United States president Donald Trump has once again positioned himself at the forefront of sporting controversy, taking a swipe at the NFL Hall of Fame’s decision-making that omitted one man.
The 2026 class, which welcomed five new additions to its ranks at its 8th of August ceremony last week, immortalised legends of American football such as Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees and lifelong Arizona Cardinal wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
Others to receive deserved recognition for their careers in the sport at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, included the likes of Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig.
Although the “fan-in-chief”, who has never been one to shy away from his sporting opinions, gave a scathing assessment in a rant posted to his Truth Social platform, calling out the decision not to induct former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
What Donald Trump Has Said
US President Donald Trump via Action Images via Reuters / Russell Cheyne Livepic
“It is the same mindset that gave pro football the new and unwatchable ‘—’ Kickoff Rule, that made it possible for Bill Belichick not to be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“Both are ridiculous and should be overturned!”
Belichick can certainly feel hard done by to not make the cut in 2026. His 333 total career wins leave him second on the all-time list, just behind Don Shula’s 347; he can boast eight Super Bowl titles to his name, two as a defensive coordinator with the New York Giants, and a further six at the helm of the Patriots’ all-conquering dynasty.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick announces he is leaving the team during a press conference at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on January 11, 2024. Belichick, the NFL mastermind who has guided the New England Patriots to a record six Super Bowl titles as head coach, is parting ways with the team after 24 seasons. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)
This was the first year in which Belichick would have been eligible for selection to the NFL’s Hall of Fame, following a rule change that meant coaches could be given the nod after just one full season away from professional football. The 74-year-old narrowly missed out on this occasion after making it to the final selection process.
This is just the latest in a long list of Trump’s controversial sporting moments this year, be it the criticised UFC Freedom 250 that took place on the White House’s South Lawn, his public backing of the underfire FIFA president Gianni Infantino following his attempt to sell off a stake in the World Cup to private equity firms, and a high-profile appearance at an NBA Finals Knicks-Spurs match at Madison Square Garden.
What Trump/sporting critique comes next only the 47th president could say, but in the case of Belichick’s possible future induction into the Hall of Fame, you would expect it won’t be long before “The Hoodie” finds his way into the pantheon of the sport.
Brighton & Hove Albion ace Carlos Baleba is on Newcastle United’s list of targets this summer, according to the Daily Mail.
It has been a summer of change on Tyneside with three high-profile player exits from the football club and Matthias Jaissle replacing Eddie Howe as head coach.
In terms of the playing squad, the Magpies have cashed in on Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes following their respective transfers to Barcelona, Tottenham and Arsenal.
Players have come in through the door, though, but Jaissle looks to have quite the task on his hands as Newcastle bid to make a fast start to the season.
Newcastle were in pre-season friendly action on Wednesday evening, losing 3-1 to Everton at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh.
Newcastle have added to their midfield with the additions of Steur and Bamba this summer but the loss of Tonali and Guimaraes could prove huge given what they contributed to the team.
Further quality in the middle of the park is needed, with a statement signing in midfield something that would go down incredibly well considering the outgoings ahead of the new term.
“If he plays his position really, really smart, no one can really outplay him or win duels against him. And I think if he concentrates on that and shows his ability then after, on the ball or driving with the ball, it’s frightening what he can do.” – Pascal Gross on Carlos Baleba
Sources have told the Daily Mail that the 22-year-old is one to keep an eye on as the window progresses as he is currently nursing an ankle injury, but he is viewed as an ‘ambitious’ target.
What Baleba would add to Newcastle’s midfield
Baleba has earned rave reviews since joining Brighton from Ligue 1 side Lille in 2023.
Baleba is such a talented midfielder that very few players can outplay him, with Brighton teammate Pascal Gross pointing to his ‘wow’ factor and stating that “it’s frightening what he can do”.
“I think Carlos is so talented, he gives so much to the team. I always think when he’s in good positions he can show his physicality. When he’s not in good positions, sometimes you can’t affect it anymore,” Gross told Brighton & Hove Albion’s official website.
“So if he plays his position really, really smart, no one can really outplay him or win duels against him. And I think if he concentrates on that and shows his ability then after, on the ball or driving with the ball, it’s frightening what he can do.
“I think it’s focus and concentration and keeping it simple then you will see actions where the whole stadium goes ‘Wow’. As a holding midfielder, it’s about reliable consistency and we’re working with him on that.
“Carlos is a top guy and a top player. He did really well against Chelsea. I’m happy for him.”
One of the finest African footballers of all time, striker Samuel Eto’o started his senior career at Real Madrid, although he spent much of his three-year spell with the club away on loan. Mallorca, who initially took him on a temporary basis in 2000, made the move permanent later that year.
Eto’o developed into a highly promising player in La Liga with Mallorca, establishing himself as a dependable goalscorer and catching the attention of Real Madrid’s biggest rivals. In 2004, the Cameroonian joined Barcelona, spending the following five years at the club and developing into one of the world’s leading strikers.
During his time with Barca, Eto’o collected three La Liga titles and lifted the Champions League trophy twice. Barcelona completed a European treble in 2008/09, and Eto’o would achieve the same feat in the following campaign after joining Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan.
Eto’o moved to Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala in 2011 before making his first switch to the Premier League two years later. He spent one season at Chelsea before joining Everton when his contract expired, leaving the Toffees and English football in 2015. During the final four years of his playing career, Eto’o represented Sampdoria, Antalyaspor, Konyaspor and Qatar SC before retiring in 2019.
Samuel Eto’o Club Career Stats
Playing Career
1997-2019
Appearances
754
Goals
368
Assists
117
Notable Clubs
Mallorca, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Chelsea
The former striker has continued to remain involved in football and Eto’o has offered plenty of his views, including in 2021 when, as reported by AS via Squawka, he revealed which player he believed could challenge Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or record.
Eto’o Predicted Bright Future For Real Madrid Ace
In 2021, Kylian Mbappe was in his fourth season with Paris Saint-Germain, having arrived from Monaco and been tasked, alongside stars such as Lionel Messi and Neymar, with helping the club win the Champions League. Although only 23 at the time, Mbappe had already won the World Cup and established himself among the finest players in his position.
“He (Kylian Mbappe) is there and it has arrived at a good moment, in which Messi and Cristiano (Ronaldo), the gods of football, are in the night of their careers due to age and Mbappe is arriving. I hope he will be the biggest for the next 10 or 15 years. He has everything to be this unique player that soccer needs after these two monsters.”
Mbappe remained with PSG for another three seasons, failing to win either the Ballon d’Or or the Champions League before leaving for Real Madrid in 2024. The Parisians, in their first campaign without the French forward, secured their first Champions League title, while Mbappe did not win a major trophy during his debut season in Madrid despite producing strong individual performances.
Real Madrid are not accustomed to going without silverware, but PSG have since gone back-to-back in Europe while Mbappe is still waiting for a major trophy in Spain. Mbappe could still make a push for the Ballon d’Or, although surpassing Messi’s record of eight victories would require an extraordinary level of achievement.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
(All stats are from Transfermarkt and are correct as of 13-08-26)
Arsenal have held talks with Galatasaray over a deal to sign striker Victor Osimhen, according to reports.
The Gunners are understood to be in the market to strengthen their attack this summer, despite winning the Premier League for the first time since 2004 and reaching the Champions League final last season, scoring over 100 goals in all competitions in the process.
But after missing out on Morgan Rogers, and with the future of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli in question, Mikel Arteta is keen to provide more competition in the striker position for Viktor Gyokeres, and a move for the Nigerian has now been spoken about with the Turkish champions.
According to a report by The Telegraph, Arsenal and Galatasaray have held formal talks about a deal that could take Osimhen to the Emirates Stadium.
