During Liverpool's historically poor run of results last autumn, Florian Wirtz's form became the subject of much debate. Gary Lineker was among those that felt that the No.10 might benefit from being taken out of Arne Slot’s starting line-up, and thus the spotlight. "Don’t think he isn’t suffering at the moment with this," the former England international said on 'The Rest is Football' podcast.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has robustly dismissed lingering concerns regarding his physical condition at the 2026 World Cup. The legendary forward, who enjoyed a prolific domestic campaign in Saudi Arabia, confidently promised to deliver success and bring immense joy to the Portuguese public.
Neymar will not feature in Brazil’s opening World Cup match against Morocco after Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the forward is still recovering from a calf injury. While the Selecao remain hopeful of welcoming him back to training next week, growing concerns over his fitness have raised doubts about his availability beyond the tournament opener.
Christian Pulisic revealed he suffered a kick, which ultimately led to his substitution ahead of the second half of the USMNT's 4-1 thrashing over Paraguay in their World Cup home opener. Despite the star winger missing the second half, Mauricio Pochettino's side padded their lead and scored the most World Cup goals in team history.
It was a near-perfect World Cup opener for Mauricio Pochettino's side as they swept away their opponents in a way that will be remembered for a long, long time.
Canada finally have their first men’s World Cup point, but after Cyle Larin’s late rescue act against Bosnia and Herzegovina, GOAL picks winners and losers from a tense opener.
Lucas Herrington, 18, has been one of Major League Soccer’s breakout stars this year, emerging as a defensive standout for the Colorado Rapids. His rise has reportedly attracted interest from abroad, including from La Liga champions Barcelona. The center back’s strong form has also earned him a place on Australia’s World Cup roster.
Cyle Larin came off the bench to spare Jonathan David's blushes by earning Canada a 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina in their 2026 World Cup opener on Friday. The Canucks were the better side for the majority of the match but looked set to slump to a seventh consecutive finals defeat after Lovo Jukic headed in a near-post flick from Sead Kolasinac midway through the first half.
Rayan Cherki has been earning plenty of plaudits at Manchester City, with Frank Leboeuf telling GOAL why the mercurial playmaker deserves to be compared with Zinedine Zidane - the GOAT of French football. That is some billing, but two magical midfielders are considered to share a number of traits - including on-field skill sets and off-pitch ticket-selling qualities.
Harry Kane has been urged to ignore the familiar debate that his role in England’s team continues to generate, with Chris Waddle telling GOAL why the record-shattering striker should be granted complete freedom to do whatever he wants. The Three Lions’ talismanic captain does pose their greatest goal threat, but there is no pressure on him to operate in and around the penalty area at all times.
Vinicius Jr promised that he would do it "10x" if he had to. Those were his words after he did not win the 2024 Ballon d'Or despite a stellar individual season. In fairness, the Brazilian had a fair claim to the trophy - Rodri may have deserved it, but few would have complained if Vinicius got his hands on the Golden Ball.
Michael Olise is considered to be “simply the best” right winger in world football at the moment, with Frank Leboeuf telling GOAL why the Bayern Munich star can currently be ranked above Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal. A French World Cup winner from 1998 is hoping to see a talismanic performer in the present inspire Les Bleus to global glory in 2026.
South Africa’s dreams of a triumphant World Cup return were met with a harsh reality check as Hugo Broos' men fell short against co-hosts Mexico. While the fixture marked a historic moment for a fresh generation of talent, Bafana defender admitted that the sting of the result outweighed the personal pride of making his tournament bow.
The South African winger has given details on the knee injury that derailed his momentum in the Saudi Pro League and cost him a spot in the national team. The former Orlando Pirates starlet provided a detailed update on his surgical procedure and the long road to recovery that now lies ahead.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has slammed the opening match of the 2026 World Cup as "tactically poor" despite co-hosts Mexico securing a 2-0 win over South Africa. The Red Bull Global Head of Soccer highlighted glaring defensive frailties and a bizarre flurry of red cards that marred the showpiece event at the Azteca Stadium.
The former South Africa head coach has come to the defence of 'Yaya' after the midfielder's nightmare start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 27-year-old endured a difficult afternoon in the tournament opener, with his early mistake leading to Mexico's opening goal before he was later sent off in the 2-0 defeat.
The South African icon has delivered a scathing assessment of Hugo Broos, tearing into the Belgian coach after Bafana’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico. The legendary marksman believes the 74-year-old mentor miscalculated at the Estadio Azteca, claiming his ‘safety-first’ approach suffocated the team’s attacking flair in their World Cup opener.
Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele has backed his former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi to spearhead another successful World Cup campaign for Argentina. Despite the legendary forward turning 38, the French attacker insists that Messi's unparalleled quality remains undiminished.
Canada captain Alphonso Davies has been ruled out of his country’s World Cup opening fixture against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Head coach Jesse Marsch confirmed that the Bayern Munich left-back is still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in May. Despite the massive setback, the co-hosts remain hopeful of his return later in the group stage.
Ousmane Dembele has leapt to the defence of Kylian Mbappe, claiming criticism of the France captain has become excessive. The Paris Saint-Germain forward argued that scrutiny surrounding his international team-mate often goes beyond football and overlooks the pressure that comes with being one of the game's biggest stars.
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