… Prior to this tournament, only Cameroon's Roger Milla had played in a World Cup as an outfield player after turning 40.Ronaldo and Modric, who won four Champions Leagues in six seasons together at Real Madrid, have long defied Father Time but have shown their age in what will alm …
… On Tuesday, Kylian Mbappe and France laid on a sumptuous display of attacking prowess as they eased past Sweden 3-0, with the Real Madrid forward collecting two goals to take his tally in the tournament to six. …
… Brazil, the record five-time champions, are desperate to win the World Cup for the first time since 2002 and Carlo Ancelotti's side eased through to this stage on top of their group, led by Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior and his four goals. …
… (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) Audio By Vocalize England coach Thomas Tuchel hailed Jude Bellingham after the Real Madrid star scored one goal and made another in Saturday's 2-0 World Cup win over Panama, describing the number 10 as being "in a sweet spot". …
… The Colombians will play Ghana in the last 32 next Friday, while runners-up Portugal will see Cristiano Ronaldo face his old Real Madrid teammate Croatian icon Luka Modric on Thursday. …
… The Colombians will play Ghana in the last 32 next Friday, while runners-up Portugal will see Cristiano Ronaldo face his old Real Madrid teammate Croatian icon Luka Modric on Thursday.However, Ronaldo was a peripheral presence in the fast-paced match, outshone by another former R …
… and two draws. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-m', container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails', placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' }); Now the real competition begins when they face a Brazil team boasting Real Madrid …
… the highest ranked side to crash out in the group stages as the defeat rounded off a miserable tournament for Marcelo Bielsa and his squad.After draws against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, reports of a revolt in the Uruguay camp emerged with leading players, including Real Madrid …
Zinedine Zidane, 54, was appointed France coach on Tuesday, replacing Didier Deschamps following France's fourth-place finish at the World Cup. Zidane had long been considered the leading candidate for the role.
Zinedine Zidane, 54, was appointed France coach on Tuesday, replacing Didier Deschamps following France's fourth-place finish at the World Cup. Zidane had long been considered the leading candidate for the role.
New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said Monday there is "good energy" at the club as he prepares for his first competitive fixture against Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday. Alonso, who officially began the job on July 1, has made pre-season signings including Morgan Rogers and says the squad has "great quality" and "great talent."
Inter Miami defeated Montreal 1-0 on Saturday with Casemiro making his Major League Soccer debut, as Luis Suarez scored a penalty in the 81st minute. The victory was marred by a serious head injury to Miami's German Berterame, who was taken from the pitch in an ambulance after clashing heads with Montreal's Efrain Morales.
New Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said Friday it is a "privilege" to succeed Pep Guardiola and expects midfielder Rodri, despite requiring back surgery, to be available for his first season in charge.
Croatian midfielder Luka Modric has extended his contract with Serie A club AC Milan by one season, committing until June 30, 2027. The 40-year-old joined Milan in 2025 and scored two goals in 37 matches last season.
The French Football Federation will hold a news conference on July 28 to unveil the next coach of the national team. Zinedine Zidane, 54, is the overwhelming favourite to succeed Didier Deschamps, whose tenure ended after France finished fourth at the 2026 World Cup.
The French Football Federation will announce its new head coach on July 28, with Zinedine Zidane the overwhelming favourite to succeed Didier Deschamps following France's fourth-place finish at the 2026 World Cup.
Inter Miami announced the signing of Brazil international Casemiro, a 34-year-old midfielder who left Manchester United as a free agent, but Major League Soccer immediately opened an investigation into allegations of tampering by the club over the deal.
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 World Cup final with a Ferran Torres goal in extra-time, conceding just one goal across all eight tournament matches—the fewest by any World Cup-winning team. Defender Marc Cucurella attributed the victory to the team's defensive strength, noting that Spain's defensive discipline made winning easier.
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the World Cup final on Sunday, with Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal. Thousands of Spanish fans celebrated in Madrid, singing and flooding the streets as the city erupted close to midnight.
Kylian Mbappe won the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot after scoring 10 goals in the tournament, ahead of Lionel Messi who finished with eight. Mbappe also became the all-time top scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals across three tournaments, one ahead of Messi.
Defending champions Argentina and European champions Spain were locked at 0-0 at half-time in the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, with few clear-cut chances created in an opening period dominated by Spain's possession.
Didier Deschamps, France's coach for 14 years, plays his final match on Saturday as Les Bleus face England in the World Cup third-place play-off after losing to Spain 2-0 in the semi-finals. Zinedine Zidane, Deschamps' former teammate, is waiting to take over the role.
France and England will play for third place in the 2026 World Cup in Miami on July 18, 2026, after losing their semi-finals—France to Spain 2-0 and England to Argentina 2-1.
France and England meet in the World Cup third-place play-off in Miami on July 18, 2026, after both lost their semi-finals: France fell 2-0 to Spain and England lost 2-1 to Argentina.
France and England will compete in the World Cup third-place play-off on Saturday in Miami, after both suffered semi-final defeats—France losing 2-0 to Spain and England losing 2-1 to Argentina. England manager Thomas Tuchel said neither team's players wanted to play the match, preferring to have reached the final.
As England prepares for a World Cup semi-final against Argentina, hometown fans in Stourbridge, England celebrate midfielder Jude Bellingham, who powered the team through to the semi-final clash. The 23-year-old has become a local hero, with murals and merchandise bearing his name adorning the quiet market town.
France, which had scored 16 goals in six matches before the semi-final, suffered a 2-0 defeat to Spain at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with French attackers Mbappé and teammates unable to break through Spain's midfield control.
Kylian Mbappe said France's 2-0 semi-final loss to Spain was caused by tactical and technical blunders, particularly a failure to press Spain high up the pitch and being outnumbered 3-on-2 in midfield. The 27-year-old French captain, who scored eight goals in the tournament, called the defeat a "huge disappointment" that ended France's bid for a third straight World Cup final appearance.
Spain defeated France 2-0 in the World Cup semi-final on July 14, 2026, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal (penalty) and Pedro Porro, progressing to face either England or Argentina in the final.
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.
England manager Thomas Tuchel said his team were "lucky" to advance past Norway 2-1 after extra-time to reach the World Cup semi-finals, with Jude Bellingham's two goals overturning Andreas Schjelderup's opener. Tuchel praised Bellingham as "world-class" but expressed dissatisfaction with England's overall performance, saying they "made life very, very difficult" for themselves.
Erling Haaland said Norway's World Cup performances had inspired a new generation despite a 2-1 quarter-final defeat to England after extra-time. Haaland scored seven times in four games at the tournament, including two goals to eliminate Brazil in the last 16, before failing to score for the first time in 15 competitive games in the quarter-final loss.
Brazil's Vinicius Junior apologized to fans on Friday for the "enormous frustration" caused by their World Cup elimination by Norway in a Round of 16 loss, vowing to fight to restore the team's standing.
Thibaut Courtois expressed pride in Belgium's "Golden Generation" as their World Cup campaign ended in a 2-1 quarter-final defeat to Spain, marking the final World Cup appearance for veteran players including Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.
Jose Mourinho has been appointed as Real Madrid's new coach on a three-season contract running until 2029, replacing Alvaro Arbeloa. He said he is on a "mission" to create the right culture at the club, after Los Blancos failed to win a major trophy in the last two seasons.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has rallied behind Belgium substitute Senne Lammens after the Manchester United stopper's error contributed to Spain's 2-1 World Cup quarter-final victory in Los Angeles on July 10. Courtois, who left the match in the 71st minute with a muscular problem, said Lammens is a great goalkeeper who will grow stronger from the experience.
Spain face Belgium in a 2026 World Cup quarter-final at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday. A win would set up a semi-final against France in Texas next Tuesday.