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  France defender Ibrahima Konate said on Wednesday he battled depression following the deaths of Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota and his father while continuing to fulfil his football duties. Portugal forward Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car crash last ‌July, while Konate's father, Hamady, passed away in January after a long illness. "There are low points, there's depression. You can suffer from depression in football too; there's no need to be ashamed to say so," Konate told France Inter radio. "It's true that I've often heard players say they were suffering from depression and that fans or people on the outside ⁠didn't understand because they were earning a lot of money. But that's rubbish and you shouldn't say that." The 27-year-old, who confirmed earlier this week he will leave Liverpool this summer, said Jota's death had taken a heavy toll on him. "It devastated me. I didn't have any interest in anything...

  Attendees of the World Cup will not be allowed to carry reusable water bottles into venues due to safety concerns, FIFA said on Thursday, following a last-minute change to its Stadium Code ‌of Conduct. The governing body, which had earlier permitted empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles inside stadiums, said the updated code - effective from Tuesday - now prohibits them. Other items like bottles, cups, jars and cans are also banned to prevent the risk of injury if thrown. "FIFA is committed to protecting ⁠the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers, and staff," it told Reuters in a statement. "FIFA made the decision to prohibit bottles to prevent risk and injury to players and attendees." "Outside bottles are already prohibited at several of these venues for safety considerations and FIFA is applying this consideration across its tournament stadiums." The move has raised concerns among supporters about coping with heat, with t...

  Jalen Brunson was beaten and battered but not dismayed, and the New York Knicks star had enough energy to orchestrate a fine George Gervin impersonation with an Iceman-like final quarter in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Spurs icon surely appreciated Brunson's zest for heroics but the city of San Antonio was stunned over an opening defeat as the red-hot Knicks controlled the final two minutes while prevailing 105-95 on Wednesday night. Brunson scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and the Knicks overcame ‌a 14-point third-quarter deficit to win their 12th consecutive playoff game, tied for the second-longest postseason streak in league history. "Jalen was MVP in the second half," New York coach Mike Brown said. "He was huge for us. He did what MVP candidates are supposed to do. He carried us home and we put the ball in his hands and he got it done for us down the stretch." Brunson had a rough time during the first half as he injured his right knee in...

By Maxwell Kumoye    Lagos is set to become the hub of youth basketball development this weekend as the Jordan Nwora Basketball Camp gets underway on Friday at the Ilupeju Basketball Court, with organizers promising three days of intensive training, mentorship and talent discovery. The camp, which will run until Sunday, is expected to attract 120 young players comprising 60 boys and 60 girls from different parts of Nigeria, all eager to sharpen their skills under the guidance of experienced coaches and basketball stakeholders. Originally scheduled to commence on June 14, the camp was brought forward due to logistical considerations, a move organizers say will not affect the quality of the programme. Speaking ahead of the event, Alex Nwora, a central figure in the organization of the camp, expressed confidence that all arrangements have been put in place for a successful outing. According to Nwora, participants can expect a well-structured programme designed to impr...

  Poland's Maja Chwalinska is loving her tennis at the moment and after becoming just the second qualifier in the Open era to reach the French Open semi-finals, the 24-year-old is delighted she returned from a mental health career break. Chwalinska, ranked 113th in the world coming into Roland Garros, had to battle her ‌way through three qualifying rounds in Paris and dropped one set in her eight-match run to the last four which culminated in Wednesday's 7-6(3) 6-3 win over Russia's Anna Kalinskaya. In 2021, Chwalinska announced she had been suffering with depression for over 18 months and was stepping away from the court. "I pushed at the beginning. I thought that I just need to stay very strong, tough, and just keep practicing," Chwalinska told reporters after Wednesday's win. "But then I just ⁠couldn't get out of bed anymore. I was just lifeless, to be honest. I knew that I need to take a break, because otherwise I'm just not able to live. ...

  Jose Mourinho will return to manage Real Madrid if Florentino Perez wins the club's presidential election on Sunday, the sitting president confirmed on Wednesday as he campaigns for another term at the ‌helm of the LaLiga club. Perez, facing renewable energy entrepreneur Enrique Riquelme in the club's first contested election for 20 years, delivered the campaign announcement through his social media channels with a short video featuring Mourinho saying simply: "Yes!" The clip followed the slogan "So MOUch history to be made", a not-so-subtle nod to the Portuguese ⁠coach who guided Real to a record LaLiga points tally in 2012 but last lifted a league title with Chelsea in 2015. The move for Mourinho follows a disappointing domestic campaign in which Barcelona secured back-to-back league titles. Real, 15-time Champions League winners, have also exited Europe's top club competition at the quarter-final stage in the last two seasons, with the absence of ma...

  Winger Anis Hadj Moussa scored on his home ground to give Algeria a surprise 1-0 away win over the Netherlands in their World Cup warm-up on Wednesday. Hadj Moussa, ‌who plays for Dutch club Feyenoord, cut in off the right wing and struck a powerful shot into the far corner four minutes from time to hand the North Africans a morale-boosting win at De Kuip, where he plays his club football. It was as much as Algeria deserved after ⁠a strong second-half performance, roared on by a large number of noisy travelling fans. Hadj Moussa’s effort was his first international goal and spoilt the home team’s send-off before they depart for New York on Thursday. "This is not what you want in your farewell match," Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk told Dutch NOS television. "If you look at the game, we should have been at least 2–0 up. Hopefully, our sharpness will return quickly and we'll finish our chances properly from ‌now ⁠on. It's positive that most of the players got some...

  Eight days before Mexico City kicks off the World Cup, mass protests by teachers and retired judges, road closures and last-minute construction work caused chaos in the capital on Wednesday for millions of residents who face long delays and complex rerouting of their daily commutes. On June 11, Mexico City will host the inaugural World Cup match between ‌Mexico and South Africa at Azteca stadium in the capital. With Mexico in the global spotlight, teachers and other groups have staged marches and blocked major avenues. They have said their protests, which are unrelated to the tournament, could intensify unless President Claudia Sheinbaum's government addresses their demands. The CNTE, a dissident wing of the national teachers' union, has threatened mass demonstrations at the opening of the World Cup in official statements shared on social media. The union is demanding the government fulfill a campaign pledge to repeal a 2007 law that overhauled the pension and ⁠social securit...

Some Glazer family members have been debating whether ‌to sell their stake in Manchester United FC (MANU.N), opens new tab after more than two decades ⁠of ownership, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Several stakeholders in the Glazer family have been studying ‌the ⁠possibility of divesting part or all of their holdings in the English ⁠Premier League football club, according to the report. — Reuters 

  Russian outsider Diana Shnaider battled from a set and a double break down to shock world number one Aryna Sabalenka 3-6 7-5 6-0 in blustery conditions and charge into ‌the French Open semi-finals on a windswept Wednesday. In a tournament that has witnessed several shocks including the exits of defending champion Coco Gauff and four-times winner Iga Swiatek, Sabalenka's defeat sent another jolt through the wide-open women's draw. Shnaider reached her maiden Grand Slam semi-final after an inspired battle in which she won the last 10 games having been two points away from defeat, and she takes on Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the last four. "Obviously, the first time playing Aryna, I was super nervous. The first set, I was trying to adjust to her game, trying to figure ⁠out how to play," Shnaider said. "I feel like I was trying to focus point by point, not thinking about the score. She's the world number one, so I just tried to do my best. I just had to...

  Brazil midfielder Casemiro believes being a "step behind" other World Cup favourites could actually work in the team's favour when the tournament kicks off next week. Brazil, who are looking ‌to win a record-extending sixth World Cup title, find themselves trailing European champions Spain, 2018 World Cup winners France and England in the bookmakers' odds for the June 11 to July 19 tournament in North America. "We aren’t the big favourites," Casemiro told FIFA's ⁠media channel after Brazil arrived in the U.S. on Tuesday. "Of course, we’re in good shape; we’ve got a strong squad, with a mix of experience and young talent." "Perhaps this time we’re a step behind, but we’re on our toes and that’s always a good thing. We want to go there in good shape and have a great World Cup.” The 34-year-old said Brazil had had a "difficult cycle" in the ‌build-up ⁠to the World Cup, with the Brazilian Football Confederation appointing Carlo Anc...

  Belgium are seeking to temper any expectations after an impressive away victory in Croatia on Tuesday, where a goal from Romelu Lukaku came as a major boost ahead of the World Cup. Belgium’s top scorer netted his 90th international goal in the 2-0 win, as ‌both countries continued World Cup preparations, marking his return to the team after a 12-month absence and seemingly putting behind him a difficult season in which he played less than an hour’s football for Napoli. “For him, it's huge. He lives for goals. So the fact that he scored is something we're really happy about,” said coach Rudi Garcia. “You also saw the reaction of his teammates. ⁠They all went over to celebrate with him, and he deserves it. “Our top scorer, our super top scorer, has scored again, and that's fantastic. That goal is good for his confidence. Still, we have to remain cautious. It can be dangerous to rush things. We need to bring him along step by step,” the coach told reporters. Lukaku has been ...

  Belgium midfielder Amadou Onana says he is happy to drop back into defence ‌if needed at the World Cup after a successful experiment with a change of tactical formation in Tuesday’s away victory over Croatia. Onana, usually the midfield destroyer for the Belgians, was shifted to centre back for the start of the friendly in Rijeka, which Belgium won 2-0 with a morale-boosting performance. It was a surprise switch from their traditional 4-3-3 formation, but one that had ⁠been planned to see whether it might be an option at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States. "I felt good in that position," Onana told a press conference on Wednesday. "The partnership with Arthur (Theate) and Nathan (Ngoy) went quite well. They carried out their roles very effectively too. For a first full dress rehearsal, this was certainly not bad at all. "I've played there a few times before. The team comes first. I'm a midfielder, that's my favourite position, but i...

  PFK Turan Tovuz have been declared ineligible to participate in next season's Conference League after European football's governing body UEFA ruled on Wednesday that the Azerbaijani club was involved ‌in activities aimed at influencing match outcomes. The UEFA Appeals Body chair stated Turan Tovuz had failed to meet admission criteria for "being directly and/or indirectly involved in activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level." The ruling ⁠comes after Turan Tovuz finished third in Azerbaijan's top flight, which would normally have secured their qualification for the Conference League qualifying rounds. The club said the decision was based on a 2019 disciplinary case where seven of the club's players were banned from all football-related activities for match-fixing by the country's soccer governing body (AFFA). "In the 2025-26 season, we finished the season in third place, following all sporti...