Moloisane Embraces Responsibility of Wearing Chiefs Jersey

New Kaizer Chiefs defender Thabo Moloisane knows the weight of expectation that comes with wearing the famous gold and black jersey.

The 27-year-old arrives at the club as a free agent after parting ways with Stellenbosch FC.

Moloisane came through the academy ranks at Mamelodi Sundowns before he moved to All Stars. He later went on to join Maritzburg United before eventually moving to Stellies. extract-html.com

The Soweto-born defender became Amakhosi’s first signing ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Thabo Moloisane vowing to uphold the club’s proud traditions and contribute to maintaining the high standards that have defined Amakhosi’s rich history.

“My first ‘task’ as a young boy at Chiefs was to collect tickets for a match, and now I am one of the players who will represent Chiefs in front of the supporters,” Moloisane told his club’s official website.

“It means so much to me to be at the biggest Club in South Africa.

“It comes with a responsibility to maintain the high standards that have made this Club great.”

The post Moloisane Embraces Responsibility of Wearing Chiefs Jersey appeared first on SportsClub.

Spain vs Argentina.After a month of extraordinary football, the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final arrives. Spain — with just two goals conceded in eight matches — face defending champions Argentina at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey on Sunday, 19 July 2026 (19:00 UTC / 22:00 EAT ). Messi has 8 goals and a record 12 World Cup assists. Our prediction: Spain to win or draw (1X). Full preview and markets on SportPesa.

Match details

Field	Detail
Competition	2026 FIFA World Cup — Final
Date & kick-off	Sunday, 19 July 2026 at 19:00 UTC / 22:00 EAT
Venue	MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA
How they got here	Spain: beat France 2-0 in the SF (Oyarzabal, Porro). Argentina: beat England 2-1 in the SF (Enzo Fernández 85’, Lautaro 90+’; both assisted by Messi).
Historic significance	Spain seek a second World Cup title (first was 2010 in South Africa). Argentina seek back-to-back titles — first nation to achieve this since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
Format	90 minutes. If level: 30 minutes extra time, then penalties.
Where to watch	DSTV/GOTV

The best defence vs the best attack

The 2026 World Cup Final pits the tournament’s most miserly defence against its most prolific attack. Spain have conceded just two goals in eight matches — and Unai Simón is on course to win the Golden Glove award after six clean sheets. Luis de la Fuente’s European champions beat France 2-0 in the semi-final through goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro, their eighth successive win. Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte have been outstanding in central defence. Rodri controls the midfield tempo from deep alongside Fabián Ruiz, who starts in place of Pedri — a notable selection change. Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 during the tournament, and Alex Baena provide the attacking width behind Oyarzabal.

Argentina, meanwhile, have scored a tournament-record 19 goals across eight matches and are on a 14-match winning streak. Lionel Scaloni’s side came from behind once again to beat England 2-1 in the semi-final, with Enzo Fernández scoring in the 85th minute before substitute Lautaro Martínez headed the winner deep in stoppage time. Both goals were assisted by Lionel Messi, who now holds the all-time World Cup assists record with 12 — alongside his eight tournament goals and 21 career World Cup goals.

Lautaro is pushing for a start here after his decisive impact from the bench, with Giuliano Simeone likely to make way. Julián Álvarez operates on the left flank, with Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández in the midfield alongside De Paul. Emiliano Martínez starts in goal despite managing just two clean sheets — but his penalty shootout record (he saved three in the 2022 final) makes him a formidable last line of defence.

Argentina are seeking back-to-back World Cup titles — something no nation has achieved since Brazil’s back-to-back in 1958 and 1962. The weight of history is on both sides of this final.

Team news and expected line-ups

Spain: Unchanged apart from Fabián Ruiz replacing Pedri in midfield. No injury concerns. Yamal and Oyarzabal lead. Simón in goal (6 clean sheets).

Argentina: Lautaro pushing for start (Simeone likely drops). Messi leads (8 goals, 12 assists). Álvarez on left flank. Enzo and Mac Allister in midfield. Confirm XI from official team sheet.

Spain (4-3-3)	Argentina (4-3-3)
Unai Simón (GK)	E. Martínez (GK)
Porro (RB)	Montiel (RB)
Cubarsí (CB)	Romero (CB)
Laporte (CB)	L. Martínez (CB)
Cucurella (LB)	Tagliafico (LB)
Rodri (DM)	De Paul (DM)
Fabián Ruiz (CM)	Enzo Fernández (CM)
Yamal (RW)	Mac Allister (CM)
Olmo (AM)	Lautaro / Álvarez (RW)
Baena (LW)	Messi (AM)
Oyarzabal (ST)	Álvarez / Lautaro (ST)

Key stats

• Spain: beat France 2-0 in SF (Oyarzabal and Porro). W8 in all 8 WC matches.
• Spain: 2 goals conceded in 8 tournament matches. Unai Simón: 6 clean sheets. On course for Golden Glove.
• Spain: seek their second World Cup title (first: 2010, South Africa, 1-0 vs Netherlands).
• Fabián Ruiz: starts in midfield ahead of Pedri. Confirm from official team sheet.
• Lamine Yamal: turned 19 during the tournament. One of the tournament’s defining performers.
• Spain form: W W W W W W W W — eight from eight.
• Argentina: beat England 2-1 in SF (Enzo 85’, Lautaro 90+’; both Messi assists).
• Argentina: 19 tournament goals — a World Cup record for any edition.
• Argentina: 14-match winning streak. Last defeat: Ecuador, September 2025.
• Lionel Messi: 8 tournament goals. 21 career World Cup goals (all-time record). 12 all-time WC assists (new record).
• Emiliano Martínez: penalty shootout specialist. Saved three in the 2022 World Cup final shootout.
• Argentina seek back-to-back World Cup titles — first since Brazil 1958 and 1962.
• Argentina form: W W W W W W W W — eight from eight.
• H2H: Spain W3 Argentina W2 from last 5 meetings. Most recent: Spain 6-1 Argentina (March 2018, Isco hat-trick).
• No draw has ever occurred in a Spain vs Argentina meeting.

Head-to-head

Spain hold the advantage in the recent head-to-head, winning three of the last five meetings. Their most memorable recent encounter was a stunning 6-1 demolition of Argentina in a March 2018 international, inspired by an Isco hat-trick. No meeting between Spain and Argentina has ever ended in a draw — every match has produced a winner.

Date	Result
27 March 2018	Spain 6–1 Argentina (Isco hat-trick)
11 October 2010	Argentina 4–1 Spain
14 November 2009	Spain 2–1 Argentina
11 October 2006	Spain 2–1 Argentina
17 November 1999	Spain 0–2 Argentina

Current form

Team	Tournament record
Spain	W W W W W W W W — 2 conceded in 8 matches; 6 clean sheets
Argentina	W W W W W W W W — 19 goals in 8 matches; 14-match winning run

Our prediction

This final matches the tournament’s two contrasting identities: Spain’s impenetrable structure vs Argentina’s irresistible attacking flow. The key tactical question is whether Messi, Álvarez, Enzo and the Argentina attack can unlock a defence that has conceded just twice in eight matches.

Spain’s experience in high-pressure finals, their defensive record, and the individual quality of Yamal, Oyarzabal and Rodri makes them the analytical favourites heading into the match. Argentina’s late-game comebacks against Egypt, England and Switzerland have shown their character under pressure, but Emiliano Martínez in goal and their 14-match unbeaten run provide a platform to believe.

Spain’s superior defensive record and the head-to-head trend — with no draw ever in any Spain vs Argentina meeting — supports the 1X position. A Spain win is the analytical favourite, but Argentina’s quality makes a 90-minute draw entirely plausible.

Our prediction: Spain to win or draw

Odds and markets

Odds correct at 2200hrs UTC on 19/07/2026 and subject to change.

How to bet on SportPesa

1. Open the Spain vs Argentina Final event page on SportPesa (link above).
2. Choose your market — Single Bet (SB), Multi-Bet (MB), or Live Bet (LB) once the match starts.
3. Enter your stake and place your bet.

Frequently asked questions

What time does the 2026 World Cup Final kick off?

Kick-off is at 19:00 UTC / 22:00 EAT (Sunday, 19 July 2026) on Sunday, 19 July 2026, at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.

Who has the most assists in World Cup history?

Lionel Messi set a new all-time World Cup assists record at this tournament with 12 assists. He already holds the record for most World Cup goals with 21 career goals across six tournaments.

Has Spain ever won the World Cup before?

Yes, once. Spain won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, beating the Netherlands 1-0 in the final through Andrés Iniesta’s extra-time goal. That remains their only World Cup title.

Would Argentina winning be a historic achievement?

Yes. Back-to-back World Cup titles would make Argentina the first nation to defend the trophy since Brazil won consecutively in 1958 and 1962. It would also be a record fourth World Cup title for Argentina overall.

Have Spain and Argentina ever drawn?

No. Every meeting between Spain and Argentina has produced a winner. No draw has ever occurred in the history of this fixture, making the match particularly decisive.

Read also: France vs spain

NEW YORK, USA, Jul 17 – Around 7,000 tickets are still listed on Fifa’s ticket sites for Saturday’s World Cup bronze medal match between England and France.

As of Friday, the game in Miami has not yet sold out with 1,246 tickets on general sale listed at Ksh 112,000 ($865) and Ksh 145,000 ($1,125)

There are a further 5,864 tickets available on the official resale platform, with the cheapest being category three available at a face value of Ksh 57,000 ($455) plus Fifa’s 15% fee.

However, there are many tickets in the higher-priced categories listed well below what they were purchased for.

A category one ticket with an original price of Ksh 145,000 ($1,125) has a hugely discounted price of Ksh 85,000 ($659)

-Final Not Sold Out-

Sunday’s World Cup final is also not yet fully sold out, with 32 of the most expensive tickets still on general sale.

However, these tickets cost between Ksh 3.8 million ($29,995) and Ksh 4.2 million ($32,970) These are standard tickets, not VIP.

More than a thousand tickets remain available on the Fifa resale site, several around face value plus the Fifa fee.

The original price of these tickets was Ksh 953,000 ($7,380), which means if you decided to buy one of these, Fifa will add an extra Ksh 143,000 ($1,107)

The most expensive resale ticket for the final is listed at Ksh 258 million ($2m), plus a Fifa fee of Ksh 38.7 million ($300,000)

Prices on resale are set by users and do not directly reflect what people are actually paying.

Nick Mallett reckons a host of injuries has opened the door for Cobus Wiese and Ruben van Heerden to make their case for permanent spots in the Springbok second row.

Locks Wiese and Van Heerden will link up at No 4 and 5, respectively, for the Boks against Wales on Saturday, with the latter set to make his Test debut in the Nations Championship clash at Kings Park.

The three-cap Wiese started last week’s win over Scotland in Pretoria, his powerful run from a restart bringing the Loftus crowd to their feet, but was pulled after just 32 minutes with a suspected injury.

Speaking on the Talking Boks podcast, Mallett claimed Wiese must put in a strong performance to showcase his worth to Rassie Erasmus before the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, given the absence of the likes of Eben Etzebeth and Salmaan Moerat.

MALLETT: Rassie’s got Bok balance spot-on

“It was surprising to see him come off injured and then suddenly start again this weekend. But he was very good for those 30 minutes,” the former Bok coach said.

“That charge down the middle of the field showed how much he was putting himself about. It would’ve been nice to see him go 60 minutes instead of just 30.

“Can he maintain that quality over a longer period? Because I do think lock is an area where we’ve got concerns.

“I’m not absolutely certain what’s going to happen with Eben Etzebeth and his concussion issues. We know Salmaan Moerat is out for a long time,” Mallett added.

“Pieter-Steph [du Toit] is great for us on the flank, so it’s a pity they have to move him into lock, even though he can do the job there.

“For the All Blacks series you want to be absolutely certain you’ve got three or four locks you can count on who are 100% fit.”

PLUS: Ruben revved up for Bok baptism

Mallett believes Van Heerden has earned his chance in the green and gold jersey due to the 28-year-old’s improved lineout calling and consistency for the Stormers.

“I’m very pleased that Ruben’s ship has finally come in. He’s been around for a long time,” he said.

“I always felt it was a little unfair that he wasn’t part of the Springbok group earlier, although that was really a reflection of our depth at lock. Now injuries have opened the door.

“He’s been a really solid player for the Stormers over the last few seasons. He’s got an incredible work rate. He defends exceptionally well.

“There was a time when he was seen more as a No 4 lock. After Marvin Orie left the Stormers, Ruben had to take on more responsibility calling the lineouts and he’s done really well.

“So I wouldn’t argue with anyone who says he’s the sort of player you can always rely on.”

Photo: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images

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