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Brazil legend Ronaldo has confirmed he wants to become president of the country's football governing body to address a "deep crisis" the sport is facing nationally.

"I have hundreds of motivations, but I think the biggest of them is really to restore international respect to Brazilian football," he said in an interview on Monday with the Globoesporte website.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/super-league-promoters-reveal-approaching-fifa-uefa-for-official-recognition-784749">Super League promoters reveal approaching FIFA, UEFA for official recognition</a>

Ronaldo said he wanted to be an "alternative for significant change" as candidate for the job of running the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

"O Fenomeno" ("The Phenomenon"), as the 48-year-old became known over the course of his 1993-2011 career, said he wants to use the CBF presidency to help Brazil's national team to regain its glory as five-time world champions.

"The Selecao has to recover its prestige. I'll do everything so that the players understand the historic importance of playing for the national team," he said.

Ronaldo scored both goals when Brazil beat Germany in the 2002 World Cup final in Japan, and was twice winner of the Ballon d'Or.

To lodge his CBF candidacy, he needs the support of Brazilian regional clubs and federations.

To get those, he promised to travel "all around Brazil" and share the "incredible plans" he has for the sport.

The date of the next CBF election has not yet been set, but should happen between March 2025 and March 2026, according to Brazilian media.

<h2>'Much deeper problem'</h2>

Current CBF chief Ednaldo Rodrigues has been criticized for slotting in temporary coaches for the national team after Tite's 2022 exit while waiting for Carlo Ancelotti to arrive -- something that did not happen when the Italian decided late last year to extend his contract as manager of Real Madrid.

Currently coached by Dorival Junior, the Selecao are fifth in South America qualifying for the 2026 World Cup tournament, seven points behind leaders Argentina.

"My problem is not Ednaldo. The problem is much deeper. My goal is to bring the people closer to the Selecao. Today, the people are indifferent when the Selecao plays," Ronaldo told Globoesporte. "I am an alternative of significant change for Brazilian football, which is going through a deep crisis," he said.

Ronaldo, a former star for Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, already has leadership experience.

In 2018, he took majority control of Spain's Real Valladolid, and in 2021 did the same for Cruzeiro, the Brazilian club where he started his career.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

He sold his Cruzeiro stake in April this year.

In his interview, Ronaldo said he was in talks to "very soon" sell his Valladolid stake to avoid "any obstacle" to his CBF candidacy.

Brazil legend Ronaldo has confirmed he wants to become president of the country's football governing body to address a "deep crisis" the sport is facing nationally.

Brazil legend Ronaldo has confirmed he wants to become president of the country's football governing body to address a "deep crisis" the sport is facing nationally. "I have hundreds of motivations, but I think the biggest of them is really to restore international respect to Brazilian football," he said in an interview on Monday with the Globoesporte website. ALSO READ: Super League promoters reveal approaching FIFA, UEFA for official recognition Ronaldo said he wanted to be an "alternative for significant change" as candidate for the job of running the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). "O Fenomeno" ("The Phenomenon"), as the 48-year-old became known over the course of his 1993-2011 career, said he wants to use the CBF presidency to help Brazil's national team to regain its glory as five-time world champions. "The Selecao has to recover its prestige. I'll do everything so that the players understand the historic importance of playing for the national team," he said. Ronaldo scored both goals when Brazil beat Germany in the 2002 World Cup final in Japan, and was twice winner of the Ballon d'Or. To lodge his CBF candidacy, he needs the support of Brazilian regional clubs and federations. To get those, he promised to travel "all around Brazil" and share the "incredible plans" he has for the sport. The date of the next CBF election has not yet been set, but should happen between March 2025 and March 2026, according to Brazilian media. 'Much deeper problem' Current CBF chief Ednaldo Rodrigues has been criticized for slotting in temporary coaches for the national team after Tite's 2022 exit while waiting for Carlo Ancelotti to arrive -- something that did not happen when the Italian decided late last year to extend his contract as manager of Real Madrid. Currently coached by Dorival Junior, the Selecao are fifth in South America qualifying for the 2026 World Cup tournament, seven points behind leaders Argentina. "My problem is not Ednaldo. The problem is much deeper. My goal is to bring the people closer to the Selecao. Today, the people are indifferent when the Selecao plays," Ronaldo told Globoesporte. "I am an alternative of significant change for Brazilian football, which is going through a deep crisis," he said. Ronaldo, a former star for Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, already has leadership experience. In 2018, he took majority control of Spain's Real Valladolid, and in 2021 did the same for Cruzeiro, the Brazilian club where he started his career. 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. He sold his Cruzeiro stake in April this year. In his interview, Ronaldo said he was in talks to "very soon" sell his Valladolid stake to avoid "any obstacle" to his CBF candidacy.

Ronaldo wants to run Brazil’s football to help regain its glory as world champions

Super League promoters on Tuesday revealed they have asked FIFA and UEFA for "official recognition" of their proposed competition, renamed the "Unify League", leaning on a ruling from Europe's top court.

A22 Sports Management said it sent the proposal after discussions with various leagues, clubs and other stakeholders, revising its qualification system to base participation on annual domestic performances.&nbsp;It has submitted plans for competitions featuring 96 teams divided into four leagues, running from September to April, followed by a knockout phase starting with the quarter-finals.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fa-suspends-chelsea-forward-mykhailo-mudryk-over-failed-drug-test-784667">FA suspends Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk over failed drug test</a>

In a statement, A22 argued last year's European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling meant that "any competition where qualification is inclusive and meritocratic, and which complies with the overall match calendar can be officially established".

Promoters also said matches would be shown live for free via a streaming platform.

"Our extensive engagement with key stakeholders revealed a number of pressing challenges facing the sport including increasing subscription costs for fans, an overloaded player calendar, insufficient investment in women's football, and dissatisfaction with the format and governance of the current pan-European competitions," said A22 CEO Bernd Reichart said.

"Our proposal is designed to directly address these challenges."

<h2>Furious backlash</h2>

European football was hit with a bombshell in early 2021, when 12 of its biggest clubs announced they had signed up to the planned Super League, triggering a furious backlash from fans and a stark warning from UEFA that clubs and players who took parts would be barred from competitions like the World Cup.

Within 48 hours, nine of the 12 rebel clubs—including six from the English Premier League—backed down and the project collapsed, but Real Madrid and Barcelona remain strong supporters of it.

Last year, the ECJ ruled that UEFA had broken EU law by abusing its "dominant position" in European football to stifle an upstart breakaway league of elite clubs.

But when the firm promoting the Super League seized on the court victory to announce plans for a new 64-team tournament to compete with or replace UEFA's flagship Champions League, it was met with scorn and rejection.

In May, a Spanish court said FIFA and UEFA had "prevented free competition" by opposing the Super League, but UEFA insisted it did not explicitly support the creation of the Super League.

"The judgment does not give third parties the right to develop competitions without authorisation and does not concern any future project or indeed any modified version of an existing project," UEFA said at the time.

European football's governing body also pointed out that it had since brought in new rules to ensure it now complied with EU law.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

Super League promoters on Tuesday revealed they have asked FIFA and UEFA for "official recognition" of their proposed competition, renamed the "Unify League", leaning on a ruling from Europe's top court.

Super League promoters on Tuesday revealed they have asked FIFA and UEFA for "official recognition" of their proposed competition, renamed the "Unify League", leaning on a ruling from Europe's top court. A22 Sports Management said it sent the proposal after discussions with various leagues, clubs and other stakeholders, revising its qualification system to base participation on annual domestic performances. It has submitted plans for competitions featuring 96 teams divided into four leagues, running from September to April, followed by a knockout phase starting with the quarter-finals. ALSO READ: FA suspends Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk over failed drug test In a statement, A22 argued last year's European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling meant that "any competition where qualification is inclusive and meritocratic, and which complies with the overall match calendar can be officially established". Promoters also said matches would be shown live for free via a streaming platform. "Our extensive engagement with key stakeholders revealed a number of pressing challenges facing the sport including increasing subscription costs for fans, an overloaded player calendar, insufficient investment in women's football, and dissatisfaction with the format and governance of the current pan-European competitions," said A22 CEO Bernd Reichart said. "Our proposal is designed to directly address these challenges." Furious backlash European football was hit with a bombshell in early 2021, when 12 of its biggest clubs announced they had signed up to the planned Super League, triggering a furious backlash from fans and a stark warning from UEFA that clubs and players who took parts would be barred from competitions like the World Cup. Within 48 hours, nine of the 12 rebel clubs—including six from the English Premier League—backed down and the project collapsed, but Real Madrid and Barcelona remain strong supporters of it. Last year, the ECJ ruled that UEFA had broken EU law by abusing its "dominant position" in European football to stifle an upstart breakaway league of elite clubs. But when the firm promoting the Super League seized on the court victory to announce plans for a new 64-team tournament to compete with or replace UEFA's flagship Champions League, it was met with scorn and rejection. In May, a Spanish court said FIFA and UEFA had "prevented free competition" by opposing the Super League, but UEFA insisted it did not explicitly support the creation of the Super League. "The judgment does not give third parties the right to develop competitions without authorisation and does not concern any future project or indeed any modified version of an existing project," UEFA said at the time. European football's governing body also pointed out that it had since brought in new rules to ensure it now complied with EU law. 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.

Super League promoters reveal approaching FIFA, UEFA for official recognition

Arsenal legend Sol Campbell says that other clubs must slip up for Arsenal to win the Premier Legue title this season. Campbell was recently in Kolkata as the global ambassador for the Tata Steel World 25k . Campbell also told Correspondent Arkodeepto Mukherjee that he is open to working in India. Watch in for more details!

Sol Campbell: Other Clubs Must Slip Up For Arsenal To Win Title

Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has failed a doping test, the Premier League club said on Tuesday, as reports stated the Ukraine international has been provisionally suspended.

The Blues said they were notified by the Football Association of an "adverse finding" in a urine sample provided by the 23-year-old winger.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/d-gukesh-shares-admiration-for-viswanathan-anand-after-wcc-win-tweets-inspiration-from-the-start-784584">D Gukesh shares admiration for Viswanathan Anand after WCC win, tweets 'inspiration from the start'</a>

"Chelsea Football Club can confirm that the Football Association recently contacted our player, Mykhailo Mudryk, concerning an adverse finding in a routine urine test," a club statement said. "Both the club and Mykhailo fully support the FA's testing programme and all our players, including Mykhailo, are regularly tested."

"Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances. Both Mykhailo and the Club will now work with the relevant authorities to establish what has caused the adverse finding."

Mudryk issued a statement via his Instagram account.

"I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to the FA contained a banned substance," it said. "This has come as a complete shock as I have never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules, and am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened."

"I know that I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon. I cannot say any more now due to the confidentiality of the process, but I will as soon as I can."

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🚨⚠️ Mykhaylo Mudryk’s official statement. 
 
“I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to The FA contained a banned substance”. 
 
“This has come as a complete shock as I have NEVER knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules, and am working… <a href="https://t.co/WfYWmLo4oD">pic.twitter.com/WfYWmLo4oD</a>
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1868963419082088718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Athletes are warned on the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) website that they face a ban of four years if it is found a banned substance was taken intentionally.

If the violation involved a specified substance or a contaminated product, and the athlete can demonstrate they had no significant fault, ineligibility may range from two years to a reprimand, depending on the level of fault.

Mudryk has made 15 appearances for Chelsea this season and last played in a 2-0 win at German side Heidenheim in the Conference League on November 28, in which he scored his third goal of the season.

He has not featured in the past five matches in all competitions.

Mudryk joined Chelsea for a reported £88.5 million ($112 million) from Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023.

Enzo Maresca's side are second in the Premier League and top the Conference League table.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has failed a doping test, the Premier League club said on Tuesday, as reports stated the Ukraine international has been provisionally suspended.

Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has failed a doping test, the Premier League club said on Tuesday, as reports stated the Ukraine international has been provisionally suspended. The Blues said they were notified by the Football Association of an "adverse finding" in a urine sample provided by the 23-year-old winger. ALSO READ: D Gukesh shares admiration for Viswanathan Anand after WCC win, tweets 'inspiration from the start' "Chelsea Football Club can confirm that the Football Association recently contacted our player, Mykhailo Mudryk, concerning an adverse finding in a routine urine test," a club statement said. "Both the club and Mykhailo fully support the FA's testing programme and all our players, including Mykhailo, are regularly tested." "Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances. Both Mykhailo and the Club will now work with the relevant authorities to establish what has caused the adverse finding." Mudryk issued a statement via his Instagram account. "I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to the FA contained a banned substance," it said. "This has come as a complete shock as I have never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules, and am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened." "I know that I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon. I cannot say any more now due to the confidentiality of the process, but I will as soon as I can." 🚨⚠️ Mykhaylo Mudryk’s official statement. “I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to The FA contained a banned substance”. “This has come as a complete shock as I have NEVER knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules, and am working… pic.twitter.com/WfYWmLo4oD — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 17, 2024 × Athletes are warned on the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) website that they face a ban of four years if it is found a banned substance was taken intentionally. If the violation involved a specified substance or a contaminated product, and the athlete can demonstrate they had no significant fault, ineligibility may range from two years to a reprimand, depending on the level of fault. Mudryk has made 15 appearances for Chelsea this season and last played in a 2-0 win at German side Heidenheim in the Conference League on November 28, in which he scored his third goal of the season. He has not featured in the past five matches in all competitions. Mudryk joined Chelsea for a reported £88.5 million ($112 million) from Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023. Enzo Maresca's side are second in the Premier League and top the Conference League 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.

FA suspends Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk over failed drug test

India’s new chess sensation D Gukesh is full of admiration for legendary Viswanathan Anand after winning the World Chess Championship (WCC) on Thursday (Dec 12). In a marathon 14-game WCC showdown, Gukesh got the better of China’s Ding Liren to become the youngest champion at 18. After the win, Gukesh took to his X handle and recalled memories with Anand.

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Thanks <a href="https://twitter.com/vishy64theking?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vishy64theking</a> 🙏! 
 
Inspiration from the start , joined waca, helped with Gaju and learnt a lot discussing Chess etc <a href="https://t.co/vYRxX1YnRB">pic.twitter.com/vYRxX1YnRB</a>
— Gukesh D (@DGukesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/DGukesh/status/1868748670461788667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Gukesh admires Anand’s role</h2>

"Thanks @vishy64theking! Inspiration from the start joined waca, helped with Gaju and learnt a lot discussing Chess etc," tweeted Gukesh.

On Thursday, Gukesh won game 14 of the WCC to pocket the tournament with a score of 7.5-6.5. He became the second Indian after Anand in 2000 to win the WCC while also breaking Russian great Garry Kasparov’s record for the youngest champion.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-australia-dealt-fresh-injury-blow-as-josh-hazlewood-sits-out-on-day-4-due-to-niggle-784539">BGT: Australia dealt fresh injury blow as Josh Hazlewood sits out on Day 4 due to niggle</a>

<h2>What happened in the final?</h2>

Having ended game 13 in a draw after a marathon five-hour contest, Gukesh and Liren started defensively in the latest contest. Playing with the white pawns, Gukesh had a considerable time advantage at the start despite losing key pieces. By the 36th move of the game, the Indian had a 30-minute advantage while both were on the decadency of losing key pieces.

On the 37th move, Gukesh gave a check to Liren with his rook despite no chance of causing any terror. However, a swift response and some aggressive play by the Chinese star meant the game was heading into a draw.

However, the 18-year-old Indian had luck on his side when Liren decided to offer his rook up in his 55th move by placing it at f2, which turned out to be the Championship-deciding blunder. The move opened the gates for Gukesh to win his first World Championship on the 58th move.

India’s new chess sensation D Gukesh is full of admiration for legendary Viswanathan Anand after winning the World Chess Championship (WCC) on Thursday (Dec 12).

India’s new chess sensation D Gukesh is full of admiration for legendary Viswanathan Anand after winning the World Chess Championship (WCC) on Thursday (Dec 12). In a marathon 14-game WCC showdown, Gukesh got the better of China’s Ding Liren to become the youngest champion at 18. After the win, Gukesh took to his X handle and recalled memories with Anand. Thanks @vishy64theking 🙏! Inspiration from the start , joined waca, helped with Gaju and learnt a lot discussing Chess etc pic.twitter.com/vYRxX1YnRB — Gukesh D (@DGukesh) December 16, 2024 × Gukesh admires Anand’s role "Thanks @vishy64theking! Inspiration from the start joined waca, helped with Gaju and learnt a lot discussing Chess etc," tweeted Gukesh. On Thursday, Gukesh won game 14 of the WCC to pocket the tournament with a score of 7.5-6.5. He became the second Indian after Anand in 2000 to win the WCC while also breaking Russian great Garry Kasparov’s record for the youngest champion. ALSO READ | BGT: Australia dealt fresh injury blow as Josh Hazlewood sits out on Day 4 due to niggle What happened in the final? Having ended game 13 in a draw after a marathon five-hour contest, Gukesh and Liren started defensively in the latest contest. Playing with the white pawns, Gukesh had a considerable time advantage at the start despite losing key pieces. By the 36th move of the game, the Indian had a 30-minute advantage while both were on the decadency of losing key pieces. On the 37th move, Gukesh gave a check to Liren with his rook despite no chance of causing any terror. However, a swift response and some aggressive play by the Chinese star meant the game was heading into a draw. However, the 18-year-old Indian had luck on his side when Liren decided to offer his rook up in his 55th move by placing it at f2, which turned out to be the Championship-deciding blunder. The move opened the gates for Gukesh to win his first World Championship on the 58th move.

D Gukesh shares admiration for Viswanathan Anand after WCC win, tweets 'inspiration from the start'

Chennai, India
India's D Gukesh, the youngest world chess champion, returned home on Monday (Dec 16) after his historic win in Singapore. Gukesh beat defending champion Ding Liren to create history and became the world champion at 18. He's only the second Indian after legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the title.
Upon his arrival, Gukesh was received by a huge crowd and members of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT). The young champion thanked the crowd and fans for the support.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/sergio-gonzalez-stars-as-leganes-stun-la-liga-leaders-barcelona-784276">Sergio González stars as Leganes stun La Liga leaders Barcelona</a>
"I am very glad to be here. I can see the support and what it means to India... You guys are amazing. You gave me so much energy," he said while addressing the media. Watch the moment below:
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: World Chess Champion <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GukeshD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GukeshD</a> says, "I am very glad to be here. I could see the support that and what it means to India...You guys are amazing. You gave me so much energy..." <a href="https://t.co/iuFXDiLcjx">pic.twitter.com/iuFXDiLcjx</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1868535174419591554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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After winning the World Chess Championship that went on for 13 games before the winner was decided in Game 14, Gukesh was interviewed by FIDE, during which he said, "I mean as a kid I wanted to become world champion because I thought it meant the best player in the world. It’s still a very special achievement for me. Going through the whole process – Candidates, World Championship – it’s very stressful and I had to put a lot of effort into it.
"So it means a lot to me, but the main goal I have had is being the best in the world and achieving my full potential. And if that’s enough to become the greatest of all time, then yeah sure," he added.
Russian great Garry Kasparov had held the record for the youngest world champion until Gukesh’s success.  Kasparov won the 1985 World Chess Championship when he was 22, a record he held until the Indian grandmaster’s success in Singapore last week.
The win was celebrated across the country, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading in congratulating Gukesh.

Upon his arrival, Gukesh was received by a huge crowd and members of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT).



Chennai, India India's D Gukesh, the youngest world chess champion, returned home on Monday (Dec 16) after his historic win in Singapore. Gukesh beat defending champion Ding Liren to create history and became the world champion at 18. He's only the second Indian after legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the title. Upon his arrival, Gukesh was received by a huge crowd and members of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT). The young champion thanked the crowd and fans for the support. Also Read: Sergio González stars as Leganes stun La Liga leaders Barcelona "I am very glad to be here. I can see the support and what it means to India... You guys are amazing. You gave me so much energy," he said while addressing the media. Watch the moment below: #WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: World Chess Champion #GukeshD says, "I am very glad to be here. I could see the support that and what it means to India...You guys are amazing. You gave me so much energy..." pic.twitter.com/iuFXDiLcjx — ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2024 × After winning the World Chess Championship that went on for 13 games before the winner was decided in Game 14, Gukesh was interviewed by FIDE, during which he said, "I mean as a kid I wanted to become world champion because I thought it meant the best player in the world. It’s still a very special achievement for me. Going through the whole process – Candidates, World Championship – it’s very stressful and I had to put a lot of effort into it. "So it means a lot to me, but the main goal I have had is being the best in the world and achieving my full potential. And if that’s enough to become the greatest of all time, then yeah sure," he added. Russian great Garry Kasparov had held the record for the youngest world champion until Gukesh’s success. Kasparov won the 1985 World Chess Championship when he was 22, a record he held until the Indian grandmaster’s success in Singapore last week. The win was celebrated across the country, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading in congratulating Gukesh.

WATCH | Gukesh, youngest world chess champion, returns home after historic win

India's D Gukesh, the youngest world chess champion, returned home on Monday (Dec 16) after his historic win in Singapore. Gukesh beat defending champion Ding Liren to create history and became the world champion at 18. He's only the second Indian after legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the title.

Upon his arrival, Gukesh was received by a huge crowd and members of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT). The young champion thanked the crowd and fans for the support.

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"I am very glad to be here. I can see the support and what it means to India... You guys are amazing. You gave me so much energy," he said while addressing the media. Watch the moment below:

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: World Chess Champion <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GukeshD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GukeshD</a> says, "I am very glad to be here. I could see the support that and what it means to India...You guys are amazing. You gave me so much energy..." <a href="https://t.co/iuFXDiLcjx">pic.twitter.com/iuFXDiLcjx</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1868535174419591554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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After winning the World Chess Championship that went on for 13 games before the winner was decided in Game 14, Gukesh was interviewed by FIDE, during which he said, "I mean as a kid I wanted to become world champion because I thought it meant the best player in the world. It’s still a very special achievement for me. Going through the whole process – Candidates, World Championship – it’s very stressful and I had to put a lot of effort into it.

"So it means a lot to me, but the main goal I have had is being the best in the world and achieving my full potential. And if that’s enough to become the greatest of all time, then yeah sure," he added.

Russian great Garry Kasparov had held the record for the youngest world champion until Gukesh’s success. &nbsp;Kasparov won the 1985 World Chess Championship when he was 22, a record he held until the Indian grandmaster’s success in Singapore last week.

The win was celebrated across the country, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading in congratulating Gukesh.

India's D Gukesh, the youngest world chess champion, returned home on Monday (Dec 16) after his historic win in Singapore. Gukesh beat defending champion Ding Liren to create history and became the world champion at 18.

India's D Gukesh, the youngest world chess champion, returned home on Monday (Dec 16) after his historic win in Singapore. Gukesh beat defending champion Ding Liren to create history and became the world champion at 18. He's only the second Indian after legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the title. Upon his arrival, Gukesh was received by a huge crowd and members of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT). The young champion thanked the crowd and fans for the support. Also Read: Sergio González stars as Leganes stun La Liga leaders Barcelona "I am very glad to be here. I can see the support and what it means to India... You guys are amazing. You gave me so much energy," he said while addressing the media. Watch the moment below: #WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: World Chess Champion #GukeshD says, "I am very glad to be here. I could see the support that and what it means to India...You guys are amazing. You gave me so much energy..." pic.twitter.com/iuFXDiLcjx — ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2024 × After winning the World Chess Championship that went on for 13 games before the winner was decided in Game 14, Gukesh was interviewed by FIDE, during which he said, "I mean as a kid I wanted to become world champion because I thought it meant the best player in the world. It’s still a very special achievement for me. Going through the whole process – Candidates, World Championship – it’s very stressful and I had to put a lot of effort into it. "So it means a lot to me, but the main goal I have had is being the best in the world and achieving my full potential. And if that’s enough to become the greatest of all time, then yeah sure," he added. Russian great Garry Kasparov had held the record for the youngest world champion until Gukesh’s success. Kasparov won the 1985 World Chess Championship when he was 22, a record he held until the Indian grandmaster’s success in Singapore last week. The win was celebrated across the country, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading in congratulating Gukesh.

Manchester, UK
Riddled with anxiety about Manchester City's shocking decline, Pep Guardiola will endure another sleepless night as he tries to pose more problems for Ruben Amorim in the Manchester United manager's first taste of the Premier League's most explosive rivalry.
For the first time in years, City go into the Manchester derby mired in even more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions.
Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus was City's seventh loss in that period, an astonishing collapse for a club that has won six of the last seven Premier League titles, including their current streak of four in a row.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/bundesliga-mainz-hand-bayern-munich-first-league-loss-under-vincent-kompany-784052">Bundesliga: Mainz hand Bayern Munich first league loss under Vincent Kompany</a>
United are hardly in peak form themselves, having won just three of Amorim's six games in charge since he replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag.
But Amorim has already inflicted one painful blow to Guardiola this season when his Sporting side crushed City 4-1 in the Champions League in Lisbon on November 5.
City squandered an early lead on that occasion, blown away by Viktor Gyokeres' hat-trick as Amorim ruthlessly exposed the gaping holes in Guardiola's ramshackle defence.
That chastening loss came just days before Amorim officially took charge at Old Trafford and Guardiola would love to exact avenge at the Etihad Stadium this weekend.
Whether Guardiola's injury-plagued team, whose confidence appears to be in tatters, are in any shape to deliver a sixth win in their last seven league meetings with United is another matter.
The strain of the worst run of his glittering managerial career is taking a toll on Guardiola as well.
In an interview before the Juventus game, Guardiola said his state of mind was "ugly", his sleep was "worse" and he was eating lighter as his digestion has suffered during City's collapse.
On Friday, Guardiola, who recently signed a new two-year contract, insisted he was "fine" despite the stress.
<h2>'In a better place than us'</h2>
"In our jobs we always want to do our best. When that doesn't happen you are more uncomfortable than when the situation is going well," said Guardiola, who could have just three fit defenders available on Sunday.
"In good moments I am happier but when I get to the next game I am still concerned about what I have to do.
"There is no human being that makes an activity and it doesn't matter how they do."
There is no question another loss to Amorim would be a huge blow for Guardiola, whose fourth-placed side are eight points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
Yet Amorim has plenty of issues of his own to resolve after a rocky first month in Manchester featuring only one league victory in four matches.
United are languishing in 13th place after successive league losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest underlined the extent of the rebuilding job faced by Amorim.
They struggled to find any fluency in a nervy 2-1 victory at minnows Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday.
Given United's mediocrity before and since his arrival, Amorim is in no position to cast aspersions about City's woes.
"I never think about these things. We will face a great opponent and I'm more focused on our problems, so we have a lot of issues here," he said. "I'm more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game, so I'm really focused on my team."
And the 39-year-old believes City are capable of hitting back if United allow them to rediscover their rhythm amid the sound and fury of the derby.
"The great teams can respond in any moment. I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game," he said. "The way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments."
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.

For the first time in years, City go into the Manchester derby mired in even more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions.



Manchester, UK Riddled with anxiety about Manchester City's shocking decline, Pep Guardiola will endure another sleepless night as he tries to pose more problems for Ruben Amorim in the Manchester United manager's first taste of the Premier League's most explosive rivalry. For the first time in years, City go into the Manchester derby mired in even more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions. Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus was City's seventh loss in that period, an astonishing collapse for a club that has won six of the last seven Premier League titles, including their current streak of four in a row. ALSO READ: Bundesliga: Mainz hand Bayern Munich first league loss under Vincent Kompany United are hardly in peak form themselves, having won just three of Amorim's six games in charge since he replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag. But Amorim has already inflicted one painful blow to Guardiola this season when his Sporting side crushed City 4-1 in the Champions League in Lisbon on November 5. City squandered an early lead on that occasion, blown away by Viktor Gyokeres' hat-trick as Amorim ruthlessly exposed the gaping holes in Guardiola's ramshackle defence. That chastening loss came just days before Amorim officially took charge at Old Trafford and Guardiola would love to exact avenge at the Etihad Stadium this weekend. Whether Guardiola's injury-plagued team, whose confidence appears to be in tatters, are in any shape to deliver a sixth win in their last seven league meetings with United is another matter. The strain of the worst run of his glittering managerial career is taking a toll on Guardiola as well. In an interview before the Juventus game, Guardiola said his state of mind was "ugly", his sleep was "worse" and he was eating lighter as his digestion has suffered during City's collapse. On Friday, Guardiola, who recently signed a new two-year contract, insisted he was "fine" despite the stress. 'In a better place than us' "In our jobs we always want to do our best. When that doesn't happen you are more uncomfortable than when the situation is going well," said Guardiola, who could have just three fit defenders available on Sunday. "In good moments I am happier but when I get to the next game I am still concerned about what I have to do. "There is no human being that makes an activity and it doesn't matter how they do." There is no question another loss to Amorim would be a huge blow for Guardiola, whose fourth-placed side are eight points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Yet Amorim has plenty of issues of his own to resolve after a rocky first month in Manchester featuring only one league victory in four matches. United are languishing in 13th place after successive league losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest underlined the extent of the rebuilding job faced by Amorim. They struggled to find any fluency in a nervy 2-1 victory at minnows Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday. Given United's mediocrity before and since his arrival, Amorim is in no position to cast aspersions about City's woes. "I never think about these things. We will face a great opponent and I'm more focused on our problems, so we have a lot of issues here," he said. "I'm more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game, so I'm really focused on my team." And the 39-year-old believes City are capable of hitting back if United allow them to rediscover their rhythm amid the sound and fury of the derby. "The great teams can respond in any moment. I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game," he said. "The way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments." 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.

Manchester Derby Preview: City-United fight for points, glory and relief in lowkey clash of titans

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on Saturday to spark the Milwaukee Bucks into the NBA Cup final with a 110-102 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

The Greek big man also added nine assists, four blocks and a steal while shooting 10-of-15 from the floor and 12-of-18 from the free throw line.

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Giannis turnaround jumper. 😮‍💨 <a href="https://t.co/ObpnQ2NOZA">pic.twitter.com/ObpnQ2NOZA</a>
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1868082078472094031?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Milwaukee will play for the title on Tuesday in Las Vegas against the winner of Saturday's later Vegas semi-final between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/bundesliga-mainz-hand-bayern-munich-first-league-loss-under-vincent-kompany-784052">Bundesliga: Mainz hand Bayern Munich first league loss under Vincent Kompany</a>

"We got stops. That was the most important thing," Antetokounmpo said. "They were feeling comfortable, getting to their spots. We were able to disrupt their offense.

"We were moving the ball, playing team basketball, getting to our spots, knocking down a few shots down the stretch. That's why we were able to get the win."

The Bucks also had 25 points from Damian Lillard and 16 more from Brook Lopez while Trae Young led Atlanta with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

The Bucks, who made an unbeaten run to last year's inaugural semi-finals of the in-season tournament before losing to Indiana, were the only team to make a return trip to this year's last four.

They were inspired by NBA scoring leader Antetokounmpo and his hunger after last year's Cup near miss.

"Enjoy the game, take it a possession at a time and win the game. That's it," Antetokounmpo said on what he told his teammates. "If we compete, we'll win the game."

After a 2-8 start to the campaign, the Bucks have gone 12-3 since.

"We trust one another. We play together. There's no more hero ball," Antetokounmpo said. "In the beginning of the season we tried to do it by ourselves. It had a bad effect on the team. We figured out we have to compete as a team, move the ball as a team, compete together.

"We've changed our season around but we've got to keep going. The job is not done so far. We've got to keep playing together and hope we get better."

Two Jalen Johnson dunks late in the third quarter gave the Hawks an 83-82 lead entering the fourth. Young scored 14 points in the third quarter and Lillard netted 11.

The game stayed on a knife's edge into the final minutes but Antetokounmpo had six points in a 7-1 Bucks run for a 103-96 lead with 3:13 to play.

Young answered with two free throws and a jumper but Brook Lopez scored to give Milwaukee a 105-100 edge and Lillard sank a driving floater from the free throw line for a 107-100 lead with 23 seconds remaining.

The Bucks drained free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on Saturday to spark the Milwaukee Bucks into the NBA Cup final with a 110-102 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on Saturday to spark the Milwaukee Bucks into the NBA Cup final with a 110-102 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The Greek big man also added nine assists, four blocks and a steal while shooting 10-of-15 from the floor and 12-of-18 from the free throw line. Giannis turnaround jumper. 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/ObpnQ2NOZA — Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 14, 2024 × Milwaukee will play for the title on Tuesday in Las Vegas against the winner of Saturday's later Vegas semi-final between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. ALSO READ: Bundesliga: Mainz hand Bayern Munich first league loss under Vincent Kompany "We got stops. That was the most important thing," Antetokounmpo said. "They were feeling comfortable, getting to their spots. We were able to disrupt their offense. "We were moving the ball, playing team basketball, getting to our spots, knocking down a few shots down the stretch. That's why we were able to get the win." The Bucks also had 25 points from Damian Lillard and 16 more from Brook Lopez while Trae Young led Atlanta with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. The Bucks, who made an unbeaten run to last year's inaugural semi-finals of the in-season tournament before losing to Indiana, were the only team to make a return trip to this year's last four. They were inspired by NBA scoring leader Antetokounmpo and his hunger after last year's Cup near miss. "Enjoy the game, take it a possession at a time and win the game. That's it," Antetokounmpo said on what he told his teammates. "If we compete, we'll win the game." After a 2-8 start to the campaign, the Bucks have gone 12-3 since. "We trust one another. We play together. There's no more hero ball," Antetokounmpo said. "In the beginning of the season we tried to do it by ourselves. It had a bad effect on the team. We figured out we have to compete as a team, move the ball as a team, compete together. "We've changed our season around but we've got to keep going. The job is not done so far. We've got to keep playing together and hope we get better." Two Jalen Johnson dunks late in the third quarter gave the Hawks an 83-82 lead entering the fourth. Young scored 14 points in the third quarter and Lillard netted 11. The game stayed on a knife's edge into the final minutes but Antetokounmpo had six points in a 7-1 Bucks run for a 103-96 lead with 3:13 to play. Young answered with two free throws and a jumper but Brook Lopez scored to give Milwaukee a 105-100 edge and Lillard sank a driving floater from the free throw line for a 107-100 lead with 23 seconds remaining. The Bucks drained free throws down the stretch to secure the victory. 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.

Giannis Antetokounmpo powers Milwaukee Bucks into NBA Cup final with stellar show

Los Angeles, USA
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on Saturday to spark the Milwaukee Bucks into the NBA Cup final with a 110-102 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
The Greek big man also added nine assists, four blocks and a steal while shooting 10-of-15 from the floor and 12-of-18 from the free throw line.
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— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1868082078472094031?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Milwaukee will play for the title on Tuesday in Las Vegas against the winner of Saturday's later Vegas semi-final between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/bundesliga-mainz-hand-bayern-munich-first-league-loss-under-vincent-kompany-784052">Bundesliga: Mainz hand Bayern Munich first league loss under Vincent Kompany</a>
"We got stops. That was the most important thing," Antetokounmpo said. "They were feeling comfortable, getting to their spots. We were able to disrupt their offense.
"We were moving the ball, playing team basketball, getting to our spots, knocking down a few shots down the stretch. That's why we were able to get the win."
The Bucks also had 25 points from Damian Lillard and 16 more from Brook Lopez while Trae Young led Atlanta with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.
The Bucks, who made an unbeaten run to last year's inaugural semi-finals of the in-season tournament before losing to Indiana, were the only team to make a return trip to this year's last four.
They were inspired by NBA scoring leader Antetokounmpo and his hunger after last year's Cup near miss.
"Enjoy the game, take it a possession at a time and win the game. That's it," Antetokounmpo said on what he told his teammates. "If we compete, we'll win the game."
After a 2-8 start to the campaign, the Bucks have gone 12-3 since.
"We trust one another. We play together. There's no more hero ball," Antetokounmpo said. "In the beginning of the season we tried to do it by ourselves. It had a bad effect on the team. We figured out we have to compete as a team, move the ball as a team, compete together.
"We've changed our season around but we've got to keep going. The job is not done so far. We've got to keep playing together and hope we get better."
Two Jalen Johnson dunks late in the third quarter gave the Hawks an 83-82 lead entering the fourth. Young scored 14 points in the third quarter and Lillard netted 11.
The game stayed on a knife's edge into the final minutes but Antetokounmpo had six points in a 7-1 Bucks run for a 103-96 lead with 3:13 to play.
Young answered with two free throws and a jumper but Brook Lopez scored to give Milwaukee a 105-100 edge and Lillard sank a driving floater from the free throw line for a 107-100 lead with 23 seconds remaining.
The Bucks drained free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
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.

Milwaukee will play for the title on Tuesday in Las Vegas against the winner of Saturday's later Vegas semi-final between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets.



Los Angeles, USA Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on Saturday to spark the Milwaukee Bucks into the NBA Cup final with a 110-102 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The Greek big man also added nine assists, four blocks and a steal while shooting 10-of-15 from the floor and 12-of-18 from the free throw line. Giannis turnaround jumper. ?‍? pic.twitter.com/ObpnQ2NOZA — Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 14, 2024 × Milwaukee will play for the title on Tuesday in Las Vegas against the winner of Saturday's later Vegas semi-final between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. ALSO READ: Bundesliga: Mainz hand Bayern Munich first league loss under Vincent Kompany "We got stops. That was the most important thing," Antetokounmpo said. "They were feeling comfortable, getting to their spots. We were able to disrupt their offense. "We were moving the ball, playing team basketball, getting to our spots, knocking down a few shots down the stretch. That's why we were able to get the win." The Bucks also had 25 points from Damian Lillard and 16 more from Brook Lopez while Trae Young led Atlanta with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. The Bucks, who made an unbeaten run to last year's inaugural semi-finals of the in-season tournament before losing to Indiana, were the only team to make a return trip to this year's last four. They were inspired by NBA scoring leader Antetokounmpo and his hunger after last year's Cup near miss. "Enjoy the game, take it a possession at a time and win the game. That's it," Antetokounmpo said on what he told his teammates. "If we compete, we'll win the game." After a 2-8 start to the campaign, the Bucks have gone 12-3 since. "We trust one another. We play together. There's no more hero ball," Antetokounmpo said. "In the beginning of the season we tried to do it by ourselves. It had a bad effect on the team. We figured out we have to compete as a team, move the ball as a team, compete together. "We've changed our season around but we've got to keep going. The job is not done so far. We've got to keep playing together and hope we get better." Two Jalen Johnson dunks late in the third quarter gave the Hawks an 83-82 lead entering the fourth. Young scored 14 points in the third quarter and Lillard netted 11. The game stayed on a knife's edge into the final minutes but Antetokounmpo had six points in a 7-1 Bucks run for a 103-96 lead with 3:13 to play. Young answered with two free throws and a jumper but Brook Lopez scored to give Milwaukee a 105-100 edge and Lillard sank a driving floater from the free throw line for a 107-100 lead with 23 seconds remaining. The Bucks drained free throws down the stretch to secure the victory. 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.

Riddled with anxiety about Manchester City's shocking decline, Pep Guardiola will endure another sleepless night as he tries to pose more problems for Ruben Amorim in the Manchester United manager's first taste of the Premier League's most explosive rivalry.

For the first time in years, City go into the Manchester derby mired in even more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions.

Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus was City's seventh loss in that period, an astonishing collapse for a club that has won six of the last seven Premier League titles, including their current streak of four in a row.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/bundesliga-mainz-hand-bayern-munich-first-league-loss-under-vincent-kompany-784052">Bundesliga: Mainz hand Bayern Munich first league loss under Vincent Kompany</a>

United are hardly in peak form themselves, having won just three of Amorim's six games in charge since he replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag.

But Amorim has already inflicted one painful blow to Guardiola this season when his Sporting side crushed City 4-1 in the Champions League in Lisbon on November 5.

City squandered an early lead on that occasion, blown away by Viktor Gyokeres' hat-trick as Amorim ruthlessly exposed the gaping holes in Guardiola's ramshackle defence.

That chastening loss came just days before Amorim officially took charge at Old Trafford and Guardiola would love to exact avenge at the Etihad Stadium this weekend.

Whether Guardiola's injury-plagued team, whose confidence appears to be in tatters, are in any shape to deliver a sixth win in their last seven league meetings with United is another matter.

The strain of the worst run of his glittering managerial career is taking a toll on Guardiola as well.

In an interview before the Juventus game, Guardiola said his state of mind was "ugly", his sleep was "worse" and he was eating lighter as his digestion has suffered during City's collapse.

On Friday, Guardiola, who recently signed a new two-year contract, insisted he was "fine" despite the stress.

<h2>'In a better place than us'</h2>

"In our jobs we always want to do our best. When that doesn't happen you are more uncomfortable than when the situation is going well," said Guardiola, who could have just three fit defenders available on Sunday.

"In good moments I am happier but when I get to the next game I am still concerned about what I have to do.

"There is no human being that makes an activity and it doesn't matter how they do."

There is no question another loss to Amorim would be a huge blow for Guardiola, whose fourth-placed side are eight points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

Yet Amorim has plenty of issues of his own to resolve after a rocky first month in Manchester featuring only one league victory in four matches.

United are languishing in 13th place after successive league losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest underlined the extent of the rebuilding job faced by Amorim.

They struggled to find any fluency in a nervy 2-1 victory at minnows Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday.

Given United's mediocrity before and since his arrival, Amorim is in no position to cast aspersions about City's woes.

"I never think about these things. We will face a great opponent and I'm more focused on our problems, so we have a lot of issues here," he said. "I'm more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game, so I'm really focused on my team."

And the 39-year-old believes City are capable of hitting back if United allow them to rediscover their rhythm amid the sound and fury of the derby.

"The great teams can respond in any moment. I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game," he said. "The way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments."

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.

Riddled with anxiety about Manchester City's shocking decline, Pep Guardiola will endure another sleepless night as he tries to pose more problems for Ruben Amorim in the Manchester United manager's first taste of the Premier League's most explosive rivalry.

Riddled with anxiety about Manchester City's shocking decline, Pep Guardiola will endure another sleepless night as he tries to pose more problems for Ruben Amorim in the Manchester United manager's first taste of the Premier League's most explosive rivalry. For the first time in years, City go into the Manchester derby mired in even more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions. Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus was City's seventh loss in that period, an astonishing collapse for a club that has won six of the last seven Premier League titles, including their current streak of four in a row. ALSO READ: Bundesliga: Mainz hand Bayern Munich first league loss under Vincent Kompany United are hardly in peak form themselves, having won just three of Amorim's six games in charge since he replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag. But Amorim has already inflicted one painful blow to Guardiola this season when his Sporting side crushed City 4-1 in the Champions League in Lisbon on November 5. City squandered an early lead on that occasion, blown away by Viktor Gyokeres' hat-trick as Amorim ruthlessly exposed the gaping holes in Guardiola's ramshackle defence. That chastening loss came just days before Amorim officially took charge at Old Trafford and Guardiola would love to exact avenge at the Etihad Stadium this weekend. Whether Guardiola's injury-plagued team, whose confidence appears to be in tatters, are in any shape to deliver a sixth win in their last seven league meetings with United is another matter. The strain of the worst run of his glittering managerial career is taking a toll on Guardiola as well. In an interview before the Juventus game, Guardiola said his state of mind was "ugly", his sleep was "worse" and he was eating lighter as his digestion has suffered during City's collapse. On Friday, Guardiola, who recently signed a new two-year contract, insisted he was "fine" despite the stress. 'In a better place than us' "In our jobs we always want to do our best. When that doesn't happen you are more uncomfortable than when the situation is going well," said Guardiola, who could have just three fit defenders available on Sunday. "In good moments I am happier but when I get to the next game I am still concerned about what I have to do. "There is no human being that makes an activity and it doesn't matter how they do." There is no question another loss to Amorim would be a huge blow for Guardiola, whose fourth-placed side are eight points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Yet Amorim has plenty of issues of his own to resolve after a rocky first month in Manchester featuring only one league victory in four matches. United are languishing in 13th place after successive league losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest underlined the extent of the rebuilding job faced by Amorim. They struggled to find any fluency in a nervy 2-1 victory at minnows Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday. Given United's mediocrity before and since his arrival, Amorim is in no position to cast aspersions about City's woes. "I never think about these things. We will face a great opponent and I'm more focused on our problems, so we have a lot of issues here," he said. "I'm more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game, so I'm really focused on my team." And the 39-year-old believes City are capable of hitting back if United allow them to rediscover their rhythm amid the sound and fury of the derby. "The great teams can respond in any moment. I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game," he said. "The way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments." 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.

Tennis star Jannik Sinner's doping case will not have a decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) before the end of the year, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) told AFP.

"There will be nothing by the end of the year," WADA director general Olivier Niggli said in an interview with AFP.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ruben-amorim-plays-down-manchester-city-contact-before-joining-rivals-united-783876">Ruben Amorim plays down Manchester City contact before joining rivals United</a>

The Italian world number one twice tested positive for traces of the banned substance clostebol in March but was exonerated and allowed to carry on playing.

An independent tribunal at the end of August, requested by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found that the Australian Open and US Open champion "bears no fault or negligence".

The ITIA accepted Sinner's explanation that the drug entered his system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player.

WADA have appealed the decision to clear the 23-year-old and are seeking a ban of up to two years.

"It was considered in the decision that there was no fault on the part of Sinner. Our position is that there is still a responsibility of the athlete in relation to his entourage," Niggli said. "So it is this legal point that will be debated (before CAS).

"We do not dispute the fact that it could have been a contamination. But we believe that the application of the rules does not correspond to the case law."

While the ITIA were criticised for having revealed late the positive tests of Sinner and of women's world number two Iga Swiatek, Niggli believes that "athletes must be protected".

Swiatek last month accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August 2024.

"Personally, I think that protecting an athlete's reputation should be our first concern," said Niggli. &nbsp;"We live in a world where social media is what it is and means that a reputation can go up in smoke in a very, very short time."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

Tennis star Jannik Sinner's doping case will not have a decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) before the end of the year, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) told AFP.

Tennis star Jannik Sinner's doping case will not have a decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) before the end of the year, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) told AFP. "There will be nothing by the end of the year," WADA director general Olivier Niggli said in an interview with AFP. ALSO READ: Ruben Amorim plays down Manchester City contact before joining rivals United The Italian world number one twice tested positive for traces of the banned substance clostebol in March but was exonerated and allowed to carry on playing. An independent tribunal at the end of August, requested by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found that the Australian Open and US Open champion "bears no fault or negligence". The ITIA accepted Sinner's explanation that the drug entered his system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player. WADA have appealed the decision to clear the 23-year-old and are seeking a ban of up to two years. "It was considered in the decision that there was no fault on the part of Sinner. Our position is that there is still a responsibility of the athlete in relation to his entourage," Niggli said. "So it is this legal point that will be debated (before CAS). "We do not dispute the fact that it could have been a contamination. But we believe that the application of the rules does not correspond to the case law." While the ITIA were criticised for having revealed late the positive tests of Sinner and of women's world number two Iga Swiatek, Niggli believes that "athletes must be protected". Swiatek last month accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August 2024. "Personally, I think that protecting an athlete's reputation should be our first concern," said Niggli. "We live in a world where social media is what it is and means that a reputation can go up in smoke in a very, very short time." 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.

Tennis - No decision on Jannik Sinner’s doping case before new year: WADA

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim insists he did not speak to Manchester City about replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium before making his move to Old Trafford.

As Amorim prepares for his first Manchester derby on Sunday, the 39-year-old's link to City prior to his arrival at United has become a hot topic.

United hired the highly-regarded Amorim from Sporting Lisbon in November after sacking Erik ten Hag.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/uefa-2026-world-cup-qualifiers-england-to-face-serbia-albania-in-group-stage-783773">UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers: England to face Serbia, Albania in group stage</a>

Amorim had been mentioned as a contender to take over from Guardiola after City announced Sporting's director of football Hugo Viana would replace Txiki Begiristain at the end of this season.

Guardiola eventually ended speculation over his future by signing a new two-year contract shortly after Amorim's arrival in Manchester.

Asked if he ever had a conversation about the prospect of joining City, Amorim told reporters: "Never. Never had and this was my only option.

"When Manchester United talked to me, I had no doubts because I had already something in my mind that it could be a possibility.

"With Manchester City or Hugo Viana? Nothing about that."

Amorim's side ended a run of two successive defeats with a 2-1 victory at Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday.

But United have won just three of Amorim's six games in charge and are languishing in 13th place after recent losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest underlined the extent of the rebuilding job he faces.

Yet, for the first time in years, City go into the derby mired in more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions.

<h2>'We have a lot of issues'</h2>

Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus was City's seventh loss in their last 10 matches, an astonishing decline for a club that has won the last four Premier League titles.

One of those losses was masterminded by Amorim, whose Sporting side enjoyed a 4-1 Champions League triumph over City.

"I never think about these things," Amorim said of City's woes. "We will face a great opponent and I'm more focused on our problems, so we have a lot of issues here.

"I'm more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game, so I'm really focused on my team."

Asked if United are facing a different, weaker City, he said: "No, no, no, no.

"The great teams can respond in any moment, and I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game, the way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments."

City may be struggling but they still enter the weekend fourth in the Premier League, eight points better off than their neighbours.

"I just want to improve the team, so I cannot live it like a normal derby like it should be, like two great teams fighting for the title. It is not that in this moment," Amorim said. "Both teams are struggling in the moment, so I hope in future I can feel that real feeling of a derby, but I know it's really important for our fans.

"But my goal now is to improve the team, win games and I will try to win this game."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim insists he did not speak to Manchester City about replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium before making his move to Old Trafford.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim insists he did not speak to Manchester City about replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium before making his move to Old Trafford. As Amorim prepares for his first Manchester derby on Sunday, the 39-year-old's link to City prior to his arrival at United has become a hot topic. United hired the highly-regarded Amorim from Sporting Lisbon in November after sacking Erik ten Hag. ALSO READ: UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers: England to face Serbia, Albania in group stage Amorim had been mentioned as a contender to take over from Guardiola after City announced Sporting's director of football Hugo Viana would replace Txiki Begiristain at the end of this season. Guardiola eventually ended speculation over his future by signing a new two-year contract shortly after Amorim's arrival in Manchester. Asked if he ever had a conversation about the prospect of joining City, Amorim told reporters: "Never. Never had and this was my only option. "When Manchester United talked to me, I had no doubts because I had already something in my mind that it could be a possibility. "With Manchester City or Hugo Viana? Nothing about that." Amorim's side ended a run of two successive defeats with a 2-1 victory at Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday. But United have won just three of Amorim's six games in charge and are languishing in 13th place after recent losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest underlined the extent of the rebuilding job he faces. Yet, for the first time in years, City go into the derby mired in more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions. 'We have a lot of issues' Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus was City's seventh loss in their last 10 matches, an astonishing decline for a club that has won the last four Premier League titles. One of those losses was masterminded by Amorim, whose Sporting side enjoyed a 4-1 Champions League triumph over City. "I never think about these things," Amorim said of City's woes. "We will face a great opponent and I'm more focused on our problems, so we have a lot of issues here. "I'm more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game, so I'm really focused on my team." Asked if United are facing a different, weaker City, he said: "No, no, no, no. "The great teams can respond in any moment, and I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game, the way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments." City may be struggling but they still enter the weekend fourth in the Premier League, eight points better off than their neighbours. "I just want to improve the team, so I cannot live it like a normal derby like it should be, like two great teams fighting for the title. It is not that in this moment," Amorim said. "Both teams are struggling in the moment, so I hope in future I can feel that real feeling of a derby, but I know it's really important for our fans. "But my goal now is to improve the team, win games and I will try to win this game." 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.

Ruben Amorim plays down Manchester City contact before joining rivals United

As India continues to thrive in multiple sports, the nation is now taking a small but significant step into unknown territory as it prepares for the Winter Games. Still with work to do, Ladkah, a Union Territory in the Himalayan regions of the North, is the flag bearer for winter sports. With the upcoming 2025 Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League in site, WION exclusively caught up with Canada’s Darryl Easson, an experienced Ice hockey coach who has worked with teams including the United Kingdom and Hungary.

Darryl brings tons of experience to the table and will work closely with 32 coaches shortlisted from Ladakh, Lahaul, and Spiti for the Ice hockey coach training camp in Gurugram. In an exclusive chat with WION’s Aditya Pimpale, he spoke openly about how India can take the next step and prepare for winter sports.

Question: Why do you think India will be one of the major hubs, and why have you chosen the nation for Ice hockey coaching?

Answer: They've had Ice hockey here for a long time. It's about now making it better and helping them improve in the way they're actually going to develop with people wanting to push it forward a little bit too.

Question: You have been in India for quite a while now. Do you see any potential in the nation to push for glory in winter sports, particularly Ice hockey?

Answer: They're not just as good on the ice, but some are actually good at the sport off the ice. There are some very good hockey players and they on top of everything else are enthusiastic. They're involved in the sport. They wanna teach the sport so I think India can dream of glory if they come up with the right mentality, plan and practice.

We've had a lot that's happening now. We've got 6 or 8 people who are now turning and listening to what I'm saying, but also helping translate and try to help speak. So that's a great start that you've got people wanting to help each other to grow the sport.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kyle-walker-receives-racial-abuse-after-manchester-citys-champions-league-slump-calls-for-action-783619">Kyle Walker receives racial abuse after Manchester City’s Champions League slump, calls for action</a>

Question: How do you think is the infrastructure for Ice hockey in India, while we have good facilities for sports like cricket and others?

Answer: What do you need for a cricket field. A field in 4 pieces of wood and that's it. So, you know, I lived in lived in Zurich. There's an area in Zurich where we used to work at the international Ice hockey fair, and guys were playing cricket there all the time. That's all you need. It's a little bit more accessible than hockey where you need ice. So you get the ice, people will come, they'll skate, and they'll and they'll try and learn. So there is always room for improvement. So all need not be perfect with things slowly and gradually coming together.

The Royal Enfield Ice hockey coach training camp held from December 8 to 12 focused on the training of coaches as they will further train over 500 players for the 2025 Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League, Ladakh, and the Spiti Cup. ‘The Gamechanger’ was created and released by Royal Enfield in December 2023 in collaboration with local and international stakeholders which provided a Blueprint for Ice Hockey in India.

As India continues to thrive in multiple sports, the nation is now taking a small but significant step into unknown territory as it prepares for the Winter Games.

As India continues to thrive in multiple sports, the nation is now taking a small but significant step into unknown territory as it prepares for the Winter Games. Still with work to do, Ladkah, a Union Territory in the Himalayan regions of the North, is the flag bearer for winter sports. With the upcoming 2025 Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League in site, WION exclusively caught up with Canada’s Darryl Easson, an experienced Ice hockey coach who has worked with teams including the United Kingdom and Hungary. Darryl brings tons of experience to the table and will work closely with 32 coaches shortlisted from Ladakh, Lahaul, and Spiti for the Ice hockey coach training camp in Gurugram. In an exclusive chat with WION’s Aditya Pimpale, he spoke openly about how India can take the next step and prepare for winter sports. Question: Why do you think India will be one of the major hubs, and why have you chosen the nation for Ice hockey coaching? Answer: They've had Ice hockey here for a long time. It's about now making it better and helping them improve in the way they're actually going to develop with people wanting to push it forward a little bit too. Question: You have been in India for quite a while now. Do you see any potential in the nation to push for glory in winter sports, particularly Ice hockey? Answer: They're not just as good on the ice, but some are actually good at the sport off the ice. There are some very good hockey players and they on top of everything else are enthusiastic. They're involved in the sport. They wanna teach the sport so I think India can dream of glory if they come up with the right mentality, plan and practice. We've had a lot that's happening now. We've got 6 or 8 people who are now turning and listening to what I'm saying, but also helping translate and try to help speak. So that's a great start that you've got people wanting to help each other to grow the sport. ALSO READ | Kyle Walker receives racial abuse after Manchester City’s Champions League slump, calls for action Question: How do you think is the infrastructure for Ice hockey in India, while we have good facilities for sports like cricket and others? Answer: What do you need for a cricket field. A field in 4 pieces of wood and that's it. So, you know, I lived in lived in Zurich. There's an area in Zurich where we used to work at the international Ice hockey fair, and guys were playing cricket there all the time. That's all you need. It's a little bit more accessible than hockey where you need ice. So you get the ice, people will come, they'll skate, and they'll and they'll try and learn. So there is always room for improvement. So all need not be perfect with things slowly and gradually coming together. The Royal Enfield Ice hockey coach training camp held from December 8 to 12 focused on the training of coaches as they will further train over 500 players for the 2025 Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League, Ladakh, and the Spiti Cup. ‘The Gamechanger’ was created and released by Royal Enfield in December 2023 in collaboration with local and international stakeholders which provided a Blueprint for Ice Hockey in India.

Exclusive: International coach Darryl Easson backs India for winter sports ahead of Ice Hockey League

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has called for tough action to tackle online abuse after he received a "vile, racist and threatening" message following Wednesday's 2-0 loss at Juventus.

Walker played the whole Champions League match in Turin but could not help Pep Guardiola's team avoid a seventh defeat in 10 matches.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-united-comes-from-behind-to-beat-viktoria-plzen-spurs-held-by-rangers-in-europa-league-783614">Manchester United comes from behind to beat Viktoria Plzen; Spurs held by Rangers in Europa League</a>

The England international posted a screenshot of a message he received on Instagram from an unnamed user to his social media accounts on Thursday that used obscene racist language.

"No one should ever be subjected to the sort of vile, racist and threatening abuse I have received online since last night's match," Walker wrote on his X and Instagram accounts. "Instagram and the authorities need to stop this happening for the sake of all who are suffering this abuse. It is never acceptable.

"To our fans, we will continue to work as a team to do better, to improve and to turn the corner together."
<img alt="Kyle Walker racial abuse" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="015a101d-0e80-419e-a863-d95e2426f191" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/KYLE%20WALKER%20RACIAL%20ABUSE.jpg" />
City condemned the racist attack. A club statement read: "Manchester City strongly condemns the racist abuse that Kyle Walker was subject to online following last night's fixture.

"We refuse to tolerate discrimination of any kind, regardless of whether that be in stadiums or online."

A Premier League statement read: "The Premier League condemns all forms of discrimination. Racism has no place in our game or anywhere in society. We encourage anyone who hears or sees discriminatory abuse to report it so action can be taken.

"The Premier League will support Kyle Walker and the club to tackle online hate."

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.

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has called for tough action to tackle online abuse after he received a "vile, racist and threatening" message following Wednesday's 2-0 loss at Juventus.

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has called for tough action to tackle online abuse after he received a "vile, racist and threatening" message following Wednesday's 2-0 loss at Juventus. Walker played the whole Champions League match in Turin but could not help Pep Guardiola's team avoid a seventh defeat in 10 matches. ALSO READ: Manchester United comes from behind to beat Viktoria Plzen; Spurs held by Rangers in Europa League The England international posted a screenshot of a message he received on Instagram from an unnamed user to his social media accounts on Thursday that used obscene racist language. "No one should ever be subjected to the sort of vile, racist and threatening abuse I have received online since last night's match," Walker wrote on his X and Instagram accounts. "Instagram and the authorities need to stop this happening for the sake of all who are suffering this abuse. It is never acceptable. "To our fans, we will continue to work as a team to do better, to improve and to turn the corner together." City condemned the racist attack. A club statement read: "Manchester City strongly condemns the racist abuse that Kyle Walker was subject to online following last night's fixture. "We refuse to tolerate discrimination of any kind, regardless of whether that be in stadiums or online." A Premier League statement read: "The Premier League condemns all forms of discrimination. Racism has no place in our game or anywhere in society. We encourage anyone who hears or sees discriminatory abuse to report it so action can be taken. "The Premier League will support Kyle Walker and the club to tackle online hate." 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.

Kyle Walker receives racial abuse after Manchester City’s Champions League slump, calls for action

Rasmus Hojlund fired Manchester United to a late 2-1 win at Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday, while Tottenham were held to a stalemate at Rangers. Ruben Amorim's United side came from behind to best the Czech side thanks to a second-half brace by Danish striker Hojlund, they now sit seventh in the league phase standings.

"The win is important at the moment and it's good to prepare for the next game," United manager Amorim told TNT Sports.

A top-eight finish will see United qualify automatically for the round of 16, while finishing ninth to 24th will earn them a play-off tie to reach that stage.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/transgender-women-golfers-barred-from-womens-ra-events-783587">Transgender women golfers barred from women's R&amp;A events</a>

Matej Vydra opened the scoring three minutes after half-time to stun United, before substitute Hojlund scored twice in the last half-hour to seize a vital three points for the English club.

The winner came two minutes from time when Bruno Fernandes cleverly slipped a free-kick into the 21-year-old's feet and he held off a defender before slipping home.

Elsewhere in the Europa League, Spurs drew 1-1 with Rangers in Glasgow.

The hosts sit in the final automatic qualification spot with Spurs one place below them, but both level on 11 points.

"We took the challenge with both hands, grabbed it and showed what we wanted them to show," said Rangers manager Philippe Clement. "We deserved to win the game, but I think it was a very good advertisement for Scottish football to compete with a Premier League team at full strength."

A draw somewhat eases the pressure on Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, after his side went into the match with just one win in their last seven outings in all competitions.

Rangers took the lead two minutes after the interval when Moroccan striker Hamza Igamane continued his fine start to life in Glasgow by netting his fourth goal in as many European outings this season.

Captain James Tavernier bent an excellent inswinging pass from the right flank beyond the Spurs defence and into the path of Igamane who finished unerringly at the far post.

Substitutes Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski combined to bring the English side level with a quarter of an hour remaining, the Swede wrong-footing the goalkeeper with a cool finish from just inside the box.

Fraser Forster made a vital save from Cyriel Dessers to keep Spurs level in the last 10 minutes, and moments later the Rangers striker had a goal disallowed for offside.

"(It was) a great save by Fraser at the end. It's an important point," said Postecoglou.

Lazio top the standings with 16 points -- joint with Athletic Bilbao -- after beating Ajax 3-1 in Amsterdam to book their spot in the knock-out stages.

Lyon beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 to move up to fourth -- one place above the in-form Bundesliga club.

Anderlecht overcame Slavia Prague 2-1 in the Czech capital to jump to third in the standings.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

Rasmus Hojlund fired Manchester United to a late 2-1 win at Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday, while Tottenham were held to a stalemate at Rangers.

Rasmus Hojlund fired Manchester United to a late 2-1 win at Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday, while Tottenham were held to a stalemate at Rangers. Ruben Amorim's United side came from behind to best the Czech side thanks to a second-half brace by Danish striker Hojlund, they now sit seventh in the league phase standings. "The win is important at the moment and it's good to prepare for the next game," United manager Amorim told TNT Sports. A top-eight finish will see United qualify automatically for the round of 16, while finishing ninth to 24th will earn them a play-off tie to reach that stage. ALSO READ: Transgender women golfers barred from women's R&A events Matej Vydra opened the scoring three minutes after half-time to stun United, before substitute Hojlund scored twice in the last half-hour to seize a vital three points for the English club. The winner came two minutes from time when Bruno Fernandes cleverly slipped a free-kick into the 21-year-old's feet and he held off a defender before slipping home. Elsewhere in the Europa League, Spurs drew 1-1 with Rangers in Glasgow. The hosts sit in the final automatic qualification spot with Spurs one place below them, but both level on 11 points. "We took the challenge with both hands, grabbed it and showed what we wanted them to show," said Rangers manager Philippe Clement. "We deserved to win the game, but I think it was a very good advertisement for Scottish football to compete with a Premier League team at full strength." A draw somewhat eases the pressure on Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, after his side went into the match with just one win in their last seven outings in all competitions. Rangers took the lead two minutes after the interval when Moroccan striker Hamza Igamane continued his fine start to life in Glasgow by netting his fourth goal in as many European outings this season. Captain James Tavernier bent an excellent inswinging pass from the right flank beyond the Spurs defence and into the path of Igamane who finished unerringly at the far post. Substitutes Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski combined to bring the English side level with a quarter of an hour remaining, the Swede wrong-footing the goalkeeper with a cool finish from just inside the box. Fraser Forster made a vital save from Cyriel Dessers to keep Spurs level in the last 10 minutes, and moments later the Rangers striker had a goal disallowed for offside. "(It was) a great save by Fraser at the end. It's an important point," said Postecoglou. Lazio top the standings with 16 points -- joint with Athletic Bilbao -- after beating Ajax 3-1 in Amsterdam to book their spot in the knock-out stages. Lyon beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 to move up to fourth -- one place above the in-form Bundesliga club. Anderlecht overcame Slavia Prague 2-1 in the Czech capital to jump to third in the standings. 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.

Manchester United comes from behind to beat Viktoria Plzen; Spurs held by Rangers in Europa League

Russian Chess Federation Chief Andrei Filatov has accused China’s Ding Liren of deliberately losing the World Chess Championship contest against India’s D Gukesh after the latter won his maiden title in Singapore on Thursday (Dec 12). In a tightly contested battle between the duo, Gukesh won the game 14 and won the title with a score of 7.5-6.5. However, according to Filatov there was foul play in game 14, and accused Liren of deliberately losing the match.

<h2>Filatov accuses Liren</h2>

"The result of the last game caused bewilderment among professionals and chess fans. The actions of the Chinese chess player in the decisive segment are extremely suspicious and require a separate investigation by FIDE," Filatov was quoted as saying.

"Losing the position in which Ding Liren was is difficult even for a first-class player. The defeat of the Chinese chess player in today's game raises a lot of questions and looks like a deliberate one," he added.

On the 55th move of game 14, Liren made a blunder opening the door for Gukesh’s huge win. Three moves later, Liren lost to Gukesh, therefore, paving the way for his loss in the World Chess Championship.

Filatov’s accusations come amid a fraught backdrop for Russian chess and sports in general. Russia’s sporting reputation has been tarnished in recent years by doping scandals and its exclusion from various international events due to the war in Ukraine. The nation’s prominence in chess, however, remains significant, adding weight to Filatov’s statements.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-gabba-test-preview-redemption-or-repetition-india-australia-gear-up-for-blockbuster-clash-783727">BGT, Gabba Test Preview: Redemption or repetition? India-Australia gear up for blockbuster clash</a>

<h2>Gukesh scripts history</h2>

Russian great Garry Kasparov had held the record for the youngest world champion until Gukesh’s success at 18. &nbsp;Kasparov won the 1985 World Chess Championship when he was 22, a record he held until the Indian star’s success in Singapore.

An emotional Gukesh was seen in tears after his mammoth success while the entire chess fraternity congratulated him on his win.

Russian Chess Federation Chief Andrei Filatov has accused China’s Ding Liren of deliberately losing the World Chess Championship contest against India’s D Gukesh after the latter won his maiden title in Singapore on Thursday (Dec 12).

Russian Chess Federation Chief Andrei Filatov has accused China’s Ding Liren of deliberately losing the World Chess Championship contest against India’s D Gukesh after the latter won his maiden title in Singapore on Thursday (Dec 12). In a tightly contested battle between the duo, Gukesh won the game 14 and won the title with a score of 7.5-6.5. However, according to Filatov there was foul play in game 14, and accused Liren of deliberately losing the match. Filatov accuses Liren "The result of the last game caused bewilderment among professionals and chess fans. The actions of the Chinese chess player in the decisive segment are extremely suspicious and require a separate investigation by FIDE," Filatov was quoted as saying. "Losing the position in which Ding Liren was is difficult even for a first-class player. The defeat of the Chinese chess player in today's game raises a lot of questions and looks like a deliberate one," he added. On the 55th move of game 14, Liren made a blunder opening the door for Gukesh’s huge win. Three moves later, Liren lost to Gukesh, therefore, paving the way for his loss in the World Chess Championship. Filatov’s accusations come amid a fraught backdrop for Russian chess and sports in general. Russia’s sporting reputation has been tarnished in recent years by doping scandals and its exclusion from various international events due to the war in Ukraine. The nation’s prominence in chess, however, remains significant, adding weight to Filatov’s statements. ALSO READ | BGT, Gabba Test Preview: Redemption or repetition? India-Australia gear up for blockbuster clash Gukesh scripts history Russian great Garry Kasparov had held the record for the youngest world champion until Gukesh’s success at 18. Kasparov won the 1985 World Chess Championship when he was 22, a record he held until the Indian star’s success in Singapore. An emotional Gukesh was seen in tears after his mammoth success while the entire chess fraternity congratulated him on his win.

Russian chess federation chief accuses Ding Liren of deliberately losing World Chess Championship

Manchester City posted record revenues for a Premier League club last season as the champions' income increased to £715 million ($903 million).

As City marched to an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title last term, their revenue rose from £712.8 million to the new record mark for the year to June 30.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-united-comes-from-behind-to-beat-viktoria-plzen-spurs-held-by-rangers-in-europa-league-783614">Manchester United comes from behind to beat Viktoria Plzen; Spurs held by Rangers in Europa League</a>

However, profits dipped from £80.4 million in City's treble-winning 2022-23 campaign to £73.8 million last season.

They experienced a drop in broadcast income due to Pep Guardiola's side failing to repeat their run to win a first Champions League crown in 2023.

City's current investments include a £300 million expansion of the north stand of the Etihad Stadium.

Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in the club's annual report: "Our constant ambition to target and achieve the unprecedented is a mark of the organisation that we have become.

"On and off the field, our passion for the next challenge is underpinned by deliberate and detailed planning and a shared belief in the collaborative learning culture that we have built.

"Our focus remains on further evolution and growth and therefore further value creation in all aspects of our business."

Beaten by Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, City face Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday as they try to halt a damaging run of one win in 10 games in all competitions.

They are in danger of failing to make the Champions League last 16 and sit eight points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after their shocking slump.

City are awaiting a decision on the 115 charges of alleged breaches of financial rules brought against them by the Premier League.

The club, who have strongly denied the charges, could face a points deduction or even relegation from the top-flight if they are found guilty.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

Manchester City posted record revenues for a Premier League club last season as the champions' income increased to £715 million ($903 million). As City marched to an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title last term, their revenue rose from £712.

Manchester City posted record revenues for a Premier League club last season as the champions' income increased to £715 million ($903 million). As City marched to an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title last term, their revenue rose from £712.8 million to the new record mark for the year to June 30. ALSO READ: Manchester United comes from behind to beat Viktoria Plzen; Spurs held by Rangers in Europa League However, profits dipped from £80.4 million in City's treble-winning 2022-23 campaign to £73.8 million last season. They experienced a drop in broadcast income due to Pep Guardiola's side failing to repeat their run to win a first Champions League crown in 2023. City's current investments include a £300 million expansion of the north stand of the Etihad Stadium. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in the club's annual report: "Our constant ambition to target and achieve the unprecedented is a mark of the organisation that we have become. "On and off the field, our passion for the next challenge is underpinned by deliberate and detailed planning and a shared belief in the collaborative learning culture that we have built. "Our focus remains on further evolution and growth and therefore further value creation in all aspects of our business." Beaten by Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, City face Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday as they try to halt a damaging run of one win in 10 games in all competitions. They are in danger of failing to make the Champions League last 16 and sit eight points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after their shocking slump. City are awaiting a decision on the 115 charges of alleged breaches of financial rules brought against them by the Premier League. The club, who have strongly denied the charges, could face a points deduction or even relegation from the top-flight if they are found guilty. 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.

Manchester City discloses bumper Premier League revenue for last season

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a prize money of Rs 50 million ($590,000) for D Gukesh after the teenager won the World Chess Championship on Thursday (Dec 12). Up against China’s Ding Liren, Gukesh won by 7.5-6.5, after winning game 14 of the championship series in Singapore. The reward comes after he clinched the title at just 18, also becoming the youngest grandmaster to win.

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To honour the monumental achievement of <a href="https://twitter.com/DGukesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGukesh</a>, the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, I am delighted to announce a cash prize of ₹5 crore! 
 
His historic victory has brought immense pride and joy to the nation. May he continue to shine and achieve greater heights in the… <a href="https://t.co/3h5jzFr8gD">pic.twitter.com/3h5jzFr8gD</a>
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) <a href="https://twitter.com/mkstalin/status/1867477238725423478?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Gukesh rewarded for success</h2>

"To honour the monumental achievement of @DGukesh, the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, I am delighted to announce a cash prize of Rs 5 crore! His historic victory has brought immense pride and joy to the nation. May he continue to shine and achieve greater heights in the future," CM Stalin's X post read.

The reward comes as a testimony to his success as he joined legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the prestigious title from India.

Having ended game 13 in a draw after a marathon five-hour contest on Wednesday, Gukesh and Liren started defensively in the latest contest. Playing with the white pawns, Gukesh had a considerable time advantage at the start despite losing key pieces. By the 36th move of the game, the Indian had a 30-minute advantage while both were on the decadency of losing key pieces.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-big-scores-around-the-corner-pat-cummins-backs-steve-smith-to-regain-form-in-brisbane-test-vs-india-783688">BGT: 'Big score's around the corner', Pat Cummins backs Steve Smith to regain form in Brisbane Test vs India</a>

On the 37th move, Gukesh gave a check to Liren with his rook despite no chance of causing any terror. However, a swift response and some aggressive play by the Chinese star meant the game was heading into a draw.

However, the 18-year-old Indian had luck on his side when Liren decided to offer his rook up in his 55th move by placing it at f2, which turned out to be the Championship-deciding blunder. The move opened the gates for Gukesh to win his first World Championship in the 58th move, in the process scripting history to become the youngest to win the title at 18.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a prize money of Rs 50 million ($590,000) for D Gukesh after the teenager won the World Chess Championship on Thursday (Dec 12).

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a prize money of Rs 50 million ($590,000) for D Gukesh after the teenager won the World Chess Championship on Thursday (Dec 12). Up against China’s Ding Liren, Gukesh won by 7.5-6.5, after winning game 14 of the championship series in Singapore. The reward comes after he clinched the title at just 18, also becoming the youngest grandmaster to win. To honour the monumental achievement of @DGukesh, the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, I am delighted to announce a cash prize of ₹5 crore! His historic victory has brought immense pride and joy to the nation. May he continue to shine and achieve greater heights in the… pic.twitter.com/3h5jzFr8gD — M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 13, 2024 × Gukesh rewarded for success "To honour the monumental achievement of @DGukesh, the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, I am delighted to announce a cash prize of Rs 5 crore! His historic victory has brought immense pride and joy to the nation. May he continue to shine and achieve greater heights in the future," CM Stalin's X post read. The reward comes as a testimony to his success as he joined legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the prestigious title from India. Having ended game 13 in a draw after a marathon five-hour contest on Wednesday, Gukesh and Liren started defensively in the latest contest. Playing with the white pawns, Gukesh had a considerable time advantage at the start despite losing key pieces. By the 36th move of the game, the Indian had a 30-minute advantage while both were on the decadency of losing key pieces. ALSO READ | BGT: 'Big score's around the corner', Pat Cummins backs Steve Smith to regain form in Brisbane Test vs India On the 37th move, Gukesh gave a check to Liren with his rook despite no chance of causing any terror. However, a swift response and some aggressive play by the Chinese star meant the game was heading into a draw. However, the 18-year-old Indian had luck on his side when Liren decided to offer his rook up in his 55th move by placing it at f2, which turned out to be the Championship-deciding blunder. The move opened the gates for Gukesh to win his first World Championship in the 58th move, in the process scripting history to become the youngest to win the title at 18.

Tamil Nadu government announces $590,000 prize money after D Gukesh's record-breaking feat

D Gukesh created history by winning the 2024 World Chess Championship, beating defending champion Ding Liren, of China, in Singapore. He beat Liren with a scoreline of 7.5-6.5, clinching the final classical game on Thursday (Dec 12). Post his success, reactions have been pouring in from all around for the 18-year-old sensation. Gukesh became the second Indian after legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the prestigious title and youngster overall, surpassing Russia's Garry Kasparov (who achieved the feat in 1985). After his win, his mother Padmakumari revealed she was in tears seeing her son's proud moment.

"I couldn't believe it and I cried for 10 minutes," Padmakumari told news agency PTI, before boarding a flight to meet her son. Padmakumari also shared the sacrifices the family made to support Gukesh's journey.

Gukesh's father, Rajnikanth, gave up a lucrative career as an ENT surgeon to accompany Gukesh to tournaments. The two hugged each other after Gukesh's big win over Liren. Talking about Padmakumari, a microbiologist, became the family's sole breadwinner after her husband stepped aside professionally.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-boy-who-would-be-king-anand-shares-throwback-pic-of-d-gukesh-after-his-world-chess-championship-win-783655">The boy who would be King: Anand shares throwback pic of D Gukesh after his World Chess Championship win</a>

Further, Padmakumari stated, "This is a really happy moment for us, but it also reminds me of all the sacrifices, especially by Gukesh's father. Our extended family-grandparents, in-laws, sisters, and friends-all pitched in to support us. We are deeply grateful to them."

Speaking about Gukesh, she added, "He worked incredibly hard from childhood. He's always been disciplined and made countless sacrifices for chess," she said. "We're so proud that his efforts have culminated in this historic win."

After Gukesh's success, his mentor and legend Anand took to his official handle on X and wrote, "Congratulations! It's a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India, a proud moment for WACA, and for me, a very personal moment of pride. Ding played a very exciting match and showed the champion he is."

D Gukesh created history by winning the 2024 World Chess Championship, beating defending champion Ding Liren, of China, in Singapore. He beat Liren with a scoreline of 7.

D Gukesh created history by winning the 2024 World Chess Championship, beating defending champion Ding Liren, of China, in Singapore. He beat Liren with a scoreline of 7.5-6.5, clinching the final classical game on Thursday (Dec 12). Post his success, reactions have been pouring in from all around for the 18-year-old sensation. Gukesh became the second Indian after legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the prestigious title and youngster overall, surpassing Russia's Garry Kasparov (who achieved the feat in 1985). After his win, his mother Padmakumari revealed she was in tears seeing her son's proud moment. "I couldn't believe it and I cried for 10 minutes," Padmakumari told news agency PTI, before boarding a flight to meet her son. Padmakumari also shared the sacrifices the family made to support Gukesh's journey. Gukesh's father, Rajnikanth, gave up a lucrative career as an ENT surgeon to accompany Gukesh to tournaments. The two hugged each other after Gukesh's big win over Liren. Talking about Padmakumari, a microbiologist, became the family's sole breadwinner after her husband stepped aside professionally. Also read: The boy who would be King: Anand shares throwback pic of D Gukesh after his World Chess Championship win Further, Padmakumari stated, "This is a really happy moment for us, but it also reminds me of all the sacrifices, especially by Gukesh's father. Our extended family-grandparents, in-laws, sisters, and friends-all pitched in to support us. We are deeply grateful to them." Speaking about Gukesh, she added, "He worked incredibly hard from childhood. He's always been disciplined and made countless sacrifices for chess," she said. "We're so proud that his efforts have culminated in this historic win." After Gukesh's success, his mentor and legend Anand took to his official handle on X and wrote, "Congratulations! It's a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India, a proud moment for WACA, and for me, a very personal moment of pride. Ding played a very exciting match and showed the champion he is."

Cried for 10 minutes, says Gukesh's mother after son makes India proud by winning World Chess Championship

India is growing as a sporting nation. A country rich in accolades in hockey and cricket worldwide is slowly carving its way into becoming a powerhouse in Chess. Though the fans know who the kings and their prodigies are, not many know about the kingmakers. Meet Paddy Upton, the former Indian Men’s Cricket and Hockey Team's mental coach, who guided D Gukesh to creating history at the just-concluded World Chess Championship.

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🇮🇳 Gukesh D 🥹 
Ladies and gentlemen, the 18th WORLD CHAMPION! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DingGukesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DingGukesh</a> <a href="https://t.co/CgzYBgeTfq">pic.twitter.com/CgzYBgeTfq</a>
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1867224807718449342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Upton is known to shape sporting champions, and with Gukesh’s history-making feat, where he became the youngest World Chess Champion on Thursday, he upgraded his already impressive-looking resume.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-boy-who-would-be-king-anand-shares-throwback-pic-of-d-gukesh-after-his-world-chess-championship-win-783655">The boy who would be King: Anand shares throwback pic of D Gukesh after his World Chess Championship win</a>

Upton was the Indian Cricket Team’s mental conditioning coach during the 2011 World Cup, which they lifted for the first time in 28 years, while he held the same position with the Men’s Hockey Team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, helping them end their trophy drought with a historic bronze. Three years later, he succeeded in guiding another sports star in a game (Chess) he wasn’t aware of much.

However, despite all odds, he took the challenge and helped the 18-year-old Indian Grandmaster to accomplish his dream of becoming the youngest world chess champion.&nbsp;

<h2>Gukesh stands tall</h2>

At the level he was competing at, D Gukesh needed to be consistent with what he was doing without trying too hard to do something else for the win, and this is where Paddy came into the picture.&nbsp;

"One of the biggest mistakes newcomers make at big events is thinking they need to do something special. The key is consistency – doing what you’ve been doing really well, one move at a time,” Paddy Upton said in a chat with Chess24.&nbsp;

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Mental coach Paddy Upton says he's spoken to Gukesh once a week for the last 6 months, with the plan to have him so ready no contact was needed during the match. He says a big mistake players make is to think they need to do something completely different in their 1st huge event <a href="https://t.co/64y7qm1Fvk">pic.twitter.com/64y7qm1Fvk</a>
— chess24 (@chess24com) <a href="https://twitter.com/chess24com/status/1867172866053316990?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, competing against the defending champion Ding Liren in the 14th round, Gukesh kept his composure and was persistent and focused, and owing to Ding’s blunder, he prevailed, creating history.&nbsp;

Soon after claiming the top spot, Gukesh revealed his team of seconds (professional players who assist others), giving a special mention to Upton and emphasising his role in helping Gukesh stand tall.

"Paddy has been a huge, huge support for me in the last six months. Although he is not part of my chess team, he has been a very, very important person in this journey. One of the critical aspects we worked on was managing the uncertainty around my opponent’s form and approach. Paddy doesn’t understand chess deeply, but he understands sport and the psychology behind it," Gukesh said of Paddy’s role in helping him scale new heights in chess.

The newly crowned champion also acknowledged Paddy’s achievements elsewhere.&nbsp;

"It’s really cool that Paddy helped India win the 2011 World Cup. Thirteen years later, he has helped India win the Chess Championship,” Gukesh noted.&nbsp;

Gukesh and Upton collaborated midway into this year, with Sandeep Singhal, co-founder of the WestBridge-Anand Chess Academy (WACA), introducing them to each other.&nbsp;

Although Gukesh’s team has masters of their crafts, the WACA recognised the need for a mental conditioning expert, which eventually changed the tournament’s landscape.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

India is growing as a sporting nation. A country rich in accolades in hockey and cricket worldwide is slowly carving its way into becoming a powerhouse in Chess.

India is growing as a sporting nation. A country rich in accolades in hockey and cricket worldwide is slowly carving its way into becoming a powerhouse in Chess. Though the fans know who the kings and their prodigies are, not many know about the kingmakers. Meet Paddy Upton, the former Indian Men’s Cricket and Hockey Team's mental coach, who guided D Gukesh to creating history at the just-concluded World Chess Championship. 🇮🇳 Gukesh D 🥹 Ladies and gentlemen, the 18th WORLD CHAMPION! #DingGukesh pic.twitter.com/CgzYBgeTfq — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) December 12, 2024 × Upton is known to shape sporting champions, and with Gukesh’s history-making feat, where he became the youngest World Chess Champion on Thursday, he upgraded his already impressive-looking resume. ALSO READ: The boy who would be King: Anand shares throwback pic of D Gukesh after his World Chess Championship win Upton was the Indian Cricket Team’s mental conditioning coach during the 2011 World Cup, which they lifted for the first time in 28 years, while he held the same position with the Men’s Hockey Team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, helping them end their trophy drought with a historic bronze. Three years later, he succeeded in guiding another sports star in a game (Chess) he wasn’t aware of much. However, despite all odds, he took the challenge and helped the 18-year-old Indian Grandmaster to accomplish his dream of becoming the youngest world chess champion. Gukesh stands tall At the level he was competing at, D Gukesh needed to be consistent with what he was doing without trying too hard to do something else for the win, and this is where Paddy came into the picture. "One of the biggest mistakes newcomers make at big events is thinking they need to do something special. The key is consistency – doing what you’ve been doing really well, one move at a time,” Paddy Upton said in a chat with Chess24. Mental coach Paddy Upton says he's spoken to Gukesh once a week for the last 6 months, with the plan to have him so ready no contact was needed during the match. He says a big mistake players make is to think they need to do something completely different in their 1st huge event pic.twitter.com/64y7qm1Fvk — chess24 (@chess24com) December 12, 2024 × Meanwhile, competing against the defending champion Ding Liren in the 14th round, Gukesh kept his composure and was persistent and focused, and owing to Ding’s blunder, he prevailed, creating history. Soon after claiming the top spot, Gukesh revealed his team of seconds (professional players who assist others), giving a special mention to Upton and emphasising his role in helping Gukesh stand tall. "Paddy has been a huge, huge support for me in the last six months. Although he is not part of my chess team, he has been a very, very important person in this journey. One of the critical aspects we worked on was managing the uncertainty around my opponent’s form and approach. Paddy doesn’t understand chess deeply, but he understands sport and the psychology behind it," Gukesh said of Paddy’s role in helping him scale new heights in chess. The newly crowned champion also acknowledged Paddy’s achievements elsewhere. "It’s really cool that Paddy helped India win the 2011 World Cup. Thirteen years later, he has helped India win the Chess Championship,” Gukesh noted. Gukesh and Upton collaborated midway into this year, with Sandeep Singhal, co-founder of the WestBridge-Anand Chess Academy (WACA), introducing them to each other. Although Gukesh’s team has masters of their crafts, the WACA recognised the need for a mental conditioning expert, which eventually changed the tournament’s landscape. (With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Hockey and now Chess: How Paddy Upton guided D Gukesh to World Championship title

On Thursday (Dec 13), D Gukesh created history by&nbsp;beating China’s Ding Liren and clinching&nbsp;the 2024 World Chess Championship. After winning the 14th game of the championship final, the 18-year-old teen sensation became the second Indian -- after legendary Viswanathan Anand -- to&nbsp; become the youngest to win the prestigious title. Overall, Gukesh broke the record held by Russia's legendary Garry Kasparov. In 1985,&nbsp;Kasparov became the youngest world champion at 22.

Post Gukesh's historic achievement, veteran chess champion Viswanathan Anand shared a throwback picture with Gukesh.&nbsp;Anand, who met Gukesh as a child, referred to the teen sensation as the "boy who would be king" in his post, acknowledging the immense talent and potential the young chess prodigy displayed even back then.

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The boy who would be King<a href="https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FIDE_chess</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/WacaChess?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WacaChess</a> <a href="https://t.co/kN8eG7fijq">pic.twitter.com/kN8eG7fijq</a>
— Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) <a href="https://twitter.com/vishy64theking/status/1867402859903590525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-d-gukesh-gets-emotional-after-defeating-chinas-ding-liren-to-win-2024-world-chess-championship-783525">WATCH: D Gukesh gets EMOTIONAL after defeating China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship</a>

Notably,&nbsp;Gukesh is one of the students in the first batch of the WestBridge Anand Chess Academy, founded by Anand. The WACA has been backing&nbsp;young chess talents of the country and honing their skills with exposure to the best minds in the sport.

When Gukesh beat Liren on Thursday evening, Anand was among the first few to wish his protégé on X, formerly Twitter. He wrote, "Congratulations! It's a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India, a proud moment for WACA, and for me, a very personal moment of pride. Ding played a very exciting match and showed the champion he is."

Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi congratulated Gukesh and said, on X, "Historic and exemplary! Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination. His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence. My best wishes for his future endeavours"

Gukesh beat Liren&nbsp;with a scoreline of 7.5-6.5. The victory became possible after the Chinese made a blunder on the 53rd move of the 14th game, tilting the equation in Gukesh's favour. The Indian star's move to keep playing and apply the pressure paid rich dividends as he created history for the country.

On Thursday (Dec 13), D Gukesh created history by beating China’s Ding Liren and clinching the 2024 World Chess Championship. After winning the 14th game of the championship final, the 18-year-old teen sensation became the second Indian -- after legendary Viswanathan Anand -- to become the youngest to win the prestigious title.

On Thursday (Dec 13), D Gukesh created history by beating China’s Ding Liren and clinching the 2024 World Chess Championship. After winning the 14th game of the championship final, the 18-year-old teen sensation became the second Indian -- after legendary Viswanathan Anand -- to become the youngest to win the prestigious title. Overall, Gukesh broke the record held by Russia's legendary Garry Kasparov. In 1985, Kasparov became the youngest world champion at 22. Post Gukesh's historic achievement, veteran chess champion Viswanathan Anand shared a throwback picture with Gukesh. Anand, who met Gukesh as a child, referred to the teen sensation as the "boy who would be king" in his post, acknowledging the immense talent and potential the young chess prodigy displayed even back then. The boy who would be King@FIDE_chess @WacaChess pic.twitter.com/kN8eG7fijq — Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) December 13, 2024 × Also read: WATCH: D Gukesh gets EMOTIONAL after defeating China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship Notably, Gukesh is one of the students in the first batch of the WestBridge Anand Chess Academy, founded by Anand. The WACA has been backing young chess talents of the country and honing their skills with exposure to the best minds in the sport. When Gukesh beat Liren on Thursday evening, Anand was among the first few to wish his protégé on X, formerly Twitter. He wrote, "Congratulations! It's a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India, a proud moment for WACA, and for me, a very personal moment of pride. Ding played a very exciting match and showed the champion he is." Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi congratulated Gukesh and said, on X, "Historic and exemplary! Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination. His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence. My best wishes for his future endeavours" Gukesh beat Liren with a scoreline of 7.5-6.5. The victory became possible after the Chinese made a blunder on the 53rd move of the 14th game, tilting the equation in Gukesh's favour. The Indian star's move to keep playing and apply the pressure paid rich dividends as he created history for the country.

The boy who would be King: Anand shares throwback pic of D Gukesh after his World Chess Championship win

Transgender women who have gone through male puberty will not be allowed to play in women's golf tournaments organised by the R&amp;A from 2025 under a new "fair competition policy", the governing body announced on Thursday.

The R&amp;A, which governs the sport outside the United States and Mexico, has updated guidelines following "extensive consultation" with medical and scientific experts.

The ruling brings the organisation into line with new policies established by both the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) and the USGA (US Golf Association).

"The evidence shows that golf is a gender-affected sport in which male puberty confers a performance advantage," the R&amp;A, based at St Andrews in Scotland, said in a statement.

"From the start of 2025, a golfer entering female professional and elite amateur championships organised by the R&amp;A must have been female at birth or transitioned to female before the onset of male puberty to be eligible to compete.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-d-gukesh-beats-chinas-ding-liren-to-win-2024-world-chess-championship-becomes-youngest-champion-783519">India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion</a>

"Players assigned male at birth and who have experienced male puberty are ineligible to compete in these events, but can enter male professional and elite amateur championships organised by the R&amp;A."

R&amp;A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: "We have carefully reviewed the best available medical and scientific advice relating to participation in elite and scratch level golf competitions by transgender athletes and decided that updating our entry conditions to preserve fairness in our female professional and elite amateur championships is the right thing to do.

"While we believe that golf should be open to all and are committed to developing the sport, we recognise that we have a duty to ensure that in our elite competitions players can compete fairly and equally."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

Transgender women who have gone through male puberty will not be allowed to play in women's golf tournaments organised by the R&A from 2025 under a new "fair competition policy", the governing body announced on Thursday.

Transgender women who have gone through male puberty will not be allowed to play in women's golf tournaments organised by the R&A from 2025 under a new "fair competition policy", the governing body announced on Thursday. The R&A, which governs the sport outside the United States and Mexico, has updated guidelines following "extensive consultation" with medical and scientific experts. The ruling brings the organisation into line with new policies established by both the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) and the USGA (US Golf Association). "The evidence shows that golf is a gender-affected sport in which male puberty confers a performance advantage," the R&A, based at St Andrews in Scotland, said in a statement. "From the start of 2025, a golfer entering female professional and elite amateur championships organised by the R&A must have been female at birth or transitioned to female before the onset of male puberty to be eligible to compete. ALSO READ | India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion "Players assigned male at birth and who have experienced male puberty are ineligible to compete in these events, but can enter male professional and elite amateur championships organised by the R&A." R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: "We have carefully reviewed the best available medical and scientific advice relating to participation in elite and scratch level golf competitions by transgender athletes and decided that updating our entry conditions to preserve fairness in our female professional and elite amateur championships is the right thing to do. "While we believe that golf should be open to all and are committed to developing the sport, we recognise that we have a duty to ensure that in our elite competitions players can compete fairly and equally." 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.

Transgender women golfers barred from women's R&A events

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated chess prodigy D Gukesh after he won the Chess World Championship on Thursday (Dec 12), beating China’s Ding Liren. The win saw him join legendary Viswanathan Anand and become only the second Indian grandmaster to win the World Chess Championship. Alongside PM Modi, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and other popular figures took to their social media handles to congratulate Gukesh.

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Historic and exemplary! 
 
Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination. 
 
His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions… <a href="https://t.co/fOqqPZLQlr">https://t.co/fOqqPZLQlr</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xa1kPaiHdg">pic.twitter.com/Xa1kPaiHdg</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1867204810308506097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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What a proud moment for India as 18-year-old Gukesh becomes the 18th world chess champion, the youngest ever. Incredible feat and a truly historic moment. 
 
<a href="https://t.co/6mXMppZcYE">pic.twitter.com/6mXMppZcYE</a>
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) <a href="https://twitter.com/VVSLaxman281/status/1867204854835540256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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In a game of 64 squares, you've opened a world of endless possibilities. Congratulations, <a href="https://twitter.com/DGukesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGukesh</a>, on becoming the 18th World Champion at just 18! Following in Vishy’s footsteps, you're now guiding the next wave of Indian chess prodigies. 🇮🇳♟️🏆 
<a href="https://t.co/3kPCzGEv1d">pic.twitter.com/3kPCzGEv1d</a>
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/1867222656090800615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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🇮🇳 GUKESH D WINS THE 2024 FIDE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! 👏 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DingGukesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DingGukesh</a> <a href="https://t.co/aFNt2RO3UK">pic.twitter.com/aFNt2RO3UK</a>
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIDE_chess/status/1867193316921524479?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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A moment of immense pride for India! 
At 18, <a href="https://twitter.com/DGukesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGukesh</a> has conquered the chessboard, becoming the 2024 FIDE World Chess Champion and the youngest-ever to do so. 
This victory is a celebration of talent, grit, and the unstoppable spirit of Indian youth. 
India is proud of you, Champ! <a href="https://t.co/Z8Xrz146Ez">pic.twitter.com/Z8Xrz146Ez</a>
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/1867248722884657661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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India's son, Youngest World Champion 🇮🇳🔥♟ 
 
Take a bow <a href="https://twitter.com/DGukesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGukesh</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GukeshDing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GukeshDing</a> <a href="https://t.co/HdtwJPzmtE">pic.twitter.com/HdtwJPzmtE</a>
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/PiyushGoyal/status/1867217562611929110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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An exhilarating victory for Bharat. 
 
A big round of applause for <a href="https://twitter.com/DGukesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGukesh</a> on becoming the world's youngest chess champion at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldChessChampionship?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldChessChampionship</a> held in Singapore. You have today taken the world by surprise with your flawlessly timed moves and the steely resolve to win.… <a href="https://t.co/hEh78CRBvC">pic.twitter.com/hEh78CRBvC</a>
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1867219991923396856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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History checkmated! Kudos to <a href="https://twitter.com/DGukesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGukesh</a> for becoming the youngest World Champion in chess history. India beams with pride! 
 
Overcoming the opponent’s advantageous white pieces in the final game, speaks volumes of our champions composure and fortitude. <a href="https://t.co/zlwlRxH6cX">pic.twitter.com/zlwlRxH6cX</a>
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) <a href="https://twitter.com/ikamalhaasan/status/1867234440759611877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/DGukesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGukesh</a> on becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion at 18! 
 
Your remarkable achievement continues India's rich chess legacy and helps Chennai reaffirm its place as the global Chess Capital by producing yet another world-class champion. 
 
Tamil Nadu is… <a href="https://t.co/pQvyyRcmA1">pic.twitter.com/pQvyyRcmA1</a>
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) <a href="https://twitter.com/mkstalin/status/1867206639314755586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Having ended game 13 in a draw after a marathon five-hour contest on Wednesday, Gukesh and Liren started defensively in the latest contest. Playing with the white pawns, Gukesh had a considerable time advantage at the start despite losing key pieces. By the 36th move of the game, the Indian had a 30-minute advantage while both were on the decadency of losing key pieces.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-d-gukesh-beats-chinas-ding-liren-to-win-2024-world-chess-championship-becomes-youngest-champion-783519">India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion</a>

On the 37th move, Gukesh gave a check to Liren with his rook despite no chance of causing any terror. However, a swift response and some aggressive play by the Chinese star meant the game was heading into a draw.

However, the 18-year-old Indian had luck on his side when Liren decided to offer his rook up in his 55th move by placing it at f2, which turned out to be the Championship-deciding blunder. The move opened the gates for Gukesh to win his first World Championship in the 58th move.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated chess prodigy D Gukesh after he won the Chess World Championship on Thursday (Dec 12), beating China’s Ding Liren.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated chess prodigy D Gukesh after he won the Chess World Championship on Thursday (Dec 12), beating China’s Ding Liren. The win saw him join legendary Viswanathan Anand and become only the second Indian grandmaster to win the World Chess Championship. Alongside PM Modi, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and other popular figures took to their social media handles to congratulate Gukesh. Historic and exemplary! Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination. His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions… https://t.co/fOqqPZLQlr pic.twitter.com/Xa1kPaiHdg — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 12, 2024 × What a proud moment for India as 18-year-old Gukesh becomes the 18th world chess champion, the youngest ever. Incredible feat and a truly historic moment. pic.twitter.com/6mXMppZcYE — VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) December 12, 2024 × In a game of 64 squares, you've opened a world of endless possibilities. Congratulations, @DGukesh, on becoming the 18th World Champion at just 18! Following in Vishy’s footsteps, you're now guiding the next wave of Indian chess prodigies. 🇮🇳♟️🏆 pic.twitter.com/3kPCzGEv1d — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 12, 2024 × 🇮🇳 GUKESH D WINS THE 2024 FIDE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! 👏 🔥#DingGukesh pic.twitter.com/aFNt2RO3UK — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) December 12, 2024 × A moment of immense pride for India! At 18, @DGukesh has conquered the chessboard, becoming the 2024 FIDE World Chess Champion and the youngest-ever to do so. This victory is a celebration of talent, grit, and the unstoppable spirit of Indian youth. India is proud of you, Champ! pic.twitter.com/Z8Xrz146Ez — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) December 12, 2024 × India's son, Youngest World Champion 🇮🇳🔥♟ Take a bow @DGukesh!#GukeshDing pic.twitter.com/HdtwJPzmtE — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) December 12, 2024 × An exhilarating victory for Bharat. A big round of applause for @DGukesh on becoming the world's youngest chess champion at the #WorldChessChampionship held in Singapore. You have today taken the world by surprise with your flawlessly timed moves and the steely resolve to win.… pic.twitter.com/hEh78CRBvC — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 12, 2024 × History checkmated! Kudos to @DGukesh for becoming the youngest World Champion in chess history. India beams with pride! Overcoming the opponent’s advantageous white pieces in the final game, speaks volumes of our champions composure and fortitude. pic.twitter.com/zlwlRxH6cX — Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) December 12, 2024 × Congratulations to @DGukesh on becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion at 18! Your remarkable achievement continues India's rich chess legacy and helps Chennai reaffirm its place as the global Chess Capital by producing yet another world-class champion. Tamil Nadu is… pic.twitter.com/pQvyyRcmA1 — M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 12, 2024 × Having ended game 13 in a draw after a marathon five-hour contest on Wednesday, Gukesh and Liren started defensively in the latest contest. Playing with the white pawns, Gukesh had a considerable time advantage at the start despite losing key pieces. By the 36th move of the game, the Indian had a 30-minute advantage while both were on the decadency of losing key pieces. ALSO READ | India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion On the 37th move, Gukesh gave a check to Liren with his rook despite no chance of causing any terror. However, a swift response and some aggressive play by the Chinese star meant the game was heading into a draw. However, the 18-year-old Indian had luck on his side when Liren decided to offer his rook up in his 55th move by placing it at f2, which turned out to be the Championship-deciding blunder. The move opened the gates for Gukesh to win his first World Championship in the 58th move.

Indian PM Modi, Sachin Tendulkar and others congratulate D Gukesh on historic World Chess Championship win

India’s D Gukesh scripted history on Thursday (Dec 12) after he became the youngest World Chess Championship winner. At 18, Gukesh beat China’s Ding Liren, also becoming the second Indian grandmaster to win the World Chess Championship in Singapore after legendary Viswanathan Anand. After the win, he was emotional and reflected on accomplishing his big dream after winning in game 14 of the World Chess Championship.

<h2>Big part of my dream</h2>

"This has always been a big part of my dream, a very big part of it. It's a huge step for me. I am very happy for that. But, my goal has always been to be at the very top, for the longest time possible. My career is just starting. I have had 10 years. I want to play for as long as I can. I want to have a very, very long career and stay at the very, very top," Gukesh said to the press after the historic win.

Having ended game 13 in a draw after a marathon five-hour contest on Wednesday, Gukesh and Liren started defensively in the contest on Thursday. Playing with white pawns, Gukesh had a considerable time advantage at the start despite losing key pieces. By the 36th move of the game, the Indian had a 30-minute advantage while both were on the decadency of losing key pieces.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-d-gukesh-beats-chinas-ding-liren-to-win-2024-world-chess-championship-becomes-youngest-champion-783519">India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion</a>

On the 37th move, Gukesh gave a check to Liren with his rook despite no chance of causing any terror. However, a swift response and some aggressive play by the Chinese star meant the game was heading into a draw.

However, the 18-year-old Indian had luck on his side when Liren decided to offer his rook up in his 55th move by placing it at f2, which turned out to be the Championship-deciding blunder. The move opened the gates for Gukesh to win his first World Championship in the 58th move.

India’s D Gukesh scripted history on Thursday (Dec 12) after he became the youngest World Chess Championship winner. At 18, Gukesh beat China’s Ding Liren, also becoming the second Indian grandmaster to win the World Chess Championship in Singapore after legendary Viswanathan Anand.

India’s D Gukesh scripted history on Thursday (Dec 12) after he became the youngest World Chess Championship winner. At 18, Gukesh beat China’s Ding Liren, also becoming the second Indian grandmaster to win the World Chess Championship in Singapore after legendary Viswanathan Anand. After the win, he was emotional and reflected on accomplishing his big dream after winning in game 14 of the World Chess Championship. Big part of my dream "This has always been a big part of my dream, a very big part of it. It's a huge step for me. I am very happy for that. But, my goal has always been to be at the very top, for the longest time possible. My career is just starting. I have had 10 years. I want to play for as long as I can. I want to have a very, very long career and stay at the very, very top," Gukesh said to the press after the historic win. Having ended game 13 in a draw after a marathon five-hour contest on Wednesday, Gukesh and Liren started defensively in the contest on Thursday. Playing with white pawns, Gukesh had a considerable time advantage at the start despite losing key pieces. By the 36th move of the game, the Indian had a 30-minute advantage while both were on the decadency of losing key pieces. ALSO READ | India's D Gukesh beats China's Ding Liren to win 2024 World Chess Championship; becomes youngest champion On the 37th move, Gukesh gave a check to Liren with his rook despite no chance of causing any terror. However, a swift response and some aggressive play by the Chinese star meant the game was heading into a draw. However, the 18-year-old Indian had luck on his side when Liren decided to offer his rook up in his 55th move by placing it at f2, which turned out to be the Championship-deciding blunder. The move opened the gates for Gukesh to win his first World Championship in the 58th move.

'Big part of my dream,' says D Gukesh on historic World Chess Championship win

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