Key events
This is great. It’s so interesting to look at the whole jamboree from different angles – there are so many moving parts it’s ridiculous, and each has a different story to tell.
Not World Cup-related, but this is a positive development – and one that needs extending to the men’s side. Nothing I’ve seen in over four decades of going to the game tells me it’d make any difference to how people behave.
Nmecha, though, is a divisive figure, having shared a post on social media mocking the father of a transgender child and another equating the notion of Pride with the devil. As such, there were protests when he joined Borussia Dortmund, whose code of conduct says:
“We consider ourselves to be a diverse, inclusive community, a home for all Borussen regardless of age, appearance, gender, sexual identity or orientation, culture, religion, skin color, nationality or social background.”
And how good, by the way, has Felix Nmecha been? I’d not seen these quotations from after the Curaçao game until just now.
“I know one of the Curaçao players, Kenji Gorré. Before the match, we agreed that afterwards we would come together, regardless of the result, to show that we are brothers in Christ and that there is more to life than football.
Being able to pray together is something very special. On the pitch you are opponents, but afterwards you are family in Christ. I wanted to thank Kenji and the Curaçao players because this isn’t something you take for granted after a defeat. It was a very special moment.”
As Martin noted below, Nico Schlotterbeck is out of the competition, which is a real shame. His ability to build the play is crucial to what Germany do, and I’m now intrigued to see how Julian Nagelsmann remedies the situation. I guess Antonio Rudiger will be the direct replacement, but he doesn’t offer the same ability on the ball, so a solution will need found.
We’re getting to that point, aren’t we? Football is nearly upon us,. but how to watch it?
Oh man, I can’t wait to get going again. Dare I stay up for Norway v Senegal at 1am UK time?
“Hello!” begins Tim Farley in Vienna. “There was already a bit of World Cup songs chat on your blog last week, so apologies if this has been covered.But I did not want this abomination from the land of Mozart, Strauss et al to be overlooked. Eine kleine Machmusik it isn’t! But rhyming Britney Bitch! with Arnautovic provides a little redemption.”
Oh my goodness. It is not, though, uncatchy.
Apparently, it’s the law that anything we love must be hijacked for nefarious purpose.
Also going on:
First of all, let me echo Martin and commend to you Raúl Vilchis’ terrific piece. Once you’ve read it, you’ll know you’ve learnt something today, and that’s a great feeling.
Thanks Martin; we go again.
That is it from me until tomorrow, I will pass you back to Daniel Harris to take you through the last few hours before Argentina v Austria in Dallas.
Raúl Vilchis
Raúl Vilchis reports for the Guardian from Mexico City
On a March night in Guadalajara in 2024, Club América were winning El Clásico Nacional. Julián Quiñones, their star player, had scored and headed toward the sideline. Then a shout at Quiñones, who is Black, rang out from the stands. ¡Puto negro! A racial slur. Moments later, monkey noises were heard in the stands.
On 11 June this year, Quiñones scored Mexico’s first goal in the 2026 World Cup, the opening triumph in a tournament played on home soil for the first time in two decades. Tens of thousands rose to their feet. Television commentators chanted his name. Images of the striker draped in the Mexican flag flooded social media. The same culture that had publicly denigrated him hailed him as a national hero.
Defender Nico Schlotterbeck ruled out of World Cup for Germany
Some unfortunate news for Germany’s Nico Schlotterbeck via Reuters – he has been sidelined for the rest of the tournament with after picking up an ankle ligament injury in their 2-1 Group E victory over Côte d’Ivoire.
He was injured early in the game and was replaced at half-time by Antonio Rüdiger. A subsequent scan revealed the 26-year-old Borussia Dortmund defender had torn a ligament in his left ankle. Germany said he would, for now, remain with the squad in the USA.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann is unable to call up a replacement at this stage, but Reuters quotes him saying:
Schlotti will be greatly missed on the pitch as an outstanding defender, especially his excellent build-up play. It could have been his World Cup. Yesterday, we all tried to lift his spirits – fortunately, he is a very positive character who is already looking ahead again. It is a very positive sign that he will initially remain here within the team, because he also has an influence off the pitch. Despite his absence, we are still very well positioned in central defence.
As you might imagine the media in Belgium has not been overly impressed with their performance at the World Cup so far. AFP reports that Flemish daily Het Laatste Nieuws dubbed the result against Iran as “shameful”. Their chief football writer Niels Poissonnier said “Two points out of six against Egypt and Iran is as unacceptable as it is painful and scandalous.”
The Bleacher Report meanwhile photoshopped grey hair and beards on to Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku dubbing the squad “the World Cup retirement home”. Ouch.
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Tom Garry has some exclusive non-World Cup news – WSL and WSL2 fans can drink alcohol in the stands next season after a successful trial:
Drinking alcohol in view of the pitch is banned across English men’s football’s top five leagues, in accordance with the Sporting Events Act of 1985. The WSL was not tied to that legislation but opted to follow suit while run by the Football Association. After the league split from the FA in 2024 a pilot scheme was introduced to test whether a change could be beneficial.
Argentina fans have been gathering in Dallas ahead of today’s match with Austria, and it is looking very colourful.
The catering looks pretty nifty, too.
Let’s hope this guy gets in – although presumably skateboards are on the list of things banned from World Cup grounds.
It isn’t just fans of Messi and company in the US who have been making a song and a dance – this giant Argentina shirt is hanging in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It will be, by my reckoning, an 11pm kick-off local time tonight for the residents there.
Today so far …
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Yesterday’s results: Group H – Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia, Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde and Group G – Belgium 0-0 Iran, New Zealand 1-3 Egypt
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Today’s matches: Group J – Argentina v Austria (1pm ET, 6pm BST), Jordan v Algeria (11pm ET, 4am BST) and Group I – France v Iraq (5pm ET, 10pm BST), Norway v Senegal (8pm ET, 1 am BST)
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L’Équipe has disavowed comments by a female presenter who criticised Belgium winger Jérémy Doku for wanting to leave the World Cup to be at the birth of his first child.
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Iran left a message in their SoFi Stadium locker room on Sunday thanking Los Angeles for its hospitality during the World Cup and calling for “peace, respect and friendship” to prevail among all nations.
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Our community team would like to hear from Cape Verdeans in the UK and across the globe on the team’s progress in the tournament. Find out how to get in touch here.
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Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Jeff Rueter and Mark Langdon for today’s World Cup daily.
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Barney Ronay argues from New York that maybe this World Cup will bring the best out of the US, not the worst.
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Miguel Dantas says Cristiano Ronaldo risks ruining his legacy if he continues to stymie Portugal by starting.
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In non-World Cup news: Liverpool have rejected a renewed approach from Inter Milan for midfielder Curtis Jones.
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Aston Villa are to visit Jakarta as part of an Asia pre-season tour, which will also include a match against Bayern Munich in Hong Kong on 7 August for the *checks notes* inaugural Audi Football Summit, whatever that is.
Time for Martin Belam to take the reins. I’ll leave you with this, a reminder that Lionel Messi could well become the outright leading goalscorer in World Cup history today.
Drop us a line!
On this day, 40 years ago:
Of course, whenever I think of footballer photoshoots I go back to this:
Hello, folks. I am very much in the market for a T-shirt with that Bielsa pic on it.
L’Équipe apologises to Doku over ‘disgusting’ comments
Story from the Associated Press:
L’Équipe has disavowed comments by a female presenter who criticised the Belgium winger Jérémy Doku for wanting to leave the World Cup to be at the birth of his first child.
L’Équipe also apologised to Doku in a statement late Sunday and said the comments by France Pierron did not represent its values.
Pierron described childbirth as “a disgusting moment, excuse me, where the dad is useless” when taking part in the television show “L’Équipe de Choc” on Friday.
“There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your place,” she said on the show, reacting to Doku’s comments in the United States.
Doku’s wife, Shireen, is due to give birth to their son in early July when Belgium hopes to be playing in the knockout rounds of the World Cup.
“No one wants to miss a birth,” said the 24-year-old Doku, who is a star in the Belgium squad and plays for Manchester City.
Pierron questioned Doku’s priorities as he was “living a childhood dream. It might never happen again in your life.”
It was unclear if Pierron would be part of Monday’s scheduled broadcast of the talk show on the cable channel run by the storied daily sports newspaper. AP
Righto, that’s it from me for now; here’s Taha Hashim to guide you through the next bit.
I cannot fathom a way anyone could disagree with this – and it’s been true for the last two tournaments, at least. Portugal had the players to win them, as they do to win this – but will Roberto Martínez find the moxie to do what even he must know is essential? He really ought to be able to sell a supersub/finisher role, and should Ronaldo take against him, he can simply indicate the best route to the door.
It’s worth noting, though, that Lionel Scaloni is proving himself to be an excellent coach – he’s getting the most out of his players and finding a way to accommodate Messi without ruining the balance. For that, he also has Rodrigo De Paul, who gets through much of the missing graft, to thank, and if things get harder in that regard as we move through the tournament, he has the option of Nico Paz, a younger creator.
Can Argentina retain the trophy? My sense is not, impressive though they were in beating a decent Algeria side.
How lots of teams do though, may depend on the draw, as there are lots of teams good enough to beat any of the favourites and all the favourites are able to beat each other. But Argentina are, I think, not one of those able to see off a succession of top sides, if that is what is demanded of them.
Every time you think you’ve got a handle on the Iran situation, you realise that verily, you do not.
Iran leave note calling for peace in LA dressing room
Iran left a message in their SoFi Stadium locker room on Sunday thanking Los Angeles for its hospitality during the World Cup and calling for “peace, respect and friendship” to prevail among all nations.
Los Angeles hosted both of Iran’s Group G matches so far, with the team returning to their base in Tijuana, Mexico between games.
Iran have spent the tournament based in Tijuana commuting to the U.S. for their matches because of restrictions surrounding their stay in the country, while a number of Iran’s team staff and officials have been banned.
U.S. officials have said the squad’s travel arrangements would continue to be assessed, while discussions over easing some restrictions have continued.
“From the ancient Persia of thousands of years ago to the civilized Iran of today, the spirit of Iran remains alive and steadfast,” read the handwritten note, which was released by Iran’s football federation.
“Thank you Los Angeles for your hospitality. We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed with honor, and leave with dignity.”
The note also thanked Iranian supporters who gave their “heart, voice and soul” for the team during the two matches and signed off with the message: “May peace , respect and friendship prevail among all nations.”
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei has repeatedly criticised the travel restrictions imposed on the side, saying the team has faced challenges no other side have had to endure.
Iran, who drew 2-2 with New Zealand in their opener at SoFi Stadium, play their final group match against Egypt in Seattle.
The old shirts photographed for this piece are works of art.
So how do Iraq – and the rest stop them? Well, I think their defence can be got at, especially in wide areas and especially down the left, because Jules Koundé isn’t the greatest right-back in the world. And in midfield, there are better duos than Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot, the latter a good but not brilliant player. Thing is, Deschamps seems to love him, though Warren Zaïre Emey would give them a bit more mobility and enterprise.
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