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All-time great Aaron Donald comes out of retirement to rejoin stacked LA Rams

30 August 2026 at 23:42
  • Los Angeles were already Super Bowl favorites

  • Defensive tackle was 10-time Pro Bowler with Rams

  • 35-year-old aiming to win second Super Bowl in LA

Aaron Donald, one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, is coming out of retirement to rejoin his only professional team, the Los Angeles Rams.

During a 10-season career with the Rams, who drafted him with the 13th overall pick in 2014, Donald was a three-time defensive player of the year and an eight-time first team All-Pro. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams at the end of the 2021 season before announcing his retirement in March 2024 at the age of 32.

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© Photograph: Mark J Terrill/AP

© Photograph: Mark J Terrill/AP

© Photograph: Mark J Terrill/AP

‘Sad day in Australian sport’: tributes flow for trailblazing boxing great Tony Mundine

Fellow boxers, sporting figures, politicians and celebrities have paid tribute to the champion boxer and community leader, who died aged 75

Tributes are pouring in for Indigenous Australia boxing great, Tony Mundine, who has died aged 75.

The Guardian understands that the Bundjalung man and father of former world champion boxer and NRL star Anthony Mundine had a heart attack on Sunday, and was in hospital surrounded by family when he passed.

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© Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

© Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

© Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

European football: Bellingham sparks Real Madrid’s cruise to maintain perfect start

31 August 2026 at 00:19
  • Promoted Málaga slump to 4-0 defeat at the Bernabéu

  • Como defeat Napoli; Jones makes Inter debut in win

Real Madrid maintained their perfect start to the season in La Liga with a comfortable 4-0 home ⁠win over promoted Málaga on Sunday, scoring three times inside 30 minutes before adding a late fourth.

Jude Bellingham’s brilliant solo opener, an own ⁠goal by the Málaga goalkeeper, ⁠Alfonso Herrero, and ​a sharp Kylian Mbappé volley in effect settled the contest before half-time, with the substitute Arda Guler wrapping up the victory in added time at ⁠the Bernabéu.

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© Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters

© Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters

© Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters

At least eight dead and 18 missing after ferry capsizes off northern Cyprus

Authorities say 237 people rescued and search under way for those who remain unaccounted for

At least eight people have died and 18 people are missing after a ferry carrying nearly 270 passengers and crew capsized off the coast of Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus, local authorities said.

The territory’s prime minister, Ünal Üstel, told the state-run TRT news channel on Sunday that 237 people had been rescued. A search was under way for those who remained unaccounted for.

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© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

Lionel Messi’s ‘footballing beauty’ hailed as Miami crush Montreal; MLS roundup

30 August 2026 at 21:09
  • Messi nets four goals, adds assist in 7-1 Miami win

  • Dejan Joveljić scores twice on Sounders debut

  • Minnesota United score three times in four minutes

Inter Miami interim coach Guillermo Hoyos ran out of superlatives for Lionel Messi after the ⁠Argentine playmaker scored four goals in a Major League Soccer match for the first time in his career to ⁠inspire a 7-1 thrashing ⁠of CF ​Montreal on Saturday.

Messi’s four-goal haul and an assist came at a crucial time for Miami, helping them snap a ⁠five-game winless run across all competitions.

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© Photograph: Dax Tamargo/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Dax Tamargo/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Dax Tamargo/Shutterstock

Fernandes fires hat-trick as Manchester United fight back to thrash Ipswich

30 August 2026 at 20:46

To follow the claiming of both the major footballer of the year awards by scoring a hat-trick in Manchester United’s first home game was some Bruno Fernandes act, and points to an intent to continue his stellar form of last season.

Ipswich came to scythe through Michael Carrick’s side via the pace of Julio Enciso, Issa Diop and Daizen Maeda, and when Leif Davis gave them a 29th-minute lead victory looked on. However, the contest turned with Marcelino Núñez’s slip as the break neared. Suddenly Fernandes was rifling in a left-foot bullet and from this point on United cuffed Gary O’Neil’s team aside.

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© Photograph: Dave Thompson/AP

© Photograph: Dave Thompson/AP

© Photograph: Dave Thompson/AP

Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue roll over Pakistan to give England series win

30 August 2026 at 20:06

Tempting as it is to wince at the state of Pakistan’s Test team, England’s completion of a breezy series victory with a match to spare was not entirely insignificant for Joe Root and his men given the backdrop of their chaotic summer.

Until Josh Tongue finally nicked off Mohammad Ali at 5.45pm on Sunday to claim this second Test by a yawning margin of 194 runs, England had not won a series since late 2024. For Root it was his first as Test captain for more than five years. To have struggled at home against a touring side in such obvious disarray itself would have been practically to invite the sky to fall in over Lord’s.

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© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Transfer roundup: Ollie Watkins completes move to Al-Hilal from Aston Villa

30 August 2026 at 19:46
  • England forward’s exit continues busy summer for Villa

  • News follows Emiliano Martínez moving to Chelsea

Al-Hilal have signed Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa, ⁠the two clubs announced on Sunday, as the 30-year-old striker ended a successful ⁠six-year spell with ⁠the ​Midlands club where he became their top scorer in the Premier League. The England international, who had ​two years left on ‌his Villa contract, has moved for a reported £51m.

Watkins ‌signed a three-year contract as Al-Hilal acquired ‌a proven goalscorer after he scored 21 goals in all competitions last season, including five goals in the Europa League as he helped deliver a European trophy to Unai Emery’s side.

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© Photograph: Bradley Collyer/PA

© Photograph: Bradley Collyer/PA

© Photograph: Bradley Collyer/PA

US Open tennis 2026: Pegula, Boulter and Medvedev advance while Norrie exits on day one – as it happened

Jessica Pegula, the American third seed, began her campaign at Flushing Meadows with a straight-sets win

Krejcikova gets in a muddle after squandering a 40-0 lead on serve. Deuce. She fights back though. Wins the game with a lovely serve down the T. All square at 2-2.

Paolini delivers a dominant effort on serve to change ends at 3-2 up.

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© Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

© Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

© Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

Chelsea hold off Brighton in 4-3 win but remain chaotic under Xabi Alonso

In the fullness of time Chelsea’s surrender against Brighton in April may be seen as the turning point. The humiliation accelerated Liam ­Rosenior’s demise and forced the Stamford Bridge hierarchy into a ­reckoning leading to the appointment of Xabi Alonso, a shift in ­transfer ­strategy, the birth of the JP Morgan front three and the end of ­Robert Sánchez’s time in goal.

For now, though, the argument that Emiliano Martínez is the final piece in the jigsaw seems a touch ­premature. With seven goals scored and five conceded while winning their first two league games, it is not hard to see where Chelsea need to improve in order to sustain a title challenge. They have to be savvier when ahead, and although the good has so far outweighed the bad Alonso could do with his side not dropping their guard when they have the ­opposition on the ropes.

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© Photograph: David Klein/Reuters

© Photograph: David Klein/Reuters

© Photograph: David Klein/Reuters

Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor applies the finishing touch to sink Fulham

At the final whistle Álvaro Arbeloa provided a study in pensiveness while Régis Le Bris simply looked relieved. For protracted periods an almost palpable fear of losing formed the subtext of a match decided when two of the Sunderland manager’s ­second-half substitutes, Habib Diarra and Wilson Isidor, combined for the latter to score.

Isidor’s goal not merely supplied Sunderland with their first win of the season while leaving Arbeloa’s side pointless, but also ended his side’s 17‑year run without a Premier League home victory against Fulham.

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© Photograph: COLORSPORT/BRUCE WHITE/Shutterstock

© Photograph: COLORSPORT/BRUCE WHITE/Shutterstock

© Photograph: COLORSPORT/BRUCE WHITE/Shutterstock

Calvert-Lewin cancels out Schade’s opener as Leeds salvage point against Brentford

30 August 2026 at 18:03

These nascent moments of the new season can often provide false hope but, as both sets of players shook hands after what was indisputably the correct result at Elland Road, it was difficult not to imagine we had just witnessed a contest between two sides that should have lofty ­ambitions for the months ahead.

Leeds and Brentford were vic­torious on the opening weekend in differing circumstances. Leeds crafted a hard-earned but ultimately deserved win at Nottingham Forest, while Brentford Tottenham. Time will tell what the ceiling of both these sides is but, as they each continued their unbeaten starts here, hopes should be high.

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© Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images/Reuters

© Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images/Reuters

© Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images/Reuters

Manchester United 5-2 Ipswich Town: Premier League – live

30 August 2026 at 20:33

Out come the players, some of them holding babes in arms – including Marcus Rashford, who has a big smile on his face.

The first email of the afternoon comes from Dave. “Hi Tim, loving the MBM.” Thanks! “Just wondered if there’s any insight into why Sesko seems to find it so hard to get a start.”

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© Photograph: Ash Donelon/Manchester United/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ash Donelon/Manchester United/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ash Donelon/Manchester United/Getty Images

Scottish Premiership: Shankland on the spot to ease pressure on McInnes and Rangers

30 August 2026 at 19:31
  • Striker’s second-half penalty ensures 1-0 win at Aberdeen

  • St Mirren 3-3 Motherwell; Celtic 2-0 Falkirk on Saturday

Lawrence Shankland’s second-half penalty gave Derek McInnes and Rangers some much-needed respite with a 1-0 win against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

The tale since the Rangers manager arrived from Hearts in the summer has been one of constant change in formation and personnel amid exits from two European competitions and a poor start to the Premiership campaign. The Ibrox side turned in a better performance than many of late and in the 69th minute the captain, Shankland, a former Don, converted a spot-kick won by Djeidi Gassama.

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© Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

At least eight dead and 18 missing after ferry capsizes off northern Cyprus

Authorities say 237 people rescued and search under way for those who remain unaccounted for

At least eight people have died and 18 people are missing after a ferry carrying nearly 270 passengers and crew capsized off the coast of Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus, local authorities said.

The territory’s prime minister, Ünal Üstel, told the state-run TRT news channel on Sunday that 237 people had been rescued. A search was under way for those who remained unaccounted for.

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© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

Hospitality boom and $100 chicken nuggets: how the US Open became obscenely expensive

Record crowds, premium seats and an unchecked resale market are transforming the self-styled people’s slam – and leaving ordinary fans fighting to get through the gates

It takes a truly exceptional affordability crisis to put Bill Ackman and Zohran Mamdani on the same side of the barricade. Yet this month the billionaire hedge fund manager and New York’s democratic socialist mayor found common cause over an unlikely grievance: the cost of getting into the US Open.

Ackman took objection to the cost of a grounds pass listed for $363. Mamdani responded to the broader uproar by securing 1,000 tickets for New York residents at $100 apiece, prompting more than 336,000 people to apply for them. Somewhere between the two sits the uneasy economics of the modern US Open, where a $65 ticket with no guaranteed seat on any court can fetch more than five times that amount on the tournament’s resale marketplace.

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© Photograph: Ishika Samant/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ishika Samant/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ishika Samant/Getty Images

Chelsea v Brighton, Leeds v Brentford, Sunderland v Fulham: Premier League – live

30 August 2026 at 17:19

Mark Slater gets in touch: “I will be following the Chelsea vs Brighton match particulary, but am happy to see a Joy Division quote in the opening paragraphs. In Chelsea’s case, Brighton and Hove Albion, Manchester City, and Aston Villa most recently...”

Tom: “A+++ for getting Joy Division into the Sunday MBM.”

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© Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

© Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

© Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

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