Neymar injury doubt casts shadow over Brazil recall hopes
Neymar will miss Santos' Brazilian Championship match against Mirassol on Tuesday with lingering muscle fatigue, dealing a fresh blow to the forward's hopes of forcing his way back into Brazil's squad ahead of the World Cup, Reuters reported.
Santos said Neymar's absence was precautionary but the timing is awkward, with Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti having organised a trip from Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo to watch the 34-year-old in action.
Sources linked to the Brazilian FA (CBF) and the national team's technical committee told Reuters Neymar's omission from Tuesday's match was met with surprise and frustration by the CBF and Ancelotti, who had hoped to assess the number 10 up close, according to Reuters.
MLS bans Jones, Yeboah for life after gambling investigation
Major League Soccer has handed lifetime bans to midfielder Derrick Jones and winger Yaw Yeboah for violating its gambling policy, the league announced on Monday, Reuters reported.
Jones, 29, played 23 games for Columbus ‌Crew in 2024 and 2025, while 28-year-old Yeboah was his teammate before joining Los Angeles FC in January 2025 after three seasons at the Crew.
Suspicious betting alerts were investigated by the MLS who said the two players engaged in extensive gambling on matches, including on their own teams, during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, according to Reuters.
Celebrate trophies, not personal milestones, says India coach Gambhir
India's success has been powered by a deliberate move away from celebrating individual milestones, head coach Gautam Gambhir said on Sunday after the team retained their Twenty20 World Cup title, Reuters reported.
India thrashed New Zealand by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium to become the first team to win the tournament three times, sealing back-to-back titles after their 2024 triumph.
Gambhir, appointed shortly after they lifted the trophy in 2024, said he set the tone early in his tenure that personal landmarks would not determine selection, and that approach helped India commit fully to a dominant style under captain Suryakumar Yadav, according to Reuters.
Iraq coach calls for delay to World Cup playoff amid travel shutdown
Iraq coach Graham Arnold has called for the team's inter-confederation World Cup playoff in Mexico later this month to be postponed amidst the travel chaos triggered by the conflict in neighbouring Iran, Reuters reported.
The Iraqis are concerned they might not be able to get their players and ‌staff over to Mexico for their scheduled clash with either Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey on March 31 because of the travel lockdown in the Middle East.
Arnold said putting together a team solely with players based outside Iraq would hinder the country's chances of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1986, according to Reuters.
