Havertz Eyes World Cup Glory as O'Neil Takes Charge at Ipswich

Last Updated on June 25, 2026

Kai Havertz opens up on the tactical thinking behind Germany’s World Cup campaign, Gary O’Neil signs a three-year deal at Ipswich ahead of their Premier League return, and Curaçao’s Tahith Chong leads the tournament’s dribble charts ahead of a must-win clash with Ivory Coast today in Philadelphia.

Havertz Explains His ‘Pointless’ Runs as Germany Top World Cup Group

Kai Havertz has lifted the lid on the tactical logic underpinning Germany’s World Cup campaign, pushing back against the perception that his off-ball movement is aimless. ‘I make runs that look pointless but I’m creating space,’ the Arsenal forward explains — his decoy runs are designed to drag defenders out of position and free teammates, not to collect the ball himself.

The 25-year-old also spoke candidly about the emotional whiplash of the weeks before the tournament began. Arsenal lost the Champions League final in Budapest on penalties to PSG, despite Havertz scoring an early goal that looked like a potential winner for nearly an hour. ‘To be honest, it was tough. After the match, I initially thought we would call the whole thing off,’ Havertz admits. By the following morning, however, he was back on a bus through Islington for Arsenal’s Premier League trophy parade in front of a million supporters.

Germany have since built strong momentum at the World Cup, with the four-time champions topping their group. Their campaign included a 7-1 rout of Curaçao. Havertz’s tactical clarity about his role appears central to what Germany’s coaching staff are constructing as the knockout rounds draw closer.

Gary O’Neil Signs Three-Year Deal as Ipswich Prepare for Premier League Return

Ipswich Town have confirmed Gary O’Neil as their new manager as the Suffolk club prepares to return to the Premier League. The 43-year-old, who was most recently in charge at French club Strasbourg, has signed a three-year contract running until the summer of 2029.

‘It is an honour to be appointed manager of this great football club,’ O’Neil says in a statement on Ipswich’s official website. ‘I have followed the progress the club has made over the last few years closely and to now have the opportunity to lead Ipswich Town in the Premier League is something I am hugely excited by.’

In a separate appointment from English football’s lower tiers, Oxford United have hired Wales legend Aaron Ramsey as their new manager following the club’s relegation. The 34-year-old takes on his first managerial role as Oxford look to rebuild.

Chong Tops World Cup Dribble Charts as Curaçao Chase Historic Knockout Place

Tahith Chong leads FIFA’s dribble statistics at the 2026 World Cup with 5.1 successful dribbles per 90 minutes — equal with Bosnia’s Kerim Alajbegovic and well ahead of Germany’s Jamal Musiala (4.4 per 90), Ivory Coast’s Yan Diomande (4.1), France’s Michael Olise (2.8) and the Netherlands’ Crysencio Summerville (1.6). The Sheffield United midfielder, and the only member of the Curaçao squad actually born on the island, was instrumental in their 0-0 draw with Ecuador — the first World Cup point in the nation’s history — after they suffered a 7-1 defeat to Germany in the group opener.

Curaçao face Ivory Coast today in Philadelphia knowing a victory could seal a place in the knockout rounds, a scenario head coach Dick Advocaat, 78, describes carefully. ‘We are playing against an excellent team again,’ Advocaat says. ‘That will be a difficult story. But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Realistic dreaming is possible. Everything can happen in football, the past has proven that.’

Chong, 25, carries the name ‘Djorkaef’ in his passport — chosen by his father in tribute to Youri Djorkaeff, the French midfielder who won the World Cup in 1998 and who now attends matches as a FIFA Foundation director and adviser to the tournament’s organising committee. ‘If we reach the next round, they won’t sleep until Christmas,’ Chong says of supporters back home on the island.

Trump Confirmed to Present World Cup Trophy at 19 July Final in New Jersey

US President Donald Trump will present the World Cup trophy to the winning team at the final on 19 July in East Rutherford, New Jersey, FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirms. Infantino made the announcement during an appearance on Fox and Friends on Tuesday. ‘We shall be there together with the president, enjoy the final and present the trophy to the winner, of course,’ Infantino says. Asked directly whether the two will conduct the handover together, Infantino adds: ‘Of course. We are together all the time.’

Trump previously handed the trophy to Chelsea at the Club World Cup in the United States, and his relationship with Infantino has become a defining political thread of this tournament. FIFA controversially awarded Trump a peace prize in December.

Premier League Referee Michael Oliver Appointed for Norway vs France

English referee Michael Oliver, who has taken charge of more than 400 Premier League matches, will officiate Norway’s final World Cup group match against France. FIFA confirmed the appointment on Tuesday. Oliver will be assisted by English compatriots Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring, with two Chinese officials completing the five-person team.

In Brief

Brighton are in advanced talks to sign Juventus and Switzerland midfielder Lia Walti, with the move set to bolster the Premier League club’s midfield options ahead of next season.

Dutch Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen held their first pre-season training session on Wednesday, starting almost six weeks earlier than most European clubs in preparation for a Champions League qualifying campaign that opens in early August. New striker Kaj Sierhuis, 28, who joined on a free transfer from Fortuna Sittard, and defender Tobias Storm took part, while defender Perr Schuurs trained separately as he continues his recovery from a long-term injury. Manager Dick Schreuder acknowledges the scale of the challenge: ‘There are all kinds of things we as a club are not used to’.

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