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Norway coach Solbakken backs striker to make impact‘He’s played better and better in training,’ 58-year-old saysThe venue where one footballing great’s World Cup journey ended will witness the beginning for another. Little did anybody know at the time that Diego Maradona’s appearance for Argentina against Nigeria in 1994 would be his last on football’s biggest stage. It was then the Foxboro Stadium. Fast forward 32 years. Same place, different name. At the Boston Stadium, Erling Haaland will play in the World Cup for the first time as Norway face Iraq on Tuesday.Careers can be defined by this tournament. It is a reference point, for example, that George Best never featured in one. “I think he is the world’s best goalscorer,” said the Norway head coach, Ståle Solbakken. “He is physically fit. I think he has gradually played better and better in training.“He is where he wants to be and hopefully the team can give him the service he needs to get goals. If you give Erling chances, he has a tendency to score,” Solbakken, who does a decent line in understatement, added.The 58-year-old gave a short shrift to speculation regarding Real Madrid trying to sign Haaland. “We haven’t talked about it at all,” he said. “It doesn’t interest me and I haven’t heard anything about it.”Half a mile from the stadium, the global media representation as Norway completed Monday’s training session told a story. Tore André Flo was regarded as an formidable international striker until Haaland burst on to the scene, smashing all records before him. The amiable Flo was smart enough to talk around a question from a member of the French media over who is the better striker, Haaland or Kylian Mbappé.Flo did, however, assert this is the most talented batch of Norwegian players in history. “I think so, yes,” said the former Chelsea player. “If you look at their abilities with the ball, where they play, we have the top scorer in the Premier League and the captain of the team that won the Premier League. So there are some big superstars in this team. There are now more than two. There are lots of players who can positively decide a result. There are threats on the wings, centrally, the opportunities can come from anywhere. Offensively they are very strong.“That applies a bit of pressure but at the same time it is 28 years since we have been here so they have already achieved something that the Norwegian people are happy about. Yes, there is some pressure but there are a lot of other teams with more pressure than Norway.”Flo shrugged off any sense Haaland could wilt under the weight of expectation. “Every year he is going to a new level,” he said. “He has gone from smaller clubs to bigger and huge clubs. He has continued to do well so it doesn’t seem to affect him. I expect he will just keep on going.”It would be incorrect to regard Martin Ødegaard as a bit-part player in this scene. The Arsenal midfielder is crucial to Norwegian hopes. And, indeed, to chance creation for Haaland. “I am very happy those players are Norwegian,” the Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer says. “It is a huge advantage for us to have two players who are among the best in the world. They come here with a lot of confidence and hopefully they can produce the goals and assists we need. They will always get the most attention but I feel like focus has shifted towards the team. We are humble but very confident.”It is only natural to ponder how the extraordinary Haaland – who averages more than a goal per game at international level – will perform at a World Cup. Iraq provide a favourable start in his quest for the Golden Boot. Senegal and France should offer sterner tests.Solbakken believes he “won’t have to say a lot” to incentivise his team and sought to defuse last week’s row with Scotland, after the cancellation of a training game triggered fury in the Norway camp. “I am finished with that,” Solbakken added. “Now for me it is good luck to Scotland. I have always supported Scotland as a big Liverpool fan; Alan Hansen, Kenny Dalglish, Steve Nicol. I didn’t like what happened there but that has been over for a long time now. No hard feelings.”Haaland’s World Cup buildup has involved golf with childhood friends in Marbella and taking in game five of the Stanley Cup final during Norway’s training camp in North Carolina. The Manchester City man has confidently predicted his country will get through the group stage. If that happens he would upstage his father.Alf-Inge Haaland was part of the Norway squad which finished bottom of their group when the tournament was held in the US in 1994. In a documentary released on his YouTube channel this week, Erling tries on Alf-Inge’s strip from that tournament. “‘Haaland 18?’” laughs Erling. “Too high a number, that.” His sense of humour is dry. In the same video, he reads out messages written on City strips from the departing Bernardo Silva and John Stones. “I needed you for the Champions League,” wrote Silva. Haaland nodded. “It’s true they couldn’t win the Champions League until I arrived.”That quest for City, Silva and Haaland ended in 2023. In Massachusetts, another one will take flight. Norway’s dreams depend on Haaland. The 25-year-old’s already exalted position in this game will be elevated even further if he seizes the moment.

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Images of Merlin, a two-year-old duck, parading on the streets of Mexico City celebrated by fans on social mediaJulián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez may have scored the goals, but a duck stole the show.As Mexico celebrated its World Cup-opening victory over South Africa on Thursday, Merlin, a two-year-old duck dressed in the national team’s colors, became an unlikely internet sensation and the tournament’s first unofficial mascot.Images of Merlin parading through Mexico City, wearing a Mexican national team jersey – and socks – as thousands of fans celebrated, quickly went viral, racking up millions of views across social media. Overnight, and as if by the magic of the famous wizard who inspired his name, Merlin had captivated the internet.“We want to see Merlin in the stadium,” one user wrote. “This duck is already a national treasure,” said another. “The best thing about the World Cup so far,” declared a third.In Mexico City, however, Merlin was already something of a local celebrity.A familiar sight at fairs and events in the historic city center, the duck regularly accompanies his owner, Carla Gómez, who sells water and soft drinks from a little cart each weekend. Along the way, the animal attracts plenty of delighted squeals, affectionate greetings and eager requests from passersby for a photo together.“We don’t like to leave him alone at home; we like him to be with us. He’s our baby,” Gómez said. “He’s the baby, the sole heir to all my possessions and now an idol.”Rain or shine, Merlin follows Gómez and her young son Cristian through some of the capital’s best-known landmarks, including Alameda Central, the Palace of Fine Arts and the Zócalo square. The duck shares a particularly close bond with Cristian, for whom he was originally a gift, becoming what Gómez describes as the boy’s inseparable companion.“Merlin had already become famous for selling bottled water,” Gómez said, recalling her surprise at her pet’s sudden rise to fame.“He is always with us; we never imagined he’d become such a sensation,” she added. “We weren’t expecting it.”Now, the family hopes Mexico’s famous feathered supporter can continue bringing luck to the host nation, which is staging the World Cup for the third time after hosting the tournament in 1970 and 1986 – this time a co-host alongside Canada and the United States.“Mexico, we are with you,” Gómez said. “And Merlin is your No 1 fan.”

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Keeper named player of the match against Euro winners‘I have worked my whole life for this moment,’ he saysVozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who was named player of the match after making seven saves in his side’s 0-0 draw against Spain, was in tears at full time. The mother of Cape Verde’s World Cup hero was not there to see history made because she could not afford the visa to the US.The goalkeeper described the game as the moment he had been working towards his “entire life” and said he wished he could have shared the moment with his late grandparents and his mother.In January the US government added Cape Verde to the list of countries whose citizens have to post a returnable bond of up to $15,000 (£11,200) before travelling to the US, on top of the visa fee. As a result, Vozinha’s mother was unable to complete her application. Vozinha has been Cape Verde’s No 1 for 13 years.“I cried because I grew up with my grandparents and unfortunately they were not here; they died a few years ago,” he said. “They were everything for me, for my life. I also cried because my mum didn’t manage to be here because of the visa. Because of the money we had to pay for the visa, we didn’t manage to [get it done] on time. I would like her to be here, but I’m also very happy.“I have worked my whole life for this moment. I’m 40 years old. I started playing football professionally when I was 25, in 2012. I thought about leaving but I continued because of this dream. This is for everyone. I was named man of the match but this is for all of my teammates because without them nothing would be possible. I will continue to work for Cape Verde and for the people.Spain, unsurprisingly, had the majority of possession but struggled to break down a well organised Cape Verde defence. Ferran Torres hit the bar in the European champions’ best chance. Everything else that was on target Vozinha stopped.“Our best weapon is our unity. The way we treat our family is our best strength. Everyone thought we came here just to enjoy the World Cup, but we know we have a team that deserves respect. It’s our first time, but we are here to compete and to fight for our country. We will play all the games with our strategy and our coach’s tactics. We will try to do better than today’s game. I hope we can win some games and, who knows, maybe go through to the next round. I am very happy and proud of all our players.”The Cape Verde head coach, Bubista, said: “Vozinha is overwhelmed by the emotion. He has made a huge effort to be here, and those were tears of resilience. I don’t like to talk about individuals, but he played so well. The team was calm and that helped to keep him calm.“This means everything for the country. We’ve always said that we want the whole world to see how our team plays. We showed courage, playing in a way that is a metaphor for our country: with resilience and overcoming obstacles.”

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Group G hotted up in earnest with presumptive frontrunners Belgium and Egypt opening their World Cup campaigns with a credible draw. A crowd of 66,775 watched on under the intense sun of the early North American summer, in a contest which warranted the contentious cooling breaks that have been universally adopted for this tournament.The group’s headline clash was slated as a noon affair under a heat advisory in Seattle, with on-field temperatures of 30C (86F) and high, hazy clouds at kick-off. There was scarcely an empty seat to be found, forming a sea of red and white owing to the teams’ similar colours.Both sides tested Ramon Abatti’s tolerance for contact and exchanged a pair of early yellow cards. As the match entered its 20th minute, Egypt found a breakthrough. A quick restart caught Belgium backpedalling into position as Egypt approached the final third. Some nifty right-sided buildup found Salah, where he turned to his left and assessed.Playing on his 34th birthday, Salah fizzed a pass to his left where Emam Ashour collected and cut toward the top of the D. The midfielder fired a shot underneath Thomas Meunier’s dangling leg and beyond a diving Thibaut Courtois, who had overcommitted to his left and was unable to stretch far enough to his right. It was a timely first international goal for the Al-Ahly midfielder on his 30th appearance.The stands at Seattle Stadium physically rocked during the raucous celebration, a hallmark of the venue when it hosts American and association football alike (as well as Taylor Swift concerts).Belgium struggled to maximise their width for large portions of the first half. Egypt was proactive when closing down Jérémy Doku, often doubling-up on the winger whenever the ball went in his direction. On the opposite flank, Leandro Trossard often seemed in two minds about what to do in possession, having the ball taken off of him three times in the opening half hour.After Ashour’s opener, however, Doku switched to the right where Egypt had fewer numbers. Belgium were able to sustain the bulk of possession after conceding, advancing into the final third with regularity but struggling to fashion dangerous chances or shots on Mostafa Shobeir’s goal.As first-half stoppage time loomed, passes and shots increased in desperation. A long-range effort from Kevin De Bruyne failed to enter the box, instead smacking the striker Charles De Ketelaere on the backside. Doku tried a volley but shanked it well above the bar. Egypt nearly found a second with the half’s final action, but the last in a series of corners drifted above the scrum and tamely into open terrain.Belgium picked up where they left off in search of an equaliser. De Bruyne curled a 21-yard free-kick over the wall before clattering the post in the 53rd minute. Egypt were opportunistic and broke on the counter to earn a corner. As the ball recirculated down the wing, Salah was able to win a header just beyond the six-yard box. His effort bounced just in front of Courtois, who was able to parry it to his left to an awaiting Ashour, who could not double his tally as his shot rolled well wide of the exposed far post.As Belgium shot more speculatively, Egypt comported themselves with greater aspiration than sitting in a bunker. The Pharaohs broke on the counter when able but otherwise were content to have possession in midfield with its defence well-stationed behind. De Bruyne had another effort roll tamely into Shobeir’s embrace a minute after a Youri Tielemans volley swung past his far post. Egypt’s fans fought their nerves, but Belgium did little to truly intensify their mid-afternoon sweats.At last, in the 66th minute, Rudi Garcia did what so many Belgium coaches have done and put his team’s fate at Romelu Lukaku’s feet. It proved a savvy switch, as a quick break by Meunier into the box for a close-range cross found Lukaku sliding between a pair of defenders in close proximity to Shobeir. The ball went beyond Lukaku’s leg but caught the inside of Mohamed Hany’s boot and rolled into Egypt’s net, levelling the game just before the second-half drinks break.In the end, Salah was unable to mark his birthday with a goal before he exited in the 75th minute. Shobeir made an impressive save on a header by Brandon Mechele without letting it fall to an onrushing Lukaku, while Courtois had to tip a speculative long-range lob by Ahmed Fatouh on to the top of his net in the ensuing sequence. De Bruyne and Doku exited shortly after despite continuing to provide danger, with Rudi Garcia preserving his stars at such an early stage of the tournament.While Egypt were unable to preserve a famous first World Cup win, taking a point off Belgium could be pivotal for their hopes of a first advancement from the group stage. They and Belgium will look to games against Iran and New Zealand to secure a place in the round of 32, both showing a willingness to get stuck in while playing with ample quality.

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Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Saudi Arabia v Uruguay at the Miami Stadium. Saudi Arabia started the last World Cup with a stunning victory over Argentina. They’d love to do the same another South American giant tonight – not least because it would increase their chances of getting out of a World Cup group for only the second time. The first, as any football nerd worth their loneliness will know, came on their World Cup debut at USA 94.Uruguay didn’t even qualify for that tournament. They also missed out in 1998 and 2006, but a memorable run to the semi-finals in 2010 reminded everyone of their pedigree – and their ability to attract or cause controversy.They’ve been a fixture since then and, while it’s hard to see them adding a third triumph to sit alongside 1930 and 1950, they never leave a World Cup without making an impression. Last time around, they and Ghana managed to knock each other out of the competition.Whatever Uruguay achieve this time round, it won’t be dull, not when they are coached by Marcelo Bielsa.

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With France captain in spotlight at team hotel and in home press, head coach tries to pull focus ahead of World Cup opener against SenegalSince France arrived at their World Cup base in Boston last week they have been a regular source of fascination for locals. Crowds of mostly young people have formed outside Les Bleus’ downtown hotel to cheer the team as they leave for training. All the players are met with pleas for waves and autographs, but the roar that meets Kylian Mbappé is of a different order altogether.Mbappé is one of a small number of contemporary footballers whose names have cut through with the US public (though he is not yet a mononym, unlike Messi). As France begin their quest for a third World Cup he is inevitably the focus back home too, not least after giving an interview to Le Parisien at the weekend in which he denied ambitions of one day becoming president of France, saying: “I’m hated enough as it is!”For Didier Deschamps, the question of how to handle the Mbappé phenomenon is one of many that require striking a delicate balance. Fortunately, the 57-year-old has some experience in the demands and contradictions of leading a top international team. Speaking on the eve of their Group I opener against Senegal, with all the extra distractions of 2002 and all that, the French head coach was set on turning down the temperature.Deschamps has been steadfast in his support for his captain in the buildup to the tournament as Mbappé’s public opposition to far-right politics in France has led to criticism from figures such as Michel Platini. Mbappé was not present at France’s pre-match press conference, with N’Golo Kanté speaking instead. Deschamps denied this had anything to do with any public remarks or controversy, but also said: “My priority is to protect my players.”Asked whether the extent of Mbappé’s fame meant he had to take a different approach to managing him, Deschamps did not demur. “I speak to [Mbappé] very often and he’s a world-famous player even in the US but it’s his life,” he said. “He manages himself. Kylian is Kylian. The younger generation, the less younger, love him everywhere in the world, but that doesn’t mean he’s not normal when he plays and when he’s in the group. This has got nothing to do with why he is not here today.”Only four members of the squad that won the World Cup in 2018 remain, Mbappé and Kanté among them. Another is the reigning Ballon d’Or, Ousmane Dembélé, who is also the focus of pre-tournament expectations, with the hope he can bring his club form to the international stage, where he has seven goals from 59 caps. Here, the messaging from Deschamps is different, as he chose to lower any pressure on the Paris Saint-Germain forward. “Ousmane is concerned and concentrated like all the other players, but there clearly is a desire to be very good and to be decisive, just like he is regularly with his club, PSG,” he said.Dembélé has been given extra time to recover from last month’s Champions League final, with Deschamps adding intriguingly that his place in the team against Senegal would be dependent on “physical and probably more importantly psychological” considerations. “If he’s at his top level it will be a plus for the French squad,” he said.All the individual deflections add up to a cumulative approach from Deschamps as he enters his final tournament as French head coach: he wants to dial down any suggestions that his team are the favourites to win this World Cup. “France has the ability to win … but so do six or seven other nations,” he said. “The way there is going to be hard. Of course, France has high-level potential because of the results it has produced over the last two World Cups. We’ve also got many high-quality players for whom this will be their first World Cup. And so I don’t want to paint the French squad as better than the others.”Deschamps eventually left the bowels of the New York New Jersey Stadium looking relaxed, and feigned shock when told in parting that his training session that afternoon would be, briefly, open to the media. Much of his team may not have seen anything like this World Cup before, but the coach and his key lieutenants are accustomed to the scrutiny.

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Wow, just wow. At 1.57pm, Atlanta time, 3,291 miles from home, the final whistle went on Cape Verde’s first World Cup game, and they had only gone and done it and what they had done was madness – they had only gone and held the favourites. Bubista had said that he wanted the world to see who and what they are and, boy, did they see. Cape Verde’s coach had insisted that getting here was was more than football – it was music, it was culture, it was everything. So what was this? This was wonderful. What a moment and what a noise greeted the moment when the impossible had become real.An Atlantic archipelago of 600,000 people. A Shamrock Rovers centre-back from Crumlin, Dublin, who had been found on LinkedIn. A goalkeeper from Portugal’s second division, another Josimar leaving his mark on the history of this competition and a million minds, to be talked about for generations. All of them. They had come to the US, faced Spain, and resisted them, their bodies on the line and their hearts on their sleeves. Even the introduction of Lamine Yamal, the teenage icon cast as Spain’s saviour couldn’t defeat them.Cape Verde got a point from Atlanta but they got a whole, whole lot more. They might have literally got more. As this game entered the final, dramatic, tense minutes with the score at 0-0, it was they, not Spain, who actually got the best chances. Amazingly on 90 minutes Diney Borges leapt inside the Spain area, rising to meet a header and his moment of immortality only for Unai Simón to save. Three minutes later Ryan Mendes had his opportunity too. Dani Olmo had to block from Kevin Pina too, an incredible story on the edge of getting even more absurd. But this will live for ever.And if those were huge moments, so too was the astonishing block from Pico Lopes, diving in on 88 minutes to deny Olmo. Lopes, born in Dublin, the man whose coach contacted him on LinkedIn and who had ignored the first message – it was in a language he doesn’t understand and he assumed it was spam – has made history. Behind Lopes, 40-year-old Josimar “Vozinha” Dias had too. They all had; what heroes they have become. A starting XI that plays in eight different leagues, none of them the elite, an entire 26, had held off Spain. Nothing does stories like football, like the World Cup.Spain had 24 shots and couldn’t find a way through, but this wasn’t fluke, far from it. Bubista’s players had worked for it, deserved it from the very start when that countdown to kick-off came and, a minute and six seconds later than scheduled, Dailon Livramento got Cape Verde’s first-ever touch at a World Cup.And so it began, an act of rebellion and resistance. Bubista has said his team would have the courage to attack but also that they would have to defend well and that was the priority here, naturally enough. Spain took possession but didn’t really find a way to take advantage. Sitting on the bench behind Luis de la Fuente were Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, the men – well, boy in the latter’s case – who had made them so different at the Euros. Both are on their way back from injury and without them it is not just that the selección lack exceptional players, it is that their identity shifts.For Spain, there wasn’t much happening in truth, at least not to begin with. It took 14 minutes for Pedri to have their first shot, then Pau Cubarsí struck wide, and that was pretty much that. When the first quarter ended with fans whistling the time-out-disguised-as-a-cooling-break in an air-conditioned stadium that has a roof, they had not troubled Cape Verde. As the players gathered in a circle around De la Fuente, the coach’s message was clear, hand thrusting in a cutting motion.When they came back for the second quarter, it was Ryan Mendes who had the first notable moment, lifting the ball over Gavi and seeing his shot blocked by Marc Cucurella. There was also a moment when Livramento shot from halfway. And Jovane Cabral curled wide. But Spain did improve and as the half came towards a close the chances appeared. Which was when Vozinha did, too. The first of a series of superb saves came from Mikel Oyarzabal’s header after Ferran Torres hit the bar.That had begun, like much of what Spain did, from Cucurella getting in behind. And when he did so again soon after, he pulled back for Torres to strike a first-time shot. Vozinha saved that too, and again when Aymeric Laporte headed towards the far post just before the break. Spain came back out with the appearance of more intent, more aggression. Pedri was back at the heart of it. The shot count rose, at the feet of Fabián Ruiz especially. Yet it still wasn’t quite happening, and time was getting on.And on, and on. And, to the surprise of everyone here, while Spain’s subs warmed up, there were still no changes. They reached the end of the third quarter before Lamine Yamal appeared, the second water break bringing instructions and the introduction of the teenager. Mikel Merino came with him. Lamine Yamal’s introduction changed everything, the whole mood, the noise. Well, almost everything. It didn’t change history, not this time. Cape Verde did that and it was music.

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FA opted for a city Thomas Tuchel’s side have no group matches in but have emphasised home comforts for players to feel at easeThe first thing to say about England in Kansas City is that the locals seem genuinely delighted to have them here. The welcome for Thomas Tuchel and his players has been warm, coloured by the charm and friendliness of the midwest.Yet there is also a question that people have asked, particularly those who are connected to Argentina, the Netherlands and Algeria – the other World Cup nations who have chosen to base themselves in this area. Why are England here? Unlike the trio, they have no group matches at the city’s Arrowhead Stadium.There are several strands to the answer which, when put together, convinced the Football Association that Kansas City would provide the surest springboard to glory at what is the most bloated and challenging World Cup of them all.The governing body like Kansas City’s central location, knowing it will mitigate the travel distances to and from games; England will not have any flights of more than three-and-a-half hours. The countries that choose to ground-hop in the knockout rounds rather than return to a fixed base as England plan to do could find themselves looking at some unappealing journeys.The FA believe there is a significant advantage to having an actual home – or at least a home from home – previous tournaments have shown them this. It will mean, for example, that staff do not have to lug their equipment around every three to five days; a physical and mental challenge. The fact England kick-off their three group games in mid-to-late afternoon (local time) means they ought to get back to Kansas City at a reasonable hour afterwards.The emphasis, really, is on home comforts, which the FA have sought to push at the team hotel – the four-star, 54-room Inn at Meadowbrook, which the squad have taken exclusively. There is plenty of outdoor space, freedom for the players to get out in the fresh air; perhaps for a game of basketball – the FA have had a hoop installed.There are communal spaces, including some with screens to watch the World Cup or, indeed, other sports. There is an area for recovery, with a sauna and places for relaxation. And then there are the little touches, including those that greeted the players when they checked in on Saturday.“There was an iPad in my room with photos on it – like a slideshow,” said the backup goalkeeper James Trafford. “The first photo was me and my missus. It was a nice surprise. Then I had a box that my missus did for me … with little personal touches. What was in it? She put a few things in to open at different stages of the tournament – a thing for every week. She put two face masks in there, as well. Very thoughtful. And she put in a Lego set of a tractor.”Trafford hails from farming stock in Cumbria and can actually drive a tractor. “I’m a farmer, aren’t I?” he said. “It’s not the biggest Lego tractor and I haven’t built it yet. We’ve only just got here. I don’t want to jump the gun.”Tuchel’s No 1 goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, said the mood in the camp was “in a great place”. He added in an interview with TalkSport: “The FA put a lot of hard work in behind the scenes … what a lot of the media, the fans and the people at home don’t see. I’ve got to pay massive credit to that because it makes it feel like home. Even just little things like the family box, which was obviously from my wife, Megan, and the kids. What was in mine? Haribos! Some nice bits, some photos and some cards.”Pickford has been a fixture in the team since the 2018 World Cup and is now at his fifth major international tournament finals. “I’ve always said in tournaments that it’s not smooth sailing,” he said. “It’s always going to be a rollercoaster. People will have down days, you might be sick of each other for the odd day, that’s part and parcel of it.“But this camp with this manager … he’ll keep pushing that brotherhood and it’s down to the players to keep driving it. I love every minute when I’m away. Having a crowd of lads, having a bit of fun. Even if I’m getting battered myself, I’ll take it on the chin.”

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⚽️ Kick-off time: 5pm local/8pm BST/3pm EDT/5am AEST⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Wallchart The other teams in Group G are Iran and New Zealand, who meet in the last of today’s games.Hel and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Belgium v Egypt at the Seattle Stadium. The 2026 World Cup is gathering pace – we’re already into day five, and by tomorrow morning 32 of the 48 teams will have been in action. Continue reading...