Lamine Yamal has grown accustomed to seeing his every move dissected in minute detail, on and off the pitch, with the Barcelona wonderkid claiming to enjoy the level of celebrity that he now boasts. The teen sensation has no desire to shy away from the limelight, despite attracting some unwanted attention, and is revelling in his role as a global sporting superstar.

Superstar status: Yamal happy to be centre of attention

Yamal only turned 18 during the summer of 2025, but he is already a seasoned performer at the very highest level. Having burst onto the scene at 15, La Liga and European Championship crowns have been collected with Barca and Spain – alongside Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy honours.

Comparisons with Argentine GOAT Lionel Messi are never far away, despite efforts to quieten that debate, and Yamal is being tipped to become an all-time great in his own right. Remarkable standards will need to be maintained under the brightest of spotlights in order for that to happen, but the youngster has told when asked if he minds being a superstar and the centre of attention for millions of spectators around the world: “No, honestly I don’t. In fact, I like it.”

AdvertisementGettyTaste for success: Where Yamal learned how to entertain

Yamal has always wanted to be the star of the show, with it becoming clear at an early age that he knew how to get supporters on their feet. He added on that process and getting a taste for acclaim: “Where I used to play, in my neighbourhood, there were walls where people would sit and there was no better feeling than getting the people who were sitting there to stand up and laugh at the opponents. I think it’s the best feeling in the world and something that reminds me of that a lot is when I’m playing on the field and the fans get up and are surprised by a play I’ve made.”

He went on to say of retaining that freedom and a sense of playing for fun: “I can’t feel pressure when playing football. I just try to enjoy it. I think that my friends and family have been through harder things than me just playing football.

“Football is everything to me. It’s the first love of my life and it will remain so. It’s one of the sports where everyone is on an equal footing. I don’t think I’ve ever felt pressure playing football. My parents faced real pressure as young parents. Managing family, work, being happy, and buying gifts… that’s real pressure for me.”

Constant attention: Yamal cannot be a 'normal' 18-year-old

While having no fear on the field, Yamal admits that he finds constant scrutiny off the pitch difficult to deal with at times – with headlines having been made in 2025 on the back of his 18th birthday party and striking up a relationship with Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole.

He said: “It’s hard to act like a normal 18-year-old. Even if I wanted to, I would never be able to. Any kid goes from school to home. For me, I go to training with photographers in front of my house and kids wearing my shirt on the street.

“I would like to go eat at a restaurant like a normal person, but I can’t because people will always stop me. It’s normal because I’m famous. So I try to do simpler things, like visiting my mom, brother, or playing video games.”

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GettySource of inspiration: Yamal doing his best to stay humble

Yamal takes great pride, though, from becoming a source of inspiration. He added: “People have told me that they’ve started watching football again because of me. My mother watches all the matches now.

“People had stopped wearing football jerseys to school, now that trend is back. Even tourists, here in Barcelona, get the Barca jersey with the 10 at the back. It has made me realise things.”

Yamal remains adamant that he will not allow himself to become caught up in his own hype, with it important that he remembers where he has come from and where he wants to get to. If he is able to remain humble and focused, then there is every reason to believe that his stock will continue to soar.

The pitch in Colombo isn’t expected to allow free-flowing batting

Madushka Balasuriya07-Oct-20252:07

Preview – Should Australia play Megan Schutt?

Big picture: Pakistan 0, Australia 16Pakistan have never beaten Australia in any format of women’s international cricket. And if that trend continues on Wednesday, their path forward in the ODI World Cup will become very complicated given they have already lost their opening two matches to Bangladesh and India.What might be even more concerning for Pakistan is that in 16 ODIs against Australia, they’ve not even come close to victory, with the narrowest margins of defeat being 37 runs and four wickets, both way back in 2014.Pakistan’s most recent contest against Australia, a three-match rubber in 2023, had these results: eight-wicket defeat, 10-wicket defeat, 101-run defeat. And while they are also yet to beat India (12 tries) or England (15 tries) in women’s ODIs, their 16 defeats to Australia make them, statistically, the toughest opponent.Related

Ellyse Perry and Sidra Amin highlight the contrasts in Australia and Pakistan

Schutt praised for response to omission as another selection call awaits

All this is to say that Pakistan have a considerable mountain ahead of them. As for Australia, their opening game against New Zealand was an ultimately comfortable win, and their second against Sri Lanka was washed out. They are also a team in near-invincible form. In 32 matches since the last World Cup, they’ve won 27 and lost just four. Pakistan in that same period have played 34 ODIs, won 13 and lost 18.So what exactly are the straws Pakistan might look to clutch here? One, Australia haven’t played since October 1 as a result of their washout against Sri Lanka. They are also yet to play at the R Premadasa stadium, where conditions don’t necessarily seem conducive to free-flowing batting. With Pakistan already having experienced these conditions in their defeat to India, there could be an advantage to be exploited.Finally, Pakistan will be hoping the law of averages catches up and gives them the crucial win and points that they need.2:40

Australia exude an attitude of ‘we know how to win this’

Form guideAustralia WWLWW (last five ODIs most recent first)
Pakistan LLWLLIn the spotlight: Sandhu and MooneySince the 2022 World Cup, no Pakistani bowler has picked up more wickets than spinner Nashra Sandhu – her 42 strikes in this period coming from 28 matches. But more interestingly her 248.1 overs are the sixth-most bowled by any bowler in the last three and a half years. This serves to highlight just how much Pakistan lean on Sandhu. This year has also been her most impactful one – she’s picked up 17 wickets in 10 games, including a six-wicket haul against South Africa. The only thing is, in her past five matches, she’s gone wicketless three times. Pakistan will need her at her best if they are to upset Australia.You’d be hard pressed to find a team Beth Mooney doesn’t like batting against, but even so, her ODI record against Pakistan is better than most. Across eight innings she’s struck 279 runs at an average of 69.75, an average that has been boosted by the fact that she’s only been dismissed four times. Mooney’s recent form too has been ominous, with a century and two fifties across her last five innings.Megan Schutt has a good record against Pakistan: 10 wickets in nine ODIs•Getty ImagesTeam news: Will Schutt get a look in?With a week’s break since their last game, Australia will be itching to get out on the field. Their biggest dilemma is down to healthy competition, as it remains to be seen if Darcie Brown continues to keep Megan Schutt out of the XI.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Beth Mooney, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Sophie Molineux, 9 Alana King, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Darcie BrownOmaima Sohail was replaced at the top of the order by Sadaf Shamas last time out, but with both openers struggling Sohail might find herself back in the side.Pakistan (probable): 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Sadaf Shamas, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Fatima Sana (capt), 7 Rameen Shamim, 8 Diana Baig, 9 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 10 Nashra Sandhu, 11 Sadia IqbalPitch and conditions: Tricky batting conditionsRain has been pestering Colombo and its surrounding suburbs over the past week, but Wednesday should arrive with clear, if cloudy, tidings. The pitch at the Khettarama has stayed true to form in the first two games its hosted at this World Cup, making life tricky for batters – expect that to stay the same.Stats and trivia: Australia’s return to Colombo This will be Australia’s first women’s ODI in Colombo since 2016 Only against Ireland (17-0) do Australia hold a more dominant ODI record than the one they have against Pakistan Australia have won their last 10 completed Women’s World Cup matches Annabel Sutherland is four away from 50 WODI wicketsQuotes”We do have an edge but it all depends on what the team does with this advantage. We were unlucky to have our warmup game against Sri Lanka washed out but we’ve also played two games here and know the conditions very well.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Confiança e Sergipe se enfrentam neste sábado (12), pela finalíssima do Sergipano. A bola vai rolar a partir das 16h (de Brasília), no estádio Batistão, em Aracaju, com transmissão da TV Record de Sergipe e canal do YouTube da TV Atalaia.

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 FICHA TÉCNICA
CONFIANÇA X SERGIPE – FINAL (VOLTA) DO CAMPEONATO SERGIPANO

Data e horário: sábado, 12 de abril de 2024, às 16h (de Brasília).

Local: Arena Batistão, em Aracaju.
Onde assistir: TV Record de Sergipe e canal do YouTube da TV Atalaia.
Arbitragem: Ainda sem definição até o momento desta publicação.

PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
CONFIANÇA (Técnico: Gerson Gusmão)
Jeferson Souza; Júnior, Raphael, Diego Ivo e Felippe Borges; Fábio, Betinho e Ítalo; Riquelmo, Willians Santana e Rafael Furtado (Ricardo Bueno).

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SERGIPE (Técnico: Marcelo Martelotte)
Igor Leonardo; Felipinho, André Penalva, Yuri e Ian Barreto; Diego Aragão, Arez, Mardley e Rafael Vila (Natan); Wallace Obina e Rafael Grampola (Tony)

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The New York Mets and Seattle Mariners put on a show Sunday night at the Little League Classic. Young ballplayers competing for youth baseball's ultimate prize got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see their favorite MLB stars up close and a tremendous amount of fun was had per usual.

The Mariners organization and its fans would have had a decidedly worse time had their cornerstone outfielder Julio Rodriguez suffered a significant injury while sledding down a hill on a piece of cardboard, which almost became a reality when a member of security took a spill and nearly landed on his ankle.

Here's the footage, which thankfully ends with everyone invovled getting up and getting on with their day.

That is too close for comfort. And you have to feel for the security person here who was simply trying to hustle to do the job and ended up losing to gravity. Before they were even able to get upright some unhelpful person is joking about a potential Rodriguez ACL injury. It's rough out there.

Rodriguez will be paramount to the Mariners' playoff hopes going forward and their ability to make a deep run if they get there. Plenty of people breathing a sigh of relief realizing this could have been worse.

Some welcome news has come across Major League Baseball ahead of the postseason.

As announced by the league on Tuesday, MLB is set to officially implement an Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) beginning next season. Each team will receive two challenges per game that they can use to dispute calls made by the home plate umpire.

ABS was used by MLB this past Spring Training and received rave reviews. The league will now carry it into the 2026 regular season with the same format, allowing pitchers, catchers, or batters to challenge a call after a pitch is made—with no help from the dugout or other players on the field allowed. If a challenge is ruled successful, the team will then keep said challenge.

While the rule change is likely not a direct correlation, Monday night's game between the Brewers and Padres—one with major playoff implications—saw home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz miss 25 calls as San Diego punched their ticket back to the postseason.

With ABS in place in 2026, we will no longer see such a travesty.

أعلن منتخب مصر الثاني، عن تشخيص إصابة كريم فؤاد لاعب فريق الكرة بـ الأهلي، أثناء تواجده في تدريبات الفراعنة خلال المشاركة ببطولة كأس العرب.

وسقط منتخب مصر، في فخ التعادل الإيجابي بهدف لكل فريق أمام منتخب الكويت، في اللقاء الذي أقيم في الجولة الأولى.

وتعرض كريم فؤاد لإصابة خلال مران الفريق أمس، تمثلت في كدمة بالركبة، وعلى إثرها قام الدكتور أيمن زين، طبيب المنتخب، بإجراء الإسعافات الأولية.

وفي صباح اليوم، توجّه اللاعب برفقة طبيب المنتخب إلى مستشفى “سبيتار” لإجراء الفحوصات والآشعة اللازمة.

طالع | أحمد حسن: هذا ما حدث وقت ركلة جزاء أفشة أمام الكويت.. والبعض يتصيد للحضري

وأعلن الدكتور أيمن زين أن نتائج الآشعة أثبتت إصابة اللاعب بجزع في الرباط الداخلي للركبة اليمنى، إضافة إلى جزع في رقعة الرباط الصليبي.

وأوضح زين أن الحالة تستلزم علاجًا تحفظيًا لمدة تتراوح بين أربعة وستة أسابيع، مع التأكيد على التنسيق الكامل مع الجهاز الطبي للنادي الأهلي بشأن متابعة البرنامج العلاجي.

One of Sheffield’s own is now in the running to buy Sheffield Wednesday, according to reports, after taking a key step ahead of the December 5 deadline.

Sheffield United merger rejected

The Owls have reportedly set a soft deadline of December 5 to find a new owner and narrow their search down. So far, they’ve not been short on candidates. Several potential buyers have shown proof of funds worth £50m and some have even been shown around the club’s facilities.

The biggest headline so far has arrived courtesy of Sheffield United, however. Wednesday’s rivals reportedly enquired about buying the club and were keen to merge the two Steel City rivals together in controversial fashion.

Unsurprisingly, any talks of that merger taking place have been shut down almost as quickly as they started gathering pace. Sheffield Wednesday, like many others, are keen to keep the derby alive and kicking instead, which is set to see them turn to other candidates.

Just who wins the bidding war is the big question. Former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is reportedly among the interested parties, as is John McEvoy.

Many were quick to criticise Ashley at Newcastle in the past, but it’s worth noting that he cleared all of the Magpies’ debt. Financially speaking, he would arguably be a wise option.

Alas, it’s not just Ashley in the running. New names are now beginning to emerge and that includes Sheffield’s own Ryan Howsam. The Staysure founder has been based in Dubai in recent years, but could yet return to his home town to save his local club.

Who is Sheffield Wednesday takeover candidate Ryan Howsam?

So, is Howsam the man for the job? His impressive portfolio, which includes Avanti, PayingTooMuch, The Rock Group and several digital travel investments, certainly suggests that he’s got the funds to complete a takeover, but it would be his first venture into football.

The prospective owner has reportedly been given access to the club’s data in a key step towards potentially buying the club. He also recently told This is Money when asked about a return to England: “I would come back to the UK in a heartbeat if the environment was right.”

Sheffield Wednesday now braced for imminent "concrete" takeover bid

Things are looking up for the Owls.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 14, 2025

It would be fairly fitting for a Sheffield-born candidate to complete the takeover, but administrators would need to ignore their hearts and ensure that Howsam is the right man for the job.

Compared to someone like Ashley, Howsam is far from experienced in the world of football and the Owls simply need to steady the ship. It must also be noted that it may yet be neither of those options who emerge as frontrunners to buy the club.

With time ticking by before the December 5 deadline, Sheffield Wednesday must assess every possible option before making their final decision.

Mike Ashley position clear as Sheffield Wednesday takeover reaches final candidates

Antony was back in the headlines again, for all the wrong reasons, as the Real Betis star headbutted FC Utrecht's Souffian El Karouani – but somehow escaped a red card. The former Manchester United winger was sent off just a few days ago after accidentally kicking a Girona player in the head from an attempted overhead kick. Now he has been branded a "madman" after luckily escaping another dismissal.

Antony sent off in La Liga

At the weekend, Antony was sent off when his high boot caught Girona's Joel Roca in the face. The former Ajax man made apologetic gestures to the home fans as he trudged off the pitch, before later taking to social media to double down on his contrition. 

He wrote: "Very sad about the red card. All I wanted was to help my team win. A completely unintentional move … sorry to all the fans that have always supported me."

Then, a couple of days after the incident, he admitted it had been "hard to sleep" off the back of his actions. 

The Brazil international added: "I had no intention. That's why we’re going to try to appeal. I won the ball. When I did the (overhead) there, I didn't see it, I was looking at the ball. It was the VAR decision, the referee knows that I had no intention. It was very hard to sleep. I stayed at home thinking all night, I slept very little."

Advertisement'This was deliberate'

On Thursday, however, Antony's luck was in as he escaped another sending off in Betis' 2-1 Europa League win over Utrecht. Despite appearing to headbutt El Karouani in the first half, the 25-year-old wasn't penalised by referee Nenad Minakovic, with not even a free-kick going the visitors' way. That incensed one Dutch pundit, with the analyst describing Antony's headbutt as "actions of a madman".

Former Ajax player Jan van Halst said on Ziggo Sport, via VI: "Unhappy? No, that's an unfortunate statement by the referee. This was deliberate. It is an action of a madman. How do you get it in your head? I've also kicked a ball once, had a duel like that. Then you don't think about making such a movement with your head, do you? Very strange."

'He was in a lot of pain'

Some of Van Halst's colleagues were equally as flabbergasted that Antony received no punishment for his actions. 

Utrecht manager Ron Jans said: "The VAR was not there today. Also with that cross to [Seb] Haller, he is completely held. You have to be lucky with moments like that and we haven't had that a few times. That Virgil van Dijk handball against Olympique Lyon, today two more moments that are ultimately decisive again.

"I think they could have just whistled for a penalty and a red card, and if he had been completely held down. And there was also a moment when they could have been down to 10 men in the first half. But yeah, that doesn't suit us in Europe. Moments like that can be decisive and then they make it 2-0 and you think, 'Oh dear'." 

And Utrecht defender Nick Viergever added: "But he was in a lot of pain for a reason. The referee said he had assessed it and that it was unfortunate. We also had maybe half a penalty moment with Seb [Haller], then it's not easy."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Antony?

Antony, who finally ended his United nightmare earlier this year, had hoped to feature in Betis' clash with rivals Sevilla this weekend as his team appealed against his red card.

"Yes, of course. We have to try [and appeal]. I know how important this game is and I want to play it," said the Brazilian, who is trying to make his national team's World Cup squad next year.

However, Antony has been handed a one-match ban, so he won't be available for the trip to Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday. However, he could return on December 3 for their Copa del Rey clash away at Torrent.

Pooran and Pollard had won the CPL and MLC together earlier this year

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2025MI Emirates have announced Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard as their wildcards for the upcoming season of the ILT20 in the UAE. Pooran and Pollard will rejoin forces after winning the CPL (Trinbago Knight Riders) and MLC (MI New York) together earlier this year.Pooran is also part of MI Cape Town in the SA20, which overlaps with the ILT20. Pooran, now 30, had made a shock decision to retire from international cricket at 29, but continues to be a sought-after player in franchise leagues around the world.Pooran and Pollard add more Caribbean flavour to a MI Emirates side that already includes Andre Fletcher, who had fetched the highest bid of USD 260,000 at the inaugural ILT20 auction in October, Ackeem Auguste, who was also an auction pick, and Romario Shepherd, who had been picked ahead of the auction.Related

• Kieron Pollard to captain MI Emirates in ILT20

• R Ashwin goes unsold in inaugural ILT20 player auction

• Pooran makes shock retirement from international cricket at 29

The ILT20’s fourth season, to be held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, begins on December 2 and will run until January 4, featuring six teams who will play a total of 34 matches.

MI Emirates

Auction Signings: Muhammad Rohid (USD 140,000), Jordan Thompson (USD 48,000), Naveen-ul-Haq (USD 100,000), Andre Fletcher (USD 260,000), Nosthush Kenjige (USD 10,000), Mohamed Shafeeq (USD 10,000), Zain Ul Abidin (USD 10,000), Usman Khan (USD 10,000), Ackeem Auguste (USD 10,000), Arab Gul (USD 10,000), Tajinder Dhillon (USD 10,000), Zahoor Khan (USD 10,000), Shakib Al Hasan (USD 40,000).Retentions + Direct Signings: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tom Banton, Romario Shepherd, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, AM Ghazanfar, Muhammad Waseem, Kamindu Mendis.Wildcards: Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard.

Navgire finished on a 35-ball 106 for Maharashtra against Punjab in the Women’s T20 Trophy on Friday

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2025Kiran Navgire, the India and Maharashtra opener, has smashed the record for fastest hundred in women’s T20s. She hit her record-breaking blitz in the Women’s T20 Trophy on Friday, hammering a 34-ball century while finishing on a 35-ball 106. It helped Maharashtra crush Punjab with eight overs to spare in Nagpur.Navgire broke Sophie Devine’s record for the previous fastest women’s T20 century, in 36 balls. That came in Wellington’s ten-wicket win over Otago in January 2021 where Devine scored 108 not out in 38 balls. An incredible strike-rate of 302.86 makes Navgire’s performance the only women’s T20 century to have a 300-plus strike-rate.It was all one-way action from Navgire’s bat. In the unbeaten 103-run second-wicket partnership, No. 3 Mukta Magre needed to contribute only six runs as Navgire plundered 14 fours and seven sixes. Maharashtra’s team total of 113 for 1 – the chase completed in eight overs – is now the lowest total to include an individual hundred in women’s T20s, going above the previous lowest of 123 in a CSA T20 game where Annerie Dercksen scored 106 not out.

Record Alert

* Runs
Balls
. Strike Rate
Fours & Sixes

Kiran Navgire has smashed the fastest hundred in the Senior Women's T20 Trophy

She achieved the feat in 34 balls, playing for Maharashtra against Punjab in Nagpur

Watch … pic.twitter.com/cxMApreNKS

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 17, 2025