Meanwhile, Ecuador endured a challenging start, struggling through their first two fixtures, including an unexpected draw against Curaçao. “It’s better this way,” declared Gonzalo Plata, who emerged as the day’s hero. “This has been an enriching experience for us, and we are now approaching the next round with an even greater hunger for victory. This team possesses unwavering self-belief.”

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Emerse Faé disappointed by Schweinsteiger

Following their impressive victory, Emerse Faé was also pressed on remarks made by Bastian Schweinsteiger. The 2014 World Champion had previously characterized “African football as sometimes unorthodox, a bit wild, not entirely as tactical” before the Elephants’ 2-1 triumph over Germany.

“I was disappointed by the man himself when I heard those comments,” Faé began. “Given his football knowledge, it’s strange to utter such statements, which, frankly, can be described as racist. Everyone has the right to their opinion,” Faé continued, “but I strongly disagree with him. My only recourse is to accept it and move forward. We can only demonstrate on the pitch that African football also embodies significant technique and tactical depth. I’m unsure what he was thinking… Football is like that; many pundits seek to create a stir. Now that he’s somewhat out of the spotlight, perhaps he’s trying to generate headlines…” This controversy has certainly been a talking point in recent Africa news cycles.

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The ‘Oranje’ craze grips Kansas and its mayor

The Netherlands maintained their strong standing in a challenging group. Following their win against a less formidable Tunisia, they secured first place, allowing them to approach the remainder of the tournament with confidence.

This achievement ignited the streets of Kansas, both before and after their impressive victory. One individual who truly embraced and enjoyed this “Oranje” surge was Quinton Lucas, the current Mayor of Kansas.

He enthusiastically joined the celebrations, even taking to the DJ decks for the Dutch supporters.

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While he didn’t actually mix music, he moved energetically among the crowd, fueling the excitement. It was a memorable moment for a politician more accustomed to public speeches than the distinctive Flemish techno music.

Historic transfer mid-World Cup

At just 23 years old, Elliot Anderson has attracted interest from Europe’s top clubs. For several days, Manchester City was reportedly leading the race to sign the Three Lions midfielder.

According to The Athletic, the Citizens have now reached an agreement with Nottingham Forest for a staggering €150 million!

This monumental fee shatters last year’s Premier League record, previously set by Liverpool with the acquisition of Alexander Isak. The English international, who started in his country’s first two World Cup matches, now only needs to finalize personal terms with the Manchester club, a step expected to be a mere formality.

South Americans dominate Europeans

Four matches, four victories. Since the start of this World Cup, South American teams have been decisively defeating their European counterparts.

Specifically, Paraguay triumphed over Turkey (1-0) on Matchday 2, while Argentina comfortably overcame Austria (2-0). And Matchday 3 has, so far, done nothing to reverse this trend, with Brazil dominating Scotland (3-0) and Ecuador securing a heroic, qualification-clinching 2-1 victory against Germany.

Only two European teams remain with a chance to restore continental pride: Spain and Portugal. Spain will face Uruguay tonight, while Portugal is set to challenge Colombia on Saturday night.

Making Deschamps “proud”

On the eve of France’s third Group I match at the 2026 World Cup against Norway, midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni conveyed the unwavering support of the entire squad to Didier Deschamps, who had returned to France for his mother’s funeral.

“To begin, on behalf of the entire French team, we extend our deepest condolences to the coach and his family,” stated the Real Madrid player. “We understand this is an unusual situation. He has entrusted us with a mission. Our objective is to make him proud.”

“We thought Belgium would already be qualified”

However, before that, they must overcome New Zealand. Currently at the bottom of their group with just one point, the ‘All Whites’ are obligated to secure a victory against the ‘Red Devils’ to qualify. “This encounter already feels like a knockout match. We need to earn points, and we are determined to get them,” asserted Darren Bazeley, the New Zealand coach, during a press conference on Thursday.

He then commented on Belgium’s performance: “We are uncertain how they will respond to this predicament. After the draw, we were content to face Belgium in the final match, assuming they would already be qualified with six points and rotate their squad. However, as often happens in football, things haven’t unfolded that way. They may not have achieved their desired performances in this World Cup yet, but they are fully aware they risk going home if they don’t win. It will be fascinating to observe their reaction to this situation.” Belgium has been duly warned.