among Hull supporters.
But those predictions looked badly misplaced as the unfancied Tigers roared to a stunning and thoroughly deserved opening-day victory, scoring twice from first-half set pieces to stun United and announce their return to the Premier League in emphatic fashion.
Semi Ajayi opened the scoring after United failed to deal with a corner, and Michael Carrick’s men were again found wanting when Regan Slater sent in a free kick for debutant Nobel Mendy to nod home.
The Red Devils boss, handed the permanent job in May, had warned of a challenging start in East Yorkshire, but he could not have foreseen such a meek display from his side months after finishing third.
Carrick has plenty to mull over following United’s first-ever Premier League loss to Hull, whose first top-flight match since 2017 will live long in the memory.
“One family, one dream,” read the flags placed on seats around the MKM Stadium, 13 weeks after the playoff final win over Middlesbrough.
The togetherness, spirit and momentum from that unlikely promotion helped City roar out of the blocks as Jakirovic’s Tigers immediately made life difficult for United.
Oli McBurnie would have nodded Hull into a fifth-minute lead had it not been for a smart clearance, with the striker soon seeing a booming header denied by Senne Lammens.
Debutant Konstantinos Tzolakis brilliantly stopped a Bryan Mbeumo effort between those chances, but United offered little else, and Lammens soon had to tip over a Ryan Giles cross-shot.
The resulting 17th-minute corner sparked bedlam. Slater’s driven ball was flicked on, and McBurnie saw an effort superbly pushed onto the far post by Lammens, only for the ball to fall to Ajayi, who slammed home.
It was an astonishing moment that the ineffective Patrick Dorgu tried to cancel out, but a passive United lacked a focal point, and Hull would punish them from another set piece.
Debutant Youri Tielemans brought down Mohamed Belloumi outside the box, and Slater whipped in a fine free kick that Mendy headed beyond Lammens in the 38th minute.
“You’re getting mauled by the Tigers,” chanted gleeful Hull fans, who took aim at dismissive pundit Cole and playfully sang about winning the league.
City were given a standing ovation at the break, and United turned to Marcus Rashford, who made his first competitive appearance for the club in 618 days.
Carrick had hoped to change the dynamics, but Hull continued to keep the visitors at arm’s length and looked primed to break whenever given the chance.
McBurnie’s dancing feet on one such break showed their confidence, as did Belloumi’s rising effort from distance just after the hour mark.
Goalscoring debutant Mendy limped off for the hosts, and Carrick turned to his bench, including introducing Benjamin Sesko.
Substitute Cody Drameh fired just wide as Hull sought a third, with Mbeumo lifting an effort over before seeing another shot denied by Tzolakis.
Former Hull defender Harry Maguire was denied as United tried and failed to avoid a humiliating opening-weekend loss.
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