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Klopp's Dortmund Double Can Help Guide Liverpool's Second Album

Jürgen Klopp won successive Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund in 2011 and 2012. Photograph: Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images
Jürgen Klopp won successive Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund in 2011 and 2012. Photograph: Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images
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Klopp's Dortmund Double Can Help Guide Liverpool's Second Album

Jürgen Klopp won successive Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund in 2011 and 2012. Photograph: Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images
Jürgen Klopp won successive Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund in 2011 and 2012. Photograph: Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images

Liverpool have lost three games in the past two Premier League seasons, but as the most recent defeat was by four goals it has already been suggested that the new champions have been enjoying their title success a little too much.

Jürgen Klopp has heard it all before. Not on Merseyside, where he has just delivered the first title since 1990, but in his native Germany, where he followed up his unexpected Bundesliga title with Borussia Dortmund in 2011 with an even more unlikely retention a year later. “We didn’t do anything different the second season, all we did was continue to train hard and try to keep improving,” the Liverpool manager said.

“We weren’t expecting to win the league again and we didn’t start the season too well. We lost three times in our first six games and the media was coming out with all the usual rubbish, we had lost our focus, we were still celebrating.

“Then we had a bit of luck in a game against Mainz. We won with a really scruffy goal and from that point we never looked back. We ended up setting a lot of Bundesliga records that season [81 points was the highest total, a 28-match unbeaten run, the longest by a Bundesliga side in a single season], so it turned out we were still a good team after all. The critics had been wrong.”

Klopp is not necessarily anticipating the same thing happening to Liverpool next season, though he is aware the remainder of this season will attract close scrutiny after Thursday’s defeat by Manchester City.

“The circumstances were a little strange,” he said. “Straight after winning the league we had to play one of the best teams in the world. They had nothing to lose, we had nothing to win. We had no right to expect to win after giving away four goals, but we did have three chances to score that normally we would have taken.

“I try not to worry too much about things I can’t change, and I certainly can’t change the City result now, I can only try to use it for the next game.”

Klopp provided a generous appraisal of his City counterpart on Saturday on the BBC’s Robbie Savage’s Premier League Breakfast. “I respect what he’s doing. When we meet, I want to beat him. But I have absolutely no problem with admitting my 100% honest opinion that he is the best manager of our era. That’s no problem for me. I have fought so often so hard against teams of Pep Guardiola. I don’t know how many years … about four, three in Germany. I was not even close to the Pep Guardiola teams, so I had a different road to reach that battle.”

Aston Villa are the visitors to Anfield on Sunday afternoon and, though they are separated from City by almost the length of the league, Klopp not only has a vivid recollection of the scare at Villa Park in November when late goals from Andy Robertson and Sadio Mané turned a likely defeat into victory, a key result. “The guys in this team are exceptional characters, and that was one of the games that showed it,” he said.

“There is still a lot to play for this season without thinking of next and I am confident these boys will go again. I don’t have to be told whether my players are ready for the next challenge, I can see it in their eyes.”

(The Guardian)

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Sports

Ghana Draw Cools England Hype and Revives Familiar Questions

England head coach Thomas Tuchel listens to the national anthem ahead the World Cup Group L soccer match between England and Ghana in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP)
England head coach Thomas Tuchel listens to the national anthem ahead the World Cup Group L soccer match between England and Ghana in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP)
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Ghana Draw Cools England Hype and Revives Familiar Questions

England head coach Thomas Tuchel listens to the national anthem ahead the World Cup Group L soccer match between England and Ghana in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP)
England head coach Thomas Tuchel listens to the national anthem ahead the World Cup Group L soccer match between England and Ghana in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP)

Thomas Tuchel's England were riding a wave of optimism at the World Cup after their opening 4-2 demolition of Croatia, but Tuesday's 0-0 draw against Ghana served as a reminder that progress at major tournaments is not always straightforward.

The victory over Croatia had showcased England at their best, with fluid attacking football, goals and a sense that Tuchel's methods were taking hold.

Against Ghana, however, they encountered an entirely different challenge. Carlos Queiroz's side defended deep, remained organized and physical, and frustrated England for much of the ‌night as they ‌emerged with a valuable point.

England remain top of Group L ‌and ⁠are still firmly ⁠on course for the knockout stages, but the stalemate raised fresh questions about whether Tuchel's side possess the creativity and variety required to break down stubborn opponents.

Ghana appeared content to sit back and absorb pressure, surrendering possession but denying England space in dangerous areas.

"It is difficult to find a way through when someone plays a 4-5-1 and completely deep and is committed to it," Tuchel said afterwards. "They celebrated a 0-0 like a win. You cannot ⁠lose your head about it."

For all of England's dominance on the ‌ball, the Three Lions struggled to create clear ‌chances. Harry Kane, who scored twice in the opening victory over Croatia, was largely isolated and ‌tightly marked.

His frustration was summed up in stoppage time when he blazed his shot ‌over the bar from six yards after Nico O'Reilly's header had struck the crossbar.

The performance also reignited debate about England's attacking options. Anthony Gordon again struggled before being replaced by Bukayo Saka, whose introduction injected some urgency and unpredictability into England's play, forcing a save from Ghana goalkeeper ‌Benjamin Asare late on.

Marcus Rashford may also be pushing for greater involvement after England's lack of penetration against a compact defense.

Declan ⁠Rice and Elliot Anderson ⁠provided control but little creativity in midfield, allowing Ghana to remain comfortable for long stretches.

Rice insisted there was no cause for concern.

"We have one more group game to top the group, so we have to be positive," he said.

England's emphatic win over Croatia had sparked talk of momentum, belief and the possibility that Tuchel's new-look side might be finding its stride early.

Ninety minutes against Ghana quickly cooled that enthusiasm.

For the fourth major tournament in succession, England failed to win their second group game, exchanging the exhilaration of a four-goal display for a frustrating stalemate.

The surge of optimism generated by the Croatia victory has been checked, at least temporarily.

And while England remain well-placed to reach the knockout stages, the sense of optimism that followed their opening performance has been replaced by familiar questions about flare, consistency and whether they can break down organized opposition when space is at a premium.

Sports

Infantino: World Cup Hydration Breaks Purely Sporting, Not Commercial

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group K - Colombia v DR Congo - Estadio Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico - June 23, 2026 Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo gives instructions to his players during a hydration break REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group K - Colombia v DR Congo - Estadio Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico - June 23, 2026 Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo gives instructions to his players during a hydration break REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
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Infantino: World Cup Hydration Breaks Purely Sporting, Not Commercial

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group K - Colombia v DR Congo - Estadio Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico - June 23, 2026 Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo gives instructions to his players during a hydration break REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group K - Colombia v DR Congo - Estadio Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico - June 23, 2026 Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo gives instructions to his players during a hydration break REUTERS/Raquel Cunha

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the introduction of hydration breaks at the World Cup, insisting that for football's governing body they are driven purely by sporting considerations and not commercial interests.

Mandatory three-minute breaks, introduced in the 22nd and 67th minutes of every match at the tournament, have drawn criticism from players, coaches and fans since the opening round of fixtures.

The breaks, introduced to help players cope with high temperatures across North America, have opened up additional advertising windows for broadcasters, Reuters reported.

This has fueled debate over their impact on the game, with some viewers complaining about being exposed to commercials during the three-minute stoppages.

"There is no ⁠additional revenue for ⁠FIFA, as all commercial agreements were signed well in advance. So, this is not a financial issue for us. For us, it is purely a sporting matter," Infantino said in a statement on Wednesday.

The breaks allow coaching staff to give in-game tactical instructions, a shift critics say disrupts match momentum and fundamentally alters the nature ⁠of the game.

England manager Thomas Tuchel said the additional break "interrupts and changes the identity of the football match,” while Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa said dividing matches into shorter segments takes away the fundamental characteristic of the game.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk have supported the intent behind the rule in extreme heat, but questioned the need for it in cooler conditions and at covered venues.

"The main reason is the heat, but we also have to understand that in a competition like the (FIFA) ⁠World Cup, played ⁠over 39 days, with teams potentially playing eight matches in those 39 days, having a moment to rest is extremely important,” Infantino said.

"What matters even more to us is ensuring that all teams, in every match, are playing under the same conditions.

"It's very difficult to accept that a coach might have the opportunity to influence a match by making adjustments simply because it's hotter, while in another match, where the temperature is slightly lower, the same coach doesn’t have the same opportunity."

Infantino added that the breaks had not reduced the intensity of matches, suggesting players were able to maintain a high level of performance throughout games.

Sports

Neymar Available for Scotland Clash but Not Certain to Play, Brazil Coach Says

Brazil's forward #10 Neymar takes part in a training session at the Columbia Park Training Facility in Morristown, New Jersey on June 22, 2026, during the 2026 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)
Brazil's forward #10 Neymar takes part in a training session at the Columbia Park Training Facility in Morristown, New Jersey on June 22, 2026, during the 2026 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)
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Neymar Available for Scotland Clash but Not Certain to Play, Brazil Coach Says

Brazil's forward #10 Neymar takes part in a training session at the Columbia Park Training Facility in Morristown, New Jersey on June 22, 2026, during the 2026 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)
Brazil's forward #10 Neymar takes part in a training session at the Columbia Park Training Facility in Morristown, New Jersey on June 22, 2026, during the 2026 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)

Neymar is available for Brazil's third World Cup group match against Scotland but coach Carlo Ancelotti declined to say if he would play a role in the Miami Stadium clash.

The 34-year-old forward was recalled by the Italian for the World Cup after almost three years away from the national team but has yet to play at the tournament because of a calf injury.

"Neymar is available," Ancelotti told reporters on Tuesday. "He worked this week and can be available for the match. We are very happy that he is back because, obviously, with his quality, he can help the team.

"I've really got to know him well. He ‌has worked very ‌seriously, trying to recover as quickly as possible.

"I'm very happy ‌with ⁠him. Even if ⁠he doesn't play, he brings experience, he brings knowledge of the game, he helps the younger players. He is doing very well."

Asked how much of the match Neymar could play, Ancelotti joked: "He can play 90 minutes -- walking. No, he's fine, he worked very well, he trained very well."

Brazil, who drew 1-1 with Morocco and beat Haiti 3-0 in their first two Group C matches, will reach the Round of 32 with a victory over the Scots and Ancelotti ⁠said he felt a decent performance was brewing.

"Obviously we have a ‌very big commitment, representing this shirt in the ‌World Cup," he said.

"I think the first match wasn't the best, the second match was better, and ‌we are confident that the third match will be the best."

RAPHINHA REPLACEMENT NEEDED

Ancelotti also ‌needs to find a replacement for Raphinha, who has been sidelined by a hamstring problem, but again declined to share who would take the winger's place in the starting lineup.

Scotland, with a win and a loss, are more than likely competing to be one of the eight teams who ‌will go through to the next round from third place in their groups, but Ancelotti was expecting a tough game.

"Scotland has quality," ⁠the 67-year-old added. "They ⁠are fighters, they are very well-organized.

"(Scott) McTominay and (John) McGinn are experienced players who are used to this kind of game.

"So it will be a difficult game, as usual. I think easy games in the World Cup finished a long time ago. So we are ready to play a difficult match."

Brazil's flight to Miami from their New Jersey base was delayed on Tuesday, pushing back Ancelotti's press conference, but the Italian said he was not going to let it spoil his enjoyment of his first World Cup as a coach.

"Before today everything was perfect. Today we had a small problem, but that can happen," he said.

"I think we have the quality and the confidence for this to be a good World Cup for us. In football, anything can happen but in any case, it will be a very beautiful experience -- even if I had to do a press conference at nine o'clock at night."