There is now just one week to go until the UFC hosts the first sporting event to ever take place on the grounds of the White House. UFC Freedom 250 will be one of the biggest and most important in company history, as its 14th of June date has been timed to celebrate both the 250th anniversary of the USA and President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.

Although there is still some doubt over whether the event will go off without a hitch, all 14 fighters competing on the card have begun to dial in their weight ahead of the landmark event.

However, there is also a 15th fighter who is preparing for action just in case he is called upon.

In the main event of the evening in Washington DC, Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje are scheduled to meet for the undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship. Should either man be unable to compete, though, top 155lb contender Arman Tsarukyan is ready to step in as the back-up fighter for the bout.

Even if he doesn’t get the opportunity to fight on the South Lawn of the White House, Tsarukyan will still have a keen interest in the contest after he placed a staggering bet on the outcome of the headline fight.

During a recent appearance on a Kick stream alongside Deen The Great, Arman was goaded into making a huge wager after stating why he believed underdog Gaethje could cause an upset against Topuria.

Arman Tsarukyan’s Massive Bet on Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250

“When Gaethje fights, everyone always says he’ll lose, but he wins,” reasoned Tsarukyan. The 29-year-old Russian-Armenian was toying with the idea of putting $50,000 on a Gaethje victory, before a voice chimed in from off-camera saying: “Do a million!”

Tsarukyan looked unsure, but eventually said: “For a million, I’ll need to call a couple of guys!”

Arman ultimately placed the bet, but looked hugely uneasy afterwards.

“My heart, my heart. Bro, if my dad sees this,” he said, fearful of his father’s reaction to such a huge punt. His $1 million wager is significantly more than most UFC fighters earn in their whole careers.

If it pays off, though, Tsarukyan will bank an eye-watering sum. A Gaethje victory over Topuria will net Arman a massive $5.7 million! Only he will know if he would rather win the bet or lift the title as the back-up fighter if Gaethje was to pull out.

The UFC Freedom 250 Fight Card Explored

Prior to the huge unification clash, there is another championship fight on the card as Alex Pereira and Cyril Gane face off for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship.

Elsewhere, former UFC Bamtamweight Champion Sean O’Malley takes on 14-2 Canadian, Aiemann Zahabi at 135lbs. That fight is preceded by Derrick Lewis taking on Josh Hokit, who currently has a record of nine wins and no losses.

Michael Chandler is also in action, as the former lightweight title challenger comes up against Mauricio Ruffy. Bo Nickal and Kyle Daukas clash at middleweight after Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia kick the historic card off.

Renowned pundit and former England defender Jamie Carragher once named his greatest World Cup XI, with the strict condition that he could only select one player from each country. He was put to the test back in 2022, and although the latest tournament had yet to take place, the Liverpudlian still made some eyebrow-raising omissions.

While the 48-year-old would have been none the wiser that Lionel Messi was just weeks – if not days – away from almost single-handedly guiding Argentina to continental glory, Carragher chose to snub both him and long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo when selecting his final team, opting for other Argentine and Portuguese stars instead.

The Three Lions, Germany and France are all represented in some form, as are five-time winners Brazil. But as readers discover throughout the Sun’s piece, several other huge names are left out along the way.

Goalkeeper and Defenders

There are four players in Carragher’s final selection that have never won the World Cup, placing them in a rare category of the greatest to have never tasted football’s most prestigious prize. The first of that trio is found between the sticks, with Denmark legend Peter Schmeichel ,who only played at one tournament – reaching the quarter finals in 1998.

In front of him is a back four of titans. 1998 winner Lilian Thuram playing on the right, 1974 champion Franz Beckenbauer partnering 1966 victor Bobby Moore in the heart of defence, and 1994 runner-up Paolo Maldini – perhaps the greatest defender of all time – tidying things up on the left flank.

Beckenbauer is one of just three men to win the World Cup as a player and as a manager – the supreme defender leading West Germany from the dugout in 1990.

Midfielders

To fit every player into his team, Carragher opted to deploy Pele in an attacking midfield role. The Brazilian remains the only player to have won three World Cups, while also being the tournament’s youngest winner and goalscorer. Many still regard him as the greatest World Cup player of all time, with images of him lifting the Jules Rimet Trophy forever etched into football folklore.

Behind him sit two passing maestros capable of orchestrating almost any team, such was the quality of their playmaking during their respective primes. Spain’s Xavi – the ultimate tempo-setter and a World Cup winner in 2010 – takes one of the midfield spots.

Alongside him is his former El Clasico rival, Luka Modric, a World Cup finalist with Croatia in 2018. The ex-Real Madrid star is the only active player in Carragher’s XI, as he prepares to captain his nation this summer at the age of 40.

Forwards

The Portuguese representative is forward Eusebio, who leads the line in a 4-2-3-1 formation for Carragher. The ‘Black Panther’ scored all nine of his World Cup goals as he led his country to the semi-finals in 1966, including four in the stunning comeback win over North Korea – when Portugal won 5-3 from 3-0 down inside 25 minutes.

From Argentina, operating on the right, is none other than Diego Maradona, who led his nation to glory in 1986 – thanks in part to his famous double against England, which included the most controversial goal ever in the shape of the “Hand of God”. But to rate the former Napoli maverick without considering his crazy side would be an injustice.

To complete a fearsome front three is flying Dutchman Johan Cruyff, who played the game like an art form and then taught it in a way where his philosophy is still used today. He led the Netherlands to the final in 1974 with his beautiful brand of total football, but the Oranje fell short by losing to West Germany in the final. See the full team below:

The 2026 World Cup will see eight sets of brothers competing, but they aren’t all representing the same nation as their siblings.

This year’s 48-team tournament is the biggest in the competition’s history, meaning even more countries are given the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage. That also means the number of players showcased in the United States, Canada and Mexico has increased massively.

However, it’s still a surprise to see as many as eight sets of siblings make it to world football’s biggest competition. It’s even more mind-blowing to learn that four of them play for a different country to their brothers.

2026 World Cup Brothers on the Same Side

Some of the more famous brother duos to play at World Cup finals include the Ayews (Jordan and Andre) and the Hazards (Eden and Thorgan). The former both participated for Ghana, while the latter pair appeared as Belgium players.

Following that trend are Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber and his brother, Quinten. The versatile duo are both part of Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands squad. They’ll be delighted to hear they’ve even been predicted to win the whole competition.

Lucas and Theo Hernandez are in the unique position that they are actually competing with each other for the same position in France’s starting XI. The defenders are both left-footed and will hope to be the left-back for Didier Deschamps this summer.

Elsewhere, Laros Duarte and Deroy Duarte are both heading to the competition as Cape Verde make their first-ever World Cup appearance. Likewise, Leandro and Juninho Bacuna are playing for Curacao, with the latter captaining his country.

Siblings Competing Against Each Other

The most high-profile set of relatives on opposing sides this summer are the Williams brothers. Nico was a key part of Spain’s Euro 2024 success and is part of Luis de la Fuente’s squad once again. His older brother, meanwhile, will face England as part of Ghana’s hopeful unit.

Desire Doue got firsthand experience of what could happen if his France side come up against Ivory Coast and his sibling, Guela, this summer. In a pre-tournament friendly, the Strasbourg full-back scored and registered an assist as the Africans defeated Les Bleus.

Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey was called up to the Netherlands squad after an impressive debut season in England. His brother, Derrick Luckassen, is a centre-back for Ghana.

The Souttars are heading to the competition. Both are central defenders and are expected to have starting roles for their respective nations. Harry will represent Australia, while John plays for Steven Clarke’s Scotland.