Before he became a hero for an unlikely World Cup team that knocked out a historic powerhouse, Esmir Bajraktarević was a kid from a small Midwestern town. Bajraktarević, who picked up the nickname “Milwaukee Messi” along his journey, etched his name in lore back in March for Bosnia and Herzegovina by eliminating Italy from contention…
LOS ANGELES — Many professional baseball players tout the benefits of journaling for their personal and professional growth, but Justin Wrobleski has always been more of a numbers guy. So, rather than put pen to paper to jot down his thoughts after every start, the Dodgers pitcher updates Excel spreadsheets. Wrobleski, whose college tenure began…
Japan came to Dallas needing a point and left with a place in the Round of 32 — and the quiet satisfaction of a prediction starting to materialize. I wrote about Japan being dark horses before a ball was kicked. Three games in, nobody’s laughing. Sweden got the draw they needed too, courtesy of a…
The USA’s next World Cup opponent is official: Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina finished its three Group A matches with four points, including a win over Qatar in Seattle on the final match day. It will now head south for its next match, which will be on Wednesday, July 1, in Los Angeles. Here’s…
As the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup proceeds, teams will secure their spot in the knockout stage, which begins on June 28 and wraps up with the World Cup final on July 19. The field of 48 will be whittled down to 32, and then the knockouts will begin, with extra time…
Germany still tops the group. Ecuador finally found its finishing touch. Germany lost, and it cost the team nothing. Ecuador won, rescuing its World Cup dreams. On a hot Thursday afternoon at the New York New Jersey Stadium, Ecuador came from behind to stun a strong Germany side, 2-1 — a result that means wildly different…
While seeing second-generation NFL players isn’t uncommon, several former players have children starring at the highest level in sports other than football. Look no further than the event of the summer, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and this week’s NBA Draft. Here are some of the most accomplished current athletes in the pro sports ranks…
LOS ANGELES STADIUM — So much for a perfect group stage. After winning its first two games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the U.S. men’s national team finished the first round with a 3-2 defeat to already eliminated Türkiye on Thursday on literally the last kick of the ball. With the USA having already clinched…
This past week, the opening World Cup match on each day gave us the most fireworks. The Netherlands struck four goals against Sweden on Saturday, a feat equaled by Spain in its win over Saudi Arabia. On Monday, Lionel Messi set the record for most World Cup goals scored, while on Tuesday Cristiano Ronaldo reminded…
Plenty of drama is likely to unfold on Friday at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Groups G, H and I will all play their final slate of games. The day opens with Group I, where two of the tournament’s best players, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé, will meet in a top matchup between Norway…
