Bishwajit Roy

"At the World Cup will be the best Rodri and next season will be the best Rodri." Those words from Pep Guardiola, spoken while Rodri was still recovering from the injury, sounded more like an act of faith than a prediction.

When Lionel Messi walks onto the pitch in New Jersey in the early hours of Monday (Bangladesh time) to face Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will reach its final act.

The quality of football has rarely dipped. Every match seemed to offer something worth watching -- tactical masterclasses, stunning goals, dramatic comebacks, controversial refereeing decisions or stories that extended well beyond the pitch.

Despite the celebrations, neither Thomas Tuchel nor Lionel Scaloni attempted to mask their teams' shortcomings.

France produced a performance that stripped away the romance and reminded everyone why they remain one of international football's gold standards.

Belgium did not spend the night trying to revisit those debates. They simply demonstrated that while power can influence headlines, it cannot guarantee outcomes.

France and Morocco head into their quarterfinal meeting having provided very different answers.

Cape Verde, ranked 67th in the world, twice came from behind. Twice they refused to fold.