Argentina and Lionel Messi face Murat Yakin's Switzerland in what promises to be a sterner test for the defending champions than any they have encountered so far in the tournament.

"I really can't stand it when my four leaders are called 'veterans'. It is ugly. It is awful," Belgium coach Rudi Garcia had said a few days ago during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Lamine Yamal said if Spain wins the World Cup, nobody will care about his failure to score, after the teen superstar was again absent from the scoresheet in his side's 2-1 quarter-final win over Belgium on Saturday.

Thibaut Courtois rallied behind Belgium substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens on Saturday after the Manchester United stopper's agonising late blunder gifted Spain a 2-1 victory in their World Cup quarterfinal.

Mikel Merino, who smashed in the World Cup quarterfinal winner against Belgium in the 88th minute on Saturday, said it was "surreal" to have scored a late winner in two straight knockout games for Spain.

Jannik Sinner hailed Novak Djokovic as a "true inspiration" as the defending Wimbledon champion revealed he had to raise his game to end his rival's title bid on Friday.

Mikel Merino is becoming the player who finds the net exactly when Spain need him most, and the substitute did it for a second straight knockout tie as La Roja beat Belgium 2-1 in a World Cup quarterfinal in Los Angeles today.

Super sub Mikel Merino broke Belgian hearts and sent Spain through to a World Cup semi-final against France with a late goal in a gripping 2-1 win on Friday.

Speaking on German broadcaster Magenta TV while covering the FIFA World Cup, Klopp recalled the elaborate efforts Liverpool made to convince the then-teenage French forward and his family to choose Anfield over Paris Saint-Germain.

Coming into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, France were always tipped as the team to beat.

Will Spain continue to impress or can the Belgians stun them to make the semis?

The five-time world champions were knocked out by upstarts Norway in a shock 2-1 Round of 16 rout.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner ended Novak Djokovic's latest bid to claim a record 25th Grand Slam title in ruthless fashion with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win to reach the Wimbledon final on Friday.

Mbappe is a competitive beast that simply refuses to be contained, and at this point the World Cup is fast becoming entirely synonymous with the French superstar.

Portugal appointed Jorge Jesus as their new national team coach on Friday and he said he would continue to call on veteran superstar Cristiano Ronaldo if he is available, insisting the forward will "never" be a problem.

Alexander Zverev ended the fairytale Wimbledon run of Briton Arthur Fery with a 7-6(0), 6-2, 6-4 win on Friday to reach the final, where he will have an opportunity to win back-to-back Grand Slam trophies after his French Open success.

Waving flags, singing patriotic songs and carrying banners proclaiming "Egypt's men made us proud", thousands of supporters welcomed Egypt's national football team home on Friday after the Pharaohs produced the finest World Cup campaign in the country's history.

Coach Rudi Garcia said "everyone" expects his Belgium team to be eliminated by Spain in Friday's World Cup quarter-final, but backed his side to pull off a famous victory.

"I am not fully sure whether they were a bit complacent after going there following wins against some formidable opponents. Another important factor, I think, was that the conditions were a bit challenging and they could not figure out how to adjust to them," chief selector Habibul Bashar explained.

Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League will open its season this year in Chennai -- the first foreign cricket league to play in the huge Indian market.