Brazil vs Morocco opens a changed World Cup rivalry
Five World Cup titles and a calf injury are not compatible at a tournament opener. Brazil have both. Neymar won’t […]
USA vs Paraguay brings a forgotten World Cup record back
The most interesting thing about USA vs Paraguay is that it happened before, in Montevideo, in 1930, before MLS existed,
Adidas vs Puma rivalry returns at the 2026 World Cup
One of football’s most consequential commercial rivalries doesn’t involve clubs, managers, or players. It involves two brothers who stopped speaking
Valentín Barco steps into Argentina’s World Cup picture
Argentina beat Iceland 3-0 in Auburn, Alabama, last Tuesday. The result was unimportant. The eighth minute was worth watching, when
Mexico opens World Cup with measured 2-0 win over South Africa
Mexico began the 2026 FIFA World Cup by doing what opening matches often deny their hosts. It made the occasion
Bernardo Silva nears Real Madrid as Mourinho’s first move takes shape
Bernardo Silva’s path out of Manchester City has suddenly become part of something larger than a free-agent market. Real Madrid
José Mourinho returns to Real Madrid after 13 years
Real Madrid has gone back to the one coach it was never supposed to need again. Thirteen years on, José
Deschamps is making Mbappé central by design
Didier Deschamps doesn’t run France as a talent show. He captained the country to the 1998 World Cup, coached it
Mexico faces South Africa in the World Cup opener at Azteca
Mexico opens the first 48-team men’s World Cup against South Africa at Mexico City Stadium, inside a venue that’s become
Messi plays against son of former Barcelona teammate
Football rarely offers a clean measure of how long someone has been at it. Sure, all those injuries, scars, and