Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) won the UEFA Super Cup for the second year in a row by beating Aston Villa 2-1 in Salzburg, Austria. Desire Doue scored the winning goal after a video review, while Aston Villa’s 17-year-old Brian Madjo scored in his first big European match.
Key Facts
PSG beat Aston Villa 2-1 to win the UEFA Super Cup for the second consecutive year.
Desire Doue scored the winning goal in the 61st minute after a video review confirmed he was onside.
Brian Madjo, 17 years old, scored for Aston Villa and became the youngest player to start and score in a UEFA Super Cup final.
The match is played annually between the winners of the Champions League (PSG) and the Europa League (Villa).
The referee was Omar Artan from Somalia, the first non-European to officiate the Super Cup.
The U.S. barred Artan from the FIFA World Cup due to unproven security concerns, but UEFA assigned him to this match.
UEFA and FIFA have growing disagreements, including UEFA’s campaign to remove FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Artan gave three yellow cards to Aston Villa players during the match.
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was the focus during a pre-season game against Leeds at Croke Park, where fans showed strong support for him. Despite speculation about his future and interest from other clubs, Fernandes’ contract situation remains unsettled as Manchester United tries to manage wages and keep key players.
Key Facts
The pre-season match between Manchester United and Leeds took place at Croke Park, a large stadium in Ireland.
Fernandes was warmly received by a sold-out crowd and involved in key moments, including a shot that hit the bar.
Fans rushed onto the pitch to take selfies with Fernandes, causing the game to stop early and go to penalties.
Fernandes missed a penalty but Manchester United won the shootout 5-4.
Several clubs, including Juventus, AC Milan, and Galatasaray, are interested in signing Fernandes.
Fernandes has a £57 million release clause allowing overseas clubs to buy him.
His contract with Manchester United is in the final year, with an option for one more season, but no new deal has been agreed upon.
Fernandes prefers to stay at United and compete for trophies, but salary demands and wage budget limits could complicate renewal talks.
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Bruno Guimaraes played his first game for Arsenal in a 1-1 friendly draw against Como at Emirates Stadium. He showed promising skills and settled into the team well during the match and a subsequent penalty shootout.
Key Facts
Bruno Guimaraes joined Arsenal from Newcastle United for £75 million.
He made his debut at Emirates Stadium in a friendly match against Como.
Myles Lewis-Skelly scored first for Arsenal, but Como equalized with a goal from Martin Baturina.
Guimaraes came on at half-time and made key defensive plays and passes.
He played alongside captain Martin Odegaard in midfield.
Arsenal’s coach Mikel Arteta used a mix of young players and strong starters during the game.
Guimaraes scored a penalty in the shootout after the match.
Arsenal will play their first competitive game of the season in the Community Shield against Manchester City on Sunday.
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Atletico Madrid has agreed to pay £34.2 million to buy Cristian Romero from Tottenham Hotspur. Romero, who has played five seasons for Tottenham and captained the team last season, will be Atletico’s fourth signing this summer.
Key Facts
Atletico Madrid will pay £34.2 million (40 million euros) to Tottenham for Cristian Romero.
Tottenham keeps a 15% sell-on clause, meaning they get a cut if Atletico sells Romero later.
Romero played 156 games and scored 13 goals for Tottenham since joining in 2021.
He is an Argentina international and played almost all games in the recent World Cup.
Tottenham did not want to sell Romero to their rivals Arsenal.
Tottenham also expect to lose Djed Spence, who is in talks to join Inter Milan for £25.6 million.
Atletico has already signed Kang-in Lee, Morten Hjulmand, and Alejandro Grimaldo this summer.
Atletico finished fourth in La Liga last season and want to strengthen their team under coach Diego Simeone.
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Lionel Messi is thinking about retiring from football after his father died. Messi, who plays for Inter Miami and is under contract until 2028, shared his uncertainty about continuing his career despite his many achievements in the sport.
Key Facts
Messi is 39 years old and currently signed with Inter Miami until 2028.
He recently lost his father, Jorge, which has made him reconsider playing football.
Messi has scored a total of 921 goals for teams including Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami, and the Argentina national team.
His first hat-trick (three goals in one game) was in a big match called El Clasico against Real Madrid in 2007.
One of his most famous goals involved dribbling past five defenders before scoring, similar to a legendary goal by Diego Maradona.
Messi scored his first Champions League final goal with a header in 2009 against Manchester United.
He has scored four or more goals in a game multiple times, including against Arsenal in 2010.
Messi holds the record for most goals scored for Barcelona, with 672 goals by the time he left in 2021.
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Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce said quarterback Patrick Mahomes is playing very well during training camp. Mahomes is recovering from a serious knee injury but looks ready for the team’s first game of the season.
Key Facts
Travis Kelce signed a one-year, $12 million deal to play the 2026 season with the Chiefs.
Kelce said his strong bond with Mahomes was a big reason for returning.
Patrick Mahomes tore both his ACL and LCL in a game late last season.
Mahomes’ injury ended the season early for him and the Chiefs had a poor finish.
Despite the injury, Mahomes is competing at a high level in training camp.
Coaches and teammates praise Mahomes’ recovery and performance.
The Chiefs start their season on September 14 against the Denver Broncos.
Mahomes looks ready to play and not held back by his knee injury.
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Russell Westbrook, a famous NBA player known for his many triple-doubles and being the 2017 Most Valuable Player (MVP), announced his retirement after 18 seasons. He shared his decision on social media with a video narrated by Michael B. Jordan.
Key Facts
Westbrook played 18 NBA seasons and was part of the league’s 75th anniversary team.
He retired as the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209.
He won the NBA MVP award in 2017 after setting a record with 42 triple-doubles in one season.
Westbrook was the 4th overall pick in the 2008 draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, who soon became the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He played most of his career (11 seasons) with the Thunder and last played with the Sacramento Kings.
Westbrook also played for Houston, Washington, the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, and Denver during his career.
He won an Olympic gold medal in 2012 at the London Games.
In his final season, he started 58 of 64 games, averaging 15.2 points and 6.7 assists per game.
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During a practice session at the Air Force Academy, football players were treated to a flyover by F-16 fighter jets. The jets flew close enough to catch the players' full attention and excitement as they prepared for their season.
Key Facts
The flyover took place during a fall camp practice at the Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The jets used were F-16 fighter jets.
Flyovers at games are common, but flyovers at practice are rare.
Air Force Academy players are also military cadets who will serve in the military after college.
Other military schools like the Army and Navy also have football teams known as Black Knights and Midshipmen.
Players showed excitement despite being familiar with military jets.
Seeing the jets may remind players why they joined the Air Force Academy.
Some players may become fighter jet pilots themselves in the future.
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Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken is deciding between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders for the starting quarterback spot through practice competition. Watson, recovering from a torn Achilles tendon injury and surgery, is working to show he can perform like he did earlier in his career with the Houston Texans.
Key Facts
Todd Monken has not yet named the Browns’ starting quarterback for the 2024 season.
The competition is between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders.
Watson missed all of last season due to rehab from Achilles tendon surgery in January 2025.
Watson played four seasons with the Houston Texans, earning Pro Bowl honors three times.
Watson was the NFL passing yards leader in 2020 with 4,823 yards and 33 touchdowns.
After 2020, Watson requested a trade and was eventually traded to the Browns in 2022.
Watson’s record as Browns starter through 2024 is 9 wins and 10 losses.
The Browns’ first preseason game is against the Chicago Bears on August 15, with the starting QB not yet decided.
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Matthew Hudson-Smith won the 400m gold medal at the European Championships held in Birmingham. This victory made him one of the most successful male athletes in the history of the championships.
Key Facts
Hudson-Smith won the 400m race in 44.17 seconds.
This was his third consecutive gold medal in the 400m at the European Championships (2018, 2022, 2024).
He has won eight medals at the European Championships, matching the men’s record held by Christophe Lemaitre.
The race took place at the stadium where Hudson-Smith trained as a junior, which now has a stand named after him.
He started athletics at age 10 with the Birchfield Harriers club.
Hudson-Smith has five gold medals at the championships, equaling the British athletes Mo Farah and Roger Black.
His success also matches Dina Asher-Smith as the most decorated British athlete in the event’s history.
Great Britain won three gold medals at this championship, with Emily Newnham winning silver in the women’s 400m hurdles.
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The Seattle Mariners have claimed catcher Willie MacIver off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays. MacIver, who has mostly played in minor leagues, will add depth to the Mariners' catching roster and aim to get more time in major league games.
Key Facts
Willie MacIver is a 6-foot-2 catcher claimed by the Mariners from the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays designated MacIver for assignment earlier this week.
MacIver played in Triple-A this season, with 8 home runs, 50 runs batted in (RBI), and a .253 batting average in 74 games.
Last season in Triple-A, he had a .362 batting average with 7 home runs and 56 RBI in 54 games.
He appeared in 32 MLB games last season with the Oakland Athletics.
In his MLB debut season, he hit 3 home runs, 5 doubles, 9 RBI, and had a batting average of .186.
The Mariners hope MacIver will provide more options and depth at catcher.
MacIver is 29 years old and looking to gain more major league experience.
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The Boston Red Sox have removed pitcher Seth Martinez from their roster, a process called "designated for assignment." They have also called up another pitcher, Alec Gamboa, from their minor league team in Worcester.
Key Facts
The Red Sox designated relief pitcher Seth Martinez for assignment, meaning other teams can claim him.
Seth Martinez appeared in one game with the Red Sox this season and allowed one earned run in one inning.
Last year, Martinez played six games with the Miami Marlins, recording a 5.40 earned run average (ERA) and four strikeouts.
This season, he mostly played for Triple-A Worcester, with a 3-2 win-loss record, 5.55 ERA, and 49 strikeouts in 33 games.
Over his career, Martinez has played 118 Major League Baseball (MLB) games with Houston, Miami, and Boston.
In his MLB career, he has a 6-6 win-loss record, a 4.03 ERA, and 127 strikeouts.
The Red Sox called up pitcher Alec Gamboa from their Triple-A team to join the major league roster.
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NBA star Russell Westbrook announced his retirement from basketball through a video posted on social media. Westbrook, a former MVP and nine-time All-Star, is widely expected to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Key Facts
Russell Westbrook posted a retirement announcement video narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan.
Many expected Westbrook to return for a 19th NBA season, and there were rumors of him possibly playing in Israel.
Westbrook has a 99.93% chance to enter the Basketball Hall of Fame.
He never won an NBA championship but reached the finals in 2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Westbrook won the NBA MVP award in 2017 after averaging a triple-double that season.
He averaged a triple-double four times in his career and led the league in scoring twice and assists three times.
After 11 seasons with the Thunder, Westbrook played for several other NBA teams, including the Wizards, Rockets, Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, and Kings.
ESPN reports that Westbrook had offers to continue playing but chose to retire on his own terms.
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Russell Westbrook announced his retirement from the NBA after 18 seasons. The announcement included a farewell video narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan, and Westbrook finished his career with the Sacramento Kings.
Key Facts
Westbrook played 18 NBA seasons and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2017.
He is the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209. A triple-double means reaching double digits in three statistical categories in one game, usually points, assists, and rebounds.
Westbrook was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft, selected by the Seattle SuperSonics, who became the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He spent 11 seasons with the Thunder and played for several other teams, including Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Sacramento Kings.
He led the NBA in assists three times and was named All-Star Game MVP twice.
Westbrook won an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. basketball team at the 2012 London Games.
His last NBA triple-double came on March 15, 2026.
In his final season with Sacramento Kings, he averaged 15.2 points and 6.7 assists over 64 games.
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Aaron Rodgers will end his NFL career after this season. The Packers-Steelers preseason game will be played in Pittsburgh instead of Green Bay, which Rodgers said he is disappointed about because he hoped for a farewell game in Green Bay.
Key Facts
Aaron Rodgers has announced this will be his final NFL season.
Rodgers played 18 years with the Green Bay Packers, the team that drafted him.
He won a Super Bowl with the Packers in 2011.
The Packers-Steelers preseason game will take place in Pittsburgh rather than Green Bay.
Rodgers hoped to play his farewell game in Green Bay to visit former teammates and staff.
Rodgers has won four MVP awards and been selected to 10 Pro Bowls.
He holds several NFL records, including the highest single-season passer rating.
Rodgers ranks among the top in career passing yards and touchdowns and will be a Hall of Fame inductee.
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Rick Sapienza, who played one season in the American Football League (AFL) in 1960, has died at age 90. He was part of the first teams of both the Boston Patriots and New York Titans (later the Jets), and later taught and coached high school football in Massachusetts.
Key Facts
Rick Sapienza was from Massachusetts and died on August 2 at age 90.
He played professional football only in 1960, the AFL's first year.
Sapienza was on the first rosters of the Boston Patriots and New York Titans.
The Boston Patriots became the New England Patriots in 1971 after merging with the NFL.
The New York Titans were rebranded as the Jets in 1963 before the merger.
Sapienza was initially signed by the Patriots but played games only for the Titans.
He mainly punted for the Titans and accidentally caused a turnover that helped the Patriots win their first game.
After football, he became a teacher and coach at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School in Massachusetts.
His family includes athletes at the college level in football and baseball.
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The Washington Nationals removed pitcher Miles Mikolas from their roster after a very poor season. Mikolas struggled with a high earned run average (ERA) and contributed to the team's losses, which have hurt their chance to reach the playoffs.
Key Facts
The Nationals designated right-handed pitcher Miles Mikolas for assignment in 2026.
Mikolas signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract before the season.
He had a 3-9 win-loss record and a 5.82 ERA over 116 innings pitched.
Mikolas allowed 27 home runs, nearly matching last year's total in fewer innings.
The Nationals have one of the worst pitching performances in MLB, with a 4.74 team ERA.
The team is five games behind for a playoff spot after losing nine straight games.
Mikolas previously had two All-Star seasons, in 2018 and 2022, with better performance.
Despite his tough season, other teams might still consider signing Mikolas.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka left practice due to a minor toe injury. This is positive news since Egbuka is expected to have a bigger role this season after key players left or are injured.
Key Facts
Emeka Egbuka is a second-year wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He left practice on Wednesday because of a toe injury.
The injury is minor and not expected to be serious.
Veteran wide receiver Mike Evans left the Buccaneers to join the San Francisco 49ers.
Other receivers like Chris Godwin Jr. and Jalen McMillan are also dealing with injuries.
In his rookie season, Egbuka caught 63 passes for 938 yards and six touchdowns.
Egbuka was the 19th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and played college football at Ohio State.
The Buccaneers will start their preseason on Aug. 14 and their regular season on Sept. 13.
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Great Britain's Angharad Evans won gold in the 100m breaststroke at the European Championships in Paris with a new British and championship record time. Other notable performances included medals for British swimmers in different events and an Italian swimmer breaking the world record in the 50m backstroke.
Key Facts
Angharad Evans won the 100m breaststroke gold with a time of 1:04.87, a British and championship record.
Evans broke the championship record in both the semi-final and final.
Ireland's Mona McSharry took silver, and Italy's Benedetta Pilato won bronze in the 100m breaststroke.
Filip Nowacki from Great Britain was the fastest in the 200m breaststroke semi-final and is set for the final.
Amalie Smith from Great Britain won silver in the 400m individual medley and previously won gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
Italian swimmer Sara Curtis broke the 50m backstroke world record with a time of 26.63 seconds.
Curtis improved the previous world record by 0.23 seconds, which was held by Kaylee McKeown of Australia.
Great Britain’s relay teams continue to compete strongly in various events at the championships.
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The Jonas Brothers will perform at halftime during the NFL season opener between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. This game will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia and will be the NFL’s first regular season game held there.
Key Facts
The NFL season opener will be played in Melbourne, Australia.
The game features the San Francisco 49ers vs. the Los Angeles Rams.
The Jonas Brothers will be the halftime show performers.
The game will air on Netflix in the United States on September 10.
This is part of the NFL’s international schedule spanning seven countries and four continents.
The Jonas Brothers have sold over 20 million albums.
The group recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The NFL sees this game as a historic event for expanding its global reach.
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