Argentina centre-back Lisandro Martínez was forced off in the first half of the World Cup final against Spain. The Manchester United defender, a key man at the back for Lionel Scaloni’s side, pointed to his thigh and held his shirt over his face before being taken off in the 44th minute. Nicolás Otamendi, 38, came on in his place. Martínez leads Argentina in clearances (34) and is second in defensive…
Lionel Messi has officially become the first man ever to start in three World Cup finals, after starting for Argentina as they take on Spain in a blockbuster battle for the world’s most famous trophy. 39-year-old Messi is also captaining his country tonight as they seek back-to-back World Cup triumphs. Messi is also now the oldest outfield player to ever appear in a World Cup final. The Argentina talisman has…
Harry Kane admitted England will be “grieving” their World Cup heartbreak for some time to come although he backed Thomas Tuchel to stay on as head coach. England were five minutes of normal time away from a first men’s final in 60 years but Argentina turned a 1-0 deficit in Atlanta on Wednesday into a 2-1 victory courtesy of two late goals. While England rebounded with a dizzying 6-4 win…
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Argentina have made three changes to the starting lineup for the 2026 World Cup final against Spain, with Rodrigo De Paul, Nico González and Gonzalo Montiel set to kick off for the defending champions. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni chose to bench winger Giuliano Simeone, midfielder Leandro Paredes and defender Nahuel Molina, after the three players started the semifinal match against England on Wednesday in Atlanta. –…
Former Spain defender Joan Capdevila has made it to the United States to watch the World Cup final after being denied authorization to travel a decade after playing in an exhibition game in Iran. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in an email to The Associated Press that it received a request to allow Capdevila into the country. It said it reviewed the request and Capdevila arrived in the U.S.…
Senne Lammens will come back from his FIFA World Cup frustration as a better goalkeeper, Manchester United teammate Tom Heaton has said. Lammens was at fault in Belgium’s 2-1 quarterfinal loss to Spain when he spilt Pau Cubarsi’s 25-yard strike into the path of Mikel Merino, who fired into the roof of the net for an 88th-minute winner. Lammens had come off the bench to replace an injured Thibaut Courtois…
GENEVA — Europe’s top human rights body questioned the integrity of the World Cup and urged FIFA on Sunday to help build a stronger framework for the 2030 edition being played mostly in Spain and Portugal. “The next crisis has already begun. It has two names: money and power,” the head of the 46-nation Council of Europe wrote Sunday in an open letter to its formal working partner FIFA hours…
Former England midfielder Danny Murphy has said Thomas Tuchel should be sacked despite guiding the country to their best World Cup finish in 60 years. England responded to their agonising semifinal defeat against Argentina by beating France 6-4 in Saturday’s third-place playoff, with Bukayo Saka scoring a hat trick after being left unused against the world champions. But Murphy said England’s failure to reach Sunday’s final was down to Tuchel’s…
Goalkeeper Radek Vitek is ready to leave Manchester United in search of regular first-team football. The 22-year-old spent last season on loan with Bristol City, where the former Czechia Under-21 international kept 12 clean sheets in 41 appearances. With Senne Lammens having locked down United’s No. 1 spot since joining last September and Karl Darlow freshly arrived as his No. 2, Vitek has said he must leave Old Trafford to…
Declan Rice has said England must “keep going” to win a major trophy but it’s “a fact” that they are the closest side to the 1966 legends. England finished third at the 2026 World Cup after a 6-4 win over France on Saturday night in the third-place playoff, their best finish since Sir Alf Ramsey and his players lifted the trophy at Wembley 60 years ago. England’s tenure in the…