By Kevin Dotson, CNN Rugby great Doddie Weir has died at age 52, according to a statement from the Weir family that was released through the Scottish Rugby Union. Weir died six years after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). “Doddie was an inspirational force of nature,” the Weir family wrote. “His unending energy
Continue ReadingBy Allison Rosen, for CNN “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” William Shakespeare had no idea that those same words would apply to one of today’s ongoing terminology rivalries stretching across the Atlantic — the debate of association football versus soccer. Or as the Men in Blazers podcast once put it,
Continue ReadingBy Issy Ronald, CNN Defending champion France became the first side at the 2022 World Cup to reach the knockout stages with a 2-1 victory over Denmark, sealed by a late goal from star forward Kylian Mbappé. Les Bleus enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening 45 minutes, but Denmark’s defense held firm as
Continue ReadingBy George Ramsay and Amy Woodyatt, CNN FIFA President Gianni Infantino pleaded with countries to let football take center stage ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, but it hasn’t quite worked out like that. Soccer’s global governing body has found itself at loggerheads with seven European nations over the threat of sanctions for any
Continue ReadingBy Alasdair Howorth, CNN All eyes will be on Lionel Messi and his Argentina side on Saturday as they look turn around a dreadful start to the World Cup. La Albiceleste were humiliated when they threw away the lead to lose 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in their opening Group G match at the World Cup.
Continue ReadingBy Steve Almasy, CNN Los Angeles Lakers starting point guard Patrick Beverley has been suspended for three games for knocking Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton to the court during a game Tuesday, NBA officials have announced. “The suspension was based in part on Beverley’s history of unsportsmanlike acts,” the NBA said in a news release
Continue ReadingBy Ben Church, CNN There were no goals in Friday’s game between the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) and England in a key World Cup game at Qatar 2022, but the result spoke volumes as to where this American team looks to be heading. Facing an England team full of superstars that reached the European
Continue ReadingChris Eldergill and Zayn Nabbi, CNN Ahead of England’s World Cup clash with the United States on Friday, world soccer’s governing body FIFA said that Crusader costumes worn by England fans are “offensive.” Some England fans attend sports events dressed as the English patron Saint George, equipped with helmets, crosses and plastic swords. FIFA told
Continue ReadingBy Issy Ronald and Matias Grez, CNN Five-time World Cup champion Brazil will be without stars Neymar and Danilo for their next match due to injury, the team announced on Friday. Brazilian team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed both players will miss the team’s next match against Switzerland on Monday, but remained hopeful they would play
Continue ReadingBy Aimee Lewis, CNN Two late goals secured Iran a sensational 2-0 win against Wales to maintain its hopes of qualifying for the World Cup knockout stages. Rouzbeh Cheshmi struck from distance to brilliantly give Iran the lead in the 98th minute, while Ramin Rezaeian sealed the win in the 101st minute, securing Iran its
Continue ReadingBy George Ramsay, CNN After a frustrating 1-1 draw against Wales, this World Cup isn’t about to get any easier for the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT). A promising first-half performance and a well-taken goal from Timothy Weah was canceled out by Gareth Bale’s late penalty on Monday as the youthful USMNT team was
Continue ReadingBy Ben Church, CNN Watching Cristiano Ronaldo in the first half of Portugal’s World Cup opener against Ghana on Thursday, you could feel the frustration from the stands. The striker still looked the part, waving to the crowds and receiving the biggest cheer of anyone when the starting lineups were announced before kickoff. He was
Continue ReadingBy Ben Morse, CNN On one side of the pitch was a team made up some of the biggest names in world soccer. On the other was a grave digger, a dishwasher and a postman. The result seemed a formality. However, in front of approximately 10,000 fans — and one intrepid US reporter — in
Continue ReadingCNN By Issy Ronald and Charlie Gibson, CNN Before anyone else has arrived, Ruben Dias is at Manchester City’s training ground, ready to begin his day. “The problem is, I go in the building and, when I come out, it’s dark already,” he jokes to CNN Sport, while driving through Manchester to join up with
Continue ReadingBy Issy Ronald and Charlie Gibson, CNN Before anyone else has arrived, Ruben Dias is at Manchester City’s training ground, ready to begin his day. “The problem is, I go in the building and, when I come out, it’s dark already,” he jokes to CNN Sport, while driving through Manchester to join up with his
Continue ReadingBy George Ramsay, CNN Two days after his turbulent departure from Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo will begin his World Cup campaign with Portugal and look to put events from the last week-and-a-half behind him. Portugal faces Ghana at Stadium 974 on Thursday, kicking off what will likely be the 37-year-old Ronaldo’s final World Cup —
Continue ReadingBy Ben Church, CNN Canada was taught a tough lesson as it lost 1-0 to Belgium in its first World Cup match for 36 years on Wednesday. Despite all its dominance, Canada couldn’t get the goal it so richly deserved and had the frustration of seeing Alphonso Davies’ penalty saved by Belgian keeper Thibaut Courtois
Continue ReadingCNN By Zeena Saifi, CNN A day after Saudi Arabia’s historic win against Argentina at the Qatar World Cup, the Kingdom’s sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal says he’s “waiting for someone to wake me up.” “It’s been an unbelievable result. The team played really well, they prepared for three years for this day,
Continue ReadingBy Zeena Saifi, CNN A day after Saudi Arabia’s historic win against Argentina at the Qatar World Cup, the Kingdom’s sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal says he’s “waiting for someone to wake me up.” “It’s been an unbelievable result. The team played really well, they prepared for three years for this day, the
Continue ReadingBy Ben Morse, CNN In the past, there have been rumblings of football matches being shortened from their traditional 90-minute length to appeal to a younger generation, one used to digesting content quickly. But, at the 2022 World Cup, audiences are experiencing games which have just got longer — a lot longer. We’ve seen fourth
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