Read for 2 minutes11 July 2026 09:05 AM IST Days after Brazil’s heartbreaking exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026, star player Vinicius Junior has broken his silence on a disappointing campaign that saw the five-time champions knocked out by Norway in the round of 16. Vinicius said it was inappropriate to remain silent after such a disappointing World Cup, describing the feelings as “difficult to explain”. “Almost four years later and once again after the disappointment of the World Cup I am thinking of what to write. I see so many people of all ages supporting me, embracing our

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Read for 2 minutes7 July 2026 06:30 AM IST England’s joy at the Estadio Azteca was dampened by a freak injury to senior midfielder Jordan Henderson. In fan-shot videos that have gone viral on social media, Henderson can be seen writhing in pain as he breaks his leg while jumping on an advertising board in jubilant scenes for England to advance to FI 2 FI 2’s World Cup final as they beat co-hosts Mexico at the iconic stadium. The former Liverpool captain landed awkwardly when he slipped while climbing the board and video footage showed his forearm. England defender Dan

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Read 4 minutes11 July 2026 06:00 AM IST France’s match against Morocco was considered a quarter-final match. Against Morocco’s unrelenting stamina, the French put together a trove of attacking talent. Instead, Boston saw another French canter to the finish line, in the World Cup final. That’s the story of this World Cup – different teams trying their own spin on solving the French puzzle – each failing to varying degrees. Sneak peek of the Senegal show The French team has faced Senegal in the first half of the tournament so far. The defending African Cup of Nations champions were incredibly

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Read for 5 minutesNew Delhi7 Jul 2026 06:03 PM IST By Madhav Sachdeva Originally aspiring to be a goalkeeper, young Swiss star Johann Manzambi wanted to stop goals rather than score them. As a boy playing on the pitches of Geneva, he spent hours imitating Manuel Neuer’s famous “sweeper-keeper” style, racing through his line to clear the ball with his feet. This drill laid the foundation for his future, as he developed his composure on the ball by playing outside the goal, developed a different sense of the game and changed his playing identity. Travel early Manzambi was born in

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Read for 2 minutesUpdated: 10 July 2026 07:28 PM IST Norway’s star footballer Erling Haaland said he likes the Americans and is very happy. The ongoing tournament is taking place in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. The last time the World Cup was hosted in America was in 1994, when the country was the sole host. “I think it’s a good thing because I like the Americans. I think they’re also kind of happy. They’re funny. So I like them the way they are. The World Cup here has been amazing in everything so far. From the

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Three substitutions in two games – that may sound innocuous but it saved England from being knocked out of the World Cup in the round of 32 and then in the round of 16. In his hour of need, Thomas Tuchel did not helplessly look to the English bench for prayer. Instead he had a plan – one that England had been hatching for some time. No cameo appearance for the England substitute. They are part of what Tuchel calls a ‘special operations’ team – a phrase he dropped before the World Cup began. When asked about Ivan Toney’s place

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All eyes were on curly-haired Lamina Yamal during training at La Masia. But Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez’s eyes fell on the boyish-looking lean, tall figure. He called a youth coach to his side and told him that the boy should train with the senior team next week. On the training day, when Xavi entered the training ground, he was there and introduced himself with a smile: “Hi, I’m Pao Qubarsi.” Javi was impressed. “He didn’t have the shyness you think when a teenager calls up for his first training session with the senior team,” the manager recalled to Spanish outlet

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After sending Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal home, Spain will face Belgium in a clash of European giants in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup on Friday night. Spain have not conceded a single goal in this year’s World Cup and have not scored a single goal. Since March 2023, La Rosa is unbeaten in 36 consecutive competitive matches. Spain vs Belgium Football Live Score Story continues below this ad This high standard of play clearly does not faze Belgium, who are on their way to the World Cup quarter-finals of the teams. Spain have been Europe’s most consistent winners for

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Read for 2 minutesUpdated: 10 July 2026 07:36 PM IST Powerhouses France, Spain and Belgium will battle it out for a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals in the second quarter-final at the Sophie Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday. Mikel Merino came off the bench to score the winner in injury time as La Rosa beat Portugal in a tight game. Meanwhile, Belgium defeated co-hosts USA 4-1. British referee Michael Oliver will officiate the game, which will start at 12:30 am IST. Who is Michael Oliver? This is Oliver’s second World Cup and his fourth assignment in

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Read for 2 minutesUpdated: 7 July 2026 06:49 PM IST Portugal talisman Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup came to an end on Monday night in Dallas after losing to Spain in the round of 16. However, the superstar said that although he was saddened by the loss, he still gave his best and his conscience is clear. “It’s normal and sad to leave the World Cup like this. But, as I said in the press conference, I gave it all, I gave my best,” Ronaldo said after the match. “Still, I left with a clear conscience. That’s football. That’s a

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