BBC have wiped the floor with ITV at this World Cup in terms of punditry. ITV’s pundits so often fail to understand the narrative of the game and explain how matches were won. Tired. The likes of Rooney, Hart and Clichy much more in tune with what they’re watching

Pivote

Fly into Heathrow next time pal www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...

Unfortunately he’s exactly what Madrid have been missing since Kroos and Modric left. Let’s hopes he signs his new contract but if he wants to go Madrid should break the bank for him this summer.

Godri

Dixon’s analysis that the French attackers have all been ‘off colour’ is a nonsense. It’s not on them, they’ve been dominated in midfield, doesn’t matter who’s up top if you’re not getting decent ball

I’d send players off for holding their face like that. Pathetic

Not sure they needed to make those subs Spain

Here he comes

It’s only taken a couple of decent passes in build-up to get someone free centrally for Spain. France outnumbered in midfield and their attackers not working hard enough to get back in there. Too easy.

Rodri’s got a cigar on in that midfield

Tight this

Great goal. They’ve been excellent. Not given France a kick. Things can change quickly with the talent they have on the pitch though

Laporte should have continued right at the top when he left City

Rodri letting him he’s there

Good pen

It’s absurd how much he is just running that team. THAT team.

Rodri is two matches away from putting together a better tournament than Euro 2024. Spain are still a top team but they are more reliant than ever on Rodri at this tournament.

That’s a shame, I really like Tielemans

I’m still in a similar place with England. The consequence of approaching international football in a Premier League style, as Tuchel stated when he took over, is being susceptible to ending up in battles where moments of quality win matches and you can’t dominate matches with your superior quality

Off we go

Haaland now has 60m followers on instagram. Think that makes him the first City player to have more followers than the club.

Decent showing from Belgium that. Undone by the error. Will look forward to France vs Spain, Euros semi was excellent

Deary me, that’s a shocker

KDB playing key passes in one of those chairs your uncle sits in during a function. Legend.

Been impressed with Ferran Torres movement across the defensive line in the bits I’ve seen of him at this tournament. Adds something different

Belgium’s 11 in the opening match of the 2014 World Cup. 4 of them are on the pitch here

Doku and De Bruyne are starting to put it on them here

I can’t remember Pierce Charles at the academy. I vaguely remember Shea having a younger brother maybe. Anyhow, another local kid who came through the academy, left at 16 and returns at 20 as a full international. Nice story, hope he does well at QPR next season and go from there.

OFFICIAL: Pierce Charles has signed a five-year contract at #ManCity until the summer of 2031. Charles will now join Championship side Queens Park Rangers on loan for the 2026/27 season.

I forget stuff like this exists

If Spain go through tomorrow, the semi final is scheduled for 2pm in Dallas on Tuesday. Forecast is 35 degrees. France look great but that should favour Spain. The ball doesn’t get tired

Easy, never got out of second gear

Sticking Olise in schooling with a load of posh kids proving to be one of our costliest errors

It took a while but ‘keepers adapted to stutter run ups which removes its main advantage

Haaland in his England kit. *his sisters City shirt 🤌

5 of the quarter finalists made it to the quarter finals in Mexico ‘86 too.

Great header that

Blimey

Fuck me that’s soft

They’d both chin their granny for 3pts

You’d imagine that will be the end for Martinez. Obviously there’s been the Ronaldo issue but why he kept picking Semedo and starting Joao Felix is baffling. Should have prioritised working around a box / diamond midfield of Vitinha, Bernardo, Neves and Fernandes with their weaker wing options.

Don’t associate Ferran Torres with that type of cute pass. Great finish by Merino, always a threat when he’s on.

That should be that

The joy on Declan Rice’s face here 😂

England then. Heroic dogs of war. Glorious digging in with Jude Bellingham in the Bryan Robson role. As English-a win as you’re ever likely to see.

It’s such a shame for the US team that all this has happened with this suspension. Whatever happens from here it’s the story and it means they’ve gone from the standard position of everyone hoping the hosts do well to the world being against them because of their political leaders. Really grim.

I’ve now heard 3 separate high profile football journalists say almost exactly the same thing about Haaland during this World Cup. Effectively, how much they’ve enjoyed him and his personality. And how they’ve not felt like that before due to shirt he wears when playing his club football.

I’ll catch up with England in the morning. Haven’t got a Monday 1am (storm dependent) kick off in me for England

Unbelievable night for Haaland. Superstar. And notice how he isn’t rubbing it in anyone’s face. Class act