Analysis
How Cape Verde became the smallest nation to ever reach the World Cup knockout stage
Cape Verde just became the smallest nation by population to ever reach a men’s World Cup knockout round. Here is how an island of 525,000 people turned into the story…
The youngest and oldest World Cup goalscorers in History
From a 17 year old Pelé in 1958 to a 42 year old Roger Milla in 1994, the World Cup has crowned scorers at both ends of the age spectrum.…
The World Cup’s evolution from 13 to 48 teams
Soccer’s biggest stage has grown from a 13 team experiment in 1930 to a 48 team spectacle in 2026. Here is how the World Cup expanded across nine decades, and…
Ghana at world cup 2026 : searching a new begining
Ghana heads into its fifth FIFA World Cup with a mixture of ambition and uncertainty. After making African football history by reaching the quarterfinals in 2010, the Black Stars are…
DR Congo at world cup : the Leopard’s return after half of century away
Fifty-two years after their only World Cup appearance under the name Zaire in 1974, the Democratic Republic of Congo is finally back on football’s biggest stage. For decades, the DR…
Austria at World cup 2026 : Rangnick’s project comes of age
Absent from the World Cup since France 1998, Austria finally returns to football’s biggest stage with the ambition of confirming the promise it showed at Euro 2024. Under the guidance…
Portugal at the 2026 World Cup : Ronaldo’s last shot at the one prize missing
Portugal arrive at the 2026 World Cup as Nations League champions and genuine contenders, with Cristiano Ronaldo chasing the one trophy missing from his collection. Here is the squad, the…
Sweden at world cup 2026 : back through the back door
Eight years after their remarkable run in Russia, Sweden is back at the World Cup. Absent from the 2022 tournament following a disappointing qualification campaign, the Blågult has successfully rebuilt…
Scotland at World Cup 2026 : a return after 28 years
For nearly three decades, an entire generation of Scottish supporters knew the World Cup only through the memories of their parents. Since France 1998, Scotland had vanished from football’s biggest…
Ecuador in World cup 2026 : the fortress
In the shadow of South America’s historic giants—Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay—Ecuador has gradually established itself as one of the continent’s most formidable nations. Long regarded as an outsider in South…