Lionel Messi lost it all in a single match. As Argentina took on Spain in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Messi failed to add another goal to his tournament tally of eight. This meant he ended the campaign second in the race for the Golden Boot, which France captain Kylian Mbappe claimed. His failure to inspire Argentina in the final also saw him miss out on the Golden Ball, which went to Spain skipper Rodri. Furthermore, Messi’s inability to score against Spain in the showpiece event saw him lose out to his eternal rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, at least in one specific aspect of the debate.
While Messi has arguably taken a clear lead in the overall comparison between the two, there is one particular area where he has fallen short of the Portugal star. Messi’s inability to put the ball past Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon meant that the 39-year-old failed to score a single goal in competitive matches against Spain.
In international football history, Messi has featured against Spain a total of four times, though three of those games were friendlies. Across these four appearances, Messi has only scored against La Roja once, during Spain’s 2-1 win in a 2009 friendly match. When it comes to competitive matches, however, Messi is yet to open his scoring account against Spain.
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In comparison, Ronaldo has featured against Spain a total of 11 times. Of these encounters, there have been two matches in which he managed to find the back of the net, scoring a total of four goals. Ronaldo scored against Spain for the first time at the 2018 World Cup, when his stunning hat-trick inspired Portugal to a 3-3 draw.
Ronaldo also scored against Spain in the 2025 Nations League final, where Portugal eventually secured victory in a penalty shootout after the game ended level at 2-2.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United man also featured against Spain in competitive tournaments like Euro 2004, the 2010 World Cup, Euro 2012, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16, but failed to score in those specific outings.
On the grandest stage of the World Cup, Spain remains an unsolved puzzle for Lionel Messi, and a scoring frontier only Cristiano Ronaldo has conquered.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 | ‘I Don’t See A World Cup Trophy…’: Mbappe Says France’s Job Isn’t Done
A former WWE superstar who recently parted ways with TNA is interested in wrestling for one of Tony Khan‘s promotions. The talent in question, Steve Maclin, has been actively performing on the indies as of late.
The 39-year-old star’s five-year-long stint in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling came to an end this past June, when it was announced that Maclin had been granted his release from the company, accompanying rumors of his creative frustrations with the Nashville-based promotion. The “Bulletproof” grappler continued to wrestle on the independents after competing in his final TNA match against Mike Santana for his World Championship in May.
On the latest edition of the Boots to Bootspodcast, the former TNA International Champion was asked by a fan if he would consider performing in Ring of Honor, a company currently owned by Tony Khan and serving as a sister-promotion to AEW. Maclin replied affirmatively, and recalled facing Jonathan Gresham for the ROH World Title before ROH had been acquired by AEW. He further voiced his interest in competing in Ring of Honor to carve his place in the decorated promotion’s history, and to check off a major box on his professional bucket list.
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“Yes, I would love that. I got to wrestle Gresham a few times for the Pure Title when he was at TNA. At that time they were using ROH before ROH was bought by AEW. It was kind of cool to stick my toes into that water a little bit and kind of dabble into Pure Rules. It was fun because it just opens up the playbook. But to go there and have the Code of Honor and then just the history to be a part of that too. Then again, it’s another check off a bucket list of working for almost every major company.” [H/T- Fightful]
Maclin had worked for WWE for around seven years prior to his TNA run beginning in 2021.
Steve Maclin’s wife is a champion in Tony Khan’s ROH
Steve Maclin had tied the knot with his real-life partner Deonna Purrazzo back in November of 2022. The Virtuosa has been signed with AEW since 2024, although as of late she has been wrestling primarily in Tony Khan’s other promotion, Ring of Honor. She made history at ROH Final Battle last year when she won a tournament to become the first ever ROH Women’s Pure Champion, a belt she has already defended several times since then.
Ring of Honor Women’s Pure Champion Deonna Purrazzo (Image via X @ringofhonor)
It remains to be seen whether Tony Khan will offer Maclin the opportunity to compete in the same brand as his spouse.
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Spain’s Rodri (16) lifts the trophy as Spain celebrates after winning the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Spain’s triumph at the 2026 FIFA World Cup did not only bring the nation’s second world title. It also secured one of the biggest financial rewards ever distributed to a World Cup-winning squad after FIFA increased the tournament’s prize money to record levels.Luis de la Fuente’s side defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute. The victory earned the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) the tournament’s top prize of $51 million from FIFA.According to reports, Spain’s players will each receive a substantial share of that prize under a pre-agreed bonus arrangement negotiated between the squad captains and the RFEF.
How much each Spain player will receive
FIFA awards federations a single payment once their World Cup campaign concludes, with the amount determined by their final finishing position rather than after each knockout round.By merely reaching the World Cup final, Spain had already guaranteed the RFEF $34 million.Under the agreement reported by AS, 40 per cent of that guaranteed prize money would have been allocated to the players. That would have created a dressing-room bonus pool worth approximately $13.6 million, equating to just over $523,000 for each member of Spain’s 26-man squad before taxes.Winning the World Cup, however, significantly increased those figures.After lifting the trophy, Spain’s players became entitled to 45 per cent of FIFA’s winners’ prize.That means approximately $22.95 million will be shared between the 26 players, with each squad member expected to receive around $882,700 before taxes, according to AS.The remainder of FIFA’s prize money will stay with the RFEF, which will use part of the windfall to cover the costs of Spain’s World Cup campaign while also benefiting financially from one of the most lucrative tournaments in its history.
Argentina receive runners-up prize
Although Argentina fell short of retaining the World Cup after Ferran Torres’ extra-time winner, Lionel Scaloni’s side will still receive a substantial runners-up payment.FIFA will award the Argentine Football Association $34 million for finishing second.Unlike Spain, however, no official details have yet emerged regarding how that prize money will be distributed among Argentina’s 26-player squad.
Argentina walks on the pitch after their loss in the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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Record prize money across the tournament
The 2026 World Cup featured the largest prize fund in the competition’s history, with FIFA increasing overall financial rewards by around 50 per cent compared with previous editions.Prize money based on final finishing positions is as follows:
Champions – Spain: $51 million
Runners-up – Argentina: $34 million
Third place – England: $30 million
Fourth place – France: $28 million
Quarter-finalists (5th-8th): Switzerland, Norway, Belgium, Morocco: $20 million each
Round of 16 (9th-16th): Colombia, Egypt, United States, Portugal, Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay and Canada: $16 million each
Last 32 (17th-32nd): Ghana, Algeria, Australia, Cape Verde, Austria, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Senegal, DR Congo, Ecuador, Sweden, Ivory Coast, Netherlands, Germany, Japan and South Africa: $12 million each
Group stage (33rd-48th): Uruguay, Scotland, South Korea, Iran, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Curaçao, Czech Republic, Qatar, Panama, Jordan, Tunisia, New Zealand, Haiti and Turkey: $10 million each
Those performance-based payments account for $703 million of FIFA’s total $871 million tournament prize fund.The remaining $168 million is distributed among participating national associations regardless of where they finish, ensuring every nation receives additional financial support for taking part in football’s biggest tournament.For Spain, however, victory delivered far more than just the World Cup trophy. Alongside a place in football history, every member of the squad is set to receive one of the largest bonuses ever awarded to a Spanish national team, reflecting both FIFA’s record prize fund and the agreement reached between the players and the RFEF.
Eddie Hearn has questioned the power and durability of one man as Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn is officially announced.
The pair will collide at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on September 12, heading a co-promotion between Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy and Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
Their welterweight showdown had, of course, been rumoured for quite some time, with an announcement earlier this week finally confirming Garcia’s WBC title defence.
But despite his previous setbacks, Garcia is now widely considered to be a world-level fighter while Benn, on the other hand, is yet to prove his top-class credentials.
In fact, the 29-year-old’s most significant victories have all arrived against fighters on the brink of retirement, including Chris Eubank Jr and Regis Prograis.
Not only that, but Benn has fought above 147lbs since his second-round finish over Chris van Heerden – another carefully selected opponent – in 2022.
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It is, therefore, partly for this reason that Matchroom promoter Hearn has expressed doubt over Benn’s chances in an interview with K.O. Artist Sports.
“It’s an exciting fight for boxing. I don’t like Conor at 147[lbs]; I don’t believe he should be fighting down there.
“He had those two fights with Eubank at 160[lbs]. I’m not saying he’s a middleweight, [but then] he fought Regis Prograis at 150[lbs]. He looked terrible in that fight.
“[Making 147lbs should be] brutal for him now. He trains so hard, but I don’t think he has power down there. I don’t think he’ll have the chin down there.
“And Ryan’s a world-class fighter. He’s very sharp and is a big puncher. But it’ll be fun because Conor’s got big balls – he’ll have a right go.”
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While Hearn is likely expressing his true belief, it is equally important to consider his public fallout with Benn, who left Matchroom for Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing earlier this year.
If you’re of the Ricky Bobby school of thought (if you’re not first, you’re last) you could come away from Royal Birkdale seeing just one winner and 155 losers.
But we’re slightly more charitable than that — so let’s review a smattering of winners, losers and in-betweeners from what was (gulp) the final men’s major of the year.
WINNER: Ryan Fox’s commitment
Open champ Ryan Fox said in his post-win presser that he “sees things fast.” He plays that way, too: Quick, relentless, committed. As he said it:
“It’s not that difficult to pick a shot and pick a club.”
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Fox would have been something of an unexpected winner entering the week, but with the benefit of hindsight he’s the perfect fit: A tough international competitor with notable wins on links courses (the 2022 Dunhill Links) and English courses (the 2025 BMW PGA) and in big national opens (the 2025 RBC Canadian Open) and a life of worldwide golf. In a week defined by rulings, controversies and golf’s gray areas, there was something refreshing about Fox’s style — and his acceptance — as he handled everything the course gave him down the stretch.
The way Ryan Fox handled that brutal bunker break on 15 — no real reaction, wasted no time chopping out backwards, got up and down for bogey — set him up for that finish. Fun guy to watch play golf. Awesome attitude. Relentless game. Plays fast and committed. Hit some incredible… pic.twitter.com/g8t5QV51Q7
There was a stark contrast between what happened when Fox found the pot bunker just right of the 18th fairway on Saturday evening — a miraculous escape with a launched 8-iron to the front of the green — versus Cameron Young, who tried to pull off something similar on Sunday afternoon but banked it off the side wall instead and did well to escape with bogey. (He made bogey from a fairway bunker on Saturday, too.) Every shot counts the same, but Fox’s 18th-hole play was a glaring separator.
“It’s a really difficult golf hole,” Young said post-round, correctly.
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“I mean, I hit two shots exactly how I wanted to hit them. I didn’t feel anything for the putt; everything was shaking that much. I was just happy to hit it somewhat near the hole, and to see it go in was incredible,” Fox said post-win.
WINNER: Cameron Young’s Sunday
With that said, Cameron Young’s Sunday charge was remarkable, it was a shot of life for the tournament and it was very nearly enough to win him his first major. His 64 was low round of the day by two and showed off an elite, well-rounded game; he gained strokes in all areas of his game and reminded us why he’s joined the game’s upper echelon. Young wraps up his major championship season with two podium finishes, which go well with his Players Championship. Young will be heartbroken. He should be proud, too.
“I was really just proud of the way I put it together, the way I did it more than the round itself,” Young said post-round. “[Saturday] was tough. It’s one of those nights where you’re kind of — I don’t want to say down, it’s still just kind of a bad day at work, and I’m fortunate to have a cool job, but yeah, it’s a frustrating night.
“To come out, and I feel like I was really clear-minded all day, I had a really clear intention what I was going to do. Yeah, just executed that really, really well, and it happened to add up to 64. It could have been 68; it could have been 60. I just played really well.”
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LOSERS: The Best Golfers Without Majors
If you were making a list heading into the week of the best golfers without a major you wouldn’t have gotten far before you’d listed Cameron Young, Sam Burns and Tommy Fleetwood. Then those guys finished second, third and tied for fourth, reminding us why they’re at the top of that list but also why it’s so hard to get off that list.
Burns will have especially mixed emotions. To some extent, anything that happened this week was going to be a bonus — he didn’t even expect to play! But then he built a two-shot lead heading to Sunday’s final round, revving up expectations and putting a target on his back. Now he’s the owner of another close miss. His T7-T26-2-3 showing at this year’s majors is up there with anyone.
He was classy in congratulations on the 18th green, as his playing partner accomplished what he’d dreamt of. And he kept things matter-of-fact post-round.
“I played a lot of great golf this week. Unfortunately didn’t have my best stuff today. Got off to a bad start, made a couple of mistakes early,” he said. “Ryan played amazing. He’s a well-earned champion. Hat’s off to him. He did what he needed to do down the stretch. Ultimately just came up a couple short today.”
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WINNER: Tommy Fleetwood’s finish
It was hard not to get emotional watching Tommy Fleetwood — the prince of Southport, who wielded layers of pressure all week long — roll in one of the only birdies of the day at No. 18 to a massive roar from the jam-packed grandstands. Fleetwood’s chances peaked when he reached three under par for the round through eight holes. They disappeared when he bogeyed 9-10-11. But there was plenty to be said for his resilience down the stretch. As always, his post-round remarks were admirable, even if they came with a heavy dose of heartbreak.
“Of course, there’s only one person that gets to win it, and like my dream of winning the Open will carry on and I’ll continue to chase it,” he said. “But stuff like that, walking down 18 and the atmosphere out there, that was beyond stuff that I’ve dreamt of. That was just stuff that I never imagined. The crowds were amazing, and they made it the most special week ever for me, and I can’t thank them enough.”
LOSER: Si Woo Kim’s finish
It feels like a very, very long time ago that Si Woo Kim held the outright lead in this golf tournament, but at one point on Sunday afternoon he was the heavy favorite to close out his first major championship. What followed was a strange limp to the finish filled with misfires off the tee and aggressive decisions that didn’t quite pay off. Kim finished T6, his 10th top-10 of the season and the best result of his major career. But his four-over 40 on the way in will sting.
WINNER: Casey Jarvis’ secret sixth
Did you watch Casey Jarvis play golf this week? Did you see him hit shots? Were you aware he finished in a share of sixth place? Because on Sunday he birdied No. 18 to post four-under 66 and six under for the tournament. On a day when leaders were leaking bogeys down the stretch, that left him T6 with Kim and Lucas Herbert — an incredible result for a young player with MC-MC-T65 as his career major record before this week.
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He didn’t take the moment for granted.
“All the guys at the top of the leaderboard were my role models growing up with Scottie, Rory and a few other guys. I’ve been looking up to them, seeing how their game is, and to see my name on the leaderboard amongst the best players in the world, it truly means the world to me.”
LOSER: Bryson DeChambeau’s Sunday
Nobody had a stranger week than Bryson DeChambeau. His Friday triple-bogey stole more headlines than the rest of the tournament combined. His Sunday triple-bogey featured a shocking lost golf ball and officially eliminated him from contention. He played his final seven holes in two under to finish T14, which ultimately marked an anticlimactic close to a turbulent major season for DeChambeau.
WINNER: Xander Schauffele’s T18
I do not think Xander Schauffele himself will grade this as a “win” and I’m not saying that, like, Schauffele had a better week than DeChambeau. But this is a moment of appreciation for the never-give-up nature of Schauffele, who didn’t have his best stuff this week but played his way from the edge of the cut line inside the top 20, as he always seems to do. In the last 19 majors, Schauffele has finished T18 or better in 18 of those — and the lone outlier was a T28. It’s worth appreciating that run of excellence.
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LOSER: Rory McIlroy’s momentum
Rory McIlroy had an opposite finish to Schauffele. He played well out of the gate on Sunday, getting to two under for his round (and four under for the tournament) through 10 holes — but he shot three over par the rest of the way to fade to T40, adding a disappointing final sentence to a major championship season that began with a Masters victory.
“I just felt like any time I got a little bit of momentum out there, I seemed to make a bogey,” he said. “Yeah, just one of those weeks I couldn’t get it going.”
I’m excited for McIlroy’s next chapter, for his fall international tour, for his role in what’s next in the golf world. But as he wrapped things up on Sunday he sounded slightly melancholy.
“This season feels very similar to last season. Obviously won the first major of the year, fell off a little bit after that, but still any time you win a major in a year, you have to be pleased about that.”
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WINNER: Firm, fast conditions
It’s just more fun when the ball lands and you don’t know quite where it’s going to end up. Links golf rules.
LOSER: The Rules of Golf
DeChambeau’s week was overshadowed by his controversial brush with, well, brush on Friday evening. Scottie Scheffler’s rollercoaster charge on Sunday included plenty of discussion on the strangeness around his lost-ball-slash-free-drop en route to birdie on the 71st hole. This seems to be the natural way of the world, where our next-day discussions of NFL games revolve around pass interference calls and our NBA game reviews are a lot of block-vs.-charge and where a major star of this World Cup has been VAR processes. It’s definitely not boring. Sometimes it’s fun. But I don’t want it to engulf everything else.
LOSER: Lousy finishers
Jon Rahm started and finished his Sunday round with double bogeys; there’s a world where he could have challenged for the win, as he did on Sunday at the PGA, but instead his four-over 74 left him even par and T46. Justin Thomas had a rough finish, too, making six Sunday bogeys plus a double en route to 76 and T65, turning a solid week sour. The ascendant Alex Fitzpatrick was well positioned for a reasonably high finish, too, before his putter abandoned him and a Sunday 77 plummeted him down to T71.
WINNERS: Sunday chargers
They say it’s not how you start but how you finish. That’s good news for Young, of course, and for Jarvis. They’re not the only pros who will leave feeling good about their Sunday moves, though: A handful of others never meaningfully contended for the win but moved way up with low rounds nonetheless. I’m looking at Adam Scott, whose 66 jumped him 29 places to T9, his highest major finish since 2019. I’m looking at Russell Henley, who actually bogeyed two of his last three but still shot 66 to finish T9, his fourth top 10 in his last six major starts. Corey Conners (67), Chris Gotterup (67) and Rickie Fowler (66) charged into the top 20. That’ll feel good for the nine long months before next year’s Masters.
Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Ryan Fox’s dramatic Open win, Rory and Bryson’s feud and everything else from Royal Birkdale.
Ryan Fox birdied four of his last six holes to shoot 68 and win the Open Championship by one over Cameron Young and claim his first major title. How did Fox, who shot 62 on Saturday, rule the weekend and win the Claret Jug?
Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): As in every Open, conditions mattered and Fox took advantage of some relatively benign ones on Saturday. More importantly, though, he stayed patient. The quirks of Royal Birkdale drove some guys crazy this week. Fox, by contrast, stayed cool even when he got a couple of terrible bunker breaks coming down the stretch. That was especially impressive, as was the way he stuck with his (wonderfully) brisk routine. A lot of guys get out of rhythm when they’re trying to close. Fox stayed in his rhythm.
Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): While others wilted under the pressure, Fox thrived in it. On a day when seemingly every contender struggled to hit the shots when the lights got the brightest, Fox did not. It may seem overly simplistic, but the best golfers are the ones who can perform under pressure. No one was better than Fox in that regard on Sunday.
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Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@jess_marksbury): Agree with the great points from my colleagues here. Fox hung in impressively on Sunday — and he suffered some adversity too. That chip shot from behind the green on 9 that came right back to his feet could have really derailed him. But he managed to get the next shot up and down for bogey. That kind of mental fortitude is everything on a major championship Sunday.
Any issue with three 62s at Royal Birkdale? (And before this week, Branden Grace had the first major 62 ever at the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale.)
Sens: It’s hard to take issue with scores when everyone’s playing the same course. But I do wish they had found a way to keep some of the juice in the rough, despite the dry conditions. Ideally, I think, there should be more punishment for driving it wildly in an Open than there was this week.
Melton: I don’t have an issue with it. Despite the flurry of 62s, the winner still took 270 strokes, one less than at Aronimink, which got rave reviews from fans. While low scores were out there, they had to be earned. Good shots were rewarded and bad shots were punished. That’s all you can ask for.
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Marksbury: No issues with the low scores. Sometimes the overseas weather bestows some gifts. And, as we witnessed, the course was still capable of baring some teeth.
Before Fox lifted the Claret Jug on Sunday, Bryson DeChambeau was the talk of the tournament with his Friday penalty and the dramatics that followed it. Opinions of the penalty (and how Bryson handled the situation) flooded in from fans, players and analysts. How would you sum up Bryson’s week? Was it a net positive or negative?
Sens: I would think it was a huge net positive in social-media followers, which is all that counts these days, right?
Melton: Positive for his YouTube channel, that’s for sure. I’m sure he’ll give us a breakdown of his thoughts on his channel. Be sure to smash that like button and hit subscribe to hear more.
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Marksbury: Probably a net positive in terms of the general public and support from his fans, but if Rory McIlroy’s sentiments about the situation are any indication, it could be a possible net negative with his pro golf peers.
Rory McIlroy didn’t hold back when asked for his opinion on DeChambeau’s Friday drama, saying, “I’m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it’s performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention.” There’s an obvious history between these two, but was this fair from McIlroy? Or crossing the line?
Sens: Fair game for McIlroy to share his thoughts when asked for them. I think the forthrightness was refreshing. I’d quibble with Rory’s assertion that DeChambeau was holding the tournament hostage. The uncertainty around tee times was overblown, I thought. You’re playing the weekend in the Open Championship. Do you really have other plans? Go to bed early, get up early and be ready to go. A grizzly old-timer might be left to conclude that not knowing whether you’re teeing off at 11 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. is what qualifies as adversity for today’s pros.
Melton: Is it fair to call the content king Bryson “performative?” Absolutely. Everything he does is for the cameras. I don’t take any issue with his behavior being called out.
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Marksbury: I do think it’s a bit ungentlemanly to publicly air your dislike for another player like that. And I don’t understand how DeChambeau’s situation delayed the release of tee times. But for Rory and Bryson, there’s some history fueling the bad blood here. As for Bryson’s “performative” antics, well, the whole situation was fairly dramatic. I’m not sure how much was driven by heat-of-the-moment passion for an alleged injustice, or Bryson’s desire to milk the moment for his personal brand. Maybe a little of both.
Who won the Open Championship without winning the Open Championship?
Sens: On the one hand, hometown favoriteTommy Fleetwood had to be disappointed not to make a Sunday run. But he also spoke of the memories he made, the experiences you can’t buy, and how much they meant to him. Coming from another player, a cynic might read that as a crushed soul trying to rationalize. But I get the sense that Fleetwood was being entirely sincere.
Melton: How about Casey Jarvis with his first-career major top 10? This was his first Open start, and he performed well enough to qualify for next year at St. Andrews. I’d say that’s a pretty great week.
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Marksbury: Both great picks. I’ll second Tommy. The hometown hero was in the conversation throughout and birdied his last two holes on Sunday. Not a win, of course, but that had to feel pretty good.
And who’s the most upset wondering what could have been leaving the final major of the season?
Josh Sens: Scottie Scheffler, the defending champ. With even a halfway decent week with the putter, he could have won by several shots.
Melton: Absolutely Scottie. He hit the ball well enough to put on a repeat performance of last year, but his putter was ice cold. Tough way to end the major season for the world No. 1.
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Marksbury: Cameron Young. He bogeyed 18, then held the clubhouse lead for more than two hours, with a playoff looking imminent, before finally being crushed by the tournament’s very last putt. That makes eight career top-10s in the majors — and the pursuit of his first major continues.
Terence Crawford has named a former world champion as the “face of boxing”, convinced that Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis simply has more work to do.
While coming off a star-making performance, it is difficult to declare that Ennis, a two-weight unified champion, is now the bona fide “face of boxing”.
But while it was, indeed, a scintillating display that saw him claim the WBO and WBA titles, there is still a way to go before ‘Boots’ becomes a mainstream attraction.
Until then, most will continue to regard Canelo Alvarez as the sport’s biggest crossover star, even if he happens to be inching closer towards retirement.
Having consistently been involved in pay-per-view events for over a decade, the Mexican remains a widely supported figure in American and Hispanic communities.
As a result, ‘Bud’ named his last opponent after being asked by The Breakfast Club whether Ennis is now the face of boxing.
“Canelo’s still the face of boxing. For sure.”
Despite coming off a defeat, Alvarez has secured another world title fight against Christian Mbilli, who was elevated from ‘interim’ to full WBC champion following Crawford’s retirement announcement in December.
The pair will collide at 168lbs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, towards the end of October, with Canelo no longer fighting on his usual Mexican Independence Day weekend.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — At this level, any coach can find great players. Finding ones who are also good people and willing to put the team ahead of themselves, that is the challenge.
In this day and age, when so many people are only out for themselves, not caring who they trample over to get what they want, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and his team are a breath of fresh air.
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They are World Cupchampions because they were the best team in the tournament. They have so much joy in the title because they didn’t sacrifice their values to get it.
“It’s unbelievable I’m talking about this as something exceptional. I don’t think I’m an alien. I come from the earth,” de la Fuente added, drawing laughter.
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
Spain’s forward #19 Lamine Yamal celebrates with his brother Keyne after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286230079
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(FRANCK FIFE, AFP via Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
Spain’s forward #19 Lamine Yamal celebrates with his brother Keyne after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286230079
(FRANCK FIFE, AFP via Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
Spain’s forward #19 Lamine Yamal celebrates with his brother Keyne after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286230365
(FRANCK FIFE, AFP via Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
Spain’s forward #19 Lamine Yamal celebrates with his brother Keyne after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286230016
(FRANCK FIFE, AFP via Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
Spain’s forward #19 Lamine Yamal celebrates with his brother Keyne after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286230299
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(CHARLY TRIBALLEAU, AFP via Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
Spain’s forward #19 Lamine Yamal celebrates with his brother Keyne after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286230162
(CHARLY TRIBALLEAU, AFP via Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
Spain’s forward #19 Lamine Yamal celebrates with his brother Keyne after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286230153
(CHARLY TRIBALLEAU, AFP via Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JULY 19: Lamine Yamal #19 of Spain celebrates with his little brother Keyne after the team’s victory following the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286813714
(Justin Setterfield, Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JULY 19: Lamine Yamal #19 of Spain celebrates with his little brother Keyne after the team’s victory following the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286813713
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(Justin Setterfield, Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JULY 19: Keyne, the little brother of Lamine Yamal #19 of Spain, celebrates after the team’s victory following the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286812059
(Carl Recine, Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
Spain’s forward #19 Lamine Yamal’s brother Keyne walk towards a giant replica of the trophy following the trophy ceremony after Spain won the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286230422
(MAURO PIMENTEL, AFP via Getty Images)
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Spain star Lamine Yamal celebrates World Cup win with brother Keyne
Spain’s forward #19 Lamine Yamal’s brother Keyne gestures next to a giant replica of the trophy following the trophy ceremony after Spain won the 2026 World Cup football tournament final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19, 2026. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP via Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776447944 ORIG FILE ID: 2286230359
(MAURO PIMENTEL, AFP via Getty Images)
Sports heroes too often anything but
It’s just so … refreshing. How many times have we had to root for teams and athletes while holding our noses, either because they have not thought twice about cutting corners on their way to success or because there is documented evidence that they’re not good people?
Now, the outside world can never really “know” a team. We don’t see them day in and day out or spend time with them when their guards are down. But there is no evidence they are not who de la Fuente says they are.
And their World Cup title gives credence to what he says.
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Spain’s players choose team over selves
Take Lamine Yamal. The 19-year-old is an otherworldly talent, the youngest to score a goal at the European championships and already a three-time La Liga champion with Barcelona. Yet he finished the World Cup with only one goal. If Yamal was selfish, you can bet he would have been hijacking runs and taking shots rather than passing to open teammates.
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Or Rodri. If Spain’s captain didn’t think La Roja’s collective goal was more important than individual accomplishments, he would have spent the entire tournament hogging the spotlight to disabuse the world of the notion that he’s washed.
Neither of those things happened.
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“In the past, people were surprised about footballers being very talented and skilled and also good people,” de la Fuente said. “This shows it is possible. good people, generous people, with values that have managed to create a great team.
“We’ve shown we are a united team. The most united team.”
A good team, in every sense of the word.
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Argentina has been a chippy team all tournament, and they bordered on reckless as they got desperate. Enzo Fernandez picked up his second yellow card in stoppage time of regulation when his tackle sent Pau Cubarsi somersaulting before hitting the ground with a thud. Argentina’s Leandro Paredes was given a straight red for going for Eric Garcia’s throat at the end of the game.
Yet as Argentina went to collect its medals, Spain’s players all applauded. Nico Williams leaned over to make sure he high-fived or slapped hands with each member of Argentina’s team.
Told Argentina coach Lionel Scolari had broken down in tears during his news conference, de la Fuente looked pained.
“I would like to take the opportunity to thank him publicly for everything that he’s taught me. All the football conversations we’ve had. He explained how difficult it is to be in this position (at the World Cup). His experience was very valuable to us,” de la Fuente said.
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“I’m deeply sorry for what he’s going through,” de la Fuente added.
Spain sets example for all
It really shouldn’t be that hard to be a good human. Mind your manners, be nice to others, apologize when you’ve done wrong and try to leave everywhere you’ve been better than how you found it.
Yet too often now, it seems that’s simply too big of an ask. People are out only for themselves and the hell with everyone else.
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Which makes Spain and de la Fuente easy champions to celebrate.
“Favor the common good before their individual good, that’s what we’re trying to do,” de la Fuente said. “We’re trying to surround ourselves with people who have that feeling that they want to be part of that group.”
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And maybe, just maybe, this World Cup run will entice more people to try and win like Spain. To be kinder, gentler and more considerate of your fellow humans, on the soccer field and off.
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Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
There’s a term for the space in between sleep and awake. It’s called hypnopompia, the state of near-consciousness in which dreams and reality blur, producing momentary lucid visions. Put simply, it’s a brief moment when you are living your dreams.
Tommy Fleetwood never fell asleep this week at his home Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. But he didn’t need to feel like he was living out a dream he’d long conjured in his mind. He just wasn’t sure how his dream would end.
Fleetwood, who grew up in Southport and used to sneak onto Royal Birkdale as a kid, was the toast of this Open. Like Rory McIlroy at Royal Portrush, the Birkdale crowds flocked to Tommy Lad all week, trying to inject energy to push him toward the thing they all wanted. Fleetwood entered the weekend in the mix and vaulted into contention on Saturday. In the end, a few late dropped shots left Fleetwood five shots back entering the final round. He had spent all week soaking in the love and energy of his home crowd. He wanted Sunday to have the fairytale ending for them, as much as for himself.
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But as Fleetwood explained 15 hours before he pegged it to start his Sunday Open quest, this week had already been all he needed.
“There’s no pressure on me at all really, except for my own expectations, and of course it’s a really beautiful thing that the town is so hopeful for me and they want me to do well,” Fleetwood said on Saturday. “I can’t ask for any more from thousands and thousands of people out there. No, I don’t feel pressure. I felt nerves this week and excitement and adrenaline, but that’s my own expectations. The crowd have been incredible. They’ve made a massive difference to me. I just said over there, whatever happens tomorrow — like yesterday evening, the first tee every day, today when I was in contention, that’s stuff that I’ll have for life. To be honest, how many people in the golfing world get to experience that with the crowd that much on your side? It’s been a very special week for me, no matter what. If I can get it tomorrow, I could make it even more special.
“You daydream and you dream about the biggest things possible and then you try and make it a reality,” Fleetwood said Saturday. “To be honest, I’ve been pretty close to it this week. Today was as close as you’re going to get. I was within one of the lead at The Open playing on the back nine. It’s been pretty close already, and then you’ve just got the ultimate at the end of it, which would be holding the Claret Jug. Life is all about experiences, and I think I’ve had some of the best experiences of my life so far this week.”
On Sunday, Fleetwood arrived one final time at the first tee and received a hero’s welcome, all of Southport trying to create a tidal wave of emotion and energy for him to ride to the dream finish. Fleetwood knew he would need a special round and some help. But he did his part by rolling in a 73-foot birdie putt at the first to send Royal Birkdale into a frenzy.
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“That was a bonus, wasn’t it? That was a cool moment,” a smiling Fleetwood said after his round.
Fleetwood birdied Nos. 5 and 8 and stood in the ninth fairway just one back of the leaders, who were stuck in neutral. Standing in the ninth fairway, dreams and reality started to blur together for Fleetwood, but not all dreams end the way we think. Fleetwood’s approach shot at nine went long of the green, and he couldn’t get up and down for par. He dropped shots at 10 and 11 and his Open Championship hopes fizzled as he finished three shots back of eventual winner Ryan Fox.
But what Fleetwood found at Royal Birkdale this week — what he’d expected when he arrived — is that this dream Open was never about where he finished on the leaderboard. Winning was the ultimate goal, yes, but what Fleetwood wanted more than anything was to embrace an atmosphere and occasion few in golf get to enjoy. He wanted to make sure he lived and was present for the experience of a home Open with the town of Southport along for the ride. Whatever happened, happened.
Fleetwood parred his next five holes and then set out to give his home Open a proper send-off. He birdied the par-5 17th, split the fairway with his drive at 18 and hit his approach to 9 feet. Then, as he walked toward the green, the crowds rose as one to shower the local boy with the adoration reserved for someone who had given them something more valuable than a Southport Claret Jug — permission to dream.
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As they did, Tommy Fleetwood’s emotions flowed.
“Eighteen was pretty emotional,” Fleetwood said. “Yeah, it was just very, very special. I’ve just said a couple times that, like — you know, this disappointment that I didn’t win today or I couldn’t get it done when I was in a really good position, of course there’s only one person that gets to win it, and like my dream of winning The Open will carry on and I’ll continue to chase it. But stuff like that, walking down 18 and the atmosphere out there, that was beyond stuff that I’ve dreamt of. That was just stuff that I never imagined. The crowds were amazing, and they made it the most special week ever for me, and I can’t thank them enough.”
Fleetwood soaked in the cheers and love as he reached the 18th green, and then he gave everyone one more moment to celebrate, as he rolled in the putt for a closing birdie. As the cheers continued, Tommy Lad, with tears welling in his eyes, doffed his cap, waved it and put his hand over his heart to thank his hometown.
“That was heavy stuff, like they were incredible,” Fleetwood said. “Like I just alluded to, as a kid when you’re dreaming of having a putt to win The Open or playing The Open or winning The Open, that’s one thing, but I could never imagine that scene on 18, getting the ovation and the support that I have this week. That’s incredibly special. I do know how incredibly lucky I am to have experienced that. I’m so grateful for everyone because that’s like stuff that my kids are watching that, and I think it’s so cool that they get to experience that. Yeah, I can’t ask for any more from everybody.”
“In each of us there is another whom we do not know,” Jung wrote. “He speaks to us in dreams and tells us how differently he sees us from the way we see ourselves.”
But perhaps Mr. Jung would have felt differently, or at least amended his theory that dreams are a sign of a fractured soul, had he witnessed the scene at Birkdale; had he seen what can happen when someone who knows exactly who they are and cherishes where they’re from combines with that place to create something normally reserved for the hours our eyes are shut. Because as Fleetwood’s dream week unfolded at Royal Birkdale, the vision couldn’t have been any clearer. There was nothing unknown. No part of Fleetwood we didn’t see. There was just a man from Southport in front of his family, friends and fans; in front of a place that is part of his DNA, trying to pay them back for everything they had given him.
There was just Tommy Fleetwood living a dream, eyes wide open, albeit a little red, in the place where it all began.
NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump became one of the biggest talking points after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 to win the FIFA World Cup 2026 final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.Trump stood alongside the Spain players as they received the World Cup trophy and remained on the podium during the celebrations. Trump only stepped aside after FIFA president Gianni Infantino pulled him away, allowing captain Rodri to lift the trophy with his teammates. The moment quickly went viral on social media.The US President also handed the FIFA World Cup trophy to the Spanish players after the final at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Boos greet Trump during trophy ceremony
Boos echoed around the stadium when Trump and Infantino walked onto the field for the trophy presentation after the match. Trump, who had arrived at the stadium by helicopter, congratulated players with handshakes as they walked across the stage before standing with Spain’s squad during the trophy presentation.
Torres fires Spain to second World Cup title
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Spain beat defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time thanks to substitute Ferran Torres’ goal in the 106th minute.Spain dominated possession and created far more chances throughout the match, while Lionel Messi‘s Argentina managed to force extra time before finally conceding.Torres reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the box and fired a left-footed shot under the crossbar to seal Spain’s second FIFA World Cup title, their first since 2010.
Trump’s earlier World Cup controversy
Trump had earlier found himself at the centre of controversy during the tournament after calling FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the red card shown to US striker Folarin Balogun in the group-stage match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.Balogun’s one-match suspension was later lifted, allowing him to play in the Round of 16 against Belgium, where the United States lost 4-1.
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