Spain captain Rodri expects physical battle

Sat, 18 Jul, 2026

Spain captain Rodri expects physical battle

New York: Spain captain Rodri is bracing for a "physical" battle with reigning champions Argentina when the two sides collide in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday.

Rodri told a press conference in Manhattan that Spain will aim to ignore any possible "provocations" by their South American opponents and instead concentrate on imposing Spain's gameplan.

Rodri, the 2024 Ballon D'Or winner who has excelled at the heart of Spain's midfield during the FIFA World Cup, said he expects the final to be unlike any other game the European champions have faced.

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Argentina success moves me to tears, says goalkeeper Martinez

Sat, 18 Jul, 2026

Argentina success moves me to tears, says goalkeeper Martinez

New York: Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said on Friday that thinking about his team's success in recent years sometimes brings him to tears as they attempt to retain the FIFA World Cup trophy in the final against Spain.

Argentina won the FIFA World Cup in 2022 by beating France on penalties in the final. They also won the Copa America in 2021 and 2024 and beat Italy in the 2022 Finalissima, a fixture between the South American and European champions.

Master and apprentice as Spain, Argentina coaches meet in final

Fri, 17 Jul, 2026

Master and apprentice as Spain, Argentina coaches meet in final

East Rutherford: Master will take on apprentice when Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente lines up against his former student, Argentina's Lionel Scaloni, in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Sunday.

Nine years ago, Scaloni was just another former professional player pursuing a career in coaching, studying for his pro license at the Spanish football federation's training centre in Las Rozas, on the outskirts of Madrid.

His teacher on the course? De la Fuente.

Maestro Messi not done yet

Fri, 17 Jul, 2026

Maestro Messi not done yet

Atlanta: Lionel Messi has already won the FIFA World Cup, but the Argentina captain added another chapter to his astonishing career on Wednesday, inspiring his team to victory in their semi-final against England.

The defending champions were up against it, trailing to Anthony Gordon's goal until the 85th minute in Atlanta before Messi worked his magic.

This time the tournament's all-time leading marksman did not score. But he teed up Enzo Fernandez for the equaliser and delivered the cross for Lautaro Martinez to head in the winner, sealing a 2-1 victory.

Preview - 3rd Place Playoff: France v England

Sun, 19 Jul, 2026

Preview - 3rd Place Playoff: France v England

Miami Gardens: France and England will bid a gloomy farewell to the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Saturday when they face each other in the dreaded third-place playoff in Miami.

Both teams head to Florida still raw from semi-final defeats that have left both footballing nations licking wounds, which, in the eyes of many, were largely self-inflicted.

France, the tournament's outstanding team enroute to the last four, were anonymous in the face of a tactical masterclass by Spain on Tuesday and slumped to a 2-0 defeat.

England added another chapter to their long history of FIFA World Cup heartache on Wednesday when they surrendered the initiative and a lead to lose 2-1 to Argentina in Atlanta.

#U17WAC - Stage set for China 2027 Qualifiers

Thu, 16 Jul, 2026

#U17WAC - Stage set for China 2027 Qualifiers

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup™ China 2027 is all set for take off following the conclusion of the Qualifiers Draw at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.

The 30 teams - two more than the previous record of 28 from the 2019 Qualifiers - were divided into eight groups - six of four and two of three - to contest a single round-robin centralised league from October 5 to 11.

Each group winner will advance to the Finals, joining the quartet of teams that have qualified directly as the top four finishers from the 2026 campaign: defending champions DPR Korea, runners-up Japan, and semi-finalists Australia and China PR.