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Senegal's national football team took to the pitch at the Stade de France with the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) trophy, defiantly displaying their claim to the title despite being stripped of it earlier this month. The team, led by coach Pape Thiaw, paraded the trophy before their World Cup warm-up game against Peru, which they won 2-0.Nicolas Jackson scored four minutes before half-time and Ismaïla Sarr added a second in the 54th minute as Senegal secured their first win since January's Cup of Nations final. The team's captain, Kalidou Koulibaly, and his teammates came out on to the pitch with the Afcon trophy for a lap of honour after a pre-match concert by the Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour.Senegal have launched a legal battle against the decision to strip them of the trophy and award it to Morocco. The Caf appeal board awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory on 17 March because Senegal staged a 14-minute walk-off during January's final in Rabat in protest against the award of a penalty to the hosts in added time immediately after Senegal had had a goal ruled out.Coach Pape Thiaw emphasized that his team considers themselves African champions, stating, 'We know we're African champions. We're going to keep working to win more trophies. It's clear in our minds that competitions and trophies are won on the pitch.'Thiaw also highlighted the importance of not getting distracted by the controversy, saying, 'The most important thing is not to get distracted.' Senegal lodged an appeal this week with the Swiss-based court of arbitration for sport.In a related development, Morocco drew 1-1 against Ecuador on Friday in a friendly in Madrid, their first match since the final and the controversial decision to punish Senegal. Morocco's coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, expressed satisfaction with the draw against the 'African champions,' highlighting the strength of his team.

Manchester United has named their starting lineup for the crucial Women's Super League derby against city rivals Manchester City, with Tullis-Joyce in goal and an attacking lineup featuring Hinata and Schüller. The substitutes include Middleton-Patel, Rendell, George, Anderson, Rolfo, and Drury. Manchester City, currently sitting at the top of the league table, has also announced their team, with Yamashita between the sticks and a formidable attacking lineup featuring Hemp, Miedema, and Shaw. Their bench includes Keating, Combs, Fowler, Kerolin, Ouahabi, and several other options. The match, scheduled for 1:30pm GMT, represents a significant opportunity for both teams in the title race. Manchester City head coach Andree Jeglertz emphasized the unique intensity of derby matches: These games live their own lives. Because a derby in this city is always going to get 100% energised players from both teams at the beginning. It almost doesn't matter what tempo you start as your opponent will be ready. These games aren't determined by 15, 20 minutes. Definitely the longer the game goes, it can be a challenge but it's how the game turns out and what happens. City secured a convincing 3-0 victory in the previous derby in November, with goals from Rebecca Knaak, Khadija Shaw, and Lauren Hemp. Meanwhile, Manchester United is looking to bounce back from a 3-2 first-leg defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. United's head coach, Marc Skinner, acknowledged the challenge posed by the league leaders: City are top of the league for a reason but we will take that challenge on. Once you accept that challenge, you can rise to a new level. This derby comes during a busy period for WSL teams, with multiple high-profile clashes across the league that could significantly impact the title race.

England's experimental lineup for their international friendly against Uruguay ended in a 1-1 draw, a result that did little to alleviate concerns over the team's lack of chemistry and cohesion on the pitch.Manager Thomas Tuchel had indicated that his starting XI selection would be based on training ground performances, but the team's display at Wembley Stadium suggested that chemistry and teamwork were sorely lacking.The match was marked by a disappointing performance from England, with Phil Foden and Harry Maguire among the few players showing any semblance of form. The team's lack of rhythm and patterns on the pitch were evident, with Tuchel's tactics coming under scrutiny.Uruguay's Federico Valverde equalized from the penalty spot after Ben White gave England the lead with a late goal. The draw was a fair result given the lack of quality on display from both teams.The experimental nature of England's lineup, featuring second-choice players and youngsters, raised questions about Tuchel's strategy and the depth of talent available to him. With the World Cup looming, England's form and cohesion will be crucial to their success.

France forward Kylian Mbappe showed no signs of his recent knee injury as he scored in a 2-1 friendly victory over Brazil on Thursday. The match, a World Cup warm-up, was played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, with a crowd of 66,215.Mbappe broke free to score in the 32nd minute, giving France an early lead. Hugo Ekitike doubled the lead in the 65th minute. Brazil reduced the deficit to 2-1 in the 78th minute through Bremer.The match was notable for Mbappe's return to action after a knee injury. He had sprained his left knee in December but played through January before missing almost a month. Mbappe confirmed on Monday that his injury was 'truly behind' him.The game also featured a mid-half 'cooling break' to allow players to rest and hydrate, a FIFA innovation for the 2026 World Cup. This break was included regardless of the temperature, which was in the mid-60s (15 degrees Celsius) on the day of the match.The victory for France came despite Dayot Upamecano being sent off in the 55th minute for a clear foul on a player with a path to the goal. The card was upgraded from yellow to red on video review.If France and Brazil both win their groups at the World Cup, they could potentially meet again in the final.

Jürgen Klopp has hailed Mohamed Salah as irreplaceable as Liverpool prepares for his departure at the end of the season. Klopp, who signed Salah for £34m from Roma in June 2017, described his time at Liverpool as 'a beautiful movie with a happy end.'The Egyptian international is third on Liverpool's all-time scorers' list with 255 goals and Klopp insists there is no like-for-like replacement for Salah in the game. 'This specific kind of player is irreplaceable,' said Klopp. 'I'm not sure there is even another one existing out there.'Klopp, now head of global football at Red Bull, admitted that Salah was not the easiest player to handle but expressed his pride in being part of his journey at Liverpool. 'I'm really happy and proud that I was part of the whole journey,' he said.Salah's departure comes 12 months before his contract is due to expire. Klopp's comments highlight the significant impact Salah has had on Liverpool's success during his time at the club.

Meta, the world's most powerful social media company, has faced a severe public reckoning in recent days, with juries in California and New Mexico delivering back-to-back verdicts that hold the company liable for harming young people. This marks a significant shift in accountability for social media companies, which have long operated with minimal regulation and few consequences in the US.In the California case, a jury ordered Meta and YouTube to pay $6 million in damages over claims that they deliberately designed addictive products to hook young users. The following day, a jury in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $375 million in damages over claims that its products led to child sexual exploitation, among other harms.These verdicts are the first to go to court, and they set a precedent for over 2,000 plaintiffs, including families, school districts, and state attorneys general, who have brought lawsuits against Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap. The cases borrow from a familiar playbook, echoing those brought against big tobacco companies in the 1990s, which focused on cigarettes' addictive qualities and their makers' public denials despite knowledge of their products' harms.Lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that social media companies have profited from targeting children while concealing their addictive and dangerous design features. The verdicts signal that public perception of social media and its makers is shifting, with jurors now laying blame on the business practices of a multi-trillion-dollar industry.Meta and YouTube have both said they disagree with the verdicts and will appeal. However, the rulings mark a significant turning point in the growing scrutiny of social media companies and their impact on young people.The cases are part of a broader effort to challenge tech companies' practices, with online safety advocates urging Congress to pass regulation, forming coalitions of parents, teens, and advocates, and bringing thousands of lawsuits front and center. The goal is to force social media companies to redesign their products and do more to protect children online.

US international forward Catarina Macario has made a significant move in the world of women's soccer, joining the San Diego Wave on a five-year deal worth $8m. This contract is reportedly the largest by total value in women's soccer history.The 26-year-old forward is expected to immediately become the focal point of the Wave's attack. Macario's contract with Chelsea was set to expire at the end of the WSL season, and she will now use the NWSL's new high impact player rule to pay her salary.Macario's move to San Diego represents a homecoming for the player, who began her development in Brazil before relocating to San Diego with her family at the age of 12. She spent five years with the local San Diego Surf, setting the youth league's all-time scoring record, before playing collegiately for Stanford.The addition of Macario to the Wave's roster is expected to greatly benefit the team's system, which often features extensive buildup sequences and passing into the heart of the box. Macario's complete approach to playing striker, including her ability in buildup and difficulty to dispossess, will likely make her a valuable asset to the team.This move also represents an opportunity for Macario to reassert her case to be part of the US women's national team core, particularly with the 2027 World Cup being held in Brazil, her nation of birth. Macario has scored 16 goals across her 29 international caps, including eight goals from 10 national team appearances in 2025.

England and Uruguay ended in a 1-1 draw during their friendly match at Wembley Stadium. James Trafford, the Manchester City goalkeeper, made a quiet debut but was beaten by Fede Valverde's equalizing penalty, earning a rating of 6.Tino Livramento was untroubled in defense, supporting the attack with energetic runs, though connections were lacking, also scoring 6. Harry Maguire had a solid return to the international scene with booming passes and a set-piece threat, rated 6.Fikayo Tomori was unruffled in his first England appearance since November 2023, despite a toothless Uruguay attack, earning 6. Djed Spence was fine defensively but struggled as a right footer at left-back, checking back frequently, rated 6.Jordan Henderson was occasionally bypassed in midfield and offered little on the ball before being substituted at half-time, scoring 5. James Garner had a decent debut, delivering dangerous corners, rated 6.Noni Madueke won some corners but often held onto the ball too long and went off injured, earning 6. Phil Foden failed to deliver as the No 10 and may worry about his World Cup place, rated 5.Marcus Rashford had an underwhelming night, mostly dribbling into dead ends, scoring 5. Dominic Solanke tested Fernando Muslera from long range and worked hard without looking likely to score, rated 6.The substitutes had varied impacts: Jarrod Bowen was quiet, Adam Wharton offered urgent passing and a crucial block, Cole Palmer had a lively cameo and delivered the corner for the goal, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed wide from a free-kick.

Ben White stepped onto the Wembley pitch to a chorus of jeers from England supporters when introduced as a 68th-minute substitute. The Arsenal defender's return to international football came nearly two years after walking out on the squad during the 2022 World Cup, making his availability for this fixture a significant development.The friendly encounter lacked intensity for much of the first half, with England struggling to create meaningful opportunities. Thomas Tuchel, utilizing an experimental lineup with no survivors from the previous match against Albania, focused on evaluating fringe players for potential World Cup consideration. The match tempo was low, and patterns remained formulaic as Uruguay comfortably maintained defensive organization.The game transformed dramatically after White's introduction. In the 81st minute, the defender marked his fifth England cap with his first international goal, tapping in from close range following an excellent Cole Palmer corner delivery. Despite scoring, the announcement of his name was met with another round of boos from the home crowd.White's night took a turn for the worse in stoppage time when he conceded a penalty with an ill-advised challenge on Federico Vinas. After a video assistant referee review, Federico Valverde converted the spot kick, leveling the score at 1-1. The match had been particularly fractious, featuring several contentious challenges including an X-rated lunge by Uruguay's Ronald Araújo at Phil Foden, which left the Manchester City player limping off.Tuchel expressed frustration with the officiating, questioning why Araújo escaped punishment and suggesting the VAR system was malfunctioning. The England manager had made numerous changes to his squad, prioritizing rest for first-choice players during a condensed training week leading up to the fixture.