Lazio extended the Serie A title race by at least a day with a 2-0 win over Sassuolo, meaning Napoli have the chance to clinch the Scudetto on Thursday.
Felipe Anderson’s 14th-minute goal and a second from Toma Basic two minutes into stoppage time secured a victory which kept Lazio in second place, although Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli need just a point at Udinese on Thursday evening to claim their first Serie A title for 33 years.
First-half goals from Leandro Paredes and Dusan Vlahovic ended Juventus’ four-game winless league run as a 2-1 victory cemented them in third place.
Assan Ceesay’s 37th-minute penalty, awarded for handball by Danilo, cancelled out Paredes’ opener, but Vlahovic struck within three minutes to clinch the points.
Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez both scored twice as Inter Milan hit struggling Verona for six to maintain the pressure on the top three.
Inter effectively won the game inside six first-half minutes with Adolfo Gaich’s 31st-minute own goal sparking a collapse which saw Hakan Calhanoglu and Dzeko increase the visitors’ lead before the break with Martínez twice and Dzeko again finding the net after it.
Atalanta climbed into fifth after coming from behind to beat lowly Spezia 3-2 at the Gewiss Stadium.
Emmanuel Gyasi fired the visitors into an 18th-minute lead before Marten de Roon, Davide Zappacosta and Luis Muriel struck within 22 minutes either side of half-time, although Mehdi Bourabia reduced the deficit with 26 minutes remaining to ensure a tense conclusion.
Substitute Junior Messias’ stoppage-time free-kick spared AC Milan’s blushes and denied relegation-haunted 10-man Cremonese a lifeline.
Luca Caldirola’s first-half equalizer handed Monza a 1-1 draw with Jose Mourinho’s Roma, who had gone ahead through Stephan El Shaarawy and had Zeki Celik sent off at the death.
In LaLiga, lowly Valencia came from behind to claim a 1-1 home draw with rivals Villarreal after Samuel Lino cancelled out Nicolas Jackson’s strike.
Manchester City forward Erling Haaland reflected on a “special night” after his strike against West Ham earned him the record of scoring the most goals in a single Premier League season.
Haaland claimed the achievement in the 70th minute when he raced through on goal from Jack Grealish’s pass and chipped Lukasz Fabianski to reach 35 league goals this term.
It moved the Norwegian beyond Andy Cole and Alan Shearer, who had previously held the record for their efforts in the 1993-94 and 1994-1995 seasons respectively.
“A special night and special moment. Yeah I’m really happy and proud,” Haaland told Sky Sports.
“Of course I knew about it. Of course but we try to create the chances to score goals. It was not easy.
“They came here to try to defend for 90 minutes and we struggle a bit in the first half but second half, Nath (Ake) scored, I scored and the last one Phil (Foden) of course scored so it was an important win.”
An early penalty at Fulham on Sunday saw Haaland equal the 34-goal tally achieved by Cole and Shearer, but he was forced to wait a few days before he moved in front outright.
His City team-mates gave the summer arrival a guard of honour at full-time following his achievement in a 3-0 win that moved Pep Guardiola’s side back to the Premier League summit.
The next individual target in Haaland’s sights is Dixie Dean’s feat of 63 goals for Everton in the 1927-28 campaign.
But Haaland, on 51 goals for the campaign, insisted: “No, I don’t think of this now. I will sleep on this game and wake up tomorrow and I think of trying to get three points here against Leeds.
“It will not be easy with a new manager and everything, but we cannot keep thinking about these records. My head would become crazy, I would become crazy in my head so I don’t think of this.
“I will go home now and play some video games, eat something and then sleep. That’s what I’ll do and tomorrow we have to start thinking about Leeds. That’s my life.”
Kaoru Mitoma hopes to cap a fine breakthrough season by helping Brighton make history as he sets his sights on gaining revenge against Manchester United.
The high-flying Seagulls surpassed their Premier League points record by moving on to 52 with Saturday’s 6-0 thrashing of Wolves, which reignited the club’s quest to reach Europe.
Fourth-placed United travel to the south coast just 11 days after inflicting an agonising penalty shoot-out defeat on Albion in the FA Cup semi-final.
Japan winger Mitoma only made his Brighton debut in August but has rapidly enhanced his reputation this term with seven goals and four assists during a string of standout performances.
The 25-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise, is determined to further aid the Seagulls’ push to secure continental qualification for the first time.
“Right now it’s important for the team to finish the season as high up the table as possible and aim for a Champions League or Europa League spot,” he said.
“If we can reach a higher standard playing this brand of football, I think we will be able to bring the fans even more joy.
“I want to make them happy and, in order to do so, we want to make history.”
Brighton edged the recent Wembley meeting with Erik ten Hag’s men but were unable to find a breakthrough before Solly March’s miss proved decisive in a painful 7-6 shoot-out loss.
The eighth-placed Seagulls’ chances of catching United and scraping into the Champions League spots are extremely slim as they sit 11 points adrift, albeit with a game in hand.
Yet a top-five finish remains a distinct possibility going into Albion’s final seven fixtures in a hectic last month of the campaign.
Mitoma, who began the hammering of Wolves on the bench after being rested by boss Roberto De Zerbi, is confident Brighton can complete a league double over United following a 2-1 Old Trafford win on the first weekend of the season.
“It was a disappointing result, a frustrating result, but we have already switched our focus to the league,” he said of the semi-final setback.
“It’s very important that we win this game as they are our direct rivals in the league table. This will be a really big game for both teams.
“They are a team who is always fighting for the title, and the quality of each individual is something that sets them apart from other teams.
“But if we can play to our strengths, we will have a chance to win.”
Head coach De Zerbi could be absent from the Amex Stadium touchline for Thursday evening’s game after cancelling his pre-match press conference on Wednesday due to illness.
Mitoma was handed his maiden top-flight start by the Italian in Albion’s 4-1 victory over Chelsea in late October and believes he is progressing well.
“The coach demands a lot from me, so I’m trying my best to meet them,” he said.
“The way he sets up the team and his tactics are helping my performance, as it suits my style very well.
“He is very specific about what he wants from me in training and in games.
“I think my standard on the ball and off the ball is improving step by step, so I feel that I’m developing under his coaching.”
Erik ten Hag is in the dark over Manchester United’s summer spending power as the takeover saga rumbles on.
The Old Trafford giants announced in November that the board was exploring strategic alternatives to enhance the club’s growth, with a full sale one option being considered.
Friday was the third, and what is expected to be final, deadline for parties to make offers to buy the club, with Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitting bids.
Now the the Glazer family must decide how they want to proceed – a process that threatens to damage the progress made during Ten Hag’s first season in charge.
United are on course for a top-four finish and have the chance to add the FA Cup to the Carabao Cup, but the financial backing for improvements is unclear even to the manager.
Asked if he has been told he has the funds to do what he wants to this summer irrespective of how the takeover process pans out, Ten Hag said: “No, I don’t have. I don’t have influence on that, I don’t have… also I don’t know.
“The only thing what I know is that Man United is one of the biggest clubs and I think it’s among maybe (the) two biggest clubs in the world from a fanbase perspective.
“So, I think this club has to compete for the highest in the world, so Champions League, Premier League.
“But in football you need funds to construct squads because in the end of the day the level from your players makes if you are successful or not.”
Ten Hag says “everyone knows you need funds to construct a squad” and that “high level players cost a lot of money” in elite football.
“I, we see this as a project,” the United boss said. “In a project also it belongs that you are in windows, that you strengthen your squad needs or to make refreshments, so that you get more balance, definitely, and you bring young players in.
“But I think we already have shown and proved that we can beat the best teams in the world, so, yeah, I think we can compete in the Champions League.
“But at the end of the day we want to be in the winter also in the Champions League and we want to compete, and knock them all out, so then we have a way to go.”
United are preparing to take on Brighton in the Premier League on Thursday after beating Aston Villa 1-0 to a backdrop of protests against the Glazers on Sunday.
Ten Hag was seen after the match at Old Trafford picking up a green and gold scarf as he headed down the tunnel game, holding it up before throwing it back to fans.
When asked if it was an act of solidarity with the fans, the United boss said: “No, it was just polite.
“But I know what’s going around, what the symbol of it is, but this matter was just polite.”
Ten Hag, understandably, refrained from publicly criticising his employers at this stage of the season but his desire for clarity on the club’s future is palpable.
Asked how important it is to get the takeover process resolved as soon as possible, Ten Hag said: “Yeah, I think it’s clear what I want but it’s not up to me.
“It’s about others in this club, finally there are the owners and they make the decisions, so it’s not up to me.
“So, I do everything I can and I influence the processes I’m in charge of.”
Duhaney Park Red Sharks defeated Washington Boulevard Bulls 21-8 in a thrilling final to the Easter’s tournament held at the BB Coke High School in St Elizabeth on Saturday. It was a historic occasion as it was the first time that the parish of St Elizabeth was hosting a senior Men’s 9-a-side rugby league tournament for the first time.
Both clubs went undefeated during the group stage and had identical 3-0 records heading into the final. The Bulls raced to an early lead through tries from Javon Lewis and Andree Lee but the Red Sharks pulled level before half-time with tries from Shaquille Pollack and Javian Bryan.
In the second half, the Red Sharks took the ascendancy with a strong defensive display and denied the Bulls any points and extended their lead with additional tries from Adrian Thomas, Kenneth Walker, Marvin Thompson, and Jenson Morris.
Tournament MVP Chevaughn Bailey wrapped up the scoring with a drop goal.
“We wanted our best performance on the day as we have lost out on the last few 9’s titles. Credit to all teams on making the journey to St. Elizabeth and special commendations to St Bess Sledgehammers on organizing a great tournament,” said winning captain Marvin Thompson.
West Kingston Hyenas copped third place with a close 8-4 win over the Jamaica Defence Force while hosts St Bess Sledgehammers finished fifth after an 18-8 win over St Catherine Thundercats.
Portmore Rugby League Club took seventh spot with a 15-0 result over the Liguanea Dragons.
RLJ Vice Chair Adrian Hall was impressed with the tournament.
“It was fantastic to see seven teams travel from Kingston and St Catherine and ensure a successful tournament,” he said.
“We hope to widen the footprint of rugby league in St Elizabeth and the Easter 9s was a good advert for the game. The JMD$70,000 in total prize money for the top three teams added a special incentive for teams to perform to their best.”
The tournament that was sponsored by Cheddi’s Surveillance Cameras and Digital Services, provided good preparation for several national players who will compete for Jamaica in the USARL 9s on May 20 in Naples, Florida.
Liverpool turned up the pressure on Manchester United with a 1-0 victory over Fulham moving them four points off fourth place as Mohamed Salah’s winner edged him even closer to a Steven Gerrard record.
There was none of the drama or histrionics of Sunday’s 4-3 win over Tottenham in bringing up a fifth successive Premier League victory for the first time since April last year.
Salah’s 39th-minute penalty, his second in successive games after back-to-back misses, took him to 185 goals for the club, one behind Gerrard, while also going fifth on the club’s list of all-time league scorers with 136.
Manager Jurgen Klopp’s behaviour in the technical area was the very model of exemplary following a Football Association misconduct charge for comments about Sunday’s referee Paul Tierney.
He was perhaps making the most of his time on the touchline as he has until Friday to respond to the charges and, having already served a one-match ban this season, the punishment could be much more severe.
Klopp had written in his programme notes that going 3-0 up inside the opening 15 minutes against Tottenham – a match they eventually went on to win with an added-time goal – had given them some problems.
And although they set off looking like they might replicate that with Trent Alexander-Arnold alone having three attempts on goal in the first 10 minutes, they lacked some of the sharpness they had shown at the weekend.
Also, Fulham were also more organised than their fellow Londoners and that kept opportunities down to half-chances at best.
Alexander-Arnold’s advanced position stepping into midfield allowed him to get closer to his opponents’ goal but, unusually for him, he was off target with two attempts with another hit tamely at goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
Salah, whose cross just evaded Darwin Nunez eight yards out, weaved his way past a couple of defenders close to the byline but could not find the target from a narrow angle, while Luis Diaz also had a shot deflected wide.
Liverpool’s mastery of control in the opposition half was almost absolute, regularly winning back possession before Fulham had time to begin the semblance of an attack, but in their own final third it was much less so.
Virgil Van Dijk had to slide in to turn Harry Wilson’s cross behind after the former Liverpool winger had broken into the space behind Kostas Tsimikas, with Carlos Vinicius exploiting Ibrahima Konate’s hesitation to force a good save out of Alisson Becker.
When the breakthrough arrived it was no surprise it came from a counter-press after Nunez had initially lost possession 15 yards outside Fulham’s penalty area.
Tosin Adarabioyo squared a short pass to Issa Diop but the centre-half, back in the team due to Tim Ream’s season-ending injury, dawdled in making his clearance and Nunez was on him like a shot to nick the ball off his toes with the Frenchman’s swing at fresh air catching the forward’s back leg as he went past him.
Referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot and Salah scored an identical penalty to the one against Spurs, blasted straight down the middle.
The second half was much of the same, with Liverpool exerting most of the pressure without really pressing home their advantage.
That made their slender lead vulnerable and Alisson had to save well from Vinicius to prevent the equaliser with 13 minutes remaining to keep their slim Champions League qualification hopes alive.
They are, however, still relying on United to drop points as their arch-rivals have two matches in hand, starting at Brighton on Thursday.
Junior Messias scored a last-gasp equaliser as Milan were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened Cremonese at San Siro on Wednesday.
A win would have kept the Rossoneri level on points with rivals Inter in the race for Champions League qualification, but they fell behind in the 77th minute when substitute David Okereke shrugged off two defenders before coolly finishing.
Milan would escape with a draw, however, as Messias' free-kick found the net via a deflection in the third minute of stoppage time, while Charles Pickel was sent off in the dying seconds for an off-the-ball incident involving Sandro Tonali.
Stefano Pioli's men have now won just two of their last nine Serie A outings at a crucial juncture of the season, leaving them with an uphill battle on their hands if they are to finish in the top four.
Erling Haaland set a new Premier League goalscoring record as title favourites Manchester City reclaimed top spot with a comfortable 3-0 win over West Ham.
The prolific Norwegian raced through for league goal number 35 of the campaign – surpassing the previous best mark held by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer – on 70 minutes as City eased to victory at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
His sweet left-footed chip over Lukasz Fabianksi came after Nathan Ake had headed City in front on 50 minutes and before Phil Foden wrapped up victory with a deflected long-range volley.
The win took the treble-chasing champions a point above Arsenal at the summit and, with a game in hand, they seem to be cruising towards a fifth title in six years.
The victory came 25 years to the day after City were relegated to the third tier of English football in one of the lowest points of the club’s history.
The contrast with the team now is remarkable, although City – perhaps with next week’s trip to Real Madrid in mind – were far from their energetic best.
Again they were without the dynamism of Kevin De Bruyne through injury and the atmosphere was far more subdued than for last week’s seemingly pivotal win over Arsenal.
That lack of spark transmitted itself to the field in a slow start and West Ham may wonder what might have been had a sickness bug not robbed them of key players including Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek.
Yet with Haaland, City always posed a major threat and his strike, his 51st overall this season, was yet another demonstration of his awesome firepower.
Neither side created a clear-cut chance in the opening 30 minutes and West Ham threatened first when Jarrod Bowen got to the byline. Goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, standing in for the rested Ederson, blocked at the near post.
City picked up the pace in response with Jack Grealish cutting inside and lashing a shot against the outside of the post from a tight angle.
Haaland then combined with Rodri to send the Spaniard through on goal but his low shot struck the base of the post and rolled across goal.
The breakthrough came five minutes after the restart as Riyad Mahrez clipped a free-kick to the back post and Ake stole in to head past Lukasz Fabianski.
Haaland appealed for a penalty after going down under a Thilo Kehrer challenge but nothing was given.
The striker was not to be denied, however, as he was released by the hard-working Grealish and calmly lobbed over Fabianski.
With the job done, City eased towards the final whistle and Foden had the final word with a well-struck volley from distance that flew in off Emerson Palmieri.
It was City’s 1,000th goal in all competitions under Guardiola and wrapped up an excellent night’s work.
City celebrated Haaland’s achievement by giving him a guard of honour as after the final whistle.
Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez headlined a spectacular Inter performance as they dismantled relegation-threatened Hellas Verona in a 6-0 victory in Serie A, scoring two goals apiece.
The Nerazzurri ran riot against their hosts at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi to boost their Champions League qualification prospects on Wednesday.
A long-range strike from Hakan Calhanoglu and an Adolfo Gaich own goal piled further misery on Verona, helping Simone Inzaghi's visitors move back above Atalanta into Serie A's top four.
The victory also proved an emphatic warm-up for their upcoming Champions League semi-final tie against rivals Milan, though for Verona and Marco Zaffaroni, it leaves them grasping at straws in their battle for safety.
Inter laid siege to the Verona box from the first whistle, though they had to wait half an hour for their opener, Gaich turning Federico Dimarco's cross into his own net following a string of great Lorenzo Montipo saves.
The attacker's calamitous intervention unlocked the floodgates for the Nerazzurri, who doubled their lead six minutes later when Calhanoglu lofted a spectacular 30-yard effort into the top-left corner after he was left unmarked.
A prompt error from the restart by Verona allowed Martinez to capitalise, sending Dzeko away on the break for a smooth finish, and the visitors had effectively sealed the game before half-time had even come into view.
There was more punishment to come for the hosts however, with Martinez offering just 10 minutes of respite after the interval before he chipped Montipo for the fourth to keep the onslaught going.
Dzeko nabbed his double shortly past the hour mark after sweeping home a low finish from a counter-attack, and Martinez joined him with a two-goal haul in the final seconds after a scrappy close-range effort.
Cambridge’s hopes of avoiding relegation from League One took a damaging blow with a 1-0 defeat away to Burton.
Mark Helm struck the only goal of the game in a tense affair where the visitors knew that a victory would lift them out of the bottom four going into their last match of the season.
But instead they sit a point from safety heading into their clash with already-relegated Forest Green on Sunday and needing both MK Dons and Morecambe to drop points to have a chance of survival.
Cambridge began brightly with leading goalscorer Sam Smith denied by a timely challenge from Sam Hughes before pulling a good chance wide from the edge of the box.
But Albion grabbed the lead after 28 minutes when Helm skipped past a couple of challenges before finding the corner of the net via a deflection.
Helm hit a post early in the second period having been brought down by goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov but referee Andy Haines tried to play an advantage as he looked poised to award the penalty.
Ryan Bennett headed a late chance against the crossbar as Cambridge sought an equaliser before Jordan Amissah produced an amazing last ditch save to claw away Smith’s goalbound header.
A second-half turnaround helped Bromley win 2-1 at Woking and earn a place in the Vanarama National League play-off semi-finals for the first time.
Woking had finished fourth in the regular season to earn home advantage for the eliminator and Rohan Ince fired them ahead in the 13th minute.
Seventh-placed Bromley responded on the hour mark through Michael Cheek’s penalty and Deji Elerewe’s 77th-minute effort booked them a trip to Chesterfield on Sunday.
Ince provided Woking with the perfect start when he curled into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area.
No second goal occurred for the hosts though and Cheek levelled from the spot for Bromley on the hour mark despite home supporters shining the torch on their phones behind the goal.
The Ravens were in the ascendency now and they grabbed a winner with 13 minutes left when a long throw from Omar Sowunmi found its way to Elerewe at the back post to head home.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland broke the record for most goals scored in a Premier League season with his 35th of the campaign against West Ham on Wednesday.
His feat is even more impressive as the record of 34 was set in the league’s early 42-game seasons by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.
Here, the PA news agency looks at how Haaland compares.
Andy Cole, Newcastle, 1993-94
Appearances: 40
Goals: 34
Assists: 13
Cole scored only once in the first four games but got 15 in the next 12, including all the goals in a 3-0 win over Liverpool and doubles against Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham and Oldham.
Another hat-trick against Coventry and a standout performance in the return game with the Hammers, with a goal and three assists in a 4-2 win, were further highlights of his season. His 13 assists also led the Premier League as Newcastle finished third, making him the only man until Harry Kane in 2020-21 to top both charts outright.
Alan Shearer, Blackburn, 1994-95
Appearances: 42
Goals: 34
Assists: 13
Shearer was ever-present as he equalled Cole’s record and led Blackburn to the title – like Cole, completing his tally with a goal on the final day of the season. He scored three hat-tricks – all in 3-0 wins at Ewood Park, against QPR, West Ham and Ipswich – and four doubles in his second of three straight 30-goal seasons.
He matched Cole’s assists tally as well, ranking third in the top flight as he and strike partner Chris Sutton combined to set each other up on 13 occasions, a record broken by Kane two years ago in tandem with Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min.
Erling Haaland, Manchester City, 2022-23
Appearances: 31
Goals: 35
Assists: 7
Haaland wasted no time making his mark in the Premier League – scoring two goals on his debut against West Ham, a record nine in his first five games and 15 in nine. He has four hat-tricks to his name and one more will equal Shearer’s record of five in a season set in his 31-goal 1995-96 campaign.
His record-equalling penalty against Fulham at Craven Cottage last weekend brought up his half-century in all competitions, having scored 12 goals in eight Champions League appearances and four in the domestic cups, with his strike against the Hammers sending him clear in Premier League history.
Haaland’s league assist tally, though in single figures, still ranks joint-sixth in the top flight this season, defying scrutiny of his perceived one-dimensional role in Pep Guardiola’s side.
Roll of honour
Haaland began hauling in previous Golden Boot-winning tallies as early as November 5 after 18 goals in his first 12 games.
The 23-goal mark that has won the last three awards lasted only until January’s hat-trick against Wolves, which accounted for nine previous Golden Boot seasons in all, while he matched Mohamed Salah’s 38-game record of 32 in just 28 appearances.
18 goals – Michael Owen, Dion Dublin and Chris Sutton 1997-98; Owen, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dwight Yorke 1998-99
Appearances: 12
v Fulham (H), November 5
19 – Nicolas Anelka 2008-09
Appearances: 14
v Leeds (A), December 28
20 – Didier Drogba 2006-07; Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez 2010-11
Appearances: 14
v Leeds (A), December 28
22 – Teddy Sheringham 1992-93; Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 2018-19
Appearances: 18
v Tottenham (H), January 19
23 – Hasselbaink 2000-01; Jamie Vardy 2019-20; Harry Kane 2020-21; Salah and Son Heung-min 2021-22
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
24 – Thierry Henry 2001-02
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
25 – Alan Shearer 1996-97; Ruud van Nistelrooy 2002-03; Henry 2004-05; Kane 2015-16
Appearances: 19
v Wolves (H), January 22
26 – Robin van Persie 2012-13; Sergio Aguero 2014-15
Appearances: 22
v Arsenal (A), February 15
27 – Henry 2005-06
Appearances: 24
v Bournemouth (A), February 25
29 – Drogba 2009-10; Kane 2016-17
Appearances: 27
v Southampton (A), April 8
30 – Kevin Phillips 1999-2000; Henry 2003-04; Van Persie 2011-12
Appearances: 27
v Southampton (A), April 8
31 – Shearer 1995-96; Cristiano Ronaldo 2007-08; Luis Suarez 2013-14
Appearances: 28
v Leicester (H), April 15
32 – Salah 2017-18
Appearances: 28
v Leicester (H), April 15
34 – Andy Cole 1993-94; Shearer 1994-95
Appearances: 30
v Fulham (A), April 30
Joel Embiid's 2023 MVP win shows the influence the 1992 United States men's team had on growing basketball globally, believes former coach Justin Harden.
The Philadelphia 76ers man claimed the league's top individual honour after back-to-back finalist finishes behind Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Embiid, who hails from Cameroon, averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists over 66 games, becoming the third straight international player to win the award following Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jokic.
Harden, who coached Embiid during his senior year at The Rock School in Florida, feels his success underlines how the United States team that conquered the 1992 Olympic Games helped grow the sport globally.
Commonly referred to as the 'Dream Team', the squad was the first to feature professional NBA players, with a team including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird cruising to gold medal success in Barcelona.
"When you think about who's in the top ten players [in the NBA], a good host of them are international players," Harden told Stats Perform.
"From Nikola Jokic to Giannis [Antetokounmpo] to Luka Doncic, [and] then you've got a guy who is undoubtedly going to be the number one pick [in Victor] Wembanyama.
"I can imagine he's going to be great too. I think it just is a testament to the Dream Team and their influence on what they did for international basketball playing in Barcelona.
"There's great coaching all throughout the world. The United States is not necessarily the epicentre or the only option for great basketball to be played.
"It's awesome to see that these guys are going to be MVP. Luka could be the next MVP, and then you have four in a row that are international guys.
"I think it's really neat to see that our game has become such a global sport, because when Joel was here, we had 13 guys on our team, and seven of them were international players, five of them from the continent of Africa.
"We've always cherished what international players can bring to our programme."
Having known Embiid from such a young age, Harden is proud of both the player and the man Embiid has become, saying: "I'm super excited for him. I mean, this is like a breakthrough moment.
"He's had a couple of runner-up finishes, and so it's good to see him be able to break through and have another great season, I think his third in a row.
"I think this was the best one because he withstood from being injured. I think the last two seasons were hampered by his injuries and so out of his control, but his play was certainly great.
"I'm super excited for him. He's a good guy. I knew him when he was a boy, a young boy becoming a man.
"Now he's a grown man. He's got a family. As much as I'm excited to see him win MVP, I'm also equally excited to see him as a father and as a husband."
Wales international Joe Hawkins is “gutted” to miss out on the World Cup after prioritising his “professional development, personal development and financial security” by agreeing to join Exeter.
The 20-year-old centre – who will join the Chiefs from Ospreys at the end of the season – said he has been deemed ineligible to play for his country, with his five caps falling short of the 25 required by the Welsh Rugby Union for players playing outside Wales.
However, Hawkins has insisted he had little choice with no contract on offer in his native country, and claimed he was previously being “underpaid”.
He said in a statement on his social media accounts: “Gaining my first cap for Wales in the Autumn Internationals was an incredibly proud day for my family and I, and continuing to wear the Welsh jersey in the Six Nations fulfilled a childhood dream of mine.
“Unfortunately, I have been deemed ineligible to play for Wales and the opportunity to play in the World Cup is no longer a possibility. I wish the boys and staff the best of luck and I am truly gutted I can’t share this journey with them.
“I want to acknowledge that by signing for the Exeter Chiefs, my first professional contract, I have fully prioritised my rugby career. I have done so with my professional development, personal development and financial security in mind.
“The turbulent period in Welsh rugby, where there were no contracts on offer in Wales, put all out-of-contract players under pressure. Witnessing the number of players currently out of a job in Wales has reinforced my decision.
“Further, while I have spent the last three years playing professional rugby, and later, international rugby, I have been held to an ‘academy contract’, being significantly underpaid.”
Hawkins was not included in Warren Gatland’s 54-man preliminary World Cup training squad when it was announced on Monday, but has vowed to use his time in England to fulfil his potential.
He said: “As a passionate rugby player, my ultimate goal is to fulfil my potential for both my club and country, despite this being put on hold for now.
“However, I am very grateful and excited to focus on next season with my new club. I am determined to work hard and achieve success with my new team-mates at Sandy Park over the coming years.”
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