World Cup 2026: Spain v Argentina countdown, Trump to attend final, England news – live

Key events

1h ago

Preamble

I am having a look through the European results last night. Looks like it was a cracking ending in Malta where Faroese side NSÍ Runavík knocked out Hamrun Spartans thanks to a 94th-minute penalty. It was so controversial that the police needed to step in while the referee produced a red card.

Trent Alexander-Arnold said it is “a pleasure” to work with reappointed Real Madrid ⁠manager Jose Mourinho, adding that he has long admired the Portuguese coach and believes he can ⁠help the club ⁠win trophies.

Mourinho ​returned to Real Madrid in June for a second spell after a disappointing campaign last ⁠season in which they missed out on the LaLiga title and were eliminated from the Champions League quarter-finals.

“I ⁠have always admired the coach (Mourinho). I’ve played against him a couple ​of times, and it’s ‌a pleasure to work ‌with him and his team,” Alexander-Arnold said.

“It’s ‌intense. The principles and the level of demand are very high, so I’m looking forward to seeing how, the more we get to know each other, the more we learn and the more he can teach us. And we’re all willing ‌and eager to learn and improve. I’m sure he’ll teach us many things and help us win trophies this ​year.“

Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid from Liverpool last year, endured an injury-hit first season in Spain and did not always command a regular place in the starting line-up, rotating in and out ⁠of the side.

However, the departure of defender Dani Carvajal in ​May has ​opened an opportunity for Alexander-Arnold ​to establish himself as Madrid’s first-choice right-back.

“I’ve been ​out of action ‌for a long ​time, so ​it’s good to finally be back and to lay a solid foundation for a successful season,” the 27-year-old Englishman added. Reuters

James Moriarty writes: “The thing that is really bothering me, in this endless Brave England’s failure autopsy, is this - Tuchel was, until the semi-final, universally praised for making game changing substitutions. Which is all well and good, but it happened seemingly in every game, which surely points to a bigger issue: namely that NONE of his starting line-ups worked, and games were only won by substitutes changing the course of the match. England were staggeringly lucky to get as far as they did, and were the worst of the semi-finalists by a country mile, so perhaps we should all be grateful that Tommy T has spared the embarrassment of getting humbled by Spain in the final.

Anyway, I’m very much looking forward to France Reserves vs Jordan Henderson XI tomorrow.”

I would argue in the world of five substitutions that there is always a plan to throw the ‘finishers’ on. I think the subs against Norway were rather odd, to be honest, too.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will attend the World Cup final to see his country take on reigning champions Argentina, his government said Friday.

Sanchez, a vocal critic of US President Donald Trump – who also plans to attend Sunday’s final in New Jersey – will then travel to Algeria for an official visit. AFP

Club football is back on the agenda but Pitbull will not stop.

Krishnamoorthy asks: “Who does it better, Carlo Ancelotti or Leo Scaloni? Their (lack of) reaction when a winner is scored in the 96th minute is unreal.”

I am an Ancelotti Ultra.

What approach should Tuchel take to the third place game? Try and win it or give everyone some minutes. I think it is fair to give a half each to the goalkeepers, let Watkins and Toney play. Mainoo also deserves time on the pitch.

Donald Trump will attend Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.

“We look forward ⁠to the final match on Sunday, ​and I know ‌the president ‌looks forward to attending,” Leavitt said. “This is a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage.”

Keir Starmer supports the idea of Fifa investigating Argentina players who displayed a banner touting their country’s claim to the Falklands Islands after their World Cup semi-final win against England, Downing Street has said.

Jeff Rueter

As is true for most of La Albiceleste, pulling on the white-and-blue turns Romero into one of 11 bleeding hearts who leave no yard uncovered and no stud unshown for the good of the cause. Partnered with Lisandro Martínez, he is the relative hardman, often the final obstacle between an attacker and Emiliano Martínez. Save for Lionel Messi and the Aston Villa goalkeeper, Romero has arguably been Argentina’s most consistent player en route to their third World Cup final in four tournaments.

Aaron Timms

Over in America, Fox’s World Cup coverage goes under the microscope as it enjoys a final hurrah.

Goodbye to Geoff Shreeves, Fox’s middle-aged Oliver Twist chirruping on the sideline for the approval of his American masters. Goodbye to Tom Rinaldi, to his pocket squares and his “lyrical” meditations on balls and planets and stars or whatever. Goodbye to Chef Nick, now forced to rein in the extravagance of his early contributions (kangaroo corndogs, fufu chicken tikka masala) in the face of the tournament’s gastronomically subdued final four. And goodbye to Jameis Winston, the Fox fan correspondent, whose distressingly antic and sweaty stadium dispatches gave him the unvarying appearance of a man being electrocuted in the middle of a baptism.

We shall begin with the latest coming out of the England camp.

Thomas Tuchel is sticking about. Maybe he will download Football Manager and avoid the temptation of going Ultra Defensive.

Unsurprisingly, the players were a bit bemused by the tactics that saw them crash out.

Barney Ronay points out the bigger problems facing England than nonsensical subs.

Why everything went wrong … in numbers.

Preamble

We can all be sure that the England postmortem will continue for a little while longer, even if there is the pointless nature of the bronze medal match on Saturday to look forward to. Thomas Tuchel’s bizarre substitutions have seemingly not cost him his job, so we cannot drag that conversation out much longer.

Hopefully, the more interesting stuff on this fine Friday is getting excited about the final. Lionel Messi v Lamine Yamal and all that jazz. It should be a fascinating encounter between one very good team and an excellent one, you can decide which is which.

We will bring you all the latest and probably chuck in a few curve balls too.