So much for a supersized World Cup diluting the quality of soccer’s biggest tournament. Cape Verde, making its debut at the World Cup, pulled off a stunning upset to shut out heavily favored Spain in a 0-0 draw on Monday. “This means everything for our country,” Cape Verde coach Pedro Leitão Brito said. “We have…
The 2026 World Cup is finally underway as all 48 teams begin to fight it out for the universally coveted trophy. While the collective prize is the main objective for all competitors, some will be hoping to make their claim as the best player of the entire tournament. But who are the top contenders, and…
Barcelona star Pedri has firmly shut down any speculation regarding a future move away from Catalonia ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Fresh off a superb individual season for the Liga champions, the Spanish midfielder detailed how his deep-rooted family history with the Blaugrana makes playing for the club a literal childhood dream come true….
Injured forwards Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams were included Monday in Spain’s World Cup squad but, for the first time, La Roja won’t be traveling with any Real Madrid players. Yamal and Williams sustained muscle injuries late in the season. Coach Luis de la Fuente, though, expects them to be fit for the start of…
Spain won the Nations League in 2023. They won the European Championship in 2024. They won Olympic gold in Paris. And yet, the last time this team made it past the round of 16 was at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa — the year Andrés Iniesta’s extra-time winner in Johannesburg gave La Roja…
With the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly presumably disappearing into the rearview mirror, the battle for the Ballon d’Or hasn’t felt so open for the best part of 20 years, with countless players now beginning each campaign believing they have a chance of claiming the most prestigious individual prize football has to offer. Ousmane Dembele emerged…
