Adelaide United · Premiership · Midfielder · #12 · New Zealand · 28 yrs
Those in attendance at Argentina’s opening match against Algeria could be forgiven, for a moment, for thinking they were at one of the great Argentinian cathedrals of football – La Bombonera, or maybe the national stadium, El Monumental. Kansas City Stadium, awash in the colors of the Albiceleste, roared with the sound of nearly 70,000 Argentine supporters serenading their team, and their hero, in rapturous song on Tuesday night.They had plenty to sing about. Continue reading...
Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane will be wearing a mask throughout his participation in the 2026 World Cup. Luca Zidane has solidified his status as the undisputed No. 1 for the Algeria national team over the last few years, playing a crucial role in anchoring the African side’s journey to the 2026 World Cup. However, tournament onlookers will quickly notice a unique piece of gear on the pitch, as the son of French legend Zinedine Zidane is required to wear a specialized protective face mask throughout the competition. The protective hardware is a direct response to a severe facial injury, deployed to safeguard a fragile recovery area from any further on-field trauma. While playing for Spanish club Granada back in late April, the 28-year-old goalkeeper endured a devastating aerial collision during a match against Almeria, resulting in a fractured jaw, a fractured chin, and a severe concussion. The injury sidelined Zidane for the remainder of Granada’s domestic campaign, putting his World Cup aspirations in serious jeopardy as the summer approached. Ultimately, Zidane and his medical team opt out of an immediate, season-ending surgery in order to keep his roster dreams alive, clearing the way for him to start for Algeria with the caveat of wearing the rigid mask. Speaking to reporters in the buildup to North America, the shot-stopper expressed relief regarding his dramatic race against time: “I’m doing well, I don’t have any pain anymore. The surgery went well and five weeks have passed now. I returned to training on the pitch two weeks ago and I’m very happy.” Wout Weghorst of Netherlands chases Goalkeeper, Luca Zidane of Algeria. How Luca Zidane bypassed France to represent Algeria While his iconic father paved the way for Luca to develop inside Real Madrid’s famed La Fabrica academy, leading to several appearances for France at the youth international levels, his senior career took a different path. Because he never made a competitive senior appearance for the French national team, the Marseille-born keeper remained eligible to test the waters of a dual-nationality switch. Holding triple citizenship, French by birth, Spanish through his mother, and Algerian through his paternal lineage, Zidane ultimately chose to honor his grandparents, who originally emigrated from Algeria to France. Harnessing those ancestral roots, he filed an official change-of-federation request with FIFA, receiving the formal green light in September 2025 to permanently defend the colors of Les Fennecs.
Favourites France overcame a wobbly start to defeat Group I rivals Senegal 3-1 in their World Cup opener on Tuesday, with captain Kylian Mbappé scoring twice to overtake Olivier Giroud as Les Bleus' all-time top scorer and move within two goals of Miroslav Klose's World Cup record. FRANCE 24's Selina Sykes reports from the MetLife stadium in New Jersey. FRANCE 24's Antonia Kerrigan reports from Paris where French and Senegalese supporters were gathering in the French capital's fan zones.
Hanging flags on LED advertising boards not allowedFifa sources cite ‘safety and security reasons’ for banEngland fans face having flags confiscated when they attend their opening game of the World Cup against Croatia at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday.The England Supporters Club (ESC) is understood to have been advised by stadium officials that fans will not be allowed to hang flags over the LED advertising boards that surround the pitch, with only small flags to be allowed into the ground, which must be hung on rails behind the goals. Continue reading...
For the past couple of seasons there have been demonstrations by Manchester United supporters sitting in front of the directors' box at Old Trafford complaining at the fact they were being relocated to other parts of the stadium. An email sent to fans on Tuesday confirming Elevate as United's first "official hospitality partner" goes some way to explaining why. United say the partnership "expands our official hospitality offering".
During 101 minutes of action in Los Angeles, Iran were finally able to focus on football. The buildup had been unprecedented, messy and chaotic. But then, in the aftermath of an entertaining draw with New Zealand, Iran’s captain, Mehdi Taremi, described their World Cup as a “disaster”, explaining how the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, went into their dressing room to hear their concerns. The head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, labelled them the “most oppressed” team at the tournament after being forced to return to Mexico after the game.A charter flight from LAX was scheduled for 11pm local time. It was a lively end to a relatively drama-free occasion, despite pre-match protests and an underlying anxiety around how the team would be greeted by their own supporters. What, really, were the emotions flowing through their veins as they took to the pitch? A few hours earlier, Donald Trump, in France for the G7 summit, said a peace deal had been signed after almost four months of war. Infantino, who in effect recently admitted he is powerless to prevent the chaos that continues to plague Iran’s preparations and overshadow their participation, was up in the VIP seats. Continue reading...
