Egypt's players and Coach Hossam Hassan blasted FIFA and accused the governing body of blatantly 'favouring' Lionel Messi and his team.
While most fans were left disappointed at the stadium, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan did get his moment with the football legend.
Sports must get priority over political, bureaucratic formalities: Bhutia
Legendary Indian goalkeeper Brahmananda Sankhwalkar reflects on the emotional FIFA World Cup exits of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Junior. He discusses their unfulfilled World Cup dreams, their rivalry with Lionel Messi, and the circumstances of their respective team's eliminations, highlighting their enduring legacy despite the absence of a World Cup trophy.
A record eight players aged 40 or older have been selected to play at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States - one more than at all the past 22 tournaments combined.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni lauded his team's ability to perform under pressure, stating they 'play its best football when it's under pressure' after their dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against England secured a spot in the World Cup final.
Lamine Yamal exploded into view at 16 and became an integral part of Spain's record fourth European Championship triumph in 2024.
Lionel Messi has extended his contract with MLS side Inter Miami to 2028, the club announced on Thursday.
The FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina garnered nearly 63 million viewers in the United States, setting new viewership records and highlighting football's increasing popularity in the country.
Cape Verde head into the biggest match in their football history full of belief, with coach Pedro Leitao Brito insisting his side will play "with courage" against defending champions Argentina in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32.
Japan's Yuto Nagatomo made history by becoming the first Asian player to feature in five FIFA World Cups during Japan's 1-1 draw against Sweden. This achievement places him among an elite group of players globally. The draw secured both Japan and Sweden's advancement to the Round of 32 in the 2026 tournament.
For long stretches, the atmosphere felt less Mumbai and more Camp Nou. Chants of 'Barca... Barca' and 'Suarez... Suarez' echoed through the stands as Messi interacted with youngsters, celebrities and former India football captain Sunil Chhetri.
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has strongly condemned the post-match clashes that marred the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, calling the behaviour of Argentina's players 'unacceptable' after his side lifted the trophy with a dramatic extra-time victory.
Following a dominant group stage performance, Argentina is now preparing to face Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
Indian men's football team captain Sandesh Jhingan on Wednesday questioned the logic of spending crores on Lionel Messi's high-profile 'GOAT Tour', saying the extravagance has forced him to think if anyone is really concerned about investing in Indian football, which has effectively come to a standstill.
Messi's last visit with the Argentina team to India was back in 2011, when they faced Venezuela in a friendly match at Kolkata's iconic Salt Lake Stadium.
The Argentinian becomes the first brand ambassador of the company in its 70-year history.
MLS enters its 31st season amid World Cup buzz and Lionel Messi's impact, with Don Garber calling it a defining moment for the league's future.
Multi-champions Brazil, Argentina and Germany all won their preparatory games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, although by small margins, with former champion England and hopeful Portugal also securing victories.
The final day of the GOAT India Tour will also see Messi exchanging greetings with two members of the Indian cricket team at the Ferozshah Kotla Stadium.
Kylian Mbappe scored a penalty in the 70th minute to give France a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the World Cup last 16, setting up a quarter-final clash with Morocco. The goal also brought Mbappe level with Lionel Messi as the tournament's top scorer.
There was no dearth of praise for little magician Lionel Messi who struck his 500th goal for FC Barcelona on Sunday.
Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli were spotted at Delhi airport on Sunday morning after flying in from Mumbai, with the couple's arrival immediately sparking buzz around Lionel Messi's ongoing GOAT India Tour.
Egypt's national football coach, Hossam Hassan, has vehemently blamed 'unfair' refereeing decisions and 'external factors' for his team's dramatic World Cup elimination by Argentina, stating he will no longer watch the tournament.
The TMC and BJP have engaged in a blame game following a chaotic Lionel Messi event at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, which saw spectators storming the field and the main organiser being arrested for alleged mismanagement.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has become the highest-scoring edition in the tournament's history, surpassing the previous record of 172 goals set in Qatar 2022. The record was broken during the United States vs. Turkey match, with Auston Trusty's goal marking the 173rd, and the total quickly rising to 175 goals by the 59th match. This achievement is attributed to FIFA's expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams, leading to 104 matches compared to 64 in 2022.
Lionel Messi lit up the Arun Jaitley Stadium as the final leg of his G.O.A.T India Tour got underway in Delhi on Monday.
Portugal and their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo were left frustrated after being held to a 1-1 draw by Group K rivals Democratic Republic of Congo in their World Cup clash in a sodden Houston.
Spain defender Aymeric Laporte has questioned some refereeing decisions involving Argentina ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, saying aggressive play should not go unpunished.
Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is not scheduled to play serious football on the 'G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025'.
Argentina's national football team anticipates a challenging last-16 World Cup match against Egypt, following a hard-fought victory over Cape Verde. Players Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina emphasised the increasing competitiveness of international football, highlighting that no easy games remain in the tournament, as they prepare for a stern test from the highly motivated Egyptian side.
The West Bengal government plans to remove the football-themed sculpture outside Salt Lake Stadium, designed by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee, and upgrade the venue's infrastructure.
Matthew Hayden cautions young cricketers against blindly copying Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's fearless batting style, backs Shubman Gill's consistency, and raises concerns over the future of bilateral ODI cricket amid the franchise boom.
Ichhapur tea-seller Shib Shankar Patra is one of two diehard fans handpicked for a special meet-and-greet with Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is expected to kick off a friendly football match to be attended by legend Lionel Messi during his visit to Hyderabad on December 13.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni discussed his team's hard-fought 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde in the World Cup last-32, emphasising the unexpected difficulty of the match despite being heavy favourites. He praised his players' resilience and character, acknowledging the physical toll and the need for improvement, while also highlighting the unique "suffering" inherent in being Argentine in football.
Messi's return to Barca not realistic, says club president Laporta
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi on Saturday virtually unveiled his towering 70-foot statue at Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, Kolkata.
France head coach Didier Deschamps made World Cup history by becoming the most successful manager in terms of victories after France's dominant 3-0 win over Sweden, with Kylian Mbapp starring once again to send Les Bleus into the Round of 16.
Spain's teenage winger Lamine Yamal says he has plenty of improvement left in his fledgling career with fans not yet having seen the best.
