The Pulse of Football

Jun

2026

Preview: England prepare for Round of 32 date with DR Congo

England emerged from their group relatively unscathed, and they now embark upon the knockout phase of the competition against outsiders DR Congo.

By Ian King

DR Congo have already achieved a first by getting to the knockout stages

With one reasonably swashbuckling performance followed by two considerably more workmanlike ones, England have had a mixed start to the 2026 World Cup, but their results were good rough for them to top their group, and now they move on to face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Round of 32.

DR Congo finished at the top of the group made up of third-placed qualifying teams, edging through to the knockout stage of the tournament with four points after drawing with Portugal, narrowly losing to Colombia and beating Uzbekistan, a win which marked their first ever win in the finals of a World Cup and their first ever progression beyond the group stage.

England’s are unbeaten against African teams at the World Cup

England have never lost to an African nation in the World Cup finals in nine previous meetings, but they’ve failed to win on four of those occasions, with draws against Morocco in 1986, Nigeria in 2002, Algeria in 2010 and Ghana in the group stages this summer. Their five wins against African nations include knockout matches against Cameroon in 1990 and Senegal in 2018.

The only other time that DR Congo qualified for the World Cup finals came in 1974 as Zaire, and they were involved in the elimination of a British side that time. Beaten 9-0 by Yugoslavia, 2-0 by Scotland and 3-0 by Brazil, they were knocked out with room to spare, but Scotland’s relatively modest win against Zaire ended up costing them dear; they were eliminated on goal difference after they could only draw their final match against Yugoslavia when that huge discrepancy in goal difference meant that they needed to win.

England missed Declan Rice against Panama

England’s relatively tepid performance against Panama coincided with the absence from their team of Declan Rice with injury. The Arsenal captain delivered the cross from which Harry Kane scored in their opening match against Croatia, and talented though Rice’s replacement for the Panama match Elliot Anderson might be, Rice’s calming influence will be extremely welcome in their midfield, presuming he returns for this match.

Yoane Wissa of Newcastle United is DR Congo’s in-form attacker, with two goals in the group stages of the competition to help his team through. These were Wissa’s first goals for his country since he scored in their 3-2 loss to Senegal in a qualifying match in September 2025. He scored twice in their final match against Uzbekistan, a 61st-minute equaliser from the penalty spot, and then a stoppage-time goal to put the seal on their 3-1 win.

England are burning through right-backs at a rate of knots

With Declan Rice fit again, the big issue that Thomas Tuchel faces concerns the right-back position. With Reece James having got injured against Ghana, Jarell Quansah joined him on the treatment table with an ankle injury against Panama, and we can now expect Djed Spence to step in and fill that position. Fitness permitting, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford may continue on the flanks, though either or both of Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon could return.

The DR Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre has no injury or suspension concerns ahead of this match, so their biggest change is likely to be tactical. Needing a win against Uzbekistan, they switched to a more attacking 4-4-2 formation from the 5-3-2 they’d played against Portugal and Colombia, and they may revert to this more defensive formation for this match, with Steve Kapuadi returning to the centre of their defence and Brian Cipengua making way for him.

Complacency could be England’s biggest enemy against opponents who’ve already proved themselves in this tournament

The opening rounds of matches in this mammoth round of 32 have not been kind to European teams, with both the Netherlands and Germany having already been eliminated from the competition.

Will this run continue in this match, though? While England may be unbeaten against African nations in the World Cup finals, they’ve come close to losing before, and a couple of their wins came about as a result of a bit of good luck. With nine African qualifiers in the last 32, it should be considered absurd to under-estimate CAF nations in the knock-outs, but the sort of attitudes that lead to this happening can be deeply ingrained.

This match, then, is a test of England’s professionalism. Four years ago, they came through a similar one in the round of 16 against Senegal with a comfortable 3-0 win against a team arguably superior to their opponents this time around. But the hard work they made of grinding their way to a goalless draw against Ghana in the group stages indicates that this might not be as straightforward as some of the more complacent English pundits may presume.

With just two goals conceded in their three group matches, DR Congo proved themselves to be defensively solid against Portugal and Colombia, while their second half performance against Uzbekistan demonstrated their attacking chops, and switching formation for that final group match was proof of their tactical flexibility.

On paper this should be a comfortable win for England, but DR Congo are absolutely not to be written off, as a decent result against Portugal and a very narrow defeat to Colombia proved in the group stages. I’m going to go for Thomas Tuchel’s team to squeeze through by a 2-1 margin, but it may even take extra-time and some shredded nerves to get there.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Mexico banking on Azteca home advantage to progress at World Cup

There might not be another World Cup venue as iconic as the Estadio Azteca. This is, after all, where Diego Maradona produced the Hand of God before scoring the so-called Goal of the Century in the same game all the way back in 1986. It has hosted two World Cup finals and is once again the setting for more World Cup lore this summer even if the final will be played elsewhere.

By Graham Ruthven

The Azteca is a cradle of the sport. A place where football is much more than just a game. For the 87,000-odd fans that fill its legendary stands, it is a monument to what football reflects about the human spirit. There is no other venue like it at this World Cup. SoFi Stadium might have cost $5.5 billion to build, but it doesn’t have the spirit of the Azteca. No other stadium does.

For Mexico, this could be a driving factor behind their 2026 World Cup campaign. El Tri are one of three teams to have a 100% record after three games, the other two being Argentina and France. Two of those three wins have taken place at the Azteca which will also host their round of 32 tie against Ecuador on Tuesday.

Javier Aguirre’s team have exceeded expectations so far. While Mexico’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup on home soil were far from perfect, their victories over South Africa, South Korea and Czechia were comfortable. Remarkably, the co-hosts have yet to concede a goal, giving them the joint-best defensive record in the entire tournament alongside Spain.

Mexico’s Group A campaign was so comfortable that Aguirre was able to rest most of his best players for the final fixture against Czechia, which the co-hosts still won at a canter. Nobody would have predicted that El Tri would be sitting so pretty three games into a World Cup many fans and observers were pessimistic about.

Ecuador, however, will pose a stiffer test. This is a team that finished second in CONMEBOL qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. They conceded just five goals in 18 qualifiers and boast one of international football’s most formidable defensive lines. Indeed, their backline includes Arsenal’s Piero Hincapié and Paris Saint-Germain’s Willian Pacho. They’re solid.

This is where the fabled Azteca atmosphere could come into play. As co-hosts, Canada and the USA have also played ‘home’ games at this World Cup, but neither have had the advantage Mexico have when they walk out at Mexico City’s most historic of venues. El Tri draws power from their surroundings.

“Our home crowd is our 12th man,” said Aguirre when asked about the impact the Estadio Azteca crowd could have on Tuesday’s round of 32 match. “I don’t mean to say that we don’t have support elsewhere, but we are aware that we have a whole country behind us, and that motivates us a lot. I would say that we are all excited about what’s to come.”

There is still another level for Mexico to reach. While progress through Group A was serene, El Tri didn’t demonstrate a whole lot of open play creativity in their three games, demonstrated by the fact they are ranked only 12th for Big Chances created over the course of the World Cup to date.

Expected Goals (xG) paints an even starker image with Mexico ranked a lowly 26th on 3.7 from three games. Aguirre’s team have grossly over-performed their underlying numbers in a way that suggests their winning form might not be sustainable in the knockout rounds. Mexico must show greater invention.

Brian Gutiérrez could be key in this regard. The Illinois-born attacking midfielder made the switch to Mexico from the USA at the start of the year and has been an important figure for El Tru at the 2026 World Cup. While Gutiérrez might still be raw in some of his decision-making in the final third, his influence is significant.

Gilberto Mora’s eye-catching display in Mexico’s final group game against Czechia has led to suggestions he could start against Ecuador. The 17-year-old is the country’s great hope for the future with the wonderkid reportedly on Real Madrid’s radar. However, injury has limited his World Cup role until this point. That could change in the round of 32.

Mexico have never made it beyond the quarter-finals of a World Cup. For decades, they have spoken about the ‘quinto partido’ – the fifth game as being the glass ceiling above El Tri. In the expanded format, the quarter-final is no longer the fifth game, but the focus on one day making the final four remains.

Other teams at the 2026 World Cup are more talented than Mexico. Few fancy them to make the semi-finals, but with the Azteca behind them anything is possible. The iconic, almost mythical, stadium could be the setting for more World Cup history before this summer’s tournament is over.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: Formidable France ready for Swedish test in Round of 32

France’s procession through the group stages looked ominous for their rivals, but can they continue this run against a Sweden team who blew hot and cold?

By Ian King

France have been one of the strongest-looking teams so far

As runners-up four years ago and winners eight years ago, France were talked up as potential winners of this summer’s World Cup before it got underway, and there was little in their three group match performances to disavow this notion. Comfortable wins against Senegal, Iraq and Norway were enough to see them through with room to spare, with Ousmane Dembélé offering a timely reminder that their attacking options are far from limited to Kylian Mbappé alone with a stunning first half hat-trick in their final match against Norway.

*France are our top rated side at the finals*

Sweden had a somewhat less stately procession through the group stages. They looked set pretty fair after demolishing Tunisia 5-1 in their opening match, but undid most of this good work by losing their next match by the same scoreline to the Netherlands and eventually scrambled through as one of the third-placed teams following a 1-1 draw with Japan in their final group match. With their place in the World Cup play-offs having been determined by their Nations League performances, they’re already in the somewhat unusual position of having already won more matches in the finals than they did in their qualifying group (which was none).

France have never beaten Sweden in the finals of a major tournament

With twelve wins and five draws from their 23 meetings, France have the clear upper hand in the previous meetings between these two sides, but this hasn’t been the case when they’ve met in the finals of a major tournament.

This has only happened twice before, and both times in the European Championships rather than the World Cup. In 1992, the two teams played out a 1-1 draw at the Rasunda in Solna, and the group stage ended with Sweden going through to the semi-finals while France went home.

In 2012, when they met in Kyiv in their final group match, Sweden had already been eliminated and France were already through to the quarter-finals, but this didn’t prevent Sweden from winning the match 2-0.

The last time these two sides met was in the 2019/20 Nations League, and there was better news for France this time, as they recorded a 1-0 win in Stockholm and a 4-2 win in Paris in the return match.

France’s attacking options stretch beyond Mbappé and Dembélé

Mbappé and Dembélé may have scored eight of France’s ten goals between them so far in these finals, but their attacking options don’t end there. Bradley Barcola of PSG scored for them in their opening match against Senegal, but he’s been in and out of their first team recently, returning to the bench for the Norway match after starting against Iraq. Barcola can play on either wing, and may return to the starting XI for this match.

*France goal contributions at the World Cup*

Sweden’s most visible presence on the pitch at this tournament so far has been the Newcastle United winger Anthony Elanga, who scored in two of their group matches, including the crucial equaliser in their final match against Japan which sent them through to the knockout stage. With two strong performances behind him after having missed out on their opening win against Tunisia, Elanga’s support for striker Viktor Gyökeres could be crucial for Graham Potter, if his team are to edge through this match.

Sweden have to reshuffle following a serious injury to Isak Hien

The biggest change for France for this match will come on the sidelines rather than on the pitch. The death of his mother required Didier Deschamps to return to France for her funeral, but Deschamps is now back with his team, with Guy Stephan having taken control of the team for the Norway match.

France have no suspensions, and Stephan didn’t rock the boat too much for his game in charge, opting to stick with Mbappé, Dembélé and Desiré Doué, while replacing Bradley Barcola with Michael Olise. Elsewhere, William Saliba may return after missing the Norway match with a back problem, though his appearance remains uncertain.

Sweden have no suspensions, but they do have one injury. Defender Isak Hien had to be withdrawn after 37 minutes of the Japan match with a hamstring injury which will keep him out of the remainder of the tournament. Victor Lindelhof started that match in midfield, but will likely drop back to the centre of defence, with Lucas Bergvall the most likely candidate to step into the centre of their midfield to replace him.

Sweden can offer France a challenge, but the tournament favourites should be too strong for them

Having finished bottom of their qualifying group with just two points from their six matches, there’s a case for saying that Sweden shouldn’t be in these finals at all, having secured their play-off place via the Nations League. But they’re here, and their convincing win against Tunisia and a solid draw against Japan have demonstrated that they warranted their qualification, despite falling apart during the 5-1 loss to the Netherlands that came between these two impressive results.

But France will be overflowing with confidence following their comfortable progress through their first three matches. True enough, it was difficult to draw too many inferences about them from the Norway match alone, given that their opponents chose to field the reserves for a match being played when both teams had already qualified, but they still won it 4-1, and there have been no real signs of weakness in their team in their matches so far.

It is, therefore, difficult to see past France winning this match. With surprise package Paraguay awaiting them in the last 16, their route through this tournament is opening up, and they should get through this match with a degree of comfort. 3-0 sounds like the sort of scoreline that would accommodate goals from more than one of their lavish attacking options.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: Netherlands and Morocco set for heavyweight clash in the Round of 32

One of the most enticing ties as the World Cup knockouts begin sees Netherlands face Morocco in Monterrey, with attacking talent on show for both sides making for a watchable and unpredictable encounter.

By Karl Matchett

Given how open the other side of the bracket looks, Morocco could perhaps be forgiven for wondering what might have been, after finishing second only on goal difference behind Brazil in the groups.

Saibari and an underrated attack

Obviously stats from the group stage don’t present a level playing field, given the huge variance between strengths and weaknesses in each quartet. All the same, the numbers look compelling when added to Morocco’s overall approach: they have one of the most dynamic sides going forward and look well-balanced without the ball.

In fact, Morocco ranked top ten among the 48 nations for expected goals, xG difference, accurate passes and big chances created (10). Key to much of their good work was Ismael Saibari, who’s move to Bayern Munich should go through this week. He netted three times from ten shots and is the team’s outlet in the channels, one of the chief creators and the first line of defence. Shutting him down will be the responsibility of the many, not the single defender, if Netherlands want to blunt the Africans’ attack.

Can workrate make up for Dutch lacking star quality?

In years gone by it would be Netherlands who were the star attraction for attacking talent, but this group is a little more functional. Brian Brobbey epitomises that, having made a good impact since coming into the XI with his movement, brute force and self-belief – but few would have him at a top table of Europe’s strikers on goal return and technical ability alone.

There will be much expectation on the midfield triumvirate to provide off-the-ball workrate as much as a cutting edge for the Oranje to go much further, with a key mix of running power and quick-footed ability on show between Ryan Gravenberch and Tijjani Reijnders in particular. They must thrive for their attacking teammates to produce the goods.

Recent form

It was a draw and two wins for the Dutch in the groups, with the thumping of Sweden a highlight. Morocco drew with Brazil then beat two lightweights – not scoring more goals was the only concern they might hold.

Team news

No reported injuries for either team in the buildup, though Cody Gakpo suffered a devastating personal loss at the weekend. He is expected to feature.

Key player

There will be a lot of eyes on youngster Ayyoub Bouaddi’s showing, which means Ryan Gravenberch needs to step up and show both sides of his game – ball-winning and creativity going forward alike. So far he has been fairly poor on the former, but better with the latter. Gravenberch has two assists but his ball-carrying has been hit and miss, completing two of five dribbles – under 50 touches per game shows he must get involved more.

Prediction

This should be a tremendous tussle which could really go either way – but Morocco will have designs on replicating their last World Cup run and could edge it: Netherlands 2-3 Morocco.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: Unbeaten Brazil and Japan meet in the Round of 32

Brazil have reached the quarter-finals in each of the past eight World Cups, while Japan are targeting a third consecutive appearance in the Round of 16.

By Filip Mishov

The five-time world champions looking to avoid the Samurai’s sword in Houston

Brazil have gradually improved along the way during the World Cup Group Stage, and following the 1-1 draw with Morocco in Group C’s opening match, Vinícius Júnior & co. quickly recovered to record dominant wins against Haiti and Scotland. Subsequently, the five-time world champions are entering the Round of 32 as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, with only Canada boasting a higher xG (8.9) than their 7.3.

Japan displayed quality and character to stay unbeaten and finish only behind the Netherlands in Group F, leaving Sweden to face the might of France in the Round of 32.

The Samurai Blue are not far off Brazil’s efficient attack (7 scored), but Hiroki Ito & co. will have to solidify their defence further if they are to replicate the success of reaching the last 16 in the 2018 and 2022 finals. History is on Brazil’s side as well, with the Seleção comfortably defeating Japan in the 2006 World Cup Group Stage in Dortmund.

Key players

After coming off the bench in the opening match, Matheus Cunha made the no. 9 position his own in the starting lineup, with the flamboyant forward scoring a brace against Haiti and then finding the back of the net against Scotland too. The 27-year-old added dynamism and flair to Brazil’s attacking trident alongside, Vinícius Júnior and Rayan, and was awarded as the Player of the Match against Haiti, earning a FotMob rating of 8.9 and averaging a rating of 8.7 in the last couple of starts.

Daichi Kamada is Japan’s midfield orchestrator, pulling the strings alongside Ao Tanaka and the Crystal Palace midfielder is deservedly one of the highest-rated (7.75) players in the squad and the joint top scorer (2 goals) with Ayase Ueda. The tireless Samurai scored in back-to-back matches in the group stage and his performance against Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães will be crucial to Japan’s hopes of causing an upset in Houston.

Team news

Raphinha remains on the sidelines but the Brazilian is targeting the Round of 16 for a possible return if his teammates are successful here. Carlo Ancelotti has the rest of his squad fit and ready to go.

Similarly to Raphinha, Takefusa Kubo is still recovering from an injury sustained in the opening match and although the playmaker is back in first-team training, coach Hajime Moriyasu has ruled him out of this match.

Prediction

Brazil are improving with each passing match, and Carlo Ancelotti’s squad possesses all the necessary ingredients to add a record-breaking sixth golden star on the shirt, but I do not expect Japan to be pushovers.

The Samurai Blue are well organized and hard to break down, similar to Morocco, but I believe that Brazil have more than enough to come out on top in the end.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Who will win the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot?

As many as 15 different players scored three or more goals during the group stage.

By Jamie Spencer

The World Cup Golden Boot, handed out every four years to the top scorer at the tournament, is one of the biggest individual honours the sport has to offer.

No one has ever won the Golden Boot twice, never mind retain it from one World Cup to the next – which is what Kylian Mbappé is trying to do this summer. The Frenchman scored successive braces in group stage wins over Senegal and Iraq, half the tally so far that secured him the trophy in 2022.

France teammate Ousmane Dembélé raced onto four goals during a final group win against Norway. The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner scored a hat-trick in that game, adding to the one he got against Iraq a few days earlier. Remarkably, he‘d never found the net in 11 previous World Cup appearances before this summer, while Dembélé’s four goals at this tournament alone account for 36% of his entire goal output in a France shirt stretching back to his senior debut in 2016.

Next up, France face a Sweden team that shipped seven goals during the group stage and was ripped apart by a clinical Netherlands. There is significant potential for both French players to add goals.

*The race for the Golden Boot, as it stands*

Norway came into this World Cup – their first in 28 years – identified as a dark horse. A large part of that faith is the presence of Erling Haaland, who hasn’t disappointed with four goals in the two games he’s featured in so far.

Vinícius Júnior has put a challenging club season with Real Madrid behind him to also score four times in the group stage. Rather like Dembélé, Vini Jr. doesn’t have a brilliant record at international level – only nine goals in 49 appearances prior to the World Cup – but has stepped up massively this summer. No Brazilian player has won the Golden Boot since Ronaldo in 2002.

The only player to outscore Mbappé, Dembélé, Haaland and Vinícius at the end of the group stage is Lionel Messi, whose six goals in three games – combined with Argentina’s rather kind path through the knockout bracket – now makes him the clear favourite at this stage.

Messi arguably underperformed at his first four World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018), but has been supercharged over the last two since his 35^th birthday. After another goal off the bench against Jordan to conclude the group stage, it’s 13 in his last 10 World Cup appearances since the start of the 2022 finals alone, compared to six in his first 19 games. He’s never won the Golden Boot before and, now at the age of 39, would be the oldest player to get his hands on it.

The Chasing Pack

Matheus Cunha could be one to keep an eye on. He had only scored once for Brazil before this World Cup but is taking full advantage of the Seleção’s lack of a clear No. 9 starter, after coming into the team when Igor Thiago was dropped following the Morocco draw. Cunha scored twice straight off the bat and took his tally to three by the end of the group stage. Momentum is on his side.

Brian Brobbey is in a similar position for the Netherlands, a bench player to begin with but scoring three in the second two group matches. The Oranje No. 9 shirt is now his to lose and the Sunderland man will be a goal threat for as long as the Dutch stay in the tournament.

Still waiting for a first start of the World Cup but bizarrely still in this conversation is Deniz Undav of Germany. The 29-year-old Stuttgart frontman is a late bloomer and counts Jürgen Klopp and Thomas Müller among his supporters. It’s three goals so far in only 86 minutes on the pitch. He either comes into the starting XI soon or maintains this highly effective super sub role.

Canada’s Jonathan David leads the way in goals among the three co-hosts. The Juventus striker scored a hat-trick in his team’s Group B win over Qatar, but has otherwise been underwhelming and will struggle to keep up with the big hitters.

Morocco’s Ismael Saibari, Senegal’s Ismaïla Sarr, Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi and DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa all have three goals from the group stage but may not get the same opportunities as the likes of Messi, Mbappé and Dembélé to add many more to their respective tallies. Elijah Just had scored three times in Group G for New Zealand but cannot add to that total after their elimination.

Big Guns Yet to Explode

England captain Harry Kane also has three goals to his name but is yet to show the kind of form that led to him scoring an astonishing 61 times for Bayern Munich during the 2025/26 club season. The 32-year-old is more than capable of getting on a run and will certainly fancy his chances after a drab performance against Ghana was followed by a better end to the win over Panama. A quick hat-trick could easily propel him firmly into Golden Boot contention and England face DR Congo next.

“I’m back! I’m back!” was how Cristiano Ronaldo responded to a brace in Portugal’s win over Uzbekistan, which had followed a woeful showing against DR Congo. He didn’t get on the scoresheet against Colombia and, trailing Messi by four goals and with Portugal facing a much tougher knockout route, the World Cup Golden Boot looks like one major accolade will fully elude him.

(Cover image courtasy of adidas Football, further images from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: Germany face off with Paraguay in Round of 32

After what might be described as a slow burn during the groups, Germany are one of the first of the fancied nations to hit the knockouts – they now need to show what they’re capable of against Paraguay.

By Karl Matchett

Final tune-up and questions of Wirtz

Germany have had a fairly steady start to the tournament despite that last-game hiccup against Ecuador. But while creativity has been on show at times, they haven’t looked the full package – hit on the counter-attack an awful lot, and outfought for long stretches against Ivory Coast. Julian Nagelsmann hasn’t appeared too concerned as yet, confident his side will improve as the competition goes on, but there’s only so long you can ease your way in – and the knockout stage has a habit of punishing slack habits.

One of the more surprising repeat criticisms has gone the way of Florian Wirtz; while he certainly hasn’t dominated matches non-stop, he has been a key part of Germany’s fluid attack and created the joint-highest (8) shooting chances in the squad. Only three players have more assists at the World Cup than his two from three games, and he ranks ahead of 98% of other attacking midfielders and wingers at the tournament for touches. His involvement isn’t in question, only his decisive impact.

There’s no doubt he needs a key showing in a big game to be considered one of the overall stars, but in terms of Germany’s performers? Nagelsmann will feel there are others who need to show more if his side are to get much further than the last 16, with a potential meeting with France next in line.

Overachievement or set for a surprise?

As for Paraguay, it could be argued they’ve ticked the “job done” box by getting out of the groups. Sure, they reached the quarter-finals back in 2010 – but then failed to qualify for three successive World Cups since, so a win over Türkiye was a long-overdue return to prominence. It’s hard to argue, though, that they’ve put together much to suggest they could cause a knockout shock here.

They were trounced by the US and held by Australia – even in their win it was a hit-and-run affair, losing by 32 shots to 7, 78% possession to 22, 2.2xG to 0.3…but scoring the actual goal which mattered.

Recent form

Germany beat Finland and the US before the tournament, then racked up a 7-1 win over Curaçao to kick things off. Since then it has been two turnaround results: winning from behind late against Ivory Coast, and the reverse to lose to Ecuador. Paraguay won, lost and drew in the groups and lost to Morocco pre-tournament.

Team news

Nico Schlotterbeck is out of the World Cup with injury.

Omar Alderete is a serious doubt for Paraguay and Diego Gómez is suspended but Miguel Almirón is back from his ban.

Key player

Jamal Musiala hasn’t hit top gear yet but with a much-changed Paraguayan core, his off-ball movement will be key here. He’s completed 9 dribbles and won 25 duels so far, plus had 21 touches in the box – all top 5% for attacking midfielders at the tournament.

Prediction

Germany to push on and secure a convincing win – and raise the stakes for the last 16: Germany 3-1 Paraguay.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: Argentina’s World Cup title defence continues against Jordan

Argentina have momentum to maintain in their final group match against a Jordan side who have already been eliminated from the competition.

By Ian King

FIFA’s bizarre switch from goal difference to head-to-head renders this game a dead rubber

Through to the second round of the competition with a game to spare and with Lionel Messi firing on all cylinders, Argentina have started the 2026 World Cup exactly as they would have expected, and with a favourable draw, they’re already expected to go deep in this summer’s tournament.

Their final group match carries little jeopardy. Having already beaten Austria and Algeria, FIFA’s new system of separating teams who are level on points by the head-to-head scores means that Argentina have already won the group, while the same but inverse means that Jordan are already out with a game to spare.

Jordan have a terrible record against South American opposition

These two teams have never played each other before. Jordan have only ever played six matches against South American opponents before, and their record isn’t especially stellar, with one draw and five defeats, and that single draw came in a play-off for a place at the 2014 finals in which they’d already lost the first leg 5-0 to Uruguay.

With one eye on the knockout stages, Argentina are likely to rotate their team

All eyes will be on Lionel Messi for Argentina, but their defence deserves praise as well. They’ve now kept five consecutive clean sheets in all matches, and their run of eight consecutive wins has seen them concede just once, in a friendly against Mauritania at the end of March.

It’s time, then, to give a little recognition to the other old man of their squad, Nicolás Otamendi of Benfica, who has put in two appearances for them from the bench at the ripe old age of 38. With 134 appearances for his country, this is surely his last World Cup, and there’s every chance that he’ll start this match to give either Lisandro Martínez or Cristian Romero a bit of breathing space ahead of the knock-outs.

Jordan have failed to win any of their last seven matches, but their performances at this year’s finals have been respectable, with a 3-1 defeat to Austria and a 2-1 loss to Algeria. Their captain, Mousa Taamari, leads Jordan into the World Cup as their most accomplished player. He became the first Jordanian to play in Ligue 1 when he signed for Montpellier in 2023, and had earlier success with APOEL in Cyprus, where he won a league title. He currently plays for Stade Rennais and scored for them in a 3-1 win against PSG in February.

With little at stake in this match, we can also expect Jordan to make changes

There’s been much talk of fatigue as a result of the conditions and the pressure of the ever-tightening calendar in global football, so we might expect Lionel Scaloni to make changes for this match.

Cristian Romero is one player likely to be rotated onto the bench. He limped off with a knee injury after 57 minutes of their win against Austria, and while the player himself has already moved to assure the public that his injury isn’t serious, we might expect him to sit this one out, with Nicolas Otamendi replacing him. Chasing the Golden Boot, Lionel Messi will be expected to start.

Jordan have nothing to play for beyond pride, so the question regarding their team is whether head coach Jamal Sellami will rotate to give his fringe players some World Cup experience, or whether he’ll stick with his strongest available starting XI in the hope of taking a memorable result from this match. They have no injuries or suspensions, going into this match.

The need to keep momentum should result in a comfortable Argentina win

FIFA have achieved something remarkable by switching from goal difference to head-to-head, by making both of the final games in Group J absurd, and in completely different ways.

The Algeria vs Austria game is the kicker here, one in which both teams will likely qualify with a draw and in which both teams may benefit more by losing it and finishing third than by winning it. But this is little better. There wouldn’t have been much to play for under any circumstances, but it’s a complete dead rubber because of Argentina’s two wins. Good work, all involved.

Still, there’s a game here to be won and Argentina can give their fringe players a taste of that World Cup fever while resting players who could likely do with a breather as a result of the global game’s relentless schedule. With Jordan already having been eliminated, both sides could release the handbrake and play out a game for pure enjoyment.

But none of this lends credence to the possibility of Jordan taking anything from it. Argentina are in outstanding form, they have the top goalscorer in the history of the tournament in dazzling form, and they have a vested interest in keeping their winning run going. I’m going for a 3-0 Argentina win on this occasion, setting them up nicely for a run at going deep again in the knockout stage of the competition.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: England prepare for group stage finale vs. Panama

England have one foot in the next round of the World Cup, and Thomas Tuchel’s team can finish the job off against Panama.

By Ian King

England’s drab performance against Ghana means that they still have work to do in their final group match

England’s goalless draw against Ghana undid much of the confidence that had started to grow after their swashbuckling 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening match. There’s little jeopardy for them, going into their final match against Panama, but with it still possible that they could end the evening in third place in the group, there’s still something to play for in New Jersey.

At least, with being in Group L, they’ll go into their fixture knowing roughly what they need to do should they end up finding themselves in that position, unlike Scotland, who were left sweating over results elsewhere following their 3-0 defeat by Brazil on Wednesday. Defeat coupled with a Croatia win against Ghana could yet leave England finishing third in their group.

Having lost 1-0 to both Ghana and Croatia, Panama are already eliminated from this year’s competition with a game to spare, but they still have their professional pride – and the possibility of a first-ever World Cup finals win, and what would be a huge surprise – to play for, although they start this match as massive underdogs.

Panama will want to put the previous occasion they played England in the back of their minds

This is only the second time that Panama have qualified for the World Cup finals, and it’s the second time in a row that they’ve been placed in the same group as England. This came in 2018, in the second group match for both teams in Nizhny Novgorod, with England winning 6-1. Panama have now played five games in the World Cup over the 2018 and 2026 finals, and they’ve lost all five.

Harry Kane may have a point to prove following a lacklustre performance against Ghana

With two goals in England’s opening 4-2 win against Croatia, Harry Kane started the World Cup very much in the manner of a player who scored an astonishing 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern Munich throughout 2025/26, in all competitions. But his performance against Ghana did not match the expectations on his shoulders, and he will want to get back on track against relatively modest opponents.

The highest-rated player in the Panama team in their first two matches has been Amir Murillo, who’s been playing at right-back, even though he can play a variety of different positions. Murillo has got a bit of pedigree about him. He currently plays his club football in Türkiye with Beşiktaş, but he’s also played for Marseille, Anderlecht and RBNY. This will be his 96th appearance for the Panama national team.

England have a couple of niggles which will likely result in a bit of team rotation

There will almost certainly be changes from the England team that drew with Panama. Declan Rice hasn’t been at 100% fitness for a while, and could be rested for this match, while Reece James complained about his hamstring after the match and could also miss out. Kobbie Mainoo could be drafted in to replace Rice, with Djed Spence switching sides to fill the gap left by James’ absence and Nico O’Reilly playing at left-back.

Panama have had injury issues since before the start of the tournament. Adalberto Carrasquilla has missed both of their games so far and is unlikely to appear in this match, while captain and record appearance-holder Anibal Godoy missed their opening match and made a brief cameo from the bench for a couple of minutes against Croatia, but it’s questionable, whether he’ll be brought back into the starting eleven for this match.

England may find Panama to be a very different proposition to what they were in 2018

England’s first two matches of this tournament have shown the two faces of Thomas Tuchel’s team; excellent for spells against Croatia, but still capable of being woefully stodgy, as they were against Ghana. They have momentum to rebuild following their disappointing second performance; the alternative is that the vacuum created by its surprise disappearance will be filled with familiar neuroses which could ultimately damage their hopes of progressing far in the tournament.

And the evidence of 2026 so far has been that Panama could be a far tougher nut to crack than they were in 2018. They have lost both of their matches, but both of these defeats were only by a 1-0 margin and it took Ghana until the 95th-minute before they broke the deadlock against them in their opening fixture. And while it’s true to say that they only have pride to play for, it’s equally true to mention that England really struggled against Ghana with exactly the sort of low block that Panama have employed in both of their matches so far.

But catastrophism is what the English do best and the truth remains that, on paper, England have a massively superior team to Panama, even if they rest a handful of players for this match. They should have plenty enough to get through this match, even with their mild injury concerns, so I’m going to go for a 2-0 win for England, and for all hell to break loose should they fail to win this one.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jun

2026

Preview: Spain and Uruguay out to wrap up progression to the Round of 32

Spain and Uruguay go head-to-head as both sides look to book their place in the knockout rounds of the World Cup.

By Matt Smith

There’s a chance they both advance, as they currently sit in the top two as it stands.

This is the first meeting between the two sides since 2013, when Spain secured a 2-1 victory in the Confederations Cup. Their last meeting in the World Cup came back in 1990, when a 0-0 draw was played out in Italy.

Team news

Uruguay will be out without both Ronald Araújo and Giorgian de Arrascaeta for their game against Spain this weekend. Despite that, there should be no fresh injury concerns for the South American side.

Spain are likely to be without new Liverpool signing Víctor Muñoz heading into this game, but Spain were boosted by the return of Lamine Yamal to the starting XI last time out. There should be no fresh injury concerns for Spain after everyone came through unscathed against Saudi Arabia.

Who’s going to have the ball?

Spain are certainly known for their possession-based style of play, looking to dominate the ball and break down the opposition slowly. Spain have had the joint-most possession in the tournament so far, and interestingly, opponents, Uruguay, are in third.

It will be interesting to see which side stamps its authority on the game and looks to dominate possession. It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if Uruguay altered their style for this one. Despite dominating both games in the group stage so far, Uruguay have struggled, failing to beat both Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde.

Spain could pass Uruguay to death

Spain have also had mixed results in the tournament so far, but there is no doubt they are sticking to and implementing their style of play. Luis de la Fuente‘s side have had the joint most possession at the tournament, whilst also completing the most passes per game comfortably.

It would be silly for Uruguay not to alter how they play in order to try to get a result here. Failing to beat Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde has been a major disappointment, and they know they’re going to struggle to go toe-to-toe with Spain when it comes to possession and passing.

45 minutes of Yamal is enough

Saudi Arabia would have been disappointed to see Lamine Yamal start last time out and delighted when he was taken off at half-time. Spain are clearly managing his minutes at the moment, but 45 minutes were enough for him to make a significant impact.

No player managed more shots than Yamal, despite him coming off at half-time. He also created a chance, scored a goal and had five touches inside the opposition box. De La Fuente will likely want to give him more minutes ahead of the knockouts, and he’s going to be the danger man for Uruguay to keep an eye on.

Prediction

Spain need a victory to ensure they finish in first place, and considering they’ve not conceded a goal yet, we think they will secure the win. We’re going for a 2-0 Spain win.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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