Former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko will join an exclusive list of players aged 40 or over to feature at a World Cup after being named in Bosnia-Herzegovina’s squad for the 2026 tournament.

The veteran forward is set to become only the second outfield player to appear at the global showpiece after their 40th birthday.

Cameroon legend Roger Milla currently holds that unique distinction, having famously played and scored at the 1994 edition in the United States.

A rare feat in international football

While outfield players of that age are exceptionally rare, six goalkeepers have previously achieved the milestone on the biggest stage.

That esteemed group includes Egypt’s Essam el Hadary, who was 45 at the 2018 tournament, alongside Pat Jennings, Peter Shilton, Dino Zoff, Faryd Mondragon and Ali Boumnijel.

The legendary Bosnian talisman is unlikely to be the only 40-something outfield player in North America this summer.

Luka Modric, 40, and Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, are both widely expected to feature for Croatia and Portugal respectively.

Leading from the front in qualifying

The nation’s all-time leading appearance maker and scorer was instrumental in securing their qualification for the finals.

Earning his 148th cap, the prolific frontman played in seven of eight Group H qualifying matches before steering his team through the play-offs.

He demonstrated his enduring quality by netting his 73rd international goal during a crucial semi-final victory against Wales.

Early preparations for North America

The European nation has become the first competing country to officially confirm their 26-man roster for the expanded tournament across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Making only their second ever appearance at a World Cup finals, they have been drawn into Group B where they will face Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

Full Bosnia-Herzegovina 2026 World Cup squad

Eighteen-year-old spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman marked her international debut with a match-winning performance as England secured a dramatic one-wicket victory over New Zealand in Durham on Sunday.

The teenager claimed impressive figures of 2-49 during her first One Day International appearance.

She then displayed remarkable composure with the bat, forming a decisive last-wicket stand alongside stand-in captain Charlie Dean to guide her country over the line.

Crucial partnership seals dramatic win

Dean praised the young bowler’s temperament after the tense conclusion to the match.

“She showed nerves of steel to bring us home and it was good to get over the line,” Dean said.

Reflecting on her own performance, the left-arm spinner admitted she felt emotional upon taking her maiden international wicket.

“I’m glad I looked calm out there because I wasn’t, but Deano helped me keep it really simple,” she explained.

Rapid rise leads to global stage

The successful debut continues a whirlwind few months for the highly-rated prospect.

She secured a lucrative £105,000 contract for The Hundred in March before earning a call-up to the national squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Her meteoric ascent comes just two years after she made her initial breakthrough in county cricket.

High praise from coach Edwards

England head coach Charlotte Edwards has monitored the bowler’s development since presenting her with an under-11 cap for Kent.

Edwards previously drafted the talented youngster to the Southern Brave and remains confident in her ability to perform at the highest level.

“I’ve never met a young girl so mature, so ahead of her years, but also really skilful,” Edwards stated.

The upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup begins on 12 June, with the coaching staff clearly viewing their new debutant as a serious contender for a starting position.

Gary Neville has backed defending champions Paris Saint-Germain to defeat Arsenal in this month’s Champions League final and elevate manager Luis Enrique to legendary status.

The French giants are aiming to become only the second team in the modern era to retain the European Cup.

Mikel Arteta’s side stand in their way, though the Premier League club enter the showpiece event as clear underdogs.

The Parisians secured their maiden European title 12 months ago by dismantling Inter Milan 5-0.

They have maintained that electric form during this campaign, eliminating both Liverpool and Bayern Munich to reach another final.

Chasing consecutive European crowns

Enrique now has the opportunity to join an exclusive managerial elite.

Zinedine Zidane remains the only coach to secure successive Champions League trophies over the past 35 years.

Legendary figures such as Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson all failed to achieve the consecutive feat.

Speaking on his podcast, former Manchester United defender Neville insisted the Spanish manager can etch his name into history.

“It feels like the moment for PSG to win it back-to-back and for Luis Enrique to put himself up there with the God-like managers who have done this.”

Arsenal face monumental underdog challenge

The North London club are simultaneously chasing a first domestic league title in 22 years.

However, Neville believes overcoming their French opponents in Europe may be a step too far for the current squad.

“In the Champions League final they need to think about their defensive ability and strength and think how they can over 90 minutes beat a team who are better than them.”
“Because PSG are better than them, you can’t get away from that. PSG are a better team than Arsenal right now and they’ve demonstrated that over the last two seasons.”

Both clubs are pursuing impressive domestic and European doubles this season.

If the PSG boss succeeds, he will emulate the historic back-to-back achievements of Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest and Bob Paisley at Liverpool.

“Winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years is huge but getting the Champions League as well would be incredible.”
“It feels like the right moment for Arsenal to win the Premier League, it doesn’t quite feel like the right moment for them to win the Champions League.”

German official Daniel Siebert has been appointed by Uefa to referee the Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on Saturday, 30 May.

The 42-year-old brings significant experience to the showpiece event, having already taken charge of nine matches in Europe’s elite club competition this season.

A familiar face for Arsenal

Mikel Arteta’s side boast a flawless record under the veteran official during their current continental campaign.

Siebert oversaw the quarter-final first-leg victory against Sporting Lisbon, as well as the crucial semi-final second-leg triumph over Atletico Madrid.

The north London club secured hard-fought 1-0 victories on both of those high-pressure nights.

Remarkably, the German has yet to show a single yellow card to an Arsenal player across those two pivotal fixtures.

Contrasting records and statistics

Paris Saint-Germain have only encountered the official once this term during a goalless draw at Athletic Bilbao in December.

The French champions saw four players booked by the disciplinarian in that tense group-stage encounter.

Statistics show the referee averages 4.44 yellow cards per game in European competition this season, notably higher than his domestic rate of 3.20 in the Bundesliga.

He also brings major international tournament pedigree to Hungary, having previously officiated at both Euro 2024 and Euro 2020.

Arteta demands officiating consistency

The appointment comes shortly after the Arsenal manager publicly praised the bravery of video assistant referees during a recent domestic victory over West Ham.

“When I had to be critical, I have been.”

Arteta told Sky Sports regarding the immense pressure placed upon modern match officials.

“You needed a lot of courage and bravery to stand out and give the opportunity to the referee to have a look at the action.”

A fully German video assistant referee team, led by Bastian Dankert, will support the on-field crew in Budapest.

Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn will serve as assistant referees, while Switzerland’s Sandro Schärer takes up duties as the fourth official.

Missouri Tigers tailback Ahmad Hardy is in a stable condition following surgery after being shot at a concert in Mississippi early on Sunday morning.

The university announced on Monday that the first-team All-SEC selection is currently recovering in hospital.

Missouri officials have stated that a specific timeline for his return to competitive football activities remains entirely unknown.

University rallies behind recovering star

The athletic department released an official statement expressing their continued backing for the standout athlete during his rehabilitation.

“Ahmad is deeply loved by his teammates, coaches, friends, family and fans.”
“We will continue to stand beside him and his family through this difficult time, offering our love, prayers, strength and support.”

A dominant force in college football

The Mississippi native established himself as one of the premier offensive threats in the nation during his most recent campaign.

He finished second among all Football Bowl Subdivision players by amassing an impressive 1,649 rushing yards.

Earning SEC Newcomer of the Year honours, the prolific runner also found the end zone 16 times while averaging 6.4 yards across his 256 attempts.

Prior to his arrival at Missouri, the highly rated talent spent the 2024 season competing for UL Monroe.

During his time with that programme, he recorded 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns on 237 carries before securing his high-profile transfer.

England international Beth Mead will leave Arsenal at the end of the season in search of regular playing time after a glittering nine-year stint in north London.

The 31-year-old was hailed as a true club legend after scoring 86 goals in 263 appearances since arriving from Sunderland in 2017.

Both London City Lionesses and Manchester City are reportedly interested in securing the signature of the highly sought-after attacker.

A decorated spell in north London

During her distinguished tenure, the Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner helped secure a Women’s Super League title, three League Cups, and the Women’s Champions League.

She famously assisted Stina Blackstenius’ winning goal in last season’s Champions League final against Barcelona, ending a painful 18-year wait for European glory.

Beth has made a huge contribution to our football club over nine years, and will go down in history as one of our best forwards and a legend of the club.

That glowing tribute from Arsenal director of women’s football Clare Wheatley highlights the profound impact the versatile winger has had on the entire organisation.

Search for minutes ahead of World Cup

Despite her undeniable quality, the former Sunderland star has found her starting opportunities increasingly limited throughout the current campaign.

The prolific forward has made 27 appearances across all competitions this season, but 11 of those have come as a substitute.

With the 2027 World Cup in Brazil approaching, securing consistent minutes elsewhere is vital to remaining firmly in England manager Sarina Wiegman’s future plans.

This pressing need for playing time follows a gruelling 11-month recovery from a serious anterior cruciate ligament rupture suffered in November 2022.

The knee injury forced the 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year to miss the 2023 World Cup, though she successfully returned to help the Lionesses retain their European crown at Euro 2025.

Pelova also departs the Emirates

In addition to their celebrated number nine, Arsenal confirmed that Dutch international Victoria Pelova will also exit the club this summer.

The 25-year-old midfielder departs having made 87 appearances and scored six goals since her arrival from Ajax in January 2023.

Caitlin Clark returned to competitive action with a 20-point performance as the Indiana Fever suffered a 107-104 defeat to the Dallas Wings on the opening weekend of the WNBA season.

The historic 30th campaign of the premier women’s basketball league tipped off with a blend of expanding franchises, dominant upsets and high-profile returns.

All eyes were firmly fixed on Indianapolis as the Fever’s star guard stepped onto the court for her first competitive match in 296 days.

The 24-year-old had missed the majority of the 2025 season due to a series of frustrating, nagging injuries.

Rust evident but brilliance remains

Despite showing initial signs of rust during the early stages of Saturday’s encounter, the former Rookie of the Year finished with an impressive seven assists and five rebounds alongside her scoring tally.

Shooting accuracy proved elusive for the prolific playmaker, who managed to convert just two of her nine attempts from beyond the three-point arc.

She concluded the evening shooting 38.9% from the field, though her second-half performance featured trademark deep pull-up jumpers and exceptional transition passing.

Opposing defenders consistently struggled to contain the franchise cornerstone whenever she drove aggressively toward the basket.

Wings soar while champions stumble

The visiting Dallas side demonstrated remarkable offensive efficiency to spoil the highly anticipated homecoming.

Having secured only 10 victories throughout a dismal 2025 campaign, the Texas-based outfit appeared entirely transformed in their season opener.

They recorded a phenomenal 59.1% shooting accuracy from the floor, firmly putting to rest memories of last year’s league-worst offensive statistics.

Elsewhere across the league, the Las Vegas Aces experienced a turbulent start to their title defence.

New beginnings and title rematches

After receiving their diamond-encrusted 2025 championship rings, the defending champions were heavily defeated by the Phoenix Mercury.

The result provided a small measure of retribution for the Arizona franchise following their comprehensive sweep in last year’s WNBA Finals.

However, Las Vegas quickly recovered their composure, delivering a commanding blowout victory against the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday.

The milestone weekend also featured the historic debut of the expansion Toronto Tempo, alongside the return of the Portland Fire following a 24-year absence from the league.

A 40-year-old man has been charged with five counts of attempted murder after a car mounted a pavement in Nottinghamshire on Saturday, leaving an amateur footballer fighting for his life.

Police confirmed that Duane Anthony is due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court in connection with the hit-and-run incident in Arnold town centre.

A red Vauxhall Astra reportedly mounted the kerb at Market Place shortly after 13:00 BST, colliding with a group of pedestrians.

The victims included members of Woodthorpe Park Rangers FC, who had been celebrating the end of their season the previous evening.

Club devastated by town centre collision

One squad member remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries following the crash.

The club’s manager and another teammate are recovering from minor injuries sustained during the incident.

Woodthorpe Park Rangers, who compete in the Nottinghamshire Senior League, released a statement requesting privacy as they come to terms with the event.

The amateur side described their critically injured player as a much-loved individual within the dressing room.

“We are all struggling right now and are asking for privacy and respect so we can get our heads around what has happened.”
“This is a heartbreaking and awful time for our club.”

Police confirm multiple driving offences

Alongside the attempted murder charges, the 40-year-old faces allegations of aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified, and driving without valid insurance.

Detective Chief Inspector Ruby Burrow, who is leading the investigation, confirmed that the families of the victims have been updated on the charging decision.

“This was a shocking incident that will have been incredibly distressing for all those involved and anyone who witnessed it happen.”

The senior officer also urged the public to avoid online speculation that could impede the ongoing pursuit of justice.

Authorities have indicated that Counter Terrorism Policing are not treating the collision as a terror-related incident.