There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to follow themselves.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help you by figuring out what you missed but shouldn’t have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

Murakami Back

Munetaka Murakami helped propel the White Sox to relevancy in his first 57 games in the majors, by batting .240/.378/.560 with 20 homers through May 29. The rookie first baseman ended up on the IL with a hamstring strain, however, and only recently returned after missing 35 games. While he struggled a bit in his first week back, the second one has been much better: Murakami has a 1.126 OPS in his last six games, and on Sunday against the Astros went 3-for-5 with a career-high six RBIs in a 12-3 win.

Murakami responded to a first-inning solo homer by Astros’ shortstop Jeremy Peña by belting a two-run shot off Ronel Blanco in the bottom of the inning.

Peña tied things back up with his second dinger of the day, but Murakami gave the White Sox back the lead with an RBI ground out in the third. In the seventh, with Chicago already up 6-3, he hit a two-run single to make it five RBIs on the day.

He wasn’t done yet, however: his third and final hit against Houston was a second home run, No. 22 on the season, to give Chicago a 12-3 lead and Murakami his sixth ribbie of the game.

All of this on his bobblehead day, too! Murakami, despite missing dozens of games, is just one home run behind Blue Jays’ third baseman Kazuma Okamoto for the most-ever by a Japan-born rookie — Okamoto just passed the previous record held by Dodgers’ two-way star Shohei Ohtani. With Murakami feeling healthy and looking as much again, Okamoto might not hold onto that record for very long.

Phillies Snap Losing Streak

The Phillies have had it rough of late, going just 9-11 in July to this point after back-to-back 18-win months to reverse their early struggles. Philadelphia has dropped series to the Mets, Dodgers and now Yankees in a row, but on Sunday, at least Philly avoided a sweep with a convincing W over New York.

Second baseman Bryson Stott made it 2-0 Phillies in the second with his eighth homer of the year, a hard liner 110 mph off the bat against Will Warren — this one got out of the park in a hurry.

In the next inning, third baseman Alec Bohm hit a three-run double to make it 5-0, and then Stott added a single to put the Phillies up by half-a-dozen.

While New York would cut that lead in half with a three-run fifth, Philadelphia didn’t wait long to push it back to a six-run lead and then more. Shortstop Trea Turner singled in a run in the seventh, then Bohm was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, plating another. Stott then came up again, and hit his 20th double of the year to clear the bases and make it 11-3, as well as giving himself a five-RBI performance.

DH Ben Rice would hit a garbage time solo shot to make it 11-4, but that was all for scoring from both sides from there. Stott went 3-for-4 with a run, homer, double and five RBIs, which was more than enough to support a quality start from Cristopher Sánchez.

While the Phillies are 5.5 back of the Braves now thanks to recent struggles, they are still two ahead in the NL wild-card race, with seven teams within seven games of them in the standings. Things could be worse, and if this just ends up being a little midseason slump and not more of Philadelphia’s early season struggles, then that lead should be plenty. That’s why they play the games, though!

Marlins Do Not Snap Losing Streak

While the Phillies ended a four-game skid, the Marlins weren’t so lucky. Miami was swept by the Padres and have lost a franchise-worst 12 games in a row, and this coming off of a June in which the Marlins led the majors with 20 wins.

Just as bad is how Miami lost this one. It was leading 3-1 through seven innings, but in the eighth, everything unraveled fast. DH Manny Machado — who to that point was responsible for the lone Padres’ run, on an RBI double in the fifth — came up to the plate with second baseman Jake Cronenworth already on base. Cronenworth had hit a leadoff single against new pitcher Lake Bachar, and Machado would follow that with his 23rd homer of the season — tie game, 3-3.

Machado, by the way, is now up to a 102 OPS+ on the season after an abysmal May and most of June, as he’s hit .293/.390/.638 with seven doubles and 11 homers over his last 31 games and 136 plate appearances. Center fielder Jackson Merrill would hit the go-ahead dinger two batters later, then backstop Luis Campusano would drive in third baseman Luis Rengifo to make it 5-3.

The Padres’ bullpen would hold Miami down the rest of the way, and with the W move back to .500, at 53-53. The Marlins are now actually a game behind the Padres in the NL wild-card race: San Diego is two back, Miami three.

Birthday Grand Slam!

Ryan O’Hearn’s birthday is July 26 — hey, that was yesterday — and he celebrated the best way an MLB player can. Not just with a win, but with one he was largely responsible for: the Pirates defeated the Cubs, 8-7, in a game in which O’Hearn hit a grand slam. A birthday grand slam!

That was his 17th homer of the year, and it was huge for the Pirates: with the Diamondbacks losing, Pittsburgh picked up a game in the NL wild-card standings, and sits just one game behind Arizona for the third of three spots now, allowing them to keep pace with the Nationals.

Miz Is Ridiculous

The Brewers have wanted to try to give Jacob Misiorowski a bit of a break when possible, given he’s in his first full season in the majors and has already thrown nearly as many innings in 2026 as he did in all of 2025 across the minors and MLB. So, you knew he wasn’t going to actually have a shot at matching or setting any strikeout records on Sunday, but that didn’t make his performance any less exciting. Miz struck out the first seven Rockies he faced, and 11 of the first 12. Through the first four innings, he had allowed zero baserunners, to boot.

Misiorowski ended up getting “just” one strikeout in the fifth, and allowed his sole hit and run of the day on a solo homer by rookie center fielder Cole Carrigg. Milwaukee lifted their young ace at 83 pitches rather than push him, trusting that the pen and lineup could make this 3-1 lead last, and they sure did. Not only did the bullpen match Miz by giving up just one more run, but the Brewers scored another eight for an 11-2 final.

The 24-year-old Miz is leading the majors with 185 strikeouts in 120 innings: he’s struck out a league-best 13.9 batters per nine and 40.6% of the batters he has faced. His ERA is also leading the majors, at 1.58 — there is a whole lot of season left and little reason to push Miz now, not when what’s in front of both the Brewers and Misiorowski is bigger than a July matchup against the Rockies. No offense, Colorado, you get it.

Little League Dinger!

The Twins took down the Athletics, 11-8, and got there in part thanks to a Little League home run. In the bottom of the first, right fielder Kody Clemens came up with a runner on, and hit a triple to right field on a line drive. That should have just made it a 2-0 game, but shortstop Alika Williams made a bad throw.

The Twins’ social media accounts initially described it as an inside-the-park homer, but Williams was charged with an error, making this the Little League variant of a homer. The run counts the same, though, and that 3-0 lead Minnesota started with stands out in a game won by three runs.

The A’s continue to spiral and now have the second-worst record in the American League, but Minnesota finds itself one game back of a wild-card spot after taking this weekend series, behind the Guardians and ahead of the Mariners, Astros, Orioles and Tigers, all of which are within 3.5 games of Cleveland.

Arozarena and Canzone Down Rangers

The Mariners aren’t back over .500 yet despite sitting 1.5 back of a wild-card, but got a little closer on Sunday with a win over the Rangers — Seattle is also just 1.5 back of Texas in the AL West standings, so it isn’t stuck going for just one race here.

In a 6-4 victory, most of the damage was done by Randy Arozarena and Dominic Canzone. The latter was Seattle’s DH, while the former lined up in left, and the two hit third and fourth in the lineup, respectively. That ended up mattering, because in the seventh, Canzone hit his 16th homer of the year, a three-run shot to put the Mariners ahead, 4-3…

…and then Arozarena followed with a solo shot on the very next pitch, a middle-middle cutter.

Canzone would add another in the ninth with an RBI double, his third hit and fourth RBI of the day.

All told, the duo went 6-for-10 with two runs and five RBIs, and most of that coming against the Rangers’ bullpen: Jacob deGrom threw five innings and allowed just one run with four strikeouts and no walks, but the pen erased that work in short order.

A Blast From Adell

Would you like to see Angels’ right fielder Jo Adell hit a 446-foot home run?

That was actually his second blast of the day, as well as second and third RBIs — the Angels ended up defeating the Giants, 4-3, with that absolute shot being the difference.

Wood Reaches 30 Homers

There are now five MLB players with 30 home runs in 2026, thanks to Nationals’ right fielder James Wood making the Diamondbacks’ day a bad one. Wood went 2-for-4 with a pair of homers and three RBIs to go along with a walk and two runs, helping to power a 10-7 dub for the Nats.

His first one was a shot, too, at 430 feet and 108.3 mph off the bat, and it also tied the game up 4-4 in the fifth. Then, in the eighth, Wood hit one “just” 418 feet to left-center, with a 109.6 mph exit velocity.

Wood is now one homer shy of his 2025 total, a career-best 31, with 56 games to go in 2026. He’s hitting .271/.396/.557 while leading the NL in OPS and total bases and the majors in runs and walks. Oh, right, and he’s still just 23 years old.

Mets Avoid Dodgers’ Sweep

The Mets are reportedly preparing to trade… well. A lot of players. New York is just 44-62, in last place in the NL East and holding the second-worst record in the NL despite an estimated payroll of $366 million, so some changes have to be made. On Sunday, though, the Mets looked like they were supposed to, defeating the Dodgers 8-3.

Offseason trade acquisition — and likely future member of [contender] Freddy Peralta, in the midst of a disappointing campaign, went four innings but gave up three runs before handing things off to a bullpen that was up to the task. The offense did its job, too, with left fielder Tyrone Taylor hitting a three-run shot in the sixth to put New York up, 4-3.

The offense did not look back. A passed ball resulted in another run in the seventh, then second baseman Marcus Semien — who had come into the game as a defensive sub — launched a three-run homer to make it 8-3, the final score.

It’s not a loss that will harm the Dodgers overly much: Los Angeles still has the best record in the majors and is 12 games up on the next-closest NL West team even though Arizona is also in possession of a postseason spot right now. It’s a good reminder for the Mets, though, that they have pieces worth dealing and pieces worth keeping, all in the name of getting it right next time.

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DeVonta Smith is once again the big man on campus. 

Smith went from being a Heisman Trophy winner in 2020, to the Eagles’ No. 1 receiver as a rookie in 2021.

However, the very next season, A.J. Brown came to town. 

Since then, the two have shared the spotlight on the outside in Philly, but Brown was almost universally regarded as the No. 1 wide receiver. 

But now Brown is in New England, and Smith is back to where it all started — as the top wideout.

So, who will have a better 2026? Let’s see what the odds say about the former teammates, as of July 27 at DraftKings Sportsbook.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Most regular-season receiving yards

A.J. Brown: -125 (bet $10 to win $18 total)
DeVonta Smith: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total)

Most regular-season receiving TDs

A.J. Brown: -200 (bet $10 to win $15 total)
DeVonta Smith: +155 (bet $10 to win $25.50 total)

During that rookie season, when Smith was the Eagles’ top target on the outside, he caught 64 balls for 916 yards and five touchdowns in 16 starts. 

Those are big-time numbers for a first-year player. 

However, Philly landed Brown via trade prior to the 2022 season, giving the Eagles a two-headed monster. 

In their first year together, Smith registered 1,176 yards and seven scores in 17 starts, while Brown tallied 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns (16 starts). 

Brown was subsequently named a Pro Bowler for the second time in his career. He was also named second-team All Pro.

In 2023, Brown received the same accolades after putting up 1,456 yards and seven TDs (16 starts), and then in 2024, he was named second-team All-Pro again, tallying 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns (13 starts).

As for Smith, in 2023, he put up 1,066 yards and seven TDs (16 starts), and in 2024, he went for 833 yards and eight scores (13 starts).

Last season, Smith had 1,008 yards and four TDs, and Brown had 1,003 yards and seven TDs.

In June, Brown was traded to New England.

Joining Smith in Philadelphia is rookie wideout Makai Lemon, the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He had 1,156 receiving yards and 11 TDs at USC last season. 

Brown will now serve as the top receiving option for Drake Maye in New England. He will lineup alongside former Packers wideout Romeo Doubs, who had 724 yards and six scores in Green Bay last season.

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Here’s what’s happening this week Inside The Garage:

• It’s Heim Time in the Cup Series
• A new home for the Clash?
• Jimmie Johnson to drive the No. 48 one last time

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY (Indianapolis) — Corey Heim has driven eight races this year and has scored more points than the other heralded young NASCAR Cup Series prospect.

Heim has more points than full-time rookie Connor Zilisch has earned in 22 races, thanks to his two victories and Zilisch’s string of races where he hasn’t finished.

That’s right, two victories — at Naval Base Coronado last month and then Sunday at the Brickyard 400 — in eight starts. That’s eight starts with a part-time fourth car at 23XI Racing, so that’s part of the equation. He has some of the best equipment in the NASCAR Cup Series garage.

Corey Heim is making his case as the best young driver in NASCAR.

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“The competition in this series is kind of like no other, but the fact that we’ve had everything line up really well as far as the speed in these Toyotas this year with 23XI specifically, has been just surreal,” Heim said in his postrace news conference.

But it takes more than equipment to be the first driver since A.J. Foyt to win two Cup races in his first 15 overall series starts. And he’s the first part-time series driver to win two races in a season since both Davey Allison and Tim Richmond accomplished the feat in 1987.

The 24-year-old Heim has won 21 of the last 40 truck races he has entered and won the 2025 series title. He is set to be a full-time Cup driver in 2027 with 23XI.

“He’s really talented.” three-time Cup champion Joey Logano told me after the race where Logano finished third. “Turns out, I know his trucks are good, but I think the driver was spectacular. 

“He’s got it. We’re going to be battling him forever. He’ll be here longer than me. He’s a lot younger than me, but he’ll be here the whole time. Just a solid racecar driver. He does the right things. He doesn’t get risky. He doesn’t get nervous. Just executes really well.”

Logano gave Heim the push he needed on a late restart to win the Brickyard 400 and Heim took it from there.

Joey Logano commended Corey Heim for his skills behind the wheel.

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“He put together a magnificent last run,” Christopher Bell told me after finishing second to Heim. “He was loose. My guys were saying he was loose. I could kind of see him wiggling a little bit. He did a great job, and he didn’t make a mistake and won the race.”

Heim’s accomplishments are no surprise to those who worked with him. Because he is in a part-time car, Heim is also often the first to go out and qualify. That typically means, at best, a mediocre starting position.

“If we would have had a better [spot when going out] in qualifying, we would have won more already,” Heim crew chief Bootie Barker said in his postrace news conference.

Barker wasn’t trying to be boastful. He says it as fact, just like he did when he first explained how Heim has won two races as a part-time driver.

“Everybody thinks I’m always joking, but I mean what I say: He’s more talented than anybody else,” Barker said. 

Barker then couched that comment: “That’s almost being a disservice to some of the great drivers here. That’s not the case. Like all the people we were racing at the end are the best of the best, tremendous [and I] show much respect to them.

“But Corey is there in talent. Corey is also there in work ethic. He’s there as far as a mentality. He has all that.”

The contention between Carson Hocevar (pictured) and Corey Heim continued on Sunday at the Brickyard.

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But the bottom line is that the kid has enough talent that he already has a simmering rivalry with Carson Hocevar that has followed them from their time together competing in trucks. They don’t like each other and at one point, Hocevar flipped off Heim for the way he blocked Heim.

Heim didn’t care. He won. And Hocevar, who has one Cup victory in nearly three seasons at the Cup level, certainly recognizes Heim’s talent.

“He’s really good with air and manipulating air,” Hocevar told me after the race. “We have a lot of similarities from that standpoint, and I think that’s why you know in trucks and then here, we’re up front and … it’s almost like we know each move because that’s what I would be doing or that’s what he would be doing.

“Their stuff’s really fast. [I was the] top Chevy for us. That’s good.”

That could sound like a little bit of sour grapes. Probably is, but it’s also a little bit of fact.

“Toyota [is the reason for it],” 2012 Cup champion Brad Keselowski told me about Heim’s accomplishments after the race. “He’s doing a good job.

“You can’t take anything away from Corey. He’s executing these races well. He’s not beating himself. His pit crew is doing everything right. And he’s in the fastest cars. It’s really impressive.”

Heim can’t really describe how he has won two races with a part-time team other than to surmise that he can focus more on each individual race since he runs on a limited basis. He also drives for Toyota when the manufacturers have data-gathering tests, giving him plenty of track time when he isn’t in a Cup car or the occasional truck.

The two wins probably change what people would expect of him next year as a full-time driver. He is going to be a serious threat to make The Chase.

“I definitely felt like this year started off rockier than I would have liked,” Heim said. “I went to Daytona and crashed. At Kansas, we finished worse than we did the previous year. It’s been a steady incline up to this point. Winning San Diego, top-10 in Chicago, winning here [at the Brickyard], it’s been a heck of a last couple races.

“If you asked me four months ago what my expectations were for 2027, I would have answered differently than now for sure.”

So what’s next?

“Clearly, he’s with a great team,” Bell said. “And he’s a great driver. He’s a Cup guy. He’s going to do really well next year.”

In The News

— Jimmie Johnson will get to use the No. 48 for his final Cup race, the 2027 Daytona 500. Johnson worked a deal with Hendrick Motorsports for use of the number he had for his seven Cup titles. The number is currently used for the car of Alex Bowman, whose number for the Daytona 500 has not been announced.

— Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has purchased a charter from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the INDYCAR Series. The team has not named a driver and noted that whether it is Chevy or Honda next year is still to be determined. The organization has run Chevys recently in its Indianapolis 500 attempts.

— St. Petersburg Grand Prix weekend will include both INDYCAR and the Craftsman Truck Series next season as this year’s doubleheader was deemed a success. It is expected to be the INDYCAR opener. The dates are set for March 5-7, 2027.

— NASCAR’s preseason Clash is expected to move from Bowman Gray Stadium to its original location, Daytona International Speedway, according to a report in The Athletic. The event is expected to be Saturday night before the Super Bowl and four days before Daytona 500 qualifying.

NASCAR’s Clash was held at Bowman Gray Stadium this year but is expected to return to Daytona in 2027. 

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— Brad Keselowski confirmed that RFK Racing picked up the option on Ryan Preece for 2027 a few months ago, and they are set to race the No. 60 car chartered or unchartered next season. The organization is leasing a charter this year that will go to Legacy Motor Club for 2027.

— NASCAR will increase the amount of practice for Cup cars from two groups for 25 minutes apiece to one group for 50 minutes starting with the race weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway next month.

— NASCAR Vice President for Vehicle Performance Eric Jacuzzi announced on LinkedIn his departure from NASCAR: “Bittersweet but after almost 13 years at NASCAR it’s time for something different.” Jacuzzi was NASCAR’s lead aerodynamicist & played pivotal role in aero package development. 

Chase Clinched 

These drivers have clinched spots in The Chase following Indianapolis:

Cup — Ty Gibbs clinched to join Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney.

O’Reilly — Carson Kvapil, Sheldon Creed, Corey Day, Brandon Jones and Austin Hill clinched to join Justin Allgaier and Jesse Love.

Truck — Christian Eckes and Gio Ruggerio clinched to join Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt and Chandler Smith.

Picture This

Social Spotlight

They Said It

“You love talking about a guy that finished ninth.” — Race winner Corey Heim following a couple of questions about Carson Hocevar.

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

It’s Heim Time once again as Corey Heim earned his second victory of the season — this time winning the famed Brickyard 400.

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The 2026 Super Bowl favorites have added the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

After falling just short of a Super Bowl appearance last season, the Los Angeles Rams made the biggest move of the offseason by acquiring Myles Garrett in a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns back in June. 

Garrett now has a chance to accomplish something only a handful of players ever have: win DPOY in back-to-back seasons and three times in four years. 

He’ll also look to become the first Rams player to earn the honor since Aaron Donald in 2020. Donald won the award three times (2017, 2018 and 2020).

So can Garrett chase Donald’s legacy? Let’s take a look at the odds to win the 2026 NFL Defensive Player of the Year at DraftKings Sportsbook as of July 27. 

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Myles Garrett is the +450 to win the 2026 NFL DPOY (David Crane/Getty Images).

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2026 NFL DPOY odds

Myles Garrett: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Will Anderson Jr: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Maxx Crosby: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Aidan Hutchinson: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Nick Bosa: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Nik Bonitto: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
T.J. Watt: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Brian Burns: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Jared Verse: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Trey Hendrickson: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)

Here’s what to know about this oddsboard:

What to Know: Garrett won the AP NFL DPOY award unanimously in 2025. The former No. 1 overall pick received all 50 first-place votes after breaking the single-season sack record with 23 sacks. Next on the oddsboard is Will Anderson Jr. and Maxx Crosby. In 2025, Anderson recorded 12 sacks and was fourth in the league in pass rush win rate at 23%. Meanwhile, it has been an eventful offseason for Maxx Crosby. He was initially traded to the Ravens, but the blockbuster deal fell through after Baltimore backed out following his physical. As a result, Crosby will remain with the Raiders for the 2026 season. He recorded 10 sacks in 15 games last season.

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Cape Verde made more World Cup history on Monday when Sidny Lopes Cabral won the public vote for goal of the tournament.

Lopes Cabral’s curling shot into the far top corner of the Argentina net was a standout moment at the World Cup where the unheralded African team made a stellar debut.

His goal tied defending champion Argentina at 2-2 in extra time of their thrilling round of 32 game in Miami Gardens. Cape Verde would eventually lose 3-2.

Cape Verde pulls even AGAIN vs Argentina Sidny Lopes Cabral curls in STUNNING goal in extra time

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Lopes Cabral’s goal was voted best of the 308 goals scored at the tournament, ahead of Eldor Shomurodov’s delicate lob for Uzbekistan against Congo and Wilson Isidor of Haiti scoring with a powerful rising shot against Morocco.

FIFA drew up a shortlist of 12 goals for public voting that closed Monday.

Lopes Cabral’s celebration also entered World Cup lore as he broke free of teammates reaching to grab him before climbing into the tribune to hug his girlfriend and look for his mother.

“Before the game, I’d told my mom and my girlfriend that if I scored, I’d run over to them,” he said. “When I got there, I saw my mom crying. She hadn’t even realized I was right there. Everyone was busy tending to her because she had fainted when I scored.”

Cape Verde defied both World Cup finalists in its four games, after goalkeeper Vozinha’s standout display saw his team open with a 0-0 draw to stun eventual champion Spain.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Andrea Pirlo is out of contention for the Italian national team job amid political concerns over a sponsorship deal with a Russian betting firm.

Maldini, the federation’s technical director, and his adviser Leonardo handed their resignations to federation president Giovanni Malago just 16 days into his new job as the technical director for the Azzurri, according to Sky Sport Italia.

This comes after Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti had already turned down offers to coach a national team that has failed to qualify for three straight World Cups.

The crisis surrounding Italy’s once-proud squad is expanding to new dimensions four months after the four-time World Cup champion was beaten by Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff.

Pirlo himself confirmed that he was out in an Instagram post Monday, saying he “heard last night that I’m no longer the candidate for the Italy national team job.”

Several Italian politicians had raised concerns about Pirlo’s contract to be an ambassador for Fonbet, saying the national team coach should not have conflicting views.

Pirlo, who had been prepared to leave his current job as coach of Dubai United, was an unpopular choice after unsuccessful stints coaching Juventus and Sampdoria — despite having been one of the standout players when Italy last won the World Cup in 2006.

Pirlo said the Fonbet deal was linked to his job in the United Arab Emirates and is “exclusively for commercial and sports” purposes.

“Attributing a political significance to that collaboration means attributing beliefs to me that I have never expressed and don’t belong to me,” Pirlo added. “My love for Italy doesn’t depend on a job. It’s part of my history, my identity and it will remain forever.”

Pirlo Was Not The First Choice

(Photo by Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

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Pirlo was at best a third choice after Brazil coach Ancelotti and former Manchester City manager Guardiola turned down offers from Maldini and special adviser Leonardo.

But Pirlo was preferred by his former AC Milan teammate Maldini ahead of figures like former Italy coaches Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte because he was seen as someone more willing to adapt to new policies and promote younger players in an attack-minded system.

Gennaro Gattuso, another former Milan player, left as Italy’s coach by mutual consent in April after the defeat in Bosnia.

What’s Next For The Azzuri?

(Photo by Ivan Romano/Getty Images)

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Now Mancini and Conte are back being discussed for the job.

The final decision lies with Italian soccer federation president Giovanni Malagò, who was elected in June after leading the Milan Cortina Olympics organizing committee and, previously, the Italian Olympic Committee.

Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the following year’s World Cup before bolting to take over Saudi Arabia’s national team. He left Saudi Arabia in 2024 and was most recently coach at Al-Sadd in Qatar.

Conte coached Italy to the quarterfinals of the 2016 European Championship and was most recently at Napoli.

Another option could be former Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi, who is currently coaching in the Saudi league.

Whoever gets hired will be Italy’s fourth coach in as many years.

When Luciano Spalletti was fired after Italy lost its opening qualifier to Norway last year, Claudio Ranieri turned down an offer to replace him and the much less experienced Gattuso was hired instead.

Italy next plays in September and October, when it will face Belgium, Turkey and France in the Nations League.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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North Carolina football is reportedly under investigation by the College Sports Commission, per Pablo Torre. This comes on the heels of football GM Michael Lombardi being placed on paid administrative leave on Monday.

The College Sports Commission concerns itself with revenue-sharing and its cap, third-party NIL deals and sport-specific roster limits, meaning that an investigation into UNC’s football team is related to one or more of those areas. Division I athletes are required to report NIL deals of $600 or more, and the College Sports Commission also determines whether these NIL contracts are for “valid business parternships” and that they do not “exceed a reasonable range of compensation,” per the organization’s own website.

What, specifically, UNC is being investigated for is unclear. In the recent past, however, the College Sports Commission has found potentially precedential success. In May, the CSC won in arbitration against Nebraska players, who had agreed to third-party NIL deals that the commission argued lacked a valid business purpose.

As for Lombardi, UNC did not provide reason for his being placed on administrative leave. noting that employees and athletes aren’t permitted to address the topic “as is standard procedure with personnel matters.” The Athletic reported that Lombardi was placed no leave due to a “human resource complaint,” per multiple sources, and that “Lombardi’s actions are believed to be of interest” in the CSC investigation.

Lombardi joined Bill Belichick in making the NFL-to-college move when the school hired the former New England Patriots coach in December 2024. Lombardi’s career as an NFL executive had included being the GM of the Cleveland Browns in 2013, and he was an immediate hire by the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach in Chapel Hill.

The school had hired Belichick to jolt a football program that had largely been an Atlantic Coast Conference also-ran while making periodic but unsustained climbs into national relevance.

A few months into Belichick’s tenure, Lombardi said the goal was running a college program in a way similar to the NFL, saying the Tar Heels “consider ourselves the 33rd (NFL) team” due to the staff connections to the pros.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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France captain Kylian Mbappé has reached out to the nation with a deeply personal open letter following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.

The Real Madrid superstar expressed his gratitude to the supporters and his teammates while reflecting on a tournament that ended in heartbreak for the Bleus in North America.

Mbappé Reflects On World Cup Heartbreak

One week after the World Cup campaign that ended on a sour note for the French national team, who finished fourth after being beaten by England in the third place playoff, Mbappé chose to address the fans directly through an open letter published in the regional daily press on Monday. In this letter, illustrated with personal photos, including a childhood memory of himself in front of a poster of his idol Thierry Henry, Mbappé did not hide the pain he felt after the team’s failure.

“We didn’t bring home a team trophy. It hurts, and it will continue to hurt for a while, I’m not going to lie to you about that,” Mbappé wrote.

A Powerful Message To French Fans

A large part of the letter is dedicated to French fans, who followed the team’s adventures despite the significant time difference. Mbappé noted the dedication of fans throughout France and beyond. “You stayed up late, sometimes until the dead of night depending on the time zone, to watch us play on the other side of the world. You gathered at home, in bars, with family or friends, all over France and beyond,” he emphasized.

“Others were right there with us, in the stadiums, flags draped over their shoulders. Children with shining eyes, men and women of all backgrounds and generations, united by the same joy: the joy of sharing. That’s the power of this sport. And you never gave up on us, even in the toughest moments, even when we least deserved it. This story was written by millions of hands, not just eleven on the field, all driven by the same passion.

“Above all, it’s passion, the same passion that drives us on the pitch and drives you, in front of the screen and in the stands. That’s what we experienced together, an incredible story.”

Individual Pride And A Tribute To The Collective

Mbappé finished the competition as top scorer with an impressive total of 10 goals. However, this individual distinction remains secondary in his eyes compared to the ultimate goal that eluded Les Bleus, who crashed out to eventual winners Spain in the semi-finals. “I take the title of top scorer with pride, but it would have been so much better with the cup as well. Perhaps we owed you a better ending. But we don’t always choose the ending of the story, we choose what we put into it, and we put everything into it. We are proud of that,” he affirmed.

The captain also didn’t forget his teammates, paying a heartfelt tribute to those who helped him achieve his exceptional statistics: “Thank you to my teammates. Without their work, their runs, their passes, without this team spirit that carried us from the first to the last match, I could never have scored so many goals. This title belongs as much to the team as it does to me. As a child, I dreamed of playing in a World Cup, at least one. I played in three, I won one, and this year, I had the honor of playing in it as captain. I will never forget it.”

Football ‘Brings Us All Together’

Mbappé was keen to acknowledge the work of his mentor Didier Deschamps, who is set to be replaced at the helm of the national team by Zinedine Zidane, and the entire coaching staff: “I’ve already said what I had to say to Didier, he knows it. Thank you to him, and to all his staff too: physiotherapists, cooks, trainers, drivers, all those people no one ever sees and without whom none of this would be possible. And to those who welcomed us to the United States throughout this tournament.”

In conclusion, Mbappé reiterated the simple values ​​of football, the game that has captivated him since his childhood: “Football, at its core, remains a game. A game that we take very seriously, that we work our whole lives to try to master, but a game nonetheless, with its simple rules that haven’t changed since we started playing it: ball, goal, desire to score. That’s why it brings us all together with the same passion.”

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Former France international Karim Benzema has offered his total institutional and personal backing for Zinedine Zidane ahead of his expected appointment as head coach of Les Bleus. The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner labeled his former Real Madrid boss a true “legend” and a “big brother”.

Benzema Rolls Out The Red Carpet For ‘Big Brother’

Benzema has publicly thrown his complete support behind Zidane as the French Football Federation moves to finalize a historic managerial transition. Speaking candidly during an interview with Konbini for their popular “In or Out” segment, the veteran striker couldn’t hide his excitement regarding the tactical shift on the horizon. Following France’s disappointing semifinal exit at the 2026 World Cup, the long-standing Didier Deschamps era is rapidly coming to a close, with Zidane heavily tipped to take formal charge of the national team.

“He’s a legend, he’s the big brother,” Benzema stated, reflecting on the deep structural bond the pair forged while securing multiple Champions League crowns together at the Santiago Bernabeu. “Am I happy about him becoming the manager of Les Bleus? I don’t know for sure if it’s him, but if it is him, yes, I am seriously happy.”

A Potential International Return

The arrival of Zidane would naturally spark intense speculation regarding Benzema’s own international future. Despite being 38 years old, the veteran forward continues to demonstrate his clinical edge in front of goal. Currently playing for Al-Hilal, the French striker has maintained impressive statistics, recording nine goals in 13 appearances this season. This follows a prolific stint at Al-Ittihad, where he found the net 57 times in 87 matches.

However, any potential comeback would depend entirely on Zidane’s vision for the squad and the evolution of the current offensive ranks. The French attack has undergone a significant transformation recently, with younger talents like Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola joining established stars like Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembele.

Benzema’s Numbers Under Zidane

During his two spells playing under Zidane at Madrid (2016-18 and 2019-21), Benzema was one of the manager’s most trusted attacking outlets, netting 108 goals across that period, a tally bettered only by Cristiano Ronaldo among Zidane’s squad. The Frenchman’s understanding with his compatriot on the touchline helped fuel some of the most prolific attacking spells of the era, even as he often played a supporting role alongside Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in Los Blancos’ famous “BBC” forward line.

Zidane’s reign also proved historically successful from a silverware standpoint, with Benzema sharing in an unprecedented run of three consecutive Champions League triumphs (2016, 2017 and 2018), as well as two LaLiga titles, multiple UEFA and Spanish Super Cups, and FIFA Club World Cup crowns. Across two stints at the Santiago Bernabeu.

A New Era Begins

Zidane’s long-awaited unveiling as France coach is finally set to become official. The French Football Federation announced that a press conference will take place this Tuesday. FFF president Philippe Diallo will lead the event, which follows an extraordinary meeting of the federation’s executive committee earlier that same morning.

Barring a last-minute twist, Diallo is expected to formally introduce Zidane as Didier Deschamps’ successor at the helm of Les Bleus. The French Football Federation has not yet confirmed the appointment, but its president, Philippe Diallo, has said an announcement will be made before the end of the month, and Tuesday’s press conference appears to be the moment that promise is fulfilled.

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Arsenal are weighing up what would be one of the most sensational transfers of all time, but the odds are stacked against them in their bid to pull it off. Over the weekend, it emerged that the Gunners are considering an approach for Real Madrid superstar Vinícius Júnior, while Los Blancos were, in turn, intensifying their efforts to land RB Leipzig’s €120 million-plus-rated breakout talent, Yan Diomande.

Predictably, questions are being asked of where Diomande will fit in at Madrid, and the timing has certainly aroused suspicion that Real are looking to replace Vinícius as the Premier League champions explore a deal for the Brazilian, who is still yet to agree a new contract at the Bernabeu.

But will one potential transfer really have any effect on the other? It has already been a dramatic summer window despite the distraction of the 2026 World Cup, but this seismic saga surrounding two of the world’s most coveted wingers has the potential to top the lot.

One In, One Out?

There were fewer than 24 hours between the explosive revelations that Madrid had joined the race to sign Diomande and that Arsenal were exploring the possibility of bringing in Vinícius over the weekend.

Real swiftly moved into pole position in the race for Ivorian winger ahead of the likes of Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, with the latter eventually dropping out of contention. While a total package of €120m (£103m/$136m) was expected to be rejected by Leipzig, it’s anticipated that a deal will be struck in due course.

That makes Arsenal’s interest in Vinícius all the more intriguing. The Gunners have sensed a market opportunity given the 26-year-old has remarkably entered the final year of his contract without reaching some sort of resolution on an extension, and they may well have perceived Madrid’s imminent big spend on another winger in Diomande as an openness to a sale.

Taking Advantage

Arsenal’s interest is described as being in “at an early stage” by The Athletic, and while an unrealistic €160m (£137m/$182) fee has been touted in Spain, it’s clear the Premier League winners want to take advantage of the fact that a superstar like Vinicius could be available for a cut price this summer.

Madrid are determined not to lose the Brazilian for nothing in a year’s time, and contract talks have dragged on for around 18 months to no avail. That’s because the winger is after a pay rise, despite the fact he is already earning £400,000 per week at the Bernabeu. He is looking for as much as £470,000 in weekly wages in order to sign on the dotted line.

On paper, you’d think that would make the possibility of a move to the Emirates more remote, but it has been claimed that the Gunners are willing to acquiesce to his demands by tabling the biggest contract in the club’s history.

However, there is the distinct possibility that Vinícius and his representatives could, in turn, use Arsenal’s offer as leverage in talks over a new deal with Los Blancos. The latest reports in the Spanish media suggest he has no intention of leaving Madrid and will return to the negotiating table in due course, with minimal distance between his demands and the club’s latest offer.

Cost-Cutting Measure?

Nothing is guaranteed, though. After all, Vinícius’ contract negotiations wouldn’t have stalled if a resolution was really so close, albeit he has been taking a break after starring for Brazil in what was ultimately a failed World Cup campaign.

As we’ve touched upon, it would be pretty sensational for Real Madrid to splurge what is likely to be north of €120m on a new winger when Vinícius is still on the books and will be expecting to start every single game. You don’t spend that much on a player just for them to sit on the bench, even if Diomande is still only 19 years old.

And given talks over a new contract for their No.7 are currently at a standstill and the financial implications of a renewal if they do bring in the Ivory Coast international, could this be a cost-cutting measure? In the long-term, Los Blancos will save a huge sum of money by taking what could be one of their last opportunities to cash on on Vinícius and replacing him with Leipzig’s teenager, who would command significantly less in wages and has an equally high ceiling.

Real have been notably frugal in the transfer market in recent years; they haven’t spent more than €100m on a player since signing Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund three years ago, instead focusing on shrewd deals like the free transfers for Kylian Mbappe and, most recently, Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva.

It would thus be surprising if Diomande arrived without that cost being offset one way or another, especially with a deal for Manchester City’s Rodri in the works – another player who would expect a mammoth salary.

Time For A Change?

There is the argument that Vini’s time at the Bernabeu may have run its course. It’s now eight years since the attacker arrived in the Spanish capital from Flamengo, and he has gone on to make some 375 appearances for the club and establish himself as one of the finest wide players on the planet. And yet he remains a divisive figure among the fanbase, having initially struggled to make an impact.

Vinícius was singled out for abuse from his own fans throughout 2025-26, which was ultimately another trophy-less campaign for Los Blancos. Aside from the supporters’ overall frustrations, that was likely the result of a dip in his productivity and his season unfolding against the backdrop of that unresolved contract situation. His race could also be a factor, given he has regularly and infamously been the victim of racism during his time as a Madrid player.

It was, of course, one such incident in the Champions League against Benfica last term that led to now-Madrid boss Jose Mourinho – who was in charge of the Portuguese giants at the time – bizarrely painting Vinicius as a troublemaker.

“There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium,” Mourinho said after the Brazilian was allegedly racially abused by Argentine Gianluca Prestianni. “A stadium where Vinícius plays, something happens, always.” The player surely won’t have forgotten those words quickly as he prepares to begin work under the revered tactician.

It’s not like this is the first time Vini has been linked with a transfer in recent years, either. Saudi giants Al-Ahli have made no secret of their desire to sign the 26-year-old, even showing a willingness to make a world-record bid of €350m (£296m/$365m) in 2025, while the winger was supposedly offered a €1 billion contract. However, he wanted to stay at the Bernabeu. It remains to be seen if that stance has changed.

‘Not Robust Enough’

If Arsenal’s ‘early interest’ does develop into something more tangible, then questions may well be asked of Vinícius’ suitability for the Premier League. There is the perception that his playing style will be far less effective against more physical opponents, albeit there is no doubting his technical ability.

“For me it’s always been inconsistent [his form], and that’s been an issue for me,” Brazilian football expert Jon Cotterill told talkSPORT recently. “I also think perhaps he might not be robust enough for the Premier League, and I’d prefer someone like Julian Alvarez, the Argentine who’s at Atletico Madrid, who’s had Premier League experience as well.”

“The clubs are limited who’ve got that kind of price tag, but again for me it’s not only the price. What’s he going to do? How is he going to fit in? Can he fit in around the team they’ve got, and can he fit into the style they’ve got as well? The technical side of things, there’s no question about the skills he’s got. He’s an absolutely fabulous player, but again I think inconsistent.”

For some reason, certain players don’t feel guaranteed to succeed in England’s top-flight regardless of their individual quality, and Vinícius is one of them. However, he will feel his performances in the Champions League have gone some way to disproving that theory; the Brazilian has produced a ridiculous 21 goal contributions in just 26 appearances against the Premier League’s best, including a brace against Man City in last season’s round of 16.

Madrid Unmoved

Ultimately, though, that may all be inconsequential. That’s because it’s impossible to shake the feeling that the likeliest outcome is still for Vinícius to sign a blockbuster new contract at Real Madrid and leave Arsenal and any other suitors disappointed.

Despite his grim previous remarks about the attacker, it has been reported by The Telegraph that Mourinho does not want to let Vini Jr leave this summer – a player he considers to be among an untouchable group of key stars. Contract talks are set to resume this week, and the Gunners’ interest might only serve to expediate negotiations, rather than lead to an exit. Indeed, as yet there has been no indication that he wants to leave.

Speaking in June, Real president Florentino Perez made the club’s stance abundantly clear: “Vini is one of the best players in the world and he is delighted to be a Madrid player. He was decisive in winning the last two European Cups and he has one year left on his contract. There is still time, but I tell you Vinícius wants to stay at Madrid and I want him to stay.”

As for Diomande, it may well be the case that we see the young Ivorian line up alongside Vinícius; it’s been claimed that his arrival will have no bearing on Vini Jr’s situation, and the 19-year-old actually played more games off the right for Leipzig last season before starring on the left at the World Cup. He was actually far more effective on that side, too, providing 18 goal contributions in 22 outings on the right.

Arsenal, then, may be forced to look elsewhere, as Madrid and Mourinho build what will be one of Europe’s most fearsome attacks.

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