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Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani may be adding another job description to his resume this October.

Speaking to reporters after the Dodgers' 9-6 loss to the Phillies Tuesday, Ohtani said the club has had conversations about potentially deploying him as a relief pitcher in the postseason. And he's open to playing the outfield.

"I’ve had different conversations with different people, and of course that’s come up," Ohtani told Japanese reporters, according to MLB.com.

Utilizing Ohtani as a reliever makes sense. He has not yet pitched longer than five innings in a start, as the Dodgers have managed his workload in his first season on the mound since undergoing elbow surgery in September 2023. He's already equipped to handle a lighter innings load. Plus, Ohtani's electric swing-and-miss stuff would be a boon to the Dodgers' leaky bullpen. However, using Ohtani as a reliever would result in the Dodgers encountering an obstacle in the MLB rulebook.

The Ohtani rule, which was first implemented in 2022 with the two-way star in mind, states that if the starting pitcher is also in the lineup as the designated hitter, then that player can remain as the DH even if he is removed as a pitcher. Under the previous rules, if the starting pitcher was also in the lineup, the DH spot was forfeited and his spot in the batting order was taken up by the relief pitcher when he left the game. So essentially, if Ohtani started a playoff game as the DH, then entered in relief, the Dodgers would lose the DH spot after his pitching appearance concluded.

One possible way around this? Having Ohtani play the outfield, as he mentioned to reporters. Ohtani once starred for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Nippon Professional Baseball League as an outfielder, recording 90 putouts, seven assists and just one error in 62 career games in the outfield. However, he has appeared in the outfield in just 8 1/3 career innings in the majors, and hasn't done so since the 2021 season with the Angels.

He also has yet to appear as a reliever during his MLB career.

"He’s a great teammate," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "He wants to help us win a championship. So, I’m all about it. I don’t know if it’s going to happen," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Ohtani potentially playing in the outfield. "He hasn’t played the outfield. But I appreciate the fact that he’s open to whatever we need. So, I don’t know how that looks though. He hasn’t taken a fly ball all year."

It will be interesting to see if this is a path the Dodgers go down with the three-time MVP come October.

It is understood that both franchises have spoken to all three players involved

Nagraj Gollapudi09-Nov-202511:36

Sanju Samson – RavindraJadeja trade: shocking, or not?

In one of the most high-profile player trades in IPL history, Rajasthan Royals are set to trade wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in exchange of allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran.It is understood that both franchises have spoken to all three players involved but neither franchise confirmed the development when ESPNcricinfo reached out to them.Both RR and CSK have to send an expression of interest naming the three players involved in the trade to the IPL governing council. As per the trading rules, once the players’ written consent comes in, the franchises can have further discussions for a final agreement, which will also be ratified by the governing council.Samson and Jadeja have been with their respective franchises for a long time. Samson has represented RR for 11 seasons, while Jadeja has played for CSK since 2012, barring the two seasons in 2016 and 2017 when the franchises were suspended. Samson had indicated after IPL 2025 that he was looking for a change and wanted to be released by RR.Related

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Jadeja was retained by CSK ahead of the 2025 mega auction for INR 18 crore as the second player after captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Along with MS Dhoni, Jadeja has been a constant part of their core. He has been part of three of CSK’s five title wins.Jadeja played a crucial role in CSK’s win in the 2023 final, with his batting heroics in the last over against Gujarat Titans. It was also his best season with the ball as he finished with 20 wickets. He followed the feat with the bat in 2025, scoring 301 runs in the season, including two fifties.Jadeja has played 254 IPL matches, the fifth-most in the tournament behind Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik. With 143 wickets, he is the highest wicket-taker for CSK with best bowling figures of 5 for 16. He has the most Player-of-the-Match awards (16) along with Dhoni too. In 2022, Jadeja was appointed CSK captain, but handed the captaincy back to Dhoni midway after a poor start to the season.Sam Curran was bought back by CSK in 2025•BCCI

RR was the first team Jadeja represented in the IPL as a 19-year-old, and also the first team he won the title with in 2008. Jadeja played for RR for the first two seasons but was suspended in 2010 by the IPL for trying to negotiate a contract with Mumbai Indians directly. After the ban, Jadeja featured for Kochi Tuskers in 2011 before being bought by CSK for USD 2 million in 2012.After an impressive maiden IPL in 2013, when RR finished third as well as runner-up in the Champions League T20, Samson was the youngest player retained at 19 ahead of the 2014 season. That first stint lasted until RR’s two-year suspension in 2016-17 and Samson rejoined the franchise in 2018. He was appointed captain in 2021 and, in 2022, working with Kumar Sangakkara, RR’s team director, led the franchise to the IPL final for the first time since 2008.Samson has led RR in 33 wins and 33 defeats in 67 matches. In 2024, when RR made the playoffs again, he had a 500-run IPL season for the first time, scoring 531 at an average of 48.27 and strike rate of 153.47. He was one of six players retained by RR ahead of last year’s mega auction at INR 18 crore and he also remained captain. However, a side injury ruled him out of the second half of IPL 2025, and RR kept losing matches from strong positions to finish ninth out of ten teams.Samson is RR’s leading run-scorer with 4027 runs, has the joint-most 50-plus scores (25), the joint-highest score (124), and has taken the most catches (149). After he informed RR that he wanted to be released, the franchise initiated trade talks with several teams.Curran began his IPL career at Punjab Kings in 2019 and played for them again in 2023 – when he became the league’s most expensive player at INR 18.5 crore – and 2024. In between, he played for CSK in 2020 and 2021. Curran was bought back by CSK for INR 2.4 crore in the 2025 season, when he finished with 114 runs and only one wicket in five games.

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt appeared to question manager Ruben Amorim's tactics after the Red Devils' embarrassing loss to 10-man Everton on Monday. The defeat ended a five-game unbeaten streak for United in the Premier League and sent them tumbling to 10th in the table, 11 points adrift of leaders Arsenal, and De Ligt pulled no punches after the final whistle.

• Getty
  

  Amorim's tactics under the microscope

  Everton played the game with 10 men for more than 80 minutes after Idrissa Gueye was bizarrely sent off for clashing with team-mate Michael Keane They also saw right-back and captain Seamus Coleman forced off the pitch with an injury in the 10th minute. However, despite the early setbacks, the Toffees took the lead on the half-hour mark through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and defended resiliently thereafter to frustrate United.

  The hosts did not make their numerical advantage count. Instead of making runs from deep, United kept sending long balls and crosses and relied on set pieces. Amorim's side attempted 38 crosses in the game and won nine corners but none of those mattered in the end as the tall Everton defenders comfortably dealt with the aerial threats. Benjamin Sesko's injury-enforced absence up front did not help the home team. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  'A bad night for us'

  Dutch centre-back De Ligt was understandably frustrated with the team's performance and seemed to point the finger at Amorim for the defeat. He told : "It’s quite clear. A bad night for us. 70 minutes more or less 11 vs 10, conceded a goal and not creating many chances. A few but not enough for a match against 10. A disappointing night. From our side, we didn’t do enough. Didn’t make the runs or bodies into the box. They are strong in the air so we didn’t have the players to score from that.

  "We basically played to their strengths. These are the main aspects, but we have to look at ourselves and it’s not good enough. We’ve been away and trained for a while together. I just think we lacked a bit of urgency in several situations. They get punished if you lack this urgency. If you don’t score, you lose this game. We lacked this hunger to make a difference on the most important moments."

• Amorim makes 'afraid' admission

  Amorim admitted that United "deserved to lose" against the Toffees and challenged his players to issue an immediate response. The Portuguese coach told reporters: "I think they were a better team with 11. They then worked really well with 10 men for 70 minutes. So I think we deserved to lose. We didn't play well. We didn't play with the right intensity. I know which point we are in the moment. So we are not there, not even near the point that we should be to fight for the best positions in the league. We have a lot to do, and we need to be perfect to win games. We were not perfect. 

  "I feel afraid of returning of this feeling of last season, that is my biggest concern. So we need to work together. We are going to work together. I'm not going. The players are trying, but we need to be better so we have training tomorrow, and we are going to prepare the next one."

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  Up next: Palace test at Selhurst Park

  United could have moved into the top five with a win over Everton as their closest rivals dropped points, including Manchester City and Liverpool. Instead, they are now way off the pace in the race for a top-four finish and cannot afford anymore slip-ups.

  Another tough test awaits Amorim's men at Selhurst Park against Oliver Glasner's high-flying Crystal Palace on Sunday. Another loss would pile more pressure on the Portuguese coach.

Manchester United are now about to sign a South American wonderkid, according to reports, who is “on his way” to seal his move.

Man Utd have "no excuses", says Amorim

After a frustrating defeat against Everton at Old Trafford on Monday, the last thing that Man United need is a trip to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Those are the cards they’ve been dealt, however, and Ruben Amorim’s side now have the task of getting back to winning ways at one of the toughest grounds in the Premier League.

Man Utd in contact and lead race to sign attacking talent likened to Neymar

The Red Devils have a keen eye for talent overseas and could be about to rock the South American market in their latest pursuit.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 29, 2025

The Man United boss has no time for excuses this season, though – telling reporters in the build-up: “In our club it’s the same thing because last year we had to win every game all the time and we took a lot of things, a lot of criticism because we were not winning.

“So, in our club, there is no excuses. About Europe, I already talked about Europe, and I said the same thing last year when we were in Europe and I say the same thing this year, the advantage and the disadvantage of not being in Europe. So, there is no excuses. Last year or this year, we have always to win games.”

Victory could take the Red Devils to as high as fourth if other results go their way in what would be a major boost after 13 games. Defeat, meanwhile, could see them drop down to as low as 14th in familiar territory to last season.

INEOS and Amorim will know just how important Champions League qualification is on and off the pitch. Away from the action, it would allow them to attract the likes of Elliot Anderson, who now also has the interest of Manchester City.

It would also make them an attractive option for more young players, having already agreed a deal to sign South American youngster Cristian Orozco.

Cristian Orozco now "on his way" to sign for Man Utd

According to Fabrizio Romano, Orozco is now “on his way” to sign for Man United and travelling with lead scout Giuseppe Antonaccio after INEOS completed a deal worth $1m (£750,000) with Fortaleza.

Those at Old Trafford have signed the 17-year-old in the hope that he follows the same path that others have done so many times before in South America.

The Premier League is littered with several stars who launched careers in South America before reaching stardom in English football. Usually, it’s been the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion taking full advantage, but Chelsea and now Man United are beginning to take full advantage.

The Blues now have one of the best teenagers in the world in Estevao Willian and if Orozco is anywhere near as talented as the winger then United have hit the jackpot.

Man Utd eye move for £80m star who Man City would "love" to buy in January

“If you’ve been watching me in the nets, it’s been a frustrating experience because I feel like I’ve had no rhythm whatsoever,” Alyssa Healy says of her patchy form of late

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2025

Alyssa Healy compiled an 84-ball century•Getty Images

Chasing 331 to win. In a World Cup game. With the stands full of noisy opposition supporters. Not the easiest job, unless you are Alyssa Healy. Or Ellyse Perry, for that matter. It required a record-breaking effort with the bat, and Australia did it with a whole over in hand. “That’s a really cool stat”, Healy said afterwards, and will give the batters “a heap of confidence” for the rest of the tournament.The innings Healy played – 142 in 107 balls – was the bedrock of that chase. Her sixth ODI century, but her first since April 2022. She has missed a fair bit of cricket in the interim period but it’s still a gap of 25 innings between centuries, and only her second fifty-plus score of the calendar year. Talk about good timing.”I think I was just trying to contribute. I think it needed somebody to make a hundred to chase down that total. Obviously you’d probably like two to make hundreds just to make it easy, but somebody needed to, if they got set, to cash in and have a good day,” Healy said at the press conference afterwards. “So, yeah, it was probably… it was my day in the end. It hasn’t been my day of late, but it was my day today, which was really cool.Related

• Alyssa Healy to miss England match with 'minor calf strain'

• Healy and Australia ride the upswing after shoddy fielding show

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“And to get ourselves, obviously I would have liked to be there a little bit longer and probably see it home a little bit more, but I think to get ourselves in a winning position at that point in time was really cool, and I’ll probably reflect on that a little bit later and be a little bit happy.”N Shree Charani and Deepti Sharma returned excellent economy rates of 4.10 and 5.20 respectively, but the other three frontline bowlers – Amanjot Kaur, Kranti Gaud and Sneh Rana – were expensive. Particularly impressive was Healy’s takedown of the quicks, Amanjot and Gaud, each time she faced them.”It wasn’t a distinct plan as such. Charani was getting actually quite a bit of spin; she was kind of the pick of the bowlers today,” Healy said. “We identified that really well and thought if we can capitalise on some of the pace bowlers, that would be handy knowing that they really have [only] five bowlers in their attack. So, yeah, we thought if we could attack that it’d be great. But it wasn’t really a plan as such, it just panned out that way on the day and I think with the wicket sliding on it probably enabled us to do that.”Coming into the game with scores of 19 (against New Zealand) and 20 (against Pakistan), Healy wasn’t in rhythm, as she confessed. But where rhythm was missing, competitive instincts did the job, especially against Gaud, who had Healy’s number in each of the three ODIs in the bilateral series prior to the World Cup.2:24

Healy: ‘It was my day today’

“If you’ve been watching me in the nets, it’s been a frustrating experience because I feel like I’ve had no rhythm whatsoever, been struggling to find it, and I didn’t really know where it went before I came into the World Cup,” she said. “But I think once you step out on the field, your competitive instincts kick in and you kind of just lock-in to getting in the contest. Obviously aware that Kranti had got me out a fair bit throughout the ODI series, so an opportunity to go out there and lock in a contest with her and just sort of, I don’t know, have a bit of fun in that regard, I think sort of got me going and that was really a really enjoyable experience. And like I said, it was my day today, and hopefully it continues but if not, I’m sure it’ll be someone else’s, which is cool.”That Australia were chasing 331, “just” 331, was thanks in large measure to Annabel Sutherland, whose 5 for 40 from 9.5 overs took out the middle order and stopped India slightly short of where they might have been after being 192 after 30 overs.”Bellsy’s spell, I think, we got our length right in that department. We bowled a little bit poorly at times and probably gave India an opportunity to cash in whether that be at the start of the over or the end of the over, and I think we couldn’t really create a lot of pressure,” Healy said. “But Alana King and Annabel Sutherland actually created a little bit of a partnership there, created some pressure, created some opportunities. And then Bellsy sort of cashed in at her end. So that was really cool.”And I thought the bowling unit as a whole really hung in there, hung tough and created a whole heap [of pressure] in that back ten to, like I said, restrict them in a way to 330, which is a little bit daunting, but I think did a great job at the back end, which was cool.”

Back on Aug. 28, Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber slammed four home runs in a 19–4 win over the Braves. He became the fourth Philadelphia player ever to do so, joining a trio of Hall of Famers.

One—third baseman Mike Schmidt—played within living memory of a probable majority of Phillies fans. Though his career ended during World War II, it's not inconceivable that some elderly Philadelphia backers remember outfielder Chuck Klein.

And then there's Ed Delahanty. Delahanty, who hit four home runs in a game against the Chicago Colts (today's Cubs) in 1896, played for the Phillies and two other teams from 1888 to 1903. Today, he is known primarily for the bizarre, sad circumstances of his death—you'll see his story pop up on social media from time to time, the deep-historical fodder of YouTube rabbit holes.

What happened to Delahanty, and how good was he? As Schwarber and Philadelphia eye history this postseason, let's go back in time and examine one of baseball's most fascinating players.

Who was Ed Delahanty?

In the 1880s, as in our own time, Major League Baseball was filled with first- and second-generation immigrants looking to make a name for themselves in the United States. That was the case for Delahanty and his brothers, born to Irish parents in Cleveland in 1867. In total, five Delahantys would play in MLB: Ed, Frank (six years for four teams, primarily the Yankees), Jim (13 years for eight teams, primarily the Tigers), Joe (three years, all with the Cardinals), and Tom (three years for four teams, primarily the Cleveland Spiders).

Per John Saccoman's indispensable SABR bio, Ed played for two teams in the then-anarchic minor leagues: Mansfield in the Ohio State League in 1887 and the Wheeling National Citys in the Tri-State League in '88. From these Midwestern leagues the Phillies plucked Ed in '88; it took awhile for the avid drinker to marshal his considerable talents, but once he did, Philadelphia had a star on its hands.

How good was Ed Delahanty?

In , a famous baseball book written around the turn of this century, James cites a comparison made in the 1930s between Ed and Yankees center fielder Joe DiMaggio. That's how good he's reputed to have been—a consummate five-tool player in an era filled with them. Over the course of his career, Ed led his league in batting average twice, home runs twice, RBIs three times, steals once, on-base percentage twice, slugging percentage five times, and bWAR three times.

His best offensive season was probably 1899, when he led the National League in bWAR with 8.0. That year, he slashed .410/.464/.582 with nine home runs, 137 RBIs, and 55 doubles. However, one could plausibly argue he was better in '96 (when he had a career-best 190 OPS+), or 1893 (when he clubbed an outrageous 19 home runs and drove in 146 runs), or 1895 (when he got on base half the time; his on-base percentage was .500 on the dot), or even 1902 (when he led the then-new American League in every slash category).

How did Ed Delahanty die?

In 1903, Ed was in his second season with the Washington Senators, to whom he had jumped in the early years of the American League. He was in atrocious financial straits, having ostensibly signed a $4,500 contract with the Senators for the '03 season while also staring down the consequences of making an under-the-table agreement with the Giants (he was legally obligated to pay back a $4,000 advance). By late June, his mental health had deteriorated so significantly that he insured his life and began giving away his valuables; by the time he broke with Washington his teammates were regularly monitoring his welfare.

A family intervention in Detroit went nowhere, and in early July he boarded an overnight train from Michigan to New York. Quickly becoming inebriated, Ed was ejected from the train by an irate conductor near the border between Ontario and New York. Whether he jumped or fell from the International Railway Bridge into the Niagara River is unknown, but the 35-year-old's body was found on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls a week later.

What is Ed Delahanty's legacy?

"Big Ed," as he was nicknamed, can still be found all over the Phillies' and MLB's record book. Only Schmidt, Robin Roberts, Steve Carlton and Chase Utley accumulated more WAR. His .348 batting average for the team trails only teammate Billy Hamilton (and his .346 lifetime clip ranks eighth). He's second in franchise history in runs, fourth in hits, second in doubles, and third in triples. You don't have to look far; in May, Philadelphia acknowledged as such by retiring his "number."

More than numbers, however, he stands as a symbol in several respects. He was one of Philadelphia's first sports stars, helping begin the city's love affairs with big personalities unafraid to color outside the lines. His humble origins, outsized life, and tragic death made him an avatar of the early Irish American crop of athletes as they coped with a xenophobic society. Most of all, perhaps, Ed represents the enduring allure in the Information Age of the early days of baseball—a brutish, mysterious era whose impact on our own is easy to see but difficult to truly grasp.

Tottenham Hotspur’s recruitment in recent years has left something to be desired, and though this is a squad of heroes who conquered the Europa League before the summer, domestic form has been cemented at a lower-than-expected level for a while now, and that needs to change.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though, with £55m summer recruit Mohammed Kudus among the most exciting players in Thomas Frank’s Lilywhites outfit.

The Ghanaian winger hasn’t been perfect, but he’s certainly underlined his credentials as a difference-maker under Frank’s wing, with his five assists in the Premier League this season a joint-divisional best.

That statistic juxtaposes with Tottenham’s creative struggles this season, and it adds substance to the emerging rumours that Tottenham plan to sign an even more exciting winger to help elevate Frank’s project down N17.

Spurs leading race for new winger

Tottenham are anticipated to be busy over the coming transfer windows, with improvements needed across a range of areas. However, there’s no denying Frank’s frontline have been blunter than expected, and that must be a priority.

Kudus has been a terrific addition, but wingers like Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simons are flattering to deceive. Perhaps this is why ENIC Group are aiming for the stars.

Indeed, according to Spanish sources, Tottenham are leading the race for Real Madrid star Rodrygo, and that’s despite growing interest from the Premier League’s heavyweights.

Rodrygo, 24, is also attracting interest from Liverpool, and though Real are open to selling the Brazilian talent, they would expect to bank something in the ballpark of £70m.

Why Rodrygo would succeed at Spurs

Rodrygo is currently embroiled in a crisis of confidence. He has gone 30 La Liga matches without a goal, and has been pushed out to the fringes of Xabi Alonso’s squad.

But let’s not forget that this is a truly special player, praised for his “world-class” quality by former Los Blancos teammate Luka Modric, and the depth of his technical quality goes far beyond that of Kudus, who is devastating on the ball but lacks clarity and output.

Though Kudus has enjoyed a fine start to his career in north London, he doesn’t match Rodrygo’s breadth of skill. The Madrid man is one of the best forwards in the world, after all, and his recent drop-off does not negate that fact.

Crisper on the ball, more progressive with his passing and more active in dribbling forward himself, Rodrygo might not have Kudus’ same snappy speed, but that’s not to say that he isn’t a dynamic physical force in his own right.

Moreover, he has so often been shunted out onto the right flank in Madrid over the past several years, lower down the pecking order than the likes of Vincius Junior and Kylian Mbappe. The right-footed Rodrygo is at his best, his most prolific, when playing off the left.

Now, he has been reduced to a truly bit-part role, only afforded three league starts under Alonso’s management this term.

It feels like Rodrygo’s departure from the Santiago Bernabeu is a matter of when, not if, and while there are a multitude of high-profile suitors looking to excavate him from the hole he has fallen into, Tottenham have put in the hard yards for some time now, and Frank’s project would promise him a leading role.

Then it would be up to Rodrygo to prove that he is the real deal. On the basis of the evidence already, he is at that, and this would see him take on a more influential role than someone like Kudus down N17.

Spurs star is becoming Frank's own version of Kane & he's not even a forward

This Tottenham star is becoming a talismanic force for Frank’s side.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 5, 2025

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has apologised to Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni after a bizarre mix-up at the 2026 World Cup draw forced the reigning world champion coach to wear gloves before touching the trophy. The incident caused confusion and frustration, prompting FIFA to stage a corrective ceremony the next day to make amends publicly.

• Scaloni told to wear gloves before holding World Cup trophy

  The confusion unfolded during Friday’s draw for the 2026 World Cup, where organisers unexpectedly asked Lionel Scaloni to put on white gloves before handling the World Cup trophy. The requirement, normally reserved for non-champions or those without authorised access, appeared to stem from officials not recognising the manager who guided Argentina to the 2022 title. Scaloni looked visibly surprised and later admitted he believed staff had mistaken him for someone else.

  The moment quickly circulated across social media, with many fans and pundits questioning how FIFA personnel failed to recognise the reigning world champion coach. Argentina’s delegation reportedly felt the incident was disrespectful, especially given Scaloni’s central role in the Albiceleste’s most recent triumph. The awkwardness overshadowed the draw itself, in which Argentina were placed into Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and Jordan.

  To address the situation, FIFA arranged a separate ceremony the following day as part of the tournament schedule presentation. This time, Scaloni was invited onto the stage without gloves and handed the trophy in a more fitting manner. Infantino used the occasion to deliver a public apology and defuse the controversy.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  FIFA president Infantino apologizes to the World Cup winner…

  Speaking at the FIFA World Cup scheduling ceremony, Infantino said: “I apologise on behalf of FIFA. I didn’t know.”

  Calling Scaloni back on stage with the trophy in hand, he added: “Of course, the world champions can touch the cup. I apologise, I didn’t know. What an outrage! It’s just that when you’re a world champion, you look younger every day.”

  Scaloni responded in good humour, saying: “I think they mistook me for someone else and wouldn’t let me touch it yesterday.”

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Incident took place in highly-controversial World Cup draw

  The incident took place during a high-profile event in Washington, where FIFA unveiled the group-stage draw for the expanded 2026 tournament hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Scaloni’s unexpected treatment sparked immediate reaction across Argentina, a nation deeply protective of its icons following the emotional World Cup triumph in Qatar. Many fans considered the moment emblematic of FIFA’s organisational missteps, while others took a more humorous view given Scaloni’s calm response.

  Infantino’s apology was designed not only to correct the error but also to reinforce FIFA’s respect for champions at a time when public perception of the organisation often comes under scrutiny. By bringing Scaloni onto the stage and allowing him to lift the trophy bare-handed, the president attempted to close the narrative before it generated further controversy. The moment also created a symbolic snapshot ahead of Argentina’s attempt to defend their title on North American soil.

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  Argentina prepare for for World Cup title defence

  Argentina will now prepare to open their World Cup campaign against Algeria on 16 June, before facing Austria and Jordan in what is viewed as a manageable yet unpredictable group. The defending champions aim to maintain continuity and avoid distractions, and Scaloni’s composed handling of the incident ensured it did not escalate into a prolonged story. With expectations sky-high once again, the team will look to build early momentum as they begin their road toward back-to-back titles.

The Blue Jays took care of business in Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers with a thrilling 11-4 win at home while also making some history in the process.

Blue Jays' Addison Barger broke the game wide open at the bottom of the sixth inning with his pinch-hit grand slam, and Toronto went on to score a whopping nine runs—good for third-most ever in a World Series inning–to give themselves a very comfortable lead over the defending champs.

The Blue Jays' offense was humming so well that fans at Rogers Centre collectively decided they were finally over Shohei Ohtani years after the Toronto organization's infamous failed attempts to recruit him in free agency.

In the top of the ninth during Ohtani's final at-bat of Game 1, Blue Jays fans launched into the perfect four-word chant: "We don't need you."

Listen to that hilariously petty moment below:

And here's the clearest audio of the chant, just for good measure:

Those fans had better hope and pray that their Ohtani chant ages well for the rest of the series.

Ohtani recorded his first career World Series home run to give the Dodgers some life after Toronto's offensive onslaught, joining Hideki Matsui as the only Japanese-born players to homer in the Fall Classic, but he and the Dodgers ultimately came up short in Game 1.

The Blue Jays will look to bring the same offensive firepower Saturday night to extend their series lead over the Dodgers—and prove once again they don't need the three-time MVP–in Game 2 at Rogers Centre.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank finally opened up on Yves Bissouma's laughing gas allegations after Spurs launched an internal investigation into the midfielder’s conduct. Bissouma is facing fresh disciplinary action from the north London club after footage emerged of the midfielder inhaling laughing gas for the second time in just over a year.

• Bissouma in trouble again for inhaling laughing gas

  It was reported on Sunday that Tottenham have launched an internal investigation after out-of-favour star Bissouma was filmed inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon during the early hours of November 3, with the footage reportedly recorded at a party in London. The video, which he is said to have sent to a woman invited to join him, has raised immediate disciplinary concerns given his previous suspension for the same behaviour. Similar footage appeared last year, where the midfielder was apparently inhaling gas. Upon being found guilty, the north London club handed their player a one-match suspension.

  After the latest incident, Spurs have confirmed that the matter is being handled internally after the footage was published, intensifying scrutiny on the player. The incident is particularly serious because possession of nitrous oxide – a class C drug – for recreational use has been illegal in the UK since 2023, carrying potential criminal penalties, maximum up to a two-year imprisonment. Bissouma apologised for a similar offence last year and served a club suspension as a result, but this second episode has sparked renewed questions over his professionalism at a time when he has not played a single minute this campaign.

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  Frank reacts to Bissouma's incident

  Reacting to the fresh controversy, Spurs boss Frank told reporters: "It’s an internal matter that we are dealing with at the moment, and when we have dealt with that, then I will have a comment on it."

  After his suspension last year, former Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou had shared his thoughts on Bissouma's conduct, as he said: "He has made a really poor decision. You want to understand that and try to help him through that, and as a club (see) what we can do to make sure he doesn’t make those kinds of choices and decisions in the future. He has a responsibility to his team-mates, to our supporters and to everyone associated with the club – and he failed in those duties."

• Bissouma's crisis continues at Spurs

  The latest controversy adds to the Mail international's crisis in the Premier League, with his future at Tottenham uncertain ever since he was dropped from the squad for persistent lateness at the start of the season. Frank has left the midfielder out of both his Premier League and Champions League squads, noting at one point that there was still a way back but emphasising standards that must be met. 

  The landscape only worsened for the midfielder following an ankle injury sustained on international duty, keeping him sidelined during a period when he needed to rebuild trust. Off the pitch, Bissouma has endured further turmoil with revelations in November that he had been the victim of a major fraud, losing £800,000 from a Coutts bank account. Although the club maintain an option to extend his contract beyond June, his position is fragile, with Spurs considering triggering the clause primarily to protect his transfer value ahead of a possible January sale. The latest footage contributes to a pattern of off-field issues that could accelerate an exit, especially with earlier interest from Turkish clubs failing to materialise in the summer.

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  Spurs finally bounced

  After going winless in four back-to-back games across all competitions where they conceded 13 goals, Frank's men bounced back this weekend as Richarlison and Xavi Simons' goals helped Spurs comfortably beat Brentford 2-0. 

  With renewed confidence, the Premier League club are all set to host Slavia Praha in the Champions League on Tuesday. The game will be extra special for the club, as their iconic forward Son Heung-min is all set to return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first time since leaving for LAFC in the summer. 

  The club's official statement read: "Sonny will take to the pitch before the team walk-outs ahead of the 20:00 kick-off against the Czech champions. He will then have the opportunity to personally address the supporters that took him into their hearts following his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 and treasured him for the next 10 years – it is sure to be an emotional occasion in N17."