A panel of journalists offers their top picks for the World Cup's most dramatic matches, standout players, and memorable goals, alongside personal highlights and assessments of the host nations, reflecting on the tournament's unique moments.
Several renowned international footballers, including Manuel Neuer, Patrik Schick, Guillermo Ochoa, Riyad Mahrez, Enner Valencia, Nicolás Otamendi, Marko Arnautovic, Sadio Mané, Craig Gordon, and Jean Michaël Seri, have announced their retirement from national team duty following their participation in the recent World Cup.
This explainer details the rules for extra time and penalty shootouts in the World Cup knockout stages. It outlines how a winner is determined if a match remains tied after 90 minutes of standard play or 30 minutes of additional time.
Following Egypt's 3-2 loss to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16, captain Mohamed Salah vowed to improve the national team's performance, urging fans to maintain their belief. Egypt's historic campaign included their first knockout stage victory.
Lionel Messi led Argentina to a stunning comeback victory against Egypt in the World Cup round of 16, scoring twice to overcome a two-goal deficit. Switzerland also advanced after a penalty shootout win over Colombia, setting up a quarter-final clash with Argentina. The match has sparked political commentary and controversy.
Argentina staged a stunning late comeback, scoring three goals in the final 11 minutes to defeat Egypt 3-2 and advance to the World Cup quarterfinals. Lionel Messi scored the equalizer, with Enzo Fernandez netting the winner in injury time. Egypt's coach felt his team was treated unfairly.
Switzerland advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals by defeating Colombia 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel's save was crucial. This is Switzerland's first quarter-final appearance since 1954, and they will face Argentina next.
Switzerland defeated Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals. The match ended 0-0 after 120 minutes, with Switzerland showcasing strong defense and earning a match against Argentina.
Switzerland advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years after defeating Colombia in a penalty shootout in Vancouver. This marks their fourth quarterfinal appearance in history.
Switzerland defeated Colombia 4-3 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes in the World Cup last 16. Switzerland advances to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1954 and will face Argentina.
Switzerland and Colombia will decide their match via a penalty shootout after a goalless 120 minutes. The game at BC Place was a tense and physical affair with chances for both sides.
A 42-year-old man, Hemal Khakharia, was arrested in Jaunpur, India, for allegedly murdering and dismembering his girlfriend. The motive appears to be suspicion of infidelity after she refused to show him her WhatsApp chats.
Mohamed Salah expressed his delight after Egypt's penalty shootout victory over Australia in Dallas, setting up a potential clash with Lionel Messi in the next round. Salah, who has had past encounters with Messi in the Champions League, is eager to face him at international level. Concerns remain over Salah's workload and fitness ahead of the match against Argentina.
A long-held belief that the team taking the first penalty kick in a World Cup shootout has an advantage is being re-evaluated by new research. While earlier studies suggested a significant psychological edge, more recent analyses, including a study in Football Studies, indicate that the perceived advantage stems not from the kick order itself, but from the unequal distribution of high-pressure, elimination-or-victory situations created by the current rules.
Justin Kluivert missed a penalty in a World Cup shootout, mirroring his father Patrick's Euro 2000 miss, as the Netherlands were eliminated by Morocco. Morocco won 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
England manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed his team will adhere to Gareth Southgate's established penalty shoot-out strategy for the World Cup, emphasizing preparation and process.
As the Socceroos prepare for a potential penalty shootout against Egypt, an academic's research suggests ordering kickers from best to worst can increase win probability by 5-10%. However, player nerves and the difficulty of replicating high-pressure situations in training pose significant challenges.
England manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed his team will adhere to Gareth Southgate's successful penalty shootout strategy for the World Cup knockout stages, emphasizing preparation and process despite the inherent difficulty of simulating shootout pressure.
Germany's World Cup hopes ended in a penalty shootout loss to Paraguay, with several players reportedly refusing to take kicks. US coach Pochettino uses an analytics firm for penalty strategy, while the USMNT prepares for their own shootout challenge.
Germany's legendary World Cup penalty shootout record ended Monday as they lost to Paraguay 4-3 on penalties in Boston after a 1-1 draw. This was their first shootout defeat since 1976, breaking a streak of six consecutive wins.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic heavily criticized Ronald Koeman's defensive tactics following the Netherlands' World Cup elimination by Morocco. Despite leading, the Dutch team conceded a late equalizer and lost on penalties, with Ibrahimovic arguing Koeman abandoned the traditional Dutch attacking identity.
Germany's head coach Julian Nagelsmann stated he will not resign following their World Cup elimination by Paraguay. Despite criticism, he expressed a desire to continue if the German FA supports him, acknowledging the team's underperformance and the difficulty of facing an ultra-defensive opponent.
Paraguay upset Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, while Morocco beat the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 tie. Brazil secured a 2-1 victory over Japan with a late stoppage-time goal.
Morocco eliminated the Netherlands from the World Cup after a 1-1 draw and a dramatic penalty shootout. Cody Gakpo scored for the Dutch, but Issa Diop equalized in stoppage time, leading to Morocco's victory. Dutch coach Ronald Koeman is considering his future.
