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Cricket Australia Boss Open to Playing an Ashes Test in India
Cricket Australia's chief executive Todd Greenberg says the board is open to hosting an Ashes Test in India. He made the comments on the BBC's Stumped podcast. Greenberg said CA's ties with both the ECB and the BCCI are strong. He added that India offers a chance to put "more content into certain areas" of the calendar. The Ashes has been played only in England or Australia since 1882. Moving even one Test to India would break that tradition. Any such move would still need sign-off from CA, the ECB, and cooperation from the BCCI. Greenberg was clear it isn't a current plan. He called it something CA "would certainly be open to consideration" on. The comments come as CA looks to grow its footprint in India. The Big Bash League will stage a match between Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers in Chennai this December, its first-ever game outside Australia. The next Ashes series is already set for the 2027 English summer, running from June 18 to August 2.
2027 Cricket Calendar: BGT, IPL, WTC Final, Asia Cup, Ashes and World Cup All Set
2027 is shaping up to be one of the busiest years cricket has ever had. Every major format and tournament lines up back to back, starting in January and running all the way through November. The year opens with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy . Australia tour India for a five-Test series running from January 21 to March 3 . It's a rematch after Australia's win in the previous cycle, and it sets the tone for a packed 12 months. Right after that comes IPL 2027 , now set to run from March 10 to May 15 . BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the earlier window, moved up to dodge peak summer heat and pre-monsoon rain. The match count stays at 74. June brings a rare clash of two marquee events on the same day. The World Test Championship Final is set for June 9 to 13 . As reported earlier, the ICC has confirmed The Oval in London as the venue, the same ground that hosted the 2023 final. Australia currently top the WTC 2025-27 points table, with South Africa and New Zealand close behind. The very same week, two more tournaments get underway. The Asia Cup 2027 runs from June 18 to July 4 , and The Ashes also starts on June 18 , continuing all the way to August 2 . That gives fans a genuine test-your-loyalty stretch, with Test cricket, continental T20 cricket, and England-Australia rivalry all competing for attention at the same time. The year closes with the biggest prize of all. The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 runs from October 4 to November 21 . This edition moves to a new three-stage format, co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with 14 teams involved. Six major events, one calendar year. From five-day Tests to the shortest format, 2027 promises non-stop cricket for fans to follow from January right through to the World Cup final in November.
ICC Confirms The Oval as Venue for 2027 World Test Championship Final
The ICC has confirmed The Oval in London as the venue for the 2027 World Test Championship Final. The match is scheduled for June 9 to June 13, 2027 . This will be the second time The Oval hosts the WTC Final. It previously staged the 2023 decider, where Australia beat India by 209 runs to win their maiden Test mace. The venue was picked by the England and Wales Cricket Board, which was awarded hosting rights for the 2027, 2029, and 2031 finals last year. All three WTC finals so far have also been played in England, at Southampton in 2021 and Lord's in 2025. The 2027 final carries extra significance too. It falls in the year cricket marks 150 years of Test cricket. ICC General Manager of Events and Operations Gaurav Saxena said the occasion would add weight to what is already one of the sport's biggest fixtures. The race to reach the final is still wide open. Australia currently lead the WTC 2025-27 points table with an 87.50 percentage after winning 7 of their 8 Tests. South Africa , the defending champions, sit second, with New Zealand close behind in third. Several key series remain before the picture clears, including West Indies vs Pakistan starting July 25, Australia vs Bangladesh in August, and India's two-Test tour of Sri Lanka starting August 15.
Mayank Yadav Becomes Third Indian to Take a Wicket on the First Ball of a T20I
Mayank Yadav made an instant impact in India's series opener against Zimbabwe in Harare. Handed the new ball, he struck with the very first delivery of the match, having Brian Bennett caught behind by Ishan Kishan. The wicket makes him only the third Indian bowler to take a wicket on the first ball of a men's T20I. He joins Ajit Agarkar and Arshdeep Singh on that short list. Mayank went on to finish with figures of 2 for 18 from his 4 overs, consistently troubling the Zimbabwe top order with pace touching 149 kmph. His second wicket, Dion Myers, came in similar fashion, caught in the deep off a mistimed pull. The 24-year-old had already made his India T20I debut back in October 2024 against Bangladesh, where he was one over away from becoming just the third Indian to bowl a maiden in his first T20I over. Injuries kept him out of India's white-ball plans through much of the following year, so this outing marked his first international appearance since then. Today's spell was a timely reminder of the pace and impact that first got him into India's setup. Zimbabwe never recovered from the early blow, eventually posting 125 for 7, a target India chased down inside 14 overs to win by 7 wickets.
India Beat Zimbabwe by 7 Wickets in 1st T20I, Sooryavanshi Blazes to Fifty in Harare
India kicked off their three-match T20I series in Zimbabwe with a comfortable 7-wicket win in Harare. Chasing 126, India got home in just 13.2 overs. Zimbabwe were sent in to bat and never really got going against India's new-ball attack. Mayank Yadav struck with the first ball of the innings, removing Brian Bennett for a duck. He finished with 2 for 18. Prince Yadav also picked up 2 wickets. Zimbabwe found some late momentum through Wessly Madhevere , who top-scored with 39, and Tadiwanashe Marumani , unbeaten on 27, as the hosts closed on 125 for 7. India's chase was set up by a blistering start from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi . The teenager smashed 50 off just 19 balls, with 4 fours and 4 sixes, putting the required rate under control inside the powerplay. Ishan Kishan kept the tempo going with 35 off 24 balls. Both fell to Zimbabwe's seamers, but Shreyas Iyer saw India home unbeaten on 28, with Tilak Varma alongside him on 6. The win gives India a 1-0 lead in the series. The two sides meet again in the 2nd T20I at the same venue on July 25.
2027 Women's Ashes Schedule Confirmed: One Test, Three T20Is, Three ODIs
The schedule for the 2027 Women's Ashes is out. The multi-format series between Australia and England runs across June and July, opening with the one-off Test and closing with the ODI leg. The Test starts things off at Headingley, Leeds , from June 24-27 . The series then moves into the T20I leg, with three matches at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on July 3, the Kia Oval, London on July 6, and Old Trafford, Manchester on July 9. The three ODIs follow next. The first is at the Utilita Bowl, Southampton on July 13. The second is at Lord's, London on July 16. The series wraps up at Edgbaston, Birmingham on July 20. As with previous editions, the Women's Ashes points system rewards a win in every format, with the Test worth more points than the white-ball games. Australia go into the series as defending holders of the urn.
FIFA Confirms 6 Teams Already Qualified for 2030 World Cup's Centenary Edition
Six countries already know they're playing at the 2030 World Cup, before a single qualifier has been played. FIFA has confirmed automatic qualification for the six nations set to host the tournament. Spain , Portugal and Morocco are the three main hosts, staging the bulk of the tournament across Europe and Africa. As hosts, all three get the usual automatic entry. The twist is South America. To mark 100 years since the first-ever World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930, FIFA is staging three centenary matches on the continent before the tournament shifts to Europe and Africa. Uruguay , Argentina and Paraguay will each host one of these opening matches, and that hosting role earns all three automatic qualification too. Uruguay gets the honour of hosting the ceremonial opener, at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, the same stadium that staged the 1930 final. Argentina and Paraguay each stage one match of their own before the tournament moves fully to its main hosts. Notably, defending champions Spain don't get in on the strength of winning World Cup 2026. Only host status has earned any of the six nations their spot. Every other country, including 2026 runners-up Argentina, will still have to go through the usual continental qualifiers, aside from the automatic entry Argentina gets as a centenary host. With this, the 2030 World Cup becomes the first edition to be staged across three continents, and the first tournament since 2026 to already have confirmed teams before qualifying begins.
FIFA Names Official Team of the Tournament for World Cup 2026
FIFA has named its official Team of the Tournament for the 2026 World Cup. Spain lead the way with three picks after winning the title, but the XI spans seven different countries. The line-up plays out in a 4-3-3. Vozinha gets the goalkeeper's spot after his string of heroics for debutants Cape Verde, including seven saves in a goalless draw with Spain. In defence, Spain's Marc Cucurella and Pedro Porro take the full-back berths, with Dayot Upamecano of France and Argentina's Lisandro Martinez at centre-back. The midfield three is Rodri , Jude Bellingham and Michael Olise . Rodri was Spain's on-field leader all tournament and later picked up the Golden Ball. Bellingham gets in for England despite their semi-final exit, and Olise rounds out a strong showing for France in midfield. Up front, it's Lionel Messi on the left, Erling Haaland through the middle and Kylian Mbappe on the right. Haaland's inclusion caps a stunning debut World Cup for Norway, who reached the quarter-finals. Mbappe finished as the tournament's top scorer, while Messi was directly involved in Argentina's run to the final. Position Player Country GK Vozinha Cape Verde LB Marc Cucurella Spain CB Dayot Upamecano France CB Lisandro Martinez Argentina RB Pedro Porro Spain LCM Jude Bellingham England CDM Rodri Spain RCM Michael Olise France LW Lionel Messi Argentina ST Erling Haaland Norway RW Kylian Mbappe France Between them, the XI includes players from the champions, runners-up, and five other nations, spanning stories from title-winners to a 40-year-old shot-stopper from one of the tournament's smallest debutants.
Rahmat Shah Named Afghanistan's New Test and ODI Captain
Afghanistan have a new leader in the longer formats. The Afghanistan Cricket Board has named Rahmat Shah as captain of the Test and ODI sides, taking over from Hashmatullah Shahidi. Shahidi steps down after leading Afghanistan through one of its most successful stretches. His tenure included a sixth-place finish at the 2023 ODI World Cup, wins over England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands at that tournament, and a maiden bilateral series win over South Africa. He also led the side to its first-ever appearance at the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. Rahmat is no stranger to leadership. He has served as Shahidi's deputy in both formats since 2021. The 33-year-old has played 128 ODIs and 12 Tests for Afghanistan since his debut in 2013, and briefly held the Test captaincy back in 2019 before Rashid Khan was named captain across all formats. Rahmanullah Gurbaz takes over as vice-captain in both formats. The new leadership group gets its first assignment next month. Afghanistan tour Ireland for a five-match ODI series starting August 5, giving Rahmat an immediate chance to put his own stamp on the side ahead of a busy build-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Root Cracks Top 10 of ODI Batting Rankings, Rohit Closes In on Top Three
Joe Root is back among the world's top 10 ODI batters. The latest ICC rankings update has him climbing four places to No. 8, his best position since 2020. Root earned the jump with a superb three-match ODI series against India. He stayed unbeaten in all three innings, scoring 76, 99 and 74, and was named Player of the Series with 249 runs at a strike rate near 97. His form helped England win the series 2-1, their first bilateral ODI series win over India since 2018. India's batters also moved up despite the series defeat. Rohit Sharma stayed at No. 4 but closed the gap on the top three after smashing 138 in the third ODI at Lord's. He now sits just nine rating points behind Virat Kohli. Shubman Gill remains second, only one point adrift of New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell at the top. Shreyas Iyer also gained ground, moving up two places to 13th after his 66 in the second ODI at Cardiff. England opener Ben Duckett was another big mover, jumping 11 places to joint-19th after his 141 at Lord's, the highest individual score by a man in an ODI at the venue. Here's the full top 10 after the update: Rank Player Rating 1 Daryl Mitchell (NZ) 802 2 Shubman Gill (IND) 801 3 Virat Kohli (IND) 767 4 Rohit Sharma (IND) 758 5 Ibrahim Zadran (AFG) 712 6 Babar Azam (PAK) 689 7 Harry Tector (IRE) 679 8 Joe Root (ENG) 674 9 Shai Hope (WI) 672 10 Charith Asalanka (SL) 659 Duckett's rise to joint-19th and Iyer's move up to 13th came just outside this top 10 bracket.
Kuldeep Yadav Joins Yorkshire for Maiden County Stint
Kuldeep Yadav has signed with Yorkshire as an overseas player for the rest of the 2026 English season. This will be his first-ever stint in county cricket. The deal covers five One-Day Cup matches to start with. Kuldeep begins his stint against Glamorgan at Neath on Friday, July 24. He will then return to Headingley in September to play three of Yorkshire's final four County Championship matches. The move comes at an interesting time for the 31-year-old wrist-spinner. Kuldeep was part of India's recent tour of England but did not get a single game in the 2-1 ODI series loss. He also missed out during India's T20I series in Ireland and England. The lack of opportunities has been a talking point back home, with several former players questioning the team management's calls. Yorkshire's general manager of cricket, Gavin Hamilton, said the dry summer conditions make Kuldeep's left-arm wrist spin a valuable addition for the closing stages of the season. Kuldeep said he was excited to join a club with such a proud history and looks forward to contributing during his time at Headingley. Kuldeep joins a growing list of Indian players turning out in county cricket this season, including Yuzvendra Chahal at Northamptonshire, Jaydev Unadkat at Sussex, and Ashutosh Sharma at Hampshire.
India, Zimbabwe Both Name Squads for Three-Match T20I Series in Harare
India and Zimbabwe have both named their squads for a three-match T20I series in Harare, starting Thursday. All three matches will be played at the Harare Sports Club, on July 23, 25 and 26. India named their squad first, back on July 6. Shreyas Iyer continues as captain, with Tilak Varma as his deputy. The touring party is a young one, with uncapped players Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh, Ashok Sharma and Harsh Dubey all in the mix, alongside the returning Rinku Singh and Mayank Yadav. Zimbabwe have now followed with their own 15-man squad under Sikandar Raza . The home side have made three changes from the group that played Bangladesh recently. Wessly Madhevere and Newman Nyamhuri both return, and Tafadzwa Tsiga earns his first T20I call-up. The two sides last met at the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight stage, where India won by 72 runs in Chennai. This series doubles as a chance for India to test fringe players, while Zimbabwe will fancy home conditions to close the gap.
Anthony Taylor Retires After 831-Match Career Spanning Two World Cups
Anthony Taylor has retired from refereeing at the age of 47, bringing an end to a career that spanned more than two decades and 831 matches. The English official is one of the most established referees in the Premier League era, taking charge of 432 top-flight matches across 16 seasons. Taylor's final assignment came at the 2026 World Cup, where he took charge of the Round of 16 tie between Spain and Portugal. Spain won 1-0 after extra time on their way to lifting the trophy. He spent 14 years on the FIFA International List and officiated at two World Cups, in 2022 and 2026, alongside two European Championships in 2020 and 2024. Domestically, Taylor refereed every major English cup final. His honours include the FA Cup finals in 2017 and 2020, the 2015 League Cup final, the 2015 Community Shield, and the 2018 Championship play-off final. Reflecting on his decision, Taylor said officiating at the elite level had been an immense privilege, but that the pressure and scrutiny involved had become intense and constant. He said the time was now right to step aside and move on to the next chapter of his career. Howard Webb, Chief Refereeing Officer at Pro Ref, paid tribute to Taylor's contribution to the game both domestically and on the international stage. Taylor had been trusted with some of the biggest fixtures in football for close to two decades, including high-profile European and World Cup assignments. His retirement comes as Pro Ref, formerly known as PGMOL, moves to merge its officials into a single group ahead of the 2026-27 season, marking a moment of transition for English refereeing as one of its most familiar faces steps away from the game.
Spain Reclaim No. 1 Spot as FIFA Releases Post-World Cup Rankings
FIFA released its first official rankings update since the World Cup ended, and the reshuffle at the top tells its own story. Spain jumped back to No. 1 after winning the tournament, moving one place above Argentina, who slip to second despite finishing as runners-up. It's the first time since the World Cup began in 1930 that the top four ranked teams are exactly the four semi-finalists. Spain, Argentina, France and England now occupy the same order in FIFA's list as they did on the pitch. The shakeup goes well beyond the podium. Brazil moved up one place to fifth, and Morocco climbed to sixth, both benefiting from strong tournament runs. Portugal had the opposite experience. Cristiano Ronaldo's side entered the World Cup ranked fifth, but a Round of 16 exit to eventual champions Spain dropped them two spots to seventh, passed by both Brazil and Morocco in the process. Host nations made the biggest ground. Mexico jumped four places into the top ten for the first time since March 2022, while co-hosts the United States rose one spot to 16th. Norway posted the single largest climb anywhere in the rankings, leaping 12 places to 19th after reaching the quarter-finals before losing to England. On the way down, Germany fell out of the top ten entirely, dropping from 10th to 12th. Here is the updated top 20 in the men's rankings, with movement from their pre-tournament position: Rank Team Change 1 Spain +1 2 Argentina -1 3 France — 4 England — 5 Brazil +1 6 Morocco +1 7 Portugal -2 8 Belgium +1 9 Netherlands -1 10 Mexico +4 11 Colombia +2 12 Germany -2 13 Croatia -2 14 Switzerland +5 16 USA +1 17 Japan +1 18 Senegal -3 19 Norway +12 20 Uruguay -4 FIFA's points system rewards results at major tournaments heavily, which explains why a single month of football can move teams so far in either direction. Elimination rounds carry more weight than routine friendlies, so deep tournament runs like Norway's or Mexico's translate directly into ranking jumps, while shock exits like Portugal's or Germany's get punished just as sharply. This is also the last ranking update for a while. FIFA's next official release lands on October 7, 2026 , once the new international window gets underway. Until then, this post-World Cup snapshot stands as the definitive pecking order in men's football, with Spain sitting on top for the first time since April.
Rohit Sharma Becomes First Indian to Score an ODI Century at Lord's
Rohit Sharma answered weeks of retirement talk with a special innings at Lord's. Chasing England's mammoth 387 in the series-deciding third ODI, he smashed 138 off 110 balls, becoming the first Indian man to score an ODI century at the historic ground. Rohit reached his hundred in just 84 balls. He struck 11 fours and 4 sixes along the way, including back-to-back maximums off Josh Tongue that took him into the 90s. He brought up three figures with a four off Adil Rashid. It was his 34th ODI century , and his eighth hundred in England across all formats, the most by any visiting batter in the country. At 39, he also became the oldest Indian batter to score an ODI hundred, and the oldest player of any nationality to reach three figures in an ODI at Lord's. The knock also took him past 1,000 ODI runs against England. Rohit added 147 for the first wicket with captain Shubman Gill , who made 77, before India lost momentum in the middle overs. Despite the century, India fell short, bowled out for 360 in a chase of 388, and lost the match by 27 runs as England sealed the series 2-1. The innings came with the pre-match narrative dominated by questions over his future in the format. For a day at least, Rohit's bat did the talking.
Emiliano Martinez Sets World Cup Final Saves Record Despite Argentina's Defeat
Emiliano Martinez put in a record-breaking display in a losing cause on Sunday. The Argentina goalkeeper made 11 saves in the World Cup final against Spain, the most ever recorded in a final, but it wasn't enough to stop his side losing 1-0 after extra time. Martinez broke the previous record of 8 saves, set in the 1994 final between Brazil and Italy, with his ninth stop late in regulation. Spain dominated possession and peppered his goal throughout, firing 11 shots on target, yet Argentina failed to register a single shot on target of their own in the match. He did it all while carrying a fractured finger on his right hand, an injury he had been managing without surgery through the tournament. His best moments came right at the end of normal time, denying a long-range effort from Nico Williams and then a stoppage-time free-kick from Lamine Yamal to force extra time. The dam finally broke in the 106th minute, when Ferran Torres struck to win it for Spain. Martinez was also the hero of Argentina's 2022 title win, saving a decisive penalty in that final against France. This time, his heroics were not enough to deliver back-to-back titles.
Pau Cubarsi Becomes First-Ever Defender to Win FIFA Young Player Award
Pau Cubarsi made history at the World Cup final whistle. The 19-year-old Spain defender won the FIFA Young Player Award, becoming the first defender to ever take home the prize. Cubarsi started every single one of Spain's eight matches at the back. He helped the team keep seven clean sheets and concede just once all tournament, the tightest defensive record by any champion in World Cup history. That reliability at the back, more than any single moment, is what won him the award. The FIFA Young Player Award goes to the best performer aged 21 or under. It has picked out future superstars before. Kylian Mbappe won it in 2018, Paul Pogba in 2014, and Thomas Muller back in 2010. Cubarsi now joins that list, along with Argentina's Enzo Fernandez, who won it in 2022. He also joins a much smaller club. Cubarsi is only the fifth teenager in World Cup history to win the tournament itself. Coming through Barcelona's academy and into the first team as a teenager, he has already made a habit of skipping steps most defenders take years to reach. For Spain, the award capped a tournament where their youngest players carried as much weight as their most experienced ones. Cubarsi's calm at the back gave the rest of the team room to attack, and FIFA's judges clearly noticed.
Lamine Yamal's Quiet World Cup Still Ends With a Winner's Medal at 19
Lamine Yamal lifted the World Cup on Sunday without ever quite dominating it the way he's dominated everything else in his young career. The Barcelona winger made his World Cup debut this summer as Spain's most hyped attacker, and leaves it as a champion at 19, even though the numbers were modest by his standards. Yamal made seven appearances at this World Cup and scored once, a strike against France in the semi-final that made him Spain's second-youngest ever World Cup scorer, behind only Pele's all-time record. He didn't register an assist all tournament, a quiet return for a player who set up four goals at Euro 2024 two years ago. He came into the tournament managing fitness. A hamstring injury before the World Cup put his opening matches in the group stage in doubt, and he was eased back gradually as Spain progressed. Despite the slow start, Spain didn't need him to carry the attack. They won all eight of their matches and conceded just one goal in the entire tournament, a defensive record that made individual scoring numbers almost secondary. This wasn't Yamal's first taste of major-tournament success. He became the youngest player ever to win a major international trophy when Spain won Euro 2024 the day after his 17th birthday. Now, still a teenager, he adds a World Cup winner's medal to that, becoming a two-time champion with Spain before he's played a single senior tournament where he was the headline scorer. For a player already being talked about as a future Ballon d'Or winner, a World Cup title at 19, even a quiet one statistically, only adds to a résumé that's moving faster than almost anyone in the game's history.
Who Is Ferran Torres? The Super-Sub Who Scored Spain's World Cup-Winning Goal
Ferran Torres came off the bench to become Spain's World Cup hero. The Barcelona forward scored the only goal of the final, a 106th-minute strike that beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time. Torres was born on February 29, 2000, in Foios, a small town near Valencia. He came through Valencia's academy before a big-money move to Manchester City, and later joined Barcelona, where he now plays. He was named Man of the Match for his winning goal in the final. His route to that moment wasn't smooth. Torres has spoken openly about a difficult stretch at Barcelona when he lost form and struggled with confidence, describing it as feeling like "a bottomless pit." He began seeing a psychologist to work through it, and credits that process with turning his career around. He came back to score 11 goals in 2023-24, then 19 the following season, form that helped him force his way back into the Spain squad. At this World Cup, Torres started the final on the bench behind Mikel Oyarzabal. Manager Luis de la Fuente brought him on in the 61st minute, with the game still goalless. Spain and Argentina remained level deep into extra time before Torres finally broke through, arriving at the far post to turn home the winner and send the Spanish bench into celebration. It was Torres's first goal of the tournament, but his third at World Cup level, adding to two he scored back in Qatar in 2022. He now has a Euro 2024 winner's medal and a World Cup winner's medal from Spain's golden run under de la Fuente.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Prize Money: Spain Bank Record $50 Million for Winning the Title
Spain's World Cup triumph came with a record payday. FIFA is handing the champions $50 million in prize money, the largest winner's cheque in the tournament's history. The total prize pool for World Cup 2026 stands at $655 million in performance-based money, part of a wider $727 million package once preparation funds are included. That's a jump of nearly 50% from the $440 million pool at Qatar 2022, driven largely by the expanded 48-team format across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Runners-up Argentina take home $33 million for reaching the final. England, who beat France in the third-place playoff, earn $29 million, with France picking up $27 million for finishing fourth. Every team eliminated at the group stage still walks away with $9 million, and even the earliest-exiting nations were guaranteed money before a ball was kicked. Finish Prize Money Champion (Spain) $50 million Runner-up (Argentina) $33 million Third place (England) $29 million Fourth place (France) $27 million Group stage exit $9 million The money is paid out to national federations rather than directly to players, though players typically receive a share negotiated separately with their federations. For Spain, the $50 million adds a financial exclamation point to a tournament in which they went unbeaten in all eight matches and conceded just once.
Mbappe Finishes as World Cup's All-Time Top Scorer With 22 Goals as Messi Falls Short in Final
Kylian Mbappe finishes the 2026 World Cup as the tournament's all-time top scorer. Lionel Messi went scoreless in Sunday's final, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain, which means Mbappe's tally stands unmatched once the trophy was decided. Mbappe reached the mark with a brace in France's 6-4 win over England in the third-place match, taking his tournament tally to 10 goals. Across this World Cup alone, he scored twice against Senegal, twice against Iraq, twice against Sweden, once against Paraguay, once against Morocco, and twice against England. Add that to 4 goals in 2018 and 8 in 2022, and Mbappe finishes with 22 career World Cup goals, one clear of Messi's 21. Messi had a chance to draw level or retake the record in the final itself. He came into the match on 21 career goals and needed just one more to tie Mbappe, or two to move back in front. Spain's defense, marshalled by a dominant midfield performance from Rodri, kept him quiet all game, and Messi's World Cup story ends on 21. The scoring race also settled the Golden Boot. Mbappe's 10 goals, with 4 assists, means he finishes as the tournament's top scorer outright, his second straight World Cup Golden Boot after also topping the charts in 2022. Between them, Messi and Mbappe have now defined World Cup goalscoring for the best part of a decade. Messi still holds the record for career World Cup assists and remains the only man with a hat-trick in a World Cup final. But for outright goals, the record now belongs to Mbappe, at just 27 years old and with more World Cups likely still ahead of him.
World Cup 2026 Awards: Rodri Wins Golden Ball, Mbappe Takes Golden Boot, Simon Claims Golden Glove
FIFA handed out its individual awards for World Cup 2026 right after Spain's final win over Argentina, and Spain's players swept most of them. Golden Ball (best player): Rodri. Spain's captain anchored the midfield all tournament and was the calm head behind their title run. He beat out Messi and Mbappe, who took silver and bronze respectively, to take the top individual honour. Golden Boot (top scorer): Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman finished with 10 goals and 4 assists, two clear of Messi's 8. He sealed it with a brace in France's third-place win over England, meaning Messi would have needed a hat-trick in the final to catch him. It's Mbappe's second straight Golden Boot, after also winning it in 2022. Golden Glove (best goalkeeper): Unai Simon. The Spain keeper was central to their title, conceding just one goal in the entire tournament, in their group game against Belgium, and keeping seven clean sheets in eight matches. No side has ever won the World Cup while conceding so little. Best Young Player: Pau Cubarsi. The 19-year-old Spain defender was a rock at the back throughout the knockouts and picked up the award given to the standout player born on or after January 1, 2005. He joins past winners like Mbappe and Enzo Fernandez on that list. Fair Play Award: Netherlands. The team award for the tournament's best-behaved side went to the Dutch. Spain's clean sweep of the top individual awards, save for the Golden Boot, underlines just how complete their title run was. They didn't just win the trophy, they set the individual standard almost everywhere else too.
Is This the End? Messi Stays Silent on Argentina Future After World Cup Final Loss
Lionel Messi has not said whether Sunday's World Cup final was his last game for Argentina. At 39, he's stuck to his usual line about taking things one step at a time, and gave no clear answer either way after the 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain. Reports out of the Argentina camp suggest this isn't the end just yet. Journalist Gaston Edul of TyC Sports says Messi is expected to keep playing for the national team, at least through the 2026 Copa America. That would give him one more major tournament in Argentina colours, even though a seventh World Cup in 2030 looks unlikely. Messi would turn 43 partway through that tournament. This is not the first time Messi has stood at this exact crossroads. He announced his retirement from international football back in 2016 after a Copa America final loss to Chile, only to reverse the decision two months later. He also said in 2022 that Qatar would be his last World Cup, before changing his mind and returning for this tournament at 39. Whatever happens next, Messi leaves this World Cup with his numbers intact at the top of the game. He finished as Argentina's talisman once again, with 8 goals and 2 assists in the tournament, behind only Kylian Mbappe's 10 goals in the race for the Golden Boot. Across six World Cups now, Messi has scored 21 goals and set up 8 more for Argentina, numbers no other player in the game's history can match. His club future looks more settled. Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami through the 2028 MLS season. Whether Sunday turns out to be his final World Cup appearance or not, the coming Copa America now carries some extra weight for Argentina fans hoping for one more chapter.
Argentina's Title Defense Ends: Defending Champions Fall to Spain in Final
Argentina's reign as world champions is over. The defending champions lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time in Sunday's final, missing out on the chance to become only the second team ever to win back-to-back World Cups, after Brazil did it in 1958 and 1962. It was a tough way to go out. Argentina held firm for most of the game and kept Spain to just one shot on target through 90 minutes, but a Ferran Torres strike in the 106th minute proved decisive. Things got worse late on when Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a second yellow card, leaving Argentina to see out the rest of the game a man short. The run to the final was anything but smooth. Argentina needed extra time twice in the knockouts, first to beat Cape Verde 3-2 in the Round of 32, then again to see off Switzerland 3-1 in the quarter-final. They also came from behind late to beat Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16 and England 2-1 in the semi-final, showing the same fighting spirit that carried them to the title four years ago. Much of that fight came from Lionel Messi , who finished the tournament with 8 goals, second only to France's Kylian Mbappe on 10. Messi was involved in goals right through the campaign, from a hat-trick in the group stage against Algeria to the late strikes that turned games around against Egypt and Cape Verde. For a squad that has now won a World Cup, a Copa America, and reached back-to-back finals under coach Lionel Scaloni, this loss ends one era even as questions begin about what comes next for a team that has been the benchmark in world football for the best part of a decade.