Following their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 defeat to Mexico, the Ecuadorean Football Federation has urged FIFA to look into issues of Mexican fans trying to disturb the sleep of opposition players before matchday.
The build-up to the game was far from serene. There were reports of Mexican fans trying to keep Ecuador players sleep-deprived on match eve by “using car horns, fireworks, motorcycles and loudspeakers”, as per The Metro.
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Having submitted a formal complaint to the game’s governing body, the Ecuadorean Football Federation (FEF) said in a statement:
“Such conduct stands in stark contrast to the principles of fair play, equity, and unity that a World Cup should embody. The FEF respectfully calls upon the competent authorities to pay greater attention to these events and to adopt the necessary measures to safeguard the safety of our players, coaching staff, and fans.”
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The FEF has now submitted a second complaint to FIFA, asking for a thorough investigation into incidents that have jeopardised the safety of the La Tri squad and their fans.
Among several reported incidents, one pertained to “a delay of more than three hours in their 40-mile journey from Felipe Angeles International Airport to their team hotel in Mexico City, because La Tri’s transport wasn’t escorted through the heavy traffic.
What happened in the Mexico-Ecuador 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 game?
Mexico vs Ecuador: Round Of 32 – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Source: Getty
On the field, Mexico continued their perfect start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over Ecuador in Mexico City, with first-half goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez.
It marked the first time in 40 years that La Tri registered a FIFA World Cup knockout win after seven defeats, since beating Bulgaria 2-0 in the Round of 16 of the 1978 edition that they hosted.
Up next for Javier Aguirre’s side is a blockbuster clash with 1966 champions England on Sunday (July 5), with Thomas Tuchel’s side coming off a come-from-behind 2-1 win over DR Congo in the previous round, thanks to a Harry Kane brace.
He’d just made history on Sunday, becoming just the second player to win a trio of U.S. Senior Open titles, when he was asked by a reporter at Scioto Country Club for his “biggest lesson” from his journey. What would the three-time major winner like younger players to know?
After Harrington overcame a one-shot deficit to start the day, his answer reflected the way he won.
“You know, it’s so easy to become good at this game physically now with the technology that’s out there,” he said. “What will set young people apart going forward will be their imagination, their resilience.
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“It’s become — right at this moment, the game has become more physical than it’s ever been. Well, that’s going to change once it gets to a saturation point of everybody is a good swinger of the golf club. It’s going to revert back to who’s got the mental fortitude, the imagination.
“If I was working with juniors, I would be fully on — as much as I do my YouTube lessons, if I was working with juniors, it would fully be on the mental side of the game and their attitude and their ability to go out there and enjoy it.”
Throughout the week, there were more ideas from Harrington. He’s as much of a philosopher of golf as he is a player.
‘That’s how you would become a pro’
This came Tuesday, when Harrington was asked if “there is one right way,” and he said there wasn’t. But he did say what’s needed to become a pro.
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“If you’re chasing being a pro or something like that, I could actually do a massive amount on the psychology of the game, but nobody has any interest in that when I put it out in social media, so I don’t do that. But that’s how you would become a pro with a good coach.
“So like if you sent me out to coach the players here, I’d pretty much leave every one of them absolutely alone with their golf swing. I wouldn’t say a word. Essentially to play professional golf you need to make it to a basic level of ball striking.
“Once you make it to that basic level of ball striking, it’s 100 percent mental. Like once you’re past that, and we see that all the time, especially in the modern game, all these kids hit the golf ball or swing the club unbelievably well. So they should all be the best players, but they’re outplayed by people who own their golf swing with a little funkier swing because of the mental side of the game.
“So once you get past the minimum standard — OK, 100 percent was an exaggeration, but once you get past the minimum standard of ball striking, it then becomes 100 percent mental what you get out of your game on any given day with luck involved, because that’s part of it. But it’s a mental game for us guys; it’s a physical game for beginners.
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“So somewhere between those two, it evens out. Nobody is really into my mental game stuff unless it’s a one-on-one. It doesn’t get the viewership when you put it out on social media.”
The takeaway for me and you: Thoughts on the mental game weren’t exclusive to Sunday. Practice it like you would your driver on the range. (Some interesting thoughts on what clicks too.)
‘Like riding a roller coaster’
This came Saturday, when he was asked how much he ‘enjoyed’ being in a final group.
“Yeah, it’s a little bit like riding a roller coaster. The further you get away from being on it, the more you think you enjoy it. Yeah, look, I’ll be out there tomorrow. I know I want to be there.
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“I know this is why we do it, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. But I’ll be questioning my decisions at times during it. It’s one of those things; you put yourself out there, you put yourself under pressure. You don’t want to mess up. You wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. But it’s still a tough place to be.”
The takeaway for me and you: Some game, right? Even pros, though, aren’t impervious to pressure. But from the other side of the ropes, that was hard to tell — Harrington shot a four-under 66, the day’s low round.
‘I’d like to play well on the weekend, but if I don’t play well …’
This came Friday, when he was asked how he was going to lean on his experience over the weekend.
“Look, as I said, I’d like to play well on the weekend, but if I don’t play well, I’m going to try to win this tournament another way. It’s just one of those things that with experience, I know things don’t go your way at times when you’re leading, and things can feel like bad breaks. You can maybe get — you miss a few more greens, so you have to get up-and-down a little bit more.
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“I’ve seen it before. It doesn’t mean I have any perfect ability to deal with it. I’ve certainly seen all these situations. So I won’t be surprised by anything, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m going to handle it that well, either.”
The takeaway for me and you: You’re not always going to have it. But there’s more than one way to do it.
‘I love playing golf’
This came Tuesday, when Harrington was asked about playing events on both the PGA Champions circuit and the PGA Tour.
“I’m playing eight in a row at the moment. This is number four. Some people have obviously said it to me, and I kind of go, when I’m 70 years of age, I won’t regret playing an extra event.
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“Who wouldn’t want to do what I do? Every tournament I turn up to, it’s in the best condition that golf course can be for us. Everything is looked after. Everything is like as good as can be.
“So each week I play golf — and I have to try and remind myself of this. Each week I play golf is like for a normal person who’s into their golf, they would save all their money to have that one week’s holiday a year, and I get to do it 30 times a year. That’s not lost on me. I love playing golf. I love being out here competing.
“Yeah, so I don’t have a problem playing lots of events. Like when I started as a pro, 28 tournaments was your standard. It’s really got lost in this world, this idea of only playing 20 tournaments or something like that. It was always 28 as a pretty much standard back in the day.”
The takeaway for me and you: This was so good. Perspective and such.
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‘That is the stupidity of me’
This also came Tuesday, when a reporter asked him about a quote that the reporter thought came from Harrington. The quote? That you should chase improvement and not perfection.
“I think I should write that down.”
He didn’t say that?
“I probably did say it, but ‘do as I say, not as I do’ comes to mind. Look, obviously, I can’t say that I live up to that aspiration, unfortunately. If I hit the very best shot on the range — so if you gave me a 5-iron and I hit the purest 5-iron you could hit, I’d try and hit the next shot better. That is the stupidity of me.
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“I would not — in a game that’s all about consistency, I wouldn’t try and hit the next shot the same, I’d try and hit it better, which is kind of mad.”
The takeaway for me and you: There’s a fine line between improvement and perfection. The former can be reached. The latter is terribly difficult to achieve.
Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Padraig Harrington’s impact on golf, Nelly Korda’s Evian chances and Jordan Spieth’s Birkdale return
Padraig Harrington defended his U.S. Senior Open title to win his fourth senior major (to go along with his three others) on Sunday in Ohio. Earlier in the week he also spoke about “busy” pro golfers and the reality check he thinks they need. Does the 54-year-old Hall-of-Famer get enough credit for not only what he’s accomplished in golf but also his stewardship of the sport along the way?
Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): Probably not, but we often only appreciate things long after they are in the rear-view mirror. He has not only been a great steward of the game, but his longevity and ability to win on the Champions Tour and to hang around at majors, as he did at Aronimink this year, are impressive. Won’t be surprised if he’s sniffing around entering the weekend at Birkdale, either.
Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): No, he hasn’t. Between what he does with YouTube instruction and the openness he offers in media settings, there may not be a better pro today in … growing the game. (Yeah, yeah, I know.) If you’re to build interest in what you do, you need to let people in, and Paddy’s given everyone a key. He’s as good at his off-the-course game as he is at his on-course game, and he’s pretty damn good at the latter.
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Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): He’s had such an interesting career. He’s known for his three major titles he piled up in the blink of an eye, but there’s also this other side of him that most people know as the guy who is always tinkering with bizarre training aids on the range. Paddy’s most recent senior major win comes at an interesting time, too — right when a couple of guys around his age (Tiger and Phil) are drifting away from the sport, at least for now. Harrington is still in the thick of it; kinda like what we thought those guys would be doing too. It’s nice to see Paddy still having success, though, and having the awareness to talk about what a privilege it is to still play pro golf.
Jordan Spieth opened up on sports gambling and its influence on the game (and potentially Wyndham Clark at the U.S. Open) while at the John Deere Classic, although some on social media were quick to point out Spieth’s own role as a brand ambassador for FanDuel. The PGA Tour has also embraced gambling partnerships over the years. “You could impact a shot if you wanted to,” Spieth said. “I don’t know of another sport that you could impact as a fan like you can golf.” While it’s hard to argue with Spieth’s logic, is there a solution to this going forward? Does there need to be?
Schrock: There’s no solution. The genie is out of the bottle, and it’s nearly impossible to put it back in, short of reverting to a universal ban on sports gambling. The PGA Tour is putting protocols in place to protect players from gambling-related harassment, as our Sean Zak detailed a few months back. The PGA Tour has embraced gambling because it can lead to more eyeballs, which every sport is chasing. But this is the byproduct of that chase. I will argue that I don’t think gambling was the main reason the crowd at Shinnecock was hard on Clark. That might have been a side part, but there were bigger things at play.
Piastowski: Hmm. First, I think gambling is only part of the problem here. It’s like blaming a football loss solely on the quarterback when several mistakes lead to defeats. Is gambling to blame? A bit. Is alcohol to blame? A bit. Are phones to blame? A bit. Is social media to blame? A bit. Are new, non-golf fans to blame? A bit. Is the loss of shame to blame (a point my colleague James Colgan eloquently wrote about here)? A bit. Whew. OK, let’s answer the question now. My idea would be to block bets on golf tournaments in the state in which they’re played that week.
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Berhow: That’s an interesting idea, Nick. Although I’m not sure there is much of a solution here. When the broadcasts are putting odds on the screens and the Tour is listing odds next to players’ names on their website, you are already in too deep. The real solution to improved fan behavior is just hoping golf fans are decent people when attending tournaments, but for a small population of the public, that’s unfortunately too much to ask.
Speaking of Spieth, he’s skipping this week’s Genesis Scottish Open and heading to the Open Championship and Royal Birkdale — home of his last major victory, in 2017 — a few days early. Will the good vibes of that Claret Jug and the success on that golf course change his season around come Open week? Do you like his chances at the final major of the year?
Schrock: When I spoke with Spieth at the PGA, he said it was best he felt entering a major since his 2017 win and that it was, he said, the best chance he felt he had to win a major since he left Birkdale. How much stock to put in that? I don’t know. His game has been consistently volatile; he’s tinkering with new putters and it just doesn’t seem to be there. But perhaps good memories can spark something. I’m not optimistic, though.
Piastowski: You know, I think he’s building toward something. He sounds confident. Said Spieth before this week’s John Deere: “I mean that statistically I feel like I could lead every category on a given week, and I have this year. It means that each part of my game can be at the highest level. I just haven’t put it together and put it together consistently enough yet. But my mechanics are mainly what’s significantly better. Then build-up of confidence, trusting in my wrist, simple things. That wasn’t always something that was an issue, but when it was, it was.” We like that. But Birkdale isn’t a pitch-and-putt. A big win is coming for Spieth, but maybe not in two weeks.
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Berhow: The funny thing about Birkdale is that Spieth’s Sunday victory over Matt Kuchar was the most Spieth-like day ever. The ups, the downs, the ball on the driving range, the go-get-that putt. (It’s still, to this day, my favorite major I’ve ever covered in person.) The weird thing about Jordan is that you kinda throw out the stats with him. Some weeks he’s simply just better at getting the ball in the hole than others, which honestly might be one of the dumbest sentences I have ever typed, but I think most people who have watched enough Jordan Spieth golf understand what I’m getting at. When he’s on, there’s a little magic in him. I don’t think he will win at Birkdale, but I do love the storyline and hope he plays well and contends. If there’s a place (not named Augusta) for him to win his next major title, this is as good a bet as any. His game travels well for Open Championships.
Nelly Korda’s next chance at the Hall of Fame (and career Grand Slam) gets underway this week at the Evian Championship in France. Does she get it done?
Schrock: She’ll contend, but I don’t think she wins this week. I think she saves her third major win for the AIG Women’s Open in a few weeks. I’m going to go with Lottie Woad, who contended at last year’s Evian, getting it done for her first major.
Piastowski: Three major wins in a year are a lot to ask. The Hall will come, but probably not this week.
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Berhow: I think she will have to wait another week. The putter was a little too cold at the KPMG Women’s PGA, and she hasn’t finished in the top 20 at Evian over the last two years (and never better than T8). Regardless, she won’t have to wait long for the Hall, whenever that day comes.
Happy Fourth of July weekend! Our Josh Sens recently wrote about America’s most exclusive (and secretive) golf club, which got us thinking: what’s the best under-the-radar course you have played this year?
Schrock: I admittedly haven’t gotten out as much as I would’ve liked so far this year. But I did play Quail Run Golf Course outside of Bend, Oregon, earlier this year. It’s a fun track that is a brute if you play it from the tips in the wind, as we unfortunately chose to do.
Piastowski: Man, the question maker of Tour Confidential must think we play golf all the time. I’ll go with the course that I’m going to play in a month — Lawsonia in Green Lake, Wis. We’ve gone there annually, and there’s a reason why.
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Berhow: Careful what you say about the question-maker. This year? Nothing comes to mind. Next week? A bunch of courses in Brainerd, Minn., one of the most underrated golf destinations in the States. (And when you aren’t playing golf, you get to hang out on boats. It’s paradise.)
An epic game worthy of the Azteca had almost everything, and especially excellence at both ends from Jude Bellingham and Jordan Pickford, as Thomas Tuchel’s side had to give their all.
A flailing, if spirited Mexico were dispatched 3-2, the tension ratcheting up with all of the refereeing decisions and the ghosts of 1986 swirling around.
England, for their part, showed an admirable belief through all of that. They instead ensured 2026 is a different story, for now, after a game that was arguably the country’s most dramatic ever World Cup win. It certainly tested emotions, especially amid those last 11 minutes of stoppage time that felt as long England’s 60-year wait.
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Sometimes, though, emotion is all these World Cup matches come down to – especially with the way they drive and drag teams to such limits.
We saw it all here, culminating in lamentable Mexican tears. Even Tuchel said he was almost sorry to see them out.
In this last World Cup match at the Azteca, the hosts had put everything in but they were always lacking something.
Thomas Tuchel’s switch to a hugely defensive – and risky – 5-3-1 once Quansah was sent off actually worked much better than expected, as the anticipated Mexican siege never really arrived.
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Pickford, after two sensational saves in the first half that weren’t far behind Gordon Banks’s in the same country, met everything in that period. Dan Burn meanwhile quelled the previously imposing threat of Raul Jimenez. He brought the best out of Pickford and, ultimately, the team.
For all the rightful lauding of England’s character and resolve, there were again concerns and flaws, that you can’t help but feel would be punished against superior sides.
Most of all, England saw another game – arguably the third of five – become a dogfight.
They struggle to assert any kind of control, which also feels slightly contradictory, when Elliot Anderson had played so well.
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That is probably influenced by the fragility at the back. It is remarkable how quickly gaps appear.
The Quansah red card can even be linked to these issues at right-back.
England were again exposed.
England’s Jude Bellingham celebrates after the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match (PA)
England faced adversity throughout the last 16 tie (PA)
But then… how many sides at this World Cup are actually good enough to not get punished themselves?
Just look at the team arguably the strongest on this side of the draw – even if that is now very arguable – in Argentina. Their test of will against Cabo Verde was even more gruelling than this.
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Perhaps that’s just the nature of this World Cup, the gaps lessened, every game a battles.
And if so many other sides are flawed, can they be just as easily punished by England if Harry Kane and Bellingham are on this kind of form?
It’s almost like they’re trading influential games now. Kane gets two in the last 32 then Bellingham gets two here, with the captain adding a brilliant penalty that did end up being decisive.
It was Bellingham that shaped the entire game, though, right up to how his two goals set everything that followed.
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One irony to that is England initially looked like they’d got their approach absolutely correct.
Jude Bellingham celebrates against Mexico (AP)
Harry Kane of England celebrates with Jude Bellingham after converting a penalty (Getty)
Clearly conscious of the excessive demands of this game, Tuchel had England play in a constrained approach where they invited pressure and then patiently hit Mexico on the counter.
With one drive forward, it was like Bellingham changed the entire tone of the match.
He was then there to finish from another counter moments later, plundering the first in brilliant fashion.
That should have been the pattern of the game. Having scored one on the counter, England then scored another on the counter press.
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Bellingham was there again.
That should have been that, even as the Mexican fans sang “yes we can”.
It seemed little more than hope, an attempt to manifest some deep will that wasn’t really based on any substance.
And then England just frittered away themselves.
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Mexico’s Julian Quinones celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates (Reuters)
England’s Jude Bellingham celebrates their side’s third of the game (PA)
If the foul that led to Julian Quinones’s brilliantly taken goal did not look a foul, it came from a spell where England were giving away a series of free-kicks.
That seemed so needless… especially since it was 2-0.
Again it came back to this issue of control. Allowances obviously can be made for everything about these settings, but this was another one of those dogfights when England had been purring.
They badly needed the break. The game wasn’t letting, until we entered a series of big decisions and VAR reviews.
England’s Harry Kane (centre), Declan Rice (centre left), Jude Bellingham (left) and team-mates celebrate (PA)
England’s Jude Bellingham (left), Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers (right) celebrate (PA)
First there was Quansah, then the crucial reprieve of Raul Rangel’s foul on the relentless Anthony Gordon for Kane to power home – then Kane’s own foul for Jimenez’s penalty.
Amid all of that, though, there was only Mexican crossing.
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In one crucial moment just before the end of the 90, they had a chance to work an opening but instead played it back to swing it in again.
England gradually learned to deal with this, despite the emotion – and 11 minutes’ injury time – inevitably bringing one big scare.
And that is maybe the main lesson of this game: England still have a lot of issues, but they have qualities and spirit and an ability to respond that can take them through to the final.
They now just have a big striker to face.
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It will be going far to ensure the emotional peaks of this match are reached.
At the end of the game, England sank to the ground in relief.
That was certainly down to more than altitude. They’d gone very, very deep – and it might yet mean going deep into this World Cup.
Ex-NFL Pro Bowler Marcellus Wiley was arrested and charged with domestic violence during an incident that occurred on the Fourth of July, court records showed.(GETTY IMAGES)
This arrest of Wiley, 51, comes after a recent Rolling Stone article, which cited accusations of sexual assault by four women in April 2026.
Wiley was also previously sued by three women for allegedly raping them while at Columbia, where he played his college football. He denied those allegations on his “More To It with Marcellus Wiley” podcast, claiming to have evidence to prove what he called “alleged misrepresentations.”
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Wiley had also called the allegations while at Columbia “B.S.”
The Rolling Stone article notes two of the women who claim Wiley sexually assaulted them came between 1995-1999.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 10: Annemarie Wiley and Marcellus Wiley attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Atlanta Hawks at Intuit Dome on Nov. 10, 2025 in Inglewood, California.(Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
There was another woman who claimed that Wiley groomed her since she was 13 years old during his time playing for the Buffalo Bills. Then, she claims that Wiley raped her when she was 18 in Dallas. She claims to have been flown out by Wiley as he was playing for the Cowboys, per Rolling Stone.
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“Marcellus Wiley raped me on my 18th birthday, after grooming me from the age of 13,” the victim wrote, adding that he referred to her as ‘little momma.’ “If Columbia had properly pursued the complaints… I would never have been groomed and raped.”
Also, a woman who used to be a production assistant at ESPN – Wiley has worked as a broadcaster for ESPN and FOX Sports – alleged Wiley deceived her about joining him in a hotel room for a working meeting in 2009. But she claims h sexually assaulted her during that time.
“The assault was devastating to me, and I will live with the effects to this day,” the fourth woman wrote in a court filing, per Rolling Stone.
Annemarie Wiley (L) and Marcellus Wiley attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies at Intuit Dome on Dec. 15, 2025 in Inglewood, California.(Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Wiley was the 52nd overall pick of the 1997 NFL Draft out of Columbia, landing with the Bills where he would play for his first four NFL seasons.
But Wiley earned his first and only Pro Bowl nod in 2001 with the San Diego Chargers, where he would star for three years. He also played with the Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars before his playing career came to an end after the 2006 season.
The Viking row continues on at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and it’s the superstar Erling Haaland who every Norwegian can thank for that after another masterful performance Sunday against Brazil.
Norway is moving on to its first-ever quarterfinals at the World Cup after Haaland scored twice in the 2-1 victory over Brazil, which heads home earlier than they likely expected.
But this tournament has proven Haaland, no matter how many touches he gets on the ball, is just like Thanos: he’s inevitable.
Erling Haaland of Norway celebrates with teammates Andreas Schjelderup and David Moller Wolfe after scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Brazil and Norway at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 5, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.(Al Bello/Getty Images)
Norway, which had grade-A chances throughout the match, as did Brazil including a key penalty shot very early on, found yet another in the box when a short cross came across the goal front. The Brazil defense lost track of Haaland for a split second, and that’s all the 6-foot-5 Norwegian needed to leap and flick his head onto the ball, which went past goalkeeper Allison for the go-ahead goal.
It was the 79th minute of the match, and it felt like that was finally the decider in a back-and-forth bout between these two countries.
Both keepers, including Norway’s Ørjan Nyland, had a tremendous match. But Nyland’s save on a penalty kick by Bruno Guimarães in the 14th minute changed the trajectory of this match.
Many wondered why Vini Jr., a superstar who had four goals in the World Cup before this match, handed the ball to Guimarães to take his first career penalty for Brazil. And they were justified considering the result.
Brazil had other threats on Norway, including a dangerous cross of the boot of Gabriel Martinelli in the first half, but Nyland once again kept the door slammed shut with a 0-0 draw.
David Moller Wolfe, Oscar Bobb, Andreas Schjelderup and Erling Haaland of Norway celebrate the opening goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Brazil and Norway at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 5, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.(Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar)
Haaland’s breakthrough late in the second half turned Norway into a defensive-minded squad, while Brazil, which had subbed in Neymar Jr. to the delight of the sold-out crowd in New Jersey, was trying desperately to tie things up again.
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But leave it to the Manchester City superstar striker to find an opening and exploit it.
Haaland sealed victory for Norway when he inched the ball forward with his left foot just outside Brazil’s box and fired a low strike to the right side past the sprawling Allison to make it 2-0 at the 90th minute. There was no pomp and circumstance by Haaland, though his teammates screamed and jumped on his back.
This is what he does – score goals. He now has seven in this World Cup, tying him with France’s Kylian Mbappé and Argentina’s Lionel Messi as they contend for the Golden Boot Award as the top goalscorer in the tournament.
Brazil was awarded another penalty shot shortly after Haaland’s second goal, which Neymar took this time. After he and Nyland were seen jawing back and forth, Neymar buried the attempt, which was ultimately a consolation goal. He and Nyland exchanged words again, but Norway was the only ones delighted when the whistle blew at New York/New Jersey Stadium.
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Erling Haaland of Norway celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Brazil and Norway at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 5, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.(Al Bello/Getty Images)
This is Norway’s first World Cup in 28 years, and they’ve done more than just represent their country well. They’ve taken down a five-time champion in Brazil to keep their title hopes alive, and Haaland continues to play a large role in making it happen for his squad.
It’s why there was no other person to lead that Viking row in the stands after the match, as Haaland gleefully banged the drum to orchestrate one of the best celebrations this tournament has seen throughout a fantastic World Cup.
The Robots will be Parks’ third team in the B.League since joining the league in 2021 as the Asian import of the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins.
After three seasons with Nagoya, the 33-year-old Parks played a couple of years with the Osaka Evessa.
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“For me, it was time to move on to the next chapter, whatever that may be,” the former Gilas Pilipinas gunner told reporters during the B.League Final Week in Manila last May.
“I felt like it was my time to depart from Osaka. We achieved what we achieved and I feel like I just want to compete more in that aspect and I felt like there’s so much more that I can still do.”
Parks is the latest Filipino import to find a new home after former Yokohama guard Kiefer Ravena inked a deal with B.League powerhouse Ryukyu recently.
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Ryan Garcia has named one of his former foes as the man to defeat Jaron Ennis, who remains unbeaten following his super-welterweight triumph over Xander Zayas.
Besides the fleeting moments of vulnerability he showed in round three, it was a largely dominant performance from ‘Boots’, who now holds the WBO and WBA titles.
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As a result, Ennis has taken himself one step closer towards becoming the undisputed king at 154lbs, where Sebastian Fundora and Josh Kelly are the respective WBC and IBF champions.
But much of the talk, it seems, is about a potential all-American clash between ‘Boots’ and Vergil Ortiz Jr, who has not fought since his second-round finish over Erickson Lubin in November.
Ortiz now appears set to return to action later this year, possibly targeting a showdown with Ennis, who WBC champion Garcia believes would lose to Devin Haney.
‘The Dream’ claimed his WBO welterweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Brian Norman Jr in November, but seemingly has the frame and skillset to eventually campaign at 154lbs.
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Taking to social media, Garcia revealed his hot take that not even Ennis, the naturally bigger man, would succeed in solving the puzzle of Haney.
“You guys would be surprised but Devin would actually beat Boots.”
You guys would be surprised but Devin would actually beat boots.
Haney and Garcia collided in April 2024, with the latter claiming a majority decision victory – scoring three knockdowns – only for his triumph to subsequently be ruled a no-contest.
This was because ‘King Ry’ tested positive for ostarine, a banned substance, for which he was dealt a year-long ban.
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino embraces United States’ Folarin Balogun. (AP Photo)
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino has thrown his full support behind FIFA’s extraordinary decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s automatic one-match ban, insisting the ruling upheld the principles of “ethics and integrity” as the co-hosts prepare for a blockbuster FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash against Belgium.The decision, which also prompted US President Donald Trump to publicly thank FIFA, has become one of the most controversial talking points of the tournament, with Belgium threatening to explore legal options and several coaches questioning the precedent it sets.
‘Everyone should celebrate’: Pochettino defends FIFA ruling
Speaking ahead of Monday’s knockout encounter, Pochettino welcomed FIFA’s move to make Balogun available after the striker’s controversial red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.“I think everyone who really looked at the sport and trusts in ethics and integrity should celebrate that decision,” Pochettino told reporters.The former Argentina international argued that the United States had already suffered enough during its 2-0 Round of 32 victory, when Balogun was dismissed in the 64th minute after a VAR review.“We were punished enough against Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing with 10 men for 35 minutes after a decision that was completely unfair,” he said.Pochettino also said he was not surprised that President Donald Trump personally contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino to seek a review of the incident.“I came from a culture, Argentina or Europe, that football, soccer is a religion, more than the religion,” Pochettino said. “If we keep going, pushing on, maybe one step more tomorrow you will see that the sport is magic, that the sport is amazing, is so powerful, unite people, unite a country like us.”
Referee Raphael Claus shows a red card to United States’ Folarin Balogun (R). (AP Photo)
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Trump welcomes reversal; Belgium fume
According to reports, Trump called Infantino after the Bosnia match to request that FIFA review the red card shown to Balogun, who is the United States’ leading scorer with three goals at the tournament.Following FIFA’s announcement, Trump praised the governing body on social media.“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” he wrote.FIFA said the suspension had been lifted under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, placing Balogun on a one-year probationary period. Should he commit a similar offence during that period, the suspended sanction would automatically come into effect.The move appears to be the first time since the 1962 World Cup that a player sent off during the tournament has avoided serving the automatic suspension.
Belgium questions legality of decision
The Royal Belgian Football Association reacted angrily, describing itself as “astonished” by FIFA’s ruling and questioning its legal basis.While acknowledging FIFA’s reliance on Article 27, the RBFA argued that Article 66.4 of the Disciplinary Code clearly mandates an automatic suspension after a red card, noting that every other dismissal at this World Cup has resulted in a one-match ban.Belgium coach Rudi Garcia also mocked the timing of the decision.“I didn’t know that in the offices of FIFA the fifth of July was the first of April in Europe,” Garcia quipped, likening the ruling to an April Fools’ joke.The Belgian federation said it is exploring “all potential options” to protect “the fundamental principles of fair play,” while Norway coach Ståle Solbakken warned the ruling could create a dangerous precedent for future disciplinary decisions.
England’s Harry Kane buries a penalty kick to score his second goal against Mexico. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)((Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images))
In a stunning two-minute span in the first half, Bellingham struck twice, leaving Mexico’s defense completely shell-shocked.
But before halftime, Julian Quinones gave El Tri a lifeline. He buried a clutch goal, trimming the deficit to 2-1.
In the 53rd minute, England went down to 10 men after Jarell Quansah was shown a straight red card. Suddenly, the momentum appeared to swing in Mexico’s favor.
England’s Jude Bellingham clears the danger as goalkeeper Jordan Pickford celebrates the crucial defensive stop. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)((Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images))
Instead of capitalizing on the numerical advantage, however, Mexico gifted England a golden opportunity.
Goalkeeper Raul Rangel recklessly brought down Anthony Gordon inside the penalty area, conceding a spot kick. Captain Harry Kane calmly stepped up and buried the penalty, restoring England’s two-goal cushion at 3-1.
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Still, Mexico refused to fold.
In the 69th minute, the referee pointed to the spot once again, awarding Mexico a penalty after another frantic sequence inside England’s box.
Raul Jimenez confidently converted, cutting the deficit to 3-2 and setting up an edgy finish.
England’s Jude Bellingham (left) reacts after Mexico’s Julian Quinones scores their side’s first goal of the game during the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match at Mexico City Stadium, Mexico. Picture date: Sunday July 5, 2026. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)((Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images))
From there, England dug in, despite being down to 10 men. England absorbed wave after wave of Mexican pressure before hanging on for a gritty 3-2 victory, advancing to the quarterfinals against Norway.
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England booked its place in the quarterfinals and handed Mexico its first-ever World Cup defeat at the Estadio.
England’s Jude Bellingham (10) celebrates after scoring his second goal (AP Photo)
England survived a hostile atmosphere, a second-half red card and relentless late pressure to defeat co-hosts Mexico 3-2 at the Estadio Azteca on Sunday, booking their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals. The victory sends the Three Lions into the last eight for the third consecutive World Cup, where they will meet Erling Haaland’s Norway in Miami Gardens on Saturday with a place in the semi-finals at stake. In one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament, Jude Bellingham proved the difference with two goals in the space of just 98 seconds during the first half before Harry Kane converted a crucial penalty despite England playing with 10 men. The match, played in front of more than 80,000 spectators at the iconic Azteca Stadium, also featured a weather delay of nearly an hour before England emerged victorious in one of the toughest environments of the competition. Mexico entered the contest unbeaten in 10 World Cup matches at the Azteca, including three victories during this tournament, but England ended that remarkable record. Bellingham silenced the home crowd in the 36th minute by powering home a header before striking again just two minutes later after being set up by Kane, putting England firmly in control. Mexico refused to fold, with Julián Quiñones reducing the deficit in the 42nd minute to ensure the hosts remained firmly in the contest heading into half-time. The momentum appeared to swing decisively in Mexico’s favour nine minutes after the restart when England defender Jarell Quansah was shown a straight red card following a VAR review for a dangerous challenge on Jesús Gallardo. Quansah became only the fourth England player to be sent off at a FIFA World Cup and the first since Wayne Rooney’s dismissal in 2006. Ray Wilkins in 1986 and David Beckham in 1998 are the only other England players to have received red cards at the tournament. With England reduced to 10 men, head coach Thomas Tuchel responded by replacing Bukayo Saka with John Stones to reinforce his defence. Despite the numerical disadvantage, England struck again in the 60th minute when Anthony Gordon was brought down inside the penalty area by Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel. Kane calmly converted from the spot for his sixth goal of the tournament and the 14th World Cup goal of his career, drawing level with West Germany legend Gerd Müller for fifth on the competition’s all-time scoring list. Kane’s sixth goal of the tournament also moved him to within one strike of Golden Boot leaders Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland. The England captain also made unwanted World Cup history later in the contest by conceding a penalty, becoming the first player since at least 1966 to both score and give away a penalty in the same World Cup match. Raúl Jiménez converted with a trademark stutter-step run-up to cut England’s lead to 3-2 and set up a tense finale. Mexico threw everything forward over the final 21 minutes, along with 11 minutes of stoppage time, but Jordan Pickford and England’s defence withstood wave after wave of pressure to preserve their narrow advantage. The defeat extended Mexico’s frustrating World Cup record in the knockout rounds. El Tri have now been eliminated in the round of 16 eight times since reaching the quarter-finals while hosting the 1986 tournament. Their only other appearance beyond the last 16 came when they hosted the World Cup in 1970. Despite enjoying a one-man advantage for much of the second half and receiving passionate backing from the home crowd, Mexico were unable to find a decisive equaliser as England marched into another World Cup quarter-final.
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