Sports
The ex-Real Madrid striker who had not scored for 1,135 days or played in 304 – and a glorious return
Three hundred and four days is a long time for a footballer to go without playing in a game. And 1,135 days must feel like a lifetime for a striker to go without scoring.
The former Real Madrid forward Mariano Diaz ended both of those personal droughts within the first 20 minutes of a friendly between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico this week.
Mariano made 84 appearances for Madrid over two spells between 2016 and 2023, scoring 12 times. He then joined fellow La Liga side Sevilla in 2023 but left them last summer and has been without a club since.
He had scored his last official goal on February 15, 2022, for Madrid against Cadiz in La Liga, and his most recent appearance in any recognised competition was in a Spanish top-flight match for Sevilla against Barcelona on April 26 last year.
Now, he is back in business.
The 31-year-old has committed to the Dominican Republic national team in time for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup in Canada and the United States, with 16 sides from North and Central America and the Caribbean competing.
So, why did the Dominican Republic want Mariano after such a long time out? And how was he able to hit the ground running on his return?
Mariano played 88 minutes in the Dominican Republic’s 2-0 win against Puerto Rico on Tuesday, at Cibao Stadium in the Dominican city of Santiago.
His goal came from a long ball over the top, which he received on his chest while running in behind the Puerto Rican defence. That touch dropped the ball onto his favoured right foot, before he fired a shot into the bottom left-hand corner.
It was a high-quality take and finish from a similar angle to his stoppage-time goal seconds after coming off the bench against Barcelona in March 2020 — his best moment in a Madrid shirt — and showed why the Dominican Republic are so excited to have him, despite his lack of club football over the past 10 months.
“It was a very beautiful feeling to return to the pitch, to score a goal again. It’s what I most like,” Mariano told the Dominican Republic football team’s official channels. “There’s a very good connection (with the rest of the team), very good chemistry, and I hope it continues like that in the next games.”
The goal was of special importance to the Dominican Republic’s Argentinian manager Marcelo Neveleff, who pushed for Mariano’s inclusion.
“I told him before (the game) that I was praying for him to score a goal, and he gave me a big hug. And then after the game, he gave me another big hug,” Neveleff, 62, tells The Athletic. “We were all rooting for him, and he knew that, even without saying words. He showed gratitude to us all, coaching staff and players. We were all really happy for him.”
The two teams had met just four days earlier in Puerto Rico and drew 2-2 without the Dominican Republic’s two most high-profile players, Mariano and Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo, who both scored in the later win in Santiago. Puerto Rico are 157th in FIFA’s world rankings (the Dominican Republic are 141st), so there will be tougher tests ahead for Mariano.
Mariano celebrates his first goal in 1,135 days (Dominican Football Federation)
It was his first appearance for the Dominican Republic — where his mother is from — since his international debut in 2013, when he featured in a friendly against Haiti. He was also eligible to play for Spain, having been born in Premia de Mar, Catalonia.
In a 2018 interview with Spanish news agency EFE, as reported by Marca, he called playing for Spain “a dream I have since I’ve been little” and added: “They (the Dominican Republic) have tried to get me to go (there), but I have the desire and the intention of playing for Spain.”
Neveleff, who was appointed in January 2023, says: “When I got here two years ago, we went over the players of Dominican heritage that played in Europe, and he was on the top of the list. We met a year ago, and then he told me that he was interested but not at the moment, when he was in Seville. But then we started talking again and it was a big-time opportunity for us as a national team to have a player of his calibre.
“He believed that we were going to be able to help him relaunch his career. And that’s why it was a win-win situation for all of us.”
Players without a club very rarely represent their countries.
Notable examples include Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal at the 2022 World Cup after his second Manchester United exit two days into the tournament and Zinedine Zidane at the 2006 World Cup, as he had announced he would retire when his France team’s involvement ended having already played his last game at club level for Real Madrid.
Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa put in stellar performances for Mexico at the 2014 World Cup while he was a free agent after leaving France’s Ajaccio to earn a move to Spanish side Malaga and Hal Robson-Kanu helped Wales to the 2016 European Championship semi-finals as a free agent after his deal at Reading expired — his decisive second in the 3-1 quarter-final win against Belgium nominated for FIFA’s Puskas award for the best goal that calendar year — and was then signed by West Bromwich Albion.
But none were without a club for as long as Mariano, who endured a difficult time at Madrid.
He joined their youth system in 2011-12 from Catalan side Badalona and rose to become third-choice striker behind Karim Benzema and Alvaro Morata in 2016-17. He made the most of his limited minutes to earn an €8million ($8.7m; £6.7m at current exchange rates) move to France’s Lyon in summer 2017 and scored 21 goals in 48 games for them across all competitions the following season before Madrid then exercised a right of first refusal to bring him back in 2018.
His final five years at Madrid were characterised by a lack of playing time and it probably did not help that he took on the iconic No 7 shirt worn by Cristiano Ronaldo when he left for Juventus in the summer of 2018. Mariano finally left through the back door in 2023 and signed as a free agent with Sevilla — but failed to score in 13 appearances and has been without a club since leaving last summer after his one-year contract expired.
Mariano scores for Madrid against Barca in March 2020 (David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Dominican Republic manager Neveleff describes him as a “tough kid” who is “very strong mentally”.
“These guys are high-level athletes,” says Neveleff. “If they have the idea to come back, they cannot relax, especially (when it comes to) physical training. What is most challenging (for a player) is (going without) the competition. When you play in La Liga, the Premier League or the Championship, whichever, some of the stuff that you were resolving on the field in a split second, it might take you a bit longer to do it and when you take longer, you are already late for the action.
“He missed a couple of chances (in the Puerto Rico game). I told him if he had been in top shape and form he would not have missed. He missed a one-on-one with the goalkeeper before he scored the goal, but he knows.”
But the signs were mostly positive on Mariano’s return. He trained well before the game and played those 88 minutes to a decent level before being replaced.
“I saw him in the first day in practice and it was obvious this guy has been training all the time (despite being without a club),” says Neveleff, “so we had a conversation and I asked him, ‘Do you feel that you are ready to start?’. When he told me ‘Yes’, I believed him.”
The Dominican Republic’s goalkeeper Xavier Valdez, of MLS club Nashville FC, agrees on Mariano’s quality.
“With him as a new addition, it makes our fight for qualification to the World Cup much stronger,” the 21-year-old tells The Athletic. “He brings a lot of quality and effectiveness to the team. Everyone has received him well, and I think we can all say that we are all very excited for him to be part of the team again.”
With two games played and two to go, the Dominican Republic are third in their second-round Concacaf World Cup qualifying group, behind Guatemala and Jamaica, as they chase a historic first appearance in football’s most prestigious tournament.
The top two in each of the six groups (12 teams overall) progress to the third round, where they will be split into three groups of four. The three third-round group winners will qualify directly for next year’s World Cup, with the two best-ranked runners-up entering inter-confederation play-offs also involving teams from Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania.
Neveleff says Mariano is hoping to find himself a club before the Dominican Republic’s next matches in early June, when they visit Guatemala and host Dominica, a fellow Caribbean island nation, in those last two second-round World Cup qualifiers before the Gold Cup starts later that month.
The Dominican Republic qualified for the 2024 Olympics and are now aiming for a first World Cup appearance (Alex Grimm – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
“I don’t think he will be without a team for long, but if that happens, I am going to start bugging him,” says Neveleff.
“I know it is in the middle of the season (for many leagues), but hopefully, he will get somewhere. If not, he will stay training, and I’ll see how I can help him. Maybe we can bring him over and train with a group of players here, but I believe in his quality.
“The next international window is only a few months away. I don’t think he will lose his quality from today to June, so my plan is to have him at all costs.”
The Dominican Republic have made important strides in football in recent years.
Their qualification for the Gold Cup marks the men’s team’s first major tournament, one year after the women first qualified for their equivalent competition.
The men’s side also appeared at the 2024 Olympics in France, where they were knocked out at the group stage, drawing with Egypt (0-0) and Uzbekistan (1-1) and losing 3-1 to eventual gold medallists Spain. Mariano was listed in their preliminary squad but ultimately got left out, with competing countries only allowed three players over 23 years old in their selected 18.
The country’s increased commitment to football also saw it host the Under-17 Women’s World Cup from October to November last year.
Higher standards have been set partly thanks to the successful recruitment of dual-national players playing in Europe, including Firpo, who committed his future to them in February 2024, Getafe forward Peter Gonzalez, and left-back Juan Familia-Castillo of Dutch side RKC Waalwijk.
If he can continue to score, Mariano could take the Dominican Republic closer to history — and perhaps relaunch his club career in the process.
(Top photo: Mariano celebrates scoring for Madrid in 2019; David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Sports
Thunder lose star Jalen Williams for Western Conference Finals Game 7 as hamstring injury lingers
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Victor Wembanyama scored 28 points and 10 rebounds in the San Antonio Spurs’ 118-91 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the WCF. Jason McIntyre says that Wemby showed up in the biggest moments, and asks if he can carry this momentum into Game 7. Plus, he discusses Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s struggles and asks if he will cost the Thunder the series.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder will be shorthanded in Saturday’s pivotal Game 7, as one of Oklahoma’s key contributors has been sidelined with an injury.
OKC guard Jalen Williams has been ruled out for Game 7 with a hamstring issue, ESPN reported on Friday. Williams appeared to aggravate his left hamstring during the Thunder’s 122-113 victory in Game 2. He missed the next three games before returning for Game 6, but logged just 10 minutes off the bench in Oklahoma City’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, which forced a winner-take-all Game 7.
“He’s obviously not 100%,” Mark Daigneault, the head coach of the Thunder, said.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams watches during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 18, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Daigneault applauded Williams for fighting through the injury and doing everything he could to help Oklahoma City.
“He didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know what to expect. So, it was a matter of getting him out there in kind of an insulated role and see what he can bring to the team. He’s an All-Star player, he’s an All-NBA player. He hasn’t done a full return to play [protocol] like he would if this was the regular season, and yet, he just wants to do whatever he can to try to contribute whatever he can to the team.”
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“I give him a lot of credit to get himself out there. He did the best he could. He’s certainly not the reason we lost.”
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams reacts to a shot by forward Luguentz Dort in the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game one of the Western Conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on May 18, 2026. (Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images)
Williams did not talk to reporters after Thursday’s game in San Antonio.
Williams underwent surgery last offseason to repair a wrist injury but still played a key role in the Thunder’s run to the NBA Finals last season. He appeared in just 33 regular-season games before this year’s playoffs.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams drives into the paint during the first quarter of Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 20, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
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The winner of Saturday’s Game 7 will advance to the NBA Finals to face the New York Knicks. New York snapped a nearly three-decade Finals drought by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
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CLOVIS — Cool conditions produced a bunch of fast times Friday at the CIF state track and field championships.
Rosary Academy sprint coach Jon Gilmer was worried 4×100-meter relayers Tra’via Flournoy, Justine Wilson, Pfeiffer Lee and Maliyah Collins might get complacent at prelims, but the Royals were the top qualifiers in 45.13 seconds — nearly a full second faster than Canyon Country Canyon (46.07) — at Buchanan High School.
“It’s different not having Calabasas here,” Gilmer said. “Now we’ve got to push ourselves.”
Rosary set a state record (44.23) at the Arcadia Invitational on April 11, but lost to the Coyotes one week later at the Mt. SAC Relays. However, the anticipated state finals clash was not to be as Calabasas dropped the baton in the Southern Section finals and failed to advance.
Collins had a huge lead by the time she received the stick for the anchor leg Friday.
“This is maybe our fourth- or fifth-fastest time but we just wanted to make finals,” said Wilson, who ran the second leg before handing off to Lee. “We want to run faster tomorrow when we go for a PR, the meet and the state record.”
Calabasas might be out of the relay, but three Coyotes remain in contention in the 100, led by Malia Rainey (the top qualifier in 11.54), Marley Scoggins (11.63) and Olivia Kirk (11.63).
Calabasas sprinter Marley Scoggins, center, wins her 100-meter heat at the CIF state track and field preliminaries on Friday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Collins won her heat in 11.62, the third-fastest time.
Servite won the first heat in the boys 4×100 relay in 40.29 — two hundredths off its winning time at last year’s state finals — and is primed to defend its title in the event. Concord De La Salle (40.81) was the second-fastest qualifier, followed by the other heat winners, Rancho Cucamonga (40.87) and Loyola (40.93).
“We got the stick around pretty good today,” said Jorden Wells, who ran the first leg Friday instead of his customary second leg, which was run by Jaelen Hunter. “Did it feel different? Not really, I’ve done it before.”
Wells said his twin brother Jace will run the first leg Saturday, he will run the second while Kamil Pelovello and Benjamin Harris will stay in the third and fourth positions.
Harris, the favorite to win the 100 meters, won his heat in a wind-legal 10.36, but three others were fractions faster in wind-aided times — Elk Grove’s Cy Lugo (10.20), Will Wood’s Deshawn Seymour (10.34) and De La Salle’s Damari Dean (10.34). Newbury Park’s Jaden Griffin won the last heat in 10.37, setting the stage for an exciting finals sprint as all nine qualifiers ran under 10.48.
Harris put himself in position for a Saturday double by winning his 200 heat in 21.10 but as he did in the 100, Lugo (the Sac-Joaquin Section record holder) had the fastest time (20.73), followed by Seymour (20.88), Camren Hughes (20.93) of Palos Verdes and Jace Wells (21.02). Jordan Wells (21.11) also made the cut.
Newbury Park’s Jaden Griffin, center, shouts after winning his heat in the 100 meters at the CIF state track and field preliminaries on Friday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Servite (3:15.43) had the second-fastest qualifying time in the 4×400-meter relay behind only El Cerrito (3:14.96) of the North Coast Section.
Coming off a state-record 3:33.83 at the Masters Meet in Moorpark, Long Beach Wilson’s 4×400 girls relay had the fourth-fastest qualifying time (3:46.73) without two out of its best runners (Clara Adams and Saniah Varnado), taking second in the first heat behind San Luis Obispo (3:45.85) and safely advancing to the finals along with Heat 2 runner-up Rosary (3:45.08) and Heat 3 winner Canyon Country Canyon (3:46.77).
Having broken the Southern Section record in the 400 meters six days earlier in 51.98, Adams put it in cruise control to win her heat in 53.53, the fastest qualifying mark. Joining her in the final will be her three relay teammates Varnado (54.42), Wilson (54.57) and Fowler (54.62). Adams later won her 200 heat in 23.60, a tenth of a second behind fastest qualifier Naiaja Sizemore of Vanden.
San Jacinto Valley Academy’s Kaahliyah Lacy ran a wind-legal 13.59 for the top qualifying spot in the girls 100 hurdles and Varnado (40.85) was the top qualifier in the 300 hurdles.
Another showdown is brewing in the boys 400, where Loyola’s Ejam Yohannes (47.08) and Hunter (47.21) won their heats in the two fastest times Friday. Hunter clocked 46.32 to set a California freshman record last spring, but lost to Yohannes by 11 hundredths of a second at the Masters Meet.
City Section champion Jayden Rendon showed good form in his bid to defend the state 300 hurdles crown, posting the fastest prelims time (36.80). He also advanced to the finals in the 110 hurdles with a 13.83 effort. Moorpark’s Davis Benson (14.03) nabbed the last spot.
Corona Santiago’s Braelyn Combe, right, wins the first heat of the 800 meters at the CIF state track and field preliminaries on Friday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Corona Santiago senior Braelyn Combe won her 1,600 heat in 4:46.88 and is set for a four-lap battle with San Diego Section champion Chiara Dailey of La Jolla, who won the second heat in 4:46.00. Combe is the defending champion, having edged Hanne Thomsen of Santa Rosa Montgomery by five hundredths of a second in the finals last year.
“I just wanted to advance with as little effort as possible,” Combe said. “It was not as hard as I expected. I don’t want to leave any regrets. I’m taking it one race at a time.”
Combe also had the fastest time (2:08:25) of three heats in the 800 meters.
Venice senior Lawrence Kensinger, who set the City Section shot put record with a state-leading throw of 65 feet 11 inches last week, had the third-best mark at prelims (59-6¾) and easily advanced to the finals. Defending state high jump champion JJ Harel of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame tied nine others for the second-best mark (6-6) heading into the second day.
Aliso Niguel senior Jaslene Massey had the top marks in the girls shot put (51-3¾) and discus (175-6) and transgender athlete AB Hernandez from Jurupa Valley was the leading qualifier in the girls long jump (20-5½) and triple jump (41-8½) and was one of 13 qualifiers in the high jump.
AB Hernandez competes at the CIF state track and field preliminaries at Buchanan High School on Friday.
(Tomas Ovalle / For The Times)
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We’re approaching the biggest sporting event North America has ever hosted.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place across the USA, Canada and Mexico in 13 days.
Bettors and fans already have their sights set on the global spectacle, which will kick off on June 11. The World Cup final will be held at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026.
After the World Cup groups were announced in December, Spain opened as the favorite at +450, followed by England (+550) and France (+750).
Now, with less than two weeks to go, Spain has slightly drifted to +475, with both France and England making up ground on the oddsboard.
Let’s dive into the odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 29.
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2026 World Cup winner odds
Spain: +475 (bet $10 to win $57.5 total)
France: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
England: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Brazil: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Argentina: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Portugal: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Germany: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Netherlands: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Norway: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Belgium: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Colombia: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Morocco: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Uruguay: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
United States: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Switzerland: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)
Japan: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)
Mexico: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Croatia: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Ecuador: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Senegal: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Sweden: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
HOST NATIONS
United States
The United States is led by Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Chris Richards, with several players competing in Europe’s top leagues. The U.S. has appeared in 11 previous World Cups, with its best finish coming in 1930 when the team reached the semifinals.
Canada
Canada’s key players include Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, giving the squad top-tier pace and goal-scoring ability. Canada has made two previous World Cup appearances, and is still looking for its first win ever in the tournament.
Mexico
Mexico’s top contributors include Raul Giménez and Edson Álvarez, forming a strong mix of attacking talent and midfield stability. Mexico has played in 17 previous World Cups and reached the quarterfinals twice, in 1970 and 1986.
UEFA TEAMS TO KNOW
Spain
Spain’s top talents include Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Rodri, forming a core that blends elite playmaking with scoring depth. Spain has appeared in 16 previous World Cups and won the tournament once, lifting the trophy in 2010. The team also won the 2024 Euros.
France
France enters with Kylian Mbappé as the star player, with the 26-year-old just five goals shy of passing Miroslav Klose (16) for the most career goals at the World Cup. France has made 16 previous World Cup appearances and won the title twice, in 1998 and 2018.
England
England’s key players include Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, forming one of the nation’s strongest generations in decades. England has reached 16 previous World Cups and won the trophy once, in 1966.
Germany
Germany features Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich as central figures in a talented squad. Germany has participated in 20 previous World Cups and won four titles, most recently in 2014.
Portugal
Portugal’s top group includes Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, with Cristiano Ronaldo still involved as the team’s all-time leading scorer and cap leader. Portugal has competed in eight previous World Cups and recorded its best finish in 2006, reaching the semifinals.
Netherlands
The Netherlands features top players such as Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Denzel Dumfries, forming a core built around elite defending and midfield control. Memphis Depay should also be on the team, the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. The Netherlands has appeared in 11 previous World Cups and finished as runner-up three times, in 1974, 1978 and 2010.
CONMEBOL TEAMS TO KNOW
Argentina
Argentina is anchored by Lionel Messi, with Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez— headlining one of the most talented rosters in the tournament. Argentina has played in 18 previous World Cups and won three, including the most recent tournament in 2022.
Brazil
Brazil’s roster is led by Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha and Marquinhos, giving the team elite attacking and defensive quality. Brazil has appeared in every World Cup and holds a record five titles, with its most recent one coming in 2002.
Uruguay
Uruguay’s leading players include Federico Valverde, Darwin Núñez and Ronald Araújo, forming a core with elite midfield range and speed. Uruguay has appeared in 14 previous World Cups and won the tournament twice, in 1930 and 1950.
Colombia
Colombia is headlined by Luis Díaz and James Rodríguez, with the former playing for Bayern Munich and the latter having a decorated World Cup résumé. Colombia has made six previous World Cupsand recorded its best finish in 2014, reaching the quarterfinals.
CAF TEAMS TO KNOW
Morocco
Morocco’s key contributors include Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazaroui and Brahm Díaz, each with major European club experience. Morocco has appeared in six previous World Cups and achieved its historic best finish in 2022, reaching the semifinals.
Senegal
Senegal’s top players include Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye, forming one of Africa’s most experienced cores. Senegal has appeared in three World Cups and reached its best finish in 2002, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Ghana
Ghana is led by Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo and Inaki Williams, giving the squad strong playmaking and midfield presence. Ghana has competed in four previous World Cups and reached its best result in 2010, making the quarterfinals.
AFC TEAMS TO KNOW
South Korea
South Korea is headlined by Son Heung-min, supported by key players such as Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in. South Korea has played in 11 previous World Cups and reached its best finish in 2002, advancing to the semifinals as co-host.
Japan
Japan features Takefusa Kubo and Kaoru Mitoma as its leading players, blending top European experience with emerging talent. Japan has appeared in seven previous World Cups and reached the Round of 16 four times, its best result to date.
Australia
Australia’s top players include Jackson Irvine and keeper Mathew Ryan as its most experienced members. Australia has competed in six previous World Cups and reached the round of 16 twice, in 2006 and 2022.
OFC TEAMS TO KNOW
New Zealand
New Zealand is led by all-time leading scorer Chris Wood, with 45 international goals to his name. New Zealand has appeared in two previous World Cups (1982, 2010), and did not advance from the group stage in either appearance.
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