Lionel Messi may have had his record-breaking World Cup moment but at this rate Kylian Mbappe will be rendering that legendary feat short-lived.

If Messi is the current king on the throne, then France’s captain fantastic, the focal point of their frightening attack, is the heir apparent after leapfrogging Miroslav Klose in the all-time goalscoring charts and onto the heels of the Argentina great with his double in a dominant 3-0 victory over Sweden on Tuesday night.

Didier Deschamps, back on the touchline following the tragic death of his mother last week, was beaming again as his team cruised into the last 16, with Mbappe embracing him in a heartwarming moment after his terrific first. 

Bradley Barcola replaced Desire Doue on the left-hand side of Deschamps’ starting frontline and he repaid his grieving coach with the second goal of the day. Michael Olise also registered two assists, taking his tally at the tournament to five, in the smoothest of displays. And as Sweden continued to fade after a spirited start, Mbappe moved to within one goal of Messi while capping a routine win for his mighty nation.

No team in history had scored three goals or more in five straight World Cup games but France achieved that in New Jersey. At this stage it seems inconceivable that they won’t be back here on July 19 for the final, where Messi and Argentina look likely to await in a rematch of that epic encounter in Qatar four years ago.

As he continues to stalk the great Leo in the goal standings, Mbappe will be licking his lips at the prospect of snatching the famous trophy back from him too.

Swedes fade fast 

It took France nearly 20 minutes to find their rhythm amid scorching temperatures at MetLife Stadium. Graham Potter said his team needed to have the game of their lives here and they were the ones who started like men possessed, pressing with speed and intensity in the middle of the park. The physicality of Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres also caused club teammate William Saliba and his defensive partner Dayot Upamecano some difficulty.

Yet they soon retreated into their shell as the fearsome French trio of Mbappe, Olise and Ousmane Dembele – without a doubt the most intimidating arsenal at this summer’s tournament – began to find gaps in the final third.

Mbappe was denied an opener by the tightest of offside calls when he raced through unmarked and converted past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom not long before the first-half hydration break. Adrien Rabiot was denied by the boot of the Swedish goalkeeper shortly after. 

Then, within four astonishing minutes, both Mbappe and Olise struck the woodwork, the latter almost producing one of the goals of the World Cup so far with a remarkable bicycle kick that was kept out by the post. 

Les Bleus were knocking on the door and Potter’s men, who at one moment appeared to have a flat eight-man backline, could do little but sit deep and defend their own box. The inevitable France opener was quickly becoming a matter of when rather than if, and in the 45th minute it was their main man who delivered it.

With Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, Mbappe is thriving in a devastating France attack

Sweden needed to produce the game of their lives but they faded rapidly after a spirited start

Advertisement

After being released in the box by Dembele, Mbappe found himself one-on-one with a fellow attacker in Gyokeres, though they are miles apart in terms of speed. His feet were far too quick for Sweden’s stocky center-forward, with a bewildering stepover and two delicate touches freeing him up to curl the ball home from the edge of the six-yard box.

And when Barcola latched onto Olise’s pass and added a two-goal cushion shortly after the break, Sweden’s miserable fate was all but sealed long before Mbappe made it 3-0.

An attack like no other 

While Messi is pretty much carrying Argentina in their bid for a second straight World Cup, Mbappe is simply the brightest jewel in a glistening French diamond. 

Deschamps has an embarrassment of riches going forward, with Olise as delightful to watch here as Les Bleus’ record-seeking talisman.

The silky Bayern Munich star produced two exquisite passes that made the difference; the first for Barcola to double their advantage, the second for Mbappe to put them out of sight. 

Plus, it was his neat interplay with Dembele, who also can’t be forgotten, which preceded the latter teeing up his PSG teammate for the opener.

Olise was as delightful to watch as Mbappe in a comfortable victory for France in New Jersey

Advertisement

Deschamps had the luxury of starting Doue and Rayan Cherki on the bench here, two players who would walk into plenty of managers’ lineups in the US, Canada and Mexico this summer. 

Messi’s magic may be enough to send Argentina to the final, but will their defense really be able to live with an lethal French attack that seems to be at its deadliest right now.

History not at the forefront of Mbappe’s mind 

The Real Madrid Galactico, often lambasted for a so-called attitude problem, became the World Cup’s second greatest goalscorer of all time with his opening strike, yet his first thought was to head straight to Deschamps, who missed last week’s win over Norway due to the tragedy in his personal life.

His captain’s latest breathtaking finish will have helped lift his spirits after a devastating week. And seven minutes into the restart France gave their manager something to smile about once more when Barcola doubled the lead.

Sweden, playing a lot like a team who sneaked into the World Cup via the Nations League backdoor, gave the ball away cheaply near the halfway line and Aurelien Tchouameni picked it up before finding Olise, who played a delightful pass to unleash the Paris St-Germain forward inside the area. He made no mistake from close range to leave Sweden with a mountain to climb.

Didier Deschamps had a smile on his face again after the tragic death of his mother last week

Then, with the result already a foregone conclusion, Mbappe collected another outstanding Olise pass into the box with 15 minutes to play and rifled the ball home to net his 18th World Cup goal in as many matches and seal the victory.

When he and Olise, who was equally mesmerizing, were replaced in the final five minutes MetLife’s French contingent rose to its feet in awe and adulation. The pair were phenomenal and it is tough to see how they, along with Dembele and the interchanging Barcola and Doue, fail to propel France to the final with Paraguay and likely Morocco to come next.

Even Spain and Portugal, their potential semifinal opponents, will be quaking in their boots.

Following a heartbreaking week on a personal level, France’s free-flowing frontmen are providing the perfect tonic for Deschamps.

An inevitable final? 

Messi etched his name into the history books even further last week by becoming the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer. While that record surely won’t last beyond the next in 2030, or potentially even this year’s tournament, the current edition looks perfectly poised to conclude with a battle between the king and his heir later this month.

Just like they were in Qatar, France and Argentina are comfortably the strongest two nations this time around and will take some stopping.

In the illustrious history of the World Cup there has never been an immediate rematch. How fitting if the competition’s two leading scorers collide in the first.

The prison officer initially denied claims of the relationship

A prison officer who had a relationship with a murderer has been jailed. Rebecca Green, 29, was working at HMP Whitemoor in March when she entered into a relationship with John Otugade in October 2022.

Otugade is serving a 25-year sentence for murder. In spring 2023, Green was called into a meeting when suspicions were raised about her conduct.

Green initially denied the claims, but Otugade was moved to HMP Belmarsh while investigations took place. Officers searched Green’s car and seized her mobile phone. This contained messages that suggested she was in a relationship with the prisoner.

Otugade also had a number added to his approved contacts list inside the prison and it had the name ‘partner’. The number was later found to be a match to Green’s phone.

Green, of Market Rasen Way, Holbeach, Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to wilful misconduct in a public office.

On June 24, she was sentenced to one year and four months in prison at Cambridge Crown Court. Detective Constable Tom Adams, who investigated, said: “As a prison officer, you have a responsibility to keep prisoners and your colleagues safe.

“This was a serious breach of Green’s responsibilities, and she failed to consider the potential impact on the security and safety of the staff and prisoners and how her actions undermined the work of the prison. This sentence shows how seriously the police and courts take such breaches.”

As the Press reported earlier this afternoon, Humphrey Smith, the owner and chairman of Tadcaster-based brewery has died aged 81.

Mr Sweeting says that though it has been known Humphrey Smith has been unwell for sometime, his passing still came as “a shock.”

He told The Press he wanted to thank Humphrey Smith for his ‘contribution’ to the town.

RECOMMENDED READING:

“It’s the end of an era. Mr Smith has been part of Tadcaster for many year and has done a lot for this town.

“But he wasn’t one for publicity. He would like to do things behind the scenes. We wouldn’t have a lot of the facilities in the town if it wasn’t for Mr Smith and the brewery.”

The town council chairman continued: “I knew Mr Smith extremely well. There was one thing he did have. He did have the town at heart. He was a Tadcaster person.

“I have known him all my life and his mother. He has done a lot for the church and the community. To me, he’s just Mr Smith. They do a lot of unseen things.”

Tadcaster Mayor Richard Sweeting knew Humphrey Smith well and says Tadcaster is in mourning. (Image: NQ)

“Talking to people in the town, Tadcaster is in mourning. It’s the end of an era. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this sad time.”

Mr Sweeting said it was too early to speculate about the brewery’s future and how the town might mark his passing.

“We have lost the head of the brewery. We have lost one of the main characters of Tadcaster. He was part of Tadcaster, very much so.”

He added: “I had a lot of respect for him. He knew me. He was a proper gentleman.”

What tribute would you like to pay to Humphrey Smith? Did you know him? Did you ever meet him? What changes do you think may happen at the brewery now and will they be a good thing? Please share us your thoughts in the comments below.

Man Utd are set to complete the signing of a talented young midfielder, who they agreed a deal to sign last year.

Manchester United will formally announce Cristian Orozco’s transfer when his move is completed this month. Last year, United struck a preliminary agreement with Fortaleza CEIF that outlined that Orozco would sign in the summer window.

Orozco will celebrate his 18th birthday on July 13, when United can formally register him as a player. The midfielder will arrive in Manchester before that date in order to acclimatise and be ready to start on the 13th.

The Reds announced similar signings of Sekou Kone, Diego Leon and Enzo Kana-Biyik last year. Kone and Leon both spent a season with the U21s after signing from clubs in Mali and Paraguay respectively. Kana-Biyik was immediately sent on loan to Ineos-owned Lausanne Sport, but he arrived from France.

Having come through Le Havre’s academy, Kana-Biyik already had experience of European football which enabled him to be sent on loan, but Kone and Leon were given time to get up to speed after coming from different continents.

Orozco is expected to require a similar period of adaptation as he settles into life in Manchester after switching from Colombia. United will provide English lessons for the youngster.

United are signing Orozco because they believe he possesses first-team potential, but Kone, Leon and Kana-Biyik were all of the same mould, and none have been given their first-team debuts so far at United.

The club’s recent signings of young players from abroad who possess high potential are seen as low-risk and high-reward.

United have widened their academy recruitment in recent years due to Brexit rules, which prevent them from signing players from Europe.

Orozco was involved with Fortaleza CEIF’s first-team last season. He was included in 11 senior squads, which saw him make two appearances from the bench in Colombia’s top-flight, along with two starts.

From professional membership fees and work travel to cleaning uniforms and using your own car for business journeys, there are a range of legitimate expenses that can reduce your tax bill. Better still, in many cases you can backdate claims for up to four previous tax years.

With the cost of living still putting pressure on household budgets, checking whether you’re eligible could put money back in your pocket without taking on extra work or switching jobs.

Here are some of the most overlooked tax reliefs many employees don’t realise they can claim.

Professional memberships

If your job requires you to belong to a professional body or pay membership fees to carry out your role, you may be able to claim tax relief on the cost.

This includes:

• Professional membership fees required for your job
• Annual subscriptions to HMRC-approved professional bodies
• Some journals and publications linked to your profession

You cannot claim if your employer paid the fees or if the organisation isn’t approved by HMRC.

The full list of organisations is here.

Travel and overnight expenses

Many employees assume commuting costs are tax deductible, but they are not.

However, if you’re travelling to a temporary workplace or making business journeys, you may be able to claim relief on:

• Train, bus and taxi fares
• Hotel stays
• Meals while travelling for work
• Parking charges
• Congestion charges and tolls
• Business phone calls
• Printing costs

Receipts are normally required for hotel and meal expenses.

Using your own car for work

If you drive your own vehicle for work, you may be entitled to mileage tax relief if your employer doesn’t fully reimburse you.

From April 2026, HMRC’s approved mileage rates are:

• 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles in cars and vans
• 25p per mile after 10,000 miles
• 24p per mile for motorcycles
• 20p per mile for bicycles

The allowance is designed to cover running costs including fuel, servicing, insurance and wear and tear, so these can’t be claimed separately.

If you drive a company car instead, you may still be able to claim relief on fuel or electricity costs used for business journeys if you paid them yourself.

Uniforms and specialist clothing

If you have to clean, repair or replace a work uniform yourself, you could qualify for tax relief.

This applies to uniforms that identify your profession, such as those worn by:

• Nurses
• Police officers
• Emergency workers

It can also include specialist protective clothing such as overalls or safety boots.

Many occupations qualify for fixed-rate allowances, meaning you don’t always need to keep receipts.

You generally cannot claim for buying everyday work clothes, even if your employer expects you to wear a certain colour or style.

Tools and equipment

If you have to buy or replace tools needed for your job, these may also qualify for relief.

Examples include:

• Electric drills
• Hairdressing scissors
• Trade tools
• Work equipment with no significant personal use

Larger purchases may qualify under capital allowance rules if they’re essential for your work.

Working from home

One important change affects anyone working remotely.

For the 2026/27 tax year, most employees can no longer claim working from home tax relief.

However, claims can still be made for the previous four tax years if you were required to work from home because your employer had no office available or your role required it.

Those claims could include:

• Additional electricity and heating costs
• Business phone calls

Employees who simply chose to work from home are not eligible.

How far back can you claim?

One of the biggest opportunities many workers overlook is that claims don’t have to be limited to this year.

In many cases, HMRC allows eligible employees to claim for:

• The current tax year
• The previous four tax years

That means someone who has consistently paid qualifying professional fees, mileage costs or uniform expenses could potentially receive a sizeable repayment.

Recommended reading:

Who should check?

It’s particularly worth checking if you work in sectors such as:

• Healthcare
• Teaching
• Construction
• Engineering
• Hairdressing
• Hospitality
• Sales
• Social care
• Emergency services

Many employees in these industries regularly incur work-related costs without realising some qualify for tax relief.

Tax relief isn’t a loophole – it’s part of the tax system designed to ensure workers aren’t taxed on money they’ve had to spend doing their jobs.

If you’ve paid qualifying work expenses yourself and weren’t reimbursed by your employer, it’s worth checking your entitlement. Even relatively small annual claims can add up over several years, especially if you can backdate them.

Nasa’s moon base programme manager, Carlos Garcia-Galan, said: “We’re working with Blue Origin very closely to understand their timelines to recovery, and also looking at other options in case it doesn’t meet our timeline, so we’re paying a lot of attention again, putting the entire Nasa capability at the service of making this vendor successful.”

Authorities arrested four adults on felony child endangerment charges after discovering 16 children in dire need of medical treatment Tuesday in a rural southern Ohio home.

The Ohio Bureau of Investigation and local sheriff’s department searched a home in the small village of Hamden, where they found the kids in what officials called “deplorable” conditions.”

“Conditions you cannot even imagine people being in, let alone children being in,” Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said at a news conference.

Law enforcement arrested Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders. They have not yet been arraigned and assigned public defenders.

Vinton County prosecuting attorney William Archer said they were being charged with second-degree felony child endangering because it involves “serious physical harm.”

Officials did not confirm if the children were related but said it was not a human trafficking situation. They said the adults were not locals and appeared to have been traveling.

Hamden has a population of less than 1,000 people and is about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southeast of Columbus.

The children ranged from ages 1.5 to 18 and included both boys and girls, officials said. Several were in serious conditions when found, and two had to be flown to level one trauma centers because of their injuries.

Wilson said it was the worst scene he had ever encountered in his entire career, describing what he saw as “pure evil.”

Law enforcement were also executing a secondary search warrant at the home Tuesday, and the investigation is ongoing. The four adults will appear in court Wednesday morning.

“Justice will be served for these children,” Wilson said.

Subway will open its newest store at the Gowthorpe entrance to the Market Cross Shopping Centre in Selby this July.

While a date is yet to be officially confirmed, sources have suggested a date of Monday (July 6), which may be subject to change.

Recommended reading:

Subway had operated at 33 Gowthorpe in the town but closed in 2022.

The US chain is renowned for its choose-your-own sandwiches, salads and wraps, flavoured with a selection of fillings and sauce options.

The site had previously been the location of Alexander Cards, now known as Elaine’s Cards, which moved to a new unit opposite Costa Coffee, off New Lane in the town centre in May.

Speaking to The Press at the time, owner Elaine Yarrow said: “We are really pleased that the opportunity has arisen for us to relocate to a space that really suits the current and future needs of the business.

“The new space offers improved visibility and a more flexible layout, allowing us to enhance the overall shopping experience.

“We’re really excited about this next chapter and look forward to welcoming both new and returning customers into our new space.”

The sick couple moved into the home just days after the toddler’s death

Advertisement

The former home of two depraved adoptive dads jailed following the death of tot Preston Davey has been put back on the market with prospective buyers warned of the Lancashire property’s previous owners.

Jamie Varley and his then partner John McGowan-Fazakerley had long spoken of dreams of moving from their semi-detached home in Staining Road in Blackpool.

LancsLive reports the couple had already been arrested in connection with Preston’s death but got the keys to their new home in Chandlers Way, Grimsargh, just 22 days later.

Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter

The couple completed the purchase of their new home and moved in shortly afterwards, with neighbours later saying they had no idea of their criminal background.

The truth finally emerged when police executed a warrant at the property in June 2024 and charged both men. Following a trial lasting more than seven weeks at Preston Crown Court, jurors heard how Preston had suffered extensive physical, emotional and sexual abuse after being placed with the couple as prospective adopters in March 2023.

A post-mortem examination found the toddler had sustained around 40 injuries.

Prosecutors described the case as one of the most shocking they had encountered, with him enduring a sustained campaign of abuse during the final months of his life.

Varley was convicted of murder, sexual offences, causing grievous bodily harm, cruelty and indecent image offences and sentenced to a whole life order. McGowan-Fazakerley was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child, cruelty and sexual assault and jailed for 25 years.

Now, their former home in Chandlers Way has been put back on the market for £370,000; £80,000 less than the £450,000 the couple paid for the detached five-bedroom home. The house is due to be sold at an online auction closing on July 31.

The listing for the home describes it as an “immaculate detached property with stunning countryside views” and is said to represent “an ideal opportunity for families”.

The listing makes reference to the couple’s convictions and states: “The vendor is currently serving a custodial sentence following conviction for offences involving [a minor]. It is understood that the offences were not committed at the property.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our WhatsApp group by clicking HERE

“This information is being provided in the interests of transparency and to assist prospective purchasers in making an informed decision. Buyers should undertake their own enquiries and satisfy themselves as to any matters that may influence their decision to bid for or purchase the property.”