Hello and welcome to Daily Mail Sport’s World Cup Breakfast from day 38 at the tournament – your one-stop shop for everything you’ve missed overnight in North America.
For all the latest news, viral moments and what to look out for, stay right here.
OVERNIGHT NEWS
A few days have now passed since England were eliminated from yet another World Cup tournament, and it seems that every man and his dog has been sharing their thoughts and feelings about Thomas Tuchel’s tactical decisions.
Well, we can report this morning that a very powerful man indeed has been putting in his two pennies’ worth. United States President Donald Trump has criticised Tuchel for putting his golfing pal Harry Kane ‘in defence’ against Argentina.
Speaking on Friday at a FIFA reception at Trump Tower, he said: ‘You have a great player in England, who I played golf with, Harry, who’s been fantastic. I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player.
‘What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him in defence.
‘We have got to be a little offensive, right? But what do I know about coaching? It was unusual, but Harry is a great guy, actually.’
It seems the White House’s views about England’s star striker are not affecting any political sentiments, however, with the President’s World Cup chief having thrown his support behind Argentina in the row over the Falkland Islands banner.
‘We believe in our First Amendment rights here in the United States of America,’ Andrew Giuliani said yesterday.
‘And in terms of the ability and the opportunity to make statements, Argentina has the ability to do that in the United States of America.’
Expect to see more of Mr Trump this weekend, with the President set to attend Sunday’s World Cup final in New Jersey.
United States President Donald Trump has criticised Tuchel for putting his golfing pal Harry Kane’in defence’ against Argentina
‘What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him in defence,’ the President said
Join the discussion
Should England’s World Cup failures be blamed on player choices, tactics, or lack of passion?
VIEW FROM THE GROUND
The book’s taken a hell of a beating. It was already second-hand when I picked it up, and it’s been drenched in a bag in a Philadelphia rainstorm, had a number of brushes with spilt coffee, and withstood several days of blazing sun in a hire car in West Texas, so dog-eared doesn’t begin to describe it. But it’s sitting on the desk in front of me now I’m home, a more vivid testament to the World Cup trip than any of the hundreds of pictures I seem to have taken of every monument, advertising hoarding or football flag I happened to pass.
I took Cormac McCarthy’s The Crossing to the World Cup because it belonged to the sort of trip I thought it would be, beginning in the USA and perhaps crossing over to Mexico, as its protagonists, Billy Parham and his brother Boyd, do. It turned out to be one of the bleakest novels I’ve ever read, and parts of it drift into Spanish, which, on planes with no Wi-Fi, I just had to take a stab at understanding. But it did trace the tracks of the journey I eventually took.
I never made it to Mexico, but I did drive across New Mexico, and it seemed like a reward for perseverance when Roswell and Albuquerque, places in that state which I reached and loved, put in late appearances. The novel ends with Billy in tears as he sits alone on a road in south-western New Mexico, though anyone who might have occasionally seen these brief notes of mine here in ‘World Cup Breakfast’ will know that’s not how this trip has felt for me. The journey and the book were life-affirming and vivid. Billy Parham made it, and so have I.
By Ian Herbert
Daily Mail Sport’s Ian Herbert took Cormac McCarthy’s ‘The Crossing’ with him across the pond
VIRAL MOMENT OF THE DAY
He’s one of the most high-profile stars involved in this summer’s Stateside World Cup but, on Friday, Lamine Yamal proved that he can be a tourist too.
The Barcelona winger was spotted enjoying an afternoon away from the pitch with his influencer girlfriend, Ines Garcia, and the couple even bought dinner from a food cart.
As Yamal stood waiting for his order, an American fan could be heard shouting: ‘Lamine, let’s get this Messi money on Sunday, come on!’
I’m not sure the Spaniard quite caught the fan’s remark, but he certainly agrees with the sentiment.
PICTURE OF THE DAY
It may have been less than 48 hours after the debacle at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but England’s stars managed to muster up a smile while enjoying some barbecue food on Friday. Or, should I say, some of them did.
Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Jordan Henderson, Dan Burn, Anthony Gordon and Elliot Anderson were snapped enjoying the cuisine at Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, the ‘original gas station restaurant’. It appears as though Anderson has taken the defeat the hardest…
England’s players stopped off for a meal at Joe’s petrol station in Kansas City on Friday
STAT OF THE DAY
England fans must, by now, be utterly sick of the sight of Lionel Messi in that Argentinian away strip. But it’s looking increasingly likely that this footballing summer will belong to the ex-Barcelona star, so unfortunately we’ve got to bang that drum a few more times.
Messi, at the age of 39, remember, completed 10 dribbles at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday night. Only one other player in the last six decades has achieved such a feat against the Three Lions at a World Cup. His name? Diego Maradona.
The Napoli legend completed 10 dribbles against England at the Azteca Stadium on that famous day back in 1986. Incredibly, most of those were pulled off during one swashbuckling run: the one that led to the famous ‘Goal of the Century’.
Lionel Messi completed 10 dribbles against England at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Only one other player has achieved such a feat against the Three Lions in the last 60 years – and his name is Diego Maradona
THREE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR TODAY
1) England’s bid to achieve best World Cup finish in 60 years?
After the disappointment of their semi-final earlier this week, tonight’s third-place play-off between England and France feels a little like overkill after a long and, no doubt, draining season. In a press conference yesterday, Ibrahima Konate even admitted that ‘no one’ in the French squad wants to take part in the clash.
Yet, if there can be any consolation from Wednesday’s defeat in Atlanta, it’s that England could still secure their best World Cup finish since 1966. Eight years ago, the Three Lions lost their third-place play-off 2-0 to Belgium, but here Thomas Tuchel’s men have the chance to go one better.
Whether that will be sufficient motivation for Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Co remains to be seen. If we’re honest, I think most of the England squad would take the same view as the French.
2) Could England fans, at last, see Kobbie Mainoo?
It feels like the ‘Free Kobbie’ tagline is becoming an all-too-regular feature of young Mainoo’s career. First at Manchester United under Ruben Amorim and now with England in America, the 21-year-old, who promises so much, just can’t get a look-in.
Despite Jordan Henderson’s long-term injury and Declan Rice’s struggles, Mainoo hasn’t set foot on the pitch once in North America. Mail Sport reported earlier this week that, after almost every match, the United man has been the first player to leave the stadium, usually with his headphones firmly over his ears.
However, tonight in Miami, Tuchel could make changes. With Rice clearly wilting at the end of a gruelling domestic and international season, surely it’s time for Mainoo to lace up his boots.
3) Kylian Mbappe’s final shot at the Golden Boot
Konate was right when he said that ‘no one’ wants to play in tonight’s third-place play-off. Well, right about everyone other than Kylian Mbappe, perhaps.
The French captain appeared distraught after his country’s loss to Spain, which confirmed that he will not feature in a World Cup final for the first time since 2014. Mbappe, however, still has one thing to play for.
The 27-year-old sits level with Messi on eight goals heading into the final weekend of the World Cup. Should neither of them score, the award will go to the Argentinian, as his four assists eclipse Mbappe’s three.
Didier Deschamps is likely to ring the changes tonight. The fact that Konate, who hasn’t started a single match this summer, was conducting pre-match media duties suggests as much. Mbappe, however, is a name you’d be very surprised to see omitted from the team sheet.
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