Sports Bureau

Chennai: Vellore International School (VIS), Chennai, and The Hindu inaugurated the third edition of the under-15 inter-school football tournament at the VIS campus in Kayar on Monday.

The tournament features 64 school teams from Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Chengalpattu and Tiruvannamalai.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by chief guest Daisuke Korenaga (chairman, Football Club Jurong, Singapore), Dr. G.V. Selvam (vice-president, Vellore Institute of Technology, and chairman, VIS), K. Prabhakaran (principal, VIS), Rohit Ramesh (director, The Hindu Group) and L.V. Navaneeth (CEO, The Hindu Group).

Speaking at the inauguration, Rohit Ramesh said, “We, at The Hindu, believe that journalism isn’t just about reporting the news; it’s about supporting the stories that build our community. Sports is one of the most powerful vehicles for that. It teaches discipline, resilience and the value of teamwork — lessons that go far beyond the football field.”

The tournament was officially declared open by Korenaga, who kicked off the opening match between KC High International School and P.A.K. Palanisamy Higher Secondary School.

The FIFA’s World Cup has increasingly become a celebration not just of football but of football as entertainment.

So, on the eve of the final, the governing body transformed the Javits Center beside the Hudson into a fan park. Hundreds queued for hours and paid between USD 60 and 80 to watch Argentina skipper Lionel Messi, coach Lionel Scaloni, Emiliano Martinez, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and captain Rodri share a stage with Novak Djokovic, Tom Brady and Kevin Durant, who swapped their sporting greatness for the role of celebrity interviewers.

Rio Ferdinand and comedian Kevin Hart played masters of ceremony, filling the gaps with jokes and banter to ensure that the crowd felt their tickets were worthwhile.

For FIFA — which has spent this tournament monetising almost every available minute from sponsored water breaks to introducing a 30-minute halftime for Sunday’s Super Bowl-style show — it was another reminder that the World Cup has become as much about the spectacle as it is about the sport.

Messi, who skipped the official FIFA press conference upstairs where Emiliano represented Argentina, answered questions from Brady and Djokovic. The loudest laughs came when Brady brought up the famous photograph of a 20-year-old Messi bathing an infant Lamine Yamal during a Barcelona charity photoshoot.

“Lamine is truly amazing,” Messi said. “I’ve followed him a lot because he plays for a club I love so much. He has a chance to achieve something historic. We’re going to try to make sure that it doesn’t happen this time. We’ll try to put on a good match, but I hope he and his team don’t put on a good one,” the 39-year-old added with a smile.

The most memorable moment, though, came after the microphones were switched off. Scaloni walked over to de la Fuente, his former coaching instructor, and embraced him warmly. Later, the Argentina coach laughed about the unusual setting. “I told Luis that I came because of him. I came to this event because Luis was there. I respect and admire him so much.” It was a fitting line for an afternoon that felt surreal.

Messi chatted with Brady, Djokovic and Durant downstairs while, two floors above, the accredited media — many of whom had travelled almost as extensively as the finalists themselves across this World Cup — were denied the opportunity to question the captain of an Argentina side standing one victory away from becoming only the third nation to successfully defend the crown.

The World Cup has always belonged to the dreamers. Every four years, nations arrive believing history can be rewritten. The knockout rounds of the tournament, however, have little time for romance as those dreams collide with the oldest powers of football.

For Japan, that moment arrives in Houston on Monday. The Samurai Blue have become one of world football’s most consistent overachievers. Since 2002, on four occasions, it has emerged from difficult groups, but Japan is yet to win a men’s World Cup knockout match.

Standing in its way, this time, is Brazil — a nation that has lifted the trophy more times than any other.

For Brazil and Japan, football has long been a conversation across continents. Brazil is home to the world’s largest Japanese diaspora, while Japanese football owes much of its modern rise to Brazilian influence.

From Zico helping shape the fledgling J League to generations of Brazilian-born players representing the Samurai Blue, the relationship has been there for long. But on Monday, sentiment will give way to competition.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side appears to be finding its rhythm since falling behind early on Matchday 1, before drawing with Morocco. Brazil responded with six unanswered goals in wins over Haiti and Scotland to finish top of its group and Neymar’s return after 981 days in the famous yellow shirt has added another boost to its attack.

Recent history, though, offers a note of caution, as Brazil lost 3-2 to Japan in a friendly in October 2025. Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu is trying to draw inspiration from that result.

“Last time we proved to Brazil that we aren’t a pushover,” Moriyasu said. “That is great progress for us. The Brazilian team is a top team in the world and we greatly respect them. In the match, we don’t know what will happen. We will have a chance to win as well.”

Japan, meanwhile, is on an unbeaten 10-match run. It reached the round of 32 after defeating Tunisia 4-0 and drawing with the Netherlands and Sweden, with Daichi Kamada (3) and Ayase Ueda (2) leading the goal-scoring charts.

Brazil, however, possesses a different level of firepower. Vinicius Junior has four goals, Matheus Cunha has scored three and teenager Rayan has emerged as another exciting option in Ancelotti’s evolving attack.

Japan has spent decades proving it belongs among football’s elite. On Monday, it must prove it can finally beat one of them when it matters.

Group F remains delicately poised heading into the final round of matches in the FIFA World Cup, and neither Japan nor Sweden will feel entirely comfortable when they meet at the Dallas Stadium here on Friday (June 26) early morning India time.

Both still control their own destinies, but the margin for error is considerably narrower. Japan arrives with momentum after Hajime Moriyasu’s side produced one of the performances of the tournament in a 4-0 demolition of Tunisia.

Ayase Ueda was the standout performer, scoring twice and providing an assist, while Daichi Kamada continued his fine tournament form by netting Japan’s quickest-ever World Cup goal.

Kamada has already scored twice in the competition, bettering his returns (no goals in 28 appearances for Crystal Palace) from an entire season of Premier League football.

With four points and a superior goal difference, Japan knows a draw will guarantee a place in the knockout rounds.

Sweden’s journey in this World Cup, however, has been more turbulent. Graham Potter’s side opened with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Tunisia but was brought crashing back to earth by a big defeat against the Netherlands. It was Sweden’s heaviest World Cup loss since the 5-2 reverse to Pele’s Brazil in the 1958 final.

Despite the setback, Sweden remains well placed on three points. Another point could be enough to secure progression, depending on results elsewhere.

Its greatest source of optimism remains up front. The partnership of Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak has the potential to emerge as one of the most dangerous attacking combinations, while Anthony Elanga’s lively cameo and goal against the Dutch could earn him a larger role.

Japan will be without attacking midfielder Takefusa Kubo, who is nursing a knee injury. Sweden, meanwhile, may consider changes in midfield after the Netherlands defeat, with youngster Lucas Bergvall pushing for a starting berth.

Japan has been remarkably consistent in the last 12 months. The Samurai Blue have lost only once in 14 matches, scoring 26 goals while conceding just eight.

Sweden, meanwhile, had reached the quarterfinals, in Russia, eight years back, but has already suffered two heavy losses — 5-1 against the Dutch and 3-1 to Norway — in its six matches this year.

With qualification at stake, Dallas could witness one of the fiercest contests of the final group-stage round.

Kerala Blasters was staring at relegation midway through the 2026 ISL season with just one point from six matches.

Kerala Blasters had its worst start in history and coach David Catala was under fire. A 1-1 draw against East Bengal in the away match gave faint hope of a revival.

However, Kerala Blasters lost 1-3 at home to Punjab FC and Catala was forced to leave his position via mutual agreement with the club. 

Englishman Ashley Westwood was appointed as interim coach and tasked with salvaging the disappointing season. However, Blasters’ first match under Westwood ended in a 0-2 defeat against Delhi SC.

The turnaround came in the next away match against Bengaluru FC.

Blasters, after conceding an own goal, came back to stun Bengaluru FC 2-1 through goals from Victor Bertomeu and Francisco Feuillasser.

The win against Bengaluru was followed by a 1-1 draw against NorthEast United at home. Then came the sequence of four consecutive wins which lifted Blasters from the relegation zone and into the eighth position in the points table.

Under Catala, Blasters struggled to score in open play. The Spanish coach didn’t have quality players to implement his possession based playing style. Mispasses, often by Indian players, surrendered the advantage and lack of creativity in midfield saw Blasters fail to take a single shot at the rival goals in most of the matches.

However, after Westwood took over, Blasters managed to increase its open play efficiency. The passing errors came down drastically and the team played more direct football showing mobility and penetration with improvised play in the flanks.

Kevin Yoke was the heart of the Blasters attack with his penetrative runs on the right flank. The arrival of Karim Benrife, Francisco Feuillasser and Fallou Ndiaye during Westwood’s tenure increased the quality.

Westwood was tactically flexible and changed formations as per the requirement. The Blasters’ defence consistently kept its shape, limiting the attacking options of its rivals. And the switch from defence to attack was quick and often caught the rival defence napping.

Westwood placed the Indian players in the right positions and managed to bring the best out of them. Freddy Lallawmawma, Vipin Mohanan and R.V. Hormipam prospered under Westwood.

Moreover, the team displayed a rare fighting spirit and fought till the end. With things falling in place, Westwood turned a sinking ship into a cruiser though it came too late.

Manchester City’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Tuesday (May 19, 2026) assured Arsenal a first Premier League title since Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles” in 2004.

But the road to success was anything but smooth.

Back in 2021, Arsenal’s hierarchy had a big decision to make. It was August 28, and the team had just lost 5-0 at Man City to slump to the bottom of the Premier League standings with a third straight loss to open the season — something that hadn’t happened since 1954.

Mesut Ozil, who had just left Arsenal after being frozen out by Arteta, sarcastically posted “Trust the process” on social media, in a cutting reference to the methods of his former coach.

The board, headed by American owner Stan Kroenke, stuck with Arteta, though.

In the early years of his tenure, Arteta placed his trust in younger players to revive Arsenal’s fortunes.

Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe were among the academy players promoted to the first team. An 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli arrived from Brazil in 2019.

Another 18-year-old, William Saliba, joined the same year from France and was initially loaned out. Over the next couple of years, players under the age of 23 — such as Ben White and Martin Odegaard — were signed.

Arteta honed these youngsters into top-class Premier League players but it was clear that to make the final step, the club needed to buy slightly older, elite-level players like Declan Rice, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze.

They didn’t come cheap.

Finishing as runner-up in the Premier League for the past three years saw Arsenal’s players and Arteta derided as “nearly men,” even chokers.

But Arteta kept believing in his squad — and kept coming up with unorthodox, ridicule-inviting methods to inspire his players.

A professional pickpocket was reportedly hired for a preseason dinner and took items from players, highlighting the need for them to be alert at all times.

Arteta brought a lightbulb into the locker room ahead of one game, linking that to his demand for the team to shine and light up Emirates Stadium. Just a few weeks ago, TikTok videos featuring fan chants were played on big screens during practice sessions.

For a couple of seasons, Arteta’s Arsenal has been the emblem of a more back-to-basics approach in English football — set-pieces, long throw-ins and long balls from the back.

It’s a world Arsenal has mastered, with Gabriel Magalhaes a menace at corners, Rice key with his pinpoint throws and dead-ball deliveries, and Gyokeres a more robust, hold-up striker.

Rice and goalkeeper David Raya have stood out for Arsenal this season, putting them among the favorites for English soccer’s Player of the Year award.

On February 15, as India and Pakistan faced off in a marquee T20 World Cup clash in Colombo, more than 11,000 football fans assembled at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium to watch Bengaluru FC begin its Indian Super League (ISL) campaign against Sporting Club Delhi.

Is football carving out a niche under the giant shadow of cricket in Bengaluru, and what in-stadia experience is attracting the enthusiasts? The Hindu examines the sporting scene of the city seeking answers.

Read full story here:

Manchester United’s season had taken on a familiar, unsettled quality when Michael Carrick stepped into the managerial role in January. The dismissal of Ruben Amorim, following months of inconsistent results and mounting discontent, had left the club once again at an uncertain crossroads, a position it has occupied with uncomfortable regularity in the years since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

United’s resurgence under Carrick has drawn inevitable parallels with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s interim spell in 2018-19. Both former United players inherited sides midway through troubled campaigns and restored optimism through improved results, with Solskjær winning 14 of his first 19 games and guiding United to a sixth-place finish before earning the role permanently.

Carrick’s impact, while less frenetic in style, has been similarly significant. United, sixth in the Premier League table when he assumed charge, has since registered 11 victories from 16 matches and collected 36 points. The team has shown greater defensive discipline and a more coherent structure in possession. Kobbie Mainoo, among others, has flourished under the renewed confidence that has taken hold at Carrington.

The season’s most significant outcome has already been secured. A third-place finish in the Premier League guarantees United’s return to the UEFA Champions League, no small achievement for a side that spent much of the campaign adrift from its stated ambitions.

The club’s hierarchy has moved to formalise the arrangement. Carrick has signed an initial two-year contract through 2028, with the option of a further year, terms that reflect measured confidence rather than unconditional endorsement, given the scale of the task ahead.

Whether this marks the beginning of a sustained recovery remains uncertain. Solskjaer too revived optimism during his early months at Manchester United. The question now is whether Carrick can build something more enduring than what Solskjaer ultimately managed.

Kerala Blasters extended its unbeaten run to five matches with a dominant 3-1 win over Mohammedan Sporting Club in the India Super League (ISL) football at the Jawaharlal Nehru International stadium here on Sunday (May 10, 2026).

After conceding the lead against run of play in the first half, Blasters bounced back through goals from Francisco Feuillasier (44), Victor Bertomeu (59) and substitute S.M. Sreekuttan (74) to take full points.

Roy Mahitosh stunned Blasters with a 25-yard piledriver to give Mohammedan the short-lived lead in the 42nd minute. With the win, Blasters took its points tally to 14 from 12 matches and is placed eighth in the table.

Mohammedan’s three match unbeaten streak ended with this loss and it remains at the bottom of the table with three points.

Blasters dominated Mohammedan in the first half largely through the ingenuity shown by Kevin Yoke on the left flank. Mohammedan survived through captain Padam Chettri’s brilliance under the bar. Chettri made three good saves to thwart Blasters’ strikers in the first half.

However, Mohammedan scored against the run of play when Mahitosh dispossessed Ferddy Lallamawa and made a searing run and ended it with a long ranger which brushed the near post and went in. Blasters drew level within two minutes when Yoke threaded a pass between three defenders for Francisco to score.

Bertomeu headed Blasters ahead in the 59th minute through a precise centre from Yoke. Sreekuttan looked ungainly when he headed a cross from Yoke wide in the 72minute. However, Sreekuttan made amends when he chipped the ball in from a Bertomeu’s cross to complete the tally in the 74th minute.

The result: Kerala Blasters 3 (Francisco Feuillasier 44, Victor Bertomeu 59, S.M. Sreekuttan 74) bt Mohammedan SC 1 (Roy Mahitosh 42).

Punjab FC will aim to bounce back in the Indian Super League when it faces Inter Kashi at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Monday.

The side, coached by Greece’s Panagiotis Dilmperis, was stung by a heart-wrenching 2-3 defeat to Mohun Bagan Super Giant in its previous encounter on April 12.