The excitement surrounding the World Cup is palpable as England prepares for its last friendly match against Costa Rica in Orlando, while FIFA President Gianni Infantino lightens the mood with his remarks about ‘happy barbarians’ invading the U.S. for the tournament. A notable event unfolded as Somali referee Omar Artan, previously denied entry to the U.S., received a warm welcome in Mogadishu, where he expressed his commitment to return for future tournaments.
Upon his arrival, Artan was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd, waving Somali flags. He assured supporters, saying,
“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one. I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”
In club news, Benfica has announced the appointment of Marco Silva, the former Fulham manager, on a two-year contract, taking over from José Mourinho. Meanwhile, Tottenham’s Ben Davies has extended his stay with the club, and Raul Jiménez has rejoined Wolves on a two-year deal following their relegation.
For those looking to catch up, Jacob Steinberg discusses England’s pursuit of attacking options beyond Harry Kane, while our guides cover the teams from DR Congo and Uzbekistan. Additionally, Luke Entwistle interviews Didier Deschamps, who, despite his success, remains underappreciated.
England’s Final Preparations
As the tournament looms, England is cautious regarding Bukayo Saka’s fitness. Coach Thomas Tuchel noted that while Saka’s teammates Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke have acclimated well,
“Bukayo is just not there yet. Some things are missing… consecutive trainings. They took very good care of him [at Arsenal] and were very aware of it, and we will do a little bit the same. He is at the moment not able to do every training session through the week and then play. He is still going to be managed.”
As we gear up for the tournament, anticipation builds with just over 35 hours until kickoff. However, the path to the World Cup has not been without controversy, as concerns about politicization have surfaced. Incidents such as the barring of Artan and the denial of entry for members of Iran’s delegation highlight the tense atmosphere.
Infantino’s Remarks
In a humorous twist, Infantino referred to the influx of fans as a friendly invasion during the tournament’s launch event in Los Angeles. He remarked,
“You will be invaded. You will be invaded by a horde of barbarians. But it’s happy barbarians, don’t worry. Men, women, children, grandparents, doesn’t matter, they will all have their faces colored with the colors of their countries.”
His comments aimed to emphasize the unity and enjoyment that the World Cup is intended to foster.
Argentina’s Final Warmup
In other World Cup preparations, Argentina secured a 3-0 victory over Iceland in their final friendly match in Auburn, Alabama. Lionel Messi, who is managing some hamstring discomfort, came off the bench and successfully converted a penalty for the team’s second goal. Earlier, Valentin Barco had opened the scoring, with Thiago Almeda adding the third goal just minutes before the end of the match.
Meanwhile, Iraq faced a setback in their last warmup, suffering a 2-0 defeat to Venezuela as they gear up for their Group I campaign.
