Those who knew the South African, who died aged 25 not long after playing at the World Cup, describe a humble and hard-working man who cared about friends and family

For Jayden Adams, the South Africa midfielder who died this month at the age of 25, football was a “safe space”. Those words, used by Adams’s junior coach Steve Barker at his memorial service last Thursday, tell you everything you need to know about his life beyond the pitch.

Adams’s battles were bestowed on him almost from birth. Though he was born into newly democratic South Africa, by the early 2000s the revolution was well on its way to being betrayed. The vote was extended to all, but few could make full use of the freedoms available to them because socioeconomic circumstances in the country had barely changed. Stellenbosch, where the Adams family were based, is a perfect example.

• Adams played in South Africa’s World Cup group games

• Midfielder played for Mamelodi Sundowns

Jayden Adams, who played in South Africa’s three group games at the World Cup, has died aged 25.

The Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder started the tournament opener, a 2-0 defeat by Mexico, and the 1-1 draw with Czechia, being substituted in both matches. He then came off the bench in the 1-0 win against South Korea, but took no part in the 1-0 last-32 defeat by Canada.

As Canada’s players and staff huddled on the pitch to savour reaching the last 16 for the first time, the overhead Spidercam and the cameras belonging to the host broadcaster were the only outsiders present for Jesse Marsch’s impassioned victory speech. “You guys are Canadian heroes today, Canadian heroes for the future children of this country who play this sport,” he said, wagging his right index finger at different squad members, before a series of whoops, cheers and applause.

If that was a sacred, special moment, then so was the sight of Marsch kissing the Canada crest on his grey zip-top before embracing Ismaël Koné, who took to the field to join the celebrations on crutches after surgery on a broken leg.

Stephen Eustáquio’s fine winner, scored in the second minute of injury time, took Canada’s men into the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time

Oh man, my eyeballs are sweating and we’re 45 minutes away from watching the teams come out. Can Stokes play football?

Oh my goodness. Nothing to do with football, but everything to do with humanity: Ben Stokes, what a man. If you’re near a telly with Sky, get it on – it’s montage time.

• ⚽ Kick-off at 9pm ET/2am BST/11am AEST

• ⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Group standings | Mail Beau

As a child of the 70s, I’m slightly baffled that the John Denver classic Take Me Home Country Roads has become the unofficial theme song of this World Cup. I’m guessing very few of the people singing along have been to “the place I belong, West Virginia.”

It’s beautiful, though.

They can put the matches away, at least for a while. Before this game, Hugo Broos had responded to fierce criticism over South Africa’s start to the World Cup by revealing that eight months ago after qualification a friend had said they would erect a statue of him and the coach had replied by saying: “Make it out of wood; that way it will burn more easily.” Beaten 2-0 by Mexico, they were seven minutes away from following that with a 1-0 loss to Czechia, left with no points, no goals and not much hope. But from almost nowhere, in an arena that Broos criticised as “not a football stadium”, they got the penalty that allows them to fight another day.

Pavel Sulc was the unfortunate man who gave it away, not given time to remove his hand from the path of another long shot. Teboho Mokoena was the man who scored it and what it means could be seen not only in how he celebrated then but in the tears that had rolled during the national anthem before.

⚽ Kick-off time: 12pm local/2am AEST/5pm BST/12pm EDT
⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Daniel

Mike Costello, the legendary boxing commentator, tells a story of when he was fresh in the game, an old pro heard him getting dead excited calling a fight that wasn’t Hagler-Hearns, so issued some advice: always leave yourself somewhere to go.

For those of us involved in a similar kind of thing, this is an important lesson, but one easier grasped than lived – especially during the World Cup and even more so during this World Cup. How not to unload the suitcase – and why not unload the suitcase – when Curaçao equalise against Germany, Cape Verde force a draw with Spain and DRC equalise against then draw with Portugal? For them – and so for us, sport being the experience of living your life through others – this is their Hagler-Hearns, so it makes more sense to trust you’ll find somewhere to go than not turn up somewhere you desperately need to be.

Was that it, then? Was Sphephelo Sithole being caught in possession nine minutes into the opening game, Julián Quiñones running on to lash the ball through Ronwen Williams’s legs, was that when the football took over, the moment when concerns over the aggression of the major co-host faded away and the world got on with celebrating the great festival of humanity the World Cup ought to be?

It seems unlikely. Donald Trump’s war with Iran goes on, as do the outrages of his immigration forces. But it’s not just that. Gianni Infantino has opted to run this tournament, uniquely in the modern age, without a local organising committee. That may not explain the shambolic organisation at the Azteca – the chaotic traffic, the non-existent signage, the absence of wifi, the general lack of order – but it does make it harder to fix. Not that Mexican fans cared much.

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored for Mexico against South Africa, who had Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane sent off; the hosts had César Montes dismissed

“That ITV studio is spectacular,” reckons Kev the Poet. “Almost as spectacular as the nark-off between Roy Keane and anyone else. The BBC is going to have The Ghost Of Barry Davies coming out of the Manchester Ship Canal to compete.”

It is – it’s outdoors on the East River, with a sensational view of Manhattan. But I’d take Barry Davies coming out of anywhere.

Watching 108 hours of football is not for everyone but there are some crackers in the group stage, including Scotland v Brazil, Netherlands v Japan and France v Senegal

By Opta Analyst

The days of watching every game at the World Cup are long gone for most of us. The expansion to 48 teams means 72 group games will be played just to narrow the competition down to 32 sides – the number we have had at the last seven tournaments. Fans will have to sit through 108 hours of group-stage football – plus a lot of injury time and drinks breaks – just to get to the number of teams we have become accustomed to since 1998.

Given the unsociable kick-off times for many supporters across the world, it is going to be difficult to watch every game. So, with that in mind, we have picked a more manageable number to make sure you watch during the group stage.

Everything you need to know (and more) about every squad member. Click on the player pictures for more information

Click your way through the group stage and the knockouts to crown champion

• Last 16: Morocco 1-0 Tanzania (Brahim 64)

• Cameroon await in last eight after beating South Africa

Brahim Díaz scored his fourth goal for Morocco at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations to put the hosts into the quarter-finals with a nervous 1-0 victory over Tanzania in Rabat.

Morocco dominated possession but Tanzania had opportunities to cause a huge shock, and it took a fine strike from Brahim to book a place in the last eight.

After a group stage that delivered an average of 3.6 goals a game we look at the match-ups in Morocco that start on Saturday

Senegal, winners of the Afcon in 2022, have arguably the best collection of players, including the experience of Sadio Mané and the explosive talent of Nicolas Jackson, and are superior to their east African opponents. But Sudan, who qualified for the tournament despite the tragedy of a horrendous war in their country, certainly match the Lions of Teranga in fortitude. Sudan, coached by the Ghanaian Kwesi Appiah, who led his home country at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, played all their qualifiers away from home, with the war, which began in April 2023, shutting down a thriving domestic league. The Sudan striker John Mano told the BBC of people back home: “Some of them cannot watch the matches … They can’t even listen on the radio … We are trying to free our country, through the football way.” A win for Sudan would be one of the fairytales of the tournament.

• South Africa 3-2 Zimbabwe | Egypt 0-0 Angola

• Angola face wait to qualify but Zimbabwe out

Oswin Appollis scored a penalty in the final 10 minutes to hand South Africa a 3-2 victory over Zimbabwe in Marrakech on Monday and seal second spot in Group B at the Africa Cup of Nations, dumping their southern African rivals out of the tournament.

South Africa finish with six points in the group, one behind Egypt. Both those advance to the last 16 as Angola, on two points, finish in third and face an anxious wait to see if that is enough as one of the four best third-placed sides.