In Rio, Ancelotti calls Neymar's name; in Lisbon, Ronaldo books his sixth
Brazil and Portugal finalise their World Cup squads 23 days out while Manchester City win the FA Cup at Wembley and Mourinho agrees a return to Real Madrid.
The story
Carlo Ancelotti stood at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio on Monday evening and called Neymar's name. The move divided Brazil's football community — the 34-year-old had barely played since his ACL rupture against Uruguay in October 2023 — but Ancelotti's logic held: an improving Neymar off the bench in the group stage is a different tool to no Neymar at all. The absences were harder to swallow: Rodrygo (ACL) and Estêvão (hamstring) both miss out, leaving the attack thinner than intended. Twenty-three hours later, Roberto Martínez confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal — the 41-year-old heading to a record sixth World Cup. Neither announcement surprised, but both in the same 24-hour window signal the final sprint: 23 days to June 11, to the Azteca, to Mexico vs South Africa on a Tuesday-night kickoff. Mourinho's return to Real Madrid, meanwhile, moved from whisper to signed agreement on Monday — a two-year contract confirmed by ESPN, Sky Sports and Fabrizio Romano, ending Álvaro Arbeloa's brief caretaker tenure and closing out a trophy-less season at the Bernabéu.
Across the pitch
- Result16 May Chelsea 0-1 Manchester City, FA Cup Final, Wembley — Semenyo 71' (Bernardo Silva + Haaland combined) — City claim their eighth FA Cup; first club to reach four consecutive FA Cup finals
- Transfer18 May José Mourinho agrees two-year deal to return as Real Madrid head coach, leaving Benfica (€7m compensation); deal confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, ESPN and Sky Sports — official unveiling expected next week
- Signing18 May Brazil name 26-man World Cup squad: Neymar (Santos) recalled for first time since October 2023 ACL rupture; Rodrygo (ACL) and Estêvão (hamstring) absent; Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha and Gabriel Magalhães headline
- Signing19 May Portugal announce 26-man World Cup squad: Cristiano Ronaldo (41, Al Nassr) confirmed for record sixth World Cup by Roberto Martínez; Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leão and Gonçalo Ramos also named
- Injury17 May Fermín López (Barcelona / Spain) fractures metatarsal in win vs Real Betis — ruled out of the World Cup entirely; Spain lose a midfield option weeks before the tournament
- Injury18 May Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain) muscle injury: Spain confirm the 18-year-old will miss first two group games vs Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia; Barcelona and Spain medical teams met to discuss availability for Uruguay fixture
- Result16 May Al Nassr 1-1 Al Hilal, Saudi Pro League matchday 33 — Ronaldo's side stay top but must beat Damac in final fixture (21 May) to clinch the title; Ronaldo scored his 100th Saudi league goal this campaign
The Road to the World Cup
Days to kickoff. 23 days. First match: Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, June 11. The final: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (New Jersey), July 19.
Brazil: Neymar returns. Carlo Ancelotti named Neymar in Brazil's 26-man squad at an event in Rio on Monday — the Santos forward's first call-up since his ACL rupture in October 2023. Rodrygo (ACL, Real Madrid) and Estêvão (hamstring) both absent injured. Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha and Gabriel Magalhães lead the squad. Ancelotti said Neymar 'has improved his fitness and can still improve before the first match.'
Portugal: Ronaldo's sixth. Roberto Martínez confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo (41) in Portugal's squad today — a record sixth World Cup appearance for any player in history. Portugal face the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia in the group stage. Squad also features Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Rafael Leão and Gonçalo Ramos.
Spain: Yamal race against time. Fermín López ruled out entirely with a fractured metatarsal. Lamine Yamal — one of the tournament's most anticipated players — will miss Spain's first two group games against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia due to a muscle injury; Spain and Barcelona medical teams held a dedicated meeting to pencil in a target return date for the Uruguay group fixture.
Host city / venue update. MetLife Stadium (New York / New Jersey) is confirmed for the July 19 final; SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta among key US venues operational. Fox Sports confirmed airing 40 matches including all US games and the final. FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafström met with Iran's Football Federation on May 16 to confirm participation without discrimination.
The match that stayed with us
For 70 minutes at Wembley, Chelsea held their shape and their hope against a Manchester City side that had the ball but no way through. Then Bernardo Silva found Haaland in the right channel; Haaland played it low across the six-yard box; and Semenyo — arriving late at the far post — let the ball run through his own legs and redirected it back across Sánchez and into the corner. One touch, one goal, 71st minute, 1-0. Chelsea pressed for a leveller in the final 20 minutes but City kept the door shut. It was City's eighth FA Cup and their fourth consecutive final — a record in the competition's history — a trophy banked in a season where the Premier League title still hangs on the final Sunday.
Where the leagues stand
| League | What moved |
|---|---|
| Premier League | Arsenal hold a 2-point lead over Manchester City with two games remaining. Both clubs play Matchday 37 on Tuesday evening (Arsenal vs Burnley; City vs Bournemouth) before the simultaneous final-day decider on Sunday 24 May: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace, City vs Aston Villa. |
| La Liga | Barcelona confirmed champions — their second consecutive La Liga title — after a 2-0 El Clasico win over Real Madrid on May 10 (Rashford 9' free-kick, Ferran Torres 18'). Real Madrid end the season without a trophy; José Mourinho confirmed as incoming manager on a two-year deal. |
| FA Cup | Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea at Wembley on May 16 — Semenyo 71'. City become the first club to reach four consecutive FA Cup finals, winning their eighth. Chelsea end the season without silverware. |
| Saudi Pro League | Al Nassr 1-1 Al Hilal (May 16) — Ronaldo's side remain top with one game left. They host Damac on May 21; a win clinches the title. Ronaldo scored his 100th Saudi league goal during the campaign. |
| Champions League | PSG vs Arsenal, Puskás Aréna, Budapest — Saturday 30 May (20:00 CET). PSG bid to become the second club to defend the UCL title in the Champions League era; Arsenal contest their first final in two decades. |
Players in the news
| Player | Team | What |
|---|---|---|
| Neymar | Santos / Brazil | Recalled to Brazil's 26-man World Cup squad on Monday after 30-month absence; 79 international goals, Brazil's all-time top scorer; Ancelotti says he 'can still improve fitness before the first match' |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Al Nassr / Portugal | Named in Portugal's 26-man WC squad today (19 May); 41 years old, record sixth World Cup — no other player has appeared at six tournaments; also chasing Saudi Pro League title with Al Nassr vs Damac (21 May) |
| José Mourinho | Real Madrid (incoming) | Agrees two-year deal to return to the Bernabéu as head coach; leaves Benfica mid-contract; €7m compensation to Benfica confirmed; previously won La Liga with Madrid in 2011-12 with a record 100 points |
| Fermín López | Barcelona / Spain | Fractures metatarsal in win vs Real Betis on May 17 — ruled out of the World Cup entirely; Spain lose a key midfield option in the build-up |
| Lamine Yamal | Barcelona / Spain | Muscle injury ends his La Liga season early; confirmed absent for Spain's first two WC group games vs Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia; target return date set for Uruguay group fixture |
| Antoine Semenyo | Manchester City | Scored the decisive 71st-minute goal in the FA Cup Final at Wembley — redirected a low Haaland cutback back across Sánchez to give City their eighth FA Cup |
| Mohamed Salah | Liverpool (departing) | Confirmed leaving Anfield at the end of the season; Fenerbahçe held talks with his representatives; MLS side San Diego FC also in contact; final destination expected before the summer window opens June 15 |
What we’ll be watching
- Tue 19 May — Premier League MD37: Arsenal vs Burnley, Emirates Stadium, ~19:00 UTC — Arsenal can extend lead to 5 points if City drop points at Bournemouth tonight
- Tue 19 May — Premier League MD37: Bournemouth vs Manchester City, Vitality Stadium, ~19:00 UTC — City must win to stay in title contention ahead of the final day
- Thu 21 May — Saudi Pro League final fixture: Al Nassr vs Damac — Ronaldo's side need a win to clinch the title; Al Hilal result also matters
- Sun 24 May — Premier League Final Day (all 10 games, 15:00 UTC simultaneous): Arsenal vs Crystal Palace; Manchester City vs Aston Villa — one club lifts the trophy
- Sat 30 May — Champions League Final: PSG vs Arsenal, Puskás Aréna, Budapest, 20:00 CET — PSG seek back-to-back UCL; Arsenal's first final in 20 years
- Thu 11 Jun — World Cup Kickoff: Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City — 23 days away
Sources: espn.com, skysports.com, bbc.com/sport, aljazeera.com, foxsports.com, goal.com, worldsoccertalk.com, si.com, marca.com.