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Portugal coach: ‘Childish’ to compare Ronaldo’s needs to Messi’s

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said it would be “childish” to compare Cristiano Ronaldo‘s needs with those of Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland after insisting that his forward is “mentally and physically” able to play every minute of the team’s World Cup campaign. Ronaldo completed the full 90 minutes of Portugal’s 0-0 draw with Colombia on Saturday, ensuring that the 41-year-old has played all 270 minutes of…

England ‘will get better’ in World Cup knockouts, Thomas Tuchel vows

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Thomas Tuchel has vowed England will improve in the knockout rounds after topping Group L with a laboured 2-0 win over Panama at MetLife Stadium on Saturday. England struggled to create chances in a drab first half — registering just two shots on target — before Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane struck to set up a round-of-32 tie in Atlanta on Wednesday. – England RB issues…

England to face Democratic Republic of Congo in World Cup Round of 32

England will face Democratic Republic of Congo in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, it has been confirmed. With England defeating Panama 2-0 to top Group L, they were guaranteed to be playing a team who finished in third place from Groups E, H, I, J or K. Although there were as many as 495 possible combinations that could have happened, after England’s victory, it had been…

Colombia edge Portugal to top spot after World Cup stalemate

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Colombia finished the World Cup ‘s opening round as the Group K winners after playing Portugal to a scoreless draw Saturday night. Both squads had already secured spots in the knockout stage before the match, needing only to learn their opponents for the next round. Colombia will play Ghana, which lost 2-1 to Croatia earlier Saturday. Portugal, who entered the expanded 48-team tournament as a favorite,…

Luka Modric makes more World Cup history as Croatia march on

PHILADELPHIA — Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic hailed Luka Modric‘s performance as “truly fantastic” as the 40-year-old midfielder led his country into the knockout rounds for the third World Cup in a row. Modric became the oldest player to record a World Cup assist when he set up Nikola Vlasic‘s winner in the 83rd minute as Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 to secure second spot in Group L. – FIFA World…

Shearer: England relied on brilliance of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane in Panama win

Alan Shearer said England were forced to rely on the “brilliance” of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane after their goals helped the team top Group L with a 2-0 win over Panama. Thomas Tuchel’s side laboured in the first half in New York but finally made the breakthrough when Bellingham hooked his foot around a corner to break the deadlock in the 62nd minute. Kane headed a second shortly afterwards…

Japan FA chief: Brazil clash could be ‘biggest’ World Cup tie in History

HOUSTON — Since their World Cup debut in 1998, Japan have now made eight consecutive appearances at the tournament. There have been many milestones etched in their history books since. A first-ever win over Russia on home soil in 2002. Four appearances in the round of 16. Back in 2022, there were even stunning victories over global powerhouses Germany and Spain. But maybe not will be as monumental as their…

Scotland eliminated from World Cup as they fall short of knockout stage again

Scotland‘s wait for a place in the knockout rounds of a World Cup will go on after they were officially eliminated from the tournament on Saturday. Following a bruising 3-0 defeat against Brazil on Wednesday, Scotland’s fate was out of their hands as they were forced to endure an agonising wait to see if they would finish the group stages as one of the eight best third-placed teams. But results…

Harry Kane becomes England’s leading goalscorer at World Cups after scoring vs. Panama

Harry Kane has become England‘s all-time leading scorer at the World Cup after scoring in the Three Lions’ final group stage game vs. Panama. Kane nodded home from a Jude Bellingham cross to make it 2-0 — taking him to 11 World Cup goals, one him beyond Gary Lineker’s previous national record of 10. It also took him to 18 goals in major international tournaments for England. The England captain…

England full-back problems deepen as Jarrell Quansah limps off vs. Panama at World Cup

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Jarell Quansah was forced off injured in the second half of England’s match against Panama, with Thomas Tuchel facing a potential injury crisis at right-back. Quansah started at right-back after Reece James was ruled out of the Panama match with a hamstring injury. James is a doubt for their round of 32 match, and Quansah was set to deputise for him. But the Bayer Leverkusen man…