The debate over Lionel Messi’s status in the annals of footballing history is all well and good, but how long will he stay the World Cup’s greatest scorer?
There are just two matches left at the 2026 World Cup, which has been a feast of stars and storylines with very few players missing out on moments in the sun. Which 11 players have been the best of the last month (or so)?
PSG’s repeat European Cup win over Arsenal opened the door for some serious stars, but the World Cup was always likely to play an outsized role in putting a player in the Ballon d’Or driver’s seat.
Spain sent France out of another tournament and attention will turn from Kylian Mbappe to Lamine Yamal, but this was about the team. Spain is daring its fans to dream of a second dynastic run this century.
Spain, meanwhile, are in their second ever World Cup final having won their first appearance in 2010 in the middle of what would become a EURO-World Cup-EURO title sandwich.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS — A World Cup semifinal match-up of the second- and third-ranked teams in men’s soccer pitted the last two reigning Ballon d’Or winners and two of the best playmakers of the game against each other on Tuesday in Texas, and the best team won.
A ticket to the 2026 World Cup Final will be punched Tuesday in Texas, where Kylian Mbappe’s France look to hold off Lamine Yamal and Spain in a sensational semifinal.
“We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today,” Tuchel said on FOX after the game. “The result is fantastic, we’re in the last four it’s amazing, but we’re not happy with the performance.”
The 13 returnees on this summer’s USMNT squad for the World Cup is on the high end, nearing the 14 that played in the final 2018 qualifier in Couva from the 2014 final roster.
This generation may still turn out to be golden but the jeweler’s loupe is getting a real workout at the moment after big names Pulisic, McKennie, slip on a big stage.
Yan Diomande and Malik Tillman had plenty of admirers before the tournament, but names like Gill, Manzambi, Vite, and Muharemovic are flashing big-time at the 2026 World Cup.
Haaland, who turns 26 later this month, now has seven goals and an assist in this World Cup, his first. He now has an absurd 61 goals in 54 senior caps for Norway.
Living legends aimed to extend their World Cup careers during an instant classic staged in a Toronto whose soccer culture was built by Portuguese and Croatians. Just another night at the 2026 World Cup.
The United States men’s national team is onto the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup on home soil, set to be the favorites to progress to the Round of 16 and just two wins from their first quarterfinal appearance in 24 years.
Mauricio Pochettino looks to lead the United States men’s national team back to the World Cup’s Round of 16 when they meet Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday in California.
