Spain are within touching distance of glory at the 2026 World Cup, but Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal has been handed some extra motivation from a very familiar source. His girlfriend, Ines Garcia, has taken to social media using a Justin Bieber theme to ensure the teenager has his eyes firmly on the prize ahead of a final that will feature a performance by the pop superstar himself.
France fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief as captain Kylian Mbappe appears to be in high spirits despite recent injury concerns. The Real Madrid superstar has been at the centre of an ankle scare following his substitution in the quarter-final victory over Morocco. However, new footage from the French camp suggests the Golden Boot contender is feeling fine ahead of the semi-final showdown with Spain.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled no punches when dissecting Belgium’s dramatic World Cup quarter-final exit, laying the blame squarely at the feet of manager Rudi Garcia and goalkeeper Senne Lammens. The legendary Swedish striker was left utterly bewildered by the decision to replace the injured Thibaut Courtois with the Manchester United shot-stopper ahead of Mike Penders.
Lamine Yamal says Spain have nothing to fear ahead of their World Cup semi-final against France after reminding Les Bleus of La Roja's recent record in the fixture. The teenage winger also brushed aside criticism of his goalscoring record, insisting team success matters far more than individual numbers.
Xavi has recalled the moment he first realised Lamine Yamal was a once-in-a-generation talent, revealing how the Barcelona teenager immediately reminded him of Lionel Messi. The former Blaugrana boss also explained why he believes the Spain international has the mentality and ability to dominate world football for years to come.
Thibaut Courtois has expressed his immense devastation after a cruel quadriceps injury forced him out of Belgium's heartbreaking World Cup quarter-final exit against Spain. The Real Madrid goalkeeper left the pitch in tears before his replacement, Senne Lammens, committed a costly late error that allowed Mikel Merino to seal a 2-1 victory.
Luis de la Fuente has hailed Mikel Merino as a player "tailor-made" for Spain's tactical identity following their hard-fought victory over Belgium. The midfielder's impact proved decisive as La Roja secured their place in the World Cup semi-finals.
Mikel Merino once again came off the bench to win a game for Spain as the European Champions beat Belgium 2-1 to progress to the semi-finals of the World Cup. La Roja unsurprisingly dominated possession from the first whistle in Los Angeles and, after plenty of patient probing, they took a deserved lead when Fabian Ruiz fired home from close range, after Thibaut Courtois had failed to parry a Dani Olmo shot to safety.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has received an unusual honour after a newly-discovered marine mollusc was named after him by Spanish researcher Jesus Ortea. The tribute follows the veteran's standout performances at the World Cup, where he helped his country make history on their tournament debut.
Belgium boss Rudi Garcia insists his side will not focus solely on stopping Lamine Yamal ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against Spain. Instead, he wants the Red Devils to disrupt Spain collectively and believes they have the quality to end the European champions' unbeaten defensive run.
Spain sensation Lamine Yamal has set his sights on a dream World Cup final against defending champions Argentina, revealing his desire to swap shirts with icon Lionel Messi. The Barcelona starlet chose to remain grounded regarding pre-tournament promises, insisting that securing the prestigious trophy is the only objective that truly matters.
Hansi Flick is regularly left astounded by the maturity of Pau Cubarsi's displays for Barcelona. "It's incredible to watch how well he defends," the German coach admitted last season. "He's young, he's only 19, but then you realise how long he’s already been playing at this level. We're very fortunate to have him. In terms of his performances, he's right up there with Lamine Yamal."
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has delivered his definitive prediction for the final stages of the World Cup, backing France to lift the trophy once again. The current FIFA chief of global football development insists Didier Deschamps' men look unstoppable, while naming just one European powerhouse capable of halting Les Bleus' charge.
Cristiano Ronaldo's dream of World Cup glory has officially come to an end following a heartbreaking defeat to Spain in Dallas. While the veteran forward left the pitch in tears, his former club manager has moved to shield the 41-year-old from the mounting criticism surrounding his final tournament display.
We're in the end game now! With only eight teams remaining, the 2026 World Cup is about to reach boiling point, with the stakes unspeakably high for each of the quarter-finalists. The next round has a lot to live up, too, after this thrilling tournament continued to deliver moments of magic on an almost daily basis.
The 2026 World Cup has been a non-stop festival of football across North America, but fans looking for their daily fix on Wednesday will find the schedule surprisingly empty. After a breathless round of 16 that saw the world's heavyweights battle for survival, FIFA has implemented a tactical pause in the proceedings.
Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal has been branded a "mini Messi" by former Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic following a decisive performance at the 2026 World Cup. The teenage winger was instrumental as Spain overcame rivals Portugal to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Belgium’s World Cup dream has been hit by a devastating setback after midfielder Amadou Onana was ruled out with a serious knee injury. The Aston Villa star suffered the blow during the Red Devils' round-of-16 victory over the United States, leaving Rudi Garcia with a major selection headache ahead of their quarter-final against Spain.
Spain midfielder Rodri has issued a formal apology to his former Manchester City team-mate Bernardo Silva following a heated on-field altercation at the end of their World Cup knockout match. The fiery incident overshadowed Spain's dramatic 1-0 victory in Dallas, which secured La Roja a spot in the quarter-finals and knocked Portugal out.
Roberto Martinez has confirmed his departure as Portugal head coach after his star-studded side suffered a disappointing 1-0 elimination against Spain in the World Cup round of 16. The former Everton manager stated there was no reason to continue after failing to achieve his tournament objectives, paving the way for Jorge Jesus to succeed him.
Spain
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