INDIANAPOLIS — Tyrese Haliburton used to have the video staff assemble clips of his made shots and assists.

Then, Rick Carlisle became his coach with the Indiana Pacers.

“He’s really helped me learn how to watch film, which I think is important,” Haliburton said. “I think that’s something that’s not talked about enough. … If you’re just watching and trying to find your highlights, that’s much different than really trying to dissect things.’

Carlisle and Haliburton are spending time dissecting video of Oklahoma City’s defense on Haliburton and the Pacers through the first two games of the NBA Finals.

While the series is tied at 1-1, the Thunder have led for all but one minute and 53.3 seconds of the 96 minutes over two games.

Headed into Game 3 Wednesday, June 11 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC), attention is on Haliburton and his ability to break down Oklahoma City’s top-ranked defense.

“We’ve gone through these situations many times, not only during the playoffs but during the regular season, not just this season but prior seasons,” Carlilse said. “We’re going to have to adjust and create better situations. We’re going to have to be better.”

In the Thunder’s 123-107 victory in Game 2 on Sunday, June 8, Haliburton scored 17 points and had six assists, but 12 points came in the fourth quarter when the Thunder had established control.

It doesn’t mean the Pacers can’t learn from those points and help Haliburton create better offensive opportunities.

Carlisle and Haliburton acknowledged that it is difficult playing against the Thunder’s top-ranked defense.

“Oklahoma City has more people to throw at a great player – really at both of our All-Stars,” Carlisle said. “They can throw bigger, smaller, medium guys at Tyrese and at Pascal (Siakam). It’s one of their strengths.”

The Thunder made a change to their lineup at the start of the Finals, inserting Cason Wallace into the starting lineup and putting Isaiah Hartenstein on the bench. That gives the Thunder more versatility with a smaller but still strong lineup. That decision takes away some of Indiana’s ability to find favorable matchups.

According to nba.com player-tracking data, Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort, a first-team All-Defensive selection this season, Jalen Williams, a second-team All-Defensive selection this season, Alex Caruso, an All-Defensive choice in 2023 and 2024, and MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are guarding Haliburton the most. They are using their size, strength and speed to help defend Haliburton.

“They got more guys than most teams in the NBA that are high level at the point of attack,” Haliburton said. “They’re really connected on the defensive end. I feel like they mix up coverages. I think (Thunder) coach (Mark) Daigneault isn’t afraid to do things on the fly. He doesn’t do everything that’s like very traditional.”

Haliburton hinted at a couple of solutions. Getting into the offense quicker in the shotclock and curtailing pick-and-roll sets.

“That starts with me just getting us in better positions, playing out of different spots, all those things,” Haliburton said. “Definitely got to mix it up against these guys.”

During the regular season, 37.7% of Indiana’s shots were taken with 15 or more seconds remaining on the 24-second shot clock. In the Finals, just 30.5% of the Pacers’ shot attempts came with 15 or more seconds on the shot clock.

“I feel like I probably got caught in too many high pick-and-rolls where they can really pack it in and end up getting shots late against the clock, especially the first half of both games,” Haliburton said.

In the fourth quarter of Game 2, the Pacers found success getting Haliburton the basketball on the go, using multiple screens to give him space in the paint and at the 3-point line.

None of that is easy, especially with the Thunder using their physicality, and Haliburton is a banged up with what he termed a “lower (right) leg thing” but he says he is fine and will be ready for Game 3.

“Keep watching film, see where I can get better,” Haliburton said. “The answers always lie in the film.”

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

College football is just around the corner, and ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ has already set its location for Week 1 of the 2025 season, which will be Lee Corso’s final appearance on the show.

‘GameDay’ will be headed to Columbus, Ohio, for an expected top-five ranked matchup between Ohio State, the reigning national champions, and Texas in a rematch of the Cotton Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

The 89-year-old who has been a key member of the show since its inception in 1987 will receive a celebratory sendoff.

Ohio State-Texas will still be the site of ‘GameDay’ in Week 1, despite the game airing on Fox. Alabama-Florida State and LSU-Clemson will occupy ABC’s primetime slots at 3:30 p.m. ET and 7:30 p.m. ET.

Corso has a 286-144 all-time record on headgear picks and will look to add his 287th when Ohio State and Texas face off on Saturday, Aug. 30.

“My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and ‘College GameDay’ for nearly 40 years,” Corso said in a news release in April. “I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.”

The Atlanta Dream have defeated the Indiana Fever, who were without Caitlin Clark for a fifth consecutive game. 

The Fever’s 77-58 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday drops Indiana to 4-5 on the season and 2-3 without Clark, who strained her left quad during the Fever’s 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24. Meanwhile, the Dream advance to 6-3 on the season following a 23-point performance from Allisha Gray, who added six rebounds, four assists and two steals to her stat line.

Tuesday’s matchup — which marked the third matchup of the season between the Fever and Dream — was tied 33-33 at halftime, but the Dream outscored the Fever 44-22 in the second half to win by double digits. Atlanta won the rebound battle (44-27) and points-in-the-paint battle (46-28) against the injury-riddled Fever. 

The Dream are now 2-1 against the Fever to start the year. They split two games earlier this season, with Atlanta earning a 91-90 victory in the first meeting despite a 27-point outburst from Clark, while Indiana bounced back for an 81-76 victory thanks to a 26-point showing by Howard. The Dream and Fever will meet one more time in the regular season on July 11.

Here’s a recap of the Fever vs. Dream matchup on Tuesday:

Fever vs. Dream highlights

Final: Dream 77, Fever 58

Check out full stats from the Dream-Fever game here.

End of Q3: Dream 56, Fever 42

The Dream outscored the Fever 23-9 in the third quarter to take a 14-point lead into the fourth quarter, which marks Atlanta’s largest lead of the night. Allisha Gray is up to 21 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in the contest, followed by 19 points and seven rebounds from Brionna Jones. Meanwhile, no Fever player has reached double digits in scoring. Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston each have seven points.

Halftime: Fever 33, Dream 33

We are all tied up in Atlanta at halftime.

Allisha Gray leads the Dream with 13 points (5-of-8 FG, 0-of-3 3PT) and five rebounds, while Brionna Jones added 11 points. Veteran center Brittney Griner has been limited to five points in seven minutes of play due to foul trouble. Atlanta has struggled from 3 so far and collectively is shooting 0-for-7 from beyond the arc. The Dream’s bench is also scoreless and has failed to score a field goal.

Meanwhile, Aari McDonald leads the Fever with nine points off the bench. Aliyah Boston is up to seven points, four assists and three rebounds despite having two early fouls.

End of Q1: Dream 22, Fever 19

Despite being 0-of-3 from the 3-point line, the Dream have a three-point lead over the Fever after the first quarter. Brionna Jones leads the Dream with eight points, while Allisha Gray added seven. The Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell and Natasha Howard both have four points.

Will Caitlin Clark play on Tuesday?

The Fever will be without Clark for the team’s fifth consecutive game. Clark was ruled out of Tuesday’s contest due to a left quad strain she suffered during the Fever’s 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24. The Fever originally announced that Clark would be sidelined for at least two weeks, meaning Tuesday’s game against the Dream was Clark’s earliest return date. However, Fever coach Stephanie White said the team is ‘going to be cautious’ with Clark and make sure she’s 100% before she returns to the lineup.

Sophie Cunningham was also ruled out due to a right ankle injury.

Indiana Fever starting lineup

The Fever’s starting lineup consists of Sydney Colson, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston.

Atlanta Dream starting lineup

The Atlanta Dream’s starting five consists of Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner.

Aliyah Boston stats

Aliyah Boston, the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year, is averaging a career-high 15.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks through eight games (all starts). She’s averaging 29.3 minutes per game.

Dream vs. Fever preview: Who are the X-factors?

The Indiana Fever have stayed afloat without Caitlin Clark, going 2-2 during her absence to date and winning back-to-back games against the Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky.

On Tuesday, Indiana will look to extend its winning streak to three games as it takes on the Atlanta Dream, but it will do so without Clark, who is still nursing a quad injury.

The Dream and Fever have met twice during the 2025 WNBA season. They split those two games, with Atlanta earning a 91-90 victory in the first meeting despite a 27-point outburst from Clark, while Indiana bounced back for an 81-76 victory thanks to a 26-point showing by Natasha Howard.

The Fever will continue to rely on Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell as their top offensive threats. The duo have averaged a combined 29 points per game in the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year’s absence.

Meanwhile, the Dream has one of the most balanced lineups in the WNBA. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard form a dynamic scoring backcourt. Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones provide a strong frontcourt scoring punch while also being one of the league’s best rebounding duos.

The size of Griner (6-9) will provide a particularly tough matchup for Boston (6-5) that could be key to deciding this game. The third-year pro has averaged 14 points and 8.5 rebounds in the Fever’s two games against the Dream. She has averaged 15.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game during the 2025 season as a whole.

What time is Fever vs. Dream?

The Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 10 at Gateway Center in Atlanta.

How to watch Fever vs. Dream WNBA game: TV, stream

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Gateway Center in Atlanta
TV (national): None
TV (local): MeTV (Indiana) | PeachtreeTV (Atlanta)
Stream: WNBA League pass

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Lionel Messi has a former Major League Soccer standout to thank for saving his return to Argentina on Thursday night. Now, Messi can focus on leading Inter Miami in the FIFA Club World Cup later this week.

Argentina’s Thiago Almada, who played with Atlanta United in 2022-24, scored the game-tying goal to salvage a 1-1 draw with Colombia at Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Almada scored in the 81st minute, roughly three minutes after Messi was substituted out of the match after receiving the start in his first match in his home country this year.

Messi hit the deck several times after tough challenges by defenders, but appeared to leave the match unscathed. Messi will likely return to South Florida on Wednesday, and fit some practice time in with Inter Miami on Thursday and Friday before the first of three-group stage matches in the Club World Cup.

Messi and Inter Miami play in the Club World Cup opener against Egyptian club Al Ahly on Saturday night at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

Messi did not score in his two-match stint with the national team before the tournament – Argentina beat Chile 1-0 last Thursday – but he did get a chance to reunite and practice with old teammates for the first time this year. He was unable to join them for two matches in March due to injury.

Liverpool standout Luis Díaz scored for Colombia in the 24th minute, nearly spoiling Messi’s return and scoring their second victory over the World Cup champions since the 2024 Copa America final.

Almada scored roughly 11 minutes after Argentina was forced to play with 10 men to close the match. Enzo Fernandez received a red card in the 70th minute, trying to connect with an airborne ball but kicking Colombia’s Kevin Castaño on the left side of his forehead. 

Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 to win their second straight Copa America title on July 15, 2024. Colombia last beat Argentina 2-1 in a match where Messi did not play due to an ankle injury on Sept. 10, 2024.

Argentina already has qualified for the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. But Messi has still yet to declare he will play in the tournament next year.

Argentina has three losses since Qatar World Cup win

Argentina has lost twice in their last 10 matches, but have three losses in their last 36 matches dating back to their opening loss to Saudi Arabia at the Qatar World Cup in 2022. Overall, Argentina has just five losses in their last 74 matches.

Argentina lost 2-0 to Brazil in the 2019 Copa America semifinals.
Argentina opened the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 22, 2022.
Argentina lost 2-0 to Uruguay in a World Cup qualifying match on Nov. 17, 2023.
Argentina lost 2-1 to Colombia in a Copa America final rematch on Sept. 10 in a game Messi did not play due to an ankle injury.
Argentina fell 2-1 to Paraguay in a World Cup qualifying match on Nov. 14, 2023.  

Thiago Almada goal: Argentina 1, Colombia 1

Thiago Almada dribbled past two defenders and fired a right boot into the back of the net in the 81st minute to tie this match against Colombia, roughly three minutes after Lionel Messi left the match as a substitute.

Messi leaves the match in 78th minute: Colombia 1, Argentina 0

Lionel Messi’s night is over after he was substituted off the pitch in the 78th minute.

Luis Díaz goal: Colombia 1, Argentina 0 

Luis Díaz dribbled past several defenders and scored in the 24th minute and Colombia leads Argentina 1-0. It was an impressive score from the Liverpool standout.

What time is the Argentina vs Colombia match? 

The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina). 

How to watch Argentina vs Colombia on TV, live stream? 

The match will be broadcast by Telemundo in the U.S. Here’s a link to watch soccer on Fubo.

Is Messi playing in Argentina vs. Colombia match?

Yes, Messi is expected to play and will be in the starting lineup. 

Messi came off the bench in Argentina’s last match, playing nearly 40 minutes in their 1-0 win in Chile last Thursday. Julián Alvarez scored the only goal in the match. 

Before re-joining Argentina earlier this month, Messi played in all seven of Inter Miami’s matches in May. 

What are the CONMEBOL standings for World Cup 2026 qualifying? 

Argentina has already qualified for the next World Cup, sitting atop the CONMEBOL standings with 34 points. Ecuador (24 points), Paraguay (24), Brazil (22), Uruguay (21) and Colombia (21) round out the top 6 from South America – all of which would qualify for the World Cup. 

When does Messi play in the FIFA Club World Cup? 

Messi and Inter Miami will play in the Club World Cup opener on Saturday against Egyptian side Al Ahly at 8 p.m. ET inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Inter Miami will also play FC Porto (Portugal) on June 19 in Atlanta and SE Palmeiras (Brazil) on June 23 in Miami to conclude the group stage.

Will Lionel Messi play in World Cup 2026? 

Messi has yet to declare whether he will play in the next World Cup with Argentina, the defending champions.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

The Atlanta Dream have defeated the Indiana Fever, who were without Caitlin Clark for a fifth consecutive game. 

The Fever’s 77-58 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday drops Indiana to 4-5 on the season and 2-3 without Clark, who strained her left quad during the Fever’s 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24. Meanwhile, the Dream advance to 6-3 on the season following a 23-point performance from Allisha Gray, who added six rebounds, four assists and two steals to her stat line.

Tuesday’s matchup — which marked the third matchup of the season between the Fever and Dream — was tied 33-33 at halftime, but the Dream outscored the Fever 44-22 in the second half to win by double digits. Atlanta won the rebound battle (44-27) and points-in-the-paint battle (46-28) against the injury-riddled Fever. 

The Dream are now 2-1 against the Fever to start the year. They split two games earlier this season, with Atlanta earning a 91-90 victory in the first meeting despite a 27-point outburst from Clark, while Indiana bounced back for an 81-76 victory thanks to a 26-point showing by Howard. The Dream and Fever will meet one more time in the regular season on July 11.

Here’s a recap of the Fever vs. Dream matchup on Tuesday:

Final: Dream 77, Fever 58

Check out full stats from the Dream-Fever game here.

End of Q3: Dream 56, Fever 42

The Dream outscored the Fever 23-9 in the third quarter to take a 14-point lead into the fourth quarter, which marks Atlanta’s largest lead of the night. Allisha Gray is up to 21 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in the contest, followed by 19 points and seven rebounds from Brionna Jones. Meanwhile, no Fever player has reached double digits in scoring. Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston each have seven points.

Halftime: Fever 33, Dream 33

We are all tied up in Atlanta at halftime.

Allisha Gray leads the Dream with 13 points (5-of-8 FG, 0-of-3 3PT) and five rebounds, while Brionna Jones added 11 points. Veteran center Brittney Griner has been limited to five points in seven minutes of play due to foul trouble. Atlanta has struggled from 3 so far and collectively is shooting 0-for-7 from beyond the arc. The Dream’s bench is also scoreless and has failed to score a field goal.

Meanwhile, Aari McDonald leads the Fever with nine points off the bench. Aliyah Boston is up to seven points, four assists and three rebounds despite having two early fouls.

End of Q1: Dream 22, Fever 19

Despite being 0-of-3 from the 3-point line, the Dream have a three-point lead over the Fever after the first quarter. Brionna Jones leads the Dream with eight points, while Allisha Gray added seven. The Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell and Natasha Howard both have four points.

Will Caitlin Clark play on Tuesday?

The Fever will be without Clark for the team’s fifth consecutive game. Clark was ruled out of Tuesday’s contest due to a left quad strain she suffered during the Fever’s 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24. The Fever originally announced that Clark would be sidelined for at least two weeks, meaning Tuesday’s game against the Dream was Clark’s earliest return date. However, Fever coach Stephanie White said the team is ‘going to be cautious’ with Clark and make sure she’s 100% before she returns to the lineup.

Sophie Cunningham was also ruled out due to a right ankle injury.

Indiana Fever starting lineup

The Fever’s starting lineup consists of Sydney Colson, Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, Natasha Howard and Aliyah Boston.

Atlanta Dream starting lineup

The Atlanta Dream’s starting five consists of Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner.

Aliyah Boston stats

Aliyah Boston, the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year, is averaging a career-high 15.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks through eight games (all starts). She’s averaging 29.3 minutes per game.

Dream vs. Fever preview: Who are the X-factors?

The Indiana Fever have stayed afloat without Caitlin Clark, going 2-2 during her absence to date and winning back-to-back games against the Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky.

On Tuesday, Indiana will look to extend its winning streak to three games as it takes on the Atlanta Dream, but it will do so without Clark, who is still nursing a quad injury.

The Dream and Fever have met twice during the 2025 WNBA season. They split those two games, with Atlanta earning a 91-90 victory in the first meeting despite a 27-point outburst from Clark, while Indiana bounced back for an 81-76 victory thanks to a 26-point showing by Natasha Howard.

The Fever will continue to rely on Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell as their top offensive threats. The duo have averaged a combined 29 points per game in the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year’s absence.

Meanwhile, the Dream has one of the most balanced lineups in the WNBA. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard form a dynamic scoring backcourt. Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones provide a strong frontcourt scoring punch while also being one of the league’s best rebounding duos.

The size of Griner (6-9) will provide a particularly tough matchup for Boston (6-5) that could be key to deciding this game. The third-year pro has averaged 14 points and 8.5 rebounds in the Fever’s two games against the Dream. She has averaged 15.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game during the 2025 season as a whole.

What time is Fever vs. Dream?

The Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 10 at Gateway Center in Atlanta.

How to watch Fever vs. Dream WNBA game: TV, stream

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Gateway Center in Atlanta
TV (national): None
TV (local): MeTV (Indiana) | PeachtreeTV (Atlanta)
Stream: WNBA League pass

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Lionel Messi has a former Major League Soccer standout to thank for saving his return to Argentina on Thursday night. Now, Messi can focus on leading Inter Miami in the FIFA Club World Cup later this week.

Argentina’s Thiago Almada, who played with Atlanta United in 2022-24, scored the game-tying goal to salvage a 1-1 draw with Colombia at Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Almada scored in the 81st minute, roughly three minutes after Messi was substituted out of the match after receiving the start in his first match in his home country this year.

Messi hit the deck several times after tough challenges by defenders, but appeared to leave the match unscathed. Messi will likely return to South Florida on Wednesday, and fit some practice time in with Inter Miami on Thursday and Friday before the first of three-group stage matches in the Club World Cup.

Messi and Inter Miami play in the Club World Cup opener against Egyptian club Al Ahly on Saturday night at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

Messi did not score in his two-match stint with the national team before the tournament – Argentina beat Chile 1-0 last Thursday – but he did get a chance to reunite and practice with old teammates for the first time this year. He was unable to join them for two matches in March due to injury.

Liverpool standout Luis Díaz scored for Colombia in the 24th minute, nearly spoiling Messi’s return and scoring their second victory over the World Cup champions since the 2024 Copa America final.

Almada scored roughly 11 minutes after Argentina was forced to play with 10 men to close the match. Enzo Fernandez received a red card in the 70th minute, trying to connect with an airborne ball but kicking Colombia’s Kevin Castaño on the left side of his forehead. 

Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 to win their second straight Copa America title on July 15, 2024. Colombia last beat Argentina 2-1 in a match where Messi did not play due to an ankle injury on Sept. 10, 2024.

Argentina already has qualified for the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. But Messi has still yet to declare he will play in the tournament next year.

Argentina has three World Cup losses after Qatar World Cup

Argentina has lost twice in their last 10 matches, but have three losses in their last 36 matches dating back to their opening loss to Saudi Arabia at the Qatar World Cup in 2022. Overall, Argentina has just five losses in their last 74 matches.

Argentina lost 2-0 to Brazil in the 2019 Copa America semifinals.
Argentina opened the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 22, 2022.
Argentina lost 2-0 to Uruguay in a World Cup qualifying match on Nov. 17, 2023.
Argentina lost 2-1 to Colombia in a Copa America final rematch on Sept. 10 in a game Messi did not play due to an ankle injury.
Argentina fell 2-1 to Paraguay in a World Cup qualifying match on Nov. 14, 2023.  

Thiago Almada goal: Argentina 1, Colombia 1

Thiago Almada dribbled past two defenders and fired a right boot into the back of the net in the 81st minute to tie this match against Colombia, roughly three minutes after Lionel Messi left the match as a substitute.

Messi leaves the match in 78th minute: Colombia 1, Argentina 0

Lionel Messi’s night is over after he was substituted off the pitch in the 78th minute.

Luis Díaz goal: Colombia 1, Argentina 0 

Luis Díaz dribbled past several defenders and scored in the 24th minute and Colombia leads Argentina 1-0. It was an impressive score from the Liverpool standout.

What time is the Argentina vs Colombia match? 

The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Argentina). 

How to watch Argentina vs Colombia on TV, live stream? 

The match will be broadcast by Telemundo in the U.S. Here’s a link to watch soccer on Fubo.

Is Messi playing in Argentina vs. Colombia match?

Yes, Messi is expected to play and will be in the starting lineup. 

Messi came off the bench in Argentina’s last match, playing nearly 40 minutes in their 1-0 win in Chile last Thursday. Julián Alvarez scored the only goal in the match. 

Before re-joining Argentina earlier this month, Messi played in all seven of Inter Miami’s matches in May. 

What are the CONMEBOL standings for World Cup 2026 qualifying? 

Argentina has already qualified for the next World Cup, sitting atop the CONMEBOL standings with 34 points. Ecuador (24 points), Paraguay (24), Brazil (22), Uruguay (21) and Colombia (21) round out the top 6 from South America – all of which would qualify for the World Cup. 

When does Messi play in the FIFA Club World Cup? 

Messi and Inter Miami will play in the Club World Cup opener on Saturday against Egyptian side Al Ahly at 8 p.m. ET inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Inter Miami will also play FC Porto (Portugal) on June 19 in Atlanta and SE Palmeiras (Brazil) on June 23 in Miami to conclude the group stage.

Will Lionel Messi play in World Cup 2026? 

Messi has yet to declare whether he will play in the next World Cup with Argentina, the defending champions.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

BEREA, Ohio — Few players in Cleveland Browns history became beloved to the level Nick Chubb did.

His departure after seven years in northern Ohio, formalized by Chubb signing a one-year deal with the Houston Texans this week, was equally felt by the fan base and inside the Browns’ locker room.

‘Love Nick,’ defensive end Myles Garrett said. ‘A lot of people in this locker room still feel the same way as I do.

‘We want the best for him.’

Chubb made four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2019-22 and rushed for 1,525 yards, a career best, in 2022. At 80.5 rushing yards per game, he trails only Jim Brown in franchise history, while his 51 touchdowns ranks third behind Brown and Leroy Kelly on the all-time team list.

‘I got time to grow and mature’: Shedeur Sanders battling at Browns camp

‘You guys know how I feel about him,’ head coach Kevin Stefanski said. ‘Huge part of our success here and a huge part of our franchise.’

Disaster struck two weeks into the 2023 season, when he suffered a devastating knee injury that ended his year and required an extensive recovery. The way he battled back further endeared him to his teammates and fans. But he broke his foot with three games to play last season, with the Browns well removed from the playoff race.

To see Chubb go through all of that broke Garrett’s heart. But Chubb passed his physical with Houston, and Garrett is happy he can still play and wants to see him return to form with a smile on his face.

“Continue to ball out,” as Garrett put it.

As he negotiated his record-setting (at the time) contract extension amid an offseason trade request, Garrett said he made it clear during his conversations with the front office that he also wanted Chubb back. Instead, the Browns went younger at the position and drafted Quinshon Judkins out of Ohio State in the second round and Dylan Sampson from Tennessee in the fourth.

Garrett’s like what he’s seen thus far from the backs in general but he called it “an emotional blow” to not have Chubb around any longer.

“He’s broken through all the ceilings that we set for him while recovering from injuries he’s had, as extensive those have been,” Garrett said. “He’s special.”