AP – Sports
August 31, 2026
Argentina star Lionel Messi retires from international soccer with World Cup title and 125 goals
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international soccer after 21 years representing Argentina. “It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deeply — but I understand that the time has come,” the 39-year-old Messi says on his Instagram account Monday. Messi played in a record-tying six World Cups, won it in 2022 in Qatar and led Argentina to this year’s final, losing to Spain in extra time in New Jersey. He concludes his international career as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer with 125 goals, 21 of which were in World Cups.
Carlos Alcaraz returns to the US Open with a victory, Aryna Sabalenka also wins her first match
NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz returned to the U.S. Open and looked healthy enough for a run at a repeat. Alcaraz beat Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, showing no problems with the right wrist injury that had sidelined the 23-year-old Spaniard since April. Following fellow two-time U.S. Open champion Aryna Sabalenka onto Arthur Ashe Stadium, the No. 2-seeded Alcaraz delivered the all-around game that has made him a fan favorite. The seven-time Grand Slam champion may quickly become a huge favorite with top-ranked Jannik Sinner sidelined by a knee injury and No. 4 Novak Djokovic losing in the U.S. Open’s first round for the first time on Sunday.
Questions abound for Novak Djokovic after US Open loss and 3 years without a Grand Slam title
There are plenty of questions surrounding Novak Djokovic’s future after his first-round loss at the U.S. Open. The 39-year-old Djokovic was beaten 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 by Mariano Navone and has now gone three years without winning a Grand Slam title. Perhaps even more concerning is that Djokovic has consistently struggled with physical issues this year. He’s had an injured right shoulder and an unspecified health condition that makes it difficult for him to play in hot and humid weather. Djokovic has won a men’s record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, two more than Rafael Nadal and four more than Roger Federer.
No. 11 LSU enters game week vs. Clemson with an ex-NFL player practicing and maybe more to come
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright joined LSU’s practice under first-year coach Lane Kiffin on Monday. The 11th-ranked Tigers are preparing for Saturday’s season opener against Clemson. Wright and other former NFL players like Zxavian Harris and Blake Cotton may not end up playing depending on how court challenges go. Kiffin supports bringing in former pros, saying it benefits the team and declaring “this is how the real world works.” Nearly 400 athletes are suing the NCAA for additional eligibility.
A decade after Colin Kaepernick took a knee that led to his exile, the ripple effects continue
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem in 2016 sparked a cultural conversation. He aimed to highlight social issues like racial injustice and police brutality. However, the focus shifted to the nature of his protest, with critics labeling it disrespectful. This controversy, fueled by political figures and public backlash, overshadowed his football career, leading to his departure from the NFL. Despite this, Kaepernick remains committed to activism, inspiring others and creating initiatives to promote social justice. Supporters say his legacy endures as a symbol of standing up for one’s beliefs, even at great personal cost.
As NASCAR begins another title Chase, a look at the contenders and pretenders in the 16-man field
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The NASCAR Cup Series standings have been reset. Denny Hamlin, the regular-season champion, had his sizable advantage slashed to 25 over Ryan Blaney as the series shifts into playoff mode. The Chase for the championship begins at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina on Sunday, with the top 16 drivers embarking on a 10-race stretch that will determine who hoists the Bill France Cup at Homestead-Miami Speedway in mid-November. Like any of sports postseason, there are contenders and pretenders. Regular-season champ Denny Hamlin is the betting and sentimental favorite.
New York Liberty lead the WNBA with 7 players headed to the FIBA World Cup
NEW YORK (AP) — As the WNBA goes on its FIBA World Cup break, no team has more players headed to Germany then the New York Liberty. Like the city they play in, the Liberty are an international smorgasbord with players from France, Nigeria, China, Germany, Australia, Spain, the Bahamas and the U.S. New York will have seven of them playing in the tournament that begins Sept. 4 in Berlin. The Liberty would have an eighth, but Satou Sabally is still recovering from a concussion so can’t play for Germany.
Walk-ons are on the decline. The ones remaining lament lost opportunities for grinders like them
The number of walk-ons in college football are declining as teams draw closer to the 105-man roster limit. Carson Kolb spent the first two years of his career as a walk-on at Oregon State and walked on again at Oklahoma State before the Cowboys put him on scholarship this summer. He said he wouldn’t be playing football anymore if not given the opportunity as a walk-on. Some programs at the bottom of the FBS and in lower divisions probably will continue to take walk-ons because they won’t be able to give even a partial scholarship to every player.
US stars A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum to miss the FIBA Women’s World Cup
A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum will miss the FIBA Women’s World Cup for health reasons and will be replaced on the U.S. team by Washington teammates Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron. Wilson, the four-time WNBA MVP, has shouldered quite a workload in the first part of the season for the Las Vegas Aces and just needed a break to rest and get ready for the playoffs. She was voted the most outstanding player of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Plum has been dealing with a calf injury for most of the WNBA season and it still hasn’t 100% healed. She sparked the Americans to the one-point victory at the Paris Games.
Barcola joins Liverpool from PSG in $166M deal for biggest signing of the summer transfer window
Liverpool has finalized the most expensive transfer of the summer window by signing Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth 123 million pounds ($166 million). Liverpool secured its main target of the summer after a monthslong pursuit of a speedy 23-year-old France international who is coming off winning back-to-back Champions League titles with PSG. Now Barcola will expect to be a key part of an expensively assembled Liverpool attack that also includes striker Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. They were signed last summer for 125 million pounds ($170 million) and 116 million pounds ($156 million), respectively.
