As Shubman Gill fronted the press pack in Perth, with the picturesque Swan River behind him, several locals passing by looked on curiously as if they could not quite pinpoint exactly who he was.Gill, clearly, does not yet quite have the global stature of Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma. But that should soon change, with him holding the top leadership posts for India in Tests and ODIs. As the new poster boy of Indian cricket, Gill and his counterpart Mitchell Marsh are plastered on the marketing signs around the city to promote the ODI series opener between Australia and India at Optus Stadium.It represents a transition for India as they start building towards the 2027 World Cup, a tournament where they will hope to end a 16-year wait for the title.Gill, 26, has cut a relaxed figure so far on tour, appearing undaunted about stepping into the hot seat and following in the footsteps of Rohit and Kohli. He is perhaps encouraged by the successful start to his Test reign but, unlike in that format, there is the added intrigue of him now captaining these larger-than-life cricketers he grew up idolising.Related

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“These are the kind of players I used to idolise when I was growing up. The kind of hunger that they had used to inspire me,” Gill told reporters. “It is a big honour for me to be able to lead such legends of the game. I am sure there would be so many moments in this series where I would be able to learn from them.”If I get in a difficult position, I wouldn’t shy away from taking advice from them.”With Rohit remaining in the team despite being stripped of the captaincy, there has been innuendo over how seamlessly the leadership baton will be passed on. However, Gill said he has already leaned on Rohit’s experience.”The narrative that goes on outside is different. There’s nothing like that between us – things are just as they were before, ” Gill said of his relationship with Rohit. “He is very helpful. And whatever he has learned from his experience, or if I think I need some help, I ask him what he would have done in a particular situation.”I like to know everyone’s thoughts and then decide as per my understanding of the game. In that respect, I have a great equation with both Virat and Rohit . Whenever I have a doubt, I go to them and take their suggestion, advice, and they also don’t hesitate in sharing [their knowledge].”Shubman Gill addresses the press in Perth•AFP/Getty Images

The three-match ODI series in Australia will be the first glimpse of what type of style and combination Gill wants for his team. What has been seemingly answered, having scored five tons from 13 innings since taking charge in the Test format, is that Gill is a cricketer who thrives with the added responsibility.His Test average has risen noticeably, though that might be difficult to replicate in ODI cricket given his average currently stands at 59 from 55 matches.”I like it when I have the additional responsibility. The pressure brings out my best,” he said. “I enjoy that responsibility, though I feel when I go out to bat, I take the best decision when I think as a batsman and do not think too much about being a captain and thinking like one.”When I do that, then I put myself under extra pressure. As a batsman, I think what the team needs the most at that moment. So I try to take decisions as Shubman Gill the batsman rather than taking that additional responsibility of scoring all the runs or finishing the match.”While the ODI series is likely to be a celebration of Kohli and Rohit, as they bid farewell to a country where they have had countless battles, Gill is set to emerge into prominence in Australia where he is unlikely to fly under the radar again.”Definitely, very exciting,” he said about his debut as ODI captain. “It’s very big shoes for me to carry the legacy that Virat and Rohit have left.”How they converse and what kind of communication or messaging they had with the players is something that helped me get the best out of myself. That’s the kind of captain I would want to be, where all my players feel very secure in the job they have to do.”

Monaco midfielder Paul Pogba gave a passionate speech to the home fans after his side earned a narrow 1-0 win over reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain. The former Manchester United and Juventus star finally made his return to competitive football this month, having joined Monaco on a free transfer in the summer. Now back in the action, Pogba is already displaying what he can bring to his new club.

• Pogba makes rallying call

  Monaco took all three points against PSG on Saturday to blow the Ligue 1 title race wide open. The hosts edged out a narrow victory, despite playing with ten men for the closing stages of the game, thanks to Takumi Minamino's winner. The Japanese international fired Aleksandr Golovin's cross into the bottom corner from just inside the penalty area to put Monaco in the lead with just 22 minutes of normal time remaining.

  Monaco then had to stay strong and show remarkable character to cling on to a precious victory over PSG when Thilo Kehrer was given his marching orders with ten minutes left on the clock. The German was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Ibrahim Mbaye.

  Pogba was brought on in the 86th minute, adding an old head to a side desperate to see off a barrage of PSG attacks. The Frenchman helped close the game out and, having made his home debut for the side, made a speech to the fans after the game.

  He said: “Today is an important day. Today we won, but the next match is what matters. We are already working to achieve that. We keep moving forward together. We never give up. Thank you.”

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• Watch the clip

• Ligue 1 title race opens up

  The victory for Monaco ensured that the top six sides in the French top division are separated by just eight points. Pogba’s team moved to sixth in the table on 23 points, trailing Stade Rennais by just one point in the spot above them.

  The story is far more interesting higher up in the table though, with RC Lens becoming the new leaders following their 2-1 victory over Angers on Sunday. Lens are one point above PSG, who have 30 points from 14 games.

  Marseille are chasing the top two clubs and Roberto De Zerbi’s men will be gutted to have blown a chance to go top on Saturday. Despite goals from Igor Paixao and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg putting the Italian coach’s team ahead against Toulouse, the visitors scored a 92nd-minute equaliser to steal a point away from their southern France neighbours.

  Lille sit amongst the rest in fourth, three points clear of Monaco, but five points off the top. They earned a late, narrow 1-0 victory away to Le Havre on Sunday, even with ten men after Ayyoub Bouaddi’s red card.

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  Pogba influence to grow

  Pogba could have a chance to make his first start for his new club next Friday. Monaco travel to Stade Brestois looking to keep applying pressure to those above them in Ligue 1.

The work done by Glasgow Rangers during the summer transfer window has come under plenty of scrutiny after a fairly dismal start to the season for the Scottish giants.

One win in the first seven games of the Scottish Premiership campaign led to head coach Russell Martin losing his job, having only been appointed in the summer as the long-term successor to Philippe Clement.

Danny Rohl arrived at Ibrox last month and has already delivered four wins from four matches in the Premiership, but he has also lost both of his Europa League games in the dugout.

The former Sheffield Wednesday tactician has won 100% of his league games in charge, most recently beating Livingston 2-1 at Ibrox thanks to goals from Emmanuel Fernandez and Mohamed Diomande.

Despite this upturn in results in the league, there will still be question marks over the summer recruitment due to poor form on the European stage from the Light Blues under both Martin and Rohl.

Who were the worst signings of the summer window by sporting director Kevin Thelwell before he was dismissed from his role on Monday? Here are our worst three…

3 Youssef Chermiti

It is almost impossible not to mention Youssef Chermiti as being among the worst signings made by Thelwell when you consider the context of the signing and the fee that was paid for him.

Firstly, Rangers had already signed proven Premiership goalscorer Bojan Miovski from Girona for a fee of up to £4.2m, which suggested that Martin already had his first-choice striker in the building.

Secondly, Chermiti cost a staggering £8m to sign him from Everton. That made him the most expensive Rangers signing in 25 years, since the £12m that was spent to land Tore Andre Flo in 2000.

Paying £8m to sign a 21-year-old striker who failed to score a single competitive goal in two years at Goodison Park is bad enough on paper, but even worse when you consider that Thelwell was the man behind the £15m deal to take him from Sporting to Everton in 2023.

The Toffees had to take a £7m hit on the striker without getting a single goal out of him because of Thelwell’s investment, and now Rangers look set to suffer a similar fate if his fortunes do not improve.

Chermiti has scored one goal and provided one assist in 13 outings in all competitions for the Light Blues this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he has already offered more than he did for Everton, but it is still not enough to justify the huge outlay.

25/26 Europa League

Youssef Chermiti

Starts

4

xG

1.29

Goals

0

Big chances missed

4

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

Pass accuracy

59%

Duel success rate

35%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, he has particularly struggled in the Europa League this season, failing to offer quality in front of goal, in his general play, or physically, which is a big concern.

For the amount of money paid, the signing of Miovski made before his arrival, and how he failed when Thelwell signed him for Everton, he has to be among the ex-Gers man’s worst deals.

2 Joe Rothwell

Joe Rothwell also currently looks like one of the worst signings of the summer transfer window, in a move that was very different to the one that brought Chermiti to Ibrox.

Whilst the Portugal U21 international was signed for big money as a 21-year-old talent with room for improvement and potential to eventually hit, the English midfielder came in as an experienced 30-year-old operator who should have made an immediate impact.

Instead, the summer signing from Bournemouth has failed to hit the ground running at Ibrox and now looks to be out of favour under new head coach Rohl, after being brought in by Martin, whom he played for at Southampton in the 2023/24 campaign.

Joe Rothwell’s last 10 matchday squad appearances

Opposition

Minutes played

Livingston

0

Celtic

18

Hibernian

0

Kilmarnock

0

Brann

64

Dundee United

83

Falkirk

70

Sturm Graz

21

Livingston

17

Genk

10

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Englishman has become a bit-part player for the Gers, failing to get on the pitch in the three league games that he has been available for under Rohl.

Given he was brought in as an experienced player for the here and now, it is hard to look past him as another one of Thelwell’s worst summer signings.

1 Thelo Aasgaard

Thelo Aasgaard looks to be another one of Thelwell’s worst pieces of business from the summer transfer window, as he has been as ineffective as Chermiti and Rothwell.

Rangers swooped to sign the Norway international from Luton Town for a fee of £3.5m to bolster their ranks in the attacking midfield positions, but he has been unable to provide a regular threat at the top end of the park.

Per Transfermarkt, Aasgaard has only produced one goal and one assist in 19 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues, whilst Chermiti has one goal and one assist to his name in 13 outings for the club.

What makes that return even less impressive is that his assist was the pass to Djeidi Gassama in the clip above, where the winger does the majority of the heavy lifting for the goal.

The English-born number ten has not shown enough quality in his performances to suggest that he can be a difference-maker, aside from his stunning solo goal against Dundee United, which currently looks like it was a flash in the pan.

Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar described Aasgaard as “rotten” at the start of this month, and it is hard to disagree with that when he has many red cards as goals this season.

Aasgaard’s red card against Celtic in the semi-final of the League Cup is far from the only poor moment he has had in a Gers shirt, though, as the £3.5m signing was also hauled off at half-time against Livingston last weekend.

Rohl was clearly unhappy with his contributions in the opening 45 minutes, and it is hard to be happy with his contributions over the entire season so far, which is why he has been just as bad as Chermiti and Rothwell.

Related Antman upgrade: Rohl must unleash Rangers flop who Thelwell tried to replace

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Posts ByDan Emery Nov 25, 2025

In the absence of Broad and Anderson, the challenge for Stokes and McCullum is to manage their bowling strategy

Sidharth Monga30-Jun-20251:53

Did we see a refined version of Bazball at Headingley?

Since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over as captain and coach, England have won 16 out of 21 home Tests, winning series against New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka, and drawing the Ashes 2-2. The essence of the way they play lies in scoring quickly rather than batting longer. In the Ashes, England’s batters scored 2920 runs in 3938 balls; their bowlers conceded a similar number of runs – 2851 – in 5389 balls. They lost 85 wickets and took 93.England have looked to upset the way Test cricket has viewed risk. It seems they have felt good balls are over-rated and have looked to score off them. Not all boundaries, but boundaries and, as a result of that approach, singles and twos into the spread-out field.In that Ashes, for example, Australia’s fast bowlers bowled 40.1% of their deliveries on a good length of 6-8m; England 41.7%. However, England batters averaged 39.35 and scored at 3.69 an over against this good length as against Australia’s average of 14.97 and scoring rate of just 1.82 per over. England took 37 wickets from a good length; Australia 20.Related

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Let’s restrict this to good-length balls on and just outside off stump to qualify good balls better. England lost no wicket to such deliveries, scoring at 4.05 an over, but took seven wickets and conceded at 2.13 per over.The trend continued in every series, though averaging 40 against good balls in the Ashes was truly a one-off. The New Zealand series is more representative of Bazball because both sides bowled a similar number of good-length balls – 1140 and 1097 – but England scored 517 runs for 18 wickets to New Zealand’s 288 runs for 16 wickets. More shots played but similar number of wickets lost.Against South Africa, England’s batters averaged 14.23 and scored at 2.79 per over to the visitors’ 7.17 and 1.55. Against West Indies, these numbers were 30.66 and 3.33 as against the visitors’ 9.3 and 2.1.2:38

Is Stokes’ bowling workload a worry?

A prerequisite to score against what the world regards as good balls is flatter pitches. Not pancake flat, but surfaces on which you can hit through the line of the ball and ones that don’t deteriorate much. That’s why Bazball didn’t work in India. The surfaces in England, though, have complied. The Dukes balls getting softer sooner hasn’t hurt them either. In fact, the conditions have tended to improve for batting as the match has progressed to the extent that bowling first is now the preferred choice in England. The batting averages for each innings in England since 2022 have been 32.28, 34.98, 26.91 and 44.7. Stokes knew what he was doing when he chose to bowl against India in Leeds.Batting, though, is the easier part. To win Tests on these flat pitches, you need to take 20 wickets. The real heroes of England’s home run are the bowlers, who have found ways to take wickets by consistently swinging the ball more than their opponents and also bowling a higher number of high-seam deliveries.Take the Ashes. When bowling on a good length, England’s bowlers extracted 1.008 degrees of swing on average as against Australia’s 0.637. Their average seam movement was only negligibly higher, but this is where we need to look at high-seam deliveries. Ones that nip more than 0.5 degrees, which could point to the use of wobble-seam deliveries. England bowled 489 deliveries that seamed big left to right as against Australia’s 238. They nipped 414 deliveries big from right to left as against Australia’s 272.England will need to bowl better lengths against India•PA Photos/Getty ImagesHigher average swing and more big-seam deliveries for England’s bowlers, to go with their batters playing more scoring shots to good lengths, has been the trend during the Bazball years. They seem to understand better than the visitors that you try and swing the ball more between overs 11 and 30, and wobble the seam at other times.England have had three constants to facilitate that: flatter pitches, skilful and experienced bowlers in these conditions, and attacking batters. In Jimmy Anderson, Broad and Ollie Robinson, England had a lot of class in the bowling department.Now, against India, they have an attack comprising Chris Woakes and Stokes as the only two experienced fast bowlers. Brydon Carse was playing his first first-class match at Headingley. They struggled to, in the words of Broad, hold length, although they did swing it more than India. They bowled only 37.95% of their deliveries in the good-length zone as against India’s 47.33%. Their average swing of 1.119 was higher than India’s 0.917. India outbowled England on high-seam deliveries on a good length by 133 to 69.The flat pitches and attacking batters are there, but the third ingredient is missing for England. They don’t have the class in the bowling, and this is where India’s chance of countering Bazball lies. Bear in mind England still managed to average 45 and score at 3.46 an over against the good length, but India were 33.75 and 2.23.If the pitches remain flat, we could see England using short-pitched bowling and creative fields more often. How they manage their strategy in the absence of world-class bowling will be interesting to see. As will India’s plans to counter them.

Every team wants a world-class centre-forward to lead their line, and there is arguably a lack of top strikers in today’s game compared to previous generations.

Scoring goals on a regular basis is a priceless attribute, and all clubs want a proven finisher in their ranks, but they can come at a huge price. That being said, there are still a plethora of elite strikers at the top of their games, but who is the best number nine around today?

Ranking factors

To help rank the strikers in order, we have considered the following criteria:

• Current form – how well a player has performed in the past few months
• Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their team’s performances
• Role – how unique their skillset is
• Reputation – what others say about them

Top 15 strikers in the world
Rank	Player	Age	Club	Nation
1	Erling Haaland	25	Man City	Norway
2	Harry Kane	32	Bayern Munich	England
3	Kylian Mbappe	26	Real Madrid	France
4	Julian Alvarez	25	Atletico Madrid	Argentina
5	Robert Lewandowski	37	Barcelona	Poland
6	Viktor Gyokeres	27	Arsenal	Sweden
7	Alexander Isak	26	Liverpool	Sweden
8	Lautaro Martinez	28	Inter Milan	Argentina
9	Victor Osimhen	26	Galatasaray	Nigeria
10	Hugo Ekitike	23	Liverpool	France
11	Marcus Thuram	28	Inter Milan	France
12	Cristiano Ronaldo	40	Al Nassr	Portugal
13	Omar Marmoush	26	Man City	Egypt
14	Nick Woltemade	23	Newcastle	Germany
15	Joao Pedro	24	Chelsea	Brazil

15

Joao Pedro

Chelsea and Brazil

Joao Pedro quickly made an impact at Chelsea after signing for £60m from Brighton by helping the Blues win the Club World Cup in the USA.

The Brazilian, now valued at a career-high €50m, also started the 2025/26 Premier League season on fire and looks set to be Chelsea’s first choice striker for years to come.

Joao Pedro: Major titles won
Trophy	Years won
Club World Cup	2025

14

Nick Woltemade

Newcastle and Germany

Eyebrows were raised when Newcastle splashed the cash on Nick Woltemade in a club-record £69m over the summer.

However, the towering German has taken to life in England with ease, replacing Alaxender Isak and scoring goals on a regular basis. Woltemade hasn’t looked out of place in the Premier League.

13

Omar Marmoush

Man City and Egypt

After starring for Eintracht Frankfurt, Omar Marmoush got his big move to Man City in January 2025, and he continued to find the back of the net for fun.

Pep Guardiola called the Egypt international “the best player in the Bundesliga” after signing Marmoush for City, and he already has a Premier League hat-trick to his name.

12

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al Nassr and Portugal

Arguably one of the best players to have ever graced the game, Cristiano Ronaldo is still going strong at the age of 40 and has actually scored more goals since turning 30 than he did before.

He’s been plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League for Al Nassr since 2023 and has continued to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

Ronaldo has now scored over 950 career goals for club and country and has been showing no signs of slowing down, continuing to feature regularly for Portugal.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Major titles won
Trophy	Years won
Ballon d’Or	2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
Best FIFA Men’s Player	2008, 2016, 2017
European Championship	2016
Premier League	2007, 2008, 2009
La Liga	2012, 2017
Serie A	2019, 2020
Champions League	2008, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
FIFA Club World Cup	2009, 2015, 2017, 2018
UEFA Super Cup	2014, 2016, 2017
Nations League	2019
FA Cup	2004
League Cup	2006, 2009
Community Shield	2007
Italian Cup	2021
Copa del Rey	2011, 2014
Spanish Super Cup	2012, 2017
Italian Super Cup	2018, 2020
Portuguese Super Cup	2003

11

Marcus Thuram

Inter Milan and France

Marcus Thuram made history in 2025 with the quickest goal to be scored in a Champions League semi-final following his clever flick against Barcelona.

The goal highlights Thuram’s quality, and he is now valued at €75m by Transfermarkt, a figure which has more than doubled since moving to Inter Milan from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2023.

The French forward has had the best goalscoring season of his career in 2024/25, and at 27, appears to be at the peak of his powers.

Marcus Thuram: Major titles won
Trophy	Years won
Serie A	2024
Italian Super Cup	2023
Nations League	2021

10

Hugo Ekitike

Liverpool and France

Hugo Ekitike became a man in demand after impressing for Eintracht Frankfurt, with Liverpool winning the race to secure his services for an initial £69m.

The 22-year-old previously made his loan move to Frankfurt from Paris Saint-Germain permanent in 2024 and enjoyed his best ever season in front of goal.

PSG are doing just fine themselves without Ekitike, however, they will surely be kicking themselves in regards to selling the “next Mbappe”.

Hugo Ekitike: Major titles won
Trophy	Years won
Ligue 1	2023, 2024
French Super Cup	2023

9

Victor Osimhen

Galatasaray and Nigeria

Galatasaray struck gold by signing Victor Osimhen on loan from Napoli last summer, with the Nigeria international continuing to do what he does best – score goals.

Osimhen fell out with Napoli chiefs last summer which resulted in his move to Turkey for the 2024/25 season, and that has now become permanent. The striker has been called “one of the best centre-forwards in the world” by Alvaro Morata.

8

Lautaro Martinez

Inter Milan and Argentina

Alvarez’s international teammate, Lautaro Martinez, is next on the list, with the Inter Milan star a regular source of goals for the Serie A giants since 2018.

In fact, Martinez has hit double figures for Serie A goals in all eight of his campaigns in Italy and has now surpassed 150 goals in all competitions for Inter.

Now Inter captain, Martinez appears to be in the prime of his career and even Lionel Messi backed him to win the Ballon d’Or just last year.

7

Alexander Isak

Liverpool and Sweden

Alexander Isak is regarded as one of the world’s best centre-forwards after starring in the Premier League for Newcastle United, and his record £125m transfer to Liverpool was the saga of the 2025 summer window.

Jamie Carragher, at the beginning of 2025, actually called Isak the “best striker in the Premier League”, however, his start to life at Anfield hasn’t gone to plan which has seen him drop down the rankings.

Alexander Isak: Major titles won
Trophy	Years won
League Cup	2025
DFB-Pokal	2017
Copa del Rey	2020

6

Viktor Gyokeres

Arsenal and Sweden

Many wouldn’t have expected Viktor Gyokeres to be one of the best strikers in the world a few years ago when he was at Coventry City in the Championship. However, the Sweden international is now deservedly regarded among the elite after starring on the European stage with Sporting CP.

Gyokeres scored 43 times in his debut season in Portugal and has proven this year that he wasn’t a one-season wonder by finding the back of the net more than 50 times in 24/25. He has now got his return to England with a big-money move to Arsenal and has continued to find the back of the net, albeit on a less regular occurence.

TORONTO — For an instant, the sellout crowd at Rogers Centre fell silent. They felt sure that Andrés Giménez’s liner was about to fall. In the visitors’ dugout, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts feared it was about to fall. In the home dugout, Blue Jays second baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa it was about to fall. 

But in that fraction of a second, as 44,710 people held their breath, left fielder Kiké Hernández heard something: Tyler Glasnow had broken Giménez’s bat. Hernández was already playing shallow—with one out, runners on second and third and a two-run lead, he wanted to be able to hold the batter-runner at first and the runner at second at third on a single. But now he knew that the ball was hit more softly than it looked. He sprinted toward it. 

And it was a good thing he did, because then he lost it in the lights. , he told himself. . 

He was not looking at second base, but he has played all over the diamond, and in that time he has learned to feel a play as it develops. And what he felt was that Addison Barger had taken too big a lead off second base. So after he snagged the ball, Hernández fired to the bag, where Miguel Rojas held on to preserve the Dodgers’ 3–1 victory in Game 6 of the World Series and force Game 7. 

“[Hernández] is one of my favorite baseball players to watch,” said manager Dave Roberts afterward. “He’s one of the headiest baseball players I’ve ever been around. And even just getting off on the ball, the awareness to get to his arm, get the ball into second base. He’s just a heck of a baseball player.”

It was the second wild play in four pitches. A close but straightforward game turned into a thriller when the bottom of the ninth went spooky on Halloween night. Roki Sasaki, trying to get six outs to preserve a two-run lead, hit the Blue Jays’ Alejandro Kirk on an 0–1 to open the frame. Then, on a 2–2 count, Barger lined a fastball to the center field wall—where it lodged. Center fielder Justin Dean threw up his hands, believing that if he touched it, the ball would be in play. The umpires called it a ground-rule double. If the ball had landed anywhere else, it would have been a one-run game. (Even the Dodgers could not agree afterward on the rule, but a Major League Baseball official confirmed that Dean should have played the ball; the umpires can rule it dead even after a fielder touches it, and they would have done so in this case. Regardless, in this case, the result was the same.)

Instead, the runners stood at second and third. With no options remaining, Roberts summoned presumptive Game 7 starter Tyler Glasnow in relief; he induced a pop-up for the first out of the inning. Then came Hernández’s ears and his arm and the first game-ending 7–4 double play in World Series history. If he had missed it, the World Series might have been over. Instead, the game was. 

For most of the night, the question was whether the lineup could sort itself out. The Dodgers shared the blame—as a group they entered the night hitting .201 in the World Series—but it was Mookie Betts’s struggles that received the most attention, both internally and externally. 

“Focus on one game,” was manager Dave Roberts’s message. “Be good for one game. Go out there and compete.”

So when Betts, after getting beaten on two straight fastballs up in the third inning of a win-or-go-home World Series Game 6, lined the third one to left field to drive home the go-ahead runs, the happiest person at the Rogers Centre was surely the shortstop, who howled his relief and banged at his thighs. But No. 2 might have been his skipper, who shouted and pointed at Betts. 

Roberts had tried to put a charge into Betts by publicly challenging him. The manager had tried to reassure him, both to the media and behind closed doors, by insisting that he would be fine. He had dropped him down in the lineup, from No. 2 to No. 3 and then finally, on Friday, to No. 4. 

Betts had left 24 men on base this postseason, and he was hitting .132 since the beginning of the National League Championship Series. “I’ve just been terrible,” he lamented after yet another 0-for-4 in Game 5. He added, “I wish it were from lack of effort. But it’s not. I mean, that’s all I can say.”

Perhaps that effort was the problem. Maybe he needed to remember that he wasn’t the only one scuffling, and therefore he wasn’t the only one responsible for fixing it. So there was reason to believe that a new slot in the batting order might help. He has spent most of his career in the two-hole, but perhaps the move to the cleanup spot, where there were more run opportunities, would unlock his ability to stay short to the ball and use the whole field: Over his October career, he has hit .313 with runners in scoring position and .241 without. 

He took batting practice on Thursday’s workout day, and both he and the hitting coaches believed he’d found something. “I was able to pull the ball,” he said of the workout. “I was able to get my A swing off.” But Betts is such a tinkerer with his swing that he often finds something and loses it within a few minutes. 

“They’re going to make good pitches,” Roberts said before Game 6. “He’s going to go out there and compete. But I think that where his swing is at mechanically is as good as it’s been in a week, so I really feel good about that.”

is what Roberts has been practically begging his silent offense to do all series. He openly covets his opponents’ at-bats. “You clearly see those guys finding ways to get hits, move the baseball forward, and we're not doing a good job of it,” he said after rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage held the Dodgers to one run in Game 5, while Toronto exploded for six. “I thought Yesavage was good tonight mixing his fastball, slider, and the split. But you still have to use the whole field and take what they give you, and if they’re not going to allow for slug, then you've got to be able to kind of redirect and club down to take competitive at-bats, and you see, whether it’s [Addison] Barger or [Bo] Bichette, those guys are doing it.”

For Halloween, to Roberts’s delight, the Dodgers went as the Blue Jays. Game 6 featured a rematch of Game 2, which started as a pitcher’s duel and ended in history. Kevin Gausman matched Yoshinobu Yamamoto until the seventh inning, at which point Gausman made a pair of mistakes—two fastballs that caught too much of the plate and that Will Smith and Max Muncy whacked for homers—and Yamamoto seemed only to get stronger. He completed his second straight game, the first time anyone has done that in the postseason since 2001. 

Again they looked close to even on Friday. Barger doubled to lead off the third and George Springer, returning from an oblique injury that cost him two games and visibly wincing with every swing, singled to drive in a run. 

Meanwhile, Gausman struck out six of the first seven hitters he faced. But the eighth was Tommy Edman, who doubled, and Gausman intentionally walked Shohei Ohtani, the fifth time the Blue Jays have removed the bat from his hands this series. The strategy worked the first four times, but on Friday, Will Smith lofted a double down the left field line to bring home the Dodgers’ first run. The hit marked their first with a runner in scoring position since Game 3. Freddie Freeman walked to load the bases, and then the beleaguered Betts finally barreled up that fastball. 

The sequence marked the Dodgers’ first hit with a runner in scoring position since Game 3, and their first multi-run inning since Game 4 of the NLCS. They loaded the bases again with two outs in the eighth, but failed to cash in; still, the third-inning rally held up, even as Yamamoto for the first time in three weeks went only six innings. The leaky bullpen held the lead at two, where it remained. 

Game 7 awaits. The Dodgers hope to quiet the crowd here then, too.

Those three words were shouted in living rooms and typed out in group chats all over the world Friday night in the closing moments of the Dodgers’ 3–1 win over the Blue Jays in Game 6 of the World Series.

Trailing by two runs at Rogers Centre, the Blue Jays nearly completed a comeback in the bottom of the ninth. With a runner on first base and nobody out, Addison Barger smacked a gapper to left-center field for extra bases. It would’ve easily scored pinch-runner Myles Straw from first, but the ball got wedged in between the warning track dirt and the padded wall. It was ruled a ground-rule double, putting Straw at third and Barger at second.

The Blue Jays didn’t end up scoring a run. Tyler Glasnow got Ernie Clement to pop out, and Andrés Giménez lined into a double play with outfielder Kiké Hernández doubling off Barger at second base to end the game.

In the blink of an eye, Toronto went from likely making it a one-run game with nobody out to, whoops, three outs and we’re heading to Game 7.

In all the chaos, Getty Images photographer Mark Blinch caught the perfect snapshot from the perspective of the outfield. In one frame, Betts is pictured flying through the air into the outstretched arms of Hernández, and infielder Miguel Rojas is in the dirt looking like he can’t believe what he just witnessed. Meanwhile, Barger is on second base, realizing his baserunning mistake just cost the Blue Jays a chance to tie or walk-off winners in Game 6.

They say a photo is worth 1,000 words? This one might be worth 1,000 emotions.

Following that wild ending, the Dodgers and Blue Jays will run it back Saturday night for a winner-take-all Game 7—MLB’s first in the World Series since the Nationals defeated the Astros in 2019.

First pitch for Game 7 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Rogers Centre.

MatériaMais Notícias

Eu não quero mais saber dessa história do Abel Ferreira e a sua suposta assinatura de um pré-contrato com o Al-Sadd.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

O técnico já disse que não quer falar mais nisso, grande parte da torcida está fechada com ele e vai seguir com ele mesmo se ele estiver certo ou errado ao final da história.

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Portanto, da minha parte, essa novela chatíssima já deu o que tinha que dar.

Fico mais preocupado com a falta de futebol do Palmeiras e por mais uma vez o time passar 90 e tantos minutos sem um mísero gol, desta vez diante do fraco Botafogo-SP.

A baixa produção ofensiva e a fase ruim de alguns titulares fazem o torcedor ficar descrente de um segundo semestre de glórias, como está sendo desde 2020.

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Abel Ferreira e sua comissão técnica precisam focar e trabalhar para que o Palmeiras volte a sua melhor forma e enfim desempenhe o que esse elenco já mostrou conseguir fazer em outras épocas.

Não é uma missão fácil encontrar motivação e mais gás ano após ano, mas quem aumentou o sarrafo foram eles mesmo e o próprio técnico sabe disso.

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+ Acredita que o Verdão vai ser campeão da Libertadores? Então se liga na odd a longo prazo: 5.00!

O ponto final dessa polêmica toda será o Palmeiras voltar a jogar bola, dar mais prazer pra sua torcida e justificar o altíssimo preço de ingresso praticado no Allianz Parque.

تلقى سيف الدين الجزيري لاعب منتخب تونس، بطاقة حمراء خلال مباراة بلاده أمام قطر، ضمن لقاءات بطولة كأس العرب 2025.

ويلتقي منتخبا تونس وقطر، في إطار الجولة الثالثة من عمر مواجهات دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب المقامة في قطر، خلال الفترة الحالية.

وسجل محمد علي بن رمضان المحترف في صفوف الأهلي المصري، هدف تونس الأول أمام قطر، عند الدقيقة 16، بعدما وصلته تمريرة رائعة من علي معلول إلى داخل منطقة الجزاء، ليسددها في مرمى العنابي، لتصبح النتيجة 1-0 لنسور قرطاج.

بينما جاء الهدف الثاني لـ تونس، في الدقيقة 63، من ركنية لٌعبت عرضية إلى داخل منطقة الجزاء وصلت لأقدام ياسين مرياح الذي وضع الكرة بكل سهولة داخل الشباك.

طالع.. فيديو | أسيست علي معلول.. محمد بن رمضان يسجل هدف تونس الأول أمام قطر

وأشهر الحكم بطاقة صفراء ثانية لسيف الجزيري في الدقيقة 66، بعد قيامه بعرقلة أحد لاعبي قطر بشكل قوي.

وكان سيف الجزيري قد تلقى البطاقة الصفراء الأولى في الدقيقة 41، بداعي قيامه بتعطيل اللعب خلال سير اللقاء. طرد سيف الجزيري خلال مباراة تونس وقطر في كأس العرب

West Ham United boss Nuno Espírito Santo has been handed an injury update, with one member of his squad not set to return until nearly Christmas.

West Ham prepare for Man United clash after Liverpool defeat

The Hammers travel to Old Trafford on Thursday seeking to make amends following their first defeat since October, but Lucas Paqueta’s suspension after his sending off against Liverpool leaves Nuno with a real selection headache.

West Ham’s 2-0 loss to the Merseysiders on Sunday ended a three-match unbeaten streak, with Paqueta’s bizarre dismissal proving very costly.

Another Brazilian, Luis Guilherme, could make a rare start in his compatriot’s absence, while Crysencio Summerville is also a major doubt to face Man United after missing Liverpool with a calf problem.

Man United, meanwhile, arrive in confident mood after Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount both scored in a 2-1 comeback at Crystal Palace over the weekend.

Matheus Cunha could return after missing recent matches with a head injury, though a place on the bench appears more likely.

On paper, West Ham will be given encouragement by the fact they’ve won four out of their last five meetings against the Red Devils and completed the double over them last season.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Liverpool

However, West Ham rank joint-second in the league for goals conceded from open play with 14, and first for goals conceded from set-pieces with 10 – weaknesses Ruben Amorin will undoubtedly look to exploit.

West Ham set for 'big decision' over selling 'most talented player' with Nuno 'fuming'

It would be a controversial move.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 2, 2025

Alongside Summerville and Paqueta, another player who’s set to sit out of this one is young defender Ollie Scarles.

The West Ham academy graduate, who’s been out of action since breaking his collarbone against Leeds United, has now returned to no-contact training as he slowly builds his capacity.

Following Nuno’s update, the Portuguese has now been handed a more specific timeline when it comes to the full-back’s return.

West Ham without Ollie Scarles until nearly Christmas

According to Hammers News, West Ham will be without Scarles until nearly Christmas as he continues his gradual comeback.

The Englishman could be back to face Man City on December 20 at the earliest, coming as a slight boost for Nuno given the difficulty of a trip to Eastlands.

However, the tactician might not want to risk him either, considering just how serious Scarles’ injury was and the delicacy of his recovery.

Once the England Under-20 international is back fit and firing, he’ll be a valuable asset, with Nuno starting him in each of his last two appearances before succumbing to injury.

Called West Ham’s ‘most exciting prospect since [Declan] Rice’ by members of the media, Scarles excelled at youth level with three goals and 14 assists in 50 appearances for the Under-18s.

The defender also racked up 13 goal contributions (six goals, seven assists) for the Under-21s, and Scarles has since been handed 19 senior cameos in all competitions for the east Londoners.

West Ham appear to have high hopes for the youngster, who most notably put in the best performance of his career to date in a 1-0 win away to Arsenal back in February.