Wayne Rooney on Breel Embolo receiving a second yellow card for simulation after the referee ruled that Leandro Paredes made no contact.
🗣️ “Absolutely the correct decision. Leandro Paredes never touched him. Not once. That��s a blatant dive, and the referee deserves credit for having the courage to punish it.”
“I’m sick and tired of seeing players throw themselves to the ground hoping to fool officials. This is a World Cup, not a theatre. If you’re trying to cheat your way into a free kick or a penalty, you deserve to be punished.”
“Embolo already knew he was on a yellow card, yet he still chose to go down looking for something that simply wasn’t there. That’s unbelievably reckless. You cannot make decisions like that in a knockout match and expect sympathy afterwards.”
“Anyone complaining about the red card needs to watch the replay again. There is no contact. None. The referee didn’t ruin the game Embolo did. He put his team in an impossible position because he tried to deceive the official instead of staying on his feet and fighting honestly.”
*“Hopefully this sends a message to every player in the tournament. Stop diving. Stop trying to con referees. Play football. If officials start punishing simulation like this every single time, the game will be far better for it. Embolo has nobody to blame but himself.”
🚨 “Granit Xhaka Speaks on Embolo Red Card After Switzerland’s Exit to Argentina”
🗣️ :“Of course, it’s a difficult moment for us. We gave everything on the pitch, we fought until the end, but sometimes you have to accept the result and be honest — today, it was a fair game.
About the red card for Breel Embolo… look, there are rules in football. I will not complain or try to deny it just because it happened to us. The referee made his decision, and we have to respect that. These are the standards of the game, and as players, we must accept them, even when it hurts.
We tried to stay in the match, to remain organized, to still believe — and I’m proud of the effort from the team. But Argentina showed their quality, their experience, and in the end, they deserved to go through.
So I want to congratulate Lionel Messi and the entire Argentina team. And for Leo… I wish him all the best. Honestly, he deserves everything in football.
He has given so much to the game, he has suffered a lot in moments like this in the past, and to see him still performing at this level is something special.
If he goes on to win another World Cup, it will be something beautiful for football — because for me, he is the greatest of all time.”
Zlatan Ibrahimović on Argentina reaching the FIFA World Cup semi-finals.
🗣️ “This is why the world fears Argentina. You can criticise them for 90 minutes, you can say they didn’t play their best football, but when the moment of truth arrives, they always find a way to survive. That’s what champions do.”
“Look at those celebrations. Look at the tears in the stands. That’s not just a football victory—that’s the heartbeat of an entire nation. Millions of Argentinians will remember this night for the rest of their lives because their dream is still alive.”
“People doubted them during this match. They said Switzerland were the better team, they questioned Argentina’s performance and wrote them off. Well, football doesn’t hand out trophies for playing beautifully. It rewards the team that delivers when everything is on the line, and Argentina did exactly that.”
“And Lionel Messi… once again, when history called, he answered. Great players don’t always score the winning goal, but they leave their fingerprints all over the biggest matches. That’s why his name will live forever in football.”
*“Now let me warn every team left in this tournament. If you think Argentina have reached the semi-finals by accident, you’ve learned absolutely nothing. This team grows stronger under pressure, and once they smell the World Cup trophy, they become dangerous in a way very few nations ever have. The dream is alive, the belief is alive, and Argentina are only two victories away from football immortality.”
���🇪🇦🇷🇪🇬 | Toni Kroos destruyó las conspiraciones de los fracasados que aseguran que Argentina le robó a Egipto en el Mundial:
"No entiendo por qué la gente siempre busca excusas después de un resultado como este. El fútbol se decide en 90 minutos, no por un solo momento. Egipto jugó una primera mitad excelente, pero, después de ponerse 2–0, perdió el control del partido y Argentina aprovechó. Eso es lo que hacen los equipos de élite.
"La gente sigue hablando del árbitro y del VAR, pero, si ves el partido de manera objetiva, la remontada de Argentina se construyó sobre su intensidad, calidad y mentalidad. Creyeron hasta el pitido final, mientras que Egipto no pudo mantener el mismo nivel que mostró al principio.
"No podés tirar por la borda una ventaja de dos goles contra uno de los mejores equipos del mundo y luego reducirlo todo a una sola decisión. El fútbol es mucho más complejo que eso.
"Siempre habrá debates sobre el arbitraje, y eso es normal. Pero decir que el partido fue 'robado' o que el torneo se está regalando a Argentina es injusto para todos los jugadores en el campo. Los jugadores deciden los partidos con sus actuaciones, no con teorías conspirativas.
"Lo difícil, después de una derrota, es aceptar que el rival fue mejor en los momentos decisivos. Argentina merece crédito por la forma en que respondió bajo presión, y Egipto debería estar orgulloso de su actuación mientras también aprende de los errores que le costaron caro. Eso es el fútbol".
🚨 “I’m Not Surprised by Messi’s Success” — Ronaldinho Explains Why
🗣️:“It’s not a surprise to me seeing Lionel Messi achieve everything he deserves and live the life he’s living today. Not at all. When you truly know him, both on and off the pitch, you understand why everything goes his way.”
“On the pitch, we all know who he is — magic, genius, someone the world may never see again. But off the pitch… that’s where he becomes even greater.”
“I remember one of the most difficult moments of my life, when I was in prison. It wasn’t easy. You feel forgotten, you feel alone… but Messi made sure I never felt that way.”
“He kept calling me, checking on me, making sure I was okay. He always told me, ‘Don’t hesitate, whatever you need, just tell me.’ And he meant it.”
“I’ll never forget my birthday in there… I had even forgotten it myself. But Messi didn’t. He was the first person to reach out, to remind me, to make me smile in a place where it’s hard to smile.”
“He was also huge in helping me with my situation. Things like that… you don’t forget. Ever.”
“I know he wouldn’t like me saying all this, because that’s the kind of person he is — he helps in silence, he doesn’t look for attention. But I have to say it.”
“That’s why I’m never surprised by his success. A man like that… he can never fail in life. Never.”
“I will always be grateful to him.”
Zinedine Zidane on 🇦🇷 Argentina eliminating Egypt and reaching the World Cup quarter-finals after an incredible comeback from 0-2 under Lionel Messi’s leadership:
🗣️ “This is what legends do. When Argentina were 2-0 down, when the world thought they were finished, they found something inside themselves that only great teams possess. They showed heart, character, and the mentality of champions. They refused to accept defeat.”
“Lionel Messi once again showed why he is a player from another level. Leadership is not only about scoring goals—it is about inspiring belief when everything looks impossible. His presence, his mentality, and his ability to lift his teammates changed the entire game. Argentina followed their captain into battle, and they created a night they will never forget.”
“Egypt deserve enormous respect. They pushed Argentina to their absolute limit and showed incredible courage. But this is the cruelty and beauty of football. One moment can decide everything, and Argentina found those moments when their backs were against the wall.”
“Coming back from 0-2 in a World Cup knockout match is not just a victory—it is a statement. Argentina have shown the world that champions are not the teams that never suffer; they are the teams that suffer, fight, and rise again. Tonight belongs to Messi, to Argentina, and to a team that refused to let their dream die.”
Gary Lineker on Enzo Fernández's winning goal against Egypt:
🗣️ “What a response from Argentina. From 2-0 down to 3-2, and it's Enzo Fernández who completes the comeback with a superb header.”
“It's a brilliant run into the box, perfect timing, and an outstanding finish under immense pressure. That's the kind of goal that wins knockout matches.”
“Messi reignited Argentina's belief, but Enzo delivered the final blow. This is the character of champions—they never stop fighting, and tonight they've shown exactly why they're among the favourites.”
Thierry Henry on Lionel Messi in tears after Argentina’s incredible comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 at the World Cup:
🗣️ “Seeing Lionel Messi in tears after that final whistle tells you everything. People see the trophies, the records, the goals, but they don’t always see the weight he carries on his shoulders. He carries the dreams of an entire nation every single time he steps onto that pitch.”
“This was not just a comeback victory it was a battle of heart, belief, and character. Argentina were 2-0 down, their World Cup dream was slipping away, but Messi refused to let his team give up. He kept fighting, kept leading, and showed why he is one of the greatest competitors football has ever seen.”
“The emotion we saw from Messi was the emotion of a player who understands what it means to represent millions of people. He doesn’t play only for himself; he plays for Argentina, for his teammates, and for every fan who believes in him. Tonight, he showed the human side behind the legend.”
“Great players create moments, but true legends create memories that last forever. Coming back from 0-2 to win 3-2 in a World Cup knockout match is the kind of night that will be remembered for generations. Messi didn’t just lead Argentina to victory he gave them a moment they will never forget.”
El mundo le tiene que rendir un homenaje y agradecerle a Cabo Verde por su maravillosa actuación este verano.
Nos emocionaron con su historia y le plantaron cara a una Argentina que es firme candidata a ser bicampeona.
Hoy vimos el mejor partido de la historia y desde este momento ya soy caboverdiano, ja!
🔗: https://t.co/ptYNOK8Tvx
A mixed day of emotions here in Mexico.
Franco had a decent race and brought the car home in P12. Unfortunately, Alex suffered damage on the first lap after colliding with Yuki, which ended his race.
#DrivenByMyprotein@Myprotein