Category Archives: Sport

An embattled Donald Trump is increasingly using sports as prop | Sport | The Guardian

News, Sport, , ,

Keyword – Sport
Trefwoorden – Sport, Donald Trump, US news, US sports
Title – An embattled Donald Trump is increasingly using sports as prop | Sport | The Guardian
Author – https://www.theguardian.com/profile/leanderschaerlaeckens
Link – An embattled Donald Trump is increasingly using sports as prop | Sport | The Guardian
Publish date – 2026-09-09T09:00:04.000Z
Category – Sport
URL – https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/sep/09/donald-trump-sports

L ately, it seems Donald Trump’s scope of interests has narrowed to a few things: remaking downtown Washington DC in his gaudy image; wars he thinks he can win quickly and easily, even though he can’t.

Also, golf. Always golf. Ever golf.

We hear less and less about Trump’s plans to overhaul healthcare, reshore manufacturing jobs or address the budget deficit. Yet one other subject, aligned with his lifelong interests, continues to preoccupy him: sports.

And in this area, his ideological project has methodically and loudly – since nothing of consequence can ever be done quietly by this administration – made more gains than just about anywhere else.

Which is to say that Trump, or more likely those seeking to swim in the slipstream of Trumpism , are hard at work trying to put sports back to how it looked in the 1980s. After all, that’s when the president’s view of the world, and how it should function, ossified.

This manifests in ways big and small, in consequences intended and accidental.

Here’s a relatively small and surely accidental one. When Los Angeles FC sold Venezuela international David Martínez to Denmark’s FC Midtjylland for $8.4m recently, the club did not do so for sporting reasons – or not entirely. The winger, named to the Guardian’s 2023 Next Generation class, had difficulty adapting to life in Los Angeles after arriving as an 18-year-old because his family couldn’t get visas to visit him, according to the club.

If Trump and his goons had even heard of the now-20-year-old, which they almost certainly hadn’t, he would have hardly been a top target of their policies. But that they have driven him to leave the country will would satisfy them all the same. This is exactly what the administration’s travel bans and curbs on visas were intended to achieve: to put people off coming to the US, or staying here.

Then there’s the big stuff.

The rolling campaign to “save” women’s sports from transgender athletes, who exist in vanishingly small numbers and are far from the threat those on the right would have you believe. This panic is propagated by a rabble who very proudly didn’t care about women’s sports at all until they spotted an opening to make a political profit from it.

Trump’s looming presence over the summer’s World Cup, and his active interference in it. His attendance at the NBA finals, the Daytona 500 and the Ryder Cup, appearances that seemed to curse his favored participants.

There’s the executive order attempting to unwind the decades-overdue gains made by college athletes in winning the right to be treated like every other American worker. They can finally be paid for their valuable labor and move (almost) freely between programs in search of the best opportunities – same as their coaches and administrators have always been able to do.

Foreign students and college athletes, meanwhile, find it harder and less attractive to come to and stay in the US on account of the same difficulties in bagging visas that chased off Martínez. That makes college sports more homogeneous and therefore, in Trump’s thinking, better.

In trying to rearrange things to how they once were – the exact moment in the past when things were great; a time that nobody can seem to pinpoint, but which you’ll no doubt remember with searing clarity – Trump has even gone so far as to issue an executive order to try to protect the Army-Navy football game’s exclusive TV time slot. The College Football Playoff’s lurching expansion threatened to creep into the second Saturday of December, traditionally and legally set aside for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.

“Such scheduling conflicts weaken the national focus on our Military Service Academies and detract from a morale-building event of vital interest to the Department of War,” the order reads.

Also apparently intended as a morale-building event was the much-panned UFC event on the White House lawn to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, and, more pressingly, Trump’s 80th birthday. The first professional sporting event on the White House grounds managed to lose $30m , even though the fighters were apparently paid at least partly in cryptocurrency issued by a Trump company.

When he sensed he would be met by a friendly crowd, Trump became the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl . In the same spirit, he traveled to a World Series game in 2021, when he was out of power, just to do the racist tomahawk chop with Atlanta Braves fans.

He more or less ordered an IndyCar race to be held in DC, the Freedom 250, which was well attended but severely disrupted car and plane traffic in the capital. The awkward layout of the course, meanwhile, meant that nearly half the cars didn’t finish all the laps. No matter, Trump took a lap around the track in his presidential limousine. With no other cars on the road, he finished first.

Then there are the unprovoked and untethered broadsides. Such as the time Trump suggested the National Football League change its name to accommodate soccer. Or suggested LeBron James was a racist because he doesn’t play golf with the president. Or when he plunged a cleaver into the culture war prime cuts of restoring the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians to their old, racist names.

Several of Trump’s golf courses have hosted events staged by LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed breakaway golf circuit that appears to be on life support . If it should croak, it would share this distinction with the last sporting venture that Trump was intimately entangled with: the New Jersey Generals of the old United States Football League. Trump, who owned the franchise, bungled it into bankruptcy and took the entire league down with him.

Yet the lesson that has stuck with him since childhood is that sports holds a privileged place in our national conscience, and that it serves as a powerful messaging conduit. Now, as president, his efforts have hardly been concerted or coordinated, but sports is the rare topic where Trump has succeeded in shifting the conversation to his preferred terms.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is the author of The Long Game: U.S. Men’s Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts, which is out now . He teaches at Marist University.

US Open 2026 quarter-final: Ben Shelton stuns Carlos Alcaraz in thriller after latest ever finish – as it happened | US Open Tennis 2026 | The Guardian

Sport, , , , ,

Keyword – Sport
Trefwoorden – US Open Tennis 2026, Carlos Alcaraz, US Open tennis, Sport, Tennis, US sports
Title – US Open 2026 quarter-final: Ben Shelton stuns Carlos Alcaraz in thriller after latest ever finish – as it happened | US Open Tennis 2026 | The Guardian
Author – https://www.theguardian.com/profile/bryan-armen-graham
Link – US Open 2026 quarter-final: Ben Shelton stuns Carlos Alcaraz in thriller after latest ever finish – as it happened | US Open Tennis 2026 | The Guardian
Publish date – 2026-09-09T08:07:14.000Z
Category – Sport
URL – https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/sep/08/ben-shelton-v-carlos-alcaraz-us-open-2026-quarter-final-live-updates

Shelton wins 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7)!

Fifth-set tiebreak: Shelton 10-7 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

And Shelton has done it, closing it out with a 146mph out wide. Carlos Alcaraz is out of the US Open and Ben Shelton will meet Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semi-final on Friday!

That’s all for tonight. Er, this morning. Thanks for following along with us and be sure to read Tumaini Carayol’s full report off a match for the record books.

Shelton also spoke warmly about the communication with his father and coach, Bryan, during a match that stretched deep into the New York night. “For us, it was just enjoyable to be a part of that match,” he says. “Obviously, the level of tennis, how long the match was going, the fight that it was, how even the match was back and forth throughout. I think that’s something that we can appreciate. Win or lose, have a smile on our face.”

And after nearly four and a half hours on court, is he worried about recovering in time for Friday’s semi-final with Frances Tiafoe ? Shelton’s answer at 3.46am on Wednesday morning was to the point. “Two days? Yeah.”

Shelton admits he was “pissed” after losing that 70-minute opening set , particularly after breaking Alcaraz to force the tiebreak. But that late break also gave him belief. “I knew that my serve was only going to get better, and if I’d already dialed in the return to the point that I could break him, I thought my chances were good to get that second set.”

That proved prescient. Shelton broke Alcaraz three times in a runaway second set, and from there felt able to “play and swing more freely”. The key, he says, was staying patient on return: making Alcaraz play, punishing missed spots and not getting discouraged by the inevitable aces and service winners. “I think for me to be able to hang in there in the rallies, have a game plan from the ground and be able to execute that game plan, and not be losing all the baseline points, also helps with the return.”

Shelton: ‘That was a war’

How does Ben Shelton feel after Tuesday night’s/Wednesday morning’s quarter-final win? “I’m tired,” the American said to a gaggle of reporters in the bowels of Arthur Ashe Stadium, in lieu of a formal press conference given the late hour.

“That was a war, epic match. I mean, so physical. Carlos, one of the greatest champions in our sport already at 23 years old. It’s always fun being on the court against him. It’s ridiculous, the amount of stuff he comes up with sometimes, but the most enjoyable match that I’ve had in my career, for sure.”

What an ending. After 4hr 28min, Shelton finally gets over the line in a fifth-set tiebreak to reach the US Open semi-finals, surviving Alcaraz’s furious fourth-set comeback and a deciding set in which neither man could find the break.

The serve that carried Shelton for so much of the night held firm when it mattered most. He won 70% of his first-serve points and 57% behind his second serve, with 54 of his 156 serves going unreturned. Remarkably, after Alcaraz broke him three times in that fourth-set rout, Shelton did not surrender serve in the decider.

And the contrast in errors tells plenty of the story. Alcaraz finished with 38 winners to Shelton’s 34, but committed 53 unforced errors to the American’s 35. Shelton also dominated the short exchanges, winning 55% of rallies lasting four shots or fewer, while Alcaraz controlled the longer ones. In the end, at nearly four and a half hours and deep into the New York night, the margins could scarcely have been finer.

Shelton wins 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7)!

Fifth-set tiebreak: Shelton 10-7 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

And Shelton has done it, closing it out with a 146mph out wide. Carlos Alcaraz is out of the US Open and Ben Shelton will meet Frances Tiafoe in an all-American semi-final on Friday!

Fifth-set tiebreak: *Shelton 8-7 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Shelton pounds a 146mph serve that Alcaraz can’t handle. Then Alcaraz makes another unforced error off the forehand side to go down a minibreak! He wins the next point coming to net with a drop-shot volley winner. But Shelton is serving for the match at 8-7 with the next two points on his racket.

Fifth-set tiebreak: *Shelton 6-6 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz makes an unforced error from the baseline and we’re back on serve in the breaker. He then fires in an unreturnable serve. Shelton to serve at 5-6. That beeping you may hear is the sound of the garbage trucks. What an atmosphere. Shelton wins the next point for 6-all and the players will change ends again. The end is near.

Fifth-set tiebreak: Shelton 4-5 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz crushes a picture-perfect winner into the corner and now Shelton will serve at 3-4 with the next two points on his racket. An unforced error on Shelton’s forehand gives Alcaraz a minibreak, but the American wins the next point with a body serve that Alcaraz can’t handle. Alcaraz to serve at 5-4.

Fifth-set tiebreak: Shelton 3-3 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Shelton wins the next point but then falters on a backhand, handing the minibreak back to Alcaraz. On serve in the tiebreaker. Another unforced error by Shelton makes it 3-all as the players change ends.

Fifth-set tiebreak: *Shelton 2-1 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Shelton serves to begin the tiebreak and rips a forehand winner early in the rally. Alcaraz responsds a quick point but misfires in a 10-shot rally to go down a minibreak. Shelton to serve at 2-1 with the next two points on his racket.

Fifth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 6-6 Alcaraz

Alcaraz does his part and this historic quarter-final will be decided by a fifth-set tiebreaker. First man to 10 points will face Frances Tiafoe in a US Open semi-final on Friday.

Fifth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 6-5 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Shelton races to 30-love and “Let’s go, Ben!” chants ring through the lower bowl. Shelton gets it to 40-love, igniting the chants again (and louder), before spraying a backhand past the baseline. But the American is able to hold from there, leaving it to Alcaraz to force a deciding first-to-10-points tiebreaker.

Fifth set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 5-5 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz holds at love for 5-all, a game that includes a punishing 19-shot exchange that sees Shelton finally blink first. It’s 3.11am. What is life.

Fifth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 5-4 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

An emphatic servicde game for Shelton, who holds at love in barely a minute as the match spills into its fifth hour. Alcaraz will serve to stay in the tournament after the change of ends.

Fifth set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 4-4 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

A couple of unforced errors have surfaced in Alcaraz’s game at the worst time as he goes down 15-30 on his serve. The crowd swells. And now Shelton has just painted the line with a scorching cross-court backhand winner for 15-40 and two break-point chances! This could be the match! He squanders the first after coming to net early in the rally and hitting a backhand long. And Alcaraz saves the second with another brilliant display, coming from nowhere to hit a forehand volley winner than Shelton can’t return into the court. Deuce, and could that be Shelton’s best chance at closing it out wasted?

Not so fast. Alcaraz has just double-faulted and Shelton will have a third break chance. But he can’t convert that one either, sending a running backhand into the net. Now Shelton sends a forehand long and Alcaraz is one point from the crucial hold. (They’re all crucial now.) And he wins it with a 122mph serve out wide that Shelton can’t handle. We’re on serve in the fifth!

Fifth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 4-3 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Shelton in trouble here. He’s quickly gone down love-30 on his serve and Alcaraz tastes blood. But the American wins two fighting points for 30-all. Shelton then hits an unreturnable serve for game point, but follows with an unforced error off the forehand for deuce. From there Shelton nails down the hold, capping it with a 144mph ace to stay on serve in the decider.

This will be the latest finish in US Open history

Fifth set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 3-3 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz closes out a drama-free hold with a 113mph ace down the middle.

And at the stroke of 2.51am it became official: this match will be the latest finish in the history of the US Open. As mentioned earlier, the previous record was 2.50am, set by Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in their 2022 quarter-final . Alcaraz won 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3 after 5hr 15min.

Fifth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 3-2 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

With Shelton serving at 15-all, chants of “Let’s go Carlos, let’s go!” sound through the crowd. Shelton then hits a forehand volley winner, igniting his side of the crowd, but Alcaraz answeres with a backhand tracers off the ground for 30-all. Another blistering forehand winner by Alcaraz give him a break point at 30-40, but Shelton comes to net early in the rally to erase it for deuce. More “U-S-A! U-S-A!” chants. Two quick points for Alcaraz and he’s escaped with the hold.

Fifth set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 2-2 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz holds at love while the clattering sound of a No 7 subway can be heard in the distance.

Fifth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 2-1 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Shelton falls behind love-30 on his serve, then rattles off four quick points to hold. Alcaraz comes in just too low on a baseline forehand on game point, sending the crowd into roars when the ball caroms back off the net.

Fifth set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 1-1 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz holds comfortably, closing it out with a 124mph ace. It’s 2.34am, the lower bowel of Ashe is nearly full, there’s plenty of folks still upstairs and, yes, they’re still selling Honey Deuces (though it seems most stands have run out of the souvenir cups).

Fifth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 1-0 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Shelton falls behind love-15 serving to open the fifth set, but gets the better of a 13-shot rally before hitting a unreturnable serve for 30-15. He’s able to hold from there and “U-S-A! U-S-A!” chants break out as the players change ends with Bad Bunny playing from the arena soundsystem.

Alcaraz wins fourth set, 6-2!

Fourth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6 Alcaraz

Alcaraz holds at love and we’re headed to a fifth and deciding set!

Shelton finally looked vulnerable behind the enormous serve that had carried him through the middle two sets. Alcaraz is now three for 10 on break points, while Shelton has dropped five service games overall. It’s 2.21am in New York, we’re going five, and the US Open’s all-time latest finish of 2.50am is very much in play.

Alcaraz breaks in sixth game of fourth set!

Fourth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-5 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Shelton goes down love-30, then 30-40 and break point down, gifting Alcaraz the break of serve with a scratchy backhand. Alcaraz will now serve to force a fifth set.

Fourth set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-4 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz finds himself in a love-30 hole after two unforced errors, but wins a couple of medium-length rallies for 30-all. He gets to game point with a forehand winner, but Shelton answers with a forehand winner down the line for deuce. From there Alcaraz reels off two quick points to nail down the hold.

Fourth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-3 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

A stress-free hold for Shelton, who crushes a 123mph ace along the way.

Fourth set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 0-3 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

We’re past 2am here in Ashe and Alcaraz backs up the break with a hold at love. More “Olé, olé, olé” chants.

Alcaraz breaks in second game of fourth set!

Fourth set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 0-2 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Now it’s Shelton who is pressured on his serve, making back-to-back unforced errors from 15-all to go double break point down. He saves the first with another wild exchange of volleys at the net, but blinks on the second with a backhand error to end an eight-shot rally. “Olé, olé, olé” chants ring down from the loge seats in Ashe as the crowd tries to will Alcaraz on.

For anybody wondering, the latest finish in US Open history is 2.50am, set by Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in their 2022 quarter-final . Alcaraz won 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3 after 5hr 15min.

Fourth set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 0-1 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz falls behind 15-30 on hi serve, then 30-40 and break point down. But he rattles off three quick points to escape with the hold to open the fourth set.

Here’s a glimpse of the US Open grounds at 1.40am , with Shelton and Alcaraz still going inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Fountain Plaza, normally one of the busiest thoroughfares at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, is almost completely deserted, the concessions shuttered and only a handful of people still milling around.

Shelton wins third set, 6-3!

Third set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 Alcaraz

At 15-all, Shelton pounds a 124mph serve before coming to net and finishing with a muscular forehand winner. He’s two points from the set. Alcaraz answers with a sharply angled backhand winner from the baseline for 30-all. Then, another truly extraordinary point ends after a trade of apparent volley winners, when Alcaraz hits a blistering forehand winner moving into the backcourt for break point at 30-40. A massive point, this. And Shelton gets the better of Alcaraz over a 19-shot rally to save it, bringing the crowd to its feet once again! Deuce. Shelton then outlasts Alcaraz in an 11-shot exchange for set point and the Spaniard looks worse for wear, having been run ragged in these extended rallies. And Shelton forces Alcaraz into another forced error to take the third set in 48 minutes!

Unlike the second-set blowout, this was a much sterner test. The American protected his serve superbly, saving all three break points he faced in the set and losing only seven points on serve altogether. Through three sets he has saved six of seven break points and held in 13 of 14 service games.

The serve remains terrifying – still topping out at 149mph – but Shelton has been winning this match with more than raw velocity. He’s getting 66% of his first serves in and has won 68% of those points, while an extraordinary 39% of his second serves have gone unreturned.

Third set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 5-3 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz races to 40-love on his serve, then makes it complicated for himself with his 36th and 37th unforced errors, both off the forehand, for 40-30. But he’s able to hold from there and Shelton will serve for the set.

Third set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 5-2 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz strolls to a stress-free hold and Alcaraz will serve to stay in the third set.

Third set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 4-2 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz finds himself in trouble on his serve again, but rattles off three quick points to hold from 15-30 down.

Third set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 4-1 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Shelton holds comfortably to stay in front. And with new balls coming on court after the change of ends, the American will have the chance to serve out the set with a little extra zip.

Third set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 3-1 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz holds at love, punctuating it with a barbaric “Va-mos!” after breaking Shelton’s run of nine straight games won.

Third set: Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 3-0 Alcaraz* (*denotes next server)

Shelton goes down love-30 then 15-40 on his serve, giving Alcaraz two chances to break right back. Shelton saves them both for deuce, then uncorks a 142mph ace that draws more audible oohs for game point. But Alcaraz follows by winning the new point of the night – new point of the tournament? – winning a sensational 18-point exhange with a backhand volley winner that brings the reamining crowd of several thousand fans to its feet. Deuce, then two quick points for Shelton to back up the break. That’s nine straight games to the American.

Shelton breaks in second game of third set!

Third set: *Shelton 6-7, 6-1, 2-0 Alcaraz (*denotes next server)

Alcaraz falls behind love-30 on his serve before fighting back to deuce. Shelton then produces a break point by winning a 12-shot exchange and converts it when Alcaraz sends a volley into the net for his 33rd unforced error of the night (against 17 winners).

NFL 2026 season predictions: which teams can bring down the Rams juggernaut? | NFL | The Guardian

Sport

Keyword – Sport
Trefwoorden – NFL, US sports, Sport
Title – NFL 2026 season predictions: which teams can bring down the Rams juggernaut? | NFL | The Guardian
Author – https://www.theguardian.com/profile/doug-farrar,https://www.theguardian.com/profile/bryan-armen-graham,https://www.theguardian.com/profile/andrew-lawrence,https://www.theguardian.com/profile/graham-searles
Link – NFL 2026 season predictions: which teams can bring down the Rams juggernaut? | NFL | The Guardian
Publish date – 2026-09-09T08:00:04.000Z
Category – Sport
URL – https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/sep/09/nfl-2026-season-predictions-which-teams-can-bring-down-the-rams-juggernaut

This will be the year of …

Quarterbacks living under center. The NFL has developed into a shotgun league, where most quarterbacks take the majority of their snaps three to seven yards away from the center. But the increase in efficiency when it comes to snaps taken right behind the center should have coaches directing their quarterbacks to do more of it. Matthew Stafford, Caleb Williams, and Sam Darnold led the way in 2025, and others will follow. DF

Superteams. The Rams have pushed their chips to the middle of the table by loading up on high-end veterans and deferring much of the cost to future years. Myles Garrett and the unretired Aaron Donald join Stafford, Puka Nacua and a secondary reinforced by Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. Superteams are never a sure thing in the NFL, but the Rams’ terrifyingly stacked roster looks awfully close. BAG

Super Bowl sequel hype , the year the scriptwriters lay a path for a Rams-Bengals rematch in Los Angeles. Both teams have gone to considerable lengths to shore up the defensive side of the ball, with the Rams swinging a mega trade for Garrett on the heels of the Bengals’ draft-week swap for Pro Bowl tackle Dexter Lawrence. AL

Finally saying goodbye to Aaron Rodgers . Let’s forget all the weirdness around the latter years of his career and remember Rodgers as simply one of the best to ever do it. Maybe with Mike McCarthy calling plays again, he can keep Pittsburgh in contention for a wildcard. Even if he fails, you can guarantee seeing some of the old magic in his final season in the NFL. GS

Best team that won’t make the playoffs …

This is the second straight season I’ve pushed the Vikings here, and for the same reasons – the NFC North is the league’s most competitive division, and there is no outstanding candidate at quarterback. Brian Flores’s defense will be marvelous as it always is, and were it not for his ongoing lawsuit against the league , he’d probably be a head coach right now. A three-man quarterback competition is not the best way to maximize one’s competitive window, though. DF

Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are back for an offense that can put up points with almost anybody. But the NFC is deep and unforgiving and the Cowboys ’ front seven looks alarmingly short of difference-makers beyond star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and Rashan Gary. Nine wins, constant frustration and a third straight January on the couch sounds about right. BAG

The Vikings ’ defense always gives them a chance, and their offensive skill players are elite. It just comes down to what Murray can give them and, historically, that’s been a lot of inconsistency. AL

It will be a battle for Ben Johnson to keep the lightning in the bottle with a Bears defense that thrived on takeaways rather than fundamentals last season. They haven’t made many significant moves – outside first-round safety Dillon Thieneman – to tune things up, then the impressive offense could be let down with a near miss in the wildcard race. GS

Most underrated team …

It’s easy to forget that in the 2021 season, the Bengals lost the Super Bowl by three points, and in 2022, they lost the AFC Championship game by the same margin. Those close calls were followed by matching 9-8 seasons in 2023 and 2024, and last season’s 6-11 faceplant. But if Joe Burrow can stay healthy, these Bengals have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball (led by new defensive line monster Lawrence). DF

Justin Herbert is class and Mike McDaniel’s arrival as offensive coordinator will add some imagination and flair to the offense. But winning 11 games still leaves you overshadowed when Denver’s complete roster and Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City headline your division. The Chargers are quiet contenders hiding in plain sight. BAG

Last I checked, the Chiefs not only return Patrick Mahomes – the QB standard before the ACL injury (hardly the career killers they used to be) – but also Eric Bieniemy, the offensive coordinator who held players accountable and infused the team’s gameplay with so much confidence and whimsy. AL

Baker Mayfield was quietly brilliant last season and the Buccaneers have a strong roster across the board that finished 8-9 after a 6-2 start because of a number of key players missing time through injury. A bit of luck with the injury bug and the Bucs could spring a surprise. GS

Johnny Manziel disaster waiting to happen department …

The Browns’ quarterback situation. What else could it be? At this point, the Browns may as well bring Manziel back to add even more of a tragic comic cast to the whole thing. Head coach Todd Monken naming Deshaun Watson the Week 1 starter after Watson played horribly and alienated the fanbase in the preseason – never mind the horrid off-field history for which Watson has never taken an ounce of accountability – is merely the first level of Dante’s Inferno. DF

Cleveland naming Watson their Week 1 starter . A $230m albatross coming off multiple achilles tears would have been a risky first choice even if he’d been playing well before getting hurt. The Browns’ decision to roster three other quarterbacks, including Dillon Gabriel on injured reserve, feels prescient here. BAG

Anthony Richardson survived trade rumors and played well enough in camp to win the Colts’ backup QB job. But I say the detente only holds up as long as Daniel Jones’s health, which has never been the greatest, and Richardson’s uneven play in relief makes him a lame duck QB all over again – and his controversial behavior gives the organization cover for the bad fit once more. AL

The Browns missing Garrett’s tremendous pass rush and leadership is a recipe for a very tricky season if they make a slow start. And with Watson starting at quarterback they most likely will. GS

MVP …

Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots. While I don’t have the Patriots winning the AFC East this season, I think that with the additions of receivers AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs, and coming off a full season in Josh McDaniels’ offense, Maye has everything he needs to take the next step to become an unquestioned Top 10 quarterback. He was exactly that until the Patriots faced a murderers’ row of defenses in the playoffs and his protection fell apart, but the growth he showed in everything from reading the field to taking disguised coverages apart presaged that next level. DF

Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens enter a new era under first-year coach Jesse Minter, but their fortunes still revolve around the NFL’s most disruptive player. The 29-year-old Jackson can unhinge defenses with his arm, legs or simply the threat of either. If Baltimore can get to 12 or 13 wins, he becomes the best bet to enter the exclusive club of three-time MVPs. BAG

Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals. Now that he has a defense behind him again, Joe Cool can get back to lighting up the scoreboard and his cigar after the dubs. AL

Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals. The quarterback finished last year showing some of his best work, so this could be Burrow’s time with incredible weapons Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at his disposal. GS

The best rookie will be …

Caleb Downs, DB, Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys’ 2025 defense was one of the worst in recent memory, which is why they replaced Matt Eberflus with Christian Parker as defensive coordinator. Parker’s background with the Philadelphia Eagles and defensive wizard Vic Fangio should pay immediate dividends, and Downs, the Ohio State alum selected with the 11th overall pick, should thrive in Parker’s concepts. DF

Jadarian Price, RB, Seattle Seahawks. With Kenneth Walker III gone and Zach Charbonnet starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, the Seahawks will plug-and-play their first-round draft pick from Notre Dame into a backfield fresh off a Super Bowl title. BAG

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona Cardinals. The Notre Dame prospect shouldn’t lack for opportunities to get the ball off tackle, in space or however else coach Mike LaFleur seeks to make use of the Saquon Barkley clone he simply couldn’t pass up in this year’s draft. AL

Carnell Tate, WR, Tennessee Titans . The No 4 pick has the total package of speed, route running and size. Tate caught the eye in training camp working with second-year quarterback Cam Ward. He will continue to do so throughout 2026. GS

AFC East champion

I’m picking the Bills for one reason, and it’s not Josh Allen – it’s Jim Leonhard. Buffalo’s new defensive coordinator is one of the finest minds in football, and he’ll have that defense asserting itself in ways it never did under Sean McDermott. New England will still be up there after 2025’s Cinderella season, but a tougher schedule and possible regression when it comes to their unusual injury luck should have them taking a step back. DF

New England won it last year and added star wideout Brown, but a regression from 14 wins is almost inevitable even if the Super Bowl loser’s curse has mostly been debunked . The Bills have Allen, DJ Moore and enough defensive talent for first-year coach Joe Brady to take back a division the Bills owned for five straight years before last season. BAG

Not because the Bills are necessarily better than the team that beat them to the top last year. But because New England’s schedule is so much tougher this year, and one loss makes all the difference in this chilly rivalry. AL

A straight shootout between New England and Buffalo. With fresh ideas from Brady, the Bills could have an important edge but there’s not much wriggle room in their opening five games against the Texans, Lions, Chargers, Patriots and Rams. Escaping with a winning record from that run would provide a solid platform to regain dominance. GS

AFC North champion

Trading for Lawrence was the splashy story of the Bengals ’ offseason, but there’s a lot more to like here – especially if Burrow can stay healthy. If he can, I like the Bengals to outpace the Ravens and Steelers based on star power with receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and a defense that has a lot of ascending players. DF

Minter has been dealt an enviable hand with Jackson, Derrick Henry and a roster built to win now. Cincinnati should push them, but the Ravens ’ combination of quarterback play, running game and defensive stability remains the division’s safest bet. BAG

The Bengals . Here’s a sentence no one’s ever written until now: Mike Brown, the NFL’s resident cheapskate, is all in. AL

If Burrow just has a full season working behind an improved offensive line, then the Bengals have a great shot at unseating the Ravens. Their schedule is soft enough that they should be aiming for well over 10 wins. GS

AFC South champion

I’m taking the Texans over the Jaguars because of a defense that needs no schematic tricks to upend enemy offenses – they’re good enough to just line up and go right at you. All the Texans need from quarterback CJ Stroud is a level of play a bit above league-average. DF

The Texans defense is one of the NFL’s best with Will Anderson Jr, Derek Stingley Jr and Kamari Lassiter leading the way. Whether Stroud and the offense can hold up their end of the bargain remains the rub, but it should be enough in this middling division. BAG

The Jaguars repeatedly found ways to win tight games in 2025, giving a young team meaningful late-game experience – and a plausible foundation to turn last year’s surge into a deep postseason run. AL

The defense returns almost unchanged after a brilliant 2025 with some good additions in safety Reed Blankenship and rookie run-stopper Kayden McDonald. The Texans have quality and consistency a level above the messy Jaguars and Colts. GS

AFC West champion

I really like what new Chargers offensive coordinator McDaniel will do for Herbert, and I expect the Chiefs to rebound to a point from last season’s disaster. But the 2025 Broncos got all the way to the AFC Championship game, and they may have progressed further had quarterback Bo Nix not suffered a broken ankle in the divisional round. Now, Nix has a new best buddy to help him – former Miami Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle, who gives that offense a level of vertical juice it hasn’t had before. DF

They’d probably be defending NFL champions if not for Nix’s untimely injury in the playoffs. The Broncos defense remains elite, the offensive line is right there with it and the addition of Waddle gives them another weapon on offense alongside Courtland Sutton. Nix’s mission with the AFC’s deepest roster boils down to three words: do no harm. BAG

The Chargers made many of the right moves this offseason: keeping most of their receiving corps intact, adding David Njoku and big-play tailback Keaton Mitchell, and rebuilding the interior offensive line. Losing new center Tyler Biadasz to injury is a major blow, but if the line holds together well enough, Herbert and a deep, balanced roster give the Bolts a real chance to edge Kansas City and Denver. AL

The Chiefs and Chargers should be well in the mix but the Broncos still have the edge after last year’s dominance before Nix went down in the playoffs. GS

NFC East champion

The Cowboys bag the crown based on an offense that’s already fully loaded, and a defense that should be worlds better than in 2025. They are the Inverse Houston Texans in that all that defense has to do is play at a pretty good level to blow a lot of opponents away. DF

Brown is gone and Jalen Hurts will be working with his seventh different play-caller in as many NFL seasons, but the Eagles ’ institutional strength has been the envy of the NFC East for decades now. A potentially top-five defense and a rejuvenated ground game featuring Saquon Barkley will provide enough margin for error to outlast a division filled with flawed rivals. BAG

With Brown and coordinator Kevin Patullo gone, the Eagles offense should fly again behind Barkley and Hurts – in make or break year mode not that long after leading the team to Super Bowl glory. AL

The Cowboys are hardly a sleeping giant, but if the defense is as reborn as defensive tackle Williams claims it is then maybe Dallas can finally balance the books with their dynamic offense and reclaim the division. GS

NFC North champion

Close your eyes and throw a dart at the NFL’s toughest division, and you have a 25% chance of being right. The Lions, Packers, and Vikings all have reason for hope, but if Bears head coach Ben Johnson can refine quarterback Caleb Williams, and Dennis Allen’s defense can improve over last season’s boom-or-bust results – they led the NFL in turnover differential , but ranked 23rd in points allowed – it’s Chicago’s time to shine. DF

Chicago may be the trendy pick and Green Bay dangerous floaters, but the Lions still have enough offensive firepower and strength along the line of scrimmage to hold them off in the NFL’s deepest division. BAG

The Lions were burned by injuries last year and still stayed in the playoff hunt almost to the end. They are positioned for a rebound, with more of their core available and one of the league’s easiest schedules – a chance to bank early wins while key pieces work their way back from early-season absences. AL

The Packers remain without Micah Parsons until at least Week 5 but a look at their first four opponents – the Vikings, Jets, Falcons and Buccaneers – points to a hot start. GS

NFC South champion

Mayfield was outstanding in the first half of the 2025 season before his own injuries, and the injuries of those around him, took their toll. The Buccaneers started the season 6-2 before falling off to 8-9. With better luck things should look quite a bit better in 2026. DF

The Buccaneers have the most settled quarterback situation, enough skill-position talent and a defense that’s just good enough. Carolina are the likeliest threat while neither Atlanta nor rebuilding New Orleans have enough to mount a serious challenge. BAG

There’s little incentive to go against the Buccaneers , the gold standard in the league’s most volatile division. AL

Off the back of late-season success in 2025, the Saints will be feeling good about their chances. If second-year quarterback Tyler Shough maintains his upward trajectory they should be confident. GS

NFC West champion

While there are reasons to question the ultimate validity of the Rams ’ “all-in” approach that culminated with the return of Donald, there’s enough in the hypothetical to give Sean McVay’s team a slight edge over the Seahawks – if only because Seattle didn’t follow their Super Bowl win by radically stocking their defense as the Rams did. DF

There are legitimate durability questions around the aging Stafford and the returning Donald for the Rams . But it’s hard to imagine anyone challenging a roster tricked out with as much high-end talent as any NFL team in years. Anything short of a division title would qualify as a serious underachievement. BAG

The Rams . With apologies to the reigning Super Bowl champs, the moves GM Les Snead and Co made in the offseason to shore up their defense are eerily similar to the big swings they took in the 2021 season. And we all know how that turned out. AL

Donald and Garrett have five defensive player of the year awards between them and link up with former Super Bowl winners from the Chiefs in Watson and McDuffie. The Rams are stacked and then some. GS

AFC wildcard teams

Patriots, Jaguars, Chargers. DF

Patriots, Bengals, Chargers. BAG

Patriots, Ravens, Chiefs. AL

Chargers, Ravens, Jaguars. GS

NFC wildcard teams

Seahawks, Lions, Eagles. DF

Seahawks, Packers, Bears. BAG

Seahawks, 49ers, Cowboys. AL

Buccaneers, Lions, Seahawks. GS

AFC championship game

Bills over Broncos. DF

Broncos over Bills. BAG

Bengals over Jaguars. AL

Broncos over Bengals. GS

NFC championship game

Rams over Seahawks. DF

Rams over Eagles. BAG

Rams over Seahawks. AL

Rams over Cowboys. GS

Your Super Bowl LXI winner will be …

Rams over Bills. The Rams’ “ F Them Picks ” philosophy served them well when they gave up a ton of draft capital for Stafford, Jalen Ramsey, and Von Miller, and they won the Super Bowl as a result. If the 2026 Rams find that their go-for-broke philosophy works once again with a radical reshuffling of their defense, it’s hard to bet against them, because the offense was already so on point. DF

Rams over Broncos. The Rams have spent the offseason putting together a star-studded roster unlike anything we’ve seen in years, adding Garrett, McDuffie and Watson before Donald decided he wasn’t finished after all. Denver’s elite defense is capable of making it ugly, but Sean McVay’s embarrassment of riches on both sides of the ball will ultimately prove too much. BAG

Bengals over Rams. Burrow avenges the biggest loss in his career, and it’s in no small part thanks to Brown and player personnel director Duke Tobin pulling the trigger one last time on a piece that helps neutralize the effects of the Garrett-Donald pocket collapse (an extra guard, a fullback – don’t hold me to specifics). The confusion over what to make of Zac Taylor as a Super Bowl-winning coach quickly gives way to the confusion over what to make of a championship parade festooned with tributes to the world’s weirdest chili . In other words, the renovations on ancient Paycor Stadium pay for themselves . AL

Broncos over Rams. Denver can argue they were a broken ankle away from the Super Bowl last season. Handily for the Broncos they come back with almost an identical roster this year. They kept starting running back JK Dobbins and brought in Waddle to help out Sutton. The Broncos already have the AFC’s best defense to go with a sublime offensive line and exciting weapons that can take down the Rams. GS

Football’s most damaging red cards: a brief history of collapses and turnarounds | Football | The Guardian

Sport

Keyword – Football
Trefwoorden – Football, Sport
Title – Football’s most damaging red cards: a brief history of collapses and turnarounds | Football | The Guardian
Author – https://www.theguardian.com/profile/guardian-sport
Link – Football’s most damaging red cards: a brief history of collapses and turnarounds | Football | The Guardian
Publish date – 2026-09-09T07:00:02.000Z
Category – Sport
URL – https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/09/footballs-most-damaging-red-cards-a-brief-history-of-collapses-and-turnarounds

“The Saturday before last, Clyde were winning 3-0 at The Spartans after an hour when Logan Dunachie was sent off. Twenty-eight minutes later, the score was 3-3. What is the biggest turnaround in a game following a red card/most quantitative blame that can be thrown at a player for getting sent off?” asks Jamie Wills.

At Knowledge Towers, we usually receive questions about the greatest comebacks with 10 men. We covered that in 2021 , so it’s a nice change to look at teams who went to seed after having a player sent off.

Before we get to the meat of the question, a quick detour to cover some teams who were already losing and then fell apart completely after losing a player. There are examples dotted throughout the Premier League era. At the Etihad in 2017-18, Liverpool were a goal down to Manchester City when Sadio Mané was sent off in the 37th minute for a high challenge on Ederson. They lost 5-0 .

Two seasons later, Southampton were 1-0 down at home to Leicester when Ryan Bertrand was sent off in the 12th minute. They were eventually humiliated 9-0 . VVV-Venlo went one worse against Ajax the following season. They were 4-0 down at home when Christian Kum was sent off in the 52nd minute. By the hour mark it was 8-0; Ajax eventually won 13-0 .

In the same season, 2020-21, Southampton lost another Premier League game 9-0 , this time to Manchester United at Old Trafford. The score was goalless when the Swiss midfielder Alexandre Jankewitz walked in the second minute. Opta doesn’t keep records of how much eye contact Jankewitz made with his teammates over the next few days, but we imagine it wasn’t much.

The most costly red cards, literally and figuratively, are those that precipitate a team losing a lead. Zdenek Zeman’s joyfully reckless Foggia were 4-1 up at Atalanta during the 1991-92 Serie A season when Dan Petrescu was given a second yellow card in the 72nd minute. Chaos ensued, Atalanta’s Carlo Cornacchia scored a 14-minute hat-trick and the match finished 4-4.

An even more dramatic 4-4 draw took place in the Premier League 15 years ago. “While there might be bigger turnarounds, my thoughts immediately went to Newcastle v Arsenal at St James’ Park in 2010-11,” writes Rein. “I had just moved to the city and being Dutch, this game really hit home the highs and lows of supporting the Toon and tied me to the club. And that Cheick Tioté goal ….”

We’re sure you remember the game, but if not, here’s a quick precis. Arsenal strolled to a 4-0 half-time lead, then things started to change when Abou Diaby was sent off in the 50th minute for manhandling Joey Barton. Arsenal collapsed in the final quarter of the game. Barton scored twice, Leon Best chipped in with another – and then, in the 87th minute, the late Tioté volleyed a glorious equaliser.

At least Arsenal took a point back to London. Venezia had no such solace after the Derby del Veneto in December 2021. They were 3-1 up at home to Verona in Serie A when Pietro Ceccaroni was sent off in the 62nd minute for handling on the goalline. Gianluca Caprari scored the resulting penalty before Giovanni Simeone struck twice to give Verona a famous win.

And finally, we shouldn’t forget Emmanuel Adebayor ’s scene-stealing cameo on his return to the Emirates in November 2012. He gave Spurs an early lead before being given a straight red card in the 17th minute for a dangerous challenge on Santi Cazorla. Arsenal, who had beaten Spurs 5-2 at the Emirates earlier in the year, enjoyed a bit of deja 5-2.

The million dollar question

“Are Liverpool the first club to have three £100m+ players on their books? And which clubs were first to have three £10m+ and three £1m+ players?” wonders Owen Powell.

It’s tricky to answer this question definitively, mainly because reported transfer fees can vary wildly. With that caveat, these are the best answers we could find – if you can find earlier examples, send them to knowledge@theguardian.com . Turns out Real Madrid aren’t the only Spanish club partial to a galactico or three.

£1m: Nottingham Forest (1981)

Trevor Francis (Birmingham City, 1979)

Ian Wallace (Coventry City, 1980)

Justin Fashanu (Norwich City, 1981)

Fashanu joined Forest in August 1981, precipitating the sale of Francis to Manchester City a few weeks later. He became City’s third £1m+ player after Steve Daley and Kevin Reeves. Francis, Wallace and Fashanu were on Forest’s books together for a few weeks.

£10m: Lazio (1998)

Marcelo Salas (River Plate, 1998)

Christian Vieri (Atletico Madrid, 1998)

Ivan de la Pena (Barcelona, 1998)

We think Barcelona were the first team to sign three players for £10m or more – Ronaldo in 1996, Sonny Anderson and Rivaldo in 1997 – but they weren’t on the books at the same time.

£100m: Barcelona (2019)

Ousmane Dembélé (Borussia Dortmund, 2017)

Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool, 2018)

Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid, 2019)

Dembélé joined Barcelona for a reported fee of £96.8m, potentially rising to £135.5m with add-ons. We’re quietly confident they paid at least £3.2m in add-ons. The first club to sign three players for an upfront fee of £100m+ appears to be Chelsea: Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo and Morgan Rogers. They were briefly on the same wage bill this summer until Fernández moved to Manchester City.

Trophy-laden players (part two)

Last week, we looked at whether any footballer has won more trophies tha n Marquinhos (41 and counting). Our answer at the time was no. Since then, we’ve had a few follow-ups in our inbox putting forward the name of Gibraltar legend Lee Casciaro.

Given that the question did not specify whether the trophies needed to have been won in a major league, we should mention Casciaro’s honours. Here’s Sean DeLoughry with the details. “ According to Wikipedia (so there’s a 3% chance it’s accurate) Gibraltar’s Lee Casciaro won 23 league titles, 15 Rock Cups, 13 Pepe Reyes Cups and 11 Gibraltar Premier Cups with Lincoln Red Imps for a total of 62 trophies.” Even if Wiki’s a little bit out, Casciaro’s trophy haul is still going to be heavier than that of Marquinhos. He isn’t a full-time professional, however, working as a police officer alomgside his football career, so maybe that counts againt him. Sean points us in the direction of Linfield’s Noel Bailie, another former semi-pro, as a member of the 40-trophy club, winning all his silverware during 22 years with the Blues.

Knowledge archive

“Against Wolves this week, West Ham’s Konstantinos Mavropanos scored a goal and then, just five minutes later, scored an own goal. Either way round, what’s the fastest such an unlikely double has been achieved?” wonders Sam Coare.

We had this question in 2022 , when Ajax’s Sébastien Haller scored at both ends in the space of four minutes. Here’s what we said back then:

There are many members of the “scored at both ends” club but finding a player who has done it quicker than the Ajax striker did is tricky. Robert Davies wrote in with a player who matched Haller’s three minutes, but we can’t confirm whether he was faster or slower. Either way, it was an eventful match for Walsall’s Conor Wilkinson in the 3-3 draw with Newport on 1 January this year. Here’s the rundown:

52 min: Came on as sub 53 min: Scored with first touch 56 min: Scored own goal 90+5min: Scored equaliser

We also remember Troy Deeney going from hero to villain within three minutes when he equalised for Watford against Manchester United in the 87th minute in November 2015, before putting through his own net in the 90th. And a doff of the cap to Tammy Abraham, who scored a hat-trick for Chelsea before adding an own goal 14 minutes later during their 5-2 win over Wolves in 2019.

Can you help?

“In their draw at Forest, Spurs managed an xG of 1.6 despite not having a single shot on target,” writes Chris. “What is the highest single-game xG a team has achieved without ever putting one on frame?”

“When did fans wearing replica kits become a thing?” asks Alex Ecob. “Older footage shows people in regular clothes and a few scarves/flags in the team colours. What kickstarted the trend? Did one club get there first?”

“From 2007-08 to 2017-18, Newcastle United’s player of the year award was won by nine defenders and two goalkeepers,” begins Matt Cowan. “From 2002-03 to 2018-19, no forward won the award. Has any club had a longer streak without a forward or midfielder winning the award?”