Haaland World Cup goals shook Norway's foundations, says seismology institute

The institute said that the measurements were an indication of both the Norwegians' joy over their team scoring at the World Cup and the sensitivity of modern seismology equipment.
18 June 2026

Dembele still searching for a home in France team

For all his success with Paris St Germain, where he reinvented himself as a central creative force and one of Europe's most influential forwards, Dembele remains a player searching for his place in the national team.
17 June 2026

'Ronaldo as excited for sixth World Cup as his first'

Ronaldo's continued presence in Martinez's team has sparked debate over whether he is still a positive influence.
17 June 2026

'He’s a madman': Football world left spellbound by vintage Messi masterclass

The footballing community - from awe-struck teammates and rival coaches to a glittering panel of global pundits -was left searching for answers, and adjectives, to describe a performance that felt both timeless and utterly supernatural.
17 June 2026

England enter World Cup fray as Ronaldo makes history

Portuguese great Ronaldo, 41, has a tough act to follow after his old nemesis Lionel Messi scored a spectacular hat-trick for Argentina on Tuesday to equal the all-time World Cup goalscoring record, making a mockery of his 38 years.
17 June 2026

World Cup goals record 'just a number', says Messi

Lionel Messi savoured a "beautiful moment" after becoming the World Cup's joint all-time leading goalscorer on Tuesday but said "ultimately, it is just a statistic, nothing more".
17 June 2026

Zidane returns to World Cup, but in Algeria colours

When the name Zidane appeared on the back of Algeria’s goalkeeper’s jersey against Argentina in their opening World Cup match, it inevitably brought back memories of one of France’s greatest ever footballers.
17 June 2026

Austria return to World Cup with win over Jordan

Austria were given a scare by World Cup debutants Jordan on Tuesday before securing a 3-1 win rounded off by a penalty in added time from veteran forward Marko Arnautovic.
17 June 2026

Did Messi deserve a card? Debate rages despite historic hattrick

Lionel Messi’s first World Cup hattrick saw him equal Miroslav Klose’s record 16 goals, but his landmark display was overshadowed by debate over a controversial challenge.
17 June 2026

Algeria coach says errors helped Messi score hattrick to tie World Cup record

Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic said mistakes from his team had made it easier for Lionel Messi to score the hat-trick that saw him match the World Cupscoring record in Argentina's 3-0 victory in Kansas City on Tuesday.
17 June 2026

Messi calls it a 'beautiful moment' after record-breaking World Cup hattrick

The 38-year-old Argentina captain etched another memorable chapter in his glittering career with a brilliant hat-trick in the South Americans' 3-0 win over Algeria at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium.
17 June 2026

Messi, Mbappe and Haaland: Three stars, one unforgettable World Cup day

The World Cup has always been a stage where legends are born, dreams are realised and history is rewritten. But Tuesday offered something even rarer -- a spectacular celebration of football's past, present and future as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland all delivered unforgettable performances on the same day.
17 June 2026

In pictures: Moments from Argentina vs Algeria WC match

Lionel Messi became the first player to feature in six World Cups and marked the milestone with a hat trick to tie the all-time World Cup goals record
17 June 2026

Magical Messi shines as Argentina begin title defence with 3-0 win over Algeria

Messi netted a spectacular opener from distance in Kansas City, then poked home from close range before completing his first ever World Cup hat-trick to give him a total of 16 goals.
17 June 2026

Messi equals all-time goalscoring record at World Cups with hattrick

He completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, sending the massed ranks of Argentine fans in Kansas City wild.
17 June 2026

'He can win games in one moment': Deschamps hails 'extraordinary' Mbappe

"There are still people out there who will criticise him but he is an extraordinary player. Not everything came off for him, but he can win games in one moment," Deschamps said of the Real Madrid superstar.
17 June 2026

Lautaro Martinez to start for Argentina against Algeria; Mahrez benched

Lautaro Martinez will share attacking duties with Lionel Messi, who is appearing at a record sixth World Cup.
17 June 2026

Haaland double powers Norway to World Cup win over Iraq

The Manchester City striker turned in from close range to give Norway the lead on 29 minutes in Boston, but Aymen Hussein's header brought Iraq level.
17 June 2026

Cape Verde withstand Spanish inquisition

It was as if the Spanish Armada had descended upon Atlanta Stadium on Monday, where reigning European champions Spain took on World Cup debutants Cape Verde in their Group H opener widely billed as one of the biggest mismatches of the tournament.
17 June 2026

France beat Senegal as Mbappe ignites World Cup opener

France shook themselves awake after a sleepy first half on Tuesday to beat Senegal 3-1 in the New York/New Jersey Stadium for a perfect start to their World Cup campaign.
17 June 2026