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Uzbekistan secured its first-ever World Cup berth on June 5, 2025, ending decades of near-misses. The Central Asian nation, long labeled Asian football's 'nearly men,' will face Colombia, Portugal, and DR Congo in Group K. Domestic football has already seen a 36% rise in professional clubs.
Napoli have reached a personal terms agreement with centre-back Mario Gila in the last 24 hours. The contract is ready, and club-to-club negotiations are underway to convince Lazio to sell.
Croatia, ranked 11th in the world, face England in their Group L opener on Wednesday. Despite an aging core, the team remains formidable with six players from the 2018 squad. Key threats include Luka Modric, Josko Gvardiol, and rising star Petar Sucic.
Stagecoach Midlands has temporarily renamed bus routes in Northampton after local footballer Ivan Toney during the World Cup. The 'Toney Town' service runs past Sixfields Stadium, where Toney began his career.
Erling Haaland adds his mother's surname 'Braut' to his Norway shirt, honoring Norwegian naming traditions. The Manchester City striker uses the double surname internationally, while his club shirt only bears his father's name, Haaland.
Luka Modric, now 40, leads Croatia into the 2026 World Cup opener against England. From a childhood shaped by war to a Ballon d'Or winner, his story mirrors a nation that consistently overachieves on the global stage.
Lionel Messi scored a brace in his sixth World Cup opening match, which also marked his 200th appearance for Argentina.
France midfielder Adrien Rabiot described the pitch at MetLife Stadium as 'more like an artificial surface' after their 3-1 win over Senegal. The temporary grass surface, installed for the World Cup, has drawn complaints from players including Brazil's Vinicius Junior.
Lionel Messi said he cried after scoring his first goal, but the tears were unrelated to football. He thanked his teammates and delegation for their support during difficult days.
Lionel Messi expressed his honor at competing with football greats, including Ronaldo Nazario, whom he called one of the greatest players of all time.
Argentina midfielder Rodrigo de Paul says Lionel Messi is not chasing individual records but ends up breaking them all anyway.
Jordan have scored their first-ever goal in their first-ever FIFA World Cup match.
Lionel Messi said he cried after scoring in Argentina's 3-0 win over Algeria due to a personal matter unrelated to football. The 38-year-old scored a hat-trick on his 200th appearance, becoming the all-time joint top World Cup scorer with 16 goals.
England's World Cup campaign begins on June 17 against Croatia. Test your knowledge of their previous opening games with our quiz.
Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham shares what it means to play for his country at the World Cup.
England's World Cup campaign begins as Thomas Tuchel and Harry Kane address the media ahead of the Croatia match. Lionel Messi becomes the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick. France beats Senegal 3-1, with Julien Laurens analyzing their title chances.
Romano Schmid opened the scoring for Austria with a remarkable strike into the top corner, described as 'wonderful'.
Lionel Messi scored his first World Cup hat-trick to lead Argentina to a 3-0 win over Algeria, becoming the first player to feature at six World Cups and equaling the record for most World Cup goals.
Erling Haaland scored two goals on his World Cup debut, leading Norway to a 4-1 victory over Iraq. The 25-year-old striker now has 57 goals in 51 international appearances, continuing his remarkable scoring form on the biggest stage.
Bradley Barcola scored his first World Cup goal for France against Senegal, finding the net with his first touch of the match.
