LONDON: England’s stunning resurgence under Gareth Southgate scaled new dizzying heights on Saturday after they charged into the World Cup semifinal for the first time since 1990.
England were rank outsiders for the tournament at the outset, given no chance on the back of their lousy record in knockout football, but they have, slowly and stealthily, gathered momentum and are now just 90 minutes away from their first World Cup final since they thrillingly won the tournament in 1966.
Harry Maguire’s magnificent header after half-an-hour and one from Dele Alli just before the hour won it with something to spare for Southgate’s remodelled and youthful side against Sweden. They now progress to the last-four clash on Wednesday with absolutely nothing to fear. In fact, other teams might start to fear them after this performance. In a World Cup full of surprises, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that England could win the whole thing. Who, after all, thought Greece would win the European Championships in 2004?
Stiffer challenges will await England in the semifinal and possibly the final, but Sweden are no mugs. Let’s be clear about that. They qualified ahead of Holland, beat South Korea and Mexico in their group and then dumped out Switzerland in the last 16. They played the tag of underdogs all week but they never really got to grips with the magnitude of the occasion in Samara and ran out of steam. The direct nature of their play was meat and drink to England’s defenders who are used to this tactic week in, week out in the Premier League.
England were a bit more sophisticated in their approach and could have scored more than the one they did, Raheem Sterling going particularly close in the first half. Sweden had their moments and it took a brilliant, flying one-handed save from Jordan Pickford to stop Marcus Berg from scoring with a header at the start of the second half and Pickford denying the same player again soon after with a save low to his right. It was world-class goalkeeping.
England were just that bit more ruthless in front of goal, Maguire powering in a header from an Ashley Young corner and then Alli planting one in from a Jesse Lingard center.
England needed extra-time and two penalties to beat Cameroon the last time they won a World Cup quarterfinal in 1990. Here they had the whole thing done and dusted after an hour. It was all too easy.
Reborn England reach World Cup semifinal
Reborn England reach World Cup semifinal
- Maguire and Alli score for Southgate's side
- England through to first World Cup semifinal in 28 years
100 aspiring young golfers in Saudi Arabia set for next phase with ROSHN Rising Stars
- Arab News spoke to Tyler Jacobson, director of corporate communications at ROSHN Group, about the program’s growth and its long-term vision
RIYADH: With LIV Golf Riyadh 2026 in the books, the success of 22-year-old Australian Elvis Smylie — who claimed victory at Riyadh Golf Club last weekend — has certainly inspired more than just the professionals on the leaderboard.
ROSHN Group, title partner of LIV Golf Riyadh 2026, is now looking to build on that momentum by expanding the ROSHN Rising Stars program, an initiative designed to create opportunities for the next generation of young Saudi golfers.
Following months of training and exposure across LIV Golf events in the UK and US, including participation in the Riyadh Pro-Am tournament, the program is set to enter its next phase, expanding to support a total of 100 aspiring golfers across the Kingdom.
Arab News spoke to Tyler Jacobson, director of corporate communications at ROSHN Group, about the program’s growth and its long-term vision.
“The ROSHN Rising Stars are a group of kids who have come together to learn golf,” Jacobson said. “Many of them have never played golf before in their lives, but last summer, when we partnered with LIV Golf as an international pillar partner, we decided to do something bigger and more meaningful.”
The program focuses not only on developing golfing ability, but on personal growth beyond the course.
“We wanted to give young people the opportunity to grow and learn in the sport of golf, as well as learn new skills on and off of the golf course.”
Golf’s footprint in the region has grown in recent years, with millions tuning in for events in the Middle East as kids partake in the sport through initiatives like the ROSHN Fan Village. For ROSHN Group, that growth aligns naturally with its broader quality-of-life objectives.
“We have seen a real appetite and hunger to engage with the sport. Golf teaches you patience, discipline and values that carry far beyond competition,” Jacobson said. “Quality of life and sport go hand-in-hand, and that’s exactly why we’ve partnered with LIV Golf.
“They’re elevating not only their skills, but their aptitude for life, for traveling, for exposure to new things. This is where we believe the program has offered a lot to the children.”
Participants in the program range in age from 8 to 15, with the program offering an unprecedented level of opportunities to youth in Saudi Arabia.
During the course, which lasts six months, they will receive professional coaching and access to elite golfing facilities in Saudi Arabia, in addition to hands-on competitive experiences. The program is set to support a total of 100 aspiring golfers across Saudi Arabia.
Jacobson believes that events such as LIV Golf play a key role in inspiring youth-focused initiatives like ROSHN Rising Stars.
“LIV Golf is a young league, but it’s doing things like creating new formats and exposing new people across the world to the sport of golf,” he said.
“Traditionally, the sport has been more Westernized, so (allowing) Saudi youth to grow at this stage of the game is a huge opportunity,” Jacobson added. “You see it in our projects, in our communities. It aligns completely with Saudi Vision 2030.”
That quality-of-life aspect has been a strong selling point for golf in breaking into new audiences. In a world where sports are increasingly dominated by success, fame and money, golf also provides an opportunity to grow from a human perspective.
“Ultimately, your skills are not what truly matter,” Jacobson said. “What matters is the desire to learn, to commit and to grow. That’s what we value, and that’s what this program is about.”
