FIFA live: US troll makes huge "build a statue" claim

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World Cup daily news. We will bring you the latest from around the world as the FIFA World Cup 2026™ finally gets under way (All times AEST).

UNITED A NATION

Mike Grella is becoming a familiar name in Australia - for all the wrong reasons. But we will extend our thanks to him for his attempts at sledging the Socceroos have in fact turned into great motivational speeches.

In the lead up to Australia's opening clash against Turkiye, the former player and now pundit said: “I love Australians and I’m like, maybe they’re right. Then I go look at their team and I don’t recognise any players in the team.

“I’m not kidding though when I say this, what are they drinking over there? Because they have no shot of doing anything at the World Cup.

“They are the weakest team in the group. The US, although they have their weaknesses, they have like eight players in the Champions League and top clubs in Europe.”

Australia beat Turkiye 2-0 and face the USA next.

“There’s no shot they can compete with the US," Grella said. "The only way they can play is in defence and try to keep it 0-0."

Undeterred by how wide of the mark his opinion was, Grella has gone again ahead of this Saturday's USA v Australia clash in Seattle, now taking credit for the first match win.

“I’ve gotta tell you something, I don’t think they’ve ever been more united as a football side,” he said.

“If they do something in this tournament – which they won’t – they should make a statue of me there in Australia.

“I’ve unified an entire country.”

HT AT ARROWHEAD

Argentina takes a 1-0 lead over Algeria into half-time at Arrowhead.

Lionel Messi's delightful 17th-minute strike separates the Group J opener in Kansas City.

GOAL MESSI!

Took just 17 minutes for the GOAT to make his mark on the game, he's just scored a belter off his left to give Argentina a 1-0 lead over Algeria.

He hit it well. Algerian keeper Luca Zidane got both hands to the ball but could only parry it into his own net. The Messi shot had too much fizz on it.

The 39-year-old now has 14 World Cup goals and 118 total for Argentina. He's 39. Freak.

COACH QUITS?

Portugal have refused to confirm or deny reports Roberto Martinez will quit as coach after the World Cup.

On Wednesday morning it was widely claimed by numerous English media outlets that the former Everton and Wigan manager had refused to sign a contract extension.

Martinez has been at the helm of Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates since the nation was eliminated from the 2022 world Cup in the quarter-finals.

“The FPF and Roberto Martinez are focused exclusively on the World Cup,” a statement read.

“The federation and the coach are aligned on this matter, as they have publicly stated."

Portugal get their campaign underway against DR Congo tomorrow morning at 3am (AEST).

ALGERIA GOAL DISALLOWED

The Algerians thought they had scored against the reigning champions.

Fares Chaibi slid the ball beneath Emi Martinez but he was also offside when receiving the ball.

MESSI GOAL DISALLOWED

We're underway in Kansas City.

Lionel Messi has put one in the back of the net in the 5th minute only to have it disallowed for offside. The superstar was so close to scoring his 14th World Cup goal.

FULL-TIME IN BOSTON

A late own-goal from Aymen Hussein, which was initially awarded to Kristian Thorstvedt, has capped a nice day for Norway who have beaten Iraq 4-1 at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Erling Haaland scored a brace and was involved in the fourth goal in his first World Cup outing.

Stale Solbakken's Norway next meet Senegal on June 23 while Graham Arnold's Iraq are next in action against France on the same day.

It's been a goal-fest on day six with nine landing in the back of the old onion bag already.

Next up is Lionel Messi and Argentina against Algeria from Kansas City at 11am (AEST) before Austria meets Jordan at 2pm.

GOAL NORWAY!

A sublime curling corner from Martin Odegaard is met by Leo Ostigard who leaps above all others to power a header home in the 76th minute.

Norway 3-1 up over Iraq and it looks unassailable now in Boston.

VISA APPEAL REJECTED!

Thomas Partey has had his visa appeal denied and will miss Ghana's opening World Cup clash against Panama on Thursday (AEST).

Last week it emerged the 33-year-old had initially been denied entry to Canada. Now it seems he deceived immigration by denying he had ever been arrested or charged with a crime.

The former Arsenal star pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one of alleged sexual assault made by four women between 2020 and 2022. he is set to stand trial next year.

According to the BBC, the visa appeal ruling said there was "no serious issue in the underlying refusal" of the visa and "the applicant failed to disclose that he is the subject of multiple criminal charges for sexual violence in the UK".

The appeal was rejected in a federal court in Ottawa.

Ghana's second matches against Croatia and England are due to be played in the USA where Partey has already been granted permission to enter.

Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz said: "My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me.

"We are waiting for a decision. When the decision (arrives), we are ready."

GOAL NORWAY!

Haaland has a second, pouncing on a back pass from Zaid Tahseen with Iraq keeper Jalal Hassan hesitant.

The big Norwegian bears down on Hassan and pokes it home, with the help of a deflection, to make it 2-1 in the 43rd minute.

The dominant Manchester City striker has two goals in his first World Cup appearance.

EQUALISER!

Iraq are level and the stadium is going WILD! Terrific work from the midfield on the left and a pin-perfect cross for national hero Aymen hussein with an incredible header. No answer form the keeper, it's come from nowhere and it's all level.

GOAL!

Norway have found the lead after 30 minutes and who else would it be but Erling Haaland. His first ever World Cup goal and No 56 for his country in 51 appearance. Incredible record.

Haaland was not born the last time his country featured in an World Cup.

🚨 PENALTY DENIED! 🚨

A huge moment between France and Senegal as Kylian Mbappe is taken down in the box. Referee Alireza Faghani said no spot kick but the decision was sent for review.

Every day of the week that's a penalty - but VAR decision is GOAL KICK!

Didier Deschamps is furious on the sidelines and fair enough too. Sadio Mane made absolutely no contact with the ball, Mbappe had to hurdle the Senegalese veteran's legs before falling.

Odd decision and one that will be widely debated and SEN's Archie Thompson is stunned by the referee's take.

"I think that’s a disgrace of a call," he said on SEN's call of the World Cup. "I don’t know where the initiation is.

"Mbappe's momentum is going forward. How has he don’t that? I don’t know. Faghani can be very stubborn in his decision making, sometimes he wont even go to the VAR to check.

"It’s a contact that’s come from Mane. I don’t know how that’s not a penalty."

Thompson is not the only one baffled by the decision with former England star Alan Shearer equally mystified.

"I don't get it," said Shearer. "You can see the lunge from Mane and his left leg catches Mbappe.

"How can Mbappe initiate contact if he is in front of him? It's bizarre it really is."

TWO GOALS IN 2 MINS

Learnt my lesson not to look down when Mbappe is on the field. No sooner do Senegal find a goal in extra time - and it was a banger of a strike - does the Frenchman score what will be hard to beat for goal of the tournament.

Ibrahim Mbaye belted a strike through Maignan one minute, the next, Mbappe is scoring the 50th of this tournament to become his country's leading scorer. An absolute pearler of a strike from 30 yards out.

Mbappe now has 58 goals in 99 caps, 14 goals in 15 World Cup games, more World Cup goals than Messi and just two away from Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16. And he's only 27.

Not bad the kid from Bondy. Tres bon.

2-0 FRANCE!

It's the substitute Bradley Barcola who makes it 2-0 in the 82nd minute with a lovely finish from a beautiful French move. Adrien Rabiot's sumptuous ball allows the 23-year-old PSG man to dink it home.

They've now denied any chance of a Senegal equaliser. A third French goal on the cards?

GOAL MBAPPE!

France have broken the deadlock! And they have been threatening so much more this second half. relentless pressure on the Senegal defence and finally the breakthrough, and who else but Kylian Mbappe.

A clinical finish from an angle on the right side of the box, firing home Michael Olise's through ball, and it's 1-0 after 64 minutes.

Immediately after France's opener, Senegal had the ball in the back of the net when Nicolas Jackson hammered it home, but he was adjudged to be offside in the lead-up.

DISASTER FOR ENGLAND

They have had a really unlucky lead up to this World Cup; tornadoes ripping through their location, a robbery that saw $30k worth of equipment stolen from their base and a shooting forcing them into lock down in Florida.

When Thomas Tuchel's side made it to Kansas to prepare for their opening clash against Croatia tomorrow (AEST) you might have thought the bad luck had run out.

Not so with news Newcastle's Tino Livramento has sustained a calf injury and has been ruled out of the entire tournament.

“Trevoh Chalobah has been called into England’s 26-player squad at Fifa World Cup 2026 after injury sadly forced the withdrawal of Tino Livramento," a statement from the FA said.

"MOST OPPRESSED"

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi and coach Amir Ghalenoei have taken aim at FIFA for the treatment he and his teammates are having to endure after being forced to flee the USA immediately after their opening round clash with New Zealand.

Amid the ongoing hostilities between the USA and Iran, the team are allowed to play their matches on American soil but not stay overnight meaning they are experiencing significantly more time in transit that other teams.

“Our team is the most oppressed one in the whole World Cup,” Ghalenoei said. “The Iran Football Federation is absent here. Our media isn’t here. Our management team – many of them aren’t here.

“We used to have a part of a coaching team to help with substitutions but we didn’t have that. Many in the technical area had to deal with that.

“We do not know why they are returning us (to Mexico). I think it’s very strange. It seems like others are doing the planning for us, decisions made elsewhere.

“We were supposed to stay tonight and return to Tijuana tomorrow lunchtime but I have no idea why."

Taremi added: “Everything is like a disaster actually for us… still we have some problems because we are supposed to be training tomorrow morning – recovery – then leave for Tijuana.

“But we have to leave Los Angeles right now, and it’s not good for us. It’s not good for the football, because in World Cup, you have to prepare good for the next game.

“Because it is a lot of stress for the players and the staff and everyone. But we don’t have that support and I think Fifa have to help us more than this.”