By Kunle Solaja, New York.

In the midst of the energy-sapping actions of covering the World Cup, especially in New York where you have to cross into the neighbouring state of New Jersey for matches at MetLife Stadium, the body pleaded for rest, but the FIFA World Cup and unfolding events wait for no one.

This is, after all, the largest World Cup in history, measured not only by the number of participating teams but also by the vastness of its geographical spread. Unlike the compact experience of Qatar four years ago, where one could almost traverse the entire host nation within a short period, the 2026 edition stretches across three countries and multiple time zones.

Canada and the United States alone are continental in scale. Both countries span five time zones, creating additional challenges for a journalist whose audience is largely in Nigeria, Africa and Europe. By the time matches end in North America, much of the intended readership is asleep. Stories must still be filed, edited and transmitted before dawn breaks thousands of kilometres away.

The routine leaves little room for sightseeing.

Most days are consumed by airports, trains, media centres, stadiums and hotel rooms. Cities blur into one another. One arrives, covers a match, files reports and departs for the next destination.

It was therefore a welcome relief when Sunday, July 12, arrived as a match-free day.

My host in Brooklyn, former Concord Press colleague Kayode Ogunleye, was also free from work obligations. We agreed that the evening offered the perfect opportunity to experience a side of New York that millions know only through television screens and Hollywood films.

The destination was obvious.

Times Square.

Before arriving in New York, a relation, Folasade Olabiran, who lives in Denver, Colorado, had welcomed me with a message: “Welcome to New York, the city that never sleeps.”

Sports journalist Kunle Solaja poses with his host and tour guide, Olukayode Ogunleye, at the scenic Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan, moments before heading to the dazzling lights and ceaseless energy of New York City’s iconic Times Square during the FIFA World Cup 2026

Having previously completed an exhausting journey from Canada, I found the statement amusing. At that moment, all I wanted to do was sleep.

The quiet streets of Brooklyn only deepened my confusion. The neighbourhood appeared peaceful and relaxed, hardly resembling the restless metropolis of popular imagination.

Then Kayode offered a simple explanation.

“New York has many faces,” he said. “You are in Brooklyn. The heartbeat of New York is Manhattan.”

Soon enough, we were heading for Manhattan.

Like most New Yorkers, we relied on the city’s efficient public transportation system. Driving into Midtown would have been an exercise in frustration given the traffic congestion and scarcity of parking spaces.

We boarded the subway and rode the A Line into the city.

The moment we emerged from the underground station at 42nd Street, the transformation was immediate.

Humanity seemed to surge in every direction.

Thousands of pedestrians streamed through the streets like rivers flowing towards countless destinations. Tourists snapped photographs. Street performers entertained impromptu audiences. Vendors competed for attention. Office workers mingled with sightseers. Every corner seemed alive.

To blend into the crowd, I tucked my FIFA media accreditation out of sight.

Tonight, I was not a reporter rushing to a deadline.

I was simply another visitor experiencing Times Square.

Then came the lights.

One quickly notices something unusual about Times Square at night.

There is hardly any need for conventional street lighting.

The gigantic electronic billboards that cover the surrounding buildings illuminate the district with such intensity that darkness appears to have been completely banished. Massive digital screens flash advertisements, news updates, movie trailers and corporate messages in an endless kaleidoscope of colours.

Red, blue, yellow, green and white beams dance across the faces of visitors.

The entire district glows like a futuristic city imagined in science fiction.

Standing amid the spectacle, one understands why Times Square is among the most photographed places on earth.

Every direction offers another picture-perfect scene. There are commercial photographers sweet-talking people for patronage.

Every few seconds another electronic masterpiece appears overhead.

The atmosphere is electric.

Yet what impressed me almost as much as the lights was the visible presence of security.

Almost every 10 to 15 metres, one encountered members of the New York Police Department.

Some stood in pairs, others in groups of three.

Their watchful eyes scanned the crowds while maintaining a calm and reassuring presence.

What stood out most was their courtesy.

Several tourists approached officers for directions, and each enquiry was met with patience and professionalism. In a city that welcomes millions of visitors annually, the NYPD officers appeared fully aware that they often serve as the first point of contact for bewildered travellers.

Their efficiency contributes significantly to the sense of safety that allows Times Square to remain vibrant deep into the night.

When in New York, do as New Yorkers do. Taking a brief break from World Cup reporting duties, veteran journalist Kunle Solaja slips off his FIFA accreditation badge and blends seamlessly into the river of humanity flowing through Manhattan—just another face in the city that never sleeps, soaking in the sights, sounds and irresistible energy of the world’s most famous metropolis

The most remarkable aspect of the experience, however, was the realisation that the city genuinely never seems to sleep.

Restaurants remained open.

Retail stores continued trading.

Theatres welcomed audiences.

Street performers entertained.

Tourists arrived in endless waves.

The clocks advanced, but the energy scarcely diminished.

For someone accustomed to cities where activities gradually wind down after sunset, the relentless rhythm of Times Square was astonishing.

Hours seemed to pass unnoticed.

We crossed intersections, wandered through the pedestrian plazas and briefly ventured toward Fifth Avenue before returning to the heart of Times Square.

The lights remained dazzling.

The crowds remained thick.

The city remained awake.

Eventually, reality intervened.

The World Cup would soon reclaim my schedule.

Another journey awaited.

Another match would need covering.

Another deadline would demand attention.

But for a few memorable hours, football took a back seat.

The largest World Cup in history had brought me to North America to chronicle sporting drama, yet that evening provided a different story altogether.

It was a reminder that every World Cup journey is also a cultural journey.

And nowhere was that more evident than in Times Square — a place where night shines brighter than day, where millions converge from every corner of the globe, and where New York proudly lives up to its reputation as the city that never sleeps.

Nighttime at Times Square, I discovered, is indeed a nice time.

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The FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Argentina and Spain is set to deliver a historic first in the 96-year history of the tournament.

For the first time, the reigning champions of South America (CONMEBOL) and Europe (UEFA) will face each other in a World Cup final.

Argentina arrive at the title match as the holders of the Copa América, while Spain are the reigning European champions, making the showdown a direct clash between the current kings of football’s two most powerful continental confederations.

While previous World Cup finals have featured nations that had won continental titles in the past, never before have the reigning champions of South America and Europe met in the decisive match for football’s biggest prize.

The encounter adds another layer of prestige to what is already one of the most anticipated finals in recent memory, with both teams seeking to make history in different ways.

For Argentina, victory would place Lionel Scaloni’s side among an exclusive group of nations to have successfully defended the World Cup title. Only two countries have achieved the feat before:

• Italy (1934 and 1938)
• Brazil (1958 and 1962)

The Albiceleste lifted the trophy in Qatar in 2022 and are now one win away from becoming the third nation to retain football’s most coveted prize.

The most recent attempt to defend a World Cup title came from France, who reached the final of Qatar 2022 but were denied by Argentina in a dramatic penalty shootout.

Spain, meanwhile, are chasing a different piece of history.

A triumph in the 2026 final would make La Roja only the third European nation to win the World Cup outside Europe, following:

• Spain in South Africa (2010)
• Germany in Brazil (2014)

Such a victory would further cement Spain’s status as the dominant force of the current era, adding a second World Cup crown to their growing collection of international honours.

Beyond the trophy itself, the final represents a symbolic battle between the champions of Europe and South America, rekindling one of football’s oldest rivalries on the grandest stage of all.

Whether Argentina make history with a successful title defence or Spain reinforce Europe’s global supremacy, World Cup 2026 is guaranteed to produce another landmark chapter in football history.

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Lionel Messi may not have found the back of the net in Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final, but the match once again illustrated why the 39-year-old remains one of football’s most influential figures.

While modern superstars are often judged by goals and individual moments of brilliance, Messi continues to demonstrate that greatness can also be measured by the ability to elevate those around him.

As Argentina celebrated reaching a second successive World Cup final, it was telling that the players sprinted towards Messi after Lautaro Martinez headed home the stoppage-time winner. The goal belonged to Martinez, but the moment belonged to the captain whose vision, composure and technical excellence created it.

The image captured the essence of Messi’s enduring value to Argentina. Even on a night when he did not score, he shaped the outcome of the biggest match of the tournament.

A Different Kind of Superstar

Football’s modern era has produced several extraordinary players, each with a distinctive approach to carrying their teams.

Cristiano Ronaldo built a career around relentless goal-scoring and decisive finishing. France’s Kylian Mbappe often uses explosive pace and individual brilliance to change matches in an instant.

Messi’s influence, particularly in the twilight of his career, has evolved into something more collective.

Rather than attempting to dominate every phase of play, he conserves energy, chooses his moments carefully and applies his genius where it can have the greatest impact. The result is a player who appears almost detached from the rhythm of a game before suddenly determining its outcome.

That quality was evident throughout Argentina’s semi-final victory over England.

Timing His Influence

For much of the contest, England appeared on course for a place in the final after taking the lead in the 55th minute.

Yet as the pressure mounted, Messi’s influence grew.

The veteran forward drifted away from the centre of attack and began operating from the right flank, where his range of passing and crossing became increasingly difficult for England to contain.

Argentina intensified their attacks, pinning England deep inside their own half. Messi became the conductor of the assault, repeatedly delivering dangerous balls into the penalty area and creating uncertainty in the English defence.

The breakthrough came in the 85th minute.

Spotting space on the edge of the penalty area, Messi supplied the pass that allowed Enzo Fernandez to unleash the strike that levelled the score.

Then, deep into stoppage time, came the decisive moment. Refusing to allow the ball to drift out of play, Messi kept the attack alive before producing a perfectly weighted cross that Lautaro Martinez converted with a header to send Argentina into the final.

The sequence was vintage Messi — not a dazzling solo run or spectacular goal, but a demonstration of awareness, technique and decision-making under pressure.

The Numbers Behind the Legacy

The two assists against England added another remarkable chapter to Messi’s World Cup story.

He now owns 12 World Cup assists, the highest total in the tournament’s history, alongside an extraordinary tally of 21 World Cup goals.

Those statistics underline a unique duality. Messi is both one of the greatest scorers the competition has ever seen and arguably its most accomplished creator.

His contribution at the 2026 tournament has gone far beyond the semi-final.

He scored crucial goals in Argentina’s hard-fought victories over Cape Verde and Egypt and provided another assist in the quarter-final win over Switzerland. Time and again, he has delivered when Argentina needed him most.

Perhaps most impressive is the way he has managed his workload. At 39, Messi has played every minute of Argentina’s four knockout matches, relying not on relentless running but on intelligence, positioning and experience.

The approach reflects a player who understands his body and the game better than ever.

One More Opportunity

Argentina’s victory has guaranteed Messi at least one more appearance on football’s biggest stage.

Sunday’s final against Spain now presents a compelling narrative.

A win would make Argentina the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup and would further strengthen Messi’s claim as the defining footballer of his generation.

It could also provide the perfect ending should he decide this tournament marks the conclusion of his international career.

For now, however, Argentina are not thinking about farewells.

They are focused on another World Cup crown, inspired by a captain who continues to prove that influence is not always measured by goals.

Against England, Messi showed that football’s greatest artists do not always finish the masterpiece themselves. Sometimes, they simply provide the brushstrokes that make it possible.

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