StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

DREAM QUARTER-FINAL: LIONEL MESSI VS. CRISTIANO RONALDO PATH REVEALED

The 2026 World Cup draw sets up a potential quarter-final clash between Lionel Messi (Group J) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Group K) as Argentina begins its title defence.

Dream Quarter-Final: Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo Path Revealed
Argentina Opens World Cup vs. Algeria

The 2026 World Cup draw happened on Friday in Washington, DC, and Argentina now knows they'll start their title defence playing against Algeria.

If Lionel Messi decides to play in his sixth World Cup with Argentina, which would be next summer when he's 39, he'll face Algeria, Austria, and Jordan in Group J.

The tournament, hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026, could be the last chance for 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo to grab a World Cup title before he retires.

Like Messi, Ronaldo has played in five World Cups and is the all-time top scorer in men's international soccer with 143 goals. Ronaldo's Portugal is in Group K with the winner of Play-Off Tournament 1 (DR Congo, Jamaica, or New Caledonia), Uzbekistan, and Colombia—the team of his former Real Madrid teammate, James Rodríguez.

If Messi's Argentina and Ronaldo's Portugal both win their groups and their first two knockout matches, they'll meet in the quarterfinal.

Mexico will play South Africa at the Azteca Stadium to kick off the World Cup.

Javier Aguirre's team will also play the Republic of Korea and the winner of European Play-Off D (Czechia, the Republic of Ireland, Denmark, and North Macedonia) in Group A.

Brazil, a five-time world champion, hasn't won the tournament since 2002. Their best finish since then was fourth place in 2014 when they hosted.

Brazil, now coached by former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, will have a tough start against Morocco in their Group C opener. Morocco made it to the 2022 World Cup semifinals after beating Ronaldo's Portugal. Brazil will also play Haiti and Scotland.

Two-time winners France will face tough matches against Senegal, Norway, and the winner of the FIFA playoff tournament 2 (Iraq, Bolivia, or Suriname).

Norway is led by Manchester City's Erling Haaland, who scored two goals per game during qualifying, helping Norway reach its first World Cup in 28 years.

Euro 2024 champions Spain, who won the World Cup in 2010, are in Group H with Uruguay, the South American team coached by Marcelo Bielsa.

Also in the group are Cabo Verde, who are playing in the tournament for the first time, and Saudi Arabia, the only team to beat Argentina at the last World Cup.

Germany, the 2014 World Cup champions, are in Group E with Ecuador, Côte d'Ivoire, and Curacao, who are also first-timers.

The Netherlands is set to play Japan, Tunisia, and the winner of European playoff B (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, or Albania).

Next year's tournament will be the first time 48 national teams will participate, with the final taking place on July 19 in New Jersey.

The complete schedule, including the location and start time for each match, will be announced on Dec. 6 at noon ET (5 p.m. GMT).

WILFRIED NANCY: CELTIC BOSS BLOCKS OUT ALL "NOISE" AND CRITICISM AFTER HEARTS LOSS

After the heat following the Hearts' loss, Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy stated he has "blocked everything out," including social media criticism, to focus solely on the team's performance.

top-news
Celtic Manager Ignores Online Criticism to Focus on Europa League

Celtic's head coach, Wilfried Nancy, said he tunes out all the noise when making decisions as a manager.

This comes after the Frenchman faced some heat after a 2-1 loss to Heart of Midlothian in his first game with the Glasgow team.

Before the Europa League match against AS Roma, Nancy said he doesn't pay attention to what others think.

When asked if those opinions bother him, he told a press conference, "That's a good question."

I'll be honest.

Every team I've coached—when I decided to become a coach—well, when I had the chance to become a coach, I'd been an assistant for seven years, working with many coaches.

I always told myself that when I became a coach, I'd block everything out. And that's exactly what I did.

He said he's built a wall between himself and any outside opinions, even online criticism.

I've blocked anything on Twitter that mentions my name, the club, or what people are saying.

People can say what they want. It's part of the job, and that's what we prepare for. I'm not here to comment on everything.

The manager explained that ignoring public opinion helps him focus on what he can control to improve how the team plays.

He used an analogy about how everyone has different tastes, like when people have different experiences with the same food.

We could visit a restaurant together, and you might love the food, while I don't.

Get what I mean? You like it, and I don't.

Nancy made his goals clear: he's focused on his players and the club and wants to do his best to give good performances.

He wrapped up by saying, At the end of the day, it's part of the job. I control what I can to be good with my players, my club, and the people I work with and to make sure we have the best chance of winning by playing well.

His team will play AS Roma in the Europa League tomorrow.

PEACE PRIZE SCRUTINY: FIFA FACES FORMAL COMPLAINT ABOUT UNILATERAL DONALD TRUMP AWARD

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is accused of four breaches of the ethics code by FairSquare, including awarding the first FIFA Peace Prize to Donald Trump at the World Cup draw.

top-news
Infantino's Political Comments Spark Neutrality Complaint

After the World Cup draw last week, FIFA is facing a formal complaint about political neutrality. FairSquare, a nonprofit, sent FIFA’s Ethics Committee a detailed letter pointing out four possible violations by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the event, one of which was giving out the FIFA Peace Prize.

Calls for FIFA to Look Into It

FairSquare's complaint follows the World Cup draw. At the event, the awarding of the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize was part of several mentions of President Donald Trump. FIFA said the award recognised Trump’s work in promoting peace and unity around the world.

FairSquare believes that giving the prize, along with other things that happened during the event, might have gone against FIFA’s policy of being politically neutral. They've requested the ethics committee to look into the decision to create and give out the FIFA Peace Prize and whether it followed FIFA’s rules.

Infantino and Trump

Infantino and Trump have met a few times over the years, which isn't unusual, as FIFA presidents often meet with leaders from different countries. During the draw, Infantino made some comments about Trump.

He said he was surprised by negative comments about Trump. He stated that, regardless of not being American, Trump was elected in the United States, and one should respect the results of a democratic election.

FairSquare's complaint argues that these statements show a political stance, breaking FIFA’s neutrality rules.

FIFA's Ethics Code

FIFA's ethics code says that the organisation should stay neutral when it comes to politics. It specifically says FIFA remains neutral in matters of politics and religion, also requiring everyone bound by the code to remain politically neutral when dealing with government groups.

Infantino has met with Trump a few times, including an invitation to the presidential inauguration and visits to the Oval Office.

Acting Alone

The Peace Prize given to Trump has been questioned, as it seems it was decided on and awarded without talking to senior FIFA officials. High-ranking FIFA officials were unaware of the award before its announcement. The award was revealed on the same day Infantino spoke at an event in the United States.

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News