Fears of World Cup favouritism towards Argentina have been heightened after FIFA confirmed Lionel Messi’s favourite referee will officiate England‘s highly-anticipated semi-final with the reigning champions.

Messi’s side have been far from their best heading into Wednesday’s mouthwatering clash with the Three Lions, having scraped past Egypt and Switzerland in controversial fashion in the last-16 and quarter-finals respectively.

The manner of those victories – in which Egypt had a goal controversially disallowed and the Swiss saw striker Breel Embolo sent off – resulted in huge backlash and speculation that FIFA are conspiring to help Messi and Argentina win the tournament – an accusation the governing body strenuously deny. 

And on Tuesday it was confirmed that Ismail Elfath will be the man in the middle – in what will be the most high-profile occasion of his career as a referee – at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday as England bid to reach their first World Cup final since 1966, while Argentina look to reach back-to-back showpieces.

The Moroccan-born American, who will be assisted by compatriots Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins, will take charge of his fourth game at this year’s World Cup – and his first refereeing either England or Argentina this summer. The fourth official will be Italian Maurizio Mariani.

Elfath was the fourth official in Qatar when Argentina beat France to win the 2022 World Cup and his encounters with Messi have increased since the forward signed for MLS outfit Inter Miami in July 2023.

A month after signing for Inter Miami, Messi helped his new team win the Leagues Cup final over Nashville SC – an encounter that was refereed by Elfath.

Messi scored the opening goal with an emphatic strike into the top corner from outside the box before Nashville levelled. The match later went to penalties with Miami prevailing 10-9, with Messi scoring their first in the shootout.

The 44-year-old has refereed Lionel Messi four times at club level – all four resulting in wins – heightening fears for England ahead of the semi-final

In fact, since coming to America, Messi has been officiated four times by Elfath – winning on all of those occasions. As well as the aforementioned Leagues Cup final, Messi has scored four times across the other three MLS games.

And England players be warned as Elfath’s MLS record this season indicates he doesn’t mind getting his notebook out. In 10 matches he officiated in, before the season paused for the World Cup, he had dished out 41 yellow cards, sent off three players and awarded three penalties.

That approach has been matched at this World Cup so far where he has issued eight yellow cards and one red card across three matches – Netherlands 2-2 Japan, Spain 1-0 Uruguay and Norway 2-1 Brazil.

The Spain-Uruguay game with controversy too as the 44-year-old was targeted by the Spanish media afterwards for his performance. He was accused of not being firm enough with the Uruguayans – as the match became spiky. Deep into second-half stoppage-time Uruguay midfielder Agustin Canobbio was sent off late on for high challenge on Pau Cubarsi.

However, the biggest gripe from the Spanish media came as a result of Nicolas De La Cruz’s challenge on Nico Williams that left him injured. Williams described it as ‘one of the worst days of my life’ post-match but played the final minutes of their quarter-final win over Portugal.

Elfath’s most recent match too had a controversial moment when he initially dismissed Brazil’s appeals for a penalty after Norway defender Kristoffer Ajer fouled Matheus Cunha. However, VAR intervened and Elfath overturned his decision before Bruno Guimaraes saw his spot-kick saved.

Messi and Argentina have faced scrutiny throughout this World Cup so far with allegations of refereeing bias in their favour. The latest incident came on Saturday when Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji claimed everything was ‘against us’ after their 3-1 quarter-final exit in extra-time.

Switzerland’s players and manager were incensed after Embolo became the first player to be sent off as a result of a new rule for mistaken identity.

Elfath was the fourth official during the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France 

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Messi approaches ref Joao Pinheiro in Argentina’s World Cup quarter-final win vs Switzerland

Switzerland’s players protest after Breel Embolo was shown a red card late in the game

With the quarter-final level on 72 minutes, Embolo was shown a second yellow card after a video assistant referee review which led to him being adjudged to have dived – rather than being fouled by Argentina’s Leandro Paredes. A new rule introduced for this World Cup states that if a player is booked or sent off – but the foul was actually committed by the opposition – the decision can be changed.

Reflecting post-match, Akanji fumed: ‘Every little thing was called against us’ and ‘I’ve never experienced such a one-sided game.’ Manager Murat Yakin called the refereeing ‘incomprehensible’.

Last week, FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina hit out at those questioning the integrity of the World Cup officials, insisting that they cannot be influenced by anyone following Egypt’s complaints after their last-16 defeat by Argentina.

The reigning champions battled back from 2-0 after 78 minutes to win 3-2 in Atlanta, with Egypt manager Hossam Hassan later accusing FIFA of rigging the World Cup in favour of Argentina’s talisman Messi.

Hassan’s protestations were magnified also by footage showing him angrily waiting to confront Argentina inside the tunnel after the full-time whistle too.

Addressing criticisms towards the officiating, Collina rubbished the allegations towards his staff and pinpointed the wider ramifications it has on the accused individuals.

Asked by FIFA.com how he has viewed the World Cup so far, the FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer said: ‘Let’s start by saying that we have now played 50 per cent more matches than at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and there are still eight more huge games to be played.

‘Overall, we are happy. However, with such a high number of matches played in a relatively short period of time, it is normal that some things do not go as expected. When that happens, they are ready to work even harder to ensure they are fully prepared for the next match.

‘Of course, constructive discussion about decisions will always be part of football, but unfounded allegations have no place in our sport. Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials. When this happens, it may provoke reactions that lead to threats against them and their families. This is not right.

‘Equally, nobody can claim that FIFA Refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA President [Gianni Infantino]. He has always shown his full support for FIFA Team One while trusting us to work with complete independence. Match officials make honest decisions and, just like players and coaches, they always try to do their best.’

FIFA Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina has defended the under-fire World Cup officials

Egypt manager Hossam Hassan furiously accused FIFA of rigging the World Cup after his side were knocked out by Argentina in the last 16

Egypt goalkeeper coach Saafan El-Sagheer was sent off after the bench reacted furiously to Enzo Fernandez’s winning goal for Argentina, as they fumed at multiple decisions against them

Collina’s viewpoint differed strongly with Hassan’s who was fuming at the outcome of the match.

After Enzo Fernandez’s stoppage-time winner, chaos ensued with Egypt’s furious staff remonstrating with referee Francois Letexier, leading to goalkeeper coach Saafan El-Sagheer being shown a red card and Hassan being dragged away from a confrontation with the official.

The Pharaohs were furious that the referee – and also VAR – had not awarded Egypt a penalty moments before Argentina’s winner, as Mohamed Salah was brought down inside the box after having his foot clipped by Julian Alvarez.

Earlier in the second half, Egypt themselves had a goal disallowed by VAR due to a foul in the build-up. Throughout the game, a string of decisions went in favour of Argentina, who have now progressed to the quarter-finals as they bid to retain their crown in North America.

After the match, Hassan could not contain his outrage and furiously accused world football’s governing body FIFA of rigging the tournament so that all-time great Messi could remain in the competition for ‘marketing reasons’.

‘We were better, but football is unfair,’ the heartbroken coach said in his post-match interview.

‘It could be a matter of marketing, they could want to make a World Cup with the champion of the last World Cup, they want Messi to exist (in the tournament).

‘I thank my players very much. To all the Egyptians, the Arabs, the Africans, you can work hard, it’s what you have to do, but sometimes there are other factors that make you struggle.

‘I wish we could be happier with the loss, but with a severe loss like today I say to them (my players) be upset. We wish we could be happier. Thank God for everything but football is different from what happens in the stadium when we are playing against the world champions.

‘There is support from all directions for the world champions. Support and marketing.’

He added later: ‘Why isn’t there any fairness in sport? In football? I do not want to try to put it nicely here with beautiful wording. We have been treated unfairly today. We have suffered injustice.’

Hassan went on to claim that the result was influenced by ‘internal’ and ‘external’ factors and that Egypt had objected to the selection of Letexier as referee.

Ziko added fuel to the fire after the game by describing Letexier as an ‘unjust’ referee.

Mostafa Ziko, who netted Egypt’s second goal, congratulated Argentina on already winning the World Cup, claiming that the holders have been shown favouritism by ‘unjust’ referees

‘Referee, not fair,’ he said in tears during his post-match interview. ‘Unjust, unjust referee. An unjust person. An injustice that is so clear.

‘He’s wasting the effort of an entire nation. Since the beginning of the game, we were leaving the game winning 2-0 against Argentina. But the cup has already been given.’

‘I apologise to (the Egypt fans). We wanted to make them happy today. We didn’t know how to do that. But, by God, it’s not in our hands; it’s in the hands of the referee. The cup has already been decided.

‘Congratulations to Argentina on the World Cup. Congratulations. You don’t need anything else.’

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‘Not everyone is interested in getting to know their hairdresser’

As Rebecca Johnston was building her hairdressing career, she was told she ‘wasn’t talking enough.’

Rebecca, 32, who hails from Chorley in Lancs, began working as an apprentice at the age of 17 and worked in Lytham St Annes, near Blackpool, before moving to Manchester.

She worked in salons in Altrincham and the Northern Quarter where she says she began to realise that, despite previously being told she always had to engage with her clients, not everyone enjoys the pressure of making small talk in the chair.

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“I would say I’m an introvert and probably a bit of a shy person. I’m better one-on-one or in small groups,” she said.

“When I was a child I used to be so nervous going to the hairdresser and feeling like I had to talk. It was only after I started hairdressing that I built up my confidence.

“I’m not a loud person, I’m quite softly spoken, and there’ve been places I’ve worked in where I’ve been told I wasn’t talking enough and that I needed to be louder. But I realised people liked coming to me because I didn’t talk to them too much.

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“I am good at picking up when people do and don’t want to chat. If I felt like they didn’t, I would just stop. I wouldn’t keep asking them how their holiday was.

“Of course it depends on the person. I don’t mind small talk, and it’s always nice to get to know your clients,” she continued. “But not everyone is that interested in getting to know their hairdresser. If you have got a busy life you may just want to get your haircut and go.

“I also found there are a lot of people with anxiety, people who just wanted to relax, or who for other reasons found it was a better option for them to come to me as I didn’t make them feel as nervous.

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“I can still be a good hairdresser without being really loud and the class clown.”

She said in particular she found she was attracting clients with anxiety, who were neurodivergent or who had sensory sensitivities and who had said it was very difficult for them to find a hairdresser they were comfortable with.

After going freelance two years ago and building up her own client base, Rebecca, who is now based at the Whitworth Street Creative Studio in the city centre, said she decided to go further and began offering silent haircuts.

“When I first put it out there I got lots of new clients,” she said. “Not everyone is the same and a lot of the time you attract clients who are similar to you. And I think they appreciated having that safe space where they knew they didn’t have to make that small talk.”

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She says that just two years into her freelance career she now has over 300 clients. She said the silent haircuts side of her business had ‘grown significantly’ and it’s ‘the thing clients mention most.’

Rebecca says that during a silent haircut she will greet her client, introduce herself and speak to them in a brief consultation beforehand, but then tells them once they are in the chair she will not speak to them unless she has any specific questions about their haircut.

She says she has also had clients who have booked silent haircuts but once they have ‘felt a bit more comfortable’ have prompted some conversation themselves.

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“I can speak to one client and then the next client can be completely silent and that’s fine,” she says adding it is nice to be able to ‘build up trust’ with clients over time.

Rebecca has now been shortlisted for Independent Stylist of the Year at the Pro Hair Awards run by Professional Hairdresser magazine.

“I built this business around slowing things down: proper consultations, no rushing and silent appointments for the clients who need them,” she said. “Being recognised nationally less than two years in isn’t something I saw coming.”

The winner will be decided at the final in London on September 7.

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Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler have both brushed off talk of legacy

Rory McIlroy has declared he has no interest in legacy, while Scottie Scheffler has echoed those sentiments, opening up about the pressures that weigh on him.

Golf’s top two players in the world are both chasing a second Open Championship title this week, yet neither man appears preoccupied with how history will judge them.

The Holywood star was characteristically candid on the subject: “No, I don’t really care. I would like to think that the people that love and care about me, think a certain way of me. But yeah, I’ll be long gone. I’ll be dead. I don’t think I’ll be seeing what people say about me. I’ll be six feet under. I don’t think I’ll be a ghost.”

McIlroy remains firmly focused on the here and now, confident he has the game to bookend his Major career in style. Despite describing himself as “bad at golf” after squandering an opportunity at last weekend’s Scottish Open, the World No.2 believes he has ironed out the problems, reports the Daily Record.

He explained: “It’s funny, I felt really good the first two days in Scotland and then felt like my game just sort of deteriorated as the week went on. Even though I shot a good score on Sunday, it didn’t feel very good.”

He added: “Also, I played 30 holes on Sunday. I felt a little bit tired yesterday [Monday], so I didn’t make it on the course, but that allowed me a bit more time to hit some balls and dig into the swing a little bit. Felt good on the range and course. Definitely trending in the right direction.”

McIlroy, who made it clear St Andrews remains his No. 1 Open venue, felt the weight of expectation playing on home soil at Portrush 12 months ago, and now that same pressure looks set to land on the shoulders of Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick.

He said: “It’s a great environment, but tough in a way that you just feel the extra expectation on your shoulders and you feel like you’re trying to play well for everyone else and not for yourself.”

He added: “Tommy, for example, grew up five minutes away, but I feel like Tommy’s more level-headed than I am and won’t fall into that trap like I did in 2019.

“It would be great for them all to have a great week because obviously with England in the World Cup still and everything that’s going on, it would just be an amazing atmosphere for the tournament.”

Scheffler grabbed headlines ahead of last year’s Open with his now infamous ‘what’s the point’ speech, before going on to claim victory at Royal Portrush. He was unwilling to revisit that sentiment, but echoed McIlroy’s thoughts on legacy, saying: “This is going to sound a little morbid, at the end of the day, I’m going to live my life and it’s going to end.

“When it ends, I’m going somewhere else and I’m not going to be here anymore. Legacy and all that stuff was never really something that motivated me. For me, it was always competition.

“When I retire and I sit back, I’m going to miss the feeling of waking up in the morning and not being able to eat breakfast because your stomach hurts because you’re anticipating the day.

“The US Open at Oakmont was my first major I had played in and I remember the butterflies then. I missed the cut by one. The next year, I was extremely motivated to go back out and play my best. The week before, I got this indigestion in my stomach where I wasn’t able to eat and your body responds to stress in certain ways.

“I almost couldn’t eat for like a week before it. My stomach hurt. I was burping up chunks of food. They were giving me stuff so I could digest things.”

Scheffler acknowledged the pressures of constant public scrutiny, adding: “Especially in this day and age, there’s just a lot of noise all the time at golf tournaments.

“For instance, this week, I show up on Sunday thinking there’s not going to be any fans out there. We get out there on the first and there’s fans out there. I love being able to play in front of fans. That’s a tremendous amount of fun.

“But like I get to the bunker on the first hole and I turn around and within six feet of me there’s literally like two cameras right in my face. I kind of turn around and look at the guys, like: Hey, y’all, are you going to be this close all day, or could we get a little bit of room?”.

“I think, just being in the spotlight all the time puts a burden on a player in this day and age. Everything is being recorded.

“When they say hello to you, they’ve got their cell phone out. Sometimes you can be like you’re walking on eggshells a little bit and that can drain people.

“I’m very far from a perfect person. I’m trying to find the right words, but I think just sometimes it can be hard when you’re being recorded all the time.”

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I never make bolognese without it

Spaghetti bolognese is a beloved weeknight staple, prepared in countless different ways. It’s an incredibly versatile dish, and you can incorporate a wide range of vegetables into a bolognese, from mushrooms and carrots to celery.

I regularly prepare slow-cooker spaghetti bolognese, following and adapting Poppy Cooks’ recipe.

It’s a fairly straightforward recipe that yields a delicious bolognese, but the addition of just one ingredient — a Parmesan rind — makes it notably richer and more flavourful. The rind gradually releases flavour throughout the cooking process, adding greater depth to the sauce.

The rind also contains collagen-like proteins that melt slowly, lending the sauce a silkier, more rounded texture.

This helps counterbalance the acidity of the tomatoes and wine without imparting an overpowering cheesy or dairy flavour.

You needn’t use a slow cooker to reap the benefits of the Parmesan rind either.

It works equally well when preparing the dish on the hob or in the oven.

Slow cooker bolognese recipe

Ingredients:

• 500g pork mince
• 500g beef mince
• One large onion, finely diced
• Two celery sticks, finely diced
• Three tablespoons of tomato puree
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 200ml red wine
• 200ml beef stock
• Half a teaspoon of sugar
• Two bay leaves
• One Parmesan rind
• Splash of olive oil
• 100ml whole milk
• 300g spaghetti
• One tablespoon of cornflour, slackened with water

Method:

Begin by placing the pork, beef, onions, carrots, celery, tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, red wine, stock, sugar, bay leaves, Parmesan rind, one teaspoon of salt, plenty of pepper and a dash of olive oil into the bowl of your slow cooker.

Cook on the low setting for eight to 10 hours, stirring once or twice during that time.

When one hour remains, stir in the milk.

Then, with 30 minutes to go, add the spaghetti and increase the heat to high.

On occasion, I’ll cook the spaghetti separately, but once the meat is thoroughly cooked, stir in the cornflour slurry and add a generous amount of olive oil.

The bolognese will turn out glossy and utterly delicious, and you’ll be glad you took the time to add the Parmesan rind.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s wedding grift accusations have intensified as the NFL player appears to be cashing in on his lavish nuptials. 

The 36-year-old Grammy winner and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, also 36, said ‘I do’ in front of 1,000 guests inside Madison Square Garden earlier this month amid intense public interest. 

Just days after the ceremony, Kelce appeared in an ad for Accelerator Active Energy, which made cheeky reference to his wedding, 

The sports star is notably a co-owner as well as an ambassador for the brand which offers zero-sugar energy drinks. 

In one photo, Kelce could be seen holding a can of the drink while glancing over his shoulder with a small smile. 

Kelce appeared in an ad for Accelerator Active Energy which was posted after his wedding

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Above him, the words ‘Happily. Ever. After’ were written at the top. 

The next slide showed a vintage red truck that had ‘Just Married’ printed on the back while energy drink cans were hooked to the back bumper. 

The image portrayed a busy street in NYC, seemingly a reference to the location of Swift and Kelce’s wedding. 

The caption of the post read: ‘The love story continues. CONGRATS @killatrav!!!’ 

Social media users jumped over to Reddit to share their thoughts on the ad, with some calling it ’embarrassing.’ 

One penned, ‘They’re 1000% monetizing their eventual kids at this rate. It’ll make the kids from family YouTube channels look normal by comparison.’ 

Another wrote, ‘Tacky. Everything about them is just tacky,’ and a Reddit user typed, ‘Nothing says Happily Ever After like a paid sponsorship.’

‘Yikes,’ one simply added, while another shared, ‘How much money is enough money?’ 

The next slide showed a vintage red truck that had ‘Just Married’ printed on the back while energy drink cans were hooked to the back bumper

The caption of the post read: ‘The love story continues. CONGRATS @killatrav!!!’

Social media users jumped over to Reddit to share their thoughts on the ad, with some calling it ’embarrassing’

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One also said, ‘This is for real??? How embarrassing.’

Another commented, ‘This whole thing feels so dystopian and bizarre. They’re taking it so much farther than I think people expected? I keep waiting for it be a PR stunt or satire, it’s just so yuck.’ 

One called out the images for seemingly being made by AI by penning, ‘lmao the street signs are an obvious giveaway that this is AI.

‘A One Way sign with arrows in both directions? The garbled nonsense text on the green sign below that one? And the reflection on the bumper is *not* reflecting Manhattan, it looks like Kansas.’ 

However, others supported the Kelce and Swift with a fan writing in the comment section of the Instagram post, ‘LOVE THIS.’ 

‘Ah this is so cute congratulations t and t,’ one said, and another typed, ‘Congratulations! Such a beautiful day of celebration for all who love Travis and Taylor!’ 

Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Kelce and Swift for comment, but has yet to hear back. 

Ahead of the MSG wedding, Swift and Kelce seized the moment to promote podcasts and even made new content for their armies of fans. 

Some of their close friends used the wedding spectacle to peddle their own brands and grab eyeballs on the shut-down streets of midtown Manhattan. 

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Ahead of the MSG wedding, Swift and Kelce seized the moment to promote podcasts and even made new content for their armies of fans; seen in June in NYC 

The groom took to social media to promote his New Heights podcast, teasing that a ‘very special guest’ would be in the studio ‘TOMORROW’.

Swift’s close friend Selena Gomez, sporting a black feathered ballgown, made sure to tout her Rare Beauty brand as she applied lipstick in the car while en route to the gathering.

David Beckham cheered on Spain in the World Cup semi-final as he was joined by wife Victoria and their family.

The former footballer, 51, and Spice Girls star, 52, were among the thousands who watched France‘s close World Cup semi-final against Spain on Tuesday.

David has had stints both in Real Madrid from 2003 to 2007 and a five-month stint with Paris Saint-Germain in 2013.

But his loyalty was with Spain as he cheered on the team, who scored two goals in the first half of the nail-biting match.

The Beckhams, along with their three youngest children, had prime seats to watch the game and were seen looking tense as they watched Spain ultimately secure a spot in the World Cup final.

Their daughter Harper, 15, was seen donning a Spain football jacket, while standing next to her brothers, Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 21. 

The Beckhams, along with their three youngest children, had prime seats to watch the game and were seen looking tense as they watched the game play out to see which team would secure a spot in the World Cup final

Cruz’s girlfriend, Jackie Apostel, 30, was also spotted with the family.

It comes after David insisted his wife Victoria was ‘celebrating on the inside’ after her subdued reaction to England’s nail-biting World Cup quarter-final clash went viral.

The Beckham family were among the stars watching the Three Lions match against Norway in Miami on Saturday night.

Whilst former England captain David and his kids went suitably wild when Jude Bellingham scored an epic goal in the first-half stoppage time, a pouting Victoria, 52, remained seated.

Photos of a cheering David leaping up from his seat whilst his wife, who famously rarely smiles, stayed seated have turned the Spice Girl into an instant meme, prompting David to jokingly defend his wife.

The football legend commented on stand-up comedian Jenny Johnson’s summary of the match, after she wrote: ‘There’s nothing like cheering your heart out for England from home, then they cut to Victoria and we see that classic Posh Spice smile! It’s so infectious!’

‘I used to think I got animated while watching sports, but Victoria blows my enthusiasm out of the water! Each time I see her I shout, “SPICE UP YOUR LIFE!!!!” because her energy is electric!!!’

Cruz and his girlfriend, Jackie Apostel, 30, was also spotted with the family

Their daughter Harper, 15, was seen donning a Spain football jacket, while standing next to her brothers, Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 21

David’s loyalty was with Spain after having a four season stint with Real Madrid in the early noughties 

It comes after David insisted his wife Victoria was ‘celebrating on the inside’ after her subdued reaction to England’s nail-biting World Cup quarter-final clash went viral

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The football legend commented on stand-up comedian Jenny Johnson’s summary of the match, who had sarcastically wrote that ‘Victoria blows [her] enthusiasm out of the water’

Commenting with a string of crying laughing emojis, David wrote: ‘She was celebrating inside I promise her reactions were slightly slower than mine.’

Victoria did warm up to the infectious energy inside Miami Stadium as she was later seen getting into the spirit by clapping along as England won the match 2-1.

The fashion designer and singer has famously said that she wasn’t a fan of football when she met David at a Manchester United match in 1997.

Ever the doting wife, Victoria ensured she attended every game she could, but confessed she didn’t enjoy the sport because she didn’t feel ‘wanted’ when she was pitch side.

However, in recent years Victoria has had a change of heart after David retired and set up his own club Inter Miami.

Victoria told the Financial Times in 2024: ‘I never enjoyed watching football. I never felt necessarily wanted [at the matches]. I’m not saying this as in, poor me, but it was never the fun that it is now.

‘Now, when we’re in Miami, I feel wanted. I’m friends with the families of the players.’

President Trump said he would continue bombing Iran and was saving a devastating attack on their power plants for his final move unless Tehran comes to the negotiating table. 

Trump told Fox News on Tuesday that US forces would ‘hit them very hard tonight, very hard tomorrow night’ in a brutal campaign that began on Sunday. 

‘I’ll save the energy targets for last, but ultimately we’ll hit energy targets,’ Trump warned. 

‘We’re going to hit them very hard the night after, and then next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants.’

Trump also said the US would target bridges next week unless Iran was willing to negotiate a peace deal that included giving up their nuclear ambitions. 

The latest US bombing campaign comes after Trump notified Congress that the war would resume after Iran breached the memorandum of understanding by targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump did not rule out using US ground forces to ensure that his key objectives are met, especially when it comes to removing Iran’s enriched uranium.

US forces had been careful not to harm Iran’s civilian population with strikes, but Trump warned Iran that everything was on the table. 

‘You better make a deal, or you’re not going to have anything left,’ he said.

In an interview with Fox News Channel, the president said the US plans to launch at least two more days of strikes against Iran and that such attacks will continue ‘until I say it’s enough’

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The President also likened Iran to ‘a great boxer’ that needed to be put to the mat.

‘You think you have them beat, then they’ll come back and give you a shot,’ Trump said. 

Trump suggested later in the interview with Fox News that he wasn’t interested in continuing negotiations immediately with Iran because ‘they lie.’

But he also said the last contact he had with negotiators was an hour ago.

The President praised his Cabinet for its work on the Iran issue, including Pete Hegseth, as he said ‘oil is flowing like never before.’

He also announced he was replacing the 20 percent fee the US was charging on the Strait of Hormuz to various Gulf States.  

‘Those Investments will be MASSIVE but, at the same time, extraordinarily good for them, and their future,’ he wrote on Truth Social.

The US military says it has reimposed its blockade of Iranian ports in response to Iran’s attacks on commercial ships on the Strait of Hormuz, as the interim ceasefire deal unravels.

There are at least 19 warships in the northern Arabian Sea, including two aircraft carriers, and an amphibious assault ship with more than 1,000 Marines aboard, to enforce the blockade.

A still image from handout video released July 14, 2026 said to show a drone being launched by Iran from an unknown location to attack U.S. positions at Azraq base in Jordan

Members of the public attend a memorial ceremony service for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the Grand Mosalla of Tehran

US Central Command also said that there are ‘hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East,’ in a social media post Tuesday.

The US military strikes that are hitting Iran just an hour ahead of the start of the naval blockade are aimed at limiting the country’s ability to strike merchant shipping, the military said. 

According to a social media post by U.S. Central Command, the military is trying to ‘continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping.’

The blockade goes into effect at 4pm eastern time and, according to U.S. Central Command, the strikes began at 3pm.

Iranian state media, meanwhile, reported the sound of explosions in the southwestern city of Ahvaz and the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. The reports did not immediately provide further details.

It comes as nearly a dozen civilians have been killed, injured or are missing following Iranian attacks on seven commercial ships over the last week, the US military said Tuesday, as fighting escalated between the US and Iran.

Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads US Central Command, said in a statement that Iran also launched dozens of missiles and drones at neighboring Gulf countries.

‘US forces are holding Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression that continues to endanger innocent lives,’ Cooper said.

The US has reimposed its blockade of Iranian ports in response to Iran’s attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor in the Middle East, as an interim ceasefire deal unravels and concerns grow about a return to all-out war.

The US had carried out another wave of strikes ahead of reimposing the blockade, the US military’s Central Command said.

The truce between the two nations collapsed last week when Iran struck three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the US retaliated with two rounds of strikes.

Trump pronounced the deal dead from the NATO summit in Ankara: ‘There’s something wrong with them. They’re cuckoo. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over.’

The Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf chokepoint carrying about a fifth of the world’s oil, has been a central flashpoint since the war began in February, sending markets spiraling with every escalation.

Brent crude vaulted above $86 a barrel after Tuesday’s strikes, piling onto Monday’s 8 percent leap as traders braced for a chokehold on the world’s most vital oil artery. 

Over the last week, Iran has targeted various Middle Eastern countries that host US military bases, claiming responsibility for strikes in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar.

Some of the targets attacked by US forces included missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, and communication networks.

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER

Published: 00:35 BST, 15 July 2026 | Updated: 04:59 BST, 15 July 2026

Several people were rescued from the waters near Alcatraz Island after a boat fire broke out, as one person was killed and two more remain missing. 

A boat fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon near the island in San Francisco, as multiple people were pulled out of the waters, the San Francisco Fire Department told NBC News. 

Officials told KTVU that at least two people remain missing, while 16 have been rescued and another was killed as well as a dog in the incident. 

Crews with the SFFD and the US Coast Guard were deployed into the water at around 3.30pm, assisting those injured after the fire broke out around 600 yards from the island. 

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Upon arrival, emergency responders found the boat had capsized with fuel leaking from the vessel.

The coast guard told the outlet that those rescued from the water were taken to Gashouse Cove Marina near Marina Safeway. 

At least 19 people were on the boat when a ‘vessel fire’ broke out, the coast guard said in a statement. 

Around 13 were on the shore and safe, with three others transported to hospital, SF Fire Chief Dean Crispen told reporters on Tuesday afternoon. 

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A boat fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon near the island in San Francisco, as multiple people were pulled out of the waters

Crews with the SFFD and the US Coast Guard were deployed into the water at around 3.30pm, assisting those injured in the incident round 600 yards from the island

Around 13 people were on the shore and safe, with three others transported to hospital, SF Fire Chief Dean Crispen told reporters on Tuesday afternoon 

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Crispen confirmed that the person who died in the incident received life-saving measures, including CPR, after being brought to shore ‘severely injured.’

‘Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, and a triage area has been established ashore,’ USCG Southwest wrote. 

‘This is an all hands on deck search and hopefully rescue,’ Mayor Daniel Lurie said at a press conference. 

‘We’re gonna keep at it and I just want to say thank you to all of the agencies who have come together at this time.’

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According to the SFFD, some people remain in the waters. 

Water temperatures reached between around 60 and 65 degrees on Tuesday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

SF Fire Lieutenant Mariano Elias described the vessel as a three-deck ‘ponton pleasure boat.’

Crispen told reporters that most injuries have been reported as ‘impact injuries’ as they fell into the water, with no current reports of burns or other injuries. 

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Crispen told reporters that most injuries have been reported as ‘impact injuries’ as they fell into the water, with no current reports of burns or other injuries

It remains unclear how severe any injuries were. According to the SFFD, some people remain in the waters

The fire chief added that the boat is believed to have launched from near the Saint Francis Yacht Club. He noted that police did not witness any fire on the boat, despite the initial report of a vessel on fire. 

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An investigation is set to be launched, Crispen added. 

The identities of the missing persons and the person who died in the incident remain unclear. 

The Daily Mail reached out to the US Coast Guard and the SFFD for comment.  

This is a breaking news story. 

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Created in collaboration with Warner Bros Discovery Global Consumer Products, the collectable coins draw inspiration from the epic battle between opposing forces at the heart of the series.

The special edition collection is themed around the elemental duality that defines Game Of Thrones – ice and fire – capturing the enduring legacy of one of television’s most successful fantasy franchises.

A selection of 50p coins will feature colour, bringing both designs to life.

Game of Thrones first aired in 2011 and the show has inspired a passionate global fanbase.

Fans can order both coins from 9am on Wednesday from The Royal Mint, with delivery expected in autumn 2026.

One of two commemorative 50p coin celebrating 15 years of Game of Thrones. The collection is built around the elemental duality that defines Game of Thrones – ice and fire. Fans can order both coins from 9am on Wednesday from The Royal Mint, with delivery expected in autumn 2026. (Image: The Royal Mint/PA Wire)

Rebecca Morgan, director at The Royal Mint, said: “Game of Thrones captured the imagination of millions around the world, and 15 years on, that passion is still as fierce as dragon fire.”

She added: “Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering the Seven Kingdoms for the first time, these coins are a stunning tribute to one of the greatest stories ever told.”

Prices for the coins start from £15 for a brilliant uncirculated coin and £27.50 for a brilliant uncirculated colour coin, with a silver coin priced at £92.50 and a gold coin available for £2,420.