Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza was selected No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, but that wasn’t good enough to make him one of the 10 highest-rated rookies in “Madden NFL 27.” 

The 10 highest-rated rookies in “Madden NFL 27” were revealed by EA Sports on Tuesday. Mendoza fell just outside the top 10 with a 74 overall player rating. 

Fernando Mendoza enters his rookie season with a 74 overall player rating. (Photo courtesy of EA Sports)

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Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love and Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs are among the highest-rated rookies from the 2026 NFL Draft class in “Madden NFL 27.” The New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys have two players each rated in the top 10. 

[Read more: The 100 People Who’ll Shape The Upcoming NFL Season]

Here are the top 10 rookies in Madden NFL 27, ranked:

Offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa earned a 78 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. Mauigoa is the first of two New York Giants rookies included in the top ten overall ratings. Mauigoa started all 42 games at right tackle during a dominant three-year college career for the Miami Hurricanes.

Edge rusher Malachi Lawrence received a 78 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. Lawrence is the first of two Dallas Cowboys defensive players in the top ten. Lawrence recorded 20 career sacks at UCF, making him just the 10th player in school history to do so.

Selected at No. 9 overall, Spencer Fano earned a 79 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. Fano holds the highest rating among rookie offensive linemen for the Cleveland Browns. Fano won the 2025 Outland Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s top offensive lineman.

Defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor was selected No. 22 overall and received a 79 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. Mesidor joins the Los Angeles Chargers roster for the upcoming season. Mesidor finished his last season at Miami with 12.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles, earning first-team All-ACC and second-team All-American honors.

Cornerback Mansoor Delane earned a 79 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. Delane enters the game as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs secondary. Delane recorded 45 tackles and two interceptions at LSU in 2025 following a four-interception season with Virginia Tech in 2024. 

Arvell Reese enters his rookie season with a 79 overall player rating. (Photo courtesy of EA Sports)

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Linebacker Arvell Reese received a 79 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. The New York Giants rookie is one of four players assigned a 79 overall rating. Reese recorded 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks during his final season at Ohio State, earning Big Ten Linebacker of the Year honors.

Defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. earned an 80 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie is the fourth player in the class to reach an 80 overall rating. Bain recorded 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks at Miami in 2025, winning the Ted Hendricks Award as the top defensive end in college football.

David Bailey enters his rookie season with an 81 overall player rating. (Photo courtesy of EA Sports)

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Edge rusher David Bailey received an 81 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. The New York Jets rookie holds the third-highest rating among all first-year players. Bailey recorded 14.5 sacks at Texas Tech in 2025, earning Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors and a unanimous All-American selection.

Caleb Downs enters his rookie season with an 82 overall player rating in Madden NFL 27. (Photo courtesy of EA Sports)

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Safety Caleb Downs earned an 82 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. Downs is tied with Love for the highest rating in the rookie class as he joins the Dallas Cowboys. Downs won the Jim Thorpe Award and Lott Trophy at Ohio State in 2025 after earning unanimous All-American honors.

Jeremiyah Love enters his rookie season with an 82 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. (Photo courtesy of EA Sports)

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Running back Jeremiyah Love received an 82 overall rating in Madden NFL 27. Love shares the top rating among all rookies in this year’s release as he begins his career with the Arizona Cardinals. Love won the 2025 Doak Walker Award at Notre Dame after rushing for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns in his junior season.

The top 10 rookies ranked by “Madden NFL 27” player rating. (Photo courtesy of EA Sports)

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LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner understands the assignment for this season.

Turner, nicknamed “The Conductor” for his musical acumen, is the defensive co-captain for a team that’s not only considered the heavy favorite to win the Super Bowl, but also on one of the most talented rosters assembled in recent years. How will Turner handle those high expectations? What does he make of playing alongside the otherworldly Myles Garrett and the possibility of playing again with future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald? 

I asked Turner those questions and more following one of the Rams’ first training camp practices as the standout defensive tackle looks to play a big role in Los Angeles’ run for a Lombardi Trophy this season. 

What was your focus this offseason after the way things ended last year?

Turner: It’s always continuing to get better. Getting some footwork training in, making sure my hands are continuing to be sharp, continuing to understand the game and let those opportunities come to me. Really, each offseason is about getting faster and stronger. 

And then I did a lot of vision training too, being able to see the game early. The more that I can see things that connect my eyes to my hands and my hands to my body, the more I’ll be able to start faster.

Kobie Turner has logged 24 sacks through his first three seasons in the NFL, including seven last year. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

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Vision training sounds different. What’s that like?

They have these goggles that blink for short periods of time, and then you can turn them up and have them blink for longer periods of time, catching bean bags and calling which color and which color corresponds to your hand. And these three-color sticks will have blue, red and yellow. And then another one will have white, black and green on it, or something like that. They throw random sticks, and you have to call out a specific color as you catch the stick while I have on the goggles.

It’s just little stuff like that, because when it comes down to the trenches, obviously it’s a lot of violence, just getting off the rock and running into people. But it’s so technical, and the more your eyes can see, the better off you’ll be.

It’s just being able to see things clearly and locking in my eyes. Especially on the first day, your eyes are going to be out of whack with everyone flying around. But the more you can focus your eyes in on what you’re seeing and the more you can use film study to be able to anticipate what you’re going to see, that helps.

Have you changed your weight at all?

I’ve been within a 10-pound range since I’ve been here. I’ve always been staying within a 290 to 300-pound range. And I feel really comfortable playing there.

What was your initial reaction when you heard about the Myles Garrett trade?

It was a very hard day. Obviously, Jared Verse is one of our brothers and a very good teammate. So that was a tough thing to process. But then you get the opportunity to work with a generational talent, a guy who just broke the sack record and more than anything, is just a good guy.

Now we’re finally getting a chance to work with each other, me being able to get reps in camp and him being able to get reps in camp, we’re going to continue to build up that camaraderie so we can rush four as one. It’s obviously exciting times when you’re able to work with one of the best in the world.

Anything that’s surprised you with Garrett being out on the field since he’s been here?

I didn’t really have too many expectations. I’ve been following his journey a little bit and his personality too, and he always just seemed like a down-to-earth guy. So, I’m just continuing to get to know him.

I don’t think there’s been too much that’s surprised me. To be able to get to that caliber of player, you have to put in the work daily. And obviously that’s something he’s been able to do. He’s a talented individual, but he works hard, so I have a lot of appreciation for that. And I’m just continuing to learn from him. 

Along with Garrett, you added significant pieces on defense with cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. How do you handle high expectations for the defense?

It’s the same story as always, right? We have to be inside-out more than ever. Before, it was people not really believing in us. I remember coming in my rookie year in 2023 and nobody thought we could do too much of anything, and we went and showed the world differently. So, it’s always been about being inside-out. 

We know we have a lot of returning guys from last year, but it’s also a different group. So, that’s what training camp is for, being able to build that rapport and that camaraderie, but also being able to continue to lock in.

But really, a lot of our returning guys — whether it be from last year or before — we’ve built up the work. We know the mental toughness that it requires. We know the resiliency that it requires, so it will be continuing to put that on display.

The outside world doesn’t matter. The last time I checked, nobody won a Super Bowl in July. It’s the NFL, man. Nobody is walking out there winning a Super Bowl or winning however many games. Expectations don’t really mean anything. It’s about what we do day in and day out, putting ourselves in position to take advantage of each opportunity we have on Sundays — or I guess every day of the week since we’re playing every day of the week (laughs).

What was your reaction to losing the NFC Championship Game to the Seahawks in Seattle?

When I tore my calf, really during that time when I was trying to see if I could go back on the field, that’s when I processed all the hurt of, ‘Man, I’m not playing in this game.’ And when the finality of the game hit, it obviously took awhile to process that our season was over. We really thought we could go win the whole thing last year, and we really believed that we were a couple plays away, but that’s what this league is.

But I also remember something I felt so strongly was just the gratitude of the journey that we’d been on. We talk about so often the process and the journey. Taking time to pay attention to each and every step. And that’s what you remember. You don’t always remember the outcome of specific games. But you remember the guys that you were with and the journey you went on.

And then we’ve got that rivalry with the Seahawks. We’ve got them two times this year, two times to go against last year’s Super Bowl champions. That’s going to be a super-exciting two games, and another opportunity to show why we believe we’re the best in the world, and go put that on display just by being more inside-out than ever and putting in the daily deposits that’s going to lead us to success when it comes game time.

You mention the calf injury. I’m assuming you’re fully healthy since you’re out here on the field?

Yes, I’m feeling great.

I would be remiss if I didn’t ask about Aaron Donald’s potential return. You had an opportunity to play with him as a rookie and know what that looks like. What are your thoughts on the possibility of playing with him again?

He’s a guy who’s taken me under his wing, obviously, my rookie year and even after that. He’s provided me with so many connections with people I feel have influenced me and helped me perfect my craft. He’s such a solid dude and good friend.

Obviously, the possibility of him coming back out is really exciting to me. I remember when my rookie season ended and we were at the Lions, I felt back then that I really wanted to bring home a [Super] Bowl for him. And at that time I was just a rookie; I really didn’t know what the work looked like and what was required. But I was willing to put in the work. And here we are as a team a little more experienced. 

So, it would be a great opportunity [to have Donald return]. Your guess is as good as mine. But he’s a guy who works hard. He’s the right type of guy. That possibility is super exciting, and I’m also super excited with this team as we have it. However it shakes out, I’m excited for the journey we’re going on with these guys.

A lot of people have talked about Donald’s impact on game days, but what would it mean for your group having him at the facility every day?

Nothing can compare to his career. It’s a storied career, but I just think about personally how much he helped me out. The confidence that was instilled in my rookie year, being able to work alongside him. He put me in contact with Poodie (Rams defensive line trainer Albert “Poodie” Carson). I’ve been working with him ever since.

I’m super excited about the possibility. But this type of thing doesn’t work with this type of team without somebody being as great on the field as he is off the field. If that does happen, that would be a reason why it’s successful.”

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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:

Scherzer Closes In On History

Monday was Max Scherzer’s 42nd birthday. It was also his return to the mound for the first time since June 10, which was itself his first start since May 24 — Scherzer has spent most of 2026 on the IL recovering from various maladies, but was activated yesterday to pitch on his birthday, and against his former team, the Nationals.

Nats fans still remember what Scherzer did for them in the middle of his career, winning back-to-back NL Cy Young awards and his excellent 2019, which he capped off with 30 postseason innings in six games — all of which Washington won — on the way to its first and only World Series championship.

Scherzer’s career is likely nearing its end, but he has one bit of history he’s still chasing. He can enter the top 10 for career strikeouts, and might very well be the last pitcher we see do so for some time — with the way starters are used these days, in much shorter bursts, even high-strikeout arms might not be able to rack up the Ks the way Scherzer has in his career. He began last night’s start six shy of tying Hall of Famer Walter Johnson for the 10th-most strikeouts in history: Scherzer pitched for just 2 ⅔ innings, but whiffed four in that stretch, leaving him two shy of tying Johnson and three from sole possession of 10th.

It would be massive were he make his push into the top 10, not just for Scherzer but for MLB. Braves’ ace Chris Sale is the active pitcher with the next-most strikeouts to Scherzer’s 3,507; he’s already 37 years old and at 2,713 punch outs. Getting to 3,000 is extremely doable for Sale, who has a 2.19 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 111 innings this year, but guaranteeing he’ll get another 800 or so between now and when he hangs it up is impossible. Both Scherzer and Justin Verlander were still going strong late into their 30s, until they suddenly were not, and the same could happen to Sale.

Next up is Gerrit Cole, at 2,317 strikeouts — he’s already 35, nearly 36, and is looking at another nearly 1,200 whiffs. At his strikeout rate of the last three seasons, he would need nearly that many innings to get there: Cole has 2,016 in his career to date. Kevin Gausman is even further behind and also 35, Sonny Gray is 36, deGrom is 38 and looking to get to 2,000… you get the idea. It doesn’t take long before you get into “Well if Paul Skenes or Jacob Misiorowski have perfect health and no decline for the bulk of two decades, then…” as you try to figure out who could be next.

That’s simply a reminder of how special what Scherzer has already accomplished is, though. He has been exceptionally healthy in his career, generally speaking. He has averaged 10.6 strikeouts per nine over 19 seasons and nearly 3,000 innings. He had a nine-year stretch with a cumulative 2.82 ERA and 2,191 strikeouts — that’s more than Gausman, Gray and deGrom have managed in their entire careers.

Just two more strikeouts, and there he is, at a milestone we might not see again for a long time or possibly ever. 

The Blue Jays would top the Nats, 3-2, dropping Washington one game over .500 and one game back in the NL wild-card standings, while Toronto sits five back of the last AL wild-card spot, at a disappointing 49-58.

The Marlins Won!

The 12-game losing streak is over for the Marlins, which is just kind of how things have been going for the Phillies of late. First baseman Bryce Harper made it 2-0 Phils with a dinger in the first inning, but Miami answered back when left fielder Heriberto Hernández went yard in the bottom of the frame. The Marlins’ lineup then fill a single short of the cycle in the second: right fielder Griffin Conine homered, center fielder Jakob Marsee doubled and shortstop Otto Lopez tripled, leading to three runs and a 5-2 lead.

Philadelphia rallied for four runs in the sixth, culminating in a shot through the hole in the left side of the infield by center fielder Justin Crawford to take a 6-5 lead.

The Phillies would add one more in the eighth, but the Marlins had last ups, and made the best of them. Miami faced closer Jhoan Duran, who has barely pitched of late — he had just 2 ⅓ innings since the All-Star break ended before last night. Duran looked a little rusty, giving up a leadoff single to Marsee and another single to Lopez, before hitting first baseman Kyle Stowers with a pitch to load the bases. Hernández then added another single to make it 7-7, then Duran allowed another single, this time to second baseman Xavier Edwards.

DH Liam Hicks grounded into a force out at home to keep the game tied, but Conine was there to make sure that Miami would get the walk-off win.

Starter Zack Wheeler lasted just three innings, and that didn’t seem to phase Philadelphia at first. Duran was shaky, though, and Philly paid for it with a loss. For the Marlins, the win gained them a game on four teams in front of them in the wild-card standings, one of which is the Phillies. Miami is still 53-54, however, and despite being two games behind is also trailing seven other teams for those three spots. There’s a lot of work left to be done in the 2026 season for both clubs.

It Takes Two

Orioles’ center fielder Colton Cowser had to leg it out to make this catch, but once he did, he also needed to get the ball back to the infield. Luckily he had right fielder Leody Taveras there to assist.

That’s a heads up play by the pair, as that was the first out of the inning and there was a runner on first. Thanks to passing the ball off, he stayed at first, too.

Squirrel!

That also wasn’t the only unconventional outfield assist of the night for Taveras. Here he is trying to help catch a squirrel with the grounds crew. It did not go as well as the Cowser catch.

Hey, they got there eventually! Squirrel unharmed but corralled. Try some peanuts next time, stadiums are full of them. Baltimore ended up defeating the Tigers, 8-5, by the way. Which animal-based team do you think the squirrel was rooting for, anyway?

Pirates Walk It Off In Pivotal W

The Diamondbacks and Pirates are tied for the final wild-card spot in the NL, based on their identical 55-52 records. However, tiebreakers exist, and Pittsburgh currently possesses the first one, as that’s head-to-head record. The Pirates entered play up 2-1 in the season series, so winning this second — and final — set between the two teams would carry serious weight for the Bucs should the season come down to the wire and it’s this pair vying for the final postseason slot.

The Pirates made things that much more difficult for Arizona in this regard, thanks to walking it off. The D-backs scored first and twice in the sixth, then the Pirates tied it up by responding once in the bottom half of the inning and then again in the eighth. The two were scoreless after that, resulting in extras, where second baseman Brandon Lowe got a chance to win it. And he took it.

The bases were juiced, and first baseman Ildemaro Vargas couldn’t reel in the ball hit right to him — game, Pirates. If Pittsburgh wins one more game against Arizona this week, then it has that first tiebreaker settled. Of course, Arizona is just one of six teams within 4.5 games of the Pirates in the wild-card standings; we might not know the actual value of this win for another two months. But better to have the dub and not need it, you know?

Yankees Erupt Late

It took some time for the Yankees to break this one open. The White Sox scored three in the first inning off of Max Fried — he’s still shaking off a little rust, it seems — and but then the favor was returned with a four-run fourth by New York that knocked White Sox starter Noah Schultz out of the game. While the White Sox would tie the game, DH Ben Rice would give New York the go-ahead run with a solo homer in the seventh.

And New York held onto its slim lead with a great relay from left afterward: second baseman Chase Meidroth hit a ball to the wall in left, but Max Schuemann got the ball in to shortstop Anthony Volpe behind third base, and he got the ball home to catcher Ali Sánchez to beat DH Colson Montgomery to the plate.

The Yankees then added four more runs in the top of the eighth, capped by a home run from Sánchez: his first in the majors.

Sánchez isn’t some first-time rookie in the bigs getting his first dong: he debuted back in 2020 with the Mets, was on the Cardinals the next season, didn’t come to the minors until 2024 when he was on the Marlins, spent last season with the Blue Jays and Red Sox and now finds himself in the majors again with the Yankees. It took seven seasons to get 75 big-league games and 184 trips to the plate, but Sánchez got that dinger. And the Yankees got a 9-5 dub.

Astros Rally As Angels Collapse

Entering the eighth inning, the Astros were losing to the Angels, 4-1. Shortstop Jeremy Peña led off the inning with a double, though, and DH Yordan Alvarez drove him in for his AL-leading 78th RBI. Then, in the ninth, the real rally kicked off. The Astros would face new pitcher José Fermin, and he proceeded to hit left fielder Taylor Trammell with his second pitch. Trammell then took second on a passed ball, and catcher Christian Walker singled him to third. Center fielder Lucas Spence pushed Trammell across with a fielder’s choice, but an error by second baseman Vaughn Grissom meant everyone was safe — 4-3, no outs, runners at the corners.

Astros’ catcher Christian Vázquez then bunted for the first out of the inning, and the Angels put in another new pitcher, Sam Bachman. While he got Peña to ground into an out at home, Alvarez was intentionally walked to load the bases, followed by infielder Isaac Paredes being hit by a pitch to tie the game, 4-4.

The Angels then lost an ABS challenge with right fielder LaMonte Wade Jr. at the plate, resulting in another run being walked in, and then second baseman Jose Altuve pushed the fourth run of the inning across thanks to a fielding error by Bachman — can’t even blame the rest of the defense for that one.

Just an ugly, ugly inning for the Angels, full of walks and hit batsmen and errors, and it resulted in the Astros staging a comeback to win. Houston finds itself just 1.5 behind a wild-card spot in the AL despite a sub-.500 record — it will take any win, no matter how ugly.

A Grand Victory

Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela picked a good time for his first career grand slam: it was a game that Boston won by the score of 4-2 against the Athletics.

The Sox were down 1-0 entering the sixth, but catcher Connor Wong doubled to open the inning against starter Jack Perkins, and then first baseman Willson Contreras drew a two-out walk. Perkins exited, replaced by reliever José Suarez, who promptly walked his first batter, Wilyer Abreu. With the bases loaded, Rafaela stepped up and saw an 82.2 mph slider inside on the third pitch of the at-bat: he sent it back 382 feet over the wall, to give Boston all the runs it would need.

The Sox are now 55-50, two games up on the Guardians and in possession of the second wild-card in the AL. The A’s, well… the Angels also losing means the Athletics didn’t fall any further toward the AL’s worst record.

Lindor, Mets Cruise Against Braves

The Mets had a big win against the Dodgers to close out their weekend series on Sunday, and on Monday kept that energy going against the Braves. Atlanta has lost to the Mets five times in eight meetings this year, the most losses it has suffered against any team. Yes, the Braves play the Mets regularly since they are both in the NL East, but also the Mets are 45-62, just three games up on the Rockies for the NL’s worst record. So, it’s still a real Go Figure situation for Atlanta, which is tied for the third-most wins in the league this year.

The star of the show for New York was shortstop Francisco Lindor. He went 3-for-5 with a game-leading six RBIs, courtesy of an RBI triple in the first inning, followed by a two-run jack in the third…

…and then a 396-foot blast, nearly 105 mph off the bat, in the eighth to put the Mets up 14-3. 

That ended up being the final score, with most of the damage coming late: while starter Martín Perez allowed just three runs in five innings of work, reliever Connor Thomas allowed two in the sixth, four in the seventh and five in the eighth — the Braves just left him out there for all but one of the remaining outs. In just 11 ⅔ innings in the majors, the lefty Thomas has allowed 27 unearned runs for an ERA of 20.83. That is rough for everyone involved.

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Moments after being announced as France’s new coach on Tuesday, Zinedine Zidane clenched his fists and his usually measured voice trembled a little.

“I’m excited,” he said. “The France team makes you dream. We have extraordinary players, an extraordinary team.”

Zidane coached Real Madrid until leaving in 2021. He replaces Didier Deschamps at the helm of a France team he led to glory as arguably its greatest ever player.

“I’ve waited five years for this chance, so that’s why I’m a bit emotional,” said Zidane, adding that it was the happiest day of his career as a coach.

“I’ve always watched this side as a fan and also as a future coach, I won’t hide it,” Zidane added. “That’s why I didn’t take a club side. I told myself that the only thing I wanted to do after Madrid was taking the France team.”

French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo announced Zidane’s appointment at the FFF headquarters in Paris on Tuesday, saying he has been given a four-year contract.

Diallo called the hiring of Zidane “an exceptional moment,” calling Zidane “one of the legends of French soccer.”

The 54-year-old Zidane could have gone to another club after leaving Madrid in 2021. But there was no way he would.

“I had some offers during the five years I was away to take charge of a club,” he said. “I turned them all down for the France team. It was the only thing I wanted to do.”

Zidane called it “an immense joy” taking charge.

“I have so many emotions,” he said. “I am ready for the challenge.”

Zidane praised Deschamps, who won the 2018 World Cup and stepped down after the recent edition, where Les Bleus lost in the semifinals to Spain.

“I will give everything so that this team can win,” Zidane said. “I would also like to congratulate Didier [Deschamps] for these remarkable years.”

Diallo said he met Zidane for talks in February 2025 after Deschamps said he would stand down following the 2026 World Cup. Zidane said France would play differently to how it did under Deschamps.

“What motivates me is the game. I was a No. 10. I like goals,” Zidane said. “I was a leader on the field, and now I want to be a leader by experience.”

His first game will be away to Turkey in the Nations League on Sept. 25, followed by a match in Belgium three days later.

Home fans need to wait until Oct. 2 for a glimpse of Zidane at Stade de France, when France plays Italy, 20 years after he was sent off against Italy in the 2006 World Cup final for headbutting Italy defender Marco Materazzi.

“I’ve noted all of the four matches to come,” Zidane said, tapping his forehead. “Italy is special, because I played there, because I know people, because I speak Italian. All of those things.”

After the announcement, Zidane greeted a large gathering of fans outside the federation headquarters, and they cheered loudly when he arrived.

From Deschamps To Zidane

Zinedine Zidane takes over a French club that reached the quarterfinal round of the 2022 and 2026 World Cups. (Photo by LOU BENOIST / AFP via Getty Images)

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France lost the World Cup final on penalties in 2022 and lost the European Championship final on home soil in 2016. Some Deschamps critics, among them former France teammate Christophe Dugarry, said he should have won more with the players he had.

Deschamps described “an unbreathable atmosphere” at the end of his tenure, without detailing what the tensions were.

Zidane and Deschamps were different types of midfielders, but are forever linked by glory.

The industrious Deschamps was France’s captain and the mercurial Zinedine was the creative force when France won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

Affectionately nicknamed “Zizou,” his face was beamed onto the Arc de Triomphe the night France celebrated its first World Cup triumph in ’98. An inspired Zidane scored two headers in the final in a 3-0 win against Brazil at Stade de France and later that year he won the Ballon d’Or.

Zizou’s Rise

Born in Marseille to Algerian parents, Zidane grew up playing in the estate of La Castellane, which has a giant mural of Zidane on one of its tower blocks. It was on the estate’s concrete pitches where Zidane nurtured his incredible balance, to avoid falling on the rock-hard ground.

Zidane’s club career took him from Cannes to Bordeaux and then to two of the world’s biggest clubs: Italian giant Juventus and Madrid.

His international career began in 1994, when he scored two stunning goals against the Czech Republic after coming on as a substitute, in front of his home fans in Bordeaux.

He won league titles with Juve and Madrid and scored a brilliant volley to help Madrid win the Champions League in 2002.

With Zidane carrying an injury, France flopped at the 2002 World Cup — going out in the group stage — but reached the 2006 final after Zidane came out of international retirement.

His performance in a 1-0 victory over Brazil in the quarterfinals was Zidane at his balletic best: a hypnotic combination of drag-backs, stepovers, spins on the ball, and flicks over the shoulder.

The Brazilians were in awe and even Ronaldinho — a Ballon d’Or winner himself — seemed captivated.

His 108th and final game for France was against Italy in the final, and he scored early with a deft Panenka-style penalty for his 31st, and last, international goal.

Then, with millions watching around the world, an infamous moment saw him walk back up the field and slam his forehead into Materazzi’s chest, sending the tall defender flying backward.

Zidane trudged past the gold-tinted World Cup trophy as he left the field in Berlin, his international career over.

Now he has another chance to lead Les Bleus to glory.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Roberto Mancini has once again been tasked with revitalizing an Italy team in crisis, almost exactly three years after he bolted from the national team.

Italian soccer federation president Giovanni Malagò announced Mancini as the new Italy coach on Tuesday, adding that Claudio Ranieri will become the new technical director after Paolo Maldini stepped down the previous day — just 16 days after being appointed.

“Time was running out … I believed the person who should become the new coach of Italy is Roberto Mancini, for a whole list of reasons,” Malagò said. “There will be a press conference tomorrow with both Claudio Ranieri and Roberto Mancini.”

The 61-year-old Mancini led the Azzurri to the European Championship title in 2021 but shockingly resigned as Italy coach in August 2023, taking over Saudi Arabia’s national team two weeks later.

“It is clear that all the necessary assessments have been made,” Malagò said when asked about Mancini’s sudden departure three years ago. “I certainly took it into consideration; I am aware of his recent apologies, and obviously, everyone has made the appropriate evaluations.”

The Italian national team is in crisis after failing for a third straight time to qualify for the World Cup, prompting the resignations of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso in April, shortly after the playoff defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mancini’s First Spell

Mancini’s first spell as Italy coach came immediately after the team missed out on the 2018 World Cup, having lost to Sweden in a qualifying playoff.

He revived the Azzurri by adding flair and youth to a team that won admirers all over the continent during the year-delayed Euro 2020 — beating England at Wembley Stadium in a penalty shootout for the trophy.

Between 2018 and 2021, Mancini coached Italy to a world-record 37-match unbeaten run.

However, a 1-0 semifinal playoff loss to 67th-ranked North Macedonia at home in 2022 meant that the Azzurri again missed out on the World Cup.

Mancini, nevertheless, kept his position before surprisingly quitting in August 2023. He left Saudi Arabia in 2024 and was most recently coach at Al-Sadd in Qatar, before departing last month.

Mancini also previously steered Inter Milan and Manchester City to league titles.

Ranieri Turned The Job Down Last Year

Luciano Spalletti replaced Mancini in 2023 but was fired two years later after Italy lost its opening World Cup qualifier to Norway last year. Ranieri, who famously led unfancied Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016, turned down an offer to take charge of the Azzurri and Gattuso was hired instead.

Ranieri’s last job was as special adviser at Roma, having moved into the role after coaching the capital team out of a crisis. The 74-year-old left in April after a falling out with coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

Pirlo, Guardiola And Ancelotti

The appointment comes the day after Andrea Pirlo was dropped as the leading candidate for the Italy job amid political concerns over a sponsorship deal with a Russian betting firm.

That led to the departures of Maldini and special adviser Leonardo by what Malagò stressed was “mutual consent.”

“Practically, before we had even started, we were dealing with a unique situation,” Malagò added. “There was no conflict. With utmost respect, like in the best families, there was a calm discussion and a clear and serene consensus that it was best to go our separate ways.”

Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti had already turned down offers to coach the Azzurri. Former Italy coach Antonio Conte was also in contention.

Don’t Expect Immediate Miracles From Mancini

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

“The new coach will have two training sessions to prepare for the first game,” Malagò said. “And since the game against Bosnia, I don’t think we have given passports to Lamine Yamal, [Kylian] Mbappé and [Harry] Kane.

“Now we have to do the best with what we have, knowing that we are playing in a group with three teams that went to the World Cup, two of which finished in the last eight.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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In its second FIFA World Cup appearance, DR Congo advanced out of Group K after earning a third-place finish with four points. In its opening match, DR Congo grabbed a point off Portugal, and clinched its spot in the knockout rounds with a win over Uzbekistan. 

DR Congo’s 2026 World Cup came to an end in the round of 32, but it gave England a scare, jumping out to a 1-0 lead before two late goals from Harry Kane changed the narrative. 

Remarkably, DR Congo conceded just one goal in matches against Portugal and Colombia, as goalkeeper Lionel M’pasi made a name for himself and a defense featuring captain Chancel Mbemba and Aaron Wan-Bissaka stood strong. 

So what’s next for DR Congo’s stars after the 2026 World Cup? 

Lionel M’pasi didn’t keep any clean sheets at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but he was still spectacular for DR Congo, specifically in the first half of its round of 32 game against England. He recorded five saves in that match, and also saved eight shots in a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the round of 32. Mpasi is entering his second season with French Ligue 1 side Le Havre. He’s played all seven seasons of professional football in France, but last year was his first in the country’s top league after a transfer. 

DR Congo’s Lionel Mpasi makes incredible save preventing England’s Jude Bellingham from converting header | 2026 FIFA World Cup™

DR Congo’s Lionel Mpasi made an incredible save that prevented England’s Jude Bellingham from converting a header.

DR Congo’s captain played all 90 minutes in each of DR Congo’s four 2026 World Cup matches. Mbemba is entering his second season with French Ligue 1 side Lille. 

Wan-Bissaka has played every year of his professional career in the English Premier League. He started with Crystal Palace, before a big-time transfer to Manchester United, where he made three Champions League appearances, before playing two seasons for West Ham. But in 2025-26, his second season with West Ham, the club finished in the Premier League relegation zone, meaning Wan-Bissaka will have to transfer to remain in the Premier League. He could go elsewhere or remain with West Ham in the EFL Championship, where he’s under contract.

Masuaku represents English Premier League side Sunderland. He played for the Black Cats during the first half of the 2025-26 season, before going on loan to French Ligue 1 side RC Lens. He’ll return to Sunderland for 2026-27. 

Wissa led DR Congo, scoring three goals in the 2026 FIFA World Cup — twice against Uzbekistan and once against Portugal. Wissa is entering his second season with Newcastle United following four seasons with Brentford.   

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Algeria earned a place in the knockout rounds of the 2026 World Cup. The team competed in Group J against Argentina, Jordan, and Austria, fielding a squad that advanced past the group stage.

During the group stage, they lost their opening match 3-0 to Argentina before securing a 2-1 victory over Jordan. A 3-3 draw against Austria confirmed Algeria’s progression to the knockout phase. Amine Gouiri scored a goal in the victory against Jordan.

Ultimately, Switzerland scored two goals to defeat Algeria 2-0 in the Round of 32 match to eliminate them from the tournament. The team and its players concluded their tournament appearance in the first knockout round.

So what’s next for the players who led Algeria to its knockout stage appearance?

Mahrez captained the Algerian squad during the tournament and played in the attack during the group stage. He scored a brace against Austria and earned an assist against Jordan in the group stage. He plays club football in Saudi Arabia for Al-Ahli.

Gouiri featured in all four matches for Algeria during the tournament and scored a goal against Jordan in the group stage. He plays club football in France’s Ligue 1 for Marseille.

Ait-Nouri played 90 minutes at left-back during the Round of 32 elimination match against Switzerland. He plays club football in England for Premier League side Manchester City.

Bensebaini started and played 90 minutes at centerback in all four matches for Algeria at the World Cup. He plays club football in Germany for Borussia Dortmund, one of the most storied clubs in the Bundesliga.

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INDYCAR unveiled renderings of its new 2028 car, which will start on-track testing this week. The drivers like the looks of its sleek INDYCAR feel and will soon get a chance to help test and make tweaks. 

“We all wanted a new, modern-day car that is lighter and looks futuristic and fast but still has all of the incredible safety advancements that INDYCAR is known for,” ECR driver Alexander Rossi said in a news release. “This does all of those things.

“There are still a lot of things to work through in terms of on-track testing and how it reacts to the different types of environments it will be exposed to, but from a visual standpoint, it’s incredible.”

Rendering of the new Chevrolet ride.

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The car is designed to go faster while also incorporating many of the safety elements implemented since the last car was first designed around 2012. Those safety and other elements added weight and the 2028 car is a fresh opportunity to overhaul the car to keep its INDYCAR style while also making it faster. 

That starts with the car, designed by Dallara, that will be 100 pounds lighter, including a reduction of 20 pounds of the hybrid system and 25 pounds of the gearbox. 

“I was just as excited to see what was inside the car as I was to see what it looks like on the outside,” Andretti Global driver and INDYCAR champion Will Power said in a statement. “INDYCAR and Dallara have done an incredible job combining updated aerodynamic ideas with all of the safety elements from the current car. It has a seamless look and one that’s also modern and aggressive at the same time.”

In arguably the most impactful development from an engineering standpoint, teams will no longer make and develop their own dampers. On the current car, damper development is key to how the suspension handles because it was the primary area where teams had the most latitude.

Series officials, in a news release, indicated teams will have a variety of options, including more spring, damper and inerter tuning options while using the single-source supplied parts. That potentially could tighten the field and create more parity with the teams having similar options. 

The engine will be a 2.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 internal combustion engine capable of producing up to 760 horsepower.

That should produce some record speeds, potentially at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which should also see the benefit of a more aerodynamically stable speedway front wing.

“There is a wow factor,” said defending Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist in a news release. “The first thing that struck me is that it has more room in the cockpit and will fit differently-sized drivers, which is really good. Secondly, it definitely has the INDYCAR DNA, which was a worry for me that it wouldn’t look like an INDYCAR Series car.

“This definitely does. It also has an aggressive look with an integrated aeroscreen and a car that addresses a lot of little tweaks that drivers have asked for. Dallara has delivered on almost everything. I’m super excited for the future.”

The new car will undergo a series of driver tests before competing on track in 2028.

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The exact dates and sites of testing will be announced soon.

“Seeing the car for the first time made me even more excited about where INDYCAR is going,” said four-time INDYCAR champion Alex Palou in a news release. “The design is super cool and feels like a proper next step for the series while still looking like an INDYCAR Series car.

“I think the fans are going to love it, and as a driver I cannot wait to get behind the wheel. The most important thing is that we keep the close, fun racing that makes INDYCAR special, and from what I’ve seen, we’re heading in a really good direction.”

WHAT YOU SHOULD READ NEXT

What separates Alex Palou from the rest of the INDYCAR field.

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Indianapolis Motor Speedway was another weekend when Toyotas were strong, taking four of the first five spots.

But Ford also put four cars in the top 10. The only Chevy in the top 10? Carson Hocevar.

Granted, Kyle Larson had a flat tire and Chase Elliott ended up in a wreck, but that certainly impacted these power rankings. 

No Hendrick driver is in the top 10. They only have eight top 10s combined over the last eight races (Larson with four, William Byron two, Alex Bowman two and Elliott none).

Here are my power rankings after the Brickyard 400 and headed into an off week before the season resumes Aug. 9 at Iowa.

Dropped out: Kyle Larson (Last Week: 10), Shane Van Gisbergen (Last Week: 9)

On the verge: Alex Bowman, Chris Buescher, William Byron, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Shane van Gisbergen

10.

Hocevar won the pole and finished ninth as the top Chevrolet finisher at the Brickyard. That’s two top 10s in the last three races for the No. 77.

9.

An eighth-place for Preece at the Brickyard gave him back-to-back top-10 finishes. He’s going to need to keep rattling off top 10s if he hopes to make The Chase.

8.

It was not a good weekend for Wallace, as he started 29th and finished 28th. But he does have four finishes of sixth or better in the last eight races, and few drivers are posting those solid finishes over that long of a stretch.

7.

Reddick was 10th at the Brickyard as he continues to try to find the magic from earlier in the season. He’s making a little bit of progress with two top 10s in the last three races. He is still the series leader with five victories this year.

6.

Blaney got wrecked (unintentionally) by John Hunter Nemechek and it didn’t just result in a 26th-place finish; it also resulted in Blaney finishing behind Todd Gilliland as they battled for the $1 million in-season tournament prize. But Blaney is still third in the series standings.

5.

Logano followed up his win at North Wilkesboro with a third. The three-time Cup champion probably can’t declare being back until The Chase, and that’s when the more traditional 1.5-mile tracks come into play. But at least it appears he’ll be playing in the postseason.

4.

Gibbs started fourth and finished 12th at the Brickyard. It was the second consecutive what-could-have-been day for Gibbs, but he continues to show speed and with no real signs of slowing down.

3.

Briscoe finished fourth at the Brickyard although probably wishes he had the last restart back, as it appeared he, Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin weren’t in sync. But he’s moving up in the standings and has a realistic shot of being fifth by the time The Chase starts.

2.

Bell finished second … again. It was the sixth time this year and third time in the last four races. But he considered the Brickyard a good second-place finish. He arguably could be No. 1 on this list but really needs a win.

1.

A fifth-place finish last weekend gave Hamlin three top fives in the last four races and seven top fives in his last 10. He’s still the man to beat on ovals.

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Canada’s dream of a deep run in the FIFA World Cup came to an end in the Round of 16, but not before the program rewrote its record books. Under manager Jesse Marsch, Canada captured its first World Cup win and reached the knockout stage for the first time in program history.

The Les Rouges defeated Qatar, drew Bosnia and Herzegovina in the group stage and followed it up with a Round of 32 victory over South Africa. The historic run came despite the team dealing with several key injuries.

Canada’s Best Moments 2026 FIFA World Cup™ 🇨🇦

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One of those injuries involved star defender Alphonso Davies, who appeared only in Canada’s Round of 32 victory over South Africa. He missed the Round of 16 loss to Morocco after a lingering hamstring injury sidelined him for most of the tournament.

Although Canada fell short of Marsch’s ultimate goal, the team’s World Cup run still stands as the most successful in program history. With just three World Cup appearances (1986, 2022 and 2026), the future has never looked brighter.

So what’s next for the players who led Canada to its first-ever knockout stage appearance?

Davies missed most of the tournament with a hamstring injury, making his only appearance in the 75th minute of Canada’s Round of 32 win over South Africa. As arguably Canada’s best player, he had limited availability, which impacted the team’s World Cup run.

With Canada’s World Cup run over, Davies will return to Germany to rejoin Bayern Munich for the upcoming Bundesliga season.

David announced his arrival on the World Cup stage with a hat trick against Qatar. The Canadian striker started every match, finishing the tournament with 18 shots, including eight on target.

He will now return to Juventus to prepare for the Serie A season and a UEFA Europa League campaign.

Few players had a bigger impact on Canada’s World Cup run than Larin. He made history during the group stage, scoring the 79th-minute goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina that earned Canada its first-ever World Cup point.

Larin will return to Southampton as the club prepares for another season in the English Championship.

Eustáquio started four of Canada’s five World Cup matches and made his biggest impact against South Africa, scoring his only goal of the tournament in the Round of 32. He will return to Portugal to continue his club career with FC Porto.

Bombito was one of Canada’s biggest storylines heading into the World Cup after battling back from a broken leg suffered in October. Although he missed the group stage as a precaution, he returned to start against South Africa and Morocco in the knockout rounds.

Even with Bombito only recording one shot on goal, he remained one of the most important players on Canada’s roster throughout the tournament. With the World Cup behind him, Bombito will return to France’s Ligue 1 to continue his club career with Nice.

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