Home Blog Page 28

Lionel Messi’s World Cup hat trick draw rave reviews from USMNT


IRVINE, Calif. — On Tuesday night at the United States men’s national team hotel in Laguna Niguel, the pressure of carrying a nation at a home World Cup faded into the background.

During a team dinner, players gathered around televisions to watch reigning champion Argentina open its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Group J opponent Algeria.

But by the end of the match, America’s best players looked less like World Cup competitors and more like kids watching their favorite superhero save the day.

That’s because the greatest player on the planet, Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, recorded his first-ever World Cup hat trick.

The soon-to-be 39-year-old Argentine maestro scored all three goals in a commanding 3-0 victory, drawing level with German legend Miroslav Klose atop the all-time World Cup goal scoring list with 16. Messi’s next strike will place him alone atop one of soccer’s most sacred records.

“Messi played really well and got a hat trick. Argentina continues to show they want to defend their trophy. We were enjoying being fans,” said left back Antonee “Jedi” Robinson, when asked if the team soaked in the moment together.  “I think for the fans watching, obviously Messi’s probably the greatest footballer who’s ever lived. He’s still going, still showing quality. As a fan, it was amazing to watch.”

That word kept surfacing during the U.S.’s team media availability on Wednesday: fan.

Not opponent. Not rival. Fan.

Because even at a World Cup, where every player dreams of lifting the trophy themselves, there are moments when the sport’s biggest stars remind everyone why they fell in love with the game in the first place.

According to midfielder Brenden Aaronson, the admiration inside the U.S. camp became impossible to hide after Messi completed his hat trick.


Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring the first of his three goals in Argentina's 3-0 World Cup win over Argentina.
Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring the first of his three goals in Argentina’s 3-0 World Cup win over Argentina. Getty Images

“The fan boy comes out in us watching Messi score a hat trick,” Aaronson admitted. “But if Argentina does come around, we’ll all be ready to go. It’s fun to watch all these games.”

One can imagine the scene at dinner for Team USA. Forks paused in midair. Conversations interrupted and heads turning towards the television screen every time Messi touched the ball and danced through defenders with the same ease he’s displayed for the last six World Cups. A room full of soccer junkies suddenly transforming into adoring fans soaking in history.

That’s the power of Messi. That’s his magic.


Every match of the FIFA World Cup will air on either FOX or FOX Sports 1. If you don’t have cable, you can take advantage of a DIRECTV free trial to stream it all.

Prefer to check out the action live and in person? Shop World Cup 2026 tickets on SeatGeek and make sure to use promo code NYPOST10 for $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout if you’re a first-time SeatGeek user.


The irony, of course, is that many of those same U.S. players could eventually find themselves sharing a field with him later in this tournament. If the U.S. continue to play like they did against Paraguay last Friday, the knockout brackets could deliver a meeting between America and Argentina.

There will be no fan boys then.

Only the daunting task of stopping a legend who, at an age when most players have long since retired from international soccer, is still rewriting the record book and reminding the world why every World Cup eventually becomes part of his legacy.

But first, Australia on Friday in Seattle. 



Source link

Rory McIlroy, US Open stars keeping tabs on World Cup


World Cup fever has reached just about every part of the United States, even the east end of Long Island, where the U.S. Open is taking place at Shinnecock Hills.

While the world’s top golfers compete to win one of the four majors in the sport, the World Cup has provided a valuable distraction. 

Rory McIlroy said this week that it was “nice” that Scotland was in this year’s World Cup and that the tournament as a whole has been useful in keeping him leveled going into this week’s U.S. Open. 


Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland holds his putter while walking off of the 17th green while playing in a practice round on the eve of the 126th U.S. Open Golf Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 in Southampton, New York.
Rory McIlroy twirls his putter while walking off of the 17th green during his U.S. Open practice round on June 17, 2026 at Shinneckock Hills Golf Club. John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock

“It’s nice that it’s on, and especially this week, it’s a good distraction to be able to go back from the golf course and turn the football on and forget about the golf for a little bit,” he said. 

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has also been tuning in, even though he’s admittedly not the biggest soccer fan. 

“I pretty much save all my sports for football. I actually really enjoyed watching the NBA Finals the last few weeks, as well,” he said, referencing the 4-1 series victory that handed the Knicks their first NBA title in 53 years. “I think, if you’re a fan of sport, which I am, you pretty much have to get into the World Cup. I’ve been able to watch a bit. Not as much as I’d hoped to, but I’m definitely paying attention.” 

McIlroy is seeking his first U.S. Open title since he won back in 2011, while Scheffler will look to complete the career Grand Slam by winning the lone major he has yet to be victorious at. 


Scotland's John McGinn celebrates scoring their first goal with Aaron Hickey.
Scotland’s John McGinn celebrates scoring their first goal with Aaron Hickey. David Butler Ii-Imagn Images

The U.S. Women’s Open at Shinnecock Hills may still be 10 years away, but the United States Golf Association expressed excitement over where the women’s game is headed over the next decade before it arrives on the east end of Long Island. 

The exciting tournament at historic Riviera Country Club was punctuated by star Nelly Korda coming away with a one-stroke victory over Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez. 

“Riviera was a huge stage for the women’s game, and we were super proud of it,” USGA CEO Mike Whan said Wednesday. “It was an amazing experience. If you believe what you saw at Riv makes sense, I can only imagine what the next 10 years is going to be.” 


The USGA and R&A announced in a joint statement with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour that they would be taking another look at how they’re approaching upcoming distance rollback measures. 

In a statement released on Wednesday, the parties jointly agreed that golf does have a distance issue, “the updated ODS testing approach may not achieve the desired results,” and a “collective willingness to reconsider alternative approaches” to the issue. 



Source link

Fire dancer accused of trying to burn her friends alive while they slept as twisted details emerge



A woman is facing murder charges after the self-proclaimed “fire goddess” allegedly set her friend’s Honda Element ablaze following a fight over Xanax as two people slept inside with a propane tank nearby.

Nicole Najlis, 30, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and arson after the fire broke out at the Pilot truck stop in Hesperia shortly after midnight Tuesday, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Her bail was set at $1 million.

Deputies arrived to find two vehicles fully engulfed in flames and were directed by witnesses to Najlis, who was later arrested near the area.

A woman is facing murder charges after allegedly setting her friend’s Honda Element ablaze. KTLA 5
Nicole Najlis, 30, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and arson after the fire broke out Instagram/@nicolenajlis

The California Post reached out to the involved law enforcement agencies for additional information.

But according to James Bahr, the man who owned the destroyed vehicle, the chaos began hours earlier during a road trip home from San Diego back to Las Vegas with Najlis and three others.

Bahr, a professional pyrotechnician, said he knew Najlis through a friend and had tried to help her after she fell on hard times.

Nicole Najlis performing with fire props. Facebook/@NicoleNajlisCosmicNymph
Najlis was an active fire dancer on social media. Instagram/@nicolenajlis

He said Najlis was homeless and coming out of an abusive relationship, staying at a friend’s home, but after the arragnement ended, he allowed her to join the group on the trip.

During the return through California, Bahr said he stopped in Tijuana for lunch while Najlis began drinking at a friend’s house.

He said the confrontation began when Najlis allegedly demanded his prescription Xanax.

A burnt-out SUV with a shattered windshield, surrounded by fire line tape in a parking lot. James Bahr/gofundme

“She kept harassing me for my Xanax and I wouldn’t give it to her,” Bahr told The California Post.

The argument turned violent while Bahr was driving.

“She got so upset that she had punched me in the head while I was driving,” he said.

Bahr said the powerful blow caused him to lose control of the steering wheel, forcing him to pull into a gas station.

He said he told Najlis to get out of the vehicle, but she refused, and he began removing her belongings from the car.

Then, Bahr said, he noticed something was wrong.

Najlis bail was set at $1 million. Instagram/@nicolenajlis

“She started to move around some of my stuff,” he said. “Then I smell gas and as soon as I said, ‘what is that smell?’ she threw a match and lit the car on fire.”

At the time, two other friends were asleep inside the vehicle.

The commotion woke the sleeping passengers, who were able to escape before the vehicle was destroyed.

Bahr said the situation became even more dangerous because he had propane tanks and fire-effects equipment for his job inside the vehicle.

He said the propane tank exploded about 30 seconds after the fire started.

Firefighter hoses down two burnt-out cars in a parking lot. James Bahr/gofundme

No injuries were reported.

After the fire was extinguished a burned-out shell of a vehicle remained, with Bahr saying he lost not only his car but also critical equipment, tools and personal belongings in the blaze.

“I got the car two weeks ago, so it was sentimental and we had just dropped like $2k on transporting it,” he said. “This is just insane to me, I’m still shocked.”

The “fire goddess” remains accused of attempted murder and arson. Facebook/@NicoleNajlisCosmicNymph

He estimated the damage at about $12,000 and said he did not have comprehensive insurance coverage to help recover the money, he’s since launched a GoFundMe to help cover the costs.

“I should have known better,” Bahr said.

Nicole Najlis has an online profile that shows a career built on turning fire into art. A Facebook page shows she has a history working as fire performer, dancer and movement artist.

Bahr, a professional pyrotechnician, said he knew Najlis through a friend and had tried to help her after she fell on hard times. Instagram/@jamesgbahr

Bahr described Najlis in blunt terms.

“A danger to society,” he said.

Najlis referred to herself as a “fire goddess.” Facebook/@NicoleNajlisCosmicNymph

Records show Najlis has had multiple previous encounters with law enforcement involving allegations including assault, disorderly conduct and traffic-related offenses.

Her next court appearance is Thursday.



Source link

Polls set to open in Makerfield by-election



There are 14 candidates vying to be the Greater Manchester constituency’s new MP.



Source link

World Cup 2026: Every team at the World Cup ranked after one game


41. Czech Republic

Group A. Lost 2-1 to South Korea.

Slow and ponderous. Squandered a lead. This is not the Czech Republic that stole hearts in Euro 96.

42 Uzbekistan

Group K. Lost 3-1 to Colombia

No lack of guts and enjoyed their first-ever World Cup goal. But struggled to cope with Colombia’s dynamism.

43. South Africa

Group A. Lost 2-0 to Mexico.

Could not have been more generous to their opening day hosts. Offered little in attack. Gave the ball away for fun. And finished with nine men.

44. Qatar

Group B. Drew 1-1 with Switzerland.

A fortunate draw. They were battered by a Switzerland side who should have been out of sight.

45. Paraguay

Group D. Lost 4-1 to USA.

Hammered by the United States and it could have been even worse. Defensive style is awful to watch.

46. Tunisia

Group F. Lost 5-1 to Sweden.

History makers – as they sacked their manager after their opening game. That’s how bad Tunisia were.

47. Panama

Group L. Lost 1-0 to Ghana.

Involved in one of the worst games of the World Cup so far. Were playing for a draw when they were struck by Ghana’s 95th-minute winner.

48. Curacao

Group E. Lost 7-1 to Germany.

A 7-1 drubbing on their World Cup debut but their equaliser against Germany will at least be a moment they will never forget.



Source link

An ancient oak tree said to have sheltered legendary Robin Hood has died


LONDON — A massive ancient oak tree linked to the legend of Robin Hood may have been loved to death.

The 1,200-year-old Major Oak in Sherwood Forest is believed to have died after it didn’t sprout leaves this spring, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said Thursday.

Visitors who viewed the tree’s gnarled limbs and sprawling canopy in Nottingham over the past two centuries compressed the soil around it, making it difficult for rain to reach its roots, the conservation group said.

The forest has been under threat for years and the tree had been rumored to have died in the past — only to have the group confirm it was still alive.

That is no longer the case.

“The tree’s failure to produce leaves this year is heart-breaking for everyone,” Hollie Drake of the RSPB said in a statement announcing the death.

The tree is said to have sheltered Robin Hood, the legendary 13th century bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor and took refuge in the forest when being pursued by the sheriff of Nottingham.

It got its name after being mentioned in a book on oaks by Major Hayman Rooke in 1790 that led to the first wave of fans who flocked to the forest.

It’s impossible to say what killed the tree, but the footprint of millions contributed to its downfall along with intervention to shore up its massive limbs using cables and poles. Climate change that has brought heat waves and drought was also blamed.

Tree experts found the root system strangled and starved.

“Ancient trees like the Major Oak are the ‘conservation white rhinos of the U.K.’ but their decline is far less visible,” said Ed Pyne, of the Woodland Trust. “Saving them is vital to the health of the world we live in and yet most disappear quietly, without the recognition or care given to the Major Oak.”

In addition to its place in folklore, the forest is known for Sherwood oaks that floated the ships of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Royal Navy in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and as timbers in the roof of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Major Oak was spared from the saw and has been protected by a fence since the 1970s.

“The Major Oak will continue to stand at the heart of Sherwood as a natural monument for visitors to come and see, living on in the legend of Robin Hood and continuing to provide as much support to the forest’s ecosystem in death as in life,” Drake said.



Source link

Trae Young set to decline player option and become free agent


Trae Young staying in Washington for too long isn’t a sure thing.

The former Hawks guard has declined his $48.97 million player option to become a free agent, according to Andscape’s Marc Spears. It cannot be officially announced until Monday.

Washington is still seen as the leader to sign the point guard even as multiple teams are expected to show interest, according to ESPN. Young expected max-contract interest from his suitors, Spears reported.


Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards passes the ball in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Capital One Arena on March 16, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Trae Young passes the ball in the third quarter of the Wizards’ 125-117 loss to the Warriors at Capital One Arena on March 16, 2026 in Washington. Getty Images

Young is most notably known for his time with the Hawks, the team that drafted him fifth overall in 2018. The guard spent eight years with the franchise and led the Hawks during three playoff runs.

The furthest the team went was the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, where they eventually lost to the championship-winning Milwaukee Bucks. Young became a Madison Square Garden villians during that run as the Hawks needed just five games to beat the Knicks in the first round.

In the 2024-2025 season, Young led the NBA, averaging 11.6 assists per game. But that season was his last full one in Atlanta. When the 2025 season came around, the guard sprained his right MCL in the fall and missed 22 games.

He averaged only 19.3 points per game, his second-lowest mark other than his rookie season. That led to the Hawks trading him to the Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. He played just five games for Washington because of injuries.

The deal worked out for both teams: Washington grabbed a star player to help in their rebuild, while the Hawks still made the playoffs before losing to the Knicks in the first round.


Trae Young of the Washington Wizards holding a basketball for a media day portrait.
Trae Young on the Wizards. NBAE via Getty Images

But now Washington has no guarantee of keeping Young. The Wizards also have another aging star in Anthony Davis, which could lead to a quick rebuild with Washington owning the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Wizrds could land a star like BYU forward AJ Dybansta or Kansas wing Darryn Peterson to join other promising youngsters, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, and Tre Johnson.

Free agency negotiations in the NBA begin on June 30.



Source link

The Papers: US-Iran deal and England's World Cup win



The BBC, along with other broadcasters, is not allowed to report details of campaigning while the polls are open.



Source link

Cops rush drug-addled zombies in new blitz on LA’s notorious MacArthur Park



Federal agents and police in tactical vehicles swarmed drug users and dealers in one of California’s most notorious public parks on Wednesday night as part of an ongoing blitz to rid the area of crime.

Executed by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency in partnership with the Los Angeles police, “Operation Free MacArthur Park” aims to eradicate the open-air drug markets that have befouled downtown LA’s once-proud greenspace.

Roughly 100 agents and police officers stormed the park Wednesday.

Roughly 100 agents and police officers stormed the park Wednesday in the second such sweep since the operation began earlier this month, targeting stupefied users  openly smoking fentanyl at the park’s the litter-strewn corners. 

Anthony Chrysanthis, head of the DEA’s Los Angeles office, told The Post that the nighttime sweep was part of an ongoing effort to maintain pressure on dealers and users.

“We want the criminals to know that it doesn’t matter when you go, we can show up and we can control the park whenever need be,” Chrysanthis said.

The nighttime sweep was part of an ongoing effort to maintain pressure on dealers and users.

“This is the commitment that we’ve promised to the people of LA,” he added.

Chrysanthis said latest push is meant to target users themselves, after successful raids took out narco-gang leadership and major suppliers of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

When Operation Free MacArthur Park began with an initial sweep on June 4, police made 13 arrests and issued six citations in less than an hour.

In a subsequent visit to the park, DEA agents and police made six felony arrests, and issued two misdemeanor charges and nine citations.

Wednesday night’s sweep was the third and latest effort in the ongoing project.

Wednesday night’s sweep was the third and latest effort in the ongoing project.

The push is already yielding results, Chrysanthis said. In some cases, undercover agents have been unable to purchase drugs in the park since the sweeps began, he said.

More than a century old and originally conceived as LA’s Champs-Élysées, MacArthur Park fell park fell on hard times in the 1980’s as dealers and gangs moved in, with as many as 30 murders occurring there in 1990.

Today, it’s teeming with homelessness and drug use, with throngs of addicts buying fentanyl and meth there each day.    

The Los Angeles Police Department put the park’s dealers on notice in March, as officers arrested several leaders of the city’s notorious 18th Street Gang, who controlled the dealing on one side of the park.  

In May, DEA agents led another raid of the park’s deadly drug trade, targeting the leadership of the prison-based Mexican Mafia, which supplied dope to the park’s dealers via Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel.

The sweeps begun this month heralded another chapter in the crackdown on the drug trade.

LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has vowed to clean up the park by Labor Day, saying he would bring his family there for a holiday picnic.

Chrysanthis said officers will continue with regular sweeps of the park to arrest addicts and dealers who once used and sold drugs there with impunity.

“This is going to be ongoing until we have full control of MacArthur back to the people of Los Angeles,” he said.



Source link

Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr. avoids worst after injury scare


Considering how it looked in the moment, George Lombard Jr. may have avoided the worst.

The Yankees’ top prospect “sprained a couple fingers” on his left hand, a team spokesman said Wednesday night, a day after Lombard left Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s game after jamming his left hand into a base stealer while covering second base.

Lombard underwent tests Wednesday that came back negative, though it remains to be seen how long the sprained fingers will sideline him.

The 21-year-old shortstop is hitting .231 with a .765 OPS and eight steals through 42 games at Triple-A, though he has been better of late after a slow start following an early-season promotion from Double-A.

Lombard has a chance to play his way into the Yankees’ plans this season depending on how he performs.

The organization already believes he is big league-ready defensively — he has also mixed in third base and second base — but the question will be whether he can hit consistently enough to arrive in The Bronx this year.


George Lombard Jr., running the bases during a Triple-A game earlier this season, "sprained a couple fingers" after  jamming his left hand into a base stealer while covering second base during Tuesday's game.
George Lombard Jr., running the bases during a Triple-A game earlier this season, “sprained a couple fingers” after jamming his left hand into a base stealer while covering second base during Tuesday’s game. Arthur Mansavage for New York Post

Of course, that also depends on how José Caballero and Anthony Volpe handle splitting shortstop duties for the Yankees.


After throwing all of his pitches “with good intensity” Tuesday in his first full bullpen session since going on the injured list with a left elbow bone bruise last month, Max Fried reported feeling good Wednesday, the latest positive sign in his comeback.

The left-hander will still need to show improved healing in his elbow before he is cleared to fully ramp up towards a return, but assuming he continues to bounce back well in the coming days, Fried will throw another bullpen session this weekend.

“Just talking to him today, he said, ‘I felt great during it and then feel good coming into today,’ ” manager Aaron Boone said. “So it’s been encouraging, really every step of the way, since even the couple days after the Baltimore start when he went on the IL. He’s responded well to everything, which I’m hoping is a really good sign for him and for us long-term.”

Yankees Merch Shop

New York Post receives revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and when you make a purchase.


Austin Wells (cervical headaches) came through his first rehab game Tuesday without issue and was scheduled to start at catcher again Wednesday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before its game got rained out.


Facing White Sox lefty Anthony Kay (who had drastic left/right splits) on Wednesday, Boone started Caballero in left field, Cody Bellinger in center field and Jasson Domínguez in right field.

Bellinger moving to center for a day opened up left field for Domínguez, but instead Boone opted to keep him in his new home in right to get him a steady dose of reps there to see if it can work moving forward.



Source link