A World Cup nation has submitted an official complaint to FIFA following a controversial moment during the match between England and Ghana.

Both nations began their campaign with a victory, with England beating Croatia 4-2 and Ghana defeating Panama 1-0.

The Three Lions went into the match at Boston Stadium as the heavy favourites to pick up all three points and seal top spot in Group L.

However, they could not break Ghana down, with Carlos Quieroz’s side producing a defensive masterclass. Neither side found the back of the net as the spoils were shared.

Paraguay Complain to FIFA After Jude Bellingham Escapes Red Card

FIFA introduced a new law for the 2026 World Cup whereby players can be shown a red card for covering their mouth during confrontations. The measure was brought in after Gianluca Prestianni was given a six-match ban for racist language directed at Vinicius Junior during a Champions League tie between Benfica and Real Madrid in February.

During Paraguay’s 1-0 victory over Turkey earlier this week, Miguel Almiron became the first player to be shown a red card for covering his mouth during a confrontation.

The decision sparked outrage in Paraguay, with one commentator even being banned by FIFA after he unleashed an extraordinary rant.

Jude Bellingham also covered his mouth while speaking to Jordan Ayew in the match between England and Ghana. However, unlike Almiron, he was not shown a red card because the exchange was not deemed confrontational.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the apparent inconsistency has not gone down well at all in Paraguay. They claim that the Paraguayan Football Association has filed an official protest with FIFA, arguing that the new regulation is not being enforced equally across all teams.

Gianni Infantino Speaks Out After Almiron Red Card

REUTERS/Henry Romero

FIFA president Gianni Infantino spoke out after Almiron’s red card. He told SNTV, per the BBC: “This thing about covering the mouth is for us a very, very important rule.

FIFA also explained the red card in a statement, which read: “Following a VAR review in the FIFA World Cup match between Türkiye and Paraguay, Miguel Almiron was shown a red card for covering his mouth.

“Following a special meeting of The IFAB held in April, a number of amendments were introduced to be implemented at the FIFA World Cup 2026. This included a red card for any player in the tournament seen covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent.”

Almiron has been given a one-match ban for his red card, meaning he will miss their final group match against Australia. A draw should be enough for Paraguay to progress to the last 32.

Tottenham are continuing to assess their midfield options in the summer transfer market, as TeamTalk reports that internal discussions have been held surrounding one potential signing.

It comes as focus has shifted firmly towards the potential arrivals in the middle of the park, after confirming three rapid-fire signings in the backline, the latest of which was a £52 million deal to land Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton.

The central areas have been a problem for Spurs in recent seasons, with a lack of on-ball quality impacting the way that the team builds their attacks.

Under Roberto De Zerbi, there is an expectation that the style will change, and with it comes the need for some different profiles of player in midfield.

Talks are ongoing to sign Sandro Tonali, while Mateus Fernandes has emerged as a potential arrival. There may be a cheaper option on the radar now, however.

Tottenham Discuss Hayden Hackney Transfer

Given the midfield merry-go-round expected this summer, the price tag of many top stars will only shoot up in the market, meaning clubs will need to be clever with where they put their money.

With that in mind, Tottenham could look to the Championship with their next signing, as TeamTalk reports that the club have discussed a move for Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney internally.

Hackney, 23, has been a standout star in the second-tier, and even won the EFL Player of the Season for his contributions towards Boro’s run to the playoff final.

Defeat in that final means that Hackney now looks set for an exit in the region of £20 million, which may be viewed as a relative bargain compared to other options in the same position.

It’s unclear whether Tottenham will push on for a move, as Everton and Crystal Palace have been most heavily linked with a deal for Hackney in recent weeks.

However, the report adds that West Ham ace Fernandes remains the most realistic options, while Adam Wharton and Tonali are another two stars who have been discussed internally as potential arrivals.

Hackney Ready For The Premier League

After a standout season in the Championship, it seems clear that Hackney is now ready to take the step-up to Premier League football.

The 23-year-old has been described as the second-tier’s answer to Declan Rice, showing an ability to do just about everything in and out of possession.

The main question is whether he is ready to take such a giant leap to a team like Tottenham, or whether he needs another move in the middle before making such a switch.

Everton and Crystal Palace could be ideal first landing spots in the division, providing an opportunity to feature in the league without the same level of constant scrutiny.

Add to that the struggle for game time that Tottenham may already have, as the likes of Lucas Bergvall and Luka Vuskovic have asked to leave, and it may not be the ideal destination to grow, unless the club can guarantee minutes.

Manchester United are said to be among the interested clubs in a winger on a rapid rise. We are likely to see huge money spent again in the Premier League this summer, and both United and the Gunners are likely to be among the biggest spenders.

For United, it’s going to be about trying to build on the relative success of last season that saw Michael Carrick lead them to a third-place finish. Meanwhile, Arsenal are looking to fine-tune their title-winning team to add another title and a Champions League crown to their haul next season.

Now both teams are being linked with a move for a talented young winger, and there is more competition from another of their Premier League rivals.

Gomes attracting interest

FC Porto winger William Gomes is attracting plenty of interest in the Premier League this summer after an impressive season in Portugal. The 20-year-old, who can play both left wing and right wing, scored 13 and assisted twice during the season just gone.

Gomes only joined Porto from Sao Paulo in January of 2025, but Porto may already get the chance to cash in on their €9million investment.

A Bola, via Sport Witness, are now reporting that Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle United, AS Roma, Atletico Madrid and Juventus are all interested in the ‘superstar’ Brazilian. Gomes has a release clause of €80m (£70m), but it’s reported Porto are asking for €45million (£38.7m) to sell this summer, given the winger is not yet of that value.

Now could be the time to strike for Gomes, who is likely to grow in value, but it’s also true that he is likely not starting quality for one of the top Premier League clubs at this stage, so it would be an investment for the future for the likes of Arsenal and United.

Gomes is described as an explosive winger with a direct style and a real ability to beat his man.

Arsenal must eventually pivot to younger recruitment

Arsenal have spent hundreds of millions over the last few years, and while their new-found profits from their recent success, with commercial profits having increased significantly, have helped them stay in line with FFP rules, that will not last forever.

The Gunners know that they are going to need to start investing in the future more regularly in the near future in a bid to avoid consistently paying huge fees for ready-made starters. We are likely to see a pivot towards that from Arsenal in the near future, even if it’s not to the level we have seen at Chelsea in recent years.

The Gunners have been helped with some big talents coming through the academy, but eventually they are going to need to invest young and take bets on top young players to sign stars who are eventually worth £90million for half the price two years earlier, for instance.