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FIFA World Cup 2026: “Lamine is truly amazing,” Messi praises Spain’s teenage sensation before final
New York [US], July 18 (ANI): Argentina captain Lionel Messi praised Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, calling him an “amazing" player while saying Argentina will do everything possible to prevent him from achieving a historic milestone. cricket-ipl.co.za
In a post shared by ESPN FC on X, Messi said he has closely followed Yamal’s progress because of the youngster’s performances for Barcelona, a club the Argentine legend represented for nearly two decades.
“Lamine is truly amazing, and I’ve followed him a lot because he plays for a club I love so much. He has a chance to achieve something historic, and we’re going to try to make sure that doesn’t happen this time," Messi said.
Defending champions Argentina secured a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over England in the semifinal, overturning a first-half deficit with Enzo Fernandez scoring the equaliser before Lautaro Martinez netted the stoppage-time winner to send the defending champions into the title clash against Spain.
The win over England sent Argentina into the World Cup 2026 final, while England’s hopes of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966 came to a heartbreaking end.
Spain, on the other hand, secured a place in the FIFA World Cup final for the first time since their 2010 triumph after defeating France 2-0 with a composed performance. Lamine Yamal played a key role in the win, winning a penalty after dispossessing Lucas Digne, which Mikel Oyarzabal converted in the 22nd minute to give Spain the lead.
Pedro Porro doubled Spain’s advantage after the break following a fine move with Dani Olmo, while France struggled to create clear chances.
Yamal had a goal ruled out for offside, and despite late efforts from Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni, Spain’s defence held firm to secure their sixth clean sheet in seven tournament matches.
The victory booked Spain’s second-ever World Cup final appearance. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
Skipper Gill rues middle-order collapse after loss
India captain Shubman Gill blamed his side’s middle-order collapse after England chased down a modest 234 with four wickets in hand in the second ODI here on Thursday to level the three-match series 1-1.
Joe Root anchored the chase with a patient 99 not out as England chased down the target in 44.1 overs. Gill admitted India were well short of the total they had targeted at the halfway stage of the innings. From 178-3 at one stage, India slumped to 193-7 in a space of 26 deliveries and never recovered.
“We thought 300-310 would be a good total after 25 overs when we were in a good position, but we lost too many wickets in the middle overs,” Gill said. “Our tailenders are not the best batsmen, but we expected more from the lower middle-order batters and they were not able to capitalise on their starts,” he added.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
Why India Needs a New Captain and a New Mindset After Another T20 World Cup Failure
Trisha Ghosal, London
The debate over India’s next women’s captain is no longer just a conversation among fans. It has become one of the biggest questions confronting Indian cricket following another disappointing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign.
Two successive group-stage exits, in 2024 and now in 2026, have exposed a pattern that can no longer be dismissed as a one-off. India continue to possess one of the strongest talent pools in women’s cricket, yet the team has repeatedly failed to translate that potential into sustained success on the biggest stage. The issue, therefore, is no longer just about personnel. It is about leadership, planning and mindset.
Smriti Mandhana’s recent interview with The Times of India added fresh momentum to the discussion. Asked if she was ready to captain India, her answer was simple: “I am ready.” It was not a public campaign for the role, but a statement of preparedness from someone who has served as Harmanpreet Kaur’s deputy since 2016. Ten years as vice-captain is more than enough time to understand leadership at the international level. If succession planning was ever part of India’s vision, Mandhana should naturally be next in line.
Former India captain Mithali Raj echoed a similar sentiment while speaking to PTI. “With the vast experience that she (Smriti) has, at least the one-day and Test format should be given to her and perhaps the T20 to someone younger. I think Shafali Verma. Her format is T20Is. And she has led the Under-19 World Cup side [to a title win in 2023]. Why not Shafali? Jemi [Rodrigues] too of course, yes. She has led [Delhi Capitals] in the WPL. Whoever they pick, they need to give them some time to settle.”
That final point is perhaps the most significant. Leadership cannot be judged over one tournament or one bilateral series. It requires continuity, trust and patience.
The larger concern, however, goes beyond who wears the captain’s armband.
When Mithali captained India, women’s cricket lacked professional infrastructure, financial security and a structured domestic ecosystem. Harmanpreet inherited a vastly different landscape. The Women’s Premier League has become a genuine talent factory. Players now have access to elite coaching, international exposure and high-pressure competition before even breaking into the national side.
Yet India’s transition from domestic success to international consistency remains incomplete.
Young cricketers arrive, disappear after a poor series, return months later, and often play without clearly defined roles. There is little sense of continuity or long-term investment. Even Mandhana acknowledged as much in her interview, saying, “The WPL has produced a lot of new talent and several players have made it to the national team. However, I feel they haven’t always been utilised to their best.”
That observation perfectly captures India’s biggest problem. Talent identification has improved dramatically. Talent management has not.
Perhaps the strongest argument for change comes from the remarkable alignment between two of India’s greatest batters from different generations.
Mithali was blunt when she said, “We don’t have a roadmap. We don’t think about two years down the line… We are only thinking series to series. We don’t have a long-term plan.”
Mandhana struck the same chord while looking ahead to the 2028 T20 World Cup: “It’s important to introspect and learn from mistakes… there needs to be a clear roadmap till the 2028 T20 World Cup on how we want to approach the format and what we need to do as a team.”
When both the previous captain and the likely next one are highlighting the absence of a long-term vision, it becomes difficult to ignore.
This is not an indictment of Harmanpreet Kaur’s contribution to Indian cricket. But every leadership cycle has a natural end. The best teams recognise when evolution is necessary instead of waiting for decline to become irreversible.
India now have an opportunity to begin that transition.
Whether it is Smriti Mandhana in the longer formats, with someone like Shafali Verma or Jemimah Rodrigues gradually taking over the T20 side, as Mithali suggested, or another carefully considered succession plan, the decision must be driven by the next four years rather than the next four matches.
Another World Cup disappointment has made one thing abundantly clear. India do not merely need a new captain; they need a new way of thinking. A fresh voice, a defined roadmap and the courage to back a new leadership group could be the first step towards ensuring that the conversation is about trophies rather than missed opportunities.
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FIFA President Infantino addresses media with Donald Trump before final, WATCH viral video
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and United States President Donald Trump addressed the media together ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina, with clips from their appearance quickly going viral across social media. The two spoke at a reception in New York before Sunday’s title clash, reflecting on the success of the tournament and the impact of football around the world.
Infantino praised the tournament’s success and thanked Trump for his support throughout the World Cup. He described the competition as a historic event that had brought people together across different countries and cultures.
“This has been the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed,” Infantino said while thanking Trump for backing the tournament. He also highlighted the record attendance and strong television viewership during the month-long event.
“Your administration, every single person in the White House, in the administration, in the cities, in the states, everywhere contributed to create this safe and secure and joyful environment to live something that the world has never seen,” Infantino concluded.
The FIFA chief said the expanded 48-team tournament had exceeded expectations, with around 6.7 million fans attending matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico. He added that football had once again shown its ability to unite people regardless of nationality or background.
Trump also praised the tournament and called it one of the biggest sporting events ever held. Speaking alongside Infantino, the US President said the World Cup had been a huge success and credited everyone involved in organising the competition.
“I think it’s been one of the greatest sporting events ever,” Trump said, while also congratulating FIFA and the organisers for delivering a memorable tournament.
During the interaction, Trump also made a light-hearted remark about hosting another World Cup without Canada and Mexico, drawing laughter from those present. He also spoke about football’s growing popularity in the United States and welcomed the attention the tournament had brought to the country.
Videos from the media event quickly spread online, with football fans sharing clips of Infantino and Trump standing together before the biggest match of the tournament. Their comments became one of the talking points ahead of the World Cup final, which will see Spain take on defending champions Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The final will bring the curtain down on the first-ever 48-team FIFA World Cup, a tournament that has produced record crowds, memorable matches and several surprises. With Spain chasing another world title and Argentina aiming to defend their crown, the stage is set for a fitting finish to one of the biggest editions of the competition.