Rudi Garcia will leave as Belgium's coach after failing to agree a contract extension with the Royal Belgian Football Association. The federation said on Monday it would not renew his deal beyond the end of this month and is seeking a successor. The French coach took Belgium to the World Cup quarterfinals, where they lost to eventual champions Spain.
Former India captain Diana Edulji has argued for a split-captaincy arrangement in the women's team, saying it is time to move on from Harmanpreet Kaur in white-ball cricket after India went out at the group stage of the recent ICC Women's T20 World Cup. She suggests handing the white-ball role to Smriti Mandhana. Edulji spoke at the Maharani Trophy launch in Bengaluru.
Cheers gave way to tears across Buenos Aires as Argentina's hopes of another Messi-led comeback died in the 1-0 defeat to Spain. At Cafe Relax in the historic centre, supporters said the sharpest grief was not the scoreline but the near-certainty that this was 39-year-old Lionel Messi's final World Cup, ending a run of narrow wins that had bred confidence.
Thousands of fans filled Madrid's Plaza de Cibeles after Spain beat Argentina in Sunday's World Cup final, roaring out Queen's 'We Are the Champions'. The celebrations broke out close to midnight and looked set to run until dawn, leaving little prospect of sleep in the capital. Passengers aboard an Iberia flight were treated to the same anthem.
After handing the trophy to captain Rodri, Donald Trump stayed on the podium while Spain celebrated their 1-0 win over Argentina, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino visibly trying to steer him away before he stepped off. Clips spread widely online. A similar scene played out at last year's Club World Cup final at the same New Jersey venue with Chelsea.
Manchester City's Rodri, 30, became only the eleventh men's player to hold the World Cup, Champions League and Ballon d'Or after leading Spain past Argentina. He took the Golden Ball ahead of Messi and Mbappe, having covered more ground and completed more passes than anyone at the tournament, less than two years after an ACL injury.
France captain Kylian Mbappe finished the 2026 World Cup as its leading scorer, netting 10 goals with four assists across eight matches. The 27-year-old edged Lionel Messi, who managed eight goals and was blanked in Argentina's 1-0 defeat to Spain. Having also topped the 2022 charts with eight goals, Mbappe becomes the first to claim consecutive Golden Boots.
Ferran Torres, a 26-year-old Barcelona forward, decided the World Cup final on Sunday with a 106th-minute strike in extra time at the New York New Jersey Stadium. The goal, his first of an otherwise barren tournament, beat Argentina 1-0 and delivered Spain a second world title, closing a 16-year gap since their 2010 win in South Africa.
Barcelona forward Ferran Torres struck in the 106th minute at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, putting Spain 1-0 up against defending champions Argentina in the World Cup final. Having failed to score anywhere earlier in the tournament, Torres chose the biggest stage to end that drought, leaving Spain within reach of a second world title.
Spain captain Rodri now holds the record for the most completed passes in FIFA World Cup history. He overtook former Brazil captain Dunga, who had completed 1,306 passes across his World Cup career. The milestone underlines the midfielder's central role in Spain's possession-heavy system, which carried the European champions through to the 2026 final.
Spain dominated the opening half of the World Cup final, denying Argentina a single shot on goal before the interval — a rare occurrence in a final. The match stayed goalless at half-time, reflecting Spain's tactical grip. It became the ninth World Cup final to feature a scoreless first half, with Spain chasing a second title.
Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez picked up an injury during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The setback forced questions over whether the Manchester United centre-back could continue in the title match, with his fiery early display having already stirred reaction among club supporters.
Images and clips of Donald Trump watching the Spain-Argentina World Cup final circulated widely on social media. The US President attended alongside First Lady Melania Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and footage of his reactions during the goalless opening period drew heavy engagement and commentary across platforms.
Tennis star Carlos Alcaraz unveiled the FIFA World Cup trophy ahead of the Spain-Argentina final. He walked onto the field alongside South Korean actor Hoyeon and football greats Andres Iniesta and Mario Kempes before presenting the trophy to a packed stadium, in a ceremony blending sport and entertainment figures.
Streamer IShowSpeed performed his track 'Champions' at the FIFA World Cup 2026 final closing ceremony, becoming the first content creator to perform live at the event. The song had already gone viral among football fans, and FIFA secured rights to it as a recognised tournament track — a marker of online creators' growing pull in global sport.
US President Donald Trump met a divided response during his appearance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium. A widely shared clip from IShowSpeed's livestream appeared to capture sections of the crowd booing him, though the reaction in the stadium was mixed, prompting debate online over what the footage actually showed.
Spain left Alvaro Morata, Fermin Lopez, Martin Zubimendi and Alejandro Grimaldo out of the starting eleven against Argentina for tactical reasons. All four were expected to remain significant options from the bench, giving the coach flexibility to change the shape of the World Cup final as it developed.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni left Lautaro Martinez, Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina and Nicolas Otamendi out of his starting side for the World Cup final against Spain. The selection prioritised pace, pressing intensity and defensive balance, keeping four experienced players in reserve for the later stages of the match.
Lamine Yamal set a football milestone by becoming the first teenager to appear in both a European Championship final and a World Cup final. The winger was instrumental in Spain's run to the 2026 title match against Argentina, with his form a defining factor in the European champions' campaign.
Lamine Yamal has become the third-youngest footballer to feature in a FIFA World Cup final. The record still belongs to Pele, who was 17 years and 249 days old when he played for Brazil in the 1958 final, a benchmark that has stood for close to seven decades.
Lionel Messi made history before a ball was kicked in the 2026 final, becoming the first player to captain his country in three World Cup finals. Leading defending champions Argentina against Spain at MetLife Stadium, the 39-year-old achieved a feat unmatched in the tournament's 96-year history, having also worn the armband in 2014 and 2022.
Streamer IShowSpeed performed at the FIFA World Cup final closing ceremony at MetLife Stadium, appearing as a surprise addition alongside Post Malone and Jennifer Hudson. The 21-year-old, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr, had attended every knockout match in the tournament. Fans reacted with surprise at his singing in his first major stage performance.
Lionel Messi became the first player ever to captain his nation in three FIFA World Cup finals when Argentina met Spain at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Five players had previously captained their countries in two finals, but none had managed a third, leaving Messi alone in the record books.
Lamine Yamal continued his habit of pre-match social media messages, posting a childhood photograph on Instagram captioned 'For you and for the streets' hours before Spain faced Argentina in the 2026 final. Fans read it as another statement of intent from the teenager, whose posts have become almost as anticipated as his performances.
Lionel Messi became just the second footballer to feature in three World Cup finals as Argentina faced Spain in the 2026 decider at the New York New Jersey Stadium. The 39-year-old previously played in the 2014 final against Germany at the Maracana and the 2022 final against France in Qatar. Only Cafu had managed it before.
West Bengal has declared a holiday for school students on Monday so they can watch the Argentina-Spain World Cup final, which kicks off after midnight at 12:30am IST. The Directorate of School Education directed morning schools to relax attendance requirements or shut, following similar moves by Mizoram and Kerala.
The 2026 World Cup closed on July 19 with Argentina meeting Spain at MetLife Stadium. The ceremony began at 1:30pm ET, featuring Tom Cruise, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and Laura Pausini. FIFA Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi said it would match the energy of the opening ceremonies staged across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Alongside the trophy, the 2026 World Cup carries the largest prize fund in the tournament's history. The winners will receive $51 million, the biggest champion's payout ever, while the runners-up take $34 million, according to an AP report. FIFA is distributing a record $871 million among the 48 participating nations, nearly double the previous edition.
Argentina entered the World Cup final pursuing more than a title. Victory over Spain would give Lionel Scaloni's side the longest winning streak ever recorded by a South American national team. Already world champions and Copa America holders, Argentina have spent recent years establishing themselves as the benchmark in international football.
FIFA appointed Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic to take charge of the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium, making him the first Slovenian to officiate a men's World Cup final. He is joined by fellow Slovenian officials, with a designated VAR team supporting him for the tournament's biggest match.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 final pits defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, against a Spain team carrying a 37-match unbeaten streak. The tie frames Argentina's attacking directness against Spain's possession game, with both sides chasing world football's biggest prize in a contest drawing a vast global audience.
The FIFA World Cup final halftime show, featuring BTS, Justin Bieber and Shakira, is expected to begin between 3:50pm and 4:00pm EDT. The exact start depends on stoppage time in the first half plus a stage setup running roughly seven minutes, with broadcasters carrying the performance live.