Sports

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, second right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s second goal. (AP Photo) Lionel Messi turned back the clock once again as defending champions Argentina launched their FIFA World Cup title defence in emphatic fashion, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner scoring his first-ever World Cup hat-trick in a commanding 3-0 victory…

Argentina’s Lionel Messi (10) celebrates after scoring the opening goal. (AP Photo) Lionel Messi added another chapter to his remarkable legacy on Tuesday, becoming only the second player in history to score in five different FIFA World Cups as defending champions Argentina took control against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium.Making his record sixth appearance at football’s…

India’s Harsh Dubey attends a training session in Lucknow. (AP Photo) TimesofIndia.com in Lucknow: It took Surendra Dubey and Jyoti Dubey nearly 24 hours to travel from Nagpur to Lucknow. A delayed train only added to the journey, but nothing could dampen the spirits of the proud parents, who had missed watching their son Harsh…

Argentina’s Lionel Messi waves to fans ahead of the World Cup Group J soccer match between Argentina and Algeria in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Lionel Messi added another milestone to one of football’s most decorated careers when he made his 200th appearance for Argentina during the nation’s opening Group…

Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha stays on the hot seat NEW DELHI: For those unfamiliar with India’s iconic quiz show “Kaun Banega Crorepati” (KBC), hosted by legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, the term “hot seat” may evoke a bizarre image. But, in reality, it is where contestants sit opposite Bachchan in the Indian version of “Who Wants to…

NEW DELHI: Hello and welcome to OFFSIDE, a new daily column on the football World Cup where we will track the highs and lows of the day, or night gone by, and what to expect in the next round of matches.In BBC’s United, Jimmy Murphy, Manchester United’s assistant coach during the Busby Babes era, played…

France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal of his team during the World Cup Group I soccer match between France and Senegal in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) Kylian Mbappé entered the 2026 FIFA World Cup with an opportunity to add another chapter to…

England’s Ben Stokes (AP Photo) Former England captain Michael Vaughan has backed Ben Stokes to remain England skipper despite the controversy that led to his suspension from the second Test against New Zealand.Stokes was left out of England’s squad for the ongoing Test at The Oval after breaching a team curfew following the opening match…

Kylian Mbappé and Sadio Mané lead France vs Senegal in a blockbuster FIFA World Cup clash in East Rutherford tonight/ AP,X One of the most intriguing fixtures of the opening round at the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where France and Senegal renew a rivalry that carries far more history…

France have named a strong and attacking starting XI for their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Senegal, with Kylian Mbappé captaining a side packed with pace, creativity and technical quality in the final third. France XI: Mike Maignan; Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé, William Saliba, Lucas Hernández; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué,…