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<p>Erling Haaland expressed immense pride in his nation’s historic FIFA World Cup campaign despite a heartbreaking 2-1 quarter-final defeat to England after extra time in Miami on Saturday, 11 July 2026. The loss marked the end of a spectacular tournament trajectory for the Scandinavian side, who had reached the final eight for the first time in 28 years.</p>



<p>The Manchester City striker was one of the tournament&#8217;s biggest heroes, netting seven goals in five matches, including a crucial brace that eliminated five-time world champions Brazil in the round of 16. Reflecting on the campaign, Haaland focused on the cultural impact of their success. &#8220;How we put Norway on the map is maybe one thing that touches me the most,&#8221; the 25-year-old superstar stated. &#8220;I think this changes Norway, I think it changes me.&#8221;</p>



<p>The match was heavily impacted by controversial refereeing decisions. Norway had a critical goal ruled out following a VAR review that penalised Haaland for an alleged foul on England midfielder Elliot Anderson, whom Haaland pushed after Anderson was pulling on Haaland’s shirt. Fuming over the disallowed goal, Haaland strongly disagreed with the official&#8217;s call. &#8220;I felt like I was being pulled the whole way, and I think it was a soft decision,&#8221; Haaland explained. &#8220;If that&#8217;s a free kick, then I should have a free kick in almost every duel in every single match.&#8221;</p>



<p>Haaland, who was eventually substituted during extra time due to extreme exhaustion and a dead leg, praised former teammate Jude Bellingham for his match-winning brace. Looking ahead, he noted that the team’s unprecedented run will inspire future generations back home: &#8220;All this gives motivation to young people back in Norway that it&#8217;s possible to play on a big stage in the world with a Norwegian shirt.&#8221;</p>



<p>Meanwhile, the internet fell in love with Haaland this World Cup. Due to his hilarious social media presence, there has been an outpouring of comments, memes, songs and videos all praising Haaland and his great sense of humour and personality.</p>



<p>Image Credit: <a href="https://news24cobalt.24.co.za/resources/02a7-211589d2a65b-a39198f0e879-1000/format/inline/2285710889.jpeg">Source</a></p>


Haaland Proud of Historic Run


<p>Manchester City have officially announced the coaching staff supporting new manager Enzo Maresca, who recently signed a three-year deal to succeed Pep Guardiola.</p>



<p>Highlighting the seven new appointments is the return of former City goalkeeper and English Premier League (EPL) Cup hero Willy Caballero, who joins as a first-team coach. Caballero, who made 48 appearances for the club between 2014 and 2017, previously played with Maresca at Spanish side Malaga and served as his assistant at Leicester City and Chelsea.</p>



<p>Roberto Vitiello, another former teammate of Maresca from their time at Palermo, has been named assistant manager. The backroom overhaul also includes the return of former academy coach Danny Walker, alongside Denis Silva. Additionally, Michele De Bernardin steps in as Head of Goalkeeping, Marcos Alvarez as fitness coach, and Javier Molina as tactical analyst.</p>



<p>To maintain some continuity following a period that saw the EPL title elude City for two consecutive seasons, set-piece coach James French and goalkeeping coach Richard Wright will retain their positions from the 2025-26 campaign. This specialist unit will look to implement Maresca’s tactical philosophy ahead of August’s pre-season tour of Asia.</p>



<p>Image Credit: <a href="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/800/cpsprodpb/1ab4/live/1554cbd0-7b68-11f1-936a-038dbfe02d14.jpg.webp">Source</a></p>


Maresca’s Man City Backroom Staff Confirmed


<p>Arsenal are reportedly on the verge of signing Illan Meslier on a surprise free transfer from Leeds United.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The 26-year-old goalkeeper, whose contract with the Whites expired at the end of June, is expected to undergo a medical soon while the fine print is ironed out.</p>



<p>Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff see the former France youth international as a low-risk, high-reward market opportunity to bolster their goalkeeping depth. Meslier will bring extensive experience to north London, having made 215 appearances across seven seasons at Elland Road, where his ball-playing ability was highly utilised under Marcelo Bielsa.</p>



<p>However, Meslier arrives having spent a significant period in the wilderness. He has not played competitively since March 2025, after losing his starting spot to Karl Darlow following a dip in form and a string of costly errors during the 2024-25 English Football League Championship campaign.</p>



<p>Meslier is slated to come in as the Gunners’ third-choice keeper behind David Raya and Kepa Arrizabalaga. His arrival will directly trigger a developmental loan move for highly-rated 20-year-old England Under-21 international Tommy Setford, ensuring the young prospect secures crucial first-team football while Arsenal maintain an experienced, multi-front squad.</p>



<p>Image Credit: <a href="https://e0.365dm.com/26/07/1600x900/skysports-arsenal-meslier_7292175.jpg?20260707155046">Source</a></p>


Arsenal to Sign Former Leeds Goalie Illan Meslier


<p>Spain secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Portugal in a cagey last-16 World Cup clash in Dallas, Texas, advancing them to the quarter-finals to face Belgium.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Mikel Merino proved the hero, coming off the bench to score a low, stoppage-time winner from a Ferran Torres pass.</p>



<p>The defeat marked the emotional end of 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career. Despite making history by playing in 27 matches across six tournament editions, the ultimate trophy eluded him. Pundit Chris Sutton heavily criticised his performance, stating, “He is waddling around the field like a grandad, that&#8217;s why Portugal are out.”</p>



<p>Manager Roberto Martinez also faced immense scrutiny for refusing to substitute the ageing striker. Critics argued that overplaying Ronaldo over younger options like Goncalo Ramos cost Portugal a better group finish and a smoother knockout path.</p>



<p>Following the exit, Martinez stepped down as head coach, concluding his tenure with a defensive statement. &#8220;I came to Portugal to win the World Cup and I think that, without winning it, there&#8217;s no point in continuing,&#8221; Martinez announced.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Meanwhile, Spain celebrated a historic milestone, becoming the first side to register six consecutive World Cup clean sheets.</p>



<p>Image Credit: <a href="https://files.sofascore.com/news/2026/07/imago1079249411-1024x683.jpg">Source</a></p>


Spain Edge Portugal as Ronaldo’s Dream Ends


<p>Belgium ended the United States&#8217; World Cup journey with a ruthless 4–1 victory in Seattle, eliminating the tournament&#8217;s final co-host. The pre-match buildup was dominated by FIFA’s heavily criticised decision to suspend US striker Folarin Balogun&#8217;s red-card ban following intervention from US President Donald Trump.</p>



<p>Belgium captain Youri Tielemans revealed this fuelled his side: &#8220;We told ourselves we needed to do our talking on the pitch.&#8221;</p>



<p>They did exactly that. Charles De Ketelaere opened the scoring early, though Malik Tillman briefly equalised for the hosts via a deflected free-kick. Just two minutes later, De Ketelaere scored his second with a header to restore Belgium&#8217;s lead.</p>



<p>The US never recovered. A catastrophic second-half goalkeeping blunder by Matt Freese allowed Hans Vanaken to score, before Romelu Lukaku sealed the win in stoppage time, setting up a quarter-final clash against Spain.</p>



<p>Reflecting on the elimination, US coach Mauricio Pochettino said: &#8220;Today we were not the same team that we have been during the tournament.&#8221; The defeat marks a painful reality check for the host nation, who crash out in the Round of 16 for the fourth time in five tournaments.</p>



<p><br>Image Credit: <a href="https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best/rockcms/2026-07/260707-belgium-rs-545ae1.jpg">Source<br></a></p>


Belgium Crush US World Cup Hopes Amid Controversy

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