Sports
MLS Awaits Blockbuster Debuts as Griezmann and Lewandowski Join the Spotlight
While Major League Soccer awaits Lionel Messi’s return, the league will experience a major spotlight moment on Wednesday with the highly anticipated debuts of two new global stars: Robert Lewandowski and Antoine Griezmann.
French forward Antoine Griezmann, 35, could make his first official appearance for Orlando City when the team visits the San Jose Earthquakes, one of the surprise performers of the current MLS season.
The attacker recently ended his long spell with Atlético Madrid and has already made an early impression with his new club, scoring one of the goals in Orlando’s 6-0 friendly victory over Tampa Bay Rowdies of the United States’ second division.
Orlando is counting on its new star to help turn around a difficult season that began with the dismissal of Colombian coach Oscar Pareja after the team lost its first three matches.
Under Argentine manager Martín Perelman, Orlando City currently sits 13th in the Eastern Conference with 14 points from 15 games, outside the playoff qualification positions.
The team entered the break for the North American World Cup after suffering a heavy 6-2 defeat against FC Cincinnati on May 23.
Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski was originally expected to make his Chicago Fire debut last Thursday when MLS resumed play after the international break.
The Polish striker, who will turn 38 in August, was scheduled to step onto the Soldier Field pitch against the Vancouver Whitecaps, coached by Thomas Müller, his former teammate at Bayern Munich.
However, the match was postponed due to poor air quality in Chicago caused by smoke from wildfires in southern Canada.
Lewandowski has continued preparing for his first professional experience outside European football.
“One thing I can say about Robert is that he has an incredible work ethic,” Chicago Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter said on Tuesday.
“He joined us after dealing with jet lag throughout last week, and he was still demanding from his teammates during training. He does extra work afterward. You can see why he has scored more goals than anyone else in Europe over the last 15 years, because he is an absolute professional,” added the former United States national team coach.
The arrival of Griezmann and Lewandowski adds even more star power to an MLS season already boosted by international figures, as clubs continue attracting some of the biggest names in world football.
Sports
France edge Paraguay 1–0 as Mbappé penalty sends Les Bleus into World Cup quarterfinals
France secured a narrow 1–0 victory over Paraguay to advance to the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026, thanks to a second-half penalty converted by Kylian Mbappé.
The match, played at the Lincoln Financial Field, was heavily affected by extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 37°C and a heat index of 40°C, forcing players and fans to remain constantly hydrated and contributing to a slower-paced encounter.
France dominated possession throughout the first half, holding 76% of the ball and registering six shots on target without managing to convert. Paraguay, meanwhile, maintained a compact defensive structure, often dropping as many as eight players behind the ball and relying on counterattacks.
Despite their control, the French side struggled to create clear chances, a situation that visibly frustrated coach Didier Deschamps. His team returned from halftime with the same approach, eventually forcing a save from Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill after a shot from Manu Koné in the 55th minute.
The breakthrough arrived in the 70th minute when the referee, after a VAR review, awarded a penalty following a foul by Diego Gómez on Désiré Doué inside the box. Mbappé converted from the spot to give France the lead.
After the goal, France managed the game more calmly, while Paraguay pushed forward in search of an equalizer, opening up their defensive shape.
With his goal, Mbappé reached seven goals in the tournament, level with Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the scoring charts, and moved within one goal of the all-time World Cup scoring record.
International
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes History as First Player to Score in Six World Cups
Cristiano Ronaldo made football history on Tuesday by becoming the first player ever to score in six different editions of the FIFA World Cup.
The Portuguese forward opened the scoring in Portugal’s Group K match against Uzbekistan in Houston. Just six minutes into the game, Ronaldo found the back of the net with a right-footed strike from inside the box, sending the Portuguese fans into celebration.
The “Commander” sparked excitement throughout the stadium with his iconic celebration, as supporters joined in with his famous “Siuuu!” chant to honor another milestone in the career of one of football’s greatest stars.
At 41 years old, Ronaldo has now scored in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, and North America 2026. With his two goals in this tournament, he has surpassed Lionel Messi’s record, as the Argentine has scored in every World Cup he played except South Africa 2010.
The Portuguese captain has also reached nine World Cup goals, matching Eusébio as Portugal’s all-time top scorer in the history of the tournament.
Ronaldo’s achievement came just one day after Messi also made history by becoming the outright leading scorer in World Cup history, reaching 18 goals after scoring twice in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria.
With his appearance at the 2026 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo has also extended another remarkable record by becoming the first player to participate in six consecutive editions of the tournament, further cementing his legacy as one of the most influential players in football history.
International
Mbappé Ties Klose on All-Time World Cup Scoring List After Brace Against Iraq
Kylian Mbappé moved another step closer to World Cup history on Monday, scoring twice against Iraq to reach 16 career goals in the tournament and draw level with German legend Miroslav Klose on the all-time scoring chart.
The French forward found the net in the 14th and 54th minutes of France’s Group I clash in Philadelphia, registering his second consecutive brace of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mbappé’s achievement came on the same day that Argentina captain Lionel Messi set a new all-time World Cup scoring record. The Argentine star scored twice against Austria to raise his career total to 18 goals, surpassing the previous mark of 16 held by Klose.
Klose established his record on July 8, 2014, during Germany’s historic 7-1 victory over Brazil in the World Cup semifinals in Belo Horizonte.
Before facing Iraq, Mbappé was tied with German striker Gerd Müller on 14 World Cup goals. His first goal of the match lifted him to 15, drawing level with Brazilian great Ronaldo Nazário.
The second strike moved the Real Madrid forward to 16 goals, allowing him to surpass Ronaldo, match Klose’s tally, and position himself just two goals behind Messi in the race for World Cup immortality.
The match also marked a personal milestone for Mbappé, as he made his 100th appearance for the French national team.
At 27 years old, the French superstar remains firmly in pursuit of Messi’s newly established record and continues to strengthen his legacy as one of the most prolific scorers in World Cup history.
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