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Reports, analysis and guides from our coverage
Gilberto Mora, Mexico's 17-year-old gem and the youngest player at the 2026 World Cup
At just 17, Gilberto Mora was the youngest player at the 2026 World Cup and one of Mexican football's brightest hopes. The midfielder played minutes for the host nation in a tournament that served as his global introduction and that looks like the first chapter of a great career. We review Mexico's gem.
The most-watched World Cup ever: a record stadium attendance in 2026
The 2026 World Cup was not only the biggest by number of nations but also the best attended. With 16 stadiums across the United States, Mexico and Canada and 104 matches, the tournament shattered attendance records, comfortably surpassing the marks of the 1994 World Cup. We look at the figures of a championship built on a grand scale.
Cape Verde, the great sensation of the 2026 World Cup: a debut for the history books
In their first appearance at a World Cup, Cape Verde became one of the finest stories of the 2026 tournament. The small African side held eventual champions Spain to a 0-0 draw and drew 2-2 with Uruguay, with a towering Vózinha in goal, to reach the round of 32 on their debut. We review the feat of the Blue Sharks.
Argentina's future after the final: the Messi question and a generation still very much alive
The defeat in the 2026 World Cup final leaves Argentina with one big question: the future of Lionel Messi with the national team. But beyond the captain, the Albiceleste reached their second consecutive final with a core of players in their prime —Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández, Mac Allister— that guarantees Scaloni's cycle is not over. We analyse what lies ahead for the runners-up.
Spain 2010 vs Spain 2026: two generations, two stars, one dream
Sixteen years separate Spain's two World Cups, but the same sense of glory unites them. In 2010, an Iniesta goal in extra time against the Netherlands brought the first star; in 2026, it was Ferran Torres, also in extra time, who sank Argentina. We compare the two champion generations of Spanish football.
Luis de la Fuente, the coach who strung together the Euros and the World Cup with Spain
Behind the best generation in Spanish football is a coach who has known how to lead it. Luis de la Fuente won the 2026 World Cup two years after winning Euro 2024, a double within reach of very few managers in history. We review the keys of the coach who returned Spain to the summit of the world.