St Joseph S Fc · UEFA Nations League · Goalkeeper · #1 · Gibraltar · 21 yrs
After a slow and uninspired start, France finally managed to kick off their 2026 World Cup with a win, defeating Senegal 3-1. French supporters watching the game from the Paris fan zone went wild at Kylian Mbappe's two goals. The French football star is now the new all-time leading scorer for the French national team.
Widely considered to be trapped in the tournament's "Group of Death," Iraq heads into the opening match as the lowest-ranked nation in Group I. Iraq will be heading to its second World Cup in history, interestingly, its first in 40 years and the second ever in North America. The Lions of Mesopotamia secured their ticket to the tournament through the FIFA playoff round and were drawn into what is far from the tournament’s strongest group based on FIFA rankings. According to the latest FIFA ranking before the tournament, Iraq sits in 57th place with 1,446.28 points. While the nation boasts a record four Arab Cup trophies, more than any other country, it sits well below its career-high ranking of 39th, which it achieved in 2004. Drawn into Group I, widely considered the Group of Death, Iraq faces a steep challenge as the lowest-ranked team in the pool. France leads the group at 2nd in the world rankings with 1,862.11 points, followed by Senegal at 15th with 1,692.66 points, and Norway at 31st with 1,557.44 points. Despite facing obstacles traveling to North America due to airspace closures from regional tensions, Iraq secured their World Cup berth with a 2-1 playoff victory in March. Before the tournament, the Lions of Mesopotamia drew 1-1 with Spain but suffered a 2-0 loss to Venezuela. Zaid Ismael of Iraq celebrates after qualifying to the 2026 World Cup. Iraq’s World Cup record is sparse. The nation’s only previous appearance came in Mexico in 1986, when they were grouped with the host nation, Belgium, and Paraguay. They failed to win a match, scoring just one goal while conceding four. Forty years later, Iraq returns to North America seeking their first World Cup point, and first victory. Iraq’s Fixtures in the 2026 World Cup Grouped with France, Senegal, and Norway, Iraq enters as the tournament’s least-favored team in Group I, with the primary objective of earning their first World Cup points. Iraq opens against Norway on June 16, faces France on June 22, and closes group play against Senegal on June 26.
If we rewind 36 years to 16 June 1990 and the Italian city of Genoa, Stuart McCall was busy scoring to help Scotland secure a 2-1 win over Sweden. The former midfielder jokes that he "was always deadly from a yard out" and ultimately that victory wasn't enough to ensure Scotland progressed to the knock-out stage, but up until this weekend, it was their last win at a World Cup finals. Now the 62 year-old is assistant to Paul Heckingbottom at Preston North End, but he's also enjoying absorbing all the action from the United States, Canada and Mexico.
⚽️ World Cup kick-off: 6pm EDT/11pm BST/8am AEST⚽️ Spain 0-0 Cape Verde | Player guide | BracketologyHello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Saudi Arabia v Uruguay at the Miami Stadium. Saudi Arabia started the last World Cup with a stunning victory over Argentina. They’d love to do the same another South American giant tonight – not least because it would increase their chances of getting out of a World Cup group for only the second time. The first, as any football nerd worth their loneliness will know, came on their World Cup debut at USA 94.Uruguay didn’t even qualify for that tournament. They also missed out in 1998 and 2006, but a memorable run to the semi-finals in 2010 reminded everyone of their pedigree – and their ability to attract or cause controversy. Continue reading...
The 90th Minute recaps a wild slate of World Cup matches, including Germany’s 7-1 rout of Curaçao and dramatic finishes across the groups. The latest action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered a mix of tactical chess matches, dominant displays, and historic milestones. On the newest episode of The 90th Minute, hosts break down a fascinating day of group stage football that reshaped expectations across multiple brackets. Listen to the full episode on Spotify to hear the complete matchday review. The headline story came from Group E, where Germany cruised to an emphatic 7-1 victory over World Cup debutants Curaçao. While the four-time champions flexed their attacking muscle, the Caribbean nation captured global attention by scoring a historic, first-ever tournament goal to briefly level the match. The show also dives into a tense tactical battle in Group A, where Japan punished the Netherlands’ defensive approach by snatching a dramatic late equalizer. The hosts analyze how a cautious tactical setup ultimately cost the Dutch side two crucial points in the final minutes. The remaining slate featured a highly anticipated matchup between Ivory Coast and Ecuador, with the African nation emerging victorious in a tight battle of tournament dark horses. Meanwhile, Sweden bounced back from a difficult qualification campaign to secure a ruthless, high-scoring win over Tunisia. You can stream the entire tactical recap right now. Check out The 90th Minute World Cup Review on Spotify to get the complete breakdown of the latest goals, surprises, and group standings.
Sweden claimed a commanding 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico, taking a significant step toward Group F progression. Gyökeres, Isak, Ayari and Svanberg found the net for Graham Potter's side, with Omar Rekik's consolation goal proving insufficient to salvage a point for the North African underdogs.
Substitute Amad Diallo struck in the 90th minute to give Ivory Coast a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their Group E World Cup opener on Saturday, sealing a dramatic finish after a tight contest in which both sides created chances but failed to convert until the final moments.
