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Rashford 'dead cert to start for me' - Walcott

scored 14 goals and registered 14 assists in 47 games for the La Liga champions, has revitalised the 28-year-old Manchester United forward's career. He started [England's 1-0 friendly win](/sport/football/live/c5yenj3pj1dt

'Tuchel's wildcard picks and iron will position him as the anti-Southgate'

scored 42 goals for his Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli this season, not necessarily the acid test of international quality, but this pick has not come from left field. It has come from

Japan’s World Cup 2026 team preview: Players to watch, group, squad

Croatia on penalties. Japan are not a surprise package any more – they have an elite, mostly European-based team. ![Soccer Football - International Friendly - England v Japan - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain- March 31, 2026 Japan fans

Bellamy sees Koumas future at centre-forward

scored his first goal for Wales to earn a 1-1 draw against Ghana in Tuesday's friendly at Cardiff City Stadium. The 20-year-old Liverpool player has spent much of his burgeoning career

FIFA hydration breaks have sparked criticism. But what do they actually do?

England and Croatia in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. **Julio Cortez/AP** Julio Cortez/AP Ryan Calsbeek, professor of biological sciences at Dartmouth College, said the human body performs better when it's warmer

World Cup facts and figures to get you sounding like an expert

scoring sport and the most common scorelines prove it. On the global stage, 182 games — about a fifth of all matches — have ended in **1-0**. The second most common

'Best Canada team ever' bid to shine at home World Cup

Croatia – but they lost 4-1. Now 25, Davies is Canada's captain and best player but has missed 15 games for Bayern Munich this season with injury. He was absent from the March internationals

Top five ‘must-watch’ matches of the group stage at World Cup 2026

scoring their first goal with Bruno Guimaraes ](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-05-31T213937Z_1243499977_UP1EM5V1O5ZKX_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-FRIENDLY-BRA-PAN-1780912419.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C541&quality=80) Can Vinicius Junior, left, lead Brazil to a record sixth World Cup title? [File: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters] ## ⚽️ Brazil vs Morocco **East Rutherford, New Jersey, US – June

'Brilliant' Belloumi turns Jakirovic's displeasure into delight

score the second. ## 'Now I am very smart, if they do nothing I am stupid' Image source, Shutterstock

Ranking the World Cup 2026 groups: Which teams are favourites to progress?

England and Croatia ## **Group C:** **Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland** With two teams in the top 10 of FIFA’s rankings, this group looks to be pretty competitive. Brazil are not the powerhouse they once were

Can cohosts Canada reach the knockout stages at World Cup 2026?

England, Marsch kept Leeds United in the Premier League in 2021-22 but was fired, as the side finished 14th in February 2023. He took a year off, settled his family in Tuscany, Italy

I'm a passionate lad and I love it at Everton - Pickford

scored the header and I made a decent save in my first home Premier League game at Goodison, so I set myself off on a good stall." Rooney was instantly impressed with Pickford's performances

Could Japan be the World Cup's dark horses?

Croatia. Now, four years on, as they prepare for their opening game against the Netherlands on Sunday night (21:00 BST), there is a growing belief that this could the most successful of Japan

Alexander-Arnold's England omission 'mind-boggling' to Rooney

scoring England's opener in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay. "No disrespect to Ben White – I think he's a fantastic player – but for him to be in the squad and playing ahead

Cymru connections: Who can Wales fans back?

scoring rather than Switzerland. If it sounds far-fetched, you should remember there was a period where [Argentina](/sport/football/teams/argentina) had some Wales fans cheering them at World Cups because of the urban myth Gabriel Batistuta

From dazzling winger to veteran who barely runs - the evolution of Messi

England he repeatedly dropped Nandor Hidegkuti into midfield, pulling centre‑backs out of shape and creating space for Ferenc Puskas and Sandor Kocsis. Johan Cruyff, first under Rinus Michels, played a roaming forward role within

Making history and facing Neymar - Lingard on life in Brazil

scored his first goal in the Copa do Brasil.](/sport/football/articles/c1mkv1gglmvo) There was some surprise when the move was announced, with local pundit Mauro Cezar Pereira describing it as a ["strange kind of signing".](/sport/football/articles/c20zg2w7zwwo

The Man Utd kids tipped to shine in pre-season

Croatia in the World Cup final. Jose Mourinho's squad included seven rookies, including Tahith Chong, James Garner and Mason Greenwood, who was only 16 at the time. This time around, United start their

In, or out? The joy and despair of World Cup squad selection

Croatia meant the Three Lions failed to qualify Two days after Manchester City won the Premier League title in May 2012, England boss Roy Hodgson was set to name his squad for the European Championship