Kiran D. Tare

FIFA 2026 has shown that the World Cup has transformed into a contest between footballing philosophies. Football has always preferred the mythology of individuals. Every World Cup is remembered through its defining hero: Pelé in 1970, Diego Maradona in 1986, Zinedine Zidane in 1998, Lionel Messi in 2022. Yet behind every great champion lies the architecture that produces excellence. As Spain’s methodical 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final demonstrated, the modern World Cup has...

Yastika Bhatia’s maiden Test century at Lord’s crowns the rise of an elegant wicketkeeper-batter who has quietly become indispensable to India’s new generation. Critics may say that there are flashier cricketers than Yastika Bhatia. She does not possess the raw power of a Smriti Mandhana or the aura of a Harmanpreet Kaur. She rarely dominates highlight reels or social media clips. Instead, she has built her reputation through reliability – a quality far more vital. At a time when white-ball...

Even as his final World Cup ends in disappointment, Cristiano Ronaldo's influence on the game remains unmatched. At 41, when most footballers are remembered through grainy highlights and nostalgic documentaries, Cristiano Ronaldo was still trying to win a World Cup. Portugal's elimination at the hands of Spain in the Round of 16 has almost certainly brought down the curtain on the greatest international career the sport has seen without its ultimate prize. Ronaldo himself acknowledged before...