Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest player to score in a FIFA World Cup knockout match, netting a penalty at 41 years and 147 days during Portugal's dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia. This historic goal, his first in a World Cup knockout stage, helped Portugal advance to the Round of 16, with Ronaldo dismissing speculation about his future focus on the tournament.
France arrive in Philadelphia as the World Cup's most feared attacking force, but Kylian Mbappe and coach Didier Deschamps have warned that acclaim, records and a seemingly clear path mean little if they fail to stay grounded against Paraguay in Saturday's last-16 clash.
Fernando Alonso's main focus for the Belgian Grand Prix weekend will be making sure he gets home in time to watch Spain play Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday.
Curacao fans will have woken up the morning after still a little hurt by the 7-1 defeat to Germany in their World Cup debut on Sunday, but the result has not dampened their spirit or their delight at a first global finals for the tiny island nation.
A first World Cup win for seven-times African champions Egypt, 92 years after their debut, put them in charge though Iran's dogged performances in draws with Belgium and New Zealand means victory could also see them top Group G.
Arnav Paparkar has scripted history at Wimbledon as the 18-year-old became the first Indian player to reach the boys' singles quarter-finals in 36 years.
Norway's coach Stale Solbakken reflects on their historic 2-1 World Cup last-16 victory over Brazil, revealing a gracious gesture from opposing coach Carlo Ancelotti that resolved a pre-match spat. Solbakken also shared his sleepless night after the win and his team's preparations for the quarter-finals against England.
France is preparing for a FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Morocco, a rematch of the 2022 semi-final. Les Bleus, strong favourites with a perfect record and a dangerous attacking unit led by Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise, are anticipating a tactical battle. Morocco, unbeaten in their last 10 matches, aims to make history for African football and secure their first-ever win against France.
Former India captain Subrata Paul asserts that goalkeepers were instrumental in the success of teams at the recent FIFA World Cup, often outshining attacking players. He highlights specific goalkeepers like Vozinha, Unai Simon, Emiliano Martinez, and Thibaut Courtois for their exceptional performances and discusses the evolving role of modern goalkeepers in tactical play.
Watching the World Cup and hearing the music in the stadium may have left you wondering - how is that chosen? Is it just coincidence that "Wonderwall" plays after England matches? Are "Freed from Desire" or "Livin' on a Prayer" always played? And why?
England manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged Jude Bellingham's 'great shift' in the World Cup quarter-final win over Norway but insisted the team 'can and must improve' their performance, despite reaching the semi-finals.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi inspired a dramatic comeback victory over Egypt in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, prompting teammate Julian Alvarez to hail him as "the best player in the world and in history." Despite missing a penalty, Messi scored a crucial equaliser, leading Argentina to a 3-2 win and a quarter-final clash with Switzerland, keeping their title defence hopes alive.
Morocco defeated Canada 3-0 in the World Cup last 16, with Azzedine Ounahi scoring two goals, to advance to the quarter-finals for the second consecutive time. The victory ended Canada's tournament run.
Linda Noskova defeated Marta Kostyuk in straight sets to reach her maiden Grand Slam final, setting up a historic all-Czech Wimbledon title clash against compatriot Karolina Muchova and extending Czech dominance.
Defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, have shown remarkable resilience in the World Cup knockout stages, overcoming a 2-0 deficit against Egypt and needing extra time against Cape Verde to reach the quarter-finals against Switzerland.
Canada secured its first-ever World Cup victory with a dominant 6-0 win, but the celebration was marred by a severe leg injury to midfielder Ismael Kone. Kone suffered a broken leg after a tackle from Qatar's Assim Madibo, an incident that left his teammates and coach Jesse Marsch deeply shaken. The injury is a significant blow to Canada's World Cup campaign, despite their strong position in Group B.
New Zealand midfielder Sarpreet Singh, the first Sikh footballer to play at a FIFA World Cup, hopes his historic appearance will inspire more players of Indian and South Asian heritage to reach football's biggest stage.
Indian skeet shooters Bhavtegh Singh Gill and Mairaj Ahmad performed strongly on the opening day of the ISSF World Cup (Shotgun) in Lonato, Italy, finishing joint 14th. Parinaaz Dhaliwal also impressed in the women's section, placing tied-11th. The performances offer hope for India's first medal of the season and serve as crucial preparation for the upcoming Asian Games, despite other Olympians facing challenges.
Brazil came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, recording their first knockout victory after trailing at half-time since 1978 as Casemiro made history and Gabriel Martinelli struck a dramatic late winner.
Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his prolific scoring record in six FIFA World Cups, has yet to score in a knockout stage match. As Portugal faces Croatia, the superstar aims to break this drought while also holding records for most World Cup appearances and being Portugal's all-time leading scorer in the tournament.
England's football team has reached the World Cup semi-finals, demonstrating significant resilience by overcoming setbacks. They are set to face old rivals Argentina, a match steeped in history. The team's success is largely attributed to the partnership of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who have scored a combined 12 goals. Coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledges the team's fighting spirit but also sees room for improvement as they aim to end a 60-year wait for a World Cup title.
Ravichandran Ashwin praised Cabo Verde on X, urging fans to "Remember the name" after their spirited performances.
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.
The meeting between Morocco and Netherlands in the last 32 might have come too early at the World Cup, Dutch coach Ronald Koeman suggested on the eve of Monday's clash between the two contenders in Monterrey.
Mohamed Salah scored and assisted as Egypt came from behind to beat New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver, securing the country's first-ever FIFA World Cup victory and moving top of Group G.
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.
After France's 2-0 victory over Morocco in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal, Kylian Mbappe was seen consoling his close friend Achraf Hakimi. This moment of mutual respect between the former Paris Saint-Germain teammates quickly went viral, highlighting that fierce rivals can still share genuine friendship off the pitch, despite Mbappe's insistence on no emotions during the game.
Former Arsenal manager and FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger has backed Kylian Mbappe's France to win the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026, saying Spain are the only team capable of stopping the two-time champions because of their superior technical quality.
US president Donald Trump in recent weeks has renewed threats to make Canada the 51st US state, and said he might not renew the trilateral trade agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico -- the co-hosts of this year's World Cup.
Substitute Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute after goalkeeper Senne Lammens spilled Pau Cubars's long-range effort, restoring Spain's lead and putting the 2010 champions 2-1 ahead of Belgium.
Erling Haaland's first-half double for Norway in Tuesday's 4-1 World Cup win over Iraq literally shook the Nordic country, with seismology institute NORSAR registering earth tremors in the coastal city of Bergen when he scored on his tournament debut.
Bosnia and Herzegovina kept their World Cup hopes alive thanks to a stunning goal from teenager Kerim Alajbegovic, which powered them towards a tense 3-1 win over Qatar on Wednesday and secured third place in Group B to eliminate their opponents.
Cristiano Ronaldo's final FIFA World Cup journey concluded with Portugal's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16. Following the match, Spain's teenage star Lamine Yamal offered a comforting hug to a tearful Ronaldo, a gesture of sportsmanship that quickly went viral and resonated with fans globally.
France's journey to the World Cup semi-finals is not just about star players like Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, but also a deep-seated unity and player-led analysis forged in private conversations and hotel rooms, according to midfielders Adrien Rabiot and defender Jules Kounde.
A football commentator has been stripped of his World Cup credentials by FIFA after an expletive-laden tirade against the organisation and match officials during Paraguay's 1-0 victory over Turkey when Miguel Almiron was sent off.
Cristiano Ronaldo led an emotional tribute to his late team-mate Diogo Jota after Portugal's World Cup victory. over Croatia, marking the first anniversary of Jota's death. Ronaldo, visibly moved, wore Jota's jersey and pointed to the sky, a gesture that resonated deeply with fans and teammates.
England defeated Mexico 3-2 in a hard-fought World Cup match to secure their place in the quarter-finals. Despite playing with ten men after Jarell Quansah's red card, goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane ensured England's victory.
Indian recurve teams faced early exits at the Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid, losing to the USA in both men's and women's quarter-finals. Despite team setbacks, hopes remain high for the recurve mixed pair event featuring Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kirti Sharma, and several archers are still in contention in individual categories.
Germany's World Cup campaign ended in a shocking penalty shootout loss to Paraguay, marking another early exit for the four-time champions. This defeat highlights a concerning pattern of underperformance in major tournaments since 2014, raising questions about coach Julian Nagelsmann's future and the team's overall direction.
France take on Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final aiming for a third consecutive World Cup final, with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele leading Les Bleus against Europe's champions.
