The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, and while excitement levels are ramping up across the planet, voices of discontent are also starting to grow louder.
Over in England, the form and fitness of Jude Bellingham this season has divided opinion, with the former Real Madrid man once considered the first name on the team sheet now sweating over his spot in Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
In America, preparations of the co-hosting USA couldn’t be going any worse, with a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Belgium – a team the USMNT could face in the round of 16 at the World Cup – plunging Mauricio Pochettino’s summer plans into crisis.
As a result, both teams have now plummeted their way down the World Cup betting charts. Online crypto betting sites had listed England as an 11/2 second-favorite to leave MetLife Stadium as world champions on July 19th, but following the draw with Uruguay and defeat to Japan at Wembley, they are now out at 7/1. The US, meanwhile, was already considered a 50/1 outsider, but they too have fallen to 66/1.
Stories of turmoil at the World Cup are nothing new. It remains to be seen whether Bellingham’s current situation turns into a crisis or whether the United States crumbles under the weight of home expectations. However, both England and the USMNT will be hoping their stories have a different ending than these two…
Roy Keane Walks Out on Ireland
Back in 2002, Roy Keane was arguably the best midfielder in the Premier League. The Manchester United captain led the Red Devils to six Premier League titles as well as an iconic treble in 1999, headlined by that stunning UEFA Champions League final comeback victory against Bayern Munich in the Camp Nou.
The Cork-born star had done it all at club level. The one thing that remained was finally strutting his best stuff on the international stage. But all of that was about to change.
He helped the Republic of Ireland to the round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup in the USA at just 23 years of age. Eight years later, he was determined to return to soccer’s grandest stage at his matured best, and he performed like a man possessed throughout qualifying, helping the Boys in Green to a playoff spot ahead of heavyweights the Netherlands. After a 2-1 two-legged playoff victory against Iran, Ireland had done it, and Keane was headed back to the World Cup. Or so he thought.
In preparation for the World Cup, Mick McCarthy’s Irish squad headed to Saipan, an American-owned island nation positioned between Australia and Japan, where the tournament was hosted. Keane was assured that the trip would be solely focused on World Cup preparations, but the Irish captain was soon in for a rude awakening, as the facilities available to the Irish squad in Saipan were an absolute disaster.
Keane blasted the pitch as having a surface “like a car park,” while the FAI didn’t even provide the squad with any footballs for their training sessions. The lack of professionalism saw Keane famously quit the squad, before being persuaded to stay after a phone call with club manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Then, things went from bad to worse, as Ireland’s talisman proceeded to give an interview to the Irish Times lamenting the squad’s facilities and preparations.
Manager McCarthy confronted Keane in front of the entire squad, and what ensued was a visceral verbal onslaught from Keane, lamenting his manager.
From that point on, there was no way back, despite the best efforts of Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who personally stepped in to try to force last-minute reconciliation. Keane was sent home on the eve of the tournament, and Ireland embarked upon the World Cup without their leader. Surprisingly, they proceeded to have a far better campaign than anyone expected, coming within a Spanish penalty shootout defeat of the quarterfinals.
French Squad Goes on Strike
France reached the final of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Four years later, however, their squad was in turmoil. Zinedine Zidane had long since retired, while Thierry Henry’s best days were behind him. Add to that the fact that Les Bleus were already under a firestorm of criticism after Henry’s controversial handball against Ireland helped them qualify for the tournament, and the ingredients for a disaster were in place.
Manager Raymond Domenech led France to the final four years prior, but he had become an unpopular figure within the French camp. His controversial decision to leave out Premier League Young Player of the Year Samir Nasri, veteran midfielder Patrick Vieira, and up-and-coming striker Karim Benzema, left some of the squad in disbelief. The manager would then inform Nicolas Anelka that he would be his sole striker, despite the fact that Anelka himself told Domenech that he couldn’t play in a solo striking role, instead playing better alongside a striker partner.
Domenech didn’t heed the warning, and disaster promptly followed. France drew 0-0 in their opener against Uruguay, with Anelka not managing a single shot on target. Their second game against Mexico was also 0-0 at halftime, before Anelka unleashed a vicious tirade at his manager in the dressing room. Les Bleus would go on to lose 2-0.
In the aftermath of that tirade and defeat, Anelka was sent home from the squad. What followed was scarcely believable. The French team, led by captain Patrice Evra and in front of a slew of media personnel in attendance, refused to train and went on strike in protest at the decision to send Anelka home. They forced manager Domenech to read out a statement that said: “All of the players without exception want to declare their opposition to the decision taken by the FFF to exclude Nicolas Anelka from the squad.”
France would lose their final game of the tournament to hosts South Africa 2-1, exiting the tournament without picking up a single win. Here’s to wishing better luck to the current teams – may their paths be less rocky!