Lucas Leiva believes Jurgen Klopp's "unique" coaching style would be a perfect fit if he were to succeed Gareth Southgate as England manager.

Southgate stepped down as Three Lions boss after eight years following their 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final earlier this month.

The 53-year-old led England to their first-ever Euros final in 2021 before reaching the showpiece match on foreign soil at a major tournament for the first time in their history.

However, he also became the first manager to lose two consecutive finals in the competition.

During his tenure, he was often accused of being overly cautious at times, despite the team scoring 213 goals during his 102 matches in charge.

Klopp, who ended his nine-year stay at Anfield in May, is one of the names being linked with the vacant job, and former Liverpool midfielder Leiva believes the German would be a success in the role.

"I think his coaching style can adapt to any club, to any national team, because Jurgen, the way he manages, is unique," Leiva told Stats Perform.

"I don't know if he will accept that, because maybe he's having a rest, having a break. But, as a Brazilian, if he gets the English national team, I'll be very worried because I know how he works.

"Of course, with a national team you always have less time to work with the team, and the way he plays, it needs time.

"But, if he gets the English national team, of course I'll be supporting him because he's a fantastic guy, a fantastic manager. And I think his style can be a success."

Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm each hit two home runs, Ben Rice and Anthony Volpe also went deep and the New York Yankees handled the MLB-leading Philadelphia Phillies 14-4 on Monday.

Judge increased his major league-leading totals to 39 home runs and 99 RBIs. Chisholm, who logged his first professional start at third base, went deep for the first time in a Yankees uniform.

Chisholm, who played in his second game for New York since being traded by the Miami Marlins, borrowed Judge’s bat to hit both his home runs.

Juan Soto also had a strong night at the plate, going 3 for 5 while driving in three runs.

Giancarlo Stanton returned from a 28-game absence due to a hamstring strain and was 0 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.

Three of New York’s home runs came off Philly ace Zack Wheeler, who surrendered seven runs and seven hits in five innings’ work as he fell to 10-5.

Luis Gil had a quality start and collected the win after giving up three runs in 5 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts.

The win gave the Yankees their first three-game winning streak since June 9-12 as they remained one game back of the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.

Tuesday’s game, the second of a three-game set, features an enticing pitching match-up with Gerritt Cole and Aaron Nola slated to start.

Adames, Chourio homer late as Brewers beat Braves

Willy Adames hit a three-run shot in the sixth inning, Jackson Chourio added a two-run homer in the eighth and the Milwaukee Brewers rallied to beat the Atlanta Braves 8-3.

Adames had three hits from the clean-up spot, and his 17th home run of the season gave Milwaukee their first lead of the night after Rhys Hoskins’ solo shot got the Brewers on the board in the fifth.

Marcell Ozuna hit his 31st home run of the season in the fourth inning, and Sean Murphy also went deep for the Braves, who are 3-7 since the All-Star break.

Milwaukee starter Colin Rea only allowed three hits, but two of them were home runs. He pitched 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts in the no-decision.

Skenes strong again, Pirates lifted by HR in 9th

Paul Skenes continued his dominant rookie season with six strong innings, Michael A. Taylor hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Houston Astros 5-3.

Skenes received a no-decision despite allowing two runs (one earned) and five hits over six innings with six strikeouts, dropping the rookie All-Star’s ERA to 1.90.

The Pirates improved to 9-4 in games started by Skenes. Even after another successful outing, however, the flame-throwing right-hander felt he could have performed better.

“I wasn’t executing, and frankly, got lucky,” Skenes said after the game. “I was trying to find it.”

Taylor stepped to the plate with two on and two out to face Josh Hader in a 2-2 ballgame, sending a fastball over 420 feet into left-centre field for his third home run of the season.

David Bednar converted his 19th save of the season in the bottom half, but only after forcing in a bases-loaded walk to Yordan Alvarez with two outs.

Carlos Alcaraz admitted to struggling with a groin injury but shrugged off any concerns after his second-round win over Tallon Griekspoor at the Olympics.

The Spaniard won in straight sets, 6-1 7-6 (7-3), but had to take a medical timeout partway through the second to receive treatment.

After a comfortable first set, Alcaraz was then pushed all the way to make it into the third round in the men's singles, while he is also competing in the men's doubles with Rafael Nadal.

Alcaraz was quick to downplay the injury, noting how he has not let it affect him in recent tournaments, including his Wimbledon win earlier this month.

"It's a problem I've been having since the last few tournaments and I have to pay special attention to that area," Alcaraz said after the match.

"Tennis players have a very demanding schedule, you play more matches and problems arise, but the good thing is that I know how to deal with those discomforts and how to recover.

"It's an area where I've been feeling it for several months, but I've been able to play perfectly in the last few tournaments and this one will be no different."

Alcaraz and Nadal will play Netherlands' Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof in doubles on Tuesday before the 21-year-old's third-round meeting with Roman Safiullin later in the week. 

Rafael Nadal says he will make a decision on his future when the Olympics are over after suffering a second-round defeat to Novak Djokovic on Monday.

The Spaniard was beaten 6-1 6-4 in straight sets by his long-time rival, though showed fight to come back from 4-0 down to tie 4-4 in the second set before Djokovic saw out the victory.

Nadal has endured another campaign hampered by injuries and is playing in just his seventh tournament of the season after skipping Wimbledon to focus on the Games.

He won Olympic gold in the singles in Beijing in 2008 and the doubles at Rio 2016, but he is without a major title win since 2022, when he won his 14th grand slam at Roland Garros.

And after another early tournament exit, Nadal admitted that the end of his career may be closer than he had hoped.

"When this tournament is over, I will take the necessary decisions based on my feelings and desire," he said.

"For many people, it makes little sense. I have been suffering for two years.

"If I feel that I am not competitive, I will make the decision to stop. I just try my best every single day, trying to enjoy a thing that I have been enjoying for so much time.

"I have been suffering a lot of injuries the last two years. So, if I feel that I am not competitive enough to keep going or physically, I'm not ready to keep going, I will stop and let you know."

Nadal still has a chance to win a medal in Paris in the men's doubles where he is partnered with Carlos Alcaraz.

Carlos Alcaraz dug deep to overcome Tallon Griekspoor in the second round at the Paris Olympic Games.

The reigning French Open champion was pushed all the way in his straight-sets victory, getting a 6-1 7-6 (7-3) win in one hour and 48 minutes.

It looked like it was going to be another routine match for the Spaniard at Roland-Garros as he raced into a 3-0 lead in the first set, and even after Griekspoor pulled one back, Alcaraz's aggressive approach saw him take the lead.

The Dutchman found his fight in the second, though, with the players matching each other stride for stride. Griekspoor threatened to take the set with a break, but Alcaraz successfully defended it before forcing a tie-break.

Alcaraz then turned on the style when he needed it most, winning the last four points in a row to book his place in the next round, where he will face Roman Safiullin.

Data Debrief: Alcaraz gets the job done

Unlike his opening round, when he cruised through with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Lebanon's Hady Habib, Alcaraz was made to work hard for this victory.

Despite the stern test, Alcaraz did not drop a single service game, successfully saving two break points.

He is back in action on Tuesday when he will once again pair up with Rafael Nadal in the men's doubles. 

Julian Alvarez has expressed doubts over his Manchester City future after being left out of 'important games'.

Alvarez played 2657 minutes in the Premier League for City last season, his most in a single campaign since joining the club in January 2022.

He made 31 starts in the league, though mainly as an attacking midfielder, and in other competitions, including the Champions League and FA Cup, in which the Citizens reached the final, he was often second choice to Erling Haaland.

The Argentinian, who is currently representing his country at the Olympics, admitted his frustration at not getting a chance in big games when asked about his future.

"I haven't stopped to think about what I'm going to do," Alvarez told DIRECTV Sports.

"Last season I was one of the players who played the most minutes in the team.

"But it's true: in the end, in some important games, it's not pleasant to be left out. I will have time to consider my decision.

"I haven't stopped to think things through calmly. Once the Olympic Games are over, I will take the time to reflect on what I want for myself."

Alvarez has scored 36 goals in 103 appearances for City in all competitions, also providing 18 assists.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid are reportedly interested in the 24-year-old's signature should he decide to move away from the Etihad.

Novak Djokovic admitted he got "a little bit too comfortable" before rallying to beat Rafael Nadal in their mouth-watering second-round Olympic meeting.

Billed as their 'last dance', the great rivals faced off for a record 60th time in the Open Era, with Djokovic coming out on top with a 6-1 6-4 straight-sets win.

It was not quite so straightforward for the Serb though, as Nadal showed his fight in the second set, fighting from 4-0 down to tie it at 4-4 before Djokovic wrestled back control to win.

The 37-year-old is the first player to win 15 men's singles matches at the Olympics since tennis returned to the summer programme in 1988, but he is still searching for an elusive first gold medal.

And despite a slightly sloppy finish to the second set, Djokovic was pleased with his overall performance.

"At 6-1, 4-0, I got a little bit too comfortable," Djokovic said. "At 4-1, I played a little sloppy service game, and you can't give any chances to Nadal because he is going to use them and comeback.

"Especially on this court. The crowd getting involved, but it was a crucial game at 4-4, trying to break his serve and then serve against the wind with new balls.

"It was a very close encounter, but I am very pleased with the way I played."

The win was also Djokovic's 31st against Nadal, the most match wins against a single opponent by anyone in the Open Era.

With this potentially the last-ever meeting, Djokovic reflected on just how far they had come since first facing off at Roland-Garros in the French Open quarter-finals in 2006.

"Back in 2006, I don't think we would have thought we would be playing against each other on the same court at the Olympics," he added.

"So, I think we will appreciate this match very much. I think our rivalry and I think for the sport itself.

"I think there was a lot of attention and interest directed from sports towards us. It is unfortunate for him that he wasn't at his best, but I did everything I could to make him feel uncomfortable."

Djokovic will face Germany’s Dominik Koepfer in the next round. 

Team GB mountain biker Tom Pidcock successfully defended his gold medal, recovering from a mid-race puncture to snatch victory in dramatic fashion.

He slipped down to ninth after the puncture on his fourth lap, trailing the leader by 40 seconds, but made up the ground to beat home favourite Victor Koretzky over the line by nine seconds.

In a tense final lap, the pair exchanged the lead, but in a superb overtake through the trees, Pidcock edged back in front and held his nerve to win his second goal medal.

Pidcock, who had to withdraw from the Tour de France after suffering from Covid-19 earlier this month, said he was determined to do whatever it took to get his hands back on the gold medal.

"It wasn't easy," he told BBC Sport after the race. "I'm keeping my glasses on for a reason.

"The Olympics is so special, you never give up, you give everything, and that is what I had to do.

"I knew that Victor was going to be fast in the last lap even if I couldn't get rid of him. I knew it was going to be a big fight, and he left a gap and I had to take it.

"That's racing. I know people might view it differently, but sport is about not giving up. It is a shame that the French were booing me, but you know."

Pidcock had made a quick start, pushing to the front of the pack before being slowed down by the wheel change, but he was quick to brush off the problem.

"I knew that the first thing was to stay calm, I didn't really let it affect me," he added. "All I could do was stay calm and come back as best I could. I wanted to come back to the front, that's all I cared about.

"There's no point in stressing about [the slow wheel change], that's not going to help me get back to the front. I was lucky it happened early on, so there was time to come back to the front."

Pidcock will have another chance to go for gold in the road race on Saturday.

Carlos Sainz will join Williams for the 2025 season, signing a two-year contract with the option to extend, ending months of speculation on his future.

The 29-year-old will drive alongside Alex Albon next season following his departure from Ferrari, who announced earlier this year that Lewis Hamilton would be taking his seat.

Sainz was initially seen as a candidate to take Hamilton's place at Mercedes, with Alpine and Sauber, who will become Audi in 2026, also in the running to get his signature.

But, he will now replace American Logan Sargeant, who looks set to stop racing at the end of the season.

"I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Williams Racing from 2025 onwards," Sainz said in a press release.

"It is no secret that this year's driver market has been exceptionally complex for various reasons and that it has taken me some time to announce my decision.

"However, I am fully confident that Williams is the right place for me to continue my F1 journey and I am extremely proud of joining such a historic and successful team, where many of my childhood heroes drove in the past and made their mark on our sport.

"The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity."

Sainz has achieved three F1 wins to date, including a victory at the Australian Grand Prix in March, and 23 podium finishes while amassing over 1,100 points over his career.

He currently sits fifth in the drivers’ championship and has five podiums in the first half of the season.

Marta has urged Brazil to bounce back quickly from their stoppage-time defeat to Japan at the Olympics on Sunday.

The Brazil great made her 200th appearance for the national team in their second group-stage game, but it was marred by a late lapse in concentration that saw Japan score twice in stoppage time to win 2-1.

Jhennifer's 56th-minute goal looked set to book Brazil a place in the quarter-finals of the tournament, but instead, they slipped down to third in Group C after Saki Kumagai and Momoko Tanikawa's goals.

And with world champions Spain up next for the two-time silver medallists, Marta, who is retiring at the end of the year, noted why it is so important that they quickly put that result behind them.

"All that mattered to Japan was winning the game," Marta said. "We took our eye off the ball and that has obviously ended up costing us.

"We could have been here celebrating a win, but instead we have to remain focused. But it's not over yet. We have to give it everything as a group. That is football. Anything can happen. Nothing has been decided."

The top two teams in each of the three groups advance into the knockout rounds, along with the two best third-place sides.

While Brazil would go through as things stand, that could all change on the final day, and head coach Arthur Elias echoed Marta's call to learn from the loss.

"I need to make amends, I need to tell the players the truth, no matter if it hurts," he said. "They obviously need to reflect. But I really recognise the effort of each and every one of them."