NEWS

26Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Venezuela Wins And Argentina Qualifies For The FIFA 2026 World Cup

MATURIN, VENEZUELA - MARCH 25: Salomon Rondon of Venezuela celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the South of American FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier between Venezuela and Peru at Estadio Monumental de Monagas on March 25, 2025 in Maturin, Venezuela. (Photo by Edilzon Gamez/Getty Images) Matchday 14 of South American FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifying has come to a close and only two sides were victorious on this particular matchday: Argentina and Venezuela. Results mean that Argentina has now sealed its place at next summer's tournament whilst Venezuela can dare to dream of a first ever FIFA World Cup finals appearance. Venezuela 1-0 Peru Venezuela is the only South American nation in history that still hasn’t made it to a FIFA World Cup. That might change in 2026 though as...

Read More

25Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Germany’s World Cup qualifiers group is set

FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers logo is seen before the World Cup Qualifiers match Poland - Malta at National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland on March 24, 2025. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) The Nations League is, at this point, a well known commodity that the average fan knows a lot about. But one thing about the competition some might not know is that it directly affects the World Cup qualification cycle. Germany could have landed in either World Cup qualifying Group A or Group I, but due to Sunday’s 3-3 draw against Italy and the resulting 5-4 aggregate victory over both legs in the Nations League quarterfinals, Germany are in Group A. This is the resulting group (via @iMiaSanMia): Official: Germany's World Cup qualifiers group Group A:GermanySlovakiaNor...

Read More

25Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Kluivert nets first Indonesia win as Bahrain beaten in World Cup qualifier

Indonesia's coach Patrick Kluivert (2R) along with his team celebrate the goal during the World Cup 2026 Asian qualifier football match between Indonesia and Bahrain at Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on March 25, 2025. (Photo by Bay ISMOYO / AFP) (Photo by BAY ISMOYO/AFP via Getty Images) Indonesia secured a crucial 1-0 win in their Group C qualifier against Bahrain in Jakarta to increase their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup. It was head coach Patrick Kluivert’s first win in charge after the former Netherlands international lost his opening game 5-1 to Australia last Thursday. Ole Romeny scored the only goal of the game in the 24th minute as he latched onto Marselino Ferdinan’s pass before beating the keeper. The win moves fourth-placed Indonesia three points clear of thei...

Read More

25Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Kosta Barbarouses stars as New Zealand qualify for FIFA World Cup

(L-R) New Zealand's Kosta Barbarouses is challenged by New Caledonia's Fonzy Ranchain and Joseph Athale during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania qualifiers group final football match between New Zealand and New Caledonia at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland on March 24, 2025. Kosta Barbarouses has helped New Zealand return to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 16 years. Barbarouses scored one goal and assisted another as the Kiwi’s beat New Caledonia 3-0 in their decisive qualifier. Last time New Zealand qualified for a World Cup was in 2010, when the A-League legend was just 20 years old and was overlooked for selection in the All Whites squad. They missed the next three World Cups with Barbarouses playing in each of those unsuccessful qualification campaigns, including 2022 when he ...

Read More

24Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Germany to host final four in UEFA’s Nations League in June

23 March 2025, North Rhine-Westphalia, Dortmund: Soccer: Nations League A, Germany - Italy, play-off round, quarter-finals, second leg, Signal Iduna Park, The logo of the German Football Association (DFB) can be seen on a corner flag before the start of the match. UEFA have confirmed that Germany will host the Nations League finals this June, with Munich and Stuttgart confirmed as the venues for the four-team tournament. The announcement follows Germany’s victory over Italy in the quarter-finals, who had provisionally secured hosting rights under UEFA’s stipulation last December. The semi-final line-up sees hosts Germany face 2019 hosts Portugal at the Munich Football Arena on June 4, while Spain meet France the following night at Stuttgart Stadion. The defeated semi-finalists will con...

Read More

24Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Israel edges Estonia 2-1 to start 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a win

Eli Dasa of Israel in action. Israel defeated Estonia 2-1 over the weekend to kick off its 2026 World Cup campaign on the right foot. The blue-and-white conceded an early goal but equalized soon after, with captain Eli Dasa scoring the winner in the 75th minute to secure all three points for Ran Ben Shimon’s squad. With the home game played at Debrecen’s Nagyerdei Stadion due to the ongoing security situation in Israel, the visitors struck first as Maksim Pakotsi scored off a dead-ball play in the 10th minute to give Estonia a quick 1-0 lead. However, Israel pressed hard for the equalizer and found it less than a quarter-hour later when Dan Biton’s scorching shot from the top of the box hit the post, caromed off Karl Hein, and into the Estonian goal to level the score at 1-1. Oscar Gloukh...

Read More

24Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Portugal defeat Denmark in extra time to reach Nations League semifinals

LISBON, PORTUGAL - MARCH 23: Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates his goal during the UEFA Nations League Quarterfinal Leg Two match between Portugal and Denmark at Estadio Jose Alvalade on March 23, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. Portugal’s Francisco Trincao came off the bench to score twice and Cristiano Ronaldo also netted as they beat Denmark 5-2 after extra time for a 5-3 aggregate win that set up a Nations League semifinal against Germany. Ronaldo bounced back from missing an early penalty to play a crucial role in his team’s recovery on Sunday, and though he had to watch extra time from the bench, he continued to drive the crowd on as Portugal finally found a way to end Denmark’s resistance. With the Danes leading the tie 1-0 thanks to Rasmus Hojlund’s goal in Thursday’s first le...

Read More

23Mar By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

NEWS

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann doesn’t want to see history repeat itself

MILAN, ITALY - MARCH 19: Head coach Julian Nagelsmann speaks to the media during a Germany press conference ahead of the UEFA Nations League Quarterfinal leg one match between Italy and Germany at Stadio San Siro on March 19, 2025 in Milan, Italy. Former Bayern Munich coach and current German national team boss Julian Nagelsmann is a student of the game and someone who respects history. That said, Nagelsmann has no interest in re-living Italy’s win over Germany at Westfalenstadion back in 2006. “I remember 2006. I’m still not happy that Germany didn’t win. But for me, it’s more important to talk about the present and not the past. We want to write our own history. I’m not afraid. We’re in good form, we’re alert. We have good solutions for tomorrow, and then it will be important to cre...

Read More

23Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

World Cup qualifying: Wales open with a win

CARDIFF, WALES - MARCH 22: Daniel James of Wales jumps over the challenge of Yan Vorogovskiy of Kazakhstan during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifier between Wales and Kazakhstan at Cardiff City Stadium on March 22, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales. Wales opened their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan. Daniel James gave Wales an early advantage before a near-capacity 32,473 crowd at the Cardiff City Stadium but that was wiped out by Askhat Tagybergen's penalty, awarded after Connor Roberts had handled. Kazakhstan were threatening to throw a spanner in the works but skipper Ben Davies and Rabbi Matondo, with his first Wales goal in the final minute, ensured a winning start for Craig Bellamy’s side. Elsewhere in Group J, Aleksandar Trajkovski, Visar Musliu and...

Read More

22Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Champions Argentina one step closer to WC qualification

Uruguay's defender #16 Mathias Olivera and Argentina's midfielder #11 Thiago Almada fight for the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Uruguay and Argentina at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo, on March 21, 2025. Argentina, without their array of stars including Lionel Messi, have beaten Uruguay 1-0 away in convincing fashion in their South American World Cup qualifying match. Thiago Almada scored the winner with a powerful curled shot from the edge of the box on Friday, putting the defending World Cup champions one point away from a direct spot in the tournament next year. Argentina lead the round-robin competition with 28 points after 13 matches, and could secure their place with a home draw with Brazil on Tuesday. Coach Lionel Sca...

Read More

22Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Osimhen shines as Nigeria triumphs over Rwanda

Victor Osimhen’s impressive performance, scoring twice, ensured Nigeria’s commanding 2-0 victory against Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium during their World Cup qualifier on Friday evening. This win was vital for the Super Eagles, propelling them to fourth place in the Group C standings as they aim to rejuvenate their campaign and secure a spot in next year’s international tournament in North America. From the outset, Nigeria dominated the match, controlling possession and dictating the pace of play. Their first breakthrough came early in the 11th minute when Ademola Lookman’s expertly delivered freekick found Osimhen, who deftly converted from close range. The dynamic duo of Lookman and Osimhen continued to create opportunities, setting up Moses Simon for a promising chance, but Rwanda’s goa...

Read More

22Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Egypt cruise past Ethiopia to open a 5-point gap in World Cup qualifiers

Egypt’s national team cruised to a 2-0 victory over Ethiopia on Friday in their African 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca, extending their unbeaten run to five games and edging closer to securing a spot in the finals. Egypt skipper Mohamed Salah opened the scoring in the 31st minute, while winger Ahmed "Zizo" El-Sayed sealed the victory five minutes before halftime. The win solidifies the Pharaohs’ position atop Group A with 13 points after five games, five points ahead of second-placed Burkina Faso, while Ethiopia remain at the bottom with three points. In a clear show of offensive intent, coach Hossam Hassan fielded five attackers, with Mahmoud Trezeguet and Zizo feeding Osama Faisal, Omar Marmoush and Salah. Egypt threatened early, with Trezeguet testing ...

Read More

21Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Saudi Arabia defeat 10-man China 1-0 in 2026 World Cup AFC Qualifying

Saudi Arabia's midfielder #7 Musab Al-Juwayr shoots during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers group C football match between Saudi Arabia and China at the Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh on March 20, 2025. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images) China suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Saudi Arabia in a 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Qualifier on the road in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday, continuing to struggle at the bottom of Group C. The decisive moment came five minutes into the second half, when Saudi midfielder Salem Al-Dawsari found the net from close range, capitalizing on a rebound after Chinese goalkeeper Wang Dalei had made a valiant effort to block an initial shot. China's task became even more challenging just before halftime, as Lin Liang...

Read More

21Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

S. Korean lead in World Cup qualifying group slashed to 3 pts

GOYANG, SOUTH KOREA - MARCH 20: Oh Hyeongyu of South Korea is tackled by Ahmed Al-Khamisi of Oman during the FIFA World Cup Asian Third Qualifier Group B match between South Korea and Oman at Goyang Stadium on March 20, 2025 in Goyang, South Korea. South Korea's lead in their group in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers now stands at three points with three matches left in the ongoing round. South Korea stayed atop the Group B tables with 15 points after getting held to a 1-1 draw by Oman at home Thursday in the third round of the Asian qualification. Then in the wee hours of Friday morning in South Korean time, Jordan defeated Palestine 3-1 to reach 12 points and jump to second place in the group. Iraq, following a 2-2 draw against Kuwait, also have 12 points, but they dropped to third plac...

Read More

21Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Hossam Hassan: Salah Deserves AFCON Glory

Mohamed Salah right winger of Liverpool and Egypt during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid C.F. at Anfield on November 27, 2024 in Liverpool, England. Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan discussed his vision for the national team, including winning AFCON and securing World Cup qualification. Speaking before the upcoming matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Hossam Hassan discussed a host of topics. The national team manager said he believes that it’s time for Mohamed Salah to win the Africa Cup of Nations and praised Omar Marmoush for earning his place at one of the world’s biggest clubs. Hossam Hassan also discussed the ambitions of the squad and the coaching staff, including winning AFCON 2025 and securing qualification for t...

Read More

21Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Croatia beat France 2-0 in Nations League quarter-final first leg

SPLIT, CROATIA - MARCH 20: Ante Budimir of Croatia celebrates a goal during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal leg one match between Croatia and France at Stadion Poljud on March 20, 2025 in Split, Croatia. Croatia's Ante Budimir and Ivan Perisic struck to secure a deserved 2-0 win over France in their Nations League quarter-final, first leg on Thursday, as the return of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele failed to get the visitors to fire. Croatia also missed an early penalty when Andrej Kramaric’s spot-kick was saved by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, and the 2023 runners-up were full value for a win that might easily have been achieved by a greater margin. France created chances and tested Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic several times, but it was a below-par performance on a n...

Read More

20Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Qatar thrash North Korea, cling to WC playoff hopes

DOHA, QATAR - MARCH 20: Ahmed Al-Rawi and Akram Afif of Qatar celebrate scoring during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Qatar and North Korea at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on March 20, 2025 in Doha, Qatar. Qatar kept their FIFA World Cup hopes alive with a 5-1 win over North Korea in Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Thursday. Akram Afif played a captain’s role as the victory took Qatar level on 10 points with the United Arab Emirates, nine behind leaders Iran and six adrift of Uzbekistan, with only the top two teams to qualify automatically for next year’s global showpiece. Defeat for North Korea left them rooted at the bottom with two points. Hoping to qualify for the FIFA World Cup on merit after hosting the 2022 edition, Qat...

Read More

20Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

FIFA world cup: Japan the first to qualify for 2026 finals

SAITAMA, JAPAN - MARCH 20: Wataru Endo of Japan celebrates after scoring the team's first goal later disallowed through the VAR review during the FIFA World Cup Asian qualifier Group C match between Japan and Bahrain at Saitama Stadium on March 20, 2025 in Saitama, Japan. Japan have become the first nation to book their place at next year’s World Cup, having sealed their spot with a 2-0 victory over Bahrain. In doing so, the Samurai Blue have reaffirmed their status as one of Asian football’s powerhouses. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “Omedetou [congratulations], Japan, for being the first country to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 26 in addition to the host countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States of America. “You deserve this qualification. We all remember the emotions...

Read More

20Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Kane ‘surprised’ England appointed Tuchel

Harry Kane of Bayern Munich controls the ball during the Champions League round of 16 match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Bayern Munich at BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany on March 11, 2025. Harry Kane has admitted he was "suprised" when he heard that Thomas Tuchel had been appointed as Gareth Southgate's permanent successor as England manager in October, adding he "didn't expect it" as he did not think of the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss as a national team coach. Tuchel is England's third foreign manager and the job marks his first at international level. He has signed an 18-month contract that will see him lead the country until the other side of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The German coach was available after leaving Bayern at the end of last...

Read More

19Mar By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Spalletti: Italy coach notes German football changed ‘after Guardiola’

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 15: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Etihad Stadium on March 15, 2025 in Manchester, England. Italy coach Luciano Spalletti praises his German counterpart Julian Nagelsmann and notes German football ‘changed’ after Pep Guardiola: ‘They used to focus more on physicality.’ The Azzurri coach held a press conference on Wednesday to preview the first leg of the Nations League quarter-final between Italy and Germany. Spalletti provided the latest injury updates on the Azzurri front, revealing that he may only call up a replacement for Mateo Retegui for the second-leg game. A German reporter asked Spalletti about his thoughts on Germany coach Nagelsmann, and th...

Read More