Lionel Messi’s international run with Argentina is over.
Messi announced Monday that he has retired from the Argentina national team, closing the book on one of the most decorated careers in international soccer. He leaves as South America’s all-time leading scorer with 125 goals in 207 appearances, a staggering body of work that stretched through plenty of highs and lows.
His Argentina story had everything: the first retirement, the comeback, and the redemption that came with the 2022 World Cup. Now that chapter is finished, and Messi’s place in the country’s soccer history is already sealed.
Elsewhere in the college game, Mark Mitchell has changed course again. After first saying he would return for a fifth season, then entering the transfer portal and committing to Kentucky, Mitchell has now flipped back to Missouri.
The move gives Mark Pope and the Wildcats a miss after what had looked like a major win, while Mitchell is chasing a clearer path to eligibility. He averaged 18.3 points per game for Missouri last season, though a fifth year still isn’t locked in.
The Orioles also made a surprising waiver move, claiming Luis Robert Jr. off waivers from the Mets. Baltimore sold at the deadline, but the AL standings have kept the club in the playoff mix anyway, so the Orioles are hunting for help wherever they can find it. Robert’s season has been slowed by a back injury, and his production has been shaky since he returned, but the upside is still there if he gets right.
Golden State, meanwhile, heads into the WNBA pause on a heater. The Valkyries have won four straight, including a victory over the Lynx, and that surge has pushed them to the top of the WNBA Power Rankings. The league is on break for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, and CBS Sports also took a shot at projecting Team USA’s starting lineup.
At UCLA, the school made a major change by firing athletic director Martin Jarmond because of a “significant financial deficit.” The timing is notable, with the Bruins set to open their 2026 football season in just days and the department facing a major financial mess. Former Lakers executive Tim Harris will step in, and he’ll do it pro bono as he tries to steady the books.
The big college football reveal, though, was the 2026 College Football Playoff prediction board. CBS Sports’ experts picked 12 teams, with Notre Dame, Georgia, Ohio State, Miami and Texas all getting support for the title picture. Notre Dame drew two votes, and Brad Crawford made the case that Marcus Freeman has built a team ready for January.
Crawford: "Notre Dame is built to win the national championship because Marcus Freeman's roster checks every box that matters in January. The schedule gives the Irish room to develop without enduring a weekly meat grinder, allowing CJ Carr to take another step before the postseason during what could be a potential Heisman-caliber campaign.
He'll operate behind an elite offensive line capable of maximum protection. Pair that foundation with one of the nation's nastiest, most disruptive defenses and Notre Dame has a championship-ready formula built to sustain against the elites in the CFP."
The full top 12 had Notre Dame at No. 1, followed by Georgia, Ohio State, Miami, Texas, Indiana, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Oregon, LSU, Michigan and Boise State.
LSU was a frequent talking point across the predictions, from playoff picks to the label of most overrated teams. Lane Kiffin and the Tigers were part of the conversation again, with the program continuing to lean into controversy as it heads into its SEC fight in court.
And in the NFL draft world, Arch Manning is already showing up as a future No. 1 pick. Mike Renner has Manning going first overall to the Dolphins in his latest 2027 mock draft, with the quarterback’s late-2025 surge fueling the projection.
Renner: "I wrote at the end of last year how the Manning down the stretch in 2025 was the one many expected. If he's that guy for a full season, then this is a no-brainer.
If the Dolphins are drafting No. 1 overall, it likely means the Malik Willis experiment didn't pay off dividends. Manning would be stepping into a very rough situation, but at least it's one that's already gone through a fire sale.
The Dolphins are top three in cap space the next two offseasons to build around their young quarterback."
Renner’s mock finished the first round with the Broncos taking Nick Prongos, the Texans selecting Ahmad Hardy, the Ravens landing Yhonzae Pierre, the Browns choosing Luke Reynolds and the Seahawks grabbing Cayden Green.
One franchise hoping to stop living near the top of the draft is the Giants. With John Harbaugh in charge, Doug Clawson has them taking a leap all the way to the Super Bowl in his bold predictions.
In Other News...
Mark Mitchell Could Give Mizzou A Huge Boost If One Thing Breaks Right
Missouri basketball has a chance to get a meaningful lift from the transfer portal if a key eligibility question breaks the right way. Mark Mitchell is viewed as a positive addition for the Tigers after a winding recruitment that included a previous commitment to Kentucky, and his potential return would give Missouri another experienced piece as it continues shaping next season's roster.
The catch is that his case is still not fully settled, with a fifth year of eligibility not yet confirmed. For Missouri, that leaves the situation in a holding pattern for now, even as the possibility of landing Mitchell adds a little more intrigue to an offseason already full of movement and expectation around the program. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Suddenly Has A Courtroom Problem Before The Season Opener
Missouris preseason build-up picked up an unexpected legal wrinkle when defensive tackle Sterling Webb filed a new temporary restraining order aimed at the University of Missouri and its Board of Curators. The move comes as the Tigers are preparing for their season opener, and Webb remains listed on the depth chart while still expected to be part of the lineup.
The filing is meant to keep the school from taking steps that would sideline him next season, including ruling him ineligible. A hearing on the motion, along with the NCAAs bid to dismiss Webbs original request, is set for Wednesday, giving Missouri another off-field issue to monitor just as the on-field attention turns to opening week. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzous Opener Will Reveal A Lot About This Offense
Missouris 2026 season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff will offer an early look at how much the offense can handle without two of its usual anchors. Ahmad Hardy and Cayden Green are out for the game, leaving openings in the backfield and on the offensive line, while Jamal Roberts is lined up to start at running back and Jack Lange and Whit Hafer are expected to help fill the gaps up front.
Much of the attention will also be on Simmons, who is set for his first start since being injured at Ole Miss last season. Missouri will need him to settle in quickly as the Tigers try to establish rhythm around a reshaped offense, while defensive leaders Rodriguez and Banner give the other side of the ball some continuity following Zion Youngs departure. The opener should say plenty about how ready Missouri is to absorb early-season personnel hits and still look like itself. [Read more 🡒]