Saturday’s briefing: England-Croatia again as Scotland relish Brazil showdown

England were handed a tricky-looking World Cup assignment with Croatia, Panama and Ghana for company in their group.

Scotland’s first finals since 1998 will see them take on five-time champions Brazil, 2022 semi-finalists Morocco plus Haiti in Group C.

Elsewhere, Paul Scholes sounded a note of warning over Kobbie Mainoo’s Manchester United future.

England meet familiar World Cup foes Croatia

Thomas Tuchel was at the World Cup draw to see England paired with Croatia again – the country that beat them in the 2018 semi-finals in Russia.

Croatia – who lost that final to France and also finished third at the 2022 finals in Qatar – will line up with England in Group L, as well as Panama and Ghana.

Tuchel said: “I think it’s most important that you arrive with hunger and with excitement and we arrive as a team and we don’t worry about our opponents, we don’t worry about what can happen in the other group.

“The team did excellent in the last three camps and this was the mindset and the energy we want to keep having in the squad.”

Brazil’s Samba stars provide glamour tie for Scotland

Steve Clarke vowed Scotland would bring a “little bit of magic” to the World Cup after being drawn in the same group as five-time champions Brazil.

Scotland face their fifth World Cup meeting with Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil and also take on Morocco and Haiti in Group C.

“We’re going to bring a little bit of magic as well, hopefully. It’s great to play them,” Clarke told BBC Scotland.

“The draw’s fantastic. One of the big things in my head was no European teams.

“So we are playing three top sides from three different continents of the world and that’s what the World Cup is all about.”

FIFA award Donald Trump inaugural peace prize

United States president Donald Trump received the first ever FIFA peace prize at the World Cup draw ceremony.

Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino have formed a close bond, but the award is a hugely controversial one.

Human rights campaigners urged FIFA earlier this week not to hand the prize – which recognises individuals who have made “exceptional contributions to peace and unity” – to Trump.

Trump said the award was “truly one of the great honours of my life” before ending with a dig at his predecessor as US president, Joe Biden, saying “the world is a safer place now”.

Paul Scholes urges Kobbie Mainoo to quit Manchester United

Paul Scholes says Kobbie Mainoo is “being ruined” by his lack of chances under Ruben Amorim and suggested he needs to leave Manchester United for the sake of his career.

The 20-year-old had a stunning breakthrough campaign in 2023/24, which ended with the academy scoring the winner in the FA Cup final, breaking into the England set-up and starting the Euro 2024 final.

“The kid is being ruined, not being played in a team that can’t control a game of football,” Scholes said in a now-deleted Instagram story. “Hate seeing home grown players leave but it’s probably best for him now, enough is enough.”

What’s on today?

Leaders Arsenal have a lunchtime appointment at Aston Villa on a busy day of Premier League action.

Second-placed Manchester City host Sunderland, Chelsea head to Bournemouth and Liverpool travel to Leeds.

Sean Dyche and Thomas Frank take on their former clubs with Nottingham Forest visiting Everton and Tottenham entertaining Brentford in a London derby.