… Bournemouth’s Rayan scored his first goal for his country, Brentford’s Igor Thiago was on target, while Vinicius Jr, Casemiro and Lucas Paqueta and Danilo also hit the net. …
… This will now be a red card after the controversial incident involving Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr in a Champions League game in February. …
… Mbappe controlled the ball on his chest before being tackled, with it falling to Vinicius Jr, who finished from inside the area to secure Alvaro Arbeloa’s side back-to-back league wins for the first time since March. …
… The Benfica player was handed the ban by UEFA following accusations he directed a slur at Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr during February’s Champions League playoff clash, which Real won 1-0. …
Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni will miss Argentina’s first two matches of this summer’s World Cup if selected, as his ban for abusing Vinicius Jr has been extended worldwide. …
… Vinicius Jr scored two second-half goals against Espanyol at RCDE Stadium, netting the opener following a one-two with Goncalo Garcia, and another from Jude Bellingham’s backheeled return pass. …
… The issue of players covering their mouths became high profile in February when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt while speaking to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr during a Champions League game. …
… The issue of players covering their mouths became high profile in February when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt while speaking to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr during a Champions League game. …
Liverpool are preparing an opening bid for Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, 23, valued by PSG at around £145m, as they seek to replace Mohamed Salah. Barcola is understood to be keen on joining Liverpool after falling down the pecking order at PSG.
Liverpool are preparing an opening bid for Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, 23, valued by PSG at around £145m, as they seek to replace Mohamed Salah. Barcola is understood to be keen on joining Liverpool after falling down the pecking order at PSG.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin did not attend the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain in protest against FIFA decisions, citing issues including US President Donald Trump's intervention in a suspension case and other changes driven by FIFA president Gianni Infantino such as extended half-time shows and a proposed 64-team World Cup format.
Brazil fell short at the World Cup despite Carlo Ancelotti's arrival as coach, winning 10 of 16 games but failing to progress past the group stage. The article argues Brazil must rebuild its midfield, traditionally a creative strength, and questions whether Ancelotti's dependence on Casemiro is the right approach moving forward.
Erling Haaland scored twice in the second half to help Norway defeat five-time winners Brazil 2–1 and reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time. Brazil's Bruno Guimaraes missed a first-half penalty, and despite Neymar converting a late penalty, Brazil exited before the quarter-finals for the first time since 1990.
UEFA will not use the red card law for mouth-covering in confrontations across its competitions, despite approving the rule change. The decision comes after the Benfica-Real Madrid incident in February, where Gianluca Prestianni was banned for homophobic conduct, though UEFA referees may still show yellow cards if warranted.
Scotland's chances of reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the first time face significant jeopardy following a 3-0 defeat by Brazil in Miami. With three points and a minus-three goal difference giving only a 42% chance of claiming one of the eight best third-place team spots, Scotland must wait until Sunday morning to learn their fate as the rest of the groups play their final games.
Brazil defeated Haiti 3-0 in their second 2026 World Cup group match, with goals from Matheus Cunha and Vinicius Jr before half-time, but registered no shots on target in the second half while Haiti had seven attempts, prompting questions about when the best version of Brazil will appear in the tournament.
Brazil defeated Haiti 3–0 to move atop Group C on goal difference, ending Haiti's World Cup hopes with one match to play. Matheus Cunha scored twice and Vinicius Jr added a goal as Brazil secured a comfortable victory.
The 2026 World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the United States has introduced mandatory three-minute hydration breaks at the 22-minute mark of each half across all 104 games to help players cope with heat and humidity. The breaks have drawn criticism from some who view them as commercial interruptions, though coaches have used them to deliver tactical instructions.
Vinicius Jr scored in the 37th minute to earn Brazil a 1-1 draw against Morocco in their opening 2026 World Cup match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, after Brazil fell behind to Ismael Saibari's goal in the 21st minute.
Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti agreed in May 2025 to lead Brazil as their first-ever foreign coach at a World Cup, and has prioritized learning Portuguese through intensive lessons to win over the fanbase and local staff.
FIFA referees' chief Pierluigi Collina revealed that players will be prevented from going to the technical area to consult coaches when goalkeepers are injured at the 2026 World Cup. IFAB has also approved a request to change VAR protocol to review attacking fouls occurring before the ball is in play.
Vinicius Jr scored the winning goal as Real Madrid defeated Sevilla 1–0 at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium, securing back-to-back league wins for the first time since March.
Jose Mourinho is returning to Real Madrid 13 years after his previous stint, as announced by president Florentino Perez at a contentious press conference. The appointment aligns Mourinho's siege mentality and media-focused approach with Perez's worldview amid internal divisions in Madrid's dressing room.
FIFA has extended Argentina winger Gianluca Prestianni's six-game suspension for homophobic conduct to have worldwide effect, meaning he could miss his country's opening World Cup matches if selected. The Benfica player was originally banned by UEFA for directing a slur at Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr during a February Champions League playoff clash.
Kylian Mbappe's holiday to Sardinia during his injury recovery has angered Real Madrid fans despite club approval, fuelling an online petition calling for his departure as frustration grows over his difficult second season at the club.
Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni has received a worldwide ban for abusing Vinicius Jr, extending his UEFA six-match suspension to cover Argentina's first two World Cup matches if he is selected. The 20-year-old admitted to homophobic language towards Real Madrid's Vinicius during a Champions League match in February.
Real Madrid's victory over Espanyol means Barcelona can clinch the La Liga title with only a draw against their rivals in El Clásico next Sunday. Barcelona lead Real Madrid by 11 points and could break the record for the biggest title-winning margin if they win their final four games.
FIFA and the International Football Association Board approved two law amendments in Vancouver: players who cover their mouths when speaking to opponents during confrontations or who leave the pitch in protest at referee decisions can now face red cards. Both changes have been approved as competition opt-ins and will be adopted at this summer's World Cup.
Fifa has approved two law amendments for this summer's World Cup: players who cover their mouths when speaking to opponents during confrontations may receive a red card, and players who leave the pitch in protest at a referee's decision can also face a red card. The changes were approved at a Fifa Council meeting in Vancouver.