Brazil Coach: Neymar Will be Available to Play vs. Scotland

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group C - Brazil v Morocco - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 13, 2026 Brazil's Neymar Jr. looks on before the match REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group C - Brazil v Morocco - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 13, 2026 Brazil's Neymar Jr. looks on before the match REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
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Brazil Coach: Neymar Will be Available to Play vs. Scotland

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group C - Brazil v Morocco - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 13, 2026 Brazil's Neymar Jr. looks on before the match REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group C - Brazil v Morocco - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 13, 2026 Brazil's Neymar Jr. looks on before the match REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

After Brazil defeated Haiti 3-0 in their second World Cup match on Friday night, Selecao coach Carlo Ancelotti said he expects Neymar to be available for the Group C finale.

Neymar, 34, has been rehabbing a right calf ailment. He last played for Santos in Brazil's top flight on May 17.

The Selecao will oppose Scotland on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Fla., needing only a win or a draw to advance to the round of 32.

"Neymar will be training tomorrow individually, and on Monday, he's going to be training with the rest of the team," Ancelotti said in the post-match press conference via an interpreter. "He will be available for ⁠the match against Scotland."

Injuries ⁠limited Neymar during Brazil's 2026 qualifying campaign. However, he was influential when he played, scoring twice and contributing three assists in four appearances.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti did not commit to continuing with Matheus Cunha at center forward despite the Manchester United player's first-half brace against Haiti. Cunha started in place of Igor Thiago after coming on in the ⁠61st minute of Brazil's 1-1 draw with Morocco in their tournament opener.

"He may," Reuters quoted Ancelotti as saying when asked if Cunha would remain in the center forward role.

"I think that Matheus' position was a good position for creating problems to the defense," Ancelotti said. "And he filtered his passes very well, and his position was a good position to be effective at the front.

"It can be an option. We discussed this yesterday. I don't want a clear identity. Maybe we will change this on the next match."

Brazil, on four points, currently lead ⁠Morocco on ⁠goal-difference in Group C after the Atlas Lions defeated Scotland 1-0 earlier Friday.

The Scots could be playing for their tournament lives on Wednesday, but Ancelotti insisted he is focusing on the bigger picture.

"We don't think about knocking out. We think about playing well and improving, and we analyze the match," Ancelotti said. "If we can reach the first position of the group, that would be important for the future. So we want to prepare well for that match.

"Scotland has its features. It can create a problem. It created problems to Morocco today. And so we have to focus on the match and be calm and be tranquil and keep on working to improve."



Man City Set to Sign Morocco Midfielder Bouaddi from Lille

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Lille v Olympique de Marseille - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France - December 5, 2025 Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi applauds fans before the match after the announcement of his contract extension REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Lille v Olympique de Marseille - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France - December 5, 2025 Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi applauds fans before the match after the announcement of his contract extension REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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Man City Set to Sign Morocco Midfielder Bouaddi from Lille

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Lille v Olympique de Marseille - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France - December 5, 2025 Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi applauds fans before the match after the announcement of his contract extension REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - Lille v Olympique de Marseille - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France - December 5, 2025 Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi applauds fans before the match after the announcement of his contract extension REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Manchester City are set to sign midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from French side Lille, with British media reporting the Premier League club could pay up to 100 million euros ($116.80 million) for the 18-year-old.

The Athletic reported City will pay an initial fee of 95 million plus up to five million in add-ons for the Morocco international.

Bouaddi would become one of City's most expensive signings, following the arrival of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest in a reported 116 million pounds ($158.18 million) deal earlier this summer, Reuters reported.

Primarily a defensive midfielder, Bouaddi made 30 Ligue 1 appearances as Lille finished third and secured qualification for the Champions League.

Bouaddi also made his senior debut for Morocco in May and was later included in the country's 26-man World Cup squad. He made his tournament debut against Brazil and started five of Morocco's six matches as they reached the quarter-finals.


Japan's Olympic Figure Skating Heroes to Wed

(FILES) Gold medallists Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara pose after the victory ceremony of the figure skating pair skating free skating final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on February 16, 2026. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)
(FILES) Gold medallists Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara pose after the victory ceremony of the figure skating pair skating free skating final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on February 16, 2026. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)
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Japan's Olympic Figure Skating Heroes to Wed

(FILES) Gold medallists Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara pose after the victory ceremony of the figure skating pair skating free skating final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on February 16, 2026. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)
(FILES) Gold medallists Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara pose after the victory ceremony of the figure skating pair skating free skating final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on February 16, 2026. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

Japan's Olympic figure skating pairs champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara announced their engagement on Sunday.

Two-time world champions Miura, 24, and Kihara, 34, became media darlings after they won Japan's first Olympic pairs gold medals at the Milan-Cortina Games in Italy in February.

They retired from competition in April.

"We're engaged," AFP quoted the pair as saying in a statement.

"Through both the happy times and the difficult ones, we've shared so many moments together, supporting each other every step of the way," they said.

"Over time, we became irreplaceable parts of each other's lives."

In February's Olympics, Miura and Kihara, popularly known in Japan as "Rikuryu", went into the decisive free skate in fifth place after errors in their short program.

They then stunned the world by topping the podium with personal-best scores, making them national heroes in Japan.


Man City Boss Maresca Targets Next Rodri after Midfielder's Exit

16 August 2026, United Kingdom, Cardiff: Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca reacts on the touchline during the FA Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City, at Principality Stadium. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa
16 August 2026, United Kingdom, Cardiff: Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca reacts on the touchline during the FA Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City, at Principality Stadium. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa
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Man City Boss Maresca Targets Next Rodri after Midfielder's Exit

16 August 2026, United Kingdom, Cardiff: Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca reacts on the touchline during the FA Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City, at Principality Stadium. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa
16 August 2026, United Kingdom, Cardiff: Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca reacts on the touchline during the FA Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester City, at Principality Stadium. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said the club would look to find the next Rodri following the midfielder's departure to Barcelona, insisting City had repeatedly shown an ability to replace key players.

Rodri, 30, ended a seven-year spell at City on Tuesday, bringing to a close a trophy-laden stay that included four Premier League titles, the Champions League and two FA Cups.

"I'll try to find a new Rodri - it is what it is," Maresca told reporters on Saturday, a day ahead of City's Premier League opener against Bournemouth.

"Rodri, before he arrived here, he didn't win the Ballon d'Or, he didn't win the ⁠Champions League, he ⁠didn't win the Club World Cup. Then he joined the club and then he achieved many important things.

"Now the target for us is to try to find the new Rodri,” Reuters quoted him as saying.

Maresca acknowledged the Spain international would be difficult to replace but said City's recruitment history gave him confidence that a successor could emerge.

"When David ⁠Silva was here, everyone was worried – Kevin (De Bruyne) arrived. When Sergio Aguero was here, everyone was worried – Erling (Haaland) arrived. When Fernandinho left, Rodri arrived. It's just about this," he said.

"When they leave, you need to be good and recruit the next one."

Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner and a member of Spain's European Championship-winning team, further enhanced his reputation by captaining his country to World Cup glory last month and being named player of the tournament.

His departure is among several notable changes during the close ⁠season as ⁠City continue to reshape their squad.

Maresca said he expected further transfer activity before the window closes but remained relaxed despite reports linking Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez with moves away.

"We need to adapt and we don't want to keep players here that don't want to stay. The normal thing in transfer windows is that you have to wait because all the clubs try to keep players until the last week and then sell for more money," he said.

"It's normal. I'm not worried about that. When the transfer window closes and we have all the squad there, for sure it will be different."