A Mikel Oyarzabal double and another commanding defensive display helped Spain reach the World Cup’s round of 16 on Thursday, putting their rivals on notice ⁠with a dominant 3-0 win over ⁠Austria.

Spain, who arrived at the tournament among the ​favorites and have yet to concede a goal, made a ​slow ⁠start with a draw against Cape Verde, but Austria had no answer to their opponents’ relentless attack and impenetrable back line on a sunny day in Southern California.

While Spain’s attack, especially teenage forward Lamine Yamal, gets most of the attention, their defense continues to excel. They did not allow a shot on target on Thursday, the first team to achieve that feat in a World Cup knockout match since Germany in the 2014 final against Argentina.

Spain will face Portugal or Croatia for a place in the quarterfinals. “I don’t know who I’d prefer to play, I haven’t planned for each team,” Oyarzabal said. “Bring ⁠them ⁠on.”

Relentless pressure

The Spaniards started brightly, with Lamine repeatedly troubling Austria’s defense as La Roja pressed for an early breakthrough.

They thought they had gone ahead from a short-range shot by Marc Cucurella, but the effort was ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.

The pressure finally paid off, though, when Cucurella whipped a precise cross into the area and Oyarzabal steered it into the bottom corner, igniting the Spain-heavy crowd.

Schlager kept Austria in the match before halftime, producing back-to-back saves from a free ⁠kick and the ensuing scramble to ensure his side went into the interval trailing by only one. Austria’s best opportunity to equalize came in the second half when a lovely cross into the box was ​headed by Sasa Kalajdzic, but the ball landed harmlessly on top of the goal.

Austria, who squeaked ​into the knockout round with a last-gasp goal to draw with Algeria, struggled to create clear chances against a Spain side who remained composed in possession and ⁠disciplined at ‌the back ‌to continue their shutout streak.

Pedro Porro added Spain’s second in ⁠the 66th minute with a header into the middle ‌of the net in front of a sold-out crowd that included Spanish actors Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem. Oyarzabal ​struck again in the 89th minute ⁠for his fourth goal of the tournament following a defensive ⁠lapse by a visibly frustrated Austrian side.

Spain, World Cup winners in 2010, looked confident and ⁠assured against Austria and ​will take encouragement from the performance of 18-year-old Lamine, who looked to have shaken off the hamstring injury that had hampered him earlier in the tournament.

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Türkiye’s centuries-old tradition of oil wrestling returns Friday as the 665th Historic Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Festival gets underway in Edirne, where 840 wrestlers, including 40 elite head wrestlers, will compete for the sport’s most prestigious title and a chance to make history.

The three-day festival at Sarayiçi Er Meydanı opens with youth divisions taking to the grass before attention gradually shifts to the highly anticipated chief wrestling competition, which begins Saturday and concludes with Sunday’s championship bout.

Wrestlers will compete across 14 weight and age divisions, ranging from youth categories to the coveted head wrestler championship, preserving one of Türkiye’s oldest sporting traditions while showcasing the next generation of competitors.

Cultural ceremonies open the festival

Beyond the wrestling, Friday’s schedule features the ceremonial traditions that have defined Kırkpınar for centuries.

Ufuk Özünlü, who secured this year’s ceremonial agha title after submitting the winning bid of TL 40,664,665 ($871,000), will receive an official welcome from Edirne Mayor Filiz Gencan in Selimiye Square before participants lay a wreath at the Atatürk Monument.

The ceremonies will continue at the Wrestlers Cemetery, where prayers will be offered at the graves of legendary champions Adalı Halil and Kara Emin.

A memorial prayer service will also be held at Edirne’s Old Mosque before the official opening ceremony begins at 6:00 p.m. local time inside Sarayiçi Er Meydanı.

Defending champion Orhan Okulu, winner of the 664th edition, will raise the Turkish flag before the opening parade and official speeches formally launch the festival.

Chief wrestling begins Saturday

The road to this year’s championship starts with preliminary qualification matches Friday, where wrestlers ranked between 25th and 32nd in the national league will face eight additional qualifiers for the final places in the 32-man main draw.

The first round of the chief wrestling tournament begins Saturday at 1:30 p.m. local time.

Sunday’s final day will feature the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship match, along with competitions in the remaining divisions, the traditional agha auction and the closing ceremony.

Golden belt could finally find a new permanent owner

One of this year’s biggest storylines centers on Kırkpınar’s iconic golden belt.

Traditionally, the belt becomes the permanent property of any wrestler who wins the chief wrestling title three consecutive times. No competitor in this year’s field meets that requirement.

However, revised competition regulations introduced this year also allow any wrestler who captures five career Kırkpınar titles, regardless of whether they are consecutive, to permanently claim the belt.

That gives four-time champions Recep Kara and Ali Gürbüz an opportunity to become the first permanent owner of the golden belt since Ahmet Taşçı achieved the feat in 1997.

Rich rewards on the line

The Edirne Municipality has significantly rewarded this year’s competitors.

The chief wrestling champion will earn a prize of TL 1.655 million, while the runner-up will receive TL 750,000. The two losing semifinalists will each collect 380,000 lira.

Prize money will also be awarded across every wrestling division, with the Başaltı champion receiving TL 225,000 and winners in the Büyük Orta, Küçük Orta Büyük and Küçük Orta Küçük divisions earning TL 125,000, TL 82,500 and TL 55,000, respectively.

An additional 16,000-lira prize will recognize the wrestler delivering the festival’s best ceremonial peşrev, the traditional pre-match ritual that honors Kırkpınar’s heritage.

Fans can attend Friday’s opening competitions free of charge.

Tickets for Saturday’s program are priced at TL 1,400 and TL 1,750, depending on seating location, while Sunday’s championship card costs TL 1,750 or TL 2,600.

Kırkpınar traces its origins to the early Ottoman era, when 40 frontier warriors reportedly wrestled during military campaigns in Rumelia to maintain their strength and morale.

Legend says two brothers, Ali and Selim, wrestled for hours without either gaining the upper hand. Both died from exhaustion during the contest and were buried beneath a willow tree. When fellow soldiers later returned, they discovered a spring flowing from the burial site, giving rise to the name “Kırkpınar,” meaning “Forty Springs.”

After the conquest of Edirne, Sultan Murad I established a wrestlers’ lodge, helping transform the city into the permanent home of the annual festival.

Although interrupted during the Russo-Turkish War, the Balkan Wars and World War I, Kırkpınar has endured as one of the world’s oldest continuously celebrated sporting traditions. Since 1946, the festival has been organized by the Edirne Municipality.

The tournament has produced generations of champions, including Ali Gürbüz, İsmail Balaban, Recep Kara, Orhan Okulu and Yusuf Can Zeybek, with Okulu entering this year’s competition as the reigning titleholder after reclaiming the championship in 2025.

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Belgium produced the biggest comeback of the World Cup so far, overturning a two-goal deficit to beat Senegal 3-2 with a dramatic penalty deep into extra time Wednesday and book a place in the round of 16.

Senegal looked set for victory after taking a 2-0 lead into the closing stages, but Belgium staged a stunning late rally. Romelu Lukaku pulled one back before Youri Tielemans struck in the dying moments of regulation to force extra time in the round-of-32 clash.

With a penalty shootout just seconds away, Tielemans completed the remarkable turnaround by converting from the spot in the 125th minute, scoring the latest goal in World Cup history.

“Being part of this comeback is a proud moment because I scored the last two goals to give the team the win today,” Tielemans said. “I’m very proud to be able to help the team score goals and get us over the line.”

The decisive moment came after Tielemans was brought down inside the penalty area with only moments remaining. Following a video review, the referee pointed to the spot despite furious protests from Senegal’s players, allowing the Belgian midfielder to seal a memorable victory.

“I do not want to interpret the decision. We all have different interpretations when it comes to awarding a penalty,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said. “I’d rather not comment on the referee’s decision.”

The victory marked only the second time in the last 11 World Cups that a team trailing by two or more goals in a knockout-round match recovered to advance. Belgium also did so in a 3-2 victory over Japan in the round of 16 at the 2018 tournament.

“Senegal deserved to win,” Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said. “But I’m happy it was us.”

Many of the key players from Belgium’s team that finished third at the 2018 World Cup in Russia were instrumental in Wednesday’s victory. Lukaku, his country’s all-time leading scorer, came off the bench to get Belgium back into the match with a goal in the 86th minute, setting the stage for Tielemans to force extra time.

“It is a cruel loss because we played well,” Thiaw said. “We had the advantage. We were leading 2-0. However, a football match is not only 85 minutes. Belgium came back, and we were not able to deal with that. We must congratulate Belgium as they progress.”

Belgium is back in the round of 16 for the third time in four World Cups. The team reached the quarterfinals in 2014 and the semifinals in 2018 but failed to advance from the group stage four years ago in Qatar.

The Belgians will next face the United States on Monday in Seattle.

Senegal appeared headed for the round of 16 for much of the match. Habib Diarra scored in the first half, and Ismaïla Sarr made it 2-0 early in the second. It was his fourth goal of the World Cup and one of the tournament’s finest. Sarr controlled a long ball from Moussa Niakhaté with his chest before firing past Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Courtois, playing in his fourth World Cup, then made three crucial saves to keep Senegal from extending its lead.

Senegal defender Krépin Diatta said Belgium should never have been allowed back into the match.

“It shouldn’t have happened. You have to defend your box and be the boss of your box,” he said. “We suffered, but we have to move on. It’s a pity.”

Lukaku said Belgium showed character with its late comeback.

“This Senegal side is one of the best teams in the tournament,” he said. “Technically, physically and tactically, it was really tough. But when we stepped up the intensity of our pressing, won the second balls and showed our team spirit, we won the match.”

Senegal arrived at the World Cup as Africa’s second-highest-ranked team behind Morocco. It won a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final on Jan. 18 against Morocco, but the result was later overturned by the Confederation of African Football because Thiaw had temporarily pulled his players off the field.

Senegal advanced to the World Cup knockout stage as one of the best third-place finishers after losses to France and Norway and a victory over Iraq.

“It’s the best African nation. It’s as simple as that,” Garcia said. “They showed that even against France they dominated the first half. They came through a difficult group. I would have preferred not to play against them.”

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Defending champions Argentina begin the knockout phase of their FIFA World Cup title defense on Friday when they meet tournament debutants Cape Verde in the round of 32 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where Lionel Scaloni’s unbeaten side will look to continue its dominant run against a Blue Sharks team that has already proven it can frustrate the world’s elite.

Argentina have looked every bit the pre-tournament favorites through the group stage, joining co-host Mexico and France as the only teams to win all three of their matches. The Albiceleste have combined attacking efficiency with defensive control, extending a remarkable run that has turned them into one of international football’s modern powerhouses.

The last time Argentina lost a knockout match in any major tournament was seven years ago, when Brazil claimed a 2-0 victory in the 2019 Copa America semifinals in Belo Horizonte. Since then, Scaloni has transformed the national team into a serial winner, guiding Argentina to Copa America titles in 2021 and 2023 before ending a 36-year World Cup drought with the unforgettable triumph in Qatar in 2022.

That winning mentality has carried into North America, where Argentina have stretched their overall knockout winning streak to 10 matches while continuing an equally impressive 10-game winning run across the World Cup and Copa America.

At the heart of that success remains Lionel Messi.

Now 39, the Inter Miami star continues to defy time. He has already scored six goals in the tournament, matching Kylian Mbappe despite playing one fewer game, and has been directly responsible for 75% of Argentina’s eight goals. His influence remains as decisive as ever, with his movement, creativity and finishing continuing to shape the defending champions’ attack.

Messi is expected to return to the starting lineup after beginning the victory over Jordan on the bench. Alexis Mac Allister and Rodrigo De Paul are also set to reclaim their places after being rested, while Cristian Romero appears to have recovered from the knee scare he suffered against Austria and is expected to replace Nicolas Otamendi in central defense.

Although Messi has carried much of the scoring burden, Argentina will also expect greater contributions from Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez, whose combined international tally stands at 52 goals. Midfielder Enzo Fernandez will likewise be tasked with providing his trademark late runs into the penalty area as the matches become increasingly demanding.

Cape Verde, meanwhile, arrive with nothing to lose and plenty already accomplished.

One of four nations making its World Cup debut alongside Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan, the Blue Sharks are the only newcomers to survive the group stage, writing one of the tournament’s most memorable stories.

Their success has been built not on attacking flair but on outstanding defensive organization.

Bubista’s side announced itself by holding Spain scoreless in its first-ever World Cup match, with goalkeeper Vozinha producing a standout performance. Cape Verde then battled back from behind to earn a dramatic 2-2 draw against Uruguay after surrendering an early lead before finishing the group stage with another disciplined goalless draw against Saudi Arabia.

Those performances produced two clean sheets in three matches and demonstrated the tactical discipline that has made Cape Verde one of the tournament’s toughest teams to break down.

The Blue Sharks enter the knockout stage as the lowest-scoring team remaining, but their compact defensive structure and willingness to absorb pressure make them dangerous opponents capable of frustrating even the world’s best sides.

Repeating the defensive display that neutralized Spain will be essential against Argentina’s star-studded attack. Bubista knows his players will spend long stretches without possession, but the coach has built his team’s historic campaign on resilience, discipline and belief.

Cape Verde also received encouraging injury news before the knockout rounds. Midfielders Jamiro Monteiro and Kevin Lenini recovered after injury concerns ahead of the final group match, while only Telmo Arcanjo remains unavailable with a muscle problem.

Goals, however, remain a concern.

Dailon Rocha Livramento, who scored four times during qualifying, has yet to find the net at the finals, leaving veteran Ryan Mendes, the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 22 international goals, and Garry Rodrigues, who has 10, to provide much of the attacking inspiration.

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Iran’s World Cup campaign has spilled into a political dispute after U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin openly celebrated the team’s elimination, drawing a furious response from the Iranian Football Federation, which accused the United States of proving it was never a willing host.

Mullin made the remarks during a World Cup security briefing in Washington following Iran’s group-stage exit, saying he was pleased the team had left the country after weeks of heightened security and diplomatic tensions.

“I’m just glad they’re done, and they’re not coming back,” Mullin said. “I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave U.S. soil, and I might’ve sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance.”

He also said there “wasn’t a single team that we dealt with more than them” throughout the tournament.

The comments immediately sparked outrage in Iran, where football officials said the statement confirmed long-standing concerns that their delegation had been treated differently from every other nation at the tournament.

In a strongly worded statement, the Iranian Football Federation said it was unsurprised by Mullin’s remarks and argued they reinforced claims that Iran had never been genuinely welcomed to the World Cup.

“Iranians are used to the mistreatment and lies of U.S. officials, so no one in Iran is surprised by these hostile remarks,” the federation said.

“These remarks once again demonstrate that U.S. officials have no commitment to international law or the principles expected of a host nation capable of organizing a global sporting event.

“The fact that he openly celebrates Iran’s elimination says far more about him than it does about our team.”

The federation also referenced earlier complaints made by head coach Amir Ghalenoei, who had accused the United States of creating unnecessary obstacles throughout Iran’s stay.

“After our match against New Zealand, our head coach said that the United States did not want Iran to remain in this tournament because of the inhumane and unprofessional treatment our team experienced,” the statement added. “These latest comments only reinforce that belief.”

Iran’s participation in the World Cup had been uncertain for months after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran earlier this year dramatically escalated tensions between the countries.

Although FIFA allowed Iran to compete, the team operated under unusually strict travel arrangements.

Originally scheduled to establish its training base in Tucson, Arizona, Iran instead relocated to the Mexican border city of Tijuana before the tournament. The squad crossed into the United States only for matches before returning to Mexico, with authorities requiring the delegation to leave U.S. territory immediately after each game.

Iran played all three group matches in the United States, facing New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt. The team drew each contest but narrowly missed a place in the round of 32 after finishing just outside the eight best third-place teams.

Their hopes ended in heartbreaking fashion against Egypt when a stoppage-time winner was ruled out for a marginal offside, leaving Iran as the ninth-ranked third-place finisher.

Throughout the tournament, Ghalenoei repeatedly criticized the conditions his players faced, calling Iran “the most oppressed” team at the World Cup.

Following the 1-1 draw with Egypt in Seattle, the veteran coach said the hosts had treated his squad “very unfairly.”

“It was the host that wasn’t very good to us,” Ghalenoei said. “I urge FIFA not to let hosts treat teams and players the same way in the future.”

He added that the United States’ “behavior towards us has been really terrible,” while praising his players for remaining competitive despite what he described as constant obstacles.

Asked about the travel restrictions, Mullin insisted they had been agreed upon before the tournament began.

“That was just an agreement we had,” he said. “The game was over, let them get back to the hotel, their base camp where they’re at. They’re more comfortable there.”

Mullin also claimed that “almost half” of Iran’s non-playing delegation had direct ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an assertion the Iranian federation dismissed as “completely unsupported by any evidence.”

As tensions escalated off the field, Iran sought to leave a different message on it.

Following their final matches, players and staff left handwritten notes in locker rooms thanking local communities while emphasizing dignity, fairness and respect.

After departing Tijuana, the delegation also left a letter expressing gratitude to the people of Mexico for their hospitality after welcoming the team when its original U.S. base was abandoned.

“True hosting is about respect, humanity and dignity,” the letter read. “We will never forget the kindness of the people of Tijuana.”

The message questioned whether every nation had competed under equal conditions and argued that logistical decisions had undermined the tournament’s commitment to fair play.

“For us, fair play is not a slogan printed on advertising boards. It is the very identity of football,” the statement said.

“We leave this World Cup believing football fans around the world witnessed not only the hardship endured by Iranian football, but also the resilience of a nation that refused to trade its dignity, honor and values despite every challenge.”

FIFA has not publicly commented on Mullin’s remarks or Iran’s allegations regarding its treatment during the tournament.

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Three people died in Mexico City during massive World Cup celebrations after Mexico’s knockout win over Ecuador, authorities said Wednesday, as festivities turned deadly amid overcrowded streets near the capital’s iconic Angel of Independence.

The Mexico City Health Secretariat said the victims, a 44-year-old man, a 19-year-old woman and a 48-year-old woman, died from suffocation after emergency responders were called to multiple locations along Paseo de la Reforma, where tens of thousands had gathered to celebrate.

Two were pronounced dead after resuscitation attempts at the scene, while the third died later in hospital.

The celebrations followed Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador in the Round of 32, a result that sent the co-hosts into the last 16 and ended a four-decade wait for a World Cup knockout win.

Streets across the capital filled quickly as fans poured into closed-off zones set up for public viewing and celebrations.

Images shared on social media showed jubilant crowds chanting and waving flags, but also paramedics treating unconscious fans on the ground as congestion intensified in tightly packed areas around the boulevard.

Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada expressed condolences to the victims’ families and urged residents to celebrate with caution and responsibility as investigations into the circumstances continue.

Separately, violence also erupted during a public viewing in Yautepec in Morelos state, where armed attackers killed at least two people and injured several others during a live broadcast of the same match, according to local officials. Authorities said the attack occurred at a neighborhood football pitch crowded with families. Officials have not released a confirmed motive.

In another incident tied to recent celebrations, a man who drove into a crowd of fans in Cabo San Lucas following Mexico’s earlier win later died from injuries sustained after being beaten by bystanders, local officials said. It remains unclear whether the crash was intentional.

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