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Every World Cup produces a team that exceeds expectations, and this year Norway has been one of the biggest surprises. Few expected them to make such a deep run, but they reached the quarter-finals, knocked out Brazil, and pushed England to extra time before being eliminated. Their performances won praise from fans around the world. � Reuters +1 Top surprise teams 🥇 Norway – Exceeded expectations with a historic run and fearless performances. 🥈 Morocco – Continued their recent World Cup success by reaching the quarter-finals again, becoming the first African nation to make back-to-back World Cup quarter-finals. � Yahoo Sports +1 🥉 Paraguay – Defied expectations by reaching the Round of 16 and putting in strong performances against top opposition. My Pick Norway has been the biggest surprise of the tournament. Their exciting football, resilience, and memorable victories showed they can compete with the world's best, even if they fell just short of the semi-finals. � Reuters +1

While stars like Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, and Lamine Yamal dominate the headlines, several players have quietly been just as important to their teams' success. Top underrated contenders 🥇 Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina) – Controls the midfield, wins possession, and creates chances, but often receives less attention than Messi. � The Liverpool Offside +1 🥈 Fabián Ruiz (Spain) – A calm and intelligent midfielder who keeps Spain ticking with his passing and positioning. � Talksport 🥉 Michael Olise (France) – Has quietly provided creativity and attacking quality, making him one of France's key performers without attracting as much attention as Mbappé. � Chase Your Sport My Pick Alexis Mac Allister is the most underrated player still in the tournament. He may not score the most goals, but his work rate, passing, and ability to control the midfield have been vital to Argentina's run to the semi-finals. �

⚽ Should Extra Time Be Removed and Matches Go Straight to Penalties? Extra time has been part of football for decades, but many fans believe knockout matches should go straight to penalties after 90 minutes. Others argue that extra time creates some of the sport's greatest moments. Reasons to Remove Extra Time ✅ Reduces player fatigue and injuries. ✅ Makes tournaments easier on players. ✅ Creates immediate drama with penalty shootouts. ✅ Prevents tired teams from playing cautiously for 30 more minutes. Reasons to Keep Extra Time ✅ Gives teams a chance to win through open play. ✅ Produces memorable goals and comebacks. ✅ Rewards the better team over a longer period. ✅ Penalties can feel like a lottery. My Opinion Extra time should stay. While penalties are exciting, major tournaments deserve every chance for a winner to be decided through football rather than a shootout.

Where are you from and who are you supporting in the world cup

Since its introduction, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has completely changed football. While it has corrected many clear refereeing mistakes, it has also sparked heated debates among fans, players, and managers. Reasons VAR has improved football ✅ Corrects clear and obvious refereeing errors. ✅ Reduces offside mistakes. ✅ Ensures fairer penalty decisions. ✅ Helps identify violent conduct that referees may miss. Reasons VAR remains controversial ❌ Long reviews can interrupt the flow of the game. ❌ Some decisions are still subjective. ❌ Fans often celebrate goals only to see them ruled out after a review. ❌ Inconsistency in how VAR is applied across different competitions. My opinion VAR has improved football overall, but it still needs to be faster and more consistent. It has made many important decisions more accurate, even if it hasn't eliminated controversy.

Goalkeepers have played a huge role in this tournament, but Unai Simón (Spain) has arguably made the biggest impact so far. Spain's defense has been outstanding, and Simón has set a tournament record for the longest scoreless streak by a goalkeeper in this World Cup while helping Spain reach the semi-finals. � AP News Top contenders 🥇 Unai Simón (Spain) – Outstanding shot-stopping, calm under pressure, and a key reason for Spain's defensive record. � AP News 🥈 Mike Maignan (France) – Consistently reliable and one of the favorites to win the Golden Glove. � Northeast Times +1 🥉 Jordan Pickford (England) – Produced several important saves and has been vital to England's run to the semi-finals. � Reuters +1

🏆 Golden Boot Race: Who Will Finish as the Tournament's Top Scorer? The race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot is tighter than ever, with the semi-finals still to play. Several world-class forwards are still in contention, but one player has a slight edge. � The Independent +1 Current favorites 🥇 Kylian Mbappé (France) – Joint leader on goals and the favorite because of his outstanding form and ability to score in big matches. 🥈 Lionel Messi (Argentina) – Also level at the top of the scoring charts and capable of producing decisive moments in the semi-final and final. 🥉 Harry Kane (England) – Still within striking distance and could climb to the top with a strong finish. My prediction Kylian Mbappé to win the Golden Boot with 10 goals, narrowly ahead of Lionel Messi. � SI +1

As the tournament reaches the semi-finals, several players have delivered outstanding performances. However, Kylian Mbappé has been the standout player for many fans and analysts. He has consistently scored goals, led France's attack, and helped his team reach the semi-finals while remaining unbeaten. � AP News +1 Top contenders 🥇 Kylian Mbappé (France) – The favorite so far thanks to his goals, pace, and match-winning performances. 🥈 Lionel Messi (Argentina) – Continues to inspire Argentina with goals, assists, and leadership at the highest level. � Olympics +1 🥉 Jude Bellingham (England) – Has been England's driving force with influential performances in midfield and key goals. �

France and Spain are set for a blockbuster World Cup semi-final, and both teams have shown why they deserve to be there. France combine physical strength, pace, and clinical finishing, while Spain rely on possession, creativity, and technical quality. France's strengths World-class attacking talent led by Kylian Mbappé. Strong, experienced defense. Excellent squad depth in every position. Dangerous on counter-attacks. Spain's strengths Outstanding midfield control and passing. Technically gifted young players. High pressing and possession-based football. Excellent teamwork and tactical discipline. Who has the stronger squad? On paper, France have the stronger overall squad because of their depth, athleticism, and game-changing attackers. However, Spain's style of play can dominate possession and make them extremely difficult to beat. My prediction: France have a slight edge (55%–45%), but this could be decided by one moment of brilliance.

Based on the tournament so far, Kylian Mbappé is the leading candidate to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot. He currently leads the scoring charts with 8 goals, while Lionel Messi is also on 8 goals. Harry Kane is close behind with 6 goals. � The Independent +1 If I had to speculate before the semi-finals: Kylian Mbappé (France) ⭐ Favorite Lionel Messi (Argentina) Harry Kane (England) Mbappé has a strong chance because France are still in the tournament, and he has at least one or two matches left (the semi-final and either the final or third-place playoff), giving him more opportunities to score. � The Independent +1 Of course, it's still open—one outstanding performance in the remaining matches could change the race completely.

The World Cup semi-final between Argentina and England is set to be one of the biggest matches of the tournament. Argentina have shown great attacking quality and experience, while England have impressed with their balance, discipline, and young talent. Both teams have players capable of deciding the game, and the winner will earn a place in the World Cup final. Will Argentina's experience be enough, or can England finally take another step toward lifting the trophy?

France vs Spain is one of the biggest matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The winner will advance to the World Cup Final, while the loser will play in the third-place playoff. � FIFA +1 Here are the key talking points: France are aiming to reach their third consecutive World Cup final, led by Kylian Mbappé and a dangerous attacking lineup. � FIFA +1 Spain arrive as the reigning European champions, known for dominating possession with stars such as Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Pedri. � FIFA +1 Many analysts see this as a clash between France's pace and finishing against Spain's control and passing game. � Opta Analyst +1 Recent prediction models give France a slight edge, but expect a very close match that could be decided by a single goal. � Opta Analyst +1 If you're interested, you can ask me to predict the final score, compare the starting lineups, analyze Mbappé vs Lamine Yamal, or make a World Cup prediction bracket.