NRS-Import

Football didn't have it easy at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.  There were questionable decisions by FIFA, the sport's governing body, as well as a lot of spectacle and a final in which only one team actually played football. After a total of 104 games in this biggest-ever World Cup, Spain were deservedly crowned champions and for the first time, a country's men's and women's teams are both world champions at the same time. FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the tournament as the "greatest sporting, social and cultural event in humanity," while US President Donald Trump congratulated FIFA on what he called "one of the all-time greatest sporting events in history." But was it really? Here's what will be remembered. How was the biggest-ever tournament...

After the referee blew his whistle for fulltime at the end of Wednesday's World Cup semifinal, Argentina players understandably celebrated their come-from-behind 2-1 win in injury time over their longtime bitter rivals England. However, during the celebrations, Lisandro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso waved to the fans and held up the banner, which read: "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas" ("The Falklands are Argentine"). It was unclear where ​the banner had come ⁠from, but there was a report that it had earlier been seen displayed in the stands. "And they will always be Argentine," midfielder Leandro Paredes told a reporter when asked about the banner. "We were aware of what this match meant for the country. We tried to represent our nation and all those who lived through that sad moment in ou...

After the referee blew his whistle for fulltime at the end of Wednesday's World Cup semifinal, Argentina players understandably celebrated their come-from-behind 2-1 win in injury time over their longtime bitter rivals England. However, during the celebrations, Lisandro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso waved to the fans and held up the banner, which read: "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas" ("The Falklands are Argentine"). It was unclear where ​the banner had come ⁠from, but there was a report that it had earlier been seen displayed in the stands. "And they will always be Argentine," midfielder Leandro Paredes told a reporter when asked about the banner. "We were aware of what this match meant for the country. We tried to represent our nation and all those who lived through that sad moment in ou...

With a population of just 150,000, Curacao has smashed Iceland's record as the country with the fewest inhabitants (350,000) to reach a World Cup.  Curacao covers an area of ​​roughly 440 square kilometers (171 square miles), making it about six times smaller than Rhode Island, the smallest US state. Curacao is best known for its beaches and diving spots as well as a liqueur named after it. Baseball, not football, is the top sport on the island, which has sent around 15 players to the Major Leagues in the United States. Probably their most famous is Andruw Jones, who after spending 17 seasons in the majors was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York this year. "Football used to be much bigger here. From the 1960s through the 80s, everyone watched it," Curac...