Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, savoured a “beautiful moment” after becoming the World Cup’s joint all-time leading goalscorer on Wednesday, but said, “ultimately, it is just a statistic, nothing more”. The 38-year-old forward etched another memorable chapter in his glittering career…

Football has always possessed a unique ability to transform ordinary lives into extraordinary stories, and at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, that transformation happened in real time. Just two days ago, Josimar Dias was known mainly to Cape Verdean football…

Lionel Messi’s hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday further strengthened his record in football’s biggest tournament. The Argentina and Inter Miami captain equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of…

Lionel Messi has explained why he broke down in tears after scoring Argentina’s opening goal in their 3-0 victory over Algeria. The Argentina captain on Wednesday delivered a masterclass performance with a hat trick as defending champions defeated the North…

Lionel Messi has once again proven that age is just a number with his masterclass display against Algeria in their opening Group J match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup The Argentina captain delivered a record-breaking performance to inspire the…

Erling Haaland struck his first World Cup goals as Norway beat Iraq 4-1 on Tuesday in their first game at a major tournament in 26 years. The Manchester City striker turned in from close range to give Norway the lead…

Lionel Messi opened his record-breaking sixth World Cup with a hat-trick to become the tournament’s joint all-time top scorer on Tuesday as holders Argentina launched their bid for back-to-back titles with a dazzling 3-0 rout of Algeria. On a magical…

Abua, Khadijat advance at CBN Tennis Championship Top seed Abua Canice on Tuesday advanced to the round of 16 of the ongoing 47th Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Tennis Championship after defeating 11th seed Sani Musa in straight sets, 6-4,…

The race for a place in the 2026 President Federation Cup final reaches a crucial stage on Wednesday as Ikorodu City face Nasarawa United while Wikki Tourists battle El-Kanemi Warriors in the semi-finals, The PUNCH reports. Former champions El-Kanemi Warriors…

Valencia striker Sadiq Umar has said he is considering retiring from international football following his continued absence from the Super Eagles under coach Eric Chelle, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The 29-year-old has not featured for Nigeria since November 2024 and…

Beşiktaş have begun searching for a possible replacement for Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi amid growing uncertainty over his future at the Turkish club, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Ndidi only joined the Istanbul giants from Leicester City in August 2025…

Football icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are set to make history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by becoming the first players to actively participate in six editions of the tournament, while Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa joins them as…

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has admitted that he still misses life with the Nigerian national team months after bringing the curtain down on his international career, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Troost-Ekong retired from international football in December 2025…

Nigeria defender Kenneth Omeruo has reflected on his first FIFA World Cup experience with Nigeria, describing the atmosphere and occasion as one of the most unforgettable moments of his career, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Speaking while on punditry duty with…

France made a winning start in Group I of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Senegal in a match that came alive in the second half. The opening 45 minutes ended goalless, but it was far…