“We can’t get hung up on everything said on social media; the group is strong,“ Alvarez said after the game. Much has been said on social media about Argentina always getting either lucky or helped by external parties (referees, FIFA, etc.). Having said all of that, Lionel Scaloni did say Argentina need to improve ahead of the semifinal vs. England.

Clearly, these statements are unproven and mainly just conspiracies. However, given how fast all the info moves, it wouldn’t be shocking that all these get to the Argentina locker room. For Alvarez, the group’s unity is stronger than the noise.

Alvarez had a huge redemption moment vs. Switzerland

Prior to the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Messi, who is battling Kylian Mbappe for the Golden Boot, was obviously the Argentinian with the most expectations. However, Alvarez was just behind him. The fact is he started the World Cup as a substitute, and didn’t play his best. For him to score an absolute top-bins game-winner in extra time cleans vs Switzerland all his shortcomings earlier in the tournament.

Switzerland was a tough team, even if Breel Embolo suffered a red card. Hence, Alvarez’s goal was like an oasis in the middle of the desert for Argentina, who were looking somewhat frustrated when attacking.

Argentina and England are the semifinalists with most minutes played

Argentina and England will face off in a grudge match. However, both teams are fatigued. England have played 570 minutes in the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile, Argentina have logged 600 minutes, the most in the whole tournament.

Compared to the other World Cup semifinal in the bracket, whoever wins will be at a big stamina disadvantage. France have played a total of 540 minutes, the same as Spain. Neither France nor Spain have played extra time this tournament.

However, there is no precedent. Lionel Messi has never played against England at international senior level with Argentina. Messi’s debut with Argentina came in August 2005. Since then, they’ve played England just once (November 12, 2005), where Messi didn’t participate.

Argentina and England have not crossed paths in any of the World Cups since then, nor have they faced off in other tournaments. Hence, Messi has not felt the intensity of this rivalry on the field yet.

Messi almost got his shot at England in another World Cup

Back in South Africa 2010, Argentina and England were poised to collide in the quarterfinals. Argentina did their part by beating Mexico, but England were eliminated by Germany in the Round of 16.

That was Messi’s least-productive World Cup, as he couldn’t score a single goal. Hence, even if 2010 was in the middle of Messi’s prime, England could’ve avoided Messi’s best form that given day.

Argentina vs England’s history

The bitter soccer rivalry between Argentina and England uniquely mixes intense on-field drama with geopolitical tension. The animosity ignited during a controversial 1966 World Cup quarterfinal at Wembley and heavily escalated into a profound national conflict following the 1982 Falklands War.

Their most iconic confrontation occurred at the 1986 World Cup, defined completely by Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal, followed by the “Goal of the Century.” Subsequent historic clashes, like David Beckham’s 1998 red card and his 2002 penalty redemption, have firmly cemented this fixture as a high-stakes rivalry.

During the postgame interview, a visibly frustrated Thomas Tuchel said “We were lucky today.” The head coach of England was clearly heated as he also spoke on the team’s mentality and how the team fell short of his own expectations.

Tuchel also added, “I’m not happy with the performance… we made life very very difficult for us in the way we played. Sloppy, lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive enough.” His statement was addressed by Jude Bellingham, who dismissed his comments with a clear, short message.

England won in every key stat vs. Norway

While Tuchel might not be happy, numbers don’t lie. Per SofaScore, England had more big chances, more total shots, more passes, more possession and more shots on target than Norway, who had a disallowed goal in the game.

Needless to say, Norway had a great tournament. For Tuchel to expect to just steamroll them is kind of unrealistic. However, the fact remains: while England made it to the final four, where they already await rival for the semifinals, they haven’t been as smooth as some would’ve hoped.

England also had some VAR decisions against them

Harry Kane scored a goal but VAR reversed it due to an offside. While it was a good call by VAR, it was a great play by England. Then, they got a penalty also called back by VAR after a Djed Spence play. If England had a bit more luck, this would’ve been a very solid performance all around.

For instance, will the Kansas City Stadium have a full attendance for Argentina vs Switzerland? Other questions are about the specific characteristics of this arena, like if it has air conditioning or not.

However, Kansas City Stadium is not air-conditioned. It is an open-air, uncovered venue with no overall climate control for the field or general seating bowls. Of course, certain luxury suits, premium hospitality lounges, and media rooms have air conditioning, players from Argentina and Switzerland, as well as the fans, are exposed to the weather.

Kansas City Stadium’s best features

Otherwise the house of NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, this venue leans heavily into historic, nostalgic charm, and fan comfort. This stadium centers around an elite sensory experience.

The stadium’s most famous feature is its earsplitting design. The upper seating bowls are built on an incredibly steep, sweeping incline that rings the stadium. This distinct bowel shape acts like a concrete megaphone, trapping and reflecting sound directly back onto the pitch.

Argentina vs Switzerland will be Kansas City’s farewell to the 2026 World Cup

The stadium has hosted Argentina vs Algeria, Ecuador vs Curacao, Algeria vs Austria, Tunisia vs Netherlands, and Colombia vs Ghana. This quarterfinals game between Argentina and Switzerland will be the last game in Kansas City in this 2026 World Cup.

The stadium has seen high-scoring affairs like Argentina 3-0 Algeria, Algeria 3-3 Austria, and Tunisia 1-5 Netherlands. However, it has also seen slow-paced matches like Ecuador 0-0 Curacao, and Colombia 1-0 Ghana. In simpler words, this venue has been through it all.

By playing vs. Norway, Jordan Pickford surpassed Peter Shilton to become England’s most-capped player in World Cup history. This is Pickford’s 18th appearance in soccer’s biggest stage.

Pickford doesn’t play for an elite team unlike many of his teammates, but he has established himself as the absolute guardian of England’s goal. Consistently having good performances, the Everton man is as good as anyone on the field when repping the Three Lions. It’s largely on him to dictate if England win, tie or lose vs. Norway.

Pickford stats in World Cup

Pickford has kept six clean sheets in the World Cup stage. Not only that, but with Pickford in goal, England have won the only penalty shootout where he’s played in. In fact, Pickford saved the decisive penalty over Carlos Bacca in 2018 vs. Colombia.

On the not-so-good side, he has conceded 18 goals, so, on average, every time Pickford plays, England will concede. Still, Pickford is usually very good. He has one World Cup FIFA Man of the Match award, earned in 2018’s quarterfinal vs Sweden.

Pickford is facing a huge problem vs. Norway though

Facing Norway means facing Erling Braut Haaland, and that is bad news for Pickford. No goalkeeper has conceded more goals to Haaland than Pickford. Hence, it’s a tough test for him trying to avoid one of the world’s deadliest strikers to score on him in a win-or-go-home match.

Argentina have shifted between 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 throughout the tournament. Hence, it’s a thing of match ups where Lionel Scaloni, the manager, decided that the 4-4-2 is the formation that best serves Argentina to win, not tie or lose vs. Switzerland,

As for Switzerland, they’ve got the classic 4-2-3-1 formation going on for them. However, one of their key players, Johan Manzambi, isn’t playing today vs. Argentina. So, Switzerland manager Murat Yakin will have to change stuff to upset the world champions.

Confirmed lineups for Argentina vs Switzerland

The 4-4-2 used by Scaloni in the Round of 16 will stay, this is how Argentina will lineup: Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez.

As for Switzerland, who have players in different leagues and clubs, Yakin’s XI starting men will shift formations and play a 3-5-2: Gregor Kobel; Nico Elvedi, Manuel Akanji, Ricardo Rodriguez; Denis Zakaria, Remo Freuler, Granit Xhaka, Djibril Sow, Fabian Rieder; Dan Ndoye, Breel Embolo.

A rematch 12 years in the making

Argentina and Switzerland faced off in the 2014 World Cup. It was in the Round of 16 and the game went all the way into extra time. After a scoreless 90 minutes of action, 30′ were added to determine the winner. There, Lionel Messi assisted Angel Di Maria to get the only goal in the game.

Even though the game was 12 years ago, there are three players still active and likely to feat in this game. For Argentina, Messi is still being a nightmare to deal with for defenses. For Switzerland, who aim to make history by reaching a World Cup semifinal, Ricardo Rodriguez and Granit Xhaka are still hanging around as key pieces for their national team, which also includes players born outside Switzerland.

Kansas City Stadium is expected to to have all 69,045 seats filled with spectators for Argentina vs Switzerland. Whether Argentina win, tie, or lose vs Switzerland, the quarterfinals matchup between these two is a complete sellout according to FIFA.

The fact is at this point in the tournament, all games should be selling out, as only the elite of the elite are still alive. Given that this game also involves one of —if not— the best player of all time in Lionel Messi, it was almost imperative for this game to be played at a full venue.

Kansas City is perfect for Argentina

Argentina’s initial 2026 World Cup camp was based in Kansas City. Not only that, but they know the otherwise called Arrowhead Stadium very well, as they’ve played there before.

The first game was a 3-0 win over Algeria. Messi scored a brilliant hat-trick to get the World Cup going for the Albiceleste. Now, they come back with the hopes of getting into the final four as Argentina chase a fourth World Cup title.

Has Switzerland played in Kansas City during 2026 World Cup?

Most of Switzerland‘s World Cup adventure has been in Canada. They’ve played three games in the BC Place in Vancouver. Their other games were played in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Switzerland’s group of players, who compete in different leagues and clubs, were up to the challenge though.

Both teams are still unbeaten in the tournament. Also, both have seen extra time played in their games since the start of the knockout rounds. Therefore, stamina could be key, and given that Argentina didn’t need to fly, it could serve them well.

Per StatMuse, Lamine Yamal has never lost to Kylian Mbappe in single elimination matches ever. Given that they play for Barcelona and Real Madrid, and that Spain and France are juggernauts, they’ve faced each other quite a lot. Yamal has won all of them, hence why Yamal warned Mbappe’s France ahead of the semifinals:

• Won Euros Semifinals (2024)
• Won Supercopa Final (2025)
• Won Copa del Rey Final (2025)
• Won Nations League Semifinals (2025)
• Won Supercopa Final (2026)

Yamal vs Mbappe stats in head-to-head single elimination games

In those five games, Yamal has scored four goals, including a brace in the Nations League semifinals. Hence, the Barcelona winger has been very impactful in those games vs Mbappe’s teams.

As for Mbappe, he’s scored in three occasions, hence getting the short end of the stick compared to Yamal, but still pretty effective. However, if there is a time for Mbappe to get the upper hand, a World Cup semifinal looks ideal.

France are in better form than Spain

While making the World Cup semifinals would indicate that both teams are absolute contenders, the fact is that France have looked in much better shape than France in all facets of the game.

France are steamrolling competition, while Spain are barely beating them, needing two straight last-minute winners in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals. Hence, Mbappe should be in a great position to end the bad streak.

According to many reports, including Sami Mokbel from BBC, Declan Rice is fighting a slight sickness bug and has been sidelined from the group to prevent any bug spread. Hence, Rice’s status is really in question right now. There is also an injury update on Marc Guehi.

Rice is a key piece in the middle of the field for the English national team. As they face a top-tier team like Norway, England must be praying that the Arsenal man can step up into the pitch, even more now that Jarell Quansah has been suspended for two games. The midfielder is also dealing with huge discomfort in his hamstring.

Rice in the 2026 World Cup

Declan Rice has played four matches, accumulating 342 minutes and getting one assist. Rice most notably played the full 90 minutes in England’s dramatic 3-2 Round of 16 win against Mexico at Mexico Stadium. In the 2026 World Cup, Rice has been a protagonist.

Rice is the metronome of England. He is the player that commands the tempo, helps with the buildup and also brings good zone coverage. All in all, he is one of the best midfielders in the world for a reason.

Who could replace Rice if he can’t play for England vs Belgium?

Given that Jordan Henderson got injured in England’s game vs. Mexico, the primary option to replace Rice if he is not ready to go is Kobbie Mainoo. While still a central midfielder, Mainoo and Rice are very different.

Rice is a defensively dominant, physically imposing anchor who excels at breaking up play and driving the ball forward. Mainoo is a press-resistant, deep-lying playmaker known for his close control, composure, and ability to get the ball in between lines.

In the afternoon of Thursday, July 9th, a downed power line, combined with strong winds and an intense heatwave unleashed a huge fire that burned through more than 3,150 acres of land around the towns of Los Gallardos and Bedar in Almeria.

Now, a day later and with Spain on the pitch before their game vs Belgium, FIFA made the humanitarian decision of showing support to the victims by honoring them with a minute of silence before the game kicked off. Unfortunately, this was not the only minute of silence in a Spain game due to a tragedy happening during the 2026 World Cup.

Victims of the Almeria wildfires

The blaze tragically took the life of at least 12 people according to reports by BBC. Some victims were trapped in their cars while trying to flee. Others succumbed while trying to get away from the flames on foot along an unauthorized route. An additional 23 people were reported missing.

Approximately 1,000 residents were forced to evacuate the towns. Also, around 600 people were displaced, taking shelter in local facilities set up by Spanish emergency services. This is an ongoing procedure to save more and more lifes.

FIFA has humanitarian aids

FIFA operates a dedicated FIFA Foundation Humanitarian Fund. This foundation provides emergency assistance and life-saving relief to communities affected by natural and human-made disasters globally. Hence, it wouldn’t be rare to see them supporting Almeria.

As a matter of fact, the FIFA Foundation pledged $1 million to aid areas impacted by a devastating earthquake. This included a joint $500,000 education restoration initiative with artist Shakira.

This tactical decision might come as a shock to some as Lukebakio started last game. Lukebakio will start on the bench as Jeremy Doku comes back to being a starter for Belgium. They’ve exchanged starting roles in this World Cup.

Despite last game’s lineup, head coach Rudi Garcia has opted to bench Lukebakio once again. With plenty of fans attending Los Angeles Stadium, Garcia is shifting away from the tactic that led Belgium here.

Lukebakio’s irregular output for Belgium during 2026 World Cup

Lukebakio just played once in three games of the 2026 World Cup stage. Then, he was trusted as a super sub in the Round of 32, and then got the starting role against the USA. Now, Garcia is sending him back to the sidelines for the game vs Spain.

Doku and Lukebakio have similar characteristics as they are both pacy, electric, and quite good in 1-on-1 situations. Hence, Garcia might just think Doku is better suited for this game compared to Lukebakio. Belgium aren’t the only team leaving big names on the bench, as Pedri isn’t starting for Spain.

Are Belgium better off without Lukebakio?

The fact that Lukebakio and Doku are so similar makes it pretty tough to assess how relevant he is. Doku is just a better version of Lukebakio, as stated by two facts: Doku plays for a bigger club, and Lukebakio suffered injuries in the latter parts of the season prior to the World Cup.

Facing a possession-dominant side like Spain requires relentless off-the-ball running for the entire match. This requires plenty of stamina, so if Doku starts to fade, we’re likely to see Lukebakio in the second half as a substitute.

As one of the premier venues of the tournament, the stadium boasts an official capacity of approximately 70,000 seats for major soccer events. Given the monumental high-stakes nature of this knockout match, a packed house of around 70,000 spectators will fill the stands. Also, an experienced referee will be in charge of this Spain vs. Belgium 2026 World Cup matchup.

This guarantees an electric, vibrant atmosphere inside the arena as two in-form teams battle for a spot in the semi-finals. If you are tuning in from home, expect to see a sea of red and yellow filling every single corner of the stadium. Of course, depending on if Spain win, tie, or lose vs. Belgium, you can see how many of those are rooting for each team. Of course, those in attendance will probably be surprised not to see Pedri starting today.

Have Spain or Belgium Played at Los Angeles Stadium Before in the 2026 World Cup?

Stadium familiarity can often play a subtle but important role in a team’s comfort level. Interestingly, Spain and Belgium have both played a match at Los Angeles Stadium yet during this 2026 World Cup campaign. Spain defeated Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32, while Belgium tied 0-0 with Iran in the Group Stage.

Spain arrives here fresh off a dramatic 1-0 stoppage-time triumph over Portugal in Dallas, while Belgium enters the venue riding high after a dominant 4-1 victory against the USA in Seattle. For Spain vs. Belgium, the lineups indicate a highly technical matchup. There are big names missing though, with Romelu Lukaku benched by Belgium whereas Gavi isn’t starting for Spain. Besides, Nico Williams won’t be playing from the get-go either.

Spain vs. Belgium grants a spot in the 2026 World Cup Semifinals

For Spain, a victory today would solidify their renaissance under Luis de la Fuente and put them just two wins away from a second historic World Cup title. La Roja have been flawless defensively, keeping five consecutive clean sheets, and moving forward would validate their status as absolute tournament favorites.

Belgium are fueled by a desire to finally push past their golden generation’s previous shortcomings and make a definitive statement. Surviving this grueling test against Spanish possession would propel the Red Devils into the final four and equal their legendary run from 2018.

FIFA appointed Michael Oliver as the referee for Spain vs Belgium. Both assistants will also be English, but plenty of the rest of the referee lineup comes from a varied arrange of nations.

• Referee: Michael Oliver (England)
• Assistant Referee 1: Stuart Burt (England)
• Assistant Referee 2: James Mainwaring (England)
• Fourth Referee: Ramon Abatti (Brazil)
• Fifth Referee: Rafael Alves (Brazil)
• VAR: Jarred Gillett (England)
• Assistant VAR: Ivan Bebek (Croatia)

Michael Oliver in 2026 World Cup

Michael Oliver has been appointed to four matches during the 2026 World Cup, officiating high-stakes games through both the group and knockout stages. These are the matches Oliver has officiated:

This is a record game for Michael Oliver

Spain vs Belgium, where the winner faces France, is a milestone game for Michael Oliver. This game will make Oliver the English referee with the most World Cup matches officiated in history (7). Also, Michael Oliver could’ve had more games, as he missed one due to injury.

Michael Oliver missed his first scheduled game in the 2026 World Cup due to a minor injury, but he was poised to referee the Ivory Coast vs Ecuador game all the way back in the 2026 World Cup Matchday 1.

Mbappe said the following in a postgame interview, “I’m okay, I took a blow to the ankle but I’m fine. At that moment, JP (Mateta) was better suited than I was to play the final 15 minutes, so I came off and he came on. It’s good, plus he almost scored.“

Hence, Mbappe is setting the alarms off. He is right, he got hit in the ankle and given that the game was already heavily leaned in France’s favor, he opted to not finish the match vs. Morocco. Manager Didier Deschamps also spoke on Mbappe’s ankle injury, confirming the striker’s words.

Mbappe missed a penalty but still won Man of the Match vs Morocco

Mbappe might have missed a penalty vs Morocco, but then scored a worldie and assisted Ousmane Dembele for France’s statement goal over the Atlas Lions. Hence, the redemption was outstanding.

Mbappe is just too impactful for France. As Mike Grella of CBS Sports put it, “90 minutes is too long. They need to shorten the game if they want to stop him.” However, Mbappe didn’t even play the full 90 minutes vs Morocco and was still unstoppable.

Mbappe will be ready for France’s semifinal matchup

France already knows when and where they’ll play the semifinals, just not who yet. What Les Bleus also know is that Kylian Mbappe will play, as the ankle hit is very minor and won’t represent any absence from the 2026 World Cup.

Given that Mbappe has 20 goals in 20 appearances in the World Cup, this is magnificent news for France. While they have a plethora of talented players, Mbappe was born for this tournament.

France will play the winner of Spain vs. Belgium in Dallas on July 14th at 3:00 PM ET. This means Les Bleus are, unequivocally, facing a UEFA foe no matter what as they installed themselves in the final four.

France fended off a tough Morocco side without too many complications. In fact, every time Morocco tried to attack, France were dynamite on the counter and created too many chances. Attacking France is detrimental to the other team, which is an insane statement to make, though it’s been proven true throughout the tournament.

Have France played in Dallas in the 2026 World Cup?

Les Bleus are yet to play in Dallas in this tournament. However, they are used to big stadiums, as they’re one of the main attractions in the 2026 World Cup. France have played twice in the New York New Jersey Stadium, Philadelphia Stadium, and Boston Stadium. Hence, going to Dallas will mean it’s the first stadium they won’t repeat from their group stage outings.

As for Belgium, they haven’t played in Dallas either. However, Spain played their Round of 16 game vs. Portugal at the Dallas Stadium, which could give them an all-the-slight advantage for the game, shall they go through.

France are the most in-form team in the 2026 World Cup

France averages 3.2 goals per game and between the trio of Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembele, it’s tough to see someone being able to stop them.

Defensively, they haven’t suffered much. In fact, attacking them is playing with fire, as stated above. Hence, they are the living proof that the best defense is a great attack. If France can’t win the World Cup, it could come as a true shocker.

In a tournament were not too many goalkeepers have shined above the others, Yassine Bono is one of the few that really has shown a top form throughout the 2026 World Cup. The guy, at times, looks unbeatable as France have come to know in this matchup. In fact, Mbappe joined Karim Benzema in an unwanted World Cup list with this penalty miss.

Bono, in the first half alone, already had four world-class saves and is the only reason why France haven’t been able to score. However, it’s also an alert on Morocco, that have been dominated and are needing their goalkeeper to play Superman to not go down. What it’s clear is that Bono will definitely have a say on whether France win, tie, or lose to Morocco.

Bono is not afraid of the big stage

While Bono didn’t win the Golden Glove in the 2022 World Cup (losing to Emiliano Martinez who won the tournament), Bono arguably was the best GK in that tournament. Martinez had clutch moments, but overall, Bono was the rising star.

Then, in the 2025 Club World Cup, Bono once again shone for Al Hilal. Now, in 2026, Morocco are relying once again on Bono to make miracles. Bono is also elite when it comes to saving penalties as a whole, as proven in the Round of 32 vs. the Netherlands. Simply put, Bono is one of the globe’s best shot-stoppers.

Mbappe’s record taking penalties

Mbappe is an average penalty shooter. Per OptaJoe, the average effectiveness of penalty shooters is between 78% and 82%. Mbappe has taken 81 penalties (excluding shootouts), missing 16 and scoring 65. Hence, Mbappe has an 80.25% of effectiveness while shooting pens.

However, prior to this one saved by Bono, Mbappe was on a nine-scored-penalty streak. That includes one vs. Paraguay in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. Mbappe is also looking at the Golden Boot of this World Cup, where he trails Messi by one goal.

During a press conference before Spain’s game vs Belgium in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, Yamal was adamant on welcoming Alvarez at the Blaugrana team. “I hope Julian joins Barça. We wait for him with open arms,” Yamal said.

And of course Yamal is keen on the move happening. Yamal is one of the brightest prospects in the world, while Julian Alvarez is one of the best strikers in the world. Given that Barcelona also lost their top striker in Robert Lewandowski, Yamal wants the Polish striker’s replacement to be a world class player.

Alvarez has not been stellar in the 2026 World Cup

Alvarez rose as a prominent star in the 2022 World Cup, and since then, he’s taken the world by storm. However, the 2026 World Cup, that only has a few games left, hasn’t been kind to the Argentina forward.

Alvarez has played in all five games so far in the 2026 World Cup, though he’s only started in two. Alvarez is yet to score or assist in the tournament. While that won’t lower his price tag, given his years of excellence in both Premier League and LaLiga, it won’t make it higher either.

Lamine Yamal is Spain’s difference-maker in the 2026 World Cup

While Spain haven’t shown their best form yet, they are still in the mix. However, they are too Lamine Yamal-dependent. Yamal has just one goal in 316 minutes of play in the 2026 World Cup, but his output goes deeper than what the box score suggests.

Spain’s best minutes in the tournament have come when Yamal is constantly with the ball at his feet. His dribbling and pace set him apart despite not scoring as much as expected, hoping to have a breakout game when Spain face Belgium on Friday.

The furthest an African team has ever gone in a FIFA World Cup was Morocco in Qatar 2022, where they got to the semifinals and ended as the fourth place of the tournament.

However, other teams like Cameroon in 1990 and Ghana in 2010 also came very close from reaching the semifinals. Cameroon fell to England in extra time, while Ghana lost a penalty shootout to Uruguay.

Morocco set the blueprint

The biggest weakness African teams have when it comes to advancing through the knockout rounds in the World Cup is the fact that they don’t know how to close games. When it comes to maintaining leads in the last few minutes, African teams tend to drop the ball in the clutch.

Morocco have been the one team that knows how to play those last minutes, hence their good results lately. Morocco have swayed away from the irreverent ways of African teams, and taken a mature approach once the last 15 minutes arrive. The furthest Morocco has ever gone at a World Cup is also the best result by an African nation on the biggest stage.

Top 5 African finishes in World Cup history

While Morocco got fourth place in 2022, there have been four quarterfinals finishes by CAF teams in World Cup history, alongside plenty of Round of 16 appearances. This is the top five:

1. Morocco – 4th Place (2022)
2. Cameroon – Quarterfinals (1990)
3. Senegal – Quarterfinals (2002)
4. Ghana – Quarterfinals (2010)
5. Morocco – Quarterfinals (2026)*

*Still active.

For this match, a predominantly Argentinian referee lineup has been appointed for this game. To command discipline, the main referee will be Facundo Tello, a 44-year-old with previous experience in Qatar 2022 as well.

• Referee: Facundo Tello (Argentina)
• Assistant 1: Juan Pablo Belatti (Argentina)
• Assistant 2: Gabriel Chade (Argentina)
• 4th Referee: Dario Herrera (Argentina)
• 5th Referee: Cristian Navarro (Argentina)
• VAR: Hernan Mastrangelo (Argentina)
• AVAR: Leodan Gonzalez (Uruguay)
• SVAR: Tatiana Guzman (El Salvador)

Has Facundo Tello refereed before in 2026 World Cup?

Tello has been the referee in two games prior to this one (Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina and South Africa vs South Korea). He has shown seven bookings, no red cards and has granted no penalties. Per Transfermarkt, Tello has shown 149 red cards in 434 matches, though 10 of those came in one infamous 2022 Trofeo de Campeones final between Boca Juniors and Racing in Argentina.

While he has never being the referee for a France match, he did referee Morocco once in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals vs Portugal. Morocco ended up winning that game, so that’s a good precedent for the African nation.

There is controversy surrounding this appointment

Tello being from Argentina, who are still alive in the tournament, and considering their recent World Cup history with France (4-3 French win in 2018, 3-3 Argentina win in penalties, 2022 final), has sparked controversy. However, a French referee just officiated Argentina’s last match and no controversy rose from that. In fact, FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina recently defended the integrity of the match officials in the wake of Egypt’s complaints.

While FIFA neutrality requirements aren’t breached, it still has people talking. Hence, whether France win, tie, or lose this game vs Morocco, controversy can rise once again if there are some key arbitral decisions made in the game.

Speaking after the match, Pochettino said, “We need to learn why we didn’t approach the match the same way we did the rest of the World Cup. I am responsible. We have to look at what we did, because it wasn’t the level of performance we usually deliver.”

Right now, no declaration will bring peace to the USMNT faithful, but the fact is the manager is blaming no one but himself. Self-criticism is key for growth, although now the USA is filled with bitter feelings after getting eliminated from the 2026 World Cup.

Pochettino defied and confirmed doubters during the 2026 World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino didn’t have the biggest backers before the 2026 World Cup started. However, during the first four games, he silenced all the doubters as the USMNT displayed brilliant soccer filled with dynamism, pace, and goalscoring prowess.

But then this game vs Belgium happened and all the doubts came back flying. Losing a tactical battle to Rudi Garcia is not the best of looks, and the USMNT just looked completely lost, anxious, and totally out of sync.

The USMNT couldn’t tie their best result in modern-era World Cup

In 2002, the USMNT managed to get all the way to the quarterfinals. The hope was that this version of the team could at least tie that result, or maybe even more. However, it won’t happen and the USMNT will have to wait for the next World Cup to try and do it.

After this loss, the USMNT is out of the 2026 World Cup with immediate effect. The defeat came in the Round of 16, which is a win-or-go-home stage. Hence, this means there is no tomorrow for the USA.

The USMNT looked very dominant before this game, which make tonight’s debacle all the more confusing. Especially because Belgium didn’t look strong at all in the buildup of this game. In fact, there was more talk about Donald Trump calling FIFA regarding Flo Balogun’s red card than this game.

Balogun’s insertion on the game didn’t matter

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee made a whole new precedent over modifying Balogun’s suspension. Still, it might seem that this was the best that could happen to Belgium, as they felt disrespected and it showed out in this game.

As for the USMNT, Balogun couldn’t provide a goal and Christian Pulisic also had an early exit due to injury. Hence, America’s best players didn’t show up in their best form for one reason or another.

Belgium had their best performance so far in the 2026 World Cup

For Belgium, this is a huge momentum shift. This looked like the Belgium that is ranked in the top 10 of the FIFA ranking. Hence, the Red Devils are getting red-hot at the right time to become really dangerous.

As Belgium’s path to the final is now set in a clearer way, the USMNT must go back home and reflect on what went wrong after brilliant performances in the 2026 World Cup lifted them up, only to crash down at the time of truth.

Whether Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international soccer for Portugal or not is a whole other topic. However, Jorge Jesus has managed the Portuguese ace at Al Nassr, which could sway CR7’s stance.

Roberto Martinez is the newest coach to join the list of managers to quit after going out of the 2026 World Cup. Martinez is now expected to return to the club level.

Jorge Jesus has a long, successful history as a manager

The 71-year-old is currently a free agent. Upon successfully delivering his promise to secure Cristiano Ronaldo‘s first Saudi Pro League title, Jorge Jesus departed the club by mutual agreement. Having executed his highly successful short-term mission, he walked away as a champion instead of signing a new deal.

Hence, he is available to sign for Portugal with immediate effect. Jorge Jesus has won 25 titles as a manager in his career. Therefore, he is a proven winner. He is one of the few managers to win titles in three different continents. Jorge Jesus won in Europe (Portugal), South America (Brazil), and Asia (Saudi Arabia).

There’s one big question over Jorge Jesus

Questioning Jorge Jesus as a coach is not a winnable debate. However, there is one key aspect that might concern a few if he takes the Portugal job after the 2026 World Cup early exit.

Jorge Jesus has never coached a national team. International soccer is very different than club soccer. There is less time to train, a whole scouting task must be developed and results must be immediate. It would be a challenge for him to adjust to a different workload.

Jeremy Doku will not play vs USA from the start due to a tactical decision. He was subbed off at the 56th minute vs Ghana and Belgium ended up coming back in that game. Now, it seems like Doku, who missed time during this World Cup because of a family matter, lost his starting role once again.

Another that got subbed off and won’t start today against the USA is Kevin De Bruyne. Now, manager Rudy Garcia will use other players instead of two of their biggest stars on the roster for the 2026 World Cup.

Who will play instead of Doku vs USA?

Instead of Doku, it will be the turn of Dodi Lukebakio to play as the starting winger against the USMNT. The other winger will be Leandro Trossard.

Romelu Lukaku will once again start on the bench despite him being one of the most productive forwards on Belgium. After all, the Belgium lineup will seek a more direct, fast approach.

Belgium haven’t had a good offensive output

Despite scoring three times vs. Senegal in the Round of 32, Belgium are not looking strong in the offensive side of the ball. Hence, Rudi Garcia has done a plethora of changes throughout the tournament.

This looks like a desperate measure, since De Bruyne and Doku are two of the biggest names you can have, yet the manager has opted to take them out of the starting lineup to see if he can ignite something on the attack.

Via a 13-point new press release, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee stated in point five, “the FIFA Disciplinary Committee went on to apply Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, under which it has discretion to suspend the implementation of any disciplinary measures, and ordered that the implementation of the one-match suspension be suspended for a probationary period of one year.

“As a result, Balogun is not required to immediately serve the suspension. Instead, the sanction remains dormant during the probationary period and will only be activated if he commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during that one-year period.”

Did FIFA give an explanation as to why it took this decision?

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee went on to explain, in point 10, the reason why this decision was taken. “Consistent with Article 27 of the FDC, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to suspend for a probationary period of one (1) year the implementation of the automatic match suspension… Said suspension of the implementation was decided considering all of the specific circumstances surrounding the incident and evidence available.“

Even UEFA was astonished by FIFA’s decision and supported Belgium. However, FIFA kind of made an irony comment on UEFA’s “red line” accusation in this statement.

FIFA made a passive-aggressive defense on its stance

FIFA also stated, “Reviewing the legal consequences of red cards in football is nothing new in the modern game. For instance, in the majority of top-tier leagues belonging to UEFA-affiliated member associations – the overturning of red cards is a common disciplinary measure, yet this has never raised concerns about crossing any “red line”. And again, it should be emphasized that in the decision under scrutiny, the red card was not overturned.”

Responding in such a direct way to UEFA really is a passive-aggressive move. As a matter of fact, it remains to be seen if this will harm both organization’s relationships in the future.

Spain will play Belgium on July 10th at 3:00 PM ET at none other than Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California. Hence, there is likely a 70,000 crowd awaiting to watch this game live. Spain’s path to the final is clearer now.

Spain advanced after a hard-earned 1-0 win over Portugal, who are eliminated of the 2026 World Cup now. The goal came thanks to a clutch play by super-sub Mikel Merino. This also means Cristiano Ronaldo might have retired from Portugal’s national team.

Spain barely edged a lackluster Portugal

This was not a brilliant game by any means. However, Spain were the better team all around, having most of the best chances in the game. Portugal’s goalkeeper Diogo Costa made plenty of saves, but that doesn’t mean Spain showed an elite level of play.

In fact, regardless on whether they face the USMNT or Belgium, the quarterfinals matchup could be another hard test for Spain. Actually Spain might still be alive, but this is not the team that everyone expected to steamroll its opponents.

Spain’s midfield need to improve for latter stages

While Spain won and were the better team, the same happened for their games in the group stage and Round of 32. Their midfield should easily dominate every single opponent, but it’s not happening.

Pedri is one of the best midfielders in the game but he is not playing at his best. Rodri is struggling to impose his tempo, and if the game is dynamic enough, he looks slow. That is something Spain must fix before their quarterfinals match.

Belgium are the 9th best-ranked team in the FIFA ranking. Hence, compared to USA’s FIFA ranking, they’re supposed to go through. However, the eye test must tell the USMNT has shown a better soccer level in the tournament. But without Christian Pulisic, it’s harder.

Hence, Belgium need to show their best shape if they want to beat a red-hot USMNT team. In the Round of 32, Belgium were able to comeback and beat Senegal in dramatic fashion, but alerts were still on as they looked overwhelmed for the majority of that game. Whether the USA win, tie, or lose vs. Belgium remains to be seen, but the momentum is with the hosts.

Belgium’s fluctuation during 2026 World Cup

Belgium stayed in the ninth spot after the Round of 32. Mexico losing to England allowed Belgium to stay at ninth but they are still not able to reach the Netherlands as of now. Though the Netherlands are not in the 2026 World Cup anymore.

Belgium lost 8.30 points after their tie with Egypt, and another 6.06 after tying with Iran. However, they earned 7.54 points by beating New Zealand and an additional 21.10 for their Round of 32 victory over Senegal.

Can Belgium climb in the FIFA ranking?

Belgium are a bit far off the Netherlands for the 8th team. However, the 19.03 deficit could very well be erased if Belgium are able to beat the United States. Hence, a win could put Belgium at the eighth place.

The United States are ranked 16th in the FIFA ranking coming into this game. The USMNT will face Belgium in Seattle and they should feel brave about this game. It feels like the USMNT is a better squad than the Red Devils right now.

The USMNT beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32, being dominant and explosive despite playing with 10 men for more than 25 minutes in that game. Now, Balogun will be back despite Belgium’s deep concern about how FIFA handled the situation.

The USMNT has grown in the FIFA ranking during the 2026 World Cup

With 1690.33 points, the USMNT is now a spot higher than before. Belgium’s FIFA ranking is also a good one, but sensations during this World Cup lean in major favor of the USA. The USMNT won 17.30 points vs Paraguay, 21.06 points by beating Australia, but then lost 32.42 points after its late loss against Turkiye in the group stage finale.

In the Round of 32, the USMNT won 13.16 points for its victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The USA could easily keep climbing in the ranking as long as they beat Belgium in the Round of 16.

Can the USMNT reach new heights?

The USMNT is just 5.97 below Switzerland, who face a tough challenge in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 against Colombia. Hence, the USMNT could leapfrog Switzerland and then confirm its place if the Swiss go out.

In fact, the United States could even overtake Italy in the 14th spot. Italy have 1704.73 points but they aren’t playing in the 2026 World Cup, so they are not acquiring points at all.

The game between Norway and England will be played on July 11th at 5:00 PM ET in Miami Gardens, at the Miami Stadium. This game will bring fireworks as both teams have plenty of attacking talent. England’s path to the final has now been updated.

Norway beat Brazil 2-1 thanks to an Erling Haaland brace. Meanwhile, England had to endure an absolute battle at the Mexico Stadium to stay alive over a very resilient and dangerous Mexico side.

Both teams come with different momentums

Obviously, both teams come with high momentum as they’re progressing, but the feeling is very different. Norway are displaying dominant, possession-based soccer. Also, having a difference-maker like Erling Haaland makes life way easier for them.

England will come scarred as the battle vs Mexico was one that will take a toll. In fact, they won’t have defender Quansah due to him being red-carded. Having said so, England displayed huge heart and courage to earn that win, so they also must feel invincible and battle-tested after that game.

Norway vs England is a battle of styles

Norway play a very patient, yet intense game, where possession is welcomed. They try to elaborate plays until they can find Haaland near, or inside, the opponent’s box.

As for England, they rely on a more direct, fast-paced approach. While they have players to keep the ball like Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, manager Thomas Tuchel prefers a more vertical style of play.

“Ancelotti decides before the match who will take the penalties, and he chose Bruno. I’ve never shied away from responsibility. I take penalties at Real Madrid when the coach chooses me,” Vinicius Jr. said.

He also backed up his teammate Guimaraes. “The coach chose Bruno to take the penalty because he had been training them well over the last few days. Unfortunately, these things happen in the game. Unfortunately, Bruno missed, but I hope this doesn’t tarnish his career with the national team.”

Vinicius Jr.’s numbers from the penalty spot

Per Transfermarkt, Vinicius Jr. has taken 19 penalties in his career, scoring 13 and missing six in his career. That is a mere 68.4% efficiency from the spot. Per stats site OptaJoe, that is a below average number, as normally a decent penalty taker oscilates between 75% to 82%.

Hence, it’s not like avoiding Vinicius to shoot the penalty was an outrageous decision by Ancelotti. In fact, it was a good one. It just so happened that Bruno Guimaraes wasn’t able to score, but Vini didn’t guarantee a score by any means.

Brazil had too many chances to beat Norway

Not only did Brazil had two penalties in this game (Neymar scored the other one), but they arguably created more clear chances than Norway in this game. Now, Brazil are out of the 2026 World Cup.

Besides the two penalties, Norway’s goalkeeper Nyland was incredible, and Endrick missed a wide open shot as well. Hence, Brazil have no one to blame but themselves for their worst finish in World Cup history.

Per Yahoo! Sports, an estimated 87,500 fans are attending today’s Mexico vs. England Round of 16. Hence, the mythical stadium will roar once again for one last time. From the quarterfinals and onwards, all games will be played in the United States.

The Mexico national team is looking to tie its furthest finish in World Cup history. Given that it managed to do quarterfinals twice and both times at home, this seems like a perfect time to make it once again.

Mexico’s strength at this stadium has an explanation

Not only is Mexico a soccer-loving country, but the altitude of the Mexico Stadium, combined with the atmosphere and size that the venue imposes makes this one of the most hostile environments in soccer when playing against Mexico. Hence, England will be in for a treat.

Mexico have played three of their four games in the 2026 World Cup at the Mexico Stadium. However, they have a lifetime of making the otherwise known Azteca Stadium an absolute fortress, losing just twice in 88 games played. While the game between Mexico vs England was delayed due to weather, it’s still expected that the fans bring a loud energy.

Has Mexico Stadium been sold out in all 2026 World Cup games?

When Mexico have played, yes. FIFA’s high pricing for tickets to watch the games made it impossible for matches not involving Mexico to fully sell out. The tickets’ prices were just not enticing enough.

Colombia vs Uzbekistan didn’t sell out but still drew a massive crowd, especially from Colombians. However, when Mexico play, the stadium is always at a capacity crowd.

Neymar scored Brazil’s only goal against Norway, entering as a substitute for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Still, his goal and efforts weren’t enough to guide the Scratch Du Oro to a better path. Brazil have won five World Cups, all prior to Neymar’s arrival.

Despite playing four World Cups for Brazil, Neymar wasn´t able to get his national team over the hump. Now, he is leaving it for the next generation to try and get Brazil the all-elusive sixth world title. Now, Norway are waiting to find out who they’ll play in Miami on Saturday, July 11.

Neymar’s numbers at 2026 World Cup

While Neymar couldn’t guide Brazil to World Cup glory, it wasn’t for lack of effort. In fact, his numbers at the World Cup are incredible to see. He is one of the few players to score in four different World Cups.

Neymar has nine goals and four assists in in 15 games in the World Cup. However, Neymar also suffered injuries in three of the World Cups he played. In 2014, he was injured in the quarterfinals vs. Colombia, while he missed games in 2022 and 2026 with injuries as well.

How does Neymar rank among Brazil’s World Cup’s best performers?

Even if he lacked the ultimate goal of winning the World Cup, Neymar can be considered as one of the most prolific players in Brazil’s history. In fact, he’ll end up tied in third place in Brazil’s best World Cup scorers, only behind Ronaldo and Pele.

• Ronaldo: 15 goals
• Pelé: 12 goals
• Ademir: 9 goals
• Vavá: 9 goals
• Jairzinho: 9 goals
• Neymar: 9 goals.

With this result, Brazil is immediately eliminated from the 2026 World Cup. This marks the sixth-straight World Cup that Brazil leaves empty-handed. The five-time champions are once again out on their luck. Not only that, but questions about if Neymar is retiring from Brazil are also rising.

Norway came into the tournament as a potential dark horse and have now confirmed that stance. Haaland scored a magnificent brace to end the Canarinha’s dreams.

Norway’s path to the final involves a potential Haaland vs Messi showdown

Norway will play the winner of Mexico vs England, and if they manage to get to the semifinals and Argentina does the same, then Messi and Haaland will cross paths to see who goes to the final of the 2026 World Cup.

Messi and Haaland are not only two of the best players in the world, but they are in a head-on collision for the Golden Boot of the tournament alongside France’s Kylian Mbappe. Messi, Haaland, and Mbappe all have seven goals in the tournament.

Brazil’s World Cup drought is very concerning

Being the winningest team in World Cup history carries big pressure. However, since 2002, Brazil have only been able to get to the semifinals once, and have had quarterfinals exits in 2006, 2010, 2018, and 2022.

Now, it got worst, as Brazil didn’t even get to the quarterfinals, they lost in the Round of 16. Hence, the crisis is just deeper than ever for a team with really high expectations every four years.

The referee for this match will be Australian Alireza Faghani. His assistants will also be from the Land Down Under in the names of George Lakrindis and Andrew Lindsay. The fourth referee is Moroccan Jalal Jayed, while the VAR referee is Colombian Nicolas Gallo. Per the uniform assignments for England and Mexico, the officials will wear a black shirt. The referees, as the players, will have to deal with Mexico’s altitude in this game.

Mexico want to equalize the furthest result they’ve gotten in World Cup history by reaching the quarterfinals. It’s a tough road ahead, and they know there is a good referee in town for their match vs. England. Alireza Faghani is widely regarded as one of the best and most experienced referees in modern soccer.

Faghani in 2026 World Cup

Faghani is praised for his authoritative yet calm personality, allowing matches to flow while keeping players under control. However, he is no stranger to controversial call in this World Cup. Some fans were left in utter confusion as to how he handled a hand ball decision in France vs Senegal.

Still, he is a reliable referee. England also want to go back to World Cup title honors, so having a calmed referee should made them feel comfortable. For instance, the France vs Paraguay game was a physical war, and that’s something that the referee allowed. England won’t have to deal with that on paper. They won’t have to deal with veteran goalkeeper Memo Ochoa either, but Mexico’s starting keeper Raul Rangel aims to upset the Three Lions.

Mexico are a titan at home

Mexico have played all four previous game at home and are yet to concede a goal. They are as strong as ever when playing at home. Hence, whatever happens for Mexico, win, tie, or lose vs. England, you can expect a grueling match from the home side.

With 17 World Cup appearances, one championship, and three semifinals played, the English national team has established itself as a perennial team to watch, consistently ranking as one of the teams with the most expectations in the tournament.

England have won the World Cup once. Their only title came on home soil in England 1966. As hosts, the team managed by Alf Ramsey conquered the World Cup after defeating Germany 4-2. After that, semifinals have been the ceiling for the Three Lions.

England’s World Cup history

England’s World Cup’s history is filled with controversial moments both for and against them. For instance, Geoff Hurst is just one of two players to ever score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, with Kylian Mbappe being the other one. However, one of those goals is highly controversial, as the ball bounced on the line of goal, but the referee still gave the goal to England.

Then, they’ve suffered episodes like the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal by Argentina’s Diego Maradona, or being in the wrong end of arguably the best goal in World Cup history, by Maradona as well. In 2010, they were in the wrong end of a call that took a valid goal off in the Round of 16 against Germany. The goal would’ve meant the draw at that specific moment of the game.

England’s best World Cup performers ever

England’s five best World Cup performers ever are Sir Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst, Gary Lineker, and Gordon Banks. These legends defined the nation’s most historic runs, highlighted by the 1966 World Cup triumph and the 1986 Golden Boot.

However, Harry Kane is clearly inserting his name on that list. He surpassed Lineker as England’s all time top scorer in the 2026 World Cup. Kane also guided England to a semifinal run in 2018.

Speaking during a press conference before the Round of 16 vs. Spain, Ronaldo was clear, “Yes, this will be my last World Cup, and the most important thing is to enjoy it.” This affirmation obviously was a major one, which prompted reporters to ask about his career.

Ronaldo, in a more serious way, responded, “I’ll end my career, as I said a few years ago, when I decide to, not when you decide.” Hence, giving a leeway that his career will continue after this World Cup, but CR7 is not counting on getting to the next one. In the meantime, Ronaldo is confident Portugal will beat Spain to reach the World Cup quarterfinals.

Ronaldo’s 2026 World Cup’s grade is a matter of perspective

Expectations on Ronaldo have always been absolutely high. Hence, he’s measured with a lot of scrutiny. Many are on the side that Ronaldo is a detriment to Portugal’s system as a whole given how his form is not as dominant as years prior.

However, the other side is one focused in stats. Ronaldo has three goals in four matches and is still clinical when in the box and taking penalties. Plus, he brings a plethora of experience and big-match moments. So depending on one’s perspective, Ronaldo is an aid or a roadblock for Portugal. He is still as polarizing as ever.

Portugal and Spain haven’t shown their best form yet

Portugal weren’t able to win their group in the 2026 World Cup, Spain did. However, Spain are very Lamine Yamal-dependent. Hence, when he hasn’t been on the field, Spain have been a very unreliable team.

As Portugal and Spain face off for the right to go to the quarterfinals, both need to show their best version. The fact is both were seen as World Cup contenders before the tournament began. Now, their stock might be a bit low.

Per Fabrizio Romano, Mbappe was not happy with Paraguay in the postgame interviews. Mbappe said, “We show Paraguay that if they want to play dirty, we can also play dirty…”

In the end, there were 24 combined fouls on a total of 43 tackles. However, Paraguay didn’t get any booking by referee Ilgis Tantashev. After plenty of action, it was France the one who managed to win 1-0 vs Paraguay and progress through to the next round. In the quarterfinals, France will face Morocco.

Mbappe wasn’t the only taking shots at Paraguay

Rayan Cherki was subbed in by Didier Deschamps in the 84th minute of the game. Still, he didn’t tie his tongue in the postgame interviews, slamming Paraguay, who are out of the 2026 World Cup after the loss, for their violent gameplan to stop France’s attacks.

Cherki said, “Today we show who wants to go to war against us… that we’re ready to go to war as well”. Later, a clearly bothered Cherki added, “I didn’t know Paraguay can do 30 fouls without getting a yellow card”. Needless to say, he wasn’t happy that his team was in harm’s way in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

France managed to go through without any injuries

Paraguay saw Miguel Almiron, Julio Enciso, and Omar Alderete all leave the pitch injured. It wasn’t because of hits, but muscular problems. For France, they were able to leave the game unscathed, maybe a couple of bruises, but no serious damage.

Hence, now that France’s path to the 2026 World Cup final has been revealed, they can focus on that and leave behind a very hard-fought game against the Guaranis.

Per Pipe Sierra of AS Colombia, the World Cup it’s done for the attacker. “Jhon Cordoba is out of the World Cup. He suffered an adductor tear that will keep him off the field for 4 weeks.” This means Cordoba will not only lose his chance in the Colombia vs Switzerland game, but all games that remain as long as Colombia are still alive.

This is a bad bit of news for Colombia given how impactful Cordoba is. He is too strong and powerful. Now, they lose all the physicality up front, and will have to lean more into raw speed. Depending on the matchup, Cordoba will be sorely missed.

Who can replace Cordoba on the Colombia roster?

Luis Suarez is likely to get the starting reps once more. Suarez started the 2026 World Cup but lost his role in the first XI to Cordoba. Now, he’ll get another chance to impress, and he must, as Colombia’s options up front are now very limited.

The other option is Juan Camilo ‘Cucho‘ Hernandez, but his profile is too similar to that of Suarez’s. Hence, the problem remains as there is no natural substitute to Cordoba on this roster.

Scoring has been Colombia’s biggest issue in 2026 World Cup

Colombia have arguably been one of the most fun teams to watch as they are fast, electric, unpredictable, and very talented. However, their problems scoring might be their downfall.

Taking out their first game vs Uzbekistan, Colombia haven’t been able to score more than once in a game, as they beat DR Congo 1-0, tied with Portugal 0-0, and barely beat Ghana 1-0 as well.

Morocco vs France will take place at Boston Stadium on July 9th (4:00 PM ET). It’s a mythical stadium to host a barnburner of a match to define one of the four semifinalists in the 2026 World Cup. This is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting games in the updated World Cup bracket.

Morocco were dominant and eliminated the host nation of Canada, while France cracked the code to Paraguay’s defense and sent them home. Paraguay are now out of the World Cup. This set up a rematch of last World Cup’s semifinal, where France beat Morocco 2-0.

Have any of these two teams played in Boston before in the 2026 World Cup?

Both Morocco and France have good precedent playing in Boston during the tournament. Morocco beat Scotland in Matchday 2 of the group stage here in Foxborough. It was a hard-fought battle but the African team managed to edge it out.

France also had a massive performance at Boston Stadium as they beat Norway 4-1 to secure their top spot in Group I. However, it must be said that Norway benched almost all their key players for that game.

Morocco vs France tale of the tape

Due to Argentina’s close win against Cape Verde, France got upgraded to the first spot of the FIFA ranking. Now, they’ve got to defend and solidify that spot in the Round of 16 against Paraguay.

France have 1916.24 points in the live FIFA ranking, which is good to top the list. As they face a much lower-ranked team in Paraguay, they still have to be careful, as the Guaranis already shocked Germany.

France’s movement during 2026 World Cup

France started the 2026 World Cup in second place, with Argentina leading the race. However, Argentina won just 6.31 points for their hard-fought win against Cape Verde, while France got 9.40 points for their big-time win over Sweden.

Hence, France leapfrogged Argentina after the Round of 32 and now can keep adding to their tally as well as progressing to the next round of the 2026 World Cup. France want to keep the status quo but all scenarios are possible depending on France winning, tying, or losing vs. Paraguay.

France are World Cup or bust

If France can’t win the World Cup, the fact is that it would be a disaster. Les Bleus are poised to lift the trophy. Averaging 3.25 goals per game and barely conceding throughout the tournament, they look as the most polished team in the tournament.

Paraguay are ranked 34th in the live FIFA ranking, which represents a seven-spot climb since the beginning of the tournament. Despite a bad start, Paraguay have recomposed themselves and now have the chance to go head to head against France in the Round of 16 in Philadelphia.

With a total of 1542.48 points, Paraguay aim to keep climbing in the FIFA ranking but a tough test lies ahead. France’s FIFA ranking is just way higher than Paraguay’s and that’s a testament to Les Bleus top level.

Paraguay’s FIFA ranking movement during 2026 World Cup

After the first game where Paraguay lost 1-4 to the USMNT, things didn’t look great as they lost 17.30 points. A bounceback was in order vs Turkiye as their win gave them 29.34 points back in their tally.

For their final match in the group stage, the tie vs. Australia provided 3.20 points for them. Then, the Round of 32 came and by eliminating Germany, Paraguay added 21.88 points.

Paraguay could climb more spots with a win vs France

Paraguay are less than seven points shy of Ukraine, so a good result against France will definitely help them overtake Ukraine. In fact, if they pull an unprecedented upset, they could even leapfrog South Korea, that have 1558.72 points.

The referee of this Paraguay vs France is also established. Hence, both teams know how they can handle themselves inside of the field. This is a fully intense match as both teams come with high momentum.

Given that the stadium where Paraguay and France play is a first-world venue, both sides need to give a first-world performance for fans all over the globe. After all, a spot in the quarterfinals is in play.

Paraguay vs France uniforms

Paraguay will use their home kit which is a traditional red and white striped shirt with white shorts and white socks. Meanwhile, Paraguay’s goalkeeper will wear a full, orange kit.

As for the French team, Les Bleus will use a full-pattern blue kit, which is also their primary uniform. As for their goalkeeper, a full yellow kit is in order to not confuse with any other uniform on the pitch.

Paraguay and France’s Round of 32 results

Paraguay shocked the world by beating four-time champions Germany in an epic penalty shootout. The Guaranis needed an organized defense and the heroics of goalkeeper Orlando Gill, but alas, that’s the best result they’ve had all tournament long and it’s also a morale booster.

As for France, they looked as dominant as ever with a comfortable 3-0 win vs Sweden. France are averaging 3.25 goals per game and there is no sign of them slowing down, so Paraguay must play perfectly if they want to have a chance.

The Round of 16 will start on July 4th with host nation Canada facing Morocco. A lot of good matches will unfold as eight games will deliver the final eight teams in the tournament.

These are the Round of 16 matchups:

• Canada vs Morocco – July 4th, 1:00 PM ET – Houston Stadium
• Paraguay vs France – July 4th, 5:00 PM ET – Philadelphia Stadium
• Brazil vs Norway – July 5th, 4:00 PM ET – New York New Jersey Stadium
• Mexico vs England – July 5th, 8:00 PM ET – Mexico Stadium
• Portugal vs Spain- July 6th, 3:00 PM ET – Dallas Stadium
• USA vs Belgium – July 6th, 8:00 PM ET – Seattle Stadium
• Argentina vs Egypt – July 7th, 12:00 PM ET – Atlanta Stadium
• Switzerland vs Colombia – July 7th, 4:00 PM ET – BC Place

Round of 16 World Cup bracket

With this bracket, we can assure one thing, out of the best eight third places that qualified to this round, only Paraguay are still alive, as all others were eliminated in the Round of 32.

In the Round of 32, we also saw three games get to the penalty shootouts and another two go into extra time to be settled there. Hence, emotions were not something fans were short of. Last World Cup’s finalists Argentina and France are still in the mix, so a possible rematch is still alive.

All three host nations are still alive

The 2026 World Cup is taking place in Canada, Mexico and the United States, and all three nations are still playing the tournament. However, Canada is the only one not playing the next round at home.

As for Mexico and the USMNT, they looked very dominant against Ecuador and Bosnia and Herzegovina respectively. Canada had a last-minute winner to be able to beat South Africa. Still, all three have tough matches in the Round of 16 but can’t be discounted.

Messi was dribbling against plenty of Cape Verde’s opponents when he got tripped and as he fell, he collided with the knee of a Cape Verde player. The play came in extra time. This won’t put in jeopardy Messi’s availability as Argentina face Egypt in the Round of 16.

Thankfully, Messi was able to recover and even took the free kick for Argentina. Still, it was a visible bruise as he gave postgame interviews after the tough 3-2 win vs. Cape Verde. Even Lionel Scaloni said Cape Verde showed 200% effort in this game.

Messi was crucial for Argentina once again

Messi kept his goal-scoring streak going as he scored the first goal in the 3-2 thriller against Cape Verde. He then send the cross that ended in the Diney own goal. In fact, if that play counted as a Christian Romero goal, Messi would’ve broken the record for most assists in World Cup history.

Messi, at 39 years old, played the 120 minutes of the game with big-time intensity. He was still the most influential player on offense for the Argentina squad. Also, a shoutout must be made by mentioning Lisandro Martinez, who as a center back, scored and assisted in this game.

Messi battled World Cup sensation Vozinha in a great duel

Much has been said about Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, and today Messi learned why the hard way. Despite scoring against him, Vozinha still denied him on many occasions.

Per SofaScore, Vozinha had eight saves in the game, and despite conceding three times (no fault of his own), he still received a very positive 8.4 grade. Cape Verde might have lost against Argentina. Still, they literally bruised them, as you can see in Messi’s forehead and how tough the match was.

Ghana are ranked 65th in the FIFA ranking, and that’s after already climbing eight spots during the 2026 World Cup. However, that low spot made Ghana add plenty of points by qualifying after their first three games. Depending on if Colombia win, tie, or lose to Ghana, the African nation can keep dreaming and climbing the FIFA ranking.

As of now, Ghana have 1387.00 points, but the sky is the limit. After all, Ghana keep in search of tying their furthest finish in World Cup history. Ghana know what it’s like to go in a deep run in this tournament.

Ghana’s rise in the FIFA ranking during 2026 World Cup

Ghana started as one of the lowest-ranked teams in the World Cup, and now, they’ve added a lot of points. Their Matchday 1 win over Panama gave them 33.83 points. Their toughest test, however, will be a red-hot Colombia side.

Then, Ghana’s tie with England provided them with an additional 17.86 points. However, losing to Croatia send them back a bit, taking 11.57 points from the Black Stars. Despite their surge, Colombia’s FIFA ranking is still way better.

Ghana’s all-time-best FIFA ranking

Ghana’s all-time-best FIFA ranking is 14th, which the team achieved in February 2008. That was in between the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, which Ghana played both. In fact, 2010 saw them as a sensation.

The fall between now and then have been catastrophic but this World Cup has shown the Black Stars they can go back into a much higher stratosphere. If they’re able to beat Colombia, the jump could be absolutely massive for Ghana.

Colombia are ranked 11th in the live FIFA rankings. They are trying to break into the top 10 of the world and a win over Ghana could help a long way in achieving that. For Colombia’s match vs. Ghana, the referee has been already settled.

As of now, Colombia have 1729.30 points. The 2026 World Cup has been great to Colombia as they’ve added points in every single game they’ve played so far. Hence, it’s been an upwards climb ever since the start of the tournament. As for Ghana, their ranking has also moved.

Colombia’s fluctuating ranking during the 2026 World Cup

Colombia moved up two spots in the FIFA ranking since the beginning of the tournament and that’s thanks to two big gains in the first two matches. By beating Uzbekistan, Colombia earned 14.25 points.

After that, Colombia won an additional 14.81 points by beating DR Congo. Last but not least, a more discrete 1.88 points were added to their tally after their Portugal draw.

Colombia are still a bit far from the FIFA ranking top 10

The bad news for Colombia is that the 10th team in the world is red-hot right now. That team is Mexico, who have climbed four spots and are now a whole 25 points above Colombia.

So, even if Colombia beat Ghana, there is little to no chance that they overtake Mexico. Still, they put pressure on the host nation that have a tough England matchup in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

Beach was replaced by veteran backup Ryan as a strategic move to prepare for a penalty shootout against Egypt in their round of 32 knockout match. We’ve seen this before in the 2014 World Cup, when Netherlands subbed Jasper Cillessen off for Tim Krul, who became a star in the shootout vs. Costa Rica.

Beach played a fantastic match but it seems like the change was a predetermined decision. If the game was about to go to the penalties shootout, Ryan would be the one favored. Hence, the manager Tony Popovic saved this sub until the very end. Now, Egypt prepares for their Round of 16 matchup.

Popovich explained the reason for the change during the postgame press conference. “The Matty Ryan decision was always an option… We didn’t lose any guys due to injury in extra time and so we had one sub, so we put Matty on.”

Is Matthew Ryan a good penalty stopper?

Mathew Ryan is a nightmare for penalty takers. Combining elite reflexes with deep tactical prep, the veteran goalkeeper has pulled off some of his biggest career heroics from the spot, making defining shootout stops for both club and country when it matters most. The hope was for Ryan to avoid Australia going out of the World Cup.

Ryan spectacularly saved a penalty during his milestone 100th international cap, helping secure the World Cup qualification for Australia. Hence, Ryan is very well-trusted for this shootouts.

Did Ryan help Australia vs Egypt in the shootout?

Unfortunately for Ryan and the Socceroos, he couldn’t save a single penalty as Egypt scored four out of four and advanced to the next round. However, it was not all Ryan’s fault.

After all, Australia missed two penalties as well, making life easier for Egypt. The highlight of the shootout was clearly Mohamed Salah making a ‘panenka‘ to trick Ryan and score.

In fact, a capacity crowd of more than 50,000 people is expected in Miami. Everyone wants a chance to see Lionel Messi and Argentina face off against one of tournament’s revelations in a win-or-go-home scenario. In fact, Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni has voiced some concerns for the match vs. Cape Verde.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has quickly become a defining storyline by officially shattering tournament attendance records. Powered by massive North American venues and an expanded 48-team format, the tournament recently surpassed the historic 1994 World Cup mark of 3.6 million live spectators.

Expected attendance for Argentina vs Cape Verde today

Miami Stadium will host yet another 2026 World Cup matchup. Funnily enough, Lionel Messi has played a handful of times in this venue before, so he knows this stadium well by now. Messi also knows how it feels when there are 50,000 fans screaming your name.

Now, he will be tasked to score a goal against viral goalkeeper sensation Vozinha. The GK has been quite helpful for Cape Verde’s overachieving 2026 World Cup campaign. Still, it’ll be a tough task for Vozinha to deny Messi from a goal. After all, the Argentinian has six scores in just three games.

What’s at stake in Argentina vs Cape Verde today?

Given that we’ve already reached the 2026 World Cup knockout rounds, this game is a win-or-go-home matchup. If you win, you go to the Round of 16, while if you lose, you’re eliminated. In simpler terms, it all depends on if Argentina win, tie, or lose to Cape Verde to see what’s next.

For Argentina, going into the next round should feel rutinary. After all, they are the reigning champions and have won three World Cups. Meanwhile, for Cape Verde, they’re set. However, beating Argentina and progressing through to the next round would be one of the biggest upsets in soccer history.

Switzerland will play against the winner of Colombia vs Ghana at the BC Place in Vancouver, Canada at 4:00 PM ET on July 7th. This means Switzerland, who are already in Vancouver, will get to rest for an extra day and save themselves a trip compared to their rivals.

That will give Switzerland a very big advantage. Colombia and Ghana face off in Kansas City, which means the winner will have to travel approximately six hours. Not only that, but Switzerland know this stadium and pitch very well. If they win their next match, it will mean they’ll at least tie Switzerland’s furthest World Cup finish.

If Colombia advances, they’ll achieve a curious feat vs Switzerland

Colombia have played 2026 World Cup matches in the United States and Mexico, so if they beat Ghana, they would play in Canada, making them the first country to play a game in all three host nations.

This will also put Colombia as one of the teams that have travelled the most. Meanwhile, Switzerland have played the last two games in Vancouver’s BC Place. They haven’t traveled since before June 24.

Switzerland’s path to the Round of 16

Switzerland started their 2026 World Cup campaign with a disappointing draw vs. Qatar which affected Switzerland in the FIFA rankings. However, they bounced back with a dominant 4-1 win vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, and then beat Canada 2-1.

While not world-beaters, Switzerland have at least looked pretty efficient, barring their debut vs. Qatar. Now, they won 2-0 vs. Algeria, and looked as the superior side for many portions of the game. Switzerland come with big momentum in the Round of 16.

Per ESPN’s SportCenter, Ronaldo tied Messi with four penalty goals in World Cup history. Kane leads the list with five. All three players are still active and playing in the 2026 World Cup, which makes this race all the more enticing.

Portugal will face Spain in Dallas in the Round of 16, which will give Ronaldo another chance at equalizing Kane’s number. However, Kane and England have also locked their Round of 16 spot and will face Mexico. Argentina are yet to play in the Round of 32, but they’ll face Cape Verde.

Ronaldo’s penalties in the World Cup

Ronaldo is widely known as one of the most prolific penalty takers in the world. He can shoot it in many different ways, so he is one of the most unpredictable shooters for goalkeepers to face.

• 2006 vs. Iran (Group Stage): Scored past goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour.
• 2018 vs. Spain (Group Stage): Scored past goalkeeper David de Gea.
• 2022 vs. Ghana (Group Stage): Scored past goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi.
• 2026 vs. Croatia (Round of 32): Scored past goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.

Have Messi and Kane scored penalties in 2026 World Cup?

Harry Kane scored a penalty in the 2026 World Cup, while Lionel Messi has not, though both had the chances to do so. Harry Kane scored his penalty against Croatia on June 17, 2026, during the group stage. After his initial attempt was saved, VAR ordered a retake for encroachment, and Kane successfully converted the second try.

Lionel Messi, on the other hand, missed his penalty kick against Austria in the 2026 tournament by sending it wide of the goal. As a result, he has not scored a penalty in this specific World Cup, even if he has taken penalties in this edition.

Speaking in a postgame interview, Ronaldo said, “We won for Diogo, for us, for Portugal.” He then uploaded a social media post with the same message. Now, Portugal know when and where they’ll face Spain in the Round of 16.

Jota passed away tragically a year ago after a devastating car crash that took his life and his brother’s. Jota was very close to many of the Portugal players representing the country in the 2026 World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo also showed massive respect to former teammate Luka Modric.

Portugal’s locker room remember Jota very fondly

Jota was a key piece on Portugal’s roster, serving as a multi-positioned attacker and a leader in the locker room. As Portugal’s path to the World Cup final gets clearer, it’s pretty obvious they’ll have Jota as a source of inspiration.

Portugal showed character vs Croatia

Ronaldo scoring meant he broke a World Cup record that not even Lionel Messi can achieve. More than that, starting the game losing and being able to come back against a very competitive team like Croatia speaks volumes. It shows how united and strong this Portugal team is mentally as they kept their 2026 World Cup dream alive.