Goals, Grass, and Guesswork đľď¸
From soccer drama to tennis tradition to a sneaky trivia twist⌠here are 3 things you need to know today.
But real quick⌠Sam wants harder questions (challenge accepted!).
And Jake? Your Banana Ball rule with the unicorn glitter bat? Legendary. đđŚđĽ
1ď¸âŁ Gold Cup Thriller â˝
Thereâs an international soccer tournament underway right now where teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean battle it out.
Itâs called the Gold Cup. And yesterday? The US vs. Costa Rica match was epic. We know you canât wait to watch, but firstâŚ
A few facts about the Gold Cup:
đď¸ It Happens Every Two Years: The Gold Cup is played every other summer⌠which means itâs one of the most regular international tournaments in the world. More chances to rep your country and build rivalries!
đ Itâs All About Pride: It doesnât affect World Cup spots⌠but itâs huge for bragging rights, national pride, and confidence-building.
đ Itâs a Stage for New Stars: While some teams send their older, more experienced players, others focus on younger players. Itâs where tomorrowâs soccer stars start to shine.
Alright, enough context!
đĽ Watch the drama unfold:
Final score: US wins 4â3 on penalties.
On Wednesday, theyâll face Guatemala in the semifinals⌠which also advanced on penalty kicks in a win against Canada!
2ď¸âŁ From Clay to Grass: Wimbledon Begins! đž
Remember the French Open? We watched CarlosâŻAlcaraz climb back in thrilling fashion. We cheered as CocoâŻGauff claimed her first Paris title. And then we teased what came nextâŚ
Well, next is now. Wimbledon starts today.
đ Wimbledon 101
Hereâs more on the worldâs oldest tennis tournament, first played in 1877:
đ Where? London, England
đą Surface? Super-fast grass courts
đ Uniform? All white⌠every match!
đ Snack? Strawberries & cream⌠LOTS of them
đ Last Yearâs Champions?
On the menâs side, Alcaraz won his second straight Wimbledon, crushing Novak Djokovic in three straight sets. Letâs see if he can keep winning!
On the womenâs side, Barbora KrejÄĂkovĂĄ claimed the title in a thrilling final that came down to the final set.
đ Dates to Watch?
The Menâs Final is Sunday, July 14
The Womenâs Final is Saturday, July 13
Weâll break in earlier if anything unforgettable happens: a super-long match, surprise upset, or record-fast serve. Stay tuned!
3ď¸âŁ Wait⌠That Canât Be True?! đľď¸ââď¸
Wimbledon is full of history, traditions⌠and just a little weirdness. Here are five âfactsâ about the tournament.
But be careful: one of them is made up.
Can you spot the fake?
đ Snack Attack: Fans eat over 200,000 servings of strawberries and cream during the tournament⌠all picked fresh from local farms. Mmmmmmmm!
𫨠No Lefties Allowed: Tradition says only right-handed players are allowed to compete at Wimbledon to âkeep everything looking even.â
𤴠Bow to the Box: If British royalty is in the stands, players are expected to bow or curtsy before their match. Wimbledon is the only major with that tradition.
đŚ Pigeon Patrol: Wimbledon employs a trained hawk named Rufus to fly over the courts each morning and scare away pigeons.
đ No Trophy for You: Win Wimbledon? You donât get to keep the real trophy. Champions get a copy⌠the original never leaves the club.
đ¤ So⌠which one did we make up? Drop your guess in the comments! đ¤
Today brought us drama at the goal, legends on the lawn, and a trivia twist weâll reveal tomorrow.
Thanks for playing along, Smallballers!
Hmmm maybe all those strawberries is more than they actually eat?
I THINK LEFTIES CAN PLAY! Jake!