The World Cup final is finally upon us, and Sunday's showdown between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey promises to be an absolutely enthralling encounter between the two best teams in the tournament - with the emphasis very much on 'teams'.
Bukayo Saka has voiced his frustration over a lack of playing time at the World Cup despite Inspiring England to a third-place finish with a sensational hat-trick against France. The Arsenal winger was surprisingly benched for the semi-final defeat against Argentina, a decision that has sparked intense debate over Thomas Tuchel's tactical choices.
Jude Bellingham has officially etched his name into the history books by becoming the first Englishman to ever score seven goals at a single World Cup tournament. The Real Madrid sensation reached the unprecedented milestone during a chaotic bronze-medal match against France, surpassing the previous benchmarks set by national icons.
The bronze-medal match tends to be one of the highest-scoring games of the tournament, and this one certainly didn't disappoint. England manager Thomas Tuchel called it a fixture “nobody wants to play in” earlier in the week, but that didn't appear to be the case as the Three Lions and France battled in the highest-scoring third-place match in World Cup history, with England edging a wild 6-4 win
New Croatia head coach Slaven Bilic has made Luka Modric his first priority in the role, revealing plans to speak with the veteran midfielder about his international future as he looks to convince the AC Milan captain to continue representing his country.
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo missed England’s World Cup third-place play-off against France after picking up an injury. The 21-year-old will depart the Three Lions camp without having seen a single minute of competitive action during the tournament in North America.
Chelsea have reached an agreement with Aston Villa to sign Morgan Rogers in a deal worth a staggering £117 million. The 23-year-old playmaker has opted for Stamford Bridge over Premier League rivals Arsenal after being enticed by the project under new head coach Xabi Alonso.
kylian Mbappe has paid an emotional tribute to Didier Deschamps ahead of his final match in charge of France, admitting the squad "failed" to give their long-serving manager the send-off he deserved after their World Cup elimination, as Les Bleus prepare for one last game together against England.
France head coach Didier Deschamps has delivered a blunt assessment ahead of his final game in charge, admitting that neither Les Bleus nor England have any real desire to compete in the World Cup third-place play-off. The showpiece event in Miami serves as a bittersweet farewell for the legendary manager following a painful semi-final exit at the hands of Spain.
Preparation for the biggest match in world football has been thrown into disarray after Spain were forced to cancel their final training session before Sunday's World Cup final. Luis de la Fuente’s side, along with their opponents Argentina, were hit by severe weather conditions in the New Jersey area that made outdoor work impossible.
Neil Warnock has accused Thomas Tuchel of overstepping the mark in his handling of Kobbie Mainoo at the World Cup, branding the England coach's public criticism of the Manchester United midfielder "totally unfair" ahead of Saturday's third-place play-off against France.
The political fallout from Argentina’s dramatic victory over England has reached the highest levels of government. While FIFA weighs up potential sanctions for a controversial banner, the White House has unexpectedly waded into the sovereignty dispute to defend the players' right to free speech. The incident has reignited old tensions between London and Buenos Aires on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
Croatia legend Davor Suker has launched a scathing attack on England manager Thomas Tuchel following the German's dismissive comments regarding the World Cup third-place play-off. The former Real Madrid striker accused the Three Lions boss of elitism after Tuchel suggested that neither England nor France had any interest in competing for a bronze medal.
Our expert offers his best France vs England Predictions, Lineups, Odds & Tips for their World Cup third-place play-off match on Saturday night (18/07/2026)
Thomas Tuchel is facing growing scrutiny after England's World Cup semi-final defeat, but former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison believes the German should remain in charge. Morrison insists Pep Guardiola would be the only manager worth replacing Tuchel for, while the FA continues to back its current head coach.
Aston Villa have completed the signing of Switzerland midfielder Johan Manzambi from Freiburg in a deal reportedly worth in excess of £50 million. The 20-year-old arrives after a breakthrough 2026 World Cup and is expected to play a key role in Unai Emery's plans following Youri Tielemans' departure.
The upcoming international showpiece in America will see a fascinating generational battle unfold as the Albiceleste captain Lionel Messi prepares to encounter La Roja's breakout winger Lamine Yamal. Having closely monitored the teenager's spectacular developmental trajectory at Camp Nou, the veteran playmaker expressed immense admiration while plotting to stop him.
Former Spain international Joan Capdevila has made a direct plea to US President Donald Trump after being denied entry to the United States ahead of Sunday's World Cup final. The 2010 winner had planned to fly out with his children to support La Roja at MetLife Stadium before his travel authorisation was suddenly rejected by border officials.
Spain legend Andres Iniesta has warned his national team that stopping Lionel Messi completely in the World Cup final is a near-impossible task. The 2010 hero believes the key to victory lies in imposing their own rhythm rather than obsessing over the brilliant Argentina captain.
Marc Cucurella has revealed he will retire from international football if Spain beat Argentina in the World Cup final. The defender believes that winning both the European Championship and the World Cup would complete his journey with La Roja, while also making an unusual promise to honour head coach Luis de la Fuente.
Lionel Scaloni has refused to speculate on Lionel Messi's international future ahead of Argentina's World Cup final against Spain. The Argentina boss insisted only the captain knows whether he will continue beyond the tournament as retirement speculation intensifies.
Barcelona sporting director Deco has admitted he faces a deep conflict of loyalties ahead of Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. The former midfielder has travelled to New York for the showpiece event, which will prominently feature both Catalan club icon Lionel Messi and a strong contingent of current Blaugrana players.
United States President Donald Trump has offered an unlikely critique of Thomas Tuchel's tactics following England's dramatic World Cup semi-final exit against Argentina. The American leader questioned the decision to drop captain Harry Kane into a deep defensive role after the Three Lions surrendered a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 in Atlanta.
Lionel Scaloni hailed Lionel Messi as the greatest player in football history after Argentina reached the World Cup final. The Argentina boss urged supporters to cherish the 39-year-old's remarkable career as the reigning world champions prepare to face Spain in Sunday's showpiece.
Lamine Yamal has always looked up to Lionel Messi. The Barcelona legend was - and remains - his one and only idol. "I never had another," Yamal admitted to Tuttosport. "I once took a photo with him. I was unknown." He wasn't just unknown, though; he was still only a baby, just a few weeks old when he and his mother partook in a 2007 photoshoot organised by SPORT for a charity calendar.
And so the wait goes on. England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina on Wednesday means their quest for a first international trophy since 1966 will stretch into a seventh decade. The hope is that drought will come to an end in two years' time when the Three Lions co-host the 2028 European Championship, but will England ever again reach a World Cup final, never mind lift the most famous trophy in the sport?
Argentina president Javier Milei has confirmed he will not travel to the MetLife Stadium for the World Cup final against Spain. The controversial leader explained that his shocking absence from the showpiece event in New York is entirely down to deep-rooted football superstition, having watched the previous seven victories from his home.
NEW YORK -- In a fun meeting between the NFL’s greatest player of all time and arguably soccer’s, Tom Brady asked Lionel Messi about the picture that has followed this World Cup final since the matchup was set: the Argentina icon bathing Lamine Yamal as a baby. Brady described the image as “very prophetic,” with Yamal now playing in his first World Cup and Messi potentially preparing for his last.
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
