Albacete stun Real Madrid in thrilling 3-2 Copa del Rey upset
Substitute Jefte Betancor scored twice as second-tier Albacete pulled off a dramatic 3-2 victory over Spanish giants Real Madrid on Wednesday, eliminating them from the Copa del Rey at the round-of-16 stage on Alvaro Arbeloa's managerial debut, Reuters reported.
On a misty night at the Carlos Belmonte stadium, the energetic 17,000-strong crowd created an electric atmosphere as Albacete stunned the European powerhouses, who had sacked manager Xabi Alonsoearlier in the week.
Former Real defender Arbeloa, who was handed the reins in the wake of Alonso's dismissal, selected a largely second-string side and they struggled to impose themselves on their lowly opponents, while dense fog that shrouded large portions of the match added to the drama, according to Reuters.
Soccer FIFA receives record 500 million ticket requests for 2026 World Cup
FIFA said on Tuesday it received more than 500 million ticket requests for the 2026 World Cup during a 33-day application window that closed this week, describing it as a new milestone in world sporting history, Reuters reported.
The tournament, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada and feature 48 teams for the first time, attracted applications from fans in all 211 FIFA member countries and territories, the football governing body said in a statement.
Each application was validated by unique credit card data, with fans submitting an average of 15 million ticket requests per day, according to Reuters.
Dynamo acquire Brazilian winger Guilherme as DP
The Houston Dynamo announced the acquisition of Brazilian winger Guilherme on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
The 30-year-old arrives from Brazilian Serie A side Santos FC for a reported $2.1 million transfer fee.
He will occupy a Designated Player spot and is signed through 2027-28 with an option for 2028-29, according to Reuters.
Man Utd appoint Carrick as interim manager until end of season
Michael Carrick was named Manchester United's interim manager until the end of the season on Tuesday following Ruben Amorim's sacking earlier this month, as the Premier League club scrambles to salvage a poor campaign, Reuters reported.
"Michael is an excellent coach and knows exactly what it takes to win at Manchester United," club director of football Jason Wilcox said in a statement.
