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Copa Libertadores Game in Colombia Abandoned Due to Crowd Trouble

Carlos Bacca (R) of Junior reacts during a Copa Libertadores group stage soccer match between Junior and Cerro Porteno at Romelio Martinez Stadium in Cartagena, Colombia, 07 May 2026. EPA/Ricardo Maldonado Rozo
Carlos Bacca (R) of Junior reacts during a Copa Libertadores group stage soccer match between Junior and Cerro Porteno at Romelio Martinez Stadium in Cartagena, Colombia, 07 May 2026. EPA/Ricardo Maldonado Rozo
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Copa Libertadores Game in Colombia Abandoned Due to Crowd Trouble

Carlos Bacca (R) of Junior reacts during a Copa Libertadores group stage soccer match between Junior and Cerro Porteno at Romelio Martinez Stadium in Cartagena, Colombia, 07 May 2026. EPA/Ricardo Maldonado Rozo
Carlos Bacca (R) of Junior reacts during a Copa Libertadores group stage soccer match between Junior and Cerro Porteno at Romelio Martinez Stadium in Cartagena, Colombia, 07 May 2026. EPA/Ricardo Maldonado Rozo

A Copa Libertadores match between Colombia's Independiente Medellin and Brazilian side Flamengo in Medellin was abandoned on Thursday after home fans lit flares and threw objects onto the pitch shortly after kick-off.

The teams were sent back to the dressing rooms and the stadium was evacuated before ⁠the game was ⁠called off by South American football governing body CONMEBOL.

Independiente Medellin and CONMEBOL did not immediately respond to an emailed request by Reuters for comment.

Reports in ⁠Colombian media said Independiente Medellin fans were protesting against the club’s management amid a run of poor results.

Flamengo's director of football Jose Boto said the club, who are the defending Copa Libertadores champions, expected to be awarded a victory and three ⁠points ⁠under CONMEBOL regulations.

"The responsibility is not ours, the regulations are clear. The home team failed to guarantee security," Boto said in a video posted on Flamengo's social media.

Flamengo are top of Copa Libertadores Group A, with Independiente Medellin third behind Argentina's Estudiantes.

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Fonseca Fever Sparks Tennis Boom in Brazil

Joao Fonseca of Brazil reacts as he plays against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their third round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)
Joao Fonseca of Brazil reacts as he plays against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their third round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)
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Fonseca Fever Sparks Tennis Boom in Brazil

Joao Fonseca of Brazil reacts as he plays against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their third round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)
Joao Fonseca of Brazil reacts as he plays against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their third round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)

The rise of teenage tennis star Joao Fonseca -- who pulled off a stunning win over Serbian great Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros -- has fueled a tennis fever among the youth in his home country, Brazil.

In recent years, fans from the football-mad nation have brought their boisterous energy to typically restrained tennis matches as they followed the 19-year-old's ascension to number 30 in the world.

In Brazil, children are flocking to tennis academies and youth tournaments to follow in his footsteps.

"Today, we have no spots available. There is a waiting list," tennis coach Juninho Nascimento told AFP at his academy in Sao Bernardo do Campo, 20 kilometers from Sao Paulo.

One of his students, 13-year-old Henry Takahashi, said he trains every day, with Fonseca serving as his "inspiration".

"I like how (Fonseca) carries himself on the court, his shots... everything," Takahashi said shyly.

With his aggressive playing style, a heavy forehand, and plenty of charisma, Rio de Janeiro native Fonseca has emerged as the great hope of South American tennis.

In the process, he has put Brazil back on the map among the men's tennis elite.

On Friday he blasted Djokovic out of the French Open in an almost five-hour match.

In 2025 -- when he won his first titles on the ATP Tour in Buenos Aires and Basel -- Fonseca became just the fifth Brazilian in history to break into the top 25 of the world rankings.

His highest ranking has been 24th.

This places him in an exclusive club alongside Gustavo Kuerten -- the country's only world number one -- Thomaz Bellucci, Fernando Meligeni, and Thomaz Koch.

It had been a long time coming for Brazil: Kuerten retired in 2008, Meligeni in 2003, and Koch in 1985.

- Same racket, same moustache -

Brazil recorded a 34 percent jump in the number of participants in a national youth championship for players between the ages of 12 and 18 and the Federation Cup -- an elite tournament for rising stars in which Fonseca himself once competed.

"It's crazy! I joke with everyone: Joao Fonseca wins a match in the morning, and by the afternoon, the number of registered members goes up," Danilo Gaino, president of the Sao Paulo tennis federation, told AFP.

Thiago Freitas, Brazil operations director for the Roc Nation sports agency, said Fonseca attracted young fans.

"If you look at the boys, they're all growing little mustaches and beards just like Joao's," Nascimento said -- referring to the goatee often sported by the player.

Many also use his racket model.

Just breaking into the professional ranks, Luis "Guto" Miguel is one of Brazil's most promising young tennis players.

Ranked second in the International Tennis Federation's junior standings, the 17-year-old believes that Fonseca is "paving a path" for others to follow.

"It's a tough road. With his dedication, his shot-making, and his attitude, he helps us learn faster and reach the very top," Miguel told AFP after competing in the Latin American Open in Sao Paulo -- his debut on the ATP Tour.

In Sao Bernardo do Campo, other up-and-coming young players wrap up a practice session.

Seeing "such a young player" like Fonseca win titles is an inspiration, said one of them, Bruno Rodrigues.

"If he can do it, maybe one day we can too."

Sports

Key Talking Points Ahead of PSG vs Arsenal Champions League Final

The match ball is on display prior to a press conference, in Budapest, Hungary, 29 May 2026. (EPA)
The match ball is on display prior to a press conference, in Budapest, Hungary, 29 May 2026. (EPA)
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Key Talking Points Ahead of PSG vs Arsenal Champions League Final

The match ball is on display prior to a press conference, in Budapest, Hungary, 29 May 2026. (EPA)
The match ball is on display prior to a press conference, in Budapest, Hungary, 29 May 2026. (EPA)

Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain face Arsenal in Saturday's final in Budapest aiming to defend their crown.

The Gunners have never won the trophy but after clinching the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years Mikel Arteta's side believe they can dethrone the French champions.

AFP Sport looks at five key talking points ahead of the clash at the Puskas Arena.

Arsenal's set-piece threat

This season Arteta's team have sometimes struggled to create from open play, but they have produced incredible danger from dead ball situations.

Arsenal's physical players cause havoc at corners, particularly center-back Gabriel Magalhaes, and they will look to put PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov under heavy pressure, perhaps their weakest link.

Set piece coach Nicolas Jover is considered the best in the business and nearly 40 percent of Arsenal's goals in their run to the Premier League title came from dead ball situations.

"People may say that they don't score team goals, but who cares about that?" said PSG coach Luis Enrique, acknowledging Arsenal's effective tactics. "Ask any Arsenal fan and I'm sure they're delighted."

PSG's strong left flank

Arsenal are boosted by Jurrien Timber's return to fitness after a groin injury, particularly given the biggest problem for Arteta to solve is how to handle PSG's left flank.

Winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has arguably been the competition's best player, scoring 10 goals for the French side, and behind him at left-back Nuno Mendes is a dynamic force going forward.

Arteta must decide whether to put Timber straight into the line-up after two-and-a-half months out, or if he will deploy center-back Cristhian Mosquera on the right.

Declan Rice has also been used there in Timber's absence but the midfielder will be vital in the center of the pitch up against PSG's Vitinha.

Mileage check

Many of Arsenal's likely starting line-up in the final have played over 3,000 minutes each this season across all competitions, with Declan Rice, William Saliba, Gabriel, Martin Zubimendi and David Raya hitting 4,000.

Arteta has stayed faithful to a core of players and insisted his team should not use fatigue as an "excuse".

"That's the context and that's the scenario, and we have to embrace it and especially enjoy the opportunity," said the Spanish coach last month, in the thick of the title race.

By contrast, Luis Enrique has been able to rotate and rest many of his first choice players in Ligue 1 as PSG claimed their 12th title in the last 14 years.

Only Willian Pacho, Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery have more than 3,000 minutes banked this season.

"Rest is also an integral part of preparation, especially when we're playing matches like these," said Luis Enrique before the final.

PSG did compete at the Club World Cup last summer though, increasing the need for the Asturian coach to balance his players' game-time.

Clean sheet machine

The statistics of both sides lead many to imagine the final will turn out to be a question of whether the "unstoppable force" of PSG can break down Arsenal's "immovable object".

Arsenal have conceded just six goals in the tournament, staying unbeaten, and goalkeeper David Raya has nine clean sheets, matching the all-time record.

In front of him Gabriel and William Saliba form a formidable center-back pairing for Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele to try and break through, amply supported by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue.

PSG have scored 44 goals in the tournament, one short of the record of 45 set by Barcelona in the 1999-2000 campaign.

A Luis Enrique surprise

PSG outgunned Bayern Munich with a thrilling 5-4 victory in the first leg of the semi-final clash, leaving the world licking their lips and waiting for more entertainment from the second leg.

However, wily coach Luis Enrique changed his gameplan considerably and PSG played far more conservatively in Munich, securing a 1-1 draw to reach the final.

Always keen to spring a surprise on his opponents, Luis Enrique said the Ligue 1 champions would adapt their game to face Arsenal.

"We'll have to adapt to play and defend in a different way compared to what we usually do if we want to get the better of them," said Luis Enrique.

Goalkeeper Safonov blasted the ball off the pitch several times, as a strategy to congest the areas around dangerous Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise.

"We have analyzed everything they do in every phase," said Arteta.

"We've prepared the possible scenarios. We try to understand the purpose behind what they do and what they want to achieve."

Sports

Ronaldo’s Final Bid for World Cup Glory

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal from the penalty spot during a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying match between Hungary and Portugal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal from the penalty spot during a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying match between Hungary and Portugal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP)
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Ronaldo’s Final Bid for World Cup Glory

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal from the penalty spot during a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying match between Hungary and Portugal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal from the penalty spot during a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying match between Hungary and Portugal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP)

For some, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the essential spearhead for Portugal's 2026 World Cup bid, while others believe his presence will prevent Roberto Martinez's strong side from flourishing.

The debate around the five-time Ballon d'Or winner rages on, as it did at Euro 2024 and four years ago in Qatar -- yet Ronaldo endures, ready to play in a record sixth World Cup.

The 41-year-old remains a global superstar, playing for Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr and is the leading men's international goalscorer with 143 strikes.

With 25 of those coming in 30 games under Martinez, the coach insists that Ronaldo is being selected on merit rather than because of his status.

The Spanish coach himself also faced scrutiny after Portugal's Euro 2024 quarter-final exit, with his detractors believing that such a strong squad was capable of winning.

Martinez started Ronaldo in all five games they played but the striker failed to find the net in Germany.

This season, Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes set a new record for Premier League assists, and the Paris Saint-Germain contingent, including Vitinha, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes, are among the best in their positions in the world.

When he was appointed in 2023, Martinez had the choice of whether to make a clean break from Ronaldo or maintain him as the team's captain and talisman, opting for the latter.

In response to the naysayers, Martinez can point to the team's successful 2025 Nations League triumph as proof that he is right to lean on Ronaldo.

The Portugal icon struck against Spain in the final to win his third international trophy, after Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League.

"I have many titles with clubs, but nothing is better than winning for Portugal," said Ronaldo after the game. "It's tears. It's mission accomplished, and pure joy."

The striker is closing in on 1,000 career goals for club and country, currently just 17 short.

Ronaldo is the team's captain and leader, feared by opponents and with international experience gained over more than two decades -- his Portugal debut was in 2003.

Martinez has highlighted the "inspiring mindset" of the veteran forward, who operates now as a center-forward rather than the flying winger of his youth.

Ronaldo's team-mates still believe the striker is delivering for Portugal.

PSG midfielder Vitinha told FIFA that it was "fantastic" to play with the former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward.

"He's one of the greatest players in history," said Vitinha.

"I'm very proud to share the dressing room with him, learn from him and witness his professionalism every day.

"I hope we can win the World Cup with him and for him as well."

- 'Can't worry' about Ronaldo -

In Portugal, where Ronaldo is a revered icon, it is rarely advisable to argue against him.

"Cristiano inside the box continues to be a very high-level player," Fernandes told Canal 11, a television channel run by the Portuguese football federation, in December.

"I know what people think, that it's clear we play better without Ronaldo, that the players are freer and more fluid," Fernandes continued.

"If that happens, it's partly our fault. We can't worry if Cristiano is on the pitch, because Cristiano can give us things."

Portugal's pressing suffers with Ronaldo and the team appears more cohesive without him. When Ronaldo starts, sometimes it seems as if the team works largely to service him.

The forward even came in for rare criticism in his protective homeland after he was sent off against Ireland for an elbow in qualifying, although FIFA let him off the hook by suspending two matches of his ban, meaning he is clear to play from the start of the World Cup.

Portugal begin their campaign in Group K against DR Congo on June 17, before facing Uzbekistan on June 23 and Colombia on June 28.

Martinez said he is not concerned that the intense tournament schedule might impact the 41-year-old.

"In my experience, at a World Cup, a player doesn't follow the pattern of club form, age-related performance or anything like that," said the coach after naming his squad for the tournament in North America.

It is stronger than arguably any Portugal squad to arrive at a World Cup prior and even as the debates around Ronaldo continue, what is inarguable is that they have the quality to succeed this summer.