Mbappe, Messi, Haaland in tight three-way World Cup Golden Boot race
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The World Cup Golden Boot race is exceptionally close, with Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Erling Haaland all tied at seven goals each as the tournament enters the quarter-finals. Mbappe took the lead by converting a penalty in France's 1-0 win over Paraguay. Messi had previously set the pace with a goal against Cape Verde in Argentina's extra-time victory, extending his record as the World Cup's all-time leading scorer. Haaland joined the trio by scoring twice in Norway's 2-1 win against Brazil. This marks the first time in World Cup history that three players have reached seven or more goals at this stage. If the tie persists, assists will be the first tiebreaker, followed by minutes played, with Mbappe currently holding an advantage in assists. Harry Kane is one goal behind with six, having scored a penalty in England's 3-2 win against Mexico. Other players with four goals include Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembele, and Mikel Oyarzabal. The Golden Glove race for the best goalkeeper is also competitive, with Mike Maignan leading, having conceded only two goals in France's first five matches. Emiliano Martinez of Argentina and Unai Simon of Spain are also strong contenders.
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Must ReadThe United States, Mexico, and Canada, joint hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, have all been eliminated from the tournament. The USA was the last to exit, following a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday in Seattle. Canada was the first co-host to be eliminated, losing 3-0 to Morocco on Saturday, July 4, with Azzedine Ounahi scoring twice for Morocco. Mexico followed on Sunday, suffering a 3-2 defeat to England at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Jude Bellingham scored twice and Harry Kane converted a penalty. Mexico's coach, Javier Aguirre, is expected to be replaced by his assistant, Rafael Marquez. The US elimination came after a 4-1 loss to Belgium at Lumen Field in Seattle. The 2026 World Cup is the first to be jointly hosted by three nations and features an expanded 48-team format. The tournament, which began on June 11, is being held across 16 cities and is scheduled to conclude with the final on July 19. The remaining quarter-finalists are all non-host nations, including Morocco, France, Norway, Spain, Belgium, England, Argentina, and either Egypt or Switzerland and Colombia.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo stated that his Euro 2016 triumph with Portugal holds the same significance for him as a World Cup title, following Portugal's elimination from the World Cup by Spain. Spain defeated Portugal 1-0 in Arlington, Texas, with a stoppage-time goal from Mikel Merino, ending Ronaldo's sixth and final World Cup campaign. Ronaldo, 41, expressed no regrets about how his final World Cup concluded, emphasizing his overall trophy haul with Portugal, which includes the Euro 2016 and two UEFA Nations League titles. He confirmed that this was his last World Cup appearance but did not explicitly rule out future involvement with the national team. Ronaldo finishes his World Cup career with 27 appearances and 11 goals across six editions, with his deepest run being the semi-finals in 2006. Spain will now advance to the quarter-finals.
Must ReadThe United States is reportedly using visa bans and financial incentives to compel African countries to accept migrants from third countries, a policy initiated during the Trump administration. This strategy, aimed at curbing immigration, has led to individuals like Cambodian Pheap Rom being deported to nations such as Eswatini, where he was held in a high-security prison without charge. Other deportees have been sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan, with some lawyers describing their situation as a "legal black hole." Even those sent to countries like Ghana have faced issues, including being left in neighboring Togo without documents. According to former State Department officials, two-thirds of the 39 countries affected by Trump's travel bans are in Africa, and nearly half of the nations with deportation agreements are also African. Democratic Senators indicate that the US offers millions of dollars, such as a 7.5-million aid deal for Eswatini to take 160 deportees, while simultaneously imposing visa restrictions. Critics, including US-based lawyer Tin Thanh Nguyen, have likened this practice to "modern-day human trafficking through official channels." Many deportees, some with legal protections against being sent to their home countries due to fears of torture, have been sent to third countries like Equatorial Guinea and Ghana. These countries have then, in some cases, immediately sent the individuals back to their countries of origin, a practi