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The two thousand twenty six World Cup is delivering its biggest moment yet — Lionel Messi against Mohamed Salah, Argentina versus Egypt in the round of sixteen on Tuesday. Two generational icons, two nations leaning entirely on their shoulders. This is the kind of match that defines tournaments, and the world will be watching.
Staying in the World Cup, Belgium are using a controversial FIFA ruling as fuel heading into their last-sixteen clash with the United States. Nicolas Raskin says the decision to clear Folarin Balogun to play against them — after an eligibility dispute — didn't intimidate the Belgians one bit. If anything, Raskin says, it fired them up. The Americans may have handed their opponents extra motivation.
Shifting to cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin is raising serious questions about India's treatment of Sanju Samson — the man who was Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup just months ago. Ashwin believes head coach Gautam Gambhir knows the situation hasn't been handled fairly, and is openly asking whether social media noise is now driving selection decisions. That's a damaging allegation, and it isn't going away quietly.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
