All articles tagged with #last 16
Lionel Messi remains at the top of The Athletic’s 50-player World Cup ranking after the last-16, with Kylian Mbappe close behind and Harry Kane rising; Erling Haaland, Hakimi and other standout performers also feature prominently as the tournament moves toward the quarterfinals, with several players making big jumps or drops based on form and minutes played.
Switzerland and Colombia meet in Vancouver for the World Cup 2026 last-16, with James Rodríguez starting for Colombia and Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi ruled out with a knee injury, replaced by Ardon Jashari; pre-match lineups show Switzerland in a 4-2-3-1 and Colombia in a 4-3-3, referee Iván Bartón overseeing the tie; kick-off is 1pm local time as both sides chase a quarter-final berth and a chance to mirror their best World Cup runs.
Spain and Portugal begin a high-stakes World Cup 2026 last-16 clash in Dallas, with Ronaldo starting for Portugal and Spain’s attacking identity on show as early chances and tactical moves unfold in this live blog, alongside pre-match context about Ronaldo’s potential final World Cup and Spain’s recent form.
Opta-powered live stats for the 2026 World Cup last-16 at the Azteca show Mexico chasing a perfect start and their unbeaten home World Cup record against England; Julián Quiñones is central to Mexico's goals and assists, while Harry Kane’s prolific heading form is highlighted, with full stats, expected goals, passing networks and chalkboard data available for analysis.
Paraguay beat Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in extra time to reach the World Cup last 16, with Enciso scoring for Paraguay, Havertz replying for Germany, and Canale clinching the shootout.
Canada earned a historic World Cup 2026 last-16 berth with Stephen Eustaquio's stoppage-time goal against South Africa, as coach Jesse Marsch hailed the players as 'Canadian heroes' and signaled a new era for football in the country ahead of a potential showdown with the Netherlands or Morocco.
Chelsea were drawn against holders PSG in the Champions League last-16, while Manchester City were paired with Real Madrid; Arsenal play Bayer Leverkusen, Newcastle United face Barcelona, Liverpool meet Galatasaray and Tottenham take on Atletico Madrid, with first legs on March 10-11 and second legs on March 17-18. The final is in Budapest on May 30, and the route to the final suggests Newcastle-Tottenham could meet Arsenal in the quarters and Chelsea-Liverpool in the other half.
Lionel Messi was visibly upset and stormed off after Inter Miami's 2-2 draw with Palmeiras, which secured their spot in the FIFA Club World Cup last-16, but he appeared disappointed with the team's late defensive lapse and his emotional departure highlighted his high standards and frustration.
AC Milan have been drawn against Slavia Praha in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League, following their 5-3 aggregate win over Rennes. The first leg will be played on March 7th, with the return leg scheduled for March 14th. Other notable matchups include Sparta Prague vs. Liverpool, Marseille vs. Villarreal, and Roma vs. Brighton.
Arsenal will face Porto and Manchester City will face Copenhagen in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Both teams have favorable draws, with Arsenal having a history of success against Porto and City having previously beaten Copenhagen. The first legs will be played in February 2024, and the second legs in March 2024. The draw could be good news for Premier League teams as a strong performance by Arsenal and City could improve England's coefficient ranking and potentially allow for more English teams to qualify for the Champions League in the future.