Lionel Scaloni and Emiliano Martinez criticised the state of the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Argentina's 2-0 Copa America win over Canada.
Goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez got the job done for the reigning continental and world champions in Atlanta on Thursday, in the tournament's opener.
However, the state of the playing surface was a big issue, with the turf notably chopping up.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is used for both NFL games - it is the home of the Atlanta Falcons - and MLS, with Atlanta United playing their home matches there, but Scaloni was deeply unhappy with the preparation of the pitch, with an artificial surface having been replaced by grass on the eve of the Copa America.
"The start looked like the match with Saudi Arabia [at the 2022 World Cup], with the difference that we played on a more decent pitch that time," Scaloni told reporters.
"With all due respect, thank goodness we won. Otherwise, it would have been a cheap excuse.
"We have known for seven months that we are going to play here and they changed the turf two days ago.
"It is not good for the show. It is not an excuse, the stadium is beautiful and with synthetic turf it must be spectacular, but with today's turf it is not suitable for this kind of players."
Scaloni's sentiment was echoed by goalkeeper Martinez, who told TyC Sports: "Coming here against a strong Canada, with good forwards and on a field that is a disaster made it a little difficult for us.
"We have to improve in that aspect. Otherwise, the Copa America will always be at a lower level than the European Championship."
Argentina captain and talisman Lionel Messi became the record appearance maker in Copa America history, overtaking Sergio Livingstone by playing in his 35th game at the tournament.
While he could not mark the milestone appearance with a goal, Messi did tee up Martinez's effort late on, with that assist his 17th in the Copa America.
"We knew it was going to be a tough game. We knew that Canada was going to be a hard team to go against," Messi told FOX.
"They were physical, very physical. In the first half, there was little space. It was intense, physically intense and strong and then in the second half we were able to progress and get better."
Copa America holders Argentina made a winning start at the 2024 tournament as Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored in a 2-0 win over Canada.
The 2022 World Cup winners did not have things all their own way against Jesse Marsch's competition debutants, who missed a couple of glaring chances through Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David.
But on the day he became the Copa's outright leading appearance-maker, Lionel Messi was the catalyst for both goals, splitting the Canada defence in the build-up to Alvarez's opener then assisting Martinez's late clincher.
The Inter Miami star missed two great chances to get on the scoresheet himself, but it was of no consequence as Lionel Scaloni's men started with three points.
They take on Chile, who beat them in the 2015 and 2016 finals, in their second match on Tuesday, while Canada will look to bounce back versus Peru.
Canada refused to sit in and their approach left them open at the back early on. Leandro Paredes curled a 25-yard effort narrowly over the top, then Alvarez saw his shot smothered by Maxime Crepeau after a lightning break took him clean through on goal.
Despite Argentina dominating possession, Canada should have gone ahead on the stroke of half-time, Emiliano Martinez making a reflex save to deny Stephen Eustaquio before Davies miscued on the follow-up.
They were made to regret that miss four minutes into the second half. Messi's pinpoint throughball found Alexis Mac Allister, and though the midfielder was wiped out by Crepeau, Alvarez was on hand to convert into an empty net.
Messi should have made it 2-0 after 65 minutes, but he saw an angled drive parried by Crepeau before Derek Cornelius made a fine block to deny him on the rebound.
Canada continued to offer a threat at the other end, though, with David heading over after being found totally unmarked by Jacob Shaffelburg's cross.
Messi missed another chance when his dinked attempt rolled agonisingly wide, but he did manage an assist as Argentina made the result safe two minutes from time.
His delicate pass sent Martinez clear, and the substitute slotted a composed finish between the legs of Crepeau.
Assist for Messi on landmark appearance
Messi made a piece of Copa America history on Thursday, his 35th appearance in CONMEBOL's flagship tournament pulling him clear of Chile great Sergio Livingstone for the most games played at the competition outright.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner failed to mark the occasion with a goal, misfiring from a game-high six shots worth 0.69 expected goals (xG).
However, he did cap his outing with an assist for Martinez's late second, taking him to 30 goal involvements at the tournament overall (13 goals, 17 assists).
Messi still has plenty of gears to go through, and that should strike fear into Argentina's upcoming opponents.
Encouragement for Canada, but no points
Canada became the 20th different nation to participate in the Copa America, and the eighth different CONCACAF team after Costa Rica, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and the United States.
As was the case at the 2022 World Cup, they played some high-octane football but were not rewarded with a positive result.
At half-time, Marsch's team had matched Argentina's tally of seven shots, the most any team have attempted in a first half against the Albiceleste since Uruguay managed eight in November 2021. Their 0.73 xG, meanwhile, topped the world champions' 0.56 at that stage.
Alvarez's opener came as a dagger blow and they were unable to sustain their high-intensity approach for the full 90 minutes, but there were positives to take.
Ahead of Thursday's opener, the Opta supercomputer gave Canada just a 27 per cent chance of escaping Group A. While the result will have done nothing to boost those hopes, their display should offer encouragement ahead of meetings with Peru and Chile.
Pat Noonan insists FC Cincinnati must improve defensively ahead of welcoming the New England Revolution to the TQL Stadium on Sunday.
Cincinnati edged a seven-goal thriller in their latest MLS fixture against the Philadelphia Union, with Luciano Acosta scoring in the 10th minute of injury time to secure a 4-3 win.
Noonan's side have now won nine of their last 10 league games and sit second in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Inter Miami.
But there were some concerns at the back, with Cincinnati having now conceded eight goals in their last four games, something Noonan is keen on addressing.
“Certainly, how we have gotten results has shifted to scoring goals and struggling defensively from an early stretch when defensively we were much stronger and didn’t need four goals to win a game,” Noonan said.
“We gave another set-piece goal which has been a little bit of a theme. Against Philadelphia, it was defending crosses.
“We will continue to look at the best combination of guys to help us from the frontline to the backline to be better defensively because I think right now, with how we are creating chances, that hasn’t been a concern. But we need to get better defensively.”
Meanwhile, New England continued their impressive recent form with a 3-2 win over Vancouver Whitecaps last Sunday and have now won three in a row.
The Revolution have closed the gap at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and are now two points behind Orlando City and the Chicago Fire.
Head coach Caleb Porter was pleased with his side's reaction to conceding late in their latest fixture and believes the mentality within his squad has significantly shifted.
“We have still got to score more though,” Porter said. “But I loved that we scored three goals and I loved that we responded after conceding to take the game to 1-1.
“That shows mentality is changing. I also loved that the guys were a little ticked off at the end of the game. We have won three in a row, and they were kind of mad that they didn’t score more and they conceded.
“That’s a great mentality to have. We’re not relieved to win; we’re expecting to win now. If we play like we did against Vancouver, we can beat anybody in this league.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta
The Argentine took his assist tally to 13 in MLS this season during Cincinnati's win over Philadelphia, more than any other player in the division this season.
Acosta has now assisted 92 goals since arriving at Cincinnati in 2021, moving up to ninth in the all-time assist charts in MLS.
New England – Giacomo Vrioni
The Albanian scored his second goal in three games during New England's victory over Vancouver, taking his tally to 16 for the club since arriving in 2022.
Of his 10 goals scored in the MLS, Vrioni has scored against just seven sides, with Cincinnati being one of those.
MATCH PREDICTION: CINCINNATI WIN
The Revs should enter this game in high spirits, having won three straight matches after only collecting seven points from their first 13 games in MLS this year.
Their last four-game winning streak came in August 2021, and the fourth win in that run came against Cincinnati.
A repeat is not expected here, though, with Cincinnati winning nine of their last 10 matches (one defeat). No team in the post-shootout era has ever won 10 games in a span of 11 regular-season outings before.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Cincinnati – 64.6%
Draw – 18.9%
New England – 16.4%
Portland Timbers head coach Phil Neville has urged his players to raise their performance levels against the Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS on Saturday.
Portland are currently on a five-match unbeaten streak in the competition and made a winning return from their mid-season break by beating the San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 on Wednesday.
They sit seventh in a tightly contested Western Conference, and Neville admits they need to improve if they want to keep their current form going.
"Even though we got the win against San Jose, the performance was nowhere near good enough," Neville said. "We had 10 days off, and I hope that kind of performance is out of the way.
"Saturday's a big game against Vancouver, and we can't play to that level. We have to keep raising the level. We need to keep pushing and stay in the pack by winning games.
"We're developing a mentality of not accepting defeat, making people accountable for what they're doing, and guys are stepping up."
Meanwhile, Vancouver sit one place and one point above Portland but suffered a disappointing 3-2 defeat to the New England Revolution last weekend.
Having won back-to-back games by 2-1 scorelines before that loss, head coach Vanni Sartini is hopeful his side can make some big improvements ahead of this week's Cascadia derby.
"The challenge is to play better than we did in the last game," he said. "Offensively, we will need to do a lot of things that we normally do well, creating chances and getting men in the box.
"I didn't like the performance of last week, so this week we're focusing on the things that we can do better."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Portland Timbers – Jonathan Rodriguez
While Evanilson is a constant threat for Portland (and their joint-top scorer of the season with eight goals), Rodriguez is close to equalling his tally.
He scored the winner against San Jose on Wednesday, netting his seventh goal of the campaign.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld
Gauld was a bright spark for Vancouver in their disappointing defeat to New England last weekend, scoring both goals.
He was clinical; despite amassing an xG of just 0.09, he had the joint-most shots (three), scoring with both of his attempts on target and also creating three chances.
MATCH PREDICTION: PORTLAND TIMBERS WIN
The Whitecaps are unbeaten in their last five Cascadia rivalry matches against Portland and the Seattle Sounders (three wins, two draws), their longest such run since a seven-match streak between 2013 and 2014.
They have also won their last two games against the Timbers, recording 3-2 victories both home and away in August 2023 and March 2024.
However, Portland are in great shape, going unbeaten through their last five matches (three wins, two draws), and netting multiple goals in 13 different MLS games this year. Only Inter Miami, with 14, have recorded more such matches.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Portland Timbers – 43.6%
Draw – 23.8%
Vancouver Whitecaps – 29.6%
Petar Musa scored a hat-trick in FC Dallas’ thrilling win over Minnesota United in midweek, and he is thrilled with the attacking set-up under interim coach Peter Luccin.
Dallas beat Minnesota 5-3 at home on Wednesday, making it three games unbeaten.
The club dismissed Nico Estevez on June 9, and Musa suggested Luccin has let the team off the leash from an attacking standpoint.
“I think we play more vertically towards the goal,” said Musa.
“We are more offensive now, we have a lot of players who run behind and we started playing more attacking football.
"We scored five goals at home so you can see from the build-up that we play attacking soccer. I am very happy about the new style we are implementing.”
Luccin added: “I’m thankful and grateful for the effort from the players. It’s very important for me that the effort has been fantastic. I’m very pleased with some of the sequences that we had, playing good football and very vertical.
“Overall, the goals that we conceded, sometimes we need to be a little bit smarter. All the players have been fantastic. Five goals at home, I think the fans were very happy.
“I’m sure they would’ve liked fewer goals conceded but it’s part of the game. We are making progress. It’ll be step-by-step but you can see the attitude from the players is excellent. They want to play, they understand. Now we need to adjust to find that balance. I really think we deserved to win.”
Next up for Dallas is a trip to the northwest, to face the Seattle Sounders.
Dallas are one place and two points below Seattle in the Western Conference.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Seattle Sounders – Jackson Ragen
Ragen scored his first MLS goal in Seattle's 2-2 draw with the Houston Dynamo last time out. He is the seventh different player from the United States to score for the Sounders in MLS play this season, equalling their number from all of last season.
FC Dallas – Petar Musa
Musa’s hat-trick took him onto eight MLS goals for the season, four more than any other team-mate.
He is the sixth Dallas player with a hat trick for the team since the beginning of 2017, tying them with D.C. United for most such players with a hat-trick in that time.
MATCH PREDICTION: SEATTLE WIN
The Sounders are unbeaten in 20 straight home matches across all competitions against Dallas (16 wins, four draws), in a run dating back to August 2011.
They could equal the longest ever unbeaten home run by one MLS team against another here (21, achieved twice).
With Dallas winless in 11 MLS road games dating back to last October (three draws, eight defeats), we expect the Sounders to claim a slice of history.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Seattle Sounders – 47.5%
FC Dallas – 26.4%
Draw – 26.2%
Thursday's action at Euro 2024 brought our first group winners in Spain, and plenty of frustration for England.
Before La Roja clinched top spot in Group B by overcoming Italy, the Three Lions were pegged back in a 1-1 draw with Denmark, who were arguably unfortunate not to win the game.
Despite an underwhelming performance, Gareth Southgate's team remain in control of Group C with four points, after Slovenia and Serbia drew 1-1 earlier in the day.
Here, we round up the standout stats from Thursday's action.
Slovenia 1-1 Serbia: Jovic rescues last-gasp draw
The early kick-off delivered yet another late twist as Slovenia were denied a landmark victory at the European Championships with the last kick of the game in Munich.
Having seen efforts by Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic repelled by the imperious figure of Jan Oblak, Serbia found themselves behind as Zan Karnicnik's goal put Slovenia on the cusp of their first-ever win at the Euros.
However, Luka Jovic had other ideas. The Milan striker rose the highest from another Serbia corner, heading the ball beyond Oblak to score the latest result-altering goal in a Euros match of all-time (excluding extra time), with his equaliser timed at exactly 95 minutes.
The result keeps both side's chances of making the last 16 of the competition alive, but for Slovenia, it could have been a memorable day in Munich.
Matjaz Kek's side remain winless at the Euros from their five matches (four draws, one loss). Karnicnik's opener was just the second time they had gone ahead in a game at the competition; the last time they did so was during a 3-3 draw with Yugoslavia at Euro 2000.
But for all of Serbia's attacking intent, their lack of clinical edge in the final third proved costly despite their late goal. Just four of their 15 shots were on target, with talisman Mitrovic having an afternoon to forget.
With his six shots in the match, Mitrovic had the most of any player in a single game at Euro 2024.
With the Al-Hilal striker having failed to find the back of the net, it means the last four players to have more than six shots at a European Championships have not scored - the other three coming at Euro 2020.
Denmark 1-1 England: Scrutiny piles on Southgate
While the other game in Group C finished with the same scoreline, the encounter will not be remembered in a hurry, in particular for England fans.
Harry Kane opened the scoring in Frankfurt. His opener was his fifth goal at the Euros, becoming the first England player and eighth player overall to score five or more goals at both the men's World Cup and European Championships.
He also became the third man to score at four different major international tournaments for England, along with Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney.
But Morten Hjulmand equalised with what was his first goal for Denmark in all competitions (in his ninth appearance). It was also Denmark's ninth goal from outside the box at the European Championship, with only three teams netting more on record (since 1980 – Germany 15, Netherlands 12, France 11).
Denmark's leveller was the eighth goal England have conceded from outside the box at the Euros. No side has conceded more on record in the history of the competition (since 1980, Portugal are level with the Three Lions).
There have been 13 goals scored from outside the box at Euro 2024, already more than there were in the entire group stages of Euro 2020 (12).
England have now won just two of their last eight competitive meetings with Denmark (four draws, two losses), having won each of their first four such games against them.
Spain 1-0 Italy: Pedri matches Ronaldo feat, unwanted history for Cristante
In the final game of the day, Spain produced another dominant performance to clinch top spot in Group B with a 1-0 win over defending champions Italy.
Riccardo Calafiori's second-half own goal made the difference, the defender becoming the first Azzurri player to ever put through his own net in a European Championship match.
He is also just the second Italian to score an own goal at a major tournament (World Cup/Euros) overall, after Cristian Zaccardo versus the United States at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, which Italy won on German soil.
If they are to lift more silverware in Berlin next month, they will need a dramatic improvement, having attempted just four shots in a tame performance on Thursday – their fewest on record (since 1980) in any match at the Euros.
Spain, on the other hand, look like genuine contenders after following up their 3-0 thrashing of Croatia with another deserved victory. They have won their first two games of a European Championship tournament to nil for just the second time, previously doing so in 2016 (1-0 versus Czechia, 3-0 against Turkiye).
Fabian Ruiz produced an energetic performance in the heart of La Roja's midfield, winning possession in the final third on six occasions, the most by any player in a Euros match since David Silva in a 2008 quarter-final between Spain and Italy (also six).
Team-mate Pedri, meanwhile, kept things ticking over on his 12th major tournament appearance for Spain (World Cup/Euros).
That is the joint-most by any European player while aged 21 or younger, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who played 12 times for Portugal at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.
There was a piece of unwanted history for an Italy midfielder, though, as Bryan Cristante received a yellow card just 20 seconds after coming off the bench at the start of the second half, the quickest booking for a substitute on record at the Euros (since 1980).
The second matches in each of Group B and Group C have now been completed at Euro 2024.
Spain beat Italy 1-0 in the late match on Thursday, ensuring their progression into the last 16 as Group B victors.
Both Group C matches were drawn, with Serbia scoring late on against Slovenia, while England were held 1-1 by Denmark, with Gareth Southgate's team coming in for some criticism.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe has a new look.
Here, we wrap up the best social posts from Euro 2024.
Critical Carra questions Southgate
Southgate is facing plenty of scrutiny after two underwhelming England performances, even if the Three Lions are topping Group C.
Jamie Carragher was among the pundits to question England's manager, as the former Liverpool defender posted on X: "Pleased Southgate has made changes, as by the look of England so far they are going to need real energy from the bench in every game. Disappointed Anthony Gordon wasn't one of those changes."
Carragher subsequently posted that, while Euro 2024 has been a thrilling tournament so far, two of the poorer matches involved England. It's hard to argue with him, too.
The Serbian shuffle
Serbia kept their hopes alive by snatching a point late on against Slovenia.
And beforehand, their fans were enjoying the atmosphere - and a little dance - in Munich.
Kane catching up
England's performance left a lot to be desired in their 1-1 draw with Denmark, though Harry Kane did get on the scoresheet.
He has now scored five Euros goals, behind only Alan Shearer (seven) and Wayne Rooney (six) for the Three Lions.
"We know we can be better"
Kane held his hands up after full-time, acknowledging in an Instagram post that England's players know they can improve.
But the captain was quick to point out their result against Denmark, adding it was "a tough point earned against a good side."
He concluded: "Let’s keep improving from here!"
When sports collide
Denmark have plenty of support in Germany, given the Scandinavian nation shares a border with the host country of Euro 2024.
And one of those in the crowd cheering on Kasper Hjulmand's team in Frankfurt against England was former world number one tennis star, Caroline Wozniacki.
Plenty of passion, but no points
Luciano Spalletti and Gianluigi Buffon belted out the Italian national anthem ahead of the Azzurri's clash with Spain.
Unfortunately for them, their passion did not equate to a positive result.
Hats off
There's always plenty of fancy dress at major tournaments.
And a Spanish fan and a Italian fan took their hardware to a different level ahead of Thursday's contest in Gelsenkirchen...
Masked Mbappe
It looks as though Mbappe will indeed be fit to feature for France against the Netherlands on Friday, despite breaking his nose against Austria.
Didier Deschamps confirmed that, if the superstar forward does play, it will be with a mask, and Mbappe gave us a sneak peak of what that will look like when he stepped out to train in Leipzig.
It looks to be a personalised mask in the colours of the French flag.
Spain clinched top spot in Group B at Euro 2024 with Riccardo Calafiori's own goal handing them a thoroughly deserved 1-0 win over defending champions Italy.
Four days on from their statement 3-0 victory over Croatia, Luis de la Fuente's team produced another dominant display and should have won by a far greater margin in Gelsenkirchen.
Some excellent goalkeeping from Gianluigi Donnarumma and wasteful finishing from Pedri kept Italy level until early in the second half, when Calafiori put through his own net.
Luciano Spalletti's side hardly laid a glove on their opponents after that, and they now need to avoid defeat against Croatia on Monday to be certain of their place in the last 16.
Spain, meanwhile, have the luxury of being able to rotate against Albania on matchday three, ahead of facing a third-place finisher in the last 16.
Nico Williams teed up Pedri for an early shot that was brilliantly saved by Donnarumma before somehow heading wide when picked out unmarked by Alvaro Morata.
La Roja kept the pressure on, but they found Donnarumma in inspired form.
The goalkeeper stood firm to keep out Morata's near-post strike before getting a fingertip to Fabian Ruiz's rasping drive to turn it over the crossbar.
Seven minutes into the second half, Spain created their best chance yet as Marc Cucurella got forward on the underlap to square for Pedri, who failed to sort his feet out and side-footed wide from eight yards out.
They finally made the breakthrough three minutes later, but it came via an Azzurri player as Donnarumma tipped Morata's header against the unfortunate Calafiori.
Lamine Yamal went close with a curling effort from outside the area, then Williams almost scored one of the goals of the tournament, a mazy run down the left ending with a thunderous strike that left the crossbar shaking.
Spain held Italy at arm's length in the closing stages and should have added a second goal in stoppage time, only for Donnarumma to deny Ayoze Perez with a fine one-on-one save.
Azzurri fall well short
Many expected to see Italy go toe-to-toe with Spain in a battle of two high-pressing, possession-focused sides. Instead, La Roja made it one of the most one-sided games of the tournament to date.
Italy's first shot of any kind came via Federico Chiesa in first-half stoppage time, with their only attempt on target arriving when Bryan Cristante headed straight at Unai Simon four minutes from full-time.
Overall, they attempted just four shots worth 0.22 expected goals (xG), with Spain registering 1.9 xG from 20 attempts.
Italy's woes were compounded when Calafiori put through his own net, becoming the first Italian to score an own goal at the Euros and just the second to do so at a major tournament, after Cristian Zaccardo against the United States in the 2006 World Cup.
The Azzurri, of course, won that tournament on German soil 18 years ago, but they looked a long way off Spain, who have now benefitted from four own goals from opposition players at the Euros, the joint most in the competition's history, alongside France.
Williams the catalyst for Spain
It was Yamal who took the headlines for Spain in their win over Croatia, the 16-year-old becoming the youngest player to feature in a Euros match and marking the occasion with an assist.
On Wednesday, it was his opposite winger Williams who did the damage.
When the in-demand 21-year-old was substituted in the 78th minute, he led all players on the pitch for chances created (four), dribbles attempted (11) and completed (four, alongside Yamal) and touches in the opposition area (eight).
Williams was also heavily involved in the build-up to the goal and was desperately unlucky not to get on the scoresheet himself when he rattled the woodwork.
To say that Jody Brown’s signing of her first professional contract with Portuguese women’s top-flight club, SL Benfica, is a milestone achievement for both her career and Jamaican football would be a great understatement.
Not only will she be the first player from Jamaica or the Caribbean to parade her skills for the club, which is one of Europe’s most prestigious setups, but she will also realize a lifelong dream on a journey that started on the streets of Lime Hall, St Ann, where she honed her skills with a makeshift ball and an insatiable passion for the game.
It was during that time, when she rubbed shoulders with the boys in her community, that her talent quickly became evident, resulting in her inclusion in local teams and, eventually, Jamaica’s national programme.
Now, the 22-year-old takes a significant step forward in her career with the three-year move to Benfica, where her athleticism and nippy footwork will certainly be an asset.
“Signing with Benfica is a dream come true," Brown told SportsMax.TV, the pride and emotion evident in her tone.
Brown puts pen to paper
“I remember when I just started playing football with the boys in my community, I always aspired to play professionally, and to do so with a club like Benfica is an incredible honour. It’s a nice club, with a lot of history and I always strived to ensure that whichever club I join is one where I can improve and develop my game at a different level. So I’m really excited to join Benfica and can’t wait to get started,” she declared.
Brown's rise in football has been somewhat meteoric, as she first captured international attention at the Under-15 level and she hasn’t looked back since.
In fact, Brown is one of only a few players who have so far represented the country at all four levels — Under-15, Under-17, Under-20 and now the senior level. And she has done so with distinction, as she played a crucial role in Jamaica's historic qualification for the 2019 and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cups.
"Being a part of Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz has been an amazing experience. It's where I learned to handle pressure and developed my game against some of the best players in the world and I can say that those experiences have prepared me for this next step in my career,” she shared.
“If I should attribute my rise to this level to anything, I would say it is a testament of all the hard work, dedication, and support from my family, coaches, and teammates over the years,” added Brown, who recently assisted Florida State University to the NCAA Division 1 Women's Championship and their retention of the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship title last season.
Brown shares the occasion with former Reggae Girlz Head coach Hue Menzies.
Standing at a shade over 5ft 2in, Brown’s physical presence is by no means imposing, but when the ball is at her feet, she is bound to cause all kinds of problems. It is that explosiveness and the ease at which she glides past opponents on occasions that will make the Reggae Girlz winger a key factor at SL Benfica.
Beyond that, Brown, who has a Bachelor's degree in Humanities, believes the club’s strong commitment to developing talent, coupled with the fact that the Portuguese league is known for its technical style of play, provides the perfect environment for her to continue her growth.
“The opportunity to train and play at such a high level is something I'm really looking forward to as I always aim to grow more as a player and a person, so I can't wait to learn from my new teammates and coaches and to contribute to the team's success. Benfica has a fantastic reputation, and I'm excited to be part of this club's journey,” she noted.
Still, Brown is aware that adjusting to live in Portugal and her club will by no means be easy, but she remains grounded and focused, with a stubborn determination to make a positive impact both on and off the field.
Benfica, the current champions of Portugal, will be involved in Champions League football next season.
“I’m just ready to get settled and hopefully achieve all the goals of the team. I’m ready to adapt in every way possible because that’s a part of the journey of wanting to be the best person or player in an environment where you are not afraid to be yourself. I know what I’m capable of doing and I’m just going to continue learning and improving,” the soft-spoken player said with an air of confidence.
Brown shows off her team scarf.
Meanwhile, former Reggae Girlz Head coach Hue Menzies, who along with Lorne Donaldson, Andrew Price and others were instrumental in Brown’s move from Jamaica to an overseas university, pointed out that her signing is not only a personal achievement, but also a significant moment for Jamaican women's football.
For him, it highlights the growing opportunities for talented players from the island to make their mark on the global stage, as he expressed optimism that Brown’s success will serve as an inspiration to young footballers in Jamaica and the Caribbean.
“It shows that with talent and determination, they too can reach the pinnacle of the sport. We knew she was going to be a special player, so we invested the effort to get her through the process, because she was only 14, so we had to get her acclimated academically and then get her into the youth club system.
“From there, we got her into high school academically and then having opportunities to go to a four-year school immediately after. And then into a really good programme at Florida State where she won two national titles, and four conference titles and she's now becoming a professional player,” Menzies explained.
“So everything that we kind of set forward for her has come through so far, and we are very optimistic that she will continue. We can't take credit for Jody’s football development because she is a natural, we just assisted in the environment that we got her in, and then she took it from there with the goals that she set for herself,” he ended.
Poland head coach Michal Probierz remains unsure if Robert Lewandowski will be able to start Friday's Euro 2024 clash with Austria.
Lewandowski missed Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Netherlands in Poland's Group D opener after injuring his thigh in his side's final warm-up game.
The Barcelona striker was always expected to miss that game but was given a chance of playing against Austria in Berlin after taking part in team training.
Probierz confirmed on the eve of the crucial showdown that "all players" are available, but could not say whether Lewandowski will start.
"There is a big difference if you have best player in the world on the bench or you have him on the pitch," Probierz told reporters.
"We will make a decision later today. I hope the decision is positive and I hope I can select him tomorrow. We still don't know.
"I am waiting for the medical team to take the decision. Practically all players will appear in training and a decision will be taken after that.”
Lewandowski has made more appearances (150) and scored more goals (82) for Poland than any other player.
England have a track record of not being at their best in the second matches of major tournaments.
At Euro 2020, Scotland held out for a goalless draw at Wembley. At the 2022 World Cup, it was the United States who frustrated the Three Lions in a 1-1 draw.
In Frankfurt on Thursday, at Euro 2024, it was Denmark's turn. Harry Kane's opener was cancelled out by Morten Hjolmund's long-range stunner.
Yet this was an England performance that has been long in the making, and their manager Gareth Southgate must shoulder plenty of the blame.
England headed into Euro 2024 as one of the favourites, but on the evidence of their first two matches, then barring flashes, that tag is definitely not befitting.
In the end, England could arguably be considered as being fortunate to come away with a point. The Danes accumulated 0.58 expected goals to the Three Lions' 0.36 in the second half, and looked the more likely to score even if they didn't truly test Jordan Pickford.
England did take the draw, which sees them stay top of Group C, albeit they missed the chance to secure passage into the last 16 as group winners.
With four points, they should progress, but there is no guarantee on which of the top three places they will take, and Southgate has plenty of food for thought.
But under Southgate, England have now failed to win 13 games in which they led at some stage, losing five of those.
What can he do to change track?
TAA in midfield should come to an end
The Trent Alexander-Arnold experiment must stop. He is not a midfielder.
This is a prime example of Southgate's flawed thinking. Alexander-Arnold is a world-class player, but he is a full-back who needs the freedom to drift infield - he is not a midfielder. Indeed, at times during his 54 minutes on the pitch, he resembled a spare part.
That being said, Southgate will likely point to the numbers: Alexander-Arnold created three chances, a team-high, played five line-breaking passes and registered an 87.5 per cent passing accuracy, while also attempting two crosses.
But there is a severe lack of balance in that area of the field, and it is skewing the entirety of England's system.
Southgate's attempt to address that was by bringing on Conor Gallagher, who is a busy box-to-box presence, but does not solve the issue of balance. Jude Bellingham drops deep to get on the ball, but with Phil Foden stationed out wide, there is nobody dropping into the '10 spot' with regularity.
Get Kane involved
A move away from 4-2-3-1, which has seemingly been introduced to get the best out of Bellingham as a number 10, might in turn benefit Kane.
The Bayern Munich star, fresh from scoring 44 goals for the Bundesliga giants, showed his clinical edge with the only chance he got, but that was the sole touch he managed in Denmark's box.
His tally of 22 touches was two fewer than England's captain managed against Serbia (24), and he found himself hauled off in a bizarre triple change around the 70th minute.
Southgate threw on Ollie Watkins as Kane's replacement, but why not try the two together?
Kane's opener was his fifth goal at the Euros, making him the first England player and eighth player overall to score five or more goals at both the men's World Cup and the European Championship. How can you take such a threat off with the match poised at 1-1?
Jarrod Bowen and Eberechi Eze were the other substitutes handed a chance - they hardly struck fear into Denmark's defence. Anthony Gordon, a winger truly capable of stretching the opposition and offering England a threat down the left, was left on the bench, as was Cole Palmer, the Premier League's Young Player of the Season. Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford didn't make the squad, of course.
Bowen and Eze contributed just 22 touches between them; neither of the duo created a chance, nor had a shot.
Food for thought on Foden
If Foden is going to start for England, then it has to be in a central role.
His best work is done in the middle of the pitch, which is increasingly crowded, and, with Kieran Trippier playing left-back, Foden is too often isolated if he tries to operate out on the flank. As it is, Foden is operating in a halfway house, and not fulfilling either role particularly well.
But the 24-year-old was England's most effective attacker on Thursday. He had the most shots (four), and was desperately unlucky to strike the post with one of them, which came after he drifted over into a more central position.
Too often, though, he was out wide with little support. He did not have a single touch in the attacking third in the width of the six-yard box, and while Denmark did an admirable job defensively, there is so much more to come.
Foden has to improve, yet this system and tactics are simply coming nowhere near close to getting the best out of him.
And that is one of several problems Southgate, who has done so much good work during his tenure, must solve. As it stands, he does not look like the manager best suited to coaching this squad of superstars.
Harry Kane called for some perspective following England's 1-1 Euro 2024 draw against Denmark but accepts his side were not good enough.
England failed to build on a 1-0 win over Serbia in their Group C opener as they saw Kane's opener cancelled out by Morten Hjulmand in Thursday's match in Frankfurt.
Gareth Southgate's side once again failed to push on after taking the lead in a game and supporters made their frustrations known.
The draw means England have still yet to ever win their first two matches at a European Championship, with their place in the last 16 not yet certain.
And Kane - the third man to score at four different major tournaments for England along with Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney - admits an improvement is needed.
"We're struggling with and without the ball," he told BBC Sport. "The pressing in both games hasn't been quite right, and with the ball we haven't been good enough – that's from top to bottom, from me to Picks (Jordan Pickford).
"It was tough out there with the heat and the pitch. It wasn't our greatest game but we got away with a draw.
"There's no easy games at major tournaments and I think that's being shown. There are levels we can reach, with and without the ball, but it’s a sign of a good team that you can get results when you’re not playing well."
England sit top of Group C with four points from two matches and will guarantee a place in the knockouts with a draw against Slovenia on Tuesday, while a win sees them through in top spot.
"We're top of the group and we've all but qualified," added Kane, who was substituted with 20 minutes to go. "I know there’ll be loads of noise and a bit of disappointment at home, but we experienced this when we drew with Scotland in the last Euros.
"It's a time to stay calm, reflect and try to improve. Step by step, we'll get there."
Kane's opener was his fifth goal at the Euros, making him the first England player and the eighth from any country to score five or more in both this competition and the World Cup.
However, Hjulmand levelled 16 minutes later with a shot from 30 yards - his first goal for Denmark in all competitions on what was his ninth appearance - and England could not find a response of their own.
Southgate's side dropped deep after going in front, as they did against Serbia and have done in recent tournaments, and Kane believes that is an area that needs working on.
"It’s not just when we score that [we drop deep]," he said. "It's something we need to get better at. When the teams drop a few players deeper, we're not sure how who's supposed to be pressing.
"In the second half we tried to change it a bit with me and Jude [Bellingham] playing in front of their two midfielders and then trying to get up. But it was difficult. Credit to Denmark, they’re a really good side and they carried a threat."
England have now won just two of their past eight competition meetings with Denmark, and this most recent result means they are unable to rest up against Slovenia.
Reflecting on the disappointing performance, Southgate told BBC Sport: "The performance was not what we would have hoped. At the moment we're not using the ball well enough, and if you do that you'll suffer as we have at times tonight. There's another level we have to find.
"There's a huge amount of work to do - that's evident. We have to stay tight. We understand people will be disappointed with the performances, and rightly so. We've got make them better."
Kyle Walker was quick to defend Gareth Southgate and his tactics following England's 1-1 draw with Denmark.
The Three Lions took the lead in the 18th minute through Harry Kane after a nervous start in Frankfurt, but as it played out against Serbia, were unable to build on their lead.
A criticism of Southgate during his England has been the defensive nature of his team when scoring the opening goal, despite the plethora of talent at his disposal.
But unlike their Group C opener, this time his side were punished when Morten Hjulmand took aim from distance and fired an effort beyond the grasp of Jordan Pickford.
"The manager has expressed that he wants us to play free, attacking football," Walker told BBC Sport when asked if Southgate's instructions were to sit back after taking the lead.
"Sometimes, in tournament football, you have to manage the game, it is what it is that is why it is so hard to win tournaments, just like the Champions League.
"It's tough when you come to these grounds and in hostile environments, but we know that we can do better. But, we are top of the group, so let's move on to that."
Walker, who made his 85th appearance for England against Denmark, is one of the more experienced heads in the Three Lions' ranks and is vice-captain to former team-mate Kane.
When asked what he would say to the squad following the result, Walker: "They will know as individuals and as a team collective, we all know that we have another gear, but we have not lost the game.
"Obviously, everyone wants us to come and steam roll teams three or four nil, but it's not football, it's not football these days.
"We have got a point, we will move on. We are top of the group, and we just keep going like that."
Kyle Walker was quick to defend Gareth Southgate and his tactics following England's 1-1 draw with Denmark.
The Three Lions took the lead in the 18th minute through Harry Kane after a nervous start in Frankfurt, but as it played out against Serbia, were unable to build on their lead.
A criticism of Southgate during his England has been the defensive nature of his team when scoring the opening goal, despite the plethora of talent at his disposal.
But unlike their Group C opener, this time his side were punished when Morten Hjulmand took aim from distance and fired an effort beyond the grasp of Jordan Pickford.
"The manager has expressed that he wants us to play free, attacking football," Walker told BBC Sport when asked if Southgate's instructions were to sit back after taking the lead.
"Sometimes, in tournament football, you have to manage the game, it is what it is that is why it is so hard to win tournaments, just like the Champions League.
"It's tough when you come to these grounds and in hostile environments, but we know that we can do better. But, we are top of the group, so let's move on to that."
Walker, who made his 85th appearance for England against Denmark, is one of the more experienced heads in the Three Lions' ranks and is vice-captain to former team-mate Kane.
When asked what he would say to the squad following the result, Walker: "They will know as individuals and as a team collective, we all know that we have another gear, but we have not lost the game.
"Obviously, everyone wants us to come and steam roll teams three or four nil, but it's not football, it's not football these days.
"We have got a point, we will move on. We are top of the group, and we just keep going like that."
England passed up the chance to progress to the knockout stage of Euro 2024 with a game to spare as they were pegged back to a 1-1 draw by Denmark in Frankfurt.
Harry Kane's goal in the 18th minute had eased the early Three Lions nerves, only for Morten Hjulmand to take aim from distance and fire beyond Jordan Pickford.
Yet bar the move for Kane's opener, England's performance was deeply lacklustre, and Gareth Southgate may well face scrutiny, even though the Three Lions remain in pole position in Group C.
Denmark, who looked the more likely to win it in the second half, sit second, ahead of Slovenia and Serbia, who drew in Thursday's earlier match.
There were calls for concern early on in the contest as Kyle Walker was the first to succumb to a choppy surface, taking a chunk out of the pitch as he went forward, requiring a change of footwear.
Walker showed no signs of an injury, however, taking advantage of Victor Kristiansen's lapse in concentration to sprint clear before his deflected cross found Kane, who tucked away his 64th international goal.
But as was the case against Serbia, Southgate's side failed to nail home their advantage, and this time they were punished as Hjulmand rifled home the 13th goal scored from outside the box at Euro 2024.
Denmark concluded the first half much the better team, with Joachim Andersen and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg going close to giving Kasper Hjulmand's team an advantage at the break.
England almost regained their advantage when Phil Foden was able to find space to send an effort towards Kasper Schmeichel's goal early in the second half, only for the post to come to the Danes' rescue.
Southgate made a triple change in the 70th minute, and it almost proved fruitful when Ollie Watkins forced another save from Schmeichel.
But Denmark soon regained control, and Pickford was a spectator as Hojbjerg fired an effort from distance that narrowly evaded the far post, with the spoils ultimately shared.
England in strong position, but still far from convincing
Having arrived in Germany among the tournament favourites, England are still yet to show they have the potential to end their 58-year wait for an international honour.
The Three Lions continued their run of having never won their opening two matches at a European Championship tournament, and a disjointed midfield remains a problem for Southgate, with Trent Alexander-Arnold once again replaced early in the second half by Conor Gallagher, and it appears crucial that balance is found sooner rather than later.
It was another disappointing performance from Phil Foden, but he showed glimpses of his promise from central areas which will give the England boss another decision to navigate.
Kane can take solace in becoming only the third player to score in four separate major tournaments for England, after Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney, but he managed just 22 touches, though only one of those came in Denmark's box.
All eyes on Munich for Denmark
Denmark will arguably be the more disappointed of the two sides, given they looked more likely to score late on.
Hjulmand's side outfought and outplayed England at times, but were unable to improve their record against the Three Lions and have now failed to beat them in their previous four meetings (D2 L2) at major tournaments.
But the Danes can take the positives from their performance, registering more shots (16 to 12) and more possession (51%) than their opponents, but the result is the most important statistic next Tuesday when they take on Serbia.
Denmark have now won just one of their last 10 group stage games at major international tournaments, beating Russia 4-1 on matchday three at Euro 2020.
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