15/06/2026

SPORTS MONDAY | JUNE 15, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP Time to cherish opportunity Belgium’s De Bruyne says fourth WC is one he can enjoy, looking forward to facing Salah B ELGIUM playmaker Kevin De Bruyne is embracing his status as one of the sen ior figures in the national team, saying he is determined to savour every moment of what is almost certainly his fourth and final World Cup appearance. career where I can maybe enjoy it more,” he said. “When you’re younger the only thing you Although the rivalry has often been fierce on the pitch, De Bruyne revealed there is a strong mutual respect between the two players. “I’ve played against Mo for 10 years, our kids also went to the same school too so I saw him from time to time, he’s a really nice guy,” De Bruyne said. around their base outside Seattle. However, De Bruyne dismissed any sugges tion that the issue was a major concern, insisting such precautions are simply part of modern tournament football.

want to do is play football and not really be busy with the outside, but I think now I can have a better reflection of what it means to also repre sent your country for the fourth time at a World Cup. “It is an honour for me to still be here after playing for the national team for about 16 years, so that means I’ve done something good.” The veteran midfielder enters the tourna ment as one of the most experienced players in Belgium’s squad and remains a key creative force despite the emergence of a new generation of talent. Belgium’s opening clash against Egypt will also see De Bruyne renew his long-standing rivalry with Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah. The pair spent years battling for major honours in the English Premier League, with De Bruyne starring for Manchester City while Salah became Liverpool’s talisman.

“I think it’s also important for us that when we’re training on something, it is a bit private,” he said. “It’s kind of important to do things and also important not to give any news to Egypt or Iran or other teams. For me, it’s nothing special, but that’s it.” As Belgium prepare to begin another World Cup campaign, De Bruyne’s focus remains firmly on helping his country make a deep run in the tournament. Yet with

Ahead of Belgium’s Group G opener against Egypt tomorrow (3am Malaysian time), the 35 year-old midfielder reflected on his long journey with the national side and admitted that experi ence has given him a different perspective com pared to his younger years. Having made his international debut in 2010, De Bruyne has been a central figure in Belgium’s rise to become one of the world’s leading foot ball nations, helping the Red Devils reach the World Cup semifinals in 2018 and consistently rank among FIFA’s top teams. Speaking to reporters yesterday, De Bruyne said he now appreciates the significance of rep resenting his country on football’s biggest stage more than ever before. “I think I’m probably at a moment in my IRAN will look to put a turbulent build-up behind them when they open their 2026 World Cup Group G campaign against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium tomorrow (9am Malaysian time), with both sides sensing a rare opportunity to take a major step towards the knockout rounds. The match pits together two nations chasing history. Iran, appearing at their fourth consecutive World Cup and sev enth overall, have never progressed beyond the group stage despite several impressive performances in recent tour naments. New Zealand, meanwhile, are back on football’s biggest stage for the first time since 2010 and are still searching for their first World Cup victory. Iran arrive as favourites thanks to their greater tournament experience and the presence of veteran striker Mehdi Taremi, who remains the focal point of coach Amir Ghalenoei’s attack. The Iranians have shown encouraging form in the lead-up to the tournament, including a 5-0 victory over Costa Rica and a 2-0 win against Mali in recent friendlies. However, preparations have been far from ideal. Political tensions and travel complications forced Iran to base themselves in Mexico, while several fed eration officials reportedly encountered visa issues ahead of the tournament. Coach Ghalenoei has previously acknowledged concerns over his team’s disrupted preparations. Despite the distractions, Iran captain and talisman Taremi insists the squad is focused solely on football and the task ahead. “We know the expectations of our people,” Taremi said ahead of the match. “Every World Cup is an opportu nity to make history and we want to start strongly.” New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley believes his side can upset the odds. The All Whites qualified comfortably from Oceania and will lean heavily on experi enced striker Chris Wood, whose aerial ability and leadership provide their big gest attacking threat. Bazeley said his players were embracing the challenge. “We’ve earned the right to be here and we want to show we belong at this level,” he said. “The group is excited and ready for the opportunity.” New Zealand’s recent form has been inconsistent, with a notable 4-1 victory over Chile offset by defeats against England, Ecuador and Finland. Nevertheless, memories of their

“It will be nice to see him, it will be nice to compete again like old times.” Salah is expected to be Egypt’s main attacking threat as they look to spring a surprise against the

Europeans. Belgium, however, will be relying on De Bruyne’s vision and leadership to guide them through a group that also includes Iran and Panama. The build-up to the tournament has not been entirely straightforward, with reports in Belgian media suggesting the team had taken extra measures to shield training sessions from prying eyes by installing additional fencing

the twilight of his international career approaching, the midfield maestro is also deter mined to cherish every moment of a journey that has spanned more than a decade and a half in the famous red shirt. – Reuters/Agencies

Iran eye winning start against ambitious Kiwis

Super fans excited for football despite war BETWEEN them, Reza Mansoor and Mostafa Pourmand have attended 11 World Cups to cheer on their beloved Iran, and even a war between their team and host nation the United States is not going to stop them this time. In fact, these two self-declared “super fans” want nothing more than a showdown between the two teams – on the pitch, of course. To make that happen, Iran has to do what it has never done before – get out of the group stage of football’s biggest competition. “Iran has one of the easiest group that we’ve ever had during the World Cup,” Reza told AFP, referring to competition from New Zealand, Egypt and Belgium. “There is a really high chance that we’re going to advance, best chance we’ve ever had.” The men, who have lived in San Diego, California for the past 50 years, are so optimistic about their team’s chances they have already bought several tickets for the knockout stage, ensuring they won’t miss a potential clash between Iran and Team USA. With the nations at deadly loggerheads in the Strait of Hormuz, Reza thinks a football game might even change the military calculations. “I think everyone will love it, and I think that match would actually bring out peace. It could change a lot of things,” Mansoor said. The 64-year-old’s fondest memories remains Iran’s first ever World Cup triumph: their 2-1 win over the United States in France in 1998. Fifa billed the match as a game of “fraternity,“ paving the way for a rapprochement between the two countries –- enemies since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. American and Iranian players exchanged flowers and posed together for a group photo before kickoff. “It’s one of the best photos I think ever taken of the World Cup teams,“ said Reza. The encounter was even followed in 2000 by a friendly match between the two nations in Los Angeles – sometimes dubbed “Tehrangeles” because of its large Iranian-American population. “Those were the good old days,“ smiles Mostafa Pourmand, 70, recalling that 1-1 draw. “The whole stadium was cheering for both teams.” Mostafa says he anticipates “a lot of opposition” during Iran’s matches in LA but is equally sure that when the first ball is kicked, a lot of the animosity will melt away. “People like me, people like my friend, and the true fans, they are tuning out and want to just focus on the game,” he said. “We’ll deal with the politics after.” – AFP

Iran’s Mehdi Taremi takes part in a training session before tomorrow’s World Cup Group G match against New Zealand. – AFPPIC

The stakes are therefore enor mous, particularly for Iran, who may view this as their best chance yet to finally break through the World Cup glass ceiling. While Iran possess superior quality and experience, New Zealand’s organisation and fight ing spirit suggest this could be far from straightforward. – Agencies

unbeaten 2010 World Cup cam paign, when they drew all three group matches, continue to inspire belief within the squad. With Belgium widely considered favourites to top Group G, both Iran and New Zealand know that three points tomorrow could prove cru cial in the race for a place in the last 32.