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 was the tournament with the most newcomers since 2006 and Cape Verde achieved the feat of ending a 16-year wait for a debutant to reach the knockout stages, before succumbing to Lionel Messi's Argentina in a classic.
Lionel Messi talked up Argentina's chances of defending their World Cup crown after a thumping 3-0 win over Iceland in their final warm-up game. The Inter Miami star got his name on the scoresheet after coming on in the second half to break a long-standing international record for his country.
Lionel Messi proved he is ready to lead Argentina's World Cup defence after making a goalscoring return to action in a 3-0 friendly win over Iceland. After missing the previous warm-up match due to fitness concerns, the legendary number 10 needed just moments to make his mark from the penalty spot in Alabama.
Argentina fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief as Lionel Scaloni has provided a positive fitness update on Lionel Messi ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The Inter Miami superstar is set to return to action in a final warm-up fixture following a brief spell on the sidelines with a muscle complaint.
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Canada manager Jesse Marsch has vehemently defended his squad against accusations of becoming a dirty team following a worrying streak of disciplinary issues. With three red cards across their last four matches, including Tajon Buchanan's recent dismissal against Iceland, concerns are mounting over the team's aggressive reputation ahead of the upcoming 2026 World Cup which they co-host.
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