"(I am) very proud because we are the smallest island, smallest country and we scored against Germany! We are very happy and very, very proud!" fan Otmar Cornelia told Reuters.

Japan is a power to reckon with, rather than a mere contender for glory, and having a development model and team that is built for that.

Barcelona superstar Yamal has not played since suffering a hamstring injury on April 22.

The 24-year-old winger is one of the key elements of the Belgium side who open their World Cup campaign against Egypt in Seattle on Tuesday, and plans for him to leave the United States and return home for the birth of his child are being put in place, Belgian media reported.

The joint statement by the 13 teams said all nations participating at the World Cup "deserve respect."

Spain begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign tonight in Group H against debutants Cape Verde in Atlanta, arriving as heavy favourites.

Yasin Ayari opened the scoring early in the Mexican city of Guadalupe with a thunderbolt from distance and Alexander Isak doubled Sweden's lead in the 30th minute.

Romanticism, Samba nostalgia, and the weight of a record five World Cup titles -- all of it met a sobering dose of reality as Brazil began their Hexa campaign with a 1-1 draw against Morocco at the New York-New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.

As has become widely associated with Japanese football culture, fans collected trash in large plastic bags, carefully restoring their seating areas long after the final whistle.

Iran have arrived at the tournament under the shadow of a bitter diplomatic row, after the United States -- in military conflict with Iran for months -- refused to issue visas for some team support staff.

Brazil now sit second on 238, while Argentina are a distant third with 152.

The Ivorians will meet Germany in their next Group E match on June 20. Germany thrashed debutants Curacao 7-1 earlier in the day.

A match that had bubbled away in the first period sparked into life in the second half.

The Iranian community in Tijuana is tiny - around 20 people - and much smaller than that of Los Angeles, which is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran.

From different corners of the globe, rivalries turn into friendships, strangers become family, and millions of voices unite in a single shared passion.

“Brazil and Argentina fans in Bangladesh and around the world often treat a draw like a defeat. They simply can’t accept it,” said Masud Parvez Kaiser, former Bangladesh national football team coach and an avid Brazil supporter.

Brazil, 1-0 down against a team on a 29-match unbeaten run, nevertheless needed their poster boy to step up. He did just that, grabbing a gorgeous goal that earned Carlo Ancelotti’s the Selecao a crucial point.

“Yes, many years ago,” she said. “He was an extraordinary footballer. Watching Maradona was always a special experience. There was something unique and beautiful about the way he played. That is why he remains Maradona.”

The smallest nation by population in the tournament comes face-to-face with the four-time winners on Sunday when tiny Curacao play Germany in a true World Cup fairytale.

Since watching the 2018 FIFA World Cup from the stands in Russia as a football-loving child, Ayoub Bouaddi had dreamt of one day gracing football’s grandest stage himself.