Key occasions
Thanks very a lot, David. Let’s see what the subsequent couple of hours carry us …
That’s my stint over. By the best way, the Netflix documentary about France’s 2010 World Cup implosion – The Bus: A French Soccer Mutiny – is effectively value a watch. Raymond Domenech is a few character, isn’t he. Okay, with that, I’ll hand you over to Will Unwin.
Extra on Christian Eriksen as he recovers in hospital after collapsing in Denmark’s pleasant in opposition to Ukraine. That is from PA Media.
Sunday evening’s worldwide pleasant outcomes: A number of notes.
Greece 0-1 Italy. No-one cares. Neither are within the World Cup. For the document, Francesco Esposito obtained the winner after 17 minutes.
Morocco 1-1 Norway: That is extra prefer it. Morocco, the shock semi-finalists from 2022, face Brazil, Scotland and Haiti in Group C. Norway tackle France, Senegal and Iraq in a troublesome Group I. This one occurred at at Sports activities Illustrated Stadium in New York. Actual Madrid’s Brahim Diaz put Morocco in entrance earlier than Arsenal skipper Martin Ødegaard levelled with quarter-hour to go. Erling Haaland performed 72 minutes.
Argentina 2-0 Honduras. We famous this earlier though didn’t point out the truth that Atletico Madrid attacker Giuliano Simeone obtained the second following Lautaro Martinez’s first-half spot-kick.
One other workforce information to tuck into – Algeria. File them beneath ‘engima’. Riyad Mahrez, now 35, stays the primary man as they deal with a World Cup group (J) that includes Argentina, Austria and Jordan.
Speaking of the golden oldies, Luka Modric (4th on the beneath record) exhibits no indicators of getting drained. The metronomic midfielder was on course for Croatia – England’s first World Cup opponents – of their 2-1 pleasant win over Slovenia on Sunday evening. Our Nick Ames was there.
In case you assume Messi is knocking on a bit, he’s not even one of many 10 oldest gamers on the 2026 World Cup. Trendy science, eh.
FIFA revealed the highest 20 final week and it’s an early win for Scotland.
1st) Craig Gordon – Scotland (43 years & 162 days)
2nd) Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal (41 & 126)
third) Guillermo Ochoa – Mexico (40 & 333)
4th) Luka Modric – Croatia (40 & 275)
fifth) Edin Dzeko – Bosnia and Herzegovina (40 & 86)
sixth) Manuel Neuer – Germany (40 & 76)
seventh) Vozinha – Cabo Verde (40 & 8)
eighth) Fernando Muslera – Uruguay (39 years & 360 days)
ninth) Yuto Nagatomo – Japan (39 years & 272 days)
tenth) Hernan Galindez – Ecuador (39 & 73) eleventh) Mahdy Soliman – Egypt (39 & 3)
twelfth) Lionel Messi – Argentina (38 & 352)
thirteenth) Tim Ream – USA (38 & 249)
14th) Weverton – Brazil (38 & 180)
fifteenth) Alberto Quintero – Panama (38 & 175)
sixteenth) Johny Placide – Haiti (38 & 133)
seventeenth) Nicolas Otamendi – Argentina (38 & 119)
18th) Gatito Fernandez – Paraguay (38 & 74)
nineteenth) Stopira – Cabo Verde (38 & 22)
twentieth) Michael Boxall – New Zealand (37 & 297)
(Ages right as of 11 June 2026).
Roger Milla was 42 at World Cup 1994 however the document for oldest participant belongs to Essam El Hadary. The Egypt goalkeeper was 45 years and 161 days when showing between the sticks within the 2018 group recreation in opposition to Saudi Arabia.
Lionel Messi will flip 39 throughout this World Cup. And whereas Qatar 2022 seemed to be the proper ending for the Argentine legend, simply perhaps there’s one other wonderful chapter ready to be written, says Jonathan Wilson.
One other replace on Christian Eriksen. Denmark’s nationwide workforce physician, Morten Boesen, has simply posted the next on his Instagram feed:
“I spoke with Christian this morning, and he’s doing effectively. He’s together with his household and in good spirits. The expectation is that he can be discharged quickly and may return house.”
Eriksen has shared the submit.
Extra information from England. Declan Rice has been named vice-captain by boss Thomas Tuchel. Rice was one of many Arsenal contingent who arrived at England’s pre-tournament base in West Palm Seashore on Saturday after they got further time to get better from their Champions League exploits. Tuchel is uncertain if Rice, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka can be concerned in opposition to Costa Rica.
As for the skipper, Harry Kane has been taking part in down all of the scare tales about gamers melting within the warmth.
“The drinks breaks assist. Lots of people discuss in regards to the warmth however I don’t assume it is going to be as huge an element as folks say. Myself and some of the boys felt high-quality within the first recreation. We’ve been coaching in it and it’s not been too dangerous. I feel it’s straightforward simply to say it’s going to be actually powerful because it’s totally different to what we’re used to. However we’re all athletes, we’re professionals and have all performed in warm-weather situations earlier than.”
Let’s go contained in the England camp. David Hytner is certainly one of our males in Tampa and right here’s his newest report forward of the Three Lions’ pleasant with Costa Rica on Wednesday evening. That recreation takes place precisely one week earlier than England’s Group L opener in opposition to Croatia (17 June, 9pm BST).
“The nailed-on picks look like Jordan Pickford, Reece James, Marc Guéhi, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane. Which leaves some combating to be achieved.”
Be aware that the above record doesn’t embrace Jude Bellingham. Will he get the nod over Morgan Rogers?
Our newest World Cup workforce information focuses on holders Argentina. And it’s not simply all about Lionel Messi.
“Virtually two thirds of the 2022 squad stays, however it now additionally contains some promising younger gamers corresponding to Nico Paz, who has been in wonderful kind at Como. They may also have established stars like Lautaro Martínez, who goals to be in prime situation for this World Cup: one thing he couldn’t obtain in Qatar.”
Talking of which, Martinez scored from the spot as Argentina beat Honduras 2-0 in a pleasant final evening. Messi didn’t characteristic as Argentina wrap him in cotton wool after the skipper felt some muscle fatigue in his hamstring taking part in for Inter Miami on 24 Could.
Optimistic replace on Christian Eriksen after collapse
This was an alarming and upsetting growth final evening however fortunately the updates on Christian Eriksen are constructive after he collapsed in Denmark’s pleasant in opposition to Ukraine. The previous Manchester United midfielder, who suffered a cardiac arrest throughout a European Championship match in 2021, was rapidly tended to by medics in Odense, whereas the referee deserted the match early.
Denmark’s nationwide workforce physician, Morten Boesen, mentioned Eriksen was “briefly unconscious, however regained consciousness in a short time … and walked off the pitch by himself”.
After the incident in opposition to Finland in 2021, throughout which Boesen led the successful resuscitation effort, Eriksen was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in his chest, which may reset the center after a cardiac arrest. The gadget allowed him to resume his playing career at club and international level.
Talking after Sunday’s incident, Boesen mentioned: “The pacemaker responded because it ought to … He’ll now endure additional examinations on the hospital to find out what prompted the incident. We’re in ongoing contact with him and the docs on the hospital. However Christian is doing effectively, and he requested me to ship his regards to all of the gamers and inform them that he was okay.”
Lamal may play in Spain’s opener
Excellent news for Spain. Rumours that Lamine Yamal might miss Spain’s first two World Cup group video games (in opposition to Cape Verde and South Africa) could also be extensive of the mark.
The 18-year-old Barcelona winger was absent for the ultimate six matches of the season as a consequence of a torn hamstring and hasn’t performed since April. However, talking to our very personal Sid Lowe, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente gave this encouraging replace:
“He’s getting higher quick, hitting all of the targets earlier. I feel he’ll be capable to play the primary recreation, however that doesn’t imply [he will]. We’ll consider if he has to play a bit of bit, not play, look forward to the second recreation.”
Iran’s World Cup squad landed in Mexico yesterday amid a bitter diplomatic row, after america refused to subject visas for some workforce assist workers.
The squad spent almost three weeks at a coaching camp in Turkey, utilizing their time there to use for visas to journey to Mexico, Canada and america. On the eve of their departure, the gamers lastly acquired their US visas, in line with Washington’s envoy to Turkey, Tom Barrack.
Iran’s embassy in Turkey mentioned assist workers had been denied visas, nevertheless. Fifteen administrative and administration workers are involved, an Iranian diplomat and state TV mentioned.
All three of Iran’s Group G video games can be held in america (Los Angeles and Seattle) however, including to the tensions, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico mentioned on Saturday the squad had been notified that, beneath their visa situations, the workforce should enter and go away US soil on the identical day as their matches.
Iran’s soccer federation – whose chief, Mehdi Taj, was reportedly amongst these denied a visa – has described the choice as “political interference in sport in its worst kind.”
Preamble
Good morning and, we are able to now truly say it, the World Cup begins this week! Woohoo!! With Mexico v South Africa getting us in play on Thursday at 8pm UK time, the countdown clock now exhibits ‘3 days, 11 hours’. That’s the primary of 104 matches throughout 39 days (blimey!) so the window to get different stuff achieved in your lives (automotive tax, jet-washing patio, returning these summer time sandals that didn’t match/had been a nasty concept) is closing quick.
Our build-up continues proper right here as we go contained in the England camp to replicate on their 1-0 hammering of New Zealand and stay up for Wednesday’s pleasant with not-in-the-World-Cup Costa Rica. And there’s a bundle of reports, options and previews on all the things else related with this summer time’s 2026 extravaganza within the USA, Mexico and Canada, together with Scotland elevating eyebrows with their first-half efficiency within the pleasant in opposition to Bolivia and a health replace on Spain’s Lamine Yamal. Proper, let’s go!
