Key events
Lamine Yamal starts for Spain against Saudi Arabia as Luis de la Fuente makes four changes to the side that drew with Cape Verde. Pedro Porro is among those to come in.
Spain XI (4-2-3-1): Simón; Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Pedri, Rodri; Lamine Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal
Saudi Arabia XI (5-3-2): al-Owais; Abdulhamid, al-Amri, al-Tambakti, Lajami, al-Harbi; N al-Dawsari, Alkhaibari, al-Juwayr; al-Buraikan, S al-Dawsari
You can join John Brewin for all the buildup. That’s all from me today – thanks for reading and enjoy the football.
Players to look out for today
Here’s a hand-picked selection from our extensive player guide. You can spend hours (or whole days) in there.
Spain v Saudi Arabia: Víctor Muñoz, Liverpool’s new signing
Belgium v Iran: Dodi Lukébakio, standing in for Jérémy Doku?
Uruguay v Cape Verde: Agustín Canobbio, never stops running
New Zealand v Egypt: Hamza Abdelkarim, 18-year-old wonderkid
What has amazed me most about this World Cup tournament is the sheer number of players that turn out to play for their respective nations wearing luminous pink boots! Anybody have any idea why this might be? Do bright pink boots offer some advantage, such as causing a major visual distraction to the opposing players as they focus on the ball?
The Guardian’s senior fashion writer, Lauren Cochrane, has been addressing this trend in detail:
Sara Maggioni of trend forecaster WGSN says the shade at the World Cup is the latest example of pink’s enduring cultural power. “Pink is probably one of the most influential colour stories of the past decade,” she says.
Maggioni says the bright shades at the World Cup make sense for brands who are clued in to changes in football fandom. “A lot of young people probably watch matches on their phones and so the colour [which is easily seen] does your branding,” she says. This is emphasised by the fact it contrasts well against the green of the grass.
It might be tempting to assume the men’s World Cup is a new arena for pink – a colour more commonly associated with women. In reality, its presence in the game has been growing for more than a decade.
Thomas Partey will be available for Ghana in Tuesday’s game against England in Boston. The former Arsenal midfielder did not play in the Toronto opener against Panama after being denied entry into Canada.
Rob Draper explains why Partey’s presence against England will be significant:
In the pre-match ceremony, all players are expected to shake hands with opponents, and the FA will leave England’s players to decide whether they wish to go through the ritual with Partey. The squad includes two of his former clubmates, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.
For some, a handshake will seem uncomfortable. Partey is scheduled to go on trial next year at Southwark crown court after he was charged with five counts of rape and one of sexual assault last year. He was later charged with two further counts of rape. Partey has denied all the charges, with his lawyer insisting that he welcomes the chance to clear his name.
“Greetings from Germany,” emails David Wigger, who gives us a lowdown on how Julian Nagelsmann’s side came from behind to beat Côte d’Ivoire yesterday:
Last-minute victory thanks to super-sub Undav. What began as a lacklustre performance from the Germans – a lack of creativity that was repeatedly highlighted by their physical inferiority – left German fans and players stunned in the dressing room.
It was only the substitutions that finally breathed new life into the game. Amiri’s pass to Undav sparked the first wave of euphoria, before the last-minute goal unleashed a flood of emotion. The effectiveness and strength of the substitutes secured Germany’s second group victory.
However, Schlotterbeck’s injury and a lack of dominance during the first 60 minutes leave a few question marks over the line-up for Thursday’s match. One thing is clear: the team fought right until the final whistle and demonstrated the depth of their squad.
And sometimes, a bit of luck is needed at the end, too.
I guess the question is now – do you start Deniz Undav in the knockout rounds? He’ll surely be in the XI for the game against Ecuador but can he do enough there to supplant Kai Havertz, who hasn’t really done a lot wrong. Nagelsmann seems to think that if Undav is effective off the bench, then why start him?
And surely Antonio Rüdiger has to come in for Nico Schlotterbeck – he seemed to be able to cope with the physical demands and has so much top-level experience. Plus everybody likes a centre-back who just lets one fly every now and then.
“Salah is a world-class player. He’s a threat,” said New Zealand’s manager Darren Bazeley ahead of their game against Egypt.
“Maybe he probably hadn’t had the game that he wanted to in the last game, but he’s here to go and perform at a World Cup, as all the big stars are. So I’m sure he’ll be ready to go and put his mark on this World Cup. He’s one of the good players that Egypt have in the attacking areas, and we’re going to have to deal with a number of them.”
Neither New Zealand (P7 W0 D4 L3) nor Egypt (P7 W0 D3 L4) have won a World Cup game before. Today could be the day.
“It would be massive for New Zealand to get that win,” Bazeley said. “It would be history. So that’s something this group of players have been talking about trying to do for three or four years now.”
Egypt coach Hassan denies Salah rift
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has dismissed talk of unrest involving talisman Mohamed Salah, insisting there were no issues within the squad as they prepare to face New Zealand in their crucial World Cup Group G match at BC Place later today (6pm local, 2am BST, 11am AEST).
Salah, 34, scored nine goals in the qualifying campaign and provided an assist for Emam Ashour in their opener with Belgium. He was substituted in the 76th minute of that 1-1 draw in Seattle, with the highly rated teenager Hamza Abdelkarim coming on.
“Salah is an important player for our squad, and the 26 players who are here with me are very important,” Hassan said yesterday. “Every player who has worked with me knows I deal with them in a professional manner. I do not have favourites.
“Salah is a great player who helps his teammates. He has a lot of discipline and is a role model. If he starts … or if he gets substituted, it’s fine. It is his role as a player. Everyone knows that I am working for the benefit of the team and the national side.
“Rumours are being spread about stars, about players, about teams. But Salah is someone who is very disciplined,” he added. “He trains with us. He’s the first player that would also say yes to my decisions as a technical director. So I think he will be very positive tomorrow.” Reuters
Football Daily has dropped: Alex Reid takes a look at the mixed bag that is the 48 head coaches at this World Cup, from giants of the club game to international stalwarts.
If you want to get the full version of Football Daily, you can sign up to get the newsletter sent to your inbox right here.
Iran have again endured disruption to their preparations to face Belgium in LA. Their manager Amir Ghalenoei said the squad was waiting for a flight into the US from Mexico on Friday but Fifa did not give the all-clear to travel.
Ghalenoei has also bemoaned the lack of support he has received from the other coaches at the World Cup.
I haven’t heard anything from other coaches and I’m sure they’re busy with preparing their own teams and we never expect them to show any reaction. But if I had seen another team being treated the way we’ve been treated, I would have [done it].
I have not seen any reactions from anyone but it seems like the honourable coach of Belgium [Rudi Garcia] has said we are here for football, not politics, and I’m saying exactly the same thing. Our grievances are to do with the way [Fifa] have behaved towards us.
More here from Ben Fisher.
Could we see more of Romelu Lukaku today? The Napoli striker played under a half of football all season in Serie A but got the last 25 minutes in Belgium’s opener against Egypt, having a big say in the own goal that earned them a point.
Manager Rudi Garcia admitted that Lukaku is at the World Cup “against all odds” and reiterated the need not to take risks with his fitness.
We do need to be careful, because we could be tempted to play him more than he could. But the goal is to have him play to the end (of the World Cup). We cannot wear him out early. And then there’s competition. As long as the others are fit to play, he can play a role as the supersub. It’s his role par excellence. We also could have him start, but I’m not sure he could go further than 60 minutes. … He’s not only a good striker for Belgium, but he’s one of the best in football, and it’s good to have him here.
Jérémy Doku has been ruled out of Belgium’s game against Iran in Los Angeles later (noon local time, 8pm BST, 5am AEST) due to illness. The winger has reportedly had some respiratory problems during training. “He was fine, and he managed to play against Egypt,” Garcia said. “But since then, well, there are ups and downs in life, and the medical staff decided to take things a little bit further and help him recover.”
Doku has said he plans to leave camp if Belgium are still in the tournament when his wife is expected to give birth in the second week of July.
“We not only represent Cape Verde, we also represent Africa, with all the problems we have within our continent,” Cape Verde boss Bubista said yesterday before their match against Uruguay in Miami. They’ll be looking to follow up their opening draw against Spain with another groundbreaking result.
A country like ours being able to achieve this dream and be here competing with the best teams in the world means that any child in Africa can have this dream. The objective is that this dream can help them believe they can reach any goal.
We have spent many years working, searching, striving so that our country can be known to the world. You can see how happy our people are everywhere because of what the team has achieved.
But more than that, our national team shows our identity: organisation, fighting for things even while knowing they are difficult, and fighting to achieve them with character and determination.
Thanks Luke. Right, who would get a tattoo of their boss? Well, that’s what Marc Cucurella is promising to do if Spain win the World Cup under Luis de la Fuente, who has already guided them to the European title.
“It would be really small,” Cucurella said before the tournament. “It would be a nice souvenir, but I’ve thought sure what I’d get it done. We’ll see. I said for the Euros that I’d dye my hair red and a World Cup is bigger than a Euros … I think it’s fine, I’ll sign up to it.”
After facing Saudi Arabia later today, Spain’s final group game is against Uruguay in Guadalajara on Friday. Yesterday Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa was asked the same question: will any of your players get a tattoo of you if you win the World Cup?
“This is not going to happen,” he said. Cue laughter in the press room. Uruguay face Cape Verde in Miami this evening.
My work here is done. Billy is back.
And another quick plug for Football Daily: hosted by Max Rushden, with Barry Glendenning, Dan Bardell and Leander Schaerlaeckens providing the analysis:
Spain returning to action against Saudi Arabia is one of the big stories of the day … so make sure you don’t miss Sid Lowe’s preview:
Here, courtesy of Graham Ruthven, is the full lowdown on what’s coming up at the World Cup today:
“That pre-match shirt from Oranje is special because of what it stands for,” comments Aintmuch, writing from the Netherlands, regarding the team’s colourful attire before yesterday’s win against Sweden.
“You can recognize lions and tulips, but also the city shields of many of the players, and of course the traditional Ala Kondre chain. (That’s Surinam for ‘all countries’.)
“The shirt sold out here within one hour (yep, I was lucky).”
And on the subject of non-Galacticos who are shining in the USA:
I love the article on non-superstar players of the tournament so far. I’d like to nominate Keito Nakamura, who has a wonderful 80s winger look about him, floppy hair and rolled down socks. He’s had two really good games and is doing an extremely fine job of ensuring Japan aren’t missing Mitoma. He’s got a bouncy energy off the ball and like Mitoma can dribble both ways and shoot off either foot. A real handful.
Here’s another cracking Uruguay contribution:
I’ve never seen Uruguay play in a match but in 1966 their then team made their base at the Saxon Inn Motel on the edge of Harlow New Town in Essex. I was 7 then and lived nearby. We used to see them training on the cricket pitch on the common opposite St Mary Magdalane church. I was on the cusp of understanding as a kid. I knew they were quite important but not really why. There was no security or media just a group of well built obviously physical specimens not quite playing football but doing a lot of ball kicking and running. I guess you’d call it amateur compared to today. I remember liking the colour of their shirts. My only other memory of 1966 is my dad chucking a heavy cushion at the telly after Germany got their equaliser in the final but it unfortunately hitting my 4 year old brother instead. He bawled, my mum yelled at my dad and it all seemed like a downward spiral which has probably had a lifetime affect on me. Luckily order was restored.
“Saw Uruguay play Mexico in 2010 at Rustenburg in South Africa,” emails Tim.
“Spent the morning in Pilanesberg National Park. Our hungover driver stalled the car with an irate bull elephant 10 metres behind us. The match was mainly interesting for the fans, especially the Mexicans with their wrestling masks on. Suarez scored only goal of game on his way to goalline handball infamy/ stardom v Ghana and Forlán was impressive on way to being best player of tournament. Classic light blue shirt and black shorts kit.”
I was working at that tournament, and speaking of driving around national parks – we went out on a tour one day and I spotted the Auxerre legend, Guy Roux, sitting in the front seats of an oncoming van. True story.
“My first ever match was England v Uruguay in May 1990 at Wembley,” emails Nick. “I remember John Barnes scoring a great free-kick and England playing in their away kit of red, despite being at home.
“Uruguay had the brilliant Enzo Francescoli and Ruben Sosa playing for them.”
The main thing I remember about Ruben Sosa is him hitting the crossbar with a penalty for Inter Milan in a Uefa Cup shootout against Aston Villa. Good little player though yes, thanks for your email Nick.
Here’s the only pic I can find of that game, featuring Bryan Robson, Nelson Gutiérrez and Stuart Pearce:
Let’s get back to some #UruguayMemories.
All seems well in the England camp after the opening win 4-2 against Croatia on Wednesday.
Jacob Steinberg watched training in Kansas City, and has written interestingly about Thomas Tuchel’s obsessive attention to detail, the high demands he places on players – and how positively they respond:
Madrid screening of Spain v Saudi Arabia cancelled due to heat
The public screening of Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia in Madrid on Sunday has been cancelled because of extreme heat forecast for the Spanish capital, officials said.
The match, due to kick off at 6pm local time on Sunday, had been scheduled to be shown on a giant screen installed by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) at a fan zone in Plaza de Colón in central Madrid.
Madrid city council and the federation decided to cancel the screening after national weather agency AEMET issued an orange heat warning – the second-highest level – for the Madrid region, with temperatures forecast to reach 40C.
“The decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the health of attendees, event staff and support services involved in the event,” Madrid city hall said in a statement, apologising for any inconvenience.
Officials urged supporters to watch the match indoors in air-conditioned spaces and avoid prolonged exposure to the heat.
Large parts of Spain are experiencing unusually high temperatures for June as a mass of hot air from North Africa moves across the Iberian Peninsula.
A total of 13 of Spain’s 17 regions are on orange alert for heat on Sunday, while the northern Basque Country bordering France is on red alert, the highest level.
Authorities advised residents and visitors to take precautions during the heatwave, including drinking water regularly, staying in cool environments, limiting outdoor physical activity during the hottest hours of the day and taking extra care of vulnerable people. AFP
Now, in “Hot in the City” news …
Rob Draper
The Football Association has remained coy over what will happen when England line up for their next World Cup match against Ghana on Tuesday and come up against a familiar opponent in Thomas Partey. The former Arsenal midfielder played for Villarreal this season, but will be released at the end of his contract this month.
In the pre-match ceremony, all players are expected to shake hands with opponents, and the FA will leave England’s players to decide whether they wish to go through the ritual with Partey. The squad includes two of his former club-mates, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.
‘I need a statue in Curaçao,’ jokes goalkeeping hero Room
Heroic goalkeeper Eloy Room joked he deserves a statue in Curaçao after his performance earned a first World Cup point as the minnows held Ecuador to a 0-0 draw in Kansas City.
Room made 15 saves – the most by any goalkeeper in 90 minutes of a World Cup match since records began in 1966 – as he acted as a one-man barrier, with Dick Advocaat’s brave side bouncing back from their 7-1 thrashing by Germany in their opening game.
The point, a historic result for a tiny nation of just 158,000 people, keeps their unlikely hopes of advancing through Group E alive and they will progress to the knockout stages if they can somehow beat Ivory Coast in their final match.
The 37-year-old is expecting to be honoured in his homeland.
“It means everything, it feels like a victory, it’s the first point at the World Cup, it means everything,” he said.
“It is unreal, the journey where we came from and we are now here and we showed we have real heart, it’s an unbelievable feeling.
“I knew it was a lot of saves. I know it was a record from a long time ago, so I am really proud. It was a really good feeling. My first save gave me confidence, I knew it was going to be a busy game.
“I am little bit bummed because we had chances to score. For us this feels like a victory. I think in 40 years I will remember this, it will be insane. I think I need a statue in Curaçao now.”
Room’s profile is set to grow in a similar way to Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, who gained several million Instagram followers after his display in the 0-0 draw with European champions Spain.
Room, who plays for USL Championship side Miami FC, saw his following grow from 122,000 followers to 724,000 within an hour and by midday on Sunday he was fast approaching 900,000.
The exposure is all down to a monumental performance and he was in action from as early as the third minute when he denied Enner Valencia with a brilliant save.
Room was on a one-man mission as he kept out Gonzalo Plata’s effort while again denying Valencia with an impressive low stop.
Curaçao had their moments, with former Manchester United midfielder Tahith Chong wasting a three-on-two situation while Juninho Bacuna had a shot blocked in the penalty area.
Advocaat’s men had a triple chance to take the lead on the hour when Ecuador goalkeeper Hernan Galindez made a good double stop to deny Leandro Bacuna and Livano Comenencia before Moises Caicedo blocked Jurgen Locadia’s follow-up effort.
But Room continued to keep his side in it as he denied Valencia and Kevin Rodriguez before Piero Hincapié sent a free header over and Plata somehow missed after bursting into the area.
Rodriguez then hit the crossbar with a cross-shot, but Room was the hero as the Caribbean nation held on for a historic result. PA Media
And what a goal it was by Rodriguez, by the way.
“I have seen Uruguay play just once,” emails Gavin.
“In 2014, I spent the year travelling around South America. Being in Bolivia at the time just before the World Cup, I managed to find a last-minute bargain on AirBnB, and rented an apartment for the entire tournament in Rio.
“Having made it that far, I thought I must secure a ticket to a game at the Maracanã to tick it off the bucket list. I managed to grab a last-16 tie not knowing who would be playing, only to sit with the Colombia fans and witness that James Rodriguez goal in a 2-0 win v a Suarez-less (banned) Uruguay.
“That match more than made up for my England adventure, a 24-hour bus ride to witness the last group game v Costa Rica, with Roy Hodgson’s side limping out of the tournament.”
Lovely stuff (well, not the England bit). Thank you Gavin.
Meanwhile, look what I just found in the photo archive from that match at the Maracanã – it’s him again!
Cody Gakpo’s second goal for the Netherlands was the 100th at the tournament, in just the 33rd game. That makes this tournament the fastest to 100 goals since the 1958 edition.
It cannot really be a World Cup without Uruguay, can it? They face Cape Verde later, much later, in about 11 hours’ time.
I witnessed Uruguay against England in March (dreadful game, especially if you left on 75min like me) … I also saw Uruguay v Ghana in 2010, and in a World Cup playoff against Australia in Melbourne in the early noughties.
Have you ever had the pleasure of seeing them play? Mail me.
England have just lost the second Test against New Zealand, if you like that sort of thing. (Cricket content.)
“Do we have any notable names in the upcoming games?” emails Nathan. “Between Desiree Doué, Denzel Dumfries and Brian Brobbey, we’ve been a little spoilt for alliteration.”
What a pre-match tracksuit top that is from the Netherlands, by the way.
Messi’s teammates see him ‘as a God and a kid from the neighbourhood’ – Scaloni
Lionel Messi’s move to America will look like a masterstroke if he leads Argentina to back-to-back World Cup titles. His decision to join Inter Miami in 2023 has been good for all parties, raising the profile of football in the US, delivering titles for his club and writing a new chapter in his career.
But Argentina could be the biggest winner of all, with Messi’s powers still at stratospheric levels aged 38. “Leo will be the best for as long as he wants; he has been doing it every single match for the last 20 years,” said the Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni.
Thierry Henry described him as “on the moon” after his hat-trick in Argentina’s opening game against Algeria. “Leo is just different. It’s just a different topic,” Henry said.
Messi scored his first hat-trick at a World Cup and also moved level on 16 goals with Miroslav Klose as the leading scorer in tournament history.
“I tried to prepare myself in the best possible way to feel good physically, to feel useful, and to be able to help the group,” Messi said.
Despite saying the last World Cup was likely his last , Messi is once again at the heart of the Argentina team, its biggest creative and attacking threat. At this stage of his career, that was far from guaranteed.
“We should be used to this, but if you ever needed any more confirmation that when it comes to Argentina, Messi is the system, he is the tactic, he’s the formation, he’s the identity and he is the heart,” Fox analyst Alexi Lalas said after the 3-0 win against Algeria. “It was something to behold.”
Messi left behind the intensity of European soccer to join Inter Miami in 2023, delivering a massive boost for the MLS. He said he wanted to “live football in another way”, but there was a step down in level compared to Europe’s top leagues.
But at a time when top players are warning of burnout, Messi appears to be benefiting from the move. He has played fewer games than at the height of his Barcelona career, when he could play more than 50 a season. His performance at the start of this World Cup shows he hasn’t lost his sharpness even if he is not regularly facing the world’s top defenders.
“I love to play, to compete. And no matter where it is, today I find myself at another World Cup, which brings extra happiness, but I prepare myself just as I have done throughout my entire career,” he said.
Many people already rated the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as the greatest soccer player of all time. But even past his peak years, he has hit new heights on the sport’s biggest stage.
His Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul has spoken of theextra training both players had put in to ensure they were in peak condition.
“We killed ourselves to, physically, arrive in the best way,” De Paul said.
Messi has taken inspiration from Rafa Nadal after watching the Netflix series on the tennis great’s drive to stay at the top.
“I am very similar in that sense. I always want to feel good. As long as I can and I am well, I will be there,” Messi said.
For his teammates, he is simply the biggest inspiration. “What Leo transmits is spectacular,” said Scaloni. “His teammates view him both as a God and as a kid from the neighbourhood. Honestly, you just run out of words. Beyond the goals he scores, it is what he transmits—both to his teammates and to the fans. We will miss him.” James Robson, AP
Right, how about an Associated Press piece on the iconic Lionel Messi? Coming up shortly …
Don’t forget to email us with your World Cup musings.
The Sweden manager Graham Potter, meanwhile, said this of his side’s 5-1 drubbing by a very handy Netherlands side:
“In the end, it is what it is.”
Unarguable.
Tijjani Reijnders, of the Netherlands, offered a scintillating assessment of their handsome win against Sweden.
“We knew we had to win. It was a great victory,” said the Manchester City man.
“We have one goal: to win the World Cup. We did a good job today, and we have to keep going.”
I live for this stuff.
Thank you Billy. Hello everyone. What sort of thing is happening here? Let’s take a look.
That’s it from me for now. Luke McLaughlin is here to steer you through the next couple of hours.
On the Japan supporters cleaning up in Monterrey last night – one woman has gone viral this week for saying men should do the same when they’re at home.
Fifa lauded Japanese fans on social media for their “impeccable manners” that saw them tidy up the stands after their draw with the Netherlands, with pictures of men in blue avidly picking up trash. Similar images have since proliferated online, but one X post went viral after claiming Japanese men aren’t all that they are cracked up to be.
“Japanese men spend among the least time on housework internationally,” read the post, which has been viewed more than 2m times. “Please do it at home,” the post said, with a satirical illustration showing a fan who proudly cleans up the stadium is, in fact, relaxing on a sofa at home, oblivious to the pile of laundry and his wife or mother doing the dishes.
Japanese men participate notoriously little in household chores, with women spending 5.5 times more time than men taking on “unpaid work” such as shopping, domestic chores and caregiving, the cabinet office says, citing 2021 OECD data. The gap is far greater than in Britain, France and the United States, where women spend 1.8 times, 1.7 times and 1.6 times – respectively – longer than men doing unpaid work.
While supporters describe the act of cleaning up the stadium as proof of Japan’s cultural altruism, others have also seen it as slightly performative. Opinions have been divided on the viral X post. “Wives struggling with husbands who don’t clean at all should have them wear Samurai Japan uniforms at home too,” one comment said. “This is too much of generalisation – not all Japanese men are like that,” another user wrote. AFP
World Cup TV: Whether it’s Gary Lineker on ITV or Alexi Lalas going tete-a-tete with Thierry Henry on Fox coverage, it’s been an eye-catching first 10 days on the box.
Group H: Spain have had almost a week to stew over their disappointing start against Cape Verde but are back in Atlanta today to take on Saudi Arabia. Lamine Yamal could be fit enough to start having only come on as a 71st-minute substitute in the opener.
Luis de la Fuente has asked for people not to compare the 18-year-old to the likes of Messi and Maradona … before comparing him to the likes of Salvador Dalí and Michelangelo:
The worst mistake we could make would be to compare him to anyone. He is the midst of a process. He has exceptional footballing maturity and lives it all with total naturalness. He has great serenity and strength. We have to let him follow his path but those players who have something different are ready for that. They’re geniuses, like Dalí [who] can paint a picture, or Michelangelo. They’re different. What is exceptional to us, isn’t to them.
That’ll keep his feet on the ground.
Podcast: The World Cup Daily crew have been discussing Saturday’s action from their base in Los Angeles. They’ve also been coming to terms with the early elimination of dark horses Turkey.
You can listen here or watch here.
Infantino’s private jet could emit ‘300 to 500 tonnes of CO2’ during World Cup
Gianni Infantino has been a busy man at this World Cup but his unquenchable thirst to pack in as many matches as possible is causing unrest among environmental groups who are questioning his indifference to the climate crisis. Mexico City, Guadalajara, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Seattle, Kansas City, Houston: the Fifa president has already powered up his private jet to appear in the stands 10 times in seven days.
His insatiable use of a Qatar Airways private jet is nothing new: in September 2024, the investigative outlet Josimar revealed that he had used the plane to clock up 600,000km (372,822 miles) over the previous three years.
But the expanded 2026 World Cup, staged for the first time with 48 teams across the United States, Canada, and Mexico – meaning a jump from 64 to 104 matches – has magnified the impact of Infantino’s flying habit.
“Just one hour in this plane emits roughly what an average human being emits in an entire year,” Greenly, a French company specialising in carbon footprint assessments, said this week.
If Infantino strings together two cities a day until the end of the last 16, then attends the last eight matches, Greenly estimates he will rack up “a defensible range of 300 to 500 tonnes of CO2 for his plane alone” over the course of the tournament. That is the equivalent, they say, of “the annual footprint of around 35 to 55 French people”.
Fifa defends the president’s travel by stressing that its executives choose between commercial and private flights “based on what is most efficient and cost-effective” and that in all cases the organisation covers travel costs.
David Gogishvili, a geographer at the University of Lausanne, told AFP that Fifa had created a “sustainability paradox” – “by reusing existing but geographically dispersed NFL stadiums across a continent, Fifa has created a model that is structurally dependent on high-emission air travel,” he said.
Given that the 2026 tournament has attracted celebrities and wealthy spectators, the use of private jets at a World Cup is not just limited to Fifa leadership, further increasing the event’s overall footprint.
The 2022 World Cup drew 1,846 private jets to Qatar, the British journal Nature noted. That is more than the Super Bowl, the Cannes Film Festival, the World Economic Forum in Davos and Cop28 combined. AFP
Dutch royals swap orange for blue to follow Curaçao too
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands began Saturday by cheering the Dutch past Sweden in Houston. The monarchs ended the day by watching Curaçao make some history against Ecuador in Kansas City.
The small island nation of Curacao is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and that makes King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima the heads of state. So, after a quick flight north, the royal couple dutifully swapped out the bright orange scarves they wore to their earlier match with bright blue ones.
Curaçao, the smallest World Cup team in population and size, made their tournament debut last Sunday in a 7-1 loss to Germany. But they bounced back from that defeat for a 0-0 draw with La Tri and earn its first-ever point in the tournament.
“It is an extra special World Cup because we have both the Netherlands and Curaçao,” Willem-Alexander told RTL-TV. “So we have twice as many teams to cheer for. A great opportunity to cheer on both the Blues and the Oranges. All in all, it will be a special World Cup for me with two teams, and I naturally hope they go extremely far.”
After the Netherlands moved one step closer to the knockouts, Curaçao are still alive too after Eloy Room made 15 saves — one off the World Cup record — to earn a draw with Ecuador.
“It’s amazing,” the Curaçao midfielder Tahith Chong said of celebrating with the royal family in the dressing room. “I knew before the game that they were coming to the game. To have them at such a game that we pick up our first point ever in history is amazing.”
“Seeing how the king, his wife and daughter fit in our group is something that evokes a lot of respect,” said the 78-year-old Curaçao coach, Dick Advocaat, who was born and raised in the Netherlands. “They smile, they dance, nothing is too much for them, and you can see them radiating with joy. It was wonderful to see the royal family in this way.” AP
Today’s fixtures
We’ve got Groups G + H in action on World Cup Sunday.
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Spain v Saudi Arabia, Atlanta (noon local time, 5pm BST, 2am AEST)
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Belgium v Iran, Los Angeles (noon local, 8pm BST, 5am AEST)
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Uruguay v Cape Verde, Miami (6pm local, 11pm BST, 8am AEST)
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New Zealand v Egypt, Vancouver (6pm local, 2am BST, 11am AEST, 1pm NZST)
A convenient kick-off time for fans of the All Whites – well, maybe not if you’re at work or school. Let us know how you’re getting on with the match schedule in your country.
“Not sure when you compiled the Sans-Stars list, but there’s no space and you’ve left Room!” writes Chris on email. “Not as good as the Lebowski/Room/Rug one last night, admittedly. But at least it’s an ethos.”
Yes, it may not surprise you that we didn’t write that in the wee hours of this morning in the UK. Poor Vozinha – yesterday’s man, now.
It’s not a World Cup without Japan fans/players cleaning up after themselves …
Japanese fans celebrated their team’s 4-0 victory over Tunisia in the 1,000th match in World Cup history by staying behind at Monterrey’s stadium to collect rubbish from the stands. The practice, known in Japan as gomi hiroi, reflects an emphasis on taking responsibility for shared spaces.
Ken Okawa, 30, said he was happy to bring this tradition to his very first World Cup match as he stooped down to collect discarded cups and other rubbish from the floor around his seat. “We are guests in Mexico,” he said. “I have been treated wonderfully, so this is my way of showing my appreciation.”
The practice is instilled from a very young age in Japan, where schoolchildren are taught to clean up their own classrooms. Miku Takeya, 41, said that the habit of tidying up after herself has become second nature. “It’s a natural part of our culture,” she said. “We do this to ensure that everything we use is left clean so that the next person can use it comfortably.”
Images of Japanese fans cleaning up in stadiums after matches during this year’s World Cup have gone viral. Ahead of Saturday’s match, the Nuevo León governor, Samuel García, said he had arranged for 20,000 bin bags to be distributed in the stadium during the match, as well as at Fanfest and other tourist sites, following requests from Japanese fans, according to local media.
While this practice has captured global attention, many Japanese fans say it is nothing out of the ordinary for them. “It’s common sense in Japan,” said Ichiro Oyo, 27. Still, Ryo Matsuoka, 32, said he was proud to bring this part of Japanese culture to the world stage. “I think it is a matter of great pride that this is being showcased in a stadium like this, where people from all over the world are watching,” he said. Reuters
World Cup team of the tournament so far: John Brewin, Marcus Christenson and I have compiled some of the best performers of the opening 10 days … with one rule – no superstars.
Move over Messi, Mbappé and Haaland – this is about Laryea, Just and Quiñones:
Group F: It was Premier League power in the Netherlands v Sweden match. Well, almost – Crysencio Summerville of Championship West Ham the only goalscorer not to currently ply his trade in England’s top flight. There were doubles for Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey and Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, while Newcastle’s Anthony Elanga got Sweden’s consolation in a 5-1 defeat.
“The scoreline’s a little harsh on us, but sometimes that happens in football, especially with the quality of the opponent we face,” said Sweden’s Graham Potter.
“We got off to not a good start, which then puts you behind in the game and then affects the mood. After the first break, we thought we did really well. We adjusted things a little bit, which made it better for us.”
You’d expect Ronald Koeman’s Dutch side to top the group from here, with Sweden maybe looking for a draw in their final game against Japan that should see them through as a best third-place team.
“We needed this,” Koeman said. “When you start a tournament, you want to start well. It gives you peace of mind. There was also a bit more pressure on us to win. Otherwise, everything would come down to the final group match, and you don’t want that.”
Tony Mason was one of those up at the crack of dawn in the UK this morning: “After last night’s and this morning’s shenanigans things are starting to get a tiny bit clearer. I’m predicting a blockbuster round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan. Curaçao may have done a huge favour to teams finishing 3rd as both them and Ecuador will now struggle to get more than 2 points. This Sunday morning I’ve watched a full football match, the highlights of another, been for a run and had breakfast and it still isn’t 9 o’clock.”
We are all slackers in comparison.
Group F: Here in the UK anybody up with the lark was able to watch Japan sweep aside Tunisia in Monterrey. Crystal Palace fans would not have been surprised to see goalscorer Daichi Kamada play so well in an advanced position, filling in for the injured Takefusa Kubo in the Japan attack.
“Daichi has mostly been deployed as a defensive midfielder recently, but considering our current team situation, we had him shift to the shadow striker position today,” said Japan’s head coach, Hajime Moriyasu. “The idea was to bring out his strengths and have him control the team’s offence and defence from that advanced position.”
Tunisia, meanwhile, have joined Turkey in booking their flights home. Herve Renard replaced the sacked Sabri Lamouchi in the dugout and, well, didn’t make much of a difference. Last up for them: the Dutch.
“The score is heavy but it reflects the difference between the two teams tonight,” said Renard. “Even if we are eliminated we still have a third game to play. We are in a World Cup, and we must remain focused. It is important to get ready to fight for this third game against the Netherlands.”
Elsewhere in Group E Germany sealed progression from a World Cup group stage for the first time since they won the damn thing in 2014, coming from behind after Côte d’Ivoire had a half-time lead.
“We showed great character today,” said Deniz Undav, channelling his inner Brendan Rodgers. The Stuttgart striker came off the bench to score twice and netted a late winner, making it nine goals in 11 international caps.
Undav’s role is a curious one under Julian Nagelsmann. The coach has previously criticised the striker for his performances in a Germany shirt, even if he scored goals. Undav has also not been particularly happy to just be an impact sub.
“I could have him in the starting lineup,” Nagelsmann said yesterday. “I think that every player would love to be in the starting lineup, but I think he’s very happy as it is right now.”
Comments won’t be on until a little bit later – sorry about that – but in the meantime don’t forget you can email us to share your thoughts.
“I think I need a statue in Curaçao now,” said Eloy Room after keeping Ecuador at bay and earning his country’s first World Cup point – his clean sheet particularly significant after that 7-1 hammering by Germany in the first game. The Miami FC goalkeeper was just one off Tim Howard’s record of 16 saves (for USA v Belgium in 2014) in a World Cup match.
“A little bit annoyed that I don’t have the record from Tim Howard, but I think he was sweating in front of the TV because I was close,” Room said.
It’s going to be an insane memory. You don’t think about it when you do it but of course it’s going to be something you look back to. For me as a goalkeeper, this is almost a perfect game. It’s unbelievable. And I cannot do it alone. I did it with the team and my defenders and the midfielders, strikers. We did it as a team.
The draw means Curaçao can still (and probably will) progress from Group E if they beat Côte d’Ivoire in their final fixture.
Results and reports
Here’s what happened on Saturday at the World Cup …
Sweden followed up their 5-1 opening win over Tunisia with a thumping by the same scoreline by the Netherlands, with Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey on the scoresheet twice in Houston. Nick Ames was there:
Deniz Undav kept up his remarkable scoring record for Germany with both off the bench, including a late winner, against an impressive Côte d’Ivoire in Toronto. Leander Schaerlackens was there:
Curaçao earned their first point at a World Cup by holding Ecuador, with a heroic Eloy Room making a a ridiculous 15 saves in Kansas City. Ed Aarons was there:
And Herve Renard’s first game in charge of Tunisia was just as poor as Sabri Lamouchi’s final match, with Japan racking up the goals in Monterrey. Jonathan Wilson was there:
Iran’s Ghalenoei bemoans lack of support from other 47 managers
Ben Fisher
Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, expressed his disappointment at the lack of support from the other 47 managers at the World Cup amid further chaos on the eve of their crunch match against Belgium.
Iran arrived in Los Angeles from their base in Tijuana, Mexico, soon after midday on Saturday, less than 24 hours before their second Group G game. Iran had requested to arrive in LA two days before the match but were not permitted to do so and have voiced their frustrations to Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, about feeling the “most oppressed” team at the tournament. Belgium, meanwhile, arrived on Friday to prepare for the match.
“I haven’t heard anything from other coaches and I’m sure they’re busy with preparing their own teams and we never expect them to show any reaction,” Ghalenoei said. “But if I had seen another team being treated the way we’ve been treated, I would have [done it].
“I have not seen any reactions from anyone but it seems like the honourable coach of Belgium [Rudi Garcia] has said we are here for football, not politics, and I’m saying exactly the same thing. Our grievances are to do with the way [Fifa] have behaved towards us.”
Ghalenoei detailed how Iran waited in limbo on Friday evening after being given encouragement by Fifa that Iran may be able to travel earlier to LA than initially permitted. Ghalenoei said the team were ready to leave their base in Tijuana but the evening passed without Fifa giving them the green light.
“They [Fifa] phoned me and said: ‘Are you ready if we get you a flight at 6pm?’ I welcomed that but we sat and waited and waited,” Ghalenoei said. “We waited until 7pm, nothing happened. ‘OK, sorry, we weren’t able to do that.’ That’s going to affect us mentally, especially me as a head coach … I know Fifa is trying its best, I thank them for that but it doesn’t mean they have succeeded.”
Ghalenoei confirmed they have been granted permission to fly to Seattle two days before their final Group G match against Egypt on Friday, but questioned why they have been prevented from doing so for their other matches in the US. “Why didn’t they let us come earlier for the first two games as well?” the 62-year-old said. “They’ve allowed us to make our own decisions with regards to planning the travel but unfortunately for the first two games others made these decisions for us.”
Preamble
Tunisia are out, after a thumping defeat against Japan in Group F. Curaçao are still in there fighting, after a heroic 0-0 draw against Ecuador in Group E … Germany and the Netherlands, meanwhile, appear to be moving ominously through the gears. Let’s talk about the World Cup.
