Read for 2 minutes6 Jul 2026 03:21 PM IST Beating powerhouse Brazil was the start of some iconic celebrations for Norway who have outdone themselves with their song of simple joy. It’s a remix of Two Lines, titled by streaming artists Futuristic Hitz, although the original ‘We’re Never Go Home’ was a 2021 hit by Kungs or French tech house DJ Valentin Brunel. As Erling Brout Haaland led the Row Row Viking Row celebration, drumming to chants, Tim Selley broke into a team song in their New York dressing room. It’s really just a line that says on repeat: “We’re

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Read for 5 minutes6 Jul 2026 02:08 PM IST In only the second instance of a red card being overturned in World Cup history, FIFA has allowed USA striker Folarin Balogun to play in Tuesday’s round of 16 against Belgium. The decision, made under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, comes after Balogun was sent off in the Round of 32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. According to several reports, the attack came after several calls from the US President Donald Trump To FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Former England striker Wayne Rooney has criticized the decision from around the football world,

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Read 3 minutesNew Delhi6 Jul 2026 01:04 PM IST Knocking Brazil, the five-time world champions since 1990, out of the World Cup is not the bravest thing Norwegian coach Stel Solbakken has done in his life. Born on the banks of the longest Norwegian river, Gloma, the 58-year-old cheated death once in 2001 when he suffered a heart attack and was clinically dead for seven minutes before being revived. In Norse history, the Helgi Cycle describes a heroic tale where names, love, and fate seem to repeat themselves throughout life. On Sunday, Solbakken proved that the Helgi cycle is more

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Read 3 minutesMumbai6 Jul 2026 09:27 AM IST Donald Trump has urged FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to review Folarin Balogun’s red card, which preceded the governing body’s extraordinary decision to lift the American striker’s suspension, according to multiple reports. The decision prompted jubilant posts from the US president and outrage from Belgium ahead of Monday’s World Cup round of 16 clash. Trump intervened on Balogun’s behalf, the Associated Press reported, and now that the suspension has been lifted, he will be allowed to face Belgium on Monday (Tuesday morning, IST). According to the Guardian, Trump made three phone calls to

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Espen Undheim clings to a clip of 10-year-old Erling Haaland playing football at his first club Bryne FK. A pre-teen facsimile of the current Haaland captured for posterity in this grainy video clip, the Norway star doesn’t have the same signature hairstyle these days. Back then, he was very small — smaller than others his age — Undheim pointed out. But at the age of 10, Haaland has something he still has: his sense of timing and his positioning on the pitch. Early on Monday, Haaland used these skills to elude Brazilian defenders and put two goals into the net,

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Choose your favorite from an assortment of Ørjan Nyland’s saves in Norway’s 2-1 win over Brazil. Fine, of course. Brazil have not missed a penalty under World Cup rules since 1986. Or the dangling leg that denied Vinicius Jr a fifth goal. Perhaps, the acrobatic dive saved Christopher Ajer from the ignominy of scoring the strangest goal of the World Cup. Ryan also had a block to deny. Four saves, each more spectacular than the last. Still, no one took over Nyland that never counted. In the 63rd minute, Casemiro deflected a cross to Ryan, who headed it into the

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Read 3 minutes6 July 2026 06:00 AM IST United States striker Folarin BalogunFIFA lifted the red card suspension on Sunday and the player will be available to play against Belgium in the last 16 on Tuesday. Balogun, USA’s top scorer, was sent off in the second half after a VAR review for booting Bosnia’s Tarik Muharremovic in their Round of 32 clash. The “In accordance with Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the enforcement of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. If Folarin Balogun commits another violation of a similar nature and gravity

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Read for 2 minutesUpdated: 6 July 2026 04:28 AM IST Norwegian striker Erling Haaland scored twice against Brazil in the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot race to send the Selecao out of the tournament as Norway won 2-1 in the crucial round of 16. With his strikes in the 79th and 90th minutes, Haaland now has 7 goals, the same as France’s Kylian Mbappe and Argentina’s Lionel Messi. Mbappe leads the scoring charts with 7 goals and 2 assists while Haaland and Messi both have 7 goals and 0 assists. England’s Harry Kane is fourth with 5 goals and 0

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Read 3 minutesUpdated: 5 July 2026 11:34 PM IST Arriving in the capital city of Praia, thousands of people lined the bumpy streets of Cape Verde to welcome their titans from the World Cup. The Blue Sharks took flight after losing 2-3 to mighty Argentina on Sunday. “It’s a great moment for us to be here with our people,” Wonderwall goalkeeper Wozinha, wearing cool Gucci big-glares, told the BBC as flags with blue and red stripes waved everywhere. “We wanted something bigger but we didn’t go to the next level. Now we just enjoy the moment and celebrate with our

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Read for 2 minutesUpdated: 6 July 2026 12:58 AM IST Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup will be his last. Playing in his sixth World Cup, Ronaldo will renew his bid to win the title for the first time in his illustrious career when they take on Portugal in the Round of 16 in Dallas on Monday (Tuesday 12.30am IST). “Yes, this is my last. Let’s go and enjoy it,” Ronaldo said in a pre-match press conference. It was a rather confrontational interaction with reporters, with Ronaldo calling out reporters and telling them

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