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World Cup 2026 Golden Boot standings: Mbappe level with Messi

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.

Messi & Mbappe the stars but Iniesta backs Yamal and Spain for glory

Andres Iniesta has backed Lamine Yamal to guide Spain to a second World Cup star, despite the teenager battling injury issues. Iniesta also highlighted the brilliance of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, who lead the scoring charts. Spain have progressed to face Austria, while France have already reached the last 16 in a highly unpredictable tournament.

‘Messi aside’ - Yamal named 'the best' by Barca co-star Gavi

Spain midfielder Gavi has delivered the ultimate compliment to his Barcelona and international team-mate Lamine Yamal, claiming the 18-year-old sensation is the finest player in world football when excluding Lionel Messi. The duo are chasing World Cup glory, with Gavi backing the recovering winger to handle the immense pressure during their knockout campaign.

Mbappe 'far superior' to Yamal, claims Ballon d'Or winner

George Weah has dismissed comparisons between Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, insisting the Frenchman is 'far superior'. The former Ballon d'Or winner delivered a glowing assessment of the France captain as Les Bleus continue their charge at the 2026 World Cup.

FC Barcelona v Atletico de Madrid - LaLiga EA Sports

'If I were him, I'd do it!' - Yamal urges Alvarez to join Barca from Atletico

Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal has publicly encouraged Julian Alvarez to swap Atletico Madrid for the Camp Nou, insisting the Argentine would be joining the "best club in the world." The teenage sensation spoke out as speculation intensifies regarding the striker's future following a reported breakdown in his relationship with Diego Simeone.

Bielsa bids 'painful' goodbye to Uruguay in 100-minute press conference

Marcelo Bielsa has delivered a characteristically intense and philosophical farewell to the Uruguay national team following their shock group-stage exit from the World Cup. The Argentine tactician used a marathon 100-minute press conference to reflect on a "very painful" exit, arriving armed with a dossier of data to defend his side's tactical output.

Spain v Saudi Arabia: Group H - FIFA World Cup 2026

'I'm going to win the World Cup' - Yamal insists France 'not better' than Spain

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.

Uruguay v Spain: Group H - FIFA World Cup 2026

‘I’m Barca’s No.10’ - Yamal embraces star man pressure

Lamine Yamal has confidently embraced the massive pressure of wearing the number 10 shirt for Barcelona and starring for Spain at the 2026 World Cup. The teenage sensation has also delivered a positive fitness update, confirming he is fully prepared to play 90 minutes in the upcoming knockout fixtures despite recent injury concerns and a cautious approach in the group stages.

Spain vs Austria FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 preview

Comprehensive match preview of Spain vs Austria at World Cup 2026. We talk tactics, team news and more ahead of this round of 32 clash at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Spain Press Conference and Training- FIFA World Cup 2026

Rodri to undergo surgery in blow for Man City

Enzo Maresca’s tenure at Manchester City has been hit by a significant setback before he has even overseen a competitive fixture, with midfield lynchpin Rodri set to undergo surgery. The Spanish international is carrying a mystery injury and is expected to miss the opening weeks of the 2026-27 campaign.

Man Utd confirm knee ligament injury for Ugarte

Manchester United have confirmed that midfielder Manuel Ugarte suffered a knee ligament injury during Uruguay's World Cup clash against Spain on Friday. Ugarte was stretchered off the pitch in distress, raising serious concerns over an extended absence ahead of the new season as the club conduct ongoing assessments to determine his rehabilitation timescale.

Yamal set World Cup challenge in order to match Messi & Co

Spain sensation Lamine Yamal has been warned that he still has plenty to prove on the international stage despite his meteoric rise at Barcelona. Argentina legend Mario Kempes has challenged the teenager to replicate his club form at the World Cup if he wants to be considered a true superstar of the game.

Winners losers World Cup group stage GFX

Winners & losers of the World Cup group stage

The group stage of the 2026 World Cup came to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday, as Austria scored a 96th-minute equaliser against Algeria to qualify for the knockout stage while simultaneously eliminating Iran, who had been set to progress as one of the tournament's third-placed finishers. Elsewhere, Lionel Messi came off the bench to help Argentina maintain their 100 percent winning record with a 3-1 victory over Jordan and, in doing so, the No.10 extended his record-breaking goals tally at the finals to 19.

Spain v Cabo Verde: Group H - FIFA World Cup 2026

How have debutant teams performed at the FIFA World Cup?

Four nations made debuts at the 2026 World Cup, with Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan gracing the grandest stage in international football for the first time. It is the tournament with the most newcomers since 2006 and Cape Verde have achieved the feat of ending a 16-year wait for a debutant to reach the knockout stages, with the African nation to face Lionel Messi's Argentina on Friday.

WC26 Power Rankings: Draw opens up for Messi & Argentina

The group stages of the 2026 World Cup are in the books after a thrilling fortnight of action across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Despite a lack of eye-catching fixtures on paper in the new, expanded format, there has been drama aplenty, with all the big names showing up for their respective countries on football's biggest stage.

World Cup Golden Ball Power Rankings: Messi in at No.1

The 2026 World Cup is underway as those still in contention fight it out for the universally coveted trophy. While the collective prize is the main objective for all competitors, some are already making their claim as the best player of the entire tournament. Lionel Messi is the current top candidate with all five of Argentina's goals, but Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise are breathing down his neck.

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De la Fuente slams Uruguay's 'extreme roughness' and VAR decisions

Luis de la Fuente criticised Uruguay's physical approach and questioned the use of VAR after Spain secured top spot in their World Cup group. The La Roja boss hopes for better officiating in the knockout rounds after a bruising contest left his side with fresh injury concerns.

Muslera to 'face music' after Bielsa sub confirmation

Fernando Muslera has accepted responsibility for Uruguay's World Cup exit after requesting to be substituted at half-time against Spain. Marcelo Bielsa confirmed the veteran goalkeeper made the decision himself following the error that led to Alex Baena's winning goal in Uruguay's 1-0 defeat.

'Same but different' - Suarez hits out at 'odious' Messi-Yamal comparisons

Luis Suarez has urged fans to stop comparing Lamine Yamal with Lionel Messi, insisting the pair are different players despite sharing similar qualities. The Inter Miami striker praised the Spain teenager's maturity under pressure while backing him to one day reach the same level as the Argentina legend.

Ugarte suffers horrible knee injury after colliding with Uruguay team-mate

Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte has sustained a suspected long-term knee injury during Uruguay's agonising exit from the World Cup. The combative engine-room operator was stretchered off in tears before the interval following an accidental collision with a fellow countryman, leaving his club's crucial summer transfer plans in complete disarray.

'Worthless' - Bielsa gives damning verdict after Uruguay exit

Marcelo Bielsa delivered a brutal assessment of his own tenure after Uruguay crashed out of the World Cup with a 1-0 defeat to Spain. The Argentine accepted full responsibility for the disappointing campaign, insisting his three years in charge had ultimately counted for nothing without results.

Spain seal top spot as Muslera error ends Uruguay hopes

The defining image of Spain's World Cup win over Uruguay was not a celebration. It was not Spain's trademark tiki-taka or a Lamine Yamal rainbow flick. Instead, it was backup goalkeeper Sergio Rochet replacing Fernando Muslera at halftime after the veteran's costly error helped open the door for Alex Baena to send Spain top of their group.

Uruguay vs Spain FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about Uruguay vs Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

'What he does at his age, only he can do' - Pedri hails Messi

Lionel Messi is continuing to defy the laws of physics and time at the 2026 World Cup, leaving even his former team-mates in awe of his longevity. As the veteran superstar leads Argentina's charge for a second consecutive global crown, Spain sensation Pedri has opened up on why his former Barcelona colleague remains the most effective player on the planet at 39.

Oyarzabal talks Barca transfer links & Yamal support system at World Cup

Mikel Oyarzabal has opened up on the relentless speculation surrounding his future as reported interest from Barcelona continues to swirl. The Real Sociedad captain remains a pillar of the Spain national team, using his experience to navigate both transfer talk and the meteoric rise of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.

World Cup value tracker: Undav thrives as Diomande overtakes Rogers

Excitement is growing as we move through the group stages at the 2026 World Cup and, throughout the showpiece tournament in North America, GOAL, in association with eToro, is tracking the value of some of the world's most sought-after talents. Will their price rise or plummet? Follow our unique player value tracker to find out...

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