FIFA World Cup 2026: Ronaldo pays heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota fol…

Toronto [Canada], July 3 (ANI): Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo paid an emotional tribute to his late teammate Diogo Jota by holding up Jota’s No. 21 Portugal jersey after his side secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia in the Round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Thursday (local time), sealing qualification for the Round of 16. xsportfeed.quest

The tribute came on the first anniversary of Jota’s death, with Ronaldo visibly emotional after the final whistle. The Portugal captain held up the No. 21 jersey in honour of the former Liverpool forward, while his teammates joined him in remembering one of Portugal’s most admired footballers.

Portugal had also paid tribute to Jota before kickoff, with a photograph of the late striker displayed inside the stadium during the pre-match ceremonies.

Throughout the tournament, the Portuguese squad has carried Jota’s memory, with manager Roberto Martinez naming him an honorary member of the World Cup squad and several players dedicating the campaign to him.

Jota and his brother Andre Silva lost their lives in a car crash in northwestern Spain on July 3, 2025, after their Lamborghini left the road and caught fire.

The tragedy sent shockwaves across the footballing world, with clubs, teammates, supporters and football associations paying tribute to the Portugal international following his untimely demise.

On the field, Portugal recovered from an early setback to register a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Croatia in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32. Substitute Goncalo Ramos emerged as the match-winner by heading home a stoppage-time goal to send Roberto Martinez’s side into the Round of 16.

Croatia had taken the lead through Ivan Perisic, who became the country’s all-time leading World Cup scorer, before Cristiano Ronaldo equalised from the penalty spot after a VAR review.

Croatia had two goals ruled out for offside, including a late equaliser deep into stoppage time, as Portugal held on to set up an all-Iberian Round of 16 clash against Spain. The match also marked the end of Luka Modric’s potential World Cup career. (ANI)

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Vancouver [Switzerland], July 3 (ANI): Switzerland secured a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 with a commanding 2-0 victory over Algeria on Thursday (local time), displaying a clinical performance in the Round of 32 knockout clash.

Breel Embolo of Switzerland was named Player of the Match for his impressive performance.

Breel Embolo opened the scoring early in the 10th minute, finishing off a brilliant move initiated by Johan Manzambi. The winger produced a dazzling solo run down the left flank before reaching the byline and delivering a pinpoint cross, which Embolo converted from close range.

Holding a 1-0 lead at half-time, Switzerland doubled their advantage immediately after the restart when Dan Ndoye struck in the 46th minute. The goal came after a defensive clearance fell kindly to him outside the box, allowing him to fire a low effort into the net.

Algeria, led by Riyad Mahrez, attempted to mount a comeback but failed to break through the disciplined Swiss defence. Switzerland also came close to adding a third late on, though Fabian Rieder missed a gilt-edged opportunity.

Despite the missed chance, the Swiss side comfortably saw out the match, registering a 2-0 win and booking their place in the Round of 16.

The victory also marked Switzerland’s first World Cup knockout win since 1938, ending a long-standing wait in style.

Switzerland will remain in Vancouver, where they will next take on either Colombia or Ghana on 7 July. According to the FIFA Website, Switzerland have now won three successive fixtures at the World Cup for the first time, with this victory following group-stage triumphs over Bosnia and Herzegovina and Canada. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

S8UL, a global name in esports and gaming content, has onboarded YouTube as an Official Partner for its Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 campaign, marking a full-circle moment for the organization. The collaboration will bring the creator community to the forefront through a series of on-ground and digital activations that offer fans unprecedented access to S8UL’s biggest international campaign to date.

S8UL x YouTube Partnership for Esports World Cup 2026

A key highlight of the campaign is the return of S8UL’s popular Gaming House Watch Parties at its state-of-the-art facility in Kharghar. First introduced during the organization’s EWC 2025 campaign, the community tradition returns on a significantly larger scale this year, bringing fans together with S8UL’s creators to experience every major match, celebration, and milestone throughout the tournament.

The collaboration will also introduce YouTube Day at the S8UL Gaming House, a nationwide creator initiative open to YouTube creators. Ten selected creators will spend a day at the iconic Gaming House, collaborating with S8UL creators through livestreams, Shorts, vlogs, and exclusive content created for YouTube.

Extending beyond the Gaming House, S8UL will launch the YouTube UGC Station as part of its India Tour across more than 15 cities. The activation will encourage fans to become creators through city-specific content challenges, collaborations, and opportunities to be featured across S8UL’s official YouTube channels.

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Complementing these fan-first initiatives is an exclusive long-form EWC Squad Vlog, available exclusively on YouTube. Following more than 50 esports athletes and over 20 creators throughout the tournament, the documentary-style content will capture the complete EWC journey, including arrivals, preparations, Gaming House moments, competition, and celebrations. Fans will also be invited to create and share their own edits and highlights, further extending the community’s participation in S8UL’s journey.

Commenting on the partnership, Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL, said, “Some partnerships are built around visibility. This one is built on shared history. Every milestone in S8UL’s journey has been made possible by the community that has supported us over the years, and YouTube has always been where that relationship came to life. This partnership for our Esports World Cup campaign is about creating an experience that goes beyond competition. Ultimately, we want to celebrate the people who have been part of our journey while creating opportunities for many more to be part of it, whether they’re watching from the Gaming House, creating content in their own cities, or following every moment from Paris.”

The collaboration celebrates the platform that has been integral to S8UL’s evolution. Long before sold-out events, international championships, and global recognition, YouTube was where S8UL’s creators published their first videos, built loyal communities, and established the foundation of one of the world’s leading esports and gaming organizations and continue to push the boundaries of creative storytelling. As S8UL prepares to compete on the world’s biggest esports stage, the partnership reflects the organization’s commitment to taking the community that shaped its journey along with it.

“YouTube is a natural home for gaming fandoms, where communities come together to connect with their favorite creators and players. S8UL has been an integral part of shaping the Indian gaming ecosystem, building a deep and engaged community on YouTube. We are happy to support their Esports World Cup 2026 campaign, representing a great opportunity for fans across India to share in the excitement and stay close to the tournament and the creators they love every step of the way,” said Niharika Pande, Head of Creator Partnerships – India, YouTube.

The announcement marks another significant milestone in S8UL’s EWC 2026 campaign. The organization had previously announced Campa Energy as the Title Sponsor for its EWC campaign, followed by a strategic partnership with AMD to power its competitive and content initiatives throughout the tournament.

Having been selected for the EWC’s Club Partner Program for the second consecutive year, S8UL has already secured qualification in six titles: Apex Legends, Chess, Fortnite, Free Fire MAX, Honor of Kings, and Trackmania. The organization also remains in contention for qualification in EA SPORTS FC, Fatal Fury, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8. Alongside fielding elite international talent, S8UL has continued to strengthen Indian representation across its competitive ecosystem.

Scheduled to take place from July 6 to August 23, the EWC 2026 will feature a record-breaking prize pool of USD 75 million (approximately INR 715 crore), bringing together more than 2,000 players representing 200 clubs from over 100 countries.

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