Itihad Bukhadra Overview

France may have booked their place in the World Cup round of 16 with a dominant victory over Sweden, but the post-match celebrations have been marred by a seemingly frosty encounter between Rayan Cherki and Didier Deschamps. The Manchester City playmaker was captured on camera appearing to blank his manager at the final whistle, raising questions about the harmony within the Les Bleus camp.

Lamine Yamal has sent a defiant message to Spain’s World Cup rivals, insisting that Didier Deschamps’ France side are not superior to La Roja. The Barcelona sensation is full of confidence as the tournament enters the knockout stages, sensationally predicting that he will lift the trophy in North America.

Kylian Mbappe has officially moved past Brazilian legend Ronaldo in the World Cup history books after a masterclass performance in France’s 3-0 demolition of Sweden. The Real Madrid superstar netted twice to ensure Les Bleus booked their place in the round of 16 in emphatic fashion.

The 2026 World Cup is well underway and so is the race for the prestigious Golden Boot - the award given to the tournament's top scorer. There's a long and winding road to be navigated as 48 nations battle for the top prize, but which star will take home the illustrious award? Here, GOAL tracks the tournament's most prolific stars.