Nobody likes a sore loser, Pete. share.google/C3uSIplZ2COV...

“Bearing in mind that there are those who continue to bear the pain of that time to this day, we must continue earnestly our efforts for peace." Japanese emperor Naruhito acknowledging the legacy of the occupation of colonial Indonesia during WWII. www.asahi.com/sp/ajw/artic...

Campaigners for an apology from Japan for the mistreatment of Dutch citizens and prisoners of war during the occupation of Indonesia said they were encouraged by the emperor's visit to the national war memorial in Amsterdam this week. www.dutchnews.nl/2026/06/japa...

I'd love to know who signed off "Make history in Dallas" as a marketing slogan.

Seems Tuchel didn't read the memo from Ronald Koeman about what happens when you take off your best counter-attackers while defending a one-goal lead. #WC2026 #England #Croatia

We're heading into the "Can England hold out" zone, which is my favourite part of England matches. #WC2026 #England #Croatia

England have looked like a different team in this second half. Which is just as well, because when they looked like England they were dreadful. #WC2026 #England #Croatia

Easy as you like for Bellingham for that third goal. Pasalic was miles out of position. #WC2026 #England #Croatia

The global unity on display in the quote posts of this.

That's twice Kane has gifted the ball to Croatia in defensive positions. And I do mean gifted. He all but wrapped it in a checkerboard flag and wrote the Croatian players' names on it. #WC2026 #England #Croatia

Baturina battered it. #WC2026 #England #Croatia

Jude the Obscure Penalty Claim #amirite #WC2026 #England #Croatia

Someone must have been telling lies about Harry K., for without having done anything right he scored a penalty one afternoon. #WC2026 #England #Croatia

England aren't so much parking the bus here as sitting in a lay-by waiting for the breakdown service to arrive. #WC2026 #England #Croatia

I honestly couldn't describe how England managed to give away a corner there under no pressure whatsoever. #WC2026 #England #Croatia

Never mind the best player in the world: on this form Ronaldo's not even the best player in this stadium wearing a Ronaldo 7 shirt. #WC2026 #Portugal #DRCongo

Ah, so that explains the lettering on Norway's shirts. #WC2026

You could cast Roberto Martinez in a remake of Sliding Doors, where in one story he becomes a respected and admired figure in world football, and in the other he becomes Gianni Infantino. #WC2026 #Portugal #DRCongo

That Congo equaliser came as no surprise at all. It's been that kind of World Cup, and Portugal are having that kind of game. #WC2026 #Portugal #DRCongo

Fascinating to see how much Reform resembles Geert Wilders’ PVV. A dominant leader who is widely resented but unmissable because of his media profile, an untouchable inner circle, faction fighting, performative loyalism, indiscipline and chaotic policy making. conservativehome.com/2026/06/17/r...

Of people who filed a tax return after being fined for late submission, 90% had had their income overestimated. The average bill was three times too high, which can have implications for means-tested benefits such as support for long-term care. #Belastingdienst #tax www.dutchnews.nl/2026/06/tax-...

It's becoming infuriatingly difficult to hate this World Cup. So much drama and we're still in the first round of group matches. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Come on spammers, make a bit of an effort. It's not 2003 anymore.

I see it as a moral failure when I have to pay full price for toilet paper.

Looks pretty certain that Rob Jetten will apologise to the Moluccan exiles who fought with the Dutch in the Indonesian war of independence in the 1940s. Their hopes of a republic were dashed, they were dismissed from the army and housed in former concentration camps. www.dutchnews.nl/2026/06/jett...

Here's Netanyahu learning the same lesson as the Iranian and Venezuelan opposition: To Donald Trump there are no friends or allies, just people you haven't screwed over yet. edition.cnn.com/2026/06/15/m...

Rotterdam’s Cape Verdeans are no longer the “silent migrants” after their team’s tremendous 0-0 draw with Spain in the World Cup. And with Saudia Arabia and Uruguay drawing the other match they have a great chance to progress to the second round. www.rtl.nl/nieuws/video...

Lots to chew over in this article about the Vierdaagse, but lets just say I'm mildly sceptical of the idea that you can fix children's mental health challenges by taking them on a couple of long walks. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Has Trump considered the possibility that putting a presidential candidate on trial might backfire on him?

Lukaku! Where will he spring from next? #WC2026 #Belgium #Egypt

Castagne uit het vuur gehaald. #WK2026 #WC2026 #België #Egypte

De VOC-mentaliteit is Dutch for "I'd sell my granny to a necrophiliac if I could find a way to dress it up as national pride."

The Dutch broadcaster is running adverts during the "hydration breaks" but the Belgians aren't. This doesn't surprise me at all. #WC2026

This is like watching an Old Firm game at the World Cup. Breathless, heads down, full-blooded, take-no-prisoners football. #WC2026 #Belgium #Egypt

Good to see Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy in charge of Egypt's national team. #WC2026

"Belgium flattering to deceive" is the 2026 version of "perennial underachievers Spain". Or it would be if Spain hadn't underachieved spectacularly a few hours earlier. #WC2026

This is the kind of match that gets Europeans drooling and Americans wondering what on earth the rest of the world sees in this game. #WC2026 #Spain #Caboverde

Not expecting Cape Verde to do any damage against Spain, but I do think they could make a decent fist of getting out of this group. #WC2026

Disappointment in the Dutch camp after they were pegged back to a 2-2 draw by Japan, but I thought it was pretty encouraging performance by Oranje overall. Certainly a big step up from the lacklustre displays against Algeria and Uzbekistan. #WC2026 #Netherlands #Japan www.trouw.nl/sport/koeman...

Ogawa is the third Eredivisie player to feature in this match. All for Japan. #WC2026 #Netherlands #Japan

Just a magnificent strike by Summerville, running on to another great pass by Gravenberch. #WC2026 #Netherlands #Japan

Verbruggen saw that late, but Nakamura had so much time to shoot when there were seven defenders in the box. #WC2026 #Netherlands #Japan

Great second ball in from Gravenberch after the free-kick was headed clear and a perfectly directed header from Van Dijk. Poor marking from Japan. #WC2026 #Netherlands #Japan

Every time Gakpo gets into a position to break for the byline he checks back and runs into a wall of defenders instead, like your dad on a long motorway journey deciding to press on to the next service station. #WC2026 #Netherlands #Japan

Two good chances for Japan to take the lead. The Dutch defence completely bypassed by a looping cross for the first one. #WC2026 #Netherlands #Japan

There are lots of colours that clash with orange, but Reijnders' magenta boots do it with exceptional violence. #WC2026 #Netherlands #Japan

Dumfries and Van de Ven getting forward and immediately Oranje look more threatening. #Netherlands #WC2026

Feels like Koeman's strategy is to bore the Japanese into submission and strike when they've fallen asleep. #wc2026 #Netherlands #Japan

Great start for Oranje. Gakpo and Malen look up for it. #WC2026 #Netherlands

How many people can do this joke before the full-time whistle?