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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

After a huge week on the NFL trade front, teams will wind down offseason activities and get ready to break for summer. But they’ll still have a lot to think about in the weeks-long wait until training camp. On Thursday, I identified the biggest question that will hang over every NFC team. Here’s the AFC edition: AFC East Buffalo elevated Joe Brady from offensive coordinator to head coach after the firing of Doug McDermott, who led the franchise for nine years. The big question is if Brady and his staff can take advantage of the team’s Super Bowl window with star quarterback Josh Allen in a way that McDermott could not. Defensively, new DC Jim Leonhard is transitioning the unit to a 3-4 scheme. Signed to a three-year, $67.5 million free-agent deal this offseason, Willis essentially has two years to show Miami that he can be its quarterback of the future. The former third-round pick flashed promise as Jordan Love’s backup in Green Bay, but he started only three games over the past two years combined. It’s also unclear if the Dolphins have enough talent around Willis to be successful. On paper, they have arguably the NFL’s worst wide receiver room. New England officially acquired three-time All-Pro receiver A.J. Brown on June 1, giving Maye a legitimate WR1. But protecting the third-year Patriots quarterback remains the biggest priority after he was sacked 68 times in 2025 (regular season and playoffs). The Patriots used their top pick on offensive tackle Caleb Lomu and signed guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to a three-year, $42 million deal in free agency. New England will also have a new center, second-year pro Jared Wilson, after trading veteran Garrett Bradbury to the Chicago Bears. Smith may be an upgrade over Justin Fields, but he struggled mightily last season as the Las Vegas Raiders’ starter, throwing a league-high 17 interceptions. Returning to the Jets, where he started his NFL career as a second-round pick in 2013, Smith will have a promising cast of pass-catchers to throw to — star wide receiver Garrett Wilson and first-round picks Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. among them. AFC North Former Ravens coach John Harbaugh took tight end Isaiah Likely and star fullback Patrick Ricard with him to the New York Giants, while Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum signed with the Raiders. Baltimore made a slew of notable additions — first-round pick Olaivavega Ioane and John Simpson stabilize the guard position; outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson bolsters the pass rush — but getting back into the AFC’s elite will be the real task for new coach Jesse Minter and star QB Lamar Jackson. On paper, Cincinnati is much improved defensively. The Bengals traded the No. 10 overall pick for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, and also added DL Jonathan Allen and edge rusher Boye Mafe to bolster the defensive line. Free-agent acquisition Bryan Cook stabilizes the safety position. If the defense can perform to at least a league-average level, Cincinnati has more than enough firepower on the offensive side of the ball to be a major contender. Under new coach Todd Monken, 2025 draft pick Shedeur Sanders and former Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson are in a full-fledged competition to be the Browns’ QB1. Both players have been getting reps with Cleveland’s starting offense in offseason practices. It helps that new coach Mike McCarthy spent 13 years with Rodgers in Green Bay. But the QB’s success at age 42 will largely hinge on his supporting cast. On paper, the Steelers are stronger at wide receiver with the additions of veteran Michael Pittman Jr. and second-round rookie Germie Bernard. Pittsburgh also used its first-round pick on offensive tackle Max Iheanachor. AFC South Stroud had the fifth-year option in his rookie contract picked up, but he’s had back-to-back disappointing seasons since his stellar rookie campaign in 2023. The former No. 2 overall pick needs to make notable strides in the upcoming season to show Houston he’s worthy of a record-setting extension. If Stroud plays well, the Texans are positioned to be one of the AFC’s top contenders. Jones was enjoying a career year in 2025 before a fractured fibula slowed him down and a torn Achilles ended his season in Week 14. The Colts showed faith in Jones by giving him QB1 money this spring — a two-year, $88 million deal — but it’s unclear how long it will take the former first-round pick to regain a rhythm, if he can do that at all in 2026. A torn Achilles is one of the most challenging injuries to return from. The Jaguars had a surprisingly successful 2025 campaign in head coach Liam Coen’s first year, winning 13 games en route to the franchise’s first division title since 2022. But they let two key contributors leave in free agency — RB Travis Etienne Jr., LB Devin Lloyd — and didn’t have a first-round pick in the 2026 draft. Cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter’s health will be key — the former No. 2 overall pick missed 10 games as a rookie. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence played at an MVP level toward the end of last season, and that will need to continue for Jacksonville to build on last season’s success. Under new coach Robert Saleh, the Titans have been intentional about bolstering their offense around second-year QB Ward, who showed flashes as a rookie but led the NFL with 55 sacks in the regular season and tied for the league lead with 11 fumbles. Questions remain on the interior offensive line, but Tennessee has improved substantially at wide receiver. The team used the No. 4 overall pick on Ohio State’s Carnell Tate and signed slot WR Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency. New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is a seasoned playcaller with plenty of experience working with talented quarterbacks, so the hope is that his presence will help Ward develop into a true franchise QB. [Where Titans QB Cam Ward Stands Entering Pivotal Year 2] AFC West Through two seasons, Nix has been a good quarterback and a very successful one, helping to guide the Broncos to back-to-back playoff appearances. But the former first-round pick has been inconsistent as a passer, particularly in his deep-ball accuracy. A big step forward from Nix would make the Broncos one of the NFL’s most feared teams, as they already have one of the league’s best defenses. Trading for former Miami Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle should help Nix’s development. In reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, the Chiefs now have the most dynamic running back they’ve had in the Mahomes era. Walker left the Seattle Seahawks for a three-year, $45.03 million free-agent deal from Kansas City. But questions remain at the pass-catching spots. Veteran tight end Travis Kelce, at 36, is another year removed from his prime, and Kansas City’s supposed No. 1 receiver, Rashee Rice, hasn’t proved to be dependable. Rice has played just 12 games over the past two seasons, and he’s currently serving a 30-day jail sentence for violating the terms of his probation on a previous charge. His incarceration may slow his recovery from an offseason cleanup surgery on his right knee. The expectation is that veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins will start the season for the Raiders while Mendoza sits and learns. That’s the preference of new head coach Klint Kubiak and general manager John Spytek. But struggles by Cousins and/or a quick acclimation by Mendoza would present a situation where the No. 1 overall pick sees the field earlier than expected. Herbert is one of the league’s most talented quarterbacks, but his lack of playoff success (0-3) has hurt his standing compared to other top QBs. The Chargers hope that changes with McDaniel, a creative offensive mind who orchestrated the NFL’s top offense in 2023 as Miami’s head coach.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

It’s almost time to put the speculation and debate to rest. We’ve started to see the 48 teams arriving at their training bases across Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. ahead of the greatest show in sports. The squads and the superstars are in their final preparations before things kick off at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Let’s answer some big questions before the curtain rises. Q: What’s Your Top World Cup Storyline To Watch? Matteo Bonetti: Can Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo pull off the ultimate swan song in North America? Even in this expanded tournament with 48 teams, so much of the talking points when Argentina and Portugal play will revolve around these two generational superstars who are now in the twilight of their careers. Seeing how their managers balance sentimentality with the ruthless physical demands of modern tournament football will be pure theater. Luis Miguel Echegaray: The expansion to 48 teams needs to have a Cinderella story in order to feel justified. So that’s what I want to see at this World Cup: For a Haiti, a Curaçao, a Cape Verde or even a Scotland to shock us with a deep run that’s so poetic, we can’t help but feel inspired. The fact that there are eight third-placed teams that can advance to the knockout round creates an even bigger incentive for some of these teams to just push through. Brian Sciaretta: I am looking forward to watching how the American public embraces the sport compared with the 1994 World Cup — the last time USA hosted. In 1994, many Americans were getting their first exposure to soccer. It really started the growth into what we see now, where the sport is readily available on television and games are well attended. Now, the next steps of progress depend on another groundswell of public enthusiasm from a second World Cup on American soil. Will this tournament inspire more kids to play? Go to games? Understand the sport with sophistication? Q: Which Under-The-Radar Team Should We Keep An Eye On? Bonetti: Türkiye. Under manager Vincenzo Montella, the team has quietly become a technically brilliant, high-energy side. With elite ball-players like Arda Güler and Hakan Çalhanoğlu pulling the strings, it has the perfect midfield balance and creative spark to slice through a defense. Watch out for Kenan Yildiz as well. The Juventus winger is direct and electrifying when taking on his man. Türkiye is the final group-stage opponent for the USA, and that game on June 25 in Los Angeles could decide who wins Group D. Sciaretta: I suppose it can be cheating to consider a co-host to be “under the radar,” but given Canada’s lack of World Cup success, I think it qualifies. There is no question that the 2022 World Cup was disappointing for Canada, but the team has responded to manager Jesse Marsch well. The 2024 Copa América run to the semifinal was a huge positive. Canada isn’t deep, but it has some good players who play hard. When you’re playing on home soil, that could be a recipe for success. Echegaray: I have been talking about it for a while now, but I think Japan, even without winger Kaoru Mitoma, can go far. It is a deeply cohesive unit with tremendous tactical know-how, playing in a doable group. Colombia — which will feel the extreme support from its community in the U.S. — could also surprise people. The group-stage finale against Portugal in Miami on June 27 is going to be absolute cinema. Q: Who’s A World Cup Heavyweight Primed To Disappoint? Bonetti: I’ll say England. The talent is obviously there to make it a top-5 favorite. However, the crushing weight of expectation and the phrase “It’s Coming Home” being used as cheeky banter make it feel like history is about to repeat itself in the Americas. Unless England finds a way to block out the noise and adapt on the fly, a highly disciplined side is going to exploit those familiar mental lapses and send the team packing long before the final. Echegaray: The easy answer is England. After 60 years without a major trophy — I always say that despite the incredibly deep roster — the biggest obstacle to the Three Lions is themselves. But you know what? I realize I am taking a big swing here and undoubtedly in the minority, but I don’t think things are going to go as straightforward for France as we think. It’s true, Les Bleus possess an embarrassment of riches. But the group is so competitive — Erling Haaland’s Norway and a match of extreme historical importance against Senegal (see 2002) — that France might not top it. After that, who knows? Sometimes, shocks happen, just like the aforementioned tournament in 2002 where France didn’t get out of the group. And this could be one of them. I am not saying France will be going home after the group stage, and, in fact, all odds are for the French to once again go far. But stranger things have happened in this game of ours. You just never know. Sciaretta: Argentina is the heavyweight most likely to disappoint. It is always very difficult for defending champions, but a team that has not had a healthy turnover of players doesn’t help. New blood is always needed to keep things fresh. When you try to stick with a winning formula for too long, you run the risk of Spain in 2014 or Germany in 2018, which were two examples of defending champions who faltered. This 2026 Argentina team is very similar to the 2022 version, but is it still hungry? Is age now a factor? Those are fair questions and real risks. Q: Which World Cup Co-Host Has The Most Pressure? Sciaretta: If the U.S. team fails to perform well, it will be a massively missed opportunity. But Mexico has the most pressure. El Tri were suspended for the 1990 World Cup. Since then, they made it out of group play every tournament until 2022. Mexican fans demand and expect more. Hosting a tournament only elevates expectations. The only two times Mexico has made the quarterfinals of the World Cup is when it hosted in 1970 and 1986, and the team owns the record for the most World Cup appearances without ever reaching the semifinals. If Mexico fails to win at least a knockout game this summer, it will be catastrophic. Bonetti: Mexico playing in Mexico City — and especially at that mythical stadium which saw Pelé and Deigo Maradona lift World Cup trophies — brings an atmosphere that is equal parts magical and completely suffocating. The fútbol-obsessed Mexican fan base demands excellence, and the media scrutiny is absolutely relentless. If El Tri stumble out of the gate on home soil, the pressure to banish past tournament failures will become entirely overwhelming. This also isn’t the best Mexican side we’ve seen. Consensus from fans seem to suggest they believe this team is inconsistent and lacks the depth and talent of previous generations. Echegaray: There’s no doubt that it’s the USA for multiple reasons, but mainly because so much infrastructural and economical effort has been implemented towards this World Cup — from hiring of Mauricio Pochettino to home-field venues for the group stage — that it has to do well. Not to mention that the group is more than doable. The U.S. needs a strong tournament. Anything else would be a travesty. Q: Messi. Ronaldo. Modrić. Which Legend Will Have The Best ‘Last Dance?’ Bonetti: Luka Modrić. While the cameras will chase Messi and Ronaldo, Modrić remains the absolute master of dragging a team through the tournament. His spatial intelligence and engine simply defy aging. In a grueling format, his unique ability to slow down a game gives Croatia the best chance at one last magical run. He also just had a great season with AC Milan despite being in his 40s. Simply astonishing. Echegaray: I think it’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal is looking strong and a group it can win. To be fair, I actually think Roberto Martínez’s side looks more fluid without him in the starting lineup. But if you’re asking me who will go further, I think it will be the Portuguese star. I do envision a matchup of gigantic proportions in the quarterfinal stage between Messi and Ronaldo, and the outcome would essentially answer this question! Sciaretta: I am also going with Modrić, who could hit an astonishing 200 appearances for Croatia at this tournament. I like manager Zlatko Dalić’s roster for this World Cup. There is a nice blend of youth and experience with a bulk of players in their prime ages. Modrić is the legend, but he will have enough quality around him to ease the pressure. Because of that, I think he can make the biggest impact. Q: The Golden Ball Goes To The Top Player. Who Are Some Early Candidates? Sciaretta: Erling Haaland (Norway), Kylian Mbappé (France), Luis Díaz (Colombia) It is hard to think of anyone with more motivation at this World Cup than Haaland, who has been one of the best forwards of his generation and will now finally get to compete for Norway in a major international tournament. The question is whether there is enough of a supporting cast around him to push Norway far enough so he can compete for the Golden Boot. But this Norwegian team has impressive, top-level talent — such as Martin Ødegaard, Alexander Sørloth and Antonio Nusa — to support Haaland. A full-strength Norwegian team can go far, and Haaland has all the ability to thrive this summer. Echegaray: Harry Kane (England), Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain), Michael Olise (France). I am also keeping my eye on Colombia’s Luis Díaz and Vinícius Júnior with this rejuvenated Brazil under Carlo Ancelotti. Expect Haaland and Argentina’s Julián Alvarez to go into the mix for all individual awards. Lamine Yamal is obvious, but it depends on his availability as the Spain superstar recovers from a hamstring injury. Bonetti: Harry Kane (England), Kylian Mbappé (France), Luis Díaz (Colombia). Kane and Díaz just finished sensational club seasons as the Bayern Munich teammates dominated the Bundesliga. While Mbappé’s time at Real Madrid has felt like a roller coaster despite putting up great statistics, his time with France has been a different ordeal. He was unstoppable in Qatar 2022 and has proven to be able to carry his nation on his back at a major tournament.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

ATLANTA — Matt Turner envisions the scene on a daily basis. On June 12, when the U.S. men’s national team steps onto the pitch for its opening World Cup match against Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium, Turner will take it all in. The roar of 70,000-plus fans. The teams emerging from the tunnel in their new kits. The national anthems reverberating throughout the stadium as supporters belt out every word. “There’s a million different pictures that go on in my head. I think about it a lot,” Turner told me and a group of reporters sitting around a table at the National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia, during the squad’s pre-tournament camp. “I’ll probably cry when the national anthem goes. It’s just such a huge honor — overwhelming honor — to be granted that responsibility to be on this team to do our best in those roles and ultimately, change soccer here forever.” What Turner might not be imagining totally accurately, though, is where he’ll physically be standing. He’s hoping to be on the field as a member of Mauricio Pochettino’s starting lineup. More realistically, he could be on the bench. Turner, 31, was one of three goalkeepers announced as part of the USA’s 26-man World Cup roster. He was the Americans’ starter four years ago in Qatar and firmly held onto that role. Then he was unseated by Matt Freese, who made his national team debut last June. Freese gained valuable experience and clout with Pochettino through solid performances at the 2025 Gold Cup, which included saving three penalties in the quarterfinal shootout against Costa Rica. Freese has started 13 of the last 14 matches and established himself as the frontrunner to start for the U.S. at a home World Cup. While Freese didn’t play in the team’s recent 3-2 tune-up win over Senegal, there’s not much to glean because that lineup was not necessarily indicative of how things will look at the World Cup. Turner started and played 45 minutes, while 22-year-old Chris Brady of the Chicago Fire earned his first U.S. cap in the second half. It was important to Pochettino for Brady to play so that his inaugural appearance with the national team wasn’t potentially at a World Cup. Turner understands the optics. But as a super competitive incumbent, he’s not going down without a fight. “I’m just going to train like I have a chance,” said Turner, who joined the New England Revolution on loan from French club Olympique Lyonnais ahead of the 2026 MLS season. “That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am in this current day and age, so I don’t know why I’d ever change that. For me, I’m always going to work as hard as I can, and when the coach makes his final decision, he makes his final decision, and I’ll be at peace knowing that I put everything I had behind it.” Turner arrived at camp in good form. He’s third in MLS with a save percentage of 78.2%, while Freese, who plays for New York City FC, is sixth at 73.9%. Asked if he feels like that could give him some kind of advantage, Turner was realistic. “I mean, you obviously wish you had the body of work with the national team in the last year to also rely on,” Turner said frankly. “But yeah, I think form at the club level is really, really important. And in the end, after evaluating training and recent performances, I think the coaches are going to put together the best connection of guys and the ones that can make the biggest difference in the game.” It’s still somewhat unclear how tight Freese’s grip is on the job. During the March window, for example, Turner started a 5-2 loss to Belgium, and Freese got the nod in a 2-0 defeat to Portugal. Turner and Brady split minutes against Senegal, and Freese is expected to start Saturday’s World Cup sendoff match against Germany. Does Freese feel unsettled when teammates’ names get called over his? “Immediately when that happens, you’re thinking, ‘OK, well, how can I help the team?’” Freese, 27, told me and other reporters at a roundtable. “And then, you know, proving yourself in training and setting yourself up for a good match the next time you get in there.” That’s exactly the kind of advice Brad Guzan would give any backup goalkeeper. That’s because he can empathize. Guzan — who played all 38 Premier League games for Aston Villa in the 2013-14 season and didn’t sniff the field at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil — spent much of his national team career backing up Tim Howard, including at two World Cups. “There’s very few cases where you can rest on your laurels and be like, ‘I deserve this because I did this and this in the past,’” Guzan told us. “That’s the exception. And as an American soccer player in Europe, you are not afforded that luxury. [Getting benched] has happened to everyone. “As a No. 2 or No. 3, you need to find a way to help contribute to the group, whether that’s in the training session the day after a game or preparation for the game itself,’” Guzan continued. “You need to figure out, ‘How can you be best utilized if you’re not actually going to be on the field?’ That can be your energy, your information, your support and guidance — it could be all of it.” Freese has shown he can do that. Last Sunday before kickoff, he dapped up all 11 starters before finding his seat on the bench. He gave Turner a huge embrace. Then at halftime, when Brady was preparing to take the field for the first time, a small problem emerged: Nobody could find his jersey. Brady stood on the sideline searching for it, while Freese sprinted around trying to track it down. It was a bit of a rookie moment. If Turner sits on the bench all summer, he’ll be bummed, no doubt. But he’s a professional and will take it in stride. Plus, he and Freese have a good relationship even if the dynamic may seem awkward from the outside. “I think there’s a healthy mutual respect between us,” Turner said. “We both want to play, we both have played and we both will respect whatever the final decision is from the coaches. And then from there, our roles will change to be supportive of each other. “What he’s done the last couple of years has been great, and it’s been great competition. So yeah, we’ll see how it goes.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The wait is finally over. After months of transfer portal movement, recruiting battles and NBA Draft decisions, last week’s withdrawal deadline brought some clarity. Fans learned which standout players would be returning to campus, who would be moving on to the pros and what rosters will actually look like entering the 2026-27 season. There are still a few dominoes left to fall, but the picture is much more clear than it was last month. With that in mind, here’s a look at my updated men’s college basketball Top 25 for the 2026-27 season. Previous Ranking: NR Big Blue Nation was starting to worry that Kentucky wouldn’t have a top-25 roster. The late addition of Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic changes that. He was the top-ranked transfer available in May, and Kentucky landed him. The retention of Malachi Moreno, who averaged 8 points and 6 rebounds per game last season, is also huge. He’s due for a breakout year. A projected starting five of Zoom Diallo, Alex Wilkins, Momcilovic, Ousmane N’Diaye, and Moreno looks very solid and should have Kentucky firmly in the top-25 conversation. Previous Ranking: 24 Losing the program’s all-time leading scorer, Bruce Thornton, to graduation certainly hurts, but the talent is there for Jake Diebler’s team to make some noise in the Big Ten next season. Diebler is set to welcome a strong transfer class, highlighted by former Cal guard Justin Pippen, who will join returnee John Mobley Jr. in the starting backcourt. He’ll also welcome five-star freshman Anthony Thompson, the highest-rated recruit to arrive in Columbus since Jared Sullinger in 2010. Previous Ranking: 23 After taking a second look at rosters, it’s become clear that the Cornhuskers are worthy of a spot in the Top 25. Utah Valley transfer Trevan Leonhardt is a passing wizard and a strong offensive fit in a backcourt that also features Braden Frager and Pryce Sandfort. Belmont transfer Sam Orme adds valuable shooting at the four spot. This team will score, but the question remains: can they defend? Previous Ranking: 22 Robert Wright III’s decision to return for his junior season dramatically changes the Cougars’ 2026-27 outlook, giving them one of the best floor generals in the sport. He will be joined by five-star freshman standout Bruce Branch III, who is widely regarded as one of the top 2026 prospects in the nation. The Cougars will also welcome in Collin Chandler, who is set to return home after two years playing for Mark Pope and Kentucky. Previous Ranking: 21 Miami head coach Jai Lucas should have one of the best rosters in the ACC heading into next season, but how quickly it all comes together remains to be seen. Shelton Henderson is a rising star, with the look of a future pro. He’ll be joined by a loaded transfer class, highlighted by a pair of standout additions in Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis and former Georgia big man Somto Cyril. Previous Ranking: 20 Vanderbilt’s offseason revolved around the decision of star point guard Tyler Tanner. The good news for Mark Byington’s team is that Tanner withdrew from the NBA Draft and will return next season as a likely preseason first-team All-American. The not so good news is that starting forward AK Okereke, who was seeking an additional year of eligibility, will not return next year. Still, Byington had an exceptional year in the transfer portal, bringing in an impressive five-man class that includes T.O. Barrett (Missouri), Berke Buyuktuncel (Nebraska), Bangot Dak (Colorado), Ace Glass (Washington State) and Sebastian Williams-Adams (Auburn). Previous Ranking: 19 Indiana head coach Darian DeVries completely retooled his roster this offseason, assembling a six-man transfer class that ranks sixth in the nation, per 247Sports. The group is headlined by a dominant frontcourt duo in Aiden Sherrell (Indiana) and Samet Yigitoglu (SMU). They’ll be joined by former Notre Dame standout Markus Burton, who could be one of the top newcomers in the Big Ten next season if he can stay healthy. Previous Ranking: 18 Houston coach Kelvin Sampson faces the challenge of replacing four starters from last year’s team. The Cougars will need Chase McCarty and Mercy Miller to step into bigger roles next season, and will look to returning forward Joseph Tugler to take a jump into an alpha role. Sampson is set to bring in a trio of impact transfers: Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU), Delrecco Gillespie (Kent State) and Corey Hadnot II (Purdue Fort Wayne), along with a top-25 recruiting class highlighted by five-star big man Arafan Diane. Previous Ranking: 17Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes is known for being one of the top defensive coaches in the nation, but the 71-year-old Barnes is set to bring in the No. 3-ranked portal class in the nation this year, and it’s loaded with plenty of offensive firepower. Barnes’ haul includes three players – Juke Harris (Wake Forest), Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU) and Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) – ranked among the top 25 transfers in this country. Previous Ranking: 16 Alabama forward Amari Allen withdrew from the NBA Draft and will provide the Crimson Tide with a steadying force on the perimeter. Beyond that, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding Alabama’s roster. Big man Aiden Sherrell transferred to Indiana, while standout guard Aden Holloway, who was arrested on felony drug charges on March 16, has announced plans to return to the university and hopes to rejoin the team. Jaxon Richardson and Qayden Samuels are both highly touted recruits who will arrive next season, but their impact remains to be seen. Previous Ranking: 15 Continuity has been a central theme for the Cavaliers this offseason. Virginia returns four of its top six scorers from last year, including Thijs De Ridder, a 6-foot-9 forward from Belgium who led the team in scoring as a freshman. His combination of versatility and experience gives the Cavaliers a reliable offensive foundation, while returning guard Chance Mallory will be asked to take on a larger role as the team’s lead initiator and playmaker. Previous Ranking: 14 Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in Ames through 2036, but Iowa State will enter 2026-27 with a different roster. The departures of Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic leave significant holes to fill, though the return of guards Killyan Toure and Jamarion Batemon, coupled with a five-player transfer haul, should help. Previous Ranking: 12 Guard Rodney Rice is returning from injury, while Alijah Arenas enters his sophomore season with the benefit of a full offseason in the weight room. Jacob Cofie is back to anchor the frontcourt, and the additions of KJ Lewis from Georgetown, Eric Reibe from UConn, and three top-30 freshmen give the Trojans one of the nation’s most fascinating rosters. How quickly coach Eric Musselman can mold that talent into a contender will be one of the sport’s biggest storylines. Previous Ranking: 10 The exit of Meleek Thomas to the NBA hurt, but the return of Billy Richmond III was significant. This team should still be a lot of fun. Arkansas has Elite Eight potential thanks to its mix of veteran talent and the nation’s top recruiting class, which includes four top-25 prospects, led by guard Jordan Smith Jr. Previous Ranking: 11 Texas’ ceiling depends on returning center Matas Vokietaitis becoming a star, but the pieces around him are in place. The Longhorns were aggressive in the transfer portal, landing David Punch from TCU and Isaiah Johnson from Colorado. Punch should pair with Vokietaitis to give Texas a strong frontcourt, while Johnson provides a steady hand at point guard. Previous Ranking: 10 Gonzaga will get a huge boost from Braden Huff, one of the most talented players in the country, returning from an injury that kept him out of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Around Huff, coach Mark Few and the Bulldogs added Massamba Diop from Arizona State and Isiah Harwell from Houston. Both endured disappointing freshman seasons and will look to bounce back in Spokane. Previous Ranking: 9 After making the Final Four for the first time since 2001, Arizona lost four key pieces, including freshman standout Koa Peat, who opted to remain in the NBA Draft. Head coach Tommy Lloyd will rely on returning starters Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov, who give the Wildcats a high floor, especially on defense. The backcourt of North Carolina transfer Derek Dixon and five-star freshman Caleb Holt will give the offense a new look. Previous Ranking: 11 The Red Storm come bursting their way into the top 10. I already loved their roster last month, but the surprising addition of Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou is exactly what they needed. He’s a big-bodied guard who can impact the game on both ends of the floor, averaging 18 points and 6 rebounds per game last season. Previous Ranking: 7 Michigan State’s star point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. will return after withdrawing from the NBA Draft. Fears, an extension of coach Tom Izzo on the court, could be a candidate for the Bob Cousy Award. He is the Spartans’ floor general, but for them to go the distance, forwards Coen Carr and Cam Ward, along with shooting guard Kur Teng, will need to step up. Anton Bonke, a transfer from Charlotte, could help offset the departures of Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler. Previous Ranking: 7 Head coach Dan Hurley convinced freshman standout Braylon Mullins to return to UConn after a magical run to the 2026 national title game. Point guard Silas Demary Jr. and forward Jayden Ross are also back. Transfers Nikolas Khamenia and Najai Hines should help fill the void left by the departures of Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban. Previous Ranking: 5 The Cardinals went out and spent a lot of money to put together a team that I think is title worthy. Let’s start with the best defensive center in the country: Flory Bidunga. He’s flanked by Iowa transfer Alvaro Folgueiras, fresh off his clutch NCAA Tournament performances. In the backcourt, Oregon transfer Jackson Shelstad runs the point and Arkansas wing transfer Karter Knox rounds out a roster that has a little bit of everything. Previous Ranking: 4 Duke’s roster blends star power and depth. The headliner is Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, who withdrew from the NBA Draft and will help replace the loss of Isaiah Evans. Head coach Jon Scheyer also brought in a new class of five-star freshmen, as well as heralded international prospect Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje from Spain. The foundation is Duke’s returning group: Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, Dame Sarr and Patrick Ngongba II. Previous Ranking: 3 One year after relying on an elite frontcourt, the core of this Michigan team will reside in its returning backcourt of Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney. Head coach Dusty May had to replace a trio of forwards projected to be first-round NBA Draft picks, and he did so with JP Estrella from Tennessee and Moustapha Thiam from Cincinnati. It’s unfair to expect the Wolverines to match last year’s defensive dominance, but don’t underestimate May’s ability to build another elite unit. Previous Ranking: 2 Illinois head coach Brad Underwood should feel good about this group after Andrej Stojakovic withdrew from the NBA Draft and returned to the Illini. Alongside David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic, Stojakovic gives Illinois one of the nation’s top frontcourts. The addition of Stefan Vaaks from Providence should help offset the loss of Keaton Wagler. Previous Ranking: 1 The Gators vaulted to No. 1 after their entire frontcourt elected to return. Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu, all key contributors on Florida’s 2025 national championship team, are back after last season ended in a Round of 32 loss to Iowa. Guards Boogie Fland and Urban Klavzar will also return to Gainesville.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports