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Marymount girls volleyball team is peaking at the right time — and that could mean trouble for opponents.

The Sailors had everything working for them in a 25-13, 25-17, 25-15 sweep of visiting Mira Costa in the Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals on Tuesday night, showing no signs of rust after a first-round bye in the 12-team bracket.

“We couldn’t have been more prepared,” Washington-bound senior hitter Sammy Destler said. “Our energy got us to the finish line. We were on fire. That’s the best we’ve played all season.”

Destler entered the match two kills shy of 1,000 for her career and it didn’t take long for her to reach the milestone, achieving it on a strike to the right side that gave Marymount a 12-6 lead in the first set.

“I had no clue until they announced it, but it feels good,” said Destler, one of seven Sailors who finished with at least five kills. “We’re very familiar with them, they have Audrey [Flanagan] and Simone [Roslon] and they’re always tough but tonight was about everything we did on our side.”

The fifth-seeded Mustangs (24-10), who shared the Bay League crown with No. 2 Redondo Union despite dropping their first league match since 2019, had pushed Marymount to five sets in a nonleague match in September, but this time they could not handle the Sailors’ balanced attack.

Marymount’s serving kept Mira Costa out of system all match. In the first set alone the Sailors served seven aces, including three in a row by Southern Methodist-bound middle blocker Elle Vandeweghe, that put her team up 20-9. She and Destler combined for a stuff block on set point.

Destler opened the second set with another ace, then Frankie Jones ended it with a kill. Destler and Makenna Barnes, a Northwestern commit, each had eight kills apiece while Vandeweghe and the Brown-bound Jones each added six.

Flanagan, a Wisconsin commit, paced the Mustangs with eight kills and got a hug afterwards from Destler, one of her best friends.

Marymount’s Makenna Barnes, right, goes on the attack against Mira Costa blockers Liliana Swanson, left, and Milly McGee, center, during Marymount’s victory in the Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals on Tuesday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

“We’ve played so many more matches than other teams,” Marymount coach Cari Klein said. “I didn’t want it, but I think we needed those extra few days rest because of the intensity of our schedule.”

The fourth-seeded Sailors (37-5) advanced to the semifinals to face top-seeded Sierra Canyon (37-3) on Saturday for the fourth time this season. The Sailors won the first meeting, 21-25, 25-15, 25-12 in the finals of the Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas. The Trailblazers rebounded to take a pair of Mission League meetings over a span of eight days.

Klein, who is hoping to pilot the Sailors to their 11th section title in her 28th season, was so locked in to the task at hand Tuesday that she did not look at the CIF website to see if her team had won the coin flip for the next round: “Please say it’s here!”

Her wish was not granted, as Marymount will have to travel to Chatsworth, where it dropped a five-set thriller on Sept. 29, but Destler is confident they can win on any court.

“If we play like we this, there’s no stopping us,” she said.

For much of the year, the Dodgers’ starting rotation felt broken.

In large part, because the pitcher acquired to be its anchor was struggling to find himself.

It’s easy to forget now, with Blake Snell in the midst of a historic October performance that has helped lead the Dodgers back to the World Series. But for most of his debut season in Los Angeles, the two-time Cy Young Award winner and $182 million offseason signing was grappling with frustration, enduring what he described recently as “the hardest year of my career.”

First, there was well-documented early adversity: A shoulder problem that Snell quietly pitched through in two underwhelming starts at the beginning of the campaign, before sidelining him on the injured list for the next four months.

Then, there was an ordeal Snell detailed last week for the first time: In late August, on the same day his wife Haeley gave birth to the couple’s second child, Snell got so sick in the hospital that he fainted, was taken to the emergency room, and kept overnight hooked up to IV fluids.

“This is awful,” he thought to himself then.

Which now, has made his dominant postseason — including an 0.86 ERA in his first three playoff outings, and a scheduled Game 1 start in the World Series on Friday night — all the more gratifying.

“It’s been a lot,” Snell told The Times last week, while reflecting on a difficult season now primed for a triumphant final act. “But that’s what this is all about. Find the best in yourself. Fight through all the doubt, the bull—. And figure it out.”

In many ways, figuring things out has been the story of the Dodgers’ entire season. From their inconsistent and injury-riddled offense. To their underperforming and injury-ravaged bullpen. To their ever-evolving rotation, most of all.

Early in the year, that group dealt with its own rash of injuries, losing Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki and others in a harrowing flashback to 2024.

This time, most of their top arms returned healthy. But up until six weeks ago, they still faced genuine questions for the fall.

At that point, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was mired in an up-and-down stretch following his All-Star selection in the first half of the year, raising worries he could be tiring en route to making a career-high 30 starts.

Glasnow had returned from his early-season shoulder problem, but grinded through six starts from July 29 to Aug. 30 with an ERA above 4.00.

And while Shohei Ohtani was pitching well, he was also continuing to build up in his return from a second career Tommy John surgery.

Suddenly, it all left Snell to be the linchpin for the pitching staff — thrusting him to the center of the late-season resurgence that was soon to come.

“With every great starting staff, you got to have that anchor,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Having him get back to pitch the way he did, sort of raised the bar for everyone.”

This past winter, the Dodgers made Snell their top priority for a reason.

They looked at the patchwork rotation that nearly derailed their 2024 World Series run, and decided the year’s staff needed another star to build around.

Yamamoto, Glasnow and Ohtani already provided a well-established foundation. Clayton Kershaw, Emmet Sheehan, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May offered plenty of depth to withstand a 162-game marathon.

What was missing, however, was another bona fide ace; the kind capable of swinging postseason series and transforming October fortunes. In Snell, they saw such potential. His presence, they hoped, would complete their title-defense blueprint.

“As we were talking about ways that we could put ourselves in the best position to win a World Series in 2025,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the day Snell was introduced by the club, “all conversations kept coming back to Blake.”

For most of the year, of course, Snell’s impact was limited. After his two injury-hampered starts at the beginning of the season, he remained out of action until after the trade deadline.

During that time, the Dodgers slow-played Snell’s recovery — putting him through a meticulous process (similar to their handling of Glasnow and Ohtani) that was designed to have him ready for the stretch run of the season, and hopefully peaking in time for the start of the playoffs.

Upon his initial return in early August, Snell seemed to be on track, with the left-hander posting a sub-2.00 ERA in his first four outings off the IL.

Then, however, came another unforeseen setback, after he rushed home from an Aug. 22 outing in San Diego for the birth of his child.

By the time Snell’s wife went into labor later that week, the 32-year-old arrived at the hospital feeling “extremely sick,” he recounted last week. At one point, as he got up from a couch to go hold his newly born baby, he said he passed out and fainted right there in the room.

Snell was taken to the emergency room and stayed there overnight, getting two IVs to combat an unspecified illness undoubtedly compounded by exhaustion.

“I couldn’t really stand,” he said. “I just felt awful.”

And yet, a few days later, there Snell was back atop the Dodger Stadium mound; making sure that, after his extended absence earlier in the campaign, he wouldn’t miss another start.

“That’s what I signed up to do,” Snell said. “When I pitch, I just forget about it. I don’t allow a lot of excuses.”

Snell’s illness was unknown at the time, but the physical toll it had taken quickly became obvious. His velocity was noticeably down in a three-run, 5 ⅓ innings start on Aug. 29 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Six days later, he toiled again during a “frustrating” outing in Pittsburgh, yielding a season-high nine hits and five runs to the lowly Pirates.

Pushing through those games, though, gave Snell a key to hone in on for the rest of the season. “If this is who you are today, figure it out,” he told himself. And finally, with no more disruptions to his routine, improvement flowed quickly.

Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell puts his arm around catcher Ben Rortvedt as they walk back to the dugout together on Sept. 17.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Snell struck out a season-high 11 batters over six scoreless innings in a Sept. 10 win against the Colorado Rockies. He topped that a week later with 12 punchouts in seven scoreless frames against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Snell said after that outing, which was followed by one more six-inning, one-run start in his regular-season finale in Arizona: “[I’m] starting to be able to play catch with more intent and work on stuff … Coming through in the push to the postseason, and being able to make it, that’s what the whole season is for.”

The old adage in baseball is that hitting can be contagious.

In the case of this year’s Dodgers, starting pitching evidently can be, too.

As Snell got hot in September, so did the rest of the team’s resurgent rotation. Yamamoto rediscovered his early-season form, winning National League pitcher of the month with an immaculate 0.67 ERA in four starts. Glasnow finished the month with a 2.49 mark, after finally refining the mechanics of his throw. Ohtani, meanwhile, got stretched out to six innings, maintaining his two-way dominance over repeated full-length appearances.

The bar had been raised, with the constant cycle of gems continuing to push it a little bit higher.

The pitchers rode off the momentum and relished in their shared success; to the point that Roberts joked they almost seemed to be competing to outdo one another.

“I think we’re all good,” Glasnow said. “So it was just a matter of time until all of us did good at the same time.”

But in these playoffs, no one has been more lethal than Snell. In his 21 innings so far, he has thrown a scoreless frame in all but one.

Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell walks off the mound after striking out the last batter of the second inning of Game 2 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

He was good in his first start, producing seven innings of two-run ball against the Cincinnati Reds in the wild-card round. He was superb in the next, going six scoreless against the Phillies in a hostile road environment.

His masterpiece, however, came in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series, when he tossed eight scoreless innings, struck out 10 batters, and ruthlessly toyed with a Milwaukee Brewers lineup helpless to adjust to his manipulative changeup.

“We’ve all known this: Blake, when he’s right, is the best pitcher in the game,” Kershaw, his future Hall of Fame teammate, said afterward. “To have a guy that can do that, set the tone, and just have a guy that you can count on like that, it’s huge.”

For his part, Snell continues to insist that “I feel like I could be way better.” After his repeated setbacks earlier this year, he claims that, “even now, I’m still battling.”

The numbers, of course, tell a different story. In the live-ball era (since 1920), only three other pitchers with 20 or more innings in a postseason had at least 20 strikeouts and a sub-1.00 ERA (Sandy Koufax in 1965, John Smoltz in 1996 and Justin Verlander in 2013).

On Friday night, Snell will be on the bump once again, trying to continue a dazzling streak for himself and his rotation.

What once felt like the hardest year of his career, is now four wins away from being the most fulfilling.

“It’s what you have to go through to win a World Series,” he said. “You can find an excuse, or you can find a way to figure it out.”

Ace Frehley, who played lead guitar as a founding member of the face-painted, blood-spitting, fire-breathing hard-rock band Kiss, died Thursday in Morristown, N.J. He was 74.

His death was announced by his family, which said he’d recently suffered a fall. “In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth,” the family said in a statement.

In his alter ego as the Spaceman, Frehley played with the original incarnation of Kiss for less than a decade, from 1973 — when he formed the group in New York with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss — until 1982, when he quit not long after Criss left. Yet he was instrumental to the creation of the band’s stomping and glittery sound as heard in songs like “Detroit Rock City,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Strutter” and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You.” In the late ’70s, those hits — along with Kiss’ over-the-top live show — made the group an inescapable pop-cultural presence seen in comic books and on lunch boxes; today the group is widely viewed as an early pioneer of rock ’n’ roll merchandising.

A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Frehley rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a highly successful reunion, then left again in 2002 to return to the solo career he’d started in the early ’80s. In 2023, Kiss completed what Simmons and Stanley called a farewell tour with a hometown show at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

This obituary will be updated.

RED Roses England rugby ace Ellie Kildunne is getting her own Barbie. 

The Sun can reveal that this week bosses at Mattel will announce the doll which is the first time they have ever released a rugby Barbie. 

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It comes after the brand released a Barbie careers range which included a string of sporty dolls including a football Barbie, a gymnast Barbie and a Tennis player Barbie. 

The new doll will feature a brand new Barbie body with a more athletic torso, visibly defined arms, and legs and back muscles. 

A source said: “This is a massive moment for women’s sport.  

“The Red Roses are such powerful and positive role models and the new Barbies reflect this with their athletic builds and muscle definition – a far cry from the ridiculous hourglass figures of Barbies gone by.” 

Ellie said: “We are showing the next generation of girls that you can do anything, that being strong and fast is powerful, and that you can break boundaries. 

“I thought nothing could come close to the feeling of lifting that trophy but having my own one-of-a-kind Barbie doll is a very close second! 

“She looks just like me, down to her curls, her custom boots and her Red Roses Barbie ball.  

“Now I just need to teach her how to lasso and see if she can score a few tries!” 

The Red Roses turned their World Cup dream into reality as they blew away Canada 33-10.

In front of a world record crowd of nearly 82,000, John Mitchell’s side showed why they have now won 33 straight games since their heartbreak in Auckland four years ago.

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Blake Snell did not sound bitter. Somehow, he was not racked with regret.

Rather, when asked at his introductory Dodgers news conference this past offseason about the most infamous moment of his career, he took a brief moment to think. Then, unexpectedly, he expressed gratitude instead.

Five years ago, Snell was pitching the game of his life in Game 6 of the 2020 World Series. With his Tampa Bay Rays facing elimination against the Dodgers, he had answered the bell with five one-hit, nine-strikeout, virtually flawless Fall Classic innings.

What happened next remains controversial to this day. Snell gave up a one-out single in the sixth inning to Austin Barnes. Rays manager Kevin Cash came to the mound with a stunningly quick hook. The Dodgers went on to mount a rally against the Tampa Bay bullpen, ending a three-decade title drought while the left-handed ace watched from the bench. And in the aftermath, the second-guessing of the decision was as immediate as it was decisive.

Almost everyone else in the baseball world thought Snell should have stayed in.

Over time, however, the pitcher himself came to view it as a valuable lesson.

“It was a moment in my life that I’m very appreciative of,” Snell said last winter, donning a Dodger blue jersey for the first time after signing with the club for $182 million as a free agent.

“If I wanted to stay out there longer, I should have done a better job before that game to make that decision easier on Kevin. It’s ultimately up to me to be a better pitcher there in that moment.”

Five years later, he’s about to get his chance for postseason redemption.

Snell’s debut season in Los Angeles did not go as planned this year. He made two underwhelming starts at the beginning of the campaign while quietly battling shoulder soreness. He spent the next four months sidelined on the injured list, returning in time to make only nine more starts down the stretch.

Although his final numbers were strong (a 2.35 ERA, 72 strikeouts in 61⅓ innings, and Dodgers wins in seven of the 11 games he did pitch), his injury left his overall impact limited.

To Snell and the team, though, none of that matters now. Their union was always rooted in postseason success. And on Tuesday night, when the Dodgers open a best-of-three wild-card series against the Cincinnati Reds, it is Snell who will take the bump for Game 1 at Dodger Stadium.

“That’s why I came here,” Snell said amid the Dodgers’ division-clinching clubhouse celebration last week. “Get to the postseason, and see how good I can be.”

It’s an opportunity that’s been half a decade in the making.

Ever since breaking into the majors in 2016, and winning his first Cy Young Award with an immaculate 21-win, 1.89-ERA season two years later, Snell’s raw talent has never been in question. No starting pitcher in the history of the sport (minimum 1,000 career innings) has averaged more strikeouts per nine innings than his 11.2 mark. Even in the game’s modern era, few have possessed such a wicked arsenal, with Snell’s slider and curveball alone boasting a whopping career whiff rate of roughly 50%.

What Snell hasn’t done, however, is prove himself to be a workhorse. He has never had a 200-inning season. He has never gone six full frames in any of his 10 playoff starts. Through the years, he has been dogged by high walk rates and inefficient outings and a tendency to simply waste too many pitches. When Cash came to the mound in that sixth inning of the 2020 World Series, it only reinforced his five-and-dive reputation.

That’s why, when Snell looks back on that moment now, he views it through a lens of valuable perspective.

“I just learned, the manager’s job is to do whatever he thinks is gonna help the team win, and my job is to make him believe I’m the best option for us to win,” Snell said this past weekend, when asked about that ignominious Game 6 again. “And I didn’t do a good job of that, because he took me out.”

Thus, Snell has been on a different mission over the five years since. He not only wants to get back to the World Series and win his first championship. But he wants to do so as a bona fide October ace, the kind of anchor of a pitching staff that can get deeper into outings.

“[The playoffs are] where you want to see: What kind of player are you? How do you handle pressure situations? When everything is on the line,” Snell said. “That’s why I like it. It really allows you to understand who you are as a pitcher, where you’re at, and where you need to grow … How to find advantages to push yourself deeper in the game.”

The last time Snell pitched in the playoffs, such goals remained a work in progress. As a member of the San Diego Padres in 2022, he amassed just 13⅔ innings over three postseason starts, recording a 4.61 ERA while walking nine total batters.

Over the three seasons since then, however, he feels he has made more tangible strides. In 2023, he won another Cy Young by going 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA, averaging close to six innings per start despite a major-league-leading 99 walks. Last year might have been even more transformational, even as he battled injuries with the San Francisco Giants.

During his lone season in the Bay, Snell picked the brain of Giants ace Logan Webb, who has led the National League in innings pitched over each of the last three seasons. Their talks centered on the value of short at-bats, the importance of “dominating the inside part of the plate,” and the significance of executing competitive misses on throws around the edge of the zone.

“That was probably one of my biggest years of growth and development, in the sense of how to go deeper into games,” Snell said.

The results certainly backed that up, with Snell rebounding from an injury-plagued first half to post a 1.23 ERA over his final 14 starts. In an early August trip to Cincinnati (his last time facing the Reds ahead of this week’s playoff series), he threw his first career no-hitter on just 114 pitches.

“That no-hitter was insane,” said current Dodgers outfielder and former Giants teammate Michael Conforto, who like Snell went from San Francisco to Los Angeles as a free agent last offseason. “He just had everything working. He was hitting every corner. He knew exactly where he wanted to put it, and he put it there every time.

“That’s the kind of performance he’s capable of every time he goes out,” Conforto added. “It’s just a very, very tough at-bat. Especially when he’s throwing strikes.”

This year, Snell’s evolution has continued around the Dodgers — where manager Dave Roberts has lauded him as a “next-level thinker” for the way he can read opponents’ swings, figure out their tendencies in the batter’s box, and adapt his plan of attack to what he feels a given matchup requires.

Since returning from his early-season shoulder injury, Snell has increasingly tapped into top form. He has cut down on walks and wasted pitches. He has posted a 2.41 ERA over his nine second-half starts. His last three outings in particular: 19 innings, one run, 28 strikeouts and only five free passes.

The most important development has been his relationship with Roberts, who left Snell in the game after late-inning mound visits in each of his last two starts, and watched him escape high-leverage jams.

Those moments could be invaluable as the Dodgers enter the playoffs, giving Roberts a level of confidence to push his Game 1 starter and cover for what has been an unreliable bullpen.

“He understands his role on this ball club,” Roberts said. “When you put a starter in a position where they know they have to go deeper, you’ve got to just naturally be more efficient.”

It’s a skill Snell has been honing ever since that fateful October night five years ago. Starting Tuesday night, it’s about to be tested again.

“That’s everything,” Snell said of pitching in the postseason again. “To face the best when the stakes are highest, that’s what I’ve always wanted.”

While a joint partnership between Brazilian aerospace company Embraer and L3Harris Technologies to outfit Embraer’s KC-390 Millennium tanker-transport with U.S. systems and a custom refueling boom was formally declared dead late last year, the company is advancing a fresh effort to sell the Millennium to the Air Force.

You can read all about the compelling case for a boom-equipped KC-390 that fits within the Air Force’s emerging battle concept in this past feature.

At the Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber conference this week, Embraer displayed a model of the twin jet medium-lift aircraft in full Air Force livery and touted its American-made parts. With more than half the components built in the U.S., including a flight data recorder from L3Harris, and much of the guts, like its V2500-E5 engine’s avionics made by RTX-owned companies, the aircraft is Buy American Act compliant and capable of serving as as a tactical transport or a tanker in the austere environments where the Air Force expects to concentrate significant aspects of its future combat operations. The KC-390 has loosely similar lifting capabilities as the C-130J Super Hercules.

Embraer is also evaluating site locations in the U.S. for a KC-390 manufacturing facility, the company said. It now operates out of nine U.S. locations, including Jacksonville, Florida, where it conducts final assembly for the A-29 Super Tucano.

The KC-390 marks a decade since its first flight this year and now serves 11 international customers, many of them within NATO, Frederico Lemos, chief commercial officer for Defense and Security, told The War Zone. While Embraer has made public overtures to sell a variant of the aircraft to the U.S. Air Force for several years, it’s now touting an additional selling point: a U.S. demonstration tour completed earlier this year, in which the Millennium participated in a spectrum of defense, disaster response, and space-focused events.

“The aircraft showcased its unmatched versatility and readiness to support the U.S. Department of Defense in addressing critical air refueling challenges,” Embraer said in a release distributed at the tradeshow. “Its performance and cargo capacity also make it ideal for rescue missions, space logistics, and special operations.”

Lemos cited one successful test last July in which U.S. and Portuguese airmen at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, conducted a cold-load training – meaning a loading exercise with the engines off – on a KC-390 using a U.S. Army M142 HIMARS launcher. Embraer saw this as not only a validation of the load capacity of the aircraft but also a mission proof-of-concept.

“They’re able to prepare the airfields, deploy the HIMARS, come back to the airplane and move away as fast as possible,” Lemos said. 

Lemos said the KC-390 is capable of taking off on a strip as short as 1,000 meters (3,280 feet). The company also claims the aircraft can be reconfigured for all nine missions it offers – from aerial resupply and aerial assault to special operations, search-and-rescue, and medevac – within three hours. 

It’s not clear if the recent mission demonstration tour has made the Air Force any more interested in investing in the aircraft. For the tanking mission, the service this year reaffirmed its commitment to keeping its KC-135 in service until at least the 2050s, though Air Mobility Command Commander Gen. John Lamontagne said in a Defense One interview that doing so may require a recapitalization program. The yet-to-be-selected Next-Gen Air Refueling System, or NGAS, is ultimately expected to replace the KC-135.

Still Embraer sees daylight to make its case.

“We see that the tanking needs of the U.S. Air Force are there. There’s an aging fleet that is coming to the end of its service life, and the challenges [of] the mission that we see for the future is different from the past. So you need the combination of capabilities. You need strategic tanking, but you also need tactical tanking, and more than that, you need to have assets that can do multiple missions from areas that you don’t have,” he said. “All the logistics and preparedness in terms of airfields that you used to have. You need to operate from remote locations, small islands, small airfields. And the KC-390 fits in that role …So more missions with less assets that are more affordable and with a lower life-cycle cost throughout its life.”

Embraer also touts KC-390’s readiness for the Air Force with its full operational capability status and its contemporary design, with high customizability and open-architecture construction to meet customers needs.

“You can select the mission mode, so the behavior of the aircraft depends on the type of mission,” Lemos said. “You have a lot of connectivity, compatible with the latest generation of fighters … we have ISR that can be used for reconnaissance but also for laser designation and target identification, to be combined with kinetic effects … or to send information to other fighters or other assets in the zone.”

Lemos wouldn’t describe any feedback he’s getting from the Air Force on its Millennium pitch, but he acknowledged modifications would need to be made.

“What we need to do is to listen, from the Air Force, what specific connectivity they would like to add on top of the 390 to make it more interoperable,” he said.

The boom may also make a return. While current product imagery of the KC-390 show drogues, Lemos said earlier this year, according to a Breaking Defense report, that it would be willing to self-fund a refueling boom for an Air Force tanker variant – effectively a necessity, given the number of Air Force planes requiring one – if the service NGAS assessments made space for the possibility of Millennium adoption.

Contact the editor: [email protected]

CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN has said that his defibrillator implant is “just part of me now” as he admitted that he only remembers it is there during airport security checks.

Eriksen, 33, collapsed on the pitch during Denmark‘s opening game against Finland at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament in 2021.

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The former Manchester United midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest and needed life-saving resuscitation on the pitch.

He was later fitted with a defibrillator implant (ICD) before returning to football with Brentford and then United in 2022.

Now Eriksen has signed for Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, having been let go by Man Utd at the end of the season, and has opened up on how he rarely thinks about his heart condition these days.

Speaking at his official presentation for Wolfsburg on Friday, the Dane discussed how setting off alarms when going through airport security body scanners is his only reminder of the incident.

He said: “I only have to go past the scanner and undergo a separate check. That’s all. There are no restrictions. Nothing.

“I have never felt anything since then. It is just a part of me now – nothing strange or sad.”

Eriksen went on to explain that he won’t delve into the details of what happened until after his career is over.

He added: “[I’m happy to] be seen as a footballer again, and not as the guy who had this moment at Parken [Stadium].

“I will only talk in detail about it after my career – it is something very personal.”

Eriksen, who was approached to join Wrexham this summer, could make his debut for Wolfsburg this weekend in a league clash with Borussia Dortmund.

He leaves Man Utd having made over 100 appearances in which he helped the club win both the FA Cup and the League Cup.

And despite the turbulent few years at Old Trafford, Eriksen had nothing but positive things to say about his time in Manchester.

He said: “Personally, I had a great time being at United. When I came back to football with Brentford, getting the chance to play against United was a massive thing.

“I also think I proved myself as a footballer at United. I had a really great time, and my family loved it there, and I’m sure we still have a lot of friends from our time there.

“I had a good time at the club, but it was a strange time because there was a lot of stuff going on at United.

“The focus and the perception of the club from the outside world is a bit different sometimes to how it really is.

“There are some lovely people at the club who are really working hard and trying their best, but it does not always go your way.”

Having earned three national championship rings playing volleyball for UCLA, 6-foot-8 Tom Stillwell knows a little bit about competition and commitment to sports excellence.

Nothing, though, compares to his joy being a Girl Dad.

“That’s a full-time job, and being a volleyball dad is the best,” said Stillwell, an All-American at UCLA.

It was never planned that his two daughters, Maya, a 6-4 senior, and Lucy, a 6-0 sophomore, would become volleyball players at Harvard-Westlake. Stillwell and his wife, Julie, met at UCLA. She’s 5-6 and neither was thinking how tall their kids might be. But it happened. They were raising giants.

“We felt they needed to be involved in something and as they started to get really tall, I started to talk to friends who had tall females and their recommendation was get them involved in sports because it’s going to turn their tall from being awkward to cool,” Stillwell said. “For them, whether it was tennis, swimming, basketball or volleyball, it didn’t really matter to us. It was whatever they became connected with. They both had journeys.”

Maya had little interest in sports growing up.

“I was not athletic,” Maya said. “It was originally a way to get my body moving. I was into art and music. I started in club when I was 12 and hated it. It wasn’t for me. When COVID happened, we were forced to move to another club and I loved my teammates and coaches and started to like it.”

She became a top middle blocker, playing on a national championship club team and receiving a scholarship to Northwestern. She’s taken advantage of a mini-grass court in the family backyard and her father’s experience having switched from basketball to volleyball during his high school days at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

Lucy followed her sister into volleyball after trying other sports. She’s a backup at Harvard-Westlake, which started the season 7-0 until running into Marymount. The team is 10-2. Both have grade-point averages above 4.0.

Except for their mom, the Stillwells share a common experience — receiving stares because of their height.

Said Maya: “People at school are used to it, but walking outside, it’s like, ‘Oh you’re so tall. Do you play basketball?’ I never get, ‘Do you play volleyball?‘”

“It’s very funny,” Tom said. “I think all tall people have a similar experience with people coming up to you and asking, ‘Do you play basketball?’ When you play sports it helps to have that community because of a lot of their club people are similar height.”

But who gets the extra leg room when flying?

“I’m older and taller,” Maya said.

“She does,” Lucy said.

“Let me tell you who gets the worst seat. Julie, my wife,” Tom said. “She’s like, ‘I’m the mom. I birthed you. I get the worst seat?’”

The daughters never got to meet their legendary grandmother, Liz Shapiro, who was always at Tom’s games at Notre Dame and UCLA. Her generosity to both schools in terms of support will never be forgotten. She died of cancer after Tom’s volleyball career had ended.

“She was a rabid fan,” Tom said. “She would have been at every game, every tournament, club, high school, probably trying to watch practice.”

Tom, 51, has been helpful offering tips whenever his daughters ask, but he has tried to let them listen and learn from their coaches and not impose his own athletic beliefs on them.

“Volleyball just connected with them. It was fun to watch,” he said. “I told them they’re not doing it for me or my wife. They have to enjoy it and if they don’t, they shouldn’t do it. This is their journey, not mine.”

As a Girl Dad, Tom has adopted a specific philosophy no matter what he sees or hears.

“All I’m trying to be is their dad,” he said. “That’s my No. 1 focus. Not their volleyball coach, not their mentor in volleyball. It’s hard enough for these teenage girls. They don’t need to hear their dad yelling.”

The world’s largest sports pirating site, Streameast, is no more.

The illegal streaming giant was terminated in Egypt after a sting operation, according to the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, one of the country’s largest antipiracy coalitions. Egyptian law enforcement and ACE shut down the service Aug. 24 following a yearlong investigation.

Streameast had 80 associated domains and amassed more than 1.6 billion visits during the past year. It offered access to sports’ biggest events, including Europe’s football championships, the NFL, NBA, MLB, pay-per-view boxing and F1 races. It garnered an average of 136 million monthly visitors, primarily based in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., the Philippines and Germany.

“With this landmark action, we have put more points on the board for sports leagues, entertainment companies, and fans worldwide — and our global alliance will stay on the field as long as it takes to identify and target the biggest piracy rings across the globe,” said Charles Rivkin, chairman of ACE and head of the Motion Picture Assn., in a press release.

Two men were arrested about 20 miles outside of Cairo under suspicion of copyright infringement. Authorities confiscated devices, including laptops and smartphones thought to be operating the site, cash and several credit cards. Investigators also identified a shell company possibly used to launder the advertising revenue, which totaled to around $6.2 million, and an investment of $200,000 in cryptocurrency. Several properties in Egypt were also allegedly purchased with these funds.

In addition to working with local Egyptian authorities, ACE’s investigation was aided by Europol, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Centre, according to the Athletic’s reporting.

All sites previously associated with Streameast will be redirected to ACE’s “watch legally” page, which provides links to authorized streaming video providers. This announcement comes a day before the NFL’s regular season kicks off.

Ever since resuming two-way duties earlier this year, Shohei Ohtani had been throwing the ball well.

It wasn’t until Wednesday, however, that he finally pitched like a frontline starter, too.

Coming off his second career Tommy John surgery this year, Ohtani immediately lit up the radar gun with 100-mph fastballs and amassed gaudy strikeout totals with a devastating sweeper. In his first eight pitching starts of the season, he gave up just five runs in 16 innings for a 2.37 ERA, racked up 25 punchouts against just five walks, and looked every bit of the hard-throwing ace he was before spending a year-and-a-half rehabbing his right elbow and only serving as a designated hitter.

But, during that time, Ohtani was also throwing in only short bursts, as part of a deliberate effort to slowly build him up. He tossed one inning in his first two starts. Two innings, then three, then four, in each pair of outings after that. Rarely did he face a lineup two times through. At no point did he see the same batter three times in the same game.

He was, in effect, an opener.

And in that role, raw stuff was enough.

Recently, however, Ohtani had encountered a new challenge. Since getting the green light to make more typical five-inning starts, he had failed to actually complete the fifth in his first two attempts.

The struggles weren’t surprising, with five of the nine runs Ohtani had given up in his previous two outings coming in either the fourth or fifth innings. For all of Ohtani’s talent, it was clear there was tactical rust that still needed to be cleared.

“I think we’re still in the [process of] finding out who he is, what he is, getting his bearings for him,” manager Dave Roberts acknowledged ahead of Wednesday’s game.

“But,” the skipper added, “I’m expecting him to get through five [tonight], pitch well and just continue to get better.”

In the Dodgers’ 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds, Ohtani was indeed better.

Both in his results, and his process for getting there.

The right-hander not only got through five full innings of one-run ball in an 87-pitch outing — but did so by adopting a new, more unpredictable plan of attack.

Instead of leaning predominantly on fastballs and sweepers as he did earlier this year, Ohtani threw the kitchen sink at the Reds; using his curveball a career-high 23 times and his splitter a season-high 11 times, and all seven of his wicked offerings on at least seven different occasions.

Along the way, Ohtani yielded only two hits (one of them a solo home run from Noelvi Marte in the third), recorded nine strikeouts (his most in a game in more than two years) and, for the first time this year, showed the kind of ability to work deep into a game that could be pivotal in determining his October pitching role.

“Getting his sea legs back and getting going, it takes a while,” Roberts said. “So I thought tonight was one of those nights where he was locked in and worked some things out and really got into a good rhythm.”

Before Wednesday, there was still an open question over how the Dodgers might use Ohtani’s arm in the postseason.

Ideally, he could help headline their star-studded rotation, joining Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and maybe Clayton Kershaw to form the kind of deep starting pitching arsenal the Dodgers have sorely lacked in recent playoff treks.

But first, he had to show he was capable of navigating an opposing order multiple times.

“I do think that the last few starts, he was pretty predictable,” Roberts said. “And so he was smart enough to kind of suss that out, and get him off the scent.”

Against the Reds (68-66), Ohtani went to his secondary stuff early and often. His 12 curveballs in the first two innings alone were more than he had thrown in his 10 previous outings this year combined. His 34% fastball usage (including sinkers and cutters) was his lowest in a game in almost three years.

“As we’re progressing through this rehab in general, aside from the innings, I just really wanted to be able to incorporate other pitches,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “So that was really the intent going in.”

Ohtani’s command was still shaky, leading to a pair of second-inning walks that he only stranded after back-to-back strikeouts. With one out in the third, he made his lone mistake, leaving a first-pitch cutter to Marte down the middle for a home run that was clobbered to the left-field pavilion.

After that, however, Ohtani found a groove. He retired the final eight batters he faced. He finished his start by getting Cincinnati leadoff man TJ Friedl to ground out in their third meeting of the evening. And he concluded his performance with 14 swings-and-misses overall, the most whiffs he had generated in a game all year.

“He picked and chose when he used his fastball, and it just felt like they couldn’t really figure it out,” Kiké Hernández said. “They looked like they were guessing out there.”

“He’s got so many pitches,” added catcher Dalton Rushing, “and when you throw everything in the zone or around the zone, it just makes you that much better.”

By getting through five innings, Ohtani also qualified for his first pitching win of the season.

The Dodgers (77-57) made sure they didn’t squander it.

After starting the game with nine straight outs against Reds starter Nick Lodolo, the club finally broke the game open with a four-run rally in the fourth, when Ohtani led off with a single and Hernández and Rushing had two-run, bases-loaded singles. Michael Conforto added a solo insurance homer in the eighth. And the bullpen tiptoed in and out of trouble over four scoreless innings of game-sealing relief.

Collectively, the Dodgers set a nine-inning franchise record by combining for 19 strikeouts.

The victory helped the Dodgers grow their National League West lead to two games over the San Diego Padres, who dropped a series rubber match to the Seattle Mariners earlier in the day. It ran the team’s recent winning streak up to four games, its longest since the start of a 21-25 run dating back to July 4.

What was most important, though, was the way Ohtani looked, showing not only the life that remains in his surgically repaired elbow, but his ability to translate it into successful, dominant full-length outings.

“When you’re trying to go through a lineup three times, you’ve got to at times be able to go to different pitches and sequences,” Roberts added. “So, yeah, to continue to build him up and give us options, if we want to get a little bit more length out of him, is certainly helpful.”

Freeman, Call out

The Dodgers were without Freddie Freeman and Alex Call on Wednesday, but are hoping both will be available for their next game on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Freeman was absent from the lineup because of a “stinger” in his neck and right shoulder, Roberts said. Freeman has dealt with similar issues before, and Roberts said they wanted to give him the opportunity for two consecutive days off (including Thursday’s off-day) to let it calm down.

Call was also out of the lineup after being removed from Tuesday’s game with a back flare-up. He, too, has dealt with similar issues in the past. Roberts described Call as “day-to-day” and said the team would re-evaluate his status Friday.

Aug. 22 (UPI) — The man believed to be the last surviving World War II official American ace naval fighter pilot has died at age 103.

Described in his legacy.com page as a compassionate and humble soul, Don McPherson, of Nebraska, died Aug. 14.

McPherson enlisted in the U.S. Navy in February 1943 and was qualified for a naval aviator’s golden wings and an ensign’s commission in August 1944.

He was posted in February of 1945 aboard an aircraft carrier as part of a fighter squadron equipped with Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat planes. McPherson served in the war campaign on Okinawa, Japan, in which he was credited with five aerial victories and bestowed flying ace status.

McPherson left active service in November of that year, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal and three gold stars. He then completed his Navy Reserve obligation in October of 1956.

Nearly 60 years later, McPherson was named to the Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame in January of 2015, and then in May of that year was one of 37 fighter aces presented with the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington.

McPherson also had a final Hellcat flight, as at age 102 he flew a restored fighter. He turned 103 in May and died last week in his home state.

“As we’ve celebrated 80 years of WWII victory, I’ve been humbled by the incredible stories of service members like Donald McPherson — who was America’s last-living WWII Ace,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen wrote on X Wednesday. “After bravely serving our country, he committed himself to his faith, his family, and his Nebraska community.”

“Donald McPherson built an amazing legacy in our state — and will forever be an American hero,” he concluded.

A so-called friendly between Real Betis and Como descended into chaos after players from both sides were seen throwing punches at one another.

The Spanish and Italian clubs were playing their penultimate friendlies before the competitive season starts for them.

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But Wednesday evening proved the two sides had certainly found their competitive edge in pre-season.

Cesc Fabregas‘ Serie A side won the clash 3-2, but not before trying to go 12 rounds with their rivals after a stunning brawl broke out at the end of the first half.

Former West Ham star Pablo Fornals was at the centre of the brawl as he exchanged blows with Máximo Perrone.

The rivals were seen squaring up to one another before they got involved in a shoving match.

That was abruptly ended when Fornals appeared to PUNCH Perrone, with the Argentine then trying strike the 29-year-old.

However, he was unable to do so as Betis and Como players rushed over to intervene, before many of them also ended up in grappling matches of their own while trying to diffuse the situation.

There was one unfortunately funny moment in the melee as Cucho Hernandez came flying in to try and land a punch on a rival, only to punch his own team-mate, Natan, in the face instead.

Fornals avoided being sent off despite landing the first blow, with the same lack of punishment also going to Hernandez following his attempted flying punch.

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Meanwhile, former Manchester City star Perrone was not so lucky and was sent for an early shower.

In the aftermath, ex-Arsenal star Hector Bellerin tried to speak to the referee to get the situation under control.

But the Spaniard instead became more and more animated himself as he grew frustrated with the referee after he had also sent him off.

The 30-year-old was guided away from the official while still protesting, before tempers between the teams flared again by the tunnel.

Bellerin’s red card was reversed before the end of the first half.

It remains to be seen whether any retrospective punishment could be enforced.

Europa Conference League runner-up Betis take on newly-promoted Elche in their La Liga opener.

On the other hand, Como – who recently “banished” Dele Alli from their squad – will play Suditrol in the first round of the Coppa Italia before facing Lazio in their Serie A opener.

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ANTHONY HARTIGAN was once taught a tough lesson at Wembley by Tottenham “beast” Victor Wanyama as a skinny 17-year-old.

But the Barnet captain is hoping to put that and all his EFL experience to good use as the Bees return to League Two on Saturday after a seven-year absence when they host Fleetwood.

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Hartigan, 25, clocked 118 appearances in League One for AFC Wimbledon and another 20 for Newport (on loan) and Mansfield in League Two before dropping into non-league with Barnet.

And he has also played at Wembley twice — including taking on Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs in 2018 with the Dons while their new stadium was being built.

He told SunSport: “We got drawn away against Tottenham in the FA Cup so I had a unique chance to play at Wembley. It was an incredible experience to take on Premier League stars live on TV.

“I was only 17 and it was my breakthrough year. I’d only made my senior debut that season so to be walking out under the arch alongside the likes of Harry Kane was surreal.

“Tottenham had a great team then. They also had Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Jan Vertonghen, Kieran Trippier, Mousa Dembele, Son Heung-Min, Victor Wanyama, players like that.

“I was up against Alli and Wanyama. I’ve got a photo of me trying to get the ball off Wanyama, which is funny because I’m like a skinny little boy and he was just a beast! I didn’t stand a chance!

“Our manager Neal Ardley told us the next morning, ‘That’s the standard you must reach if you want to make it to the top.’

“They just do everything so well technically, tactically, physically and mentally. It’s frightening how big a gap it is from our level.”

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Hartigan was also on the losing side in the 2021 League Two play-off final with Newport when they were beaten after extra-time by Morecambe.

Not only was the day soiled by the result but the crowd number was limited to only 9,083 because of Covid restrictions.

Hartigan feels he has unfinished business in the EFL, having played regularly for the Dons.

But when he joined Mansfield three years ago, a shoulder injury wrecked his first season there before he was loaned for a year to Barnet, a move he made permanent last July.

However, he has found a home at the Hertfordshire club, starting 89 of his 90 league appearances — and winning the National League title in May.

Now he cannot wait to get his EFL career motoring again with the Bees.

He said: “I had a bit of bad luck going to Manfield. It was the right club for me at the wrong time — but Barnet has definitely proved to be the right team at the right time.

“I’ve excelled here because there are good people around me, I’m getting games under my belt again and the whole environment has been excellent.

“We don’t fear the jump into League Two because this team deserves to be here.

“On a personal level I want to reach the highest level I can and enjoy my football. I’m enjoying my journey with Barnet.”

Actor Kate Beckinsale is mourning the loss of her “dearest friend,” her mother British actor Judy Loe.

The “Underworld” star announced Thursday that her mother died Tuesday evening, writing in an emotional Instagram post that Loe died “in my arms after immeasurable suffering.”

Though Beckinsale in her post did not disclose a cause of death, she announced last year that her mother had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Loe was 78.

The “Pearl Harbor” actor, 51, said she felt compelled to announce her mother’s death because she had to register the “Space Island One” actor’s death certificate. She shared a carousel of photos and videos of her mother from over the years, including snaps of Loe in her youth and with granddaughter Lily Mo Sheen, whom Beckinsale shares with ex Michael Sheen.

“I am paralysed,” Beckinsale wrote in her caption. “Jude was the compass of my life, the love of my life, my dearest friend.”

Loe, born March 6, 1947, in Manchester, enjoyed a versatile career that began in the 1970s and earned her dozens of credits, mostly on British TV series. She broke out on the ITV fantasy series “Ace of Wands” in 1970s and went on to appear in numerous other programs for the network including “The Chief,” “Crown Court,” “Let There Be Love” and “Goodnight and God Bless.”

Throughout her career — her most recent credit was a minor role in the TV miniseries “Fool Me Once” in 2024 — Loe took on a variety of roles ranging from a magician’s assistant in “Ace of Wands” to a much sought-after divorcée in “Singles” to a spacecraft commander in “Space Island One.”

Prior to taking on screen roles, Loe pursued a career on the stage, including repertory theater in northern England’s Crewe, where in 1968 she met fellow actor Richard Beckinsale, whom she would marry in 1977. Though they split after two years of marriage, they welcomed daughter Kate in 1973. Richard Beckinsale died at age 31 from a heart attack.

Loe remarried in 1997 to television director Roy Battersby, who died in January 2024 after a brief illness. He was 87.

In her announcement, Kate Beckinsale praised her mother for her legacy, “huge heart” and courage in the final year of her life.

Beckinsale continued: “She has been brave in so many ways, forgiving sometimes too much, believing in the ultimate good in people and the world is so dim without her that it is nearly impossible to bear.”

Loe is survived by six stepchildren in addition to her daughter, according to the Guardian.

With the holiday season fast approaching, most people will be busy seeking out the perfect destination. However, for chief holiday officers (CHOs), trip planning goes well beyond the simple question of “where to go?”. While everyone else is dreaming about sipping cocktails by the pool or taking in the unforgettable vistas from a popular hiking path, CHOs are the ones building the “who’s paid what?” spreadsheets, reading every single review in painstaking detail, and downloading the multitude of apps that will introduce everyone to a wealth of local experiences. Yes, they are the people who thrive on good planning. CHOs love a bit of legwork, get great satisfaction in thinking of the unthinkable, and exude the role of organiser – especially when it comes to putting together a trip to remember.

CINCINNATI — All-Star right-hander Corbin Burnes of the Arizona Diamondbacks is set to undergo Tommy John elbow surgery, ending his season early in the first year of a $210 million, six-year contract.

Manager Torey Lovullo said Friday the decision was made with “a lot of people weighing in.” Lovullo said the surgery probably would be scheduled for next week.

The announcement came three days after the Diamondbacks put Burnes on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.

The 30-year-old left his most recent start with Arizona leading 3-0 in the top of the fifth inning Sunday. After Burnes allowed a single by CJ Abrams with two outs, he gestured toward the dugout with his glove and yelled in frustration.

Burnes allowed a run and four hits in 4 2/3 innings. He is 3-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 11 starts this season.

Burnes signed with the Diamondbacks after earning his fourth consecutive All-Star nod in his only season with Baltimore last year. He spent his first six years with Milwaukee before an offseason trade to the Orioles in early 2024.

“This is a tough day to get this news,” Lovullo said. “But we’ll find a way to rally around him, play hard for him all year long.”

IT’S the most glamorous fixture on the football calendar – but the glitziest stars will be the ones cheering on from the sidelines.

As Paris Saint-Germain prepare to take on Inter this evening, the players’ stunning WAGs will be getting dressed up to the nines as their partners prepare for potential Champions League glory.

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While PSG’s roster has included superstars including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in recent years, this year’s team is full of young, hungry talents ready to make their own names on the world stage.

The likes of Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi will be testing themselves at the Allianz Arena in Munich against Inter‘s equally impressive side, which boasts stars including Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram.

But away from the pitch, which of these names are scoring in their love lives too?

From doctors to lawyers and even fellow players – as well as a dramatic cheating scandal – we reveal all about PSG and Inter’s top WAGs.

Paris Saint-Germain F.C.

Nitsa Tavadze and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Brainy Nitsa Tavadze, 23, wife of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, 24, studied medicine while her relationship with the Georgian star blossomed.

In 2023, they tied the knot at the historic Samtavro Monastery in Mtskheta, celebrating with Georgian traditions, attire, and customs. 

Although the couple were introduced by a mutual friend in 2021 sparks didn’t fly until a month later.

Due to Nitsa’s demanding studies, the pair would write to and call each other, and would meet up during their time off or when Kvaratskhelia was on an international break.

When Nitsa didn’t have lectures to attend, she would go to Naples and attend matches at his former team, Napoli.

They made their first appearance at a basketball game between Italy and Georgia and by 2022 they were official. Now, they share a son, Damian, one.

Océane Toussaint and Warren Zaire-Emery

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French goalie Océane Toussaint, 21, has been in a relationship with her fellow PSG star Warren Zaire-Emery, 19, since 2024.

They were first papped together at a Louis Vuitton event in January and later confirmed their relationship at a gala in May.

Océane was the first goalkeeper to win the Titi d’Or – a fan award for PSG’s most promising academy player – in 2023 and took to social media to share her success with fans.

She wrote: “Very proud to be the first Titi gold keeper, thank you again for all your messages.”

During their short time together so far, Océane and Warren have already jetted off for glamorous holidays and were seen visiting Zoomarine in the Algarve.

Madalena Aragão and João Neves 

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Portuguese television and film star Madalena Aragão, 19, has been in a relationship with João Neves, 20, since 2024.

Madalena made her acting debut in 2016 when she was just 10 years old in the soap opera Rainha das Flores.

The talented actress is also a popular blogger and creator of a YouTube channel, where she shares her thoughts on teenage life and growing up. 

Since embarking on her new relationship with João it’s been go go go. She even moved to Paris to be with him after his move from Benfica to the French giants.

The pair have also been quite active on social media, sharing several adorable pics together.

In response to one of Madalena’s recent Instagram posts, Portuguese actor and model Diogo Amaral replied: “My favourite couple.”

Carol Cabrino and Marquinhos

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Influencer Carol Cabrino, 32, carved out a successful singing career before her marriage to Brazilian centre back Marquinhos, 31.

After he proposed to her underneath the Eiffel Tower, the pair had a civil wedding in June 2016.

Together they share three children – Maria, eight, Enrico, six, and Martina, 3 – but tragically, Carol recently opened up about losing her fourth child after suffering a miscarriage.

Taking to Instagram to share the distressing news in March, she said: “I’m going to talk about something that is not very good.

“But I’ve accepted what happened to me and I’ve come to share it with you.

“I can’t get on with my life if I don’t come here and explain to you a little of the things that have been happening in my life for a while now.”

Alessia Elefante and Gianluigi Donnarumma

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Italian bombshell Alessia Elefante, 27, is the fiancée of Gianluigi Donnarumma, 26, and the couple have been together for over seven years.

Alessia is an interior designer and mum to one-year-old Leo, whom she shares with Gianluigi. The Italian pro footballer proposed to her a month after their son was born.

They also share a dog named Coco that Alessia has referred to via her Instagram as her “favourite baby boy” and “a prince” – before her son was born, of course!

Alessia also stands 39cm shorter than her partner who reaches a whopping 6ft5inches.

Despite such a significant height difference, the couple seem super loved up and often share photos together on social media.

Another little known fact about Alessia is that she’s a twin. On May 27, 2024, she took to Instagram to share a birthday pic with her sister Daniela.

The caption wrote: “Since 1998. Love you.”

Shocked fans were quick to spot the similarities between the pair. One person wrote: “I thought there was a mirror in the 1st pic.”

Inter Milan

Agustina Gandolfo and Lautaro Martinez

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Model Agustina, 29, has two children with Inter’s star striker Lautaro, 27, Nina, four and Theo, two.

Agus has developed a career as a mumfluencer in recent years, with her candid posts about the realities of motherhood.

Alongside her personal updates, she has launched her own lifestyle brand, Coraje, as well as partnering with trendy fashion and fitness labels like Cloter Official and Tropical Sweat.

She met her Argentine husband around 2016 when he was playing for local club Racing, at a party hosted by fellow stars Mauro Icardi and Wanda Nara.

They were initially pals but later fell in love. They had their first child, a daughter named Nina, in 2021 and had a son in 2023.

The pair had a lavish wedding in Villa d’Este on Lake Como Italy in 2023 with 120 guests.

Agus has three tattoos: one of birds flying on her upper back, a heart on her arm and a quote on her ribs.

She also made headlines in 2021 after claiming a Milan restaurant had handed her a menu that didn’t have any prices on during a romantic meal out with her man.

She claimed on her Instagram story that the practice is sexist – because it assumes the man is going to pay for the meal, not the woman.

Kleofina Pnishi and Benjamin Pavard 

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Kosovo-born actress and model Kleofina, 30, was elected Miss Provence 2017 and ran in the Miss France competition the following year.

But life hasn’t always been easy. When she was just five years old, her family fled their homeland due to the war and arrived in France in 1999.

She graduated from the School of Journalism and Communication of Aix-Marseille, before meeting Benjamin Pavard, 29, with the pair getting engaged in July last year.

Benjamin got down on one knee on the coast of Saranda, Albania, in a beautiful, romantic proposal made special with flowers and candles. 

Federica Schievenin and Nicolò Barella 

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Stunning sports scientist Federica Schievenin, 35, met childhood sweetheart Nicolò, 28, over a decade ago.

Like her beau, she has had a passion for sports since a young age thanks to thanks to her dad, who was into motocross.

She earned a PT CFT3 certification from the International Sports Scientists Association in 2019 and is now said to be studying nutraceuticals and naturopathy.

The pair tied the knot in 2018 and are now parents to four children: daughters Rebecca, eight, Lavinia, five, Matilde, four and a baby son, Romeo.

Federica keeps her children’s faces hidden on social media, usually with an emoji.

Claudia Scarpari and Francesco Acerbi 

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Claudia Scarpari, 38, is the wife of defender Francesco Acerbi, 37, who she met in early 2020.

Speaking of their early romance, the glamorous lawyer said she found it “enchanting” to watch him play, but admitted she didn’t follow football before they met. 

However, since falling in love with the defender, Claudia has revealed she had never missed a match, and will always be cheering on her partner.  

Claudia already has a daughter and a son from a previous relationship, and has had more children with Francesco.  

Their daughters are named Vittoria, four and Nala, two.

On top of being a supportive WAG, Claudia is a successful lawyer and has spoken of the similarities between the couple’s careers, explaining they are both “defending and protecting what we believe in”.

The couple married in early 2025 in Cassina Rizzardi, Italy.

Sinem Gündoğdu and Hakan Çalhanoğlu

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Hakan Çalhanoğlu, 31, and Sinem, 30, grew up together in Turkey before tying the knot in 2017, but their relationship has not always been plain sailing. 

In 2018, the midfielder sensationally announced the decision to divorce his wife after a “very serious and unforgivable situation occurred”.

Sinem’s response was speedy, and came with another bombshell, as she announced: “I never cheated on you. By the way, I’m pregnant.”

Fortunately, the couple appear to have resolved their issues and now seem better than ever. 

Together they have three children: Liya, six, born in 2019, Ayaz, four, born in 2021 and Asil Can, two, born in 2023.

CARLOS BALEBA isn’t just here to make up the numbers, he’s chasing football’s ultimate individual prize and wants to leave an indelible mark on the game.

The 21-year-old Brighton midfielder is full confidence and charm as he reveals his dream of getting to the top of world football from his home in Hove after inviting me over for an interview.

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Baleba is dreaming of winning the Ballon d’Or, and says praise from Declan Rice and inspiration from Rodri’s success have convinced him it’s possible.

He told SunSport in an exclusive interview: “Declan Rice, Matheus Cunha, Joelinton, they’ve all told me I’ve got it in me.

“I want to win the Ballon d’Or like Rodri.

“I watched him during the Euros and before his injury I played against him and time I got the ball, he was right in front of me.

“It was my first game against Manchester City, and it was very difficult.

“He made it so hard to dribble or pass. That showed his class.

“His success has opened the door for midfielders like us to believe we can win the Ballon d’Or someday.”

Baleba is already making waves with his performances. The Cameroonian is the only midfielder in Europe’s top five leagues this season to register 30+ tackles, 30+ interceptions, 30+ clearances, 30+ take-ons, and 30+ aerial duels won, a stat line that shows just how complete his game is.

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His stock is rising fast, and he’s already been linked with Liverpool and Manchester City and Manchester United.

But for now, Baleba is focused on developing and not paying attention to the rumour mill.

He said: “Yes, I can get to the very top of world football.

“But I need to stay focused, stay calm, not rush, and not let what people write get in my head. If I keep working hard, I can be like Luka Modric or Toni Kroos, I just need to stay grounded.”

The Brighton star’s journey is nothing short of remarkable so far. Just three years ago, he was still in Cameroon, uncertain about his future. 

When he finally got his breakthrough move to Lille, tragedy struck, he lost his mother, he says it was sudden and quick. It’s a pain that still drives him.

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He revealed: “It was very difficult for me because I didn’t see my mum. I wanted her next to me, but when I signed for Brighton, she wasn’t here.

“That’s why the first season was really hard. I thought about her a lot. But I vowed that I would be the best version of myself and go as far as I can in my career.”

The Premier League is the dream destination for many young African players, but Baleba warns it’s not for the faint-hearted.

“The intensity,  if you don’t run, you cannot play in the Premier League. That’s the truth. You have to be willing to put in the hard work.”

What makes Baleba stand out isn’t just his football, it’s his effort to adapt to a new culture and language.

His English is still a work in progress, but he’s proud of the steps he’s taking to settle in,  even if the British weather isn’t always his cup of tea.

“I love it here, to be honest. My favourite English food is the English breakfast, if I’m allowed to say that!.

“But the weather is the only issue, it changes all the time.”

Brighton will be hoping Baleba can continue his meteoric rise, following in the footsteps of midfield stars like Alexis Mac Allister, Yves Bissouma, and Moises Caicedo.

All arrived as unknowns but left as stars. The Cameroonian might just be the next one off the Seagulls’ midfield conveyor belt, and if he keeps dreaming big, he could go even further.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Freshman Moni Nikolov posted six kills, four aces and a pair of digs and Long Beach State beat UCLA 25-17, 25-23 and 25-21 to win the NCAA men’s volleyball tournament Monday night.

It was the Beach’s (30-3) fourth championship in program history and first since 2019. Long Beach State also won the title in 2018 and claimed its first title in 1991 when current coach Alan Knipe was a player.

The 6-foot-10 Nikolov, who just turned 18, started the match with an opening-serve ace and ended UCLA’s two-time reign with a thunderous kill.

“Not for one second did we think we were going to lose that game,” Nikolov said. “Before the game in the locker room we told each other we were here. We were born for this …. game.

“Even when we were down five, we trusted each other because we knew we were the better team.”

Trailing 1-0, UCLA led 18-13 in the second set before the nation’s No. 1-ranked team outscored the Bruins 12-5 for a two-point win. In the third set, Alex Kandev’s kill gave Long Beach State a 4-3 lead and the Beach led for the remainder. Kandev finished with a .452 hitting percentage.

The Bruins entered the tournament with the second-highest hitting efficiency in the country but were stifled in part by Long Beach State’s length and were outhit by the Beach .354 to .192. UCLA’s Cooper Robinson finished with a .381 hitting percentage.

The championship match was the third meeting between the two teams this season with Long Beach State owning a 9-1 set advantage.

Long Beach State dropped just a single set as it beat Fort Valley State 3-0 and Pepperdine 3-1.

Two-time defending champion UCLA (22-7) sought to become college volleyball’s first three-peat champion since the Bruins won four in a row from 1981 to 1984.

ENGLAND’S Phil Foden says he shuns the nightlife to relax with board games and nature.

The Manchester City ace, 24, relishes home life at his country mansion and fishing lake.

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He said: “I love sitting in my garden and looking at all the wildlife.”

Winding down allows him to go fishing with son Ronnie, six.

He said: “I started with my dad, so it’s nice to pass it on.”

And Phil’s private chef cooks for fiancée Rebecca Cooke, mum to their three kids.

Friends join them some evenings.

The midfielder added: “We love to play Ludo and board games.

“I like to chill and relax really.”

He said the family enjoy zoo trips and hiring bouncy castles.

Instead of a footballer off-season trip to Marbella or Ibiza, Phil will be in France “where the fish are a little bigger”.

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