Thursday, November 13, 2025
Home Blog

Murray wants a curious job

Sports Of The Day
-
0
Murray wants a curious job

Andy Murray talks about his new career plans in golf. He has his sights set on an ambitious goal.

Tennis star Andy Murray has revealed that his “dream” is to work as a caddie in golf.

The two-time Wimbledon champion, who discovered his passion for golf after retiring from tennis, spoke openly about a possible new dream job on The Romesh Ranganathan Show podcast.

“I’m thinking about becoming a caddie for a professional golfer at some point. I love golf, and if you love the sport, I think it would be a great job,“ revealed the 38-year-old. ”If you were working with a top golfer and could be there when he has a great moment on the course and feel like you’re helping a little bit with decisions, I think it would be a great job,” Murray emphasized.

Murray’s dream pro

Murray already has a clear idea of which pro he would like to work for as a caddie: “The dream pro I would work for as a caddie would be Robert MacIntyre. It’s like a dream to imagine carrying Robert MacIntyre’s bag when he wins the Open or something like that. That would be the dream job.“

When asked if he thought the attention would be focused more on him than on the golfer he works with, Murray replied: ”Maybe at first, but in the long run, I don’t think so. I think with anything new, people are probably quite excited at first, but after a while, it just becomes normal.”

Murray, who retired after the Paris Olympics last year, has already proven his skills with a club and has an impressive golf handicap of two.

At the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Pro-Am in October, he played alongside professional golfer Eddie Pepperell. Murray put in a strong performance, scoring a birdie on the last hole at Carnoustie. In addition to Carnoustie, he also tried his hand at Kingsbarns and St. Andrews. The Dunhill Links Championship Pro-Am was not the first tournament Murray had participated in, and he had previously spoken about his own golf ambitions. “I’d like to try to compete in the regional qualifiers [for the Open] at some point,” Murray said.

Next stop: Open Championship?

“A few of my friends have done it, and it would just be fun if you reached the level to do it. I would do it, but I don’t think I would have a chance of qualifying for the Open,“ he continued. ”I am fully aware of how good the players are who compete in these tournaments and how good the pros are compared to the amateurs. Even players with a handicap of +2 or +3 are miles away from what these guys are doing,“ emphasized the Scot. ”Not next year, but the year after. In a few years, I hope I’ll have reached a level where I won’t completely embarrass myself, but you never know,” Murray added.

Will Kompany become Bayern’s trump card? Upamecano talks about his future

Sports Of The Day
-
0
Will Kompany become Bayern’s trump card? Upamecano talks about his future

FC Bayern would like to extend Dayot Upamecano’s contract. He remained tight-lipped in a major interview, but spoke in the highest terms about coach Vincent Kompany.

Dayot Upamecano is not known for being a loudmouth. But this Tuesday, the FC Bayern center back spoke at length, with L’Equipe dedicating its cover story to him. Over two pages, the Frenchman talks in detail about his development, his current coach, and the decision he will have to make about his future next summer. When asked about Vincent Kompany, Upamecano immediately becomes enthusiastic. “I’ve tried to improve a lot of things, and I owe that above all to a great coach,” the 27-year-old makes clear right away: “When he arrived, he immediately gave me tips.” Kompany also regularly calls his protégé into his office to “show me video clips where I can see what I need to do better.”

Kompany, once a top center back himself, is a great help when it comes to positioning and pre-orientation on the field. Upamecano explains that the active style of play and active defending up front under the Belgian also suits his style very well: “I feel much stronger. When Kompany arrived, a lot changed. He showed us how we can defend better.”

Kane “still defends in the 87th minute”

The fact that “a striker like Harry Kane still defends in the 87th minute” says everything about Bayern under Kompany. Before the clash of the titans with PSG, Bayern’s coach once again emphasized “that we shouldn’t be afraid and should go for it. He even said to me: ‘If you have to, put pressure on the goalkeeper.’”

Kompany’s plan worked once again, and Bayern are now unbeaten in 17 competitive games. Upamecano plays a central role in this, having made nine Bundesliga and four Champions League appearances for Munich.

Upamecano: “I have a good advisor.”

The German record champions are very interested in extending his contract, which expires in the summer of 2026. This was emphasized not least by Bayern’s re-elected president Herbert Hainer at the general meeting. Sports director Christoph Freund also reiterated several times over the weekend “that it is our big goal to extend with Upa.”

But what does he himself think about continuing his time in Munich? “I have a good advisor. We will make the right decision,” Upamecano said cautiously in an interview. He said he has “always said that I feel comfortable at Bayern. I have a great coach and great teammates.”

However, that is not yet a commitment. ” I’m focusing on this season and my goals with the club and the national team,“ he says, but at the same time emphasizes: ”I’m honored that there are clubs interested in me.“

The interest from other clubs is also ”not surprising“ for Freund, ”because he’s simply performing really, really well.” His current club coach obviously plays a big part in that.

Apollo takes over: New majority shareholder at Atlético Madrid

T0m@dmin1
-
0
Apollo takes over: New majority shareholder at Atlético Madrid

An investment company from the USA will hold the majority of shares in Atlético Madrid in future. Previous major shareholders are stepping down.

Atletico Madrid has a new majority shareholder. As the top Spanish club announced on Monday, the US investment management company Apollo Sports Capital (ASC) is acquiring more than half of the shares in the Champions League participant. Spanish media reports indicate a stake of 51 to 55 percent. According to these reports, the club has been valued at around €2.5 billion.

After several months of negotiations, Atletico said the move represents “continuity and vision” and spoke of big goals: “ASC’s investment will strengthen our club’s position among the elite and support our ambition to deliver long-term success to our millions of fans worldwide,” the club said.

New training center

Robert Givone, representative of the new majority shareholder, outlined the investors’ aspirations: “We look forward to supporting the team, honoring its spirit and traditions, and adding value in areas where we excel, such as expanding the Ciudad del Deporte and enhancing the fan experience.”

Atletico’s old training center and academy were built in 1995 and are located in the northwest of the city. The club is currently planning a new center around its stadium.

Gil, Cerezo & Co. pave the way

The four main shareholders around CEO Miguel Angel Gil and President Enrique Cerezo paved the way for ASC. They sold part of their shares but remain with the club. “The shareholder group intends to invest additional capital to support the club’s long-term plans,” according to the Colchoneros’ statement: “This includes further investments in the Atletico Madrid teams and in major infrastructure projects.”

According to the club, the takeover is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026. Currently, Atletico, coached by Diego Simeone since 2011, is fourth in La Liga and eighth in the Champions League. The women’s team is fourth in the national league.

With eleven league titles (most recently in 2021) and ten cup wins, Atletico is number three in Spain behind city rivals Real (36 championships) and FC Barcelona (28). In the 2010s, the red and whites won the Europa League three times (2010, 2012, 2018). In 1974, the capital club celebrated winning the Intercontinental Cup.

Most recently linked with Juve: Palladino takes over at Atalanta

Sotd Editor
-
0
Most recently linked with Juve: Palladino takes over at Atalanta

Less than 24 hours after Ivan Juric’s dismissal, Atalanta Bergamo has presented its new head coach: Raffaele Palladino (41), who was most recently linked with various clubs, takes over with immediate effect.

Until November 1, Atalanta Bergamo, along with FC Bayern, was one of only two teams still undefeated in Europe’s top five leagues. The significant difference to the German record champions: when they suffered their first defeat (0-1 in Udine), the 2024 Europa League winners had only 13 points to their name and were languishing in eleventh place.

Following a devastating 3-0 home defeat to Sassuolo last weekend, Bergamo slipped to 13th place and consequently parted ways with head coach Ivan Juric. For the 50-year-old, it was already his third suspension within twelve months.

However, in northern Italy, they already had a plan in place for how to make a fresh start. Less than 24 hours after parting ways with Juric, Atalanta presented his successor on Tuesday afternoon. And he goes by the illustrious name of Raffaele Palladino. The 41-year-old had been mentioned repeatedly in recent weeks when it came to vacant coaching positions.

Contract until 2027 – Difficult start

He is said to have been on Juventus’ shortlist before the Bianconeri ultimately opted for former national coach Luciano Spalletti. Recently, there was also talk of a return to Florence, which he left last summer despite finishing sixth and qualifying for Europe.

The separation was “amicable,” which is probably why Palladino preferred to take on a different challenge. In addition, Florence took a nosedive after Palladino’s departure and is currently at the bottom of Serie A with only five points from eleven games. In Bergamo, Palladino has been given a contract until June 30, 2027, and is expected to quickly make people forget about Juric’s staid style of soccer. Palladino is bringing a total of six staff members with him to Bergamo, including assistant Stefano Citterio, two fitness coaches, and two game analysts. In Florence and at his previous club in Monza, Palladino played attractive, attacking football. He has the necessary players to do the same in Bergamo. However, with only two wins from eleven games, the main priority is to get results as quickly as possible. The start of the season will be tough, though: after the international break, the team will face crisis-stricken champions Napoli on November 22.

“Actually last season”: Podolski leaves himself a back door open

Sports Of The Day
-
0
“Actually last season”: Podolski leaves himself a back door open

At 40, Podolski’s priorities are shifting: less playing time, more enjoyment of work off the pitch. But the 2014 World Cup winner is not committing himself entirely.

Lukas Podolski has once again hinted that his long professional career is coming to an end – but the 2014 World Cup winner is leaving himself a small back door open. “Basically, yes, this should actually be my last season,” Podolski told the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, adding with a smile: “If we manage to pull off a coup in sporting terms, I might want to give it another go.”

Podolski has been under contract with his youth club Gornik Zabrze since 2021 and has helped the club from his native country advance on many levels during this time – in sporting and structural terms and through his network. “I also really enjoy the work off the pitch. I’m 40 now, so my priorities have shifted. The club has given me the opportunity to get a taste of many different areas,“ Podolski explained.

”A little niggle here and there”

After 15 match days, the traditional club surprisingly leads the Polish league table. Podolski himself is not seeing as much playing time this season. The striker only started on the second match day. In addition, he has made seven brief appearances. “I still really enjoy playing, and I also take great pleasure in helping the young players in the team with my experience.
But I’m not 30 anymore, so I do get aches and pains here and there,” said the striker, whose contract expires at the end of the season. In October 2024, Podolski’s career at 1. FC Köln was honored with an emotional farewell match. In addition to soccer, the DFB legend has already established other sources of income. Together with Mats Hummels, he founded the indoor soccer league Baller League. Podolski also owns several kebab shops and ice cream parlors in North Rhine-Westphalia. A soccer hall and his own fashion label are also among his projects.

World vs. USA: NBA returns to popular All-Star format

Jason Maverick
-
0
World vs. USA: NBA returns to popular All-Star format

For years, the NBA has been trying to make the All-Star Game more intense and meaningful—with limited success so far. Now there’s a new attempt.

According to a new change, the next edition on February 15, 2026, at the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome will see a world selection take on two US teams. All three teams, each comprising eight players, will then face each other in a mini-tournament.

There are also changes to the All-Star voting, which traditionally allows fans around the world to participate. Although five starters and seven reserves will continue to be selected from each conference, the nomination process will no longer differentiate by position.

It is also possible that Americans will play on “Team World” if at least eight NBA professionals from abroad do not receive enough votes from fans, colleagues, and journalists.

Many of the top stars in the NBA come from abroad

Since stars such as Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets/Serbia), Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers/Slovenia), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks/Greece), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder/Canada), Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs/France) and Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic/Germany) all come from outside the US and have a good chance of participating, there should be no major difficulties. In any case, NBA boss Adam Silver has the right to call up additional players for the All-Star team if one of the three teams does not have enough members. How the Americans will be divided between the two teams will be determined at a later date. Due to the Olympic Games taking place at the same time, next year’s All-Star Game will be held earlier. Instead of the usual tip-off time of 2 a.m., fans in Germany will be able to enjoy the game at 11 p.m.

Ford reveals: When Red Bull will unveil its 2026 Formula 1 design

Phil Laffertey
-
0
Ford reveals: When Red Bull will unveil its 2026 Formula 1 design

The first date for the 2026 Formula 1 presentations has been set: What Racing Bulls and Red Bull are planning and what powertrain partner Ford has to do with it

Ford’s head of motorsport, Mark Rushbrook, has announced in a blog post when the two Formula 1 teams, Racing Bulls and Red Bull, plan to unveil their car designs for 2026—as part of a major motorsport presentation at Ford in Detroit on January 15.

According to Rushbrook, this will be a first: “Red Bull will be presenting its two Formula 1 teams at a single event for the first time ever.”

However, Rushbrook overlooks the “F1 75” Formula 1 presentation at the start of the 2025 season, when all ten teams presented themselves at an evening event in London – one after the other on the same stage.

There is still a first

The presentation in Detroit is still a first: it marks the start of the new partnership between Ford and Red Bull, who are collaborating on the development of the new Formula 1 engine for 2026. The event that has now been announced is the first highlight of the collaboration, says Rushbrook.

But anyone expecting a real vehicle presentation will be disappointed: according to Rushbrook, Racing Bulls and Red Bulls will only be presenting the colors of their vehicles, not the new vehicles themselves. So on January 15, we will probably see the current VCARB 02 and RB21 in their 2026 designs.

However, there will be at least one real presentation: the first joint Formula 1 powertrain from Ford and Red Bull – the “heart of Ford’s return to the ‘premier class’ after 22 years,” according to Rushbrook. He says: “The technical challenge has never been greater. Our team is working day and night on the preparations for 2026.”

The Ford partnership began back in 2023

And it has been going on for years: Ford and Red Bull sealed their technical partnership back in spring 2023 after negotiations between Red Bull and Porsche failed. From 2026, both Red Bull and Racing Bulls will use the new powertrains, most of which were developed at a newly built engine plant in Milton Keynes, England.

Ford contributed its expertise in combustion engines and electrical components to the partnership and also supported Red Bull in software matters. For Red Bull, this is the first drive system it has developed in-house, enabling the energy drink company to compete in Formula 1 as a full-fledged manufacturer: Racing Bulls and Red Bull are no longer customer teams, but factory teams.

When the contract was signed in 2023, then Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was already dreaming of a “dynasty” in Formula 1—and raved about Ford’s motorsport history, which was shaped by drivers such as Jim Clark, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher. “That history speaks for itself,” Horner said. Ford and the Red Bull teams want to build on that in 2026.
The Ford presentation on January 15 will be followed by the first test drives with the new Formula 1 cars starting on January 26, 2026. There will be a total of three weeks of testing in Barcelona (Spain) and Sakhir (Bahrain). Only the first week of testing will take place behind closed doors, with no public or media access.

Formula 1 team McLaren cleans house: Three juniors get the boot

Sotd Editor
-
0
Formula 1 team McLaren cleans house: Three juniors get the boot

Three out, one in: McLaren is revamping its junior program, but without giving any reasons for parting ways with its current squad drivers.

World champion team McLaren has parted ways with three drivers from its junior squad shortly before the end of the 2025 Formula 1 season: Brando Badoer, Martinius Stenshorne, and Ugo Ugochukwu are leaving McLaren at the end of the year.

It is unclear why the trio has no future at McLaren despite “numerous victories and podium finishes” in the junior series. The team has not given any reasons for its decision. Alessandro Alunni Bravi, McLaren’s business director, simply said: “We thank Ugo, Martinius and Brando for their contributions and wish them all the best for the future.”

Brando Badoer is the son of former Formula 1 driver Luca Badoer from Italy. However, his 2025 season in Formula 3 did not go as planned: he only scored points in three of 20 races. His time at McLaren ends after just one year – but not his time in Formula 3: in 2026, Badoer will once again compete in the “third league” below Formula 1.

His former McLaren colleagues have fared much better there: Ugochukwu, Badoer’s Prema teammate, achieved two second places and 16th place overall in Formula 3, while Stenshorne achieved two race wins, three second places and fifth place overall for Hitech.
But even that was apparently not enough to remain a McLaren squad driver. Unlike Badoer and Ugochukwu, however, Stenshorne will not remain in Formula 3, but will move up to Formula 2.

New man in the McLaren junior squad

New to the McLaren junior program is Italian Matteo de Palo, who is now set to be put on the “path to Formula 1, IndyCar and the World Endurance Championship.” De Palo most recently competed in European Formula Renault, where he fought at the top of the field: with four wins and seven other podium finishes, he finished the season in second place overall.

Alunni Bravi calls him a “promising young talent” and praises him, saying, “Matteo has developed well over the past few seasons. He is highly adaptable and consistent.” De Palo himself feels “honored” to join the McLaren squad.
He will be racing in Papaya colors for the first time at this year’s Macau Grand Prix.

 

After crash in Brazil: Hülkenberg consoles Gabriel Bortoleto

Lesley Summerville
-
0
After crash in Brazil: Hülkenberg consoles Gabriel Bortoleto

After a disappointing home race in São Paulo, Gabriel Bortoleto finds consolation with Nico Hülkenberg—and is harshly self-critical.

Gabriel Bortoleto experiences a home race full of setbacks in São Paulo. The Sauber driver loses control in the sprint, crashes into the pit wall and misses qualifying. In the Grand Prix itself, his race ends after less than a lap – after a collision with Lance Stroll.

“A weekend to forget and move on from,” says Bortoleto. “I’ll take away the positive that my whole country was behind me. I’m just sad because I couldn’t show what pace we had.” The Brazilian emphasizes that he takes responsibility himself: “That’s on me, my mistake in the sprint. I’ll be the first to be hard on myself.”

Incident with Stroll “a racing accident”

Bortoleto describes the scene with Stroll as an unfortunate incident: “I had a good start, overtook two cars, was on the outside next to Lance, and then there was just no room left. He touched my front wheel and I ended up in the wall.”

The rookie doesn’t want to assign blame: “I think it was a racing accident. He didn’t do it on purpose. Every time I battle with him, he’s fair.” Not everyone sees it that way: When asked about the scene, Franco Colapinto of Alpine said, “Stroll never looks in his mirrors, doesn’t leave any room—he just put Gabi into the wall.”

Encouragement from teammate Hülkenberg

Bortoleto takes a clear lesson from the weekend: “I need to improve my risk management. I was more aggressive than usual, tried new things – but in the sprint, that might not be the right moment. If you destroy your car, you don’t get to drive in qualifying, like I did.”

Despite the setback, the 21-year-old remains optimistic: “I have to analyze, learn, and move on. It was painful because it was my home race—but it’s just another weekend.”

Bortoleto is particularly impressed by the support of his experienced teammate Nico Hülkenberg. “He said, ‘One in twenty, twenty years in Formula 1—you’re going to have a lot of good and bad moments. That will make you stronger.’ He’s proud of what I’ve achieved this year,” Bortoleto said. “I’m going to keep going strong, and the good moments will come.”

Quartararo struggles to reach the limit in Portimao: “Like riding backwards on a roller coaster”

Jeffrey Gooding
-
0
Quartararo struggles to reach the limit in Portimao: “Like riding backwards on a roller coaster”

Fabio Quartararo battles with an unstable Yamaha in Portimao, but still manages to get the most out of it – praise comes from Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia

Fabio Quartararo experienced a weekend full of ups and downs in Portugal. The Yamaha rider secured a place on the front row of the grid with a strong qualifying performance, but in the sprint and main race he once again found that the M1 was still lagging behind the leaders.

It was already apparent on Friday that Quartararo would reach the limits of his Yamaha in Portimao. “We are struggling extremely, especially when braking, turning in and accelerating out of corners,” explained the Frenchman after practice.

Difficulties from the start

Stability when braking and traction out of corners were particularly problematic. “Grip is super important on this track. Unfortunately, our bike’s gearshift behavior is quite aggressive, which causes us additional problems.”

The Frenchman spoke openly about his frustration: “When your bike works here, it’s like a roller coaster ride. You enjoy every lap. But when you don’t have any feeling, it’s like riding backwards on a roller coaster. Today wasn’t fun, which is a shame because I actually love this track.“

Although the Yamaha is traditionally stable, ”when you open the throttle and the rear wheel immediately spins or the bike slides sideways when braking, you don’t stand a chance.”

Progress in the sprint and praise from Bagnaia

However, there was a clear improvement in Saturday’s sprint. Quartararo finished the short race in fourth place. He attributed this result to technical adjustments. “I’m a hard late braker, so we changed something at the front so I could brake harder,” said the Frenchman.

And he reveals: “At the same time, we had to reduce the power. Our machine doesn’t accept too much power, so we adjusted the electronics.”

Francesco Bagnaia, who spent many laps directly behind Quartararo, paid him respect after the sprint. “I think Fabio performed a miracle today. When you see how his machine behaves when accelerating out of corners, it was impressive. I tried to catch him, but he was incredibly precise, even though the bike was constantly wobbling,” said the Ducati rider.

Strong race performance on Sunday

In Sunday’s Grand Prix, Quartararo fought hard again, this time over the full distance. He achieved a solid result in sixth place, even though he was ultimately defeated in his duel with Brad Binder despite putting up a long fight.

“I didn’t hold anything back. I gave it my all from the first to the last lap,” he emphasized. “Of course, you try to save the tires, but it was a tough battle.”

A small mistake in turn 5, which allowed Binder to overtake, was the result of his aggressive riding style. “I tried everything on the brakes. When you constantly hear Brad next to you on the straight, you just want to brake even later – and at some point it’s too much.“

Despite everything, Quartararo was satisfied: ”I’m happy with my riding. The result is the maximum with our current package. The important thing is that we turned a difficult Friday into an acceptable weekend.”

123...1,689Page 1 of 1,689

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

Sports of the day is your sports news website. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the sports industry.

Contact us: [email protected]

FOLLOW US

© 2021 sportsoftheday.com