England manager Thomas Tuchel has admitted to feeling worried and concerned after viewing a journalist's photograph of the playing surface ahead of his side's World Cup warm-up against New Zealand. However, the German tactician insisted that the newly relaid pitch at the Raymond James Stadium will not alter his pre-determined selection plans.
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti remains optimistic that injured talisman Neymar will recover from a calf injury in time to feature at the 2026 World Cup. The Italian tactician confirmed that the 34-year-old forward is making excellent progress individually and will undergo a decisive medical scan on Monday before potentially rejoining full squad training next week.
Fresh off a win over Senegal, the USMNT face their toughest pre-World Cup test yet against Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Germany. GOAL breaks down five key storylines.
Mexico recovered from an early scare in Toluca to overwhelm Serbia, with Alvaro Fidalgo and Brian Gutierrez among the standouts as El Tri wrapped up their World Cup preparations in style.
With Mexico’s World Cup opener against South Africa looming, El Tri’s friendly vs Serbia gives Javier Aguirre one last chance to settle his XI, sharpen the attack and answer key questions around Alvaro Fidalgo, Alexis Vega, Roberto Alvarado, and Guillermo Ochoa.
Rayan Cherki scored a memorable goal, but a much-changed France side couldn't hold onto the lead as they dropped their first World Cup warmup game to the Ivory Coast, 2-1. Manager Didier Deschamps made plenty of changes, yet still named a strong side. Despite some bright moments, Les Bleus weren't able to piece together a complete performance - and were made to pay.
Brazil will have to face the friendly against Egypt - their final World Cup warm-up – without their talismanic figurehead, as Neymar has been officially ruled out of the upcoming trip to Cleveland. The Santos star is set to remain at the national team's training base to undergo intensive physiotherapy in a desperate race against time.
Netherlands suffered a disappointing defeat to Algeria in their World Cup warm-up, prompting a furious response from Ronald Koeman. The Oranje boss criticised his side's lack of aggression and discipline, while Donyell Malen came under scrutiny after missing several clear chances before the visitors struck a late winner.
Thomas Tuchel is preparing to hand Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott his international debut during England's final World Cup preparations. Despite not being named in the final 26-man tournament squad, the 22-year-old has been thrust into the spotlight for the upcoming friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica.
Nottingham Forest star Chris Wood endured a bittersweet evening in Fort Lauderdale as he officially became the most-capped player in New Zealand men's football history. However, the veteran striker's record-breaking night against Haiti was completely overshadowed by a shambolic performance from the All Whites.
Romelu Lukaku reached yet another historic milestone as Belgium secured a convincing 2-0 victory over Croatia in their preparations for the 2026 World Cup. The Napoli striker came off the bench to silence any doubts over his match fitness, netting a landmark 90th goal for his country to seal the result in Rijeka.
Canada face Uzbekistan and Republic of Ireland in their final pre-World Cup friendlies, with Jesse Marsch managing injury concerns after Marcelo Flores’ heartbreaking setback and searching for goals from Jonathan David and Cyle Larin.
Christian Pulisic looked back to his best, Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun impressed, and the USMNT offered real reason for World Cup optimism against Senegal.
Scotland's World Cup preparations have been rocked by a "cruel" injury to midfield anchor Billy Gilmour, leaving his team-mates and coaching staff in a state of shock. The Napoli star was forced off during the 4-1 friendly victory over Curacao, with Scott McTominay leading the tributes to a player who has become central to the Tartan Army's ambitions.
Carlo Ancelotti has delivered a blunt assessment of his current Brazil squad, suggesting the Selecao no longer boast the individual icons of years gone by. The Italian tactician claims that the five-time world champions must now lean on a collective effort rather than expecting a single superstar to carry the nation to glory.
Interim Italy manager Silvio Baldini has launched a fiery critique against the administration of the national game while warning the federation against pursuing unrealistic managerial targets. The veteran coach expressed deep frustration over systemic issues ahead of the national team's upcoming friendly fixtures, calling for local leadership to rebuild the setup.
Brian Gutierrez’s growing role, Raul Rangel’s No. 1 case, and Edson Alvarez’s fitness are among the key storylines as Mexico face Ghana in Puebla on Friday. GOAL looks at five keys to watch in El Tri’s first pre-World Cup friendly.
Nico Williams has received incredibly positive news regarding the hamstring injury sustained during Athletic Club's recent clash with Valencia. While initial fears suggested the winger could miss the upcoming World Cup, medical tests have confirmed he should be fit in time for the tournament in North America.
Former international Dietmar Hamann (52) has criticised Julian Nagelsmann (38). With the World Cup this summer in mind, he accuses the national team manager of two things in particular: his handling of so-called squad players and a lack of presence.
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