USWNT head coach Emma Hayes was left starstruck at the World Cup after sharing the pitch with two of the greatest players of all time. The Olympic gold-winning manager was invited to perform the ceremonial coin flip before Argentina's dramatic round-of-16 clash against Egypt, bringing her face-to-face with Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah - an unforgettable moment that even had Arsenal legend Ian Wright labelling the USWNT boss "the queen GOAT."

The Egyptian Football Association has launched an extraordinary attack on the standard of officiating at the 2026 World Cup following their heartbreaking exit at the hands of Argentina. In an official statement, the governing body expressed its "widespread frustration" over a series of controversial calls that saw the Pharaohs surrender a two-goal lead.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has sent a blunt message to the Argentina squad, insisting that Lionel Messi cannot continue to carry the national team alone despite his superhuman performances at the World Cup. The Inter Miami superstar was at his talismanic best during a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt, but Ibrahimovic believes the supporting cast must do more to alleviate the burden on their captain.

Major League Soccer unveiled its full All-Star Game roster ahead of its annual matchup with Liga MX's best players, with a number of the league's top stars supplementing an already impressive XI selected through fan voting. Lionel Messi is the headliner, while new additions include Sam Surridge, Evander, Tim Ream and Anders Dreyer.

With the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly presumably disappearing into the rearview mirror, the battle for the Ballon d'Or hasn't felt so open for the best part of 20 years, with countless players now beginning each campaign believing they have a chance of claiming the most prestigious individual prize football has to offer. Ousmane Dembele emerged from a career plagued by injuries and inconsistencies to win the Golden Ball in 2025, and he is among a crowded field of contenders again in 2026.

Kylian Mbappe is on a Lionel Messi-themed revenge mission at the 2026 World Cup, Louis Saha has told GOAL, with France’s talismanic striker determined to right a few wrongs from Qatar 2022. Final agony - despite scoring a hat-trick against Argentina - was endured in the Middle East, but positive progress has been made through another major competition on North American soil.