By LEWIS BROWNING, SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 20:22 BST, 20 July 2026 | Updated: 21:54 BST, 20 July 2026

Lionel Messi has taken to social media to speak following Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain that left the forward crying on the pitch.

Messi was bidding to lead his country to World Cup glory for the second time in as many tournaments on Sunday, but Argentina came up short on the night.

It was a game of intense controversy and drama, with an investigation underway into Argentina’s conduct after the game, which saw the likes of Leandro Paredes lose their cool and get violent at the full-time whistle.

Messi himself drew attention too, as he tried to get Spain’s Marc Cucurella sent off for covering his mouth in the second-half.

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But his attempts failed and the star, who finished second behind France’s Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot rankings, has now spoken on the ordeal.

‘The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal,’ he wrote on Instagram. ‘But I also hold onto all the good things… The matches we turned around by giving it our all—moments that will remain in our memories forever—and the support of an entire country which, combined with this group’s hard work and effort, brought us back among the world’s elite once again.

Lionel Messi has broken his silence following Argentina’s World Cup defeat against Spain

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Messi was inconsolable shortly after receiving his runners-up medal from Donald Trump

‘It is hard to fully appreciate our achievement right now, but this group reached two consecutive World Cup finals. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and message.

‘Once again, we managed to unite as a country and stand together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentine. 

‘I also want to congratulate Spain on winning the championship.’

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The Argentina squad has also been slammed for standing with their backs to the winning team at MetLife Stadium as Spain lifted the World Cup trophy.

Instead, the Argentina players, coaching team and staff walked over to the end where the majority of their fans were sat and turned their backs as their rivals celebrated.

Footage shows Spain players holding the World Cup trophy aloft as gold confetti explodes behind them, with the Argentina team facing the other way.

Messi and his team also refused to face the music and speak to the media following their defeat.

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Argentina only had two shots in the entire match, with the first coming in the 117th minute. 

The Cross Keys, on Middlesbrough Road in Upsall, is an old coaching inn dating back to the 19th century, built from stone with a traditional tiled roof.

It sits on the A171, the main road between Scarborough and Middlesbrough, and is close to the North York Moors National Park.

Inside, there’s a bright-coloured bar and cosy restaurant with room for around 160 diners, along with a large kitchen and a beer cellar.

Upstairs, the pub has 20 en-suite bedrooms, including doubles, twins, and family rooms, plus a flat for a manager to live in.

The whole site, which dates back over 100 years, covers just over six and a half acres.

It has parking for about 120 cars and a scenic outdoor seating area for another 120 people.

Altogether, the building measures nearly 15,000 sq ft.

“The property occupies a countryside setting, surrounded by open farmland, woodland and scattered residential properties while remaining accessible to nearby towns and surrounding villages,” says Rightmove.

The pub is being sold outright. It is not a listed building and does not sit in a conservation area.

The sale is being handled by property agents Savills.

Anyone interested in buying it will need to book a viewing with Savills first.

It is currently listed on Rightmove, with a rateable value of £82,000.

CNN’s polling analyst Harry Enten warned that Democrats hoping their party will retake the House this fall have no reason to rest easy, even as their party leads in generic ballot polling.

In a Monday segment on CNN’s News Central, Enten warned that recent polling from The Washington Post and CNBC show Democrats with a much slimmer lead in generic ballot polling than the party saw in past cycles where it picked up enough seats to retake the House of Representatives.

“Yes, they’re ahead, but they’re ahead – I have to shrink down on the screen – by only four points, which is significantly less than what we saw in 2018 and 2006, when Democrats took back the house,” said Enten. “This is an ‘uh-oh,’ this is a warning sign.”

The last time Democrats dethroned a Republican majority was in 2018, during Donald Trump’s first term. That majority persisted through the 2020 election into the first midterm cycle of Joe Biden’s presidency, four years later. Enten noted that Democrats enjoyed an average lead in generic ballot polling in 2018 of 10 points, far higher an advantage than the party currently holds.

“Four isn’t 10. And it’s not 12,” joked CNN’s John Berman.

“No, no, they taught me that back in pre-K, that four is not 10 or 12,” replied Enten.

He noted that with the advantage over a number of House seats in more than a half dozen GOP-held states that redrew their congressional maps at Donald Trump’s behest, Democrats’ current slim advantage on the generic ballot could put the party “right on the edge of even getting that majority.”

That analysis echoed warnings from another polling monitor, Decision Desk HQ, which predicted that a Democratic majority in such a generic ballot environment could be as slim as three seats, putting it at constant risk of failing due to absences and defections.

There’s one bright spot in the polling for Democrats, however. In the Washington Post/Ipsos poll mentioned by Enten on the show, the Democrats’ advantage on the generic ballot jumps to eight percentage points when the field of respondents is narrowed to voters who are “absolutely certain to vote.”

Enten’s analysis hits on a peculiar dynamic for Congress, however, where a reversal of fortunes has taken place over the past year. In 2025, as Trump’s initial honeymoon period faded and his approval ratings began to sag amid the onslaught of mass firings and program-slashing, political analysts in Washington generally understood that unseating a Republican House majority was a far more likely prospect for Democrats in the midterm election cycle than netting the four Senate seats required to regain their majority in the upper chamber, which is far less prone to massive election-year swings.

Instead, a series of calamities for Republican leadership unfolded in the Senate, beginning with the decision of Thom Tillis to stand down from re-election in deep purple North Carolina amid a spat with Trump.

That problem evolved with the recruitment of Mary Peltola, a popular former congresswoman and Democrat, to run in Alaska’s Senate race and Trump’s endorsement against John Cornyn, a Republican incumbent in the Senate — torpedoing any chance Cornyn had of winning a competitive GOP primary against a candidate Democrats believe they have a serious shot at beating in November.

Now, the Senate GOP majority is looking particularly vulnerable for Democrats even as the map in the House has become tougher and tougher, thanks to a series of GOP gerrymandering efforts.

The biggest disadvantage for Republicans remains Trump’s unpopularity, whose approval ratings have sunk to the mid-to-low 30s in most surveys as his war with Iran continues to drive up prices for fuel and other commodities, with seemingly no end in sight.

In the Post/Ipsos poll published last week, the president’s overall approval rating was 37 percent, and 40 precent with registered voters, having changed little from previous surveys.

One man aged in his 30s, and two others aged in their 40s, remain in police custody

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a serious assault in north Belfast this evening.

Police and colleagues from the emergency services are currently at the scene of the incident in the Duncairn Parade area.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Shortly before 6pm today, Monday 20th July, police received a report that a man had been assaulted inside a residential property.

“Three men, one aged in his 30s, and two aged in their 40s, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. They remain in police custody, assisting with enquiries.

“Anyone with any information which might assist police should contact us using our witness appeal form at https://reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals quoting 1454 of 20/07/26 or call us on 101.

“Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/

“An update will follow in due course.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

A family of seven who tucked into an expensive feast brazenly left an Orlando restaurant without paying, it has been claimed.

The group were caught on surveillance footage consuming a spread worth $300 before leaving @ The Diner, apparently without settling their hefty tab on Sunday.

The Florida restaurant is now seeking to identify the alleged dine-and-dashers, who are said to have taken off during its busiest shift of the day.

It wrote on Instagram that the family ordered multiple dishes and appeared to enjoy a leisurely meal before carrying out their premeditated escape in stages.

The restaurant, which shared footage of the incident, alleged that staff only realized what had happened after the group had already left the premises, leaving servers scrambling to work out what had gone wrong.

In the clip, a man wearing a white vest is seen leading the group’s exit, handing another woman in the group car keys as she slips away before pulling up in the getaway car outside.

Moments later, he quickly follows behind with a young boy in tow. 

The clip shows the rest of the group remaining at the table, eagerly helping themselves to the extensive spread before another woman and a young girl make their move towards the exit.

The restaurant alleged that the family of seven had piled the table high with food before slowly vanishing from the establishment one by one

The majority of the family up and left, leaving one woman at the table, which the restaurant claimed was intended to cover their tracks 

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The restaurant alleges that one woman remained behind at the table in an apparent attempt to make it seem as though she intended to pay the bill.

After the rest of the group had reached the waiting vehicle, video shows her sitting at the table for a moment, staring pensively, before she too stood up and hurried out, breaking into a sprint as she reached the door.

Strangely, no waiter appeared to notice any suspicious behavior, as staff continued clearing tables seemingly unaware of what was happening.

The restaurant issued a warning to other local establishments in the post, urging them to remain vigilant and watch out for similar situations.

‘Orlando beware!’ reads the caption on the video, accompanied by red exclamation marks.   

It appears the restaurant has been unable to catch a break, as the post also notes that this was not the first time they had encountered such behavior, although seeing children involved was something they had never experienced before.

The post has since gone viral, attracting thousands of reactions, with many people expressing sympathy for the restaurant and calling for the family to be identified and held accountable.

Others suggested that the incident should be reported to police if it had not already been.

After waiting a couple moments, one of the family headed out to greet the rest of the group, who had already fled

The restaurant revealed on social media that this wasn’t the first time the business had been targeted by theft operating in the same way

‘This is stealing, plain and simple,’ one user commented. ‘If you can’t afford to eat out, don’t.’

Another added, ‘Imagine teaching your kids that this is acceptable behavior.’

Some social media users also questioned whether the family had intended to pay before leaving, or whether there could have been a misunderstanding leading up to their apparent dine-and-dash ordeal. 

However, the original poster insisted the departure was deliberate and claimed surveillance footage supported their conclusion.

Other comments also urged restaurants to charge up front to avoid any chance of theft recurring.

Dine-and-dash incidents can have a significant financial impact on restaurants, particularly independently owned businesses operating on narrow profit margins.

In some cases, servers fear they will be blamed for unpaid tabs, although labor laws in many jurisdictions restrict employers from deducting such losses from employee wages.

It is unclear whether the company has filed a police report.

The Daily Mail reached out to the restaurant for comment. 

The White House says President Donald Trump will be returning to an older Air Force One plane for about a month as the new, Qatari-gifted jet undergoes “additional upgrades and enhancements.”

Trump’s use of the new red, white and navy blue aircraft has faced much scrutiny not only because it was gifted by a foreign government, but also because it appears to not be equipped with some of the same missile detection and countermeasure systems as the older jets.

But it came under deeper scrutiny this month when he left the NATO summit in Turkey on the older, baby blue Air Force One and made a previously unscheduled stop at a base in the United Kingdom. Trump then swapped back onto the new Qatari-gifted plane at Royal Air Force Mildenhall.

“The new Air Force One is perfectly safe for the President’s travels, but will receive additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall which will take approximately one month to complete,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday. “During that time, the President will fly on the old Air Force One.”

The statement from Leavitt elaborated on a comment from the president as he returned to Washington on Sunday night, when he told reporters that the new plane will be sent to be “maxed out.”

Trump claimed earlier this month that the stop in the United Kingdom was so U.S. troops at Mildenhall could look at the new plane. He denied to reporters that the jet switch was due to security concerns, although he also said that he has a threat against him “all the time” and is Iran’s “No. 1” target.

The Trafford Centre’s Emergency Services Day, held on car parks 10 and 11 outside The Great Hall, will run from 10am to 4pm and feature more than 50 organisations.

Confirmed attendees include Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, North West Ambulance Service, Greater Manchester Police, the British Army and the RNLI.

The emergency services event returns this summer to the Trafford Centre (Image: Trafford Centre)

Simon Layton, centre director at The Trafford Centre, said: “Our annual Emergency Services Day is a brilliant day out for all ages – and a great way to say thank you to our amazing emergency services and support our everyday heroes.

“We’re proud to host such an inspiring day here at Trafford Centre.”

The event will be officially opened at 10.20am with a ceremony led by the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, Kate Green.

The event will take place at the Trafford Centre (Image: Trafford Centre)

Guests will be able to enjoy live demonstrations, interactive displays, and over 50 vehicles will be on display, showcasing how the services have developed and operate today.

Families can look forward to meet-and-greet sessions at intervals with Fireman Sam, and Chase and Marshall throughout the day.

There will also be face painting and live performances from local choirs.

Fireman Sam will be making a special appearance (Image: Trafford Centre)

The event is designed to be both fun and educational, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at the vital work carried out daily by emergency service personnel from across the North West.

In addition to celebrating the work of emergency workers, the event supports The Trafford Centre’s wider commitment to community engagement.

The Mirror’s David Burke writes in…

Andy Burnham has told Donald Trump he wants to show him what Manchester has to offer in future.

In his first conversation with the US President, the Prime Minister talked up the city. It comes weeks after Trump described Mr Burnham as the “leader of a town” during an Oval Office briefing.

A readout sent by No10 also revealed the two had discussed the World Cup, which concluded last night.

A Downing Street statement said: “The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, shortly after taking office this afternoon.

“The Prime Minister began by congratulating the President on a successful World Cup and agreed that England had an excellent tournament.

“The Prime Minister also hoped that he would be able to show the President what Manchester had to offer during a visit in the future.

“Setting out his vision as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister said he would be focused on ensuring reindustrialisation up and down the country to ensure good growth in every postcode.

“The Prime Minister also underlined his commitment to defence and security and said ensuring the security of the UK and its Allies was at the top of his agenda.”

The two leaders also discussed the Strait of Hormuz, the key shipping route which has been effectively closed due to the conflict in Iran.

The statement concluded: “The President then updated on the situation in the Middle East, and the Prime Minister outlined the UK’s commitment to securing the movement of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to support global supply chains and drive down costs for businesses and families across the country.

They looked forward to speaking again soon.”

The adaptation of Erik Axl Sund’s book airs on Channel 5 this week

A detective series adapted from a Scandinavian bestseller starts on Channel 5 this week.

The Crow Girl, starring Eve Myles as DCI Jeanette Kilburn and Charles Dale as he dad Brian Cole, starts on Monday, July 20. Other star-studded cast members include Katherine Kelly, Dougray Scott, Victoria Hamilton, Lee Boardman, Chloé Sweetlove, and Elliot Edusah.

The drama first aired on Paramount+ in January 2025, but will be brought to Channel 5 viewers for the very first time. In an unusual move, series one will air on Channel 5, which is owned by Paramount, at the same time season two starts on Paramount+.

But, if you’re new to The Crow Girl and watching along on Channel 5, this article will tell you everything you need to know about the first series and those who star in it.

A synopsis for season one reads: “When the bodies of unidentified young men start to show up around Bristol, beaten and full of the anaesthetic Lidocaine, police face mounting pressure and little evidence as they hunt the killer.

“As more bodies surface – including a child missing for over 10 years – the killer edges closer to home, starting a race against time to untangle a web of secrets.” Here’s everything you need to know about the cast.

Eve Myles plays DCI Jeanette Kilburn

Eve Myles leads the cast as DCI Jeanette Kilburn. The Ystradgynlais-born actress is well known for her roles in dramas.

Eve is perhaps most recognised for portraying Ceri in BBC’s Belonging, her breakthrough screen role which she maintained for nine years after joining in 2000. She’s equally celebrated for her portrayal of Gwen Cooper in the enormously successful Torchwood, having initially appeared in a Doctor Who episode before becoming the protagonist in the spin-off series.

From 2017, Eve took the leading role in crime drama Keeping Faith. She portrayed Faith Howells, a small-town Welsh solicitor compelled to return early from maternity leave following the disappearance of her husband and business partner, Evan, who was played by her real-life husband Bradley Freeguard.

Additional prominent performances include Claire Ripley in Broadchurch, Lauren Grey in You, Me and Them, Mrs Jenkins in Victoria, Caitlin Henderson in Cold Feet, DS Lola Franks in We Hunt Together and Alice Sinclair in Hijack.

Most recently, Fran Sharp in The Guest, Jacqui Hames in The Hack and Rebecca in Coldwater. She also starred opposite David Morrissey in ITV’s Gone as Detective Annie Cassidy.

Katherine Kelly plays Dr Sophia Craven

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Katherine plays the prime suspect’s psychotherapist, Dr Sophia Craven, in The Crow Girl.

Most viewers will recognise Katherine for her role in the popular soap Coronation Street. The actress played Becky Granger on the ITV hit between 2006 and 2012, leaving fans gutted with her exit.

Since then, Katherine has starred in a number of dramas, including playing Maloney in The Fields of Blood, Claire Reid in The Guilty, Mrs Webb in The Secret River, Sally Wright in Innocent, Natalie Hobbs in Criminal: UK, DI Karen Renton in Liar, Jodie Shackleton in Happy Valley, Elizabeth Sutherland in Gentleman Jack, Leah in Cheat, and Lady Mae in Mr Selfridge.

She also starred as the Permanent Secretary in the 2016 BBC drama The Night Manager, and played Jane Lowry in Strike Back.

More recently, Katherine has taken on more hard-hitting roles, playing Peter Sutcliffe’s second victim Emily Jackson in The Long Shadow, and Angela Van Den Bogerd in Mr Bates vs. The Post Office.

In 2025, she starred as Jo Conran in In Flight and Sheridan McCoid in The Hack.

Dougray Scott plays DI Lou Stanley

Dougray Scott portrays Jeanette’s partner DI Lou Stanley.

The star is probably best known for playing DI Ray Lennox in Irvine Welsh’s Crime.

He is also known for playing Major Rory Taylor in Soldier Soldier, Mickey O’Neil in Heist, Norman Godfrey in Hemlock Grove, Vic Hill in Snatch, and Colonel Jacob Kane in Batwoman. He also starred opposite Suranne Jones in Vigil as Air Marshall Marcus Grainger.

Desperate Housewives fans might recognise him for his role as Ian Hainsworth, while film buffs will know him from Twin Town, Taken 3, Last Passenger, and Mission Impossible: II.

Most recently, Dougray starred in the Channel 4 hit Summerwater as David Campbell, Gordon Brown in The Hack, and as Professor Moriarty in Sherlock & Daughter.

Victoria Hamilton plays Superintendent Verity Pound

Victoria Hamilton portrays Superintendent Verity Pound in The Crow Girl.

Victoria has graced our screens for more than 30 years, with one of her earliest television appearances being Mrs Forster in Pride and Prejudice in 1995. During that same year, she took on the role of Henrietta Musgrove in Persuasion.

Between 2016 and 2017, Victoria featured in the opening two series of Netflix sensation The Crown as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Though this wasn’t her debut royal portrayal, having previously depicted Queen Victoria in the 2001 television series Victoria and Albert.

That same year, she took on the role of Jessica in The Savages and Lucy in Babyfather. Among her most memorable performances was in Lark Rise to Candleford, where she brought Ruby Pratt to life from 2008 to 2011. Victoria is equally recognised for her portrayals as the long-suffering wife Anna Baker in the acclaimed BBC drama Doctor Foster and subsequently as Belle Stone in the programme’s spin-off Life.

Her television credits also include Senator Meaghan Sullivan in Deep State, Anna Marshall in COBRA, Juliet Cooper in ITV’s hit drama Unforgotten and Dodie Gimball in the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses.

Most recently, she played Helen Simpson in season three of Channel 5’s hit drama The Teacher.

Lee Boardman plays David White

Lee stars as David White in the cast of The Crow Girl.

Soap fans will recognise him for playing villain Jez Quigley in Coronation Street from 1997 to 2000.

He’s also known for playing DI George Morris in Bancroft, Brian Daniels in The Trouble with Maggie Cole, Jay Newman in The Five, Hane in Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands and Xavier in The Interceptor.

Other shows Lee has starred in include Da Vinci’s Demons, Great Night Out, Ladies of Letters and Drop Dead Gorgeous. Lee portr

Following his stint in Coronation Street, he starred as Timon in the acclaimed Rome. More recently, Lee has played Craig in Frauds, and Vernon Bradley in The Madame Blanc Mysteries.

Charles Dale plays Brian Cole

Welsh actor Charles is best known for playing MacKenzie ‘Big Mac’ Chalker in Casualty, a role he played from 2007 to 2016 – with a surprise return in 2021 for one episode.

Coronation Street fans will also recognise him for his role as Dennis Stringer between 2000 and 2002.

Other notable roles include Gary “Chef” Alcock in BBC’s The Lakes, and Clive Eustace in The Eustace Bros.

The star, who hails from Pembrokeshire, has also starred as Leonard Gibson in Sherwood, Chief Constable Robin in ITV’s Unforgotten, DS Gareth Rees in The Pembrokeshire Murders, Royce Evans in Requiem and Barney Scott in Rocket Man.

More recently, he starred as Ian in Bergerac.

The Crow Girl also stars Chloé Sweetlove as Madeleine, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva as Amar, Clara Rugaard as Victoria Burkeman, and Elliot Edusah as DC Mike Dilliston.

The Crow Girl starts on Channel 5 at 9pm on Monday, July 20.