Nicholas Mendola

England's defense limited Erling Haaland to 21 touches over 105 minutes before the Man City striker subbed out with an apparent leg injury.

A ticket to the 2026 World Cup Final will be punched Tuesday in Texas, where Kylian Mbappe's France look to hold off Lamine Yamal and Spain in a sensational semifinal.

France and Spain were perhaps the two most popular picks to win the 2026 World Cup before it kicked off just over a month ago, and now they're facing off in the first of two semifinals, in Dallas on Tuesday.

Nicholas Mendola ARLINGTON, TEXAS — It was supposed to be the last step before a coronation for a French king, but Spain's collective had other ideas.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS — A World Cup semifinal match-up of the second- and third-ranked teams in men's soccer pitted the last two reigning Ballon d'Or winners and two of the best playmakers of the game against each other on Tuesday in Texas, and the best team won.

Spain, meanwhile, are in their second ever final having won their first appearance in 2010 in the middle of what would become a EURO-World Cup-EURO title sandwich.

It'll be a 33rd meeting of the teams and the first since France knocked England out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

PSG's repeat European Cup win over Arsenal opened the door for some serious stars to live as front-runners, but the World Cup was always likely to play an outsized role in putting a player in the driver's seat.

There are just two matches left at the 2026 World Cup, which has been a feast of stars and storylines with very few players missing out on moments in the sun.