Global Pulse

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  • Egypt’s Mo Salah adds to list of accolades in World Cup against New Zealand

    Egypt’s Mo Salah adds to list of accolades in World Cup against New Zealand

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia — As Mohamed Salah’s next professional club move remains one of the most talked-about unanswered questions in global soccer, the Egyptian forward is steadily cementing his status as a legend for his home nation, delivering a historic performance to lift Egypt to its first ever FIFA World Cup victory in a 3-1 defeat of New Zealand on Sunday night.

    During the match, Salah notched his 68th international goal for Egypt, putting him just one strike away from breaking the Pharaohs’ all-time senior scoring record, which is currently held by his own national team manager Hossam Hassan. The 34-year-old captain’s 67th-minute go-ahead goal also marked his third career World Cup goal, extending his lead as the top World Cup goal scorer in Egyptian history — he previously scored two at the 2018 tournament in Russia.

    Salah’s club career has reached a turning point in recent weeks: after nine seasons with England’s Liverpool FC, where he claimed two Premier League titles and became the top foreign goal scorer in the league’s history, a dip in 2023-24 form and reported internal tensions led him to opt to end his contract a year early. His impending departure from Anfield has triggered widespread speculation across global soccer about where the star striker will sign next, with no official announcement made as of yet.

    Despite a slow start to Sunday’s match, where he missed a first-half free kick wide of the post and watched New Zealand jump out to an early lead, Salah turned the game around in the second half. In the 67th minute, he connected with a well-placed pass from Mostafa Ziko, slipping the ball past a New Zealand defender and goalkeeper Max Crocombe to put Egypt up 2-1. He wasn’t finished adding to his impact: just 15 minutes later, he notched his second assist of the match to set up Egypt’s closing goal, adding to the assist he earned in the Pharaohs’ opening 1-1 draw with Belgium earlier in the tournament.

    Sunday’s win marked the first ever World Cup match victory for Egypt in the nation’s decades-long history of participation in the tournament. “What happened today is history for us as Egyptians,” Salah said after the match. “We see a lot of teams win games, but for us as Egyptian, it doesn’t happen often, first time in history.”

    New Zealand captain Chris Wood acknowledged Salah’s outsize impact on the match, noting that the forward’s quality requires constant attention from opposing defenses: “He’s a good player. You have to keep an eye on him.”

    Long before this World Cup kicked off, Salah had already secured his place in African qualifying history. He scored nine goals in 10 qualifying matches to secure Egypt’s spot in the tournament, making him the all-time top goal scorer in African FIFA World Cup qualifying history. Egypt manager Hossam Hassan, whose record Salah is on the cusp of breaking, praised the captain’s performance, saying “Salah worked hard on the pitch. I am sure we are going to see more from him.”

    Analysts and club scouts widely expect a wave of contract offers to come for Salah following his strong start to this World Cup, which has reminded the global soccer community of his elite ability even as he enters the latter stages of his career. Fans across the world will have to wait just a bit longer to learn where the star will continue his club career, but for now, he’s focused on writing new history for Egypt on the world’s biggest soccer stage.

  • Surman gets World Cup goal but New Zealand falls to Egypt 3-1

    Surman gets World Cup goal but New Zealand falls to Egypt 3-1

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia — In a tense FIFA World Cup group stage clash that encapsulated the cruel, unpredictable nature of elite football, the New Zealand men’s national team fell to a 3-1 defeat against Egypt on Sunday night, despite a dream opening goal from unlikeliest of sources: defender Finn Surman.

    Surman, a defensive specialist who has only notched three registered professional goals across his career to date, stunned the Egyptian defense in the 15th minute to put the Kiwis ahead. Off a perfectly placed corner kick from fellow defender Tim Payne, Surman made a well-timed run into the box, rose for a powerful jump, and directed a header just outside the 6-yard box past Egypt’s outstretched goalkeeper to open the scoring.

    “It was a pretty big jump,” Surman told reporters after the match. “I definitely felt that it was a good goal, so I’m pretty happy about that.”

    The moment was made even more special for the 2024 Portland Timbers signing, as his parents were in the stands in Vancouver to watch him score on the world’s biggest football stage. “I’m hoping it was something they remember and something that they’re proud of,” Surman added.

    New Zealand controlled the flow of play for most of the opening 45 minutes, holding onto Surman’s 1-0 lead to head into the halftime break with momentum firmly on their side. But a flurry of second-half goals from Egypt, capped off by a strike from star forward Mo Salah, turned the match on its head and secured all three points for the African side, marking Egypt’s first victory of this World Cup tournament.

    The result leaves New Zealand at the bottom of their four-team group with just a single point from two matches, but a narrow path to the knockout round still remains open for the underdog side. The Kiwis will face off against Belgium in Vancouver this coming Friday, and if they can pull off a major upset win over the European powerhouse coupled with an Egyptian victory over Iran in Seattle, New Zealand will secure an improbable second-place group finish and advance to the knockout stage.

    Surman, who is one of only four New Zealand players to play every single minute of the team’s first two World Cup matches, reflected on the swing of emotions that defined the match. “I think it shows the highs and lows of football,” he said. “That first half, I thought we played really well.” While the young defender’s breakout goal gave New Zealand an early boost, the team’s defensive line has struggled throughout the tournament, conceding five goals across two matches so far.

    Despite the disappointing result and defensive challenges, New Zealand captain and starting striker Chris Wood said the team remains confident heading into their decisive final group match. “We just got to believe,” Wood said. “We’ve done extremely well on the world stage already, but we’ve got to believe we can go take it with one of the best teams in the world.”

  • Salah’s World Cup pain ends as he fires Egypt to historic win

    Salah’s World Cup pain ends as he fires Egypt to historic win

    After nearly a century of heartbreak and near-misses across nine World Cup appearances, Egypt has finally secured its first ever victory at football’s biggest global tournament, spearheaded by national icon Mohamed Salah who delivered a defining second-half performance to sink New Zealand in a 3-1 Group Stage clash.

    The match got off to a rocky start for the Pharaohs, as New Zealand stunned the favorites with an early opening goal, and Salah looked set to continue a run of quiet, underwhelming performances that had marked his start to the 2026 World Cup. The 34-year-old superstar had turned in an ineffectual shift in Egypt’s opening 1-1 draw with Belgium, and remained off the pace through the first 45 minutes against New Zealand, leaving fans fearing his long history of World Cup misery would stretch on.

    But Salah flipped the script in spectacular fashion in the second half. In the 67th minute, he fired home the goal that put Egypt ahead, capping a patient comeback from the early deficit. Later, his perfectly delivered corner kick found the head of Trezeguet, who netted the sealing goal to lock in the historic 3-1 result. The win puts Egypt on the cusp of qualifying for the knockout round, with a point from their final Group Stage fixture against Iran all but guaranteeing a spot in the round of 16, and the side could even progress without picking up that point depending on other results.

    For Salah personally, the moment was years in the making. His first World Cup appearance in 2018 was marred by injury, a disjointed campaign, and three straight defeats that ended with Egypt crashing out in the group stage. The fallout from that failure was so severe that Salah publicly criticized the Egyptian Football Association for mismanaging preparations, and reports emerged that he had considered stepping away from international football entirely. Egypt then failed to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, extending both the country’s and Salah’s wait for a breakthrough on the global stage.

    Off the pitch, the forward is coming off a turbulent final season at Liverpool, where he fell out with manager Arne Slot before announcing his departure this summer, with his future club still unconfirmed. Despite that off-field uncertainty, Salah prioritized his national team’s World Cup run, determined to correct the mistakes and disappointments of the past. Ahead of the New Zealand match, Egyptian head coach Hossam Hassan was even forced to deny public speculation of a rift between himself and Salah, after substituting the star early in the Belgium draw.

    Sunday’s strike was Salah’s 68th international goal for Egypt in 118 appearances, moving him just one goal behind Hassan’s all-time national scoring record. Industry figures and pundits were quick to praise the superstar’s impact. Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou, commentating for ITV, noted: “If there was any doubt about Mo’s impact on this team, you can still see it. It will give them enormous belief. They had to deal with adversity and their big player stood up and that will give them big confidence. You need your big players to perform to progress.” Former Jamaica international winger Jobi McAnuff echoed that sentiment, adding: “Just when he was needed, Mo Salah stood up for his country.”

    Salah’s status as a national icon in Egypt cannot be overstated – far beyond his stardom in European club football, he is a cultural institution in his home country, with every touch of the ball drawing roars from the stands and massive pressure on his shoulders every time he pulls on the national jersey. His importance to the side is so profound that when he suffered a serious shoulder injury in the 2018 Champions League final just weeks before that year’s World Cup, Egypt’s Minister of Health personally reached out to the national team medical staff to check on his condition. “I even had calls from Egypt’s Minister of Health,” recalled Dr Mohamed Aboud, the Egyptian national team medic.

    Though Salah has claimed multiple domestic and European trophies during his time at Liverpool, he has never lifted a major title with Egypt. The generation before his claimed three straight Africa Cup of Nations titles between 2006 and 2010, but Egypt has fallen at the final hurdle twice in recent AFCON tournaments, losing the 2017 final to Cameroon and the 2021 final (held in early 2022) to Senegal. With this landmark World Cup win, however, Egypt has finally laid to rest one of its longest-running football ghosts, and Salah has cemented his legacy as the man who delivered the country’s most coveted milestone in nearly a century.

    Speaking after the final whistle, Salah kept his focus on the task ahead: “It’s a great achievement for all the players. It’s a great win. It’s a great vibe. The next game is very important.”

  • Uruguay struggles in first 2 matches as Suárez watches from the stands

    Uruguay struggles in first 2 matches as Suárez watches from the stands

    MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Two-time FIFA World Cup champion Uruguay has opened its latest global tournament with underwhelming results that have put its knockout stage hopes in jeopardy. Following back-to-back draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, Marcelo Bielsa’s side faces a do-or-die group stage clash with Spain, where a failure to secure three points could send them home early.

    Watching the team’s opening matches from the stands of Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, just minutes from his current club home at Inter Miami, was Luis Suárez: the striker who carried Uruguay’s attacking threat for more than 15 years and retired from international football in 2024 as the nation’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 69 goals across 143 senior caps. The 39-year-old was forced to watch from the stands as the heavily favored side struggled to turn possession and chances into goals, a problem that has quickly become the talking point of their campaign.

    Suárez’s absence from the 2025 World Cup squad was no accident. After months of swirling speculation following the striker’s April announcement that he was willing to come out of international retirement for one last run at the tournament, head coach Marcelo Bielsa opted to leave both Suárez and fellow veteran frontman Edinson Cavani off his roster, choosing instead to place his trust in Uruguay’s emerging generation of attacking talent.

    The decision has already come under scrutiny. In their first World Cup opening match without Suárez in the squad since 2010, Uruguay scraped a late 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia, with their only goal coming from midfielder Maxi Araújo. Opening strikers Darwin Núñez and Federico Viñas failed to register a goal between them, cutting underwhelming figures in attack. For their second fixture against Cape Verde, Bielsa adjusted his starting lineup, naming only Viñas as the central striker and adding midfielder Agustín Canobbio to the first XI. Canobbio did score Uruguay’s second goal to pull the side level, but he missed a late second-half chance that would have secured all three points, leaving the team with another draw.

    After the Sunday draw with Cape Verde, Bielsa acknowledged his side’s attacking woes in comments to reporters. “I think that the problem or greatest issue is that we started the second half with the ball and with the victory,” the head coach said through a translator. “And it was at that moment that we didn’t close it. We didn’t make any danger.” He added that the squad “lacked a finishing touch” in front of goal — the very quality that Suárez built his legendary international career on providing.

    The rift between Bielsa and Suárez goes beyond the squad selection: the pair clashed publicly after the 2024 Copa América, when Suárez publicly criticized Bielsa for creating a negative team environment.

    Uruguay fans have been split on the decision to leave the veteran striker at home, reflecting mixed feelings about a generational shift in the national side. “(I have) mixed feelings to be honest,” said Frederico Suárez, a Uruguay supporter attending the matches. “He’s old and now it’s time for the younger players. But he’s a good player, maybe the best player I’ve ever watched with Uruguay.”

    Other fans echoed the belief that the move gives young talent room to develop. “I feel like he’s a little older, so for players like Darwin (Núñez), I think it just gives him a little bit more of a chance to shine,” said fan Ian Lancaster.

    For many supporters, though, the inconsistent start to the tournament has left expectations uncertain. With one group match remaining against European giant Spain in Guadalajara Stadium on Friday, Bielsa and his young attacking group are under growing pressure to deliver a win and prove the decision to omit Suárez was the right one.

    “Our expectations with Uruguay now is that we never know,” said fan Alfonso Aguel. “We need to play every match, go match by match, and see what actually happens.”

  • Salah scores and Egypt downs New Zealand 3-1 for a first World Cup victory

    Salah scores and Egypt downs New Zealand 3-1 for a first World Cup victory

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Jubilant Egyptian players danced across the BC Place pitch Sunday night, while thousands of fans clad in the national team’s signature red roared from the sold-out stands, as the Pharaohs claimed a long-awaited milestone: their first victory at a men’s FIFA World Cup.

    The matchup got off to a quick start for New Zealand’s All Whites, who drew first blood in the 15th minute. 6-foot-3 Portland Timbers defender Finn Surman connected with a corner kick from Instagram-famous winger Tim Payne, nodding a flying header past Egypt’s goalkeeper to put New Zealand up 1-0. The score held through halftime, despite a close 35th-minute chance for Mohamed Salah: the star forward collected a laid-off free kick from Omar Marmoush, and his curling effort bent just wide of the post, hitting the side netting before the half-time whistle blew.

    In the locker room between frames, Egyptian head coach Hossam Hassan delivered a rousing pep talk to his squad, doubling down on their commitment to secure the historic win. “In between the first and the second half, we said it’s a no-go, we are not going to leave this pitch unless we claim the victory for ourselves, unless we make everyone proud and happy,” Hassan told reporters after the match. “I told them, I told the players, I am not willing to withdraw, I am not willing to go two steps back.”

    That determination translated into relentless pressure out of the halftime break, and Egypt’s equalizer arrived in the 58th minute. Mostafa “Zico” Mohamed found open space between Surman and Payne to connect with a cross, nodding a header that New Zealand keeper Max Crocombe got a glove to but couldn’t keep out of the net. Zico immediately gestured to the crowd to crank up the volume, igniting the already raucous Egyptian fanbase.

    Nine minutes later, Salah put the Pharaohs ahead for good, collecting a deft back-heel pass from Zico before slotting home the go-ahead goal. The 67th-minute strike was Salah’s 68th international goal, leaving him just one tally behind Hassan, who holds Egypt’s all-time national team scoring record. The Liverpool star celebrated by pumping his fist to the crowd before being swarmed by jubilant teammates. When he was subbed off in the 85th minute, the entire sellout crowd rose to give him a standing ovation.
    Egypt capped off the win three minutes before full time, when Trezeguet scored a diving header to lock in a 3-1 final score. The full-time whistle brought chaotic celebrations: Hassan and an assistant grabbed a massive Egyptian flag, sprinting around the pitch waving it high above their heads, while fans sang and cheered long after the game ended.

    “I always give my best to the national team,” Salah told reporters after the match. “Today I think is a very special day, with our first win in the World Cup.”
    This marks Egypt’s fourth World Cup appearance, after the nation failed to qualify for the 2022 Qatar tournament. Salah previously notched two goals for the Pharaohs at the 2018 Russia World Cup. Egypt was forced to make an early substitution in the first half Sunday, after midfielder Hamdy Fathy picked up an apparent non-contact injury and was replaced by Ramy Rabia.

    The win lifts Egypt to the top of Group G standings, though the squad has not yet secured a spot in the tournament’s knockout round. Up next, the Pharaohs will face off against Iran in a decisive group stage match Friday in Seattle, needing at least a draw to advance to the knockout rounds.

    In opening group play, Egypt earned a 1-1 draw against Belgium, where Emam Ashour scored an early opener before a late own goal sparked by substitute Romelu Lukaku leveled the score. New Zealand, meanwhile, twice took the lead against Iran in their opening match, only to concede and finish with a 2-2 draw, with both of the All Whites’ goals coming from Elijah Just.

    Earlier Sunday in Inglewood, California, Iran and Belgium played to a scoreless draw, leaving both teams with two consecutive draws to open the tournament. New Zealand, still hunting for its first ever World Cup win, will return to Vancouver to face Belgium on Friday. While the All Whites have not yet been eliminated from contention, veteran striker Chris Wood acknowledged the path to advancement will be an uphill battle.

    “You just have to believe and be positive,” Wood said. “We’re still one win away. We can still go in, beat Belgium and go through. I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be very tough.”

  • One of World Cup’s great stories – can Cape Verde become legends?

    One of World Cup’s great stories – can Cape Verde become legends?

    Against all pre-tournament expectations, the tiny Atlantic island nation of Cape Verde is writing one of the most memorable underdog stories in modern World Cup history, sitting just one result away from advancing to the knockout stage on their tournament debut after a thrilling 2-2 draw with two-time world champions Uruguay.

    The Blue Sharks, ranked 63rd in the FIFA world rankings, already sent shockwaves through global football earlier in the group stage when they held 65 places higher-ranked Spain to a stalemate. On Sunday, they replicated and even built on that performance to earn a hard-fought point against a Uruguayan side long established as World Cup stalwarts, cementing their reputation as the most entertaining surprise package of the 2026 expanded tournament.

    With a total population of just under 525,000 spread across 10 Atlantic islands according to World Bank data, Cape Verde has punched far above its weight against two of the most experienced sides in the competition. Unlike the Spain draw, where goalkeeper Vozinha emerged as an unlikely social media sensation (growing from 40,000 pre-tournament Instagram followers to more than 15 million after his heroics), this time the Blue Sharks’ defensive organization limited Uruguay to only two shots on target, and the match-winning contributions came from the attacking end. Notably, Vozinha was able to share the moment with his mother, who could not attend the Spain match due to prohibitive U.S. visa costs but was present in Miami to watch her son’s side hold the South American giants.

    From the opening whistle, Cape Verde adopted a bold, attack-minded game plan, constantly pushing the ball upfield to put Uruguay under sustained pressure, leaving the tournament heavyweights reeling against the debutants’ energetic, free-flowing play. The first history-making moment came in the first half, when Kevin Pina stepped up to take a 30-yard free kick. Uruguay’s defensive wall jumped to block the effort, but split open unexpectedly, allowing Pina’s well-struck shot to arrow through the gap and beat keeper Fernando Muslera for Cape Verde’s first ever World Cup goal. Back in the nation’s capital Praia, the strike sparked wild celebrations among fans who had already dared to dream after the Spain draw.

    Written off by almost all pundits before kickoff – including former Wales defender Ashley Williams and former South Africa striker Benni McCarthy, who both predicted a Uruguay win on BBC One – Cape Verde refused to conform to expectations. After Uruguay fought back to take the lead, Helio Varela capitalized on a defensive mistake to produce a clinical finish, rounding a stranded Muslera with a deft touch before slotting the ball into an empty net to equalize. In the second half, Cape Verde combined the steely defensive resilience that earned them a point against Spain with continued attacking threat, pushing hard for a winning goal that would have delivered an even bigger upset. They ended the match with 12 total shots, four on target – double Uruguay’s tally, with 10 of those chances coming in the second half as they chased victory.

    The stunning back-to-back performances have already won over neutral fans and pundits alike. McCarthy told BBC One after the match that he had “a new lease of respect” for Cape Verde, praising their bravery and sensational play: “They really came out to play. I think they’ve won a lot of people’s hearts after this performance.” Williams called it the “most entertaining” game he had covered at the 2026 World Cup so far, adding: “Even at the end, they wanted the win – and that’s against Uruguay.” Former England forward Sue Smith described the display as “outstanding from Cape Verde yet again”, noting that “the story of this team keeps going.” Former Scotland forward James McFadden highlighted the side’s joy as a key part of their appeal: “The biggest thing for me is how much Cape Verde are enjoying themselves. It’s been a joy to watch.”

    The result leaves Cape Verde third in Group H, level on two points with Uruguay, entering their final group stage match against Saudi Arabia. Under the new expanded World Cup format, the Blue Sharks have a clear path to the knockout stage: three points from Saturday’s fixture will be enough to seal progression, and pundits including McCarthy believe the underdogs are well positioned to pull off the win. Only two teams ranked lower than Cape Verde’s current 63rd place have ever advanced to the World Cup knockout stage before: 74th-ranked Nigeria in 1998 and 70th-ranked Russia in 2018. If Cape Verde can beat Saudi Arabia, they will not only make their own tournament history, but cap off one of the most remarkable underdog runs the World Cup has ever seen. Cape Verde are also the first World Cup debutants to remain unbeaten through their first two group games since Senegal’s iconic run in 2002, putting them in elite underdog company already. As Williams put it: “They’ll be going into the Saudi Arabia game with their tails up thinking ‘we can qualify here.’” Speaking from a U.S. fan park, one Cape Verde fan summed up the mood surrounding the team: “everybody doubted us, everybody thought we weren’t going to make it. We’re here now.”

  • Ardie Savea picked as captain; 4 new caps in Dave Rennie’s 1st All Blacks squad of 2026

    Ardie Savea picked as captain; 4 new caps in Dave Rennie’s 1st All Blacks squad of 2026

    WELLINGTON, New Zealand – In his first major selection as head coach of the All Blacks, Dave Rennie has built a future-focused 34-man squad for July’s Nations Championship test matches against France, Italy and Ireland, appointing Japan-based star Ardie Savea as the team’s new permanent captain.

    Savea steps into the leadership role vacated by lock Scott Barrett, who is sidelined from the upcoming series with a back injury. Even if fit, Barrett would likely have given up the captaincy under Rennie’s new coaching regime, which prioritizes long-term team building. Barrett took over the captaincy in 2024 under former head coach Scott Robertson, leading the side through 11 test matches throughout his tenure. Savea, who currently plies his trade with Japan’s Kobe Steelers, is no stranger to leading the All Blacks: he has already stepped in as stand-in captain for 13 tests in previous fixtures when Barrett was unavailable, earning the respect of teammates and coaching staff for his leadership on and off the pitch.

    Announced publicly on Monday by New Zealand Rugby chairman David Kirk, the squad features four uncapped first-time All Blacks, three of whom hail from this year’s Super Rugby champion Hurricanes franchise. Prop Xavier Numia, wingers Josh Moorby and Fehi Fineanganofo all earn their first call-ups, joined by Germany-born backrower Anton Segner of the Auckland-based Blues.

    Segner’s path to the All Blacks is an unconventional one. After representing Germany at the under-16 level, he earned a six-month scholarship to Nelson College in New Zealand, where he quickly impressed enough to stay. He went on to captain the school’s top first XV side, represented the Christchurch Crusaders at age-group level, and earned a spot with the Tasman Makos in New Zealand’s domestic National Provincial Championship before signing with the Blues in 2021. Along the way, he represented New Zealand at both the secondary school and under-20 international levels, becoming eligible to wear the black jersey at the senior test level.

    The Hurricanes’ dominant Super Rugby run is heavily reflected in Rennie’s selection, with 11 players from the champion franchise earning call-ups. The team’s standout playmaker Ruben Love, who was named Player of the Match in Saturday’s Super Rugby final, will compete for the starting flyhalf (No. 10) position alongside established veterans Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett. Four Hurricanes front-row players – Numia, hooker Asafo Aumua, and props Pasilio Tosi and Tyrel Lomax – give the franchise significant influence over the All Blacks’ starting tight five, while veteran hooker Codie Taylor retained his spot in the squad despite a underwhelming Super Rugby season this year.

    At 35, Beauden Barrett was included in the squad despite only holding an outside chance of making the 2027 Rugby World Cup roster, a decision that rewards his veteran experience in the program. At scrumhalf, Cam Roigard and Cortez Ratima made the cut, along with Kyle Preston, who was selected over his Crusaders teammate Noah Hotham. Veteran midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown returns from his club stint in Japan to join Jordie Barrett, Billy Proctor and Quinn Tupaea as available center options. For Fineanganofo, the call-up comes after a record-breaking Super Rugby season that saw him score 17 tries, the most in the competition this year. He is set to join England’s Newcastle Falcons at the end of 2025.

    Rennie, who assembled the squad alongside assistant coach Neil Barnes and former World Cup-winning All Blacks head coach Graeme Henry, emphasized that the selection aligns with the team’s new playing identity for the 2025 campaign. The side will prioritize a combination of high-tempo attacking rugby and uncompromising physicality, he said.

    “This group has the ability to not only rise to the intense demands of international test rugby, but also play with optimism and brutality,” Rennie said in a statement following the announcement. “We look forward to gathering as a group on Wednesday to begin preparations for three massive tests against France, Italy and Ireland.”

    He extended special congratulations to the four uncapped rookies, noting that all earned their spots through standout domestic campaigns. “Special congratulations must go to our four uncapped players. These men have each had an outstanding Super Rugby season and fully deserve their place in the squad,” Rennie said. “It will be a massively proud time for their families, friends and team mates.”

    Of new captain Savea, Rennie added: “Congratulations also to our new All Blacks captain, Ardie Savea, who we know will do an outstanding job of leading this team on and off-field. Ardie is highly respected by his teammates and cares deeply about the black jersey.”

    The All Blacks’ Nations Championship campaign kicks off at Christchurch against France on July 4, before moving to Wellington for a test against Italy on July 11, and wrapping up in Auckland against Ireland on July 18.

  • Cape Verde fan goes wild live on BBC News as his country scores

    Cape Verde fan goes wild live on BBC News as his country scores

    In a moment of unscripted, raw sports joy that has captured global attention, a Cape Verde football fan’s euphoric reaction went viral during a live BBC News interview amid the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The encounter unfolded when BBC reporter Paul Njie was mid-conversation with the supporter, who had traveled to support his underdog national side in their group stage match against Uruguay. Just as the interview was underway, Cape Verde netted their first ever goal in World Cup history – a milestone that had been decades in the making for the small island nation. The fan immediately abandoned any composure, erupting into wild celebration, yelling and jumping in a moment of unfiltered elation that quickly spread across social media platforms. The clip, published six hours ago by the BBC’s World Cup section, has already racked up hundreds of interactions, with fans around the world celebrating the historic moment for Cape Verde alongside the elated supporter. Note that full video access is currently restricted to users located within the United Kingdom.

  • Rory McIlroy’s rough weekend keeps him from contending at the US Open

    Rory McIlroy’s rough weekend keeps him from contending at the US Open

    SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — The 2025 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club delivered a weekend of surprising results, dramatic upsets and historic firsts for the global golf community, as top-ranked stars and rising amateur talents turned in performances that will be remembered for years to come. Six-time major champion Rory McIlroy, the winner of this U.S. Open title 15 years ago, outlasted many of his fellow past major champions this week — but a series of inconsistent rounds kept him far from contention for a second win at the event.

    Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and J.J. Spaun, all previous U.S. Open champions, failed to make the cut after struggling through the opening two rounds. McIlroy advanced to the weekend, but two consecutive rounds of 73 on Saturday and Sunday left him at 6 over par for the tournament, tying for 32nd place overall. Reflecting on his performance after the final round, McIlroy pointed to a collapse on the back nine of Saturday’s third round as the turning point that ended his title hopes. After climbing to 2 under par early in the round, “The wheels came off,” McIlroy said. “I sort of shot myself out of the tournament then.”

    Looking ahead to the 2025 British Open in July, the 37-year-old Northern Irish star, who won the Claret Jug in 2014 and has finished close to a second victory multiple times in recent years, announced he will skip the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship scheduled next week in Hartford, Connecticut, to pursue a unique preparation plan. Instead of competing on the Tour’s regular course, McIlroy will head to the United Kingdom to play links golf in his home region ahead of the year’s third major. “It’s my favorite time of the year to go back home and play, play the Open, and I get to spend a bit of time back there,” he said. McIlroy also noted that the firm, fast playing conditions Shinnecock Hills presented over the weekend provided valuable preparation for links-style golf, adding, “This was not too dissimilar to an Open Championship in terms of how the golf course started to play over the weekend.”

    Beyond McIlroy’s underwhelming finish, the tournament featured a breakthrough performance from 22-year-old South Korean star Tom Kim, who matched a historic national achievement at the event. Kim fired a 2-under final round of 70 to finish at 1 under par overall, securing third place. That result ties the best ever finish by a South Korean player at the U.S. Open, a mark previously set by Y.E. Yang, who tied for third at the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. As a top-four finisher, Kim automatically locked in his qualification for the 2026 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and next year’s Masters Tournament, and the young qualifier called the week a transformative experience for his career. “For the first time, I was able to really taste a major championship right in front of my fingertips,” Kim said. “I can go back this whole week and just see how close I actually am.”

    One of the most historic storylines of the weekend came from 21-year-old amateur standout Jackson Koivun, who capped off his amateur career with a record-breaking finish before turning pro. Koivun birdied his 18th hole to card a 2-under 68 on Sunday, making him the first amateur ever to break 70 in the final round of a U.S. Open held at Shinnecock Hills. He finished the tournament at 5 over par, tying Oklahoma amateur Ryder Cowan for low amateur honors — marking the first time the award has been shared at the U.S. Open since 2018.

    Koivun, who led Auburn University to two national collegiate championships in three seasons, has one of the most decorated amateur careers in modern golf. He became the first freshman since Justin Thomas in 2012 to win the Haskins Award, given to the top men’s collegiate golfer in the U.S., and claimed the Southeastern Conference individual title all three of his college seasons, spending months as the world’s top-ranked amateur. Earlier this month, he announced he would skip his senior season, having already earned enough points through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program to secure his PGA Tour membership. He will make his professional debut at the upcoming John Deere Classic. After finishing his final round, Koivun said he was proud to end his amateur run on a high note. “Shinnecock was so much fun this weekend,” he said. “Just happy to walk away with a birdie on the last hole, but the golf course is so good, so much fun. A lot of thinking to do, and can definitely mentally wear you down. But just happy to be able to say I went out there and tried my hardest.”

    Asked if he could now consider himself a professional after signing his final amateur scorecard, Koivun joked, “Not sure, but yeah, that’s a good way to go out. We’re on to the next leagues now.”

    The tournament also delivered a heartwarming family storyline for English golf fans, as brothers Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick teed off within minutes of each other on Sunday. Both brothers carded final rounds of 73, with older brother Matt finishing 22nd at 4 over par, and Alex tying for 23rd at 5 over par alongside eight other competitors.

  • A big moment for a tiny island nation: Cape Verde gets 1st World Cup goal

    A big moment for a tiny island nation: Cape Verde gets 1st World Cup goal

    MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — The fairy-tale debut of Cape Verde at the men’s FIFA World Cup has continued to turn heads across the global soccer community, adding another unforgettable chapter to the tiny island nation’s underdog story just one week after shocking title contender Spain.

    Fresh off a widely praised scoreless draw against one of the tournament’s most fancied sides in their opening group stage match, Cape Verde notched an early 1-0 lead over two-time World Cup champion Uruguay on Wednesday, courtesy of a blistering free-kick finish from midfielder Kevin Pina. The 21st-minute strike marked the first competitive World Cup goal in Cape Verde’s entire 70-year-plus soccer history, a watershed moment for the small Atlantic archipelago that is competing in its first-ever World Cup finals.

    The opportunity opened up after Uruguay’s midfield anchor Rodrigo Bentancur was booked with a yellow card for a foul just outside the Uruguay penalty area. Stepping up to take the set piece, Pina hit a powerful, low drive that eluded Uruguay’s diving veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and found the back of the net. The goal triggered chaotic celebrations among Cape Verde’s players, who swarmed Pina in a jubilant huddle, while thousands of Cape Verde supporters in the stands broke out into deafening chants and flag-waving celebrations.

    This latest upset bid comes on the heels of Cape Verde’s stunning opening performance against Spain, where goalkeeper Vozinha put on a masterclass in shot-stopping to shut out the Spanish attacking lineup of global superstars, cementing himself as one of the breakout stars of the first round of group stage matches. Ahead of the Uruguay clash, Vozinha got an emotional personal surprise: after celebrating his team’s historic debut against Spain without his mother in the stands, she was able to attend the Sunday matchup to watch his historic performance in person.

    As one of the smallest nations ever to qualify for the World Cup finals, Cape Verde’s run of impressive results has already cemented their place as the most beloved underdog story of this year’s tournament, capturing the imagination of soccer fans around the world who are rooting for the tiny island side to continue their unlikely run.