South African football news

After Mauricio Pochettino’s passionate half-time speech last October, the USA shaped up and started on the path to a rematch against the Australians in Seattle Haji Wright’s finish was cool, but Mauricio Pochettino’s reaction was cooler. It was the 35th minute of the US men’s national team’s friendly against Austral…

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• USA

Derek McInnes has left Heart of Midlothian for Rangers, so how will the Scottish Premiership runners-up react to losing their head coach?

• RAN

Brighton's Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke joins Premier League rivals Tottenham for £52m.

• TOT
• BRI

Jorge Messi, 68, ‘recovering and progressing favourably’ ‘At times like these, we ask for responsibility,’ says family Lionel Messi’s father is undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness and his family asked the media for “humanity” on Thursday amid rumours about Jorge Messi’s health while his son compe…

Head coach says 2022 semi-finalists are now even better Scotland could deploy back three against Group C rivals Steve Clarke has warned Scotland the Morocco team they will face on Friday are superior to the one who reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2022. Scotland kicked off their tournament with a 1-0 win…

• SCO
• MOR

Teboho Mokoena scores an 83rd-minute penalty to earn South Africa a draw against the Czech Republic at the World Cup.

• CZE
• SOU

They can put the matches away, at least for a while. Before this game, Hugo Broos had responded to fierce criticism over South Africa’s start to the World Cup by revealing that eight months ago after qualification a friend had said they would erect a statue of him and the coach had replied by saying: “Make it out of…

• SOU
• CZE

Aston Villa have lost three of their opening four Premier League games to leave boss Unai Emery struggling for answers.

• LIV
• OSA
• SPA

⚽️ Kick-off time: 12pm local time/3pm EDT/8pm BST/5am AEST ⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Email Daniel Some more mails: “Hello Daniel,” says regular correspondent, Krishna Moorthy . “Can’t believe this is your first MBM!” Hi there. I just want to say, as someone born and raised in the US, that soccer…

• BOS
• SWI

Steve Clarke highlights squad mentality before Morocco game but Napoli midfielder stands out with his goals It is a conversation in Milan that should resonate in Massachusetts. Italy’s failure to qualify for another World Cup has triggered harsh assessment of Serie A, including why there is a shortage of home player…

• MOR
• NAP

Club triggered £34.5m release clause for Osasuna forward Liverpool beat Newcastle for fast, versatile 22-year-old Víctor Muñoz has become Liverpool’s first signing of Andoni Iraola’s reign at the club after triggering a £34.5m release clause in his contract with Osasuna. Muñoz has signed a “long-term contract” with…

• LIV
• NEW
• OSA

The way substitutes combined for the fourth goal against Croatia vindicated Thomas Tuchel’s desire to instil a brotherhood ethos It is Bukayo Saka who ignites the move. Tight to the right, approaching halfway, the England winger turns on a sixpence and surges away from Josko Gvardiol. Saka’s work in tight spaces, hi…

• CRO
• ENG

Manager said second-half performance was ‘rewarding’ England’s next group game is against Ghana on 23 June Thomas Tuchel said he wanted his England team to entertain the nation and that he pictured the scenes in the pubs as his players took the handbrake off to power past ­Croatia 4-2 in their World Cup opener on We…

• CRO
• ENG
• GHA

England international Aggie Beever-Jones is expected to stay at Chelsea this summer with a new deal extending her stay.

• CHE
• ENG

New Zealand make history as Tyler and Jenny Bindon become the first mother-son duo to play at the World Cup.

• ZEA

Former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart apologises after saying that Japan players "all look alike" during their 2-2 draw with the Netherlands.

• NET
• TOT
• JAP

Palestine's Football Association (PFA) says it does not endorse the Republic of Ireland's Nations League game with Israel being moved to a neutral venue.

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• CZE

Many Tottenham fans will have got a first glimpse of Luka Vuskovic last night - so what can they expect from the highly sought-after defender?

• TOT

⚽ Kick-off time: 12pm local/2am AEST/5pm BST/12pm EDT ⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Daniel Email! “This is a bittersweet game for me,” confesses John Brennan. “When the draw was made in December, this was the most likely game that I could get to see Ireland play. I probably couldn’t have pulled…

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• CZE

Our cartoonist looks at Australia’s involvement at the tournament with a place in the knockout phase tantalisingly close Continue reading...

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• USA

Gary Lineker thinks Harry Kane is "the greatest English striker we've ever had" after the England captain equalled his record of 10 World Cup goals.

• ENG