Arsenal came within a penalty shootout of completing one of the most remarkable doubles in English football history.

A Premier League title lifted at Selhurst Park, followed six days later by a Champions League final in Budapest. It was the stuff that dreams are made of, and for at least an hour, it looked entirely possible. Kai Havertz’s early opener had the red half of Budapest daring to believe, before Ousmane Dembele’s equaliser from the penalty spot drew matters level midway through the second half.

It was from the same place that Arsenal suffered their ultimate heartbreak, where misses from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel ultimately ended their hopes of the double.

Mikel Arteta’s approach to the final made many think whether it was the right way to set up for a Champions League final, and one of the most decorated players in English football history has waded his way into the conversation, with his verdict certain to divide opinion.

Gary Lineker, speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, was generous in his praise of Arsenal’s achievement in reaching the final, but pulled no punches when it came to assessing what the outcome meant for the game as a whole.

In his view, PSG’s victory wasn’t just a win for the French club, it was a win for football itself: “Looking at the game as a fan with no skin in the game, I think Arsenal had to play that way because they wouldn’t have beaten PSG any other way, but at the same time I think football won.”

Lineker was careful to acknowledge the legitimacy of defensive football, but made clear where his sympathies as a neutral lie:

He identified three teams as having reached that level in Europe this season, and Arsenal weren’t among them: “I think this season those three teams have been PSG, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.”

It’s a view that won’t sit well with Arsenal supporters, and many will argue that reaching a Champions League final without losing a single match in the competition until the penalty shootout is itself a mark of footballing excellence.

Mikel Arteta Vows Arsenal Will Learn From Champions League Pain

For his part, Arteta was in no mood to engage with the tactical debate in the immediate aftermath of the final. The Arsenal manager cut a devastated figure in Budapest and chose instead to focus on the raw emotion of the occasion and what it means for the club going forward.

“We haven’t done it for 22 years [reached the Champions League final], so imagine the second time in our history that we have done it, and we need to recognise the season we had. But at the moment nobody is going to take the pain away from you. You have to go through the emotions and if you’re in pain, then go through the pain. If you think you could do something else, then learn from it. Reflect on that and show the ambition that we want to have again.”

On PSG, Arteta was noble in defeat: “They are a superb team and I congratulate them. Individual quality they have, the manner they are coached – they are a top, top team.”

Arteta and his squad joined an estimated 1.5 million supporters on the streets of north London for the Premier League title parade, a reminder that for all the heartbreak of Budapest, this is still the most successful season Arsenal have enjoyed in a generation.

Even at 38 years old, Stephen Curry continues to rank among the best NBA players on the planet. The Golden State Warriors superstar has already cemented his place in basketball history and is a lock for the Hall of Fame. Looking at everything he has accomplished throughout his career, it’s not difficult to understand why.

Although he has just one Finals MVP award on his resume, there is little debate that Curry was often the most dangerous offensive weapon for the Warriors—especially alongside Kevin Durant during their dominant years. Opposing teams regularly spent countless hours trying to design schemes capable of slowing him down. A two-time scoring champion, Curry also led the NBA in steals in 2016 and is already recognised as one of the greatest point guards ever to play the game.

With a resume as decorated as his, Curry is certainly qualified to weigh in on the debate surrounding the five greatest NBA players of all time. Here is what the Warriors icon had to say.

Steph Curry’s 5 Greatest NBA Players of All Time

Michael Jordan

It should come as no surprise that Curry included Michael Jordan in his top five. Viewed by many as basketball’s undisputed GOAT, Jordan enjoyed a legendary career with the Chicago Bulls, capturing six championships and five MVP awards. Only Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won more MVP trophies, with six to his name.

Wilt Chamberlain

Before Curry transformed the franchise, Wilt Chamberlain was widely regarded as the greatest player in Warriors history when the team was still known as the San Francisco Warriors. His dominance was so overwhelming that the NBA introduced multiple rule changes to limit his impact. Chamberlain collected four MVP awards and won championships in both 1967 and 1972.

He led the league in scoring seven times and topped the NBA in rebounding on 11 different occasions. Chamberlain’s presence was felt at both ends of the floor, while his rivalry with Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics remains one of the most iconic in basketball history.

Shaquille O’Neal

Like Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal deserves mention whenever discussions about the most dominant player in NBA history arise. Combining elite size with remarkable athleticism, O’Neal was virtually impossible to contain in his prime, overpowering defenders in the paint and even leaving backboards shattered along the way.

While a championship eluded him with the Orlando Magic, O’Neal became an unstoppable force after joining the Los Angeles Lakers. He earned Finals MVP honours during each of the franchise’s three consecutive championship runs beginning in 2000. Known for elevating his performances in the postseason, O’Neal earns a place in Curry’s all-time top five ahead of legendary centers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon.

LeBron James

Often viewed as the closest challenger to Michael Jordan’s GOAT crown, LeBron James remains among the NBA’s elite players even in 2026—more than 20 years after entering the league. Now starring for the Los Angeles Lakers, James has evolved from a once-in-a-generation athlete into one of basketball’s greatest minds, pairing physical gifts with extraordinary court awareness.

During a conversation involving Curry, James, and Kevin Durant, Curry was asked which trait from the Lakers star he would most like to possess.

Magic Johnson

Widely regarded as the greatest point guard in NBA history, Magic Johnson ruled the 1980s with a combination of size, vision, and passing ability unlike anything the league had previously seen. As the driving force behind the Showtime Lakers, Johnson dazzled fans while consistently elevating teammates such as James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

A five-time NBA champion, Johnson also captured three MVP awards, including consecutive honours in 1989 and 1990. He led the league in assists four times and showcased his defensive instincts by topping the NBA in steals during both 1981 and 1982. When Curry was asked if Magic deserved to be considered the greatest point guard ever, he offered a humble response.

Anthony Joshua has revealed the two ways in which training alongside his former opponent, Oleksandr Usyk, has changed his approach to boxing. AJ was speaking ahead of his comeback to the sport, which is set to include a much-anticipated clash with Tyson Fury later this year.

Before he can fully focus on that bout, though, he must first safely negotiate his return to the ring on the 25th of July against unheralded contender, Kristian Prenga, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Though Usyk labored to a controversial 11th round knockout win in a crossover fight against the boxing novice, Rico Verhoeven, on the 23rd of May at the Pyramids of Giza, he remains one of the most decorated and established pound-for-pound fighters in the entire sport.

Usyk is admired for his prior dominance at cruiserweight, and for the way in which he lapped the competition at heavyweight through wins over Joshua himself, as well as Daniel Dubois and Fury.

Since dropping those losses to Usyk and, more recently, Dubois, the former two-time heavyweight king, AJ, has joined Usyk’s team and camp to learn from the Ukrainian maestro.

At a press event in London, Joshua explained what he’s learned from his time with the champ.

Joshua Now Trains With Usyk Full-Time

The new partnership began ahead of Joshua’s crossover bout with the creator-turned-fight figure, Jake Paul. With London becoming too distracting for Joshua’s increasing celebrity status, he left for Valencia to join Usyk’s team on a 10-day basis. But, according to AJ’s career-long promoter, Eddie Hearn, “he just never came back.”

Joshua maintained the relationship through 2026. They posted memes of one another to the Rocky theme, and Usyk’s sports director, Sergey Lapin, said the collaboration “isn’t about one opponent [but, rather] AJ’s development.”

There was even a suggestion Usyk could corner Joshua for a championship bout or, perhaps, the Tyson Fury mega-fight. But, though, it remains to be seen whether Usyk will be present for the Prenga fight, the effect he has had on Joshua has never been clearer.

What Anthony Joshua Has Learned From Oleksandr Usyk

On the two ways Usyk changed his perspective on boxing as he prepares to face Prenga and later Fury, Joshua said: “Fitness — and not just fitness for running, but boxing fitness. And IQ. When I say that, I mean defence. I understand it. I can really read punches again.”

The Brit, who has 26 knockouts from 29 wins, with only four defeats, added: “[I am] fully locked in. I can see it again. The punches. I can read the opponent really well, and [I’m] not focused on other stuff. I’m going to respect the sport of boxing.

“There’s a certain level of energy it takes to be a championship fighter, and you can’t be anywhere underneath that if you want to be good,” Joshua said. “And when you align your energy to that, everything becomes easy. I put my energy fully into boxing.

“I feel myself improving again,” he finished.

Watch AJ lift the lid on his experience with Usyk right here:

While the Joshua vs Prenga fight was announced earlier in the year, the rest of the card is yet to be confirmed. Considering Joshua’s agreement with DAZN, that broadcaster will likely stream the entire show. With Matchroom promoting, other Eddie Hearn fighters will likely join AJ on the bill.

Should Joshua defat Prenga, the date for his showdown with Fury is expected to be announced straight after.