Football/Soccer 3 Days

Last updated: July 17, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

World Cup Semifinal Drama and Final Preparations

Argentina has advanced to the World Cup final after a dramatic 2-1 semifinal victory over England. Lionel Messi provided the decisive assist in stoppage time, earning him a player rating of 9/10. Despite the win, manager Lionel Scaloni defended his team's performance, stating Argentina "not as bad" as critics suggest. England captain Harry Kane admitted that trying to hold onto a 1-0 lead "backfired" against Argentina's late surge admitted that trying to hold on. The match, which saw Jude Bellingham slap an Argentina substitute after the final whistle, attracted an audience of 24 million viewers on the BBC attracted an audience of 24 million. Spain, meanwhile, booked their place in the final by defeating France 2-0, with manager Luis de la Fuente stating his team is "feeling unbeatable". France's head coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged his team was not technically sound enough to beat Spain acknowledged his team was not technically sound. The World Cup final will feature Donald Trump presenting the trophy to the winners.

England's Post-Mortem and Transfer Speculation

Following their World Cup semifinal exit, England's performance is under intense scrutiny. Captain Harry Kane stated the team is "missing that final piece of the jigsaw" and needs to "find a way to get better" stated the team is "missing that final piece". Manager Thomas Tuchel, however, retains the backing of the Football Association retains the backing of the Football Association and has blamed English football's "DNA" for the team's struggles. Gary Neville, however, suggested that England have had the same issues for years and he never expected them to win the tournament. The World Cup's third-place play-off between England and France will be shown live on BBC TV. In transfer news, Arsenal are accelerating their pursuit of Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers and have agreed a deal for Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis. Manchester United continue to be active in the transfer window, adapting their plans and expecting more signings.

Other Football News and Club Signings

Chris Wilder has extended his contract as Sheffield United manager until the summer of 2028. Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson is relishing a test against Manchester United, though United will be without several World Cup players. Reports suggest that Serbian midfielder Dragojevic is close to completing a switch to Rangers close to completing a switch. Arsenal will assess William Saliba's back injury, with surgery being an option. Nottingham Forest are reportedly set to make a £45 million offer for Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall. Coventry City has signed Eintracht Frankfurt defender Aurele Amenda for over £17 million. Former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has signed for Fenerbahçe signed for Fenerbahçe.

Rugby and Other Sports Updates

The rivalry between England and Argentina continues on the rugby field, with the nations meeting in the Nations Championship in Santiago del Estero meeting in the Nations Championship. England captain Jamie George will lead an unchanged XV against Argentina. In boxing, Amanda Serrano will defend her world titles against Lucrecia Manzur in a fight being shown on TikTok. Conor Benn is set to challenge Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas on September 12. In cricket, Joe Root's unbeaten 99 helped England secure a thrilling four-wicket win to level the one-day international series against India. Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes should be further ahead in the Drivers' Championship. Lando Norris will take a 10-place grid penalty at the Belgian Grand Prix.