Mexico manager Javier Aguirre said he hopes local fans will make the difference for El Tri when the World Cup co-hosts face Ecuador at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca in the round of 32 on Tuesday in a matchup of two Latin American sides. After advancing from the group stage with a perfect record and without conceding a goal, Mexico must show their best form in the knockout clash against Ecuador…
Uruguay defender Sebastián Cáceres said people twisted the narrative around Marcelo Bielsa to make the manager look bad following their elimination from the FIFA World Cup in the group stage. “I’m not going to say what was discussed at Bielsa’s farewell. That has to stay between us, as it should have from the very beginning,” Caceres said on Sunday night when he arrived back in Uruguay. “I have the utmost…
FOXBOROUGH, Mass — Julian Nagelsmann said Germany are no longer a “first-class team” after another early World Cup exit, but added he wants to stay on as head coach following their penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay. After failing to get past the group stage in 2018 and 2022, Germany were playing in their first knockout game for 12 years. But after being held to a 1-1 draw by a stubborn…
The heartbreak was all too familiar for Japan at the World Cup. The country’s national team hung in until the very end Monday but were eliminated from the tournament — the third straight time Japan has had the lead in the knockout round and lost. This year, it was to five-time champion Brazil 2-1 on a late goal in injury time. After four previous losses in such matches at World…
Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah missed crucial penalties as four-time winners Germany were eliminated from the World Cup in a shootout by No.41 ranked Paraguay. The Germans became the first powerhouses at the tournament to be eliminated in the round of 32 on Monday, after a 1-1 draw led to a penalty shootout. Paraguay blew two opportunities from the spot to send Germany home, before José Canale scored…
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Victor Lindelöf’s wife fell off a raging bull — well, a mechanical one. Maja Nilsson Lindelöf posted an Instagram video Thursday of herself getting tossed from the bar-based bovine the night Sweden played Japan in Texas during the World Cup, adding: “Still a bit drunk while posting this, might delete later.” “She sent it to me,” Sweden captain Victor Lindelöf said Monday ahead of his team’s…
ALAMEDA, California — Over a journey that has taken him from crying in his father’s car after being cut from a second A-League academy, to playing in Serie A and at a World Cup with the Socceroos, Cristian Volpato has revealed he was torn between Australia and Italy until “something clicked” just a week out from the tournament. Volpato, 22, stunned Australian football when he flew into Los Angeles to…
Noni Madueke says England are taking penalty practice “extremely seriously” as Thomas Tuchel’s side head into the World Cup knockout stage. The Three Lions face Congo DR in the round of 32 on Wednesday — having topped Group L thanks to wins against Croatia and Panama sandwiching the stalemate with Ghana. England are heavy favourites for the meeting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta but nothing is being left to…
Right-back Marcos Llorente said Spain are working hard to get the best out of star winger Lamine Yamal as they prepare to face Austria in the FIFA World Cup round of 32. Spain trained at their tournament base in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Monday, a day before flying out to Los Angeles for their first game of the knockout phase at SoFi Stadium. Rated among the World Cup favourites, Spain qualified…
HOUSTON — Casemiro said Brazil avoided one of the all-time great World Cup shocks against Japan by keeping “calm” after the five-time winners fell behind against Hajime Moriyasu’s team in their round of 32 tie. Kaishu Sano’s 29th minute goal had raised the prospect of Brazil suffering their first-ever competitive defeat against Asian opposition and crashing out of the World Cup at the earliest point since a group stage exit…