World Cup
Five Most Disappointing Teams in World Cup Qualifiers So Far
With only two matches remaining in the World Cup qualifiers for each squad, time is running out for a few teams that are on the outside looking in, reports America based Sports Daily.
While most teams have performed at or above expectations, a few have underperformed on the pitch, and have either been eliminated or are fighting for a final qualifying spot in their group. Let’s take a closer look at those teams.
ARGENTINA
While there has been some recent turmoil in their organizational structure, no one can question the talent available to the Albiceleste. Led by superstar Lionel Messi, this is a squad that no one would’ve predicted to be in danger of missing a trip to the World Cup for the first time since 1970. Yet with two games remaining in CONMEBOL group play, Argentina finds itself in fifth place, a point ahead of Chile.
With their final two matches against Peru and Ecuador, conventional wisdom would see Argentina punch their ticket to Russia. Of course, that same wisdom wouldn’t have predicted last-place Venezuela to tie Argentina 1-1 at Estadio Monumental in their most recent match.
THE NETHERLANDS
With only two games remaining in group play, the Orangemen currently find themselves out of a World Cup spot.
Unhappy with previous manager Danny Blind’s start to the World Cup qualifiers, he was replaced by 69-year-old Dick Advocaat, who had managed the Dutch team three times previously and was seen largely as a caretaker.
Recent results have made him appear as more of an undertaker, with the Orangemen on the verge of elimination.
With the team itself captained by Arjen Robben, and comprised of mostly European international players, one would think the Dutch FA has buyers’ remorse in appointing Advocaat to the managerial post.
Expect Advocaat to be removed immediately as manager after the final group match, given how badly the team has under performed.
CHILE
A team ranked in the top ten of the FIFA World Rankings should’ve already qualified for the World Cup, but Chile has struggled in group play.
With two games remaining, Chile finds itself needing at least four and possibly six points in order to advance beyond the group. But in the CONMEBOL group, every point is difficult and they have an uphill battle to advance to Russia.
Their underperformance is a bit surprising, given their recent successes in tournaments against the same teams.
While the squad is largely the same, there seems to be some dissension among the players. After the 1-0 loss against second-to-last-place Bolivia, star forward Alexis Sanchez ripped his critics (including reporters) on social media and indicated that the negativity was affecting his level of play.
A few days prior to the Sanchez comments, midfielder Arturo Vidal also lashed out at the media following a 3-0 loss at home to Paraguay.
Vidal also announced that he will retire from international play after the current World Cup competition is over for Chile. Based upon where Chile is in the current group stage, that figures to be next month.
CHINA
The last decade has seen China infuse hundreds of millions of dollars into their soccer program in order to establish a foothold on the world stage.
After the creation of their professional football league, they sought out the best managers available to train their players professionally.
Top-flight managers in the China Super League include Luiz Felipe Scolari, Manuel Pellegrini, Andre Villas-Boa and Sven-Goren Eriksson.
They then proceeded to purchase players whom they felt could improve the play of their home-grown players, often paying exorbitant amounts of cash.
While many of these players may have seemed past their prime in terms of ability, the hope was that they would pass along their knowledge of the game to their Chinese teammates and thus improve their play.
The results in the Chinese Super League were lacking, and their home-grown players failed to show improvement on the world stage. The Chinese squad sits in fifth place in the AFC group, behind teams such as Syria and Uzbekistan, and that’s about as disappointing as it gets.
AUSTRIA
Barely a year ago, Das Team was ranked tenth in the FIFA World Rankings. Manager Marcel Koller, appointed to the position in 2011, was considered somewhat of a genius for his ability to cobble together such a successful team without any world-renowned players.
Fast-forward to 2017, and Austria finds itself eliminated from advancing to World Cup competition after only eight games in a relatively weak group.
With the majority of their roster playing across the border in the Bundesliga, Austria certainly seemed to possess the talent to have been more successful within their group.
But after two more matches in October, Das Team’s players will be returning to their clubs, and one would think that Koller will be returning to his native Switzerland in search of his next job assignment.
World Cup
VIDEO: GHD Documentary Celebrates Kunle Solaja’s Remarkable Journey Across 10 FIFA World Cups
This Wednesday, 8 July, it will be 36 years since 10-World Cup-capped journalist, Kunle Solaja, watched his first World Cup final match at the imposing Stadio Olimpico in Rome when the then West Germany beat defending champion, 1-0, in the first ever final match to be decided by a single penalty kick goal and the first in which a red card was issued.
In commemoration of Solaja’s10 World Cup coverage achievement, GHM Communications, a fast-rising post-production company based in Nigeria, has produced a compelling video documentary that pays tribute to veteran Nigerian sports journalist and publisher of Sports Village Square, Kunle Solaja, chronicling an extraordinary career that has taken him to 10 consecutive FIFA World Cup tournaments.
The production, titled around Solaja’s “10 World Cups” milestone, traces a journey that began with a young football enthusiast and evolved into one of Africa’s most enduring World Cup reporting careers.
Using a blend of archival footage, photographs and contemporary images from the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026, the documentary highlights Solaja’s unique place among the select group of journalists worldwide who have covered the global football spectacle over such a prolonged period.
The video opens with evocative football imagery before taking viewers through memorable moments from previous World Cups, including iconic scenes featuring football legends and historic tournament matches. It then shifts focus to Solaja’s personal experiences, showcasing his presence at various World Cup venues and media centres across different host nations.
A recurring theme throughout the documentary is the evolution of football journalism over the past three decades and Solaja’s ability to remain relevant through changing technologies, reporting methods and media platforms.
The production also revisits some of the milestones that have defined his professional journey, including his extensive travels, interactions with global football personalities and his commitment to documenting African participation at the World Cup.
Several images featured in the documentary reflect Solaja’s long-standing association with international sports journalism bodies, including the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) and FIFA, underscoring the recognition he has received within the global media community.
The documentary culminates with scenes from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, where Solaja is once again on assignment, completing a remarkable sequence of World Cup appearances stretching from Italia ’90 to the current tournament.
For Nigerian sports journalism, the achievement represents more than a personal milestone. It is a testament to dedication, resilience and a lifelong passion for football reporting.
Having witnessed the World Cup across four decades, multiple continents and several generations of football stars, Solaja’s story serves as an inspiration to aspiring journalists and a reminder of the enduring value of specialised sports reporting.
The GHD production captures that legacy vividly, celebrating not just 10 World Cups, but a career devoted to telling the stories behind the world’s biggest sporting event.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
With the FIFA World Cup 2026™ entering its decisive phase, adidas has unveiled the TRIONDA FINAL, a specially designed Official Match Ball that will be used for the semi-finals, bronze-medal match and final of the record-breaking tournament.
The new ball represents a significant departure from previous FIFA World Cup traditions. While past tournaments typically introduced only colour variations for the latter stages, TRIONDA FINAL features an entirely new premium design that reflects the prestige of the competition’s concluding matches.
Finished in striking gold, white and black, the ball draws inspiration from the journey towards football’s most coveted prize. Its gold accents pay tribute to the FIFA World Cup trophy, while the black base gives it a bold and sophisticated appearance befitting the tournament’s biggest occasions.
TRIONDA FINAL builds on the original TRIONDA Official Match Ball, first unveiled in October 2025, retaining the same high-performance construction while introducing a design tailored specifically for the final four matches.
One of the ball’s most distinctive features is its tribute to the 16 Host Cities that have staged matches during the biggest FIFA World Cup in history. The four cities hosting the tournament’s climax—Dallas, Atlanta, Miami and New York New Jersey—are prominently incorporated into the main design elements.
The remaining host cities—Boston, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Monterrey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver—are embedded within the ball’s triangular graphics, ensuring their contribution to the tournament is celebrated until the final whistle.
“The TRIONDA FINAL ball for the last four matches of the FIFA World Cup is here,” said Gianni Infantino.
“The iconic TRIONDA has brought so much joy every time it has hit the back of the net in this FIFA World Cup, and it perfectly embodies the unity and passion of the tournament’s host nations Canada, Mexico and the United States.”
Infantino added that the ball would serve as a lasting symbol of the cities that have helped stage the tournament.
“For the final four matches of the tournament, this TRIONDA FINAL will be at the feet of the best players on the planet. Through every touch, dribble, flick, pass, cross, save, strike and goal, the 16 cities that have helped FIFA stage the record-breaking 23rd edition of the tournament will be further etched into FIFA World Cup folklore.”
Beyond its aesthetics, the TRIONDA FINAL also incorporates the latest evolution of adidas Connected Ball Technology, which provides real-time ball data to assist match officials in making faster and more accurate decisions while offering enhanced performance insights throughout the game.
The ball will make its debut in the semi-finals before taking centre stage in the bronze-medal match and the final in New York New Jersey, where the world champions of the largest FIFA World Cup ever staged will be crowned.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan will not be watching any more of the World Cup, he said on Tuesday, blaming refereeing errors for his country’s heartbreaking elimination from the tournament at the hands of Argentina.
Egypt were 2-0 up with 11 minutes left of their last 16 clash against the holders Argentina, agonisingly close to one of the great World Cup upsets, only to concede three goals in the closing stages and go out.
They were picked apart at the end of the game by a Lionel Messi-inspired comeback, but Hassan insisted his team were better.
“I’m going home and won’t be watching any more games from the tournament,” he told a press conference.
“What happened to us wasn’t fair. We should have had a penalty; a goal was disallowed, and I don’t know why it was disallowed.”
Egypt netted in the 62nd minute through Mostafa Zico, but a VAR check found there was a foul from the Egyptians in the buildup.
They also claimed a late penalty after a tug on Hamdy Fathy, and their anger was exacerbated by Argentina going down the other end and scoring a 92nd-minute winner.
“Even if the goals came from mistakes, the biggest mistake is not getting what you’re entitled to from those responsible for making the decisions,” said Hassan, whose press conference was a litany of complaints.
“I’m the type of person who hates losing. And when it’s a defeat that feels unjust like today’s, I can only tell the fans not to be upset. We wanted so much to give them more joy,” he added.
“But what made me happy was that my players followed the game plan on many occasions and worked very well.”
Egypt had been surprisingly attacking early on in the game, a departure from Hassan’s usual tactic of playing with a tight defence and looking for counter-attack opportunities.
It helped them take an early lead, but it was the heroics of goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir that ensured they remained in front by halftime.
“I’m very, very satisfied with the effort they put in. Most of our players come from the Egyptian domestic league, while many players in other national teams are based in Europe and live in that professional environment,” Hassan added.
“Yet with predominantly local players — besides Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush — we were able to compete with anyone.”
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
VIDEO: GHD Documentary Celebrates Kunle Solaja’s Remarkable Journey Across 10 FIFA World Cups
adidas Unveils Gold-Coloured TRIONDA FINAL Ball For World Cup’s Closing Stages
Hossam Hassan Blames Refereeing Decisions For Egypt’s Heartbreaking Exit
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
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