IT THIS THE NEXT 'WAKA WAKA'? SHAKIRA WITH BURNA BOY TEASES NEW FIFA WORLD CUP SONG | VIDEO

Colombian singer Shakira performs during a free concert at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 2, 2026. — AFP pic

LOS ANGELES, May 8 — Colombian pop idol Shakira on Thursday teased the new official song for the 2026 World Cup, releasing a brief video of the track filmed at Brazil’s iconic Maracana Stadium.

The singer – who also created the 2010 World Cup anthem “Waka Waka” – announced the song, titled “Dai Dai” in a post on her Instagram account.

In the 67-second video, Shakira appears on the pitch at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, where she performed in a free concert at the city’s Copacabana Beach last Saturday before two million people.

Holding the “Trionda”, the official match ball of the 2026 World Cup, Shakira performed excerpts of the song in English, joined by dancers dressed in the colors of teams including the United States and Colombia.

The song was produced with Nigerian artist Burna Boy and is set for official release on May 14. The clip, also shared by the Fifa World Cup account, ends with the message: “We’re ready!”

Shakira has a long association with the World Cup, performing at the 2006 and 2014 World Cup finals in addition to producing “Waka Waka” for the 2010 tournament. — AFP

GERMAN SOCCER STAR MULLER DEBUTS WITH WHITECAPS IN DRAW WITH DYNAMO

VANCOUVER - Thomas Muller's Major League Soccer debut was almost perfect. 

Almost. 

The German soccer icon came off the bench for the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday and put the ball into the back of the net just minutes later. 

Then the offside flag went up.

“I think the moment when I scored the goal was amazing. The noise in the stadium and then also the reaction of my teammates, that was a great start for me," Muller said. "In the end, the result was a little bit disappointing. But that's the game. That's the game.”

The Whitecaps (13-6-7) settled for a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo (7-11-8).

Hours before kickoff, hundreds of fans gathered at Terry Fox Plaza outside B.C. Place to welcome Vancouver's newest star. 

Many in the crowd were clad in crisp new Whitecaps jerseys emblazoned with Muller's No. 13, while others wore the red kit he formerly sported at Bayern Munich. At least two people wore lederhosen, a nod to the World Cup winner's Bavarian roots, and several German flags lined the barriers.

Muller signed with the Whitecaps on Aug. 6 after playing 17 seasons for Bayern in the German Bundesliga. There, he became a household name, scoring 250 goals across all competitions and helping the club to 33 titles, including 13 league championships. 

He also excelled on the international stage, winning the 2014 World Cup with Germany and taking home the Golden Boot from the 2010 tournament after notching five goals and three assists.

The 35-year-old attacking midfielder joined the 'Caps after his contract with Bayern was not renewed. He will remain with the club through the 2025 season on a deal that includes a Designated Player option for the 2026 campaign. 

Expectations for Muller were high on Sunday night, said Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen, despite his limited time acclimating to a new team.

“First and foremost, it’s about blending him together with his teammates," the coach said. "I think he did very well. I think he has a high football IQ so he understands where to position himself and which spaces to attack.”

The sold-out crowd of 26,031 rose to their feet before kickoff Sunday when Muller was introduced on the big screen. He replied by standing and clapping for the crowd before taking his seat on the sidelines. 

Fans had another reason to cheer early in the game after Vancouver midfielder Jayden Nelson was taken down inside the penalty area by Griffin Dorsey. 

Referee Jon Freemon pointed at the spot and people rose to their feet as Brian White lined up to take the penalty in the sixth minute. The American striker then rolled a low shot into the bottom right corner of the net as Houston 'keeper Jonathan Bond dove in the opposite direction. 

The goal was White's team-leading 13th of the season. 

Boisterous cheers emanated through the crowd in the 61st minute when Muller came on for homegrown talent Jeevan Badwal.

Three minutes later, the German soccer legend blasted a shot into the back of the Houston net from the top of the penalty area. The play was quickly whistled down for being offside.

“Of course, everybody had hoped for the result of the magic moment that came when Thomas put the ball in the back of the net," Sorensen said. "Unfortunately, it was a very narrow offside. But you know, that's what can happen.”

Houston spoiled Muller's welcome party in the 91st minute when Amine Bassi slipped a pass to Artur at the top of the penalty area and the central midfielder sailed a shot in past the outstretched fingertips of Vancouver 'keeper Yohei Takaoka to level the score at 1-1. 

“You have little bit of a feeling that you lost the game even though you didn’t," Sorensen said. 

Muller said the pace and intensity of his first MLS match were high, but there are areas away from the ball where he sees room for improvement. 

“In the end, we have to take the result, and we have to take our game and improve it in the next couple of weeks," Muller said. "I'm now fresh into this team, I'm new into the league. I need a few weeks to figure out what's right or wrong. But to be honest, I feel very good after this game.”

Sunday's game capped a whirlwind week for Muller. 

Hundreds of fans were on hand to welcome him when he touched down at Vancouver International Airport on Wednesday and on Thursday a crush of media greeted him at an introductory press conference. He got his first taste of Vancouver weather on Friday when rain soaked his first training session with the team. 

“The first days were busy, but in a positive way," Muller said. "I learned a lot about the culture. I met very nice people. I had a very warm welcome in this city, and also to the whole club. I was enjoying it a lot, and I want to continue our way to more. So I’m excited." 

Life in Vancouver is a change from Munich for the soccer star.

Though the sport's popularity continues to boom throughout Canada, Muller is not yet a local celebrity in Vancouver — and he's enjoyed a tiny taste of anonymity in recent days. 

"When I walk through the city, it's nice to meet some people cheering for the Whitecaps, but it's also nice to go to the supermarket and buy my own stuff. I can relax a little bit between the lemons and the blueberries," he said. "But I'm here to lead this team to something special.”

NOTES

Whitecaps defender Tristan Blackmon left the game at halftime with knee pain. … Midfielder Ali Ahmed came on for Vancouver in the 61st minute. It was his first game action since spraining his ankle while playing for Canada at the CONCACAF Gold Cup nearly two months ago. … Kenji Cabrera came on in the 91st minute, making his home debut for the 'Caps. 

NEXT UP 

Vancouver: The Whitecaps host St. Louis City SC on Saturday. 

Houston: The Dynamo host the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday. 

- The Canadian Press

FIRST WITH HIS WORD AND NOW HIS FEET, SON HEUNG-MIN CONTINUES TO BAIL HONG MYUNG-BO OUT

Son Heung-Min came up with a crucial goal on Tuesday to help South Korea claim a 3-1 win over Oman -- their first in the third round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. HAITHAM AL-SHUKAIRI/AFP via Getty Images

 In Son Heung-Min, South Korea have for some time now boasted a genuine world-class talent capable of winning matches off his own boot.

He has done it several times before, dragging the Taegeuk Warriors out of what appeared unsalvageable situations.

And on Tuesday, he came to the rescue once again -- not just for his team but for his under-fire national coach Hong Myung-Bo.

Just five days ago, South Korea had began their third round campaign of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in disappointing fashion as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Palestine.

In Son Heung-Min, South Korea have for some time now boasted a genuine world-class talent capable of winning matches off his own boot.

He has done it several times before, dragging the Taegeuk Warriors out of what appeared unsalvageable situations.

And on Tuesday, he came to the rescue once again -- not just for his team but for his under-fire national coach Hong Myung-Bo.

In the immediate aftermath of that result, the South Korean fans turned on Hong -- who already was not everyone's cup of tea with his integrity being called into question when he accepted the job back in July, abruptly abandoning Ulsan HD in the middle of the season despite repeatedly giving assurances over his commitment and having turned down previous advances from the Korea Football Association.

The jeers that Hong received last week immediately saw Son, among others including fellow stars Kim Min-Jae and Lee Kang-In, leap to Hong's defence and plead with the supporters for their support.

But for much of Tuesday's visit to Oman, it looked like South Korea were going to be denied again. One can only imagine how much lower the public perception of Hong would have fallen had his team opened their campaign without a win from two matches.

With the scores tied at 1-1 after Hwang Hee-Chan's powerful 10th-minute opener was cancelled out just before the break by a Jung Seung-Hyun own-goal, up stepped Son.

Using his strength and smarts to ease Ghanim Al-Habashi out of the way and guide the ball into his own path in one solitary movement, Son would steady on the edge of the area before lashing a trademark piledriver -- on his non-preferred left foot -- that unerringly sailed past Ibrahim Al-Mukhaini and bent perfectly inside the far post just at the final moment.

Deep into injury-time, with Oman chasing an equaliser, the South Koreans would add a third with Son teeing up Joo Min-Kyu for his second international goal -- with the final 3-1 scoreline arguably papering over the cracks of what was once again a testing outing.

Again, a moment of inspiration from Son would prove the difference.

While it was with his calming words on Thursday, this time it was his feet with which Son once more bailed Hong out.

It must be noted on how remarkable Hong's fall from grace has been, given the legendary status he enjoyed as a player.

Just two months into the job, South Korea coach Hong Myung-Bo is already under pressure with his appointment back in July proving to be an unpopular one among supporters. JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images

Still his nation's joint most-capped player with 136 international appearances and captain of the famous team that finished fourth at the 2002 World Cup, Hong looked destined to forever be held in high esteem among South Korean football fans.

Even if Hong's previous spell in charge of the Taegeuk Warriors was a disappointing one, circumstances hardly favoured him as he was parachuted into the role with the team in disarray with his first major assignment the 2014 World Cup.

Hong would stoically resign after South Korea's group-stage elimination even when he was asked to stay on by the KFA.

Improvement will be expected as soon as the next international window in October, where South Korea will once again be favourites in Group B meetings with Jordan and Iraq -- and it must be remembered that it was the former who beat them in the semifinals of the AFC Asian Cup at the start of the year that led to Klinsmann's dismissal.

For a side that boasts as much quality as they do, South Korea need to start asserting their dominance -- akin to the way that neighbours Japan have racked up back-to-back wins in Group C over China and Bahrain, scoring 12 goals in the process while conceding none.

It is imperative they do so in order for the negative sentiment surrounding Hong to subside, which will then allow him a proper go at the job this second time around.

For now, though, he has Son to thank for the fact that he is not already under even more pressure.

Just like it was back then, it does seem that some of the discontent directed at him should at least be diverted to the association -- for he was always in a difficult position from the time they set their sights on him as the successor to Jürgen Klinsmann and approached him repeatedly.

- Gabriel Tan 

BELGIUM LOSS TEDESCO BRISTLES AT 'GOLDEN GENERATION' TAG

ANTON NOVODEREZHKIN/TASS

 After more than 25 minutes of questions to Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne and coach Domenico Tedesco on Sunday, the dreaded words "Golden Generation" had not yet been heard.

And then it happened -- with the very last question, to Tedesco, on the eve of his team's opening European Championship game against Slovakia.

"It's a typical German question about the Golden Generation," quipped Tedesco, who is Italian-born though a German citizen. "I was expecting that one."

One day, Belgium coaches and players will not be pulled back to the gilded crop of prospects who seemed sure to one day win an international title, and possibly should have at Euro 2016.

It's been a label, and a millstone, for Belgium since the 2008 Beijing Olympics where an emerging squad included Vincent Kompany, Marouane Fellaini and Jan Vertonghen.

De Bruyne and Eden Hazard were maturing in the team that reached the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals. The Red Devils were stunned at the same stage of Euro 2016 by Wales despite extra established stars Thibaut Courtois in goal and Romelu Lukaku in attack.

Marc Wilmots left as coach and was replaced by Roberto Martinez, who is now at Euro 2024 with Portugal.

There were eliminations as the world's top-ranked team by eventual champions: in the 2018 World Cup semifinals against France, and a Euro 2020 quarterfinal match to Italy.

Then another stunner, failing to advance from the 2022 World Cup group stage in Qatar, albeit because eventual semifinalists Croatia and Morocco did.

"Qatar is over now. It was a disappointment, yes, but it was 18 months ago," De Bruyne said Sunday ahead of the playmaker's third attempt to win a European title. "It is a new tournament, a new coach. The team has changed quite a lot."

Since the World Cup, veterans like Hazard, Dries Mertens and Toby Alderweireld have retired from the national team. Courtois fell out with Tedesco and is not in Germany.

De Bruyne is still here with Vertonghen (37), Lukaku (31) and Axel Witsel (35). Another Manchester City star, winger Jérémy Doku, is already at his third major tournament at 22 and much is expected from 21-year-old Johan Bakayoko on the right flank.

Belgium are still ranked No. 3 by FIFA.

"I wouldn't say our squad is third in the world right now but in a tournament it doesn't even matter," said De Bruyne, whose 33rd birthday falls between the round of 16 and the quarterfinals.

"There are a lot of young players in the team and they're really motivated," De Bruyne said, whose team is strongly favored in Group E that also includes Ukraine and Romania.

The 38-year-old Tedesco, leading Belgium at a tournament for the first time, acknowledged there was a squad overhaul.

"There is huge quality among the young prospects, who are already ready for this stage," Tedesco said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.

- ESPN News Services

WHY GERMANY'S 2006 WORLD CUP PATRIOTIC FERVOR IS UNLIKELY TO REPEAT IN 2024

AP Photo 

 BERLIN (AP) — When Germany hosted the 2006 World Cup, it unleashed an unexpected burst of national pride across the country. For many Germans, it was the first time they felt they could wave the flag unburdened by the country’s dark past.

As Germany gets ready to host another major soccer tournament, the European Championship, such scenes of patriotic fervor are hard to imagine happening again.

While the national team could yet coax reluctant Germans to celebrate, the country itself is going through difficult times politically, with a far-right surge making many uncomfortable about public displays of national pride.

AP Photo 

Even with Germany’s opening game on Friday against Scotland just days away, there are few German flags hanging from balconies or windows, few national colors on show.

“It’s not going to be like 2006, because we’ve moved on 18 years and there are conflicts everywhere,” said Stephan Uersfeld, a sports columnist for broadcaster NTV. “Conflicts within German society, conflicts within Europe. It hadn’t been the case in 2006.”

Germany was one of the countries where the far-right made significant gains in elections to the European Parliament on Sunday. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, came second.

In 2006, the country wasn’t as polarized. Germans still refer to the World Cup that year as a “Sommermärchen,” or summer fairy-tale.

It was the first time Germany hosted a major soccer tournament since reunification. The economy was recovering from a deep depression with unemployment at 12.6% in 2005 – the highest it’s ever been since the war – and new Chancellor Angela Merkel promised better times to come.

AP Photo 

She enthusiastically cheered along as a young Germany team coached by Jürgen Klinsmann defied expectations to reach the semifinals in a country where soccer is by far the most popular sport. The good weather also played its part. Germans watched on large screens in beer gardens, on the streets or among friends at home, then continued the parties in parks and clubs.

“It was just a great atmosphere,” Uersfeld said. “I think the entire country was proud to actually host a tournament and be such a great host. They couldn’t believe that people liked what they saw in Germany. You had people coming from all over the world.”

He said hosting a European Championship isn’t as big as hosting a World Cup.

It’s questionable if even a World Cup would generate a similar celebratory mood now as in 2006. There hasn’t been the same collective mass-displays of national pride in the country since, not even after Germany won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Anxiety over the rise of AfD, which uses the German flag frequently in campaigning, and more extremist groups has put many Germans off from displaying national symbols.

“Nobody wants to be confused with the right-wing stuff,” said Axel Lischke, a sound engineer in Berlin.

He described himself as a fan of soccer, but not particularly of Germany, and said he would likely root for Scotland in the opening match on Friday.

“I would love to see German society treating everyone equally,” said Lischke, who suggested the image of the multicultural German national team is only a vision. He pointed to the treatment of former Germany international Mesut Özil after the team flopped at the 2018 World Cup.

Özil, who has Turkish roots, was made the scapegoat for Germany’s group-stage exit and a target for racist abuse. The president of the German soccer federation, DFB, at the time, Reinhard Grindel, later regretted not giving Özil more support.

AP Photo

The DFB has since positioned itself in direct opposition to the far-right, promoting inclusion and tolerance. It has launched campaigns against racism and discrimination.

“It’s part of our work,” DFB general secretary Heike Ullrich told The AP. “You cannot say that sport has no role in politics. And we know how strongly football can be used as a model to send out politically important messages.”

Just before Euro 2024, a TV documentary questioned the German national team’s role in fostering integration in a multicultural society.

Germany defender Jonathan Tah and former internationals Shkodran Mustafi and Gerald Asamoah talked about the racism and hostility they faced.

The program on public broadcaster ARD included a survey asking 1,304 participants if they would prefer more white players on the team. One in five replied they would.

Both Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann and midfielder Joshua Kimmich said they were shocked that the broadcaster would even ask such a question.

“When you consider that we are about to host a European Championship at home, it’s absurd to ask such a question when the aim is actually to unite the whole country,” Kimmich said. “It’s about achieving great things together. As a team, we’re trying to get everyone in Germany behind us.”

To what extent that will happen – even if it doesn’t reach 2006 levels – will become clear once Germany gets the tournament underway on Friday.

- CIARÁN FAHEY