Kylian Mbappe has been left out of France's 25-man preliminary Olympics squad ahead of the Games in Paris starting next month. 

Thierry Henry, who is the coach of Les Bleus' under-23 side, did not include the Paris Saint-Germain forward, who is expected to complete a move to Real Madrid in the coming days following Los Blancos' 15th Champions League success. 

The 46-year-old has until July 3 to confirm his final 22-player list ahead of group-stage fixtures against the United States on July 24, Guinea on July 27 and New Zealand on July 30.

Henry has revealed he faced plenty of difficulties when selecting his squad, with several clubs refusing to release their players for the tournament. 

Because the football event at the Olympics is not formally recognised by FIFA, clubs are not obliged to release their players for the competition, which begins on July 24 and ends on August 9.

"Real Madrid were really straightforward about the Olympics," Henry said when quizzed about Mbappe's omission from the squad. 

"The last time I received so many rejections was at the university. There have not even been negotiations. You go, you ask, they say no, and you leave."

Henry was able to include several talented stars from across European football, including Crystal Palace duo Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta, while Bayern Munich's Mathys Tel and PSG's Warren Zaire-Emery were among the other high-profile inclusions. 

However, Chelsea stars Malo Gusto and Benoit Badiashile were refused release from Stamford Bridge, but the Blues were able to offer midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu. 

Asked if he was disappointed by the decisions made by Premier League clubs, Henry replied: "I will respond to this one very, very clearly – it's not the time for me to talk about that, firstly.

"Secondly, am I disappointed or surprised? No. Neither disappointed nor surprised, the clubs are within their rights, unfortunately, and I think what I have been saying hasn't changed since I started talking about the Olympics."

Les Bleus have previously won two medals at the Olympic Games, taking silver on home soil in Paris back in 1900 and gold at Los Angeles in 1984.

The rules of the competition state that each team must be made up of players born on or after January 1, 2001 (aged 23 at the time of the Games). However, three players born before that date can also be included.

Justin Jefferson has put up record-setting numbers on the football field.

He now has a record-setting contract to go with it.

Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings agreed Monday to a four-year extension that will reportedly make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

The deal includes $88million at signing, $110million in guaranteed money and is worth as much as $140million.

"Justin is an exceptionally talented player and an incredible person that I am honored to coach and have as a team captain," Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said in a statement. "His positive energy and love for the game shows up every single day as he works to be the best at his craft. As coaches, we will do our part in helping him maximize his ability."

 

Since being drafted 22nd overall in the 2020 draft, Jefferson has been the NFL's most productive receiver.

His 5,899 receiving yards are the most in league history through a player's first four seasons, and his average of 98.3 receiving yards per game are the most in the NFL since 2020.

Over the last four seasons, his 66 receptions of 25 or more yards are nine more than Tyreek Hill for the most in the NFL, and he also has 30 touchdown receptions.

The 2022 AP NFL Offensive Player of the year managed to compile these impressive stats despite missing seven games last season because of a hamstring injury.

Although he sat out nearly half of the 2023 season, he still reached 1,074 receiving yards.

"Over the first four seasons of his career, Justin entrenched himself as the best wide receiver and one of the most electric players in the NFL," Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf said in a statement. "He is a special talent, a committed teammate and an excellent representative of the Vikings. Justin has earned this contract, and we are thrilled he will remain a Minnesota Viking for a very long time."

A three-time Pro Bowler, the 25-year-old Jefferson will now be paired with a new quarterback after Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons in the off-season.

The Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy 10th overall in this year's draft and also signed former No. 3 pick Sam Darnold in March.

Alex de Minaur is through to the French Open quarter-finals for the first time after coming from behind to upset Daniil Medvedev on Monday.

Despite losing the first set, De Minaur turned on the style to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 in two hours and 49 minutes on the court.

Medvedev made a confident start but only just won the first set as the Australian hit the net in the final game to give away the victory.

After that, Medvedev required treatment on his foot, and when he came back out, he had few answers to a dominant De Minaur.

The number 11 seed was resolute in defence and raced through the second and third sets before reeling off four games in a row to take the victory and set up a meeting with Alexander Zverev or Holger Rune in the next round. 

Data Debrief: De Minaur makes strides

De Minaur has reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam event for just the second time in his career, and the first time since 2020, when he reached the same stage in the US Open.

He has also become the first Australian to reach the men's singles quarter-finals at Roland Garros since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004, 20 years ago.

Chelsea have announced the appointment of Enzo Maresca as the club's new head coach.

The former Leicester City boss has put pen to paper on a five-year deal, with the option for the club to extend his stay for another year.

Maresca replaces Mauricio Pochettino, who left Chelsea by mutual consent last month after just one season in charge.

The Italian oversaw Leicester's promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt in 2023-24, the Foxes topping the Championship table with 98 points.

In a statement, Chelsea's co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: "We are delighted to welcome Enzo to Chelsea. 

"He has proven himself to be an excellent coach capable of delivering impressive results with an exciting and identifiable style.

"Enzo has deeply impressed us in our discussions leading up to his appointment. His ambitions and work ethic align with those of the club. We thoroughly look forward to working with him."

Former midfielder Maresca, who was a two-time UEFA Cup winner with Sevilla, began his coaching career on the staff at Ascoli – then of Serie B – in 2017.

He then joined Manchester City in August 2020 as manager of their Elite Development Side, who he guided to the Premier League 2 title in his first season, before a six-month stint in charge of Parma.

Maresca returned to City in June 2022 as an assistant to Pep Guardiola, before replacing Dean Smith at Leicester 12 months later and subsequently guiding the former Premier League champions back into the top flight.

The 44-year-old, who becomes the eighth different Italian to manage Chelsea, will enjoy his first taste of European football as a coach next season. 

Although the Blues initially qualified for the Europa League having finished sixth in the Premier League, they dropped into the Europa Conference League following Manchester United's FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni insists he is fully committed to managing the side for as long as he is wanted ahead of their Copa America campaign.  

Last year, the 46-year-old shocked world football when he revealed he was considering stepping down less than 12 months after leading his country to World Cup glory in Qatar. 

It was reported by local media at the start of this year that Scaloni had agreed to remain in charge until the conclusion of the upcoming tournament in the United States, which sees the Albiceleste kickstart the month-long action against Canada on June 20. 

Speaking ahead of warm-up friendlies against Ecuador and Guatemala, Scaloni said he expects to stay in charge until the Argentine Football Association President, Claudio Tapia, decides otherwise.

"I was not having a good year and I felt it was time to stop the ball," Scaloni said, recalling his previous comments. 

"Today I'm here with all my energy, which, to be honest, was not the case in November. As long as the president of the AFA wants me to be here, I'll be here."

Scaloni was able to provide an update on the fitness of Lionel Messi while also explaining his decision to leave Paulo Dybala out of his preliminary 29-man squad for the tournament.

Messi has scored 12 goals in his first 12 games of the MLS season with Inter Miami, last netting more in his first 12 outings of a league campaign with Barcelona in 2012-13 (17). 

"The good thing is that Messi has had continuity in his team, especially after his injury," Scaloni said. 

"It's important that he gets more minutes. We see him at full fitness. He will join the squad for training tomorrow."

On Dybala, he added: "We have a special affection for him, but we always say that the team comes first. Given the circumstances and the fact that we had problems in some positions, we decided not to include him.

"We know what he has given us. With all the pain in the world, this is the decision we have taken."

A series of minor injuries limited Dybala to 25 Serie A starts in 2023-24, though he still scored 13 goals for Roma to improve on his return of 12 from 2022-23. 

Argentina face Ecuador on June 9 at Soldier Field in Chicago and Guatemala at Commanders Field in Washington five days later, as preparations intensify ahead of their Copa America title defence. 

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior was named the Champions League's Player of the Season by UEFA's technical observer panel on Monday.

Vinicius played 10 matches in the 2023-24 competition for champions Madrid, scoring six goals and assisting five.

He was on the scoresheet as Carlo Ancelotti's side beat Borussia Dortmund in the final on Saturday, earning his second Champions League medal with the club.

The Brazilian has 22 direct goal involvements in the knockout stages of Europe's premier club competition (11 goals, 11 assists), the joint-most recorded by any player before turning 24, alongside Lionel Messi.

The UEFA panel also named Vinicius' team-mate Jude Bellingham the Best Young Player of the 2023-24 tournament.

The 20-year-old England international scored four goals and provided five assists in 11 Champions League appearances.

The Goal of the Season award also went to a Madrid player, with Federico Valverde's late volley against Manchester City in a 3-3 quarter-final draw at the Santiago Bernabeu taking the honours.

Former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has signed a new contract to remain Middlesbrough head coach until 2027.

Carrick was set to enter the final 12 months of the three-year deal he signed when arriving at the Riverside Stadium in 2022, and he had been linked with Premier League clubs after impressing on Teesside.

He led the side to a fourth-place finish in the Championship in 2022-23, though they were beaten by Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals.

Carrick's team then missed out on the play-offs as they finished eighth in 2023-24, though they did reach the EFL Cup semi-finals, winning the first leg against Chelsea 1-0 before being thumped 6-1 in the return fixture.

Speaking to the club's media channels, Carrick said: "I think having that attachment, that trust and that belief within the club is really important.

"We've certainly got that. That's what still gives me the great feeling that I had when I first walked through the door.

"It feels like a big step as a headline, as a statement, but really it doesn't change anything I do or how I approach it – it just carries on what we're trying to achieve."

Aryna Sabalenka crushed Emma Navarro in straight sets to advance to the French Open quarter-finals, requiring just 71 minutes to clinch a 6-2 6-3 victory.

World number two Sabalenka had reached the last 16 without dropping a single set, only losing more than two games in one of six sets of tennis at this year's tournament.

It was more of the same on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Monday, the two-time grand slam winner's power and poise giving world number 22 Navarro few chances to make it a contest.

Sabalenka set the tone by breaking in the very first service game and was a set up within 32 minutes, winning 13 of 14 points behind her first serve in the opener. 

Another quick break meant the second set followed a similar pattern, and though Navarro came through a couple of tough service games, she only delayed the inevitable as Sabalenka teed up a last-eight clash with either Varvara Gracheva or Mirra Andreeva.

Data Debrief: No denying Sabalenka

Sabalenka was beaten in her only previous meeting with Navarro at Indian Wells earlier this year, but she gave the American little hope of a repeat on Monday.

The victory made her just the seventh woman to make seven consecutive grand slam quarter-finals this century, after Jennifer Capriati, Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams and Serena Williams.

The last major where Sabalenka was not involved in the last eight was the 2022 edition of Wimbledon, when Russian and Belarusian players were banned due to the war in Ukraine.

Esteban Ocon will leave Alpine at the end of the 2024 Formula One season, the French manufacturer has confirmed.

Ocon joined Alpine in 2020 and achieved the team's first race victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, but he finished 12th in the drivers' championship last year after managing an eighth-place finish in 2022.

He is currently languishing in 16th position and there has even been talk of him being replaced for this week's Canadian Grand Prix following a collision with team-mate Pierre Gasly at the recent Monaco Grand Prix.

Ocon released a statement condemning the "abuse and negativity" he was subjected to after the crash, and he has been linked with a move to Haas with the 2025 driver market wide open.

Alpine team principal Bruno Famin said: "We would like to firstly thank Esteban for his commitment to the team for the past five years. 

"During his time, we have celebrated some fantastic moments together, the best of which coming at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix with a memorable race win.

"We still have 16 races to complete in 2024 together with a clear objective: to continue to work tirelessly as a team to push for the best on-track results. We wish Esteban the very best for the next chapter of his driving career when that moment comes."

In a social media post, Ocon said: "The Enstone-Viry family has played a significant part in my life, dating back to my Lotus junior programme days. 

"I feel incredibly lucky and privileged to have achieved the things I did with this team, from my first podium to my first win. These achievements truly were dreams come true.  

"Like many drivers this season, a lot has been said about my future beyond 2024. News will be announced in due course."

In a nail-biting encounter, Namibia triumphed over Oman in a Super Over during their 2024 ICC T20 World Cup opener on Sunday night. After both teams were tied with scores of 109, Namibia outclassed Oman in the one-over eliminator, setting the stage for a memorable start to the tournament.

Despite being bundled out for 109, Oman mounted a dramatic comeback with the ball, pushing the match into the Super Over. However, Namibia, led by the composed and experienced David Wiese, dominated the Super Over to secure a crucial victory.

This match marked only the third time a men's T20 World Cup game has gone to a Super Over and the first since 2012. Wiese and Gerhard Erasmus racked up an impressive 21 runs against the seasoned Bilal Khan. Wiese then ensured Oman couldn't pull off another comeback, limiting them to just 10 runs.

On a challenging pitch where runs were hard to come by, Wiese began the Super Over in style, drilling a full delivery through the covers and then smashing a full toss for a six wide of long-on. Erasmus continued the onslaught, flick-sweeping for a boundary and squeezing a yorker past short third to post the highest score in a T20 World Cup Super Over.

Wiese then took control with the ball, conceding just two runs off his first two deliveries before dismissing Naseem Khushi with an edge onto the stumps. Oman managed only a single off the next ball, making the target unreachable, and Wiese closed out the win, becoming only the fourth player in men's T20Is to bat and bowl in a Super Over.

Namibia’s modest chase was spearheaded by Jan Frylinck, who brought the equation down to 18 runs needed off the last three overs. Mehran Khan began the 18th over with four byes, then had JJ Smit caught at long-on and bowled three consecutive dots to Wiese.

In the final over, with Namibia needing just five runs, Mehran bowled Frylinck off his pads for a 48-ball 45. He then trapped new batter Zane Green lbw and kept the pressure on, allowing only two runs from Wiese and nearly securing victory for Oman.

Namibia’s decision to bowl first paid off when Ruben Trumpelmann trapped Kashyap Prajapati lbw on the first ball. Trumpelmann then dismissed Oman captain Aqib Ilyas with a searing inswinging yorker and struck again in his next over, reducing Oman to 10 for 3.

Zeeshan Maqsood attempted to rebuild with a flurry of boundaries but fell to Bernard Scholtz. Namibia’s spinners, Scholtz and Erasmus, then stifled Oman’s scoring, bowling 44 consecutive deliveries without conceding a boundary.

Oman managed a late surge, with Ayaan Khan attacking Scholtz for a six. However, tight bowling from Wiese and Trumpelmann restricted Oman, with the latter finishing with figures of 4-21.

Bilal Khan provided Oman an early breakthrough, but Namibia navigated the powerplay cautiously. The pressure from Oman's spinners, particularly Ilyas who bowled a maiden, slowed the scoring rate. Despite dropped catches, Jan Frylinck anchored Namibia’s innings, helping take the game to the last over.

Having come so close, Oman will rue their missed chances. Meanwhile, Namibia, buoyed by Wiese’s heroics, will look to build on this thrilling victory as they progress in the T20 World Cup.

Elena Rybakina cruised past Elina Svitolina in just 69 minutes to reach the French Open quarter-finals on Monday.

Rybakina was hardly troubled as she reached the fifth grand slam quarter-final of her career with a 6-4 6-3 success, maintaining her record of not dropping a set at Roland Garros this year.

The world number four relied on her strong serve – winning 77 per cent of points behind her first serve – and quick movement to the net as she broke in the opening game of both sets.

Svitolina managed to break back on both occasions, only for Rybakina to find an extra gear and pull away in relative comfort, teeing up a last-eight clash with either Jasmine Paolini or Elina Avanesyan.

Data Debrief: Rybakina enjoying best year yet

Rybakina is into her ninth WTA-level quarter-final of 2024, which is already a career high for a single year and is also more than any other player on the tour this term (Iga Swiatek is second with eight).

The Kazakhstani is also just the second woman from an Asian nation to reach multiple grand slam quarter-finals on both clay and grass in the Open Era, after Kazuko Sawamatsu.

Julian Nagelsmann has condemned a "racist" survey from German public broadcaster ARD, which asked respondents whether there should be more white players in the national team.

State broadcaster ARD asked 1,304 participants whether they would like to see more white players representing Germany at Euro 2024, with 21 per cent of respondents answering yes.

Germany and Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich described the poll as "absolute nonsense" on Saturday, saying the diversity of the national team was a major positive. 

Coach Nagelsmann echoed those sentiments during a media briefing at the team's Herzogenaurach training base on Sunday, saying: "It is racist. I feel we need to wake up. 

"Many people now in Europe had to flee, searching for a safe country.

"Josh responded really well, with a very clear and thought-out statement. I see this in exactly the same way. This question is insane.

"There are people in Europe who have had to flee because of war, economic factors, environmental disasters, people who simply want to be taken in.

"We have to ask: What are we doing at the moment? 

"We in Germany are doing very, very well, and when we say something like that, I think it's crazy how we turn a blind eye and simply block out such things."

Memphis Depay has confirmed he is leaving Atletico Madrid after 18 months at the Civitas Metropolitano.

Depay joined Atleti in a €4million deal last January after struggling to make an impression at Barcelona, initially signing a two-and-a-half-year contract.

However, the Netherlands international – who has been named in Ronald Koeman's squad for Euro 2024 – has now agreed to part ways with the club 12 months early.

Depay scored nine goals in 31 league appearances throughout his time with Atleti, though the form of Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann limited him to just 12 starts.

In a post to X, the attacker hinted the parting was not entirely amicable, writing: "It's not easy to say how I feel about writing this message because I feel that things could’ve been very different.

"Maybe it's better to keep that conversation for another time… 

"To Atleti, my team-mates, the staff and especially the fans, I want to thank you for the energy and support I've experienced in my time being an Atleti player. 

"I keep the good memories close to my heart. Gracias."

Juan Soto hit two home runs, including a go-ahead shot during a four-run ninth inning that lifted the American League-leading New York Yankees to a series-sweeping 7-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

Soto's two-run blast off Camilo Doval with one out in the top of the ninth staked New York to a 6-5 lead. The star slugger had a solo homer in the first inning and finished 3 for 5 with three runs scored in the Yankees' fifth consecutive win, which included all three matchups of this series.

Doval was called on to protect a 5-3 lead entering the ninth and was greeted by a single from Gleyber Torres, who was erased on a fielder's choice grounder. Anthony Volpe then delivered a run-scoring triple to right in front of Soto's go-ahead drive into the right field seats.

The Yankees tacked on another run when Doval walked Aaron Judge, who stole second and scored on Giancarlo Stanton's ground-rule double. Clay Holmes then set the Giants down in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn his 17th save.

San Francisco had taken a 5-3 advantage in the sixth inning on Heliot Ramos' bases-loaded single that plated Jorge Soler and Luis Matos, both of whom had reached on singles.

Ramos homered earlier in the game, a solo shot off New York starter Nestor Cortes that snapped a 1-1 tie in the third inning. Cortes also served up a solo homer to Casey Schmitt in the fourth that extended the Giants' lead to 3-1.

The Yankees countered with two runs charged to San Francisco starter Blake Snell in the fifth. Volpe and Soto reached via singles and Stanton drew a walk to load the bases for Alex Verdugo, who knocked in two runners with a double off reliever Erik Miller.

Snell was removed with a groin strain after walking Stanton with two out in the fifth. The 2023 National League Cy Young winner was charged with three runs and registered seven strikeouts.

After Soto's first homer of the game gave the Yankees an early edge, the Giants answered in the second when Soler doubled and scored on Schmitt's single.

 

White Sox's skid hits 11 games as Brewers finish sweep

Jackson Chourio's three-run homer in the second inning helped send the hapless Chicago White Sox to an 11th straight loss, a 6-3 defeat to Milwaukee that completed a three-game sweep by the Brewers. 

Gary Sanchez added a two-run single and Freddy Peralta struck out seven over five innings as the NL Central-leading Brewers extended their winning streak to five games.

Paul DeJong had a homer and drove in two runs for the downtrodden White Sox, who have now dropped 15 of 16 and own the majors' worst record at 15-45.

Chicago did start out strong, as Nicky Lopez and Corey Julks recorded one-out singles off Peralta in the first inning. Lopez was brought home by Gavin Sheets' single and DeJong plated Julks with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.

Milwaukee answered with four two-out runs off Nick Nastrini in the second, however. Joey Ortiz singled and Jake Bauers drove him in with a double to get the Brewers on the board. After Sanchez drew a walk to put two on, Chourio drove the first pitch he saw into the seats in left for a 4-2 lead. 

DeJong's homer in the fourth brought Chicago within 4-3, and the White Sox threatened in the eighth when Lopez's ground-rule double off Enoli Paredes put runners at second and third with one out.

Julks then lifted a fly ball to left field that was caught by Milwaukee's Christian Yelich, who threw out Tommy Pham at the plate to keep it a one-run game.

Sanchez extended the lead to 6-3 with a bases-loaded, two-out single in the bottom of the eighth that brought in two runs.

Peralta (4-3) allowed three runs and four hits over five innings, while Paredes threw two scoreless innings to earn his first career save.

Nastrini (0-5) lasted just four innings and surrendered four runs while walking three.

 

Irvin, Nationals halt Guardians' nine-game home winning streak

Jake Irvin tossed six solid innings and Lane Thomas and Joey Meneses each knocked in a pair of runs for the Washington Nationals, who ended the Cleveland Guardians' nine-game home winning streak with a 5-2 victory.

Meneses' two-run double off Carlos Carrasco highlighted a four-run fourth inning that helped the Nationals avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the AL Central leaders, who were dealt their first home defeat since May 7.

Carrasco (2-5), activated from the injured list prior to the game, ran into early trouble when Keibert Ruiz led off the second inning with a single and Eddie Rosario doubled two batters later to put two runners aboard. Meneses then drove home both with a deep drive to center that rolled to the wall for a double.

Meneses would score on Ildemaro Vargas' single for a 3-0 lead before Thomas capped the big inning with a run-scoring single.

Cleveland did answer in its half of the second on Daniel Schneemann's first major league hit, a double that plated both Will Brennan and Gabriel Arias. Brennan reached on a single and took third on Arias' double.

Irvin (3-5) kept the Guardians off the board for the remainder of his outing as he allowed just five total hits and struck out six. Robert Garcia and Hunter Harvey followed with a scoreless inning each before Kyle Finnegan worked the ninth for his 16th save.

The Nationals tacked on another run in the fourth when Joey Gallo drew a walk, advanced to third on Vargas' single and scored on Thomas' sacrifice fly.

Carrasco was tagged for five runs and seven hits while fanning five over four innings.

 

 

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