Sports
Aziz Yıldırım storms back to Fenerbahçe presidency, beats Safi in vote
Fenerbahçe entered a new political and sporting era on Sunday as longtime former president Aziz Yıldırım won a decisive return to power in the club’s extraordinary general assembly election, a result quickly followed by official congratulations from Türkiye’s government.
Yıldırım defeated challenger Hakan Safi by 17,245 votes to 9,927, according to official figures announced at the congress.
The election saw record participation, with more than 27,000 valid ballots cast from roughly 44,700 eligible members, underscoring both the scale of engagement and the depth of division within the membership.
The vote was held in and around the stadium complex in Kadıköy, Istanbul, concluding a turbulent period in which Fenerbahçe underwent multiple leadership changes while continuing its long search for a Süper Lig title.
The result restores Yıldırım to the presidency eight years after he stepped down, closing a cycle of instability that defined recent club politics.
Yıldırım previously led Fenerbahçe from 1998 to 2018, one of the longest tenures in Turkish football.
His era brought six league titles, sustained European runs including UEFA Champions League quarterfinal and Europa League semifinal appearances, and major infrastructure upgrades that modernized the club’s facilities and operations.
After his departure, the club entered a period of rapid turnover.
Ali Koç assumed the presidency in 2018 with promises of transformation and investment but failed to deliver a league title, increasing pressure from supporters.
In 2025, Sadettin Saran briefly took over after another extraordinary election, but his short tenure, shaped by legal disputes, lasted less than a year before renewed pressure forced another vote.
The 2026 contest reflected sharply different visions.
Yıldırım campaigned on stability, financial discipline and institutional continuity, presenting himself as a corrective to years of escalating ambition without domestic success.
Safi promoted an aggressive sporting project built on high-profile transfer targets and rapid squad overhaul, though several of the rumored deals were disputed in football circles.
The result delivered a clear mandate for Yıldırım, who won by a wide margin and immediately reclaimed leadership of one of Türkiye’s most influential sports institutions.
Shortly after the result was confirmed, Türkiye’s Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak issued an official congratulatory message.
He said he congratulated Yıldırım on his election as president at the extraordinary general assembly and wished success to both him and his board in their duties, marking early state-level recognition of the new administration.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) also extended formal congratulations, reflecting the significance of the leadership change within the national football structure.
The TFF praised Yıldırım and his incoming board and wished them success in their term.
Among supporters, reactions remained divided between those who associate Yıldırım with a successful past era and those who view the club’s recurring leadership changes as evidence of deeper structural issues.
Christian Eriksen is in stable condition in hospital and expected to be discharged soon after collapsing during Denmark’s abandoned friendly against Ukraine in Odense on Sunday, an incident that reignited global concern about the veteran midfielder’s heart condition nearly five years after his 2021 cardiac arrest.
The 34-year-old midfielder, currently with VfL Wolfsburg, fell to the turf in the 65th minute at Nature Energy Park after appearing to clutch his chest while the ball was out of play.
Medical staff rushed in within seconds as teammates from both Denmark national football team and Ukraine national football team formed a protective circle around him to shield the scene from cameras and preserve his privacy during treatment.
Eriksen regained consciousness shortly after receiving on-field care and was able to walk off the pitch with assistance before being taken by ambulance to Odense University Hospital.
The referee abandoned the match shortly afterward, with players from both sides later standing together in a show of solidarity as the stadium was cleared.
Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen, who also treated Eriksen during his 2021 collapse, delivered an early update on Monday confirming the midfielder was conscious, stable and “doing well under the circumstances.”
Boesen said Eriksen had already been in contact with family and medical staff and was expected to return home soon, though he stressed that a full medical evaluation was still underway to determine what triggered the episode.
While doctors have not confirmed the cause, early speculation within medical circles suggests Eriksen’s implanted cardioverter-defibrillator may have activated as designed.
The device, fitted after his 2021 cardiac arrest, continuously monitors heart rhythm and can deliver a shock if a dangerous irregularity is detected. Officials have not verified whether it played a role in Sunday’s incident.
The collapse immediately revived memories of June 2021, when Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s European Championship opener against Finland in Copenhagen.
He was resuscitated on the pitch and later fitted with the device that allowed him to return to professional football after more than six months away from the game.
His comeback took him from Brentford FC to Manchester United FC, where he became an important midfield presence and added domestic trophies before moving to Wolfsburg in 2025.
He also reestablished himself as a key figure for Denmark, featuring at the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024 despite the long shadow of his health history.
Denmark captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg said the reaction on the field was immediate and disciplined, describing how players quickly recognized the seriousness of the situation and allowed medical staff to take control. Coach Brian Riemer, who previously worked with Eriksen at Brentford, called the episode “extremely shocking,” adding that his personal connection to the midfielder made the moment especially difficult.
Outside the stadium, messages of support poured in from across football and Danish public life. Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen said she was relieved Eriksen was in stable condition and extended her thoughts to his family and teammates.
Former striker Nicklas Bendtner described the scene as distressing but said Eriksen walking off the pitch offered a measure of reassurance amid uncertainty. Even so, the incident has renewed broader discussion around cardiac screening in elite sport and the long-term risks for athletes competing with implanted heart devices.
As of Monday, Eriksen remains under observation in hospital. No timeline has been set for a return to football, and discussions involving his medical team, club officials, and national federation are expected once test results provide a clearer picture of his condition.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will arrive not just as an expanded global tournament, but as a generational shift, with Gen Z talent moving from supporting roles to central figures on football’s biggest stage.
Set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the first 48-team World Cup will widen the spotlight like never before.
The scale of the tournament means more matches, more minutes and more pressure moments for players still in their early 20s, turning what was once a veterans’ stage into a proving ground for the sport’s new elite.
History already shows how quickly youth can define a World Cup.
Pele scored in a final as a teenager in 1958. Kylian Mbappe exploded onto the global scene in 2018. Lionel Messi announced himself at 18 in 2006. The pattern is clear: the tournament often belongs to players who are young enough to change its direction, but mature enough to handle its weight.
Türkiye’s revival built on a young spine
Few teams embody this shift more than Türkiye, returning to the World Cup after 24 years with a squad shaped around youth, energy and technical ambition.
At the center is Arda Güler of Real Madrid, a left-footed playmaker trusted to control tempo, break defensive lines and carry creative responsibility in high-pressure moments. His rise has mirrored Türkiye’s broader resurgence, with expectations now extending beyond potential into leadership.
Alongside him, Kenan Yıldız of Juventus offers direct attacking power from wide areas, combining ball carrying, finishing and versatility across the frontline. Adding another layer is Can Uzun of Eintracht Frankfurt, a forward-thinking midfielder capable of drifting between lines and turning half-chances into goals.
Together, they represent a tactical reset for Türkiye, a side no longer defined by experience alone, but by a young core trained in Europe’s top competitive environments.
PSG’s youth pipeline stretches across continents
If Türkiye’s rise is built on cohesion, Paris Saint-Germain provides something different: a global production line of elite talent spread across multiple national teams.
Warren Zaire-Emery has already become a midfield anchor, combining defensive discipline with controlled progression in possession. Desire Doue adds unpredictability in the final third, capable of breaking structure with dribbling and sharp combinations.
In Portugal’s system, Joao Neves brings relentless energy and positional intelligence, often dictating tempo without needing to dominate the ball.
For Senegal, Ibrahim Mbaye represents raw pace and direct wing threat, the kind of profile that can swing knockout matches in seconds.
PSG’s influence underscores a broader trend: elite clubs are no longer just producing stars, they are exporting tournament-shaping players across multiple national identities.
Spain’s new technical core
For Spain, youth is not a future plan but a present reality.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal has already stepped into a frontline creative role, combining balance, acceleration and decision-making that rarely matches his age. He is expected to be one of the defining attacking figures of the tournament.
At the back, Pau Cubarsi has emerged as a calm defensive organizer, reading danger early and playing out from pressure with composure more often associated with seasoned internationals.
Spain’s balance of control and creativity is increasingly shaped by teenagers who are no longer being eased in, but relied upon.
A global wave
The Gen Z wave stretches well beyond the traditional European power centers.
Endrick brings explosive finishing and attacking instinct for Brazil.
Nico Paz continues to develop as a creative midfield option capable of dictating rhythm in tight spaces. Germany’s Lennart Karl and Ivory Coast’s Yan Diomande offer pace and direct attacking width, while Algeria’s Ibrahim Maza adds control and vision in midfield transitions.
England’s Kobbie Mainoo already plays with the authority of a long-term midfield fixture for the national setup.
The expanded format is not just increasing participation, it is changing the rhythm of the competition itself. More matches, tighter schedules and deeper squads mean younger players are more likely to be trusted in decisive moments.
Clubs like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona already reflect this shift at the top level, where teenagers are no longer exceptions but structural pieces.
Mirra Andreeva announced herself as a rising star in women’s tennis Saturday after defeating surprise finalist Maja Chwalinska 6-3, 6-2 to become the youngest French Open champion in more than three decades.
The 19-year-old Russian, long regarded as one of the sport’s brightest prospects, delivered on her promise on the biggest stage of all, claiming a maiden Grand Slam title and joining the select group of active major champions led by players such as Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff.
In doing so, Andreeva became the youngest women’s singles champion at Roland Garros since Monica Seles won her third consecutive title in Paris in 1992, a milestone that underlined the Russian’s precocious talent and the scale of her achievement.
“I’ll be honest, I’ve done a lot of visualizations before. Not just this tournament, but I’ve had dreams, I’ve had a lot of thoughts on how it’s going to happen, if it’s going to happen, when it’s going to happen, where,” Andreeva told reporters.
“I would say the feeling in real life is so much better, obviously, than in your dreams … looking at this trophy and realising that this is actually true, and I can call myself a Grand Slam champion.”
While Chwalinska’s remarkable run from qualifying captured the imagination and triggered praise from the greats of the game over the past fortnight, the final belonged to a player who increasingly looks equipped to shape the sport’s future.
As the 24-year-old Pole struggled to reproduce the tactical brilliance that had carried her through nine successive victories, Andreeva grew stronger with every game, imposing her power, absorbing the pressure and leaving little doubt that a new force has arrived at the top of the women’s game.
“These feelings are extra special. Now I’m already thinking of how I’m going to prepare for the grass season,” she said.
“This thing is a bit addictive, and I really want to do my best to experience all of this for the second time.”
Rankings jump
Chwalinska, however, is now allowed to dream of joining the club. Despite her below-par performance in the final, she will now jump to 21st in the world rankings.
There was no sign of a changing of the guard in the men’s doubles as Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos retained the title with a dominant 6-4, 6-2 win over Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, claiming their third Grand Slam title as a pair.
Spaniard Granollers and Argentine Zeballos, who initially paired up in 2019, won the French Open and U.S. Open last year and justified their top seeding, having not dropped a set in their 2026 Roland Garros campaign.
The women’s title featured two Grand Slam final debutants, and the most experienced, albeit the youngest, prevailed on a windswept Court Philippe Chatrier.
Eighth-seeded Andreeva’s heavy groundstrokes began to penetrate through the wind while Chwalinska’s trademark touch and variety increasingly deserted her, allowing the Russian to take command of the contest.
The opening set was a tense affair, with both players struggling to cope with the pressure of a maiden Grand Slam final.
Marathon game
Chwalinska, only the second woman in the professional era to come through qualifying and reach a Grand Slam final after Britain’s Emma Raducanu won the 2021 U.S. Open, survived a marathon opening service game in which she saved three break points with a mixture of delicate drop shots and bold winners.
Neither player, however, could establish control.
Breaks were traded repeatedly, Andreeva surrendering one service game with two double faults while Chwalinska’s forehand often let her down.
At 3-3, Andreeva began finding greater depth and weight off her wings, pushing Chwalinska behind the baseline and growing in confidence, even smiling after netting an easy overhead smash.
She broke for 4-3 when Chwalinska netted a sliced backhand, consolidated for 5-3 and then capitalized on another nervous service game to claim the opening set.
The Russian carried that momentum into the second, breaking immediately and again for a 4-0 lead as Chwalinska struggled to contain her opponent’s relentless pressure.
The Pole briefly threatened a comeback, recovering one break and reducing the deficit to 5-2, but Andreeva remained unmoved, sealing the biggest victory of her young career with a crisp crosscourt backhand winner on her opponent’s serve.
The triumph earned Andreeva $3.22 million in prize money, while Chwalinska collected $1.61 million, roughly double her career earnings before arriving in Paris.
“It’ll be different, for sure, but I think and I hope I’ll adapt. I’ll definitely work hard,” Chwalinska said.
“I need to continue to stay in the present and give my all to be a better player every day.”
Marc Marquez secured his 100th career win across all classes with a commanding victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix Sunday at Balaton Park, just weeks after undergoing surgery on his shoulder and foot.
The 33-year-old Spaniard beat KTM’s Pedro Acosta to the checkered flag for his first win since the San Marino Grand Prix last year and his 74th in MotoGP.
The seven-time MotoGP champion’s triumph was particularly sweet as it also marked Ducati’s 100th victory, while his teammate Francesco Bagnaia finished third.
“Super happy. Expensive win because after last year it changed everything,” said Marquez, who had also won Saturday’s sprint from pole position.
“But the sport is like this. From one day to the other, one can change everything. I learned this in 2020 (after a season-ending crash).”
Multi-rider crash
It became a nightmare race for Aprilia when Jorge Martin lost his balance on the first lap at turn one and crashed into three riders, including his teammate and championship leader Marco Bezzecchi.
The crash also took out Gresini Racing’s Fermin Aldeguer and Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez, as three Aprilia bikes were taken out of contention.
“I didn’t do a good start and when I started to brake, I just saw something arriving so fast,” Bagnaia said.
“It was Martin arriving (at) double the speed, so maybe it was two (riders) on the inside and locked the front, because the new tarmac on corner one was very slippery.”
Both Martin and Bezzecchi were taken to the medical centre, with Aprilia later confirming Martin had bruising on his back and right foot while Bezzecchi suffered contusions on his right leg and hand, though neither rider showed visible fractures.
Marquez, Acosta battle
Up front, Acosta seized the initiative on lap two, diving inside to take the lead in a thrilling battle that saw the KTM rider and Marquez trade fastest laps while leaving Bagnaia far behind in third.
The decisive moment came on lap 14 when Marquez made his move, only for Acosta to respond immediately, with the KTM rider even nudging aside his compatriot near the final turn, but Marquez was not to be denied.
Taking the lead at the chicane on the next lap, Marquez then streaked away, building a commanding advantage before cruising to victory as Acosta seemed to struggle with tire wear.
In a moment of pure joy, he stood on his bike as he crossed the finish line, before celebrating with a red flag emblazoned with the No. 100.
The milestone puts Marquez in exclusive company as only the third rider to reach a century of wins, joining motorcycling greats Giacomo Agostini (122) and Valentino Rossi (115).
“We come back and we work hard. Some difficulties this first part of the season, but I knew that here was a big chance to win,” Marquez added.
“I want to say thanks to the people that believed in me – the doctors, the physios, a lot of hours at home working. The prize was expensive but I’m happy to (make) another comeback.”
Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura finished fourth while Honda’s Luca Marini completed the Top 5.
Türkiye fought back from a goal down to defeat Venezuela 2-1 in a friendly match in Fort Lauderdale Saturday to complete their final preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The match at Inter Miami CF Stadium marked Türkiye’s last warm-up game, which head coach Vincenzo Montella praised as a “high-level” test despite difficult conditions.
The Crescent-Stars had earlier beaten North Macedonia 4-0 in Istanbul and wrapped up their training camp in Miami before heading to their main base in Mesa, Arizona. Their focus will now firmly shift to the World Cup finals.
In the match, Türkiye fell behind in the 13th minute when Gleiker Mendoza scored a screamer from outside the penalty area.
However, the Turkish national team clawed their way back into the game in the 44th minute.
On paper, Galatasaray forward Barış Alper Yılmaz scored the equalizer but full credit should go to Real Madrid star Arda Güler, whose majestic corner beat the Venezuelan goalkeeper, bounced off the far-post and took a deflection off Yılmaz, before finding the net.
Yunus Akgün then scored the decisive goal in the 54th minute, finishing from outside the penalty area after picking up a pass from Güler.
Venezuela pressed for an equalizer but failed to convert late chances as Türkiye held on for the win.
‘We can improve’
Speaking after the match, Türkiye coach Montella said both sides produced an intense contest under challenging conditions, including heat and humidity in Miami.
“It was a challenging match, a high-level match,” Montella said. “The opponent showed they are a South American team. They are known for their cunning, but there were positive aspects for us as well.”
He added that the team still needed to improve tactical spacing and cohesion between the lines, but was encouraged by the overall performance.
Montella also addressed player fitness, noting that several key players were managed carefully.
“Kerem played a few extra minutes, Ferdi was available, but we did not want to take risks, and Hakan also played limited minutes,” he said.
The coach added that he had reviewed Australia – Türkiye’s first World Cup opponent – stressing the importance of adaptation to heat and travel demands during the tournament.
“There is no excuse. Whoever adapts best will have an advantage,” he said.
Dream come true
Defender Zeki Çelik, who wore the captain’s armband for part of the match, described the moment as a personal milestone.
“It was a moment I dreamed of since childhood,” Çelik said. “I’m very happy to have worn the captain’s armband today.”
He added that Türkiye are determined to advance from the group stage, noting confidence in the squad’s quality despite being seen as outsiders by some observers.
Defender Ozan Kabak said the win was an important morale boost ahead of the tournament.
“This was the last rehearsal before the World Cup,” Kabak said. “We will be ready in the best way possible.”
He also emphasized the importance of starting the tournament strongly, saying early results in group play would be crucial.
Venezuela head coach Oswaldo Vizcarrondo described the game as competitive and useful for his team’s development despite the defeat.
“Overall, it was a balanced match,” Vizcarrondo said. “It helped us improve, but we were a bit slow in transitions.”
He added that Miami’s heat and humidity affected both sides, but praised his players’ effort and chance creation.
Iran’s national football team has been granted visas to participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack said Friday, offering clarity over the squad’s travel status amid broader tensions between Washington and Tehran.
“Proud of our outstanding team at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara for their work processing visas for Iran’s national football team on their road to the @FIFAWorldCup in the United States,” he said, commenting on a news report that Iran’s World Cup players have been granted the visas to enter the United States.
“Sports transcends borders, and we look forward to welcoming competitors and fans from around the world,” the ambassador said.
The Iranian team is due to fly from Türkiye to Spain on Saturday before travelling on to their base camp in Mexico, which has issued visas to the squad, where they will arrive on Sunday.
The team will be based in Mexico during the tournament in North America, but all three of their group stage matches are due to be held in the United States.
They were originally due to be based in the U.S. but switched their camp to Mexico due to the tensions between Tehran and Washington over the war in the Middle East.
The two countries have been at war since the UçSç and Israel began bombing Iran at the end of February, although currently a fragile cease-fire is being observed.
Iran begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand on June 16 in Los Angeles.
They will play further group matches against Belgium, also in LA, and Egypt in Seattle.
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