Real Madrid have received a boost ahead of the Club World Cup as wonderkid Joan Martinez is back in training after a serious knee injury.

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Martinez a new Madrid academy gemBeen out with serious knee injuryCould return for Club World CupFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 17-year-old has been out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury since last August but AS states he is back training with Madrid's Under-19s. The report adds that it is 'difficult' but 'not impossible' for the defender to feature in the Club World Cup, which gets underway in just over a month's time.

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Martinez is seen as one of Madrid's newest academy gems and someone outgoing manager Carlo Ancelotti is a big admirer of. The teenager was on Los Blancos' pre-season tour to the United States and had it not been for his big injury blow, would have featured frequently this term. The report adds that Madrid need him back soon, especially with the injuries to centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao.

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Spain Under-17 international Martinez, who joined Madrid from Levante's academy in 2023, is yet to make his first-team debut. His idol is reportedly compatriot and Los Blancos icon Sergio Ramos.

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As Martinez steps up his recovery, his Madrid side – who begin their Club World Cup campaign against Al-Hilal on June 18 – take on Mallorca in La Liga action on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe 118 for 5 (Williams 34*, Ballance 30, Tector 2-17) beat Ireland 114 (Delany 24, Burl 3-29, Masakadza 2-13) by five wicketsGary Ballance, playing his first game – and first ever T20I – for his country of birth, marked his Zimbabwe debut with a five-wicket victory against Ireland. Ballance, who had previously played 39 international matches for England, scored 30 off 29 balls, as the hosts chased down 115 with two overs to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.Part-time offspinner Harry Tector surprisingly opened the bowling in Ireland’s defence, having Craig Ervine dropped first ball as Gareth Delany put down a sitter at cover. But Ervine fell only five deliveries later, when he miscued a loft over mid-off to give Tector his first wicket. Two balls later, Mark Adair trapped Tadiwanashe Marumani to leave Zimbabwe on 8 for 2, before Ballance and Wessly Madhevere steadied the innings.They calmly added 35, with Tector cleaning Madhevere up with one that turned in very slightly in the eighth over. By then, Ballance had settled down to go at an easy pace, adding another 28 with Sean Williams, who remained unbeaten on 34. Williams saw the chase through along with Clive Madande, who smashed a quickfire 18.Earlier, only three Ireland batters managed to get into double figures, with Delany’s 24 from No. 8 being the highest contribution in their total of 114. They were 74 for 8 the 15th over, when Delany added 31 – the most for any wicket on the day for the visitors – with Fionn Hand. There were combined contributions from all of Zimbabwe’s bowlers, as Player of the Match Ryan Burl led the way with 3 for 29.Debutant wicketkeeper-batter Stephen Doheny briefly sparkled with 15 from 13 balls, as Burl and Wellington Masakadza, who finished with 2 for 13, ran through Ireland’s middle order. Tendai Chatara and Richard Ngarava also bagged two wickets each, as the Ireland innings ended when Ervine pouched a spectacular catch leaping at extra cover.

It’s hard to decide which of Shakib’s performances was more meaningful as both were critical to Bangladesh’s win

Mohammad Isam06-Mar-2023

Shakib Al Hasan packs many things into the regular phenomenon that is “Shakib Al Hasan Day”. He rescues Bangladesh’s batting from a slump. He farms the strike with a tailender as he looks for a late burst of runs. When handed the ball, he makes early breakthroughs, offers middle-overs stability and then adds the finishing touches with late wickets. These are supposed to be rare days, but Shakib has had many in his 16-year career.Shakib now has a fifty and a four-for in an ODI for the fourth time in his career, the most by any cricketer, beating the three times by Chris Gayle and Shahid Afridi. He has also done the five-for.But a brilliant allrounder playing for a team often in trouble usually means that these Shakib Al Hasan days are more necessary than ornamental.In this game Shakib touched 300 ODI wickets, and is now 24 short of reaching 7,000 runs in the format. Only Afridi and Sanath Jayasuriya have reached these heights in ODIs. On most days, Jayasuriya and Afridi had seven or eight match-winners to share the load. For much of his career, Shakib had two or three others. Now perhaps there are a few more.It is hard to decide which of Shakib’s performances on Monday was more meaningful. Both were critical to Bangladesh’s win.He made 75 off 71 balls when the innings was in decline. He couldn’t find any of Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz to stick around for long enough to share slogging duties in the last ten overs.To ride out Bangladesh’s mini middle-order collapse, Shakib waited for 35 balls before getting his first boundary. When he did, he struck Sam Curran for two in a row. The rest of his boundaries came towards the death, when he was running out of partners, but Shakib is the sort of busy player who reaches 30-odd without anyone noticing and then finds the boundaries.Related

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Shakib Al Hasan becomes first Bangladesh bowler to take 300 ODI wickets

Shakib then had work to do with the ball. England went off to another quick start, before he removed both openers, Phil Salt and Jason Roy, to bring the home side into parity. Salt was cross with himself for getting out to a short ball, but Roy had no answer for what he calls Shakib’s “undercutter”. It is essentially the arm ball, which Roy played back, and allowed to sneak under his bat.Shakib kept bowling tightly but those watching had his impending 300th wicket in mind. It was also increasingly looking like his last two overs, which Tamim had kept him back for after finishing Taijul Islam’s spell from the pavilion end, were going to shape the match.Taijul removed Jos Buttler, but Shakib also took James Vince’s wicket to seal the deal, getting Vince to follow his line on leg and middle only for it to break sharply and take the outside edge (Mushfiqur Rahim juggled a bit but took it safely). For his 300th ODI wicket, Rehan Ahmed couldn’t time Shakib’s half-tracker, only to be caught at short midwicket.Bangladesh have always won when Shakib has taken four wickets and scored a fifty in an ODI. The first instance came in the seminal Bangladesh-New Zealand series of 2010. Shakib started the series with 58 and a four-wicket haul, apart from being thrust into the captaincy following Mashrafe Mortaza’s injury in the first over.The next double, against Zimbabwe in 2014, was in his return to international cricket after serving a BCB suspension. The third one came against Afghanistan in the 2019 World Cup, when pretty much everything Shakib touched turned gold. It was only the second instance of a fifty and a five-wicket haul in the World Cup.What takes Shakib to the strata of truly allrounders is his consistency in Tests. He has taken five wickets and scored a fifty in Tests ten times. Only Ian Botham has done it more. Shakib has done the single fifty and five-for six times, and one instance each for two fifties and a five-for, a hundred and a five-for, a hundred and a 10-wicket haul, and a fifty and 10-for. Bangladesh won only three of these Tests.It highlights the physical load Shakib has taken over the years, regardless of the team’s result. For a long time since Mohammad Rafique retired, Shakib had to do the attacking, consolidating and defending with the ball. He has always had to quickly put the pads on too, to get the team a fighting half-century. Only in the Tests against West Indies (2009), Zimbabwe (2014) and Australia (2017) did the rest of the team contribute enough to win the Tests.Tamim Iqbal, who has seen these days from Shakib for many years, praised his long-time teammate for his contributions.”I thought he was phenomenal,” he said. “The way he batted, especially with the tailenders, those 20-25 runs were very important. Honestly, the wicket didn’t have that much spin, but the way he bowled was brilliant. It gave confidence to Taijul, who didn’t start well. He was talking to Shakib. I thought it was a fantastic effort from him.”Tamim said Shakib’s ability to handle pressure made him a special cricketer and called him a “blessing”.”I think he is mentally very strong,” he added. “Most of the time you will see him come out of pressure situations with similar performances. He has done it in the past. He has great skill-set to back his mentality. Not many people are blessed like him to bowl 10 overs and bat the way he bats. Any team will be blessed to have a player like him.”Blessing is perhaps the best way to describe Shakib for Bangladesh. Over 16 years, it has at times been a bit of a stretch to ask him do it over and over again. But Shakib has done it, be it in a dead rubber or on the biggest stage. In another World Cup year, a final push from Shakib is critical to Bangladesh’s ambitions.

Cristiano Ronaldo Jr paid tribute to his dad after bagging his first international goals and winning silverware with Portugal's Under-15s side.

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Ronaldo Jr bagged brace in international tournamentHelped Portugal overcome Croatia in finalHit iconic 'SIU' celebrationFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ronaldo Jr recently made his debut for the U15 side and has been taking part in the Vlatko Markovic international tournament being held in Croatia this week. On what was only his fourth appearance for Portugal, the son of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner netted a brace in a 3-2 win over the hosts, getting his hands on silverware in the process. His first was a first-time strike that flew in off the crossbar, while his second was a header into an unguarded net.

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Cristiano was clearly impressed with his son's contributions, reposting the video to his Instagram story with three 'fire' emojis as the caption.

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Ronaldo Jr will be hoping his performances for the national side will work in his favour when it comes to following in his dad's footsteps. Manchester United have reportedly been scouting the young forward but it remains to be seen whether he can reach the same level as his iconic father.

Liverpool are in advanced talks to sign Bayer Leverkusen full-back Jeremie Frimpong in the summer transfer window.

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• Liverpool closing in on Frimpong
• In talks with Leverkusen over player's release clause
• Reds have identified Frimpong as Trent's replacement

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per , Liverpool are in advanced talks with Bayer Leverkusen over the transfer of their star full-back Jeremie Frimpong in the summer transfer window. The Reds are now discussing the player's €35 million (£29m/$39m) release clause structure with the former German champions and have also initiated talks witht he player's camp. Frimpong is said to be keen on joining the Merseyside club.

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  Ever since Trent Alexander-Arnold formally announced he will depart Anfield at the end of the 2024-25 season, the Reds have been in search of a quality defender to replace the English right-back. earlier reported that, other than Frimpong, they also have their eyes on AS Monaco's Vanderson.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Alexander-Arnold did not make Arne Slot's starting lineup against Arsenal last week as the Dutch coach fielded Conor Bradley in the right-back role. The Dutchman had even compared Bradley to one of the best right-backs in the world, Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  The Reds will be back in action on May 19 as they take on Brighton away from home in their penultimate match of the 2024-25 campaign.

The opener’s prolific season has put him firmly in the race for a place in the Ashes squad

Tristan Lavalette27-Mar-2023Prolific opener Cameron Bancroft, quite fittingly, hit the winning runs to secure Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield title to cap a dominant season which has him poised for selection in Australia’s upcoming Ashes tour.Bancroft made a typically composed 39 not out and combined with teenager Teague Wyllie to ensure WA had no wobbles passing the lowly 91-run target in a nine-wicket victory over Victoria at the WACA.”A little bit nerve-racking, was more than happy for Teague to have a dip [at the winning runs],”grinned Bancroft after the final. “Pretty special moment, something I will remember forever.”Related

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The 30-year-old Bancroft finished as the Shield’s leading scorer with 945 runs at an average of 59 with four centuries. He scored 289 more runs than second-placed South Australia batter Daniel Drew and faced 664 balls more than him.Those feats were even more meritorious considering the plethora of bowler-friendly wickets during this Shield season, particularly at the WACA.”Cameron’s been building to a season like this for a little while now,” WA coach Adam Voges said. “Technically, I think he’s in a much better space than he has been previously.”Bancroft played 10 Tests sandwiched between a lengthy ban for his part in the infamous ball-tampering scandal, with the last being during the 2019 Ashes in the UK. The saga seemed to take its toll with Bancroft’s career in limbo having been dropped from Western Australia’s Shield team a couple of years ago.But he’s slowly resurrected his career with a more formidable Bancroft now at the crease. He still has the innate ability to grind down bowlers but notably added attacking flair and bats at a better tempo, as Bancroft showcased during Perth Scorchers’ BBL title run having started the season on the outer.”He’s always had those really remarkable powers of concentration and ability to bat for long periods of time and now that he’s technically in a better place, I think that just allows him to be able to draw on that strength,” Voges said.Some of Bancroft’s improvement can be credited to private coaching from Justin Langer, his childhood hero and former coach. “Justin was absolutely brilliant…just talking about my mindset,” said Bancroft, who played in all three titles this season.”There was a couple of cues that worked for him as a player…that I can relate to. His guidance and his experience and his knowledge that he has shared with me this season has been really invaluable.”There won’t be much time to bask in WA’s latest triumph with Bancroft heading to the UK on a short county stint which was confirmed with Somerset on Monday where he will play four matches. It looms as another step towards selection in Australia’s Ashes squad magnified by uncertainty over veteran David Warner’s future.”The focus shifts pretty quick from this onto that [county cricket],” Bancroft said. “The dreams and aspirations of playing higher are always there, and I’m sure they are for all cricketers but I just tried to finish this season off really well and then move on to the next lot of cricket I’m playing.”With Bancroft having resuscitated his game, those who have watched him deflate bowlers all season believe he’s primed to relaunch his Test career.”I think he deserves a spot on the plane to go to England in the winter,” Voges said. “I think you’re always more ready the second time around. He’ll learn from the experiences and he’ll certainly be much better for it.”

Even in a field as competitive as Formula 1, drivers still have time to support their favourite football teams. Some drivers are more passionate than others when it comes to supporting their clubs, with others only recently being introduced to the beautiful game.

Here, we’ve listed every favourite football team, from Arsenal to Bristol City, for each driver on the 2025 roster with such affiliations, though it’s clear that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so only a selection feature.

Fernando Alonso

Real Madrid

Kimi Antonelli

Bologna

Franco Colapinto

Boca Juniors

Pierre Gasly

PSG

Isack Hadjar

PSG

Lewis Hamilton

Arsenal

Nico Hulkenberg

Bayern Munich

Charles Leclerc

AS Monaco

Lando Norris

Bristol City

Esteban Ocon

PSG

Oscar Piastri

Arsenal

George Russell

Wolves

Carlos Sainz

Real Madrid

Max Verstappen

PSV Eindhoven

Fernando Alonso Real Madrid

Despite being born in Oviedo, situated in north-western Spain, Fernando Alonso is a strong supporter of Real Madrid, where he is an honorary member.

While he remains a fan of local club Real Oviedo, who play in the second tier in Spain, Alonso has stated in the past that he does not know why he is a Madridista.

He does have a membership at his local club, though it is clear his main loyalties are with the 15-time European champions.

Kimi Antonelli Bologna

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli follows his hometown club Bologna.

He even found time to celebrate in the streets with supporters after Bologna beat AC Milan to win the Italian Cup in 2025 – their first since 1974.

Franco Colapinto Boca Juniors

Brazilian driver Franco Colapinto is a loyal supporter of local club Boca Juniors and is sometimes spotted wearing the club’s attire in the paddock.

He isn’t afraid to hide his passion for the blue and gold and follows them around the world.

Pierre Gasly Paris Saint-Germain

Considered one of the more passionate football fans on the F1 circuit, Pierre Gasly is another who has opted for his nation’s capital club over his local team.

In fairness to Gasly, his birthplace of Rouen is just a couple hours’ drive from Paris, where plenty more riches are on offer, of course.

Without just one Grand Prix win coming on 2020, maybe we can understand Gasly’s thirst for success as a Paris Saint-Germain supporter.

Isack Hadjar Paris Saint-Germain

Isack Hadjar is another big PSG fan and was left gutted that he couldn’t attend the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal in 2205.

He was delighted with the outcome, though, and isn’t afraid to hide his love for the French giants.

Lewis Hamilton Arsenal

A Gunners fan from a young age, Lewis Hamilton has been to plenty of Arsenal matches over the years. While he has stated that he is a long-time Gooner, Hamilton made headlines when being in the running to buy Chelsea, with some of his family being fans of the Blues.

Nico Hulkenberg Bayern Munich

Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg is thought to be a strong supporter of Bayern Munich.

It appears that little else is known about the German’s love of football, but given that he hails from western Germany, we can’t help but feel past successes have once again been the inspiration to follow the (former) Bundesliga juggernauts.

Charles Leclerc AS Monaco

Ferrari star Charles Leclerc is one of Monaco’s very own, and supports the principality’s principal club when it comes to football.

A frequent visitor at the Stade Louis II, Leclerc has an existing relationship with the Ligue 1 side, who are keen to congratulate the local lad after successes on the track.

He has also taken to the field in charity football matches in the past, showing his overall love for the game.

Lando Norris Bristol City

Lando Norris has previously declared his love of local club Bristol City, though it appears that he doesn’t follow the sport anymore.

The McLaren driver was also a fan of Manchester United while Cristiano Ronaldo played for the club, and now no longer calls himself a football fan. It seems that mid-table mediocrity in the Championship just isn’t for him.

Esteban Ocon PSG

The third follower on the grid of 2025 Champions League winners PSG is Esteban Ocon.

The Frenchman, who was born just two hours away from Paris, has even attended the Ballon d’Or ceremony in the past.

“He might be a little bit inconsistent but he’s the sort of guy who in big moments can win you something”

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-2023

Despite Suryakumar Yadav’s recent lean form, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes India should back him going into the home 50-over World Cup later this year.In India’s last ODI assignment, Suryakumar was dismissed for three consecutive golden ducks as Australia won the series 2-1 in India. But Ponting said that he is the kind of player who can “win you a World Cup”.”Everyone around the world knows what Surya [Suryakumar] can do in white-ball cricket. They should stick with him, I feel,” Ponting told the . “Because he is I think the kind of player that can win you a World Cup.Related

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Does Suryakumar Yadav hold the record for being out off the first ball most times in an ODI series?

“He might be a little bit inconsistent but he’s the sort of guy who in big moments can win you something,” Ponting said. “A bit like the late great Andrew Symonds did for Australia.”When you invest in these guys, you give them an opportunity, you give them a pretty clear direction and get some clarity around the role you want them to play, they’ve got so much talent that they can single-handedly win you games.”That’s definitely the way that I’d look at it for India. I wouldn’t be playing it safe, I’d be going with match-winning players and I think he’s a match-winner,” he said.Suryakumar, in 21 ODI innings, has scored 433 runs at an average of 24.05 with two half-centuries.Ponting picked out the No. 5 slot as the best option for Suryakumar.”I think he was only batting at 5 anyway, and I wouldn’t want him much lower than that, especially with Hardik [Pandya], [Ravindra] Jadeja and Axar [Patel] and all those guys there,” Ponting said. “I’m a big believer in giving your best batsman as much time as you can in all formats of the game.”Because if you keep them down the order quite often, sometimes you don’t get to use your best players and that’s the last thing you want. So I think the No. 5 slot is perfect for him and he just needs to grow into that role.”

Ruben Amorim insisted that Manchester United youngsters "will have space in our team" after stitching a comeback win against Hong Kong.

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• Man Utd sealed a 3-1 win over Hong Kong
• Chido Obi & Ayden Heaven were on the scoresheet
• Amorim impressed with the teenagers in his squad

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United ended their post-season adventure in Asia on a high, staging a comeback to defeat Hong Kong 3-1 in their final exhibition match. Teenage striker Chido Obi grabbed the headlines with a pair of goals, before Ayden Heaven added a late third to seal the win. After a disappointing 1-0 loss to ASEAN All-Stars in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur, the result ensured that United concluded their financially lucrative Asian tour on a positive note, with promising glimpses into the club’s future.

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  Amorim was especially impressed with midfielder Jim Thwaites, who made an impact after coming off the bench. However, despite the positive display, the manager made it clear that performing well in friendlies is just one part of the development journey. The true test lies in whether these players can sustain their level and handle the demands of life in the Premier League.

• WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Speaking to the club media after the victory, Amorim said: "I really like the kids. I think Jimmy [Thwaites], in the last 15 minutes, as a midfielder, he wants to play. It doesn't matter how many minutes. These kind of young kids are really important. They will have space in our team."

  The biggest talking point, however, was Chido Obi’s clinical brace. Amorim commended the 19-year-old forward but was quick to remind that scoring goals is only part of the challenge.

  "Of course, it's a good feeling [for Obi to score twice] but he needs to continue to train really hard because the Premier League is a different world," he said. "We have to improve as a team but I'm really pleased with the kids. Ayden proved, in every game for the first team, he is ready to be an option. Of course, he has got to improve. It's important for us to control these kids, to show them to be a professional in Manchester United, it's really hard to maintain the level. He is starting and needs to continue."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Although the tour has just wrapped, Amorim revealed his mind is already shifting towards next season’s preparations.

  "Of course, to spend time with my family," he said. "But, like I said in the press conference, I am ready to start the next one. We have a lot to do. A lot to prepare. We have to think of the squad and we are changing building. It needs to be that everything is ready for the new season."

The Mexican giants arrived to a hero's welcome in Los Angeles as thousands of passionate supporters gathered to greet the team

Fans lined streets for hours awaiting team bus arrival outside downtown Los Angeles hotelClub America's signature yellow jerseys created sea of color across multiple locationsPlayers shocked at turnout scale despite playing away from Estadio AztecaWatch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

Club America's arrival in Los Angeles for their decisive FIFA Club World Cup playoff match against LAFC triggered scenes rarely witnessed for visiting teams in American soccer. Thousands of passionate supporters, predominantly from Southern California's substantial Mexican-American community, created a spectacular reception across multiple locations in the city. The team's bus route from LAX to their downtown hotel resembled a victory parade rather than a pre-match arrival, with fans lining streets waving flags, setting off yellow smoke bombs, and chanting club anthems.

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The passionate reception for Club America reflects the complex soccer culture in cities like Los Angeles, where allegiances to Mexican clubs can sometimes outweigh support for domestic teams. This cultural phenomenon persists despite MLS's growth and LAFC's recent success, including their 2022 MLS Cup victory. The scenes also emphasize the high stakes of this particular playoff, with the winner securing a place among the world's elite clubs in the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup.

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The one-off playoff match at BMO Stadium will determine which club advances to the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, joining elite teams like Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich in the prestigious tournament.