Before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, European heavyweights France and Spain were widely regarded as the leading contenders for the title, thanks to the remarkable depth and quality of their squads as well as their recent form.

While debates over individual calls are likely to continue, experts believe VAR has already become an important part of modern football despite its ongoing limitations.

"After the 2-0, I felt like I couldn't help anyone, and I don't like that feeling," Martinez told reporters. "I think my time will come. I need to help them a lot more. They're saving me in several games, and it's my turn to do it."

Croatia's most successful football coach, Zlatko Dalic, resigned on Wednesday, ending a tenure that included taking the team to the 2018 World Cup final.

The day I finally saw Cristiano Ronaldo live, it was his last match in a Portugal shirt at the World Cup -- against Spain in a Round of 16 clash in Dallas last Monday.

For the first time since their title-winning run in 2010, Spain are back in the World Cup quarter-finals. And once again, they are doing it with the kind of defensive steel that once carried them to football’s summit.

On Wednesday, Letexes ruled out a Mostafa Ziko goal ruled out when they were leading 1-0 after VAR intervened to spot a foul on Lisandro Martinez much earlier in the move.

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

Haaland's astonishing success is not merely a product of raw talent; it is the result of relentless discipline.

The 2026 World Cup has already seen global icons shine in abundance alongside the sudden emergence of breakout stars, and the name standing tallest in the latter category belongs to Erling Haaland.

When Mohamed Ouahbi was a student a professor told him he lacked the necessary skills to become a physical education teacher.

Colombia manager Nestor Lorenzo said his side paid the price for failing to turn pressure into goals after they were knocked out of the World Cup 4-3 on penalties by Switzerland following a tense goalless draw after extra time in the last 16.

At World Cup 2026, the men wearing gloves have not merely protected leads or preserved clean sheets. They have shaped matches, inspired underdogs and, in many ways, defined the tournament itself.

More than four years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday lifted some restrictions allowing their athletes compete in team events and qualifying competitions for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

India captain Shreyas Iyer said his side had been "atrocious" after suffering their worst ever T20 defeat, in terms of runs, during a humiliating thrashing by England at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.

The Pharaohs looked on course for one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history after racing into a 2-0 lead before the reigning champions staged a sensational late comeback to snatch a 3-2 victory.

Djokovic is 14 years older than Auger-Aliassime and had to battle a calf injury throughout a Centre Court classic lasting five hours and 15 minutes in sweltering temperatures.

Lionel Messi said his tears after Argentina's dramatic 3-2 win over Egypt to reach the World Cup quarterfinals were "a release" in what could have been his final international appearance.

Novak Djokovic battled through Wimbledon's longest-ever quarterfinal to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-set epic on Tuesday as the former champion set up a titanic clash with defending champion Jannik Sinner.

After Argentina beat Egypt in dramatic fashion and Switzerland got the better of Colombia on penalties today, the quarterfinal line-up of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is now complete.