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Soldier Field (CHICAGO) — There are no more World Cup warm-ups for the U.S. men’s national team. Nothing left to do but blow the whistle next Friday and see how the team stacks up at the 48-team tournament it is co-hosting. Saturday’s defeat to Germany was the final pre-World Cup preparation match for a USA squad looking to make some history this summer. The Germans took the lead less than two minutes in on an unmarked header from Arsenal star Kai Havertz — a goal that was canceled out later in the first half by Antonee “Jedi” Robinson’s spectacular full volley. Unfortunately for the World Cup co-hosts, the U.S. wasn’t able to capitalize on a number of good scoring opportunities before veteran Germany forward Leroy Sané put the four-time champions up for good with just over half an hour to play. Here are my takeaways from Saturday’s defeat. 1. A Terrible Start Gifts Germany The Opener … It was a dreadful, almost unforgivable beginning from the hosts. Giving up a completely unmarked goal less than two minutes in against a team like Germany can be fatal, the type of error that loses teams games at the World Cup. Havertz — who a week ago was playing in the UEFA Champions League final with Arsenal — probably never scored an easier goal in his career. Sure, the USA’s response was good. We’ll get to that. But the fact remains that Mauricio Pochettino’s team needs to clean things up defensively, and quickly. It took an all-world strike by Jedi to cancel out Havertz’s tap-in, but no team can count on an equalizer like that. “I was upset, of course,” Pochettino said of the first goal during his post-game press conference. “To concede early against a team like that is always pretty s***,” Tyler Adams added. Falling behind before some fans have reached their seats puts any team in a terrible position, forcing them to take risks going forward that can leave them vulnerable to a second, possibly insurmountable, two-goal deficit. The U.S. will get scored on this summer. What this team can’t do is give away goals. If that happens when it matters most, it’s almost impossible to see Pochettino’s squad making a deep run this summer. 2. … But USA’s Response Was Encouraging. It’s hard to score a better goal than Jedi’s. Yet from a pure soccer perspective, it wasn’t the best moment of the game for the Americans. As was the case last week against Senegal, the U.S. attack pinned the Germans in their own end of the field for the final 20 or so minutes of the first half and much of the second, too. The team combined with each other, moved the ball quickly, and frequently got behind the German backline. “Going into a World Cup it means a lot to know, in my mind, that I’ve scored something like that,” Jedi said during the post-match press conference. His teammates enjoyed it almost as much. “After he scored, I was like, ‘Can you save that for next weekend?’” Adams joked. Still, had Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Sergiño Dest and Malik Tillman been a bit more accurate with their shots on this day — at the hour mark against Germany, Jedi’s goal was the only one of the seven U.S. tries on frame — the U.S. could’ve added a few more. Germany keeper Oliver Baumann didn’t make his second save of the game until the 87th minute, a diving stop on substitute Brenden Aaronson. Sure, those efforts must be more clinical at the main event, when open looks are significantly harder to come by. But for a team that managed just three goals in four games at the last World Cup, getting scoring opportunities in the first place is positive. “We’re creating a high volume of chances right now, which I think is a really good sign,” Adams said. “Guys are getting in the right spots. It’s just a matter of time before they start going in.” 3. This Was USA’s World Cup Lineup — With One Exception. The thinking all along was that Pochettino would use last weekend’s tune-up against Senegal as a glorified training session as far as personnel were concerned. That’s exactly how it played out, with 10 players subbed out at halftime of that 3-2 victory in Charlotte and 22 players used overall. Saturday’s match was always going to be a dress rehearsal for the real thing. Sure enough, Pochettino went with what he almost certainly believes is his strongest possible lineup except for injured center back Chris Richards. The hope and expectation is that Richards will be ready to go when the World Cup kicks off on Friday. Pochettino made it clear he wasn’t going to risk his best defender’s health in a game that, high-profile as it was, didn’t count. If Richards can’t go against Paraguay in Los Angeles, Miles Robinson will get the nod. That’s obvious. But what Saturday’s lineup decisions tell us is that fullback/winger Tim Weah — who started all four of the USA’s games at the 2022 World Cup and scored the first of their three goals in Qatar — will most likely begin this year’s edition on the bench behind Sergiño Dest. Which makes sense. On a team lacking difference-makers in the attack, Dest’s all-planet ball skills can change games or even win them; as noted, he came close to scoring on multiple occasions on Saturday. Meantime, Weah will likely be the first sub off the bench, or perhaps even start one of the final two group games if Poch opts to rotate. “Sergiño is dangerous,” said star forward Christian Pulisic, who can use all the help he can get up top. “He’s such a good dribbler with the ball, there’s a lot of things he can help us with.” 4. Does This Result Matter? Take A Look At History. No, and not just because it doesn’t count in the actual World Cup standings. This U.S. side would be thrilled to emulate the 2002 team that shocked Planet Fútbol by reaching the quarterfinals (controversially losing to Germany) in what is still the best World Cup performance by the American men since the inaugural tournament almost a century ago. What few remember is that the USA also lost its send-off match that year, a 2-0 defeat to a Netherlands team that hadn’t even qualified for that year’s World Cup in Japan and South Korea. That performance was better than the score indicated, though, and the Americans — led by a legend-in-the-making in Landon Donovan — stunned pre-tourney favorite Portugal in its first group game en route to the last eight. Home fans will be hoping a similar scenario repeats itself this summer. “At the end of the day, it means nothing,” Pulisic said of the two pre-Cup friendlies. “We have to go out, and we have to perform when it matters on Friday [at the World Cup].” 4 ½. Now, Finally, Onto The World Cup! It’s now been almost eight years since the U.S. and North American neighbors Canada and Mexico were awarded co-hosting rights for the first 48-team World Cup — the biggest ever in history. Pochettino was hired to lead the Stars and Stripes 21 months ago. All of it has been building to this moment. Whether the U.S. squad is ready doesn’t matter. Friday’s curtain raiser against Paraguay in Los Angeles is now just days away. The ball won’t lie. But after two of the best attacking performances in recent memory, fans have legitimate reason to be optimistic. We’re all about to see if this team can take them on a ride they’ll never forget. Pulisic probably said it best: “What an opportunity we have in front of us.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Portugal forward Rafael Leão was sent off for punching an opponent during a 2-0 win over Chile in a World Cup warm-up on Saturday. Leão got into a heated altercation with Chile defender Ivan Román after he felt he had been fouled by a different opponent. Leão was spotted throwing a punch and Román reacted angrily and both were shown straight red cards on the stroke of halftime. Cristiano Ronaldo started the match but was taken off at halftime and his replacement, Gonçalo Guedes, scored the opening goal. Bruno Fernandes doubled Portugal’s lead in the 75th and Lucas Cepeda netted for Chile in stoppage time. Portugal is in Group K at the World Cup along with Colombia, Uzbekistan and Congo. Portugal opens against Congo on June 17 in Houston. Ronaldo is set to make a record-tying sixth World Cup appearance.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

YANKEE STADIUM (New York) – Most players would have shut it down. Aaron Judge kept showing up. For more than a month, the Yankees captain played with a stress fracture on the first rib on his right side. He took swings, chased fly balls and crashed into walls, absorbing the pain in silence while anchoring the Yankees lineup. There were too many important pieces sidelined, including Giancarlo Stanton and left-hander Max Fried, for the slugger to consider missing time — until the injury revealed itself in his swings. “Big G’s hurt. Max Fried’s hurt. We got a lot of guys banged up,” Judge said on Friday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. “You gotta be out there. That’s what they’re paying me to do, is to go out there and play.” Judge, speaking to a horde of inquiring reporters in front of his locker in the Yankees clubhouse, believes he sustained the stress fracture on April 26 while diving for a fly ball during the Yankees’ series against the Astros in Houston. He called it “an awkward dive” because he was also trying to avoid running into an oncoming teammate in right field. He started feeling the pain the following day, when the Yankees opened a series against the Rangers in Texas. He felt the symptoms of his stress fracture for the past month. Judge was familiar with the pain, because it’s in the same area as the rib fracture he sustained in Sept. 2019. Yankees manager Aaron Boone noticed that Judge’s swings were off last weekend during the team’s series against the Athletics in West Sacramento. After voicing his concern with the team captain, Boone pulled Judge from the series finale against the A’s on May 31. “We did everything we could to make sure we could be out there, and Sacramento just got a little worse,” Judge said. “I fought as long as I could.” Is it possible that Judge made the injury worse because he played through it? “Probably,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on Friday in the team’s press conference room. “I mean, I think it’s a culmination of different things. But no one can pinpoint when it occurred. That’s the undiscovered situation. He was never coming in, getting treatment, per se. He didn’t have any complaints.” The injury was first brought to Cashman’s attention this past Monday. “I was caught off guard by the call on the off day,” the GM said. Cashman then checked with the Yankees’ medical and training staff to find out whether Judge had shifted from his usual treatment routine. Judge receives pregame and postgame work, as well as a full-body massage, as part of his daily treatment. Everything Cashman found out from the training staff was all consistent with Judge’s normal routine. “He’s been here a long time, and I’ve talked to our trainers, and they know our players inside out,” Cashman said. “They know their tells. They can project that something’s bothering them, but they’re not really saying it. It’s just how their demeanor is, how they go about their business, and then they coax them into spilling the beans, if there’re any beans to spill — because these guys are supersapiens. “They’re unbelievable about how they can withstand more than you and I maybe can withstand. They’re amazing, strong, athletic, and this is a rigorous schedule of 162 games. So to be able to play as much as these guys do, they’re always playing with something.” The Yankees spent four days trying to understand what exactly Judge was dealing with. There was edema, or swelling, in the area of the stress fracture, so it was difficult to understand and diagnose Judge’s injury. Before getting a clear answer, the Yankees had hoped at one point that he could avoid the injured list altogether. On Thursday, the team sent his MRI, CT scan, and X-ray images to a vascular surgeon, Dr. Gregory Pearl, who specializes in treating thoracic outlet syndrome. Late Thursday night, the club was able to rule it out, before landing on the final diagnosis of a fractured rib. Cashman said because the team “ran him through a car wash of testing,” he believes that even if Judge had flagged the injury to the medical staff on April 26, they wouldn’t have found an issue. An injury this severe was not on anyone’s radar, even as Judge’s performance started to dip around the middle of May. He batted .267 with a 1.043 OPS and 16 home runs through his first 41 games of the season. Since May 11, Judge has batted .206 with a .613 OPS and one home run in his last 18 games before going on the injured list. “You’re not going to replace Aaron Judge,” Boone said of the prolonged absence of his best player. The Yankees expect Judge to rest for 4–6 weeks, giving time for the bone to heal. Both Boone and Cashman said they are intentionally not disclosing a roadmap for when exactly to expect Judge back in the Yankees lineup. It could be July. It could be August. It could even be September. But they do expect the face of their franchise to play again before the season is over. For now, Cashman said Judge’s injury does not change his upcoming trade-deadline strategy. And don’t even bother asking Judge about his timeline to return to play. “Oh, I don’t like talking timetables,” Judge said. “That stuff’s all made up. You never know what’s going to  happen.” For now, Judge is limited to lower-body activities only. He is not permitted to run, throw, or swing the bat. For the next few weeks, Judge will try to keep his legs fresh by using a stationary bike, and he’ll try to stay locked in at the plate by using the team’s Trajekt machine to track pitches. Even though he can’t physically help the Yankees win games, he’s still making sure his voice is heard. Judge has been one of the loudest voices in the room during the team’s hitter meetings to prepare against opposing pitchers. While the insight from a three-time MVP and seven-time All-Star will always help, the Yankees, who entered the weekend with the most wins in the American League (37), will need more from the rest of the roster this summer. To that end, they called up top outfield prospect Spencer Jones on Friday in correspondence with Judge’s move to the IL. Jones is expected to roam right field most games, with utility players Jose Caballero and Max Schuemann serving as other options. More help is on the way after outfielder Jasson Dominguez began a rehab assignment on Friday. He could return in the next week or so. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton, who has been out since April 24 with a right calf strain, is 2–3 weeks away from potentially rejoining the Yankees. “We built this team the last couple of years trying to shore a couple of things up,” Boone said of the Yankees’ run-it-back roster. “We have a lot of good players and some that are going to get opportunities to try and run with something. I feel great about our club. There’s no getting around missing Aaron, of course. “But hopefully this is something that over the long haul puts us in a better position because we get to find out about more people, and more guys have an opportunity to maybe carve out a role — all with the expectation that we’re going to get our captain back later in the year, too.” The Yankees just have to survive until then.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

TAMPA BAY — Baker Mayfield set a tone for his extension negotiations with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his first comments to the media this offseason: He wants to be the team’s long-term quarterback, but he’s willing to play out the final year of his contract without a new deal in place. “Contract stuff is happening, starting, talks and whatnot, not anywhere close to what we were thinking,” Mayfield said Friday during a youth football camp he’s hosting at the Buccaneers’ indoor practice facility. “Would love to be here long-term, and as of right now, that’s not exactly the case. I’m under contract for 2026. The guys in that locker room, the staff know that I’m still going to be me, still going to do everything I can to help this team win a Super Bowl. To me, that’s the priority. Everything else will take care of itself.” Mayfield, who has one year remaining on a three-year, $100 million contract he signed in 2024, added that his deadline to get an extension done is the start of training camp. “Obviously, yes, I’d love to have a long-term deal done, but they know my deadline,” Mayfield said. “As soon as training camp starts, we’re not doing any contract stuff. It’s all ball. It’s not up to me when that gets done by. Hopefully before that. If not, we’ll still have a good year.” While the Bucs haven’t announced when training camp will begin, it’s usually late in July. So, the clock’s now ticking on both parties to get something agreed to before then. But what should both sides be looking for in the potential extension? That’s tough to figure out. Mayfield, who turned 31 in April, has seen a career resurgence in Tampa, taking over in 2023 after Tom Brady’s retirement. Once a No. 1 overall pick of the Cleveland Browns, Mayfield was traded from his first NFL home to the Carolina Panthers in the summer of 2022, struggled there and finished that season with the Los Angeles Rams. When he first signed with the Buccaneers, it was a one-year, $4 million deal that got up to $7 million with a strong first year. He led the Bucs to back-to-back division titles, passing for a career-best 41 touchdowns and 4,500 yards in 2024. But Mayfield, much like the Buccaneers, was inconsistent last year, playing through multiple injuries while key offensive pieces were sidelined throughout the season. The Bucs opened the year 6-2, with Mayfield throwing 13 touchdowns against two interceptions. Then, they lost seven of their last nine, with Mayfield throwing 13 touchdowns against nine interceptions. The Bucs finished in a three-way tie atop the NFC South standings, losing to the Panthers due to a tiebreaker to miss the playoffs for the first time in six years. The Buccaneers have dealt with significant departures this spring, with two beloved players from their 2020 Super Bowl roster now gone. Linebacker Lavonte David retired after 14 seasons in Tampa, and Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans signed with the San Francisco 49ers after 12 seasons in Tampa Bay. That leaves Mayfield as the unquestioned face of the franchise, and creates questions as to just how much it will cost for Tampa to keep him. Mayfield hasn’t publicly stated how much money he’s looking for in his next contract, but Spotrac projects his value at around four years and $214 million. That works out to $53.6 million per year, a figure that would make him the seventh-highest-paid quarterback in the league. However, most of those deals were to quarterbacks who were younger at the time of signing, with two exceptions. Dak Prescott signed a $60 million-per-year pact at age 31 with the Dallas Cowboys, and 38-year-old Matthew Stafford signed a one-year, $55 million extension this spring with the Los Angeles Rams following his MVP season. If Mayfield ends up playing out the 2026 season without a contract for 2027, though, he’d be in line to potentially become a prime franchise tag candidate or one of the most coveted players at any position next offseason. The franchise tag for quarterbacks in 2027 is likely to be about $51 million for one year, a significant raise that would take up a larger chunk of the 2027 cap than a long-term extension. In the event Mayfield isn’t tagged, he’d join a relatively deep talent pool of free agents at quarterback. Kyler Murray (Minnesota Vikings) and Tua Tagovailoa (Atlanta Falcons) are on one-year rests after being cut from huge contracts, while a veteran like Deshaun Watson (Cleveland Browns) could be an option for teams looking to add at quarterback next March. Of course, Mayfield’s play in 2026 will largely dictate what the Buccaneers plan to do with him if he doesn’t sign an extension this offseason. It could go two very different ways for the Bucs: If Mayfield looks like the first half of last season and gets Tampa Bay back to the playoffs, he’d have leverage for an even larger contract. But if he and the team struggle, the Bucs could move on from him and head coach Todd Bowles, perhaps looking in another direction for both key spots. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht has made it clear the team loves Mayfield and wants to keep him in Tampa on a long-term deal, but such a contract would be the largest in franchise history. Recent deals for Tagovailoa, Murray and Watson can show how getting a $200 million deal wrong can damage an NFL franchise, though resetting at the position is not an easy process as well. A four-year extension, though, could also elevate Mayfield’s spot in franchise lore. If he signed such a contract, Mayfield would likely have all the franchise’s major passing records by the time the deal ends. The Buccaneers haven’t had good luck with sustained success from their quarterbacks, which was a big reason why they missed the playoffs 12 years in a row from 2008-19. But they’ve become a playoff mainstay since the turn of the decade, with Mayfield mostly doing his part. And even after missing the playoffs last season, Tampa Bay is still the oddmakers’ favorite to win the NFC South in 2026. It’s clear what both sides ultimately want, though. Mayfield has made it evident he wants to stay in Tampa, where he’s found stability in his career, and his family has found a home, with he and wife Emily welcoming daughter Kova and son Maverick since he arrived. But there was a leverage aspect to Friday’s comments, as Mayfield’s the top quarterback entering a contract year that’s negotiating a huge deal. So, the question now is whether the Buccaneers want to pay enough to sign on for the same stability or take their chances letting the season play out without a new deal. “They know who I am,” Mayfield said Friday. “They know it doesn’t matter what the contract is. It’s not going to change my work ethic, the leadership aspect of it, what I try to bring with guys, trying to elevate everybody. … You worry about giving somebody that much money, if it’s going to change their attitude, how they show up in the building. With me, that’s not the case. They gave me a chance at a point in my career when I really needed it, helped me out, but I think I did the same as well. It’s time to get something done long-term, and I would love to be here long-term.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Mexico’s all-time leading goalscorer, Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, shared his prediction for El Tri ahead of this summer’s FIFA World Cup. Appearing on a FOX Sports roundtable alongside former United States men’s national team star Alexi Lalas and Canadian great Dwayne De Rosario, Hernández didn’t shy away from the never-ending drama surrounding Mexico’s squad at this summer’s 48-team tournament. Hernández’s bold vision for his country serves as the driving factor of a wide-ranging discussion between representatives from each host nation. Mexico’s ‘Soap Opera’ Soccer Identity To understand the foundation of his bold forecast, you first have to look at the immense cultural clutter Hernandez had to tune out during his playing days. Mexico’s soccer landscape has historically been trapped by its own desire for dramatic narratives, similar to the storylines in Mexican telenovelas. “Because of the soap operas, the culture that we are, we see ourselves only as the heroes or villains,” Hernandez said. “They need to see you sweat, scream, fight for your country, giving it completely all.” For Hernandez, breaking this cycle of extreme media theater is the crucial first step if Mexico wants to find success this summer. “The way that those things happen, then, instead of helping your own country, it’s the other way around, it’s unnecessary noise, pressure, or whatever you want to (call it), it’s unnecessary,” Hernandez said. Are The Expectations For Mexico Justified? Because Hernandez is predicting a historic performance, the fairness of public expectation remains a question mark. Lalas questioned if El Tri fans have unrealistic goals for the team. Hernandez flipped the script, clarifying that while demanding the best is fair, wanting to see a playing style that doesn’t match the roster’s current makeup is useless. “I don’t need to be or have the same quality as you, but I can give the same results, so that puts the perspective and the expectations in (perspective). We don’t have the same quality as Brazil. We’re not gonna play the Jogo Bonito,” Hernandez pointed out. “That’s what Mexico (fans) always expect of you: play nice, play Tiki Taka, score 20 goals, defend, (don’t concede) goals.” Instead of chasing a superficial style similar to other nations, Hernandez insists fans must embrace not always being favored to win. “That’s the beauty of sports. You can win games without being the best (in) the game,” Hernandez added. Criticism Of Mexico’s Style Of Play Faced with constant backlash, critics and fans alike claim modern Mexican players are too fragile to handle public scrutiny. Hernandez rejected this idea, stating that the squad accepts fair evaluations but demands that fans stop comparing them to foreign heavyweights. “People think that when players come and say ‘this is too much,’ or, ‘they don’t like criticism.’ No, it’s not about that. We are still Mexico, guys. I love my country till death, but we are still Mexico. We are not Italy,” Hernandez stated bluntly. “We can still win in our way.” To achieve his projected deep run, Mexico must maximize its own identity. “We need more realistic expectations,” Hernandez said. “Focus on what you are good (at), like try to explore those qualities, and try to win games however you can win.” The Power Of El Tri’s Fan Base While the relentless traveling crowd of El Tri fans used to infuriate Lalas, Hernandez views this fierce, borderless devotion as the ultimate superpower that will anchor his World Cup prediction. He shared an emotional memory from the 2018 tournament to illustrate the scale of the El Tri faithful. “In the World Cup in Russia, when we played against Germany, that’s why I cried, and I was so emotional, because it’s insane,” Hernandez remembered. “We’re in Moscow, playing against the actual world champions, and we were having a home game.” De Rosario noted that Canada hopes to build that “12th man” energy, but Hernandez reminded him that Mexico commands home atmospheres anywhere in North America. “During one of the last games that I played (against Canada in Canada), I think it was in Vancouver… we were the home team, we were local,” Hernandez said. Hernandez’ Prediction: ‘Dream Big’ Everything builds to the ultimate question: can Mexico finally shatter the quinto partido curse – which is about reaching the quarterfinal game, aka the fifth game at a World Cup tournament – which now means reaching the sexto partido (sixth game) in the new 48-team layout that includes an extra knockout round? Hernandez told Lalas he expects El Tri to top Group A (which includes South Korea, Czechia, and South Africa) and get past the round of 32. Then Lalas asked what would happen during the round of 16. “What we all want to see happen … they go through,” Hernandez replied. Lalas pressed him on reality versus hope. Hernandez differentiated the concept of staying stuck where you traditionally perform from failure. “In my country, they love to say, ‘if we don’t go to the quinto partido it’s a failure,’ it’s not a failure. We’ve been used to do that. We still are. Qatar was a failure. You didn’t go through group (stage). That’s a failure, because we were used to (getting) to (the) round of 16,” Hernandez explained. Despite a less than ideal cycle, Hernandez remains highly optimistic for El Tri, even when Lalas asked if he envisioned a dream scenario with Mexico reaching the final. “I’m a strong believer, I am Mexican, it feels better to hope for the best. Dream big,” Hernandez admitted. “I love this phrase ‘They (call) you crazy until it’s done,’ you know, ‘delusional until it’s done’… I know about some of the players that are there… they’re going to do way better than a lot of people think, because why not?”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

CHICAGO — The vibes around the United States’ World Cup team are viscerally on the rise following Sunday’s 3-2 exhibition win over Senegal, though concern remains about center back Chris Richards. On Friday, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said that Richards, the Americans’ most important defender who damaged ligaments in his left ankle last month, will miss Saturday’s final pre-World Cup tune-up against four-time champions Germany at Soldier Field. “Today he’s training,” Pochettino told me during his pre-match press conference and shortly before putting all 26 players on the World Cup roster, including Richards, through their paces at the training facility of MLS club Chicago Fire. “But still he’s not ready to compete, to play.” That’s certainly not ideal for the tournament co-hosts, who kick off their World Cup campaign on June 12 in Los Angeles against Paraguay. It’s even more concerning given that both goals the USA conceded against Senegal were preventable. The home side allowed 10 shots in total, four of them on target. Cleaning up those mistakes will be imperative at the main event, where errors are typically punished ruthlessly. Which makes the Germans an ideal opponent to face in the last match before the results actually begin to matter. At the World Cup, points — not vibes — are the only thing that counts. That’s not to say Saturday’s contest is meaningless. Far from it. The U.S. was badly outclassed the last time they met Die Mannschaft, a 3-1 friendly loss in Connecticut in October 2023. The Stars and Stripes have struggled against European opponents dating back to their round of 16 loss to the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They were outscored 7-2 in March defeats to Belgium and Portugal, two other stout European foes. Yet while upsetting Germany without Richards would provide a huge boost of confidence ahead of the World Cup opener, a good performance from which everyone exits healthy is the desired outcome. A victory would be gravy. Midfielder Weston McKennie started that last U.S.-Germany meeting in 2023, logging 75 of the 90 minutes. “I think that game showed, obviously, the quality that they have,” McKennie said following Friday’s training session. “But also the quality that we have as well. We had the potential to win that game as well.” It’s true. Christian Pulisic scored a screamer to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead before Germany roared back with goals by İlkay Gündoğan, Niclas Füllkrug and Jamal Musiala. Only Musiala remains on German manager Julian Nagelsmann’s roster for Saturday’s contest and the World Cup. The USA’s squad has had even more turnover. Several U.S. players projected to start when the games get real — goalkeeper Matt Freese, defender Alex Freeman — hadn’t played an international match then. Freeman, now on Spanish club Villarreal, had just one minute of MLS play under his belt with former club Orlando City. “We go into this game with a lot of players that haven’t played against them yet,” McKennie said.  “So I think the new energy, the new style, just the new circumstances in general leading into a World Cup, I think it’s going to be a great test for us. “We’re going there with the same mentality that we always go out with,” he added. “To win the game.” For Pochettino, it’s the final dress rehearsal, he and his staff’s final chance to tinker and coax and collect a few more potentially crucial data points ahead of the World Cup itself. “It’s a great opportunity after Senegal,” he said of taking on an adversary as dangerous and experienced as the mighty Germans. “It’s going to be a really different team that we are going to face.” If missing helps Richards be ready six days later, it’s a price Pochettino and his players are happy to pay. “Chris Richards is on the right path to coming back — I think everyone trusts his body and what he feels and the coaching staff as well,” McKennie said. “He’s an important piece of the group: his energy, his leadership on and off the field, and so obviously we’re just all behind him and can’t wait to have him back. “The energy is great,” he continued. “We’re all just excited for the game against Germany, and also for the tournament to start.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Last Saturday’s win over Senegal felt like a breath of fresh air for the United States men’s national team. I could see it from the players as they walked on the field and out of the tunnel. Snoop Dogg was blaring in the stadium, and there was a positive and confident energy that the Americans need to maintain entering the World Cup. I could see it during the national anthem. Players were singing and focused instead of just having their hands on their heart. They were locked in, and I thought, “Wow, this is a team that looks ready for the World Cup regardless of the result of today’s match.” Here’s what I learned from the win over Senegal. USA took that energy and intensity and used it on the pitch, using a system that required high pressing and a lot of movement. It’s the style of play that head coach Mauricio Pochettino expects out of his squad, and it’s what he got from the start against Senegal. We saw basically two different teams between the two halves against Senegal with 10 changes being made at halftime. Sebastian Berhalter was the only starter to get minutes in the second half, of which, in my opinion, he did a fantastic job covering so much ground in midfield and being the work horse in the midfield. Both lineups looked good, but there were things that, of course, will need to be improved upon. The biggest challenge at the World Cup will be whether the USA can keep up that intensity for the full 90 minutes. Senegal’s first goal came in the final five minutes of the first half, and the Americans almost conceded again in the final five minutes of the second half. I was on the field for the game, and I could hear the U.S. coaching staff cursing in Spanish and pushing for the team to finish each half strong. “We’re almost there.Push it. PUSH IT!Press. PRESSURE!” At that point, it’s about game management. A quality opponent is coming right at the USA looking for a goal late in the game. The keys there are being mentally focused to close out the game but also with intensity while sustaining the press that Pochettino wants. That’s a good experience for the USA for the World Cup when the pressure on them to defend would be even higher. They need to know how to close out these games and be mentally, physically, emotionally locked in. Those final 5 minutes of halves are when games are won or lost. Christian Pulisic was able to shut up any press-conference questions about his goal drought. After more than six months without a goal for the national team, Pulisic followed up his assist on the USA’s opening goal with a great finish that saw him round the goalkeeper and slot home the game’s second goal. Pulisic was well aware of his goal drought for the national team. He doesn’t need to hear about it from journalists or analysts who are creating noise that he is very aware of. People know how important Christian is to this team and that he has to play well for the Americans to succeed this summer. This goal is now an opportunity for people to rally behind him going into the tournament. Every answer in the media from him was about how he’s not letting the drought get to him and how goals will come. Pulisic told me after the match that the start to the match, two goals in the first 20 minutes, will help the team build confidence entering the final friendly against Germany and the tournament. The team’s chemistry was on display for those two goals, with great movement on and off the ball. The start to the game, especially Pulisic’s goal, was perfect timing and a really positive moment for a player and team that needed it. Pepi and Balo. The United States’ striking partnership shined against Senegal. Ricardo Pepi had an assist and a hand in the first goal in the first half, while Folarin “Balo” Balogun found the back of the net in the second. It started with Pepi, who got the start and played a part in both of the Americans’ early goals. His pass set Pulisic off down the left wing before Dest finished the move, and then he set Pulisic through on goal for the second. Pepi was confident on the ball, and his movement was very dynamic. He was able to open up spaces for players like Pulisic and Antonee Robinson on the left wing. We don’t often see Pepi start, so that’s going to help build his confidence as the World Cup approaches. And then Folarin Balogun came on for the second half. He’s a natural goalscorer and is so dangerous in and around the 18-yard box. He puts himself in really, really good positions. He got his goal and was a constant threat. Both strikers did what they needed to do. They both helped in attack and defense by pressing Senegal’s defense. Back in 2022, the striker position was a big question mark heading into the tournament. After the game against Senegal, it seems like a position of strength to continue to keep building on.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

I’ve played in a World Cup and understand how the U.S. national team is preparing — and what matters most. There’s one more game until the Americans’ tournament is underway against Paraguay on June 12, and it’s important to go in with confidence. This time around, I have a different challenge. I’ll be breaking down the USA throughout its journey through the 2026 World Cup, starting with a final tune-up game against Germany. Here are my keys to the game and a preview of what to expect from Germany and the USA. When looking at the German national team, the first names that come to mind are probably Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz or Joshua Kimmich. The player I’m watching out for in this game, though, is someone who can exploit a potential weakness in the U.S. defense. Sane is the player I’m highlighting because it ties into what I’m worried about with the United States. The former Manchester City star is a fast, left-footed winger who generally plays on the right side. He can dribble in either direction, cut in on his left foot or drag the ball toward the touchline. Tim Ream and Antonee “Jedi” Robinson on the left side of the U.S. defense will be defending Sane. When Robinson is high up the field and Germany gets the ball in transition, there’s a chance you’re going to have Sane against Tim in open space. After watching the friendly against Senegal, that wouldn’t be ideal for this U.S. team. This will be less of an issue in the group stage of the World Cup for the United States against Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye. As you get into the knockout rounds, though, you’re going to face players who are able to exploit that pace and potentially cause problems for Ream. Ream will be important in controlling buildouts for the U.S. team, but in the first 20 minutes against Senegal last Saturday, he had some uncharacteristic turnovers that led to dangerous chances. Additionally, there were a few moments when the ball went wide, and Ream wasn’t immediately close enough. He did the right thing in that situation of delaying the attack and waiting for help, but his ability to defend wingers in dangerous positions will play a vital role in the tournament. Alex Freeman will look to build on his performance against Senegal and should find himself in more one-on-one moments out wide against Germany, as well. I’m curious to see how Wes plays and how much of the game he can dictate. We know how good he is in attack, but can he be effective on both sides of the ball? Wes played the second half against Senegal after Pochettino made 10 changes at halftime. He did very well, especially defensively, showing a grit and leadership that came with wearing the captain’s armband for the second half. Wes is expected to start in the midfield next to Tyler Adams, who can cover a lot of ground defensively and potentially give him freedom to move forward. Still, against a team like Germany that can cause problems for the U.S. quickly in transition, my former U.S. teammate has to put in a strong shift on both ends of the field. I know he can do it, having played with the famous “MMA” midfield of Tyler, McKennie and Yunus Musah at the 2022 World Cup. Adams covered the middle of the pitch, while Wes and Yunus covered the rest of the midfield, all the way out to the sideline. This will be a good test against Germany entering the tournament. How well McKennie plays and how much of the game the American midfield can dictate will determine what the U.S. can get out of the game. The U.S. may need a different mentality against Germany compared with how it started against Senegal. The starting lineup played 45 minutes together before 10 substitutions at halftime. Mauricio Pochettino wants his team to press high up the field, and you’re going to empty the tank when you know you’re only going to play 45 minutes. I was very impressed with the compactness of the team against Senegal and hope we see that again against Germany. Offensively, there were so many positive combinations and goal-scoring opportunities from the attacking group in the previous match. Let’s see if the team can continue to look dangerous against Germany. I’d expect we’ll see more minutes from the starting XI against Germany to get the match fitness needed for the World Cup while also trying to stay safe and healthy. My assumption is for the starting XI to play at least 60 to 70 minutes in this one. Can the U.S. be as aggressive against Germany as it was against Senegal? The Americans are unlikely to have as much of the ball as they had in their first friendly. This matchup may require them to drop into a low block, sit back and defend more. If Pochettino starts with three center backs, as he did against Senegal, how does the U.S. drop back in defense? When they enter into a low block does it turn into a 5-4-1? Will the U.S. be content to concede space and possession? I’m curious to see how the team sets up against a potential title contender. With that, can the U.S. find the right balance of attack and defense? Can the team say, “Hey, we’re not just going to be passive, can we go out there and be aggressive in the right moments?” Based on the Senegal game, I am expecting the Americans to at least try to be very aggressive in the first 10 or 15 minutes. Finding that balance will take a lot of maturity from both the coaching staff and players on the pitch. I’m hopeful that we can find the right balance between pressing and sitting back against a team that will be considered a superior opponent. I think Germany will score a goal in transition. There are two things I’m worried about with the U.S. in the World Cup, and they both have to do with its defense. The first one, as I’ve already talked about, is how this team is going to defend in transition when the opposition is on a counterattack. Germany has players like Sane, Musiala and Wirtz — who can cause trouble when given space and time on the ball. The other thing I’m worried about — which may not pertain to this game necessarily — is how the U.S. will be able to play against a big-target striker. Thankfully, Germany doesn’t have one of those, and defender Chris Richards would give the U.S. a different element in defense if he’s fit. Against Senegal, some direct balls were played toward the U.S. defense that Mark McKenzie and Ream didn’t handle smoothly. The addition of Richards should help in this area, and I’m hoping we see a bit more control on that moving forward. Playing against a big striker will test this American backline both in holdup play and deep into the penalty box.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

NEW YORK – Aaron Judge’s pursuit of another historic season, and the Yankees’ hopes of dominating the American League, took a major hit late Thursday night when the superstar slugger was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side – an injury expected to sideline him for two to three months. Few teams are built to withstand the loss of a three-time MVP for half a season. Fewer, still, can absorb the absence of a player who touches nearly every aspect of the game and clubhouse the way Judge does. The Yankee captain’s stress fracture, though not the worst-case scenario, comes at a pivotal point in the season for New York, which entered the weekend with the most wins (37) and the best offense (114 wRC+) in the AL. What’s next for the Yankees without their most feared hitter? What’s next for Judge’s recovery? How does his injury impact the rest of the league? Let’s dive in. What’s Next For Judge The 34-year-old right fielder will be re-imaged in approximately four to six weeks to determine the level of healing on his rib. Until then, he’ll rest and engage in limited activity. Learning the injury is a stress fracture – something Judge has actually dealt with earlier in his career – was a bit of good news for the Yankees after all the alarming testing and imaging he underwent this week. Judge isn’t sure when the injury occurred, according to Yankees skipper Aaron Boone, but he’d felt it for a couple of weeks and flagged it with the team sometime after the Yankees’ series finale against the Athletics last Sunday. Then, over the span of four days, multiple specialists across different states looked at his MRI, CT scan and X-rays. On Thursday, Dr. Gregory Pearl, a Dallas, Texas-based vascular surgeon who specializes in thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), examined Judge’s images. In some cases, TOS can be career-ending; Judge’s diagnosis of a stress fracture is comparatively a positive. In Sept. 2019, Judge sustained a stress fracture of his first right rib and a partially collapsed lung while attempting a diving catch in a game. He played through the injury into the 2019 postseason, but he would have been on the injured list until June 2020 had the pandemic-shortened season started on time. Judge hasn’t spoken to reporters since last weekend, during New York’s trip to West Sacramento, so it’s unclear if his current stress fracture feels more or less manageable than the last time he dealt with it. Judge’s performance started to dip around the middle of May. He batted .267 with a 1.043 OPS and 16 home runs through his first 41 games of the season. Since May 11, Judge has batted .206 with a .613 OPS and one home run in his last 18 games before landing on the IL. The last time Judge played fewer than 150 games was in 2023, when he missed two months with a fractured toe after crashing into the Dodger Stadium wall on a running catch. In a best-case scenario, Judge and the Yankees will receive the green light sometime in July for the slugger to resume baseball activities. It seems likely that the team will have to navigate the season without Judge at least until August, if not longer. What’s Next For The Yankees For the past two years, the Yankees survived injuries, slumps and roster questions because Aaron Judge remained Aaron Judge. Now — in what will be the biggest test of their season — they’ll have to find out who they are without him. We got a glimpse of what their life will look like this week, as the Yankees dropped two out of three games to the Guardians, their only win coming in a tight, 2-1 victory in the series finale on Thursday. Without Judge, the Yankees lineup combined to bat just .193 in three games against Cleveland. Top outfield prospect Spencer Jones is being called up by the Yankees on Friday, according to a person familiar with their plans. Jones was promoted to the big leagues in May after outfielder Jasson Dominguez went down with injury, but he struggled at the plate, hitting .167 (4-for-24) with 12 strikeouts in 10 games, before the Yankees sent him back down to Triple-A. It would help, of course, if Jones has improved in his return to the majors, but at least some reinforcements are on the way. Slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who has been out since April 24 with a right calf strain, is making strides in his recovery. New York’s designated hitter has started to take reps in live batting practice while continuing to ramp up his running program. The Yankees expect Stanton to bypass a rehab assignment, but there’s no date for his return just yet. Perhaps Judge’s injury and absence will change his timeline. Dominguez, who has been out since May 7 after crashing into the Yankee Stadium wall and sustaining a left AC joint sprain, is scheduled to play in minor-league rehab games this weekend. It’s possible he could join the team during its series in Toronto next weekend, if not during New York’s next homestand on June 16. Beyond the immediate loss of Judge’s bat, his absence raises questions about the Yankees’ ability to maintain their position atop the AL. While New York has received significant contributions from breakout player Ben Rice, who has crushed 17 home runs and boasts a 1.030 OPS that’s ranked second-best in the major leagues, no player on the roster can replicate Judge’s combination of power, on-base ability and presence in the heart of the lineup. It helps the Yankees that the AL features a weak and largely mediocre field this year. But it will still take everyone, and then some, for the Yankees to stay afloat until he returns. What’s Next For The AL MVP Race Suddenly, the AL MVP race is wide open after Judge has all but closed the door on the possibility of a three-peat this year. Judge wasn’t having the kind of overwhelming and commanding season he had in 2024-25 before he hit the IL, and if he returns without any setbacks, he’s lucky to land in the neighborhood of 90–110 games played for the season, depending on his recovery. That doesn’t automatically disqualify him from the race, but it would require an absurdly dominant final two months and an extraordinary comeback to overcome the missed time. Even though Judge is known to separate himself from mere mortals, it would be surprising if the Yankees pushed him in the stretch run. The team is more likely to be cautious with the face of its franchise and take its time with his recovery. Now, the biggest beneficiaries of Judge’s injury and the favorites to win the AL MVP award include Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez, Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, and even his own Yankees teammate, the slugging Ben Rice. The Yankees first baseman has struggled to get pitches to hit in Judge’s absence, as Rice is used to hitting in front of Judge in the lineup, but he remains a dark-horse candidate if he can sustain his production for four months. If Witt can keep up his strong start to the season, this might finally be his year to win the MVP. The shortstop challenged Judge for the award in 2024, when Witt finished second in AL MVP voting after hitting .332 and winning the batting title. This year, Witt leads the majors with a 3.8 fWAR through 63 games. He’s hitting .281 with a .818 OPS, and he’s likely to have a huge advantage in games played compared to other MVP favorites. The combination of Witt’s offense, defense at a premium position and durability makes him the newest frontrunner for the award.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

In Driver’s Eye with James Hinchcliffe, the six-time INDYCAR winner will bring you inside the mind of a racer while breaking down the nuts and bolts of the sport for fans. Racing is risky. There are no two ways about it. From the sport’s inception, there has been an inherent danger. That said, drivers today are incredibly lucky to race in the era they do. Safety is something INDYCAR, the tracks and the partners — not to mention the drivers! — take very seriously. Something is learned from every accident, and pushing safety forward is a never-ending endeavor. This is without doubt the safest era to be a professional racing driver. But at the end of the day, we are still driving faster than 200 miles an hour beside concrete walls, and it will never be 100 percent safe. Unfortunately, that was confirmed at the Indianapolis 500 when both Alexander Rossi and Josef Newgarden suffered separate crashes that left them with minor injuries. And crutches. Yet both drivers competed the following week in Detroit. While the specifics of each injury haven’t been shared, they seem to be similar in nature, yet completely different in the challenges they presented each driver. Rossi’s issue was with his right ankle, which is the throttle foot. At the Indy 500 — where he also competed with the injury after crashing in practice and undergoing minor surgery — the track is smooth. So the typical amount of throttle modulation over a lap is quite a bit less than the twisty street circuit in Detroit. Trying to carefully accelerate on a dirty, bumpy street circuit with 750-ish horsepower at your disposal requires a delicate finesse with that right foot. Much harder when your foot isn’t at 100 percent. Add into it the bumpy nature of the track, and the floor of the car regularly and violently bottoms out over bumps, sending shock waves through every inch of your body, including your injured foot. A challenging proposition, to say the least. Newgarden also had an issue with his foot, but it was his left foot. The braking foot. This is where the challenge is completely different. For all the finesse required for your throttle foot, you need brute force in the braking foot. INDYCAR drivers hit the brake pedal as hard as they physically can on the initial hit of a big brake zone, like Turn 3 at Detroit. Several hundred pounds of pressure on the pedal translates to several thousand pounds of pressure through the brake system. And while that strength is key, arguably more important is how you control the brake release — coming off the brake pedal as the speed bleeds off so you get closer to the corner. This technique is what drivers spend their whole career refining. It’s one of the main areas that separates a professional from an amateur: The ability to feel the grip in the tires and constantly modulate the brake pressure to maximize brake efficiency without locking up a tire. If you are battling an injury to the brake foot, it can completely change the muscle memory that comes from decades of racing with a healthy left leg. Trying to retrain your brain to undo what is essentially second nature can be massively difficult. When you consider these challenges, it makes it all the more impressive that Rossi was in podium contention until an ill-timed full-course caution, and Newgarden battled back from a poor starting spot to be the biggest mover of the race and secure a top-10 finish. Walking on crutches but piloting a race car at 200 miles an hour is a wild juxtaposition. But it’s important to remember that while these are impressive feats, safety is never compromised. And the decision of whether drivers are cleared to race isn’t up to them — and for good reason. As much as we drivers take safety seriously, leaving that decision up to someone who straps into a ground-based rocket ship for a living might give skewed results! That’s why medical teams utilize comprehensive tests drivers must pass before they can get back behind the wheel. Somewhat like other sports — football and hockey come to mind — if there is no risk to others and low risk of long-term damage to themselves, athletes are often willing to fight through a bit of discomfort to play the game. At the end of the day, the passion for the sport burns hotter than any pain in the body while they compete. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE FAST: WWT RACEWAY Back to the ovals! This weekend, we are at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, near St. Louis, for a race under the lights. Prime time. Sunday night. And you might be thinking everyone should be pretty up to speed turning left, considering we just spent two weeks driving around an oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But you’d be wrong. Though both ovals, the similarities between these two tracks end there. We talk about Indy’s four identical corners that you have to drive through differently in subtle but important ways. But St. Louis’ 1.25-mile track has two ends that are completely different! Turns 1 and 2 are tight radius and high-banked. Turns 3 and 4? Much flatter and a more open radius. The difference, end to end, presents some pretty big challenges for teams and drivers. As a driver, you have to approach these corners very differently. In Turns 1 and 2, you will bleed off almost 40 miles an hour of speed through lifting — and sometimes even a bit of braking in the race. Turns 3 and 4 are ideally flat-out in qualifying, so it’s all about limiting scrub, meaning grinding the front tires by turning the steering wheel too much. From a setup standpoint, it’s very difficult to navigate and all about compromise. The ideal setup at one end won’t feel good at the other. The biggest mistake drivers make here is trying to chase the perfect balance the whole way around. Even trying to get one end to feel really good, knowing it will make the other end trickier, rarely works. The key to this race track is getting comfortable being uncomfortable. It will never feel perfect at either end, so finding the most OK-ish balance at both ends usually yields good results. For me, Turns 1 and 2 are the best part of this track. You approach Turn 1 at nearly 200 miles per hour, and the banking is so steep it looks like you’re staring at a wall. You head into that turn at speed the first few times and think to yourself, “There is no way I am making it around this corner.” Between the banking helping you turn and the incredible capabilities of an Indy car, it all works out! And there is a lot you can do as a driver on that end of the track in the race. You can go in deep to try and make a pass, you can ease up the entry and focus on a mega run out to set up a pass for Turn 3. You can get creative with lines quite a bit more than in Turns 3-4, which is why we see so much action there in the race. SOUND LIKE AN INDYCAR EXPERT The fast, frantic nature of short-track racing in INDYCAR highlights something else that I think is pretty impressive about what these drivers are doing on track. Surely, if you’ve been watching our races on FOX, you’ve seen the Driver’s Eye camera that gives the most realistic sense of what it’s like inside the car. It also gives you a glimpse into how much information the drivers are digesting from the dash on the steering wheel. The wheel is really the brain of the race car. On the back, the driver has paddles to control up shifts and down shifts and the clutch for leaving pit lane, as well as hybrid controls. The front has a litany of buttons and knobs used to do everything from talk to the crew, take a drink of water, control the speed in pit lane or even change the handling of the car. The dash itself looks like a losing level of Tetris with all these different colored boxes stacked together, displaying different types of info to the driver. Things like lap time, lap count, distance to cars in front and behind, tire temps, brake temps, balance settings, engine settings… I could go on! At a track like St. Louis, where a lap time is something in the low 20-second range, you spend more than half your lap cornering. That means you have a little less than 10 seconds per lap — split between the frontstraight and backstraight — to look down, absorb and digest certain info off the dash and then make a decision based on what you saw. And, again, all while racing wheel-to-wheel with 24 other cars at crazy speeds! Needless to say, these drivers will be earning their money on Sunday night, and based on what we’ve seen of the short oval package that INDYCAR has developed, it should be a heck of a race! MORE DRIVER’S EYE:​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports