Across South America, a legion of pint-sized Kylians and Neymars will be following the fortunes of the stars to whom they owe their names when the World Cup kicks off on Thursday.

Nigeria’s 12-match unbeaten streak came to an end on Wednesday after Portugal claimed a 2-1 victory over the Super Eagles in an international friendly.

Alex Iwobi has etched his name into Nigerian football history after making his 100th appearance for the Super Eagles, becoming just the fourth player to reach the milestone for the national team.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will start in attack as the European side takes on Nigeria in their international friendly clash, while Alex Iwobi and Akor Adams headline the Super Eagles’ starting lineup.

The team will resume training at the Remo Stars Sports Institute in Ikenne following a short break after their dominant performance against Guinea in the previous qualifying round.

Benfica on Tuesday parted company with coach Jose Mourinho, who is close to returning to Real Madrid, and announced an agreement with Fulham boss Marco Silva to replace him.

The Super Eagles will conclude their June international window with a high-profile friendly against Portugal as Eric Chelle’s side continue preparations for future competitions following their impressive recent run of results.

Comoros will face Nigeria’s Super Falcons in the next round of the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers after producing a historic 30–0 aggregate win over Sudan in the first round.

World champions Spain and France booked their tickets to the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil on Tuesday, but England missed out on automatic qualification despite beating Ukraine.

Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has described Nigeria’s international friendly against Portugal as a “massive test” as Eric Chelle’s side prepare to face Cristiano Ronaldo and one of Europe’s strongest teams on Wednesday night.

Serena Williams made a winning return to tennis after four years in retirement as the American legend partnered Victoria Mboko in a first-round doubles victory at the Queen’s Club on Tuesday.

Atletico Madrid have turned down a €150 million (£129 million) bid from city rivals Real Madrid for star forward Julian Alvarez, as competition for the Argentine’s signature intensifies ahead of the new season.

Former UEFA president Michel Platini has launched legal proceedings against FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, over corruption allegations that he claims destroyed his chances of leading world football.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to commence this week, one of the tournament’s biggest off-field controversies involves Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry into the United States despite being selected to officiate at football’s biggest event.

Palmer and Joao Pedro appear midway through the film in a brief but memorable scene involving Madonna, marking an unexpected crossover between football and entertainment.