It is time to consign Diego Maradona’s Hand of God to a museum piece. For 40 years that moment and Maradona’s unforgettable “goal of the century” coloured the soul and passion of Argentinian football. Today things are very different, and the main reason is Lionel Messi. By asserting himself over the memory of Maradona, Messi … Read more
The thick smoke that has engulfed New York and much of the eastern seaboard over the past few days has drawn wry smiles in Dallas and Los Angeles, where locals will watch on with a sense of schadenfreude when the World Cup final takes place in the New York New Jersey Stadium (usually known as … Read more
“Maybe Lionel Messi has picked up lots of babies, maybe it’s chance, but for those of us who have faith, who believe in something beyond, ‘chance’ is God’s pseudonym when he doesn’t want to sign his name,” Luis de la Fuente says. “In life, everything happens for a reason. Sometimes it’s true that the circle … Read more
Despite the ongoing investigation by the FA, Southampton continue to look forward as they prepare for the upcoming Championship season. Saints owner Dragan Solak has already defended the head coach and said he will not sack Eckert. In an interview to the club’s media channels, he said he felt Eckert deserved another chance and fully … Read more
Saturday Football 8am (all times BST)World Cup liveblog It’s somewhat apt that Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey opened to acclaim in UK cinemas this week given the World Cup’s own saga reaches an epic climax this weekend. Having slogged through 102 matches involving 48 teams travelling thousands of miles to 16 cities, it’s showtime after the … Read more
It crossed my mind, ever so briefly, that I might be spending my Sunday evening watching England in the final of the World Cup. Wednesday’s semi-final was already into the last 10 minutes and England were about to reap the rewards of freezing in the headlights of Argentina. They were still 1-0 to the good … Read more
The final moment has arrived, and Spain want our second star. To win this World Cup, we don’t need to do anything spectacular – we just need to keep calm and carry on playing the same way. I am back in Madrid now after working on the tournament for the BBC and I would say … Read more
The winners of World Cup 2026 will be the first to be presented with championship rings in the style of the Super Bowl, FIFA has confirmed. Spain face Argentina in Sunday’s final at New York New Jersey Stadium. A win for Spain would see them crowned world champions for the second time, while Argentina have … Read more
Order the new issue here and postage is included – just select ‘’Season Preview Issue 394’. Subscribe to FourFourTwo today and save! You’ll get this issue FREE plus the next 13 as part of your subscription… First a message from our editor, James Andrew: My mum isn’t a football fan, but when I was growing … Read more
Lamine Yamal missed Spain’s first training session in New Jersey, where the World Cup finalists are preparing at the facilities of the New York Red Bulls. Spain travelled to New Jersey the day after they beat France in Tuesday’s semi-final and trained on Thursday without Barcelona winger Yamal and Tottenham Hotspur defender Pedro Porro. According … Read more