There is a delicious irony in the image that will linger from Belgium’s stunning 3-2 win over Senegal. No Controversial penalty in 120+4th minute. Not even the winning goal that sent Belgium into the last 16 of the World Cup. Yuri Tielemans hugged Leandro Trossard’s equalizer in the 89th minute, after the pair spent much of the second half arguing over crosses. Belgium were staring at elimination. Senegal took a 2-0 lead in the first half through Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr either side of him. The Golden Generation’s final World Cup challenge appeared to be ending in Seattle. Disappointment

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Lionel Messi At the age of 23, he scored zero goals in the World Cup. He has scored 19 runs in six matches since then. Nothing about the conventional story of a player’s decline applies to him. How long he can continue is not worth asking. So he continues to heal. Against Austria, he missed a penalty in the ninth minute, then scored twice to break Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup record. He then came off the bench against Jordan to ping in a free kick. Watch the record breaking goal against Austria. Messi got it wide, close to the

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World Cup football has arrived in America. properly King James, LeBron declared so. With lots of emojis. Anointing the next young king, Folarin Balogun. Balogun’s dramatic round of 32 play – bookended by a goal for offside and a red card – also led to USA’s first goal in the 45th minute. It was a live raid from the center of the pitch, organized by Malik Tillman, son of a deceased US serviceman. Not only was Balogun’s convincing performance past three Bosnia-Herzegovina defenders to put the Americans ahead, but he had netted the goal early with a solo run, offside.

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It’s always about him. Not his strategy, but his actions. His passport. His nationality. Its perceived symbolism. A curious lens tuned to aperture and ISO perfection would have chosen to capture the Harry Kane of a generation when the Dallas Stadium speakers chanted ‘God Save the King’ before England’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Croatia. Or Jude Bellingham. Maybe, even a Declan Rice. Still, almost every camera panned in one direction—towards him. Thomas Tuchel. The result of the match was important. More important was whether England’s German manager would sing the national anthem. And yet, it’s never about him.

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Read for 5 minutesNew YorkUpdated: July 2, 2026 11:26 AM IST On an off-white obscured wall in Boston’s Harvard Square is a line scrawled in block letters: “Matt Damon was here!” Excited travelers stop, shout and take pictures and selfies from various angles, as if they have found a hidden treasure. “Seriously, was he really here?” “Or has someone written something like that?” So who did? Was it Damon himself? As with urban myths, there are various versions. Some claim that Damon, who grew up in the locale, wrote it himself. Some, in typical Bostonian fashion, will ask: “Who is

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His friends call Malik Tillman ‘Tequila’. The mild-mannered midfielder is no party animal, but he downed numerous shots of the Mexican drink on the night he helped PSV Eindhoven to the Dutch champions crown in 2024. The moniker traveled with him to Bayer Leverkusen and the USMNT. An artificial intelligence spun meme has him holding a tequila shot, wearing a sombrero. “Funny, how it’s stuck,” he once told Bundesliga.com. The goal he produced to punch the USMNT’s ticket to the round-of-16 in a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina was as strong and intoxicating to the fans as his namesake

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Read 3 minutesUpdated: 2 July 2026 08:57 AM IST FIFA World Cup Round of 16 Schedule: The knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are off to a spectacular start with a set of pulsating matches that will take the excitement to the final whistle. On Wednesday, Belgium staged a sensational comeback to win 3-2 against Senegal after trailing until the 86th minute. Two goals from Romelu Lukaku and captain Youri Tielemans in the next three minutes erased Senegal’s lead. Tielemans then produced a stunning moment from the penalty spot at 124:44 minutes into the last possible minute of

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Read 3 minutesUpdated: June 28, 2026 08:59 AM IST Argentina vs Jordan FIFA World Cup 2026: Argentina talisman Lionel Messi will start on the bench in their final Group J match against Jordan at Arlington’s Dallas Stadium on Saturday night. Follow: Argentina vs Jordan Live Updates Messi, 39, has been benched as manager Lionel Scaloni handles the minutes of his first-choice XI ahead of the Round of 32 stage that starts on Monday. The defending champions are set to face World Cup debutants Cape Verde at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, where Messi currently plays club football with Inter Miami. The

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The Germans are masters of penalties, especially at the World Cup. They won the last four shootouts before Paraguayan 6’6″ goalkeeper Orlando Gil beat them at their own game. Gil made two crucial saves in the tiebreaker to seal the historic South American victory. The Netherlands, blessed with incredible attacking prowess and midfield wealth, are known to settle matters in open play. Morocco held them 1-1 for more than 120 minutes and then held their nerve to win 3-2 on penalties. The last kick of the game, a perfectly calculated strike to the goalkeeper’s right, was scored by a Moroccan

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Read 3 minutes1 July 2026 06:53 PM IST Head coach of Uruguay Marcelo Bielsa No one was interested in following what he broadcasted during the World Cup. Two-time world champions Uruguay had a terrible World Cup, failing to clear a group featuring Spain, Saudi Arabia and newcomers Cape Verde. The South American powerhouse failed to win against any of the three teams, drawing with Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia and losing against Spain, finishing third with just 2 points and even Cape Verde overtaking them in the table. “I’m absolutely sure that nobody cares what I know. I know when

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