Connect with us
DAPA Banner
DAPA Coin
DAPA
COIN PAYMENT ASSET
PRIVACY · BLOCKDAG · HOMOMORPHIC ENCRYPTION · RUST
ElGamal Encrypted MINE DAPA
🚫 GENESIS SOLD OUT
DAPAPAY COMING

Sports

Isaac Del Toro overcomes mechanical setback to win Tour de France 2nd stage

Published

on


Isaac del ​Toro persevered, despite a mechanical issue and a prolonged ​wait ‌to ⁠change his bike, to ‌mount a late challenge ⁠and win the second stage of ​the Tour ‌de France in a time trial in Barcelona on Sunday, becoming the ‌second Mexican rider to ​win a stage at the race after Raul ​Alcala.

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

Belgium knocks US out of World Cup after Balogun controversy

Published

on

Belgium secured its place in the World Cup quarterfinals after beating the US 4-1 in Seattle.

Atalanta attacker Charles de Ketelaere scored twice for Belgium, with Hans Vanaken scoring the third after a mistake by US goalkeeper Matt Freese.

Romelu Lukaku added the fourth in stoppage time after another mistake in the US defense

Germany-born Malik Tillman temporarily equalized for the US in the 31st minute.

Advertisement

The defeat signals the end of the US’ World Cup campaign, marking the last host country to have been eliminated.

Belgium will face Spain in Los Angeles on Friday, July 10.

FIFA decision causes uproar

The game was overshadowed by FIFA’s decision to overturn a red card received by US striker Folarin Balogun, who featured in the US’ starting eleven for the game without leaving any impact.

Advertisement

US President Donald Trump admitted to having spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about Balogun’s red card, which would have prompted a ban from the last 16 game against Belgium, with world football’s governing body later announcing the red card as suspended for one year.

FIFA’s own statutes forbid any kind of governmental or political interference with the work and decision making of its member associations, with world football’s governing body previously sanctioning national associations for such interference taking place.

Kuwait and Indonesia, for example, were disqualified from the 2018 World Cup qualifiers due to governmental interference in the two countries’ respective football associations.

United States' Folarin Balogun goes for the ball during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match against Belgium in Seattle
US striker Folarin Balogun left no impact on the gameImage: Manu Fernandez/AP Photo/picture alliance

Infantino, Trump defend decision

Infantino claimed the decision had been made by FIFA’s disciplinary committee and that Trump’s phone call had no influence on it.

“During our conversation I explained that there was an ongoing legal process,” Infantino said in a statement, adding that FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent.

Advertisement

“This is how FIFA’s system works and it is a principle I will always uphold,” he said.

Trump, too, said he had only asked for the red card to be reviewed.

Belgium’s football association appealed the decision ahead of the game, but its appeal was rejected by FIFA.

FIFA’s decision caused large-scale criticism across world football, including by European football’s governing body UEFA and many national associations and high-profile figures across the game.

Advertisement

Edited by: Wesley Dockery

Don’t let the algorithm hide the news. If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google by clicking here and hitting the “star” or “preferred” button, so you’ll always see our verified news first.

FIFA under fire for World Cup red card retraction

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Report: Commanders sign CB Rasul Douglas to 1-year deal

Published

on

Nov 14, 2025; Madrid, Spain; Miami Dolphins cornerback Rasul Douglas (26) during practice at Estadio Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesNov 14, 2025; Madrid, Spain; Miami Dolphins cornerback Rasul Douglas (26) during practice at Estadio Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Washington Commanders are planning to sign cornerback Rasul Douglas to a one-year deal, ESPN reported Monday.

The deal is reportedly worth up to $3.8 million.

Douglas played last season, his ninth in the NFL, with the Miami Dolphins. He recorded 62 tackles, two interceptions and 13 pass breakups in 15 games (13 starts), earning an AFC Defensive Player of the Week honor in Week 14.

The 30-year old third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft has 503 tackles, 92 pass deflections and 21 interceptions over 135 games (93 starts) with the Philadelphia Eagles (2017-19), Carolina Panthers (2020), Green Bay Packers (2021-23), Buffalo Bills (2023-24) and Dolphins.

Advertisement

With his signing, Washington would seek to bolster a passing defense which ranked 28th in the NFL last season, allowing 242.5 passing yards per game.

–Field Level Media

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Giannis Antetokounmpo, traded to Heat, bids goodbye to Bucks

Published

on

NBA: — Giannis Antetokounmpo plans to say hello to Miami Heat in a few days. First, he had to bid farewell to Milwaukee Bucks.NBA: — Giannis Antetokounmpo plans to say hello to Miami Heat in a few days. First, he had to bid farewell to Milwaukee Bucks.

FILE – Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo walks off the court after an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Friday, April 10, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)

MIAMI— Giannis Antetokounmpo plans to say hello to Miami in a few days. First, he had to bid farewell to Milwaukee.

Antetokounmpo’s time with the Bucks officially ended Monday, when the trade sending him and Bobby Portis to the Heat for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis and draft capital was approved by the NBA.

Article continues after this advertisement
Advertisement

Antetokounmpo plans to arrive in Miami in a few days to start his Heat era — and said in a video message posted Monday on social media that he will forever think of Milwaukee, the place where he spent 13 seasons, as his city.

“I want you to hear from my mouth, the city of Milwaukee will always be in my heart,” Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and 10-time All-Star, said in the video. “This is my home, and this is a place that I had my kids. … It made me the man that I am today. That will never ever change. No matter where I am, Milwaukee will always be my city, my team, my family.”

His run in Milwaukee ended with 21,531 points — by far the most in franchise history, more than 7,000 ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s total during his tenure with the Bucks. Antetokounmpo is also Milwaukee’s all-time leader in rebounds and assists, plus he ranks second on the team’s career list in steals.

And now, he plays in Miami — a team desperate to get back into title contention, one that paid a ransom to make it happen.

Advertisement
Article continues after this advertisement
Giannis Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks NBAGiannis Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks NBA

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center on March 12, 2026 in Miami, Florida. Tomas Diniz Santos/Getty Images/AFP 

“The announcement of today’s trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis Jr. is one of the great trades in Heat history,” Miami President Pat Riley said. “In my opinion, Giannis is one of the top five players in the league and Bobby is one of the best power forwards. The difficult part is trading Tyler, Kasparas, Jaime and Kel’el, who have given so much to this organization. We wish them nothing but the best.”

Bucks general manager Jon Horst released a statement saying the trade was in the best interest of everyone involved.

Advertisement

He also lauded Antetokounmpo, as would be expected.

Article continues after this advertisement

“Since we drafted him in 2013, Giannis has transformed the Milwaukee Bucks in every way — on the court, in our locker room and throughout the community,” Horst said. “Over 13 seasons, he became an extraordinary leader, teammate and representative of this city, and one of the defining players of his generation. The standard he set will continue here.”

The highlight of Antetokounmpo’s 13 seasons in Milwaukee, of course, was the 2021 NBA title. He had 50 points in the Bucks’ title-clinching Game 6 victory over Phoenix, earning NBA Finals MVP honors in a landslide.

Advertisement

Antetokounmpo said then, and reiterated Monday, that Bucks fans deserved that moment.

“I believe the city of Milwaukee is blue collar,” he said in the video. “It’s people that work extremely hard every single day. They give all their hard-earned money just to come watch the Milwaukee Bucks, to come and feel something, to come, to be a part of us.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.
Advertisement

“I hope that I was able to represent them the best that I could. And I was like them. I showed up to work, did everything. I was willing to do all the dirty work, just like them. I hope that bringing a trophy to this city meant something to them, because it meant so much to me.”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

I asked Tommy Fleetwood for iron-flighting advice. Here’s what he told me

Published

on

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Errol Spence’s ex trainer Derrick James addresses what went wrong in Terence Crawford training camp

Published

on

Errol Spence Jr made headlines recently when he described his training camp for the undisputed welterweight clash with Terence Crawford as “trash.”

Spence was comprehensively beaten by Crawford in 2023, suffering two knockdowns before being stopped in the ninth round. The following year, he parted ways with long-time trainer Derrick James, with the pair also becoming embroiled in a two-way lawsuit.

Responding to Spence’s comments on The Last Stand podcast, James appeared to acknowledge that preparations were not ideal, explaining that the gym was busier than usual while he was also overseeing training camps for Anthony Joshua and Frank Martin.

Advertisement

“This is what I’ll say. We weren’t able to do everything that we normally do to prepare for a fight. The gym was busy at that time … so it was a different space. The whole protocol changed right after that [fight] – no kids in the gym, no this or that.

“If that’s his perception… I had two other training camps going on at the same time. They never trained at the same time, but they were going on simultaneously. I will say that. If ‘trash’ is his perception, there’s nothing I can do about it … It was never like I was training all three of them at the same time.”

James did, however, refuse to be blamed for the lack of sparring.

“It was [disappointing] to hear … He said he didn’t spar. No, he did spar for two weeks, and supposedly he got injured within the last week of the sparring.

“So he couldn’t spar for the next eight weeks because he suffered an injury. That’s the only thing that was really different – he didn’t spar because he was injured … [After the injury] his father said, no sparring, he’s gonna save it till the fight.”

Despite their disagreement over the camp, James was quick to stress that nothing should detract from Crawford’s performance on the night.

Advertisement

“This takes nothing away from what Terence Crawford did.”

Spence returns to the ring on July 25 when he takes on Tim Tszyu, with Ronnie Shields now serving as his trainer.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

World Cup 2026 TV schedule: How to watch every knockout game live in the UK

Published

on

The last-32 of the 2026 World Cup is delivering bucketloads of drama for fans to watch live on television.

Every single game in the competition is available to watch on free-to-air TV for UK viewers.

England fans will be keen to follow the Three Lions’ progress despite time differences
England fans will be keen to follow the Three Lions’ progress despite time differences (PA)

Of course, you do have to factor in the time difference, with the kinder kick-off times including slots at 6pm BST and 8pm BST, while there are games throughout the night for UK viewers.

Here’s how you can watch every game at the 2026 World Cup on the BBC and ITV – and STV in Scotland.

World Cup 2026 TV schedule, UK

Knockout stages

Advertisement

Sunday 28 June

South Africa 0-1 Canada (Round of 32)

Monday 29 June

In 2022, led by Lionel Messi, Argentina ended a 36-year wait for their third World Cup trophy
In 2022, led by Lionel Messi, Argentina ended a 36-year wait for their third World Cup trophy (Getty)

Brazil 2-1 Japan (Round of 32)

Germany 1-1 (3-4 pens) Paraguay (Round of 32)

Advertisement

Tuesday 30 June

Netherlands 1-1 (2-3 pens) Morocco (Round of 32)

Ivory Coast 1-2 Norway (Round of 32)

France 3-0 Sweden (Round of 32)

Advertisement

Wednesday 1 July

Mexico 2-0 Ecuador (Round of 32)

England 2-1 DR Congo (Round of 32)

Belgium 3-2 Senegal A.E.T. (Round of 32)

Advertisement

Thursday 2 July

USA 2-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Round of 32)

Spain 3-0 Austria (Round of 32)

Friday 3 July

Advertisement
The New York New Jersey stadium will be a key venue this summer, hosting the final among other games
The New York New Jersey stadium will be a key venue this summer, hosting the final among other games (Getty)

Portugal 2-1 Croatia (Round of 32)

Switzerland 2-0 Algeria (Round of 32)

Australia 1-1 (2-4 pens) Egypt (Round of 32)

Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde A.E.T. (Round of 32)

Saturday 4 July

Advertisement

Colombia 1-0 Ghana (Round of 32)

Canada 0-3 Morocco (Round of 16)

Paraguay 0-1 France (Round of 16)

Sunday 5 July

Advertisement

Brazil 1-2 Norway (Round of 16)

Monday 6 July

Mexico 2-3 England (Round of 16)

Portugal 0-1 Spain (Round of 16)

Advertisement

Tuesday 7 July

This Germany fan and many others will be keen to see the team add a fifth star to their jersey
This Germany fan and many others will be keen to see the team add a fifth star to their jersey (Reuters)

USA 1-4 Belgium (Round of 16)

Argentina vs Egypt (Round of 16) – 5pm BST – ITV 1, ITV X, STV, STV Player

Switzerland vs Colombia (Round of 16) – 9pm BST – ITV 1, ITV X, STV, STV Player

Thursday 9 July

Advertisement

France vs Morocco (Quarter-final) – 9pm BST – TBC

Friday 10 July

Spain vs Belgium (Quarter-final) – 8pm BST – TBC

Saturday 11 July

Advertisement

Norway vs England (Quarter-final) – 10pm BST – TBC

Sunday 12 July

Fifa president Gianni Infantino (right) with US president Donald Trump
Fifa president Gianni Infantino (right) with US president Donald Trump (PA)

Quarter-final – 2am BST – TBC

Tuesday 14 July

Semi-final – 8pm BST – TBC

Advertisement

Wednesday 15 July

Semi-final – 8pm BST – TBC

Saturday 18 July

Third-place play-off – 10pm BST – TBC

Advertisement

Sunday 19 July

Final – 8pm BST – TBC

Group stage results

Thursday 11 June

Advertisement

Mexico 2-0 South Africa (Group A)

Friday 12 June

South Korea 2-1 Czech Republic (Group A)

Canada 1-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina (Group B)

Advertisement

Saturday 13 June

USA 4-1 Paraguay (Group D)

Qatar 1-1 Switzerland (Group B)

Brazil 1-1 Morocco (Group C)

Advertisement

Sunday 14 June

Haiti 0-1 Scotland (Group C)

Australia 2-0 Turkey (Group D)

Germany 7-1 Curacao (Group E)

Advertisement

Netherlands 2-2 Japan (Group F)

Monday 15 June

Spain will enter the World Cup as European champions, just as they did in 2010
Spain will enter the World Cup as European champions, just as they did in 2010 (Getty)

Ivory Coast 1-0 Ecuador (Group E)

Sweden 5-1 Tunisia (Group F)

Spain 0-0 Cape Verde (Group H)

Advertisement

Belgium 1-1 Egypt (Group G)

Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay (Group H)

Tuesday 16 June

Iran 2-2 New Zealand (Group G)

Advertisement

France 3-1 Senegal (Group I)

Iraq 1-3 Norway (Group I)

Wednesday 17 June

Advertisement

Argentina 3-0 Algeria (Group J)

Austria 3-1 Jordan (Group J)

Portugal 1-1 DR Congo (Group K)

England 4-2 Croatia (Group L)

Advertisement

Thursday 18 June

Ghana 1-0 Panama (Group L)

Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia (Group K)

Czech Republic 1-1 South Africa (Group A)

Advertisement

Switzerland 4-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina (Group B)

Canada 6-0 Qatar (Group B)

Jonathan David netted a hat-trick against Qatar
Jonathan David netted a hat-trick against Qatar (Reuters)

Friday 19 June

Mexico 1-0 South Korea (Group A)

USA 2-0 Australia (Group D)

Advertisement

Scotland 0-1 Morocco (Group C)

Saturday 20 June

Brazil 3-0 Haiti (Group C)

Turkey 0-1 Paraguay (Group D)

Advertisement
Vini Jr, shown in the background, is one of Brazil’s most-popular players
Vini Jr, shown in the background, is one of Brazil’s most-popular players (AFP/Getty)

Netherlands 5-1 Sweden (Group F)

Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast (Group E)

Sunday 21 June

Ecuador 0-0 Curacao (Group E)

Tunisia 1-5 Japan (Group F)

Advertisement

Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia (Group H)

Belgium 0-0 Iran (Group G )

Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde (Group H)

Monday 22 June

Advertisement

New Zealand 1-3 Egypt (Group G)

Argentina 2-0 Austria (Group J)

France 3-0 Iraq (Group I)

Mohamed Salah will captain Egypt at the World Cup
Mohamed Salah will captain Egypt at the World Cup (Getty)

Tuesday 23 June

Norway 3-2 Senegal (Group I)

Advertisement

Jordan 1-2 Algeria (Group J)

Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan (Group K)

England 0-0 Ghana (Group L)

Wednesday 24 June

Advertisement

Panama 0-1 Croatia (Group L)

Colombia 1-0 DR Congo (Group K) 

Bosnia-Herzegovina 3-1 Qatar (Group B)

Switzerland 2-1 Canada (Group B)

Advertisement

Morocco 4-2 Haiti (Group C)

Scotland 0-3 Brazil (Group C)

Thursday 25 June

Czech Republic 0-3 Mexico (Group A)

Advertisement

South Africa 1-0 South Korea (Group A)

Curacao 0-2 Ivory Coast (Group E)

Ecuador 2-1 Germany (Group E)

Friday 26 June

Advertisement

Japan 1-1 Sweden (Group F)

Tunisia 1-3 Netherlands (Group F)

Paraguay 0-0 Australia (Group D)

Turkey 3-2 USA (Group D)

Advertisement

Norway 1-4 France (Group I)

Senegal 5-0 Iraq (Group I)

Kylian Mbappe won the World Cup aged just 19 in 2018
Kylian Mbappe won the World Cup aged just 19 in 2018 (Getty)

Saturday 27 June

Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia (Group H)

Uruguay 0-1 Spain (Group H)

Advertisement

Egypt 1-1 Iran (Group G)

New Zealand 1-5 Belgium (Group G)

Croatia 2-1 Ghana (Group L)

Panama 0-2 England (Group L)

Advertisement

Sunday 28 June

Colombia 0-0 Portugal (Group K)

DR Congo 3-1 Uzbekistan (Group K)

Algeria 3-3 Austria (Group J)

Advertisement

Jordan 1-3 Argentina (Group J)

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

World Cup 2026: USA vs Belgium – USA suffer ‘total calamity’ at the back to gift Belgium a third goal

Published

on

USA goalkeeper Matt Freese with a huge error in judgement as he gifts Belgium’s Hans Vanaken the ball, leaving him with an easy finish that defender Tim Ream could’ve done more to stop. Errors all around as Belgium take control of the round of 16 tie.

FOLLOW LIVE: USA v Belgium

Available to UK users only.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Tom Wachman Wins McNerney Cup 1.45m in Canada

Published

on

Tom Wachman continued the good form of Irish riders at Spruce Meadows with success in the McNerney Cup aboard Hawaii.

The McNerney Cup 1.45m in the International Ring at Spruce Meadows was contested by twenty-five combinations as they took on the challenge of a technical course designed by FEI course designer Santiago Varela.

Nine of the competitors made it through to the second round after producing clears in the first round.

Both Tom Wachman and Daniel Coyle were among the nine to go against the clock in the second round.

Advertisement

Wachman and Hawaii delivered the fastest fault-free round of the jump-off, stopping the clock in 38.87 seconds to claim victory.

Saudi Arabian rider Abdulrahman, aboard Heartbeat W, took the runner-up spot, with Juan Manuel Luzardo (IRI) and Guizmo du Riou completing the podium.

Daniel Coyle and VDL Mourinho took fourth.

Top 10 McNerney Cup 1.45m

  1. Tom Wachman (IRL) & Hawaii
  2. Abdulrahman Alrajhi (KSA) & Heartbeat W
  3. Juan Manuel Luzardo (IRI) & Guizmo du Riou
  4. Daniel Coyle (IRL) & VDL Mourinho
  5. Tiffany Foster (CAN) & Steadfast
  6. Brian Morton (CAN) & Baton Rouge
  7. Jos Verlooy (BEL) & Etundel de Marocy
  8. Vanessa Hood (ISR)  BW Graphik
  9. Carly Campbell-Cooper (CAN) & U2 Westleven Z
  10. Blythe Karolyi (USA) & Theo Duc T&L Z


LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Reports: Former Lions CB Terrion Arnold clears waivers

Published

on

Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (6) practices during mini camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (6) practices during mini camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.

Released last week by the Detroit Lions after he was arrested on eight felony charges last month, cornerback Terrion Arnold cleared waivers, multiple outlets reported on Monday.

Arnold was arrested on June 24 and is facing charges of armed robbery and kidnapping related to an incident in February near Tampa, Fla.

Arnold is expected to meet with NFL teams that have expressed interest in signing him.

“Although Mr. Arnold has been released by the Detroit Lions organization, he already has been contacted by three other NFL clubs regarding his services,” defense attorney Harvey Steinberg wrote last week.

Advertisement

Arnold is accused of being the ringleader of a plot to avenge a theft in February by detaining and pistol-whipping the men he believed were responsible. But authorities said none of the victims Arnold and co-conspirators allegedly kidnapped and attacked were involved with stealing items from Arnold.

The 23-year-old who played at Alabama and was drafted by the Lions was the primary conspirator, according to prosecutors. All three victims are in their teens, according to court documents.

Arnold reported the theft of more than $250,000 in property from an Airbnb in Largo, Fla., near Tampa, three days before the alleged kidnapping and assault occurred.

Advertisement

–Field Level Media

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Is Mexico the 2026 World Cup’s best host country?

Published

on

Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey are the three Mexican host cities for this mega World Cup, hosted jointly with the United States and Canada. Images from these cities have quickly spread across social media, showing fans of many nations celebrating with Mexican fans.

Along the narrow streets of Monterrey’s nightlife district, older women dance salsa, arm-in-arm with sandal-wearing Dutch fans while loud reggae music blasts from the speakers of bars and restaurants. Other locals jump in circles with World Cup tourists, taking turns waving Moroccan and Mexican flags. Mexican fans are cheering on supporters of other teams, even tossing them into the air before catching them as a group. There is one particularly strong image that depicts fans consoling South Korean supporters after a 1–0 loss before treating them to tequila shots.

“I was a bit afraid I’d fall to the ground and get hurt, but they caught me,” Leonardo Jun from South Korea told DW. “Everyone took photos with me as if I were a pop star. It’s pretty cool to be welcomed like that.”

“You can really feel the World Cup here,” said Sebastian from Colombia, who managed to snag tickets for a match at the legendary Azteca Stadium.

His compatriot Xavier reported: “This is my first World Cup, and the Mexicans have already become like brothers to us.”

Advertisement
Colombian fans celebrating with various flags
Colombian fans have felt very much at home in MexicoImage: Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto/picture alliance

While headlines in the United States initially focused on issues entering the country, high public transport costs, and the unique tipping culture, Mexico offers an authentic openness and warmth that has many international visitors raving. Brenda, a Mexican herself, believes that “all three hosts are doing a great job, but Mexico has that special something.”

A record three-time host

Ahmed from Egypt also traveled to Mexico City.

“I had high expectations, and I haven’t been disappointed. Mexico has a wonderful culture of hospitality and, after all, knows a thing or two about major football events.”

Following the tournaments in 1970 and 1986, Mexico has become the only country to host the World Cup for a third time.

Fans holding up an Egyptian and a Mexican flag
Ahmed from Egypt (left) enjoyed the atmosphere in Mexico CityImage: Josue Perez/ZUMA/picture alliance

In this regard, Mexico has an edge over Canada and the USA, where other sports like ice hockey, baseball, basketball, and American football take center stage. In New York, for instance, there was little World Cup buzz during the opening days; soccer was overshadowed by the New York Knicks‘  first NBA title win in over half a century.

Advertisement

Deeply rooted football culture

In Mexico, by contrast, football is deeply embedded in the national psyche and is omnipresent these days. National team players smile from numerous roadside billboards, and the typically red Coca-Cola cans are being sold in green – the color of the national jersey.

From taxi drivers and flight attendants to pizza delivery workers, everyone is wearing the green jersey featuring the golden eagle on the chest – the national symbol that also adorns the center of the Mexican flag.

Mexican fans watching a football match together
Mexican fans, young and old, live and die with the fortunes of “El Tri”Image: Lisi Niesner/REUTERS

“The only problem with this World Cup is that it isn’t taking place in Mexico the whole time,” said Tom, who traveled from Yorkshire, England.

“I think Mexico performed better than the United States and Canada. For me, they are the winners among the hosts,” said Jenny.

Mexico and Canada were both allocated 13 matches – a small fraction of the total of 104 games. The opening match took place in Mexico City, but the Round of 16 clash between “El Tri” and England will be the last match in the country. From the quarterfinals on, all of the games will be in the United States.

Advertisement

The protests that took place in Mexico before the start of the tournament, as well as the debates regarding match security, now seem a distant memory. For most fans, none of that matters anymore. Crowd control remains a more pressing concern following the death of three fans who were caught in a crowd crush during celebrations.

This article was adapted from German.

Edited by: Jonathan Harding

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025