Global Pulse

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  • India’s T20 blueprint rattled as England’s 4-0 sweep rewrites the script at Southampton

    India’s T20 blueprint rattled as England’s 4-0 sweep rewrites the script at Southampton

    In a dominant display that upended pre-series expectations, England has delivered a resounding 4-0 whitewash of India in their bilateral T20 series, sending a stark wake-up call to the Indian side as it begins a two-year rebuilding process ahead of the co-hosted 2026 T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

    The decisive final match at Southampton on Saturday sealed England’s historic win, after India conceded more than 250 runs in a T20 on home soil for the first time in the side’s history. India, a two-time T20 World Cup champion, looked flat and disorganized across every department of the game throughout the five-match series, a performance that laid bare deep structural issues in the newly restructured squad.

    England’s attack was unplayable from the first ball, not only containing India’s much-vaunted IPL star lineup including Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and new captain Shreyas Iyer, but also shattering the confidence of highly touted 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Indian selectors’ decision to fast-track Sooryavanshi’s international debut following a breakout IPL 2025 campaign backfired dramatically. The teenage left-hander, dismissed twice by his Rajasthan Royals teammate Jofra Archer with aggressive short-pitched bowling, managed only a combined 42 runs across three innings, failing to live up to the hype surrounding his call-up.

    India’s poor form is not an isolated slump. Prior to the England tour, the side suffered a shocking 2-0 home series defeat to Ireland, a result that already signaled deep flaws in the squad. Key regulars Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya missed the series through injury, while 2024 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav was dropped from the squad entirely. Star batter Shubman Gill, captain of the IPL’s Gujarat Titans, was also left out of the traveling side, a decision that now looks increasingly questionable as selectors are expected to reconsider his position in future squads ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

    The whitewash has left India with a string of unwanted negative records. This marks the first time the side has dropped six consecutive T20 matches, ended a 16-series unbeaten streak in T20 bilateral cricket, and is the first time India has been swept in any T20 bilateral series against England that featured more than two matches.

    Batting struggles plagued India from the opening game. All three of the side’s opening batters failed to find consistent form across the series, while the middle order lacked any clear identity, with constant reshuffling of batting positions between spots five through eight. Promising young left-hander Tilak Varma, who has piled up runs in spin-friendly Asian conditions, managed only 104 runs across the series, with his only half-century coming in the dead-rubber final game at Southampton.

    In the aftermath of the final defeat at Bristol, India assistant batting coach Ryan ten Doeschate acknowledged that the side needs far more than superficial changes to turn its form around, particularly in foreign conditions. “I guess we have spoken so much about adaptability, but I think it’s got to the point now where you actually have to unpack that suitcase,” he told reporters after the match. “It’s easy to say we need to adapt. We need to assess and adapt. Every coach from under-nine cricket says that about every department of the game. It’s got to a point now where we actually have to really unpack what that means and understand the process that’s needed to be able to make those adaptations, so to speak.”

    ten Doeschate emphasized that India must confront its consistent underperformance in overseas conditions and build a new mentality to adapt to different pitch and weather conditions around the world. “Do we want to be a team that smashes 250 in India and looks great when you hit 80-meter sixes at Eden Gardens? Or do we want to come to places like this and places like Manchester and places like Southampton where things are slightly different?” he said. “And again, thinking further down the line, the MCG and those sort of places, do we want to be the team that actually excels in different conditions and do we have the mentality to make those adjustments? And that’s the mental challenge and that’s what we need the players to be able to take on.”

    Following the clean sweep, England has also climbed to the top spot in the ICC men’s T20 world rankings, capping off a historic series for the side.

  • Noskova’s glimpse of Wimbledon trophy inspired title glory

    Noskova’s glimpse of Wimbledon trophy inspired title glory

    On a dramatic Centre Court Saturday at Wimbledon, 21-year-old Czech rising star Linda Noskova pulled off one of the most memorable comebacks in recent women’s singles history, clinching her first ever Grand Slam title with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory over compatriot and close friend Karolina Muchova. What made the win even more extraordinary was the unlikely moment of motivation that reignited her fighting spirit: a passing glimpse of the iconic Venus Rosewater Dish during a mid-match bathroom break.

    Noskova’s path to the trophy looked all but guaranteed in the second set, when she held a commanding 5-2 lead and held five match points to close out the win without a decider. But a chaotic collapse saw her squander every chance, allowing Muchova to claw back and level the match at one set apiece. Crushed by frustration, the ninth seed buried her face in a towel to wipe away tears before trundling off court to the locker room, desperate to reset her mind and body for the final set.

    It was on that walk through the Centre Court corridors that Noskova’s perspective shifted. Glancing into a display cabinet, she saw the gleaming championship trophy sitting beside the smaller runners-up shield. The stark visual of what she stood to lose jolted her out of her slump. After splashing cold water on her face in the bathroom, she resolved to leave everything on the court rather than settle for second place.

    “I was just telling myself that the match is starting over,” Noskova told reporters after the match. “But what really helped me, the first step I took off court, the trophies were there. I was like, ‘I’m not going to take the small one, I’m taking the big one. I have been so close. This will probably be the heartbreak of my life. If I’m going to leave my soul on court in the third set, whatever that be.’”

    That renewed focus paid off immediately. Staring down three break points in the opening game of the decider, Noskova held serve before landing a critical break of Muchova’s serve to seize control of the set. When her next match point arrived, she did not falter, closing out the win and collapsing to the grass in a mix of joy and disbelief.

    Noskova’s win makes her the youngest women’s singles Wimbledon champion since another Czech great, Petra Kvitova, lifted the trophy in 2011. Fittingly, two-time champion Kvitova – who Noskova idolized as a young player – was watching on from the royal box, and personally congratulated the new champion in the Centre Court lounge after the match. Her victory also extends Czech Republic’s stunning recent streak at Wimbledon, following Marketa Vondrousova’s 2023 win and Barbora Krejcikova’s 2024 title.

    Off the court, the moment carried deep personal meaning for Noskova, who lost her mother Ivana to cancer two years ago. Unable to hold back tears during her post-match speech, she paid tribute to her late mother, blowing a kiss to the sky after lifting the silverware. “Having shown her heart and desire in spades, Noskova had done her mother proud,” the original report noted.

    Reflecting on the rollercoaster nature of her win, Noskova acknowledged that the pressure of her first Grand Slam final had gotten to her in the second set, leaving her hands frozen and her feet slower than usual. “A final is a final. No matter what you do, there’s always the pressure. You always want to keep your cool, be okay, be like nothing is happening. But deep inside of you you know it’s very important,” she said. “Just winning it this way, really having to fight for it, having all these ups and downs, it matters a lot, but I do have to learn a lot from this match, definitely.”

    For the self-described down-to-earth 21-year-old, the dramatic Wimbledon triumph opens a new chapter in her young career, leaving her with the tennis world at her feet. The match also echoes one of Wimbledon’s most iconic moments of Czech tennis history: Jana Novotna’s 1993 final collapse against Steffi Graf, which saw the Czech cry on the Duchess of Kent’s shoulder before eventually claiming her own title five years later in 1998.

  • Bellingham scores twice to lift England past Haaland and Norway 2-1 and into World Cup semifinals

    Bellingham scores twice to lift England past Haaland and Norway 2-1 and into World Cup semifinals

    MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — The humid 92-degree heat of South Florida could not stop Jude Bellingham from writing a new chapter of World Cup history on Saturday. The 21-year-old Real Madrid midfield star delivered two clutch goals to lift England to a dramatic 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Norway, booking the Three Lions a spot in the tournament’s final four for the first time since 2018.

    The match opened with a brief moment of silence to honor 25-year-old South African midfielder Jayden Adams, whose passing was announced earlier the same day, before play got underway. It did not take long for the underdog Norwegian side to shock the heavily favored English squad. Andreas Schjelderup, making just his second start of the tournament, stunned England, which had dominated possession to that point, in the 36th minute when his shot ricocheted off the right post and rolled into the net. The young winger, who set up both of Erling Haaland’s goals in Norway’s round-of-16 upset win over Brazil, celebrated as his teammates lifted him onto their shoulders, while England’s Harry Kane lingered near midfield, appealing for an uncalled foul.

    Schjelderup’s opening strike put Norway ahead going into halftime, but Bellingham responded with a close-range equalizer before the break that drew a deafening roar from the packed stadium, which included celebrity spectators Mick Jagger and England legend David Beckham. There was minor controversy around the equalizer: moments before Bellingham received the ball, a Norway goal kick appeared to glance off an overhead aerial camera cable before falling to England midfielder Elliot Anderson. Under FIFA rules, a ball striking the cable requires a stoppage of play and a drop ball restart, but tournament officials later confirmed that in-game sensors installed in the match ball confirmed no contact took place, allowing the goal to stand.

    Norway came close to doubling their lead in the 56th minute, when Torbjørn Heggem put a rebound past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford after a corner. However, a VAR review ruled the goal out due to a foul by Haaland in the penalty area. It was one of multiple missed chances for the Manchester City star, who entered the match as the tournament’s joint-top scorer. Haaland was denied a goal by a point-blank save from Pickford in the first half, and was held scoreless for the first time throughout the entire World Cup. Fatigue and a dead leg picked up in the second half forced Haaland off the bench in the second period of extra time, and the star striker sat slumped on the substitution bench, clearly dejected after the premature end to his match. Norwegian head coach Ståle Solbakken defended the choice to substitute his star, noting “He was finished. Maybe I should have taken him out 10 minutes before. … He did everything he could.”

    With the match tied at 1-1 after 90 minutes, Bellingham struck again in the third minute of extra time, slotting home the go-ahead goal that would seal the win for England. When the final whistle blew, Bellingham locked arms with Kane as the thousands of England fans in attendance sang The Beatles’ iconic “Hey Jude” in tribute to the match-winner.

    With the win, England, the 1966 World Cup champions who have carried relentless pressure to return to the tournament final this year, advance to the semifinal round where they will face Argentina. Bellingham now sits level with Kane on six tournament goals, just two goals behind shared leaders Kylian Mbappé of France and Lionel Messi of Argentina, and one behind Haaland. This is Bellingham’s second consecutive two-goal performance, after he netted twice to guide England past co-host Mexico in the round of 16.

    In the aftermath of the win, the England camp saw a public disagreement between head coach Thomas Tuchel and Bellingham over the team’s performance. Tuchel opened his post-match interview with Fox Sports by acknowledging the quality of reaching the final four, but made clear his dissatisfaction: “We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today. The result is fantastic… but I’m not happy with the performance in every sense.” He later clarified in his official press conference that he was proud of the squad’s ability to battle through adversity, but stood by his critique, adding “I think we can play faster. I think we can play more clinical.”

    Bellingham pushed back on the assessment, pointing to the grueling conditions that shaped the match. “Well, whatever,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s difficult out there. It’s a tough shift. My thoughts and appreciation goes to the players out there who put in a great shift.” He also highlighted the mental resilience that carried England through the test: “For me, the biggest one is psychological and how you can manage setbacks, how you can manage adversity. This team showed yet again that they can do it and that’s a really valuable skill and trait to have.”

    For Norway, the defeat brings an end to a breakout World Cup run that captured global attention, marked by the team’s viral “Viking row” celebration and the magnetic charisma of Haaland. This is the first time the Nordic nation has ever reached the World Cup quarterfinals, marking a historic milestone for the program even as their run ends one step short of the final four.

  • Noskova survives tearful meltdown to win first Wimbledon title

    Noskova survives tearful meltdown to win first Wimbledon title

    On a historic Saturday at the All England Club, 21-year-old Czech star Linda Noskova wrote her name into Wimbledon folklore in one of the most breathtaking women’s singles finals the tournament has ever seen. After squandering five consecutive match points and suffering a tearful mid-match meltdown that seemed set to end her run, the ninth seed summoned extraordinary mental fortitude to defeat 10th-seeded compatriot Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, claiming the first Grand Slam title of her burgeoning career. The 2-hour-28-minute clash delivered enough twists and turns to rival a Hollywood blockbuster, capping a fairy-tale run for a player who had never advanced past the quarterfinals of any major before this year’s tournament.

    Noskova dominated the opening set with ease, putting Muchova under constant pressure and closing it out 6-2 to put herself one set away from the crown. When she earned the chance to serve for the match in the second set, she quickly built a 40-0 lead, holding four match points that appeared to seal the win. But a sudden collapse of nerve saw her waste every opportunity, allowing Muchova to break back and level the set. When Muchova held serve to make it 5-5, Noskova dropped a fifth match point, overwhelmed by emotion. She buried her head in a towel to wipe away tears before Muchova closed out the second set 7-5, leaving the Centre Court crowd stunned. A visibly shaken Noskova stormed off court for the decisive break ahead of the third set, a timeout that would prove to be the turning point of the match.

    Pulling herself from the depths of despair, Noskova refocused during the break, breaking Muchova early in the third set and holding firm to close out the match. When the final point landed, she collapsed to the grass in disbelief, finally processing that she had claimed the sport’s most prestigious singles title. This victory makes Noskova the youngest women’s singles champion at Wimbledon in 15 years, echoing the 2011 success of her childhood idol and compatriot Petra Kvitova, who won the first of her two Wimbledon crowns at the same age. Fittingly, Kvitova watched her protégé’s breakthrough from the royal box during the trophy ceremony, completing a full-circle moment for Noskova, who first picked up a tennis racket inspired by Kvitova’s 2011 win.

    The result also extends a remarkable run of Czech dominance at the All England Club: Noskova’s win marks the third time in four years that a Czech woman has lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish, following Barbora Krejcikova in 2024 and Marketa Vondrousova in 2023. Off the court, the 21-year-old has already endeared herself to fans with her quirky personality: she is an avid baker, relies on a series of lucky pre-match rituals, including drinking matcha prepared by a friend every morning during the tournament, and has opened up about the painful grief that shaped her 2024 Wimbledon run, when she competed just weeks after her mother’s death from cancer. That bittersweet memory has now been replaced by a far happier one, easing a small measure of that pain.

    In her post-victory speech, Noskova paid tribute to her opponent and reflected on the grueling physical and mental toll of the tournament. “All these matches have been so tough physically and mentally tough, today especially. It’s never easy to get the last point. Karo, you really made me work for it. All the sad tears, happy tears, sweat, blood and it’s all worth it. I will never forget these two weeks,” she said after lifting the trophy. Muchova, who was competing in her second Grand Slam final, was also emotional after the defeat, but paid tribute to her long-time friend in a lighthearted, gracious speech. “Really tough to find any words, but I’ll start with Linda, my ‘ex-friend’. I’m kidding obviously, kinda! The way you handled it is really unbelievable. Beyond this you are a very kind person. You deserve it,” Muchova said.

    Noskova takes home the £3.6 million ($4.8 million) winner’s prize, cementing her status as one of the most exciting rising stars on the WTA Tour. Notably, she only competed in her first professional grass court match in Birmingham back in 2023, but has since won more grass court matches than any other player on the tour over the past two years. With her first Grand Slam title secured, the 21-year-old has firmly established herself as a force to be reckoned with in women’s tennis for years to come.

  • Buttler and Brook sparkle as England goes top of T20 rankings with clean sweep over India

    Buttler and Brook sparkle as England goes top of T20 rankings with clean sweep over India

    Southampton, England – In a dominant display of aggressive batting that rewrote the T20 international record books, England secured a resounding 56-run victory over India on Saturday, sealing a 4-0 clean sweep of the five-match series and claiming the number one spot in the ICC men’s T20 world rankings.

    The iconic clash at the Utilita Bowl was defined by a sensational second-wicket partnership between star wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler and stand-in captain Harry Brook, who combined for a staggering 233-run stand – the highest partnership for any wicket in England’s T20 international history. The pair rained sixes across the ground, powering England to a final total of 257 for three wickets, the third-highest team total in England’s T20 history and the nation’s largest ever score against India.

    Buttler led the charge with a blistering 131 runs off just 64 deliveries, marking a welcome return to top form for the experienced batter. He smashed 12 fours and 8 sixes on his way to notching his second career T20 international century. Brook continued his outstanding run of form through the series – which opened with a washout abandoned due to bad weather – remaining unbeaten on 95 runs from only 45 deliveries, with 4 fours and another 8 sixes to his name. Only late in the innings did India manage to break the partnership, with all-rounder Shivam Dube claiming two wickets including Buttler’s, though his single costly over conceded 22 runs.

    India’s defeat came after the side won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that would ultimately prove costly. Ahead of the match, India opted to rest 15-year-old teenage prospect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who had failed to deliver a impactful performance across the first three matches of the tour.

    Chasing a mammoth target of 258 runs, India got off to a disappointing start, with opener Abhishek Sharma departing for just three runs. Despite middle-order resistance from Ishan Kishan, who hit 56 runs off 35 balls, and Tilak Varma, who raced to a 25-ball 53, India could only manage a final total of 201 for eight wickets. England’s bowlers controlled the chase effectively: all-rounder Sam Curran finished with figures of three wickets for 36 runs, while veteran leg-spinner Adil Rashid claimed two wickets for just 24 runs. With the result, England displaced India from the top of the T20 rankings, capping off a near-perfect series with an unassailable 4-0 lead heading into the final dead rubber.

  • Noskova holds off extraordinary Muchova fightback to win Wimbledon

    Noskova holds off extraordinary Muchova fightback to win Wimbledon

    On a tense, emotion-charged afternoon at Wimbledon’s Centre Court, 21-year-old Czech rising star Linda Noskova delivered one of the most dramatic women’s singles finals in recent Grand Slam history, battling back from the brink of collapse to defeat close friend and compatriot Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 and claim her maiden major title.

    Noskova, the tournament’s ninth seed, appeared set for a straight-sets rout just an hour into the match, holding a commanding 6-2, 5-2 lead and earning five consecutive championship points to close out the win. But as the finish line came into view, nerves got the better of the first-time Grand Slam finalist, allowing 10th seed Muchova to storm back with five straight games to force a deciding third set. The 15,000-strong Centre Court crowd watched in stunned silence as Noskova’s seemingly unassailable lead slipped away, leaving the young contender facing an unexpected battle for the Venus Rosewater Dish.

    What followed was a masterclass in mental resilience. Rather than letting the collapse derail her, Noskova reset her focus, held steady through the decider, and earned a sixth championship point when she stepped up to serve for the title once again. This time, she did not falter: an ace set up match point, and she sealed the win with a clinical service winner that sent her collapsing to the grass in a flood of relief. Muchova, her doubles partner at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was quick to embrace her compatriot at the net, joking post-match that she was now “my ex-friend” before praising Noskova’s mental toughness. “The way you handled it and the way you played was unbelievable. You deserve it,” Muchova said.

    In her emotional on-court victory speech, Noskova paid tribute to her family, and to her mother Ivana, who passed away on the eve of the Wimbledon tournament two years prior. “I wouldn’t be here without her,” she told the crowd, before blowing a kiss to the sky that earned a standing ovation from the stands. She also thanked her father, who traveled to London for the match, saying “I know you don’t like flying so I appreciate it” as she teared up. She later added of her opponent and the milestone: “I’m glad I played my first major final with you and I think we made history today.”

    Noskova’s win cements the Czech Republic’s ongoing dominance at the All England Club, making her the third Czech women’s singles champion in four years, following Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024. Her triumph was watched from the stands by two of Czech tennis’ biggest icons: nine-time Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova, and two-time winner Petra Kvitova, one of Noskova’s childhood idols.

    Long touted as one of the sport’s most promising young talents, Noskova has lived up to the hype years after she first emerged as a top-ranked junior. She became the youngest player in the WTA top 100 back in 2022, and a run to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Australian Open confirmed her ability to compete at the highest level. Entering this year’s Wimbledon, she had already built momentum by winning the grass-court title in Berlin last month, and her run to the fourth round at the 2023 Wimbledon left her feeling confident on the All England Club’s turf.

    This title run was far from easy, even before the dramatic final. Noskova had to save match point against Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in the third round to keep her tournament alive, making her only the third woman in history to win the Wimbledon women’s singles title after surviving match point earlier in the tournament, following Venus Williams in 2005 and Serena Williams in 2009.

    Along with lifting the iconic Venus Rosewater Dish, Noskova walks away with a £2 million prize purse and a new career-high WTA ranking of seventh in the world, confirming her place among the sport’s elite as she begins what looks set to be a storied Grand Slam career.

  • Merlier wins eighth stage of the Tour de France in bunch sprint

    Merlier wins eighth stage of the Tour de France in bunch sprint

    The 2024 Tour de France delivered yet another thrilling display of sprinting prowess on Saturday, as Belgian rider Tim Merlier pulled off a remarkable comeback victory to claim the eighth stage title in a chaotic bunch sprint finish in the Dordogne region. This win marks Merlier’s second consecutive sprint stage victory and his fifth overall Tour de France stage win across just three appearances in cycling’s most prestigious grand tour.

    Long before the finish line came into view, the stage was widely predicted to end in a mass sprint showdown. The 175.6-kilometer route through Dordogne, a region famous for its rolling hills, medieval castles, and prehistoric cave art, offered few natural obstacles to break up the peloton, setting the stage for the sport’s top fast finishers to compete for the win.

    Early in the stage, a three-man breakaway formed, featuring Belgian Liam Slock, Czech rider Jakub Otruba, and Frenchman Thibault Guernalec. The escape group built a lead of more than two minutes over the peloton at its maximum, but as the race approached the final climbs, their advantage began to melt away. On the 2.2-kilometer Cote du Buisson-de-Cadouin climb, Otruba launched an attack, only for Slock to power past him and strike out on his own solo bid for victory with 40 kilometers remaining.

    Slock, who went viral on social media last month after securing his first pro win despite crashing meters before the line at the Gippingen Grand Prix in Switzerland, held off the peloton valiantly for more than 30 kilometers. But the combined pressure of sprinters’ teams chasing a bunch finish dragged him back just 1.3 kilometers from the line, ending his fairy tale bid for an upset win.

    In the chaotic final kilometers, Merlier looked certain to miss out on the win after getting boxed in and caught out of position heading into the final turn. Former world champion Mathieu van der Poel worked to lead out his Alpecin-Premier Tech teammate Jasper Philipsen for the sprint, and Merlier was caught on the wrong side of a split when van der Poel accelerated early. But the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter dug deep, launching a searing long-range charge from distance to overhaul every rival ahead of him.

    In the final dash to the line, Merlier crossed first ahead of Ethiopian star Biniam Girmay, who finished second, while Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij—winner of the Tour’s first sprint stage on Wednesday—took third. Speaking after the finish, Merlier downplayed claims that he has established himself as the dominant sprinter in this year’s race, highlighting the fight he put in to secure position.

    “I needed to fight for my position all the time until the last minute,” Merlier told reporters. “Just before the corner, I was a bit boxed in, and then they almost crashed. I thought it was over, so I gave it a try to come back off the guys who did the lead out. I was coming with so much speed.”

    With this back-to-back sprint wins, Merlier now sits just 15 points behind green jersey leader Mads Pedersen of Denmark in the battle for the sprinters’ classification. Reflecting on his performance so far in this year’s Tour, Merlier said: “If you win one, you can win a second, and I’m happy. Three sprint stages, I won two. This is definitely my Tour de France.”

  • Merlier wins stage 8 of Tour as race favorite Pogačar keeps yellow jersey

    Merlier wins stage 8 of Tour as race favorite Pogačar keeps yellow jersey

    BERGERAC, France — The 2025 Tour de France delivered another dramatic day of racing Saturday, as Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier notched a fifth career Tour de France stage victory and a second consecutive win with a perfectly timed sprint finish on Stage 8, while defending champion Tadej Pogačar retained the overall race lead and the iconic yellow jersey. The 180-kilometer route stretching from the southwestern French town of Périgueux to southeastern Bergerac played out under sweltering, record-breaking temperatures, part of the ongoing heatwave that has gripped western Europe during this year’s race.

    Four-time Tour champion Pogačar finished safely within the main peloton alongside his biggest overall contender, two-time winner Jonas Vingegaard, and preserved his commanding 2-minute 42-second advantage over Vingegaard in the general classification. Pogačar’s young teammate Isaac del Toro remains in third place overall after eight days of racing.

    Speaking on the grueling heat conditions that tested every rider in the peloton, the Slovenian champion emphasized the extreme challenges of racing in high temperatures. “Just like every day, a lot of water and keep cooling the body down,” Pogačar said after finishing the stage. “The body gets tired in the heat. Definitely we need to be careful and keep cooling down, take care of nutrition, hydration.”

    The sprint finale mirrored the dynamics of Stage 7, with Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel putting in a hard early effort to position his teammate Jasper Philipsen for the run to the line. However, the team’s attack launched too soon, opening the door for Merlier to navigate a chaotic sprint that nearly ended in a crash, before timing his finishing kick to perfection to cross the line first.

    “I needed to fight for my position all the time … I almost crashed, thought it was over,” Merlier told reporters after the stage. “In this heat it was a really difficult effort.”

    Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay claimed second place in the stage, while Dutch rider Olav Kooij finished third. All three top sprinters clocked the same official stage time of 3 hours 52 minutes and 50 seconds.

    The extreme heat has already forced changes to the race’s upcoming schedule. Tour organizers announced Saturday evening that Sunday’s Stage 9, originally planned as an 185.5-kilometer hilly route from Malemort to Ussel in central France, will be shortened by 30 kilometers to 155.5 kilometers. The adjustment comes after the local department hosting the stage was placed on red heat alert, prioritizing rider safety amid dangerous high temperatures. This year’s Tour de France will conclude with its traditional final stage finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on July 26.

  • If you ask Americans, Norway’s Erling Haaland is already a winner

    If you ask Americans, Norway’s Erling Haaland is already a winner

    The 2026 FIFA World Cup has turned a surprise name into a household sensation across the United States, and that name is Erling Haaland. While the Norwegian striker has been a global soccer star for years, competing for the Golden Boot alongside legends like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, and already boasting a Premier League top scorer title and one of the highest salary caps in global sports, it is not his on-pitch talent alone that has won over American audiences. It is his unapologetically goofy, unfiltered persona that has cemented his place in U.S. popular culture.

    Before the tournament kicked off, most casual American sports fans only knew Haaland as a prolific goalscorer, or as the face of viral memes joking about a 6-foot-5 Viking charging at full speed. Today, he is a social media phenomenon, racking up millions of new followers and turning everyday moments into viral content. His Snapchat stories, unscripted interviews, and candid travel vlogs have broken through the polished barrier that separates most A-list athletes from everyday fans. Fans have gone wild for posts like his Shrek-filter selfie captioned “selfie with my twin,” his deadpan apology for misspelling Orlando as “Ornaldo” to all the “perfect brothers and sisters” who caught the error, and his off-the-cuff interactions with followers.

    After Norway’s victory over Brazil, Haaland led his team in a viral Viking-style “Ro!” chant that spread across TikTok and Instagram, bringing a flood of new fans to his pages. Juliana Hofmann, a resident of Millington, New Jersey, told reporters she had never heard of Haaland before the Brazil match, but now her social media feeds are entirely dedicated to content about the striker. “The way he carries himself is amazing, because despite being one of the biggest stars in the world of football, he’s so humble,” Hofmann explained.

    The numbers tell the story of Haaland’s American breakthrough: his Instagram follower count has jumped from 40 million to 60 million over the course of the tournament alone. His vlogs documenting his travels across the United States have racked up millions of views on YouTube, with one popular segment showing him browsing Dallas’ iconic Wild Bill’s Western Store for a new cowboy hat and boots. Draped in a T-shirt that reads “Y’all can kiss my Dallas,” Haaland joked he couldn’t wait to wear his new gear out on the town. Local fans were quick to embrace the moment, with one Instagram comment reading “I think we should keep him!” and another adding “Texas looks good on you!”

    Across the country, casual American sports fans who rarely follow international soccer are declaring their support for Haaland and Norway. At a Norwegian fan celebration in Miami, Florida, American attendee Marie told BBC Mundo: “We’re all rooting for Erling Haaland. We’ve all fallen in love with him. He’s goofy and he’s a beast.” Miami local Robert echoed that enthusiasm, saying “I’m entranced by Mr Haaland. He’s a machine, that guy. Terminator, move over.” Inspired by viral clips of the Norwegian team’s pre-match chants, Robert even organized a Norwegian-style “Ro!” gathering with 10 of his pickleball friends on Miami Beach. “For us Americans who don’t know a lot about soccer… it’s wonderful, he’s amazing,” Robert added.

    The affection between Haaland and American fans is entirely mutual. In one of his travel vlogs, Haaland shared his positive impression of the United States, saying “People are so nice here. They’re so positive. I don’t know what it is, they’re just enjoying life. I’m definitely coming back here.” At a recent press conference, he doubled down on his fondness for his new American fanbase, joking “I like the Americans, I think they are kind of hilarious as well. They are funny, I like the way they are.”

    Haaland’s willingness to engage directly with fans on social media has only deepened his popularity. When an Instagram user posted a clip of a green spring onion joking that it looked just like the striker, Haaland replied with a viral gif of a dog raising its eyebrows as a car window rolls up — a response that has earned nearly 1.5 million likes and spawned a whole new internet trend. Even U.S. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna got in on the joke, posting the spring onion clip to X ahead of Norway’s quarter-final match against England, writing “Just so everyone knows where I stand” alongside a Norwegian flag emoji.

    All of this sets the stage for Saturday’s highly anticipated quarter-final match in Miami, where Haaland will face off against his close friend and former Borussia Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham, now a star with England. The pair played together at Dortmund from 2020 to 2022, and their playful, warm friendship has become another viral social media sensation, with fan-edited montages of their hugs, giggles, and off-pitch antics racking up millions of views. Even after Haaland moved to Manchester City and Bellingham signed with Real Madrid, the pair have remained close, with a pre-corner moment during a Champions League match where Bellingham rested his head on Haaland’s shoulder sending social media into a frenzy. Saturday’s match will mark the first time the two friends have faced off against each other in a World Cup, with a semi-final spot on the line.

    No matter the outcome of Saturday’s match, American fans have already made one thing clear: to them, Erling Haaland is already a winner.

  • ‘I can’t tell the future’: Jason Ryles leaves the door wide open for Jarome Luai to join the Eels where he can nurture the club’s young halves

    ‘I can’t tell the future’: Jason Ryles leaves the door wide open for Jarome Luai to join the Eels where he can nurture the club’s young halves

    The Parramatta Eels, a National Rugby League (NRL) side brimming with highly touted junior prospects, could find the perfect short-term solution to develop their rising talent by landing star playmaker Jarome Luai on a one-year deal, according to head coach Jason Ryles. The speculation around Luai’s move to Parramatta gained momentum earlier this month after his current club, the Wests Tigers, confirmed the playmaker had been granted an early release from the final year of his contract, making him a free agent for the 2027 NRL season. Luai is already set to join newly formed expansion franchise PNG Raiders as their marquee signing in 2028, opening the door for a one-year interim stop at the Eels that aligns perfectly with the club’s long-term development strategy. This is not an untested model for Parramatta: the club already executed an identical one-year deal for young playmaker Jonah Pezet this season, before Pezet departs for the Brisbane Broncos in 2027. Ryles has confirmed the club remains open to replicating that structure for Luai. Speaking to reporters after a recent narrow loss to the Sydney Roosters, Ryles declined to give an immediate confirmation of the signing, noting that recruitment discussions would take place away from match week hype. “Tonight’s about the game, not recruitment. I’ll sit down with club decision-makers and we’ll make a call on this going forward,” Ryles told media. The Eels have a clear gap to fill: they are searching for an experienced halves partner to line up alongside incumbent starting halfback Mitch Moses, and Luai already has a proven track record of chemistry with Moses from their time together representing the New South Wales Blues in State of Origin. When asked if a Luai-Moses pairing could unlock the Eels’ attack in 2027, Ryles simply replied, “I reckon it might.” That veteran presence is exactly what Parramatta’s spine needs right now: the club has locked in a core of young rising stars on long-term contracts, but most are still unproven at the top NRL level. Moses, fullback Isaiah Iongi, young forward Tallyn Da Silva and utility Ryley Smith are all contracted for multiple seasons, with Ryles confirming the club is in the process of extending more young talents as it builds towards sustained long-term success. “When elite players become available, we are always interested, and we are in a position to pull off a move like this,” Ryles said. “We have a really clear long-term strategy we’re working toward. We’ve got Izzy signed for five years, Mitchell for five years, Tallyn for four, and we’ve extended Ryley and a host of other young players. Any elite talent that becomes available that can help us develop our future core will get our full attention.” Promising young playmaker Lorenzo Talataina is widely viewed as the future centerpiece of Parramatta’s halves lineup, but he remains a raw prospect who still needs more game time in lower-grade competitions to refine his skills before making the step up to first-grade NRL. That is where Luai’s experience would provide the most value, Ryles explained, pointing to Iongi’s development pathway at the Penrith Panthers as a blueprint. Iongi spent dozens of games in the NSW Cup learning from champion Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards, a mentorship that prepared him to succeed once he got his shot at first grade. Luai, a seasoned State of Origin and premiership-winning playmaker, would provide that exact same guidance for Parramatta’s next generation of halves, who are not expected to be ready to take over the starting lineup full-time until 2028 at the earliest. When asked if the club’s young crop would be ready for NRL first-grade action next year, Ryles said: “I’m not a fortune teller, I can’t predict what will happen. But we are incredibly lucky to have some very talented young players coming through our system. They just need match reps and time to grow. I use Izzy as an example: he played 60 Cup games behind one of the best systems in the league, and that gave him the best possible chance to get to where he is today. We’re only in year two for him, and he’s still nowhere near his ceiling. Development just takes time.”