MOSCOW: No more ties, or tiebreakers. The World Cup is into the knockout stage, and every match will end with someone going home.
On Saturday, that meant two of the greatest players of the era followed each other out of the tournament. Lionel Messi and Argentina lost 4-3 to France, which got two goals from teenager Kylian Mbappe. Four hours later, Cristian Ronaldo and his European champion Portugal team lost 2-1 to Uruguay.
France and Uruguay were the first teams to reach the quarterfinals, and they’ll meet on July 6.
On Sunday, for the first time at a World Cup since 1986, two games were decided on penalty shootouts. The net result: Russia and Croatia will meet in a July 7 quarterfinals in Sochi.
Russia and Spain were tied 1-1 after extra time, and the Russians clinched the shootout 4-3 in Moscow. Andres Iniesta, who scored the winning goal for Spain in the 2010 World Cup, retired from international football after the match. Croatia and Denmark were tied 1-1 at the end of extra time. Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic saved three penalties — equaling a World Cup record — in a 3-2 shootout win over the Danes.
Here’s a look at what’s next:
Belgium — one of the few top-tier teams to deliver on its hype in the group stage — plays Monday against Japan, which sneaked out of its group because it got fewer yellow cards than Senegal. The later match pits Neymar and a Brazil lineup that seems to be finding its form against a mercurial Mexico squad that knocked off Germany and South Korea but got hammered by Sweden . The winners play July 6.
England will carry high expectations into its match Tuesday against a talented Colombia team after essentially choosing that matchup by fielding a squad of reserves in its last group game against Belgium. And the last game of the round of 16 features a Swedish side that won a tough group versus a Swiss team with issues in the back but enough talent up front to score against anyone. The winners play July 7 for the right to go to the semifinals.
A look at the road out of the World Cup’s round of 16
A look at the road out of the World Cup’s round of 16
- France and Uruguay were the first teams to reach the quarterfinals, and they’ll meet on July 6.
- Russia and Spain were tied 1-1 after extra time, and the Russians clinched the shootout 4-3 in Moscow. Croatia eliminated Denmark in a 3-2 shootout win.
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Lula says Brazil has ‘capable’ coaches, reacting to Ancelotti hire
- “What I think is that we have coaches in Brazil capable of leading the Selecao,” Lula said
- He had expressed skepticism in the past about the potential appointment of Ancelotti
BRASILIA: Brazil doesn’t need foreigners to coach its national football team, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Tuesday following the appointment of Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti to head the Selecao.
Italian Ancelotti on Monday became the first non-Brazilian since 1965 to take the reins of Brazil’s national team, which he is hoping to lead to World Cup glory next year.
“Honestly, I have nothing against him being a foreigner... What I think is that we have coaches in Brazil capable of leading the Selecao,” Lula told journalists in China, according to a video circulated in Brazilian media.
A football enthusiast, Lula had expressed skepticism in the past about the potential appointment of Ancelotti, which had been on the cards for years.
“He has never been Italy’s national coach... Why does he not resolve the problems of Italy, which did not even qualify for the 2022 World Cup?” the president said in 2023.
On Tuesday, he described Ancelotti as a “great technician” and said he hoped the Italian “can help the Brazilian team, first to qualify for the World Cup, and then, if possible, to win it.”
The Selecao is placed fourth in the qualifying phase for the 2026 World Cup that will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
It has 21 points from 14 matches, less than Ecuador, Uruguay and world champions Argentina.
The top six Latin American teams will qualify for the 2026 event.
Sinner moves through gears to reach Italian Open quarters
- Italian Sinner bested 17th seed Cerundolo 7-6 (7/2), 6-3
- Sinner had to battle through the first set against spirited Cerundolo
ROME: Jannik Sinner came through the first true test of his comeback from a doping ban with Tuesday’s straight-sets win over Francisco Cerundolo which took the world number one into the Italian Open quarter-finals.
Italian Sinner bested 17th seed Cerundolo 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 in a match which was delayed by a couple of hours due to a torrential downpour to set up a last-eight clash with either Casper Ruud or Jaume Munar.
Cerundolo knocked out Sinner in the last 16 the last time he played here in 2023, but that was before the 23-year-old had became the tournament-winning machine he is today.
Sinner is finding his feet in Rome, his first tournament since the end of a three-month suspension accepted in February from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) following two positive tests for traces of clostebol in March last year.
His true target is the French Open which follows his home event and he showed some signs of rediscovering the form which has won him three Grand Slams and last year’s ATP Finals.
Sinner had to battle through the first set against spirited Cerundolo but once he prevailed in the tie-break he built up an unassailable lead by winning four games in a row in the second.
The packed center court stands hailed their hero after he took the win at the fourth time of asking and continue his bid for a first Rome title.
The rain which delayed Sinner’s match had a much bigger impact on his compatriot Lorenzo Musetti, who reached the last eight after having to wait nearly three hours at match point before he could finish off his victory over Daniil Medvedev.
World number nine Musetti will face either reigning Rome champion Alexander Zverev in the last eight after seeing off Medvedev 7-5, 6-4.
Musetti held his nerve to win on the first point after the long break and made sure that his first week in the top 10 of the world rankings would bring another solid run in a big tournament, after he reached the final in Monte Carlo and the last four in Madrid.
Organizers later said that Musetti would have to pull out of his doubles campaign alongside Lorenzo Sonego due to an injury to his right arm.
Fellow Italian Jasmine Paolini was playing on center court at the same time as the first part of Musetti’s match but managed to complete her comeback from a set down to beat Diana Shnaider 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 6-2 just before the worst of the weather hit.
Paolini is the first Italian woman to reach the Rome semifinals since 2014, when her doubles partner Sara Errani got to the final only to be soundly beaten by Serena Williams.
Earlier Carlos Alcaraz beat Karen Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in a hugely entertaining opening match of the day on center court.
Third seed Alcaraz had never lost a set in his previous four meetings with Khachanov but was forced to fight to get past Russia’s Khachanov.
The Spaniard took his 12th clay-court win of the year to set up a clash in the last eight with fifth seed Jack Draper, a winner over France’s Corentin Moutet.
“It was tiring. You know the match was really tough. I had to run. I had to run a lot,” said Alcaraz.
“I didn’t play well. I just fought and I’m just really happy about it.”
Alcaraz needs to get to the Rome semis not just for a chance at his third title of the season but also to secure a top-two seeding at the French Open which begins later this month.
Professional Fighters League launches an MMA division in Australia and New Zealand
- The PLF is partnering with the streaming service Stan and Australia’s Nine Network in a broadcasting deal that covers subscription, pay-per-view and free-to-air TV
SYDNEY: The Professional Fighters League has launched a new international division in Australia and New Zealand to showcase mixed martial arts competitors in the Oceania region.
The PFL Pacific was launched in Sydney on Tuesday, expanding the league’s reach into the southern hemisphere.
“It has been a priority of ours to bring the Professional Fighters League to Australia and the Pacific region,” PFL chief executive Peter Murray said in a statement. “With the launch of PFL Pacific, we’re also building a foundation for long-term growth and aiming to crown more Aussie champions than any other league over the next three years.”
The PLF is partnering with the streaming service Stan and Australia’s Nine Network in a broadcasting deal that covers subscription, pay-per-view and free-to-air TV.
The first PFL Pacific tournament will take place next year across four live events featuring regional fighters in single-elimination brackets and using the league’s “win and advance” format.
The PFL Pacific launch was days after it emerged former France and Manchester United player Patrice Evra’s PFL Europe debut scheduled for May 23 had been postponed.
The 43-year-old Evra, who retired from soccer in 2019, has been training in combat alongside MMA star Cedric Doumbe.
Whittaker to face De Ridder at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi
- Headline bout takes place at Yas Island’s Etihad Arena on July 26
ABU DHABI: The UFC, the mixed martial arts organization — in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism — makes a return to the UAE’s capital with a highly anticipated middleweight fight, No. 5-ranked Robert Whittaker taking on rising star Reinier de Ridder on Saturday, July 26, at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.
Former champion Whittaker (27-8-0, fighting out of New South Wales, Australia) is one of the UFC’s most respected middleweights, rising to prominence with standout victories over Yoel Romero, Jared Cannonier and Marvin Vettori. Whittaker looks to return in impressive fashion with a dominant performance against the Dutchman.
De Ridder (20-2-0, fighting out of Breda, Netherlands) has swiftly established himself as one of the UFC’s most promising middleweight contenders. Since joining the promotion in late 2024 he has showcased his elite grappling and finishing abilities. Most recently, he delivered a statement win by handing Bo Nickal his first professional defeat. De Ridder is rapidly ascending the middleweight ranks and aims to continue his winning streak with victory over the former champion.
On the same card, Nikita Krylov (30-10-0, fighting out of Kislovodsk, Russia) faces Bogdan Guskov (17-3-0, fighting out of Dukent, Uzbekistan) in a light heavyweight matchup.
Ramazan Temirov (19-3-0, fighting out of Karshi, Uzbekistan) takes on Asu Almabayev (21-3-0, fighting out of Almaty, Kazakhstan) in what promises to be a thrilling flyweight bout.
And Ibo Aslan (14-2-0, fighting out of Istanbul, Turkiye) meets American Billy Elekana (7-2-0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada) in a light heavyweight bout that is expected to produce fireworks.
Tickets are now available via etihadarena.ae and Ticketmaster.ae.
Son, Kim and Lee tasting success in Europe despite South Korea’s soccer struggles
- Kim Min-jae helped German giant Bayern Munich lift the Bundesliga title
- “I think this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, something I may never have again,” Son said
SEOUL: South Korea’s national soccer team may be stumbling toward 2026 World Cup qualification and its clubs may have struggled in the Asian Champions League, but three of its biggest stars have been finding success in Europe.
Kim Min-jae helped German giant Bayern Munich lift the Bundesliga title, the 28-year-old defender’s second major prize in Europe after winning the Italian championship with Napoli two years earlier.
While Kim has two European trophies, the biggest star in Korean soccer is Son Heung-min and the 32-year-old forward is yet to win a major title. That could change next week with the Tottenham captain preparing to lead the London-based Spurs in the Europa League final against Premier League rival Manchester United.
“To complete the puzzle, you need every piece. Ultimately, I think, the most important final piece is still missing,” Son, who joined Tottenham in 2015, told South Korea media in London on Monday.
“I think I’ve been chasing that piece for 10 years. I’d love to finish that puzzle this time.”
Son was part of the Tottenham team that lost the 2019 UEFA Champions League final to Liverpool. Now, as the senior player, he’s determined to end what has been a difficult season for club — Tottenham are currently 17th out of 20 teams in the Premier League — and country, on a high.
“I think this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, something I may never have again,” Son said. “I hope I won’t have regrets afterward. When I return to Korea after the season, I’d like to give my Korean fans and our Tottenham supporters the biggest smile I can bring.”
Son returned to action last weekend after an absence through injury but is set to start against Manchester United. The same is not automatically the case for Lee Kang-in.
The 24-year-old Lee, an attacking midfielder has been struggling for playing time of late for Paris Saint-Germain. He has appeared in 11 UEFA Champions League games this season but was on the bench as the French club beat Arsenal in the semifinals to book a final against Inter Milan on May 31 in Munich.
That game will marks the end of the European season and the start of transfer speculation. Lee has been linked with clubs elsewhere in Europe. So has Kim, whose season at Munich has been affected by injuries.
“I want to keep playing for Munich,” Kim said last month. “There’s no reason why I should leave this team. I like playing for Munich. I want to continue playing for this team next season. It’s one thing that’s important to me right now.”
It remains to be seen where the three biggest stars in Korean football are in August but the focus is currently on winning three prizes in European club football and bringing some good news for fans at home.
