Football club that appointed José Mourinho as head coach in June 2026 and signed Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
… Before the sudden call from the Ghanaians, it looked as if his long career, including coaching Real Madrid and working as Alex Ferguson’s assistant at Manchester United, had ended, with his last job in Oman, the eighth different country whose national team he had taken charge of. …
Ghana coach Queiroz enters record books at his fifth World Cup in rowJoy Online
… Al Owais made nine saves, including getting down late to tip a fierce stoppage-time effort from Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde round the post. …
World Cup: Uruguay equalise late to deny Saudi Arabia in stifling MiamiJoy Online
… The 24-year-old’s current deal was set to expire in 2028, but the player is now set to remain at Etihad Stadium, ending speculation about a move to La Liga giants Real Madrid and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. …
Gvardiol agrees new Man City deal until 2031Joy Online
… His father had hoped to call him ‘Valdano’, after the Argentine and Real Madrid great Jorge Valdano, but the Cape Verde authorities refused permission. …
The 40-year-old keeper who inspired Cape Verde’s historic debutJoy Online
… The 27-year-old Real Madrid striker has faced scrutiny over both his performances and leadership for club and country, with international team-mate Ousmane Dembele publicly backing him, saying that the criticism had gone “too far”. …
France star Mbappe vows to increase defensive workDaily Guide
… On his 50th appearance for the Selecao, the Real Madrid forward collected a pass from Bruno Guimaraes inside the box, cut onto his right foot and fired an unstoppable effort beyond goalkeeper Yassine Bounou in the 32nd minute. …
Vinicius Rescues Brazil As Morocco Earn Historic World Cup DrawJoy Online
France forward Ousmane Dembele has defended his national team captain, Kylian Mbappe, saying criticism of the Real Madrid striker has gone “too far”. …
Critics of Mbappe have gone ‘too far’, says DembeleJoy Online
… The fact he plays in the pressurised environment of Real Madrid merely serves to fuel the sense that he should start here in the USA. …
Bellingham, but no Guehi – England’s expected teamJoy Online
… Clearly he is not the same player that won the Ballon d’Or and Champions League titles with Real Madrid, but that is sometimes hard to tell when he is still pulling the strings for Croatia. …
Croatia World Cup 2026 team guideJoy Online
Real Madrid have confirmed the reappointment of Jose Mourinho as head coach. The 63-year-old has agreed a three-year deal and will begin work when the squad return for pre-season training on 13 July. …
Real Madrid bring back Mourinho on three-year dealKylian Mbappé became France's all-time leading goal scorer with a double as Les Bleus beat Senegal in their World Cup opener in New Jersey. Mbappé's second goal, a long-range effort in stoppage time, lifted him to 58 goals for France, one clear of former record holder Olivier Giroud.
4 hours ago · The Ghanaian Times →
Kylian Mbappé became France's all-time leading goal scorer with a double as Les Bleus beat Senegal in their World Cup opener in New Jersey. Mbappé's second goal, a long-range effort in stoppage time, lifted him to 58 goals for France, one clear of former record holder Olivier Giroud.
4 hours ago · The Ghanaian Times →
Jude Bellingham said external pressure over his England selection may help him perform at his best during the World Cup. The 22-year-old started against Croatia and scored England's third goal in a 4-2 win, saying he felt "fresh and sharp" after a tougher season marked by injury and his club Real Madrid finishing eight points behind Barcelona.
15 hours ago · Joy Online →
Midfielder Bernardo Silva, 31, has joined Real Madrid on a two-year contract after leaving Manchester City following a nine-year spell. Silva becomes Real's second summer signing as a free transfer.
15 hours ago · Joy Online →
Former England captain John Terry, now a SuperSport FIFA World Cup analyst, believes England have a genuine opportunity to win the 2026 World Cup, citing a strong squad and the importance of keeping Harry Kane fit. England begin their campaign against Croatia on Wednesday, 17 June.
22 hours ago · Joy Online →
Tunisia have terminated head coach Sabri Lamouchi's contract by mutual agreement following the side's 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening World Cup 2026 fixture. Former Morocco and Saudi Arabia manager Herve Renard has been appointed to lead Tunisia for the remainder of the tournament.
17 June 2026 · The Chronicle →
Referee Alireza Faghani declined to award a penalty when Kylian Mbappe went down in the box during France's match against Senegal at the World Cup, ruling that Mbappe had initiated contact. The decision drew criticism from former elite referees and broadcasters, with Darren Cann reporting that several world-class referees contacted him unable to understand the non-call. France ultimately won 3-1 with Mbappe scoring twice.
16 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Kylian Mbappe scored twice as France beat Senegal 3–1 in their World Cup opener, with his second goal lifting him to 58 goals for Les Bleus, surpassing Olivier Giroud's former record.
16 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has been appointed head coach of AC Milan on a two-year contract to replace Massimiliano Allegri. The 41-year-old Portuguese coach will forego remaining pay from Manchester United following his January dismissal.
16 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The 41-year-old has agreed to replace Massimiliano Allegri and is expected to sign a two-year contract later this week. Amorim is reportedly forgoing his remaining Manchester United salary following his dismissal in January.
16 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
Spanish left-back Marc Cucurella has completed a transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid for an initial £47.5 million plus potential add-ons, becoming José Mourinho's first signing. Cucurella will officially join Madrid after the 2026 FIFA World Cup after four years at Chelsea, signing a six-year contract.
16 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
Carlos Queiroz will match the record of five consecutive World Cup tournaments as a coach when Ghana begin their Group L campaign against Panama on Wednesday, continuing a run that began with Portugal in 2010 and included three successive tournaments with Iran in 2014, 2018, and 2022. Queiroz was appointed Ghana coach in April after Otto Addo was fired.
16 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Uruguay's Maxi Araujo scored in the final 10 minutes to earn a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in a World Cup Group H match, denying the Saudis a second successive opening-game victory after their 2022 win over Argentina. Uruguay dominated with 28 shots on goal.
16 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Defender Josko Gvardiol has agreed a new contract with Manchester City until summer 2031, extending his previous deal that was set to expire in 2028, and ending speculation about moves to Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
15 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, earned player-of-the-match honours as his country achieved a 0-0 draw against World Cup favourites and European champions Spain at Atlanta Stadium. Vozinha, emotional after the result, credited his family and his team's unity as their greatest strengths.
15 June 2026 · Joy Online →
France captain Kylian Mbappé has pledged to increase his defensive efforts as the two-time world champions begin their World Cup campaign against Senegal on Tuesday, acknowledging criticism over his performances both at Real Madrid and for his country.
15 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Vinicius Junior scored in the 32nd minute to secure a 1-1 draw for Brazil against Morocco in a World Cup match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Morocco's Ismael Saibari had opened the scoring in the 21st minute, marking the first goal the African champions have scored against South American opposition at a World Cup.
15 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
France forward Ousmane Dembele has defended national team captain Kylian Mbappe, saying criticism of the Real Madrid striker has gone "too far" and that he remains an incredible player and good person off the pitch.
14 June 2026 · Joy Online →
England manager Thomas Tuchel appears likely to field Jude Bellingham in the No 10 role for the World Cup opener against Croatia, based on the team's starting lineup in a 3-0 warm-up win over Costa Rica. Morgan Rogers is expected to be benched in favour of Bellingham for the tournament's start.
12 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Croatia qualified for the 2026 World Cup with a comfortable qualifying campaign and will field one of the tournament's oldest squads, with roughly half or more of starters in their 30s, including 40-year-old captain Luka Modric. Manager Zlatko Dalic plans to deploy a back-four formation as the primary setup, with the Manchester City duo of Gvardiol and Kovacic key to the team's strategy.
12 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Real Madrid have confirmed Jose Mourinho's reappointment as head coach on a three-year deal, with the 63-year-old Portuguese coach beginning work when the squad return for pre-season on 13 July. Madrid paid Benfica £13m in compensation, clearing the way for Mourinho's return 13 years after his first stint ended.
11 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana scored 23 goals in 10 World Cup qualifiers, seven from set-pieces, under the guidance of Belgian set-piece coach Gregory De Grauwe. The team has refined its attacking set-pieces by targeting the back post where centre-backs Alexander Djiku and Mohammed Salisu are stationed, while also improving defensive organisation at set-pieces.
11 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise scored three goals in France's 3-1 World Cup warm-up win over Northern Ireland, prompting coach Didier Deschamps to praise his form and confidence ahead of the tournament.
10 June 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
France coach Didier Deschamps praised Bayern Munich's Michael Olise after he scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 World Cup warm-up victory over Northern Ireland, backing him to make an impact at the tournament. William Saliba returned from injury as France prepare for their World Cup opener against Senegal on June 16.
10 June 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Marco Silva, 48, has agreed to become Benfica's new head coach following Jose Mourinho's departure to Real Madrid, with Real Madrid paying Benfica £13m in compensation. Silva, who left Fulham after five years when his contract expired, will sign a contract until the end of the 2027-28 season with an option to extend.
10 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Real Madrid offered Atletico Madrid 150 million euros for striker Julian Alvarez, but the club rejected the bid, citing the player's 500 million euro release clause.
9 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Jose Mourinho is set to return to Real Madrid following club president Florentino Perez's re-election victory, which secured a presidency term until 2030. Mourinho agreed a three-year deal with the Spanish giants last month, and the move was conditional on Perez retaining the presidency.
9 June 2026 · Daily Guide →
Brazil full-back Wesley injured his left groin 15 minutes into a 2-1 World Cup preparation win over Egypt and will undergo tests to determine if he can participate in Brazil's Group C campaign starting Saturday against Morocco. Head Coach Carlo Ancelotti said Wesley has a muscle problem and they will wait for diagnostic results, but believes the player will have time to recover.
8 June 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Japan's head coach Hajime Moriyasu has built a squad capable of defeating elite teams, backed by recent wins over Germany, Spain, Brazil, and England. The team features striker Ayase Ueda, who scored 25 goals in 31 Eredivisie appearances in 2025-26, and operates with strong squad depth despite injuries to Takumi Minamino and Kaoru Mitoma.
8 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Brazil full-back Wesley has been ruled out of the World Cup because of a thigh injury, with Manchester United-bound midfielder Ederson called up to replace him. Wesley suffered an adductor muscle injury in Brazil's 2-1 preparation match against Egypt.
7 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Morocco drew 1-1 with Norway in a friendly in New York, with Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard equalising in the 75th minute, but Morocco will be sweating on the fitness of Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui and Real Betis winger Abde Ezzalzouli after both went off injured.
7 June 2026 · Joy Online →