Christophe Gleizes, Americans and ‘soccer’, Matt Damon in Central Park: 2026 World Cup memories | OneFootball

Across five weeks in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the 2026 World Cup yielded a clutch of vivid, offbeat snapshots from the road.

L'Équipe reports that Christophe Gleizes remains jailed in Algeria despite global appeals, including from FIFA’s Gianni Infantino. FIFA accredited him and kept a seat in his name at every France match.

At Dallas airport amid cascading delays, a gate agent honoured a Korean War veteran. Applause, tears, phones raised, a tableau that could scarcely have happened anywhere but America.

Iran’s journey was tense, from Guardia Nacional rifles in Tijuana to boos in Los Angeles. After a 1-1 draw with Egypt, captain Mehdi Taremi lamented scant help and their quiet exit.

In a chic Boston spot after Morocco’s defeat by France, Noussair Mazraoui and Sofyan Amrabat ate nearby as French-speaking diners were briefly mistaken for France players, cue laughter and holstered phones.

Guadalajara bristled with security as the elite Zorros unit guarded a rococo hotel ahead of Mexico’s 1-0 win over South Korea on 19 June. Inside, only mosquitoes disturbed the calm.

At a vast casino near Boston, Argentina versus Switzerland ceded the prime screens once Conor McGregor and Max Holloway appeared, after Paddy Pimblett had stopped Benoît Saint-Denis in 50 seconds.

There was Hollywood too, from a pre-final fan show with Lionel Messi to a dawn Central Park run that ended with a Matt Damon selfie, and a Dallas bar guarding a World Cup trophy.

Source: L'Équipe