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Ancelotti: Bellingham is Great, but I'll Stick with Madrid Youngsters

Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti waits for the start of a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and Real Madrid at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia)
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti waits for the start of a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and Real Madrid at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia)
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Ancelotti: Bellingham is Great, but I'll Stick with Madrid Youngsters

Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti waits for the start of a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and Real Madrid at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia)
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti waits for the start of a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and Real Madrid at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia)

Carlo Ancelotti hailed English midfielder Jude Bellingham, who has been linked with a move to his Real Madrid team, but said Friday he has plenty of young talent at his fingertips already.

Los Blancos have three of the most exciting midfield prospects in world football in Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Fede Valverde, AFP said.

Borussia Dortmund's Bellingham played well for England during the World Cup in Qatar until Gareth Southgate's side were knocked out by Tchouameni and Camavinga's France in the quarter-finals.

"Bellingham showed at the World Cup that he is a great midfielder," Ancelotti told reporters on Friday ahead of his team's La Liga clash with Villarreal.

"A lot of youngsters stood out, like Enzo (Fernandez) with Argentina, and the Spaniards Pedri and Gavi had a very nice tournament.

"There are a lot of young midfielders emerging but I'll stick with mine. We have very good ones, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Valverde. We have a lot of youngsters."

French duo Tchouameni and Camavinga finished as runners-up, defeated in the final by Argentina.

Bellingham's deal with Dortmund expires in 2025 and the 19-year-old has been linked with various teams, including Spanish champions Madrid, who sold Casemiro to Manchester United last summer.

Long-serving Madrid midfielders Toni Kroos and 37-year-old Luka Modric have contracts that expire in the summer of 2023.

Los Blancos signed Camavinga, 20, from Rennes in 2021 and then last year brought in Tchouameni, 22, from Monaco.

Valverde, 24, joined Madrid's youth ranks from Penarol in 2016, but has often been deployed on the right flank instead of in central midfield.

They are all establishing themselves at Madrid, who are level on points with league leaders Barcelona ahead of their first match of 2023, a tricky test at Quique Setien's Villarreal on Saturday.

"They have changed a bit, they have a very clear identity, different from (Unai) Emery's Villarreal," added Ancelotti.

"Setien likes attacking football, their players are well positioned on the pitch. To win there, you have to be at your best."

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Sports

Three People Die in Mexico World Cup Celebrations as Fans Crowd Streets

A football fan wearing a sombrero attends a watch party for the World Cup match between Mexico and Czechia on Reforma Ave., near the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP)
A football fan wearing a sombrero attends a watch party for the World Cup match between Mexico and Czechia on Reforma Ave., near the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP)
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Three People Die in Mexico World Cup Celebrations as Fans Crowd Streets

A football fan wearing a sombrero attends a watch party for the World Cup match between Mexico and Czechia on Reforma Ave., near the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP)
A football fan wearing a sombrero attends a watch party for the World Cup match between Mexico and Czechia on Reforma Ave., near the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP)

Three people died from suffocation as thousands of fans crowded Mexico City streets during World Cup celebrations, the capital's health secretariat said in the early hours of Wednesday.

The deaths occurred near the Angel of Independence landmark, where thousands of football fans had gathered to celebrate Mexico's 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the round of 32.

Emergency teams tended to three unconscious people at ‌different locations around ‌Paseo de la Reforma, authorities ‌said. ⁠The capital's most emblematic ⁠boulevard and the streets around it had been closed to traffic and set up for the soccer celebrations.

"After receiving advanced resuscitation efforts, the deaths of a 44-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman from suffocation have been confirmed," the health authority initially said ⁠on social media.

The third fatality was a ‌48-year-old woman who was ‌treated on a nearby street after suffering asphyxiation and died ‌after being taken to hospital, the secretariat added ‌in a later post.

Mayor Clara Brugada expressed her condolences to the families of the victims on X and urged everyone to "always celebrate with responsibility, care, and empathy".

Mexicans took ‌to the streets to celebrate after the national team ended a 40-year wait for ⁠a ⁠World Cup knockout victory at the Azteca Stadium in the capital, with the win against Ecuador sending the co-hosts into the last 16.

The fans' euphoria, amid cheering and chants, contrasted with images shared on social media of emergency responders and paramedics tending to distressed people lying on the ground in nearby streets.

With more than 20 million residents, Mexico City's metropolitan area is one of the most populous on the planet and is accustomed to large celebrations and huge crowds of people.

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Messi Will Score More but I Want the Trophy, Mbappe Says

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between France and Sweden at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 30, 2026. (AFP)
France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between France and Sweden at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 30, 2026. (AFP)
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Messi Will Score More but I Want the Trophy, Mbappe Says

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between France and Sweden at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 30, 2026. (AFP)
France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between France and Sweden at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 30, 2026. (AFP)

Kylian Mbappe has been on Lionel Messi's heels as both players break new ground in World Cup scoring, but the Frenchman is more obsessed by lifting the trophy in New York on July 19 than becoming marksman supreme.

The 27-year-old netted a double as Les Bleus crushed Sweden 3-0 in the round of 32 on Tuesday to move one shy ‌of Messi's ‌record 19 goals at World Cups and join ‌him ⁠on top of ⁠the scoring charts in this edition with six.

"I think the goal, as I said, is to go as far as possible - to make it to (the final on) July 19th and come back here," Mbappe, who scored his 18 goals in 18 games, told reporters.

"We’re trying to win; we’re taking it one step at a time. ⁠Of course, the more goals you score, the ‌higher you climb in the rankings - ‌I’m not telling anyone anything new there.

"But I’m also convinced that Leo ‌is going to score more goals, so I don’t focus ‌too much on that. I’m more focused on the opponents we might face and how close we’re getting to our goal: the final."

Messi's Argentina face minnows Cape Verde in the last 32 on Friday. France next ‌take on Paraguay for a place in the quarter-finals, where they would face either co-hosts Canada ⁠or Morocco.

Paraguay took ⁠an ultra-defensive approach against Germany to knock the four-times world champions out on penalties in the last 32 on Monday and there is little chance that they will go out swashbuckling against France in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Les Bleus will not take anything for granted and will do their homework, Mbappe warned.

"I think we’ll keep working between now and the Paraguay match to see what we can improve, because there are still some sequences that aren't quite clear enough, there’s room for improvement," he said.

"Still, I think it’s positive overall, and our ability to score goals means we always have the chance to take the lead in matches."

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Belgium Looks to Avoid Fate of Fellow European Teams in Knockout Round Match Against Senegal

Rudi Garcia, head coach of Belgium, attends a press conference after the training session one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on June 30, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Getty Images/AFP)
Rudi Garcia, head coach of Belgium, attends a press conference after the training session one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on June 30, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Belgium Looks to Avoid Fate of Fellow European Teams in Knockout Round Match Against Senegal

Rudi Garcia, head coach of Belgium, attends a press conference after the training session one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on June 30, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Getty Images/AFP)
Rudi Garcia, head coach of Belgium, attends a press conference after the training session one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 match between Belgium and Senegal at Seattle Stadium on June 30, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Getty Images/AFP)

By advancing to the knockout round atop Group G, Belgium has already improved upon its woeful performance at the World Cup four years ago.

After a historic third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Belgium did not advance past the group stage in 2022 in Qatar. With its 5-1 victory over New Zealand on Friday night, Belgium won its group and achieved what coach Rudi Garcia wanted from his club.

Ahead of Wednesday’s knockout round match against Senegal, Garcia expressed satisfaction with his group’s accomplishments, as well as a desire for more. Belgium won one game and played to two draws in group play.

“We wanted to finish first in the group stage and we succeeded,” Garcia said in French. “Of course we wanted to win more — we know the story of our World Cup so far. Now it is time for the knockout phase. Senegal is a big team. But, you have to beat them, too, if you want to go far in a World Cup.”

For Belgium’s participation in the tournament to be considered a success, it must first get by a Senegal team that finished third in Group I with three points and a plus-2 goal differential. The African team navigated one of the toughest groups in the tournament, one that featured favorite France and the Erling Haaland-led Norway.

“We know it will be a tough match,” Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku said Monday in French. “Senegal has a lot of top-level players, and the coach is, too. I think it’s 50-50. We really shouldn’t underestimate them.”

Given what transpired in the round of 32 shortly after Lukaku’s comments, Belgium would be wise to heed his warning. Germany lost to unheralded Paraguay on penalties while Morocco sent the Netherlands to its earliest World Cup exit on Monday night.

Belgium is aware that even as the odds-on pick to beat Senegal, it must be careful on Wednesday. Otherwise, it could fall victim to the same fate as its European counterparts.

“It doesn’t matter who the favorite is,” said Belgium forward Charles De Ketelaere. “We have confidence and need to be sharp. Yesterday showed that it doesn’t matter if you are the favorite.”

Senegal, meanwhile, hopes it has the offensive firepower to score against stingy Belgium, which has allowed two goals in three games with star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in net. Led by Sadio Mane, Senegal is coming off a 5-0 rout of Iraq.

But Senegal will also be short-handed on the defensive side. Goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, who was injured in a 3-2 loss to Norway in group play, will not be available Wednesday, according to coach Pape Thiaw. Reserve Mory Diaw, who started in Mendy’s place against Iraq, is likely to do so again.

“Mory had a great performance,” Thiaw said in French. “He kept a clean sheet and I think (as) the goalkeeper tomorrow, we hope that we’ll also come up with a clean sheet.”

Even if Senegal has to turn to Diaw, Thiaw is confident his side can pull off an upset, much like both Paraguay and Morocco did Monday.

“It’s not because you finished top of your group that you’re not going to be knocked out in the next round,” Thiaw said. “That’s exactly what happened with the Netherlands. It’s another tournament starting. We are looking for the win tomorrow so that we can continue our journey.”

Center back Zeno Debast, who has not appeared in a World Cup match this summer due to injury, will be available for Wednesday’s match, but is not expected to start, according to Garcia.

Debast participated in his first training session Monday after he had an MRI on Saturday for a left leg injury. He practiced again Tuesday with tape on his left knee.

“Zeno Debast is with the group, but tomorrow is still too soon,” Garcia said. “He is making progress, though. He still needs time to get fully fit, as was anticipated. I am very satisfied with the defenders we have already called upon.”