Shocking

Cristiano Ronaldo was the hat trick hero when Manchester United last played Tottenham in March 2022. The two sides met again on Wednesday and Ronaldo made the headlines, but for all the wrong reasons. 

United had a dominant performance against Spurs with Fred and Bruno Fernandes scoring the goals in a 2-0 victory. What caught everyone’s attention was Ronaldo — who didn’t feature in Wednesday’s game — heading down the tunnel at Old Trafford in the 89th minute.

On Tuesday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Qatar World Cup organizers confirmed that ticket sales for the event were nearing three million. This is in line with the estimate of roughly 1.2 million people visiting country, which has a population of just 2.8 million, over the course of the 29-day event.

Chances of being struck by lightning are rare, but even rarest are the stories of those who were able to survive them. 

Referee Charlie Panes is one of those stories.

Referee struck by lightning

The 24-year-old official was overseeing a match in Bago City, Philippines, when nature hit him. 

The action captured on video shows how the lighting first struck an acacia tree before ricocheting toward the ref, in a sequence of events that probably ended up saving his life.

In a horrifically senseless story out of Canada, soccer and futsal referee Edwin Farley Alvarado Quintero has passed away after being struck by gunfire following an argument at La Liga Sports Complex in Toronto.

According to Futsal Canada, the 49-year-old was officiating a match that devolved into a fight before a man fired shots into the building, striking three and killing Alvarado. 

Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang clarified his comments on Mikel Arteta after a video showed him criticizing the Arsenal manager, saying that he had "a lot of bad feelings" for the north London club at that time but wishes them well now.

The video, which was leaked on social media, showed Aubameyang saying "Big characters and big players... he can't deal with it. He needs some young players who don't say anything" as the Gabon international spoke about Arteta.

DORTMUND — Borussia Dortmund's Anthony Modeste headed in a last-gasp equalizer to complete a sensational two-goal comeback and snatch a 2-2 draw against visitors Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga's Der Klassiker on Saturday.

Modeste, under massive criticism after having netted just once in the league following his arrival this season to replace ailing Sebastien Haller, headed in at the far post with the last touch of the game after also setting up their first goal, to rescue a point for his team and keep Bayern off top spot.