By Abigail David

The race for the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has intensified, with Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland all tied on seven goals as the tournament heads into the quarter-finals.

Mbappé moved to the top of the scoring chart after converting a penalty in France’s 1-0 Round of 16 victory over Paraguay. Messi had reached the same tally a day earlier with a goal in Argentina’s extra-time win over Cape Verde, while Haaland joined the leading duo after scoring twice in Norway’s 2-1 victory over Brazil.

The three forwards have emerged as the tournament’s leading scorers, setting up a closely contested battle for the Golden Boot with the knockout stages still to come.

If two or more players finish level on goals, FIFA’s tiebreaking criteria will consider assists first, followed by the fewest minutes played. Based on the current standings, Mbappé holds the advantage.

England captain Harry Kane remains within striking distance after scoring six goals, matching the tally that earned him the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup.

Several players are also in contention with four goals, including England midfielder Jude Bellingham, France winger Ousmane Dembélé and Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal.

Meanwhile, the race for the Golden Glove award remains wide open. France goalkeeper Mike Maignan has strengthened his credentials after conceding just two goals in five matches.

Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez, who won the award at the 2022 World Cup, is also among the leading contenders, while Spain’s Unai Simón has impressed with a series of composed performances as his side advanced to the quarter-finals.

By Abigail David

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has marked the end of an era for several of football’s biggest names, with veteran stars including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Riyad Mahrez, Guillermo Ochoa and Manuel Neuer exiting the tournament in what is expected to be their final World Cup appearances.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo bowed out after his side’s 1-0 Round of 16 defeat to Spain. The 41-year-old had confirmed before the tournament that the 2026 edition would be his last World Cup. He ends his World Cup career with 27 appearances and 11 goals across six tournaments, becoming the first player to score in six different editions of the competition.

Brazil forward Neymar also appeared to bring the curtain down on his World Cup journey following Brazil’s 2-1 defeat to Norway. After the match, the country’s all-time leading scorer said his international career was over, ending a remarkable spell with 80 goals for the Seleção.

Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez announced his retirement from international football after his team’s 2-0 defeat to Switzerland. The 35-year-old leaves with 119 appearances, 40 goals and a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations title.

Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa also signalled the end of his international career after Mexico’s Round of 16 exit against England. The 40-year-old received an emotional farewell from supporters and said he was proud of his achievements with the national team.

Germany’s Manuel Neuer, who returned from international retirement for the tournament, saw his comeback end after Germany’s penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay. The veteran goalkeeper said he had no regrets about returning to support the younger members of the squad.

Meanwhile, the international futures of other veteran stars remain uncertain. Argentina captain Lionel Messi has not confirmed whether the ongoing tournament will be his last World Cup, while Croatia midfielder Luka Modrić is yet to announce his plans.

With the quarter-finals still underway, more high-profile players could bring their World Cup careers to a close before the tournament concludes.

By Abigail David

The United States, Mexico and Canada have all been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending the hopes of the tournament’s three co-host nations before the quarter-final stage.

The United States became the last of the co-hosts to exit after suffering a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday in Seattle.

Canada were the first to bow out, losing 3-0 to Morocco on Saturday. Azzedine Ounahi scored twice before Soufiane Rahimi added a late goal to seal Morocco’s place in the quarter-finals. Canada’s campaign was also affected by injury concerns involving winger Alphonso Davies.

Mexico followed on Sunday with a 3-2 defeat to England at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Jude Bellingham scored twice in quick succession before Harry Kane converted a penalty to send England through. The defeat ended Mexico’s hopes of reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since hosting the tournament in 1986. Reports indicate that head coach Javier Aguirre is expected to be succeeded by his assistant, Rafael Márquez.

Belgium completed the sweep of the co-hosts with a convincing victory over the United States at Lumen Field. The match was preceded by controversy surrounding the reinstatement of a red card issued to US forward Folarin Balogun and comments made by US President Donald Trump.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to be jointly hosted by three countries and the first to feature an expanded 48-team format.

With the exits of the United States, Mexico and Canada, the remaining quarter-finalists are Morocco, France, Norway, Spain, Belgium, England, Argentina and the winner from the remaining Round of 16 fixtures.