Sports
Iran Leave Written Note in Los Angeles Stadium Dressing Room
Iran left a 74-word handwritten note following their 0-0 draw with Belgium at the 2026 World Cup on Sunday evening, placing it in the dressing room before being forced to swiftly leave Los Angeles. Team Melli have faced a difficult summer both on and off the pitch.
Geopolitical tensions back home have followed them to the tournament, creating a challenging backdrop to their campaign in North America. A heavy-handed new rule introduced by Donald Trump meant that, while Iran were ultimately permitted to compete in the showpiece event after initial uncertainty, they have been required to leave the United States immediately after each match and return to their training base in Mexico.
The restrictions have undoubtedly made Amir Ghalenoei’s side one of the most fatigued teams at the tournament, both physically and mentally. Yet they have still managed to remain unbeaten. A 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their opening match means they still have everything to play for heading into their final Group G fixture against Egypt.
Iran’s National Anthem Met With Strong Reaction Before World Cup Game vs Belgium
Team Melli were preparing to do battle for the second time at Los Angeles’ stately home, the SoFI Stadium, when pre-match tension took centre-stage.
Iran’s 74-word Message to Los Angeles After World Cup Meeting
Despite having their national anthem booed and their head coach feeling shunned by rival teams, Iran have continued to show resilience throughout the tournament – and, in their latest gesture, plenty of class as well. As per The Sun, the Persians decided to leave a note thanking Los Angeles for hosting them twice at the SoFi stadium.
The heartfelt message read: “From the ancient Persia of thousands of years ago to the civilised Iran of today. The spirit of Iran remains alive and steadfast.
“We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed with honour and leave with dignity. Thank you, Los Angeles for your hospitality. And thank you to every Iranian who gave their heart, voice and soul for Iran throughout these 180 minutes. May peace, respect and friendship prevail among all nations.”
Meanwhile, the ‘168’ written on the note refers to the 168 people who were killed at the girls’ elementary school in South Iran on February 28. An airstrike was directed at Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School, according to the Associated Press, and the vast majority of fatalities from the strike were children.
The February strike reportedly had the highest reported civilian death toll since the war began, and has since been criticised by the United Nations and human rights organisations.
The Middle Eastern nation’s ability to rise above the noise surrounding them and embrace their trip to a country that continues to carry out attacks against them thousands of miles away is a remarkable display of resilience. It is also a reminder of how proud they are of who they are, where they come from, and what they represent in the face of adversity.
Iran’s Chances of Making World Cup Round of 32
Following Iran’s second game, Ghalenoei was able to speak positively about his side and hope for a historic campaign. He was delighted by his side’s display against underperforming dark horses Belgium. He said: “We came into the World Cup under the worst possible conditions.
“And still we got a result against a great team and a great manager. We played a beautiful game. We had two great games without losing. Tonight, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we focus on Egypt, which is a very strong team.”
Second World Cup Nation Facing US Entry Issues Days Before Final Group Game
Visa issues have regularly threatened to throw the 2026 World Cup into chaos, and another nation has been subject to US entry complications.
It’s possible Iran could play the USA in the Round of 32 should they both finish second in their respective groups. However, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side winning their first two matches, they would need to lose by five goals in their final game against Turkey for that to happen.
Sports
De Zerbi Pushing Tottenham to Agree Shock Deal to Sign Marcus Rashford
Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi is now pushing the club to complete a ‘shock’ move to sign Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, as new details emerge from the i Paper.
Having finished 17th and escaping relegation on the final day of the Premier League season, De Zerbi is in no mood to stand still as he looks to make some hugely ambitious signings to bring Tottenham back up the standings.
Spurs have already announced a trio of signings who bring great Premier League experience with them in Andy Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi, with the former winning both the Premier League and the Champions League during his time with Liverpool.
With those three additions and Pedro Porro signing a new long-term contract, De Zerbi can be happy with how the defence is shaping up ahead of next season, but now he wants to further strengthen in front of them too.
Spurs are working on deals to land Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes from Newcastle United and West Ham United respectively, with both players being eyed by some of the Premier League’s elite.
Tottenham are also looking to make new signings in the frontline as they plan to complete seven summer additions.
Tottenham Plot Shock Marcus Rashford Move
According to the i Paper, United forward Rashford is the next target on Tottenham’s ambitious summer transfer wishlist.
De Zerbi has made it clear he wants proven Premier League players in the building, as shown by the three additions so far and the desire to sign Tonali and Fernandes, and Rashford also fits the bill.
Spurs aren’t willing to pay the England international’s £40m release clause, but they are willing to submit a lower offer to try and convince United to agree to a permanent exit.
De Zerbi is understood to be a huge fan of the 28-year-old and will push Tottenham’s hierarchy to agree a deal for him, even though the £315,000-a-week player’s preference is to move abroad again following his successful loan spell with Barcelona.
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Tottenham Also in Talks to Sign Brazilian Forward
Tottenham’s top left-winger target this summer has been Manchester City star Savinho, who they also tried to secure 12 months ago.
While Spurs have made quick progress on certain deals, a move for the Brazilian does appear to be dragging, even though the window only officially opened a week ago.
Fabrizio Romano claims that Savinho remains a ‘strong possibility’ for the north Londoners and that the club is in talks with both City and the player’s agent over a move.
The positive for Tottenham is that, like a year ago, the player is keen on a switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is no surprise given he found first-team minutes hard to come by last term under Pep Guardiola.
Agreeing a fee with City looks to be the major hurdle now, but links to players like Rashford suggests they are willing to look elsewhere for their left-winger signing.
Sports
Liverpool to Submit ‘Big Proposal’ to Sign Yan Diomande
Liverpool are now set to make a ‘big proposal’ to sign RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, with Fabrizio Romano issuing a new update on the transfer saga.
Liverpool wrapped up a deal to sign Osasuna winger Victor Munoz out of nowhere last week, but club chiefs aren’t finished there when it comes to strengthening their attack.
They want to give new manager Andoni Iraola the best squad possible as he looks to get his team performing strongly in both the Premier League and the Champions League next season.
Change was clearly needed after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign that saw them end the season 25 points adrift of champions Arsenal, just 12 months after winning the title in Arne Slot’s first campaign in charge.
Andy Roberson, Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah have joined Slot in leaving Anfield this summer, and Liverpool have made finding a replacement for the latter one of their biggest priorities.
While Munoz will slot in on the left, the Reds need to find a right-sided player too and they have identified Diomande as their number one target.
Liverpool have made progress on the player side of negotiations, but Leipzig’s asking price continues to be a big hurdle to getting a deal over the line.
Romano: Liverpool ‘Very Aggressive’ in Diomande Pursuit
Liverpool have already seen a bid worth a total of €100m rejected by the Bundesliga outfit, with GIVEMESPORT sources revealing that the offer was worth €80m plus €20m in add-ons.
It was rejected by Leipzig, who are holding out for more than £100m for a player who has exploded onto the global stage at the World Cup with the Ivory Coast following a stunning breakthrough campaign in Germany.
Diomande has already been described as a ‘superstar’, and Liverpool are ready to return with a ‘big proposal’ to get a deal done for a player also attracting interest from Paris Saint-Germain.
Issuing the latest update on Liverpool’s pursuit via his YouTube channel, Romano said:
“There are several clubs interested, Paris Saint-Germain, and now Liverpool are very aggressive, and also because Liverpool will bid more than €100m.
“It’s going to be a big proposal coming from Liverpool in order to try to change the situation. So Liverpool are working on the player side in terms of contract proposal, salary, and project, and on the club side working hard to get this deal done for Yan Diomande.
“So that’s going to be a big story to follow, because Liverpool are absolutely there.”
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Liverpool Targeting Two More World Cup Stars
It isn’t just Diomande catching Liverpool’s eye at the 2026 World Cup.
Romano confirmed earlier this month that the Reds have already had transfer meetings over a potential move for another teenage sensation shining in North America.
The Merseysiders are keen on Lille and Morocco 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi, who is also attracting interest from other top clubs in Europe having made almost 100 senior appearances for Lille and dominating the Brazilian midfield in his nation’s opening World Cup fixture.
Liverpool are also said to have entered the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha, who has been one of Germany’s standout players at the tournament.
Domestically, GMS sources also have interest in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.
Sports
Donald Trump ‘May Not Attend’ World Cup Matches Involving English-Speaking Teams
While he put himself front and centre during the buildup to the 2026 World Cup, Donald Trump hasn’t been seen at a match yet since the showpiece tournament began on June 11 – and now there is a new reason for him to avoid fixtures involving four English-speaking teams for the remainder of the competition.
The US president was on course to be one of the most talked-about figures across the USA, Canada and Mexico for quite some time, given the context of entry issues, political tensions with Iran, and his push to advance some of his more controversial policies through the vehicle of sport.
However, Trump has gone somewhat AWOL in recent days. Many football fans and neutrals alike would argue that’s a good thing, and now one explanation for his sudden disappearance has been put forward.
Why Donald Trump Might Avoid Matches Involving English-Speaking Teams
According to the Mirror, the 80-year-old ‘may not attend’ a World Cup match involving an English-speaking team, after brutal fan chants linking the president to his old friend Jeffrey Epstein went viral. Concern is understood to be so high that questions are being asked about whether the US leader will present the trophy at the July 19 final, amid fears over what supporters could sing should he appear.
What’s more, White House officials are claimed to be attempting to shield Trump from the hostility on the terraces, particularly from fans of Scotland, England, Australia, and New Zealand. A source said:
“There isn’t a fan alive who doesn’t know how fragile Trump’s ego is. In recent months, he has had to contend with widespread booing whenever he attends major sporting events in America, but this is another level entirely.
“New Yorkers were furious when he turned up at the recent Knicks basketball game. But World Cup supporters are taking it to a whole new level, linking Trump to his friendship with Epstein and to his appearance in Epstein-related files.”
The source concluded: “His staff are in crisis mode trying to prevent the President from being exposed to the chants in person, and that includes avoiding matches involving English-speaking teams.”
Broadcasters Have Been Made Aware – But Chants Stopping Unlikely
Lead broadcasters have already been made aware of the chants being heard at matches, perhaps to ensure they are ready to muffle them like they do anti-Keir Starmer songs at the Darts and in the Premier League.
But they are unlikely to stop fully, with supporters drawing attention to Trump’s long-documented friendship with Epstein, the pedophile who died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
Iran Fans Sing 3-Word Chant About the US During Farewell Ceremony for World Cup Stars
The two nations could meet later in the tournament.
The pair moved into the same social circles throughout the 1980s and 1990s and were photographed together on numerous occasions. In a 2002 interview with New York magazine, Trump described Epstein as a “terrific guy” and said he was “a lot of fun to be with”. The president has since sought to distance himself from his former friend, saying the pair fell out years before Epstein’s criminal convictions and insisting he barred him from Mar-a-Lago.
The issue has returned to the political spotlight because of continuing controversy surrounding the release of Epstein-related court documents and investigative files. Trump’s name, along with those of numerous public figures, has appeared in released records.
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