Wife’s red pyjama top, key chains made by kids: Spain midfielder Cucu…

Atlanta [US], June 14 (ANI): Ahead of the FIFA World Cup campaign opener against Cape Verde, Spain midfielder Marc Cucurella spoke on the lucky charms he has brought along to the US for good fortune, including his wife’s red Pyjama top worn by her during the Euro Championships title win.

Spain will start off their FIFA WC against Cape Verde at Atlanta on Sunday. Cucurella played a crucial role in his side’s European Championships 2024 win, scoring the winner in the 119th minute against Germany in the quarterfinal. In the title clash, Spain eventually overcame England 2-1 to lift their fourth Euro title.

Cucurella is hoping that the same red pyjama top worn by his wife during the tournament and key rings made by his children will bring him some luck as Spain aim to add a second star to their shirt. rocore.sbs

“I have got some key-rings that my children made for me," Cucurella said to Marca as quoted by Reuters on Saturday.

“I am also taking my wife’s pyjama top, which she wore when she was with me during the European Championship, and I have packed it in my suitcase again to see if it brings the same luck," he added.

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Lucky charms are very common among footballers, with Argentina’s World Cup-winning icon wearing a red ribbon around his left ankle in the 2018 and 2022 editions and his ritual paid off in the last edition at Qatar as his side overcame a Kylian Mbappe-powered France in the final. Also, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo keeps an old coin given to him by his grandfather as a lucky charm.

Spain’s campaign has received a massive boost, with Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, two extremely vital part of the team’s attacking set-up, resuming their full training. The duo was doubtful for the campaign opener against Cape Verde, but their presence at the team’s Tennessee base camp has given hope that they could be ready to battle for the second star on their shirts, right from match one.

As per Goal.com, both Yamal and Williams were seen training with full intensity at Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Thursday.

After their campaign opener against Cape Verde, Spain will face Saudi Arabia on June 21 in Atlanta and Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Spain will be eyeing their second FIFA World Cup title, having last won the World Cup in 2010. Spain has some really strong performances behind them, such as a title win in the 2024 Euro Championships and a runners-up finish in the UEFA Nations League.

Spain squad for 2026 World Cup:

-Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Club), David Raya (Arsenal), Joan Garcia (Barcelona)

-Defenders: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Club), Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Pedro Porro (Tottenham Hotspur), Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Marc Pubill (Atletico Madrid)

-Midfielders: Gavi (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Fabian Ruiz (PSG), Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid), Mikel Merino (Arsenal)

-Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Club), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo), Victor Munoz (Osasuna). (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.)

San Antonio (Texas) [US], June 14 (ANI): The New York Knicks completed a remarkable championship run on Saturday (Local Time), defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Frost Bank Centre to secure their first NBA title since 1973.

Holding a 3-1 advantage entering the contest, the Knicks sealed the best-of-seven series 4-1 behind a sensational performance from Jalen Brunson, who scored a game-high 45 points and carried New York through another dramatic comeback victory.

The Spurs looked poised to extend the series after racing into an early lead and maintaining control for much of the night.

San Antonio built a double-digit advantage in the opening quarter and stretched the margin to 16 points in the second period as Victor Wembanyama dominated defensively with five first-half blocks.

New York struggled badly from the field early on, missing 16 of its first 18 shots and failing to convert any of its first 11 two-point attempts. Yet, as they had throughout the Finals, the Knicks refused to panic.

A 22-9 surge late in the second quarter cut the deficit to three before Devin Vassell’s buzzer-beater gave the Spurs a 42-37 lead at halftime in a game marked by intense defence and poor shooting from both sides.

The contest remained tight in the second half before Brunson took over in the closing stages. The All-Star guard scored 13 consecutive Knicks points in the fourth quarter and helped New York claim its first lead of the game with 3:40 remaining.

Once ahead, the Knicks held their nerve. San Antonio was unable to respond as New York completed yet another comeback, having rallied from double-digit deficits in all four of its victories in the series.

Brunson’s 45-point effort set a new franchise record for points in an NBA Finals game, surpassing the previous mark of 38 set by Knicks legend Willis Reed in 1970. Mikal Bridges added 14 points, while Josh Hart contributed 13.

For the Spurs, rookie Dylan Harper scored 25 points, while Wembanyama finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.

The victory capped a dominant postseason for New York, which lost only three games throughout the playoffs and finally ended a 53-year wait to reclaim the NBA championship. (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.)

India women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana is known to be a big-game player and despite her lean patch — she hasn`t scored a half-century in the last 10 games (one Test, six T20Is, one tour match and two World Cup warm-up games) — her Sangli-based childhood coach Anant Tambvekar is confident that she will deliver the goods when it matters most.

Mandhana, who emerged the second top run-getter (434 runs) during India’s ODI World Cup triumph last November, has scored 13, 12 and 37 against South Africa in the three-T20I away series last April. Also, her scores in the recent three T20Is against hosts England were 0, 32 and eight. In the two T20 World Cup warm-up games versus West Indies and England the left-handed opening batter scored 39 and one respectively a few days ago. Coach Tambvekar though is unfazed. "I’m not worried about Smriti’s form. She will perform well in the T20 World Cup. She is a big-match player and she must be waiting to do that [perform]. India play Pakistan first-up and I’m confident that she will play up to her reputation and won`t be bogged down by the pressure of expectation," Tambvekar told Sunday mid-day recently.

Anant Tambvekar

“Smriti is always positive and I`ve never felt that she`s low in confidence. She has a very strong mindset. Yes, there may be some butterflies here and there, but that`s fine because all these Indian players have a lot of experience in international cricket. I`m sure Smriti too has saved some big knocks for this World Cup,” added Tambvekar.

Interestingly, ahead of the Indian women’s team`s camp at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru last May, Mandhana prepared for the tough English conditions at her hometown Sangli, revealed Tambvekar.

“We got around one-and-half week to practice in Sangli and keeping England`s weather in mind, she used to bat in the late evening in windy and cold conditions, where I bowled pace to her.
This is why I`m sure she won’t have any issues countering the swinging conditions in England,” said Tambvekar.

Mandhana, 29, has scored 4333 runs in 166 T20Is so far, including one century and 33 half-centuries. Against Pakistan in particular, she has scored 239 runs in 10 T20Is at an average of 26.55.

Her best performance against the arch-rivals came during the 2022 Commonwealth Games when she hammered a 42-ball 63 not out during India’s eight wicket win at Birmingham.

63*
Smriti Mandhana’s highest T20I score vs Pakistan

4333
No. of runs Smriti Mandhana has scored in 166 T20Is

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