Football news, talking points, new rules explained, Cristiano Ronaldo, video, squads

Portugal coach Roberto Martínez has made the remarkable claim that superstar Cristiano Ronaldo might do the unthinkable and play in the 2030 World Cup – even as others suggest he no longer deserves his place in the national team.

Ronaldo, is set to make a record sixth World Cup appearance at the age of 41 this month as he chases the only major trophy missing from his remarkable career.

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Speaking to Spanish media, Martinez said: “I believe Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t play to win a specific title, either collectively or individually.

“His secret isn’t what he eats, it’s his hunger. Whatever he wins, the next day he has the same hunger to improve. I think having that objective allows for longevity. I’ve worked with many, many players who, the day after winning a UEFA Champions League or a Ballon d’Or, don’t have the same hunger.”

With Portugal set to co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Morocco, the prospect of Ronaldo going to a seventh tournament has become a major talking point in his homeland.

While the country’s football president Pedro Proenca suggested age would make that unlikely, Martinez wasn’t ruling it out, saying Ronaldo would likely be at least trying to get there.

“He will fight for it. I think no one should doubt that, at least he has earned that right,” said Martinez.

“Don’t think that this isn’t a topic of discussion and conversation within the coaching staff, because we would love to be able to pass on Cristiano Ronaldo’s example to all young footballers in Portugal.”

Ronaldo’s role in Portugal’s 2026 campaign is the subject of debate, and former United States international Taylor Twellman claims the European powerhouse may actually be stronger without their iconic captain in the starting line-up.

“This is the best team Ronaldo’s ever had around him for Portugal going to the World Cup,” Twellman told ESPN’s Get Up. “I think Portugal is at their best if he doesn’t play.”

The sentiments were echoed, more brutally, by the Guardian football writer Jonathan Wilson this week.

“Ronaldo is not the player he was. He is not even the player he became after he ceased to be the player he was,” wrote Wilson.

“He lumbers about in an increasingly small sphere of influence, still decent in the air, still a good finisher, but barely able to move, lacking the explosive power that once made him great. He has won the Saudi Pro League this season, but that is less an endorsement of him than an indictment of the league.”

Portugal arrive at the World Cup with quality across every line of the pitch and genuine depth in attack.

Bruno Fernandes remains the creative heartbeat of the side, while Bernardo Silva’s intelligence and versatility continue to make him one of Europe’s most influential midfielders. Rafael Leao provides pace and unpredictability from wide areas, while Goncalo Ramos and Pedro Neto offer alternative attacking options capable of stretching opposition defences.

The midfield pairing of Vitinha and Joao Neves has emerged as another major strength. Both players were instrumental during Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League-winning campaign and have developed a strong understanding at club level.

For Ronaldo, the tournament represents one final opportunity to capture World Cup glory, four years after his great rival as the world’s top player, Lionel Messi lifted the trophy with Argentina.

Ronaldo is one of seven players aged 40 or older who have been selected for the World Cup – a surprising tally considering only seven players have previously played at the World Cup having reached that age.

Pochettino’s bizarre water break tactic

USA coach Mauricio Pochettino sparked debate during his team’s 3-2 warm-up win over Senegal when he used a hydration break to put on an impromptu video review session for his players.

Television cameras caught the US coach crouched beside the bench midway through the first half of the match in Charlotte, pointing at the laptop screen while players gathered around him during the mandatory stoppage.

The World Cup will feature breaks in play in both halves, While the reason has been cited as due to extreme heat in some host cities, cynics believe it’s a way for FIFA to open the way for broadcasters to shoehorn ads into breaks in play.

The footage went viral on social media, with fans speculating about what Pochettino could have been showing his squad.

“It was a new one for sure,” USMNT defender Mark McKenzie said.

“It gives us that minute or so to fine-tune some things, make some adjustments, maybe figure out in our press or in our defensive transitions, whatever it may be, where we can improve.

“But it kind of helps to take a breath, reset yourselves as a collective.”

Timeouts are a big part of US sports, and Christian Pulisic, who ended a long goal-scoring drought with a goal in the victory, is a fan of them being introduced in football.

“It’s a little unique for us,” Pulisic said of the quick video catch up. “But that’s also what we do at halftime – we just go over some things.”

Of the hydration breaks in play, Pulisic said: “I think it’s a good thing. Like, timeouts would be a good thing in soccer. I feel like it’s nice to get a little regroup.”

Pochettino said he was showing the players clips of situations where he felt they could improve their performance.

“The players need to feel, but they also need to see,” he said. “I think it’s very helpful for the player to see actions. When they see the image, I think it’s really important.”

FIFA has yet to clarify exactly what will be permitted during the new mandatory mid-half hydration breaks but it’s unlikely to allow video conferences.

While similar stoppages will be used throughout the tournament, players will not be allowed to leave the field,which means the use of such tactics is unlikely.

“I’ll use the water break to try and help my players. But still, I don’t like them,” said Pochettino

“Of course, if it’s too hot, I think the water break is important because the health of the player is first. But if it’s not too hot, I think it’s not necessary.

“The football that we know is not going to exist, and it will become another sport.”

FIFA announces significant law changes

Mauricio Pochettino’s tactic comes as FIFA decided to introduce a raft of new laws for the 48-team tournament. As usual, they are sure to cause plenty of angst and debate over the coming weeks.

The measures are designed to reduce time-wasting, speed up matches and crack down on controversial behaviour, with several of the new laws already creating headlines before a ball has been kicked.

The first glimpse of the changes came during a recent international when Japan scored against Iceland after the opposition fell foul of a new substitution protocol.

“We approved a set of landmark changes to the Laws of the Game and the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the first major tournament to use them,” FIFA chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina said.

“These amendments aim to tackle discrimination, cut time-wasting, enhance match tempo and improve both the player and fan experience.”

The 10-second substitution rule

One of the most dramatic changes targets one of football’s oldest time-wasting tricks.

Once a substitution is signalled, the player leaving the field has just 10 seconds to get off the pitch and must exit via the nearest boundary line.

If they fail to do so, the replacement player will be forced to wait until the first stoppage after a full minute has elapsed following the restart.

That means teams could effectively be forced to play with 10 men for an extended period if a substituted player deliberately delays leaving the field, which happened in the Japan vs Iceland game..

Five-second countdowns

Referees will now visibly count down the final five seconds for throw-ins and goal-kicks.

Take too long over a throw-in and possession will be handed to the opposition. Delay a goal-kick beyond the countdown and the other team will be awarded a corner kick.

Cover your mouth, get sent off

Perhaps the most eye-catching new law involves players covering their mouths during confrontations.

Any player who covers their mouth with a hand, arm or shirt while involved in an aggressive confrontation with an opponent will now receive a straight red card.

The rule follows the controversy involving Benfica youngster Gianluca Prestianni, who was accused of directing discriminatory comments towards Vinicius Junior while concealing his mouth from cameras.

Importantly, the law only applies during confrontations. Players covering their mouths while chatting to teammates or opponents in friendly situations will not be punished.

Walking off means red cards

Teams will no longer be able to stage protests by walking off the pitch.

Any player who leaves the field in protest at a referee’s decision will receive a red card, while coaches and staff who encourage such actions will also be dismissed.

Even more significantly, any team that causes a match to be abandoned will automatically forfeit the game.

VAR gets more power

Video Assistant Referees will have expanded powers during the World Cup.

Officials will now be able to intervene when attackers commit fouls before corners and free kicks are taken, an area that has become increasingly controversial due to blocking and screening tactics used at set pieces.

VAR will also be able to correct cases of mistaken identity, wrongly awarded corners or goalkicks and situations where a player receives a second yellow card incorrectly.

Hydration breaks every half

For the first time, every World Cup match will feature mandatory three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half, regardless of weather conditions.

The breaks are expected around the 22nd minute but referees have flexibility depending on injuries or game flow.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has described the breaks as “a tactical stop”, warning they could fundamentally alter the flow and momentum of matches.

Crackdown on tactical time-outs

FIFA is also targeting the growing trend of teams using goalkeeper injuries as unofficial coaching breaks.

Under the new guidelines, players will not be allowed to leave the field and gather around coaches while a goalkeeper receives treatment.

“We will not allow the teams going to the benches when a goalkeeper is lying on the ground injured,” Collina said.

“The goalkeeper has the right to be injured, but the players do not have the right to leave the field of play to have some sort of time out with their respective coaches.”

Why PSG star chose comfort over celebration

In a beautiful moment of sportsmanship, the first player to get to stricken Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhaes after his decisive penalty shootout match against Paris Saint-Germain was his rival on the night, but Brazil teammate Marquinhos.

While the PSG players charged towards their supporters in celebration, their captain went straight to Gabriel to comfort him after he skied his penalty over the bar, sealing a 4-3 defeat in the shootout.

The moment quickly went viral on social media, with fans praising the PSG captain’s sportsmanship and empathy during one of the cruellest moments in football.

“When that moment happened, the first thing I thought of was the time I missed the penalty in the World Cup,” Marquinhos told TNT.

The 32-year-old was referring to Brazil’s quarterfinal defeat to Croatia at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when he missed the decisive penalty in a shootout loss that ended his nation’s hopes of lifting a sixth world title.

“I know how difficult that moment is for a player; it’s a weight that really falls on your shoulders,” he said. “There’s no way around it; it’s our responsibility, it’s our moment there.

Marquinhos has won back-to-back Champions League after waiting 12 years for a first across 326 games with the club – so he was aware of the emotional weight on Gabriel.

“We fight all season long,” Marquinhos said. “Even though he has had a wonderful moment by winning the Premier League, I think they really wanted this title too, and it’s a huge responsibility on that penalty when a player misses like that.”

Rather than joining the celebrations, Marquinhos felt there was something more important to do.

“I simply thought about the moment I went through myself, which was very difficult, and I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him that I’ve been through it too.

“I know how hard it is, that he’s had an incredible season, he deserves great things.”

The pair will be on the same side later this month when they play for Brazil and Marquinhos is hoping his gesture has helped Gabriel’s healing process. The player has been embraced by Guners fans with reports that his shirt with the No.6 was the biggest selling item by far as more than a million fans turned out for a parade this week.

“We’ll be back together soon, we need him so much,” Marquinhos said.

“He’s a very important player, so I hope he can enjoy this moment as Premier League champion, get over that penalty quickly and focus on the national team, which will be very important.”

Free World Cup tickets

Saudi Arabia has taken the unusual step of offering free World Cup tickets to its supporters amid growing concerns over attendance at this summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced that fans travelling to America to support the national team will receive complimentary match tickets rather than paying prices that can exceed $1000 per seat.

In a statement released through the Kingdom’s embassy in Washington, Saudi officials said: “The countdown begins for the FIFA World Cup. On this occasion, Saudi Arabia is offering free tickets for Saudi National Team fans present in the US.”

“We wish our national team the best of luck as it represents the Kingdom with pride, passion and the full force of a nation behind them.”

The move follows mounting scrutiny around ticket sales for some World Cup matches and mirrors a strategy used during last year’s Club World Cup, when FIFA and local organisers heavily discounted and, in some cases, distributed complimentary tickets to improve crowd numbers.

Saudi fan groups have enthusiastically embraced the initiative, with one supporters’ organisation telling fans: “Attendance is on you, and the ticket is on us.”