Football/Soccer 8-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 4, 2026, 2:03 PM ET
International Friendlies
World champions Argentina demolished a makeshift Burkina Faso side 7-0 in Buenos Aires. The result was a comprehensive warm-up for Lionel Scaloni’s squad. Across the Atlantic, the United States humbled Mexico 3-0, with Mexico coach Rafael Márquez bemoaning his side’s “terrible mistakes.” The match was headlined by 17-year-old phenom Cavan Sullivan, who became the youngest USMNT scorer ever with a stunning goal. Sullivan and Julian Hall earned 9/10 ratings for their performances, with analysts declaring the youngster has arrived as a national team star.
England inflicted a historic 7-0 defeat on Croatia, leaving captain Luka Modric “ashamed” and calling it a “catastrophic night.” Modric said he felt ashamed for the first time in his legendary national team career. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente expressed disbelief over Lamine Yamal’s scoring streak, praising the teenager’s “legendary potential.” France boss Zinedine Zidane said he will make “smart changes” for their upcoming clash with Belgium.
Domestic Football
Gateshead have sacked manager Lee Cattermole after a poor start to the National League season. In Scotland, the Tartan Army gave a mixed reaction to Scotland’s 2-0 win in Skopje, with some calling it a “promising start” and others a “shocking” display. The Scottish Football Podcast highlighted who caught the eye in manager David Pocognoli’s first win.
In the WSL, Chelsea went top of the table as London City thrashed Spurs. The NWSL saw Brecken Mozingo score a late stoppage-time equalizer for Utah Royals in a 1-1 draw, while Debinha hit a hat trick and USWNT’s Lynn Wilson saw red.
Transfer Market
Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich are all chasing Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz, according to transfer rumors.
Ballon d’Or
The 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist has been whittled down, with Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, and Harry Kane emerging as the top contenders in the post-Messi-Ronaldo era.