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England had to settle for a place in the World Cup playoffs despite cruising to a 3-0 victory against Ukraine, as Spain’s 6-1 win in Iceland forced England to finish in second spot.It is the first time that England have failed to top their World Cup qualifying group for nearly 25 years, since missing out on a place at the 2003 World Cup, back when the major tournament finals only included 16 nations overall. Being involved in the playoff this time around is not as concerning as it might initially sound – a revamp of the format has meant that only four European sides will qualify automatically, down from nine automatic qualifiers four years ago.The Lionesses, who were handed as tough a draw as you could imagine, being pitted in the same group as Spain to deliver a repeat of the last World Cup final and 2025 European Championship final, will be seeded for 18 June’s playoff draw and know that will face a low-ranking side from League C over two legs in the playoff first round in October. They finish this group with 15 points from a possible 18 but miss out on a precious automatic spot in Brazil because of their inferior head-to-head record against Spain, after Friday’s humbling 4-0 loss in Mallorca.Realistically, England knew they were destined for the playoffs before kick-off, given that all the world champions Spain needed to do to top the group was to secure a victory away against an Iceland side ranked 17th in the world, who – despite making good strides in recent years – were never likely to deny a side in as rich a vein of form as Spain displayed on Friday in their 4-0 dismantling of England.Even the most optimistic of Lionesses fans’ hopes were dampened inside five minutes, as Spain took an early lead through Vicky López. When the striker Edna Imade put Spain 2-0 up after 37 minutes, at a point in that match were Iceland had seen only 15% of the possession, any chances of an upset looked faint. When Salma Paralluelo put Spain 3-0 up before half-time, England knew they were playoffs bound.That was certainly not stopping Sarina Wiegman’s players enjoying themselves on the pitch against Ukraine, though, as Lauren James toyed with the visitors’ defenders and England’s midfield three of Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh and the lively Laura Blindkilde Brown took complete control of the game. James struck the woodwork with a dipping effort from an angle, before moments later delivering a lethal cross to the back post which picked out Jess Carter, who angled her header back across goal to open the scoring.Purposeful with her runs into the box, Stanway doubled the lead as she slid in at the far post to convert from Alessia Russo’s good square ball, after a good link-up between Russo and Walsh, whose through ball picked out Russo, who had earlier gone close with a snap shot from inside the area that she scooped just over the bar. The Arsenal striker, who scored twice in March’s reverse fixture to help England to a 6-1 victory in neutral territory in Turkey, was proving very difficult for the Ukraine centre-backs to mark, and she dragged them from left to right.The European champions were playing with a freedom that was enjoyable to watch and there was a stylish flow to their passing, as they moved the ball into forward areas quickly and created space for the midfielders to attack, but in truth the situation was flattering, against a Ukraine side operating on just a minuscule portion of the budget that England can enjoy at their base at St George’s Park. Bottom of this qualifying group without any points, they will be relegated down to the second tier for the next Nations League cycle, which begins in 2027.It was therefore slightly surprising that Wiegman made just four changes to her starting team from that which lost so heavily in Mallorca, perhaps missing a rare chance for some experimentation, and there was not even a place in the matchday 23 for the in-form winger Freya Godfrey, who has impressed for her club London City Lionesses this season.Wiegman introduced Beth Mead and Alex Greenwood at half-time and the hosts’ dominance of the ball continued, with Ukraine scarcely able to progress into England’s defensive third, and the Lionesses’ back four found themselves increasingly deeper into Ukraine’s half. Jess Park and Chloe Kelly were also brought on with 25 minutes to go and, from the next attack, England went 3-0 up thanks to a direct free-kick which Mead bent into the far corner, around a fairly nonexistent wall. It was Mead’s first goal for club or country since March and her first strike for the Lionesses since November.

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Northern Ireland debutant Emily Cassap said her strike just 66 seconds after her introduction was "probably the best goal I have ever scored".Michael McArdle's side were 2-0 down with five minutes to go after strikes from Geraldine Reuteler and Smilla Vallotto before Cassap made an instant impact off the bench and halved their lead through a stunning shot.This international window has been the teenager's first camp after making the switch from England, where she played at underage level, to Northern Ireland, earlier in the year."I mean I was so surprised when the ball came to me, I just thought 'let's hit it' and I'm so glad it went in," Cassap told BBC Sport NI."I think it's probably the best goal I've scored, I just thought I'll have a go and it was unbelievable."Switzerland were top opposition, they moved the ball really well and they were really clever with the play, but I think we really went toe-to-toe with them and gave them a good fight. Unfortunately we couldn't get a result, but I thought we played really well."The Sunderland midfielder qualifies for Northern Ireland through parentage and was a part of NI Under-19s, where she impressed in a short space of time.Cassap is now the second player that NI manager Michael McArdle has handed their senior debut to after Linfield's Cora Chambers made her first appearance during the last international window."It's just been a great experience overall being in camp and I was really delighted to get my debut and that's just a bonus," she continued."Lots of my family live in Belfast so they all came out to support, so I think they're all delighted."Michael [McArdle] was just delighted for us. He said it's a great goal."

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Rhian Wilkinson says Wales have the potential to qualify for next year's Women's World Cup after they beat the Czech Republic to claim top spot in Group B1.Wales' impressive 3-1 victory over the Czechs means they will face a more favourable path in the play-offs later this year, with the draw to be made on 18 June.Even so, there is still much work to do before Wales reach a first Women's World Cup.Wilkinson's team must come through two two-legged ties against European opponents - with one of those likely to be a League A side - and may then face an inter-confederation play-off.But the Wales head coach believes her players have shown enough quality in the group phase of this campaign to suggest they can claim a place at next year's tournament in Brazil."On our day, why not? I have to think that. Why else would we be doing this?" Wilkinson said."As you can see, we've got some fabulous players who any country would be proud to have on the field."It's just how we figure out how they play together, how they gel together and also how we use our finishers, our players who come on and either go get us the game or hold out. That is important, that we have a squad and not just 11 players."Wales recovered from the shock of falling behind after just five minutes against the Czechs to produce their best performance in the group.After Lily Woodham's rapid equaliser, Gemma Evans headed Wales in front early in the second half before Mared Griffiths sealed victory."I challenged them to raise the bar and to perform at home in front of our fantastic fans and to enjoy their football," Wilkinson said."When you're together, when you defend together, when you attack together, when you create these triangles and the plus ones, football is fun. They really did a great job today."The play-off semi-finals take place in October, with the finals in late November and early December.Having finished top of their group, Wales know they will face a team who ended as a runner-up or in third place in another League B group, and that the second leg of the tie will be at home.Should they progress to the final, Wales would then be likely to face a League A side, with the second leg of that tie being away from home.Wilkinson says her players can enjoy a four-month break from international football "with a real confidence that we've controlled our destiny as much we possibly can going into the first play-offs"."A draw is a draw. Who knows who we're going to get in the first play-off round, but we've done what we can," she added."The ambition, and I was pretty open about it, was to win the group and to go undefeated, and that is what we did."This has not been an easy window, but it's finished with a performance that I think is right up there with some of our best, so we've done all we can."

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Not many players get a big move after being relegated twice in their first two Premier League seasons. But Mateus Fernandes is still sought after.Despite being part of one of the worst Premier League teams in Southampton two seasons ago, Fernandes still managed to secure a £38m move to West Ham. And even though he was relegated again, he continues to be linked with big teams.Manchester United seem most interested in signing him this summer - and they know a thing or two about Portuguese talents called Fernandes. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have also been strongly linked with the Hammers midfielder.It's a strong midfield market this summer too. The likes of Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez and Sandro Tonali are among the many midfield maestros potentially available this summer.If England midfielder Anderson is deemed the ideal central midfielder pick this summer, then Fernandes is not a bad back-up transfer target. The numbers spell that out pretty clearly.Last season, Fernandes proved his status as one of the Premier League's toughest tacklers and it's a feature that stands out for those who know him."That's no surprise that his tackling stats are very high," Simon Rusk, who worked with Fernandes at Southampton, including via an interim head coach spell after the Saints' relegation, tells Sky Sports."Both speaking to him and observing him, I could see that would be a feature in his game - and a strength."Alongside the tough-tackling nature is a lot of high-intensity running to get to the challenge in the first place.Fernandes sits in the top 10 Premier League midfielders for distance covered. And again, it follows the same pattern: if Anderson is the best first-choice option on the market, then Fernandes is pretty much the next best option available.It wasn't always the plan when Fernandes was signed by Southampton; he was seen by Russell Martin as a more advanced option."He was used as a little bit more as a No 10, a little bit more of an advanced role," he says. "But when I spoke to Matty through conversations with him, quite apparently, he saw himself as more of an all-round midfield player, more of a No 8."And that would lend himself to the defensive side of the game. What Matty wanted to do, he wanted to run. He wanted to be involved in the game as much as possible."But certainly, looking at his performances at West Ham this year, he certainly moved forward in terms of his game intelligence and mixed in with his strength, his tenacity and his engine."West Ham noticed that desire for Fernandes to play slightly deeper too - using him mainly as a hybrid option between a No 6 and a No 8 in the season just gone.Unfortunately for Fernandes, it has not quite worked out in terms of team success. Back-to-back relegations have tarnished the growing career of a promising midfield talent.But despite the difficult contexts he's been trusted with, Fernandes has remained a positive influence on the dressing room wherever he has gone."He was a fantastic lad to work with," adds Rusk. "I think he was mentally tough, but he'd be hurt. I could see how much it hurt him, the relegation at Southampton."And I'm sure he'll be hurting again with being part of a relegation at West Ham. But, his character, he will use that as fuel."It will only make him a stronger, better player. It's not necessarily what happens to you, it's what meaning you apply to it. And I think for Matty, he's got a growth mindset."He's got an unbelievably excellent attitude towards becoming better. So he can only use this as being better."All these attributes helped convince multiple managers - including Rusk, Russell Martin, Graham Potter and Nuno Espirito Santo - that Fernandes is a player worth sticking with, even at his tender age.Since moving to the Premier League aged 19, Fernandes has started all but four of the top-flight games he's been available for. Two of those matches were his first two appearances in the competition, one was due to suspension and the other saw him score off the bench away at Leeds last season."You're looking at a 20-year-old, he's landed in the Premier League and plays week in, week out," says Rusk. "He's instantly gained the trust of everyone in the building."And one thing you can't underestimate as well with a young player, he moved to a new country, new environment, different language, the predominant language. And he was able to deal with all of those things and seamlessly become a regular starter in the Premier League."There was a level of maturity about him without any shadow of a doubt. Single-minded, but really good to work with - and very respectful. And all of those ingredients lend themselves to someone developing and becoming a better player."What has helped Fernandes settle in is the player's ability to learn new information quickly - which will bode him well as he prepares for a third summer move in three years."I've worked with a lot of players where they've got an unbelievable raw talent, but maybe less coachable in terms of how they're willing to absorb information," says Rusk. "But Matty was, from that point of view, a dream to work with."Rusk saw that firsthand during his time working with Fernandes at Southampton.When the Saints visited Spurs in April 2025, Rusk - who was part of the Saints backroom staff at the time - worked with the midfielder for a couple of days on making late runs into the box, in a bid to stifle Ange Postecoglou's high line.Fernandes ended up scoring in that game via a late run into the box. In a game remembered for Southampton suffering the earliest Premier League relegation in history, there were signs of a future gem in the works."The best players I've worked with, they learn quick. You tell them something and the penny drops quite quickly," Rusk says."And that Tottenham game, we only had a day or two working on the timing of his runs into the box and he arrived with a goal late with what we'd worked on."It was another bit of reinforcement where I thought: 'yeah, you've got a real chance of going on to great things here.'"I've benchmarked it against a lot of the players that have gone on to playing right at the top of the game: international football, Champions League, Premier League football. They were very resilient, they were very single-minded and they learn quick. And I definitely put Matty in that bracket."And speaking of goals, that is one area where Fernandes could improve. He got five goals and five assists for West Ham last season - which is not bad for a team who ended up being relegated.But as Rusk says: "If he applies goals, then you're probably moving towards a complete midfielder." All of a sudden, the interest in Fernandes starts to make sense.

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With fears about an over-reliance on the goalscoring captain, Tuchel needs more from his other attackersIf Thomas Tuchel requires proof there are worse things to be than the Harry Kane team, he need only hear how underwhelming the future looked when an England second string bid farewell to the 2014 World Cup with a desperate 0-0 draw against Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte.Those were dark times. England’s race was run after defeats in their first two group games in Brazil and the worry for the Football Association was that the humiliations no longer felt like a surprise.Roy Hodgson talked about a team “in a realm of despair” and somehow limped on to the nadir of losing to Iceland at Euro 2016. Yet those disappointments belong to a different age. Gareth Southgate led the rebirth, restoring a bruised young squad’s pride and unity before stepping down after one last near miss at Euro 2024, and nobody could accuse Tuchel of being delusional when he took over and talked about putting a second star on the shirt.Yet while England are optimistic about their chances at the 2026 World Cup, there are concerns over their increasing reliance on Kane for goals. Tuchel, for his part, was not too worried after the captain’s clever header made the difference in last Saturday’s warm-up victory over New Zealand in Tampa. Kane is in scorching form. The striker scored 61 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich this season and will be a leading contender to win the Ballon d’Or if he helps England’s men claim silverware for the first time since 1966.The numbers are relentless. But those nagging thoughts persist. What happens to England if Kane is marked out of a game? Or the unthinkable occurs and he rolls an ankle on a sticky American pitch?Tuchel’s two backup No 9s have quality but are not elite. Ollie Watkins finished the season in excellent form for Aston Villa and can stretch tiring defences, but he scuffed his one opening against New Zealand. Ivan Toney was also wasteful against the All Whites and has been selected mainly for his ability to draw attention away from Kane if England are chasing a late goal.This is not so much about Watkins and Toney, then, more about the wide players and No 10s. Tuchel needs more from the attackers who will start around Kane and he could do with at least one wearing their shooting boots when England head to Orlando to face Costa Rica in their final warmup game on Wednesday night. Marcus Rashford, with 18 goals in 71 appearances, is the squad’s second-highest scorer but was tentative with chances against New Zealand. More conviction is required. Bukayo Saka, whose record of 14 goals in 48 appearances gives him a better strike rate than Rashford, has few equals on the flanks. Anthony Gordon has two goals for England and Noni Madueke one. As for the creators, Jude Bellingham has six goals, Eberechi Eze three and Morgan Rogers one.“The pure numbers of our players on the wing and wherever are not the outstanding numbers we expect,” Tuchel said in March. The German wanted more from his creative players at club level. If he looks at England’s rivals, he will note Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé standing to one side as Michael Olise scored a hat-trick in France’s win over Northern Ireland on Monday. He will see that Spain had Pedri surging from midfield to score in a 3-1 win over Peru. Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Germany and Belgium have also shared the goals around.England need more variety in attack; individuals other than Kane deciding games. Rashford, who is competing with Gordon for a spot on the left, had a good season for Barcelona but has not scored in open play for England for almost three years. Somehow, despite all the talent at their disposal, England have never really found a replacement for Raheem Sterling, who was an excellent foil for Kane and so adept at running in from the wing to convert crosses from close range during his peak years.Saka has one goal since the Euros. Bellingham has not scored for Tuchel. The Costa Rica game is a chance for Kane’s teammates to build confidence. For all the talk about England’s threat at set pieces, it is significant that officials will be closely watching grappling and blocking in the box. Replicating Premier League tactics at corners may not be easy; if so, England will need to show more invention in open play.That begins with finding flow in possession against Costa Rica. England should have a lot of the ball against opponents who failed to qualify for the World Cup. Tuchel played different XIs in each half against New Zealand – the aim was to build fitness in the Florida heat – but the lineup in Orlando should be closer to the one that takes on Croatia in England’s opening game in Group L next Wednesday.Some players will play for 60 or 70 minutes against Costa Rica. The big selection call is whether Bellingham did enough to dislodge Rogers at No 10 after an impressive second half against New Zealand. Tuchel has favoured Rogers so far. He likes the 23-year-old’s counterpressing and connectivity. It is a concern that Bellingham and Kane’s partnership is yet to take off under Tuchel. They have played together four times since his appointment. Overall they have combined for one goal in 38 games in England colours.Are Bellingham and Kane on the same wavelength? It is a hurdle for Tuchel to overcome. The idea of Bellingham not starting against Croatia feels fanciful. Costa Rica provides an opportunity to see whether the balance is right with Kane and Bellingham in attack.Tuchel knows he needs attackers who can make the difference. The statistics show England have leant more heavily on Kane’s goals since Southgate’s departure. There will come a point when someone else has to step up and for all the noise around Tuchel’s plans nobody look better placed to rise to the challenge than Bellingham.

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Questioned in France but championed from afar, the departing head coach has forged a legacy that no one – bar, perhaps, himself – would dare disputeFollow the verdant path towards the Château de Clairefontaine and you are met by a three-metre replica of the World Cup trophy accompanied by two stars, representing France’s World Cup triumphs. Didier Deschamps had his hand in both of them, captaining his side to victory in 1998 before repeating the feat as manager in 2018.The ‘98 World Cup final was France’s first ever but Les Bleus have now participated in four of the last seven end games, with Deschamps involved in three of them. In North America, he will have one final shot at reaching another. These are the expectations, moulded by past success. Deschamps has taken France to three major finals in his 14-year stint as manager. “We’re among the favourites,” he says as he sits down for the interview. “It isn’t a taboo word for me. If we have this status today, which seems logical and legitimate to me, it’s because of everything that we have done, the results we achieved.”As we speak to Deschamps, his assistant, Guy Stéphan, pops his head through the door. “You’ve got the best,” he jokes. The France manager replies with a smile: “He is always very objective.” Deschamps’ record as a player and then as a manager makes Stéphan’s comment difficult to refute.As always, however, there is a subjectivity. “Abroad there is perhaps more recognition,” says Deschamps. “I know very well, since I also travel a lot abroad, that the feeling abroad is different from the one in France.” The qualms from within the country concern the playing style. Before addressing the topic, he lets out a small chuckle: “It depends what you mean by ‘play style’. Internationally, that’s one thing, but then there’s France and God knows that, if the France team has been categorised as a [team with a] defensive, restrictive game, it didn’t prevent us from getting results.”But Deschamps is not someone concerned about legacy. He insists that “it doesn’t matter” and nor does it interest him. He adds: “The most important thing is today and tomorrow, and tomorrow is the World Cup. After that, everyone will have their own … interpretation, their own feeling.”Public opinion is one thing, but how he is perceived by colleagues is another. Gareth Southgate was a disciple while Deschamps reveals he has also exchanged messages with Thomas Tuchel – “a very good manager that I like a lot, too, and with whom I have the chance to talk a lot,” – Brazil’s Carlo Ancelotti, and the former Germany head coach Hansi Flick. Three major finals in 14 years and a Nations League title have made Deschamps the godfather of modern international football.Yet he says there is not a secret formula to emulate. “I have a magic word: adaptation … I say to myself, ‘In relation to the person I have in front of me, I adapt.’ And so it leads to modifications … It’s not because we did this and it worked well that we shouldn’t change. It’s not about changing for the sake of changing either,” he says.Beyond the tactical element there is the man management, where adaptation is also essential. “The generation from when I started in 2012 is not the same as today … the new generation need more exchanges,” says Deschamps, who has presided over a changing of the guard in the France dressing room.Since the 2022 World Cup final defeat to Argentina, the likes of Hugo Lloris, Olivier Giroud, Raphaël Varane and Antoine Griezmann have all retired from international football. “The baton has been passed,” says Deschamps, who named Kylian Mbappé as the successor to France’s most-capped player of all time, Lloris.“Kylian, today, who is our captain, before being captain, he listened, he looked, he doesn’t do things like Hugo. It’s not at all the same character and personality. He takes on this leadership outside, on the pitch as well, and he knows that when he speaks, he doesn’t speak in his own name, but he speaks in the name of all the players as well.” Deschamps also defended his use of the Real Madrid forward: “I must be stupid, and there must have been a lot of stupid people who he has had as coaches to put him in the middle of the attack within the teams he has played … for the past two years at Real and his last year at PSG … it’s been three years that he has played in a central position.”Mbappé underwhelmed at Euro 2024. Breaking his nose in the opener against Austria certainly didn’t help while Deschamps also says that his preparation for the tournament was “suboptimal”, adding: “He arrived following his final six months with PSG, which were very, very difficult. He didn’t have much playing time.” Mbappé heads to this World Cup one goal shy of Giroud’s all-time scoring record for France (57) and that is a justification in itself for Deschamps, whose choices are always scrutinised, often criticised, but almost invariably the right ones.For Mbappé to surpass Giroud’s record, Deschamps must find the right “balance”, a word he repeats eight times during our talk on a wet afternoon. “At the 2022 World Cup we already had four attackers [starting],” says Deschamps, countering an assertion that a switch from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 could leave Les Bleus’ famously resolute defence exposed.He cites the role of Griezmann, placed within the midfield three at the 2022 World Cup as the fourth attacker in that system. His replacement in the team came in the form of Michael Olise. “He’s more of a discreet person, a little shy, but when he’s on the pitch, it’s wonderful,” eulogises Deschamps. “Today, he’s someone who is shining, and he is one of the best players at the World Cup.”Deschamps has difficult decisions to make, particularly in the forward positions. Mbappé, Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Rayan Cherki, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, Marcus Thuram, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Maghnes Akliouche cannot all play.“It’s about managing the frustration of those who won’t start the game,” says Deschamps. “It’s always hard to accept, because each player thinks he’s better than the one who plays in his place … ask any professional footballer at the very highest level, they will say: ‘Competition? Well, of course, it’s part of our life,’ but only when it concerns a teammate, when it concerns them it’s more difficult.”As a result, and in line with comments made by Tuchel, newer to the international scene, Deschamps insists it isn’t about simply taking the best 26 players to the World Cup.Deschamps, who will be 58 in October, already knows all of this. International management, he says, is a “totally different job” to managing at club level and none of his counterparts at the World Cup have the experience he has accrued.“If I’m still here today, it’s because the French team has won a lot of games. Otherwise, it could have ended before, whether I decided it or it was decided for me,” he says. Ultimately, it is the former. As he confirmed in January 2025, Deschamps will depart upon the conclusion of Les Bleus’ campaign this summer.This isn’t retirement, but the former Juventus, Monaco and Marseille manager isn’t thinking about what is coming next. “I won’t make any decision until after [the World Cup],” he says, but admits that there have been offers.When asked about the possibility of a hiatus, Deschamps says he has “the freedom to choose”. That wasn’t the case the last time he took an extended period away from the game. “I stopped at Juventus in 2007. Between 2007 and 2009. I was on all the shortlists, practically. But my son told me: ‘The problem is that you always come up short.’” He doesn’t exactly need the World Cup to put himself in the shop window.Deschamps doesn’t care about legacy, but as he departed the Château de Clairefontaine for the last time on Sunday, he has already ensured that he has left one behind.

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The man in charge the last time the US hosted the World Cup marvels at the transformation of football in America over the last 32 yearsThe Super Bowl-style half-time show curated by Chris Martin for the World Cup final will not be to everybody’s tastes, but one octogenarian American will have a wry smile on his face when Madonna and Shakira walk out on to the pitch at MetLife Stadium next month.In his role as chair and chief executive of the 1994 World Cup, Alan Rothenberg wanted Whitney Houston to perform on the pitch at the final at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl, only to be overruled by Fifa, who insisted that the singer stay on the sidelines.Rothenberg had even arranged for Fifa officials to attend the 1993 Super Bowl at the same venue in California, where Michael Jackson entertained fans at half-time. But, despite the sweetener, Fifa would not budge on its decision over Houston.The prospect of unseasonal Californian rain and potential pitch damage were cited as the reasons, which Rothenberg contests to this day, so he will take some pleasure from his vision for a World Cup final show finally being realised 32 years later.“Prior to 1994 the World Cup was basically a soccer tournament, and there was not a lot of hoopla other than passionate fans,” Rothenberg said. “We consciously tried to make 1994 very entertaining and wanted Whitney Houston on the pitch at the final, but Fifa said no.“All these kinds of things were brand new to Fifa and have been picked up since, but in 1994 they blocked Whitney from playing. They basically said no because if there was rain or precipitation – which was never likely to be a problem in California in July – they didn’t want a stage in the centre of the field.“In a wonderful coincidence the previous January, the Super Bowl was at the Rose Bowl, and the half-time show was with Michael Jackson. We invited the top executives from Fifa and when they pulled the stage off midfield, we walked out to see if there was any torn up or broken down grass. There was none whatsoever, but Fifa still said no.“In the end Whitney performed, but it was from the sidelines and with all kinds of people around her. The fans in the stadium weren’t even sure where the music was coming from. It shows we were very innovative and changed the way the World Cup is presented.”While the opening day of the 1994 finals was overshadowed by another celebrity event - the OJ Simpson car chase - the first US World Cup was not troubled by the politics that have marred the build-up to this summer’s tournament.Although Rothenberg has some sympathy for the difficult dance required by Fifa to keep the Trump administration onside, he has found some of Gianni Infantino’s utterances embarrassing.“Politics has always played a part at World Cups, but not to the extent as has occurred under President Trump,” he said. “Maybe some of the things that have been said or done by Infantino are embarrassing.“But it’s an embarrassment that’s worth taking just to keep the government on side, is the calculation. The goal is to have a great tournament, and that requires some extraordinary extracurricular activities to make that happen.“This World Cup is unduly complicated because of some of the international geopolitical issues. They’re always there in one way or another, but I don’t think they’ve ever been quite as challenging as they presently are.”Rothenberg is less concerned by other potential problems such as ICE raids, and expects immigration officials to be restrained.“There was lots of talk of ICE being active at the Super Bowl this year, and around other major events, but in reality very little happened,” he said.“I suspect that there will be a similar position at the World Cup. Remember President Trump is chair of the World Cup Committee, and I don’t think he wants to end up having the tournament overshadowed by discussions of ICE raids. I think they will be very restrained in and around the matches.”Rothenberg got the 1994 job having served as president of US Soccer for eight years and he had been soccer commissioner for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. He marvels at the sport’s transformation in the US over the last 40 years.“When I was president in 1990, the federation’s offices were in a trailer in Colorado Springs because the US Olympic Committee provided its members with free rent. We had six, maybe eight employees.“Now US Soccer has just opened a $300m training centre, and they have several hundred employees. Back in 1990, the federation was effectively bankrupt, and now it’s got hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue. It’s quite a transformation.“Globalization was always going to turn soccer into a major sport in America, but even I’ve been surprised at the recent growth. Hopefully the World Cup can take it to another level.”

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Manchester United are exploring a potential deal for West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes.United are continuing to do background work on Fernandes as he is seen as a realistic deal after the Hammers' relegation, with midfield remaining a priority for the club to strengthen this window.The club have already agreed a £38m deal to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson.Decision makers inside the club believe Fernandes was one of the best young players in the Premier League last season and has the potential to become as good as Declan Rice.West Ham aren't ruling out Fernandes staying to help them achieve promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking but are aware of the difficulty in that, with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain also reported to be interested in the player. No formal offers have been made as West Ham wait to see who shows their hand first.As of now, there has been no official contact between the two clubs and West Ham are in no rush to sell Fernandes early on in the window unless their valuation is met.Not got Sky? Get instant access with no contractFernandes made 42 appearances in all competitions for West Ham last season, 36 in the Premier League, contributing five goals and five assists in total for Nuno Espírito Santo's team.Manchester United-bound Ederson has been called up to Brazil's World Cup squad as a late injury replacement.The midfielder is set to replace Roma full-back Wesley, who sustained an injury during the 2-1 pre-tournament win over Egypt.United have agreed a deal to sign the 26-year-old Ederson from Atalanta.Ederson is set to sign a four-year deal at the club with an option to extend his stay for an additional 12 months.

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Real Madrid have had a 150m euro (£130m) offer for striker Julian Alvarez rejected by city rivals Atletico Madrid.Real president Florentino Perez last week pledged to make a 150m euro offer for an unnamed "galactico" player if re-elected to his position.Having successfully retained control on Sunday, Perez made good on his promise.However, the move for the 26-year-old Argentina international was turned down by his club, who cited Alvarez's release clause of 500m euros (£430m).In a statement, Real said: "Following the meeting of the board of directors held today, it has made an offer of 150 million euros to Club Atletico de Madrid for the federative rights of the player Julian Alvarez."After reviewing and evaluating the offer, Club Atletico de Madrid has expressed its gratitude for the proposal, made within the framework of the good relations between both clubs, and has rejected it, referring to the player's release clause."Atletico did not immediately comment, but has quoted the Real Madrid statement on X alongside a series of laughing emojis, external.Former Manchester City player Alvarez, who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, joined the La Liga club in an £81.5m deal in 2024.He scored 20 goals in 49 appearances for Atletico last season as they finished fourth in the table and reached the Champions League semi-finals.Real have confirmed the anticipated news that head coach Alvaro Arbeloa will leave the club, with Jose Mourinho set to be appointed in his place.Arbeloa was promoted from his role leading Real Madrid B in January, replacing former Liverpool team-mate Xabi Alonso, and confirmed before the end of season that he would not continue following a trophyless season.Re-appointing Benfica head coach Mourinho, who led the Spanish giants from 2010 to 2013, was a key manifesto point in Perez's election campaign."Real Madrid is deeply grateful to Alvaro Arbeloa, who throughout his time at the club, from his time in our youth academy, has consistently demonstrated loyalty, commitment, and professionalism. He exemplifies the values ​​of our club," read a Real statement., external"Real Madrid, which will always be his home, wishes Alvaro Arbeloa and his entire family the best of luck in this new stage of their lives."Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast