Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas is heading back to his former team, Mercedes-AMG Petronas, as a reserve driver for the 2025 Formula 1 season. This announcement comes after his departure from Kick Sauber, following the conclusion of his contract after the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. A SECOND CHANCE AT MERCEDES 🌟 After competing for five seasons with the Silver Arrows alongside Lewis Hamilton, where he secured 10 victories and 20 pole positions, Bottas returns to the team aiming to contribute his experience and remain active in the F1 world. Mercedes has decided to reintegrate the Finnish driver as a third driver, a crucial role supporting its main drivers, George Russell and young debutant Kimi Antonelli. Bottas expressed his excitement: “Coming back home to the Mercedes family as the third driver for 2025 is what’s next, and I couldn’t be happier.” CHALLENGES AND EXPERIENCES AT KICK SAUBER 🔄 After leaving Mercedes in 2021, Bottas joined the Sauber team, then known as Alfa Romeo. Although he began his tenure with a solid 10th place finish in 2022, subsequent seasons proved challenging. In 2024, Bottas finished without scoring any points, and Sauber opted not to renew his contract, instead signing Nico Hülkenberg and Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto for the 2025 season. Bottas’ transition to his new role at Mercedes will keep him close to the action while he considers a possible return as a full-time driver in 2026. BOTTAS’ ROLE AT MERCEDES 🎯 As a reserve driver, Bottas will attend most of the Grands Prix, contributing to the team’s development and supporting Russell and Antonelli in achieving their on-track goals. Additionally, the Finnish driver will bring his invaluable technical expertise, garnered over 12 years in Formula 1. Team principal Toto Wolff highlighted Bottas’ positive impact: “Valtteri was key to our five consecutive championship wins during his time with us. His ability to provide technical feedback and his character make him an invaluable resource for the team.” A NEW ERA FOR THE SILVER ARROWS ⚡ With Bottas on board, Mercedes strengthens its lineup during a critical phase for the team. Russell, solidified as the team leader, will aim to fight for the championship, while Kimi Antonelli, a promising talent, will make his debut in the premier category. The return of the Finnish driver represents a key asset for Mercedes-AMG Petronas, as the team strives to maintain its position as a top contender in the Constructors’ Championship and renew its fight for world titles. A FUTURE FULL OF HOPE 🚀 Bottas’ return symbolizes both a tribute to his successful past and a strategic move toward the future. His experience and dedication make him an essential ally in Mercedes’ efforts to reclaim the pinnacle of motorsport. As the 2025 season shapes up to be thrilling, Bottas’ role as a reserve driver will be critical for the car’s development and the team’s performance.

The FIFA Council announced the official dates for the next Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027. The tournament will be held from June 24 to July 25, 2027. The tournament will feature 32 teams, six of them from the AFC, four from the CAF, four from CONCACAF, three from CONMEBOL, remembering that Brazil has already qualified as the host, one from the OFC and 11 teams from UEFA, giving a total of 29 places, the remaining three will be played in a playoff among the six confederations of the five continents. You may be interested in: Teams Set for the Next Round of the Women’s Champions League Cover image: inside.fifa.com

Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Lyon, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Wolfsburg have secured their spots in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The group stage of the UEFA Women’s Champions League has concluded, and the eight teams advancing to the quarterfinal draw are Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Lyon, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Wolfsburg. Lyon Dominates Group A The most successful team in Champions League history, Olympique Lyonnais, reaffirmed their dominance in women’s football by finishing atop their group with a perfect record—winning all six of their matches to earn 18 points. Behind them, Wolfsburg took second place with half as many victories, earning 9 points. Roma and Galatasaray were eliminated from this group. Chelsea Make Their Case as Title Contenders In Group B, the other team to finish unbeaten and with a perfect record was Chelsea. The English side claimed first place, six points ahead of second-place Real Madrid. Twente ended in third with 6 points, while Celtic failed to earn any points and were eliminated alongside Twente. Arsenal Edge Bayern in Group C The Gunners topped their group, suffering only one loss in their six matches, finishing with 15 points. Bayern Munich came in second with 13 points, having recorded one draw and one loss. Juventus and Vålerenga were eliminated from Group C. Barcelona Reclaim Group D Leadership Finally, the reigning champions continued their quest for a third consecutive title. After defeating Manchester City 3-0 in their final group match—a team that had beaten them earlier in the tournament—Barcelona tied with City at 15 points. However, the Catalan club’s astonishing goal difference of +23 compared to City’s +5 secured their position as group leaders. Hammarby and St. Pölten were eliminated from Group D. You may be interested in: The Best of the Best! FIFA Presents The Best Awards Awaiting Quarterfinal Opponents The quarterfinal draw will soon determine the matchups. For now, teams from the same country cannot face each other in this round, meaning Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City (England), Barcelona and Real Madrid (Spain), and Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg (Germany) cannot meet yet. The quarterfinals are scheduled for March 18–19 (first leg) and March 26–27 (second leg).

Arsenal, Newcastle, and Liverpool Advance to the Carabao Cup Semifinals, Manchester United or Tottenham will battle for the final spot as the fourth qualifier. Football action in England continues non-stop, and yesterday, three of the four Carabao Cup quarterfinal matches took place. Arsenal, Newcastle, and Liverpool emerged victorious, securing their places in the semifinals of the historic competition. Gabriel Jesus: Arsenal’s Hero The Gunners booked their spot in the semifinals with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace. Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus stole the show with a hat-trick, scoring at the 54th, 73rd, and 81st minutes to overturn an early deficit. Crystal Palace had taken the lead in the 4th minute through Jean-Philippe Mateta, and although Eddie Nketiah added a second goal for Palace in the 85th minute, it wasn’t enough to prevent Arsenal from claiming the win. A Comfortable Match for Newcastle Newcastle had no trouble in their clash against Brentford, dominating the match from start to finish with a 3-1 victory. Sandro Tonali netted a brace with goals in the 9th and 43rd minutes, while Fabian Schär added another in the 69th minute to secure their semifinal berth. Brentford’s only goal came from Yoane Wissa in stoppage time (90+1’). The League Leaders March On Premier League leaders Liverpool maintained their excellent form, ensuring they’ll fight for both the league title and the Carabao Cup. They defeated Southampton 2-1 in their quarterfinal match. Darwin Núñez opened the scoring in the 24th minute, followed by a second goal from Harvey Elliott in the 32nd. Southampton managed a consolation goal through Cameron Archer in the 59th minute. These three teams now await the fourth and final semifinalist, which will be determined in the match between Manchester United and Tottenham Spurs.

The Thursday Night Football of Week 16 will give us a vibrant confrontation, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos will face each other in a direct battle for a place in the playoffs and as the second best in the AFC West. The Chargers receive this game as third in their division and eighth in the American Conference, being in the last playoff spot, with an 8-6 streak; above them, in second place in the AFC West and seventh in the American Conference, are the Broncos, who with their 9-5 seek to reach fourth place in the conference with a victory and while waiting for the Texans and Ravens to achieve in their games. For all this, the game to start at 7:15 p.m., Mexico Central Time, will be a direct confrontation with an eye on the postseason. You may be interested in: Browns to change quarterback for their next game Cover image: X (@chargers)

There are few athletes who manage to become icons of a team, and there are even fewer who manage to get their number, with which the fans identified them, to be retired. Well, Caitlin Clark, just 22 years old, got Iowa Women’s Basketball to announce that she will retire her number 22 on February 2, when the Hawkeyes take on USC. Clark became one of the biggest stars in college basketball and the all-time leading scorer in Division I men’s and women’s basketball, scoring a total of 3,951 points. That is why Iowa will pay tribute to its star, who still has a long way to go in the WNBA, but who, for the moment, already made history with the collegiate team that formed her. You may be interested in: The Bucks won the NBA Cup against the Thunders Cover image: X (@IowaWBB)

FIFA has announced the winners of the 2024 The Best Awards, celebrating the year’s finest achievements in football. Among the highlights were the victories of Vinícius Jr., Aitana Bonmatí, Carlo Ancelotti, Emma Hayes, and the goals scored by Marta and Alejandro Garnacho, which were recognized as the best of the year. Vinícius Jr. and Real Madrid Shine The Brazilian star finally earned individual recognition, winning his first The Best award for his performance as a footballer. This accolade adds to his successes with Real Madrid. Notably, Vinícius surpassed Rodri, the recent Ballon d’Or winner, who took second place in The Best voting. In addition to Vinícius, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham was honored as the third-best player of the year. These two, along with teammates Toni Kroos and Antonio Rüdiger, were also named to The Best XI for 2024.   Bonmatí Dominates Women’s Football On the women’s side, Aitana Bonmatí of Barcelona secured her place as the year’s best female player. This marks her second consecutive The Best award, joining the elite ranks of players like Alexia Putellas, Lionel Messi, and Robert Lewandowski, who have achieved this feat. Bonmatí’s stellar year included winning a historic quadruple with Barcelona and claiming the Nations League title with Spain. She also received the Ballon d’Or just weeks before this award ceremony. Ancelotti and Hayes: The Best Strategists In the managerial category, Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid was named The Best Coach of 2024 in men’s football, while Emma Hayes, who coached Chelsea and the U.S. national team this year, earned the honor in women’s football. Dibu and Naeher: The Walls of 2024 In goalkeeping, Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez was named the Best Men’s Goalkeeper of the year, while Alyssa Naeher, the U.S. national team’s standout, took the women’s honor, adding to her Olympic medal from Paris 2024. Marta and Garnacho: Authors of Masterpieces The Best Goal awards showcased breathtaking artistry. Brazilian legend Marta received the inaugural Best Women’s Goal award for a stunning strike against Jamaica on June 1, 2024. After collecting a deflection, she dribbled past a defender with a mesmerizing step-over, cut to her left, and unleashed a perfectly placed shot into the top corner. On the men’s side, Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho claimed the honor for his acrobatic bicycle kick against Everton on November 26, 2023. Calculating the trajectory of a cross from the right, Garnacho launched himself into the air just outside the penalty arc, connecting with precision. The ball soared gracefully into the opposite corner, etching his goal as a true masterpiece.

Mexican driver Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez has officially confirmed his departure from Red Bull Racing after four intense seasons in Formula 1. The news, which had been brewing for weeks, marks the end of a chapter filled with victories 🏆, records 🥇, and challenges for the Guadalajara native in motorsport’s top category. FAREWELL MESSAGE FROM ‘CHECO’ 🏁💬 Through a statement shared on his social media, ‘Checo’ Pérez expressed his gratitude towards Red Bull and his team: “I am incredibly grateful for the four years with Red Bull Racing. It was an unforgettable experience; we achieved great successes and broke records. Thank you to the entire team, from engineers and mechanics to everyone in Milton Keynes. See you soon!” 🙌 The message was echoed by the team, which also highlighted Pérez’s crucial role in achieving multiple podiums 🏅 and constructors’ championships, particularly during the most successful years in the team’s history. Pérez also shared a few words for his teammate, Max Verstappen: “It’s been an honor to race alongside Max and share our accomplishments. Thank you to the fans, especially the Mexicans 🇲🇽, for your unconditional support. Never give up!” 💪 A TURBULENT 2024 🔄⏳ The 2024 Formula 1 season was challenging for Pérez. Although he started strong 💥, earning four podiums in the first five races 🥈, his performance declined sharply after the Miami Grand Prix. Struggles adapting to the RB20, a car even Verstappen found difficult, marked a turning point. Despite his efforts, the results were not significantly improved: Monaco Grand Prix: DNF 🚫 Mexican Grand Prix: 17th place 🇲🇽 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: DNF 🛑 The pressure mounted when Red Bull lost its lead in the constructors’ championship to Ferrari 🏎️ and McLaren. While Verstappen dominated and secured his fourth championship in Las Vegas 🎰, Pérez’s consistency issues proved critical. RUMORS AND DECISIONS IN THE PADDOCK 🤔💼 Rumors about Pérez’s departure had been circulating since the summer ☀️. Despite having a contract until 2025 📜, Christian Horner, the team principal, hinted at tough decisions: “Formula 1 is a results-driven business. When someone isn’t performing at the expected level, scrutiny is inevitable.” In contrast, Pérez initially stood firm 💪 on his commitment but eventually acknowledged the decision was in the team’s hands: “I have a contract, but it depends on what Red Bull wants to do.” WHAT’S NEXT FOR ‘CHECO’ PÉREZ? 🌍❓ With his departure confirmed, ‘Checo’ Pérez’s future in Formula 1 remains uncertain. At 34 years old 🎂, the Mexican still has plenty to offer, and rumors suggest potential talks with other teams 🚗. However, Pérez has made it clear he wants to continue racing: “I don’t know when my last race will be, but I want to keep proving what I can do.” Sergio Pérez’s legacy with Red Bull includes six victories 🏅 and 39 podiums 🏆, solidifying his place as one of the most accomplished drivers in Mexican motorsport history 🇲🇽. His ability to overcome adversity continues to inspire the next generation of drivers. IMPACT ON THE FANS ❤️🇲🇽 For Mexican fans, ‘Checo’ Pérez’s departure is an emotional blow 😢. Since his debut in Formula 1, Pérez has been an icon of the sport in Mexico, inspiring millions with his charisma ✨ and talent 🏎️. Fans now eagerly await the next chapter in his professional career. CONCLUSION: THE END OF AN ERA, THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ONE 🏎️🚀 The partnership between Red Bull Racing and ‘Checo’ Pérez comes to an end, but the Guadalajara native’s legacy transcends statistics. With his future still undefined, the Mexican driver faces a new challenge 🌟, maintaining his fighting spirit. As he always says: “Never give up.” 💪👊

Chelsea’s great season has just been stained by a doping test that showed positive in one of its players. It is the Ukrainian star Mykhailo Mudryk, as reported by the English team, which, in turn, was notified of this irregularity by the English Federation (FA). The FA reported that an irregularity was detected in a urine test they had, before this, Mudryk stated that he has no idea how a banned substance could enter his body, and assured that he has done nothing wrong and hopes to return to the field soon. Chelsea reported that both they, and their player, will respect the FA’s decision when further tests are conducted and a final conclusion is reached, but for the time being, Mudryk is banned from the team and, should the final tests corroborate doping, he could receive up to 4 years out of professional soccer as punishment. Cover image: X (@ChleseaFC)