Egypt Omit Nantes Forward Mostafa Mohamed from World Cup Squadhttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5275620-egypt-omit-nantes-forward-mostafa-mohamed-world-cup-squad
Egypt Omit Nantes Forward Mostafa Mohamed from World Cup Squad
A partial covering is seen over Lumen branding at Lumen Field, which will be named Seattle Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Egypt Omit Nantes Forward Mostafa Mohamed from World Cup Squad
A partial covering is seen over Lumen branding at Lumen Field, which will be named Seattle Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed has been left out of Egypt's preliminary squad for next month's World Cup but uncapped teenager Hamza Abdelkarim, who plays for the Barcelona under-19 team, was included.
Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah will captain the squad and combine with Manchester City's Omar Marmoush to lead the attack at the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Coach Hossam Hassan will drop one player to reduce the squad to the FIFA-mandated 26 players after Egypt take on Russia in Cairo on May 28 in their last home friendly before heading to the United States, Reuters reported.
Mohamed was a surprise omission even if he has struggled for form with only four goals in 24 matches this season for Nantes as the French club were relegated from Ligue 1.
Abdelkarim, by contrast, has been in great form for the Barcelona youth team and is one of the most promising forward talents in Egyptian football.
Egypt will play Brazil in a friendly in Cleveland on June 6 before opening their World Cup campaign against Belgium in Seattle nine days later.
They then face New Zealand in Vancouver on June 21 before returning to Seattle five days later to round out their Group G matches against Iran.
Egypt squad:
Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly), El Mahdi Soliman (Zamalek), Mohamed Alaa (El Gouna)
Tennis Player Kyrgios Suspended after Failing Test for Cocainehttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5308698-tennis-player-kyrgios-suspended-after-failing-test-cocaine
(FILES) Australia's Nick Kyrgios reacts after a point against France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during their men's singles match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on December 31, 2024. (Photo by Patrick HAMILTON / AFP)
Tennis Player Kyrgios Suspended after Failing Test for Cocaine
(FILES) Australia's Nick Kyrgios reacts after a point against France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during their men's singles match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on December 31, 2024. (Photo by Patrick HAMILTON / AFP)
Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a cocaine metabolite during an ATP event in Mallorca, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said on Wednesday.
The 31-year-old acknowledged the finding on his Instagram account, telling his followers: "I wanted you to hear this from me first."
"I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it," he wrote.
Kyrgios provided a sample at the ATP 250 tournament in Spain on June 22 and a World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory subsequently detected benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, the ITIA statement read.
Cocaine is classified as a stimulant and a substance of abuse under WADA rules and is prohibited in competition.
Club: Paul Pogba to be Released by Monacohttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5308688-club-paul-pogba-be-released-monaco
Monaco's French midfielder #08 Paul Pogba on the pitch ahead of the pre-season friendly football match between Liverpool and Monaco at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on August 9, 2026. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)
Monaco's French midfielder #08 Paul Pogba on the pitch ahead of the pre-season friendly football match between Liverpool and Monaco at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on August 9, 2026. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)
Former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba will be released by Monaco after a series of injuries, the French club said on Wednesday.
Pogba, 33, won the World Cup with France in 2018 but since serving a ban for doping has struggled to return to the elite level.
According to AFP, Monaco said in a statement that the objectives they had set for Pogba were "only partially achieved" and the Ligue 1 club were therefore ending his contract that would have run until June 2027.
Pogba is currently sidelined with a thigh injury, just after returning from a knee problem.
Monaco paid tribute to the player's "remarkable mindset, determination and unwavering high standards" and said even when injured he had had a positive influence on the Monaco squad by "sharing his experience and know-how" with the other players.
Five Premier League Stars to Watch This Seasonhttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5308674-five-premier-league-stars-watch-season
15 August 2026, United Kingdom, London: Chelsea's Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the pre-season friendly soccer match between Chelsea and Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge. (dpa)
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Five Premier League Stars to Watch This Season
15 August 2026, United Kingdom, London: Chelsea's Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the pre-season friendly soccer match between Chelsea and Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge. (dpa)
The new Premier League season kicks off on Friday, setting the stage for a galaxy of stars to shine in the 2026-27 campaign.
AFP Sport looks at five players to watch:
Morgan Rogers (Chelsea)
Signed for a British record £117 million ($158 million) from Aston Villa, the England midfielder will be expected to lead the Xabi Alonso revolution at Stamford Bridge.
Rogers is Chelsea's marquee close-season recruit and must live up to his eye-watering price tag if Alonso is to revitalize the Blues after their dismal 10th-place finish in the Premier League last season.
The 24-year-old arrives fresh from helping Villa end their 30-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League.
Rogers' friendship with Chelsea forward Cole Palmer from their time together in Manchester City's youth academy will help his acclimation, but Alonso must find a way to harness the talents of two players that operate in similar areas of the pitch.
Elliot Anderson (Manchester City)
The 23-year-old held the record as the most expensive British player for just a matter of days before being eclipsed by Morgan Rogers' move to Chelsea.
Signed from Nottingham Forest for £116 million, Anderson has the formidable task of replacing the prodigious output of Rodri and Bernardo Silva.
Spain World Cup winner Rodri has joined Barcelona, while Silva moved to Real Madrid, leaving a huge void in City's midfield that Anderson must fill for new boss Enzo Maresca to enjoy a successful debut season.
Anderson's astute reading of the game, smooth passing and composed demeanor earned the England international his big-money move and a massive pay rise.
Now he has to justify that huge expense as City try to dethrone champions Arsenal after two years without a Premier League title.
Bruno Guimaraes (Arsenal)
The Brazil midfielder was Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's consolation prize after missing out on Morgan Rogers.
The Gunners declined to match Chelsea's record-breaking offer for Rogers and pivoted to Guimaraes, who makes the champions' already formidable squad even stronger.
Arsenal paid £75 million to sign the Newcastle captain and he will slot in alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in midfield.
"Since the first day he came in, it has been such a natural thing," Arsenal captain Odegaard said of Guimaraes' transition.
"Although we had some big fights with him in the past, he has just come in as a real natural part of the team.
"He can win the ball, he's a fighter. But he also has so much quality and is calm on the ball."
Pre-Season Friendly - Tottenham Hotspur v TSG 1899 Hoffenheim - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - August 15, 2026 Tottenham Hotspur's Sandro Tonali celebrates after the match. (Reuters)
Sandro Tonali (Tottenham)
The Italy midfielder took just 10 minutes to agree to become Tottenham's record signing. Now he must show that rapid decision was the right move for himself and his new club.
With his relentless work ethic and quality in possession, the 26-year-old was a key figure in Newcastle's renaissance before their dip last season.
Looking to take his career to new heights, Tonali was quickly convinced to join Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi's overhaul of a club that are looking upwards after narrowly avoiding relegation in May.
"When you are happy after a 10-minute chat, everything is perfect," said Tonali, who acknowledged the size of his fee brings "a lot of pressure".
Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool)
Jacquet has been signed to quell the mounting concern about a creaky defense that lacked the authority of Liverpool's title-winning unit in 2025.
Now 35, Virgil van Dijk no longer looks impregnable.
The Liverpool captain's struggles were exacerbated by the woes of his defensive colleagues last term.
Ibrahima Konate has joined Real Madrid, while Andrew Robertson moved to Tottenham.
Jacquet, 21, had to wait for his Anfield move after a £60 million switch from Rennes was agreed in the winter transfer window.
And Van Dijk acknowledged their nascent partnership at the heart of Liverpool's defense is a work in progress.
"It's pretty clear that you need to form a connection together and that takes a bit of time," he said.
"That's absolutely normal, but hopefully we can get that going as quickly as possible."
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