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EU praises ‘extremely constructive’ early talks with incoming Hungarian government
The European Commission has offered a brief update after this weekend’s early talks with the incoming Magyar government in Hungary.
The commission’s deputy chief spokesperson, Olof Gill, told reporters that the meetings were “extremely constructive and positive in tone.”
He said it was “a very useful starting point for the necessary work that needs to happen, particularly in order to unblock funds for the benefit of the Hungarian people.”
Asked for the new Hungarian government’s position on Ukraine, Gill declined to offer more details, but in a telling hint he said:
“The point here is that we are engaging with the incoming Hungarian government to move forward on a range of issues that for too long have been blocked.”
Separately, Gill was also asked about the reported progress on restoring oil deliveries on the Druzhba pipeline (9:56), saying the commission “tried to fulfil a coordinating role here, a mediating role to try and move this issue forward.”
Key events
We should hear more about “extremely constructive” talks between the incoming Hungarian administration and the European Commission (12:16) when the PM-elect Péter Magyar is expected to speak to the media later today after his first meeting with new Tisza parliamentarians this afternoon.
We will keep a close eye on the lines coming out from his presser.
Nato’s Rutte congratulates Bulgarian election winner
Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte also adds his congratulations for Radev.
In a brief post on X, he said:
“Spoke with Rumen Radev following his election victory in Bulgaria I look forward to continued cooperation on shared security challenges.”
EU’s von der Leyen congratulates Radev for win in Bulgaria
The European Commission’s (unsustainable) position on why they are not offering a line on Bulgaria (12:51) appears to have been abandoned.
With 98.78% of votes counted (so still not 100%!) its president, Ursula von der Leyen, has just congratulated Rumen Radev on his win last night.
“Congratulations to Rumen Radev on his victory in the parliamentary elections.
Bulgaria is a proud member of the European family and plays an important role in tackling our common challenges.
I look forward to working together, for the prosperity and security of Bulgaria and Europe.”
Bulgaria’s Radev unlikely to take Orbán role as EU’s disrupter-in-chief, but questions about his Russia views remain
Jon Henley
Europe correspondent
and Eden Maclachlan in Sofia
Bulgaria’s Moscow-friendly former president has won an absolute majority in parliamentary elections that could bring the country political stability after years of short-lived coalitions, but leave it walking a tightrope on EU issues.
With more than 97% of ballots counted, the Progressive Bulgaria party of Rumen Radev, a former fighter pilot and air force chief, had scored 44.7% of the vote, giving it an estimated 131 of the 240 seats in the national assembly.
The election was Bulgaria’s eighth since 2021, when huge anti-corruption rallies brought down the government of long-serving pro-European premier Boyko Borissov, and Radev’s majority is the first for a single political formation since 1997.
Radev, 62, who stepped down from the largely ceremonial role of president in January to campaign on an anti-graft ticket, has criticised a recent defence agreement signed between Bulgaria and Ukraine and opposed Sofia sending arms to Kyiv.
He has, however, pledged not use Bulgaria’s veto to block future EU decisions, and analysts note that he has consistently denied being aligned with the Kremlin, backed EU membership, and appeared deliberately vague on foreign policy.
In a message perhaps designed to calm concerns about possible pro-Russia drift, one of Radev’s closest associates, Slavi Vassilev, said last week Bulgarians “do not want closer ties to Russia, but rather … continued active participation in Nato and the EU”.
EU diplomats have said they do not expect Radev to seek to take over from Hungary’s pro-Moscow, anti-Brussels prime minister Viktor Orbán, whose 16 years in power were dramatically ended last weekend, as the bloc’s disrupter-in-chief.
However, Dimitar Keranov, a Bulgarian fellow of the German Marshall Fund’s European resilience programme in Berlin, warned that “the corrupt system remains” and while “the mere prospect of stability is significant … stability is not reform”.
“A Kremlin-friendly leader governing a Nato and EU member state on the Black Sea, days after Hungary voted Orbán out, is bad news for the EU and for Ukraine,” he added.
In the absence of any comment from the European Commission, we have our Europe correspondent Jon Henley and Eden Maclachlan in Sofia with more on Radev’s victory…
Over to Jon and Eden.
After its refusal to comment on Bulgarian election (12:25), the commission now gets (rightly, I would say) called out for the fact that it had not exercised similar caution last week as the EU rushed to celebrate Péter Magyar’s win over Viktor Orbán.
Deputy chief spokesperson Gill insists that it’s all down to the votes still being counted – although the situation was literally the same last week and yet the commission was very happy to comment on the results.
Also, given the massive lead with 90%+ votes counted, it’s not like anything is going to change…
Pushed on whether this reaction suggests a lack of enthusiasm on the EU’s side, he replies that:
“The commission always works with all governments in the European Union to promote the interests of their citizens and European interests, and that’s all I can say at the moment, given that votes are still being counted in Bulgaria.”
The commission also got asked about the Italian proposals for a “wild west-style bounties” that could be paid to Italian lawyers if they successfully convince their immigrant clients to return home.
Our Rome correspondent Angela Giuffrida reported on the controversial proposal over the weekend:
But the commission declined to comment at this stage, saying they don’t comment on “ongoing legislative discussions.”
But after a follow-up, a commission spokesperson pointed out that “individuals subject to return procedures have a right to an effective remedy, as guaranteed by article 47 of the EU charter,” which appeared to hint at some potential legal issues if the law gets passed.
No jet fuel shortage in EU, commission says, as it hints at ‘flexibilities’ that could help
The European Commission has also insisted that there is no jet fuel shortage in the EU, despite the continuing impact of the Middle East disruption.
Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova said that as “part of the preparedness, we talk to the citizens and inform them … as we know the situation is not ideal” with the crisis in the Middle East.
“Our role is mainly to coordinate and to prepare for different scenarios. We have the oil coordination group that has met last week, and the group will also meet at the end of this week.
The availability of the jet fuels, obviously, is a priority, and it’s important to say that here in the European Union, we have also a significant capacity to refine the crude oil and to produce the jet fuel, so we are preparing for possible actions, but everything depends on the development of the situation.
At this stage, there are no fuel shortages in the EU.”
Asked directly if Europeans should book their summer holidays without worrying about potential disruptions, she said:
“I cannot give you such an advice from the podium. It’s totally up to you where do you want to go during the summer.”
She added there are some flexibilities that the EU could explore to help with the situation, and confirmed that the bloc’s upcoming energy package – set to be presented on Wednesday – “will address different elements that are connected to the current crisis.”
But the European Council president, António Costa, isn’t that cautious as he just posted his congratulations for Radev for his electoral win in Bulgaria.
In a social media post, he said:
“Congratulations to Rumen Radev on your outright victory in yesterday’s legislative elections in Bulgaria. It is a pleasure to welcome you back to the European Council.
As conveyed in our phone call this morning, I look forward to working together with you in the #EUCO on our shared agenda for a prosperous, autonomous and secure Europe.
I wish you all the best in your new function.”
As far as I can tell, Costa is the first EU leader to publicly congratulate Radev on his win.
Asked about Bulgaria and the new government’s potentially tricky position on Russia, the commission’s spokesperson declined to comment for now.
“My understanding is that votes are still being counted, therefore it would not be appropriate for me to offer any comment at this point,” Gill said.
EU praises ‘extremely constructive’ early talks with incoming Hungarian government
The European Commission has offered a brief update after this weekend’s early talks with the incoming Magyar government in Hungary.
The commission’s deputy chief spokesperson, Olof Gill, told reporters that the meetings were “extremely constructive and positive in tone.”
He said it was “a very useful starting point for the necessary work that needs to happen, particularly in order to unblock funds for the benefit of the Hungarian people.”
Asked for the new Hungarian government’s position on Ukraine, Gill declined to offer more details, but in a telling hint he said:
“The point here is that we are engaging with the incoming Hungarian government to move forward on a range of issues that for too long have been blocked.”
Separately, Gill was also asked about the reported progress on restoring oil deliveries on the Druzhba pipeline (9:56), saying the commission “tried to fulfil a coordinating role here, a mediating role to try and move this issue forward.”
Kremlin ‘impressed’ by Bulgarian election winner Radev’s call for pragmatic dialogue with Moscow
In one of the first reactions to the Bulgarian vote last night, the Kremlin has just said it was impressed by Radev’s words about pragmatic dialogue with Moscow, Reuters reported.
In full quotes reported by AFP, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said:
“Of course, the words of Mr Radev … as well as some other European leaders about their readiness to resolve problems through dialogue, appeal to us.”
During the campaign, Radev spoke about the need to engage more closely with Russia, prompting concerns about his future government’s approach to Moscow, including on energy imports.
Government crises loom in Romania and Slovenia
Meanwhile, it looks like we are likely to see government crises in Romania and Slovenia in the coming days and weeks…
Reuters reported that Romania’s Social Democrats are widely expected to withdraw their support for liberal prime minister Ilie Bolojan, likely ushering in months of political instability that will pressure debt, credit ratings and the receipt of EU funds.
Bolojan’s coalition government of four pro-European parties came together 10 months ago after a polarising presidential election in an attempt to keep the surging far right from power but they have constantly clashed over reform measures.
Reuters noted that as Bolojan has said he will not resign, the leftists would then pull their six ministers from the cabinet later this week, leaving the coalition without a parliamentary majority.
An early election would most likely see the far-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians decisively win the vote.
Meanwhile over in Slovenia, the country’s outgoing prime minister Robert Golob, whose party secured a razor-thin majority in last month’s parliamentary elections, said that he had failed to form a government and will work in the opposition.
He said he had not found a partner among the parties of the centre-right to join a potential governing coalition.
Golob’s failure to form a new government opens the door for runner-up Janez Janša, a close Trump ally, to return in his role as the country’s PM, AFP noted.
Radev’s win raises tricky questions for younger voters amid concerns about his EU policy
But as Eden Maclachlan reported in his correspondence from Sofia for us over the weekend, younger voters are not particularly convinced by Radev’s platform – which concerns he could prove to be another tricky partner in the bloc, like Viktor Orbán.
Here is what Eden wrote before the Sunday vote:
Compared by some to Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s recently defeated rightwing populist, Radev [was] leading in the polls, buoyed up by the support of older, rural voters who hope he can smash what he calls an “oligarchy” of corrupt veteran politicians.
For voters like Aleksandar Tanev, 22, Radev is not a credible option. The law student believes Radev, who resigned as president in order to run in this election, “is part of this same model” of politicians and “had the opportunity to use the caretaker governments to fight this mafia” as president but did not.
Dimitar Keranov, a Bulgarian fellow at the German Marshall Fund’s European resilience programme in Berlin, said voters were split along broadly generational lines.
“I don’t think [Radev] would be a straightforward vote for young Bulgarians, because I think he represents the same status quo young Bulgarians would like to see dismantled,” he said. “He’s representing the same old guard or the usual political elite.”
A victory for Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria (PB), a left-leaning but Moscow-friendly coalition, could prove another headache for Brussels and its allies just as the EU breathes a sigh of relief over Orbán’s demise.
On Wednesday, amid concern over the rising cost of living, Radev took aim at the previous government for its introduction of the euro “without asking” voters. “And now, when you pay your bills, always remember which politicians promised you that you would be in the ‘club of the rich’,” he said.
‘Europe has fallen victim to its own ambition to be moral leader,’ Bulgarian election winner Radev says
The latest results, after more than 91% of votes were counted, confirm that Radev will have an absolute majority in the new parliament as he appears to be on course for some 130 seats in the 240-seat parliament.
AFP notes that the landslide victory marks the first outright parliamentary majority for a single formation in Bulgaria since 1997 when a centre-right, pro-European grouping won.
But in a sign of tensions to come, Radev said that “a strong Bulgaria and a strong Europe need critical thinking and pragmatism.”
“Europe has fallen victim to its own ambition to be a moral leader in a world with new rules,” he told reporters.
Guess we will have to wait and see what that means in practice.
Morning opening: Eighth time is the charm
Jakub Krupa
Bulgarian ex-president Rumen Radev – an EU critic who has called for renewing ties with Russia – on Sunday hailed a “victory of hope” after his formation topped the eighth parliamentary elections in five years.
Projections from polling agencies put his Progressive Bulgaria (PB) grouping at 44%, which would give him an absolute majority of at least 129 seats in the 240-seat parliament.
This morning’s partial results – after over 80% votes counted – suggest the polls were broadly correct, raising hopes for a stable government in Bulgaria.
But there was little of the international enthusiasm that we saw a week ago in Hungary, with no European leaders taking to social media to congratulate the winner just yet.
Radev, Bulgaria’s president between 2017 and 2026, is a Eurosceptic, who regularly opposed further military support for Ukraine amid continuing Russian aggression, prompting some concerns that he could replace Hungary’s Viktor Orbán as tricky partner in the European Council.
But his focus is likely to be on domestic reforms and fight against corruption, as his foreign policy remains to be properly defined. On Sunday he declared that Bulgaria “would make efforts to continue on its European path” after joining the eurozone earlier this year.
I will bring you more on this during the day.
Separately, France’s Emmanuel Macron is expected in Poland where he will meet with the prime minister, Donald Tusk, and the Nobel prize winning former leader of the Solidarity movement, Lech Wałęsa.
Meanwhile, Brazil’s Lula is in Germany, meeting with the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for talks on trade, among other things.
Hungary’s Orbán also suggested Ukraine could restore oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline as early as today.
The issue has been at the centre of tricky Hungarian-Ukrainian relations in recent months, and if confirmed, he suggested that he would be ready to drop the Hungarian block on the EU’s €90bn loan for Ukraine – even before Péter Magyar gets in in early May.
I will keep an eye on all of that and bring you the latest here.
It’s Monday, 20 April 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
But the former health secretary told BBC Newsnight he would prefer for the prime minister “to take a decision on his own terms”.
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Key events
32 mins: Algeria get on the ball in Argentina’s half for the first time in ages. They work the ball from side to side then look to attack down the right but Almada tracks back effectively.
30 mins: Messi misplaces a pass, then commits a foul trying to win the ball back. He is by no means the passenger we might have expected out of possession.
28 mins: Only when the ball is back with E Martinez do Argentina spread the field. Otherwise it is like a small-sided training exercise. The composure in tight areas and confidence in the collective technical ability is something to behold. The ball is in perpetual motion, then in the final third the single touches become more extravagant and daring, but always effective. Algeria can’t get near it.
26 mins: Messi is now the joint-third highest goalscorer in World Cup history. And he joins Cristiano Ronaldo as the only men to find the back of the net in five different World Cups.
24 mins: Time for a hydration break. That first quarter went according to plan for Argentina – but only just, with a VAR offside check saving them from conceding the opening goal.
22 mins: Messi works space from one of those rapier-like moves but his cross is overhit and Algeria clear. Argentina are hungry in midfield though and soon with the ball back. The North Africans are now defending in a deep low block, scared of pressing for fear the defending champions will just play through them.
21 mins: Argentina return to their game plan of working the ball around slowly and safely across their defence and midfield before darting forward like a fencer with razor sharp incisions.
20 mins: That goal was exactly how Lionel Scaloni had drawn up on the training ground. Technical excellence from back to front and individual brilliance of historic proportions.
18 mins: Sometimes all the hype is actually worth it.
Argentina are looking almost exclusively for vertical passes through the lines with even Messi dropping deep to accept possession. The little genius does just that to start a move with a one-two then ghosts unchecked into space between the lines. A couple of passes later the ball is at his feet with room to turn, which he does, then takes a couple of steps to advance towards the penalty area before unleashing an unstoppable left-footed effort that arcs away from Zidane and into the top right corner. Brilliant.
GOAL! Argentina 1-0 Algeria (Messi, 17)
You know the script.
15 mins: Argentina’s structure during build up play is very compact. They’re looking to ping rondo-style passes in tight areas to unlock Algeria on the half-turn with very little space between the back four and the front three.
13 mins: Argentinian songs rain down from the precipitous stands of Arrowhead Stadium as the team they are cheering on pad their possession stats. Eventually they work the ball through the lines on the left where Almada has an opportunity to do something decisive but he overhits his throughball to Messi when he may have been better off shooting.
11 mins: Algeria with a free-kick on the left. They go short – and like London buses, Messi makes a second tackle of the game to dispossess Hadj Moussa. Even though their goal was ruled out, Algeria have gained confidence from the move and started to spray the ball around nicely in midfield.
VAR! No Goal!
Brilliant from Maza in midfield, recycling possession, keeping the ball moving, teasing between the lines. He spots Chaibi darting between fullback and centre-half, feeds him perfectly, and the finish is glorious, deceiving Martinez at his near post.
But with the crowd adjusting to the shock excitement is quelled by a VAR intervention and the goal is ruled out for a marginal offside against the goalscorer.
GOAL! With their first attack Algeria opening the scoring!
7 mins: This is a rare low tempo contest. Argentina are dominating possession but not looking to force anything.
5 mins: The ball goes out of play on the right as a pass slightly in front of Messi beats the veteran’s quickstep. He has definitely lost a yard or six of pace. You wouldn’t know it during the next phase of play though as he jumps in behind and clips a delightful finish over the onrushing Zidane. However, his delight is cut short as he notices the assistant’s flag raised for offside. It was marginal, but he took off a fraction too early.
3 mins: In possession, Argentina are happy to bide their time and draw Algeria out to them. They do just that, Romero attempts the long ball, Almada picks up the scraps and crosses to La Martinez who heads straight at Zidane. He was offside anyway so it wouldn’t have counted.
2 mins: Argentina are defending in a 4-3-3 shape out of possession with Messi on the right of the front three. And you’ll never believe this – he did some defending – winning the ball back in his own half and feeding back to his keeper.
1 min: An early question to ponder as the action gets under way at walking pace: are Argentina the most heavily tattooed team at the World Cup?
Kick-off!
Lionel Messi’s World Cup campaign is under way…
Argentina’s anthem was sung with smiles and pride, the defending champions looking relaxed and confident. Algeria’s players belted out their own hymn with a steely determination on their faces.
The Fennecs’ kit improves on closer inspection, with some nice touches giving it a retro feel, imbuing the spirit of 1982, the Disgrace of Gijon, and all that.
Out walk the two sides into a stadium populated from near top to bottom in fans wearing Albiceleste colours.
Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane is wearing a protective face mask as he recovers from a severe jaw and chin fracture that he suffered playing for Granada in April.
Argentina will be in their glorious sky blue and white stripes today, complemented by black shorts and trim. Algeria are wearing their change strip of green with white shorts.
A selection of Messi stats for you to digest at as the veteran begins his valedictory World Cup.
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26 – record number of World Cup matches played
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6 – record World Cups appeared in (shared with Cristiano Ronaldo)
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13 – World Cup goals (joint fifth all-time)
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38 – age at kick-off (12th oldest at the 2026 World Cup)
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2 – record number of World Cup golden balls
Today’s officials are from Poland, led by referee Szymon Marciniak, who took charge of the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France, and the 2023 Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan.
He is a celebrity in Poland, appearing as a contestant on the Polish version of Hell’s Kitchen, and featuring in the documentary series Sędziowie, a behind the scenes look at the life of a referee.
Conditions are glorious in Kansas City. It is around 26C and dropping as golden hour drifts towards sundown.
The venue today is Arrowhead Stadium. This classically American open bowl can hold 76,000 spectators and is known commercially as GEHA Field. During the World Cup it is neutralised to Kansas City Stadium.
The primary tenants are NFL franchise the Kansas City Chiefs, winners of four Super Bowls, including three since 2019.
The venue has twice earned the Guinness World Record for the loudest stadium, first in 2013, then in 2014, during matches featuring the Chiefs.
Lionel Messi has already stamped his authority on the turf.
Daniel Sperry brings us one of those necessary World Cup stories that reminds us the hostile politics of the leaders of a nation does not reflect the hospitality of most its residents.
Jonathan Wilson has spoken to Luciana Alvarengue, the former maths teacher of both Enzo Fernández and Julián Álvarez, who provides a neat character study of the two World Cup winners.
“You either love maths or you hate it,” Alvarengue says. “There are no grey areas. Julián was very good at maths. He had a very good way of working in the classroom in general. Enzo was a little more difficult to deal with. There are days when you would say he was more focused on a game, on whether he was going to be selected or not.
“When he came into the classroom, Enzo liked to make sounds, banging his pencil case on the table. I remember entering the classroom, and on the left side was Enzo’s place, and he was with his back against the wall, his feet on the other bench, and there were days when he was like: ‘Today I’m going to stay like this.’ Julián was calmer, much more respectful.
22 players will walk out into the Kansas City evening with an equal chance of influencing this contest but the eyes of the world will be trained squarely on the oldest and shortest of them.
Your eyes are not deceiving you, that is a Zidane in goal for the Fennecs, Luca Zidane, son of the French World Cup legend.
Algeria XI
Vladimir Petkovic has opted for a 5-2-3 formation in a bid to stiffen his side’s defence. Star man Riyad Mahrez starts on the bench.
23 Zidane; 17 Belghali, 2 Mandi, 21 Bensebaini, 5 Belaid 15 Ait-Nouri; 19 Bentaleb, 14 Boudaoui; 22 Maza, 11 Hadj Moussa, 9 Gouiri.
Argentina XI
Lionel Scaloni has left in-demand Julian Alvarez on the bench for Argentina’s opening match. Cristian Romero is fit to start after fleeing Tottenham’s relegation battle.
23 E Martinez; 4 Montiel, 13 Romero, 6 Li Martinez, 25 Medina; 7 De Paul, 24 Fernandez, 20 Mac Allister; 10 Messi, 16 Almada, 22 La Martinez.
What about Algeria? Even Maher Mezahi isn’t sure what to expect.
Algeria are one of this World Cup’s great unknowns. On paper, this team has an impressive recent record: a friendly victory over the Netherlands made it 21 wins, four draws and three defeats from 28 matches under Vladimir Petkovic, with 67 goals scored. The problem is that it has been achieved against generally poor-quality opposition. Algeria’s qualifying campaign was a breeze, with Guinea and Mozambique – both considered Pot C sides on the continent – being their sternest tests.
We can be pretty sure Petkovic will lean on his players’ technical quality, play attractive football, but leave gaps in behind the defence. What we don’t know is which players will be called upon for half the starting positions.
Ok, turning our attention now to Argentina v Algeria, let’s get a view on the defending champions from the experts at Olé.
The holders arrive at the World Cup with a squad that knows each other almost by heart but perhaps not with its players in peak physical condition – several had injury set-backs at the end of a very demanding season with their clubs. If everyone is fit, the coach will field many of the same players who were crowned champions in Qatar, with the exception of Ángel Di María, who no longer plays for the national team.
Lionel Scaloni’s plan is to keep the 4-3-3 formation, with a solid defence featuring two centre-backs and two attacking full-backs, plus dynamic midfielders with excellent passing. Lionel Messi leads the charge once more, supported by the formidable Julián Alvarez and Thiago Almada, who could be the breakout star. Almost two thirds of the 2022 squad remains, but it now also includes some promising young players such as Nico Paz, who has been in excellent form at Como. They will also have established stars like Lautaro Martínez, who aims to be in top condition for this World Cup: something he couldn’t achieve in Qatar.
Norway have delivered on their pre-tournament dark horse status with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Iraq to join France at the top of Group I. There was a brace for Erling Haaland, putting the Manchester City goal machine alongside Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.
In the latest who-cares-the-rapture-is-coming-soon-anyway news Johnny Child continues to turn left for global warming.
As a result of the huge distances the New Weather Institute has described this World Cup as “the most polluting event ever”, estimating that it will generate about 9 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Air travel is responsible for about 7.7 million tons of that carbon estimate, more than four times that of the average for World Cups held from 2010 to 2022.
In today’s opening match France overcame a disjointed first half to run out comfortable 3-1 winners over Senegal. Les Bleus didn’t look at their best for big chunks but the class of Olise, Mbappé, Doue, and Barcola proved irresistible.
Mbappé now has 14 goals in 15 World Cup matches, drawing him alongside Gerd Muller on the all-time standings, behind only Ronaldo and Miroslav Klose. He will surely leave North America as the most prolific goalscorer in finals history.
Max and the gang celebrate Cape Verde on the latest World Cup Daily pod.
In case you missed it, international manager par excellence Hervé Renard will go to the ball after all. He of the fitted white dress shirt qualified with Saudi Arabia, only to lose his job on the eve of the tournament. The Frenchman has answered Tunisia’s SOS and will replace Sabri Lamouchi in the dugout for the remaineder of the tournament after the former Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City boss was sacked following a grisly opening defeat to Sweden.
Michael Butler compiled the latest Football Daily roundup, featuring Pico Lopes, Marcelo Bielsa, and the late Roy Hattersley.
Let’s ease into the third fixture of matchday six by peering into the mind of David Squires.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of match 19 of the 2026 World Cup between Argentina and Algeria. Kick-off in this Group J clash at Kansas City Stadium is 8pm local time (9pm EDT/2am BST/11am AEST).
The arrival of the defending champions into a tournament always adds a frisson of excitement to proceedings and that is the case today as Argentina get their campaign underway. Of course the presence of la Albiceleste also means that of captain, Lionel Messi, who alone has the heft of a participating nation in these parts since his move to MLS.
2022 was Messi’s crowing glory, the triumph that cemented his status among the very greatest in football history. He is not without a chance of adding a second winner’s medal to his collection in North America, but he faces a tougher task this time around as he and his team battle the unvanquishable opponent: time.
Algeria offer a stiff early test of an ageing team’s title defence. Ranked 28th in the world they are coached by the canny Vladimir Petkovic and captained by serial winner Riyad Mahrez. They warmed up for the World Cup by beating the Netherlands in Rotterdam and thrashing Argentina’s northern neighbours Bolivia 4-0.
I’ll be back shortly with team news and a round-up of all the matchday action so far. In the meantime you can keep an eye on Iraq v Norway and email any thoughts about the tournament so far to jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the ban will give children more time, security and freedom to grow up. But how do under-16s feel?
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