England may have started their World Cup campaign with an impressive 4-2 win over Croatia, but not everyone is convinced Thomas Tuchel’s side have the full package needed to go all the way.
Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney has raised serious doubts over England’s chances of winning the tournament with Jordan Pickford as first-choice goalkeeper.
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Speaking on CBS Sports, as reported by the Mirror, Deeney suggested Pickford’s style creates too much uncertainty in high-pressure moments.
Pickford has been England’s trusted No.1 for years and has produced big tournament performances before.
However, his critics argue that he can look emotional, reactive and occasionally chaotic, traits that become magnified in knockout football.
Deeney did not hold back with his criticism
On CBS Sports, Deeney was asked if he felt Pickford was too chaotic, replying:
‘To say the least, yeah. I don’t really know the stats and all of that. I’m just saying what my eyes told me.
‘I still think he should have saved the first one [Croatia goal], that’s my opinion. I think when you get a hand to it, it’s got to be a solid hand and keep it out.
‘There’s just that feeling when I watch Jordan…there’s a shot from 50 yards and it trickles to him and he’s screaming at everyone, “Do your job! Don’t let any shots come in!”
‘Every time he parries one, fouls someone, does whatever, he’s like, “Don’t look at me!”
‘We’re trying to win a World Cup. That’s why we’re here. In my opinion, and respectfully Jordan, because you know I like you. We can’t win it with that guy in goal. He doesn’t give you any confidence.’
The World Cup has already produced one of its most unusual disciplinary moments, with Paraguay attacker Miguel Almiron becoming the first player at the tournament to be sent off for covering his mouth during a confrontation.
The incident happened late in the first half of Paraguay’s Group D match against Turkey.
During a heated exchange with an opponent, Almiron covered his mouth while speaking, which triggered the tournament’s new disciplinary protocol.
After a VAR check, the referee showed him a straight red card.
According to The Guardian, the decision left Paraguay down to 10 men while they were trying to protect their position in a crucial group-stage fixture.
It was a major moment not only in the match, but also in the wider debate around how football handles abuse on the pitch.
Miguel Almiron #10 of Paraguay reacts after receiving a red card (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
The new law was approved in April by IFAB ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
It was designed to stop players from hiding potentially discriminatory language by covering their mouth with a hand, arm or shirt during confrontations.
The rule gained momentum after Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior alleged he had been abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during a Champions League match.
That incident created pressure for football authorities to act more aggressively against hidden insults and abusive language.
Reported Arsenal transfer target Johan Manzambi stole the show for Switzerland last night, firing a sensational late brace to help his country secure a commanding 4-1 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The 20-year-old midfielder completely turned the match on its head after being introduced from the substitutes’ bench, solidifying his reputation as one of Europe’s most electric young prospects.
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Johan Manzambi scores late brace to help Switzerland to a 4-1 win
The Group B World Cup clash at SoFi Stadium seemed destined for a tense finish until Manzambi’s introduction in the second half.
The SC Freiburg starlet broke the deadlocked match in the 74th minute, producing an outstanding, technically flawless volley that flew into the back of the net to give the Swiss a 1-0 lead.
After Ruben Vargas doubled the advantage in the 85th minute, Manzambi wasn’t done. In the 90th minute, he capped off a fluid team move orchestrated by Granit Xhaka, opening his body up to calmly steer a side-footed finish past Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.
Although Bosnia grabbed a late consolation goal via a thunderbolt from Enis Mahmic, a stoppage-time penalty from Xhaka put the final gloss on a stellar 4-1 win, moving Switzerland to the top of the group.
Arsenal linked in contest to sign Manzambi
Manzambi’s international heroics come amid swirling rumors regarding his future, with Arsenal heavily linked with a move for the versatile midfielder.
Mikel Arteta is known to be in the market for a dynamic, energetic box-to-box midfielder to bolster his engine room.
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Manzambi’s rare combination of raw pace, defensive industry, and clinical execution in the final third has made him a player in demand this summer, with reports also linking the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United with the player.
With his stock rapidly rising on the grandest stage of the World Cup, Arsenal may have to act quickly before a multi-club bidding war drives his price tag through the roof.
The family of Lionel Messi have put out an official statement in response to growing speculation about his father Jorge’s health.
The statement has confirmed that Messi’s dad has been experiencing some health troubles, though he is now seemingly recovering well.
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They have not gone into any specific details, as one would expect, but it’s clear that the Messi family were keen to end the speculation and gossip about the situation, which must make an already unpleasant experience a great deal more stressful.
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Messi family statement in full
“The Messi family informs that Jorge Messi is currently going through a health situation.
“At this time, he is under medical supervision, recovering and progressing favorably within the condition he is experiencing.
“In light of the reports, rumors, and speculation that have circulated in recent hours, the family wishes to express its deep concern regarding the lack of sensitivity, respect, and discretion with which some individuals have treated a strictly private family matter.
“The family would also like to clarify that only Jorge’s immediate family has real and accurate information regarding his condition. Therefore, any version, statement, or information that does not come directly from the family and its official channels should not be considered valid or truthful.
“At times like these, we ask for responsibility, prudence, and humanity. A person’s health and the peace of mind of their loved ones should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media attention.
“We sincerely appreciate the expressions of affection, respect, and concern we have received, and we ask that Jorge’s privacy, confidentiality, and personal space—as well as that of his entire family—be respected throughout this process.
“Any relevant updates will be communicated in due course by the family and through the appropriate channels.
“Thank you for your understanding.”
Messi’s tears during World Cup win
Messi has started the 2026 World Cup on fire with a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening game against Algeria.
However, as quoted by BBC Sport, the former Barcelona forward explained why he was tearful during the game as he admitted he was being affected by something away from football.
When asked about it after the game, he said: “Why did I cry? It was something completely unrelated to football.
“I went through some difficult days, but I’m grateful to the entire delegation and my team-mates because they were always by my side, giving me a lot of strength to help me get through it.”
One imagines this was related to his father’s health, now that more information about the matter has come to light.
Chelsea are reportedly showing an interest in Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall and scouting him heavily at this summer’s World Cup.
The 20-year-old will be one to watch if you follow World Cup 2026 news as he could be a key player for the Swedish national team as they make a strong start to the tournament.
According to Simon Phillips, Bergvall is now someone being closely monitored by Chelsea as they sense he could be open to leaving Tottenham this summer.
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It was a difficult season for Spurs, who only narrowly avoided relegation with a win on the final day of the Premier League season, so work is needed to fix Roberto De Zerbi’s squad.
This surely also means some sales could be likely, with a talented young player like Bergvall perhaps likely to be tempted to look elsewhere for opportunities.
It will be interesting to see how the Sweden international performs at the World Cup, as that could be key to earning him a big move.
It’s not easy to flourish in this under-performing Tottenham side, but Bergvall might look better with his national side, who thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in their opening group game.
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Chelsea could be a good destination for Bergvall if he does look to leave Spurs for a new challenge, with the Blues showing they’re prepared to invest in young players for the future.
On the other hand, it’s debatable if a move to Stamford Bridge would be enough of a step up, as they were also pretty poor in 2025/26, finishing trophyless and in 10th place in the Premier League, meaning they won’t be in Europe next season.
THFC need a lot of work to improve, but that’s true of their London rivals as well, so it might be more realistic to see Bergvall moving if even bigger clubs end up looking into a transfer.
Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry criticised Cristiano Ronaldo for seeming more focused on getting goals for himself than for his team as Portugal drew with DR Congo yesterday.
The 41-year-old is still going strong despite his age, with his performances with Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League getting him close to a remarkable 1000 career goals.
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As well as missing some chances, it also seemed like Ronaldo was getting in the way of his teammates due to a strong desire to be on the scoresheet himself, as highlighted by Henry in the video clip below…
Really good analysis from Henry. This is the Ronaldo issue right now.
He's playing as a 9, but he's never been a 9 and he's not acting as a 9. Not giving Portugal those traits and it hurt them today. pic.twitter.com/yjSaOK2J5J
“One thing that’s important … the team needs to score, not you need to score,” Henry said.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has been in this situation multiple times – if you make the run here then you make the defender take a decision, but because he wants to score he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes.”
Henry added that if Ronaldo had instead made the run into the six yard box, the defender would have had to follow him, leaving space for Fernandes.
The Frenchman even said you could see the frustrated reaction of his teammates.
Cristiano Ronaldo struggles as Lionel Messi shines at World Cup
It’s just one game, but you just know there are going to be the usual big debates about Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, with the latter making a dream start to the World Cup.
This year will surely be Ronaldo’s last chance to do so, but at the moment there are surely serious questions about if he should even be starting games for his country anymore.
Messi, meanwhile, looks like he’s still good enough to guide Argentina to glory again.
Former Arsenal and England star Ian Wright praised Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham as the key players that stepped up for the national team last night.
For those who weren’t following the World Cup live, England started their campaign with an impressive performance to beat Croatia 4-2.
Wright was really pleased with the “brilliant” performance and style of play from England as they picked up an important three points from what looks, on paper at least, like being the toughest game in their group.
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Kane scored twice on the night and Bellingham also got an important goal to put the Three Lions back in front after Croatia had twice pegged them back.
Speaking after the game, Wright said it will be significant for England this summer if those two players can continue to perform at that high level.
Ian Wright praises Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham
“What we saw tonight is they both (Kane and Bellingham) stepped up and I’m sure when the games get tougher they will do that again,” the pundit said on ITV, as quoted by the Metro.
“We’ve got to make sure we are funnelling it into those two because they will deliver, they both will deliver.
“It’s been a long time since I watched anEngland teamgoing forward with as much gusto as we saw from them tonight. It was brilliant.
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“Croatia weren’t as good as we thought they might be given their experience but we beat them quite comfortably which was really promising.”
Who else impressed for England?
England can take a lot of positives from last night’s game, with Kane and Bellingham perhaps the stand-out stars, but with the likes of Declan Rice and Noni Madueke also doing an impressive job.
Reece James and Nico O’Reilly also showed a lot of promise as the two full-backs, but the defence probably should have done more to prevent Croatia’s goals, even if the first one in particular was a fantastic finish.
Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka impressed off the bench, and that kind of depth is hugely encouraging for Thomas Tuchel, though perhaps Anthony Gordon and Elliot Anderson could’ve done more.
Declan Rice has insisted he only went off as a precaution in England’s 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening World Cup 2026 group game.
Arsenal and England fans will no doubt have been concerned to see the midfielder appearing to limp off when he was subbed by Thomas Tuchel with 20 minutes to go.
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World Cup news has only really been positive for England so far, with the team avoiding injuries to key players and gelling really well in an impressive victory against a tough opponent in Croatia last night.
And it seems Rice’s injury is not a major concern either, with the 27-year-old insisting he’s fine and he’ll be back for the next game against Ghana.
Declan Rice calms injury fears after England beat Croatia
Speaking after the game, as quoted by the Metro, Rice sounded upbeat and explained that he only went off as a precaution due to carrying a minor niggle for some time.
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“All good, good as gold,” Rice said to ITV.
“Just what I’ve been nursing probably in the second half of the season, little neural pains here and there, but I’m all good.
“All fine, just precaution and I’ll be back out there against Ghana.”
Declan Rice delivers again with assist and solid display
Rice is Mr Reliable for club and country, and WhoScored had him down as one of England’s top performers in last night’s win, with a 7.6/10 rating.
The Gunners midfielder always plays with great energy, doing his defensive work whilst also driving the team forward with his range of passing and ball-carrying ability.
On top of that, he picked up an assist with one of his trademark corner kick deliveries, which Harry Kane headed in.
Needless to say, Rice is not a player England would want to be without for long, so it was probably sensible from Tuchel to remove him early just to be on the safe side.
Croatia have equalised against England courtesy of a wonder goal from Martin Baturina.
Harry Kane gave his side the lead early in the game, after Luka Modric brought down Noni Madueke inside the box.
The England captain stood up but saw his initial penalty saved. However, he was given a second chance by the referee due to the keeper being off the line and made no mistake in the second time of asking.
However, Croatia responded not too long after with Baturina scoring a peach of a goal to make it 1-1.
The Como star linked with a move to the Premier League struck the ball from outside the box, straight in to the top left corner.
Jordan Pickford just about got a hand to it but not enough to keep it out.
Tottenham and Aston Villa have reportedly made a €50m bid for Martin Baturina
Baturina’s world-class impact on the international stage comes amid intense speculation regarding his domestic future.
Reports indicate that Tottenham and Aston Villa have reportedly made a €50m bid for Martin Baturina to tempt Serie A outfit Como into a summer sale.
Spurs’ bid has been reported by Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida who reported earlier in June that the North London club has presented an offer around €50m to Como for Baturina.
And reports of Aston Villa’s bid for the player comes from Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who reported that Unai Emery’s side have bid in the region of €50m and €55m for the player.
Leeds have also been linked with the player in the past.
Robero De Zerbi’s side are busy rebuilding the squad, already signing the likes of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi. Spurs are also closing in on a deal for Jan Paul van Hecke.
Adding Baturina would no doubt be a quality signing for the club, with the club looking to bolster its midfield this summer.
Harry Kane has given England an early lead vs Croatia, scoring from the spot to make it 1-0.
England were given a penalty after a foul from Luka Modric on Arsenal’s Noni Madueke inside the box.
The captain stepped up take it but his first attempt was saved by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
While the save was good, VAR review showed that the keeper had stepped off his line a bit too early and the decision was made for the spot kick to be retaken.
Kane stepped up again and made no mistake the second time, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 1-0.
GOAL!
Kane opens the scoring from the penalty spot after his first attempt was saved, with the penalty retaken as the goalkeeper was off his line ?
Six minutes later, it was Kane again, this time from a Declan Rice corner. Making a a late run inside the box, the former Spurs man thumped in a header to make it 2-1.
Watch the goal below:
Captain Kane at the double ?
He's now level with Gary Lineker for goals scored at a World Cup for England! pic.twitter.com/6omAZiHtaE
Trevoh Chalobah has been called up to the England squad, while Harry Maguire has remained out of the picture.
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After years as a key figure for Gareth Southgate’s England team, most people were expecting Harry Maguire to get a callup for England this summer. He didn’t get one.
Then they will have been expecting him to get a callup to replace the injured Tino Livramento last week. He didn’t get that either.
The defender has explained why he thought Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah was preferred to him or to Trent Alexander-Arnold as an emergency callup.
No fuss Chalobah gets the nod
“When someone drops out like that, I do believe that as a squad, you need to call someone up with the minimum of fuss. No real media attention to it, no disruption to the camp,” Maguire said while working as a pundit for the Rest is Football.
“I don’t think Trent would have ever been called up; when it’s a big game, all the questions would have been about him. If he called me up, it would be about me,” the experienced England defender added.
“Luke Shaw is the same; we’ve been to previous tournaments, we play for big clubs. But congratulations to Trevoh, I hope he does well and has an impact on the squad,” he summarised, on Chalobah’s addition.
Chalobah is really the perfect player for these circumstances, then. He’s about as low profile as an England player could be. He’s not likely to play, he’s not going to cause trouble, he’s not going to grab headlines.
He’s going to go and work hard, bring some positive energy and be ready if the team need to call on him. It’s a great reward for some impressively consistent years in the Premier League.
In other news…
Hayden Hackney has been a big name in the Championship for a while – it looks like this year could be the moment he gets his Premier League move.
England start their World Cup 2026 campaign tonight with their Group L clash against Croatia at 9pm.
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The big team news questions mainly surround Jude Bellingham or Morgan Rogers for the attacking midfield role, while Thomas Tuchel also has decisions to make in central defence, and wide on the left.
While we think there’s a serious case for Tuchel to go for form over names by picking Aston Villa star Rogers over Real Madrid Galactico Bellingham, it’s perhaps hard to imagine the Three Lions boss taking a big gamble like that for the toughest opponent in the group.
??????? We're all agreed this should be England's first XI for this World Cup, right? ? pic.twitter.com/wBow9ROpLB
England look strong with this line up, but there’s always the possibility that Bukayo Saka’s fitness could be a problem, perhaps meaning a starting spot for Noni Madueke.
Saka has been a world class performer for Arsenal and England down the years, but he has had a few more fitness problems after playing so many games in recent times.
On the other flank, Anthony Gordon has done well after recently becoming more of a key player for England, but Marcus Rashford also goes into this tournament in fine form after a strong loan spell at Barcelona.
The Manchester United outcast is another player who might also be worth choosing for his experience, but we expect Gordon is slightly ahead in the pecking order right now due to his direct style, pace, and work-rate.
The likes of Harry Kane and Declan Rice are surely certain to start whatever happens, but it will be interesting to see if they play the full 90 minutes in the blistering heat that has been touted as a bit of an issue in the US.
What do you make of the possible England line up and are you confident about the game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Senegal centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly has aimed a dig at US president Donald Trump’s immigration policy after fans have struggled to make it to the World Cup.
Supporters from all over the world will be eager to follow the World Cup 2026 live, but Trump has previously signed executive orders imposing travel bans on certain countries, including partial bans on a number of African nations.
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Although some fans, many of whom are of Senegalese origin but based in the US, were able to watch yesterday’s game against France, it’s clear that large numbers have been prevented from coming to watch their team play.
Koulibaly was not happy about this, and brought it up with the Athletic after yesterday’s game, though he was also keen to insist he was not trying to get overly political about the issue.
Kalidou Koulibaly on Senegal fans
“The federation did the work for us to have parents or our close family with us,” the former Chelsea defender told the Athletic. “But it’s true that some supporters couldn’t fly to America.
“I think that every team can have their people, so I don’t understand why people from Africa cannot have their people.
“I don’t want to speak about politics or something like this. I just want to speak about football, enjoy football, and I think football is for everybody.
“I just want to tell this and I hope that the situation will be OK, but for me the most important is that we have to play for our people.”
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Most fans will surely agree that a major sporting event like a World Cup, with teams from all over the world taking part, should mean a more open policy when it comes to allowing in visitors from abroad.
The White House have previously put out a statement explaining their decision to impose travel bans on certain countries, citing high crime records.
Lionel Messi scored his 16th World Cup goal in some style as his hat-trick gave Argentina a 3-0 win over Algeria last night.
The 38-year-old is now level with legendary Germany striker Miroslav Klose as the World Cup’s all-time leading goal-scorer, and you’d very much assume he’s going to break that record as there will still be so many more opportunities to do so at this year’s tournament.
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Watch below as Messi scored in typical Messi style to seal his hat-trick and his place in the World Cup history books in a dream start to this year’s competition for holders Argentina…
Messi, playing at his sixth World Cup, is now on a record-equalling 16 goals in the tournament, and you have to wonder if this might even go a step further to settling the GOAT (greatest of all time) debate between himself and Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup
The Messi-Ronaldo debate has gone on for much of the last decade or more now, but the fact that Messi won the 2022 World Cup, scoring twice in that final victory over France, will have been decisive for some.
The fact that Messi is now also joint top as the all-time record scorer at the World Cup, scoring double the amount that his Portuguese nemesis has at this level, is another big argument in his favour.
World Cup top scorers
Goals
Games
Lionel Messi
16
27
Miroslav Klose
16
24
Ronaldo
15
19
Gerd Muller
14
13
Kylian Mbappe
14
15
Just Fontaine
13
6
Pele
12
14
Ronaldo, of course, is still playing at this year’s World Cup, so can do his best to catch up with Messi, but it’s hard to imagine he stands much of a chance of meaningfully catching up.
France have started their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a convincing 3-1 win over Senegal.
Kylian Mbappé scored twice to hand his team a delightful start to the tournament, and they will be hoping to build on this and go all the way this time around.
France looked quite cagey in the first half and struggled to cope with Senegal’s pace and directness in transition. However, they gained control in the second half and completely outplayed their opposition.
France won the World Cup in 2018 and finished as runners-up in 2022. Didier Deschamps has a lot to be positive about after what he has seen from his team tonight, and he will certainly hope they can go all the way.
Here at CaughtOffside, we look at how the French players fared in a tricky game against Senegal.
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VICTOIREEEEEE !!
Nos Bleus s’imposent pour leur entrée dans la Coupe du Monde
The goalkeeper had relatively little to do for large parts of the contest, but he should have done a lot better about Senegal’s late goal. His distribution was tidy, and he looked composed whenever called into action.
Jules Koundé – 6.5/10
Koundé provided energy down the right flank and was generally reliable defensively. He had a few difficult moments against Senegal’s pace but recovered well and helped France maintain their shape during a challenging first half.
Dayot Upamecano – 7/10
The Bayern Munich defender looked solid throughout. He looked dominant in aerial situations but was occasionally exposed when Senegal attacked with speed. Improved significantly after the break as France gained control.
William Saliba – 6.5/10
Saliba’s composure on the ball helped France play out from the back under pressure. Although Senegal’s attackers caused problems at times, the Arsenal defender remained calm and delivered a solid if unspectacular performance.
Theo Hernández – 6.5/10
One of France’s most adventurous defenders, Hernández constantly looked to push forward and stretch the Senegal backline. Defensively, he was tested on occasion but contributed positively in possession.
Aurélien Tchouaméni – 7/10
France struggled to establish control early on, but Tchouaméni grew into the match. His ball-winning ability and positional discipline became increasingly important as Senegal began to tire, allowing France to dictate the tempo.
Adrien Rabiot – 6.5/10
Rabiot worked hard in midfield and helped France regain authority after a difficult opening period. While he was not particularly influential in the final third, his experience and physical presence proved valuable. Also created the second goal of the game for Bradley Barcola.
Michael Olise – 8.5/10
The creative heartbeat of the French attack. Olise’s vision and passing repeatedly opened up Senegal’s defence, and his assist for Kylian Mbappé’s opener was a moment of genuine quality. Whenever France threatened, he was usually involved.
Ousmane Dembélé – 7/10
Dembélé remained a constant threat with his pace and direct running. His final ball was inconsistent at times, but he stretched Senegal’s defence and created space for his teammates throughout the game.
Desire Doue – 6/10
Worked hard and helped France maintain attacking pressure. However, that final bit of quality was lacking and he never really threatened Senegal with his flair or goalscoring ability.
Kylian Mbappé – 9/10
Kylian Mbappé has 14 goals in World Cup games.
Only Miroslav Klose (16) and Ronaldo (15) have scored more in the history of the competition. pic.twitter.com/fJQP4EX5wj
The difference-maker. Mbappé was relatively quiet at times during the match but once again demonstrated why he is one of the world’s elite players. Two clinical goals settled the contest and ensured France began their World Cup campaign with maximum points.
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Barcola brought energy, urgency and cutting edge to France’s attack. His goal effectively killed off Senegal’s hopes of a comeback and capped an excellent display. The young winger made a huge impact whenever he got on the ball.
Rayan Cherki – 6.5/10
Added fresh legs in midfield and helped France see out the match comfortably. Looked lively after his introduction, but did not have enough time to make a major impact on the contest.
England’s World Cup preparations have been hit by a major injury concern, with Tino Livramento expected to be ruled out of the tournament.
According to The Telegraph, the Newcastle United full-back is now unlikely to feature at the 2026 World Cup, although the FA has not yet officially confirmed the situation.
That final detail matters, but the mood around the camp appears worrying ahead of England’s opening match against Croatia.
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Livramento was named in Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man squad and had been viewed as an important defensive option because of his pace, energy and ability to play on either side of the back line.
FourFourTwo listed him among the fresh faces selected for England’s tournament squad, underlining how much faith Tuchel had placed in him.
England consider Chalobah as possible replacement
Trevoh Chalobah is reportedly one of the options being considered as a replacement. That would make sense from Tuchel’s point of view.
The Chelsea defender is versatile, mobile and already familiar with the manager’s demands from their time together at Stamford Bridge.
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Tuchel has previously shown he values defenders who can cover different roles, and Chalobah fits that profile.
He may not be a natural like-for-like replacement at full-back, but he can operate across the defensive line and would give England another athletic option if the squad needs adjusting.
This is a frustrating moment for England because defensive balance was already one of the biggest talking points around Tuchel’s squad.
The likes of Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw were not selected in the squad which raised eye-brows.
Tuchel would be hoping that his decision prove to be right in the end since criticism would be massive if he gets his selections wrong, having made some unpopular calls.
Losing Livramento now would remove one of the squad’s most dynamic wide defenders just as the tournament begins.
England still have quality options, but tournament football often comes down to depth, flexibility and fitness.
England are still waiting for official confirmation from the FA. But if Livramento is ruled out, Tuchel will have to react quickly.
Lille are set to demand a record fee for their teenage central midfielder, with Arsenal and PSG the most likely to pay it as it stands.
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The World Cup always brings big moves and plenty of rumours, and before even the first round of games has been completed one of the breakout stars of the tournament already looks to have emerged.
Morocco’s hugely impressive 1-1 draw against Brazil was the most high profile match of the competition so far, and the star of the show was sensational teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.
He ran the show against the Selecao, and it’s no surprise that transfer interest in the Lille starlet has ramped up since.
Teenage talent fee could smash records
TeamTalk are reporting that Arsenal and PSG are the front runners to sign him, but it won’t come cheap.
A £60m fee would be the highest ever for a teenage central midfielder, breaking the record set by Chelsea’s disastrous signing of Romeo Lavia.
Given Bouaddi’s age and potential, it would still seem like a pretty good deal. If he keeps playing well at the World Cup and Morocco go far in the tournament, the number could climb even higher.
In other news…
Ismael Saibari is closing in on a move to join Bayern Munich, with a medical set to take place in the USA in the coming days.
Chelsea are going to make a number of signings this summer – but Alex Scott won’t be one of them if you listen to quotes from sources close to the club.
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West Ham under pressure to sell Summerville after relegation
The Hammers face an uphill battle to keep hold of their prized asset. Following West Ham’s recent devastating relegation from the top flight, the London club is under intense financial pressure to trim their wage bill and raise capital.
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A bidding war could take place in the summer for the £40 million-rated Dutchman could give the relegated club a necessary financial lifeline.
Germany have restored their lead against Curacao courtesy of a goal from Nico Schlotterbeck.
His Borussia Dortmund teammate Felix Nmecha gave his side an early lead inside just six minutes.
However, the World Cup debutants responded back not too long after. In the 21st minute, the Caribbean side stunned the four-time world champions.
Livano Comenencia smashed home an equaliser, making history with Curaçao’s first-ever goal at a World Cup finals.
But in the 38th minute, the 6 ft 3 in defender Nico Schlotterbeck rose above the defence, connecting with a towering header to make it 2-1 from the corner.
On the cusp of halftime, the drama intensified as Nmecha was upended in the box. Kai Havertz stepped up in the fourth minute of stoppage time, coolly rolling the penalty into the bottom left corner to stretch the lead to 3-1.
Liverpool have been linked with Nico Schlotterbeck as they eye Van Dijk replacement
Schlotterbeck’s crucial defensive and attacking display will only fuel the intense transfer market speculation surrounding his future.
The Dutchman turns 35 this year, with his current contract set to expire in 2027. And Schlotterbeck’s combination of left-footed distribution and aerial dominance makes him the ideal Anfield candidate.
Man United are also interested in the German defender
The Merseyside outfit will face a fierce battle for his signature, as Manchester United are also reported to be highly interested in the center-back.
Michael Carrick is eager to secure an elite, ball-playing defender to anchor their defensive rebuild and has reportedly identified him as an ideal candidate.
The World Cup is finally here, and while its monstrous ticket prices have dominated much of the build-up, the actual football is finally set to take over. So, which teams are you likely to see should you stump up enough cash to secure your spot at MetLife Stadium on July 19th?
Well, online betting sites have had their favourites priced up for months, and it’s the usual suspects who find themselves at the top of the odds lists. The latest World Cup betting at Bovada odds currently make Spain the 9/2 outright frontrunner, with France just behind at 5/1. Then there’s England at 7/1, third favourites. But what could each of their routes to the biggest game in world football potentially look like? Let’s take a look at their most likely path to glory.
Spain
Spain famously stormed to a record-breaking fourth European championship crown in Germany two years ago. Now, their talented young squad attempts to take their talents from the continental stage to the global one. Lamine Yamal was just 16 years of age for much of that tournament in Germany in 2024. Now aged 18, he has matured into arguably the best player on the planet, and flanked by his loyal Barcelona cohorts, such as Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Pau Cubarsí, he is now tasked with bringing the famous gold trophy back to Spain for the second time.
His side has been handed the perfect group to do exactly that. Luis de la Fuente’s men will face debutants Cape Verde in their opener in Atlanta on June 15th, before then facing Saudi Arabia in the same stadium five days later. Those two games will almost certainly yield six points and a slew of goals, before a clash with Uruguay in Guadalajara on June 26th brings their group stage commitments to an end.
The bookies make Spain a whopping 1/5 favourite to top Group H, and if they don’t, it would be a monumental shock. Presuming that they do, then La Roja would likely face either Austria or Algeria in the stunning SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on July 2nd for another clash that they will be heavily favoured to win. Win that, and they have a Round of 16 clash against either Croatia or Colombia to look forward to, again a contest they’ll be well backed to win.
Spain could well emerge at the quarterfinal stage without breaking a sweat. There, the USA, Turkey, and Belgium are considered their most likely opponents, arguably the weakest of any of the tournament favourites at that stage. In the semi-finals, second-favourites France will likely lie in wait.
France
France have reached each of the last two World Cup finals, and this summer, they aim to reach a record-equalling third straight. They beat Croatia in the first of those two showpieces in Moscow before losing a thriller on penalties to Argentina in Qatar four years later. However, if they are to reign supreme this summer, they will have to do so without two men who threaded the team together for over a decade: Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud.
Even without those two, Les Bleus still have quality right across the pitch, but it’s in attack that they’re truly deadly. Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, and Desire Doue make up arguably the most fearsome attacking quartet at the entire tournament, and they will strike fear into each and every defence they come up against. But even so, they do have a much tougher run to the final than frontrunners Spain.
Didier Deschamps’ side has been drawn into arguably the most difficult group at the tournament alongside both Norway and Senegal. Still, the bookies make them a clear 2/5 favourite to head Group I, and if they do, they will head to MetLife Stadium on June 30th for a clash with one of the best-placed third teams.
From there, they will head to Philadelphia for a crunch round of 16 clash against fellow heavyweights Germany, before embarking upon a potential quarterfinal against the Netherlands in Boston on July 9th. After already running the gauntlet, a well-rested Spain side will then likely lie in wait in the semis, with July 14th in Dallas the date for that monster showdown.
England
Pretenders or contenders? That’s always the question with England. Their runs to each of the last two European Championship finals suggest that they are firmly the latter as opposed to the former, while the appointment of proven winner Thomas Tuchel only aids their case. Add to that the blistering form of Harry Kane, whose 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern Munich this season have positioned him as the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or, and it’s clear that the Three Lions could well roar.
Heartbreak for England is a constant on the big stage…
They must navigate perennial banana skin Croatia in their opening game, before then facing Ghana and Panama in Group L, a quartet that they’re 1/4 favourite to top. They will also face one of the best-placed third-place teams in Atlanta on July 1st, before gearing up for a likely clash against tournament co-hosts Mexico in front of thousands of Mexicans at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The task gets no easier in the quarterfinals as the Three Lions will likely gear up for a clash with Brazil in a repeat of their 2002 quarterfinal. They will then probably face one of their two modern rivals in the semi-finals, either Argentina or Portugal, with those two set to square off in the quarterfinals and the winner facing England in the semis.
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World Cup 2026 Live Blog: Kylian Mbappe inspires win over Senegal, Saka England press conference
