The 2025 FIFA Membership World Cup is off and working, and has produced loads of speaking factors and storylines already. Let’s catch you up on what’s taking place, what you’ve got missed and what’s nonetheless to return.
We are going to replace this file all through every matchday with the newest reporting, evaluation and enjoyable from the competitors.
The lead: Rayan Aït-Nouri reveals class in Man Metropolis win over Juventus
ORLANDO, Fla. — Manchester Metropolis have not had a acknowledged left again within the squad for practically 4 years, however Rayan Aït-Nouri appears decided to point out Pep Guardiola what he is been lacking, taking part in a key position in Thursday’s 5-2 win over Juventus.
It was August 2021 when Metropolis final performed with a correct left again — Benjamin Mendy’s closing look earlier than he was suspended by the membership. Guardiola has made do within the meantime with a sequence of stopgaps. Nathan Aké, João Cancelo, Aymeric Laporte, Josko Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly have all stuffed in. Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden had been pressed into motion throughout in-game emergencies.
Aït-Nouri, although, is already displaying the advantages of getting a specialist. After arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers forward of the Membership World Cup, the 24-year-old was so vibrant on his debut in opposition to Al Ain that when Guardiola was requested to evaluate his efficiency, he merely stated: “Wow.”
The Metropolis boss picked a stronger workforce in opposition to Juventus — handing begins to Rodri and Rúben Dias for the primary time — and Aït-Nouri was even higher. He created two huge possibilities contained in the opening 10 minutes. After simply 4 minutes, the Algerian — taking part in excessive up the pitch and tucked into midfield at instances — arrowed a cross at Bernardo Silva, who noticed his header saved. Moments later, it was Aït-Nouri’s pinpoint cross by way of the Juventus protection that allowed Jérémy Doku to chop inside and rating the primary in what was a formidable win over the Italian facet at Tenting World Stadium. Aït-Nouri virtually capped his first-half efficiency with a purpose of his personal, however his shot into the turf from exterior the field was stopped from nestling within the nook by a diving Michele Di Gregorio.
It is precisely the sort of attacking output that Aït-Nouri was introduced in to supply. He received 5 objectives for Wolves in all competitions final season. Maybe much more spectacular was his seven Premier League assists. That matched Kevin De Bruyne’s output and was yet another than Trent Alexander-Arnold.
It is nonetheless early days, however Aït-Nouri seems to be to have stuffed a gaping gap in Guardiola’s workforce. And having signed a payment of solely £31 million, he might but go down as one of many transfers of the summer time. — Rob Dawson
At this time’s high Membership World Cup information
• Haaland outpaces Messi, Mbappé to 300 objectives
• Xabi Alonso calls on Vini, Mbappé to enhance off the ball
• Connelly: Why each last-16 workforce will, will not win
Sights and sounds round FIFA Membership World Cup
Vlahovic struggles in his Premier League audition
Dusan Vlahovic is arguably the participant who has been linked most with a transfer to the Premier League with out really coming near a switch to England’s high flight. The Juventus ahead went into the Group G conflict in opposition to Manchester Metropolis with studies in Italy suggesting that he’s on Manchester United’s checklist of summer time targets.
Prior to now, the 25-year-old has been focused by Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, however after hitting 49 objectives in 108 video games for Fiorentina, he opted to remain in Italy with a transfer to Juventus in 2022. With Juventus open to presents for Vlahovic this summer time, the sport in opposition to Metropolis was an opportunity to show his credentials to United, or every other main membership available in the market for a brand new striker, however the Serbia ahead had a irritating 90 minutes in opposition to Pep Guardiola’s facet in Orlando.
Vlahovic missed two good possibilities earlier than lastly getting on the scoresheet within the 84th minute — when the sport was misplaced for Juventus, who had already conceded 5 in opposition to Metropolis. And whereas he took his purpose effectively to make the rating 5-2, Vlahovic struggled in opposition to Metropolis defenders Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji and did little to recommend he might be the reply to United’s goalscoring issues. — Mark Ogden
Al Ain exit tourney with win over Wydad
With no penalties on Thursday, Al Ain completed their Membership World Cup participation with a breezy, busy 2-1 win over Wydad AC in Nashville to make sure they went residence on a excessive word.
It has been a troublesome event for the 2023-24 AFC Champions League winners, whose naive defending was picked aside to the tune of 11 objectives by Man Metropolis and Juventus. Early in Thursday’s conflict, it seemed to be one other lengthy afternoon because the Moroccan facet discovered the web inside 4 minutes: proper again Mohamed Moufid’s low cross discovered Cassius Mailula unmarked within the field, and Mailula had time to manage and hearth into the highest nook past Rui Patrício.
Wydad opens the scoring early by way of Milleola ⚽🇲🇦
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— DAZN Soccer (@DAZNFootball) June 26, 2025
But Al Ain rapidly regrouped and bossed a lot of the primary half, with eight photographs and over 60% of the ball. They received their well-deserved equalizer in first-half damage time, with Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba changing a penalty — after some 30 seconds of ready — following Ayoub Boucheta’s clumsy problem. Then, simply 5 minutes into the second half, they scored once more in considerably controversial vogue. Kaku’s curled, left-footed end from 15 yards out was highlight-worthy, however rewatching his purpose reveals Al Ain’s success. Matías Palacios seemed to have misplaced possession inside the world after a slipshod contact, however remarkably, he received the free ball with a heavy problem — one fortunate to not have been reviewed — earlier than getting again to his toes and discovering Romero unmarked for the elegant end.
A mistake by the Wydad defender results in the second purpose for the Al-Ain chief 🟣
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Each Sport | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #WACAINpic.twitter.com/WiCzc158Y3
— DAZN Soccer (@DAZNFootball) June 26, 2025
The second half performed out at a gentler tempo from there, with Al Ain stopping Wydad from registering a single shot heading in the right direction en path to victory.
In the long run, Group G was actually the one group to be resolved earlier than the ultimate spherical of video games, which is a merciless destiny for 2 groups that introduced loads of panache of their carry-on baggage for this Membership World Cup occasion. — James Tyler
