Z-PRO MEDIA

  De'Aaron Fox is surrounded by younger teammates and is accustomed to "unc" treatment from his junior peers at the ripe age of 28. Fox, acquired in 2025 from the Sacramento Kings, has helped Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper and ‌the collective future of the roster blend with the tradition and winning-rich history of the five-time champion Spurs. "You feel it when you walk through the building, the expectation," Fox said Tuesday at NBA Finals media day. "You handle it with a level of respect. You handle it with a level of responsibility. It's not always to ⁠win. You're not going to always win. But go through that process. I think that's why we've been able to do it with -- we have four guys that are under 22 and about seven guys under 26. And we're in a position to play for the championship." Fox said the attention to detail and calm exhibited by the entire roster in big games this postseason is the biggest sign of maturation into a ...

  Romelu Lukaku marked his return to the Belgium side with a record-extending 90th international goal as they beat Croatia 2-0 away in their World Cup warm-up friendly on ‌Tuesday. Captain Youri Tielemans took advantage of a defensive slip to score the opening goal while Belgium's all-time top scorer Lukaku struck with the last effort of the match in his first game for the national side in 12 months. The 33-year-old Lukaku broke away and ⁠slammed home a powerful strike to set about expunging a dismal campaign at club level with Napoli where he failed to start a single match all season and struggled with a hamstring injury. Tielemans swept home the ball from close range in the 38th minute after the Croatia defence failed to clear a square pass following Jeremy Doku’s marauding run. The clash provided both teams' coaches with an opportunity to field a large number ‌of ⁠their World Cup-bound squads, as Croatia used 10 substitutes and Belgium brought on Lukaku for a cameo appearanc...

  Cristiano Ronaldo has bent football's record books into so many shapes that another landmark can almost feel routine but a sixth World Cup at 41 would be extraordinary even by his standards. The 2026 tournament is set to add another stop to Ronaldo's long and often bruising World Cup ‌journey, one that began in Germany in 2006 and has wound through South Africa, Brazil, Russia and Qatar without delivering the prize he has chased. Only Lionel Messi is poised to match him for appearances at six World Cups, another twist in a rivalry that has stretched from Real Madrid v Barcelona to Ballon d'Or ceremonies and now into football's deepest archive. Messi has eight Ballon d'Or awards, Ronaldo five. Both are still making room for ⁠new chapters in their amazing stories. For Ronaldo, the World Cup has been the one stage that has never fully bent to his will. His best run came in 2006, when Portugal reached the semi-finals before losing to France. Since then there have been...

  The New York Knicks will try to deliver the city its first NBA title since 1973 when they face a Spurs team looking to launch a new dynasty behind Victor Wembanyama in a highly anticipated Finals match-up beginning ‌on Wednesday in San Antonio. Led by versatile point guard Jalen Brunson, the Knicks have powered their way to their first Finals appearance since 1999, winning 11 straight games and posting a record point differential of plus-271 through 14 playoff contests. The run has electrified long-suffering Knicks fans, including courtside regulars Spike Lee, Ben Stiller and Timothee Chalamet, who have watched New York move within four wins of ending one of the NBA's longest championship droughts. There is reason for optimism. The Knicks won two of their three meetings with ⁠the Spurs this season including a 114-89 rout on March 1 at Madison Square Garden, where they made 17 three-pointers and forced 22 turnovers to snap San Antonio's 11-game winning streak. New York's b...

By Maxwell Kumoye with additional information by Ohis Asein   In Nigeria's sports business landscape, few individuals have left a footprint as profound and enduring as Mike Itemuagbon. A visionary entrepreneur, accomplished marketer, and passionate sports promoter, the Chief Executive Officer of Padmozi has spent decades transforming ideas into platforms that elevate Nigerian sports on the global stage. His journey is not merely a story of corporate success. It is a testament to vision, innovation, resilience, and an unwavering belief in the power of sports to inspire, unite, and create opportunities. For years, Mike Itemuagbon has remained one of the most respected figures in Nigeria's sports marketing ecosystem. Through Padmozi, he pioneered initiatives that brought professionalism, commercial value, and strategic partnerships into Nigerian sports at a time when the industry was still finding its footing. One of the defining moments in Padmozi's rise came when...

  Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro named an experienced squad on Tuesday for the country's first World Cup ‌finals appearance, led by forward Eldor Shomurodov and defender Abdukodir Khusanov. Captain Shomurodov will be the team's main attacking playmaker alongside his Istanbul Basaksehir teammate Abbosbek ⁠Fayzullaev. Manchester City's Khusanov, 22, struggled with injury earlier in the season but played regularly in the run-in, helping them win the English FA Cup and League Cup. Uzbekistan face Colombia in their opening Group K fixture, before matches against Portugal ‌and ⁠DR Congo. Goalkeepers: Utkir Yusupov (Navbahor), Abduvohid Nematov (Nasaf), Botirali Ergashev (Neftchi) Defenders: Rustam Ashurmatov (Esteghlal), Farrukh Sayfiev (Neftchi), Khojiakbar Alijonov (Pakhtakor), Sherzod Nasrullaev (Nasaf), Umar Eshmurodov (Nasaf), Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City), ⁠Abdulla Abdullaev (Dibba), Bekhruz Karimov (Surkhon), Jakhongir Urozov (Dinamo Samarqand), Avazbek Ulmasaliev...

  The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) has formally backed an official complaint ‌against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over a breach of political neutrality rules, president Lise Klaveness said on Tuesday. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the national team's departure for the World Cup, Klaveness stated that the NFF's letter of support had been officially submitted. She acknowledged that the move has triggered political friction within football's ⁠world governing body. Klaveness had earlier called on FIFA to scrap the award to protect its political neutrality. FIFA faced intense scrutiny after presenting the inaugural peace prize to U.S. President Donald Trump during the 2026 World Cup draw in December. The complaint, lodged by human rights organisation FairSquare with FIFA’s ethics committee, objects to Infantino presenting a "peace prize" to Donald Trump. The NFF has asked the committee to assess whether the FIFA president violated the governing bod...

  Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman is reluctant to make any bold prediction about his side’s chances at the World Cup, but on Tuesday expressed confidence ‌as they prepared for a warm-up international against Algeria. The Dutch were semi-finalists at the last European Championship and Koeman said he had a “better feeling” about this month’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. than the ⁠Euros in Germany two years ago. "But what does 'better' mean? At the last tournament, we were missing players because of injuries,” he told a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s clash in Rotterdam. “It looks like we'll have everyone fully fit this time, so that's a difference. But whether we're actually better is something we'll have to prove." Koeman said making predictions was ‌a ⁠perilous task. "You can never get it right. If you say we're going to become world champions, people ask what that's based on," he said. “If you say you're outsid...

 Bologna have appointed Domenico Tedesco as manager until June 2028 with ‌an option for a further year, the Serie A club announced on Tuesday. The 40-year-old succeeds Vincenzo Italiano, who mutually parted ways with the club last week ⁠after a two-year spell. Tedesco was sacked by Fenerbahce in April after taking over last September on a two-year deal following Jose Mourinho’s departure. "Bologna FC 1909 can confirm the appointment of Domenico Tedesco as the head coach of our men’s First Team. Tedesco has signed a ‌contract ⁠until 30 June 2028, with an option for a one-year extension," the club statement read. Tedesco began his senior coaching career in 2017 at ⁠German club Erzgebirge Aue and has since managed Schalke 04, Spartak Moscow and RB Leipzig. He also served ⁠as Belgium's head coach for two years from 2023-25, taking over from current ⁠Portugal manager Roberto Martinez following the 2022 World Cup in Qata..

Head coach Marco Silva will leave Fulham in ‌the close season after guiding the club back to the Premier League and establishing them as a stable top-flight side over his five years in charge. "Fulham and Marco were an excellent fit for five seasons, but change is inevitable in this game, and we've accordingly prepared for this moment," club owner Shahid Khan said in a statement. The Portuguese coach has been ⁠heavily linked with a move to Benfica, where he is viewed as a leading candidate to succeed Jose Mourinho , when he makes his expected return to Real Madrid. Silva arrived in west London in 2021 and made an immediate impact, guiding Fulham to the Championship title in his first season, their first league title in 21 years. He then stabilised the club in the Premier League, overseeing finishes of 10th, 13th, 11th and 11th in his four seasons in England's top flight. The 48-year-old Silva thanked the fans for their backing. "I asked you, from day one, to alwa...

  The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday upheld FIFA fines imposed on the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) over the use of a homophobic chant by supporters but overturned a partial stadium closure ordered in one of the disciplinary cases. CAS said the FMF must pay ‌separate fines of 60,000 Swiss francs ($76,287) and 80,000 Swiss francs after appeals against FIFA sanctions stemming from incidents during four international friendlies in 2024. FIFA's anti-discrimination monitoring system reported the chant during friendlies against Bolivia, Uruguay and Brazil in the summer of 2024, with two of those matches temporarily suspended. FIFA's disciplinary committee subsequently fined the FMF 60,000 Swiss francs and ordered a 15% closure of ⁠the stadium for Mexico's next FIFA match. A separate case stemming from an October 2024 friendly against the United States resulted in an additional fine of 80,000 Swiss francs. The FMF appealed both decisions to CAS, arguing it had...

...AFN declares National Trials Mandatory for Athletes, Set benchmark for sprint  By Maxwell Kumoye  The race for places on Team Nigeria to the 2026 Commonwealth Games has officially begun, with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) announcing dates for the national trials that will determine the country's track and field representatives for Glasgow, Scotland. The highly anticipated trials will hold from June 20 to June 22, 2026, at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Sports Complex in Lagos, bringing together some of the nation's finest athletes in what promises to be a fiercely contested competition. For Nigerian athletes dreaming of competing at the Commonwealth Games, the trials represent the most crucial hurdle in the qualification process.  The AFN has made it clear that participation in the trials is mandatory for any athlete hoping to secure a place on Team Nigeria, making the Lagos event a make-or-break opportunity for established stars and emerging tal...

  Spaniard Michel will become Ajax Amsterdam coach when he signs a two-year deal later this week, Dutch media said on ‌Tuesday. The 50-year-old will move from Girona, who he led to Champions League qualification in 2024 but was unable to save from La Liga relegation this season. The signing of Michel, whose full name ⁠is Miguel Angel Sanchez Munoz, had been predicted after Ajax’s new technical director Jordi Cruyff said he preferred a Spanish coach and identified the Girona manager as his top candidate. Last month, Ajax finished fifth in the Dutch league and secured a place in the Conference League through the playoffs after a disappointing ‌season. As ⁠a result, the club will begin their European campaign in the second qualifying round on July 23, with pre-season preparations scheduled to start on June 22. Michel, whose appointment ⁠has not been officially confirmed, will take over from compatriot Oscar Garcia, who was Ajax interim coach in the closing ⁠stages of the season. The c...

  Croatia captain Luka Modric is set to lead his country at what is expected to be the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner’s final ‌World Cup appearance after coach Zlatko Dalic named an unchanged 26-man squad. Dalic stuck with the provisional list announced on May 18, trimming the seven standby players as Croatia look to build on ⁠recent tournament success. Modric, 40, will have one last chance to guide Croatia to World Cup glory, having led the side to a runners-up finish in Russia in 2018 and third place in Qatar in 2022. Dalic’s squad blends experience and youth, particularly in defence, where Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol is joined by highly rated ‌teenager ⁠Luka Vuskovic, who is gaining experience on loan at Hamburg SV. Croatia face a challenging Group L campaign against England, Ghana and Panama. Squad: Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Dominik Kotarski (Copenhagen), Ivor ⁠Pandur (Hull City) Defenders: Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City), Duje Caleta-Car (Real Sociedad), J...