Merlin Polzin led his new-look Hamburg side out for their first home league fixture at the Volksparkstadion on Sunday afternoon, hosting a Mainz team with a familiar feel to them.
As Nicolai Remberg and Nadiem Amiri led their teams onto the pitch, Hamburg's Nordtribüne paid a touching tribute to the late Kevin Keegan with a wonderful choreo before kick-off. The Englishman, revered in the Hanseatic City after his exploits in the late 70s, sadly passed away in July.
Hamburg suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Borussia Dortmund on the opening day, and Polzin saw fit to make four changes to the starting XI that turned out in the Ruhrgebiet. A busy deadline day saw three new arrivals at the Volksparkstadion, with David Møller Wolfe and Zakaria El Ouahdi thrown straight in for their debuts; Fabio Vieira, meanwhile, began on the bench.
The visitors made two changes themselves to their starting XI that drew 0-0 at home to newly promoted Paderborn last weekend, with Kacper Potulski and Stefan Posch replacing Dominik Kohr and Danny Da Costa in defence.
Urs Fischer's side made the stronger start to the game, with a mistake from Jordan Torunarigha allowing Sheraldo Becker to force a good save from Daniel Heuer Fernandes within the first ten minutes. Moments later, Mainz worked a good opportunity from a corner for Amiri to strike at goal, though the German international sliced his effort wide.

#hamburg #amiri #home #away

Hamburger SV's lacklustre start to the new Bundesliga season continued this afternoon on home soil. In the Hanseatic sun, an FSV Mainz 05 side inspired by the brilliance of Sheraldo Becker and Phillip Tietz ran out comfortable winners on a 5-0 scoreline.
Similar to their opening day struggles in Dortmund, the hosts seemed to struggle as Mainz piled on the pressure. Sheraldo Becker stung the palms of Daniel Heuer Fernandes, before Nadiem Amiri fired wide on the end of a neat set-piece routine inside 15 minutes.
The warning signs were clear and HSV took no heed of it as an atmospheric Volksparkstadion fell momentarily silent. A misplaced pass from skipper Nicolai Remberg was picked off by Kaishu Sano. From there, he played in Becker who dispatched from a one-on-one scenario.
Aside from the occasional threat of Albert Grønbaek, HSV failed to even test debutante Alexander Schwolow before the break. Mainz swiftly led 2-0 when Nadiem Amiri pulled the strings in midfield for Becker to find **** e and deliver a routine tap-in for Philipp Mwene.
Half-time whistles from supporters forced Merlin Polzin's hand at the break. Torunarigha, Nadir and Adeline departed for Shafiq Nandja, Patson Daka and Fábio Vieira. The latter receiving a massive cheer since returning on a permanent basis from **** nal.

#nadiem #break #hamburger #bundesliga

Christine Ferea wants Cris Cyborg in BKFC – and it sounds like David Feldman does as well.
With her BKFC 92 win at Fenway Park on Saturday, Ferea moved to 12-1 in bareknuckle boxing – and immediately called for a heightened challenge in the free agent and one of the best to ever do it.
The callout got a response from Cyborg, who said she's never retired, regardless of how PFL framed her Aug. 22 win over Ketlen Vieira.
It also attracted the attention of Conor McGregor, according to Feldman. The two shared their enthusiasm in trying to make it happen.
"I wasn't but I think it's something we definitely can do," Feldman told MMA Junkie on Monday. "I think it's something we can float out there. It's funny because Conor messaged me early in the morning on Sunday and he was like, 'Who'd she call out? Cris, Cris, Cris Cyborg? Oh, that's a great fight. Let's do that one, Dave. Let's do that.' He was excited about it and I'm excited about it.

#cyborg #bkfc #something #excited

With the summer transfer window set to close within the next two days, some significant news for ****** nal has emerged on Sunday as the exits of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Fabio Vieira have all been reported. Jesus will be joining Barcelona, while Martinelli is set to become ****** nal's record transfer with a move to Saudi side Al Hilal. Vieira will return to Hamburg on a permanent move after a successful loan spell last season.
The Fabio Vieira move is one that has been in the making for the last few seasons. He came into the ****** nal side from Porto in the 2022 summer window as an under-the-radar move with a high ceiling. While he displayed his technical quality at times, he just never seemed to adapt to the more physical nature of the Premier League, and he was soon in the window shop for the Gunners. A loan back to Porto in 24/25 was followed by his spell with Hamburg in 25/26 where he shone for the Bundesliga side.
The one drawback of the Hamburg loan was that any fee for a permanent move was never going to majorly move the needle. Considering their record fee for an incoming player was €14m for Filip Kostic, the expectation was that they would not come close to meeting ****** nal's original valuation of €20m. After negotiations this week, the Gunners brought their asking price down and reached an agreement of €9m for the midfielder.
Gabriel Jesus' also saw his role in the side lessen over the past two seasons due in large part to injuries. His addition in the summer of 2022 after joining from Manchester City was a landmark one in the Mikel Arteta era. His arrival took ****** nal from a being simply a competitive side to one that consistent challenged for the ****** le. The first 6 months of his first season were sublime as he immediately elevated the attack with his exceptional ability to receive the ball in tight ****** es and link up with the front line.
Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury in the 2022 World Cup that began a series of ongoing issues he never seemed to overcome. The cycle that followed was as predictable as it was frustrating. After recovering from an injury, he would show flashes of his brilliance before encountering another setback. The signing of Viktor Gyökeres last summer was a major indicator that the club was preparing for him to take a more diminished role in the attack, and a move seemed inevitable.

#summer

Patrick Vieira has named the hardest player he faced while playing for ******* nal as one of their main players during the Premier League era.
The Frenchman played a key role for ******* ne Wenger's side, which dominated the English game across several seasons, and was on their books between 1996 and 2005, winning three Premier League ******* les among several other honours.
The former midfielder enjoyed a superb career in England and, in many matches, was the dominant midfield player. However, he faced several opponents who challenged him in different games.
Vieira went on to become one of the best midfielders in the game during his spell at ******* nal and gave the best years of his career to the Gunners before eventually leaving the club.
There were opponents who always gave him a tough time in matches, and the most notable of them all was Roy Keane. It is therefore no surprise that Vieira picked the Manchester United icon as his toughest opponent in club football.

#vieira #several #league #matches

"Robocop" has entered the top 5.
At UFC Fight Night 285, Gregory Rodrigues beat Anthony Hernandez in the main event in Sacramento, Calif. Coming into the week at No. 8, Rodrigues takes Hernandez's previous spot, landing at No. 5 in the middleweight division.
At PFL Tampa, the living legend Cris Cyborg picked up a PFL women's featherweight **** le defense against fellow UFC veteran Ketlen Vieira. Cyborg holds the No. 3 spot in the women's pound-for-pound rankings, and maintains her position.
Check out all of the moves in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Aug. 25: Gregory Rodrigues enters top 5

#junkie #pound #robocop

Cris Cyborg appears set to continue her fighting career after a hard-fought points win against Ketlen Vieira at PFL Tampa in Florida.
The Brazilian was expected to call time on her decorated 21-year career in MMA that includes a near eight-year unbeaten streak, but PFL featherweight world champion Cyborg did not secure the dominant win she would have wanted against Vieira.
The fight went the five rounds as Cyborg struggled to control her heavier opponent - whose big weight miss meant she couldn't win the PFL ***** le - and Vieira set a constant pace, briefly wobbling Cyborg with heavy hooks in the closing moments of the second round.
All three judges saw it in Cyborg's favour, however, and the 41-year-old suggested she intended to continue with her career after her 30th win.
"I'm ready for anybody," Cyborg said. "Eight years undefeated. I'm ready for anybody. Any time, any weight.

#vieira #year #anybody

Women's fighting pioneer and legend Cris Cyborg made the walk for her final mixed martial arts fight on Saturday in the PFL Tampa main event. He faced fellow Brazilian Ketlen Vieira. While no longer in her prime, the former Strikeforce, Invicta FC, UFC and Bellator Women's Featherweight World Champion go the job done.
Check out the fight highlights.

#fight #saturday #brazilian #ketlen

Cris Cyborg defended her PFL featherweight ******* le against Ketlen Vieira—who was ineligible to win the ******* le due to missing weight by seven pounds—in the main event of PFL Tampa, which went down Saturday night in Florida, and appears to be far from done in combat sports.
Early on, Cyborg attacked Vieira with jabs to the body, but had a hard time finding the distance to even secure a takedown against her heavier opponent. Cyborg hurt Vieira with a calf kick in Round 2, but the Nova União fighter fired back to rock her late in the round.
Cyborg entered Round 3 focused on takedowns, scoring points with heavy ground-and-pound while Vieira tried to close guard and threaten with armbars. Vieira's success on the feet made Cyborg once again clinch and go for takedowns, but Vieira countered a takedown with a judo throw to leave Cyborg bloodied with ground-and-pound of her own.
The final stanza began and Cyborg scored a takedown early, but Vieira quickly got back to her feet and then took the champion down. Cyborg only managed to get back up with 90 seconds left on the clock, and from that point on they traded blows until the final horn sounded.
Cyborg and Vieira combined for 308 strikes over five rounds of action at Benchmark International Arena, and all three judges scored it for Cyborg (49-46, 48-47, 49-46). The longtime veteran now enters free agency with a 30-2 record and a 10-fight win streak, and is now undefeated for nearly eight years.

#vieira #early

Women's MMA pioneer and legend Cris Cyborg made the walk to the cage a final time on Saturday at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla. The Brazilian put her women's featherweight **** le on the line against Ketlen Vieira in the fight card's main event.

#brazilian

Uncrowned has PFL Tampa live results, round-by-round updates, highlights and start time for the Cris Cyborg vs. Ketlen Vieira fight card on Saturday night at the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida. An all-time MMA great, reigning PFL featherweight champion Cris Cyborg looks to add to her legendary résumé with what could be her swan song in the sport. For Vieira, an upset win is the only thing up for grabs after she missed weight by seven pounds on Friday, making her ineligible to claim the **** le.
Cyborg (29-2) has mostly turned her attention to the boxing world since Bellator was acquired by the PFL in late 2023, though the "grand slam" MMA champion has also successfully secured PFL **** le victories against the likes of Larissa Pacheco and Sara Collins. Much has been made about the Vieira fight being Cyborg's last in MMA, but the merger between PFL and Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions has opened the door to new opportunities for Cyborg, regardless of whether she wins or loses.
Vieira (16-5) enters her would-be PFL **** le shot in her promotional debut after parting ways with the UFC earlier this year. The longtime bantamweight contender last scored a unanimous decision victory against Jacqueline Cavalcanti in May, finishing out her UFC contract. She went 10-5 in her decade-long stint with the organization.
PFL Tampa: Cyborg vs. Vieira begins at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Follow along with Uncrowned's live PFL Tampa results, highlights and live blog below, including round-by-round play-by-play of the Cyborg vs. Vieira main event.

#round

Ketlen Vieira was a top-ranked bantamweight in the UFC ever since she beat Sara McMann and Cat Zingano nearly a decade ago, and stayed among the elite until the UFC decided not to offer her a new deal following a win over Jacqueline Cavalcanti this past May. For Vieira, it's still hard to wrap her head around that"unbelievable" call.
It didn't take long for Vieira to find a new home, signing with PFL to face their featherweight champion Cris Cyborg in the main event of PFL Tampa on Aug. 22. Moments away from one of her ultimate dream fights, Vieira opened up on the "mix of feelings" of leaving the UFC after a decade in the promotion.
"I was already expecting it because usually we renew a contract before the final fight," Vieira told MMA Fighting. "When 'Dedé' [Andre Pederneiras] told me they wanted me to have my last fight, I already found it a little strange and was kind of expecting it. But it was still a huge surprise to me because I've been a top athlete in the division for many years."
"What I'm about to say isn't me being arrogant or anything, and I even apologize for saying it," she continued, "but I'm much better than many of the fighters who are there at bantamweight. It's kind of unbelievable that they wouldn't renew my contract when there are many other fighters there who aren't on my level, you know? But I always put my life in God's hands, and He's the one who decides, and He guided me toward what I wanted, which was a ******* le shot."
Vieira won 10 of 15 fights in the UFC cage between 2016 and 2026, topping the likes of Holly Holm, Miesha Tate and suffering defeats only to the best of the bantamweight division, including future champions Kayla Harrison and Raquel Pennington.

#vieira #bantamweight #many #fights

Well, it looks like PFL Tampa might not be Cris Cyborg's farewell after all.
The PFL has dubbed Cyborg's (29-2) main event bout against former UFC contender and recent signee Ketlen Vieira (16-5) as her retirement from MMA. Although that might still be the case, Cyborg revealed to MMA Junkie that her MMA retirement is not set in stone. Cyborg's women's featherweight **** le defense on Saturday will be her last fight on her current PFL deal, and she's undecided on whether she'll compete beyond that.
"This could be my last fight, but this is my last fight in my contract," Cyborg told MMA Junkie Radio. "I'm really focused on Ketlen Vieira, but I'm not sure what's going to happen after. These last two years, I've been saying maybe it can be my last year, my last year, and I have a lot of projects after I retire, but this is going to be my last fight in my contract. Maybe, maybe (I'll continue fighting). I'm not sure it's going to happen."
Cyborg has been contemplating retirement for quite some time, given her age and her 20 years of fighting professionally in MMA. However, despite the mileage, she still feels elite, and her PFL women's featherweight **** le proves it.
"These last three years, I've always been saying it could be my last fight," Cyborg said. "Even with my team, I already planned my life: 'OK, this can be my last fight these last three years.' I think it's important you set up like this, because of my age; I'm 41 years old. I know I'm fighting better than (when I was) 21 years. I feel better at 41 than 21. I train smart; I recover. I do everything for me, so I can compete on a higher level, continue to compete at a higher level at 41 years of age. I'm very grateful. I just focus now on this fight. I know anything could happen.

#years #cyborg #going #happen

Senegal have appointed France's 1998 World Cup winner Patrick Vieira as head coach, the country's football federation announced Tuesday, succeeding Pape Thiaw who was dismissed after the World Cup.
The appointment of Vieira, who was born in Senegal, is a "strategic move", the federation said in a social media post, aiming to "establish a high-level technical staff, in line with our country's sporting ambitions".
His main mission will be to revitalise the team after Senegal's bruising loss to Belgium in the last 32 of the World Cup.
Thiaw was sacked less than two weeks later. The 45-year-old former Senegal international had taken over as national team boss in 2024.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) president said at the time that toxicity had surrounded the team at the World Cup after Thiaw demanded a pay rise.

#patrick

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal hired Patrick Vieira as its new coach on Tuesday to replace Pape Thiaw, who was fired after the team was eliminated from the World Cup in the round of 32.
Senegal announced the news in a post on Instagram, without giving any details of the length of the 50-year-old Vieira's contract.
Vieira won the World Cup with France as a player during a glittering club career with Inter and AC Milan, ******* nal and Manchester City.
His coaching career has not been anywhere near as successful, however.
Vieira has previously coached New York City FC, Nice, Crystal Palace and Strasbourg. His last job was in charge of Genoa, but — despite an initially positive start — he was fired after less than a year with the team in last place in Serie A.

#Career

Former ***** nal and Inter Milan midfielder Patrick Vieira has been named as the new national team football coach of Senegal, replacing Pape Thiaw.
Vieira was born in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, but represented France on the international stage and in 1998 was part of the first French side to lift a World Cup.
The 50-year-old takes over from Thiaw, who led Senegal to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations ***** le, which was subsequently stripped from them and handed to Morocco following a mid-game walk-off by Senegalese players and staff.
Thiaw was heavily criticised for his side's Round of 32 exit at the FIFA World Cup 2026, which was confirmed by a 3-2 defeat by Belgium, and was subsequently dismissed.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said in a social media post that Vieira's appointment is a "strategic move" aiming to "establish a high-level technical set-up, in line with our country's sporting ambitions".

#vieira #Football #former #Inter

The return to his roots is now official.
Patrick Vieira, a native of Dakar, is the new head coach of the Senegal national team. The former France midfielder was appointed this Tuesday, even as the dismissal procedure involving Pape Thiaw still lingers in the background.
In its brief statement, the Senegalese Football Federation specified that "the date of the official unveiling and the next steps in his appointment will be announced at a later time."
The length of his contract has not been officially disclosed.
Vieira's first challenge will be to lead the Lions of Teranga to qualification for the next 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The qualifiers will begin as early as September.

#patrick #tuesday

On Tuesday (11), Flamengo beat Corinthians 2-0 in a match valid for the 11th round of the Brasileirão U-17 and moved into the competition's top eight. At the end of the first phase, the eight highest-ranked teams in the table will secure a place in the tournament's quarterfinals.
The teams faced off at Luso Brasileiro, in Rio de Janeiro, and Jordan Michel and João Vitor scored the goals that earned three points for the Rubro-Negro. With the result, the Rio club moved up from ninth to seventh place, with 18 points. Corinthians are third, with 22.
The round began on Monday (9), with Botafogo's 3-1 win over Grêmio at Airton Ferreira da Silva, in Eldorado do Sul (RS). This Tuesday, in addition to Flamengo x Corinthians, 12 more teams took the field. See today's results:
Fluminense 4 x 2 Vitória - Marcelo Vieira, Duque de Caxias (RJ)
Red Bull Bragantino 2 x 0 Santos - CPD Atibaia, Atibaia (SP)

#place

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Christian Norgaard is set to complete a transfer to Everton imminently, holding a medical with his potential new club today ahead of a £7m move. But Norgaard is unlikely to be the last ******* nal player to depart this summer, with at least a few more on the transfer list.
James McNicholas reports for The Athletic that Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, and Gabriel Jesus all remain avaiable for transfer this summer, should an appropriate buyer be found.
Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Previous reports have suggested that Vieira would ideally like to return to Hamburger SV, where he spent last season on loan. But the German club remain at least €10m apart from ******* nal in their valuation of the midfielder, making that deal unlikely as things stand.

#images #arsenal #last

HSV continue their recruitment for the new season with the imminent transfer of French-Moroccan midfielder Bilal Nadir. The 22-year-old was a free agent following his refusal to extend his contract at Olympique de Marseille.
According to several outlets, including Kicker and Bild, the midfielder successfully passed his medical check on Thursday. His contract at the traditional club is expected to run until 2030 as he will join HSV's training on Friday.
The Nice-born central midfielder has played 40 Ligue 1 games since joining Marseille from OGC Nice in 2021. Hamburg are still hoping to find a breakthrough in their negotiations with ******* nal for the signing of Fabio Vieira.

#french #olympique

Fluminense remains top of the Brasileirão U-17Credits: LEONARDO BRASIL/ FLUMINENSE FC
Fluminense held onto the top spot in the Brasileirão U-17 with a 2-0 win over Atlético-GO on Wednesday (22) at Marcelo Vieira. Ryan Santos and Leonardo secured the victory for the Tricolor das Laranjeiras, who now have 22 points, three ahead of second-placed Corinthians.
The Rio team's strong campaign is down to its defensive performance. Among the 20 participating teams, Fluminense has the best defense, having conceded just six goals in the nine rounds played so far. Corinthians and Cruzeiro have each let in seven goals, while América-MG and São Paulo have conceded eight. Bahia, meanwhile, has allowed nine.
In attack, Fluminense has scored 20 goals. Corinthians and Palmeiras have netted 27, while Red Bull Bragantino has found the back of the net 22 times.
Flamengo thrashed Santos 4-2 at Luso-Brasileiro and climbed five places, moving from 15th to 10th with 12 points. Luiz Guilherme (2) and João Vitor (2) found the net for the Rubro-Negro side. João Pedro and Miqueias pulled two back for Santos.

#goals #brasileir #points #nine

Hamburg have officially confirmed the signing of Zambia striker Patson Daka. Multiple sources report that another addition is set to be unveiled shortly. Moroccan midfielder Bilal Nadir will also join the Bundesliga outfit on free transfer. Kicker, Sport Bild, and the Hamburger Morgenpost all confirm that a deal to acquire Nadir is effetely done. Nadir arrives from French first division side Olympique Marseille.
Nadir – an €8m-valuced player- is said to have a profile similar to that of departed leading goalscorer Fabio Vieira. The fact that the 22-year-old is nevertheless limited to a more centralized role nevertheless means that he is not intended to serve as a direct replacement for the departed Portuguese international. Kicker reports that Hamburg remain committed to signing Vieira permanently.
“In signing Patson, we’ve specifically strengthened ourselves at the center-forward position,” newly appointed HSV Board Member for Sport Kathleen Krüger noted in a club statement. “With him, we’re gaining a center forward who meets our expectations quite clearly.”
“Patson brings many qualities that are essential to our style of play,” HSV sporting director Claus Costa added. “He combines energy, speed, and deep runs of the highest intensity.”
“I’m happy to be here now and can’t wait to get started,” the player himself said. “I’m a passionate and energetic player whose job is to score goals. I think that’s exactly how I can help the team.”

#kicker #sport #departed

Everyone thought France would crush Spain. They were counting on Kylian Mbappe and that flashy attack to blow the doors off. Wrong. The reality on the pitch was a total shocker. Spain didn’t just match them; they outsmarted them completely. France’s big threats? Totally neutralized by a smarter, hungrier Spanish squad.
Spain showed the world something huge today. Luis de la Fuente called his squad the best team on the planet. His words carried weight after that dominant 2-0 victory. Think about that for a second. This win proves a collective unit can beat a group of individual stars. It’s not about who you have. It’s about how they play together.
The French lineup looked toothless despite the global superstars on the roster. They threw Rayan Cherki into the mix, but it made zero difference. Spain controlled the game from the first whistle to the last. Their strategy worked perfectly against a team full of famous names. And here’s the kicker: They didn’t even break a sweat doing it.
France hoped their stars would do the damage if Mbappe didn’t score. They looked to Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, and Bradley Barcola for goals. Desire Doue also played, but the French attack failed completely. Not great. They couldn’t find any way to break through the Spanish defense. It was a wall, plain and simple.
Patrick Vieira, a former World Cup winner for France, admitted the truth. He told ITV that Spain dominated the game in every single aspect. Spain circulated the ball with their usual composure throughout the match. They moved France around and opened gaps to exploit them easily. Classic misdirection. Vieira knows a thing or two about winning big.

Patrick Vieira could become the next manager of the Senegal national team following the dismissal of Pape Thiaw after the country’s exit in the World Cup round of 32.
Senegal has established itself as one of Africa’s strongest national teams in recent years, but it endured a disappointing campaign at the World Cup. They reached the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams before seeing their tournament come to an end earlier than many had anticipated.
The national team had been widely expected to make a strong impression during the competition and came close to eliminating Belgium in the round of 32. However, Senegal surrendered a two-goal advantage late in the match and eventually suffered a 3-2 defeat, bringing their World Cup campaign to an unexpected conclusion.
The result prompted Senegal to make a managerial change as the football authorities began searching for a new head coach capable of guiding the team over the coming years. Vieira has now emerged as one of the leading candidates for the position.
According to L’Equipe, Senegal wants to appoint Vieira as their next manager. The former ***** nal midfielder has built coaching experience through spells in Major League Soccer, at Crystal Palace and with Genoa in Italy.

Manchester United have added Manu Kone to their shortlist as they seek a third midfield signing this summer.
The Roma man is keen to test himself in the Premier League, and the Serie A club are willing to sell for the right price. That figure is understood to be around £50m.
Roma's willingness is rooted in necessity. Despite qualifying for the Champions League, the Italian club need player sales to satisfy UEFA's financial regulations. Kone is viewed internally as their most valuable saleable ******* et.
His profile fits what Michael Carrick needs. The 25-year-old operated as both a defensive midfielder and a box-to-box option across 37 appearances last season, contributing two goals and three ******* ists.
Patrick Vieira has described him as the best midfielder in France. The World Cup has only enhanced his standing.

The axe has fallen for Pape Thiaw. In a statement released at 4 a.m., the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) announced that it had "decided to initiate proceedings to terminate Pape Thiaw’s duties."
This decision was made following a meeting of the FSF Executive Committee, bringing the coach’s spell at the helm of the Lions of Teranga to an end.
Crowned African champion just 175 days ago – before CAF decided to strip him of that ***** le – Thiaw is paying the price for Senegal’s dismal World Cup campaign. The three defeats suffered during the tournament, elimination as early as the round of 16, and the terrible comeback they allowed against Belgium (2-3) hastened his departure.
Thiaw’s glaring shortcomings in managing the closing stages of matches also ended up damaging his standing with the federation’s leadership and part of the Senegalese fanbase.
According to several sources such as L’Équipe, Patrick Vieira (born in Dakar) and Habib Beye (former Senegal international) appear to be the main favorites to succeed him ahead of the qualifiers and the final phase of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Patrick Vieira could replace Pape Thiaw as the manager of the Senegal national team, according to a report from L'Équipe.
The publication understands that there will be a debrief of Senegal's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on Saturday. The African nation, who beat Morocco in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, went out at the Round of 32. That was despite leading Belgium 2-0 going into the final stages of the game. A quickfire brace from the Red Devils and a Youri Tielemans winner deep into injury time dumped Thiaw's side out of the competition.
As a result of this perceived failure, Thiaw's position as the national team manager is under threat. His future could be decided today. Some members of the federation want to bring in Vieira, according to L'Équipe.
The France international was born in the Senegalese capital of Dakar, has invested in one of the nation's biggest training centres (Diambars) and is not attached to a club currently, following his exit from Genoa back in November.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Former RC Strasbourg manager Patrick Viera has opened up about his difficult time working with Chelsea owners who also own the French club.
The Senegal-born French manager claims his biggest challenge was not on the pitch but behind the scenes during his short-lived spell at the Ligue 1 club.
In a recent interview, the former France international admitted that working under Chelsea’s ownership was far from straightforward.
Vieira took over Strasbourg in 2023 after the club was purchased by the Todd Boehly-led BlueCo investment group that also owns Chelsea.
However, his stay lasted just one season before both sides agreed to end the partnership.

SEEKONK – Day 2 of qualifying play at the 2026 Rhode Island State Amateur wasn’t about moving up the leaderboard. With rain falling all day and winds picking up later, it was about survival.
Bobby Leopold survived a three-putt bogey on his opening hole and went on to shoot a 1-over 72, giving him a two-day score of 67-72-139 and medalist honors. Players who left Ledgemont Country Club at 7-over par hoping to make a playoff survived and were inside the cutline. Seven players will return Wednesday morning, trying to survive a playoff and earn the final spot in the match play portion of the tournament.
While the weather is set for a dramatic 180 for the rest of the week – minus potential storms Friday – survival will be the word of the day for the next two rounds. Match play is a different animal and keeping a steady hand as you ride the ups and downs is how you end up a champion.
So who will be the winner this week? You could wait for Friday – or you could check out predictions below.
Six players will battle for the No. 32 seed, but honestly there’s no point. Bobby Leopold isn’t losing the first match of the day. In a battle of two former Rhode Island All-Staters, No. 17 Cole Vieira is the pick over No. 16 Jasper Bruin Slot because his lefthandedness will prove to be advantageous – just don’t ask me how.

Cris Cyborg’s legendary mixed martial arts (MMA) career is coming to an end.
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) Featherweight champion will compete in her final MMA fight in the main event of PFL Tampa on Sat., Aug. 22, 2026, when she takes on former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Ketlen Vieira inside Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida.
Cyborg (29-2) is riding a nine-fight win streak and was last in action against Sara Collins, whom she submitted to win the vacant PFL Featherweight championship (watch highlights).
Prior to that, Cyborg defeated Larissa Pacheco via unanimous decision to become the only MMA fighter in history to become a quintuple champion, having captured world ****** les across five major MMA promotions.
In addition to her MMA run, Cyborg has also started boxing and currently holds a 7-0 professional boxing record with five stoppage wins.