“Maybe for someone like Iga who has won so many slams … or maybe someone like Serena or Venus this achievement may seem small, but for someone who grew up in the Philippines. … for her this is everything.”
Alexandra Eala after her win ❤️
Cabo Verde manager Bubista spoke about the level of pride he has for his team after an incredible run in this edition of the World Cup:
"Well, first of all, good evening.
First things first: I feel pride in my players and in what they did. They did it with dignity and courage.
And also a word to our opponent, Argentina.
I think they showed why they're world champions. I think I can say our team showed how willing they were to play this game, to play this match. I don't think any other team could have scored two goals against Argentina and then taken the match into extra time.
I think that shows the character of our team, how skilled our team was throughout most of the match.
We knew the quality of our opponent. It was going to be a tough match, as it truly proved to be against Argentina. But I think we did our best, and we did it with bravery.
And we never failed to stay true to our identity, which is why I'm so proud of what my players did throughout the match.
Obviously, at times during the match, you have to have courage and you have to be well-organized because of how skilled your opponent is.
But I think that being able to equalize against Argentina twice, after falling behind, shows how resilient our team is and how strong our character is as well."
Much to be proud about for Cabo Verde.
#FIFAWorldCup | #FIFAWorldCup2026 | #CaboVerde | #TubarõesAzuis | #WeAreCaboVerde
#argentina #messi #capeverde
📹: FIFA MEDIA
Thierry Henry on Kylian Mbappé embracing Didier Deschamps after scoring against Sweden following the recent passing of Deschamps' mother:
🗣️ “That goal was special, but what happened after it was even more powerful. Mbappé didn't run to the cameras or celebrate for himself he ran straight to Didier Deschamps. In moments like these, football becomes so much bigger than the result.”
“When you've lost someone you love, no trophy or victory takes that pain away. Sometimes all you need is someone to remind you that you're not carrying that pain alone. That hug said more than a thousand words ever could.”
“People admire Mbappé for his pace, his goals and his talent. Tonight, they should admire his heart. He understood exactly what his manager was going through and chose compassion over celebration. That is pure class.”
“Years from now, people may forget who scored first or what the final score was. But they'll remember that embrace between a player and his manager a beautiful reminder that even on the biggest stage in football, humanity will always matter most.
🚨🗣️NEW: Eden Hazard on the Doku controversy: ‘A World Cup comes every four years. Your first child comes once’
“People are acting like Doku is abandoning his country. For what? To witness the birth of his first child? Football has lost its mind. A World Cup comes every four years. Your first child comes once. There will be another tournament, another trophy, another headline. There will never be another first breath from your son.
Some journalists call it ‘disgusting.’ No, what’s disgusting is a world where a player is praised for missing his child’s birth but criticized for being a father. We celebrate loyalty to a badge and mock loyalty to blood. That’s backwards.
You don’t postpone the first cry of your son because a tournament is on. You don’t negotiate with life the way you negotiate with a defender. This is not a friendly. This is not a game you can replay.
Your first child… bringing them into this world… it is a blessing. It only happens once. Everything else — the jersey, the crowd, the cameras — that is noise.
Important noise, yes. But still noise.
A man who turns his back on that moment to chase another trophy is not strong. He is empty. I have lifted everything there is to lift in this game. I know what stays when the final whistle blows and the stadium goes dark. It is not the medal. It is the eyes that look at you like you are their entire world.
Let the boy go home. Let him hold his wife’s hand when it matters. The World Cup will still be here in four years. His son’s first breath will not wait for anyone.
Football teaches you to fight. Fatherhood teaches you why you fight. Some people confuse the two. That is their problem, not Doku’s.”
—ZackNani/ YT
When I saw Alex on the floor, a teammate, my heart broke. We are all humans first. So grateful he's conscious. Sending all my strength to him and his family.
🚨🎙️ Thierry Henry on FIFA turning the World Cup Final into a Super Bowl circus:
“Football is losing its soul little by little. A World Cup Final is supposed to be the purest form of football, pressure, intensity, emotion, tactics, suffering, history. Not a halftime concert made for social media clips and celebrities in vip seats.
When you play at the highest level, your body is programmed around rhythm. Fifteen minutes. That’s what every footballer in the world has known since childhood. Your muscles stay warm, your concentration stays locked in, your emotions stay alive. Now imagine players sitting there for 25 minutes during the biggest game of their lives because FIFA wants a bigger TV spectacle.
People think footballers are robots. They are not. Momentum is real. If one team is dominating before halftime, that long break can completely kill the intensity of the game. It changes everything tactically and mentally. You cool down physically, you lose adrenaline, and then people expect players to immediately return playing at 100 miles per hour.
And let’s be honest here, this is not about football, it’s about money and entertainment. They want football to become the Super Bowl. More commercials, more performances, more headlines, more celebrities. But football became the biggest sport in the world without all of that. The game itself was enough.
The dangerous part is that if the final quality drops or players get injured because of these changes, fans will attack the players first. They will say certain stars disappeared in the second half or failed under pressure, without understanding the conditions were completely changed for a television show.
For me, the World Cup Final should feel sacred. Ninety minutes of war between the best players on earth. Not a pause long enough for the world to forget the match is even happening.”