In the early hours of June 30, before the kickoff of the knockout match against Brazil, the atmosphere in Japan was still full of optimism. Although Brazil was regarded as a very strong opponent, many Japanese fans still believed that their team could create a new miracle on the world stage.

According to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Algiers, the International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) has included Vietnamese-origin player Ibrahim Maza of the Algerian national team in the list of the most impressive young talents in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.

With less than a month between the ASEAN Cup and the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, coach Kim Sang Sik faces a tough choice on prioritizing objectives, allocating squad resources, and planning players' peak form.

Breaking Vietnamese football news for June 30: Vietnam national team increases its power; TPHCM 1 on a three-game winning streak in the V-League.

Before the 2026 World Cup kicks off, many optimistic forecasts suggested this tournament would mark a turning point for Asian football. For the first time, the AFC has as many as nine representatives in the finals, more than ever before in history.

The group stage of the 2026 World Cup has officially concluded, making way for a more intense new chapter: the knockout rounds involving 32 contenders. This is the moment when strategists must unveil their most refined tactical trump cards to fight for a place in the next round.

Alex Scott, another Premier League defensive midfielder who missed this summer's World Cup, has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Arsenal. The 22-year-old English midfielder, though slightly slender in build, is known as the "Guernsey Grealish" and can control games, drawing attention from Premier League managers like Carrick and Arteta, both of whom were midfielders during their playing days.

In a women's singles first-round match at Wimbledon concluding on June 30 Beijing time, Chinese player Zheng Qinwen fell 0-2 to world No. 36 Czech star Katerina Siniakova, marking her fourth straight year exiting in the opening round. This also means Zheng has suffered a first-round exit in three consecutive Grand Slam tournaments. Previously, Zheng and Siniakova had faced each other four times, with Zheng winning once and losing three times.

In the second round of 16 match of the World Cup, which concluded on June 30th Beijing time, the Japanese men's football team took the lead but was overturned 1-2 by Brazil, unfortunately stopping at the round of 32. In 28 years and eight World Cup appearances, they still have not won a single knockout match. [Watch the World Cup on Migu Video] In this game, Japan had a dream start.

On June 30, Beijing time, the knockout stage of the World Cup group phase has already begun. According to the latest schedule, three matches will be held today, adding three more spots to the round of 16. The three games are: Brazil vs. Japan, Germany vs. Paraguay, and a clash between two top-eight teams, Netherlands vs. Morocco. At 1:00 AM, Brazil takes on Japan.