Sports
Marquez boosts championship standings with German GP win
Seven-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez completed a Sachsenring sweep Sunday, following up his sprint victory with a commanding win in the German Grand Prix to boost his position in the championship battle.
The factory Ducati rider converted pole position into victory but was made to work early on by his younger brother Alex Marquez.
The Gresini Racing rider stayed close to Marc in the opening stages before crashing out on lap 10, ending his challenge.
With Alex out of contention, Marquez controlled the race from the front, keeping Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura at bay to secure a record 10th premier-class victory at one of his favourite circuits.
Ogura passed Fernandez late in the race to finish second and become the first Japanese rider since 2002 to secure three successive premier-class podiums, with Fernandez taking third.
Championship leader Jorge Martin finished fifth for Aprilia after crossing the line behind KTM’s Pedro Acosta, who took fourth place.
VR46 Racing’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, regarded as Marquez’s biggest challenger after qualifying third and finishing on the sprint podium, crashed out early and missed the opportunity to move to the top of the standings.
Former championship leader Marco Bezzecchi was ruled out after fracturing his left collarbone in a heavy qualifying crash, with Aprilia saying on Sunday that the Italian had undergone successful surgery but faced an uncertain recovery timeline.
Newly crowned Wimbledon women’s champion Linda Noskova has revealed that a glimpse of the trophy during a bathroom break inspired her comeback as she rallied to beat Karolina Muchova in Saturday’s final.
Noskova was in danger of blowing her bid for a maiden Grand Slam title after squandering five match points to blow a 5-2 lead in a chaotic second set on Centre Court.
The 21-year-old hid her head in a towel and wiped away tears of frustration after her fellow Czech and close friend Muchova levelled the final at one-set all.
Noskova trudged sadly towards the locker room in a bid to recompose herself for the final set.
On that walk, she noticed the Venus Rosewater Dish gleaming in a trophy cabinet alongside the runners-up shield.
The thought of having to make do with the losers’ consolation prize shook Noskova out of her malaise and she stormed back to take the title in the final set.
“I was just telling myself that the match is starting over. I was in the bathroom. I just splashed some cold water on me, started over again,” she said.
“But what really helped me, the first step I took off court, the trophies were there. I was like, ‘I’m not going to take the small one, I’m taking the big one. I have been so close. This will probably be the heartbreak of my life.’
“If I’m going to leave my soul on court in the third set, whatever that be. I just kind of started to focus on myself all over again, which was the key point,” she said.
Jana Novotna’s tears on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent after she squandered an apparently decisive advantage against Steffi Graf in the 1993 final remains one of Wimbledon’s most famous moments.
Noskova’s fellow Czech had to wait until 1998 for her cathartic winning moment, but the ninth seed, playing in her first Grand Slam final, staved off three break points at the start of the third set before landing a crucial break.
Noskova admitted the pressure-packed situation had overwhelmed her in the second set as the match points slipped through her grasp across three different games.
‘Had to fight for it’
“My hand kind of froze at certain moments. My feet were not as quick as they had been before,” she said.
When her next match point arrived, this time she seized the moment, sealing a life-changing 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory before falling to the turf in joy and disbelief.
Noskova is the youngest women’s champion since another Czech, Petra Kvitova, won in 2011.
Fittingly, two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova was watching from the royal box and she congratulated Noskova, who idolized her as a child, when they met in the Centre Court lounge after the match.
Noskova follows in the footsteps of fellow Czech Wimbledon winners Marketa Vondrousova and Barbora Krejcikova in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
Noskova and Muchova are good friends and the pair were emotional in their interviews after receiving their trophies from the Princess of Wales.
For Noskova, holding the silverware aloft validated her moment of clarity less than an hour earlier in the corridors of Centre Court.
It still wasn’t enough to mask the painful memory of her mother Ivana’s death from cancer two years ago.
Unable to hold back the tears, Noskova paid tribute to her before blowing a kiss to the sky.
Having shown her heart and desire in spades, Noskova had done her mother proud.
“A final is a final. No matter what you do, there’s always pressure. You always want to keep your cool, be okay, be like nothing is happening. But deep inside of you, you know it’s very important,” she said.
“Just winning it this way, really having to fight for it, having all these ups and downs, it matters a lot, but I do have to learn a lot from this match, definitely.”
A self-described “down-to-earth” personality, Noskova leaves Wimbledon with the world at her feet.
England and Argentina booked a blockbuster World Cup semifinal showdown Saturday after beating Norway and Switzerland, respectively, to reach the last four.
In sweltering Miami, two goals from Jude Bellingham gave England a nervy 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway to send the Three Lions into the semifinals for only the fourth time in history.
Defending champions Argentina later sealed their place in the last four after a nail-biting 3-1 win over 10-man Switzerland at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.
Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored in extra time for Argentina, who had been on the ropes after a second-half equalizer from Switzerland’s Dan Ndoye cancelled out Alexis Mac Allister’s early opener for the holders.
The two results mean that England and Argentina will renew one of the World Cup’s most iconic rivalries when they face each other in the semifinals in Atlanta Wednesday.
The winner of that game will take on the victor of France’s semifinal with Spain, who meet in Texas on Tuesday, in the final on July 19.
Angry Tuchel
Furious England manager Thomas Tuchel said his team would need to make a drastic improvement if they were to have any chance of progressing beyond the semifinals.
In intense Florida heat and humidity, a shaky England fell behind on 36 minutes through Andreas Schjelderup’s rasping shot from the left.
But England got a huge slice of luck in first-half stoppage time when Bellingham equalized after an attack that began when a goal kick from Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland appeared to hit an overhead camera cable.
Norway’s players protested to no avail and the goal stood. The Norwegians also had a goal controversially disallowed before Bellingham then bagged England’s winner in extra time.
“We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today,” Tuchel said afterward.
“The result is fantastic. The last four is amazing, but not happy with the performance … we were very lucky today.”
While FIFA later issued a statement saying there was “no evidence” the ball had hit the cable before England’s first goal, Norway coach Stale Solbakken was adamant.
“That was unlucky for us,” Solbakken said. “The ball fell straight down from the sky, so it changed its direction. But we can’t do anything about that. I don’t think we will play the game again. So, that’s that’s how it is.”
Argentina dig deep
In Kansas City, Argentina were taken to extra time for the second time this tournament before battling to a 3-1 win over Switzerland.
The world champions took the lead after just 10 minutes, with Lionel Messi’s outswinging corner finding the head of Mac Allister.
The Liverpool midfielder leapt up behind Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji and steered his header past Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Yet Switzerland rallied after that early setback, with their physicality and well-organized defense frustrating the Argentina attack.
As the match wore on, Switzerland grew in confidence and enjoyed their best period of pressure in the second half against increasingly weary-looking opponents.
In the 67th minute, the Swiss breakthrough came.
Ndoye worked a deft one-two with Ricardo Rodriguez down the left and then shot past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to make it 1-1.
But with Argentina rocking the momentum swung back in the South Americans’ favor when Swiss forward Breel Embolo was shown his second yellow card and sent off in tears after a VAR review.
Switzerland bravely held out to take the match to extra time and looked to be poised to take the game to penalty shoot-outs.
But Alvarez curled a magnificent screamer into the top corner in the 112th minute to break the deadlock and then in the dying moments Martinez finished a counterattack to complete the win.
“Obviously you have to suffer, you have to know how to suffer,” said Alvarez after scoring his first goal of the tournament. “That’s how the matches are playing out right now.”
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni admitted his team had had “many many difficulties.”
He added: “Sometimes we couldn’t find the solutions, but today we had luck on our side because one of their players was sent off.”
Fans will soon have the chance to own a piece of World Cup history after FIFA announced it will sell authenticated fragments of the natural grass pitch used in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The collectibles, marketed as the “2026 FIFA World Cup Piece of the Pitch,” feature genuine sections of the championship field permanently preserved in premium acrylic displays. FIFA says each item includes authentication features and is designed as a lasting keepsake from one of soccer’s biggest events.
“Own a genuine piece of football history with an authentic 2026 FIFA World Cup™ Piece of the Pitch, permanently preserved in a premium acrylic with a USB keepsake,” FIFA says in the product description on its official online store.
“Each piece contains an original fragment of the iconic Final playing surface, making it a unique collectible that celebrates one of the world’s greatest sporting events.”
The entry-level Foundation Edition is priced at $450, while higher-end versions range into the thousands of dollars. The premium Hero Edition, which sells for as much as $3,000, includes a larger section of the pitch along with exclusive memorabilia such as a gold-etched commemorative ticket, a miniature World Cup ball and other display items.
Each collectible is engraved with details including the official 2026 FIFA World Cup logo, MetLife Stadium, the date of the final on July 19, 2026, and the match result.
FIFA said orders will not be shipped until after the final is played and, for now, deliveries are limited to customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe.
The sale comes as the temporary natural grass field installed for the World Cup is scheduled to be removed once the tournament ends.
MetLife Stadium, home of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets, normally uses an artificial playing surface for American football. To meet FIFA’s tournament requirements, organizers installed a specially prepared natural grass pitch for the World Cup, which must be dismantled before the stadium returns to NFL use.
Rather than discarding the field, FIFA is transforming sections of the turf into authenticated collectibles, creating a new revenue stream while giving supporters an opportunity to own a tangible piece of the tournament.
The initiative also arrives amid the long-running debate over natural grass versus artificial turf. Many NFL players have argued that natural grass provides a safer playing surface and may reduce the risk of lower-body injuries, while FIFA has consistently required natural grass for its flagship competitions.
Preparing MetLife Stadium for the World Cup required extensive modifications, including the installation of the temporary grass surface to satisfy FIFA’s standards for international competition.
The “Piece of the Pitch” collection continues a growing trend of sports organizations turning iconic match-used items into premium memorabilia. Limited availability has already fueled strong demand, with some editions selling out shortly after launch.
Barcelona have made their move for Karim Adeyemi, submitting an official offer to Borussia Dortmund for the Germany international as the Catalan giants look to strengthen their attack ahead of the new season.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Barcelona has formally approached Dortmund for the 24-year-old winger, although the financial details of the proposal have not been disclosed.
Negotiations between the clubs are ongoing, with Barcelona awaiting Dortmund’s response.
The move comes after months of uncertainty surrounding Adeyemi’s future. While his contract runs through June 2027, talks over an extension have stalled, making a summer transfer increasingly likely.
According to multiple reports, including Marca, Adeyemi has already agreed to personal terms with Barcelona and has made it clear that the Spanish champions are the only club he is willing to join during this transfer window. Dortmund is reportedly seeking around 50 million euros ($57 million) to approve a deal.
Adeyemi joined Dortmund from RB Salzburg in 2022 as one of Germany’s brightest attacking prospects. Although he has produced flashes of brilliance with his explosive speed and direct style, he has struggled to establish himself as an undisputed starter.
Under coach Niko Kovac during the 2025-26 campaign, Adeyemi featured in 28 Bundesliga matches, making 15 starts and averaging just over 42 minutes per appearance. He finished the league season with seven goals and four assists while adding three goals and two assists in the UEFA Champions League, ending the campaign with roughly 10 goals and six assists across all competitions.
Despite those numbers, his role remained inconsistent, and Dortmund increasingly relied on him as a rotational option rather than a regular starter.
His uncertain standing at the club has been mirrored by difficult contract negotiations.
German newspaper Bild previously reported that extension talks were close to collapsing because of significant differences between the two sides. Adeyemi, now represented by super-agent Jorge Mendes, reportedly sought a substantial salary increase from his estimated annual earnings of €6.5 million, along with an exit clause in any new agreement.
Dortmund has shown little willingness to meet those demands, particularly given the winger’s inconsistent performances and injury setbacks over the past several seasons. Ruhr Nachrichten also reported growing frustration among club executives as negotiations failed to make progress.
Adeyemi, however, has publicly rejected much of the speculation.
Speaking to WAZ in June, the Germany international insisted reports surrounding the negotiations had been exaggerated.
“I generally don’t follow the media much,” Adeyemi said. “However, I am constantly sent news or statements talking about deadlocks in talks or negotiations, for example alleged salary demands that are unfortunately not reported accurately.”
He also reiterated his affection for Dortmund while acknowledging that clarity from the club would ultimately determine his future.
“I have expressed my commitment to Borussia Dortmund many times and have always emphasized what I appreciate about this club and how passionately I am attached to it,” he said.
“The most important thing for me is to get a clear signal from the club, regardless of which direction the final decision will take. If I am clearly told what the plans are, I will always accept them. Life goes on, my career is still very long and I have a lot more to do.”
That clear direction may now come in the form of a transfer.
With only two years remaining on his contract, Dortmund faces increasing pressure to decide whether to cash in this summer or risk seeing Adeyemi’s market value decline as his deal approaches its final year.
Barcelona believes the winger is an ideal fit for coach Hansi Flick’s high-intensity system. Flick previously worked with Adeyemi in the German national team setup and values his pace, versatility and pressing ability.
Capable of playing on either wing or through the middle, Adeyemi would add another dynamic option alongside Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Barcelona’s other attacking talents.
The pursuit also reflects Barcelona’s continued focus on recruiting young players with significant upside while balancing financial restrictions under La Liga’s salary regulations.
When four-time World Cup champion Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament, then-head coach Gennaro Gattuso questioned FIFA’s expanded allocation of World Cup places to Africa.
“Africa deserves fewer World Cup slots,” he said, referring to the continent’s automatic qualification places increasing from five to nine under the expanded 48-team format. The total later rose to 10 after the Democratic Republic of Congo won an intercontinental playoff to secure its first World Cup appearance in 52 years.
But was Gattuso, who helped Italy lift the World Cup as a midfielder in 2006, right? Was Africa overrepresented in the United States, Canada and Mexico?
Apart from a disastrous showing by Tunisia, which axed coach Sabri Lamouchi after its first group game and lost all three matches, African flag-bearers proved competitive, justifying their presence.
The other nine representatives reached the knockout stage, five as group runners-up. The other four were among the eight best third-placed teams.
That represents a 90% success rate, the highest among FIFA’s regional confederations, followed by South America (83.33%), Europe (81.25%) and Asia (22.22%).
Europe did surge to the fore in the knockout phase with six quarterfinalists. Africa and South America had one each.
African teams were less successful in the round of 32, with seven eliminated. Egypt reached the round of 16, and Morocco became the first African team to reach the quarterfinals twice.
A worrying trend was conceding late goals, with star strikers Lionel Messi, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland among those benefiting.
Messi equalized as Argentina turned a two-goal deficit against Egypt into a 3-2 victory. Kane scored twice as England edged the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Haaland netted the winner as Norway beat Ivory Coast.
A spectacular collapse saw Senegal surrender a two-goal advantage with five minutes remaining against Belgium to lose after extra time.
Many Africans believed Senegal would be the best performer among the 10 qualifiers, but the Teranga Lions flopped, losing three of four games and scraping into the round of 32 as the eighth-best third-placed team.
In the aftermath of the Teranga Lions’ exit, there were hints of internal strife. Midfielder Pape Gueye said he would not represent his country again until coach Pape Thiaw was dismissed.
Dramatic turnaround
Egypt led Argentina 2-0, having had another goal controversially disallowed, with 12 minutes remaining.
But a dramatic turnaround culminated in an Enzo Fernandez header giving the titleholders a 3-2 victory.
Losing coach Hossam Hassan speculated that the officiating team, headed by French referee Francois Letexier, may have been subjected to “external pressure” to favor Argentina.
FIFA referees committee chairman Pierluigi Collina responded: “Match officials make honest decisions and, just like players and coaches, they always try to do their best.”
TV analyst and former France star Thierry Henry said, “African sides relax too early. People talk about talent and passion, but when they go two goals up, the focus drops.”
Co-analyst and former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic added: “Several African teams that were leading found a way to lose. In a World Cup, that is not bad luck, that is bad game management.”
Morocco’s loss to France in the quarterfinals demonstrated that while African football is progressing, there is still a significant gap when facing Europe’s elite.
It took the Atlas Lions 83 minutes to register a shot on target, and France goalkeeper Mike Maignan comfortably pushed away a speculative effort from Azzedine Ounahi.
There were no excuses from Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi.
“France are a really great side … they have rarely had as much talent as they do now.”
Morocco has already qualified for the 2030 World Cup along with fellow hosts Portugal and Spain. A 115,000-seat stadium is being built near Casablanca with the aim of staging the final.
While Morocco went the furthest, round-of-32 loser Cape Verde enthralled millions of spectators and TV viewers despite not winning any of its four matches.
The tiny archipelago off West Africa, with a population of just over half a million, held Spain to a 0-0 draw in its opening match.
Goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, made a string of superb saves to deny one of the title favorites.
The worldwide impact was stunning. His Instagram following soared from 50,000 to 5 million.
Cape Verde equalized twice before losing 3-2 to Argentina in a round-of-32 match, and its second goal, a looping cross-cum-shot from Sidny Lopes Cabral, should be a contender for the best goal of the tournament.
Kylian Mbappe eased fears over his fitness after leaving France’s World Cup quarterfinal victory early Thursday, insisting he is “completely fine” after scoring his 20th career World Cup goal in a 2-0 win over Morocco that sent the defending champions into a third consecutive semifinal.
The French superstar was substituted in the 77th minute, prompting concern among supporters, but quickly downplayed the issue after the match, saying the decision was purely precautionary.
“I have a minor ankle injury, but I’m completely fine,” Mbappe said after the final whistle. “(Jean-Philippe) Mateta was in a better position to play the remaining minutes of the match and was fitter at that moment. That’s all that happened.”
Mbappe walked off under his own power and waved to the crowd with both arms before taking his place on the bench, easing fears that France could be without its biggest star for next week’s semifinal.
Before his exit, the 27-year-old delivered another milestone performance, breaking the deadlock in the 60th minute with his eighth goal of the tournament and the 20th of his World Cup career. The strike kept him level with Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot, while Messi still holds a one-goal advantage in the all-time World Cup scoring charts.
After missing a first-half penalty that was saved by Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, Mbappe responded in trademark fashion. A deflected ball fell kindly to him just outside the penalty area, and he curled a precise right-footed shot around defender Issa Diop and inside the left post to give France the breakthrough.
Ousmane Dembele doubled France’s advantage six minutes later, capping a swift counterattack after Morocco pushed numbers forward in search of an equalizer. Mbappe’s run to the left created space for Dembele, who fired a low right-footed effort from about 20 yards. Although Bounou got a hand to the shot, he could not keep it out.
Dembele’s goal continued his impressive turnaround after failing to score in his first 12 World Cup appearances. The reigning Ballon d’Or winner has now found the net five times in his last five matches at the tournament.
France’s victory secured a place in the semifinals for the third consecutive World Cup, keeping alive its bid to become only the third nation to reach three straight finals. Les Bleus will face the winner of Friday’s quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
“I want them to continue watching the games, giving us the strength,” Mbappe said of the French supporters. “Even though they’re not in the stadium, we feel their energy. And we will try to gather the masses for the next matches.”
France largely controlled the match against a Morocco side missing injured forward Ismael Saibari. The Atlas Lions were held scoreless for the first time in the tournament and were eliminated by France for the second straight World Cup after also losing 2-0 in the 2022 semifinals.
Morocco, the final African nation remaining in the competition after nine of the continent’s 10 qualifiers reached the knockout stage, struggled to create clear opportunities. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan was rarely troubled, making his only significant save in the 83rd minute when he comfortably stopped a long-range effort from Azzedine Ounahi.
“Of course we need to take stock of the situation if we want to progress; it’s essential,” Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said. “We cannot just say that we’re happy and proud of what we’ve done. We need to move forward, and in order to do so, we have to be objective and to do some self-criticism.”
France manager Didier Deschamps praised his side for overcoming another difficult knockout test while immediately turning his attention to the semifinal.
“We are exactly where we wanted to be,” Deschamps said. “We will recover well and see who our opponent will be. I imagine there’s a lot of excitement and passion in France. Here, we are in our own bubble, and I am even more so. That’s what we’re here for, and the players have a duty to do everything they can to go as far as possible. We’ve cleared a major hurdle.”
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