Biggest stars yet to catch fire at Euro 2024

Biggest stars yet to catch fire at Euro 2024
Between injury struggles, shaky form and bad luck, many of football’s leading lights have underwhelmed in the group phase.(AP)
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Updated 27 June 2024
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Biggest stars yet to catch fire at Euro 2024

Biggest stars yet to catch fire at Euro 2024

BERLIN: With exciting football and vibrant fans lighting up cities across Germany, Euro 2024 has thrilled even though the European game’s biggest stars have failed to take the tournament by storm.
Between injury struggles, shaky form and bad luck, many of football’s leading lights have underwhelmed in the group phase.
Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo, playing at a record sixth Euros, is yet to strike in three appearances — if he manages to, the 39-year-old will become the oldest ever goalscorer at the tournament.
Arguably the best player in the world, Kylian Mbappe is only off the mark for France with a penalty against Poland in a disappointing 1-1 draw that resulted in the favorites finishing second in Group D.
Mbappe spurned a golden opportunity against Austria, missing a draw against the Netherlands with a broken nose before returning with a mask in Les Bleus’ third outing.
“He’s hungry to play and the game would have done him some good,” said France coach Didier Deschamps, hopeful the forward will quickly find his devastating best with a last 16 clash against Belgium beckoning.
Poland’s talisman Robert Lewandowski could not feature in their opening defeat against the Netherlands because of a thigh problem.
The Barcelona striker and his country were eliminated as he was ineffective when he came off the bench against Austria, before he netted a penalty in the France draw.
England duo Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored from open play against Serbia and Denmark respectively but have vastly under-performed after thriving at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich this season.
England coach Gareth Southgate hooked Kane in a drab 1-1 draw against Denmark, but the subsequent 0-0 against Slovenia was even more dour.
“Not every player is going to star in every game,” said Southgate afterwards.
France’s Antoine Griezmann and England’s Phil Foden have also fired blanks after strong seasons for Atletico Madrid and Manchester City.
“Sometimes (Griezmann’s) generosity means he doesn’t have as clear a head as he should have,” said Deschamps, who benched the midfielder in the final group match.
Belgium’s all-time top scorer Romelu Lukaku is also without a goal, albeit not for want of trying, having had three disallowed by VAR as his team slunk through in second from Group E.
Veteran Luka Modric, 38, usually a key figure in Croatia’s frequently impressive exploits, did score against Italy but only after missing a penalty and struggling in the first two matches, with his country eventually eliminated.
Remarkably there have been seven own goals, making up 26 percent of the 27 inadvertently netted in the competition’s history.
Even the players who have shone thus far have largely been surprises for one reason or another.
N’Golo Kante is proving key for France despite moving a year ago to play in Saudi Arabia, while talented youngster Jamal Musiala has been hosts Germany’s leading light ahead of veteran stars Toni Kroos, Ilkay Gundogan and Kai Havertz.
Target man Niclas Fuellkrug has scored twice for Germany like Musiala, while Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz and Romania’s Razvan Marin also have a pair of goals to their name.
Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo finished neatly for his second goal in a 3-2 defeat by Austria, in a performance their coach Ronald Koeman labelled “appalling.”
The tournament’s current top scorer is debutants Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze with three goals, two of those from the penalty spot.
Spain qualified top of Group B with a game to spare and have arguably been the team of the tournament so far, but two of their key players have been unlikely candidates in Fabian Ruiz and Marc Cucurella.
With 15 matches still to play before one of the 16 remaining sides is crowned champions in Berlin on July 14, fans are still waiting for the tournament’s star names to join the party.


Struggling Dortmund sack coach Sahin after four-game losing run in 2025

Struggling Dortmund sack coach Sahin after four-game losing run in 2025
Updated 1 min 28 sec ago
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Struggling Dortmund sack coach Sahin after four-game losing run in 2025

Struggling Dortmund sack coach Sahin after four-game losing run in 2025
“Borussia Dortmund have released head coach Nuri Sahin with immediate effect,” said the club
Dortmund said current Under-19 coach Mike Tullberg would be in charge

BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund have fired coach Nuri Sahin, the German soccer club said on Wednesday, after Tuesday’s shock 2-1 loss to Bologna in the Champions League that stretched their losing run to four games across all competitions.
“Borussia Dortmund have released head coach Nuri Sahin with immediate effect following an internal analysis of recent sporting developments,” said the club in a statement.
The Ruhr valley club, last year’s Champions League finalists, conceded two goals in two minutes in the second half against the Italians after taking a 15th minute lead.
They have also lost all three league matches in 2025, dropping down to 10th place in the Bundesliga and putting their participation next season in Europe’s premier club competition at risk.
“After four defeats in a row and only one win from the last nine games ... we have unfortunately lost faith in being able to achieve our sporting goals in the current constellation,” Dortmund managing director Lars Ricken said in the statement.
“This decision also hurts me personally, but it was no longer avoidable after the game in Bologna.”
Dortmund said current Under-19 coach Mike Tullberg would be in charge for their league game against Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Sahin, 36, leaves the club just a little over half a year after being appointed to replace Edin Terzic as the new coach.
The German-born former Türkiye international was a former youth and senior player at the club. He became an assistant coach at Dortmund in 2024 after a two-year coaching spell at Türkiye’s Antalyaspor. He had signed a contract to 2027.

Pakistani cricketers Saud Shakeel, Noman Ali break into ICC top 10 Test rankings

Pakistani cricketers Saud Shakeel, Noman Ali break into ICC top 10 Test rankings
Updated 3 min 44 sec ago
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Pakistani cricketers Saud Shakeel, Noman Ali break into ICC top 10 Test rankings

Pakistani cricketers Saud Shakeel, Noman Ali break into ICC top 10 Test rankings
  • Saud Shakeel and Noman Ali were both instrumental in Pakistan’s recent Test win against West Indies in Multan
  • Shakeel moves up to number 8 in batter’s rankings as Noman Ali moves to number 9 in ICC bowler’s rankings

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani cricketers Saud Shakeel and Noman Ali have broken into the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) top 10 Test batter’s and bowler’s rankings, the cricket governing body said on Wednesday, after their recent heroics against the West Indies at home. 
Shakeel, Ali and spinner Sajid Khan were instrumental in Pakistan’s 127-run convincing victory against the West Indies in Multan last week. Noman grabbed six wickets in the Test match, including a fifer in the West Indies’ first innings that helped dismiss the Caribbean team before they could amass a sizable lead over Pakistan’s first innings total. 
Shakeel scored a heroic 84-run knock to steer Pakistan out of the woods in the first innings, helping the team reach 230 runs before they were dismissed. 
“Batter Saud Shakeel and bowler Noman Ali are Pakistan’s big movers in the newly updated ICC Men’s Test Rankings,” the ICC said in a report on its website. “Saud Shakeel (753 ratings points) scored 84 in the first innings, climbing three Rankings spots to 8th on the batting list, moving above Steve Smith (746, 9th) and Rishabh Pant (739, 10th).”
Ali, with 761 points to his credit, broke into the top 10 by securing the number nine position. India’s Jasprit Bumrah with 908 points and Australia’s Pat Cummins with 841 points occupy the first and second position, respectively. 
“Other notable movers include Pakistan’s Sajid Khan (621), who climbed 18 places to No. 23 after his standout performance in Pakistan’s victory in the first Test,” the ICC said. 
Pakistan, who lead 1-0 in the two-match Test series, will next face the West Indies in Multan for the second Test on Jan. 25. Both teams are placed at the bottom of the World Test Championship after successive losses to other teams. 
Pakistan are expected to head into the second Test with both Khan and Ali in the playing XI. The South Asian team have been making spin-friendly tracks in Multan and other venues across the country ahead of Test series to capitalize on its home conditions. 
Pakistan beat England 2-1 in a three-match Test series at home, capitalizing again on the spin-friendly tracks. However, the South Asian team lost to South Africa 2-0 in an away Test series this month.


Saudi Esports Federation and King Saud University Medical City unite on mental health initiative

Saudi Esports Federation and King Saud University Medical City unite on mental health initiative
Updated 22 January 2025
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Saudi Esports Federation and King Saud University Medical City unite on mental health initiative

Saudi Esports Federation and King Saud University Medical City unite on mental health initiative
  • Three-year program will research esports, including anti-doping in e-sports and the importance of physical activity for gamers  

RIYADH: The Saudi Esports Federation and King Saud University Medical City have agreed to collaborate on implementing physical and mental wellbeing initiatives, developing health programs and conducting advanced research for electronic sports players.

Specific areas of joint focus include groundbreaking research into anti-doping in e-sports, the importance of physical activity for e-sports athletes and preventing and managing injuries. A medical committee will be established to combat doping.

The agreement, which aligns with the aims of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the National Gaming and Esports Strategy, will last for three years and is one of the first of its kind in the world.

Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “The memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Esports Federation and King Saud University Medical City positions Saudi Arabia as a global leader in e-sports governance and integrating health and wellness into e-sports. The words innovative and groundbreaking are often overused but it is impossible to overstate how important this MoU could be for implementing physical and mental wellbeing initiatives not just in our nation, but in our industry. This is particularly prevalent considering that there remains a lingering public perception among some that gaming is an unhealthy pastime.

“As a global-leading federation, we at SEF relish the responsibility of enhancing best practice in gaming and e-sports and improving the lives of our community, and feel this collaboration is full proof of that in action. The MoU advances public health, fosters innovation and fully focuses on e-sports excellence and the health requirements that are vital to ensure e-sports excellence.”

The work achieved through the agreement will go towards the aims of Saudi Arabia’s National and Gaming Esports Strategy, which has ambitions to make the country a global hub for the gaming industry by 2030.

The research into anti-doping in e-sports is especially groundbreaking. As part of that, the agreement will help establish what exactly is doping in e-sports and how to combat it. Currently, the e-sports industry lacks consistent anti-doping standards, with few organizations adhering to any guidelines, and those that do often follow fragmented and inconsistent practices. It is hoped that the research by SEF and KSUMC could in time develop specific e-sports processes and guidelines on anti-doping.

The MoU will also help with the future implementation of health-related regulatory issues in e-sports as a global industry. It will help encourage healthy practices among gamers not just in Saudi Arabia but, when the research is shared, the wider world.

In addition, the agreement will assist all those in the SEF Career Pathway Strategy, which is implemented through the SEF Academy and the member clubs in Saudi Arabia. All professional, semi-professional, retired, youth and amateur players — male and female  will benefit from the work conducted through the SEF and KSUMC.


Paul Hughes planning to become ‘face of the PFL’

Paul Hughes planning to become ‘face of the PFL’
Updated 22 January 2025
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Paul Hughes planning to become ‘face of the PFL’

Paul Hughes planning to become ‘face of the PFL’
  • The 27-year-old from Belfast faces reigning Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov in Dubai on Jan. 25

DUBAI: Ireland’s rising mixed martial arts star Paul “Big News” Hughes has his sights set on becoming the new face of the game-changing Professional Fighters League.

The 27-year-old from Belfast plans to do so by knocking out reigning and defending Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

Hughes and the undefeated Nurmagomedov go head-to-head in the main event of the PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series on Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

While taking on the reigning Bellator champion is a challenging task for someone who just recently started to make noise in the MMA world, Hughes believes in himself.

“I absolutely foresee a knockout. I think it’s my destiny to knock him out here and to just rise to superstardom of the MMA sphere. I can feel it within my bones, I can feel it in my preparation, everything’s just going right,” Hughes told MMA journalist Paul Browne recently.

He added: “I think this is just my time to make my mark in this sport, not just become the Bellator lightweight champion and one of the faces of PFL — probably the face — but to be one of the biggest superstars in the sport and to forge my own pathway in this sport, to trailblaze my own way.

“That’s what I’ve foreseen when I made my decision to come to the PFL.”

With the Bellator brand being folded by the PFL, Hughes has plans to make his mark. “I’m gonna be making a few different pieces of history: first global MMA show in Dubai, last-ever Bellator titleholder.

“And potentially, I would love if they made a PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series (belt), if they made a new belt. I mean, I’m just putting that out there. If I can leave there with two belts, that would be even better.”

He added: “There’s gonna be no denying that when I knock Usman out, I’ll be the face of the PFL, or at least one of them. There’s no denying that any fight I have from here forth is going to be big, and that’s what I deserve.

“I’m here for the big nights, I’m here for the big fights, and I see myself selling out venues around the world. But where I would like to do that first is absolutely, no question, in Belfast.”


Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club announces showjumping calendar with total prize money of $1.36m

Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club announces showjumping calendar with total prize money of $1.36m
Updated 22 January 2025
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Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club announces showjumping calendar with total prize money of $1.36m

Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club announces showjumping calendar with total prize money of $1.36m
  • The Abu Dhabi International Showjumping Event takes place from Jan. 24-26

ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club has announced its 2025 showjumping calendar, with a series of events that will see local and international stars compete for a total prize purse of $1.36 million.

Among the highlights is the Abu Dhabi International Showjumping Event, which will take place from Jan. 24 to 26 and feature the renowned CSI4*-W International Show Jumping Competition, and the prestigious Grand Prix World Cup Qualifier.

This announcement coincides with the unveiling of the ADEC’s state-of-the-art equestrian and lifestyle destination, an expansive venue spanning 54 acres.

The facility features indoor, covered, and outdoor arenas, lush grass paddocks, extensive hacking tracks, and premium arena seating.

Ali Al-Shaiba, director-general of the ADEC, said in a statement: “We are proud to unveil this new, immersive venue in time for the showjumping season. This world-class development further affirms the UAE’s commitment to preserving and promoting our equestrian heritage on a global stage.

“We extend our heartfelt appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court, and President of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club for his continuous support and guidance, which has been instrumental in elevating the sport to international audiences.”

The Abu Dhabi International Showjumping Event will also feature a Country Flags Parade and Indoor Drone Show.