Ian Hawkey

Football fans' sense of wonder in this year's edition of the tournament is being tarnished by politics

Even Maradona and Ronaldo weren’t ready to make impact at such young age, but players pack so much into formative years that likes of Lamine Yamal are nearly veterans

Club president re-elected by supporters of Spanish club after announcing plan to end trophy drought by rehiring former manager

Boastful head coach Luis de la Fuente aims to repeat feat of 2010 World Cup winners but there are questions over form and fitness of much of his squad

Forward with footwork like a ballet dancer has most assists at World Cup after zigzagging journey to the top unlike that of any of France’s superstars

Barcelona great cradled a six-month-old Lamine in 2007. Now, 19 years later in World Cup final, Spain prodigy and his idol meet for first time in a competitive match

Manchester City midfielder Rodri’s Spain team-mates should grow and develop after beating Argentina and will target success at Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup

As his contemporaries are enticed by national team jobs, the Portuguese finds many of his old rivalries are gone as he returns for second spell as Real Madrid head coach

From Kaka’s sibling’s one game with AC Milan to the Bellinghams at Borussia Dortmund, following big bro is an unforgiving task — though Nico Williams may have cracked it

Barcelona and Real Madrid’s recent raids on England’s star-studded top division reflect La Liga’s obsession with rival’s global broadcast popularity