World Cup 2026: England v Argentina is Three Lions’ biggest match since 1966
England and Argentina met in another quarter-final in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium at the 1986 World Cup, with the Falklands War four years earlier providing the backdrop. It was the day of Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand Of God”…
World Cup 2026: Lionel Messi and the lengths to which Argentina have gone to protect him
Rodrigo de Paul has become, in this Argentina squad, what Jose Manuel Pinto once was at Barcelona, or Luis Suarez later became: the team-mate with whom Messi instantly feels at home. Their bond was forged on international duty. Until then, the…
Pedro Porro turns from defender to destroyer as Spain outwit France once more | World Cup 2026
“Let me loose in a prison and I’ll end up owning the place,” Pedro Porro once said. Let him loose in the penalty area and that will belong to him too. The whole world might: to him and the entire gang. When the Spain right-back burst into the box like a…
Thomas Tuchel: ‘Argentina will be fuelled by history – but we are ready’ | World Cup 2026
Thomas Tuchel believes England will face an Argentina team “fuelled by history” in their World Cup semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday. It will be the sixth time that the nations have met at the tournament with the previous three coming after the…
‘It means love’: Scottish World Cup fans celebrate Boston with orange traffic cone | World Cup 2026
Fresh off its first-class flight from Glasgow, it received a reception befitting a visiting dignitary: a bagpiper in full regalia playing inside Boston Logan international airport. Waiting to greet it were diplomats, the governor and Boston’s mayor. The…
Mo Salah: Never Give Up
The story of Mo Salah’s unlikely rise to global stardom.
Thomas Frank: Inside the Tottenham manager’s eight-month struggle
Venkatesham and the club’s new leadership team will now be tasked with making their first appointment. It remains to be seen whether they seek an interim manager with a view to appointing a permanent boss in the summer, or want a full-time choice…
Looking back at when football introduced penalty shootouts
“I couldn’t believe it, my beloved Hull City were up against Georgie Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law. That’s like having Messi, Ronaldo and Mbappe in the same team,” Kelly recalled on the BBC’s Sporting Witness programme.…
The summer a golden generation lost its shine
The summer of 2006 was meant to be England’s moment. A world-class squad, celebrity partners and confident fans – the hype was huge and the fall was hard.
Why did England’s 2006 World Cup dream end in agony?
Why did the England football team not fulfil their potential at the 2006 World Cup?