RUGBY 🏉 WORLD RANKINGS

 

FIFA RANKINGS | AFTER WORLD CUP 2026

 

KEVIN KEEGAN | KING KEV | FOREVER ONE OF THE GAME'S GREATS

 

King Kev.

A football icon whose talent, charisma and passion transcended clubs, countries and generations.

Forever one of the game’s greats.

Kevin Keegan

1951–2026

CLUBS AND FANS PAY TRIBUTE TO FORMER NEWCASTLE UNITED PLAYER AND MANAGER KEVIN KEEGAN

Tributes have been paid to the former Newcastle United footballer and manager, Kevin Keegan, who has died at the age of 75.

In a statement, his family said: "It is with immense sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75.

Keegan, who also played for and managed the England national team, had been battling cancer and was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments.

The family statement continued: "Kevin, a double Ballon D’or winner, was a much loved husband, father and grandfather. The family would like to thank Kevin’s incredible medical team for all their support.

"This is a hugely difficult time and they are requesting space and privacy."

The Newcastle United legend revealed he had cancer in January 2026, which later spread to stage four.

Kevin Keegan played for and managed Newcastle United.
Credit: PA

In 1992, Keegan made his first step into management at Newcastle, leading them into the Premier League and to within touching distance of the 1995-96 title, but they missed out to Manchester United.

A statement from Newcastle United called Keegan "the beating heart of the club for generations of supporters".

It said: "As a player, he brought world-class talent, ambition and belief to St. James’ Park, helping to transform perceptions of what Newcastle United could be.

"As a manager, he ignited our city. Kevin gave supporters hope and pride, and led a team whose style, spirit and passion captured the imagination of football fans around the world. He was so much more than an Entertainer.

"Above all that, Kevin forged an extraordinary bond with Newcastle, built on the roots of his father, Joe. He understood our people. He embraced the North East with a passion that was genuine and unwavering, and in return, he earned his rightful place in the hearts of millions.

"Kevin’s impact will not be measured by appearances or results. It will live on in the memories he created with club and country, the dreams he inspired wherever he went, and the generations of supporters around the world who fell in love with football because of him.

"At this profoundly sad time, we send our love and deepest sympathy to Kevin’s wife Jean, his family, friends and all who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him.

"Today, we mourn the loss of a true giant of our history, and at the appropriate moment, we will carefully consider how we shape a lasting tribute to Kevin’s remarkable life and legacy.

"Rest in peace, King Kev."

Alan Shearer paid tribute to his hero and friend Kevin Keegan following the death of his former Newcastle manager at the age of 75.

Keegan was in charge at St James’ Park when the club paid a then world-record fee of £15million to sign Shearer in 1996.

“My Hero. My manager. My friend. Sleep easy Boss,” Shearer wrote on X.

After leaving St James’ Park in January 1997, a brief stint at Fulham followed before he became England manager in 1999 following Glenn Hoddle’s departure.

After overseeing a disappointing Euro 2000 campaign, Keegan resigned on the back of defeat by Germany at Wembley, the last match at the national stadium before it was rebuilt.

A spell at Manchester City followed and then an emotional return to Newcastle in 2008, but he only lasted eight months at St James’ Park following tensions with the board and owner Mike Ashley.

On the international stage, he scored 21 goals in 63 England appearances and played at the 1982 World Cup finals.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

“Kevin Keegan brought joy to so many of us in the North East and across the world. It is hard to believe someone with so much energy and passion is no longer with us.

"King Kev fought such a brave battle against cancer, and while today we will all mourn his passing, we should also find room to celebrate with a smile everything he achieved.”

- itvX

ENGLAND WORLD CUP HAT-TRICKS

 

'WHAT DO I KNOW?' - DONALD TRUMP JOINS CRITICISM OF THOMAS TUCHEL FOR PLAYING 'GOLF PARTNER' HARRY KANE IN 'DEFENSE' DURING WORLD CUP EXIT

 

Getty/GOAL

United States President Donald Trump has offered an unlikely critique of Thomas Tuchel's tactics following England's dramatic World Cup semi-final exit against Argentina. The American leader questioned the decision to drop captain Harry Kane into a deep defensive role after the Three Lions surrendered a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 in Atlanta.

Tuchel faces unlikely critic

Criticism of Tuchel's tactics following England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina has come from an unexpected source, with US President Trump questioning the manager's decisions. The Three Lions looked set to reach the final after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring, but Tuchel's switch to a back five - eventually finishing with six defenders - allowed Argentina to dominate the closing stages. Lionel Messi set up goals for Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, sealing a dramatic 2-1 win for the South Americans.

Getty Images 

Trump questions tactical mistake

Speaking alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino during an event at Trump Tower, Trump referenced his friendship with Kane from a past round of golf before questioning the manager's tactical adjustments.

Trump said: "You have a great player in England, who I played golf with. You know that, right? Harry, who's been fantastic. I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player.

"What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him on defence. We have got to be a little offensive, right? But I'm not going to call it. What do I know about coaching? It was unusual, but Harry is a great guy, actually."

Manager rejects defensive claims

Tuchel shrugged off Trump's comments while defending his team's defensive structure and the captain's role on the pitch. Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the third-place playoff against France, the England boss insisted: "Do you use Donald Trump as your witness for the case or...? I was just asking.

"In which situation did Harry play too deep? What do you mean? Like in the last 30 minutes? Well, we defended in a deep block. That's what you do if you defend in a block. We were not active enough, we could not escape the deep block, but if you defend in a deep block, everyone defends in a deep block. That is what team spirit, togetherness, and mentality is translated to in football terms.

"We defend as a 10 and as 11, and if we are pushed back to a deep block, Harry defends in a deep block. This is what he did for moments in the first half. The difference is that we pushed back and we stepped out and we found the triggers to come out of the deep block. But we do everything together as a team.

"The team spirit, the togetherness, the mentality that this team built in the last six and a half weeks is not to be questioned and it showed even in defending. We became too passive in the last 30 minutes. We could not get hold of the ball, we could not find duels anymore. This is the next step that we want to take and from there we go."

Getty Images 

FA backing remains firm

England must swiftly shift their focus to face a tough test against France in Saturday's World Cup third-place playoff match. Despite the wave of criticism following their semi-final collapse, ESPNreports that Tuchel's position remains perfectly secure, with the tactician retaining the full backing of the Football Association (FA) to lead the team through to Euro 2028.

- Adhe Makayasa

ARGENTINA FACING DISCPLINARY ACTION FOR CONTROVERSIAL BANNER AFTER BEATING ENGLAND

 They've been punished for it before.

In the aftermath of England crashing out of the 2026 World Cup following their defeat in the semi-final, their opponents Argentina look set to face disciplinary action for a controversial flag held up in the wake of beating their old enemies.

For anyone who quickly turned off the telly after the Three Lions ‘ 2-1 defeat and might have missed it, the Argentinian national squad waved a makeshift sign which read: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas.”

In English, this translates to “The Falklands are Argentine.”

Referring to the historic conflict between the two countries, which took place more than four decades ago, the statement has been described as inflammatory by some, with No. 10 Downing Street having issued an official response as the team now reportedly risks punishment by FIFA .

Multiple major outlets now believe that a financial penalty at the very least is expected to be passed down for the divisive political message.

As noted by the BBC above, this is by no means the first time this has happened, and perceived ‘tragedy chanting’ among other problematic behaviour from both fan bases has been a recurring issue whenever the two sides have played since.

To put things into context, the Falklands War, which lasted for 74 days, led to the deaths of 655 Argentine and 255 British servicemen, with three civilians on the islands also losing their lives.

As such, there is still plenty of bad blood between the South American country and Great Britain, with members of the nation’s leading party even weighing in with provocative and rather public posts on social media ahead of the game.

Vice President Victoria Villarruel has been among the most vocal online.

The reaction from the UK government was direct, too, with business secretary Peter Kyle telling Sky News: “I had left and gone to bed before the banner came onto the pitch, but I saw the images this morning, and of course, it’s entirely inappropriate.

“Politics should stay away from football. That is a very clear principle of the World Cup , but any consequences that come from that are now a decision for FIFA.”

Speaking to the BBC, he went on to add: “We expect FIFA to undertake an investigation into this. I think it was certain to happen because it was such an egregious violation of the rules of not having political activity as part of football.”

It’s also worth noting that Argentina have prior form for this kind of display.

The predicted outcome looks more than likely, with FIFA having previously fined £20,000 for a similar stunt before a friendly against Slovenia back in 2014.

‘La Albiceleste’ and their fellow compatriots won’t care one bit, of course, as they’re now into another World Cup final and could join Brazil, Italy and France in becoming back-to-back global champions.

Meanwhile, plenty have criticised Thomas Tuchel ‘s change in tactics and substitutions as England went more defensive after going a goal up, and the post-mortem from his first run as manager will no doubt continue in the coming days; whether he makes it consecutive tournaments or not, we’ll wait and see.

If you can bring yourself to watch it back, you can watch the highlights along with the extended post-match reaction in full down below.

-  Danny Jones

"WE JUST TRIED TO HOLD ON": ENGLAND CAPTAIN HARRY KANE PUTS COACH THOMAS TUCHEL ON SPOTLIGHT

England captain Harry Kane admitted that they became too defensive after taking the lead in the first half and said it was not enough at the highest level.

Harry Kane questioned coach Thomas Tuchel's tactics against Argentina

England captain Harry Kane expressed disappointment, saying that he is "gutted for the team, the staff, the fans" after defending champions Argentina staged a dramatic comeback to defeat the Three Lions 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday (local time), as per the FIFA website. The result sent Argentina into the World Cup 2026 final, where they will face Spain on Sunday, July 19 (local time), while England's hopes of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966 came to a heartbreaking end.

After the match, Kane expressed his disappointment, saying the team gave everything but were left heartbroken. He admitted that they became too defensive after taking the lead in the first half and said it was not enough at the highest level.

"I'm gutted for the team, the staff, the fans. We played a good game for the majority of it. When we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try to hold on, which at this level is not enough. We worked so hard to be here. The lads have given every bit of blood, sweat and tears. To fall short like we did is just gutting," he said while speaking to the broadcasters, according to the FIFA Website.

Kane said England had several positive moments in the tournament and are close to success, but need to find the missing piece to overcome the final hurdle.

"We had a lot of good moments in this tournament. A lot of good games, another semi-final. We talk about knocking on the door. We're close, we just need to find that missing piece in the final stage of the tournament," Harry Kane added.

Harry Kane reconocio la presion ejercida por Argentina pic.twitter.com/qLmgKKt43H

— Hugo Basilico (@hugobasilico) July 16, 2026

In the match, England took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, but Argentina responded with sustained pressure. Enzo Fernandez equalised in the 85th minute before Lionel Messi assisted Lautaro Martinez's stoppage-time winner to complete the turnaround.

The match was a tightly contested affair, with both teams creating limited chances in the first half. Argentina's victory ended England's hopes of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966. The Three Lions will face France in the third-place playoff, while Argentina will meet Spain in the final on July 19.

- ANI

FIRST TIME EVER | TOP 4 RANKED TEAMS MAKE IT TO SEMI-FINALS | FIFA WORLD CUP 3026

FIFA STATEMENT | NORWAY VS. ENGLAND

 

NORWAY BOSS SAYS OVERHEAD WIRE DESERVES AN ASSIST FOR ENGLAND GOAL

Stale Solbakken complains to the officals at half-time

Norway boss Stale Solbakken believes the overhead wires deserve an assist for England's equaliser as the ball dropped down "straight from heaven" despite FIFA’s ball sensor showing no contact.

Jude Bellingham’s brace secured a 2-1 quarter-final victory that went to extra-time in hot and humid Miami, where Andreas Schjelderup’s cross-shot had given the Scandinavians the lead.

Bellingham cancelled out the opener with a smart finish in first-half stoppage-time, with England breaking quickly after Orjan Nyland’s goal kick was cut out.

The ball appeared to hit one of the overhead TV cables, but FIFA says the chip in the ball did not record anything.

A statement from the governing body read: "Before England’s goal in minute 45+2 against Norway, the sensor in the connected ball showed no peak in the 'heartbeat of the ball’ when in the air, and therefore no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball."

Solbakken was asked at the start of the post-match press conference whether the camera wire deserved an assist for the leveller, with the Norway boss saying: "Yeah, it probably will.

"That was unlucky for us. The ball fell straight down from the sky, so it changed its direction.

"It became a misunderstanding among our players and it was in a bad moment for us, but we can’t do anything about that.

"I don’t think we will play the game again, so that’s how it is."

Solbakken did not see the ball hit the wire but many on the Norwegian bench did, even if it was not picked up by FIFA.

"I can’t say anything about that because FIFA," he said. If there’s no been no sound or there has been no (reading) in the chip, what can I say against that?

"But the ball drops down straight from heaven says everyone, including Orjan, who is the goalie, including the guy who is going to receive the ball.

"I saw another way just then, so I wonder also what happened. I think it’s pretty clear that it did and it was a strange thing."

It was a painful end to a summer to treasure for Norway, who marked their first World Cup since 1998 by going deeper in a major tournament than ever before.

Put to Solbakken that everyone in Norway will talk about the wire incident until death, he said: "I hope we can think about and talk about other things. That’s my sincere hope.

"I hope that this will not be the story about this team. It shouldn’t be."

- PA

SEMI-FINALS | FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

 

WORLD CUP RED-CARD DECISION FOR BALOGUN, QUANSAH RAISE QUEATIONS AMONG EX-FIFA REFEREES

England's Jarell Quansah, U.S. striker Folarin Balogun get different fates after respective red cards

Folarin Balogun, right, of the United States fouls Bosnia's Tarik Muharemović, resulting in a red card for Balogun during their World Cup soccer match in California on July 1. (Jeff Chiu/The Associated Press)

FIFA's handling of two World Cup red-card cases came under renewed scrutiny on Thursday after England defender Jarell Quansah got a two-match suspension while U.S. striker Folarin Balogun avoided an immediate ban for a similar challenge.

That has left former international referees unable to reconcile the ‌two decisions.

Quansah was sent off in England's last round-of-16 victory over Mexico after a video review deemed his sliding studs-up challenge serious foul play. He was later handed a two-match ban that England's Football Association said it could not appeal.

Balogun, by contrast, was sent off during the United States' round-of-32 win over Bosnia but received a one-match suspension that world soccer's governing body FIFA later suspended.

Balogun's ban was suspended on probation for one year under Article 27 of the disciplinary code, FIFA said, although it has not publicly explained why it considered that sanction appropriate in his case.

The fact that U.S. President Donald Trump had personally urged FIFA President ⁠Gianni Infantino to review Balogun's ⁠case only intensified the controversy, even though FIFA insisted the ‌conversation played no part in its decision.

"FIFA have failed in their duty towards the game after they delayed the ban for Balogun. They allowed outside interference by the president," former referee Keith Hackett wrote on social media on Thursday.

"FIFA the major lawmaker are at fault. But both players committed Serious ⁠Foul Play challenges sanctioned by a red card."

'More important always is consistency'

Jonas Eriksson, who was a FIFA referee for 16 years from 2002, said if Balogun got a one-match suspension, Quansah should have as well, seeing their two on-field incidents were roughly equal in ‌terms of intensity and aggression.

"What everyone wants from referees, they want the correct decisions, yes, but more important always is consistency," Eriksson said.

"That you identify, OK, player A gets the same sanction as player B. Team A gets the same sanction as team B. You know, that's what you expect. And this is not the case when it comes to Quansah and Balogun."

Quansah leaves the field after receiving a red card during the World Cup match between Mexico and England in Mexico City on Sunday. (Ricardo Mazalan/The Associated Press)

British media quickly drew comparisons between the two cases, with The Independent running the headline: "FIFA ⁠confirms Jarell Quansah ban just days after Folarin Balogun reprieve."

Eriksson said the subsequent suspension of Balogun's match ban was ⁠never adequately explained, contributing to the furor.

Belgium unsuccessfully challenged Balogun's eligibility before their round-of-16 victory over the U.S., ⁠but ⁠FIFA has still not publicly explained why it decided to suspend the striker's ban under Article 27.

"If you're not able to communicate how they interpret the situation — was it an incorrect decision of the ⁠referee or was it the wrong application of the laws of the game — we don't know," said Eriksson, whose book House of Cards explores the "dirty game behind the game" for FIFA referees.

"It's just for you and me and for everybody else to guess. But with that in mind, the red card for Quansah and the suspension is for me, just, it's a mystery."

- Thompson Reuters 

3,000 WORLD CUP GOALS | HOW THEY'RE DISTRIBUTED BY NATION

 

JORDAN HENDERSON'S DAD REVEALS GRIM DETAILS OF ENGLAND STAR'S INJURY AFTER FREAK ACCIDENT AT WORLD CUP

Jordan Henderson suffered a broken arm after slipping off an advertising board (Getty)

Jordan Henderson’s dad has revealed that the England midfielder’s arm is ‘completely smashed’ following his freak accident after the 3-2 win over Mexico at the World Cup.

England sealed their place in the World Cup quarter-final with a thrilling victory at Azteca Stadium as Jude Bellingham struck twice while Harry Kane scored from the penalty spot.

However, England’s win was overshadowed by Henderson’s injury, which he suffered during the team’s celebrations in the immediate aftermath of the game.

After celebrating with England’s travelling supporters, Henderson slipped while jumping over an advertising board and suffered a broken radius after he landed awkwardly.

The former Liverpool captain, who now plays for Brentford, left the pitch on a stretcher and was given oxygen, while he will now miss the remainder of England’s World Cup campaign as he requires surgery.

Henderson’s father, Brian Henderson, insists the midfielder will remain with England’s squad for the remainder of the tournament, despite being unable to play.

Jordan Henderson left the pitch on a stretcher after England’s 3-2 win against Mexico (PA Wire)

At first I just thought he’d fallen, I thought he’d maybe scraped his wrist,’ Brian told the Daily Mail.

‘I had no idea it was that serious until they were interviewing Harry Kane and a trolley came past with Jordan on it. I could see him on there with oxygen and things.

‘Straight away, I messaged his PA, who was over there, to try and find out what had happened. I was up all night waiting to hear the news. It’s just a waiting game now.

Jordan Henderson with his father Brian Henderson after Liverpool’s win in the Champions League final in 2019 (Shutterstock)

‘It’s his left forearm, he’s just completely smashed it. He’s going to have a cast on and then it depends on what the experts say.

‘He won’t be leaving his teammates. He’ll be there until it’s finished.’

In his first message to fans since the injury, Henderson praised England’s ‘incredible’ display and thanked supporters for their messages.

‘A night to remember that’s for sure!’ Henderson wrote.

‘What an incredible performance against all the different challenges. So proud to be a part of this special team.

‘Thanks for all the support, another big one Saturday.’

Meanwhile, England defender Marc Guehi says Henderson is now in ‘a better place’ after his accident.

‘Hendo’s good,’ Guehi said on England’s Lion’s Den programme on Tuesday.

‘He’s in a better place than he was yesterday.

‘It was obviously scary for him and his family and for everyone else, but we’re just glad that he’s on the road to a speedy recovery.’

- Chris Davie

QUARTER-FINALS | FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

 

TINTIN VS. ENGLAND | BELGIUM VS. ENGLAND | FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

 

RUGBY 🏉 WORLD RANKINGS

 

HARRY KANE 'TURNS INTO MICKEY MOUSE'

Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images

Harry Kane scored the winning goal as England beat Mexico 3-2 to book their place in the World Cup quarter-final, but the England captain was forced to end his BBC interview early

England hero Harry Kane was forced to cut short a post-match interview with the BBC after losing his voice following the rollercoaster 3-2 World Cup win over Mexico.

The England skipper netted what proved to be the decisive goal in a thrilling triumph over the tournament's co-hosts at the famous Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The 10-man Three Lions secured their spot in the World Cup quarter-finals thanks to the victory. They are now set to face Norway on Saturday evening.

But in the immediate aftermath of the final whistle, following celebrations with supporters, Kane participated in an interview with the BBC. However, it soon became clear that he had lost his voice, resulting in his responses sounding somewhat more high-pitched than usual and leaving everyone in stitches,

Kane admitted: "My voice has gone!" Coughing and clearing his throat, he said: "It was a crazy game... we had to fight haha, we had to find something, I've just been singing there, I can't really talk but..."

He continued: "All the occasion, the team, everything against us, we found a way."

As he brought the interview to an end, he said: "Incredible, unbelievable support, speechless, I can't even talk!" Before the BBC interviewer said: "Go and rest that voice Harry."

One fan joked: "90 mins at the Azteca Stadium and Harry Kane turned into Mickey Mouse!" A second said: "Harry Kane turns into Mickey Mouse after England's win over Mexico." A third laughed: "Harry Kane channels his inner Mickey Mouse!"

Meanwhile, back in the BBC studio, Kane's former team-mate, Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney, couldn't contain his laughter. He said: "It's the best interview ever!"

England had overcome hostility, altitude and Jarell Quansah’s red card as Thomas Tuchel's side edged the contest. England started well 2,200 metres above sea level when the last-16 tie eventually got under way an hour late because of bad weather.

Jude Bellingham’s quickfire brace silenced the home supporters whose hopes would be revived by Julian Quinones before the break. Mexican belief grew further when right-back Quansah was sent off for a clumsy challenge early in the second half, only for Tuchel’s team to immediately respond through skipper Kane’s spot-kick when Anthony Gordon was brought down.

Raul Jimenez added a penalty of his own to increase English nerves, after Kane accidentally booted Brian Gutierrez in the box, yet the visitors showed defensive nous and togetherness to win on a wild night in Mexico City.

A date with Norway in Miami is the reward as England kept their quest for World Cup glory alive and helped avenge Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ on their return to the Azteca after 40 years.

- Amie Wilson and Neil Docking

ENGLAND VS MEXICO DELAYED AS THUNDERSTORMS HIT MEXICO CITY

 

A general view of a match delay notice on the big screen ahead of the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match at Mexico City Stadium, Mexico. Picture date: Sunday July 5, 2026 (Image: Martin Rickett)

Thunderstorms have hit Mexico City in the build-up to England’s World Cup clash against Mexico, as the kick-off time is pushed back to 2am for UK viewers.

The game will start in the early hours of Monday morning UK time after governing body Fifa opted not to go ahead with a proposal to move it forward six hours to avoid disruption from forecast thunderstorms.

Mexico’s weather service said there would be an 80% chance of thunderstorms at 5pm local time (12am BST), and a 60% chance at 6pm (1am BST).

A Fifa statement said: “Due to adverse weather conditions in Mexico City, including risk caused by lightning in the vicinity of the stadium, the kick-off of the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 16 match between Mexico and England has been delayed to 1900 local time (2100 EDT).

“The safety and security of all individuals is FIFA’s priority. We thank all fans for their understanding and cooperation.”

At about 2.30pm (9.30pm BST), heavy rain and thunderstorms greeted England and Mexico fans outside the Estadio Azteca, with loud rumbles of thunder coming and going in the hours before kick-off.

The big screens inside the stadium displayed signs warning people that an electrical storm was approaching and to remain in their seats, though people ran for cover when the heavens opened.

Play cannot begin until 30 minutes has passed since lightning was detected within an eight-mile radius.

Mexico’s last-32 match with Ecuador on Wednesday was delayed by an hour after thunderstorms struck ahead of kick-off.

Lightning is not the only hazard which could strike the Three Lions’ World Cup hopes – co-hosts Mexico have lost only two of their 89 competitive games at the Estadio Azteca, which lies more than 2,200 metres above sea level.

An England win would set up a quarter-final tie with Norway following their 2-1 victory over Brazil on Sunday.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who earlier this week announced pubs would be able to stay open until 5am to show the match, predicted supporters would stay up through the night to watch the “big game”.

He said: “Mexico are a tough side to beat but we have a squad that knows what it takes to win.

“After the false hope of an earlier night, I know fans across the country will be staying up late to get behind the England team. And thanks to our change to pub licensing, they will be able to do that at their local, all through the early hours.

“Come on England!”

England fans outside the Estadio Azteca were quietly confident of the Three Lions’ chances in their round of 16 tie – with one saying the team can “win penalty shootouts now”.

Barnaby Shepherd, 58, originally from Cambridge but who now lives in Los Angeles, told the Press Association: “I think they’ll play slow for the first part because of the altitude and I think they’ll pass it a bit.

“If they can pass and conserve their energy and nick a goal… I told the Mexican waiter last night it’s going to be 1-1 and it will go to penalties and we’ll nick it on penalties.

“He said no chance, he thinks it will be 2-0 to Mexico.”

Asked if he was confident England can win on penalties, Mr Shepherd said: “I think so, I think we’ve got that, I think we can win penalty shootouts now – we’ve crossed a bridge there.”

Mr Shepherd said you can “put your watch by” thunderstorms in Mexico City.

He said: “My cousin, who lives in Mexico City – he’s from Somerset… he says the British media have it all wrong about the weather.

“It’s always mild, it never gets too hot, but you do have these thunderstorms and you can put your watch by it – you just know when they’re going to come.

“So I think they should have moved it up to 12pm personally, but we were at the airport and people were shaking their heads saying no because they’d made travel arrangements – so they didn’t like the idea of any disruption.

“People are going to be annoyed either way – we’ll see what happens today.

“Yesterday there was thunder and lightning – so that’s what they’re worried about.”

Meanwhile, Kyle Thomas, 35, from Bristol, predicted a tight game.

He said: “It’ll be a tight game – first 20 minutes, if we can keep it tight because they are going to come at us really quickly… but after 20 minutes I think we’ll be all right. 1-0 potentially – it’s going to be tight.”

His friend Jack Knight, 34, also from Bristol, said: “I think we’re at a disadvantage. They obviously played here last week, they haven’t conceded, they’ve won all their games.

“Hopefully we do well but we’ve just got to show up.

“There’s going to be, what, 5,000 English compared to 80,000 (from Mexico) – so we’re going to be outnumbered.”

Mr Thomas said the atmosphere inside the Estadio Azteca will be a “great experience”.

He said: “We’ll be loud behind the goal, the actual supporters, and there will be a few dotted around the stadium, but I’m excited just to see the atmosphere.

“The national anthem from Mexico is going to be amazing so it should be a great experience.

“We’re going to win, so hopefully onto Miami, and then Atlanta for the semis.”

The friends from Bristol said England manager Thomas Tuchel’s past achievements have given them hope for the Three Lions’ chances at the World Cup.

Mr Knight said: “I want to see a good game today – Panama wasn’t too exciting, nor Congo… I went to Dallas and watched that and that was the only time I was like ‘yeah, we can do this’.”

Mr Thomas added: “The only hope I have is that Tuchel won the Champions League playing badly with Chelsea, so I’m pinning my hopes on that.”

Asked what they had to do to afford their trip out to the US and Mexico, Mr Knight said: “Save up all our lives.”

Mr Thomas continued: “I’ve got a five-month-old and a 15-month-old, so I had to tell my missus I’m going away.

“I’ll break it to her later that I’m going to go to the semi-final – well, I’ll tell her now.”

Meanwhile, Steve Hartshorne, 70, from Walsall, said: “Let’s hope the players really come to the fore and are inspired by this atmosphere.

“We’ve been in the city and it’s manic. Green (shirts) everywhere, horns everywhere – it’s just so exciting.

“They’re a great footballing nation so let’s hope our players can respond.

“But the altitude could be a massive factor.”

Mr Hartshorne said he was confident England will have factored any delayed kick-off into their preparations.

Commenting on the potential storm disruptions, he said: “I’ve got my waterproof in here.

“I think they’ll have planned this into their thinking.

“They’ll be in the dressing room and they’ll get geared up.

“It’s the same for both sides isn’t it, really.”

Asked how England might cope with a potentially hostile atmosphere inside the Estadio Azteca, Mr Hartshorne said: “They’re experienced players, some of them, so let’s just hope they can do it.

“I’m quietly confident.”

- Melanie Disley