O'Sports

⚽ The greatest World Cup in history. And some of its biggest stars left with nothing.

Let's talk about who got robbed.

HARRY KANE — 6 goals. Saved England single-handedly against DR Congo. Passed Pelé on the all-time scoring list. Still no Golden Boot, no final, no trophy. Went home after the semi. A captain who deserved more from his team's last 30 minutes.

LIONEL MESSI — 8 goals. 21 World Cup goals all-time. A record that may never be broken. Assisted both goals that knocked England out. Yet Argentina are in the final and the Golden Ball was never guaranteed. At 39, he's somehow still the most decisive player on the planet. Robbed? Maybe not. But he deserves a send-off worthy of the greatest.

CRISTIANO RONALDO — 41 years old. First man to score in six World Cups. Finally got his first-ever knockout goal against Croatia. Then Portugal lost to Spain in the round of 16. His last World Cup. Ended quietly. A player of that magnitude deserved a bigger stage to say goodbye.

This World Cup gave us history. But it also gave us exits nobody wanted to see.

Who got robbed most?
🔴 Kane — gave everything and got nothing
🟡 Ronaldo — deserved a bigger farewell
💚 Messi — still the greatest, whatever happens

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 A World Cup semi-final. The biggest stage in football. No shame in losing — but how you lose? That's another conversation.

England led 1-0 with five minutes left. Gordon's goal. Dreams of 1966 flickering again in Atlanta.

Then Tuchel made his moves. Konsa on for Gordon — the goalscorer — to shore up the defence. England dropped deeper. And deeper. The ball stopped moving. The pressure never came.

From the moment England scored to Argentina's winner in the 92nd minute, England had just 12% possession. Twelve. Argentina had four forwards on the pitch and 37 minutes of breathing space.

Messi assisted both goals. Of course he did.

Tuchel said England became "too passive" immediately after scoring — before the substitutions. Kane said they needed more ambition. Rooney said they "crumbled."

Here's the uncomfortable question: reaching a World Cup semi-final is not failure. It's the furthest England have gone in 60 years. But leading 1-0 with five minutes left and losing 2-1... that's not bad luck. That's a decision.

Who's really to blame?

🔴 Tuchel — the substitutions cost us
🟡 The players — they sat too deep too soon
💚 Nobody — Argentina were just better on the night

It's not the cue. It's not the technique. It's the chalk.

Ronnie O'Sullivan uses a brand almost every other player has abandoned, and John Higgins thinks he knows exactly why.

It causes kicks. Unexpected bounces. Balls flying off at the wrong angle. A nightmare for anyone at the table.

Ronnie barely notices them.

Because his cue ball control is so elite, he can handle conditions that send everyone else's head "into a jam jar" — Higgins' words after his final shot at the Crucible this year produced a massive kick that nearly cost him the match.

So why does Ronnie keep using it? He says it gives him more grip. But Higgins thinks there's more to it.

"He knows it messes with our heads."

And it gets better. Neil Robertson doesn't think it's deliberate — but still wants it banned. "It destroys the game. It makes an absolute mess of the table."

Who do you believe?
🔴 Higgins — it's a pure mind game
🟡 Robertson — it's harmful but not intentional
💚 Ronnie just likes his chalk. Leave him alone.

28 years later, Alan Shearer still feels the pain of losing to Argentina on penalties at France '98.

Shearer was captain that night in Saint-Etienne. Owen's wonder goal. Beckham's red card. Sol's disallowed goal. Penalties. Gone.

"I still don't think the best team won."

Now he's backing Tuchel's side to finally finish the job, but with a warning. Cool heads are everything. One red card, one VAR call, and it could all unravel.

Messi vs Bellingham. Both with four man-of-the-match awards. Both match-winners. One night in Atlanta.

"Strap yourself in. It will definitely be a bumpy ride." 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Who goes through to the final?
🔴 England — it's coming home
🟡 Argentina — Messi decides it
💚 Extra time, then penalties. Again.

France are out. And Thierry Henry knows exactly why.

N'Golo Kanté didn't play a single minute for France at the 2026 World Cup. Not one.

Henry was furious, calling it a major error from manager Didier Deschamps — especially after France lost control of midfield against Spain and crashed out.

"When Kanté plays, France are a different team. His strength, his intelligence, his ability to win the ball back — irreplaceable. You cannot leave a player like that on the bench at a World Cup."

France without Kanté lost their midfield battle. France without Kanté lost the tournament.

"N'Golo deserved more respect. French football deserved more respect."

Hard to argue with that. 💔

Was Deschamps wrong to leave Kanté out?
🔴 Yes — massive mistake
🟡 Kanté is past his best
💚 France were never winning it anyway

Legends Never Fade... They Inspire Generations. 🌍