Ecuador have left Byron Castillo out of their World Cup squad to avoid "unfair sanctions", despite the defender being cleared to play by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Castillo was the subject of a long-running dispute after Chile and Peru complained to FIFA that he was ineligible to play for Ecuador in their successful qualifying campaign.

The Federacion de Futbol de Chile provided proof that Castillo was born in Colombia and not Ecuador, as stated on his official documents.

FIFA dismissed all charges in June and again in September when the fresh evidence came to light, but Chile and Peru took the case to CAS with a further appeal.

However, this month's hearing adjudged "no violation of the rules on eligibility has occurred", leaving Ecuador and Castillo free to compete in Qatar.

But Ecuador, who face host nation Qatar in the opening game of the tournament on Sunday, did not include Castillo in their 26-man squad on Tuesday.

The Ecuadorian Football Federation said in a statement: "The process we've had to endure has not been easy to navigate, much less for the player, who is part of our family.

"In order to avoid further unfair sanctions, the Ecuadorian Football Federation feels obligated to not include Byron Castillo Segura in the final list that was submitted to FIFA."

Castillo appeared eight times in qualifying for Ecuador, who finished in the fourth and final automatic qualification spot.

Peru finished fifth and were beaten 5-4 on penalties by Australia following a goalless draw in the intercontinental play-offs, while seventh-placed Chile missed out entirely.

Ecuador follow up their curtain-raising showdown against Qatar with games against the Netherlands and Senegal in Group A.

Former Chelsea and England defender Gary Cahill has announced his retirement from football.

Cahill made 22 Championship appearances for Bournemouth last season, but the last of those came in January and he was released following their promotion to the Premier League in May.

Having made his name during spells with Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers, Cahill enjoyed a successful seven-year stint with Chelsea, making 191 Premier League appearances for the Blues.

Cahill won eight major trophies during his time at Stamford Bridge, including two Premier League titles and the Champions League – starting in Chelsea's final win over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in 2012.

In a statement posted to Twitter, Cahill wrote: "Football is a game that has given me so much enjoyment and success and as I make the decision to hang up my boots, I can honestly say I gave it everything I had.

"I've achieved things I once dreamt of, creating some incredible memories. From amazing highs like winning the Champions League and Premier League, to the privilege of captaining my country and Chelsea in an FA Cup-winning team.

"I've had time to consider my options and after much deliberation and reflection, I feel now is the time to move on to the next stage of my career.

"Football will always be part of who I am and what I love, so this is just the end of this chapter. For me, it's important to look forwards, not backwards, as a new chapter in my life begins."

Cahill won a total of 61 senior caps for England during his career, and appeared for the Three Lions at World Cups in 2014 and 2018, as well as at Euro 2016.

Speaking to Sky Sports after announcing his retirement, the 36-year-old revealed he received several offers to continue playing this campaign, but had opted to prioritise family matters.

"Obviously, it's been a tough decision in some aspects but I think I just knew the journey had to come to an end at some stage - I just got the feeling that now is the right time," Cahill said.

"I did have options. I could have played in the Premier League with one side, and I had a couple of options in the Championship which is flattering, to still get the offers.

"But at the moment, as well as my career, my kids are settled at school and it would've meant moving again."

Kane Williamson will continue to represent New Zealand in all three formats despite his T20I future being questioned following the Black Caps' World Cup exit earlier this month.

Williamson captained his country on their run to the last four at the tournament in Australia, where they suffered a seven-wicket loss to eventual runners-up Pakistan.

That defeat represented the latest tournament shortfall for New Zealand, who also lost last year's T20 World Cup final to Australia and finished as runners-up to England in 2019's 50-over World Cup.  

At the age of 32, Williamson accepts he must manage his workload, but he will not follow the lead of international team-mate Trent Boult by being selective regarding which formats he plays.

"I love all the formats, for different reasons. In fact, playing the three and changing between them is a challenge that is enjoyable," Williamson told ESPNcricinfo. 

"But having said that, there is a balance to strike in terms of just general volume [of cricket], and that's important.

"Everybody is a little bit challenged by that, certainly some of the players that may have done it for a long time, and you're always looking to be clear with that direction – to stay fresh and focused on what is most important with your involvement in any team." 

World Test champions New Zealand have finished as runners-up at three World Cups across the two shortened formats since 2015, but Williamson is not thinking about the prospect of a transitional period as the country's golden generation comes to an end.

"You sort of hope that whilst you're here, and trying to do as well as you can as a team with all the other individuals involved, that there's a real effort to try and grow the game," he added.

"To try and play your role to the best of your ability, to try and improve as much as you can as a player, hopefully that sort of adds to the depth of cricket that we have.

"Focusing on what's in front of you is what's really important, and in years to come there'll be transition, or there's perhaps transition a little bit earlier – that's always there.

"That's always happening in professional sport, and whoever the next group or crop are, I'm sure they'll have a lot of motivation to want to get better as a team and go even further as a side."

New Zealand will look to bounce back from their World Cup exit when they host the first of three T20Is against India on Friday, with that series being swiftly followed by three ODI meetings. 

Pedri believes last year's near misses in the European Championship and the Nations League will benefit Spain in their quest to win a second World Cup this year.

The Barcelona midfielder was named Young Player of the Tournament as Spain were beaten by Italy in the semi-finals of the delayed Euro 2020, before La Roja suffered a Nations League final defeat to France last October.

While Spain have only reached the World Cup's final four once in their past 13 participations – when they won the tournament in 2010 – Pedri is optimistic about their chances of competing in Qatar.

Asked by Mundo Deportivo whether Luis Enrique's side could win the tournament, the 19-year-old responded: "Why not? 

"You have to focus first on the group stage and then on the following rounds, but we have a team to be able to compete.

"We come from a European Championship and a Nations League where we did very well. In the Euros we reached the semi-finals, and I was sure that if we went to the final, we would win it. 

"In the Nations League I could hardly play, but the team was very good. We are a very good group and it shows on the pitch.

"We don't have a megastar, the group is our best star. When you all run together and everyone knows what they want and what you're playing for, I think you have a lot done and a good chance of winning.

"We are going to the World Cup with everything, with a lot of desire to give the fans happiness, whether they support us from home or from Qatar. Let's give it our all."

Pedri believes two South American sides could represent Spain's main competitors in Qatar, with the form of Paris Saint-Germain star and Barca legend Lionel Messi likely to be crucial to any challenge from Argentina.

"I think that Brazil and Argentina have two great teams," Pedri said. "Brazil because they have incredible quality in their players and Argentina because they have the best player, and I think they are going to really want to win this World Cup."

Spain begin their World Cup campaign against Costa Rica next Wednesday before facing fellow Group E foes Germany and Japan.

Karim Benzema is "doing so much better" as he battles to be 100 per cent fit for France's World Cup campaign, according to his Real Madrid team-mate Eduardo Camavinga.

Benzema won his first Ballon d'Or last month after leading Real Madrid to glory in LaLiga and the Champions League in the 2021-22 season, but has endured an injury-hit campaign to date.

The striker has started 11 games in all competitions this season, scoring six goals, but he spent time on the sidelines with a knee injury before missing further fixtures after suffering from muscular fatigue in his left quadriceps.

However, with less than a week remaining until France begin their Group D campaign against Australia, Camavinga is enthused by his team-mate's recovery.

"He's getting better. He's doing so much better," Camavinga told RMC Sport. "I have a very good relationship with him, he helps me a lot at Real Madrid. 

"He is a very great player who deserves what is happening to him. I hope he will be ready for the World Cup.

"Sometimes in a match he comes to see me and tells me, 'If I have the ball you are going to do this run or this run', so he gives me advice at the right moment. 

"He also tells me when to stay in position. He is very good at communicating, he is a leader."

France are looking to become the first nation to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, but Didier Deschamps' team have been beset by bad luck on the injury front, with N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba missing the tournament.

With those two veterans of the 2018 World Cup win absent, Camavinga could partner Madrid team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni in a new-look France midfield, but he has no reservations over their lack of experience. 

"Critics are part of life. We don't have the same experience, but we are keen to show what we are worth," Camavinga added.

"With our enthusiasm and the experience of the elders, it can make a good mix."

Meanwhile, Deschamps has called up Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani after Christopher Nkunku suffered an injury on Tuesday.

Nkunku was ruled out of the World Cup after limping out of training with a leg injury, but his absence has given Muani – the scorer of eight goals for Eintracht this term – the opportunity to feature at his first major tournament.

The Portland Trail Blazers pulled out a 117-110 home win against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday to bring their record to 9-4, having finally constructed a winning formula around centrepiece Damian Lillard.

While their defense was nothing special against the Spurs – winning despite allowing the visitors to shoot 51.8 per cent from the field – they are currently rated as the seventh-best defense in the league.

Having ranked 29th out of 30 teams in defensive rating last season, giving up an average of 116.3 points per 100 possessions, it was the continuation of a three-year stretch as one of the league's worst defenses. They were also 29th in the 2020-21 season (115.3) and 27th in the 2019-20 campaign (114.3).

Across those three seasons, the Trail Blazers put together a combined record of 104-124 and were floundering, despite the presence of arguably the franchise's greatest ever player, Lillard, still in his prime.

Lillard has career averages of 24.7 points and 6.6 assists per game, and at that pace he will pass Clyde Drexler as the franchise's all-time leading scorer in 12 games, as he trails by 279 points.

This season, with the addition of big wing Jerami Grant – who has averaged at least 19.2 in each of his past two seasons with the Detroit Pistons – as well as last season's arrival of jack-of-all-trades Josh Hart from the New Orleans Pelicans, and all of a sudden the Blazers may have surrounded Lillard with the best defensive cast of his career.

They now boast a 109.9 defensive rating in a year when scoring is up league-wide. 

The last time they managed a defensive rating below 110 was the 2018-19 season, where their mark of 109.5 had them 16th, but they were solid enough to give Lillard and his brilliance a chance to win them games.

That 2018-19 season was Lillard's deepest playoff run, making it to the Western Conference Finals. They had C.J. McCollum as their second scorer back then, but now have a two-pronged punch behind Lillard with Grant and 23-year-old Anfernee Simons.

Simons was the 24th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft after choosing a non-traditional route to the league, opting against playing any college or professional basketball, instead training at the famed IMG Academy.

After only playing sparingly in his first three seasons, Simons raised his average from 7.8 points per game in the 2020-21 season to 17.3 last campaign, starting 30 games as Lillard missed extended time through injuries.

He has again taken a leap this year, posting career-highs in points (22.3), assists (4.1) and made three-pointers (3.8).

As much as anything, this is a Trail Blazers team that finally makes sense when building around a star player and second-scorer who are both small guards. They have flanked them with two strong wing defenders in the starting line-up, and have committed to using a physically imposing bench brigade.

Against the Spurs, the four players to come off the bench were Nassir Little, who is a stocky six-foot-five, as well as long-armed six-foot-six rookie Shaedon Sharpe, six-foot-eight Trendon Watford and six-foot-nine Drew Eubanks.

They all have one thing in common – they know their job is to defend, and make Lillard's life as easy as possible on that end of the floor.

Lillard is still undoubtedly at a level required to lead a team deep into the playoffs, and now, in his 11th season, after years of calls for him to leave Portland and head to a powerhouse where he could be more widely seen and appreciated, he may finally have a team capable of coming along for the ride.

Dallas Mavericks MVP hopeful Luka Doncic has always given the Los Angeles Clippers nightmares, and Tuesday was more of the same in a 103-101 home win.

Of the 30 NBA teams, only the Detroit Pistons have felt Doncic's wrath more than the Clippers, averaging 32.4 points in five games against Detroit, and 31.7 per game in a healthier 13-game sample size against Los Angeles.

That number went up again after the 23-year-old Slovenian sensation dropped a game-high 35 points on 11-of-22 shooting, adding 11 rebounds, five assists, three steals and the game-sealing three-pointer.

Leading 99-98 with 30 seconds remaining, Doncic gathered a loose-ball and drilled a deep three to jump ahead by four, putting the game to bed.

While Doncic was clearly the best player on the floor for the Mavericks – scoring over 30 points for the 11th time in 13 games this season – starting wing Dorian Finney-Smith was just as important to the final result, drilling a red-hot seven-of-13 threes to chip in 21 points.

For the Clippers, Paul George was not bad on the surface, posting 23 points (seven-of-13 shooting), seven rebounds and six assists, but he committed a career-high 10 turnovers after never having more than eight in his previous 859 games.

Brunson, Reddish get it done for the Knicks

After a scorching 10-3 start to the season, the Utah Jazz have now lost their past three games after going down 118-111 at home against the New York Knicks.

Knicks starting point guard Jalen Brunson was game's most valuable player, scoring 25 points on 10-of-20 shooting with eight assists and three steals, and it was another terrific showcase from Cam Reddish.

Fresh off his season-high 26 points during the Knicks' last time out, Reddish was awarded his fifth start of the campaign after starting no games last season. 

He repaid the faith with another efficient showing, scoring 19 points on seven-of-13 shooting as he begins to fulfill the potential that saw him rated as one of the best prospects in the world heading into his draft year.

Kings score 153 points in regulation

The Sacramento Kings put up the biggest score in the league this season with a 153-121 drubbing of the Brooklyn Nets, scoring at least 36 points in every quarter.

It is eight points more than Oklahoma City in second place, after their 145-135 victory against the New York Knicks on Sunday.

They shot 60.2 per cent from the field (56-of-93), 48.8 per cent from long range (20-of-41) and had seven players in double-figures, led by Terence Davis off the bench with 31 (12-of-16 shooting).

It was the first time this season Ben Simmons has scored at least 10 points, finishing with 11, five rebounds, three assists and a steal in 20 minutes off the Nets bench.

The New Orleans Pelicans were missing offensive force Zion Williamson, but head coach Willie Green was ecstatic with the contributions he got from up-and-down his roster in their 113-102 home win against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.

C.J. McCollum assumed primary scorer responsibilities, dropping a team-high 30 points on 11-of-23 shooting while adding nine assists, and he was not alone in having a strong game.

Brandon Ingram was his usual efficient self with 19 points on seven-of-14 shooting, while second-year wing Trey Murphy III made the most of his starting opportunity by showcasing his deep range, hitting three-of-six three-pointers and finishing a big contested dunk.

NBA All-Defensive team shoo-in Herbert Jones scored more than half of his shots and defended all five positions, and their bench was also excellent.

Larry Nance Jr showcased his skills with 19 points (eight-of-10), seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks, backup point guard Jose Alvarado had 12 points (five-of-11) and six assists, and rookie Dyson Daniels continued to impress.

The 19-year-old, who was selected eighth overall, grabbed a team-high nine rebounds with a steal and a block in 17 minutes, earning praise from his head coach.

"[Daniels] and Herb [Jones] give you a comfort level when they're out on the floor," Green said. "He's only 19, but he doesn't play like it.

"He's been working. He stays in the gym working on his shot, he understands the game at a high level.

"We all feel comfortable putting him on the floor. I'm super excited about what he did tonight, and what he'll continue to do in the future."

Despite Williamson missing the game, Green opted to play starting centre Jonas Valanciunas only 13 minutes, telling reporters that he feels general manager David Griffin has assembled the weapons to give him the luxury to sit such an important piece based on matchups.

"It was a tough matchup game for 'JV'," he said. "Steven Adams played 13 minutes, JV played 13 minutes, so we had those guys matched up against each other.

"This was more of a smaller game, smaller fours and fives who are moving around, cutting, playing with force and pace. We tried to match their team in that way – it's something we've been working on.

"That's what the game is coming down to, guys who can play multiple positions, can handle the ball, can defend, can shoot the three-ball at a high clip,

"We put guys on the floor that can do all of those things – I'm thankful I get to coach this team. [Our front office] has done an amazing job of continuing to build our roster.

"Sky's the limit, we'll continue to build from here, but definitely grateful."

One of the best linebackers in all of football, Indianapolis Colts star Shaquille Leonard underwent another back surgery on Tuesday that is expected to end his season.

Leonard, 27, was a second-round draft pick in 2018 out of South Carolina State, and he burst onto the scene instantly, leading the NFL in solo and combined tackles in his first year en route to Defensive Rookie of the Year honours.

He was named first-team All-Pro as a rookie, second-team All-Pro as a sophomore, before following it with two more first-team selections in 2020 and 2021.

On a Hall-of-Fame trajectory, Leonard suffered a setback in the offseason as he went under the knife to address a nerve issue in his back, forcing him to miss the first three weeks of this campaign.

In his first game back, the man affectionately known as 'The Maniac' by Colts fans suffered a concussion and a broken nose, ruling him out of three more games before his next return in Week 8.

Unfortunately, in the lead-up to Week 10 he aggravated his lingering back issue, with the team deciding surgery was the best option.

In a video from his agent, Leonard addressed Colts fans and said he is "feeling good".

"What's up Colts nation," he said. "Just had back surgery. Feeling good – feeling great. 

"Ready to get the recovery going and ready to get back out there. Let's get it."

The Colts have a 4-5-1 record and remain a playoff chance under new interim head coach Jeff Saturday.

The Denver Nuggets' reigning back-to-back league MVP Nikola Jokic has entered the league's health and safety protocols, ruling him out of Wednesday's game against the New York Knicks.

Jokic, 27, is averaging a career-high 8.9 assists per game to go with his 20.8 points and 9.5 rebounds, helping the Nuggets to a 9-4 record through their first 13 games.

Having won five of their past six games, the Nuggets will be without Jokic and second-year talent Bones Hyland, who is also in health and safety protocols.

They will have to clear the league's guidelines before being able to return to the floor, with a maximum of 10 days before they are automatically cleared.

The Nuggets head away from home to take on the Dallas Mavericks on both Friday and Sunday, before returning home to face the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.

Fresh off one of their biggest wins in recent memory, the Washington Commanders are expected to activate star defensive end Chase Young from the physically unable to perform list before Sunday’s matchup against the Houston Texans. 

Young tore his ACL and MCL in Week 14 of last season and returned to practice on November 2, giving the Commanders 21 days to activate him. He was not brought onto the active roster for either of the team’s previous two games, but he is likely to make his season debut in some capacity Sunday. 

"We won’t play him unless we feel he’s ready to roll," Washington coach Ron Rivera said Saturday. "There are some things he’s not comfortable doing… you can see his frustration because he wants it to happen now."

There was hope that Young would be ready to play Monday at Philadelphia, but he still wasn’t doing everything at full speed. The Commanders ended the Eagles' unbeaten season with a surprising 32-21 victory even without him.  

That gave Washington four wins in five games and left them at 5-5, squarely in the wild card race in the NFC.  

Young was the second overall pick in the 2020 draft and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after he had 7.5 sacks, 44 tackles, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown.  

He wasn’t nearly as effective last season, with 1.5 sacks and 26 tackles in nine games before the season-ending injury. 

Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert will miss at least the next month after the hip injury he suffered in Sunday's loss to the Detroit Lions resulted in him being placed on injured reserve.

A sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Herbert has quickly established himself as one of the most dynamic backs in the league, tied with the Dallas Cowboys' Tony Pollard for the top yards-per-carry mark in the league (6.0).

When Bears starter David Montgomery missed time earlier this season, Herbert showed what he can do as the main man, tallying 157 yards and two touchdowns from 20 carries to star in his team's win over the Houston Texans in Week 3.

Herbert's injury came late in the fourth quarter against the Lions as he fielded the final kick return, landing awkwardly on his hip and immediately leaving the game.

After his departure, Montgomery handled 100 per cent of the running back snaps, meaning unless the Bears decide they trust another runner, Montgomery could be in for a workhorse role in Week 11 on the road against the Atlanta Falcons.