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.
Kylian Mbappe, after scoring a double against Sweden, is nearing Lionel Messi's World Cup goal record but states his primary focus is on winning the trophy for France. He acknowledges his scoring prowess but emphasises the team's collective goal of reaching and winning the final on July 19, downplaying the individual rivalry with Messi.
Argentina and England are set to clash in a World Cup semi-final, marking their first such encounter, a match deeply rooted in decades of historical and footballing rivalry, including infamous incidents involving Antonio Rattin, Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal, and the Falklands War.
Lionel Messi experienced an emotional rollercoaster in Argentina's World Cup last-16 tie against Egypt, missing a penalty but ultimately scoring a vital late equaliser to save his team's World Cup dream after being two goals down.
India too can rise to the top if the 1.4 billion Indians back home are given better opportunities to use their innate talent and capacity to work hard, with right incentives in a more meritocratic rules-based system, asserts Ajay Chhibber.
Lionel Messi's record-breaking night draws ultimate praise from former record-holder Miroslav Klose.
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.
Norway's prolific striker Erling Haaland wasted no time in opening his World Cup account as he found the net twice in a 4-1 defeat of Iraq in Group I on Tuesday that sent a warning to defenders in the rest of the tournament.
Donald Trump has escalated his public feud with Pope Leo XIV, criticising the Pontiff's stance on Iran's nuclear ambitions and domestic issues, while the Pope maintains his focus on spiritual advocacy and global peace.
Cabo Verde's World Cup dream ended in defeat, but their story had already become one of the tournament's defining moments. After the debutants stretched defending champions Argentina to extra time, football greats Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thierry Henry saluted the tiny island nation for proving that belief can outweigh size and reputation.
With customers queued up and spilling onto the sidewalk at Cookieteria by Lovely, eager to grab fresh World Cup-themed conchas, baker Erika Lopez is worried about letting some down.
Tuner may feel familiar, but its fab sound design, slickly edited heists and strong performances make it feel refreshingly sharp.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty fought hard but lost to Indonesia's Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin in the men's doubles final at the Thailand Open Super 500 tournament.
France can secure a more comfortable route through the World Cup when they face Norway in their final Group I match on Friday, though finishing top could leave them facing one of the toughest roads to the trophy.
Yuvraj Sandhu of India is in the Top-10 at the halfway stage of the Turkish Airlines Open on the DP World Tour after a steady round of 1-under 71. Shubhankar Sharma also made the cut despite a difficult finish.
Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on Pope Leo XIV over the pontiff's views on American foreign policy and crime, escalating tensions between the White House and the Vatican.
A US federal judge has ruled that the USD 100,000 fee imposed by former President Donald Trump for H-1B visa applications was unlawful, as it lacked congressional approval. The ruling states the fee was a tax, exceeding the administration's authority and impacting skilled global talent.
Indian shuttler Ashmita Chaliha qualified for the women's singles main draw of the Malaysia Masters Super 500 tournament after defeating Pai Yu-po. In men's doubles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and M R Arjun progressed to the second round.
Inspirational Lionel Messi would like to end his glittering career on a high as Argentina begin their World Cup defence on June 17 against Algeria in their Group J encounter.
Indian shuttler Ashmita Chaliha qualified for the women's singles main draw of the Malaysia Masters Super 500 tournament after defeating Pai Yu-po.
As Vijay is set to lead Tamil Nadu after a historic electoral win, we take a look back at films that built his mass appeal while affirming how cinema shaped his larger-than-life public persona.
US President Donald Trump described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 'a Great One', while Russia hailed him as the 'doyen of all Indian prime ministers' as world leaders congratulated him on becoming India's longest continuously serving elected representative at the top post.
Leaders and common people flocked to St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican to listen to Pope Leo's inaugural mass.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty displayed resilience to reach the men's doubles final at the Thailand Open Super 500 badminton tournament, overcoming Malaysia's Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin in a thrilling three-game match.
Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. shares his emotional response to being included in the FIFA World Cup squad, expressing gratitude for the support he received during his journey.
Carlo Ancelotti has recalled Neymar to Brazil's squad for next month's FIFA World Cup, backing the veteran forward's fitness and experience despite his injury-disrupted recent years.
The club did not directly confirm it, but welcomed the new pontiff after his election on Thursday.
Lionel Messi congratulated FC Barcelona after their 29th La Liga title win over Real Madrid, recalling his legendary trophy-laden legacy with the Catalan giants.
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Lionel Messi is the owner of a fifth-division soccer club in Spain after the Argentine superstar acquired Barcelona-based UE Cornella.
Shanker Heisnam, a 19-year-old from Manipur, earned his first ATP ranking point by defeating Stijn Pel of the Netherlands at the Central Excise & CGST ITF M25 Kolkata. He will face top seed Luca Castelnuovo in the next round. Leo Borg, son of Bjorn Borg, also advanced.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty displayed resilience and skill to reach the men's doubles final at the Thailand Open Super 500 badminton tournament, overcoming Malaysia's Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin in a thrilling three-game match.
Ayush Shetty suffered a straight-game loss to Christo Popov as India trailed France 0-1 in the semifinals of the Thomas Cup Finals.
Ayush Shetty suffered a straight-game loss to Christo Popov as India trailed France 0-1 in the semifinals of the Thomas Cup Finals.
Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner had an audience on Wednesday with the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, himself a keen tennis player, the Vatican said.
Karuppu begins with a striking idea of God battling a broken justice system, only to turn into a routine Suriya mass spectacle.
India's Lakshya Sen will miss the Thomas Cup semifinal against France due to a swollen elbow sustained during the quarterfinal match. Ayush Shetty will replace him in the opening singles.
Lakshya Sen's swollen elbow forces him to miss India's Thomas Cup semifinal against France, with Kidambi Shrikant stepping in. India aims for a spot in the final after a strong quarterfinal win.
The pontiff, the first leader of the global Catholic Church from the United States, appeared for about seven minutes on Rate Field's jumbotron during the event, organized by the Chicago archdiocese and featuring several other local personalities, including Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky.
India face a tough challenge in the Thomas Cup semifinal as France take a 2-0 lead, with Kidambi Srikanth losing to Alex Lanier and Ayush Shetty falling to Christo Popov.
