Author: Rowan Clarke

France top the BBC Sport expert rankings after the first round of World Cup 2026 group stage fixtures, ahead of England and Argentina. A team of BBC Sport journalists watched every single opening game at the tournament to compile the definitive 48-team ranking list. France earned their place at the summit following a rampant second-half performance that saw them beat Senegal 3-1 in Group I. England sit second after a brilliant attacking display against Croatia, scoring four goals in a 4-2 victory, though slight defensive concerns were noted. Argentina are ranked third, with BBC Sport crediting the presence of Lionel…

England kicked off their 2026 World Cup campaign with an impressive 4-2 victory over Croatia in Dallas, but the match was not without its controversy. The jeers that rang around the Dallas Stadium were not aimed at players or referees, but instead directed at the tournament’s hydration breaks. Introduced to help players cope with the summer heat across North America, the breaks see play paused twice per game, once in each half, for three minutes at a time. While coaches have largely welcomed the addition, fans attending matches have been far less enthusiastic, uniting across national allegiances to voice their…

Cristiano Ronaldo failed to follow the lead of football’s other elite stars as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw against DR Congo in Houston. The result was a sharp contrast to the previous day’s action, when three of the game’s greatest players delivered stunning individual performances at the 2026 World Cup. Kylian Mbappe scored twice against Senegal to become France’s all-time leading scorer, while Erling Haaland marked his World Cup debut with two goals against Iraq. Lionel Messi then went one better, netting a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria to draw level with Miroslav Klose as the joint-leading goalscorer…

Fulham vice-chairman and director of football operations Tony Khan has confirmed the club have two candidates they “really like” as they search for a new manager. Marco Silva departed Craven Cottage earlier this month after five years in charge, joining Portuguese giants Benfica to replace Jose Mourinho. Mourinho himself has returned to Real Madrid, where he has been reappointed as head coach following his exit from Benfica. Khan addressed the ongoing manager search in an interview with FFCtv, revealing that several conversations have already taken place with prospective candidates. Speaking openly about the process, Khan said: “There have been a…

Hull City’s fairytale promotion back to the Premier League carries a significant financial sting, with the club facing a potential points deduction over a £6m overspend. The Tigers beat Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final at Wembley, a 1-0 victory that triggered guaranteed riches of around £200m in Premier League revenue. Despite that windfall, Hull must sell players before 1 July to bring their profit and sustainability figures within acceptable limits under English Football League rules. An overspend of around £6m on their PSR calculation could result in a six-point penalty, a serious handicap heading into their first top-flight campaign…

Danny Rohl has left Rangers after just eight months in charge, with the Ibrox club confirming news of his replacement “will follow in due course.” The 37-year-old German departs to take over as head coach at Red Bull Salzburg, returning to the Red Bull stable where his coaching career began. Hearts boss Derek McInnes is now widely expected to be appointed as Rohl’s successor, making Rangers ready to name a third manager in the space of 12 months. Rohl replaced Russell Martin in October and initially transformed the club’s fortunes, steering them into a three-way title fight during the first…

Lionel Messi has opened up on the emotional moment that saw him break down in tears after scoring for Argentina against Algeria at the World Cup. The 38-year-old admitted the reason for his public display of emotion was “completely unrelated to football,” hinting at a difficult personal period leading up to the tournament. Argentina ran out 3-0 winners against Algeria in their opening Group J fixture, making a commanding start to their defence of the World Cup trophy they won in Qatar in 2022. Messi curled home a magnificent opener after just 18 minutes before being swamped by team-mates, with…

Argentina opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Algeria at Kansas City Stadium, with Lionel Messi at the heart of everything. The 38-year-old became the first player in history to appear at six World Cups, beating rival Cristiano Ronaldo to the landmark by a single day. It was exactly twenty years after his World Cup debut as an 18-year-old at Germany 2006, and Messi marked the occasion with his 200th international appearance for his country. His hat-trick took him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose at the top of the all-time World Cup finals scoring chart,…

England head coach Thomas Tuchel insists he will not compromise his team’s playing philosophy at the 2026 World Cup, regardless of the extreme heat in the host nation. The German coach has consistently championed the physicality of English domestic football since taking charge in January 2025, and that belief shapes his entire approach to the tournament. Tuchel’s 26-man squad selection reflected that philosophy, with a clear emphasis on powerful running and physical presence throughout the group. “I’m just not ready to adapt into a different style of football because of circumstances that we cannot influence,” Tuchel said. “I think we…

France have produced some of the most celebrated attackers in football history, from Just Fontaine and Michel Platini through to Thierry Henry and Olivier Giroud. But Kylian Mbappe has now surpassed them all in goalscoring terms, becoming his country’s all-time record scorer during France’s World Cup opener against Senegal. The Real Madrid forward netted his 58th international goal to move past Giroud in the record books, achieving the milestone at just 27 years of age. Giroud, working as a pundit on BBC One for the Senegal match, offered warm words for the man who eclipsed him, saying: “Congratulations Kylian. I’m…