England’s campaign survived an examination of nerve as Jude Bellingham delivered twice against Norway, turning the quarter-final into a 2-1 extra-time victory. England were below their best, but Bellingham again refused to let the tournament end. He equalised shortly before...
Argentina’s World Cup title defence survived another night of tension, controversy and physical exhaustion because Julián Álvarez produced a finish that belonged on the tournament’s biggest stage. For 111 minutes, Switzerland had frustrated the reigning champions with disciplined defending, brave...
Mikel Merino’s defining image at the 2026 World Cup is not the mobility scooter he needed during the darkest stage of his recovery. It is the sight of him racing toward Spain’s supporters after another late winning goal, arms spread,...
Mikel Merino has developed an extraordinary habit of arriving precisely when Spain need him most. With their World Cup quarter-final against Belgium drifting towards extra time, Spain appeared to be running out of ways to convert control into victory. They...
Kylian Mbappé had already experienced disappointment before producing the decisive moment that carried France into another World Cup semi-final. The French captain stepped forward from the penalty spot against Morocco with an opportunity to break the deadlock in their quarter-final....
The stuttered penalty run-up has become one of the most fiercely debated techniques at the 2026 World Cup, with a series of costly failures raising fresh doubts over a method designed to place the goalkeeper at a disadvantage. Kylian Mbappe’s...
Rafa Benitez has opened the door to a possible move into international management after refusing to rule himself out of contention for the vacant Scotland job. The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Chelsea manager is available following the conclusion of...
Joe Cole has delivered one of the boldest predictions of the 2026 World Cup by backing England to neutralise Lionel Messi and defeat Argentina in their eagerly anticipated semi-final. The former England and Chelsea midfielder believes Thomas Tuchel’s team possess...
Real Madrid are preparing for another decisive round of contract negotiations with Vinicius Junior as the club attempts to secure the Brazilian forward’s long-term future without disrupting the financial balance among its leading stars. Vinicius is contracted until June 30,...
Morgan Rogers has dismissed the suggestion that Jude Bellingham should ever have been considered anything other than a central figure in England’s 2026 World Cup campaign. Before the tournament, debate surrounded Thomas Tuchel’s preferred option in the No.10 role. Rogers...
