Keane rips Queiroz as rain disrupts England’s opener

Roy Keane wastes no time, launching a sharp attack on Carlos Queiroz as England open their warm-up against Costa Rica in torrential conditions. Portugal beat Nigeria 2-1 with Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceicao on target, Cristiano Ronaldo misfires before being

Good morning—here’s what happened overnight as the World Cup’s big moments started stacking up before the first whistle of the tournament.

Day 1 began with noise, and Roy Keane added his own. The no-nonsense pundit. wearing sporting shorts to beat the heat in New York on ITV. didn’t hold back when assessing a former coach of his who is now managing Ghana. Carlos Queiroz. In Keane’s view, questions lingered. “I just hope they don’t become too defensive. One of Carlos’s biggest strengths was his defensive side of the game,” he said on ITV. Keane also called Queiroz brilliant as a coach. but doubted him as a manager—saying. “Brilliant coach. huge question marks over him as a manager. I felt like he had the personality of a dead fish when I worked with him.”.

The football continued across the Atlantic.

Portugal 2-1 Nigeria set the tone for at least one of the tournament’s pre-match storylines. Portugal emerged as winners thanks to goals from Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceicao. For Cristiano Ronaldo, it was not the kind of night that usually comes with the spotlight. The 41-year-old missed several clear-cut chances to add to his record-breaking international tally of 143 goals. He was substituted in the 65th minute. having been given longer on the field than every other outfield player to start the match for Portugal.

Portugal’s group is Group K at the World Cup, alongside DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia.

Then there was Orlando, where England’s fans really did get a taste of America—weather included.

Torrential storms swept through on the eve of the tournament as three Lions supporters scattered for shelter around the Inter&Co Stadium. Kick-off for England’s match against Costa Rica was delayed by an hour after lightning struck within an eight-miles radius of the venue. Thomas Tuchel and his team also arrived late, with Orlando roads flooded. The only relief for those who still made it through: each side of Orlando City’s impressive home was under cover.

The match itself didn’t produce a classic twist—England defeated Costa Rica 3-0. But what some fans remember most isn’t the scoreline. It was the pitchside dining, which left England supporters baffled, and a clip of the moment quickly spread.

While England dealt with rain and lightning on the ground, FIFA’s president delivered a different kind of storm in Mexico City.

Gianni Infantino hit back during his opening address, defending FIFA after widespread criticism over ticket pricing. He pointed to seats starting at $140, and the final in New Jersey on July 19 where non-corporate seats start at $8,680. Infantino said the average ticket price of $500 was comparable to other US sports during their play-offs. even making an NBA comparison between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs in the finals versus Qatar and Switzerland.

He also spoke directly about a separate controversy involving a Somali referee who was denied entry to the US. Infantino said Omar Artan’s inability to clear customs was “unfortunate. ” but told people to “chill.” He added that FIFA cannot dictate to governments who they let in to their countries. while claiming it is “working behind the scenes.” “We don’t live on the moon. we live on planet Earth. ” he added.

Infantino also made a point of praising FIFA for Iran being able to compete. “I don’t know who else would have been able to ensure in these circumstances … Iran could come and play,” he said.

As the tournament approaches its opening night, there’s also a different kind of travel story at play: who goes the furthest.

Dubious honours for distance go to debutants Curacao. They will clock up no fewer than 6. 288 miles between matches. flying from Boca Raton. Florida. to Houston. Kansas City and Philadelphia. Paraguay, by contrast, will travel 642 miles, with two games in neighbouring Santa Clara and one in Los Angeles.

Even the warm-up detail has its own headline.

Noni Madueke was given a chance to press his claim for England’s right-wing berth by starting against Costa Rica. During the first half, he should have doubled the lead. He got through on goal, rounded the goalkeeper and faced an open goal—only to hit the post and miss.

There was kindness and chaos in equal measure elsewhere, too.

A Kansas native captured hearts across the United States with a viral gesture to the Algeria team. Algeria has made Lawrence, Kansas—population 96,700 on the outskirts of Kansas City—its home base for the World Cup. The town will host the team between their Group J clashes against reigning champions Argentina, Austria and Jordan.

At the DoubleTree hotel where the team arrived on Sunday night. an elderly gentleman told Algerian sports television channel El Heddaf TV: “I want to say thank you to Algeria for choosing our hometown Lawrence. Kansas.” He added. “Welcome to the United States. Welcome to Kansas.” Standing among fans. he explained: “I came because I was so happy they chose our town for our base camp. … We just know that Algeria is on the Mediterranean Sea and then the south part is in the Sahara desert. ” and when asked what he knew about the country. he said independence from France came “around the same time that I was born.”.

Other locals echoed the welcome. One young fan said he supports Algeria because of Riyad Mahrez, the Algerian captain and former Manchester City star, adding: “I just love to support them because if they want to come to Lawrence then we’ll support them. We want them to win and go far.”

There’s also a stat to tuck into the day, and it comes with a clear message.

Heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, England have now won each of their last nine games played either away or at a neutral venue—their longest-ever such run. The run points toward Thomas Tuchel’s side showing up well when they’re not firmly rooted at home.

The day ahead has its own checklist.

First, a unique opening ceremony will be staged for the first time in World Cup history, with each of the three host nations delivering their own ceremony ahead of their first game. USA and Canada are in action late on Thursday night/early Friday morning, so tonight it’s Mexico’s turn.

Second, there’s an iconic rematch. Sixteen years after the World Cup began in South Africa in 2010 with Siphiwe Tshabalala’s opening goal for Bafana Bafana. Mexico and South Africa will get another tournament underway. The match takes place at the recently-revamped Estadio Azteca. South Africa haven’t been at a World Cup since hosting it in 2010. and Mexico have been tipped by many as dark horses after winning last year’s Gold Cup following difficult years. A group stage exit in Qatar halted a run in which they were knocked out at the last-16 stage in seven successive tournaments. With home advantage on the table, the question becomes whether it changes the story.

Third, age is front and centre. While the tournament buzz keeps returning to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo appearing in their sixth World Cups. Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa—40—has also reached the milestone. He has been at every tournament since 2006 and has been dubbed a World Cup specialist after repeated standout performances. Ochoa now plays his football for AEL Limassol in Cyprus and has featured just once for his country since 2024. Mexico’s tournament now becomes, in part, another chapter in his long run.

Here’s what to watch today:

Mexico vs South Africa kicks off at 8pm (BST) at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. ITV 1 is listed for coverage.

Luke Augustus predicts 3-1 South Africa. Will Pickworth predicts 2-0 Mexico.

And before the tournament fully hits its stride, the quiz question hanging over Thomas Tuchel’s squad remains: which England star has 7 GCSEs, and who has lost half of his finger?

World Cup Breakfast Roy Keane Carlos Queiroz England Costa Rica Portugal Nigeria Cristiano Ronaldo Pedro Neto Francisco Conceicao Gianni Infantino Mexico vs South Africa Guillermo Ochoa Noni Madueke Curacao travel distance