Day: June 23, 2026

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has urged football fans to remain grounded despite firing Norway into the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The clinical forward netted twice in a thrilling victory over Senegal to guarantee progress, but he quickly dismissed any suggestions that his nation are genuine contenders to win the tournament. Haaland fires Norway through The 25-year-old forward continued his spectacular international form by netting a vital brace during Tuesday’s hard-fought 3-2 victory over Senegal. The crucial win moved the Scandinavian outfit to six points in Group I, sealing their progression to the round of 32 with a game to spare. This landmark achievement marks the first time the national team has successfully reached the knockout phase of a World Cup tournament since 1998. Striker demands total realism The prolific frontman dismissed any high expectations ahead of facing 2018 winners France, refusing to entertain talk of global glory despite  matching a historical record by scoring multiple goals in his first two World Cup appearances. Haaland said: “I don’t care, we are through. They’ll probably beat us and go on and win the whole tournament.” When subsequently questioned on whether this tournament will ultimately belong to him and Norway following his clinical individual start, the City attacker quickly shut down any excessive optimism. He added: “Depends on what you mean with that. To qualify for the first time in 28 years and going through the group stage, yes, I would say so. To win the World Cup, absolutely not. I think let’s be a little realistic here, and let’s be happy, every single Norwegian on the planet today.” Viking celebrations sweep planet The historic triumph triggered wild scenes of celebration, with supporters performing the iconic Viking Row routine. The emotional weight of the achievement was heavily felt within the squad, who joined traveling fans on the pitch to celebrate a momentous evening. Haaland stated: “It was crazy. Martin [Odegaard] and I talked a bit about it before the match, about whether we should join in if everything went the way it did, and it did, so a pretty special moment I would say for the whole of Norway. “I think it is right up there with the biggest nights I have had in my entire life. I have a bit of the same feeling that I had after the Champions League final. It is incredibly huge. I am incredibly proud and all of that.” Heavyweight group decider looms Norway now look forward to a blockbuster final group match against France on Friday to determine who secures top spot in Group I. Didier Deschamps’ side will present a formidable tactical challenge for the tournament underdogs. With qualification already guaranteed, the technical staff can approach the elite fixture with minimal pressure before learning their round-of-32 opponents.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The GOAT continues to amaze the world as Lionel Messi now reigns supreme at the top of the list of all-time goalscorers at the World Cup. With his two goals against Austria in Argentina’s group-stage game on June 22, Messi surpassed the long-standing record held by Germany’s Miroslav Klose. It came a week after Messi scored his first career World Cup hat trick in a win over Algeria, while also setting the record as the oldest player (38) to record a hat trick at the tournament — passing Cristiano Ronaldo’s feat from 2022 when he was 33 years old. But this list could change even more. France’s Kylian Mbappé has 18 goals all time at the World Cup, which sits second all-time, and is already adding to his tally this summer. With that being said, here are the players with the most goals in World Cup men’s history. Let’s take a look. 1. Lionel Messi (Argentina): 19 Messi’s six goals at the 2026 World Cup have now given him yet another record on his résumé. Messi has played in every World Cup since 2006 and scored in all but one (2010). He scored seven goals at the 2022 World Cup. Messi is also Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer with 123 to his name and additionally holds the record for most World Cup matches played with 29. 2. Kylian Mbappé (France): 18 Mbappé has scored an outrageous 18 goals in just 18 World Cup matches in his career. As a 19-year-old in 2018, he scored four goals for France, helping it win its first title since 1998, and then he scored eight goals in 2022 — most notably netting the second hat trick in a World Cup final ever against Argentina. At the 2026 tournament, he has six so far. 3. Miroslav Klose (Germany): 16 Playing in four straight World Cups from 2002 to 2014, Klose scored in all four editions of the World Cups he participated in and capped it off by lifting the trophy in 2016. His 71 goals for Germany are also the most in the national team’s history. 4. Ronaldo (Brazil): 15 Many consider Ronaldo the greatest striker of all-time, as he scored more than 350 goals in club play and 62 for Brazil. Fifteen of those international goals came in the World Cup, en route to winning the Golden Ball in the 1998 tournament and the Golden Boot in 2002. 5. Gerd Müller (Germany): 14 Arguably the greatest Bundesliga goalscorer of all-time, Müller scored an astonishing 10 goals in 1970 and then another four in 1974 in Germany’s title run. He was Germany’s all-time leading goalscorer with 68 goals until Klose passed him. 6. Just Fontaine (France): 13 Fontaine holds one of the most incredible stats in World Cup history, as all 13 of his goals came in the 1958 edition of the tournament — the record for most goals scored by a player at a single World Cup. It’s been 68 years since he set that record, and no one has come close to breaking it. 7. Pelé (Brazil): 12 The great Pelé scored in all four of his World Cup appearances from 1958 to 1970 and won three titles with Brazil in that span. Most notably, he scored in the final in 1958, as the youngest to ever do so at just 17 years old. T-9. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): 11 Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a goal in a knockout stage match at 41 years old when he converted a penalty at the 2026 World Cup. In his six World Cup appearances, he scored at least one goal in each edition. T-9. Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany): 11 Klinsmann scored in three straight World Cups from 1990 to 1998, helping Germany lift the trophy in 1990. His 47 goals for Germany overall are tied for the fourth-most in national team history. T-9. Sándor Kocsis (Hungary): 11 Kocsis’s 11 goals all came in 1954, when his Hungary side scored 27 in five matches before falling in the final to West Germany. He’s the only player to hit double digits in one World Cup besides Fontaine and Müller. Seven players have exactly 10 goals at the World Cup: Helmut Rahn (Germany), Gary Lineker (England), Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina), Teófilo Cubillas (Peru), Thomas Müller (Germany) and Grzegorz Lato (Poland).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Cristiano Ronaldo has once again silenced the critics by etching his name into the record books as the first male player to score in six different World Cup tournaments. Despite mounting pressure regarding his age and international form, the 41-year-old icon proved that his clinical instincts remain sharp on the grandest stage of all. A Landmark Moment For The GOAT There is simply no stopping Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to breaking records. By finding the back of the net in Portugal’s clash with Uzbekistan, the legendary forward became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments. It is a feat of unmatched longevity that sees him pull ahead of his long-time rival Lionel Messi in this specific category of historical consistency. The goal, a clinical strike in the sixth minute, served as a defiant response to those who suggested the veteran’s time at the elite level was coming to an end. It was a moment described by many as inevitable, as the Al-Nassr star once again proved that his appetite for goals on the international stage remains as voracious as it was during his debut tournament two decades ago. Silencing The Growing Circle of Critics Heading into the match, the narrative surrounding the Portugal captain was uncharacteristically negative. Statistical analysis had pointed to a goalless run in major international tournaments that had stretched across 10 games, leading some to question whether Roberto Martinez should consider a team without his talismanic number seven. Critics had highlighted his limited involvement in build-up play and a dwindling “post-shot xG” as signs of a sharp decline. However, Ronaldo’s ability to produce the decisive moment when the world is watching has always been his greatest strength. Martinez Stands By His Captain Amid the pre-match scrutiny, Portugal boss Roberto Martinez remained steadfast in his support for the 41-year-old. Martinez dismissed suggestions that the team would be better off without their most prolific scorer, insisting that Ronaldo’s presence provides tactical advantages that go beyond simple touch counts or distance covered in the final third. “It makes no sense to get the best goalscorer in world football out in a game that you need goals,” Martinez stated emphatically. “For us in moments like this, the experience of Cristiano in the box is important. The way that ​he attracts defenders is ​important, the way ⁠that we can use the space is important. And every player has a responsibility or a piece of quality on the pitch. And clearly ​when you look for goals, you need to have Cristiano.” A Must-Win Mission in Texas With a trip to Texas on the horizon, the pressure is on the European heavyweights to deliver a victory and secure their path to the knockout stages. The squad are well aware that their performance against DR Congo fell below the standards expected of a team boasting the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva. Full-back Joao Cancelo echoed these sentiments, demanding an immediate improvement in the final third. “We didn’t create chances, and that isn’t normal in a team like ours. We have high-quality players, among the best in the world, and we have to show that on the pitch. Tomorrow, only winning counts. We don’t have any margin for error,” Cancelo warned. Portugal burst out of the blocks against Uzbekistan, with Nuno Mendes crashing home a free-kick in the 17th minute. Ronaldo added his second of the game six minutes before half-time – with that clinical finish taking him to 10 in total at World Cup tournaments and above inconic countryman Eusebio.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports