… ” he said, when he backed eventual winner Ousmane Dembélé. “I think this year is a bit more complicated … Harry Kane, it’s not me, but the best player in Germany last year was Michael Olise.” “If you ask people in England who had the best World Cup, they would say Jude Bellingham …
… Martinez made amends at the end of the first half with a double save to keep out Mbappe and Jude Bellingham before the post came to Inter’s rescue. …
… after returning from an international break,” Mourinho explained. “So it does worry me, but this is the way these things are and we can’t do much about it.” The Portuguese has already spoken at length about the World Cup players in his Real Madrid squad, including Jude Bellingham …
England midfielder Jude Bellingham scored a stylish goal to help Real Madrid beat Malaga in La Liga as returning boss Jose Mourinho racked up a third win in a row. …
… Mourinho’s Madrid made it two wins from two, with Vinicius Junior also on the score sheet, while Jude Bellingham provided two assists as the star trio picked apart their Basque visitors. …
… Mourinho’s side had to be patient against a stubborn Real Sociedad but their quality ultimately told, with Mbappe producing three brilliant finishes while Jude Bellingham got two assists, also setting up Vinicius Jr for the third. …
… The 19-year-old winger has signed a seven-year contract and his price tag could surpass the £115m (133.9m euros) Real agreed to pay Borussia Dortmund for Jude Bellingham in June 2023. …
… If those bonuses are achieved, the deal would represent a record transfer for Madrid, eclipsing what was paid for Jude Bellingham in 2023 and Eden Hazard in 2019. …
Lionel Messi scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami in a 2-0 Campeones Cup victory, prompting co-owner David Beckham to say the 39-year-old Argentine deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Messi, who has been nominated for the award, scored eight goals and registered four assists as Argentina reached the World Cup final.
Lionel Messi scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami in a 2-0 Campeones Cup victory, prompting co-owner David Beckham to say the 39-year-old Argentine deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Messi, who has been nominated for the award, scored eight goals and registered four assists as Argentina reached the World Cup final.
Thierry Henry has backed Kylian Mbappé to win the Ballon d'Or over Harry Kane, citing Mbappé's 25 goals in LaLiga and 15 in the Champions League last season. He also named Bayern Munich's Michael Olise as a strong candidate, ahead of Kane despite Kane's 36 Bundesliga goals.
Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in Real Madrid's victory over Inter Milan, moving joint-fifth on the all-time Champions League and European Cup goalscorers list with 71 goals in 99 appearances.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho expressed concern about September's extended three-week international break, particularly about players joining national teams but not receiving playing time. The break, part of FIFA's revised international calendar for the 2026-27 season, will replace the traditional separate September and October breaks, allowing countries to play four international matches instead of two.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham scored in the 19th minute to help Real Madrid defeat Malaga 4-0 in La Liga, extending Jose Mourinho's winning streak to three consecutive victories. Bellingham's goal came after he dribbled past three defenders from 35 yards out, and he was involved in Real's second goal as well.
Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad in La Liga, marking Jose Mourinho's second match in his second stint as coach. Mourinho has won his first two matches in charge, beginning with a 2-1 victory at Espanyol.
Jose Mourinho's first competitive match of his second spell as Real Madrid manager ended with a thrilling 90th-minute winner from debutant Carlos Espi against Espanyol, after Jude Bellingham had given Real an early lead but Espanyol equalized in the 30th minute.
Real Madrid have signed 19-year-old Ivorian winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig for a fee worth up to £120m on a seven-year contract. If the full fee is paid, Diomande would become the fourth most expensive player in history and the most expensive African player.
Real Madrid have signed 19-year-old Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig on a seven-year contract. According to ESPN, Madrid will pay €125 million plus up to €15 million in bonuses, potentially making it a record transfer for the club.
Real Madrid have signed 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig for a fee worth up to £120m on a seven-year contract. If the full amount is paid, Diomande would become the most expensive African player and the fourth most expensive player in history.
Chelsea have completed the signing of Strasbourg midfielder Valentin Barco on a seven-year deal, making him the sixth summer signing. The 21-year-old Argentine midfielder is the second player Chelsea has recruited from Strasbourg this summer, part of a pattern of 13 deals between the clubs since last season.
Real Madrid have reached agreement on personal terms with 19-year-old Ivory Coast international Yan Diomande after Paris Saint-Germain withdrew from negotiations. Real Madrid are expected to pay more than £100 million to secure the winger from RB Leipzig.
RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, a 19-year-old Ivory Coast international, has agreed personal terms with Real Madrid after PSG withdrew their interest. Real will pay more than £100m for the player, whose contract is modelled on Jude Bellingham's terms with performance incentives.
Kylian Mbappe won the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot after scoring 10 goals, finishing ahead of Lionel Messi's eight. The Real Madrid forward is now the top scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals across three tournaments.
During the World Cup in the US, former England captain David Beckham has dominated off-the-pitch marketing, fronting advertising campaigns for 11 brands including McDonald's, Major League Soccer, and Bank of America. Marketing experts attribute his prominence to his broad appeal across demographics and his authentic, down-to-earth persona that translates across football, fashion, entertainment, and business.
England secured third place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after beating France 6-4 in a bronze-medal playoff in Miami, with Bukayo Saka scoring a hat-trick and Jude Bellingham setting a new England World Cup scoring record.
Kylian Mbappe won the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup with 10 goals in eight games, becoming the first player to win the award twice and extending his men's World Cup all-time top scorer record to 22 goals.
Jude Bellingham became the first Englishman to score seven goals at a single World Cup, breaking the previous record of six held by Gary Lineker and Harry Kane. The Real Madrid midfielder scored in a 6-4 win over France in the third-place play-off.
England defeated France in the FIFA World Cup 2026 bronze final at Miami Stadium, with Bukayo Saka scoring a hat-trick and Jude Bellingham securing victory as France mounted a comeback inspired by Kylian Mbappe.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham could face FIFA disciplinary review after appearing to strike Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head following England's 2-1 defeat in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals. If found guilty of violent conduct, Bellingham risks missing England's third-place play-off against France.
Jude Bellingham could face FIFA disciplinary review after appearing to strike Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head following England's 2-1 semi-final defeat in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. If found guilty of violent conduct, the Real Madrid midfielder risks missing England's third-place play-off against France.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham slapped Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head following England's 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat, sparking a small melee between players. Bellingham could face Fifa disciplinary action for violent conduct, though the incident may be classified as petulant rather than violent.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham slapped Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head after England's 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat, sparking a brief melee. Bellingham could face FIFA disciplinary action, though the incident may be classified as petulant rather than violent conduct.
England led 1-0 against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final but manager Thomas Tuchel switched to a defensive approach; Argentina scored twice in the final minutes through Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez to eliminate England. England had only 12% possession after taking the lead and introduced defenders rather than forwards.
England led 1-0 against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final but conceded two goals in the 85th and 92nd minutes after manager Thomas Tuchel switched to a defensive approach, with the team holding only 12% possession after taking the lead. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez noted the momentum shift as England brought on defensive players rather than pushing forward.
Jude Bellingham slapped Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head after England's 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat. Bellingham could face Fifa disciplinary action for the incident, though it may be considered petulant rather than violent conduct.
Jude Bellingham slapped Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head following England's 2-1 World Cup semi-final loss. Bellingham could face FIFA disciplinary action for violent conduct, though the governing body may view the act as petulant rather than violent.
England bid to end Lionel Messi's dream of winning back-to-back World Cups and reach their first final in six decades as they face holders Argentina in a World Cup semifinal. The match marks the first competitive meeting between the sides since 2002 and the first time Messi has ever played against England.
England captain Harry Kane says the team "have another level we can reach" as they prepare for a World Cup semi-final against Argentina on Wednesday, with manager Thomas Tuchel seeking the performance level he sees in training after England's sloppy 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway.