stunning

Lamine Yamal has carried on his superb goal-scoring form, helping Spain secure a 3-1 win over Czechia in the UEFA Nations League and consolidating his bid to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or award later this month.

The world champions moved three points clear of England at the top of Group A3 after Thomas Tuchel’s side demolished Croatia 7-0 earlier in Rijeka on Saturday.

Spain cruised into a two-goal lead with Yamal and captain Rodri Hernandez on target, but Jiri Slama gave the Czechs a chance by pulling one back with 20 minutes to go.

However, Mikel Merino wrapped up Spain’s win late on after Ladislav Krejci was sent off for the Czechs, as Spain racked up a 41st consecutive unbeaten game, including the World Cup final win over Argentina in July.

Yamal, who scored in the second minute of Spain’s first two games against England and Croatia, waited as long as the sixth minute before breaking the deadlock. He is the first player to score a goal within the first 10 minutes of three consecutive men’s international matches.

“They are well-drilled; I thought it would be one of the hardest games, and that’s how it was,” Rodri told a Spanish broadcaster after Spain claimed a third win from three group games.

“It was tricky but we got some chances. There are some matches in which you can’t generate that much, but the team was able to manage the match.”

The former Manchester City midfielder scored for the first time for Spain in more than two years.

“It’s always special to score for the national team. I’d not been scoring many goals; let’s see if I’ve found that dynamic – it’s important, we all have to chip in with the goals,” he added.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made several changes in Oviedo from Tuesday’s win over Croatia, including handing debuts to full-back Ivan Fresneda and striker Roberto Fernandez.

It was one of Spain’s star names, though, who lit up the game early on, something he is beginning to make a habit of.

The 19-year-old winger, a leading candidate for the Ballon d’Or, produced an exquisite finish from the right of the box, curling into the top corner after taking a touch to earn himself room to shoot.

“We’re doing well; I’m very happy. I was eager to return to the national team after the World Cup, and there’s no better way than this,” said Yamal.

Spain coach De la Fuente put his hands to his head in apparent shock at the quality of Yamal’s superb strike, his 12th in his last nine games for club and country.

“I think he never stops surprising us – I think all of us. He has so much talent, so much quality, that we still haven’t seen the best version of Lamine by a long shot,” said De la Fuente.

“He has a lot more to offer because he’s so classy, so talented, with so much potential.”

The winger’s Barcelona teammate, Rodri, doubled Spain’s lead after 35 minutes, arriving in the box to drill into the top corner after the ball fell nicely for him.

De la Fuente took off Yamal at half-time to give the young Barcelona star a break before Tuesday’s visit to face Croatia, and the pace of the game slowed.

The Czechs pulled one back through Slama, who produced an excellent low finish across David Raya after Adam Hlozek played him in.

Arsenal stopper Raya was fortunate a few minutes later when he conceded possession with a misplaced pass while out of his goal, but the visitors could not capitalise.

Raya also spilled the ball badly and Ryan Naderi turned home, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Robin Le Normand.

Czechia’s determined efforts to battle back were derailed by Krejci’s red card, with the defender shown a second yellow for pulling back Fernandez, before Merino rounded off Spain’s win.

DENVER — Mile sigh.

The Rams came here aiming to put together a second consecutive impressive prime-time performance.

And for the first half against the Denver Broncos on Sunday night, it looked like the Rams would do just that.

But the Rams’ 16-point halftime lead literally vanished into thin air.

After rallying briefly, the Rams could not hold off the Broncos in a 30-26 defeat in front of 76,633 at Empower Field at Mile High.

Matthew Stafford passed for two touchdowns, and Harrison Mevis kicked four field goals for the Rams, but it was not enough.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix passed for two second-half touchdowns and dived one yard for a touchdown with 47 seconds left, dropping the Rams’ record to 1-2.

Under 10th-year coach Sean McVay, the Rams had started a season 1-2 only once before. In 2024, the Rams were 1-2 after three games and 1-4 after five. They rebounded to finish 10-7 and advanced to the divisional round, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Next Sunday, the struggling Rams play the Eagles in Philadelphia.

Against the Broncos, less than a week after limiting the New York Giants to two field goals in a 28-6 victory at SoFi Stadium, the Rams’ defense dominated for two quarters.

But the Rams could not overcome Nix or a Broncos defense that got a 66-yard interception return for a touchdown by safety Talanoa Hufanga, who also intercepted a pass in the end zone on the final play.

The Rams built a 16-0 halftime lead on Stafford’s touchdown pass to Tyler Higbee and three field goals by Mevis.

But the Broncos ended any hope of a shutout midway through the third quarter when what had been a mostly anemic offense came to life.

Nix fired a five-yard touchdown pass to Pat Bryant and then completed a two-point conversion pass to Jaylen Waddle to cut the lead in half.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix passes against the Rams in the first half Sunday.

(Jack Dempsey / Associated Press)

A few minutes later, Nix found tight end Nate Adkins for an eight-yard touchdown pass and then fired a two-point conversion pass to Bryant to tie the score.

The Broncos were driving again early in the fourth quarter when Rams cornerback Josh Wallace intercepted a pass, setting up Mevis’ fourth field goal for a 19-16 lead.

The Rams got the ball with about seven minutes left and Stafford connected with Adams for a 49-yard gain. But Hufanga picked off a pass and returned it for a touchdown that put the Broncos ahead, 23-19.

But Stafford’s 48-yard touchdown pass to receiver Konata Mumpfield put the Rams back in front, 26-23.

Nix all but sealed the victory when he dived and reached over the pile for the one-yard touchdown with less than a minute left.

The Rams drove to the Broncos’ 14-yard line with two seconds left. But after a false-start penalty, Stafford’s pass was intercepted by Hufanga in the end zone.

Stafford completed 30 of 55 passes for 390 yards. He was sacked four times.

Davante Adams caught seven passes for 137 yards and Higbee had eight catches for 62 yards.

Running back Kyren Williams rushed for 88 yards and had 70 yards receiving.

Nix completed 17 of 34 passes for 186 yards.

LOVE Island star Rykard Jenkins is engaged after popping the question to his doctor girlfriend.

Rykard planned the perfect proposal for Nora Jafaar overlooking the Tuscan sea in Italy.

The Love Island star got down on one knee on a cliff in Porto Ecole as Nora sat on the hood of a vintage car.

“Best day of my life,” Rykard captioned the Instagram post of a carousel of photos showing their big moment.

The couple who have been together since the beginning of 2023 work together running the Rejuvenation Clinic, a celebrity hotspot for aesthetic treatments.

Nora flashed her giant diamond ring in the photos as the couple smooched in the car and shared some tasty champagne in celebration.

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Rykard rose to fame on the second season of Love Island, but ditched reality TV to focus on his aesthetics career, including running the exclusive clinic in London’s Marlyebone.

His now-fiancé had spotted the hunky Rykard long before they worked together.

 “I was a junior doctor in my first or second year of being a doctor and I remember my all the doctors were living together around the hospital and we became Love Island super fans,” Nora told The Sun in 2023.

“We would watch the show and all debrief in the morning. And then when lockdown happened I got more into aesthetics and cosmetics, and then I saw randomly Rykard, who I had been following for years, did the same.

“I remember I just slid into his DMs and said ‘let me know if you need any help.’”

Rykard explained that he tried unsuccessfully to take Dr. Nora for a coffee for a few times, and they ended up going on a date with one of his friend’s in tow after chatting online for some time.

And despite working together they admit they don’t get competitive, and have instead “learnt a lot from each other.”

St Cuthbert’s Way now ranks alongside the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and France’s scenic Route Napoleon as the ‘Best in Travel’ for Lonely Planet guide.

A 62-mile walking route to England’s Holy Island has been named as one of the world’s top experiences in the ‘travel bible’ Lonely Planet.

St Cuthbert’s Way now ranks alongside the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and France’s scenic Route Napoleon as the ‘Best in Travel’.

The list also highlights lesser-known destinations like Quebec and Veneto, and cities such as Dessau in Germany, Šibenik in Croatia, León in Spain and Rabat in Morocco.

St Cuthbert’s Way covers 100km from Melrose in the Scottish Borders through some of the most peaceful countryside in the UK to Lindisfarne in Northumberland.

The BBC featured “The Road to Holy Island’ in a series earlier this year, including sections of St Cuthbert’s Way. It featured celebrities Patsy Kensit, Ashley Banjo, Hermione Norris and Jayne Middlemiss.

Lonely Planet recommends its “moorlands” and “ghostly hillforts” and village pubs. The walk officially opened in the summer of 1996. It begins in Melrose where St Cuthbert started his religious life in 650 AD and makes its way through the Eildon hills, past Jedburgh to Morebattle and Town Yetholm.

From there it crosses the border into England passing through Wooler before ending up on Holy Island off the Northumberland coast where St Cuthbert was first laid to rest.

Most people walk it from west to east as that follows the chronology of the saint’s life and also benefits from having the prevailing wind at your back.

It is described as enjoying an “ever-changing variety of scenery and spectacular views” and can be “easily completed” in four to six days.

The walk offers dramatic views of the countryside of southern Scotland and northern England, and an area identified as the most peaceful in the UK.

It ends with a ‘bit of a bang’ at Lindisfarne, famous for its causeway, castle and beautiful views. St Cuthbert is recognised as one of the world’s earliest wildlife conservationists. He was born in 635 AD and, after a “divine vision,” the young shepherd entered the monastery in Melrose.

A decade later, the town was struck by the plague and afterwards, he helped victims throughout the countryside and was reported to have performed many miracles.

He transferred to Lindisfarne in 664 but, described as a “hermit by nature,” retired to Inner Farne in 676. His efforts to protect birds led to his recognition as one of the earliest wildlife conservationists.

Andrew Fox, Chair of Visit Northumberland, said: “We are thrilled to see Northumberland featured in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027.

This recognition shines a global spotlight not only on St Cuthbert’s Way, but on the wider range of world-class experiences that make Northumberland such a distinctive destination.

“St Cuthbert’s Way perfectly captures the growing demand for more meaningful travel experiences.

Whether visitors come to walk, reflect, explore our coast and countryside, discover our historic sites or simply slow down and reconnect with nature, Northumberland offers an unforgettable journey and a genuine sense of place.”

The Lonely Planets top places and experiences in Europe are:

Places

1. Veneto, Italy
2. Dessau, Germany
3. Swedish Riviera (Skanör-Falsterbo), Sweden
4. Šibenik, Croatia
5. León, Spain

Experiences

1. Road-trip through history on the Route Napoléon, France
2. Sail the Aeolian Islands, Sicily
3. Walk St Cuthbert’s Way to Lindisfarne, United Kingdom
4. Dive into an unexpected underwater world, Greece
5. Be wowed by wonderful Killary Fjord, Co Galway, Ireland

IF you’re looking for spot for your next holiday that is almost too perfect to be real – we’ve found just the one.

The huge four-bedroom villa has a private heated pool, outdoor hot tub, barbecue and it’s all set right in front of towering Croatian mountains.

Villa Agava is on the Dalmatian coast in Croatia and is so flawless that visitors have said it looks fake.

In one review one visitor wrote “the villa itself does not look real. It’s so immaculate that it looks like Ai has generated it. but it is real.”

Another added: “Lovely stay, thank you for having us. Everything we needed and more. On arrival it was nice to meet you and the villa was spotless.”

Others described it as “exceptional” and “perfect”.

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The villa can sleep up to eight people in four bedrooms and has five bathrooms.

Outside is where you’ll find the private, heated swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, deck chairs, and three sun umbrellas.

There’s also an outdoor shower, covered outdoor dining area so you can enjoy meals al fresco – and there’s a barbecue.

There are additional extras which aren’t included in the price, but you can opt for include a culinary experience with an in-villa private chef.

Try out an in-villa massage by a professional masseuse, go on a sailing experience or boat tour in the middle Dalmatian coast.

The best news is that it can be booked £38pppn on Airbnb.

A seven-night stay between April 12-19 between for eight guests is £2,154.

Booking are available from April 2027 until the end of October when it closes for the season.

From early spring, temperatures can sit as high as 20C and in the summer it can be as hot as 30C.

For some exploration further afield, the villa’s closest town is Omiš, and the Omiš Riviera has both sandy and pebble beaches.

The Omiš and Cetina River has high-octane activities like rafting, zip-lining, and water sports on the river.

From there visitors can also head over to the island of Brač which is often considered “Croatia’s best-kept secret”.

It has beautiful beaches including Zlatni Rat Beach which is a favourite amongst locals.

Zlatni Rat Beach has an unusually shaped sandbar and quiet coves scattered around, so it’s a must-visit.

It’s around a 42-minute drive away from Split.

LISA Snowdon has been soaking up the sun in a bikini during a luxury break in Sri Lanka.

The This Morning regular jetted off with her friend, hairstylist Zoe Irwin, for a getaway filled with cocktails, yoga and delicious looking food.

Lisa shared a series of bikini snaps from the trip, writing: “The story so far here in Sri Lanka

“Birthdays, best friend and a couple of beers thrown in….. @zoeirwinhair

“Stunning stay at @greenescapes.srilanka”

Lisa’s bikini snaps had her famous friends rushing to compliment her figure.

Journalist Polly Vernon wrote: “Hotness!”

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Actress Claire Sweeney added: “You look amazing”, while presenter Lucy Alexander commented: “Looking wow”.

The friends are staying at Green Escapes, in a luxury villa tucked away in the jungle near Hiriketiya Bay.

The retreat features an infinity pool overlooking the trees, yoga classes and its very own chefs, with the beaches of Sri Lanka’s south coast just a short trip away.

The sunshine break comes after Lisa opened up about feeling emotional following her split from fiancé George Smart, her partner of 12 years.

During an earlier wellness trip to Bali, she wrote on Instagram: “Wellness, for me, has never been about perfection. It’s about connection.

“The women you meet, the conversations that stay with you, moving your body, slowing your mind, little soul searching, maybe a good old cry and sometimes having a cold beer barefoot on the beach.”

She added: “I am feeling stronger mentally and physically and it’s not over yet.”

Speculation about the couple’s relationship began after Lisa was spotted without her engagement ring, while George had been largely absent from her Instagram since January.

The pair first dated around 20 years ago before rekindling their romance in 2014. They got engaged in 2016.

Lisa had previously said she was in no rush to marry George, telling Hello!: “A lot of women imagine walking down the aisle. They imagine their flowers, their dresses, and I just have never had that vision.

“I’m just really relaxed and so is George. It will happen, but I just don’t know what that looks like.”

ONE of the most famous attractions in the UK is slashing its ticket prices by more than half.

Kew Gardens is known for its incredible botanicals, exhibitions, seasonal events – and in a few days you’ll be able to explore it all for a tenner.

Every Tuesday between September 8 to December 29, adult tickets to Kew Gardens will cost just £10 – rather than its usual £25.

The attraction is open every day of the week between 10am and 7pm.

Kew Gardens is a one-of-a-kind attraction filled with more than 50,000 plants with some of the most diverse collections on earth.

It’s frequently named as one of the best attractions to visit in the country and in the world.

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It was named as one of the world’s best botanical gardens by Conde Nast Traveller in 2023.

As for what you can find now, there are plants aplenty.

For seeing autumn at its best, head up to the Treetop Walkway for a high-up view of the attraction looking down at its orange-leaf trees.

It looks over the Arboretum which has over 11,000 trees – some of them dating back to when the gardens were founded back in 1759.

If you’re going as a family, check out the children’s garden which has its own playground designed for two to 12 year olds.

There are tunnels, climbing frames and water play too.

For a moment of calm, there’s Japanese Landscape, a tranquil Asian-inspired garden with a traditional tea garden and waterfalls.

Inside the Palm House is a tropical rainforest environment – this is where you’ll find the oldest pot plant in the world.

It’s one of your last chances to see it for a while as there’s a planned renovation in 2027 which will last for five years.

Other areas to explore include King William’s Temple, The Hive installation and Temperate House which is the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse.

In October half-term there will be a Hey Duggee trail for kids with interactive challenges and a stamp trail.

The £10 tickets also coincide with the Henry Moore: Monumental Nature exhibition which has as many as 30 impressive sculptures on display.

The £10 tickets can be booked online or bought at the gate.

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding reveals her favourite part of Kew Gardens…

If you want to find out how to spend a day at Kew Gardens, Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding has done all the work for you…

“Whatever season you choose to visit Kew Gardens, there is something different to see.

“When I visited, the orange, red, yellow and brown leaves of autumn were in full swing making the entire destination look like a painting.

“Of course, pretty much all of the things to do at Kew Gardens are suitable for adults.

“A personal favourite of mine was the Princess of Wales Conservatory which features 10 temperature-controlled climate zones.

“In each area, there is something to explore that is fascinating – it essentially feels like walking through the jungle. You’ll see Venus flytraps, orchids and giant cheese plants.

“There is the Temperate House, which is the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse and is home to rare and threatened plants.

“Also make sure to head to Palm House, especially before it closes and undergoes refurbishment in 2027.

“Inside you will find an indoor rainforest, with tropical plants including the oldest pot plant in the world.

“Reopening in spring 2026 is also Kew Palace, which is the oldest building within the gardens.

“The pretty red house was the summer home of King George III in the 18th century and features 10 rooms spread across three floors, including the royal’s living quarters.

“At the opposite end of the estate is Queen Charlotte’s Cottage, which is currently open to the public.”