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Mourinho seals £51.7m Cucurella deal for Real Madrid, ending interest in Arsenal's Calafiori
Real Madrid have agreed to sign Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella for £51.7m, with José Mourinho opting for the Spain international over Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori as he moves quickly to rebuild his defence.
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World Cup quiz: Which player completes the Cafu-to-Mbappe sequence?
FourFourTwo's Pre-Match Poser no.31 challenges readers to identify the next player in a sequence that runs from Cafu through Marco Amelia, Alberto Gilardino, Toni Kroos, Andre Schurrle, and Kylian Mbappe. Last week's answer revealed Giuseppe Meazza as the longest-serving incumbent World Cup-winning captain.
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Curacao score their first-ever World Cup goal against Germany in Houston
Curacao made history at the 2026 World Cup, scoring their first-ever goal in the tournament during their Group Stage clash with Germany at the NRG Stadium in Houston. The Caribbean island nation, with a population of just 155,000, is appearing at their maiden World Cup.
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Chelsea agree £47.5m fee to sell Cucurella to Real Madrid after four years at Stamford Bridge
Marc Cucurella is set to leave Chelsea for Real Madrid in a deal worth up to £47.5m, ending a four-year spell at Stamford Bridge. The Spain left-back will join under new Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, who is targeting defensive reinforcements.
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Netherlands face Japan in World Cup 2026 Group F clash of dark horses
Netherlands and Japan meet in Group F at World Cup 2026, with both sides considered among the tournament's most dangerous underdogs. Ronald Koeman's defensively solid Dutch side face a cohesive, pressing Japan team missing Kaoru Mitoma.
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Germany face Curacao in World Cup 2026 opener with Nagelsmann chasing record fifth title
Germany begin their World Cup 2026 campaign against debutants Curacao in Group E in Texas, with Julian Nagelsmann's side targeting a record-equalling fifth world title. Emma Hayes, Juan Mata and Ian Wright will provide studio analysis for UK viewers.
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Amorim's AC Milan move could slash Manchester United's £16m compensation bill
Manchester United stand to save a significant portion of the £15.9m compensation package owed to sacked manager Ruben Amorim if he takes the vacant head coach role at AC Milan, where he is reportedly the leading candidate.
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Jalal Jayed named referee for Germany vs Curacao at World Cup 2026
Moroccan official Jalal Jayed will take charge of Germany's World Cup 2026 opener against Curacao at NRG Stadium in Houston, becoming the first Moroccan referee at a World Cup since 2002.
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Chelsea sell Cucurella to Real Madrid for £51.7m days after his Xabi Alonso praise
Chelsea have agreed to sell Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid in a deal worth up to £51.7million, with an initial fee of £47.4m. The Spain full-back will complete the move after the World Cup, despite having three years left on his contract at Stamford Bridge.
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Salah and De Bruyne's World Cup duel exposes what the Premier League has lost
Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne face each other as captains of Egypt and Belgium in Seattle's Group G opener, a meeting that underscores how much English football depended on two players it almost never had.
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Eze vows to step up for England penalties despite Champions League final miss
Eberechi Eze missed Arsenal's second penalty in their 4-3 Champions League final defeat to PSG, but the 27-year-old says he will volunteer again if England face a shootout at the 2026 World Cup.
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Portugal carry Diogo Jota's memory into World Cup as Vitinha urges game-by-game focus
Portugal have arrived in the United States for the 2026 World Cup bearing bracelets inscribed with the name of the late Diogo Jota, as midfielder Vitinha called for calm amid expectations that the squad can win their first-ever world title.
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FIFA paying rejected Somali referee Artan in full is guilt, not generosity
Omar Artan was turned away at Miami International Airport after 11 hours of interrogation by US immigration officials and sent home to Mogadishu without officiating a single match. FIFA has since confirmed he will receive his full World Cup fee.
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Scotland end 35-year World Cup wait with 1-0 win over Haiti in Boston
Scotland beat Haiti 1-0 at Boston Stadium on Saturday to record their first World Cup victory since 1990, ending a 35-year wait. The Tartan Army celebrated in style, filling the stadium with renditions of 'Country Roads' and 'Sweet Caroline'.
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Tornado warning forces England to shelter as World Cup 2026 preparations hit fresh disruption
Thomas Tuchel's England squad were forced indoors by a tornado warning in Kansas City ahead of their Group L opener against Croatia, days after training equipment was stolen before their arrival.
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Wayne Rooney admits he wore pyjamas to watch son Kai play at Old Trafford
Wayne Rooney revealed on his podcast that he accidentally wore pyjamas instead of a tracksuit to watch his 16-year-old son Kai play for Manchester United's under-18s at Old Trafford, only realising the mistake when he got home.
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Endo retires from international football after broken foot ends World Cup dream
Wataru Endo has withdrawn from Japan's World Cup squad and retired from international football after failing to recover from a broken left foot and ruptured ligament sustained in February. The Liverpool midfielder, 33, earned 73 caps for Japan since 2015.
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Scotland beats Haiti and secures first World Cup group-stage win since 1990
Scotland dominated Haiti 1-0 on Saturday in Kansas City thanks to a goal from John McGinn in the 27th minute. The Scots claim their first group-stage victory at a World Cup since 1990 and take the lead in Group C.
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Irankunda's wonder strike makes him Australia's youngest World Cup scorer as Socceroos lead Turkey
Nestory Irankunda became Australia's youngest ever World Cup goalscorer with a stunning solo effort in the 27th minute, giving the Socceroos a 1-0 half-time lead over Turkey in their Group D clash despite being outplayed on possession and shots.
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Gordon's £70m Barcelona move opens door for Nunez reunion Klopp never managed at Liverpool
Anthony Gordon's £70m switch to Barcelona has revived speculation linking former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez with a move to Camp Nou, potentially assembling the attacking partnership Jurgen Klopp once pursued but could never complete at Anfield.
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