Morricone's music, Ivanisevic's Wimbledon win and dancing robots

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1) The legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone died this week. His towering influence on popular culture extended to writing the official theme tune for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. The hosts’ 3-1 victory against The Netherlands in the final is well worth your time. Just for good measure, here’s a written interview with the late Morricone celebrating his country’s semi-final win against Germany in 2006. “They fought like lions!”

2) On this day in 1966, Jack Nicklaus became the fourth man to win all four golf majors, beating Doug Sanders and Dave Thomas by one shot to take the Open at Muirfield, while on this day in 1977, Tom Watson saw off Nicklaus in Turnberry’s legendary duel in the sun. But because no one can ever have too much Golden Bear, here he is as a senior, draining a frankly ludicrous putt, and here he is explaining how he did it.

3) Also on this day, but in 2001, Goran Ivanisevic finally won the Wimbledon men’s singles, beating Patrick Rafter in a classic and rain-delayed final. Here are highlights of that match, here are its final two games, and here’s Goran’s incredible Wimbledon journey.

4) The Lazio fans among you may be increasingly downbeat about the chances of overhauling Juventus’s widening lead at the top of Serie A. Cheer yourselves up with some happier (sort of) memories, and watch this Paul Gascoigne nostalgia montage, from the club’s own YouTube channel in 2012.

5) Robotic, repetitive fans? No, it’s not the PSG ultras, it’s the latest horrifying glimpse into the future of spectator sport at a Japanese baseball game.

Dancing robots replace fans at baseball game in Japan – video

6) If you’re missing going to watch football in the flesh, this 1961 video plucked from the BFI archives called Saturday Fever will only make you miss it more. Sorry about that.

1) Basque pelota: what it is and how to play it.

2) A profile of Willie Thorne, including the Romford Rap.

3) Do you like Liverpool FC? Do you like goals? Well here is every strike that earned the Reds this season’s Premier League title.

4) An NHL classic, as The Flyers and Penguins put up 10 goals in one night back in 2012, as fists fly on the ice.

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