Why Madeira keeps surfacing in Ronaldo and Georgina wedding talk
Funchal is where the story began. After a World Cup exit and a year of engagement headlines, the island rumor machine is loud again. Here is the timeline that actually holds.
World Cup 2026
24 articles
Ronaldo and Georgina wedding rumors swirl again as Madeira reports meet family pushback
The Sun claims a Funchal Cathedral date. Katia Aveiro says there is no date. Here is what is verified, and what is still rumor.
World Cup final smashes US television record as nearly 63 million tune in
Fox's English broadcast alone drew 38.9 million viewers, the most watched soccer telecast in American history, and the combined audience across languages neared 63 million, almost tripling the 2022 final's numbers.
Álvarez wants Atlético exit as club hold firm and July window closes
The Argentina striker told ESPN a transfer is best for everyone after the World Cup win over Austria. Atlético say he stays; Barcelona's July offer is nearly out of time.
Songs over silence: Buenos Aires salutes a beaten Argentina
Spain's 1-0 win in extra time cost Argentina the trophy, but thousands still poured into the Obelisco to thank a side that reached back-to-back finals and, most believe, to say goodbye to Messi at a World Cup.
Ancelotti draws up Brazil's rebuild, and it starts in midfield
Norway knocked Brazil out in the last 16, and Carlo Ancelotti has named midfield as the priority of his new cycle. The CBF are backing their man through 2030.
Klopp edges closer to the Germany job as the Red Bull hurdle clears
Reports say Jurgen Klopp and the DFB have agreed the key terms to make him Germany's next manager, with the Red Bull obstacle now cleared. Klopp reckons it should be done within days.
Lautaro returns to Inter with a runner-up medal and a Scudetto to chase
The Inter captain is back in Milan after Argentina's final defeat to Spain, and with Serie A kicking off on 23 August, the World Cup's leading men are filtering home to clubs that spent the summer watching.
Neymar says his Brazil career is over after Norway knock out the Selecao
Close to tears at MetLife Stadium, Neymar told Globo his Brazil career was finished moments after Norway knocked the Selecao out in the last 16. He bows out as their record scorer, three goals clear of Pele.
Zidane closes in on the France job as the Deschamps era ends
Zinedine Zidane is reported to be on the verge of succeeding Didier Deschamps as France head coach. RMC Sport says a contract is prepared and a signing is expected within days, months after ESPN revealed a verbal agreement. Nothing has been confirmed by the federation.
Messi stops short of a goodbye as his Argentina future stays open
Spain beat Argentina in the final, but Messi has still not announced whether he is done with the national team. Here is what is actually confirmed about the 39-year-old's international future, and what is not.
Spain complete a Euro and World Cup double as a dynasty stirs
Ferran Torres settled a tense final in extra time as Spain beat Argentina 1-0 for a second world title, their first since 2010. With a squad this young, the double under De la Fuente feels like a beginning.
Unai Simon crowned World Cup's best keeper as Spain sweep the awards
The Spain goalkeeper barely had a save to make in Sunday's final, yet the Golden Glove is his. Behind a World Cup built on defensive discipline, Unai Simon completes his country's clean sweep of the individual prizes.
Spain bring the World Cup home to a red and gold Madrid
The world champions landed on Monday to a royal welcome and to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, then took an open-top bus through the capital to Cibeles, the square where Spain's teams have always gone to celebrate.
A centre-back, not a forward: Cubarsi named World Cup's best young player
The 19-year-old Barcelona centre-back saw off his own teammate Lamine Yamal to be named the World Cup's best young player, the reward for a defence that barely gave Argentina a sniff in the final.
Lamine Yamal leads the Ballon d'Or race after Spain's World Cup win
The day after Spain beat Argentina to win the World Cup, the 19-year-old tops the post-final power rankings for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, placed ahead of Messi, Kane, Dembele and Mbappe.
Mbappe wins back-to-back World Cup Golden Boots as Messi falls short
The France captain finishes the World Cup on 10 goals to become the first player ever to top the scoring charts at two tournaments in a row, with Lionel Messi second on eight after a blank in the final.
Rodri pips Messi to the World Cup Golden Ball without scoring a goal
The Manchester City midfielder took best player at World Cup 2026 with no goals and no assists, edging Lionel Messi and his eight goals in the tournament's most argued verdict. Spain swept the individual prizes.
Spain complete the double as Yamal is crowned a champion at 19
Ferran Torres struck in the 106th minute as Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium. Luis de la Fuente's side add the World Cup to their European crown, with Lamine Yamal a champion at 19.
No farewell fairytale for Messi as Spain end Argentina's reign
Argentina came to defend their crown and left without a single shot on target. Spain won 1-0 after extra time, and Lionel Messi's likely last World Cup ended without the trophy and without the Golden Boot, lost to Kylian Mbappe.
12 shots on target to nil: Spain's numbers overwhelm Argentina in the final
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time to win a second World Cup, and the data was brutal: 65% possession, 762 passes to 358, and 12 shots on target to none. Ferran Torres decided it in the 106th minute.
Rodri's grip, Yamal's width: how Spain suffocated Argentina in the final
Spain kept the ball, closed every gap and left the holders without a single shot on target. A tactical breakdown of how de la Fuente's side controlled the final and starved Messi.
Spain crowned world champions as Ferran Torres strikes in extra time
Luis de la Fuente's side beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium, Ferran Torres finishing off a Nico Williams header to seal Spain's second world title and a Euro and World Cup double.
Messi enters football's billionaires' club, but the numbers are contested
Forbes now values Lionel Messi at around $1.1bn, putting him alongside Cristiano Ronaldo as the only footballers near the billion mark. Other estimates run lower. Here is how he got there.