Close your eyes and picture Spain in a World Cup final. You see Andrés Iniesta ghosting into the box in Johannesburg. You see Xavi conducting, David Villa finishing, Sergio Ramos flying down the right, Iker Casillas saving Spain’s life against Arjen Robben. That team won everything from 2008 to 2012 and changed how the sport…
ATLANTA STADIUM — Just when it looked as though the end of the road had arrived for the GOAT on the biggest stage in sports, Lionel Messi and Argentina made magic. The Albiceleste came back to win a World Cup semifinal for the ages, 2-1, over England on late goals by Enzo Fernández and substitute…
If Lamine Yamal wins the World Cup on Sunday, he legally wouldn’t be allowed to partake in any celebratory champagne with Spain teammates in the United States. At the age of 19, Yamal will be playing in a World Cup final after helping La Roja defeat France in Tuesday’s semifinal. How does his age compare…
It took 102 matches … and we’re right back where we started. Lionel Messi and Argentina are defending their World Cup, and are looking to become the first back-to-back champs since Brazil in 1962. The epic final between Argentina and Spain is jam-packed with storylines that make it a must-watch event for everyone, from the…
It all comes down to this: Spain and Argentina will meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium in the world’s most important game. It is a clash between two elite national teams who both put on remarkable performances in their respective semifinal wins. It pits the…
ATLANTA STADIUM — Watching Argentina’s coach speak the day before his team produced one of the most epic semifinal comebacks in World Cup history, it was impossible not to think that Lionel Scaloni was trying to soften the potential blow for the soccer-crazy nation’s almost 47 million citizens. La Albiceleste has been so successful under…
I’m reminded of the saying in George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones” series: “What is dead may never die.” And much like the Ironborn or the White Walkers, there are some things in fútbol that never die. And that’s Argentina. A team that sacrifices itself and drowns during a match, only to rise again and…
Typically, one cannot be sure what or who they will encounter in the jungle. But this summer, one can expect to find Zlatan Ibrahimović on the prowl. On that note, here’s Ibrahimović’s latest “King of the Jungle” power rankings, which were revealed on Tuesday ahead of the 2026 World Cup semifinal round match between France…
In a World Cup semifinal like this, there’s so much to unpack. I have already written about the historical, emotional and psychological aspects of England’s World Cup matchup against Argentina, so I want to dive into the tactical elements of this highly anticipated semifinal too. On paper, and based on what I have seen from…
DALLAS STADIUM — Long after the final whistle — as the lawnmowers came out to maintain the grass and broadcast crews were in the middle of their stand-ups — Spain fans remained. They were dancing and singing and chanting. “Ole! Ole! Ole!” rang throughout the stadium where their team had just delivered a commanding performance,…
