The Top Moments From the 2026 World Cup Going Into the Semifinals | OneFootball

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is drawing to a close. Down to the semifinals, the tournament has already produced lasting memories and unforgettable stories, both good and bad.

There are no surprises in the final four teams remaining at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The top four nations in the world according to FIFA’s latest official world rankings are set to square off with a spot in the biggest match in global sports on the line.

France (No. 3) versus Spain (No. 2) and England (No. 4) versus Argentina (No. 1) will decide who becomes the next world champion. Online casinos have France as the favorite to win it all, but it’s still anyone’s title for the taking.

None of the remaining teams would be first-time winners, although while Argentina, France, and Spain have all hoisted the Jules Rimet trophy within the past 20 years, England’s drought dates back to 1966.

As their rankings would suggest, each team is star-studded, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Lamine Yamal all having solid tournaments.

The Argentina-England match will capture the world’s attention because of their heated World Cup history and the lingering emotions surrounding the Falklands War, a rivalry that has always carried extra meaning for Argentines.

France and Spain, meanwhile, is a clash between two outstanding generations. France looks every bit like a favorite to lift the trophy, while Spain has found a way to grind out victories despite having yet to put on a signature performance.

As the competition prepares to write its final chapters, we look back at some of the highs and a few lows of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Stars Came Out in Full

Without a doubt, this has been a World Cup for the stars. Messi, Mbappé, and Erling Haaland have traded goals throughout the tournament, giving fans a Golden Boot race for the ages. Messi has turned back the clock at 39, once again leading Argentina’s attack, and Mbappé continues to establish his legacy as perhaps the greatest World Cup player of all time. Both icons find themselves deadlocked at eight goals apiece going into the semifinals, with that number almost certain to change by the time the tournament concludes.

Meanwhile, Haaland and Norway put together one of the stronger World Cup campaigns, despite ultimately falling to England in the quarterfinals. Although he was already established as a global star and one of, if not the best player in the world, Haaland boosted his profile even more in this tournament, especially in the United States.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Erling Braut Haaland (@erling)

From his personality off the field to his brilliance on it, the Manchester City striker was simply unstoppable, finishing with seven goals while cementing himself as one of the one of the greatest strikers of all time.

Haaland possesses a goalscoring rate few can match. Still only 25 years old and under contract with City until 2034, if anyone ever hopes to sign the Norwegian, he may well become football’s first billion-dollar transfer.

But it’s not just the big three that have shown out thus far. Honorable mentions also go to Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembélé, Julián Quiñones, Jonathan David, and Folarin Balogun, who all delivered memorable goals and emotional moments.

A Host Nation Audit

While they all made it to the round of 16, the three 2026 World Cup host nations experienced vastly different tournaments. Let’s dive into where Mexico, the U.S., and Canada all stand now that the dust has settled.

El Tri Holds Their Head High

Mexico was, without question, the co-host that enjoyed the strongest World Cup. El Tri went four straight matches without conceding a goal before producing one of its best performances in the Round of 32, cruising past Ecuador 2-0.

The round of 16 clash with England was one for the ages, as the Three Lions had to dig deep for a 3-2 victory. Despite the usual overreactions from the Mexican media, after four disappointing years, Mexico has clearly put itself back on the right track.

Once again the kings of CONCACAF, El Tri can now begin the Rafa Márquez era with plenty of optimism.

The Fizzling USMNT and the Art of Overestimation

The U.S. men’s national team’s World Cup has already been covered by us at length, so we’ll keep this brief.

The tournament hosts started brightly, battled their way into the knockout stage, but eventually showed they were a one-dimensional team, particularly against high level competition.

As Christian Pulisic faded due to injury, so did the American attack. Balogun’s goals gave fans hope, but once the U.S. faced opponents at or above its level, the same old problems resurfaced.

Add in the controversial intervention from President Donald Trump that postponed Balogun’s red card suspension, and the much-hyped “Golden Generation” ultimately proved to be fool’s gold.

Humility has never been a strength of U.S. Soccer. The response to another heavily debated World Cup? Yet another FOX-produced documentary celebrating a team that once again failed to meet expectations.

That humble pie continues to get colder, and it really should be eaten.

Canada’s Ramblin’ Jesse Marsch

Canada enjoyed a strong World Cup, winning its first knockout match before falling 3-0 to Morocco in the Round of 16. Still, it was Jesse Marsch, with his antics and memorable quotes, who often stole the spotlight.

Marsch can rub people the wrong way at times, and his most memorable moment came in a bizarre post-match interview after the defeat to Morocco, when the American coach declared, “I’d rather be us than them.”

Marsch will always be Marsch, but the brash manager can hold his head high for the work he has done with Canada. A fourth-place finish at the Copa América, a Round of 16 appearance at the World Cup, and a few satisfying wins over the USMNT have only raised his stock, much to the chagrin of his haters.

How Did Our Unsung Heroes Do?

At Urban Pitch, we highlighted several World Cup unsung heroes before the tournament. Here’s how they performed:

Kenan Yıldız

One of the few bright spots in Türkiye’s disappointing World Cup, Yıldız showed flashes of his quality despite finishing without a goal contribution.

Nestory Irankunda

The Watford winger got off to a hot start, scoring the opening goal for the Socceroos, but he’d inexplicably be benched against the USMNT until he came on as a substitute in the second half. Still, he enjoyed a respectable tournament and will see his profile rise.

Gustavo Alfaro

From a coaching perspective, Alfaro’s stock skyrocketed after transforming Paraguay. Following a bad opening loss to the USMNT, Paraguay stunned Türkiye, drew with Australia, knocked out Germany on penalties, and then pushed France to the limit in a hard-fought 1-0 defeat.

Neil El Aynaoui

One of the biggest surprises of the 2026 World Cup, El Aynaoui started all six matches for Morocco and played a key role in the team’s run to the quarterfinals. His energy, work rate, and defensive ability were among the foundations of the Atlas Lions’ success.

Gonçalo Ramos

He played just two matches for Portugal, taking a backseat to Cristiano Ronaldo, but Ramos scored a crucial goal off the bench in the Round of 16 against Croatia, helping his squad reach the quarterfinals.

Scott McTominay

The Napoli midfielder endured a disappointing World Cup for Scotland. While solid enough, McTominay never came close to the high of his famous bicycle kick that helped his nation qualify for the World Cup finals.

Michael Olise

He’s yet to score, but Olise has arguably been France’s most important player at the 2026 World Cup. He leads all players with five assists, and has been an absolute maestro in the midfield for Les Bleus.

Bukayo Saka

The Arsenal winger hasn’t been operating at 100%, but he’s still been able to contribute off the bench for England, recording three assists in six appearances.

Florian Wirtz

Germany’s World Cup ended in disappointment, but Wirtz still impressed, finishing with three assists in four matches for the four-time champions.

Alexis Mac Allister

Marshaling Argentina’s midfield brilliantly, Mac Allister also scored a crucial goal against Switzerland while also adding an assist in six matches.

Giorgian de Arrascaeta

Uruguay’s World Cup was a major disappointment, and de Arrascaeta never saw the field due to injury. It was most likely his final World Cup.

Ismaël Koné

Koné showed his quality for Canada before a devastating tibia and fibula fracture sidelined him for the remainder of the tournament and the start of the European season.

Antonee Robinson

Although he showed signs of brilliance, the dynamic wing back faded as the tournament progressed. After an excellent opener against Paraguay, he never reached the same level again and endured a particularly disappointing performance in the loss to Belgium. The same can be said about pretty much the entire USMNT.

César Montes

The center back enjoyed an outstanding World Cup for Mexico, helping El Tri record four clean sheets while remaining a constant threat on set pieces throughout the tournament.