Press conference news — SportsCatch

Tuchel embraces 'Tournament Thomas' nickname as England target Ghana knockout blow

Thomas Tuchel says he is experiencing the best days of his coaching career at the World Cup as England prepare to face Ghana in Boston, a win that could secure their path into the knockout stage after opening with a 4-2 victory over Croatia.

Football Jun 23

Deschamps turns up the heat at half-time as France crush Iraq 3-0

Unsatisfied despite Mbappé's opening goal, Didier Deschamps gave his players a dressing-down at half-time against Iraq. France won 3-0 and qualified for the next stage of the competition in their second match.

Football Jun 23

Keane dismisses England's praise of Tuchel half-time talk as overblown after Croatia win

Roy Keane has pushed back on the widespread acclaim for Thomas Tuchel's half-time team talk after England's 4-2 victory over Croatia, arguing that motivating players at the interval is simply a manager's basic job.

Football Jun 23

Keane dismisses England players' praise for Tuchel's half-time talk after Croatia win

Roy Keane has pushed back on the widespread acclaim for Thomas Tuchel's half-time team talk after England's 4-2 victory over Croatia at the World Cup, calling the reaction 'a bit over the top' despite Harry Kane and Declan Rice hailing the manager's words as a turning point.

Football Jun 23

Balogun trails Messi by three goals in Golden Boot race as USA rest him for Türkiye

Folarin Balogun leads the USA in scoring at the 2026 World Cup but faces a likely bench spell against Türkiye to avoid a yellow-card suspension — leaving Messi, Mbappé and Haaland to extend their leads in the Golden Boot standings.

Football Jun 23

Tuchel confirms Saka fit to start against Ghana but keeps England guessing on selection

Bukayo Saka has recovered from his Achilles injury and is available to start England's friendly against Ghana in Boston on Tuesday, Thomas Tuchel confirmed, though the manager refused to reveal his lineup amid fierce competition on the right wing.

Football Jun 22

Rice hails Kane as a generational talent after England's winning World Cup opener

Declan Rice has lavished praise on Harry Kane following England's opening World Cup victory, saying the Bayern Munich striker is so special he will tell his children he got to play alongside him.

Football Jun 22

Tuchel hails Bellingham's 'full potential' as England target fast start against Ghana

Thomas Tuchel praised Jude Bellingham's commitment and connection with Harry Kane after England's 4-2 win over Croatia, while identifying a fast start as the key challenge when the two sides meet in their second World Cup group game.

Football Jun 22

Tuchel warns England stars one red card could end their World Cup campaign

Thomas Tuchel has urged his England players to keep calm and disciplined ahead of their World Cup clash with Ghana, warning that a single moment of poor discipline under FIFA's new strict red-card rules could prove fatal to their tournament hopes.

Football Jun 22

Tuchel backs Barry after assistant's blunt half-time verdict on England's shaky World Cup start

Thomas Tuchel has fully endorsed Anthony Barry after his assistant publicly called England 'complicated and confusing' at half-time of their 4-2 World Cup win over Croatia in Dallas, saying he is 'so happy' when Barry speaks his mind.

Football Jun 22

Rangnick accuses VAR of double standards after Messi double sinks Austria in Dallas

Ralf Rangnick was incensed by what he called inconsistent VAR decisions in Austria's 2-0 defeat to Argentina, claiming a clear foul on Xaver Schlager was ignored before Lionel Messi's opener. Messi's brace moved him to 18 World Cup goals, surpassing Miroslav Klose as the competition's all-time leading scorer.

Football Jun 22

Blair admits Kirifi omission was tough as impressive rivals block All Blacks recall

Du'Plessis Kirifi co-captained the Hurricanes to a Super Rugby Pacific title and delivered his best personal season, yet All Blacks assistant Mike Blair confirmed the eight-Test flanker was edged out by stronger competition for loose-forward spots in Dave Rennie's 34-man squad.

Rugby Jun 22

Merlin the duck meets Mexico's president after World Cup viral fame

Merlin, the pet duck in a miniature Mexico shirt who became an unofficial mascot of the 2026 World Cup, was welcomed to President Claudia Sheinbaum's morning press conference on Monday, where his owner received a pledge of support from the head of state.

Football Jun 22

Queiroz rallies 33 million lions as Ghana target England in World Cup Group L

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has issued a bold challenge to England ahead of their World Cup Group L meeting, declaring his nation's 33 million people a match for England's three lions. A Ghana win would seal their place in the Round of 32 with a game to spare.

Football Jun 22

O'Reilly eyes midfield return after thriving as England's first-choice left-back at World Cup

Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly, one of the Premier League season's standout performers, has hinted he sees his long-term future in midfield after making his England debut at the World Cup against Croatia.

Football Jun 22

Klopp dismisses Van der Vaart as 'attention-seeking' after Boeing 747 dig at Van Dijk

Jurgen Klopp has publicly rebuked Rafael van der Vaart after the Netherlands head coach compared Virgil van Dijk's turning speed to a Boeing 747, calling the pundit-turned-manager 'not worth mentioning' and questioning the integrity of his criticism.

Football Jun 22

O'Reilly eyes World Cup tattoo as England left-back targets glory in New York

Nico O'Reilly says he will mark a potential England World Cup triumph with a new tattoo, having already started the tournament as a key figure under Thomas Tuchel with a start in the 4-2 win over Croatia.

Football Jun 22

Martinez stands firm on Ronaldo as Portugal seek redemption against Uzbekistan

Roberto Martinez has dismissed mounting pressure to drop Cristiano Ronaldo and will start the 40-year-old against Uzbekistan in Houston, despite a poor opening draw with DR Congo that has exposed deep tensions inside the Portugal camp.

Football Jun 22

Conceicao urges Portugal to match Ronaldo's hunger as World Cup campaign falters after DR Congo draw

Francisco Conceicao has called on Portugal's younger players to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo's drive and dedication after a frustrating 1-1 draw with DR Congo left their World Cup campaign in need of a response against Uzbekistan in Houston on Tuesday.

Football Jun 22

Garry vows to outgrapple Makhachev at UFC 330: 'I'll bounce him on his skull'

Ian Garry has declared he will beat Islam Makhachev at his own game when the pair meet for the welterweight title at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on August 15, insisting his size, speed and takedown defence will expose the Dagestani champion in ways no opponent has before.

MMA Jun 22