Author: James Brooks

England face their toughest test yet at the World Cup as Norway and their talismanic striker Erling Haaland stand between them and a place in the final four. Norway have exceeded expectations throughout the tournament, finishing second in Group B above Senegal before knocking out Ivory Coast and Brazil to reach the last eight. Stale Solbakken’s side have scored 12 goals across five games, combining controlled possession football with devastating attacking transitions to dismantle some of the world’s best defences. Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland has been central to Norway’s build-up play, operating as a fifth option from goal-kicks within a structured…

In the early hours of Monday morning, Prince William stayed up at Forest Lodge in Windsor to watch England’s memorable victory over Mexico. The Prince of Wales endured the delayed kick-off, the intense atmosphere of the Azteca Stadium, and a nerve-jangling finish as a 10-man England side clung on to their lead. As Patron of the Football Association, William has watched every England match during the tournament and has been in direct contact with players and staff throughout. Several England footballers are reported to hold Prince William’s personal phone number, reflecting the depth of his involvement with the national set-up.…

Spain are closing in on a place in football history that only three other nations have ever reached in the sport’s long story. Luis de la Fuente’s side are bidding to become just the fourth team to hold the World Cup and European Championship simultaneously, following their compatriots in 2010, France in 2000, and West Germany in 1974. De la Fuente is now four years into the job, having won the Euros two years ago and guided Spain to a quarter-final against Belgium, with France waiting for the winners. Since taking charge in January 2023, he has lost just three…

Liverpool made an extraordinary effort to sign Kylian Mbappe in 2017, with former manager Jurgen Klopp revealing the remarkable lengths the club went to in their pursuit of the then-Monaco forward. Klopp, speaking while working as a pundit for Magenta TV at the World Cup, disclosed that Liverpool arranged a private jet for Mbappe and his family as part of their recruitment push. The German described the operation as the “most expensive non-transfer” the club had ever invested in, underlining just how seriously Liverpool took the pursuit. The elaborate meeting began with a flight from Blackpool to Nice in France,…

France have booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals after a commanding 2-0 victory over Morocco in Boston on Thursday evening. The two goals came in a stunning six-minute spell in the second half, with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele both finding the net to settle the contest. Mbappe’s goal was his eighth of the tournament, moving him level with Argentina’s Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring charts. However, Mbappe currently leads the Golden Boot race over Messi because he has accumulated more assists than the Argentine forward. Dembele now has five goals in this World Cup,…

France booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals with a commanding 2-0 victory over Morocco in their quarter-final clash. Kylian Mbappe was the standout figure, recovering from a missed penalty to score a superb goal and drive Les Bleus into the last four. The Real Madrid forward won the penalty himself after being scythed down in the area by Noussair Mazraoui during a quick French breakaway in the 25th minute. Argentinian referee Facundo Tello pointed to the spot immediately, though a VAR review was required to rule out a prior foul on Moroccan captain Achraf Hakimi in the build-up.…

England defender Jarell Quansah will miss two matches at the World Cup after Fifa’s disciplinary committee upheld his red card against Mexico. The Bayer Leverkusen centre-back was dismissed in the 54th minute of England’s 3-2 victory, following a high challenge on Jesus Gallardo. The challenge was classified as serious foul play, triggering an additional match ban on top of the standard automatic one-game suspension. Quansah will now sit out Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway, which kicks off at 22:00 BST, as well as a potential semi-final against Argentina or Switzerland. The 23-year-old will be eligible to return if England reach the…

England’s stunning victory over Mexico has changed everything, and even the sceptics have been converted into true believers by that extraordinary performance. Alan Shearer has admitted he genuinely did not think England could win the World Cup before the game at the Azteca Stadium, but that result has completely transformed his outlook. “We might actually be able to win this thing,” Shearer said, a sentiment he believes is shared by every fan and player connected with the squad right now. The former England striker drew on his own playing career to put the moment into context, recalling the famous 4-1…

France have been the standout team of the 2026 World Cup, winning all five of their games and scoring fourteen goals while conceding just two. Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has described them as “one of the most clear favourites for a World Cup tournament I have ever seen,” a view shared by bookmakers and pundits alike. Kylian Mbappe has been in devastating form, supported by Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola, who have combined for 20 goal involvements across the tournament. Didier Deschamps also has Desire Doue and Rayan Cherki available from the bench, giving France a frightening…

Morocco are making another statement on the world stage, facing France in the World Cup quarter-finals on Thursday with a place in the semi-finals at stake. The Atlas Lions already made history at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first African nation ever to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. Neil Ward, who served as director of technical operations at the Royal Moroccan Football Federation between 2020 and 2024, believes the journey is far from over. “Morocco have the potential to be a powerhouse of world football,” said Ward, who previously served as chief executive of the Football…