Author: Rowan Clarke

England great Wayne Rooney has drawn striking comparisons between Jude Bellingham and two of the most celebrated midfielders in British football history. Rooney believes Bellingham’s stunning display against Mexico echoed the iconic performances of Steven Gerrard and Roy Keane in famous European nights. Bellingham, 23, scored twice in just 98 seconds as Thomas Tuchel’s England side edged Mexico 3-2 in a thrilling World Cup last-16 clash at the Azteca. The victory was made all the more remarkable given that England finished the match with 10 men, yet still held on to secure a famous win in Mexico City. England now…

Fulham have confirmed the appointment of Alvaro Arbeloa as their new head manager, signing the 43-year-old to a three-year contract. The former Real Madrid interim boss takes charge at Craven Cottage following Marco Silva’s decision to join Benfica as Jose Mourinho’s replacement in Portugal. Arbeloa expressed his delight at the appointment, saying: “It is a real honour for me to be embarking on this new stage at Fulham FC, the oldest club in London.” He added: “I feel a great sense of responsibility and I’m deeply grateful to Mr Khan and Tony Khan for the trust they have placed in…

England players will be told to stop jumping over advertising hoardings following the freak injury sustained by Jordan Henderson during their World Cup celebrations. Henderson, the Brentford midfielder, was hurt after trying to hurdle the hoardings following England’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. The 36-year-old landed awkwardly on his arm during the post-match scenes and was subsequently carried off the field on a stretcher. Manager Thomas Tuchel is now set to instruct his squad to avoid jumping over the hoardings entirely to prevent any similar incidents from occurring. Henderson is expected to require surgery on the…

Henderson is making progress following the freak accident that saw him break his arm celebrating England’s dramatic 3-2 World Cup victory over Mexico. The midfielder slipped and fell over an advertising hoarding at the Azteca Stadium, requiring immediate medical attention from staff pitchside. Henderson, who was an unused substitute during the match, was left in immense agony following the fall and had to be given oxygen by medical staff. He was subsequently stretchered off the pitch and transported directly to a local hospital to receive further treatment for his injury. The serious injury occurred while Henderson was clambering over the…

England’s dramatic victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium drew a peak television audience of 9.1 million people across BBC TV and BBC iPlayer on Monday. The match kicked off at 02:00 BST, making it an overnight broadcast for UK viewers, yet it still averaged 7.8 million viewers across BBC TV and BBC iPlayer throughout the game. The figure represents the biggest television audience ever recorded for a live UK broadcast taking place between 02:00 and 04:00 in the morning. Beyond linear television, it was also the biggest day on record for the BBC Sport website and app, which attracted…

England’s progress at the 2026 World Cup is becoming increasingly defined by the remarkable partnership between Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham at the heart of their attack. The two players shared a defining moment after Bellingham opened the scoring against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, standing side by side with arms outstretched as they soaked in the acclaim from travelling England supporters. England edged through to the quarter-finals with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Mexico in the last 16, with the duo at the centre of everything positive the team produced. Bellingham struck twice in quick succession in the opening…

The popular daily football quiz from BBC Sport is back, challenging fans to identify a mystery World Cup star in as few attempts as possible. The format is straightforward and easy to follow, with a new footballer revealed each day for players to guess correctly. Every wrong answer unlocks a fresh clue, giving participants a chance to narrow down the identity of the mystery player step by step. The scoring system rewards those who can identify the player early, with fewer clues used meaning a higher points total at the end. A score of three points is considered a good…

The United States’ World Cup dream has ended in humiliating fashion, a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the last 16 proving a chastening night for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. The loss, played out at Seattle Stadium, represents the heaviest defeat suffered by the USA since 1990 and brought a painful conclusion to what had been a genuinely exciting tournament run for the co-hosts. Fans who had arrived in buoyant spirits, surrounded by fireworks, smoke flares and a military flyover, were leaving their seats long before the final whistle had been blown. Belgium’s fourth goal, an injury-time strike from Romelu Lukaku, prompted…

Spain have built their 2026 World Cup campaign on a defensive foundation that is rewriting the history books with every passing minute. Luis de la Fuente’s side reached the quarter-finals without conceding a single goal, making them the only team yet to be breached at the tournament following co-hosts Mexico shipping three against England in the last 16. Spain are the first team in World Cup history to keep a clean sheet in six consecutive matches, surpassing the previous record jointly held by Italy in 1990 and Switzerland between 2006 and 2010. Their remarkable run without conceding in the competition…

Despite the storm surrounding Folarin Balogun’s overturned red-card suspension, Gianni Infantino’s grip on the Fifa presidency remains as firm as ever. Balogun has been the standout player of the tournament for the United States, scoring three goals as co-hosts during the 2026 World Cup. He was sent off during the group stage against Bosnia-Herzegovina but has been cleared to play in the last-16 tie against Belgium after his suspension was cancelled. World Cup rules do not permit appeals against red card bans, making the reversal an unprecedented move that has left football’s governing structures looking deeply compromised. US President Donald…