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The United States are through at the World Cup, but you wouldn't know it from the White House. Despite phoning Mauricio Pochettino before the tournament to wish the squad well, President Trump has stayed completely silent on Truth Social about the USMNT clinching their group, opting instead to post about the Democratic party. A curious choice of priorities.
Meanwhile across the Atlantic, Gary Lineker made his ITV debut during Germany versus Ivory Coast coverage, and he wasted absolutely no time. The former BBC Match of the Day host, who spent twenty-six years at the corporation before departing last May, slipped in a pointed dig at his old employers right out of the gate. Classic Lineker — the smile never drops, but the needle always lands.
And on a far more somber note, the football world is mourning today. Wales icon Mark Hughes has confirmed the death of his son Alex at just thirty-eight years old. Hughes described himself as totally heartbroken, and that sentiment echoes across the entire sport. Our thoughts are with the Hughes family at an unimaginably difficult time.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
