Press conference news — SportsCatch

Lorenzi settles it: Benatia has no role at OM after power handover

Officially presented as sporting director of Olympique de Marseille, Grégory Lorenzi formally denied rumours suggesting Medhi Benatia still had influence over the club's transfer activity.

Football Jul 15

Scaloni vows to call Spain boss De la Fuente if Argentina lose to England in World Cup semi-final

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni says he will phone close friend and Spain coach Luis de la Fuente to offer advice for the World Cup final if Thomas Tuchel's England knock his side out at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Football Jul 15

Mikel blames Ronaldo fans for Argentina-FIFA conspiracy theories ahead of England semi-final

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has dismissed claims that FIFA are favouring Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, attributing the narrative to Cristiano Ronaldo supporters on social media. England face Argentina in Miami on Wednesday in a World Cup semi-final.

Football Jul 15

Lizarazu slams France after Spain defeat: "a huge individual collapse"

Eliminated in the World Cup 2026 semi-final by Spain (0-2), France faced criticism from Bixente Lizarazu, who highlighted the failures of Olise, Dembélé and Tchouaméni.

Football Jul 15

Argentina vice-president brands England 'usurping pirates' ahead of World Cup semi-final

Victoria Villarruel, Argentina's vice-president, inflamed tensions before Wednesday's World Cup semi-final by posting a fiery message on X invoking the Falklands conflict, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni distanced himself, calling any mix of sport and politics 'madness'.

Football Jul 15

Bortoleto tells F1 drivers to stop complaining about 2026 rules and "turn the page"

Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto has pushed back against widespread driver criticism of the 2026 regulations, insisting Formula 1 still has its "magic" and that the field must accept the new rules until at least 2030.

Formula 1 Jul 15

Tuchel promises England have the grit to match 'emotional' Argentina in World Cup semi-final

Thomas Tuchel insists England are ready to match Argentina's intensity as the two rivals prepare for a World Cup semi-final in Atlanta, with the Three Lions chasing their first final appearance since 1966.

Football Jul 15

Cherki slams France after defeat: "We beat ourselves"

Brought on in the final quarter-hour against Spain, Rayan Cherki made no attempt to hide his frustration in the mixed zone, criticizing both his playing time and the collective level displayed by the France team.

Football Jul 15

Tuchel faces post-tournament FIFA sanctions over referee criticism ahead of England's World Cup semi-final

Thomas Tuchel risks FIFA sanctions after publicly lambasting referee Alireza Faghani following England's 3-2 round-of-16 win over Mexico. Sources say the governing body is devising a plan to act on referee criticism, with any punishment dependent on official match reports.

Football Jul 15

Deschamps questions referee's level after France's World Cup semi-final exit to Spain

Didier Deschamps stopped short of blaming the referee for France's World Cup elimination but publicly questioned whether the official was equipped to handle a semi-final. Kylian Mbappé separately criticised the team's tactical display in the defeat to Spain.

Football Jul 15

Bellingham defends England's grit as Tuchel public spat looms over World Cup semi-final

Jude Bellingham has pushed back against Thomas Tuchel's criticism of England's 'sloppy' win over Norway, insisting the team had to 'win dirty' — just days before their World Cup semi-final against Argentina.

Football Jul 15

Rabiot substituted at half-time on yellow card: Deschamps heavily criticized after France's elimination

France lost 2-0 to Spain in the World Cup semi-final, and Didier Deschamps' decision to substitute Adrien Rabiot at half-time—the only standout French player—to prevent a potential red card is now drawing heavy criticism.

Football Jul 15

Tuchel insists he and Bellingham are 'closer than ever' after public spat at World Cup

Thomas Tuchel has moved to quash talk of a rift with Jude Bellingham, saying the pair are 'closer than ever' after the England star publicly challenged his manager's post-match assessment following the quarter-final win over Norway.

Football Jul 15

Mbappe admits France's midfield gamble cost them in 2-0 World Cup semi-final loss to Spain

Kylian Mbappe has conceded that France's decision to field only two central midfielders against Spain proved costly, as Deschamps' side were outplayed 2-0 in Dallas and eliminated from the World Cup.

Football Jul 15

Scaloni urges Argentina to separate football from Falklands history ahead of England semi-final

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has called on his players to focus purely on football as political tensions over the Falkland Islands cast a shadow over Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against England in Atlanta.

Football Jul 15

Rice fit to start as England face Argentina in Atlanta semi-final amid storm fears

Declan Rice has been cleared to start England's World Cup 2026 semi-final against Argentina at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium after recovering from illness. Storm warnings, fan-clash concerns, and a FIFA rule breach over the final's half-time show are among the key storylines surrounding the tournament.

Football Jul 15

France-Spain: Deschamps and Rodri unite to criticize Ivan Barton's refereeing

After France's 2-0 defeat to Spain in the semi-final, Didier Deschamps questioned the level of referee Ivan Barton. Spanish captain Rodri himself mentioned "10 or 15 fouls not called" against Lamine Yamal.

Football Jul 15

Mbappe questions Deschamps' tactics after France fall to Spain in World Cup semi-final

Kylian Mbappe publicly criticised France's tactical setup and called out his team-mates following a 2-0 World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro ending Les Bleus' hopes of a third consecutive final.

Football Jul 15

Khabib warns Garry's height and elusive style pose real threat to Makhachev at UFC 330

Khabib Nurmagomedov has flagged Ian Garry's 6'4" frame and slippery style as genuine problems for Islam Makhachev ahead of their UFC 330 welterweight title fight on August 15 in Philadelphia, adding that a six-year age gap compounds the challenge.

MMA Jul 15

Deschamps questions referee's World Cup credentials after France fall to Spain in semi-final

France manager Didier Deschamps publicly challenged FIFA's choice of referee Ivan Barton after his side's World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain, asking reporters whether Barton was capable of handling a match of such magnitude.

Football Jul 15