Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup dream ends in tears, Spain knock Portug…

Cristiano Ronaldo was tearful after the last game of his sixth and final World Cup, Portugal’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the Round of 16 on Monday decided by Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time winner.

But the five-time Ballon d’Or winner insisted — just as he did Sunday before the match — that in the big picture, he remains secure in his legacy with his national team. macnevers-and-co.beer

“Well, it’s normal, sad, to leave the World Cup like this," Ronaldo said through an interpreter. “But, as I said yesterday at the press conference, I gave it my all, I gave my best. And I leave with a clear conscience.

“That’s football, that’s the life of a footballer. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. And it has to move on. It was my last World Cup, yes, but the rest … I have time to think, be with my family, not make decisions in the heat of the moment and move on with life."

Ronaldo will retire without a World Cup title or even a World Cup final appearance to his name. His team’s best performance with Portugal came in his first appearance, a 2006 run to the semifinals and a fourth-place finish.

But by any standard, he still finished as one of the tournament’s all-time great performers, scoring 11 times in 27 matches and joining Argentina’s 39-year-old Lionel Messi — whose team plays on Tuesday — as the only men to play in six World Cups.

He was arguably better in the European Championships, where he scored 14 times in 30 matches and helped the Selecao das Quinas to the 2016 title.

“Before Cristiano, Portugal hadn’t won any titles," he said. “So, I’m happy.

The truth is that the biggest title I won with the national team was in 2016, which for me has the same significance as the World Cup, honestly.

“Therefore, I repeat, I leave with a clear conscience, having done my best, and that’s it. Tomorrow will be a new day, and life goes on." Ronaldo is under contract for one more season with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, the club where he’s spent the past four seasons. This coming season may be his last, though that has not been confirmed.

Seattle [US], July 7 (ANI): The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) thanked its supporters after the hosts’ FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign came to an end with a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16.

In a post on X following the elimination, the USMNT expressed gratitude to fans for their unwavering support throughout the tournament, acknowledging the role they played in backing the team on home soil.

“You believed. You filled stadiums. You brought the game into homes and communities across the country. Most of all, you showed everyone what this crest means. Thank you," the USMNT wrote on X.

You believed. You filled stadiums. You brought the game into homes and communities across the country.

Most of all, you showed everyone what this crest means. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/4lKfYb5mNB

— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) July 7, 2026

Coming to the match, Belgium stormed into the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a commanding 4-1 victory over the hosts, the United States, at Seattle Stadium.

Charles De Ketelaere starred with a brace to earn the Player of the Match award, while Hans Vanaken scored his first-ever FIFA World Cup goal and substitute Romelu Lukaku added a stoppage-time strike, marking his third consecutive World Cup match with a goal.

Belgium dominated much of the contest despite the USA briefly equalising through Malik Tillman’s deflected free-kick. A costly goalkeeping error by Matt Freese allowed Belgium to extend their lead before Lukaku sealed the emphatic win late on.

The defeat ended the United States’ campaign, making them the last of the three co-host nations to exit the tournament after Canada and Mexico. Belgium will next face Spain in the quarter-finals on July 10 after the Spanish side knocked out Portugal in the Round of 16. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Teenage star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was set to make his debut from the time he was named in the Indian squad, said batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on Monday, asserting that there wasn’t anything specific that the team management was working on to prepare the young batting sensation.

Sitanshu Kotak

Youngest Indian to debut

At 15 years and 99 days, Sooryavanshi became the youngest Indian ever to play international cricket when he was named in the playing eleven for the second T20I against England last week. “He was set to debut from the point he came into the team; there is no such thing that he was ready [for his debut only] in the last match,” Kotak told reporters on the eve of the third T20I against England. “For us, it was all about his game, his instincts and the way he plays, and the way he has played all along to get till this point, he should continue playing that,” Kotak added.

Samson dropped vs Zim

Meanwhile, selectors left out Sanju Samson from India’s squad for the three T20Is in Zimbabwe. India will play three T20s on July 23, 25 and 27 in Harare.

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Mayank Yadav is all set to return to the India cricket team‘s T20I setup for the first time since October 2024 as he has been named in the squad for the series against Zimbabwe. The pacer has been in and out of action over the past three years due to his injury-prone nature that forced him to spend more time on the sidelines and in rehabilitation than on the field. While Yadav returned to action in IPL 2026 for LSG where he featured in five games, the Indian selectors have now decided to pick him for the series against ZIM and he is likely to feature in all the three games.

Mayank Yadav fit for T20Is but will he sustain?

As per news agency PTI, Mayank Yadav has been deemed fit to play T20 cricket. The report states that the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, believes that the fast bowler should be given a full series, just ike how Gurnoor Brar was given the opportunity in the series against Afghanistan. However, Yadav’s return to T20Is comes in the backdrop of several issues – his injury-prone nature, lack of game time in the recent past and his decreased ability to bowl at over 150 kmph.

Since the start of 2026, Yadav has featured in just 6 T20 matches – two T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up games (vs Namibia and USA), and four IPL 2026 matches for LSG. He has only picked up 4 wickets over the last few months. Yadav was quite expensive in IPL 2026, as he conceded 50+ plus in three out of four innings, while going wicketless.

Mayank last featured in a T20I for India in October 2024 against Bangladesh. He made his debut in the same series and he managed to pick up 4 wickets in three matches. However, he was picked up an injury that saw him being ruled out for a considerable amount of time. Mayank returned to action in IPL 2025, only for him to feature in 2 matches before he sustained an injury yet again.

Mayank’s injury-prone nature

A torn hamstring wiped out his 2023 season. In 2024, just when he had burst onto the scene with back-to-back Player of the Match performances, a side strain halted his momentum. The following year proved even more frustrating. A lumbar stress injury in his lower back surfaced soon after his India debut, and a brief comeback in IPL 2025 lasted only two games before the issue flared up again. In mid-2025, he underwent surgery in Christchurch on his L5 vertebra.

Golden chance for Yadav

With Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana rested, and Prasidh Krishna being dropped, Mayank Yadav has a golden opportunity to prove his worth on his T20I return. He could potentially spearhead the pace attack along with Prince Yadav and Ashok Sharma. A good performance against Zimbabwe will help Mayank make a case for himself to be in the good books of the selectors for a spot in the Indian T20I setup in the future. But, that largely depends on his wicket-taking ability and most importantly, if he can avoid getting injured again.

The post Mayank Yadav ‘fit’ for T20Is but 2 wickets in last 2 years, injury-prone nature, lack of game time big worry appeared first on Inside Sport India.

Social media influencer Akriti Agarwal has dismissed recent rumours that Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw cheated on her. Akriti issued a public clarification after cryptic posts on her social media sparked widespread speculation about their relationship, stating that the rumours were false and damaged Shaw's public image.

Agarwal and Shaw announced their engagement through a joint social media post on March 8, 2026. However, her recent posts about betrayal led many users to believe the couple had broken up. She has now confirmed that they are still engaged and urged people to stop spreading baseless claims.

We Are Still Engaged - Akriti Agarwal Defends Prithvi Shaw

Akriti Agarwal has dismissed rumours about her relationship with Prithvi Shaw after her recent Instagram Stories went viral. Agarwal clarified that she never mentioned Shaw or claimed that their engagement had ended.

Sharing a statement on Instagram, she wrote:

“Just want to clear something up. I never mentioned my fiancé's name, nor did I say that our engagement was called off or that we had separated. It was unfortunate that many people assumed it was about him. We are happy together, still engaged, and doing absolutely fine.

This has also made me realise how easy it is for a public figure’s image and reputation to be affected by assumptions. A single post, without any names or context, can lead people to draw conclusions that aren’t true.

I never wanted to post this story for clarification. But when my partner’s dignity became the subject of so many posts, I knew I couldn’t remain silent. People in the public eye are constantly judged and questioned based on speculation rather than facts."

Akriti Agarwal after ruining image of her fiancee Prithvi Shaw has came up with a clarification that she was misunderstood & everything between her & Prithvi is fine, they are happy together.

I mean, does she thinks people are dumb or what? I feel bad for Prithvi Shaw! pic.twitter.com/wOmPC6D0XE

— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) July 6, 2026

Cryptic Posts Sparked Rumours on Social Media

The speculation began after Agarwal shared a series of Instagram Stories about cheating and betrayal. Although she never mentioned Shaw by name, many social media users linked the posts to the India batter and claimed the couple had separated.

The rumours gained more attention after fans noticed that Agarwal had briefly unfollowed Shaw on Instagram before following him again. However, neither of them confirmed the breakup, and Agarwal's latest statement made it clear that her earlier posts were not directed at her fiancé.

Meanwhile, Shaw has faced several off-field controversies. In 2023, he was involved in an altercation with influencer Sapna Gill outside a Mumbai hotel. He has also faced criticism over his fitness and discipline.

Prithvi Shaw Looks to Bounce Back On and Off the Field

While the relationship rumours have now been addressed, Shaw continues to face challenges in his cricket career. After going unsold in the IPL 2025 auction, Delhi Capitals brought him back for ₹75 lakh in the accelerated round of the IPL 2026 auction.

However, the right-handed opener did not play a single match during the season. Delhi Capitals gave opportunities to players like Pathum Nissanka and Sahil Parakh at the top of the order.

Shaw's best IPL season came in 2021 when he scored 479 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 159.13. He will now hope to put both the recent rumours and his on-field struggles behind him.