England will renew their fierce rivalry with Croatia later this week as Thomas Tuchel’s side face a familiar threat in 40-year-old veteran Luka Modric during the World Cup group stages.
The legendary midfielder was already in the twilight of his career when he helped orchestrate a devastating semi-final defeat against Gareth Southgate’s team in Russia eight years ago.
Now 40, the former Real Madrid and Tottenham playmaker remains the heartbeat of his national side two decades after making his international debut.
He recently earned his 198th cap during a 2-1 warm-up victory over Slovenia and is poised to break the 200-appearance barrier during this tournament.
A familiar foe for the Three Lions
Encounters between these two nations often carry an extra edge.
The 2018 semi-final was famously fuelled by perceived English arrogance regarding their tournament prospects.
Football’s not coming home!
That was the mocking declaration from current assistant coach Vedran Corluka to the assembled media after that fateful match.
The Three Lions have since claimed victories against the Balkan nation at both Euro 2020 and in the Nations League.
However, the winner of this upcoming fixture will immediately become the overwhelming favourite to top their group.
Tuchel prepares for crucial encounter
New manager Thomas Tuchel has dismissed suggestions that his squad were handed an easy pathway through the competition.
The German coach correctly noted that statistically, his team received the toughest possible draw based on FIFA rankings.
Despite their formidable reputation, the current iteration of the Croatian team is arguably weaker than the squad that reached the 2018 final.
Relying on an ageing golden generation
A failure to seamlessly replace their veteran stars means the national team continues to lean heavily on experienced campaigners.
Their ageing core includes Mateo Kovacic, Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric, who are all deep into their thirties.
Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol remains the notable exception, having emerged as a global star during their run to the semi-finals in Qatar four years ago.
Yet the spotlight inevitably returns to their talismanic captain.
Following a season featuring 47 appearances for AC Milan, the veteran maestro remains in remarkable physical condition and is ready to frustrate English ambitions once again.
A teenager was shot and a World Cup fan bus was set on fire in New York as chaotic celebrations erupted following the Knicks’ first NBA Finals victory since 1973.
The historic 4-1 series triumph over the San Antonio Spurs triggered wild scenes across midtown Manhattan on Saturday night.
Hundreds of jubilant basketball fans swarmed the streets surrounding Madison Square Garden before the situation escalated dramatically in the early hours of the morning.
Police confirmed a 17-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the foot in Times Square, leading to three individuals being taken into custody.
Riot police deploy as World Cup bus burns
The widespread disorder also impacted supporters returning from a football match between Brazil and Morocco.
Revellers climbed onto the roofs of yellow school buses operating as municipal shuttles for the international tournament.
Video journalists at the scene reported that at least one of these convoy vehicles was subsequently engulfed in flames.
Authorities in riot gear were eventually forced to intervene after holding back and observing the chaos for approximately two hours.
Mounted officers pushed the sprawling crowds back to restore order across the bustling tourist district.
Brunson heroics end 51-year championship drought
The off-court chaos temporarily overshadowed a monumental sporting achievement for the Eastern Conference franchise down in Texas.
Star point guard Jalen Brunson delivered a scintillating 45-point performance to orchestrate a 94-90 comeback win in game five.
The dynamic playmaker was rightfully named Finals Most Valuable Player as his team rallied from a double-digit deficit to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
A star-studded crowd, including long-time superfan Spike Lee and the Duke of Sussex, witnessed the historic close-out game.
Spain winger Lamine Yamal has returned to full training following a hamstring injury, providing a major boost ahead of their World Cup opener against Cape Verde on Monday.
The 18-year-old sensation has been sidelined since late April but was spotted rejoining the squad at their Tennessee base.
Head coach Luis de la Fuente expects the teenage prodigy to be ready for action, though his minutes on the pitch may be carefully managed.
Fellow attackers Nico Williams and Mikel Merino have also shaken off their respective fitness issues to declare themselves available.
Neymar targets Brazil return
Elsewhere in the tournament, Brazil are closely monitoring their veteran forward after he missed an opening draw against Morocco.
The 34-year-old sustained a grade two calf strain just three weeks before the finals began in North America.
National team manager Carlo Ancelotti remains optimistic that the former Paris St-Germain star will feature against Haiti next Friday.
“Neymar is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible. The expectation is that he can rejoin the group next week.”
Carlo Ancelotti
Pulisic withdrawn as a precaution
United States captain Christian Pulisic is managing a calf problem of his own after being substituted during a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in Los Angeles.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino replaced the AC Milan playmaker at half-time to prevent any long-term muscle damage.
“He received a kick in his calf and he felt tight at the end of the first half. We didn’t want to take any risks.”
Mauricio Pochettino
The American forward later reassured reporters, explaining that he expects to be fully fit for Friday’s clash with Australia in San Francisco.
Davies sidelined for Canada
Meanwhile, co-hosts Canada were forced to navigate their 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina without Alphonso Davies.
The dynamic full-back sat out the fixture in Toronto, but management staff are hopeful he will return to face Qatar in Vancouver.
Leicester City are close to appointing Russell Martin as their new manager as the club prepares for life in League One following back-to-back relegations.
The 40-year-old is expected to finalise terms this weekend, marking his return to the dugout since departing Rangers last October.
The East Midlands outfit had originally targeted the former Scotland defender last summer before he opted for a move to Glasgow.
Instead, the Foxes appointed Marti Cifuentes, whose tenure lasted just six months before his dismissal in January.
Tasked with rebuilding a struggling squad
Under the temporary stewardship of Gary Rowett, the club suffered a catastrophic drop into the third tier of English football.
This latest demotion completes a dismal period for the 2016 top-flight champions, who experienced Premier League relegation during the 2024-25 campaign.
Their struggles on the pitch were severely compounded by a six-point deduction for breaching English Football League financial regulations.
The incoming boss will become the seventh individual to take charge in just over three years since Brendan Rodgers departed the King Power Stadium in April 2023.
Looking to bounce back after Scottish Premiership exit
The highly-rated tactician arrives with a point to prove following a brief and challenging spell north of the border.
His tenure at Ibrox lasted a mere 17 matches, culminating in his dismissal with the Glasgow giants languishing in eighth place.
Despite that setback, the former MK Dons and Swansea City head coach remains highly regarded within the English pyramid.
He notably guided Southampton to Premier League promotion by triumphing in the Championship play-offs during the 2023-24 season.
Spain enter the 2026 World Cup as tournament favourites following their Euro 2024 triumph, with Mikel Oyarzabal and Fabian Ruiz emerging as vital components of a newly evolved side.
Alvaro Morata captained the national team in Germany two years ago but has been omitted from the squad after failing to score for Como in Serie A.
In his absence, Oyarzabal has seamlessly seized the opportunity to lead the line for the European champions.
The Real Sociedad forward has scored 13 goals in 16 appearances since netting the winner against England in the Euro 2024 final.
Oyarzabal reimagined as central threat
Previously deployed as a winger, the 29-year-old has transitioned into a highly effective central striker.
He recently surpassed Alfredo Di Stefano to enter the top 10 goalscorers in Spanish national team history.
His impressive international strike rate now betters legendary figures such as Fernando Torres, Raul and Emiliano Butragueno.
Former Spain international Gaizka Mendieta believes the versatile attacker will be a defining figure at the tournament.
“Oyarzabal will surprise a lot of people,” Mendieta said.
“People will be thinking about Lamine Yamal and all the Barca guys, but Oyarzabal just won the cup with Real Sociedad and has improved his game a lot.”
Mendieta praised the forward’s relentless work ethic and his newfound habit of delivering in crucial matches.
Ruiz steps out of Rodri’s shadow
While Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri dominate global headlines, other key figures have quietly elevated their status.
Fabian Ruiz has cemented his world-class reputation after securing back-to-back Champions League titles with Paris St-Germain.
The formidable midfielder was arguably Spain’s standout performer at Euro 2024, despite his Manchester City team-mate taking the official player of the tournament award.
Mendieta highlighted the Parisian star’s unique physical and technical attributes as a late bloomer in the European game.
“I love everything about him,” Mendieta added.
With these established stars expertly supporting their younger talents, the Spanish side look formidably equipped to conquer the global stage.
Thierry Henry has issued a public clarification after comments he made about Nigeria during a World Cup broadcast sparked an online backlash.
The former France striker was working as a pundit for US broadcaster FOX Sports alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he interacted with internet personality IShowSpeed.
Their televised exchange occurred during the opening match of the 2026 tournament between the United States and Paraguay in Los Angeles.
Mixed kits and bad luck
The content creator was wearing a United States national team jersey paired with Nigeria shorts.
The Arsenal legend pointed out the mixed attire, joking that breaking up a matched set would invite misfortune.
Moments after the French icon made his remark, Paraguay scored against the tournament co-hosts.
The timing of the goal prompted the television pundit to tell the YouTuber that he was personally responsible for the setback.
Addressing the backlash
A clip of the interaction circulated rapidly across social media platforms, drawing criticism from offended Nigerian supporters.
This fierce online reaction prompted the former Barcelona star to release a video statement on his Instagram account to explain his intentions.
Hello my people, this is Thierry.
I needed to clarify something because I don’t think people understand when a joke is a joke.
He explained that his comments were entirely focused on the superstition of wearing mismatched clothing rather than the African nation itself.
I just said to him it’s bad luck to break the set.
It could have been the shorts of France, Italy or Spain, I would have said the same thing.
Respect for the Super Eagles
The football icon emphasised his deep admiration for the country and its passionate supporters.
I have mad respect for Nigeria and the people there.
A lot of Arsenal fans out there, so don’t misunderstand stuff, please.
The Super Eagles boast household names like Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman but failed to qualify for the 2026 finals.
They suffered a penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo during the qualification stages last November.
Despite the early setback against Paraguay, the United States eventually secured an emphatic 4-1 victory at SoFi Stadium.
Victor Wembanyama has described his first NBA Finals defeat as the “biggest lesson of my life” after the New York Knicks clinched the championship with a 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5.
The French international cut an emotional figure following the conclusion of the series at the Frost Bank Center.
Despite establishing double-digit leads in all five games, the Spurs succumbed to a 4-1 series defeat against their Eastern Conference opponents.
San Antonio squandered a 16-point advantage in the decisive encounter before ultimately collapsing during a pivotal fourth quarter.
A painful learning experience
Taking time to compose himself during the post-match press conference, the towering centre insisted he would use the disappointment as motivation.
“It’s painful, but I’m not running away from that,” Wembanyama stated.
“I’m using it to fuel me. I’m not satisfied with not winning. This is the biggest lesson of my life.”
The former number-one draft pick delivered a commanding defensive performance in the first half, recording five blocks to stifle the visiting offence.
Brunson heroics seal Knicks triumph
However, San Antonio’s failure to execute consistently down the stretch proved costly against a resilient New York outfit.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson conceded his young squad lacked the required experience to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
“We weren’t ready to win an NBA championship. The better team won,” Johnson admitted.
A spirited effort from rookie Dylan Harper, who contributed a team-high 25 points, was ultimately overshadowed by the brilliance of Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks guard orchestrated a devastating 21-7 run in the closing stages to complete the comeback and seal the title.
Brunson finished with an exceptional 45-point performance, rightfully earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award for his series-winning exploits.
Newcastle United have opened talks to sign Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford as they look to rebuild their squad ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Magpies have rekindled their interest in the highly-rated shot-stopper following a disappointing 2025-26 campaign.
However, any potential deal is complicated by the player’s desire to wait until after the upcoming World Cup before making a final decision on his future.
This timeline clashes with the Tyneside club’s preference to resolve their defensive structure as early as possible.
Pope future in doubt following Jaouen arrival
Eddie Howe’s side have already secured one addition between the posts this summer by bringing in 20-year-old Ewen Jaouen from French club Reims.
The young Frenchman arrived at St James’ Park to provide immediate competition after Aaron Ramsdale returned to Southampton following his loan spell.
With the club actively pursuing another premium option, current number one Nick Pope could be facing an imminent exit.
The veteran stopper has struggled with consistency and high-profile errors over recent seasons, making a permanent departure increasingly likely.
Trafford demands number one status
If a transfer is completed, the sought-after prospect would expect to arrive as the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper.
Former manager Scott Parker previously hailed the English talent as a “world-class” operator capable of dominating his penalty area.
A successful move for the former youth standout would likely see new signing Jaouen assume a developmental backup role.
Once the goalkeeping vacancy is finalised, Newcastle’s recruitment team are expected to target further reinforcements across the pitch.