How the 2026 FIFA World Cup expanded to 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada — the longest and biggest World Cup ever staged.
Mario Götze's 113th-minute strike gave Germany a 1-0 win over Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final at the Maracanã — their fourth title.
Italy beat France 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the 2006 World Cup final — a match forever defined by Zinedine Zidane's red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi.
Kylian Mbappé became only the second player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, dragging France back from 2-0 down against Argentina in Qatar 2022.
How Lionel Messi finally lifted the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in Qatar 2022 — his seventh appearance at a finals, five goals, and the captaincy that defined a generation.
Lionel Messi extended his all-time FIFA World Cup appearance record to 34 matches at the 2026 tournament — likely his last — as Argentina fell to Spain in the final.
How Morocco became the first African and first Arab nation to reach a World Cup semi-final at Qatar 2022, built on a rock-solid defence and a roaring fan base.
A full recap of the 2022 World Cup final at Lusail Stadium, where Argentina and France played out a 3-3 thriller before Argentina won 4-2 on penalties — the crowning moment of Lionel Messi's career.
Andrés Iniesta's 116th-minute strike gave Spain a 1-0 win over the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final — their first world title, and the first by a European team outside Europe.
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the 2026 World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium, claiming their second world title and becoming the first nation to hold the men's and women's World Cups at the same time.
