Author: James Brooks

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted his side will be unable to adapt to high altitude conditions before their World Cup last-16 tie against Mexico. Harry Kane’s double against DR Congo sealed England’s place in the knockout stages, setting up a match at Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium on Monday, 6 July at 01:00 BST. The Azteca Stadium sits approximately 7,200 feet above sea level, creating genuinely testing physical conditions for any visiting side unaccustomed to the environment. At that altitude, lower barometric pressure means thinner air and reduced oxygen intake with each breath, presenting a significant physiological challenge…

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal worth up to £100m with Newcastle United to sign midfielder Sandro Tonali this summer. Spurs will pay an initial £92.5m for the Italian, with a further £7.5m available in add-ons, after a previous bid of around £80m was rejected by Newcastle. The agreement surpasses the £85m deal Tottenham struck with West Ham this week for midfielder Mateus Fernandes, setting a new club record for a second time in seven days. BBC Sport previously reported that Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi is a long-time admirer of Tonali, having first identified him as a target during…

Forest are set to part ways with Vitor Pereira, with the club moving quickly to bring in a replacement ahead of the new season. Oliver Glasner, the former Crystal Palace manager, is poised to take the reins at the City Ground following negotiations between the two parties. BBC Sport understands that a deal to appoint the Austrian coach is virtually done, with only the final formalities remaining to be completed. The move represents a significant managerial change for Forest, who have acted swiftly to identify and secure their preferred target for the role. Glasner left his position as Crystal Palace…

Chelsea have wrapped up the signing of Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra for a fee of approximately £47m, inclusive of add-ons. The 21-year-old has put pen to paper on a six-year contract, with the option of an additional year, making him the first signing of Xabi Alonso’s managerial reign at Stamford Bridge. Palestra had appeared set for a sentimental return to childhood club Inter Milan, but Chelsea moved decisively to beat the Italian side’s £43m offer. Sources in Italy indicate that Chelsea also tabled a significantly more attractive wage package to seal the deal ahead of their rivals. “A lot of…

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has described the World Cup knockout stage as “the third chapter” in a story he hopes ends with historic glory for his adopted nation. Tuchel outlined that phase one of his mission was a preparation training camp in Miami, followed by topping Group L to secure qualification for the last 32. Wins against Croatia and Panama either side of a dismal goalless draw with Ghana made up what Tuchel called “Chapter Two,” a satisfactory rather than gripping passage of play. England now face DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday, live on BBC TV, with kick-off…

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has described the World Cup knockout stage as “the third chapter” in a story he hopes ends in historic triumph. Tuchel outlined that phase one was a preparation training camp in Miami, followed by topping Group L to qualify for the last 32. “Chapter Two” produced wins against Croatia and Panama but was undermined by a dismal goalless draw with Ghana that offered little encouragement. England now face DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday at 17:00 BST, live on BBC TV, with one slip capable of ending their campaign entirely. Tuchel’s players will at least…

England could face a Mexico side flying on home soil in the World Cup last 16 if they overcome DR Congo later on Wednesday evening. Mexico swept aside Ecuador to reach the knockout stages with a perfect record of four wins from four games at this tournament. Julian Quinones opened the scoring with a blistering strike before Raul Jimenez added a second, with the match effectively settled before half-time. The result means Mexico have now scored eight goals and conceded none across their four World Cup matches, a remarkable defensive and attacking display. Their record at the iconic Azteca Stadium…

Ronald Koeman has resigned as Netherlands manager after his side were eliminated from the World Cup in a penalty shootout against Morocco. The Dutch lost on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Monterrey, with their last-32 exit prompting Koeman to step down from his second spell in charge. Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville all missed penalties and were subsequently subjected to racist and discriminatory abuse on social media. The Royal Dutch Football Association, known as the KNVB, confirmed the hateful comments and announced it would pursue criminal charges against those responsible. Koeman, 63, used Instagram to announce his…

Norway’s Erling Haaland wore a Viking helmet and a wide grin on the pitch in Dallas after a historic victory at the 2026 World Cup. Norway had just beaten Ivory Coast 2-1 to secure their first ever knockout stage victory in World Cup history, with the celebrations featuring the iconic Viking Row led by Martin Odegaard on the drum. Haaland scored the decisive winner in the 86th minute, a scuffed instep finish from Patrick Berg’s pull-back that Ivorian keeper Yaya Fofana nearly kept out. Norway became the first European side to reach the last 16 at this tournament, surpassing the…

England’s preparations for their World Cup last-32 clash against DR Congo have been disrupted by the absence of both Jarell Quansah and Reece James from training sessions. Quansah sustained a twisted ankle during England’s 2-0 victory over Panama in their final group stage match on Saturday, forcing him off before the final whistle. Djed Spence came on to replace the Bayer Leverkusen defender, stepping into a position that has caused Thomas Tuchel considerable concern throughout the tournament. Quansah had only entered the starting line-up in the first place because Chelsea’s Reece James was already sidelined with a hamstring injury. James…