After being questioned over their aggresive playing style, Spain champion Pedro Porro defended Argentina's 2026 World Cup campaign: "They deserved to be in the final" Argentina‘s high-octane playing style became one of the defining talking points of the 2026 World Cup, where occasional tactical directness was superseded by a fierce, hyper-aggressive edge. Following Spain‘s 1-0 extra-time triumph in the final, Spanish defender Pedro Porro came to the Albiceleste‘s defense, candidly arguing that “they deserved to be in the final“. When pressed by Mundo Deportivo regarding Argentina’s physical approach, Porro offered a balanced perspective: “Everyone thinks that Argentina is a competitive team. I believe that’s just their way of playing, and I have no reason to counter that. At the end of the day, they have been a great national team throughout the entire World Cup and demonstrated it by coming back in matches.“ Indeed, Argentina sat near the bottom of the tournament’s fair-play rankings. The Albiceleste averaged 14.1 fouls per match, seventh-most in the field, and racked up 14 yellow cards, the highest total by any team at the 2026 World Cup. By comparison, champion Spain picked up just six cautions over their entire seven-match run. Yet, Argentina’s physical edge was matched by undeniable firepower. They finished as the tournament’s third-highest scoring team with 19 goals (behind only France and England at 20) and made history in the Round of 16 by becoming the first team to erase a two-goal knockout deficit within regulation time in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Egypt. Pedro Porro #12 of Spain kisses the World Cup Winner’s Trophy. The Spanish right-back concluded his postgame remarks by praising the opposition at MetLife Stadium. “I believe they also deserved to be in the final, and to be honest, it was a very beautiful final. Luckily, it went our way. I’d also like to congratulate them on the great work they’ve done throughout the whole World Cup,” Porro stated. Porro caps off a breakout World Cup campaign Porro’s international breakout provided a dramatic contrast to a grueling 2025–26 club campaign with Tottenham Hotspur, where the defender logged heavy minutes during a tense Premier League season. Initially arriving in North America as a rotation option, the former Manchester City player seized his opportunity and anchored himself as one of the elite right-backs of the tournament. After rotation appearances against Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde, and Uruguay in the group stage, Porro took over the starting spot for manager Luis de la Fuente during the knockout phase. Scoring in the Round of 32 against Austria and adding another strike against France in the semifinal, he cemented his reputation as a dominant, two-way force along the flank for the world champions.
Despite coming off an incredible season, Casemiro decided to leave Manchester United, forcing the club to make drastic changes in midfield. As a result, the Red Devils have already secured his replacement, signing Andrey Santos for $67 million. Even though Casemiro is coming off an impressive season, he decided not to renew his contract with Manchester United, leaving as free agent. The veteran midfielder has not yet signed with any club, but the Red Devils have moved to strengthen their midfield. Despite the 2026 World Cup still being underway, the Red Devils have announced the signing of Andrey Santos from Chelsea for $67 million. Manchester United have announced the signing of Andrey Santos from Chelsea. Regarded as one of the game’s brightest prospects, he has been offered a contract until 2031, along with a unilateral option for an additional year. While the Red Devils did not disclose the financial details, Fabrizio Romano revealed that the deal was completed for $67 million, along with a 10% sell-on clause in favor of the Blues. During the 2025-26 season, Andrey did not become an undisputed starter for Chelsea, but he still played a significant role. Across 43 appearances, he scored three goals and provided four assists. With Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo ahead of him, the Brazilian was destined for a secondary role. As a result, his move to the Red Devils appears to be the ideal opportunity to establish himself in European soccer. Unlike at Chelsea, Andrey Santos will find the ideal opportunity at Manchester United to play an important role. With Casemiro gone and Manuel Ugarte expected to leave soon, the young Brazilian appears to be arriving as a regular midfield option, serving as the team’s stopper. At just 22 years old, he has the perfect opportunity to establish among the Premier League elite under head coach Michael Carrick. Dreams do come true.@04Andrey is proof of that 🔏 pic.twitter.com/2ZiSP7y9ai— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 13, 2026 Andrey Santos hails Michael Carrick as the ‘perfect’ coach Throughout his tenure at Chelsea, Andrey Santos never had a head coach who fully committed to his talent. As a result, his move to Manchester United appears to be the perfect opportunity, as head coach Michael Carrick considers him a key part of both the club’s present and future. During his official presentation, the 22-year-old midfielder decided to praise Carrick, making it clear that he is the perfect coach for his professional career. “Everything about Manchester United is special. It is an incredible feeling to join a club that some of my biggest idols have represented. As a midfielder, I am really excited to have the opportunity to learn from Michael Carrick, he is the perfect coach to help me take the next step in my career and push to achieve my dreams,” reveals Andrey Santos, via Manchester United website. With only Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount in midfield, Andrey is expected to play a very important role during the 2026-27 season. Carrick has consistently shown a strong commitment to developing young talent, something that will be key to the Brazilian’s growth. Unlike other young foreign players, he has already played in the Premier League with two clubs, so he understands how to play in the league and that will be crucial to his adaptation.
⚽️ World Cup kick-off: 4pm EDT/9pm BST/6am AEST⚽️ Third-place table | Player guide | And email ScottPre-match postbag. “Writing from Ecuador, I can say people are understandably disappointed with how the World Cup has gone so far. After finishing second in qualifying, there was a feeling that this group could achieve something, but we were ignoring the unequal distribution of talent in the team: in the back, you have Pacho, who has won two Champions League titles, and Hincapie, who won the Bundesliga and the Premier League, and in the middle, you have Moises Caicedo. Up front, we still have 36-year-old Enner Valencia, who couldn’t really do it at Everton 10 years ago. There’s an exciting generation of Ecuadorian strikers, including the 16-year-old twins currently at Arsenal, but they’re not yet ready. The country was hoping Germany would field their second string of players for this match; turns out they didn’t. On another note, many attribute Ecuador’s success in qualifying to Quito’s altitude, but this overlooks the fact that most of Ecuador’s players come from abroad, so they also have to adjust to the altitude. Also, under the current coach, Ecuador started playing home games in Guayaquil, which is at sea level” – Matthew Carpenter-Arevalo“As well as some underdogs have performed this World Cup there hasn’t really been a big upset victory. Maybe today will be the day for that and if it happens, there would be no better occasion than Ecuador in front of a crowd which is likely to be majority Ecuadorean due to the huge population living in New York and surrounding region” – John in New York Continue reading...
Full preview of Ecuador for the 2026 World Cup, including squad breakdown, key players, and tactical analysis of their chances. Ecuador arrives at the 2026 World Cup in North America not as an underdog, but as a formidable defensive powerhouse. After finishing second in the grueling South American qualifiers, trailing only the reigning global champions Argentina, La Tri has proven its evolution on the international stage. This modern, physically imposing squad is built around top-tier European talent, transforming the team into a high-intensity unit. Expectations are understandably high for a nation that conceded just five goals in 18 qualifying matches. Team profile CoachSebastián BeccaceceCaptainEnner ValenciaNicknameLa TriFIFA Ranking24thConfederationCONMEBOLGroupGroup EBest World Cup ResultRound of 16 (2006)World Cup Appearances5Last World Cup Appearance2022 How Ecuador play Under their current leadership, Ecuador has transitioned into a highly disciplined, aggressive unit that prioritizes defensive solidity over expansive attacking soccer.The team operates with a vertical, high-intensity style, suffocating opponents through relentless pressing and a compact defensive shape. This approach relies heavily on a defense-oriented core featuring standout players like Willian Pacho and Piero Hincapié. In possession, La Tri prefers quick, direct transitions rather than sustained build-up play. The midfield recovers the ball and immediately looks to spark counter-attacks, often utilizing long-range diagonal passes to the wings. However, this defensive focus comes with a significant vulnerability in the final third. The squad struggles to generate consistent scoring opportunities, relying heavily on clean sheets and narrow margins to secure results. Ultimately, their ability to combine this defensive masterclass with timely goals will determine their ceiling in the 2026 World Cup. Sebastián Beccacece: The coach behind Ecuador Sebastián Beccacece took charge of the national team in August 2024 and immediately injected a new level of intensity into the squad. Sebastián Beccacece and Moises Caicedo (Getty Images). The Argentine coach possesses an unconventional background, having never played professional soccer at a high level. Instead, he built his reputation as a meticulous assistant, notably helping guide Chile to the 2015 Copa América title.Known as a tactical obsessive who spends countless hours analyzing video and data, Beccacece favors a rigid, defense-first philosophy. While some supporters initially questioned his departure from traditional attacking wing-play, his undeniable success has quieted the skeptics. His unyielding commitment to this resilient system will make Ecuador incredibly difficult to break down on the global stage. Key player: Moisés Caicedo Moisés Caicedo serves as the undeniable engine of the Ecuadorian midfield.The 24-year-old Chelsea star has evolved into the most critical component of the national team since his international debut. Operating primarily as a box-to-box presence or a deep-lying pivot, his ability to read the game is elite. Caicedo recently ranked in the top five percent of English Premier League midfielders for interceptions, successful passes, and touches. He recorded 59 interceptions last season, tying for the most in the division. Tactically, he is indispensable for his country. He excels at identifying danger, recovering possession, and immediately launching offensive transitions with his exceptional 91 percent pass accuracy. Ecuador’s road to the 2026 World Cup Ecuador’s qualification campaign was a defensive masterclass that secured a historic second-place finish in the CONMEBOL standings. Despite starting with a three-point administrative deduction, the team won eight matches, drew eight, and lost just twice. They conceded an astonishingly low five goals across 18 fixtures, keeping 13 clean sheets to boast the best defensive record in the region. While the attack managed only 14 goa
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