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Lamine Yamal got Spain back on track during an eventful Sunday at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After Spain’s blowout win, Iran earned a hard-fought point against Belgium and Cape Verde gave Uruguay a brief scare with its first-ever World Cup goal. Here is everything you might have missed on Day 11 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Spain vs. Saudi Arabia Belgium vs. Iran Uruguay vs. Cape Verde New Zealand vs. Egypt BEST OF THE DAY Save Of The Day Belgium was in control of Sunday’s matchup against Iran, and the Red Devils looked like the more likely team to break through with a goal. A defining moment in the game came in the 59th minute, when Belgium star Kevin de Bruyne brilliantly controlled a lofted pass from Leandro Trossard near the touchline. He played a pass into the box, where left back Maxim De Cuyper eventually put a shot on goal that Beiranvand got a strong hand on. Seven minutes later, the game changed when Belgium center back Nathan Ngoy was sent off. Iran stayed defensively strong and got its second draw of the tournament ahead of its final game of the tournament next week against Egypt. Assist Of The Day Mikel Oyarzabal’s amazing first 25 minutes finished with a tap-in finish at the back post after a great passing sequence that saw the ball not touch the ground. Right back Pedro Porro played a pass to the far post, which Marc Cucurella played toward the center of the box, where Olmo kept the ball in the air with his head. From there, it landed right at Oyarzabal’s foot for an easy finish. Goal Of The Day Cape Verde’s first-ever World Cup goal was scored in style. Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur committed a foul about 30 yards away from goal in the middle of the field. Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera put two players in his defensive wall, although it proved hugely ineffective. Pina stepped up and smashed a shot through the wall that moved away from Muslera and snuck inside the post. It was a great hit from the Cape Verde-born midfielder that shocked Miami Stadium. Moment Of The Day Spain’s 18-year-old phenom came on for the final quarter of the team’s 0-0 draw against Cape Verde to open the tournament. He looked lively but could not break through. It took him 10 minutes to get the ball into the back of the net against Saudi Arabia. Spain attacker Mikel Oyarzabal held up possession on the left wing and then played a brilliant ball into the back post, where Yamal slid in to tuck the ball home. It was a great moment for the player who we ranked as the No. 1 player at the World Cup, as well as a signal that Spain is still a serious contender.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup continues on Monday as Groups I and J enter their second match day following a dramatic opening round. All four matches across these two groups ended with decisive outcomes, meaning the field enters the day cleanly split in half. Four teams enter riding high with three points, looking to secure a spot in the Round of 32, while the remaining four enter the match day with zero points, desperately fighting to keep their tournament dreams alive. Argentina and Austria open the match day in Dallas, where a battle between opening-day winners will determine who sits in the driver’s seat in Group J. Attention then turns to Philadelphia as France faces Iraq, with the current betting favorites Les Bleus aiming to advance with a game to go. The third match takes us to New York New Jersey Stadium, where Norway, led by Erling Haaland, look to maintain their form against African powerhouse Senegal, who enter seeking their first three points of the tournament. Finally, the nightcap features Jordan and Algeria meeting in San Francisco Bay Area, as both sides look to rebound from opening-day losses and avoid an early exit. When: Monday, June 22, 1 p.m. ET Where: Dallas TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One There’s a lot at stake as Argentina takes on Austria on Monday at Dallas Stadium, with both teams tied atop Group J with three points each. The winner of this game secures a clear path to advance to the Round of 32. Argentina enters this match in elite form after a dominant 3-0 drubbing of Algeria in their opener. The defending champions controlled the tempo from the first whistle, showcasing clinical control. Argentina’s icon Lionel Messi was the story of the night, turning back the clock to score his first hat trick at a World Cup and instantly tying the men’s all-time World Cup goals record. For Austria, confidence is sky-high after securing a commanding 3-1 victory against World Cup debutants, Jordan. Marking their highly anticipated return to the World Cup stage in 28 years, Austria hopes the form can carry over against the defending champions, but the European side will face an uphill battle. Austria enters this game as the underdogs, despite a convincing win in their opener. Both teams will be eager to dictate the rhythm, but Argentina’s world-class depth and big-game pedigree give them the upper hand if they can sustain their form. Player to Watch The legendary playmaker provided a masterclass in the opening match, scoring all three goals to single-handedly engineer a flawless start for the reigning champions. Arriving in Dallas in peak tournament form, Messi’s vision, explosive spatial awareness, and lethal precision in the final third will be Argentina’s primary weapon to unlock Austria’s rigid defensive structure. When: Monday, June 22, 5 p.m. ET Where: Philadelphia TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One France enters this match following a convincing 3-1 victory over Senegal. The two-time world champions looked characteristically smooth and dangerous as the game progressed, as their elite attacking pedigree was on full display in the second half. France controlled the tempo and dictated play for large stretches, spearheaded by superstar Kylian Mbappé, who netted two goals. Didier Deschamps faces the enviable task of managing his deep squad rotation to provide fresh attacking options and dynamic support in the final third. Iraq enters coming off a bruising 4-1 defeat against Norway where the prominent Norwegian attack led to defensive lapses that ultimately cost them all three points. Iraq did get on the board against Norway, as Aymen Hussein’s header briefly equalized, but they did not have the same attacking quality to keep pace with Norway. While Iraq’s backline will face yet another monumental challenge trying to contain a highly talented and in-form French frontline. France remains heavily favored to advance, but a failure to claim a decisive win here would make their final group match a high-pressure scenario. Player to Watch The phenomenal forward remains the explosive heartbeat of France’s star-studded frontline. After a strong outing in France’s opening fixture where he bagged a brace, Mbappé will look to get on the scoresheet again in Philadelphia. Mbappé finds himself in a battle for both the World Cup Golden Boot and the title of all-time World Cup goalscorer with Lionel Messi, who tied Miroslav Klose’s record with 16 goals, Mbappé isn’t too far behind though, with 14 World Cup goals to his name. When: Monday, June 22, 8 p.m. ET Where: New York/New Jersey TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One Norway looks to lock up a spot in the knockout stage on Monday when they face one of the giants of African football, Senegal, at New York New Jersey Stadium. Norway, who qualified for their first World Cup since 1998, displayed the nation’s offensive depth in a 4-1 rout of Iraq. The European side was clinical in transition, unleashing world-class scoring options to pick apart Iraq’s defense. Having cruised through UEFA qualifying with a perfect 8W-0D-0L record, their opening tournament statement proved that their offensive potency has translated seamlessly despite the entire squad making their World Cup debut. Norway enters this continental clash in position to seize control of Group I before a highly anticipated group finale against France. Senegal enters this match with immense pressure after suffering a defeat to two-time World Cup champion, France. Norway will enter as favorites, but Senegal will look to salvage their tournament ambitions. In order to do so, Senegal will likely need a flawless defensive display, but dealing with Norway’s physical frontline for a full 90 minutes will test their squad’s depth. Player to Watch Prior to the tournament, one question surrounding the 25-year-old Manchester City striker was whether his success at the club level would translate on the biggest stage. After his two-goal performance against Iraq, the world can consider that question answered. If Senegal cannot deny Haaland service, he will be in prime position to lead Norway into the Round of 32. When: Monday, June 22, 11 p.m. ET Where: San Francisco Bay Area TV: FS1 Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One After an incredibly decisive opening round of fixtures in Group J, Jordan and Algeria meet at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium for Monday’s nightcap. With both sides sitting on zero points, a winner of this matchup will resurrect their knockout stage dreams while a loser faces near-certain elimination. Jordan proved they can compete on the world stage, even briefly equalizing in the second half, in a 3-1 opening loss to Austria. Jordan’s defensive lapses late in the second half ultimately were the difference as Austria’s next two goals came from an own goal and a penalty. If Jordan can clean up their mistakes from the opener, they could earn the nation’s first three points in tournament history. However, they also need their offense to take the next step in order to have a chance to escape the group stage. Algeria enters on the receiving end of a 3-0 defeat against reigning world champions Argentina. Despite the side’s best efforts, Algeria was completely dismantled by Lionel Messi’s timeless masterclass. Despite the big loss, Algeria’s experienced, European-based squad knows they must immediately flush the loss in order to give themselves a chance to advance. Algeria could present a much more physical defensive challenge for Jordan’s frontline than Austria provided. With both sides’ entire tournament lives hanging in the balance, expect a highly emotional and aggressive battle where a single mistake could decide who stays alive. Player to Watch The forward, who plays for Qatari club Al-Sailiya SC, etched his name forever into Jordanian sporting folklore by scoring the nation’s debut World Cup goal against Austria. Olwan’s off-the-ball movement, work rate, and direct running will be tested heavily against a highly motivated Algerian backline. If his midfield can provide clean service, Olwan has the form and can provide the confidence to lead Jordan to its first win in tournament history.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

On Sunday in Los Angeles, 10-man Belgium huffed and puffed and just about managed to escape with a 1-1 draw against a defiant Iran, as both of these teams met in their first encounter on the international stage. And once again, it was a goalkeeper who stole the headlines. But it’s not the one you think. The beginning of the match saw relentless pressure from the Red Devils, but Iran held on, and every so often it even created counter-attacking opportunities, especially from set pieces. In fact, it was only the offside call that took away a smart Iranian free kick after catching Belgium napping. The warning signs were definitely there for Rudy Garcia’s men, and it turned into desperation after Nathan Ngoy received a red card in the 65th minute after fouling Iran’s captain Mehdi Taremi. After that, a less-than-par performance turned into a calamitous one as the European side fought to salvage a draw. For Iran, it was a magnificent display of defensive will and resilience and, at time of writing, it is the west Asian side who leads Group G until at least later in the evening when New Zealand faces Egypt. For Belgium, its disappointing World Cup campaign continues. 1. Heroic Defense From Beiranvand And Iran Iran’s strategy was to form a low-block tactic, placing five men at the back. Aside from that, there was protection from its midfield, so at any Belgian opportunity in the final third that Belgium, Amir Ghalenoei’s team was there to shut it down. It also did a smart thing by only limiting Belgium to crossing from deep areas and by the time the ball reached Iran’s box, there was plenty of protection to clear it. It even had a fantastic chance in the 53rd minute after Alireza Jahanbakhsh launched a throw-in to captain Mehdi Taremi, who delivered a tremendous volley, forcing Thibaut Courtois to make a quintessential stop. Then, in the 58th minute, Alireza Beiranvand made a ridiculously impressive save of his own from close range to deny a close effort from Maxim De Cuyper. He did it again from the same player in the 85th minute. He was simply tremendous throughout the game. A brave, deserved point from Iran, which probably should have been three after Ngoy’s sending off. 2. Lukaku Can’t Lead This Line From The Start Romelu Lukaku, limited this past season with Napoli but returned to the national team’s starting XI after playing a pivotal factor in his team’s 1-1 draw against Egypt, was caught up in a controversial decision early on. The 33-year-old forward aggressively collided with Beiranvand after attempting to score inside the box. Lukaku missed and ended up hurting the keeper, but the argument here is that it was a 50-50 battle, and he had every right to go for the ball, despite hurting the stopper. As a result, he only received a yellow, but some thought that it should have been a sending off. Regardless, he stayed on and, quite honestly, he provided very little. You can just see that his lack of mobility hurt Belgium because it was easier to mark him or protect the goal. He had a great opportunity in the second half but was too slow to turn and finish. Belgium needs a mobile attacker. Someone who can create more problems for Iran—or any opponent. Lukaku, the legendary Belgian forward, sadly isn’t it right now. 3. Belgian Fans Should Be Worried Belgium once again produced a flat performance. In fact, it is probably one of the most uninspiring teams at this World Cup when you consider the players at Garcia’s disposal. It was hopeful rather than clinical. Nervous rather than willing. Part of it was also the strategy, where Kevin de Bruyne is asked to do so much, playing right behind the striker but with no cohesion. Youri Tielemans, who had a magnificent season with Aston Villa, was very quiet and the disconnected lines between midfield and attack were very evident. 4. Jeremy Doku’s Absence Was Obvious The Manchester City winger did not play due to illness (it was not because of the other talking point where he was unjustly criticized for aiming to leave camp in order to be present at the birth of his first child) and when he is not in the lineup, Belgium is extremely one dimensional. Doku is wonderful when going forward, causing headaches against his opposing defenders due to his direct runs and Belgium just don’t have enough of those weapons. When he doesn’t play, the drop in attacking quality is severely noticeable. 4 ½. What’s Next There is all to play for on the final match day of Group G as Belgium will head to Vancouver for a massive match against New Zealand on Friday night at 11 p.m. ET, whilst Iran faces Egypt at the same time.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Lamine Yamal has arrived on the FIFA World Cup stage. Spain’s superstar winger, who turns 19 next month, scored a goal in the 10th minute of his country’s 4-0 Group H victory over Saudi Arabia on Sunday. It was Yamal’s first career World Cup goal in what was also his first World Cup start and second appearance in the tournament altogether. Yamal came off the bench in Spain’s shock June 15 draw against Cape Verde, as he was dealing with a hamstring injury. While he only played one half against Saudi Arabia for the same reason, it was all that Spain needed from him. “The difference from the first game and today was, I would say, Yamal because he brings something that I think nobody else has, they creativity,” Zlatan Ibrahimović opined after Spain’s win. “He only played 45 minutes, but everybody knows that when you play against Spain, you have to watch out; they’re the European champions.” But what is it that makes Yamal special? “The creativity,” World Cup winner Thierry Henry said of Yamal, who plays at Barcelona just as Henry did. “He’s the sort of guy that thinks the game. He does things differently. He will attract different people, find different ways with his dribbling, passing and the aura that he has. He knows when to go and when not to go and stop the rhythm of the game sometimes, assisting goals.”To talk about him, we know we’re talking about Spain today, obviously, but also at Barcelona, when he doesn’t play, it’s on the same team. When you have Lamine Yamal on your team, anything can happen.” Yamal has spent the last four seasons playing for Barcelona in LaLiga, with whom he finished first in the league in three of those seasons (2022-23, 2024-25 and 2025-26). Last season (2025-26), Yamal totaled 16 goals, 11 assists and knocked through three penalty kicks, which were all career highs. Prior to becoming a fixture for Barcelona, Yamal was part of La Masia, Barcelona’s youth academy, since 2014; Yamal ultimately made his debut for the club in April 2023, when he was just 15. Next up for Yamal and Spain (1W-1D-0L) is a June 26 showdown against Uruguay (0W-1D-0L), which is both countries’ final match of the group stage.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

It came down to a last-lap shootout at the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America. When the dust had settled following a hectic final lap, it was Christian Lundgaard outlasting the field to take the checkered flag following 55 laps and 223 miles of high-octane action in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The Winner Is … Christian Lundgaard, who took the lead with four laps remaining and didn’t look back, despite a late caution giving the field one final shot at trying to catch up to him. Alas, Lundgaard was too strong and was in the first stop when one final caution came out to end the race. It was the No. 7 Arrow McLaren driver’s second win of the season — the first time in his career he has multiple wins in the same season. How The Race Was Won Marcus Armstrong appeared to be in the driver’s seat for the victory with four laps remaining. But then trouble happened. With Lundgaard trying to make up ground on the first-place driver, Armstrong suffered an engine issue, allowing Lundgaard to pass into the top spot, which he would not relinquish. Top 10 Results What’s Next? The INDYCAR Series takes a week off before hitting the track again Sunday, July 5 for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The race takes place at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

For Father’s Day, our resident goalkeeping father-son duo sat down to talk about the evolution of goalkeepers. Both Kasper and Peter Schmeichel won the Premier League, and they both represented Denmark as the starting goalkeeper at their World Cups. They have seen it all and have been two of the best goalkeepers in the world during their respective eras. Normally, they keep their keeper talk with each other to their native Danish, but we were lucky enough to get them to go long in English. During the 2026 World Cup, Peter, 62, and Kasper, 39, sat down and discussed many topics about their position on the pitch. Here is what stood out. This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity. On The Evolution Of Gloves And Balls: Peter: Growing up as a goalkeeper, we didn’t have gloves, so gloves came into the game around the time I became a senior player — 18 years of age. I got my first pair of gloves when I was 18. I did use garden gloves in the winter because it was cold, but they didn’t do anything other than keep you relatively warm. That was a good thing because your catching technique was improved, and then, of course, gloves came in, and it was a little bit weird to begin with, and the quality of the gloves wasn’t great. You had to buy them yourself, relatively expensive, and then you know the foam started to wear off very, very quickly. You looked at this, you knew you couldn’t afford a new pair until six months later. So I opted a few times, even when I was a senior player, to play without gloves. With the catching and all that — your basic technique was a lot better, but I like to throw the ball. So throwing the ball without gloves made it more accurate, and I could throw it longer. And then, of course, gloves came into the game, and the evolution of that improved, and of course, by the time I started to become a professional player, you couldn’t play without [them]. Kasper: I would investigate exactly the altitude we were playing in. I’d see what type of pitch it was. I’d be going to the referees to make sure they watered the pitch. I’d be training with the ball for a long time beforehand. I’d make sure which gloves it was, because I took a pair of gloves out of the packet, and they were ready to go. I use the Vaseline trick. So for people that don’t know, most goalkeepers these days — they’ll have Vaseline on their gloves because Vaseline dries it out a little bit, but it gives incredible grip on certain balls. This ball, the World Cup ball, it works great when it’s wet. It works great when it’s dry. If you use a Premier League ball, it works great when it’s wet, not great when it’s dry. So, if you’re in a drier condition, you do one thing. If you’re in wet conditions, you do another thing. On Conditioning And Coaching Changes Over The Years: Kasper: When you were with the national teams, that was when you had three coaches, and I actually found that I didn’t enjoy the three. I enjoyed it when we had a big group of goalkeepers, because I felt I could learn from others. I’d always watch and see what I could learn, but I felt we could make things more realistic. I watched a lot of the stuff you did. It was very much repetition. You always talk to me about repetition, repetition, repetition, about catching. So, my pre-training work would be kicking the ball up against the wall, just catching, just practicing all the time so it became muscle memory. Now, goalkeeper coaching has changed a lot. You’ve watched me train, I’ve watched you train, and it’s slightly different. So, how was it different when you played? Peter: When I became a professional football player, we only had one coach. We didn’t have an assistant coach. It was one coach and no goalkeeping coach on full-time, but I had a guy that I saw twice a week. Now, this philosophy is that everything you do as a goalkeeper, training should be away from the team. The team should never see you do that. Taking part in everything that the outfield players are doing is important, because it is a team at the end of the day, and they need to trust you in every department of football. On Game-Changing Keepers Manuel Neuer And Ederson: Kasper: In my world, there are three people that change goalkeeping forever, you being the first. You brought in a certain style. The way you changed the game, it was the domination of the box, and it was the fast counterattacks. Then we had Manuel Neuer in 2014 with the sweeper keeper, and then we had Ederson playing with the feet. I’d be really interested to hear your thoughts about Neuer and Ederson. How do you see them? I have my view of them. What’s your view of those two and how they transformed goalkeeping? Peter: [The] first time I saw Neuer live, he played for Schalke against Manchester United, and he played a blinder. He made an incredible save right at the death of the game, which knocked Manchester United out that day. … I’m looking, and I think, ‘Whoa, this guy.’ For a couple of years, I tried to persuade [former Manchester United manager] Alex Ferguson to sign him, because I saw him, and I wanted somebody to continue what I did. I felt it was really important that we had somebody who could do the same things: control the box, get the team to play higher up the pitch, find those channels [going forward] when need be. And he had this young lad here, absolutely fantastic. Ederson is taking playing with your feet to the next level. I’ve never seen anything like that. On Their Approach To Penalty Shootouts: Kasper: For me, it was always about control. We actually used a mentalist, a guy that guesses things that you’re thinking, but they’re putting it in your head. So, we actually asked one of those to see what we can actually do to influence a taker, and it would be things like over emphasizing certain words. In a VAR situation when the referee is out checking, I had a chance to talk to the taker. I’d overemphasize words like over or right or left, or try to do different things that they kind of taught us to look for. Can I get some kind of influence? We had faced a penalty against Peru in the World Cup 2018. I kept overemphasizing the word over, “Don’t hit this over,” all these kinds of things, emphasizing the word over. Whether it made a difference, I don’t know. But by the way, yeah, the ball is still going. Peter: I ended up in quite a few penalty shootouts, and I always thought, “I have no control here,” so I needed to gain a little bit of control. All this play-acting and trying to get that was not for me. How do I get control? Well, the whistle blows after extra time. It’s gone. I know it’s a penalty shootout. I haven’t got a clue who the five will be. I don’t know whenever they step up, which foot they’re going to hit it with. I don’t know where they’re gonna hit it. I don’t know what height and then what pace. So, how do I get control in that situation? Well, I always make my mind up. “OK, I’m facing five penalties today. I’m going to go two to the left, one to the right, one to the left, and one to the right,” and I would stick by that. That’s my lottery. On Where The Goalkeeper Position Is Headed Next: Kasper: The times are changing all the time now. Football is going in trends. What does the next goalkeeper look like? For me, we’re now seeing players coming out of academies that are being released that aren’t maybe good enough to be outfield, and they’re looking at their physical profile and saying, “Can we transform them to be goalkeepers?” Because we’ve had the big, tall goalkeepers that were very dominant in the air. We went to some of the smaller ones, very good with their feet. Now, with the set pieces back again, we’re going to the slightly taller ones. So, I’m looking at it, thinking we’re going to see a mixture between a Neuer, [Real Madrid and Belgian keeper] Thibaut Courtois and an Ederson. We’re looking for 6-foot-4 guys, 6-foot-6 guys that can do that. Peter: I think the requirement of being able to control your box better is going to come back in. You always have to look at someone like Pep Guardiola, what he’s thinking. So, when he brought [Italian keeper] Gianluigi Donnarumma to Manchester City, it was because of Arsenal’s dominance on set pieces. So, he also brought Abdukodir Khusanov in, who’s a big tall guy. He started to play Nico O’Reilly, who’s even taller. He also had Rúben Dias, Erling Harland — big, tall players. When you contrast that to the team that he’d had at Barcelona, when nobody was more than 150, 175 centimeters, they were small guys, very quick on their feet. He’s thinking, “Well, now we have somebody thinking on set pieces, we can now take advantage and score goals. Well, I’m going to contract that. I’m going to put some big guys in there, so you don’t have a chance.” In that, you encourage your goalkeepers to actually come out and punch the ball or catch the ball. And I don’t think, at the moment, in the Premier League, there’s anyone better than Donnarumma. It doesn’t look like you know he’s got it under control, but trust me, he has. He gets out there for every ball, and he just punches it away, big, strong. … Now, when everyone [is] focusing so much on set pieces, I think it becomes more important that a goalkeeper can actually come out and punch the ball or catch it. And I think because of the other thing you said, are we going to see more long balls? I think we’re going to see a lot more direct play, as we’ve already seen in this World Cup, which I really, really do welcome.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Spain got its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign back on track with an easy 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Sunday at Atlanta Stadium. Spain opened its tournament with a shock scoreless draw against Cape Verde that saw it enter the second match day with just one point. Now, Spain is in the driver’s seat in Group H with four points and four goals to its name. Here are four takeaways from the match: 1. Yamal Isn’t 100%. It Doesn’t Matter. Spain superstar Lamine Yamal got the start against Saudi Arabia on Sunday after coming on as a substitute in its opening match against Cape Verde. While it’s clear that the 18-year-old still has some rust to shake off after he missed the final weeks of the season with a torn left hamstring, he is such a difference-maker for Spain that, for now, it doesn’t matter. Yamal opened his World Cup account with a goal in his second-ever appearance at the tournament and his first-ever start. He is the eighth-youngest player to score at the World Cup, surpassing Lionel Messi with his 10th-minute goal. Yes, there were moments Yamal didn’t look like himself — three of his five shots on goal were off-target, and he only completed two of his six attempted crosses — but that’s expected to come with time. And if that time comes, Spain will be a tough team to beat. 2. Spain Is More Fun When Oyarzabal Shows Up Coming into the tournament, the No. 9 position was the biggest area of concern for Spain (as it has been since the days of David Villa and Fernando Torres), and Mikel Oyarzabal did nothing to dispel those concerns in Spain’s opening match, becoming the first player in recorded World Cup history to play the first 30 minutes of a match without touching the ball once. Maybe it was the strength of the opponent, but Oyarzabal looked like a completely different player — the one that Spain needs — against Saudi Arabia. He scored his first goal in the 21st minute after plucking the ball out of the air in a crowded area, and his second came just three minutes later on the opposite post, where he scored his first. Spain’s concerns up top are real, but Oyarzabal has proven he’s capable of being a source for goals under manager Luis de la Fuente. As long as he doesn’t lay another egg in this tournament, the surrounding noise should disappear in no time. 3. Rodri Is Back, But Is It For Good? Sunday was the first time that someone watching Spain would be able to tell that a recent Ballon d’Or winner was on its roster. Rodri was a maestro in the midfield against Saudi Arabia, completing 95% of his passes (113-of-119), including 100% of his long balls (6/6), and recovering the ball eight times. Rodri will see tougher opponents as the tournament goes on, with all due respect to Saudi Arabia, but if he can continue stacking these performances, building his confidence and improving his fitness, Spain can reach a level that not even the most optimistic of outlooks could have predicted. 4. Another Exit Looming For Saudi Arabia? Saudi Arabia’s 2022 World Cup was marked by an unbelievable upset win over Argentina, and its 2026 World Cup started with an impressive draw against Uruguay. But just like in 2022, one good showing might not be enough for Saudi Arabia. With its 4-0 loss to Spain, Saudi Arabia enters the final match day of the group stage with one point and an unfavorable goal differential. It’s capable of beating Cape Verde, but so was Spain in its opener. In other words, it’s time to dig deep.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Under a clear Toronto sky in perfect weather conditions, Germany persevered and scored a stoppage time winner, coming from behind to win 2-1 against the Ivory Coast and sealing its place in the Round of 32. The hero? Deniz Undav, as the substitute, made all the difference with a tremendous brace. The four-time World Cup champion and eight-time finalist had a very difficult afternoon against a steel-minded African side, who opened the scoring first thanks to Franck Kessié due to some magic from Yan Diomande. But thanks to a great brace by the substitute Deniz Undav, whose instincts proved to be extremely important, Die Mannschaft made it to the knockout stages for the first time since 2014 – the last time the team won it all. It must be noted that it also now won its 11th straight match in all competitions. Here are my takeaways: 1. Nagelsmann’s Substitutes Paid Off Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, wearing an oversized black tee and looking like he had just came out of an underground art gallery in Williamsburg, made some key decisions in the second half that worked to perfection. Deniz Undav, who plays for Stuttgart, was the key as he replaced Jamal Musiala in the 60th minute and offered a more direct, poaching threat. His first goal came thanks to a cross from Nadiem Amiri’s cross, who also came in as a substitute. Against a strong defensive unit like the Ivory Coast, Nagelsmann knew that eventually, the depth of his squad would offer something different against the tired legs of their opponents, and he was right. 2. Flowers for Felix Nmecha Undav is having quite the tournament, with five goal contributions in less than an hour’s worth of World Cup action. But give some kudos to Borussia Dortmund man Felix Nmecha, who was the best player on the pitch today as he controlled the midfield like a young Michael Ballack. His ability to dribble through pressure and carry the ball is as impressive as his vision. It was his assist that fed Undav’s late winner. A fantastic evening from the 25-year-old star midfielder, who scored in the 7-1 drubbing of Curaçao last week. 3. Despite Loss, Ivory Coast’s Defense Is Strong Despite the loss, I was impressed with Emerse Faé’s tactics and how the Ivory Coast worked without the ball. Their four-man defensive line was in unison and made it hard for the Germans. If you didn’t know this already, this team’s metal-like defending is well known, as this national team qualified for the World Cup without losing a single match and conceded zero goals. It’s diappointing that it conceded the late goal, but there is still a lot more to come from Les Elephants as they still have a shot at second place. The team did get that tough win over Ecuador last week, so there is still all to play for. 4. Diomande Is The Real Deal It’s absolutely not surprising to me that the 19-year-old star – who plays his club football for RB Leipzig in the German Bundesliga – is such a wanted man by many clubs, with Liverpool reportedly leading the race. It’s also not shocking to hear that Leipzig is demanding more than €100 million for his transfer. Diomande is a bolt of lightning, and similar to former Anfield star Luis Díaz in the sense that his ability to penetrate forward is so unpredictable. So again, I can see why Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool wants him so badly. Against Germany, in the first half, he was so good that Nagelsmann had to move Kimmich to the left fullback role until the break in order to see what he had to do to figure him out. It was Diomande’s cross that eventually ended with Kessié for the opener. In the second half, there was less time for him to operate as he now had two players that closed in on him, but once Diallo was substituted, Diomande moved to the right and became more of a threat again. He was quieter, but there is no doubt this is a star in the making. 4 ½. What’s Next Germany will win the group with a point in the last match against Ecuador on Thursday. Ivory Coast’s next match will be massive as it takes on Curaçao with the hope of sealing a spot in the knockout stages.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

SEATTLE STADIUM — Tyler Adams didn’t hesitate. Standing in front of a gaggle of reporters in the bowels of this packed 69,000-seat arena that had just seen the U.S. men’s national team continue what is quickly becoming a glorious 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil — the USA’s 2-0 victory over Australia on a perfectly sunny afternoon marked the first time the Americans have won two straight World Cup games since 1930 — Adams was asked if he’d like play in Thursday’s first round finale vs. Türkiye, at risk of being suspended for the first knockout game should he pick up another yellow card. “I want to play every game, so yeah,” he said. “I managed [to avoid another caution] today, so hopefully I could do it again.” There’s no chance that will happen now. Though beating the Socceroos guaranteed the Stars and Stripes a spot in the knockout stage with a game to spare, Adams couldn’t know at the time the outcome of Friday’s nightcap between the Turks and Paraguay. That match would decide how much the Americans’ next contest even mattered. As it turned out, Paraguay’s 1-0 win clinched Group D for the U.S. regardless of the outcome on Thursday. That means U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino has the rare opportunity to rest his entire starting lineup before the round of 32 if he chooses. Had star attacker Christian Pulisic not been sidelined by a tight left calf in Seattle, Pochettino would’ve rolled out the exact same 11 players in the co-hosts’ first two games. This is the World Cup. Of course, the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager wanted his best players on the field despite the possibility of injury, fatigue and yellow card accumulation. That last one could’ve been particularly vexing. Yellow cards are wiped after the Adams, striker Folarin Balogun, defender Chris Richards and fullback Antonee “Jedi” Robinson were all booked in the Americans’ first two outings. Getting a second group-stage yellow card on Thursday would see them suspended for the Americans’ first elimination match, on July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Accumulated yellow cards are wiped clean after the group stage and after the quarterfinals — but suspensions are not. Even if Pochettino doesn’t admit it when he meets the media on the eve of the next game, it’s now essentially 100 percent guaranteed that he won’t play Adams, Balogun, Richards or Jedi against Türkiye. He can’t. With yellows wiped clean at the conclusion of group play, it’s the only way to ensure that they’re all available for the knockout-round opener. Make no mistake: That game is now everything. Though the vibes in the team and the public right now are “over the roof,” to quote defender Alex Freeman, failing the first do-or-die test would immediately turn this World Cup into a disaster of epic proportions. Making sure that Pulisic can participate when it really counts must be a top priority. Same for Richards, who came into this tournament nursing an ankle injury. The big center back almost certainly wouldn’t have played even if he hadn’t seen yellow in Seattle. There’s also really no reason to use midfielder Weston McKennie, fullback Sergiño Dest, midfielder Malik Tillman or defender and 38-year-old captain Tim Ream in the next match. Keeping the starters as fresh as possible is paramount. So expect plenty of opportunities for others. Premier League starter Brenden Aaronson hasn’t logged a minute of this World Cup yet. Neither have fullback Max Arfsten, center back duo Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson, midfielder Cristian Roldan, goalkeeper Matt Turner or winger Alex Zendejas. Most or even all of them should see some playing time on Thursday, either from the beginning or off the bench as substitutes. If Pochettino wants some continuity, maybe he sticks with goalkeeper Matt Freese rather than throw a bone to Turner, the USA’s No. 1 in 2022. Freese is still relatively green at the highest level, and he just posted the USA’s first clean sheet in 11 tries. Freeman, who scored the Americans’ second goal against the Aussies, is only 21, a physical freak, and seems to get better with each passing game. Surely he can go again if asked. It’s more difficult to make an argument for almost anyone else. In addition to giving the first string more time to recover, playing the understudies would boost morale — especially if they can beat an already eliminated opponent —inside a group that is already clearly flying high. After the U.S. routed two-time World Cup champion Uruguay last November with a lineup that included just three players (Dest, Freeman and Freese) who have started at this World Cup, Pochettino bristled at the notion that this team has “regulars” at all. Yet the fact remains that it’s almost impossible to dole out minutes to everyone at a World Cup, especially since FIFA increased roster sizes to 26 (from 23) four years ago. Pochettino has just been given that luxury. Expect him to take it against Türkiye.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Total Football is here. The first World Cup match of a busy Saturday was a European clash between the Netherlands and Sweden, where the Oranje came out victorious with a commanding, overwhelming 5-1 victory at Houston stadium. The result takes them to the top of Group F, albeit temporarily until Japan faces Tunisia. Ronald Koeman’s side gave an almost-complete performance, winning with confidence and fluidity, and much like the glory days of Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff’s Total Football, it was full of attacking vigor, tenacious play and lots of goals. When this team plays in such a manner, it really elevates its chances of doing something special at this World Cup. That’s not to say Sweden didn’t have its chances, as when the Netherlands lose the ball, they sometimes leave themselves vulnerable. But in the end, the Dutch side deserved its impressive win. Prior to the tournament, in several shows and interviews, I discussed the Netherlands and their legitimate shot of winning it all and, as far back as November, I placed them sixth in my top 10 power rankings for the tournament. Koeman’s great work with this team has been evident for a while now and without anyone realizing, this is a team that is slowly showing that maybe it can do something it has never done: win the World Cup. There’s still a long way to go, but today the Netherlands showed why they are the real deal. Here are my takeaways: 1. Netherlands Channels Total Football Back in the 1970s, the Total Football philosophy created an identity for the Netherlands that essentially became a gift to the world. The concept of fluid positioning, stretching the opponent by making the pitch as wide as possible, collective pressing as well as switching formations mid-game, was a revelation, which took the Dutch to the 1974 World Cup final, before eventually losing to West Germany. Koeman has stated that at this World Cup, the concept of “TF” is difficult because of weather conditions in different cities. But at this stadium in Houston, where it’s fully enclosed, and it has regulated air-conditioning, the freedom to enforce its identity was ever so present. There were so many great examples of players occupying diverse spaces and becoming so threatening when entering the box. Denzel Dumfries, for example, was everywhere on the right wing and even came more central as the Dutch attacked. It was his cross that became the assist for Cody Gakpo. The midfield of Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch were also magnificent, pulling the strings and protecting the center of the pitch. The bench, too, is also full of a dynamic arsenal as Crysencio Summerville came in the second half and scored his second goal of the tournament. Throughout the match, the Netherlands constantly had 8 players inside the box, aiming to pressure Sweden and not allow them to leave its own half. Today in Houston, the Netherlands reminded us why they invented the most influential and attack-minded philosophy in the world …and why it might finally pay off for them. 2. Brobbey And Gakpo Were Brilliant One of the biggest question marks in modern times for the Netherlands — arguably the best team in international football that has never won the World Cup — is that despite the aesthetically pleasing football, it often struggles to find consistent quality upfront. Memphis Depay, the country’s top scorer, is now 32 and not the 90-minute threat he once was. But in Brian Brobbey, they might just have the answer. His physicality, ability to hold up play and be very direct when entering the box was so refreshing to see, as he reminds me so much of the old-school, classic No.9 that has only one thing on his mind: head towards goal and score. Very much like Gerd Müller or Hristo Stoichkov. Gakpo was also brilliant, causing absolute havoc on the left wing, where his timed runs, coupled with his finishing was another weapon where Sweden could find no answers. Both of them got braces. Both of them are key to the Netherlands’ success. 3. Premier League Fully Represented The quality and familiarity between both sides was always going to be there as there were a combined 11 Dutch and Swedish starters who also play in the Premier League, including the Swedish attacking duo of Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres and Liverpool’s Alexander Isak, who was up against his Reds teammate Virgil van Dijk, whilst the aforementioned Brobbey (Sunderland) went up against Aston Villa’s Victor Lindelof, the Sweden captain. Sweden, of course, managed by former Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham manager Graham Potter. On the bench, even more so as Newcastle United’s Anthony Elanga came in later in the match to score Sweden’s only goal of the day. The match, therefore, felt very much like a Premier League encounter, where both sides — notably the Netherlands — didn’t want to do anything else but go forward and take the front foot. But for today, it was Koeman’s side who completely earned the victory. 4. Hydration Break Continues To Be An Issue It was another match where the hydration break was met with boos, and if you’ve read my previous takeaways, you are more than aware that I am vehemently against these breaks because this sport is about rhythm and tempo and for that to happen, it requires 45 minutes of action. This is how we have always known it, and I hope that after this World Cup, we never see these “breaks” again. But I also wrote in a previous column that, for this summer, they are not going anywhere, so managers might as well make use of them by readjusting their strategy. In the first half, Potter did exactly that as Sweden came out of the first break and improved, taking more shots than the Netherlands before the break. In the second half, as Sweden caused a few more problems for the opponent thanks to Anthony Elanga, the break halted the team’s momentum and Koeman took advantage by changing a few things for the Netherlands. This sport, however, is about TWO HALVES. And fans have paid good money to see pause-free action. They have every right to boo and complain about this rule, which hopefully will never see the light of day ever again after this tournament. 4 ½. What’s next The Netherlands will face Tunisia on Thursday in Kansas City with the hope of sealing the group, whilst Sweden has a massive match against Japan at Dallas stadium in Arlington.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports