Why did Bellingham and Haaland put their friendship on pause?

Montagues and Capulets of the 2026 World Cup

Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland’s friendship began at Borussia Dortmund. Bellingham joined the German club in the summer of 2020, shortly after his 17th birthday, while Haaland had already established himself as one of the team’s brightest young stars. They spent two seasons together and won the German Cup in 2021.

Despite their age difference and contrasting personalities, the two players quickly became close. Their friendship was visible not only during matches and goal celebrations, but also in Borussia Dortmund’s videos. In one clip, Bellingham and Haaland read humorous pick-up lines to each other for Valentine’s Day.

In 2022, Haaland moved to Manchester City, while Bellingham joined Real Madrid a year later. However, the distance and competing in different leagues did not weaken their bond. Their reunions were marked by hugs and jokes, while the media began describing the former teammates as one of modern football’s best-known bromances.

At the World Cup, the friends faced each other as international rivals for the first time. Ahead of the England versus Norway quarter-final, Haaland revealed that he and Bellingham had not spoken for some time and had last seen each other in Las Vegas.

Their friendship had to be put on pause for 120 minutes. Bellingham scored both of England’s goals in a 2-1 victory, bringing Haaland’s first World Cup campaign to an end.

But once the final whistle blew, the rivalry was over. Haaland described Bellingham as a good friend and one of the best players in the world, adding that England and Real Madrid were lucky to have him.

Baby, is your love in trouble?

Margaret Qualley and Jack Antonoff have separated after nearly three years of marriage.

The news came as a particular disappointment to Lana Del Rey fans: the couple’s love story inspired her song Margaret, co-written and produced by Antonoff.

Rumors intensified after Qualley removed photos of her husband from social media and Antonoff attended Taylor Swift’s wedding without her. However, Qualley’s representative denied reports of infidelity or trust issues, saying the former couple still share deep love and care for one another.

Goodbye, Dr. Grant

Sam Neill, best known for playing paleontologist Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise, has died at the age of 78.

The actor passed away in Sydney surrounded by his family. His relatives said his death was sudden and unexpected, adding that he had remained cancer-free.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, Neill appeared in The Piano, Possession, The Hunt for Red October, Peaky Blinders and Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

A total eclipse of the heart

Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer whose unmistakable raspy voice powered hits including Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero, has died at the age of 75.

The singer passed away in a hospital in Portugal following an illness for which she had been receiving treatment. Earlier this year, Tyler underwent emergency intestinal surgery and was placed in an induced coma. Although she later regained consciousness, she remained in intensive care.

Over a career spanning five decades, Tyler became one of Wales’ most recognizable musical exports. Her signature hit topped the charts in both the UK and the U.S. and recently surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.

Nolan’s another masterpiece

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has finally been shown to film critics, and the first reactions suggest the director may have created another cinematic landmark.

The adaptation of Homer’s epic has been described as a “staggering achievement,” “flawless filmmaking” and a “filmmaking feast.” Critics praised its enormous scale, emotional depth and ability to transform the ancient story into something unmistakably Nolan.

Fandango’s Erik Davis called the film “an absolute triumph” and “a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great filmmakers of our time,” while Variety’s Jazz Tangcay described it as an “astonishing achievement” and a “triumphant, spectacular epic.”

Matt Damon’s performance as Odysseus was also singled out as one of the strongest of his career, with Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland and John Leguizamo receiving particular praise.

The Odyssey is also the first narrative feature filmed entirely with IMAX cameras. Nolan shot more than two million feet of film over 91 days, turning Homer’s ancient journey into one of the most technically ambitious projects of his career.

Zendaya’s Fashion Odyssey

Zendaya and stylist Law Roach dedicated The Odyssey press tour to ancient Greek aesthetics, choosing couture and archival looks.

The Essence of Athena

At the London photocall, Zendaya appeared in a custom ivory Jacquemus gown. The minimalist halterneck design featured an open back and an attached headscarf. She completed the look with oversized gold earrings made from ancient discs dating back to the first millennium. Law Roach described the outfit as “the essence of Athena.”

Sculpted by the Gods

For the world premiere in London, the actress chose the closing look from Schiaparelli’s Fall 2026 Haute Couture collection, which had appeared on the runway in Paris only hours before the event.

The gown featured a corseted bodice resembling a marble sculpture, complete with defined ribs and abdominal muscles, as well as a fringed skirt fading from white to silver.

Inside the venue, Zendaya changed into a Valentino Fall 2026 ensemble. The sage-green top resembled laurel leaves, while the light-grey draping evoked an ancient Greek tunic.

The Golden Fleece

In Paris, the actress and her stylist turned to the archives, selecting a Givenchy Spring 1997 Haute Couture gown created by Alexander McQueen for his debut collection at the fashion house.

The collection was titled The Search for the Golden Fleece and was inspired by the myth of Jason and the Argonauts. Zendaya paired the white corseted gown with its original pointed gold mask designed by Philip Treacy.

A Baroque Goddess

For the official Paris premiere, Nicolas Ghesquière created a custom Louis Vuitton gown for Zendaya, inspired by his Spring 2006 collection for Balenciaga.

The white design featured lace panels, an exposed midriff, a high slit and a long train, completed with a voluminous ruffled bolero. Ghesquière described the aesthetic of the original collection as a “baroque rock star,” now reimagined as a Greek goddess.

Athena Spreads Her Wings

Zendaya saved her most theatrical look for New York. She arrived on the red carpet in a white Matières Fécales gown featuring an asymmetrical neckline, a feather-like train and enormous sculptural wings.

The image of Athena descending from Mount Olympus was completed with a loose fishtail braid and floral diamond earrings by Chopard.

A royal serve

British tennis player Arthur Fery has invited Prince George and Princess Charlotte to join him on the court.

Princess Catherine, Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte met the British wildcard on the final day of The Championships.

Fery made the offer after meeting the royal family at the Wimbledon men’s singles final. “I know the whole family are all tennis fans, so I told her if her kids ever wanted to hit, I’m free,” he said after speaking with the Princess of Wales.

The 24-year-old, who unexpectedly reached the Wimbledon semi-finals, is now waiting to see whether the royal invitation will be accepted: “Let’s see if I get the call-up.”

She runs this town again

Rihanna made a surprise return to the stage during the final night of Jay-Z’s anniversary concerts at Yankee Stadium in New York.

The singer joined Jay-Z for Run This Town before performing B*tch Better Have My Money solo and telling the crowd how much she had missed live performances. It marked her first major appearance on stage since the 2023 Super Bowl and Academy Awards.

The concert began several hours late because of crowd safety concerns, but continued until around 3 a.m., with Beyoncé, Usher, Pharrell Williams and other stars also joining Jay-Z on stage.

You can read last week’s edition of Popcorn in form here.