That’s it from today’s news blog. The countdown to the World Cup’s final two quarter-finals is well and truly on. Who will meet in Wednesday’s semi-final in Atlanta? We’ll have fun finding out (maybe).
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Ståle Solbakken took a moment to pass on his best wishes to Kevin Keegan ahead of Norway’s World Cup quarter-final against England – an indication, the coach said, of his country’s deep connection with the English game. Former England captain and manager Keegan, who said last month that he was battling stage four cancer, was behind what Solbakken revealed was his most disappointing moment in World Cup history.
Carrying a painful back injury, forward Keegan came on as a substitute for his first action of the 1982 tournament against hosts Spain, but was not able to score the goal England needed to progress.
“My biggest regret in World Cup history is that Kevin Keegan didn’t score when he came on against Spain in 1982,” Solbakken told reporters at Miami Stadium.
“He was my big hero, so I hope Kevin is good. I heard that he’s a little bit sick. I hope he’s good because he was my big hero.”
Norway’s passion for English football started in 1969 when state broadcaster NRK, then a one-channel monopoly, started broadcasting weekly English league games during the long Norwegian off-season.
The results can still be seen every weekend in England with Norwegians travelling in numbers to watch not just Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal, but also clubs like Wolves and Ipswich who were big in the 1970s.
“I think Brazil and England are maybe the two biggest nations we could meet in this World Cup in terms of the history,” Solbakken said.
“Everyone in Norway who has followed English football has a team or a favourite player, and that makes it maybe a little bit special tomorrow because ... it was one game on the telly and everyone had a team they followed very closely.
“So my team was obviously Liverpool, but Kevin was my man. So I say hello to Kevin. Fight on.” Reuters
It’s strange, usually the England team has been leaked by now. What we do know for sure is that Marc Guéhi, Declan Rice and Reece James all trained yesterday and are expected to be available for selection later.
Guéhi has been managing a hamstring problem over the last few days, Rice has been feeling unwell and James has missed the last three games with his own hamstring issue.
Obviously, Jordan Henderson is out with a fractured wrist after his fall at the Azteca. Jarell Quansah is serving the first of a two-match ban for his red card against Mexico.
Switzerland will be without Johan Manzambi again this evening after their top scorer missed the previous round against Colombia with a knee injury.
“We tried everything that we could to get him back, unfortunately, he’s unable to perform tomorrow,” manager Murat Yakin said yesterday.
“Johan Manzambi is in a lot of pain. It was a shock to all of us. This momentum was on his side, and there is so much joy when he plays football.”
The first question of the Switzerland press conference was unsurprisingly how Switzerland would stop Lionel Messi, who is the tournament’s joint-leading scorer with eight goals.
“Tomorrow, on the pitch, we will perform as a unit,” said Yakin. “We will try to play passes, press high against Argentina, who are the reigning champions.
“Obviously, we will try to do the work on the pitch. We can talk a lot, but in the end, it has to really translate on the pitch. And we do have our solutions.”
Granit Xhaka admitted it was not possible to keep the marauding Messi quiet for the whole match but said his men would be “smart”.
“I don’t know if we can stop him over 90 minutes,” he said. “It is going to be difficult.
“However, we have to be very smart. We’ll have to be compact, close the gaps, not give him too many spaces. We will try, obviously, to play in position. When we have the ball, he won’t be able to act as much.” Reuters and AFP
Thanks Niall. Jonathan Wilson’s column has dropped. He says swirl around Fifa’s machinations and doubts about big team and big name bias create doubt – and that’s a dangerous game.
Humans are imperfect. Refereeing is difficult. Trying to achieve a uniform standard for 52 referees drawn from across the globe is far from straightforward. Fan conspiracy theories about officiating are one of the most tedious aspects of the modern game, usually rooted in a couple of 50-50 decisions that have gone against their team and fuelled by VAR. It has created a climate when perfection is demanded and there is no room for human error or even ambiguity. Usually, they can easily be dismissed.
But then you get the president of the United States boasting about prevailing on Infantino to suspend Balogun’s suspension …
Time to hand back to Billy for the home straight.
Tom Wright has emailed in to ask about the chances of a weather delay in Miami. That will probably be covered in more detail in our match blog if problems arise; I’m no Ian McCaskill (ask your grandparents) but as it stands, the risk of storm delays is low, with any predicted issues coming towards the end of the 90 minutes.
As for the heat, it’s going to be above 30C (86F) at kick-off, with an excessive heat warning in place. At this stage, I doubt that will affect the game beyond the usual hydration breaks – every group game in Miami was played in similar conditions.
In a parallel universe, Alejandro Garnacho is lining up for Argentina tonight – but the winger’s career has stalled spectacularly, and he has not joined up with Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea squad for pre-season training.
The 21-year-old is expected to leave the club permanently this summer, with Chelsea hoping for an offer in the £40m region. Garnacho has eight Argentina caps and was part of the 2024 Copa América-winning squad, but has scarcely featured since.
In a slightly strange bit of scheduling, the fourth quarter-final is also taking place tonight, at 9pm EDT (a testing 2am in the UK). Argentina face Switzerland in Kansas City, aiming to continue a title defence that has taken some serious hits:
There’s drama aplenty in the all-Czech Wimbledon women’s final. Join Katy Murrells for the latest there.
Pål Winther has emailed in with a helpful guide to Norwegian names. “Nost non-patronymic Norwegian names come from old descriptive terms for farms.”
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Haaland (or Håland) – “Haw-lahn” – (the farm near) high land
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Ødegaard (or Ødegård) - “Uh-duh-gord” – abandoned farm
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Sørloth - “Sur-loht” – southern part (of a farm)
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Aasgaard (or Åsgård) - “Awss-gord” – high farm
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Østigård - “Uh-stee-gord” – east farm
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Ørjan Nyland - “Ur-yahn Nee-lahn” – new land
Does this mean … Norway are the farmers?
Despite gloomy predictions and the hosts’ eventual unravelling – caused at least in part by Donald Trump getting involved – the World Cup in America has been a big success, and brought joy and human connection to a divided land.
“Not wanting to sound too pessimistic, but what would be the script in 2026 for ‘Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, Lady Diana, your guys took one hell of a beating tonight’ if Norway beat England?” asks Jim Lambourn. Gary Lineker? Lee Dixon? Count Binface? Answers on a postcard.
Hello everyone. Just under five hours to go until kick-off in Miami. England and Norway fans, how are you feeling? Email matchday.live@theguardian.com and let me know!
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Niall McVeigh is here for the next little while.
In non-World Cup related transfer news, promoted Coventry have signed Loum Tchaouna from relegated Burnley on a five-year deal.
The 22-year-old French winger said: “I’m going to bring my energy, determination and leadership to the team. I’ve played in Ligue 1, Serie A and now I’m playing in the Premier League, the best league in the world, so I have a lot of experience for my young age.
“I’m so excited to play at the Coventry Building Society Arena and I can’t wait for the new season.”
At the final whistle Argentina’s fans dissolved into a frenzy of bare-chested, flag-waving joy. This disjointed team of talents, with their flat-footed midfield, creaky defence and high-grade attacking individuals, continue to edge through the rounds. Argentina have some obvious flaws, like all the remaining teams, but they also have one thrillingly relentless point of strength and they will take some stopping.
Sound familiar? Well, that was Barney Ronay on Argentina following their extra-time win over Switzerland in the last 16 of the 2014 World Cup – Ángel Di María and all that.
Only Lionel Messi remains from that Argentina squad. Switzerland still have Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodriguez hanging around – and playing rather well.
Here is today’s World Cup daily podcast in full, shiny video – on Spain v Belgium and previewing England v Norway and Argentina v Switzerland
The roots of Norway’s World Cup success can be traced back to a 2007 rule change from the country’s governing body for sport. The NIF revised the way in which children participated in sport, ensuring that no pressure was put on them to choose one to follow before they were old enough to make the decision themselves. Results pages and league tables were also done away with for younger age-groups.
Erling Haaland did handball, athletics and cross-country skiing before deciding to pursue a career in football aged 14.
Alexander Sørloth played football (his dad was a pro), handball (his mum was a pro) and speed skating during his childhood.
Ørjan Nyland is a bit older – he was 17 when the new rules were introduced – but also grew up doing handball and alpine skiing before becoming a goalkeeper.
Jesse Gerritsen goes into more detail …
This is an argument for what happens when a country builds patience into childhood rather than urgency. Norway have form here. In February, they topped the Winter Olympics medal table for the fourth Games running, with a record 18 golds, outperforming countries 60 times the size.
Most nations run a version of Brazil’s model – spot the gift early, build the pathway around the position a child is presumed to suit already – and it has produced some of the most beautiful football played. But Norway’s success is a prompt to ask whether the alternative, protecting a child’s right to choose, may be the better pathway. It may be rare to legislate patience. It is rarer still to win by doing it.
In case you didn’t get it sent into your inbox, here’s today’s Football Daily newsletter …
While England have been from Boston to Mexico City during their run to the last eight, Norway have stayed largely in the same area with two games in New York and two in Boston. Their other match was in Dallas.
That has led to England having flown further than any team left in the tournament and a whole 3,000 miles further than Norway.
There is a neat graphic in Andrew Beasley’s data-crunching piece from yesterday …
A lot is being said about the conditions in Miami ahead of England’s quarter-final with Norway – Temperature: 33C, humidity: 61%, feels like: 44C (!) – but there was a reason Thomas Tuchel wanted to start the summer in Florida.
Tuchel was already making preparations for a pre-tournament training camp there over a year ago – way before the draw was made and England looked on course for quarter-final in Miami.
This is from David Hytner during the June camp in Florida …
The FA has invested a significant amount of planning and infrastructure into working out how they get the players to and through the tournament in the best possible physical state. Most of the acclimatisation is taking place in Florida but the groundwork began last June, when Tuchel took the squad to Girona for a week of warm-weather training.
The sessions were punishing. The players were asked, for example, to cycle for 45 minutes at a consistent level inside a tent heated to a minimum of 35C. And sports science was to the fore. Before players got on the bikes, they swallowed a biometric tablet which helped to monitor their core body temperatures under stress. Some of the players have invested in hyperbaric oxygen chambers, red-light saunas and ice baths at home to improve recovery.
The data is everything. How it is collected and extrapolated is dizzying. There are external loads, such as distances covered and number of high-intensity runs, tracked via GPS technology. And internal loads, such as heart-rate variability, measured by wearable devices. The players have used health bands in training this week.
The news story below will be updated as there are more developments. For the time being, we will continue with our buildup to the World Cup’s remaining two quarter-finals.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has said his and Fifa’s thoughts and condolences are with Jayden Adams’s family, friends and teammates in a post on Instagram.
Infantino posted on his story: “It’s so incredibly sad to hear that South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams has passed away just weeks after featuring in his nation’s historic FIFA World Cup campaign.
“My thoughts and condolences, as well as those of everyone at FIFA and the global football community, are with his family, friends and teammates. The Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns star will be sorely missed. May he rest in peace.”
Jayden Adams’ former club Stellenbosch have said he “leaves behind a lasting legacy” in a statement:
“It is with profound sadness that Stellenbosch Football Club has learned of the untimely passing of our former player Jayden Adams.
“The Club wishes to extend its deepest condolences to Jayden’s family and loved ones, as well as everyone at Mamelodi Sundowns, and calls for their privacy to be respected during this unimaginably difficult time.
“A prodigious footballer, he made his professional debut for Stellenbosch FC at the age of 19 and went on to make 139 senior appearances, helping the Maroons lift the Carling Knockout trophy in 2023.
“After joining Sundowns in 2025, Jayden continued to showcase his immense talent, and he recently represented South Africa at the highest level at the FIFA World Cup in North America.
“A proud flagbearer for the Cape Winelands, Jayden leaves behind a lasting legacy in Stellenbosch and an enduring impact on South African football. He will be deeply missed, and never forgotten.”
Former Chelsea chair Ken Bates dies aged 94
Ken Bates, one of the most colourful and controversial figures in the history of English football, has died aged 94, Chelsea have announced.
The club reported on Saturday afternoon that Bates had died peacefully in Monaco surrounded by his wife and family, adding in a statement: “It is with great sadness that we share the news of the loss of Ken Bates, former owner and chairman of Chelsea Football Club.
“The club sends our heartfelt condolences to Ken’s wife Suzannah, the rest of his family and his friends. Ken’s determination to fight for Chelsea when times were tough, and drive the team on to winning trophies will never be forgotten.”
A businessman who was involved in football ownership and administration for the best part of five decades, Bates is best known for his time at Chelsea, purchasing the club in the early 1980s before reviving it and ultimately selling up to Roman Abramovich in 2003, a decision that had a significant, lasting impact on the sport as a whole.
More here:
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has said “Football has lost one of its own” in a post on social media alongside a picture of Jayden Adams.
The midfielder made his South Africa debut against Mozambique in 2022 and won 13 caps, scoring two goals, both in Caf qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. He was part of the South Africa side that finished third at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Adams joined Mamelodi Sundowns last year and helped them win their first Caf Champions League title for 10 years, starting both legs of the final against AS Far of Morocco.
South Africa’s sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, has said the nation has lost “one of its brightest young talents” after the death of midfielder Jayden Adams.
“It is with profound shock and a heavy heart that I have learnt of the passing of Jayden Adams,” McKenzie said in a statement.
“South African football has lost one of its brightest young talents.”
The minister did not disclose a cause of death.
Police said they had opened an investigation after the body of a 25-year-old man was found at a house in Schotschekloof, a suburb in central Cape Town, on Saturday morning.
“Circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation,” Western Cape police spokesperson FC van Wyk told AFP.
Adams played in all three of South Africa’s group-stage matches at the tournament but did not feature in the knockout defeat by Canada.
Born in Cape Town, he began his professional career with Stellenbosch FC before joining CAF Champions League winners Mamelodi Sundowns in January 2025.
Adams’s death comes less than a month after the passing of his grandmother, on the eve of South Africa’s Group A match against Czechia at Atlanta Stadium.
“Jayden started in the match against Czechia and gave his all while carrying the burden of losing his grandmother,” the South African Football Association said at the time. AFP
From our pre-tournament player guide on Jayden Adams, which is very difficult to read now:
“One of the most exciting players in South African football right now. The Sundowns midfielder has huge quality in the middle of the pitch, confident and comfortable in possession, never shy to receive the ball under pressure. His pinpoint passing ability shines through, and he was linked with a big move to Europe before this summer’s tournament.”
South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams dies aged 25
Horrendous news to relay – Jayden Adams, who played in South Africa’s three group games at the World Cup, has died aged 25.
The Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder started the tournament opener, a 2-0 defeat by Mexico, and the 1-1 draw with Czechia, being substituted in both matches. He then came off the bench in the 1-0 win against South Korea, but took no part in the 1-0 last-32 defeat by Canada.
The South African Football Players Union wrote in a statement: “The SAFPU is devastated by the untimely passing of Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana midfielder, Jayden Adams.
“Jayden had only recently represented South Africa at the 2026 Fifa World Cup, carrying the hopes of the nation with pride, courage, and distinction.
“His passing is an immeasurable loss to his family, teammates, clubs, the football fraternity and country at large.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the Adams family, Mamelodi Sundowns, Stellenbosch FC, Bafana Bafana and all those whose lives he touched.”
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Chelsea working on Garnacho sale
Chelsea are ready to sell Alejandro Garnacho and will listen to offers of around £42.5million, it is understood. The 22-year-old has been told he is not guaranteed a regular starting place at Stamford Bridge and it has been decided between the parties that he can depart, with clubs in the Premier League, Italy and elsewhere in Europe having expressed interest.
There is also interest from teams in Saudi Arabia as the former Manchester United winger looks to kickstart a career that has stalled over the past two seasons.
It is understood that a lack of guaranteed playing time is the crucial factor and that relations remain positive between club and player, although the decision has been taken for him not to report for pre-season training while his departure is finalised.
It is hoped internally that a deal can be reached within the next two weeks.
Andrey Santos, who agreed to join Manchester United earlier this week, had also been told that he would not have regular playing time under new manager Xabi Alonso, which prompted the player to ask to leave. PA Media
Thanks Stu. After England fans pulled an all-nighter last weekend, it’s Switzerland’s turn to go through a late-night knockout tie.
Pubs and restaurants in many cantons and cities in Switzerland will be allowed to stay open all night on Saturday to allow football fans to watch their World Cup quarter-final against Argentina which kicks off at 3am local time on Sunday morning.
In Geneva, the cantonal authorities announced in a press release all public establishments in the cafe-restaurant and bar categories could open “without time restrictions during the night of July 11 to 12 and to show the match”.
According to the ATS-Keystone agency, the cantons of Jura and Bern have granted a similar exceptional waiver for public establishments.
The curfew has also been lifted in a number of other cities including Lausanne, Sion and Sierre while Zurich has granted a “Freinacht” (“sleepless night”) in indoor restaurants and bars.
The canton of Basel-Landschaft has likewise “authorised extended opening hours for restaurants and bars, including those operating temporarily as part of the World Cup,” until 6am local time on Sunday. AFP
Key event
Billy Munday now takes the reins here. Have a good weekend.
Klopp agrees to become Germany head coach
Jürgen Klopp has “reached an agreement on the key points” to become the next Germany head coach, the German football association (DFB) has said. The 59-year-old is expected to sign a contract until 2030 to succeed Julian Nagelsmann.
A statement said: “The DFB president Bernd Neuendorf and DFB vice-president Hans-Joachim Watzke held their first in-depth talks with Jürgen Klopp yesterday in New York regarding his potential appointment as national team coach. During the constructive exchange, an agreement was reached on the key points of a potential contract. Talks will continue next week.
“Both sides are confident that the negotiations – subject to an agreement with Klopp’s current employer, Red Bull – can ultimately be successfully concluded. Any potential contract must be finalised in a joint meeting of the supervisory board and shareholders’ meeting of DFB GmbH & Co. KG.”
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Fifa selling chunks of World Cup final pitch for £335
Don’t worry, they’re waiting until after the final before cutting it up.
Fifa’s official store is flogging the turf that will be used for the 19 July final at MetLife Stadium … at $450 (£335) per chunk.
The “Piece of the Pitch – Foundation Edition” comes “permanently preserved in a premium acrylic with a USB keepsake. Each piece contains an original fragment of the iconic Final playing surface, making it a unique collectible that celebrates one of the world’s greatest sporting events.”
Sounds magical.
“The acrylic USB features an authenticity film, while offering a sleek, contemporary display piece. Presented in a premium hinged shoulder box with striking spot UV detailing, this exclusive item is designed for collectors, fans, and football enthusiasts alike.”
It’s a slug of grass in a box with a USB stick, ladies and gents. From a stadium with a surface nobody seems to like. Queue now queue now QUEUE NOW.
Rangers sign Socceroos midfielder Cameron Devlin
A bit more WC-adjacent transfer news to report … Rangers have signed Australia midfielder Cameron Devlin on a two-year deal.
Devlin, who was in the Socceroos squad but went unused at the World Cup, left Hearts at the end of the last domestic season after his contract expired. However, it turns out his time away from Derek McInnes’s clutches was brief, given he’ll report at Ibrox to find his last manager in place there. Aww.
The Sydney-born 28-year-old’s new contract includes the option of an additional year.
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FAO England fans who are always England fans, whatever the sport …
KO there is 2.10pm BST
Meanwhile at Lord’s …
At lunch it’s finely poised – England are 137 for five and trail by 148 runs. Sounds a lot like the hosts may need captain Nat Sciver-Brunt to keep digging in – she’s unbeaten on 39 from 74 balls.
There were plenty of reasons to believe the US hosting the World Cup would be a disaster.
In the year and a half leading up to the kick-off, Donald Trump had threatened to annex tournament co-host Canada, and to invade the other co-host, Mexico; he was at war with one of the tournament’s participants, Iran. Harsh travel restrictions were preventing fans from Senegal, Ivory Coast and Haiti from getting visas. Ticket prices were outrageous. Hotels weren’t filling up as promised. Fifa was introducing “hydration breaks” during games, allowing TV commercials in what appeared to be a shameless cash grab that threatened the flow of play.
Finally, in a country where the beautiful game has only ever flourished because of immigrants, the White House was overseeing brutal sweeps to forcibly expel millions from those very communities. America – where soccer has always trailed other sports in popularity – was poised to be the most unwelcoming host of a tournament that, Fifa boasts in its advertisements, “unites the world”.
Then the soccer started.
More Lammens commiseration BTL …
It was a weird goal all-round. I strongly suspect that the TV angle was deceptive, but I initially thought Thomas Castagne was well-placed to mop up the loose ball. As it happened, he was keeping busy shoulder-charging Nico Williams to keep him at bay … but meanwhile Mikel Merino was haring in between a brace of defenders who were half a yard behind anticipating the danger.
There was even backspin on the ball after it hit Lammens, which kept it agonisingly within reach of him. But his momentum was in the wrong direction, while Merino did that old Gary Lineker thing of just running as fast as possible towards where he hopes the ball might go. Lots and lots of credit needs to go to the Spain sub, who had only just entered the game, let’s not forget.
The outlook in Kansas City for Argentina v Switzerland is not dissimilar. Wildish swings from 33C and clammy to biblical showers and airborne light shows.
Keep out of trees and leave those brollies down, sports fans.
Ian Sargeant has popped up out of the mailbag …
Sat in the lobby of our hotel in Turkey waiting for the transfer to Anatalya airport.
Flight delayed – estimated landing 10:15pm currently.
What odds a weather delay for England?
Current forecast for 10pm local time in Miami: thundery showers and light winds. 74% humidity (no thank you). Temperature feels like: 39C
Whenever there’s a lightning symbol on the forecast, there’s potential for delay.
Under US safety regulations, a strike within 10 miles (16km) of a stadium triggers a 30-minute suspension of the game, during which players must leave the pitch.
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Any Belgium fans in? Last night did feel like a lid on an era. But even so … they had looked like potentially taking it the distance against Spain until that really unfortunate late fumble from Senne Lammens.
He’ll be back, though I hope they unearth some more gems to go in front of him. But, as the old saying probably went, Kevin De Bruynes don’t grow on trees.
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Lots of chat below the line about England’s captain teeing off with DJT.
Zing!
Where are we on the whole beer-toss celebration thing? Not a fan personally. Have you seen the price of a pint these days? Tsk etc. Also: walking home wearing garments soaked in what smells like wheaty pee isn’t my idea of fun. That’s why I stopped going down the front of Carter USM concerts back in the day.
Sammy Gecsoyler has been delving in to the phenomenon.
There’s a Denmark-based segue possible here … given Anthon Charmig and Magnus Cort are actually Danish. Regrettably, Denmark failed to qualify for the World Cup, having lost their playoff final to Czechia on penalties. Still, let’s pivot to a bit of transfer news …
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Atlético Madrid have announced that Morten Hjulmand has joined from Sporting on a five-year contract. Unconfirmed media reports suggest that the deal is worth up to €40m (£34m), with a further €5m in add-ons.
The 27-year-old Denmark midfielder made 141 appearances and scored 10 goals and made 12 assists for Sporting after joining from Italian club Lecce in 2023. He captained Sporting to back-to-back Portuguese league titles in 2023-24 and 2024-25, as well as a Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup).
He has made 27 appearances for Denmark since making his international debut in 2023. Reuters
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Stage eight of the Tour de France is rolling out. Luke McLaughlin can be found elsewhere on this here website taking you through it all.
But who are Team Uno-X Mobility getting behind in tonight’s quarter-final, I hear you ask? Turns out their colours are firmly on the mast …
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Jonny Weeks has been busy. One of our resident sport picture editors, he’s picked out some cracking images of the tension and emotion found in the tunnel at this World Cup. A real contrast with some of the puff-chested images we see on the TV. Here’s my favourite from his selection …
Check out the rest here …
Many thanks David. Happy Saturday, world. I’m glad he comprehensively dealt with all the golfing chat – all I can contribute on that front is that I woke up this morning to find I’d had a lowball eBay offer declined on an old Callaway hybrid club. Onwards …
I’ll shuffle off and allow Stuart Goodwin to deal with the fallout of Kane and Trump! Fore!
Lots of discussion below the line on Harry Kane playing golf with Donald Trump. Personally, I think if Harry had a Gareth Bale-style banner it would read: England, Golf, Politics (in very tiny letters). Basically, the Three Lions skipper stays out of politics but loves a round of golf. I don’t recall much chat about Labour’s manifesto when he played a round with Gary Neville for The Overlap.
Kane is the Three Lions’ best golfer – he’s off scratch – and also teed it up alongside five-time major winner Brooks Koepka during England’s training camp in Florida. John Stones, Jordan Pickford, Elliot Anderson, and training goalkeeper Jason Steele were the others (Steele is next best and can give Kane a good game) while Declan Rice is another keen golfer.
Kane is old-school: he married his childhood sweetheart and is extremely conservative with a small ‘c’. Being furious about stuff probably confuses him. Anyway, that’s the context. Feel free to shout and say he was wrong.
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Let’s not forget there’s another quarter-final on tonight. Here’s Pablo Iglesias Maurer on the last-eight clash between holders Argentina and Switzerland.
“Argentina will need Messi and much more against Switzerland. They will need to stay in high gear for longer stretches. They cannot rely on vibes alone as they have sometimes seemed to this summer. Yet to many, the chaotic energy of this Argentina side is exactly why they are beloved.”
Time for some England v Norway Top Trumps. I’d be going “Tallest player: Dan Burn”. Does it win though? Some of these Norwegian lads are big units. Find out below.
Population Norway: 5.6 million; England: 56.3 million
Area Norway: 148,729 square miles; England: 50,371 square miles
Lowest temperature recorded Norway: -51.4C; England: -26.1
Average male height Norway: 5ft 11in; England: 5ft 9in
National dish Norway: Fårikål (mutton or lamb, cabbage, black pepper and occasionally some wheat flour); England: chicken tikka masala (invented in Glasgow)
Fifa ranking Norway: 19; England: 4
Squad value (via Transfermarkt.com) Norway: £502.56m; England: £1.25bn
Most expensive player Norway: Erling Haaland £51.2m; England: Elliot Anderson £116m (transfer to be finalised after World Cup)
Best World Cup placing Norway: quarter-final (current); England: winners
All-time World Cup goals Norway: 19; England: 115
World Cup wins against Brazil Norway: 2; England: 0
Premier League players in World Cup squad Norway: 6; England: 20
Championship players in World Cup squad Norway: 3; England: 0
Tallest player in squad Norway: Kristoffer Ajer 6ft 6in; England: Dan Burn 6ft 7in
Natalie Tan and Calvin Burton
Norway fans having fun in Miami!
A fun stat doing the rounds. Of the eight top-ranked teams going into the World Cup, five made it to the quarter-finals.
The other three were all managed by ex-Everton managers!
Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil)
Roberto Martínez (Portugal)
Ronald Koeman (Netherlands)
Lots of responses, many from Toffees fans, using the word “cursed”.
Man City sign £12.5m Monga from Leicester
Manchester City have beaten Arsenal to the £12.5m signing of the 17-year-old Jeremy Monga from Leicester City. Monga was coveted by Arsenal but City pushed hard to sign the teenager, who head coach Enzo Maresca knows from his promotion-winning season in charge at Leicester in 2023-24.
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More Kane v Haaland goal stats. How about their record in quarter-finals?
International
Kane – 3 goals in 4 quarter-finals with England
Haaland – this is his first quarter-final with Norway
Club
Kane – 4 goals in 7 quarter-finals with Spurs/Bayern
Haaland – 2 goals in 6 quarter-finals with Dortmund/Man City
Kane looks to have an edge here. Add together his club and country tallies and it’s 7 goals in 11 quarter-finals.
Talking of Kane v Haaland, Thomas Krantz has just emailed this: “I had a thought exercise with a friend of mine that was fun. We both agreed Haaland is better than Kane, but would you rather have Haaland vs the English defence or Kane vs the Norwegian one? Pretty close for us at least.”
I can’t call that. Although if it was a World Cup final, I’d extend the options and pick Kylian Mbappe after his hat-trick against Argentina in 2022 and thumping strike in the 4-2 win over Croatia in 2018.
Kane in finals: 0 goals (Euro 2024 final, Euro 2020 final, 2019 Champions League final)
Haaland in finals: 0 (2023 Champions League final)
England captain Harry Kane says it is “impossible” for him to be compared with Norway’s Erling Haaland. The two strikers face off in tonight’s World Cup quarter-final, with the crunch clash in Miami being billed as the battle of the two best strikers in the world.
Bayern Munich’s Kane is enjoying a record-breaking season, scoring 73 goals for club and country, including six in the World Cup, while Manchester City star Haaland has bagged 58, with his seven at the tournament firing Norway to a first-ever quarter-final.
When Kane was asked who is the better before the match, he replied: “It is an impossible one for me to answer. First of all, I think we are completely different players almost. I know we are both seen as strikers, but it is almost two different positions if I’m totally honest.
“Erling has been incredible, his goalscoring record. Physically, he’s a machine, he’s a beast. His finishing is at the highest level and obviously his goalscoring record speaks for itself.
“I see myself as a different player although I score the same goals. I like to maybe touch the ball a little bit more, be involved in play a little bit more but also can play as an out-and-out nine.”
(PA Media)
The Football Weekly podcast is here. Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, John Brewin and Nicky Bandini for Spain’s late win over Belgium, an England v Norway preview and much (a reasonable amount at least) more.
NicK Ames has been at a pool party. Or perhaps he’s just been reporting about pool parties. Anyway, it’s all going down in Miami.
“Not even Miami will have seen a party of this nature. Around 30,000 England fans are due to converge here by Saturday but they will be given a run for their money by those baying for Norway, who have offered some of this World Cup’s enduring spectacles. A quarter-final rewards those who have been on the road for a month and is irresistible to the spontaneous too.”
A reminder that four England players are walking a tightrope marked disciplinary tonight. If any of Jude Bellingham, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly or Declan Rice pick up a booking against Norway, they’d miss the semi-final if the Three Lions get through.
Players who pick up two yellow cards across the last 32, last 16 and quarter-finals have to serve an automatic one-match ban. All are wiped after the semis so we won’t see any “have a word” warnings should a player’s chin starts to quiver if they’re cautioned in the last four. That’s a better rule. We don’t top stars to miss the final.
In the preamble, I wrote: “One of France, Spain, England, Norway, Argentina or Switzerland will win the World Cup. Did anyone predict that when this tournament started?”
Well, apparently they did. In a show of tipping not seen since Paul the Octopus in his pomp, Richard O’Sullivan emails to say: “Last 6 teams – I had them in my bracketology!”
Norway getting past Brazil and Switzerland seeing off Colombia weren’t obvious calls so fair play!
An exclusive from Matt Hughes. Quite the bonus in store if England pull this off.
England team news
Marc Guéhi, Declan Rice and Reece James should be available for England’s World Cup quarter-final with Norway. The trio all took part in training on Friday evening.
Guéhi has been managing a hamstring problem since the win over Mexico but is hopeful of starting in central defence. His place could be taken by Dan Burn if there are any late concerns.
James has missed the last three games with a tweaked hamstring but could be on the bench, while Rice should start in midfield despite feeling unwell this week. Jordan Henderson is out with a fractured wrist.
England boss Thomas Tuchel said: “We had everyone available in training, which we of course like. We have the full choice except for our suspended player Jarell Quansah, so that’s the good news.”
Quansah was given a two-match ban following his red card against Mexico as it was deemed “serious foul play” under FIFA’s disciplinary code. The Bayer Leverkusen defender was given a straight red following a VAR review of his challenge on Jesus Gallardo during the second half at the Azteca.
What a day of sport! With content-stacking and spoiler-avoiding, Emma John reckons that a fan with the right subscriptions can expect to enjoy 13 uninterrupted hours on the sofa on Saturday.
And, don’t forget, you can follow it all here with us!
In Barney Ronay’s latest dispatch from America, he says David Beckham is everywhere at this World Cup.
“Beckham stands alone among Brits who have cracked America. He has done this by basically doing nothing. This isn’t the Beatles selling back rock and roll, or JK Rowling writing books. He is just incredibly good at being famous. And something in this meets an apparently insatiable need.”
The brilliant Cold War Steve is back with the latest of his special World Cup 2026-themed collages. Look closely!
More from Thomas Tuchel. Seize the day is his message.
“We need to connect to our identity, connect to what makes us strong, be on the front foot and be brave. It’s the quarter-final and the brave will have the luck on their side. We cannot have any regrets when we play a quarter-final. We have to go for it. This is the most important thing.”
A reminder of kick-off times for the two remaining quarter-finals which take place this evening/tomorrow morning depending where you are.
⚽️ England v Norway: 5pm EDT/10pm BST/7am AEST
⚽️ Argentina v Switzerland: 8pm local time/2am BST/11am AEST
Emma Hayes says England need to be wary of Norway’s collective strength and unity rather than just focus on you know who.
The end of Belgium’s golden generation? Jeff Rueter thinks so and most would agree.
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente says he has “high expectations” for the semi-final showdown with France. So do we, Luis. Here’s Jeff Rueter with post-match quotes from De La Fuente and Belgian boss Rudi Garcia.
Here’s David Hytner’s latest report from the England camp. Thomas Tuchel has plenty of history with Erling Haaland.
Kane confirms he played golf with Trump
Ahead of England v Norway, let’s tee off with this. England captain Harry Kane has confirmed he once played golf with U.S. President Donald Trump, describing the experience as “surreal” and praising the president’s game.
Trump told reporters earlier this week that he had played golf with Kane, calling the England striker a great player and a good golfer.
Speaking on Friday on the eve of their World Cup quarter-final against Norway, Kane confirmed the round took place in Palm Beach, Florida, about 18 months ago.
“I played all right, to be honest,” Kane told reporters in Miami. “He invited me to play when I was down in Palm Beach. So yeah, when the president invites you somewhere...
“It was a pretty surreal experience just to meet him and obviously play golf with him. His golf is pretty good, to be honest,” Kane added. “I hope I can play as well as him when I’m his age. So yeah, unique experience and I was just grateful he invited me down to play.“
Trump had complimented the Bayern Munich forward on his Truth Social platform following England’s 3-2 last-16 victory over Mexico, writing: “Harry Kane of England is a GREAT player!!!“ The following day, Trump revealed the pair had played golf together.
“I think Kane is a great player,” Trump said. “I played golf with him and I like him a lot. He’s a good golfer. He’s really great.”
(Reuters)
Updated
Let’s start with Spain’s 2-1 win over Belgium. Sid Lowe was in Los Angeles as Mikel Merino popped up with another late winner.
Preamble
One of France, Spain, England, Norway, Argentina or Switzerland will win the World Cup. Did anyone predict that when this tournament started (counts on fingers but gives up) many moons ago? That seems quite exciting for the half-dozen teams left in when it’s written down like that and this time tomorrow six will have been whittled down to four. Blimey.
The action starts tonight with the much-awaited showdown between Harry Kane’s England and Erling Haaland’s Norway in Miami before holders Argentina take on Switzerland in Kansas City. Build-up to those games and reaction to last night’s victory for Spain over Belgium starts right here. It’s fair to say we’re firmly at the business end. Let’s go!
