Face à l’Espagne, Messi peut égaler un exploit vieux de 24 ans

Un dernier défi pour entrer un peu plus dans la légende. En finale de la Coupe du monde 2026 face à l’Espagne, Lionel Messi peut égaler un exploit qui résiste depuis 24 ans : remporter la Coupe du monde tout en terminant meilleur buteur du tournoi. Une performance réalisée pour la dernière fois par Ronaldo Nazário, dit « R9 », lors du Mondial 2002. L’Argentin n’est plus qu’à 90 minutes de rééditer cet exploit.

Ronaldo R9, dernier champion du monde et meilleur buteur

En 2002, en Corée du Sud et au Japon, Ronaldo Nazário avait conduit le Brésil vers son cinquième sacre mondial. Auteur de huit buts durant la compétition, dont un doublé en finale contre l’Allemagne (2-0), « O Fenômeno » avait terminé meilleur buteur du tournoi tout en soulevant le trophée. Depuis, aucun joueur n’a réussi à associer ces deux distinctions au cours d’une même Coupe du monde. catcrossgame.com

Messi à 90 minutes d’un nouvel exploit

Avec huit buts inscrits avant la finale, Lionel Messi est idéalement placé pour égaler cette performance. À 39 ans, le capitaine argentin affiche une efficacité remarquable et s’est montré décisif tout au long de la compétition. Un but face à l’Espagne lui permettrait de prendre seul la tête du classement des buteurs et de rapprocher l’Argentine d’un deuxième titre mondial consécutif.

Un rendez-vous avec l’histoire

Égaler Ronaldo R9 constituerait une nouvelle ligne prestigieuse au palmarès déjà exceptionnel de Lionel Messi. Sacré champion du monde en 2022, il pourrait cette fois ajouter le Soulier d’Or de la compétition à un nouveau titre mondial. Face à l’Espagne, meilleure défense du tournoi, le défi s’annonce immense. Mais s’il existe un joueur capable d’écrire une nouvelle page de l’histoire du football, c’est bien Lionel Messi.

The post Face à l’Espagne, Messi peut égaler un exploit vieux de 24 ans appeared first on AfricaFootUnited.

For the second time in less than a year, the Springboks thrashed Wales to close out the first half of their Nations Championship campaign in Durban on a high.

The Boks scored seven tries on Saturday at Kings Park without reply to blank Wales 43-0, with debutants Vusi Moyo and Jaco Williams among the scorers. It also follows a 73-0 hammering of the Welsh in Cardiff last November.

MORE: Boks’ big bruisers take charge

No 8 Jasper Wiese barged through three defenders for the opening try, allowing 20-year-old flyhalf Moyo to split the uprights for his first points in Test rugby.

The Bok scrum then took control, earning a 5m put-in that scrumhalf Cobus Reinach finished off himself, bringing up his 100th Test point in green and gold.

Outside centre Jesse Kriel’s try on the stroke of half-time sent the hosts into the changing room 19-0 up on the scoreboard.

PICK YOUR MVP: Boks vs Wales

Right wing Williams marked his bow with the Boks’ bonus-point score soon after the restart, before replacement scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies – back in the fold for the first time since 2023 – added a fifth.

Speedster Kurt-Lee Arendse and flanker Paul de Villiers, who scooped the Man of the Match award in only his third Test, completed the rout in the closing stages.

Vusi Moyo’s crosskick creates the opportunity

Jesse Kriel goes over for his third try in three matches

Stream #NationsChampionship on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/F8NFllTxAh

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 18, 2026

Coach Rassie Erasmus, however, would’ve had words for his men at the break. Several scoring opportunities were botched through handling errors despite the Boks’ dominance up front, a trend that continued into the second half and denied the hosts an even heavier margin.

The result continues South Africa’s dominance over the Welsh, who have won just once in 13 previous meetings in the Republic.

RATE THE REF: Andrew Brace

Having already beaten England and Scotland in their opening Nations Championship Tests, the Boks now have a two-week break before facing Los Pumas in Argentina on 8 August.

Wales will next be in action against Japan at the Principality Stadium on 7 November.

KEO: All Blacks very good as Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour hots up

SPRINGBOKS – Tries: Jasper Wiese, Cobus Reinach, Jesse Kriel, Jaco Williams, Herschel Jantjies, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Paul de Villiers. Conversions: Vusi Moyo (3), Manie Libbok.

Photo: @Springboks/X

The post Seven-try Boks blank Wales again appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

Kaizer Chiefs and Elche meet in Murcia, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00, with Elche broadcasting the game on their YouTube channel.

Head coach Fernando Da Cruz has started with nine players who started on the bench against Al-Kholood.

However, many of them started in the opening friendly against Rangers FC.

KAIZER CHIEFS STARTING LINE UP

Utility player Reeve Fosler is the only surviving starter from the 1-1 draw against Al-Kholood midweek.

Kaizer Chiefs starting XI: Brandon Petersen (captain), Thabiso Monyane, Given Msimango, Inácio Miguel, Reeve Frosler, Lebohang Maboe, Siphesihle Ndlovu, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Mfundo Vilakazi, Luke Baartman, Flávio Silva.

Substitutes: To be confirmed.

Elche returned to La Liga after winning promotion at the end of the 2024/25 campaign. They then secured another season in Spain’s top flight by finishing 15th in the 20-team table during the 2025/26 season.

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The Spanish side only confirmed their survival on the final day after holding Girona to a 1-1 draw. Along the way, they produced several eye-catching results, including a 2-2 draw away to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in November 2025 and a memorable 3-2 home victory over Atlético Madrid in April 2026.

AMAKHOSI NEW ERA

Kaizer Chiefs will head into the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season with a fresh look under new head coach Fernando Da Cruz. The French-Portuguese mentor has been tasked with restoring the club to title contention after Amakhosi finished third last season. He is also reshaping the squad, with the aim of working with a lean group of around 28 to 30 senior players.

The Soweto giants have already strengthened key areas ahead of the new campaign. They signed Thabo Moloisane from Stellenbosch FC. Goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner has arriced from Sekhukhune United. Striker Khanyisa Mayo has signed a permanent deal. Those arrivals have increased competition for places as Da Cruz builds a squad capable of challenging on multiple fronts.

Kaizer Chiefs have also stepped up their preparations with a pre-season training camp in Murcia, Spain. The tour has given the coaching staff an opportunity to improve fitness, test different combinations and implement Da Cruz’s tactical ideas before the new season begins.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM KAIZER CHIEFS UNDER COACH FERNANDO DA CRUZ?

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The Springboks take on Wales in the final match of the July window of the new Nations Championship in Durban on Saturday, with kick-off at 5.40pm.

The Boks go into the game on the back of two wins so far in the competition, against England and Scotland, while Wales beat Fiji and lost to Argentina.

The last time the Boks and Wales met, in Cardiff last November, the Boks won 73-0.

There are four debutants in a new-look Bok side on Saturday, namely wing Jaco Williams, flyhalf Vusi Moyo, lock Ruben van Heerden and prop Carlu Sadie.

TEAMS

SPRINGBOKS – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Jaco Williams, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (capt), 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Carlü Sadie, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Bench: 16 André-Hugo Venter, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Damian Willemse.

WALES – 15 Blair Murray, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Jac Morgan, 6 Alex Mann, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Teddy Williams, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Dewi Lake (capt), 1 Rhys Carre. Bench: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Ben Warren, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 James Botham, 22 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 23 Joe Hawkins

Below is The Citizen’s live coverage of the match from Durban.

Springboks v Wales – LIVE UPDATES

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