Luis Enrique said Spain will not try to manufacture a tie against Japan to try to avoid placing Brazil in the quarterfinals.

“We have reflected on it,” Luis Enrique said, “but from a professional point of view, imagine that we speculate. ‘OK, we want to be second, that’s in our interests.’ We get to the 95th minute and in both games it’s 0-0, 0-0, [thinking:] ‘Everything’s going great.’ And then Costa Rica go and score and Japan score. And in 15 seconds you’re out because you have been speculating for 90 minutes. Or the other way round: Germany are winning 5-0 and we’re drawing and that will do and then Japan score and you’re out.

“When you’re a very good team and you want to play seven games, you want to be first. We play the team that’s second in Group F, right? And then in the quarter-final … in theory it’s Brazil. OK, great. We play Brazil then. We can’t count like the milkmaid.”

Christian Pulisic was substituted at half-time after scoring the winning goal for the United States against Iran in their Group B match.

Pulisic was involved in a hard collision with Iran keeper Alireza Beiranvand shortly before half-time as he tapped in a headed cross from Sergino Dest to put the US up 1-0.

Brenden Aaronson came on for Pulisic after half-time.

The early reports indicate Pulisic suffered an abdominal injury.

A Qatari official has admitted that the number of worker deaths related to the tournament is "between 400 and 500" compared to the official tally previously offered of three.

In the interview, portions of which Piers Morgan posted online, the journalist asked Al-Thawadi: "What is the honest, realistic total do you think of migrant workers who died from -- as a result of work they're doing for the World Cup in totality?"

"The estimate is around 400, between 400 and 500," Al-Thawadi responded. "I don't have the exact number. That's something that's been discussed."

The comment threatened to renew criticism by human rights groups over the toll of hosting the Middle East's first World Cup given the migrant workers who built more than $200 billion worth of stadiums, metro lines and infrastructure needed for the tournament.

The United States were impressive in their 0-0 tie against England during their second match of the World Cup group stage. A win against Iran is needed for the United States to advance to the knockout stage.

“We’re chipping away at it,” manager Gregg Berhalter said about changing global perceptions about the team. “You need games like tonight to be able to do that. Otherwise it’s hard for people to get an assessment of it. We’re not done. Our focus is to keep going, and hopefully by the end of the tournament we give people something to talk about.”

“I think we’re not really afraid of playing against top tier teams, and I think it works in our favor if people think that we’re underdogs going into games because then they might take us lightly or something,” Weston McKennie said. “I think we surprise them every time.”

Giovanni Reyna said he is "100 percent" healthy despite being an unused substitute for the United States' 1-1 draw with Wales to open the World Cup.

Reyna featured in Borussia Dortmund's final three games before the World Cup break and figured to be a major contributor for the US at the tournament.

"I feel really good. I feel great," Reyna said. "I feel fine. [Coach Gregg Berhalter] doesn't have to tell me why he didn't put me in or why he does."

Karim Benzema has been ruled out of the World Cup after suffering an injury to his left thigh during training.

Benzema felt a strong pain in his thigh during a sprint toward the end of the training session.

After undergoing an MRI, it was confirmed that Benzema had suffered a muscle tear that would need three weeks of recovery time.

France's other forward options in their squad include 2018 star Kylian Mbappe as well Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Marcus Thuram and Ousmane Dembele.

Gianni Infantino will have another four-year term as president of FIFA after no other candidates entered the race.

Infantino won a five-candidate race in 2016 to replace Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019.

Infantino is now set to stay in the job beyond the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Infantino's upcoming re-election to the $3 million-per-year job may not be his final term in office.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has urged the 32 nations preparing for the most political World Cup in the modern era to focus on the game in Qatar and avoid handing out lessons in morality.

A letter imploring teams to "let football take center stage" was sent by Infantino and FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura ahead of intense media focus on coaches and players when World Cup squads are announced next week.

"Please, let's now focus on the football!" Infantino and Samoura wrote, asking the 32 competing federations to "not allow football to be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists."

Qatar was picked to host the World Cup in 2010 and it has since received scrutiny over its treatment of low-paid migrant workers and its laws criminalizing same-sex relationships. 

Around 1.2 million international visitors are expected in Qatar during the tournament.