Sudipta Biswas

Sports Journalist at Times Network | Formerly Sportstar & The Bridge | Ekamra Sports Literature Festival Awardee

[Sudipta Biswas @Sudipta_Writes]

Fresh chapter in my journalistic journey! As I wrap up my time with @the_bridge_in, I'm thrilled to embark on a new journey with @TimesNetwork! 🏓
Got an idea, story to share, or just passionate about pickleball and racquet sports? Let’s connect [email protected]

[Ben Jacobs @JacobsBen]

The problem with the new ‘mistaken identity’ rule is that it sets a dangerous precedent.

Breel Embolo dived, so if called on the field it’s a second yellow, but that wasn’t the decision.

Yet an amendment to IFAB wording before the tournament states: “When the referee shows a yellow or red card but has clearly penalised the wrong player of either team for the offence in question; the offence itself cannot be reviewed except in the context of mistaken identity.”

We saw the same with Tim Ream (originally booked for a foul) and Miguel Almiron (eventually booked for diving) in USA vs. Paraguay.

In both instances, the right decision was reached when revisiting the incidents.

Yet it’s massively open for debate as to whether this is actually ‘mistaken identity’, and that’s the issue.

It’s just a mistake by the referees. Both got sold by a dive. They didn’t mix up players. They just made a bad call on a regular foul and wrongly handed out a yellow card.

So really it’s just a rule allowing VAR to intervene on more minor on-field calls, and that’s the part a lot of people will feel uneasy about.

[Wimbledon @Wimbledon]

21 years old.

Linda Noskova is the youngest Wimbledon champion since 2011.

#Wimbledon

[Adam Zmudziński @Adam_Zmudzinski]

Nie żyje uczestnik tegorocznego mundialu.

W wieku 25 lat zmarł Jayden Adams - reprezentant 🇿🇦RPA. Na tegorocznych mistrzostwach wystąpił we wszystkich meczach fazy grupowej swojej kadry.

[New York Magazine @NYMag]

Despite the corruption, and maybe even because of it, this really may be the best World Cup ever. FIFA naturally would like us to credit president Gianni Infantino, but he did not create the conditions for this expanded tournament’s success — namely, that most of the teams are actually good. World Cups used to be lopsided affairs with the talent concentrated in about half a dozen countries. In years past, a 48-nation tournament would have resulted in a surfeit of god-awful soccer. This year, we have been treated to a bonanza: tons of goals, intensely fought matches, unbelievable swings of fortune.

The best game so far might have been England against Mexico, a storm-wracked contest played near the clouds at the famed Estadio Azteca, an Olympian 7,220 feet above sea level. Honorable mentions go to Egypt and tiny Cabo Verde (population 530,000) pushing Argentina to the limit in the knockout rounds, forcing the defending champion to score three increasingly frantic goals in each match to put them away.

“This World Cup has simply been stunning, a compilation of moments that form a dizzying mosaic,” writes Ryu Spaeth. “I am thinking of Egypt’s Mohamed Salah taking a penalty so cheeky and deceptive that the goalkeeper appeared to collapse in despair; of Kylian Mbappé skipping across the box so quickly that he seemed to be teleporting; and of Lionel Messi’s astonishing first touch in his goal against Cabo Verde, in which he cradled the ball gently to sleep before firing it into the roof of the net.”

Spaeth writes about how in this year’s World Cup, the overall level of play has risen to vertiginous heights: https://t.co/YU3tZSIZRr

[Joy Bhattacharjya @joybhattacharj]

For me, this WC is one the most mesmerising tournaments ever. There are so many stars in action, but three stand out for where they and their teams stand today.
Lionel Messi, the greatest, still capable of magic while in the evening of an extraordinary career. Cannot dominate anymore for 90 mins but can still change a game in 30 seconds.
Kylian Mbappe, the reigning king, at the height of his powers, leading an star-studded squad who look even stronger than the teams that won in 2018 and were finalists in 2022.
And Lamine Yamal, the man who will dominate this game in time to come. Already a legitimate great, already a Euro winner, but just 18. A teenage prodigy like few in the history of the game.
The once and future kings of this game, all giving you unforgettable, magical football in a single tournament.

[Athletics Federation of India @afiindia]

History on foreign soil! ⚡

A brilliant 10.14s PB sees Animesh Kujur become the fastest Indian ever in the men's 100m outside India, finishing 2nd at Puma Fast Arms Fast Legs 2026. 🔥

#IndianAthletics #AFI

[The Olympic Games @Olympics]

Norway's cutest fans are ready for Saturday. ❤️🥹

Ps: Watch with sound on, you won't regret it.

📹: grilstadfus
#Olympics #FIFAWorldCup

[The Players’ Tribune @PlayersTribune]

Kylian Mbappé in 2020: “Me and my friends, we did not hope to become footballers. We did not expect. We did not plan. We dreamed. There is a difference. Some children have posters of superheroes on their bedroom walls. We covered ours with footballers. I had so many posters of Zidane and Cristiano. (To be fair, when I got older, I also had some posters of Neymar, which he finds very funny, but that’s another story!)

Sometimes people ask me why there is so much talent coming from our neighborhoods. Like maybe there is something in the water, or we are training in a different way, like Barcelona or something. But no, if you came to AS Bondy, I’m afraid you would just see a humble family club. Some apartment buildings and some artificial grass. But I think that football is just different for us. It is essential. It is every day. It is like bread and water.

I remember we had this tournament at our school — all the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th graders — and it was like our World Cup. We were playing for this €2 plastic trophy, but we treated it like it was life or death. In the 93, your honor is always at stake. And it’s funny, because the rule was that every team had to be mixed. Girls and boys. Well, unfortunately not all the girls wanted to play in the tournament, so we had to really negotiate. I remember telling my friend that if she gave everything on the pitch and we won the Cup, I would buy her a new coloring book. I was begging her.

Maybe you think I’m exaggerating, but it really meant everything to us. As we say, ‘This is the Neuf Trois. We can’t lose.’

We played for this €2 trophy like it was the Jules Rimet Trophy. That’s just how it was. I’m sure it was quite difficult for my teachers. To them, I really apologize. I remember coming home from school one day with nine different warnings from the principal.

‘Kylian did not do his homework.’

‘Kylian forgot his school supplies.’

‘Kylian was talking about football during mathematics.’

My head was in the clouds.” https://t.co/ALAFEDEo2E

@KMbappe | @equipedefrance

[nnis Sports @nnis_sports]

🚨 India Wins Its First Gold at the Asian U23 Athletics Championships!

India's Mixed 4x400m Relay team clinched the nation's first-ever gold medal at the inaugural Asian U23 Athletics Championships, producing a brilliant performance to upset hosts China.

1⃣ India – 3:18.64
2⃣ China - 3:18.74

All four Indian runners delivered strong performances, but it was anchor Shravani Sangle who stole the show with a sensational final leg, overtaking China's Yingying Huang to seal a memorable victory.

#Athletics #IndianAthletics #AsianU23 #AthleticsIndia @afiindia

[insidethegames @insidethegames]

A reported call from US President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino over Folarin Balogun’s suspension has sparked wider concerns about political influence in sport, with questions reaching the IOC ahead of LA28.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry was asked about the issue following the Executive Board meeting, as scrutiny grows over safeguarding the independence of sporting governance.

https://t.co/MMeF6YhQYD

[The New York Times @nytimes]

From @TheAthleticFC: The Egyptian team was left angered by several refereeing decisions as it exited the World Cup, with both the team's head coach, Hossam Hassan, and star forward Mostafa Ziko saying the referees favored Argentina. https://t.co/8dPNkYgr5j

[Sudipta Biswas @Sudipta_Writes]

What a match!

Egypt nearly pulled off the mother of all upsets at the FIFA World Cup. A phenomenal display of grit from the African side. But Argentina somehow held their nerve, found the resolve to pull through, and kept their World Cup trophy dream alive.

[Sudipta Biswas @Sudipta_Writes]

From 0-2 to 3-2, Argentina, the world champions are into the quarterfinals! What an incredible comeback! Beautiful football 🤩

[Sudipta Biswas @Sudipta_Writes]

What is happening! Incredible! Lionel Messi levelled the score. Argentina are back in the game!

[Sudipta Biswas @Sudipta_Writes]

Wow! Egypt lead Argentina 1-0. Only the FIFA World Cup can send us into delirium like this.

Egypt have literally held back the world champions Argentina with technical accuracy and geometric precision. But the ultimate test for Egypt's defence is yet to come.

[Belgium Touch 🇧🇪 @BelgiumTouch]

Ils ont réitéré dans le vestiaire 😭😭😭😭😭😭

[Oliver Kahn @OliverKahn]

If we're rewriting football history now, I have a small suggestion:
I'd like FIFA to rescind the yellow card shown to Michael Ballack in the 2002 World Cup semifinal, the one that ruled him out of the final.
And while we're at it, we might as well replay the final against Brazil.

[Telegraph Football @TeleFootball]

Jürgen Klopp led a furious backlash against Fifa president Gianni Infantino, who now faces calls to resign after overturning Folarin Balogun’s World Cup suspension.

“This is our sport, not theirs. If Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino really sorted this out between themselves, it is madness; it calls everything into question.”

@ben_rumsby, @TelegraphDucker and @Tom_Morgs have more ⤵️
https://t.co/cFgcBqGhZh

[POLITICOEurope @POLITICOEurope]

🚨 BREAKING: The European Commission has demanded “fair play and transparent competition” in sport after a suspension for U.S. star Folarin Balogun was overturned following a call between Donald Trump and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.

Full story: https://t.co/vRldS9sQfB

[Sudipta Biswas @Sudipta_Writes]

Erling Haaland's goal scoring spree in the FIFA World Cup 2026 has powered Norway into uncharted territory, reviving the art of the classic No. 9 and leaving the football world mesmerised

#ErlingHaaland #FIFAWorldCup2026 #Norway

https://t.co/r6wOl1A2Eg