Krishan Davis

Just three games into the 2026 World Cup, England find themselves shorn of all three of their named options at right-back, making what was once an abundant area of the pitch for the Three Lions a real problem position at the worst possible time. Reece James, Tino Livramento and Jarell Quansah are all out injured, and Thomas Tuchel is now under significant scrutiny for some bizarre selection calls.

Finding a rich vein of form at the 2026 World Cup, there is a sense that Vinicius Jr has finally arrived on the international stage, delivering consistently for Brazil when it matters most to propel the Selecao through the group stage. As Carlo Ancelotti's side clicks into gear, it is now a question of what they are capable of with the Real Madrid superstar leading the way.

Ousmane Dembele netted a sublime 32-minute hat-trick to blow Norway away and ensure France secured top spot in World Cup Group I with a 4-1 victory on Friday. The damage was done in the first half as the Ballon d'Or holder ran riot, ably assisted by Kylian Mbappe.

Kylian Mbappe versus Erling Haaland was billed as the next great footballing rivalry to follow Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's two decades of dominance, but as the France and Norway superstars prepare to go head to head at the 2026 World Cup, it's fair to say that their individual tussle has yet to really take off in the way many people expected.

Vinicius Junior's brace pushed Scotland to the brink of a World Cup exit as Brazil ruthlessly capitalised on their errors in Miami on Wednesday. While the Selecao wrapped up top spot in Group C, the 3-0 defeat means the Scots are unlikely to be one of the best third-placed finishers in their bid to reach the last 32.

Another major tournament, another debate raging around Portugal's continued selection of Cristiano Ronaldo. The veteran forward's anonymous performance in his country's World Cup opener against DR Congo has reignited the now-biennial discussion over whether or not he should still be starting for the Seleccao at the grand old age of 41. Although you shouldn't expect anything to actually change so long as Roberto Martinez is in charge, the manager must learn when to take action.

Spain might have one of the strongest squads at the 2026 World Cup, but that hasn't stopped debate raging around one position in particular. Despite having world-class goalkeepers David Raya and Joan Garcia at his disposal, head coach Luis de la Fuente has stood staunchly by Unai Simon. The statistical case against the Athletic Club man is impossible to ignore, but don't expect anything to change anytime soon.

Scotland suffered a potentially damaging 1-0 defeat to Morocco in their second match of the 2026 World Cup in Boston, meaning they will need to take something from their final Group C clash against Brazil to stand any chance of reaching the last 32. Steve Clarke's side fell behind inside two minutes, and in truth they never recovered.

There was something all-too predictable about Brazil's performance in their World Cup opener against Morocco. Having been consistently inconsistent since Carlo Ancelotti was appointed a year ago, a disjointed display in New Jersey yielded only a point as the Selecao were forced to rely on a moment of magic from Vinicius Jr to snatch an equaliser. Looking ahead, the Italian tactician has plenty of food for thought.

They made hard work of it, but much-fancied France got their World Cup campaign off to a winning start as they eventually secured a 3-1 victory over Senegal in Group I. After a dire first-half display Les Bleus were transformed, with Kylian Mbappe - who had been particularly poor - delivering a brace either side of Bradley Barcola's fine finish to become his country's record goal-scorer.

The 2026 World Cup was supposed to be another waypoint on Lamine Yamal's path to becoming a generation-defining superstar, but there is the genuine threat that an injury could deprive the tournament of one of its biggest names. The Spanish wonderkid made everyone sit up and take notice at Euro 2024, and two years on, the 18-year-old seemed primed to seize the limelight once again. But instead, it may well be a waiting game.

Mohamed Salah will be making up for lost time and missed chances this summer. The 33-year-old is back on the World Cup stage with Egypt for the first time since the 2018 edition - a tournament that descended into a debacle for the Pharaohs. The soon-to-be former Liverpool talisman will be determined that past mistakes aren't repeated as he looks to make history with his country.

For England, the time for talk is almost over. Soon, all that will matter is the task at hand: Winning the 2026 World Cup. The Football Association (FA) and manager Thomas Tuchel have spoken forthrightly about that being their only objective in North America, and as the days tick down to the Three Lions getting their campaign underway, there is no reason to believe that they can't achieve their ultimate goal.

There's just a few hours to go until the biggest show on earth gets underway, with the 2026 World Cup kicking off in Mexico City on Thursday. If you haven't already caught a serious case of World Cup fever, what better way to get in the mood than by checking out the very best kits that will be on show in North America this summer.

England completed their World Cup preparations with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in their rain-delayed final warm-up friendly on Wednesday. It was a bruising encounter against a physical opponent, but Thomas Tuchel's men kept their cool to dominate in the sweltering Orlando heat courtesy of goals from Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins.

Harry Kane will never have a better chance than this. England's captain arrives at what is likely to be his last-ever World Cup in the form of his life, and he will carry the hopes of a nation in North America. After collective and individual heartbreak in 2018 and 2022, respectively, this simply has to be the tournament where he seizes his moment.

It's strange that there isn't more hype around Kylian Mbappe as the days tick down to the 2026 World Cup getting underway, but you can probably put that down to what was a largely forgettable club season with Real Madrid. He will be mightily relieved to be away from the cauldron that is the Bernabeu having become persona non grata during the run-in, shifting his focus to making history with France in North America.

When Thomas Tuchel was hired as the new England manager in October 2024, he was given a simple brief: Win the 2026 World Cup. Some 20 months on and the tournament now looms large, while confirmation of the Three Lions' squad has crystallised the daunting task at hand for the German tactician as they arrive in North America.