The Pulse of Football

Jun

2026

FotMob Profile: The World has woken up to Ayyoub Bouaddi

There aren’t many better ways to announce yourself onto the global stage than by delivering a dominant midfield performance against Brazil at a World Cup. That’s exactly what Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi did in the Atlas Lions’ 1-1 draw with Carlo Ancelotti’s side in their Group C opener on June 15 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

By Alex Connor

To put it simply, the 18-year-old was everywhere against the Seleção, recording 87 touches, three successful dribbles, four tackles, six recoveries and was dribbled past zero times. Veteran Brazil midfielder Casemiro was chasing Bouaddi’s shadow, and the chasm between them was so immense that the five-time Champions League winner was hooked at half-time.

The first half was dictated by Bouaddi’s eye-catching combination of youthful exuberance, technical excellence and untameable energy. Ancelotti’s sub gave tangible form to what everyone was thinking and saying. He had to act in an attempt to regain control from Morocco’s irresistibly slick Moroccan midfielder.

Speaking as a pundit for BBC Sport on the game, former Premier League striker Olivier Giroud said his friends likened Bouaddi to both Patrick Viera and Sergio Busquets: an eclectic mix that illustrates the well-rounded nature of his capabilities.

On just his fourth cap for his country, Bouaddi demonstrated maturity well beyond his youth, but for those of a Lille persuasion, this display was the teenager’s second coming-of-age performance. On his 17th birthday in October 2024, on his Champions League debut, he played the full match for Lille against a stacked Real Madrid midfield of Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga and Jude Bellingham, helping the French outfit to a 1-0 victory over the then-reigning European champions. Bouaddi’s brilliance was serenaded by the Lille Ultras, who sang a belting edition of Joyeux Anniversaire to underline their appreciation for the club’s next phenomenon.

Again, for those involved with Lille, this striking display was no surprise. In October 2023, Bouaddi made his senior debut for Lille in a Conference League outing against Faroese side Klaksvikar Itrottarfelag just days after turning 16. To say he’s been rated from early would be an understatement. In fact, he’s been prophesied into greatness.

Bouaddi’s intelligence transcends way beyond the football pitch. In 2023, he entered the Eloquence Competition organised by the non-profit entity Prométhée Éducation for players enrolled at professional academies in France, held at the Élysée Palace. In front of the first lady, Brigitte Macron, and various other high-ranking individuals within sport, culture and politics, Bouaddi won the contest with a speech on the open-ended question: “Is the result superior to the method?”

*Bouaddi’s season summary with club side Lille*

Following this, the footballer’s academic endeavours have continued, and he’s currently doing a degree in mathematics and physics. These achievements are a testament to Bouaddi’s elite mindset, providing further evidence that he is a grounded, innovative young man who is rapidly flourishing in professional senior football.

Born in Senlis, a commune in the northern French department of Oise, Bouaddi joined Lille’s academy in 2013. His rise in international football initially began with France, and in November 2024, he became the third-youngest player to feature for Les Bleus’ under-21s side, before progressing to captain at this age group.

Bouaddi’s switch of international allegiance from France to Morocco was only approved by FIFA in May. Since then, in just over two months, he’s played in friendlies against Burundi, Madagascar and Norway, before being chucked into the deep end in New Jersey. But Bouaddi’s swift ascent into an already undroppable force in midfield, when (quite literally) the whole world was watching, indicates that we are dealing with a special player.

For Morocco, it looks almost impossible for the Atlas Lions to replicate their heroics of the 2022 World Cup, where they became the first African nation to reach the competition’s semi-finals, before eventually being knocked out by France. In Qatar, Morocco finished top of their group, ahead of Croatia, Belgium and Canada, before overcoming Spain and Portugal in the knockouts. It was a wonderful, record-breaking journey for the Atlas Lions, who look well-positioned for another deep run into the tournament.

Despite this notable success on the global stage, it’s a new era for Morocco with Mohamed Ouahbi appointed in March 2026, just a matter of months before the World Cup, following Walid Regragui’s resignation as manager in the wake of the chaotic African Cup of Nations final. It’s a fresh chapter spearheaded by a potentially generational world-beater.

Unsurprisingly, Lille will be braced for this summer’s transfer scramble for a player they’ve nurtured and developed over many years. The Tartan Army will be the next set of spectators who will get to closely observe Bouaddi’s powers, and he’ll undoubtedly be determined to burst Scotland’s World Cup bubble.

Bouaddi jumped his first global hurdle with unerring ease and the expectation has been set. All eyes are on him, and he well and truly has the world at his feet.

(Images via IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: Scotland looking to upset Morocco in Group C

Scotland and Morocco go head-to-head at the Gillette Stadium on Friday as Steve Clarke’s side look to extend their lead at the top of their group.

By Matt Smith

The Scots secured a 1-0 victory over Haiti in their opening game of the tournament, which was a crucial victory due to the two difficult games they have remaining. Morocco held Brazil in their opener after Ismael Saibari‘s goal was cancelled out by Vinícius Júnior.

These two sides last met back in 1998 in the World Cup, with Morocco securing a 3-0 victory in a game that saw Scotland’s Craig Burley sent off.

Team news

Scott McKenna could miss out for Scotland due to a calf problem, meaning he is a doubt heading into the game. An unchanged 11 from Clarke’s side certainly wouldn’t be a surprise after their victory in the opening match.

Morocco may also be unchanged after their impressive performance against Brazil. Ayyoub Bouaddi was the star of the show in midfield, running the game at the age of 18.

Scotland will need to step it up a level

It was an impressive result from Scotland to secure the 1-0 victory over Haiti, but they were certainly under a lot of pressure in the second half. After John McGinn scored the opener in the first 45 minutes, Scotland sat back in the second half, having just 36% possession.

Morocco might look to dominate proceedings with Scotland implementing a defensive counter-attack in style, but there is no doubt they will have more quality than Haiti. As a result, Scotland will need to step it up a level if they want to secure a victory. Although there is every chance that they will be happy with a draw.

Morocco need the three points

Although it was an impressive performance against Brazil, Morocco still only secured one point. They’ll be expecting to beat Haiti, but if they draw their second game and head into the final match with just two points, things could start to look a little tetchy.

Morocco need to ensure they secure all three points against Scotland, which could potentially see them top the group heading into the final game.

Scotland must limit Bouaddi

There has been a lot of hype surrounding Bouaddi after his performance in the opening game, and rightly so. The 18-year-old was everywhere in the middle of the park, winning nine ground duels while also completing 91% of his passes.

Stopping him from being able to control the game would be a smart move for Scotland, but unfortunately it’s never that simple. The Lille midfielder bossed the middle of the park despite coming up against experienced professionals in Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães.

Prediction

Morocco should have too much quality if Scotland are going to sit deep and invite the pressure. We’re going for a narrow 2-1 victory to Morocco.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: USMNT and Australia looking to back up big wins

Co-hosts United States face Australia in the second round of fixtures at the World Cup, with both teams in with a chance of sealing a knockout spot before their final group games.

By Neel Shelat

Free-flowing USMNT have found an attacking formula

How Mauricio Pochettino would set the United States men’s national team (USMNT) was not entirely clear coming into the World Cup, but it should be now after an emphatic 4-1 win over Paraguay in their opener.

The co-hosts tore apart the South Americans’ player-oriented mid block with a very dynamic attacking performance, running rings around the opposition defence with constant movement. While they lined up in a 4-1-2-3 formation on paper with Sergiño Dest on the right of a front three, they moved into a back three in possession with Antonee Robinson advancing on the left flank and freeing Christian Pulisic to drift infield. Tyler Adams operated as the lone defensive midfielder as the two number eights caused all sorts of problems with their forward runs.

All of that contributed to the USMNT’s first World Cup win, so they will be high on confidence as they prepare to take another step towards the knockouts.

Another test for Australia’s defensive resolve

Australia showcased excellent defensive discipline as they got the better of Türkiye in Vancouver.

Having taken the lead in under half an hour, they bunkered into a low block and sought to frustrate their opponents. The Socceroos did exactly that, giving up precious few clear looks at their goal. Though they faced 30 shots, the majority of them were from outside the box. Goalkeeper Patrick Beach worked hard to earn a clean sheet on his competitive international debut, keeping out all eight shots on target that he faced.

While Tony Popovic’s side kept out Türkiye’s technicians with sheer numbers at the back, they will face a different sort of test against a more dynamic USMNT.

Team news

Pulisic is the only doubt across both squads after he was brought off at half-time against Paraguay. He has been training separately due to a left calf issue, so the extent to which he will be available is uncertain.

Key Players

The USMNT will need their attacking stars to step up if they are to find a way through the Australian defence. Tillman’s clever runs in and around the box will be important, while Folarin Balogun will be keen to add to his brace from the opener. At the back, Alex Freeman will have an important role to play in limiting the Socceroos’ counterattacking threat.

Australia can expect Beach to face some more tests in goal, but they will hope that the back line shields him as far as possible. 6′ 6″ centre-back Harry Souttar will have a big role to play in that, and he will also be a significant threat from set-pieces at the other end. Nestory Irankunda will hope to lead the attacking charge again after scoring a wonderful opener against Türkiye to become the Socceroos’ youngest World Cup scorer.

Prediction

A close contest between two cohesive units should be in the offing. The USMNT may be on the front foot for longer stretches, but might have to settle for a score draw.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Nestory Irankunda is the threat who could make Australia this World Cup’s biggest surprise package

Watford’s lightning quick forward could be the key to Australia being the surprise package of the 2026 World Cup.

By Graham Ruthven

For the best part of 30 minutes, Australia had sat deep inside their own half. They were frustrating Türkiye who were widely expected to start their World Cup with three points. When the opportunity arose for Nestory Irankunda to be a dagger through the heart of the opposition defence, he took it.

In the blink of an eye, Irankunda had skipped past the helpless Merih Demiral and reversed a neat finish in at the near post to give the Socceroos a lead they ultimately wouldn’t relinquish. Australia’s defensive resilience might have given them a platform to produce a shock, but Irankunda provided the attacking quality to make it happen.

Irankunda has been spoken about as a potential Socceroos star for a long time. He was on the books at Bayern Munich until last year and enjoyed a productive first season for Watford in the Championship last term, registering four goals and four assists in just over 2,000 league minutes.

Speed is Irankunda’s best quality. He demonstrated this by bursting into open space for his goal against Türkiye and by pushing Zeki Çelik back down the left wing. Even when the 20-year-old didn’t receive the ball, the threat of his direct running was enough to keep Türkiye on their toes.

While Irankunda accumulated just 18 touches in his 61 minutes on the pitch, Australia’s game plan needed the Watford winger to give them oxygen. Without him, the Socceroos surely would have buckled under the pressure of constant Turkish pressure. They required someone to offer relief in the other direction and Irankunda was that valve.

Appointed Socceroos boss two years ago, Tony Popovic has done his best to bring through the next generation. He has made a number of bold calls to integrate youngsters other managers might have deemed ill-equipped for the top level. Several of them featured in the win over Türkiye.

Popovic benched Matty Ryan in favour of Patrick Beach in goal. Jackson Irvine was also left out of the lineup for Paul Okon-Engstler in the centre of the pitch. Between them, the pair had a grand total of zero competitive appearances for Australia. 20-year-old Irankunda was another inexperienced performer Popovic trusted.

“They were maybe shocks for a lot of people, but not shocks within our playing group or staff,” said Popovic. “Because we’re all working together every day, and we can see the quality of these young boys. We’ve got Mo Toure, Nestory, Junior – Okon, Patrick Beach, and many more. It’s a team selected to perform well. You never know the result, of course. We’re at a World Cup, but for me, it’s the performance. The result is the satisfaction and the outcome. But, regardless of the result, it was the right decision.”

Next up for Australia is an encounter with the USA in Seattle. Against Paraguay in their first World Cup match on home soil since 1994, the USA made a statement. They dominated in all areas and could have scored more than four. It was the sort of performance that made the rest of the tournament sit up and take note.

The USMNT could be a force to be reckoned with. Mauricio Pochettino has moulded the side in his own image with the likes of Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie all seemingly in top form if their collective performance against Paraguay is anything to go by.

Australia, however, will be stodgier in defence than Paraguay were. They will sit in their low defensive block for the majority of the match and ask the co-hosts to break them down. If the USA are missing Pulisic, who hasn’t completed a full training session since the opening match, they might not have the tools to find a way through.

In the other direction, there could be space behind the USMNT backline for Irankunda and co. to exploit. Pochettino has utilised a back three in build-up of late which could present Australia with a target to hit on the break. At 38, Tim Ream is lacking a yard of pace while Chris Richards is still searching for full fitness. Irankunda could be too much for them.

On talent alone, the USMNT will have the advantage in Seattle on Friday. Pochettino’s side have started strongly and have good reason to be confident about their chances of making it six points out of a possible six to start their World Cup campaign. They have enough attacking threat to hurt the Socceroos.

However, if Australia can recycle the game plan that worked so well for them in their victory over Türkiye, Popovic’s side could bolster their growing reputation as this tournament’s biggest surprise package. Irankunda in particular could be the biggest threat to the co-hosts.

(Images from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Can Vinicius Junior continue to paper over the cracks for Brazil at this World Cup?

Everyone, including the Moroccan defence, inside MetLife Stadium knew exactly what Vinícius Junior wanted to do as he picked up the ball at the byline and cut inside on to his left foot for a shot. It was the sort of moment that has become the calling card of the Brazilian winger and sure enough the ball flew past Yassine Bounou and into the net.

By Graham Ruthven

Brazil will hope to see more game-changing moments like this from their most impactful attacker and the player around which Carlo Ancelotti has built his team for the 2026 World Cup. Without Vinícius, Brazil would be a non-factor. With him, though, they could be contenders.

Few who watched Brazil’s tournament opener against Morocco will have come away with a heightened opinion of the Seleção’s World Cup chances. Indeed, the five-times winners were underwhelming for the most part. On another day, they would have lost to the 2022 semi-finalists who played with far greater coherence and clarity.

In the first half, Brazil couldn’t get a grip of the game in central midfield. The pairing of Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães were being overrun by the Moroccan midfield unit of Ayyoub Bouaddi, Neil El Aynaoui and Azzedine Ounahi who were in control on both sides of the ball.

Bouaddi in particular was outstanding. The 19-year-old was everything Brazil were missing, giving Morocco a foothold in possession and a barrier in front of the back four. Casemiro, meanwhile, was chasing shadows until he was withdrawn by Ancelotti for the start of the second half.

Ancelotti’s changes made a difference and Brazil were less open in the second period of the match. However, this remains a team with serious structural issues and there’s only so much Vinícius can compensate for. The Real Madrid winger needs a platform to push his side towards a sixth World Cup.

“We started on a really bad note,” said Ancelotti after the 1-1 draw against Morocco. “For certain, we got to hold on to the ball. We have to move better. Maybe the team was a bit anxious, and the nerves were all over the place. The second half was better, but it was still tough, and I’m sure we’ll get better.”

To get better, Ancelotti might have to make more changes. He must find a way to get another body into the centre of the pitch. That could involve adopting a 4-2-3-1 that makes use of Vinicius as an out-and-out left winger rather than a mobile second striker, as was the case in the match against Morocco.

Matheus Cunha played the final half-an-hour off the bench and is mobile enough and versatile enough to be the glue in Brazil’s attack. The Manchester United playmaker can operate as a fluid number nine. Alternatively, he could be utilised as a number 10 where he would be able to drop into the middle.

With Lucas Paquetá on the right and Raphinha on the left side, Ancelotti emptied out the centre of the pitch. Fitting Raphinha and Vinícius into the same team at this World Cup will be a challenge unless the Barcelona winger is shifted over to the opposite wing. This is another area where Brazil had structural concerns in their opener.

One wonders if Ancelotti is already regretting his bold decision to leave João Pedro at home in favour of Neymar. The Chelsea forward would have given Brazil much more cohesion and connective tissue in the final third whereas Neymar is currently sidelined with yet another injury. It’s doubtful he’ll even feature at this World Cup.

Even Richarlison might have given Brazil a more effective focal point to play off. Igor Thiago was picked to start against Morocco, but struggled to have much of an influence. Richarlison may have suffered an abysmal season at club level for Tottenham Hotspur, but he has a track record of producing for his national team when it matters.

Friday’s match against Haiti could be the perfect opportunity for Brazil to build some momentum. There’s a massive 77 places in the FIFA rankings between the two Group C rivals and so anything less than a comfortable victory would be embarrassing for Ancelotti and his players.

And yet the manner of Haiti’s performance against Scotland could be cause for alarm, especially because the CONCACAF side committed themselves so heartily to a quick-transition game that could expose some of the inherent vulnerabilities in the Brazil lineup. The Seleção mustn’t take anything for granted.

Nonetheless, if Vinícius can consistently demonstrate the sort of cutting edge that got Brazil out of a hole against Morocco, a positive World Cup experience could still be on the cards. Several big names (Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi etc) are already delivering at this tournament and Vinícius is keeping up with the best of them.

(Images from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: Brazil prepare for game two against Haiti

Brazil’s World Cup kicked off with a stutter against Morocco; can they improve on this against outsiders Haiti?

By Ian King

Brazil need to improve after being shut out by Morocco

Well, it wasn’t quite the triumphant kick-off that the Seleção would have hoped for. Brazil rather limped to a 1-1 draw against Morocco in their opening match, reliant on a moment of brilliance from Vinícius Júnior to rescue them from another otherwise anaemic performance during which they were dependent on an excellent late double-save from Alisson to preserve a point.

And if anyone was thinking that Haiti will be a pushover in this group, their performance against Scotland demonstrated that they’re not in North America merely to make up the numbers. A narrow defeat in their opening fixture leaves them still very much in the competition, and their confidence will likely have been fuelled by the result of Brazil’s opening fixture.

*The Group C table prior to the second round of games*

Brazil’s record against Haiti is predictably one-sided

These two teams have met on three previous occasions, and the upshot of these meetings is not very encouraging for Haiti. Their first meeting came in a warm-up game for the 1974 World Cup finals in Brasilia, with a further two coming in Port-au-Prince in 2004 and Orlando in 2015, in a Copa America group match. Those three matches finished 4-0, 6-0 and 7-1 to Brazil.

Raphinha had an injury-disrupted season, but now is his time to shine

All eyes will be on Vinícius Júnior following his goal in their opening match, but one of his attacking foils, Raphinha, deserves greater attention. He had something of a disrupted season with Barcelona, with a recurring hamstring injury limited him to just 22 appearances in LaLiga, but he scored 13 goals in that 22 from the left-wing and he’s plenty capable of both scoring and creating.

If there was a transformative moment in Haiti’s road to qualification, it was probably persuading Jean-Ricner Bellegarde to switch his international allegiance from France to Haiti last autumn. The Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder was their main creative outlet against Scotland, and he can play in either a defensive or attacking midfield position, or on the left-wing, and he’s a player who Brazil neglect at their peril.

Not for the first time, Brazil’s World Cup injury gossip largely concerns Neymar

The big story regarding the Brazil squad throughout this group stage will concern Neymar. Having battled his way into their squad with a series of decent displays for Santos despite undergoing knee surgery in December, he suffered a calf injury in May, which has led to intense speculation over whether he’ll play at all in this tournament.

At the moment, it seems that he will miss the group stages at least, though he is back in training. Now 34 years of age, the decision to select him ahead of such established players as Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison was a gamble, and there’s been little indication yet that it’s going to pay off.

Carlo Ancelotti is expected to make changes for this match, and there was something slightly ominous about him saying that his players’ “nerves were all over the place” in the post-Morocco press conference. He signed a contract extension to 2030 shortly before the start of this tournament, but the likelihood of him seeing that through will be severely diminished should Brazil not go deep.

The Haiti head coach Sébastien Migné has no injury or suspension worries ahead of this match. If there was a controversial decision surrounding their opening match, it was his decision to omit striker Duckens Nazon, who’s their all-time record goalscorer, with 44 goals in 82 appearances for them. He’s had fitness issues of late, but may return for this match.

Brazil need to prove that their opening performance against Morocco was the exception rather than the rule

Expectation levels in Brazil ahead of this tournament were as high as ever, but the team’s performance in their opening fixture against Morocco was sub par, so the big question mark hanging over their heads as they go into this fixture is whether this was just a slow start or a sign of something more endemic within their squad.

What they absolutely can’t afford to do is turn in more performances like the one they managed against Morocco; lifeless, lethargic, and dependent on a moment of brilliance to rescue them from what otherwise might have ended up an extremely embarrassing defeat. Morocco was not the jogo bonito that is implicitly promised by the team, and they now need to turn up the heat against one of the tournament’s biggest outsiders.

Haiti’s narrow margin of defeat to Scotland means that their tournament is far from over, though it may start to look this way should they get obliterated in this match, so we can expect them to set up in a more defensive formation than they did in their opening fixture. Keeping the scoreline respectable would give them a puncher’s chance, going into their final match.

This should be a comfortable win for Brazil, but the first week of their tournament has raised one or two questions. Was the decision to select Neymar in the squad altogether wise? Were their poor performances against Morocco an exception or the rule? I’m going for a fairly comfortable 2-0 win for Brazil, but for any questions concerning whether they can actually win this tournament to remain unanswered.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: England and Croatia meet again in World Cup opener

England fans of a certain vintage will have spent the past few major international men’s tournaments humming lines from a Baddiel and Skinner classic of yesteryear – but since the lyrics first emerged the winless run has doubled. Can Thomas Tuchel really end 60 years of hurt?

By Karl Matchett

It would be ironic indeed were it to ultimately need a German to bring glory to England’s men once more, but there’s no question there’s the talent in this group to go the distance. First though, they have to get past Croatia.

Wing questions and sub impact

Several of Tuchel’s England line-up is probably locked in place, but there are definitely question marks over who starts in the wide areas. Bukayo Saka’s fitness and the different qualities that the two left wing options provide means Tuchel might have to chop and change, in-game as well as game-to-game, on the flanks. But either way the remit will be largely the same: provide service to Harry Kane and make runs beyond him yourself, to stretch the defence and offer an alternative through ball option.

However, that same dilemma over starters means Tuchel has real weapons off the bench to turn to, players who are either speedy outlets or shot merchants who will look to make things happen out of nothing. Add in perhaps Morgan Rogers as a No. 10 alternative and two in-form strikers in Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins – eight and 12 goals respectively since the start of April – and England really do have alternatives and the potential to ruffle feathers late in games, if the World Cup Of Draws threatens to show up in Dallas.

Experience counts and a double centenarian

Luka Modrić is now 40 and will still be in the lineup – for his 199th international cap, unbelievably. One more makes him a double centenarian but Croatia have three others past 100 as well, in Mateo Kovačić, Ivan Perišić and Andrej Kramarić. All are expected to play and that know-how will have to play a big part in Croatia’s progression, as they haven’t brought through too many other match-winners over the past tournament cycle or two.

Recent form

Croatia have won seven of their 10 since the start of 2025, though of those wins only Colombia could reasonably be called a tough opponent. England have won eight of their ten in the same timeframe, but drew with Uruguay and lost to Japan in March.

Team news

England lost Tino Livramento from the squad on the eve of the tournament so full-backs are Reece James and Nico O’Reilly, with Djed Spence the only like-for-like alternative for both flanks. Otherwise, both have a full list.

Key player

If you’ve not yet watched Luka Vušković, getting the nod to start at centre-back here should give you an indication of how impressive he was last season. Top 99% for defensive work, top 99% for headers, but even top 78% for chances and 100% for goals compared to his positional peers i nthe Bundesliga.

Prediction

England to make a bit more of a bold start than some others have in the US and Harry Kane’s roving role to be rewarded with a goal: England 2-1 Croatia.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: Argentina start title defence against Algeria

The holders kick off their defence of the World Cup against Algeria in Gourp J, but is this a tournament too far for a couple of their star players?

By Ian King

Argentina remain wedded to Lionel Messi, but has he got another tournament in him?

Argentina arrive in Kansas City for the opening match of their World Cup defence against Algeria in the midst of ongoing Messi fever, and the big question they’ll face this summer is whether this is a tournament too far for arguably the greatest player of the modern age.

Lionel Messi has continued to tear things up in MLS since 2022, but the question of whether this will be enough to steer them through a successive World Cup remains moot, and he turns 39 years of age in just over a week. In potentially punishingly hot conditions, there are few guarantees that he’ll be able to recreate the heroics of 2022.

And Algeria certainly aren’t a team to be taken lightly in their opening fixture. They won eight of their ten CAF qualification matches, qualifying by seven points, and have had impressive results in their 2026 friendlies, beating Guatemala 7-0 and Bolivia 4-0, drawing with Uruguay, and beating the Netherlands. In terms of this opening fixture, Argentina’s biggest enemy might just turn out to be any degree of complacency they may carry into this fixture.

Argentina have a warning from history to heed about how to start their defence of a World Cup title

The 2022 title was Argentina’s third World Cup win, and both of their previous wins were followed by warnings for this summer. Having won the tournament for the first time in 1978, they started their defence four years later by surprisingly losing 1-0 to Belgium in Barcelona.

After winning it again in 1986, they lost the opening match of the 1990 tournament to Cameroon by the same scoreline. But this doesn’t have to be a completely terrible omen for them. They lost their first match in Qatar 2022 to Saudi Arabia, and qualification from the group stages was on a knife-edge, but they went on to win that tournament, and in 2018 they were thumped by Croatia in their opening match but still got through the group stage, despite only taking one point from their first two group matches, and were only narrowly beaten by the eventual winners France in the second round.

Algeria didn’t make their World Cup debut until 1982, but when they did so, they did in style, with a 2-1 win against West Germany. After outrage caused by the match between West Germany and Austria which became known as The Disgrace of Gijon – in which Germany won 1-0, a result which sent both teams through at Algeria’s expense, which was played at walking pace and which resulted in the rules being changed so that final group games were played simultaneously – it took until 2014 for them to get through the group stages. This is the first time they’ve qualified since then.

These two teams have only met once before, in a friendly match played in Barcelona in 2007 which Argentina won 4-3, with two of Argentina’s goals that day scored by a certain Mr L Messi.

Argentina’s squad is packed with established stars, but Algeria also have a lot of experience

All attention will be focused on their captain, but Argentina have plenty of talent elsewhere. Julián Alvarez was recently subject to a €150 million transfer bid from Real Madrid that their city rivals Atlético turned down, although his form was patchy over the last couple of months of the domestic season, while another Atleti player, left-sided midfielder and winger Thiago Almada, could be a breakout star in this tournament for them.

Algeria don’t have the same broad spread of elite-level talent as Argentina, but they have more than one world class player. Captain Riyad Mahrez is now 35 and playing his club football in Saudi Arabia, but he’s made 116 appearances for his country and his form this year has been good, while Rayan Aït-Nouri has impressed for Manchester City, Ramy Bensebaini has been a solid presence for Borussia Dortmund, and vice-captain Aïssa Mandi of Lille has 119 caps and was part of their 2014 team.

Algeria have faced a goalkeeping crisis, going into this tournament

There had been question marks over whether Messi would be available for this fixture, though these seem to have been answered by him coming off the bench and scoring in their final warm-up match against Iceland.

But this hasn’t been their only injury concern. Goalkeeper Emi Martínez fractured a finger shortly before Aston Villa’s Europa League final win against Freiburg last month, though he’s understood to have now fully recovered, while left-back Nicolas Tagliafico and midfielder Nico González are also considered doubtful.

One major injury worry for Algeria involves Ramy Bensebaini, who missed a couple of their pre-tournament friendlies and is being reported to be out for this match. Mohamed Tougai of Esperance de Tunis may step in to replace him, alongside Aïssa Mandi in a flat back four.

The biggest issue Algeria have faced, though, has been behind that back four. They’ve had a goalkeeping crisis, after injuries left Melvin Mastil and Luca Zidane doubtful and Anthony Mandrea ruled out altogether. Oussama Benbot had to be called out of international retirement for a place in the squad, and may start this match. Algeria’s three goalkeepers for the tournament have just 12 international appearances between them.

Argentina proved four years ago that success in a World Cup isn’t always determined by your opening match

For such a major footballing nation, Argentina have a surprisingly patchy record in opening World Cup finals fixtures, and Algeria are a talented team who have a lot to prove, having failed to qualify for the previous two tournaments. Lionel Messi might be the greatest player in the world, but much of their capability in this tournament may come down to whether he can still mix it at an elite level.

But Messi is clearly not the only talent at their disposal, and Argentina’s success may come down to whether players who’ve played support roles in the past can step out of his enormous shadow and make a name for themselves. Head coach Lionel Scaloni got them through it in Qatar four years ago, but no-one has successfully defended a World Cup since Brazil in 1962, so this is going to be a tough assignment for them.

With Austria and Jordan still to face in their group matches and eight of the twelve third-placed sides all set to progress to the second round, defeat in this fixture will not mark the end of the road for either team in this competition.

But I’m calling it. I’m going for the surprise result. Argentina lost their opening fixture to Saudi Arabia in 2022 and to Croatia in 2018, and this, coupled with Algeria’s need to prove a point after having failed to qualify for the previous two tournaments, hints at the possibility of one of the surprises of this group stage turning up in this match.

I’m going to stick my neck on the line and go for a 2-1 Algeria win, although as Argentina proved in Qatar, even a losing start like this will not mean the end of their involvement this summer.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: France kick off World Cup campaign against AFCON trophy-holders Senegal

In what is regarded as this World Cup’s group of death, back-to-back World Cup finalists France will face a stern test from Senegal in the first round of fixtures.

By Neel Shelat

Didier Deschamps’ last dance with France

Didier Deschamps is set to leave his post as France’s head coach when his contract expires after the World Cup, drawing the curtain on a 14-year tenure. Of course, his most notable achievement was the 2018 World Cup victory, which enabled him to join Mário Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer as the only people to win the World Cup as both player and manager.

While his tactics have been criticised for being too conservative at times, he can point to his consistently successful tournament record to prove their effectiveness. The 57-year-old former midfielder certainly won’t be short of attacking options this time around, as his squad features truckloads of attacking firepower in the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué and Rayan Cherki.

Maintaining the right balance in the XI will be key for France, so they will hope to see Deschamps find a successful formula once again.

Senegal set to stick to a tried and tested setup

Senegal, on the other hand, won’t need any experimentation to prepare their approach for the tournament. The Lions of Teranga were crowned African champions in Morocco back in January, though their title was subsequently stripped by CAF due to them leaving the field in protest of a refereeing decision at the end of normal time. Their federation has lodged an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but regardless of how that goes, they will largely continue to field the same side in North America.

Pape Thiaw has only made a handful of changes to the squad, bringing in a couple of youngsters like Assane Diao and Bara Sapoko Ndiaye. He could field an unchanged XI if he so desired, and isn’t expected to make many changes to what was a winning formula on the pitch. Solidity in midfield will be particularly important for their chances in this match.

Team news

All players in both squads are expected to be available for selection in this match. William Saliba has reportedly been contending with a back issue over the last few weeks that has led to his training being differently managed, but he started the last friendly before the World Cup and should remain good to go.

Key Players

Mbappé’s 12 World Cup goals have him four off Miroslav Klose’s record, so the Pichichi-holder will be keen to close the gap further. Olise could well supply him after a sensational season for Bayern Munich, but perhaps the most important player for France could be Aurélien Tchouaméni, who will have a big job to do in holding down the midfield.

Senegal will need Pathé Ciss to impose his physicality in midfield. Malick Diouf will have to put in a big defensive shift at left back, though he can pose a threat going forward too. Nicolas Jackson can cause problems with his movement up top, but he will be in for a very tough challenge against the French centre-backs.

Prediction

France should have enough attacking quality to see out a 2-0 win.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Sweden’s Yasin Ayari scores fastest goals of the World Cup

Brighton player Yasin Ayari scored twice as Sweden got their World Cup campaign off to the flying start with the 5-1 demolition of Tunisia. And thanks to the adidas Trionda’s pateted Connected Ball Technology, we now know that Ayari’s two piledrivers are the two fastest goals scored, in terms of ball speed, at the tournament.

By Bill Biss

A statement from adidas confirms that: “According to the data metrics provided by Connected Ball Technology housed within the adidas Trionda, the official match ball of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the two goals scored by Sweden’s Ayari against Tunisia were traveling at a maximum speed of 120 and 118 KM/H, making them the two fastest goals of the tournament so far.”

*The shot map data for Ayari’s goals vs. Tunisia*

In the same game, we also saw the ball technolgy used by the VAR to assist the referee in determining that Alexander Isak got a touch on the late Sweden freekick, which resulted in Mattias Svanberg’s record breaking goal legitimately being called onside, after review.

Svadberg had entered the game just 18 seconds earlier, notching the second fastest goal ever scored by a substitute in the near 100-year history of the World Cup with his first touch of the ball.

The Trionda, introduced for this tournament, carries the latest adidas Connected Ball Technology in the form of a new side mounted chip system.

The inertial measurement unit motion sensor chip now sits inside a specially created layer in one of the four panels and sends precise ball data directly to the VAR system in real time.

The officials can now identify each individual touch of the ball, reducing the amount of time spent making vital in-game decisions around offsides and other specific incidents such as possible handballs.

(All images courtesy of imago and Adidas)

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