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NFL

Source: Cardinals trading for Browns CB Taylor

The Arizona Cardinals are trading for Cleveland Browns cornerback Jamar Taylor, a source confirmed to ESPN.

The Browns will receive a 2020 sixth-round pick in return, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Taylor, 27, started 15 games for the 0-16 Browns in 2017. He had one forced fumble and a half-sack while appearing in all 16 games.

The Browns had been trying to trade Taylor, a team captain, after they selected cornerback Denzel Ward out of Ohio State with the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft.

NFL Network first reported the trade.

Jamar Taylor is heading to Arizona in a trade, a source confirmed to ESPN. Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Taylor could fill a need for the Cardinals, who have sought a cornerback to play opposite Patrick Peterson.

A 2013 second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins, Taylor has three career interceptions (all in 2016) over five NFL seasons. He joined the Browns in a draft-day trade in 2016.

Taylor would be the sixth player traded by new general manager John Dorsey since taking over the team in December.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Soccer

Platini: 'Trickery' led to France, Brazil meeting in 1998 World Cup final

There was “a little trickery” implemented to increase the chances of France and Brazil meeting in the 1998 World Cup final, according to disgraced former UEFA president Michel Platini.

Platini, who is serving a four-year ban from football involvement following the 2015 guilty verdict regarding a “disloyal payment”, was the co-president of the World Cup organising committee in 1998, which France hosted.

In an interview with France Bleu Sport, the former French international revealed group allocations for seeded teams were deliberately arranged to produce a “dream” final featuring the host nation and defending World Cup champion Brazil.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

“When we organised the schedule, we did a little trickery,” he said, as translated by BBC Sport.

“France-Brazil in the final, it was the dream of everyone.

“If we finished first in the group and Brazil finished first, we could not meet before the final.”

He laughed as he went on: “We did not spend six years organising the World Cup to not do some little shenanigans. Do you think other World Cup hosts did not?”

Because Brazil was placed in Group A, which was standard practice at the time for the World Cup holder, France’s allocation to Group C ensured the two nations could not before the final if they both finished first in their groups, as was widely expected.

France went on to finish above Denmark, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia in Group C before getting past Paraguay, Italy, Croatia, and capturing the country’s first-ever World Cup with a 3-0 win over Brazil in the final at the Stade de France.