Panama

England star Elliot Anderson makes statement as Man City schedule transfer medical

Elliot Anderson's £116million price-tag may seem excessive, but look closely and you'll see exactly why Manchester City view him as the future of their midfield. At this World Cup, he already looks a focal part of England's and his fingerprints were all over this cagey yet crucial Jude Bellingham-inspired victory over Panama . There's a certain school of thinking that players of such enormous economic value should guarantee you 20 goals and 15 assists per season. However, orchestrators and conductors like Anderson should not solely be judged on data and metrics, though come full-time, it was very telling that he'd had more touches than any player on the pitch (92). The 23-year-old's simplicity and comfort holding down the centre of the pitch frees up England's forward players and provided man of the match Bellingham with a licence to roam from a deeper role. The Three Lions' worrying struggles breaking down both Ghana and Panama should not be used as a stick to beat Anderson with, however. It's not really his job to pick locks and create but he is still capable of providing a killer pass - just like he did for Bellingham in Dallas. His first-half back-post cross for Marcus Rashford wasn't bad, either. One of several key issues Thomas Tuchel is facing - right now there are obviously more pressing concerns regarding fluidity, particularly in the final third - is the balance of his midfield. Morgan Rogers can be a spark but including him as the No.10 requires Tuchel to drop one of Anderson, Bellingham or Rice, which feels far-fetched. Furthermore, Anderson and Rice are very similar players - outstanding ones, too - and there's an argument that while they can excel together, the pairing lacks variety. Rice, who took a blow to his calf in Boston and had a yellow card, was rightfully rested here and it speaks volumes that even with muscle tightness, Tuchel still selected Anderson ahead of Kobbie Mainoo . Quite simply, it's because he considers him to be the heartbeat of his team and his handful of recoveries to extinguish threatening Panama breaks was further evidence of that. While it was an unsightly team display that will not live long in the memory outside of those five explosive second-half minutes, Anderson was one of very few positives and the pressure of his impending big-money transfer to City does not appear to be weighing heavily upon his shoulders. Toughest tests lie ahead but whatever happens, two years after being offered to Wolves by Newcastle in a player-plus-cash deal for Max Kilman, he is indispensable for his country on the biggest stage of all. Per sources close to the England camp, his City medical could finally take place in the coming days. Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now! Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

2026-06-27

Reece James missing for England training ahead of World Cup match against Panama

Skip to content Sky Sports Homepage Rugby Union Rugby League More Sports Rugby Union Rugby League Upcoming on Sky Get Sky Sports Sky Sports App Sky Sports with no contract Kick It Out British South Asians in Football Watch Sky Sports Scores & Fixtures Premier League Aston Villa Bournemouth Brighton And Hove Albion Coventry City Crystal Palace Ipswich Town Leeds United Manchester City Manchester United Newcastle United Nottingham Forest Tottenham Hotspur Women's Super League Arsenal Women Aston Villa Women Birmingham City Women Brighton And Hove Albion Women Charlton Athletic Women Chelsea Women Crystal Palace Women Everton Women Liverpool Women London City Lionesses Manchester City Women Manchester United Women Tottenham Hotspur Women West Ham United Women Championship Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers Bolton Wanderers Bristol City Cardiff City Charlton Athletic Derby County Lincoln City Middlesbrough Norwich City Preston North End Queens Park Rangers Sheffield United Southampton Swansea City West Bromwich Albion West Ham United Wolverhampton Wanderers AFC Wimbledon Bradford City Burton Albion Cambridge United Doncaster Rovers Huddersfield Town Leicester City Leyton Orient Mansfield Town Milton Keynes Dons Notts County Oxford United Peterborough United Plymouth Argyle Sheffield Wednesday Stockport County Wigan Athletic Wycombe Wanderers Accrington Stanley Bristol Rovers Cheltenham Town Chesterfield Colchester United Crawley Town Crewe Alexandra Exeter City Fleetwood Town Grimsby Town Newport County AFC Northampton Town Oldham Athletic Rotherham United Salford City Shrewsbury Town Swindon Town Tranmere Rovers Scottish Premiership Dundee United St Johnstone Athletic Club Atletico Madrid Deportivo Alaves Deportivo La Coruna Racing Santander Rayo Vallecano Real Madrid Real Sociedad Inter Milan 1. FC Union Berlin Bayer Leverkusen Bayern Munich Borussia Dortmund Eintracht Frankfurt FC Augsburg Hamburger SV SC Freiburg SV 07 Elversberg Werder Bremen Paris Saint-Germain ADO Den Haag Fortuna Sittard Go Ahead Eagles NEC Nijmegen PSV Eindhoven Sparta Rotterdam Internationals Bosnia-Herzegovina Czech Republic Football Union of Russia Ivory Coast Korea Republic Netherlands New Zealand Northern Ireland Republic of Ireland Saudi Arabia South Africa Switzerland Competitions Domestic Leagues Premier League Carabao Cup Barclays Women's Super League Sky Bet Championship Sky Bet League One Sky Bet League Two Scottish Premiership Scottish Women's Premier League Scottish Championship Scottish League 1 Scottish League 2 Barclays Women's Super League 2 UEFA Champions League Women's Champions League UEFA Europa League UEFA Conference League Internationals Women's European Championships Women's World Cup UEFA Nations League FIFA World Cup European Championships Africa Cup of Nations Domestic Cups Vertu Trophy National League National Leagues German Bundesliga Spanish La Liga Italian Serie A French Ligue 1 Reece James missing for England training ahead of World Cup match against Panama Friday 26 June 2026 17:16, UK Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Reece James only England player missing from training ahead of World Cup match against Panama. Carra expects Saka and Rashford to be among England changes against Panama Carra: England should have made room for 'something different' Palmer 'Brilliant from the Brazilian!' | Bruno G's best goals for Newcastle Carra: Anderson will make City midfield 'formidable' alongside Rodri 'Versatility is key' - Why Man City are ready to pay record fee for Anderson Arsenal's next star? 16-year-old Monga scores brilliant solo goal against Preston! 'He's WAY off £112m' | Diomande: I'm not thinking about my future World Cup Cheat Sheet: Big guns through, Germany shocked, bad news for Scotland Coming soon to Man City? Anderson's BEST PL moments for Forest Eze distracted as Toney makes surprise arrival! Who is Marco Palestra? | Why 'Serie A's best defender' is perfect for Alonso and Chelsea Palestra flying to London to seal Chelsea move TEAMtalk.com Football365.com Sky Sports Channels Sky Sports Main Event Sky Sports Premier League Sky Sports Football Sky Sports Cricket Sky Sports Golf Sky Sports F1 Sky Sports Tennis Sky Sports Action Sky Sports News Sky Sports+ Sky Sports Racing Sky Sports Mix More Sky Sites Sky For Businesses Sky Partnerships Store Locator Advertise With Us Terms & Conditions Privacy & Cookies Notice Privacy Options Accessibility Information © 2026 Sky UK Rugby Union Rugby League More Sports Rugby Union Rugby League Upcoming on Sky Get Sky Sports Sky Sports App Sky Sports with no contract Kick It Out British South Asians in Football Watch Sky Sports

2026-06-26

England held goalless draw by Ghana in WC

England failed to take three points from its second World Cup Group L match, as the Three Lions were held to a 0-0 draw by a well-organized Ghana side at Boston Stadium on Tuesday, reported Xinhua. England captain Harry Kane wasted a good chance in the 86th minute when a rebound from Nico O'Reilly's header fell invitingly for him, but he blasted over the bar. The Three Lions, who defeated Croatia 4-2 in their Group L opener, could not find a way past a Ghana side ranked 65th by FIFA, though they outshot Ghana 18-2. "It's very frustrating," said Jude Bellingham, named Player of the Match for a driving display on his 50th appearance for the Three Lions. "It feels like we've got that 'second-game fever' again. In most tournaments I've played, it's been the same: a decent performance and good win in the first game, then a tougher second one." England has begun a World Cup campaign with back-to-back wins only three times in its 17 appearances: in 1982, 2006 and 2018. "I'm a bit frustrated with how they defended and how they set up. Credit to them - they got exactly what they played for. We couldn't break them down, even with all the corners, all the possession and the shots from distance," said the midfielder. "It's important for us not to get too negative about it. We'll watch the footage, see where we could have been better and then prepare for Panama. I've just told the lads that in there - no worries, no stress and no drama. It's not the end of the world. Four points put us in a good position," Bellingham added. In the 12th minute, a neat combination between Noni Madueke and Reece James sent England in behind the Ghana defense, but Thomas Partey made a crucial block. Two minutes later, England midfielder Declan Rice flashed a free kick over the bar, and in the 16th minute his shot from the edge of the box was deflected for a corner. Kane had his first sight of goal in first-half stoppage time from a Rice pass, but his effort was deflected for another corner. Ghana's first attempt on goal came in the 50th minute when Marvin Semaya broke in behind the England defense down the right. Djed Spence's covering intervention denied a clear shot and Semaya's subsequent ball flashed across the six-yard box. In the 57th minute, England attacked down the left, with Anthony Gordon setting up Madueke on the edge of the area, but his shot was blocked. Gordon then had an effort of his own, which was comfortably held by Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. England's last chance came in injury time, but Marc Guehi's header was cleared off the line. England coach Thomas Tuchel credited his players for their patience and persistence in searching for solutions against the opponent. "We had a double chance at the end, and perhaps we deserved to win. It's difficult to score against these teams; if you can't score, it becomes a game of patience. It's not easy when teams defend with such a low block," he said. "In the first half, we tried, we had pace, intensity, but we simply couldn't score. We did a great job defending their counterattacks; we were very good. The substitutes did a good job. The match against Panama is in four days, and we'll think about it later," Tuchel said. Ghana coach Queiroz expressed satisfaction with his side's hard-earned goalless draw. "I am so proud of the way our players fought during the game, how much they stood behind the game plan," said Queiroz, who is competing at his fifth World Cup as a head coach. "When you have to defend, you defend. I cannot play samba when they play rock and roll. That's the name of the game, but the goal was exactly to finish the first half with the England team frustrated, with no solutions." England and Ghana are now level on four points from two matches, with England leading Group L on goal difference.

2026-06-24

Ghana look to diaspora for backing as Partey case and years of flux cloud planning

That it took Ghana until 2006 to qualify for the World Cup, despite being African football’s dominant team of the 1960s, 70s and the early 80s, winning the Africa Cup of Nations four times during this period, reflects the topsy-turvy nature of their football odyssey. “The journey of the Black Stars over the last four decades has been marked by long periods of disappointment,” says Gary Al-Smith, one of the country’s most respected football journalists. “We had a surge between 2006 and 2017, when we qualified for eight straight semi-finals at Afcon but never won anything. Yes, we had a quarter-final appearance at the 2010 World Cup, but our record overall has been pockmarked with great highlights but never a trophy. There has been nothing to celebrate.” The lack of managerial stability has certainly not helped Ghana’s quest for Afcon and World Cup glory. In the past five years they have had five coaches – Charles Akonnor, Milovan Rajevac, Chris Hughton and Otto Addo (in two spells) – before Carlos Queiroz, the former Real Madrid manager, was handed the mantle a month before the start of the World Cup. The revolving door of coaches, as Al-Smith says, has done little for team-building and competitiveness. “Teams need rhythm to grow,” he says. “Where there has to be a change in coaches, the philosophies need to match, in order for there to be continuity. In Ghana’s case, the frequent chopping and changing has meant that different coaches have brought different methods, philosophies and ways of playing. It’s not helped in the way that players are selected. The changes have certainly not helped, in terms of giving us the continuity that we have desired and needed.” The decision of Canada’s immigration authorities not to allow Thomas Partey into the country for the opener against Panama in Toronto on Wednesday, has not helped, especially with Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus, Ghana’s most influential player, ruled out of the tournament because of injury. “For Canada, which is a party to many international treaties, that accepts the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court, to decide that they have some rules that will not allow you to be admitted into their country is unfair and an overreaction,” said Kofi Adams, Ghana’s sports minister. “We have strongly protested against that.” Ghana’s appeal against the decision was rejected on Tuesday night. “Ever since his [Partey’s] issue started, we knew that once we qualified for the World Cup and we had been drawn against England, there would be trouble and headlines,” Al-Smith says. “The Ghana FA knew that there would be trouble too. They have been doing all sort of work to mitigate the effects, the blowback. “What they did not foresee was the action of the Canadians. They had got some assurances from somewhere that nothing was going to happen because it is a World Cup.” Ensuring fans of the Black Stars could travel to the United States, Mexico and Canada to cheer on the team, despite the severe immigration restrictions placed on travel by the United States and Canada, was the initial priority of the government. But there was a sudden change of strategy from John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s president, after the financial realities of the plan made it unsustainable for a country battling with severe economic difficulties. “When I interviewed President Mahama last year he told me that the government will not spend money on taking Ghanaians abroad and that they will engage the private sector to do so,” says Al-Smith. “These amounts would have been used to pay for supporters to go from Ghana to the US. That was going to cost $10,000 (£7,450) per head. “But a few weeks ago, in London, he announced the plan had changed as the government didn’t think that was value for money. Instead they would locate the Ghanaian communities in the major cities of the diaspora, like Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and Toronto and, through some mechanisms, tickets will be given to them to support the team instead. With a few days to go to the games, they have not received any tickets from the embassies in Washington and Ottawa.” With tough group games against England and Croatia to come, Ghana will need their vibrant, colourful supporters more than ever.

2026-06-17

2026 World Cup: ‘We fear no foe’ – Kurt Okraku on Black Stars campaign

Ghana Football Association President, Kurt Okraku, has declared enormous confidence in the ability of the Black Stars to excel at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. The men's senior national team will be making their fifth appearance at the global showpiece later in June, hoping to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time since 2010. Ghana exited the group stages of their last two participations in the tournament. Speaking at the launch of the fundraising campaign, Kurt is optimistic the narrative will be different. “Today, we are very confident that the intangible assets that we have produced over time, the intangible assets that have been put together by coach [Otto] Addo and his team, we will make Ghana proud. “We will go into this tournament with our chest up, ready to fight for the strip and ready to change our story. We fear no foe and believe me, Ghana football will speak," Okraku added. Ghana is paired with England, Croatia, and Panama in Group L. As part of preparations, the Black Stars will face Austria on March 27 at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium, before taking on Germany in their second friendly on March 30 in Stuttgart. The team will then travel to North America for a friendly against Mexico on May 22 at a venue yet to be announced, before wrapping up against Wales on June 2.

2026-03-23