Key Moments of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup featured hundreds of remarkable moments, with The Associated Press covering all 104 matches of the tournament over 39 days across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from every angle.
Sydney Lopez Cabral, a player for the Cape Verde national team, stunned the Argentina national team with an equalizing goal in extra time during their Round of 32 match, held in Miami Gardens, Florida, USA, on July 3.
After being eliminated in the group stage in two consecutive tournaments following their fourth World Cup title win in Brazil in 2014, Germany secured their group victory by beating Curaçao and Ivory Coast, before losing their final first-round match to Ecuador.
Meanwhile, Paraguay participated in the World Cup for the first time since 2010, entering the tournament ranked 41st in the world, and qualified among the eight best third-placed teams from the 12 groups in the first round.
In their Round of 32 encounter against Germany, Paraguay won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time, before losing 1-0 to France in the Round of 16, thus exiting the tournament.
Pau Cubarsí, the 19-year-old defender for Spanish club Barcelona, played every minute of every match during Spain’s (La Roja) journey to winning their second World Cup title, their first since the 2010 edition in South Africa.
Cubarsí completed 668 successful passes out of 690 attempts, achieving a 96.8 percent success rate, the second-best in the tournament among players who attempted 400 or more passes, behind Norway’s Sander Berge at 96.9 percent. At 19 years and 178 days old, Cubarsí became the seventh youngest player to win the World Cup, after Brazil’s Pelé (17 years and 249 days), Brazil’s Ronaldo (17 years and 298 days), Italy’s Giuseppe Bergomi (18 years and 174 days), his teammate Lamine Yamal and Brazil’s Coutinho (both 19 years and 6 days), and Uruguay’s Marco Antonio (19 years and 135 days).
Wensington, the 40-year-old goalkeeper for the Cape Verde national team, dove to his left to save a quick free kick from Argentine Lionel Messi in the 73rd minute of their Round of 32 match, which was heading toward the top corner, thereby preserving the 1-1 draw at that time.
Matt Freese, goalkeeper for the United States national team, committed a major error in his country’s 1-4 loss to Belgium in the Round of 16, a mistake that will be repeatedly remembered among the worst goalkeeper blunders.
In the 51st minute of the group stage match held on June 18 in Vancouver, Canada, Qatari midfielder Assim Madibo caused a fracture to the left tibia and fibula of Canadian midfielder Ismail Koné following a violent tackle from behind, resulting in a red card and a five-match suspension for the Qatari player.
