International Soccer

England v France preview: If there's one man capable of stopping Mbappé, it's Kyle Walker

DOHA - One of the most mouth-watering aspects of Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal between England and France will be a head-to-head battle between Kylian Mbappé and Kyle Walker as the tournament’s most devastating forward faces its fastest defender.

Mbappé has been on fire in Qatar, scoring fabulous goals and playing with a freedom, zest and pure joy rarely seen at international level and particularly within the sometimes stultifying tension of a major tournament.

Did Ronaldo really threaten to leave the national team? Fake news, says Portugal

AL RAYYAN, Qatar - Portugal's Football Federation (FPF) have denied media reports that captain Cristiano Ronaldo threatened to leave the national team during the World Cup after coach Fernando Santos dropped him for their last-16 win over Switzerland.

Concacaf’s 2022 World Cup grades from best to worst

After the Round of 16 there are no teams from Concacaf still competing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Of the five confederations that competed in Qatar, Concacaf had the lowest number of victories with a measly three. None of the four teams finished with a winning record.

The gradebook is coming with full force Concacaf, and it’s not pretty. Here are the 2022 Concacaf World Cup grades.

10 coaches for the USMNT to consider who aren't Gregg Berhalter

Wednesday's news is that the search for the next USMNT coach could be a short one — Gregg Berhalter and U.S. Soccer have opened discussions on a new contract with the manager's current deal expiring at the end of the year. 

10 players whose reputation tanked during the World Cup

The lasting memories of World Cups should be the celebrations of football — the glorious goals, the mesmerizing skills, the feel-good stories. But we also know that there's no joy without suffering and no winners without losers, and sometimes, it's those dramatic failures that really resonate because life's a snitch and then you die. 

Some of this is completely unfair to players who've given us so much over the years and to young guys who've got a lot of ball left to play, but these are the 10 individuals who really let me down in Qatar.  

Three USMNT players who earned January transfers after the World Cup

While the USMNT has been knocked out of the World Cup, they are far from removed from the public’s consciousness. This year’s electrifying roster is taking a short break before club soccer starts up again, but some Americans may not be staying with their current clubs for long. 

Transfer rumors are the reward for great performances at the World Cup and players across the pitch may be reaping the rewards come January. 

Vinícius Jr. gets unexpected feline visitor during press conference in Catar… sorry, Qatar

There was a humorous moment during Brazil’s World Cup press conference on Wednesday when a cat crashed the party while Vinícius Jr. was speaking. The Vini Jr. cat moment left the Brazilian superstar cracking up.

Vini Jr. Cat Press Conference Moment

While talking to the press a cat decided that the podium looked like a great place to sit. The feline is most likely a stray. The person writing this article spent a week in Doha, Qatar, and will say that there are tons of stray cats that roam the streets.

Ranking Portugal's goals against Switzerland from best to worst

Portugal must have seen Brazil’s emphatic drubbing of South Korea on Monday and thought, “that’s it?” 

Without Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting 11 for its knockout round tie against Switzerland, Portugal was allowed to breathe going forward and discovered its creative side, without having the attacking muzzle that is Manchester United’s newest abdication. 

Oh, boy! There is some work to do: 6 reasons behind Mexico's failure at the World Cup

Mexican soccer is facing a bleak present and an uncertain future. Despite the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics, the failures are piling up at industrial levels. 

The elimination from the 2022 World Cup – the first in a group stage since Argentina 1978 – is the most notorious fall at the display, but the list of frustrations in the last two years is simply abysmal. Without counting Liga MX sorrows against Major League Soccer, the Mexican national teams seem to be wandering around without a clear North. 

The path to how Messi and Ronaldo can square off in the World Cup final

It was a long shot when the tournament began, but the answer to "can Messi face Ronaldo in World Cup 2022 final" is suddenly somewhat plausible with both Argentina and Portugal reaching the quarterfinals on opposite sides of the bracket.

That means Messi and Ronaldo both need to win just two more games to reach the final at Lusail Iconic Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 18. Here's how it's to be done. 

Can Messi face Ronaldo in World Cup 2022 Final?

Argentina's route to the final

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