Author: Rowan Clarke

The Adidas Trionda has come under scrutiny at the 2026 World Cup, with several high-profile goalkeeping errors raising serious questions about the tournament’s official ball. England’s Jordan Pickford and Senegal’s Edouard Mendy are among the notable names who have got a hand to the ball but been unable to keep it out of the net. Algeria’s Luca Zidane has conceded in that manner on two separate occasions, against Argentina and Jordan, compounding concerns about the ball’s behaviour in flight. Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil also failed to keep out Kylian Mbappe’s effort from range despite getting a touch to it, prompting…

England must bounce back immediately from their draw with Ghana, but history suggests there is little reason for outright panic just yet. Alan Shearer has pointed to a notable trend showing that every World Cup winner since 2006 has dropped points in their opening two group games. However, those same champions all went on to win their respective groups, and Shearer is confident England can follow that pattern by beating Panama on Saturday. Thomas Tuchel is expected to make three or even four changes to his starting lineup following a performance that Shearer described as deeply disappointing. The biggest selection…

The 2026 World Cup group stage has largely failed to deliver the sense of jeopardy that made previous tournaments so compelling and unpredictable. South Korea suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to South Africa on Wednesday, sending Bafana Bafana into the knockout stage for the first time in their history. Despite that loss, South Korea remain very likely to progress as one of the eight best third-placed teams, holding three points and a goal difference of minus one. Had the same result occurred at the 2022 World Cup, where only the top two sides in each group advanced, South Korea would…

Burnley will host West Ham United on the opening weekend of the 2026-27 Championship season, with the two relegated clubs meeting on Sunday, 16 August. The Clarets, who finished 19th in the Premier League last season, will kick off their second-tier campaign at Turf Moor against the Hammers, who dropped out of the top flight on the final day. Wolves, also relegated from the Premier League, will play the division’s curtain-raiser against Blackburn Rovers at Molineux on Friday, 14 August, getting proceedings underway at 20:00 BST. Southampton, who begin the season on minus four points following the Spygate scandal, travel…

Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has opened up on the differences between his roles for club and country following a brace for the Netherlands against Sweden. “A good question. Obviously it’s a little bit different,” Gakpo said when asked to compare his deployment at Liverpool with how he operates internationally. “It’s different where the coach wants me to be, the freedom that I have,” he added, before choosing to say nothing further on the matter. The 27-year-old’s comments came in a week that saw Liverpool sign left winger Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5m, adding further competition for his preferred position.…

Scotland’s hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout rounds are now entirely out of their own hands following a 3-0 defeat to Brazil. The result in their final group-stage game means Steve Clarke’s men must rely on other results to progress as one of the eight best third-placed teams. Of the 12 sides that finish third across all groups, eight will advance to the last 32, giving Scotland a route through despite the defeat. Scotland currently sit on three points with a goal difference of -3, a figure that took a significant hit from the Brazil loss. According to Opta,…

Scotland’s World Cup campaign hangs by a thread after a 4-0 defeat to Brazil left Steve Clarke’s side sweating on their place in the last 32. The Tartan Army had charmed their way across the United States, even earning a full-page feature in O Globo, Brazil’s best-selling newspaper, in the days before kick-off. But that warmth and colour counted for nothing in the stifling Miami humidity as Vinicius Jr tore Scotland apart with a ruthless and commanding display. The headline in O Globo said it all: “Lacking competitiveness on the pitch, Scotland put on a show with their fans.” Vini…

Scotland’s final Group C fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is under way, with the team fighting for their tournament lives against one of football’s greatest nations. The match represents a historic occasion for Scotland, who face the formidable Brazilians in what promises to be an intense and demanding test at this level. Goalkeeper Angus Gunn starts between the posts for Scotland, offering experienced presence behind a backline featuring the influential Andrew Robertson at left back. Scott McKenna and Jack Hendry partner in central defence, with Nathan Patterson completing the back four on the right-hand side of the Scottish…

Tottenham have accelerated their pursuit of West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes following a failed attempt to sign Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali. The 21-year-old Portugal international has emerged as a primary transfer target for Spurs, with talks between the clubs understood to be progressing positively. Sources indicate that Tottenham are optimistic a deal can be reached for Fernandes, who has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Paris St-Germain. West Ham are believed to be holding out for around £80m for the young midfielder, setting up what could be a significant summer outlay for Spurs. Tottenham had a bid for Tonali…

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal to bring in experienced goalkeeper Martin Dubravka on a free transfer when his Burnley contract expires on 1 July. The 37-year-old Slovakian made 35 Premier League appearances for the Clarets last season and arrives at Spurs with considerable top-flight experience behind him. Dubravka becomes Roberto de Zerbi’s fourth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of defenders Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson on free transfers. Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke also joined the club from Brighton for a fee of £52 million, underlining the scale of Spurs’ defensive rebuild this summer. The signings…