Sports

By Mohammed Moallim Had Vinicius Jr joined Arsenal, he would have been a rarity as a genuine global superstar moving to the Premier League at the height of his powers. The Gunners were prepared to make the Brazil forward their primary target should he decide to leave Real Madrid, and the 26-year-old was open to the possibility. But he has now signed a new contract at the Bernabeu until 2032. It is another reminder of a curious contradiction. Premier League clubs have unrivalled collective spending power and England's top flight is widely regarded as the strongest domestic competition in world…

Vinicius Jr. is undoubtedly the name on everyone's lips this summer in Madrid. The Brazilian footballer, who has less than a year left on his contract, has yet to reach an agreement with the club to extend his contract. Arsenal have already made a move to show their interest in the winger, and the speculation surrounding his future continues to grow, according to a report today in English edition of leading Spanish daily Sport. The paper wrote that Real Madrid's position is clear: they want to make an effort and renew Vinicius's contract… but not at any price. They are…

*'Without Stars From England, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, World Cup Loses Its Audience. Broadcasters Won’t Pay Top Dollar, Sponsors Will Pull Their Cash' *Revolt Against Infantino From FIFA Staff *May Lose March Presidential Poll, PSG's al-Khelaifi Backed To Challenge Him FIFA’s controversial plan to sell a piece of its business empire to outside investors has collapsed following an open revolt by soccer officials worldwide — and a major rift among top FIFA executives, The New York Post has learned. FIFA had aimed to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling a roughly 20 percent stake in the group, valuing the…

By Andrew Beasley After beating MK Dons 3-0 in a training-ground friendly last weekend, Arsenal truly begin their pre-season programme against La Liga outfit Girona on Saturday evening, 1 August. It marks a return to action for the Premier League champions, who will want to show their success last season was not a one-off. Retaining the English title is incredibly difficult if you are not Manchester City. No other club has done it since Manchester United won three in succession from 2007 to 2009. Chelsea have done it once, Liverpool have not managed it for more than 40 years, and…

Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr is enjoying his vacation after the World Cup, but he has become a trending topic on social media. The reason is his new appearance following an alleged cosmetic procedure. According to Brazilian news outlet Leo Dias, the Real Madrid star underwent a chin augmentation to enhance and better define the contour of his jawline. The report claims that Vinicius, accompanied by his partner, influencer Virginia Fonseca, visited the clinic of Dr. Alessandro Alarcão for the procedure. The visit to the doctor is confirmed, as the physician himself shared a photo with Vinicius on social media.…

By David Hytner, at New York New Jersey Stadium "Spain fully deserve it. They have been absolutely superb all tournament. They have dominated all game against a ridged, rugged Argentina. The best team has won this World Cup," gushed former England goalkeeper Joe Hart on BBC One Sunday night, Nigeria time. 19 July. It was the triumph of an idea, an identity. Of an unshakable and patient faith in it. And when it was over, Spain’s new generation having emulated the one from the 2010 World Cup, all of those legendary names, there was simply delirium for them. Spain were…

By David Hytner, at Atlanta Stadium England’s destiny is tournament heartbreak. The only question concerns when it comes and how the fates will contrive to make it as painful as possible. This was an implausibly brutal new low. Thomas Tuchel’s team had fought fire with fire on an occasion that was overloaded with shredded nerves. The first half was a physical fight; it was gripping all the same. And the possibilities seemed endless for England when Anthony Gordon put them in front shortly after half-time. A first appearance in the World Cup final since 1966 looked on. Argentina were not…

By Nick Ames, in Dallas Stadium Consider this a spectacular telling-off for anyone tempted to cast Spain as underdogs. How they enjoyed dishing the lesson out here, booking a showdown in New Jersey on Sunday and reducing France to passengers on Tuesday, 14;July. Didier Deschamps’ team had been billed as champions elect but their feted attack was never in the game. For Kylian Mbappé it will be another four-year wait to reconquer the globe; he was an isolated figure, snuffed out by opponents who completely dictated after going ahead. Spain could partly thank Lucas Digne for terrible defending that conceded…

By Michael Duarte ( New York Post ) The Soccer gods owe us an apology. The match the world has been waiting to see is not the World Cup final. Instead, it is Tuesday’s semifinal beneath the roof of Dallas Stadium, where reigning European champion Spain collides with a reborn France team that has looked unstoppable throughout the tournament. For many, Spain vs. France is the real World Cup final. Sure, the winner will play in the final against either defending champion Argentina or England, but make no mistake: The tournament’s two best teams are meeting in the semifinal. And…

By Ike Abonyi A recent online interview featuring Super Eagles player Moses Simon saw him attempting to disparage Rangers International, seemingly in response to his alleged rejection by the club. Simon presented an improbable narrative, claiming he was prevented from playing for Rangers International of Enugu during a tryout due to his Northern origins. This assertion is demonstrably false for anyone familiar with Rangers, a club that has historically and continues to feature numerous players from Northern Nigeria. It is posited that Simon, having achieved stardom, may have perceived his past rejection as a significant humiliation and fabricated this story…