Mikel Merino was the hero again for Spain as he booked a semi-final date with France with a late winner against Belgium

“I did my year abroad in Belgium and Germany in 2015/16, and my university in Germany had a big screen outside the canteen showing the Euros games,” writes Harry Desmond. “I have a vivid memory of being vastly outnumbered by Italy supporters during Belgium’s opening match. Since then, Les Diables Rouges have always been my favourites for tournaments after the UK teams.

“Other memories from that tournament included having to walk 3 miles home after Germany’s semi-final because the trams were too full, and cheering on Portugal in the final along with my Portuguese friends. It will probably always be my favourite football tournament, the communal/international experience is really something else.”

Switzerland reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 1954 by beating Colombia 4-3 on penalties

“I like coffee. I like chocolate. I like knockout football. I’ve come to the right place, haven’t I?”

Yes you have, Peter Oh. Apparently Vancouver is a coffee-keen city too, but I’m relying on a Google AI overview to tell me this. Not sure about chocolate, but who doesn’t like chocolate?

Donald Trump said ‘I’m on the one who got them to do it’ after Fifa clear Folarin Balogun to play for the USA against Belgium

We haven’t even mentioned Balogun-gate yet. The Belgian FA, and you can assume a large proportion of the football world, has been left “astonished” by Fifa’s decision after lobbying by Donald Trump to reverse the suspension given to the striker for his red card in the team’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is now free to play in the last-16 game against Belgium.

Sources have told the Guardian that Trump made three calls to Fifa, starting from Wednesday, to ensure that the change was made.

Cam Norrie and Harriet Dart make early SW19 exits
Jack Draper withdraws with injury | Email Billy

Jodar* 2-1 Gill (* denotes server): The Spaniard is playing his first pro-level game on grass but it does not really look like it. A few more good serves and then a final smash down the centre seals his hold.

Jodar 1-1 Gill* (* denotes server): Gill speeds to a 40-0 lead with some big serves and a powerful forehand down the line. Jodar gets back into it to make it 40-15 but the Spaniard’s wild return at game point is well out and Gill gets on the board.

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England reaction from our writers in New York/New Jersey.

Bellingham can be dismissed a little by some as a player of moments. Is that bad? Moments win games. Bellingham is 22 and still finding his final form. He promises to do these things, walks and talks like he might do them. But then he also does them, which seems important. With England paddling here, he had the will and the craft to take out the spoons and rattle something off on his knee just when they needed it most.

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Amid all the joy, there’s the treatment of Iran. They were denied permission to stay in Seattle after their draw against Egypt, reports Ben Fisher.

We’ve got to have another look at Cape Verde’s celebrations.

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Beiranvand, by the way, holds the world record for the longest throw in a competitive match – 61.0026m – and for the longest drop-kick, 78.014m. Not bad for someone who was once sleeping rough.

But let’s return to Iran for a moment. Their goalie, Alireza Beiranvand – or “The Wall of Persia” as he’s known – had to run away from home to become a footballer, his old fella less than enchanted by the ruse and cutting up his gloves. I wonder how he feels now his boy has been player of the match at a World Cup.

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Anyone brave enough to predict the Geopolitics World Cup knockout bracket before the tournament would have clocked that Argentina could meet Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay in the last 32 and thought: “Cor, that’ll be fun”. But nothing seems to be very fun for the two-time winners at the moment. After narrowly avoiding defeat by Saudi Arabia in their opener in Miami, Uruguay were held again by Cape Verde at Hard [Luck] Stadium, meaning Bielsa-ball might not go beyond the group stage after all. “I think that the problem or greatest issue is that we started the second half with the ball and with the victory,” Bielsa sniffed after climbing down from his upturned water bucket. “We lacked a finishing touch,” he added.

Greetings from the Houston area! We’ve watched most of the GWC matches on Telemundo (Football Daily letters passim). My Spanish-speaking sister translates for us, and she agrees that the commentators are ‘unabashedly’ biased toward the Spanish-speaking teams. We switch to Fox between matches to hear what Henry, Zlatan, and Rebecca Lowe have to say, but we all agree: Alexi Lalas is just a blowhard. He gets muted frequently. And in case y’all missed it” – Jennifer Jones.

Interesting debate about watching football in English or Spanish. I choose to watch most matches in the same way that I read Football Daily – with the sound completely off. And, from time to time, in a very dark room” – Mike Wilner.

I was playing on Football Manager earlier when I was offered the job of coaching Tunisia. I politely declined, hung up the phone, and resumed playing my game” – James Vortkamp-Tong.

Has anyone else noticed that there are two former managers of Swansea City at the GWC [and a minority stakeholder – Football Daily Ed]? This must mean something: not sure what, though” – Peter Phillips (and no others).

⚽ All the latest news from day 10 of the tournament
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World Cup team of the tournament so far: John Brewin, Marcus Christenson and I have compiled some of the best performers of the opening 10 days … with one rule – no superstars.

Move over Messi, Mbappé and Haaland – this is about Laryea, Just and Quiñones:

We pick an XI of players who have impressed during the initial rounds of games in Canada, the US and Mexico

A star was born, at 40, when a player whose highest-profile employers were Portugal’s Gil Vicente denied Spain’s all-stars in that historic 0-0 draw. His Christian name being Josimar may well have pointed to his being a nascent World Cup cult hero. So huge was his impact that the US authorities, on the orders of the House Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, waived the visa fee and $15,000 (£11,300) bond for his mother, now able to fly in for her boy’s continuing adventures. Seven saves from Spain have made him a global social media sensation, too.

⚽ All the latest news from day eight of the tournament
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A fresh England line hot off the wires coming right up …

If by some bizarre chance you missed it, here’s a gallery of some of the best images from England 4-2 Croatia:

• News, buildup and reaction from North America

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How Group D stands after the opening games…

Group D also continued today, with Australia earning a 2-0 win over Turkey in Vancouver. You can recap the action below.

All the latest Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A deals and a club-by-club guide

Iga Swiatek and other top female seeds progressed while Stan Wawrinka said goodbye after his 21st French Open at the age of 41

Jones 1-2 Swiatek* (* denotes server): Better from Jones. Six shots of baseline exchanges, and Jones finishes it off with a forehand winner past Swiatek to make 30-15 in her favour. Swiatek’s backhand then goes long after 11 shots between the pair. However Swiatek crawls back and takes it to deuce. The pair exchange advantages for a while but Jones strikes and gets the break back with a forehand winner.

*Jones 0-2 Swiatek (* denotes server): Swiatek breaks Jones at love. Three break points at 0-40, sealed with a crushing forehand winner.

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Celtic Sinisalo; Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Engels, Nygren; Yang, Maeda, McCowan
Subs: Doohan, Iheanacho, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tounekti, Sarrachi, Hatate, Murray, Forrest, Ralston

Luke McCowan gets the nod ahead of Sebastian Tounetki in Celtic’s front three.

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Plenty of England realism in the comment section:

As with any England friendly, we are compelled to ask: What did we actually learn?

That large parts of England supporters have not forgiven Ben White for something that happened four years ago?

That picking a squad of 35 players and having 11 just watch in tracksuits from a plush suite is bad for team cohesion?

That maybe modelling an international team on the set-piece-heavy Premier League is not going to cut it against even moderately good opposition?

That Cole Palmer is still actually really good?

That getting two yellow cards doesn’t necessarily mean you have to then get a red? Manuel Ugarte’s second booking was rescinded, according to the fourth official, after the referee, in full Graham Poll style, seemed to forget to give him a red.

That Fernando Muslera, 39, still plays in goal for Uruguay? (This was his first cap in four years, to be fair)

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Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged that Ben White needs to clear the air with his teammates after returning to the England squad, but the head coach is confident the defender will not be booed by the Wembley crowd during tonight’s friendly against Uruguay.

White has not been part of the setup since exiting the 2022 World Cup in Qatar early for personal reasons and the decision to end his international exile has not gone down well with some people. The Arsenal player has never explained the reasons for his departure and subsequently making himself unavailable for selection for the rest of Gareth Southgate’s time in charge.

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It’s the international break but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun. There are, of course, crunch playoffs for the Geopolitics World Cup – if anyone actually wants to be there – in Europe and over in Mexico. But for the rest, this is a chance to rip up the rulebook and play whoever the hell they like. Those heading to North America in the summer have to keep things semi-serious. England have got Wembley friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. Fine. Brazil are in the USA USA USA to play France and Croatia. Check. The defending champions, Argentina, had their Finalissima against Spain in Qatar cancelled because of the threat of rogue missiles and have scheduled friendlies against anyone that was available, namely Mauritania (115th in the world) and Zambia (a lofty 91st). Spain clearly had a better agent and have booked Serbia and Egypt. But these are a mere sideshow to the Fifa Series 2026, a set of village fetes dotted across the globe, pitting nations from different continents against each other in four-team tournaments.

After reading Peter Harris’s letter about his walk home from the football (yesterday’s Football Daily letters), I was inspired to find out more. I phoned up my local rambling society … but the guy just went on and on” – James Vortkamp-Tong.

I take it Peter has not enjoyed the pedestrian pathway from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to Seven Sisters underground. Two hours of woe followed by a race walk/jog down to closest tube station. Stunning” – Chris Brown.

Re: football’s capacity for generating Shakespearean quotes (yesterday’s letters). Presumably more than one striker, when bearing down on the Liverpool defence back in the late-2000s/early-2010s, would ask himself: ‘Is this a D Agger which I see before me?’” – Andy Korman.

In King Lear Act 1 Scene 4, the Bard remarks: ‘Nor tripped neither, you base football player.’ Clear proof that diving took place as early as 1605” – Max Maxwell.

Fulham came from behind to beat struggling Burnley while Hearts had to wait for their big moment against Dundee

The 3pm kick-offs are about to get under way …

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Gue-Sung Cho’s second-half header gives Nottingham Forest work to do going into their second leg against Midtjylland

4 min: Off the line! Murillo has to come to Forest’s rescue after Billing gets to the byline and crosses for Brumado. His header is well placed and eludes Sels but not Murillo, who hooks it clear.

2 min: Forest have lined up with a back three with Callum Hudson-Odoi at left wing-back and Ola Aina on the right. Omari Hutchinson is in a more central role.