Neymar Jr. / Image: Instagram@Neymarjr

Brazil survived a major scare to book their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, defeating Japan 2-1 in a dramatic Round of 32 clash at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday, June 29. Despite the victory, one notable absentee from the action was Neymar Jr. The Brazil superstar remained on the bench throughout the contest, prompting questions about why head coach Carlo Ancelotti chose not to introduce him.Explaining his decision after the match, Ancelotti revealed that he had planned to use Neymar only if the game headed towards extra time.“I talked to Ney (Neymar). If we didn’t draw, he’d come on at 60 minutes. Since we drew, I was preserving him for the 30 minutes of extra time,” Ancelotti told the host broadcaster.With Brazil finding the winner in stoppage time, the extra period was never required, meaning Neymar remained an unused substitute despite being fit enough to feature. Ancelotti later confirmed that the veteran forward had been part of his contingency plan but was ultimately not needed.Brazil will now turn their attention to the Round of 16, where they will face the winners of the Norway vs Ivory Coast clash at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 3.Coming to the match, Gabriel Martinelli scored a dramatic 95th-minute winner as Brazil mounted a thrilling second-half comeback to defeat Japan 2-1, Japan stunned the five-time world champions in the first half when Kaishu Sano intercepted a loose ball deep inside his own half. Sano embarked on a brilliant 40-yard solo sprint before drilling a fierce strike past Alisson to make it 1-0.Ancelotti also praised Japan for pushing Brazil throughout the contest and said his team would need to improve despite advancing to the knockout stage.“Japan made us suffer for ninety-five minutes. They deserved our respect, not exaggerated celebrations. Brazil are through, but we know we must improve. Tonight we celebrate the qualification, but tomorrow we go back to work because the World Cup only gets more difficult from here,” he said.

Mercedes’ George Russell took his second win of the season with victory from pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen recovered from a crash in the final part of qualifying to finish second at Red Bull’s home race, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli in third.

Russell’s win moves him back up to second in the drivers’ standings, 40 points behind team-mate Antonelli.

BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions before this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

I think a pole position under a yellow flag sets a dangerous precedent, because it’s clear that from now on, everyone will continue to push hard after a small slow down, or else their lap will be cancelled. I’d be curious to hear your opinion – Lorenzo

George Russell’s pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix, the foundation for his victory on Sunday, came about in controversial circumstances.

According to the rules, Russell did nothing wrong.

Marshals trackside initially waved a single yellow flag when Max Verstappen crashed at Turn Nine.

Kimi Antonelli mis-read the light board as a double yellow, and backed out of his lap – the correct response for what he thought to be the case. Under a double yellow, drivers have to “slow down and be prepared to stop”.

But under a single yellow, a driver does not have to abandon their lap. They only have to not set a fastest time in the relevant section of the track.

Russell complied with this, but the rest of his lap was fast enough to put him on pole anyway.

The concern here is less the specifics of these rules, but whether the correct flag was shown in the circumstances.

The answer to that has to be no.

Verstappen crashed at the fastest corner on the track, which is taken at close to 140mph.

Turn Nine is notoriously challenging, with its downhill entry, and an exit kerb that’s easy to over-run.

Both Verstappen and Antonelli questioned the decision to show only a single yellow at the time, when Verstappen’s car was in the barrier at this corner as other drivers were seeking to set what would be their fastest laps of the weekend.

Verstappen described it as “quite crazy”.

Antonelli said: “There was a car in the wall in a fast corner. I don’t know why it didn’t go double-yellow straight away, because it’s a super-quick corner, and if you go off at the same time, it can end up very badly. That was a bit confusing.

“For sure it’s something that needs to be reviewed, especially when it happens in a high-speed corner.

“If it’s a slow-speed [corner], single yellow can be OK but fast corners should be double yellow straight away.”

To underline the point, within 20 seconds, race control upgraded the flag to a double yellow, but everyone had completed their laps by then.

Finally, Uli Stielike has company. For 44 years, an outstanding player for Borussia Monchengladbach, Real Madrid and his country stood alone as the only German man to miss a penalty in a World Cup shootout. Then three came in a flurry: Kai Havertz with a tame attempt, Nick Woltemade with a still tamer one and Jonathan Tah with his wild, skied effort the most crucial of the three before Jose Canale confirmed their fate.

The old stereotypes of Germany football, the Turniermannschaft with their menacing inexorableness, are being destroyed. An exit to Paraguay did not feel very German; but now a staple of the business end of tournaments have failed to make the last 16 of a third successive World Cup. Germany’s last victory in a knockout tie remains the 2014 final.

Since then, they have lost, either over 90 minutes or on penalties, to Mexico, South Korea, Japan, Ecuador and Paraguay, each a result that would have seemed unGerman. There had been pessimism about this week from some in the German footballing world: but in anticipation of a last-16 defeat to France in Philadelphia. Instead, it is Paraguay who head to Pennsylvania. German are off home.

For Julian Nagelsmann, while he said he would “love” to continue in the job, it is presumably to face unemployment. He has been stalked by Jurgen Klopp at this tournament, the spectre of a possible successor coming from the charismatic former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool manager, following his country on punditry duties.

The eventual verdict may be that Nagelsmann has flattered to deceive as the Bundestrainer. Germany have made spectacular starts to two tournaments under him, walloping Scotland 5-1 and Curacao 7-1 but then tailed off. A quarter-final appearance in Euro 2024 could have been a platform for progress. Now Nagelsmann, like Joachim Low and Hansi Flick before him, has become a manager with serious feats on his CV to struggle in a World Cup.

In the United States, Germany were unconvincing against the more obdurate opponents they faced. They just beat Cote d’Ivoire, lost to Ecuador in a game the German players, if not the manager, admitted the South Americans wanted more, and dominated possession and chances against Paraguay, yet looked uninspired in scoring a solitary goal in 120 minutes. A second, from Jonathan Tah, was perhaps wrongly chalked off but Nagelsmann’s Germany had sufficient shortcomings that they cannot simply plead misfortune.

The manager’s decision to bring Manuel Neuer out of international retirement backfired; he looked his 40 years, especially against Ecuador. Nagelsmann’s strange faith in Leroy Sane was not rewarded, either. Eight years ago, when the winger had blistering speed, Low ought to have taken him to the World Cup. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Nagelsmann started Sane in every game, and he scored a second-minute goal against Ecuador. But against Paraguay, Sane was awful, losing the ball 23 times and completing none of his seven dribbles.

Meanwhile, Jamal Musiala was benched; Nagelsmann’s decision-making was questioned earlier in the tournament when he kept Deniz Undav out of the starting 11 when the striker’s first two cameos produced three goals and two assists in 56 minutes.

Perhaps he was right to begin with, though. Undav was ineffective as a starter against Paraguay, while deploying him from the beginning cost Germany their super-sub. Where Nagelsmann merited sympathy, arguably, was that Germany lost Lennart Karl and Serge Gnabry to injuries before the tournament. Situations at club level may have counted against Nagelsmann, too: Florian Wirtz’s debut season at Liverpool did not go to plan and Woltemade’s first at Newcastle got worse. Without Karl and Gnabry, though, Nagelsmann struggled for a formula; Germany’s goal tally looked healthy, but only due to facing Curacao.

Step back from individual issues and there can be wider problems. One theory is that a focus on possession, some of it influenced by the former Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola, has taken away from traditional German strengths. The current generation have the technique but perhaps not the presence or the remorselessness of their predecessors. There is a host of contenders for the No 10 role but, since Miroslav Klose, there has been no archetypal German centre-forward for any length of time. Without the Germans of stereotype, the fear factor may be going.

Certainly the last three World Cups have suggested Germany can be drowned by a rising tide in the global game: the 15th, 25th or 35th best sides in the world are rather better than they were.

But Germany still expect to win such games. “Shock is probably a fine word,” said Havertz after Paraguay eliminated them. It was a surprise and yet, the longer Germany failed to get a second goal against Paraguay, there was a growing sense that this would be the day their unblemished record in World Cup penalty shootouts ended. The team who used to outlast everyone else became the first of the real big guns to go. And, strange as it sounds to those with memories of the era of German inevitability, maybe that is part of their identity now.

Man Utd’s fixtures for next season were recently confirmed, and Michael Carrick’s side have been handed a favourable start to the campaign.

The worst was feared when Manuel Ugarte was carried off the pitch on a stretcher during Uruguay’s clash with Spain at the World Cup.

Ugarte looked distraught, pulling his shirt over his head as the stretcher left the pitch. On Sunday, Manchester United confirmed he had suffered a knee ligament injury, and that an assessment of the injury was ongoing.

The club did not confirm whether ⁠Ugarte injured his anterior cruciate or medial collateral ligament, but he described his injury as “the most serious injury a footballer can face” on social media, suggesting it is his ACL.

Ugarte wrote: “Suffering the most serious injury a footballer can face in one of the most important matches in my country’s history, and seeing it end this way without being able to stay on the pitch and support my teammates until the final whistle, is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

“Hitting rock bottom will make me stronger in every sense, and I truly believe that’s the case here. Without a doubt, when life wants you to stop, it finds a way to let you know. It’s up to me to take the positives from this. Success in life is about starting again every time you fall.

“I’m incredibly grateful to Uruguay and United for being there for me from the moment it happened. A huge thank you as well to my family, my friends, and everyone who has sent me messages of support during this time.”

A torn ACL is a far more serious injury than an MCL tear. Ugarte could miss around 10 months of action due to the injury, which essentially rules him out for the majority of the 2026/27 season.

The injury is made worse by the crossroads Ugarte had reached. He was counting down the days until the World Cup, relishing the chance to represent Uruguay after receiving limited minutes at United, but a dream opportunity to play on the biggest stage has ended as a nightmare.

Ugarte was pencilled in for an exit from Old Trafford this summer. He needed a fresh start, a clean slate abroad after a difficult spell in England, but the injury denies him the chance to transfer to another club.

The injury could have an impact on United’s transfer plans this summer. The Reds have agreed a deal for Ederson and are pushing to make another midfield signing, but a replacement would also be sought if Ugarte was sold.

United can’t sell Ugarte due to his injury, but they are going to be a body light in midfield with the Uruguayan sidelined, meaning a third signing will still be needed.

At this stage, it looks like Kobbie Mainoo, a new signing, Ederson, Mason Mount, and Tyler Fletcher will be the midfield options, so a further addition makes sense ahead of a 60-game-plus season.

Fletcher’s breakthrough into the first team last season was timely. The talented academy graduate has the quality to contribute to the squad next season, but bringing in another senior midfielder would add much-needed cover.

United could look to sign a cheap third midfielder, someone with Premier League experience who wouldn’t break the bank, perhaps a player entering the winter of their career.

The signing would be a means to an end. They would be near the bottom of the midfield pecking order, but finding a player with that profile, a good character who would be willing to accept that sort of role, isn’t easy.

That’s without mentioning that United have to be careful with their budget in the transfer market. A third midfield signing could be signed as cheaply as possible, but at the end of the day, a permanent deal would still cost a fee.

The Reds may feel they need to focus on other areas of the squad. That could lead club chiefs to consider the loan market for a midfield signing, although players available for loan tend to be available for a reason.

United have done so in the past with mixed success. Odion Ighalo was a reasonable success, Marcel Sabitzer was decent, and the less said about Wout Weghorst’s stint the better. Sofyan Amrabat offered very little aside from a stellar display in the 2024 FA Cup final, while Sergio Reguilon was a pointless signing.

Relying on the loan market is far from ideal, but United might have to consider a temporary signing.

Man Utd may need another signing in midfield and Chelsea might have pointed the way with an unexpected move for another Premier League player.

While Manchester United are waiting to find out the full extent of Manuel Ugarte’s knee ligament injury, it looks certain that Michael Carrick will be without him for the majority of next season as he looks to reshape his midfield.

Ugarte could have been sold this summer to fund a third midfield arrival, but that option is now off the table and United might have to head back to the drawing board in the centre of the pitch.

They continue to work on a deal for Mateus Fernandes, but if they reach an agreement with West Ham, who will need to lower their £85million asking price first, they will still be heading into next season with a young, relatively inexperienced midfield.

It could be that Fernandes partners Kobbie Mainoo, but that would put together two 21-year-olds in the centre of the pitch. United have agreed a deal to sign Ederson, who turns 27 next month, but he hasn’t played in the Premier League before.

Beyond that, Mason Mount played in a deeper role towards the end of last season, but has had injury issues during his Old Trafford career, while 19-year-old Tyler Fletcher is probably next cab off the rank from the academy.

Given those options, United will almost certainly feel they need a third midfielder for a season that sees them competing on four fronts and looks more likely to feature 60 games than the 40 they have just played. The question is how they go about that.

They will receive around £6.4million in compensation from FIFA for Ugarte’s injury, as it occurred during the World Cup, but that won’t go far. United could look for a loan move as a short-term option, but the players available for that kind of deal would be limited.

Perhaps there is a solution within the Premier League. Chelsea have had an £8million bid for Granit Xhaka rejected by Sunderland, with the 33-year-old reportedly keen to reunite with his former Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso.

Xhaka enjoyed a sensational season with the Black Cats and remains an excellent Premier League midfielder. He could slot into one of those two deep roles in United’s midfield and bring leadership to what could be a young group of midfielders.

He was Sunderland’s captain last season and played in all but four of their Premier League games, helping to drive the club to an unexpected seventh-place finish. When he was fit, he played almost every minute for the club.

Alonso is keen to have Xhaka with him again after praising his leadership at Leverkusen, and that is an area United might need to look at this summer, with Casemiro’s departure leaving a void in that department, especially in the middle of the pitch.

A deal for Xhaka might not excite supporters, but it could make an awful lot of sense now that United must do without Ugarte, who can’t play for the club, but can’t be sold either.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Manchester United’s summer transfer window is well underway with Michael Carrick’s first full season as manager looming

Michael Carrick has fewer than two months until his first complete campaign as Manchester United manager gets underway. And the club will undoubtedly support him in the summer transfer market.

Under Carrick’s leadership, United’s squad is set for significant changes this summer. Casemiro’s exit has already created a void that requires addressing. Brazilian midfielder Ederson will partially fill this gap, with his arrival scheduled following a medical in early July.

However, another of United’s summer objectives has been derailed. Manuel Ugarte was anticipated to be offloaded, but he sustained a serious knee injury while representing Uruguay at World Cup 2026.

A summer departure now appears improbable, though United will still be entitled to substantial compensation for this injury as the Manchester Evening News examines the latest transfer developments from Old Trafford.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Manuel Ugarte compensation

Ugarte picked up a serious knee injury during Uruguay’s final group stage encounter against Spain in Guadalajara shortly before the interval. He was stretchered off in tears as his nation suffered a 1-0 defeat and were eliminated.

Early evaluations suggest this is a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, potentially ruling him out for approximately 9 to 12 months. While the injury hampers United’s summer transfer strategy, it activates a significant financial protection mechanism through FIFA’s Club Protection Programme (CPP).

This scheme functions as a global insurance arrangement intended to shield club sides from the economic strain of compensating players who sustain injuries while on official international duty. FIFA’s policy only becomes active once a player has been ruled out for more than 28 consecutive days owing to an international match incident.

After that 28-day period elapses, FIFA takes on the obligation of covering the player’s basic club wages, worked out at a daily rate until they receive medical clearance to resume full training. The scheme limits coverage at roughly £6.5million per player, per injury, which corresponds to a maximum weekly payment threshold of £120,000.

Since Ugarte’s weekly earnings at Old Trafford stand precisely at that £120k figure, FIFA will essentially cover his complete basic wage throughout his rehabilitation. United will collect approximately £6.5m in reimbursement if he is genuinely absent for the projected timeframe.

Juan Mata becomes owner

Meanwhile, former United player Juan Mata is set to take on an ownership stake at Melbourne Victory, the A-League outfit he presently represents.

The club has formally confirmed that the World Cup winner has committed to becoming a shareholder, with a non-playing role commencing following the conclusion of his playing days.

Mata said: “Australian football has a future I genuinely believe in. From the moment I arrived at Melbourne Victory, I’ve felt the passion of this Club and the potential of the A-Leagues, and I want to be part of building what comes next – not just for a season, but for the long term.

“I have enjoyed so much this past season on the pitch, and committing to Victory as a shareholder is the natural next step. I want to thank everyone associated with the Club and across Australian football for the way they’ve welcomed me.”

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Germany used to own World Cup penalty shootouts. On early Tuesday morning, Paraguay took that piece of history away from them in Boston.

In the biggest upset of the 2026 Fifa World Cup so far, Paraguay beat Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in their Round of 32 match, sending the four-time champions out and reaching the Round of 16 for the first time since 2010.

Jose Canale scored the decisive sudden-death penalty after a chaotic shootout in which Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill made two crucial saves. For Germany, the defeat was historic and brutal. It was their first World Cup penalty shootout loss, ending a reputation built on decades of cold precision from the spot.

For Paraguay, ranked lower than Germany and beaten 4-1 by the USA in the group stage, it was a night that will sit among their finest World Cup memories.

Paraguay strike first, Germany respond

Germany, ranked 12th in the world, dominated much of the first half at Gillette Stadium but struggled to turn possession into clear chances. Paraguay, ranked 33rd, waited, absorbed pressure and then struck through a moment of German defensive failure.

It was Paraguay’s first goal in the knockout stage of a World Cup. It was also another troubling entry in Germany’s recent defensive record: they have now conceded in 10 consecutive World Cup matches.

Tah’s disallowed goal changes the mood

The match became the first of this World Cup to go to extra time, and Germany thought they had completed the turnaround in the first half of the additional period.

Jonathan Tah headed in what looked like a potentially decisive goal, but referee Jalal Jayed ruled it out after a VAR review. The intervention centred on Waldemar Anton’s contact with Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

The decision left Germany furious. Both coaches were booked in the aftermath, and the debate around the call will linger. In real time, the referee had allowed play to continue and the players were ready for the restart before VAR recommended a review.

Penalty kings lose their crown

Germany had scored each of their previous 15 World Cup penalties before this shootout. They had also won their previous four World Cup penalty shootouts. That aura disappeared quickly.

Gill saved Germany’s first kick from Havertz, and Mauricio scored to give Paraguay the lead. Joshua Kimmich rolled in Germany’s next effort to make it 1-1, before Gustavo Gomez restored Paraguay’s advantage.

Paraguay had a chance to win it, but Antonio Sanabria shot wide. Nadiem Amiri then made it 3-3, before Neuer kept Germany alive by saving from Fabian Balbuena.

The momentum seemed to have turned. Instead, it turned again.

Tah, whose extra-time header had already been disallowed, sent his penalty high over the bar. Canale then stepped up and blasted in the winner, sending Neuer the wrong way and Paraguay into the Round of 16.

A shock by ranking and reputation

This was not just a dramatic knockout result. By ranking gap, it was among the biggest World Cup knockout shocks since the introduction of the Fifa rankings.

Paraguay were ranked 41st before the tournament, while Germany were 10th, making it a 31-place gap. According to the ranking comparison provided, it is the fourth-biggest knockout-stage upset by ranking difference since the 1994 World Cup, the first edition after the introduction of Fifa rankings.

The result is also the first major upset of this World Cup knockout stage because a lower-ranked team knocked out one of the tournament’s traditional heavyweights.

Almiron and Enciso write Paraguay history

Paraguay’s goal had a story behind it.

Almiron had nearly lost his chance to make an impact at this World Cup after being sent off in first-half stoppage time against Turkey for breaching Fifa’s new rule against covering the mouth with a hand or shirt during a heated exchange. The offence was treated as unsporting behaviour rather than a severe verbal offence, and he served a one-match ban in the final group game against Australia.

Had Paraguay been eliminated before this match, that suspension would have ended his tournament. Instead, he returned against Germany and helped create the most important goal of Paraguay’s campaign.

Enciso, too, had almost missed the tournament. The 22-year-old was taken off in distress during the final warm-up friendly against Nicaragua, raising fears of a tournament-ending hamstring injury. He recovered in time and became a livewire against Germany, carrying Paraguay up the pitch in the opening minutes and later heading in the goal that pushed Germany into discomfort.

Nagelsmann’s calls under scrutiny

Julian Nagelsmann made his boldest selection calls of the tournament before kick-off. Musiala was left out of the starting line-up, Deniz Undav came in, and Germany shifted towards something close to a 4-4-2.

The idea was to create more chances and offer better protection when possession was lost. Germany did look more stable for stretches, but only to a point. Their defending remained vulnerable, and Paraguay’s goal was far too easy in construction.

Nagelsmann eventually had to move back towards his more familiar shape. Leon Goretzka replaced Felix Nmecha and brought more physical presence to midfield. Musiala later came on for Undav, who did not make the most of his chance.

The equaliser came from Wirtz and Havertz, with Havertz producing a strong header. But Germany never found enough rhythm or force to put Paraguay away.

The questions will now come hard. Why did Leroy Sane continue to start despite limited output? Should Kimmich have played in midfield? Was the double-six combination of Aleksandar Pavlovic and Nmecha worth persisting with when the side appeared overly technical and short of physical edge?

Germany’s World Cup decline continues

The defeat fits a wider pattern.

When Germany beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the 2014 World Cup final, they were at the peak of modern tournament football. Since 2002, they had finished second, third, third and then first across four World Cups. Their 7-1 demolition of Brazil in Belo Horizonte in 2014 had become a symbol of ruthless excellence.

Since that triumph, however, their World Cup record has collapsed.

They failed to get out of the group in 2018 after defeats to Mexico and South Korea. They failed again in Qatar in 2022, losing to Japan, drawing with Spain and not beating Costa Rica by enough to advance on goal difference.

This time, they did get out of the group. But a Round of 32 exit against Paraguay, sealed by their first World Cup shootout defeat, will feel every bit as damaging.

What next for Germany and Paraguay

For Germany, the tournament is over and the scrutiny has only begun. The VAR controversy over Tah’s disallowed header will form part of the debate, but it cannot hide the larger problem. Germany did not create enough, did not defend well enough and did not show the authority expected from a side of their stature.

The press, former players and supporters will now examine every choice, from team selection to tactical structure and the direction of Nagelsmann’s project.

For Paraguay, the story moves in the opposite direction. They are into the Round of 16 for the first time since 2010 and have done it by beating Germany at what used to be Germany’s own game.

Gill was the hero of the shootout. Enciso and Almiron made history in regulation. Canale finished the job under sudden-death pressure.