1- Lothar Matthaus (world champion, former captain of the German national team) spoke about Germany's elimination from the 2026 World Cup after their defeat against Paraguay:
“I am absolutely furious. This is not the Germany I know, and certainly not the Germany I once fought for. Being eliminated from the World Cup in this way is unacceptable.”
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The German national team players looked dejected after being eliminated from the 2026 World Cup. Photo: AP |
After tonight, every player, every coach, and everyone involved with this team must reflect on themselves, because this performance is far below German standards.
You can't wear the German national team shirt and play with so little urgency, so little aggression, and so little belief.
Paraguay fought for every ball as if it were their life, while Germany were anxious, passive, and completely out of ideas when the pressure mounted.
Germany has the quality to win this match, but football isn't just about talent. It's about character, spirit, and a willingness to endure for your country.
I don't want to hear any excuses about luck, the referee, or the penalty shootout. Champions don't hide behind excuses; they take responsibility.
This defeat will be painful for a long time, because it was entirely avoidable. Tonight, Germany has let an entire nation down.
Please give Paraguay your respect. They deserve every second of this victory, as they have shown courage, discipline, and heart.
Germany has forgotten the true meaning of fighting for this badge. And for me, that's the most painful thing."
To elaborate: Before the fateful penalty (which Tah missed, sending Germany home), captain Kimmich asked the whole team if anyone dared to take it. Everyone refused, Goretzka even refused twice, and it was defender Tah who had to volunteer!
Germans have never been so timid! Where is the German "steel"?
2 - After officially securing their place in the World Cup Round of 16:
The Moroccan players approached the stands where Moroccan fans had traveled long distances to Mexico to support their team. In front of the fans, they all knelt down and kissed the grass as a gesture of gratitude, showing their appreciation and humility.
To many, it might just be a small gesture. But that moment held significance that went far beyond football.
Morocco is gradually establishing its position on the world football map. Four years ago, they reached the semi-finals and finished in fourth place.
Now, with the current golden generation, they continue to nurture the dream of writing history, but still maintain their humility.
3 - If there's one player more fearsome than Lionel Messi, it can only be "Lionel Messi in a relaxed state"...
With a player possessing such exceptional qualities, a top-tier skill set, and being completely free from pressure to enjoy the game like Messi, he can create anything with the ball at his feet.
As Mac Allister stated after the match against Austria, he felt that Messi is even better now than he was in 2022. Now, the 39-year-old superstar is increasingly proving that his teammate's words were not an exaggeration at all!
Watching Messi right now is truly a gift for every football fan. The feeling of ease, grace, and relaxation, yet still delivering devastating damage—we can't find that in any other player!
4 - Casemiro talks about Carlo Ancelotti's tactics in the match against Japan.
I looked toward the bench and thought he might substitute me. He looked back at me as if he knew something I didn't. He kept me on the pitch, and I scored. Then he brought Martinelli on, and Martinelli scored too. At some point, you stop questioning Carlo. You just have to wait and see why.
5 - Declan Rice speaks about England's preparation for penalty shootouts ahead of the knockout round:
I look at this squad and I don't think England have ever had a better generation of penalty takers. You have Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka. I could take one too. Jude (Bellingham) as well.
It's often said that to reach the final or win a major tournament, you'll inevitably have to win a penalty shootout. Therefore, we understand that this is entirely possible and we will prepare thoroughly for every eventuality.
6 - Mbappe talks about the race to become the top scorer in World Cup history:
"I don't pay too much attention to what Messi does. He always scores, is scoring, and will continue to score."
I've said this before. If I want to catch up with him, I'll have to do much more.
"Competing with Messi is an honor. When I was little, my father used to say, 'If you want to be the best, you have to compete with the best.' And that's exactly what I'm doing; I'm competing with the best."
Further information:
- Kylian Mbappe is the best player our generation has ever seen at three consecutive World Cups (2018, 2022, 2026) and is far superior to the rest: 18 matches, 18 goals, 5 assists, 4 goals in World Cup finals, 1 championship, Once finished second (losing on penalties to Argentina, a match in which Mbappe scored a hat-trick).
Despite not achieving the expected level of success at club level, failing to help Real Madrid win any major titles, the World Cup version of Mbappe remains an incredibly formidable player. With such high-quality teammates around him, many expect Mbappe to win a second World Cup – something many players haven't even dared to dream of.
- Currently, Kylian Mbappe and Argentina both have 6 goals at the 2026 World Cup, and the race for the World Cup "Golden Boot" is far from over, as both France and Argentina are likely to go far, possibly even to the final (according to Opta).
But both Mbappe and Messi have formidable rivals:
+ Haaland. This player has scored 5 goals and is helping Norway advance to the next round.
+ Dembele has scored 4 goals and is still progressing with France.
Vinicius also scored 4 goals and helped Brazil advance to the next round.
(Germany's Undav also had 5 goals but no longer had a chance as Germany had been eliminated. England's Kane, although only with 3 goals, also has prospects if England progresses further).
7 - Messi may not need to be perfect at taking penalties, because Argentina has "Dibu" - Emiliano Martinez - the goalkeeper of the Argentine national team.
If any team had to face Argentina in a penalty shootout, they would be terrified! The answer lies in the "madman" guarding the goal: Emiliano "Dibu" Martinez!
Since the 2022 World Cup, "Dibu" has faced 24 penalties (including shootouts). He has successfully saved 9 of them (a 37.5% save rate). Including the 3 penalties that opponents missed due to immense psychological pressure, his overall save rate reaches 50%!
For every two shots on goal against "Dibu," one is saved!
Looking at broader statistics over the past 10 years (2016-2026), "Dibu" remains the world number one goalkeeper with an actual save rate of 36.4% and a save rate of 47.7% after 44 one-on-one situations. He is far ahead of other top goalkeepers like Gianluigi Donnarumma (28.3%), Dominik Livakovic (26.2%), and Mike Maignan (24.6%).
Compared to "Penalty King" Diego Alves (Brazilian, goalkeeper for Almeria and Valencia - Spain), the only player in modern football history to surpass "Dibu" in terms of pure La Liga statistics (48.8% actual saves, 55.5% successful saves). However, Alves did not have the same luck in crucial national team matches as "Dibu".
History has seen players like Sergio Goycochea (Argentina's hero at the 1990 World Cup) and Helmuth Duckadam (who saved four penalties to help Steaua București win the European Cup in 1986). They had their moments of brilliance, but maintaining the consistency and consistently wreaking havoc from the Copa America to the World Cup for many years in a row like "Dibu" is extremely rare.
What sets "Dibu" Martinez apart and makes him a one-of-a-kind "King of Psychological Warfare" is his 100% win rate when it comes to penalty shootouts with his national team! From the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup to the 2024 Copa America, Argentina has won every time they've gone to a penalty shootout.
The pressure "Dibu" exerted was so great that it forced even the world's top stars to shoot wide.
Messi may not need to be perfect from the penalty spot, because behind him, "Dibu" Martinez can always protect the goal and turn the Albiceleste's net into an impenetrable fortress. Facing Argentina in the knockout round, it's best to settle the match within 120 minutes, because if the final whistle blows and it goes to a penalty shootout, the opponents have essentially handed Argentina 50% of the ticket to the next round!
Below are the statistics for the top 10 goalkeepers with the best penalty-saving record over the past 10 years (updated as of June 2026):
1 - Emiliano Martinez (Argentina) - 44 throws - 36.4% saves - 47.7% clearances
2 - Caoimhin Kelleher (Ireland) - 23 turns - 34.8% - 43.5%
3 - Donnarumma (Italy) - 58 votes - 28.3% - 36.2%
4 - Diogo Costa (Portugal) - 33 votes - 27.3% - 33.3%
5 - Dominik Livakovic (Croatia) - 42 turns - 26.2% - 31%
6 - Wojciech Szczesny (Poland) - 62 votes - 25.5% - 32.8%
7 - Mike Maignan (France) - 51 votes - 24.6% - 33.3%
8 - David Soria (Spain) - 39 votes - 23.1% - 28.2%
9 - Manuel Neuer (Germany) - 71 votes - 22.7% - 29.6%
10 - Unai Simon (Spain) - 36 votes - 22.2% - 27.8%
While world-class goalkeepers typically maintain an average save percentage of 22% to 28%, "Dibu" Martinez alone reaches a staggering 36.4% with his hands and nearly 50% overall save percentage. This unparalleled figure transforms the "madman" into a completely different kind of force!
Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/the-thao/worldcup-2026/ben-le-world-cup-2026-dem-dai-chap-nhat-1047164
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