World Cup 2026: England turn on the style; Fifa denies ticketless fans breached security – live
Key events 1h ago Preamble 4m ago 09.05 BST There was more than a touch of “jibbing in” for England’s opener, if eyewitness reports of
Key events 1h ago Preamble 4m ago 09.05 BST There was more than a touch of “jibbing in” for England’s opener, if eyewitness reports of lax security and ticket checks are to be believed. And why shouldn’t they be? Fifa has played down reports that ticketless England supporters were able to gain entry for the World Cup opener against Croatia after evading security checks at the Dallas Stadium. An unspecified number of fans without tickets are said to have made their way into the ground despite a huge security operation being put in place at the home of the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington. Officials said that snipers were in place inside the stadium, with the Arlington police department deploying “highly trained personnel and specialised resources” at the venue. But despite those measures and some fans having paid thousands of pounds for tickets, there were widespread reports of supporters without tickets gaining access. Fifa plays down reports that ticketless fans breached security at England World Cup game Read more Share Updated at 09.05 BST 16m ago 08.53 BST The England midfielder Jude Bellingham believes playing with a “chip on my shoulder” will bring the best out of him at the World Cup. Bellingham scored the vital third goal as Thomas Tuchel’s side opened their campaign with a 4-2 win over Croatia in the Group L clash in Dallas. There were uncertainty surrounding Bellingham’s inclusion in Tuchel’s squad for the tournament in North America after missing the September and October camps through injury. That followed last summer’s international window which ended in Tuchel saying his mother found Bellingham’s behaviour “repulsive”, while his ability (or perceived lack thereof) to buy into Tuchel’s “brotherhood” has also come under scrutiny.
Bellingham was chosen ahead of his friend Morgan Rogers in the No 10 position, before switching to a deeper role, and made an early mark in the tournament. “For me personally, it was nice to put some of the noise aside and just show my country and my teammates how committed I am to help us try to win football matches,” he told BBC Sport. “It was a great team performance. Second half, we got things right, first half we got the intensity right, but not quite with the ball and second half we put it all together nicely. View image in fullscreen Bellingham scores England’s third goal against Croatia. Photograph: Simon M Bruty/Getty “To contribute, to help my team and help my country is one of the biggest honours and regardless of the noise outside, that honour doesn’t change for me at all. “It has been a tough season for me but I am feeling fresh and sharp and stronger. “I have got a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. That helps me a lot to find that focus early in the game and to find that intensity. “I know that it’s part of being a footballer and I don’t hold a grudge against anyone who says bad things about me because sometimes I do deserve it. “Today, it was nice to try to show people and remind people what I’m about.” PA Media Share Updated at 09.06 BST 19m ago 08.49 BST A fresh England line hot off the wires coming right up … Share Updated at 09.01 BST 31m ago 08.38 BST Jonathan Liew I fell asleep at some point during the Netherlands v Japan game.
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