Sir Keir Starmer offered his best wishes to the England team before their entry into the World Cup 2026 tournament. The prime minister said England can 'dare to dream' but avoided promising a bank holiday if they win, not wanting to jinx the team. Starmer will watch England's opening match against Croatia at Downing Street after returning from the G7 summit.
Environmental Protesters to Target Hyundai at Mexico vs South Korea
Environmental protesters plan to target Hyundai at a rally before the group A game between Mexico and South Korea in Guadalajara on Thursday. The protest is due to the World Cup sponsor's business dealings with Ternium, a South American mining company criticized for environmental damage and alleged links to disappearances of Mexican activists.
Messi: Tears After Scoring Were Due to Personal 'Difficult Days'
Lionel Messi, emotional after scoring Argentina's first goal against Algeria, said his tears were for personal reasons unrelated to football. He scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win, tying Miroslav Klose's record of 16 World Cup goals. Messi, playing in his record sixth World Cup, thanked his teammates for support during difficult days.
Hearts, Motherwell, Hibernian Learn European Ties
Hearts will face Austrian side Sturm Graz in the Champions League second qualifying round, with potential matches against Lyon, Bodø/Glimt, Olympiacos, Fenerbahçe, or Górnik Zabrze if they progress. Motherwell will face Havnar Bóltfelag of the Faroe Islands in the Conference League, while Hibernian will play the winner of FK Vllaznia vs FC Malisheva.
Starmer Says England Can 'Dare to Dream' at World Cup
Starmer, an Arsenal supporter, attended the 2024 European Championship final and hopes for better results this time. 'Tonight we can dare to dream again, because we have a brilliant three lions squad, packed with all the talent and experience to get that second star on the shirt,' he said.
Rohl Leaves Rangers for Red Bull Salzburg
In other news, manager Rohl has left Rangers to join Red Bull Salzburg. The World Cup single-day attendance record was broken, Bernardo Silva joined Real Madrid, and Tottenham signed forward Hanson from Aston Villa.
World Cup Single-Day Attendance Record Broken
Fifa trumpeted attendance records, with 281,223 spectators on a four-game day, though this is not unprecedented. The tournament is on track to surpass the 1994 cumulative record of 3.5 million, partly due to the expanded format.
Bernardo Silva Joins Real Madrid
Bernardo Silva has completed a move to Real Madrid, adding to the summer transfer activity.
Tottenham Sign Forward Hanson from Aston Villa
Tottenham have signed forward Hanson from Aston Villa in a deal announced earlier.
Fulham Search for New Manager
Fulham vice chairman Tony Khan said the club has had 'a few great conversations' with two leading candidates to replace Marco Silva, who left for Benfica. Former Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa and Coventry boss Frank Lampard are among those linked.
Falkirk Sell Barney Stewart to West Brom for Club Record Fee
Falkirk sold forward Barney Stewart to West Brom for a club record fee, just 18 months after he was playing non-league football. The 22-year-old signed a four-year contract with the Championship side.
France's Win Over Senegal Highlights Dembélé, Mbappé, Olise
France's impressive win over Senegal spotlighted the deployment of Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, and Michael Olise. Olise produced the best 45 minutes by any player so far, according to analysis.
DR Congo Bring Style and Pride to World Cup
DR Congo will play their first World Cup finals game in 52 years against Portugal, determined to make the most of the occasion despite adversity.
Portugal vs DR Congo Preview
Portugal faces DR Congo in Houston, with rain expected. Portugal's Vitinha and Bruno Fernandes are key to their chances.
World Cup Schedule Today
Matches today include Portugal vs DR Congo, England vs Croatia, and others. Graham Ruthven provides details on how to watch.
TRT Removes Commentator for Mixing Up Iran and New Zealand
Turkish state broadcaster TRT removed commentator Murat Ekrem Çimen after he mixed up Iran and New Zealand teams during a broadcast. TRT called the mistake 'unacceptable'.
