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Saudi Arabian football played a significant role on Tuesday.

Fans awoke early to see Al-Hilal’s 4-3 victory over Manchester City in the competition’s final eight, while newly promoted Neom SC kicked off what is expected to be a busy summer transfer window by signing former Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette.

The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has evolved significantly since Cristiano Ronaldo’s signing for Al-Nassr in December 2022, as shown by Ronaldo’s Riyadh rival Hilal.

The Blues made their US debut with draws against Red Bull Salzburg and Real Madrid, and they advanced from the group stage with a victory over Pachuca of Mexico.

After winning the Club World Cup for the first time against European opposition, Hilal are confident ahead of Friday’s quarter-final encounter with Fluminense on Friday at 20:00 BST.

The four-time Asian champions are ready to join the global elite, regardless of what happens to the Brazilians.

Al-Hilal have just become Asia’s first super club, according to Professor of Afro-Eurasian sport Simon Chadwick of the Emlyon Business School in Paris.

However, Chadwick claims that this is not entirely dependent on spending after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns Newcastle United as well, purchased Hilal in 2023.

In those two years, they have added a mix of former stars like Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo from Benfica, Chelsea’s Joao Cancelo and Kalidou Koulibaly from Manchester City and Chelsea, and former stars like Malcom, Ruben Neves, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Renan Lodi.

Neymar left for Santos after being acquired by Paris St-Germain. In addition, Simone Inzaghi took over as manager of Inter shortly after PSG’s Champions League defeat to the Milan side.

Al-Hilal has a loyal, loyal following for a long time and has achieved a lot of success, Chadwick continued.

“Al-Hilal has been elevated to a new level by the stability and discipline that PIF ownership has brought, in addition to the revenues the club is now producing.”

Ronaldo has stated on numerous occasions that he believes the SPL to be one of the top five leagues in the world, including last week by extending his Al-Nassr deal by two years.

Tarik El-Taib, a former Al-Hilal midfielder, agrees.

The ex-Libya international said, “When we look at the league, we talk about Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Karim Benzema.”

The foreign players in the Saudi League are at a higher level if you look at the Spanish league, with the exception of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid.

SPL clubs spent about $ 700 million on players like Sadio Mane, Neymar, Roberto Firmino, and Neymar during the summer of 2023.

More arrived a year later. Among them were Steven Bergwijn, Cancelo, Moussa Diaby, and Ivan Toney.

Al-Nassr spent about £65 million on Jhon Duran of Aston Villa during the biggest signing of January, which also reflected a growing interest in signing younger players.

Before the new year’s debut in August, more deals are anticipated.

Al-Hilal has been linked to Liverpool’s Victor Osimhen, Son Heung-min of Tottenham, and Darwin Nunez of Napoli as a replacement for Neymar, whose injured 18 months in Riyadh ended in January with his return to Brazil.

Luis Diaz, the English champions’ other South American striker, is reportedly a target for Al-Nassr.

There is some money. Six of the top 18 teams are among the richest in the world, out of 18 of them.

Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli, two of Al-Hilal’s biggest rivals, were acquired by the PIF in 2023 in addition to Al-Hilal.

In May, Ahli won the Asian Champions League for the first time, but they finished fifth at home, one place below newly promoted Al-Qadsiah, fueled by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mexican striker Julian Quinones, who scored 37 goals in the process.

Neom SC recently received promotion in April, making them even better. The club are moving 130 miles west to the Red Sea coast from their current home of Tabuk early in the next ten years because they are a city that is still in development.

Neom have begun preparing for their first top-tier season with Lacazette, who was also supported by PIF.

The 2034 World Cup will be played in Neom, and there are rumors that Saudi Arabia will apply to host the 2033 club competition.

However, it’s possible that national team success will take some time to catch up.

Saudi Arabia must now move on to the play-off route after having previously represented the country at two World Cups. They are not one of the six Asian nations who qualified directly for the 2026 edition.

The Green Falcons finished third overall behind Japan and Australia, largely because they had only seven goals in ten games scored by unrecognized strikers.

Roberto Mancini complained last September about the lack of opportunities given to domestic stars because most clubs are filling their attacking positions with foreign talent and few Saudi players are moving overseas.

The Italian remarked, “Saudi Arabia’s international players must play for their clubs as core players.” In regional matches, I have 20 players on the bench.

Herve Renard, his immediate-program’s successor, has made similar remarks.

Firas Al-Buraikan’s situation serves as an example. The striker scored 17 goals in the 2023-2024 season, but Al-Ahli signed England international Toney from Brentford in August, and the only goal that came back was three.

that Al-Hilal, who is currently in the running for the title, is not concerned about it.

However, Chadwick claims that the real prize has already been won.

Don’t get carried away at this moment.

Emma Raducanu defeated 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova on Wednesday, giving one of her best performances in “in a long time.”

However, the British number one’s on Friday will likely need an even better display to support that victory in order to advance to the last 16.

Aryna Sabalenka, the undisputed top-stakes female singles champion, is in her way.

Raducanu has made significant progress making it back to the top 40 this year, but the evidence points to a gap between the 22-year-old and the industry’s leading figures.

Iga Swiatek-Radovicu, the five-time major champion, had to give up both of her Grand Slam appearances this year, which ended in ruthlessly with her. She lost both games at the Australian Open and the French Open, both of which were humiliating.

On the clay in Rome, Coco Gauff, who later won the Roland Garros title, also showed Raducanu’s level of preparation to be insufficient.

Finding the best way to test the best is what Raducanu is facing.

“I believe I require more weapons,” she said. Before facing Sabalenka, the 2021 US Open champion, told BBC Sport, “I think I need to hit the ball with better quality more frequently.”

“I believe I should serve better,” he said. I believe I need to move more quickly. There are many things I need to improve.

It was obviously a really positive experience and a really good marker to be up against a top player like Marketa, who has won this tournament.

Over the past 18 months, Sabalenka has become the dominant player on the WTA Tour thanks to her powerful serve and her lightning-out baseline game.

She has reached at least the quarter-finals in each of her past ten Grand Slams, which demonstrates how blistering her shots are on any surface.

The faster courts at Wimbledon suit Sabalenka’s first-strike tennis, where she has reached the semi-finals on her most recent two appearances.

She uses her serve and return of serve to quickly surpass her opponents in the points race.

According to Wimbledon’s statistical insight tool, 39% of Sabalenka’s shots are attacking, compared to an average of 24% in the women’s draw.

She has just been so consistent and strong over the past few years, Raducanu, who qualified for the All England Club in 2021 and 2024.

“I just have to try to be as smart as possible and have control over my side,” he said.

“But I also need to take my chances if I have any because I can’t play passive against her.”

After being outshined by Swiatek and Gauff on clay and hard courts, Raducanu believes that the Wimbledon grass offers her best chance of pushing Sabalenka.

Raducanu has also looked to use her serve and forehand more aggressively since joining coach Mark Petchey earlier this year.

Additionally, the statistical analysis indicates that she is more aggressive than usual in the women’s draw, with TennisViz classifying 27% of her shots that way.

She is aware, however, that using craft is also necessary and that she cannot be “overly aggressive.”

The backhand will be crucial in removing Sabalenka’s groundstrokes’ pace.

Raducanu’s athleticism might also help her out in making more mistakes as a counter-puncher against Belarus.

Although Vondrousova doesn’t attack as frequently or with the same firepower as Sabalenka, Racanu’s defense against Vondrousova was outstanding, according to TennisViz’s Phil Newbury.

The slice might be the difference here. In her second round, Sabalenka’s “stealth score,” which measures how frequently a player wins a point when they are defending, was significantly below the draw average.

In contrast to other majors, Raducanu believes she has a better chance of defeating one of the leading players at Wimbledon.

Feeling at home helps her play with more freedom in addition to being comfortable on the grass.

The progress she has made this season is largely due to her having a close-knit, reliable group around her.

While taking a career break from her finance job, Jane O’Donoghue, a trusted ally who used to mentor her when she was a teenager, continues to support her.

After beating Vondrousova, Raducanu was spotted taking selfies with friends at Wimbledon and hanging out with them on the All England Club balcony.

Last year, I had the same kind of routine. She said, “I just really cherish these moments because we all know how difficult it is to play on the tour week in week out.”

“Of course, we would change everything for sure if we had the option to change it.” However, we are dealing with a difficult day.

Thousands of fans paid their respects to Diogo Jota during Portugal’s Euro 2025 opener against Spain, and Portugal boss Francisco Neto did the same.

Jota, a Liverpool forward, and Andre Silva, his brother, also died early on Thursday morning when their Lamborghini crashed in Zamora, Spain.

A touching rendition of Portugal’s national anthem was played before a flawlessly observed minute’s silence before kick-off, during which a black-and-white image of Jota was projected on the large stadium screens in Bern.

The Portuguese forward Jessica Silva remarked, “This life is much more than a game, much more than football,” and that it was a really difficult day.

Everyone is obviously depressed. Much more important than playing a game, my heart is heavy.

Both sets of players wore black armbands, and Portugal fans displayed placards with messages honoring the player who is also mourning in Liverpool.

Portugal lost 5-0 to Spain in Bern as world champions and tournament favorites Spain began their quest for their first European crown despite constant fan support throughout the entire 90 minutes.

Coach Neto described Jota as a devoted supporter of the women’s side in his post-game press conference, which appeared to hold back tears during the minute’s silence.

“Diogo joined our team because he loved the county,” said Neto, who explained how he first met Jota while coaching under-19.

“Diogo always knew the outcome when we spoke,” he said. He embraced the Portuguese culture, which included some players and the team.

Before the game, Portugal’s winger Silva wrote in tribute on social media that Diogo was more than just a fantastic player. He was one of the good ones: devoted, thoughtful, and modest.

Without him, football is less successful, just like we are.

She continued, “I knew Diogo, and he was a really kind person – much more than just a star, he was a guy who was always paying attention, always ready to speak for the team, and well, it’s sad.”

The Portugal players gathered to hold a banner to honor Joto’s passing after the final whistle. The squad’s depressing attitude, “Thank you for everything Diogo Jota, rest in peace,” was reflected in its message.

Jota made his senior debut for Portugal in 2019 and went on to score 14 goals in 49 international games. He was also a member of two teams that won Nations League titles, and the second of those victories only occurred last month.

He liked us, was always watching us, and he always had his best interests in mind. He was a very humble person. It’s very sad and he meant a lot to us,” said Portugal’s Diana Silva.

The preparation for Portugal’s tournament opener was weighed down by the tragic deaths’ tragic deaths.

Portugal supporters had trouble processing the news despite their best efforts to soak up the atmosphere in Bern’s fandom.

Melanie, a fan of Portugal and a fan of the game, shed the tears as she described: “I can’t explain it, but as soon as I heard it, I started crying.

He is a member of our family, of course, but the problem is that he only recently married and was three years old.

“I’m so sorry,” You immediately begin to believe that your life must truly be enjoyed because anything can end in three seconds.

Jota and his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, who have three children, recently wed. He shared images of the ceremony’s takeover of Facebook on June 22.

Grenada’s second day one of five

Australia 286: Carey 63, Webster 60, A Joseph 4-61

West Indies: Still playing

Australia leads the three-test series 1-0.

West Indies’ bowling out for 286 on day one of the second Test in Grenada continued Australia’s top-order batting woes.

Australia were relegated to 110-5 after being chosen to bat by Alzarri Joseph, who sent the returning Steve Smith three for three.

Before Australia lost their final five wickets for 64 runs, Beau Webster and Alex Carey scored a half-centuries in a stand of 112.

The top order struggled once more in the second innings after Australia won the first Test by 159 runs but was bowled out for 180 on day one. Before Travis Head, Webster, and Carey saved them, they fell to 65-4.

Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja, both of whom had run 47, were dismissed in Grenada without adding another run.

As Australia lost three wickets for three runs, Smith top-edged a pull shot to the right leg in an effort to take fast bowler Joseph.

Smith, who replaces Josh Inglis, missed the first Test after dislocating his right thumb in a Lord’s final defeat to South Africa last month.

The tourists were in trouble at 93-4 when Jayden Seales took the final ball before lunch.

Head was dismissed for 29 after being caught behind off Shamar Joseph, with the third umpire ruling that wicketkeeper Shai Hope’s take low to his left was unhurt.

At tea, Australia were led to a score of 209-5 by All-Royal Webster and wicketkeeper Carey.

After batting a combined 10 fours and one six in his 63 balls, Carey was more scratchy and was dropped on 46 by Hope before tamingly picking out mid-wicket off Justin Greaves.

Spain started their Euro 2025 campaign as heavy favorites despite the recent hospitalization of the Ballon d’Or winner and the first-choice keeper’s health issues.

Their chances for winning their first game against Portugal dropped to 87 seconds. By half-way, who in Switzerland could possibly stop them was the only conversational point.

The world champions defeated Portugal 5-0, with Cristina Martin-Prieto scoring the final goal in the fifth minute.

However, the first half of the tournament was a true test for the world champions after six teams faced off against them in the opening games with obvious flaws and some poor quality.

And it occurred in the midst of a malfunctioning construction. After recently being released from a hospital after a bout of viral meningitis, Aitana Bonmati, the current Ballon d’Or winner, was standing. She was introduced as a tard substitute four days later.

After suffering tonsillitis, first-choice keeper Cata Coll was replaced with 23-year-old Adriana Nanclares. Because of suspension, Irene Paredes was not present in front of her.

So, was Spain available to take? The first meaningful attack provided the answer.

Although she wears the number nine, Esther Gonzalez is not a household name in Spain. The 32-year-old New York/New Jersey Gotham striker, who converts chances created by magic to opportunities created by magic, is the spearhead of the Spanish attack.

She excellently executed a pinpoint pass with her shoulder before slotting home the opener.

Bonmati, no? No . This Spain-side constellation is a star, while Bonmati is a star.

Another creative midfielder steps up to replace the former champion from Spain. Vicky Lopez was slipped in by WSL player of the year Mariona Caldentey after seven minutes to put the game to 2-0.

Lopez, age 18, has already won three Liga F titles with Barcelona, making her the youngest female debut in history.

The third place finish and controlled control was achieved by Alexia Putellas, Bonmati’s previous winner of the Ballons d’Or competition. She has a serious knee injury that prevented her from competing in 2022.

Left-back Claudia Pina, another Barcelona star who has outsmarted 2023 World Cup heroine Salma Paralluelo out of the XI, created the fourth sensationally by twisting a chipped cross from the byline off the far post. Gonzalez, who had the first word, added the final word of a first half that should frighten the other 15 nations.

Spain is the team to beat at Euro 2025 because of this. Their depth is astounding from front to back.

In her first competitive international, who won? Your ninth clean sheet is kept by her.

Former Wales defender Danny Gabbidon described the performance as “a five-star performance” on BBC Radio 5 Live. Five objectives. clean sheet a wide range of objectives as well. You want to start the tournament exactly that way.

We’ve discussed whether or not Spain is the winner, and it is, to be fair. They haven’t yet won this competition, so the pressure is on them to put on a show. And boy, did they do, especially in the first half.

However, Spain have occasionally demonstrated that they can win the World Cup after defeating England in Sydney.

In addition to their shock defeat against England in the Nations League, they also suffered a shock defeat to the Czech Republic in qualifying.

Spain lost medals to Brazil and Germany at the most recent major event, the 2024 Olympics, in which case it lost.

There are still some doubts about Montse Tome, their first female manager, playing her first senior role.

And the tests will be much more difficult. This Portugal side was outclassed by Zamora on Thursday morning, left them devastated by recent heavy defeats to Spain and the dreadful news from the country.

Vicky Losada, a former Spain international, told ITV, “I personally believe Portugal made it easy for Spain.” You must compete in order to compete in the Euros.

There is no mention of a Spanish procession in history. They have never won the Euros; in fact, they last advanced past the quarter-finals in 1997. In each of the previous three continental tournaments, they have lost.

However, if Spain wins Euro 2025, they will only be the second women’s team in history to win five World Cups and European competitions consecutively, following Germany’s five straight victories between 2001 and 2009.

Similar dominance should not be ruled out given this Spanish side’s depth and youth. And that is a possibility with this incredibly impressive first half.