Anthony Rizzo is returning to where it all started as he caps off his stellar career.
Rizzo, beloved in Chicago, will retire as a Cub and be honored in a ceremony on Saturday at Wrigley Field, ESPN's Jesse Rogers reports. From there he'll become an ambassador for the organization.
The heart and soul of the 2016 World Series champion team that broke free of the most famous curses in sports history, Rizzo is finishing off a 14-year stint in the Major Leagues.
The sweet-swinging lefty made three All-Star teams in a row and finished in the top 10 of National League MVP voting in four consecutive years while playing on Chicago's North Side. He also racked up four Gold Gloves for his work at first base.
All told he collected 303 home runs and posted a .828 OPS over 1,727 games.
India have appealed the guilty verdict against Suryakumar Yadav, who was fined 30% of his match fee
Danyal Rasool and Nagraj Gollapudi26-Sep-20254:11
Suryakumar: ‘A few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit’
India captain Suryakumar Yadav has been found guilty by the ICC of breaching the code of conduct for his comments that alluded to the military skirmish between India and Pakistan, after their group match in the Asia Cup on September 14.It is understood Suryakumar’s not-guilty plea was rejected by ICC match referee Richie Richardson and that he was fined 30% of his match fee. India have appealed against the verdict.Two Pakistan players, Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf, also faced disciplinary hearings on Friday, following their actions in the Super Four game between the two sides on September 21. Farhan was pulled up for his gun celebration after reaching his fifty, while Rauf was captured on camera making gestures that alluded to the downing of aircraft. They are still waiting to hear what sanctions, if any, they face.The PCB had complained to the ICC that Suryakumar’s remarks following the game on September 14 – both at the presentation ceremony and the post-match press conference – constituted a breach of the ICC regulation to avoid political messaging.In its complaint to the ICC, seen by ESPNcricinfo, the PCB quoted Suryakumar’s remarks where he “dedicated today’s victory to our armed forces”. He later specified this dedication was made to India’s armed forces who took part in a military operation against Pakistan in May, which triggered a skirmish between the two sides.Related
Suryakumar told to refrain from making political comments
BCCI lodges complaint with ICC against Farhan and Rauf
Abhishek: Didn't like Pakistan 'coming at us without any reason'
The PCB had demanded the ICC impose a Level 4 sanction – reserved for the most serious breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct – on Suryakumar. It cited past examples of players who were either prevented from what was deemed political messaging or fined for deploying it. The PCB pointed out that in the past the ICC had deemed messages calling attention to the humanitarian disaster caused by Israel’s war in Gaza to be political in nature, most recently when it blocked Usman Khawaja’s attempt to wear shoes with the message “Freedom is a human right” inscribed on them.It could not be confirmed whether the appeal by India has been heard, or when it will take place. Generally, the match referee decides on a time and venue but India face Sri Lanka in the last Super Four match on Friday evening and then play Pakistan in the final on Sunday. If Suryakumar is found guilty after the appeal too, his sanction will be increased accordingly.There was heightened tension between India and Pakistan before their group game began on September 14, with India refusing to shake hands with Pakistan at the toss and after the game, which India won by seven wickets. In the Super Four match between the sides, there were a number of confrontations between Pakistan’s bowlers and India’s openers. Abhishek Sharma later accused Pakistan of “coming at us for no reason”.In that game, Farhan celebrated his half-century by miming the firing of a gun, which he later said was a “spur of the moment” decision. Rauf, meanwhile, made numerous gestures depicting the downing of aircraft while fielding on the boundary, in apparent reference to the recent military conflict.ESPNcricinfo understands Farhan and Rauf also pleaded not guilty and contested that the gestures were not political in nature. While no official verdict has been reached on the two players, the PCB privately accept that they are also likely to cop fines.
Newcastle United are now seriously considering a January bid for a new midfielder, who is being targeted by some of Europe’s top clubs.
Newcastle keen on midfielder likened to Sandro Tonali
Sandro Tonali has earned rave reviews this season, with Paul Scholes causing a stir when he chose the Italian ahead of Declan Rice as the best midfielder in the Premier League back in October, saying: “I love Sandro Tonali as well. He’s been brilliant. Very good. I would probably choose Tonali at this point.”
“I think he’s better than Rice. I really like Rice, don’t get me wrong, I think he’s got everything. Sometimes he takes a few too many touches of the ball and tries to look a bit more stylish than necessary. He can do everything but I just don’t think he does it enough. I prefer Tonali but they’re both good players.”
The central midfielder has remained a key player for Eddie Howe, making 19 appearances in all competitions, although there are some doubts over the future of midfield partner Joelinton, who received criticism for his performance in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
With the Brazilian struggling, Howe may want to enter the market for a new midfielder during the January transfer window, and Newcastle are now seriously considering a bid for Ferencvaros midfielder Alex Toth, who is valued at around £13.5m.
A whole host of Europe’s biggest clubs have been eyeing the Hungarian, who has been compared to Dominik Szoboszlai, including Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, but the PIF are now plotting a January move.
The 20-year-old excels as a box-to-box midfielder, and some of his performances for Ferencvaros suggest he may now be ready to test himself in one of Europe’s top leagues…
Outscoring Woltemade: Newcastle preparing move for one of the PL's best strikers
He’s been in excellent form.
By
Tom Cunningham
Dec 3, 2025
Toth could be fantastic long-term addition to Howe's squad
Given his age, the young Hungarian still has plenty of time to develop, but he has already started to put in some very promising displays for Ferencvaros, chipping in with four goals and 15 assists in 56 outings for the Hungarian club.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described the maestro as a “roaming playmaker”, while also comparing him to Newcastle star Tonali, which is a huge compliment, considering just how highly Scholes rates the Italy international.
Not only has the starlet impressed domestically, but he also earned huge praise for his performance against Genk in the Europa League earlier this season.
With Toth potentially available for a very affordable fee, Newcastle should undoubtedly make a bid this winter, and they should move quickly, given the rival interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Game 3 of the 2025 World Series needed 18 innings to reach its conclusion, as the Dodgers managed to pull off a 6–5 win over the Blue Jays to take a 2–1 series lead. There were plenty of heroes in the marathon affair, including relief pitcher Will Klein, and of course, walk-off hero Freddie Freeman.
Freeman's solo shot in the bottom of the 18th inning sent Dodger Stadium into a frenzy and finally shut the door on what was one of the longest games in World Series history. It was an instant classic, and Freeman cemented his place in the history of the Fall Classic by becoming the first player ever to hit multiple walk-off home runs in the World Series.
So, just where does Monday night's game rank among the longest World Series games of all time?
Game 3 was one of the longest games in World Series history
Matchup
Year
Game Length
Game
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
2018
18 innings
Game 3
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
2025
18 innings
Game 3
New York Mets vs. Kansas City Royals
2015
14 innings
Game 1
Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros
2005
14 innings
Game 3
Brooklyn Robins vs. Boston Red Sox
1916
14 innings
Game 2
New York Mets vs. New York Yankees
2000
12 innings
Game 1
Only one other game in World Series history has needed 18 or more innings to conclude. Coincidentally, it also occurred during a Game 3 at Dodger Stadium and featured a walk-off home run, that time from Max Muncy. That game, which was in the 2018 World Series against the Red Sox, was won by L.A., 3–2.
Let's see how it compares to the longest games in terms of duration:
Matchup
Year
Game Length
Total Innings
Winner/Score
Red Sox vs. Dodgers
2018
7 hours, 20 minutes
18
Dodgers win 3–2
Blue Jays vs. Dodgers
2025
6 hours, 39 minutes
18
Dodgers win 6–5
White Sox vs. Astros
2005
5 hours, 41 minutes
14
White Sox win 7–5
Astros vs. Dodgers
2017
5 hours, 17 minutes
10
Astros win 13–12
Royals vs. Mets
2015
5 hours, 9 minutes
14
Royals win 5–4
Mets vs. Yankees
2000
4 hours, 51 minutes
12
Yankees win 4–3
Strangely enough, the Dodgers have been involved in three of the longest World Series games in MLB history. Monday night's game was nothing short of a gauntlet. World Series and MLB records were smashed and each team's bullpen was running on fumes.
In the end, the Dodgers broke the heart of the Blue Jays and their fans thanks to Freeman's walk-off home run in the 18th inning. After two full games worth of baseball, the Dodgers took a 2–1 lead. And less than 24 hours after the end of that marathon of a ballgame, the teams will run another race in Tuesday's Game 4, with first pitch set for 8:00 p.m. ET.
أوضح البرازيلي رافينها سبب استبداله هو وزميله بيدري خلال مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد، وأكد أن تلك المواجهة ستكون حاسمة في مشوار الفريق نحو لقب الدوري الإسباني.
وحقق برشلونة الفوز على أتلتيكو مدريد بثلاثية لهدف، ليرتفع رصيده في صدارة ترتيب الدوري الإسباني “الليجا” للنقطة 37.
ويملك ريال مدريد 33 نقطة في المركز الثاني وسيواجه أتلتيك بلباو مساء الأربعاء، في مباراة مقدمة من الجولة التاسعة عشر لليجا.
وقال رافينها في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “أعتقد أن الأهم هو الإيمان بالعمل، هناك العديد من المباريات التي قد نخسر فيها، علينا أن نكون مستعدين، نحن نعمل بجد لتحقيق ذلك، هذه هي الروح التي نحتاجها للفوز بمباريات كهذه”.
اقرأ أيضًا | رجل مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد في الدوري الإسباني
وأضاف: “قد نستقبل هدفًا، لكن علينا أن نحافظ على رباطة جأشنا لنتمكن من العودة في مباراة كهذه، كنا نعلم مدى صعوبة هذه المباراة، وأننا قد نواجه وضعًا مشابهًا لما حدث العام الماضي، عندما يسجلون أولًا”.
وواصل: “أعتقد أنه كلما ضغطنا أكثر في منطقة الجزاء، كلما اقتربنا من مرمى الخصم، بهذه الطريقة، ستكون لدينا فرص أكبر لتسجيل الأهداف”.
وأكد: “أتطلع لاستعادة لياقتي البدنية بأفضل طريقة، شعرت بالتعب اليوم، طلبت استبدالي لأنني لم أستطع الاستمرار أنا وبيدري، لدينا العديد من اللاعبين المميزين القادرين على التواجد في الملعب”.
وأتم رافينها تصريحاته: “أعتقد أننا نكتسب الثقة مباراةً تلو الأخرى، كنا نعلم أن هذا مفتاح الفوز بالدوري، هذه ثلاث نقاط مهمة قد تُحسم الدوري، إذا واصلنا حصد النقاط في كل مباراة، ستسير الأمور على نحو أفضل بكثير”.
Former England rugby star Joe Marler has impressed Celebrity Traitors viewers with his detective skills in the popular reality TV show, but one discovery the 35 year-old was not ready for was how much professional footballers earn.
Marler is far from the wealthiest figure on BBC’s Celebrity Traitors, with the likes of Jonathan Ross, Stephen Fry, Mark Bonnar and Alan Carr all believed to hold net worths in excess of £10m.
The former England and Harlequins star retired from rugby last year, but despite spending more than a decade at the peak of his profession, was left gobsmacked when he found out how much the average footballer makes.
Speaking on Marler’s Things People Do podcast last year, journeyman footballer Jimmy Bullard revealed: “My biggest contract was £50k-a-week.”
1998 – 1999: Ebbsfleet
1999 – 2001: West Ham
2001 – 2003: Peterborough
2003 – 2006: Wigan Athletic
2006 – 2009: Fulham
2009 – 2011: Hull City
2011 – 2012: Ipswich Town
2012: MK Dons
Bullard, who never won a major professional trophy or earned an England cap and retired in 2012, refused to admit which club had paid him that figure, which totals around £2.6m annually, leaving Marler in shock.
The Traitors star and his co-host then asked for an estimate on what kind of money a “top Premier League footballer” earns today, to which Bullard responded: “I’d have to say a few of the Man City boys must be on £350k-a-week.”
In fact, Man City’s highest earner is Erling Haaland on a whopping £525k-a-week, which is over £27 million in annual salary.
For context, Antoine Dupont was recently made the highest-paid rugby player in the world, penning a £1.2 million per season deal with Toulouse, while Marler earned an estimated £300k-a-year during his last contract with Harlequins.
That means Haaland takes home Dupont’s yearly pay roughly twice a month and matches Marler’s salary in a matter of days.
Marler’s performance on the hit BBC show has seen him touted for future roles in television, with a source telling MailOnline: “The BBC is constantly looking for new talent and the second he stopped playing rugby, there were eyes on him.
“Bosses knew that getting him on Traitors would be a very good shop window for him and they could test whether or not the viewers would like him. As soon as they saw it, they knew he would be someone the British public would adore and they seem to be right.
“At the same time, he himself is ready for a new career after retiring from rugby. He has long wanted to present from a BBC sofa and The One Show is one of his favourite programmes. To anchor that would be his dream.”
It is understood that Haider was arrested in Beckenham where the Shaheens were playing
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2025Haider Ali has been arrested by the Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of rape and bailed pending further enquiries. The Pakistan batter, who was with the Shaheens squad, the de facto ‘A’ team on a tour against of England, remains in the UK. A Shaheens squad, which includes a number of players on the England tour, has flown to Australia to take part in a multi-team T20 series. Haider was part of the squad due to go to Australia, and has been replaced by allrounder Mohammad Faiq”After receiving a report on Monday 4 August 2025 of a rape, we have arrested a 24-year-old man,” a statement from Greater Manchester Police confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. “It’s alleged that the incident occurred on Wednesday 23 July 2025 at a premises in Manchester. The man has since been bailed pending further enquiries. The victim is being supported by officers.”It is understood that Haider was arrested in Beckenham where the Shaheens were playing the last of their five games of the tour. Haider played each of the five games, including the first two on 22 and 25 July, between which the incident he was arrested for is alleged to have occurred in Manchester on 23 July. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in the UK.Related
Manchester police drop all charges against Haider Ali
Haider Ali under criminal investigation in the UK, suspended by the PCB
On Thursday, the PCB issued a statement confirming Haider was under criminal investigation in the UK and suspended him pending the results of that investigation. It affirmed that the board “fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the UK” and were providing the player with legal support.Haider, 24, has played two ODIs and 35 T20Is for Pakistan. Initially feted as a destructive power hitter, his reputation burnished with standout performances in the PSL with Peshawar Zalmi in 2020, when he scored 239 runs at a strike rate of over 157. He was called up to the national side later that year, his international debut coming in a T20I game in Manchester, where he scored a 33-ball 54 as Pakistan won by five runs.Inconsistency has dogged him since, and he has repeatedly found himself in and out of the side. However, his talent and explosiveness have kept him in international contention, and the current Shaheens tour was widely viewed as an opportunity to reintegrate a player whose batting approach aligns with the aggressive style Pakistan’s current T20 set-up has made no secret they want to pursue.The PCB has said that they intend to make no further public comment until legal proceedings are complete.
Right-arm quick Matiullah, left-arm spinner Simranjeet are additions to the squad playing ongoing T20I tri-series
ESPNcricinfo staff04-Sep-2025Muhammad Waseem will lead UAE’s 17-member squad at the 2025 Asia Cup.Right-arm quick Matiullah Khan and left-arm spinner Simranjeet Singh are the two additions to UAE’s side from the ongoing T20I tri-series against Pakistan and Afghanistan, with the rest of the players retaining their places.Matiullah, 32, has played one ODI and five T20Is so far. The last of those T20Is came against Nigeria in the Pearl of Africa Series in July. Thirty-five-year-old Simranjeet has played five ODIs and 11 T20Is. He last represented UAE at the Gulf T20I Championship last December.UAE previous Asia Cup appearance was in 2016 in Bangladesh, when the tournament was played in the T20 format as well.Related
Pakistan seal final berth as Fakhar and Abrar headline commanding win
Asia Cup: Ind-Pak to go ahead after Indian govt clarifies stance
Oman pick four uncapped players for maiden Asia Cup
Asia Cup: Matches pushed back by half an hour due to UAE heat
UAE are part of Group A in this year’s Asia Cup, which starts on September 9, and will be held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The other three teams in their group are India, Pakistan and Oman. UAE start their campaign on September 10, when they face India in Dubai. While they are yet to beat India or Pakistan in any format, they have beaten Oman in five T20Is.The top two teams from the group will progress to the Super Fours stage.UAE squad for Asia CupMuhammad Waseem (capt), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra (wk), Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh and Saghir Khan
Former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy played a major role in stopping one ex-Spurs star from sealing what was a dream switch to Chelsea, with the player making a candid admission.
Tottenham post-Daniel Levy as problems remain at N17
It’s been three months since the Lewis family decided to force Levy into resigning as Lilywhites chairman, following a topsy-turvy 25-year stint in the role.
Levy was barely ever away from the headlines and attracted plenty of criticism, particularly towards the end of his tenure, when fans turned out in droves to protest both his and ENIC’s stewardship of the club.
"ENICOUT" banneroutside Spurs
His exit marked the end of the longest chairmanship in Premier League history, a tenure defined by extraordinary infrastructure development yet marred by agonising near-misses.
His business acumen transformed Tottenham into a financial powerhouse, culminating in the £1.2 billion Tottenham Hotspur Stadium which opened in 2019 and revolutionised the club’s commercial capabilities.
World Football’s highest revenue-generating clubs — 2025
Value
Real Madrid
£1.2 billion
Man City
£727 million
PSG
£700 million
Man United
£668 million
Bayern Munich
£664 million
FC Barcelona
£659.5 million
Arsenal
£621.5 million
Liverpool
£620 million
Tottenham Hotspur
£533 million
Chelsea
£474 million
via Deloitte Money League
Under his stewardship, Spurs competed in Europe over in 18 of the past 20 seasons, establishing themselves among England’s elite despite chronic underinvestment in recruitment compared to their rivals.
The club’s net spend during Mauricio Pochettino’s first four years totalled just £29 million, while Tottenham infamously became the first Premier League side to complete an entire summer window without a single signing in 2018.
That cautious transfer approach became Levy’s defining characteristic, and it drew fierce criticism, alongside their barren trophy haul.
Tottenham reached the Champions League final under Pochettino in 2019, only to dismiss the Argentine four months later despite Spurs’ constant transfer budget restrictions.
Levy’s final season proved very turbulent, with Ange Postecoglou sacked shortly after delivering Europa League glory. Fans had grown tired of the constant managerial churn without meaningful silverware, despite Levy’s long list of appointments including serial winners José Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
Tottenham could prove 'irresistible' to manager who Levy was urged to hire before Frank
He’s on the verge of leaving his current club.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Dec 2, 2025
Levy’s departure triggered a major restructuring, with former Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham arriving and Thomas Frank replacing Postecoglou.
Peter Charrington assumed the newly-created non-executive chairman role to jump into Levy’s stead, though in a far less involved capacity, with co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange making up the new leadership team.
Levy, despite his unpopularity among much of the fanbase, undoubtedly left a mark on Spurs which will be remembered for decades to come.
Now, ex-Tottenham favourite Luka Modrić has revealed how the former chairman stopped him from joining London rivals Chelsea.
Luka Modrić reveals Daniel Levy blocked Tottenham transfer to Chelsea
Speaking on the Neuspjeh prvakashow, via ESPN, the now-AC Milan midfielder says that he was eager to join the west Londoners, but Levy told him there was ‘no chance’ that Modric would be allowed to go.
The Croatia legend, who went to enjoy a fantastic season at Tottenham right afterwards, then admitted that it eventually worked out for the best.
Modric is now the most decorated player in his country’s history after a glittering career at Real, with Levy eventually green-lighting his exit to the Bernabeu for £30 million in 2012.
The 40-year-old, who is incredibly still playing at an elite level, made over 150 appearances for Spurs, scoring 17 goals, and comes as one of the best signings of Levy’s tenure for just £16.5 million from Dinamo Zagreb.
Well, the Blue Jays got off to a fiery start with back-to-back home runs on Wednesday night in Game 5 of the World Series vs. the Dodgers.
The pregame music had barely stopped before Blake Snell threw his first pitch of the game to Davis Schneider, who was in the leadoff spot for the first time this series with George Springer out for the second consecutive game. Schneider hit Snell's 96-mph fastball for a 373-foot home run to start off the game. There were still plenty of empty seats in Dodger Stadium as fans had just started trickling in for the matchup.
Then, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked up to the plate. It took him just two pitches to then hit a home run off of another 96-mph fastball thrown by Snell, this time a 394-foot homer to the outfield to hand Toronto a quick 2–0 lead.
This is the first time in World Series history that a game has begun with back-to-back home runs, per Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith. What an incredible way to start off Game 5. We'll see if the Blue Jays can keep this momentum going before they head back to Toronto on Friday.