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Cruz Beckham has fiercely defended his father David after Cristiano Ronaldo claimed he was physically superior to the retired Manchester United legend. The Al-Nassr star is still playing at the age of 40 and boasts an impressive physique, an area he feels he has the beating of Beckham. But the ex-England captain's youngest son has hit back at the Portuguese in savage style.

Ronaldo puts down Beckham's 'normal' body

The Portugal icon spoke with journalist Piers Morgan about his career, his future, and much more during a lengthy chat earlier this month. In that conversation, ex-Man Utd and Real Madrid man Beckham, 50, was also briefly brought up. Ronaldo was asked who he thought was the better-looking of the two, with the veteran striker not mincing his words. 

"His face is beautiful, yeah, handsome face," he said. "The rest is normal, like it's normal. I'm not normal. I'm perfecto. For me [good] looking is not only the face but the whole package. Imagine Cristiano and a normal guy with red speedos on the Copacabana, you think I am not going to have a chance with nobody."

When asked who would get more attention walking across the Copacabana, Ronaldo boasted: "Me, 100 per cent," before adding, "He's [Beckham] looking good. I like him, he is a guy who speaks good, I like him."

The former Juventus star also suggested he is the most famous person on the planet.

"We'll do a debate for the world: who's the most famous? Me or President Donald Trump? I think, in the world, even in small islands, they know me more than him," he said.

AdvertisementCruz sticks up for father David Beckham

In response to this, the 20-year-old Cruz referenced Ronaldo's "rest is normal" comments and put together a side-by-side shot of the Portuguese when he signed for United as a teenager in 2003; in addition to one of David in his 20s. In that image, Beckham appears to have the edge.

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Beckham still got it

A few months before he turned 50, Beckham was on the front cover of Men's Health. The Inter Miami co-owner revealed that to this day, he still does two exercises: push ups and pull-ups. But it wasn't always something he enjoyed. 

He told the magazine in February: "I hated pull-ups with a passion. I could literally only do two or three – three at most. Bob decided to focus on press-ups and pull-ups. I hated both, and now we do them most days. I didn’t have pecs until I met (trainer) Bob [Rich]. You could say I’ve gone up a few cup sizes as a result. I never really had a desire to, either. I wanted to be as lean as I could. But since retiring, I’ve put a bit of meat in my pecs."

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Getty/GOALWhat comes next for Ronaldo and Beckham?

Aside from physique wars, Beckham will be focusing on Inter Miami's Major League Soccer Eastern Conference final clash against New York City on Saturday, which will see Lionel Messi take centre stage once again. Ronaldo, meanwhile, will be hoping his Al-Nassr side can beat Istiklol in the AFC Champions League 2 on Wednesday.

Ball dominated on the opening day in Hobart as late wickets kept Tasmania in the contest

AAP15-Oct-2025Fourteen wickets fell and Liam Haskett was the surprise spark for Western Australia as they finished day one on top in their Sheffield Shield clash against Tasmania in Hobart.Ashes batting contender Jake Weatherald missed a chance to push his case for a Test debut, before Tasmania unravelled when third-change WA left-arm quick Haskett was introduced.Related

Konstas' Test hopes fade with a duck on 13-wicket day

The paceman took 3 for 26 in 10 overs, having Tim Ward flashing an edge behind then spearing deliveries through Caleb Jewell and Nivethan Radhakrishnan.A bright, unbeaten 41 from Jake Doran that included three sixes salvaged things somewhat in an otherwise horror middle session for Tasmania. Australia white-ball allrounder Aaron Hardie also played a key role with three wickets.WA were 107 for 4 at stumps, having missed a chance to be in a more dominant position when the well-set Jayden Goodwin and Hilton Cartwright were late casualties.Riley Meredith found pace and bounce in his eight overs, while former Test quick Jackson Bird took the early scalp of Cameron Bancroft for just 3 when he edged to slip.

England batter believes striving to be the very best will help her keep improving

Valkerie Baynes11-Jul-2025Alice Capsey’s development as an international cricketer mirrors the evolution of her England team as a work in progress.Capsey burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old with a Player-of-the-Match-winning 59 for Oval Invincibles in just her second appearance in the Women’s Hundred. Another half-century in just her third T20I innings before her 18th birthday fuelled the excitement around her talent.Almost three years on, much has changed for Capsey and England, particularly over the past 12 months.Related

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India lift their fielding to the next level in bid to 'dominate no matter what'

“For me it’s been a year of a lot of learning,” Capsey said. “Last year, I’ll be the first one to say it, I didn’t perform how I would have liked. Getting dropped from that T20 squad in South Africa was the best thing for me. To reflect, to take that step back and go, ‘okay, well, I know I want to be in that T20 team, what do I need to do to get there?'”Capsey became a casualty of England’s failed T20 World Cup campaign when she was dropped for the tour of South Africa in December. Having held her place in the ODI squad for that trip, she was ultimately called up as injury cover for the T20s but didn’t play a game.After England’s dire showing at the Women’s Ashes in January – where Capsey played one T20I, scoring 6 and taking 1 for 25 with her offbreaks, and three ODIs yielding 18 runs and three wickets – she returned to Australia as part of the England A tour. There, she was England A’s second-highest run-scorer across formats with 207 runs at 41.41, including a hundred and a half-century in the four-day match.”A lot of work went on during the winter and, along with a lot of communication with the ECB, decided to play in that A-series and that was probably one of the best things for me, to still be playing highly competitive games but it also not be in the complete spotlight of an international game of cricket,” Capsey said.

“It is difficult at some points. Every time you go onto the cricket pitch, for the last three or four years, there’s always been eyes on. But at the same time, that’s an amazing place to be”Alice Capsey

“Over the past three or four years, other than domestic games where you’re still that international, you need to stand up, I probably haven’t played in any games where I can just go out and bat and work on a few different things.”Capsey played just one match for Delhi Capitals during this year’s WPL but said training with the franchise in Indian conditions “was a really great experience” and she saw the benefits of facing bowlers in the nets for hours on end there when she returned for the start of the domestic season.By that time, Charlotte Edwards had replaced Jon Lewis as England Women’s head coach and mandated that all centrally contracted players be available for the first seven rounds of the one-day cup. Capsey scored 317 runs across seven innings at 45.28 with a highest score of 125 and two fifties.During Edwards’ first international series in charge, England swept both white-ball legs of West Indies’ visit but they have been comprehensively outplayed by India in three of their four T20Is so far with one to play before a three-match ODI series.Capsey was only required to bat once in the T20s against West Indies (she scored 4). She scored 60 runs and took four wickets across the three ODIs, where the first two matches were dominated by England’s openers, Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones.Against India, she is averaging 7.50 from four innings with a highest sore of 18 batting at No. 3 having played at No. 6 in the first two games.”Deep down I know how much I’ve still got to learn, I’m nowhere near where I want to be,” Capsey said. “I want to be the best batter in the world, no doubt about it. Every player who plays international cricket will want to strive to be the best.Alice Capsey scored 317 runs from seven innings in the One-day Cup•Getty Images for Surrey CCC”If you don’t have a goal to strive for, it makes putting in the work a little bit harder. Whether it’s realistic or unrealistic, at this point it probably doesn’t really matter because if you’re striving to get better, more often than not, you’re going to get better.”With the 50-over World Cup in India just two-and-a-half months away, England have plenty of work to do. The fielding woes which let them down when West Indies knocked them out in the group stage of the T20 World Cup appeared to be improving earlier in the summer but have let them down again against India.They have one match to put that right, on Saturday at Edgbaston with India having already clinched the series, before starting afresh in the ODIs, where captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is expected to return from injury.”Our fielding has been a big talking point and we haven’t been good enough over the last 12 months and we haven’t been good enough again this series,” Capsey said. “But we are working so hard on it and no one means to drop a catch, no one means to miss a run out.”There’s no hiding away from the fact that it’s been a really tough 12 months for us and our fielding hasn’t been up to standard. We all know that. Stats don’t lie. We’ve dropped a lot of catches in really pivotal points in important games.”England are still learning how to perform on the biggest stages, but Capsey has no qualms about having grown up in the spotlight.”That’s just what I’ve known,” she said. “It’s not like I can compare. It is difficult at some points. Every time you go onto the cricket pitch, for the last three or four years, there’s always been eyes on. But at the same time, that’s an amazing place to be.””For me, it is about, being a young player, how do I manage myself through that? And how do I continue to improve? How do I continue to manage that noise? That’s half of the battle with not just being an international cricketer, but you speak to any international athlete, I think that is half the battle. It’s something that I’m learning.”If the spotlight isn’t already burning brightly on England, it will amp up in October when they face South Africa in their World Cup opener and, come this time next year at a home T20 World Cup, it will be positively blazing. They’d best get used to the heat now, and play like they don’t know any different.

Carlos Correa is back.

One day after the Twins traded Correa back to the Astros, Correa was present with the team ahead of their game against the Red Sox on Friday.

"It's been great. [His former Astros teammates] treated me like I never left," Correa told reporters. "It feels good to be in this clubhouse again and spend the time with great guys and great players."

At just 17 years old, Correa became an Astro when they selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft. He made his MLB debut in 2015, and by 2017, made his first All-Star Game and helped the Astros win the World Series. He went on to make three All-Star Games with the Astros and was part of the organization for nearly a decade before signing with the Twins in March 2022.

Correa has spent the past three and a half seasons with the Twins, but with Minnesota trading away many players and not looking like contenders anytime soon, Correa opted to waive his no-trade clause and return to Houston.

" I never thought this would happen," Correa said. "When it started developing, we were in constant conversations with the front office of Minnesota. When it finally happened, I called my wife. That's when it started kicking in. It was surreal."

The Gold Glove-winning shortstop will now play third base as he re-joins the Astros. He will look to help Houston maintain their lead in the American League West and go after their third World Series title.

Also: what is the highest percentage of team runs contributed by two batters in a Test?

Steven Lynch29-Jul-2025I know Charles Bannerman still holds the record for the highest percentage of a completed Test innings. But what’s the record for the highest percentage by two batters? Did Harry Brook and Jamie Smith get close at Birmingham? asked Kunal from India
Harry Brook scored 158 and Jamie Smith an unbeaten 184 in England’s 407 in the second Test against India at Edgbaston earlier this month. That’s 84.03%, which comes in fourth on the list for a pair of batters in a completed Test innings. Leading the way are Mushfiqur Rahim (175 not out) and Liton Das (141), who made 86.58% of the runs in Bangladesh’s 365 against Sri Lanka in Mirpur in 2022.Next come Kepler Wessels (74) and Peter Kirsten (52) with 85.14% of South Africa’s 148 in their comeback Test against West Indies in Bridgetown, in 1992, and Rohan Kanhai (84) and Seymour Nurse (70) with 85.08% of West Indies’ 181 against Australia in Melbourne in 1960. Nurse features in fifth place too: in his final Test, against New Zealand in Christchurch in 1969, he scored 258 and Joey Carew 91 – 83.69% of the total of 417.It’s probably worth repeating that Charles Bannerman does still hold the record for one batter in a completed Test innings, set in the very first Test of all, in Melbourne in March 1877. His 165 (retired hurt) in Australia’s first innings represented 67.34% of the total of 245.Shubman Gill’s batting average improved by 6.15 after the second Test. Was this the highest jump for anyone who had played 50 or more innings? asked Sagar Iyer from India
Shubman Gill’s Test batting average climbed from 36.57 to 42.72 after that stunning double of 269 and 161 in the second Test against England at Edgbaston earlier this month. It was his 34th Test, and his 62nd and 63rd innings.This is indeed the biggest improvement in a player’s Test batting average, given a minimum of 50 innings: Gill just squeezed past England’s Wally Hammond, whose 336 not out against New Zealand in Christchurch early in 1933 – his 64th innings – improved his average by exactly 6.00, from 60.63 to 66.33. The 311 (and 4 not out) of Australia’s Bob Simpson at Old Trafford in 1964 raised his average by 5.94 to 41.87, while Zaheer Abbas’s 235 and 34 – both not out – against India in Lahore in 1978 improved his by 5.60 to 44.25. Another Pakistani, Younis Khan, boosted his average by 5.38 by scoring 267 and 84 not out against India in Bangalore in 2005.Leicestershire’s total of 398 the other day included three centuries, one of them over 150 – surely a record? asked Ben Preedy from England
That remarkable innings in Leicestershire’s Championship match in Derby last week included 115 from Rehan Ahmed, 151 from Lewis Hill and 101 from skipper Peter Handscomb. The other eight batters contributed just 15 runs between them – there were four ducks (and a 0 not out).Almost as remarkably, this is not the lowest all-out total to include three centuries: in a Ranji Trophy quarter-final in Bangalore in 2014, three batters – Robin Uthappa, Karun Nair and Chidhambaram Gautam – all made exactly 100 as Karnataka scored 349 against Uttar Pradesh. There were four ducks too. Leicestershire’s innings, though, is the lowest to include three centuries of which one was above 150.Mohammad Siraj is one of three bowlers to take five-fors inside 16 balls•Associated PressI noticed that in a one-day international in 2017 the Pakistan fast bowler Usman Shinwari took his fifth wicket with his 21st delivery. Was this the fastest five-wicket haul by balls? asked Zaheer Ahmed from Pakistan
That feat by left-armer Usman Shinwari came against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in October 2017. It is the quickest-known five-wicket haul for Pakistan in ODIs (we don’t have ball-by-ball details for all games), but there are a few faster ones overall.Three bowlers have taken their fifth wicket of an ODI innings with their 16th ball. Chaminda Vaas did so for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh during the 2003 World Cup, in Pietermaritzburg, where he took a hat-trick with the first three balls of the match and added another wicket in the first over. Mohammed Siraj followed suit for India against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2023. And you could be forgiven for having overlooked the United States seamer Ali Khan, who did it against Jersey in Windhoek (Namibia) in 2023.Shinwari was playing in his second ODI. Scotland’s Charlie Cassell started his international career against Oman in Dundee last July by taking five wickets in his first 19 balls, on the way to debut figures of 7 for 21. Ryan Burl (Zimbabwe) and Aryan Dutt (Netherlands) have picked up five wickets with their first 18 balls in a one-day international, while Timm van der Gugten of the Netherlands has done it in 20.Further to my recent query about players who scored centuries in the second and third innings of a Test, has anyone done it in the first and fourth innings? asked Nirmal Mendis from Sri Lanka
There were only two answers to your original question – and only one to this one! It requires someone to score a century in the first innings of a match, then watch the opposition follow-on but score enough runs to allow him to reach three figures in the final innings of the match. And that’s what happened to South Africa’s captain Alan Melville, in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge in 1947. He scored 189 as his side ran up 533, then England managed only 208. Denis Compton made 163 in the follow-on as England reached 551, which left South Africa a target of 227 in the four-day match. They made 166 for 1, with Melville reaching his second hundred of the match shortly before the draw was agreed.It gave Melville three centuries in successive Test innings, the first having come more than eight years before, in the famous Timeless Test in Durban in March 1939, and he added a fourth in the first innings of the next Test, at Lord’s.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

The Premier League is back after a third international break in as many months. Typically, this would be a moment of great excitement for Liverpool, but recent results have laced the build-up to the next phase of action with anxiety.

But Arne Slot’s side are a distance short of emulating last season’s smooth-sailing Premier League champions. Well adrift of first-placed Arsenal after losing five of six top-flight fixtures, there can be no doubting that this is a crisis for the Reds.

But Liverpool have weathered storms before, and it certainly feels like a matter of when, not if, Liverpool will click together after a summer of sweeping change.

Slot has played down chatter of a winter bid for a centre-back. Giovanni Leoni was signed for around £27m this summer, but the former Parma defender is out for the campaign after suffering an ACL injury on his debut. Liverpool missed out on Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day.

Liverpool do appear set to complete some winter business, though, with rumours regarding Antoine Semenyo’s future at Bournemouth gathering speed.

Liverpool planning for winter business

It has been confirmed by the powers that be on the transfer scene that Liverpool are interested in Semenyo, whose £65m release clause with the Cherries becomes active during the January transfer market.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed FSG’s vested interest, but Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are among the suitors too.

This would be a significant deal for the Reds, who failed to seal a direct Luis Diaz replacement this summer, but sporting director Richard Hughes’ eye falls over more than one position, with another Premier League sensation earmarked ahead of 2026.

Indeed, according to a recent report from The Times, Liverpool have entered the race for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, though they face stiff competition from Manchester United and Newcastle United.

The Tricky Trees don’t want to part with their prized player, though Evangelos Marinakis concedes that keeping him for the long run will prove difficult. Therefore, he has been listed at £100m.

Why FSG want to sign Elliot Anderson

Liverpool have a robust crop of midfield players, but Anderson’s complete and combative style suggests he might be the missing link in an engine room lacking its typical efficiency.

Forged in Newcastle’s academy, Anderson was sold to Forest in 2024 as Eddie Howe sought to ease his side’s financial worries. It would have been a rueful transfer for the 23-year-old, though he has only gone from strength to strength since the switch, and now he is a fully-fledged England international, regarded as one of the finest midfielders in his homeland.

Instrumental for Forest since the start of last season, Anderson really is the full package, strong in the duel, utterly tireless and a developing playmaker, his range of passing growing by the month.

In fact, Anderson is among the best across a number of statistical metrics this season. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of Premier League midfielders for passes attempted, progressive passes and ball recoveries, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for successful take-ons, and the top 7% for crosses completed per 90. Quite the jack of all trades.

He’s an all-rounder, alright, a real force in the middle of the park. In this, he is an echo of Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, and one who is far outstripping the Argentine at the moment – and that’s not up for debate, sadly.

Matches (starts)

11 (11)

10 (9)

Goals

1

0

Assists

1

2

Touches*

94.4

45.1

Accurate passes*

62.1 (87%)

30.3 (86%)

Chances created*

1.4

0.9

Dribbles*

1.3

0.0

Ball recoveries*

8.4

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

3.5

1.6

Duels (won)*

7.5 (55%)

2.5 (45%)

The sum of Liverpool’s plight this season is greater than its individual parts, but it is hardly helping that Slot’s trusted midfield lieutenant is flattering to deceive.

While adding Semenyo to the ranks would be a positive move for Slot’s side, you have to wonder whether Liverpool need to complete such a deal. After all, the reason behind opting against a direct Diaz replacement was to ensure Rio Ngumoha has a clear pathway to consistent first-team minutes.

With Cody Gakpo also in the mix, it feels like a deal for Semenyo could run counter to that previously outlined ambition. Of course, Mohamed Salah is not getting any younger, and Semenyo is equally as dangerous on the right as he is coming off the left flank, but Semenyo would struggle to displace the Egyptian legend from the outset, and Salah is contracted to Anfield until the end of next season.

A lot for Hughes and Slot to ponder. With the need for a central defender also intense, Liverpool may struggle to pull off deals for all of these aforementioned players.

They might have to be savvy about it, and while Anderson would be the most expensive of the lot, he would also mark the most impactful addition, described as a “superstar in the making” by journalist Louis Wheeldon, with the potential to become a leading man in the Premier League over the next decade.

Diaz 2.0: Liverpool prepare £88m bid to sign "the best player in the world"

Liverpool have lacked balance and sharpness in the final third this season.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 21, 2025

One year should be more than enough time to transmit your ideas to your squad and mould them to your way of playing. But Ruben Amorim's first anniversary as Manchester United coach against Everton felt like being back at square one, his players still no closer to working out how to beat mid-table Premier League opponents, even when playing against 10 men for more than 77 minutes.

Amorim was typically transparent and frank in his post-match assessment, laying out his frustration at his players for not getting up for the game and wanting to take advantage of Liverpool and Manchester City's defeats, ultimately admitting that Everton deserved to win. He was even envious of the Toffees' in-fighting which led to Idrissa Gueye being sent off for confronting Michael Keane as it showed that they cared, in contrast to the apathy his team seemed to embody. "I hope my players when they lose the ball, they fight each other,” he said.

He stopped short of properly criticising the players, stressing it was his responsibility "to explain to the players how to play in every situation of the game". But it was his rigid system that was really to blame for holding the team back when they needed to adapt to the dramatic change in circumstances brought about by Gueye's farcical red card and then Everton taking the lead, giving them license to sit in a low block for the rest of the game.

The game was a picture perfect example of why Amorim is doomed to fail unless he changes course and strays from his fixed 3-4-3 formation.

(C)Getty ImagesSystem exposed

It is one thing to have a fixed formation to work with on a day-to-day basis, and quite another to stick with it when there is a huge shift in dynamic caused by an early red card. United had benefitted from an early sending off for their opponents earlier this season when Robert Sanchez was dismissed in the fifth minute of Chelsea's visit to Old Trafford. The Red Devils responded to that incident by going for the jugular, although they were also helped by Enzo Maresca hauling off three attacking players soon after.

David Moyes, by contrast, made no changes after the red card, although he had been forced to replace the injured Seamus Coleman with Jake O'Brien a few minutes earlier. And yet despite being a man down in midfield, they managed to stifle United's threat in the middle of the park, with neither Casemiro nor Bruno Fernandes attempting a tackle in the first half. 

With the midfield blocked off, United tried to cause damage out wide and it was there that the limits of Amorim's system, especially with the personnel he has, were exposed. Patrick Dorgu couldn't create any danger down the left flank while Noussair Mazraoui only made one promising attacking move in the first half.

AdvertisementGettyWeak wing backs

Amorim's solution at half-time was to bring on Mason Mount and take off Mazraoui, who was at least getting forward, so that Amad Diallo could revert to his usual position of right-wing-back and make the most of his blossoming partnership with Bryan Mbeumo. United's left side remained blunt, though, and the coach eventually took off Dorgu. 

Amorim already had a seasoned attacking left-back on the pitch in Luke Shaw but rather than put the former England international in the position he has played all his life, he brought on the right-footed Diogo Dalot, who was ill-equipped to go round the outside. His only option was to go inside into midfield, where Everton were most comfortable.

It was a reminder of how United also struggled to break down Nottingham Forest earlier in the month with Dalot on the left flank, leading Jamie Carragher to say the Portuguese "can't beat a man, he's not going to play a clever pass, he's not going to get a cross in". In the end, United's best opportunity in the second half against Everton came when Shaw put a cross in for Joshua Zirkzee, whose header was denied by a fine save from Jordan Pickford.

Zirkzee's two headers in the second half were United's best efforts but they also smacked of desperation. Everton's defenders James Tarkowski and Keane were happy to deal with crosses all night, and United failed to ask enough questions of them with the ball on the floor. 

Getty 'Shaw not a centre-back'

"United were so pedestrian and so negative having gone to 10 men. You've got to flood forward, but they kept this three at the back," said a perplexed Gary Neville on . "Luke Shaw ambled forward. Luke Shaw is not a centre-back, Luke Shaw is a left-back who can go forward, and go forward well, and actually has a good left foot. 

"So you be the one who dominates and goes forward. He's just playing passes sideways, I thought Shaw was so disappointing. Bringing Dalot on that side and blocking that side off, Dorgu was having a tough night but putting Dalot on meant he was having to turn back on his right foot and play around. Dalot is not a left winger, he's finding himself as a left winger."

The Shaw situation summed up the problems with Amorim's system in a game like this. Here is a player who used to thrive on bombing forward and when that was what he needed to do, he stayed within the lane Amorim had drawn for him as centre-back.

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Getty Images SportNo plan against 10 men

Shaw wasn't the only one that didn't know what to do. "You have to adapt to the circumstances within the game," added Neville. "It looked like they hadn't planned how to play against 10 men. It's pretty damn obvious isn't it? You shift the ball quicker, you shift it from side to side, you switch play, you stretch the pitch and make it as big as possible, you make sure you literally run the other team ragged."

United were missing two key forwards in Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, who they signed for a combined £136m ($178m). Amorim refused to use their absences as an excuse and he will have to get more accustomed to key players going missing when the Christmas fixture pile-up begins in December, and when Mazraoui, Amad and Mbeumo go off to the African Nations Cup. Amad and Mbeumo were the only players who could be proud of their performances against Everton and they will be huge losses. 

Every coach has to cope without key players, but most of them have the flexibility to tweak their system to suit the personnel they have at any given moment. That's where Amorim differs and it's now looking like a case of adapting or falling on his sword. The Portuguese has repeatedly said that he is more prepared to do the latter.

Freddie Freeman was a World Series hero once again for the Dodgers on Monday night as his walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the 18th inning gave Los Angeles a thrilling—and exhausting—6-5 win over the Blue Jays. The Dodgers now lead the series 2-1 and will have Shohei Ohtani pitching in Tuesday night's Game 4.

Freeman, who hit a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the last year's World Series against the Yankees, sent the fans at Dodger Stadium into hysterics yet again when he blasted a 3-2 pitch over the wall in dead center to finally put an end to one of the best World Series games that has ever been played.

Here's that blast:

Freeman spoke with MLB Network's Lauren Shehadi moments after his heroic blast and he had a perfect joke, saying he almost had a home run a lot earlier in the game.

"I just missed one, I think it was like 22 innings ago…" Freeman said with a laugh.

Here's that interview:

Freeman's home run came six hours and 39 minutes after the game began. Both teams had a ton of opportunities in extra innings before the lefty finally put things away with another dinger that he will never forget.

Now it will be interesting to see how Ohtani will be able to bounce back in Game 4. He was a force once again in Game 3, hitting two more home runs and adding two doubles. While he didn't have to play the field, you have to think sleep might have come hard for him after that wild, and very long, night at Dodger Stadium.

A number of players at the Vidarbha vs Rest of India Irani Cup will want to put up big performances keeping in mind the remainder of the first-class – and Test match – season

Himanshu Agrawal30-Sep-2025Akash Deep’s comebackAkash Deep, the right-arm quick, was last in action in the Oval Test against England, which finished in early August. After that, he was advised rest to recover from an injury and missed the season-opening Duleep Trophy.He is one of four quicks in RoI’s squad for the Irani Cup and is the most experienced of the lot. He had a good tour of England, where he picked up 13 wickets in three Tests, including a match-winning ten-wicket haul in the Edgbaston Test. The half-century from No. 4 in the final Test in England, which India also won, proved some ability with the bat as well.Akash Deep wasn’t picked in India’s squad for the two Tests against West Indies starting on October 2, where the focus is expected to be on spin. However, India are scheduled to play a total of four home Tests this season, and they will be watchful of Jasprit Bumrah’s workload during this time.A noteworthy performance for RoI could put Akash Deep back in the Test XI sooner rather than later. The key, one assumes, is his fitness.Ishan Kishan hasn’t played a Test match since July 2023•Getty ImagesAnother red-ball chance for Ishan KishanIshan Kishan was omitted from the BCCI’s list of centrally contracted players last year, but was included this year. This suggests he’s still in the team management’s plan, even though he last played a Test – his second – in July 2023. In June, Kishan played two County Championship matches for Nottinghamshire and scored 77 and 87 in his two innings. Like Akash Deep, Kishan was also selected in the East Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy, but missed out owing to a minor injury he suffered during his county stint.Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan has leapfrogged Kishan in the wicketkeeper-batter’s race for the national side – Jagadeesan was named as the back-up to Dhruv Jurel for the Tests against West Indies – so the Irani Cup provides Kishan with a chance to remind the national selectors of his potential in the longest format.At 30, Abhimanyu Easwaran’s international career might remain a non-starter•Hindustan Times via Getty ImagesCan Abhimanyu Easwaran stay in the race?The opening batter was part of India’s Test squad in England but, like in the past, a debut eluded Abhimanyu Easwaran. Just before India announced their squad to face West Indies, former India quick Varun Aaron, while speaking to ESPNcricinfo, had said, “India have to give Abhimanyu a chance at some stage”. But Abhimanyu was dropped instead, and finds himself one level below again.And there might not be much space for him to squeeze in anyway for the foreseeable future, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul locked in at the top and B Sai Sudharsan at one drop.Abhimanyu got two half-centuries in four innings for India A against England Lions in May-June, and scored 44 against Australia A in the first unofficial Test earlier this month. For someone still looking to make the step up, those aren’t fantastic numbers, so the Irani Cup is a massive tournament for Abhimanyu who, at 30, might be running out of time.Ruturaj Gaikwad returned to competitive cricket with a bang at the Duleep Trophy•PTI Ruturaj Gaikwad’s return after injuryAn elbow injury cut Ruturaj Gaikwad’s IPL 2025 short and a “personal issue at home” forced him to pull out of a County deal with Yorkshire. Gaikwad returned to action only earlier this month – and with a bang. Playing for West Zone against Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final, Gaikwad slammed 184 at a strike rate of 89 after going out to bat at 10 for 2.Gaikwad had a relatively quiet domestic first-class season in 2024-25, averaging 36.93 in 16 innings across the Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup, Ranji Trophy and India A’s tour of Australia. That included six single-digit scores, three of which came against Australia A. Gaikwad’s dominant knock to kickstart this domestic season not only confirms that he’s in good touch, but will also help him gain confidence for the rest of the season.Yash Rathod and Danish Malewar played their part in Central Zone’s Duleep Trophy win•PTI Can Yash Rathod keep the good work going?Yash Rathod, the 25-year-old Vidarbha batter, has continued his rise through the ranks in domestic cricket. Nineteen of his 21 first-class matches have come since the 2023-24 season, a time during which he has cemented his place in Vidarbha’s middle order. Rathod averages 58.83 in this period, and enters the Irani Cup on the back of 374 runs in five innings at 124.67 in the Duleep Trophy. He passed fifty three times in those five innings, and hit a career-best 194 against South Zone in the final.Rathod said “it was quite disappointing” to miss out on a double hundred, but has his eyes firmly set on what’s coming: “I also obviously want to play IPL, but my immediate goal is to prepare myself for Irani Trophy as that is also a big stage. If I perform there, I will get closer to my India A dream. Yes, I want to play for India, but to reach there, India A is my first step.”This domestic season, Rathod will have to take on extra responsibility after Karun Nair switched back to Karnataka. But given his last two seasons, he will back himself to pull it off, as will Vidarbha.Watch out for Danish MalewarAnother of Vidarbha’s young batters in good form, Danish Malewar started the season on a high by smashing his maiden first-class double-century against North East Zone in the quarter-final of the Duleep Trophy. He has clocked 1135 runs in 12 matches in first-class cricket, averaging 56.75. Malewar has passed fifty 11 times in 20 innings, which is a sign of his consistency.Malewar looks up to his senior team-mate Rathod – he believes they have “a similar batting style” – and with 352, even got nearly as many runs as Rathod in the Duleep Trophy. Malewar will turn 22 next week, and given his bright start, looks like a long-term bet for Vidarbha.How will the game play out?The VCA Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur, has traditionally had a slow and low surface. Last domestic season, it hosted three first-class games, two of which were drawn. Not even three innings could be completed in either of those two matches, as the pitch seemed to have little help for bowlers.Vidarbha have packed their 16-member squad for Irani Cup with four spin-bowling options, both frontline and all-round, so expect a spin-friendly pitch from the hosts, who last won the Irani Cup in 2018-19. In the end, though, it could come down to the first-innings lead, so expect both teams to bat long and bat deep.

Over the summer, Ange Postecoglou was relieved of his duties as manager of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

He had promised supporters that season three is always the best. Alas, Spurs fans swiftly saw him exit the club, replaced by Thomas Frank.

While Postecoglou had guided the Lilywhites to the Europa League, thus engineering plenty of credit in the bank, they did ultimately finish 17th in the Premier League.

A major trophy was won but their league form was inexcusable. The same could now be said of Spurs under Frank.

Things started off rosy but they have unravelled in recent months. It’s all beginning to become rather Ange, isn’t it? The lack of ability to create goal-scoring opportunities and play attractive football is not rubbing off well on supporters.

Spurs could replace Frank already

As of 30th November 2025, the Dane has only been in charge of Spurs for 171 days. Yet, after a matter of months, Frank is already feeling the heat.

A week ago, the north Londoners put in a drab performance against rivals Arsenal, conceding four in the process. A few days later, while they did look more threatening in attack, they shipped five against European champions PSG.

A defeat against two of the continent’s very best is hardly a surprise, but their 2-1 loss to Fulham only rubbed further salt in the wounds.

This has been a terrible week for Tottenham and it’s hardly a surprise that Fabio Paratici and Co have been told to earmark possible replacements.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

According to reports in Spain, one name to have emerged on the club’s shortlist is former Barcelona player and manager, Xavi.

While the Spaniard is also on the radar of Manchester United, it’s thought that the Spurs board are considering making a change in the dugout if things have not improved by the end of December. In that eventuality, they will look to speak with Xavi about the job.

It’s stated that Spurs and United see Xavi as ‘an ideal coach to lead a new phase’, largely thanks to the fact that he has ‘modern ideas’ and ‘believes in young players’.

Why Xavi would be perfect for Spurs

Spurs have been there and done it before with a big-name manager. Antonio Conte’s spell ended in tears, as did Jose Mourinho’s. He steered them to a League Cup final at Wembley but was remarkably sacked on the eve of that big game.

As a result, caution must be heeded here. Is Xavi really the best port of call? Fears that another Conte or Mourinho situation could play out are understandable.

Yet, the fact of the matter is that Spurs have tried everything now. The relatively untested route of Postecoglou did end with a trophy but his spell was incredibly topsy-turvy. They’ve also been there and done it with a Premier League-proven manager. Nuno Santo ended poorly and the Frank regime is hardly going well, is it?

It’s rather sad. Frank is a nice man. He’s likeable. The first few months saw something of a revival too. Postecoglou’s defence was a total mess but the former Brentford manager had sorted that out.

Across Tottenham’s first seven games under Frank’s stewardship, they kept five clean sheets. There was better organisation and defensively they were far more resolute. Job done, right? The biggest problem under Ange was fixed. Think again.

The honeymoon period is now over. Spurs have won just one of their last seven games in all competitions. Across that time, they have shipped 15 goals. It’s far from ideal.

Wins

5

1

Draws

1

1

Defeats

1

5

Goals scored

14

11

Goals conceded

3

15

Data excludes European Super Cup

So, why would Xavi represent an upgrade? Well, in the words of Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, the former midfielder is “the best manager in the world.”

Whether or not you agree with that sentiment, the experience he boasts is extraordinary. As a player, he won the World Cup, two European Championships, eight LaLiga titles and four Champions Leagues.

As a manager, he navigated Barca through choppy waters. Under financial pressure, the Spanish giants still won LaLiga and while they did spend big on the likes of Raphinha and Ferran Torres, a lot of the work done in the transfer market was bringing in players on a free transfer.

Xavi was also the boss who gave a certain Lamine Yamal his debut aged 15. He also handed a first-team debut to Fermin Lopez, now a regular in the Barca team and to centre-half Pau Cubarsi.

Speaking about the Spanish manager’s philosophy, Arsene Wenger once said: “Personally, I like Xavi, and I give him credit for having the courage to bring these young players on board. That’s the difficult thing. He believed in them and gave them a chance to play. It’s true that he didn’t win the league last season, but he did win it the season before that. So I think he did a good job.”

The fact of the matter is that the Spaniard trusts young players and this couldn’t be more perfect for a Spurs squad boasting some of the finest young talent around. Take the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, Luka Vuskovic and Luca Williams-Barnett as prime examples. The 45-year-old could be game-changing for players like that.

Born and bred in La Masia, it’s hardly a surprise that Xavi also favours attractive and possession-based football. Frank, on the other hand, does not.

Sure, Spurs were more organised during the opening months of the Frank regime but as manager of Tottenham, the fans expect to see exciting football too.

While the Londoners have enjoyed 53.8% of the ball this season, the sixth-best tally in the division, they have struggled big time with their creativity. Their 9.5 shots per game is the third-lowest tally in the entire Premier League. Only Wolves and Burnley are below them. Remarkably, they are also registering no through balls per game. No other team is worse in that regard.

As a consequence, they sit 16th in the league for expected goals, with a record of 14.33 xG.

To put some of those numbers into context, when Xavi won the league with Barca in 2022/23, they enjoyed the most possession in the league (64.8%), and had the second highest volume of shots per game (15.1).

While Xavi had a better team in his armoury, he is clearly a better tactical coach and the fact that he’s won some of football’s biggest honours puts him on a pedestal far above Frank.

He’s played under the likes of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, he’s certainly been able to learn a thing or two. Spurs would certainly be better off should they seal the remarkable capture of Xavi heading into 2026.

As bad as Vicario: Frank must finally bin 5/10 Spurs flop after Fulham

Tottenham were condemned to a third defeat in six days as they were overcome by Fulham’s early flurry.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 30, 2025