Fans on tenterhooks over absence of stars in the All-Star Game

▲ Sergio Ramos, Spanish international and Rayados player, was confirmed as captain of the Liga MX team that will face its MLS counterpart this Wednesday in Austin, Texas. Photo @sergioramos

Juan Manuel Vázquez

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La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, p. a10

Austin. The MLS All-Star Game, where Liga MX is the visiting opponent, has fans on tenterhooks. It's still unclear whether its undisputed star, Lionel Messi, will be on the field this Wednesday night at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.

While stores specializing in this match primarily display items related to the Argentine star, until Tuesday night there was doubt about the player's participation.

His prominence as a figure is so obvious that any reference to this exhibition match requires his image. There is no other footballer in the region who can match his brilliance.

What's more, Jordi Alba, Messi's teammate during his glory years with Barcelona, isn't guaranteed either. Both stars were absent from training with the MLS team, fueling suspicions that they are at risk of missing out.

This doesn't just affect the MLS team, because Sergio Ramos, their former rival in the Spanish league and now Rayados de Monterrey center back, was also suspended.

However, Liga MX president Mikel Arriola cleared up any doubts yesterday, as the spectacle of challenges before the main match was already underway and rumors of absences grew stronger.

Thus, Ramos was confirmed as the captain of the Mexican league team in the all-star duel. Therefore, at least on the posters, the former Real Madrid player's presence was confirmed.

Unknowns

However, another star representative of the Liga MX, León forward James Rodríguez, remains a mystery regarding his participation. His presence has not yet been confirmed, and there were reports that the Colombian player, who also played for the Merengue team, would not be present at this evening of entertainment, not just sporting events.

James was called up and appeared in promotional lineups, but he also didn't attend training sessions.

The fundamental reason is that this isn't an official match and therefore lacks a genuine rivalry. Almost all of the Mexican tournament's players who have been called up acknowledged this. Some appealed to the competition between the two countries as a good motivation, although when they were honest, they made it clear that the most stimulating part of the evening was rubbing shoulders with legendary figures.

Chivas striker Roberto Piojo Alvarado admitted that he would have liked to be with his teammates at the Rebaño and following the instructions of the new coach, Argentine Gabriel Milito.

But we have this commitment and we have to enjoy it , said the red and white player.

Others, like Xolos midfielder Gilberto Mora, acknowledged that the most exciting thing of all would be sharing the pitch with a star like Lionel Messi. That, it seems, would be the main incentive. But there are no guarantees that the dream will come true.

▲ The Pumas' new signing, wearing a cap and sunglasses, was welcomed yesterday by the feline fans. Photo taken from social media.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, p. a11

After a flight from Rosario with a stopover in Guatemala, Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas, a three-time World Cup winner with a winning past at Real Madrid, completed the final steps yesterday to join Pumas from Newell's Old Boys in Argentina. "La Pantera ," the nickname his teammates and former coaches use for his feline reflexes, stopped in Mexico City early in the morning before returning that evening with a work visa certifying his professional activity in the Liga MX. According to the Rosario team, his transfer transaction totaled $2 million.

I'm eager to get started and give it my all. It's a privilege to be at a club that has had great players like Hugo Sánchez, a great responsibility. I hope we can get results , he commented as he crossed the international arrivals hall at Mexico City International Airport, wearing a Pumas cap, scarf, and sunglasses, surrounded by more than twenty people waiting for his arrival. I have friends who played here, others who have given me very good comments about the league. Everyone's goal is to win titles .

From the Mexican consulate in the Central American country, Navas shared a farewell message via social media for the Leprosos fans, who were enraged by the way in which the 38-year-old national team player, with a contract valid until the end of the current season, forced his departure from the squad managed by former footballer Cristian Fabbiani by refusing to coach in the last league match at home against Banfield.

"Apologize, Keylor. You're at Newell's, this isn't Costa Rica, your motherfucker," the Costa Rican goalkeeper was reprimanded on Sunday when he came off the bench at the Marcelo Bielsa Stadium. In response to the accusations against him, Navas argued that football has rules that are often hidden from view , often linked to the fans' passion for a club.

"It's natural to want everything to be perfect, with no room for doubt or ambiguity. I understand and respect that. I leave in peace, with joy, knowing that my professionalism and loyalty to this club was total ," he wrote, with a background image of his time in the red-and-black goal. Hours later, the Mexican diplomat and consul in Guatemala, Alejandro Martínez Peralta, confirmed that Navas had promptly received his work visa to continue his contract process with the felines in the country.

I had the opportunity to chat with him and I am convinced that he will be a great contribution to the team due to his mentality, his great value as a human being and his desire to succeed , he published on his official X account.

A winning player, La Pantera won 12 titles with Real Madrid in 2017 and another 10 with Paris Saint-Germain, and was also a teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at both clubs. With the Costa Rican national team, he played 120 matches, conceded 134 goals, and participated in three World Cups: Brazil 2014, where he reached the quarterfinals, as well as Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

▲ Chloe Kelly became England's hero by scoring the winning goal against Italy from the penalty spot. Photo AFP

AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, p. a11

Geneva. From the brink of collapse, reigning champions England rallied in extra time to beat Italy 2-1 and become the first-ever finalist of the Women's European Championship.

Chloe Kelly urged calm from her fans as they celebrated after scoring the winning goal for the Lionesses. The Arsenal forward capitalized on goalkeeper Laura Giuliani's rebound from her penalty kick, one minute before the end of extra time.

“It's incredible, a tremendous feeling. This team deserves nothing more than this. Three finals in a row—Euro 2022 and 2025, a World Cup loss to Spain in 2023—and we still want more. I'm just doing my best for the team,” he said.

Italy had taken the lead through Barbara Bonansea (33) and England equalised in the final minutes of regular time with a goal from Michelle Agyemang (90+6).

With only four international caps and already a hero in the quarter-final against Sweden (2-2, penalties 3-2), the 19-year-old Agyemang ended the Italian dream with a powerful shot that went in through a forest of legs as the Azzurri squad celebrated their passage to the final.

England returns to this stage despite their ups and downs in the tournament, in which they have conceded more goals (6) than in the continental championship they won in 2022 as hosts. An almost supernatural competitive gene and the success of their substitutes have taken them to the title match.

The Italians, returning to the semifinals for the first time in 28 years, displayed a compact block and precision on the counterattack. Bonansea delivered excellent control and a shot from the six-yard box without dropping the ball.

Clearly of a lesser caliber, the players coached by Andrea Soncin displayed effort and determination to come within striking distance of glory. They leave with their heads held high, confirming their rebirth after an absence from the World Cup between 2003 and 2015.

With the experience of their sixth consecutive semifinal in major tournaments, the English immediately took control of the ball, moving through the wings.

A few seconds before the final whistle, when the fans, immersed in a sea of English fans, were beginning their celebration, Agyemang took the match to extra time, making the Geneva stadium and its 26,500 spectators roar.

Unstoppable, Kelly came close to knocking out the ball with a magnificent left-footed shot, but it just missed the top corner. The Arsenal forward finally scored on the rebound from her own penalty, saved by Giuliani after Emma Severini fouled Mead.

The second finalist will be decided today in the duel between Spain and Germany.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, p. a12

On July 31, 2024, Prisca Awiti gave Mexico a historic silver medal at the Paris Olympic Games. The image of the judoka hugging her siblings after losing the final to Slovenian Andreja Leski went viral around the world, as no one expected the British-born athlete to make it onto the podium.

What a day! Tears, tears, and tears. I have no words to express how much I felt and the support I received. It's still quite surreal, but I hope this inspires the next generation , the athlete said after receiving her medal.

Nearly a year after that feat and six months after participating in the Georgia Grand Slam in March, Awiti will begin her journey toward the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.

At 29 years old, the judoka is determined to prove that her medal wasn't a fluke or a stroke of luck. Less than three years away from the opening ceremony of the U.S. event, the Mexican is charting the course that will lead her to a second Olympic experience. "I don't feel pressure; it's simply about doing what you know, and the results will come on their own. I feel much better physically and ready for the challenges ahead ," she declared a few weeks ago in an interview with CONADE.

Its activity will begin on August 3 in Mexico City, with the National Championship, which will be held at the Azcapotzalco Sports Center.

From September 5 to 7, he will compete in the Pan American Judo Cup in San Salvador, a competition that awards points toward qualification for the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, in accordance with the regulations of the Pan American Judo Confederation.

The athlete will return to activity after injuring the ligaments in her right elbow, which sidelined her for several months.

After undergoing surgery, the national team will return to high performance with a stronger edge, aiming to earn international ranking points and gain experience against its main rivals in the cycle.

The most important competition of the quarter for Awiti will be the Guadalajara Grand Prix , held from October 17 to 19, a tournament that awards points toward the International Judo Federation (IJF) world ranking . This competition is part of the IJF World Tour and is ranked among the four most important globally, bringing together the world's best judokas in search of key spots in the international qualifying cycle.

Although before Paris, few knew about the judoka's career, she had already shone in competitions such as the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games (bronze) and the Guadalajara 2021 and Calgary 2023 Pan American Championships (silver in both).

The tricolor's preparation will be strengthened with international camps in Valencia, Spain (August) and Tokyo, Japan (September), as well as training sessions in Mexico City.

▲ Valentin Paret-Peintre celebrates at the finish line, after achieving the most prestigious victory of his career so far, as well as giving the first win to a French cyclist in this edition of the Tour . Photo AFP

Afp and Ap

La Jornada Newspaper, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, p. a12

Mont Ventoux. Valentin Paret-Peintre won stage 16 of the Tour de France, achieving the most prestigious victory of his career and the first for local cycling.

The Soudal Quick-Step climber, far from the best in the standings, overtook Ben Healy (EF Education) and Colombian Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain) after crossing the finish line in a time of 4:03. 19 hours

In their ongoing rivalry, Tadej Pogacar (54:31), the overall leader, and Jonas Vingegaard (54:33), raised their cycling game to its highest level as they began their ascent of Mont Ventoux. Such was the pace of both riders that they finished just 43 seconds behind the Frenchman. In the process, they shattered one of those impossible records, one set by Iban Mayo on the ascent with a time of 45.47 minutes in 2004.

Yesterday's race was a multi-front battle on the slopes of Mont Ventoux, the scene of legendary feats and dramatic scenes in the history of the Tour de France . From the fight for the stage, to the yellow jersey , to third place on the podium, the thousands of fans gathered in the lunar landscape thrilled as the riders passed by.

In the overall standings, Pogacar held off three attacks from Vingegaard and maintains his lead. In the final meters, the Slovenian even gained two seconds on his Danish rival from Visma.

The three-time Tour de France champion is one step closer to wearing the yellow jersey in Paris, and with two Alpine stages looming, he holds a 4-minute, 15-second lead over Jonas.

The Dane attacked him relentlessly, propelled by a different teammate on each attempt, while Pogacar was left unprotected from the first ramps of one of Europe's toughest climbs. But Pogi stayed glued to his wheel and even found the strength to gain two seconds on him with his fifth place finish.

Paret-Peintre liberated a French team that feared a Tour de France winless for the third time in the history of the world's most prestigious race. It's the third career victory for the Frenchman, who won a stage in the Giro in 2024 and also won the Tour of Oman this year.

Leaders Pogacar and Vingegaard extended their lead over third-placed German Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora), who finished more than a minute behind the two.

Van der Poel retires

Mathieu van der Poel has withdrawn from the Tour de France ahead of stage 16 due to pneumonia, his team said. The versatile Dutch rider, who wore the yellow jersey and won a stage during the race's opening week, had been experiencing symptoms of a common cold in recent days , his Alpecin-Deceuninck team said.

Van der Poel's condition worsened significantly during the second rest day yesterday and he was taken to a hospital in the southern city of Narbonne with a fever for further testing.

Today's stage, between Bollène and Valence, presents a profile conducive to a sprint finish, while the Tour 's greats will be preparing for the double Alpine event.

Ap

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Colorado. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) immediately banned transgender women from competing in women's sports and informed the federations overseeing swimming, track and field, and other disciplines that they are required to comply with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.

The change was announced yesterday with a discreet change on the USOPC website and confirmed in a letter sent to national governing bodies.

The incident is mentioned as a detail under the USOPC Athlete Safety Policy and refers to Trump's executive order, Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports , signed in February and threatening to withdraw all funding from organizations that allow transgender athletes to participate in women's sports.

U.S. Olympic officials have told national governing bodies they should follow suit, adding that the USOPC has engaged in a series of respectful and constructive conversations with federal officials since Trump signed the order.

As a federal organization, we have an obligation to meet federal expectations , wrote USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland and President Gene Sykes in a letter. Our policy emphasizes the importance of ensuring fair and safe competition environments for women. All national governing bodies should update their applicable policies accordingly .

Belgian cyclist ruled in favor

Meanwhile, yesterday, the Belgian court ruled in favor of a transgender cyclist who confronted the International Cycling Union (UCI) after being denied a license to participate in women's competitions, according to the provisional measures order.

The dispute, heard this month by the Brussels civil court, dates back to 2023, when the athlete's license was revoked and she was notified of her exclusion from women's competitions, based on a new UCI regulation.

▲ The Royals pitcher stayed on the mound for five innings against the Cubs. AP Photo

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Chicago. In his return to the major leagues to become the oldest active player, Rich Hill was disappointed. His Kansas City Royals teammates didn't make things easy for the 45-year-old left-hander against the Chicago Cubs, who won convincingly 6-0 at Wrigley Field.

Hill allowed three runs and six hits in five innings in his first league appearance since last September with Boston. He threw 90 pitches (55 swings), walked two, and struck out one before Jonathan Bowlan took over in the sixth with Chicago up 3-0.

Despite looking solid on the mound, the veteran struggled in the second inning, throwing 31 pitches and allowing two unearned runs.

After Dansby Swanson led off the inning with a single, third baseman Nick Loftin dropped Ian Happ's sharp grounder into a potential double play . Venezuelan first baseman Salvador Pérez threw Happ out at second on Justin Turner's grounder, but missed Jonathan India's return throw, into what should have been a double play .

Matt Shaw hit an infield single that drove in a run, and Nico Hoerner added another on a fielder's choice. Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in the final run against Hill in the fifth inning with a double off right fielder Jac Caglianone.

This game marked Hill's debut in his 21st major league season and his first with Kansas City. The Royals are his 14th team, tying Edwin Jackson's record.