World Cup champions Spain return to royal welcome, parade through Madrid
Published On 20 Jul 202620 Jul 2026Spain’s World Cup-winning football team has returned home, and…
World news
By breakfast, the World Cup semifinal had already begun. Hotel lobbies, elevators and street corners around downtown had become meeting points for two of football’s most passionate travelling nations. Argentinians, draped in sky blue and white, cradled their morning mate long before the first beer found its way into their hands. England supporters, wrapped in the white of the Three Lions, preferred to begin the day at the nearest pub, where breakfast arrived mostly in liquid form.
They exchanged smiles, songs and the occasional jab, but beneath the banter was the unmistakable tension that only England against Argentina can summon. This was never just another World Cup semifinal. It was a rivalry that had travelled from Antonio Rattín to Diego Maradona, from David Beckham to Lionel Messi, and was now in Atlanta for the latest battle.
Match Report –Argentina beats England to reach final
Argentina appeared to understand the emotional assignment from the opening whistle. There was an extra spring in every stride and greater force in every collision. Its players clattered into challenges, chased lost causes and celebrated tackles.
More than four decades have passed since the Falklands War, but in Argentina, the islands remain Las Malvinas, part of a national wound that has never completely healed. The 1982 conflict lasted from April 2 to June 14 and ended with Argentina’s surrender. Six hundred and forty-nine Argentine servicemen, 255 British personnel and three civilians were killed.
The dispute has endured across politics, public memory and football. For many Argentinians, an encounter with England cannot be separated entirely from the young men who left for the South Atlantic and never returned.
Maradona understood that instinctively. Four years after the war, he scored twice against England at the Azteca, first with the Hand of God and then with perhaps the greatest goal the World Cup has ever witnessed. Maradona would later describe the victory as revenge. For Argentina, those four minutes in 1986 are more than sporting history. They became part of the country’s mythology.
Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Maradona’s image has appeared across stadiums in the United States, along with those of Messi, the heir who eventually delivered the trophy Diego had once lifted. His name has been sung from Dallas to Atlanta, invoked not as a distant memory but as a continuing presence.
After Argentina’s dramatic victory over Egypt in the round of 16, the players sang and danced in their dressing room to La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star), the anthem that has followed the team through its title defence.
“I’m Argentine from the cradle to the grave,
For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one,
Argentina, I want to see you become champions again.”
The words place the Malvinas, Maradona and Messi within the same national story, where sacrifice, memory and football are intertwined.
On Wednesday, Argentina played as though it all still mattered.
And when the victory was finally secured, there was a connection between the past and present. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi unfurled a banner reading: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, or “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine.”
It was neither an incidental gesture nor an improvised celebration. It was a message delivered after England was defeated again.
Long after the final whistle, Argentina’s players and supporters remained united in celebration. The team stood facing the sky-blue-and-white end, singing and dancing with those who had followed it across cities, time zones and thousands of miles. Players drifted towards the tunnel only to return, lured back by another chorus from the stands.
For Argentina, England has never been just another opponent. Forty-four years after the Falklands War and four decades after Maradona transformed this rivalry forever, another generation had carried that history into another World Cup final.
Published on Jul 16, 2026
Sports news
#Malvinas #Maradona #Messi #Argentina #draws #strength #present #defeat #England">Malvinas, Maradona and Messi: Argentina draws strength from past and present to defeat England
By breakfast, the World Cup semifinal had already begun. Hotel lobbies, elevators and street corners around downtown had become meeting points for two of football’s most passionate travelling nations. Argentinians, draped in sky blue and white, cradled their morning mate long before the first beer found its way into their hands. England supporters, wrapped in the white of the Three Lions, preferred to begin the day at the nearest pub, where breakfast arrived mostly in liquid form.
They exchanged smiles, songs and the occasional jab, but beneath the banter was the unmistakable tension that only England against Argentina can summon. This was never just another World Cup semifinal. It was a rivalry that had travelled from Antonio Rattín to Diego Maradona, from David Beckham to Lionel Messi, and was now in Atlanta for the latest battle.
Match Report –Argentina beats England to reach final
Argentina appeared to understand the emotional assignment from the opening whistle. There was an extra spring in every stride and greater force in every collision. Its players clattered into challenges, chased lost causes and celebrated tackles.
More than four decades have passed since the Falklands War, but in Argentina, the islands remain Las Malvinas, part of a national wound that has never completely healed. The 1982 conflict lasted from April 2 to June 14 and ended with Argentina’s surrender. Six hundred and forty-nine Argentine servicemen, 255 British personnel and three civilians were killed.
The dispute has endured across politics, public memory and football. For many Argentinians, an encounter with England cannot be separated entirely from the young men who left for the South Atlantic and never returned.
Maradona understood that instinctively. Four years after the war, he scored twice against England at the Azteca, first with the Hand of God and then with perhaps the greatest goal the World Cup has ever witnessed. Maradona would later describe the victory as revenge. For Argentina, those four minutes in 1986 are more than sporting history. They became part of the country’s mythology.
Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
Maradona’s image has appeared across stadiums in the United States, along with those of Messi, the heir who eventually delivered the trophy Diego had once lifted. His name has been sung from Dallas to Atlanta, invoked not as a distant memory but as a continuing presence.
After Argentina’s dramatic victory over Egypt in the round of 16, the players sang and danced in their dressing room to La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star), the anthem that has followed the team through its title defence.
“I’m Argentine from the cradle to the grave,
For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one,
Argentina, I want to see you become champions again.”
The words place the Malvinas, Maradona and Messi within the same national story, where sacrifice, memory and football are intertwined.
On Wednesday, Argentina played as though it all still mattered.
And when the victory was finally secured, there was a connection between the past and present. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi unfurled a banner reading: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, or “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine.”
It was neither an incidental gesture nor an improvised celebration. It was a message delivered after England was defeated again.
Long after the final whistle, Argentina’s players and supporters remained united in celebration. The team stood facing the sky-blue-and-white end, singing and dancing with those who had followed it across cities, time zones and thousands of miles. Players drifted towards the tunnel only to return, lured back by another chorus from the stands.
For Argentina, England has never been just another opponent. Forty-four years after the Falklands War and four decades after Maradona transformed this rivalry forever, another generation had carried that history into another World Cup final.
Published on Jul 16, 2026
Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
By breakfast, the World Cup semifinal had already begun. Hotel lobbies, elevators and street corners around downtown had become meeting points for two of football’s most passionate travelling nations. Argentinians, draped in sky blue and white, cradled their morning mate long before the first beer found its way into their hands. England supporters, wrapped in the white of the Three Lions, preferred to begin the day at the nearest pub, where breakfast arrived mostly in liquid form.
They exchanged smiles, songs and the occasional jab, but beneath the banter was the unmistakable tension that only England against Argentina can summon. This was never just another World Cup semifinal. It was a rivalry that had travelled from Antonio Rattín to Diego Maradona, from David Beckham to Lionel Messi, and was now in Atlanta for the latest battle.
Match Report –Argentina beats England to reach final
Argentina appeared to understand the emotional assignment from the opening whistle. There was an extra spring in every stride and greater force in every collision. Its players clattered into challenges, chased lost causes and celebrated tackles.
More than four decades have passed since the Falklands War, but in Argentina, the islands remain Las Malvinas, part of a national wound that has never completely healed. The 1982 conflict lasted from April 2 to June 14 and ended with Argentina’s surrender. Six hundred and forty-nine Argentine servicemen, 255 British personnel and three civilians were killed.
The dispute has endured across politics, public memory and football. For many Argentinians, an encounter with England cannot be separated entirely from the young men who left for the South Atlantic and never returned.
Maradona understood that instinctively. Four years after the war, he scored twice against England at the Azteca, first with the Hand of God and then with perhaps the greatest goal the World Cup has ever witnessed. Maradona would later describe the victory as revenge. For Argentina, those four minutes in 1986 are more than sporting history. They became part of the country’s mythology.
Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Maradona gave Argentina one of football’s defining moments. Messi ensured the story would continue, not as a replay but as another chapter. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
Maradona’s image has appeared across stadiums in the United States, along with those of Messi, the heir who eventually delivered the trophy Diego had once lifted. His name has been sung from Dallas to Atlanta, invoked not as a distant memory but as a continuing presence.
After Argentina’s dramatic victory over Egypt in the round of 16, the players sang and danced in their dressing room to La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star), the anthem that has followed the team through its title defence.
“I’m Argentine from the cradle to the grave,
For Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one,
Argentina, I want to see you become champions again.”
The words place the Malvinas, Maradona and Messi within the same national story, where sacrifice, memory and football are intertwined.
On Wednesday, Argentina played as though it all still mattered.
And when the victory was finally secured, there was a connection between the past and present. Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi unfurled a banner reading: “ Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, or “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) are Argentine.”
It was neither an incidental gesture nor an improvised celebration. It was a message delivered after England was defeated again.
Long after the final whistle, Argentina’s players and supporters remained united in celebration. The team stood facing the sky-blue-and-white end, singing and dancing with those who had followed it across cities, time zones and thousands of miles. Players drifted towards the tunnel only to return, lured back by another chorus from the stands.
For Argentina, England has never been just another opponent. Forty-four years after the Falklands War and four decades after Maradona transformed this rivalry forever, another generation had carried that history into another World Cup final.
Published on Jul 16, 2026
By breakfast, the World Cup semifinal had already begun. Hotel lobbies, elevators and street corners…
Tech-news
#Lionel #Messis #Final #World #Cupand #Death #Early #Retirementworld cup 2026,sports,soccer,health,longevity">Lionel Messi’s Final World Cup—and the Death of Early RetirementMere moments after Argentina lost to France in a Round of 16 match during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, commentators were already predicting it would be his final time on a World Cup pitch. “This was Lionel Messi’s final World Cup match, surely,” one stated, “and maybe his final game for his country.” Messi was 31 at the time, and many assumed they had just watched his last appearance on soccer’s biggest stage.
They were wrong.
Instead, Messi came back four years later to lift the trophy in Qatar. Then he came back again this year at 39. However, Messi is not the exception any more.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, has said that this World Cup will be his last after Portugal’s Round of 16 exit following the team’s loss to Spain. Brazil’s Neymar, 34, too, announced his retirement from international football, as did Germany’s Manuel Neuer, 40. Meanwhile, Guillermo Ochoa, who turned 41 this month, is stepping away from professional football after becoming the first goalkeeper to make six World Cup squads.
Even as this World Cup has felt like one long farewell tour, for many of these players, the goodbye came years later than anyone expected.
While there isn’t a definitive global dataset comparing retirement ages across generations, the evidence points in one direction: football’s elite has been getting older for decades. A 2019 peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers of Psychology tracking nearly 30 seasons of UEFA Champions League football found the average age of players rose from 24.9 years in 1992-93 to 26.5 years by 2017-18. That trend is now on full display at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which had eight players in their forties—more than every previous edition combined—including Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, one of the tournament’s breakout stars.
What’s striking is that this celebration of more veteran players on the pitch is happening during an era of football that has produced teenage stars like Lamine Yamal, Endrick, and Bara Sapoko Ndiaye. Soccer isn’t necessarily getting older because young players have disappeared; it’s getting older because veterans are leaving later.
Research suggests professional footballers still reach their physical peak in their mid-to-late twenties, though the exact age depends on position. And while aging is gradual, players in their thirties begin to lose their explosive speed and the stamina to maintain the high-intensity running that modern soccer demands most.
A long-term study of Spain’s top players found these reported losses in endurance were most notable among external defenders, external midfielders, and forwards, whose roles rely on explosive acceleration to either score a goal or shield their keeper’s box. Central defenders and central midfielders, meanwhile, became more accurate passers with age, suggesting that positioning, anticipation, and decisionmaking increasingly compensate for fading speed.
Messi may be the best example of how elite players adapt with age. Rather than constantly chasing the ball, he often spends long stretches walking, reading the game before deciding exactly when to get involved. According to The Athletic, FIFA tracking data shows Messi has spent 63 percent of his movement at this World Cup walking, conserving energy for the moments that matter most.
This just goes to prove that sports science hasn’t changed the biology of aging—it changed how soccer clubs respond to it. A 2024 review of athletes with extended careers found a correlation between professionals staying at the top of their game and increasingly individualized training.
Instead of prescribing the same program to an entire squad, coaches now tailor workloads around a player’s injury history, recovery, training response, and physical capacity.
However, as players get older, experience becomes a competitive advantage. Veteran footballers increasingly compensate for declining physicality with sharper decisionmaking, game intelligence, and a better understanding of their own limits.
Mere moments after Argentina lost to France in a Round of 16 match during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, commentators were already predicting it would be his final time on a World Cup pitch. “This was Lionel Messi’s final World Cup match, surely,” one stated, “and maybe his final game for his country.” Messi was 31 at the time, and many assumed they had just watched his last appearance on soccer’s biggest stage.
They were wrong.
Instead, Messi came back four years later to lift the trophy in Qatar. Then he came back again this year at 39. However, Messi is not the exception any more.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, has said that this World Cup will be his last after Portugal’s Round of 16 exit following the team’s loss to Spain. Brazil’s Neymar, 34, too, announced his retirement from international football, as did Germany’s Manuel Neuer, 40. Meanwhile, Guillermo Ochoa, who turned 41 this month, is stepping away from professional football after becoming the first goalkeeper to make six World Cup squads.
Even as this World Cup has felt like one long farewell tour, for many of these players, the goodbye came years later than anyone expected.
While there isn’t a definitive global dataset comparing retirement ages across generations, the evidence points in one direction: football’s elite has been getting older for decades. A 2019 peer-reviewed study published in Frontiers of Psychology tracking nearly 30 seasons of UEFA Champions League football found the average age of players rose from 24.9 years in 1992-93 to 26.5 years by 2017-18. That trend is now on full display at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which had eight players in their forties—more than every previous edition combined—including Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, one of the tournament’s breakout stars.
What’s striking is that this celebration of more veteran players on the pitch is happening during an era of football that has produced teenage stars like Lamine Yamal, Endrick, and Bara Sapoko Ndiaye. Soccer isn’t necessarily getting older because young players have disappeared; it’s getting older because veterans are leaving later.
Research suggests professional footballers still reach their physical peak in their mid-to-late twenties, though the exact age depends on position. And while aging is gradual, players in their thirties begin to lose their explosive speed and the stamina to maintain the high-intensity running that modern soccer demands most.
A long-term study of Spain’s top players found these reported losses in endurance were most notable among external defenders, external midfielders, and forwards, whose roles rely on explosive acceleration to either score a goal or shield their keeper’s box. Central defenders and central midfielders, meanwhile, became more accurate passers with age, suggesting that positioning, anticipation, and decisionmaking increasingly compensate for fading speed.
Messi may be the best example of how elite players adapt with age. Rather than constantly chasing the ball, he often spends long stretches walking, reading the game before deciding exactly when to get involved. According to The Athletic, FIFA tracking data shows Messi has spent 63 percent of his movement at this World Cup walking, conserving energy for the moments that matter most.
This just goes to prove that sports science hasn’t changed the biology of aging—it changed how soccer clubs respond to it. A 2024 review of athletes with extended careers found a correlation between professionals staying at the top of their game and increasingly individualized training.
Instead of prescribing the same program to an entire squad, coaches now tailor workloads around a player’s injury history, recovery, training response, and physical capacity.
However, as players get older, experience becomes a competitive advantage. Veteran footballers increasingly compensate for declining physicality with sharper decisionmaking, game intelligence, and a better understanding of their own limits.
Mere moments after Argentina lost to France in a Round of 16 match during the…
Tech-news
#Watch #World #Cup #Semifinals #Finalssports,football,how-to,world cup 2026,soccer">How to Watch the 2026 World Cup Semifinals and FinalsThe end of the biggest World Cup ever is almost here. Following 100 matches, there are just four teams left and four more games to play.
The tournament has been hosted by three countries: Mexico, Canada, and the US. All of those host countries are now out of the running. The final teams are France, Spain, England, and Argentina. Those teams will play two more semifinal games, another game to determine who gets third place and a final match to end it all.
Going into this year’s World Cup, FIFA anticipated that it would be the most watched tournament in the organization’s history. As the tournament moved into the quarterfinals earlier this month, FIFA noted that more than more than 6.2 million people had attended matches in person, “while millions more follow the action across digital platforms, broadcast, and fan experiences in host cities and around the world.”
You can find the full schedule, which defaults to your local time zone, on the FIFA website.
Here’s how to watch the final games.
Semifinals
France vs. Spain, at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas — 3 pm ET on Tuesday July 14
England vs. Argentina, at Atlanta Stadium — 3 pm ET on Wednesday July 15
Third Place Playoff
The two losing teams of the semifinal matches will face off for the title of third place at 5 pm ET on Saturday, July 18, in the Miami Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Final
The World Cup final game is at 3 pm ET on Sunday, July 19, in the New York/New Jersey Stadium.
The game will also feature the first-ever Super Bowl–style halftime show in World Cup history, with performances from Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Gustavo Dudamel. As the name implies, that will likely land right in the middle of the broadcast, so aim to watch somewhere around 4 pm ET on July 19.
Where to Stream
If you have satellite TV or cable service, you can watch the final kickoffs live on TV via Fox Sports in the US. The games are also available on the FoxOne streaming service for $20 per month.
FIFA has partnered with YouTube as its “preferred partner” for streaming the games. You’ll need YouTube TV’s sports plan, which is currently $55 per month. Other paid options include Fubo ($46 per month) and Hulu’s live sports option ($90 per month).
In partnership with Telemundo, Peacock is streaming all of the games in Spanish. You can find all the official broadcasters on the FIFA website.
New Competition
This World Cup has been huge, competition-wise, as it is the first to include 48 teams in the tournament instead of the 32 for past World Cups. Given the increased number of teams, the structure for how the competition played out was different from past World Cups. Countries were first sorted into groups (labeled with letters A–L) and played out games in the First Stage within those groups.
Winners of those matches went on to duke it out in the stage called the Round of 32, then got whittled down in a Round of 16. After that, the winners moved on to the quarterfinals, which wrapped up last weekend.
The end of the biggest World Cup ever is almost here. Following 100 matches, there are just four teams left and four more games to play.
The tournament has been hosted by three countries: Mexico, Canada, and the US. All of those host countries are now out of the running. The final teams are France, Spain, England, and Argentina. Those teams will play two more semifinal games, another game to determine who gets third place and a final match to end it all.
Going into this year’s World Cup, FIFA anticipated that it would be the most watched tournament in the organization’s history. As the tournament moved into the quarterfinals earlier this month, FIFA noted that more than more than 6.2 million people had attended matches in person, “while millions more follow the action across digital platforms, broadcast, and fan experiences in host cities and around the world.”
You can find the full schedule, which defaults to your local time zone, on the FIFA website.
Here’s how to watch the final games.
Semifinals
France vs. Spain, at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas — 3 pm ET on Tuesday July 14
England vs. Argentina, at Atlanta Stadium — 3 pm ET on Wednesday July 15
Third Place Playoff
The two losing teams of the semifinal matches will face off for the title of third place at 5 pm ET on Saturday, July 18, in the Miami Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Final
The World Cup final game is at 3 pm ET on Sunday, July 19, in the New York/New Jersey Stadium.
The game will also feature the first-ever Super Bowl–style halftime show in World Cup history, with performances from Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Gustavo Dudamel. As the name implies, that will likely land right in the middle of the broadcast, so aim to watch somewhere around 4 pm ET on July 19.
Where to Stream
If you have satellite TV or cable service, you can watch the final kickoffs live on TV via Fox Sports in the US. The games are also available on the FoxOne streaming service for $20 per month.
FIFA has partnered with YouTube as its “preferred partner” for streaming the games. You’ll need YouTube TV’s sports plan, which is currently $55 per month. Other paid options include Fubo ($46 per month) and Hulu’s live sports option ($90 per month).
In partnership with Telemundo, Peacock is streaming all of the games in Spanish. You can find all the official broadcasters on the FIFA website.
New Competition
This World Cup has been huge, competition-wise, as it is the first to include 48 teams in the tournament instead of the 32 for past World Cups. Given the increased number of teams, the structure for how the competition played out was different from past World Cups. Countries were first sorted into groups (labeled with letters A–L) and played out games in the First Stage within those groups.
Winners of those matches went on to duke it out in the stage called the Round of 32, then got whittled down in a Round of 16. After that, the winners moved on to the quarterfinals, which wrapped up last weekend.
The end of the biggest World Cup ever is almost here. Following 100 matches, there…
![Playing disruptor: Mystery of Paraguay’s World Cup defeat to France without getting booked The Bermuda Triangle, the Loch Ness Monster, and the MH370 plane that disappeared without a trace. These are some of mankind’s greatest mysteries.On Saturday, the FIFA World Cup 2026 made a worthy contribution to this list — the mystery of how Paraguay ended its Round of 16 defeat to France without being shown a yellow card.The South American side tried everything it could to get booked. There were arms swung at French faces, elbows thrust into French throats and studs stamped on French shins and boots.Paraguay’s efforts weren’t limited to physical outbursts. There were also blatant play-acting seeking fouls and constant verbal efforts to rile up the French players. The icing on the cake came from defender Gustavo Velázquez, who attempted to not-so-discreetly scuff up the penalty spot to put off Kylian Mbappe right before the forward fired in the match-winning goal.Despite all this, the on-field referee Ilgiz Tantashev refused to caution the Paraguayans, holding onto his cards like prized possessions.Consumed by its intent to play the disruptor, Paraguay displayed no willingness to hold onto the ball. Sitting deep in its territory with a 5-4-1 low block, the side’s forays into the opposition half were largely limited to hopeful long balls and isolated dribbles from forward Julia Enciso.Paraguay’s possession was clocked at just 24.1%, while its pass completion rate was an abysmal 54.1% – the second-lowest by a team in a World Cup game since 1966. Not surprisingly, the side managed just five shots, with only one on target.What Paraguay succeeded in doing was dragging the game down to a scrapfest and frustrating France. With no space to operate in and around the attacking third, the two-time World Champion was forced to fire in speculative crosses and attempt shots from distance.It didn’t take too long for the French exasperation to spill out. Mbappe was seen engaging in multiple duels – verbal and non-verbal – with Paraguayan players. The usually unflappable Michael Olise was baited into a scuffle, which ended with the French attacker being shown a yellow card. It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.But France – which had earlier taken the tournament by storm with its expansive, eye-catching football – showed its willingness to get its hands dirty.France responded to Paraguay’s challenge with its own tough tackles, with Bradley Barcola and Manu Koné getting booked for two of them. There were multiple multi-player tussles between the two sides which unsettled the game’s rhythm. In the end, France held onto a slender win, as it booked a quarterfinal clash against Morocco.“We know how to play ugly football,” said Mbappe in a post-match interview.“They [Paraguay] thought we’d show up in tuxedos, but we were ready. Even at that game, we were better than them,” he added.Mbappe’s emotions were on ample display at the full-time whistle. The talismanic forward walked right past a handshake offer from Paraguayan keeper Orlando Gill to celebrate joyously, whipping up the fervour among the French supporters in the stadium.To his credit, Mbappe refused to belittle Paraguay’s approach.“That’s their style of football – there’s no right or wrong way to play the game. They tried to beat us that way, but we won,” said Mbappe.Paraguay stuck to its own method, the same one which had garnered it a shock win over Germany in the Round of 32. Ultimately, the Paraguayan way failed as France demonstrated its willingness to get its hands dirty.Published on Jul 05, 2026 #Playing #disruptor #Mystery #Paraguays #World #Cup #defeat #France #booked](https://ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/n4ca41/article71185393.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/2026-07-04T232704Z_1774925327_UP1EM741SM66J_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-WORLDCUP-PRY-FRA.JPG "Playing disruptor: Mystery of Paraguay’s World Cup defeat to France without getting booked The Bermuda Triangle, the Loch Ness Monster, and the MH370 plane that disappeared without a trace. These are some of mankind’s greatest mysteries.On Saturday, the FIFA World Cup 2026 made a worthy contribution to this list — the mystery of how Paraguay ended its Round of 16 defeat to France without being shown a yellow card.The South American side tried everything it could to get booked. There were arms swung at French faces, elbows thrust into French throats and studs stamped on French shins and boots.Paraguay’s efforts weren’t limited to physical outbursts. There were also blatant play-acting seeking fouls and constant verbal efforts to rile up the French players. The icing on the cake came from defender Gustavo Velázquez, who attempted to not-so-discreetly scuff up the penalty spot to put off Kylian Mbappe right before the forward fired in the match-winning goal.Despite all this, the on-field referee Ilgiz Tantashev refused to caution the Paraguayans, holding onto his cards like prized possessions.Consumed by its intent to play the disruptor, Paraguay displayed no willingness to hold onto the ball. Sitting deep in its territory with a 5-4-1 low block, the side’s forays into the opposition half were largely limited to hopeful long balls and isolated dribbles from forward Julia Enciso.Paraguay’s possession was clocked at just 24.1%, while its pass completion rate was an abysmal 54.1% – the second-lowest by a team in a World Cup game since 1966. Not surprisingly, the side managed just five shots, with only one on target.What Paraguay succeeded in doing was dragging the game down to a scrapfest and frustrating France. With no space to operate in and around the attacking third, the two-time World Champion was forced to fire in speculative crosses and attempt shots from distance.It didn’t take too long for the French exasperation to spill out. Mbappe was seen engaging in multiple duels – verbal and non-verbal – with Paraguayan players. The usually unflappable Michael Olise was baited into a scuffle, which ended with the French attacker being shown a yellow card. It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.But France – which had earlier taken the tournament by storm with its expansive, eye-catching football – showed its willingness to get its hands dirty.France responded to Paraguay’s challenge with its own tough tackles, with Bradley Barcola and Manu Koné getting booked for two of them. There were multiple multi-player tussles between the two sides which unsettled the game’s rhythm. In the end, France held onto a slender win, as it booked a quarterfinal clash against Morocco.“We know how to play ugly football,” said Mbappe in a post-match interview.“They [Paraguay] thought we’d show up in tuxedos, but we were ready. Even at that game, we were better than them,” he added.Mbappe’s emotions were on ample display at the full-time whistle. The talismanic forward walked right past a handshake offer from Paraguayan keeper Orlando Gill to celebrate joyously, whipping up the fervour among the French supporters in the stadium.To his credit, Mbappe refused to belittle Paraguay’s approach.“That’s their style of football – there’s no right or wrong way to play the game. They tried to beat us that way, but we won,” said Mbappe.Paraguay stuck to its own method, the same one which had garnered it a shock win over Germany in the Round of 32. Ultimately, the Paraguayan way failed as France demonstrated its willingness to get its hands dirty.Published on Jul 05, 2026 #Playing #disruptor #Mystery #Paraguays #World #Cup #defeat #France #booked")
![Playing disruptor: Mystery of Paraguay’s World Cup defeat to France without getting booked The Bermuda Triangle, the Loch Ness Monster, and the MH370 plane that disappeared without a trace. These are some of mankind’s greatest mysteries.On Saturday, the FIFA World Cup 2026 made a worthy contribution to this list — the mystery of how Paraguay ended its Round of 16 defeat to France without being shown a yellow card.The South American side tried everything it could to get booked. There were arms swung at French faces, elbows thrust into French throats and studs stamped on French shins and boots.Paraguay’s efforts weren’t limited to physical outbursts. There were also blatant play-acting seeking fouls and constant verbal efforts to rile up the French players. The icing on the cake came from defender Gustavo Velázquez, who attempted to not-so-discreetly scuff up the penalty spot to put off Kylian Mbappe right before the forward fired in the match-winning goal.Despite all this, the on-field referee Ilgiz Tantashev refused to caution the Paraguayans, holding onto his cards like prized possessions.Consumed by its intent to play the disruptor, Paraguay displayed no willingness to hold onto the ball. Sitting deep in its territory with a 5-4-1 low block, the side’s forays into the opposition half were largely limited to hopeful long balls and isolated dribbles from forward Julia Enciso.Paraguay’s possession was clocked at just 24.1%, while its pass completion rate was an abysmal 54.1% – the second-lowest by a team in a World Cup game since 1966. Not surprisingly, the side managed just five shots, with only one on target.What Paraguay succeeded in doing was dragging the game down to a scrapfest and frustrating France. With no space to operate in and around the attacking third, the two-time World Champion was forced to fire in speculative crosses and attempt shots from distance.It didn’t take too long for the French exasperation to spill out. Mbappe was seen engaging in multiple duels – verbal and non-verbal – with Paraguayan players. The usually unflappable Michael Olise was baited into a scuffle, which ended with the French attacker being shown a yellow card. It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.But France – which had earlier taken the tournament by storm with its expansive, eye-catching football – showed its willingness to get its hands dirty.France responded to Paraguay’s challenge with its own tough tackles, with Bradley Barcola and Manu Koné getting booked for two of them. There were multiple multi-player tussles between the two sides which unsettled the game’s rhythm. In the end, France held onto a slender win, as it booked a quarterfinal clash against Morocco.“We know how to play ugly football,” said Mbappe in a post-match interview.“They [Paraguay] thought we’d show up in tuxedos, but we were ready. Even at that game, we were better than them,” he added.Mbappe’s emotions were on ample display at the full-time whistle. The talismanic forward walked right past a handshake offer from Paraguayan keeper Orlando Gill to celebrate joyously, whipping up the fervour among the French supporters in the stadium.To his credit, Mbappe refused to belittle Paraguay’s approach.“That’s their style of football – there’s no right or wrong way to play the game. They tried to beat us that way, but we won,” said Mbappe.Paraguay stuck to its own method, the same one which had garnered it a shock win over Germany in the Round of 32. Ultimately, the Paraguayan way failed as France demonstrated its willingness to get its hands dirty.Published on Jul 05, 2026 #Playing #disruptor #Mystery #Paraguays #World #Cup #defeat #France #booked](https://i2.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/n4ca41/article71185393.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/2026-07-04T232704Z_1774925327_UP1EM741SM66J_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-WORLDCUP-PRY-FRA.JPG?ssl=1 "Playing disruptor: Mystery of Paraguay’s World Cup defeat to France without getting booked The Bermuda Triangle, the Loch Ness Monster, and the MH370 plane that disappeared without a trace. These are some of mankind’s greatest mysteries.On Saturday, the FIFA World Cup 2026 made a worthy contribution to this list — the mystery of how Paraguay ended its Round of 16 defeat to France without being shown a yellow card.The South American side tried everything it could to get booked. There were arms swung at French faces, elbows thrust into French throats and studs stamped on French shins and boots.Paraguay’s efforts weren’t limited to physical outbursts. There were also blatant play-acting seeking fouls and constant verbal efforts to rile up the French players. The icing on the cake came from defender Gustavo Velázquez, who attempted to not-so-discreetly scuff up the penalty spot to put off Kylian Mbappe right before the forward fired in the match-winning goal.Despite all this, the on-field referee Ilgiz Tantashev refused to caution the Paraguayans, holding onto his cards like prized possessions.Consumed by its intent to play the disruptor, Paraguay displayed no willingness to hold onto the ball. Sitting deep in its territory with a 5-4-1 low block, the side’s forays into the opposition half were largely limited to hopeful long balls and isolated dribbles from forward Julia Enciso.Paraguay’s possession was clocked at just 24.1%, while its pass completion rate was an abysmal 54.1% – the second-lowest by a team in a World Cup game since 1966. Not surprisingly, the side managed just five shots, with only one on target.What Paraguay succeeded in doing was dragging the game down to a scrapfest and frustrating France. With no space to operate in and around the attacking third, the two-time World Champion was forced to fire in speculative crosses and attempt shots from distance.It didn’t take too long for the French exasperation to spill out. Mbappe was seen engaging in multiple duels – verbal and non-verbal – with Paraguayan players. The usually unflappable Michael Olise was baited into a scuffle, which ended with the French attacker being shown a yellow card. It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
It was almost as if the Philadelphia heat – at kick-off, the mercury stood at 38.3 Celsius – had tampered with the player’s logic.But France – which had earlier taken the tournament by storm with its expansive, eye-catching football – showed its willingness to get its hands dirty.France responded to Paraguay’s challenge with its own tough tackles, with Bradley Barcola and Manu Koné getting booked for two of them. There were multiple multi-player tussles between the two sides which unsettled the game’s rhythm. In the end, France held onto a slender win, as it booked a quarterfinal clash against Morocco.“We know how to play ugly football,” said Mbappe in a post-match interview.“They [Paraguay] thought we’d show up in tuxedos, but we were ready. Even at that game, we were better than them,” he added.Mbappe’s emotions were on ample display at the full-time whistle. The talismanic forward walked right past a handshake offer from Paraguayan keeper Orlando Gill to celebrate joyously, whipping up the fervour among the French supporters in the stadium.To his credit, Mbappe refused to belittle Paraguay’s approach.“That’s their style of football – there’s no right or wrong way to play the game. They tried to beat us that way, but we won,” said Mbappe.Paraguay stuck to its own method, the same one which had garnered it a shock win over Germany in the Round of 32. Ultimately, the Paraguayan way failed as France demonstrated its willingness to get its hands dirty.Published on Jul 05, 2026 #Playing #disruptor #Mystery #Paraguays #World #Cup #defeat #France #booked")
