The former Ross County and Sunderland striker earned the latest of his two Scotland caps in 2022, but free from injury problems he has now scored 11 goals in 33 appearances for the side who finished fourth in the Championship, five in his latest 10.
Fellow 29-year-old McBurnie did not add to his 18 goals in 41 appearances but also played his part for sixth-top Hull as he started both legs of their 2-0 aggregate win over third-placed Millwall.
The former Sheffield United and Las Palmas striker recently telephoned Clarke to make a direct plea for a first recall since earning his 16th cap in 2021.
All 48 national associations were asked to submit a provisional squad of up to 55 players to world governing body Fifa before finalising their 26-man squad for the finals.
They are not required to make those public, so it is not known whether either Stewart or McBurnie made Scotland’s extended list.
It is likely to include current members of the under-21 squad and uncapped players like Stephen Welsh, the 26-year-old centre-half who has impressed on loan to Motherwell from Celtic.
However, Clarke said last month that he was “more or less set in my mind” about the 26 players he intends to take to the finals, although he revealed that two spots might still be up for grabs.
Clarke is known for his loyalty to players he believes have served him well, but Conway’s injury could open up another space.
Scotland host Curacao, who have just reappointed former Rangers boss Dick Advocaat as head coach, in a 30 May friendly at Hampden before their final warm-up game against Bolivia on 6 June in Harrison, New Jersey.
O’Leary has seen hundreds of players come and go, whether as team-mates or members of squads he has coached.
There has always been a desire, he says, to ensure those who have arrived understand what the place is about.
“Even as a player, I hated it if someone who came in had something negative to say about the club, the city, the people, anything,” O’Leary explains.
“I take it really personally. So I do all I can to make sure people who come here have the best possible experience at Swansea City, like I’ve had, and that they see it how I see it.”
O’Leary first watched Swansea play against Manchester United in 1986, a friendly game which was played to raise money for the cash-strapped Welsh side.
It was his first experience – but certainly not the last – of a crisis at the club.
By his early teens O’Leary was involved in the Swans’ youth set-up, and by 1995-96 he was knocking on the door of the first team.
That was a season in which Swansea had no fewer than four managers – including the unknown Kevin Cullis, who lasted a week – and suffered relegation to what is now League Two.
Jan Molby was in charge for the back-end of the campaign, and it was the former Liverpool star who gave O’Leary his debut, in a 5-1 defeat at Bradford City in March 1996.
While all Swansea’s senior pros were in tracksuits, O’Leary and another youth prospect, Damien Lacey, travelled to the game in “trousers and a polo shirt” because in those days, there was no kit dished out to youngsters.
CLEVELAND — Angel Martinez homered and Cleveland’s pitchers struck out 13 as the Guardians kept up their home mastery of the Angels with a 3-2 victory on Tuesday night.
Martinez, Patrick Bailey and Bryan Rocchio drove in runs for Cleveland, which improved to 29-4 against the Angels at Progressive Field since 2015. The Guardians have won the first two games in the series despite being outhit twice.
Vaughn Grissom homered for the Angels, who dropped to 8-17 on the road.
Cleveland starter Slade Cecconi held LA scoreless for four innings while striking out a season-high seven. Hunter Gaddis (1-1) worked 1 1/3 innings and Cade Smith got his second four-out save this season and 12th im 14 chances overall.
Martinez put the Guardians up in the third against Walbert Ureña (1-4) with his sixth homer, a shot into the right-field seats.
He nearly homered again in the fifth, but was robbed by right fielder Jo Adell, who made a leaping catch at the wall. However, the shot advanced Daniel Schneeman to third and he scored on Bailey’s groundout.
The Angels pulled to 2-1 in the sixth on pinch-hitter Oswald Peraza’s triple and a sacrifice fly from Adell.
Los Angeles threatened in the seventh against Eric Sabrowski, who yielded two walks but struck out the side.
Rocchio’s sac fly in the seventh made it 3-1 before Grissom’s second homer pulled the Angels within one in the eighth.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was back in the dugout after missing two games with an upper respiratory issue.
The Guardians announced the death of longtime ballpark public address announcer Bob Tayek. He had been the in-game voice at Progressive Field since 1999 before stepping away this season for health reasons.
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Angels LHP Reid Detmers (1-3, 4.33 ERA) starts the series finale against LHP Parker Messick (4-1, 2.30), who faces the Angels for the first time.
Rangers’ Danny Rohl is among several names on Bayer Leverkusen’s shortlist for a new head coach, but Bild suggests that Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner is the top choice and Girona’s Michel is also a candidate. (Bulinews), external
Danny Rohl is not at risk of being sacked by Rangers and is unlikely to leave for Wolfsburg considering their relegation from the Bundesliga, but Union Berlin, in particular, and Bayer Leverkusen could be more attractive propositions amid Europe-wide interest in the 37-year-old. (Sky Germany), external
Kieran McKenna is committed to managing Ipswich Town after their promotion to the Premier League and will snub any advances from Celtic, Crystal Palace or Fulham this summer. (Football Insider), external
Celtic, Fulham and Rangers have made initial enquiries about winger Cameron Ashia, while Burnley, Cardiff City, Hoffenheim, Ipswich Town, Sheffield United and Stuttgart have registered an interest in the 21-year-old who could be available for as little as £500,000 despite Huddersfield Town taking an option to extend his contract by a further year. (Daily Mail), external
Celtic forward Daizen Maeda has emerged as a target for a number of Premier League clubs as the 28-year-old edges towards a move away from Glasgow this summer. (Football Insider), external
Lech Poznan have made a cut-price £2m offer for Celtic winger Luis Palma after the 26-year-old’s loan spell with the Polish club. (The National), external
Shin Yamada is on his way back to Celtic from the 25-year-old striker’s loan spell with Preussen Munster as head coach Alois Schwartz plans a squad overhaul following their relegation to Germany’s third tier. (The Herald), external
Celtic passed on signing Lewis Ferguson before the Scotland midfielder was sold for £2.5m by Aberdeen to Bologna in 2022 because they felt he was not good enough at penalty kicks, according to the 26-year-old’s agent. (Glasgow Times), external
Goalkeeper Bento’s bizarre injury-time own goal denies Al-Nassr a title-crowning 1-0 win over rivals Al Hilal at home.
Published On 13 May 202613 May 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr teammates were left frustrated when their goalkeeper Bento scored an injury-time own goal, denying the club their first Saudi Pro League title in seven years.
Riyadh-based club Al-Nassr were leading 1-0 and seconds away from defeating local rivals Al Hilal, who are second in the league, when Bento fumbled an overhead save that sent the ball into his own net in a highly anticipated match on Tuesday.
A win would have sealed the 11th league title for Al-Nassr and the first for the Portuguese superstar since he famously joined the club in January 2023.
Al-Nassr top the league table with 83 points from 33 games, while Al Hilal are second on 78 points from 32 games. Ronaldo, who captains Al-Nassr, cut a picture of frustration on the bench when the equaliser was scored by the Brazilian goalkeeper.
The 41-year-old football icon has not won a domestic title with Al-Nassr since his then-record-breaking move from Manchester United after the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
Al-Nassr’s last league title came in 2019, while Al Hilal won the league in 2024.
Fans of the home team were given free team shirts at the beginning of the match, making the stands a sea of yellow in anticipation of the title win.
Barring a shock result against 15th-place Damac in their final league game, Al-Nassr are favourites to win the league on May 21 .
“The dream is close,” Ronaldo said in his post-match social media posts to his 770 million-plus followers.
For Heart of Midlothian, the tantalising, scarcely-believable, bottom line is this: after 66 years they may be crowned champions of Scotland on Wednesday.
A large asterisk must sit beside that sentence, of course. For history to happen, Hearts must beat Falkirk at Tynecastle and Celtic lose to Motherwell at Fir Park.
Few can see it turning out this way, but Hearts’ home record is exceptional and Motherwell have already beaten Celtic this season. Schooled them, in fact.
That was in Wilfried Nancy’s time, though. A relative lifetime ago.
There’s been so much change at Celtic, Martin O’Neill’s wise counsel dragging the team forward and back into contention after the dismal days under Nancy.
They’re still playing catch-up, though. Still chasing and knowing all the while that one slip of their own against Jens Berthel Askou’s impressive and dangerous side and it could be curtains.
Despite trailing Hearts by a point, Celtic are the bookies’ favourite to win the title again. The cold-blooded odds-layers have rarely bought into the Hearts fairytale, most of them reckoning that Celtic would come good in the end.
The mere fact that Hearts have come this close is trippy. Thirty-six games played, 3,240 minutes across 10 months, table toppers since September and they have arrived at this point.
In their greatest league season since falling on the last day 40 years ago, they’ve been doubted along the way. Laughed at in the beginning when Tony Bloom bought into the club and said they could split the Old Firm in one season, and questioned in December when they dropped points in four games in a row.
Scepticism came in waves in late spring when they lost to two of the bottom six and then drew with Livingston, plumb last in the Premiership.
Injuries hampered them then as they hamper them now, but Hearts kept the show on the road. ‘Believe’ is the Tynecastle mantra, the gospel the manager Derek McInnes has preached.
Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has suggested referees are “petrified” to make decisions because of the video assistant referee, after being denied a stoppage-time penalty against Leeds on Monday.
Substitute Maddison went down under Lukas Nmecha’s challenge, but referee Jarred Gillett and the VAR dismissed his appeal for a spot-kick.
The match finished 1-1, leaving Spurs two points above the Premier League relegation zone with two games to play.
Maddison, 29, who was making his first appearance of the season after his return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, wrote on his Instagram account: “For clarity… The small, tiny touch on the ball to change direction came from the outside of my right foot, not Nmecha, and I told the ref that.
“But the check was over in about 20 seconds. Officials are petrified to make decisions on pitch now because of VAR. We keep fighting. COYS.”
Lionel Messi remains the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer with an annual base salary of $25m (£18.5m) – more than double that of the North American league’s next-highest earner.
The Argentina forward’s base salary has doubled, while overall the deal is worth $28.3m (£20.9m) in guaranteed compensation.
LAFC’s Son Heung-min is the second-highest earner on a base of $10.4m (£7.7m), with $11.2m (£8.3m) guaranteed.
The former Tottenham forward, 33, earns slightly more than Inter Miami’s Rodrigo de Paul and San Diego FC’s Hirving Lozano.
The salaries do not include income from endorsement deals, or Messi’s option to acquire a stake in Inter Miami – co-owned by David Beckham.
Messi joined the Florida franchise in 2023 and has scored 59 goals in 64 regular-season MLS games, helping Miami win the MLS Cup in 2025.
He led the league with 29 goals last season and has been Most Valuable Player in each of the two full MLS seasons he has played so far – 2004 and 2005.
Australia captain Sophie Molineux has been passed fit and named in Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup.
The 28-year-old all-rounder will lead a 15-strong squad for the tournament in England, with assistance from vice-captains Ash Gardner and Tahlia McGrath.
Fast bowler Lucy Hamilton has been selected for her first international tournament as the six-time champions look to regain the World Cup title after losing in the semi-finals in 2024.
All-rounders Annabel Sutherland and Grace Harris return to the squad having been rested and dropped respectively for the tour of the West Indies in March.
Molineux was appointed to the Australia captaincy in January, replacing the retired Alyssa Healy, and was considered a surprise pick following a career blighted by injury.
She injured her back prior to the tour of the Caribbean, her first away series as captain, where she played exclusively as a batter.
Australia national selector Shawn Flegler had previously confirmed, external that Molineux would not have been considered for a non-bowling role at the World Cup.
“Sophie has already made her mark as captain and built a strong connection with the group over the last couple of tours, so we’re looking forward to seeing what this side can achieve under her leadership,” Flegler said upon the squad’s announcement.
“Darcie Brown was unlucky to miss out but the decision was based on the conditions we’re expecting and the make-up of the side.
“With at least six right-arm pace options in the mix and raw pace expected to be less effective, we opted to go with Lucy Hamilton who offers something different as a left-arm quick.”
Molineux’s side will play warm-up fixtures against South Africa, England and the West Indies before opening their tournament against South Africa on 13 June at Old Trafford.
But Guardiola says it is up to the players to take VAR out of the equation.
“When this happens it is because we have to do better, not the referees or VAR,” he continued.
“I never trust anything since I arrived a long time ago. Always I learned you have to do it better, do it better, be in a position to do it better because you blame yourself with what you have to do, because (VAR) is a flip of a coin.”
Guardiola was speaking before Wednesday’s meeting with Palace, which they need to win to cut Arsenal‘s lead at the top of the table to two points.
That would still leave Arsenal needing to drop points in their remaining two games – against relegated Burnley and Palace – for City to have any chance of winning the Premier League title.
“Of course it is not in our hands in the Premier League. Always I say to the players, ‘Do it, do it, do it better’,” Guardiola added.
“The only thing we can do is do it better, that is only in your control.”
Guardiola’s side will play in their third FA Cup final in three seasons when they meet Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.
Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay player who went on to become a pioneer for inclusion and an ambassador for the league, has died after an eight-month battle with an aggressive form of a brain tumor, his family announced Tuesday.
Collins, who starred at Stanford and Harvard-Westlake High, where he helped the Wolverins win to back-to-back Division III state titles along with twin brother Jarron, spent 13 years as a player in the league for six different franchises. He revealed in 2013 that he was gay, an announcement that came toward the end of his playing career.
Collins had been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, which has an extremely low survival rate. He was 47.
“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar,” Collins’ family said in a statement released through the NBA. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
Just last week, Collins received the inaugural Bill Walton Global Champion Award at the Green Sports Alliance Summit. He was too ill to attend so Jarron Collins accepted for him.
“I told my brother this before I came here: He’s the bravest, strongest man I’ve ever known,” Jarron Collins said while accepting that award.
Jason Collins averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in his career. He helped the New Jersey Nets reach two NBA Finals and in his best season averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds for them in 2004-05.
“Jason Collins’ impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador. Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.
“On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”
Jason Collins revealed his sexuality in a first-person account for Sports Illustrated in April 2013. He was a free agent at the time, said he wanted to keep playing, and went on to play in 22 games with Brooklyn the following season.
“If I had my way, someone else would have already done this,” he wrote at that time. “Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand.”
His decision was widely lauded, with star players such as Kobe Bryant quickly speaking out in support of Collins. There was even support from the White House and then-former President Bill Clinton — whose daughter, Chelsea, went to Stanford with Collins. At Stanford, Collins was roommates with someone who was part of another American political dynasty, that being Joe Kennedy III, who spent eight years in Congress representing Massachusetts.
Collins, in the piece for Sports Illustrated, wrote that he realized he needed to go public about his sexuality when Kennedy walked in Boston’s gay pride parade in 2012 — but Collins couldn’t do the same.
Until then, Collins kept his feelings about gay rights close to the vest. He wore jersey No. 98 for the majority of his final three playing stints with Boston, Washington and Brooklyn — a nod to the year that Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming, was killed. He also wore 46 in one game for the Nets, since it was the only jersey the team had available when he signed.
Collins made nearly 61% of his shots in his career at Stanford, which remains a school record. He was an honorable mention selection for the Associated Press’ All-America team in 2001, a few months before the Houston Rockets took him with the 18th pick in that year’s NBA draft.
“It’s a sad day for all of us associated with Stanford basketball when we lose one of the program’s greats,” former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said. “We all have great memories of Jason and the kind of person he was. It’s hard to separate Jarron and Jason because they thought so alike, but even though he was an identical twin, Jason was unique in his own way. The impact he had on Stanford was immense, as he could match up against anyone in the country because he was big, smart, strong and skilled, all while being a very bright and nice person.”
During a Netflix documentary about the Reds’ success in Istanbul, Gerrard acknowledges he was in a “bad place” mentally, with a head like “a box of frogs”.
And he says criticism from then manager Rafael Benitez contributed to his potential departure from his boyhood club.
In May 2005, Gerrard captained Liverpool to perhaps the most famous victory in their storied history as they came from 3-0 down at half-time against AC Milan to win on penalties and clinch the club’s fifth European Cup.
It was a moment fans hoped would convince Gerrard to commit his future to Liverpool amid interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid and Premier League champions Chelsea, who were managed at the time by Jose Mourinho.
Six weeks later, Gerrard announced he was leaving. Then he wasn’t.
“Mourinho was on the phone – the best manager in the world at the time, offering silly contracts, which would naturally turn your head. Chelsea were spending fortunes, he was guaranteed success there,” he says.
“I can’t park my relationship with Liverpool. When they came, I didn’t know which way to go. Mentally, I was in a bad place. My head was like a box of frogs.”
Benitez’s demeanour didn’t help.
“I felt like he didn’t rate me, he didn’t trust me, he didn’t want me,” says Gerrard, 45.
“I’ve always been clear that I want to be a Liverpool player and a Liverpool player only, but with that doubt and with that coldness and being part of a team where you don’t believe that you can compete at the top, that’s when your head gets turned.”
Gerrard’s former team-mate Jamie Carragher feels Gerrard “probably needed an arm round his shoulder”.
“Rafa Benitez was never going to do that,” says the Sky Sports pundit. “He’s very unemotional.”
Throughout the documentary, former players describe how Benitez’s criticism and obsession with granular tactical detail sometimes jarred.
Gerrard, in particular, felt that.
“My game… was about emotion, passion, desire, commitment, for the badge, for the [Liver] bird, for the family,” he says. “It was in me and I felt like he wanted to really remodel me.
“Nothing would ever satisfy him.”
Benitez, 66, defends his approach.
“When I joined Liverpool, there was a culture based on emotion,” he says. “Football requires more than that. If you’re really emotional, you don’t find the way to success.”
Time has been a healer – and Gerrard is now able to appreciate the Spaniard’s methods.
“I look back at Rafa and think he’s the best coach I have worked with,” he says.
Ted Lasso actor Cristo Fernandez has signed for American second-tier side El Paso Locomotive after a two-month trial.
The 35-year-old Mexican, who played Dani Rojas in the hit Apple TV+ programme between 2020 and 2023, will now take up a different role for the USL Championship side.
Fernandez played youth football in his home city of Guadalajara, but stepped away from the game at the age of 15 because of a knee injury.
Having moved to London, he was cast in Ted Lasso, which won multiple awards over its initial three-series run.
“Football has always been a huge part of my life and identity, and no matter where life has taken me, the dream of competing professionally never truly left my heart,” said Fernandez, who also trialled with the second team of Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire earlier this year.
“I’m incredibly grateful to El Paso Locomotive FC – the club, coaches, staff, and especially my team-mates – for opening the doors and giving me the opportunity to compete from day one.
“This journey back to professional soccer is about believing in yourself, taking risks, and continuing to chase your dreams no matter how unexpected the path may be.
“Maybe I’m just a crazy man with crazy dreams… so being here with the ‘Locos’ actually makes perfect sense.”
“Cristo is a great addition to our roster, adding another attacking threat to our forward line,” said Locomotive head coach Junior Gonzalez.
There was a moment when the Lakers were humming along near the end of the NBA’s regular season, when they went 16-2 in the month of March as Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James found their groove together as a dynamic threesome.
But on April 2 at Oklahoma City, Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain) went down with injuries and it was left to James to lead the group.
James did, leading the Lakers past the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Reaves joined James in Game 5 of that series and the two of them led the charge into the Western Conference semifinals against the Thunder, a series in which Los Angeles got swept, 4-0.
Through it all, Doncic was and still is the center of the Lakers’ universe.
So with James and Reaves looking at free agency, Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said Tuesday at the team’s exit interviews that the organization wants both players back to team up with Doncic.
James, 41 and in his 23rd season, made $52.6 million last season but will be a free agent this offseason, when he can retire, return to the Lakers or play for another team.
“I think in terms of LeBron, we probably haven’t seen a player that has honored the game to the extent that he’s honored the game. He’s given so much to his teammates, to this organization,” Pelinka said. “And the thing we want to do more than anything else is honor him back. And I think the first order of business there is allowing him to spend the time he needs to decide what his next steps are.
“Does he want to play another year in the NBA? And that’ll be, as he said to you guys last night, family time [and] I think time with his inner circle. And we just want to honor that for him. Of course, any team, including ours, would love to have LeBron James on their roster. That’s a blessing in itself just with what he does.”
Reaves is expected to opt out of his contract that will pay him $14.8 million next season and become a free agent. The Lakers can pay Reaves the most, a maximum deal of $241 million over five years, with a starting salary of about $41.5 million next season. Reaves could sign with another team that has cap space, but that deal would be for four years and about $178 million.
“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker,” Pelinka said. “And we feel the same way. We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold. As you know, there’s rules and timing to all of that, but I think both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out where he continues his prolific career here.”
The Lakers have their star in Doncic and will collaborate with him going forward.
He led the NBA in scoring (33.5 points per game), was third in assists (8.3) and was a most valuable player candidate.
Doncic, who missed the last five regular-season games and all of the playoffs, signed a three-year extension last summer for $165 million.
The Lakers want to build on that.
“He’s an incredible partner,” Pelinka said of Doncic. “His basketball IQ on the court is something we get to see as fans. [Lakers coach] JJ [Redick]) and I get to see his basketball knowledge in terms of other players in the league and the way he wants to play and who he wants to play with.
“His knowledge-base is vast and so those collaborations with him are really inspirational. He also does it in a way that he wants to do his job great, and he wants to let JJ do his job great and let me do my job great. So, they really are productive conversations through that lens.”
Brandon Clarke, a former first-round draft pick who spent all seven of his NBA seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, has died. He was 29.
His agency, Priority Sports, confirmed the news Tuesday on social media. No cause of death has been disclosed.
“Everyone loved BC because he was always there as the most supportive friend you could ever imagine,” the agency wrote. “He was so unique in the joy he brought to all of those in his life. It’s just impossible to put into words how much he’ll be missed. We love you, BC.”
Born in Vancouver, Canada, Clarke played basketball at Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Ariz., before spending two years at San Jose State and one at Gonzaga. He was selected at No. 21 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021 NBA draft but he was traded to the Grizzlies weeks later.
Clarke played in 309 games for Memphis but only two this past season because of injuries. Clarke averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds during his career.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten. We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver also released a statement.
“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke,” Silver said. “As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization.”
The Dodgers added a bounce-back candidate to their organization’s outfield depth, trading for Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas on Tuesday.
In exchange, the Dodgers sent 18-year-old outfielder Jose Requena to the Diamondbacks. They also designated outfielder Michael Siani for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
Thomas, in his fifth major-league season, had a slow start to the year after establishing himself as a standout for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.
“He’s an absolute stud,” Team Mexico manager Benji Gil told reporters after Thomas went three-for-three with a home run against Team Brazil. “He’s about to have a breakout year. I think he’s going to become a perennial All-Star, a Gold Glove candidate every single year.”
Thomas’ offensive production, however, didn’t continue into the regular season. He was hitting .181 with a .563 OPS when the Diamondbacks designated him for assignment last week.
The Dodgers signed Requena out of Caracas, Venezuela in January, and he has yet to appear in a professional game.
Siani, who the Dodgers twice claimed off waivers this offseason, had a .659 OPS in Triple-A Oklahoma City.
The ‘Blue Wave’ – the enviable nickname given to Curacao’s national football team – will soon be surging across to North America.
The tiny Caribbean island of just over 150,000 people and covering only 443 square kilometres (171 square miles) will become the smallest country ever to compete at a FIFA World Cup when the 2026 tournament kicks off on June 11.
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Curacao, a self-governing entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, scripted a fairytale story to secure qualification. Now, as one of four debutants at the tournament, the island nation will look to give its people more reasons to celebrate as their team plays in football’s most prestigious global competition.
Here’s everything you need to know about Curacao in Al Jazeera’s World Cup minnows series:
Curacao players celebrate their 2026 World Cup qualification [Endrymar Martis/AP]
Where is Curacao?
It is 60km (37 miles) off the coast of Venezuela.
Willemstad, in the south of the island, is the capital.
How did Curacao qualify for the World Cup?
Curacao endured two challenging qualification rounds to punch their maiden World Cup final ticket.
They played 10 matches, won seven and finished their campaign unbeaten.
Curacao’s journey began in the second round of the CONCACAF qualifiers. They upset Barbados, Aruba, Saint Lucia and Haiti, scoring 15 goals to remain unbeaten.
Curacao supporters at the final World Cup qualifier in Jamaica on November 18, 2025 [Gilbert Bellamy/Reuters]
In the third and final qualification round, they were in Group B alongside heavyweights Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Bermuda.
Curacao drew 0-0 in Trinidad and Tobago in the first match before defeating Bermuda 3-2 on their home turf. Playing at home, they beat Jamaica 2-0, sending an unequivocal warning to their opponents that World Cup qualification was their clear goal.
In the next game, they drew 1-1 with Trinidad and Tobago before thrashing Bermuda 7-0.
Defying the odds in a crucial final fixture against Jamaica last November, goalkeeper Eloy Room and a resolute Curacao defence kept the Reggae Boyz at bay, holding on for a goalless draw. But the stalemate was not without drama; in stoppage time, Jamaica were awarded a penalty, only for a VAR review to overturn the decision that proved decisive.
The resulting draw secured Curacao top spot in Group B and sealed the most remarkable chapter in their World Cup journey.
Curacao’s players burst into celebrations after holding Jamaica to a goalless draw, a result which confirmed their World Cup qualification [Collin Reid/AP]
“It’s an impossibility that is made possible,” winger Kenji Gorre told the Guardian newspaper. “It’s literally impossible for such a small island, such a small 150,000 population, and now to go to the biggest pinnacle of football is unbelievable.”
Curacao are by far the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup, which is being expanded to 48 teams for the first time. Previously, the smallest country to qualify for the tournament was Iceland in 2018, with a population of around 350,000.
Have Curacao played at a major tournament?
The nation state successor to the Netherlands Antilles in international competition, it only began competing as Curacao after 2010, and first appeared in FIFA World Cup qualifying under the new name before the Brazil 2014 tournament.
With many of their players based in the Netherlands but boasting heritage from the southern Caribbean island, Curacao quickly became a footballing nation on the rise in the CONCACAF region, winning their first World Cup two-legged qualifying tie against Montserrat in 2015.
Two years later, the team qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time, though they crashed out in the group stage, losing all their fixtures. But in 2019, they bounced back in style, reaching the quarterfinals, where they lost to the eventual runner-up, the United States.
Curacao came close to reaching the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, only to be eliminated by Panama in the penultimate round of qualification.
What is Curacao’s FIFA ranking?
Ten years ago, Curacao were 150th in the FIFA world rankings. Now they have jumped to 82nd.
Who will Curacao face at the World Cup?
Curacao are in Group E, alongside former champions Germany, Ecuador and African heavyweights Ivory Coast. They will play all group games in the US.
Curacao’s World Cup 2026 matches:
June 14: Germany vs Curacao – Houston Stadium
June 20: Ecuador vs Curacao – Kansas City Stadium
June 25: Curacao v Ivory Coast – Philadelphia Stadium
Former NHL superstar Wayne Gretzky helped pick Curacao’s opponents during the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw in Washington in December [Dan Mullan/Pool via AP]
Curacao’s head coach carousel
Veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat led Curacao to their first-ever World Cup, calling it the “craziest thing” he had achieved in a managerial career spanning nearly four decades.
But four months before the tournament, he stepped down from the post due to his daughter’s ill health.
Fellow Dutchman Fred Rutten, who previously managed Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and Schalke 04, was later named the replacement and looked set to lead them at the World Cup.
Head coach Dick Advocaat is back with the team and will lead Curacao to the World Cup finals in North America [File: Godofredo A. Vasquez/AP]
But there was another twist: on May 11 – exactly a month out from the tournament – Rutten stepped down to protect the squad’s professional environment after calls from players and sponsors to reinstate Advocaat.
A day later it was swiftly announced that the 78-year-old would return to the head coaching role following improvements in his daughter’s medical condition, according to reporting from ESPN. Advocaat’s reappointment makes him the oldest manager in World Cup history.
Who are Curacao’s key players?
Forward Gervane Kastaneer was Curacao’s top scorer during qualifying with five goals in six matches, which included a hat-trick against Saint Lucia.
Striker Rangelo Janga, Curacao’s all-time leading scorer with 21 goals, bagged a hat-trick against Barbados, while Juninho Bacuna and Gorre scored three goals in total during that phase.
Livano Comenencia, a 22-year-old right-back and Tahith Chong, a 26-year-old midfielder who is a product of the Manchester United academy, are promising players in Curacao’s squad.
Curacao’s Juninho Bacuna (#7) is one of several talented midfielders on the team [Collin Reid/AP]
What is the Dutch connection in Curacao’s squad?
The majority of the squad are Dutch-born, but have family links that make them eligible to play for Curacao.
Many represented the Netherlands in age-group teams, such as central midfielder Juninho, who played for the Dutch U-18, U-20 and U-21 teams. His older brother, Leandro, also played for the Netherlands’ youth sides before representing Curacao at senior level.
Juninho, who switched allegiance from the Netherlands to Curacao in 2019, said it was a “big decision”.
All of Curacao’s starting lineup against Jamaica in their final World Cup qualifier last November were born in the Netherlands [Gilbert Bellamy/Reuters]
“At that time, I was only 21 and had a lot of years in front of me to see my chances for the Dutch national team,” he told the BBC. “But I made a choice early to play for Curacao. One of the reasons was that I could play in the same team as my brother, and for the family to see us play together.
“We’re seeing more players that are still young and able to play for Holland, and they come to play for Curacao – and make the team even stronger,” he added.
Chong, who plays for second-tier Sheffield United, is the only squad member born on the island.
How are Curacao preparing for the World Cup?
Curacao played two international friendlies in March, losing 2-0 to China in Sydney before being thrashed 5-1 by Australia in Melbourne. They are due to face Scotland in a friendly in Glasgow in May before heading to the World Cup.
Both Australia and Scotland are also competing in North America this summer.
What can we expect from Curacao?
An uphill task awaits Curacao at the World Cup, beginning with their opening match against four-time champions Germany. Although the Germans suffered a shock group-stage exit in 2022, they remain favourites to top the group and reach at least the quarterfinals.
Curacao fans, however, can expect a determined fight from their team – and perhaps a few goals too. The Caribbean side scored an impressive 28 goals in 10 matches while conceding just five during their World Cup qualifying campaign.
“Generally, if it’s a world championship or European championship, there are always surprises,” coach Rutten told reporters in March. “And why not this year for us?
“We have a team of fighters and they never give up.”
Curacao’s fans are excited to see their team on the biggest stage after a fairytale qualification campaign [Ricardo Makyn/AFP]
You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated FIFA World Cup 2026 page with all the latest news, match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings, real-time match results and schedules.
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres and Liverpool forward Alexander Isak have been named in Sweden’s World Cup squad.
However, the summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States has come too soon for Tottenham forward Dejan Kulusevski, who misses out having not played this season because of a knee injury.
Sweden coach Graham Potter said it was difficult to leave out the 26-year-old.
“A very, very difficult decision in terms of where he [Kulusevski] has been and what he’s done over the last year, where he’s at in terms of his rehab with four and a half weeks to go to that first game,” Potter told a news conference.
Isak, 26, has also had an injury-hit campaign and has only started eight league matches for Liverpool since his £125m British record transfer from Newcastle last summer.
“We obviously hope he finishes the season in Liverpool with some game time,” added Potter. “Our challenge is to get Alex in the best moment of the season and for him to hit top form, because if he does, he’s a world-class player.”
Sweden endured a miserable qualifying campaign, finishing bottom of their group with two points, but their performance in the Nations League gave them a second chance and wins over Ukraine and Poland in the play-offs took them to the finals.
“It’s incredibly exciting – a huge honour for me,” said Potter, who became Sweden manager in October. “The positive response from our supporters has been fantastic, and now we’re looking forward to creating more memories together during the World Cup.”
Gyokeres and Isak are two of 11 British-based players in the squad, which also includes goalkeepers Viktor Johansson (Stoke) and Jacob Widell Zetterstrom (Derby) and defenders Hjalmar Ekdal (Burnley), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Leeds) and Victor Lindelof (Aston Villa).
Midfielders Yasin Ayari and Lucas Bergvall, who play for Brighton and Tottenham respectively have also been named, as have Newcastle winger Anthony Elanga and Celtic forward Benjamin Nygren.
Sweden are in Group F and play Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico on 14 June (03:00 BST, 15 June) before two games in the United States – against the Netherlands in Houston on 20 June and Japan in Dallas five days later (00:00 BST, 26 June).
Northern Ireland fans will be delighted that O’Neill has agreed to continue in his role as manager, especially given the foundation he has laid for possible future success.
He had said that he would “return to the status quo” for Northern Ireland’s June fixtures when asked about his future in March, but then said in April that a decision was still to made, which would have set alarm bells ringing.
Thankfully, for all parties, a decision has been made swiftly, allowing O’Neill to work towards preparing his NI squad for June’s friendlies and the upcoming Nations League campaign, while Blackburn now have plenty of time to appoint a permanent boss ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
O’Neill, like in his first spell, inherited a struggling Northern Ireland side from predecessor Ian Baraclough and while they missed out on qualifying for Euro 2024 and this year’s World Cup, he has certainly shaped them into a more competitive and attractive side.
The average age of O’Neill’s starting team for the defeat against Italy in their World Cup play-off in March was just 22.5 years – the country’s second youngest on record since World War Two.
Add in three key players in Conor Bradley, Dan Ballard and Ali McCann, who were missing for the game and the age profile remains the same, demonstrating the high ceiling this youthful but talented team has to grow.
With O’Neill remaining in the role, belief will really start to grow that he can guide the team to another European Championships as he did after a period of building with his squad in 2016.
The Irish FA would have known that the job would have been much more attractive now to potential candidates than before O’Neill returned in 2022, but will be pleased that he has decided to stay on for the next qualifying campaign and there won’t be any upheaval before the Nations League starts in September.
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![Curacao's players burst into celebrations after holding Jamaica to a goalless draw, a result which confirmed their World Cup qualification [File: Collin Reid/AP]](https://i0.wp.com/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AP25323223932644-1772609405.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
