Author: Vincent Osuwo

World Cup top scorer Lionel Messi will start Argentina’s last group match against Jordan on the bench, manager Lionel Scaloni has confirmed. Messi, 39, leads the Golden Boot race with five goals in his first two games, including a brace against Austria that made him the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer. Scaloni stated that the decision to rest the superstar was not due to an injury, as he talked before the match in Dallas, which begins at 03:00 BST on Sunday. “Leo [Messi] will most likely come on in the second half,” he said. “We talked and agreed that it…

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei claims his country was treated “unfairly” by the United States during the World Cup and urges FIFA to interfere in the future. Iran has been competing in the World Cup despite its ongoing confrontation with the United States and Israel. Their World Cup training camp was relocated from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, before the competition began, and they experienced travel restrictions throughout. Iran’s squad was only permitted to enter the United States the day before its first two matches in Los Angeles, and they had to leave on the same day as the game due to…

The death toll from the Venezuela earthquakes is now 1,430, with 3,238 injured, according to the government, as rescuers keep searching for survivors and families wait desperately for news. The injured are being treated in makeshift medical facilities after the two quakes demolished scores of structures in the country’s north, including Caracas, the capital. A top government official said hundreds of international rescue personnel had arrived in the country, with more on their way. Two massive earthquakes struck Venezuela within seconds of each other on Wednesday. The second quake had a magnitude of 7.5, making it one of the biggest…

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, has described how seven Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commanders were apprehended last week at Katsina Airport while returning from a Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Tunji-Ojo credited the arrests to the integration of the NIMC’s identity database with the Nigeria Immigration Service and foreign law enforcement networks. The minister revealed this on Friday, when President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law. According to the federal government, the signing would strengthen Nigeria’s identity management system, increase national security, improve public service delivery, and accelerate…

US President Donald Trump has claimed that recent missile strikes authorized by his administration in Nigeria helped to halt attacks on Christian communities and crippled terrorist groups operating in the country. Speaking at a Washington event on Friday, Trump claimed that the military operation has dramatically reduced the number of Christians killed. “As you know, we recently struck Nigeria and largely ended the slaughter of great Christian populations,” he said. Trump disclosed that thousands of Christians, including women, children, and the elderly, had been killed before the strikes. “They have a great Christian population. They were being butchered… Thousands and…

Cape Verde national football team coach Bubista has stated that his team will approach their 2026 FIFA World Cup elimination encounter against defending champions Argentina with the proper attitude. Cape Verde qualified for the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in their inaugural campaign, drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia on Friday, becoming the smallest nation to ever reach the knockouts. The West African team placed second in Group H with three points, remaining unbeaten in a group that included Spain and Uruguay. The team was drawn against holders Spain in the round of 32. Coach Bubister said after…

Morocco and Ivory Coast are part of six of Africa’s 10 representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup who have secured places in the Round of 32 following the latest round of matches. Following Saturday’s matches, Ghana and Cape Verde became the newest teams to secure their places in the knockout stage. Despite having one group encounter remaining against Croatia, Ghana advanced after Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0, securing the Black Stars’ berth in the next round. Cape Verde also advanced after recording their third consecutive draw of the competition, placing second in their group behind Spain. The two countries join…

The wife of Venezuelan footballer Héctor Bello was killed while saving their daughter, according to his social media and local news. Bello wrote on Instagram that “his precious love”, named by Venezuelan news outlets as his wife Andrea, saved the life of their toddler during the quakes. “I’ll tell her the story of how you saved her, my love – how you gave your own life for our daughter, how you were a brave woman who never abandoned her, even as you took your last breaths,” Bello wrote in one post. “Do you remember sending me that photo? I told you,…

More than 920 people have been killed and 3,360 others injured in the Venezuela earthquakes, according to the government, as rescuers keep searching for survivors and families wait desperately for news. The injured are being treated in makeshift medical facilities after the two quakes demolished scores of structures in the country’s north, including Caracas, the capital. A top government official said hundreds of international rescue personnel had arrived in the country, with more on their way. Two massive earthquakes struck Venezuela within seconds of each other on Wednesday. The second quake had a magnitude of 7.5, making it one of…

Uruguay crashed out of the World Cup as goalkeeper Fernando Muslera’s howler allowed Spain to win 1-0 in Guadalajara, securing first place in Group H. Alex Baena’s feeble shot went under Muslera’s reach for the only goal as Spain averted a last-32 match against Argentina. The European champions will now face Austria or Algeria in Los Angeles on Thursday. Uruguay’s setback allowed debutants Cape Verde to finish second and face Lionel Messi and the defending champions after a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. Uruguay, the two-time winners, became the highest-ranked team to be eliminated in the group stages, capping off…