Author: James Brooks

Wales suffered a 2-1 defeat to Romania in Bucharest, bringing the curtain down on Craig Bellamy’s second year as head coach of the Red Dragons. The former striker took charge in July 2024 following the departure of Robert Page, and the two years since have brought both notable triumphs and painful setbacks. Promotion to Nations League A stands as the standout achievement of Bellamy’s tenure so far, while World Cup qualifying heartache remains a bitter pill for Welsh football. Romania was Wales’ 20th fixture under Bellamy, and across those games they have won eight, drawn seven and lost five, giving…

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has a selection headache to ponder after his side swept Bolivia aside 4-0 in their World Cup warm-up in New Jersey. Clarke was characteristically upbeat after the result, telling BBC Scotland: “For once, I got everything I asked for – no injuries, a performance and a good result.” The victory at the Sports Illustrated Stadium was as complete as the scoreline suggests, with Scotland dominant throughout the opening 45 minutes in the sweltering New Jersey heat. Clarke acknowledged the decisions now pressing down on him, saying: “I’ve got some decisions to make. The starting XI…

The last time Norway appeared at a World Cup, Erling Haaland had not yet been born, making his role in ending that 28-year absence all the more remarkable. By firing 16 goals across eight qualifying matches, the 25-year-old striker delivered on expectations that had followed him long before he became a global superstar. Haaland was born in Leeds in 2000, where his father Alf-Inge was playing at the time, making him eligible to represent England as well as Norway. When Gareth Southgate was asked in 2020 about the possibility of Haaland pulling on an England shirt, the then-manager closed the…

Arsenal’s pursuit of Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White has become significantly more complicated, with Paris St-Germain emerging as serious rivals for the 26-year-old’s signature. Gibbs-White has been placed on Arsenal’s shortlist as a potential alternative to Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, who has also attracted the Gunners’ interest this summer. Rogers, 23, has been a standout performer for Villa, but Arsenal are now exploring multiple options as they look to strengthen their attacking options ahead of next season. PSG’s involvement raises the stakes considerably, with the French champions capable of offering financial packages that few clubs in Europe can match. Elsewhere…

England head coach Thomas Tuchel faces increasing pressure to reveal his true World Cup intentions ahead of the tournament opener against Croatia on 17 June in Dallas. Saturday’s 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand in Tampa was less a meaningful international fixture and more a glorified training session spread across two halves with two entirely separate squads. Harry Kane scored the only goal, his 79th international strike in 113 appearances, heading home just before the break that signalled a wholesale round of changes across the entire team. It marked the first time since June 2004, when England faced Iceland before…

Norway are returning to the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998, with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland commanding much of the global attention surrounding the squad. But acclaimed British photographer David Yarrow wanted to celebrate the entire group, not just its biggest star, when tasked with creating the squad’s official send-off photo. Yarrow’s image, entitled ‘The Vikings are coming’, ditched the tired tradition of photographing players on airplane steps in favour of something far more dramatic. The full squad of 26 players travelled to one of Norway’s famous fjords, where they were photographed head-to-toe in authentic Viking…

Paraguay forward Julio Enciso faces a race against time to be fit for the World Cup after suffering an injury during a 4-0 friendly win over Nicaragua. The 22-year-old was carried off the pitch on a stretcher in the 25th minute of Paraguay’s final warm-up fixture, visibly distressed as he departed. Enciso was in tears as he left the field, raising immediate concerns over his availability for the tournament ahead. Paraguay’s World Cup campaign kicks off on Saturday when they face hosts the United States in Los Angeles. Manager Gustavo Alfaro is desperate to keep Enciso in his squad, with…

Saudi Arabia’s pre-World Cup friendly against Puerto Rico in Austin, Texas was suspended for nearly two hours due to a severe thunderstorm. The match at Q2 Stadium was halted in the 21st minute after lightning and thunderstorms forced players from the pitch, with fans directed to seek shelter inside the ground. Multiple lightning strikes were recorded during the delay before the game eventually resumed, with Saudi Arabia running out 3-0 winners. The incident raises fresh concerns about weather conditions ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which begins across Canada, Mexico and the United States on 11 June. The tournament is…

Iran’s football team has been granted visas to enter the United States ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, US officials have confirmed. The approval arrives just ten days before Iran’s opening group fixture against New Zealand, which is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on 15 June. “The visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup, including for athletes and necessary support staff, have been issued,” officials confirmed in a statement. US officials also warned they would not allow the Iranian team to “abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretenses,”…

Desmond Armstrong arrived at the 1990 World Cup in Italy not to applause, but to a question that said everything about the era he was entering. “Why aren’t you playing basketball?” a journalist asked Armstrong, then a 25-year-old defender, who was about to make history as the first US-born black player to represent his country at a World Cup. “The stereotype was ‘you’re an American and you’re black, so you should be playing basketball’,” Armstrong tells BBC Sport, recalling the moment with remarkable clarity decades later. The question itself reflected a wider scepticism surrounding the USA’s presence at the tournament,…