FIFA World Cup 2026 - players.bio

Goalkeeper Kobel hails ‘huge achievement’ as Swiss set up Argentina showdown

VANCOUVER: Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel praised his side’s “incredible, incredible achievement” after their 4-3 penalty shoot-out win over Colombia in Vancouver on Tuesday took them into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years. The Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper, playing at his first World Cup, kept out Cucho Hernandez’s spot-kick with a stunning save to his right to take the Swiss into a meeting with defending champions Argentina after three straight exits in the last 16. “I don’t think you can overstate what a huge achievement this is for us, for this team, for ‌Switzerland,” said ‌Kobel. “For such a small country to be among the top ‌eight ⁠teams in the ⁠world in the biggest sport on the planet is unbelievable. “I’m incredibly happy for every individual, for the supporters, for everyone who gets to experience a moment like this. “And when I think about all the lads who’ve been part of this team for years, and all the people who are here today, it’s impossible to put into words. “You can’t praise it highly enough. It’s an amazing feeling and an incredible, incredible achievement.”

World Cup quarterfinals feature soccer powerhouses from Argentina and Spain to France and England

WASHINGTON: Eight teams are left in the World Cup, and the quarterfinals feature the top four countries in FIFA’s pretournament men’s world rankings plus two others in the top 10. France look like a juggernaut and are the betting favorite at just under 2-1, followed by Spain and defending champion Argentina at 7-2 and England at 9-2. Norway are 14-1, while Belgium, Switzerland and Morocco are 28-1. All games are airing in the US on Fox and Peacock in English and in Telemundo in Spanish. France vs. Morocco When: Thursday, 4 p.m.

Dalic quits after ‘incredible era’ as Croatia coach

ZAGREB: Croatia’s most successful football coach, Zlatko Dalic, resigned on Wednesday, ending a tenure that included taking the team to the 2018 World Cup final. “As much as I still feel the ambition and desire to achieve new successes with Croatia, I feel that this is the right moment to bring this incredible era to a close,” he said in a statement. “I am leaving with a full heart and proud that I have made my contribution to the greatest achievements in the history of Croatian football,” the 59-year-old added. Dalic took over as coach in October 2017. Apart from their final defeat in Russia, where Croatia, led by Luka Modric, lost to France, Dalic guided the nation to the 2022 Qatar World Cup semifinals and the Euro 2020 last 16. “Zlatko’s name will remain forever written in golden letters in the history of Croatian football,” Croatian Football Federation (HSN) head Marijan Kustic said. Croatia failed to move into the last 16 of this year’s World Cup, losing 2-1 in a gripping match against Portugal earlier this month. Local media are tipping former national coach Slaven Bilic as Dalic’s likely successor. Bilic, 57, led Croatia from 2006-12. He recorded a higher winning percentage than Dalic, with 42 victories, 15 draws and eight defeats in 65 matches but his best performance in a major tournament was to reach the quarterfinals of the 2008 Euros where Croatia lost on penalties to Turkiye. Bilic was a defender who played 44 times for Croatia.

Egypt file complaint against referee after controversial World Cup exit

ATLANTA: The Egyptian football federation said Wednesday it had asked for the officiating team who handled the Pharoahs loss 3-2 last-16 to Argentina to be thrown out of the World Cup. “Hany Aburida, President of the Egyptian Football Federation, filed a complaint with FIFA, demanding an investigation into the French referee Francois Letexier … after the serious refereeing mistakes committed by the team of referees and double standards, which caused the Egypt team to lose the match and leave the World Cup,” said a statement from the federation. On Tuesday evening, Letexes ruled out a Mostafa Ziko goal ruled out when they were leading 1-0 after VAR intervened to spot a foul on Lisandro Martinez much earlier in the move. A few minutes later, Ziko did put Egyptian 2-0 up and on the brink of a place in the last eight for the first time but there was further controversy in added time, after Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi had brought the champions level. In the build-up to Argentina’s winner scored by Enzo Fernandez, Egypt believe they should have instead been awarded a penalty for a pull by Alexis Mac Allister on Hamdy Fathy. “Aburida demanded the investigation of the entire team of referees, including the video technology referees, because of the blatant errors and insisting on not reviewing some of the footage that we believe are in favor of the Egyptian national team, and we see in it the Pharaohs’ right to a correct goal and a penalty,” said the Egyptian statement. It added that the president had also “demanded the exclusion of the referee and the entire crew from the World Cup after investigating these mistakes and proving the crime of discrimination against the Egyptian national team.” The statement echoed remarks by

Switzerland beat Colombia on penalties to reach World Cup quarter-finals

VANCOUVER: Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw on Tuesday to set up a World Cup quarter-final with defending champions Argentina. The two teams canceled each other out in the final game of the last 16 — the game in Vancouver was also the last at the 2026 tournament to be played outside the United States. Colombia’s Davinson Sanchez hit the bar in a nerve-wracking shootout but Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji ballooned his effort over, meaning it was all square again. Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel then regained the initiative for his team, brilliantly saving Cucho Hernandez’s effort. After two more successful kicks, Ruben Vargas stepped up to take the decisive penalty and made no mistake. It is the first time Switzerland have reached the last eight of the World Cup since they hosted the tournament in 1954. Victorious captain Granit Xhaka said the current generation of players was a “special one.” “We, the more experienced players, are being pushed by the younger ones, and at the same time we have to lead by example every single day and every single game,” Xhaka told Swiss broadcaster SRF. “Of course, we try to pass on our experience, but above all the mentality that, even as a small nation, anything is possible at this level, in elite football. “From the coaching staff to the last player, we can all be proud of what we’ve achieved.”

‘History made’: Egyptian pride despite World Cup heartbreak

CAIRO: As Egypt bowed out of the World Cup with a dramatic 3-2 defeat to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina in the last 16 on Tuesday, supporters in Cairo rose to applaud a team that had taken the country further than ever before. “We’re heartbroken because we believed we could go even further,” said Ismail Fawzy, 39, who watched the match with hundreds of supporters at a cafe in Cairo’s eastern Heliopolis district. “But when you think about everything this team has done, you can only be proud. They gave us memories we’ll never forget. “Yes, we lost, but history has already been made,” he told AFP. For the first time in a World Cup, Egypt won a match, advanced beyond the group stage and progressed through the first knockout round, in the process rewriting the nation’s footballing history. In the Heliopolis cafe, emotions swung between disappointment and pride after Argentina fought back late from two goals down to win.

Two US soccer team staff members suspended by FIFA for Belgium World Cup game

FLORIDA, USA: Two staff members of the US soccer team were suspended by FIFA from Monday’s round of 16 game against Belgium. FIFA did not explain why they imposed the discipline on team manager Sam Zapatka and US Soccer Federation vice president of security Frank Pannell. The USSF did not give a reason Tuesday other than to say it was not related to the successful effort to have forward Folarin Balogun’s one-game, red-card suspension lifted. Zapatka has been the team’s administrative manager since 2020 and has worked for the USSF since 2015. The US were eliminated from the World Cup with a 4-1 loss to Belgium.

FIFA praises World Cup referee who Trump claimed was ‘suspect’ after red card for Balogun

FLORIDA, USA: FIFA has defended the reputation of World Cup referee Raphael Claus in rare pushback on comments by US President Donald Trump, who questioned his integrity for sending off Folarin Balogun. Trump suggested on Monday at the White House, without elaborating, that the 46-year-old Brazilian was “a little bit suspect if you check his past.” Claus red-carded Balogun against Bosnia-Herzegovina last week, setting off a furor that saw Trump intervene with FIFA to ensure the United States forward could play against Belgium late Monday. FIFA praised Claus, who is working at his second World Cup, in a statement published before the US 4-1 loss that sent Belgium to the quarterfinals. “Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated the highest standards of professionalism and integrity,” FIFA said, calling Claus “one of the world’s leading professional referees and a valued member” of its team of World Cup match officials. FIFA made no similar statement in public support of Somali referee Omar Artan, who US authorities denied entry to the country last month ahead of the tournament. Like Artan, Claus has refereed the final of a top-tier competition in his home continent before being picked among the 52 referees by FIFA for this World Cup. Claus refereed Spain’s 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in the group stage and worked the US’ 2-0 win over Bosnia in the round of 32.

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FIFA World Cup 2026 Sport News

Goalkeeper Kobel hails ‘huge achievement’ as Swiss set up Argentina showdown

World Cup quarterfinals feature soccer powerhouses from Argentina and Spain to France and England

Dalic quits after ‘incredible era’ as Croatia coach

Egypt file complaint against referee after controversial World Cup exit

Switzerland beat Colombia on penalties to reach World Cup quarter-finals

‘History made’: Egyptian pride despite World Cup heartbreak

Two US soccer team staff members suspended by FIFA for Belgium World Cup game

FIFA praises World Cup referee who Trump claimed was ‘suspect’ after red card for Balogun