Mohamed Salah came off the bench and set up a goal in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Al...

<p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/17673" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/17673">Mohamed Salah</a> came off the bench and set up a goal in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Brighton &amp; Hove Albion on Saturday, one week after his explosive outburst against the club and manager Arne Slot.</p><p>The Egyptian star was greeted by cheers from the Anfield crowd when he was introduced in the 26th minute to replace injured defender <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/49610" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/49610">Joe Gomez</a>.</p><p>Liverpool were leading 1-0 at the time after <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/166446" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/166446">Hugo Ekitike</a>'s early goal.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>The Frenchman doubled the lead in the 60th minute when he headed home Salah's corner kick. </p><p>The assist saw Salah become the Premier League's all-time leader in goal contributions for a single club with 277. He moved ahead of Wayne Rooney, who racked up 276 combined goals and assists for Manchester United during his celebrated career.</p><p>Salah had a great chance to score a goal of his own in stoppage time, but his wayward shot sailed over the net after a quick Liverpool counterattack.</p><p>After the match, Slot said there was "no issue to resolve" with Salah, according to <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20251213-liverpool-s-slot-says-no-issue-to-resolve-with-salah-after-outburst">Agence France-Presse</a>.</p><p>"For me he's now the same as any other player," the Dutch coach said. "You talk to your players if you're happy or unhappy with things, but there's nothing for me to talk about after what happened against Leeds, after the game."</p><p>"I think, as I usually never say anything about (what) we talk about, I'm not going to make an exception now, but I think actions speak louder than what has been said," Slot continued. "He was in the squad again and when I had to make my first substitutions, I brought him in. And he performed as I think every fan, including me, would like him to perform today."</p><p>Salah recently expressed his frustration with Liverpool, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3420671" href="https://thescore.com/news/3420671">saying</a> last weekend that the club had "thrown me under the bus" and that his relationship with Slot was over after being named on the bench for three consecutive games. He came on as a second-half substitute in the second match of that run against Sunderland, but didn't make a telling contribution in the 1-1 draw.</p><p>Slot omitted Salah from the Champions League squad that traveled for Tuesday's 1-0 win at Inter Milan after the rant. However, he opened the door for reconciliation Friday morning when he said he would talk to the Egyptian attacker later that day. "I have no reasons not wanting him to stay," Slot <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3425489" href="https://thescore.com/news/3425489">said</a>.</p><p>However, during his tirade, Salah revealed that he had invited his parents to the Brighton game, believing that it could be his last appearance for Liverpool. "I don't know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it," he said.</p><p>Salah is now due to join the Egypt squad for its Africa Cup of Nations campaign. </p><p>The break from Liverpool is viewed as time for both parties to decide whether his future lies at Anfield or elsewhere, according to <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2025/12/12/arne-slot-i-will-talk-to-salah-today-decide-if-he-is-back/">The Telegraph's Mike McGrath</a>. Salah's agent, Ramy Abbas, will continue talks with the club while his client is at the tournament, Patel reports.</p><p>Salah has frequently been linked to a lucrative transfer to the Saudi Pro League, and those rumors intensified Wednesday after <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/37607550/mo-salah-jordan-henderson-liverpool-meeting/">The Sun</a> published pictures of the 33-year-old meeting former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson in London. Salah's ex-teammate played for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia but left the club after five months.</p>

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch of Liverpool celebrate after the Premier League match between Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on December 13, 2025 in Liverpool, England.

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Salah returns after outburst, makes history in Liverpool's win

Mark Shapiro has been handed a third five-year term as president and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays...

<p>Mark Shapiro has been handed a third five-year term as president and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays.</p><p>Shapiro is now set to remain with the franchise through 2030. The extension follows a remarkable 2025 campaign that culminated with the Jays reaching the World Series before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7.</p><p>"The opportunity to lead the Blue Jays organization over the past 10 years has been incredibly fulfilling," Shapiro <a href="https://x.com/BlueJays/status/1999510264673096139">said</a>, adding, "I am grateful and honored to be able to continue that work."</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>The Blue Jays' recent heroics followed a last-place finish in the 2024 campaign. John Schneider's team finished atop the American League East with a 94-68 record through the 2025 regular season before beating the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners to clinch the American League Championship Series.</p><p>"Watching our country unite behind our team this past season has inspired and energized us to continue a relentless pursuit of bringing World Series championships back to Canada," Shapiro said.</p>

TORONTO, ON - October 2 Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro answers questions from the media. The Toronto Blue Jays held their final press conferences of the year at the Rogers Centre following the end of their season. October 2 2024 Richard Lautens/Toronto Star (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

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Shapiro earns 5-year contract renewal as Blue Jays president, CEO

Alphonso Davies was brought on as a late substitute during Bayern Munich's 3-1 Champions League w...

<p>Alphonso Davies was brought on as a late substitute during Bayern Munich's 3-1 Champions League win over Sporting CP on Tuesday.</p><p>The Canadian wideman tore his ACL during his country's 2-1 win over the United States on March 23, a result that secured the team third place in the CONCACAF Nations League. The injury sparked a war of words <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3251954" href="https://thescore.com/news/3251954">between Davies' agent and Canada Soccer</a>, as well as <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3253283" href="https://thescore.com/news/3253283">Bayern and the federation</a>, over its handling of the player.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Phonzy is 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞!!!! 🥹🤩 <a href="https://t.co/lLltRoljHK">pic.twitter.com/lLltRoljHK</a></p>— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBayernEN/status/1998431585297641733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>Davies hadn't played for Bayern since completing 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Union Berlin on March 15. That appearance occurred within seven weeks of him signing a new contract with the club, extending his stay through 2030.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Davies returned to training with a ball at the start of September.</p><p>A rotating cast has featured at left-back in Davies' absence, including Josip Stanisic, Konrad Laimer, and Tom Bischof. Stanisic played to the left of the defensive quartet in Vincent Kompany's lineup to face Sporting CP before Davies was introduced in the 88th minute.</p><p> </p>

08 December 2025, Bavaria, Munich: Soccer: Champions League, Bayern Munich - Sporting Lisbon, preliminary round, match day 6, final training session FC Bayern at the training ground at Säbener Straße. Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) in action. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa

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Davies returns to Bayern duty after almost 9 months on sidelines

It took a while, but FIFA eventually conducted the draw for the 2026 World Cup on Friday. With th...

<p><em>It took a while, but FIFA eventually <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3412147" href="https://thescore.com/news/3412147">conducted the draw</a> for the 2026 World Cup on Friday. With the groups and matchups set, it's time to break down the biggest winners and losers from the glitzy event.</em></p><blockquote><p><strong><em><a href="thescore:///topsn/news">Get the biggest stories from across the soccer world by visiting our Top Soccer News section and subscribing to push notifications</a>.</em></strong></p></blockquote><h3>Winners - The hosts</h3><p>The United States got Australia and Paraguay. Canada will face Switzerland and Qatar. In front of fervent home support, those should be winnable matches for both nations, especially since the U.S. defeated Australia and Paraguay in recent friendlies. However, both groups have open spots that'll be determined once the European playoffs are completed next March. The possible additions of Italy and Turkey, for example, could suddenly make each quartet look a lot tougher.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Group B</th>
<th>Rank</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Canada</strong></td>
<td>27</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Switzerland</td>
<td>17</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Qatar</td>
<td>51</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>Potential extra team:</strong> Italy (ranked 12th), Wales (32nd), Northern Ireland (69th), or Bosnia and Herzegovina (71st)</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Group D</th>
<th>Rank</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>United States</strong></td>
<td>14</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Australia</td>
<td>26</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Paraguay</td>
<td>39</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>Potential extra team:</strong> Turkey (ranked 25th), Slovakia (45th), Romania (47th), Kosovo (80th)</p><p>You could argue that Mexico is the biggest winner from the 2026 World Cup co-hosts. Securing first place in Group A offers a huge incentive, positioning Mexico in a favorable part of the knockout bracket with back-to-back games in Mexico City. The team enjoys its home comforts. Its best World Cup finishes (quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986) came when it hosted the tournament, and it can always call upon a mass of passionate fans when it plays in the United States.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Group A</th>
<th>Rank</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Mexico</strong></td>
<td>15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>South Korea</td>
<td>22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>South Africa</td>
<td>61</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p><strong>Potential extra team:</strong> Denmark (ranked 21st), Czechia (44th), Republic of Ireland (59th), North Macedonia (65th)</p><p>Although Mexico was outplayed by South Korea in a 2-2 friendly draw in September, Taegeuk Warriors boss Hong Myung-bo has produced mixed results with his preferred 3-4-3 setup. El Tri can also take inspiration from its 2018 World Cup win over the East Asian nation. South Africa, meanwhile, shouldn't intimidate Mexico.</p><h3>Losers - Defenders in Group I</h3><p>Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe have combined for 114 goals for club and country in 2025. Haaland-inspired Norway was irresistible in its World Cup qualification cycle, plundering a remarkable 37 goals while conceding just five in eight straight victories. France predictably eased through its group, with Mbappe scoring in each of his six appearances.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/800703/cropped_GettyImages-2233958145.jpg?ts=1757450746" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/800703/w220xh124_GettyImages-2233958145.jpg?ts=1757450746 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/800703/w320xh180_GettyImages-2233958145.jpg?ts=1757450746 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/800703/w640xh360_GettyImages-2233958145.jpg?ts=1757450746 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/800703/w768xh432_GettyImages-2233958145.jpg?ts=1757450746 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/800703/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2233958145.jpg?ts=1757450746 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">FREDRIK VARFJELL / AFP / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Senegal and a yet-to-be-determined qualifier from Bolivia, Iraq, and Suriname face the unenviable task of trying to hinder Haaland's and Mbappe's pursuits of the World Cup Golden Boot. Expect defenders to attempt to turn their duels with the free-scoring forwards into gritty, physical affairs. One notable center-back potentially tasked with marking Haaland and Mbappe is former Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly, who will turn 35 during the group stage and now plays for Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal.</p><h3>Winner - Argentina</h3><p>Lionel Messi's Argentina received a gift in Friday's draw. Though the team should easily brush aside Austria, Algeria, and Jordan, head coach Lionel Scaloni will undoubtedly use La Albiceleste's 2-1 reverse to Saudi Arabia in 2022 - one of the most surprising results in World Cup history - as a warning to his star-studded team. </p><p>Of course, Argentina followed that Saudi shock with a victorious run at the World Cup, beating France on penalties in the final after a 3-3 thriller.</p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Group J</th>
<th>Rank</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Argentina</strong></td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Austria</td>
<td>24</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Algeria</td>
<td>35</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jordan</td>
<td>66</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>Scaloni's side impressively breezed through South America's notoriously tricky World Cup qualifiers, outscoring all of its rivals as it finished with a nine-point cushion in first place. Argentina celebrated a resounding 4-1 win over its great rival, Brazil, on the same day it secured World Cup qualification in March.</p><h3>Losers - England and Croatia</h3><p>Panama and Ghana are ranked 30th and 72nd in FIFA's rankings. Croatia and England must've had no issues being drawn alongside that pair in Group L - but facing one another is a different matter entirely.</p><p>England and Croatia locking horns on the first day of Group L means there's no time to mull over last-minute selection decisions or tactical fine-tuning. Any lingering questions will need to be resolved before facing such high-quality opposition; otherwise, flaws will inevitably be exposed, and the pressure will skyrocket before the other group games. That means England boss Thomas Tuchel has only four friendlies to solve numerous conundrums, including determining who will start in his four-man defense and whether there's room for either or both of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden in his lineup.</p><p>The Three Lions should enter this demanding group opener with the greatest trepidation. England has lost six of its last eight World Cup matches against fellow European nations, including its eliminations by Croatia in 2018 and France in 2022.</p><h3>Winner - Cristiano Ronaldo</h3><p>Cristiano Ronaldo is on course to play at a record sixth World Cup, but he's also got an opportunity to rid himself of some painful memories from the last tournament.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812315/cropped_GettyImages-2246838593.jpg?ts=1764712464" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812315/w220xh124_GettyImages-2246838593.jpg?ts=1764712464 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812315/w320xh180_GettyImages-2246838593.jpg?ts=1764712464 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812315/w640xh360_GettyImages-2246838593.jpg?ts=1764712464 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812315/w768xh432_GettyImages-2246838593.jpg?ts=1764712464 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812315/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2246838593.jpg?ts=1764712464 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Tim Clayton / Corbis Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Manchester United released Ronaldo from his contract two days before Portugal's opener at Qatar 2022 after his relationship with the club deteriorated. Ronaldo subsequently scored a penalty in a thrilling 3-2 win over Ghana, but his contributions to the team were soon questioned over the next two matches. He was quiet in a scrappy victory over Uruguay, and his underwhelming performance against South Korea was further marred when the ball deflected off his back, teeing up Kim Young-gwon for the equalizer in a disappointing 2-1 defeat for Portugal.</p><p>Fernando Santos bravely dropped Ronaldo for the knockout rounds, preferring greater mobility from Goncalo Ramos up front. The move paid off immediately, with Ramos scoring a hat-trick in a 6-1 thumping over Switzerland in the last 16. Portugal brought Ronaldo on as a substitute in the 50th minute in the quarterfinal, but he could muster only a single shot and 11 touches of the ball as Morocco eliminated the team in a 1-0 loss.</p><p>Unlike his predecessor, Roberto Martinez doesn't seem inclined to drop Ronaldo, giving the legendary forward a chance at redemption in North America. Turning 41 at the tournament, Ronaldo could add to his tally of eight World Cup goals and secure Portugal's passage into the knockout rounds through Group K clashes with Colombia, Uzbekistan, and one playoff team from DR Congo, Jamaica, or New Caledonia.</p><h3>Loser - Gianni Infantino</h3><p>Gianni Infantino clearly believes he's a showman. If you can somehow cloud out the shadier elements of his FIFA reign, there can be some cheap entertainment found in his antics at high-profile events.</p><p>The FIFA president's stilted attempt at a comedy routine with Rio Ferdinand, who struggled greatly in a presenter role at the Kennedy Center, inadvertently provided a level of cringe-humor befitting of the British version of "The Office." Infantino seemed to appear onstage every few minutes to produce another grandiose yet ultimately empty speech, all while wearing a wide, self-satisfied grin. When he engineered a selfie with Donald Trump, Claudia Sheinbaum, and Mark Carney - the respective leaders of the United States, Mexico, and Canada - during the overblown ceremony, the voiceover of the BBC's coverage, Jonathan Pearce, almost sounded impressed as he remarked on the extent of Infantino's shamelessness.</p><h3>Winners - Nostalgia lovers</h3><p>Any writers fond of producing retrospective features won't be short of stories to explore ahead of the World Cup.</p><p>France's opening fixture is against Senegal, a matchup that likely evokes painful memories for many French fans of the 2002 World Cup - a campaign plagued by infighting and wretched performances. That tournament opened with the reigning 1998 champions losing to Senegal and ultimately finishing at the bottom of its group.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812721/cropped_GettyImages-651833156.jpg?ts=1764974415" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812721/w220xh124_GettyImages-651833156.jpg?ts=1764974415 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812721/w320xh180_GettyImages-651833156.jpg?ts=1764974415 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812721/w640xh360_GettyImages-651833156.jpg?ts=1764974415 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812721/w768xh432_GettyImages-651833156.jpg?ts=1764974415 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812721/w1080xh607_GettyImages-651833156.jpg?ts=1764974415 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Neal Simpson - EMPICS / PA Images / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>The 2026 World Cup opener will see Mexico take on South Africa, a repeat of the first match of the 2010 edition. In Group C, Scotland will face Brazil and Morocco - two of the three teams it faced during its last World Cup appearance in 1998.</p><h3>Loser - Scotland</h3><p>Speaking of which, Group C is underwhelming <em>and</em> problematic for Scotland. Many fans would've wanted some variety to celebrate their country's overdue return to sports' greatest stage, but they got Brazil and Morocco again. Not only does the pair remind Scottish supporters of the team's failings in 1998, it sets up games against the most successful squad in World Cup history - managed by Carlo Ancelotti, the most successful coach in Champions League history - and an emerging force in Morocco, which reached the 2022 World Cup semifinals and remains unbeaten in its last 20 outings, with 19 wins and one draw.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">8 - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland are winless in eight previous meetings with South American opposition at the FIFA World Cup (D2 L6); the most times any nation have faced opponents from the same confederation without ever winning. Underdog. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/iYWa34vGGH">pic.twitter.com/iYWa34vGGH</a></p>— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/OptaJoe/status/1997017218492600441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>At least Haiti, ranked 84th in the world and making its first appearance at the tournament since 1974, offers Scotland a chance to win its first World Cup match in 36 years.</p><h3>Winner - Variety in Groups E and H</h3><p>One of the most unique selling points of World Cups is the unfamiliar culture clashes, and Germany and Spain will enjoy some variety when they compete in North America.</p><p>In Group E, Germany will face Curacao for the first time, the Ivory Coast for the second time following a 2009 friendly in Gelsenkirchen, and Ecuador for the third time after their meetings at the 2006 World Cup and in a 2013 friendly.</p><p>Spain and Uruguay will share some familiarity due to the La Liga-based players in the South American nation's squad, but the pair's Group H scuffle will be just their third World Cup meeting. Spain will also have its second World Cup match against Saudi Arabia and its first against Cape Verde.</p><h3>Bonus winner - Andrea Bocelli</h3><p>It's hard to imagine an instance where Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli <em>wouldn't</em> upstage any performer that followed him - but this event was especially easy in that regard. Opening the draw coverage by singing the iconic "Nessun Dorma," Bocelli sang a bona fide soccer anthem - evoking memories of the 1990 World Cup and Leicester City's Premier League title win. At 67, Bocelli left no doubt that he's still one of the finest performers on the globe.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812722/cropped_GettyImages-2249476218.jpg?ts=1764974605" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812722/w220xh124_GettyImages-2249476218.jpg?ts=1764974605 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812722/w320xh180_GettyImages-2249476218.jpg?ts=1764974605 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812722/w640xh360_GettyImages-2249476218.jpg?ts=1764974605 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812722/w768xh432_GettyImages-2249476218.jpg?ts=1764974605 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/812722/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2249476218.jpg?ts=1764974605 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">SAUL LOEB / AFP / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>And after the Michelin star dish of Bocelli, FIFA ladled out some sugary, sloppy servings. Robbie Williams, showbiz's equivalent of lumpy custard, teamed up with Nicole Scherzinger - remember her? - to sing the forgettable official World Cup song. Lauryn Hill plated up tinny, tatty versions of some of her old tunes. Once the draw was over, the Village People performed "Y.M.C.A." President Donald Trump adopted the sickly-sweet 1978 pop song for his re-election campaign rallies.</p><blockquote><p><strong><em><a href="thescore:///topsn/news">Get the biggest stories from across the soccer world by visiting our Top Soccer News section and subscribing to push notifications</a>.</em></strong></p></blockquote>

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Biggest winners and losers from 2026 World Cup draw

Serena Williams quickly quashed hopes that she'll make a comeback in professional tennis after he...

<p>Serena Williams quickly quashed hopes that she'll make a comeback in professional tennis after her request to reenter the sport's anti-doping test pool was widely reported Tuesday.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy-</p>— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) <a href="https://twitter.com/serenawilliams/status/1995945691609551099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>Speculation was rife that Williams would return after her name was found in the testing pool. Anyone who reenters the pool needs to be in it for six months before playing a tournament, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6855313/2025/12/02/serena-williams-tennis-testing-pool-reentry-competition-return/">The Athletic's Matthew Futterman</a> found that she'd been in the pool since at least Oct. 6. That meant she could've been available to play from April 2026.</p><p>"She has notified us that she wants to be reinstated into the testing pool," Adrian Bassett, a spokesperson for the International Tennis Integrity Agency, said in a text message earlier Tuesday, per Futterman.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>"I do not know if this means she is coming back, or just giving herself the option. All I can say is she's back in the pool and therefore subject to whereabouts."</p><p>Williams explored a comeback weeks before the U.S. Open last summer but there wasn't enough notice to rubber-stamp her participation, according to tennis reporter <a href="https://www.benrothenberg.com/p/serena-williams-comeback-retirement-testing-2026-news-date">Ben Rothenberg</a>. She was expected to play doubles with her sister, Venus Williams, at the tournament.</p><p>The 44-year-old, who has a record 23 Grand Slam titles in women's tennis, last played in September 2022. She applied for official retirement with the International Tennis Integrity Agency a day after her third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic at the U.S. Open.</p><p>Venus returned to the tour at 45 last summer after more than a year away. She said in July that she wished Serena was along for the ride.</p><p>"I keep saying to my team: The only thing that would make this better is if she was here. Like, we always did everything together, so of course I miss her," Venus told reporters, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/venus-williams-serena-dc-open-e19640487c12562496d0c505165ab4aa">Howard Fendrich of The Associated Press</a>. "But if she comes back, I'm sure she'll let y'all know."</p><p>Venus <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3314511" href="https://thescore.com/news/3314511">became</a> the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match in professional tennis two days after that news conference.</p>

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 02: Serena Williams of the United States waves to the crowd after losing her final career match against Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia in the third round on Day 5 of the US Open Tennis Championships at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 02, 2022 in New York City

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Serena Williams shuts down comeback talk

Manchester City's Erling Haaland reached 100 Premier League goals in just his 111th appearance in...

<p>Manchester City's <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/159222" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/159222">Erling Haaland</a> reached 100 Premier League goals in just his 111th appearance in the competition Tuesday by opening the scoring in a <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3416892" href="https://thescore.com/news/3416892">scarcely believable 5-4 win</a> at Fulham.</p><p>The 25-year-old fittingly celebrated the landmark with a thumping finish from near the penalty spot.</p><p>Here are some standout numbers from Haaland's journey to 100 strikes in England's top tier:</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p><strong>1.43</strong> - Haaland raced to an otherworldly strike rate of 1.43 goals per game over his first 20 Premier League matches. He was also unsurprisingly the fastest to 30 Premier League goals (in 27 games), 40 goals (in 39), and 50 goals (in 48).</p><p><strong>2</strong> - Haaland is just the second Manchester City player to log 100 Premier League goals after Sergio Aguero. Aguero scored his 100th goal in his 147th appearance in England's top flight and signed off with an overall record of 184 goals in 275 Premier League outings.</p><p><strong>13</strong> - Haaland has reached 100 goals in 13 fewer games than Alan Shearer, who held the record for the fastest Premier League century since his 124th appearance in December 1995.</p><p><strong>15</strong> - The Norwegian's 100th finish is his 15th goal of the current Premier League campaign. He's only played 14 games.</p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">He's done it.<br><br>Erling Haaland reaches 100 Premier League goals in record time, beating Alan Shearer by 13 matches. <a href="https://t.co/HKFmo61292">pic.twitter.com/HKFmo61292</a></p>— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) <a href="https://twitter.com/OptaAnalyst/status/1995943069691355612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p><strong>35</strong> - Haaland is the 35th player to join the Premier League's 100-goal club.</p><p><strong>43</strong> - Forty-three strikes from Haaland's century were scored on the road. Since he joined the Premier League, no other player has more than 31 away goals.</p><p><strong>71</strong> - The former Borussia Dortmund marksman scored 71 of his Premier League goals with his left foot. The 6-foot-5 striker netted 17 times with his head.</p><p><strong>119</strong> - Haaland reached 119 goal involvements in his 111th Premier League appearance with one goal and two assists at Fulham.</p><p><strong>160</strong> - Haaland still has 160 goals to go to match Shearer's all-time Premier League scoring record of 260. The nearest active players to Shearer's mark are Bayern Munich's Harry Kane (213), Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (190), and Cremonese's Jamie Vardy (145).</p>

Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland (2L) celebrates scoring the opening goal, and his 100th Premier League goal, during the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester City at Craven Cottage in London on December 2, 2025. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /

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Cristiano Ronaldo will be available for Portugal's opening matches at the 2026 World Cup after FI...

<p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///wcquefa/players/1310" href="https://thescore.com/wcquefa/players/1310">Cristiano Ronaldo</a> will be available for Portugal's opening matches at the 2026 World Cup after FIFA opted not to trigger an additional suspension for his recent red card in World Cup qualifying.</p><p>FIFA's disciplinary committee said Tuesday that it had imposed a three-match ban on the Portugal captain, but the two remaining games were deferred for a one-year probation period.</p><p>Ronaldo was sent off for swinging an elbow toward defender Dara O'Shea in a 2-0 World Cup qualification defeat to the Republic of Ireland on Nov. 13. </p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>The red card came with a mandatory one-game ban, which Ronaldo served when Portugal confirmed its passage to the World Cup with a 9-1 rout of Armenia three days after the Ireland match.</p><p>FIFA had the option to extend his suspension due to violent conduct.</p><p>"If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately," FIFA explained in its statement, via <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c30jp9q4jp6o">BBC Sport</a>.</p><p>Any additional ban only counted for competitive matches. That meant Ronaldo would've been available to play in Portugal's friendlies in March and immediately ahead of the tournament in North America, but he risked missing games in the World Cup group stage.</p><p>Ronaldo's reprieve comes one week after his <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3402503" href="https://thescore.com/news/3402503">formal dinner</a> with U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at The White House. FIFA president Gianni Infantino also attended the event and appeared in the background of a selfie with Ronaldo, his fiancee Georgina Rodriguez, and major business leaders.</p><p>Ronaldo, 40, scored five goals in five appearances during Portugal's World Cup qualification cycle. The forward, who plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, also scored three goals en route to Portugal winning the Nations League Finals last June.</p><p>The former Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus superstar is the all-time leading scorer and appearance holder in men's international soccer with 143 goals in 226 Portugal caps. He won Euro 2016 but has reached no further than the semi-final stage in his five World Cups thus far.</p>

DUBLIN, IRELAND: NOVEMBER 13: Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal reacts to the crowd after receiving a red card during the Republic of Ireland V Portugal, 2026 World Cup Qualifying - UEFA, Group Stage match at Aviva Stadium on November 13th, 2025, in Dublin, Ireland.

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Idrissa Gueye was sent off following an on-pitch altercation with Everton teammate Michael Keane ...

<p>Idrissa Gueye was sent off following an on-pitch altercation with Everton teammate Michael Keane during Monday's Premier League trip to Manchester United.</p><p>Despite being down a man, Everton won 1-0 at Old Trafford through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's swerving effort from the edge of the box in the 29th minute.</p><p>The incident between Gueye and Keane erupted when they started arguing in the 13th minute of the match, with Gueye lashing out after Keane twice tried to push him away. Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford then separated Gueye from Keane before referee Tony Harrington dismissed the Senegalese midfielder.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>"The referee's call of red card to Gueye for violent conduct was checked and confirmed by VAR - with the action deemed to be a clear strike to the face of Keane," the Premier League Match Centre <a href="https://x.com/PLMatchCentre/status/1993051939735846962">explained</a> on X.</p><p><em>(Available to view in U.S. only)</em></p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Everton's Idrissa Gana Gueye is shown a straight red card after a scuffle with HIS OWN TEAMMATE, Michael Keane. 😳 <a href="https://t.co/F1DyaIOqjC">pic.twitter.com/F1DyaIOqjC</a></p>— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSportsSoccer/status/1993054426135773283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p><em>(Available to view in Canada only)</em></p><figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Idrissa Gana Gueye with a Red Card vs. Manchester United, 11/24/2025 <a href="https://t.co/OJ2sy2tcyr">pic.twitter.com/OJ2sy2tcyr</a></p>— FuboCanada 🇨🇦 (@fuboTVCanada) <a href="https://twitter.com/fuboTVCanada/status/1993051920466948272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure><p>"I don't think anyone else in the stadium would have thought anything of it," Everton manager David Moyes <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/cp8e8d252n2t">told</a> BBC Sport. "I quite like it when my players fight with each other because it shows they care and [put the] demands on players.</p><p>"Disappointed he got sent off. He’s apologized. He praised the team and is grateful for the result. We move on."</p><p>Gueye, 36, played for Everton for three years before he left for Paris Saint-Germain in 2019. He rejoined the Toffees from PSG toward the end of the summer transfer window in 2022. Across his two stints with Everton, he's been teammates with Keane for almost five-and-a-half seasons.</p>

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 24: Idrissa Gueye of Everton clashes with teammate Michael Keane resulting in a red card for Gueye during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford on November 24, 2025 in Manchester, England.

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Watch: Gueye sent off for lashing out at Everton teammate Keane

Vinicius Junior informed Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in October that he wouldn't sign ...

<p>Vinicius Junior informed Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in October that he wouldn't sign a new contract with the club while he has a difficult relationship with head coach Xabi Alonso, sources told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6814027/2025/11/24/vinicius-jr-real-madrid-alonso-contract/">The Athletic's Mario Cortegana</a>.</p><p>Vinicius <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3381519" href="https://thescore.com/news/3381519">issued an apology</a> after he reacted angrily to his substitution during the team's 2-1 win over Barcelona on Oct. 26. However, Alonso was a notable omission from his statement as he said sorry to the fans, his teammates, the club, and Perez for his behavior.</p><p>The winger shouted, "It's better if I leave" as he stormed off the pitch during his El Clasico outburst. He started the next three matches for Real Madrid before being left out of Alonso's XI for Sunday's <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3407456" href="https://thescore.com/news/3407456">2-2 draw</a> with Elche.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Vinicius is under contract with Real Madrid until June 2027. The player and club were discussing fresh terms in January, but the talks were put on hold after the parties failed to reach an agreement. The 25-year-old now believes he's being treated unfairly by Alonso - who succeeded Carlo Ancelotti in May - which is apparently proving to be a key factor in the Brazilian refusing to commit his future to Los Blancos.</p><p><strong>Vinicius' stats since the summer</strong></p><figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Competition</th>
<th>Starts</th>
<th>Sub apps</th>
<th>Goals</th>
<th>Assists</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Club World Cup</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Champions League</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>La Liga</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>4</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><p>There is also a considerable gap in salary expectations. Vinicius currently earns around €18 million per year after tax, and Real Madrid offered him an increase earlier in 2025 that would take him to around €20 million net per year, Cortegana reports. Vinicius rejected the offer.</p><p>The club asked Vinicius' representatives to propose a deal. His team, perhaps emboldened by interest from the cash-rich Saudi Pro League, requested up to €30 million per season, including base salary, performance bonuses, and a renewal bonus, according to Cortegana. A deal of this nature has never been offered to players at Real Madrid, and the total package would amount to around the biggest contract in the club's history, which was given to Cristiano Ronaldo.</p><p>Vinicius and Real Madrid had more contract talks at the start of the season, but the negotiations stalled. Now, his relationship with Alonso is proving to be another roadblock.</p><p>Vinicius' name has been a regular feature in transfer reports since his representatives in August 2024 <a href="https://www.thescore.com/liga/news/3052782">reportedly</a> discussed a move to the Saudi Pro League that could earn him a €350-million annual salary.</p>

Vinicius Junior left winger of Real Madrid and Brazil before the La Liga EA Sports match between Elche CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on November 23, 2025 in Elche, Spain.

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Cristiano Ronaldo backs himself to maintain the scoring rate he's producing for Al-Nassr if he we...

<p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///wcquefa/players/1310" href="https://thescore.com/wcquefa/players/1310">Cristiano Ronaldo</a> backs himself to maintain the scoring rate he's producing for Al-Nassr if he were to move back to the Premier League.</p><p>"If I play in (the) Premier League now, in a top team, I will score the same," the 40-year-old <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy04CeNcy44">claimed</a> in the second section of his interview with Piers Morgan.</p><p>"I don't need to speak because they can say whatever they want," he said, referring to criticism of his goals meaning less in the lower-quality Saudi Pro League. "But the numbers, they don't lie ... They've never been here. They never play here."</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>He added: "The Saudi league is much, much better than the Portuguese league, of course. French league is only PSG. Premier League is good - of course, it's the No. 1. And they should count the goals to be the top scorer (for) the Golden (Boot). Why (do) they not count (the) Saudi league?"</p><p>The Golden Boot is rewarded to the player who accumulates the most scoring points in a single top-tier season in Europe. Kylian Mbappe won the award for last season after his 31 La Liga goals for Real Madrid earned 62 points. Viktor Gyokeres scored more league goals for Sporting CP, but Primeira Liga tallies accumulate fewer points than those scored in La Liga due to the perceived difficulty of each competition.</p><h3>World Cup not a dream</h3><p>Morgan's interview with Ronaldo was released in two parts Tuesday and Thursday. The Portuguese forward was drawn onto the subject of his old Ballon d'Or rival Lionel Messi when Morgan mentioned Wayne Rooney recently commenting that Messi is better than Ronaldo.</p><p>"I'm not mad with that," Ronaldo insisted about the opinion of his former Manchester United teammate.</p><p>"I don't agree," Ronaldo appeared to add during a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8EM-Exijpg">trailer</a> for the interview. "I don't want to be humble."</p><p>Messi and Ronaldo held a duopoly over the Ballon d'Or from 2008-17, with each player winning five awards. Messi won the award again in 2019, 2021, and 2023 and therefore boasts the record for the most Ballon d'Ors with eight.</p><p>Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr of the Saudi Pro League from Manchester United at the end of 2022. Barcelona icon Messi moved to Major League Soccer's Inter Miami in July 2023 after two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain.</p><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791864/cropped_GettyImages-2197534638.jpg?ts=1750867359" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791864/w220xh124_GettyImages-2197534638.jpg?ts=1750867359 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791864/w320xh180_GettyImages-2197534638.jpg?ts=1750867359 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791864/w640xh360_GettyImages-2197534638.jpg?ts=1750867359 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791864/w768xh432_GettyImages-2197534638.jpg?ts=1750867359 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791864/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2197534638.jpg?ts=1750867359 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Abdullah Ahmed / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>Ronaldo claimed that winning his first World Cup with Portugal in 2026 isn't his "dream." He said success or failure at the tournament wouldn't define him as a player due to its small sample size. "To win one competition - six games, seven games. You think it's fair?"</p><p>Messi captained Argentina to a World Cup triumph in 2022.</p><h3>'I'm an open person'</h3><p>Ronaldo's second spell with Manchester United didn't reach the heights of his prior stint from 2003-09, when he won the Champions League and six major domestic honors ahead of his spectacular nine-year stay with Real Madrid. He revealed his enduring fondness for United and how it makes him sad that the club is struggling to revive its past glories.</p><p>"Manchester United, right now, they don't have a structure," the attacker <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3m1HmfXY3A">said</a>. "I hope that changes in the future ... because the potential of the club is amazing. It's one of the most important clubs of the century."</p><p>Despite his continued prolificacy for Al-Nassr and Portugal, the Sporting CP product is regularly asked when he'll retire from soccer. The all-time record goal-scorer in men's international soccer conceded that he'll step away from the game "soon."</p><p>"I think I will prepared," the veteran shared. "It will tough, of course. It will be difficult, yes. Probably I will cry, yes. Yeah, (it's) normal, and I'm an easy guy to cry. I'm not keep my feelings (hidden). I'm honest. I'm an open person."</p><p>Ronaldo said one thing he'll focus on after hanging up his boots is his YouTube channel. He has 77 million subscribers on the platform.</p><p>"I'm going to spend more time on that to learn to do more stuff," he said. "I think I'm going to do the funny things and things I'm not used to doing before."</p>

TOPSHOT - Nassr's Portuguese forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring a goal during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Nassr and Al-Riyadh SC at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh on September 20, 2025.

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Luciano Spalletti was confirmed as the new Juventus head coach Thursday on a deal that runs until...

<p>Luciano Spalletti was confirmed as the new Juventus head coach Thursday on a deal that runs until the end of the season.</p><p>The contract includes an option to extend if Juve qualify for the Champions League, according to <a href="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1983451641258135750">soccer insider Fabrizio Romano</a>.</p><p>Former Salernitana boss Giovanni Martusciello, who previously worked at Juventus under Maurizio Sarri, joins Spalletti in Turin as a member of the coaching team, <a href="https://gianlucadimarzio.com/martusciello-spalletti-juventus-news-30-ottobre-2025/">Sky Sport Italia's Gianluca Di Marzio</a> reports.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Igor Tudor was <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3379701" href="https://thescore.com/news/3379701">sacked</a> as head coach Monday with the team on an eight-game winless run, compounded by consecutive away defeats to Como, Real Madrid, and Lazio. Juve are 25th out of 36 teams in the opening phase of the Champions League.</p><p>Juventus beat Udinese 3-1 at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday. Massimo Brambilla, who oversees the club's Next Gen team, served as interim coach for the match. The result improved Juve's Serie A record to 15 points from nine matches, six points adrift of league-leading Napoli.</p><p>Juventus are the 10th club of Spalletti's managerial career. His lengthy resume includes two separate stints with both Udinese and Roma and over four years with Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia. He won the Coppa Italia twice in his first spell with Roma and won four trophies with Zenit, but guiding Napoli to the 2022-23 Serie A title is widely considered his finest moment in the dugout.</p><p>The 66-year-old was dismissed as Italy coach in June amid a faltering World Cup qualification campaign, though he signed off with a 2-0 win over Moldova. He was also in charge for the Azzurri's round-of-16 elimination at Euro 2024. Since Spalletti departed the role, his successor, Gennaro Gattuso, has revived Italy's hopes of World Cup qualification by following the Moldova match with four more wins.</p><p>"Juventus are a great club with a great history," Spalletti said Tuesday, according to <a href="https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/28-10-2025/spalletti-presentazione-spot-totti-live_amp.shtml">La Gazzetta dello Sport</a>. "Everyone would gladly coach Juventus."</p>

Luciano Spalletti, an Italian football coach, is seen during the press conference to present the new Amaro Montenegro commercial starring the two icons of Italian football, Francesco Totti and Luciano Spalletti, at the Anteo Palazzo del Cinema in Milan, Italy, on October 28, 2025.

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Australia and England lock horns once again starting Nov. 21. The latest Ashes series starts in P...

<p><em>Australia and England lock horns once again starting Nov. 21. The latest Ashes series starts in Perth before further Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney will determine which country has bragging rights in one of sports' greatest rivalries.</em></p><h3>Will Cummins be fit?</h3><p>Pat Cummins is likely to miss at least one Ashes Test due to a stress injury in his back. His expected absence will be a big loss for Australia, depriving the team of his incredible on-field leadership and the skills of one of the finest fast bowlers ever to grace the game. Cummins isn't a prolific batter, but he has a knack for eking out crucial runs near the end of the order. The 32-year-old heroically scored an unbeaten 44, including the winning runs, in one of the all-time great Ashes Tests at Edgbaston in 2023.</p><p>Steve Smith would presumably step up as captain in Cummins' absence. He's led the Aussies in the past and regularly guides the field when Cummins is bowling.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>As for filling the bowling void, Scott Boland appears to be in pole position to play in Perth. The 36-year-old seamer is fit and firing and became the 10th Australian to claim a Test hat-trick in July when the West Indies team was restricted to a paltry second-inning total of 27 runs in Jamaica. But there could be a late dash into the lineup for the uncapped Fergus O'Neill, who should be on the Australian selectors' radar after some tremendous displays on the domestic scene.</p><h3>Ollie's time might be up</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806114/cropped_GettyImages-2228081701.jpg?ts=1760807549" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806114/w220xh124_GettyImages-2228081701.jpg?ts=1760807549 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806114/w320xh180_GettyImages-2228081701.jpg?ts=1760807549 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806114/w640xh360_GettyImages-2228081701.jpg?ts=1760807549 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806114/w768xh432_GettyImages-2228081701.jpg?ts=1760807549 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806114/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2228081701.jpg?ts=1760807549 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Stu Forster / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>England's decision in September to oust Ollie Pope as vice-captain and appoint the supremely talented Harry Brook as Ben Stokes' second-in-command signaled the possibility of a shakeup to the batting order. Wicketkeeper Pope isn't spectacular at the crease, passing the half-century mark only twice in the summer series against India, and now his status as England's No. 3 batter is under threat from Jacob Bethell.</p><p>Bethell, 21, is better aligned to the optimistic and daring approach - commonly known as Bazball - preferred by head coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes. Currently auditioning in New Zealand for Pope's place with the white ball, Bethell didn't have his best performance in the opening outing of his trial. The left-hander logged just 15 runs before top-edging a steepler back to Kiwi bowler Matt Henry in Saturday's T20 international.</p><p>Even if Bethell smashes the ball around in Auckland during Thursday's third T20 and then impresses in the ODIs later in October, his selection over Pope would still represent a risk given his inexperience and how late in the day England might make this change.</p><h3>Aussies' top order slowly getting solved</h3><p>One of the biggest concerns about Australia is that its lineup doesn't boast the same consistency as it has in the lead-up to most Ashes series, especially compared to past victorious campaigns. There have notably been question marks over the top of the batting order, but the picture is gradually getting clearer.</p><p>Usman Khawaja appears to have a stronger hold on an opening spot over Sam Konstas despite both batters underwhelming during Australia's summer Tests in the Caribbean. And a hard-fought competition is brewing to find a partner for Khawaja, with Jake Weatherald, who's yet to represent Australia, using some of his recent performances to turn heads. While Marnus Labuschagne is a strong candidate to be the No. 3 batter after recording big numbers for Queensland, there are calls for him to be an opener with Khawaja.</p><h3>Sledging and other mind games</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806115/cropped_GettyImages-2231352665.jpg?ts=1760807763" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806115/w220xh124_GettyImages-2231352665.jpg?ts=1760807763 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806115/w320xh180_GettyImages-2231352665.jpg?ts=1760807763 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806115/w640xh360_GettyImages-2231352665.jpg?ts=1760807763 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806115/w768xh432_GettyImages-2231352665.jpg?ts=1760807763 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/806115/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2231352665.jpg?ts=1760807763 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> <span class="article-segment--image-attribution">Philip Brown / Getty Images Sport / Getty</span></figcaption></figure><p>The rivalry between Australia and England can be both hotheaded and hilarious, and some of the old boys have already traded barbs in the media.</p><p>Former Aussie opener David Warner recently predicted that his country would win the series 4-0, suggesting that England's commitment to Bazball would contribute to its downfall. Stuart Broad retorted by claiming Australia has its "worst" team since 2010, which was the last time England won an Ashes series Down Under. However, his forthright assessment may have been partly fueled by his roguish dedication to the bad-guy role. In 2013, Broad's level of villainy in Australia prompted a Brisbane-based newspaper to refuse to print his name, instead referring to him only as "the 27-year-old medium pace bowler."</p><p>Although the mind games between former players will continue, the intensity will rise once the first Test begins. Not only will the current players be more visible in the media, but the brutal yet quick-witted sledging will begin out on the field. Some of the insults traded between fielders and batters are box office.</p>

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Ashes countdown: 4 storylines to watch ahead of Australia-England

Manchester United turned the knife on their struggling archrivals Sunday with a battling 2-1 win ...

<p>Manchester United turned the knife on their struggling archrivals Sunday with a battling 2-1 win at Liverpool.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/13942" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/13942">Harry Maguire</a> headed in the visitors' winning goal in the 84th minute after <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/102362" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/102362">Cody Gakpo</a> gave Liverpool hopes of a comeback victory with his equalizer from close range.</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/99561" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/99561">Bryan Mbeumo</a> shocked the hosts with a well-worked opening goal in just the second minute.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Liverpool have now lost in four straight matches for the first time since November 2014 under Brendan Rodgers. They've fallen to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, Chelsea, and Manchester United over that miserable spell. Their latest setback is their first home defeat to United since 2016.</p><p>The result also marked the first time that Ruben Amorim has recorded back-to-back wins as Manchester United boss. The Portuguese coach's first match at the helm was in November 2024.</p><p>Liverpool weren't at their best but were frustrated at Anfield, breaching <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/165236" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/165236">Senne Lammens</a> in United's goal only once despite outshooting Amorim's side 19-12. Gakpo hit the woodwork three times through one curling effort, a deflected cross, and a powerful drive before he scored from a couple of yards. He then failed with an opportunity to level again in the 86th minute when he rose unmarked for a header and somehow sent it wide.</p><p>Gakpo wasn't the only player who endured a difficult outing. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/17673" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/17673">Mohamed Salah</a>, the reigning PFA Player of the Year after Liverpool won last season's Premier League title, was also largely ineffectual and is yet to complete a dribble in the Premier League this campaign.</p>

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah reacts after a missed opportunity during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. Picture date: Sunday October 19, 2025.

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Man United condemn Liverpool to 4th straight defeat

Nottingham Forest dismissed head coach Ange Postecoglou around 20 minutes after Saturday's 3-0 ho...

<p>Nottingham Forest dismissed head coach Ange Postecoglou around 20 minutes after Saturday's 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea ended.</p><p>Postecoglou lasted just 39 days at the helm, losing six and drawing twice during his brief spell in charge.</p><p>"Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that after a series of disappointing results and performances, Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect," the club statement <a href="https://x.com/NFFC/status/1979543591023259803">read</a>.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Club owner Evangelos Marinakis, who made the controversial decision to part with Postecoglou's predecessor Nuno Espirito Santo on Sept. 8, wasn't in his seat with a quarter of the match remaining, according to <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3371533" href="https://thescore.com/news/3371533">Agence France-Presse</a>.</p><p>Chelsea won at the City Ground with second-half goals from <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/206534" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/206534">Josh Acheampong</a>, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/92789" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/92789">Pedro Neto</a>, and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/100545" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/100545">Reece James</a>. The result put Forest in 17th place in the Premier League table and at risk of falling into the relegation zone once the weekend's fixtures are over.</p><p>Forest finished seventh last season under Nuno.</p><p>Postecoglou expressed confidence during the press conference ahead of the Chelsea match that he could turn Nottingham Forest's fortunes around.</p><p>"Maybe I'm a manager that if you give them time, the story always ends the same," <span style="margin:0px; padding:0px; text-align:left">Postecoglou<a href="https://thescore.com/news/3370806" target="_blank"> said</a></span> Friday. "At all my previous clubs, it ends the same - with me and a trophy."</p><p>The 60-year-old won the Europa League with Tottenham Hotspur last season, ending a 17-year trophy drought at the club. However, the north London side still axed the Aussie after placing 17th in the Premier League - its worst top-flight finish since the 1976-77 campaign.</p><p>Postecoglou won silverware with South Melbourne, Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos, and Celtic before joining Tottenham.</p><p>Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini, Fulham boss Marco Silva, and Sean Dyche, who has overseen Burnley and Everton in the Premier League, are potential candidates to replace Postecoglou, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/clyqvv94p0go">BBC Sport</a> reports.</p>

Nottingham Forest head coach Ange Postecoglou following the Premier League match at the City Ground, Nottingham. Picture date: Saturday October 18, 2025.

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Postecoglou sacked as Forest boss immediately after 8th winless game

Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are convinced Ruben Amor...

<p>Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are convinced Ruben Amorim has the support of the dressing room, sources told <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/46517195/man-united-bosses-believe-players-back-ruben-amorim-sources">ESPN's Rob Dawson</a>.</p><p>The prominent executives, who were appointed by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, have reportedly held informal talks with key members of the first-team squad, including captain <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///wcquefa/players/23312" href="https://thescore.com/wcquefa/players/23312">Bruno Fernandes</a>, and the overall feedback on the embattled head coach was positive.</p><p>The discussions weren't intentional attempts to "sound out" players on Amorim's future, Dawson adds.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Senior members of Amorim's team have also publicly voiced their backing for the former Sporting CP boss. <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/96214" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/96214">Mason Mount</a> said after scoring in Saturday's 2-0 win over Sunderland that the players are "100% behind the gaffer."</p><p><a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///epl/players/85691" href="https://thescore.com/epl/players/85691">Matthijs de Ligt</a> stressed after a recent 3-1 loss at Brentford that the players need to take responsibility for poor performances. "You guys always talk about the system," the defender said of the media's tendency to focus criticism on Amorim's game plans rather than individual flaws, according to the Press Association via <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/46407512/forget-amorim-system-man-utd-players-get-blame-de-ligt">ESPN</a>.</p><p>Significant improvements were expected at Manchester United this season after they recorded 18 defeats and finished in 15th place in the Premier League last term. It was their worst top-flight campaign since they were relegated at the end of the 1973-74 season.</p><p>Amorim's side is currently 10th in the table with three wins, one draw, and three defeats. United's Premier League losses were in tough fixtures against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Brentford, but their worst result of the season thus far was their elimination from the League Cup second round at the hands of fourth-tier Grimsby Town.</p>

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim at half time during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Picture date: Saturday October 4, 2025.

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Report: Man United bosses believe Amorim has players' support

The Minnesota Wild signed goaltender Filip Gustavsson to a five-year contract with a $6.8-million...

<p>The Minnesota Wild signed goaltender <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///nhl/players/9896" href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/9896">Filip Gustavsson</a> to a five-year contract with a $6.8-million cap hit, the team announced Saturday.</p><p>The extension comes days after franchise player <a href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/7294">Kirill Kaprizov</a> inked the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3357833" href="https://thescore.com/news/3357833">biggest contract</a> in NHL history in total money and AAV. <a href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/2582">Vladimir Tarasenko</a> and <a href="https://thescore.com/nhl/players/1658">Mats Zuccarello</a> are still prominent unrestricted Wild free agents heading into the new season.</p><p>The 27-year-old netminder posted a .914 save percentage with a 2.67 goals-against average across 58 games last season. He recorded five regular-season shutouts. In six playoff outings, he had a 2.71 goals-against average with a .913 save percentage.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Gustavsson is entering the final season of a three-year pact inked with the Wild in 2023 that carries a $3.75-million cap hit. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He's currently in line to be the 11th-highest paid goaltender in the 2026-27 campaign.</p><p>A second-round pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2016 draft, Gustavsson was traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2018 and made his NHL debut with Ottawa in 2021. He's set for his fourth full season with the Wild after moving from the Senators in 2022.</p>

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 22: Filip Gustavsson #32 of the Minnesota Wild tends net during the first period of Game Two of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on April 22, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Wild sign Gustavsson to 5-year, $34M contract

United States President Donald Trump said Friday that he will move 2026 World Cup matches from ci...

<p>United States President Donald Trump said Friday that he will move 2026 World Cup matches from cities he believes are too unsafe to carry out hosting duties.</p><p>The United States will host 78 World Cup fixtures across 11 different venues in June and July. Canada and Mexico get 13 matches each.</p><p>"It will be safe for the World Cup," Trump promised reporters in the Oval Office, according to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/czdjqvyvdd1o">BBC Sport's Tom Mallows</a>. "If I think it isn't safe, we'll move it into a different city."</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>Trump was asked specifically about Seattle and San Francisco, cities with Democratic mayors that have six World Cup games apiece (although the venue in the Bay Area is located in Santa Clara, California). The Republican leader said the cities are "run by radical left lunatics who don't know what they're doing," according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/sep/26/donald-trump-warns-world-cup-games-may-be-moved-from-dangerous-cities">PA Media</a>.</p><p>"If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, or for the Olympics, but for the World Cup in particular, because they're playing in so many cities, we won't allow it to go. We'll move it around a little bit," Trump said, per Mallows.</p><p>The 2028 Summer Olympics will be staged in Los Angeles.</p><p>It's unclear whether Trump has the authority to switch host cities for the World Cup, Mallows reports. Nevertheless, Trump has indicated that he will attempt to exert influence over the global event, including Thursday when his administration said it will <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3353705" href="https://thescore.com/news/3353705">"stop any effort"</a> to ban Israel from potentially competing at the World Cup.</p><p>Trump also <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3282077" href="https://thescore.com/news/3282077">suggested</a> in May that offering Russia the opportunity to play at the World Cup could be an "incentive" for the country to end its war with Ukraine. Russia is suspended by FIFA and UEFA, and its men's team last played an official match in November 2021.</p><p>Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino have appeared together on numerous occasions in the buildup to 2026 World Cup, including when the President <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3329413" href="https://thescore.com/news/3329413">controversially held the famous trophy</a> at the Oval Office in August.</p><p>Infantino referred to the superstition that only the victorious team can handle the trophy when he noted that it's "for winners only." Infantino then added: "And, since you are a winner, of course you can as well."</p><p>In May, Infantino was <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3286481" href="https://thescore.com/news/3286481">more than two hours late</a> when he arrived in Paraguay for FIFA's Congress, an annual meeting of over 200 nations to discuss soccer's most important issues. He was late after he attended meetings in Saudi Arabia and Qatar with Trump.</p><p>The draw for the World Cup is scheduled for Dec. 5 in Washington.</p>

US President Donald Trump joined by FIFA president Gianni Infantino (R) holds the World Cup Trophy as he makes an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 22, 2025. Trump announced the 2026 World Cup draw will be held on December 5 at Washington's Kennedy Center.

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Trump warns World Cup matches will be moved from 'dangerous' cities

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has vowed to help Israel resist increa...

<p>The administration of United States President Donald Trump has vowed to help Israel resist increasing pressure for its teams to be suspended from soccer.</p><p>"We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel's national soccer team from the World Cup," a State Department spokesperson told media Thursday, including <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cx2xpwedy5no">BBC Sport's Dan Roan and Sean Kearns</a>.</p><p>European soccer body UEFA is <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3353605" href="https://thescore.com/news/3353605">reportedly</a> moving toward a vote on whether to ban Israeli teams over the war in Gaza, and a majority of its executive committee is expected to support the country's suspension. A ban would likely affect Israel's women's and men's teams of various age groups in international soccer and also result in the expulsion of Maccabi Tel-Aviv from the Europa League.</p><div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><p>FIFA and UEFA banned Russia from competitive international fixtures and continental club competitions four days after the country invaded Ukraine in February 2022.</p><p>Numerous voices have spoken out against Israel's participation in soccer since its military campaign in Gaza started following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. A group of United Nations experts <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3352314" href="https://thescore.com/news/3352314">said</a> Tuesday that suspending Israeli teams was "a necessary response to address the ongoing genocide."</p><p>Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the Italian Soccer Coaches' Association are among other figures and organizations that have called for Israel to be banned in recent weeks. Some matches in Europe's elite domestic leagues and continental competitions have featured anti-Israel and pro-Palestine banners and chants from fans.</p><p>The Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people while 251 others were taken hostage. At least 65,419 people in Gaza have been killed in retaliatory Israeli attacks since, according to figures from the territory's health ministry cited by <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz9j4190171o">BBC News' David Gritten</a> on Wednesday.</p><p>Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sports and culture minister Miki Zohar, and soccer federation president Moshe Zuares have been working "intensively behind the scenes" to block efforts to drive Israel out of UEFA, Zohar's office told The Associated Press on Thursday.</p><p>The seemingly close relationship between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and President Trump also casts doubts on whether Israel would be excluded should it qualify for the World Cup. FIFA oversees the prestigious international tournament, and the 2026 edition will feature 78 matches in the United States, plus 13 each for Canada and Mexico.</p><p>Israel is currently placed below Norway and Italy in Group I of UEFA's World Cup qualification cycle. Norway has a strong hold on first place, which offers a direct route to the tournament in North America, with five wins from five matches. Teams that finish second in their group enter playoffs for a spot at the World Cup; Italy and Israel are both on nine points, but Italy is above Israel courtesy of its superior goal difference.</p>

US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on September 25, 2025.

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Trump administration will 'stop any effort' to ban Israel from soccer

The Champions League returned this week, and we broke down all the action. Check out our key take...

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Analysis from opening round of Champions League matches

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