Read for 2 minutes20 June 2026 12:35 PM IST Although Rafina’s injury is a concern, Brazil will gain strength The return of Neymar Against Scotland in their last group stage match on 25 June. The former Barcelona and PSG forward’s availability was confirmed by manager Carlo Ancelotti after Brazil’s 3-0 win over Haiti. The 34-year-old is recovering from a calf strain and last played for Santos in Brazil’s top flight on May 17. “Neymar will train individually tomorrow and on Monday he will train with the rest of the team,” Ancelotti said in his post-match press conference. “He will be

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A bowl of lemonade sits in Mauricio Pochettino’s office. Not for decoration. Not for nutrition. for protection. A vibration man, he believes that lemons absorb bad energy. “Of course, 100 per cent,” Pochettino said on The Overlap when Gary Neville asked if he really felt that way. “You need to understand nature. If you’re not connected to nature, it’s difficult. I really believe they have the power to attract bad energy.” Lemons followed him throughout his managerial career – from Tottenham to Chelsea and now into the United States national team setup. Over the years, he has been regarded as

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The gray stone steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 72 to be exact, lead up to the iconic “Rocky Statue”. The fictional Rocky Balboa character played by Sylvester Stallone in the eponymous film is bronzed in his signature two-fisted victory pose. Tourists reenact the famous scene where Rocky, looking for his comeback, winds up the stairs, bloodshot eyes and the eternal sports anthem, Tiger’s survivor’s voice playing in the background. But sports fans are wary of visiting the site; They are careful not to put jerseys or flags on him. The Rocky Curse has created fear in their hearts.

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Even in the less dazzling goals of his World Cup hat-trick, Lionel Messi’s genius was quietly at work. One needed to look closely. At first glance, his second goal comes across as a plain vanilla poacher’s strike – a simple tap-in from a few meters out of the goalkeeper’s position. Only a second glance, ideally in slow motion, reveals a layer of intrigue in this seemingly open and closed target. On the frame of the goalkeeper sprawled on the ground, watching the ball helplessly to his left after his futile full-length desperate dive to his right, was Messi’s signature in

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Read 4 minutesUpdated: June 19, 2026 06:29 PM IST Iran made a confident start to the FIFA World Cup earlier this week with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their Group G encounter in Los Angeles, while Mehdi Taremi’s side had to leave Los Angeles within three hours of the match to travel to their training base in Mexico. With the USA government imposing travel restrictions on the Iranian team, it means the Asian nation’s team will have to return to Mexico after their matches at the World Cup. As Iran faces Belgium in its next group match in

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Brazil vs Haiti FIFA World Cup 2026 Live Score: Follow BRA vs HAI live score updates. (AP) Brazil vs Haiti FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Today Live Score: Bidding for a record-extending sixth title, Brazil are back in action in Group C of the FIFA World Cup 2026 when they take on Haiti at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday. After a disappointing 1-1 draw in the first match against MoroccoThe five-time champions will be eager to register their maiden victory in the tournament. The task ahead of them, however, looks relatively straightforward on paper. A 7-1 defeat in

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Read 4 minutes19 Jun 2026 07:06 PM IST Hosts USA opened their FIFA World Cup campaign with a 4-1 win over Paraguay in their opening Group D encounter in Los Angeles earlier this month. Mauricio Pochettino’s team’s 4-1 win in their opening match was the most goals scored in a World Cup match since the USA beat Belgium 4-2 in the 1930 FIFA World Cup. This meant that it was the biggest victory for the USA men’s team in a FIFA World Cup match since the 1930 edition. The 54-year-old Pochettino, who made 20 appearances for Argentina and oversaw Tottenham

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Read 4 minutesMumbai19 Jun 2026 08:33 PM IST If you spend too much time in line for nachos or hamburgers and get to your seat late, you might miss the impact of rugby on football. In this World Cup, teams have adopted an unusual kick-off move that is both unique and counter-intuitive. This time, it’s not always the good-old gentle pass to a teammate after the referee’s whistle. Leading teams such as France and Morocco, among others, are starting to play with a long curling ball that crosses the side-line. The idea is to kick the ball close to the

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Read 3 minutes19 Jun 2026 08:44 PM IST Coming into the FIFA World Cup, the Spanish squad did not have a single Real Madrid player – a previously unthinkable proposition. But there will be one when the tournament is over, and that creates a lot of discomfort. Defender Marc Cuquerella, a graduate of the Barcelona academy and a player on the Catalan club’s roll until 2020, moved from Chelsea to Real Madrid on the eve of the tournament, surprising most people – along with eight of his national team-mates playing for the Camp Nou club. In fact, Cucurella – who

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Read 3 minutesNew Delhi19 Jun 2026 09:18 PM IST Since each of the 48 competing teams has played at least once in the FIFA World Cup 2026, the starting markers have been created. Speed, as always, is a particular attraction and expect the likes of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to be in the conversation. Accordingly, none of them are at the top BBC-Quoted official physical tracking data issued by the global governing body. Australia defender Jordan Boss is ranked first with a best speed of 36.7 km/h, achieved during the Socceroos’ 2-0 win over Turkey. The 23-year-old Feyenoord full-back

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