Sports

Mourinho will always be a winner, says Leicester’s Rodgers

AFP

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has hailed Jose Mourinho as “one of the greats” as he prepares to pit his wits against the Roma boss in the Europa Conference League semi-finals on Thursday.

Rodgers’ side host Roma in the first leg as Mourinho returns for his first game on English soil since being sacked by Tottenham last year.

Mourinho has endured a difficult period at Roma, who sit fifth in Serie A after a season that has strengthened the belief of some critics that the Portuguese coach is past his best.

But Rodgers, who was youth team coach at Chelsea during Mourinho’s first spell at Stamford Bridge, is adamant his old boss is still a force to be reckoned with.

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“He has nothing to prove to anyone,” Rodgers told reporters on Wednesday. “He will always be a winner. I cannot speak any higher of him. He is one of the greats of our generation.

“I have got nothing but admiration for him. I became a manager in my own right but I will never forget what I gained from him as a young coach. I studied him and watched him and at that time it was a really special period.”

In his prime, Mourinho won the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan and secured three Premier League titles over two stints at Chelsea.

He led Inter to a pair of Serie A titles and won La Liga with Real Madrid, while also lifting Manchester United’s most recent trophies in 2017.

Asked what makes him rank Mourinho among the great managers of all time, Rodgers pointed to the 59-year-old’s array of qualities.

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“He had the X factor. There wasn’t one single thing. He was brilliant in so many aspects of the game,” Rodgers said.

“Detail-orientated, man-management of the players, his understanding of the tactical adaptation of the game, he had that special quality I was able to see.”

Despite criticism of the Europa Conference League when it was launched, Rodgers believes the continent’s third-tier tournament has been an entertaining success in its first season.

After winning Leicester’s first-ever FA Cup last season, he has his sights on their maiden European prize.

“It’s a prestigious competition, all four teams will want to win it,” he said.

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“It’s a fantastic occasion against a top-class team. To get to the final we will do everything we can. It’s another symbol of our growth as a club.”

International

Trump Says Iran Is Welcome at 2026 World Cup but Warns of Security Concerns

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, said Thursday that the national football team of Iran is “welcome” to participate in the 2026 World Cup, although he suggested it might be safer for the team not to take part in the tournament.

“The Iranian national soccer team is welcome at the World Cup, but I really don’t think it’s appropriate for them to be there, for their own safety,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

His comments came a day after Iran’s sports minister, Ahman Donyamali, said that there are currently no conditions for the country to participate in the tournament following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, during a military offensive launched on February 28 by Israel and the United States.

“After the corrupt government killed our leader, there are no conditions that allow us to take part in the World Cup,” the Iranian official said. He added that the country has faced two wars in the past eight or nine months, resulting in thousands of civilian deaths, making participation in the tournament unlikely.

On Tuesday, the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, met with Trump at the White House.

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Following the meeting, Infantino said that Trump reiterated that Iran’s national team would be allowed to compete in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“We discussed the current situation in Iran and the fact that the Iranian team has qualified to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026. During the conversation, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino wrote on Instagram.

Sports

Shakira ignites El Salvador with near sold-out residency at Mágico González Stadium

The recently renovated Jorge “Mágico” González Stadium is rolling out the red carpet for Colombian superstar Shakira, whose string of concerts has sold out almost entirely, confirming the powerful bond between the artist and Salvadoran fans.

The scale of the experience begins as soon as attendees arrive at the venue. Outside the stadium, organizers have installed several photo spots so concertgoers can capture a souvenir from the major event.

Fans attending the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour will witness a top-tier visual production, where technology and robotic lighting effects will shape an atmosphere that shifts dramatically from one segment of the show to another — moving from the intensity of ’90s rock to the festive explosion of urban pop.

Security and crowd management have been top priorities, with a coordinated operation aimed at ensuring smooth entry and exit, allowing spectators to focus solely on enjoying hits that have defined generations.

Beyond the music, the event marks a milestone for the country’s live-entertainment industry, positioning El Salvador as a destination capable of hosting artist residencies once reserved for cities such as Las Vegas or London.

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The excitement is already visible across the capital: hotels are at full capacity and local businesses are riding the wave of enthusiasm sparked by the latest songs from the Colombian star.

Central America

El Salvador to host World Cup qualifiers vs. Guatemala and Panama at Estadio Cuscatlán

El Salvador’s national football team will host its final round World Cup qualifying matches against Guatemala and Panama at Estadio Cuscatlán, the honorary president of the National Sports Institute (INDES), Yamil Bukele, announced Thursday via a statement on his X account.

The official explained that this decision comes after the American rock band Guns N’ Roses, originally scheduled to perform at Estadio Cuscatlán on Saturday, October 4, will now hold their concert at Estadio Jorge “El Mágico” González. This change allows both of La Selecta’s qualifying matches to be played at the “Coloso de Monserrat.”

“After a series of efforts and in response to popular demand, we are pleased to announce that our senior national team’s CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches next October (Oct. 10 vs. Panama and Oct. 14 vs. Guatemala) will take place at Estadio Cuscatlán,” the statement reads.

Bukele also thanked the event promoters and the band for agreeing to the stadium change. “We sincerely thank Guns N’ Roses and StarTicket for agreeing to move the concert originally scheduled for October 4 at Estadio Cuscatlán,” the statement adds.

Additionally, Bukele expressed gratitude to the FESFUT Regularization Commission for their efforts with CONCACAF to make this possible, and he urged fans to stay tuned to official channels to purchase tickets and support La Selecta in their World Cup qualifying campaign.