Italian club, rivals of Inter, crowned in European and domestic glory
England manager Thomas Tuchel has named a 26-man World Cup squad that has omitted Manchester United defender Harry Maguire and several high-profile players including Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luke Shaw, while Ivan Toney and younger players have been selected; Tuchel has defended the choices as team-focused. (As of 28 May 2026.)
England has opened its World Cup campaign with a 4-2 win over Croatia in Arlington, Texas. Harry Kane has scored twice in the first half, Jude Bellingham has put England ahead just after half-time and Marcus Rashford has sealed the win late on. Elsewhere Portugal were held 1-1 by DR Congo and Ghana beat Panama 1-0.
Sandro Tonali has completed a record transfer from Newcastle to Tottenham for an initial 92.5m pounds, with potential to rise to 100m based on Champions League qualifications. The move follows heavy recruiting at Spurs and includes comments from Tonali on the club, manager Roberto De Zerbi, and Newcastle fans. The transfer signals a midfield revamp for Tottenham.
Portugal has beaten Croatia 2-1 after Gonçalo Ramos scored a stoppage-time header to win the last-32 tie. Cristiano Ronaldo has converted a penalty — his first World Cup knockout goal — after Ivan Perišić had opened the scoring. Croatia thought they had equalised late, but VAR used ball-sensor "snicko" data to rule the goal out for offside.
Christian Pulisic has a microfracture and a bone bruise in his right tibia/fibula. He is set to miss multiple weeks after the World Cup defeat to Belgium, with AC Milan and US Soccer coordinating a rehab plan. His return timeline is uncertain but he is expected to resume training ahead of Milan’s Serie A opener.
Milan prosecutors have requested the dismissal of a sports fraud case against Gianluca Rocchi, the former head of referees, while a two-year inquiry has found no evidence of a structured system to interfere with appointments. Rocchi had been investigated over incidents in the 2024-25 season, including alleged referee changes in Inter Milan’s favour; Inter were not implicated.
Apollo Global Management is in talks to back the Yankees with a debt-heavy financing package worth about $3 billion, as the franchise seeks to refinance obligations and fund expansion. The deal would mark Apollo’s largest US sports investment and underscores the growing financial heft of professional sports.
Celtic have signed Camilo Duran and face recruitment constraints as they lose Kelechi Iheanacho to Bursaspor. O’Neill says progress on other targets is possible, while Celtic’s summer activity remains limited amid competition from bigger clubs.
The Fox pregame show for the World Cup final is marked by fast travel through a ferry, a helicopter, and a police-escorted car ride, with Zlatan Ibrahimović sweating over the flight. The crew faced delays but reached MetLife Stadium in time as viewership broke records.
United have already signed two midfielders this window and face injuries and departures that heighten the need for further reinforcements. Several targets are in play, with attention turning to a potential homegrown option as pre-season shows rising balance in midfield.
The Italian Football Federation has been exploring Pep Guardiola’s potential appointment as Italy head coach. While discussions have continued, officials say salary exceptions could be considered, though the final decision remains uncertain. Mancini and Pirlo are among other candidates amid Italy’s World Cup qualification crisis and short-term coaching search.
Celtic are pursuing Mika Baur for a reported 4m fee as Daizen Maeda edges toward a move to Ipswich Town. Personal terms have been agreed with Baur, while Ipswich are negotiating for Maeda and other Celtic targets attract interest across Europe.
Italy has appointed Roberto Mancini as head coach after a chaotic recruitment process following World Cup qualification failure. Maldini and Leonardo have departed amid leadership shifts while the federation pursues a long-term overhaul and considers other candidates.
Pirlo has withdrawn from consideration for the Italy national team job, citing political backlash over his Fonbet sponsorship. Maldini’s position as technical director is under scrutiny as Italy’s World Cup failure compounds calls for reform. Firms and politicians debate the optimal path forward amid a reshuffle of FIGC leadership.
Netflix is launching Beat Luke Littler, a live darts competition, with 20 hopefuls facing world number one Luke Littler for a £501,000 prize. Regional heats in Manchester and London start this September, culminating in a live Oct. 30 broadcast. Littler has just defended the World Matchplay title with an 18-9 win over Gerwyn Price.