Martin Odegaard played very well for Arsenal in their 3-0 win against Manchester City in the Community Shield. After injuries limited his performance last season, Odegaard looks ready to return to top form and has strong competition in midfield with new signing Bruno Guimaraes and others.
Key Facts
Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield match.
Odegaard was named man of the match with excellent passing, dribbling, and possession wins.
Last season, Odegaard was limited to 16 league starts due to knee and shoulder injuries.
He scored 1 goal and made 7 assists last season, the lowest since joining Arsenal permanently in 2021-22.
Arsenal signed Bruno Guimaraes for £75 million to strengthen midfield.
Other Arsenal midfielders include Mikel Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, and Eberechi Eze.
Odegaard played well for Norway in the World Cup, with 4 assists in 5 starts.
Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, expects Odegaard to show an improved and stronger performance this season if he stays fit.
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Formula 1 returns from its summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix upcoming. Cadillac has replaced its team leader early in its first season due to disappointing performance and reliability issues, while Aston Martin hopes a new Honda engine will improve its race results.
Key Facts
Cadillac has not scored any points so far this F1 season and is behind other teams in speed.
Dan Towriss, Cadillac’s CEO, replaced team principal Graeme Lowdon earlier than expected due to poor progress.
Cadillac faced tough challenges, including not having an official entry until just a year before their first race.
Cadillac’s car has frequent brake overheating problems, causing some race stoppages.
Towriss indicated organizational issues like blame culture and poor communication contributed to the changes.
Aston Martin is introducing a major upgrade to their Honda engine at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Aston Martin believes the Honda engine was about 1.5 seconds slower per lap than the best engines earlier this season.
The hope is the new engine will improve lap times by about one-third of the previous deficit.
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Serena and Venus Williams played their first doubles match together in four years at the Cincinnati Open but lost in a close game. This was Serena’s first match since Wimbledon, where she had a knee injury, and Venus has been competing in singles and doubles recently.
Key Facts
Serena and Venus Williams lost their doubles match 2-6, 6-1, 10-8 to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns.
It was their first doubles match together since 2019 and Serena’s first match since Wimbledon.
Serena had a knee injury that forced her to miss other doubles matches.
The sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals together.
They need wildcards to enter singles or doubles at the upcoming US Open starting August 30.
Venus has lost her last 13 singles matches but did better in doubles recently.
The match included a deciding 10-point tie-break, where the Williams sisters lost after a double fault from Venus.
Serena said playing together again was special and fun despite the loss.
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Erling Haaland has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times and aims for a fourth this season. Other top contenders for the league's top scorer include Alexander Isak, Igor Thiago, Joao Pedro, Viktor Gyokeres, and Ollie Watkins.
Key Facts
Haaland scored 112 goals in 132 Premier League games and won the Golden Boot with 27 or more goals in recent seasons.
Mohamed Salah, who won the Golden Boot four times, is no longer at Liverpool.
Alexander Isak joined Liverpool for £125 million but was injured much of last season, scoring only 4 goals.
Igor Thiago scored 22 goals for Brentford last season and played for Brazil in the World Cup.
Joao Pedro scored 15 goals for Chelsea last season after moving from Brighton.
Viktor Gyokeres scored 14 league goals for Arsenal and helped them win their first title in 22 years.
Ollie Watkins is among the top scorers in the Premier League since moving up to the top level.
New managers are involved at Manchester City (Enzo Maresca), Liverpool (Andoni Iraola), and Chelsea (Xabi Alonso), which may affect player performance.
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This article introduces a daily football quiz called "Five in Five," where participants try to answer five questions within five minutes. It encourages readers to take part, visit related quiz pages, and sign up for quiz notifications.
Key Facts
The quiz challenges players to give five correct answers in five minutes.
Today's quiz is created by BBC Sport's Joe Rindl.
Players are invited to come back daily for new quizzes.
There are special pages dedicated to Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes.
Readers can sign up to get quiz updates sent directly to their devices.
The article includes links to other football quizzes about Premier League clubs, player appearances, and women's teams.
Participants can send quiz ideas and contact the quiz team via a contact form.
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The article highlights 13 football players to watch in the upcoming Premier League season. It features a mix of young talents, new signings, and players who may emerge as important figures for their clubs.
Key Facts
Sean Steur, 18, from the Netherlands, recently joined Newcastle United and can play in midfield.
Steur made 25 appearances for Ajax last season and won their best academy player award in 2025.
Caleb Yirenkyi, 20, from Ghana, joined Coventry City for a club record fee of about £25 million.
Yirenkyi played all four matches for Ghana in the World Cup and was Young Player of the Year in Denmark's Superliga.
Oscar Mingueza, 27, a defender from Spain, moved to Crystal Palace after playing for Barcelona and Celta Vigo.
Mingueza had 66 appearances for Barcelona and has played for the Spanish national team.
The players come from various backgrounds, including top academies and international competitions.
BBC Sport commentators selected these players as potential breakout stars for the new season.
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Tyson Bagent, a backup quarterback for the Chicago Bears, is showing promising improvement and confidence as he gains more playing time. His development could make him a reliable backup for the team or a valuable player for other teams if injuries occur.
Key Facts
Tyson Bagent is a backup quarterback for the Chicago Bears.
He has improved significantly with coaching from Ben Johnson.
Bagent’s progress makes him a potential long-term substitute if starting quarterback Caleb Williams is injured.
He has gained enough confidence to be considered a legitimate option at the NFL level.
Other teams might show interest in Bagent before the trade deadline if they need a quarterback.
The Bears would likely only trade him for a strong offer because he is useful to their team.
Bagent was once seen as a long-shot but now looks like he could start for another team.
Having a capable backup quarterback behind Williams provides security for the Bears.
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Trey Smack, a rookie kicker for the Green Bay Packers, showed confidence and strong kicking ability in his first preseason game. His skill could help the Packers improve their success with longer field goals, an area where they have struggled.
Key Facts
Trey Smack is a new kicker for the Green Bay Packers.
He played his first preseason game in Pittsburgh.
Smack appeared confident and demonstrated strong leg strength.
The Packers have had trouble making field goals from 40-49 yards, with only 57% success in recent seasons.
Reliable kicking from this range is important for winning games.
The Packers traded up in the sixth round of the draft to select him.
Smack will need to continue performing well in the regular season.
If successful, he could provide stability and take pressure off the team’s offense.
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Kevin Lamour, FIFA's Director of Operations, was dismissed from his job after he criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his idea to create a commercial company. The dismissal happened amid ongoing discussions about the future and management of FIFA.
Key Facts
Kevin Lamour was FIFA’s Director of Operations.
Lamour criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan for a new commercial company.
Following his criticism, Lamour was removed from his position.
Gianni Infantino is the President of FIFA.
The news links to other sports updates, like tennis player Aryna Sabalenka teaming with Novak Djokovic and Félix Lebrun becoming world number two in table tennis.
The article mentions other sports events but focuses on FIFA leadership changes.
FIFA is the global organization that runs international soccer (football).
The event took place in August 2026.
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Will Howard, a young quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, has performed well in the NFL preseason. Although rookie Drew Allar has drawn more attention, Howard’s strong play and support from the coaching staff signal promise for his future with the team.
Key Facts
Will Howard is a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He was selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Howard has had a strong preseason performance.
Rookie Drew Allar has generated more public excitement with big plays.
Some of Allar’s success came against weaker opponents.
Steelers’ coaches are helping Howard develop his skills.
The Steelers may soon have multiple young quarterbacks worth watching.
This season is the Steelers’ last with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
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Cameroon’s women’s football team won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time by beating Malawi 3-0 in the final. The team was celebrated with a big welcome in Yaoundé and also earned a spot in next year’s Women’s World Cup.
Key Facts
Cameroon’s women’s football team won their first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.
They defeated Malawi with a score of 3-0 in the final match.
The team is called the ‘Indomitable Lionesses.’
The victory earned Cameroon a place in the next Women’s World Cup.
The team received a hero’s welcome when they returned to Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon.
This win is a significant achievement in African women’s football.
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Serena and Venus Williams played their first doubles tennis match together since 2022 at the Cincinnati Open. They lost a close match to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in a final tiebreaker.
Key Facts
The Williams sisters last played doubles together at the 2022 US Open.
They lost the Cincinnati Open match with scores of 2-6, 6-1, and 10-8 in the match tiebreaker.
Venus made a double-fault (missed both serves) that ended the match.
This was their first doubles appearance in a non-Grand Slam event since 2016.
Serena, age 44, returned to the tour this summer after time off since 2022.
They planned to play doubles at Wimbledon but withdrew because Serena injured her knee.
They entered Cincinnati as a wild card entry, meaning they were invited to play despite not qualifying by ranking.
Both sisters said it was special and fun to play together again after a long time.
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Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his first career walk-off home run in the 10th inning, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 7-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Crow-Armstrong also hit a leadoff home run earlier in the game and finished with four hits and a walk.
Key Facts
The game was played at Wrigley Field in Chicago on August 17, 2026.
Crow-Armstrong hit a two-run walk-off home run in the 10th inning.
He also hit a leadoff home run to start the game, which was his fifth of the season.
Crow-Armstrong now has 30 home runs and 31 stolen bases this season, close to his career best.
The Cubs won 7-5, snapping a two-game losing streak.
Seiya Suzuki also hit a home run for the Cubs.
The White Sox had homers from Randal Grichuk and Andrew Benintendi.
Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga struck out 10 batters over six innings.
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LSU head coach Lane Kiffin said money motivates college football players because they can now earn contracts based on their performance, not just scholarships. He believes this makes players take their sport more seriously, as their future earnings depend on how well they play.
Key Facts
Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss to coach LSU, aiming to build a championship-winning team.
LSU has strong financial resources to support a competitive football team.
Players now earn money through contracts tied to their performance, unlike before when they only had scholarships.
Kiffin thinks players treat football more like a professional job because of the financial rewards.
If players do not perform well, they risk not being retained or earning less money.
Some fans worry players may care less when they get paid, but Kiffin says players understand bigger rewards come with success.
Kiffin believes money both creates challenges and motivates players to work harder.
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Kevin Lamour, FIFA’s chief operating officer, has left his job after criticizing FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell future World Cup profits to private investors. The plan, which faced strong opposition from global soccer officials, including top continental federations, was withdrawn following the backlash.
Key Facts
Kevin Lamour left his role as FIFA’s chief operating officer in early August 2024.
Lamour said FIFA staff were “deceived” by Infantino’s lack of openness about the World Cup money plan.
The plan involved selling stakes in future World Cup profits to private equity funds, aiming to raise $20 billion.
FIFA senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro also resigned and called the plan “a bad deal for football.”
Top soccer bodies from Europe, Asia, and North/Central America called the plan a “fundamental breach of trust.”
Infantino withdrew the $20 billion proposal after strong criticism and threats of boycotts by UEFA and other groups.
Some soccer federations withdrew support for Infantino, while others, including six Arab federations, showed full support.
Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016 and is seeking re-election in late 2024.
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Serena and Venus Williams played their first doubles tennis match together since 2022 at the Cincinnati Open but lost a very close game to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns. The sisters showed strong teamwork but lost in the match tiebreaker after Venus committed a double-fault, ending their run in the tournament.
Key Facts
Serena and Venus Williams returned to doubles tennis after several years apart.
Their last doubles match together was at the 2022 U.S. Open.
They lost 2-6, 6-1, (10-8) to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns at the Cincinnati Open.
The sisters made a strong comeback during the match tiebreak but eventually lost.
Venus Williams committed a double-fault that ended the match.
Serena Williams had not played on tour since 2022 and returned this summer at age 44.
The Williams sisters received a wild card to enter the Cincinnati Open doubles event.
Kostyuk is from Ukraine; Stearns is from Mason, Ohio, near the tournament site.
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The Indianapolis Colts have signed veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen to a one-year contract. Allen brings experience to the team as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Key Facts
Keenan Allen is a six-time Pro Bowler and 34 years old.
He has played 12 seasons with the Chargers and spent the 2024 season with the Chicago Bears.
Allen signed a one-year deal worth up to $8.32 million with the Colts.
The Colts traded away Michael Pittman Jr., and Allen will help fill that veteran role.
The team's quarterback is Daniel Jones, who is healthy for training camp.
Wide receivers Alec Pierce and Josh Downs will also be part of the offense.
The Colts have a strong running back, Jonathan Taylor, and a promising tight end, Tyler Warren.
After a strong start last season, the Colts lost their last seven games and missed the playoffs.
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The Texas Longhorns football team is seen by some experts as one of the most talented teams in the country but is not ranked at the top in preseason polls. Despite past struggles, Texas has added strong new players, and their star quarterback, Arch Manning, is expected to perform better this year.
Key Facts
Texas Longhorns have one of the most talented rosters in college football this season.
Arch Manning, the team’s quarterback, is a preseason favorite for the Heisman Trophy, an award for the best college football player.
Texas added new key players, including Cam Coleman and two running backs, Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown.
Last season, Texas was ranked No. 1 preseason but failed to reach the College Football Playoff.
In the previous season, Texas lost to Ohio State on the road.
This year, Texas will host Ohio State on September 12, a game that could show which team is stronger.
Some experts think Texas deserves the top spot in preseason rankings but no voters placed them there.
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Arizona Diamondbacks player Ketel Marte did not show up for a game against the Boston Red Sox and was placed on the restricted list. The team says he is dealing with a personal issue, but details are not yet clear.
Key Facts
Ketel Marte is a three-time All-Star second baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
He missed the August 12, 2026 game against the Boston Red Sox without explanation.
Manager Torey Lovullo said Marte is dealing with a personal problem.
Marte was placed on the restricted list after missing the game.
This is the second time in two seasons Marte went missing during the season.
Last year, he missed games after his home in Arizona was broken into.
Arizona called up Jose Fernandez to fill Marte’s spot on the roster.
Marte had a batting average of .249 with 21 home runs and 67 RBIs in 118 games this season.
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Jeanie Buss is trying to stop her siblings from selling the family’s remaining 17.8% share of the Los Angeles Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner. She argues that selling the shares would violate NBA rules requiring the controlling owner to keep at least 15% ownership, which affects her role as the Lakers’ controlling owner.
Key Facts
The Buss family plans to sell their 17.8% share of the Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner.
Jeanie Buss’s lawyer claims the sale breaks a court order requiring approval from all co-trustees.
NBA rules require the controlling owner to hold at least 15% of a team’s shares.
Jeanie Buss became the Lakers’ controlling owner and governor in 2013 after her father’s death.
The family previously sold the Lakers to Mark Walter for $10 billion in a deal led by Jeanie Buss.
Mark Walter sold the Lakers to Iger and Kushner last week for $12.5 billion; the NBA must approve this sale.
If approved, Iger and Kushner would own about 83% of the team.
The NBA board of governors will decide on the sale at a meeting scheduled for September 15.
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