N. Conti News & Headlines

Iran 2-2 New Zealand: World Cup 2026 – live reaction

theguardian.com · yesterday

⚽️ Kick-off time: 6pm local/11am AEST/2am BST/9pm EDT⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Wallchart | Mail MartinAll Whites: 1 Max Crocombe (gk); 13 Liberato Cacace, 16 Finn Surman, 5 Michael Boxall, 2 Tim Payne; 6 Joe Bell, 8 Marko Stamenić; 11 Eli Just, 10 Sarpreet Singh, 20 Callum McCowatt; 9 Chris Wood (c).Chris Wood will lead the line and the side into their third World Cup campaign. The XI is expected to settle into a more defensive 4-2-3-1 formation and rely on pace up front from Just, Singh and McCowatt. Crocombe is named goalkeeper ahead of Alex Paulsen. Continue reading...

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World Cup official cleared by Fifa and says gesture was ‘subconscious twitch’

theguardian.com · yesterday

Evans had been accused of white supremacist gesture‘The movement was an involuntary,’ says officialFifa’s disciplinary committee has cleared the World Cup video assistant referee Shaun Evans after he was accused of making a hand gesture associated with white supremacists.An investigation found no evidence that the Australian had breached Fifa’s ethics code and he issued a statement on Monday night claiming he had been unaware of making the controversial hand sign. Continue reading...

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Saka says he is gambling on fitness but ‘ready to go’ for England’s date with Croatia

theguardian.com · yesterday

Tuchel warns forward’s fitness being carefully monitoredSaka keen to play but not to ‘go against the manager’Bukayo Saka has admitted he is continuing to gamble on his fitness to play for England at the World Cup finals but said he “is ready to go” despite a nagging achilles injury.The Arsenal forward came off the bench in England’s last warm‑up game against Costa Rica but the England manager, Thomas Tuchel, warned that Saka’s fitness is being monitored carefully. The 24‑year‑old player is believed to have picked up the injury during the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City in March and missed Arsenal’s next seven matches as a result. Since then, he has completed 90 minutes only once in five appearances and was substituted before the end of normal time in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. Continue reading...

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In twilight of Messi’s career, Americans are gifted one last chance to witness his international magic

theguardian.com · 2 days ago

Argentinian’s legacy has no need for another World Cup but return allows hosts to witness his international curtain callIt’s a moment more iconic than any other in the 30-year history of Major League Soccer. Lionel Messi, then 36, standing over a free kick 30 yards from goal, days after completing a shock move to the United States. On that night in the summer of 2023, deep into the dying moments of his US debut, Inter Miami were in need of a miracle.With one brilliant stroke of his left foot, Messi delivered. His game-winning free kick, placed just out of reach of the opposing goalkeeper, was a work of art. It rolled back the years, reminiscent of the brilliance that had by then already solidified his stature as the greatest player in the history of the sport. Those in attendance who weren’t screaming were simply wide-eyed and slack jawed, in disbelief at what they’d seen. Continue reading...

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How a Socceroo’s pre-match tears gave way to a World Cup night to remember

theguardian.com · 2 days ago

Paul Okon-Engstler’s emotions before making his World Cup debut for Australia belied the performance that followed against Turkey in VancouverLost in the celebrations of Australia’s victory over Turkey was its poignant opening and the image of young Paul Okon-Engstler, wiping away tears brought on by his World Cup debut.The 21-year-old was one of the surprises to be named in Tony Popovic’s starting XI, as the coach chose to leave veteran Jackson Irvine on the bench. To those watching on the broadcast, Okon-Engstler made an impact even before the first whistle, when his surging emotions underscored the enormity of the occasion. Continue reading...

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Curaçao enjoy their moment but Havertz and ruthless Germany show no mercy

theguardian.com · 2 days ago

The net rippled and Curaçao’s bench exploded in every conceivable direction, their giddiness underpinned by a firm awareness of the goal’s place in history. Livano Comenencia had just equalised against Germany and an island of about 158,000 inhabitants, represented here by an accomplished group born almost entirely in the Netherlands, could revel disbelievingly in the moment it had dreamed of.Reality eventually bit, Julian Nagelsmann’s side declaring on seven goals and easily avoiding an embarrassment that would have far outdone their group-stage exits in the previous two World Cups. Germany will surely reach the knockouts this time and could have made absolutely certain by adding several more. Nagelsmann will be pleased that threats emanated from all around the pitch, half a dozen scorers bearing testament to that, but it should go without saying that more accurate tests of strength will have to be navigated over the next month. Kai Havertz, rounding things off neatly with his second goal, will hope to be similarly efficient later on. Continue reading...

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USA bulldoze Paraguay as co-hosts romp to victory in World Cup opener

theguardian.com · 4 days ago

Across the parking lot from Los Angeles Stadium sits the Forum. In the 1980s, it served as the stage for one of American sports’ most enthralling entertainment outfits, the Los Angeles Lakers. Opening their campaign at the 2026 World Cup in front of 70,492 fans, the US men’s national team embraced the Lakers’ Showtime ethos.The US began their campaign with aplomb, playing Paraguay off the pitch in a 4-1 win. Continue reading...

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Jude Bellingham clicks alongside Kane at last. He should start in England’s World Cup opener | Jacob Steinberg

theguardian.com · 6 days ago

Midfielder delivered complete performance against Costa Rica that should make up Thomas Tuchel’s mind for himIt only took eight seconds for Jude Bellingham to steal the lightning’s thunder. Given the nod over Morgan Rogers, Bellingham set the tone for England when their friendly against Costa Rica finally got under way. The No 10 pressed from the front, racing to charge down a clearance from Darril Araya, and was key to the way Thomas Tuchel’s side made light of the unpredictable Florida weather by imposing themselves on inferior opposition from the first whistle.The skies had cleared by the time the game kicked off an hour later than advertised. The torrential downpour earlier in the day arrived after a three-week drought in Orlando, giving England a taste of what they can expect at the World Cup. Will they cope with the ups and downs of an American summer? Here at the agreeably compact Inter&Co Stadium, Tuchel had an encouraging response. The lineup looked close to the one that will face Croatia in Group L next Wednesday and, after last Saturday’s glorified training exercise against New Zealand, there was a sense of England’s level rising as they eased to a 3-0 win. Continue reading...

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US show fight and hunger, but lose final World Cup prep match 2-1 to Germany

theguardian.com · last week

Antonee Robinson scores the Americans’ only goalUS open World Cup on 12 June against ParaguayWorld Cup newsletter | Daily podcast | Get the appReady or not, here comes the group stage.The US men concluded their pre-World Cup preparations with a 2-1 loss against Germany on Saturday at Soldier Field, in front of a lively sellout crowd of 63,636. The fans made their way to the historic venue on a Chicago summer afternoon which alternated palpable heat with occasional drizzling rain. Continue reading...

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Lionesses seek to tame Spain again and show they are ready to conquer the world

theguardian.com · 2 weeks ago

England are upbeat going into the toughest fixture in international football but the hosts’ threat will be amplified by the returning BonmatíThe equation sounds simple: avoid defeat on Friday and England will qualify automatically for the Women’s World Cup. The reality of the task ahead is far more complicated. Facing the world champions, Spain, like the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range that towers into the sky behind the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix, is an imposing barrier between the Lionesses and Brazil 2027.A positive result in Mallorca would do more than guarantee England a shot at glory next summer. It would send a powerful statement that England remain a force to be reckoned with if they can tame the game’s greatest technical midfield, again. Continue reading...

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Fifa bans fans from taking reusable water bottles into World Cup stadiums after U-turn

theguardian.com · 2 weeks ago

Move prevents ‘risk and injury to players and attendees’Fans concerned about heat and access to drinking waterSpectators will not be allowed to carry reusable water bottles into World Cup venues owing to safety concerns, Fifa has said, after a last-minute change to its stadium code of conduct.The governing body had earlier permitted empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles inside stadiums but said the updated code prohibited that. Other items such as bottles, cups, jars and cans are also banned to prevent the risk of injury if thrown. Continue reading...

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Manchester City do the double and Jill Scott joins the pod – Women’s Football Weekly

theguardian.com · 2 weeks ago

Suzy Wrack is joined by Tom Garry, Emily Keogh and Ameé Ruszkai to discuss Manchester City’s FA Cup triumph, England’s huge qualifier against Spain and Jill Scott’s epic Sport Relief challenge.On today’s pod: Manchester City complete a historic domestic double after a commanding 4-0 win over Brighton in the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley.The panel discuss City’s ruthless performance, Bunny Shaw’s starring role after signing a new long-term contract and whether Andrée Jeglertz’s side can now build a period of dominance with Champions League football returning next season. Continue reading...

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Southampton owner will not sack apologetic Eckert despite role in spying scandal

theguardian.com · 2 weeks ago

Saints head coach issues apology in club video messageDragan Solak wants to ‘close the chapter and look ahead’Tonda Eckert has apologised for orchestrating the spying scandal that culminated in Southampton being kicked out of the Championship playoff final. Southampton, who observed training sessions of three opponents last season, were denied the chance to win promotion after an independent disciplinary commission found the club “seriously violated” the integrity of the competition.Eckert, publicly addressing the six charges made by the English Football League for the first time in a video message released by the club, said he accepted “full responsibility”, adding: “I apologise to all of the clubs that have been involved and mostly I apologise to our supporters.” In a similar address the Southampton owner, Dragan Solak, said he wants the German head coach, who is under investigation from the Football Association, to lead the club into the Premier League next season. Continue reading...

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Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw praised for focus after goal sets up Double glory

theguardian.com · 2 weeks ago

Striker was going to leave club before U-turn‘I’m very impressed how she handled that’The Manchester City head coach, Andrée Jeglertz, heaped praise on his side’s prolific striker Khadija Shaw for not allowing speculation about her future to hinder her performances, after she continued her fine goalscoring form with the opening goal at Wembley to help her side complete the Double by lifting the Women’s FA Cup.The Jamaica striker, who signed a four-year contract on Monday after previously being set to leave City this summer, has scored relentlessly in recent weeks, including the winning goal in their Cup quarter-final in April as well as the winner in their semi-final at Chelsea in May, before nodding in from an Alex Greenwood cross for the first goal in Sunday’s 4-0 victory over Brighton. Continue reading...

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Commercialised, curious, sometimes raucous: USA 94 was a joy to attend

theguardian.com · 3 weeks ago

As a skint 23-year-old I did two weeks in the US. It remains a personal favourite tournament 32 years laterYou never forget your first World Cup, and the tournament’s return to American shores this year will stir vivid memories for anyone who attended USA 94. It was a curious and distinctive tournament, one that heralded the World Cup’s more expansive, commercialised future, while also seeming a world away from the jamboree that returns 32 years later, twice as big and at least twice as lucrative.I managed to do two weeks of it as a skint 23-year-old earning £9,000 a year, alongside my mate Paddy, a student. We took in only two games – both goalless draws – but soaked up enough of the occasionally raucous, often tepid, atmosphere for it to remain a personal favourite World Cup all these years on. Continue reading...

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My Arsenal devotion began with watching them lose in a South African cinema

theguardian.com · 3 weeks ago

As a boy in the apartheid era I saw footage of the Gunners beaten in the 1969 League Cup final – on Saturday I will attend the Champions League showpiece with my sonI fell for Arsenal in the white‑and-black world of apartheid, where television was banned as a tool of communist propaganda and the club of my dreams was 6,000 miles away and mostly invisible to me. So it feels fitting that a surreal love story that began for a small boy in South Africa in 1969 will reach a new peak on Saturday night in eastern Europe. This 65-year-old Arsenal fan and his 25-year-old son, who is just as besotted by the Gunners, will be at the Champions League final in Budapest as we face the dazzling powerhouse of Paris Saint-Germain.It’s the final game of Arsenal’s tumultuous grind of a season and we are as exhausted as we are still euphoric. We will remember that my last game of this campaign could have been Swindon’s 2-1 home defeat by Chesterfield in League Two. I have had my share of pain with Arsenal; but it would have been a far deeper burden to have spent 57 years supporting Swindon. Continue reading...

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Kai Havertz: ‘Just to watch the Champions League final is very special, to play in it is unreal’

theguardian.com · 3 weeks ago

Arsenal striker scored the winner in the final five years ago and is determined to make up for being ‘in a bad place’ when injured this seasonWhen Kai Havertz thinks back to the 2021 Champions League final, he can’t help smiling. Chelsea’s surprise victory over Manchester City in Porto still feels like yesterday for the Germany striker.“It is something I will never forget,” he says. “As a kid I could have never dreamed I would score a goal in the final and win that game. I will always be proud of it. I just try to take that feeling and hopefully it will happen again.” Continue reading...

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Mauricio Pochettino in talks with Milan over head coach’s role as US open World Cup camp

theguardian.com · 3 weeks ago

USMNT head coach has drawn broader interest, CEO saysWorld Cup camp opens after squad reveal on TuesdaySign up for the World Behind The Cup newsletterUS men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has had talks with Serie A side Milan about taking over as manager next season, the Guardian can confirm.Italian journalist Nicolò Schira was first to report news of Pochettino’s talks with Milan. Continue reading...

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Crystal Palace victorious in Europe and can Arsenal beat PSG? - Football Weekly

theguardian.com · 3 weeks ago

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Mark Langdon, Paul Watson and Ed Aarons as Crystal Palace win the Europa Conference LeagueRate, review, share on Apple Podcasts and join the conversation on email.On today’s podcast: another trophy for Crystal Palace. At the start of last season they had only ever won the Kent Cup, now they add the Europa Conference League to last year’s FA Cup win. It was Oliver Glasner’s last game … we think – could he change his mind? While it just was not to be for Rayo Vallecano, it has given us the chance to learn about this wonderful throwback club in Spain. Continue reading...

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‘Moral bankrupts’: Pirlo and Materazzi provoke fury by attending ‘Football Day’ in Russia

theguardian.com · 3 weeks ago

Former Italy stars criticised over presence in MoscowPair defend visit as being for sport and childrenThe presence of the Italian World Cup winners Andrea Pirlo and Marco Materazzi in Russia for a sports event has sparked outrage. The former players signed autographs and posed for selfies with Kremlin supporters on the day Moscow launched one of its most brutal missile attacks on Kyiv.Pirlo, the former Juventus and Milan midfielder and one of the defining figures of Italian football is now manager of United FC in Dubai. He was photographed on Sunday alongside the Russia striker Artem Dzyuba, during “Football Day” celebrations at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. In March 2022, shortly after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Dzyuba, the national side’s former captain, said he was “proud to be Russian”. Continue reading...

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N. Conti

N. Conti news

Iran 2-2 New Zealand: World Cup 2026 – live reaction

World Cup official cleared by Fifa and says gesture was ‘subconscious twitch’

Saka says he is gambling on fitness but ‘ready to go’ for England’s date with Croatia

In twilight of Messi’s career, Americans are gifted one last chance to witness his international magic

How a Socceroo’s pre-match tears gave way to a World Cup night to remember

Curaçao enjoy their moment but Havertz and ruthless Germany show no mercy

USA bulldoze Paraguay as co-hosts romp to victory in World Cup opener

Jude Bellingham clicks alongside Kane at last. He should start in England’s World Cup opener | Jacob Steinberg

US show fight and hunger, but lose final World Cup prep match 2-1 to Germany

Lionesses seek to tame Spain again and show they are ready to conquer the world

Fifa bans fans from taking reusable water bottles into World Cup stadiums after U-turn

Manchester City do the double and Jill Scott joins the pod – Women’s Football Weekly

Southampton owner will not sack apologetic Eckert despite role in spying scandal

Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw praised for focus after goal sets up Double glory

Commercialised, curious, sometimes raucous: USA 94 was a joy to attend

My Arsenal devotion began with watching them lose in a South African cinema

Kai Havertz: ‘Just to watch the Champions League final is very special, to play in it is unreal’

Mauricio Pochettino in talks with Milan over head coach’s role as US open World Cup camp

Crystal Palace victorious in Europe and can Arsenal beat PSG? - Football Weekly

‘Moral bankrupts’: Pirlo and Materazzi provoke fury by attending ‘Football Day’ in Russia

N. Conti news

Iran 2-2 New Zealand: World Cup 2026 – live reaction

World Cup official cleared by Fifa and says gesture was ‘subconscious twitch’

Saka says he is gambling on fitness but ‘ready to go’ for England’s date with Croatia

In twilight of Messi’s career, Americans are gifted one last chance to witness his international magic

How a Socceroo’s pre-match tears gave way to a World Cup night to remember

Curaçao enjoy their moment but Havertz and ruthless Germany show no mercy

USA bulldoze Paraguay as co-hosts romp to victory in World Cup opener

Jude Bellingham clicks alongside Kane at last. He should start in England’s World Cup opener | Jacob Steinberg

US show fight and hunger, but lose final World Cup prep match 2-1 to Germany

Lionesses seek to tame Spain again and show they are ready to conquer the world

Fifa bans fans from taking reusable water bottles into World Cup stadiums after U-turn

Manchester City do the double and Jill Scott joins the pod – Women’s Football Weekly

Southampton owner will not sack apologetic Eckert despite role in spying scandal

Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw praised for focus after goal sets up Double glory

Commercialised, curious, sometimes raucous: USA 94 was a joy to attend

My Arsenal devotion began with watching them lose in a South African cinema

Kai Havertz: ‘Just to watch the Champions League final is very special, to play in it is unreal’

Mauricio Pochettino in talks with Milan over head coach’s role as US open World Cup camp

Crystal Palace victorious in Europe and can Arsenal beat PSG? - Football Weekly

‘Moral bankrupts’: Pirlo and Materazzi provoke fury by attending ‘Football Day’ in Russia