Sports
Tottenham’s Richarlison Slams 2026 World Cup ‘Lies’ Amid US-Iran War
Richarlison has now responded to a claim on social media that he would refuse to represent Brazil at the 2026 World Cup due to the ongoing conflict between the United States of America and Iran.
The Tottenham forward is a regular in the Brazil squad, although his place in Carlo Ancelotti’s side is far from certain as he battles relegation with his club. He has still managed eight goals and three assists in the Premier League despite Spurs’ struggles.
The 28-year-old has never shied away from making his feelings very clear on social media. He’s now had his say on the ongoing attacks between World Cup hosts the USA, Israel and Iran.
Richarlison’s Strong Reaction to World Cup Claim
A post appeared on X (formerly Twitter) following the attacks on Iran and their resulting retaliation over the weekend. It claimed that Richarlison had said that he wouldn’t take part in the World Cup if the war was still ongoing.
“I refuse to play the World Cup in the United States if they don’t stop this war against Iran,” is what the Brazilian was alleged to have posted, with an image attached. However, he’s now strongly denied that claim and called out the ‘lies’.
In a tweet that quickly went viral, the former Watford and Everton forward labelled the post ‘fake news’ and urged the account to delete their post. He said:
“Just to be clear, because the fake news has gone too far: I never made that statement. Although I am against any kind of war and conflict, I never said I wouldn’t play for the Brazilian national team at the World Cup. I hope everyone who shared this lie takes it back and deletes their posts.”
In the most recent international break, the Spurs star was left on the bench for both of Brazil’s friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia. That suggests he faces an uphill task to get regular game time under Ancelotti this summer. Though he is always called up to the Selecao.
Carlo Ancelotti Could Snub Richarlison This Summer
While he’s often been included in the squad, Richarlison is far from certain to be on the plane with the five-time World Cup winners this summer. According to ESPN, Ancelotti has already decided 18 of the 26 players he’ll be taking to the America-based tournament.
The forwards who are reported to have secured seats on the plane are Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Raphinha, Gabriel Martinelli, Matheus Cunha, Joao Pedro, Luiz Henrique, and Estevao. However, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo is now expected to miss the competition through injury.
That doesn’t leave much room for Richarlison, who appeared at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He hasn’t always been consistent in front of goal for his club sides, but the versatile forward has netted 20 goals in 54 appearances for his country.
Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 03-03-26.
Sports
Ruben Dias Wants to Leave Man City After Pep Guardiola Exit Confirmed
Manchester City are now in line for a summer of change, with Pep Guardiola on his way out after ten years, following John Stones and Bernardo Silva in looking for a new challenge.
The Cityzens have gone two seasons without a Premier League title after falling behind Arsenal this season, and are now set to enter a new era at the club as a result, as they look to get back to the top of English football and compete in Europe once again.
But it has now emerged that Guardiola, Stones, and Silva may not be the only players who are on the move out of the City dynasty, after it emerged that another key star has told his agent to secure him a move away.
Ruben Dias Wants to Leave Man City
According to CaughtOffside, Man City star Ruben Dias is keen to leave Man City this summer for a new challenge after Guardiola’s exit was confirmed.
Dias, who currently earns £220,000-a-week, is under contract until 2029 with the option of a further 12 months, and has been a regular in the centre of defence ever since joining from Benfica in a £65m deal back in 2020.
But after Guardiola announced his exit, the Portugal international has reportedly become unsettled and has instructed his agent to explore the opportunity for a move away – igniting interest from the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid.
Real Madrid are believed to be the most interested club, with David Alaba being allowed to leave on a free transfer, while Antonio Rudiger’s contract situation remains unresolved.
Dias is reportedly valued at around £50m, which would represent a major bargain in the current market, but it remains to be seen if City would be willing to allow him to move on, with incoming manager Maresca understood to be keen to keep his best players at the club for the new season.
Dias Exit Would Be Major Blow to Man City
With some top players already confirmed to be on the way out, Dias looks to be the heir apparent to the captain’s armband at the club.
That would make any potential exit away absolutely huge for City, because replacing Dias would be almost impossible to do without forking out huge money, and they are already making plans to upgrade other areas of the squad.
Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol, Marc Guehi, and Abdukodir Khusanov are the other options currently in the squad, but Dias stands above them, and Maresca is likely to want to do everything in his power to keep him at the club and keep things stable.
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Sports
Key Details About the Adidas Trionda
The 2026 World Cup is poised to be the biggest yet, with even more nations taking place in an expanded format, while being hosted by three of them at once.
Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America will play host to 48 nations, all of which will be hoping to win the grand prize at the end of it.
As with every World Cup, there are iconic traditions in place that will represent the tournament. The World Cup logo is front and centre, along with the mascots that will often tie into the national pride of whichever nation will host it, as well as the respective World Cup kits.
Then there’s the ball, where the magic happens. Each World Cup ball has a different design, feel, and story to tell, which can seal its place in the memory of those who watch on.
Here’s a look at everything you need to know about “Trionda“, the 2026 World Cup ball.
What does ‘Trionda’ stand for?
The Trionda ball for the 2026 World Cup pays homage to all of the host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America.
The “Tri” stands for three, and “Onda” means waves in Spanish, hinting at all three waves in the design of the ball, with three different colours representing each nation.
Adidas Trionda Design and Colourway Explained
Trionda’s design shows off all three host nations in different ways, using both colours and patterns on the ball itself to represent each host in a clear way.
The red part of the ball represents Canada, with the country’s famous maple leaf dotted within each of the red waves to clearly show their part in hosting the tournament.
The green is used to show off Mexico, hinting at the unmistakable green home kit that the national team wears, along with an eagle pattern that is seen in the country’s coat of arms.
Then there’s the blue, which represents the United States of America, and includes the stars that show off each of the states included in the famous American flag.
Every World Cup Ball In History
|
Date |
Name |
Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
|
1930 |
Tiento/T-Model |
N/A |
|
1934 |
Federale 102 |
ECAS, Rome |
|
1938 |
Allen |
Allen, Paris |
|
1950 |
Duplo T |
Superball |
|
1954 |
Swiss World Champion |
Kost Sport, Basel |
|
1958 |
Top Star |
Remmen |
|
1962 |
Crack |
Señor Custodio Zamora H., San Miguel, Chile Remmen |
|
1966 |
Challenge 4-Star |
Slazenger |
|
1970 |
Telstar |
Adidas |
|
1974 |
Telstar Durlast |
Adidas |
|
1978 |
Tango |
Adidas |
|
1982 |
Tango Espana |
Adidas |
|
1986 |
Azteca |
Adidas |
|
1990 |
Etrusco Unico |
Adidas |
|
1994 |
Questra |
Adidas |
|
1998 |
Tricolore |
Adidas |
|
2002 |
Fevernova |
Adidas |
|
2006 |
Teamgeist/Teamgeist Berlin |
Adidas |
|
2010 |
Jabulani/Jo’bulani |
Adidas |
|
2014 |
Brazuca/Brazuca Final Rio |
Adidas |
|
2018 |
Telstar 18/Telstar Mechta |
Adidas |
|
2022 |
Al Rihla/Al Hilm |
Adidas |
|
2026 |
Trionda |
Adidas |
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What is the ‘Smart Technology’ and Does The Ball Need to be Charged?
The Trionda World Cup ball for 2026 will need to be charged before every use, due to the “smart technology” inside that will help assist the officials during the game.
There is an in-built motion sensor that can track the ball’s rotation, position on the pitch, and every single touch along the way, sending that data back to the Video Assistant Referee.
That information should help the VAR make quicker decisions, particularly when it comes to an offside call, as they will be able to tell the exact moment the ball was struck, and can then begin to work out the offside line with a 3D model of the game picked up by cameras around the stadium.
It will also be useful for tracking data used by national teams, with even more data allowing them to look underneath the hood of football into some of the things that make teams tick.
The ball has a battery life of roughly six hours, meaning it should comfortably last a full game, barring any technological issues that could occur.
Where to Buy the World Cup 2026 Ball
The official World Cup 2026 ball, the Trionda, is available to buy in several different sizes and with some different impact to each one that is available.
Adidas are retailing six variations of the Trionda, from the Pro version at £130, to the Mini version at £13. There is the competition version for £50, the League version for £35, the Training version for £25, and the Club version for £23.
The Trionda is also available to buy from high street stores such as Sports Direct, which is running an offer on the League version of the ball, as well as JD Sports.
Online retailers such as Amazon and Kitbag are also selling the ball, along with a host of other online stores.
Sports
Former WWE Superstar Curtis Axel Has Been Arrested
Former WWE Superstar Curtis Axel, real name Joseph Hennig, was arrested in Minnesota earlier this month, according to reports.
The son of WWE icon Mr Perfect, Curt Hennig, was reportedly arrested in Anoka County, Minnesota, on May 17, 2026. That’s according to PWInsider’s Mike Johnson. The 46-year-old was later charged with DUI.
Curtis Axel’s Charges After Arrest
Per the report, Axel was released from prison two days after his arrest and his charges include third-degree driving while impaired, refusing to give a chemical test, obstructing the lawful execution of a legal process, possessing an open bottle of alcohol in the car, and failing to stop after an accident to property that did not involve any injuries.
According to Cultaholic Wrestling, police were called to a McDonald’s in St. Francis at around 9pm following a report of a vehicle reversing into another in the drive-thru, causing damage. Axel was found driving around the car park, and police noticed the smell of alcohol when speaking to him.
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“I don’t give a sh**” and “f*** you, you f*****,” were what the wrestler reportedly shouted at officers while refusing to do chemical testing after having to be physically removed from his car.
An employee at the McDonald’s told police that Axel had sworn at staff before reversing into another vehicle. He then got out of his car and yelled at the female whose car he’d just backed into, calling her a ‘b****” and a ‘p****’.
Axel’s Previous Legal Challenges
This isn’t the first time Joseph Hennig has had a brush with the law. American Express received a judgment of $21,357.94 they were owed by Henning for a credit card in 2024. He has since paid $5,936.79, but the remaining $16,774.26 payment is still outstanding.
A further judgment from a housing estate, Estates of Silver Oaks Association, was granted against him and his partner, Brooke Hennig, in 2025 for $4,989.40. That case was reported as closed in early 2026.
More to follow.
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