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How have missed targets affected Newcastle’s summer rebuild?
Newcastle United’s summer rebuild has been hindered by several missed transfer targets, with Johan Manzambi joining Aston Villa and Victor Munoz, Hugo Ekitike, Benjamin Sesko and Joao Pedro choosing rival clubs. The setbacks matter because Newcastle are attempting to refresh an ageing squad after finishing 12th last season, while competing against clubs able to offer…
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Spain 2010 v Spain 2026: How do the two XIs compare?
Spain’s 2026 side have reached another World Cup final, inviting comparison with the team that won the tournament in 2010. Both entered their World Cup campaigns as recent European champions and have built success on defensive solidity, although the newer team is less internationally experienced and lacks some of the household names of Spain’s golden…
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Defender Cascarino joins West Ham in permanent deal
West Ham United have strengthened their women’s squad by signing Everton forward Kelly Gago and making Estelle Cascarino’s loan spell permanent. The deals add proven international experience and address attacking and defensive options ahead of the new Women’s Super League season. Gago, 27, has agreed a three-year contract after scoring eight WSL goals for Everton…
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Dawson and Banton can play in T20 Finals Day
Hampshire’s Liam Dawson and Somerset’s Tom Banton will be released from England’s ODI squad to play in Saturday’s T20 Blast Finals Day. Their availability strengthens two of the four counties competing at Edgbaston, despite England’s final match against India taking place at Lord’s the following day. Dawson played in England’s first ODI defeat to India,…
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Clark ‘a political football’ says NBA chief Silver
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Caitlin Clark has become a “political football” in the United States, arguing that the intense debate over fouls against the WNBA star now reflects wider cultural and political tensions rather than officiating alone. He said this was unfair to Clark, who he described as focused on improving as a player,…
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Thousands of tickets still available for England v France
Around 7,000 tickets remained available for England’s World Cup third-place play-off against France in Miami, suggesting demand had not matched expectations for the fixture. The availability, including discounted resale listings, matters because it highlights the high prices attached to major World Cup matches and the risk for fans who bought tickets intending to resell them.…
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I’ve studied military strategy. Trump now faces Iran’s oldest battlefield trick
In a Fox News opinion piece, a military strategy analyst argues that Iran, unable to defeat the United States militarily, is instead relying on a longstanding tactic of drawing out negotiations and widening the conflict to avoid a decisive defeat. The author frames the confrontation as a game of chess rather than checkers, suggesting President…
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Concacaf whistleblower Mel Brennan: ‘Fifa survived Blatter and Warner. It will survive Infantino too’
Former Concacaf executive Mel Brennan reflects on the corruption scandal that led to the 2015 indictments of senior Fifa and Concacaf officials, arguing that football can outlast its most compromised leaders. In an interview accompanying his book, *Fixing Football*, he says the scandal exposed longstanding failures of accountability and that football governance remains insufficiently transparent.…
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World Cup rings for winners as Trump attendance confirmed
Fifa will give World Cup winner’s rings to the Argentina or Spain squad after Sunday’s 2026 final at MetLife Stadium, marking an American-style addition to football’s biggest tournament. Donald Trump is expected to attend and present the trophy, drawing renewed attention to his controversial relationship with Fifa president Gianni Infantino. Thirty rings will be made…
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More than 200 countries endorse Infantino for fourth Fifa term despite Balogun scandal
Gianni Infantino has secured formal endorsements from more than 200 of Fifa’s 211 member associations, putting him on track for a landslide re-election as Fifa president for a fourth term at the organisation’s congress in March. The backing comes despite unease over the handling of Folarin Balogun’s suspension, after Donald Trump admitted lobbying Fifa to…