Kylian Mbappé

Injury rules out Ballon d'Or winner from World Cup

It's officially been confirmed that France and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has picked up an injury in training, forcing him to miss the World Cup. 

The Frenchman had only joined his teammates Saturday as he recovered from a previous injury but had to leave the session after sustaining a further knock. According to the French national team, he injured his left quadriceps in training. The precise extent of the injury is unknown, but Benzema will not take any further part in his national team's campaign or preparations.

Ranking the best forwards playing at the 2022 World Cup

Every four years the World Cup brings together the world’s best players and Qatar 2022 will not be an exception.

On the attacking front, the exotic winter tournament brings us a combination of new talent, legendary strikers, generational wingers and a pair of GOATs.

In celebration of the World Cup being so close, we rank the forwards who are most likely to make an impact at Qatar.

Nike's World Cup commercial is an instant classic

The Nike World Cup commercial 2022 is an instant classic. The full version — clocking nearly four and a half minutes — has it all: past and present versions of Cristiano Ronaldo hitting the "SIU!" together, multiple past versions of "O Fenômeno" Ronaldo getting after it, Kylian Mbappé introducing 2006 Ronaldinho to the low wall, Alex Morgan sipping tea, Edgar Davids just being Edgar Davids and so much more.

The film is part of Nike FC's Footballverse, which has its own snazzy website to explore.

Team-by-team guide: 2022 France World Cup preview

To prepare you for the tournament, The18 has launched team-by-team previews for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Here’s the France World Cup preview — they’ll play in Group D against Denmark, Tunisia and Australia.

France World Cup 2022 Preview

World Cup Appearances: 16th

Best Finish: Champions (1998, 2018)

Neymar drops Mbappé the ‘almost’ assist of the season

Neymar had another top-tier performance in PSG’s Ligue 1 match and win against Troyes this Saturday. 

A comeback topped off with a goal and assist for the former Barcelona man.

Lionel Messi scores a screamer from 30 yards out to inspire comeback victory vs. Troyes

PARIS — Lionel Messi grabbed a goal and assist to inspire Paris Saint-Germain to a 4-3 comeback victory over Troyes on Saturday as the Ligue 1 table-toppers extended their lead to five points.

Troyes had stunned the crowd at the Parc des Princes when Mama Balde volleyed home in just the third minute but PSG midfielder Carlos Soler equalized after a superb pass from Neymar as the two teams went into the break at 1-1.

American keeper Josh Cohen experiences 90 minutes of hell against PSG

Maccabi Haifa's 30-year-old American goalkeeper Josh Cohen was the toast of Europe on Oct. 11 when making five saves en route to a clean sheet during his side's incredible upset of Juventus in the Champions League.

His mission Tuesday? Do it again, but this time against Lionel Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and PSG at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

This time Cohen faced five shots in the first-half alone and could only watch in agony as four of them found the back of the net.

Cohen couldn't do anything about Messi's opener in the 19th minute.

Mbappé tells PSG he wants January exit and cuts lonely figure in Benfica draw

There was a time, with his contract willfully running down last season, when it looked like a Kylian Mbappé Real Madrid transfer was a foregone conclusion. The World Cup winner had already accomplished everything imaginable in French football at the age of 23 (five league titles, five cup triumphs and three Player of the Year awards), and the realization of Mbappé's childhood dream of playing at the Santiago Bernabéu was promised by Florentino Pérez himself.

Moneybags Mbappé beats Messi and Ronaldo on Forbes’ top 10 highest-paid soccer players list

Forbes has revealed its list for the highest-paid soccer players 2022. For the first time since 2014, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo sit at No. 1 on the list. The era of Messi and Ronaldo is starting to fade and a kid from France sits upon the money throne.

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