SOCCER

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Lionel Messi's Major League Soccer-record streak of multi-goal games ended at five on Wednesday as his Inter Miami squad was blanked 3-0 at FC Cincinnati. The 38-year-old Argentine star forward had scored a brace, two goals, in five consecutive matches for Miami, giving him 16 goals on the season as Inter managed four wins and a draw in the run. 

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Arsene Wenger has dismissed Jurgen Klopp’s criticism of FIFA’s revamped 32-team Club World Cup, calling the tournament a “fantastic competition” and emphasising the support it has received from participating teams, players, and managers. Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, described the expanded summer competition as “the worst idea ever invented” in an interview with German newspaper Die Welt two weeks ago.

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Chelsea became the first FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) champions of the competition’s new era, comprehensively defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final at the MetLife Stadium. A Cole Palmer brace did the early damage, as Luis Enrique’s side were denied what would have been a remarkable clean sweep of silverware in 2024/25.

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Arsenal are close to signing Noni Madueke from Chelsea, though the move is facing resistance from many Gunners fans. The potential transfer comes as Arsenal looks to bolster their squad after a fifth consecutive season without a trophy. The club has already confirmed the signings of Christian Nørgaard and Martín Zubimendi, and is pursuing striker Viktor Gyökeres.

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The Netherlands exited the UEFA European Women’s Championship at the group stage for just the second time in their history after a 5-2 defeat to France, who advanced from Group D along with holders England. The Netherlands knew they had it all to do after a heavy 4-0 defeat to England in their previous game, however, it was France who had the first opportunity of the contest when Delphine Cascarino broke into the area and saw her left-footed effort saved. 

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Paris St Germain (PSG) will face Chelsea in the final of FIFA’s revamped 32-team Club World Cup on Sunday, capping off a month-long tournament in the United States that, while sparking debates about the weather and calendar, has delivered drama akin to a nations’ World Cup.

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot said it had been difficult for the team to get back to work after the death of Diogo Jota and so he had suggested to his players that perhaps the best way forward was to follow their late teammate's shining example.

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The second of the Club World Cup semi-finals saw serial winners, Real Madrid, take on current Champions League holders, Paris Saint-Germain, in what was sure to be a mouth-watering contest. French pair, Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe, started for their teams for the first time in this tournament, giving rise to the notion it would be an exciting contest as the former had 46 goal contributions in 2024/25 and the latter 48.