The UK prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has criticised Fifa’s decision to ban plastic water bottles from World Cup stadia.
This from an interview with LBC.
How do you respond to Fifa’s announcement overnight, the decision they’re going to ban plastic bottles from the World Cup - some people will think that sounds a bit odd?
PM: It’s just wrong. And I can’t help but think that it’s about making money. So you can’t bring plastic bottles in but you can buy a bottle of water when you get in the crowd. And then it’ll be expensive. The tickets themselves cost a fortune, far too expensive in my view. So the ticket sales are too high. And this is the wrong policy.
Will you be writing to Fifa to ask them what they’re going to be doing about it?
PM: Well, I would call on Fifa to just look again at this. Think about it. Think of the fans. They are football fans from all sorts of backgrounds across our country, across the world. They’re already spending a fortune getting there. They’ve got to pay a lot for tickets, too much in my book. Don’t impose further costs on them. So I’d say Fifa, look again.
Daniel Tunnard gets in touch: “Ello, please note it’s Elo, named after Arpad Elo, not ELO, which is the Electric Light Orchestra. (Scrabble geek here).”
The World Cup guides keep rolling in; here’s Saudi Arabia, penned by John Duerden.
There is talent and, now, perhaps a little less pressure. There are also other things to think about. Saudi Arabia are hosting the Asian Cup for the first time in January and seeking a first continental title since 1996 and this is where preparations for hosting the 2034 World Cup really start.
Les Street is heading to North America to watch his third World Cup.
My search for accommodation began the moment Australia were drawn in Group D. Stays in Vancouver and Seattle were already eye-wateringly expensive, upwards of $1,000 a night. Knowing the demand for the USA match, I booked an overpriced backpackers near the stadium even though I have well crossed the age and comfort bar for lodging in hostel dormitories. For Vancouver, I played 4D chess and discovered a stay not found on booking search engines at a university campus for cost price.
Here’s the story on those free World Cup tickets.
Behnam Jafarzadeh reports from Tehran, where the World Cup has a different hue considering real-world events.
Economic pressure, declining purchasing power and the shadow of war (which had not yet happened) contributed to football’s importance for Iranians falling to its lowest level in decades. There is a stark contrast to the atmosphere around the 2014 World Cup, when even a 1–0 loss to Argentina in the second group game led to hopeful street celebrations. During the 2018 World Cup the team’s matches were shown on the big screens at Azadi Stadium and received a great response.
Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has been named La Liga player of the season.
The 18-year-old helped Barca retain their domestic crown, became the first player to win the league’s Player of the Month award three times in one season and finished as the club’s top scorer in La Liga with 16 goals and 11 assists. Barcelona’s Hansi Flick was named the coach of the year on Thursday.
Bad news for those World Cup ticket holders who thought they had a freebie.
Per Reuters: Fifa has cancelled World Cup tickets for about 60 fans who were able to mistakenly purchase them for free due to a website error, and world soccer’s governing body is now asking for them to be paid in full.
The affected fans were notified on Wednesday about tickets that were “allocated at no charge (0 USD) due to a prior payment issue during the checkout process“.
“The tickets requested by these fans remain reserved, and the affected fans have been invited to complete payment of the correct amount. FIFA regrets the error and any inconvenience caused.”
Here’s David Hytner’s report on Tottenham’s signing of Andy Robertson.
Spurs tried and failed to sign Robertson in January but they have got the deal done now and without having to pay a fee, the left-back’s contract at Liverpool having expired after nine hugely-successful seasons with the club. Robertson is the captain of Scotland and is preparing for the World Cup with them.
Thomas Frank 'will not rush into new role'
Thomas Frank, sacked by Tottenham in February, and set to be a pundit at the World Cup, has released a statement to the League Managers’ Association. It nixes talk of him being linked with Fulham, Crystal Palace and various other vacancies.
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has reached out over the past few months. Your support and encouragement have been greatly appreciated.
Leaving Tottenham has given me the chance to step back and reflect on my journey so far. Football management is a profession that demands complete commitment every single day, and periods like this are a rare opportunity to assess, learn and gain a fresh perspective. From the outside, it may have looked like a time of many challenges at Tottenham when results were not what we wanted. From within, however, it becomes clear why the club is so special - full of talented people who work tirelessly every day. I have no doubt Tottenham has a bright future.
Football remains a huge part of who I am, and I have chosen to use this time productively. Over the coming months, besides spending time with family and friends, I will continue studying, observing and learning from other leaders both within sport and beyond it.
I am also looking forward to covering the World Cup for Danish television and the BBC, as well as experiencing the Tour de France. Time away from the touchline is allowing me to broaden my perspective and gather insights that I look forward to bringing into my next challenge.
There have been conversations and opportunities since leaving Spurs, but I have decided not to rush into the next role. For me, this summer is not the right time to go back into management.
When the time is right, I will look forward to my return as a manager, ready to embrace the job with great energy and dedication.
Transfer news: Inter have announced their triggering of a buyback clause to re-sign Aleksandar Stankovic from Club Brugge, with the Serbia midfielder penning a five-year contract.
The 20-year-old player is the son of former midfielder Dejan Stanković, who spent almost a decade in Milan.
Some more detail on Brooklyn Earick, whose Eight Sports company claims to have purchased a 24.99 per cent stake in Tottenham’s parent company, via PA Media.
“Earick is said to be a lifelong Tottenham fan, according to sources close to the deal, who has raised more than $25 billion from family offices, sovereign wealth funds, and leading institutions worldwide.
“Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, he worked as an engineer at Nasa Ames Research Center, contributing to small spacecraft and satellite technology.”
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Fancy a World Cup stroll? A scenic walk to the MetLife here.
The World Cup fashion parade has begun.
Fashion moments range from the outfits players wear to get to training, to the suits worn on planes and their training gear. The French team’s training camp in Clairefontaine became something of a catwalk this week thanks to the style of players such as Jules Koundé and Kylian Mbappé. Meanwhile, brands including Loewe, Gabriela Hearst, Patta and the rapper Drake’s Nocta have worked with teams on suiting and training gear.
Since the last tournament in 2022, fashion’s influence on football has skyrocketed, with brands working with players and clubs, and the personal style of players influencing what young men wear, often thanks to carousels of images on Instagram and the outfits photographed when they arrive at training. This is set to increase further at the World Cup, with players including the Spanish ace Lamine Yamal, the Netherlands’ Virgil van Dijk and Koundé already posting outfits to their Instagram accounts.
Lawrence Shankland, the Scotland striker, has been speaking about his move from Hearts to Rangers.
“Obviously I finished the season pretty strong, so confidence was already high.
“To join my boyhood club, somewhere that I’ve always had a dream to play, and to get that opportunity, especially in the later stages of your career, I’m just happy and excited to get that opportunity. It can give you that wee boost and hopefully it does going into these games.”
“Obviously, I was due to meet up with Scotland on the Tuesday but I had to delay to the Wednesday for my medicals and stuff,” he said. “I felt like it was pretty important for me to get it done before I came here. I think when you come to a World Cup, you want to enjoy that experience. I don’t think I wanted anything hanging over my head with my club football so I was quite keen to get things wrapped up.
“Obviously, it was a big decision for me, leaving Hearts. It’s a great club. I’ve got a lot of good times and good memories there. But the opportunity to go and join Rangers is one that I couldn’t really turn down.:
Scotland play Bolivia in New Jersey on Saturday.
Eight Sports Capital claim to have bought Levy shares
Good afternoon, let’s start with some more Tottenham news.
A press release drops: “Eight Sports Capital Limited today announces the signing of a sale and purchase agreement to acquire a 24.99% interest in ENIC Sports and Developments Holdings Limited, the parent company of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, from the trustee of Daniel Levy’s family trust.
A spokesperson for Eight Sports Capital Limited stated: “We are delighted to have signed this agreement to acquire a significant stake in ENIC. We look forward to working with the Club’s shareholders, management, staff, players and fansto support Tottenham Hotspur’s continued growth and success.
“The parties have agreed that no further public comment will be made regarding the commercial terms of the transaction.”
Eight Sports Capital is a firm owned by Triller which is owned by Wing-Fai Ng and Richard Tsai. Eight Sports Capital CEO is Brooklyn Earick, reported to be a Tottenham fan and behind previous interest in purchasing the club.
The family of Joe Lewis, the former owner, are the majority owners of Spurs, and that holds an 86.58 per cent share in Tottenham. Last week, the family stated they are “all in”.
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Okay, time to brush up on Curaçao’s likely starting XI. John Brewin is now your man in the hotseat. Give him a big hand.
Real Madrid will launch a £130m bid for Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise if Florentino Pérez wins re-election as the club’s president this weekend. Rival candidate Enrique Riquelme had earlier promised to sign Erling Haaland from Manchester City if he got in. You guys.
Here’s a good omen for England. The ELO rankings are considered a better guide to who sits where in football’s pecking order. The FIFA rankings only go back to 1993 and they’ve tinkered with their workings several times. The ELO version was actually adapated from chess but they’re the rankings of choice for the football hipster.
Looking at past World Cup winners, eight of the last 10 champions were ranked in the top four of the ELO rankings pre-tournament. The current list has England in a top-four slot:
1/ Spain
2/ Argentina
3/ France
4/ England
5/ Brazil
6/ Portugal
7/ Colombia
8/ Netherlands
9/ Ecuador
10/ Germany
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Thoughts on Andy Robertson joining Tottenham on a free from Liverpool? A bit odd? More likely to get first-team football? A chance to experience the bright lights? More opportunities to hang out with Michael Dawson?
Tottenham sign Andy Robertson
Tottenham have unveiled a truly inspirational video welcoming Andy Robertson to the club ahead of his move from Liverpool.
Starring ex-Tottenham defender Michael Dawson, a former teammate of Robertson’s at Hull, he sends this heartwarming message:
“This shirt, the cockerel, that’s us since 1882. Worn by those who came before you, and everyone supporting from the stands.
“This club has been family to me, and we always have room for someone new.
“On the back, where your name is, that’s your chance to add something of your own to our story. As your old teammate and captain, I’m proud that I can welcome you to Spurs. Robbo, this is yours now too.”
The Scotland captain will officially join on 1 July when his Liverpool contract expires.
Sporting Director, Johan Lange, said: “We are delighted to welcome Andy to the club.
“First and foremost, he is an outstanding left-back - one of the best of all time in the Premier League, and someone who will improve our squad.
“In addition, his quality, character and leadership have been evident throughout a career in which he has regularly competed for - and won - major honours.
“Andy’s professionalism and commitment will also be invaluable to the development of our squad, and he shares our ambition and determination to bring success back to the Club.
“We are excited for Andy’s new chapter with us and look forward to having him here after the World Cup.”
Head Coach, Roberto De Zerbi, said: “Andy is someone I’ve admired for a number of years and he will bring outstanding technical qualities, experience, leadership and mentality to our team.
“He is a proven winner at the highest level over a long period and is someone who can be a big player for us, both on and off the pitch.
“I can’t wait to start working with him and seeing the positive impact he will have on everyone around him.”
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Al-Mubarak on Man City's 134 charges
Khaldoon al-Mubarak has vowed to set the record straight once the verdict is returned on Manchester City’s estimated 134 Premier League charges related to alleged financial wrongdoing.
The chair was asked whether there was an update, more than three years after the charges – which City deny – were brought. It remains unclear when there will be an announcement.
“Until we have a ruling, I can’t say much,” Al-Mubarak said. “Once we have a ruling, believe me, we’re going to have a wonderful sit down together and I’ll say everything I’ve wanted to say for the last three years.”
City are the flagship club of City Football Group, the organisation that has 12 teams across of the world. A Sheikh Mansour company owns most of CFG, with almost 17% controlled by the American company Silver Lake and a small stake held by China Media Capital and CITIC Capital.
Mubarak said the group was worth at least $10bn (£7.4bn). “Over the years we’ve had multiple stop points where the value went from $120m to $1bn, then $2bn, $3bn, then we had investors come in and invest in the club at $3bn,” he said. “We went up to $5bn and more money came in, investors buying into this strategy. And Sheikh Mansour took a very important choice, which was that the money stays in because we’re going to keep building. If you’re going to sell all today in the market, you wouldn’t sell it for less than $10bn minimum. That’s value creation.
“There’s no intention to sell. There’s only intention to keep growing this because the view here is this will only grow and this is a beautiful business to own.”
If you were reading earlier about England’s 6-1 win over Panama in the 2022 World Cup, there was a quiz question. Harry Kane got a hat-trick but I also asked which player scored an unlikely brace?
The answer: John Stones. Yes, really.
Thanks Luke. Player-guide session a little compromised due to a parcel delivered to the wrong door, a phone call about US Open golf shifts and a ham omelette that wouldn’t cook itself.
That’s the lot from me: David will be back from his marathon player-guide reading session imminently.
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Craig McLeish has been given the St Mirren job on a permanent basis after he maintained their Scottish Premiership status.
“I want to thank Keith [Lasley, chief executive] and the board for giving me this opportunity and I’m ready to grasp it. I’m delighted that my vision aligned with the club’s and they feel I’m the best person to take us forward,” McLeish said.
“It feels like maybe the end of a cycle with where we were at. We’ve achieved a lot over this last period, and we have to now look at what we do and how we operate as a club.” PA Media
Fresh from Premier League title success, Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard wants to play a significant role for Belgium at the World Cup.
“I really can’t wait to get started,” he said on Friday, a day after belatedly joining up with his teammates after last Saturday’s Champions League final.
“Everyone is starting the World Cup campaign full of enthusiasm, which is very positive. I’ve only been able to take part in one training session so far, so not much has stood out to me yet, but I can see that everyone is focused and ready to begin the World Cup.”
Asked if he is in his best form ever, Trossard added: “That’s always difficult to answer. But I’m certainly in very good form, and I hope to carry that into the World Cup.”
Winning the Premier League is also a positive for Belgium’s hopes, he said.
“It’s very good when players arrive here having won titles, but that doesn’t change your status. Not mine either but I will try to bring that experience into the national team.
“We’ve had a very good season with Arsenal. Of course, it’s disappointing how the Champions League ended. Penalty shootouts are a lottery, and it was stressful to experience it from the sidelines. But we’ve still had a fantastic season and we’re very proud of winning the English title.
“The title celebrations and the parade were fantastic. We were able to celebrate properly with the squad.“
As for his club future Trossard gave nothing away: “At the moment I am still an Arsenal player. We’ll see what happens in the summer,” he said.
Belgium have a friendly against Tunisia in Brussels on Saturday before Monday’s departure to the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the US, where they begin their Group G campaign in Seattle, on June 15, against Egypt. Reuters
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How is Sergiño Dest getting on for the USMNT?
I know it’s a question you’ve been pondering.
Jeff Rueter has all the relevant details here:
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The summit of Scottish football provides a wonderful environment for those who value long-term career stops. Neil Doncaster, chief executive of the Scottish Professional Football League, arrived at the then Scottish Premier League in 2009. Ian Maxwell, bizarrely headhunted from relegation-bound Partick Thistle, has been the Scottish Football Association’s chief executive since 2018. Scot Gemmill’s tenure as the nation’s under-21 manager has lasted a decade despite underwhelming results.
Glass half-full or half-empty; either this is a domain that delivers admirable continuity or one in which no one makes sufficient progress to appeal to those in bigger ponds.
Against this backdrop, Steve Clarke’s four-year extension as Scotland manager is really no surprise. “It’s pretty staggering for anyone to say that giving him a new contract is a gamble,” said Maxwell. The Scottish FA’s president, Mike Mulraney, delivered standard bluster when assessing the deal. “I don’t need other people to vindicate my decision,” insisted Mulraney.
Next up on Friday’s football content smorgasbord: a piece from Ewan Murray on Steve Clarke, the Scotland head coach. (They’re in Group C with Haiti, Morocco and Brazil. Their first match is against Haiti on Sunday 14 June, at 2am UK time.)
And here, for good measure, is their team guide by Ewan Murray:
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I’m not long for this blog but if you need to get something off your chest, email me.
Apropos of the current photo atop this blog, keep an eye out for Alexis Saelemaekers of Belgium. He’s shown some seriously classy touches during his loan spell at Roma.
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Sweden are in Group F at the World Cup with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia. A tasty group and no mistake.
Don’t forget to check out our essential guide to each and every player at the tournament:
“I have had enough life experience to be able to put all these things into perspective,” Potter says. “I’m grateful for all the experiences I have had, pluses and minuses. In the end, you have to deal with what life throws at you. After West Ham I could have done two things. I could have sat around and done media. Or you can go and work.”
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Coming up next, an excellent interview with the Sweden head coach, Graham Potter, by Jacob Steinberg …
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“It was hot in ‘94,” thundered Alexi Lalas, the former USA defender turned Fox Sports analyst, who starred for his country when they were the sole World Cup hosts that year. “And guess what? It’s going to be hot again this time.”
Lalas’s booming address came last December at the draw in Washington DC for this summer’s tournament and, to digress slightly, it was difficult not to fixate on his sheer vocality. Lalas is loud and confident, outspoken and there was the moment when he considered England’s chances at the finals. Notoriously, they failed to qualify 32 years ago.
To sum up, Lalas made it plain that England were coming to his turf with the express intention of making off with the trophy, bringing it home and so on and he, for one, was absolutely not OK with that. What does he have against England? It was unclear. Anyway …
Coming up next, a dispatch from David Hytner, one of our reporters with England’s World Cup hopefuls in Tampa.
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Newcastle agree £24.2m deal for goalkeeper Jaouen from Reims
Newcastle have agreed a £24.2m, four-year deal with Reims for the goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen. The 20-year-old stands at 6ft 6in, and attracted widespread interest from across Europe after 15 clean sheets in Ligue 2 last season. He has been tipped to become France’s first-choice keeper.
For the moment Jaouen will arrive on Tyneside as Eddie Howe’s second-choice goalkeeper. With Aaron Ramsdale having recently returned to Southampton after a season-long loan at St James’ Park, Nick Pope is Newcastle’s first choice.
Yet with Howe still seeking another senior goalkeeper – Manchester City’s James Trafford ranks high on his wishlist – Pope may depart this summer. Hull and Leeds are believed to be among those interested in signing the former England international.
In a summer of change in Newcastle’s goalkeeping departmentm Howe is also in the market for a third-choice keeper after John Ruddy’s departure.
Newcastle’s manager wants two top-class goalkeepers on his books and believes that Jaouen will be capable of challenging whoever becomes No1 at the start of next season for a starting place.
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The football never, ever ends. Especially not in World Cup year. Fabio Grosso’s winning penalty for Italy in 2006 was one of the absolutely great World Cup moments … and here is some Grosso news from the land of the Azzurri:
Fabio Grosso has resigned as coach of Sassuolo, the Serie A club announced on Friday, with reports he will join Fiorentina.
“Sassuolo have reached an agreement to terminate the contracts of first-team coach Fabio Grosso and his staff,” the Serie A club said.
Grosso, 48, had been in charge of Sassuolo since July 2024 when the club were playing in Serie B. At the end of his first season, the 2006 World Cup winner led Sassuolo back to the top flight, and this season the club finished 11th in Serie A.
The Italian press have linked Grosso with Fiorentina who had a difficult 2025-26 season under Stefano Pioli and then Paolo Vanoli but nevertheless secured survival, finishing 15th.
For the first time in his career, Grosso, formerly a defender with Palermo, Inter Milan and Juventus, would be at the helm of one of the historic clubs in the Italian league.
His only previous experience at a top club was with French outfit Lyon and it lasted just three months, between September and November 2023.
He was sacked after seven matches with just one win and a particularly painful start when he was hit in the face and hospitalised following an attack on his team’s bus.
The Italian league is set for a coaching shake-up with in addition to Sassuolo and likely Fiorentina, Bologna, Napoli, Milan, and Lazio have changed manager or are about to change coaches.
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Thanks David. Why not treat yourself, and aim for 200? Hi everyone.
While I head for some food and read another 173 of our 1,248 player guides, I’ll hand the blog to Luke McLaughlin.
Some emails have landed. A couple here:
Louise writes: “My compliments for the Bracketology. Already having a lot of fun with it with friends! Hope it will stay active in the coming weeks so we can adjust.”
Krish writes: “What are the chances of a USA - Iran knockout game and could you please pass on a request to David Squires to sketch Trump’s reaction should they lose that game?”
Using our online wizardry, I’ve worked out that if the USA win Group D and Iran finish second in Group G, they wouldn’t play each other until the final. If Iran finish third, it would be the semis.
Manchester United have agreed to sign the Atletico Madrid defender Andrea Medina on a free transfer this summer, the Guardian understands. The 22-year-old is set to move to the English club when her contract expires at the end of June.
A versatile left-back who can also play at centre-back and as wing-back, Medina has been monitored by Manchester United for a long time and her arrival should add plenty of tactical flexibility for the Women’s Super League team.
The former Real Betis player has enjoyed extensive success with Spain’s youth international teams at tournaments, including helping them win the 2022 Under-20 World Cup, when she was a key part of the starting side.
She was named in the 25-player Spain senior squad for this month’s Women’s World Cup qualifiers, with Spain facing England on Friday, although she is not expected to feature against the Lionesses because she has not been handed a squad number in their final matchday 23.
Spain need a win in Mallorca to keep alive their chances of qualifying automatically for next summer’s World Cup, ahead of England, who would top the group is they avoid defeat.
What’s the world on the street, Johnny? Interesting read here as some of our correspondents share their first thoughts.
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World-class footballers aren’t just created in a lab or given every possible privilege to reach the top. Germany’s Antonio Rüdiger grew up in Neukölln, Berlin, in a community largely made up of refugees, where his parents settled after fleeing civil war in Sierra Leone.
The Real Madrid defender has opened up about his upbringing after joining the “Gamechanging Team” of the UN high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) – a group of footballers with displacement backgrounds standing with refugees and challenging stereotypes. He tells his story to Sam Cunningham.
Thomas Tuchel won’t be able to field his first-choice XI against New Zealand on Saturday. That’s because his Arsenal contingent, including Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, will only join up with the squad next week following their Champions League exploits.
As for that likely starting XI for their World Cup opener against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June, the release of England’s squad numbers a few days ago surely dropped a few hints.
1/ Jordan Pickford
2/ Ezri Konsa
3/ Nico O’Reilly
4/ Declan Rice
5/ John Stones
6/ Marc Guehi
7/ Bukayo Saka
8/ Elliot Anderson
9/ Harry Kane
10/ Jude Bellingham
11/ Marcus Rashford
Rest of squad: 12 Tino Livramento, 13 Dean Henderson, 14 Jordan Henderson, 15 Dan Burn, 16 Kobbie Mainoo, 17 Morgan Rogers, 18 Anthony Gordon, 19 Ollie Watkins, 20 Noni Madueke, 21 Eberechi Eze, 22 Ivan Toney, 23 James Trafford, 24 Reece James, 25 Djed Spence, 26 Jarell Quansah
England play New Zealand at both cricket and football on Saturday. Well, that’s if the Lord’s Test lasts until then. Follow it here!
In Tampa on Saturday (4pm local time, 9pm UK), Thomas Tuchel’s men will hope they can cope with the heat and brush aside a New Zealand side that lost 4-0 to Haiti a few days ago. To be fair, the All Whites are better than that result suggests. Learn more about them here.
Results from last night’s pre-World Cup friendlies. Includes a shock defeat for France.
Spain 1-1 Iraq
France 1-2 Ivory Coast
Sweden 2-2 Greece
Panama 4-2 Dominican Republic
South Korea 1-0 El Salvador
Iran 2-0 Mali
A few notes. France took the lead through Rayan Cherki on the stroke of half-time but a late winner from Manchester United’s Amed Diallo condemned the French to their first defeat in 364 days.
Sweden conceded an injury-time equaliser against the Greeks but note this: much-derided Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres now has 20 goals in his 33 internationals after pulling the Swedes level.
Four goals for Panama. They also scored twice against Brazil last weekend although conceded six. Expect goals, mostly from England, when they take on Thomas Tuchel’s men in the final Group L group game on 27 June. England beat them 6-1 in the last World Cup, remember, with Harry Kane firing in a two-penalty hat-trick. Mythical prize if you can remember the Three Lions’ other goalscorers. One got an unlikely brace.
So, Spain open against Cape Verde. Come with us and get to know more about their Group H rivals, the Blue Sharks.
Spain are the narrow World Cup favourites ahead of France. So drawing 1-1 with Iraq last night in their final friendly before setting off for the finals was something of a surprise of first glance. Sid Lowe was at Estadio Riazor and explains that there’s nothing to panic about given that the Spanish fielded a team that will bare no resemblance to the one that starts their World Cup opener against Cape Verde on 15 June.
Bruno Fernandes certainly deserves his place on that PFA list. But will he still be at Old Trafford next season?
PFA awards shortlists revealed
The shortlists for the Men’s and Women’s PFA players’ awards have been revealed. Arsenal’s Premier League-winning trio of Declan Rice, Gabriel and David Raya all feature while Bunny Shaw and Yui Hasegawa have both been nominated for the Women’s Player of the Year award after helping Manchester City to title glory.
Men’s Players’ Player of the Year nominations
Rayan Cherki (Man City)
Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd)
Erling Haaland (Man City)
Gabriel (Arsenal)
David Raya (Arsenal)
Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Women’s Players’ Player of the Year nominations
Kirsty Hanson (Aston Villa)
Yui Hasegawa (Man City)
Lauren James (Chelsea)
Jess Park (Man Utd)
Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Bunny Shaw (Man City)
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England can qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup finals in Brazil tonight. The good news: all they have to do is avoid defeat. The bad news: they’re away to holders Spain. Tom Garry is in Mallorca to set the scene.
Time for a quick niche post. It comes courtesy of my colleague, Will Unwin.
“If you like a blast from the past, one person who was considered by Leicester for their manager’s role was the former Everton and Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Myhre, and preliminary talks were held. The Norwegian is currently in charge of top-tier HamKam in his homeland.”
Here’s Jonathan Wilson with some tactical analysis of whether Liverpool and Andoni are a good fit. The conclusions are generally positive.
“Iraola’s style of play would seem a good fit for Liverpool. Bournemouth tend to be a good side to watch, their football progressive and dynamic, with none of the passivity that came to characterise Slot’s Liverpool at their worst. The 4-2-3-1 shape Iraola has tended to favour would seem to fit with at least some of Liverpool’s thinking over the past year. Florian Wirtz should thrive in the central creative role largely occupied by Eli Junior Kroupi this season. The full-backs are attacking, as Bournemouth’s have been; for Milos Kerkez, who recovered towards the end of the season after a difficult start at Liverpool, this will be a reunion with Iraola, a coach to whom he felt so well disposed at Bournemouth that he celebrated an assist against Tottenham by running to the technical area to acknowledge his role in the goal.”
Will Andoni Iraola prove a hit at Liverpool? The appointment seems to have gone down extremely well with Reds fans, especially this line from the new boss: “For me, football is about emotions. About passion.”
First up, here’s Andy Hunter’s story of the 43-year-old Spaniard putting pen to paper at Anfield.
Who will England have to beat to win their first World Cup on foreign soil? The Opta supercomputer crunches the numbers. Warning: the path is not easy.
Bracketology! In past World Cups, a pencil and eraser on a wallchart was the only option to work out England’s most likely stage of elimination. But humans evolve. And now we have this tremendous piece of technology: a clickable online bracket. If they top their groups, can Spain and France (the two favourites) meet in the final? Touch and drag to find out!
Next up, the wallchart. Yep, nick some blu tack off one of your kids’ wonkily-hung posters of a K-pop band and get this centre stage on the kitchen wall. Probably another one in the toilet. Elegantly designed and beautifully illustrated.
World Cup 2026: guide to all 1,248 players
There’s only one place to start. The World Cup 2026: guide to all 1,248 players is a remarkable piece of work. Doffed cap to my colleagues who worked so hard to get this ready. It’ll take you a while to wade through so let’s get going straight away. How best to digest? Up to you. For some reason, my first clicks were to see how old Luka Modric is and then get more on Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal because he’s going to win the Golden Boot.
Preamble
Good morning! Well, it’s now less than a week away! Six days and 11 hours to be precise before the World Cup kicks off with the Group A clash between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa. We’ve got an absurd amount of analysis to hit you with as the build-up continues and that includes news of last night’s friendlies. Oh, and if you love a wallchart and an online bracket to work out when England might play Spain, we have you covered there too.
Beyond that, Andoni Iraola is in at Liverpool while there’s one of the biggest match-ups in women’s international football this evening as England take on Spain. The Lionesses will qualify for the 2027 World Cup finals in Brazil if they avoid defeat. As for England’s men, we’ll have all the latest ahead of their friendly with Chris Woods’ New Zealand on Saturday night.
“You have to say that’s magnificent!”
