06/07/2026

SPORTS MONDAY | JULY 6, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP

No complaints but open wounds for Alfaro

the year, the 63-year-old Argentine who has managed the bulk of his career in his home nation’s domestic league said he was unsure of his future. But he clearly holds a deep appreciation for his adopted country. “Today I have open wounds. I’m bleeding. I cannot really reflect because I am overwhelmed right now. I think I need to wait for things to calm down,” Alfaro said. “Things need to calm down and we’ll see what happens. I honestly do not know what I’ll do professionally. “For me, there’s no better place than Paraguay. The country has opened up their doors, clubs have opened up their doors, the relationship I have with play ers, the relationship of gratitude I have with everyone.” – Reuters/AFP

His nation will likely agree and Paraguay President Santiago Pena declared tomorrow a national holiday after their shock win on penalties over Germany in the round of 32. But he conceded the end of the tour nament brought a conflict of emotions after coming so close against the twice world champions. “I leave the World Cup with peace of mind knowing that we played,” Alfaro said. “I am sad because I wanted to go further and defeat will never make you happy, of course.” “I do not like losing at anything. And as I was telling the team in the dressing room, if you want to be a winner, the first thing you have to do is learn how to lose.” With Alfaro’s contract up at the end of

Diego Gomez’s challenge, but changed his mind after he was summoned to the VAR monitor. “I saw it at the VAR screen when they were looking at it,” Alfaro said. “I was behind the referee, and I cannot be objective. “The referee has a first impression. He says that the player had thrown (himself) trying to generate contact. Then VAR ratifies that it is a penalty, according to them. “I’m going to look at it more in depth. And when I am looking at the game play, of course, he’s in the air, he’s very skilful, and he can move in that small space.” Alfaro had insisted before the game that what his squad achieved was exceptional.

AFTER Paraguay were knocked out of the World Cup 1-0 by France following a penalty awarded after a VAR review, La Albirroja manager Gustavo Alfaro said he could not criticise the decision of Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev. Alfaro said his side had “fought like lions”. “France couldn’t find the answers, and it took a bit of individual skill and a pen alty given by VAR to make the difference which their football had not been able to do,” Alfaro said after the game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. He added: “It took us 16 years to get back to a World Cup, while Mbappe won the World Cup the first time he played in it, got to the final in his second and now is fighting to be the top scorer.” Tantashev initially waved play on after Desire Doue went down under

‘World Cup starts now’ Spain eye revenge as CR7’s Portugal loom in Texas last 16 tinderbox S PAIN and old rivals Portugal collide in an entic

SIDENETTING

RENARD LEAVES TUNISIA Herve Renard, who took over from Sabri Lamouchi as Tunisia coach in the middle of the World Cup, announced yesterday that he was stepping down after just two matches in charge of the Eagles of Carthage. “My adven ture (with Tunisia) has come to an end,” the 57-year-old Frenchman posted on Instagram . “Before I leave, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Tunisian Football Federation for allowing me to take part in the 2026 World Cup. It was an honour to represent Tunisia and to have this unfor gettable experience,” added Renard. He had been appointed by the federation on June 16 to succeed Lamouchi, who was sacked after Tunisia’s 5–1 thrash ing by Sweden in their opening match but fared no better than his predecessor, overseeing a 4-0 loss to Japan and a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands. Following Tunisia’s elimination, Renard told AFP that he had come “for this World Cup”, with out specifying whether Tunisia had asked him to extend his contract. AUSTRALIA STAND BY POPOVIC Football Australia have thrown their support behind under-fire coach Tony Popovic despite some questionable decisions in their World Cup penalty shootout loss to Egypt that saw them again fail to clear a knockout round. Popovic sparked criticism from some high-profile former Australia players for substituting first-choice goalkeeper Patrick Beach deep into extra-time in the last 32 clash in Dallas on Saturday as penalties loomed. He instead turned to Mathew Ryan, who failed to pull off a save and Egypt won 4-2 on spot-kicks. Popovic also came under scrutiny for entrusting 18 year-old Lucas Herrington with one of the penalties, which he missed. “Every fan will think about what can be done better,” Football Australia chief executive Martin Kugeler told Australian media in Dallas. “But the coach ing staff and Tony Popovic are always in the best place to judge in that moment what is needed for the team.” Popovic was appointed in 2024 and his con tract was extended in the days before the tournament through to the 2027 Asian Cup.

ing World Cup clash in Texas tomorrow (3am MAlaysian time) with the quarter finals and possibly Cristiano Ronaldo’s international career on the line. The encounter at the air-condi tioned home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys is one of the standout ties of the last 16 and tees up two of the most talented squads in North America. European champions Spain clicked ominously into gear in the first knockout round by disman tling an efficient but limited Austria 3-0. A brace from Mikel Oyarzabal and a Pedro Porro header did the damage in a Hollywood style per formance in Los Angeles. Having been held 0-0 by sur prise packages Cape Verde to start their title charge, the victory looked much more like the Spain team tipped to challenge for foot ball’s biggest prize. “We played a magnificent match. “I am happy because in every aspect we came close to perfec tion,” declared Spain coach Luis de la Fuente. Ominously for everyone else De la Fuente warned that they can still improve “in every area”. “That is our spirit – the belief that we haven’t hit our ceiling yet,” said the 65-year-old, who took Spain to Euros glory two years ago. Aside from the impressive nature of the win, the Austria win was notable for a man-of-the match display from Lamine Yamal. The 18-year-old Barcelona sen sation played 85 minutes in California, his longest outing so far at the World Cup following a ham string injury. Underlining the confidence coursing through the Spain team, Yamal said: “I want to advance through the rounds and win with Spain.” He added: “We aren’t afraid of any team. We are Spain.” “The World Cup starts now,” he said. At the other end of his career is the Portugal skipper Ronaldo, 41, in what will be his final World Cup. The leading international scorer in men’s football has fended

Lamine Yamal

Cristiano Ronaldo

another substitute in replacement centre forward Goncalo Ramos score a dramatic 94th-minute win ner. That sparked more questions to Martinez about the Spaniard’s insistence on always preferring Ronaldo to the younger Ramos, queries he batted away. The veteran looks likely to be in Martinez’s starting XI against Spain. But Spain will be another step up from Croatia, and go into the Texas meeting as favourites to pro gress. Recent history is however with Portugal, having twice come back to draw 2-2 in the 2025 Nations League final and then winning on penalties. “We have great respect for Spain’s quality,” said Martinez. “But they are a European team,

off questions about whether he will retire from Portugal duty after the tournament. After he laboured through a 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo in the group phase, the former Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United forward scored twice in a 5-0 demolition of Uzbekistan to tem porarily silence the doubters. “I’m back,” he said trium phantly afterwards. After coming second behind Colombia in their group, Roberto Martinez’s side beat Croatia 2-1 in the last 32 with Ronaldo scoring from the spot. With the game heading to extra time, Ronaldo was subbed off for midfielder Ruben Neves. Martinez, criticised in some quarters for sticking with the age ing talisman no matter what, saw

and we know Spain very well. “They also know what we are like, so I think it will be a fantastic game … two teams that want the ball, want to look for a goal quickly and create opportunities.” When Ronaldo was beginning his quest for 1,000 career goals, Lamine was nearly a baby. Tomorrow, they meet in a knock out match where one generation may shove another towards the exit. Ronaldo’s sister has said he will leave the national team after the World Cup, meaning every Portugal match could now be his last. For two sides who arrived among the favourites to lift the tro phy, a last 16 exit would feel bru tally early. Spain want revenge. Portugal want another ambush. – AFP/Reuters