Croatian tennis legend Nikola Pilic, who captained multiple Davis Cup-winning sides and was an early mentor to Novak Djokovic, has died at the age of 87, the country's tennis association announced on Tuesday.&nbsp;"One of the greatest players and coaches Croatian tennis has ever had," died on Monday in the western Croatian town of Opatija, the association reported in a statement.&nbsp;Pilic began his career in Split in 1953 and, just four years later, was representing the Yugoslav youth national team.&nbsp;He went on to win the Yugoslav Championship five times in singles (1962, 1963, 1964, 1966 and 1967), seven times in doubles and once in mixed doubles.&nbsp;Pilic's greatest individual achievement came in 1973, when he reached the final of the French Open, falling to Ilie Nastase.&nbsp;He won the US Open doubles title with Pierre Barthes three years earlier.&nbsp;After retiring, Pilic enjoyed a distinguished coaching career, working with stars such as Goran Ivanisevic, Michael Stich and Boris Becker.&nbsp;He had a profound influence on 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who referred to him as his "tennis dad".&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-asia-cup-2025-full-squads-complete-fixtures-date-time-venue-and-live-streaming-details-check-all-details-1755585771834">Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details</a>&nbsp;In 1999, Djokovic's first coach, Jelena Gencic, sent her protege to train at Pilic's academy in Munich, where he further developed his game.&nbsp;"Nikola Niki Pilic will be remembered as the only captain ever to lead three different nations to Davis Cup titles," the Croatian Tennis Association said.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-virat-kohli-here-is-a-look-at-five-indian-batters-with-most-runs-in-asia-cup-odis-t20is-sachin-tendulkar-ms-dhoni-dhawan-1754123070628">From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is)</a>&nbsp;He guided Germany to victory in 1988, 1989 and 1993, Croatia in 2005, and Serbia in 2010.&nbsp;The Croatian Tennis Association honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, while in 2020, Serbia awarded him the Gold Medal of Merit for his outstanding contribution to sport. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nikola Pilic began his career in Split in 1953 and, just four years later, was representing the Yugoslav youth national team.

Croatian tennis legend Nikola Pilic, who captained multiple Davis Cup-winning sides and was an early mentor to Novak Djokovic, has died at the age of 87, the country's tennis association announced on Tuesday. "One of the greatest players and coaches Croatian tennis has ever had," died on Monday in the western Croatian town of Opatija, the association reported in a statement. Pilic began his career in Split in 1953 and, just four years later, was representing the Yugoslav youth national team. He went on to win the Yugoslav Championship five times in singles (1962, 1963, 1964, 1966 and 1967), seven times in doubles and once in mixed doubles. Pilic's greatest individual achievement came in 1973, when he reached the final of the French Open, falling to Ilie Nastase. He won the US Open doubles title with Pierre Barthes three years earlier. After retiring, Pilic enjoyed a distinguished coaching career, working with stars such as Goran Ivanisevic, Michael Stich and Boris Becker. He had a profound influence on 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who referred to him as his "tennis dad". ALSO READ | Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details In 1999, Djokovic's first coach, Jelena Gencic, sent her protege to train at Pilic's academy in Munich, where he further developed his game. "Nikola Niki Pilic will be remembered as the only captain ever to lead three different nations to Davis Cup titles," the Croatian Tennis Association said. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is) He guided Germany to victory in 1988, 1989 and 1993, Croatia in 2005, and Serbia in 2010. The Croatian Tennis Association honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, while in 2020, Serbia awarded him the Gold Medal of Merit for his outstanding contribution to sport. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nikola Pilic began his career in Split in 1953 and, just four years later, was representing the Yugoslav youth national team.

Novak Djokovic's 'tennis dad' Nikola Pilic passes away at 87

Former Test umpire Harold "Dickie" Bird, one of the most famous officials of his era, has died at the age of 92, Yorkshire County Cricket Club announced on Tuesday. Bird stood in 66 Tests between 1973 and 1996 as well as 69 men's one-day internationals, including three World Cup finals.&nbsp;His home county, Yorkshire, issued a statement saying Bird, "one of cricket's most beloved figures", had died peacefully at home.&nbsp;"Dickie Bird enjoyed an illustrious career as an international umpire, writing his name into history as the most famous and popular official in the game's history," the club said.&nbsp;Yorkshire said he had become a "national treasure, known not only for his umpiring excellence but also for his "eccentricities and warmth".&nbsp;"He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, and joy —- and a legion of admirers across generations," the statement added.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-virat-kohli-here-is-a-look-at-five-indian-batters-with-most-runs-in-asia-cup-odis-t20is-sachin-tendulkar-ms-dhoni-dhawan-1754123070628">From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is)</a>&nbsp;Bird had a modest playing career as a batter for Yorkshire and Leicestershire but made his name as an international umpire, wearing his trademark white cap.&nbsp;He was given a guard of honour at Lord's by England and India players before his final Test.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-asia-cup-2025-full-squads-complete-fixtures-date-time-venue-and-live-streaming-details-check-all-details-1755585771834">Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details</a>&nbsp;Bird, who sold more than a million copies of his autobiography, was named Yorkshire president in 2014.&nbsp;Colin Graves, chairman of Yorkshire, told TalkSport: "It's a sad day.&nbsp;"He was a brilliant guy who loved being part of the Yorkshire set-up and everything we do here. He will be sadly missed at Headingley." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Harold Bird had a modest playing career as a batter for Yorkshire and Leicestershire but made his name as an international umpire, wearing his trademark white cap.

Former Test umpire Harold "Dickie" Bird, one of the most famous officials of his era, has died at the age of 92, Yorkshire County Cricket Club announced on Tuesday. Bird stood in 66 Tests between 1973 and 1996 as well as 69 men's one-day internationals, including three World Cup finals. His home county, Yorkshire, issued a statement saying Bird, "one of cricket's most beloved figures", had died peacefully at home. "Dickie Bird enjoyed an illustrious career as an international umpire, writing his name into history as the most famous and popular official in the game's history," the club said. Yorkshire said he had become a "national treasure, known not only for his umpiring excellence but also for his "eccentricities and warmth". "He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, and joy —- and a legion of admirers across generations," the statement added. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is) Bird had a modest playing career as a batter for Yorkshire and Leicestershire but made his name as an international umpire, wearing his trademark white cap. He was given a guard of honour at Lord's by England and India players before his final Test. ALSO READ | Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details Bird, who sold more than a million copies of his autobiography, was named Yorkshire president in 2014. Colin Graves, chairman of Yorkshire, told TalkSport: "It's a sad day. "He was a brilliant guy who loved being part of the Yorkshire set-up and everything we do here. He will be sadly missed at Headingley." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Harold Bird had a modest playing career as a batter for Yorkshire and Leicestershire but made his name as an international umpire, wearing his trademark white cap.

Former umpire Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird dies aged 92, officiated in 1983 ODI World Cup final

The Chinese city of Shenzhen was preparing Monday to evacuate 400,000 people while residents of the northern Philippines sought shelter from gale-force winds as Super Typhoon Ragasa headed on a collision course with southern China. The typhoon made landfall on the Philippines' Calayan Island, part of the sparsely populated Babuyan chain, at 3:00 pm (0700 GMT), according to the Philippine weather service.&nbsp;As of 8:00 pm (1200 GMT), the storm was generating maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometres per hour (134 mph) near its centre and gusts of up to 265 kph, the national weather service said. "I woke up because of the strong wind. It was hitting the windows, and it sounded like a machine that was switched on," said Tirso Tugagao, a resident of Aparri, a coastal town in northern Cagayan province.&nbsp;On Calayan Island, at the storm's centre, information officer Herbert Singun told AFP that chunks of a school roof had been ripped off and landed on an evacuation centre about 30 metres (yards) away, causing one minor injury.&nbsp;"Can you see those coconut trees swaying in the distance?" he asked during a video chat. “There were eight of them before. Now only four are still standing. That goes to show how strong this typhoon is.” Just over 10,000 Filipinos were evacuated across the country, with schools and government offices closed Monday in the Manila region and across 29 other provinces.&nbsp;<h2>Empty supermarket shelves&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;A much larger operation will take place in China's Shenzhen, where authorities said they planned to move hundreds of thousands of people from coastal and low-lying regions. Shenzhen residents hurried to stock up on supplies ahead of the storm's arrival.In the city's Bao'an district, long checkout queues formed at a bustling supermarket whose shelves were largely empty of fresh meat and vegetables Monday evening, AFP journalists saw.&nbsp;A supermarket employee told AFP that bread had already sold out by midday. "It's not normally like this," he said.Several other cities in Guangdong province announced that classes and work would be cancelled and public transportation suspended because of the typhoon.&nbsp;Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific said it expected to cancel more than 500 flights as Ragasa threatened the financial hub.A spokeswoman for the airline said passenger flights in and out of Hong Kong International Airport would be halted from 6:00 pm Tuesday, "resuming during daytime hours on Thursday".<h2> 'Extremely torrential'&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;In Taiwan, the state weather service predicted "extremely torrential rain" in the country's east."Its storm radius is quite large, about 320 (kilometres). Although the typhoon's centre is still some distance away, its wide, strong wind field and outer circulation are already affecting parts of Taiwan," it said.&nbsp;James Wu, a local fire department officer, told AFP that evacuations were underway in mountainous areas near Pingtung."What worries us more is that the damage could be similar to what happened during Typhoon Koinu two years ago," he added, describing a storm that saw utility poles collapse and sheet-metal roofs sent flying into the air.Philippine government weather specialist John Grender Almario said Sunday that "severe flooding and landslides" could be expected in the northern areas of the main island Luzon.&nbsp;The threat of flooding from Ragasa comes just a day after thousands of Filipinos took to the streets to protest a corruption scandal involving flood control projects that were shabbily constructed or never completed.&nbsp;The Philippines is the first major landmass facing the Pacific cyclone belt, and the archipelago is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, putting millions of people in disaster-prone areas in a state of constant poverty.Scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful as the world warms due to the effects of human-driven climate change.&nbsp;&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

As Super Typhoon Ragasa made landfall on the Philippines' Calayan Island, China prepares to evacuate 400,000  people.

The Chinese city of Shenzhen was preparing Monday to evacuate 400,000 people while residents of the northern Philippines sought shelter from gale-force winds as Super Typhoon Ragasa headed on a collision course with southern China. The typhoon made landfall on the Philippines' Calayan Island, part of the sparsely populated Babuyan chain, at 3:00 pm (0700 GMT), according to the Philippine weather service. As of 8:00 pm (1200 GMT), the storm was generating maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometres per hour (134 mph) near its centre and gusts of up to 265 kph, the national weather service said. "I woke up because of the strong wind. It was hitting the windows, and it sounded like a machine that was switched on," said Tirso Tugagao, a resident of Aparri, a coastal town in northern Cagayan province. On Calayan Island, at the storm's centre, information officer Herbert Singun told AFP that chunks of a school roof had been ripped off and landed on an evacuation centre about 30 metres (yards) away, causing one minor injury. "Can you see those coconut trees swaying in the distance?" he asked during a video chat. “There were eight of them before. Now only four are still standing. That goes to show how strong this typhoon is.” Just over 10,000 Filipinos were evacuated across the country, with schools and government offices closed Monday in the Manila region and across 29 other provinces. Empty supermarket shelves A much larger operation will take place in China's Shenzhen, where authorities said they planned to move hundreds of thousands of people from coastal and low-lying regions. Shenzhen residents hurried to stock up on supplies ahead of the storm's arrival. In the city's Bao'an district, long checkout queues formed at a bustling supermarket whose shelves were largely empty of fresh meat and vegetables Monday evening, AFP journalists saw. A supermarket employee told AFP that bread had already sold out by midday. "It's not normally like this," he said. Several other cities in Guangdong province announced that classes and work would be cancelled and public transportation suspended because of the typhoon. Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific said it expected to cancel more than 500 flights as Ragasa threatened the financial hub. A spokeswoman for the airline said passenger flights in and out of Hong Kong International Airport would be halted from 6:00 pm Tuesday, "resuming during daytime hours on Thursday". 'Extremely torrential' In Taiwan, the state weather service predicted "extremely torrential rain" in the country's east. "Its storm radius is quite large, about 320 (kilometres). Although the typhoon's centre is still some distance away, its wide, strong wind field and outer circulation are already affecting parts of Taiwan," it said. James Wu, a local fire department officer, told AFP that evacuations were underway in mountainous areas near Pingtung. "What worries us more is that the damage could be similar to what happened during Typhoon Koinu two years ago," he added, describing a storm that saw utility poles collapse and sheet-metal roofs sent flying into the air. Philippine government weather specialist John Grender Almario said Sunday that "severe flooding and landslides" could be expected in the northern areas of the main island Luzon. The threat of flooding from Ragasa comes just a day after thousands of Filipinos took to the streets to protest a corruption scandal involving flood control projects that were shabbily constructed or never completed. The Philippines is the first major landmass facing the Pacific cyclone belt, and the archipelago is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, putting millions of people in disaster-prone areas in a state of constant poverty. Scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful as the world warms due to the effects of human-driven climate change. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

As Super Typhoon Ragasa made landfall on the Philippines' Calayan Island, China prepares to evacuate 400,000 &nbsp;people.

China prepares to evacuate 400,000 as Super Typhoon Ragasa makes landfall in Philippines

San Francisco 49ers defensive star Nick Bosa will miss the remainder of the season after suffering torn knee ligaments in his team's defeat of Arizona at the weekend, US media reported Monday. The 27-year-old edge rusher -- widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the NFL -- limped out of the first quarter of San Francisco's 16-13 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-french-forward-ousmane-dembele-wins-2025-ballon-d-or-spain-s-lamine-yamal-settles-for-kopa-trophy-aitana-bonmati-1758568787767">Ousmane Dembele wins 2025 Ballon d'Or, Lamine Yamal settles for Kopa Trophy</a>An MRI scan revealed Bosa had suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee and will now face season-ending surgery, ESPN and the New York Times reported.It is the second serious knee injury Bosa has suffered during his NFL career. He also tore the ACL in his left knee in 2020. He also suffered a partially torn right ACL during his high school career.Bosa was chosen by San Francisco with the second overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft and made an immediate impact, helping the 49ers reach the Super Bowl in his debut season, where he was named defensive rookie of the year.In 2022 he was named NFL defensive player of the year with a league-leading 18.5 sacks.

An MRI scan revealed Bosa had suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee and will now face season-ending surgery, read multiple media reports.

San Francisco 49ers defensive star Nick Bosa will miss the remainder of the season after suffering torn knee ligaments in his team's defeat of Arizona at the weekend, US media reported Monday. The 27-year-old edge rusher -- widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the NFL -- limped out of the first quarter of San Francisco's 16-13 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday. Also Read - Ousmane Dembele wins 2025 Ballon d'Or, Lamine Yamal settles for Kopa Trophy An MRI scan revealed Bosa had suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee and will now face season-ending surgery, ESPN and the New York Times reported. It is the second serious knee injury Bosa has suffered during his NFL career. He also tore the ACL in his left knee in 2020. He also suffered a partially torn right ACL during his high school career. Bosa was chosen by San Francisco with the second overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft and made an immediate impact, helping the 49ers reach the Super Bowl in his debut season, where he was named defensive rookie of the year. In 2022 he was named NFL defensive player of the year with a league-leading 18.5 sacks.

An MRI scan revealed Bosa had suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee and will now face season-ending surgery, read multiple media reports.

49ers DE Nick Bosa to miss rest of season after suffering torn knee ligaments

Barcelona midfielder Gavi is to undergo surgery on his injured meniscus after other treatment failed to resolve his problem, the Catalan giants said on Monday. The 21-year-old midfielder has not played since late August due to the problem and the club said he would undergo an arthroscopy on the knee on Tuesday.&nbsp;It is the same knee in which he suffered a torn cruciate ligament and another meniscus injury in 2023.&nbsp;Having first received a "conservation course of treatment" in a bid to fix the problem, Gavi was put through "intense sports stress tests" on Sunday, the La Liga champions said.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-virat-kohli-here-is-a-look-at-five-indian-batters-with-most-runs-in-asia-cup-odis-t20is-sachin-tendulkar-ms-dhoni-dhawan-1754123070628">From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is)</a>&nbsp;"In order to guarantee the best possible recovery and return to competitive action, this Tuesday Gavi will undergo an arthroscopic examination," Barca said in a statement.&nbsp;His previous surgery on the knee in November 2023 kept Gavi out of action for a year.&nbsp;Barca made no mention of how long it would be before Gavi plays again.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-asia-cup-2025-full-squads-complete-fixtures-date-time-venue-and-live-streaming-details-check-all-details-1755585771834">Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details</a>&nbsp;But the club also confirmed that Fermin Lopez, who played for half an hour in Sunday's 3-0 victory over Getafe, had suffered a muscular injury in his hip.&nbsp;"He will be out of action for around three weeks," Barca said.&nbsp;Gavi and Lopez join the likes of forward Lamine Yamal, full-back Alejandro Balde and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen on the treatment table.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Gavi's previous surgery on the knee in November 2023 kept Gavi out of action for a year. Barca made no mention of how long it would be before Gavi plays again.

Barcelona midfielder Gavi is to undergo surgery on his injured meniscus after other treatment failed to resolve his problem, the Catalan giants said on Monday. The 21-year-old midfielder has not played since late August due to the problem and the club said he would undergo an arthroscopy on the knee on Tuesday. It is the same knee in which he suffered a torn cruciate ligament and another meniscus injury in 2023. Having first received a "conservation course of treatment" in a bid to fix the problem, Gavi was put through "intense sports stress tests" on Sunday, the La Liga champions said. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is) "In order to guarantee the best possible recovery and return to competitive action, this Tuesday Gavi will undergo an arthroscopic examination," Barca said in a statement. His previous surgery on the knee in November 2023 kept Gavi out of action for a year. Barca made no mention of how long it would be before Gavi plays again. ALSO READ | Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details But the club also confirmed that Fermin Lopez, who played for half an hour in Sunday's 3-0 victory over Getafe, had suffered a muscular injury in his hip. "He will be out of action for around three weeks," Barca said. Gavi and Lopez join the likes of forward Lamine Yamal, full-back Alejandro Balde and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen on the treatment table. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Gavi's previous surgery on the knee in November 2023 kept Gavi out of action for a year. Barca made no mention of how long it would be before Gavi plays again.

Gavi to undergo knee operation on meniscus injury: Barcelona

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes Cole Palmer will avoid groin surgery after the England forward was forced off during Saturday's defeat at Manchester United. Palmer has made just two Premier League starts this season and lasted only 21 minutes at Old Trafford before limping to the sidelines in a game Chelsea lost 2-1.&nbsp;Asked whether the 23-year-old will need an operation on an injury that has been troubling him for a while, Maresca told reporters: "The medical staff, they didn't mention to me about surgery.&nbsp;"I don't know if in the next days or the next weeks, but I don't think so, to be honest.&nbsp;"He made a huge effort on Saturday to try to play the game. He did the test, he was OK but not 100 percent. But he wanted to be there to help his team-mates and to be there in that kind of game.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-virat-kohli-here-is-a-look-at-five-indian-batters-with-most-runs-in-asia-cup-odis-t20is-sachin-tendulkar-ms-dhoni-dhawan-1754123070628">From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is)</a>&nbsp;"Unfortunately, it was painful so we decided to change it. And it's more day-by-day, week-by-week, game-by-game to see how it is and then decide what we do."&nbsp;Palmer is likely to miss Chelsea's League Cup third-round tie at third-tier Lincoln on Tuesday, with Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile also ruled out.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-asia-cup-2025-full-squads-complete-fixtures-date-time-venue-and-live-streaming-details-check-all-details-1755585771834">Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details</a>&nbsp;Maresca is likely to select several youth academy players but the Italian conceded it was a risky strategy given the potential for a cup upset against a team flying high in League One.&nbsp;"These are the games that worry me most, because you can slip up very easily," he said. "Football is full of these kind of games and I am very worried about that."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cole Palmer has made just two Premier League starts this season and lasted only 21 minutes at Old Trafford before limping to the sidelines in a game Chelsea lost 2-1.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes Cole Palmer will avoid groin surgery after the England forward was forced off during Saturday's defeat at Manchester United. Palmer has made just two Premier League starts this season and lasted only 21 minutes at Old Trafford before limping to the sidelines in a game Chelsea lost 2-1. Asked whether the 23-year-old will need an operation on an injury that has been troubling him for a while, Maresca told reporters: "The medical staff, they didn't mention to me about surgery. "I don't know if in the next days or the next weeks, but I don't think so, to be honest. "He made a huge effort on Saturday to try to play the game. He did the test, he was OK but not 100 percent. But he wanted to be there to help his team-mates and to be there in that kind of game. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is) "Unfortunately, it was painful so we decided to change it. And it's more day-by-day, week-by-week, game-by-game to see how it is and then decide what we do." Palmer is likely to miss Chelsea's League Cup third-round tie at third-tier Lincoln on Tuesday, with Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile also ruled out. ALSO READ | Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details Maresca is likely to select several youth academy players but the Italian conceded it was a risky strategy given the potential for a cup upset against a team flying high in League One. "These are the games that worry me most, because you can slip up very easily," he said. "Football is full of these kind of games and I am very worried about that." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cole Palmer has made just two Premier League starts this season and lasted only 21 minutes at Old Trafford before limping to the sidelines in a game Chelsea lost 2-1.

Premier League: Chelsea's Cole Palmer likely to avoid groin surgery - Enzo Maresca

Nvidia said Monday it will invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI, building infrastructure for next-generation artificial intelligence.The strategic partnership aimed at deploying massive data center capacity unites generative AI star OpenAI with the leading maker of chips powering the technology."Compute infrastructure will be the basis for the economy of the future," OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said in a joint release."We will utilize what we're building with NVIDIA to both create new AI breakthroughs and empower people and businesses with them at scale."The partnership will enable San Francisco-based OpenAI to build and deploy AI data centers with Nvidia systems, representing millions of sophisticated graphics processing units (GPUs), according to the companies.The first Nvidia systems are expected to be operating in the second half of next year.OpenAI and Nvidia added that they will work together to optimize how the companies' hardware and software complement each other.No financial details were provided beyond the possible magnitude of Nvidia's investment in OpenAI.Tech industry rivals Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and Elon Musk's xAI have been pouring billions of dollars into artificial intelligence since the blockbuster launch of the first version of ChatGPT in late 2022.Nvidia has become a coveted source of high-performance GPUS tailored for generative AI.Chinese startup DeepSeek shook up the AI sector early this year with a model that delivers high performance using less costly chips.Silicon Valley-based Nvidia last week announced it would invest $5 billion in struggling chip rival Intel.The investment represents a significant commitment to Intel's turnaround efforts. Nvidia joined Japanese investment giant SoftBank and the US government in backing the once-dominant chipmaker, which has fallen behind in recent years after missing key technology shifts.Nvidia's GPUs, originally designed for gaming systems, have become the essential building blocks of artificial intelligence applications, with tech giants scrambling to secure them for their data centers and AI projects.OpenAI released a keenly awaited new generation of its hallmark ChatGPT last month, touting significant advancements in artificial intelligence capabilities as a global race over the technology accelerates.ChatGPT-5 was made available free to the more than 700 million who use the AI tool weekly, according to OpenAI.Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.&nbsp;

The partnership will enable San Francisco-based OpenAI to build and deploy AI data centers with Nvidia systems, representing millions of sophisticated graphics processing units (GPUs), according to the companies.

Nvidia said Monday it will invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI, building infrastructure for next-generation artificial intelligence. The strategic partnership aimed at deploying massive data center capacity unites generative AI star OpenAI with the leading maker of chips powering the technology. "Compute infrastructure will be the basis for the economy of the future," OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said in a joint release. "We will utilize what we're building with NVIDIA to both create new AI breakthroughs and empower people and businesses with them at scale." The partnership will enable San Francisco-based OpenAI to build and deploy AI data centers with Nvidia systems, representing millions of sophisticated graphics processing units (GPUs), according to the companies. The first Nvidia systems are expected to be operating in the second half of next year. OpenAI and Nvidia added that they will work together to optimize how the companies' hardware and software complement each other. No financial details were provided beyond the possible magnitude of Nvidia's investment in OpenAI. Tech industry rivals Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and Elon Musk's xAI have been pouring billions of dollars into artificial intelligence since the blockbuster launch of the first version of ChatGPT in late 2022. Nvidia has become a coveted source of high-performance GPUS tailored for generative AI. Chinese startup DeepSeek shook up the AI sector early this year with a model that delivers high performance using less costly chips. Silicon Valley-based Nvidia last week announced it would invest $5 billion in struggling chip rival Intel. The investment represents a significant commitment to Intel's turnaround efforts. Nvidia joined Japanese investment giant SoftBank and the US government in backing the once-dominant chipmaker, which has fallen behind in recent years after missing key technology shifts. Nvidia's GPUs, originally designed for gaming systems, have become the essential building blocks of artificial intelligence applications, with tech giants scrambling to secure them for their data centers and AI projects. OpenAI released a keenly awaited new generation of its hallmark ChatGPT last month, touting significant advancements in artificial intelligence capabilities as a global race over the technology accelerates. ChatGPT-5 was made available free to the more than 700 million who use the AI tool weekly, according to OpenAI. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The partnership will enable San Francisco-based OpenAI to build and deploy AI data centers with Nvidia systems, representing millions of sophisticated graphics processing units (GPUs), according to the companies.

Nvidia announces investment of up to $100 bn in OpenAI data centers

The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, told AFP Monday that diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear program were at a "difficult juncture" but dialogue would continue.The UN Security Council voted on Friday to reimpose UN sanctions that had been frozen, after three European governments activated the "snapback" mechanism in a decade-old nuclear agreement, accusing Iran of non-compliance."It's obviously quite a difficult juncture. It's a very difficult situation we are facing right now," the International Atomic Energy Agency chief said, adding that talks between involved parties were planned in New York for Monday."What's important is the communications are continuing. We are planning to see each other if possible today, Monday, here in New York, and perhaps more meetings during the week."Friday's vote means that the sanctions, which were suspended in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear activities set out in the 2015 deal, will take effect again on September 28 unless Iran can persuade the council to relent in the next week.Tehran said the action by the European powers -- Britain, France and Germany -- undermined months of engagement with the IAEA aimed at resuming monitoring and ensuring compliance with international rules.Grossi praised the active diplomacy of French President Emmanuel Macron to salvage a deal, and said that there were still lines of communication between Tehran and Washington.<h2>‘Avoid prolonged confrontation’</h2>"Emmanuel Macron is very present, has been historically, and I respect him enormously," Grossi said."I think the Special Envoy, Ambassador (Steve) Witkoff, has also been involved and actively exploring different channels and presenting a number of ideas," Grossi said.Grossi said his dialog with Witkoff had enabled him to understand Washington's position and red lines."And the IAEA is not a party to the agreement -- but it's indispensable in every scenario. So we continue the work with Ambassador Witkoff," Grossi said.Earlier this month, Iran and the IAEA reached an agreement in Cairo that would have allowed inspections of Iranian nuclear sites to resume.Iran had suspended them after Israel and the United States attacked its nuclear facilities in June.Western governments have long accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapons capability, an ambition Tehran denies.Tehran has also criticised the IAEA for failing to condemn the Israeli and US strikes.Paris, London, and Berlin have stressed their demands that the Islamic Republic grant IAEA inspectors full access to nuclear sites, including those damaged by Israeli and American attacks last June.They also call for a resumption of negotiations, particularly with the US side.Tehran says it is resisting political pressure and accuses the Europeans of not taking up a "balanced" proposal, the details of which have not been disclosed."We are not at a point where people are not talking to each other, and you have to convince them to come together," Grossi said."So does that mean that I am optimistic? Well, neither optimistic nor pessimistic," he said adding that he remained hopeful that "we can still have an agreement.""If we don't have it, I think we have to try to (right) the boat as soon as possible to avoid prolonged confrontation and perhaps more attacks."Grossi also said he would seek to succeed Antonio Guterres as Secretary-General of the UN when his term ends in December 2026.Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris, London, and Berlin have stressed their demands that the Islamic Republic grant IAEA inspectors full access to nuclear sites, including those damaged by Israeli and American attacks last June.

The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, told AFP Monday that diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear program were at a "difficult juncture" but dialogue would continue. The UN Security Council voted on Friday to reimpose UN sanctions that had been frozen, after three European governments activated the "snapback" mechanism in a decade-old nuclear agreement, accusing Iran of non-compliance. "It's obviously quite a difficult juncture. It's a very difficult situation we are facing right now," the International Atomic Energy Agency chief said, adding that talks between involved parties were planned in New York for Monday. "What's important is the communications are continuing. We are planning to see each other if possible today, Monday, here in New York, and perhaps more meetings during the week." Friday's vote means that the sanctions, which were suspended in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear activities set out in the 2015 deal, will take effect again on September 28 unless Iran can persuade the council to relent in the next week. Tehran said the action by the European powers -- Britain, France and Germany -- undermined months of engagement with the IAEA aimed at resuming monitoring and ensuring compliance with international rules. Grossi praised the active diplomacy of French President Emmanuel Macron to salvage a deal, and said that there were still lines of communication between Tehran and Washington. ‘Avoid prolonged confrontation’ "Emmanuel Macron is very present, has been historically, and I respect him enormously," Grossi said. "I think the Special Envoy, Ambassador (Steve) Witkoff, has also been involved and actively exploring different channels and presenting a number of ideas," Grossi said. Grossi said his dialog with Witkoff had enabled him to understand Washington's position and red lines. "And the IAEA is not a party to the agreement -- but it's indispensable in every scenario. So we continue the work with Ambassador Witkoff," Grossi said. Earlier this month, Iran and the IAEA reached an agreement in Cairo that would have allowed inspections of Iranian nuclear sites to resume. Iran had suspended them after Israel and the United States attacked its nuclear facilities in June. Western governments have long accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapons capability, an ambition Tehran denies. Tehran has also criticised the IAEA for failing to condemn the Israeli and US strikes. Paris, London, and Berlin have stressed their demands that the Islamic Republic grant IAEA inspectors full access to nuclear sites, including those damaged by Israeli and American attacks last June. They also call for a resumption of negotiations, particularly with the US side. Tehran says it is resisting political pressure and accuses the Europeans of not taking up a "balanced" proposal, the details of which have not been disclosed. "We are not at a point where people are not talking to each other, and you have to convince them to come together," Grossi said. "So does that mean that I am optimistic? Well, neither optimistic nor pessimistic," he said adding that he remained hopeful that "we can still have an agreement." "If we don't have it, I think we have to try to (right) the boat as soon as possible to avoid prolonged confrontation and perhaps more attacks." Grossi also said he would seek to succeed Antonio Guterres as Secretary-General of the UN when his term ends in December 2026. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris, London, and Berlin have stressed their demands that the Islamic Republic grant IAEA inspectors full access to nuclear sites, including those damaged by Israeli and American attacks last June.

UN's nuclear watchdog says efforts to resolve issue on Iran's nuclear at a 'difficult juncture'

Ferran Torres struck twice for champions Barcelona as they beat Getafe 3-0 on Sunday to stay on Real Madrid's tails at the top of La Liga. Dani Olmo was also on target for the Catalans, who trail leaders Madrid by two points after Xabi Alonso's side beat Espanyol on Saturday to maintain their 100 percent record. Atletico Madrid's stuttering start to the season continued in a 1-1 draw at Mallorca, in which their striker Julian Alvarez missed a penalty.Playing at the 6,000 capacity Johan Cruyff stadium besides their training ground again as the club waits for the necessary licences to reopen their renovated Camp Nou home, Barcelona dominated an unambitious Getafe team.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-ballon-d-or-2025-all-you-need-to-know-about-football-s-prestigious-honour-contenders-live-streaming-and-more-ousmane-demb-l-lamine-yamal-1758450757122">Ballon d'Or 2025: All you need to know about football's prestigious honour</a>Despite his brace against Newcastle in the Champions League, German coach Hansi Flick left Marcus Rashford on the bench, with Spanish media reporting that it was because the England international was late for a morning meeting.Flick has dropped other players from the line-up for the same offence in the past, including defender Jules Kounde."(Rotation) is normal because every three or four days we have a match, we need fresh legs on the pitch," said Flick, when asked why Rashford did not start.Rashford's replacement as the stand-in for injured teenage superstar Lamine Yamal, Torres, took his chance with both hands."We have a lot of matches so it's really good to have everyone on this (level of) performance," added Flick.The Spaniard opened the scoring with a powerful finish at the end of a slick move, with Olmo backheeling the ball into his path in the box.Torres's second finish was even better, guided into the bottom left corner from outside the box after Raphinha sent him through on goal.The forward crashed a shot off the bar as a first half hat-trick beckoned.Several Barca players lost their temper before the break as Getafe put in several hard and late tackles, with Kounde the victim of many of them.Flick sent on Rashford for Raphinha at half-time, perhaps in order to save the Brazilian from a potential red card."A lot of the time, they don't try to do anything apart from too many fouls, in my opinion, but we managed it well," Torres told DAZN."I said to the team: we have to focus on our match, not on their match," said Flick.Rashford created Barcelona's third, zipping inside from the right flank and unselfishly cutting the ball back for Olmo to finish, and had two efforts of his own saved by Getafe goalkeeper David Soria.The only bad news for Barca was substitute Fermin Lopez appearing to pull up hurt in stoppage time.<h2>Frustrated Atletico</h2>Earlier, Atletico were held by Mallorca despite outplaying the hosts.Diego Simeone's side, reduced to 10 men after Alexander Sorloth's red card, took the lead through Conor Gallagher but Vedat Muriqi levelled in the 85th minute.The draw left Atletico 12th, having won just one of their first five league matches."I think we dominated the game from start to end, until we scored and they, with one more player, turned up the pressure," Atletico captain Koke told DAZN."It's clear that what matters is scoring goals and they don't want to go in."The draw leaves Atletico nine points behind leaders Real Madrid, and seven behind Barcelona.Licking their wounds after a painful late Champions League defeat at Liverpool in midweek, Atletico were left with a similar feeling."We have to improve to hold on in games... (but) we're building a new team, a lot of players have come in. We're on the right path," said Simeone.Mallorca goalkeeper Leo Roman made several saves, including from Alvarez's penalty after captain Antonio Raillo handled David Hancko's shot in the first half.The Rojiblancos' job was made harder when Sorloth was dismissed for a high challenge on Raillo in the 72nd minute, but a few minutes later they took the lead as Gallagher netted a rebound.Simeone's side could not hold on and Muriqi nodded the hosts level with five minutes remaining.

Despite his brace against Newcastle in the Champions League, German coach Hansi Flick left Marcus Rashford on the bench, with Spanish media reporting that it was because the England international was late for a morning meeting.

Ferran Torres struck twice for champions Barcelona as they beat Getafe 3-0 on Sunday to stay on Real Madrid's tails at the top of La Liga. Dani Olmo was also on target for the Catalans, who trail leaders Madrid by two points after Xabi Alonso's side beat Espanyol on Saturday to maintain their 100 percent record. Atletico Madrid's stuttering start to the season continued in a 1-1 draw at Mallorca, in which their striker Julian Alvarez missed a penalty. Playing at the 6,000 capacity Johan Cruyff stadium besides their training ground again as the club waits for the necessary licences to reopen their renovated Camp Nou home, Barcelona dominated an unambitious Getafe team. Also Read - Ballon d'Or 2025: All you need to know about football's prestigious honour Despite his brace against Newcastle in the Champions League, German coach Hansi Flick left Marcus Rashford on the bench, with Spanish media reporting that it was because the England international was late for a morning meeting. Flick has dropped other players from the line-up for the same offence in the past, including defender Jules Kounde. "(Rotation) is normal because every three or four days we have a match, we need fresh legs on the pitch," said Flick, when asked why Rashford did not start. Rashford's replacement as the stand-in for injured teenage superstar Lamine Yamal, Torres, took his chance with both hands. "We have a lot of matches so it's really good to have everyone on this (level of) performance," added Flick. The Spaniard opened the scoring with a powerful finish at the end of a slick move, with Olmo backheeling the ball into his path in the box. Torres's second finish was even better, guided into the bottom left corner from outside the box after Raphinha sent him through on goal. The forward crashed a shot off the bar as a first half hat-trick beckoned. Several Barca players lost their temper before the break as Getafe put in several hard and late tackles, with Kounde the victim of many of them. Flick sent on Rashford for Raphinha at half-time, perhaps in order to save the Brazilian from a potential red card. "A lot of the time, they don't try to do anything apart from too many fouls, in my opinion, but we managed it well," Torres told DAZN. "I said to the team: we have to focus on our match, not on their match," said Flick. Rashford created Barcelona's third, zipping inside from the right flank and unselfishly cutting the ball back for Olmo to finish, and had two efforts of his own saved by Getafe goalkeeper David Soria. The only bad news for Barca was substitute Fermin Lopez appearing to pull up hurt in stoppage time. Frustrated Atletico Earlier, Atletico were held by Mallorca despite outplaying the hosts. Diego Simeone's side, reduced to 10 men after Alexander Sorloth's red card, took the lead through Conor Gallagher but Vedat Muriqi levelled in the 85th minute. The draw left Atletico 12th, having won just one of their first five league matches. "I think we dominated the game from start to end, until we scored and they, with one more player, turned up the pressure," Atletico captain Koke told DAZN. "It's clear that what matters is scoring goals and they don't want to go in." The draw leaves Atletico nine points behind leaders Real Madrid, and seven behind Barcelona. Licking their wounds after a painful late Champions League defeat at Liverpool in midweek, Atletico were left with a similar feeling. "We have to improve to hold on in games... (but) we're building a new team, a lot of players have come in. We're on the right path," said Simeone. Mallorca goalkeeper Leo Roman made several saves, including from Alvarez's penalty after captain Antonio Raillo handled David Hancko's shot in the first half. The Rojiblancos' job was made harder when Sorloth was dismissed for a high challenge on Raillo in the 72nd minute, but a few minutes later they took the lead as Gallagher netted a rebound. Simeone's side could not hold on and Muriqi nodded the hosts level with five minutes remaining.

Despite his brace against Newcastle in the Champions League, German coach Hansi Flick left Marcus Rashford on the bench, with Spanish media reporting that it was because the England international was late for a morning meeting.

La Liga: Torres brace helps Barcelona stay on Real Madrid's tail, Mallorca hold Atletico

US warplanes attacked a drug-running boat off the coast of the Dominican Republic, its drug enforcement agency and a US official announced Sunday in an expansion of American military activity in the Caribbean.The head of the DNCD anti-narcotics agency announced the strike at a joint press conference with a spokesperson for the US embassy.The latter official said this attack is the one President Donald Trump first announced Friday without saying where it had taken place, following several US attacks on alleged drug boats off Venezuela.In this newly reported strike, American military jets attacked a speed boat carrying 1,000 kilos of cocaine 80 nautical miles from the Dominican island of Beata, DNCD spokesman Carlos Devers told the news conference.A source close to the investigation of this case said the boat probably left originally from Venezuela.The United States has now acknowledged three recent attacks in the Caribbean that have killed more than a dozen people.It is attacking and destroying such vessels rather than seizing them and arresting their crew, which is the normal procedure in such anti-drug operations.Trump said Friday the US military had struck a drug trafficking boat in international waters, killing three people.Unlike after previous attacks, Trump made no mention of Venezuela, where the US Navy has deployed a small armada in a mission it says is designed to combat drug trafficking.Trump's announcement on his Truth Social platform included video of a speed boat in the cross hairs of some kind of weapon, then exploding in flames as it is hit by ordnance.The US military deployment -- eight warships and a nuclear-powered submarine to the southern Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela and 10 fighter jets sent to nearby Puerto Rico -- has been widely denounced in Latin America, stoking fears that the United States is planning to attack Venezuela.It has also prompted debate over the legality of the killings, with drug trafficking itself not a capital offense under US law.Washington has also not provided details to back up its claims that the boats targeted have actually been trafficking drugs.Leftist President Nicolas Maduro has accused the United States of pursuing regime change in his country under the guise of an operation to combat drug trafficking.Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

In this newly reported strike, American military jets attacked a speed boat carrying 1,000 kilos of cocaine 80 nautical miles from the Dominican island of Beata, DNCD spokesman Carlos Devers told the news conference.

US warplanes attacked a drug-running boat off the coast of the Dominican Republic, its drug enforcement agency and a US official announced Sunday in an expansion of American military activity in the Caribbean. The head of the DNCD anti-narcotics agency announced the strike at a joint press conference with a spokesperson for the US embassy. The latter official said this attack is the one President Donald Trump first announced Friday without saying where it had taken place, following several US attacks on alleged drug boats off Venezuela. In this newly reported strike, American military jets attacked a speed boat carrying 1,000 kilos of cocaine 80 nautical miles from the Dominican island of Beata, DNCD spokesman Carlos Devers told the news conference. A source close to the investigation of this case said the boat probably left originally from Venezuela. The United States has now acknowledged three recent attacks in the Caribbean that have killed more than a dozen people. It is attacking and destroying such vessels rather than seizing them and arresting their crew, which is the normal procedure in such anti-drug operations. Trump said Friday the US military had struck a drug trafficking boat in international waters, killing three people. Unlike after previous attacks, Trump made no mention of Venezuela, where the US Navy has deployed a small armada in a mission it says is designed to combat drug trafficking. Trump's announcement on his Truth Social platform included video of a speed boat in the cross hairs of some kind of weapon, then exploding in flames as it is hit by ordnance. The US military deployment -- eight warships and a nuclear-powered submarine to the southern Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela and 10 fighter jets sent to nearby Puerto Rico -- has been widely denounced in Latin America, stoking fears that the United States is planning to attack Venezuela. It has also prompted debate over the legality of the killings, with drug trafficking itself not a capital offense under US law. Washington has also not provided details to back up its claims that the boats targeted have actually been trafficking drugs. Leftist President Nicolas Maduro has accused the United States of pursuing regime change in his country under the guise of an operation to combat drug trafficking. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

In this newly reported strike, American military jets attacked a speed boat carrying 1,000 kilos of cocaine 80 nautical miles from the Dominican island of Beata, DNCD spokesman Carlos Devers told the news conference.

US military jets target drug-running boat off coast of Dominican Republic

Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele is tipped to hold off Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal and win the men's Ballon d'Or on Monday, while Aitana Bonmati's chances of claiming a third straight women's prize hang in the balance.&nbsp;The cream of world football will gather at the Theatre du Chatelet in central Paris to discover who will be the latest winners of an award dominated for so long by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.&nbsp;Those two won the Ballon d'Or 13 times between them from 2008 to 2023, with last year finally marking the end of an era when the award went to Manchester City midfielder Rodri after he captained Spain to Euro 2024 glory.&nbsp;With Rodri not a contender to retain the most prestigious individual prize in football after last season was marred by injury, Dembele has emerged as the favourite from a list of nominees dominated by PSG.&nbsp;Nine members of the PSG team that won the Champions League, demolishing Inter Milan 5-0 in the final, feature among the 30 nominees.&nbsp;There is Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha, as well as goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, now with Manchester City.&nbsp;But Dembele stands out after a magnificent season in which he filled the void left in Paris by the departed Kylian Mbappe, scoring 35 goals.&nbsp;That contribution helped PSG to also complete a domestic clean sweep and reach the final of the Club World Cup.&nbsp;It was a spectacular campaign for the French club and an even more extraordinary one for Dembele, the 28-year-old winger turned centre-forward whose previous most prolific season had delivered 14 goals for Barcelona in 2018/19.&nbsp;"It is nice after what was a wonderful season with PSG," Dembele told Le Monde when asked what it meant to be a leading contender for the prize.&nbsp;"I think it's true that I am one of the favourites, but we will see what happens," he said of a gong he has described as "the individual Holy Grail".&nbsp;Yamal, still just 18, stands out among the other nominees having emerged as a superstar on the wing at Barcelona, where he is seen as the successor to Messi.&nbsp;He won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 at last year's Ballon d'Or gala, fresh from having helped Spain to European Championship glory.&nbsp;He scored 18 goals in 55 games in all competitions last season as Barcelona won La Liga and the Spanish Copa del Rey, but they lost in the Champions League semi-finals to Inter.&nbsp;"I don't dream of winning one Ballon d'Or, I dream of winning lots," Yamal said in a recent interview with Spanish journalist Jose Ramon de la Morena.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-virat-kohli-here-is-a-look-at-five-indian-batters-with-most-runs-in-asia-cup-odis-t20is-sachin-tendulkar-ms-dhoni-dhawan-1754123070628">From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is)</a><h2>Bonmati to retain women's award?</h2>The Ballon d'Or is now voted for on the basis of achievements during last season, rather than over a calendar year as in the past.&nbsp;Other notable nominees include Viktor Gyokeres, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, and the key duo from Liverpool's 2024-2025 Premier League triumph, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.&nbsp;Mbappe and Vinicius Junior are on the list too, a year after Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony, outraged that the latter had been overlooked for the prize.&nbsp;The Ballon d'Or is voted for by a panel of journalists, one from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA world rankings.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-asia-cup-2025-full-squads-complete-fixtures-date-time-venue-and-live-streaming-details-check-all-details-1755585771834">Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details</a>&nbsp;It is the top 50 for the women, in which the field appears wide open as Barcelona and Spain star Bonmati goes for a treble.&nbsp;Bonmati, 27, is an exceptional talent and was named player of the tournament at the UEFA Women's Euro in July.&nbsp;Yet Spain lost the final of that tournament on penalties to England, and Bonmati's Barcelona also lost the Champions League final to Arsenal in May.&nbsp;What may work either in her favour, or that of teammate and two-time former winner Alexia Putellas, is that there is no obvious standout from the England team that triumphed at the Euros.&nbsp;Lucy Bronze, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, Alessio Russo and captain Leah Williamson are all nominated from that side, as is Chloe Kelly, who scored the decisive penalty in the final.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Ousmane Dembele stands out after a magnificent season in which he filled the void left in Paris by the departed Kylian Mbappe, scoring 35 goals.

Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele is tipped to hold off Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal and win the men's Ballon d'Or on Monday, while Aitana Bonmati's chances of claiming a third straight women's prize hang in the balance. The cream of world football will gather at the Theatre du Chatelet in central Paris to discover who will be the latest winners of an award dominated for so long by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Those two won the Ballon d'Or 13 times between them from 2008 to 2023, with last year finally marking the end of an era when the award went to Manchester City midfielder Rodri after he captained Spain to Euro 2024 glory. With Rodri not a contender to retain the most prestigious individual prize in football after last season was marred by injury, Dembele has emerged as the favourite from a list of nominees dominated by PSG. Nine members of the PSG team that won the Champions League, demolishing Inter Milan 5-0 in the final, feature among the 30 nominees. There is Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha, as well as goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, now with Manchester City. But Dembele stands out after a magnificent season in which he filled the void left in Paris by the departed Kylian Mbappe, scoring 35 goals. That contribution helped PSG to also complete a domestic clean sweep and reach the final of the Club World Cup. It was a spectacular campaign for the French club and an even more extraordinary one for Dembele, the 28-year-old winger turned centre-forward whose previous most prolific season had delivered 14 goals for Barcelona in 2018/19. "It is nice after what was a wonderful season with PSG," Dembele told Le Monde when asked what it meant to be a leading contender for the prize. "I think it's true that I am one of the favourites, but we will see what happens," he said of a gong he has described as "the individual Holy Grail". Yamal, still just 18, stands out among the other nominees having emerged as a superstar on the wing at Barcelona, where he is seen as the successor to Messi. He won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 at last year's Ballon d'Or gala, fresh from having helped Spain to European Championship glory. He scored 18 goals in 55 games in all competitions last season as Barcelona won La Liga and the Spanish Copa del Rey, but they lost in the Champions League semi-finals to Inter. "I don't dream of winning one Ballon d'Or, I dream of winning lots," Yamal said in a recent interview with Spanish journalist Jose Ramon de la Morena. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is) Bonmati to retain women's award? The Ballon d'Or is now voted for on the basis of achievements during last season, rather than over a calendar year as in the past. Other notable nominees include Viktor Gyokeres, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, and the key duo from Liverpool's 2024-2025 Premier League triumph, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. Mbappe and Vinicius Junior are on the list too, a year after Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony, outraged that the latter had been overlooked for the prize. The Ballon d'Or is voted for by a panel of journalists, one from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA world rankings. ALSO READ | Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details It is the top 50 for the women, in which the field appears wide open as Barcelona and Spain star Bonmati goes for a treble. Bonmati, 27, is an exceptional talent and was named player of the tournament at the UEFA Women's Euro in July. Yet Spain lost the final of that tournament on penalties to England, and Bonmati's Barcelona also lost the Champions League final to Arsenal in May. What may work either in her favour, or that of teammate and two-time former winner Alexia Putellas, is that there is no obvious standout from the England team that triumphed at the Euros. Lucy Bronze, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, Alessio Russo and captain Leah Williamson are all nominated from that side, as is Chloe Kelly, who scored the decisive penalty in the final. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Ousmane Dembele stands out after a magnificent season in which he filled the void left in Paris by the departed Kylian Mbappe, scoring 35 goals.

Ballon d'Or 2025: PSG star Ousmane Dembele tipped to beat Lamine Yamal to win - Report

Superstar Lionel Messi scored two superb goals and created another as Inter Miami beat DC United 3-2 on Saturday to inch closer to an MLS Cup playoff berth. Amid indications this week from sources close to the club that Messi is poised to sign a contract extension that would keep him in Miami at least through next year, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner showed just why the club and Major League Soccer are so keen to see him stay.&nbsp;The 38-year-old now has 22 goals in 22 matches played this season. With his seventh double of the MLS season he moved to the top of the league scoring list, passing England's Sam Surridge, who has 21 for Nashville.&nbsp;"It was another ordinary night for him, which is totally extraordinary for any other football player," Miami coach Javier Mascherano said.&nbsp;"His ability not only to score but to make the team play, to find situations, and to carry the team on his shoulders when we needed him most and faced difficulties -- that is the advantage of having him, and today we were able to take advantage of it."&nbsp;Miami dominated from the outset on a rainy night at their Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, against a team already eliminated from playoff contention.&nbsp;They took the lead in the 35th minute when Messi produced a well-judged through ball forward to Tadeo Allende, who beat United goalkeeper Luis Barraza with his first touch and smoothly fired into the right corner of the net.&nbsp;Christian Benteke headed the visitors level in the 52nd minute.&nbsp;Messi forced a pair of quick saves from Barraza before he fired Inter back into the lead in the 66th minute, collecting a pass from Jordi Alba in the box and turning to slot a left-footed shot past Barraza.&nbsp;Two minutes after coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute, Argentine Mateo Silvetti was fouled in the box by Barraza.&nbsp;The referee pointed to the spot and the 19-year-old stepped up to take the kick, but he smashed the attempt off the crossbar.&nbsp;"Leo gave it to Toto (Silvetti) surely as a gesture to let him have his first goal, which I think is something very good, unfortunately he couldn't score it," Mascherano said, adding that the gesture was one Messi had made often in his career to “involve someone who needs it more than him.”<h2>Important win</h2>But Messi pushed Miami's lead to 3-1 with a bit of trademark magic in the 85th, picking up a pass just outside the area and eluding his defender to loft a shot out of the reach of Barraza.&nbsp;It proved invaluable, as Jacob Murrell struck for DC United in the seventh minute of stoppage time to trim the deficit to one.&nbsp;With the win Mascherano called "very important," Miami climbed one spot to fifth in the Eastern Conference with 52 points but will have to wait to secure their playoff berth after New York Red Bulls produced a 2-0 victory over Montreal.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-virat-kohli-here-is-a-look-at-five-indian-batters-with-most-runs-in-asia-cup-odis-t20is-sachin-tendulkar-ms-dhoni-dhawan-1754123070628">From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is)</a>&nbsp;New York City FC clinched their ninth playoff spot in 11 seasons with a 2-0 victory over playoff-bound Charlotte.&nbsp;Alonso Martinez converted two penalties and Matt Freese saved a Wilfried Zaha spot kick as City stretched their unbeaten run to three matches.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-asia-cup-2025-full-squads-complete-fixtures-date-time-venue-and-live-streaming-details-check-all-details-1755585771834">Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details</a>&nbsp;Philadelphia Union maintained their grip on first place in the East and bolstered their bid for the Supporters' Shield awarded to the top team overall with a 1-0 victory over New England.&nbsp;Bruno Damiani broke the scoreless deadlock in the 71st minute with a crisp finish from a perfectly placed pass from Frankie Westfield.&nbsp;Orlando denied Nashville's chance to clinch a playoff berth with a 3-2 victory.&nbsp;Martin Ojeda scored two goals and Duncan McGuire added another for Orlando, who are also in pursuit of a post-season spot. Hany Mukhtar and Jacob Shaffelburg scored for Nashville.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lionel Messi now has 22 goals in 22 matches played this season. With his seventh double of the MLS season he moved to the top of the league scoring list, passing England's Sam Surridge, who has 21 for Nashville.

Superstar Lionel Messi scored two superb goals and created another as Inter Miami beat DC United 3-2 on Saturday to inch closer to an MLS Cup playoff berth. Amid indications this week from sources close to the club that Messi is poised to sign a contract extension that would keep him in Miami at least through next year, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner showed just why the club and Major League Soccer are so keen to see him stay. The 38-year-old now has 22 goals in 22 matches played this season. With his seventh double of the MLS season he moved to the top of the league scoring list, passing England's Sam Surridge, who has 21 for Nashville. "It was another ordinary night for him, which is totally extraordinary for any other football player," Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. "His ability not only to score but to make the team play, to find situations, and to carry the team on his shoulders when we needed him most and faced difficulties -- that is the advantage of having him, and today we were able to take advantage of it." Miami dominated from the outset on a rainy night at their Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, against a team already eliminated from playoff contention. They took the lead in the 35th minute when Messi produced a well-judged through ball forward to Tadeo Allende, who beat United goalkeeper Luis Barraza with his first touch and smoothly fired into the right corner of the net. Christian Benteke headed the visitors level in the 52nd minute. Messi forced a pair of quick saves from Barraza before he fired Inter back into the lead in the 66th minute, collecting a pass from Jordi Alba in the box and turning to slot a left-footed shot past Barraza. Two minutes after coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute, Argentine Mateo Silvetti was fouled in the box by Barraza. The referee pointed to the spot and the 19-year-old stepped up to take the kick, but he smashed the attempt off the crossbar. "Leo gave it to Toto (Silvetti) surely as a gesture to let him have his first goal, which I think is something very good, unfortunately he couldn't score it," Mascherano said, adding that the gesture was one Messi had made often in his career to “involve someone who needs it more than him.” Important win But Messi pushed Miami's lead to 3-1 with a bit of trademark magic in the 85th, picking up a pass just outside the area and eluding his defender to loft a shot out of the reach of Barraza. It proved invaluable, as Jacob Murrell struck for DC United in the seventh minute of stoppage time to trim the deficit to one. With the win Mascherano called "very important," Miami climbed one spot to fifth in the Eastern Conference with 52 points but will have to wait to secure their playoff berth after New York Red Bulls produced a 2-0 victory over Montreal. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is) New York City FC clinched their ninth playoff spot in 11 seasons with a 2-0 victory over playoff-bound Charlotte. Alonso Martinez converted two penalties and Matt Freese saved a Wilfried Zaha spot kick as City stretched their unbeaten run to three matches. ALSO READ | Asia Cup 2025: All you need to know - full squads, complete fixtures, date, time, venue and other key details Philadelphia Union maintained their grip on first place in the East and bolstered their bid for the Supporters' Shield awarded to the top team overall with a 1-0 victory over New England. Bruno Damiani broke the scoreless deadlock in the 71st minute with a crisp finish from a perfectly placed pass from Frankie Westfield. Orlando denied Nashville's chance to clinch a playoff berth with a 3-2 victory. Martin Ojeda scored two goals and Duncan McGuire added another for Orlando, who are also in pursuit of a post-season spot. Hany Mukhtar and Jacob Shaffelburg scored for Nashville. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lionel Messi now has 22 goals in 22 matches played this season. With his seventh double of the MLS season he moved to the top of the league scoring list, passing England's Sam Surridge, who has 21 for Nashville.

MLS: Lionel Messi brace lifts Inter Miami in win over DC United

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