September 3, 2026
Lionel Messi retired from international football on 31 August at 39, after 21 years and a record 125 goals in 207 appearances. Only two of the 17 players from July's World Cup final squad will be under 30 by the 2030 tournament.
July 20, 2026
Lionel Messi scored 8 goals in the 2026 World Cup but Argentina did not have a single shot in normal time of the final. He stood on the losing side as 18-year-old Lamine Yamal — the boy he once held as an infant in a charity photograph — lifted the trophy with Spain. Aflatoon AI on endings, time, and what it means to be the greatest at something when the tournament decides otherwise.
July 20, 2026
Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 in extra time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Ferran Torres, a 62nd-minute substitute, scored the only goal of the match in the 106th minute. Enzo Fernández was sent off for Argentina in the third minute of second-half stoppage time — his second yellow card — leaving Argentina with 10 men throughout extra time. Emiliano Martínez made a record 11 saves. Lionel Messi, in his final World Cup, had 8 goals in the tournament but was denied a second title. Spain swept all individual awards: Rodri won the Golden Ball, Mbappé the Golden Boot with 10 goals, Unai Simón the Golden Glove and Pau Cubarsí the Best Young Player award.
July 19, 2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final pits Spain against Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with kick-off at 3 PM Eastern Time on July 19. Spain defeated France 2-0 in their semi-final in Dallas; Argentina beat England 2-1 in Atlanta. It is the first World Cup final between European and South American champions since 1966 and carries the defining storyline of 38-year-old Lionel Messi facing 18-year-old Lamine Yamal — the player he once held as an infant in a charity photograph.
July 17, 2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is set for Sunday July 19 at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, with Spain facing Argentina in a match that pits Lamine Yamal's resurgent Spain — who have conceded just once in the knockout rounds — against Lionel Messi's Argentina, the defending champions attempting to win back-to-back World Cups for the first time since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Kickoff is at 3pm ET.
July 16, 2026
Argentina defeated England 2-1 in a dramatic World Cup 2026 semifinal in Atlanta on July 15, coming from behind to score twice in the final five minutes through Enzo Fernández and a Lautaro Martínez header. Lionel Messi assisted both goals. Argentina will face Spain — who beat France 2-0 on July 14 — in the World Cup final on Sunday July 19. England are eliminated.
Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas played his first match in almost four months as he beat Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki. Photo: AFP PERTH: Stefanos Tsitsipas found the winning touch in his return to action from injury as he led Greece to a 3-0 win over Japan on Friday in group play at the ATP-WTA United Cup. The former world number three dispatched Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3, 6-4 in the singles as he played his first match in almost four months after a recurring back injury forced him to take a break from the sport. “I had a lot of uncertainty, I didn’t know if
Pakistan produced one of their most spirited performances of the season but dropped few points, losing 3–2 to hosts Argentina in FIH Pro League play at the Santiago del Estero Hockey Club on Thursday.In a thrilling match that ebbed and flowed, Argentina built on their shootout victory over the Netherlands the night before by defeating a resurgent Pakistan side that showed clear improvement from their opening defeat.Pakistan started with confidence and intent, pressing the hosts high and carving out early scoring opportunities.Waheed Ashraf Rana twice came close to breaking the deadlock — first forcing goalkeeper Tomas Santiago into a sharp
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the world champions will stick to the same winning formula. Photo: REUTERS BUENOS AIRES: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said the world champions will stick to the same winning formula that brought them glory at the Qatar 2022 World Cup after discovering their group opponents for next year’s world tournament on Friday. The Albiceleste were drawn with Algeria, Austria and Jordan in a Group J that fans in Buenos Aires described as favorable – although Scaloni warned there would be no easy games. “We will give our maximum and try to do what we did at
SYDNEY: Top seeds and two-time champions United States, led by Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz, were drawn on Monday along with Spain and Argentina to defend the United Mixed Team Cup in Australia. Gough and Fritz, ranked third and sixth in the world respectively, begin their 2026 season in Perth in the fourth edition of the tournament from January 2-11 ahead of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park later in the month. Spain is led by Juame Munar and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. World number one Carlos Alcaraz has opted to play an exhibition match in South Korea against Jannik Sinner
Editor — Hamza Azhar Salam · Write to us with suggestions or tips
October 26, 2026
The Pakistan Daily
October 26, 2026
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