Southampton have re-signed their former captain Adam Lallana after the midfielder left Brighton and Hove Albion as a free agent.
Lallana initially joined Southampton at the age of 12 and was with the club for 14 years before he left for Liverpool in a £25million deal in 2014.
During eight years with the Saints' first team, he made 265 appearances and scored 60 goals, helping them win back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League as well as lifting the EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium in 2010.
He then went on to help Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool win the Premier League, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup trophies before joining Brighton in 2020.
He heads back to St Mary's as Russell Martin's first signing ahead of their return to the Premier League, after Southampton earned promotion by beating Leeds United 1-0 in last month's Championship play-off final.
Speaking to Southampton's website, Lallana said: "I've been no stranger. My son's at the academy, so I'm in and around it quite a bit, but I've not been this close to being home, so it's amazing.
"Although it sounds like a bit of a fairytale, in my head there's still a job to do and I'm really confident I've still got a lot to give to this football club."
Southampton will discover their Premier League fixtures for 2024-25 on Tuesday, when the schedule for the new campaign will be released.
Noted sports attorney Dr. Emir Crowne has blasted the Dwayne Barnett-led Jamaican Judo Association (JJA) for what he described as a smear campaign against British-born judoka Ebony Drysdale-Daley, as the sporting body, on Thursday, revealed that the athlete has two whereabouts failures and is on the cusp of being banned.
Crowne, an international sports lawyer, labelled the JJA’s action to disclose such confidential information in a press release as “absolutely atrocious,” and “wildly irresponsible,” as he believes the breach should not go unpunished.
The JJA’s release, which stated in part that Drysdale-Daley “has twice failed to present herself for Anti-doping testing and faces a potential ban if another test is missed,” was a response to the athlete’s widely-circulated video in which she accused the association of bias where selection for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games is concerned.
Drysdale-Daley, 29, who became the country’s first athlete to compete in judo at an Olympic Games, when she graced the 2021 Tokyo edition, has since been given a notice of suspension by the association, a copy of which SportsMax.TV has obtained.
“Somehow the Jamaican Judo association thought it appropriate to publicly disclose that the athlete has two whereabouts failures so far. I say wildly irresponsible because athletes enjoy the protection of confidentiality until there is actually some sort of anti-doping rule violation asserted against them. For whereabouts failures, there is no anti-doping rule violation until there is three whereabouts failures in a twelve-month period. So until that happens, there is no anti-doping rule violation,” Crowne explained.
Ebony Drysdale-Daley in action for Jamaica.
“I would encourage the athlete, and I would encourage bodies that supervise the Jamaican Judo association, like the Jamaican Olympic Association, or the International Judo body, or JADCO…someone needs to sanction the conduct of the Jamaican Judo Association,” he added.
Crowne, who has represented a number of athletes such as Jamaica’s Ryker Hylton, Briana Williams, Kaliese Spencer and Trinidadian Fabian Whitfield, among others, argued that the JJA, in their eagerness to smear the reputation of the athlete, breached all protocols and standards of confidentiality.
“Quite ironically, the Jamaican Judo association, in attempting to paint the athlete in a negative light, has now painted themselves in a negative light through this breach of confidence, and it should not go unpunished,” the Trinidadian declared.
“I encourage JADCO, I encourage WADA, I encourage the JOA, I encourage the international federation to take a hard look at this press release and see if it was appropriate to disclose what is otherwise completely confidential in any other circumstance, in any other country, in any other sport in the world,” he stated.
In her almost four-minute long video released on Tuesday, Drysdale-Daley alleged that her path to qualification for the Paris Olympic Games was deliberately being blocked by the powers that be.
Jamaican Judo Association president Dwayne Barnett.
With only one judo spot available to Jamaica for the Games, she believes that she was being overlooked by the association since her male counterpart Ashley McKenzie came in the picture.
It is on that basis why Drysdale-Daley, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, alleges that her self-funded efforts to attend qualifying events in an attempt to possibly overhaul McKenzie is being hindered by the associations hierarchy.
“I feel the federation has shown no impartiality. I feel there is a real question of ethics, a real question of integrity. The Jamaican Judo association is blocking me from attending and competing in my last qualifying event, an event that I have self-funded and paid for,” she said.
The JJA in refuting the claims pointed to the athlete’s disregard for deadlines.
“The JJA advises Ebony Drysdale-Daley to reflect on her disregard for these deadlines, as she has twice failed to present herself for Anti-doping testing and faces a potential ban if another test is missed. Furthermore, she has received a written warning from the JJA regarding behaviour and actions deemed unbecoming of an athlete at the Commonwealth Games 2022,” the JJA release stated.
Rory McIlroy remains in contention at the US Open despite carding a two-over 72 in his second round at Pinehurst No.2, where Bryson DeChambeau is on the charge.
McIlroy, the 2011 champion, was among the early starters on Friday and bogeyed two of his first six holes after starting on the 10th tee.
However, he steadied the ship on the back nine to finish the day at three under for the tournament, two shots behind his fellow overnight leader Patrick Cantlay, who is among the later starters.
The leaderboard might have looked rosier for McIlroy had he not bogeyed his last hole of the day, the par-three ninth, having found the bunker.
DeChambeau continued to make good ground as his one-under 69 improved him to four under for the tournament. The American had a typically eventful round by mixing four bogeys with five birdies, the last of which saw him finish with a flourish on the 18th.
Ludvig Alberg is also at four under and was, like Cantlay, preparing to start his second round just as McIlroy and DeChambeau reached the conclusion of theirs.
Belgian Thomas Detry was making a splash in round two. He had reached five under through 13 holes, putting him level with Cantlay going into the closing stages of his round.
PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele is at one under after posting a 69, but it was a tougher day for world number one Scottie Sheffler, who is five over par after carding a four-over 74 on day two.
Scheffler now faces an anxious wait to see if he will make the cut.
As the group stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 comes to a close, the action will move to the next chapter in the event, the Super Eights, which will see eight remaining teams battle it out for four semi-final spots.
India (Group A), Australia (Group B), Afghanistan (Group C), West Indies (Group C), and South Africa (Group D) are the five teams who have qualified for the second round thus far.
India, Australia, and Afghanistan will feature in Group 1 of the next round, whereas West Indies and South Africa will feature in Group 2.
All of these sides have been unbeaten in their respective groups, and are shaping well ahead of the next round.
The second round commences in Antigua on June 19.
The following day will see the unbeaten India and Afghanistan face-off in Barbados in what looms as a crucial fixture prior to the knockout stages of the tournament. This will also be the first occasion on this tournament that India will play a contest in the Caribbean.
The rampant Afghans will look to make amends for their close loss to Australia at last year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup when the two sides meet on June 22 in St Vincent. Back-to-back games against formidable opponents can overwhelm most sides but Rashid Khan’s team have shown an indomitable fighting spirit in the tournament thus far.
More crucial fixtures follow up in coming dates: with co-hosts West Indies taking on South Africa in their final Group 2 clash on June 23 in Antigua.
The Proteas have historically dominated the West Indies, but the tables were turned last month when the Men in Maroon swept the three-game T20I series between the two sides at home.
Another Men’s Cricket World Cup-centric encounter takes place in St Lucia, where finalists India will clash against the eventual winners Australia on June 24.
Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, and St Vincent will host all 12 games in this round.
Fixtures
19 June: A2 v South Africa, North Sound, Antigua
19 June: B1 v West Indies, Gros Islet, St Lucia
20 June: Afghanistan v India, Bridgetown, Barbados
20 June: Australia v D2, North Sound, Antigua
21 June: B1 v South Africa, Gros Islet, St Lucia
21 June: A2 v West Indies, Bridgetown, Barbados
22 June: India v D2, North Sound, Antigua
22 June: Afghanistan v Australia, Arnos Vale, St Vincent
23 June: A2 v B1, Bridgetown, Barbados
23 June: West Indies v South Africa, North Sound, Antigua
24 June: Australia v India, Gros Islet, St Lucia
24 June: Afghanistan v D2, Arnos Vale, St Vincent
Looking to end 58 years of hurt, England get their Euro 2024 campaign under way against Serbia on Sunday.
Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has suggested it may be a case of all or nothing as he enters his fourth – and potentially final – major tournament at the helm.
Southgate has transformed England from perennial underachievers to genuine contenders, overseeing a surprise fourth-place finish at the 2018 World Cup, then seeing the nation's old nemesis – the penalty spot – haunt them in the Euro 2020 final versus Italy and a 2022 World Cup quarter-final against France.
Penalty shoot-outs excluded, the Three Lions have only lost one of their last 18 games at the Euros (10 wins, seven draws), going down by a 2-1 scoreline in an infamous last-16 clash with Iceland in 2016.
Despite the same opponents inflicting another defeat upon England in their final pre-Euros friendly last week, the Opta supercomputer makes them tournament favourites.
They lift the trophy in 19.9 per cent of competition simulations, just ahead of France (19.1 per cent).
Serbia, however, will be looking to throw a spanner in the works on their first Euros appearance as an independent nation, with the presence of several capable attackers leading some to tout them as a potential surprise package.
Here, we delve into the Opta data to preview Sunday's game.
What's expected?
England have started all three of their major tournaments under Southgate with a victory, and the Opta supercomputer is backing them to do so again in Germany.
They are given a 62.1 per cent chance of a win, with Serbia only triumphing in 16 per cent of scenarios and the spoils being shared in 21.9 per cent.
In the supercomputer's Group C predictions, the Three Lions are given a huge 95.4 per cent chance of reaching the last 16, finishing top in 66 per cent of simulations.
Serbia advance in 56.2 per cent of projections, fewer than Denmark (69.2 per cent) but more than Slovenia (42.1 per cent). However, they are only given a 12 per cent chance of topping the pool.
This will be England and Serbia's first encounter since the latter re-emerged as an independent state in 2006. In fact, since the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, England have only faced Serbia and Montenegro once, winning 2-1 in a 2003 friendly.
The Three Lions are, though, unbeaten in their last six matches against Serbia or Yugoslavia, winning each of the last four.
Their most recent defeat to them was a particularly notable one, though, as Alf Ramsey's world champions lost 2-1 in the semi-finals of Euro 1968, a four-team competition that saw Yugoslavia finish as runners-up.
Attack the best form of defence for Serbia
With Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Jarrod Bowen, Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze competing to support Harry Kane, England's firepower is not in question.
Their ability to keep things tight at the back, though, just might be.
With Harry Maguire sidelined by a calf injury and Luke Shaw not yet ready to feature after recovering from a hamstring issue, Southgate will be forced to field a new-look backline on Sunday.
Marc Guehi is expected to partner John Stones, and England need to recapture the solidity they displayed at previous tournaments under Southgate.
Across the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and Euro 2020, England conceded just 0.59 goals per game and allowed opponents a paltry 0.72 expected goals (xG) per match – a figure only bettered by France (0.67) among the leading European teams to make each tournament.
Should they fall short of those standards in Gelsenkirchen, the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Dusan Vlahovic and Dusan Tadic are well-equipped to punish them.
Serbia have only managed five clean sheets in 25 competitive outings under Dragan Stojkovic, who took over in 2021.
However, they have only failed to score on two of those outings, against Norway (0-1 in the Nations League) and Brazil (0-2 at the 2022 World Cup).
Generally using a 3-5-2 shape and looking to isolate Mitrovic and Vlahovic against their markers, Serbia will pose a real physical test. They scored one third (five of 15) of their goals in Euro 2024 qualifying via headers, the highest percentage of any team to reach Germany.
The Three Lions must be prepared to withstand an aerial bombardment.
Can Alexander-Arnold solve midfield conundrum?
Aside from Maguire's replacement, the main talking point in the build-up to England's opener has been the identity of Declan Rice's midfield partner.
Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo looked to be in pole position at the end of the domestic season, but reports now suggest Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold – who will don the number eight shirt – will start as first-choice.
Alexander-Arnold has played a total of 25,078 minutes of competitive football for Liverpool, and only one per cent of those have come in central midfield, so playing the position at a major tournament could represent something of a baptism of fire.
However, Alexander-Arnold – who is accustomed to inverting into central areas at club level – could prove a useful asset as England look to prise open low blocks.
He ranked eighth among all outfielders for accurate long balls (147) in the Premier League last season and third for switches of play (32). If he can help to get the likes of Foden and Saka isolated against Serbia's wing-backs on Sunday, that could be key to opening the door.
Meanwhile, England are well aware of the importance of dead balls at major tournaments. They ranked either first or joint-first for goals from set-pieces at the 2018 World Cup (six goals), Euro 2020 (three) and the 2022 World Cup (two).
Since making his Premier League debut in December 2016, Alexander-Arnold leads all players in the division for set-play assists (20) and ranks joint-third for chances created from such scenarios (184).
Maguire may be absent, but if Alexander-Arnold brings his dead-ball prowess to Germany, England will be a force to be reckoned with from corners and free-kicks.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Serbia – Aleksandar Mitrovic
Mitrovic, who is Serbia's all-time leading scorer with 58 goals in 91 matches, still looks sharp despite swapping the Premier League for the Saudi Pro League last year.
The former Fulham man plundered 28 goals in 28 league games for Al-Hilal in 2023-24, with only Cristiano Ronaldo – with 35 strikes in 31 matches – topping him in the scoring charts.
Under Stojkovic, Mitrovic has 21 goals in 23 competitive appearances for his country, with the majority of his goals coming via headers (52 per cent).
England – Harry Kane
If England are to go all the way, they will need Kane to deliver in his new home country, after he saw a 44-goal debut season with Bayern Munich go unrewarded in terms of silverware.
Kane is also a proven operator on the international stage, scoring 12 goals across the last three major international tournaments – six at the 2018 World Cup, four at Euro 2020 and two at the 2022 World Cup.
No European player has bettered that tally, with only France's Kylian Mbappe matching it.
He also scored or assisted on all seven of his starts in qualifying (eight goals, two assists), including a brace in an impressive 3-1 win over European champions Italy last October.
Borussia Dortmund have appointed former midfielder Nuri Sahin as their new head coach following the departure of Edin Terzic.
Having led Dortmund to the Champions League final earlier this month, when they were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium, Terzic surprisingly resigned on Thursday.
The 41-year-old – who was in his second spell in charge – had previously overseen a second-placed Bundesliga finish in 2022-23, when a final-day draw with Mainz allowed rivals Bayern Munich to snatch the title.
Terzic brought Sahin in as an assistant manager in January, just a few days after he left his first head coaching role with Turkish Super Lig team Antalyaspor.
On Friday, Dortmund confirmed Sahin would step up to the top job after signing a contract to run until June 2027.
Sahin came through Dortmund's youth system and made his senior debut for the team as a 16-year-old in 2005.
He made 274 appearances for the club throughout three spells as a player, either side of stints with Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Sahin became Antalyaspor boss at just 32 years of age in 2021, having previously represented them as a player.
He led them to a seventh-placed finish in the Super Lig in 2021-22, though they dropped to 13th in his second season at the helm. Overall, Sahin won 44 of his 94 games in charge of Antalyaspor (46.8 per cent).
Earlier on Friday, Dortmund also confirmed veteran centre-back Mats Hummels was leaving the club, having made 508 appearances across two spells totalling 13 years at Signal Iduna Park.
Jordan Pickford has urged England to embrace the pressure of being one of the favourites to win Euro 2024.
England made it to the final of Euro 2020, ultimately losing on penalties to Italy, as well as reaching the semi-finals and quarter-finals of the last two World Cups under Gareth Southgate.
According to the Opta supercomputer, England are the slight favourites going into Euro 2024, with a 19.9 per cent chance of lifting the trophy for the first time, narrowly ahead of France (19.1 per cent).
Pickford has faith that the squad, despite being quite young, will be able to cope with the expectations placed on them due to the favourites tag.
"Apart from Russia in 2018 [World Cup], where there was no pressure on us, to be a top, elite team you have got to have pressure," Pickford said. "You have got to deal with it. To be one of the favourites, you have got to enjoy that pressure.
"I think we've got the right balance [between experience and youth]. With experience, we can help the younger lads who haven't had as many caps, but everyone has different experiences through their own football careers.
"Some of the lads who are newer have been to major tournaments at younger levels and you have got to go away from home for a while. Everyone has been through those experiences.
"The senior lads, we have got to help those younger lads if needs be, but they are top players, they don't need much help."
The goalkeeper has also shrugged off worries that the defensive changes in England's squad will affect their chances at the tournament.
Harry Maguire, a mainstay in previous tournaments under Southgate, had to withdraw from the preliminary squad due to a calf injury he sustained in April.
Meanwhile, Luke Shaw will not be fit to start the Euros, and John Stones missed training on Wednesday due to illness, though he returned on Thursday.
Despite an unsettled look to England's back four, Pickford is confident whoever starts in front of him against Serbia will be prepared for the challenge.
Pickford said: "It doesn't affect us. [There's] lot of lads I've played with anyway. Anyone who's in the England squad is there for what they have done for their club.
"It's easy [playing with younger defenders]. They're there because of talent.
"When they're talented, I can help them, guide them, because I can see the full pitch and just my communication is hopefully a key to help them. That's what I think I'm good at. They know what they're doing in front of me.
"Everyone is fighting for a spot. Whoever plays, we are always ready and prepared. That's what the manager and the staff do. They get us ready and prepared for whoever it is."
England's Euro 2024 campaign begins against Serbia on Sunday, with Denmark and Slovenia following in Group C.
Luciano Spalletti is confident Italy can live up to expectations as they aim to win a second consecutive Euros title.
Roberto Mancini led Italy to Euro 2020 glory during an impressive 37-game unbeaten run as they beat England 3-2 on penalties at Wembley Stadium.
Since taking over, Spalletti led Italy to qualification for the tournament and is unbeaten in six matches.
Now trying to emulate his predecessor's success, the 65-year-old is confident his squad have what it takes to become just the second team to win back-to-back editions of the tournament.
"For any child that goes out every evening and sweats, grazes their knees, then we are their heroes, what they dream of," he said.
"It's up to us to live up to that. Giants and heroes don't go out with fear; they go out with passion and belief. Every one of us needs to ensure they have their toolbox and can screw or unscrew what they need to.
"We have our own brand of football, and need to keep faith in it, but sometimes your opponents stop you. That's football! But I'm confident we can impose our game plan."
Spalletti also confirmed Nicolo Barella could be in contention for Italy's opener against Albania after overcoming a muscle injury that kept him out of their warm-up friendlies.
"Yesterday he did everything," Spalletti added. "We will see what happens today. We will see how he feels.
"But as of yesterday evening, everything suggests that he will be available for selection."
Gianluigi Donnarumma was the hero in the Euro 2020 final, saving Bukayo Saka's penalty in the shootout to ensure victory for the Azzurri.
Now captaining the side, the goalkeeper is hoping to get off to a positive start against Albania to avoid any early nerves over their fate in the competition.
"This match is the biggest banana skin in our group," Donnarumma said. "We have to be 100 per cent switched on. Albania have a lot of pace, a lot of threat. This match will be hugely important.
"When you prepare to embark on a competition like this, then you can only be motivated. We start in the same spirit of three years ago, and we will try to recreate the magic of 2021. The survivors of three years ago will certainly give the newer players a few pointers.
"If we win tomorrow night, it will be a big step to qualification. Winning will put us in a strong position; not winning would put us under pressure."
Roger Federer expressed his hopes for former rivals Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray to "keep playing forever", insisting the ATP Tour is "better with them".
Federer called time on his glittering career in 2022, while the other three - who between them formed tennis' 'big four' - appear not to be far away from joining him in retirement.
Nadal, who will miss Wimbledon to focus on his "last Olympics", and Murray are expected to hang up their racquets this year, with the latter revealing in February that he does not "plan on playing much past this summer".
Meanwhile, 24-time major winner Djokovic is also likely be absent from the grass-court major, having undergone knee surgery following his withdrawal from the French Open last week.
Now in their late 30s, all three players are certainly at the twilight of their remarkable careers.
But Federer, who says the quartet all now "get on super well" after years of rivalry, hopes they are not finished just yet.
"I really don't think there are any words of advice that I can give him," he told BBC Sport. "Retirement is so deeply personal. When you take that decision, everybody is in a completely different circumstance.
"We've gone through similar things, but I'm too far away to give advice. If [Andy] called me up, I'd be happy to answer some questions. He's had this massive hip issue and what he is doing is inspirational.
"I hope Andy, like Rafa and Novak, can keep playing forever, like a fan. The tour is better with them. I was watching Roland-Garros last week, and I was like: 'Wow, they're so good - I used to do that too!'
"It's tricky sometimes and there’s definitely moments when you don't like a certain opponent, but then you like him so much. It's important to remember this as a player - it is just tennis and, in the end, we can be normal.
"You see us being super friendly with each other after the rivalry, and we get on super well."
Seamus Coleman says he is "going to cherish and enjoy every moment" after signing a new one-year deal at Everton.
The club captain, who arrived from Sligo Rovers in January 2009, has extended his contract with the Toffees, ensuring he will play in their final season at Goodison Park.
Coleman has made a record 364 appearances for Everton in the Premier League, while only 12 players have appeared more times than the Republic of Ireland defender across all competitions (422).
The 35-year-old full-back, who was appointed skipper in 2019, is thrilled to remain with "this special club", especially as they prepare to say farewell to Goodison.
"Everyone knows what Everton means to me, and I'm very proud and honoured to sign a new contract and to keep playing for this special club in the best league in the world," Coleman told evertontv. "I'm going to cherish and enjoy every moment.
"It's hard to believe it’s going to be our last season at Goodison, such a special place to me and every Evertonian. Of course, I want to be part of that.
"I still feel I can do a job for this football club on and off the pitch. This being our last season at Goodison is a nice way to go into the campaign, but I wouldn't have signed the contract if I didn't feel capable of contributing to the team."
"From the day I became Everton manager, Seamus has been a great example to his team-mates and staff of what it means to play for the club," head coach Sean Dyche added.
"He is a model professional and helps set standards, and his leadership is rightly admired by everyone. His vast experience and know-how on the pitch will continue to be valuable qualities for us in the season ahead."
Borussia Dortmund have confirmed the departure of Mats Hummels after a combined 13-and-a-half years at the club.
Hummels initially joined on loan from Bayern Munich in January 2008 and went on to make 508 appearances across two spells with Dortmund, who he left in 2016 before returning three years later.
The decorated defender won back-to-back Bundesliga titles with the Black and Yellow in 2010-11 and 2011-12, while also helping them reach two Champions League finals.
The latter of these came earlier this month when Edin Terzic's side were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid at Wembley.
During his second spell, Hummels made 367 Bundesliga appearances - 343 of which were starts - with Dortmund winning 216 of those and keeping 108 clean sheets along the way.
The decorated defender, who also won three Bundesliga titles with Bayern as well as the 2014 World Cup with Germany, is the club's second significant departure in as many days, with head coach Terzic resigning on Thursday.
"It was a huge honour and pleasure for me to have played for BVB for so long and to have been part of the journey from 13th place in January 2008 to what Borussia Dortmund is today," he told the club's official website.
"This club with its fans is something very special - and for me, much more than that. I would also like to thank all the BVB employees who do great work for this club and, of course, the countless great coaches and fantastic team-mates I have been able to experience here.
"I'll be cheering from afar and hopefully in the stadium, from time to time. I will miss you."
"In Mats Hummels, we are undoubtedly losing an outstanding personality, perhaps one of the last of his kind in football," sporting director Sebastian Kehl added.
"Mats has not only shaped BVB during his career, but has also taken the centre-back game to a new level worldwide. In addition, Mats is a real guy who challenges himself and others at all times.
"I thank Mats for his passion, for his will to succeed, also for his rough edges. Everyone at BVB wishes him all the best for his sporting and private future. Personally, I will always remain connected to Mats, whom I have held in high esteem for many, many years."
Jamaica warmed up for the 48th edition of the Copa America with back-to-back tame displays in their World Cup qualifiers. A slender 1-0 home win over Dominican Republic was followed up with an insipid 3-2 triumph in Dominica.
It is back to the drawing board for Jamaica head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, who will be chasing regional bragging rights when the leading 16 nations from the Caribbean as well as North and South America tackle the marquee tournament.
Although his ultimate goal would be for the Reggae Boyz to lift the crown in Florida on 14 July, Jamaica need to navigate themselves out of the group phases before trying to net the top prize.
The 2024 Copa America, hosted in the US from 20 June to 14 July, will feature 10 CONMEBOL members from South America and six invited countries from the North America and Caribbean CONCACAF region.
All eyes will be on Argentina, the defending champions and FIFA World Cup winners, to make it a hat-trick of trophies.
GROUP A | Argentina, Chile, Peru, Chile
Argentina hardly ever concede goals, kick-off their campaign with a star-stunned squad that includes Angel Di Maria, the legendary Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Montiel, whose spot-kick secured the World Cup final win over France.
Argentina beat both Chile (2-1) and Peru (2-0) in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Yet Peru, who failed to get a shot on target in their November tie with Messi and his mates, had held Argentina to three draws on the spin before their last encounter.
Chile, the Copa America 2016 champions Chile, have been off colour recently under veteran manager Jorge Fossati, and rely on veterans — like Alexis Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas — to add sparks.
Canada should be better than their results suggest under recently appointed head coach Jesse Marsh, who won two caps for the US. He has a plethora of talents — like Alphonso Davies, Tajon Buchanan and Jonathan David — keen to start matches on Canada’s Copa America
Prediction: 1st Argentina, 2nd Canada, 3rd Chile, 4th Peru
GROUP B | Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, Jamaica
Mexico went two-and-a-half matches without scoring at the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar. They brought in Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano as interim head coach for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and after winning the top prize he was appointed on a permanent basis. Yet he is surprisingly shelving veterans for the Copa America, instead giving emerging talents an opportunity to showcase their silky skills.
This appears to be a hit and miss group with Ecuador, Jamaica and Venezuela all capable of beating understrength Mexico. However, the Mexicans will benefit from vociferous support in the stadiums.
Ecuador and Venezuela ended in a bore scoreless draw last October. Defensively-minded Ecuador have stars Moises Caicedo, Piero Hincapie and Willian Pacho. Venezuela have hit a purple patch by purring through their World Cup qualifiers.
Jamaica still have failed to produce eye-catching displays under former Iceland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, despite their array of English Premier League stars. The Boyz just grind out results, although tend to make good progress in tournaments mainly thanks to reliable shotstopper Andre Blake.
Prediction: 1st Mexico, 2nd Jamaica, 3rd Venezuela, 4th Ecuador
GROUP C | Uruguay, USA, Bolivia, Panama
Uruguay are a real force to be reckoned with, with stunning victories over Argentina and Brazil last year under head coach Marcelo Bielsa. Uruguay are a terrific blend of future stars and seasoned aces with names like Darwin Nunez, Luis Suarez, Manuel Ugarte and Fede Valverde enough to scare opponents.
The US will be under pressure with high expectations from their fans on home soil. Despite being FIFA’s highest-ranked CONCACAF side, there are flaws with defensive uncertainty and an inability to find the back of the net despite having an array of striking power from the likes of Folarin Balogun, Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic and Haji Wright.
Panama, narrowly beaten by Mexico in the Gold Cup final, will kick themselves if they fail to reach the quarter-finals. They are brimming with confidence having hit a rich vein of form.
Bolivia are the weakest South American side, with a dreadful World Cup qualifying campaign. They are unlikely to end their 11-match run of failing to win a Copa America group stage match.
Prediction: 1st Uruguay, 2nd Panama, 3rd USA, 4th Bolivia
GROUP D | Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Costa Rica
Colombia have become a fantastic side since hiring head coach Nestor Lorenzo last year. They arrive at the Copa Amercia as the only South American nation unbeaten in World Cup qualifiers, including a 2-1 win over Brazil last year. Striker Luis Diaz can be lethal, and will be keen to better his tally of four goals at 2021 Copa America.
Five-time World Cup winners Brazil, having tasted three World Cup qualification defeats on the bounce for their worst run since 2001 are arguably no longer the force they once were. After their 1-0 reversal to Argentina last November, their first-ever home World Cup qualifying loss, Dorival Junior was brought in as head coach. Under Junior’s tutelage they beat England and drew with Spain. Hot-shots Vinicius Junior and 17-year-old wonderkid Endrick are aiming to transform Brazil’s fortunes.
Paraguay will be aiming to shoot down Brazil, but need a solid goalscorer. They are pretty solid defensively, and could be sensational if midfield maestro Miguel Almiron and striker Julio Enciso can replicate their silky skills seen in the English Premier League. Costa Rica face an uphill task to navigate their way to the knockout stages, and there will be big boots to fill between the sticks with iconic keeper Keylor Navas recently announcing his international retirement.
Prediction: 1st Colombia, 2nd Brazil, 3rd Paraguay, 4th Costa Rica
Jamaica’s British-born judoka Ebony Drysdale-Daley has accused the Jamaican Judo Association (JJA) of bias where selection for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games is concerned, as she believes her path to qualification is deliberately being blocked by the powers that be.
With only one judo spot available to Jamaica for the upcoming Games, Drysdale-Daley, who became the country’s first athlete to compete in judo at an Olympic Games, when she graced the 2021 Tokyo edition, argued that she is now being overlooked by the association since her male counterpart Ashley McKenzie came in the picture.
McKenzie, who was also born in England, and won a silver medal at last year’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, currently occupies the coveted spot, as he is nine points ahead of Drysdale-Daley.
It is on that basis why Drysdale-Daley, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, alleges that her self-funded effort to attend a qualifying event in an attempt to possibly overhaul McKenzie is being hindered by the association's hierarchy.
“I feel the federation has shown no impartiality. I feel there is a real question of ethics, a real question of integrity. The Jamaican Judo association is blocking me from attending and competing in my last qualifying event, an event that I have self-funded and paid for. They (the JJA) told me that they weren't going to help finance, even though when I was in qualifying position, a fund was in reserve to help athletes in that position. But I never questioned that, I did my best to crowdfund and work for it,” Drysdale-Daley shared in a widely-circulated video lasting almost four minutes.
“They have removed me from competition registry. The Jamaican Judo Association had initially registered me for this event, now they have removed me. I feel there are clear and present inconsistencies and I have evidence and emails to support this. I feel the Jamaican Judo Association have favoured the other athlete in contention over me. They have effectively secured and ensured the other athletes qualification ahead of mine by blocking me from this final tournament of which I have paid flights for,” she added.
That tournament which Drysdale-Daley refers to is the Lima Pan American Open starting on June 21. This represents the final competition before the qualification deadline.
The allegations by the 29-year-old raises questions about fairness and transparency within the Judo Association and beyond, as she also leveled claims that she is being ignored and pushed aside by the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA).
“The Jamaican Olympic Association, and the Jamaican Judo Association have not responded to my emails and have cruelly ignored me. The deadline for me to be re-entered is in two days’ time. This is very time sensitive. I feel let down by my peers. I feel so alone,” Drysdale-Daley noted as she fought back tears.
JJA President Dwayne Barnett.
However, the Dwayne Barnett-led JJA in a release, emphatically denied the allegations, and stressed its steadfast commitment to fairness, integrity, and providing equal opportunities for all athletes.
“The JJA categorically refutes any claims of impropriety or personal interests influencing the selection process. The General Secretary and other mentioned individuals have no personal or vested interests that would compromise the integrity of these processes. The JJA upholds the highest standards of impartiality and professionalism,” the JJA statement read.
On that note, the JJA explained that its decision to omit Drysdale-Dale from qualification was made on the basis of the athlete’s disregard for deadlines, including for Anti-doping testing, which she failed to turn up for on two occasions.
“It is important to clarify that Olympic qualification in judo requires athletes to meet specific criteria. As in most sports, if not in all, qualification is based on merit and current performance of athletes so as to ensure the best representation. The JJA subscribes to this principle,” it declared.
“The decision to exclude Ebony from the upcoming qualifying event was solely based on her consistent failure to comply with deadlines and her repeated attempts to circumvent the processes established by the JJA for efficient management of competition entries. The importance of adhering to these deadlines has been communicated to all athletes on numerous occasions,” JJA added.
Regarding support and funding, the JJA revealed that Drysdale-Daley has received financial support exceeding US$50,000 from the JOA and other strategic partners since the day she began to represent Jamaica in judo.
“The JJA empathizes with Ebony Drysdale-Daley's disappointment and frustration. However, it is imperative to recognize that deadlines are an essential component of our processes. The JJA stands by its decisions, which are made in accordance with established rules and regulations,” the release stated.
Rory McIlroy believes his "controlled" and "disciplined" start will stand him in good stead at the US Open, where he is eyeing a first major triumph in 10 years.
The three-time major winner opened with a bogey-free opening round of 65 at Pinehurst for a share of the lead with Patrick Cantlay.
It is a good omen for McIlroy, who has gone on to lift the trophy on all three occasions he has started a major without bogeying - achieving the feat at the 2011 US Open, 2012 PGA Championship and 2014 Open Championship.
The 35-year-old also equalled his best-ever start at a US Open, having posted 65 on the way to his 2011 victory and second-place finish 12 months ago.
"It's nice to see your name at the top of the leaderboard after the first day of a US Open," McIlroy, who hit five birdies including two in the last three holes, told Sky Sports.
"I felt like I played a really solid, controlled round of golf. I just stayed disciplined and when I got myself in trouble, I took my medicine, two-putted.
"This is the whole thing about a US Open, it's trying to keep clean scorecards like this. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to keep it bogey-free for the rest of the week. But it's not about how many birdies you make, it's about how many bogeys you don't make.
"I had a run of pars from the 11th through to 15th where I had chances and wasn't able to convert. But I feel like the patience I showed over those five holes was rewarded with two birdies in the last three - a great way to finish.
"I went through a run for a while where my starts at major championships weren't very good. I probably got myself a little too worked up at the start of the week.
"Certainly, the major championships that I've won or the ones that I've played well at, I've always seemed to get off to a good start, and it's nice to get off to another one."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
