With just four days to go before World Cup 2026 kicks off, the big names of world football have all been in the news, and some, though not all, have seen some lively action over the international friendly weekend.
Thomas Tuchel’s England warmed up for their tournament with a rather lacklustre 1-0 win over New Zealand, the lowest ranked nation to be in the competition. But in more comforting news for Three Lions fans King Harry Kane was on target, of course, with a trademark header at the end of the first half.
Tuchel made 11 changes at the break, so Kane’s cleverly flicked header was his last action on the night and the World Cup 2026 betting odds make the Bayern Munich man second favourite to pick up the Golden Boot, just behind France skipper Kylian Mbappe. And the way he converted Djed Spence’s well aimed cross will have given Kane just the boost he needed before England kick off their campaign.
Even though the second half was brighter for England, with the introduction of Elliot Anderson, Nico O’Reilly and Liverpool wonderkid Rio Ngumoha lifting the tempo in gruelling 32 degrees temperatures at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Tuchel was certainly critical of his team’s first half display, saying: “We were out of positions and it was a bit too much freestyle. That slowed our game down and made it difficult for counter-press because we were not in the positions that we wanted to be when we started attacking, so that’s basically the story of the match.”
The Three Lions will be strengthened by the arrival of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka; the Arsenal stars will arrive in time for England’s last warm-up game against Costa Rica.
Meanwhile reigning champions Argentina overcame Honduras 2-0 while resting their talisman Lionel Messi, with the Inter Miami star nursing a hamstring strain aggravated during an MLS victory against Philadelphia in May. He was on the bench to see Lautaro Martinez and Giuliano Simeone put Honduras to the sword and Messi will hope to be ready to make his World Cup 2026 highlights when the main action begins. 39 next month, he cast off his international curse with Copa America and World Cup triumphs in 2021 and 2022 and La Albiceleste won the Copa again in 2024, as well as totally dominating the CONMEBOL qualifying table.
Maybe Messi will have a short run-out when Argentina take on Iceland on Tuesday, but manager Lionel Scaloni won’t take any risks with his main man.
Leao off in scuffle with Chile
Portugal, another side fancied to go far at the World Cup, warmed up with a 2-1 win over Chile, thanks to goals from Manchester United maestro Bruno Fernandes and Real Sociedad’s Goncalo Guedes. All eyes were on Cristiano Ronaldo who is set to play at his sixth World Cup finals, and he managed a first half in the match against Chile, as did Rafael Leao, but the Milan man didn’t have any choice. He was red carded, along with Chile’s Ivan Roman following a mass ruckus just before the break with those two players being singled out by the referee as the chief offenders.
Leao will miss Portugal’s final warm-up against Nigeria…and maybe that’s not such a bad thing as he has time to reflect before he enters the white hot atmosphere of World Cup football. The Milan man will hope a one match ban is all he cops, with an inviting opener against DR Congo on the cards for the Selecao.
Elsewhere Germany edged a three goal match against co-hosts USA as Arsenal star Kai Havertz scored a goal and made an assist. Julian Nagelsmann’s team has appeared on the SBOTOP radar having racked up nine consecutive wins and they are brimming with confidence. Havertz struck with just two minutes on the clock when he headed home a free-kick delivered by Joshua Kimmich and he teed up the winner for Leroy Sane after Fulham wingback Antonee Robinson had levelled for the Stars and Stripes.
Another nation which sits somewhere between the ranks of clear contenders and dark horses is Belgium, and the Red Devils recorded a thumping 5-0 win over Tunisia. Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere, Kevin De Bruyne, Dodi Lukebakio and Nicolas Rasskin all breached the Tunisia defence, who had forward Ismail Gharbi sent off, while De Bruyne’s Napoli team-mate Romelu Lukaku also had some minutes. Belgium are on a run of eight wins and four draws, unbeaten in 2025 and 2026 so let’s stick them in our list of potential winners.
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