By Los Angeles Times staff
SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
At Huntington Beach High
OPEN DIVISION
JSerra 40, Newport Harbor 14
DIVISION 1
Oxnard 18, Palos Verdes 12
DIVISION 2
San Clemente 35, Gahr 34 (OT)
DIVISION 3
Valencia 12, Quartz Hill 7
DIVISION 4
Cerritos Valley Christian 33, West Ranch 18
DIVISION 5
Loma Linda Academy 33, Peninsula 6
DIVISION 6
St. Monica 39, Heritage 20
When Shiloh Wickliffe was walking around the Cleveland High campus last fall, everyone knew he could be a football ringer if he ever went out for the sport. He was the starting second baseman for the baseball team, but football coach Mario Guzman and classmates were well aware he once played football as a freshman at Sierra Canyon.
Wickliffe had shoulder surgery last November, so he had pretty much closed the football chapter in his life — until he was rehabbing and started looking at his “old clips.”
“I kind of missed it,” he said. “And all my friends are telling me, ‘Come out and join the football team.’”
Cleveland’s football season had already started when Wickliffe, a junior, decided to ask Guzman if he could join the team. It’s rare when a varsity coach decides to add a player in the middle of a season. Guzman agreed to make an exception because he felt Wickliffe’s positive attitude and team-oriented philosophy would fit his team’s culture.
Wickliffe did his mandatory 10 days of practice and made his debut in the third game against Castaic. By the 10th game, he had become a key Cleveland player because of a season-ending injury to standout running back Moyo Odebunmi.
He’s had games of 121 yards rushing and four touchdowns against Taft; 80 yards rushing and one touchdown against Chatsworth; five receptions for 62 yards against Crenshaw. He also had a 94-yard touchdown nullified against the Cougars.
“It’s a blessing,” Guzman said. “We thought he’d just play baseball.”
Cleveland is 10-0 for the first time in school history going into its City Section Open Division playoff opener on Friday night at home in a rematch against Crenshaw.
At 5 feet 8 and 165 pounds, Wickliffe still considers himself a baseball player first but has gotten into football shape and looks ready to be an important contributor in the playoffs.
“I have not played for more than a year,” he said. “I was definitely nervous coming out because I thought I wouldn’t be the same, but I kind of always believed in what I had.”
The first practice back was an opportunity to regain his bearings.
“The coach had set up a specific hitting drill for me to like get my feet wet,” he said. “And once they hit me, it kind of woke me up what I’m coming back into.”
The muscle memory and instincts have returned. He started out as a receiver, but now the Cavaliers need him to use his speed at running back.
“Their scheme is pretty good,” he said. “We just have to have discipline and do what our coaches taught us and that’s what leads us to the promised land.”
He’s going back to baseball when football is completed. He batted .302 last season in 16 games while not at full strength after surgery, so beware come February.
Wickliffe has become Cleveland’s version of the Rams’ Aaron Donald as far as deciding to return to the football field at the last minute and test himself.
“I found my love for football again,” he said.
The Argentinian scored 26 goals in regular season, topping the charts and leading Inter Miami to the MLS Cup playoffs.
Published On 8 Nov 20268 Nov 2026
Lionel Messi has become the first player to win back-to-back Golden Boot awards in Major League Soccer after leading his club Inter Miami to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference.
MLS defending champions Miami earned a wasteful 3-3 draw against Charlotte on the final day of the regular season on Saturday.
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The Argentinian superstar did not score but set up the first two goals at Miami’s Nu Stadium, both from corners, to help secure home advantage for his club in the first two playoff rounds.
Ian Fray, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul racked up three first-half strikes for Inter Miami before Liel Abada’s brace soon after the break led to a comeback sealed by Rodolfo Aloko’s late strike.
Runaway overall leaders Nashville broke the all-time MLS points record for a season with a whopping 77 after beating Cincinnati 2-0. At 23-3 with eight draws, Nashville won the East and broke the mark of 74 points set by Miami in 2024.
Miami finished second in the East on 60 points as third-place New England failed to take advantage of Inter’s draw with a surprise 1-0 loss at Orlando to end on 58.
At Miami, Messi’s 14th-minute corner fell unexpectedly to Charlotte’s Luca de la Torre, who spooned it up for Fray to open the scoring.
Another Messi corner in the 33rd minute found Suarez wide open at the near post. The Uruguayan glanced in his header for 2-0.
De Paul made it three before half-time, but Abada pulled back a goal for the visitors early and bagged a second in the 55th minute.
In the 90th minute, Aloko bagged the equaliser, reacting first to the ball as Smalls’s shot ricocheted off the post.
A visibly frustrated Messi hit the post in stoppage time before Aloko came inches from bagging an unlikely winner with a thunderous shot into the outside netting.
Messi’s 26 goals this season were enough to make him the first to successfully defend the top goal-scoring honour. Petar Musa of Dallas was second with 22 goals but did not score in his club’s 3-1 home victory over Colorado.
The 39-year-old finished with 29 goals the previous season, becoming the second player in league history to score at least 25 times in back-to-back years.
Messi recently retired from international football after an illustrious 21-year career with the 2022 world champions, but recently signed a contract extension with the MLS club through 2028.
Inter Miami are the holders of the MLS Cup, which they won in Messi’s second season with the club in 2025.
Playoffs for this season’s MLS Cup begin on November 19.
Messi’s men will face Columbus to begin the MLS playoffs. Other East matchups send New England against Philadelphia, Charlotte against Chicago and top seed Nashville against the wild-card winner, Orlando or Cincinnati.
Columbus took advantage of the Cincinnati loss with a 4-3 victory at Chicago to finish seventh and avoid the wild-card round.
The Egyptian Football Association has sacked national team coach Hossam Hassan, cutting short a promising tenure after a historic run to the Round of 16 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hassan’s marital issues had spilled into the public eye causing concerns over the team’s image.
Published On 8 Nov 20268 Nov 2026
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Valverde and Guler’s first-half goals put Madrid in the driving seat, and Mbappe added a third in the second half.
Published On 7 Nov 20267 Nov 2026
Kylian Mbappe scored for the seventh match running as Real Madrid pulled provisionally level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona after a 3-0 win at 10-man Valencia.
Reigning champions Barca visit Atletico Madrid, third, on Sunday, aiming to move back clear of the chasing pack.
Jose Mourinho’s Madrid largely dominated at Mestalla Stadium on Saturday, securing an eighth win in a row across all competitions.
Federico Valverde and Arda Guler’s first-half goals put Madrid in the driving seat, and Mbappe added a third in the second half.
Los Blancos were without winger Vinicius Junior, who was serving the final game of a four-match ban.
Madrid have thrived in his absence, putting heavy pressure on Barca, whom they beat in the Camp Nou Clasico on October 25.
In the ninth minute, the match stopped for players and fans to pay tribute to Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel, who tragically died on Tuesday.
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a smart save to deny Aaron Mayol, who had picked Aurelien Tchouameni’s pocket in a dangerous area.
Valencia’s Guido Rodriguez had a goal disallowed for offside before Mourinho’s side took control.
Valverde drilled Madrid ahead from outside the area after Mbappe’s free kick was blocked by the Valencia wall and fell to the Uruguayan.
Guler soon doubled the lead after Jude Bellingham’s cross was deflected kindly into his path.
Guler had a good chance for the third early in the second half, but Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski grabbed the ball as the midfielder tried to round him.
Minutes later, Dimitrievski saved well from Mbappe, as the French striker ran through and tried to dink the ball over him.
Bellingham powered through the defence and was also denied by the goalkeeper, as was Mbappe, who followed up with an overhead kick, as Madrid tried to find a third to kill off the game.
Eventually, Mbappe produced it, bursting onto a dangerous pass by Guler to dart past Dimitrievski and squeeze home his 13th league goal of the campaign.
It was the forward’s 17th goal in 16 games across all competitions. Mbappe has netted in his last seven appearances for Madrid.
Valencia’s Jose Gaya was dismissed with about 10 minutes remaining for a late sliding foul on Mbappe to further spoil Javier Aguirre’s team’s night.
Earlier, new Espanyol coach Eder Sarabia’s side were held to a goalless home draw by Deportivo A Coruna.
Osasuna snatched a late 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao, while Racing Santander came from behind to beat Malaga 2-1.
Devon Dampier accounted for four touchdowns, Utah intercepted four Bear Bachmeier passes and the third-ranked Utes remained undefeated with a 28-20 victory over No. 7 Brigham Young on Saturday in Salt Lake City.
Dampier hurt the Cougars with with his arm and legs, finishing with 264 yards of offense to help the Utes (9-0, 6-0 Big 12) snap a three-game losing streak in the Holy War rivalry series. He threw two touchdown passes to Braden Pegan and ran for two scores.
Trailing by six at halftime, Utah forced three turnovers and shut out the Cougars (7-2, 4-2) in the second half to keep alive its College Football Playoff hopes. BYU has lost two of three to dampen its CFP chances.
Bachmeier threw for 272 yards and a touchdown and ran for 59 yards, but he had two of his four passes intercepted during the fourth quarter — both in the end zone. He had four interceptions in BYU’s first eight games.
No. 7 Texas 34, at No. 18 Missouri 20: Arch Manning threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead touchdown pass to Raleek Brown with about five minutes to go, and No. 10 the Longhorns rallied to keep alive its College Football Playoff hopes.
Brown added 85 yards and a clinching touchdown on the ground, while the Longhorns (7-2, 4-2 SEC) made a series of big defensive plays in the fourth quarter to help preserve their fourth win over a top-20 opponent this season.
The biggest defensive play came as the Tigers (6-3, 3-3) were trying to match Brown’s go-ahead score. They had taken over near midfield with about two minutes to go, and on third down, Austin Simmons tried to find favorite target Cayden Lee, but a defender knocked the ball into the air just as it arrived and Texas cornerback Graceson Littleton hauled it down for an interception to set up Brown’s clinching score.
at No. 24 Arizon 29, Texas Christian 28: Michael Salgado-Medina kicked a 37-yard field goal with 39 seconds left after the Wildcats recovered an onside pooch kick and Arizona pulled out an improbable victory Friday night.
The Wildcats (7-2, -23 Big 12) pulled to within 28-26 on Noah Fifita’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Craig with 1:45 left, but their two-point conversion attempt failed. TCU’s Ed Small couldn’t come up with an over-the-shoulder catch on the pooch kick and Arizona’s Zuri Watson recovered at the Horned Frogs’ 26 to set up the game-winning field goal.
Fifta threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns with an interception that Hudson Hooper returned 93 yards for a touchdown.
Five days after he called Dana Holgorsen “one of the best offensive minds of our generation,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule fired his offensive coordinator Saturday in the wake of the Cornhuskers’ loss at Illinois a day earlier. Co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas will take over play-calling duties for the Huskers (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten), who have scored just 54 points combined in four straight losses.
A look at the top performers from high school football games across the Southland this week.
RUSHING
• CJ Dickerson, La Habra: Rushed for 203 yards in win over Etiwanda.
• Grady Long, La Serna: Rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns, passed for 136 yards in win over Valencia.
• King Exusdus, Sun Valley Poly: Rushed for 174 yards and one touchdown in win over Marshall.
• Marlon Watson, Inglewood: Rushed for 197 yards and two touchdowns in win over Huntington Beach.
• Ayden Bias, Bishop Amat: Rushed for 289 yards and three touchdowns in loss to Oxnard Pacifica.
• Joseph Lara, Bonita: Rushed for 224 yards and two touchdowns in loss to Great Oak.
• Dominik Hardy, Calabasas: Rushed for 276 yards in win over Glendora.
• Raphael Graham, Cathedral: Rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns in win over Cypress.
• Raphael Graham, Cathedral: Rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns in win over Cypress.
PASSING
• Lincoln Jahn, Inglewood: Passed for 255 yards and four touchdowns in win over Huntington Beach.
• Magnus Merriman, Viewpoint: Passed for 220 yards and two touchdowns in win over Hemet.
• Kale Murphy, Downey: Passed for 258 yards and three touchdowns in win over Newbury Park.
• Brady Edmunds, Huntington Beach: Passed for 379 yards and three touchdowns in loss to Inglewood.
• Ryan Rakowski, Palos Verdes: Completed 11 of 14 passes for 248 yards and one touchdown, rushed for 85 yards and one touchdown in win over Gardena Serra.
• Bradley Cassier, St. Monica: Completed 24 of 30 passes for 409 yards and three touchdowns in win over Los Altos.
• Taylor Lee, Oxnard Pacifica: Passed for 346 yards and five touchdowns in win over Bishop Amat.
• Bryce Johnson, South East: Passed for 302 yards and one touchdown in win over Fremont.
• Thaddeus Breaux, Hamilton: Passed for 308 yards and six touchdowns in win over South Gate.
• Dutch Burbidge, Charter Oak: Passed for 228 yards and three touchdowns in win over Vista del Lago.
• Trent Lux, Great Oak: Passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns in win over Bonita.
RECEIVING
• Jack Norman, Dana Hills: Had five receptions for 181 yards in win over Westlake.
• Alijah Royster, Oxnard Pacifica: Caught four passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns vs. Bishop Amat.
• Zion Anderson, Long Beach Poly: Made five catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns in win over Norco.
DEFENSE
• Ceasar Reyes, Garfield: Had two interceptions, including a pick six, and rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns in win over Taft.
• Blake Shingleton, Quartz Hill: Recorded two sacks in win over Hart.
• Hudson Manning, Chaminade: Had four sacks in win over Corona del Mar.
• Weston Reis, Palos Verdes: Returned interception 25 yards for a touchdown in win over Gardena Serra.
• Elijah Williams, Chaminade: Made game-winning pick-six interception in win over Corona del Mar.
• Abel Carreles, South East: Had four sacks in win over Fremont.
• Gianni Haynes, Cathedral: Returned interception 80 yards for touchdown in win over Cypress.
• Sammy Timu, Long Beach Poly: Had two sacks in win over Norco.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Kaden Nesen, Oaks Christian: Made 38-yard field goal at end of regulation to send game into OT in loss to Temecula Valley.
• Mateo Akerman, Corona del Mar: Made 44-yard field goal in loss to Chaminade.
• Mateo Akerman, San Juan Hills: Made field goals of 35 and 38 yards in win over Tustin, making him 10 of 11 on attempts this season.
• Landon Perkins, Long Beach Poly: Returned punt for touchdown in win over Norco.
After surviving a devastating Israeli air strike on Beirut that left her in a coma and partially paralysed, former Lebanon national footballer Celine Haidar is rebuilding her life. Now 21, she is back on the pitch, coaching young players and refusing to give up on her dreams.
Published On 7 Nov 20267 Nov 2026
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El Cerrito High School in the Bay Area has canceled the remainder of its football season following a month-long police investigation into allegations of hazing and sexual assault involving at least 22 athletes over the last three seasons.
The probe stems from “a mandated reporter” on Oct. 2 telling police that members of the football team were engaging in bullying and hazing, the El Cerrito Police Department said in a statement. A mandated reporter in California is someone who has responsibility for children through their employment or volunteer status and is legally required to report suspected child abuse.
The alleged victims were other members of the football team. Detectives interviewed them along with school staff and witnesses. The West Contra Costa Unified School District, in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, said the alleged incidents were said to have occurred between September 2024 and October 2026.
The police said they are investigating allegations of battery, sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, dissuading a victim, conspiracy and stalking.
Detectives have obtained video evidence that corroborated the allegations, although police officials said they would not release details because of “the sensitive nature of an ongoing investigation that involves juvenile victims, witnesses and suspects.”
El Cerrito head coach Tim Johnson was placed on leave, and the team’s regular-season finale Friday against El Sobrante De Anza High was canceled. El Cerrito has a 6-3 record but will not participate in the upcoming playoffs to defend their title won last year.
The school district said it is conducting its own investigation under Title IX.
“No child should ever experience what our students have described,” District Supt. Cheryl Cotton said. “While we have worked to focus on accountability for the actions of individual players up until this point, new information has led to new decisions.
“We must now make the very tough call to immediately suspend the El Cerrito High football program in order to prevent any further harm and restore a safe learning environment for our students.”
Cotton said the district is “providing resources for all impacted and involved students” through classroom instruction on anti-hazing and bystander education.
The El Cerrito football program is two years removed from a controversy that allegedly coincided with the beginning of the hazing. Six games were forfeited by the Gauchos in 2024 and their coach at the time, Jacob Rincon, was suspended for breaking rules prohibiting undue influence and athletically motivated transfers. Several players were deemed ineligible, and the program was placed on probation for two years.
Some parents and advocates of the program were outraged by the school’s action, calling on Rincon to be reinstated and then-principal Malcolm Norrington to be fired. More than 100 students engaged in a walkout, waving homemade posters and chanting “Free Coach Jake,” and “No More Norrington,” according to digital news site Richmond Confidential.
Parents gathered more than 2,000 signatures in a petition to fire Norrington, who left the district in 2025. Rincon was dismissed and replaced last season by Johnson, who led the team to a 13-2 record and the school’s first State Division 4-A championship.
According to the police, however, the hazing and sexual assaults continued in 2025 and into 2026.
Similar allegations have marred prominent high school football programs in Southern California in recent years.
A lawsuit in 2024 details a sexual assault against a sophomore football player at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita that triggered a police investigation and left the boy with post-traumatic stress disorder, severe depression and anxiety. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigated after the boy went to a hospital emergency room and alleged he had been sexually assaulted.
Santa Margarita principal Cheri Wood admitted in emails obtained by the Orange County Register that “at least 8” other players were allegedly assaulted by their teammates in a similar manner. The lawsuit was dismissed after a confidential out-of-court settlement was reached. The coach at the time was replaced by former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer, and Santa Margarita won a state title in 2025 and currently sits atop The Times’ high school football rankings.
A Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos High football player placed in a chokehold and whipped with a belt by two older players in a locker room in 2023 was initially described by Chaffey Joint Union High School District officials as “horseplay.” However, a video of the victim begging and screaming was circulated widely online and the district reversed its position, reclassified the event as prohibited hazing and issued undisclosed student disciplinary measures.
A 2021 lawsuit shined a light on players at Santa Ana Mater Dei High — one of the most celebrated football programs in the nation — being severely beaten by other players in a brutal hazing ritual called “bodies.” The family of a victim who suffered a traumatic brain injury and a broken nose filed a lawsuit against Mater Dei and the Diocese of Orange, alleging the Mater Dei administration covered up the incident.
“You drop your kids off at school and give them a kiss goodbye … and you feel like you’re putting them somewhere they can be safe,” the victim’s mother told The Times. “I felt like Mater Dei had the highest protection, I felt my kid would be safe there. Then for them to turn a blind eye and be so unsupervised. … It’s like, you failed my child.”
Who: Valencia vs Real Madrid
What: La Liga
Where: Mestalla Stadium, Valencia, Spain
When: Saturday, November 7, at 9pm (20:00 GMT).
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 17:00 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream
Jose Mourinho’s Madrid visit Valencia knowing that a win will provisionally draw them level with league leaders Barcelona.
Madrid have had some wobbles so far this season, but have won their last seven games in all competitions – including four in the league and an El Clasico win over Barca since a 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid in September.
Mourinho’s side are currently third in the La Liga table, three points behind the leaders Barcelona, with the Catalan side set to play second placed Atletico on Sunday.
Valencia will be hoping to inject some life into their season as they go into the weekend second bottom of the table, having taken just nine points from 11 games.
Madrid’s coach lavished praise on Jude Bellingham after the midfielder scored a brilliant back-heeled goal against AEK Athens in the Champions League on Wednesday.
On a night when Bellingham became the youngest player to make 60 appearances in European club football’s top competition, the England midfielder scored and was named player of the match as Madrid rallied to a 3-2 win.
“He is a unique player. Today, there is no midfielder in world football like Jude, who is complete on all levels,” Mourinho said.
“I don’t have many words because, for me, he is an absolutely extraordinary player. Even on a day when he doesn’t have a great match, one of those jaw-dropping performances, he still brings work, leadership, ambition, quality, and goal-scoring ability. He is an extraordinary player.”
Bellingham, who was also the youngest player to make 50 appearances, reached his latest landmark at the age of 23 years, 128 days, overtaking iconic former Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
He struck in the 32nd minute by connecting with Marc Cucurella’s cross and flicking a first-time shot past goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli.
“It was just instinct really,” he said. “I found myself in a good position and managed to do the only thing that came naturally in that position. It was a nice one.”
Coach Javier Aguirre said his Valencia side needed the win over Elche last weekend, which came courtesy of a second half goal by substitute Nigerian striker Sadik.
“It’s a very important win for us, because we’d come off three matches without a victory, and now we have Real Madrid CF coming up. We couldn’t afford to get cut adrift,” he said.
“Getafe CF and RCD Espanyol both won, so if we hadn’t done likewise, a rather large gap would have opened up.”
“It’s a very significant win, both in terms of the result and the performance.”
Mourinho, Real Madrid: “This match is one of the toughest matches in the entire Spanish league. Valencia’s coach is extremely difficult, he has great experience, he knows what he wants, and he has a clear philosophy in working with teams, so it will be a very difficult match.”
Aguirre, Valencia: “You don’t need extra motivation for that game. We’ll be playing against one of the best sides in the world, and I hope that we have a good game.”
The Opta supercomputer has made Real Madrid the clear favourites, with a win probability of 70.4 percent. Valencia were given a 12.7 percent chance of winning, while a draw was estimated at a 16.9 percent likelihood.
Last five encounters:
Real Madrid won 2-0 at Valencia in February as second-half goals by Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe settled a largely uneventful contest.
Real dominated possession but found chances hard to come by, with Valencia keeper Stole Dimitrievski rarely called into action as the visitors struggled to turn control into threat.
It took them until the 65th minute to break the deadlock through Carreras before Mbappe wrapped up the points in stoppage time.
Sergi Canos, Diego Lopez and David Otorbi will all be unavailable due to injuries, while Jose Manuel Copete is a doubt as he continues to struggle with a knee issue.
Loanee Harvey Elliott returns from suspension, and striker Sadiq looks to have regained full fitness after a hamstring injury and is likely to start.
Predicted starting XI:
Dimitrievski (goalkeeper); Martinez, Tarrega, Pepelu, Gaya; Rodriguez; Maffeo, Mayol, Guerra, Rioja; Sadiq
Rodrygo, Raul Asencio, and Ferland Mendy remain unavailable due to injuries, while Vinicius Junior will miss out as he serves the final game of a domestic suspension.
Predicted starting XI:
Courtois (goalkeeper); Valverde, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Tchouameni, Bernardo; Guler, Bellingham, Diomande; Mbappe
An inviting volley blazed over the bar, a trademark free kick clattering into the wall, and a showman’s celebrations cut short by an offside goal.
In many ways, the frustrations Cristiano Ronaldo endured in his final match for Portugal reflected his long-altered reality – one of football’s most devastating players had become a liability.
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For many, Ronaldo’s fall from grace could hardly be crueller.
The boy from Madeira captivated the world for years with his jaw-dropping talent, age-defying athleticism and larger-than-life personality. Yet the final chapter of his international career had anything but a fairytale ending – a forgettable climax to an otherwise illustrious journey.
Ronaldo has walked away from the national team with individual achievements most footballers can only dream of: the all-time record for international appearances (234) and goals (146).
“Portugal will always be a part of me,” the 41-year-old said in a five-minute video shared on Thursday, bidding goodbye to the team he first played for in 2003.
But his international retirement was hardly a surprise.
In the weeks leading up to his announcement, Ronaldo had been at the centre of a controversy, leaving fans and critics wondering if that was the end of the road for Portugal’s longstanding captain.
The forward’s waning influence on the field, a public rift with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus and a near 2,000-word statement after a dramatic mid-camp walkout were the perfect recipe for worldwide football gossip – and ultimately, retirement.
“He wanted the manager to go out and say ‘I’ve put a player on the bench at the calibre of Pele and [Diego] Maradona,’” ex-Liverpool player-turned-pundit Jamie Carragher said on The Overlap podcast.
“How do you say that about yourself? It’s mad, isn’t it?”
For more than two decades, Ronaldo made himself impossible to ignore in a Portugal shirt. He brought home the Selecao’s first major trophy, the Euro 2016 crown, before adding two Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025.
But the tide had begun to turn in 2022.
After being celebrated as a hero, Ronaldo slowly transitioned into the villain during the World Cup in Qatar. A lack of goals saw him dropped to the bench in two crucial knockout games, while his performances and attitude drew criticism as Portugal were sent packing in the quarterfinals.
The script repeated itself at Euro 2024 before the FIFA World Cup 2026 marked his final appearance on the sport’s biggest stage – the forward scoring three times, including his first and only World Cup knockout goal.
He bowed out of the biggest World Cup in North America as the first player to score in six editions, but those personal landmarks never translated into the trophy he sought. Portugal lost to eventual champions Spain in the last 16, and with that, Ronaldo’s dream of being crowned a world champion remained unfulfilled.
“I won Euro 2016 and, for me, that’s just as important as the World Cup. It will stay with me forever,” the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said this year, seemingly making peace with the bitter ending.
For much of his career, Ronaldo drew constant comparisons with Argentinian legend Lionel Messi; the duo igniting the debate for the “greatest of all time” (GOAT). It was, thus, rather poetic that Ronaldo followed Messi’s suit in hanging up his boots at the international level.
But there is a striking contrast in their farewells. Messi’s send-off was marked with celebrations after he guided Argentina to a second straight World Cup final. Ronaldo, on the other hand, is leaving the scene after a rather tense span in the Portugal camp, and probably without a proper goodbye on the field.
Nonetheless, Ronaldo’s announcement drew an outpouring of affection from fans and figures across the football fraternity.
Often described as a childhood idol by several teammates at club or country, Ronaldo is one of the most famous people on the planet.
Walk around your nearest park, and you’re likely to spot a kid dressed in a “Ronaldo 7” jersey, kicking a ball around.
A commercial powerhouse for his national team and clubs alike, Ronaldo’s popularity transcended sports.
“Few players have ever touched the heart of football fans around the world quite like Cristiano,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said about him.
“A career defined by extraordinary talent, relentless determination and an unwavering desire to push the boundaries of what is possible.”
But with fame comes increased scrutiny.
While his tricks and skills earned him the honour of one of the greatest players of all time, Ronaldo’s on-field antics and perceived arrogance divided opinion in the football world.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, ex-Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag discussed his issues involving Ronaldo, alleging that the forward pulled out of training sessions during his second spell at the club and failed to raise his heart rate to the required level when he did train.
“I confronted him with this. Many times, I say, ‘Ronnie, everyone wants to work for you to bring you in the right position, but if you can’t bring yourself in the box, you can’t score’,” Ten Hag said.
“He was not capable to do this. It’s the wrong idea to put this to me that I expected him to do the pressing, that he’s exhausted. But he couldn’t. He ran neither in possession nor out of possession. The reason was because he didn’t prepare himself.
“Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team,” Ten Hag added.
While some saw Ronaldo as the icon who transformed Portuguese football, others questioned his individualism.
The debate over how best to define him will continue for years, but one thing is certain: Ronaldo’s complex legacy is perhaps summed up by his former club Man United’s famous slogan: “Hated, adored, never ignored”.
Ten years ago, as parts of Diyarbakir in southeast Turkiye were reduced to rubble in battles between the military and Kurdish fighters, the city’s main football club, Amedspor, became a target.
Diyarbakir is the biggest Kurdish-majority city in Turkiye, and Amedspor, then in the third tier, had become a standard bearer of Kurdish identity.
As fighting raged between the state and groups linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the club was hit with fines and bans on away supporters and outspoken players. Its premises were raided by antiterrorism police, and its fans, players and officials were attacked by rival supporters. In the years that followed, its survival looked uncertain.
A decade on, a peace process is under way between the government and the PKK, and Amedspor – in their first season in the top-flight after successive promotions – are second in the Super Lig after 10 games. A win at league leaders Galatasaray on Saturday would take them to the top.
“Amedspor have achieved a level of success that nobody expected,” said Vahap Coskun, an academic from Diyarbakir who has written a book about the club.
Coskun told Al Jazeera there are several factors behind the success this season; an experienced and canny coach in Besnik Hasi, and a mostly new squad of players performing above expectations, including the 24-year-old Nigerian striker Gift Orban, who has scored nine goals in 10 games so far.
Then there are the passionate, sellout crowds of more than 30,000 that have helped the side win its six home games so far.
But he also said the “softening political climate” was key as it “affects everything from the treatment Amedspor receive in away matches to the refereeing, and it allows Amedspor to compete in fairer conditions”.
Reha Ruhavioglu, director of the Kurdish Studies Center (KSC) and a former member of the club’s advisory board, told Al Jazeera Amedspor’s matches have become a “weekly barometer” of whether Turkish society and state can accept the club as part of the country “with its own colours, culture, language and identity”.
Amedspor was formed as Melikahmet Turanspor in 1972 and later passed through various name changes and was taken over by Diyarbakir’s municipality in 1990. They spent much of their history toiling in the lower leagues.
The club gained promotion to the third tier for the first time in 2013, and the following year caused a stir after renaming themselves with the Kurdish word for Diyarbakir – “Amed” – and adopting the red, green and yellow of the Kurdish tricolour.
Expressions of Kurdish culture and language have long been suppressed in Turkiye, especially after the separatist PKK launched an armed uprising against the Turkish state in 1984. But the club were allowed to use the name Amed and their green and red colours at least, if not the full tricolour.
They were clearly on the up. In January 2015, they claimed a 2-0 victory away at Galatasaray in the Turkish Cup. In 2015-16, as conflict raged in Turkiye’s southeast, they reached the quarterfinals of the Turkish Cup, beating Super Lig sides Basaksehir and Bursaspor along the way.
In the following years, the club was bailed out by local businesses after its funding was cut by government appointees to the municipality. It continued to face significant hostility from rival fans, frequent punishment from the federation and verbal attacks from politicians.
But it was becoming increasingly popular among Kurds across the country, not only in Diyarbakir.
Research published by the KSC in March 2026 found that Amedspor’s support had quadrupled to four million among Kurdish adults in Turkiye over four years – even before the promotion to the Super Lig – and that the club had become the best supported among Kurds in the country.
Meanwhile, a new peace process between the state and the PKK had begun in late 2024, and in May 2025 the PKK formally announced its dissolution and the end of its armed struggle.
When Amedspor were promoted to the Super Lig in May, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ultranationalist ally Devlet Bahceli congratulated the club. Erdogan later received Amedspor officials and players at the presidential palace along with those from other promoted clubs.
Bagis Erten, a sports journalist with Oksijen newspaper, said that now the political winds have shifted, the club is not being held back or excessively punished by footballing authorities.
“Especially when we talk about the football federation and referees, [Amedspor] were always treated very badly in previous years. Their penalties were not given, their red cards were not fair,” he told Al Jazeera.
“But now this system at least is not stopping them.”
At Amedspor’s Diyarbakir Stadium, the crowd in one stand calls out in Kurdish: “Ki ne em?” (Who are we?). Another stand thunders in response: “Kurd in em!” (We are Kurds!) At a recent game against Istanbul giants Besiktas, which Amedspor won 3-2, a tifo featured the words “EM HATIN” (We are here).
Turkish society is now encountering the Kurdish language and other expressions of Kurdish identity more regularly because of Amedspor’s promotion to the Super Lig.
There has been hostility shown by rival fans this season, with some provocatively displaying yellow body bags and images of F16s in reference to the darkest days of the conflict with the PKK.
But Ruhavioglu says that, despite incidents like this, the “barometer” is generally looking positive and that football can help to “normalise” Kurdish identity in Turkiye, as several teams and their fans have now visited the city without incident.
“When you see the bigger picture, it is going well,” he said.
Ruhavioglu says his centre’s research has also challenged some misconceptions around the club and its fans.
“Amedspor’s stands are really not homogenous,” he said, adding that while many fans support the left-wing, pro-Kurdish DEM Party, others are “close to other parties and ideologies. The Kurdish political movement is [generally] a secular movement, but many fans are praying in the stadium.”
And although the research found that a sense of Kurdishness and speaking Kurdish were strongly tied to fandom of Amedspor, he said the club should not be seen as “a national team for Kurds”, but rather more like “the representative of Kurdish identity” in Turkiye. Indeed, 61 percent of Kurds in the survey said they support the Turkish national team when it plays.
Unlike when the club was playing in the lower tiers, Amedspor now rarely features Kurdish or local players in the starting XI – it is mostly comprised of foreign players and some non-Kurdish Turks.
Coskun denied this undermines the club’s sense of Kurdishness.
“I think the fact that few of the players are Kurdish is not of vital importance to the fans, because it is the club that carries the identity, not the players,” he said. “Of course, fans would like to see many more Kurdish players in the team, but what matters most here is success.”
But Erten says the club may end up seeking to dilute its political identity to pursue footballing success or at least avoid trouble.
“Of course, it’s the symbol of Kurdish movement … [but] they are trying to convince Turkish society that it’s a good football project as well.”
Erten says attitudes towards Amedspor show how Turkiye’s state and society have become more tolerant of prominent expressions of Kurdishness on a national level, something that was unthinkable in previous decades.
“It’s progress, but it depends only on the approach of government,” he said. “It’s very fragile progress.”
CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
Quarterfinals
OPEN DIVISION
#1 Carson 26, #8 Franklin 13
#4 San Pedro 48, #5 L.A. Wilson 19
#2 Narbonne 41, #6 Lincoln 12
#7 Wilmington Banning 14, #2 Eagle Rock 13
DIVISION III
#1 Maywood CES 6, #9 RFK Community 0
#4 Santee 12, #5 Torres 0
#3 Palisades 13, San Fernando Arroyo 7
#2 Sotomayor 19, #7 Hawkins 0
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Games at 3 p.m. unless noted)
Quarterfinals
DIVISION I
#8 Cleveland at #1 Panorama
#5 Birmingham at #4 El Camino Real
#6 King/Drew at #3 Garfield
#7 GALA at #2 Granada Hills Kennedy
DIVISION II
#9 Westchester at #1 Bell
#5 Taft at #4 Arleta
#6 Fremont at #3 North Hollywood
#10 Huntington Park at #2 Foshay
DIVISION IV
#9 New Designs University Park at #1 South East
#5 Chatsworth at #4 Crenshaw
#14 Bernstein at #6 Monroe
#7 Port of LA at #2 South Gate
Note: Semifinals (all divisions) Tuesday, Nov. 10 at higher seeds; Finals (all divisions) Saturday, Nov. 14.
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Spanish footballer Jesus de Miguel has been laid to rest two days after his tragic death. The 30-year-old striker suffered cardiac arrest following an on-field collision during a second-division game.
Published On 5 Nov 20265 Nov 2026
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Manchester United contact Didier Deschamps, support for Michael Carrick remains at Old Trafford, Arsenal are interested in Club Brugge striker Nicolo Tresoldi.
Manchester United have contacted former France coach Didier Deschamps with current boss Michael Carrick’s future in doubt. (Foot Mercato – in French), external
However, there is still support among the Manchester United hierarchy for Carrick, with Sunday’s game against Aston Villa seen as key. (Sky Sports), external
Tottenham retain the right to match a bid made for England striker Harry Kane, 33, as part of his new deal at Bayern Munich. (Telegraph – subscription required), external
Arsenal and Manchester United are tracking Bournemouth midfielder Marcus Tavernier, 27. (Teamtalk), external
Arsenal are among the European clubs interested in Club Brugge striker and Germany Under-21s international Nicolo Tresoldi, 22. (Tuttomercato – in Italian), external
Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are tracking Eintracht Frankfurt and Germany defender Nnamdi Collins, 22. (Fussball News – in German), external
Liverpool are poised to step up their interest in English Fenerbahce full-back Archie Brown, 24. (Teamtalk), external
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, 34, is attracting interest from Flamengo in his native Brazil. (Sport Witness), external
Newcastle United have set their sights on signing England striker Ivan Toney, 30, from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli in January. (Football Insider), external
Eintracht Frankfurt are hopeful of re-signing Nottingham Forest‘s French forward Arnaud Kalimuendo, 24. (L’Equipe – in French), external
Chelsea‘s English winger Jamie Gittens, 22, is one of the options Roma are considering in order to strengthen their squad in January. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external
AC Milan are in talks with France midfielder Adrien Rabiot, 31, about extending his contract. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external
Published On 5 Nov 20265 Nov 2026
Spain’s national football team coach and the president of Real Madrid joined family, friends and teammates on Thursday at the funeral of Jesus de Miguel, the Tenerife player who died after an on‑field collision earlier this week.
The service was held in Navahermosa, a town of about 3,000 people in central Spain, where De Miguel’s parents were reportedly born.
A hearse covered in flowers moved slowly towards the church as dozens of mourners, some carrying candles, walked behind. The town hall declared three days of mourning, with flags at half-staff.
De Miguel, 30, suffered cardiac arrest after colliding with Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono while challenging for a high ball during a second‑division match on Monday. He died in hospital the following day.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and Real Madrid President Florentino Perez attended the funeral, with De la Fuente saying the game’s community “stands united” in grief.
Police have opened a routine investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter to assess whether the challenge went beyond normal play.
Tributes have poured in from clubs across Europe, with De Miguel’s death described as a rare and shocking tragedy in professional football.
Kozo Tashima second person to declare he will challenge Infantino, after former Spurs defender Ramon Vega.
Published On 5 Nov 20265 Nov 2026
Kozo Tashima, honorary president of the Japan Football Association, said on Thursday he will stand against Gianni Infantino in FIFA’s presidential election in March.
Tashima is the second person to declare he will challenge Infantino, following former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega.
The 68-year-old Tashima, who has served on the FIFA Council, said in a statement: “With the full support of the JFA I have decided to declare my candidacy in the FIFA presidential election.
“I believe it is important that the sincerity, integrity and high ethical standards that Japanese football has long valued and built up are clearly communicated to the global football community.
“In order to share these principles with the world and contribute to a better future for football, I have decided to run in the FIFA presidential election.”
Tashima, who was JFA president from 2016 to 2024, added, “Drawing on the experience I have gained over the years, I will take on this challenge with firm resolve so that I can contribute to the further development of world football.”
The deadline for candidates to declare for the election is November 18.
Incumbent Infantino, who is seeking to be re-elected to a fourth and final term as FIFA president, had faced stinging criticism and calls to quit after his aborted World Cup selloff plan.
But Infantino is now in a strong position to secure re-election after the Asian Football Confederation endorsed the 56-year-old last month.
Infantino earlier said he had the backing of the “vast, vast majority” of member associations, and dismissed calls for him to go.
To win in girls’ flag football, you need your school’s best athletes to come out. And unbeaten JSerra certainly pulled off the feat by getting three-sport standout Kai Beary to devote time to flag football.
She’s a goalie for the girls’ soccer team and headed to Georgetown in Janaury to prepare for the college season. She won’t be around for the track and field season but won the Southern Section Division 3 title in the shotput last season.
In flag football, she catches passes and helps JSerra’s formidable defense. JSerra is 27-0 and plays Newport Harbor at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Huntington Beach in the Open Division championship game.
Beary was in Long Beach on Wednesday for the Southern Section girls’ flag football championship luncheon. Her athleticism has been helpful to three JSerra sports teams and won’t be forgotten.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a Portugal career that lasted 23 years. He scored a record 146 goals and made 234 appearances.
Published On 5 Nov 20265 Nov 2026
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Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo says he is retiring from international football.
The 41-year-old forward has scored 146 goals and won 234 caps for his country – both world records – since making his debut in 2003.
He walked out of the Portugal camp last month after being told he would not start the Nations League match against Denmark.
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said in an Instagram video., external.
“I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world.
“Today the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the mind alone – they are also made with the heart.
“A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to and end.”
More to follow.