US star Pulisic fractured leg in Belgium loss: team

Fri, 10 Jul, 2026

US star Pulisic fractured leg in Belgium loss: team

Los Angeles: Star forward Christian Pulisic fractured his leg during the United States' 4-1 FIFA World Cup 2026 loss to Belgium, the team said on Thursday.

Pulisic appeared to suffer the injury early in the second half of Monday's game as he attempted a shot but instead kicked the back of Belgian midfielder Youri Tieleman's leg.

The US team's talisman attacker attempted to play through the injury but was substituted several minutes later, soon after the co-hosts went 3-1 down.

https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/3183640

Preview - Q-final: Spain v Belgium

Thu, 09 Jul, 2026

Preview - Q-final: Spain v Belgium

Inglewood: Belgium meet Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals on Friday with the daunting task of breaching the European champions' watertight defence for the first time at the tournament.

In beating Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal 1-0 on Monday, Luis de la Fuente's men became the first team in history to record six consecutive FIFA World Cup clean sheets.

Spain have not shown the attacking flair of France but they are playing the careful, possession-based football that took them to glory in South Africa in 2010.

Team effort keeping opposition at bay, says Spain keeper Garcia

Fri, 10 Jul, 2026

Team effort keeping opposition at bay, says Spain keeper Garcia

Los Angeles: Spain's run to the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals has been built on a tournament record run without conceding a goal, a fact goalkeeper Joan Garcia said comes down to the whole team's willingness to defend.

Garcia has enjoyed a meteoric rise from playing in Spain's second division two years ago to being Barcelona's number one, but he has had to watch from the sidelines during the tournament as Luis de la Fuente has kept faith with Unai Simon.

England's Quansah handed two-game ban

Fri, 10 Jul, 2026

England's Quansah handed two-game ban

Miami: England defender Jarell Quansah will miss Saturday's FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway, and the last four should the Three Lions progress, after being handed a two-game ban by FIFA.

Quansah was shown a straight red card against Mexico in the last 16, but only after a VAR review.

Messi magic masks familiar penalty frailty

Thu, 09 Jul, 2026

Messi magic masks familiar penalty frailty

Atlanta: Lionel Messi once retired from international football after blasting a penalty into the American sky to lose a Copa America final 10 years ago.

A decade on, Messi's problems from the spot persist on US soil, but his magic is more than masking that flaw as he continues to lead the Argentina quest for FIFA World Cup glory at the age of 39.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's latest penalty miss left the world champions staring at a shock exit to Egypt in the last 16 on Tuesday.

Either side of seeing his spot-kick saved by Mostafa Shobeir, goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko put Egypt into a 2-0 lead with just 11 minutes remaining.

Belgium's Onana ruled out with ACL injury

Wed, 08 Jul, 2026

Belgium's Onana ruled out with ACL injury

Los Angeles: Belgium's Amadou Onana will miss the remainder of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during his country's last-16 win over co-hosts the United States, the Belgian Football Federation announced on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Aston Villa midfielder was forced off early in Belgium's 4-1 victory over the US in Seattle on Monday.