Football/Soccer 24 Hours

Last updated: July 18, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

World Cup Final Showdown and Tournament Reflections

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will pit a veteran magician against a rising star as Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal. Yamal has a chance to claim the crown, while Messi looks to retain it. For fans just tuning in, highlights of the tournament so far have included Messi's heroics and underdog upsets. The final is expected to draw an estimated 1.5 billion viewers worldwide, with fans tuning in from even the. Spain, reaching the final for only the second time in their history, are to overcome Argentina, with Rodri highlighting the team's growth. Meanwhile, the use of player emotes in video lineups has been a notable feature of the 2026 tournament, with in the group stage alone. Questions have also been raised about the choice of Met Life Stadium as the venue for the final, with its suitability debated.

Team News and Transfer Buzz

Mauricio Pochettino is set to on his future with the United States national team next week. In club news, Andrey Santos has been included in the Manchester United squad for their pre-season friendly against Wrexham, potentially marking his. Transfer rumors continue to swirl, with reports suggesting that Argentina defender Cristian Romero is, attracting interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid. Arsenal are reportedly preparing an offer for Aston Villa defender Konsa, and are also accelerating their pursuit of Morgan Rogers as part of transfer gossip. In other transfer news, winger becomes a key target for Celtic, with Aberdeen seeing comings and goings and Motherwell agreeing a deal to sell a winger as reported in gossip columns. Kelechi Iheanacho has rejected a new contract with Celtic and will join Bursaspor, while former loanee Marcelo Saracchi has given up on a return to the Scottish champions as detailed in reports. Hearts have announced the departure of goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow and the arrival of Beau Reus. Leeds United have signed defender Tarik Muharemovic for £34.1m from Sassuolo in a club deal. Birmingham City have signed Canada international Marie Levasseur as a new WSL player.

Player Performances and International Futures

Lionel Messi has been lauded not only as the greatest soccer player ever but also as the. Spain's defensive strength is being highlighted as a key factor in their World Cup success, with their style proving effective. England manager Thomas Tuchel has defended his tactical decisions following their semi-final defeat to Argentina, calling the loss a "scar we carry now" in a tense press conference. Former Spain international Joan Capdevila has appealed to US President Donald Trump for help after reportedly being denied a travel permit to enter the United States for the World Cup final. US President Donald Trump has also weighed in on England's tactics, questioning Harry Kane's second-half role in their semi-final loss to Argentina as reported by BBC Sport.

Other Sporting Headlines

In rugby, a ruthless All Blacks display saw them emphatically beat Ireland 40-21 at Eden Park, ensuring they. Rugby captain Jamie George has stated he will lead the England team off the pitch against the Pumas if racial abuse recurs during the match. In Formula, Lewis Hamilton is hopeful Ferrari can close their deficit at the Belgian Grand Prix, admitting the team's gap in practice was "bigger than anticipated". Kimi Antonelli was the fastest in practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, while Russell struggled in initial sessions. Max Verstappen topped the timesheets in the first practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, with Mercedes showing a lack of pace as reported by Sky Sports. Hamilton and Leclerc avoided grid penalties at Spa, though Ferrari was fined for a tyre error. In golf, Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns equalled history by shooting a '62 round' at The 154th Open, joining an exclusive club of players to achieve this feat in a men's major as detailed by Sky Sports. Rory McIlroy plans an aggressive strategy, including using his driver frequently, to climb back into contention at The 154th Open as he revealed. In darts, Luke Humphries is targeting a "dream draw" against Luke Littler in the World Matchplay final as he stated. In cricket, Blaze secured the Women's T20 Blast title with a dominant 10-wicket victory over Durham, thanks to a strong partnership between Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Bryce. In boxing, promoter Dr Ezekiel Adamu believes an Anthony Joshua vs Moses Itauma fight in Nigeria would generate more global interest than Muhammad Ali's 'Rumble in the Jungle' as he claimed.