President gave ticket to a young female soccer fan‘I gave it to someone who couldn’t go, who loves football’The Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, explained on Friday why she was absent from the Estadio Azteca during Mexico’s opening match with South Africa, saying tickets to the match were unaffordable for most Mexicans and that she had given her ticket to a young female soccer fan.“Stadium tickets are very expensive,” Sheinbaum said during her daily morning news conference. “As president it’s better that I give my place to someone who couldn’t have gone, who loves football, especially a young woman, and I can celebrate it with the people for free.” Continue reading...
Robertson said game helped pass time in training campScotland play 83rd-ranked Haiti on Saturday in BostonAndy Robertson has revealed an unorthodox way Scotland have prepared for their World Cup return, with the captain organising a game of Traitors for the squad during their buildup camp in the United States.Scotland’s meeting with Haiti in Boston is their first World Cup game since 1998. Much has been made of Scotland’s togetherness in the lead up to this tournament. Robertson did not explain who among his teammates was a faithful and who a traitor, but did explain why the game was introduced. Continue reading...
Loan James McAtee - he needs guaranteed game time to regain his confidence. Sell Dan Ndoye as he hasn't shown progress over the season but is suited to European leagues and will probably have an excellent World Cup. Paul: I'd keep Bakwa, who after a tough first season has shown glimpses of his potential.
South Korea rallied from a goal down to defeat Czechia 2-1 and make a winning start to their World Cup Group A campaign, much to the delight of their fans and the sizable local Mexican support they enjoyed in a festive Guadalajara.South Korea joined Mexico on three points at the top of the group after the co-hosts beat nine-man South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener in Mexico City. Continue reading...
⚽️ Kick-off time: 1pm local/8pm BST/3pm EDT/5am AEST⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Wallchart | Email Daniel“That ITV studio is spectacular,” reckons Kev the Poet. “Almost as spectacular as the nark-off between Roy Keane and anyone else. The BBC is going to have The Ghost Of Barry Davies coming out of the Manchester Ship Canal to compete.”It is – it’s outdoors on the East River, with a sensational view of Manhattan. But I’d take Barry Davies coming out of anywhere. Continue reading...
Was that it, then? Was Sphephelo Sithole being caught in possession nine minutes into the opening game, Julián Quiñones running on to lash the ball through Ronwen Williams’s legs, was that when the football took over, the moment when concerns over the aggression of the major co-host faded away and the world got on with celebrating the great festival of humanity the World Cup ought to be?It seems unlikely. Donald Trump’s war with Iran goes on, as do the outrages of his immigration forces. But it’s not just that. Gianni Infantino has opted to run this tournament, uniquely in the modern age, without a local organising committee. That may not explain the shambolic organisation at the Azteca – the chaotic traffic, the non-existent signage, the absence of wifi, the general lack of order – but it does make it harder to fix. Not that Mexican fans cared much. Continue reading...
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Manager caught lightning in a bottle with three promotions in four seasons but his need for a break to prioritise a young family is refreshing When the tears have dried, the adage will ring true for Ipswich and Kieran McKenna. They will smile because it happened and reflect that, despite the hurt, sometimes it is best to part while the love still burns.Perhaps they will also marvel at the unlikely magic football occasionally sprinkles. It is an industry in which people and places are thrown together, coming and going, sticking or not. When McKenna arrived in Suffolk four and a half years ago he could have been another hired gun; instead he transformed a community’s relationship with its club and left a legacy that should span generations. Continue reading...
Australia, the US and Paraguay will have their work cut out to match the Crescent Stars’ young midfield but a shaky defence is a genuine concernTurkey coach Vincenzo Montella has been building one of the nation’s strongest teams in living memory. A youth-driven squad with two genuine stars – Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz – several players were not even born when the Crescent Stars last qualified for a World Cup and finished third in 2002.In past tournaments, Turkey were often labelled as “dark horses” – which turned out to be more of a curse than a blessing. This time, Montella has constructed a squad that sits among those on the rung below heavyweights Spain, France and Argentina. Continue reading...
As the World Cup kicks off, many are asking whether the beautiful game is still as beautiful as it once was. The build-up to the tournament has been beset by geopolitical crises, visa problems, environmental concerns, and fears that business interests have taken over. So is a celebration of the sport itself still possible? In Perspective, we spoke to David Webber, Senior Lecturer in Sports Business and Politics at the University Campus of Football Business.
