Daily Mail Football

Does Bellamy always make the best choices with his substitutions? Hard no. Is he spoilt for choice with his options? Same answer.

The smattering of Japanese fans who witnessed a huge victory for their nation earnt further credit by tidying up the away section before leaving Wembley and heading into London.

The Burnley star, 28, bundled home a corner off his midriff in extra-time to seal a 1-0 win in the intercontinental play-off final in Mexico.

TARA ANSON-WALSH AT CARROW ROAD: A driving force in the centre of midfield, there have been times when he has looked the only person on the pitch capable of arresting Spurs' slide.

The four-times world champions will not be competing for football's top prize this summer after falling to penalty shoothout defeat against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Sarajevo on Tuesday night.

England's final friendly before Thomas Tuchel names his World Cup squad ended in disaster with a 1-0 home defeat by Japan.

Australia will face a stern test in their first match of the tournament after beating Curacao 5-1 in Melbourne on Tuesday night.

IAN LADYMAN: Fast, devastatingly clinical and easy on the eye. This was a great night for Japanese football at Wembley. As for Thomas Tuchel's England, this was the 90 minutes from hell.

Fans in Australia adore the Matildas and Socceroos - but they've been given good reason to drop off the sport when there isn't a World Cup on.

Those who played under Ange Postecoglou might detect similar tactics. De Zerbi likes technical players in all areas and to play out. This involves the goalkeeper, which is particularly interesting.

Here is Daily Mail Sport's shortlist of continental coaches that will be tickling the fancy of your club, from some household names around Europe to some who may be new to you…

Follow Daily Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as England welcome Japan to Wembley for an international friendly.

Cole Palmer and Phil Foden were both handed opportunities to flourish in forward roles during Tuesday night's 1-0 defeat by Japan but England mustered little by way of goal threat.

The United States have finally found out their last group game opponent for this summer's World Cup - and it's a difficult one for Christian Pulisic and his team.

TOM COLLOMOSSE: The four-times world champions have failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup - a source of utter shame for one of the game's traditional powerhouses.

Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres scored a late winner to send Sweden to the World Cup with a 3-2 win over Poland on Tuesday night.

Scotland boss Steve Clarke insists he will not allow his contract situation to cast a cloud over Scotland's forthcoming World Cup campaign.

OLIVER HOLT AT WEMBLEY: It was not a fond farewell. England did not take their leave of Wembley wreathed in laurels and serenaded with hosannas, put it that way.

At the end of a turgid few days for Steve Clarke, one of The Beatles' greatest hits felt like it rang true for the Scotland manager.

As both teams lined up for the national anthems ahead of the fixture at the Cardiff City Stadium, Wales fans began booing as God Save the King was played for Northern Ireland.

The German international joined Liverpool for a club record £116million from Bayer Leverkusen last June, although the fee was later eclipsed when the Reds spent £125m on Alexander Isak.

Our chief football reporter, CRAIG HOPE, was in the room, and here he brings you the headlines and breaks down exactly what all of it means on a hugely significant day.

TARA ANSON-WALSH: Hanging up on Alyssa Thompson's wall is a picture of her playing football alongside her sister Gisele at Angel City - a time before Chelsea came knocking.

The March international break is prime time for agents and executives to hold meetings about what the summer window is going to look like. Here are the answers to your burning questions...

Cucurella, 27, has become a key player for the Blues since joining from Brighton in 2022, and the left back has featured regularly in recent months amid a difficult spell for Liam Rosenior's side.

Former Manchester United forward Anthony Martial has been banished by his club Monterrey after throwing a touchline tantrum in Mexico, according to reports.

The player has reportedly not to returned to training with the club after pulling out of Belgium duty due to poor fitness. Furious, Napoli released a statement on Tuesday.

Former United States men's national team (USMNT) striker Landon Donovan had just a single word to describe his country's performance against Belgium in Atlanta over the weekend: 'Brutal.'

TARA ANSON-WALSH: Sarina Wiegman rarely springs a surprise, but her latest call-up to the Lionesses, of 17-year-old Erica Meg Parkinson, is probably one of her biggest curveballs yet.

NATHAN SALT: Progress and success are not always linear. Lewis-Skelly has had to take a step backwards at both Arsenal and with England. His mental toughness has been put to the test.

Football's youngest nation are on the brink of qualifying for their first ever World Cup and will achieve the remarkable feat with victory in tonight's playoff final.

A fresh theory on why Ben White quit England's camp at the 2022 World Cup has emerged after the Arsenal defender returned to the international fold over the past week.

JAMES SHARPE: A football match was starting in half an hour, but it was already clear who was the main event and what was the sideshow.

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly trying to persuade Casemiro to team up with him in Saudi Arabia rather than his old rival Lionel Messi at Inter Miami when he leaves Manchester United.

England's rivals have sacked their manager after falling into crisis just weeks before the start of the World Cup.

IAN LADYMAN: Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka left camp over the weekend, taking the number of Arsenal players to have left national team meet-ups around the world to eleven.

With Spain's friendly taking place at Barcelona's Camp Nou, Cucurella was asked whether it would be hard to say no to the club if the La Liga giants made an approach over a possible transfer.

Spurs have been searching for their fourth head coach in 295 days after Igor Tudor's exit and De Zerbi is the top candidate amid a series of talks between the two parties.

There was even a senior call-up in August 2023 for games against Cyprus and ironically England, before Anderson withdrew through injury.

Bosnia will host the four-time world champions at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Tuesday night, following their dramatic penalty shootout win over Wales in the play-off semi-final last week.

Scotland midfielder John McGinn insists the booing at the end of Saturday's defeat to Japan at Hampden has been blown out of proportion.

Scotland boss Steve Clarke has revealed that he will name a bumper 55-man squad initially for the World Cup.

On the banks of the River Mersey at Bramley-Moore Dock, Steve Clarke is less than three months out from a World Cup yet finds himself having to steer Scotland's ship through choppy waters.

COMMENT BY IAN HERBERT: It's nearly four months since I pointed out that the League One club's case in the latest chapter of their interminable attempt to recoup cash was 'delusional.'

IAN LADYMAN: England manager Tuchel says he is considering starting White against Japan at Wembley tomorrow night.