Joe Cole was at the centre of England’s hopes during the 2006 World Cup.

The playmaker went to the tournament with a freshly minted Premier League winners’ medal after he helped Chelsea seal their second consecutive league title, with Cole earning a place in the PFA Team of the Year.

Boss Sven-Goran Eriksson selected Cole for every match in Germany, with a spectacular goal against Sweden being the midfielder’s personal high-point before England’s tournament ended in a familiar fashion when they crashed out to Portugal on penalties in the quarter-finals.

Joe Cole on England’s World Cup 2006 campaign

“The 2006 World Cup was when I played most,” Cole tells FourFourTwo when asked which was his favourite international tournament as a player. "I played every game, scored a really good goal [against Sweden] and I loved it.

“They’re all good memories, but moments changed games at important times. If we could have come through those moments or won a penalty shootout, we could have gone even further. The sliding doors didn’t go for us. A different pass here, a better refereeing decision there.”

Cole was again named in the starting XI for the quarter-final against Portugal, but was sacrificed following Wayne Rooney’s red card shortly after the hour mark.

“Yeah, it was frustrating,” he admits. “I was probably playing at my peak around that time of my career. I was feeling really good in that game, playing against Miguel, the right-back, thinking, ‘I’m just getting the better of him here.’

“We were coming into it, then the sending-off happened, and when you’re the type of player I was, I knew that substitution was coming, because we needed to consolidate.

“I just thought, ‘Please get us through, don’t let this be the end.’ The boys did unbelievably well to keep it at 0-0, but it wasn’t meant to be.”

Cole was also a part of Eriksson’s 2002 squad, another tournament in which the Three Lions of that era were unable to get past the same quarter-final ceiling.

“I only came off the bench once in that tournament, but I remember us going 1-0 up against Brazil,” he recalls. “Michael Owen ended up with a hamstring injury and I thought that might have been the time to take him off and get some more legs in midfield because of the heat.

“We weren’t having a lot of domination and Michael had done his job, he’d put the ball in the net. I think if he had the time again, maybe Sven would have done that.

“But it was a great Brazil team we lost to – one of the all-time great teams.”

Could It Be Coming Home? with Joe Cole and Ashley Cole is brought to you by Carling, official sponsor of the Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup. Watch the show on YouTube and Spotify, or listen to it wherever you get your podcasts

Freddy Adu has revealed his thoughts on Max Dowman's ability, as the Arsenal youngster looks to break into the England squad over the coming years.

Dowman is widely renowned as one of the nation's finest talents, and is being carefully managed in London by title-winning coach Mikel Arteta.

As England look to seal their place in the semi-finals at the 2026 World Cup alongside Spain, Adu has revealed the similarities he sees between Dowman and Spanish starboy Lamine Yamal.

'I think he can become to England what Yamal is to Spain' - Freddy Adu on Arsenal wonderkid's Three Lions prospects

Dowman enjoyed a breakout season with Arsenal, this year, winning the Premier League under Arteta.

The 16-year-old, who at the time of his debut became the youngest to ever play in the Premier League, was electric against Everton at the Emirates in the early stages of the run-in, scoring a dagger against the Toffees with a late solo run.

Adu, who was once described as 'the next Pele' and saw out his playing career in America, Turkey and France, has described Dowman's quality as being similar to that of Yamal.

The 37-year-old said: "I do see the similarity between Dowman and Yamal. He's good at taking people on, he comes in and creates chances. He's dangerous.

"Dowman has got a way to go but, if he has the opportunity, I think he can become to England what Yamal is to Spain.

"That's the type of player you want out there. You want players that are always dangerous, no matter where they are on the field. They constantly create a threat, that puts fear in defenders.

"I really hope [England] encourage his way of playing, encourage him and let the kid play, let him be and let him do what he does best. If they do that, he's going to be a world-class player for England."

Adu also described Dowman's body feint and dribbling ability as akin to that of Lionel Messi, stating: "You [either] have it, or you don’t. You can’t just pick it up later on in your career."

The Arsenal wonderkid will look to build on his breakout season in 2026/27 with the London side, as Arteta looks to retain his team's Premier League title.

Dowman did not get a call-up to Thomas Tuchel's 2026 World Cup squad, but his career ahead of the next major tournament will be fascinating to follow.

Adu spoke with FourFourTwo via Caesars Sportsbook Promoahead of England’s World Cup clash with Norway.

England’s 2010 World Cup last-16 defeat to Germany remains one of the Three Lions’ most disappointing exits in recent memory.

The post-mortem of the 4-1 thrashing by England’s fierce rivals suggested that there was a lack of harmony in the squad, but former Three Lions midfielder Joe Cole believes that this is far too simple an explanation as to what went wrong in Bloemfontein.

Instead, Cole points to an unfortunate cocktail of injuries, misfortune and refereeing mistakes as the real reasons that Fabio Capello’s side fell short.

Joe Cole on England’s 2010 struggles

Asked if morale was a factor in the defeat to Germany, Cole insists that the outcome was dictated more by footballing factors than dressing room dynamics.

“No,” he tells FourFourTwo. “The Germany game turned out that way because they were a great side and I think we had some players playing who weren’t quite fit.

The build-up to the 2010 World Cup was indeed dominated by injury doubts to key players, leaving Capello to shuffle his pack in South Africa.

“Becks was injured, Rio was injured – you had Matty Upson and JT [John Terry] in defence, but JT was playing on the right, so there were a lot of things,” Cole adds, before turning to another point of contention.

The last-16 tie against Germany had seen England concede in the 20th and 32nd minutes as Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski respectively put Joachim Löw’s side in control.

Upson had given England a lifeline when he scored seven minutes before the break, with Frank Lampard following this up a minute later with a long-range strike that hit the crossbar, bounced over the goalline before spinning back onto the field of play - only for the referee not to award the goal.

“Then a bad decision by the officials, because Frank Lampard scored and it should have been 2-2,” the former West Ham, Chelsea and Liverpool man laments.

With England currently looking to end 60 years of hurt during this summer’s tournament in North America, Cole insists that the Three Lions also need fate to go their way.

“It’s never just one thing,” he goes on. “That’s why in this World Cup, everything needs to work. If the big man upstairs says it’s England’s time, then it’s England’s time.”

This is a view shared by his former club and country team-mate Ashley Cole, who also believes that luck is among the attributes that England need this summer.

"I think England can win it,” the former Three Lions left-back adds. “We showed the level we can get to by reaching finals, semi-finals. It’s just the next part – luck, weather, players staying fit, the bits you can’t control. We’ve certainly got the players to do it, they’ve just got to have the belief.

Could It Be Coming Home? with Joe Cole and Ashley Cole is brought to you by Carling, official sponsor of the Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup. Watch the show on YouTube and Spotify, or listen to it wherever you get your podcasts

John Arne Riise has explained why Norway’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals has been years in the making - and not just down to the goals of Erling Haaland.

Stale Solbakken’s side face England in Miami tonight, in their first-ever last-eight tie at a major tournament.

Norway has a population of just 5.6 million people, but the country is enjoying a golden generation of talent, led by captain Martin Odegaard and star striker Haaland, who scored both goals in the last-16 win over Brazil to take his World Cup 2026 tally to seven.

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Ex-Liverpool star explains why Norway have become a force

While Haaland is undoubtedly the headline name, Norway’s squad is packed with quality players including Premier League-winning skipper Odegaard, wingers Antonio Nusa and Oscar Bobb, and Borussia Dortmund right-back Julian Ryerson.

Former Liverpool left-back Riise is Norway’s record appearance-maker, winning 110 caps for his country between 2000 and 2013. The 45-year-old will be at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for Saturday’s quarter-final and revealed why a nation that had competed at just four major tournaments before this summer is suddenly a contender to win the World Cup.

“We've been working for many years with the younger generations in training,” he said, speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo in association with BestBettingSites.co.uk.

“At the same time, having players like Haaland, Odegaard, and Oscar Bobb doing so well helps because people can see we are not as bad as they might have thought a few years ago.

“We've focused on developing players from a young age, giving them the right education and training so they're prepared to perform when they go abroad.

“Crucially, many players haven’t just jumped straight from Norway to the biggest clubs in Europe; they take small steps.

“Look at Haaland — he took it one step at a time until suddenly he was completely prepared for Manchester City. A lot of our players have followed that path, and I think that helps immensely.”

In 2015, the Norwegian FA launched its Landslagsskolen, or National Team School (NTS). Promising young players join the NTS aged 12 and are coached by the country’s best coaches, while still playing for their grassroots teams.

They then move on to the top club academies around the age of 15, with most members of Solbakken’s 26-man World Cup squad graduates of the programme.

While Haaland’s incredible talent was clear from a young age, the striker did not join a top European side until he signed for Dortmund in the January 2020 transfer window, when he was aged 19.

The striker began his career at boyhood club Bryne, before moving to top-division Molde and then Austrian outfit RB Salzburg at the age of 18.

After two-and-a-half seasons at Dortmund, he joined Manchester City for £51million in summer 2022 and scored 52 goals in his first season to help Pep Guardiola’s side win the Treble.

As Riise explains, Haaland was ready to perform from the moment he arrived at the Etihad Stadium - now he is spearheading Norway's bid for World Cup glory.

Get your quiz hats on.

The World Cup 2026 has been a brilliant watch - it's just a shame that there are only half a dozen games remaining. We're at that point of the tournament where heroes write their names in the history books and become the answers to quiz questions for evermore.

On that note, we've created a World Cup true or false quiz, featuring trivia that spans the competition's 96-year history. There are only 10 questions, but you have unlimited time - and if you don't know the answer, just guess. You have a 50/50 chance of getting it right!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

More players and teams will go down in World Cup folklore in the next week or so, but if this summer's tournament has piqued your interest in tournaments of years gone by, you've come to the right place. We have countless other great quizzes on international football and beyond, courtesy of Kwizly.

The last decade of (relative) England success began eight years ago in Russia, when Gareth Southgate's side reached the last four for the first time since 1990. It was one of the biggest games in Three Lions history, but can you name the starting line-up from England's World Cup semi-final against Croatia? We also have a quiz on another famous last-four clash, but you may not want to get involved if you're from a certain country in South America. Otherwise, we invite you to take a trip down memory lane and name the Germany XI that beat Brazil 7-1 in 2014.

When it comes to the business end of World Cups, no team has a better record in the past 30 years than France. Les Bleus have reached four of the past seven finals, lifting the trophy in 1998 and 2018, and we want you to name every Frenchman to have played in a World Cup final. If you're good at that quiz, you'll probably do well in our Big 1998 World Cup Quiz, which has 20 questions on the tournament that Les Bleus hosted and ultimately won.

On this penultimate weekend of the 2026 tournament, you might need time for a quiet sit down between games. Luckily, that's where FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 60 comes in, allowing you to work your way across the board by following our cryptic clues on all manner of topics. As the climax to the tournament approaches it's vital to stay one step ahead of the action, so make sure you subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia. To completely cement your legacy this summer, join The Club, our free membership hub that serves as your digital dugout, where you can unlock secret hints for the toughest quizzes, climb our global leaderboards, and engage in tactical debates in the comments section as the matches play out.

Paul Gascoigne knows a thing or two about starring at a World Cup for England.

The legendary midfielder’s iconic performances at Italia 90 have gone down in football folklore, from his dominant display against European champions the Netherlands to the semi-final tears that became a defining image of that summer.

Gascoigne never played at another World Cup, as the Three Lions failed to qualify in 1994 and he was left out of Glenn Hoddle’s squad for France 98, but he is nonetheless ranked no.2 on FourFourTwo's list of the best English midfielders ever.

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‘To do what he does…’ Paul Gascoigne gives England star seal of approval

The former Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Lazio star was also central to England’s run to the semi-finals of Euro 96 on home soil.

Until 2018, those two tournaments were the closest the Three Lions had come to winning a trophy since the 1960s, but they stand three wins away from ending 60 years of hurt - starting with Saturday’s World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway.

One of Thomas Tuchel’s star performers in North America has been Jude Bellingham, with the Real Madrid midfielder scoring four goals and providing an assist - including two goals to cap an outstanding performance against Mexico in the last 16.

Gascoigne sang the praises of his successor in England’s midfield as he promoted Sports Stars Stories: An Evening with Paul Gascoigne, a two-hour show at the Watford Palace Theatre on Saturday, September 26 in which Gazza will discuss the defining moments of his career and extraordinary life in the spotlight.

“He’s definitely caught my eye at the World Cup. Does he get my seal of approval? I think he absolutely does, yeah,” the 59-year-old said.

“To do what he does, you’ve got to have some good players around you; you cannot do it all on your own, and he’s got that. I was lucky, I had some great players around me that allowed me to express myself, players like Bryan Robson.

“Jude’s got my approval. I think he’s a good player."

Bellingham’s quickfire double in England’s thrilling 3-2 win over Mexico took him to 10 goals for his country, the same number that Gascoigne scored. The 23-year-old is also close to surpassing Gascoigne's tally of caps - ahead of the clash with Norway he is four behind, on 53.

Gascoigne's status in English football goes beyond statistics, but if Bellingham continues to star for the Three Lions it won’t be long until he is talked about with the same reverence as his legendary predecessor.

Sports Stars Stories: An Evening with Paul Gascoigne takes place on Saturday 26^th September at the Watford Palace Theatre. Tickets are priced from £35 and are on sale now. https://watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk/events/an-evening-with-paul-gascoigne/

Weekend Crossword, anyone?

If you're new to FourFourTwo Weekend Crossword, we're just glad to have you along: it's just like a regular newspaper puzzle, except you don't get the ink on your hands and you can put down your first answer without fear of having to tippex it out.

So let's get filling this grid in, shall we? No time limit as ever, and we'd love to know how you did in the comment section…

Love football crosswords? Here are some handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

Mastering the nuances of a crossword proves you’ve got the tactical awareness of a veteran skipper. To keep your mental fitness at an elite level, however, we've drawn up a scouting report of quizzes that move from the historic rungs of the English pyramid to the clinical finishers who have lit up the modern era, courtesy of Kwizly. Ready?

First, we want you to honour the long road to the summit by naming every club to have ever won the English second tier, a task that spans from the early days of the Football League to the high-stakes Championship of today. Once you’ve mapped the champions, test your internal GPS and see if you can name every Premier League ground ever.

If your expertise is more about the elite output of the last decade or the heartbreak of continental competition, we have two high-intensity hurdles waiting in the tunnel. You can prove your memory for goalscoring streaks is top-tier by naming every player who has scored a Premier League hat-trick in the last 10 years, or pivot to the tactical nightmares of the past by naming every club to have knocked an English team out of Europe. From the most recent match-ball winners to the overseas giants who proved a bridge too far, it’s time to see if your footballing IQ remains world-class under the brightest lights.

To decompress after that heavy statistical lifting, see if you can find the hidden icons in FourFourTwo's Brazilian footballers wordsearch or hunt down the names in our Big Premier League wordsearch. To ensure you’re always the first to the team news, join our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of curated trivia. To truly cement your legacy, join The Club, our free membership portal for unlocking secret hints for those impossible-to-finish quizzes, our prestigious leaderboards, and debate in our comments sections.

Jeremy Doku’s displays at Euro 2020 saw the young winger announce himself on the world stage.

Aged just 19, the Belgian produced one of the tournament’s breakout displays during his side’s quarter-final defeat to eventual champions Italy.

Fast forward to the present day and Doku have matured into one of Europe’s most exciting attackers, but he still reflects on just how important that night was for his career.

Doku on his performance against Italy

After easing through the group stage with three wins out of three as Denmark, Finland and Russia were all put to the sword, Belgium saw off Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the last-16 to set up a quarter-final against Italy.

Following his start against Finland, the teenage Doku was named in Roberto Martínez’s XI for the clash against the Azzurri and quickly repaid his manager’s faith.

Doku, then at Anderlecht, was a constant thorn in the side of the eventual tournament winners, winning a penalty which Romelu Lukaku dispatched just before the interval, while also setting the record for duels won in the tournament.

“That game changed my life,” he admits to FourFourTwo. “After that, people would come up to me on the street, they recognised me and I became more popular.”

Sixteen months after the delayed Euros, Doku would only play a few minutes at the World Cup in Qatar, when he came on as a substitute in Belgium’s final group stage match against Croatia, but was unable to help his side find the goal that would have seen them usurp the 2018 finalist in their group and make it through to the knockouts.

Doku was, however, grateful for Martinez for selecting him at all.

“Following the Euros, I was injured for much of the season,” he continues.

“I didn’t play for the national team for a year, so for the coach to call me up after I’d been injured and other players had played well, I was happy I was there.

“I didn’t play a lot, as I would have liked – only the last 15 minutes in the final game against Croatia, when I thought I did quite well.

“But he could have not taken me at all.”

Harry Kane has revealed he played golf with the President of the United States, days after Donald Trump waxed poetic about his performance versus Mexico.

The England striker scored and assisted in a 3-2 victory against the co-hosts, and gave away a penalty shortly after his goal, in an eventful evening at the Azteca.

As Kane and the Three Lions prepare for a quarter-final battle versus Norway, the Bayern Munich bagsman has opened up about another battle: on the green, with the President of the United States.

Harry Kane and Donald Trump's golfing escapades revealed

Kane has enjoyed his change of scenery since leaving Tottenham Hotspur, embarking on a new journey overseas in Germany.

The Three Lions striker has delivered his career-best season for goals, and won both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal with Bayern Munich.

According to a report from The Athletic, Kane has enjoyed the rise in international fame he has experienced since trading in the Premier League for the German top-flight, which led to him playing golf alongside President Trump.

Speaking in a pre-match press conference before the Norway game, the 32-year-old said revealed that the round of golf was played 18 months ago in Florida.

Kane said: "He invited me to play when I was down in Palm Beach. So when the President invites you somewhere…

"It was a pretty surreal experience just to meet him, and to play golf with him. His golf is pretty good, to be honest... I played alright.

"I hope I can play golf as well as him when I’m his age, that’s for sure. So, [it was] a unique experience. I’m just grateful he invited me down to play," he concluded.

Trump praised Kane for his showing versus Mexico in a social media post on Sunday, writing: "Harry Kane of England is a GREAT player!"

The President had positive words for Kane the day after, where he revealed the existence of their, until now, secret golf round.

“I think Kane is a great player,” said Trump. “See, I played golf with him and I like him a lot. He’s a good golfer. He’s really great.”

The only place to start this week is England’s last-16 win over Mexico, which was a brilliant performance. I thought they were first class in the way they managed the atmosphere, and the subs that came on all had an impact.

They defended with their lives after going down to 10 men and it was their best performance of the World Cup, ahead of a big test against Norway.

Clinton was speaking on behalf of Freebets.com home to the best betting sites.

'England need to be clinical against Norway. They can be got at' - Clinton Morrison

You just need to look at what they did against Brazil, so England need to be clinical. I think they’re a team you can get at defensively, but their midfield, wingers and forward line can cause problems.

Stale Solbakken has got some good options at his disposal, and you saw that in the Brazil game when he took off Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sorloth, replacing them with Oscar Bobb and Andreas Schjelderup.

You can’t dismiss Martin Odegaard either, who ran the show against Brazil. Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson will have to get tight on him and ensure he doesn’t do the same again on Saturday.

Erling Haaland was also magnificent in the game, and containing him will be absolutely vital if England are to win the game. That’s a job for Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa, while the full-back position will be key, with Reece James doubtful and Jarrell Quansah being suspended.

A lot of focus will be on Djed Spence, who did really well when he came on at left-back against Mexico. He managed to stop the crosses coming into the box, which were causing England plenty of problems in the game, and I’d expect him to start at right-back on Saturday.

Moving away from England now, and there’s been plenty of controversy about Folarin Balogun’s red card being overturned. It’s something which has been spoken about a lot, and I don’t think people need to be getting involved in that situation.

I’ve seen that France have now asked FIFA whether Michael Olise’s yellow card can be overturned, even though he’s not suspended, as one more yellow would see him miss the following game.

Their request has been denied, and now you’re going to have everyone asking for similar treatment. England were thinking about appealing Quansah’s red card too, even though it was the correct decision in my opinion. But there’s no question that FIFA handled the Balogun situation very badly.

On a more positive note, so many young players have impressed at this World Cup. Ayyoub Bouaddi of Morocco is a superb player, and Gilberto Mora has been very impressive in midfield for Mexico at the age of just 17.

Norway’s Antonio Nusa has had a fine tournament, and England will have to be prepared for him. He’s someone who’s unpredictable, as you don’t know which way he’s going to go, and always wants to take on his full-back.

Someone’s who’s also gone under the radar a bit is Spain’s Pau Cubarsi, who’s been outstanding alongside Aymeric Laporte in the heart of their defence. If you're 19 and you're playing at Barcelona, then you must be a good player.

Looking at some transfer news now, and there’s plenty of talk that Bruno Guimaraes could join Arsenal. I’m surprised, as I never would’ve thought he would leave Newcastle. But if he's told them he wants to leave, you probably know what's going to happen. The same thing happened with Alexander Isak, who eventually got his move to Liverpool.

What a signing it would be for Arsenal though. He'll improve them. He's a good player. He always wants the ball, and doesn't hide. I know he missed the penalty against Norway, but I think he's a top player. It'd be a brilliant signing for Arsenal and he would take them to a whole different level. You could see him and Rice dominating that central midfield. I know they've got Martin Zubimendi as well, but the idea of him and Rice together is exciting.

Some other big transfer news concerns Manchester United agreeing a fee with Chelsea for Andrey Santos. It was a bit out of the blue, but I think you can understand it after missing out on some more expensive targets.

He’s only 22 and is someone who’s good on the ball and wants to make things happen. A £50 million fee is not a bad price these days. They still want another midfielder as well, and it looks like United will also sign the boy Ederson from Atalanta too.

They’re doing some good business this summer, and it’ll be interesting to see how well both players perform for them next season.

Lamine Yamal's performance against Belgium in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup has been questioned by former Spain international Cesar Azpilicueta.

The Spanish starboy took home the Man of the Match award in a 2-1 victory against the Belgians, despite failing to contribute a goal involvement in the match.

Azpilicueta gave his verdict on Yamal's performance as pundit on the BBC, as Spain look ahead to a semi-final showdown versus France.

'Lamal has more to give' - Cesar Azpilicueta

Yamal ended the match without a goal involvement, but with a somewhat strong dribbling and chance creation performance.

The Barcelona youngster registered four successful dribbles, and created 0.33xA for his side in a 2-1 victory.

Azpilicueta noted Yamal's failure in translating his game to goals and assists, stating "I think he has more to give."

The former Spain international said: "I think when Joaquin Seys came on in the second half he defended Lamine Yamal really well.

"He was very strong and he was defending 1v1 in a lot of situations. Lamine Yamal wants the ball and he wants to take defenders on.

"It is true that his game has not transferred into goals or assists, but he is very influential in Spain's game. He wants to create the difference.

"He is always moving, so I think he has more to give to the team and now is the right time," he concluded, before expressing excitement ahead of Spain's semi-final face-off versus France.

In FourFourTwo's opinion, Azpilicueta is keeping the morale of his countryman high, but hinting that more will be required of him should the Spaniards expect to get through France.

Yamal is one of the only superstars present in North America to have had a poor tournament, by his standards, and it is not feasible for Spain to proceed without their game-breaker at his best.

Now is not the time for Yamal's clinical finishing ability, or supreme chance creation, to leave his body, and he must do more.

A showdown against Didier Deschamps' France is the ultimate stage for him to prove that he belongs in the same tier as other high-performing players at this tournament.

Yamal is one of the world's best, but to become a World Champion, he will need to play like one against his French opposition.

Cristiano Ronaldo's international career could live to see another day, Portugal's new boss Jorge Jesus has revealed.

The Portuguese icon bagged his first, and supposedly final, World Cup knockout goal for his nation against Croatia, before losing 1-0 to Spain in what is believed to have been his last match on the stage.

Instead, with the appointment of Ronaldo's former manager at Al-Nassr, the striker's international retirement could be postponed.

Cristiano Ronaldo could play on, says new Portugal boss Jorge Jesus

Ronaldo enjoyed his second highest goalscoring World Cup campaign in 2026, with three strikes against Uzbekistan and Croatia.

That brought his World Cup haul to 11, sending him two clear of Portugal's former record holder, Eusebio, who scored nine in 1966.

After another woeful campaign on the World Cup stage for Portugal, this time with a generation of stars and winners, Jorge Jesus was appointed post-exit to replace the failing Roberto Martinez.

Jesus previously coached the #7 in the Saudi Pro League, as recently as last season when the pair won the top-flight title together.

Speaking at his unveiling as manager, the ex-Al-Nassr coach said: "I haven't spoken to Cris yet. [But, his involvement] will never be a problem for the national team or for me.

"When I have to make a decision, I will speak to him. But not only with him, I will speak to everyone individually.

"'As long as I understand how far he can go and how far I can go... He will always be the one to decide what he wants to do in his career. If he is playing and has the conditions to play.

The new Portugal boss concluded: "If he is eligible for selection, I will call him up, within the limits and conditions that I deem best for the national team."

Jesus also reflected on what Ronaldo means to him, from his time at Al-Nassr, revealing that one of his main motivations in taking the job was to help Ronaldo prevail in the Saudi Pro League.

Cristiano Ronaldo revealed last week that he won't play a seventh World Cup with Portugal in 2030, despite the tournament being jointly hosted in his home country.

Spain vs Belgium is the second quarter-final match of the 2026 World Cup, after France beat Morocco yesterday evening.

Spain enter the fixture having knocked out Portugal in a 1-0 win, while Belgium battered co-hosts USA by a 4-1 score-line.

This should be a high-quality match at the tournament, but which pundits, commentators and presenters will compliment the event?

Who are the pundits, commentators and presenters for Spain vs Belgium?

Spain vs Belgium will kick off at 8pm BST, broadcast by the BBC with a full line-up of pundits, commentators and presenters.

The winner of the event, which is being held at the SoFi Stadium, will play Didier Deschamps' France in the semi-final.

Presenting the event is Kelly Cates, who boasts an impressive, multi-decade-long broadcasting career and is Sir Kenny Dalglish's eldest daughter.

Joining her as pundits are three former professionals, all of whom have enjoyed playing World Cup football.

The first is Wayne Rooney, once England's highest goalscorer before a certain Harry Kane stamped his mark in Three Lions history, who ranks highly in FourFourTwo's World Cup punditry tier-list.

Next is Micah Richards, known for his broadcasting, and podcasting, career across more channels than you can likely think of.

Third is Cesar Azpilicueta, former Spain international and Chelsea man, whose insights have been among the best this tournament.

Serving as the match's main voice is Steve Wilson, a staple presence for the BBC across North America this tournament.

And joining him as co-commentator for the quarter-final showdown is the ever-iconic Stephen Warnock.

FourFourTwo have also written a prediction for the match, and a profile on the event's referee.

It has been 46 years since England last beat Norway in a competitive event, and 45 since one of the most iconic pieces of commentary in football history.

That came from Norwegian radio commentator Bjorge Lillelien, after Norway beat England 2-1 in a 1981 World Cup qualifier.

"Your boys took a hell of a beating!" he famously proclaimed, but why did Lillelien list the likes of Lord Nelson, Henry Cooper and Winston Churchill in his victory speech?

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'Your boys took a hell of a beating!'- Which names did Norwegian radio list after beating England, and why?

The commentary began at the final whistle: "We are the best in the world! We are the best in the world! We have beaten England 2-1 in football!

"England, the birthplace of giants!" he continued. Then, Lillelien named the following people, but why?

He listed Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper and Lady Diana, before addressing then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

"Margaret Thatcher, can you hear me?" he screamed jubilantly. "Your boys took a hell of a beating!"

Lillelien explained in his speech why he chose this particular group of people to call out by name after Norway's victory, saying: "We have beaten them all."

Despite the odd inclusion of Henry Cooper in a list of mainly political figures, the commentator was a boxing fan, and the others were among the most influential figures in British politics.

The Norwegian, surely, was referring to these names as the "giants" that England had birthed, as mentioned earlier in his speech.

Lady Di is, of course, Lady Di, Winston Churchill is the man who took Britain through the war, Cooper was the best UK domestic heavyweight of his era, and Nelson was ex-Navy.

Trafalgar Square is dedicated to the latter; Beaverbrook was a famous publisher and backstage politician, and both Attlee and Eden were former Prime Ministers.

And Thatcher was... Thatcher. Still, Lillelien's commentary is iconic, and Norway fans will be hoping for a similar gem to emerge from their nation's quarter-final clash with England tomorrow evening.

A place in the World Cup semi-finals is up for grabs at Los Angeles Stadium.

This quarter-final clash pits two of Europe's best sides up against each other both vying for a spot in the last four where they will meet France or Morocco.

Spain are yet to concede a goal at this World Cup and so Belgium will need their creative players and strikers at their best if they are to be the first team to breach the Spanish backline.

Referee confirmed for Spain vs Belgium showdown

Belgium needed a late, late comeback to beat Senegal 3-2 after being 2-0 down and then eased past co-hosts USA 4-1 in the Round of 16.

But who will be refereeing the spectacle in Hollywood Park?

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Michael Oliver has been assigned to oversee this encounter as one of only two English referees selected for the World Cup alongside Anthony Taylor.

The Premier League official actually missed his opening match at this year's tournament in the Group E meeting between Ivory Coast and Ecuador due to injury.

However Oliver was soon back fighting fit to take charge of a further two group games involving France and Norway as well as the Netherlands against Sweden. And he took charge of Canada vs Morocco in the Round of 16.

His World Cup foray came in the 2022 edition of the tournament in Qatar with two group fixtures and Brazil's quarter-final exit to Croatia after a penalty shootout.

The 41-year-old has experience in 812 competitive fixtures including in the Champions League and domestically taking charge of two FA Cup finals.

He also holds the record as the youngest Premier League match-appointed referee after making his debut in August 2010 at the age of just 25 years and 182 days.

Oliver will be assisted by compatriots Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring while Brazillian duo Ramon Abatti and Rafael Alves serve fourth official and reserve assistant referee.

The winner of this game will play their quarter-final tie at Los Angeles Stadium on 14 July.

Spain vs Belgium isn't the most blockbuster of quarter-final clashes, however, it isn't as guaranteed of a result as some may think.

Spain undoubtedly possess the best defence at the tournament, yet the grit and unpredictability of this Belgium attack is a worry.

The Red Devils, particularly its Golden Generation, are widely regarded as the greatest under-performers in recent World Cup history, but one individual, Lamine Yamal, has also been a shock this tournament.

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Spain vs Belgium prediction: Can Lamine Yamal finally announce himself on this stage, in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup?

Belgium as a unit, formerly the #1 ranked nation in the world, have failed to make a mark at the World Cup, even at their best.

Now, this side has transformed greatly, possessing a lower-calibre line-up of players, but ones who are free to perform with the shackles of expectation taken off of them.

Spanish starboy Lamine Yamal, who finished second in last year's Ballon D'or, has been exceedingly poor by his standards.

While many expected the Barcelona youngster to dominate this tournament individually, his performances have been below par.

Belgium began their group stage campaign with two draws, however, a historic comeback versus Senegal gave way to a lightning performance against USA in the following round.

The Red Devils appear to be upping their level as the competition progresses, but can Yamal do the same?

Spain's defence will require Belgian brilliance to break through it, but their own game-breaker has been suspiciously absent across North America and will need to turn on the burners for his nation.

What stands in the way of a Spain victory is simple: for Yamal to perform poorly, and for Belgium to be clinical.

If both scenarios don't occur in conjunction, then it will be the Spaniards who edge through to the semi-final phase.

But if Belgium's gamebreakers, Jeremy Doku and Kevin De Bruyne, can turn up in the absence of a well-performing Yamal, that spot is theirs for the taking.

The Barcelona star-boy is built for the biggest of stages, and FourFourTwo has faith in him to deliver.

Prediction: Spain 2-1 Belgium

Goalscorers: Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Kevin De Bruyne

Watch Spain vs Belgium in the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals as Lamine Yamal looks to lead La Roja into the final four.

Understandably aggrieved by Donald Trump’s controversial meddling over Florian Balogun’s suspension, Belgium delivered their best World Cup 2026 performance to thrash the United States.

Rudi Garcia’s side were clearly fired up as they put four past the co-hosts, but now comes an altogether tougher challenge against a Spanish side that are yet to concede a goal in North America.

It was all smiles for the Belgium squad in Seattle as they celebrated their victory over a sloppy USA by performing the ‘Trump dance’.

But now comes the serious matter of a quarter-final against the reigning European champions. Spain may not have been at their fluent best as they edged past Portugal in the last 16, but with the likes of Yamal, Pedri and Rodri pulling the strings, it would be no surprise to see them return to top form.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Spain vs Belgium in the FIFA World Cup 2026 online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Spain vs Belgium: Team news

Spain XI: Simón; Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal.

Subs: Raya, J García, Pubill, Grimaldo, E García, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Muñoz, Iglesias, Pedri.

Belgium XI:: Courtois; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Tielemans, Raskin; Trossard, De Bruyne, Doku; De Ketelaere.

Subs: Lammens, Penders, Theate, Witsel, Lukaku, Lukébakio, Meunier, De Winter, Seys, Moreira, Vanaken, Saelemaekers, Fernandez-Pardo.

Watch Spain vs Belgium for FREE

Spain vs Belgium will be free-to-stream across multiple regions, including BBC in the UK, RTÉ Player in Ireland, SBS On Demand in Australia, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, RTBF/VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey.

English commentary will be provided on BBC, RTE Player and SBS On Demand.

‼️ Outside one of these countries? Use Norton VPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world — more on that below.

Watch Spain vs Belgium from anywhere

Away from home this summer and want to watch Spain vs Belgium? All you need is a VPN, a handy piece of software that makes your devices appear to be in a different location.

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How to watch Spain vs Belgium in the UK

In the UK, you can stream Spain vs Belgium on BBC One. The build-up starts at 7.30pm, ahead of the kick-off at 8:00pm.

How to watch Spain vs Belgium in the US

In the US, you can stream Spain vs Belgium on Fox.

This channel is accessible via Fox's own streaming platform Fox One or via a cord-cutting platform such as YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), Fubo or DirecTV.

How to watch Spain vs Belgium in Australia

In Australia, you can watch Spain vs Belgium on the free SBS On Demand.

Spain vs Belgium: World Cup 2026 Preview

Sixteen years ago, Spain entered the World Cup on the back of winning the European Championships. They finished top of the group stage and then defeated Portugal 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals. They didn’t concede again as they lifted the trophy for the first time.

The class of 2026 are trying to emulate this run. And they are doing a very good job. Having finished top of the group, they thrashed Austria 3-0 before Mikel Merino grabbed a late winner as they overcame Portugal 1-0.

Like their famous counterparts, this Spanish team is proving extremely hard to break down. Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsí are commanding in the centre of defence, while the midfield’s ability to retain possession tires opponents. Add in the genius of Lamine Yamal in attack, and La Roja are a force to be reckoned with.

After drawing their first two games and receiving plenty of criticism, Belgium have scored 12 goals in three matches to arrive in the quarter-finals with renewed confidence and belief.

The team produced a remarkable comeback to overcome Senegal in the round of 32 and then came together to thump the USA. Much of this recent success comes down to some brave decisions from manager Rudi Garcia.

He kept veteran midfielder Kevin de Bruyne on the bench against the US and put his faith in Charles De Ketelaere ahead of Romelu Lukaku. The Atalanta forward rewarded the decision with two goals. His movement could prove key to unlocking Spain’s miserly defence.

Spain vs Belgium: Q+A

FourFourTwo's prediction

Spain 1-0 Belgium

FourFourTwo expects La Roja to do what they do best: keep it tight at the back, control the midfield and find a way to score.

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Marc Guehi has formed one half of England’s first-choice centre-back pairing at the World Cup.

The Manchester City defender has played every minute of the Three Lions’ past four matches alongside Ezri Konsa, after John Stones was preferred for the Group L opener against Croatia.

Guehi is now hoping to face City team-mate Erling Haaland when England take on Norway in the World Cup 2026 quarter-final in Miami on Saturday (10pm BST).

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Marc Guehi injury update ahead of England vs Norway

England’s defence has caused Thomas Tuchel plenty of headaches during the tournament, with the Three Lions manager yet to name the same back four in two successive matches.

Right-back has been the main concern, with Reece James missing the past three games through injury and Jarell Quansah and Djed Spence alternating in his place, but Guehi could now present the German with a new problem.

The former Crystal Palace captain is a doubt for the clash with Norway after suffering a hamstring strain in the last-16 victory over Mexico, according to BBC Sport.

The issue is not viewed as serious and Guehi is said to be optimistic about his chances of playing on Saturday, but if he is unable to take part in today’s training session it will leave Tuchel with a decision to make.

England’s medical team will assess the defender today, knowing that he will need to be at his best to cope with Norwegian goal machine Haaland.

If Guehi is unavailable, it is likely that Stones - another team-mate of Haaland’s at City - would partner Konsa at centre-back.

The news will be incredibly frustrating for Tuchel, who has already lost Quansah to suspension following his red card against Mexico, although first-choice right-back James could return against Norway.

Guehi is one of four England players who would be suspended for the semi-final if he is booked against Norway and the Three Lions progress. Midfielders Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, as well as left-back Nico O’Reilly, are also in danger.

If Guehi is not 100 per cent fit, the centre-back's increased risk of picking up a ban could also play into Tuchel's thinking.

The Chelsea academy graduate, who turns 26 on Sunday, has made 34 appearances for England and was one of their top performers during their run to the Euro 2024 final.

Declan Rice has been carrying an injury for England’s entire World Cup campaign.

The Arsenal midfielder has been troubled by a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back, while he missed the Three Lions’ group-stage win over Panama with a calf knock.

Rice returned for the knockout wins over DR Congo and Mexico, but a separate problem has put his involvement in Saturday’s World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway in doubt.

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Declan Rice injury update ahead of England vs Norway

England vice-captain Rice managed 89 minutes against Congo and played the entirety of the epic last-16 win over Mexico, as Thomas Tuchel’s side held on for a 3-2 victory despite being a man down for almost 50 minutes following Jarell Quansah’s red card.

It set up a last-eight clash with Norway, captained by Rice’s Arsenal team-mate and fellow midfielder Martin Odegaard, but the 27-year-old faces a race to be fit.

According to BBC Sport, Rice missed training on Wednesday and Thursday with a sickness bug that has exacerbated his neural issue.

The report adds that England have taken steps to ensure the illness does not spread, with several members of Tuchel’s squad already sidelined or doubtful for the quarter-final.

Midfielder Jordan Henderson will miss the rest of the tournament after breaking his arm when he fell over an advertising hoarding during the post-match celebrations against Mexico, while Quansah is suspended following his dismissal at the Azteca.

If Rice cannot face Norway, it would likely leave Elliot Anderson and Kobbie Mainoo, who is yet to feature at the World Cup, as England’s two midfielders in Tuchel’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system.

Jude Bellingham can also play in a deeper role; however, the Real Madrid star has been excellent as a No.10, scoring four times and providing one assist.

Rice is one of four England players who would be suspended for the semi-final if he is booked against Norway. Bellingham, centre-back Marc Guehi and left-back Nico O’Reilly are also at risk, with the quartet having each picked up one yellow card in the knockout stage.

The former West Ham United star is one of England's most influential players and was appointed vice-captain by Tuchel before the tournament. He has made 77 appearances for his country, scoring seven goals.

Norway have also been affected by a sickness bug during the tournament, with Crystal Palace striker Jorgen Strand Larsen missing their opening game against Iraq as a result of the illness.

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Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

Hankering for another helping of quiz? Well, there's plenty more in the FourFourTwo kitchen. From international football, to domestic, women's and everything in between, there is no shortage of stuff for you to test your knowledge on, thanks to Kwizly.

Starting here by name every France player to have played in a World Cup final?

If that's not up your alley, or simply too easy for you, then try our Pre-Match Poser no.34 which only one per cent of football fans will get.

Another fun one is this 'Guess the FourFourTwo magazine cover star?' for fans of our paper and ink offering.

Or put your women's football knowledge to the test and take our Women’s Football Quiz, episode 4: Finals, farewells and facts quiz.

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Liverpool and Arsenal are both ready to make a key concession in their pursuit of Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, according to reports.

The 18-year-old has been one of the breakout stars of World Cup 2026, starting five games as the Atlas Lions reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to France.

Arsenal and Liverpool are among several top European clubs eyeing Lille midfielder Bouaddi, with Manchester City also in the mix, but they may have to compromise if they want to complete a deal that could cost close to £100million.

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Liverpool and Arsenal ‘reluctantly’ agree to Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi demand

Bouaddi made his Morocco debut only last month after switching allegiance to the North African country in May, having represented many of France’s age-group teams up to Under-21 level.

Interest in the teenager has grown during an excellent World Cup but Lille want to keep him for one more season, with any deal this summer potentially involving a loan back to the French club for 2026/27.

Liverpool and Arsenal are huge admirers of Bouaddi and Football Insider reports that both clubs are ‘reluctantly’ prepared to accept that demand.

While the Reds, the Gunners and City are all keen to sign the youngster ahead of the new domestic campaign, they are willing to compromise if it means they can secure his services.

The report adds that Lille will demand close to £100m for a player who has made just seven senior international appearances, so agreeing to the season-long loan would reduce the short-term benefit of such a huge outlay.

However, it would also be a long-term investment for Liverpool and Arsenal - both of whom have already set their sights on the next generation of stars this summer.

The Premier League rivals have both reportedly shown interest in 17-year-old Mexico midfielder Gilberto Mora, while Arsenal were also in the running for Leicester City winger Jeremy Monga, who turns 17 today, although City appear to have hijacked the deal.

Bouaddi is further along in his development than both players, although he would cost considerably more.

The teenager first appeared for Lille three days after he turned 16 and made his Champions League debut on his 17th birthday.

He has long been monitored by some of Europe’s top clubs and the willingness of Liverpool and Arsenal to loan him back to Lille shows the regard in which he is held across the continent.

England will be the opponents as Norway play in a World Cup quarter-final for the first time ever on Saturday – and one former player is tipping the Scandinavians as possible candidates to win the trophy.

Norway returned to the tournament after 28 years away this summer, but beat Senegal and Ivory Coast on their way to the last 16, before shocking Brazil in New Jersey.

Erling Haaland scored both goals in that game, before leading his team-mates in what has now become a traditional Viking rowing celebration on the pitch, with fans doing the same in the stands.

Former Liverpool star is backing Norway

Former Liverpool and Norway star John Arne Riise will be at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for Saturday’s quarter-final, and is eager to join in the Viking row.

“I haven’t done it yet because I've been watching the games in a quiet area,” he explained. “But I’m going to the game this Saturday and I have to do it in the stands. I’m probably going to be sitting with other legends there, and when they do the rowing, I’m joining in! I mean, I have to, because I’ve never been to a World Cup either as a fan or a player.

“I’m so excited because it’s going to be an unbelievable match on the pitch, but also in the stands. The Norwegian fans and English fans are going to have a great time together.

“Seeing how this World Cup has been for Norwegian fans has been unbelievable, and I want to participate, support them, and give my best to help the team. Hopefully, we can give England one hell of a beating.”

That last line was a reference to the famous commentary of Bjorge Lillelien, when Norway beat England in a World Cup qualifier in 1981. That result was a huge upset back then, but Norway haven’t lost to the Three Lions in a competitive fixture since that day.

Riise believes that his country could even contend to win the whole tournament now.

“Yes, I do think that Norway can win the World Cup if they win this game against England,” he said, speaking in association with BestBettingSites.co.uk.

“Why not? Before the World Cup started, I never thought we could win it, I thought a quarter-final spot would be our absolute maximum. But the way they've played, the way they’ve carried themselves, and the way they’ve attacked every single game to get to where they are now is unbelievable.

“Yes, I believe we can win it. I still think France are the massive favorites for the whole tournament and I can't see anybody beating them at the moment, but we can absolutely win. We are in the last eight, so everything is possible.”

Reece James has been forced to watch most of England’s World Cup campaign from the sidelines.

The Chelsea right-back played the full 90 minutes of the Three Lions’ opening two group fixtures, against Croatia and Ghana, but suffered a hamstring injury in the latter game.

James has missed England’s past three matches as a result, leading to fears he could be absent for Saturday’s World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway (10pm BST).

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Reece James injury update for England vs Norway

Three Lions head coach Thomas Tuchel faces a dilemma at right-back, with Jarell Quansah suspended following his red card in the last-16 win over Mexico and Djed Spence struggling in that position against DR Congo in the last 32 with the manager visibly angry at his player.

It would be a massive boost for Tuchel to have James available to face Erling Haaland and Co., and there appears to be optimism within the England camp.

According to BBC Sport, the 26-year-old returned to full training on Thursday for the first time since he sustained the injury against Ghana.

James did not complete the whole session, but he is expected to be included in England’s squad for the quarter-final in Miami, as long as he does not suffer any setbacks in the next 36 hours.

Tuchel will be desperate to have his first-choice right-back available, especially considering that Antonio Nusa, one of Norway’s most dangerous players, is likely to start on the left wing.

The Three Lions boss does have options in that position if James is unable to complete the full match, including Spence, Ezri Konsa and Trevoh Chalobah.

But with news emerging on Thursday that Quansah’s suspension has been extended to two games, England cannot afford more absences in a position that has caused Tuchel a headache at this tournament.

James’ career has been blighted by a string of injuries, restricting him to just 26 England caps since his debut in October 2020.

But he will hope to play some part on Saturday as the Three Lions aim to reach the World Cup semi-finals for just the fourth time.

If they beat Norway, England would set up a last-four clash in Atlanta next Wednesday against the winner of Argentina’s game against Switzerland, which kicks-off at 2am BST on Sunday.

England vs Norway in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup will be played on July 11, with a spot in the last four on the line.

The Three Lions enter the fixture fresh, or not so much, off the back of an exhilarating, hard-fought 3-2 victory against Mexico, after being reduced to 10 men.

Norway enter the showdown having beaten Brazil 2-1, a convincing, impressive performance, but what do historical results between England and the Norwegians say about the quarter-final?

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What is England's competitive record against Norway, ahead of their quarter-final showdown at the 2026 World Cup?

Heading into this quarter-final clash, which will kick off at 10pm BST in the Miami Stadium, England and Norway have history.

Not much of it, but still, history, dating all the way back to 1937 when the sides first faced off.

Of those 12 games, merely four of them have came in competitive format, with the other eight being international friendlies.

In 1937, the first friendly between the pair was contested, ending 6-0 to England.

In these matches, England have won a whopping six times, and drawn the other two.

The Three Lions scored a remarkable 22 goals in eight friendly events, conceding just two.

But in competitive fixtures, this head-to-head takes a turn for the worst, with England claiming just one victory from four.

Norway, on the other hand, have won two matches, 2-1 in 1981 and 2-0 in 1993, during World Cup qualifying.

The former match led to the famous "Your boys took a hell of a beating!" message to Margaret Thatcher on Norwegian radio.

England's sole competitive victory against Norway came in 1980, a comprehensive 4-0 win.

It has now been 46 years since the Three Lions beat their quarter-final opposition in competitive conditions, while Norway have won twice, and drawn 1-1 once, with England in that time.

History might not be on the side of Thomas Tuchel's men, but if they close their eyes and imagine it's a friendly, they'll be alright.

The 2026 World Cup has had some amazing moments so far, including victorious underdogs, late comebacks and Germany somehow losing on penalties.

With just eight games left to go, it's fair to say that, on the pitch at least, this tournament could go down as one of the better ones in living memory.

Here are, in no particular order, the ten best matches of the tournament so far.

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Cape Verde 0-0 Spain - Group H - June 15

Some people might say that a goalless draw has no place being in any "best matches" list, but the circumstances surrounding Cape Verde's opening fixture against Spain mean it warrants celebration.

Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper whose name means "little grandmother" announced his arrival at the World Cup with a stunning display, producing heroics that meant the debutants took a huge point from the European Champions that would help them get out of a group containing two former World Cup winners and Saudi Arabia. An astonishing first appearance.

Portugal 1-1 DR Congo - Group K - June 17

This might not have been the best game of the tournament, but it certainly produced an incredible moment that a whole nation will never forget.

Yoane Wissa rising in the penalty area to head home DR Congo's first ever World Cup goal is a beautiful moment in its own right, but to do it against one of the pre-tournament favourites Portugal, and Cristiano Ronaldo, to earn a valuable group stage draw, was truly special and something to savour.

England 4-2 Croatia - Group L - June 17

One of the best battles of the group stages got Group L off to a bang, with England and Croatia trading blows in a topsy-turvy clash.

England's class eventually told in the second half, with Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford adding two decisive strikes to give them a positive opening result. However, the four-goal first half was a real treat for the neutrals, with Croatia twice pegging back the Three Lions.

Austria 3-3 Algeria - Group J - June 28

With a draw enough to send both of these sides through to the knockout stages, many predicted that this game would finish level in dull circumstances. They were half right.

While a draw did end up playing out, it was anything other than boring, with six goals exchanged between the two sides. When Riyad Mahrez struck to put Algeria 3-2 up in the 93rd minute, things didn't look great for Austria.

However, Sasa Kalajdzic headed home an even later equaliser three minutes later to ensure both sides made it to the round of 32.

Germany 1-1 Paraguay (3-4 on penalties) - round of 32 - June 29

Football is a simple game: 22 men kick a ball around for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win. Except that hasn't been the case for a while now.

It took more than 90 minutes for Paraguay to get the job done, with the game going beyond both regulation time and extra time into penalties.

The usually clinical Germans were poor from the spot and when Jonathan Tah sent his shot over the bar and into row Z, it was a momentous occasion that saw the underdogs progressing in the most unlikely fashion. A real collector's item.

Belgium 3-2 Senegal - Round of 32 - July 1

Senegal seemed to be cruising and Belgium were awful. Yet, football has a way of producing unlikely surprises.

Few would have predicted a Belgium turnaround after Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr had put Senegal 2-0 up.

However, Belgium never lost hope and managed to pull back two goals in the final five minutes of normal time, with Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans earning extra time.

Tielemans then converted a penalty in the 125th minute to break Senegal hearts and send Belgium through to the round of 16 to face the USA, where very little of note happened to them. I can't think of any big talking points anyway...

Portugal 2-1 Croatia - Round of 32 - July 2

In this battle of the veterans, Cristiano Ronaldo vs Luka Modric, we knew we would be seeing one of the two legends of the game for the final time on the international stage.

Another seasoned pro got the ball rolling in this one as Ivan Perisic opened the scoring in a thrilling end-to-end game.

Both sides had goals ruled out for offside, both hit the post and it could really have gone either way. In the end, it was Goncalo Ramos' head that won the match, although a controversial "header" at the other end was their real saviour.

Josko Gvardiol looked to have pulled Croatia level in added time, but VAR intervened, revealing that Igor Matanovic's hair had grazed the ball on its way through to Mario Pasalic who set up the goal, rendering him offside. It was a very harsh call at the end of a thrilling encounter.

Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde - Round of 32 - July 3

When Lionel Messi caressed a wonderfully floated ball over the top and prodded it past Vozinha in the Cape Verde goal, it seemed as if a routine win for the world champions might be on the cards.

But the World Cup debutants had other ideas, instead producing a magnificent display full of heart and courage that almost saw them shock the world.

The highlight of the game, and possibly the tournament so far, came in the form of Sidny Lopes Cabral's wonder strike from the corner of the area that almost sent the game to penalties. However, it wasn't to be with Argentina digging deep to find just enough to get through.

Not much had been expected of Cape Verde before the tournament and though they didn't win the World Cup, or even any of their matches, they still won the hearts of the viewing public and made a big case to suggest that the expanded tournament has been a success.

England 3-2 Mexico - Round of 16 - July 5

Ahead of kick off there were warnings of altitude, of weather and of a visceral home atmosphere, all creating more nervousness than usual about England heading into a knockout fixture.

Those warnings seemed to have been dispelled pretty quickly though when Jude Bellingham scored his second of the match to put the Three Lions on course for a routine win in the 38th minute.

Yet, by the 54th minute, the score was 2-1 and England were down to 10 men to bring that nervousness back tenfold.

A penalty each took the score to 3-2 before Thomas Tuchel deployed his secret weapon: Daniel Johnson Burn. The boy from Blyth headed anything that came near him back over the halfway line, something truly magnificent to behold, and helped England hold on against the onslaught and emerge victorious.

It was a performance for the ages and a unifying moment for fans watching from home as they spilled out of pubs at 5am on Monday morning, squinting into the rising sun, celebrating and singing with one another on their way to what must have been some hugely unproductive shifts at work.

Argentina 3-2 Egypt - Round of 16 - July 7

The reigning world champions have flown pretty close to the sun on a couple of occasions so far during this tournament, but somehow they're yet to crash out.

After being pushed close by Cape Verde, Messi and co found themselves in an even worse position against Egypt, 2-0 down with 11 minutes of normal time to go, with their talisman wasting another penalty - his second miss from the spot of the tournament.

However, somehow they managed to find three late goals to turn things around before the final whistle, not even requiring extra time.

The Egyptians cried foul play, accusing the referee of fixing the game in favour of the South Americans, but the game was theirs for the taking, and they let it slip. It was astonishing, it was thrilling and it was heartbreaking all at the same time. A brilliant World Cup classic.

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One of the great things about the World Cup is the array of characters the tournament throws up. Some of those are characters in the most literal sense: weird and wonderful creatures who are dreamt up as the official mascots of the competition.

These can be difficult to remember off the top of your head, but once you see their smiling faces you'll be transported back to a World Cup of years gone by. So, we want you to name these 14 mascots, and because it's a tricky quiz, we're giving you unlimited time. On your marks, get set, go!

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That certainly wasn't an easy set of questions, but if you managed to name all 14 mascots you truly are a World Cup expert. It also means that you would enjoy some of our other great quizzes on the Greatest Show on Earth, courtesy of Kwizly. With the latter stages of World Cup 2026 here, it's the perfect way to unwind after some tense knockout action.

If you recognised the mascot for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa, you've probably got a good chance of naming the Ghana starting XI that lost to Uruguay on penalties that summer. That quarter-final in Johannesburg went down as one of the most iconic games of that tournament - not entirely for the right reasons - and while we're talking icons, why not test your knowledge of the GOAT himself? Try out our Big Lionel Messi Quiz and see if you can get 20 correct answers.

Many of us owe large parts of our geographical knowledge to football, having first learnt of some countries only when we watched our first World Cups. If you're one of those people, you'll enjoy trying to name every capital city of every nation at World Cup 2026. And no, you don't get double points for knowing the capital of Uzbekistan. If your knowledge lies in the on-pitch action, our Friday Football Quiz has a bit of everything, spanning several decades, clubs and countries.

If you fancy something a bit different then it's worth checking out FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 60, featuring cryptic clues on footballing folklore that are sure to test even the most knowledgeable fan. To ensure you stay one step ahead of the action as the World Cup knockout stage heats up, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia. To completely cement your legacy as a trivia titan, join The Club, our free membership hub that serves as your digital dugout, where you can unlock secret hints for the toughest quizzes, climb our global leaderboards, and engage in tactical debates in the comments section as the matches play out.

Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham's combined goal haul makes England one of the most player-reliant nations in World Cup history.

In the Three Lions' tight 3-2 victory against Mexico at the Azteca, after being reduced to ten men, the pair scored all three goals between them.

Bellingham bagged two in two minutes to send England 2-0 up, with Kane assisting the Real Madrid star's second, but where does their percentage of goals scored rank in World Cup history?

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Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham make England one of the most player-reliant nations in World Cup history

That win over Mexico was a similar story to games and rounds passed at the 2026 World Cup, with the two scoring a whopping 10 of the Three Lion's 11 tournament goals.

That began with a Kane brace to send England 2-1 up in their opening showdown vs Croatia, before Bellingham struck to make it 3-2.

Later, Marcus Rashford scored the Three Lions' sole goal of the tournament from a player outside of that pair.

That game ended 4-2, and since, Kane hit two in a 2-1 comeback win over DR Congo, and the pair bagged one each in a 2-0 victory versus Panama.

The duo have now scored 90.9% of England's World Cup goals across North America en-route to the quarter-finals, but where does that rank England's reliance on them all-time, against other nations?

In 2022, England shared 13 goals between eight different players, and in 2018, their 12 strikes came through six different individuals.

In 2014, two from two, in 2010, three from three, and in 2006, five from four — a dramatic departure from this edition's goalscoring spread.

At the World Cup, using a minimum of five goals scored, only two sides have ever relied on less scorers than this England team.

In 1986, the Three Lions themselves scored seven goals between two scorers, Gary Lineker and Peter Beardsley, with the former getting six.

In 1994, Russia also scored seven goals between two scorers, and in 1954, Switzerland scored 11 between three, the same as the Three Lions this tournament.

This data was uncovered by BOYLE Sports using Opta analysis, which noted that a similarly astounding story lies in Lionel Messi's 61% individual goal spread for Argentina this tournament.

France have also impressed through individuals across North America, with Deschamps' men scoring 14 between just four players, the most prolific of which being the tournament's greatest ever player, Kylian Mbappe.

Can you breeze through 20 questions with all the samba swagger of Ronaldinho?

Of course you blooming can: it's the Friday Football Quiz, and this is your time to shine, as we present an expert-level quiz of 20 questions, testing you on everything that has ever happened or hasn't happened in the beautiful game.

We truly appreciate your presence today: let us know how you got on with this week's edition.

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Putting down your tools after dominating the Friday Football Quiz is a top-tier feeling, but the beautiful game never pauses for a victory lap. To prove your analytical match-fitness can handle the sheer volume of this unforgettable summer, we've engineered a customised tactical board built to test your immediate recall of recent triumphs alongside your deep-rooted knowledge of global icons – powered by Kwizly.

We’re diving headfirst into the current tournament drama with a dual challenge designed to audit the massive field and the legendary leaders commanding the pitch right now. With the matches delivering non-stop action across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, we want to see if you can track the entire international landscape by naming every team at the 2026 World Cup. Once you’ve mapped out the nations, separate the evergreen veterans from the tournament debutants by trying to name every player at World Cup 2026 with over 100 caps.

After that, let's look back: tackle The Ultimate Quiz of 2025/26, where a flawless 40/40 score is reserved for the absolute elite of the terraces. After conquering the recent past, shift your focus to the deepest vaults of international heritage with our Ultimate World Cup Quiz, checking your memory on the historic goals, shock losses, and iconic folklore that defined past generations.

Finally, we have FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 60, which packs a brilliantly chaotic, cryptic focus on scandals, shootouts, and sackings. To make sure you’re always ahead of the chasing pack this summer, subscribe to our newsletter and join The Club, our free membership hub where you can unlock secret hints for the toughest puzzles, climb your way to the top of the global leaderboards, and debate the latest tactical shifts directly in the comments section.

Roy Keane has explained how teams can secure victory over France at the 2026 World Cup, following the nation's 2-0 quarter-final win against Morocco.

France looked near certain to go ahead early on after Kylian Mbappe was hacked down in the penalty box, before the Real Madrid star missed his spot kick.

Mbappe made amends for his mistake with an astonishing curler from the edge of the box to put his side up 1-0, before assisting Ousmane Dembele for France's second of the match.

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Roy Keane explains how teams can win against France at the 2026 World Cup, after Didier Deschamps' men decimate Morocco

Those goal involvements brought Mbappe's haul up to 11 this tournament, also tied on eight goals with Lionel Messi.

France have now kept clean sheets in all three of their knockout games, with their next being against the winner of Spain vs Belgium.

Former Republic of Ireland international and Manchester United legend Roy Keane believes he knows the only scenario in which Deschamps' men can be beaten.

Speaking from the ITV studio in Brooklyn, as one of the broadcaster's best pundits this tournament, he acknowledged France's defensive record before revealing how other nations can beat the side.

Keane said: Morocco were playing on fumes and France were so much better in every aspect of the game, but it doesn't mean that they cannot be beaten.

"France are in a great place. You have your attacking players scoring goals and your individual players going past people.

He concluded: "Any chance of beating France you have got to score the first goal... [otherwise] they will pick you off for fun.

Ex-France international Patrick Vieira also weighed in on the strength of Deschamps' squad, describing the line-up as "maybe one of the best ever generations."

He said: "When you look at the squad and the attacking players... that is maybe one of the best ever generations on that side, because you have so many players. It is so, so unbelievable."

The 2026 World Cup knock-outs are nearing the final phase: the tournament's final will be played on July 19.

On today is France vs Morocco, with either side vying for a spot in the semi-final, or, for Didier Deschamps' men, yet another final appearance.

England will face Norway, Argentina will play Switzerland, and Spain will compete with Belgium, but how do booking suspensions work heading into the final few games across North America?

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Do players miss the semi-final if you get booked in the quarter-final at the 2026 World Cup?

England prevailed in one of the finest wins in their World Cup history against Mexico at the Azteca earlier this week.

Norway secured their spot in the quarter-finals the day previous, with a classic underdog victory against Brazil, but many in the Three Lions squad enter the showdown in danger of a suspension.

In the knock-out rounds of the 2026 World Cup, suspensions via accumulated bookings are reset after the quarter-finals.

To make the contents of this article clearer, FourFourTwo have written a full breakdown of how suspensions via accumulated bookings work at the tournament.

The new rule means that players cannot miss the final through accumulated booking suspension in the semi-finals.

However, if a player receives their second card in two matches in the quarters, they will miss their next match.

Bookings were wiped after the group stage, meaning that a players' cards seen prior to the knock-out rounds did not carry over into the later phases.

To be clear: if a player in the quarters has seen yellow in the Round of 32 or 16, and is booked again in the event, then they will miss the semi-final.

Players can only be suspended for the final by being shown red in their last four fixture, not through accumulated bookings.

France, Morocco, England, Norway, Argentina, Switzerland, Spain and Belgium are all competing with this in mind ahead of the semi-finals, when bookings will be wiped once more.

The 2026 World Cup has been an astounding victory for African football, however, the manner in which they've exited will sting.

Despite a remarkable number of sides from the continent progressing to the knock-out stages, showing that Africa can contend on the largest of stages, the defeats have been difficult to stomach.

From Egypt's conspiracy theory-creating loss versus Argentina, to DR Congo falling at the final hurdle to Harry Kane's sword, here are the minutes in which each African side conceded to go home in the knock-out phases of the 2026 World Cup.

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The minute in which every eliminated African team conceded and went home at the 2026 World Cup

Shockingly, no African side conceded the goal that sent them home before the 86th minute across North America.

Each team ran their higher quality opposition to the absolute wire, and suffered the most heart-wrenching of defeats in the process.

Beginning with DR Congo, who led the game 1-0 against England for over 70 minutes, they conceded in the 86th to be sent home.

A similar situation unfolded for Ivory Coast, who were tied tied until Erling Haaland scored the match-winning strike in the 86th.

South Africa were tied with co-hosts Canada until a 91st minute strike from the edge of the box sank their dreams.

Senegal had it even worse, they were up 2-0 beyond the 80th, before late goals from Belgium tied proceedings and a 125th-minute spot kick from Youri Tielemans broke Senagalese hearts.

And worst of all is Argentina's exploits against Cape Verde and Egypt, the latter of which led to the most explosive of conspiracy theories becoming a major talking point at the tournament.

The Argentinians were taken to extra time by Cape Verde, who came back from a goal down twice, before a 111th-minute goal won the game.

Against Egypt, the 2022 World Cup winners trailed for almost 80 minutes, scoring two in four minutes to level the tie at 2-2.

A 92nd-minute strike plunged the dagger into Egyptian hearts, after two separate penalty incidents were waved off at the other end, and after VAR disallowed a glorious Pharaohs goal earlier in the half.

The minute in which all six eliminated African teams in the knock-outs conceded to go home: 86', 86', 91', 92', 111', 125'.

France vs Morocco is nearly a repeat of the 2022 semi-final, merely a round prior in North America.

But history is on the line for both sides: Morocco could make it to a second successive semi-final, and France look to march on in their quest to reach a third consecutive World Cup final.

Morocco have endured the hardest test of the pair so far, prevailing in a narrow victory on penalties against the Netherlands, but can they pull off an upset against the team tipped to win it all?

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Who are the pundits, commentators and presenters for France vs Morocco, Quarter-Final, 2026 World Cup?

Kylian Mbappe has been the player to watch for France, the greatest in World Cup history, looking to continue building an illustrious resume at this tournament.

Morocco also have a game-breaker of their own in Ismael Saibari, and an assortment of clinical, technical players, but fall short in comparison to France's ludicrously stacked squad.

The match will be played at 9pm BST, broadcast by ITV, with the quarter-final being held at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Presenting the event is Mark Pougatch at the ITV studio in Brooklyn, which FourFourTwo recently had the opportunity to tour.

Joining him as pundits are three former professionals, all of whom rank high on FFT's World Cup punditry tier-list.

The first is Ian Wright, of Match of the Day, The Rest is Football and general broadcasting fame, once one of the game's finest strikers.

Second is Roy Keane, ex-Republic of Ireland international and Manchester United man, known for his quick but dry wit, and uncompromising words.

Third is Patrick Vieira, ex-Arsenal midfielder who was a key player in the London club's Premier League 'invincible' title victory.

The Frenchman's presence marks a slight deviation from the Wright-Keane-Gary Neville line-up that ITV has produced so often, but his insights are among the best of any pundit for either British broadcaster.

Serving as the match's main voice is Jon Champion, with Ally McCoist joining as co-commentator for the event.

Norway have endured another strange setback, having to change hotels before their quarter-final clash versus England.

Beyond that, there's also been an incident of illness that is reported to have affected various members of the Norwegian squad.

Norway prevailed 2-1 against Brazil in the preceding round, a classic underdog victory, but why have they had to change hotels before a clash against England in which they could make history?

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Why have Norway had to change hotels before their quarter-final match versus England at the 2026 World Cup?

The Norwegians were scheduled to stay at the Dalmar Hotel in Fort Lauderdale during the build-up to their showdown against England.

Instead, the national side, which has already made history on the World Cup stage and is looking to make more, opted to change hotels.

The Miami Herald reported this first, before Norway's TV2 offered an explanation for what transpired.

The Norwegians reportedly contacted FIFA and moved locations with the organisation's help, due to noise affecting their stay.

The Dalmar Hotel was nearby to construction noise, which affected the Norway squad, with such a historic game on the horizon.

Hilariously, Norway's TV2 also explained that the hotel was not close enough to the beach, creating another motive for the move.

Norway's World Cup logistics manager told the channel: “There were some things we would have liked to see differently, and we made a change.

"We’re going to be here for a week, and we’re already in Week 6 in the USA and are going to play the biggest game in history of our time.

"So far, we’ve managed to avoid cabin fever, and we didn’t want any risk of it happening now," he concluded.

According to the team's logistics manager, FIFA covered the cost of the move, however, the Norwegian FA also chipped in.

That was to cover the difference in price, as their new hotel, at an undisclosed location, cost more than their previous accomodation.

Norway remain underdogs for the clash, but the presence of a Golden Boot-chasing Erling Haaland remains an extraordinary threat.

France vs Morocco at the 2026 World Cup is nearly a repeat of the 2022 edition's semi-final, which ended 2-0 to the former.

Didier Deschamps' men are gunning for a third successive final at the tournament, having won in 2018 and fell to Argentina at the final hurdle in 2022.

Morocco have already made African history at the World Cup, but a second successive semi-final would be an astounding feat.

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Who is the referee for France vs Morocco?

Morocco prevailed 3-0 in the Round of 16 against Canada, prompting Jesse Marsch to make a string of bizarre comments, while France edged a 1-0 win against Paraguay in their preceding match.

In charge of the event, as both teams look to make the tournament's semi-finals, is Argentinian referee Facundo Tello.

Joining him for the clash are fellow countrymen Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade, serving as assistant referees.

Two more Argentinians in Dario Herrera and Cristian Navarro will operate as the fourth official and reserve assistant referee, respectively.

Tello has refereed five World Cup games across his esteemed career, including two across North America.

The Argentinian official refereed Canada's 1-1 opening game draw vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as South Africa's 1-0 win against South Korea in Group A.

In 2022, he refereed Morocco's 1-0 quarter-final victory against Portugal, serving five bookings, one of which was red.

On this stage, Tello isn't so quick to wield his cards, averaging a low 3.2 bookings per match.

In Liga Profesional de Futbol, where he has officiated the majority of his games, that average rises to 5.7 bookings per fixture.

The Argentinian official has never awarded a spot kick in five matches on the World Cup stage.

Watch France vs Morocco in the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals as Kylian Mbappe looks to guide Les Bleus into the final four.

There's always something special in the air when these two meet. Five of Morocco's players being employed in France is a surprisingly low number the connections run much deeper.

Six members of the Moroccan squad were born in France. While there are similar numbers of players born in Spain, Belgium or the Netherlands, a World Cup quarter-final against France is a big occasion for the players born there.

This fixture has historical salience in a purely footballing sense too. When Morocco became the first nation in Africa to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup four years ago, it was Didier Deschamps' country who knocked them out.

France have only lost once against Morocco. Since that defeat in a friendly tournament in 1998, they've managed three wins and a draw.

The most recent win in Al Khor saw Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani score the goals in a straightforward French victory.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch France vs Morocco in the FIFA World Cup 2026 online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch France vs Morocco for FREE

France vs Morocco will be free-to-stream across multiple regions

ITV will be showing the action in the UK, RTÉ Player in Ireland, and SBS On Demand in Australia.

Elsewhere, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, RTBF/VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey.

English commentary will be provided on ITV, RTE Player and SBS On Demand.

‼️ Outside one of these countries? Use Norton VPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world — more on that below.

Watch France vs Morocco from anywhere

Away from home this summer and want to watch France vs Morocco? All you need is a VPN, a handy piece of software that makes your devices appear to be in a different location.

This World Cup, our office friends at TechRadar are recommending Norton VPN:

How to watch France vs Morocco in the UK

In the UK, you can stream France vs Morocco on ITV. The build-up starts at 8:00pm, ahead of the kick-off at 9:00pm.

How to watch France vs Morocco in the US

In the US, you can stream France vs Morocco on Fox.

This channel is accessible via Fox's own streaming platform Fox One or via a cord-cutting platform such as YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), Fubo or DirecTV.

For Spanish language coverage head over to Telemundo, which is available via one of the above cord-cutters or Peacock.

How to watch France vs Morocco in Australia

In Australia, you can watch France vs Morocco on the free SBS On Demand.

France vs Morocco: World Cup 2026 Preview

There's no doubt that France are the favourites again today. They are most pundits' tip to win the World Cup for the second time in three tournaments and the third time in their history.

Didier Deschamps' team have justified the talk. Kylian Mbappe is leading the charge with a battery of goals but France's progress to this point has barely stretched them, certainly in terms of comparable quality in the opposition ranks.

Paraguay gave France a good test of their mentality in the round of 16 but they stood firm, found a way, and largely managed to float above Paraguay's attempts to derail and muddy the match.

Morocco don't care who the favourites are. Having eased through Group C, the Atlas Lions needed a stoppage-time equaliser to stay alive against the Netherlands in the round of 32 before winning a dire penalty shoot-out.

They became the first team to eliminate a host nation from the 2026 World Cup, doing so with a 3-0 win over Canada in the very-much-not-Canadian city of Houston, Texas, in the last round.

Nothing they've faced in this tournament – not Brazil, not the Netherlands, not a co-host – comes close to the challenge they face in Boston.

Team News

France XI: Mike Maignan (GK); Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Lucas Digne; Manu Kone, Adrien Rabiot; Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue; Kylian Mbappe

Deschamps makes one change to his starting line-up from France's round of 16 win over Paraguay, with Doue drafted in for Bradley Barcola. Barcola drops to the bench.

Morocco XI: Yassine Bounou (GK); Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop, Neil El Aynaoui, Noussair Mazraoui; Azzedine Ounahi, Ayyoub Bouaddi; Brahim Diaz, Chemsdine Talbi, Bilal El Khanouss; Anass Salah-Eddine

Mohamed Ouahbi's enforced change sees the injured Ismael Saibari replaced by Salah-Eddine. Talbi also comes into the team, with Redouane Halhal missing out.

France vs Morocco: Q+A

FourFourTwo's Prediction

France 3-1 Morocco

FourFourTwo wouldn't be surprised to see Morocco give France a game, but any outcome but France in the semi-final would be a shock.

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Jarell Quansah has been suspended for England's next two matches after receiving a red card in his side's World Cup round-of-16 win over Mexico.

A FIFA statement on Thursday confirmed that Quansah will miss the upcoming quarter-final against Norway and then a potential semi-final against Argentina or Switzerland should England make it through in Miami.

Days after Donald Trump intervened to give US striker Folarin Balogun a lifeline, no such mercy has been granted for England defender Quansah, who was dismissed following a reckless challenge during the Three Lions' 3-2 win at the Azteca.

Red cards automatically lead to a one-match suspension at the World Cup, but FIFA can extend bans as they sees fit.

The England defender was sent off for serious foul play after a high and late tackle on Jesus Gallardo shortly after half time in England’s 3-2 win at the Azteca on Sunday.

The news will be a blow to Thomas Tuchel and England, especially after the US president controversially intervened in USMNT striker Balogun’s Round of 16 suspension with a phone call to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, managing to get the one-match ban suspended for 12 months utilising a clause never before used at the World Cup.

It drew much criticism globally – including from UEFA and the Belgian FA, with the Red Devils winning the following match in any case – but it also opened the floodgates to further such appeals.

Based on various reports, the Football Association (FA) were considering an appeal to Quansah’s red card.

France vs Morocco at the 2026 World Cup is nearly a repeat of the 2022 edition's semi-final, which ended 2-0 to the former.

Didier Deschamps' men are gunning for a third successive final at the tournament, having won in 2018 and fell to Argentina at the final hurdle in 2022.

Morocco have already made African history at the World Cup, but a second successive semi-final would be an astounding feat.

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Who is the referee for France vs Morocco, Quarter-Final, 2026 World Cup?

Morocco prevailed 3-0 in the Round of 16 against Canada, prompting Jesse Marsch to make a string of bizarre comments, while France edged a 1-0 win against Paraguay in their preceding match.

In charge of the event, as both teams look to make the tournament's semi-finals, is Argentinian referee Facundo Tello.

Joining him for the clash are fellow countrymen Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade, serving as assistant referees.

Two more Argentinians in Dario Herrera and Cristian Navarro will operate as the fourth official and reserve assistant referee, respectively.

Tello has refereed five World Cup games across his esteemed career, including two across North America.

The Argentinian official refereed Canada's 1-1 opening game draw vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as South Africa's 1-0 win against South Korea in Group A.

In 2022, he refereed Morocco's 1-0 quarter-final victory against Portugal, serving five bookings, one of which was red.

On this stage, Tello isn't so quick to wield his cards, averaging a low 3.2 bookings per match.

In Liga Profesional de Futbol, where he has officiated the majority of his games, that average rises to 5.7 bookings per fixture.

The Argentinian official has never awarded a spot kick in five matches on the World Cup stage.

Christian Pulisic has been the face of USA soccer for nearly a decade. He has produced memorable moments, scored dozens of goals and featured regularly for some of Europe's biggest clubs.

Clearly, Pulisic ranks among the greatest American players ever. It is time, however, to have a conversation about what he is and what he is not.

If the USMNT's underwhelming 2026 World Cup proved anything, it is that Pulisic is not the type of player who can consistently define matches. Yes, he remains a talented attacker capable of creating magic, but is not the type of game-changing alpha who can consistently lift his team to a higher level.

Pulisic has scored one goal in eight matches across two World Cups

The Americans had long hoped Pulisic would develop into that type of difference-making lead man, but the 27-year-old veteran's showing this summer — in what should be the prime of his career — made crystal clear that he is not cut from that cloth.

Not only did Pulisic suffer his latest niggling injuries, but he also failed to find the back of the net in four appearances that ended with him being substituted in the lopsided Round of 16 loss to Belgium due to an ankle problem.

The AC Milan star did deliver an assist in the scintillating 4-1 win over Paraguay in the USMNT's tournament opener, but that was as good as it really got, and Pulisic's overall body of work made it abundantly clear he is more sidekick than superhero, more Robin than Batman.

That conclusion does not stem solely from the 48-team edition of the international competition. Pulisic has produced just one goal in eight matches across the two World Cups he has featured in, a paltry return for a player long expected to deliver defining moments on the sport's biggest stage.

His unfortunate post-game interview last Monday with US broadcast rights holder Fox Sports only further drove home the point that he does not carry himself like the ruthless, demanding driving force so many Americans expected him to be when he arrived to the senior national team scene in 2016.

"It is just frustrating to end like that, of course, but now I get time to rest," Pulisic said of his ankle injury. "Hopefully it will be okay."

While Pulisic's answer was human, it made him sound more like a player focusing on getting through another physical setback rather than one seething over a missed opportunity to write USMNT history in a once-in-a-career World Cup played on home soil.

That may or may not be fair to him, but that response coupled with his decision to skip last summer's Concacaf Gold Cup only reinforced the perception that he's not the type of player who naturally commands a team either by performance or personality.

Truthfully, Pulisic has never looked fully comfortable with the role of talisman. It has felt more often than not as though the responsibility chose him rather than the other way around, which says as much about the state of the USMNT over the last 10 years as it does about Pulisic.

His international career might come to be defined in part by that criticism, but plenty of stars have thrived in complementary roles. Just ask Angel Di Maria or Antoine Griezmann, two elite players who produced brilliant moments for their respective national teams without ever serving as the singular focal points.

Di Maria might just be the best example. Argentina never needed him to be Lionel Messi. Argentina just needed Di Maria to be a quality partner for Messi, someone who could punish defenses that overly focused on stopping the central figure.

None of that is to say that Pulisic is at the level Di Maria was previously at — especially given the former's unspectacular Serie A season — or that the USMNT has a Messi-like player in its pool. Rather, it is to highlight the type of supporting role that might better suit Pulisic's strengths.

For years, the Americans have hoped that Pulisic could be a transformational star much in the same way Messi is for Argentina, Kylian Mbappe is for France, and Erling Haaland is for Norway.

The evidence for Pulisic at both club and country suggests, however, that may have been the wrong approach. Pulisic might just be better when he is asked to be one of the guys, not thee guy.

Of course, time is running out for Pulisic. He will be 31 at the next World Cup, likely young enough to still contribute but probably old enough to have lost a step or two.

Monaco striker Folarin Balogun, 25, could be one of those players that helps Pulisic carry the attacking burden after scoring three goals at this summer’s tournament. Another possibility is Diego Luna, the 22-year-old Real Salt Lake attacker that was axed from this year's final roster.

Regardless of who it is, the USMNT will require more than just Pulisic. Not only to try and advance beyond the Round of 16, but also to help Pulisic deliver the type of strong World Cup that has eluded him so far.

Maybe then Pulisic will finally be judged for the player he actually is rather than the one so many hoped he would become.

Newcastle United and SC Freiburg have agreed a fee around £50m for midfielder Johan Manzambi.

The Toon look set to secure one of the World Cup's emerging talents, as they look to bolster their squad ahead of next season.

Manzambi has impressed with his performances for Switzerland over the summer, scoring three goals and providing two assists.

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Newcastle have been tracking Manzambi for a while and Sky Germany are now reporting that a deal has been agreed.

A long term contract has been prepared for the 20-year-old, who also drew interest from Aston Villa and others this summer.

Manzambi was one of Newcastle's main targets for this summer before the World Cup even started, although his performances will only have reinforced their desire to sign him.

In 38 appearances in the Bundesliga for Freiburg, he has scored seven goals and laid on five assists, showing his potential at such a young age.

The news will come as welcome relief to Newcastle fans who have had a rough summer so far, particularly when it comes to midfielders.

Sandro Tonali has already departed, joining Spurs for £100m, while club captain Bruno Guimaraes has informed chiefs of his desire to leave and join Arsenal.

While Newcastle are hoping they can persuade Bruno to stick around, saying he is not for sale this summer, Manzambi's arrival would be a huge boost.

The Swiss international would follow the arrival of Dutchman Sean Steur, whose arrival from Ajax was officially announced earlier today.

Other midfield options have been tracked by the Magpies this summer, including Monaco's Lamine Camara.

Meanwhile, further departures are expected, with the club open to offers for the likes of Joe Willock.

Marco Rose has managed three different clubs in the Champions League, so it said a lot about Bournemouth’s progress that they were able to hire him as their new manager this summer.

The German is a contender to be regarded as the highest profile appointment in the club’s history, having previously led Red Bull Salzburg to the Europa League semis, then taken charge of Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig in the continent’s leading club competition.

Bournemouth, though, finished sixth in the Premier League last term, so when Andoni Iraola announced in April that he’d be leaving at the end of the season, later joining Liverpool, Rose agreed to take the job.

Bournemouth's new boss makes good impression

Unusually, Rose was able to have a handover meeting with Iraola when the campaign finished, with the departing boss willing to pass on information to help the club continue to thrive without him.

The incoming gaffer listened intently, and made a good first impression on many people during his visit in May.

That included Bournemouth legend Steve Fletcher, who first joined the club in 1992, playing for the Cherries for 19 years and scoring the goal that saved them from relegation to non-league in 2009. He’s since held various off-field roles and is now club ambassador.

“Marco came in right at the end of the season – he met Andoni and they gave each other a big hug, which I thought was lovely, because it doesn’t happen a lot at clubs,” Fletcher told FFT.

“After the last game of the season, he came in for a couple of days, met people and got familiar with his surroundings.

“He met the sporting director Tiago Pinto and some of the important people at the club, but he doesn’t just speak to the hierarchy, he went around the grounds, the accounts department, the media team, the kitchen staff, and spent time with them. It wasn’t just a hello and a nod. He’s a great bloke.

“He wanted to find out about the history, and he knew a lot about Bournemouth as well. Tiago came to me and said, ‘He wants to meet you. ’ I was like, 'Well, why would he want to meet me? Surely, there are bigger and better people than me.‘ I think it was maybe the 34 years, the history I’ve got with this football club.

“When I met him, I felt like I’d known him all my life. He’s got an aura, that personality where you just warm to him, and he listens; he doesn’t just do it for lip service.

“He wants to find out about the club, and he’d done his homework, he knew about the history. He knew about where we were, how we nearly went out of existence a few times and built our way up to the Premier League, the fairytale story.

“So anyone who does that shows a big interest and does his homework deserves the recognition straight away.”

A day at the beach

Fletcher was speaking as 'MrQ' celebrated becoming Bournemouth’s new official sleeve partner – to mark the occasion, hundreds of towels were laid down on the city’s beach first thing in the morning to create a giant mosaic, as a nod to the start of an era under a German manager.

“They were there from 4am and put more than 230 towels down in a prime spot, right next to the famous Bournemouth Pier – if you want to get the attention of all of the tourists here in their tens of thousands when it’s so hot, why not make an impact?” he said.

“It was a sight to behold – I don’t think many people have seen so many towels on the beach gathered all together in one hit.

“I hadn’t been down on the beach so early in the morning for a while – since pre-season training back in the 90s, maybe, running up and down the sand dunes!”

MrQ is the new Official Sleeve Partner of AFC Bournemouth. As the casino the UK Loves to Hate, MrQ unveiled ‘Reserved for MrQ’ – a giant towel mosaic on Bournemouth Beach celebrating the new partnership and inspired by the famous tradition of reserving the best beach spot with a towel, to mark the arrival of Marco Rose. For more information, visit www.mrq.com

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani has told people exactly what he thought about Argentina's World Cup victory over Egypt.

It looked like a huge upset could be on the cards, with the defending champions 2-0 down with little more than 10 minutes of the game remaining, after Lionel Messi had missed a penalty earlier in the match.

However, a staggering late comeback saw them win 3-2 over the North African side to progress to the quarter finals.

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Egyptians left unhappy in Argentina defeat by refereeing decisions

The Egyptians were left furious after some refereeing decisions went against them in the game that could have completely changed the way the match played out.

A disallowed goal earlier in the match, and a potential foul on Mo Salah in the build-up to Argentina's winner were the greatest injustices, in their eyes, leading to some Egypt players to say that the game was "fixed".

Striker Mostafa Zico said after the game: "There’s been an unfairness, right from the start of the match. It is clear that this tournament has been fixed."

While Mamdani didn't necessarily go that far, he did seem to side with the Egyptians' thoughts on the referee's decisions that went against them.

In an off-hand comment during a speech about transport, the mayor said New Yorkers could spend more time "agreeing with your friends that Egypt were robbed yesterday" now that there are extra bus lanes in the city.

He then reiterated his suggestion later on at the same speech saying: "With my extra six minutes [gained from faster public transport] I would probably just watch the replays of Egypt getting robbed again and again."

FIFA has been quick to refute the suggestions made by the Egyptian team that anything had been "fixed".

FIFA's chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina has backed referee Francois Letexier and the standard of refereeing throughout the whole tournament, saying that Egypt's allegations are "unfounded".

In an interview at the end of the Round of 16 matches, he said: "Constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football.

"But unfounded allegations have no place in our sport. Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials. When this happens, it may provoke reactions that lead to threats against them and their families. This is not right."

The 2026 World Cup has entered the quarter-final stage and you aren't going to want to miss a second of the action between now and the final on July 19.

France have a repeat of the 2022 semi-final against Morocco on Thursday night while Spain face off against Belgium on Friday.

England of course are still remaining and face Norway on Saturday in Miami with Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham looking to lift the team to the semi-final.

Sunday morning will also provide plenty of entertainment with Lionel Messi's Argentina playing Switzerland in Kansas City.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Watch World Cup 2026 free on BBC and ITV

At FourFourTwo, we see no better way to catch the World Cup than in the UK, where BBC and ITV have provided superb coverage and will continue to do so until the final.

Completely free, they have an amazing selection of presenters and pundits across both channels, including Mark Chapman, Mark Pougatch, Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart, Gary Neville and Roy Keane, to name a few. They also don't have any ad breaks during the hydration breaks.

If you want to watch any of the remaining World Cup games live, remember you need an account with a UK postcode (e.g. SE1 7PB) and a valid TV licence.

Those travelling abroad this World Cup can use Norton VPN to unlock their BBC or ITV stream from anywhere on the globe — find out more below.

SEE ALSO All the BBC's presenters, commentators, pundits and reporters at the 2026 World Cup

Watch World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere

Abroad this World Cup? You can still watch all the action for free. The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can set your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

We recommend Norton VPN:

Alternative free World Cup viewing options

It isn't just the UK with free streams of the World Cup. RTÉ Player in Ireland, SBS On Demand in Australia, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, RTBF/VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey are just a few showing every game for free.

In the US, there are no free streams of the World Cup, and in Canada, Germany and Spain, only a select number of games are being shown for free.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

France vs Morocco is likely to be the highest quality quarter-final clash that the 2026 World Cup has to offer.

Morocco already made history in 2022, becoming the first African side to make the tournament's semi-finals, and a second successive appearance in the event is on the line vs France.

Didier Deschamps' men are gunning for a third successive World Cup final appearance, and would become the second nation ever to do so should they prevail against Morocco, and in their subsequent semi-final.

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France vs Morocco prediction: Can Kylian Mbappe be the difference once again for Didier Deschamps' side?

France undoubtedly have the edge over Morocco in this clash, as they did vs the African side back in 2022, when they prevailed 2-0.

Four years on, the France squad has increased in depth, and raised its level in star quality, but Morocco also now have previous experience making it to such a late stage at the World Cup.

This year's edition has been even more unpredictable than previous tournaments, however, one thing has remained consistent.

The giants that we expect to progress still do so, although, the path to those next rounds has scarcely ever been more closely fought.

From Argentina somehow surviving scares against Cape Verde and Egypt, to England needing Harry Kane genius vs DR Congo and a parked bus masterclass against Mexico.

France are one of the only sides in the tournament who appear yet to be fully tested, however, their victory against Paraguay was the nation's slimmest yet at the World Cup.

Morocco's 3-0 victory against Canada was not characterised by top-tier chance creation, but a clinical performance from the African frontline sealed progression.

France will be tested, finally, and Morocco will score. But do not think for even a second that Deschamps' men are in serious danger of exiting the competition.

This will be a close battle for the majority of the game, then defined by a late stage spell of brilliance from the Frenchmen.

Of course, who else will be at the front of it all than Kylian Mbappe, the greatest player in World Cup history?

Prediction: France 2-1 Morocco

Goals: Kylian Mbappe (x2)

Newcastle United fans' general enthusiasm for the new season is dwindling with every major player sale. I’m a Newcastle United fan myself, but if Bruno Guimarães follows Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Kieran Trippier out the exit door this summer… I think all of those sales could prove to be good decisions, even though some were forced upon the club.

Kieran Trippier’s departure was inevitable, and possibly 6-12 months later than it could have been, while Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali’s body language in the last six months did nothing to hide their desire to leave Tyneside.

In the case of Gordon, an untenable apathy had crept in from both his side and that of supporters unhappy with his inconsistent attitude and lack of league goal contributions. Tonali never felt like he wanted to be here, despite the swathes of affection that reigned down on him from the stands, which he might not get at Tottenham.

Guimarães’ situation is different. The club captain has just turned in his best season in a Newcastle United shirt, in spite of the club’s poor league performance and gruelling schedule. He scored nine Premier League goals – two more than any other season – all while playing 800 fewer league minutes than in the previous two campaigns. Had he managed to play more than 29 Premier League games, Newcastle would have almost certainly finished higher than the disappointing 12th position they managed.

Guimarães is 28, has two years left on his contract and was a bright spark among an average Brazil team at the World Cup (Norway penalty miss notwithstanding). As such, his value has never been higher (£70m-£100m).

The offer of a new contract in January wasn’t possible with Champions League football looking so unlikely, and it proved unachievable. It was probably futile regardless. Realistically, Newcastle can’t pay close to what a club like Arsenal can more comfortably afford. Neither can Newcastle offer European football or the potential of a title-challenging season.

Furthermore, putting Guimarães’ salary up (he’s already one of the top earners at the club) will send him so far clear of anyone else in the dressing room that it risks destabilising the squad at a time when unity is an essential commodity.

Digging their heels and forcing Guimarães to remain will result in a key player, also their captain, likely harbouring resentment towards the hierarchy and would nullify his USP: that unique ability to bring players together, inspire them via performances on the pitch, and his attitude and enthusiasm off it. The dressing room's power supply would be flat.

Yes, letting Guimaraes and Tonali leave in the same window is far from ideal, but keeping unhappy players on big wages is less preferable. You can't have the most important player not firing on all cylinders as his value plummets with every passing window, while potentially earning a dressing-room-damaging wage.

So much can go wrong playing Premier League chess. It won’t be lost on Newcastle that they did at one stage possess what is probably the perfect combination of midfield three in the Premier League right now: Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes. That hurts.

The news that Bruno Guimaraes has told Newcastle United he wants to leave broke yesterday, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he actually signalled this intention as early as the start of the year, knowing that this summer would mark the two-year countdown on his deal. That courtesy will have at least allowed Newcastle to begin getting their ducks in order, which it looks like they are doing, rather than scrambling madly as they did during last summer’s Alexander Isak saga.

This is a reset summer and a reset season. A lack of European football will help them in this respect. Funds generated from assets they have grown and sold will give them a big opportunity to build the proper foundation they have been missing.

They are already making decisive moves in the market, £60m+ has been spent on goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen and forward Bazoumana Toure (both 20 years old). In terms of midfielders, deals for Johan Manzambi (20) and Sean Steur (18) are in motion, while The Athletic also report Monaco’s Lamine Camara and Auxerre’s Kevin Danois (both midfielders, both 22 years old) are being closely tracked. Though not headline names, that’s a large enough pool of midfielders to suggest they are coming in as replacements, rather than supplements.

Newcastle United must to do three things if they want to make Guimarães’ exit successful: secure market value (nothing less than £70m upfront, ideally closer to the Tonali price of £100m) sign a replacement, or replacements, before Guimarães leaves, and lastly (a point as difficult to guarantee as it is crucial) ensure those signings have the talent, temperament and potential to eclipse what Tonali and Guimarães brought to the club when they arrived, both as relative unknowns, particularly in the case of Guimarães.

This is a highly sensitive deal for the fans and the player. Guimarães is beloved by Newcastle supporters, and the feeling is genuinely mutual. Therefore, it is important to put yourself in the player's shoes. He is 28, and he has just impressed on the world stage. He had no loyalty to the club when he arrived, and while he has built affection and love in the four and a half years he has been here, it’s probably asking too much of him to dedicate the rest of his career to Newcastle United.

He has given incredible service and will at least double the £35m paid for him if sold. He lifted the club’s first domestic trophy in 70 years, started a family in Newcastle, embraced the culture, simultaneously picking up English (and Geordie) overnight, and raised the standard of the team significantly.

He can double his money and double his chances of winning medals by securing a move to a club like Arsenal. It’s unlikely the opportunity will exist beyond this summer.

Sadly, his ambitions and talent have overtaken the club, and Newcastle United have to accept that. This point shouldn’t sit easily with the club. The sales of Gordon, Tonali and, potentially, Guimarães rightly shine light on comments by CEO David Hopkinson, who on two occasions last season said publicly that Newcastle United will be “in the debate” about being the top club in the world by 2030.

Newcastle fans should be excited by such bold comments, but equally, Hopkinson will be aware that he will be judged on them. Perhaps he is trying to manifest that type of success by putting it on record. Equally, it’s a dangerous line in the sand.

Though bold, Hopkinson is possibly learning the hard way, that CEO media appearances in England aren’t exactly taken with a grain of salt, like they can be in North America, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if we see and hear less of him this season. The talking is over, there is lots of work to be done, starting with the handling of the Guimarães situation.

Make no mistake, Guimarães himself will be heartbroken, but he knows that it is the right call. Newcastle United fans owe it to him to recognise that and wave him off with thanks.

Newcastle United have identified some midfield targets with Bruno Guimaraes' future increasingly uncertain.

News broke on Wednesday that the Brazilian had told club chiefs that he wants to pursue a move away from St James' Park.

Arsenal are poised to launch a bid for the Toon skipper, having informed both Newcastle and the player of their interest, but a deal is likely to be expensive.

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Toon prepare for life without their talisman in midfield

The Magpies have reiterated their stance that Guimaraes is not for sale, but the same was said about Alexander Isak last summer before the Sweden international eventually forced a move to Liverpool.

However, with Sandro Tonali already departing Newcastle for Spurs earlier this summer, it's difficult to believe that both would be allowed to depart in the same window.

Nevertheless, Newcastle appear to be preparing for the worst by eyeing up two potential replacements for their captain.

According to The Athletic Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara has been tracked long term, along with Auxerre’s Kevin Danois. Both are 22-years-old.

The Magpies have identified several targets in case anyone departs, with The Athletic's report also claiming the club will look to replace anyone who leaves.

Meanwhile, youngster Sean Steur's arrival from Ajax is set to be announced in the coming days and move for Johan Manzambi, who has impressed at the World Cup, is also expected once Switzerland's campaign comes to an end.

Regardless of who they bring in, it will be interesting to see Newcastle's starting XI come the opening day of next season.

With the arrivals of 20-year-olds Bazoumana Toure and Ewen Jaouen already this window, it's likely it'll look very different to how it did at the end of last season, and much younger.

Anthony Gordon has also left the club this summer in a big-money move to Barcelona, and former club captain Kieran Tripper has signed for Wolves.

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca may have been dealt an early blow in his hopes to recruit some of his former Chelsea stars.

The Italian is looking to build a team that will reclaim the Premier League, with the trophy heading to Liverpool and Arsenal in the last two seasons.

While Maresca has desires to bring in talented stars that he knows from his previous job, it may prove more difficult than he would have originally hoped.

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City plotting move for Chelsea right back

The top of Maresca's shopping list is a move for defender Malo Gusto, but Chelsea don't seem to be in any mood to help out their former boss.

According to reports in The Athletic, the Blues have slapped a £75m price tag on the Frenchman.

Man City view that price tag as prohibitively expensive, making a move for the full back unlikely for the time being.

Even the arrival of Italian right back Marco Palestra from Atalanta hasn't altered their stance.

Chelsea view their new acquisition as competition for places, rather than as a replacement for any outgoings.

This could force Man City to look elsewhere for a replacement, with Newcastle's Tino Livramento another long term target, but his injury record might dissuade them from pursuing that idea further.

Currently the first-choice right back option at the Etihad is Matheus Nunes, but Maresca would like more depth in that position.

Other options being assessed are Feyenoord's Givairo Read, a 20-year-old Dutchman, who is valued around £25m but would need time to adapt to the Premier League.

Another 20-year-old, Martim Fernandes from Porto, is being considered.

Let's get quizzical.

There are certain years that immediately conjour memories of iconic World Cup moments. 2002? Ronaldinho's free-kick against England. 2006? Zinedine Zidane's headbutt. 2010? Frank Lampard's ghost goal. But for fans of certain clubs, those years will instead hold memories of glorious title wins.

That's why we want you to tell us every club to be crowned English league champions in a World Cup year (so, the Premier League or, pre-1992, the old First Division). There are 22 answers, spanning from 1930 to 2022, and you have just four minutes. Get quizzing!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

We may be in the thick of the World Cup 2026, but we have plenty more quizzes on the domestic game to keep you occupied when you're not watching the tournament. If you want a break from wall-to-wall international football, how about testing your knowledge on other matters – courtesy of Kwizly.

If you managed to name all 22 English champions in a World Cup year, this next one will be right up your street. Expanding our horizons to include France, Germany, Italy and Spain, we're asking you to name every club to have won one of Europe's top five leagues since 1992. That year was hugely significant in football history, signalling the dawn of both the Premier League and the Champions League - and if you think you know everything about Europe's elite club competition, we reckon you should try to name every club to have played in the Champions League.

If you really want to drill down into your Champions League knowledge, we also have quizzes on more specific topics. One of the most iconic games in the competition's history was Inter Milan's incredible backs-to-the-wall effort against Pep Guardiola's Barcelona in the 2010 semi-finals. It was a match that spawned memes before memes were even a thing, but can you name Jose Mourinho's Inter side that held off Barca that night? Following that, you could challenge yourself with a set of questions that don't require such a long memory with our Ultimate Quiz of 2025/26. How much do you remember about the players, teams and moments that shaped last season?

The true trivia titans aren't content with just quizzes, which is why we can offer you FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 60, featuring clues on winners, losers and legends and a brilliantly cryptic mix of footballing folklore. As the World Cup knockout stage heats up, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia so you are armed with everything you need to know. To completely cement your legacy this summer, join The Club, our free membership hub that serves as your digital dugout, where you can unlock secret hints for the toughest quizzes, climb our global leaderboards, and engage in tactical debates in the comments section as the matches play out.

Watch World Cup 2026 quarter-finals as the competition heads towards a pivotal stage. Forty-eight countries have been whittled down to the final eight, and while the top four seeded teams remain, we could still be in for a few shocks over the final two quarter-finals.

Here's how to watch World Cup 2026 quarter-finals for free from anywhere.

Thursday kicked it all off as France saw off Morocco at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough. It was a comfortable 2-0 win for Les Bleus with the Atlas Lions barely laying a glove on their counterparts.

Friday took us to California for an all-European clash between Spain and Belgium, it was La Roja who came out on top with a late Mikel Merino goal snatching a 2-1 win.

Today is the big one for the Three Lions as Thomas Tuchel's England face Norway in Miami. The Norwegians will no doubt pose a serious threat going forward with Erling Haaland leading the line, but England will be confident they can outscore them at the other end.

It all concludes on Sunday morning as Argentina take on Switzerland. Lionel Messi's side have flirted with elimination in both of their knockout ties, yet they're still standing. Will Switzerland be the team to end that run?

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch the World Cup 2026 quarter-final for free from anywhere.

World Cup 2026 quarter-finals – today's match

Friday, July 10

Spain vs Belgium, 8pm | BBC (UK) / SBS (AUS)

* All timings BST

Watch World Cup 2026 quarter-finals for FREE

The World Cup 2026 quarter-finals are free to stream across multiple regions worldwide. English commentary is being provided by the BBC and ITV in the UK, RTÉ Player in Ireland and SBS On Demand in Australia.

Free-to-air live streams around the world include:

• Australia: SBS
• Belgium: VRT / RTBF Auvio
• Brazil: CazeTV (via YouTube)
• France: M6 (selected games)
• Germany: ARD / ZDF (selected games)
• Ireland: RTE Player
• Netherlands: NOS
• New Zealand: TVNZ (selected games)
• Turkey: TRT1 via Tabii
• United Kingdom: BBC / ITV

‼️ Outside one of these countries? Use Norton VPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world — more on that below.

Watch World Cup 2026 quarter-finals from anywhere

Away from home this week and don't want to miss the quarter-finals? All you need is a VPN, a handy piece of software that makes your devices appear to be in a different location.

This World Cup, our office friends at TechRadar are recommending Norton VPN:

How to watch World Cup 2026 quarter-finals in the UK

In the UK, you can stream every World Cup 2026 quarter-final match on either BBC or ITV.

Don't forget that you will need a TV license and an account for this with a matching UK postcode (e.g. HA0 1AF)

BBC or ITV selections are as follows:
▶︎ France vs Morocco: ITV
▶︎ Spain vs Belgium: BBC
▶︎ Norway vs England: ITV
▶︎ Argentina vs Switzerland: ITV

Those away from the UK for the quarter-finals can use Norton VPN to unlock the BBC or ITV.

How to watch World Cup 2026 quarter-finals in the US

In the US, you can stream the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals on Fox.

Fox is accessible via Fox's own streaming platform Fox One or via a cord-cutting platform such as YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), Fubo or DirecTV.

For Spanish language coverage you want Telemundo. This channel is available via one of the cord-cutting services above or Peacock.

How to watch World Cup 2026 quarter-finals in Australia

In Australia, you can watch the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals on the free SBS On Demand.

Every game has been on the platform and you will need an account and a valid Aussie postcode (e.g. 2026)

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Double-decker buses. Areas the size of Wales. Football pitches. Nelson's Column. Dan Burn.

We're all familiar with these standard conversational units of measurement, which helpfully allow lay people to put things into concrete terms they can easily imagine. Who even knows how big a square mile is? You don't. Stop pretending.

It was in that spirit that the BBC informed us during that fabulous 3-2 win over Mexico that the stadium was 1,114 Dan Burns above sea level, which of course we can all agree is 1) easy to conjure in the mind's eye, and 2) terrifying.

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Hard Rock Stadium altitude in Dan Burns revealed at last

Dan Burn, of course, is the long-established everyday shorthand for six feet and seven inches, or 2.01 metres, if you want to be all new age about it.

You will have noticed this when visiting car parks in Newcastle, where helpful signage tells you that vehicles exceeding 1.4 Dan Burns in height should not try to enter.

From these principles, we can calculate precisely the altitude of Miami's Hard Rock Stadium in Dan Burns, ready to be cited when England take on Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.

The thing about Miami - some would say the main thing - is that it is very much a coastal city. And the thing about Florida is that it is very much flat.

The Hard Rock Stadium is only around 114 football pitches (1,077 double-decker buses) away from the Atlantic Ocean, to boot, making it an incredibly low-lying stadium indeed.

As a result, even the highest reasonable estimates for the stadium's altitude put it at just 1.97 Dan Burns above sea level.

If you wanted to mix your units between traditional British and standard European measurements, that's a Dan Burn and an Erling Haaland.

Linguists remain divided as to whether the correct plural of Dan Burn as a unit of measurement should properly be 'Dan Burns' or 'Dans Burn'.

Some point to 'attorneys general', 'courts martial' and 'editors-in-chief' as precedent, pointing out that the singular of the surname should be preserved as each individual Dan Burn used in the measurement would remain a Burn, but collectively they would be Dans.

Others point out that if you were inviting 2x Dan Burn to a wedding, you would refer to to them in conversation as 'the Burns'.