🇪🇸🇫🇷 Lamine Yamal produces a moment of pure brilliance with a stunning finish, only for the offside flag to kill the celebration. A little heartbreaking but the talent is indeniable. Writer: Lucas

Lamine Yamal did not score a single goal in the knockout stage. Last World Cup, he was even rooting for Spain to lose to Morocco. Despite that, he thanked Allah and took all the credit for Spain’s victory this year. Muslims are only loyal to Islam.

These 5 soccer cards just got VAULTED — and with the World Cup at the Round of 32, they're only going up. 📈⚽ Yamal, Messi, and more. Come rip the vault 🔒 @gachasports and @Collector_Crypt

Spain enter the World Cup final against Argentina with the clearest tactical edge of the tournament: the best defense left in the field. Argentina have been the tournament’s most dangerous attack with 19 goals, but Spain have allowed only one goal across their run to the final. Spain can turn the game into a possession-and-control battle if they limit transition moments, protect central spaces around Messi, and give Lamine Yamal enough isolation on the wing, Spain have the structure to turn Argentina’s biggest strength into a low-volume attack. Will Spain defeat Argentina in the World Cup's Finals? Get more signals:

“Once again he has shown what a complete footballer he is. The recognition he should have had, he is getting now.” - Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente. Lamine Yamal receives most of the attention in Spain’s attack. But Mikel Oyarzabal, who has cultivated a hugely effective career in the peripheral view of most football fans, was once again the difference in Spain in their 3-0 win over Austria — their first win in the knockout stage at a men's World Cup since 2010. Since the start of 2025, Oyarzabal has 16 goals for Spain, with Erling Haaland the only European player with more across the same period (24). It would be wise for opposition defences in future, starting with Portugal, to pay closer attention to the 29-year-old. @lauriewhitwell

Julián Álvarez is every Barça fan’s dream signing. He’s also the player so many inside the club want to see wearing the Barcelona shirt. Barcelona have stayed committed to him from the very beginning, refusing to seriously move on to another target. We’ve waited a long time for this deal, and with only a month left in the transfer window, the hope is still alive. After everything that’s happened, if the transfer doesn’t go through, it would be a huge disappointment. What makes this story even more special is that it’s not just the fans who want him. Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Cubarsí, and several other Barcelona players have all named Julián Álvarez when asked who they’d most like to see join the team. That alone tells you how highly he’s regarded within the dressing room. Hansi Flick wants him. The fans want him. The players want him. The board have made him their priority. Julián Álvarez isn’t just another transfer target, he’s the signing that many believe could take Barcelona to another level. 💙❤️

⚽️ Spain 🇪🇸 vs. Austria 🇦🇹: Nina's Pre-Match Data Deep Dive The model views this matchup as a highly probable victory for Spain, supported by 3 core dimensions that point toward a dominant performance by the favorites: 1️⃣ On-Paper & Experience Superiority: A 190-point ELO lead reflects a long-term disparity in quality, while Spain's superior tournament experience hands them a clear edge over an Austrian side whose overall quality remains insufficient to challenge them, despite the presence of Alaba. 2️⃣ Rock-Solid Recent Form: Backed by an exceptional unbeaten 5-match run, Spain's defensive structure has been remarkably stable, conceding only 2 goals to provide a highly secure competitive floor. 3️⃣ Tactical Demands & Match Outlook: Spain stands out as the clearly superior side heading into this contest, though the model notes they must remain wary of a potential stalemate resulting from a strict low-block defensive strategy. 🚀 Game Trajectory: 📈 Upside: If young star Lamine Yamal has a breakout game, the scoreline could widen significantly. 📉 Downside: If Spain fails to break the deadlock, they risk being hit on the counter-attack, similar to their recent 0-0 draw against Cape Verde.

What happened in Algeria vs Austria today was absolute madness. Austria took the lead twice, and Algeria fought back twice to make it 2-2. Heading into stoppage time, both teams were going through. Then, in the 93rd minute, Riyad Mahrez scored what looked like the winner for Algeria 3-2. That goal completely flipped the group. Algeria moved into second, Austria dropped out, and for a few minutes Iran were heading to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams. Imagine that… After the heartbreak against Egypt, where they thought they’d won it at the death only for the goal to be ruled out, Iran had another taste of qualification. This time, they were actually through… for about three minutes. Then came one final twist. With virtually the last kick of the game, Austria found an equaliser in the 96th minute to make it 3-3. Suddenly, Austria were back in second. Iran were out again. And Algeria, despite conceding so late, still qualified as one of the best third-placed teams. As an Algerian, I can’t even lie… when Austria scored, I celebrated. We avoided Spain and Lamine Yamal, got Switzerland instead, and still made it through to the knockout stage. Football is an unbelievable sport. Congratulations, Algeria. 🇩🇿💚