BY KUNLE SOLAJA

The FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals will feature one of the tournament’s most compelling storylines after France secured a date with Morocco in a re-enactment of their memorable Qatar 2022 semi-final showdown.

France earned their place in the last eight on Saturday with a narrow 1-0 victory over Paraguay in Philadelphia, while Morocco continued their remarkable run by defeating Canada to become the first African nation to reach back-to-back World Cup quarter-finals.

The meeting revives one of the defining fixtures of the 2022 tournament, when Morocco became the first African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup semi-final before falling 2-0 to France.

This time, however, the stakes are different. Instead of a place in the final, the winners will move into the semi-finals of the expanded 48-team World Cup.

France’s passage was secured by captain Kylian Mbappe, whose 70th-minute penalty against Paraguay proved decisive. The strike carried extra significance, becoming the 150th World Cup goal in French football history.

Mbappe’s goal was his seventh of the tournament and his 19th overall in World Cup finals, further cementing his status as one of the competition’s greatest scorers.

The French captain admitted the Paraguay clash was far from elegant, with temperatures hitting 39 degrees Celsius and neither side registering a shot on target before halftime.

“We knew what kind of match we were going to have,” Mbappe said.

“If we have to get our hands dirty, we can do that.”

France survived Paraguay’s physical challenge and late pressure to advance, but a much sterner examination now awaits against a Moroccan side that continues to rewrite football history.

The Atlas Lions have become Africa’s standard-bearers at the tournament, building on their groundbreaking 2022 campaign and once again carrying the hopes of an entire continent.

For Morocco, the quarter-final offers a chance to settle unfinished business from Qatar. For France, it presents another hurdle in their quest for a third World Cup crown.

Either way, when the two nations meet again, one of the most captivating rivalries of modern World Cup football will have its next chapter written.

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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.

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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.

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