Lionel Messi will turn 39 during the upcoming World Cup and could have been forgiven for quitting international football after leading Argentina to glory in Qatar in 2022, but he remains his country's talisman as they aim to retain the trophy in North America.

Since stepping into professional football in 2002, Cristiano Ronaldo has dazzled audiences from Lisbon to Manchester, Madrid, and now Saudi Arabia. He has conquered Europe with both club and country, and in his glittering career, he is steadily moving toward the unbelievable milestone of 1,000 goals.

Marcelo Bielsa is widely revered as a pioneer of coaching but his unconventional methods risk ruining Uruguay's World Cup chances before the tournament has even begun.

They are unbeaten in 11 games stretching back to September 2024 and aiming to go beyond the last 16 for the first time.

The Netherlands' top scorer Memphis Depay and Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber were both included on Wednesday in the country's squad for next month's World Cup despite concerns over their fitness.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the initial news regarding superstar Lionel Messi's fitness "is not that bad" and hopes further examinations will confirm that diagnosis with the World Cup just a fortnight away.

A giant statue of football superstar Lionel Messi erected in India to mark his visit last year is "swaying in the wind" and will be removed, a lawmaker told AFP on Wednesday.

Scotland's long-awaited World Cup return is being marked in unique fashion, with an image of Scott McTominay's goal for the ages appearing on a limited-edition £20 banknote.

Luis de la Fuente stressed that Spain's badge outranks any club crest on Tuesday after naming a World Cup squad with a distinctly Barcelona hue and, for the first time, no Real Madrid player in sight.

Bangladeshi broadcasters T Sports and Star News, in a joint venture, and a Dubai-based company have emerged as potential buyers

Brazil's quest to regain World Cup supremacy from their European rivals has led to them handing the reins to a European, with Italian Carlo Ancelotti charged with the task of ending the nation's wait to win their sixth title.

With the 2026 World Cup just around the corner, VAR is no longer just a rulebook enforcer. It has grown into a full tech backbone inside the biggest stadiums.

Iran are moving their World Cup training base to Mexico after football's world governing body FIFA approved a request to transfer it from Tucson, Arizona, the head of Iran's football federation said on Saturday.

Three goals. Three. In a World Cup final. And still, a defeat.

DR Congo's World Cup squad must isolate for 21 days before they will be allowed into the United States due to the African country's deadly Ebola outbreak, authorities said Friday.

Cristiano Ronaldo finally did it.

Tuchel has taken a risk on centre-back John Stones despite his lack of involvement at Manchester City during an injury-hit season.

Senegal have "big dreams" to "achieve great things" at the 2026 World Cup, coach Pape Thiaw said Thursday as he unveiled an expanded 28-man squad for next month's tournament.

The lights hadn't faded yet. In the stands, there were thousands of faces, a wave of flags, flashes of cameras, screams, and the colors of celebration -- everything was there. But in the midst of all that brilliance, one man suddenly seemed utterly alone.

Veteran midfielder Granit Xhaka will take part in his seventh successive major international tournament after he was named in Switzerland's World Cup squad on Wednesday.