Author: Rowan Clarke

England’s World Cup campaign was on the brink of catastrophic collapse before Harry Kane dragged them back from the edge in a dramatic 2-1 victory over DR Congo in Atlanta. The England captain produced two stunning goals in the final quarter of an hour to rescue a performance that had been heading toward historic embarrassment on a par with the 2016 defeat to Iceland. For long stretches inside Atlanta’s futuristic stadium, England were wilting under the pressure of a resilient DR Congo side who defended brilliantly, with goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi producing a series of outstanding saves to frustrate the favourites.…

England survived a dramatic scare against DR Congo to secure their place in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup in Atlanta on Wednesday. Harry Kane proved once again why he is indispensable to this England side, scoring twice to overturn a deficit and send the Three Lions through. DR Congo opened the scoring through Brian Cipenga, whose shot beat Jordan Pickford at his near post in what was a hugely disappointing moment for the England goalkeeper. Pickford was not alone in his struggles, with the entire back four looking vulnerable throughout a first half that raised serious questions…

England face DR Congo in the last-32 of the 2026 World Cup, with several selection questions demanding answers ahead of the crucial knockout tie. Declan Rice is expected to return to the starting lineup, which means one of the players who featured against Panama will make way. The holding midfielder’s presence in the team fundamentally changes the shape of midfield, and the manager must reconfigure accordingly. One of the most debated positions ahead of the match is right-back, where England’s options have divided supporters throughout the tournament. Out wide, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka were both involved against Panama, and…

Mexico City is mourning three deaths after massive crowds celebrating the national team’s World Cup victory caused fatal suffocation incidents on Tuesday. A 19-year-old woman, a 48-year-old woman, and a 44-year-old man all died during the scenes of jubilation that swept through the capital following Mexico’s 2-0 win over Ecuador. The capital’s health authority confirmed the deaths on Wednesday, stating that all three victims had been identified by their families following the tragic events. Emergency services attended to three unconscious individuals at separate locations along the Paseo de la Reforma before transporting each of them to hospital for urgent treatment.…

Alvaro Arbeloa is closing in on the Fulham manager’s job and has already drawn up a transfer wishlist featuring four players from Real Madrid. The 43-year-old is set to be appointed as Fulham’s new head coach on a three-year contract, according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague. Arbeloa took charge of Real Madrid’s first team during the second half of last season following the departure of Xabi Alonso from the Bernabeu. He has since stepped aside to allow Jose Mourinho to return to the club for a second spell, with the Portuguese manager now taking the reins in the Spanish…

England manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed his side will follow the penalty shoot-out framework established by his predecessor Gareth Southgate at the World Cup. England face DR Congo in their first knockout game of the tournament on Wednesday, with the prospect of a shoot-out a very real possibility should the match remain level after 90 minutes. Before Southgate took charge of the national team in 2016, England had a deeply troubled history from 12 yards, winning just one of seven tournament shoot-outs across their history. Southgate transformed that record significantly, with England winning three out of four shoot-outs during his…

France are not just winning matches at this World Cup — they are doing so with a unity and collective spirit that is making rivals genuinely fearful. A 3-0 demolition of Sweden at New York New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday confirmed Les Bleus as the tournament’s most formidable force, booking a last-16 tie with Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday, 4 July. Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring with a superbly crafted finish before sprinting directly to the touchline to embrace head coach Didier Deschamps, who was back in the dugout after returning from his mother’s funeral in France. The rest of…

Norway have secured their place in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a resilient Ivory Coast side. The Manchester City striker Erling Haaland proved the decisive figure, netting a late winner to settle a contest that had remained in the balance for much of the match. Ivory Coast made life extremely difficult for Norway throughout the game, showing the kind of determination and defensive organisation that had made them a tough opponent to break down. Norway had to dig deep to find a way through, and it was their talisman Haaland who…

Tottenham have agreed a deal worth £85m to sign Portugal international midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United this summer. The north London club beat off competition from Manchester United, who refused to match the guaranteed fee Spurs were willing to pay. Unlike many modern transfer deals, the £85m figure contains no add-ons, representing a straightforward and significant financial commitment from Tottenham. The 21-year-old had been identified as a primary transfer target for Spurs after their £80m bid to sign Sandro Tonali was rejected by Newcastle United. Tottenham have moved quickly in the summer transfer window, with Fernandes becoming the…

Germany’s latest World Cup failure has left fans questioning the future of head coach Julian Nagelsmann following a devastating penalty shootout loss to Paraguay. The defeat in Boston marked yet another painful chapter for German football, with the national side crashing out in the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup. It is the third consecutive major tournament at which Germany have failed to make a significant impression, having suffered group stage exits in both 2018 and 2022. Nagelsmann, the 38-year-old former Bayern Munich boss, made clear he has no intention of walking away, saying “I’m not someone who runs…