MIAMI (WSVN) With the kickoff inching closer, 7News is getting a closer look at the artist behind the iconic FIFA Miami piece that was unveiled in Wynwood earlier this year. The official FIFA World Cup 26 Miami host city poster captures the essence of Miami’s dynamic culture and community. Artist Rubem Robierb, who is a part time South Florida resident, said he used some kickin’ creativity to fit all of South Florida’s magic into one frame. “As an artist, it’s a huge honor to represent the City of Miami. It’s such a global stage,” he said. Robierb said the poster showcases Miami as a city where art, culture, and futbol unite in a bold and diverse celebration. “An image that everyone from all over the world, as soon as they see the image, they will immediately relate to Miami, and that’s what we did,” he said. The artist said that making the poster was a bit of a challenge, as he tried to fit all that makes the city special into one artwork. But he believes the final product manages to do that very well. “As an artist, it was really special that opportunity to do that poster because representing the City of Miami in such a global stage and connecting with such a big audience is a blessing for us, as an artist, because you are not close just in the art world, but you bring your art to everyone,” said Robierb. He gave 7News a deep dive into what each part of the poster represents. For example, the ball represents Miami as a cultural melting pot with every neighborhood represented. The background, including the crowd on the beach, depicts people welcoming those from around the world. But he said the highlight of it all was the flamingo. “For me, it’s the most unofficial symbol of Miami because people from all over the world relate flamingos with Miami, and I want to make the flamingo really fun, really playful, and that’s why I picture the flamingo as a soccer player,” said Robierb. He said he put his own finishing touches on the poster, adding a splash of glitter to top it off. Since its unveiling, the artist says he’s happy about what he’s heard about the poster and the opportunity to connect with people around the world. “Me and FIFA Miami, we are really happy about the feedback we got from the poster, because we got to connect with people all over the world. Here in Miami, everyone feels represented, everyone. If you’re from Hialeah or from South Beach or from Coconut Grove, you will see yourself here in the poster because you know what represents you,” said Robierb. The poster is one of 16 distinctive posters representing each host city in next year’s World Cup. It’s the first time in World Cup history that each host city is commemorated with its own bespoke artwork. Copyright.
https://wsvn.com/sports/artist-provides-insight-background-on-iconic-fifa-world-cup-2026-miami-poster/
Tag: miami
Five things we learned in Miami Hurricanes’ needed win over Syracuse
The Miami Hurricanes bounced back from their disappointing loss to SMU with a four-touchdown win over a struggling Syracuse team, keeping their playoff hopes alive. Miami needed the win and ultimately delivered the victory. Here are five things we learned from Saturday evening’s game:
**1. The Offense Started Poorly**
Hurricanes fans were growing restless in the first half, as Miami’s first four drives ended in punts. UM did not get on the board through the first 27 minutes against a defense that has been one of the worst in the Power 4 conferences. Several factors tripped the Hurricanes up, including a potential big play that was batted down at the line and mistakes like dropped passes that stalled drives.
As halftime neared, Miami’s offense was clearly struggling — a bad look for a unit ranked just above 50th nationally. Looking ahead, the Hurricanes will need to put pressure on teams early. Miami coach Mario Cristobal said, “I thought the players attacked the opportunities with a lot of energy and I think after some moments of struggling, we finally just cut it loose. I think it’s that simple. We called it more freely, played more freely, and stopped worrying about the outcome, focusing more on the process.”
**2. The Offense Ultimately Showed Up**
After a slow first half, UM began putting points on the board. Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson pulled new plays from his bag of tricks, including running wide receiver Malachi Toney as a Wildcat quarterback. Toney threw a touchdown pass to quarterback Carson Beck, who in turn tossed a backward pass to offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa for a touchdown.
The Hurricanes finished the game with 385 total yards, slightly below their season average, scoring 31 points and putting the game out of reach by the start of the fourth quarter. Freshman running back Girard Pringle Jr. provided a spark on offense, averaging 7.9 yards per carry and scoring his fourth touchdown of the season. Cristobal praised him, saying, “Great eyes. He sees it really well. Very explosive. You saw that he has a different gear as well.”
**3. Defense Wins Games**
While Miami’s offense struggled early, the defense dominated. Syracuse’s offense was not the toughest test, but the Hurricanes passed with flying colors. Miami held Syracuse scoreless until the third quarter and consistently caused havoc.
UM recorded a season-high three sacks and 11 tackles for loss. They also forced three takeaways: two interceptions, including a pick-six by Keionte Scott, and a fumble recovery. Defensive end Akheem Mesidor emphasized the defensive mindset: “At the end of the day, if the opponent doesn’t score, they don’t win.”
The one blemish on the defense’s record was run defense. Syracuse rushed for 161 yards, or 214 yards when adjusted for sack yardage, marking UM’s worst performance against the run this season.
**4. Penalties Cleaned Up**
The Hurricanes have struggled with penalties all season, but fouls were not a major issue this week. Miami finished with five penalties for 54 yards — not ideal, but better than the eight penalties for over 60 yards they had averaged entering the game.
Beck commented, “When all three facets of the game — special teams, defense, offense — are all working hand in hand, it creates those types of clean games. You eliminate penalties, you eliminate turnovers, and usually, you have efficient plays that move you in a positive direction, which ultimately leads to wins.”
Importantly, the offensive line cleaned up its act, not having a single penalty called against it after committing five pre-snap penalties in the loss to SMU.
**5. Akheem Mesidor Dominates**
Defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. has received much attention for his excellent season, and rightly so. But Bain’s counterpart on the opposite end of the defensive line, Akheem Mesidor, deserves just as much recognition. Mesidor has been outstanding this season and had one of his best games as a Hurricane on Saturday.
He finished with five tackles, a team-leading 3.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus gave Mesidor a team-best 87 defensive grade. He holds a 90.3 defensive grade for the season, ranking 19th nationally among defensive players with 200 or more snaps.
“As a defensive lineman, the best thing for me is getting sacks,” Mesidor said. “So to be able to do that and then have defensive line coach Jason Taylor come out and celebrate with me is amazing.”
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With this win, the Miami Hurricanes have kept their playoff hopes alive, showing resilience and growth on both sides of the ball. The team will look to build on these positives as the season progresses.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/11/09/five-things-we-learned-in-miami-hurricanes-needed-win-over-syracuse/
Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier arrested in federal gambling-related investigation
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups, a former NBA star and head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, were arrested on Thursday in connection with a federal gambling-related investigation, two senior law enforcement officials told NBC News.
Rozier, who joined the Heat in 2024 after being traded from the Charlotte Hornets, was arrested Thursday morning in Orlando, Florida. It is not immediately clear where Billups was taken into custody, but the Trail Blazers played a game in Portland last night.
Alongside Rozier and Billups, members and associates of organized crime groups are also among the couple dozen individuals expected to face criminal charges in two separate illegal gambling-related cases. The FBI and other officials are scheduled to announce these charges later Thursday morning, according to sources.
A native of Ohio and a 10-year NBA veteran, Rozier was selected 16th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2015 NBA Draft after playing college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals. Details about which specific case Rozier is allegedly involved in have not yet been released.
In recent years, investigations into gambling-related activities have increasingly extended to active NBA players. For example, Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter pleaded guilty in federal court and was banned by the NBA for life in 2024 for violating the league’s sports gambling rules. According to the NBA, Porter placed bets on NBA games and disclosed confidential information about his own participation to bettors. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
Stay tuned for more updates as the investigation develops and additional information becomes available.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/miami-heats-terry-rozier-arrested-federal-gambling-related-investigati-rcna239306
City of Miami unveils mural honoring children of the Pedro Pan Program and hero Cuban general
MIAMI (WSVN) — A new mural has been unveiled in the City of Miami to honor a significant chapter in South Florida’s history.
The artwork pays tribute to more than 14,000 children who participated in the Pedro Pan Program. During the 1960s, these children were sent from Cuba to the United States by their families in an effort to escape the Castro regime.
In addition to honoring the Pedro Pan children, the mural also celebrates General Antonio Maceo, known as “The Bronze Titan.” Maceo was a hero who fought for Cuba’s independence against Spain in the 1800s.
This meaningful display is located at the intersection of Southwest 13th Avenue and 10th Street, where visitors can view and reflect on this important piece of history.
https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/city-of-miami-unveils-mural-honoring-children-of-the-pedro-pan-program-and-hero-cuban-general/