FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Lionel Messi appeared far from ‘very upset,’ while watching his Inter Miami teammates from an on-field suite in his one-game absence for skipping the MLS All-Star Game.

Messi sat between his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and best friend/new Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul. He was seen often pouring hot water out of his new Stanley Flow Mate System into his mate cap, hydrating or passing it for others to drink.

On the pitch, Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati played to a scoreless draw despite the final minutes being filled with drama at Chase Stadium on Saturday, July 26.

Cincinnati’s Miles Robinson scored a header (90’+3’), but appeared to hit Inter Miami defender Noah Allen in the head during the score. The play was ruled a foul on the field, and VAR wasn’t enough to overturn it to a goal.

Luis Suarez tried his best to lead Inter Miami without Messi and Jordi Alba against first-place FC Cincinnati. But neither side was able to find the back of the net.

Suarez set several teammates up for shots towards the net to no avail, while Cincinnati’s Evander took several shots toward the net but was unable to deliver a standout performance like he did when he scored twice against Inter Miami in Cincinnati on July 18.

The draw bodes well for both sides: Cincinnati remains atop the Supporters’ Shield standings with 49 points, while Inter Miami remains in fifth place with 42 points in the Eastern Conference.

This is how the quirkiest week of MLS’s Messi era ended.

Messi and Alba served a one-game suspension for not traveling to the July 23 All-Star Game in Austin in a ruling handed down by MLS commissioner Don Garber on July 25.

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said Messi and Alba were “very upset” about the decision. Maybe, Messi’s mood changed as he got much-needed rest after playing every minute in 22 of 23 matches since April 2.

Inter Miami debuted their new baby blue Riptide jerseys Saturday, and introduced De Paul, the Argentine World Cup champion and Messi’s close friend.

It’s unclear when De Paul could debut, but Messi’s return will come when Inter Miami begins the 2025 Leagues Cup tournament against Liga MX side Atlas FC on July 30. Messi led Inter Miami to the 2023 Leagues Cup title shortly after his arrival to MLS.

Check out these highlights from USA TODAY Sports: 

Messi watches Inter Miami match next to Rodrigo De Paul

Messi watched his Inter Miami teammates take on Cincinnati, while sitting next to his newest club teammate Rodrigo De Paul.

Inter Miami introduces Rodrigo De Paul before Cincinnati match

Another World Cup champion joins Inter Miami as Rodrigo De Paul was introduced to fans. De Paul won the World Cup with Messi, and is one of his closest friends. Here’s more on his acquisition, announced a day before the match.

Inter Miami lineup vs. FC Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati starting lineup vs. Inter Miami

What time is the Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati match? 

The match begins at 7:15 p.m. ET.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati on TV? 

The match will be broadcast on FS1. 

How to watch Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati on live stream? 

The match will also be available to stream on AppleTV+ and MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Is Lionel Messi playing tonight? 

No, Messi is not playing against FC Cincinnati. 

Why is Lionel Messi not playing tonight? 

Messi was disciplined with a one-game absence by MLS commissioner Don Garber for skipping the MLS All-Star Game earlier this week in Austin, Texas.

Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati betting odds

Inter Miami still favored to win vs. Cincinnati, even without Messi, according to BETMGM.

Inter Miami: +130
Tie: +270
Cincinnati: +175
Over/under: 3.5 goals

When is Messi’s next game? Inter Miami upcoming schedule

Inter Miami will begin the 2025 Leagues Cup tournament after facing FC Cincinnati. 

July 30: Inter Miami vs. Atlas FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
Aug. 2: Inter Miami vs. Club Necaxa, 7 p.m. ET
Aug. 6: Inter Miami vs. Pumas UNAM, 7:30 p.m. 

The 2025 Tour de France has gone to plan, and that means star rider Tadej Pogačar is poised to win the event for the fourth time in his career.

Pogačar has been the top dog in cycling over the last six years, though his battles with Jonas Vingegaard and Mathieu van der Poel can’t be called one-sided. At the Tour de France, Pogačar is in line to win his fourth championship in six attempts, while Vingegaard (who sits second in this year’s general classification) has won twice.

What’s impressive is that Pogačar has also shown proficiency in pursuing King of the Mountain titles as well, finishing atop the category twice at the Tour de France and once at the Giro d’Italia. With Pogačar holding big leads in the general and mountain classifications heading into the 21st and final stage, he’s set to expand his personal trophy case on Sunday.

Here is what to know about the 2025 Tour de France leader Tadej Pogačar:

Who is Tadej Pogacar? Meed the Tour de France star

Tadej Pogačar, 26, has emerged in recent years as the biggest force in men’s cycling. Per Rouleur, Pogačar, a Ljubljana, Slovenia native, took up the sport at nine years old, idolizing greats like Tour de France winners Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck.

Pogačar started out with the Rog-Ljubljana cycling club, impressing in youth events — including the 2018 Tour de l’Avenir, a race for cyclists between the ages of 17-22 that takes place on much of the same course as the Tour de France — before moving on to his current team, UAE Team Emirates XRG in 2019.

After a promising start as a professional, he won the 2019 Tour of California at age 20, making him the youngest cyclist to ever win a UCI WorldTour stage race. Shortly thereafter, he won three stages of the Vuelta de España, finishing third overall and claiming the Young Rider title at one of cycling’s biggest races (a.k.a. the Grand Tours).

Since then, Pogačar has been nothing short of dominant. In 2020, the plan for his debut at the Tour de France was initially for the youngster to be a support rider for UAE Team Emirates XRG’s Fabio Aru. However, Aru withdrew after nine stages, and Pogačar seized the moment. Just 21 years old, he would pick up the yellow jersey, winning three stages en route to becoming the first rider since 1983 to win the Tour de France in his debut appearance.

Over the past five years, Pogačar has an unparalleled record. He won the Tour de France again in 2021 and 2024, and currently leads the field by over four minutes at the ongoing 2025 edition. He claimed his first Giro d’Italia in 2024 as well, leaving a general classification win at the Vuelta de España as the one box left unchecked in his success at the Grand Tours. Pogačar has not raced in the Vuelta since 2019 and has not yet committed to the 2025 version, but speculation is rampant that he will do so later this year.

Overall, Pogačar has won 14 stage races, 24 one-day races, and has been the top-ranked cyclist in the UCI World Rankings for four straight years. He also won the bronze medal in the men’s road race at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

Tour de France 2025: How to watch, TV channel, streaming

Every stage of the 2025 Tour de France will stream live on Peacock. Coverage will begin at 6 or 6:30 a.m. ET, depending on the stage.

NBC will broadcast a highlights and analysis show after stage 21, with coverage beginning at 2 p.m. ET.

Watch the 2025 Tour de France on Peacock

Reinier De Ridder emerged victorious in a middleweight bout against Robert Whittaker in the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

The outcome was uncertain until the final moments. Both fighters unleashed a barrage of powerful strikes in the late rounds, making it a tough call. In the end, De Ridder’s performance was enough to clinch the victory via a split decision, extending his winning streak to five fights and maintaining his undefeated record this year.

For Whittaker, this was a chance to redeem himself after a first-round submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 in October 2024. It was his first fight of the year, and he was determined to bounce back. However, De Ridder’s formidable skills proved to be a significant challenge for the former champion.

Here is how the UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. De Ridder card played out from Abu Dhabi:

UFC Fight Night results

Final results from UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi.

Main Card

Reinier De Ridder defeats Robert Whittaker by split decision
Petr Yan defeats Marcus McGhee by unanimous decision
Shara Magomedov defeats Marc-Andre Barriault by unanimous decision
Asu Almabayev defeats Jose Ochoa by unanimous decision
Bogdan Guskov defeats Nikita Krylov by first-round KO

Prelims

Martin Dubay defeats Marcus Buchecha by unanimous decision
Steven Nguyen defeats Mohammad Yahya by TKO in round 2
Billy Elekana defeats Ibo Aslan by unanimous decision
Tabatha Ricci defeats Amanda Ribas by TKO
Davey Grant defeats Da’Mon Blackshear by unanimous decision
Muslim Salikhov defeats Carlos Leal by TKO
Bryce Mitchell defeats Said Nurmagomedov via unanimous decision

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Inter Miami will host FC Cincinnati without two of its biggest stars on Saturday, July 26. 

Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba won’t play for Inter Miami, both serving a mandatory one-game absence for skipping the MLS All-Star Game earlier this week. 

It’s a battle between two of the best clubs in the MLS Eastern Conference: Cincinnati sits atop the MLS Supporters’ Shield standings with 48 points, while Inter Miami is fifth place in the East with 41 points. 

While Inter Miami has three games in hand to play this season due to their congested schedule, losing twice in two weeks to Cincinnati could hurt their chance to win the conference and contest for their second consecutive Supporters’ Shield title. Cincinnati won the regular-season title in 2023, while Inter Miami won it in 2024.

Cincinnati beat Inter Miami 3-0 on July 16, led by MVP candidate Evander, who scored two goals in the matchup. 

Here’s what you need to know and stay tuned for live updates from USA TODAY Sports: 

Inter Miami lineup vs. FC Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati starting lineup vs. Inter Miami

What time is the Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati match? 

The match begins at 7:15 p.m. ET.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati on TV? 

The match will be broadcast on FS1. 

How to watch Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati on live stream? 

The match will also be available to stream on AppleTV+ and MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Is Lionel Messi playing tonight? 

No, Messi is not playing against FC Cincinnati. 

Why is Lionel Messi not playing tonight? 

Messi was disciplined with a one-game absence by MLS commissioner Don Garber for skipping the MLS All-Star Game earlier this week in Austin, Texas.

Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati betting odds

Inter Miami still favored to win vs. Cincinnati, even without Messi, according to BETMGM.

Inter Miami: +130
Tie: +270
Cincinnati: +175
Over/under: 3.5 goals

When is Messi’s next game? Inter Miami upcoming schedule

Inter Miami will begin the 2025 Leagues Cup tournament after facing FC Cincinnati. 

July 30: Inter Miami vs. Atlas FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
Aug. 2: Inter Miami vs. Club Necaxa, 7 p.m. ET
Aug. 6: Inter Miami vs. Pumas UNAM, 7:30 p.m. 

Lionel Messi, Inter Miami and Major League Soccer experienced the worst week in their two years together, collectively mishandling his 2025 All-Star Game absence. 

Messi and Jordi Alba were disciplined by MLS commissioner Don Garber for skipping the All-Star Game, causing them to miss a marquee matchup against first-place FC Cincinnati on Saturday, July 26. 

Soccer fans won’t see Messi, the 2024 MLS MVP, on a grand stage against Cincinnati’s Evander, a rising Brazilian who captained the MLS All-Stars in Messi’s place and is in the conversation with him for 2025 MVP.  

Instead, there will be numerous shots of Messi stewing in an on-field suite, likely sitting next to Inter Miami’s newest signee, Argentina World Cup-winning teammate Rodrigo De Paul.  

The situation marks the lowest point of the Messi era in this the league’s 30th season – all while he’s been in ongoing contract negotiations to continue his career with Inter Miami. 

“He’s very upset,” Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said of Messi during a Zoom press conference. “I’m hopeful it doesn’t have an impact long term.” 

Messi, Inter Miami and MLS should have collectively agreed on him missing the All-Star Game. Garber could have granted Messi an excused absence. And Messi should be on the pitch Saturday doing what he does best. 

This matter should have been resolved before All-Star Week, offering the spotlight to the MLS players who played in the showcase instead of the shadow cast by Messi’s whereabouts and whether he would be disciplined. 

“I hope they respect the decision I made, and I understand they’re going to be disappointed by that decision,” Garber told USA TODAY Sports. “I hope that Leo’s commitment to our league, and the journey he’s been on and we’ve been on growing Major League Soccer is as important to him going forward as it has been in the past.” 

What went wrong? 

There was miscommunication from a series of phone calls exchanged between Inter Miami and MLS. There was no formal meeting on the matter, or a request from the club for Messi to miss the All-Star Game in Austin, Texas. 

Mas spoke to the league on July 21 and 22, while some around the league expected Messi and Alba to show the day of the All-Star Game on July 23. Mas believed Messi would be exempt from attending – and the one-game suspension – because of his workload. 

Messi played every minute in 22 of 23 matches since April 2, logging more than 2,000 minutes during the span. His last game off was April 27. He recently set an MLS record scoring two goals in five straight matches, and six of his last seven in the regular season. 

“Load management is on Lionel Messi,” Mas said. “When he steps on the pitch, he will step off when the final whistle blows.” 

The All-Star Game fell four days after Messi completed nine matches in 35 days, which included representing MLS on a global stage in the FIFA Club World Cup.  

Inter Miami didn’t want Messi and Alba to travel to Texas, following road trips to face Cincinnati and the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey, with their second match with Cincinnati starting another stretch of 10 games in 34 days.  

“He’s played more games than any player this year, and their schedule has him wanting to take a break. It was based on his commitment to his club, and I understand and respect his decision,” Garber said. “But we have a long-standing policy that is related to All-Star participation for all players. And unfortunately, I had to enforce the policy. It was a difficult decision to make.” 

The MLS All-Star policy was first initiated in 2015 after players used “phantom injuries” to avoid the exhibition in previous years.  

Zlatan Ibrahimović was suspended when he played for the LA Galaxy for skipping the event in 2018, criticizing the rule at the time for being “ridiculous.”  

Messi missing the All-Star Game, however, is a different story. 

“From the league’s perspective, this is really frustrating,” analyst and former U.S. men’s national team star Landon Donovan said on social media. “You have your best player. Your partners want him there. The owners want him there. The sponsors want him there. The fans want him there. The other guys on the MLS All-Star team want the chance to play with Messi. That’s a dream for them. So, this becomes a really challenging situation.” 

Lionel Messi is ‘different’ for MLS

Messi isn’t entirely blameless in this, either. He could have jumped on a plane for the day, signed autographs and posed for photos with fellow players, waved at the fans, and even played a half so MLS could have a moment to celebrate having him in the league.  

But Messi has done everything asked of him since he joined MLS in July 2023 – outside of playing in this All-Star Game, of course.  

“Obviously, Lionel Messi is Lionel Messi. He is different. He has completely changed the economics of this league for every single club, every team, every sponsor, the league, media, etc.,” Mas said. “He’s important … But at the end of the day, league corporate sponsors are already taking advantage of Lionel Messi’s presence in the league.” 

Messi has the best-selling jersey around the world and brought international attention to MLS. He’s provided awe-inspiring highlight plays and historic moments that make you wonder ‘how is this guy still doing this at 38 years old?’

Mas said Inter Miami’s Club World Cup loss to UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain was viewed globally by more than 30 million people.  

“I know Leo Messi loves this league. I don’t think there’s been a player, or frankly just about anyone, who has done for MLS than Leo Messi has,” Garber said. “His games are special moments. Every one of them is a must-see match, and it’s that commitment what he does on the field that makes this decision so complicated.” 

Messi stayed in Miami this week while his wife and three sons went to Italy on vacation. He practiced Friday, thinking he would be able to play against Cincinnati. 

After practice, Messi reunited with De Paul on Inter Miami’s training fields. Then, he signed hundreds of autographs and posed for photos with kids attending Inter Miami’s summer camp before he received Garber’s decision.  

“This whole Messi MLS All-Star game mess was avoidable,” analyst and former U.S. men’s national team standout Alexi Lalas said on social media. “Now, he can have a rest.” 

The undisputed women’s heavyweight champion wore high heels, a fur coat, an eye-catching swimsuit and a G.W.O.A.T. chain around her neck.

Before Shields stepped on the scale, someone brushed her long blond hair and she flexed her biceps. Her official weight: 174.6 pounds.

Shields’ opponent, New Zealander Lani Daniels, showed up at the weigh-in wearing a bucket hat and a fishing vest while paying tribute to the indigenous Maori. She is of Maori descent.

With Shields’ undisputed heavyweight world title on the line, promoter Dmitriy Salitas said he expects Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) will be fighting Daniels (11-2-2, 1 KO) in front of a sellout crowd of 19,000 at Little Caesars Arena.

Daniels, 37, is the current IBF light heavyweight champion and held the IBF world heavyweight title in 2023.

“She’s not as big as Danielle Perkins,’’ Shields said, referring to her last opponent, “but she’s very elusive. She’s fast, she’s aggressive, she’s very awkward and I look forward to figuring it out and fighting her on Saturday.

“I am very great at being very strategic and figuring out how about putting my opponent through the most pain and beat ’em up in here. And that’s my own goal is just to beat her up. I want to beat Lani Daniels up. I want to put her on an entertaining fight. I want to collect some more belts and I want to continue to let everybody know I’m the greatest woman of all time because the things that I do these other girls can’t do.’’

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Inter Miami will host FC Cincinnati without two of its biggest stars on Saturday, July 26. 

Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba won’t play for Inter Miami, both serving a mandatory one-game absence for skipping the MLS All-Star Game earlier this week. 

It’s a battle between two of the best clubs in the MLS Eastern Conference. Cincinnati sits atop the MLS Supporters’ Shield standings with 48 points, while Inter Miami is fifth place in the East with 41 points. 

While Inter Miami has three games in hand to play this season due to their congested schedule, losing twice in two weeks to Cincinnati could hurt their chance to win the conference and contest for their second consecutive Supporters’ Shield title.

Cincinnati beat Inter Miami 3-0 on July 16, led by MVP candidate Evander, who scored two goals in the matchup. 

Here’s what you need to know and stay tuned for live updates from USA TODAY Sports: 

What time is the Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati match? 

The match begins at 7:15 p.m. ET.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati on TV? 

The match will be broadcast on FS1. 

How to watch Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati on live stream? 

The match will also be available to stream on AppleTV+ and MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Is Lionel Messi playing tonight? 

No, Messi is not playing against FC Cincinnati. 

Why is Lionel Messi not playing tonight? 

Messi was disciplined with a one-game absence by MLS commissioner Don Garber for skipping the MLS All-Star Game earlier this week in Austin, Texas.

When is Messi’s next game? Inter Miami upcoming schedule

Inter Miami will begin the 2025 Leagues Cup tournament after facing FC Cincinnati. 

July 30: Inter Miami vs. Atlas FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
Aug. 2: Inter Miami vs. Club Necaxa, 7 p.m. ET
Aug. 6: Inter Miami vs. Pumas UNAM, 7:30 p.m. 

Athletics designated hitter Nick Kurtz made MLB history Friday night, becoming the first rookie to hit four home runs in a single game, according to the league.

Kurtz accomplished the feat against the Houston Astros, sending the ball into the stands at Daikin Park in the second, sixth, eighth and ninth innings. The 22-year-old, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, went 6-for-6 overall on Friday night with eight RBIs and six runs scored.

All four pitchers the Astros used Friday yielded a home run to Kurtz: Starter Ryan Gusto, relievers Nick Hernandez and Kaleb Ort, and outfielder Cooper Hummel, who was called on to throw the ninth inning with the home team down 11-2. Kurtz’s three-run homer off Hummel ended the scoring for the A’s in an eventual 15-3 win.

It marks just the 20th time overall a player has hit four home runs in a single game. The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Eugenio Suarez was the last to accomplish the feat, hitting four homers against the Atlanta Braves this past April.

Check out some other wild stats from Kurtz’s incredible game:

Nick Kurtz stats vs. Astros

Per MLB’s Sarah Langs, Kurtz is the youngest player ever to hit four homers in a game … by nearly 3 years. Kurtz, at 22 years and 135 days old, eclipses Pat Seerey, who was 25 years and 123 days old when he hit four homers for the Chicago White Sox during a game against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1948.

But it wasn’t just home runs. Per Langs, Kurtz’s 6-for-6 performance at the plate helped him tie Shawn Green’s modern record (since 1900) for most total bases in a game with 19. And he had just the ninth six-run game since 1900.

Kurtz told reporters his performance was the kind of ‘Stuff that you don’t even dream about, because it doesn’t really happen.’

Watch: Nick Kurtz hits four homers

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Another member of the Tennessee Titans’ offense has been injured before the start of preseason action.

Wide receiver and former first-round pick Treylon Burks suffered a fractured collarbone during practice on Saturday, July 26, according to multiple reports. The news comes less than a week after the Titans announced quarterback Will Levis will miss the 2025 season with a shoulder injury.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on social media that Burks suffered the injury while making ‘a sick, diving catch on the sidelines.’

Burks was set to enter his fourth season with Tennessee in 2025. He missed the final 12 games of last year after tearing his ACL during practice before a Week 7 game with the Buffalo Bills.

Now, Burks will miss more time with another injury suffered during a practice session.

Titans WR depth chart

Tennessee made some significant moves this offseason to invest in its wide receivers corps and build around quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.

The Titans have signed a total of six free agent receivers this offseason – including one, Matt Landers, earlier this week, as well as UDFA wideout and Ward’s former Miami teammate Xavier Restrepo. They also selected two wide receivers in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft: Stanford product Elic Ayomanor and Florida’s Chimere Dike.

After Burks’ injury Saturday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Titans also signed former Raiders wideout Ramel Keyton.

Here’s the full list of the Titans’ currently rostered wide receivers:

Calvin Ridley
Van Jefferson
Tyler Lockett
Treylon Burks
Elic Ayomanor
Chimere Dike
Xavier Restrepo
Bryce Oliver
Mason Kinsey
Jha’Quan Jackson
James Proche II
Matt Landers
TJ Sheffield
Ramel Keyton