Written by Han Bing. Last Saturday, upon learning that their semi-final opponent would be arch-rivals Spain, Didier Deschamps' France calmly began preparations for the match. Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente was the first to issue a challenge: "We are the only team to have beaten France twice in a row, and Spain fears no one."

Written by Nan Nan. Premier League referee Michael Oliver blew the final whistle, and the Spanish breathed a sigh of relief. Thanks to Merino's winning goal, they once again snatched victory in the dying moments of the game. This time, it was Belgium who fell, just as Portugal had before them. Beating Belgium was no surprise for Spain; the surprises were that they conceded a goal and the way the match unfolded.

The chairman of Kanchanaburi Power has stated that coach Park Hang Seo still enjoys full support, while rejecting all speculation about internal conflicts.

Hanoi Police recruits former youth international of Belgium, giving Vietnam national team more hope for the 2030 World Cup, along with a series of hot developments from World Cup 2026 and the transfer market.

Club Truong Tuoi Dong Nai continues to demonstrate its strong investment commitment ahead of the 2026/27 V.League season, officially announcing the signing of Serbian center-back Filip Jovic.

Although Norway was eliminated from the World Cup a day ago, on July 13 Beijing time, the still "unsettled" Norway coach Solbakken once again discussed the "flying cat" incident during the match in an interview. He harshly criticized the use of VAR in the tournament and stated that if FIFA had generously admitted the mistake, it would have been more dignified—such hesitation only makes them look narrow-minded.

Written by Nan Nan. Going to extra time against Switzerland was no surprise for Argentina. In the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Swiss pushed Argentina to the 118th minute, with Di Maria stepping up. However, playing with an extra man for 40 minutes without scoring left frustration written all over the Argentines' faces. So when Alvarez netted that stunning strike in the 112th minute, every Argentine felt a huge relief.

On July 13, Beijing time, 47-year-old Chinese top referee Ma Ning officially concluded his journey at this World Cup, posting a farewell video on social media. In the video, he said emotionally: "From the campus to the World Cup stage, from youthful ignorance to calm composure, I have spent 20 years proving the meaning of persistence. At 47, many say it's too late, but I have always believed that as long as the faith remains, the impossible can be made possible."

Written by Han Bing. This is the most well-deserved World Cup semifinal lineup in history: since FIFA introduced its world ranking system at the end of 1992, it is the first time that the top four ranked teams have all reached the semifinals. Whether you look at the FIFA rankings released before the tournament or the updated standings after the quarterfinals, France, Spain, Argentina, and England occupy the top four spots. In previous World Cups, at most two semifinalists were ranked in the world's top four.

On July 13 Beijing time, after the World Cup semifinalists were confirmed, relevant institutions updated the latest Ballon d'Or odds. Unsurprisingly, players who advanced to the semifinals dominate the top 10 of the odds list. Among them, French captain Kylian Mbappe leads, followed closely by England captain Harry Kane, while Argentine captain Lionel Messi is tied for third with two French stars, Olise and Dembele.