I WAS in Hartlepool at the count on the night Hartlepool people elected the football club mascot as their directly elected mayor.

The people who lived there, who voted for him, just wanted to stick two fingers up at the entire political establishment here in the UK.

I have watched Count Binface, Jon Harvey, debate at the Cambridge Union on the internet. He appears to be articulate and intelligent. I would vote for him instead of Zippy, if I was a resident of Clacton.

Nigel Boddy,

Witney Court,

Greencroft Close,

Darlington

Hope new Travellers’ policy leads to better outcomes

IT will be interesting to see if the new Traveller policy aimed at a “less confrontational” response when a fleet of trucks and caravans rocks up unannounced actually leads to a better outcome.

For the policy to work those Travellers being offered an alternative site would need to reciprocate with good behaviour and a proper clean up when leaving.

The restoration of Ethel Ward playing field cost taxpayers £2,500 and by all accounts was a most unpleasant task. No doubt those who had to deal with human faeces and animal carcasses found that experience most confrontational.

Matthew Laverack,

Lord Mayors Walk,

York

Recommended reading

More: Remember when Count Binface came to North Yorkshire to take on the Prime Minister

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By JACK TOLEDO

Published: 16:41 BST, 9 July 2026 | Updated: 23:21 BST, 9 July 2026

A trio of teenagers were arrested after they were caught on video giggling as they tossed a lit firework into a California apartment.

A fire started at a home in Citrus Heights on June 30, according to the local police department.

Officials found a mattress ablaze in a bedroom when they arrived.

The flames were kept under control by fire crews but not before smoke damage destroyed everything inside the room, according to a fundraiser.

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The room was a nursery for the unborn son of Anthony Cadena and Lellises Morgans, who lived at the property.

Two young girls could be seen lurking outside the home in video footage, appearing to point at the camera that captured the incident.

After finding an open window, the girls looked inside and looked around before lighting a firecracker and tossing it inside.

A dog could also be heard barking as they tossed the small explosive through the window. 

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Camera footage captured teenage girls giggling as they tossed a lit firecracker into a home in Citrus Heights, California, on June 30

The teenagers tossed the firework into a room built as a nursery for a baby boy named Noah, who was expected in two weeks

They took off before the footage cut to the noise of the fire alarm blaring.

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According to ABC10, officials said the incident began after a prior disagreement involving a girl who lives in the home.

No one was hurt.

Anthony told the outlet that he was home at the time playing a video game when his wife called, telling him the house was on fire.

He found the nursery in flames and, with the help of a bystander, was able to contain the fire with a garden hose before first responders arrived.

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‘Seeing someone actually do that to someone’s house… they saw it was a baby room… just to see that these girls just don’t care about anything… it’s unbelievable, honestly, that they would do something like that,’ Morgans said.

Anthony Cadena said his wife Lellises Morgans called him while he was at home playing video games telling him that the house was on fire 

No one was injured in the fire but smoke destroyed everything they had set up for their baby

A GoFundMe was launched to help support the family, which has raised nearly $24,000 

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According to a GoFundMe set up to help cover the cost of rebuilding the nursery for little Noah, the expecting parents need to completely start over.

‘As they prepare for the arrival of their baby, they are now faced with the unexpected expense of replacing the nursery, baby essentials, and repairing the damage to the room caused by the fire,’ reads the fundraiser.

Nearly $24,000 has been raised, exceeding its goal of $20,000.

A teenager has died after getting into difficulty in water at a beauty spot popular with hikers. He is now one of seven to die in the area commonly known as the Waterfall Country in the last seven years.

Sean Kanyoza, 19, a student from Swindon, had travelled to the Pontneddfechan falls in Bannau Brycheiniog – one of the most popular waterfall hikes in the country – with friends on Saturday, June 27.

What should have been a day of fun turned to tragedy when Mr Kanyoza died after he’d entered the water beneath the waterfall at Ystradfellte and got into difficulty.A teenager has died after getting into difficulty in water at a beauty spot popular with hikers. He is now one of seven to die in the area commonly known as the Waterfall Country in the last seven years.

Sean Kanyoza, 19, a student from Swindon, had travelled to the Pontneddfechan falls in Bannau Brycheiniog – one of the most popular waterfall hikes in the country – with friends on Saturday, June 27.

What should have been a day of fun turned to tragedy when Mr Kanyoza died after he’d entered the water beneath the waterfall at Ystradfellte and got into difficulty. Read more here

They argue that the new stadium brings ‘two iconic landmarks’ even closer together.

Coronation Street bosses have issued a statement following the news that the new £2bn Manchester United stadium will be built right beside where they film the ITV soap.

Execs are said to be ‘excited’ by the plans even though they could disrupt filming schedules. It comes after the proposed location for the new 100,000-seater stadium was unveiled, and it’s just a stone’s throw from the iconic Weatherfield cobbles.

But the show’s chiefs insisted that all would be fine as the football club strives to transform the Old Trafford area of Manchester, the Mirror reports.

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A Coronation spokeswoman said that ITV had ‘consulted closely’ on the Trafford Regeneration Plan. “As matches and events typically occur on evenings and weekends, we expect operational impact to be minimal and we will schedule filming around any ‘wildcard’ events, just as we do now,” she explained. “We welcome this regeneration and are excited to see two iconic British landmarks so close to each other.”

Coronation Street now now has five half-hour episodes a week and they are filmed at pace, with very little rehearsal, around eight weeks before they air.

United’s proposed new home will sit at the heart of a new Stadium District, approximately 350 metres north-west of the existing Old Trafford stadium. It will be purpose-built for sport, entertainment and year-round activity, with the new stadium aiming to serve as the flagship landmark of the wider Trafford Wharfside development. The area will also be getting ‘new and improved’ public transport links plus a new walking and cycling infrastructure.

READ MORE: ‘A Wembley of the North’: Inside the groundbreaking plans for Manchester United’s new 100,000 seater stadium

Announcing the project, Collete Roche, CEO, New Stadium Development at Manchester United, said it should create 48,000 local jobs and 15,00 new homes and had the potential to offer a £7.3bn-per-annum boost to the UK economy. But fans were dismayed that the stadium will longer be called Old Trafford – it is not yet known what the new name will be.

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“The publication of the Wharfside Masterplan marks another significant milestone in our journey to create a new world-class home for Manchester United at the heart of a vibrant and transformational district for Trafford and Greater Manchester.,” she said.

“Together with our partners, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver a destination that creates lasting benefits for supporters, local communities and the wider region for decades to come.”

Because it is located alongside Old Trafford, she said it would enable them to “preserve the heritage, traditions and matchday rituals that are so important to our supporters, while also providing the connectivity and infrastructure required to deliver a truly world-class fan experience”.

FIFA have slapped Jarell Quansah with a two-match ban – despite strong representations from the FA.

Daily Mail Sport previously reported that the FA were considering appealing Quansah’s red card against Mexico after President Donald Trump controversially called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to overturn Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension.

Bayer Leverkusen defender Quansah was sent off following a VAR review for a sliding tackle in England‘s last-16 victory over Mexico that initially went unpunished on the field.

The FA declined to comment but Daily Mail Sport understands that while there is no avenue for appeal, they did make a series of observations to FIFA similar to those made by US officials following the dismissal of Folarin Balogun.

After a direct call to FIFA president Infantino by President Trump, Balogun’s ban was suspended for a year, which allowed him to play against Belgium in what transpired to be a humbling 4-1 defeat.

However, it was a different story for England, with FIFA deciding to go beyond the automatic one-match ban and increase it to two games, meaning Quansah will miss the quarter-final against Norway and semi-final, should England progress on Saturday.

Quansah will not be able to feature again at this tournament unless England reach the final

Quansah received his marching orders for a tackle on left back Jesus Gallardo in the 54th minute of the Three Lions’ epic 3-2 win at the Azteca. 

The ex-Liverpool man won the ball but caught his opponent with his studs on his follow throw.

Red cards automatically result in a one-match suspension at the World Cup, but FIFA can extend bans as they see fit and it now means Quansah won’t be able to feature again at this tournament until the final, should England make it. 

Following the game an outraged head coach Thomas Tuchel bemoaned the use of still images and slow-motion replays in the VAR process. 

In the Premier League, officials review incidents in real time. This was a similar point to that made by the US when they and Trump got involved in Balogun’s situation.

FIFA have insisted the Balogun decision was made independently but have faced widespread allegations over the integrity of the competition. Indeed, UEFA branded the move ‘unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable’.

While the British government did not get involved, the FA lodged what they believed was a strong case.

However, it met with a very different response.

In a statement, FIFA said: ‘The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has imposed the following sanction on England’s national-team player Jarell Quansah, who was sent off as a result of a direct red card during the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Mexico and England played on 5 July 2026 at Mexico City Stadium: 2-match suspension for a breach of article 14 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

‘The suspension will be served in the upcoming match(es) of the representative team of England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 and in accordance with art. 69 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.’  

Bukayo Saka admitted frustration within the England camp at FIFA’s call just days after offering Balogun a reprieve. 

‘It’s very frustrating for sure,’ Saka said. ‘It is why it is. We have to deal with it, adapt and get ready. I don’t know what to say (about Balogun). It was FIFA’s decision. This decision for us is frustrating. We had to pick a team that is ready.’

Nico O’Reilly echoed Saka’s sentiments and revealed the extent of Quansah’s disappointment inside the camp.

‘It’s sad for him,’ the Manchester City defender added. ‘Unfortunate. I’m gutted for him. He’s not happy about it. The decision is made now and he’s got his head around it.’

O’Reilly added: ‘It’s not ideal obviously. We’ve got great players here. You’ve seen the impact from the bench. We were so solid with 10 men.’

Quansah’s ban is the latest disciplinary concern, with Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Marc Guehi all on yellow cards. Another against Norway would see each ruled out of a possible semi-final. 

Quansah was shown no mercy by FIFA days after Donald Trump’s controversial intervention 

FIFA suspended star US striker Folarin Balogun’s red card for one year following a phone call between Trump and FIFA boss Gianni Infantino 

It is clear to see why Quansah’s ban has brought a great deal of bemusement given the precedent set with the Balogun case, following President Trump’s interferance.

Speaking at the White House on Monday, the President offered no apologies for his unprecedented move but insisted he did not demand Balogun’s ban was flipped in his phone call with FIFA’s Infantino.

‘Yeah, I did, I spoke to Gianni. I asked for a review by FIFA,’ Trump said. ‘That’s all I did. And, you know, again, I’m good at this stuff. 

‘That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed who happened to crash into each other.

‘He (Balogun) didn’t do anything wrong, and he’s our best player, or one of our best players, a very vital player and they gave him a red card. I didn’t think it meant much. Then I started hearing that it means you can’t play in the next game, at least in the next game.

‘These were two great athletes who got tangled up. And this referee, who is a little bit suspect – if you check his past. I don’t want to say that because I don’t like to create controversy, but very suspect. If you’d like, I’ll provide you with his past.’ 

Trump insisted he didn’t force Infantino to make Balogun available.

‘I didn’t say ‘you have to do this’. Gianni is a smart, tough man and his stock is going through the roof,’ Trump said.

‘I didn’t know what the hell a red card was. When I found out I said ‘you gotta be kidding’. I said ‘wow, that’s a lot of power, that’s terrible’. But then I looked at his past and it wasn’t so great.

‘I didn’t tell him (Infantino) what to do, I can’t tell him what to do.’

Shortly after Trump spoke, Infantino released a statement on the growing backlash across the world.

‘Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues,’ Infantino said.

‘During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.

‘I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. 

‘Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree. 

England boss Thomas Tuchel has been left furious with the quality of World Cup officiating

‘What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them.

‘Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times.’

Balogun played but could not save the US from elimination, with Belgium running out 4-1 winners in Seattle. The Belgians promptly mocked Trump in the aftermath of their victory, jokingly performing the President’s dance moves in the dressing room.

As for England, Djed Spence is likely to come into the side in place of Quansah in what is set to be the only change from the win over Mexico.

Right back has been a problem position for England all tournament with Reece James struggling with a hamstring problem while Newcastle’s Tino Livramento withdrew from the squad on the eve of the tournament with a calf injury. 

James, 26, was absent from training on Wednesday as he continues his accelerated recovery programme, and it remains to be seen whether he will be ready for Saturday’s last eight clash in Miami. 

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A football player standing over a penalty in a hot, high-altitude stadium is dealing with more than pressure. His body is trying to keep cool. His heart and breathing may be working harder. Less oxygen is reaching his muscles. One poor decision can end his team’s World Cup.

The 2026 men’s World Cup has made fatigue harder to ignore. Some matches are being played in heat and humidity, while Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium sits more than 2,200 metres above sea level. Heat and altitude make sport uncomfortable, and they also change how the body and mind work under pressure.

Heat makes the body work harder to keep its core temperature stable. Humidity adds strain because sweat does not evaporate as easily, making it harder to cool down. At altitude, lower air pressure means less oxygen reaches the blood and muscles. Together, these conditions can affect endurance, recovery between sprints, concentration and decision-making.

Fatigue is not one state. Sport science is good at separating different kinds of fatigue because performance depends on knowing what is going wrong. Our research emphasises this point. Is the athlete slowing because muscles are tired, heart rate is high, body temperature is rising, sleep has been poor or concentration is slipping?

The answer changes the response. Heavy legs may call for pacing, which means slowing down or spreading effort so the body can cope. Fluid loss may call for cooling and replacing what has been lost through sweat. Slipping concentration may call for a mental reset, such as slowing breathing or refocusing on the next action. Dizziness or confusion means stop.

This is where sport offers a useful public lesson. The same run, tackle, pass or decision can feel much harder when the body is also fighting heat, humidity or thinner air. Research on footballers shows that heat exposure can reduce physical and cognitive performance.

The same principle applies beyond sport. Delivery drivers, nurses, teachers, care workers, chefs, builders and cleaners may also have to think, move and make decisions while working in difficult conditions. Fatigue is sometimes treated as weakness or lack of motivation. Preparation, fitness and recovery may be part of the story, but fatigue is usually more complex.

It is best understood by bringing together psychology, physiology (how the body works), medicine and neuroscience (the study of the brain and nervous system). Fatigue emerges when the body signals that effort is becoming costly, while the person still wants or needs to keep going.

In sport, this is well understood. Coaches do not usually tell players to “try harder” in extreme conditions. They plan through training, recovery, hydration, cooling, clothing, timing and warning signs.

They also train psychological skills. Players learn how to pace effort, control attention, manage emotions and use self-talk. These skills help them decide whether a sensation is expected discomfort, a cue to adjust, or a warning sign.

That distinction can decide performance. Heavy legs, a racing heart and discomfort may be expected in the heat or at altitude. Treating every unpleasant sensation as failure can damage performance. Some discomfort may need to be managed.

But discomfort is different from danger. Dizziness, confusion, nausea, clumsiness or feeling faint are warning signs. These are not signs to push through. The skill is knowing when to keep going and when to stop, cool down and get help.

Athletes playing in difficult conditions will usually have prepared, or at least they should have. Staff may monitor body weight, sweat loss, sleep, mood, soreness and running data. Players may use cooling towels, cold drinks, shaded recovery areas, pacing plans and mental routines.

Even then, fatigue can still bite. A match that goes to extra time adds another layer. A team that survives extra time and wins may carry that physical and mental cost into the next game.

Lessons beyond football

This is where the football example becomes useful beyond sport. The lesson is not to demand toughness every time. It is to judge when effort is useful, when it is costly and when it becomes unsafe.

In sport, that might mean staying composed when the body is screaming to stop. In other settings, it might mean a nurse finishing urgent care, a firefighter rescuing someone or a worker completing a task that cannot safely be abandoned.

But effort in heat has a cost. Athletes know this. Extra effort is followed by recovery: cooling, fluids, food, sleep, lighter training and monitoring. The hard effort is not ignored once the competition is over.

Workplaces should treat heat in the same way. If people have to push through because the goal is urgent, the organisation should carry the recovery cost. That may mean cover from colleagues, longer breaks, shorter exposure, lighter duties later and permission to report symptoms without being seen as weak.

This is also a productivity issue. Research on occupational heat exposure links workplace heat with health risks, reduced productivity and greater strain on workers. The basic protections are familiar: water, rest, shade, cooler work areas, adjusted schedules and sensible task planning.

The lesson is not that workers should act like elite footballers. It is that if people are expected to work in athlete-like conditions, organisations need athlete-like planning.

Practical coping still helps. A person working in heat could drink before thirst becomes intense, use shade early, slow the pace where possible, share heavy tasks, check on colleagues and use a phrase such as “slow down, cool down, reset”.

These strategies do not replace safe working conditions. They are ways of coping when heat has already arrived and perfect protection is not available.

In the World Cup, teams that measure fatigue well, adapt their tactics and recover properly may gain an advantage. Teams that misjudge heat or altitude may find tired legs and slower decisions appearing when pressure is highest.

For everyone else, the lesson is closer to home. Fatigue is information. But information only helps when people can interpret it, and when they have the power to act before the heat has already taken over.

The same question drives both the plot of Moana and decades of archaeological research: why, after centuries of relative stability, did Polynesian voyagers suddenly begin settling islands thousands of kilometres away across the Pacific?

The latest Moana movie is a live-action adaptation of a Disney animated movie of the same name. While the films are fictional, they draw inspiration from the rich seafaring heritage of Polynesian peoples, whose ancestors undertook one of the greatest episodes of maritime exploration in human history.

New climate evidence may help us understand why they embarked on these voyages.

The backdrop to Moana is the mystery of the “long pause”. This was a period when Polynesian ancestors, the Lapita people, sailed east into the Pacific as far as the island archipelagos of Samoa and Tonga, arriving around 3,000 years ago. They brought with them distinct pottery styles and an island-based culture.

Human migrations into the Pacific:

Yet, for the next 1,700 years, there was little voyaging further east. Archaeological evidence suggests that populations in Tonga and Samoa grew and developed their own distinct post-Lapita culture.

Then, between 900 and 1100 AD, ancestral Polynesians suddenly undertook a massive phase of eastward migration. Over the next century, voyagers in huge double-hulled sailing canoes reached Hawai’i, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Rapa Nui (Easter Island). The spread of sweet potatoes around Pacific islands indicate they probably made contact with the continental Americas too.

When European navigators finally arrived centuries later, they were astonished to find even the smallest atolls peopled by communities sharing deep cultural and linguistic commonalities.

The mystery of the ‘long pause’

For generations, anthropologists and historians have debated what ended the long pause. Was it new sailing technology able to combat the easterly trade winds? Was it driven by social pressures and growing populations? Or was there a physical, environmental catalyst behind their choice?

To answer this, we have to look at the physical factors that make survival on a Pacific island possible: fresh water and food. As populations grow, resource demands intensify.

While ancestral Polynesians were highly adaptable and accustomed to seasonal droughts; prolonged and severe droughts during times of high population density might mean an island could no longer support its human population. Ultimately, island survival hinges on a single critical resource: rainfall.

Unlocking the climate record

Until recently, scientists lacked evidence from the Tonga and Samoa region of what the climate was like in this critical migration era. But we were able to reconstruct these past changes by analysing hydrogen isotopes – slightly different forms of the same element – preserved in ancient mud from swamps and lakes.

In the tropics, the isotopic composition of rain water reflects the amount of rainfall. As algae and plants grow and absorb this water, they lock this chemical signature into molecules that can survive in sediment for thousands of years, providing a natural archive of past rainfall.

Using this technique, we found evidence of a sustained, severe dry period in the southwest tropical Pacific between 850 and 1200 AD. Our results, recently published in the Journal of Pacific Archaeology, indicate this was the driest period the region had experienced in the past 2,000 years. Crucially, this drought coincided with a time when island populations were larger.

The great migration into the eastern Pacific coincided with a dry climate in the western Pacific:

Why would some islands experience a decades or centuries-long drought? Rainfall in the tropical South Pacific depends on the position of the South Pacific Convergence Zone or SPCZ, a major belt of clouds and rain that shifts east and west over time, driven by patterns of sea surface temperature. Short-term shifts are linked to El Niño and La Niña, but the SPCZ can also move over much longer timescales, bringing decades of unusually dry or wet conditions to different parts of the Pacific.

All this matches up with genetic data that indicates Samoa’s population rapidly increased around 1000 AD, perhaps thanks to the arrival of new people. This suggests several factors aligned – severe climate stress, expanding populations, better canoe technology – to prompt daring exploration eastwards.

The story of Polynesian expansion is remarkable in its own right. As Moana introduces new audiences to Pacific voyaging traditions, scientists are continuing to deepen our understanding of the environmental challenges these extraordinary navigators faced – and how they responded with ingenuity, resilience and exploration on an oceanic scale.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian authorities said on Thursday they have arrested several suspects accused of a string of recent explosions in Damascus, including the bombings during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit earlier this week.

Security forces carried out raids in the Syrian capital and the surrounding areas, and “succeeded in dismantling the entire cell responsible” for the bombings, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. It did not give any information on the identity or affiliation of the suspects.

On Tuesday, explosive devices were planted in a garbage bin and a parked car during Macron’s landmark visit to Syria, a country rebuilding from years of civil war. Macron, who was in the presidential palace when the blasts happened, was not harmed and continued with his meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

The explosions killed one person and wounded 36 others, according to the final casualty toll announced by Syria’s Ministry of Health.

Last week, an explosive device detonated in a cafe near Damascus’ main judicial complex, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 20.

No group claimed responsibility for either attack.

The explosions are a challenge to al-Sharaa, who has pushed to assert full control over Syria. He has appealed to minorities skeptical of his government’s Islamist-led rule and sought to win support of Western governments concerned about his past leadership of the formerly al-Qaida-linked group known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

His government has promised political and economic reform after decades of autocratic rule of the Assad family, which ended when former President Bashar Assad was ousted in an insurgent offensive in December 2024 led by al-Sharaa.

The nearly 14-year civil war in Syria killed nearly half a million people and displaced millions, leaving much devastation and infrastructure in ruins. While other nations and businesses have made large investment pledges, the country still needs hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild and lift millions out of poverty.

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By LEWIS BROWNING, SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 21:13 BST, 9 July 2026 | Updated: 22:20 BST, 9 July 2026

The ITV presenting and punditry team were forced to abandon their swanky New York World Cup studio on Thursday due to storms in the area.

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Laura Woods and Co have received plaudits for their set-up in the United States for the summer tournament, particularly after the BBC opted to host coverage from Manchester.

But they have, at times, had to abandon the studio, which has a backdrop of New York, to move to an inside studio as the country has battled storms throughout the World Cup.

And conditions on Thursday evening during coverage of France’s quarter-final clash with Morocco meant the team were rushed inside to take cover for the broadcast.

Presenter Marc Pougatch welcomed viewers to the broadcast initially from the outside studio, but the anchor, alongside pundits Roy Keane, Ian Wright and Patrick Vieira were swiftly moved inside.

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ITV showed pictures of the storm close to them, with heavy rain on show in Brooklyn. Matches, meanwhile, are delayed by half an hour as soon as a strike of lightning is recorded within an eight-mile radius of a stadium.

ITV were forced to abandon their swanky New York studio due to storms in the United States

The likes of Ian Wright (right) and Roy Keane (second left) were ushered inside for coverage of France vs Morocco

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Those tuning in to ITV’s coverage have been greeted to a stunning view of the New York skyline. ‘Welcome to our New York loft apartment, home for six weeks of coverage of the World Cup,’ said Pougatch, ITV anchor, ahead of the first game of the competition. ‘It is to be ITV’s home for the duration of the tournament.

Roy Keane and Wright both praised the location, with the latter lauding ITV’s decision to invest in a grand studio to fit the occasion of the World Cup. 

‘Amazing, fantastic,’ Keane said.

Wright added: ‘It’s amazing, unbelievable set. It’s the World Cup, it should be this, it should be grand, massive.’

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In contrast to ITV, the BBC’s coverage has been led from a state-of-the-art studio in Salford, with the corporation taking the decision to save millions of licence fee money.

‘Right now, I’m incredibly happy with it,’ the BBC’s director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski told Daily Mail Sport. ‘To have what would probably be an extra couple of hundred people out there – and that’s before you build a studio – you’re talking millions.

‘If I was standing here saying everything is going to be done from a studio in Dallas, you would rightly be saying to me, ‘How can you justify that expense?’.

‘I don’t think the answer from a financial sustainable point of view is to say everyone can go. I don’t think that is a very clever way of me to spend licence fee money.’

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The BBC had floated the idea of jetting out for the quarter-finals, but have again opted to stay home.

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