World Cup Breakfast: England star gatecrashes Morgan Rogers' media session with cheeky question, the players walking FIFA's yellow card tightrope - and what to look out for as the quarter-final stage kicks off today

Hello and welcome to Daily Mail Sport's World Cup Breakfast from day 29 at the tournament - your one-stop shop for everything you've missed overnight in North America.

For all the latest news, viral moments and what to look out for, stay right here.

Why were there no games yesterday?

Yesterday marked the first day of the World Cup so far without a single game for fans to sink their teeth into, showing that we are getting towards the business end of the tournament.

With only eight teams remaining in the quarter-finals, there are just seven matches to go (excluding the third-place play-off) until the 2026 World Cup winners are crowned.

France and Morocco are the first teams to lock horns in the last eight with their quarter-final taking place today at 9pm (BST), Spain face Belgium at 8pm tomorrow,

England

go head-to-head with Norway at 10pm on Saturday and

Lionel Messi

's Argentina take on Switzerland just hours later at 2am on Sunday.

France pictured on Wednesday gearing up for their World Cup quarter-final against Morocco

The yellow card tightrope: FIFA reject France's Olise appeal

Michael Olise will remain on a yellow card ahead of France's quarter-final against Morocco today after the French Football Federation's appeal to overturn the booking he picked up against Paraguay was rejected by FIFA.

The Bayern Munich star, who has played a key role for France at the World Cup so far, must now tread on a tightrope against the Moroccans knowing that one more yellow card will see him automatically suspended from their potential semi-final.

FIFA's new rules state that a player will automatically receive a one-match ban if they are awarded two yellow cards across the last 32, last 16 and quarter-finals, before the tally is wiped following the last eight.

Didier Deschamps publicly confirmed the news during a press conference on Wednesday evening, saying: 'There has been no change regarding Olise's booking.'

Earlier this week, FIFA controversially agreed to suspend USA forward Folarin Balogun's one-match red card sanction ahead of the host nation's World Cup round of 16 clash against Belgium on Tuesday.

Donald Trump revealed he had personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the red card Balogun was given against Bosnia & Herzegovina, sparking outrage among fans and teams at the tournament over allegations of favouritism.

FIFA's decision to reject France's appeal comes as a blow to Olise, although he is by no means the only player heading into the quarter-finals on a disciplinary tightrope.

Bradley Barcola and Manu Kone are also at risk of missing the semi-finals from France's camp, while Morocco have five players on a booking - Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop, Redouane Halhal, Bilal El Khannouss and Azzedine Ounahi.

Spain's Ferran Torres picked up a yellow card deep into stoppage time against Portugal in the round of 16 and Brandon Mechele of Belgium is also on a caution ahead of their all-European quarter-final on Friday.

England fans will be desperately hoping for clean games from Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Marc Guehi and Nico O'Reilly when the quartet face Norway, as all four are just one booking away from being suspended ahead of a potential semi-final meeting with either Argentina or Switzerland.

Norway, meanwhile, only have Antonio Nusa on the yellow card tightrope.

Finally, Granit Xhaka, Denis Zakaria and Miro Muheim will have to watch themselves against Argentina, who only have one player in the book ahead of the quarter-final stage - 2022 World Cup penalty shootout hero Gonzalo Montiel.

England's Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham are among those walking the yellow card tightrope

Only one team that can stop France, says Wenger

Yesterday, while appearing on a Sky Sports podcast with ex-Germany international Toni Kroos, Arsenal's legendary former manager Arsene Wenger claimed that only one team can stop France in their bid to be crowned world champions for a third time.

The French are blessed with a litany of top players from Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise in attack to William Saliba, Jules Kounde and Dayot Upamecano at the back - and more importantly, they have excelled at transferring their talent to the pitch so far at the tournament.

The clear favourites to win the World Cup, France take on Morocco in the quarter-final before playing either Spain or Belgium in the last four. Win those two games, and they will reach a third final in their last three World Cup appearances.

Wenger, agreeing with his country's 'favourites' label, is so confident in France that he believes only one team can stop them from lifting the trophy - and intriguingly they are on the same side of the knockout draw.

The ex-Gunners boss said: ‘France will win the World Cup. I know you will say, “of course you say that, you’re French”.

‘But when you analyse the World Cup, the train goes at a certain pace and you have to be capable of getting on the train.

‘For example, the Asian teams have gone out because they could not cope with the intensity and the pace of the games. They did not have enough to technically compete.

‘The real question for me is Spain. If one team is capable now of beating France I would say it is Spain because their technical level is better than France.

‘They have quality and a culture of collective football that nobody else in the world has at that level. That could be the decider between these two but of course France is stronger physically.’

France and Spain will meet into the first of two semi-finals if they beat Morocco and Belgium respectively, while the winners of England versus Norway will take on either Argentina or Switzerland for a place in the final.

Thanks as always to

Sofascore

for the graphic.

Jude Bellingham was the only England star to make the cut in Sofascore's team of the last 16

The statue in Boston which they call ‘The Embrace’ marks the fact that here, in 1952, is where Martin Luther King met Coretta Scott, who would become his wife.

It’s impressive - ‘a memorial to their love and understanding,’ we’re told - and having arrived here from Philadelphia, home of Love Park and birthplace of the US Constitution which preaches equality and fraternity so much, you can’t fail to be constantly struck about how a nation publicly reminding us of these virtues could possibly have elected Donald Trump.

He’s weighed in to the World Cup now - using his considerable influence to get a USA player’s red card rescinded while delivering a spiteful little dig at the Brazilian referee who sent him off, into the bargain - and moved on to threaten and provoke in his usual sphere.

His renewed threats on Iran are dominating the news bulletins here, while a row about malign FIFA influence in the World Cup has since caught fire. If Trump darkens the door of the final in New Jersey on Sunday week, it is only to be hoped that the stadium makes its feelings about him known in no uncertain terms.

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'The Embrace' in Boston commemorates the love and partnership of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, who first met in the city in 1952 - a monument to unity, equality and hope

No games, meant no celebrities in the stands but there was some World Cup celebrity news that broke last night.

Canadian singer Justin Bieber is the latest superstar act to be announced as part of the inaugural World Cup final half-time

, with more names still set to be announced.

The 32-year-old, will join the likes of Madonna, Shakira and BTS in a blockbuster 11-minute slot at the interval. Afrobeats star Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the PS22 Chorus - a choir of elementary school students based in Staten Island, New York - will also perform, the last joined by Coldplay.

The show, curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, will take place during the final outside New York on July 19. The show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is raising $100 million to help children access education and soccer.

'The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can,' Bieber said in a statement. 'I'm grateful to be part of this Halftime Show, and even more grateful knowing it's already helping expand access to education for children around the world.'

For viewers in the United Kingdom though, this may be hard to watch with

The Times

reporting that both the BBC and ITV will stick to their traditional half-time analysis rather than cut to the events unfolding with Bieber and Co - meaning this could be shunted to their digital outputs instead.

Justin Bieber, pictured during the Grammys in February, will perform in the FIFA half-time show

England's World Cup stars went viral yesterday after footage of them cooling off with a diving competition ahead of Saturday's quarter-final clash against Norway was shared to social media.

The likes of Anthony Gordon, Elliot Anderson and Dan Burn were all willing participants, but it was Djed Spence who drew the most attention.

The full back, who came on at left wing back in the second half of the win over Mexico, left fans in stitches as he took to the pool with his socks still on.

Spence was seen telling onlookers: 'I'm scared' as he received a countdown to jump into the water.

After launching himself in, he received a five out of 10, and told the camera: 'That was my second dive ever in my life. How did I do?'

Who says diving always has to be such a negative talking point in football?

Morgan Rogers was speaking to the media from England's base in Kansas City when a question was fired at him from an unlikely source.

'Hello mate,' the Aston Villa man said in shock after his team-mate Djed Spence was handed the microphone and given the floor.

Keen to settle a debate that had clearly been a discussion point within the England camp, Spence jokingly asked: 'There's been a lot of speculation in recent weeks about who's the fastest in the squad. Is it true that Djed Spence is fastest in the squad?'

Rogers let out a laugh to the amusement of Spence and answered: 'Let's just say I wouldn't bet against you in a race. But there's a couple saying that they might have you.

'Anthony Gordon being one of them so I'd like to see that race. We'll see who wins. But I wouldn't bet against you.'

Spence was taken out of the starting line-up by Thomas Tuchel during England's heroic 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca, before coming off the bench to play a crucial role defensively.

Morgan Rogers was surprised to see Djed Spence (above) ask a question during media duties

England have been given just a 16.5% chance of winning the World Cup according to Opta's latest supercomputer, with Thomas Tuchel's side deemed the fourth most likely team to lift the trophy on July 19.

Meanwhile, France and Spain are the two clear favourites with odds of 27.3% and 21.3% respectively, despite it being impossible for the two European heavyweights to meet in the final.

Argentina have been given a slight edge over England on the opposite side of the bracket, with odds of 17.3% to win the tournament, while Norway have been given a 6.6% chance of earning their first ever star on the shirt.

Of the eight teams left in it, Belgium are the least likely to win the World Cup according to Opta, with their 3.6% chance sitting narrowly behind Switzerland and Morocco, who have been handed 3.8% and 3.7% odds respectively.

Mbappe vs Hakimi: Old friends become rivals again

One of the biggest subplots of Thursday's quarter-final between France and Morocco is a battle involving two of football's closest friends.

Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi may not be as inseparable as they were when France and Morocco met in the last four of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but the former PSG team-mates have remained close friends despite the Frenchman's move to Real Madrid in 2024.

After celebrating trophies at PSG, holidaying together and appearing on each other's social media regularly outside the realm of football, all brotherly feeling between Mbappe and Hakimi will be put on hold for 90 minutes plus in Boston.

Mbappe may have succeeded in dumping Hakimi out of the World Cup last time out, ending Morocco's fairytale run to the last four, but the African nation have grown since then and will be champing at the bit to settle the score against the tournament favourites this time around.

For Morocco to stage a remarkable upset, Hakimi will likely have to play a pivotal role in shackling France's dangerous captain, who likes to attack the space between the opposition's right-back and centre-half.

Mbappe versus Hakimi is set to be the game within the game - and whoever comes out on top will have a big chance of sending their nation to the semi-finals again.

Close friends Achraf Hakimi and Kylian Mbappe go head to head again at the World Cup today

Argentina ref chaos after Egypt's 'rigged World Cup' accusations

For the first time at this World Cup, an officiating team made up of entirely one nation will referee a match, and it has caused a stir among fans who believe in conspiracies.

France's quarter-final against Morocco will be officiated by an all-Argentinian cast of referees, fronted by man-in-the-middle Facundo Tello, fuelling allegations that FIFA are trying to win Argentina star man Lionel Messi his second World Cup crown.

Egypt manager Hossam Hassan, still reeling from Argentina's late 3-2 comeback victory against his side on Tuesday, furiously claimed that Messi was being kept in the World Cup by FIFA for 'marketing' reasons after a string of controversial refereeing decisions went in favour of the South American team.

His outburst, combined with the fury of Egypt's players and FA, has led to a swarm of fan theories on social media about FIFA's alleged 'rigging' of the World Cup. Some have noted how Argentina have been awarded eight penalties in their last 12 World Cup matches, while others have highlighted the officiating inconsistencies that have favoured Messi and Co since the start of the tournament.

Of course, there is no evidence to suggest any of these allegations are true, but naming an all-Argentinian refereeing team has certainly come at a poor time for FIFA, with some conspiracy theorists claiming that they will show bias to Morocco in a bid to boot World Cup favourites France out of the tournament.

Didier Deschamps dismissed the controversy when speaking to the media yesterday evening, but undoubtedly every decision in Boston will be viewed with extra scrutiny.

Facundo Tello leads the first refereeing team at this World Cup made up of entirely one nation

England's injury watch

Although England do not face Norway until Saturday, fans will be keeping tabs on the Three Lions' progress in training after Declan Rice, Reece James and Marc Guehi all missed yesterday's group session.

Thomas Tuchel gave his players two days off to recover from the historic last-16 win over Mexico and they returned to work at the Swope Soccer Village, but Rice, James and Guehi trained individually as they managed their load.

While there were no suggestions the trio would be unavailable for Saturday’s crunch clash with Norway in Miami, Rice admitted at the start of the tournament that he has been playing through hamstring issues and missed England's clash with Panama, while James has been out since the 0-0 draw with Ghana.

The Chelsea captain was on the bench at the Estadio Azteca following a hamstring injury which ruled him out of games against Panama and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Meanwhile, Jordan Henderson remained at the team hotel as he recovers from wrist surgery to repair an injury suffered during the celebrations on Sunday night.

Jarell Quansah trained with the group on Wednesday, with the FA still exploring its options around a potential appeal to his red card against Mexico.

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