In a recent chat with the media ahead of Game 1, Karl-Anthony Towns gave his own perspective on the situation, starting with how his team has handled the prolonged layoff between these Finals and the previous series, mentioning the new Spider-Man movie.

“We understand what happened last time we had a layoff like this,” said Karl-Anthony Towns, via SNY Knicks. “So, we’re trying to be better than we were last time by approaching it better and preparing better than we did last time. We’re obviously making tweaks to not have the same rust that we had in Game 1. Wake up, it was a brand new day, back to work,” Karl-Anthony Towns said on how he celebrated the win. “So, we all got back to work, and we are just preparing.”

Karl-Anthony Towns’ performance

Karl-Anthony Towns has provided a massive boost in the frontcourt, making an impact with his scoring, rebounding, and size at the position. The Knicks have not lost a Game 1 yet this year, going 3-0 through the first three series. They started rusty in the series opener, trailing by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter, but rallied for a historic comeback win, going on to sweep the series 4-0.

Behind Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns is among their most reliable scorers, coming off a strong 2025-26 season with averages of 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 50.1% shooting from the field and 36.8% shooting from three.

At 30 years old, the six-time All-Star is still in the prime of his career, and he will be fighting desperately to capture his first-ever NBA championship alongside Jalen Brunson, who is playing at an excellent level, accompanied by OG Anunoby and Josh Hart, who are doing their part.

The Finals are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, where the Knicks are still waiting for their opponent from the Western Conference, where the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder will determine the second finalist in Game 7 on Saturday, May 30.

It’s been hard for Mitchell to move past the feeling of disappointment. Even with all the talent in the world, the Cavaliers couldn’t pull through. The worst part is, they couldn’t even win a single game when it mattered the most, and it’s something that will stick with the seven-time NBA All-Star throughout the summer.

“It was very painful, the ending. To go out like that. You try to put on a smile and try to move past it,” said Mitchell, via Andscape. “They beat us, swept us, so I don’t want to diminish that, but we didn’t give ourselves a chance, ’cause we didn’t have any business. But it’ll take a little while, it’ll take a little bit. I think the worst part about it is just like the sweeps, like, we had an opportunity, right? And we were just right there.”

Will he win a ring with the Cavs?

Despite the trade rumors surrounding Donovan Mitchell, he insists that his loyalty lies with the Cavs. With only two years and $103 million remaining on his contract, including a $53.8 million player option, he is an attractive target for a potential trade, but neither Mitchell nor the Cavs are ready for a separation.

“I feel like this has been a consistent theme every single season I’ve been here,” Mitchell said. “I love it here, I see growth, I see a runway, I believe, I’ve made Cleveland home. Outside of just basketball, I don’t wanna go… We may win a ring here. We may never win a ring here. But I’ve won in life.”

Over eight seasons, he’s only been out of the second round once, and he has yet to actually win a game in the Conference Finals despite career averages of 25.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 45.3% shooting and 36.6% shooting from three. At this point, there’s a real possibility that Mitchell may never lead the Cavs to a title.

Now, the Cavs will try to secure upgrades this offseason to fight and be contenders once again, currently with reports of a potential arrival of Giannis Antetokounmpo in exchange for Evan Mobley, but it seems they are not in favor of that trade.

Gavi participated in a dynamic organized by streamer Ibai Llanos, where he made his predictions for the 2026 World Cup. Among the questions were the potential champion, the top scorer of the tournament, the breakout player, and the surprise team. When the moment came to choose the surprise team, Gavi did not hesitate to mention Ecuador.

“As a surprise team, I am going to tell you Ecuador. They have good players,” Gavi argued to support his answer. And one of those questions was also for the best player of the tournament, where he chose Lamine Yamal without hesitation.

Gavi’s complete prediction

Gavi‘s answers are not far-fetched at all, as they are responses that an average soccer fan would give, and while the pick of Lamine Yamal certainly gives people plenty to talk about due to him being so young, he is undisputedly one of the best players in the world, accompanied by a great national team.

Gavi’s complete prediction list:

• Winner: Spain
• Runner-up: Portugal
• Surprise team: Ecuador
• Top scorer: Mikel Oyarzabal
• Breakout player: Joao Felix
• Best veteran player: Neymar Jr
• Best player: Lamine Yamal

The numbers in Gavi’s career

It is worth remembering that Gavi remains one of those young talents at 21-years-old. His talent quickly caught the attention of several major clubs in Spain, until he entered La Masia, the youth academy of FC Barcelona, in 2015. He debuted with the first team in 2021, when he was just 17 years old, and since then, he has established himself as an important piece for the Catalan squad.

With Barcelona, he records 166 matches, 10 goals, and 16 assists, and he has conquered important titles at the club level, which are: three LaLiga titles, three Spanish Super Cups, and one Copa del Rey.

With Spain, he has accumulated 28 matches with five goals, participating in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, where he did not have a standout performance, and the 2023 UEFA Nations League title.

During an interview with El Larguero, Roberto Martinez spoke about his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo’s longevity, as he remains a globally relevant player at 41-years-old at both the club and international levels.

“I think Cristiano Ronaldo does not play to win a specific title, collective or individual. It is the hunger he has. No matter what he wins, the next day he has the same hunger to improve,” the Portugal coach said. “Having that objective allows you to have longevity.”

Ronaldo’s presence at the 2030 World Cup is possible

Something that drew a lot of attention in the interview was what Roberto Martinez mentioned regarding a possible appearance by Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2030 World Cup, where he would already be 45 years old. “No one should doubt it. At least he has earned that,” the coach responded.

Roberto Martinez later acknowledged that multiple factors come together in Ronaldo’s case to make his level of performance excellent. “Of course, there is a genetic aspect, that is clear. There is also the work he does and everything he does to help his body. But it is more of a psychological aspect,” Roberto Martinez explained. “I have worked with many players who, after winning the Champions League or the Ballon d’Or, lose their hunger.”

The record Cristiano Ronaldo can establish

In the hypothetical case that Cristiano Ronaldo prolongs his career long enough to compete in the 2030 World Cup, which will be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, he would have a real opportunity to become the oldest player to ever participate in a FIFA tournament.

The record is currently held by Essam El-Hadary, who played for Egypt in Russia 2018 at 45 years and 161 days old. By the summer of 2030, Cristiano Ronaldo will be around 45 years and 130 days old, meaning a standout performance with Portugal could allow him to reach the historic record.

This year, Cristiano Ronaldo will move into fourth place on the list. Behind Essam El-Hadary, Colombia’s Faryd Mondragon (43 years and 3 days), Cameroon’s Roger Milla (42 years and 39 days), and Northern Ireland’s Pat Jennings (41 years old).

Jannik Sinner struggled with dizziness and was beaten by 56th-ranked Juan Manuel Cerundolo 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 after wasting two chances to serve for the match. On Novak Djokovic‘s side, he was defeated by Joao Fonseca, who became the first teenager to beat Djokovic at a Grand Slam. He did it with power, poise, and from two sets down, winning 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5.

With these results and the recent victory of Alexander Zverev, the fourth-round matchups are nearly set. Zverev will face Jesper de Jong, and Joao Fonseca will go up against Casper Ruud. Sinner’s conqueror is the only one left to play, as Juan Manuel Cerundolo will face Martin Landaluce in search of his ticket to the fourth round.

Updated bracket

The defeats of Novak Djokovic, who spoke about his retirement, and Jannik Sinner, who made no excuses regarding the schedule, surely position Alexander Zverev as one of the ultimate favorites to take home the Grand Slam. Here is how the bracket looks for the remainder of this great French Open:

Third Round (May 29-30)

• Juan Manuel Cerundulo vs. Martin Landaluce
• Matteo Berrettini vs. Francisco Comesana
• (19) Francis Tiafoe vs. Jaime Faria
• Raphael Collignon vs. Matteo Arnaldi
• (4) Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. (31) Brandon Nakashima
• Moise Kouame vs. Alejandro Tabilo
• (10) Flavio Cobolli vs. (18) Learner Tien
• (25) Francisco Cerundolo vs. Zachary Svajda

Round of 16 (May 31-June 1)

• (11) Andrey Rublev vs. (26) Jakub Mensik
• (28) Joao Fonseca vs. (15) Casper Ruud
• Pablo Carrena Busta vs. (27) Rafael Jodar
• Jesper de Jong vs. (2) Alexander Zverev

Remaining dates

The scheduled dates for the upcoming rounds of the Roland Garros are set for the following days, with the Quarterfinals taking place on June 2-3, the Semifinals on June 5, and the final on June 7. There are still many interesting players to watch, though the tournament feels a bit strange without the main protagonists present.

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Cavaliers have “no appetite” to trade Mobley for Antetokounmpo. “I believe Cleveland does not have any real appetite or interest in that type of deal because Evan Mobley is really their only bridge to a future beyond Donovan Mitchell, who’s coming up on 30 years old. He’s already a major contributor to this group. A Defensive Player of the Year. A perennial All-Star candidate. I just don’t really see that happening.”

Fischer believes that the Cavs will hedge on the side of caution and youth with this situation. Evan Mobley is still a young star who has room to grow, and he also doesn’t have the same kind of injury concerns that Giannis Antetokounmpo has, as well. Additionally, according to reports, the preferred destinations for Giannis are Boston and Miami.

Koby Altman clears up the rumors

While speaking with reporters at his end-of-season news conference on Friday, Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman seemed to say plenty about the Evan Mobley for Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors. “I’m not going to speculate on any players outside these walls,” Altman explained, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

“All I can tell you is, since Evan’s been here, we’ve had the third-best record in the league for five years. Now, we don’t have a championship to show for that yet, right? Boston and Denver, the other two ahead of us, they have a championship to show for that, but all Evan has done is impact winning. He’s been remarkable for us in terms of our ascent the last five years. He’s a huge part of what we do.”

Almost immediately after the Knicks swept the Cavaliers, it was reported that February acquisition James Harden is expected to opt out of his current contract and receive a new multi-year deal from Cleveland. Additionally, Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell will become extension-eligible during the NBA offseason.

The moves of the Cavs will be interesting to follow as they remain a contender, and they will try to address what they are missing, especially while those rumors of a LeBron James homecoming remain in the air.

According to Shams Charania, Mitchell Robinson, who is one of the best rebounders in the NBA and a vital piece of the second unit under head coach Mike Brown, suffered the fracture earlier this week due to reasons that have not been disclosed.

At this moment, there is no projected date for his return, with the start of the Finals scheduled for next Wednesday. This position will be absolutely crucial regardless of whether the opponent turns out to be the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs.

The impact of Mitchell Robinson’s absence

The Knicks are qualified for their first NBA Finals since 1999, searching for their first championship since 1973. Mitchell Robinson closed the regular season averaging 8.8 rebounds per game and finishing as the fourth-best offensive rebounder in the league, but his struggles with free throws have made him a target for opponents during key moments of games.

If his absence is confirmed, the Knicks could find themselves at a disadvantage in the paint against the Thunder, who feature Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, or the Spurs, who feature Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet.

In itself, the contribution of Mitchell Robinson is very strong, providing those solid numbers while serving as a guarantee of great defense and a physical presence inside the paint, which is completely proven by the statistics. Mitchell Robinson averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game during the regular NBA season.

The Knicks and an incredible record

They hold a 12-2 record in the postseason with a victory margin of 19.4 points per game, and they have won 11 consecutive matchups. That impressive streak is currently tied for the third longest within a single postseason.

Last season, everyone expected Jalen Royals to be the natural replacement for Rashee Rice during Rice’s suspension. Knee tendinitis put a stop to that, but right now, he is taking advantage of the fact that Rashee Rice is not at OTAs.

“Yeah, so they’re rotating in with the first group,” Reid said. “And Rashee Rice is not here. It gives Jalen Royals some great reps with the wide receiver position. Strong, he looks strong out there and running well, and that whole deal. So, it’s great for him. It’s great for him and for the quarterbacks to see what he’s all about on repeated reps.”

When will the Chiefs return to their OTAs

The Kansas City Chiefs officially concluded their first of two weeks of OTAs on Thursday, May 28. The team will reconvene on Monday, June 1, for their second week of OTAs before a five-day break between OTAs and mandatory minicamp.

A golden opportunity for Royals

A fourth-round pick out of Utah State in 2025, Jalen Royals caught two passes on three targets for four yards during his NFL rookie season. This year, it seems like he will have an opportunity to secure a larger role in the offense.

He needs to stay healthy regarding his knee, but it feels especially true if he continues to take advantage of these early offseason practice days and builds on them going forward.

Andy Reid on Patrick Mahomes’ recovery

Patrick Mahomes is participating in practice, but only in a limited capacity. Coach Andy Reid does not like to use the “ahead of schedule” phrasing; however, it is clear that Patrick Mahomes is making tremendous progress as he returns from a season-ending knee injury. “I like what I’ve seen,” Reid said of Mahomes.

“He’s working hard. This is good for him, I mean, getting out there and throwing it’s good rehab, as he continues rehab, so he keeps a feel with the receivers, where he’s doing partial practice, and, but it’s important, it’s important to keep his timing up, and he’s busted his tail to put himself in this position, most guys wouldn’t even be able to do this, but he’s put himself in that position, and I know we’ve got good communication with the doctors, and they’re, you know, they keep a close eye on it, and what’s real and what’s not real, so and then we just, we listen to them.”

Patrick Mahomes participated in 7-7 team drills, but he is not cleared to participate in 11-11 yet. That is not so much about his ability to run or cut as it is to protect him from incidental contact, and Reid said it is to avoid plays with any fly or sweep motion that could lead to a collision in the backfield.

This new system will take effect starting with the 2027 NBA Draft and will initially apply to the 2027, 2028, and 2029 editions. The lottery expands from 14 to 16 teams, shifting from complex mathematical percentages to a simplified system where participating teams receive a specific number of lottery balls.

Teams that fail to qualify for the playoffs or the Play-In tournament will receive three lottery balls each, but the three teams with the worst records will face a “draft relegation” penalty and lose one ball, leaving them with only two balls to remove the reward for finishing last. The distribution of the lottery balls is structured as follows:

• Three balls: Allocated to teams that completely miss the postseason and the Play-In tournament.
• Two balls: Allocated to the ninth and tenth seeds of the Play-In tournament in each conference, and the three worst rosters.
• One ball: Allocated to the losing teams of the seventh versus eighth seed Play-In games in each conference.

Full lottery drawing

In the previous system, the lottery drawing only determined the top four selections, while the remaining positions were automatically ordered based on the worst records of wins and losses.

Under the new “3, 2, 1 Lottery” format, the drawing will completely determine the order of selection for all of the first 16 draft picks in the first round. The entire order of these selections will depend entirely on the random chance of which lottery balls are drawn from the machine.

Draft pick floors

To protect franchises that are legitimately performing poorly without intentionally losing games, the new system establishes strict limits on how far teams can drop if they face bad luck during the drawing.

The teams with the three worst records, who are penalized with two lottery balls, are guaranteed to receive, at worst, the number 12 pick. All other participating lottery teams can only fall as far down as the number 16 pick in the overall draft order.

Pick restrictions and trade protections

To prevent a single franchise from accumulating the best young prospects in consecutive years, the league implements strict rules regarding original draft picks, stating that no team can hold the number 1 selection in two consecutive drafts.

Additionally, teams will not be permitted to secure top five draft picks in three consecutive years, regardless of whether they kept the selections or traded them to other franchises. Furthermore, franchises will be completely prohibited from attaching top 12 through top 15 protections to any newly traded draft picks in the market.

League discipline and anti-tanking measures

The NBA league office will possess expanded disciplinary authority to closely investigate franchises, allowing the league to reduce lottery odds, alter draft positions, and impose significant financial fines if teams are caught intentionally losing games.

In front of the net, Franco Armani was left off the roster as Juan Musso earns his place, while the defensive unit will be without German Pezzella, Marcos Acuna, and Juan Foyth, who make way for Leonardo Balerdi and Facundo Medina. Meanwhile, the midfield features the absences of Guido Rodriguez and Alejandro Gomez, as their spots were taken by Giovani Lo Celso and Valentin “Colo” Barco.

Moving to the attacking line, which is spearheaded by Lionel Messi, the squad no longer features Angel Di Maria, Paulo Dybala, and Angel Correa, but instead counts on the presence of Nicolas Gonzalez, Nicolas Paz, Giuliano Simeone, and Jose Manuel Lopez.

Argentina final roster for the 2026 World Cup

Following the absence of several world champions from the previous edition, there are new presences and young players who have the hunger to fight for and conquer the most prestigious trophy in the world, combining with the experienced players from the group that achieved it.

There are several young names in Argentina, such as Juan Musso, Valentin Barco, Nicolas Paz, and Giuliano Simeone, who will have the opportunity to play in their first World Cup, surely fulfilling a dream while being alongside Lionel Messi. Here is the list of the 26 players called up:

Goalkeepers (3)

• Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
• Geronimo Rulli (Olympique de Marsella)
• Juan Musso (Atletico de Madrid)

Defenders (8)

• Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate)
• Nahuel Molina (Atletico de Madrid)
• Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United)
• Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)
• Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique de Marsella)
• Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
• Facundo Medina (Olympique de Marsella)
• Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique de Lyon)

Midfielders (7)

• Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors)
• Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami)
• Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
• Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea)
• Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
• Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis)
• Valentin Barco (Racing de Estrasburgo)

Forwards (8)

• Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
• Nicolas Paz (Como)
• Thiago Almada (Atletico de Madrid)
• Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico de Madrid)
• Giuliano Simeone (Atletico de Madrid)
• Lautaro Martinez (Inter de Milan)
• Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras)
• Julian Alvarez (Atletico de Madrid)

Lionel Scaloni’s list includes 16 of the 26 players who were consecrated with the Albiceleste in Qatar 2022; however, nine were no longer in the orbit of the selection, with the only one remaining being Marcos Acuna, who doesn’t make it.

Jalen Williams is finally listed as available in the injury report. He surpasses the left hamstring injury that has been attached to him for the majority of the 2026 postseason.

According to Shams Charania, Williams continues progressing through workouts, but the Thunder are exercising extreme caution because of the recurring nature of the hamstring injury.

“If it does require a Game 7, he is doing more and more and progressing more and more in his pregame workouts,” Charania said. “But to have the second strain to the same hamstring just under one month just speaks to the severity of what this is, and how sensitive, how tricky an injury like this can be.”

Other bad news for OKC

The bad news is that Ajay Mitchell has been ruled out for the Thunder as well with a right soleus strain. Meanwhile, the Spurs have a clean injury report, trailing 3-2 in the best-of-seven series after suffering a 127-114 road loss on Tuesday.

But it is important to note that for OKC, the absences are not something they worry much about. The Thunder have survived, thanks in large part to their depth. In fact, they could very well eliminate the Spurs even without Williams, Sorber, and Mitchell in Game 6.

Spurs with a clean injury report

The Spurs have no major players who appear on the injury report. That being said, De’Aaron Fox is playing with a high ankle sprain, while Dylan Harper is also dealing with an injury; however, neither is expected to miss Game 6.

With the Spurs being relatively healthy, they are hoping to force a Game 7; moreover, they are hoping to take advantage of the Thunder being short-handed.

The Thunder will have their work cut out for themselves if Williams doesn’t play. Nevertheless, they may have a reason to sit him out for Game 6. If he were to sit out, then he would have more than two weeks to recover from his hamstring injury by the time the NBA Finals started.

It was not an easy road for a team that replaced Tom Thibodeau last summer amid a great deal of skepticism. However, Brown pointed out that the final stretch of the regular season was the moment when the locker room fully came together.

“It was always a little bit of a question, whether or not we’d be able to get over the hump, but down the stretch of the regular season with 6 or 7 games to go, we started to play good basketball and do more things that involved more sacrificing from the group,” Brown admitted.

The Knicks’ great postseason

After dismantling the Atlanta Hawks in the first round (six games) and demolishing the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round (four games), Jalen Brunson and company manhandled the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, sweeping the Cavs in an absolutely dominant fashion.

In the Knicks’ series-clinching win in Game 4 on the road on Monday night, they left no doubt about who the best team was in the series, as they came out on top via a 130-93 score. That 37-point victory also represents the completion of a historic achievement by New York.

The Knicks become the first team in NBA history to win 3 series-clinching games by 20+ points in a single postseason, with the Hawks +51, 76ers +30, and against the Cavaliers +37.

Jalen Brunson: The star the Knicks needed

Jalen Brunson got his well-deserved recognition following his incredible performances after the Eastern Conference Finals series, winning the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.

Brunson is going through the eighth season of his NBA career, his fourth with the Knicks. He has elevated the franchise to serious playoff contention, getting to the East Finals in back-to-back years in 2025 and 2026.

This time, he got them over the hump by sweeping the Cavaliers after four games to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals. As a result, he ended the series as the MVP after averaging 25.5 points, 7.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game.

Stein reports that the Heat have long been a potential suitor for the Bucks star, and that while Giannis Antetokounmpo might have legitimate interest in the Celtics, it’s not clear what level of interest the Celtics have in return.

Boston was one of the teams that reportedly reached out to the Bucks at the trade deadline regarding Antetokounmpo, but nothing materialized. A potential deal would almost assuredly mean the Celtics would have to part ways with Jaylen Brown, who has the Rockets interested in him and is up for a contract extension this offseason.

What the Heat can offer

As far as the Heat, a potential package would likely include Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Tyler Herro, and some combination of draft picks. This would be a considerable trade involving quality players, but the Bucks will likely look for a star in return, and that is where the Celtics could step in by offering Jaylen Brown.

Another factor that could play a role in where Antetokounmpo is traded is the fact that he reportedly wants to remain in the Eastern Conference, Stein reports. It’s viewed as the path of least resistance in terms of getting back to the NBA Finals as opposed to having to go through the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Despite injury issues this past NBA season, the former No. 15 overall pick was still an elite-level player. He averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists with splits of 62.4% shooting from the field, 33.3% shooting from the 3-point line, and 65 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Another possible destination

The Dallas Mavericks also remain an interesting subplot in all of this. Stein reports Antetokounmpo has long been intrigued by the possibility of playing in Dallas, originally because of the opportunity to team up with Luka Doncic before Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025.

Antetokounmpo’s close relationship with former Mavericks coach Jason Kidd also helped fuel that interest over the years. Kidd has since exited Dallas, though Stein reports that may not eliminate the Mavericks as a possibility.

NBA insider Marc Stein revealed Monday that three teams are said to have “legitimate interest” in trading for Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, one of those being the Houston Rockets.

Brown was just named to the All-NBA Second Team Sunday night after posting 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and one steal in the regular season. With Jayson Tatum sidelined for most of the year, Brown took off, leading Boston to the second seed in the Eastern Conference and finishing sixth in the MVP voting.

The others interested in Brown

According to Marc Stein, the Celtics are not the only ones, as the Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers also have real interest in the Finals MVP. Stein references Brown within a story largely centered on the uncertain future of Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is believed to have interest in joining Boston, though whether the Celtics feel the same way is not yet known.

The framework of a possible blockbuster trade between Milwaukee and Boston that sees Antetokounmpo land with the Celtics would likely have to involve at least three teams, according to Stein, with Brown rerouted to a third team, potentially Atlanta, Houston, or Portland, and the Bucks receiving unspecified assets.

Something that could define Brown as a trade player

With a projected salary of more than $183 million over the next three seasons, Brown would become a likely trade target if the Celtics considered his salary, combined with Tatum’s, to be too high.

Brown had a career season this past year, helping the Celtics finish with a 56-26 record, which earned them the second overall seed in the Eastern Conference, despite being without Jayson Tatum for most of the NBA season.

The Rockets face a tough offseason this summer, as they will have to decide whether to make yet another aggressive move for a proven superstar, like Brown, much like they did last summer when parting with some of their draft capital and young talent to the Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant.

During a recent appearance on NFL Network’s ‘The Insiders’, Smith opened up about the importance of protecting Patrick Mahomes better this upcoming season.

“As an offensive lineman, you always feel the responsibility to keep your quarterback calm, protected, and allowing him to operate,” Smith said. “You have the best quarterback in the game right now, so you just want to give him every opportunity to do what he does best.”

Mahomes continues his recovery

Everything indicates that Mahomes‘ recovery is a success and that his competitive spirit is what keeps him afloat and hungry to return and triumph, as Mahomes is expected to be in attendance during OTAs, but will still be working his way back from knee surgery in rehab.

Once he’s back in the lineup, the offensive line, led by Smith, will focus on keeping him healthy. “At the end of the day, I think the pressure is on us just as a team, and individually, what we can do to get better every single day,” Smith said. “At the end of the day, Patrick Mahomes is the best competitor I’ve ever been around.”

There has been talk that Mahomes is ahead of what was expected in his recovery, but ESPN insider Adam Schefter warned Andy Reid and highlighted the differences between recovering and being at 100% for an NFL match.

“As much as we know Patrick Mahomes, and as great as he’s been, I don’t know that we know what we’re going to get from Patrick Mahomes early on. Let’s not diminish the fact that he tore his ACL, he tore his LCL, he’s had a toe injury. This is a major injury. How does a player come back from that?… When he comes back right away, assuming he plays that Monday Night opener, do you think we’re getting the full-on Patrick Mahomes in Week 1?”

Inter Miami’s official statement read: “After undergoing further medical tests this Monday, the initial diagnosis indicates an overload associated with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring. The timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress.”

All things considered, this is the best possible diagnosis regarding the status of Lionel Messi, and for Argentina, it is clear that this is a case of accumulated fatigue. This indicates that rest before the World Cup will be crucial for Messi, while ensuring he does not lose his rhythm, meaning he will surely arrive more than ready for the debut.

What happened to Messi?

The scene that sparked concern occurred in the second half of the match played at the Nu Stadium. Under heavy rain, Messi asked to come off while clutching his left hamstring area, and, following the substitution of Mateo Silvetti, he headed straight to the locker room.

Although the press release does not mention specific timelines, in principle, he will need between 10 and 14 days of reduced workload, a period that initially does not jeopardize his presence in the debut against Algeria on June 16 for the 2026 World Cup. With that estimated recovery time, it remains to be determined whether Messi will be able to feature in the upcoming friendly matches against Honduras and Iceland.

What’s next for Messi and Argentina?

Messi is not the only player with physical issues among the regularly summoned squad members. Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Gonzalez, and Emiliano Dibu Martinez are also managing various ailments in their preparation to defend the title obtained in Qatar. Although the vast majority would make it to the debut, the case generating the most concern is that of Cuti, who could miss the opening matches.

Argentina‘s debut in the World Cup will take place on June 16 against Algeria for the first fixture of Group J at the stadium of the Kansas City Chiefs. After that encounter, the squad will travel to Dallas to face Austria on June 22 and will close the group stage in the same city against Jordan on June 27. Before the start of the World Cup, Argentina will play two prior friendly matches on June 6 and June 9 against Honduras and Iceland.

De la Fuente spoke reassuringly of Yamal’s inclusion on his 26-man World Cup roster, predicting that the winger will be given the all-clear before their first game of the tournament. “First and foremost, caution. We need to give him the time he needs, especially now,” De la Fuente told reporters after his roster was revealed.

“I believe he’ll be ready for the first match, and we hope he can live up to expectations, but without putting undue pressure on him. He’s very mature.” Spain, among the tournament favorites, begin on June 15 against World Cup debutant Cabo Verde in Group H.

How does Yamal arrive at the World Cup?

A hamstring injury has hindered Lamine Yamal’s World Cup preparations. However, the Barcelona superstar is still expected to be fully fit for the start of the tournament, which remains the primary expectation.

Supporters of Spain were cursing Hansi Flick when Yamal succumbed after taking a penalty in Barca’s 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo on April 22. The winger has been used relentlessly by the German since breaking into the senior setup and emerging as one of the world’s best players.

Yamal has already lit up the big stage for La Roja, earning Young Player of the Tournament honors at Euro 2024, which Spain won handsomely. However, it’s at the World Cup where legacies of soccer’s best are forged, and Yamal is readying himself for his first experience of the tournament this summer.

Spain without Real Madrid players

No Real Madrid players were picked by De la Fuente. For the first time in World Cup history, Spain’s most decorated club will not be represented at all, as there may be a scarcity of Spanish players at Madrid.

There were just three Madrid players in the Euro 2024 squad, and two of those, Joselu and Nacho Fernandez, are currently plying their trade in the Middle East. The other, veteran Dani Carvajal, did not make De la Fuente’s 55-man provisional roster, given his limited number of minutes this season.

Dean Huijsen was the most likely to make it, but his form has been spotty for Madrid since joining last summer. Pau Cubarsi and Marc Pubill were preferred. The other Spanish options at Real Madrid are uninspiring.

Raul Asencio has never been capped, Alvaro Carreras had a mixed first season with the club, while Fran Garcia is not of the requisite level. Striker Gonzalo Garcia is at least attending the early stages of camp as a training player.

The match was highly physical from the opening minutes, with constant fouls and intense battles across the field. Pumas opened the scoring through Robert Morales, while Cruz Azul controlled possession for large stretches of the game in search of the equalizer.

In the second half, Cruz Azul found the tying goal after an own goal from Ruben Duarte before continuing to pressure against a tired Pumas side that eventually went down to 10 men following Carlos Antuna’s red card. With the numerical advantage, La Maquina pushed until the very end and found the title-winning goal through Rotondi.

After the 0-0 draw in the first leg between Cruz Azul and Pumas, tension grew for both teams. While the Universitarios dream of breaking a long title drought at home, La Maquina want to lift a championship trophy once again and close out a tournament that consolidated them as one of the most solid squads in Mexican soccer. In addition to the trophy, the winner will also secure a direct ticket to the next edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup.

But the financial reward is even better, according to Marca, the championship club of Liga MX would receive a prize close to $4.1 million, equivalent to more than 70 million Mexican pesos at the current exchange rate.

What this amount of money means for Cruz Azul, Pumas

The figure represents one of the most important economic incentives in Mexican soccer and could be key to reinforcing squads, renewing contracts, or even investing in new signings heading into the Apertura 2026. It is also worth mentioning that the runner-up prize would be approximately $2 million.

In the case of Pumas, part of that money could be allocated toward special bonuses for the players, especially following the sporting and media impact generated by the arrival of Keylor Navas at the club.

For their part, Cruz Azul also contemplate significant internal rewards for the squad if they manage to crown themselves at Ciudad Universitaria. The Cementeros board considers this tournament an opportunity to consolidate the sporting project after several irregular semesters.

Everything points to a close and highly intense final. Pumas will try to take advantage of their fans‘ support and the great form of Keylor Navas, while Cruz Azul will look to impose their collective balance to conquer a title that is also worth millions both on and off the field.

Following the first leg, the fans of both teams are expecting a greater spectacle, as the initial encounter between Pumas and Cruz Azul ended without goals, meaning that tonight both the Universitarios and La Maquina will leave everything on the field.

The historical context also increases overall expectations. The Universitarios and Cementeros already know what it means to face each other in decisive stages, and recent history in the Liguilla keeps an increasingly intense rivalry alive.

What happens if Cruz Azul win vs Pumas?

If Cruz Azul win today’s match, regardless of the victory’s scoreline, they would become Liga MX champions, achieving the title they fought for until the very end. The exact result does not matter much because the first leg ended 0-0.

The Liga MX champion secures a cash prize of approximately $4.1 million. In addition, Cruz Azul would face Toluca at the Liga MX 2026 Campeon de Campeones game, which pits the 2025 Apertura champions against the 2026 Clausura winners. The match will take place on July 25 in Los Angeles.

What happens if Cruz Azul and Pumas tie?

In the Liga MX 2026 Clausura final, if the aggregate score remains tied after regulation, Cruz Azul and Pumas UNAM will play two extra time periods of 15 minutes each. If the draw persists in overtime, the teams will determine the winner from the penalty spot.

What happens if Cruz Azul lose vs Pumas?

In the event of a loss, Cruz Azul will finish as runner-up while Pumas will be crowned champions, sealing a place in the Campeon de Campeones final against Toluca on July 25.

Following the Timberwolves’ second-round loss to the Spurs this year, Anthony Edwards admitted the two teams were budding rivals. Still, when looking back on the series, he made sure to give them credit for a job well done, making it clear that a rivalry exists.

“Hell yeah, hell yeah, hell yeah, it’s a rivalry,” said Edwards. “I tip my hat to them young n****s, they came out to ball. Them boys balled. I have nothing bad to say about the Spurs; they balled. Like one thing about me, when you beat me, I ain’t no hating that, I ain’t got that in my blood. But we’ll be back.”

NBA rivalries may not be what they used to be, but animosity still exists between some teams and players. Today, some of the most recognized rivalries include Spurs vs. Thunder, Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, and Lakers vs. Warriors. Now, we can add the Timberwolves vs Spurs to the list, and it could produce content for many years.

How the series went between both teams

At this stage in the timeline, it’s impossible to say which team will get the upper hand between these teams, but we just saw a glimpse of what their future showdowns could look like. This year, Edwards led the Timberwolves to an impressive win in the first round against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

They were underdogs in the series but still managed to pull off the upset thanks to strong leadership and balanced contributions across the roster. Coming off two straight runs to the NBA Conference Finals (2024 and 2025), the Wolves had their eyes set on making it a third, but the Spurs got in the way.

Other than Games 1 and 4, the Spurs controlled much of the series, limiting the effectiveness of key players like Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. For his part, Edwards tried his best to carry his team to victory with averages of 24.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists across the 6-game Western Conference Semifinals.

In the end, the Timberwolves didn’t have enough firepower to topple the Spurs, and Victor Wembanyama was a huge part of that. His ascent is shifting the NBA’s balance of power, and Edwards found himself cheering when he got ejected in Game 4 of the series. Of course, that doesn’t change the fact that Victor’s team is currently still alive in the NBA playoff fight, while Edwards is watching from home.

Among the many talented veterans on the Oklahoma City Thunder roster, there was one who made a lasting impression on James: Alex Caruso, his former Lakers teammate. In the aftermath of watching Caruso close in on his third NBA Finals appearance, the 41-year-old legend found himself thinking fondly of the reunion and their brief time together in Los Angeles.

“I miss [Alex Caruso] every single day, every single day,” said James on the ‘Mind the Game’ podcast with Steve Nash. “To be able to compete against him, in a playoff series, it’s everything.”

LeBron recognizes Caruso’s great utility

LeBron misses him, and with good reason, as he is a difference-maker for OKC, which is already a team loaded with elite talent, but Caruso shines because of the additional areas he covers, serving as a defensive master who takes care of the heavyweights.

“Two things are for certain: if you wanna compete, AC’s gonna be right there. He’s gonna get underneath you, he’s gonna grab you, hold you, he’s gonna compete, and he’s gonna do it at a professional level. AC’s not gonna beat himself; you have to play that chess game with AC, understanding where he is on the floor. He’s damn good with his hands; you can’t play with the ball around him because he will take it from you. So, you have to be very strategic with your movements,” James added.

“Offensively, you have to be very strategic with your body positioning with him. But it was great to compete against him. I already knew he was guarding me every time he came off the bench, no matter if Dort was on the floor or not. I knew AC would check me because we have so much history.”

Caruso’s numbers

In total, over his first four seasons, Caruso averaged 5.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 42.3% shooting and 29.3% shooting from three. He was considered a favorite among fans, but his stay would last only until 2021, when he joined the Chicago Bulls.

For his part, Caruso is making his case as one of the greatest role-players ever, and it’s a sentiment that LeBron himself might agree with. While he’s always been a consistent and reliable contributor off the bench, he’s been a hero for the Thunder this year, with Game 1 being his greatest performance with 31 points, two rebounds, one assist, two steals, and two blocks on 57.9% shooting and 57.1% shooting from three.

Devin Vassell got into a heated altercation with Ajay Mitchell in the third quarter after the Thunder’s second foul on Stephon Castle within a matter of minutes, where on both plays the former Rookie of the Year could have seriously injured himself.

Following the game, Devin Vassell spoke to the media and addressed the altercation that broke out. “Just have my teammates back. That’s my brother. The first play, it’s a basketball play, you try and make a play, but I mean two times in a row he’s about to go for a dunk, it just looked like he pushed him. That could be a dangerous play, so I just want to have my teammates back.”

How the altercation was resolved

The play was ruled a flagrant foul on Ajay Mitchell for pushing Castle in the back while he was in the air, making it an unnecessary play. Additionally, Mitchell and Vassell received a double technical foul, and the game continued with two free throws and possession for the Spurs.

On both possessions, the Thunder players did everything they could to stop Castle from going up for a fastbreak dunk or layup. However, Vassell felt that there was a certain level of hostility and recklessness on the second play.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s the playoffs, it’s a lot of stuff that physicality, grabbing, holding, all that, and all that just builds up. So it’s a lot of, I guess, a little bit of animosity building up, and I’m cool with that.”

Vassell’s great performance

Vassell’s solid start was pivotal in the Spurs’ 15-0 start to the game; however, he could not sustain the rhythm throughout the night as the defending NBA champions, the Thunder, eventually bounced back and stole Game 3 with a 123-108 win.

The 25-year-old wing ended the game with 20 points, seven rebounds, four steals, and two assists, while going 6-12 from the field (50.0 FG%) and 3-6 from the three-point range (50.0 3P%).

Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson expects both De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper to play against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

A stout backcourt should give the Spurs a better chance of prevailing in what feels like a must-win contest at the Frost Bank Center. Fox made his series debut on Friday after nursing an ankle injury and scored 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting with seven rebounds and six assists in a 123-108 loss. He suffered a setback in the third quarter but returned a few minutes later.

Harper pushed through an adductor issue and totaled six points on 2-of-7 shooting in 17 minutes of action. Ideally, both guards will look like their normal selves the next time out.

The complicated situation for the Spurs

There will be a palpable sense of desperation permeating the building. Common sense dictates that no team, including a 62-20 Spurs squad, can defeat OKC three straight times, so Johnson must construct a sensible game plan. Fox and Harper would presumably be important components of that blueprint.

The former ranked second on the team in scoring and assists during the regular season and is an established veteran star who can ease the burden on Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. The latter can attack the rim and force turnovers. If they fulfill their usual responsibilities, San Antonio should have a good opportunity to tie the NBA series.

In Game 4, what could be the first definitive turning point of the series is at stake. If OKC win, it would establish a 3-1 lead against the Spurs, something that is highly difficult to overcome, especially against this team that is incredibly tough to beat. If the Spurs win, we have a long series ahead with the scent of a Game 7.

Amid the uncertainty over his future with the Lakers, Austin Reaves was spotted at the airport, where a fan asked him questions about him and LeBron James. TMZ Sports acquired the footage and released it on social media, where Austin Reaves’ body language and words suggest he is fully inclined toward extending with the Lakers and wants them to sign the 41-year-old LeBron James as well.

“Yes,” Reaves said when the fan asked him if the Lakers want LeBron James back next year. “That’s the GOAT.” The fan then reminded him how sad it was to see the Lakers’ playoff run without Luka Doncic and asked him if he wants to have another shot with the Lakers’ Big Three next season. “Run it back,” Reaves responded. He was subsequently asked if he feels the Lakers should make roster changes in the offseason, replying, “I don’t get into all that. I’ve got to sign first.”

Austin Reaves and a decision to make

While LeBron James is already an unrestricted free agent, Austin Reaves has yet to pick up his $14.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season. The absolute deadline for him to decide on that player option is June 29. If the Lakers and Reaves do not come to terms on a potential extension before that time, and he does not exercise his player option, then even Reaves would become an unrestricted free agent.

All signs are that Reaves will exercise the player option if the negotiations do not yield fruit in time, as he has repeatedly suggested that he wants to retire in the purple and gold uniform.

Moreover, he would potentially be leaving $62 million on the table if he joins any other team than the Lakers. The Lakers could offer him a five-year, $240 million extension, while any other team can offer a four-year, $178 million contract at the most.

But whether LeBron James will “run it back” with him and the Lakers remains uncertain. The 41-year-old is mulling retirement, but sources suggest LeBron James will play at least one more year in the NBA.

The opening half was completely controlled by Mexico, who constantly pressured Ghana and created several dangerous chances throughout the first 45 minutes. Roberto Alvarado, Gilberto Mora, and Jesus Gallardo all came close to extending the lead, but goalkeeper Benjamin Asare delivered multiple important saves to keep the scoreline close before halftime.

In the second half, Mexico continued rotating their squad while maintaining control of possession and tempo. Ghana improved briefly with a dangerous attempt from Afena Gyan, but Carlos Acevedo responded with a strong save. After Guillermo Martinez scored the second goal, the pace of the match slowed down considerably, and El Tri comfortably closed out the victory.

The official status of OKC forward Jalen Williams for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday is out, as he is struggling to a left hamstring soreness.

Williams exited the first quarter of Game 2 on Wednesday and did not return. The Thunder ultimately secured a 122-113 home win to tie the Western Conference Finals series at 1-1. Unfortunately for OKC, the Spurs will have De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper available for the game.

What happened to Williams?

Williams suffered a Grade 1 strain in his left hamstring during Game 2 of the first round for the Thunder against Phoenix on April 22. He returned for the series opener against San Antonio on Monday, but he now runs the risk of missing more time.

With Williams unable to play on Friday, Ajay Mitchell will take on a larger role. The second-year guard started all four second-round games against the Los Angeles Lakers during Williams’ absence, averaging 22.5 points and six assists.

Jalen Williams scored 26 points and pulled down seven rebounds, showing signs of the player who put up 21.4 points per game during last year’s NBA championship run, while his role on the team is to serve as the second option behind Shai Gilgeous Alexander.

Williams’ situation

According to Shams Charania, he will be evaluated day to day and game to game. “It’s a recurring injury. If you think about it, Pat, the opposite leg, the right hamstring, he had two strains of the hamstring on that side as well during the course of the season that he missed four weeks at one point and six weeks at another point, so he’s been dealing with hamstring injuries on both legs. It appears more unlikely than likely that he plays in Game 3 tonight.”

Harper will available for Game 3. Harper, who was listed as questionable due to right adductor soreness, went to a pregame routine for the team to decide on his status, ESPN reported.

This was bad news for the Spurs, but fortunately they also got good news on De’Aaron Fox, who will be available for Game 3 against OKC. De’Aaron is set to debut in the best-of-seven series after missing the first two games due to a right ankle sprain.

What happened to Harper?

In the third quarter of Wednesday night’s Game 2 of the series at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, rising Spurs star Dylan Harper appeared to have suffered a lower-body injury while trying to attack the Thunder’s interior defense. Dylan Harper hurt his right adductor in Game 2. After that action, Harper was forced to exit in the third quarter and did not return.

Before he left the game, Harper scored 12 points on an efficient 5-for-10 shooting from the field, all inside the arc, to go along with two rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes.

In the Spurs’ 122-115 double-overtime win in Game 1 versus the Thunder, he had 24 points and 11 rebounds to go with six assists and seven steals in 47 minutes. In addition, this indicates that Stephon Castle will face an increased minutes load if Harper is ruled out.

The complicated situation for the Spurs

The Spurs could see both Harper and Fox play after they dealt with injuries at a crucial point in the season. Now San Antonio needs their two main ball handlers, but also does not want to risk further health concerns in this series and a potential NBA Finals series.

The opening half belonged mostly to Cruz Azul, who pushed aggressively in search of the opening goal and even saw a penalty overturned after a VAR review for offside. Pumas UNAM improved as the match progressed and nearly found the breakthrough in the second half, but Kevin Mier responded with a spectacular save in a one-on-one chance against Uriel Antuna.

During the final minutes, Cruz Azul threw everything forward looking for the winner, while Pumas UNAM defended deep to protect the result. In the end, both teams settled for a 0-0 draw, leaving everything to be decided in the second leg on Sunday, May 24.

Jalen Williams exited Game 2 in the first quarter with 1:34 remaining and never came back, and the update doesn’t sound good. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Williams will be evaluated day to day, game to game, with a left hamstring injury. He will undergo treatment, and his return will be determined entirely by how his body responds to the recovery process.

It sounds like Williams has a chance to be available for Game 3 on Friday, but it’s still unclear if he’s dealing only with soreness or another strain. If he’s unable to gut it out Friday, Isaiah Joe, Jared McCain, and especially Ajay Mitchell would all be candidates for increased roles.

Something that already happened to Jalen

The main problem is that this is the second injury to the same hamstring in less than a month, making the situation considerably more uncertain than a typical medical report would indicate.

Williams originally suffered a Grade 1 strain in his left hamstring in Game 2 of the first round against the Phoenix Suns, missing six games before returning for the series opener.

He played 27 minutes before the Thunder lost in double overtime, and his recovery seemed to be progressing well until Wednesday night, when Williams was receiving treatment on his left hamstring midway through the game, and the Thunder subsequently announced that he was ruled out for the remainder of Game 2 due to hamstring tightness.

Before the start of this season, Williams had already dealt with a wrist injury suffered during last year’s playoffs, in which they won the title, and he has now suffered three distinct hamstring injuries throughout the 2025-26 season.

Jalen’s numbers

Williams averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on 48.4% shooting during the regular NBA season, and had scored 20 or more points in two of his three playoff appearances before Wednesday’s exit.

With this Saudi Pro League title, Ronaldo reached a total of 36 trophies won in his career at club and national team level. Meanwhile, Messi holds the upper hand in this area with 46 career titles to his name.

Al Nassr put on a brilliant performance, featuring goals from Sadio Mane, Kingsley Coman, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a brace and secured his 973rd career goal. The goal-scoring display from one of the best players in history, who has chased this title for so long, could not be missed.

Ronaldo and Messi’s club titles

Ronaldo had a much bigger journey across different clubs than Messi. The Portuguese star played for Sporting CP, Manchester United (two stints), Real Madrid and Juventus before landing at Al Nassr. Messi, on the other hand, has only played for three clubs: Barcelona, PSG, and Inter Miami.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s club titles

1. Man.United – UEFA Champions League (2008)
2. Real Madrid – UEFA Champions League (2014)
3. Real Madrid – UEFA Champions League (2016)
4. Real Madrid – UEFA Champions League (2017)
5. Real Madrid – UEFA Champions League (2018)
6. Real Madrid – UEFA Super Cup (2014)
7. Real Madrid – UEFA Super Cup (2016)
8. Real Madrid – UEFA Super Cup (2017)
9. Man.United – FIFA Club World Cup (2008)
10. Real Madrid – FIFA Club World Cup (2014)
11. Real Madrid – FIFA Club World Cup (2016)
12. Real Madrid – FIFA Club World Cup (2017)
13. Man.United – English Premier League (2007)
14. Man.United – English Premier League (2008)
15. Man.United – English Premier League (2009)
16. Real Madrid – LaLiga (2012)
17. Real Madrid – LaLiga (2017)
18. Juventus – Scudetto Serie A (2019)
19. Juventus – Scudetto Serie A (2020)
20. Man.United – FA Cup (2004)
21. Man.United – EFL Cup (2006)
22. Man.United – EFL Cup (2009)
23. Real Madrid – Copa del Rey (2011)
24. Real Madrid – Copa del Rey (2014)
25. Juventus – Coppa Italia (2021)
26. Sporting CP – Supertaca Candido de Oliveira (2002)
27. Man.United – FA Community Shield (2007)
28. Man.United – FA Community Shield (2008)
29. Real Madrid – Spanish Super Cup (2012)
30. Real Madrid – Spanish Super Cup (2017)
31. Juventus – Supercoppa Italiana (2019)
32. Juventus – Supercoppa Italiana (2021)
33. Al Nassr – Saudi Pro League (2026)

* The Arab Club Champions Cup won with Al Nassr in 2023 isn’t recognized as an official title by FIFA or the AFC.

Lionel Messi’s club titles

1. Barcelona – UEFA Champions League (2006)
2. Barcelona – UEFA Champions League (2009)
3. Barcelona – UEFA Champions League (2011)
4. Barcelona – UEFA Champions League (2015)
5. Barcelona – UEFA Super Cup (2009)
6. Barcelona – UEFA Super Cup (2011)
7. Barcelona – UEFA Super Cup (2015)
8. Barcelona – FIFA Club World Cup (2009)
9. Barcelona – FIFA Club World Cup (2011)
10. Barcelona – FIFA Club World Cup (2015)
11. Barcelona – LaLiga (2005)
12. Barcelona – LaLiga (2006)
13. Barcelona – LaLiga (2009)
14. Barcelona – LaLiga (2010)
15. Barcelona – LaLiga (2011)
16. Barcelona – LaLiga (2013)
17. Barcelona – LaLiga (2015)
18. Barcelona – LaLiga (2016)
19. Barcelona – LaLiga (2018)
20. Barcelona – LaLiga (2019)
21. PSG – Ligue 1 (2022)
22. PSG – Ligue 1 (2023)
23. Inter Miami – Supporters Shield (2024)
24. Barcelona – Copa del Rey (2009)
25. Barcelona – Copa del Rey (2012)
26. Barcelona – Copa del Rey (2015)
27. Barcelona – Copa del Rey (2016)
28. Barcelona – Copa del Rey (2017)
29. Barcelona – Copa del Rey (2018)
30. Barcelona – Copa del Rey (2021)
31. Inter Miami – MLS Cup (2025)
32. Barcelona – Spanish Super Cup (2005)
33. Barcelona – Spanish Super Cup (2006)
34. Barcelona – Spanish Super Cup (2009)
35. Barcelona – Spanish Super Cup (2010)
36. Barcelona – Spanish Super Cup (2011)
37. Barcelona – Spanish Super Cup (2013)
38. Barcelona – Spanish Super Cup (2016)
39. Barcelona – Spanish Super Cup (2018)
40. PSG – Trophee des Champions (2022)
41. Inter Miami – Leagues Cup (2023)

International titles

On the international stage, Messi and Ronaldo made a notable difference by winning titles, Messi leading Argentina back to world glory after so many years, and Ronaldo putting Portugal on the map by helping win the nation’s first titles.

Ronaldo’s international trophies with Portugal:

1. UEFA European Championship (2016)
2. UEFA Nations League (2019)
3. UEFA Nations League (2025)

Messi’s international accolades with Argentina:

1. Copa America (2021)
2. CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions (2022)
3. FIFA World Cup (2022)
4. Copa America (2024)
5. Olympic Gold Medal (2008)

* At the youth level, Messi also won the FIFA U-20 World Cup with Argentina in 2005.

Following the incidents, “La Familia” released an official statement establishing that they remained silent for 85 minutes not to stop supporting the club, but because they wanted to receive more consideration from the Inter Miami players.

Everything boiled over when they began to chant, “Players, respect your supporters, say hello to your people, who never ask for things.” The group made it clear that they are not looking to offend or insult the players or staff, but rather the fans are asking for the smallest sign of acknowledgement from the people inside the field.

What happened during the match with Lionel Messi?

All the tension exploded when the supporters began to sing the aforementioned chant, but of course, Messi and the others took it as a protest without understanding any of it, despite the club recently celebrating another major title.

Lionel Messi reacted visibly frustrated as the chants grew louder from sections of the crowd, with the captain immediately reacting toward the stands. Everyone quickly focused on Messi’s response as he appeared to confront the situation directly, showing he was not willing to accept the criticism aimed at his teammates.

The Argentine captain, upon hearing the chants, changed his posture and gait and headed toward the stands. With clear gestures of annoyance, he repeatedly made the well-known Italian and Argentine gesture with his hands, implying a lack of sense in what they were singing, making his displeasure evident. The scene dragged on until the tension dissipated, although the distance between the idol and part of his audience remained marked.

At the end of the match, the attitudes were varied, as while some players approached to greet the fans, Messi, accompanied by Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, went straight to the locker room.

On Instagram, Joao Pedro posted a story admitting that it is a shame to be left out but made it clear that he will continue supporting Brazil. “I tried to give my best at all times. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to fulfill this dream of representing my country in a World Cup, but I remain calm and focused, as I always try to be.

“Joys and frustrations are part of soccer. From now on, I wish good luck to everyone who is there and I will be just another fan cheering for them to bring the sixth title home,” Pedro wrote, also partly responding to the message from Ancelotti after leaving him out.

Is Joao’s absence unfair?

The absence of Joao can be very noticeable for Brazil, as he is one of those clinical and unpredictable players that Brazil lack so much right now. To give an idea, throughout this season with Chelsea in the Premier League, he has recorded 15 goals and five assists.

And comparing him to the stars called up by Brazil, Pedro is the player with the third most goal contributions as a Brazilian this season, trailing only Vinicius Jr (32) and Raphinha (29), providing an attacking presence that could save Brazil even as a substitute.

Ancelotti’s message to Joao Pedro

Following the celebration and joy of everyone over the inclusion of Neymar, people remembered those who were left out by Brazil, including many players who participated at Qatar 2022.

Ancelotti addressed the absence of players like Joao Pedro, explaining that it was a tough decision to make. “I am sad for players who have been left out, like Joao Pedro,” Ancelotti said. “They will have chances in the future.”

In a play in the 67th minute, Havertz committed a very harsh foul on Chimunanya Ugochukwu during a battle for the ball in midfield. Havertz slided, but planted his cleats into the calf area of his opponent in a play that easily could have injured him. However, the Premier League maintain that it was not a situation for the referee to review for a red card.

On the account Premier League Match Centre, they stated the following: “The referee’s call of yellow card to Havertz was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the challenge deemed not to be serious foul play.”

Havertz as Arsenal’s hero

Despite that situation, Havertz stepped up as a hero for the Gunners, scoring the game-winning goal in the first half thanks to an assist from Bukayo Saka. The goal came from a corner kick where Havertz rose and connected with a header.

Arsenal’s remarkable stat

With that somewhat blatant foul and the unissued ejection for Havertz, Arsenal continue to have zero penalties and zero red cards awarded against them this season. We will probably witness history on the final matchday, because no team has managed to emerge as champions with such a record in the Premier League.

With the updated Premier League standings after the win, Arsenal depend on themselves for the title, while Manchester City sit second with 77 points and still have a game in hand against Bournemouth on Tuesday. If Man City tie or lose, Arsenal will clinch the Premier League title on Tuesday. If City win, Arsenal only need to to beat Crystal Palace on Sunday to secure the championship.

If City beat Bournemouth but drop points against Aston Villa on Sunday, Arsenal will also be crowned champions regardless of their own result. The Citizens’ only chance to win the Premier League now is to win both of their remaining games and hope Arsenal don’t beat Crystal Palace.

The surprise following the inclusion of Neymar was the absence of Chelsea forward Joao Pedro, with Ancelotti making it clear that it is a shame, but that he will have another opportunity down the road. “I am sad for players who have been left out, like Joao Pedro,” Ancelotti said. “They will have chances in the future.”

Joao Pedro is one of the biggest omissions from the Brazil roster that is generating excitement ahead of the World Cup. Pedro’s profile is exactly what screams Jogo Bonito and that Brazilian identity they have been searching for so much during this time.

Joao Pedro’s season

Joao Pedro has put together a season worthy of consideration, serving as one of the key players for Chelsea, who have not had a good season, though he has stood out above the rest. This season, he recorded 15 goals and five assists in the Premier League. Only Erling Haaland (34), Bruno Fernandes (28), and Igor Thiago (23) have directly contributed to more goals in the Premier League this season than Joao Pedro.

And he was left out, surely because of Neymar. He is Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 79 goals and has represented the Selecao at three World Cups, including their home tournament in 2014. He has scored eight goals and provided three assists in 13 matches at the World Cup. Only Ronaldo (19), Pele (18), and Jairzinho (12) have directly contributed to more goals at the finals for Brazil.

Official Brazil World Cup roster

The squad managed by Carlo Ancelotti is one of the big question marks heading into the upcoming World Cup due to the poor performance they have shown in the Qualifiers and that lack of identity, but with the inclusion of Neymar and the rest of the call-ups, there is hope, even if, name by name, they do not compare to those of previous World Cups.

Here’s the Brazil World Cup roster:

Goalkeepers

• Alisson Becker, Liverpool
• Ederson Moraes, Fenerbahce
• Weverton, Gremio

Defenders

• Marquinhos, PSG
• Gabriel Magalhaes, Arsenal
• Gleison Bremer, Juventus
• Danilo, Flamengo
• Alex Sandro, Flamengo
• Wesley, Roma
• Douglas Santos, Zenit
• Ibanez, Al Ahli
• Leo Pereira, Flamengo

Midfielders

• Casemiro, Manchester United
• Lucas Paqueta, Flamengo
• Bruno Guimaraes, Newcastle
• Fabinho, Al Ittihad
• Danilo Santos, Botafogo

Forwards

• Neymar, Santos
• Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid
• Raphinha, Barcelona
• Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal
• Matheus Cunha, Manchester United
• Endrick, Lyon
• Luiz Henrique, Zenit
• Igor Thiago, Brentford
• Rayan, Bournemouth

Notable omissions for Brazil

Aside from Joao Pedro, other players cause a surprise by being left out of the roster, players like Alex Telles, Thiago Silva, Everton Ribeiro, Richarlison, and Gabriel Jesus, while also keeping in mind injured players like Rodrygo and Eder Militao.

Manchester City sit second with 77 points and have two games left. Arsenal can secure the Premier League title on Tuesday if Man City drop points against Bournemouth. But even if the Citizens win, the Gunners will still control their own destiny as they can secure the championship by beating Crystal Palace on Sunday.

If City beat Bournemouth but drop points against Aston Villa on Sunday, Arsenal will also be crowned champions regardless of their result against Crystal Palace.

Now, the pressure is on Manchester City. With Pep Guardiola reportedly leaving regardless of how the title race finishes, the Citizens now have to win both of their final games to have a chance at surpassing Arsenal. City’s only chance to win the Premier League now is to win both games and hope Arsenal drop points against Crystal Palace.

Arsenal’s remaining fixture

Arsenal only have matchday 38 remaining, which is a favorable situation because they are scheduled to face Crystal Palace, who sit 15th and will play in the UEFA Conference League final three days later.

All things considered, they should be able to secure the positive result, but we know that anything is possible in soccer. If City beat Bournemouth on Tuesday, Arsenal will have to wait until May 24 to secure the Premier League title.

Man City’s remaining fixtures

City have it in their hands to play the role of the villain and spoil the party for Arsenal, who have been searching for this achievement since the 2003-04 season during that memorable Premier League campaign where they secured it while going undefeated.

However, City face a slightly more complicated run of fixtures to close out the year, playing first against sixth-place Bournemouth and next against fourth-place Aston Villa. They need two wins and Arsenal to tie or lose on Sunday.

• Bournemouth (away), May 19
• Aston Villa (home), May 24

The second leg developed into a tactical battle, with Pumas controlling key stretches of possession while Pachuca relied on compact defensive structure and quick transitions led by Enner Valencia. Both sides struggled to consistently generate clear scoring chances in open play, with much of the danger coming from set pieces and isolated moments in wide areas. The intensity increased after halftime, but final execution in the attacking third remained the key difference.

In the end, Pumas managed the match intelligently after taking the lead, slowing down Pachuca’s momentum and closing spaces effectively until full time. Pachuca had late opportunities to equalize, including a clear chance that went over the bar from Salomon Rondon, but could not capitalize. The result sends Pumas UNAM into the Liga MX 2026 Clausura final against Cruz Azul, while Pachuca exit after a narrow and competitive semifinal series.

Ousmane Dembele limped out of PSG’s match against Paris FC on Sunday, May 17, in a major scare for club and country. The reigning Ballon d’Or winner exited the pitch in the 28th minute and went straight down the tunnel, with Goncalo Ramos replacing him. According to Fabrice Hawkins, the substitution was a matter of simple precaution.

“According to the initial reports, it is a simple precaution following an alert with Ousmane Dembele, who went off in the 28th minute of the match against Paris FC just two weeks before the Champions League final. The situation will be monitored over the coming days.”

Dembele’s season

Dembele has once again been excellent for PSG throughout this season, tallying 18 goals and providing 11 assists across all competitions. He was also recently named the Ligue 1 Player of the Season for the second consecutive campaign.

Following the Champions League final, Dembele is scheduled to join up with his France teammates ahead of the World Cup. Les Bleus kick off their World Cup campaign on June 16 against Senegal in New Jersey, and they will also face Iraq and Norway in Group I.

Dembele will be a key piece in Deschamps’ squad, as he has reached the World Cup in his best form and will surely be crucial in important moments. France have made back-to-back World Cup finals, defeating Croatia in 2018 before falling to Argentina on penalty kicks in 2022.

The exit of Dembele negatively impacted PSG during the match against Paris FC, and despite the fact that they received the trophy before the encounter and were already crowned champions, they ultimately suffered a 2-1 defeat.

The Saudi Pro League has announced the shortlist of five candidates for the 2025-26 Player of the Season award. Heading into the final matchday, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ivan Toney lead the nominations alongside Joao Felix, Julian Quinones, and Ruben Neves, capping off a highly contested season between Al Nassr and Al Hilal.

Cristiano is one of the clear favorites after leading Al Nassr in the title race and putting them in position to become champions, though nothing is decided until the final matchday. Ronaldo currently has 26 goals, standing as the third-highest scorer in the league.

A tight title race on the final matchday

With the final matchdays set to be played on Thursday, Al Nassr lead with 83 points, two more than the undefeated Al Hilal. The leaders face Damac, and a victory would give them the title, while Al Hilal visit Al Fayha. All the pressure is on Al Nassr, as a stumble could allow the second-place side to snatch the crown away from them at the very last moment.

Ronaldo and Felix in search of domestic glory

Ronaldo has already lost four finals with Al Nassr but the league crown is still up for grabs. The veteran has scored 26 goals this season and became the third player of the modern era to reach 100 goals in the Pro League. With seven Man of the Match awards, he is a favorite for the player of the season title.

He needs to win the final matchday to achieve his first major title with the club since his arrival on January 1, 2023. His teammate Joao Felix is also nominated, having scored three hat-tricks, a record for a midfielder, while leading the league in assists with 12 and ranking second in total goal contributions.

The other nominees for the award

Toney has scored 32 goals in 31 league matches with Al Ahli, recording four hat-tricks and earning nine Man of the Match awards in the Saudi Pro League. At Al Qadsiah, Quinonez stands out, having reached 30 goals this season to surpass the historic club record in the top flight with 50 total goals, while also winning 13 Man of the Match awards. Additionally, Ruben Neves anchors the midfield for Al Hilal, becoming the first player to surpass 2,000 passes to lead the league in key passes.

The opening half was evenly contested, with both teams trading control and chances in a tense atmosphere. Cruz Azul took the lead through Jeremy Marquez, while Chivas responded quickly with an equalizer from Omar Govea to keep the match level at halftime. Goalkeepers were heavily involved throughout, keeping the score tight.

In the second half, Cruz Azul found the decisive moment through Agustin Palavecino, whose shot deflected off Diego Campillo and ended up in the net for the winning goal. Chivas continued pushing forward in search of an equalizer, but Cruz Azul held firm defensively to protect their advantage. In the end, Cruz Azul’s efficiency in key moments proved decisive in sealing their place in the final.

Today, Al Ahli played against Al Khoolod and secured a 3-0 victory, where the goal to open the scoring was scored by Ivan Toney, the leader of the scoring table of the Saudi Pro League, who reached a total of 32 goals with that strike. Right behind him is Julian Quinones with 30, while Cristiano stays in third place.

It is almost impossible for Cristiano to reach that mark with only one Saudi Pro League match remaining. Ronaldo has 26 goals, six behind Toney. That meant in Al Nassr’s final match against Damac, Ronaldo needs to score six goals to tie Toney, assuming he does not score on the final matchday, something practically impossible.

Has Ronaldo ever scored six goals in one match?

No, Cristiano Ronaldo has never scored six goals in one official match. His highest scoring record in a single game was five goals, a feat he achieved twice during his career, both while wearing the Real Madrid jersey.

The matches where Ronaldo achieved that record were the following, both in La Liga: Real Madrid 9-1 Granada on April 5, 2015, and Espanyol 0-6 Real Madrid on September 12, 2015.

That Cristiano season was one of his best in terms of goalscoring. He finished LaLiga campaign as top scorer with 48 goals in 35 matches, a number that earned him his second consecutive Golden Boot. Overall, he ended that season with 61 goals in 54 matches.

What is next for Cristiano Ronaldo?

With only a few days remaining before the start of the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo suffered an emotional blow after losing the AFC Champions League Two final and still not winning that long-awaited title with Al Nassr, although he could still achieve it soon while fighting for the Saudi Pro League, where they depended on themselves.

Cristiano had a worrying number of lost finals with Al Nassr, something unusual for him, but now they would search for that league title against Damac on May 21, 2026, and then look to prove himself while preparing to play in his sixth World Cup with Portugal.

With the final loss to Gamba Osaka, Cristiano has now lost four finals at Al Nassr. The first was the 2023-24 King’s Cup Final against Al Hilal on penalties, the second was the 2024 Saudi Super Cup Final against Al Hilal, and the third came at the 2025 Saudi Super Cup Final, lost to Al Ahli on penalties.

This AFC Champions League Two final ended in a 1-0 defeat after Al Nassr conceded a goal in the 30th minute, and an incredible fact is that it was the only shot on target by the opponents during the entire match, enough to take the title away from them. However, Ronaldo and Al Nassr can still win the Saudi Pro League in the final matchday.

Al Nassr remain in the fight for a title

The defeat was definitely a result against all expectations. Al Nassr were the clear favorites, especially with Cristiano Ronaldo searching for that title he has fought for during such a long time, but they still couldn’t get it done. However, Al Nassr have the opportunity in the Saudi Pro League, which has one matchday remaining.

Al Nassr have 83 points, which keeps them in first place, while Al Hilal, who are second, have 81 points after their victory over Neom on Saturday. Al Nassr are forced to win to avoid complications. With a draw, they would still be in some danger due to goal difference (60), as Al Hilal (57) would need to win by a difference of four goals to overtake them and steal the title. And if Al Nassr lose while Al Hilal win, Ronaldo would be left empty-handed.

It will all be decided on May 21, 2026, when the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League finale takes place. Al Nassr will face Damac, and simultaneously, Al Hilal will play Al Fayha.

The last continental club title won by Ronaldo

Ronaldo’s most recent official continental club trophy dates back to 2018, when he helped Real Madrid win the UEFA Champions League during the 2017-18 season. That title was the fifth Champions League trophy of his career.

The opening half started with both teams creating dangerous chances before Chivas took the lead through Sandoval after a rebound inside the box. Cruz Azul responded quickly thanks to a surprisingly long-range effort from Bryan Gonzalez that caught the goalkeeper off guard. The match then became increasingly physical, with several yellow cards and constant fouls interrupting the rhythm.

In the second half, Chivas regained the advantage after a perfect cross from Miguel Gomez found Angel Sepulveda inside the box. Cruz Azul answered once again after Christian Ebere converted a penalty following a VAR review. Both teams pushed until the final minutes, but neither side managed to find the winning goal, leaving the series wide open heading into the second leg.

According to Brett Siegel of Clutchpoints, Stephen Curry reportedly made it known “internally” that he wants to play at least 20 seasons in the NBA. That would mean two more years in the league, because it is important to remember that he is already in his 17th season.

During his time in Golden State, the team won four NBA championships in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022, more than some teams have won in their entire existence. It is a very high number, and he is still fighting to extend it and continue building his own legacy.

Curry’s contract with the Warriors

Curry is under contract through the upcoming season, having signed a one-year, $62 million deal. If he’s truly intent on playing at least another two years beyond his current contract, it will be up to him and the Warriors to come up with a deal that satisfies both sides.

Curry’s injury update

Curry dealt with a knee injury that kept him out for most of the second half of the season. He was able to return toward the latter part and into the Play-In Tournament, but he was still playing on a minutes restriction. Many were hoping that the injury was not something that could linger past this season, but it looks like all he will need is rest, according to Brett Siegel.

“The good news regarding Curry and his knee ailment is that this is not something that will require offseason surgery, and the extra rest he will receive leading up to training camp in September will be valuable. Sources close to the situation told that Curry will have no limitations entering the 2026-27 season and that his knee injury this past year was simply a product of overuse and wear and tear,” Siegel wrote.

That is good news for Curry and the Warriors, especially at this point in his career, where an injury could affect him for the long haul. More importantly, they are hoping to stay healthy next NBA season to take advantage of the roster they have and the return of Steve Kerr.

With Kerr returning for two more seasons, the standard still seems to be the same for the Warriors, regardless of who is on the floor, and that is to win. There is no doubt that Mike Dunleavy Jr. will do whatever he can during the summer to make sure the Warriors are in the best position to do that.

With this matchday played, City equal the number of matches played (36) since Matchday 31 was pending. That means they had one game fewer than Arsenal, and with the victory, they now have 77 points, only 2 behind Arsenal, who have 79.

City secured the victory thanks to goals from Antoine Semenyo (32′), Omar Marmoush (42′), and Savinho (83′) to seal the victory, with a double assist from Phil Foden, who played arguably his best match of the season so far.

Manchester City’s remaining fixtures

The Premier League has only two matchdays remaining, and with City now level in games played, they have 6 points left to fight for while also relying on Arsenal’s results to steal the title. However, they still have a difficult match against Aston Villa, who are fifth.

• Bournemouth (away), May 19
• Aston Villa (home), May 24

Arsenal’s Premier League pending matches

Arsenal depend on themselves to become champions; they only need to win their next two matches. However, they still have a UEFA Champions League final ahead of them, so it remains to be seen whether Mikel Arteta prefers to rest some players or risk everything in search of that double of titles. Difficult weeks where everything can go very right or very wrong.

It is important to remember that Arsenal claimed a hard-fought win over West Ham, winning thanks to a goal from Leandro Trossard in the 83rd minute. If they had lost that game, and with today’s City victory, they would now be level on points.

• Burnley (home), May 18
• Crystal Palace (away), May 24

The 78-year-old will also become the oldest manager in World Cup history. Advocaat replaces Fred Rutten, who stood down after several players called for Advocaat to return. Advocaat had resigned last November due to his daughter’s ill health.

His return will come against Scotland in a warm-up game at Hampden Park on May 30. It is important to remember that Curacao are part of Group E alongside Germany, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast, looking to make history in what some consider “the group of death.”

Why did Dick Advocaat return?

Advocaat left Curacao in February 2026 due to his daughter’s health problems. At that time, the Curacao Soccer Federation understood the situation and appointed Fred Rutten, another Dutch coach with international experience, as his replacement.

However, Rutten’s cycle lasted only two and a half months. The coach managed only two friendlies, both ending in defeats, 0-2 against China and 1-5 against Australia. Beyond the results, media outlets close to the team environment reported that he never fully connected with the group of players.

Fred Rutten’s position

The Curacao Federation confirmed Rutten’s departure through an official statement. In the text, the coach explained that he decided to step aside to avoid internal conflicts and preserve the atmosphere within the squad.

“There must not be an environment that harms healthy professional relationships within the group and coaching staff. That is why I believe it is right to leave the position,” Rutten said. The federation, meanwhile, thanked him for his professionalism and assured him that the main objective now is to restore stability to the team before the World Cup.

Advocaat, the coach who made history with Curacao

Dick Advocaat already holds a historic place within Curacao soccer. The Dutch coach was responsible for qualifying the country for its first-ever World Cup, also turning Curacao into the nation with the smallest population to reach a World Cup.

Advocaat took charge in 2024 and over two years managed 20 matches, with a record of 11 wins, 6 draws and 3 losses. In addition, the coach has extensive international experience. He previously managed Netherlands and qualified the Oranje for the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

The scoring table places Ronaldo in third place with 26 goals, above him are Julian Quinones with 29, three more goals, and then Ivan Toney with 31, who came from scoring a hat trick in his last match. The Al Ahli striker starred in his side’s 3-1 victory at home to Al Fateh on Wednesday night, his treble in Jeddah featuring two typically poised penalties and another predatory finish.

Ronaldo now has little chances of winning the competition Golden Boot, unless in the final matchday of Al Nassr against Damac, he scores six goals to surpass Toney and hopes that neither Quinones nor Toney scores again, and they also still have one more matchday to do it.

Cristiano already won that award

Despite not winning it this year, Ronaldo already achieved it on two occasions and completed a back-to-back. Cristiano Ronaldo won the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League Golden Boot, scoring 25 goals for Al Nassr to secure his second consecutive title as top scorer after previously winning it in 2023-24.

What matters now to Ronaldo

The most important thing for Ronaldo this season is winning those titles he has searched for so much, both the Saudi Pro League and the AFC Champions League Two. Al Nassr could end up becoming champions on the same day if the results go in their favor, taking into account the updated Saudi Pro League standings and the remaining fixtures.

Al Nassr, to become league champions, depend on themselves or simply with an Al Hilal draw in their next match, it would be enough for them to become league champions.

Ronaldo remains optimistic despite the draw, and he showed it in a message he left on social media. That reflects his leadership within the team despite Bento, the goalkeeper, making a terrible mistake that they hope will not, but could end up costing Al Nassr a championship.

On one hand, it was revealed that Messi has a total annual amount exceeding $28 million, exactly $28,333,333.00. This figure, of course, did not include other types of income connected to his team, such as sponsors or the amount corresponding to him as an Inter Miami shareholder. There is also the base salary, which is $25,000,000.00.

On the other hand, Al Nassr turned Cristiano Ronaldo into the highest-paid player in the world. The Saudi club confirmed that Ronaldo agreed to terms on a two-year extension, as Marca reportedly sees him earn around $185 million annually. An absurd amount, even when compared to Messi.

Comparing Messi salary with MLS

Lionel Messi’s guaranteed salary is more than double that of any other soccer player in MLS at the moment. In second place on the list is Korean forward Son Heung-min, with just over $11 million in guaranteed compensation.

The highest paid players in MLS:

• Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) – $ 28.333.333
• Son Heung-min (LAFC) – $ 11.152.852
• Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami) – $ 9.688.320
• Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United) – $ 7.871.000
• Hirving Lozano (San Diego FC) – $ 9.333.333
• Emil Forsberg (New York Red Bulls) – $ 6.035.625
• Sam Surridge (Nashville SC) – $ 5.933.000
• Ricard Puig Marti (LA Galaxy) – $ 5.792.188
• Thomas Muller (Vancouver Whitecaps) – $ 5.152.504
• Jonathan Bamba (Chicago Fire FC) – $ 5.581.806

To give an idea, Miami’s $54.6 million payroll is more than $20 million higher than LAFC, who are second at $32.7 million, and nearly five times as much as Philadelphia’s league low of $11.7 million. Miami’s payroll was up from $46.8 million at the start of last season.

MLS makes these salaries possible

Something that helped make Messi’s contract possible was that total league compensation was $631 million, and the average guaranteed compensation of $688,816 on April 16 was up 8.9% from $632,809 as of last Oct. 1.

Messi’s initial MLS contract, agreed to in July 2023, included a $12 million base salary and annualized guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667. Messi agreed last October to a three-year contract through the 2028 season, then led the team to its first MLS title.

Al Nassr still depend on themselves though. With the draw, they reached 83 points, which is why they maintain control of their destiny. To celebrate the title without depending on anybody else, Al Nassr need to win their final match of the season against Damac FC on Thursday, May 21, 2026. That would see the team reach a total of 86 points, making it mathematically impossible for Al Hilal to finish first.

However, Al Nassr could still secure the title even before playing their pending game. Since Al Hilal have 78 points and play one of their two remaining games on Saturday, May 16, Ronaldo and company could already see themselves crowned as champions with an Al Hilal tie or loss against Neom.

Curiously, Al Nassr have a chance to secure another title on Saturday when they play the AFC Champions League Two final against Gamba Osaka. That means Ronaldo could end up celebrating two different titles on the same day.

Updated Saudi Pro League table

With this result, the updated Saudi Pro League standings paint a special picture on the remaining fixtures for Al Nassr and Al Hilal.

It is important to remember that Al Nassr already played one more match (33) than Al Hilal (32). Al Hilal are only five points behind, which forces them to win their two remaining matches, and if Al Nassr lose their final match, they could lose the title.

The terrible mistake by Bento

Everything was joy and high emotions for Al Nassr until the 90+8’ minute, literally the final minute of the match, when Al Hilal launched a desperate throw-in into Bento’s area. He inexplicably let it slip through his hands and slowly into the net, forcing a devastating 1-1 draw that led to criticism towards Bento.

A clearly dejected Ronaldo was seen on the bench, where he saw the final minutes of the match after being subbed off at the 83th minute. After all, Al Nassr were already trying to secure the result, since with the 1-0 they were becoming league champions, something truly unbelievable that could end up changing the Saudi Pro League finale.

Through an official statement, the Grizzlies mourned his loss and sent a message. “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke. Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.

We express our deepest condolonces to his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” the Grizzlies expressed. At the moment, the cause of death was not immediately announced.

Adam Silver sends a message

This was something very uncommon in the world of sports, for someone active and currently playing for this to happen was unthinkable. Adam Silver showed his condolences and a message of sympathy through an official statement from the NBA.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on the passing of Grizzlies’ Brandon Clarke: “We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke. As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous pride and grit.

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends, and the Grizzlies organization.” Adam Silver wrote through the statement. It remains to be seen what will happen with tonight’s playoff games, but surely we will see tributes for the player and moments of silence.

Clarke and his time with the Grizzlies

Clarke was drafted in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019 and was traded two weeks later to Memphis, where he spent his entire seven-year career. Clarke emerged as a key contributor as a Grizzlies rookie during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, averaging 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds in 58 games while making the NBA’s All-Rookie Team and finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting.

Clarke served primarily as a valuable bench player early in his career and signed a four-year, $52 million extension with the Grizzlies in October 2022. He suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon in March 2023 and appeared in only six games the following season. After playing in 64 games in 2024-25, Clarke appeared in just two games this season because of calf and knee injuries.