Sports
Yamal is eclipsing young Ronaldo, Messi. Are Barcelona too dependent on him already?
The fact that Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal has 100 combined goals and assists for club and country as a teenager is, without using any kind of hyperbole, a little footballing miracle.
At the identical age (18 years and seven months), the two great modern players (one of whom is arguably the best in history), Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, respectively had only five and four goal contributions for club and country. Meanwhile, Yamal is 60 ahead of where Real Madrid and France forward Kylian Mbappé was at the same age.
Just think about that for a second.
This inventive, daring, creative, technically exquisite young lad, from a working-class background, is at least 95 goal contributions ahead of the game’s two behemoths, Messi and Ronaldo, and is increasing the like-for-like gap with each passing week. And he’s doing so while suffering painfully for months from the type of groin injury which should either be drastically restricting his development, or leaving him on the sidelines — as it has done with Nico Williams at Athletic Club.
But, no, right now Yamal is proving immune to pain, immune to Messi/Ronaldo comparisons, immune to the potentially corruptive impact of huge wealth and trophy success as a teenager.
Even if you set the stats aside, we’ve learned several inarguable things about Yamal already; firstly, that he possesses the same inherent, ferocious, indomitable competitive aggression which fed, and still feeds, Messi.
Without in any way deprecating Ronaldo — because his will to win and competitive aggression are both elite — there is something in his personality, something about his ego, which means he wants to be regarded individually as the best. I’ve been in his presence when he has said exactly that.
But neither Messi nor Yamal are as driven by that individualistic, egotistic compartment of human nature. For them, the constant demand is: “Give me the ball, give me an opponent, let me thrill, let me beat him, let me score or assist and let us win.”
“Us” … that’s the key.
That we are watching a close facsimile of Messi, who is already outstripping pound-for-pound comparative numbers, is, legitimately something of a miracle. You don’t have to be a Barcelona fan or follow Spanish football in order to feel genuinely touched by the privilege of witnessing another genius emerge so soon after Messi.
Indisputably, we live in a world of strife, jeopardy and uncertainty. It’s not an opiate to look for something that is joyous, something that is natural, pure, inspirational and which gives us a dose of happiness even if it’s only for 90 minutes each time he plays. It’s human nature.
The dazzling hat trick Yamal scored on Saturday at home to Villarreal, the first of his career, again highlights the chasm between him and his two almighty forebears at the same age. Yamal is over a year younger than when Messi achieved the same feat against Real Madrid in March 2007 and over four years quicker than Ronaldo when he registered his aged nearly 23 for Manchester United against Newcastle in 2008.
But this wasn’t just his debut treble, these were three goals of increasingly astonishing wonder.
For many, the pick of them was the second, where Yamal started in a position of apparently no threat and danced like a footballing Rudolf Nureyev past all his opponents before his left foot thrashed the ball beyond goalkeeper Luis Reis Junior. But for my taste, the third goal was the most eye-catching one; the timing of his run, his decision-making and his cleverness in finishing, not just through power alone, stood out.
Yamal’s “street-football” style of dribbling, playing “inside” and not on the touchline, while also acting like an outright striker, are some of the things which will elevate him onto the all-time pantheon of greats if he continues to develop this way. If he can add top-level acuity in the penalty box — showing more of a finisher’s touch — then we potentially have another all-time great on our hands.
But of course there are obstacles to overcome.
If he is a little footballing miracle, as I swear to you he is, then that’s precisely what Barcelona require on Tuesday to somehow overturn a four-goal deficit in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal at Camp Nou.
Yes, we all know that Barcelona have the most astonishing result in European football history — having been 4-0 down to Paris before coming back to win 6-1 in the Champions League in 2017 — and maybe it’s coincidence that the heroes of that night were Yamal’s two all-time heroes, Messi and Neymar. But that was an historic achievement that stood out so much because these things do not happen often.
The last time Barcelona and Atleti met in the Catalan capital in the Copa del Rey, Barcelona scored four times alright … but they also conceded four.
So far, Yamal’s record against Atleti is good, without being scintillating: Seven matches, five wins, one draw, one defeat, but only one goal.
The glaringly obvious truth is that while they will need to be a team performance of extraordinary power and discipline in order even to force their way back into the tie on Tuesday, Barça will undoubtedly require some miraculous provision of manna from heaven.
And while midfielder Pedri has some of that in his mind, and his boots, the main provider is Yamal.
2:39
Is there too much pressure on Lamine Yamal?
The ‘FC TV’ crew debate if there’s too much pressure on Lamine Yamal at 18 years of age.
But his club asks a monstrous amount of him. Despite this being a season where he has had to cope with an injury, and where rivals have double- and triple-marked him, his contribution across all competitions has been 32 goals or assists in 34 matches.
That is simply astonishing.
But after the match against Villarreal he admitted: “Over the last few months I haven’t been enjoying myself as much, the groin pain was part of that, I think all that was pretty evident. But for about a week now there’s been a click — things feel better and I’ve got the urge to smile again while I’m playing, which is something I’d lost for a while!”
By now I’ve interviewed Yamal five or six times — on two occasions good, lengthy, interesting conversations — and this is what those meetings taught me:
In general, he’s tough-minded, extremely smart and aware of the talent, responsibility and opportunity which has landed on his doorstep. I honestly think that a large part of his extraordinary makeup is how well his sharp, well-ordered mind — which is mature beyond his age in footballing terms — intersects with his natural talent.
But, in some matters he’s still a kid who dotes on his younger brother and who went to be smothered by hugs and kisses from his mum on the touchline postmatch against Villarreal.
One of the first things he revealed to me two years ago was that when he was four or five and put in goal by his dad and uncles during their Rocafonda park games, he felt that they deliberately treated him like an equal and unforgivingly booted shots which hit him in the face. He said that, there and then, he resolved to speed up his development and ability to play outfield so that the next sucker who joined their regular game would have to go in goal instead.
Flinty tough: don’t complain, win.
The fact that Barcelona depend on him to play miraculously on Tuesday against Atletico is fine: he’s ready, willing and able. The fact that Barça have needed him to carry them every week since August to the point that, at 18, he wasn’t happy, or taking joy in his job, isn’t.
I hope someone in their system was taking note: Yamal isn’t theirs alone, he belongs to everyone around the world who looks to football to inspire them. He gives us thrills, joy and hope. And that is a precious thing indeed.
Sports
Diego Pavia accepts Ravens rookie minicamp invite after making unfortunate NFL Draft history: reports
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Diego Pavia, the polarizing former Vanderbilt quarterback who was runner-up in Heisman voting last season, has reportedly found a home in the NFL after going undrafted this weekend.
Pavia accepted an invitation to the Baltimore Ravens’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, per multiple reports. He doesn’t have a spot on the roster yet, but it’s a start as he looks to crack into the NFL with Baltimore.
Of course, Lamar Jackson, the two-time MVP quarterback, is cemented as the team’s starting quarterback, but perhaps Pavia can stand out enough in rookie minicamp to earn an invitation to training camp this summer.
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Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia throws a pass against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first quarter during the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 31, 2025. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)
Pavia was not expecting to be undrafted this weekend, but he became the first Heisman Trophy finalist since 2014 to not hear his name called through the seven rounds in Pittsburgh.
Pavia won the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award for best upperclassman quarterback after throwing for 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, both of which single-season school records, to give the Commodores its first-ever 10-win season.
Vanderbilt just missed out on the College Football Playoff after finishing 10-3.
POLARIZING COLLEGE FOOTBALL STAR, HEISMAN TROPHY FINALIST GOES UNDRAFTED
Pavia ultimately finished second in Heisman voting to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza – the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. So, what ultimately led to Pavia not getting drafted?
While his personality may have factored in, Pavia’s official height at the NFL Scouting Combine turned some heads. Vanderbilt had him listed at 6-foot, but he was measured at 5-foot-9 7/8, which would make him the shortest quarterback in the NFL if he were to step foot on the gridiron today. The average height is 6-foot-2 for an NFL quarterback.
However, those shorter than the average have seen success, including Minnesota Vikings newest member, Kyler Murray, who went first overall to the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 coming out of Oklahoma. He’s listed at 5-foot-10.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia celebrates after the team’s win against Kentucky at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 22, 2025. (Mark Zaleski/The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Pavia barked back at critics during the Senior Bowl in January regarding his height.
“Yeah, my size has been doubted my whole life,” he said at the time, via AL.com. “I feel like the only thing the NFL cares about is can you win, and I view myself as a winner. I’ve been fortunate with all these great teams that I’ve had — we’ve never had a losing season. So that’s something to look forward to, I hope, for the rest of my career, that’s how it’s going to be.
“I feel like God has blessed me in so many ways to be a connector, and I feel like that’s one of my superpowers that I’ve got — I can connect. We unite, and then once you unite, you want to play for one another, and once you give 120% effort, there’s no one that can stop your team.”
Pavia’s personality, viewed by some as more cocky than confident, may have played a factor as well. After finishing runner-up to Mendoza in Heisman voting, Pavia was spotted at a New York City nightclub next to a sign that read, “F— Indiana.” Then, he posted on social media a photo with friends and a caption that read, “F— ALL THE VOTERS, BUT…FAMILY FOR LIFE.”
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia throws a football during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 28, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
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Pavia later apologized for his decision to post that on his socials.
No matter the case, Pavia has a shot now with the Ravens and new head coach Jesse Minter, as he aims to show enough to join the quarterbacks group in training camp. Other than Jackson, the Ravens have Tyler “Snoop” Huntley on the roster to start the season.
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Trevor Bauer, the former Cy Young Award winner and MLB All-Star, tossed a no-hitter for the independent Long Island Ducks in a 13-0 win over the Lancaster Stormers on Sunday afternoon at Penn Medicine Park in Pennsylvania.
It was just Bauer’s second start in the United States since 2021, and he faced just one batter over the minimum in a scheduled seven-inning game of a doubleheader against the Stormers.
Bauer threw 84 pitches, striking out seven hitters and walking just one to lose out on the perfect game.
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Trevor Bauer smiles after pitching no-hitter for Long Island Ducks on Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)
But Bauer unleashed a roar on the mound after a called strike three to notch the third no-hitter in Ducks history.
Combined with his first outing for the Ducks on April 21, Bauer has a strong 1.64 ERA to start the season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), which is a “Professional Partner League” of MLB.
Fans might have been supporting the opposing Stormers, but they understood what was at stake as Bauer was mowing down hitters throughout his start. They were even heard chanting his name at one point, hoping he could keep his hitless streak alive.
After the game, Bauer returned the favor for those at the Pennsylvania ballpark, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans after entering his name into the Ducks’ record books.
TREVOR BAUER SIGNS WITH PRO BASEBALL TEAM IN UNITED STATES AMID MLB RETURN HOPES
“I’m looking forward to competing in front of U.S. fans again this season,” said Bauer when he signed with the Ducks earlier this month. “The Ducks have had some incredible players come through their organization, and I’m excited to be part of that tradition.”
Ex-MLB stars like Dontrelle Willis, Daniel Murphy, Rich Hill and Eric Gagne have played for the Ducks in the past. New York Mets legends Gary Carter and Bud Harrelson both managed the team, with the latter also being a part-owner.
Bauer’s first start for the Ducks impressed an AL team scout in attendance, saying he was pretty impressed by Bauer’s arsenal on the bump.
“He showed flashes of the guy he used to be and a guy who can help a club,” the scout told the New York Post. “He went out and handled himself well. He showed flashes of the breaking ball he had in the past. Certainly the velocity is not what it once was, but it’s still solid, mostly 92-94. He didn’t throw the ball particularly well on the inside part of the plate with his fastball, but I think it was a really good first outing. You’d expected him to get sharper and probably tick up in velocity.
Trevor Bauer and catcher high-five after finish inning for Long Island Ducks in no-hit bid on Sunday April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)
“You’re talking about a guy who was at the top of the game. Is he back there? No, but he looked like a guy who could go out and compete.”
Bauer pitched in Japan in both 2023 and 2025, while a stint in Mexico came in 2024. He pitched to a 2.59 ERA and 9.2 K/9 in Japan in 2023, and in Mexico, those numbers improved to 2.48 and 13.0. Last year in Japan, though, his ERA shot up to 4.41, and he struck out just 8.2 batters per nine innings.
This June will mark five years since Bauer, as the reigning Cy Young Award winner, last appeared in an MLB game. On June 28 of that year, he tossed six innings of two-run ball while striking out eight batters, recording the win.
Two days later, Bauer was hit with sexual assault allegations, which eventually led to a 324-game suspension (the equivalent of two seasons). It was eventually reduced to 184 games for violating the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
Bauer has maintained his innocence, settling with one accuser while another is facing 16 years in prison after being charged with fraud for faking a pregnancy and asking Bauer for money for an abortion.
Trevor Bauer pitches for Long Island Ducks during no-hitter on Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)
Bauer and Lindsey Hill, who accused the pitcher of beating and sexually abusing her in 2021, settled their case in late 2023. Bauer revealed texts from Hill, who said that Bauer would be her “next victim,” among other damning messages. Hill has since said that MLB has more evidence of Bauer’s alleged misconduct.
Last June, Hill was ordered to pay Bauer more than $300,000 for violating settlement terms. Hill breached their settlement agreement with each other by discussing Bauer on podcasts and in public appearances, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Nearly two years ago, Bauer said he “may have no other choice” but to sue Major League Baseball “if I continue being kept out” of the league. Bauer has said he’d “play for the league minimum,” but he has yet to sign with an MLB team.
“Anyone that’s willing to sit down with me and listen: I’d like to play the second half of my career in a better way than I played the first half,” Bauer told Fox News Digital in January 2024. “I’d like to be an example that you can make mistakes, recognize them, adjust and then be better in the future. I think that’s something us as humans have to do and should be doing constantly.”
Long Island Ducks pitcher Trevor Bauer throws against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip, N.Y., on April 21, 2026. (Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM/Getty Images)
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Bauer has since called out MLB after Pete Rose and other deceased former players were taken off the league’s permanently ineligible list.
“So, since Pete is welcome back now, does that go for everyone who has been blackballed?” Bauer asked on X. “Or do you actually have to be guilty of something to qualify for that?”
Bauer was performing well for the Dodgers at the time of the allegations, pitching to a 2.59 ERA.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
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Sports
Kai Trump reveals ‘scary’ medical moment during her trip to Masters Tournament at Augusta National
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Kai Trump, the granddaughter of President Donald Trump, revealed a “scary” medical moment that occurred while she was attending the Masters Tournament earlier this month in a new vlog.
The future University of Miami golfer traveled to Augusta National Golf Club to take in the first major of the year, but the trip to Georgia hit a speed bump after she had an allergic reaction to a hand soap she used on her face.
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Amateur Kai Trump of the United States plays her shot from the 16th tee during the first round of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., on Nov. 13, 2025. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
“I was using hand soap on my face, when I was at Augusta, to wash off my makeup and I started getting these bumps on my neck,” she said in the vlog.
The 18-year-old had to get medical attention, ultimately receiving a steroid shot to counteract the allergic reaction.
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU HITS GOLF BALLS ON WHITE HOUSE SOUTH LAWN DURING VISIT WITH TRUMP
“Now, I don’t have a rash anymore, but I had an allergic reaction to the hand soap on my face,” she said.
“I have very sensitive skin. It was so, so scary.”
Amateur golfer Kai Trump looks on from the 11th tee before The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, on Nov. 12, 2025. (Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Once the rash was put to rest, Kai appeared to enjoy her weekend at Augusta. She posed for a photo she shared on Instagram with Bryson DeChambeau, a supporter of her grandfather and fellow YouTuber, and his caddie, Greg Bodine.
It wasn’t the best week for DeChambeau, though, as he missed the cut at Augusta National after shooting 6-over in his first two days of the tournament.
In the end, Rory McIlroy, who finally completed the career Grand Slam last year at the Masters, retained the green jacket with a second-straight win. He finished one shot ahead of Scottie Scheffler, who finished 11-under for the week after going 4-under in his final round on Sunday.
Kai Trump poses for a photo with Bryson DeChambeau during the 2026 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., on April 9, 2026. (Instagram/@KAITRUMPGOLFER)
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Russell Henley, Cam Young, Tyrell Hatton and Justin Rose, who lost to McIlroy in a playoff at last year’s Masters, all finished tied for third place at 10-under.
Kai is currently scheduled to enroll at the University of Miami later this fall, where she intends to play for the women’s golf team. She is a high school senior at The Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.. She discussed her upcoming senior prom in her latest vlog.
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