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AC Milan are set to break their record signing with the arrival of Portugal forward Goncalo Ramos from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), according to several press reports on Friday.

He will cost between 60 and 70 million euros ($68.3-$79.7m), which would make the 25-year-old the second most expensive striker signing in Serie A history after Romelu Lukaku’s move from Manchester United to Inter Milan in 2019.

Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport said Ramos had already passed his medical, while France’s L’Equipe said he would be the first major departure from PSG this summer.

Gazzetta said Ramos was the new coach Ruben Amorim’s first choice forward signing.

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Milan’s current record signing is Ramos’ compatriot Rafael Leao, who joined the club from Lille for 49.5 million euros in 2019, according to expert website Transfermarkt.

Ramos has spent three years at French champions PSG, winning the Champions League twice, after his 65-million-euro arrival from Benfica.

However, he has struggled to hold down a regular first-team place, playing second fiddle first to Kylian Mbappe and then Ousmane Dembele as PSG’s centre-forward.

Ramos did not start a single Champions League match for PSG this season.

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Coach Luis Enrique said several times that Ramos deserved to play more minutes, but with a forward line including Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and France flyer Desire Doue, he was unable to force his way into the first-choice XI.

Ramos scored 45 goals for PSG in his three seasons, in 131 matches, many of which were as a substitute.

He won three Ligue 1 titles, having also won the Portuguese league with Benfica, and two French Cups. He is currently with Portugal at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America.

READ: Dani Ceballos set to leave Real Madrid a year early

Spain midfielder Dani Ceballos will leave Real Madrid after a trophy-laden spell with the club, the Spanish giants announced on Friday.

Ceballos, 29, spent nine years at the Santiago Bernabeu after joining from Real Betis in 2017 and had one year left on his contract, but has been released early.

He won the Champions League three times and La Liga twice in the capital city.

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“Real Madrid thanks Dani Ceballos for his commitment and dedication during his time defending our jersey, and we wish him and his entire family the best of luck in this new chapter of their lives,” Madrid said in a statement.

“Real Madrid is and will always be his home.”

During his stint in Madrid, Ceballos spent two seasons on loan at Arsenal, from 2019 to 2021, winning the FA Cup in 2020.

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Real Madrid, who appointed Portuguese veteran Jose Mourinho as coach earlier in June, have made a spate of signings already this summer.

They have brought in Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konate on free transfers and spent € 55 million ($62.6 million) on Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella.

After going two consecutive seasons without lifting a major trophy, record 15-time Champions League winners Madrid are remodelling their squad.

READ: Sufiyan Muqeem breaks the silence on rumours of leaving Pakistan

Pakistan left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan Muqeem has dismissed speculation linking him with a permanent move abroad, insisting that his stint in England is solely for county cricket and reaffirming his commitment to representing Pakistan.

The rumours emerged on social media after Derbyshire Falcons signed the 24-year-old earlier this week for the remainder of the 2026 Vitality Blast, prompting claims that he was considering leaving Pakistan in search of better opportunities due to limited chances at the international level.

Muqeem, however, put the speculation to rest through a statement on his official Instagram account, describing the reports as “completely baseless.”

“The rumours about me leaving Pakistan are completely baseless. I am currently in England solely to play T20 cricket for Derbyshire Falcons,” Muqeem wrote.

“I kindly ask you all to keep me in your prayers. Pakistan is my identity, my pride and my homeland, and it will always come first for me. Long live Pakistan!”

 

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The left-arm spinner joined Derbyshire as a replacement for Afghanistan spinner Mohammad Ghazanfar, whose availability was withdrawn by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) as part of the management of his workload.

Ghazanfar had been expected to rejoin Derbyshire ahead of Sunday’s Vitality Blast fixture against Yorkshire, but the late change opened the door for Muqeem to link up with the county side.

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Muqeem has represented Pakistan in 19 T20 Internationals since making his debut in 2023 and has also featured in four One-Day Internationals after earning his maiden ODI cap in 2024.

His clarification comes amid growing discussion over Pakistani cricketers pursuing opportunities in overseas leagues, with the spinner making it clear that his current stay in England is a short-term professional commitment rather than a step towards leaving Pakistan.

READ: Ireland upset T20 World Cup champions India for historic win

TORONTO: Ismaila Sarr etched his name into Senegal’s football history after becoming his country’s all-time leading goalscorer at the FIFA World Cup during Friday’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Iraq.

The 28-year-old reached the milestone by scoring his fourth World Cup goal shortly before the hour mark, moving past the late Papa Bouba Diop to become Senegal’s highest scorer in the tournament’s history.

Sarr had equalled Diop’s tally just four days earlier when he netted a brace against Norway, a performance that also made him the first Senegalese player to score in two different FIFA World Cups.

His latest goal further cemented his place in the record books, with teammates quick to praise both his achievement and his dedication.

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Midfielder Idrissa Gueye said the Crystal Palace winger had fully earned the milestone through his commitment and hard work.

“He really, really deserves it,” Gueye said. “Yeah, he puts everything into what he does.”

Defender Moussa Niakhate also hailed Sarr’s influence, describing him as a quiet personality whose performances speak louder than words.

“He’s an inspiration,” Niakhate said. “He’s someone who is really shy, really quiet, but the most important thing is what you do on the pitch, and on the pitch, he is not shy. He just shows what he can do and always gives his best for the country.”

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Goalkeeper Mory Diaw echoed those sentiments, backing Sarr to add even more goals to his tally.

“He deserves it because he’s a very good player,” Diaw said. “Every day, he works a lot, so he deserves this goal, and I hope for more for him.”

Sarr’s landmark goal came in a dominant display from Senegal, who thrashed 10-man Iraq 5-0 to keep their hopes of reaching the Round of 32 alive.

The victory saw Senegal finish third in Group I with three points, behind France and Norway, while Iraq ended bottom of the group and bowed out of the tournament.

Despite the convincing win, Senegal’s fate remains uncertain. They must now wait for the conclusion of the group stage to discover whether they finish among the eight best third-placed teams that will advance to the knockout rounds.

READ: Uruguay crash out of World Cup as Spain top Group H

Uruguay bowed out of the FIFA World Cup 2026 as goalkeeper Fernando Muslera’s howler gifted Spain a 1-0 win in Guadalajara to secure top spot in Group H.

Alex Baena’s weak shot slipped through Muslera’s grasp for the only goal as Spain avoided a last 32 showdown against Argentina.

The European champions will instead face Austria or Algeria next in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Uruguay’s defeat allowed debutants Cape Verde to secure second place and a meeting with Lionel Messi and the defending champions, thanks to a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia.

Two-time winners Uruguay became the highest-ranked side to crash out in the group stages as the defeat rounded off a miserable tournament for Marcelo Bielsa and his squad.

After draws against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, reports of a revolt in the Uruguay camp emerged, with leading players, including Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde, clashing with Bielsa over his tactics.

Spain’s King Felipe was among those in attendance, but the only clash between two former winners of the World Cup in the group stages was a huge disappointment.

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Lamine Yamal’s to the starting line-up had sparked the Spanish attack into life in a 4-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia after La Roja began in underwhelming fashion with a goalless draw against Cape Verde.

But another laboured attacking performance leaves Luis de la Fuente with plenty to ponder before the knockout stages begin on Sunday.

A hero of Uruguay’s run to the semi-finals in 2010, Muslera was at fault for both Cape Verde’s goals in a 2-2 draw. And in Guadalajara, Spain had barely threatened the Uruguay goal before the 40-year-old allowed Baena’s shot to dribble over the line from Marcos Llorente’s cross on 42 minutes.

To rub salt into Uruguayan wounds, Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte was injured in the build-up to the goal and stretchered off with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

Bielsa replaced Muslera at half-time with Sergio Rochet, and the Uruguay boss made an even bolder call when Valverde was taken off on the hour mark.

De la Fuente also turned to his bench, and the introduction of Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz finally injected some life into the Spanish performance.

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Olmo should have done better when he spooned a shot over from a rare flash of Yamal’s brilliance to tee up his Barcelona team-mate.

Yamal was replaced 15 minutes from time as his minutes continue to be managed after a hamstring injury ended his club season prematurely.

His replacement, Ferran Torres, should have doubled the lead five minutes from time but hit the bar with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Uruguay’s miserable tournament was summed up when Agustín Canobbio was shown a straight red card in stoppage time for a wild lunge on Pau Cubarsi.

Hyped as one of the pre-tournament favourites, Spain are now 34 competitive games unbeaten and have yet to concede a goal at the World Cup.

But in stark contrast to some of the scintillating attacking play on show from the likes of France, Argentina and the Netherlands, La Roja are yet to convince in their quest for a second World Cup triumph.

READ: Cape Verde to face Messi’s Argentina in World Cup 2026 knockout

FIFA World Cup debutants Cape Verde will face reigning champions Argentina in the knockout rounds of the 2026 edition after drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia on Friday to extend their fairytale journey.

The stalemate in Houston and Spain’s 1-0 win over Uruguay meant the team ranked 67 coming into the tournament finished runners-up behind Spain in Group H.

Unbeaten in their three group matches, the archipelago nation of just over 500,000 will play Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Miami on July 3 in another chapter of their remarkable story.

Spain, held 0-0 by Cape Verde in the first round of games, finished with seven points, with the debutants on three and Uruguay and Saudi Arabia both on the way home on two.

Spain face the team that comes second in Group J, which will be either Algeria or Austria.

With history beckoning, Cape Verde coach Bubista changed half his starting side, some of it enforced, but retained his hero goalkeeper Vozinha.

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The 40-year-old stopper single-handedly kept Cape Verde in it as they held out for a famous point against European champions Spain in their first-ever World Cup match.

Cape Verde, which is off the west coast of Africa, then claimed a brave 2-2 draw with two-time former champions Uruguay.

That gave them a scarcely believable shot at the knockout rounds coming into the encounter against Saudi Arabia, who themselves were still alive.

At the same time, in Guadalajara, Spain and Uruguay met as an unexpectedly tight group that went down to the wire.

Cape Verde had the better of the first half in Houston against a Saudi side who drew 1-1 with Uruguay before being thrashed 4-0 by Spain.

The Saudis suffered a blow in the 33rd minute when experienced defender Hassan al-Tambakti was stretchered off injured.

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Spain took the lead towards the end of the first half in Mexico, the news greeted by cheers from Cape Verde fans in Houston.

Willy Semedo fired not too far wide of the Saudi post, but neither side seriously threatened in a tense first half. At that point, Cape Verde were going through at Uruguay’s expense.

Three minutes after the break, Jamiro Monteiro had a major chance from close range, but his finish was weak, and then Kevin Pina had an effort from distance that whistled just off target.

The tension went up a notch as they entered the final quarter, but Saudi Arabia were strangely lacking in invention even though they were chasing the game.

In the 75th minute, goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais kept them in it with a vital stop from Laros Duarte.

A point was enough for Cape Verde, but if anything, they were the more likely to score as the match ticked into the dying minutes.

READ: Sri Lanka edge Scotland to stay alive in Women’s T20 World Cup

Sri Lanka kept alive their bid to reach the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals with a dramatic three-wicket victory over Scotland on Friday.

Sarah Bryce’s 47 from 33 balls and 34 from Darcey Carter took Scotland to 151-6 from their 20 overs at Old Trafford.

Chamari Athapaththu ignited Sri Lanka’s run chase with a blistering 16-ball 33, featuring six fours and one six.

But the Sri Lanka skipper was bowled by Katherine Fraser to set the stage for a nervous finale.

Harshitha Samarawickrama (27) and Hasini Perera (23) kept Sri Lanka in contention but they were still in danger of a shock defeat at 118-6.

Nilakshi de Silva’s 21 not out proved crucial for Sri Lanka, who were taken to the last over before finally sealing the victory.

With Scotland on the brink of ending Sri Lanka’s hopes of a last-four berth, Sugandika Dasanayaka saved the day, chopping the penultimate ball of the match to the boundary.

Sri Lanka moved into third place in Group B after their third win of the tournament.

But they still need West Indies to lose heavily to Ireland and England to beat New Zealand on Saturday if they are to advance on net run-rate.

READ: Saleema Imtiaz makes Pakistan umpiring history at Women’s T20 World Cup

BOSTON: Ousmane Dembele’s sensational hat-trick in the opening 32 minutes sealed a 4-1 win for France over a second-string Norway side in Group I clash at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The chances of an epic showdown between both teams were quashed when Norway manager Stale Solbakken decided to make 10 changes, leaving out star striker Erling Haaland.

Les Bleus marched on right from the onset as Ballon d’Or winner Dembele scored in the seventh minute of the game, followed by goals in the 20th and 32nd minutes. Desire Doue capped off a brilliant day for France with a lobbed header in the 94th minute.

Dembele capitalized on an assist from Mbappe and made a run into open space on the right and sent it past Egil Selvik to score his second goal of the tournament. In the 20th minute, the PSG forward ran inward from the right side and sent one through the far right corner with a beautiful, curved shot.

However, Norway fought back with midfielder Thelo Aasgaard providing his side some relief. The Rangers attacker seized the opportunity to take on the lazy French defense, attacked from the kick-off, and sent a low-range shot past the wrong-footed Mike Maignan.

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But it was Dembele’s day, as he again used his left foot brilliantly from the area despite being surrounded by four Norwegian defenders, and sent it into the right corner. The 29-year-old recorded the second-quickest hat-trick after Austria’s Erich Probst, who scored in 24 minutes in 1954.

At the end of the first half, Kylian Mbappe’s side were way ahead in the game.

Norway missed a golden opportunity at the start of the second half when Strand Larsen completely missed a penalty from the spot.

Fulham winger Oscar Bobb was tripped by defender Theo Hernandez inside the penalty box, and The Vikings were awarded a penalty kick, but Strand Larsen kicked it poorly, and Mike Maignan saved it easily.

After scoring a hat-trick, Ousmane Dembele was substituted just before the hydration break in the 65th minute.

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In the dying moments of the match, it was all possession play for both teams. Ultimately, Desire Doue finished the match in style with a header in the 94th minute to make it a resounding victory.

With this win, France finished as Group I toppers and will face a third-placed team on Tuesday, 30 June, in New Jersey, while Norway will play Ivory Coast in Dallas earlier the same day.

In another Group I clash, Senegal thrashed 10-man Iraq by a hefty 5-0 margin to keep themselves in the race to reach the last 32.

The Lions of Teranga completed the group stage fixture in third place with three points and are in fifth place among third-placed teams. Despite the win, they will still need results elsewhere to go their way to secure a place in the last 32.

READ: Elliot Anderson to join Manchester City for British record fee: reports

Ireland stunned T20 world champions India with a landmark 34-run win in their series opener in Belfast on Friday after the tourists opted against giving an international debut to teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The 15-year-old batting prodigy forced his way into the squad for the white-ball tours of Ireland and England following several stunning displays in the 20 overs per side Indian Premier League.

Sooryavanshi emerged as the leading run-scorer in this season’s edition after amassing 776 runs for the Rajasthan Royals — a tally which included one century and five fifties.

India, however, decided that they could do without him in the first of two T20 internationals against Ireland at Stormont, only to fall well short of a target of 183 as they were dismissed for 148 with seven balls to spare.

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Abhishek Sharma top-scored for the tourists with 49 at the top of the order but no other India batter made more than Shivam Dube’s 25.

Matt Hollard (3-28) and left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys (3-38), who opened the bowling, did the bulk of the damage as Ireland’s men enjoyed their first win over India in any format.

Earlier, Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker led from the front with 50 and Gareth Delany made 49 in the hosts’ total of 182-9 in their full 20 overs.

The teams return to Stormont for the series finale on Sunday.

READ: Saleema Imtiaz makes Pakistan umpiring history at Women’s T20 World Cup

LAHORE: Pakistan umpire Saleema Imtiaz entered the record books as the first female umpire from the country to officiate at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Saleema replaced Lauren Agenberg on the Women’s T20 World Cup umpiring panel and officiated the India vs South Africa fixture at Old Trafford on 21 June as fourth umpire. Later that same day, she officiated the Sri Lanka vs Ireland match as a TV umpire.

Saleema also stood on-field during the India vs Bangladesh match at Old Trafford and will finish her stint as TV umpire between England and New Zealand at the Oval and as fourth umpire for the Australia v India match at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

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In September 2024, she became Pakistan’s first woman umpire on the ICC International Development Panel.

Overall, she has officiated in nine WODIs and 58 WT20Is after starting her umpiring career with the PCB women’s panel in 2008. The 54-year-old is also the mother of former Pakistan women’s international Kainat Imtiaz.

After setting the landmark, she shared her thoughts and expressed pride in representing Pakistan at the global stage.

“It is a great pleasure to be representing Pakistan at the biggest stage and an honor to become the first woman from my country to officiate in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup,” she said.

“I’m immensely thankful to everyone including my family and the PCB for the invaluable support throughout this journey. Hopefully, I can inspire more women in girls back home to take up cricket professionally as a player as well as a match official,” she added.

READ: Elliot Anderson to join Manchester City for British record fee: reports