Page 4 – The Pulse of Football

Jul

2026

Preview: Outsiders Australia and Egypt meet in the Round of 32

AFC representatives Australia face off against record AFCON winners Egypt in the World Cup Round of 32 in Dallas, as the latter look to continue making history.

By Matt Smith

Egypt recorded their first-ever World Cup victory in the group stages after beating New Zealand 3-1. Australia will be hoping to win a World Cup knockout game for the first time, so this is a huge encounter for both sides.

They last went head-to-head back in November 2010, with Egypt emerging victorious with a 3-0 win.

Team news

Australia will be out without both Jacob Italiano and Mathew Leckie for their last 32 clash with Egypt, but they shouldn’t have any fresh injury concerns. Manager Tony Popovic could name an unchanged side from their last game against Paraguay.

The big bit of team news heading into this game is that Egypt’s superstar Mohamed Salah is a doubt. They are hopeful that he’ll be able to overcome a hamstring injury, but there are certainly no guarantees.

Australia have struggled going forward

So far in the World Cup, Australia have scored just twice, with both of their goals coming against Turkey. They’ve created just one big chance throughout the whole tournament, the joint lowest in the competition.

Australia managed to emerge through the group stage in second place, with their victory over Türkiye proving crucial. Their first-ever knock out victory will see them face either Argentina or Cape Verde. It’s set to be a huge occasion for the Socceroos.

Egypt must tighten up defensively

Although Egypt’s defensive record doesn’t look too bad, considering they’ve conceded just 3 goals in 3 games, there’s no doubt they need to tighten up at the back. They’ve conceded 4.6 xG throughout the tournament, suggesting that they’ve been fortunate not to have conceded more goals.

Thankfully for them, Australia have struggled in terms of creating chances, so it’s not a game that screams goal fest. Egypt will look to hold firm defensively while trying to create chances for Salah if he’s available.

Egypt fans praying for Salah

It’s difficult to see Egypt making it into the next round if former Liverpool forward Salah is unavailable for this one. Although the 34-year-old hasn’t lit up the World Cup like we’ve seen him do in domestic football, he’s certainly been a key player for the Egyptians.

Salah has provided three goals and assists in three games so far, playing a crucial role in particular against New Zealand in their important victory. Egyptian fans around the world will be praying that Salah is available to face Australia. With 61 goals in 87 appearances, he is their superstar.

Prediction

As mentioned, it’s difficult to see this game having too many goals. A lot could depend on the fitness of Salah, but if the experienced forward is fit, we’re going for a 1-0 victory to Egypt.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the World Cup with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, physical metrics, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.

Jul

2026

FotMob Profile: Johan Manzambi, Switzerland’s newest World Cup star

Every four years, the World Cup provides the stage for young players at the tournament to showcase their talents in a bid to seal a big money move.

By Ross Kilvington

We have seen it all before. El Hadji Diouf was Senegal’s talisman during their stunning run to the quarter-finals in 2002, going on to secure a transfer to Liverpool a few weeks after the tournament. James Rodríguez was another one, winning the Golden Boot at the 2014 edition before Real Madrid signed him for £63m that very same summer. Kleberson, Cody Gapko and Enzo Fernández all enjoyed breakout World Cups for their respective nations. A move to the Premier League followed not long after.

This summer, the sheer volume of talent on show has been incredible. One player that will be a sought after commodity once the tournament is done and dusted, however, is Johan Manzambi.

The Swiss sensation might have played in the Europa League final six weeks ago, but it has been his performances in North America that have made people stand up and take notice.

*Manzambi player traits compared to other midfielders in top 5 leagues*

Murat Yakin has unearthed a new sensation

After 70 minutes of Switzerland’s second match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, Murat Yakin’s men were toiling.

The Swiss had conceded a late equaliser against Qatar in their opener, dropping two crucial points in what was a performance littered with missed chances and a lack of any real clinical edge.

Now, it looked as though a second consecutive stalemate was on the cards. A result which might have threatened their chances of finishing either first or second in the group.

Manzambi came off the bench for the last 25 minutes against Qatar, but was largely ineffective at the heart of the midfield.

This time, he replaced Dan Ndoye, who was operating in a more advanced role, and the difference in intensity was staggering.

Three minutes after emerging into battle, Manzambi lashed a stunning volley into the Bosnian net to open the scoring.

That effort proved to be the spark Yakin’s side needed. Fellow substitute Rubén Vargas added a second ten minutes later, before Manzambi scored his second with a close range finish.

His splendid cameo convinced Yakin that the Freiburg youngster would be best utilised in the starting XI in the group decider against Canada.

The 20-year-old was deployed as a number ten, operating just behind Breel Embolo and delivered one of his finest displays in a Swiss jersey.

Not only did he provide an assist for Vargas’ opening goal, but Manzambi got in on the act just ten minutes later. He was perhaps fortunate that the goalkeeper made a hash of a fairly routine effort, but they all count in the end.

*Manzambi player from the start vs. Canada*

Another game, another decisive contribution. That victory meant the Swiss topped the group, thus setting up a clash against Algeria in the last 32.

Ahead of this tie, Yakin has a decision to make regarding Manzambi. Unleash from the start? Or introduce him off the bench when the opposition start getting tired?

Manzambi can lead Switzerland deep into this World Cup

Switzerland have lost all seven of their previous World Cup knockout matches in a run dating back to 1938.

A victory against Algeria can break this dismal losing streak. That will, in turn set up a clash against either Colombia or Ghana, with a first quarter-final appearance since 1954 now a realistic proposition for the Swiss.

Yakin, then, will need all of his key players to be at their best over the next few matches, but it could be the in-form Manzambi’ sheer presence that provide the different.

“Johan is just a very happy person with so many football qualities,” gushed Yakin following his brace against Bosnia.

“He had a very good season with Freiburg. He is very versatile – in defence, midfield, on the flanks, as a striker.

“He’s a player who can surprise us as well as the opponent.”

*Manzambi’s shooting and passing numbers at the World Cup*

His versatility is certainly one of his major strengths. He has already featured across three different positions at the World Cup and Manzambi even played 70 minutes as a striker in the 1-1 draw with Australia in the final match before the tournament.

Despite starting just once at the World Cup so far, the youngster ranks in the top 6% for shots on target (2.09), the top 4% for big chances created (1.4) and top 1% for goals (2.09) per 90 when compared to his positional peers.

Elder statesmen Granit Xhaka, Embolo and Manuel Akanji bring plenty of experience to the starting XI, but Manzambi brings sheer power and unpredictability. Traits that could well make the difference for the Swiss during the knockout stages.

Whatever happens from now on, Zambani has certainly enhanced his ever-growing reputation with three goals during the group stages. And that, undoubtably, will see him feature in the transfer gossip columns for the rest of the summer, once his involvement in this tournament comes to an end.

The 20-year-old is one of the brightest talent the country has produced in years. Yakin will now be hoping his performance levels don’t dip.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the World Cup with FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.

Jul

2026

Portugal’s midfield is their biggest puzzle at the World Cup – not Ronaldo’s involvement

Portugal have had their issues at the 2026 World Cup and many have been quick to highlight Cristiano Ronaldo as the biggest one. The 41-year-old has drawn a blank in two of his three appearances, offering little in the way of hold-up play or general involvement in his team’s possession game. Ronaldo certainly isn’t helping Portugal’s situation.

By Graham Ruthven

The root of Portugal’s problems, however, go beyond their veteran forward. In fact, Portugal’s biggest weakness might be the area of the team most saw as their biggest strength before the start of the World Cup – the midfield. That’s where Roberto Martínez has the most to untangle.

On paper, Bruno Fernandes, João Neves and Vitinha should be the most formidable midfield unit in the entire tournament. Fernandes was the best player in the Premier League last season, setting a new assists record for Manchester United, with Neves and Vitinha teammates for a Paris Saint-Germain side that retained the Champions League title in May.

Martínez couldn’t have hoped for a more gifted collection of midfielders and yet his set up does nothing to get the best out of them. To the contrary, Fernandes, Neves and Vitinha are being limited by Martínez’s approach which contributed to underwhelming performances against DR Congo and Colombia.

In both group stage matches that ended in a draw, Portugal circulated the ball in the middle of the pitch without any purpose. DR Congo and Colombia found it easy to put themselves between the ball and the goal. They asked Portugal to break them down and Martínez’s team failed to do so often enough.

Against Uzbekistan, it was a different story as Portugal played with speed and intensity from the start. They moved the ball more quickly and put Fernandes in a position to influence the game in the final third. The Manchester United playmaker set up Ronaldo for one finish and had a hand in another two Portuguese goals.

It was a short-lived resurgence, though, as Portugal struggled for any sort of traction in their goalless draw against Colombia to finish the group stage. Martínez’s side saw plenty of the ball, but did very little with it as Colombia held their opponents at arm’s length to top the group heading into the knockout rounds.

The statistics make for grim reading with regards to Portugal’s performances at the 2026 World Cup so far. Indeed, Portugal are 16th for Big Chances generated at the tournament and 21st for Expected Goals (xG). They simply aren’t creating enough in front of goal to be considered a genuine threat.

This is where Ronaldo can build the strongest defence for himself. How is a penalty box poacher like the 41-year-old meant to impact games if his team is failing to create penalty box opportunities as Portugal are at this World Cup? Ronaldo is entitled to feel he is being starved of service.

Many believe Portugal’s current squad is the strongest ever taken by the country to a World Cup. They boast elite-level quality across the pitch, from Rúben Dias in central defence to Nuno Mendes at left back to Rafael Leão on the wing. The midfield was meant to be the engine room of a team capable of becoming world champions.

Instead, the midfield has become emblematic of a team struggling to find top form this summer and Martínez can hardly argue that he doesn’t have the personnel to do better. The Spaniard’s system is the primary reason Portugal have toiled in their three World Cup matches so far with fundamental changes required.

“Tomorrow we will begin the second World Cup, the preparation was very important,” said Martínez, looking ahead to Portugal’s round of 32 tie on Thursday. “Croatia is a team we know very well. They also know our strengths and our talent, so it will be a competitive match.”

Had Portugal finished top of Group K, they would have faced a much more favourable last 32 tie against Ghana instead of a meeting with Luka Modrić and co. While Croatia have faded since making the World Cup final eight years ago, they will make for difficult opponents. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Croatia got the better of Portugal.

Maybe everything will click for Portugal and Thursday’s knockout tie against Croatia will be looked back upon as the moment Ronaldo and his teammates found their groove. If ever there was a match to be a catalyst for a World Cup run, it’s an encounter with an opponent known for being tournament specialists.

If Portugal continue to underwhelm, though, possibly exiting the World Cup early, Martínez will be blamed just like he was blamed by some for squandering Belgium’s so-called golden generation. The finger might also be pointed at Ronaldo, but he has nothing to do with the issues in midfield desperately hindering his team.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the World Cup on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.

Jul

2026

Preview: Heavyweights clash as Ronaldo’s Portugal face Modrić’s Croatia in Round of 32

Can Cristiano Ronaldo finally score a World Cup knockout goal or will Luka Modrić continue Croatia’s giant-killing streak?

By Filip Mishov

One legend destined for a bitter farewell

Portugal’s underwhelming showing in the group stage heaped the pressure on Roberto Martínez‘s squad to deliver in the knockouts, as the Seleção only managed to defeat the 60th-ranked Uzbekistan in Froup K, while stumbling to a draw against both DR Congo and Colombia.

Since Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut at the World Cup 2006, the Portuguese have reached the Round of 16 in four of the consequent five editions of the tournament, and failure to progress here would most probably signal a sour end to their greatest-ever player’s World Cup career.

The bronze medallists from the 2022 finals finished a point off England in the Group L table, and even though Croatia were far from flashy, Zlatko Dalić‘s squad got the job done by winning back-to-back matches against Panama and Ghana.

Now, Croatia’s goal is to continue their well-established trend of eliminating the big favourites in the knockout stag of a major tournament, something which led them to winning successive medals in 2018 and 2022.

However, the resilient Croats are winless against Portugal in competitive competitive and their sole victory came back in a friendly in 2024 with Ante Budimir scoring the winner in Lisbon.

Key players

Despite scoring a brace against the debutants Uzbekistan and shouting “I’m back!” to the cameras afterwards, Ronaldo (231 caps) is yet to reaffirm his difference-making ability in North America. If Portugal are to go far in the tournament, then the 41-year-old must raise his performance levels (averaging a FotMob rating of 7.3) and could go some way to doing that by scoring his first-ever World Cup knockout stage goal in this one.

His teammates are going to give him the opportunities to do so, with only Senegal (28.3) and Panama (28) completing more accurate long balls (27.7) per match than Portugal so far at the tournament.

*Ronaldo vs. Modrić top stats at the World Cup*

Luka Modrić displayed was not his usual self against England in Croatia’s opener, but the 40-year-old improved in the consequent matches and even provided a match-winning assist against Ghana, earning him the Player of the Match award with a FotMob rating of 8.1.

As captain, Modrić reached 200 appearance for his country during the Group Stage, and Friday’s clash will be truly a unique one with the two former Real Madrid teammates being two of the only four players alongside Lionel Messi (202) and Bader Al-Mutawa (202) with more than 200 caps for their national teams.