Source : ABC NEWS
Cristiano Ronaldo makes a bit of World Cup history as Gianni Infantino offers an update on the future of the hydration breaks, and Donald Trump gets a role at this year’s final.
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These are the quick hits from another day at the 2026 World Cup.
1. Trump to take centre stage at World Cup final
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed plans to include US President Donald Trump in the trophy presentation ceremonies at the World Cup final during an interview with Fox and Friends.
“We will be together with the president, enjoying the final, and handing the trophy to the winner — of course, together,” Infantino said.
Asked to clarify that he and Trump would present the trophy together at the final, Infantino added: “Of course. We are together all the time.”
Donald Trump was in the thick of things when Chelsea won the Club World Cup last year. (Getty Images: VCG)
Trump notably participated in the ceremony at last year’s Club World Cup final when Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 at the same venue.
He remained on stage as Chelsea lifted the trophy. Later, the trophy was spotted in the Oval Office, with Chelsea reportedly having received a replica version.
Trump is so far yet to attend a game at this World Cup.
2. France manager leaves World Cup after mother’s death
France manager Didier Deschamps will not take charge of his team’s final group stage match against Norway, instead flying back to France to attend his mother’s funeral.
“Didier Deschamps will not be able to oversee training sessions ahead of the Norway vs France match. He will also be absent from the bench for Friday’s final Group I game,” the French Football Federation said in a statement announcing the news.
Didier Deschamps is heading home after the death of his mother and will miss France’s game against Norway. (Getty Images: ANP/Maurice van Steen)
“The national team coach learned this morning of the death of his mother and will return to France to attend her funeral.
“In agreement with Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, who is currently at the France team’s base camp, Deschamps has entrusted assistant coach Guy Stephan with responsibility for leading the squad until his return.”
France, which is among the favourites to win the tournament, has already clinched a spot in the knockout round with wins in its first two Group I matches against Senegal and Iraq.
Norway, though, also has won its first two matches and will knock France down to second in the group if it wins.
3. FIFA flags hydration breaks could be here to stay
There’s good news if you love ad breaks! FIFA is considering keeping hydration breaks for future World Cups despite backlash to the extra stoppages in play at this year’s tournament.
Infantino has defended the decision to introduce the breaks at this World Cup and says they may be providing more entertainment for fans.
Hydration breaks could be a feature of future World Cups. (Getty Images: Richard Sellers)
“Maybe the coach can reassess certain situations, correct certain mistakes. The players get a little rest and come back in full speed. Well, is that bad necessarily? Maybe it’s good,” Infantino told SNTV.
“And we see as well the intensity of the games. We’ve never seen 90 minutes in a tournament like this played in such an intensity.”
Infantino also insisted FIFA was making no extra money as a result of networks cutting to commercials because contracts had been signed before the decision to introduce hydration breaks.
“Broadcasters maybe, they make, they generate more. I don’t know, that’s great for them,” he said.
“But for us, we make zero additional revenues.”
4. Commentator banned for on-air ‘outburst’
FIFA has stripped a Paraguayan commentator of his World Cup credentials after an expletive-laden tirade against the organisation and match officials during Paraguay’s 1-0 victory over Türkiye, in which Miguel Almiron was sent off.
Jorge Chipi Vera lost his composure on live television when Almiron became the first player sent off at the tournament for violating a new rule that forbids players from covering their mouths during on-field confrontations.
Miguel Almiron’s red card sent one Paraguayan commentator over the edge. (Reuters: Darren Yamashita)
The furious broadcaster called Infantino and the referee “thieves”, accusing them of “killing football” as Paraguay was reduced to 10 men, but he later apologised and said that his accreditation had been cancelled.
“During the broadcast of the match between Paraguay and Türkiye, I had an outburst,” Vera said in his lengthy apology.
“In the midst of my frustration over the expulsion of a player from my country, and feeling that my national team was being harmed, I used offensive and unacceptable expressions against the referee, FIFA, and its authorities.”
Happens to the best of us, Jorge.
5. Ronaldo responds on record-breaking day
Only 24 hours after Lionel Messi broke a swathe of records with his goals against Austria, Cristiano Ronaldo answered with a couple of his own.
His brace in Portugal’s 5-0 win over Uzbekistan made him the first man to ever score in six separate World Cups, while the goals also took him clear above the legendary Eusabio in Portugal’s all-time World Cup scoring charts.
Portugal fans celebrate the ressurection of Cristiano Ronaldo’s form at this World Cup. ( Getty Images: Omar Vega)
And he had a simple but strong message as the final whistle sounded: “I’m back,” he said directly into the television camera. “I’m back.”
Even though criticism isn’t anything new to the 41-year-old superstar, he admitted that the intense negativity directed toward him this week after a poor first-up performance against DR Congo was difficult.
“But it’s always like that,” he said in Portuguese. “It doesn’t matter because it’s been 23 years on the job and when things go well, ‘Cristiano is good,’ when things go bad, ‘Cristiano is a retired player, is old.’ It will always be like that.
Ronaldo and Messi became the only men in history to play in six World Cup tournaments this year. Ronaldo’s scoring streak started in his debut in 2006 and he also netted goals in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.
While he shares the record for most tournaments with Messi, he stands alone in scoring a goal in each edition because Messi failed to score at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. And that’s the real quiz.
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