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England beat Ukraine 3-0 but fall short of automatic World Cup qualification
The Lionesses responded to Friday's 4-0 thrashing by Spain with a professional 3-0 win over Ukraine at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium, but Spain's simultaneous victory over Iceland sealed Group A3 and condemned England to the play-offs for a place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
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Malard's acrobatic goal sends France to 2027 World Cup in Brazil
Melvine Malard's acrobatic finish in the 40th minute gave France a 1-0 victory over Ireland at Stade des Alpes in Grenoble on Tuesday, securing direct qualification for the 2027 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
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Four sets of brothers will represent rival nations at the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will feature four pairs of brothers competing for different countries, from the Williams siblings split between Spain and Ghana to the Doué brothers divided by France and Ivory Coast — a trend shaped by decades of migration to Europe.
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Guehi likens Tuchel to Guardiola and backs Stones' England recall despite City absence
Marc Guehi has drawn striking parallels between Thomas Tuchel and Pep Guardiola, saying both managers share the same passion and tactical vision. The Manchester City defender also defended John Stones' place in the England squad despite his limited club minutes this season.
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Tuchel warns Bellingham his England starting spot is far from guaranteed at World Cup 2026
Thomas Tuchel has made clear that Jude Bellingham is not assured of a starting role at the World Cup, with the Real Madrid midfielder in a three-way battle with Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for England's No.10 position.
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Tuchel confirms Saka's Achilles concern leaves England sweating before World Cup opener
Bukayo Saka is managing an Achilles problem and is not yet at full fitness, Thomas Tuchel confirmed ahead of England's final warm-up against Costa Rica on Wednesday, with the tournament opener against Croatia on June 17.
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Tuchel managing Saka carefully as England build him up for World Cup 2026
Thomas Tuchel has confirmed England are taking precautions with Bukayo Saka following a March injury, gradually building up the Arsenal winger ahead of the World Cup 2026 group stage. The other three Arsenal players in camp — Madueke, Eze and Rice — are fully fit.
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Timber ruled out of World Cup as groin injury dashes lifelong Netherlands dream
Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has been forced to withdraw from the Netherlands' World Cup squad after failing to recover sufficiently from the groin injury he sustained in March. Lutscharel Geertruida has been named as his replacement.
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Somalia's first-ever World Cup referee denied US entry after 11-hour airport interrogation
Omar Artan, set to become the first Somali referee at a World Cup, was turned away at Miami International Airport after an 11-hour interrogation and subsequently removed from FIFA's roster. US Customs cited unspecified "vetting concerns" despite Artan holding a valid visa.
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Liverpool and Man City locked in £112m battle to sign RB Leipzig winger Diomande
Journalist Gianluca Di Marzio says 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande will end up at either Liverpool or Manchester City this summer, with RB Leipzig demanding upwards of £112m for a player contracted until 2030.
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Tuchel promises physical intensity as England face Costa Rica in final World Cup warm-up
Thomas Tuchel says England will push hard in Wednesday's warm-up against Costa Rica, with players set for 60-70 minutes ahead of the squad's move to their World Cup base in Kansas. The manager also played down talk of England being tournament favourites.
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180,000 tickets remain unsold on FIFA resale portals as World Cup 2026 approaches
Nearly 180,000 tickets for World Cup 2026 are still listed on FIFA's official resale portals, with the United States' opening match against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium yet to sell out despite the tournament beginning this week.
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Real Madrid sack Arbeloa to clear path for Mourinho's return under re-elected Perez
Real Madrid have confirmed the departure of head coach Álvaro Arbeloa, clearing the way for José Mourinho to return to the club. President Florentino Perez, re-elected by a landslide, publicly pledged during his campaign to bring Mourinho back for a second spell.
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Arbeloa leaves Real Madrid, Mourinho expected to take over
Real Madrid officially confirmed Tuesday the departure of Alvaro Arbeloa, manager since January. José Mourinho, who led the club from 2010 to 2013, is tipped to succeed him.
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Gregg Berhalter pens emotional World Cup letter to son Sebastian ahead of USA debut
Former USA head coach Gregg Berhalter has written a heartfelt open letter to his son Sebastian, a midfielder on the 2026 World Cup roster, telling him: "I am proud of you because of who you are, not because of what you accomplish."
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Tuchel uses barbecues and themed food nights to sharpen England's World Cup edge
Thomas Tuchel has made outdoor dining and themed food evenings a regular feature of England's World Cup camp in the United States, with the FA also shipping in 1,000 specialist Lucozade pouches to aid player hydration during matches.
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Real Madrid's €150m bid for Julian Alvarez rejected by Atletico amid €500m release clause
Real Madrid confirmed on Tuesday that Atletico Madrid turned down a €150 million offer for Argentine forward Julian Alvarez, with the Madrid club citing his €500 million release clause as the reason for the refusal.
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Kane dismisses 'one-man team' fears and declares 2026 World Cup his best shot at glory
Harry Kane, fresh from a 61-goal season at Bayern Munich, has rejected suggestions England rely too heavily on him and insists his squad has the depth and winning pedigree to lift the World Cup this summer.
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Louis Saha, Heskey and Smicer lead football coaching camps at Cypriot resort
Former Manchester United and France striker Louis Saha is among several ex-Premier League stars running Football Coaching Camps at Aphrodite Hills Resort near Paphos, Cyprus.
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Kane reaches out to Eriksen after 'scary' ICD activation ends Denmark friendly
Christian Eriksen collapsed during Denmark's friendly with Ukraine on Sunday before his ICD device activated and he walked off the pitch. Former Tottenham team-mate Harry Kane said he was shaken by the news and has since contacted Eriksen to wish him well.
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