Sports News Bulletin July 07: Ronaldo's World Cup Ends, USA Crash Out and Trump's FIFA Cal

The FIFA World Cup knockout stage delivered another emotional night as Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup journey came to an end and the United States crashed out despite the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun's suspension. Portugal now begin a new era after Roberto Martinez's departure, while off the pitch, Kylian Mbappe condemned racist abuse. Cricket, Formula 1 and Wimbledon also produced major headlines across the sporting world.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup dream ends as Portugal bow out

Cristiano Ronaldo's illustrious World Cup career came to a heartbreaking end after Portugal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16. Mikel Merino's dramatic 91st-minute winner ended Portugal's campaign just a day after Ronaldo confirmed this would be his final World Cup. The 41-year-old finished with 27 World Cup appearances and 11 goals across six editions, with his only knockout-stage goal arriving earlier in this tournament against Croatia. Portugal coach Roberto Martinez hailed Ronaldo's leadership, while Spain boss Luis de la Fuente described him as a role model whose legacy extends far beyond trophies.

2. USA's World Cup dream ends with heavy defeat to Belgium

The United States were knocked out of the FIFA World Cup after a disappointing 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16. Despite the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun's reinstatement following FIFA's suspension reversal, Mauricio Pochettino's side failed to build on their impressive group-stage displays. Malik Tillman briefly equalised, but Belgium responded immediately before capitalising on costly American defensive errors to cruise into the quarter-finals. The defeat leaves the USA reflecting on another Round of 16 exit despite one of their most promising World Cup squads in recent memory.

3. Roberto Martinez steps down as Portugal coach

Roberto Martinez confirmed he is leaving his role as Portugal head coach following their World Cup elimination against Spain. The Spaniard, whose contract expired after the tournament, insisted Portugal "didn't fail" despite exiting in the Round of 16, arguing that fine margins decide knockout football. Martinez also defended his decision to leave Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch for the full 90 minutes, saying Portugal could never afford to remove their all-time leading scorer while chasing the game.

4. Trump admits calling FIFA over Balogun red card

US President Donald Trump publicly admitted he personally contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino in an attempt to overturn Folarin Balogun's suspension. Trump also questioned the integrity of the referee responsible for the sending-off, calling him "very suspect" while arguing the incident did not warrant a red card. FIFA eventually suspended Balogun's ban, allowing him to feature against Belgium, although the USA were still eliminated. The episode has intensified debate over political influence in football governance, with Belgium's appeal against the decision ultimately rejected.

5. Mbappe condemns racist attack from Paraguayan senator

France captain Kylian Mbappe has strongly condemned racist remarks made by Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla following France's World Cup victory over Paraguay. Amarilla questioned Mbappe's nationality and made several offensive comments on social media, prompting the French star to describe her as "a despicable woman" who does not represent Paraguay. The French Football Federation has since announced plans to file criminal charges, calling the remarks "utterly abhorrent and unacceptable."

6. India leave Sanju Samson out of Zimbabwe T20I squad

Sanju Samson has been omitted from India's T20I squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour despite remaining part of the country's plans for the 2026 Asian Games later this year. The BCCI did not clarify whether the wicketkeeper-batter was rested or dropped. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli has returned after recovering from a hamstring injury, while Shivam Dube replaces the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy in India's ODI squad for the England series. Young talents Prabhsimran Singh, Harsh Dubey, Ashok Sharma and Yash Thakur all received maiden T20I call-ups.

7. Asia Cup 2027 could provide ideal World Cup preparation for Rohit and Kohli

India's senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are set to receive a significant boost ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, with the proposed Asia Cup expected to be played in the 50-over format. Scheduled for June-July 2027 in Bangladesh, the tournament would offer crucial competitive match practice against regional rivals before the World Cup in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The tournament is expected to play a key role in helping India's experienced stars regain ODI rhythm ahead of what could be their final World Cup campaign.