… The South Americans swept through the group phase but struggled past minnows Cape Verde and needed a spectacular comeback against Egypt.Saturday's game was another attritional affair against a Swiss team seeking to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time. …
… 31 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Argentina forward Lionel Messi celebrates next to goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez after winning the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Argentina and Cape Verde …
… That is part of what defines this group." Argentina's flaws have been exposed in the knockout stages by far from stellar opposition in Cape Verde and Egypt. …
… The South Americans, aiming to become the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1962, were given an almighty scare by Cape Verde in the last 32. …
… /Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Justin Setterfield / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) Audio By Vocalize FIFA has launched a probe into alleged racist insults directed at the streamer known as IShowSpeed at last week's World Cup match between Argentina and Cape Verde …
… 55 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Argentina forward Lionel Messi celebrates next to goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez after winning the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Argentina and Cape Verde …
… 54 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Argentina forward Lionel Messi celebrates next to goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez after winning the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Argentina and Cape Verde …
Audio By VocalizeFIFA has launched a probe into alleged racist insults directed at the streamer known as IShowSpeed at last week's World Cup match between Argentina and Cape Verde. …
… 20 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Argentina forward Lionel Messi celebrates next to goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez after winning the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Argentina and Cape Verde …
Bubista, 56, who led Cape Verde to the World Cup knockout stage in 2026, has been appointed head coach of Morocco's RS Berkane. The Cape Verde football federation has not yet announced whether he will continue in his role with the national team.
Bubista, 56, who led Cape Verde to the World Cup knockout stage in 2026, has been appointed head coach of Morocco's RS Berkane. The Cape Verde football federation has not yet announced whether he will continue in his role with the national team.
Cameroon became the first qualifiers for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after defeating Ghana 1-0 on Sunday, securing six points in Group D. Mali's 3-2 victory over Cape Verde means Cameroon is guaranteed a top-two finish regardless of their final group match.
Vozinha, the 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper who starred at the World Cup, is signing for Chilean club Colo Colo, the club announced on July 24, 2026. Vozinha impressed with heroic displays in a goalless draw against Spain and a 3-2 extra-time loss to Argentina during the tournament.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha and Norway striker Erling Haaland were named in the fan-voted FIFA World Cup dream team after standout performances during their teams' unexpected runs. Vozinha topped the goalkeeper vote with 39.6% despite Spain's Unai Simon winning the Golden Glove.
Google data shows Kenyan football fans searched for far more than match results during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with growing curiosity about football traditions, technology, players and shared viewing experiences. The most searched matches in Kenya were France versus Morocco, Brazil versus Norway, Brazil versus Japan, Norway versus England, and Portugal versus Spain.
Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 the day before Spain beat France 2-0 in the semi-final, aims to join an elite group of teenage World Cup winners. The 2026 final will see Argentina's Lionel Messi, who will become the oldest outfield player to appear in a World Cup final, face Spain's young forward.
Spain's 2026 World Cup final squad includes players of African descent, such as 19-year-old Lamine Yamal (Moroccan father, Equatorial Guinean mother) and Nico Williams (Ghanaian parents), while Argentina's squad is widely cited as the only one among the 48 tournament teams without a single Black player.
The 48-team World Cup in 2026 has generated an 80% increase in betting volume compared to the 2022 tournament, according to a Sportradar betting expert, indicating that punters have embraced the expanded format despite initial fan skepticism.
Argentina and Spain will face each other in the World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday, a match that pits Argentina's attacking style and Lionel Messi against Spain's controlled, methodical approach. The match carries personal storylines, including Messi facing teenager Lamine Yamal, both connected to Barcelona's La Masia academy.
Argentina advanced to the 2026 World Cup final against Spain after beating England 2-1 in the semi-final, with coach Lionel Scaloni and observers crediting the team's ability to perform well under pressure. The South American nation is pursuing a second consecutive World Cup title.
Argentina's players and coaches say the team performs best when facing adversity, a trait evident in their comeback victories through the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup tournament.
Argentina's Lautaro Martinez scored the winning goal in the 2026 World Cup semifinal against England, with the reigning champions winning 2-1 after Martinez came off the bench in the 81st minute. Martinez said he had "dreamt" of scoring the goal, which came in the second minute of injury time after Lionel Messi set up Enzo Fernandez to equalize.
Lionel Messi's Argentina will meet England in a 2026 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday at Atlanta Stadium, with Spain advancing to the final after eliminating France. Argentina is seeking to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups.
Lionel Messi's Argentina will play England in a World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, with European champions Spain awaiting the winner. Argentina, three-time champions, seek to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups, while England aim for their biggest match since winning their sole World Cup in 1966.
With France, Spain, England and Argentina—the four highest-ranked sides—as the last teams standing in the World Cup, an African observer reflects that Morocco's exit marks the continent's failure to bridge the gap between African talent and global excellence, and that African teams must develop sustainable depth rather than relying on flashes of brilliance.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said he was not concerned about fatigue or his team's performances as they prepare to face England in the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, with the holders seeking to reach consecutive finals.
France and Spain meet in the first semi-final of the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with France seeking a third consecutive World Cup final appearance.
England and Argentina will meet in a 2026 World Cup semi-final at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026, renewing their old rivalry as England bids to reach their first final in six decades while Messi's Argentina seeks to win back-to-back World Cups.
Spain's Lamine Yamal, hoping to win the World Cup as a teenager like Kylian Mbappe did in 2018, faces France and their superstar captain in Tuesday's semi-final. Yamal has already impressed in major tournaments, scoring in Euro 2024's semi-final against France when he was 16.
Julian Alvarez scored Argentina's decisive second goal in the 112th minute as Argentina beat 10-man Switzerland 3-1 in extra-time in the World Cup quarter-final. Alvarez said "you have to know how to suffer" after Argentina came through another gruelling test.
Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni said the team's upcoming World Cup semi-final against England is "just a football game" after Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 in the quarter-finals. Alexis Mac Allister scored early, Dan Ndoye equalized, and goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez sealed the win in Kansas City.
Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 after extra-time in a World Cup quarter-final on Saturday, with Lionel Messi setting up an early opener and Julian Alvarez scoring a decisive goal in the 112th minute. The victory sets up a semi-final against England and keeps Argentina unbeaten in their past 12 World Cup matches.
Lionel Messi has scored in every World Cup match so far as defending champion Argentina advances to the quarter-final against Switzerland, with the team winning all five of their games despite gruelling knockout matches against Cape Verde and Egypt.
Lionel Messi has missed two penalties at the World Cup, including one against Egypt in the last 16, becoming the only player to miss more than one in a single tournament. His overall penalty conversion rate of 77 percent matches the global average, a notable weakness for a player of his caliber.
France take on Morocco on Thursday in a World Cup quarter-final at Gillette Stadium outside Boston, a rematch of their 2022 semi-final. The expanded 48-team tournament has narrowed to eight teams competing for the title in the July 19 final in East Rutherford.
FIFA launched an investigation into alleged racist insults directed at US streamer IShowSpeed during an Argentina vs Cape Verde World Cup match on July 3, 2026 at Miami Stadium.
Lionel Messi, 39, has missed two penalties at the 2026 World Cup on US soil—one saved by Egypt's Mostafa Shobeir in the last 16 and one wide against Austria in group play—making him the only player to miss more than one penalty in any World Cup, though his overall play continues to lead Argentina's title quest.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached the quarter-final stage with eight teams remaining. France, Morocco, and other heavyweight sides are set to compete in matches taking place across the United States.
FIFA has launched an investigation into racist insults directed at US streamer IShowSpeed during a July 3 match between Argentina and Cape Verde at Miami Stadium. The streamer was reportedly targeted again during Tuesday's Argentina-Egypt match.
Argentina recovered from 2-0 down to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the round of 32, with Lionel Messi scoring the equaliser and Enzo Fernandez securing victory in stoppage time, allowing the holders to reach the quarter-finals.