Author: James Brooks

A 1-0 defeat by Spain in Guadalajara has brought Marcelo Bielsa’s turbulent three-year reign as Uruguay manager to a deeply uncomfortable close. The result condemned the two-time World Cup winners to a second successive group-stage exit, a humiliation that few associated with Uruguayan football could have anticipated. Bielsa, never one to deflect blame, delivered a brutally honest assessment of his own failure in what felt like a fitting conclusion to his troubled tenure. “I am responsible for this disappointment,” said the 70-year-old, who had previously described himself to reporters as “toxic” before the tournament even began. “I leave nothing to…

France sealed a dominant 4-1 victory over Norway in their final FIFA World Cup Group I match at Boston Stadium in breathtaking fashion. Ousmane Dembele was the man to finish the move, completing his hat-trick with a goal that has been widely described as ‘magic’ by those watching. The build-up to the strike was a remarkable piece of collective football, involving all 17 passes and every single one of France’s starting eleven players. It was the kind of goal that underlines why France are considered among the favourites to go deep into the 2026 World Cup tournament. Every outfield player…

Craig Bellamy has damaged his standing with Wales supporters and the FAW after his proposed move to Burnley collapsed, former team-mate Iwan Roberts has said. Roberts, who played alongside Bellamy for both Wales and Norwich City, believes the situation has created a deeply awkward dynamic for all parties involved. “The association and Noel Mooney know that Bellamy is looking at other jobs and has had his head turned by the links to Burnley,” Roberts said. Roberts did not hold back in assessing the damage caused, warning that Bellamy’s reputation among supporters has taken a significant hit as a result of…

VAR has come under intense scrutiny at the World Cup after a series of puzzling decisions left fans and pundits struggling to understand its application. From Ghana’s penalty claim against England to Brazil’s disallowed goal against Scotland and Germany’s opener versus Ecuador, the video official’s involvement has been deeply unpredictable. The statistics, however, tell a surprisingly familiar story when compared to domestic football in England last season. In the Premier League, there were 0.29 VAR interventions per game, while the World Cup is currently running at 0.28, an almost identical figure. On subjective interventions, where the referee must visit the…

Declan Rice has rejoined England’s group training sessions, offering a boost to Thomas Tuchel’s squad ahead of their crucial final group game against Panama. The Arsenal midfielder had missed Thursday’s session after leaving the Boston Stadium with strapping on his left calf following England’s 0-0 draw with Ghana on Tuesday. It was felt the knock simply required rest, and Rice’s return on Friday suggests the injury is not as serious as initially feared by England’s medical staff. Rice is now expected to be available for Saturday’s Group L decider against Panama, which kicks off at 22:00 BST. However, Tuchel faces…

Despite being widely expected to feature prominently, Donald Trump has not attended a single World Cup match during the tournament hosted by the United States. The US team has won two of their three group games and qualified for the knockout stages, yet the president has remained absent from the stands throughout. It marks a notable contrast with 1994, when president Bill Clinton attended the opening match at Soldier Field in Chicago, welcoming the world to the first World Cup held on American soil. Clinton declared: “My fellow Americans, citizens of the world, the United States is honoured to play…

Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei has refused to engage with questions about gay pride ahead of his side’s World Cup clash with Egypt in Seattle. Local organisers designated the fixture as a Pride Match because it falls on the Friday before Pride Weekend, an annual celebration of diversity and the LGBTQ+ community. Drag performances and Pride watch parties are planned across the city, with rainbow flags set to fly inside the stadium despite objections from both nations. Homosexuality is illegal in both Iran and Egypt, yet complaints from the two sides have done nothing to change the plans of Seattle’s…

Two of football’s most feared forwards are set to lock horns at Boston Stadium on Friday in a mouth-watering World Cup group stage showdown. France and Kylian Mbappe face Norway and Erling Haaland in a match that will decide who tops Group I at the 2026 World Cup. Both nations arrive with maximum points from their opening two fixtures, with their respective star men in stunning form throughout the tournament so far. Mbappe and Haaland have each scored twice in both of their opening group games, leaving them level on four goals apiece for the tournament. Lionel Messi currently leads…

England’s players are finding creative ways to stay sharp and connected during their World Cup campaign, with card games and social activities playing a key role. The squad are two weeks into their stay at their World Cup basecamp in Kansas City, with the potential to remain there for another three weeks should they reach the final. While attention on the pitch has centred on the group stage, the players’ downtime has been filled with Wolf, SkyJo and a game called Imposter. Morgan Rogers revealed to BBC Sport that SkyJo has become a firm favourite after Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham…

Emerse Fae has hit out at Bastian Schweinsteiger after the former Germany midfielder made comments about Ivory Coast’s “wild” playing style ahead of their World Cup clash. Schweinsteiger, speaking before Germany faced Ivory Coast in their 2026 World Cup Group E match, described Fae’s side as playing “a bit African football” and being “not so conditioned by tactics.” The comments were made in Schweinsteiger’s capacity as a commentator on German broadcaster ARD before Germany’s 2-1 win over Ivory Coast on June 20. Fae was asked to respond to the remarks after Ivory Coast qualified for the World Cup knockouts for…