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World Cup 2026 Daily Guide 7/5/26: Star power comes out on Sunday
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World Cup 2026 Daily Guide 7/5/26: Star power comes out on Sunday appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage is now officially into the Round of 16, with France and Morocco moving on to the quarterfinals. Those two matches were both practically unwatchable from a neutral fan perspective, so let's hope that Brazil , Norway , Mexico , and England provide more entertaining fare on Sunday.
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Here is your World Cup 2026 Daily Guide: What to watch for on 7/5/26.
World Cup matches on 7/5/26
Brazil vs. Norway — New York/New Jersey — 4 pm ET (FOX, Telemundo)
Odds to advance: Brazil -255, Norway +200
Mexico vs. England — Mexico City, Mexico — 8 pm ET (FOX, Telemundo)
Odds to advance: Mexico +100, England -125
3 things to watch for on World Cup 2026 Day 25
REUTERS/Hannah Mckay TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Here are three things to watch for and fun facts to amaze and entertain your friends with on Day 25 of the 2026 World Cup.
Is Endrick the key to Brazil winning it all?
Down 1-0 to Japan , Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti made a major move. He took off creative midfielder Lucas Paqueta and put on 19-year-old speedster Endrick. That move supercharged the Brazilian offense, and the team hit back, scoring two goals to win the game. More than that, though, Brazil just looked more like Brazil with Endrick's attacking flair instead of Paqueta's technical precision.
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Ancelotti is only on his 17th match with Brazil, so the legendary manager is learning on the job. What he should have learned from that last match is that Brazil is at its best when it is all gas and no breaks. If the five-time Champions League-winning manager keeps the pressure on with this new, more aggressive lineup, then Brazil could win its sixth World Cup.
Can Erling Haaland put his Viking ship on his back?
Brazil has the advantage in almost every aspect of the Round of 16 matchup with Norway, except for one. The team in canary yellow does not have a striker like Erling Haaland. The big Norwegian is a unique No. 9 in the football world, and can score a goal or two in pretty much every match he plays in. Norway will probably need at least one from Haaland to advance here.
Martin Odegaard is the other X-factor here, but the Arsenal midfielder has been hit or miss for several months, both for club and country. This match will fall on Haaland's broad shoulders, and if he has another relatively quiet match, as he did against the Ivory Coast , that could be it for The Vikings.
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Did England figure something out with Declan Rice at RB?
England was on the ropes, looking like it was heaing to a penalty shootout aganst DR Congo in the Round of 32 before manager Thomas Tuchel did something brillaint. With no right back able to key the offense from the right side or keep up with DR Congo's speedy wingers, Tuchel moved defensive midfielder Declan Rice to RB. This changed the entire game as he locked down the wing on D and spurred the offesne, creating the first Harry Kane goal.
After less than a half playing the physiclaly-demanding posotion, Rice was noticibly spent. So, what does Tuchel do in this matchup with Mexico? Does Rice start at RB? Is it a break glass in case of emergency situation? Does England move to another formation entirely? The answers to this question may decide the outcome of this game.
Related: Belgium head coach hits Folarin Balogun-World Cup ruling with April Fools joke
