Riyad Mahrez, the Algerian football star, has announced his retirement from international football following Algeria's elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 by Switzerland. Mahrez confirmed his decision after Algeria's 2-0 defeat, concluding a distinguished career with 119 appearances, 40 goals, and 45 assists, including a pivotal role in Algeria's 2019 Africa Cup of Nations victory.
Algeria's coach Vladimir Petkovic attributed his team's 2-0 defeat to Switzerland and subsequent World Cup exit to costly defensive errors. He acknowledged the higher level of competition at the tournament and praised his team's overall performance, considering their return to the World Cup after 12 years and reaching the group stage a success despite the elimination.
Switzerland secured a vital 2-0 victory over Algeria propelling them into the Round of 16.
Austria and Algeria played out a dramatic 3-3 draw in their final World Cup Group J match, with two stoppage-time goals ensuring both teams progressed to the Round of 32, while eliminating Iran. Argentina topped the group, with Austria finishing second and Algeria advancing as a best third-placed side.
Algeria rallied to eliminate debutants Jordan and keep their Round of 32 hopes alive at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Lionel Messi earned a spot in the World Cup history books with a hat-trick that saw Argentina begin the defence of their title with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Algeria in their Group J opener at Kansas City Stadium, Missouri, on Tuesday.
Argentina start their bid for back-to-back World Cups on Tuesday with a side full of familiar faces from Qatar 2022, facing an Algerian team buoyed by warm-up wins and featuring a 20-year-old rising star nicknamed after Diego Maradona.
Johan Manzambi continued his superb FIFA World Cup campaign by setting up Switzerland's opener in a 2-0 win over Algeria, ending the Swiss side's 88-year wait for a World Cup knockout victory and securing a place in the Round of 16.
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick likened his side's dramatic 3-3 World Cup draw with Algeria to an Alfred Hitchcock film, dismissing conspiracy theories and calling it the most incredible match of his coaching career.
A stampede occurred in central Amman during a crowded gathering of fans watching Jordan's World Cup match against Algeria, resulting in one death and eight injuries. The incident took place at Hashemite Square due to heavy congestion and crowd movement.
Lionel Messi became the all-time leading scorer in men's FIFA World Cup history on Monday, netting his 17th tournament goal during Argentina's match against Austria.
Lionel Messi equalled the men's World Cup all-time scoring record with a hat-trick in Argentina's Group J opener against Algeria on Tuesday.
Argentina, having secured top spot in Group J, will face Jordan in their final group match with an eye on the knockout stage. Coach Lionel Scaloni is expected to rotate the squad, potentially resting Lionel Messi, while Jordan aims to conclude their debut World Cup campaign on a positive note despite early elimination.
An emotional Lionel Messi was wiping his tears with his shirt after scoring Argentina's first goal against Algeria in the World Cup, a strike that marked the beginning of a memorable performance where he netted thrice to secure a 3-0 win.
The complete schedule of FIFA World Cup 2026 in IST.
Lionel Messi broke the FIFA World Cup scoring record, but his achievement was overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions.
Lionel Messi's record-breaking night draws ultimate praise from former record-holder Miroslav Klose.
Iran's bid for a first World Cup knockout stage appearance ended dramatically after Austria's late equaliser against Algeria denied them a spot. Despite remaining unbeaten, the team faced significant logistical challenges and travel restrictions due to their conflict with the U.S., which captain Mehdi Taremi described as a "disaster."
Lionel Messi, on the eve of his 39th birthday, demonstrated his unwavering commitment to Argentina's FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign by engaging in an intense gym session. The football legend, who is already the FIFA World Cup's all-time top goalscorer, is leading Argentina into the Round of 16 and continues to break records with his exceptional performance.
Following a dominant group stage performance, Argentina is now preparing to face Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
With a dazzling hat-trick against Algeria, Lionel Messi once again defied age, expectations and logic at the World Cup, prompting coach Lionel Scaloni to call his performances "inexplicable" and admit he is simply no longer surprised by the Argentine legend's brilliance.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that star player Lionel Messi will start on the bench for their final World Cup Group F match against Jordan.
Lionel Messi is poised to further cement his legendary status as Argentina faces Austria in a crucial FIFA World Cup Group J match. Following a record-breaking hat-trick against Algeria, Messi is on the verge of equalling or surpassing several all-time World Cup records, including consecutive goals, total goals, and match victories. The football world watches as he leads Argentina against a formidable Austrian side.
Former football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic has lauded Lionel Messi for breaking the all-time FIFA World Cup goal record, stating that the Argentinian ace is in a 'category of his own', surpassing even legends like Pele, Diego Maradona, and Johan Cruyff due to his numbers, longevity, and trophies.
Lionel Messi has achieved a new World Cup milestone, becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive matches.
While Mbappe and Messi currently lead the charts, Haaland, Kane, Dembele, and Vinicius Junior are all within striking distance, setting up an intense battle for the tournament's top scorer award in the matches ahead.
Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup record fell as Lionel Messi scored a historic hat-trick and reached 16 tournament goals.
Lionel Messi's family has confirmed that his father, Jorge Messi, 68, is receiving medical treatment for an undisclosed health issue. They stated he is recovering well and responding positively to treatment, while also expressing frustration over media speculation and requesting privacy for the family during this time. The statement follows emotional scenes involving Lionel Messi during a recent World Cup match, which he later clarified were unrelated to football but due to difficult personal days.
Spain secured their spot in the World Cup Round of 16 with a convincing 3-0 win over Austria, featuring two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal. The dominant performance saw Spain maintain their perfect defensive record, setting up a clash with either Portugal or Croatia in the next stage.
Football superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have taken to social media to share their preparations for crucial FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage matches. Messi, fresh off a hat-trick, is fine-tuning for Argentina's clash against Austria, while Ronaldo, after a frustrating draw, is refocusing for Portugal's game against Uzbekistan.
Lionel Messi has become the most prolific scorer in World Cup history, netting two goals in Argentina's 2-0 victory over Austria. This achievement, which saw him surpass Brazilian great Marta's record of 17 goals, also secured Argentina's place in the knockout stage with a game to spare. Despite missing a penalty, Messi expressed satisfaction with the team's performance and the crucial win.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has made a historic return to the World Cup knockout stages, 52 years after a disastrous debut.
Free, customizable "fan bands" have become the unexpected must-have souvenir at the 2026 World Cup, with over 700,000 distributed. Sponsored by Bank of America, these charm wristlets feature subtle branding and have gone viral, even appearing on resale platforms. This marketing strategy offers a counterpoint to the tournament's high ticket and merchandise prices, proving that unique, free items can create significant fan engagement and brand visibility.
Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has stated his intention to continue playing as long as he remains physically fit and can contribute to his team. He remained non-committal about his participation in the 2030 FIFA World Cup, stating it's too far off to consider. Messi also celebrated his 39th birthday amidst Argentina's strong performance in the FIFA World Cup 2026, where he became the all-time leading goal-scorer.
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick praised Lionel Messi's exceptional scoring ability after his team's 2-0 loss to Argentina, where Messi netted twice. However, Rangnick expressed frustration over Argentina's first goal, believing a foul on Xaver Schlager was overlooked. Despite the defeat, Rangnick was largely satisfied with his team's performance and their World Cup campaign.
The top 32 teams at the FIFA World Cup 2026 are now confirmed after a dramatic and exhausting group stage that came to a close on Saturday.
Lionel Messi is dealing with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring less than three weeks before the start of the World Cup, Inter Miami said on Monday after the Argentine forward was forced off in his final club match before the tournament.
Argentina booked their place in the World Cup knockout stage on Monday as Lionel Messi recovered from an early penalty miss to score a record-breaking double in a 2-0 victory over Austria.
FIFA's new hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup have sparked controversy, with coaches including Marcelo Bielsa and Gustavo Alfaro claiming they disrupt football's rhythm and serve commercial interests more than player welfare.
