Sport
World sport, with a Tunisian and Arab lens
Egypt Secures Historic World Cup Win as Tunisia Exits
- Historic Egyptian Victory: Egypt secured their first-ever victory in a FIFA World Cup by defeating New Zealand 3-1 at BC Place in Vancouver. Operating in Group G, captain Mohamed Salah delivered a goal and an assist to orchestrate a crucial second-half comeback, ending a 92-year wait for an Egyptian win at the global tournament and placing them at the top of their group.
- Tunisian World Cup Exit: The Carthage Eagles have been eliminated from the 2026 World Cup following a 4-0 defeat to Japan in Monterrey. The squad could not stabilise after an opening 5-1 loss to Sweden, despite the hasty appointment of Hervé Renard as head coach just five days before the match to replace the sacked Sabri Lamouchi. Japan’s fluid passing overwhelmed the Tunisian defence, making them the first Asian team to score four goals in a single World Cup fixture.
- Global Scoring Record: Argentina captain Lionel Messi broke the all-time World Cup goalscoring record during the group stages, registering his 17th and 18th career goals in the tournament. Leading Argentina’s title defence in North America, Messi’s latest strikes surpassed the previous men’s record of 16 goals, cementing his statistical dominance over international football’s premier competition.
- Wimbledon Champion Suspended: The International Tennis Integrity Agency has banned Czech player Marketa Vondrousova for four years after she refused an out-of-competition doping test. Vondrousova, who denied Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur the title in the 2023 Wimbledon final, signed a refusal form when independent testers arrived at her home late at night. The former world number six claimed that months of severe mental stress led her to turn the agents away, though the independent tribunal upheld the maximum baseline penalty for a first doping offence.