FIFA World Cup 2026: “We overcame every obstacle,” says coach Thomas …

Mexico City [Mexico], July 6 (ANI): England head coach Thomas Tuchel praised his side’s resilience and mentality after the Three Lions defeated co-hosts Mexico 3-2 to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals, according to The Athletic. rocore.sbs

England secured a hard-fought victory despite playing much of the second half with 10 men following Jarell Quansah’s red card, setting up a high-voltage quarterfinal clash with Norway.

Reflecting on the performance, Tuchel said his players had shown tremendous character to overcome every challenge during the match.

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“My emotions are mixed. I’m proud of the mentality and attitude. This is the moment in tournaments where you find a way to win. It was hard, but we did it with pure mentality. We overcame every obstacle. It’s a very special night for us," Tuchel said, as quoted by The Athletic.

The England manager, however, revealed that Jordan Henderson had suffered a wrist injury and was taken to hospital. For those unversed, Henderson suffered an injury while celebrating after England’s memorable win over co-hosts Mexico.

“I’m sad because Jordan (Henderson) injured his wrist. It’s quite serious. He’s in hospital. It doesn’t fit with the rest of the evening. I don’t know the procedure," he said.

Tuchel also thanked England supporters for their backing during the dramatic contest.

“I just want to say thank you if you stayed up and sent us your energy. We feel it 100 per cent. There is so much to love about this team. We will now go full steam ahead and use this energy to keep pushing," he added.

England defeated co-hosts Mexico 3-2 in a dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash to book a quarter-final meeting with Norway.

Jude Bellingham scored twice and was named Player of the Match, while becoming the youngest player to make 10 FIFA World Cup appearances, according to FIFA.

Despite playing most of the second half with 10 men following Jarell Quansah’s red card, England held off Mexico’s late fightback to keep their hopes of a second World Cup title alive. (ANI)

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New York [US], July 6 (ANI): Norway head coach Stale Solbakken praised his team’s unity and togetherness after the Scandinavian nation reached the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals for the first time in its history with a memorable victory over Brazil, according to Reuters.

Norway stunned five-time champions Brazil 2-1 in the Round of 16, with Erling Haaland scoring twice to send his side into the last eight.

Reflecting on the team’s success, Solbakken said the squad’s close bond had been central to its achievements.

“This is a great group, they love being together, they train well, they help each other and protect each other. We have a strong culture and we give the opportunity to let people be themselves and say whatever they want, and that’s a very important part of the whole thing, when things go well and when things go not so well," Solbakken told reporters, as quoted by Reuters.

The Norway coach said the team’s success had united supporters across the country.

“I think that the whole nation is rowing together, and with that, I mean that we are having a great party here and in Oslo and in all the other big and small cities all the way through Norway," he said.

“The rowing is in a way a symbol of that, and that we are all together. So I think it’s great days, it’s a great summer to be a fan — I think it’s better to be a fan than a coach," he added.

Brazil dominated large spells of the match and missed a first-half penalty through Bruno Guimaraes, while Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland produced a string of crucial saves.

Haaland’s late brace proved decisive before Neymar converted a stoppage-time penalty for Brazil, whose tournament ended with a seventh straight World Cup knockout defeat to European opposition. (ANI)

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Mexico City [Mexico], July 6 (ANI): England overcame a hostile atmosphere at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium and a second-half red card to defeat co-hosts Mexico 3-2 in a gripping FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 encounter.

The high-intensity contest, which also featured a weather delay of nearly an hour, proved to be one of the standout matches of the tournament as England secured a place in the World Cup quarter-finals for the third successive edition.

Still chasing their first World Cup title since lifting the trophy in 1966, England will next face Norway, led by Erling Haaland, in Miami Gardens on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals.

Mexico twice responded after falling two goals behind, but were ultimately unable to complete the comeback, with their wait to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since hosting the tournament in 1986 continuing.

Jude Bellingham struck twice in the first half (36th and 38th minutes) to give England control before Mexico’s Julian Quinones (42nd minute) reduced the deficit before the break, reigniting hopes for the home side and its supporters.

In the second half, England defender Jarell Quansah was shown a straight red card after a VAR review of his challenge on Jesus Gallardo in the 54th minute, with England leading 2-1.

Quansah became the fourth England player to be sent off at a FIFA World Cup and the first since Wayne Rooney’s dismissal in 2006. Ray Wilkins (1986) and David Beckham (1998) are the only other England players to have received red cards at the tournament, according to ESPN.

Following Quansah’s red card, England head coach Thomas Tuchel replaced Bukayo Saka with John Stones to strengthen the defence.

Despite being reduced to 10 men, England extended their lead six minutes later when Harry Kane converted a penalty after Anthony Gordon was fouled inside the area by Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel. Mexico pulled one back in the 69th minute through a Raul Jimenez penalty, reducing the deficit to 3-2.

Despite holding a numerical advantage for much of the second half, Mexico were unable to break down a 10-man England side and saw their World Cup campaign come to an end on home soil.

According to ESPN. Mexico have now exited the World Cup at the same round-of-16 stage eight times since they reached the quarterfinals in 1986. The only other time they went past the last 16 was the previous time they hosted the tournament in 1970. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

India’s hopes of qualifying for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 are officially over after a series of defeats in the Asian Qualifiers. The team failed to secure a single win in six Group D matches.

India struggled against Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with their performances exposing the gap between them and some of Asia’s stronger basketball nations. On paper, it was a disappointing campaign, but behind the losses lies a more important question: why does India continue to struggle on basketball’s biggest stages despite having a growing pool of talented players?

The answer extends far beyond a few games.

A campaign that exposed the gap

The qualifiers highlighted the challenges India face against the continent’s stronger teams. Against more experienced Asian sides, India struggled to maintain consistency across all four quarters and found it difficult to match the physicality and intensity of their opponents.

These are not issues that can be solved with a short training camp. They require players to compete regularly in a professional environment throughout the year.

Results reflected the challenge

Each team played six matches in the first round, with India failing to register a single win. They began their campaign in November with two defeats to Saudi Arabia, losing 75-51 and 81-57. In February, India suffered a 99-73 defeat to Qatar before going down 99-56 to Lebanon.

Qatar then beat India 65-56 in Ahmedabad despite the hosts taking an early lead. In their final group game, India lost 98-72 to group leaders Lebanon, also in Ahmedabad.

The problem is bigger than one disappointing campaign

It is easy to blame poor shooting or defensive mistakes, but India’s problems run much deeper. Modern international basketball teams can no longer rely solely on talented individuals. Successful national teams are built on professional systems in which players compete every week in high-quality domestic leagues before representing their countries. That is where India continue to lag behind.

In an exclusive conversation with RevSportz, India star hooper Pranav Prince stressed the need for a stronger domestic basketball ecosystem.

“In many leading basketball nations, players spend 8–10 months each year competing in high-level professional leagues,” he said. “They face strong opponents regularly, adapt to different game situations, and build chemistry under real competitive pressure. By the time they report for national team duty, they’re already in peak competitive rhythm.”

Prince believes national camps can improve coordination, but they cannot replace months of elite competition.

“For Indian players, the situation is different,” he said. “Outside of international windows and occasional domestic competitions, there are relatively few opportunities to play sustained, high-level professional basketball. National team camps are valuable for installing systems, improving chemistry, and refining tactics, but they cannot fully replicate the intensity, speed, physicality and decision-making demands of months of elite league competition.”

Can the IBL make a difference?

This is where the India Basketball League (IBL) could play an important role.

The league, which will stage its inaugural season in 2027, aims to provide Indian players with regular high-level competition, better coaching and a longer domestic season. Over time, that could help prepare players for international basketball and narrow the gap between India and the top teams in Asia, and eventually the rest of the world.

The IBL will feature six teams in its inaugural season and has already confirmed five host cities — Chennai, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. The sixth and final franchise will be selected from Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Aizawl.

Building for the future

The defeat in the qualifiers is a setback, but it also offers a clear direction for Indian basketball. A stronger domestic structure could be the key if India are to perform better in future World Cup qualifying campaigns. If the IBL succeeds in building a sustainable basketball ecosystem, it could become an important step towards making India more competitive on the international stage.

Reflecting on the impact the IBL could have on Indian basketball, Prince added: “I think the IBL will be central to the ecosystem. But there are other things as well, such as investing in grassroots basketball for the long term and having a sustained calendar throughout the year rather than tournaments here and there. That would allow us to work on our game and recover properly.

“And, as I said, with this league coming up, I think everything will eventually fall into place. Young basketballers will finally have a genuine career pathway instead of feeling they have to settle for a government job.”

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