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Instead of a dead rubber, Miami witnessed arguably the most entertaining contest of the tournament.
Mbappe's two goals vs England took his overall World Cup tally to 22 goals, moving him past Messi's previous mark of 21 and making him the tournament's all-time leading goalscorer.
An end-to-end tie saw a thrilling end to proceedings as England put 6 past France to get the 3rd place on the night.
Former Spain defender Joan Capdevila has asked U.S. President Donald Trump for help getting into the United States to watch Spain face Argentina in Sunday's World Cup final, after being denied authorization to travel a decade after playing in an exhibition game in Iran. In 2010, Capdevila helped Spain win its only men's World Cup title, starting in the final against the Netherlands, and he was a member of the team that won the 2008 European Championship. But he is worried he will miss Sunday's final and addressed Trump in a post on X, saying his application for visa-free entry via the country's Electronic System for Travel Authorization ( ESTA ) was denied. Visitors from select countries who want to enter the U.S. without a visa apply via ESTA. ""I NEED HELP @realDonaldTrump!" Capdevila posted on X on Friday night, adding that his ESTA application was denied. Capdevila also sent a separate message to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and tagged the Spanish government's ministry o
Argentina have played four matches so far in the FIFA World Cup 2026 and, in all four matches, they have scored goals in the dying minutes to come out on top
Zidane's exceptional record at Real Madrid suggests he has the pedigree to manage elite players and thrive under pressure
Delhi has allowed eateries to remain open till 4 am this weekend for the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, while Bengaluru has extended food service hours and West Bengal has organised live screenings
While neither side would have envisioned competing for bronze before the tournament began, a victory would still provide a positive end to an otherwise impressive World Cup campaign.
The lineup of sports legends simultaneously on the stage at Fanatics Fest on Friday night was almost absurd. There was Tom Brady, the greatest Super Bowl champion of all time. There was Novak Djokovic, the winner of more men's Grand Slam tennis tournaments than anyone else. There was Kevin Durant, the only four-time Olympic gold medalist in men's basketball history. And before they left, they all got a selfie with Lionel Messi. Let that be the latest proof of Messi's power: Even the biggest stars in the sports universe clearly enjoy a chance to be around the best soccer player of all-time. They'll all be watching Sunday - along with probably 1.5 billion other people worldwide - when Messi and Argentina face Spain in the World Cup final. "We will give it our all," Messi said. The star-studded news conference was expected to be Messi's last public appearance before Sunday's final in East Rutherford, New Jersey. FIFA decided to use Fanatics Fest - a four-day celebration of sports in N
FIFA President Gianni Infantino deemed the World Cup a success on Friday, again lauding President Donald Trump for his role in the event and saying the tournament achieved its mission of uniting people from all corners of the globe. Infantino pointed to many numbers - sold-out stadiums and big television ratings - as proof that the biggest World Cup ever met expectations, as Trump nodded in approval. "The American dream, Mr. President, came to reality," Infantino said as he stood alongside Trump in New York on Friday. "We united the world." Trump hosted a reception at Trump Tower in Manhattan for Infantino and international soccer stars. Trump and Infantino spoke next to the golden trophy Trump plans to award to the winner of Sunday's final between Argentina and Spain. As he often does in Trump's presence, Infantino was effusive in his praise: "You don't need people to compliment you, Mr. President, but this World Cup would not have been such an incredible success without you." Tr
A 64-team football World Cup, which the international governing body FIFA is mulling, will give India a better chance to qualify for the showpiece but such a move could compromise the quality of the games, Indian legend Bhaichung Bhutia said. An official proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, from 48 in the 2026 edition, was put forward by South American governing body CONMEBOL in April last year. FIFA has not taken a decision yet but its president Gianni Infantino recently said his organisation will examine the proposal after this World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Defending champions Argentina face Spain in the final on Sunday in New York. The 2030 edition will be mainly co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with the three opening matches to be played in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay to celebrate the centenary of the tournament. Uruguay hosted the first World Cup, in 1930. "From the perspective of an Indian football fan, I think it's a welcome move to have
Spain reaching the World Cup final is still something of a novelty, given this is just the second time the country has gotten this far. Rodri sees it as the culmination of years building to this point. Winning the Nations League in 2023 and the European Championship in 2024 set the foundation for the success the team has achieved over the past several weeks. An even bigger challenge awaits against defending champion Argentina on Sunday, and Spain's captain wants his teammates to be more eager to win than scared to lose. "We've been gradually growing," Rodri said Friday. "We have to keep doing the same things we're doing because it has been a process for all five years." Spain has only allowed one goal through its first seven games, including a 2-0 win over France in the semifinals. Since a stunning opening draw against Cape Verde, La Roja has outscored its opponents 13-1. "Our goal when we got to this World Cup was to win the trophy, and we were convinced that we could achieve this
The West Bengal government will organise live screening of the FIFA World Cup final on a giant screen at Nandan here, allowing football fans to watch the Argentina-Spain clash, an official said on Saturday. Similar arrangements for live screenings on large screens at important locations across districts will also be made for football enthusiasts, the official said. The Youth Services and Sports Department is coordinating the arrangements in consultation with other departments, he said. All district administrations have been asked to set up screening facilities, and Rs 1 lakh each has been allocated to every district for the purpose, according to an official notification issued by Additional Chief Secretary of Youth Services and Sports department, Rajesh Pandey. "A detailed plan is being worked out to ensure that the screenings are organised smoothly and that necessary arrangements are in place at all venues," the official said. Technical preparations, including screen arrangements
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend Sunday's World Cup final in New Jersey with US President Donald Trump, amid strained regional ties
Fifa will not shift Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina despite wildfire smoke affecting the New York area, with officials expecting air quality to improve before kick-off
What initially looked like a straight shootout has now evolved into a fascinating contest involving goals, assists and even minutes played.
Spain-Argentina match promises windfall for eateries, pubs, delivery platforms
At 46, Vincic has reached the pinnacle of refereeing, becoming the first Slovenian official to take charge of a FIFA World Cup final
The Messi and Yamal photo from 2007 has taken over social media as both players gear up to represent respective countries in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final
The remarkable thing about Lionel Messi is no longer that he can produce moments of magic. It is that the football world has come to expect them even when logic suggests otherwise.