Blog

Summary

• Germany end 12-year streak without World Cup opening win, extend run to 10 victories
• Coach Nagelsmann urges caution, expects tougher tests against Ivory Coast and Ecuador
• Brown and Undav impress with goals and assists, ​boosting squad depth

HOUSTON, Texas, June 14 – Germany enjoyed a successful World Cup liftoff in ‌Houston on Sunday with players and fans breathing a collective sigh of relief following their Group E 7-1 demolition of newcomers Curacao.

It was the four-time champions’ first opening win at a World Cup in 12 years and stretched ​their winning run to 10 consecutive matches.

The Germans, who next play Ivory Coast before taking ​on Ecuador, have set the goal of winning the World Cup as they ⁠look to repair their damaged international reputation following shock first-round exits at the 2018 and ​2022 tournaments.

They have failed to make any impact in international tournaments since winning their last of four ​world titles, in Brazil in 2014.

They managed to overcome early nerves against the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup.

The Germans could have scored more in the first half were it not for sloppy finishing and ​glaring misses before improving after the break.

MUSIALA STARTS

Coach Julian Nagelsmann opted to start with Jamal Musiala ​and leave in-form striker Deniz Undav on the bench but the former is still looking to recover his past ‌top ⁠form following a six-month absence after breaking his leg a year ago.

Their overall performance will have eased the German fans’ concerns after their recent early exits but Nagelsmann knows the next two matches will be far more challenging.

There was also good news regarding 22-year-old midfielder Nathaniel Brown who delivered his ​best performance in his ​still young international career ⁠with a goal and an assist.

Brown was a surprise addition to the squad after forcing his way into the team with a string of superb ​Eintracht Frankfurt performances. His combination with substitute Undav for the fifth goal ​was equally ⁠promising.

Undav, who has now scored three goals in the last three matches, missed out on a starting spot but delivered the assist to Brown before scoring himself and setting up Kai Havertz with another assist ⁠for the ​seventh goal.

Undav finished as the Bundesliga’s second-best scorer behind ​Harry Kane.

While it makes little sense to read too much into this victory, the rout has certainly raised the Germans’ confidence ​and given them a healthy goal difference in the group.

Lewis Hamilton has said he “never gave up hope” of achieving a victory with Ferrari after securing his first win with the Italian team at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on Sunday.

The seven-time champion beat his former teammate George Russell to victory, showing superior pace to the Mercedes drivers and benefiting from a fortuitously timed Virtual Safety Car under which he made his final pit stop and consolidated his lead.

Hamilton surprised the Formula 1 world ahead of the 2024 season when he announced he would leave Mercedes to join Ferrari at the start of 2025.

He endured a difficult first season with the Italian team, in which he failed to score a grand prix podium, and at one particularly low point after the Hungarian Grand Prix said Ferrari should consider a replacement driver.

The start of the 2026 season has seen a turnaround in form for Hamilton at Ferrari, with three podiums in the first six races before he secured his first Ferrari win — and the 106th of his career — on Sunday.

“First, I have to start and say a huge grazie to everyone here, my team here at Ferrari, everyone back at the factory, Fred [Vasseur, team principal] for believing in me and bringing me to this team,” he said.

“I started out with a dream last year, which seemed almost impossible during my time last year, but we never gave up hope, and the team just continued to lift me up.

“We made so many changes and we made so many improvements. And on top of that, I’ve got the greatest fan base a sportsman could ever ask for. And so, thank you. Thank you to everybody.”

Asked by his former Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who was conducting F1’s postrace interviews, if this race was one of his best “feeling wise,” Hamilton said: “Oh, they’re all special in their own way, but this one, this one’s something else.

“This is, you know, I always watched Ferrari have all that success when I was younger, watching it on TV. And as I’ve been racing here [in F1], I’d always watch the screens and wonder what it’d be like to win in that car.

“And it’s come and everyone worked so hard for it. Everyone truly deserves it. So I’m forever grateful to them.

“And this is just the first, I hope, of many, but great pit stops today. Great strategy. The car felt fantastic. Forza Ferrari!”

This is Ivory Coast’s first win at a World Cup in exactly 12 years, since they beat Japan in Brazil in 2014, and they can now be confident of making the knockout phase at the tournament for the first time.

Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo celebrates scoring their first goal against Ecuador with Ibrahim Sangare and Ange Bonny at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Jun 14, 2026

PHILADELPHIA: Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo scored a clinical 90th-minute winner to earn his side a 1-0 win over Ecuador in World Cup Group E on Sunday (Jun 14).

Wilfried Singo broke down the right wing and his pass inside to substitute Amad set up the Manchester United forward to deftly steer the ball into the far corner of the net from the edge of the box.

Ecuador’s John Yeboah and Alan Minda struck the crossbar in the first half, and Elye Wahi did likewise for the Ivorians having been set up by teenager Yan Diomande, the outstanding player on the pitch.

Germany thrashed debutants Curacao 7-1 in the other group game in Houston and will meet the Ivorians next on Saturday. Ecuador face Curacao the same day.

UNBEATEN RUN

Ecuador’s 19-game unbeaten run dating back to September 2024 was brought to an end, but they will consider themselves unfortunate after spurning several opportunities in an entertaining end-to-end game.

“The game slipped away from us,” midfielder Moises Caicedo said. “We played well, and they (Ivory Coast) gave it their all too.

“It’s tough to start off on the back foot, but this is just the beginning. We can’t let our spirits drop, and there are two more finals coming up. We’re going to bounce back.

“We’re leaving sad because we couldn’t bring joy to the fans who came out. It felt we were playing in Guayaquil, Quito. But we’ll fight until the end to bring them joy.”

This is Ivory Coast’s first win at a World Cup in exactly 12 years, since they beat Japan in Brazil in 2014, and they can now be confident of making the knockout phase at the tournament for the first time.

Yeboah was the first to rattle the crossbar with a rasping shot from the edge of the box, before Minda latched onto Pedro Vite’s pass and beat the keeper, but not the bar.

Diomande was a constant threat on the wing with his pace and skill, but blazed over the bar after dancing past two defenders and creating a chance he should have buried.

The Ivorians were next to be denied by the woodwork when Diomande picked out Elye Wahi in the box and the latter turned the ball onto the crossbar.

It looked as though it would be a frustrating finish for both sides, before substitute Amad coolly slotted home.

“We went back to the dressing room at 0-0 and second half we told ourselves we would have more space and should keep focus because in the first half we lost the ball,” Ivorian coach Emerse Fae said.

“Two or three times we gave the opponent opportunities, but we held firm and notched up a good three points.”

MONTERREY, Mexico: Sweden trio Yasin Ayari, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres were all on target as they cruised to a 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey on Sunday (Jun 14) to kick off their World Cup campaign in superb fashion.

Sweden took the lead after seven minutes when Ayari’s right-footed piledriver nestled into the far corner after goalkeeper Abdelmouhib Chamakh was caught off his line, before Isak doubled the advantage on the half-hour mark by coolly finishing a breakaway following a deft pass from Gyokeres.

Tunisia reduced the deficit two minutes before half-time through Omar Rekik’s glancing header, but Gyokeres restored Sweden’s two-goal cushion in the 59th minute after midfielder Ellyes Skhiri was dispossessed on the edge of the area.

Mattias Svanberg side-footed home six minutes from time and Ayari netted his second of the night with a superb strike in stoppage time to complete the rout. Sweden top Group F on three points ahead of Japan and the Netherlands, who drew 2-2 earlier.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei says team hopes to bring joy to Iranians everywhere

Iran’s soccer team arrived in the United States for the first time at this World Cup on Sunday, landing at Los Angeles International Airport and holding a press conference on the same day that a peace deal between the two nations was announced.

The Iran squad arrived after a short flight from Tijuana, Mexico, where they left their base camp earlier to a rousing sendoff ahead of their opening game against New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium on Monday.

“I am very happy to be representing the great, proud and strong nation of Iran,” Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said through a translator in a press conference at the stadium.

“I hope that football will bring about joy and enjoyment, and bring closer the cultures and countries.”

The squad’s Group G fixture against New Zealand will be played against the backdrop of the US war with Iran and the newly-announced peace deal, adding a charged atmosphere to a contest between two nations who have never met at a World Cup.

Iran moved their World Cup base camp from a sports complex in Arizona to Mexico late last month after the US and Israel conducted joint strikes on Iran beginning in late February.

Iran will now have to make the trip from Mexico to the US for each of their three group matches and Ghalenoei said the travel and the denial of visas into the US for some members of their soccer federation had negatively affected the squad.

The US-Iran deal to end the war will be signed during an official ceremony on Friday in Switzerland, US President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on social media on Sunday.

Ghalenoei said the squad’s players and coaches were “not political people.”

“We are here to play football and represent the respectful people of Iran, be it the Iranians inside Iran or the Iranian diaspora.”

‘Mexico stands with you’

Earlier in Tijuana, supporters lining five-deep on a packed sidewalk outside Iran’s hotel chanted “Team Melli” — Persian for “national team” — as the Iranian players emerged from the hotel and walked towards the waiting bus.

Many of the players waved and smiled at those who had gathered while some members of the delegation took video of the scene with their phones.

One supporter held a yellow sign with black lettering reading: “Iran, you will never walk alone. Mexico stands with you.”

A young boy perched on someone’s shoulders clutched the official Panini Fifa World Cup 2026 sticker album, open to the Iran squad page.

At one point, the crowd sang in Spanish, “Iran, brother, you are Mexican now.”

Iranian soccer federation President Mehdi Taj stood outside the hotel as the players left with many of the supporters following the bus down the street as it drove away.

The Iranian community in Tijuana is tiny – around 20 people – and much smaller than that of Los Angeles, which is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran.

Tens of thousands of Iranian Americans live in Los Angeles, where a distinct diaspora often referred to as “Tehrangeles” has taken root.

This is the first World Cup ⁠since its inception in 1930 in which a host nation has received a country it is at war with.

LAS VEGAS — — Carolina spent the first part of the Stanley Cup Final surviving, finding ways to overcome deficits and play a high-scoring game that didn’t fit the Hurricanes’ typical style.

But when it came down to doing what it takes to win the Cup, the Hurricanes’ defense put its stamp on this series, shutting down the Vegas Golden Knights and not letting up.

The Hurricanes held Vegas to five total goals in Games 4 and 5 and used a suffocating defense in a 3-0 shutout in Sunday night’s clinching Game 6 to win their first championship in 20 years.

“That’s a lot of years,” said Carolina center Jordan Staal, who received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. “It’s amazing. This is something I’ve been going after ever since we got the first one. You want to win it again and again and again. What a feeling, what a battle. The boys were grinding today, my goodness. So many individual efforts just to keep the puck out of our net. It was an amazing ride. I’m just so proud of these guys.”

Brandon Bussi, who entrance late into Game 3 helped turn around the series for Carolina, recorded his first career playoff shutout in stopping 22 shots. Jackson Blake had a goal and assist, and Taylor Hall scored just 3:47 into the game to set the tone. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal.

“Your mind wanders the last couple of days and wonder what it may be like out here (on ice after winning) and it’s better than I could have expected,” Hall said. “My career has taken a lot of different turns, but to end up here with this group of guys and to do this is amazing.”

The Golden Knights, who made an unlikely run just to reach the final, struggled badly to muster any kind of offense in Game 6 and went 18:37 between shots on goal in the second and third periods. Playing in their third Cup final, this is the first time they have been shut out.

This clinching game was what many observers expected the series to be like between the defensive-minded teams, but each side watched leads of two-plus goals disappear in the first three games.

Now, the Cup belongs to the Hurricanes, led by coach Rod Brind’Amour, who also captained Carolina to its 2006 title.

This was the first game of the series that Vegas goalie Carter Hart didn’t allow four goals in a game. He finished with 20 saves.

The Hurricanes began to assume control of the series after falling behind by the score of 4-0 in Game 3. They came back force overtime, and though the Canes lost, they outplayed the Golden Knights from there on out.

Reflecting the do-or-die situation for the Golden Knights, they made several lineup changes, with Brett Howden replacing the injured William Karlsson at second-line center. Mitch Marner could have moved there, but remained at right wing.

Original Golden Knight Reilly Smith made his Cup final debut at third-line right wing, and Braeden Bowman made his playoff debut at fourth-line right wing. Kaedan Korczak replaced Dyland Coghlan on the third defensive pairing.

This title is a testament to Carolina’s resilience as a franchise that kept coming close to winning the Eastern Conference, but couldn’t quite get through until now.

Brind’Amour made sure the Hurricanes kept getting back up after losing in the conference final twice in the past three years and three times in their current eight-year playoff run. The talent was clearly there, but there was always a stumbling block.

Not anymore.

After dispatching Montreal in five games to make the final, the Brind’Amour-led Hurricanes then faced perennial power Vegas and took care of business there, too. Now, he will get his name on the Cup for the second time.

So will 37-year-old Staal, who also won the title in 2009 with Pittsburgh. He planted himself in front of Hart and dared the Golden Knights to knock him out of the way. Staal scored in each of the first five Cup final games, the first time that has happened.

The Hurricanes got off to a fast start with a goal just 25 seconds into Game 1, only to lose 5-4 on a late goal from Tomas Hertl. And the Golden Knights were on the verge of taking complete control as minutes ticked down in Game 2 while holding a 2-0 lead and appearing as if they would take a two-game advantage back home.

Then, it all changed. Carolina showed a fight that not only brought the Hurricanes back into the series by rallying to win 4-3 in overtime on Seth Jarvis’ one-timer, but would serve as their signature throughout the series.

That was especially true the following game when the Golden Knights took a 4-0 lead into the third period and the Canes seemed to have no answers. Brind’Amour even appeared to wave the white flag by removing goalie Frederik Andersen and replacing him with Bussi.

But the Hurricanes weren’t simply trying to get to Game 4. They sent a message, going on a remarkable rally to force overtime. Though Carolina lost, it was inflection point, with Bussi backstopping a team that was only growing stronger. Carolina then went on to win the next two games and moved within a victory of the championship.

The Hurricanes got it done against the Golden Knights team that was on a heater after John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season. Vegas then went from third in the Pacific Division to first, knocked off Utah and Anaheim in six games apiece in the playoffs and shockingly swept Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado to win the West.

Now, the Golden Knights have some notable questions to ask, including at the top of the list whether to make Tortorella a full-time coach. He didn’t have any guarantees of coaching in Vegas beyond this season, but getting to the Cup final is a good argument to run it back.

Golden Knights management will make the final call on that, and they don’t always follow league norms.

Pop superstar Taylor Swift took in the sights of her reported wedding venue on Wednesday when she attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.

She and a constellation of other stars proved no detriment to the New York Knicks’ record comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has likewise seen no lack of focus from Swift’s fiancé, tight end Travis Kelce, as the two prepare for their nuptials.

“He’s been here most of the offseason, if not the whole offseason, he’s been around,” Reid said during his Thursday news conference. “It’s good to have him here. He did the mandatory camp and did a nice job there, so good to have him back in and rolling. He’s very excited. You see no distractions with that and the wedding.

“If it’s like when I got married, my wife did everything. I just kind of followed her lead on it. Showed up, right? Maybe he’s doing more, but he looks like he’s pretty focused in on this job, too.”

A slam-dunk Hall of Famer and a Pro Bowler in each of his last 11 seasons, Kelce has a list of accomplishments matched or surpassed by few peers. He currently sits at 1,080 receptions for 13,002 yards and 82 touchdowns. A four-time All-Pro, three-time Super Bowl winner and member of the 2010s All-Decade Team, Kelce owns playoff records for receptions, 100-yard receiving games and TDs by a quarterback-receiver duo in tandem with Patrick Mahomes.

He’s seemingly done it all, but the past two seasons have ended on progressively sour notes, with Kansas City losing Super Bowl LIX and subsequently missing the postseason for the first time since 2014.

The refusal to go out on such a note drove him back to the Chiefs, and the tight end has been locked in since on getting Kansas City back on top.

With any luck, his upcoming ring ceremony with Swift will serve as a precursor to one with Super Bowl bling following the 2026 season.

There’s no doubt some of his Chiefs teammates also ramping up for the campaign ahead will be in attendance to celebrate Kelce and Swift, but will Reid?

Big Red wouldn’t give anything away in that regard.

“Can’t talk about it,” Reid said when asked if he’d been invited. “Can’t talk about it.”

It’s been a long road back for Tank Dell, but he’s almost to the end of it.

The Texans wide receiver missed all of the 2025 season after dislocating his kneecap and tearing multiple ligaments in December of his sophomore campaign with Houston.

Although he wasn’t a full participant during the team’s offseason program, it was a welcome sight to see Dell running routes and catching passes against the secondary, another step as he continues to ramp up into training camp.

“It’s been a roller coaster ride, to say the least,” Dell said Saturday, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. “It’s been a long journey, but I’m built for it, and I’m ready for it, and I was ready for it. I’m getting through it, and it’s light at the end of the tunnel, so I’m almost there.”

Dell, a 2023 third-round pick who made an immediate impact with 709 yards and seven touchdowns on 47 receptions in 11 games as a rookie, has unfortunately needed to make bouncing back a theme of his NFL career.

A fractured fibula cut his first season short, and he suffered a gunshot wound in a shooting at a Florida restaurant during that offseason.

Dell started off the 2024 season slowly, along with the rest of a Houston offense that sputtered, but he had 51 catches for 667 yards and three TDs at the time of his Week 16 injury, having put together one of his best games of the year with 98 receiving yards and a score before going down.

Although the Texans made another playoff trip amid Dell’s season-long absence in 2025, they fell in the Divisional Round as they have for three years running. Dell returning to full strength could perhaps help Houston over that hump, bolstering a passing offense that hovered around the middle of the league last year.

When he is ready, he will return to a room featuring Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson.

The next hurdle will be working through training camp, a preparation phase for the season Dell said he “cant wait” for.

“I’ll be there,” Dell said. “Just to be out there with the team, man, and just to feel the camaraderie, just being out there and catching a ball from C.J. (Stroud) and being in the team atmosphere, man, it felt so good. Y’all don’t understand how long I waited for that.”

There’s no telling exactly what version of Dell the Texans will be getting after such an arduous recovery process, nor how long it will take for him to return to top form, but the wide receiver remains thankful to those who have been in his corner and ready for the challenge ahead.

“My family, of course,” Dell said regarding sources of support he’s received. “God first, but my family, of course, and the belief I have from the organization, from Nick (Caserio) on to the bottom, from Nick (Caley) to DeMeco (Ryans) to my receiver coach, Ben (McDaniels) to the training staff, Roland (Ramirez) and everyone in the training staff.

“It’s been a great ride, a great journey, and they held me down from the jump. It’s going to be a great year for us. You know, our number one goal is to be the first team to put a bull on the ring. That’s [the] main focus, going to a Super Bowl. That’s all we’re thinking about.”

The Seahawks reign as Super Bowl champions.

They dispatched their division rival Rams in the NFC Championship Game, after which Los Angeles went on to win the offseason with its trade for single-season sack king Myles Garrett.

Where, then, does that leave the 49ers — the NFC West’s third-place finishers — in the national consciousness?

Fullback Kyle Juszczyk doesn’t much care.

“We feel great about where our team is at,” Juszczyk said Friday on The Insiders. “The fact that we won 13 games last season with all that we had to deal with, I think that’s easy to forget. And rightfully so. The Seahawks won a Super Bowl, the Rams had a great season, they had some great additions in the offseason, so I can understand why that is the case.

“But I think we feel great about where we’re at. I love our squad. I think that we have only improved. Guys are getting healthy. We added Mike Evans and Osa (Odighizuwa) on defense, which I think both of those guys are going to make such an impact. I think we’re sitting in a good spot. If people want to forget about us, that’s fantastic. That’s a good place to be sometimes.”

San Francisco exceeded all expectations last season after injuries struck throughout the roster.

The 49ers willed themselves to a 12-5 record, then scored a wild-card victory to end the Eagles’ repeat bid. They finally ran out of steam in the Divisional Round against the future Super Bowl champs, but just like their competition, they’ve done plenty to fortify themselves for another run.

Beyond getting stars such as Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and George Kittle back from injuries that knocked them out for the 2025 season, the Niners also added a six-time Pro Bowler in Evans to the wide receiver room and brought back Warner’s partner in crime, linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

If San Francisco can stay upright, there’s little reason to expect anything less than another three-team race to the top of the NFC West.

With the Lombardi Trophy holders residing in the division, an influx of talent to the Bay and an understanding last year could’ve been the one if not for injury luck, there’s plenty motivating the 49ers to eventually supplant others as the team to talk about in 2026.

Just don’t include a retirement tour for the 35-year-old Juszczyk in the equation.

Heading into Year 14, the ten-time Pro Bowl fullback still has no intention of putting a timeline on calling it a day.

“I feel so good, and I’m still having so much fun,” Juszczyk said. “I’m in zero pain whatsoever, and I feel like I’m still playing at such a high level. So, I want to continue to do this thing as long as I possibly can. … I haven’t put a number on when I want to end, but as it stands right now, I’m just going to keep going until the wheels fall off.”

The Carolina Panthers selected first-round wide receivers in back-to-back drafts in 2024 and 2025.

One, Tetairoa McMillan, won Offensive Rookie of the Year last season. The other, Xavier Legette, took a step back from an already quiet first campaign in Charlotte, and he’s intent not to let that happen again.

“My main thing is just to have a better year than my first two years,” Legette said Thursday, via The Charlotte Observer. “I can’t — I can’t — have another year like I did last year. I can’t do that.”

Legette saw 84 targets as a rookie in 2024, collecting 49 receptions for 497 yards and four touchdowns. It wasn’t an explosion onto the scene, but it laid a foundation to build on moving forward.

Instead, the big-bodied wideout saw his numbers decline across the board during the 2025 campaign. His targets fell to 64, which he turned into 363 yards and three scores on 35 catches. He managed only two outings with over 40 receiving yards. Meanwhile, McMillan shined with 70 receptions for 1,014 yards and seven TDs.

After playing 79.7% of Carolina’s offensive snaps through his first six games (with three contests over 80%), Legette eclipsed 70% of snaps in a game just one more time the rest of the way. His decrease in playing time coincided with wideout Jalen Coker returning from injury in Week 7 and gradually getting back up to speed.

Legette shrugged off the notion that he tumbled down the depth chart last year, but he also expressed a willingness to do whatever the team requires.

“I didn’t really lose my starting job,” Legette said. “They just kind of removed me from one personnel (package). I was still starting at 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end). But I mean, I’m a team player. If they feel like that’s what it takes for us to be in a position to win, then I’ll do it.”

Legette remains a member of Carolina’s big three ahead of training camp. However, McMillan established himself as a franchise cornerstone, and Coker, who had nine catches for 134 yards and a touchdown in the Wild Card Round to Legette’s one catch for eight yards, just signed a three-year, $35 million contract extension. Those two are entrenched in the team’s future. Free-agent signee John Metchie III flashed a bit of potential with the New York Jets last year, and 2026 third-round rookie Chris Brazzell II could also be nipping at Legette’s heels for opportunities.

The pressure is on for Legette, both to individually prove himself before Carolina must decide whether to exercise his fifth-year option next offseason and also to help the Panthers defend their first NFC South crown in a decade.

Luckily for Legette, under pressure is where he believes he does his best work.

“I feel like that I can always hold that pressure whenever the pressure is on me,” he said. “But I kind of just put myself in a mindset of, ‘It’s do or die.’ And that kind of helps me do the things I need to do, and keep that pressure on myself to never take my foot off the gas.”