World Cup
About
‘World Cup’ is where the biggest tournament in football gets the same honest, in-depth treatment ‘More Than Reviews’ gives to music. With 48 teams from every corner of the globe, a new four-group format, and 104 matches across Canada, Mexico and the USA, the 2026 World Cup is already the biggest edition in the competition’s history and there’s a lot to talk about.
From group stage shocks to knockout drama, this section breaks down every big match, every standout performance, and every storyline shaping the tournament. Expect honest match reviews, reaction to the big moments, and discussion on the players and teams making history whether that’s a last-minute winner, a shock exit, or a star stepping up when it matters most. Whether you followed every group game or you’re just tuning in for the knockouts, this is your space to relive the action and get the real take match by match, round by round.
What’s New
Morocco V Canada
Argentina V Egypt
Morocco 3-0 Canada: Ounahi double sends co-hosts crashing out
Round of 16 · Houston Stadium
Canada’s dream World Cup run on home soil came to an end in Houston, as Morocco showed exactly why they’re being talked about as genuine contenders rather than plucky underdogs. A goalless, scrappy first half gave little away, but Morocco flipped the game entirely after the break, and by the time the final whistle went, the co-hosts had no answer.
This was a rematch of the 2022 group stage, when Morocco edged Canada 2-1 on their way to a historic fourth-place finish and four years on, the story landed the same way. Canada actually started the brighter of the two sides, with keeper Yassine Bounou called into action early to deny both Jonathan David and Tani Oluwaseyi.
The turning point came five minutes into the second half. Azzedine Ounahi received a free kick from captain Achraf Hakimi and drilled a right-footed shot through traffic into the bottom corner to break the deadlock. Canada pushed for an equalizer, but Morocco struck again on the counter Ounahi doubled his tally with a finish from the middle of the box, set up by Brahim Díaz after a quick break. With eight minutes left, the game was already out of reach.
Substitute Soufiane Rahimi who’d come on for the injured Saibari before half-time completed the win in stoppage time, latching onto another Díaz assist to make it 3-0 and confirm Canada’s exit.
Man of the Match: Azzedine Ounahi. Two goals from midfield, both taken with composure, in a game his side didn’t dominate for long stretches.
What it means: Morocco become the first African nation to reach back-to-back World Cup quarterfinals, building on their historic run to the semis in Qatar. For Canada, a first-ever knockout stage appearance ends in the last 16 a marker of progress even in defeat, but a tough way for the co-hosts’ tournament to finish.
Argentina 3-2 Egypt: Messi inspires stoppage-time comeback for the ages
Round of 16 · Atlanta Stadium
Some games test a team’s quality. This one tested their nerve and Argentina passed with barely seconds to spare. Two goals down with 11 minutes to go, the reigning champions produced one of the great World Cup comebacks to edge out a brilliant Egypt side 3-2 and book their place in the quarterfinals.
Yasser Ibrahim gave Egypt a shock half-time lead, heading home from a Marawan Attia cross. Argentina had a route back almost immediately, but Messi’s resulting penalty was saved by an inspired Mohamed Shobeir his second missed penalty of the tournament. Shobeir kept Argentina at bay for long stretches, denying Messi more than once in what was, for most of the night, Egypt’s game to lose.
Egypt thought they’d doubled their lead when Mostafa Zico finished a brilliant counter in the 58th minute, only for VAR to chalk it off for a foul in the build-up. It didn’t matter for long nine minutes later, Zico got his goal anyway, sweeping home a cutback from Haissem Hassan to make it 2-0.
Then came the collapse Egypt never saw coming. With 11 minutes left, Cristian Romero headed home a Messi cross to give Argentina a lifeline. Four minutes later, Messi pounced on a loose ball to smash home the equaliser his eighth goal of the tournament. The Atlanta crowd hadn’t finished celebrating when Argentina won it completely: in the second minute of stoppage time, Enzo Fernández powered a header past Shobeir from a Lautaro Martínez cross to complete the turnaround.
Man of the Match: Lionel Messi. Messi struggled to have an impact for long spells and missed another penalty, but as ever, he delivered when it mattered most the assist for Romero’s goal, the equaliser himself, and the moment that turned the tie.
What it means: Argentina march on toward a possible “bicampeonato” defending the title they won in 2022 but they’ve now had to come from behind in back-to-back knockout games. For Egypt, a heartbreaking exit after arguably their best performance of the tournament.
USA 1-4 Belgium: De Ketelaere brace ends co-hosts’ home dream
Round of 16 · Seattle Stadium
The USA’s golden generation talk came crashing back to earth in Seattle, as Belgium made light work of the co-hosts in a one-sided 4-1 win that never really felt in doubt after the opening quarter of an hour. It’s the seventh straight time the USA have lost to Belgium since a single win at the inaugural 1930 tournament and this one continued a painfully familiar pattern.
Belgium came flying out of the blocks, winning an early corner inside the first minute, before Charles De Ketelaere opened the scoring in the 9th minute, tapping home a low cross. The USA hit back almost immediately when Malik Tillman’s deflected free kick levelled things at 1-1 for a moment, home advantage looked like it might matter. It didn’t last.
Parity lasted just 56 seconds. De Ketelaere rose to head home a Leandro Trossard cross, restoring Belgium’s lead before the half-hour mark and putting the Red Devils firmly back in control. Belgium finished the half dominating on expected goals, and the game’s biggest talking point arrived early in the second period.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese dawdled on a routine ball outside his box, and De Ketelaere pounced, stealing possession and setting up Hans Vanaken for an easy third a moment that instantly earned its own nickname on social media. Substitute Romelu Lukaku added a fourth in stoppage time to complete the rout, with Christian Pulisic forced off with a foot injury compounding a miserable night for the hosts.
Man of the Match: Charles De Ketelaere. Two goals and an assist the first Belgian player on record since 1966 to be directly involved in three goals in a single World Cup match.
What it means: The USA are eliminated in the Round of 16 for the fourth straight appearance at this stage, despite a group stage that produced their best-ever performance in the expanded format. A tough night for a team that arrived with real belief on home soil.
Up next: Belgium face Spain in the quarterfinals in Los Angeles.
USA V Belgium
Mexico 2-3 England: Ten-man Three Lions survive Azteca thriller
Round of 16 · Mexico City Stadium
Some wins feel routine. This one felt like a heist. England needed every ounce of nerve to hold off a rampant Mexico at a roaring Estadio Azteca and they did it for over 40 minutes with ten men, in one of the wildest knockout ties of the tournament so far.
England’s World Cup run was supposed to be a story about altitude. Instead it became a story about survival. Kick-off itself was delayed by an hour due to a storm, and once it finally got underway, Jude Bellingham scored twice in under two minutes to put England 2-0 up, silencing a stadium that had gone all tournament without conceding a single goal. Bellingham’s double came in the 36th and 38th minutes, and for a moment, it looked like England might cruise.
Mexico had other ideas. Julián Quiñones pulled one back with a well-taken volley four minutes later, and belief flooded back into the Azteca. Then came the moment that threatened to derail England’s night completely: Jarell Quansah was shown a straight red card in the 54th minute for a challenge on Jesús Gallardo, leaving England to defend for well over half an hour a man short.
Remarkably, England responded instantly rather than retreating. Harry Kane converted a penalty just six minutes later after a foul on Anthony Gordon, restoring the two-goal cushion. Mexico halved the deficit again through a Raúl Jiménez penalty Kane himself was penalised at the other end via VAR setting up a nail-biting finish. From there, it was pure resistance: goalkeeper Jordan Pickford produced a string of world-class saves, at one point flinging himself high to tip a flying Jiménez header over the bar, while Bellingham even made a goal-saving clearance of his own late on.
Man of the Match: Jude Bellingham. Two goals in 98 seconds that effectively won the tie, plus a last-ditch defensive intervention when England were hanging on. A complete performance from a player still just 23.
What it means: England bury the ghost of their last visit to this exact stadium in 1986 the infamous Maradona “Hand of God” defeat.