World Soccer news

• Exit statement from midfielder baffles Real Madrid fans

  27-06-2026 10:45 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Exit statement from midfielder baffles Real Madrid fansReal Madrid confirmed what had been an open secret on Friday, that Dani Ceballos would be leaving. The 29-year-old has been a bit-part player for some time, but continued reports about his exit seemed never to come to fruition until this summer.Los Blancos and Ceballos finally agreed to mutually terminate his deal with a year remaining on it. The Spain international has been heavily linked with Ajax, but the familiar tale of interest from bo
  
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• 2026 World Cup: Iran falls one spot short of knockout round after wild Algeria-Austria finish

  28-06-2026 06:14 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  One day after a heartbreaking draw threatened to end Iran's World Cup run, Algeria and Austria delivered the final blow.As the third-place finisher in Group G, the Iranian national team needed losses from Croatia, DR Congo, and either Algeria or Austria in order to claim one of the final third-place knockout slots. Eight of the 12 third-place finishers advance to the Round of 32 as part of the expanded tournament.Instead, Croatia beat Ghana, who had already secured its spot; DR Congo rolled to a
  
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• 2026 World Cup Group J: Wild Austria-Algeria tie locks Iran out of knockout rounds

  28-06-2026 06:05 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The 2026 World Cup match between Algeria and Austria had a single loser: Iran.The stakes were clear entering the final two matches of the group stage. The Argentina-Jordan match was of no consequence, as Argentina had already won the group while Jordan’s run was over. The bigger match was Algeria-Austria, which would decide the final two spots in the Round of 32.It was between those two teams and Iran, which was bitterly watching the proceedings after losing a would-be game-winning goal on
  
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• World Cup takeaways for Round of 32: Portugal's draw with Colombia likely denied us the chance to see Messi vs. Ronaldo

  28-06-2026 06:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The dream of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo meeting for the first and only time in the World Cup is (likely) dead.Portugal's 0-0 draw with Colombia on Saturday night relegated it to second in Group K and on the opposite side of the knockout round bracket from Argentina. Had Portugal won Group K, Argentina and Portugal would have been on a collision course to meet in the quarterfinals on July 11.Now, the only way that the 39-year-old Messi and the 41-year-old Ronaldo can meet in the World Cup
  
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• Lionel Messi becomes first man to score in 7 straight World Cup games with free kick goal in win over Jordan

  28-06-2026 05:56 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Lionel Messi set yet another World Cup record against Jordan on Saturday.Messi scored on a free kick in the 80th minute for his 19th career goal in the tournament. And as he added to his World Cup-record total, he also became the first player to score in seven straight World Cup games as Argentina won 3-1.Lionel Messi, the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score in 7 consecutive matches at the tournament 😱 pic.twitter.com/BXcQFsbZdi— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 28, 2026Mes
  
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• 🐐 Messi sets another record with his 19th World Cup goal

  28-06-2026 05:49 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  🐐 Messi sets another record with his 19th World Cup goalLionel Messi is not messing around at this FIFA World Cup.After closing in on, matching, and then surpassing the record for most goals in World Cup history, Argentina’s No. 10 keeps adding more milestones to his name.He started Saturday’s (27) match against Jordan on the bench. But he came on in the second half (61') and reached 19 World Cup goals with a free-kick.
  Messi has now become the player with the longest scoring
  
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• World Cup 2026 golden boot standings as Lionel Messi surges clear of Mbappe, Haaland and Kane

  28-06-2026 05:47 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The race for the golden boot at the World Cup is hurtling towards an epic contest during the knockout stage afterLionel Messi added another to his tally to move clear of Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the race.The stars continue to dominate at this tournament, none more so than Messi after backing up a hat-trick against Algeria with a double against Austria to highlight one of his greatest traits after a penalty miss. Another arrived off the bench against Jordan – in
  
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• DR Congo vaults from despair to World Cup delirium — ‘We write our story with a black pen’

  28-06-2026 05:42 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  ATLANTA — As omens go, this wasn’t a great one: just hours before the matchup that would decide their World Cup fate, DR Congo supporters learned that their most visible (and motionless) fan, Lumumba Vea, would not be in attendance for Saturday night’s match against Uzbekistan. Lumumba (real name: Michel Kuka Mboladinga) did not get a visa approved to enter the United States, and that meant Congo would have to make do with a well-meaning knockoff: Iconic DR Congo fan Lumum
  
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• Portugal Held Scoreless, Ronaldo Under Fire, Colombia Win Group & Round of 32 Preview

  28-06-2026 05:28 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Subscribe to The CooligansApple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeChristian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros react to Colombia's hard-fought 0-0 draw with Portugal, a result that secures first place in the group for Los Cafeteros while leaving Portugal searching for answers ahead of the knockout rounds. The guys break down the biggest moments from the match and discuss why Colombia continues to look like one of the tournament's most balanced teams heading into the Round of 32.Next, The Cooligans examine P
  
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• What you need to know about England's opponents DR Congo

  28-06-2026 05:22 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Yoane Wissa has now scored three goals for DR Congo in this World Cup [Getty Images]Get the lowdown on DR Congo, England's World Cup opponents in the round of 32.What can I expect from DR Congo?Fifty-two years after a chastening World Cup debut, DR Congo have earned redemption by qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time. Back in 1974, when known as Zaire, their three group defeats included a 9-0 hammering by Yugoslavia. They had not been to a World Cup since, until now, but head coa
  
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• Lorenzo on Davinson's disallowed goal: I'll ask him to get a pedicure

  28-06-2026 05:06 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Lorenzo on Davinson's disallowed goal: I'll ask him to get a pedicureThe controversy over the disallowed goal by Davinson Sánchez in Colombia vs. Portugal continues, and Néstor Lorenzo, head coach of the Colombian side, has already made his first statements. 
  The coach said at the press conference about the bizarre offside call: "Next time I’ll ask him to get a pedicure," he said. Lorenzo also praised his team’s dominant performance against a football powerhou
  
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• Spain's Williams criticises tackle that injured him

  28-06-2026 04:35 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Nico Williams came on in the 76th minute of Spain's 1-0 win over Uruguay [Getty Images]Nico Williams has criticised Uruguay's Nicolas de la Cruz for a "completely unnecessary" tackle that injured the Spain winger, who is expected to miss at least his nation's World Cup last-32 fixture.Williams sustained a muscle injury following the challenge in a 1-0 win for Spain that sent Uruguay home, calling it "one of the worst days of my life".De la Cruz was booked for the tackle in added time, before tea
  
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• Reporter apologizes for joke about not knowing where Bosnia and Herzegovina is ahead of World Cup clash vs. USMNT

  28-06-2026 04:34 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  A reporter who went viral for proudly claiming that she didn't know where Bosnia and Herzegovina was on a map has since apologized.Abigail Velez, a reporter and fill-in anchor for ABC7 in Los Angeles, made the comments ahead of the upcoming Round of 32 matchup between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the U.S. men's national team (Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox). A clip of the segment went viral, with critics pointing to Velez seemingly being proud of her ignorance.As a result, Velez walked back her words i
  
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• Yoane Wissa underlines threat as DR Congo set up England clash at World Cup

  28-06-2026 04:23 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Yoane Wissa scored twice as DR Congo came from behind to beat Uzbekistan 3-1 and progress to the round of 32 of the World Cup.The African nation, who returned to the tournament after a 52-year absence, will now face England in the knockout stage on Wednesday after finishing third in Group K.Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov opened the scoring in the 10th minute in Atlanta, converting from a tight angle after an Abbosbek Fayzullaev header into the box.DR Congo thought they had levelled minutes
  
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• Salah an injury doubt for Egypt's last-32 tie

  28-06-2026 04:04 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Mohamed Salah has scored 68 goals in 119 games for Egypt [Getty Images]Egypt captain Mohamed Salah is a doubt for Friday's World Cup last-32 tie against Australia after suffering a hamstring injury.The 34-year-old was substituted during Egypt's 1-1 draw with Iran and team doctor Mohamed Abou said Salah had complained of pain before scans later confirmed a hamstring strain.The statement from the Egyptian Football Association added that Salah has begun a treatment programme but made no suggestion
  
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• Kane becomes England's top World Cup scorer - and now chases other greats

  28-06-2026 03:54 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Harry Kane broke Gary Lineker's record to become England's all-time leading World Cup scorer when he struck during Saturday's 2-0 win against Panama.The Three Lions captain doubled his side's lead when headed home superbly from Jude Bellingham's cross in the second half.The goal took Kane's overall World Cup tally to 11 goals, surpassing Lineker's total of 10."It is a proud one for sure," Kane told BBC Sport. "I spoke before the tournament about the World Cup being the biggest competition we pla
  
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• 2026 World Cup: Colombia wins Group K thanks to Portugal draw as DR Congo also advances

  28-06-2026 03:51 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The first scoreless draw in Colombia's World Cup history was enough to win Group K.Colombia tied Portugal 0-0 to finish first in the group on seven points. Portugal, which also tied with DR Congo to open the World Cup, finished second on five points.DR Congo scored three second-half goals to take down Uzbekistan 3-1 and finish third in the group. Four points is enough for DR Congo to clinch a spot in the Round of 32 as one of the top eight third-place teams. It's the country's first knockout rou
  
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• Man City 2026 World Cup Watch: Abdukodir Khusanov’s Uzbekistan dream ends in drab defeat

  28-06-2026 03:50 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Man City 2026 World Cup Watch: Abdukodir Khusanov’s Uzbekistan dream ends in drab defeatAbdukodir Khusanov becomes the first Manchester City player at the FIFA World Cup to head home after Uzbekistan finished bottom of their group.DR Congo booked a historic World Cup round-of-32 clash against England after staging a brilliant second-half comeback to defeat Uzbekistan 3-1 in Atlanta.The Leopards endured a rocky start when a defensive breakdown between Axel Tuanzebe and Aaron Wan-Bissaka gif
  
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• Man City 2026 World Cup Watch: Portugal line up Croatia clash after 0-0 draw with Colombia

  28-06-2026 03:45 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Man City 2026 World Cup Watch: Portugal line up Croatia clash after 0-0 draw with ColombiaRuben Dias saw out the full 90 minutes as Portugal held on to a 0-0 draw against Colombia despite late drama on Saturday night.Colombia secured top spot in Group K after battling to an entertaining 0-0 draw against Portugal in Miami, leaving Roberto Martínez’s side to settle for the runner-up position. Despite being Los Cafeteros’ first scoreless stalemate in 25 World Cup matches, the enc
  
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• 2026 World Cup Round of 32: Confirmed schedule, predictions for knockout round

  28-06-2026 03:44 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  The Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup is upon us, and there are some brilliant games coming up in the first knockout round at the tournament. MORE — World Cup daily schedule: What game is on today?Can some of the upstarts like Cape Verde, DR Congo and Bosnia and Herzegovina cause huge shocks? Will the co-hosts all make it through? Will the big names dazzle to book a spot in the last 16?Below are all of the confirmed matches for the Round of 32, with the schedule for when they are played an
  
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• 📸 Controversial! The millimetre offside that denied Colombia victory

  28-06-2026 03:41 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  📸 Controversial! The millimetre offside that denied Colombia victoryThere’s already controversy! The final outcome in Group K ended with an incredible goal ruled out for Colombia, which did not go on the scoreboard because of an offside position. 
  Davinson Sánchez made it 1-0 in the closing minutes of the second half, but his goal didn’t count—by a fingernail!This was the image they gave us of the offside, and it’s already dividing opinions, as some be
  
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• Colombia rue offside call, but send message: can go far in Copa

  28-06-2026 03:34 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Colombia rue offside call, but send message: can go far in CopaExpectations were SKY-HIGH. Much like the heat in Miami. And indeed, Colombia versus Portugal on Saturday night (27) was a high-level match. The clash at Hard Rock Stadium was worth first place in World Cup Group K.It ended goalless, but still delivered plenty of good moments thanks to Colombia’s EXCELLENT performance. Including a razor-thin offside call that saved CR7 & Co. in the 91st minute.Check below who
  
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• Colombia rue offside, but send warning: they can go FAR in Copa

  28-06-2026 03:34 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Colombia rue offside, but send warning: they can go FAR in CopaExpectations were SKY-HIGH. Much like the heat in Miami. And, indeed, Colombia vs. Portugal on Saturday night (27) was played at a good level. The clash at Hard Rock Stadium was worth first place in World Cup Group K.It ended goalless, but still delivered some great moments thanks to Colombia’s EXCELLENT performance. Including a razor-thin offside call that saved CR7 & Co. in the 91st minute.Check below to se
  
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• Who will England play next at World Cup? Last-32 opponent and route to final revealed

  28-06-2026 03:30 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  England are through to the last-32 of the 2026 World Cup after securing top spot in Group L - and will face African side DR Congo in the knockout stages. After a first half of frustration against Panama in New Jersey, second-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane secured England’s second win of the tournament with a 2-0 victory. It means Thomas Tuchel’s side will move on to Atlanta for their next match, as their route to the final became clear on Saturday night. See below for
  
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• Roy Keane insists Thomas Tuchel ‘doesn’t have a clue’ what his best England XI is

  28-06-2026 03:08 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Roy Keane believes England manager Thomas Tuchel does not know his best XI despite the Three Lions topping their World Cup group with victory over Panama on Saturday. Tuchel’s side were underwhelming in a goalless first half in New Jersey before Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane found the back of the net to secure first place and a last-32 match in Atlanta on Wednesday. The England boss made five changes from the team who drew against Ghana, with the injured Reece James making way for Jarrell
  
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• Job done - but England will not win World Cup unless they improve

  28-06-2026 03:06 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  England head coach Thomas Tuchel insists the bigger the games, the bigger his side will get. He must hope he is right or their World Cup campaign will be a short one.First things first. And credit where it is due.England's win against Panama ensured phase one of this World Cup was mission accomplished, qualifying top of Group L to face either DR Congo or Senegal in the last 32 in Atlanta on Wednesday (17:00 BST).The serious business starts now after two wins from three group games - but it would
  
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• 'Bye-bye, Scotland!' - Clarke's leaving letter to the Tartan Army

  28-06-2026 03:02 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Steve Clarke became the first man to lead Scotland to three major tournaments [PA Media]Steve Clarke's tenure as Scotland head coach came to an abrupt and shock end on Saturday night in Charlotte.Following seven years as boss, where he led the country to back-to-back European Championships and the ongoing World Cup - the first for the men's team in 28 years - the 62-year-old has resigned while still at the squad's base camp in Charlotte, North Carolina.Clarke penned an emotional letter to the Ta
  
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• 'High chance' Anderson move happens before England's last-32 game - Tuchel

  28-06-2026 03:00 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  [Getty Images]England head coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that midfielder Elliot Anderson is expected to complete his £116million move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City before England's World Cup last-32 tie on Wednesday.The Premier League clubs have agreed a deal for Anderson to move to Etihad Stadium once the 23-year-old completes a medical which will take place out in the United States."I think there is a very high chance that the thing is sorted before the round of 32," said
  
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• 📋 Rested them all? Argentina XI named to face Jordan

  28-06-2026 02:55 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  📋 Rested them all? Argentina XI named to face JordanArgentina are set for their final challenge of the FIFA World Cup group stage.Already assured of first place in Group J and aware that they will face Cape Verde in the first knockout round, they will take on already-eliminated Jordan later today (11 p.m. Brasília time). The match will be played at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Romanian referee István Kovács will be in charge.CazéTV will broadcast it.&
  
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• Lineups named for Algeria vs Austria & Jordan vs Argentina

  28-06-2026 02:49 via sports.yahoo.com
  
  Lineups named for Algeria vs Austria & Jordan vs ArgentinaThe final night for the last group to close the book on the group stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is ready and raring to go.Group J leaders and defending World Cup champions Argentina, along with Golden Boot-leader Lionel Messi, are assured of passage before tonight, with much left to play below them in the table.Algeria vs Austria
  Level on three points a piece, Algeria and Austria lock horns in Kansas City, with Ralf Rangnick's side
  
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