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SEATTLE, June 12 : Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is thinking about ending his international career after the World Cup, he said on Thursday as his team prepared for their Group G opener against Egypt in Seattle.

The 34-year-old, who won the first of his 109 caps in 2011, suggested it was time to pass the torch after the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

“I don’t know if we should be talking about the future right now, but the chances are greater that I won’t continue after this tournament than that I will,” he told reporters at the Belgian team base.

“I still want to play for a few more years.

“And then you have to take care of your body. My family is here because this could be my last tournament.”

But the Real Madrid goalkeeper also suggested he could be persuaded to continue.

“If we have a good World Cup, of course. And continuing to feel the good atmosphere within the group. Afterward, I’ll need to have an internal discussion with the coach, (technical director) Vincent Mannaert, and the doctors.”

Courtois said that under former coach Domenico Tedesco he was allowed to skip some international breaks, and that reinforced his thinking.

“I noticed that during those international breaks you can get some rest and work quietly in the gym,” he said.

“In addition, over the last year and a half, I’ve had more little physical problems and injuries, so you naturally think more about the future.

“I’m considering passing the torch. There’s a lot of talent coming through with Senne (Lammers) and Mike (Penders).”

Courtois said he was raring to go against Egypt on Monday.

“Yes, I’m very hungry, just like the rest of the group. I feel very good and I’m looking forward to it.

“I also worked very hard on my comeback during the spring. The (quadriceps) injury was unfortunate because at that moment I felt almost unbeatable. But I’m ready to maintain my level now and stay focused,” he added.

Belgium also face Iran and New Zealand in the group stage.

NEW YORK, June 11 : New York Knicks fever has engulfed the five boroughs this week, with the team just one win away from snapping a 53-year NBA title drought and the kickoff of the first of the region’s eight World Cup matches across the river on Saturday taking a backseat for many locals.

Brazil and Morocco will have the eyes of the world when they kick off the soccer action in East Rutherford, New Jersey, at 6:00 pm ET on Saturday. But the attention of born-and-raised New Yorkers will be on the Knicks when they tip off against the San Antonio Spurs in Texas in Game 5 of the championship series two-and-a-half hours later.

“This is an incredible time to be a sports fan and, frankly, an even greater time to be a New Yorker,” said the city’s sports-mad Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday, wearing a Knicks jersey underneath his blazer as he addressed locals and out-of-towners ahead of Saturday’s World Cup match.

The steamy-hot streets of Manhattan were clogged with blue-and-orange-clad fans deep into the night on Wednesday, after the Knicks made up a staggering 29-point deficit to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden.

The London-born OG Anunoby capped the instant classic with a gamewinning putback that coach Mike Brown called “the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball”. Others compared the tip in to Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal, with ESPN dubbing it the “Hand of OG.”

“The energy in our city right now is incredible,” said Mamdani. “Time and again, people have doubted the Knicks. And time and again, the Knicks have proven the doubters wrong. OG Anunoby with the greatest outstretched hand since Diego Maradona.”

Fans from New York and New Jersey snapped up some 44 per cent of tickets for Saturday’s Game 5 at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center sold on TickPick, the secondhand ticket platform said on Thursday, as the Knicks hoped to wrap up the series on the road or play Game 6 at home on Tuesday.

‘SHOUTOUT TO OUR FANS’

The Knicks towering center Karl-Anthony Towns paid tribute to the fans’ grit and resiliency, applauding them for staying through to the final buzzer when Game 4 appeared all but out of reach.

“Shoutout to our fans, man,” he told reporters. “As anyone who lives in New York knows, if you want to make it in this city, you have to be okay getting it out of the mud, and we did that.”

The New York City Police Department’s public relations office said it would announce on Friday whether fans would be permitted to congregate outside Madison Square Garden to watch the game on big screens, a tradition among fans that was upended due to security concerns at this week’s two home games, prompting open rancor between Knicks owner James Dolan, the NYPD and Mamdani.

Madison Square Garden sits atop Penn Station, a key transit hub for ticketholders to Saturday’s World Cup game.

TIJUANA, Mexico – Iran conducted open training at their World Cup base camp on June 11 in Tijuana, where the team arrived amid geopolitical tensions that have threatened to overshadow the world’s biggest sporting event.

The team moved their base camp from the United States to Mexico late last month after the US and Israel conducted joint strikes on Iran beginning in late February.

They are set to play the first of their three group-stage matches at Los Angeles Stadium on June 15 against New Zealand.

The team had previously selected a sports complex in Tucson, Arizona.

Players were seen working through basic calisthenics on the pitch under sunny skies in a recovery training session after playing Xolos de Tijuana’s U-21 team a day prior.

A sign declaring “WELCOME TO TIJUANA” loomed in the background, along with messages written in Farsi and Spanish as the players jogged around the field.

The US Department of Homeland Security said this week that Iranian players would be allowed to enter the US the day before each of their three group-stage matches, countering previous media reports that claimed the team would have to enter and exit the US the same day they were playing.

A team official said Iran would travel to Los Angeles on June 14, a day before their World Cup opener, for training and the official FIFA press conference, and planned to hold two more open practices on June 13 and 14.

MEXICO CITY, – Mexico got the World Cup party started as the co-hosts swept away South Africa 2-0 on Thursday in a tempestuous clash with three red cards as the ​pyrotechnic smoke of the opening ceremony gave way to a cloud of red mist at a rocking Azteca stadium.

The match fired the starting gun for the ‌quadrennial extravaganza, yet the scrappy encounter will likely be remembered not for its thrilling football but for its flurry of dismissals.

Julian Quinones’s early strike set the tone for a dominant Mexican display in the Group A match with Raul Jimenez’s header midway through the second half removing any lingering tension for the home crowd.

Yet South Africa were reduced to 10 men when Sphephelo Sithole was sent off early in the second half, with ​his teammate Themba Zwane following him off the pitch before Mexico’s Cesar Montes was dismissed in the dying moments.

The ill-tempered match spoiled an otherwise party atmosphere, yet the home ​crowd got to celebrate an opening victory that will set them up nicely to make it out of a group that also ⁠includes South Korea and the Czech Republic.

The hosts’ performance, however, failed to impress Mexico’s demanding coach Javier Aguirre.

“This was a 4-0 match, we didn’t play good enough, but people are ​happy,” he told reporters. “It’s the start of the World Cup – we’ve put the nerves behind us and now we have three points. We’re thinking about what’s next.”

Aguirre’s side next face South ​Korea in Guadalajara on June 18, when South Africa play the Czechs in Atlanta.

DAY OF FIRSTS

It was a day of firsts for the World Cup, as the first 48-team edition, and the first to be held in three countries, got underway in the first stadium to host three World Cup openers.

It was fitting therefore that the first of a record 104 matches had Mexico clinch a first win in ​the tournament’s opening match after seven previous failures and of course, it was the first World Cup opener to feature three red cards.

The fixture was a repeat of the 2010 ​tournament opener, when South Africa held Mexico to a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg, yet this encounter was played out in a stadium with World Cup history stamped all over it.

The Azteca has witnessed ‌some of ⁠the tournament’s most iconic moments, from Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ and 1986 heroics to Pele’s all-conquering Brazil side of 1970.

While there was none of that era-defining quality on show on Thursday, it mattered little to the hordes of green-clad supporters, who had already been revved into frenzied excitement before a ball was kicked.

With the match played against a backdrop of protests that had threatened to bring Mexico City to a standstill, supporters were taking no chances, with many already hovering around the stadium nearly seven hours before kickoff.

MEXICO GET OFF TO FAST START

An opening ceremony ​that featured Shakira and Burna Boy performing ​the World Cup anthem had pumped up ⁠the crowd still further before Mexico swiftly got down to business.

The game was barely minutes old when Jimenez stung the fingertips of South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams with a volley from 12 yards, but the tournament’s opening goal was not long in coming.

Sithole was robbed ​on the edge of his own box by Lira, preferred in the heart of midfield to captain Edson Alvarez, and he quickly ​fed Quinones who danced ⁠inside before drilling a low finish beneath Williams.

South Africa were clinging on for dear life as the first half came to a close and the second began in a similar vein.

Brian Gutierrez drew the first red card when his marauding run towards the box was stopped in its tracks by Sithole, whose clumsy tackle from behind earned him his marching orders to complete a ⁠miserable afternoon’s work ​for the midfielder.

The crowd had begun to get a little restless at Mexico’s failure to turn their numerical ​advantage into another goal but that frustration was relieved when Jimenez bagged his first World Cup goal, with a powerful downward header past Williams from a devilish cross by Roberto Alvarado.

The game’s finale was dominated by the ​dismissals with Zwane sent off after a VAR check for a supposed arm to the face while Montes was red-carded for Mexico for denying a goalscoring opportunity.

The Koreans joined Mexico on three points at the top of the standings after the co-hosts defeated nine-man South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener

GUADALAJARA: South Korea rallied ​from a goal down to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 and make a winning start to their World ‌Cup Group A campaign thanks to goals by Hwang In-beom and Oh Hyeon-gyuon Thursday.

The Koreans joined Mexico on three points at the top of the standings after the co-hosts defeated nine-man South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener.

There were noticeable areas of empty seats in the stadium, ​calling the official attendance figure of 44,985 into question, but the vast majority were firmly behind the Koreans.

​Their 2-0 win over Germany in the last group match of the 2018 World Cup put ⁠Mexico through to the knockout stage and sent Germany out, and that favour has not been forgotten by the ​locals.

Ladislav Krejci put the Czechs ahead with a fine header, but Hwang soon equalised and turned provider for substitute Oh’s ​winner.

Oh had come on for the misfiring Son Heung-min, who had five chances in the first half alone but endured an off-day in front of goal and is still two goals shy of the all-time scoring record for his country, failing to add to his ​56 strikes.

“Before the match I gave the players two messages to not give up until the end and unite as ​one and play together,” South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said.

We made mistakes, says Czech coach

“We made some mistakes,” Czech coach Miroslav Koubek ‌said. “When I ⁠look back at the situations, we could have prevented the opponents from scoring their goals. We created opportunities, but our opponent was very fast.”

It was a game of contrasting styles, the technical quality and passing range of the Koreans versus the brute strength and direct style of the Czechs.

Somali referee banned by US to officiate UEFA Super Cup

The first half was goalless but the game sprang to life ​in the second period and ​it was the Czechs ⁠who took the lead after 59 minutes when Krejci rose highest to head home from a long throw by Vladimir Coufal.

South Korea were level eight minutes later and it was ​a fine goal. Lee Kang-in’s excellent through ball created the shooting opportunity for Hwang ​and he cut ⁠inside before curling a right-foot shot low into the far corner.

Hwang then picked up possession on the right wing and his low cross into the six-yard box was swept into the net by Oh.

The Koreans were undone by a set-piece again when ⁠Thomas Soucek ​headed in a free kick, but the flag was raised for offside ​as the Czechs’ first game at the World Cup in 20 years ended in defeat.

South Korea next face Mexico on June 18 and the Czechs ​travel to Atlanta to meet South Africa on the same day.

The Carolina Panthers extended a key part of their offense Thursday, reaching a three-year, $35 million deal with receiver Jalen Coker, agent Matt Glose told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Coker was an exclusive rights free agent this year and was set to be a restricted free agent in 2027. Now, he’ll stick in Carolina through at least the 2029 season.

The new deal could rise to as much $41 million with incentives.

Coker, an undrafted free agent who signed with the Panthers in April 2024, had 43 catches for 394 yards and three touchdowns last season after sitting out the first month because of an injury. He came on strong toward the end of the season and eventually replaced Xavier Legette, Carolina’s first-round pick in 2024, in the starting lineup alongside Tetairoa McMillan, last year’s AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Coker had a breakout performance in Carolina’s NFC wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams with nine catches for 124 yards and a touchdown.

“I’m just excited to play for this team, that’s all it is,” Coker said previously. “All that other stuff, it is what it is. I’m just excited to be here.”

Coker didn’t receive much attention from top level Division I college programs coming out of high school and settled on attending Holy Cross. He promised his mother he would not transfer and would stick it out there and get his degree. He played four years at Holy Cross and caught 163 passes for 2,684 yards and a school-record 31 touchdowns.

TAMPA, Fla. — Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said Thursday there is “absolutely no question” he wants Baker Mayfield as his quarterback long term.

Bowles’ comments come after Mayfield said last week that he and the Bucs are “not anywhere close to what we were thinking” regarding a new deal heading into the 2026 season, the final year of his three-year deal worth $100 million.

Mayfield and his agent, Tom Mills, have said they would like a new deal done before training camp and that if they don’t have one before his reporting date, which is expected to be the final week in July, they would shut down any negotiations so he could focus on football. Though that doesn’t preclude negotiations after the season, Mayfield would become an unrestricted free agent in 2027 if no new deal is struck.

Mayfield emphasized, “It’s not up to me when that gets done by.”

Bowles said he doesn’t believe the lack of progress on a new deal has impacted Mayfield, who signed with the Bucs on a one-year “prove it” deal worth up to $8.5 million in 2023 and led the Bucs to back-to-back NFC South titles in 2023 and 2024 immediately following Tom Brady’s retirement. The Bucs are 27-24 (.529) with Mayfield as their starter.

“Baker’s all business. He’s all about business,” Bowles said. “The contract stuff takes care of itself. That’s the business side of it that you don’t see, that everybody has to deal with, and I’m sure he’ll take care of it, but it doesn’t affect his play.”

Mayfield showed as much during Thursday’s OTA practice, connecting with veteran wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. on back-to-back touchdowns in 7-on-7s. Then, Mayfield participated in the Bucs’ 12th annual “Color & Cut Funds the Cure” benefitting the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, where cancer survivors colored his hair with red spray paint. Mayfield was in good spirits throughout the event.

“Baker’s a true pro,” Bowles said. “I don’t think there’s any disappointment whatsoever. I mean, he loves it here. We love him here. The contract stuff takes care of itself, whether it’s the quarterback or any other position that comes up — those things get worked out over time.

“You just concentrate on what we got to concentrate on, on the field, and he’s been great right there.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee was indicted on a murder charge in the death of his partner.

A grand jury in Hamilton County returned an indictment Tuesday. Prosecutors dismissed a tampering with evidence charge to focus solely on the more serious allegation, Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp said.

The state is pursuing a first-degree murder conviction, which carries a life sentence. The decision on whether to pursue the death penalty against Lee will be made in the coming weeks, Wamp said.

Lee is accused of killing Gabriella Perpetuo, 29, in February. A medical examiner listed Perpetuo’s cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries, and the autopsy report listed 12 different injuries, including multiple hematomas, bone fractures and stab wounds.

At the time of Lee’s arrest, he was on probation in Franklin County, Ohio, and Alachua County, Florida, after he was charged in three separate alleged assaults involving another man, Lee’s mother and the mother of his child, court records showed.

Prosecutors accused Lee of asking ChatGPT how to get medical help without calling the police. He asked the artificial intelligence assistant whether a fall could cause bruising to two eyes and “two stabby looking wounds,” according to evidence presented in court.

Lee remains in the Hamilton County Jail without bond.

Lee, 31, played 58 games with the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills between 2016 and 2020. The former Ohio State standout was the 20th pick in the 2016 draft by the Jets.

Most NFL teams will have completed their minicamps by the end of Thursday, which means it’s summer break for those squads until the start of training camp next month. With that in mind, here are five things we learned from the first wave of teams that wrapped up their offseason workouts.

1) Mahomes deal could have ripple effect. Wednesday’s news of a historic contract extension for Patrick Mahomes likely tethers the quarterback and the Chiefs together for many years to come and could keep him a Chief for life. Mahomes is now under contract for the next eight seasons, through his age-38 year in 2033.

It’s not shocking that we arrived here. This is the perfect marriage of city and athlete. But it’s also a strong indicator that the Chiefs have no fears about Mahomes’ health coming off a torn ACL. Tom Brady suffered a similar injury at roughly the same stage of his career, and he went on to play 14 more years after that.

Major contracts such as Mahomes’ don’t just affect the athlete, his agent and team. It also has a league-wide effect, especially at such a premium position as quarterback.

I can imagine Lamar Jackson and other elite quarterbacks who are extension-eligible perked up a bit when the Mahomes news rolled in. It has a direct effect on Jackson and others, even if each of their individual situations may differ somewhat.

Even though Jackson has two years left on his deal, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said in January that he wanted to get an extension done with Jackson prior to the new league year, which started in March. We’ve missed that first marker and are about six weeks from the start of training camps.

While there’s still time to get a deal done before games begin, Jackson could play this coming season and try to cash in — for more money — next offseason. He’s coming off a tough year, plagued by injuries and a weaker Ravens team in general than we’re used to seeing.

If Jackson can have one of his better seasons under new head coach Jesse Minter, there should be nothing stopping the Ravens from opening the vault again for him. Jackson said the new offensive system was different from what he was used to but called it “mind-blowing” recently, so he appears to be happy.

2) Filling the WR void in Philly. The Eagles closed the book on A.J. Brown with the long-anticipated trade that sent him to New England nearly two weeks ago. The Eagles had ample time to make contingency plans and reshape the receiver room in his eventual absence.

The most ballyhooed WR addition is probably rookie Makai Lemon, the first-round pick the Eagles leapfrogged the Steelers to draft in April. Some have likened Lemon to an Amon-Ra St. Brown clone, giving the Eagles a different style of receiver to help replace the bigger, thicker Brown.

Lemon could end up the primary slot receiver in the Eagles’ three-WR sets and figures to have a big role as a rookie. Rookie receivers are on accelerated paths these days, with seven first-round wideouts turning in 1,000-yard seasons the past five years and another half dozen reaching the 850-yard mark. But with Lemon missing minicamp practice with a right leg injury, he’s likely going to enter training camp with some catching up to do.

Don’t forget about the Dontayvion Wicks addition this offseason. Wicks was never close to the lead guy in Green Bay his first three seasons and missed the final regular-season game and the playoff game to end his time there. But he arrived in Philadelphia in the perfect time and might be poised for his best season to date.

Wicks turns 25 years old next week and is just scratching the surface of his potential. He’s one of the few receivers on the roster capable of filling the big-bodied WR role that Brown manned and possesses the vertical speed and leaping ability to be a 50-50 threat for Jalen Hurts.

Hollywood Brown also has reportedly looked good early this offseason, but I am really focused on Wicks. He never really had a shot to fully develop with the Packers but might be exactly what the Eagles need – all on a very affordable deal for such a young, ascending receiver.

If Jackson can have one of his better seasons under new head coach Jesse Minter, there should be nothing stopping the Ravens from opening the vault again for him. Jackson said the new offensive system was different from what he was used to but called it “mind-blowing” recently, so he appears to be happy.

2) Filling the WR void in Philly. The Eagles closed the book on A.J. Brown with the long-anticipated trade that sent him to New England nearly two weeks ago. The Eagles had ample time to make contingency plans and reshape the receiver room in his eventual absence.

The most ballyhooed WR addition is probably rookie Makai Lemon, the first-round pick the Eagles leapfrogged the Steelers to draft in April. Some have likened Lemon to an Amon-Ra St. Brown clone, giving the Eagles a different style of receiver to help replace the bigger, thicker Brown.

Lemon could end up the primary slot receiver in the Eagles’ three-WR sets and figures to have a big role as a rookie. Rookie receivers are on accelerated paths these days, with seven first-round wideouts turning in 1,000-yard seasons the past five years and another half dozen reaching the 850-yard mark. But with Lemon missing minicamp practice with a right leg injury, he’s likely going to enter training camp with some catching up to do.

Don’t forget about the Dontayvion Wicks addition this offseason. Wicks was never close to the lead guy in Green Bay his first three seasons and missed the final regular-season game and the playoff game to end his time there. But he arrived in Philadelphia in the perfect time and might be poised for his best season to date.

Wicks turns 25 years old next week and is just scratching the surface of his potential. He’s one of the few receivers on the roster capable of filling the big-bodied WR role that Brown manned and possesses the vertical speed and leaping ability to be a 50-50 threat for Jalen Hurts.

Hollywood Brown also has reportedly looked good early this offseason, but I am really focused on Wicks. He never really had a shot to fully develop with the Packers but might be exactly what the Eagles need – all on a very affordable deal for such a young, ascending receiver.

Unless Charbonnet makes a remarkably quick recovery — something head coach Mike Macdonald isn’t ruling out — this feels like Price’s starting job to lose from the outset. There’s a certain irony in projecting to start Price in Week 1, considering he never started a game at Notre Dame – stuck behind Jeremiyah Love and Audric Estimé – in three seasons in South Bend.

There was some speculation that Emanuel Wilson, a quiet free-agent signing from Green Bay, could steal some carries in the early backfield mix as a bigger back than either Holani or Price, but Wilson has been running third in the pecking order so far.

Eventually Charbonnet will return, but he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract and has been a part-time back since entering the NFL, playing second chair behind Walker. If Price can show he’s capable of handling the bulk of the load before Charbonnet returns to the field, I think he’ll stay in the starter’s role for most of his rookie season – and likely beyond.

5) Bears cornerback makes practice statement. Bears CB Jaylon Johnson was not the same player in 2025 that he’d previously been, hampered by a groin injury that limited him to nine games (including playoffs). He had one interception and wasn’t nearly as effective as he’d been before, either in coverage or as a tackler.

So when Johnson picked off Caleb Williams twice on Tuesday, it wasn’t just your typical minicamp fodder. This was an indication that Johnson was back physically to a place where he can uplift this Bears defense.

Head coach Ben Johnson said he never really saw his best cornerback in top form last season and noted that “this time of year” isn’t always the best to judge where a player is, considering the lack of full contact in practice.

Even so, Ben Johnson believes Jaylon Johnson is trending in the right direction.

“He’s been able to stack a few (good practices) throughout OTAs,” the coach told reporters on Wednesday. “I think his mind is probably getting more confident in terms of the movements he’s making. So yeah, he’s a vital part of what we want to do. You know he’s been a Pro Bowl-caliber player in the past, and hopefully we can get that out of him again this year.”

The Bears certainly are hoping for that based on what they’re paying him. Jaylon Johnson is set to hit Chicago’s salary cap at $24.5 million and $25 million the next two seasons. At 27, he remains in his peak years, and the Bears are expected to break in two new starters in the secondary (safeties Coby Bryant and Dillon Thieneman) after leading the NFL with 23 interceptions last season.

The Bears will face some elite receivers this season, starting with Tetairoa McMillan and Justin Jefferson in Weeks 1 and 2. Johnson back at or near peak form would be a huge development.

LAS VEGAS — Ex-NFL player Henry Ruggs was denied parole nearly five years after killing a woman in a car crash in Las Vegas, the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners ruled Friday.

Ruggs, a former first-round draft pick and Raiders wide receiver, drove his sports car at speeds up to 156 mph (251 kph) in the city on Nov. 2, 2021, slamming into a vehicle that killed driver Tina Tintor and her dog, Max. Tintor was 23.

Prosecutors at the time said his blood-alcohol level taken within the required two hours after the crash was 0.16%. Before the crash, he was at TopGolf, a sports entertainment venue in Las Vegas, according to prosecutors.

Ruggs pleaded guilty in May 2023 to felony DUI causing death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. He was sentenced in August 2023 to a three- to 10-year prison sentence.

Ruggs will go before the parole board again three months before his Aug. 24, 2027, mandatory parole release date, according to Kathi Baker, executive director of the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners.

His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.