Latest Sports Stories

World Cup News

The Americans have the advantages on paper, but the Socceroos’ strengths are in their defensive organization and the power of the unknownIt is the showdown to determine the world’s best “soccer”-playing nation: the much-anticipated Group D clash between two countries in which football has more than one meaning.Neither will be distracted by nomenclature, however, when the United States run out against Australia in Seattle on Friday in a contest set to captivate both sides of the Pacific.The hosts are ranked higher than the Australians and have an internationally renowned manager. They have greater depth of talent and will enjoy home support. The Socceroos entered the tournament widely tipped to finish bottom of the group stage, but their shock 2-0 victory over Turkey has flipped expectations and made this a showdown for Group D’s winner.It goes without saying now, but for the USMNT this fixture is no “layup”, as one American television pundit had put it, turning to a basketball analogy. Nor is it a penalty kick, a tap-in or a simple finish. The task ahead of Mauricio Pochettino’s side is more like a corner kick. Yes, the situation is looking promising – any side would prefer to have a corner than defend one. Just don’t sleep on the counterattack.One need only look back to last October and see a recipe for a Socceroos victory. In a friendly between the sides in Colorado, Australian left wing-back Jordan Bos scored the opener out of nothing. A throw-in led to one bobble then two amid uncertain defending before Bos slotted home to stun the home fans. It was the visitors’ only shot on goal in the first half in a performance founded on their now-customary conservative play.Bos looms as the main threat for the Socceroos at this World Cup. The 23-year-old is in the conversation as the best left-back in the Dutch Eredivisie, where he helped Feyenoord to second place behind PSV. With a similar posture to Gareth Bale, he is well suited to the 3-4-2-1 system preferred by Australian coach Tony Popovic.The setup is founded on defensive organization, with three central defenders and two holding midfielders. Bos, on the left sideline, is given license to attack past Australia’s inverted wingers. His deep starting position and pace will be a key counterattacking outlet, and his jink against Turkey that left Kerem Aktürkoğlu sliding on the Vancouver turf perfectly illustrated his confidence.In USMNT right-wing-back Sergiño Dest, however, the Americans have a man well-placed to curb Bos’s threat. Dest’s PSV beat Bos’s Feyenoord twice last season on the way to the Eredivisie title, and the American knows Bos’s tendencies as well as anyone. As if to make the point, Dest was injured for the October friendly where Bos ran rampant.The USMNT recovered in that match to win 2-1, thanks to two goals from Haji Wright. The first came from a neat through-ball by Cristian Roldan, who pierced the Socceroos’ mid-to-low block to find Wright. For the second, a quick free-kick to Wright in behind caught out Australian defender Cam Burgess. Australia will be better prepared for both of these situations, and likely to be far less generous in Seattle.In the Colorado friendly, as dominant as the USMNT may have been – the home side enjoyed almost two-thirds of possession – the result was uncertain to the end. Australian forward Nestory Irankunda came close to equalizing in the 89th minute. He outmuscled Miles Robinson, leaving the defender on the turf, produced two stepovers in the area then hammered a low shot that was well saved by Matt Freese.Irakunda had a promising if uneven campaign for Watford in the Championship, scoring four goals. In a friendly for Australia against Curaçao in March, he scored two in just 23 minutes. A confidence player, one of droughts and storms, the 20-year-old showed his threat against Turkey by scoring the opener – a blink-and-you-missed-it counterattack made possible by his pace.That unpredictability and power of the unknown may be Australia’s biggest weapon. Mo Touré, 22, is set to lead the line, and the incisive striker is only just finding his potential. He starred for Norwich after a January move, with nine goals in 11 matches in the Championship.If the recent emergence of Touré and his close friend Irankunda hasn’t made life hard for USMNT staff trying to prepare for the Socceroos, two last-minute selection surprises surely have. The Socceroos called in two forwards just before the tournament who may yet become X-factors even if they are to demonstrate their potential in yellow.Cristian Volpato is a left-footed right winger who plays for Sassuolo in Serie A. The former Italy youth international was born and grew up in Australia, and changed his allegiance days before the squad deadline last month. He has only played one half for Australia – in the warm-up match against Switzerland – but is known for his ball control and delivery.Tete Yengi is a striker who stands 6ft 6in, and has had a promising year for Machida Zelvia in Japan. He scored on his debut against Switzerland and played the last 20 minutes against Turkey.Alongside Yengi, Australia’s towering captain Harry Souttar and perhaps back-up Lucas Herrington – the 18-year-old Colorado Rapids player who has only arrived on the national scene this year – will pose a threat at set pieces. Aside from Chris Richards, central defense and goalkeeper are positions of weakness for the Americans, a fact that won’t have been missed by Popovic, himself a former Socceroos center-back.

World Cup News

Iranian support in LA included supporters of past and present regimes, and opponents of both, but a match that captivated all could not dissolve troublesSoccer unites. This is what we are told. It swoops in, majestic in the players’ grace, and gives a people – any people – a thing to rally around in good times and bad. And it’s true, that does happen on occasion. But other times, as in Monday’s 2-2 draw between Iran and New Zealand here in southern California, the magic of this ridiculously simple game lies in its power to make one, or several, or several thousand, forget.Before the game, Iranian people worldwide had been divided by decades of political and cultural difficulty and the Iran team were hamstrung by interrupted preparations for what should be the pinnacle of any players’ career.After the final whistle, those same divisions and problems still existed. Perhaps, in some cases, they had become worse. But then there were those glorious intervening minutes, featuring four goals and numerous big chances, crunching tackles and passionate play in front of a heaving, heavily partisan crowd in the city with the largest Iranian expat population in the United States. You got the sense that most within the stadium’s confines, to say nothing of the millions watching elsewhere, were given a welcome dose of temporary amnesia.Several hours before that point, though, those deep and bitter divisions running through the country’s diaspora were obvious around the perimeter of the stadium. In their shirts and accessories, fans heading inside declared which Iran they were there to support.Did they don the lion and sun flag, closely associated with the shah, or the modern version, with a stylized “Allah” written in script in the middle? Or did they do neither, obscuring the central element one way or another, writing over it, or simply choosing a clothing item that omitted the flag in favour of more neutral imagery? All could be seen in numbers.A protester with a megaphone outside a western entrance spent hours telling passersby that the Iranian team was an instrument of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, that they represented terrorists. On the east side, a larger group, reportedly numbering about 200 or so, shouted similar slogans at those entering. Behind them flew lion-and-sun Iran flags from pre-revolution times, with one adorned with “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN”. Others nearby flew a combined US/Israel flag. There were arguments between people and some small scuffles were captured on phones.That geopolitical conflict made buildup to the match more fraught than perhaps any other in World Cup history. Iran had planned to train for the tournament in Tucson, Arizona before group games in Los Angeles and Seattle. The outbreak of hostilities threw the country’s very participation in the tournament into doubt. Iran changed their training plan’s viability once it was determined they would play on.After a hasty switch to set-up camp in Tijuana, Mexico, 15 members of Iran’s delegation were then denied visas to enter the United States. That number was reduced to 11 before their opening game, but still included their entire media relations staff, some analysts, and federation president, Mehdi Taj. US officials said the visas were denied to ensure the Iranian team did not “sneak terrorists into the United States”.“This kind of tension undermines that joy [of a World Cup],” said the striker and captain Mehdi Taremi. “This World Cup could have provided a better atmosphere than it has.”But then the stadium filled and soon provided among the best atmospheres of the tournament. While boos and jeers during Iran’s national anthem were loud enough to obscure the audio track as players sang along, there was no such conflict when Ramin Rezaiean scored Iran’s opening goal. It elicited a single cacophonous roar, trailing for several minutes after the strike and raising the intensity level considerably.It was the first of two huge moments in a man-of-the-match performance for Rezaiean, who can now be considered something of a World Cup hero for the country, having scored the game-sealing goal in 2022’s group-stage win against Wales.Afterwards, the questions were about what came before – the anthem, the booing and how Rezaiean felt. “Everyone in the world now knows about my people,” he said. “If there is any problem between us? This is our business, is none of your business. I respect you, but this is something between us, and we’re going to settle it.”With just hours to go before the match, a local court upheld Fifa’s ban on displaying Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag at the game. Videos on social media showed a few instances of stadium security confiscating lion-and-sun insignias, but they remained numerous and obvious. In pockets of the crowd, some were waved after each of New Zealand’s two well-taken goals.But the vast majority, including some of those same pockets, waved them in the air exuberantly after goals; Mohammad Mohebi’s well-placed header off a pinpoint Rezaiean cross to equalize for the second time in the 64th minute set off wild celebrations on the field.“We are enjoying [celebrating goals], just like since we were six years old, seven years old, 10 years old,” Taremi said. “We just follow the football, and we’re always looking for the football, which is so important for us, more than everything. When you score, when your team scores, you celebrate, and it’s a lot of joy, and we want to bring this joy for our supporters too.”Despite a game that had provided joy for large portions, Taremi’s thoughts were elsewhere. There in the locker room was the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, telling them they had performed well, and reminding them that their circumstances had been difficult.Then another reality check: the team was told that instead of staying in Los Angeles that night, as they expected, they would be heading back to Tijuana in a matter of hours. “They are making the situation more and more difficult, more hurdles, but we’re not going to let that stop us from doing our best,” the head coach, Amir Ghalenoei said. “Everything is like disaster for us,” said Taremi.Iran has continued to thrive despite periods of political and cultural unrest at home and sanctions damaging the economy from abroad. They have qualified for four consecutive World Cups, usually with some comfort. But on the big stage, often, they have wilted, or fallen so agonizingly short of a first appearance in the knockout round.Monday’s game offered the best chance they have had to put that run behind them. Three points would have given them a solid foothold for a spot as one of the eight best third-place teams.On Monday, Iran indulged in that hope and allowed others to forget anything else.

World Cup News

From Zagreb to Wembley and Moscow, the Croatia great has derailed the Three Lions on many occasions. Now he’s ready for one last dance in DallasWhen Luka Modric first played against England, Tony Blair was still in office. Arsenal had just moved from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, Italy were newly crowned world champions and Pep Guardiola retired as a player after a six-month spell in Mexico with Dorados. Twitter was less than three months old and Facebook had been made fully public earlier that year. Amy Winehouse’s album Back to Black was about to be released, while the much-hyped film Borat was coming to cinemas.At the very moment that Gary Neville sent a backpass to Paul Robinson, Borat’s image appeared on Maksimir Stadium’s advertising boards; the ball bounced awkwardly on the edge of the six-yard box, the England keeper missed it and it went into the net with Sacha Baron Cohen’s grin and moustache in the background, adding to England’s misery.For Modric, who played the whole match that Croatia won 2-0, that was already his 11th cap; his first came that year in a friendly in which Lionel Messi scored his debut goal for Argentina.And so beckoned the Modric era for Croatia, without anyone being aware of it. The young midfielder did not quite have a key role in the team just yet – he would assume it years later – but, in retrospect, the win marked the beginning of a long process that would transform the national team of a tiny country into one of the most successful in the world.It really is an era, because there is no Modric generation; the players have come and gone, with only himself remaining as a constant, like a traveller who intervenes in the past and in the future, defying the linear nature of time.At some point – and no one can tell when it was exactly any more as it seems to keep changing – he made the team his own, not only through his leadership but also in terms of his indestructible never-say-die mentality. At the past two World Cups combined, Croatia won no less than seven knockout round games without beating or even outplaying anyone in 90 minutes before succumbing to the eventual winners on both occasions.England played an important role in building the team over the course of that era. Since that first match in October 2006, they played eight more times; there were wins, losses and draws, with Modric missing only one, due to a broken fibula – the 5-1 defeat at the hands of Fabio Capello’s team in 2009 – but two of those were key.A year after the surreal Borat incident, there was the infamous “wally with a brolly” game at Wembley. Croatia had already qualified for the Euros and had nothing to play for, while England needed only a draw to do the same. But the visitors, led by Slaven Bilic, proceeded to beat them only because they could and that win soon became legendary as it psychologically shaped the team, giving them a massive confidence boost.Croatia performed well at the tournament, but it still lacked the Modric mentality. Maybe Modric, who agreed to a transfer from Dinamo Zagreb to Tottenham before the Euros, lacked it himself back then. Croatia stormed through the group with three wins but they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Turkey in the most shocking of ways, taking the lead after 119 minutes only to concede a last-moment equaliser and lose on penalties, with Modric missing.The other important game was the 2018 World Cup semi-final, when Croatia overturned an early England lead to beat them in extra-time at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to reach the final against France. Modric didn’t seem to have a key role in that match either but, by that time, he was already a decorated leader who had carried the team through years of ill-advised coaching appointments and bitter underachievement. In Russia, Croatia were managed by Zlatko Dalic, who was the first national team coach to really connect with Modric.Now, almost 20 years after they first met, the 40-year-old playmaker is ready to face England again. It will be his 199th appearance for his country.On the surface, he’s not what he once was and neither are Croatia. If the World Cup warm-up defeat by Belgium was any indication – and they were specifically chosen as preparation for Thomas Tuchel’s team – Croatia will play a back three and sacrifice their own attacking capacity for defensive stability. But they look likely to struggle with England’s speed and energy.Modric will be 41 in September. He won’t say it, but he is likely to retire after the World Cup. Can he inspire his team to provide one more knockout blow to England in Dallas? With his history against the Three Lions – and his pedigree – no one will bet against him.

World Cup News

Assistant coach Hayden Foxe backs Socceroos to handle match hypeAustralia meet co-hosts on Friday after both won Group D openersAustralia’s players are mature ⁠enough to handle the ⁠hype ahead of ​their high-profile World Cup match against co-hosts the United States and do not need staff to tell them to get off ⁠social media, assistant coach Hayden Foxe has said.The Socceroos meet the USA in Seattle on Friday, with both sides pumped up by home media and ⁠football pundits after winning their Group D openers against Turkey and Paraguay respectively.Several US commentators ​have written off Australia as a problem ‌for the co-hosts, including ‌former centre back Alexi Lalas who judged them an “average team by any measure” in his ‌pre-tournament rankings of the 48 participating nations.Foxe said there was no need to shield Australia’s players from the outside noise.“We can’t baby them. They’re their own selves, we want them to be their own selves,” the former Socceroos centre-back said. “Social media’s out there, they’re aware of media and the comments and what’s being said.“But we’re ‌concentrated on us. They’re old enough and mature enough to understand what gets said and what doesn’t get said.”Australia, who have never got past ​the round of 16, enjoyed a dream start in upsetting Turkey 2-0 with classy goals by livewire attacker Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe.Irankunda said Australia’s players were fired up by Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu describing his team as more talented than the Socceroos.“It did piss off a few ⁠boys, but at the end of the day, these guys can talk ​all the shit ... we ​don’t really care,” he said.Metcalfe ​said Tony Popovic-coached Australia would go into the US match “full of energy, ​full of confidence”.Foxe warned ‌his players not ​to get too ​carried away, though, reminding how everyone got excited at Qatar 2022 when Saudi Arabia upset eventual champions Argentina only to crash out of the group.“Fantastic win against Turkey. Memorable, great. Enjoy that moment,” he said. “Now that’s gone. Now we move on to the US.”

World Cup News

ShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleGeorge Carden,in Gatwick AirportandJoshua Askew,South EastEngland fans heading to the World Cup have said they cannot wait to watch the football.Waiting for a flight at Gatwick Airport to the US, Andrew and Kelly and their 10-year-old son Christian told the BBC they thought the Three Lions would do "really well"."I hope they bring it home," said Christian.The family, from Stockport, will spend a week in Las Vegas and then watch the England-Ghana game in Boston on 23 June."It's going to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, especially as I am bringing my son with me," said Andrew."It does not matter how much the cost is as long as we enjoy it."Emeline, from Corby, said she was "over the moon" to be heading to the World Cup with her family. Matches are being played in the US, Mexico and Canada."It's been on my bucket list for the last 30 years to watch an England game," she said."I am very happy we get to enjoy this as a family," added her husband Norbert.Also speaking to BBC Radio Sussex at Gatwick Airport, the trio said they would be watching England's match against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday."I think England have a really strong squad this year," said Emeline. "But I have been saying that for years.""It has been 60 years of hurting," she added.However, Emeline's daughter Savannah said she was most excited about the food."America has so many things I have wanted to try since I was little," she said."I have been dying to go to Target since I was eight."George Dolce, a US citizen who studies in the UK, said he had just returned from watching a match in his home country."It was amazing," he told BBC Radio Sussex. "The crowd was electric."It was like nothing I have ever seen."Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X, and Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Sussex on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.

World Cup News

If you live in one of the 16 cities in Mexico, Canada and the US hosting games, we would be delighted to hear from youThe game between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday kicked off the biggest World Cup in history: 48 teams playing 104 matches over 39 days in 16 host cities. If you live in one of those cities, we want to hear from you. How’s it going so far?This is a diverse tournament, with a different feel and vibe across the various countries and venues. With that in mind, we want to know what the mood is like in your home city during the tournament, as part of our My World Cup series.Is there a buzz? How are businesses faring with an influx of fans from around the world? Is the mood one of excitement, exhaustion, apathy or anxiety that the sporting action will be overshadowed by geopolitics? Whether you are a diehard fan, a casual observer, a business owner or someone who wants to avoid the whole thing, let us know what the atmosphere is like in your city as the matches begin.We’d really appreciate your submissions and it would be helpful to know whether you would feel comfortable sending us short videos during the World Cup too.The full list of host cities is: Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey; Toronto and Vancouver; and Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Atlanta, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia and New York/New Jersey.If you’re having trouble using the form, click here.

World Cup News

Marko Stamenic was eight years old when he sat down alongside his father to watch New Zealand's most recent World Cup appearance.Sixteen years on, the All Whites are back at football's biggest tournament and Stamenic, now an elegant, powerful midfielder, will be at the heart of their team.Stamenic, of Swansea City, is set to join the small band of Kiwi footballers who have played at a World Cup when New Zealand kick off their Group B campaign against Iran in Los Angeles in the early hours of Tuesday morning.Tragically, his dad will not be there to see it happen.Nikola Stamenic, a key influence on his son's footballing career, died suddenly last October.In an emotional tribute at the time, Stamenic described his father as being "the best man I will ever know".A little over seven months on, the 24-year-old says he is always thinking of his father – and that there are "goose bumps every time"."I don't really think he's not with us, in a way," Stamenic says."I'm always thinking of him when I step on the field, whether that's for the national team or for Swansea."He had a huge, huge part in my life and all of our lives in my family and there is a huge hole in all of our hearts now."But I know he's watching from above and I hope we're making him proud."New Zealand's Group G meeting with Iran is their first World Cup tournament game since 2010.Last time round, they went home after the group stage despite not being beaten in South Africa, where they drew with Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay.Stamenic recalls waking up early in the morning to watch those games with his dad."I remember telling him 'I want to do that, I want to play at the World Cup for New Zealand'," he says."I'm over the moon that the chance has come."Stamenic is one of the key players in a New Zealand side beaten 1-0 by England in their final pre-tournament warm-up game.That was a more encouraging result than the 4-0 friendly loss to Haiti three days earlier.New Zealand, who are making just a third World Cup appearance, are one of the tournament's rank outsiders but Stamenic says there is belief they can get out of a group which also features Egypt and Belgium."I don't think a New Zealand team has ever won a game in the World Cup so that's definitely a target for us," he says."I think with the new format, possibly a win could get you through the group."I'm quite optimistic wherever I'm playing, whether it's Swansea or my national team, and I do believe we have the quality to do that."Stamenic heads into the World Cup on the back of an encouraging first season at Swansea, who he joined from Nottingham Forest last summer.He made 38 appearances for the Championship side, scoring three goals, and is likely to have a significant part to play as Vitor Matos' team target a play-off push in 2026-27.Stamenic made a positive impression in Wales despite having to deal with the loss of his mentor, after which he missed four Swansea games while on compassionate leave."My dad always used to tell me that no matter the problems going on outside the pitch, once you step on that pitch you forget about it all," Stamenic says."I've had amazing support from all the staff, all the players in Swansea as well as my national team, to help me through this part of my life."I'm just grateful for all the help I've received."He won the Danish title in 2022-23, then the Serbian top flight with Red Star Belgrade the following year and the Greek Super League while playing for Olympiacos in 2024-25.An 11th-place finish with Swansea meant an end to Stamenic's sequence of league successes - yet he claims he has not yet given up hope of continuing his run of landing silverware this summer."I've still got the World Cup to come, so maybe we can win that," he says with a smile.Latest Swansea City news, analysis and fan views

World Cup News

Former England manager Gareth Southgate says he turned down work as a pundit at the World Cup because he did not think it would be "helpful" to the side's chances.Southgate resigned from his position after England were defeated by Spain in the Euro 2024 final.The 55-year-old led England for 102 games over eight years, guiding them to the finals of two European Championships and the 2018 World Cup semi-final."It's obviously a very different tournament for me this one, I've been at the last seven World Cups as a player, as a broadcaster, a scout and then as the manager," Southgate said in a post on Instagram, external."So this time I took a conscious decision not to do the TV. I didn't think it would be helpful for me to be talking about the team and I don't want anything to be misconstrued or thrown at them at press conferences, so best for me to keep out of the way."England's World Cup campaign begins on Wednesday (21:00 BST) when they take on Croatia in Arlington, Texas.They then have matches against Ghana on Tuesday, 23 June (21:00 BST) and Panama on Saturday, 27 June (22:00 BST).Sir Alf Ramsey, 1966 World Cup winner, is the only other manager to have guided England's men's team to a major tournament final.BBC Sport pundits choose England World Cup XIs - who would you pick?He said he believes England are "ready to win" a World Cup."Good luck to all the boys," Southgate said. "I know all the big knockout nights that we've had mean they are going to be full of confidence going into this tournament. They have overcome so many hurdles to winning - penalty shootouts, semi-finals, got so close - and they are ready to win."Hope everybody has a great month - and I'll be staying out of the way."Earlier this week, England midfielder Jude Bellingham said "expectation" played a part in the Three Lions' group not connecting "as well as it could" and that players "needed to feel loved" this summer.Of their Euro 2024 campaign, Bellingham said: "We had done well in 2018 and done well in Qatar [for the 2022 World Cup], and when it came to that tournament we were seen as one of two or three teams that should win it."We were not playing particularly well so even when we were winning you didn't get the feeling you were as happy as you should be."In a new BBC documentary, Southgate addresses the crisis he feels boys and young men are facing, and explores what is shaping the attitudes and outlook of this generation.Everything you need to know about the World Cup

World Cup News

Scotland reintroduced themselves to the Geopolitics World Cup in Boston and have settled in nicely, warmly welcomed even by the city’s finest. Their 1-0 win over Haiti won’t trouble the Louvre, but it will do very nicely for the Tartan Army’s emotional support portfolio. John McGinn’s first-half deflected finish gave Scotland their first World Cup win since 1990. The result also meant that it is now 27 years, 11 months and 19 days since Scotland last lost a match at the men’s World Cup.The victory put Steve Clarke’s side top of Group C, which feels thrilling given the five-time champions Brazil and the African champions (don’t tell Senegal) Morocco are still to come. There were moments of control, moments of panic, but Steve Clarke opted for the ‘job done’ approach to his analysis after the match. “I am absolutely delighted with my players,” tooted Scotland’s manager. “Resilience, character had to be on the pitch tonight. Everyone told us it was a must-win game and we won. When you win a must-win game, you have to be happy with yourselves.”Andy Robertson, meanwhile, showed more chest-thumping spirit after Scotland’s first appearance at a men’s World Cup since 1998. “What an amazing feeling. The lads achieved their dreams today,” the Liverpool Tottenham defender cheered. “It was such a long day waiting, I can’t imagine what the fans back home were like staying up so late.” Robertson also confirmed the key tactical insight of the night: don’t let the ball in. “The biggest thing was when we scored we didn’t look like conceding, and that has to be a credit to every single player out there that defended for their lives.”Haiti spent much of the night refusing to behave like an opening-game subplot and their coach Sébastien Migné was understandably torn between pride and frustration. “When you play a match, what you’re trying to do is win,” he sighed. “On one hand, I’m very proud of what the boys showed tonight. It was a very good showing, with some good football. When we know where we’re coming from, we rose to the challenge, but it makes it that much more frustrating that we came up slightly short.”So Scotland leave Boston with three points, top of the group, and with the kind of early tournament optimism that is best enjoyed quickly before more difficult questions. For now, though, the World Cup has offered them something rare: a win, a clean sheet, and the ability to look at the table without laughing nervously.Daniel Harris is in the hot seat to bring you minute-by-minute coverage of Germany 3-0 Curaçao from 6pm BST (1pm EDT), with Rob Smyth ready to roll for the Netherlands 2-2 Japan at 9pm BST (4pm EDT). Beau Dure then delivers updates from Côte d’Ivoire 1-1 Ecuador at 12am Monday BST (7pm Sunday EDT) before Jonathan Howcroft also tunes in for Sweden 2-1 Tunisia at Monday 3am BST (10pm Sunday EDT). And yes, our heads have been and are hurting.Everything you need to know (and more) about every squad member at the GWC. All 1,248 of them, in our essential interactive guide.“Irankunda have my children” – Australia fans give a measured response to the Socceroos’s 2-0 win over Turkey and goalscoring hero Nestory Irankunda. Big Website’s Rafqa Touma went down to Melbourne’s Federation Square to meet some excited individuals. And fair enough, to be honest.double quotation markImagine the horror: the 11th thing I learned (yesterday’s Football Daily) came when your email landed in my inbox on a SATURDAY! For a moment I thought I missed going to work. We are not getting any younger and nor are our hearts” – Krishnamoorthy V (and others).double quotation markRe: cult GWC kits (yesterday’s Football Daily). Between the wavy lines of the USA USA USA kit, along with Croatia’s red and white squares, it’s obvious that Bridget Riley is having a great influence on the tournament” – Derrick Cameron.double quotation markAs a jowly and rapidly swelling middle-aged disappointment (it’s like I ate myself and then asked for seconds) I feel compelled to launch into the GWC fashion debate. While the USA USA USA kit might be striking, is there not a hint of Judge Dredd to the badge? Loved him in the 80s … but deeply unsettling now. Regardless, my vote goes to the Mexico home kit” – Ricardo Brindisi.If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day is … Derrick Cameron. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.Listen up! It’s the latest World Cup Daily podcast. And watch up! You can watch it here if video is more your thing.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.