Gilberto Mora shines in the World Cup; Manchester United withdraws from the bid

The Cape Verde goalkeeper, Vozinha, achieved his goal: for his mother to see him play in the World Cup. And with his performance, he went much further.

An unforgettable performance

The Blue Sharks did not win a single game, but their debut was unforgettable. The African team, the smallest in territorial area to reach a World Cup, drew goalless against Spain and then added two more draws to qualify for the round of 16. There they fell 3-2 against Argentina in extra time, with a goal and an assist from Messi.

Vozinha, 40 years old, grew bigger. Against the best player in the world, he made at least four key saves in the last 60 minutes: a point-blank shot that he absorbed with his body, a free kick that he brushed with his hand, a low shot in stoppage time and a powerful shot in extra time. Each intervention kept his team alive.

Cape Verde, with a population equivalent to 1% of Argentina’s, will receive 11 million dollars from FIFA. More than money, the Blue Sharks earned a place in world football memory.

FIFA decides to maintain the Mexico vs England schedule

The uncertainty about the schedule of the round of 16 match between Mexico and England at the 2026 World Cup ended this Friday. FIFA had evaluated advancing the opening whistle to 12:00 p.m., central Mexico time, to avoid the risk of an afternoon thunderstorm. However, after several deliberations, the organization determined that the match be played at 6:00 p.m., as originally scheduled at the Mexico City Stadium.

The possibility of the change generated annoyance in the Tricolor coach, Javier Aguirre. In a local interview, he called the potential modification a “kick in the gut.”

“FIFA rules, it’s garlic and water. The whole plan, all the work will have to be changed, not that it’s going to hell but almost because you’re swallowing up six hours that you had scheduled. I don’t like it at all,” reproached the Mexican strategist.

On the English side, forward Marcus Rashford maintained a more composed posture before traveling from Kansas City to the Mexican capital. He told the media that competing at noon “is not ideal”, but assured that the British squad has the capacity to adapt thanks to its rigorous preparation, which does not change regardless of the time of the match.

With this decision, the duel between Mexico and England will be played at its original time. Both teams will have to adjust their plans based on confirmation from FIFA.

Thomas Tuchel, England coach, acknowledged his concern about the altitude of Mexico City. The duel against the Mexican National Team takes place this Sunday at the Azteca Stadium, more than 2,000 meters above sea level.

Mexico has been able to take advantage of these conditions to beat rivals such as South Africa, the Czech Republic and Ecuador. Javier Aguirre’s team seeks to remain undefeated at home against one of the favorites for the world title.

According to reports in the British press, English soccer players plan to use sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, to counteract the effects of altitude. The drug is not on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances.

Sildenafil dilates pulmonary blood vessels, improves oxygenation and reduces fatigue and dizziness during physical activity at high altitude. It is also used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension.

The information generated reactions on social networks, where many users took with humor the possibility that the English resort to this medication to improve their performance against Mexico.