Herrera and Tena, for the semifinals

Karla Torrijos

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, June 29, 2025, p. 9

Mexican coaches Miguel Piojo Herrera, who leads the Costa Rican national team, and Luis Fernando Flaco Tena, who also leads the Guatemalan national team, will face one of the biggest challenges of their coaching careers today, as they will play life-or-death duels against the United States and Canada, respectively, in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Gold Cup.

Both strategists have made history in the tournament by leading their teams to this stage, and, along with Javier Vasco Aguirre, Mexico's manager, have achieved the first time three Tricolor coaches have competed in an international tournament at the same time.

Herrera, whose team is undefeated in the tournament, with two wins and a draw, will arrive at the match against the Americans embroiled in controversy after defending four of his players (Francisco Calvo, Patrick Sequeira, Juan Pablo Vargas and Alejandro Bran), who were captured on video enjoying themselves at a Las Vegas nightclub, which angered the Costa Rican press and fans.

We're not in a military camp. After 28 days without a break, it was well deserved. They're human beings, very young, who are eager to get out, learn, and experience something. I told them to go out , he said.

Despite the controversy, Piojo assured that his team is focused on its most important match of the tournament so far, for which it will be without five players: two due to suspension (Josep Mora and Manfred Ugalde) and three due to injury (Jeyland Mitchell, Warren Madrigal, and Ariel Lassiter).

The Costa Rican team's task will not be easy, given that they will face a team led by experienced Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino, who had a perfect group stage, with three wins and only conceding one goal.

For his part, Flaco Tena, who earned two wins and one loss with Guatemala in the group stage, stated that for the match against the Maple Leafs, who also remain undefeated, his team will not come out to defend, but rather to play.

Playing Canada head-to-head has its risks, but we're going to do it, we're going to take it. It's a very good test for us, and it will teach us a lot of lessons , he said yesterday in his appearance before the media, where he also confirmed that Kenderson Navarro will be the starting goalkeeper, following Nicholas Hagen's injury.

▲ Argentine Ángel di María said goodbye to European football by scoring a penalty in Benfica's elimination, before embarking on the journey back to his home country to join Rosario Central, his home club, the place where it all began. n Photo AFP FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Photo AFP

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, June 29, 2025, p. a10

Palmeiras, the historic king of Brazilian soccer, and Chelsea, one of England's most traditional teams, emerged victorious in their respective duels to become the first to advance to the Club World Cup quarterfinals, where they will face each other on Friday in Philadelphia in search of the semifinals.

Accompanied by the roar of thousands of fans chanting "Palmeiras, Palmeiras ," Verdão celebrated early in the morning their ticket to the next round of the Mundialito at the Lincoln Financial in Philadelphia, with a 1-0 victory over Botafogo, their bitter rival in Brazil.

The first feeling that came over me as soon as the referee blew the final whistle was pride, for having come this far , said Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira.

Although the jogo bonito only appeared on a couple of occasions and now two of the greats of Rio de Janeiro football displayed a more technical and precise game, the Esmeralda team won with a goal from Paulinho in extra time after a regulation time that ended in a scoreless tie.

Thus, Botafogo, coached by Renato Paiva and Copa Libertadores champions, became the first of four Brazilian teams to be eliminated from this year's tournament. The South American nation has been the star of the tournament and is still eyeing the title, backed by the footballing potential of Palmeiras, Fluminense, and Flamengo.

The biggest winner in the history of the Brazilian tournament settled the round of 16 duel with an elegant play from Paulinho, one of their key players who, after coming off the bench again, was instrumental in changing the pace of the match in a significant way.

In the midst of a match that seemed close and had gone into extra time, Paulinho found the perfect way to read the game in the 100th minute to break through the opposing defense. The striker received a pass on the edge of the box, slid off his marker, and, still facing two Botafogo players, unleashed a left-footed shot that sailed between the defenders and then into the goal.

Palmeiras had no choice but to hold on. So, manager Abel Ferreira reinforced his defense, a strategy that foreshadowed the ferocious attacks Botafogo would launch.

Palmeiras' defense of the win came at a cost to the team, as captain Gustavo Gómez was sent off in the 115th minute for a second yellow card, after pushing an opponent during a resistance play.

Later, uncertainty, lightning, and drama marked Chelsea's 4-1 victory over Benfica, the runners-up in the Portuguese tournament, in a match that lasted more than four and a half hours after a break due to a thunderstorm at the Bank of America stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Chelsea looked set to win with a goal from captain Reece James (64), but the celebration had to wait, as the match was halted in the 86th minute of regular time due to a thunderstorm. The break lasted more than 90 minutes and with the restart came the madness

A handball by Malo Gusto in stoppage time opened the door for Ángel di Maria (90+5) to score a penalty that revived the Portuguese, taking the match to extra time.

The tension was mounting with each passing minute, especially after Benfica striker Gianlucca Prestianni was sent off (90+1). Chelsea then understood they had to go all in, and Christopher Nkunku (108), Pedro Neto (114), and Kiernan Dewsbury (117) responded with attacks inside the box to seal the English side's passage.

▲ Backed by the experience of Spaniard Sergio Ramos, Monterrey will look to defeat Borussia Dortmund and advance to the Club World Cup quarterfinals. Photo @rayados

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, June 29, 2025, p. a10

Already in its second round, the Club World Cup continues to unleash mixed emotions. While FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised Monterrey's performance and called on Monterrey residents to support the team in the match against Borussia Dortmund, German Jürgen Klopp, former Liverpool manager, and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo harshly criticized the tournament.

"Go Rayados!" That's the message we want to give to all Monterrey fans. A great Mexican team. Qualifying for the round of 16 is already a success, but the Club World Cup starts now, and that's the most important thing , Infantino said in an interview with TUDN.

Los Rayados, coached by Domenec Torrent, are the only Mexican team still in the round of 16 of the Mundialito after Pachuca's early elimination. While the Monterrey team avoided defeats against elite clubs like Real Madrid, they must now fight for a place in the quarterfinals against Dortmund, the second-highest winner in the German league.

The Mexican team has also been distinguished by its fans, who often fill stadiums. However, during the World Cup , Rayados' matches have had low attendance in the United States—where anti-immigrant raids imposed by Donald Trump have taken place—so now Infantino has asked fans to attend the match against the Germans.

We know Monterrey's fans; they're famous all over the world, and I'm sure they'll show it here in the United States. We're expecting thousands of Rayados fans to come support their team, and for the 12th player to be in Atlanta against Borussia Dortmund, one of the European giants. It's going to be historic, it's going to be epic , he said.

In the face of Infantino's enthusiasm for the tournament, which he himself has championed after changing the format—from six to 32 competitors—voices like that of Jürgen Klopp, one of Germany's most prominent coaches, are generating discontent and reflection.

"What matters is the game, not the events surrounding it, and that's why the Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football.

"It's a pointless competition. Whoever wins it will be the worst winner in history, because they'll have played all summer and then go straight back to the league. There are people who have never been involved in the day-to-day running of football and are now contributing ideas ," Klopp lamented.

The former manager also added his name to the chorus of voices calling for adequate rest for footballers in the face of the large number of matches each year, warning that adding another tournament was potentially dangerous.

International star Cristiano Ronaldo echoed this sentiment, revealing that he preferred to rest rather than compete in the tournament.

I had some offers, but they didn't make sense because I prefer to have a good rest, a good preparation, this season will be very long as it is the last one before the World Cup , he said in a video posted by his team Al-Nassr on X.

With information from The Independent and Reuters

▲ In the last two years, Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (left) has defeated the Serbian tennis player in the tournament final. n Photo @wimbledon Photo @wimbledon

The Independent, AFP and Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, June 29, 2025, p. a11

Novak Djokovic hasn't lifted a Grand Slam trophy in almost two years. However, the Serbian remains optimistic. At 37, he arrives at Wimbledon convinced he can claim his 25th Grand Slam title, in what could be his final dance at the tournament.

The seven-time champion, who has lost the final to Carlos Alcaraz in the last two years, admitted to being undecided about his future in the sport beyond this season.

“Could this be my last dance? I’m not sure, just as I wasn’t sure at Roland Garros or any other Slam . My wish is to play for a few more years. I would love to stay healthy, physically and mentally motivated to continue competing at the highest level. That’s the goal, but at this point in my career, you never know. And yes, I’d probably agree that Wimbledon could be my best chance to win my 25th because of the results I’ve had here, how I feel, and the extra motivation this tournament gives me,” said Djokovic, who took more time than usual to thank the crowd for their support during his Roland Garros semifinal defeat, and who later suggested that the setback could have been his last appearance on the Parisian clay.

Although he acknowledges ups and downs in his recent form, the Serbian is confident in his performances at major tournaments:

This year I played two semifinals. Unfortunately, I had to retire in Australia. At Roland Garros, Sinner beat me. I think I still played decent tennis, which showed me I can still play at a very high level in the later stages. I like how I feel physically now. Tennis-wise, I've been playing well in practice. Obviously, it's completely different when you start a tournament.

Currently ranked sixth in the ATP rankings , Djokovic will make his debut against Frenchman Alexandre Muller. In the second round, he will face the winner of the duel between Britons Daniel Evans and Jay Clarke, while in the third round, he could face American Alex Michelsen or his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic.

Meanwhile, Mexican tennis player Santiago González won the doubles title at the Mallorca Tournament alongside American Austin Krajicek.

The Cordoban and his partner defeated Indian Yuki Bhambri and American Robert Galloway with scores of 6-1, 1-6 and 15-13, in a battle lasting more than two hours.

González, 42, recovered from a failed second quarter and became a mainstay from the baseline.

Of the 25 Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) titles the Veracruz native currently holds, 21 are in the 250 category, two in the 500 category, and two in the Masters 1000 category. These crowns are complemented by 32 Challenger trophies and 15 ITF Future tournaments.

The Mexican will compete next week in the Wimbledon doubles tournament.

AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, June 29, 2025, p. a11

Vienna. British driver Lando Norris (McLaren) claimed pole position yesterday for the Austrian Grand Prix, his third of the season, after setting the fastest time around the Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg. The track didn't allow reigning champion Max Verstappen to perform well, resulting in him finishing seventh. The Dutch driver acknowledged that McLaren is unbeatable.

The Briton beat Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and his Australian teammate Oscar Piastri, championship leader, by 521 and 583 thousandths of a second, respectively.

Two weeks after the error that led to his retirement from the Canadian Grand Prix, following a collision with his teammate Piastri, Norris dominated the competition, leaving them more than half a second behind, a feat even greater considering the short duration of the lap, which barely exceeded a minute.

This Sunday, the reigning world championship runner-up will need to confirm his positive performance in the race to close the 22-point gap that currently separates him from Piastri in the Formula 1 World Championship standings.

"It was a very good lap, that's clear. I'm very happy, it's a great day and a good weekend so far. I hope to continue this momentum tomorrow (Sunday), but it's going to be a long race," Norris said.

Despite the difficulties that Ferraris usually show in qualifying sessions, Leclerc achieved the second best time and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) the fourth, followed by his compatriot George Russell (Mercedes), winner last year in Spielberg and winner two weeks ago in Montreal.

New Zealander Liam Lawson, driving for Racing Bulls, overtook the first Red Bull driver, that of seven-time world champion Max Verstappen.

Mad Max , who had achieved the four most recent pole positions at his team's home, did not go beyond seventh position and will start alongside Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), alongside Lawson, the big surprise of the day.

We haven't been going well throughout qualifying. There isn't a single corner where the car feels good, and that's a big problem , admitted the Dutchman after the session.

"I don't think we're in a position to compete against McLaren. They're on another level, but hopefully tomorrow we can compete at least with Ferrari or Mercedes ," the reigning F1 champion added.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, June 29, 2025, p. a11

Kenya Lechuga, a member of the Navy, won the gold medal at the second 2025 World Rowing Cup, held in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The Monterrey native took first place in the lightweight single scull, which means her fifth World Cup medal and second gold medal (both this year).

Three-time Olympian Lechuga clocked a time of 7:34.51, followed by Austrian Lara Tiefenthaler, who won silver, and Norwegian Maia Emilie Lund, who took bronze.

The Mexican, who just a few days ago won another gold medal at the Cup held in Varese, Italy, is preparing for the World Rowing Championships, which will take place from September 21 to 28 in Shanghai, China.

COM, concerned about migrants

Marijose Alcalá, head of the Mexican Olympic Committee (COM), expressed concern about the immigration status of Mexicans in the United States.

During the Olympic Day celebrations at the CDOM facilities, the former diver expressed her intention to provide advice to athletes and their families applying for visas for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

We've received letters from USA Olympics requesting visas for athletes, coaches, and the entire multidisciplinary team. We must begin reviewing and planning how they can help us , Alcalá commented.

The leader hopes that the COM's good relationship with USA Olympics will ensure that the selected athletes and their companions have no problems entering the Olympic venue.

It's worrying because our fellow countrymen are people who contribute a lot; furthermore, the athletes will want their parents and friends to accompany them to the Games, and we'll have to implement a strategy to help everyone who needs it.