A grueling, high-stakes battle in the punishing 38°C heat of Philadelphia ended with France securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay to advance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On a night where the weather tested the physical limits of every player on the pitch, it was a single moment of composure from Kylian Mbappé that ultimately cracked open a resilient South American defense.
France vs Paraguay —World Cup: Live score and match stats
Morocco replicated their deep tournament pedigree to march into the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup with a clinical second-half dismantled of co-hosts Canada at the Houston Stadium. Following a feisty and goalless opening 45 minutes defined by tactical tension and a flurry of bookings, the 2022 semi-finalists turned on the style after the interval to register an impressive victory.
Once the group stage ends, the story of the World Cup changes. There is no room for error, only the fight for survival. A pass, a tackle, a mistake or a moment of magic can write history. Dreams built over four years hang in the balance of 90 minutes. Today, four teams step onto the Round of 16 stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — hosts Canada, African surprise package Morocco, European powerhouses France and South American fighters Paraguay. Two matches, four different philosophies, but one goal: a place in the quarter-finals.
With the Round of 32 now finished, the complete picture of the World Cup's Round of 16 has taken shape. Colombia's win over Ghana in the final match of the round sealed the last spot, while Argentina and Egypt also confirmed their places in the last 16 on the same day.
Colombia vs Ghana—World Cup: Live score and match stats
Fairy tales often speak of a kingdom that is difficult to find on any map—surrounded by vast waters, composed of a few fragmented islands, and inhabited by a handful of people whose stories had never been heard. The story of Cape Verde is much like that. Situated in the Atlantic Ocean six hundred kilometers off the coast of West Africa, this nation is formed by ten volcanic islands. It stands as the smallest country by area in the World Cup and the second smallest by population. While it is home to 550,000 people, more than double that number of its children are scattered across various corners of the world, having left their homeland to settle abroad long ago. Much like a prince crossing seven seas and thirteen rivers in search of fortune, the people of Cape Verde crossed country after country—not out of choice, but out of a necessity to survive.
The story begins in 1934 in Italy on a pitch in Naples where Egypt became the first nation from Africa and the Arab world to step onto the World Cup stage. Facing Hungary that day, a young forward named Abdulrahman Fawzi scored a brace to cement his name in history as the first African footballer to score in a World Cup. Despite his heroic performance, Egypt fell to a 4-2 defeat. Under the tournament format of that era, there was no group stage, and play commenced directly in a knockout setup, meaning Egypt's first match was effectively their first Round of 16 experience. Following that single appearance, the Pharaohs faded into obscurity, and their presence vanished from the global football map for decades.
Some players in football history are defined not by trophies, goals or statistics alone. They represent an era, a carrier of an art form. Croatia's Luka Modric is exactly that. In modern football dominated by pace, power and numbers, Modric has repeatedly proven that football is also a game of intellect, vision and beauty.
For decades, football has followed a simple formula: score a goal, provide an assist, and you're the frontrunner for the Player of the Match award. The names on the scoresheet have almost always dominated the spotlight.
Luka Modrić's legendary World Cup journey came to a close during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Croatia exiting the tournament following a hard-fought Round of 32 defeat against Portugal in Toronto, Canada.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first World Cup knockout round goal! And it boosted Portugal to the round of 16. The 41-year-old soccer icon netted the goal in the second half of Portugal’s 2-1 World Cup win over Croatia on Thursday, July 2 at BMO Field in Toronto to advance to the round of 16.