Pedro Porro has emerged as a vital component of Spain's starting line-up at the 2026 World Cup, forming a formidable partnership with Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal. Despite starting the tournament on the bench, the Tottenham defender has become indispensable for Luis de la Fuente on the right flank, and has now opened up on his connection with Yamal.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has expressed his immense admiration for Lionel Messi’s continued brilliance, describing the forward's 2026 World Cup campaign as "extraordinary". Speaking from Dallas ahead of the tournament's semi-finals, Laporta also took the opportunity to evaluate the performances of Lamine Yamal and Anthony Gordon.
Spain captain Rodri has called on teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to control his "anxiety" and desire to impress as La Roja prepare for a monumental World Cup semi-final against France. The Manchester City midfielder believes the Barcelona youngster remains a vital component of the team but needs to rediscover his composure to reach peak performance.
Kylian Mbappe will be relishing France's World Cup semi-final clash with Spain more than most. Not only is this the opportunity to exact revenge for the painful defeat to La Roja at the same stage of Euro 2024 two years ago, but the attacker also has the chance to deliver a rebuttal to his vociferous critics back in Madrid after a tumultuous season at club level. What's more, he comes into the showdown in the form of his life.
Ibrahima Konate has hit back at Lamine Yamal’s claims that France should be "afraid" of Spain ahead of their blockbuster World Cup semi-final tie. Speaking from the French camp in Boston, the Real Madrid defender insisted Les Bleus are remaining humble and blocking out external noise.
Cristiano Ronaldo appears to have found the perfect remedy for his World Cup heartbreak by escaping on a sunshine getaway with his fiancée Georgina Rodriguez. The Portugal icon was visibly devastated following a narrow round of 16 defeat to Spain, but new images suggest he is embracing a much-needed period of reflection.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that world football's governing body will officially explore expanding the World Cup to a massive 64-team format. Looking ahead to the 2030 tournament, which is set to be primarily hosted in Morocco, Portugal and Spain, Infantino suggested that another 16 nations could be added to the field.
Spain are within touching distance of glory at the 2026 World Cup, but Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal has been handed some extra motivation from a very familiar source. His girlfriend, Ines Garcia, has taken to social media using a Justin Bieber theme to ensure the teenager has his eyes firmly on the prize ahead of a final that will feature a performance by the pop superstar himself.
France fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief as captain Kylian Mbappe appears to be in high spirits despite recent injury concerns. The Real Madrid superstar has been at the centre of an ankle scare following his substitution in the quarter-final victory over Morocco. However, new footage from the French camp suggests the Golden Boot contender is feeling fine ahead of the semi-final showdown with Spain.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled no punches when dissecting Belgium’s dramatic World Cup quarter-final exit, laying the blame squarely at the feet of manager Rudi Garcia and goalkeeper Senne Lammens. The legendary Swedish striker was left utterly bewildered by the decision to replace the injured Thibaut Courtois with the Manchester United shot-stopper ahead of Mike Penders.
Lamine Yamal says Spain have nothing to fear ahead of their World Cup semi-final against France after reminding Les Bleus of La Roja's recent record in the fixture. The teenage winger also brushed aside criticism of his goalscoring record, insisting team success matters far more than individual numbers.
Xavi has recalled the moment he first realised Lamine Yamal was a once-in-a-generation talent, revealing how the Barcelona teenager immediately reminded him of Lionel Messi. The former Blaugrana boss also explained why he believes the Spain international has the mentality and ability to dominate world football for years to come.
Thibaut Courtois has expressed his immense devastation after a cruel quadriceps injury forced him out of Belgium's heartbreaking World Cup quarter-final exit against Spain. The Real Madrid goalkeeper left the pitch in tears before his replacement, Senne Lammens, committed a costly late error that allowed Mikel Merino to seal a 2-1 victory.
Luis de la Fuente has hailed Mikel Merino as a player "tailor-made" for Spain's tactical identity following their hard-fought victory over Belgium. The midfielder's impact proved decisive as La Roja secured their place in the World Cup semi-finals.
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Mikel Merino once again came off the bench to win a game for Spain as the European Champions beat Belgium 2-1 to progress to the semi-finals of the World Cup. La Roja unsurprisingly dominated possession from the first whistle in Los Angeles and, after plenty of patient probing, they took a deserved lead when Fabian Ruiz fired home from close range, after Thibaut Courtois had failed to parry a Dani Olmo shot to safety.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has received an unusual honour after a newly-discovered marine mollusc was named after him by Spanish researcher Jesus Ortea. The tribute follows the veteran's standout performances at the World Cup, where he helped his country make history on their tournament debut.
Belgium boss Rudi Garcia insists his side will not focus solely on stopping Lamine Yamal ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against Spain. Instead, he wants the Red Devils to disrupt Spain collectively and believes they have the quality to end the European champions' unbeaten defensive run.
Spain sensation Lamine Yamal has set his sights on a dream World Cup final against defending champions Argentina, revealing his desire to swap shirts with icon Lionel Messi. The Barcelona starlet chose to remain grounded regarding pre-tournament promises, insisting that securing the prestigious trophy is the only objective that truly matters.
Hansi Flick is regularly left astounded by the maturity of Pau Cubarsi's displays for Barcelona. "It's incredible to watch how well he defends," the German coach admitted last season. "He's young, he's only 19, but then you realise how long he’s already been playing at this level. We're very fortunate to have him. In terms of his performances, he's right up there with Lamine Yamal."
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has delivered his definitive prediction for the final stages of the World Cup, backing France to lift the trophy once again. The current FIFA chief of global football development insists Didier Deschamps' men look unstoppable, while naming just one European powerhouse capable of halting Les Bleus' charge.