Spain captain Rodri is bracing for a “physical” battle with reigning champions Argentina when the two sides collide in the World Cup final on Sunday. Rodri told a packed press conference in Manhattan that Spain will aim to ignore any possible “provocations” by their South American opponents and instead concentrate on imposing Spain’s gameplan. Rodri, […]
Rob Woollard
Posted inSoccer America Daily
Master and apprentice as Spain, Argentina coaches meet in World Cup final
Master will take on apprentice when Spain coach Luis de la Fuente lines up against his former student, Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni, in the World Cup final on Sunday. Nine years ago, Scaloni was just another former professional player pursuing a career in coaching, studying for his pro license at the Spanish football federation’s training center […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily
France, England prepare for gloomy World Cup send-off
France and England will bid a gloomy farewell to the World Cup on Saturday when they face each other in the dreaded third-place play-off in Miami. Both teams head to Florida still raw from semi-final defeats that have left both footballing nations licking wounds, which, in the eyes of many, were largely self-inflicted. France, the […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily
France fireworks fizzle as Spain advance to World Cup final
France arrived in the World Cup semi-finals hailed as the most scintillating attacking force to grace the tournament since Brazil’s fabled 1982 side. But like Zico, Eder, Falcao and Socrates before them, Kylian Mbappe and company found out the hard way that dazzling football is no guarantee of survival. A hitherto sparkling French campaign full […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily
Birthday boy Yamal stands by ‘no fear’ comment ahead of France clash
Lamine Yamal insisted on Monday he would take no fear into Spain’s World Cup semi-final against France as he celebrated his 19th birthday. The Barcelona prodigy raised eyebrows following Spain’s 2-1 quarter-final defeat of Belgium last week after being quoted as saying that France rather than Spain ought to be “afraid” given recent defeats against […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily
‘VAR-gentina?’: conspiracy theories swirl ahead of World Cup semifinals
Lionel Messi’s brilliance has helped carry Argentina into a blockbuster World Cup semi-final with England in Atlanta on Wednesday. But the defending champions’ journey to the last four has been engulfed by online conspiracy theories claiming — without evidence — that the playing field has been tilted in their favour. Social media is awash with […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily
Cape Verde targeting World Cup knockout rounds after Uruguay draw: coach
Cape Verde coach Bubista said his team are targeting a place in the World Cup knockout rounds after battling to a 2-2 draw with Uruguay in the latest stop of their fairytale campaign on Sunday. The World Cup debutants from the tiny Atlantic archipelago are now within touching distance of the last 32 after following […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily
Messi salutes ‘beautiful moment’ after tying World Cup goals record
Lionel Messi saluted a “beautiful moment” after becoming the World Cup’s joint all-time leading goalscorer in his record-breaking sixth finals appearance on Tuesday. The 38-year-old Argentina captain etched another memorable chapter in his glittering career with a brilliant hat-trick in the South Americans’ 3-0 win over Algeria at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium. Messi’s hat-trick — […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily
USA with all to prove in World Cup Group D
The United States head into World Cup Group D with everything to prove after a turbulent build-up marked by an unconvincing run of form that saw them comfortably beaten by elite European opposition in their two most recent friendlies. A 5-2 thrashing by Belgium in March was followed by a clinical 2-0 defeat to Portugal, […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily
World Cup nears kickoff after pre-tournament turbulence
The World Cup kicks off on Thursday with FIFA betting that the enduring appeal of the greatest footballing show on earth can rise above anger at soaring ticket prices, an uneasy political climate in Donald Trump’s America and the shadow of conflict in the Middle East.