Top spot in Group E, 10 goals scored and two wins from three. And yet, an air of disappointment.

While Germany’s 2-1 loss to Ecuador was celebrated raucously in the stands of the New York New Jersey Stadium, it changed little for the four-time World Cup winners, who had wrapped up first place in their group five days earlier. However, as the players wandered around the pitch at full-time, it felt like an admission of defeat in more ways than one.

After exiting the tournament at the group stages in 2018 and 2022, a place in the last 32 – and their first World Cup knockout game since the 2014 final – is an achievement for Germany, if an expected one. However, this is a nation that dreams big every four years, and on the same pitch where the final will be held in a few weeks, they produced a performance that suggested they’ll have flown home long before 19 July.

It all started so well too, Leroy Sane opening the scoring inside two minutes. It was a well-taken finish, though Aleksandar Pavlovic can count himself lucky that a high foot wasn’t penalised in the build-up.

But if players and fans had hoped that would be a sign of things to come, they were in for a rude awakening. Ecuador were level within seven minutes, Nilson Angulo getting his own slice of fortune as a superb strike went through the legs of the onrushing defender as it flew into the corner.

It was a moment that sparked the game into life, and for a while Germany looked shellshocked, unable to handle Ecuador’s intensity and looking sloppy in possession.

Even as they began to find their feet in possession again it was far too pedestrian. Neither side was able to dominate throughout the first half, but while Germany saw plenty of the ball, there was a lot of probing but very little of substance in their attacking play.

It was not the type of football many associate with Germany, though it is something we’ve become more used to seeing after the group stage exits in the last two World Cups.

“In the weeks leading up to the World Cup, the key issue was that this team needed time to develop chemistry because they hadn’t played many matches together,” said Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann in his pre-match conference. It was clear for all to see in East Rutherford, and combined with a clunky starting XI, injuries and a lack of quality, it feels like it will be Germany’s undoing this summer.

The struggles of Joshua Kimmich at right-back and the lack of threat offered by Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz in attack were a reminder that some of the nation’s best players are being shoehorned into the side due to a lack of alternatives. Kimmich spent most of the season playing in central midfield for Bayern Munich, while Wirtz has proved far more effective down the middle for Liverpool.

As for Havertz, the debate over his abilities as a striker will rage on, while you suspect that in an ideal world Nagelsmann would have better alternatives to Leroy Sane too.

That is no criticism of Nagelsmann either, with the Germany boss simply trying to make the most of his mixed resources. There are few viable – or better – alternatives to Kimmich, Sane and Wirtz, for example, though perhaps he could help himself by starting Deniz Undav in the last 32.

As the game wore on, the lack of chemistry was apparent, with players chasing loose passes, making the wrong runs and failing to pick out teammates. It was summed up in a late mix-up between Tah and Neuer, the defender prodding the ball past his onrushing goalkeeper moments before Gonzalo Plata fired narrowly over the bar.

Havertz, Wirtz and Kimmich all came off, though with Pascal Gross replacing the Liverpool man and centre-back Malick Thiaw also shoehorned in at right-back, only Angelo Stiller felt like a reasonable replacement as he came on for Pavlovic.

Of course, the quality of some players in the starting XI meant that Germany still created chances. The penalty decision at the beginning of the second half would have been a cruel – if entirely self-inflicted – way for Ecuador to fall behind again, but it neatly summed up the game in a way, as it began to feel like a moment of Ecuador madness would be the only way through for Germany.

Later on, Sane blew the best chance of the second half at one end – scuffing his effort and firing it straight at Hernán Galindez – before a brilliant block from Stiller at the other saved Germany.

Even then, it was only for a moment, with Plata bundling in from a corner seconds later. It further summed up Germany’s day. Kevin Rodriuguez won the first ball, Neuer was too slow to react, Tah was too busy grabbing a handful of a shirt rather than getting goal-side, and Plata fired home. A lack of aggression and a lack of physicality were problems throughout, and they combined as Germany conceded again.

As full-time loomed, players raced to recover loose passes and the forwards toiled, but Germany fell to a defeat that feels like the true representation of their 2026 World Cup campaign so far. Wins against Curacao and the Ivory Coast have papered over cracks; having better players will inevitably win you some games, but the level of individual talent in this set-up won’t win Germany this World Cup.

The expanded format and a kind draw means they have avoided the disasters of 2018 and 2022, and will play their first World Cup knockout game since 2014 in Boston on 29 June.

But while the expanded format means that game will come against the likes of Scotland or Paraguay, France could be waiting in the last 16. For Germany, it feels like the end of the road will come sooner rather than later in another tournament to forget.

Manchester City have agreed a club record fee to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.

The England midfielder is expected to become City’s biggest ever signing after Forest, who had rejected a previous bid of £106m, rising to £120m, accepted a nine-figure offer, thought to be £116m.

It is understood it is a straight offer with no add-ons and is below the British transfer record, Alexander Isak’s £125m move from Newcastle to Liverpool last summer.

Manchester United were also interested in Anderson but City showed a willingness to meet Forest’s huge asking price.

City made Anderson their top target in their midfield rebuild after captain Bernardo Silva left the Etihad Stadium, with the Portuguese joining Real Madrid.

City are also considering bringing in a second central midfielder this summer, with Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali also of interest to them.

Anderson is currently in the United States as part of the England squad in the World Cup, leaving a question of when and where his medical will take place and the deal is completed.

When the 23-year-old joins City, it will take their spending in 2025 and 2026 to around £550m. City’s current club record buy is Jack Grealish, who signed for £100m in 2021.

Anderson joined Forest for £35m two years ago and will give the Midlands club a vast profit on their investment.

City are closing in on the appointment of Enzo Maresca to replace Pep Guardiola as manager after talks with Chelsea about compensation for the Italian.

On June 24, Ariana Grande surprised fans by changing the lyrics to her song, Thank u, Next. The Grammy-winning songstress modified the line which seemingly refers to her ex-boyfriend, Ricky Alvarez.

For the unversed, Grande reportedly started dating her former backup dancer, Ricky Alvarez, in 2015. The pair were in a relationship for one year before splitting in 2016.

While Ariana Grande was mostly tight-lipped about her relationship with Alvarez, she was once asked about the same during a 2016 interview with Billboard.

“We’re happy. I’m a very happy girl. I have a healthy life right now, and I think that’s all anyone cares to know. The end,” she had said at that time.

According to a report by E! News, Ariana Grande had initiated the breakup. There was no hint of disloyalty, but the duo seemingly “found it difficult to make it work.” The report also stated that the two were friends after the breakup.

During her recent Eternal Sunshine concert at the Moody Center in Austin, Grande tweaked a line of her song, Thank u, next, which was seemingly dedicated to Alvarez.

“Wrote some songs about Ricky…now they still kinda slap,” she sang, which got the attention of the fans as the original line was, “Wrote some songs about Ricky…Now I listen and laugh”

Released in 2018, Thank u, Next is the lead single from Ariana Grande’s fifth studio album of the same name. As per several reports, the song is an ode to Grande’s past relationships and was released days after her breakup with her ex-fiance, Pete Davidson.

It received acclaim from both fans and critics, debuting atop Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, it was certified eight-times platinum and was included in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time during their 2021 revision.

More about Ariana Grande’s The Eternal Sunshine Tour

The Eternal Sunshine Tour is Ariana Grande’s fifth concert tour to promote her seventh studio album of the same name. The tour consists of 41 shows and is scheduled to end at the O2 Arena in London on September 1, 2026.

Ariana Grande first dropped hints of The Eternal Sunshine Tour while appearing in a March 2024 episode of the Shut Up Evan podcast. The songstress explained that she would love to “trickle in some shows in between the two Wicked movies.” Ariana Grande described it as a “mini sampling of shows.”

“I do think it’d be really nice to do that, and it’s something my team and I are working on coming up with options for,” she concluded.

Here is the full schedule of Ariana Grande’s ongoing Eternal Sunshine Tour:

• June 6, 2026: Oakland, Oakland Arena
• June 9, 2026: Oakland, Oakland Arena
• June 10, 2026: Oakland, Oakland Arena
• June 13, 2026: Los Angeles, Crypto.com Arena
• June 14, 2026: Los Angeles, Crypto.com Arena
• June 17, 2026: Inglewood (Los Angeles), Kia Forum
• June 19, 2026: Inglewood (Los Angeles), Kia Forum
• June 20, 2026: Inglewood (Los Angeles), Kia Forum
• June 24, 2026: Austin, Moody Center
• June 26, 2026: Austin, Moody Center
• June 27, 2026: Austin, Moody Center
• June 30, 2026: Sunrise, Amerant Bank Arena
• July 2, 2026: Sunrise, Amerant Bank Arena
• July 3, 2026: Sunrise, Amerant Bank Arena
• July 6, 2026: Atlanta, State Farm Arena
• July 8, 2026: Atlanta, State Farm Arena
• July 9, 2026: Atlanta, State Farm Arena
• July 12, 2026: Brooklyn, Barclays Center
• July 13, 2026: Brooklyn, Barclays Center
• July 16, 2026: Brooklyn, Barclays Center
• July 18, 2026: Brooklyn, Barclays Center
• July 19, 2026: Brooklyn, Barclays Center
• July 22, 2026: Boston, TD Garden
• July 24, 2026: Boston, TD Garden
• July 25, 2026: Boston, TD Garden
• July 28, 2026: Montreal, Bell Centre
• July 30, 2026: Montreal, Bell Centre
• July 31, 2026: Montreal, Bell Centre
• August 3, 2026: Chicago, United Center
• August 5, 2026: Chicago, United Center
• August 6, 2026: Chicago, United Center
• August 15, 2026: London, The O2 Arena
• August 16, 2026: London, The O2 Arena
• August 19, 2026: London, The O2 Arena
• August 20, 2026: London, The O2 Arena
• August 23, 2026: London, The O2 Arena
• August 24, 2026: London, The O2 Arena
• August 27, 2026: London, The O2 Arena
• August 28, 2026: London, The O2 Arena
• August 31, 2026: London, The O2 Arena
• September 1, 2026: London, The O2 Arena

After her last show at Austin’s Moody Center on June 27, the songstress will head to the city of Sunrise to perform three shows at the Amerant Bank Arena. The second half of her tour will feature cities like Montreal, Chicago, London and more.