Sports Express | November 6, 2026 — Ronaldo Ends His Portugal Career After 23 Years

1. Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football after 23 years

Source: NBC News

Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday that he will not play for Portugal again, ending a 23-year international career that spanned six World Cups and included a European title and the men's all-time international scoring record. The 41-year-old made the announcement in a long video message on social media.

"A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end," Ronaldo said, adding that the No. 7 shirt "was never mine alone" but that for 23 years he had "the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it". He finishes with 146 goals in 234 appearances, the most caps in men's international football, and was the first man to score at six World Cups. Portugal won Euro 2016 and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

His last appearance came on Sept. 24 in a 1-0 home win over Wales. Coach Jorge Jesus then left him on the bench and said he did not plan to start him in the next match, so Ronaldo left the training camp. The Portuguese federation expressed "deep gratitude and immense admiration" and said it intends to organise a tribute. He will keep playing at club level, expected to finish this season with Al-Nassr, and sits on 985 career goals in pursuit of his 1,000th.

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2. No. 5 Michigan stuns No. 2 UConn 77-66 for biggest win in program history

Source: Maize n Brew

Michigan's women's basketball team beat No. 2 UConn 77-66 at Crisler Center on Thursday night for the biggest win in program history and its first ever against a top-four opponent, after 31 straight losses in such games. Junior wing Te'Yala Delfosse led the Wolverines with a career-high 22 points and nine rebounds.

Michigan's 2-3 zone held reigning national player of the year Sarah Strong scoreless in the first half and sent her to the bench with three first-quarter fouls, while UConn shot 3-for-14 from three before halftime and scored just eight points in the second quarter. The Wolverines shot 37.5 percent but grabbed nine offensive rebounds and turned nine UConn turnovers into seven points to lead 35-29 at the break. Strong scored 11 in the third quarter to put UConn up 48-46, but a Delfosse putback sparked a 7-0 run in 58 seconds. Michigan led 55-53 after three and pulled away to 70-61 with three minutes left. Michigan is 1-0; UConn falls to 1-1.

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3. LIV Golf shutting down after Saudi funding pulled

Source: CBS News

LIV Golf is shutting down. An attorney for the league told a New Jersey bankruptcy court on Thursday that its debtors have decided against a proposed reorganisation and will wind down the business. LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Sept. 8.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which bankrolled LIV, said earlier this year it would stop funding the league after the 2026 season, having sunk more than $5 billion into it since its 2022 launch. LIV had hoped a $300 million pledge from BC Partners Credit would let it pivot to a leaner "LIV 2.0", but players including Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton and Louis Oosthuizen were not interested, and Brooks Koepka opted to return to the PGA Tour. Rahm agreed to forfeit claims against LIV worth some $100 million to get out of his contract; he is back on the European tour, which the PGA Tour's one-year ban on LIV players complicates.

BC Partners said it was disappointed that mutually acceptable terms could not be reached. The report also noted that LIV paid $15.6 million to retain seven executives, including $6.375 million to CEO Scott O'Neil, in the months between the PIF decision and the bankruptcy filing, raising the question of whether those payments can be voided now that the league is not continuing.

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4. Japan FA's Kozo Tashima to challenge Infantino for FIFA presidency

Source: BBC

Kozo Tashima, honorary president of the Japan Football Association and a member of the FIFA Council, has announced he will stand against Gianni Infantino to be the next FIFA president. Tashima, 68, is a former international footballer and coach.

He said he wants to convey "integrity, soundness, and high moral standards" and "contribute to a better future for football". Infantino has been under intense scrutiny since it emerged he had been planning to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors; the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal was abandoned at the end of July after a backlash across the game. Candidates must declare by 18 November and need the backing of five member associations.

Infantino is seeking a fourth term and told BBC Sport last month he felt he had the backing of the "vast, vast majority" of world football, after the Asian Football Confederation fully endorsed him following a U-turn by its president, Sheikh Salman. Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega was the first to declare, in October. JFA president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto called Tashima's decision "a major challenge" to contribute to the development of world football.

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5. Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice files for bankruptcy with $3.45 million in debt

Source: Fox News

Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in federal court on Wednesday, reporting more than $3.45 million in debt. The 26-year-old Super Bowl champion said $2.1 million of that stems from lawsuits.

Rice was sued by multiple victims of a 2024 high-speed, multicar crash in Dallas, and is also being sued by an ex-girlfriend who alleges he assaulted her between 2023 and 2025. Court documents show he listed his Super Bowl LVIII ring, valued at $160,000, as collateral with Thomas McMurray, his attorney in the pending civil litigation.

The filing reports $677,054 in personal assets, including $421,825 in deferred compensation, and a largest single debt of $979,837 from a 2025 civil settlement related to the crash. Rice signed a four-year, $6,495,208 rookie contract with the Chiefs when he was drafted. Chapter 7 is intended for individuals with financial difficulty who are willing to let non-exempt property be used to pay creditors.

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6. Canadiens answer the doubters with 5-4 overtime win over Mammoth

Source: Sportsnet

Montreal responded to Tuesday's collapse with a 5-4 overtime win over the Utah Mammoth on Thursday. Two nights earlier the Canadiens had blown a four-goal lead in the final 2:39 of the third period and lost 5-4 in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets.

Against Utah they again fell behind by two on Logan Cooley's rush goals, but scored twice before the end of the first period, then answered 3-2 and 3-4 deficits to make it 3-3 and 4-4. Cole Caufield won it in overtime with a shot over Sebastian Cossa's shoulder.

Arber Xhekaj, one of three Canadiens to score their first goal of the season, recorded the hardest shot for a goal in the NHL this season and then fought Liam O'Brien off the next faceoff. Captain Nick Suzuki returned after six games out with a goal and two assists, winning 11 of 20 faceoffs and finishing plus-2 in 20:04. Rookie Adam Engstrom scored his first NHL goal. "Maybe getting smacked in the teeth was what we needed," coach Martin St. Louis said.

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7. McDavid calls play that drove him into the net 'dangerous'

Source: TSN

Oilers star Connor McDavid was unhappy after being driven into the net in the first period of Thursday's game against the Anaheim Ducks, calling the play dangerous. Midway through the opening period he rushed the net from the right side and was knocked into the far post by Ducks defenceman Drew Helleson.

"Obviously it's a play that is a little sensitive to me. Those are plays that I've been really really hurt on before," McDavid said. "Going into the end wall, going into the net. Those type of plays I find to be dangerous and obviously I didn't love it." He skated at Helleson to confront him, and winger Vasily Podkolzin fought Helleson shortly after, landing several right hands before officials stepped in. Podkolzin received the only five-minute major and was ejected, a call McDavid disliked.

McDavid referenced a similar 2019 play in which then-Flames defenceman Mark Giordano drove him into the net and he suffered a knee injury. "I wish that we treated the net like we treat the end wall," he said. He played 24:25 and had a goal and three assists in a 5-4 loss, extending his point streak to 17 games and his season total to 40 points in 16 games.

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8. Blue Jays distance themselves from Santander's Islamophobic posts

Source: CityNews Toronto

Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander is facing criticism after sharing a series of Islamophobic videos on social media in the hours following the U.S. midterms. One claimed Sharia law would be coming to America after Abdul El-Sayed won the senate race in Michigan; another said Muslim politicians are radicals and that Islam is a religion driven by war.

Santander took the posts down on Thursday morning, but they had been up long enough to draw widespread attention. The Blue Jays said in a statement that "baseball is for everyone, and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark. Individual comments do not represent our organization's values and beliefs."

Santander signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal before the 2025 season but has spent much of his time in Toronto on the injured list, appearing in only 54 games. He missed the entire 2026 season after surgery on his left shoulder.

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9. Alouettes QB Davis Alexander named CFL's Most Outstanding Player

Source: 3DownNation

Montreal Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander has won the CFL's George Reed Most Outstanding Player award for the 2026 season. The former Portland State Viking is the seventh Montreal player to take the honour, joining Pat Abbruzzi (1955), Hal Patterson (1956), George Dixon (1962), David Green (1979), Mike Pringle (1998) and Anthony Calvillo (2003, 2008-09).

Alexander received 40 of a possible 52 first-place votes and finished in the top two on every ballot for 236 points. Teammate Tyson Philpot (154) and Edmonton Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo (23) were the other finalists; the selections were made by members of the Football Reporters of Canada.

The Gig Harbor, Wash., native became the second Alouette to pass for 5,000-plus yards, joining Calvillo. In 16 starts he threw for 5,257 yards with a 72.1 completion percentage, 35 touchdowns and four interceptions, and led the league with 37 completions of 30 yards or more. The CFL no longer holds a traditional awards show; players are surprised with their honours by teammates in recorded videos, and Alexander and Philpot, who won Most Outstanding Canadian, revealed their awards to each other during a team photo.

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10. Belichick, Coughlin among five coaches to advance in Hall of Fame process

Source: NBC Sports

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Thursday that five coaches have advanced to the next round of the current selection process: Bill Belichick, Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan. One of them will be put forward for consideration by the full selection committee ahead of the Super Bowl.

All five also reached this stage last year, and it is the fourth time Holmgren has done so. Belichick fell short of the necessary votes in the 2026 election but may get another chance in 2027. Don Coryell, part of the Class of 2023, was the last coach selected for the Hall of Fame.

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