Mohamed Salah’s story of success and sacrifice: ‘Chasing a dream I had to reach’

In this exclusive book extract, Melissa Reddy documents the Egyptian King’s sacrifice and dedication to make his vision a reality The entrance to Al Mokawloon Al Arab’s youth sector feels imposing. At first it is confusing to pinpoint the reason. Is it the facade; a mesh of thick concrete slabs, a marble-like trim that alters in colour depending on the light, and the no-nonsense black steel gate? Perhaps it is the stately signage of white block letters in Arabic juxtaposed against the dark background, with satellite pieces of information and announcements signifying importance. But to stop and pay attention to buildings around Nasr City in eastern Cairo is to notice that the blend of functional and decorative elements of the entrance, down to even the font and array of notices, is not unique. The building’s aura can be explained by the main image above its gates, and the knowledge that to walk through them is to follow the footsteps a history-maker took from the age of 14. Mohamed Salah’s face has pride of place above the gates; it is a reminder of where he’s been, but more pertinently, of why it is important to marry talent with discipline and determination. The truth is he has achieved the impossible. Continue reading...

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‘There is a clear vision’: Matthias Jaissle installed as Newcastle head coach

* German officially announced as Howe’s successor * ‘This an incredibly compelling place to be’ Matthias Jaissle has described Newcastle “as an incredibly compelling place to be” after finally formalising his managerial move from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli. The 38-year-old German has been with his new players at their training camp in La Manga, southern Spain, since last Saturday but, despite also falling under the ownership of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Al-Ahli took time to provide Newcastle with some vital paperwork regarding the release of a head coach they were extremely reluctant to lose. Continue reading...

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Super League closes in on gamechanging investment from Australia’s NRL

* Australian officials touring clubs to gauge mood * Wigan and Warrington set date for Dublin clash NRL officials have arrived in England to hold talks with clubs as the prospect of a groundbreaking deal with Super League nears completion while two of the competition’s heavyweights, Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves, confirmed they will lead an on-the-road weekend to Dublin in 2027. Rugby league’s two premier club competitions have been in discussions for most of this year about a deal that would see the NRL invest a significant sum into Super League, while taking authoritative control of the competition in a bid to transform its long-term fortunes. That investment would also ensure the financial security of clubs. Continue reading...

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The Spin | Clicky Ponting, viral catches, and strange new era of amateur cricket streams

Livestreaming services such as FrogBox give grassroots players their big moments for posterity, but Saltburn saga shows how digital age brings tricky double edge “Monday to Friday, people are sharing the content,” says Rob Knee, chief executive of the cricket livestreaming company FrogBox. You can say that again. The story and accompanying footage of Brian Devine’s apparent finger-clicking chicanery at Saltburn Cricket Club went around the world last week. When Piers Morgan and Mike Brearley are wading into the discourse to give you a kicking on social media and a ticking off in the Times, it is probably a sign things have got a bit out of hand. “We’d much rather see some outstanding catches, centuries and sixes being the cause of those viral moments,” Knee tells The Spin down the phone from Melbourne with the “Clicky Ponting” saga still rumbling. Saltburn CC are one of 1,850 clubs, mainly in the UK and Australia, who have purchased a livestreaming kit from the Australia-based company. Continue reading...

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LIV Golf secures ‘lead investor’ until 2030 but future of star names still uncertain

* LIV chief refuses to disclose new funders’ identities * Scott O’Neil hopes DeChambeau and Rahm will stay LIV Golf has secured a “lead investor” to safeguard its existence until 2030, although the agreement is unlikely to prevent a batch of high-profile players from departing by the end of this year. Scott O’Neil, LIV’s chief executive, announced basic plans for the “next generation” of the tour on Wednesday while refusing to disclose the new funders of the business. After the withdrawal of backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, O’Neil has been engaged in a race against time to save his business. Continue reading...

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Tour de France Femmes: Vollering victorious on stage five as Ferrand-Prévot’s defence unravels

* Three outstanding riders in race broke clear of peloton * Padding row intensifies after footage of male inspection Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s defence of her Tour de France Femmes title unravelled among the Beaujolais vineyards as the French rider lost even more ground to rivals Demi Vollering, Marlen Reusser and Kasia Niewiadoma. The three outstanding riders in this year’s race broke clear of the peloton over the final steep gradients of Mont Brouilly, with 2023 Tour winner Vollering outsprinting overall race leader Reusser to take the fourth Tour stage win of her career. Continue reading...

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Football Daily | Mohamed Salah and a potted history of Liverpool legends visiting Trabzon

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! This October will mark the 50th anniversary of the first time Liverpool and Trabzonspor were thrown together by the gods of football. When they played each other in the second round of the European Cup in 1976 it’s fair to say not many associated with Liverpool were impressed with Trabzon. Bob Paisley described the team hotel as a “doss house”, the ball as “a pig’s bladder” that “was not good enough for blow football”, adding that “teams in the Durham Mining League would not play with it”, and as for the food, well, he’d had “better rations in my bivvy in the Western Desert”, back when he was in Montgomery’s Eighth Army. This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.  Continue reading...

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Luís Figo blasts ‘deceitful’ Infantino and says Fifa president must quit to ‘save football’

* Portugal legend calls for Fifa president to stand down * ‘Too late to save his dignity, not too late to save football’ The Portugal legend Luís Figo has described Gianni Infantino’s ill-fated scheme to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors as “the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed” and called on the Fifa president to resign. Infantino was forced to scrap his controversial proposal after a fierce backlash that was led by Uefa, with the 56-year-old now battling for his future having called an emergency meeting of Fifa staff on Wednesday as pressure on him mounts. Continue reading...

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‘I’d not heard of rugby league’: Mary Coleman’s unlikely journey from Cambridge graduate to England cap

The Wigan prop only took up the sport in her 20s when she moved north to work for the Home Office but now hopes to play at the World Cup There was something old-school about the England women’s team that beat France 38-4 in Toulouse last week. With eight players from Wigan, five from Leeds and three from St Helens, it looked like a Great Britain side of the early 2000s. But among the Wigan contingent was a player with a story that feels very 2026: Mary Coleman, a prop from Kent who works for the Home Office, has a first-class degree in psychological and behavioural sciences from Cambridge University, and had not heard of Wigan – or played rugby league – until she was in her early 20s. “I didn’t grow up in a rugby household,” says Coleman. “I didn’t really know anything about rugby until I was in sixth form. My school was setting up a girl’s union side and I said to my boyfriend at the time: ‘Maybe I’ll give it a go.’ He said: ‘Don’t be silly, that’s not your thing.’ When we broke up, my 16-year-old brain wondered: ‘How am I going to get my boyfriend back? I’ll give rugby a go.’ My first session was a contact session and I immediately fell in love with someone encouraging me to run at someone as hard as I could.” Continue reading...

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‘Dream come true’: Eva Olid delighted after being named Manchester United’s new head coach

* United impressed by her ability to develop players * Spaniard signs two-year deal after guiding Hearts to glory Eva Olid has described being appointed as the Manchester United Women head coach as a dream come true, after signing a two-year contract until 2028, with the option of a further year. The Spanish coach will replace internationalsMarc Skinner, whose surprise departure was announced on Monday morning. Continue reading...

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Former world champion Joseph Parker cleared to box again after failed dope test

* ‘My provisional suspension is lifted and I’ll ​be back soon’ * British Boxing confirm news but gave no details Joseph Parker, the former heavyweight world champion, ⁠said on Wednesday he had been cleared to fight ⁠again after failing ⁠a ​dope test last October. The 34-year-old New Zealander, ⁠who held the WBO title from 2016 to 2018, had denied ⁠taking a prohibited substance but ​risked a two-year ‌ban. He failed ‌the voluntary test on the day ‌he fought and lost to Britain’s Fabio Wardley. Reports at the time indicated that he had tested positive for traces of cocaine. Continue reading...

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‘I’d not heard of rugby league’: Mary Coleman’s journey from Cambridge graduate to England cap

The Wigan prop only took up the sport in her 20s when she moved north to work for the Home Office but now hopes to play at the World Cup There was something old-school about the England women’s team that beat France 38-4 in Toulouse last week. With eight players from Wigan, five from Leeds and three from St Helens, it looked like a Great Britain side of the early 2000s. But among the Wigan contingent was a player with a story that feels very 2026: Mary Coleman, a prop from Kent who works for the Home Office, has a first-class degree in psychological and behavioural sciences from Cambridge University, and had not heard of Wigan – or played rugby league – until she was in her early 20s. “I didn’t grow up in a rugby household,” says Coleman. “I didn’t really know anything about rugby until I was in sixth form. My school was setting up a girl’s union side and I said to my boyfriend at the time: ‘Maybe I’ll give it a go.’ He said: ‘Don’t be silly, that’s not your thing.’ When we broke up, my 16-year-old brain wondered: ‘How am I going to get my boyfriend back? I’ll give rugby a go.’ My first session was a contact session and I immediately fell in love with someone encouraging me to run at someone as hard as I could.” Continue reading...

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Stokes decoded: his concerns for Joe Root and hopes for ‘great man’ Stephen Fleming | Ali Martin

What England’s former captain did – and didn’t – say in two-hour podcast interview with his old teammates Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler Over the course of two hours chatting to his old friends Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler on their podcast, Ben Stokes sounded at peace with his decision to retire from England duty five weeks ago. Dare we say it, refreshed and ready to go again. Beyond playing for Durham and in franchise cricket, Stokes is “definitely” retired, however, and there was not even a hint of a possible U-turn when the home Ashes rolls around next summer. Nor, given his character, was this first interview since calling it a day ever going to be one stuffed with regret. Continue reading...

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Game, set, Chat: how tennis players use AI to scout opponents and run their lives

The emergence of GenAI has led to a generational shift with stars conflicted on the impact of technology on their sport Not so long ago, Emma Raducanu was on her phone when she found herself wondering what her comprehensive usage of ChatGPT said about her own character. “I use Chat a lot,” Raducanu says, laughing. “Every small thing I do it and I got this idea. So, you know how Spotify do a Spotify Wrapped? I asked ChatGPT to make me a Chat Wrapped, and it was giving me a rundown on my personality. “I was like: ‘It’s a little bit too accurate.’ It was very clear, very concise. No nonsense, straight into the question. I was like: ‘OK, I can relate maybe. Some of that is true.’” Continue reading...

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Tour de France Femmes: stage five, Mâcon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais – live

Updates from 12:45 BST/13:45 CET Riders face checks for aerodynamic chest padding Email Luke | Sign up for The Recap Stage five is classified as hilly, and you can say that again. There are eight categorised ascents and lots of uncategorised ones on what promises to be a draining 140km journey from Mâcon to Belleville-en-Beaujolais. With 2,900m climbing in total, it’s not the most punishing day on paper, but there is potential for this to be a horribly demanding stage for all concerned. Some will fancy their chances in a breakaway but the GC teams will naturally be looking to control: if an overall contender such as Demi Vollering is feeling good, she might try and attack on the final couple of climbs. Continue reading...

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The Spin | Clicky Ponting, viral catches, and strange new era of amateur cricket streams

Livestreaming services such as FrogBox give grassroots players their big moments for posterity, but Saltburn saga shows how digital age brings tricky double edge “Monday to Friday, people are sharing the content,” says Rob Knee, chief executive of the cricket livestreaming company FrogBox. You can say that again. The story and accompanying footage of Brian Devine’s apparent finger-clicking chicanery at Saltburn Cricket Club went around the world last week. When Piers Morgan and Mike Brearley are wading into the discourse to give you a kicking on social media and a ticking off in the Times, it is probably a sign things have got a bit out of hand. “We’d much rather see some outstanding catches, centuries and sixes being the cause of those viral moments,” Knee tells The Spin down the phone from Melbourne with the “Clicky Ponting” saga still rumbling. Saltburn CC are one of 1,850 clubs, mainly in the UK and Australia, who have purchased a livestreaming kit from the Australia-based company. I think cricket has a drinking culture and that has not changed. We are in 2026 now, where the game has gone more professional over the years. But one thing that has just stayed within cricket is its relationship with alcohol, from club cricket it works its way up. It stays there and is embedded within the sport. Continue reading...

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Continuity, chaos and Rodman: how Washington Spirit are thriving in NWSL

International talent and one of US’s most marketable players to fore as league approaches business end The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is just past the midway point of its 14th regular season, with 12 of 30 games remaining in the regular season (though half the league’s teams have one or more games in hand). Despite a number of developments in 2026 – including two new expansion teams and the Utah Royals on a historic tear – some things have stayed consistent. At the moment, that includes a third consecutive season featuring the Washington Spirit as a top-two team. With the business end of the season looming, the mark of success is twofold: maintain that consistency through the end-of-year melee and into the playoffs (easier said than done) and, importantly for the Spirit, level up with a first-place finish in the table and/or a Championship trophy. Continue reading...

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Arsenal agree £75m fee with Newcastle for Bruno Guimarães as clubs reach compromise

* Magpies rejected opening offer of £70m on Monday * Newcastle captain to travel from Spain training camp Bruno Guimarães is set to leave Newcastle’s pre-season training camp in southern Spain and fly to London before a £75m move to Arsenal. The out-going Newcastle captain is scheduled to undergo a medical in north London in the next couple of days after the two clubs finally compromised on the fee. While Arsenal had initially wanted to pay no more than £60m for the Brazil midfielder, who turns 29 in November and has two years remaining on his contract, Newcastle demanded a minimum of £80m. Continue reading...

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Football transfer rumours: Folarin Balogun to Spurs? Pedro Neto to Manchester City?

Today’s fluff is riding a unicycle It’s been a quiet summer thus far for Folarin Balogun, so why not stir up some controversy by signing for the arch rivals of your boyhood club? The Monaco striker, who started his career at Arsenal, is being linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, who need a goalscorer to ensure they do not finish 17th again. The American’s agents have offered him up to Roberto De Zerbi’s side to see if they are willing to bite. One forward certainly of interest to the Italian manager is Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson but no bid has been made. This seems like a sensible point to put some Tottenham and Manchester City gossip in. If Savinho heads down south, as has been discussed for a long old while, Enzo Maresca would like Pedro Neto to replace him as a wing demon, having worked with the Portugal international at Chelsea. In further Spurs winger news, Manor Solomon was close to leaving for West Ham but Hull have entered the race as part of their accelerated transfer activity as they seek to ascertain if the Israeli is a Housemartins fan. Continue reading...

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UFC’s White House spectacle led to losses of around $30m, company reveals

* Freedom 250 staged on White House South Lawn * Invitation-only event cost an estimated $60m in all * Gaethje won title on night marred by Obama smear The UFC staging its Freedom 250 card on the South Lawn of the White House in June led to losses of around $30m (roughly £22m), the company’s owners announced. US president Donald Trump, a longtime fan of the UFC, and vice-president JD Vance were in attendance for the event which marked celebrations for 250 years of American independence. Continue reading...

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Héctor Bellerín: ‘When you leave a club like Arsenal, it’s scary. It hurts’

Spanish full-back on moving on from the Emirates Stadium, his elation at his old club ending their title drought, and how Mikel Arteta has helped prolong his career One day when he was 18 or 19, still near the start of his journey, Héctor Bellerín got a call from Mikel Arteta inviting him round. He remembers asking lunch or dinner but this was neither. “When I arrived that afternoon, he was sitting with a financial adviser and they started to ask: ‘How much do you spend on this?’ ‘How much do you spend on that?’. I was young, I’d just started to make money and spend money: on clothes, cars, the things we all do when you’re not really aware. I was pitching low. I felt embarrassed, ashamed, but I left with a lesson in humility and affection. “Mikel was the first player who showed me that I was important to him, that I mattered. He demonstrates real care, if not through a hug. I said: ‘Thank you.’ He said: ‘If you do the same for a teammate one day I’m happy.’ The legacy he left is one I try to pass on so young players feel looked after and that’s an experience that defines Mikel very well.” Continue reading...

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RFU expects £10m loss off the back of England’s worst Six Nations campaign

* Team finished second bottom in men’s competition * Insiders insist team’s ‘light calendar’ a significant factor England’s worst Six Nations performance has contributed to the Rugby Football Union expecting a £10m loss in the financial year ending June 2026, the Guardian can reveal. Steve Borthwick oversaw a miserable campaign in which England lost four of their five matches, ensuring a fifth-place finish in the Six Nations table and reduced prize money on the back of what the RFU has described as a “hugely disappointing” competition. Continue reading...

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Which footballer made the biggest leap in competitive levels between games? | The Knowledge

Plus: worst-ever penalty shoot outs, poachers turned gamekeepers … and footballers donating antiques?! * Mail us with your all of your questions and answers “Malachi Fagan-Walcott’s final game of last season was for York City against Rochdale in the National League. His first competitive game of 2026-27 season was for Hearts against Sturm Graz in a Champions League qualifier. Has a player ever made a bigger leap in competitive levels between consecutive club games?” asks Tom Reed. Does a jump from the Welsh League to the FA Cup count as a bigger leap? Probably not, but this was an FA Cup semi-final, rather than a Champions League qualifier, and it’s a cracking yarn regardless. “I’ll nominate Gary Plumley,” writes Russell Connor. “Gary made almost 200 appearances for Newport County in four separate spells over the course of a decade but by 1987 he had effectively retired and was running a wine bar while making occasional appearances for Ebbw Vale in the Welsh League. Steve Baines, the only referee in the English professional leagues to have had significant experience as a player. Dick Jol, who refereed the 2001 Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Valencia. Ben Haverkort, who as a player received 73 yellow cards and six reds, many for verbally abusing referees. Continue reading...

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Doubts grow over Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open defence after latest withdrawal

* World No 2 pulls out of ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati * Spaniard has been sidelined since April with ongoing wrist injury Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out of the Cincinnati Open due to an ⁠ongoing wrist injury, casting fresh doubts over the Spaniard’s fitness ahead of his ⁠US Open title ⁠defence this ​month. The seven-times Grand Slam champion has been sidelined since withdrawing from the Barcelona Open second round in April ⁠but had been set to return at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati, which he won last ⁠year. Continue reading...

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‘Our new champion’: Philippines swept up in tennis fever after Alex Eala’s historic win

WTA event win earns 21-year-old a presidential reception in the Philippines as interest in tennis surges in home country The Philippines has been swept up in tennis fever after 21-year-old rising star Alex Eala delivered a historic win, drawing praise from the president who hosted a reception in her honour. On Monday, Eala became the first player from the Philippines to win a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour-level singles title. Continue reading...

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Tearful Jack Draper loses on comeback from injury at Canadian Open

* Briton withdrew from Wimbledon with bruised bone * Draper in tears during 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 loss to Térence Atmane Jack Draper was in tears during a first-round comeback defeat by Térence Atmane at the Canadian Open. The Briton was competing for the first time since pulling out of Wimbledon with a recurrence of a bruised bone in his left arm, and was beaten 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in Montreal. Continue reading...

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Trabzonspor aim to sign Mohamed Salah this week after opening transfer talks

* Club chair says forward will have medical on Wednesday * Egypt international left Liverpool after nine years The Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor say they have begun transfer ⁠negotiations with Mohamed Salah, with the club chairman adding they hoped to sign the Egypt forward later this week. “Negotiations have been launched ⁠to transfer professional footballer ⁠Mohamed Salah, ​who is in a free status, to our club,” the club said in a statement. Continue reading...

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David Squires on … Gianni Infantino clinging to power as his Fifa empire crumbles

Our resident cartoon imagines some of the crisis talks at Fifa as its president scrambles for support after a botched World Cup plan Continue reading...

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The Fifa family: which confederations could support Infantino or turn against him?

Gianni Infantino is under increasing scrutiny following his World Cup sell-off plan. We look at each confederation’s relationship with the president The pressure is growing on the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, with many countries withdrawing their support following the bungled World Cup sell-off. However, how key is Infantino’s relationship with each confederation and is it likely that an election contest will actually happen? We look at the key considerations, confederation by confederation. Continue reading...

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Durham sitting pretty in One-Day Cup despite Ben Stokes’ golden duck

Will Rhodes played the role of Durham superhero, Rishi Patel hit another century and Joe Denly said farewell By the 99.94 Cricket Blog This article is from The 99.94 Cricket Blog Continue reading...

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