On this date in World Cup history: in 1990, England faced an African team in the knockout stages.
Didier Deschamps’ tenure as France’s head coach has often been labeled as overly cautious and lacking flair, despite its successes. However, if France clinches victory this year, there’s no doubt his final squad will be seen in a different light. As Leander Schaerlaeckens reports, Deschamps is empowering his stars to shine:
“There are holes in England. I think it’s been glaring,”
“When you sit back against England, they struggle to open you up. I don’t think they selected players who are capable of doing that on a regular basis. That’s what we’ll exploit. If you stop Jude Bellingham, I think you stop a lot of England. We’re very athletic and we’re very good defensively. And I think we’ve got a bit more than Ghana going forward. “So I would say if we can hold them for as long as possible, we will get chances. And we just have to be clinical when we do get those chances. That’s the way I see us beating England.”
Tragically, at least two individuals lost their lives during massive celebrations in Mexico City, following the national team’s advancement to the World Cup’s round of 16, as reported by local authorities. A 19-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man succumbed to asphyxiation, according to the city’s health secretary.
Authorities have yet to verify the death of a third individual, as reported by local media.
Shifting focus to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ed Aarons conversed with former defender and captain Gabriel Zakuani, who reminisced about his time as a skilled center-back for Leyton Orient two decades ago, discussing the nation’s prospects against England. Zakuani, now a consultant for the country’s federation, expressed optimism.
“I don’t think we were able to achieve the feat we promised: to make this the best World Cup ever. Today it’s my by Mexico. “That’s why I have to leave. I would have liked to continue because what I received from the players and the management warranted the possibility of continuing. But I understand how this works and it hurts, but I think the decision was clear. “We were outplayed in the first half. We fought back, but we couldn’t find the goal that would have given us a boost. “I have no complaints, only gratitude to the people and the players,” he states. “I received so much gratitude and affection from the bottom of my heart. The boys gave me two beautiful hours after the match and that’s what we’re left with.”
“Last night I took the decision to end my stint as head coach of the Dutch national team,”
The Knowledge has been released, addressing the question of high-scoring non-Golden Boot winners.
Here are the 2026 standings:
Another managerial departure is that of Ecuador’s charismatic Sebastian Beccacece, whose contract was set to expire. “We all shared the dream of making history at this World Cup, but we fell short. No one is more disappointed by that than I am. As head coach, the responsibility ultimately rests with me” he noted.
“We find this appalling, and we will file a case with Meld Online Discriminatie [Report Online Discrimination],”
“Once a report is filed, their legal staff assess whether the statement constitutes a punishable offence. This can lead to a formal complaint being lodged with the public prosecution service, which may then initiate a criminal investigation.”
“I have no complaints, only gratitude to the people and the players,” he remarked. “I received so much gratitude and affection from the bottom of my heart. The boys gave me two beautiful hours after the match and that’s what we’re left with.”
In other news, Ronald Koeman has resigned as the Netherlands manager. After initially expressing defiance following his team’s elimination by Morocco on Monday, the 68-year-old announced his departure late Tuesday.
“Last night I took the decision to end my stint as head coach of the Dutch national team,” Koeman stated in an Instagram post. “We all shared the dream of making history at this World Cup, but we fell short. No one is more disappointed by that than I am. As head coach, the responsibility ultimately rests with me.”
Sadly, the Dutch exit was marred by racist abuse directed at players who missed penalty kicks during the shootout in Monterrey. Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber, and Crysencio Summerville faced discriminatory and hateful remarks on social media. “We find this appalling, and we will file a case with Meld Online Discriminatie [Report Online Discrimination],” the KNVB stated. “Once a report is filed, their legal staff assess whether the statement constitutes a punishable offense. This can lead to a formal complaint being lodged with the public prosecution service, which may then initiate a criminal investigation.”
Greetings to all, and welcome to day 21, reflecting on a day that rekindles the love for the World Cup despite its darker elements. Many fans were young when France last showcased such brilliance on the global stage, reminiscent of their glory days with Platini, Tigana, and Giresse four decades ago. This current French squad is not only displaying flair but also a ruthlessness and efficiency, establishing them as favorites. This was evident in New York, where they convincingly defeated Sweden with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice and Michael Olise, arguably the tournament’s standout player, orchestrating the play.
Meanwhile, Mexico overwhelmed Ecuador in a memorable match at the iconic Azteca Stadium, where a vibrant crowd cheered passionately for the co-hosts, who displayed none of their typical knockout round nerves, setting up a clash with either the Democratic Republic of Congo or England.
As for England, they are facing scrutiny after lackluster performances against Ghana and Panama. A spirited DRC will introduce new challenges. We will provide extensive coverage leading up to their round of 32 match in Atlanta, the first of today’s games at 5 PM BST/12 noon local time.
Feel free to share your thoughts, and in the meantime, here are yesterday’s match reports:
- World Cup 2026
- World Cup
