IN CLUB WORLD CUP

Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive, Maheta Molango says the Club World Cup is devaluing football because players cannot perform properly.

High temperatures have impacted players, while low crowds have also been a factor in Fifa’s extended competition in America.

Meanwhile, Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called the competition the worst idea ever implemented in football.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola understood Klopp’s position, but felt competing in the Club World Cup was the price of success.

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Brazil international, Joao Pedro has become the 18th forward to sign for Chelsea in just over three years under their current owners.

He joins from Brighton in a deal worth sixty million pounds, taking their total spending on attackers in that period to five hundred and sixty million pounds.

The 23-year-old could go straight in to the squad for Chelsea’s Club World Cup quarter-final with Palmeiras on Saturday in Philadelphia.

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Chelsea defender, Levi Colwill says he is yet to reach the level that he wanted as a defender.

Despite being a regular starter for Chelsea, Colwill said that he struggled in the 2024-25 season.

Staff member to read the book Atomic Habits by James Clear to help him cope with different environments.

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Everton defender, Jarrad Branthwaite has signed a new five-year deal with the club.

The 23-year-old, who joined the Toffees from Carlisle United in January 2020, was the subject of two rejected bids from Manchester United last summer.

He also attracted interest from a number of clubs this summer – including Chelsea and Tottenham.

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Brighton has signed French defender Olivier Boscagli following his departure from PSV Eindhoven.

The 27-year-old, who can play as left-back or centre-back, has signed a five-year contract with the south-coast club.

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IN NIGERIA

Super Eagles defender Bright Osayi-Samuel says he is optimistic that the team will win its remaining games and qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Osayi-Samuel stated that the team can still qualify for the biggest football showpiece in the world.

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Super Eagles star who plays for KRC Genk, Tolu Arokodare says his journey with the national team has been amazing.

Arokodare stated that he was determined to keep shining for Nigeria after netting his first international goal.

Meanwhile, Burnley, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Fulham have linked with Super Eagles star Tolu Arokodare.

Arokodare was one of the top performers in the Belgian Pro League last season.

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Flying Eagles head coach, Aliyu Zubairu has defined his objectives as the team resumed camping in Abuja ahead of the upcoming WAFU B Under-twenty Nations Cup.

Zubairu stated that the team was taking proactive measures to ensure that the challenges its encountered previously are addressed, squarely.

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Kwara United duo Shola Abdulraheem and Yahaya Ibrahim have both been invited to the Flying Eagles squad ahead of the Under-twenty WAFU B tournament in Ghana.

The Flying Eagles resumed training in Abuja ahead of the Under-twenty WAFU B tournament scheduled from 10th to 23rd July.

The Flying Eagles are in Group A with hosts Ghana, and Benin Republic.

The tournament is part of preparations for the Flying Eagles for this year’s FIFA Under-twenty World Cup in Chile, set for 27th September to 19th October.

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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled a new trophy ahead of this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

CAF said the new design represents more than a piece of silverware; it is a celebration of equality, unity, and excellence.

It added that the new trophy forms part of CAF leadership’s goal of developing and growing Women’s Football in Africa and making African Women’s Football amongst the best in the world.

After selecting more athletes during a two-day trial, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria has reopened its camp for the Confederation of African Athletics U-18 and U-20 championships, which will be hosted in Abeokuta, Ogun State, from 16th to 20th July.

The selected athletes resumed camping in Sagamu, Ogun State, after the national trials ended at the Gateway Stadium.

AFN had invited 90 junior athletes to camp in June before holding the trials.

The AFN is also expected to release the final list of athletes for the championships soon, as other countries that will be competing in Nigeria have done.

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Nigeria’s hopes of featuring in the relay events at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo have received a timely boost following the announcement of the AFN/Dynamic Athletics Meet scheduled for 10th July at the Yabatech Sports Complex, Lagos.

The second edition of the Dynamics Meet, now officially partnered with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, is being positioned as a critical qualification platform for Nigerian relay teams and athletes from other countries yet to secure a spot in Tokyo.

Nigerian boxing legend Charles Nwokolo has said that he was deeply honoured with his induction into the World Boxing Council Legends of Boxing Museum at the 17th Anniversary ceremony held in Los Angeles, California.

The former African and Commonwealth champion, known to his boxing fans as ‘Young Dick Tiger’, was inducted alongside boxing luminaries including Sugar Shane Mosley, Jack Mosley, Lamon Brewster, and 1984 Olympian Virgil Hill.

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OTHER LEAGUES

Bayer Leverkusen has signed defender Jarell Quansah from Liverpool in a thirty-five million pounds deal.

The 22-year-old centre-back joined the German Bundesliga club on a five-year contract.

Quansah was part of the England side that won the European Under-21 Championship by beating Germany in the final on Saturday.

His move is the third deal between the clubs this summer after Liverpool signed midfielder Florian Wirtz and defender Jeremie Frimpong.

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Rangers has signed midfielder Joe Rothwell from Bournemouth and defender Emmanuel Fernandez as new head coach Russell Martin continues to reshape his squad.

The Scottish Premiership runners-up announced that 23-year-old Fernandez has been secured on a four-year contract, with 30-year-old fellow Englishman Rothwell signing up for three.

Rothwell was on loan to Leeds United from the Cherries last season, making thirty-nine appearances, twenty-seven of them starts, as they won the Championship and promotion.

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Celtic manager, Brendan Rodgers, says the team need to do more in the transfer market, but not a major overhaul of the club.

Rodgers recruited goalkeeper Ross Doohan, forwards Benjamin Nygren and Callum Osmand, plus defender Kieran Tierney, while left-back Greg Taylor has joined PAOK.

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Finland women star Katariina Kosola’s fine strike clinched a one-nil win for the team over 10-player Iceland to kick off Euro 2025 in Switzerland.

Iceland were reduced to 10 players when Hildur Antonsdottir was shown a second yellow card for stamping on Eveliina Summanen’s ankle with 33 minutes remaining.

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Spain women head coach, Montse Tome says Aitana Bonmati is so eager to play in the team’s opening Euro 2025 match against Portugal despite being treated for viral meningitis just days ago.

However, Bonmati remains a doubt for Thursday’s game after Tome warned against rushing the two-time Ballon d’Or winner back to action too soon.

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OTHER SPORTS

In Tennis, British number one Emma Raducanu produced one of her best displays in recent memory to sweep aside 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova and reach the Wimbledon third round.

In an outstanding performance marked by authority and intensity, the 22-year-old won 6-3 6-3 in just 82 minutes amid an electric atmosphere on Centre Court.

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Also, University student Ollie Tarvet was unable to create one of the biggest shocks in Wimbledon history as the Briton’s dream run came to an end against two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

The 21-year-old qualifier put up an entertaining fight – showing signs of his vast potential – but ultimately lost 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 on Centre Court.

Ranked 733rd in the world, Tarvet created 11 break points against the five-time Grand Slam champion.

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In Cricket, England have been held up by India captain Shubman Gill’s patient century as their bowlers fought admirably on day one of the second Test at Edgbaston.

After captain Ben Stokes opted to bowl first again, his bowlers battled against Gill’s calmness and another flat pitch to limit India to 310-5 at the close.

Chris Woakes bowled KL Rahul off the inside edge in a fine new-ball spell and Brydon Carse found extra bounce to have Karun Nair caught at slip for 31 shortly before lunch.

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In Rugby, Elliot Daly will have an X-ray after injuring his forearm in the second half of the British and Irish Lions’ win over the Queensland Reds.

The versatile 32-year-old made his first Test start at full-back in four years in England’s win over Italy in March, but had stolen a march on rivals for the 15 shirt Hugo Keenan, Blair Kinghorn and Marcus Smith with his good form on tour.

Keenan and Kinghorn, who played for his French side Toulouse in last weekend’s Top 14 final, are still to take the field for the Lions.

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In Golf, Gary Woodland will be part of his first Ryder Cup in September, two years after undergoing brain surgery.

It will be in a non-playing role, with United States captain Keegan Bradley naming the 41-year-old as his fifth and final vice-captain for the 45th Ryder Cup, which will take place at the Bethpage Black course in New York from 25th to 28th September.

Woodland, who won the 2019 US Open, joins Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker as vice-captains on a US team aiming to regain the trophy after Europe claimed victory in Rome in 2023.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game….words from Donald Trump.