'Let's be Realistic': Haaland Cools Norway's World Cup Expectations

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - Norway v Senegal - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 22, 2026 Norway coach Stale Solbakken, Erling Haaland and teammates perform the traditional Viking rowing celebration for their fans after the match REUTERS/Mike Segar
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - Norway v Senegal - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 22, 2026 Norway coach Stale Solbakken, Erling Haaland and teammates perform the traditional Viking rowing celebration for their fans after the match REUTERS/Mike Segar
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'Let's be Realistic': Haaland Cools Norway's World Cup Expectations

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - Norway v Senegal - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 22, 2026 Norway coach Stale Solbakken, Erling Haaland and teammates perform the traditional Viking rowing celebration for their fans after the match REUTERS/Mike Segar
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - Norway v Senegal - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 22, 2026 Norway coach Stale Solbakken, Erling Haaland and teammates perform the traditional Viking rowing celebration for their fans after the match REUTERS/Mike Segar

Erling Haaland said Norway must be realistic about what they can achieve at the World Cup after qualifying for the last 32 on Monday with a 3-2 win over Senegal.

Haaland followed up his brace in the opening 4-1 victory over Iran with two more goals as Norway won consecutive games at the World Cup for the first time.

Norway have lost just one of their past 18 matches and will take on 2022 runners-up France in Boston on Friday to determine the winners of Group I.

However, Haaland cautioned against getting carried away after the team's strong start to their first World Cup since 1998.

"To qualify for the first time in 28 years and going through the group stage I would say, yes. To win the World Cup, absolutely not," said Haaland.

"We've won 12 competitive games in a row now. I'm part of something special, making history, and I'm extremely proud to be Norwegian."

Erling Haaland of Norway celebrates goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match between Senegal and Norway, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, 22 June 2026. EPA/OLGA FEDOROVA

In this tournament, the Manchester City striker is level with Kylian Mbappe on four goals and one behind Lionel Messi, who has netted all five of Argentina's goals at the tournament so far and in the process has become the World Cup's highest scorer in history with 18 goals.

Haaland meanwhile took his international tally to a remarkable 59 goals in 52 games.

"I think it's my specialty, to score goals," said Haaland.

"It's like many others things, I'm just really good at scoring goals and I'm quite lucky. I don't know what I'm doing. It's just how it is."

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw must hold out hope his team can beat Iraq in their final game to have a chance of reaching the knockout phase.

"A tough match against a team that caused us problems; they were very clinical and scored two goals at the worst possible times," said Thiaw.

"After the first goal we regrouped, but we conceded a second. We have to encourage the players because it's not easy.

"We need to focus on this last match and give everything to get the three points and keep hoping. It's difficult, but we're not dead yet."



Portugal Changes How No. 7 Is Written to Honor Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
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Portugal Changes How No. 7 Is Written to Honor Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)

The Portugal football team is making a change to how the No. 7 is written to honor the recently-retired Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, who wore the number and went on to make it his own as “CR7,” retired from international soccer last week, ending a remarkable career that spanned six World Cups, a European title, and the men’s all-time international scoring record.

“Time to debut a new 7. Because there’s one that will be eternal,” the Portuguese national team wrote on social media on Saturday. The post included a goat emoji to signify “Greatest Of All Time.”

It also included a video that showed a horizontal crossed line through the No. 7 as it’s commonly written in Europe, suggesting that Ronaldo’s successors will all have that cross to bear when they wear the number.

Portugal, already assured of reaching the quarterfinals, was hosting Denmark in the Nations League later Saturday.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo quit on Nov. 5 after falling out with coach Jorge Jesus. His last appearance with Portugal was Sept. 24 in a 1-0 home win over Wales in the Nations League.

Jesus kept him on the bench for the following match and said he didn’t plan to start him in the next one, so the superstar forward decided to leave the team’s training camp.

Jesus later said Ronaldo would be welcome back and the decision to return was up to him.


Ronaldinho Poised for Ravenna Start and, Perhaps, One Last Goal

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
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Ronaldinho Poised for Ravenna Start and, Perhaps, One Last Goal

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)

Ronaldinho will roll back the years this weekend when the 46-year-old Brazilian starts his first competitive match in over a decade, and in the unlikely setting of an Italian third-tier derby the World Cup winner may realize his dream of scoring one last time.

The Brazil great and Ballon d'Or winner signed for Ravenna in June, also taking a stake in the club, but because he had not played since his final appearance for Fluminense in 2015, doubts remained over whether fans would ever see him in action.

Ravenna revealed ‌three weeks ago ‌that the former Barcelona and AC Milan player ‌would ⁠make his return ⁠in Sunday's home clash with local rivals Forli, and on Friday, manager Andrea Mandorlini told reporters that Ronaldinho would start the match.

"He will play from the start, there's no doubt," Mandorlini said.

"Then together we will decide how long he plays. He is one of the greatest players of the modern era. And we have to get a ⁠result. We always play with three forwards. He will ‌be one of the three."

Ronaldinho was ‌welcomed by the Ravenna fans in August, without committing to a return ‌to the pitch. He returned to Italy on Friday afternoon and ‌will have just one training session with his teammates on Saturday before making his club debut.

A temporary stand has been erected at the Stadio Bruno Benelli to cater for the crowd, and if this does turn out ‌to be one last hurrah for Ronaldinho, he may well get the chance to score his 300th ⁠professional goal.

"I ⁠scored my first Italian goal in the derby," Ronaldinho told Corriere della Sera, referring to his first official goal for AC Milan, which came against Inter Milan.

"It was a special evening that will remain in the memory of all AC Milan fans. It was September 28, 2008. I scored with a header, which is not my specialty. Who knows if I'll be able to repeat that feat tomorrow."

"... Returning to the pitch at 46 is the best move of my career."

Simone Rabbi will play alongside the Brazilian up front for Ravenna, and in Friday's press conference he said that if his side are awarded a penalty on Sunday, Ronaldinho will take the spot kick.


Andreeva Says She Is Learning to Move on Faster from Defeats After WTA Finals Sweep

Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Andreeva Says She Is Learning to Move on Faster from Defeats After WTA Finals Sweep

Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Mirra Andreeva said she has learned to recover more quickly from setbacks after the Russian teenager completed an unbeaten run through the WTA Finals round-robin stage on Friday.

Andreeva won her third group-stage match in straight sets after a late opponent change, having already secured a semi-final berth. The 19-year-old said the match against tournament alternate Diana Shnaider presented a new mental challenge because her progression was guaranteed, but she still wanted to preserve her momentum.

"Before the tournament started I was afraid ‌that I ‌wouldn't win a match in the group," ‌Andreeva ⁠told reporters. "Now you ⁠see how it turned out."

The victory set up a first career meeting with American Jessica Pegula on Saturday. Andreeva described Pegula as one of the calmest players on tour and said coach Conchita Martinez would help prepare a detailed tactical plan.

Andreeva's poise in the desert marked a contrast with her emotional ⁠exit from Indian Wells in March, when ‌she lost her title defense ‌to Katerina Siniakova. Frustrated by the defeat, Andreeva launched into a profanity-laced ‌tirade toward spectators and was booed as she left ‌the court.

The French Open champion said her response to losses has changed significantly over the course of the season.

"Before it was super bad. I was very dramatic," Andreeva said. "It would take me a ‌good two, three days. I wouldn't talk to anybody. I would just sit in the ⁠room locked ⁠up, not wanting to practice."

Now, she said, disappointment generally lasts a day at most before the demands of the tour force her attention back to training or the next match.

Andreeva said the Indian Wells setback came while she was trying to incorporate changes made in practice into her match play, which produced inconsistency and frustration. She said continued work on court, along with sessions with psychologists, helped her make progress.

The results have followed. Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros this year and arrived at the WTA Finals for her singles debut after a 50-win season.