Sports
It Was the “Perfect” Role
When Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews sent Geena Davis the script for the first episode of what would become their Netflix sci-fi drama The Buroughs, the actress was all in on the show and her character, Renee, especially, a vibrant, confident former music manager who resides in the titular retirement village.
“I was like, ‘This is crazy how perfect this is for me,’ Davis tells The Hollywood Reporter. “And then when I met with them, and I said that, they said, ‘Well, we wrote it with you in mind, hoping you would say yes.’”
That she did, along with co-stars Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Bill Pullman, Denis O’Hare and Clarke Peters, the retirees at the center of the series who go against the owners of their community when they find out they’re using it as a front to drain residents of their brain fluid and feed it to a creature that allows them to stay young.
In the final episode, “Triple Audible,” the gang succeeds in their quest to take down the youth-obsessed CEO and his wife. And it’s a good thing they did, as Netflix just announced the Matt and Ross Duffer-produced series won’t be renewed for a second season.
Davis says the cast wasn’t given an explanation for the cancellation. “Fortunately, the creators, who became our dear, dear friends, were able to tell us before the news came out, and we’re all terribly disappointed. Honestly, I don’t know what happened. I think it’s probably rare for a show to not get picked up and to have it announced that it’s not being picked up while it’s still in the top 10.
“We didn’t expect that,” she continues. “But the creators told us from the beginning that the series was not going to have a cliffhanger ending to the first season, that someone had advised them, ‘Make it its own thing. And if you come back to do another year, make that its own thing.’ And we really did. There’s a tiny hint at the end that maybe everything isn’t fixed, but it is a complete story. And if we had made it as a limited series, then it would’ve been a big hit and everybody would be happy.”
Cancellation aside, the show, which premiered on May 21, is still available for streaming — and still in contention for this season’s Emmy race in the drama series categories. Below, Davis talks about her character’s steamy love scenes with co-star Carlos Miranda and why she’s, unfortunately, under no illusion that the series will spark an offshoot of stories centered around older characters.
How would you describe Renee, and why did you say she was the perfect role for you?
Well, I would describe her as a badass, which implies that I think I’m all that and I think I’m a badass, but I aspire to be. I’ve been really lucky in my career that I had the opportunity to play characters that were much further along in their badassery and their development and becoming their authentic selves than I am. It’s uncanny the level of people that I get to play — the president of the United States [in Commander in Chief]. I’m like, “People believe me? I’m the president. All right, then I do too,” Thelma & Louise, so many incredible roles. I happened to have written a memoir a couple of years ago called Dying of Politeness, which I had spent my life doing, and talk about how it’s kind of the story of my life in a way that I have gotten to play characters who are much bolder than I was at that time, and it rubs off on you. There’s fake it till you make it, and then there’s act it till you become it. So playing characters who were so ferocious and bold and confident and determined and all that helped me profoundly in my personal life.
And now you’re actually in your badass stage.
Right.
Renee’s relationship with Paz (Miranda) is such a big part of the conversation around her. You said these were the steamiest scenes you’ve ever done …
No, I misspoke because whoever was interviewing me said, “Wait a minute, what about Thema & Louise?” I’m like, “Oh my God. Wait, wait. OK. It doesn’t get steamier than that scene.” So this was also a nice steamy scene; definitely a really cool scene. As an actor, I’ve gotten to have some pretty remarkable romances onscreen. Very happy about that.
When you got to the part about their sexual relationship in the script, did you have any hesitations? Were you excited?
I was really excited. It didn’t spell out exactly what happened, but the meeting and the flirting and everything was so delightful. And Carlos Miranda is the sweetest, best guy in the world. We had so much fun together. And we got to have some really great scenes together that were romance and adventure and action. I say to [Paz] at one point, “No, come on, I want to stack bodies.” And he’s like, “Stack bodies? Who are you?” But he’s there to help me stack bodies. He is.
Obviously, the age dynamic is part of what makes Renee and Paz’s relationship so interesting. Did you worry at all about how audiences might receive it or if it would open a can of worms about, say, what if this were an older man with a much younger woman?
No, I didn’t worry about it one iota, and nobody else did when it came out. I’ve seen comments like, “Hey, awesome.” Nobody has said, “Well, wait a minute.” There really isn’t anything inappropriate about our relationship. It was a delight to work with Carlos. He’s a dream.
I was reading another interview where you said, “I don’t have faith in things onscreen starting a trend,” which was in response to the May-December romance piece, but I’m curious if you feel the same way about the prospect of seeing more stories about older characters in general as a result of the show.
Well, we always do here and there, and then momentum doesn’t happen. I came up with my theory about how difficult it is to [continue] momentum after Thema & Louise, because it had a huge — it was 35 years ago — reaction, both in people recognizing Susan [Sarandon] and me on the street, and also in the press. We were on the cover of Time magazine, and I think a week later, it had two editorials in there because two people felt strongly enough about what a horrible, horrible thing it was. And there was a lot of reaction like that. “Now the world is ruined.” “Women have guns.” “This is a horrible message to be sending,” but they also all said across the board, “This will change everything. Now we are going to see so many movies with female leads, female stars, female action movies, female buddy pictures.” And so we’re like, “Hot dog. We’re going to usher in a whole new era.” And I’m [still] waiting for that to happen.
My very next movie, a year later, was A League of Their Own, which miraculously and wonderfully became a giant hit. And all the press said, “This will change everything. Now we’re going to see so many female sports movies, and it’s going to change everything. It’s going to just open the floodgates.” Let’s name all the female sports movies that have come out in 34 years. And when First Wives Club came out, they were all, I think, in their early 50s, the press was like, “Oh my God, this will change everything because of these women, it’s a giant hit.” And not only did it not change everything, it didn’t change everything for the actual women in the movie. I have no faith in the momentum thing. I think it’s going to take creators deciding. My institute [the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media] is all about show it and it will happen. If they can see it, they can be it, is our motto.
That brings me to the news of The Boroughs cancellation. How did you find out? Were you given an explanation?
No, not necessarily. Fortunately, the creators, who became our dear, dear friends, were able to tell us before the news came out, and we’re all terribly disappointed. Honestly, I don’t know what happened. I think it’s probably rare for a show to not get picked up and to have it announced that it’s not being picked up while it’s still in the top 10. We didn’t expect that. But the creators told us from the beginning that the series was not going to have a cliffhanger ending to the first season, that someone had advised them, “Make it its own thing. And if you come back to do another year, make that its own thing.” And we really did. There’s a tiny hint at the end that maybe everything isn’t fixed, but it is a complete story. And if we had made it as a limited series, then it would’ve been a big hit, and everybody would be happy. We so fell in love with each other that we just wanted to keep working together. I suggested that the creators write another series, a completely different story with the exact same actors and writers and crew, and we just do it again like an anthology series, right?
Have you heard of any possibility that Paramount could pick it up with The Duffer Brothers move to the network?
No. I haven’t heard anything about that.
But you’d be open to returning if somehow the series is revived?
Oh, hell yeah. Or spinoffs, for Renee and Carlos.
You’ve said that The Buroughs redefines retirement. Is retirement in your vocabulary at all?
So not. You think, “When I get to that age, I’ll be so different.” I remember when I was a kid, I endlessly fantasized about New Year’s 1999, and that’s going to be such a big deal. I think I would be 44 or something. And I pictured every detail, the dress I would have on at this chic party with a martini and my hair in a French twist. And then New Year’s Eve came, and I’m like, “Oh, I’m still me.” It was the same with high school when I was a freshman. I was like, “Those seniors, oh my God, at some point I’ll be a senior and the freshmen will look at me like, ‘Wow.’” Nothing happened. So on the topic of retirement, I don’t feel any different. There’s nothing different about me. My age makes me laugh because I thought it would be so different to be my age. It’s totally not.
Before The Boroughs, we hadn’t seen you on a TV show since Glow. Was that because you were more focused on film at the time, or had nothing interesting come to you in that period?
Yeah, nothing interesting enough had come along. I just go by what’s good. I read it and I go, “Yes, I want to do this.” Even if they don’t necessarily want me, I say, “I want to do this.” I had to talk Ridley Scott into hiring me for Thelma & Louise.
How’d you convince him?
Originally, he was the producer. He was not the director, and he had a director, and that director picked Thelma and Louise, and then that fell apart, and now there was a new director, and he already picked his Thelma and Louise. It happened three times. After that, Ridley decided he was going to direct it himself. So during this year, my agent at the time called Ridley’s office once a week to say, “If anything happens, Geena is still really interested.” So when he became the director, he said, “Yes, yes, I will meet her with her. Yes.” And I just pitched the shit out of it and got cast.
How do you feel about the roles that are offered to you now?
I’m still getting cool stuff. I’m in Budapest now, shooting a movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Kellys?
Yeah. And again, I get to be a little bit of a badass. I’ve got lots of irons in the fire. I feel good.
Earlier this week, you were serving as chair of the Bentonville Film Festival, which is centered around inclusion and is very much an extension of your founding of the Geena Davis Institute more than 20 years ago, with a focus on gender equality. How do you feel about the fact that we’re still having these conversations?
We started out as an institute on gender and media, and soon expanded to race and ethnicity, disabilities, age, body size, LGBTQ, all different things. We have made a lot of progress, particularly in children’s entertainment. Children’s movies and TV are now at gender parity, which is profoundly different from how it was when we started out. So we’re thrilled about that. And the whole reason I started the Institute was because I realized we were teaching kids from minute one to have unconscious gender bias because the shows that we’re watching were wildly imbalanced. So it’s a huge, fulfilling goal to me to really help improve kids’ TV.
Sports
Ismael Kone World Cup injury update for Canada vs. qatar
Canada’s Ismael Kone suffered a scary injury early in the second half of his team’s World Cup game against Qatar on a tackle that earned a red card for Assim Madibo.
Canada’s players and coaches were incensed after the tackle, an immediate reaction indicating that Kone might have had a serious injury. Some players shoved back the Qatar opponents, while Canada manager Jesse Marsch and his staff could be heard on the broadcast incredulously asking the referee how the play could be called simply a foul. It later was upgraded to a red card.
Madibo put his hands over his head and waved his hands in the air, offering an apology for the severity of his tackle from behind.
After trainers put an air cast on his left leg, Kone was wheeled off the field on a stretcher. He waved to fans in Vancouver who were chanting his name.
The red card was Qatar’s second of the game with Homam Ahmed having been sent off in the 31st minute.
Canada midfielder Nathan Saliba replaced Kone in the 56th minute. He scored a fourth Canada eight minutes later from a free kick and ran to the bench where he was handed a KONE 8 jersey. He held it up, as fans cheered the goal.
Kone is a dynamic midfielder who was born in the Ivory Coast but moved to Montreal when he was seven. He came through the CF Montreal academy system and debuted with the MLS club in 2021. He quickly drew the attention of European clubs, moving to Watford in 2022. This was his second World Cup after Kone made his World Cup debut in 2022, just months after making his senior international debut in March of that year.
This story will be updated
World Cup standings
Explore live group standings, stats and the updated bracket with USA TODAY Sports here.
2026 World Cup format
The 48 competing nations are divided into 12 groups of four. Each group will play a round robin style where teams are awarded three points for a win and one point for a draw. The top two teams in each group advance to the Round of 32 along with the eight best third-place squads. Tiebreakers in the group standings will be resolved using the following criteria:
Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned
Superior goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned
Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned
Superior goal difference in all group matches
Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches
Highest team conduct score (players and team officials) relating to the number of yellow and red cards obtained
The two or more teams still equal on points shall be ranked according to the most recent published edition of the FIFA Men’s World Ranking
World Cup groups
Group A : Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia
Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Full rosters for 2026 World Cup teams
World Cup key dates
Sports
US Open 2026: Rory McIlroy starts strongly as Shinnecock Hills bares its teeth
Shinnecock Hills lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest tests in golf on the opening day of a fog-delayed US Open.
When play did get under way, two hours later than scheduled, only six of the early starters broke par as strong winds buffeted an already tricky course on Long Island, New York.
Among them was world number two Rory McIlroy, whose one-under 69 left him one behind unfancied American Sam Stevens as the 78 players in the later wave headed out onto the course
And with the blustery conditions forecast to strengthen as the day wears on, both players will expect to remain firmly in the mix, given that in the four previous US Opens held at this venue, there have been 1,792 rounds and only 161 (9%) have been played under par. In fact, just three players have ended up under par after 72 holes.
Much of that was down to the substandard playing conditions at Shinnecock in both 2004 and 2018 with players accusing championship organisers the United States Golf Association (USGA) of “losing the course”.
Speaking recently to the No Laying Up podcast, USGA’s John Bodenhamer, the man responsible for course set-up this year accepted the previous conditions had been suboptimal but insisted they had “learned a lot”.
For example, water is being hosed onto the greens during the opening two rounds to stop them from drying out, and to keep the grass alive.
The US Open is generally regarded as the toughest of tests though and all the players spoke of needing to remain patient. And that patience was tested from the off on Thursday with low-lying cloud and fog shrouding the course.
However, once it had been dispersed by the strong gusts whipping in off the Atlantic Ocean, the true nature of the challenge ahead was laid bare.
Thick rough, five inches deep, flanks the fairways. Wispy fescue and undulating and fast greens add further layers of complexity to Shinnecock’s fearsome reputation.
Not that McIlroy seemed perturbed as the wind gusted beyond 30mph across the 7,440-yard track.
The six-time major winner, who started on the 10th, knocked in two birdies in the opening three holes and even bogeys at the 13th and 16th holes did not appear to provide him with any cause to revaluate his approach.
During the round McIlroy, who successfully defended his Masters title in April, told Sky Sports pundit and Solheim Cup great Mel Reid that because conditions were “consistent”‘ he was not finding things too bad at all.
He aptly demonstrated that after the turn with a birdie at the third and by carding a sensational eagle on the par-five fifth after hitting his tee shot a wind-assisted 396 yards before nudging his second shot to 11 feet.
Even though he was unable to end strongly, McIlroy has taken great satisfaction from his overall display.
“Anything under or around even par is a good score,” said McIlroy who won his solitary US Open title in 2011.
“It was a day to keep yourself in the tournament and not shoot yourself out of it, which is exactly what I did eight years ago here,” added the 37-year-old who opened with an 80 in 2018 as he went on to miss the halfway cut.
McIlroy’s playing partners Ludvig Aberg and Tommy Fleetwood also enjoyed solid starts.
Swede Aberg also shot a 69 while England’s Fleetwood knocked in birdies on the fifth and sixth holes – his 14th and 15th – as he posted a level-par 70.
World number one Scottie Scheffler found greens and birdies hard to come by as his bid to become the seventh player in history to complete the career Grand Slam got under way.
Only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are in that exclusive set of winning all four of the men’s majors.
And on this evidence, the American, who has topped the rankings for the previous 161 weeks will need to improve on a scrambling two-over 72 which featured four birdies, four bogeys and a double-bogey.
Twice in three holes he cut a bemused figure as his iron shot found the green only for it to spin away from the hole and cost him chances of making a birdie.
Sports
AI predicts entire first round of NBA draft
There might still be a debate about the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The early consensus centered around BYU’s AJ Dybantsa. The analytics reportedly favored Duke’s Cameron Boozer. The speculation has now shifted to Dybantsa or Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, or perhaps all three still being considered, with less than a week until the Washington Wizards are officially on the clock with the first selection of the draft.
But AI hasn’t wavered in terms of the top of the 2026 draft class. Since the draft lottery was conducted last month, and the Wizards, Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies wound up with the top three picks, Microsoft Copilot’s AI chatbot has consistently churned out the same prospects for those first three choices when prompted by USA TODAY Sports.
The same is not true for most picks outside of the top four prospects (Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson). There was again a shift in selections made in the first AI mock draft since the conclusion of the NBA Finals, particularly in the latter half of the first half, based on the latest intel.
Here’s a breakdown of Microsoft Copilot AI’s latest 2026 NBA mock draft, including the chatbot’s reasoning for making each first-round pick:
2026 NBA mock draft by USA TODAY Sports
You can compare AI’s picks to the latest USA TODAY 2026 NBA mock draft by clicking here.
2026 NBA mock draft: AI picks entire first round
USA TODAY Sports asked Microsoft Copilot AI to generate a mock draft for the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft featuring only players eligible this year now that the NBA draft withdrawal deadline passed for college players. The chatbot was asked to base its selections on current mock drafts from reputable websites, as well as the latest intel on team needs, prospect analysis, pre-draft workouts and the most up-to-date draft withdrawal news.
Note: AI models still have issues with accuracy as seen in the mock draft below. Of particular note, Microsoft Copilot needed additional prompts after several picks were inaccurately assigned to teams. The average mock draft pick referenced for each player was compiled by USA TODAY Sports using 13 of the latest mock drafts from national websites around the country, including USA TODAY.
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Average mock draft pick: 1
AI analysis: “A franchise-caliber scoring wing with elite shot creation tools, Dybantsa gives Washington the highest ceiling player in the class.”
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Average mock draft pick: 2
AI analysis: “A dynamic lead guard with two-way upside, Peterson offers Utah a primary initiator to build around long term.”
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, Duke
Average mock draft pick: 3
AI analysis: “Boozer’s polished offensive game and physicality make him a plug-and-play frontcourt centerpiece.”
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
Average mock draft pick: 4
AI analysis: “Wilson’s defensive versatility and upside swing potential fits a Chicago team in talent acquisition mode.”
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Average mock draft pick: 6
AI analysis: “Acuff brings explosive scoring and on-ball creation as a potential franchise point guard in a high-leverage slot.”
6. Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville
Average mock draft pick: 7
AI analysis: “Brown’s scoring burst and rising pre-draft momentum make him one of the top offensive guard bets.”
7. Sacramento Kings: Kingston Flemings, Houston
Average mock draft pick: 8
AI analysis: “With multiple guards in the same tier, Flemings gives Sacramento a high-upside playmaker without needing to trade up.”
8. Atlanta Hawks: Nate Ament, Tennessee
Average mock draft pick: 10
AI analysis: “Ament’s size, shot creation and upside fit cleanly next to Jalen Johnson as Atlanta prioritizes building around versatile forwards and wing-driven offense.”
9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries, Arizona
Average mock draft pick: 9
AI analysis: “Burries adds perimeter scoring and secondary playmaking to complement Cooper Flagg as Dallas reshapes its offensive hierarchy.”
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Average mock draft pick: 5
AI analysis: “Wagler gives Milwaukee a needed infusion of shot creation as it balances contention with long-term backcourt planning.”
11. Golden State Warriors: Aday Mara, Michigan
Average mock draft pick: 11
AI analysis: “Mara’s size and rim protection provide Golden State with a developmental anchor for its evolving frontcourt.”
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Hannes Steinbach, Washington
Average mock draft pick: 16
AI analysis: “Steinbach’s skill and versatility fit Oklahoma City’s model of adding multi-dimensional, high-IQ frontcourt players.”
13. Miami Heat: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Average mock draft pick: 12
AI analysis: “Lendeborg’s toughness and readiness align with Miami’s preference for plug-and-play contributors.”
14. Charlotte Hornets: Labaron Philon, Alabama
Average mock draft pick: 15
AI analysis: “Philon gives Charlotte another dynamic guard to complement its fast-paced, offense-first identity.”
15. Chicago Bulls: Cameron Carr, Baylor
Average mock draft pick: 17
AI analysis: “Carr’s athleticism and scoring upside give Chicago another developmental wing to grow with its young core.”
16. Memphis Grizzlies: Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
Average mock draft pick: 13
AI analysis: “Johnson adds physicality and rebounding to a Memphis roster that values frontcourt toughness and depth.”
17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers (NBL)
Average mock draft pick: 14
AI analysis: “Lopez offers long-term upside and positional flexibility as Oklahoma City continues to stockpile versatile talent.”
18. Charlotte Hornets: Chris Cenac Jr., Houston
Average mock draft pick: 20
AI analysis: “Cenac strengthens Charlotte’s interior defense as it builds out a more balanced roster.”
19. Toronto Raptors: Dailyn Swain, Texas
Average mock draft pick: 22
AI analysis: “Swain’s two-way profile fits Toronto’s continued emphasis on length, defense and position-less basketball.”
20. San Antonio Spurs: Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
Average mock draft pick: 21
AI analysis: “Quaintance’s defensive ceiling and physical tools align with San Antonio’s patient developmental timeline.”
21. Detroit Pistons: Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
Average mock draft pick: 18
AI analysis: “Stirtz provides steady playmaking and leadership to help organize Detroit’s young roster.”
22. Philadelphia 76ers: Ebuka Okorie, Stanford
Average mock draft pick: 24
AI analysis: “Okorie adds scoring punch and guard depth for a Philadelphia team still prioritizing offensive firepower.”
23. Atlanta Hawks: Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
Average mock draft pick: 19
AI analysis: “Anderson gives Atlanta another shot-creator to complement its evolving wing-driven approach around Jalen Johnson.”
24. New York Knicks: Allen Graves, Santa Clara
Average mock draft pick: 23
AI analysis: “Graves’ versatility and feel project well into a complementary role for a Knicks team focused on depth.”
25. Los Angeles Lakers: Koa Peat, Arizona
Average mock draft pick: 25
AI analysis: “Peat’s size and scoring upside offer the Lakers a developmental forward with long-term potential.”
26. Denver Nuggets: Henri Veesaar, North Carolina
Average mock draft pick: 27
AI analysis: “Veesaar provides Denver with a skilled backup center option to support its frontcourt rotation.”
27. Boston Celtics: Meleek Thomas, Arkansas
Average mock draft pick: 26
AI analysis: “Thomas adds another scoring guard to Boston’s rotation, reinforcing its depth and offensive versatility.”
28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Isaiah Evans, Duke
Average mock draft pick: 28
AI analysis: “Evans’ shooting and wing scoring bolster Minnesota’s perimeter offense.”
29. Cleveland Cavaliers: Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
Average mock draft pick: 30
AI analysis: “Jefferson’s energy and versatility give Cleveland a flexible piece in the frontcourt.”
30. Dallas Mavericks: Tarris Reed Jr., UConn
Sports
Thierry Henry calls out Cristiano Ronaldo after World Cup disappointment
Portugal’s World Cup got off to a disappointing start, and plenty of fingers were pointed at Cristiano Ronaldo afterwards.
The 41-year-old striker, who became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match, played all 90 minutes as his side surprisingly settled for a 1-1 draw with DR Congo.
Ronaldo failed to get any of his three shots on target, but fellow legend Thierry Henry honed in one sequence where the Portuguese star — in the Fox Sports analyst’s opinion — failed to make the right run.
The moment in question happened in the second half with Portugal searching for a winning goal, as Francisco Conceição drove with the ball down the right wing.
Both Ronaldo and teammate Bruno Fernandes were awaiting a pass in the box, but instead of darting to the back post to open up space for Fernandes, Ronaldo ended up in Fernandes’ path.
“The team needs to score, not you need to score,” Henry said on Fox, as he criticized Ronaldo’s movement in the clip.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has been in this situation multiple times,” he continued. “If you make that run here, you make the defender take a decision to go to the six-yard box.”
Ultimately, Ronaldo sent his shot wide, and Fernandes, the Manchester United midfielder, looked frustrated afterwards.
No men’s player has more than Ronaldo’s 143 goals at the international level, but his selection is yet again proving to be a dilemma for Portugal manager Roberto Martinez.
With a glittering array of midfielders like Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Vitinha, many feel that Martinez is wasting a generational Portugal squad by continuing to trot out Ronaldo.
He failed to score in five starts during the 2024 Euros, and he scored one goal in five appearances (three starts) in the 2022 World Cup.
Ronaldo’s blank against DR Congo has also been magnified by Lionel Messi’s strong start for Argentina, as he notched a hat-trick in a 3-0 win against Algeria.
Portugal’s next game is against Uzbekistan next Tuesday, and it’ll become clear soon if Ronaldo remains a starter for that contest.
Sports
Thousands of Knicks fans celebrate big win with joyous New York parade: ‘We family now’
Thousands of Knicks fans – decked out in blue and orange jerseys, shorts, hats, necklaces and more – gathered in downtown New York City on Thursday to celebrate the team’s NBA championship in a lively ticker-tape parade.
All along Church Street, the street running parallel to the parade route, fans lit joints, threw back shots of Fireball whiskey and drank Coronas, within view of bemused and outnumbered New York City police officers. Some fans climbed atop police cruisers and posed for photos.
“We can do that?” one passerby asked, laughing. “Is this not illegal today?”
“I’m just glad to be a part of this fucking victory,” one of the men atop the police cruiser told the Guardian. “I’m glad to be a part of history!”
Wesley Chow, 27, from Astoria, Queens, first became a Knicks fan in 2012 during “Linsanity”, when the Asian American player Jeremy Lin became a Knicks fan favorite.
“Seeing someone that looked like me play in the league was hella inspiring,” said Chow, who was among the thousands gathered outside the gates hoping to steal even a distant glance of the Knicks players as they moved down a route that was one block away.
Chow added: “The people out here right now, you got people from all backgrounds, all neighborhoods, all to celebrate one thing. It’s crazy.”
The viewing areas for the parade were at capacity as early as 7.25am, per the NYPD, who blocked off access to Broadway. The parade, which kicked off several hours later at 10am, saw people marching from Battery Park to City Hall.
Zohran Mamdani – the mayor, who rightly predicted this would be one of the biggest parades the city had ever seen – was seen dancing on a float in the parade alongside the Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns’s teammate OG Anunoby was in the crowds talking to fans, holding both the NBA Cup in-season championship trophy and a bottle of tequila. The Knicks alumnus Carmelo Anthony danced on a float nearby. Longtime celebrity Knicks fans Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and Timothée Chalamet were also in attendance.
Children climbed atop cars to chant “fuck you, Wemby!” – a reference to San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama. Vendors sold T-shirts out of carts and suitcases, emblazoned with phrases like “CHAMPIONS” and “King Brunson” and “suck my Knick!”
A fan named Alan told the Guardian he came back to New York for the first time in nearly three years to be a part of the crowd. He carried a Polaroid camera and offered people photos for a few dollars each, mostly photographing moms with their sons and dads with their daughters.
“I just wanted to give them a memory of the day,” he said.
Another fan named Erica walked along Church Street with her young son, Milan. Originally from Italy, she’s been a casual Knicks fan for 20 years, but fell in love with the team after watching how happy they made her son. She said the Knicks had brought out the best in New York.
“Everybody is happy for one cause and we need that,” she said.
John Rivera was born and raised in New York, and was 13 when the Knicks last won the championship in 1973. They clinched the finals series this time on his 69th birthday.
“I was there for the Ewing era, when they kept losing against the Bulls, I was there in 99 when I thought they were gonna win it, I was there through it all. I always kept the faith though,” he said.
Rivera worked for NYC transit authority doing subway maintenance for 30 years before retiring to Florida. He flew back to New York this week for a funeral – for a friend he played stickball with growing up – and for the Puerto Rican Day parade in the Bronx. Being among Knicks fans on Thursday morning reminded him of how much he loved this city.
“It makes me feel wanted, it makes me feel like a part of the city again,” he said.
Barbara Etheredge, 33, from Newark, New Jersey, stood on a power box, with friends hanging from the traffic signs above. She’s a new Knicks fan, falling in love with the team through her boyfriend – who was among a crowd of fans who commandeered a nearby sanitation truck, chanting “LET’S GO KNICKS.”
“Everyone out here strangers,” she said of the sprawling crowd below her, “But we family now.”
Her newfound love for the Knicks is just as permanent as her newfound love for her boyfriend, she said. “He’s not going nowhere. I’m done. If he’s a Knicks fan I’m staying with them for ever. I’m loyal!”
The sweetness of Thursday’s celebration hardly ended there as the now-viral “Baklava Guy” – who was previously seen giving out his eponymous dessert to Knicks fans outside Madison Square Garden. – doled out baklava to fans at the parade.
Roy Donk, the owner of Good Baklava, told CBS: “There’s just special moments in New York history which we’re living right now, and I usually sell it, but there’s no chance of selling it right now.”
Benny Tuchman, a lifelong fan from Westchester, was observing the Shabbos with family and friends on the evening the Knicks won game 5.
“We had to wait until the second quarter to watch,” he remembered, laughing. When they finally turned the TV on the Knicks were down 15. “But we knew 15 was nothing for this team,” he said, referring to a series of miraculous comebacks during the playoffs.
He knew coming to the parade that he probably wouldn’t get close enough to see the team. Looking out at the thousands of his fellow fans he said: “This is why we came. I just wanted to see the people. I just wanted to see everyone happy.” His friend chimed in: “This is what makes sports great.” Another friend added: “It’s the equalizer.”
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