Retrospect: Review Of Major Sporting Events That Made Headlines
The season may have ended for football fans, but it has not been an entirely quiet week globally in the sports world.
Transfer rumours are dominating some of the discussions, but the Club World Cup, preparations for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), and a rekindling of the rivalry —- off the pitch at the moment between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo among others, also made headlines in the last seven days.
These stories and others that shaped discussions will be the focus of this week’s edition of retrospect — a recap of the most talked-about headlines in sports for the week!
I Have No Relationship With Ronaldo — Messi
Starting from football, this week saw the renewal of the long-drawn rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi.
Ronaldo and Messi, regarded by many as the greatest footballers to have played the game, have also drawn comparisons between themselves, sparking intense debates among fans.
While speaking about their relationship, Messi said he is not a friend to the Portuguese maestro, even though both share mutual respect.
“The competition with him was on the pitch. Obviously, as always, everything stayed on the field. Off the pitch, we are two normal people,” Messi told DSsport in an interview.
“We are not friends, we don’t spend time together. But we have always treated each other with respect,” he said.
His comment has once again sparked debates among fans on who is the greatest footballer. Messi has eight Ballon d’Ors, three more than Ronaldo — no one comes close to the duo in terms of that award.
Away from Ronaldo and Messi’s rivalry, the Super Falcons are gearing up plans for WAFCON with the unveiling of a 24-person team for the competition scheduled for next month in Morocco.
Nigeria Name Plumptre, Oshoala For WAFCON Battle
Flamboyant defender Ashleigh Plumptre is making a comeback to the side after months of absence.
The team, comprising a blend of youth and experience, was released on Friday, approximately two weeks ahead of the WAFCON in the Maghreb nation of Morocco. As expected, record African Player of the Year winner, Asisat Oshoala, made the list, which also included veteran Francisca Ordega, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, Captain Rasheedat Ajibade, and Osinachi Ohale.
This year’s edition of the WAFCON will run from July 5 to 26 in Morocco.
PSG Stunned At Club World Cup, Bayern Trounce Auckland City
Meanwhile, games at the FIFA Club World Cup continued with Paris Saint-Germain’s shocking loss to Brazilian side, Botafogo, in a hardfought battle between the reigning champions of Europe and South America.
A first-half goal from Brazilian international, Igor Jesus, proved the difference as Botafogo all but sealed a place in the knockout rounds in front of a 53,699 crowd at the Pasadena Rose Bowl.
French champions, PSG, are widely regarded as one of the favourites for FIFA’s 32-team tournament after a dazzling season which culminated with a scintillating 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final last month. But their hopes of securing a victory which would have seen them become the first side to reach the last 16 were stymied by a resilient performance from their opponents from Rio de Janeiro.
On Sunday, it was New Zealand part-timers, Auckland City, who were trounced 10-nil by German champions Bayern Munich in a Group C opener, one of the heaviest defeats in the competition. Palmeiras, Chelsea, and Manchester City also had a winning start to the Club World Cup.
Arsenal, Man United Face-Off In EPL Opening Weekend
As the Club World Cup battle continues in the US, the Premier League is shaping up for next season. Earlier in the week, the fixtures for the coming campaign were released with a mouth-watering clash between Manchester United and Arsenal in the opening weekend setting the tone for what is an interesting season ahead. The full fixtures for the 2025/26 season can be found here.
Osimhen Shines In Turkey
In Turkey, Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen won the Goal of the Season prize. The striker’s overhead kick in Galatasaray’s 3-0 win over Antalyaspor in October 2024 clinched the Super Lig’s Goal of The Season award.
Osimhen scored 65.8 per cent of the votes to defeat his teammate and Turkish star Kaan Ayhan (34.2 per cent).
READ ALSO: Retrospect: Review Of Major Sporting Events That Made Headlines
Why EPL Teams Are Hesitant About Osimhen— Orstein
Despite his fine form in Turkey and reports linking him to a big move, Premier League sides are said to be hesitant about signing the Nigerian.
Football journalist David Orstein claims, “The stumbling block for the Premier League club so far seems to be, one, the salary expectations, and two, maybe he’s not deemed to be the right character for them… in terms of age, in terms of where he fits into the team, the dressing room.”
His comment has gotten several fans talking, but with the transfer window still months ahead, expect more about Osimhen, who is on loan from Napoli.
US Denies Senegal’s Women’s Basketball Team Visas
In the meantime, the United States rejected multiple visas for members of the Senegal women’s basketball team, which was scheduled to train in America, according to Dakar officials, as Washington tightens border controls and reportedly mulls a travel ban extension.
The tense border situation has caused consternation for some athletes and fans who plan to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in the United States. Senegal is among 36 nations that the United States is considering adding to a travel ban barring entry to its territory, according to an internal administration memo.
Sabalenka Apologises To Gauff
Heading now to the tennis court, where World number one Aryna Sabalenka apologised for statements she made after losing the French Open final to Coco Gauff earlier in June.
Sabalenka lost to Gauff in three sets at Roland-Garros, with the American coming back from a set down to win her first French Open title.
Speaking with reporters after the loss, the 27-year-old said the match was “the worst final I’ve ever played”. “I don’t think she won the match because she played incredibly well, but because I made all those mistakes.”
But on Tuesday, the Belarusian said the comments were “simply completely unprofessional of me”.
“I let my emotions guide me. I absolutely regret what I said back then,” she added.
Oliseh Frowns at Foreign Coaches for Super Eagles
During the week, a former Super Eagles coach and player, Sunday Oliseh, made headlines after faulting the appointment of a foreign manager for the senior male national team.
Oliseh spoke on Channels Television’s Sunday Sports, where he said he was against foreigners managing the Super Eagles.
The former captain of the team believes some qualified local coaches can lead the team.
”I am totally against having that role not being handed over to a Nigerian because we have qualified Nigerians who can do that job,” he said.
In January, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) appointed Eric Chelle, a French-born former Mali international, to succeed Augustine Eguavoen, who had been serving in an interim capacity.
Amusan Clocks Season Best At Diamond League
Moving away to the tracks, world record holder, Tobi Amusan, had a great outing at the 2025 Diamond League in Paris, reaching a season’s best time of 12.24 seconds to end in second place in the women’s 100m hurdles.
It was Amusan’s second-fastest ever, behind only her world record of 12.12 seconds posted in 2022.
