Jed Court

The Qatar World Cup was billed as a last chance for Croatia’s aging stars to win a major tournament, but the youngest player to feature for Zlatko Dalic‘s team, Josko Gvardiol, has been vital in their run to the quarter-finals. Gvardiol’s next test is the unenviable task of stopping Brazil’s fearsome forward line in the […]

Louis van Gaal‘s Netherlands has been repeatedly criticized for being “too boring” but a clinical counterattacking display on Saturday saw them pick off the United States to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup. The veteran coach suggested a reporter should “go home” if he thought the Dutch were not entertaining enough after a 2-0 […]

Cody Gakpo was heavily linked with a big-money move to the Premier League before the World Cup and the 23-year-old responded with three goals in as many group games for the Netherlands. The PSV Eindhoven forward, who usually plays as a winger but has been part of a front two for Louis van Gaal‘s Oranje, […]

Cody Gakpo scored again as the Netherlands booked their place in the World Cup last 16 as group winners with a straightforward 2-0 victory over hosts Qatar on Tuesday. The Netherlands, needing just a point to be sure of progressing, put one foot in the next round inside the first half-hour as Gakpo scored for a […]

Morocco coach Walid Regragui said his team “can do anything” at the World Cup after their surprise 2-0 victory over Belgium on Sunday. The North Africans only need a point in their final Group F game against Canada on Thursday to reach the last 16 for the first time since 1986. Late goals from Abdelhamid […]

Scrutiny on the conduct of Iran’s national team, victorious over Wales on Friday, will continue ahead of the decisive clash with the United States will only intensify as its leaders press a crackdown on protests at home. In a striking U-turn, the Iranian players sung their national anthem ahead of Friday’s match against Wales. Their […]

Iran claimed a 2-0 victory over 10-man Wales on Friday with two goals deep into stoppage time to keep its World Cup campaign alive. The Iran players, who sang the national anthem before kickoff, sent their thousands of supporters at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium delirious as they celebrated beating a European team at a […]

Qatar became the first home team to lose its opening World Cup match as Ecuador cruised to a 2-0 victory over the hosts, with Enner Valencia scoring twice in the tournament curtain-raiser on Sunday. The Asian champions enjoyed the backing of the 67,000-strong crowd Al Bayt Stadium, but could not follow a glitzy opening ceremony […]