Sports

One of the biggest and most criticized innovations of the 2026 World Cup, which is breaking several attendance and financial records, has been the mandatory hydration breaks during both halves of the matches. English edition of prominent Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo writes that there has been much discussion since the start of the tournament about this situation, which, while common in American sports, is atypical for the rest of the world. These breaks, in true American style, the paper noted, are becoming a real party inside the stadium and a lucrative business for television. It added that several studies have…

*Smallest Nation At Mundial Zooms Into KO Rounds Undefeated In First Ever World Cup For as long as she can remember, 13-year-old Lauryn struggled to find a map that included Cape Verde. Now, to her great delight, the tiny African island nation is finally centre stage, making history as the smallest nation by population to ever reach the knockout rounds. They advanced by finishing second in Group H after an undefeated group stage, which included draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, and are now set to face Argentina in the Round of 32 on 3 uly. “Seeing our country…

It had to be Lionel Messi, it had to be on this day and perhaps it even needed to be in Dallas too. History was created in the way he knows best, a clinical left-footed flourish setting him out on his own as the World Cup’s highest goalscorer of all time --on Monday, 22 June. An occasion that already throbbed with an epic, cinematic quality had its moment for the ages and the genius who served it up will surely provide even more. A first golden boot would not be the worst present for an icon who turns 39 on…

Lamine Yamal was the story before kick-off on Sunday, 21 June, and is dominating conversation long after the final whistle too. The 18-year-old returned to Atlanta hoping to start his first World Cup match, having been limited to just 19 minutes in Spain's shock goalless draw with Cape Verde in their first match. Coach Luis de la Fuente insisted that cameo was part of a longer-term plan, with Yamal still carefully managing his recovery from the hamstring injury he suffered in April. Fit enough to start against Saudi Arabia, his impact was immediate. Even before his first touch, the impact…

*Germans Qualify For KO Rounds First Time In Over 10 Years *Ivorians Too Can Qualify And Achieve What Drogba, the Toures, Kalou Couldn't Les Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire, brimming with confidence from their 1-0 defeat of Ecuador in their World Cup Group E first game, took an early lead against the German Machine on Saturday night (Nigeria time) and resorted to frustrating the favourites. But then popped up Nigerian-German midfielder Felix Nmecha in the 94th minute. His surname in Igbo, a Nigerian language, means "Finishing, Completion," but on this occasion he did not finish the job. Outstanding throughout the tough…

They are taking Nigeria's place at the ongoing World Cup --but purely on merit, because they beat the Super Eagles at the Africa playoffs. To prove that their victory over highly rated Nigeria was no fluke, the Leopards took to the field yesterday against mighty Cristiano Ronaldo's star-studded Portugal, emerging with their heads held high. After the 1-1 opening game draw in Houston, US, the DR Congo players are upbeat about their chances in the tournament, insisting that they are not at the mundial just for sightseeing. Assuring of better days ahead after earning their first point in the history…

*Riyad Mahrez, Others Left Helpless, Made To Look Like Inferior Professionals *Golden Boot Race Underway: Messi 3, Mbappe, Haaland 2 Each *Argentine Is First Player To Compete At Six World Cups By Felix Durumbah, Abuja, with additional report from Reuters Without mincing words, seriously, is there really a footballer on the planet currently better than Messi? He’s nearly 39 and still the best player in the world! Easily the greatest. Too old? Too lazy? Too complacent having won the mundial in 2022? Not a chance. What a show he put on in early hours (Nigeria Time) of Wednesday, 17 June…

It was dubbed the 'Battle of African Teams' because of the sheer number of blacks in both the French and Senegal squads. However, that's where the similarities end as the final scoreline of France 3 Senegal 1 saw a second African team, after South Africa, lose its opening match in World Cup 2026. The development means only Cote d'Ivoire has won from Africa so far, beating Ecuador 1-0 even as Morocco, Cape Verde and Egypt all drew. Kylian Mbappe became France's all-time leading goalscorer with a superb double as Les Bleus beat Senegal in their Tuesday World Cup opener in…

*Sub Lukaku Saves Belgium From Egypt's Hands By Sid Lowe, at Atlanta Stadium, and Jeff Reuter, at Seattle Stadium They screamed in joy so much that it was like they had won the World Cup itself. Such was the emotion on the faces of Cape Verde players as the final whistle sounded on Monday in their first ever World Cup. And who were their opponents? Spain, of all teams, one of the favourites to lift the World Cup! Wow, just wow. At 1.57pm Atlanta time, 3,291 miles from home, the final whistle went on Cape Verde’s first game in a…

*Riches From Money-Spinning Sport By Felix Durumbah, Abuja There is a Nigerian strand to the ongoing overwhelming celebrations in the United States (US) following the emergence of New York Knicks as US professional National Basketball Association (NBA) champions after 53 years. They beat San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 on Saturday, 13 June 2026 --in a match watched on TV by hundreds of millions across the world ---to return as a force to reckon with in the eye-popping riches-strewn NBA. Basketball is big business in the US and has provided a platform for many youths to live the American Dream…