LONDON: Steven Gerrard has revealed the Prince of Wales found time to send a message of support to Aston Villa while he mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
William is preparing for his grandmother’s funeral on Monday after the monarch died aged 96 on September 8.
But the life-long Villa fan still offered his backing to Gerrard and his struggling team ahead of their vital 1-0 win over Southampton in the Premier League on Friday.
Boosted by William’s message, Jacob Ramsey’s first-half goal lifted Villa away from the relegation zone after the stadium paid tribute to the Queen with a minute’s silence and a chorus of the national anthem before kick-off.
“He messaged in the week, to the club, and that shows everything about what he thinks of this club. For us to reward that with a result and clean sheet, I’m sure he will be proud,” Gerrard said.
“It was along the lines of ‘would love to be there’. He is consistently in touch. He is very supportive of the boys individually, he loves them. It’s really impressive, his knowledge, and how much he is in to it.
“It certainly took me back. He is very much involved in Villa. For him to message in the situation he is in is really impressive.”
Gerrard reveals Prince of Wales sent support of message to Villa
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Gerrard reveals Prince of Wales sent support of message to Villa
- William is preparing for his grandmother's funeral on Monday
- The life-long Villa fan still offered his backing to Gerrard
SmackDown thrills Riyadh as WWE superstars set stage for Night of Champions showdown
- Giulia wins WWE United States Women’s Championship title at the expense of Zelina Vega
- Surprise appearance by global superstars Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton draws thunderous applause
RIYADH: WWE delivered an electrifying spectacle in the Saudi capital on Friday night, as Kingdom Arena roared with excitement for SmackDown, a flagship event under Riyadh Season 2025. Fans packed every seat, demonstrating once again Saudi Arabia’s growing passion for world-class sports entertainment.
The night began with a surprise appearance by global superstars Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, whose entrance drew thunderous applause as they built anticipation for their highly awaited clash on Saturday at Night of Champions. Orton addressed the jubilant crowd, saying, “I am honored to be in your country. You are a great people with a wonderful culture. Saudi Arabia is amazing — every time I travel 15 hours to come here, I feel happier than the time before.”
The action inside the ring did not disappoint. In a fierce contest for the WWE United States Women’s Championship, Eimi Gloria Matsudo, better known by her ring name Giulia, showcased her brilliance with a decisive win over the experienced Zelina Vega, capturing the title for a third time and cementing her status among the division’s elite.
Tiffany Stratton retained her title in one of the night’s most brutal encounters, overcoming Nia Jax in a punishing Last Woman Standing match that had been simmering for weeks. The high-intensity showdown saw the arena’s surroundings reduced to chaos before Stratton finally sealed her victory.
Tag team action added to the drama, as The Street Profits defended their titles against The Wyatt Six in a heated bout that ended in a chaotic no-contest. The titleholders retained their belts, but with tensions unresolved, a rematch seems all but certain.
In a performance that ignited the fans, Andrea and Reina Faklis overcame the team of DAW in a hard-fought contest, closing with a spectacular finishing move that brought Kingdom Arena to its feet.
Meanwhile, rising star JC Mateo delivered a statement performance with a smart, resilient victory over veteran Jimmy Uso, reinforcing his status as a name to watch in WWE’s future.
Eyes across the Kingdom now turn to Saturday’s blockbuster “King and Queen of the Ring” event, promising even more high-octane drama. A showpiece undisputed WWE Championship clash will see John Cena face CM Punk in a bout certain to rekindle memories of their iconic rivalry. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton will square off in the King of the Ring final, while Jade Cargill goes head-to-head with Japanese superstar Asuka for the Queen of the Ring crown.
Other headline matchups include a United States Championship battle between Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa, a no-holds-barred Street Fight pitting Rhea Ripley against Raquel Rodriguez, and a highly anticipated contest featuring Sami Zayn against Karrion Kross — all set to cap a monumental weekend for WWE fans in Riyadh.
Al-Hilal fly the flag for Asia in Club World Cup
- Riyadh footballers through to tournament knockout stages after win in their last group match
NASHVILLE, Tennessee: Al-Hilal will be the sole representatives from Asia in the knockout stages of football’s glittering Club World Cup in the US.
The Riyadh club held Real Madrid to a draw in their opening match and won a decisive clash with Pachuca of Mexico in their last group-stage game, to ensure finishing second behind the Spanish giants and progressing to the last 16 of the tournament.
All but three of the teams through to the final stages are from Europe and South America. The exceptions are Al-Hilal, Monterrey from Mexico, and Inter Miami, where Lionel Messi leads a side filled with former Barcelona stalwarts.
Egypt’s Al-Ahly and Tunisia’s Esperance brought plenty of fans to create atmosphere in the large US stadiums, but went home disappointed. “The moment you drop a little bit your level against this quality of opponents, you pay a price,” Al-Ahly coach Jose Riveiro said.
“But the players had the opportunity to showcase their talent and a fantastic platform to do it. It’s a special occasion, for sure.”
Players forced to give up vacation to play Club World Cup, says Raphinha
- Raphinha said: “Marquinhos and Beraldo, from Paris St. Germain, won the Champions League and didn’t even get to celebrate properly”
- “If PSG reach the Club World Cup final, they will have the Super Cup right away. It doesn’t stop“
BARCELONA: Brazil’s Barcelona forward Raphinha regretted that the players were not consulted about extending their season to play at the Club World Cup, adding that nobody should be obliged to give up their vacation time.
The first expanded edition of the Club World Cup started on June 14 and will run until July 13. The competition followed the European league season which concluded in late May and an international window at the beginning of June.
“Speaking particularly as someone who plays for a European team, we would (currently) be on vacation,” Raphinha said.
“Marquinhos and Beraldo, from Paris St. Germain, won the Champions League and didn’t even get to celebrate properly. They came to the national team and then went to the Club World Cup. They still haven’t stopped.
“Many say that this is an excuse. It may or may not be, but having to give up our vacations out of obligation is very complicated. It’s our right. Everyone deserves at least a month of vacation. And many of them won’t get it.”
Most of the major European leagues will be back in action in mid to late August, with the pre-seasons starting early in the month.
“If PSG reach the Club World Cup final, they will have the Super Cup right away. It doesn’t stop,” Raphinha added.
“It depends on your point of view. From my point of view, it’s very bad to give up your vacation to play something that you are forced to do. At no point did they ask the players if they wanted to.
“It (should be) up to us to accept it. Having to give up your vacation to play in a new tournament is very complicated.”
PSG will face Tottenham Hotspur for the Super Cup on August 13.
Norris bounces back as McLaren take 1-2 in Austrian practice
- Norris clocked a best lap in one minute and 4.580 seconds to beat Piastri by 0.157 seconds
- Four-time champion Max Verstappen was third fastest for Red Bull, adrift by 0.318 seconds
SPIELBERG BEI KNITTELFELD, Austria: Lando Norris bounced back from his Canadian catastrophe with his customary smile on Friday after topping the times ahead of team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri as McLaren reeled off a solid 1-2 in practice at the Austrian Grand Prix.
As the paddock digested news that Mercedes had held talks about possibly signing Max Verstappen from Red Bull alongside George Russell in 2026 Norris clocked a best lap in one minute and 4.580 seconds to beat Piastri by 0.157 seconds.
Four-time champion Max Verstappen was third fastest for Red Bull, adrift by 0.318 seconds.
For Norris, who sat out the first session at the Red Bull Ring, it was a relief to move on from his collision with team-mate Piastri in Montreal where he retired pointless, admitting he had “made a fool of myself.”
“I didn’t mind sitting on the pit wall,” he said, with a grin, referring to missing the morning session.
“I actually felt a lot more relaxed there than in the car, especially here.
“I’ve always enjoyed this track. The car felt good right from the start. Alex (Dunne, reserve driver) gave solid feedback this morning after FP1 and was on pace straight away, which was encouraging to see.”
Norris added that he was pleased with the development of the car with McLaren’s latest upgrades.
“They definitely moved the car in the right direction for FP2,” he said.
“Now, we just need to figure out if we want more of that tomorrow, less, or somewhere in between.
“So, it’s a good step forward, but hopefully there’s still a bit more to come.”
McLaren came to the Styrian Alps with three performance-based updates including aerodynamic revisions of the front and rear of the car and suspension.
Piastri, who leads Norris by 22 points in the title race, said he was satisfied with his first day in the car.
“It looked pretty good,” he said.
“Max is still close, so I think he’ll definitely be a threat this weekend, but the car’s feeling good. I think the pace is quite good, so a positive first day.”
He added that both he and Norris had “all the parts that we think will make the car faster” on their cars.
Verstappen, who took his time to improve through the sessions, said: “We didn’t have any big issues.
“We lack a bit of pace and had too much understeer, both on the short and the long run. So that is something we have to try to get rid of.”
Lance Stroll was fourth for Aston Martin ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, George Russell of Mercedes, who won last year and two weeks ago in Canada, and Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull.
Gabriel Bortoleto was eighth for Sauber ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, struggling in his updated Ferrari.
Norris added: “We’ve shown a bit more pace than some others, so I certainly think they’re going to catch up. Max is not far behind and they normally improve a lot on Saturday.
“So I expect a good day tomorrow (Saturday) and I’m sure we’ll improve on some things, but it’s not as easy as maybe it looked.
“I think it’s still going to be tight tomorrow — it always is. There’s no reason for it not to be, but we’ll work hard to make it as big of a gap as possible.”
Twisted Minds top cross-game leaderboard after 19 Saudi eLeague tournaments
- More than 40 clubs have competed across 14 titles in the Elite category and 5 in the Women’s division
- With the league now at its halfway point, every point earned is a step closer to final success
RIYADH: Twisted Minds are top of the Saudi eLeagues, the Kingdom’s premier esports league, following 19 tournaments in the season so far.
Organized by the Saudi Esports Federation and hosted at the SEF Arena in Boulevard Riyadh City, the league brings together Saudi Arabia’s top esports clubs competing across multiple games and divisions.
So far, more than 40 clubs have competed across a total of 19 tournaments — 14 in the Elite category and five in the Women’s division — in the race for points on the coveted Clubs Cross-Game Leaderboard. These points will also determine which teams secure spots in the championship, the league’s marquee event where the best teams will clash for the ultimate title and a share of the SR7 million ($1.87 million) prize pool.
As the dust settles on the first phase of the season, the leaderboard is beginning to take shape:
• Twisted Minds, last year’s cross-game champions, remain unshaken at the top with an impressive 912 points. Their dominance across multiple titles continues to set the standard for consistency and excellence.
• Team Falcons hold second place with 705 points, delivering solid performances across major titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Valorant, proving their resilience as perennial contenders.
• Al-Qadsiah Esports, the breakout team of the season, sit third with 618 points. With standout victories in both the men’s and women’s brackets, they are proving a force to be reckoned with.
Each tournament has added its own narrative to the Saudi eLeague, from Overwatch 2, VALORANT and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 to EA SPORTS FC 25 and battleground drama in PUBG and PUBG MOBILE.
Meanwhile, the Women’s division has delivered some of the league’s most inspiring moments, highlighting the rising skill level and growing depth of talent in Saudi Arabia’s esports scene.
With the league now at its halfway point, every point earned is a step closer to final success. Twisted Minds may sit top for now, but with Team Falcons and Al-Qadsiah Esports breathing down their necks, the race will continue apace.
“The halfway point of this year’s Saudi eLeagues highlights just how extraordinary and competitive this season has been,” said Abdullah Alnasser, head of esports products at the Saudi Esports Federation.
“What sets this year apart from previous seasons is the sheer intensity and depth of competition across all categories. From the Elite tournaments to the Women’s division, we’ve witnessed remarkable growth — not just in the number of clubs participating, but in the level of skill, strategy and determination on display.
“The race for the top is far from over, and every match continues to push the boundaries of what our players and teams can achieve. This season is shaping up to be something truly special, a milestone moment for Saudi esports that reflects the incredible progress of our scene.”
