After a great performance in the 2026 World Cup semifinal, Pau Cubarsí commented on the criticism that Spain received before the competition.

The first finalist of the 2026 World Cup is Spain after a 2-0 victory over France. In this competition, they have been a solid team based on a great defensive system that has only conceded one goal, something Pau Cubarsí admitted was doubted.

Cubarsí said: “There may have been some doubts about whether our defense and goalkeeper were good enough, but I think we’ve silenced a lot of critics. We’ve only conceded one goal and we’re in the final. We’re doing an incredible job, and this is everyone’s work, both those who play and those on the bench.”

This was the only part of the team that was criticized before the tournament, with Unai Simón leading the defense of Pedro Porro, Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella, who have all been fantastic and have only conceded against Belgium.

Cubarsí on being a young player

Being a player who represents Barcelona requires a lot of talent. However, it is not just about that because the mental aspect of the sport is crucial. Especially for a player in his position, experience plays a great role.

All of this may not apply to the center back because he does not look like a 19-year-old player with the composure he displays in every match, something Cubarsí also commented on regarding his teammate.

Cubarsí said: “Maybe I am too young for everything I am experiencing, like Lamine (Yamal), but I want to tell people who perhaps have not taken that step yet and are 19 years old to wait that their opportunity will come. Soccer is something you have to enjoy, and if there is sacrifice, everything will turn out well. I encourage them to keep fighting for their dreams.”

Cubarsí thanked his family after the match

The calmness with which the team played against France was part of the victory that put them in the final. For Cubarsí, much of the credit should go to his family for helping him from the beginning.

Cubarsí said: “It’s a dream come true, and I’m very proud, both for myself and for my family, who have been with me every step of the way. Being in a World Cup final is something unique, and I owe all of this to them because they’ve helped me from the very beginning to get here.”

The loss to Spain ended the competition for France, with the match being commented by Patrick Vieira.

There was much expectation at the 2026 World Cup for France as they had won every match before the semifinal, but Spain were able to stop them with a 2-0 victory. Patrick Vieira criticized the team for how they played in the match.

Vieira said: “There were big expectations for France to win the World Cup. We are all really disappointed by the result, but mostly by the performance. We needed our top players to perform today and they didn’t do it. It wasn’t one or two, it was all of them collectively. It was really bad.”

The former midfielder played a key role in helping France win the World Cup for the first time in their history on home soil in 1998. While his comments were harsh, they also reflected his experience in the competition.

Vieira on Michael Olise

Even though Vieira was critical of France’s performance, he also acknowledged that Spain were the better team. Vieira said: “I said before that Spain needed to be at their best to beat France, and they did it.”

Spain’s defensive display was one of the biggest reasons they reached the final, as they managed to neutralize France’s dangerous attack, with Michael Olise unable to make his usual impact.

Vieira said: “Olise was the main man. We needed him to get on the ball, but they stopped him playing. He didn’t get on the ball. Spain won the game in every aspect. France didn’t turn up at all.”

Vieira had faith in his team

The defeat was disappointing for France because many believed the team was on course to reach the final. Vieira himself had said on ITV before the match that he expected France to get there.

Vieira said: “I don’t see anybody really stopping the French team going to the final. I think France are not going to have any kind of issues playing against them because I think that France is a better team today than they were four years ago. But I don’t think Spain are a better team today than they were four years ago.”

With the dream of winning the 2026 World Cup with France, Ousmane Dembélé joined an undesired list.

There was another chapter added to the Ballon d’Or curse after the 2026 World Cup semifinals, as Spain beat France to ensure Ousmane Dembélé became the latest player to continue the trend.

The forward joined the list of current Ballon d’Or winners who failed to win the World Cup. Even after France’s strong performances throughout the tournament, they were unable to play at their best in the semifinal defeat.

With his World Cup dream ending earlier than expected, Dembélé has scored five goals in seven matches, including a hat trick against Norway. He will have one more opportunity to improve that tally in the third-place match.

Ballon d’Or year	Ballon d’Or winner	National team	World Cup winner
2025	Ousmane Dembélé	France	Unknown (France eliminated)
2022	Karim Benzema	France	Argentina
2017	Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	France
2013	Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	Germany
2009	Lionel Messi	Argentina	Spain
2005	Ronaldinho	Brazil	Italy
2001	Michael Owen	England	Brazil
1997	Ronaldo	Brazil	France
1993	Roberto Baggio	Italy	Brazil
1989	Marco van Basten	Netherlands	Germany
1985	Michel Platini	France	Argentina
1981	Karl-Heinz Rummenigge	West Germany	Italy
1977	Allan Simonsen	Denmark	Argentina
1973	Johan Cruyff	Netherlands	Germany
1969	Gianni Rivera	Italy	Brazil
1965	Eusébio	Portugal	England
1961	Omar Sívori	Italy	Brazil
1957	Alfredo Di Stéfano	Spain	Brazil

Spain beat France with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro to reach the World Cup final with a 2-0 victory.

A huge match was expected in the 2026 World Cup semifinals, and France and Spain delivered as they battled for a place in the final, with Spain finishing with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro.

The first half had few goal-scoring chances, but Spain took the lead through a penalty after Lamine Yamal was brought down by Lucas Digne while trying to reach the ball. Oyarzabal stepped up and fired a powerful shot to the left side of Mike Maignan, who went the right way but could not stop it.

Spain’s superior ball control became even more evident in the second half, with France unable to react. After a great combination between Porro and Dani Olmo, Porro went one-on-one against the goalkeeper and finished with precision to secure the victory.

The manager of Norway described why Erling Haaland left the match early against England.

It was a great run at the 2026 World Cup for Norway until England beat them 2-1 after extra time. However, the main doubt after the elimination was Erling Haaland‘s exit before the second half of extra time, which Ståle Solbakken explained was mainly due to fatigue.

Solbakken said: “It was not a tough decision because he was finished and maybe I should’ve taken him out 10 minutes before. He obviously had a tremendous World Cup.” The manager also revealed that Haaland was dealing with a “dead leg.”

This loss may not have been unexpected with all the quality England put on the field, but it certainly hurts more because Norway had been ahead. Even with the quarterfinal elimination, the team achieved the best World Cup run in its history.

The date, kickoff time and stadium for the semifinal of the 2026 World Cup match between England and Argentina.

The second semifinal of the 2026 World Cup was set, with England becoming the first team to qualify after beating Norway, while Argentina reached it after defeating Switzerland to set up one of the tournament’s biggest matches with a place in the final on the line.

This match is scheduled for Wednesday, July 15. What comes after this match is the biggest prize in international soccer, as the winner will advance to the final with the chance to lift the trophy.

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET at Atlanta Stadium, where another packed crowd is expected for a semifinal between two teams dreaming of reaching the last match of the competition.

Their previous matches

The paths taken by these teams to reach the semifinals have been impressive. England finished first in Group L with a victory over Croatia, a draw against Ghana and a win over Panama, while Argentina won Group J with victories over Algeria, Austria and Jordan.

England advanced to the semifinals after defeating DR Congo 2-1 in the Round of 32 before beating Mexico 3-2 despite playing most of the second half with 10 men, and then overcoming Norway 2-1 after extra time in the quarterfinals.

Argentina reached this stage after beating Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time before coming back from 2-0 down to defeat Egypt 3-2 and beating Switzerland 3-1 in extra time.

Their furthest World Cup run

England won the World Cup in 1966 as their best run, while Argentina are three-time World Cup champions and have also finished as runners-up three times.

Before the quarterfinal of the 2026 World Cup match against Switzerland, Argentina aren't where they began the competition.

The final match in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup has Argentina and Switzerland playing for a place in the semifinals.

Argentina enter this match ranked 3rd in the FIFA World Ranking with 1,925.15 points. They are two spots lower than the June 11 update, with only France and Spain ahead of them after advancing to this round by winning Group J with victories over Algeria, Austria and Jordan.

The team has continued to prove why they are among the best by beating Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in the Round of 32 before coming back from 2-0 down to defeat Egypt 3-2 in the quarterfinals.

Switzerland’s ranking

This should be a difficult match for Argentina as Switzerland also arrive after improving their position. Their rivals are currently ranked 14th in the FIFA World Ranking with 1,710.88 points, five spots higher than the June 11 update.

Their campaign began with a first-place finish in Group B after drawing with Qatar and beating Bosnia and Herzegovina and Canada. Switzerland then defeated Algeria 2-0 before drawing 0-0 with Colombia and advancing on penalties in the quarterfinals.

Switzerland have remained among the world’s most competitive teams for several years with consistently strong rankings. They reached their highest-ever FIFA ranking of 3rd in 1993, while their lowest came in 1998 when they dropped to 83rd.

Argentina’s highest ranking

Argentina’s place among the best teams in the world has been built by generations of great players. They reached the top of the FIFA World Ranking for the first time in 2007 and have returned to 1st on several occasions since, while their lowest position was 24th in 1996.

While Norway went ahead, England came back to earn a 2-1 victory with goals from Bellingham.

A great match was expected with a spot in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup on the line as Norway and England faced off in the quarterfinals. In a hard-fought match, England came out victorious in extra time with two goals from Jude Bellingham.

In the first half, there were not many chances, with Norway taking the lead through a fantastic goal from Andreas Schjelderup. However, it was not enough to go into halftime ahead, as Bellingham equalized in stoppage time.

Not much happened in the second half except for a Norway goal that was disallowed after a VAR review because of a foul by Erling Haaland before the corner kick was taken. With neither team able to find another goal, the match went to extra time. Just when it started, a weak shot from Morgan Rogers forced Ørjan Nyland into a poor rebound, allowing Bellingham to score what ended up being the winning goal.

Thibaut Courtois left the field early in the loss to Spain, but the goalkeeper of Belgium felt he could continue.

While there was a team expected to reach the semifinal of the 2026 World Cup in Spain, injuries were a huge factor for Belgium. The loss of Youri Tielemans before the match began was joined by Thibaut Courtois‘ muscle issue that made Rudi García substitute him out.

Courtois said: “I felt a lot of pain in my quadriceps. But I had no problem staying in goal, only taking long kicks. In the end, the manager decided to take me off. That’s no problem because the team comes above everything.”

It was a 2-1 loss made even more painful by how it ended. Courtois was attended by the medical staff before being replaced by Senne Lammens in the 71st minute. The issue was that Lammens left a rebound for Mikel Merino to score near the end after a weak shot from Pau Cubarsí.

Courtois wants a long break

There’s no denying that Courtois has made history with Belgium, not just by representing his country at club level with Real Madrid but also by being the national team’s goalkeeper for many years.

That period did not come without problems, as he had already been exiled from the team from mid-2023 to 2025 after a disagreement with former manager Domenico Tedesco about the captaincy. Now, he admitted he wants to take a long break from international duty before returning.

Courtois said: “I’d like to take a break from the Nations League, which isn’t that important, and return for the Euro qualifying campaign. It’s a decision that has to be made together with the federation. If they agree with that plan. Otherwise, today would have been my last match.”

Courtois on Real Madrid

Clubs are already making moves to be ready when the competition ends, with Real Madrid among the most active after also hiring José Mourinho as their new manager. Courtois said: “Real Madrid have signed good players and a top manager. Now it’s up to us to respond.”

The expectation for the 2026 World Cup semifinal is huge at it's going to be the sixth time Lamine Yamal plays a knockout match against Kylian Mbappé.

The most anticipated match of the 2026 World Cup so far is the semifinal between Spain and France. While there are going to be many stars on the field, the duel between Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé also creates an interesting storyline.

What’s most curious about these players is their head-to-head record in knockout matches, as Yamal leads Mbappé 5-0. Fueled by a dominant year with Barcelona, in which they beat Real Madrid four times across all competitions, the left-footed star also won their international knockout meetings against France.

Dallas may be the city where these players are going to face each other, but the entire soccer world is waiting to see who comes out victorious as the reward is nothing short of a place in the World Cup final.

The five matches

Playing for two of the biggest clubs in the world, there is no doubt they are going to face each other for many years and build a rivalry that promises to be one for the ages. Representing two of the strongest national teams in the world only makes it even more exciting.

Representing Spain, Yamal has won the two knockout matches he has played against France. The first was a 2-1 victory in the UEFA Euro 2024 semifinal, while the second came in the 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinal, when Spain won 5-4.

At the club level, they have faced each other in three domestic knockout competitions. In 2025, Barcelona beat Real Madrid 5-2 in the Supercopa de España final and 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final. Earlier this year, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3-2 again in the 2026 Supercopa de España final to keep Yamal’s perfect record against Mbappé in knockout matches intact.

Their goals

Match 1: UEFA Euro 2024 semifinal — Spain 2-1 France (Yamal scored)

Match 2: 2025 Supercopa de España final — Barcelona 5-2 Real Madrid (Yamal and Mbappé scored once)

Match 3: 2025 Copa del Rey final — Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid (Mbappé scored)

Match 4: 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinal — Spain 5-4 France (Yamal scored twice and Mbappé once)

Match 5: 2026 Supercopa de España final — Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid (neither scored)

After the early elimination from the World Cup for Brazil, Vinicius apologized to fans.

There have been five days since the World Cup ended for Brazil as they lost 2-1 to Norway in the Round of 16 to the disappointment of most. Vinícius came out after some time to share his message on social media.

Vinícius wrote: “The feeling of frustration is incredible. We had a group strong enough to achieve more, and we were not able to do it. I apologize, and I will fight for our dream of returning to the top of the world.”

It was not the ending Brazilian fans expected from the team. Vinícius responded mainly at the beginning of the competition, scoring four goals in three matches to help Brazil win their group. However, his best version was not present in the most important matches, which ended with an early elimination.

The full message

Almost four years later and once again thinking about what to write after a World Cup disappointment.

I saw so many people of all ages supporting me and embracing our dream, so it would be unfair to remain silent. But I needed a few days to reflect.

Wearing the national team jersey is the greatest pride of my life, and being eliminated from a World Cup in the Round of 16 is a feeling that is difficult to explain.

I know how much I prepared, how much I focused, and how much I wanted this for you and for my family.

The feeling of frustration is incredible. We had a group strong enough to achieve more, and we were not able to do it. I apologize, and I will fight for our dream of returning to the top of the world.

The date, kickoff time and stadium for the 2026 World Cup semifinal between France and Spain.

The first semifinal of the 2026 World Cup has been set, with France reaching it first after beating Morocco, while Spain joined them after defeating Belgium. Now, a place in the final will be on the line.

This match is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14. What comes after this match is the biggest prize in international soccer, as the winner will advance to the final with the chance to lift the trophy.

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET at Dallas Stadium, where the 80,000-seat venue is ready for another spectacular atmosphere. It will host its ninth match of the tournament after Spain’s victory over Portugal was the most recent match.

Their previous matches

The paths taken by these teams to reach the semifinals have not been very different. They were able to win their groups as France finished first by winning all three of their matches against Senegal, Iraq and Norway, while Spain drew with Cape Verde before beating Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

France reached the semifinals after cruising past Sweden 3-0 in the Round of 32, edging Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16 and then defeating Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals.

Spain are in the semifinals after beating Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32, then struggling to beat Portugal 1-0 with a late goal by Mikel Merino before repeating that late drama with a 2-1 victory against Belgium.

Their furthest World Cup run

France are two-time World Cup champions, having lifted the trophy in 1998 and 2018, while also finishing as runners-up in 2006 and 2022, while Spain won their only title in 2010.

In the interesting match at the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal, Spain rank above Belgium.

Another exciting match awaits at the 2026 World Cup as Spain and Belgium battle for a place in the semifinal in a match between two of the highest-ranked teams remaining in the tournament.

Spain enter this match ranked 3rd in the FIFA World Ranking with 1,912.34 points. They are one spot lower than the June 11 update after advancing to this round by winning Group H with a draw against Cape Verde and victories over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

The team improved as the tournament progressed, first beating Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32 before earning a huge 1-0 victory over Portugal with a late goal from Mikel Merino in the quarterfinals.

Belgium’s ranking

It will not be an easy match for Spain because Belgium also arrive with one of the best rankings in the world. Belgium are currently ranked 8th in the FIFA World Ranking with 1,778.36 points, one spot higher than the June 11 update.

Their campaign began with a first-place finish in Group G with five points after drawing with Egypt and Iran before beating New Zealand. Belgium then produced a dramatic comeback from 2-0 down to defeat Senegal 3-2 after extra time before a convincing 4-1 victory over the USMNT in the quarterfinals.

Belgium continue to establish themselves among the strongest national teams in Europe, reaching their highest-ever FIFA ranking of 1st for the first time in 2015, while their lowest position was 71st in 2007.

Spain’s highest ranking

Spain’s place among the world’s best teams has been built over decades of success. They reached the top of the FIFA World Ranking for the first time in 2008 and have returned to 1st on several occasions since, while their lowest position was 25th in 1998.

The lineups for the 2026 World Cup match between Spain and Belgium don't include Nico Williams.

With a place in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup at stake, Spain are playing against Belgium, but Nico Williams is not in the starting lineup.

The reason Williams isn’t starting against Belgium is because he is still recovering from a groin injury and is not yet 100% fit. Spain’s coaching staff decided not to risk the winger, who could be used later if the team needs him.

It wasn’t a surprise that Williams isn’t in the lineup because he missed the matches against Austria and Portugal. The winger picked up the injury during the final group-stage match against Uruguay after a tackle by Nicolás de la Cruz.

The replacement

Williams suffered the injury during Spain’s 1-0 victory over Uruguay, a result that secured first place in the group. Even though he was able to leave the field on his own, the discomfort has prevented him from being fully available since then.

There aren’t many players in Spain’s squad with Williams’ profile on the left wing, especially because of the pace he brings, which led Luis de la Fuente to choose a player with more control on the ball but less speed.

The manager’s decision was Alex Baena, who started every match except the opener against Cape Verde, when Gavi played on the left wing. Baena scored against Uruguay and also recorded an assist in the victory over Austria.

Williams’ recovery

Spain have taken a cautious approach with Williams’ recovery, as the winger has not yet fully recovered from the groin injury he suffered against Uruguay. While he has continued working with the team, the coaching staff decided he was not ready to start.

Pierluigi Collina shared his opinion on the controversial plays of the match between Argentina and Egypt.

The Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt was one of the most thrilling of the tournament, with Argentina coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2. However, Egypt complained about referee François Letexier, who was defended by Pierluigi Collina as he detailed the controversial plays of the match on the official Inside FIFA website while reaffirming that referees are independent from Gianni Infantino.

Collina said: “A foul is a foul, regardless of whether it seems obvious. If the referee did not see it on the field, the VAR can intervene. There is no defined limit regarding the distance from the goal, nor the amount of time that has passed between the incident and the goal.”

This explanation from the chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee referred to the disallowed goal scored by Mostafa Zico after VAR called Letexier to review the play in which Lisandro Martínez was stepped on by Marwan Attia near Egypt’s corner flag.

Collina on the final goal

Even after Zico had a goal disallowed, he scored again a few minutes later on a fantastic counterattack to put Egypt 2-0 ahead. Then the comeback began with a Cristian Romero header before Lionel Messi equalized.

The winning goal also generated controversy from Egypt’s perspective, as Mohamed Salah fell inside the penalty area when Julián Álvarez won the ball back from him in the move that ended with Enzo Fernández scoring the winner.

Collina said: “Stepping on an opponent’s foot is a foul, whereas a defender who plays the ball first and then makes normal contact with the opponent does not commit a foul. The referee and the VAR considered it to be normal contact.”

Collina on possible influence from Infantino

There was plenty of frustration from Egypt after the elimination. Hossam Hassan was the main figure fueling the protests with his gestures toward the referee. It was not just the manager who delayed the match for a few minutes, as several members of the coaching staff were also yelling at Letexier. Collina responded to the claims that the competition had been influenced by Infantino.

Collina said: “No one can claim that FIFA’s refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even the FIFA president. He has always shown his full support, trusting us to work with complete independence. Referees make honest decisions and, just like players and coaches, they always strive to do their very best.”

The performances of great players at the 2026 World Cup continued with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé matching productions.

The clear trend that the 2026 World Cup has followed is that great players have carried their teams. With France beating Morocco in the first quarterfinal, a curious thing occurred as Kylian Mbappé produced an almost identical performance to Lionel Messi with Argentina three days earlier.

Their matches were vastly different, not just because they were played in different rounds. Argentina needed to suffer to come back from 0-2 against Egypt and score three goals in 14 minutes, while France eliminated Morocco with a convincing 2-0 victory.

What those matches had in common was the performance of their main players, as Messi and Mbappé pushed their teams forward by scoring one goal, adding an assist and also missing a penalty kick during the match.

Their goals weren’t surprising

In almost every single match France and Argentina have played in the competition, Mbappé and Messi have scored a goal. Their performances have been so impressive that they are leading the race to be the top scorers with eight goals each.

The context was similar because neither of their recent goals came in a decided match in favor of their teams. One helped France open the scoring against Morocco in a goalless match, while the other rescued Argentina by bringing them level against Egypt.

Scoring is not the only way these talented players help their teams, and they showed that again with assists. Mbappé assisted Ousmane Dembélé to seal the victory that sent France into the semifinals, while Messi began Argentina’s comeback with an assist for a Cristian Romero header to make it 2-1.

The missed penalties

The most surprising coincidence was that both players missed a penalty kick, even though it had no consequence for the final results.

Messi missed his second penalty of the tournament while Argentina were trailing Egypt 1-0 in the first half. After previously missing from the spot against Austria, he kicked weakly to the goalkeeper’s left, where the shot was easily saved.

Mbappé also missed from the spot during the first half against Morocco, when the match was still 0-0. The French forward rarely misses penalties but found an experienced opponent in Yassine Bono, who stopped his shot by diving to his left.

Gavi picked his favorite team to play against if Spain reach the final.

There are still many things to be decided at the 2026 World Cup with just one semifinalist set after France beat Morocco. The next team that can join them is Spain, who face Belgium, but Gavi was asked about who he would like to play in a possible final.

Gavi said: “I hope to be important at the World Cup. I dream of scoring the winning goal. I have always dreamed of scoring an overhead kick in the final. They are dreams, and hopefully they come true. I would like Argentina because of Lionel Messi, but as long as we reach the final, it doesn’t matter who it is.”

It will not be easy for Spain to reach the last match of the competition, as they first need to beat Belgium, a team that has improved throughout the tournament, before a possible semifinal against France.

Gavi does not underestimate Belgium

While Spain may have more chances on paper, Belgium are coming from their best performance of the competition. After struggling to come back against Senegal, they beat the USMNT 4-1 in a convincing performance.

Even if they did not look like a team capable of going far at the beginning, Belgium still have many players of great quality who can be competitive, something the midfielder mentioned when discussing their next rivals.

Gavi said: “I don’t like talking about that. Belgium have great players, just like Portugal. We have to do our job very well. If we do that, things will surely go well. The important thing is beating Belgium.”

Gavi on his lack of participation

The competition has not gone as Gavi expected individually, as he has not participated in three matches. Even though he was in the lineup against Cape Verde, the draw made Luis de la Fuente change his plans. This left the midfielder out of the team, with him playing just six minutes against Austria.

Gavi said: “I came here to win the World Cup. The manager knows me better than anyone. We all want to play more, but what really matters is winning the World Cup. He knows he can count on me for whatever he needs.”

The next rival at the 2026 World Cup is uncertain for France, but they know the date and stadium.

One of the four semifinalists at the 2026 World Cup has been decided after France beat Morocco 2-0 in a rematch from the previous edition to continue their run in the tournament. Their next challenge puts them in front of the winner of the match between Spain and Belgium.

This semifinal is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. ET. The winner will move within one victory of lifting the trophy.

The match will be played at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. With a capacity of 80,000 spectators, it will host its final match of the competition after Spain beat Portugal there a few days earlier.

France’s campaign

France have enjoyed a perfect tournament so far after winning every match. They opened Group I with a 3-1 victory over Senegal, followed it with a 3-0 win against Iraq and completed the group stage with a 4-1 victory over Norway.

Their dominance continued in the knockout stage, where they beat Sweden 3-0 in the Round of 32 before edging Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16 to reach the quarterfinals in which they beat Morocco in a clear way with goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.

The next rival

If France beat the winner of the match between Spain and Belgium, they will advance to the final, where the opponent can be England, Norway, Argentina or Switzerland, depending on who emerges from the other side of the bracket.

The great match at the 2026 World Cup between France and Mexico does not include Bradley Barcola from the beginning.

With a place in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup at stake, France are playing against Morocco in a rematch of the previous edition, but Bradley Barcola is not in the starting lineup.

The reason Barcola isn’t starting against Morocco is because Didier Deschamps has chosen Désiré Doué instead. This has been the only spot in doubt during the competition for the manager, as Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise are certain starters.

Even though the talented Paris Saint-Germain winger has been the winger for France, his teammate Doué has rotated with him and has often replaced him during matches.

The replacement

While the attack has been France’s main strength, they didn’t display their best performance against Paraguay. It was precisely Barcola who struggled to make an impact before being substituted.

That substitution proved to be crucial in France’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay because Doué entered the field with much better pace on a day when he looked very difficult to stop whenever he had the ball on the left flank.

It was such an important impact that Doué was the player who changed the match when he dribbled into the penalty area from the left before being brought down for a penalty. After the referee reviewed the play on the monitor, the penalty was confirmed and Mbappé converted it.

Doué’s minutes

That position has been the one Deschamps has rotated the most during the competition. Doué will make his third start after previously starting the victories over Senegal and Norway, scoring one goal. He then came off the bench in the other three matches against Iraq, Sweden and Paraguay.

The Golden Boot is the award that goes to the top scorer of the competition, which began in 1930.

While the main goal for every player competing in a World Cup is to lift the trophy, individual awards can also secure a place in history. While the Golden Ball is subjective because it recognizes the tournament’s best player, the Golden Boot is more objective, as it crowns the competition’s top scorer.

Even if the greatest players have not always shined at the World Cup, the list of Golden Boot winners features many names that rank among the best in the history of the sport, even if some never won the tournament.

The list also includes some surprising winners who produced the best month of their careers when it mattered most, such as James Rodriguez in 2014 and Salvatore Schillaci in 1990.

World Cup	Player(s)	Country	Goals
1930	Guillermo Stábile	Argentina	8
1934	Oldřich Nejedlý	Czechoslovakia	5
1938	Leônidas	Brazil	7
1950	Ademir	Brazil	9
1954	Sándor Kocsis	Hungary	11
1958	Just Fontaine	France	13
1962	Garrincha, Vavá, Dražan Jerković, Leonel Sánchez, Flórián Albert, Valentin Ivanov	Brazil, Brazil, Yugoslavia, Chile, Hungary, Soviet Union	4
1966	Eusébio	Portugal	9
1970	Gerd Müller	West Germany	10
1974	Grzegorz Lato	Poland	7
1978	Mario Kempes	Argentina	6
1982	Paolo Rossi	Italy	6
1986	Gary Lineker	England	6
1990	Salvatore Schillaci	Italy	6
1994	Oleg Salenko, Hristo Stoichkov	Russia, Bulgaria	6
1998	Davor Šuker	Croatia	6
2002	Ronaldo	Brazil	8
2006	Miroslav Klose	Germany	5
2010	Thomas Müller	Germany	5
2014	James Rodríguez	Colombia	6
2018	Harry Kane	England	6
2022	Kylian Mbappé	France	8

Before the match between Norway and England, Martin Odegaard shared his vision.

Nothing can be taken for granted at the World Cup after everything that happened in the Round of 16. The team that surprised everyone the most was Norway, who defeated Brazil with Martin Odegaard as captain before setting up a quarterfinal against England.

Odegaard said: “Obviously we know the quality they have. I know them really well. Outstanding players, world-class players, playing for probably one of the best national teams in the world at the moment, so it’s going to be a big test for us.”

While Brazil did not show its best version in this tournament, eliminating a powerhouse like that was a huge achievement. A saved penalty in the first half kept Norway in the match before Erling Haaland scored twice in the 2-1 victory after a late goal.

Odegaard hails Declan Rice

With Odegaard playing in England, it’s natural for him to face players who are his teammates or opponents throughout the season. This match features several players with Arsenal connections, including Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze.

Even if all of them are important players for England, Odegaard focused more on the midfielder as he shares the midfield and the captaincy role with Rice at Arsenal. The Norway captain had plenty of praise for Rice, describing him as one of the most complete midfielders in the game.

Odegaard said: “Rice’s someone who always gives everything for the team, always fighting for every single ball, bringing his energy to the pitch, to the team, driving the team forward. He can do so many things on the pitch. He can defend, he can attack, he can be physical, he can be good on the ball. He’s a very complete player, so it’s going to be a good test for all of us.”

Odegaard on Norway’s confidence

Norway may not be the favorite in this matchup with all the talent England has, but nothing can stop them from believing in themselves after eliminating Brazil.

Odegaard said: “We have to have the belief in ourselves. We’ve shown the whole world that we’re a good team. In football, anything is possible. Even though we’re the underdogs again, let’s see what happens and let’s prepare well.”

Thibaut Courtois believes Belgium wasn't reated with respect before they beat the USMNT 4-1.

There was much excitement for how the World Cup could go for the USMNT after they beat Paraguay in impressive fashion in their first match. That led many to be very confident before the Round of 16 against Belgium, to the point that Thibaut Courtois felt his team had been disrespected.

Courtois said: “In recent days, we have been disrespected here in the United States. It was being said that they could beat us easily, but I think today we showed that we are a good team. We played a great match.”

Coming into the match, there were doubts after Belgium had to come back from a 2-0 deficit against Senegal in the final minutes, but that didn’t happen against the USMNT, as a convincing 4-1 victory showed who was the better team.

Courtois on the plan against the USMNT

For the goalkeeper, the most recent match between Belgium and the USMNT was important: “We wanted to pin the United States back from the start and tried to create chances. Then they started to doubt themselves. Perhaps the 5-2 defeat against us in the friendly was affecting them.”

The main topic of the week was probably the unprecedented rescinding of Folarin Balogun’s red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which allowed the forward to play even though he had originally been sent off. That prompted a response from Courtois, who admitted he found the situation surprising.

Courtois said: “I read about it and it amused me. I understand that they want to generate excitement around the United States, but today I had more confidence in our victory than against Senegal, which has a better team than the United States.”

Courtois on Spain

After beating the USMNT, Belgium earned a place in the quarterfinals against Spain. Courtois said: “The quarterfinal against Spain, my second country, will be special. My young son will have to support Belgium, otherwise I won’t let him come back home! I am very happy to be able to play against them.”

After missing a penalty that was important in Brazil's elimination against Norway, Bruno Guimaraes shared his thoughts.

The man of the match in Brazil’s elimination was Erling Haaland, who scored twice to keep the World Cup dream alive for Norway. However, the match could have seen a different outcome in the first half when Bruno Guimaraes missed a penalty while the score was tied.

Guimaraes wrote: “Soccer, which has given me everything I have, is now the reason I’m feeling the greatest pain of my 28 years of life. Missing the penalty and being eliminated in the Round of 16 is tough. It hurts deeply, but it’s another obstacle for me to overcome. I’ve been through so much that only I truly know.”

While the goals did not arrive until late in the second half, Brazil had a golden opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty in the 14th minute. Surprisingly, it was Guimaraes who stepped up, but his weak shot to Orjan Nyland’s left was comfortably saved.

The full message

“I’ve written and deleted this so many times that I’ve lost count. I’ve always been here through the victories, so it’s only fair that I show up and don’t shy away from speaking to you after a defeat.

Soccer, which has given me everything I have, is now the reason I’m feeling the greatest pain of my 28 years of life. Missing the penalty and being eliminated in the Round of 16 is tough. It hurts deeply, but it’s another obstacle for me to overcome. I’ve been through so much that only I truly know.

I’m certain that, no matter how bad I feel right now, this too shall pass. The craziest part of it all was getting home after the saddest day of my life, and the first thing my children said when I woke up was, ‘Dad, let’s go play soccer.’ That’s when I realized that, whether the days are good or bad, soccer will always be my greatest love.

I take full responsibility, as I always have, and this time is no different. I’m deeply saddened by the way it ended, but I’m certain that God knows everything. I gave You glory in victory, and I’ll give You glory in defeat. Thank You for this opportunity, Jesus.

The dream isn’t over. It remains alive in my heart and in the hearts of thousands who love our country. Now it’s time to reflect, recover my strength with my family, and come back even stronger.”

After polemic in the match between Argentina and Egypt, Didier Deschamps commented on the referee for their match against Morocco.

While Egypt argued they had doubts about the referee before their match, it was Argentina that had concerns as Francois Letexier of France was assigned to officiate, with France being a direct rival. For the semifinal against Morocco, the officiating crew will be led by Argentina’s Facundo Tello, which does not appear to be a concern for Didier Deschamps based on his comments.

Deschamps said: “You can ask yourselves questions, but I won’t pay any attention to them. I hope the referee is just as good as Mr. Letexier and his assistants were in the match. My opponent is Morocco, not the referee. On the contrary, he’s there to enforce the rules of the game as fairly as possible.”

When everything pointed toward Argentina’s elimination after falling behind 2-0 against Egypt, Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez scored in a 14-minute span to complete a 3-2 comeback. However, much of the discussion after the match centered on referee Letexier.

Deschamps on Morocco

That wasn’t the only thing Deschamps said before the semifinal: “In every match there are situations that can go one way or the other. The complaints depend on which side you’re on. In some situations, a foul could have been called. This isn’t about revenge, what has already happened can’t be changed. We hope there are as few mistakes as possible from both sides.”

While that may be the main topic of discussion, France still has an important semifinal against a tough Morocco side, which Deschamps said is very different from Paraguay.

Deschamps said: “As for the match, Morocco are not the same team as Paraguay. We played against Morocco four years ago, and they reached the Africa Cup of Nations final. They have very good players. They’re a team that likes to keep possession and attack. They have great quality.”

Michael Olise’s yellow card

The controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun’s rescinded red card gave France hope of appealing Michael Olise’s yellow card, which he received against Paraguay during an altercation. Even if there were no clear grounds for it to be overturned, the Balogun decision raised the possibility.

The French Football Federation submitted an appeal because another yellow card would rule Olise out of the final if France defeats Morocco. Deschamps confirmed that FIFA rejected the request: “The situation with the yellow card hasn’t changed. We received a notification from FIFA this morning.”

Hossam Hassan complained about Francois Letexier after Egypt lost to Argentina as the manager made claims about the referee.

There were many dramatic matches in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, but none was more memorable than Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Egypt, which left Hossam Hassan furious as the manager criticized referee Francois Letexier.

Hassan said: “I thought maybe he was hiding something, that perhaps he had something to conceal. People who have something to hide sometimes can’t keep it hidden completely, and that’s exactly how I felt during that conversation.”

His team let a two-goal lead slip in 14 minutes to be eliminated, with the winning goal coming in stoppage time. That led to Hassan’s explosive comments after the match as he claimed Letexier missed a foul before Enzo Fernandez’s goal, even making a gesture crossing his arms to show his frustration.

Hassan claims strange things occurred

In the buildup to Fernandez’s goal, there was a slight jersey pull by Alexis Mac Allister inside Argentina’s penalty area that Hassan believed should have resulted in a penalty: “There wasn’t even a VAR review. We all saw his jersey being pulled, but the play wasn’t reviewed to disallow the goal. That’s how life is: unfair.”

This wasn’t the manager’s only complaint about the referee. The match also featured a disallowed goal, with Hassan claiming there were several questionable decisions throughout the game.

Hassan said: “The outcome was influenced by internal factors on the field and during the match, as well as external factors leading up to the game. It appeared that Argentina had put pressure on the referee, which contributed to this result. We had already expressed our concerns about that referee.”

Hassan on his protest after the match

Even though his team came close to eliminating a powerhouse like Argentina, Egypt left the tournament disappointed after leading for most of the match. The way it ended also led Hassan to take a personal stand in protest for the remainder of the competition.

Hassan said: “I won’t continue, and I promise you this: from the moment I return, I will not watch any more matches in this World Cup. This is my personal protest, my own objection, my way of making my voice heard and standing by my principles. I won’t watch a single match in this tournament.”

After the victory in the World Cup match between Argentina and Egypt, Lionel Messi was crying during the celebration.

The intense run that the 2026 World Cup has been for Argentina continued with a dramatic match against Egypt that needed a comeback from two goals down to get a 3-2 victory, which saw Lionel Messi cry when the final whistle was blown.

Messi said: “It was a huge relief for all of us. I was really frustrated after missing the penalty, especially because of the way I took it. I felt like I had let the team down at an important moment. Thankfully, God had something special in store for me in the end. I was able to score the equalizer, and it was an incredible relief and a huge moment of happiness for all of us.”

While it wasn’t his best match of the tournament, Messi bounced back from a missed penalty in the 21st minute, with Egypt leading 1-0 at the time, to score the equalizer late in the match before Enzo Fernandez completed the comeback.

Messi on why the penalty was important

The hard-earned victory over Cape Verde in the previous round, which ended in a 3-2 overtime win after Argentina had taken the lead twice, was not the only difficult moment the team faced. The Round of 16 proved to be even more challenging, albeit for Messi, the match could have taken a different path.

Argentina struggled in the first half, with Egypt controlling possession for long stretches until the hydration break. After play resumed, the team improved, and a long pass from Leandro Paredes to Nicolás Tagliafico led to a penalty. It was a chance for the captain to change the course of the match.

Messi said: “If I had scored it, the game could have taken a different direction because we were playing well, even after they had scored. We still created some clear chances, like Alexis Mac Allister’s and Julian Alvarez’s, when the goalkeeper made a save right on the goal line. It was all of that together. This team deserved to keep going. In the end, we’re just really happy.”

Messi posts message on Instagram

Many players are quick to go to social media and post pictures after such an important victory, but Messi took his time to process everything that happened during a thrilling day. The captain shared several pictures, including one with the team lineup as the first image, and wrote: “This team never gives up. What a crazy day today, once again… this group is INCREDIBLE!!! Let’s goooo.”

There are date, kickoff time and venue confirmed for the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and Switzerland.

The quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup are set after eight fantastic Round of 16 matches, with Argentina securing their place a few hours earlier after beating Egypt while Switzerland advanced by defeating Colombia in the penalties.

This match is scheduled for Saturday, July 11. What comes after it could be an even greater challenge, as a place in the final will be at stake in the semifinals against the winner of England vs Norway.

Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET at Kansas City Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. With a capacity of 69,045 spectators, the venue is expected to provide another memorable atmosphere for one of the biggest matches of the tournament.

Their previous matches

The paths taken by these teams to reach this stage have been stressful in their most recent matches, as the winners were not decided until late when Argentina and Switzerland secured their places in the quarterfinals.

After needing extra time to beat Cape Verde, the drama increased for Argentina against Egypt in a match that saw them trail 2-0 with ten minutes remaining before producing a remarkable comeback to win 3-2.

Switzerland won Group B with seven points after drawing with Qatar and beating Bosnia and Herzegovina and Canada before defeating Algeria 2-0 and Colombia in a tense ending after a 0-0 draw to reach the quarterfinals.

Their furthest World Cup run

Argentina are one of the most successful nations in World Cup history, winning the tournament three times, while Switzerland’s best finish was reaching the quarterfinals in 1934, 1938 and 1954.

Argentina's comeback against Egypt was not epic for Mostafa Zico as the player complained about the referees.

A match that is going to be remembered for a long time had Egypt making history until very little time was left, but Argentina came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2, prompting an angry reaction from Mostafa Zico that was reproduced by Fabrizio Romano.

Zico said: “The referee is unfair; God is sufficient for me and the best disposer of affairs. He’s wasting the effort of an entire nation. Congrats Argentina for this World Cup. The game is rigged.”

While there was protest for a slight grab by Alexis McAlister in Argentina’s third goal, there were also doubt from Argentina before the match because the appointed referee was from a direct rival like France in François Letexier.

The controversial play

Zico’s frustration was understandable because the main source of polemic was probably a disallowed goal that had been scored by him. In the 58th minute, Egypt produced a fantastic counterattack that ended with Zico making it 2-0.

With the fans celebrating, VAR called Letexier to the monitor, where he spotted a clear foul on Lisandro Martínez at the beginning of the move near the corner flag in Argentina’s defensive half.

The frustration could have disappeared when Zico scored again later in the match, with that goal standing. However, Argentina completed an incredible comeback through Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández to advance.

The rule

The decision left Egypt furious, with even members of the coaching staff unable to hide their emotions. While there was a significant amount of play between the foul and the goal, Argentina never regained possession, meaning the entire sequence remained part of the same attacking possession phase.

The IFAB details: “For decisions/incidents relating to goals, penalty/no penalty and red cards for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO), it may be necessary to review the attacking phase of play which led directly to the decision/incident; this may include how the attacking team gained possession of the ball in open play”.

In the important 2026 World Cup match between Colombia and Switzerland, Jhon Cordoba is not playing.

With a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup at stake, Colombia must beat Switzerland to reach the next round, but they will have to do it without Jhon Córdoba.

The reason Córdoba isn’t playing against Switzerland is because he suffered a muscle injury against Ghana in the Round of 32 a few days ago. It was just the sixth minute when the forward felt pain that made him grab the back of his left leg.

It was the worst possible news for Colombia, as it was confirmed that he tore his left adductor, an injury that rules him out for the rest of the competition and usually requires around four weeks of recovery.

The replacement

While Colombia’s tournament is not over, Néstor Lorenzo confirmed in his press conference that the player will not return: “Córdoba won’t be able to play for the rest of the tournament. Unfortunately, he’s no longer available to us.”

There are not many doubts about who could replace Córdoba in the lineup, as he also missed the opening match against Uzbekistan and was not in the starting XI against DR Congo, with Colombia winning both matches.

His replacement in those games was Luis Suárez, who delivered solid performances despite not scoring a goal. He also helped Colombia beat Ghana by providing the assist for Jhon Durán’s winner in the previous round.

Colombia’s campaign

One surprise of the first round was Colombia winning Group K. They opened with a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan, followed it with a 1-0 win against DR Congo, and then secured first place by drawing 0-0 with Portugal. Their next match was another solid performance as they beat Ghana 1-0.