The Egyptian rediscovers his smile after a season of misery

‘Whatever happens between now and 19 July, this will always be the World Cup of Cape Verde’

Something is stirring as football supporters in parts of Alabama get switched on to the US national team’s progress at the World Cup

The televising of the Premier League has made many players familiar and popular in the US

The Argentinian superstar’s two years at Inter Miami have turned him into a truly global icon

So-called ‘smaller nations’ have closed the gap to the footballing giants – which is good news for the game

When it comes to finding a football chant that works, authenticity is the key

The coach who has overseen the golden age of French football has released the brakes on his team ahead of their bid for a third consecutive final

The group stage was fine for viewing on TikTok but the main event deserves the big screen treatment

Clubs and agents should shut the transfer window while we enjoy the world’s football festival

It might be a cliché, but LA’s SoFi is much more than science fiction: it’s the future for spectators

The World Cup has given the hosts a chance to accentuate their origins

What defines this tournament is not the Fifa president’s starry guest list – but the human element, on the pitch and outside on the streets

From sombreros to kilts, familiar symbols prove to be more than just horseplay

The President has been strangely absent from a World Cup he was expected to dominate

The country has had to come to terms that its best players work abroad, and are resigned to losing talent from its domestic scene

The search for shareable clips has reduced football punditry to a series of set-pieces

The great rivalry of modern football may be coming to an end, at least on the pitch

What the goalkeepers of Iran, Curaçao and Cape Verde tells us about bringing their best to the global stage

The French superstar is happiest, and has his greatest success, at World Cup tournaments