DALLAS, TEXAS - JUNE 22: Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates scoring a goal to make the score 1-0 with Enzo Fernandez (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match between Argentina and Austria at Dallas Stadium on June 22, 2026 in Dallas, United States. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images) | Getty Images The groups are starting to shape up and several teams have already booked their places in the Round of 32, some even as group winners. England could join that select group with another strong win today, but all four games could be quite interesting in their own regards.Let’s go!PORTUGAL vs. UZBEKISTANThe big stars have all shone bright at the World Cup so far, with the exception of Cristiano Ronaldo, leading to some renewed suggestions that Portugal will only go as far as the rest of the team can carry him. After a shock draw against DR Congo, and with Colombia awaiting in the final group game, they’re in desperate need of a win in this one.Uzbekistan showed in their first game that they are no pushovers, but they eventually couldn’t quite hang with Colombia’s quality, conceding twice in the final 30 minutes to lose 3-1. They have nothing to lose in going for it all against Portugal.Date / Time: Tuesday, June 22, 2026, 1pm EDT; 6pm BSTVenue: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX, USAReferee: Jalal Jayed (Morocco)On TV: FOX, Telemundo (USA); ITV 1 (UK); elsewhereStreaming online: FOX One, Peacock (USA); ITVx (UK)Chelsea interest: Pedro Neto set up Portugal’s lone goal in the draw against DR Congo.ENGLAND vs. GHANAThe Three Lions impressed with their four-goal performance against Croatia, though the first half wasn’t nearly as good as the second so there is certainly room for improvement. Assistant and former Chelsea coach Anthony Barry gave a candid interview at half-time of that game to highlight that notion. Presumably similar opinions were expressed in the dressing room, and they worked a treat!Ghana meanwhile left it very late to eke out a 1-0 win over Panama, in one of the worst games of the tournament thus far. But a win’s a win, and the winner of this game, will have a place in the knockout rounds assured.Date / Time: Tuesday, June 22, 2026, 4pm EDT; 9pm BSTVenue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA, USAReferee: Saíd Martínez (Honduras)On TV: FOX, Telemundo (USA); BBC One (UK); elsewhereStreaming online: FOX One, Peacock (USA); BBC iPlayer (UK)Chelsea interest: Reece James started and played the full game, initially at right back but finishing the day in midfield after Declan Rice was taken off (largely as precaution). Trevoh Chalobah has now been fully integrated into the squad after his emergency call-up and should be part of the matchday squad.PANAMA vs. CROATIACroatia scored two high-quality goals against England, but overall, they looked a shadow of the team that had finished second and third in the last two World Cups. Panama meanwhile did very little of any quality, let alone of a high variety.Date / Time: Tuesday, June 22, 2026, 7pm EDT; 12am BST (next day)Venue: BMO Field, Toronto, CanadaReferee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon)On TV: FOX, Telemundo (USA); BBC One (UK); elsewhereStreaming online: FOX One, Peacock (USA); BBC iPlayer (UK)Chelsea interest: NoneCOLOMBIA vs. DR CONGOCongo got the unlikely draw against Portugal, and are thus in good position to make the knockout rounds if they can get a win against Uzbekistan in the last group game. So this one’s a bit of a free hit for them, with Colombia expected to have little trouble in this game.Date / Time: Tuesday, June 22, 2026, 10pm EDT; 3am BST (next day)Venue: Estadio Akron, Guadalajara, MexicoReferee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)On TV: FOX Sports 1, Telemundo (USA); ITV 1 (UK); elsewhereStreaming online: FOX One, Peacock (USA); ITVx (UK)Chelsea interest: None; though I am becoming a big fan of Richard Ríos, who seems to have benefited greatly from a season under José Mourinho.

[BBC]Scotland fans have arrived in American's Sunshine State in their thousands, braving extremely hot temperatures.Tartan Army members have started to descend on the Florida city ahead of Wednesday's last group stage match against Brazil.Temperatures hit just below 35 degrees on Monday, the heat index meant it felt even hotter, around 43 degrees.After days of soaking up the World Cup atmosphere in Boston, fans have arrived in a city that couldn't feel more different.In Boston, Scotland supporters dominated many of the city's bars and landmarks, creating a "mini-Scotland" atmosphere.In Miami, the Tartan Army is spread across a much larger area, making the invasion less obvious.Bars on the world-famous Ocean Drive have been filling up with Scotland fans, while others take advantage of boat trips along the coastline or staying in surrounding areas.They are also sharing the city with a sizeable Hispanic community, meaning there are lots of Brazil and Argentina fans in town.If Boston was Scotland's home from home, fans are now in football's South American heartland.Brothers Peter and Tom McKenna have been in Boston and are now in Miami [BBC]Near Miami's South Beach, brothers Peter and Tom McKenna from the Isle of Man said the "vibe" between the city's is completely different.Peter said: "Boston is much smaller, Scotland was having a big party over there. It's a different type of city."I think Boston was surprised by all the visitors, where as they are used to it here."The brothers have been away for nearly two weeks, and while Peter will be returning home to his kids no matter the result on Wednesday, Tom is considering "opening a can of worms" to extend his stay.Nearby, father and son Pete and Jamie Brown are fresh off the plane and just beginning their World Cup journey.Pete said: "We were sitting at home last week, so proud of the Tartan Army. "It was always Miami for us, I've been here for the Superbowl before, I love it so I knew if there was ever the opportunity to bring my son I'd be here."It's the glamour tie, isn't it?".Son Jamie added: "I think Boston would've felt more like a football trip, where as this feels like a holiday with a football game during it."Dave Robertson said its going to be a different experience [BBC]Dave Robertson from Montrose has also made the journey from Massachusetts to Florida. He told BBC Scotland News this would be a different experience for Scotland fans."I think we'll be outnumbered this time," he said."The way the Brazilians dress up, they take it to a whole new level. There will still be a terrific atmosphere when we are together."It had looked like Dave was going to be right.That was until thousands of Tartan Army members gathered in Little Havana in the south of the city and marched to the home of the Miami Marlins baseball team.There has been concerns Miami locals wouldn't take to the Tartan Army as well as Bostonians did.This wasn't evident at the march. Americans walked alongside the Scotland fans, while people stood in their front gardens cheering them on.One local, wearing a traffic cone hat was overheard saying he was "totally bummed" his kilt didn't arrive in time.Steven Baird said it was more "happy-go-lucky" in Boston [BBC]There were also concerns about the differences in approaches by the different police forces.In Boston, fans were allowed to drink in the street and put cones on statues.But just a few days into Scotland's Miami adventure, a video was released showing Miami cops telling a man to remove a cone he'd placed on a statue as he "wasn't in Boston anymore"."It was more happy-go-lucky. The police were happy to have us, you could do no wrong," said Steven Baird from Peterhead."I think here they might be a bit more strict. I got shouted at for jaywalking here."Steven had been based in Providence, Rhode Island, but said Wednesday would be his last World Cup match ever."This is my third World Cup, so by virtue of my age, it'll be my last."Of course it's a good place to finish, it's too hot for the likes of me. I'd prefer to be playing somewhere cold like Norway."Will Scotland get to the knockout stage?So while it seems like the vast majority of fans in Miami are focused on Wednesday's game, others are starting to look towards the knockout stages.Steve Clarke's side are currently on three points after beating Haiti 1-0 in the first game.Under the expanded 48-team format, the top two teams in each group will qualify for the last 32, alongside the eight best third-place teams.Scotland are currently the second ranked third place team, behind Sweden.A win over Brazil would guarantee Scotland a place in the next round.A draw would leave Scotland on four points and in a good place to qualify, and even losing to Brazil wouldn't end their chances, depending on results elsewhere.If they finish third in Group C, they will have to wait until all the group games finish on 27 June to know their fate.There could then be a scramble for Scotland fans to get to Boston, New Jersey or Mexico City as the World Cup adventure continues.[BBC]Miami romance, Billy Gilmour and a mince and tattie hot dogHow the Tartan Army captured the heart of BostonWhat have we learned from Scotland's World Cup so far?

🎥 More Scottish party, Norwegian ecstasy... Monday's World Cup best 🤣The World Cup goes on, the party goes on, and so do the most special moments. Monday once again left us with snapshots from a World Cup that is proving unique in every way.The Tartan Army takes over Miami in styleFrom Boston to Miami. The 'Tartan Army' continues its own particular journey across the United States, and now they have taken over the state of Florida in their own way. To the sound of bagpipes, they were the stars last night at the Miami Marlins' MLB game.Norwegian party to the rhythm of rowingNorway came out victorious from its clash with Senegal. And how did they celebrate? To the rhythm of the gesture that an entire country has now embraced and that has gone viral. A gesture now copied by fans, politicians... and even the Norwegian Royal Family.Guadalajara becomes BarranquillaColombia are not playing away from home at this World Cup. Wherever they go, they always have a legion of loyal supporters behind them cheering them on. This time it was in Guadalajara. The Mexican city turned into a 'little Barranquilla' to welcome Néstor Lorenzo's players. Mbappé, just one more man looking after the pitchFrance-Iraq was interrupted by rain and a thunderstorm. A phenomenon that delayed the restart of the match. The pitch had to be properly drained and dried. And who was supervising the work? Kylian Mbappé. The Real Madrid player did not hesitate to give instructions to the ground staff so that the turf would be left without a single trace of moisture.Tuesday's schedule19.00 CEST / 14.00 ART / 11.00 CST: Portugal-Uzbekistan 22.00 CEST / 17.00 ART / 14.00 CST: England-Ghana01.00+1d CEST / 20.00 ART / 17.00 CST: Panama-Croatia04.00+1d CEST / 23.00 ART / 20.00 CST: Colombia-DR CongoThis article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

Mourinho urges Real Madrid to sign 24-year-old Portuguese defender despite Konate’s arrival – reportReal Madrid may have already strengthened their defence this summer, but Jose Mourinho believes the job is not finished yet.The arrival of Ibrahima Konate was expected to solve one of the club’s biggest concerns heading into the new season. However, recent reports suggest the Portuguese coach continues to push for another defensive addition and has already identified his preferred target.According to Defensa Central, Mourinho is asking the Real Madrid hierarchy to bring in 24-year-old Benfica defender Tomas Araujo, a player he rates highly after closely following his development in Portugal.With several defensive targets proving difficult to sign, the Benfica centre-back is emerging as a serious option for the Spanish giants.Araujo is Mourinho’s priority defensive targetAraujo is currently at the World Cup. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)Real Madrid’s defensive rebuild has been one of the major themes of the summer transfer window, but Mourinho wants further reinforcements before the market closes.The report states that the Portuguese manager is a huge admirer of Araujo and believes the defender possesses the qualities needed to succeed at the Santiago Bernabéu.Mourinho is said to have been particularly impressed by the Benfica star’s performances and views him as a player capable of strengthening Real Madrid both immediately and in the long term.The timing of this interest is hardly surprising, as Real Madrid’s search for defensive reinforcements has become more complicated following Nico Schlotterbeck’s injury setback, while Alessandro Bastoni remains a difficult target due to the enormous financial demands.As a result, Araujo has moved higher on the club’s shortlist.Real Madrid to revisit centre-back marketMourinho wants Tomas Araujo at Real Madrid. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)Defensive depth remains a concern for Real Madrid after several injury-hit seasons disrupted their ability to maintain consistency across all competitions.In that regard, it must be remembered that any move for another defender would depend on developments within the current squad.Real Madrid are still evaluating potential departures, while the situation of Raul Asencio is also expected to play a role in determining whether another centre-back arrives.Interestingly, Mourinho does not see the academy graduate as a key part of his long-term plans, which could influence future decisions in the position.Once there are exits, Real Madrid can then shift their focus to the available options in the market.

If there’s one man who knows what it’s like to play for the Argentine national team, Manchester City, Atlético de Madrid, and FC Barcelona, it’s Sergio Agüero. “Kun” played for all those teams in his playing career before retiring.Now, Julián Álvarez looks to follow in his footsteps and join Barça after stints in Madrid and Manchester. The Argentine forward made his preference clear while playing with Argentina in the FIFA World Cup, though Atlético seem uninterested in bargaining.Kun was ready to give his take on the proposed transfer on the streaming show Jijantes.“Julián would fit in at many clubs, but he would fit in spectacularly at Barça given his style of play. He is a top-class player – someone who can play anywhere and is an all-around attacking threat,” Agüero said.“It’s great to have players like that. He’s an attacking player – winger, forward, attacking midfielder… He’s a versatile asset; you can use him when others get injured.”Agüero backed Álvarez’s decision to go public with his desire to leave as well.“The player has no other choice but to be sincere, to be honest. He says he met with the club and they agreed that a transfer is the best course of action,” noted Agüero.Atlético were quick to declare that they would not accept negotiations for him, instead pointing to his €500m release clause, which would be virtually impossible to meet.“With that release clause, the decision rests with the club. The club will decide whether or not to sell you – and, being honest, he ended up telling the club the truth – and that is the best approach,” the former player said.Agüero stated that no club wants to admit that they are willing to let a player go, and that it could simply be posturing. He also gave his personal opinion of what to do when a star player wants out.“If I were the club and a player wasn’t happy, whether because of the city or for any other reason, or felt bad about his teammates, the coach, or an executive… if he wasn’t comfortable, the best thing to do would be to find a solution and sell him. You can’t have a player around all year looking miserable and bringing bad vibes. If he isn’t comfortable, the club needs to help him; that’s how it works, as far as I’m concerned,” he said.

Darryn Peterson red flags, explained: How missed time, character issues at Kansas may impact NBA stock originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is one of the top prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft, but teams have to decide whether his perceived red flags are worth the risk.Peterson comes into the draft after an up-and-down season with the Jayhawks, as he showed both tantalizing talents but maddened fans by missing games throughout the season. The guard is in the discussion to go first overall, battling A.J. Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer for that right, so every little detail could come into play.With so much at stake in this year's draft, Peterson has a chance to be one team's savior as long as his red flags don't come into play. Here's a breakdown of the questions facing Peterson ahead of the draft.MORE: Where Darryn Peterson ranks among the top 60 players in the NBA DraftDarryn Peterson red flagsHealthThe main concern regarding Peterson entering the NBA Draft is that he dealt with health issues over the course of the college season. Peterson would occasionally sti out select games or even sub himself out of games due to cramping issues, which led to some questioning his competitiveness and willingness to fight through any issues.After the season, Peterson explained that the cramping issue was due to him using creatine for the first time last season. The guard explained that he had a bad experience with creatine before the season began but didn't realize creatine was the cause until he saw a doctor once the season ended."I'd never taken it before [college]," Peterson said, via ESPN. "But after the season, I took two weeks off and they did tests which showed my baseline level was already high. So, they said when I dosed, it must've made the levels unsafe."CompetitivenessAs a result of his health issue last year, teams will have to assess whether Peterson has a strong level of competitiveness towards the game. Not many college players voluntarily sat out games like Peterson did throughout the 2025-26 season.If Peterson's issues during the season were related to the creatine he took, then teams shouldn't have anything to worry about as Peterson has a better idea of his body moving forward. Still, the those organizations needed to use the pre-draft process to understand Peterson's mindset."What bothers me is, it's just some diva-ness there, to me," a scout told The Athletic's David Aldridge. "I think you’re getting kind of a glimpse of who he's going to be. More like Paul George or Kawhi, where if it's not healed, he's not playing. That's just the way I look at it."Even though he missed 11 games during the season, Peterson denies that his competitiveness is an issue. Kansas star freshman Darryn Peterson addresses criticism around missing games.Peterson has been sidelined for 11 of the Jayhawks' 27 games this year due to various ailments. pic.twitter.com/JZidoZNvRc— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 23, 2026A college coach told Aldridge that Peterson's actions last year do not represent him as an individual."That thing this year was weird. It shocked me," the coach said. "Because it had never been that. Like, in high school, he didn't duck any smoke. From afar, it was shocking to see that stuff."MORE: Complete NBA draft order for all 60 picks in 2026Skipping interviewsPeterson felt quite confident that he should go No. 1 so he decided to skip any pre-draft interviews with teams that aren't the Washington Wizards, who hold the top pick. For comparison, AJ Dybantsa visited just two teams: the Wizards and the Utah Jazz.Developments ahead of the June 23-24 NBA draft: BYU's AJ Dybantsa has conducted formal visits with both the Washington Wizards (No. 1) and Utah Jazz (No. 2) while Kansas' Darryn Peterson only visited the Wizards and does not plan to grant anyone else a meeting, sources tell me…— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 15, 2026For the Jazz to take Peterson at No. 2, they will have to feel confident with their evaluation of the player despite not getting to bring him into the facility. Utah is no stranger to that, though, as the team drafted Ace Bailey. last year despite Bailey's own pre-draft restrictions.

Panama vs Croatia – Match preview and team newsPanama face Croatia at Toronto Stadium tonight with both nations fighting to save their World Cup campaigns.Each side suffered a painful defeat during their respective opening Group L fixtures. Zlatko Dalic watched his players fight back twice before collapsing to a 4-2 loss against rampant England. Meanwhile, a heartbreaking 95th-minute winner from Ghana left Panama completely empty-handed. Securing maximum points at BMO Field remains absolutely vital to avoid an early exit.Panama vs Croatia – Match preview and team newsDate: Wednesday, 24 June 2026Kick-off: 00:00 BSTVenue: Toronto Stadium, TorontoReferee: Pierre Ghislain Atcho (Gabon)Team newsPanamaThomas Christiansen has a massive decision to make regarding creative midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla tonight. The star player has returned to partial training after missing the opener with a groin issue. However, this crucial match might arrive too soon for him to start. Forward Ismael Diaz pushes hard to join the frontline after recovering full fitness. As the leading scorer at the recent Gold Cup, Diaz offers unique cutting edge. Wingback Cesar Blackman and midfielder Carlos Harvey must tread carefully after picking up bookings.CroatiaDalic could switch his tactical system to a flexible 4-3-3 formation to overwhelm the Panamanian midfield. Mateo Kovacic looks set to return to the starting lineup after starting on the bench previously. That said, veteran midfielder Luka Modric will retain his place despite a difficult opening match. The 40-year-old gave away a penalty against England before being substituted early. Up top, Andrej Kramaric pushes to replace Petar Musa despite the youngster scoring last week.FormPanamaPanama deserve immense credit for frustrating Ghana for large stretches of their opening game. They controlled possession beautifully and did not concede a single first-half shot. However, trying to press high late on exposed their defensive line to a lethal counter-attack. A cruel 95th-minute goal condemned them to their fourth consecutive World Cup defeat. Los Canaleros have only won twice in 2026 while failing to keep a single clean sheet.CroatiaCroatia played their part in a spectacular six-goal thriller against England last week. The Checkered Ones showed great character to peg the favourites back twice before the interval. Despite those positive moments, severe physical struggles and defensive lapses cost them dearly. Dalic has now suffered three losses in his last four international fixtures. His experienced squad must recover their defensive cracks quickly to ensure automatic qualification.Predicted lineupsPanama predicted XI: Mosquera; Blackman, Ramos, Córdoba; Murillo, Harvey, Martínez, Andrade; Bárcenas, Waterman, Rodríguez.Croatia predicted XI: Livaković; Stanišić, Šutalo, Vušković, Gvardiol; Modrić, Kovačić, P. Sučić; Baturina, Kramarić, Perišić.How to watch the match Panama vs Croatia?The group match kicks off at 00:00 BST on Wednesday. The match will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer for viewers in the UK.Read more – Julian Alvarez makes transfer admission amid Arsenal and Barcelona linksSee Also- Manchester United tell Barcelona and Atletico: Sesko is not for saleFollow the Football Faithful on Social Media:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok

Aston Villa express strong interest in West Ham United attacker Jarrod Bowen, Amario Cozier-Duberry could replace Hammers’ starAston Villa are looking to sign West Ham United attacking midfielder Jarrod Bowen this summer, according to The Athletic. West Ham are preparing for life without some of their key players at the London Stadium club following relegation to the Championship. Villa manager Unai Emery is a huge admirer of Bowen, but the Midlands club have yet to open talks with the Hammers. West Ham are not looking to sell their captain, but he could be sold for at least £50 million should he express a desire to do so.He has not done that yet, and Villa also have to sell before buying. Other suitors will be monitoring the situation and the Hammers are preparing for life without Bowen should he leave. They are keen on Brighton and Hove Albion winger Amario Cozier-Duberry after his impressive loan spell in the League One with Bolton Wanderers last season. The former Arsenal man helped Bolton gain promotion to the Championship was nominated for the EFL League One player of the year award. Cozier-Duberry is a long-standing target for West Ham and a move could appeal to the 21-year-old.

🗞️ Messi is eternal, the world bows to the king of World Cups 🐐Leo Messi’s display against Austria (2-0), in which he scored a brace and reached a historic 18 World Cup goals, has sparked collective frenzy across the front pages of the world’s leading sports newspapers on June 23, 2026.In Spain, MARCA leads emphatically with the headline "MESSI 18", highlighting that he surpassed Miroslav Klose’s all-time record despite missing an early penalty. Meanwhile, SPORT declares him in huge letters as "THE BEST IN HISTORY", noting that his brace launches the Argentine star into eternity and seals his team’s place in the final stage of the tournament.The praise goes far beyond Spain’s borders. In Italy, Corriere dello Sport has dubbed the day "LEOLAND" on a spectacular front page, hailing his 5 goals in just two matches. From France, L'Équipe brilliantly headlines "MAÎTRE DU MONDE" (Master of the world) and reminds readers that, at 38, he is the competition’s most prolific player. In his homeland, Olé sums up the general feeling with an emotional and historic "(THERE ARE NO MORE WORDS)".Even the British and Scottish press have set aside their usual restraint to join the praise. Newspapers such as The Herald Sport Scotland, Star Sport, Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail unanimously place the "10" in a class entirely of his own, immortalizing a historic day on which football rewrote its record books forever.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

David Beckham: Man United legend’s thoughts on Kylian Mbappe revealedFormer Manchester United midfielder David Beckham is making quite a name for himself as a football club owner.Playing daysBeckham was already exceedingly successful as a player, having won numerous trophies at Manchester United.He played 394 times for United, scoring 85 goals for the club. Beckham left for Real Madrid in the summer of 2003, winning the La Liga title in 2007.The midfielder also played for Los Angeles Galaxy, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan.Beckham would also captain England and played an incredible 115 times for the Three Lions.OwnershipThe Carrington product co-owns Salford City with Gary Neville but has had more success with his Major League Soccer team, Inter Miami.The club made their debut in 2020 but have already won the Leagues Cup in 2023, the Supporters’ Shield in 2024, and the MLS Cup in 2025.They also participated in the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup last summer.SigningsBeckham has not only had success on the field but also off it when it comes to attracting big names.He successfully landed arguably the biggest name in football when he managed to convince Lionel Messi to leave Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Rodrigo De Paul have all also been convinced to sign for the United legend.Casemiro has also recently just agreed a deal to join Messi and Beckham in Miami after the World Cup.Next galacticoTalkSPORT reveal that Beckham already has his eyes on the next superstar he wants to join the MLS.When French attacker Kylian Mbappe was asked about a potential switch to America later in his career he retorted, “we’ll see. David Beckham has mentioned it to me many times. American culture is different, there are no limits to ambition, and I like that.”Feature image Rich Storry via Getty Imagesonline pollsThe Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

England forward Harry Kane prepares for a Group L World Cup clash against Ghana (JUAN MABROMATA)England will aim to become the latest of the World Cup big guns to book their place in the knockout rounds on Tuesday as Portugal attempt to kickstart their campaign after a lacklustre opening draw.A day after Argentina and France sailed into the last 32, England face Ghana in Group L knowing that victory will see them safely into the next phase of the tournament.England launched their campaign last week with a stylish 4-2 win over Croatia, a result that has given the Three Lions camp fresh belief as they chase a first major championship win in 60 years.With captain Harry Kane scoring twice and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham netting, England midfielder Declan Rice believes Thomas Tuchel's squad should be a match for any team in the tournament.Rice said Monday the challenge for England will be reproducing the swashbuckling attacking display that marked their second-half performance against Croatia."We know as players the level, we know what's required, and that second-half performance was probably the benchmark for us in terms of having to start the game at that level," Rice said."We believe that if we can do that from the opening minute, with the players that we also have to come on and finish the game, we can beat any opponent in the world."We want to be confident in our abilities and what we can do on the pitch."England's German manager Tuchel meanwhile says his team are already embracing the pressure that comes with a World Cup campaign."There are emotions involved and you can at some point feel the tension and feel the pressure. I hope we can cope with it, accept it and turn it around," Tuchel said."I heard also a lot about it and I feel of course the excitement and the pressure, but I feel that we have so many winners and so many players who are experienced to cope with the pressure."England though will be wary of the threat posed by Ghana's Antoine Semenyo, the London-born Manchester City winger who is the focal point of the Black Stars attack.Ghana, 1-0 winners over Panama in their opener last week, can also qualify for the knockout rounds on Tuesday with a victory at Foxborough, just outside Boston.- Portugal chase response -Elsewhere, Portugal will attempt to draw a line under a turbulent first week of the tournament when they take on Uzbekistan in Houston.Portugal arrived at the World Cup as one of the tournament favourites, boasting a team studded with flair players and spearheaded by veteran Cristiano Ronaldo in attack.But Ronaldo's leaden performance in a faltering 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo renewed debate about the captain's place in the starting line-up.Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has continued to offer staunch support of his 41-year-old captain, despite his failure to score in his last 10 matches at major tournaments."He's a good example for us, for all of us," Martinez said of Ronaldo."So he really wants to keep on improving, to contribute to the team, and he's really a role model for our team."Martinez though stopped short of confirming Ronaldo will start against Uzbekistan when asked by reporters on Monday, saying he had not informed his players of the lineup.Martinez said the disappointment Portugal felt after drawing with the DRC will be motivation against Uzbekistan, who are playing at a World Cup for the first time and will be heavy underdogs."The feeling of frustration that we all had as a team, the feeling of disappointment after the game, probably that's the best starting point to prepare for the next game," said the Spaniard.rcw/gj

Photo by Francois Nel/Getty ImagesCristiano Ronaldo’s subdued performance against DR Congo has reignited debate over his place in Portugal’s starting lineup, but John Terry believes the answer is not as simple as leaving him out.Portugal were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw in their World Cup opener, with Ronaldo struggling to make an impact as Roberto Martinez’s side failed to find their rhythm.The result led to fresh questions about whether the 41-year-old should still be leading the line, but Terry thinks Ronaldo can play a key role in Portugal’s campaign, even if that role looks different.Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty ImagesJohn Terry does not think Cristiano Ronaldo has to start every gameTerry acknowledged that both Ronaldo and Portugal fell short of expectations against DR Congo, while also noting the growing importance of Bruno Fernandes within the national setup.He described Fernandes as central to Portugal’s future, but was clear that he would not write Ronaldo off after a single poor showing.“No, definitely not. One thing you don’t do with world-class players like that is write them off. Was he poor the other night and were Portugal poor as a whole?“Yes I thought they were. Is Bruno Fernandes the future of Portugal? Yes, he is. He is integral to that.“But I certainly won’t be sitting here writing Ronaldo off. I think Portugal have more to give in this competition. I think they’ll go further.”Instead, Terry suggested Portugal might benefit from managing Ronaldo’s minutes more carefully rather than feeling obliged to start him every game.He referenced Martinez’s comments before the tournament about picking lineups based on what is best for the team, a view that feels increasingly relevant as the World Cup unfolds.Why Terry thinks Ronaldo could be even more dangerous from the benchThe most intriguing part of Terry’s analysis was his view that Ronaldo could actually be more effective as an impact substitute.He argued that defenders would dread seeing Ronaldo come on with 15, 20 or 30 minutes to play, especially with his fresh legs and set-piece threat.“I think Ronaldo plays a part in this. But I’m not obsessed with Ronaldo having to start. I’m not obsessed with him playing every minute of every game either. And I think Martinez is big enough. I’ve actually see something pre-tournament, where he said if he doesn’t start then he doesn’t start.“Ronaldo is a wide player and a moment player. If you see him coming off the bench for 15, 20, 30 minutes a game, you’d be petrified as a defender.“Not only for his technical ability with set plays and dead balls, but the moments and the magic he can create. He certainly wasn’t at it, but I’m expecting bigger and better things.”Terry pointed to Ronaldo’s ability to produce decisive moments, something that could be even more valuable against tired opponents.While he admitted that the Portugal captain was below his best against DR Congo, Terry was clear that he still expects Ronaldo to have a major say as the tournament goes on.Portugal face Uzbekistan next, and while improvement is needed, Terry believes Ronaldo remains central to their hopes regardless of whether he starts.Read more:Cristiano Ronaldo pokes fun at pint-sized teammate during Portugal World Cup trainingFrancisco Conceicao risks backlash with another honest Cristiano Ronaldo commentCristiano Ronaldo’s sister Katia slams ‘strange’ team Portugal performance at 2026 World Cup opener

Barcelona academy defender attracting interest from Spain and abroad – reportBarcelona youngster Hector Fort is approaching what could be the most important pre-season of his career as he returns to the club determined to earn a permanent place under Hansi Flick.After spending last season on loan at Elche, the academy graduate is back at Ciutat Esportiva with renewed confidence and valuable first-team experience behind him. While his future remains undecided, the right-back is expected to be given an opportunity to impress during pre-season before Barcelona make a final call on his role for the upcoming campaign.According to AS, interest in the defender is already growing, with several clubs from Spain and abroad monitoring his situation closely.Fort returns with a point to proveThe 19-year-old heads into pre-season knowing that this could be his best chance yet to establish himself at Barcelona.His loan spell at Elche appears to have had the desired effect, as regular minutes helped him grow both physically and tactically, while also exposing him to the demands of senior football week after week.Those experiences have left Fort feeling ready for a higher level.Barcelona’s pre-season preparations begin on July 13, and the defender will arrive with an objective to convince Flick that he deserves to remain with the first team.The coaching staff is expected to closely evaluate several young players during the summer, and Fort will be among the names hoping to take advantage of that opportunity.Fierce competition at right-backWhile Fort’s confidence is high, breaking into Barcelona’s senior squad will be anything but straightforward.This is because the right-back position is one of the most competitive areas of the team, as Jules Kounde remains the first-choice option, while Eric Garcia has also demonstrated his ability to operate in that role when required.Last season, Flick also looked towards the academy on occasion, giving opportunities to Xavi Espart when squad circumstances demanded it.That means Fort will have to prove he can offer something different while also showing he is ready to compete at the highest level.Fortunately for the defender, pre-season should provide him with valuable minutes to make his case. The plan with Fort is that if he impresses, he could secure a place within Flick’s plans for the new season. If not, another temporary move may become the preferred solution, with several teams already monitoring him.

USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConThe Miami Heat have lost out on another NBA superstar. The Milwaukee Bucks have traded Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Boston Celtics for Jaylen Brown, as reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Heat had a strong offer on the table; however, the Bucks decided to go with a proven NBA star in their return.Now, Miami has reached a crossroads. Will the organization pivot to a “Plan B” or rebuild around Bam Adebayo moving forward? There are cases for both sides.Miami Heat have to pick a team-building direction after losing Giannis AntetokounmpoIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThis has been a disastrous pursuit for Miami. The Heat tried to acquire Antetokounmpo at the NBA trade deadline, only to be told that Milwaukee would wait until the offseason. Now, the 31-year-old superstar joined one of Miami’s biggest rivals after not being in the conversation until June.Over the last several seasons, the Heat have been stuck in NBA purgatory. Instead of selling players for assets and better draft picks, the organization continued its pursuit of the NBA playoffs, even though no success came from it. Now, the Heat struck out on their most prized target.Miami has to make a decision on how the organization proceeds. Should Pat Riley and company blow up the team around Adebayo and pursue a rebuild? Or, would the Heat make moves to build a contender around him? Simply put, not making any moves like the NBA trade deadline is unacceptable.The Heat have to figure this out soon because the 2026 NBA Draft is quickly approaching. If Miami wants to compete for the NBA Finals with Adebayo, it should use the 13th pick in the draft to acquire a star player. In fact, there is one scenario that makes a lot of sense for the Heat.Kawhi Leonard, Ja Morant give Miami a chance to competeIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe Heat should trade for Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard and Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant. Leonard, 34, averaged 27.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists for the Clippers in 65 games last season. Meanwhile, Morant, 26, averaged 19.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 8.1 assists for the Grizzlies in 20 games.Both players can be difference-makers around Adebayo, even with their injury concerns. It would be a gamble for Miami to acquire Leonard and Morant, but it would be cheaper than its package for Antetokounpo if it were accepted. However, the Heat have to acquire both players in this scenario.Leonard alone won’t be enough to bring the Heat to contention. If Miami pairs Leonard and Morant, a healthy season of basketball should give the organization a chance to compete. It is a risk, but the Heat can’t continue to sit in NBA purgatory much longer.It is unclear if Los Angeles is making Leonard available, but the Heat could likely acquire Morant at any point. Tyler Herro seems to be nearing the end of his Heat tenure, so a swap for Morant wouldn’t be a bad idea. Meanwhile, Leonard shouldn’t command as much as Antetokounmpo did with Milwaukee.Losing Antetokounmpo to Boston is a bad situation for the Heat; however, Leonard and Morant could be the duo that Miami needs.Related HeadlinesWinners, Losers from Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Between Milwaukee Bucks, Miami HeatJaylen Brown For Giannis Antetokounmpo A Real Possibility, & Brown Says He Feels Like “A Monster”‘Maybe That’s for the Better’: Nick Wilson Believes the Cleveland Cavaliers Not Trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo Will Be Good

Following the Monaco Grand Prix, F1's governing body the FIA overturned a penalty for Alpine's Pierre Gasly for speeding in the pit lane [Getty Images]Round eight of Formula 1 season takes place in Austria this weekend in the stunning surroundings of the Styrian hills.Last time out in Barcelona, Mercedes were beaten in a grand prix for the first time this year with Lewis Hamilton taking victory.The Briton's first grand prix win for Ferrari, combined with Kimi Antonelli's retirement late in the race, narrowed the gap at the top of the drivers' championship to 41 points.Before Sunday's race in Spielberg, BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions.A retrospective podium for Pierre Gasly. Justice? Or a can of worms best left unopened? - CliveFormula 1 has clearly got itself in a bit of a pickle regarding the pit-lane speeding penalties in the Monaco Grand Prix.The facts are that five cars were given penalties for pit-lane speeding when none of them had gone over the limit.The length of the pit lane had been mis-measured - it was possible to drive a shorter distance than officials initially realised, by 77 metres.And as the pit-lane speed limit is policed by the time taken to pass through a series of timing loops over a specific distance, that meant the drivers were wrongly penalised.This led to a sequence of events that had a dramatic effect on the race result.George Russell was most badly affected by what followed, having a third place turned into a 12th and losing 15 points in the process.But McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar also had their results changed.Is it justice that Gasly is returned to a third place at the flag that he lost because Alpine refused to serve his penalty during the race, while the other drivers' results are unaddressed?Should the stewards who dealt with Alpine's right of review over the Barcelona weekend have left it at that, and not raised the very obvious questions that followed on from it?In terms of natural justice, the answer to both those questions is clearly no - there remain a number of issues raised by this situation that have not properly been dealt with.McLaren and Red Bull have taken the case to the FIA court of appeal. No date has yet been set for that to be heard. Mercedes have withdrawn their attempt to get the race result reviewed after concluding there was no viable mechanism for restoring Russell to where he could have finished, and it would not serve anybody to drag it all on. As McLaren said in their statement about giving notice of intention to appeal: "We believe this case raises important questions concerning sporting fairness, regulatory consistency and the integrity of competition."The shame is that this could all have been avoided had the FIA and F1 acted differently before the race.Teams warned the FIA that there was a problem waiting to happen with the pit-lane speeding limit during the Monaco weekend.Officials did look into it, but their initial conclusion was that the concerns were unfounded. That was clearly an error. Had that been properly addressed at the time, none of this would have happened.In terms of sporting fairness, it's hard not to conclude that the issue should be taken to a full and proper conclusion.Will Ferrari make Carlo Santi Lewis Hamilton's permanent full-time race engineer, or is his role still considered temporary? - AnthonyThe relationship between Lewis Hamilton and his new race engineer Carlo Santi has started off well.Santi was initially meant to be a stop-gap before Hamilton received a new full-time engineer, but a Ferrari spokesperson says: "Carlo and Lewis are working pretty well together and there's no plan to replace him."Hamilton has found a much more satisfactory relationship with Santi than he had with Riccardo Adami last year, and he's tried to explain that without sounding too negative about his situation in 2025.Hamilton said in Canada, where he finished second for what was his best result with Ferrari at the time, that Santi was "absolutely awesome and I'm really loving working with him".In Monaco he went further and compared the relationship with Santi to the one he forged over 12 years at Mercedes with Peter 'Bono' Bonnington."Driver-engineer working together is very, very important," Hamilton said. "Last year, Adami and I had a really good relationship. He's a lovely guy. We worked relatively well together."Catering to a driver's needs takes time to learn."When you're giving an engineer feedback, their understanding of through-corner balance, their understanding of all the elements that contribute to the struggles that you're struggling with, you try to describe what it is, the problem you have, corner by corner, entry, mid and exit where you dissect it into five sections if you want."Having that driver-engineer collab, it's hit and miss sometimes. With me and Bono, we hit it off from the beginning. He had a good working relationship with Michael (Schumacher). I do feel like Carlo is like my Italian Bono."He's a bit of an OG. He's an older guy that's been around the block and he's very calm. You can hear him on the radio. That's the detail that we're able to go into together. Our understanding of the engineer side, it's something that's very cool."Lewis Hamilton and race engineer Carlo Santi celebrate his victory in the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix [Reuters]There was very little "yo-yo" racing in Barcelona. What were the main reasons for this? - PaulSo-called 'yo-yo racing' is a new feature of on-track battles that has been seen at some races since the start of the 2026 season.The term has been used to describe battles where two cars swap position repeatedly over a number of laps until the fight settles down and the fundamentally faster car establishes a gap.Two inter-related factors are involved in creating this sort of racing.One is the new 'overtake' mode, the other is the way the 2026 engines work, almost completely depleting and recharging batteries several times a lap.Overtake mode is the replacement this year for the DRS overtaking aid. It allows a driver within one second of a car in front to recover and deploy an extra 0.5MJ of electrical energy per lap.This makes it easier to follow and overtake the car in front. But the overtake mode then passes to the car that has just been overtaken as long as it stays within one second, so it then has an energy advantage.On top of that, certain circuit layouts lend themselves to strategic use of the battery.Yo-yo racing has tended to appear most commonly on tracks where there are two straights separated by a slow corner.Take, for example, Suzuka, where the run up the hill from Spoon Curve through 130R is followed by a chicane and then another long straight down to Turn One.Or China, where the long back straight is followed by a hairpin, a short squirt to the final corner, and then the pit straight.In these circumstances, the battery does not have enough capacity to deliver a full charge on both straights, and it's not possible to recover enough energy in one braking zone to fully recharge it.So, for example, if one driver chooses to deploy battery to either defend or attack on the first straight, and the other does not, he will be out of charge on the second and get passed. And vice versa.Barcelona only has one long straight, the pit straight. So the same phenomenon does not occur. Hence, no yo-yo-racing.Arvid Lindblad is 13th in the drivers' championship after seven races [PA Media]Among the newer drivers the focus has understandably been on Kimi Antonelli but how do you rate the other drivers in their first or second season? In particular, Arvid Lindblad who arrived with high expectations? - JohnArvid Lindblad is having a very solid debut season in Formula 1 at Racing Bulls.After seven races, the qualifying battle between the Briton and team-mate Liam Lawson is very close.It's 5-3 to Lawson in head-to-head results but the average gap between them is only 0.072 seconds per lap.And Lindblad has had a couple of really stand-out performances. The first was on debut in Australia, when he qualified in the top nine, raced strongly, and scored points with eighth place.Then there was Canada, where he was ninth in both qualifying sessions, scored a point in the sprint, only to suffer a gearbox problem on the grid for the grand prix.He needs to make those sorts of results the norm rather than occasional highs, but that's to be expected in a rookie season in someone so young - he is still only 18, remember.Team principal Alan Permane said of Lindblad last month: "He started off at a high level, of course. He's been very smart in the people he has around him off track. He has (reigning Formula E world champion) Ollie Rowland looking after him, or being a mentor, or a sounding board, or whatever you want to call it."He's quite demanding, Arvid, which is good as well. He wants everything immediately. If anything, (you need) to sort of calm him down and keep him there."You can see he's aiming high, aiming for the top. He's self-critical, which is, again, I find a good and refreshing thing in drivers. The first place he looks is himself to find performance. So, no issues with Arvid, he's doing a very good job."It was interesting to find out that Red Bull have the most powerful engine. Beyond the question of understanding how they achieved this, as they are not one of the big car manufacturers, I was asking myself why are Red Bull not competing for race wins every weekend? - Simon"Interesting" is not the word Red Bull would use for the declaration by the FIA that they have the most powerful internal combustion engine in Formula 1 this year."Surprising" would be more like it.They don't believe it's the case. They think Mercedes have the best engine. So they have asked the FIA to have another look at its findings.This is an important issue because under the rules, Red Bull are, as things stand, not allowed to develop their engine this year or next, whereas everyone else is.However that debate ends up, it's clear that Red Bull's new engine company - set up specifically for these new regulations - has done an outstanding job in its debut season.On the chassis side, Red Bull admit that they are not competitive with the best. Team principal Laurent Mekies said in April that they were "even more so (behind) in terms of chassis performance. So we know we have a lot of work ahead of us."Red Bull have already introduced one major car upgrade this year. Others are needed for a team that is on average 0.675secs off the pace in qualifying so far this year.The spectre hanging over Red Bull is that this level of performance is not what Max Verstappen expects, nor will it be enough to lock him into his contract for the next season.Verstappen's contract runs to 2028, but it has a performance clause in it, the details of which are not completely clear, but mean in the current circumstances that he can leave at the end of this season if he wants to.If he does, the obvious destination is Mercedes, which would lead to a cascade of driver moves.For now, though, it all hinges on what Verstappen chooses to do.Fuels and freight put F1 on track for net zero by 2030Has Hamilton changed Ferrari & Harry ‘The Flying Brick’!

Mateus Fernandes: Man United’s next step for West Ham star explainedManchester United are ready to accelerate their pursuit of West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes, according to a new report.Priority TargetFernandes, 21, has emerged as a priority target for the Red Devils this summer after their pursuit of Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson proved too expensive, with the 23-year-old England international about to join Manchester City instead.A £39 million deal (£35m up front + £3.8m in potential add-ons) has already been struck for Atalanta’s Ederson. However, this was seen as much a market opportunity for a versatile option with a wealth of experience as a replacement for Casemiro, who is set to join Inter Miami.Aurelien Tchouameni, Real Madrid’s 26-year-old defensive midfielder, is understood to be the “dream” target to succeed the Brazilian, though a deal is considered unlikely at this stage.A wealth of other candidates have been assessed, including Alex Scott (Bournemouth), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United), Carlos Baleba (Brighton) and Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace). The focus, however, is now on striking a deal with West Ham for Fernandes after an impressive campaign for the one-cap Portugal international.Mateus Fernandes Premier League stats: 2025/26 SeasonSource: SofascoreInitially, there had been optimism that West Ham’s relegation would force them into accepting a cut-price deal. However, the Hammers are sticking to their guns after a change in ownership alleviated some of the financial pressures at the London Stadium.Fabrizio Romano claimed a valuation as high as £100m had been placed on the former Southampton star’s head, with the Saints owed 15% of any fee received owing to the £38m deal which brought him to East London last summer.United expected to strikeThe Athletic, considered the gold standard for football transfers, reveals West Ham’s asking price is £80m, though the outlet notes this is still a “fundamental sticking point” for INEOS.Old Trafford chiefs are understood to have shown a “reluctance” to meet this figure, given Fernandes has only two years of experience in English football. However, this has not stopped virtually every top club in the country – and on the continent – from exploring a deal.Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United have all been credited as suitors, while The Athletic confirms Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have both expressed interest. However, it is Tottenham Hotspur who pose the greatest threat to the Red Devils after storming into the race last week at the request of Roberto De Zerbi, who is also actively pushing for the pursuit of a United star.Tottenham Hotspur are understood to have held talks with Fernandes’ camp, led by super agent Jorge Mendes, and received encouragement he would be willing to travel across London. However, The Athletic also notes “personal terms between United and Fernandes are not expected to be an issue.”If the Lilywhites are “prepared to move closer to West Ham’s price”, then sporting director Jason Wilcox will be “left with a decision to make” after weeks of protracted negotiations in pursuit of the Portuguese starlet.The report concludes that while a formal offer is yet to be submitted, United are “expected” to table one. West Ham’s need to balance the books by the end of the month could be influencing this patient approach.Internally, United are believed to have confidence they are frontrunners for Fernandes’ signature, with the youngster seeing Old Trafford as a dream move and his namesake, Bruno Fernandes, a personal idol who he would jump at the chance to play alongside.Featured image Clive Rose via Getty Imagesonline pollsThe Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Old England is descending upon New England. The Three Lions are set to play their second of three Group L matches at Gillette Stadium (which, for sponsorship reasons, will be known as “Boston Stadium” for the duration of the tournament) on Tuesday, June 23 at 4 p.m. against Ghana. England kicked off its 2026 FIFA World Cup run with a strong showing against Croatia on Wednesday, June 18, taking down the 2018 runners up 4-2 in Dallas led by a brace from captain Harry Kane. The Black Stars, meanwhile, also secured an opening win on the same day, defeating Panama 1-0 in Toronto thanks to an extra time winner from Caleb Yirenkyi. Ghana did so without the help of midfielder and vice-captain Thomas Partey, who was denied a visa to enter Canada stemming from the seven charges of rape and one charge of sexual assault he faces in the United Kingdom and had to remain at their base in Providence. The BetMGM Sportsbook has the Three Lions with the third best odds (+550) to win the tournament and as a 1.5 goal favorite to beat the Black Stars. A win here should be enough to secure England the top spot in Group L.Is Harry Kane playing today?The 32 year old Bayern Munich forward and England captain is not only playing, but once again should prove vital to the success of the Three Lions. After opening the scoring from the penalty spot against Croatia in the 12th minute, having gotten a second chance after goalkeeper Dominik Livaković was ruled to be off his line on the first chance, Kane broke a 1-1 stalemate in the 42nd minute with a thunderous header to the right of the keeper. The goal not only complete a first half brace, but tied him with Gary Lineker for the most World Cup goals scored by an Englishman (10), so history is likely on the table for this match.He entered the World Cup on the back of a strong club campaign for Die Roten, scoring 61 goals across all competitions while helping the Bavarian giants win both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, Germany's premier cup competition. It marks the second straight league title for Kane, who had never won a major trophy during his 13 years at Tottenham, and should only increase his appetite for success with the Three Lions.Playing in Foxboro should be extra special for Kane as well, as the England captain is a noted fan of both Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. He attended Super Bowl LIII in 2019, the same year he also expressed interest in becoming an NFL kicker someday, and shared a throwback photo of himself and Brady on Instragam ahead of Super Bowl LX in February to show his support for the Pats. Is Jude Bellingham playing today?The 22-year-old Real Madrid midfielder proved some of his doubters wrong in Dallas after an inconsistent season in the Spanish capital, putting in a strong performance including netting the go-ahead goal in the 47th minute.The Birmingham City academy product had 8 goals in 40 appearances for Los Blancos across all competitions this past season, having missed some matches early following shoulder surgery last summer. Now recovered and rejuvenated, Bellingham looks well suited to play the central role as England's No. 10, driving the Three Lions forward and earned a strong endorsement from his teammate Morgan Rogers following the Croatia match."Jude’s one of the best players in the world," Rogers told reporters. "I know that, and if we’re going to do well in this tournament, he’s going to have to be at the forefront of it."England predicted lineup vs. GhanaGoalkeeper: Jordan PickfordDefenders: Reese James, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Nico O'ReillyMidfield: Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Declan RiceForwards: Noni Madueke, Harry Kane, Anthony GordonProjected England XI vs Ghana: Pickford; James, Konsa, Stones, O'Reilly; Anderson, Bellingham, Rice; Madueke, Kane, GordonEngland Men’s National Team 2026 FIFA World Cup 26-man squadGoalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton FC), James Trafford (Manchester City)Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea FC), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea FC), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal FC), Jordan Henderson (Brentford FC), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal FC), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)Forwards: Anthony Gordon (FC Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal FC), Marcus Rashford (FC Barcelona), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal FC), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: England World Cup projected lineup vs. Ghana. Kane, Bellingham stars

MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 29: Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid applauds the fans at the end of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final First Leg match between Atletico de Madrid and Arsenal FC at on April 29, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images) | Getty Images Julian Alvarez’s decision to speak out on his future at World Cup 2026 and make it clear he wants a transfer has – predictably – not gone down well with Atletico.Diario AS report club sources are fairly furious with Barcelona and have offered up the following quotes.“There is no amount Barcelona can pay for Julián, and he will not be transferred to Barcelona,” sources told AS. “Either they pay the €500 million release clause or nothing.“Barcelona has played this way on several occasions. Just last summer, with Nico Williams. It’s part of their strategy.”The sources also criticised Barca for their behaviour when signing Griezmann “when Atlético was fighting for a Champions League spot against Juventus” and claimed Barca “offered commissions to his sister, his family, and the player himself.”AS also say that Atletico could also file a complaint against Barcelona with FIFA “for negotiating with a player under contract.”This isn’t the first time that Atletico have pointed out Alvarez’s release clause amid talk of an exit but Barcelona may be feeling more confident about landing the Argentina star following his transfer request.Do you think Barca will land Alvarez this summer? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Today’s Papers: Malago election reaction as Conte & Maldini linked with national teamHere is a look at the key football stories making the front pages of Italy’s three major sports newspapers on Tuesday, June 23.Today’s PapersLa Gazzetta dello Sport leads with the FIGC presidential election, declaring “It’s their turn” as Giovanni Malagò takes charge of Italian football.The paper reports that the new president’s first major task will be rebuilding the national team, with Antonio Conte emerging as the frontrunner for the Italy coaching role and Paolo Maldini linked with the technical director position, a combination that would represent a genuinely exciting new era for the Azzurri.The World Cup dominates the sports pages, with Messi’s brace against Austria, taking him to 18 World Cup goals and past Klose’s all-time record, earning the front page splash “Messi Pazzesco.”Corriere dello Sport goes with “Leoland” as their World Cup headline, celebrating Messi’s five goals in two games and his historic record.On the domestic front, the paper leads on Juventus’ handling of Jonathan David, with Carnevali reportedly working on a deal for Kolo Muani, and reports that Napoli and Lazio are edging closer to an agreement over Mario Gila, with signals of a possible discount emerging from the Biancocelesti.Inter’s potential use of funds allocated to the pursuit of Curtis Jones to instead pursue Nico Paz is also highlighted.Tuttosport leads with Malagò’s election under the headline “Giovanni the reformer,” with the new FIGC president declaring his appointment “an act of love and lucid madness.”The paper reports Mancini is in pole for the Italy coaching role with Maldini the dream as technical director.The main football story is Michel Platini’s interview at the Vialli e Mauro Golf Cup, where the French legend declared: “Juventus will return to winning ways. Woe betide anyone who touches this club, for me only the Agnelli family exists. I will not return, but I can be an adviser. Yildiz is like Lamine Yamal, a number 10 who plays like an 11.”Juventus CEO Carnevali also confirmed the club are working on Kolo Muani.

🙏 Sarr joins national icon in Senegal's World Cup pantheonSenegal are on the precipice of missing out on the Round of 32 and crashing out of the 2026 World Cup after a narrow loss against dark horse Norway in New York-New Jersey.Led by the expected goalscoring brilliance of Erling Haaland, the Lions of Teranga fought bravely, but failed to overturn a two-goal deficit before succumbing to a 3-2 loss.But, there is still hope for the African powerhouse, who need a comprehensive win over Iraq on the final day of group play to qualify as one of the best third-placed nations.And perhaps it was the individual efforts of Crystal Palace star Ismaïla Sarr that will ultimately prove decisive in the end for Pape Thiaw's outfit.Bagging a brace of his own, the 28-year-old now sits on three goals this summer, pulling level with the late, great, Senegalese icon Papa Bouba Diop as the nation's all-time leading goalscorer at a men's World Cup.Diop, a teammate of Thiaw's at France '98 and the lone goalscorer in Senegal's famous group stage win over France, carved out a brilliant campaign at club and international level before his heartbreaking passing in 2020 after retirement.For a nation who are hardly strangers to doing the unthinkable on the international stage, there is surely a final act to come from to keep their own dark horse dreams alive.

Kylian Mbappe explains what makes Real Madrid’s Galactico target special: ‘So easy to play with him’Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe has started the 2026 FIFA World Cup in style, scoring back-to-back braces in France’s first two games.He has been ably supported by Michael Olise in both games and Ousmane Dembele in the second, as the attack seems to be functioning like a dream for Les Bleus.The Madrid superstar has now added another layer to the Michael Olise conversation, praising how natural it feels to play with the Bayern Munich winger for France.As quoted by Fabrizio Romano, Mbappe said, “It’s so easy to play with Michael Olise. “He makes it easier, playing with his heads up… he can always see my movements. I love playing with Michael.”Olise has been heavily linked with the club in recent weeks and is viewed as a dream attacking target, even though Bayern Munich are not open to negotiations and are pushing to renew him.A natural fit with MbappeReal Madrid are interested in Olise. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)Mbappe’s comments explain exactly why Olise appeals so much on a sporting level.Madrid already have explosive runners, but the right side has long needed a player with left-footed creativity, calm decision-making and final-third vision.Olise offers that. He not only dribbles past players, but he also plays with his head up, which is to say he always looks forward.That phrase from Mbappe matters because Madrid’s attack is built around movement, timing and quick recognition of space.If Olise can constantly see Mbappe’s runs with France, it is easy to imagine why the idea excites Madrid fans.Mbappe has spoken highly of his French teammate. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)A front line with Vinicius Junior on one side, Olise on the other and Mbappe through the middle would give Mourinho a terrifying mix of speed, creativity and finishing.However, this is not going to be an easy deal. Madrid must stay realisticIn football terms, Olise looks like a brilliant fit. In market terms, he looks extremely difficult.Bayern do not need to sell; Olise is already at an elite club, and any serious operation would likely require an enormous fee.Still, Mbappe’s praise will keep the idea alive. Great players often know best who makes their game easier, and when Madrid’s biggest star speaks this warmly about a target, supporters are naturally going to dream.Olise may be Florentino Perez’s dream target, but it would be a huge surprise if this deal happens this summer, and it remains to be seen how things develop.

FIFA mandates that World Cup games be played on grass, and so the NFL stadiums that play football on artificial turf but wanted to host the World Cup gladly complied, putting temporary grass fields down. NFL players are noticing.49ers tight end George Kittle said the grass fields for soccer show that if the league cared about the players' preference, they could play every NFL game on grass, too."If you can put grass in MetLife and in SoFi, I think you could do that year-round if you really gave a s--t," Kittle said on Pardon My Take, via 49ersWebZone. "I mean, that's my opinion. I think, if you polled every single player, I would say probably 90 percent would [say] they would prefer a grass field. And I'd say 10 percent would say they don't care. But 90 percent of guys, they prefer to play on grass. And so, it's just like, well, you just show that you can do it, so then, why don't we do it? Because that's what the players want to do."Kittle said playing every NFL game on grass would be a relatively inexpensive change."So, why not just spend a couple extra million dollars, which we know they all have, to just grass all the fields?" Kittle said. "It doesn't seem that difficult."

With the 2025-26 high school season wrapping up, it's time for readers to choose the Herald-Times IU Health Girls Athlete of the Year in our latest poll.Here are some of the top performers and our players of the year in each sport for you to choose from. Readers may vote as much as they like until the poll closes at noon on Friday, June 26.Ellie Barada, South, Sr.Track: Had a heck of a high school season and took it to another level on a national stage last week, taking second in the 800 in 2:02.72 at the USATF U20 meet to earn a spot on Team USA for the World Championships. She then went 4:34.25 to win the mile race at the Nike National meet. At state, repeated as 800 champ (school record 2:05.33) and anchored 4x800 to second and 4x400 to eighth as the Panthers were state runners-up, best team finish ever. Also set school record in 1,600. Soccer: Speedy center-mid was more involved in the attack this year, finishing with 14 assists to go with three goals. Will run at North Carolina.Ally Bland, Edgewood, Sr.Softball: Taylor-bound pitcher went 24-4 with an 0.86 ERA and two saves, striking out 291 in 170 innings. At the plate, batted .452 (47-104) with seven doubles, two homers, eight steals and 20 RBIs. Second Team All-State. Basketball: All-Area performer led Mustangs in scoring at 13.6 ppg while shooting 43% from the floor and the same at the 3-point line (43-of-99). Averaged 2.7 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.3 assists per game. Cross country: Varsity runner helped Mustangs make it back to the state meet with a season best 20:59 at regional.Mira Bruce, North, Jr.H-T Girls Golfer of the Year improved her average by an amazing 27 shots from last season to 87 for 18 holes. Seventh at Conference Indiana Tournament (90) and was fifth at sectional (91) as North made it out as a team.Val Bunde, South, Sr.The first repeat winner of H-T Soccer Player of the Year honors was a big-time playmaker for the Panthers, who were sectional champions, piling up 22 goals and a career-best 20 assists. ICSA All-District 4 and Second Team All-State. Will play at Brandeis.Everly Clark, South, Jr.H-T Volleyball Player of the Year led the Panthers to their first sectional title since 2018 and a school record 28 wins. She was the top offensive threat on a balanced team reaching double-figures in kills 18 times to finish with 354. She was No. 2 in digs at 267 and 70 aces and 47 blocks. Named Class 4A All-District by the Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association.Esther Crane, Eastern Greene, Sr.One of the T-Birds' top athletes in cross country and track. Made state cross country meet for a school record third time after missing the early part of season due to illness. Set her career best at regional in 19:05. Regional qualifier and school record holder in the 3,200 (11:25.92). Helped 4x800 to regional where it lowered the school record to 10:29.71. Will run at Grace.Macey Crider, Edgewood, Sr.Track and field: State qualifier in the shot put in her first year in the event, she hit the 40-7½ during the season, while also the Mustangs' top sprinter with best times of 12.76 in the 100 and 27.00 in the 200. Anchor for the 4x100 team that lowered the school record to 49.61 at regional. Basketball: All-Area performer averaged 10.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, blocked 12 shots and had 44 steals. Finished with 946 points and 579 rebounds. Soccer: Starting goalkeeper for the WIC champion Mustangs with 103 saves and nine shutouts after picking up the sport as a sophomore. Will play basketball and run track at DePauw.Carla Demeter, South, Jr.Repeat winner as H-T Girls Tennis Player of the Year, played No. 1 singles again, leading the Panthers to a repeat sectional title and a run to the regional final.Harper Eakin, South, Sr.H-T Co-Swimmer of the Year has been a Panthers' distance standout all four years, earning seven individual spots at state in the 200 and 500 freestyles. Will swim at Ohio.Taylor Helbert, Lighthouse Christian, Jr.A force for the Lions' volleyball team, leading it with an area best 443 kills while hitting .272. Fired 71 aces, had an area best 112 blocks (88 solos) and 262 digs.Jaclyn Hillenberg, South, Sr.H-T Wrestler of the Year was an unlikely state qualifier, down 13-0 in her second match at regional and wincing on an injured leg. But she came up with a pin to secure a spot in the state finals. Will complete at Manchester.Julia Lashley, South, Sr.Area's top basketball player the past two seasons. On track for another huge season when she broke a bone in her right hand late in the season. Came back for the regional, but was limited. Averaged 10.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal per game and reached the 1,000-point mark for her career. Jasmine Martoglio, South, Sr.H-T Cross Country Runner of the Year had a best time of 17:40 and was just off that mark (17:45) with the best time a Panther has even run at state while taking ninth and helping the Panthers to their best ever finish at state (third). This spring, had a leg for the state runner-up 4x800 relay and went on to move up the field to take seventh in the 3,200 in a school record 10:33.48 as South took second as a team for another best ever finish.Adriene Shaevitz, South, Sr.Track: Had a breakout season this spring, smashing the school record in the 100 hurdles, dropping it to 13.84 while winning a regional title and went on to place fourth at state. Picked up the 300s for the first time and got within an eyelash of the school record in that event, making it to state with a 46.55. In addition, she won another fourth-place medal at state as the Panthers broke the school record in the 4x100 with a 47.54. Also broke a 48-year-old school record in the long jump with a leap of 18-10. Volleyball: Had 164 kills while hitting .150 for an offense with several weapons and had 64 blocks and 52 digs. Will run at IU Indianapolis.Aubrey Sparks, Owen Valley, So.Basketball: Had one of the most productive seasons in program history as a sophomore. Averaged an area best 21.6 ppg to go with 8.0 rpg. Shot 54% inside arc (118-of-217) and 41% outside it (41-of-99) and 81% at the line (95-of-117). Had six double-doubles, with 14 games of 20 points or more. Named IBCA Underclass Honorable Mention All-State.Ashley Stegemoller, North, Jr.Rare three-sport starter at a 4A school, basketball is her best sport. She averaged 6.7 points and a team best 8.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 69% at the line. In the fall, she helped the volleyball team with 112 kills, 16 blocks and 32 digs. And this spring, she was a part of the Cougars' No. 2 doubles team in tennis.Ellie Vagedes, Edgewood, Sr.Swimming: H-T Co-Swimmer of the Year earned two rare spots at state for the Mustangs (the first since 2009) as the area's only two-time sectional champ. Ended up setting seven school records (100 & 200 freestyles, 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke plus all three relays). Will swim at IU Indianapolis. Cross county/track: One of the top runners in cross country (best time 19:46), helping the Mustangs make state. In track, team's best in the 800, qualifying for regional and ran anchor leg for 4x800.Abree Wells, Owen Valley, JrVolleyball: All-arounder was Patriots' best player, piling up 254 kills with 35 aces, 11 blocks, 262 digs and handled 404 serves with just 24 errors. Softball: Batted .410 (28-65) with 16 RBIs and 18 runs scored and seven stolen bases.Ellie Mae Winders, Lighthouse Christian, Jr.Had some help carrying the load this year for the basketball team, but still piled big numbers to reach the 1,000-point mark for her career. Averaged 20.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.8 steals. Shot 65% at the line (104-of-160) and had a team-best 28 3-pointers. IBCA Underclass All-State honorable mention.This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Vote in the Herald-Times Girls Athlete of the Year poll presented by IU Health

A trio of Taunton residents took their track and field talents to the national level over the weekend.Taunton High 2026 graduates Max Cassinelli and Sophia Olaniyan, as well as Bristol-Plymouth rising senior Mary MacDonald, all competed individually at the 2026 New Balance Nationals Outdoor, held at the University of Pennsylvania's historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia from Thursday, June 18-Sunday, June 21.MacDonald led the way locally, taking home the silver medal with a second place finish in the women's 400-meter wheelchair (1:17.63, personal best), improving nearly five seconds on her previous personal best time of 1:23.29 at the MIAA Meet of Champions.Cassinelli, meanwhile, finished 10th overall in the women's javelin (132 feet 2 inches, personal best) while Olaniyan, a Western Michigan University commit, finished 28th overall in the women's discus (124 feet 1 inch).The placings in Philadelphia mark the end of strong seasons for all three Taunton residents, as Olaniyan and MacDonald were crowned champions in the discus and 400-meter wheelchair respectively at the MIAA Meet of Champions on June 4.Cassinelli, a UMass Dartmouth commit, was crowned MIAA Division 1 champion in javelin and finished runner-up at both the Meet of Champions and New England Championship.This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: MacDonald places, Cassinelli and Olaniyan compete at NB Nationals

Man City 2026 World Cup Watch: Rayan Ait-Nouri and Algeria down Jordan in thrilling comeback winRayan Ait-Nouri and Algeria produced a dramatic second-half comeback to beat World Cup debutants Jordan 2-1 in Group J at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, keeping their knockout stage ambitions firmly alive.Jordan made a bright start and took a deserved lead in the 36th minute when Nizar Al Rashdan struck an eye-catching first-time finish past Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane – son of the legendary Zinedine – to give the Chivalrous Ones their first-ever lead in a World Cup match.Algeria, despite dominating possession, looked toothless for much of the first half, with captain Riyad Mahrez spurning a couple of good chances, and the Desert Warriors headed into the dressing room trailing.Man City 2026 World Cup Watch: Erling Haaland makes Norway history in Senegal winDjamel Belmadi‘s side emerged with far greater urgency after the break, and the turnaround began in the 69th minute when half-time substitute Nadhir Benbouali rose to head home from a Mahrez corner.Algeria continued to press a tiring Jordan side and eventually snatched the winner in the 82nd minute, when Amine Gouiri prodded the ball home from close range following another corner, a goal that survived a VAR check for offside.The victory was Algeria’s first at a World Cup since 2014, moving them level on points with Austria ahead of a potentially decisive Group J showdown between the two sides.Jordan, meanwhile, are eliminated with a game to spare, though they can take pride in two spirited performances on the biggest stage in their debut tournament.Rayan Ait-Nouri match statistics vs JordanMinutes Played – 85Defensive Contributions – 7Tackles (Won) – 6(5)Interceptions – 1Recoveries – 3Ground Duels (Won) – 13 (9)Last Man Tackles – 1Fouls – 2Touches – 88Unsuccessful Touches – 3Dribbles (Successful) – 3(1)Was Fouled – 2Possession Lost – 17Total Carrying Distance – 251.7mCarries – 28Progressive Carries – 3Total Progression – 146.5mExpected Assists (xA) – 0.092Crosses (Accurate) – 4(0)Accurate Passes – 50/56 (89%)Passes in Opposition Half (Accurate) – 29/32 (91%)Passes in Own Half (Accurate) – 21/24 (88%)Long Balls (Accurate) – 2/4 (50%)Expected Goals (xG) – 0.06Total Shots – 1Data courtesy of Sofascore.