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Scaloni rests Messi for Argentina's final group game against Jordan at World Cup 2026
Lionel Messi, who has scored all five of Argentina's goals at the tournament, will begin their final Group Stage match against Jordan on the bench, with manager Lionel Scaloni confirming the 39-year-old will enter as a second-half substitute.
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Aston Villa fined £570,000 by Premier League for ten late kick-off breaches
Aston Villa have been handed a £570,000 fine after admitting responsibility for delaying kick-offs on ten separate occasions last season, with penalties escalating from £5,000 to £150,000 per incident.
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Lineker blasts FIFA's five-match ban for Madibo as 'nonsense' after Kone's broken leg
Gary Lineker has publicly criticised FIFA for handing Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo a five-match ban following a tackle that left Canada's Ismael Kone with a broken tibia and fibula. The former England striker called the punishment 'a complete nonsense' and 'absurd', arguing the challenge was accidental.
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Ronaldo at 45? Mills says Portugal star faces coaching role over starting spot at 2030 World Cup
Former England defender Danny Mills believes Cristiano Ronaldo, currently 41 and competing at the 2026 World Cup, is unlikely to feature as an outfield starter in 2030 — and may instead transition into a player-coach role for Portugal.
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Stones emerges as Tuchel's best right-back option after James suffers hamstring blow
Reece James has picked up a hamstring injury ahead of England's World Cup Group L clash with Panama in New Jersey on Saturday, leaving Thomas Tuchel to find a makeshift solution at right-back. Former England defender Danny Mills has backed John Stones as the strongest available option.
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Man United lose race for Elliot Anderson as £116m City deal ends their interest
Manchester City have agreed a £116m deal for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, ending Manchester United's pursuit. United now turn their attention to Mateus Fernandes as their primary midfield target this summer.
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Reece James injury forces Tuchel into defensive reshuffle for England's must-win Panama clash
England need a win against already-eliminated Panama in New Jersey to secure top spot in World Cup Group L, but Thomas Tuchel faces a defensive headache after Reece James was ruled out — and could miss the last-32 tie as well.
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Phillips admits injury cycle has derailed his Man City career as he seeks fresh start
Kalvin Phillips has opened up on three years of frustration at Manchester City, admitting that a lack of regular football has compounded his injury problems. The £45m signing remains under contract until 2028 but is expected to leave the Etihad this summer.
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Souness warns Gordon's £70m Barcelona move is under threat after timid World Cup displays
Graeme Souness has delivered a sharp verdict on Anthony Gordon's World Cup performances, warning that Barcelona will be 'wondering what they've bought' after the £70m signing played conservatively in England's opening group games.
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Scotland's World Cup knockout hopes fall to 0.07% after Senegal and Iran results
Opta has put Scotland's chances of advancing at the 2026 World Cup at just 0.07 per cent — roughly one in 2,000 — after Senegal's 5-0 win over Iraq and Iran's draw with Egypt left Steve Clarke's side second-bottom of the third-place standings.
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Bielsa takes sole blame after Uruguay exit World Cup without a single win
Marcelo Bielsa delivered a sombre farewell after Uruguay were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup, losing 1-0 to Spain to finish Group H without a victory. The Argentine coach said his three-year tenure left nothing of value for Uruguayan football.
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United close in on Ederson deal as Fernandes battle with Spurs heats up
Manchester United are finalising a second summer signing after agreeing terms with Atalanta for midfielder Ederson, while a separate pursuit of West Ham's Mateus Fernandes is set to intensify next week when the new financial year opens on July 1.
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Schmeichel sees his 2016 Leicester miracle reflected in Cape Verde's World Cup run
Kasper Schmeichel has drawn a direct parallel between Cape Verde's stunning 2026 World Cup campaign and Leicester City's 5,000-to-1 Premier League title win, pointing to team culture as the defining factor behind both underdog stories.
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Haaland cheers on Mbappe and lifts teammates despite Norway's 4-1 defeat to France
Erling Haaland was left on the bench as Norway lost 4-1 to France in their final World Cup group game in Boston, yet the Manchester City striker remained visibly upbeat — congratulating Mbappe after the final whistle and keeping spirits high in the Norway camp.
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Mourinho targets Enzo Fernandez for Real Madrid as Camavinga faces exit to fund £106m deal
Jose Mourinho has identified Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez as a top transfer target at Real Madrid, but Los Blancos may need to sell Eduardo Camavinga or Aurelien Tchouameni before pursuing the £106m Argentine.
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Carrick's desire to keep Dalot complicates United's pursuit of Alexander-Arnold
Manchester United have been linked with a swap deal that would send Diogo Dalot to Real Madrid in exchange for Trent Alexander-Arnold, but manager Michael Carrick is reportedly reluctant to lose the Portugal international.
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Taremi calls 2026 World Cup a 'disaster' as Iran boss urges Infantino to act over US visa crisis
Iran captain Mehdi Taremi has labelled the 2026 World Cup a 'disaster' after his squad were forced to fly in from Mexico on match days due to the US-Iran conflict, while manager Amir Ghalenoei called on FIFA president Gianni Infantino to 'stand up' to the host nation.
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Cape Verde stun football world to reach World Cup last 32 as smallest nation in knockout history
Cape Verde's 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia was enough to send the island nation of 500,000 into the World Cup last 32, where they will face reigning champions Argentina. Their players gathered on the pitch to watch Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 — the result that confirmed their historic progression.
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Brazil demand FIFA ban referee Ramos from their games after Vinicius goal disallowed vs Scotland
The Brazilian Football Confederation has filed a formal complaint with FIFA requesting that Mexican referee Cesar Ramos not officiate any of their remaining World Cup matches, citing a controversial VAR-overturned Vinicius Jr goal in their 3-0 win over Scotland.
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Salah faces hamstring scans at World Cup as Egypt sweat on captain before Australia clash
Mohamed Salah was substituted in the 57th minute of Egypt's 1-1 draw with Iran on Saturday after complaining of hamstring pain, leaving his availability for next Friday's last-32 tie against Australia in serious doubt.
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