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Barcelona dismantle Valladolid to keep up perfect La Liga start
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Barcelona maintained their 100% winning start to the La Liga season as they delivered a 7-0 thumping to newly-promoted Real Valladolid – a result that extends their unbeaten run in home league head-to-heads, which stretches back to November 1997.
Fresh from scoring the winner on his Barcelona debut, Dani Olmo was handed a first start here and he was at the forefront of the action in the early stages. Lamine Yamal’s delicate cross to the back post could only be dragged across goal by Robert Lewandowski and into the path of Olmo, but his close-range effort rattled the post.
He had the ball in the net on 10 minutes only to be denied by the offside flag, though there was a growing sense that an opening goal was only a matter of time for the Blaugrana.
And so it proved, with Raphinha the man to get it, finishing with aplomb after being released in behind the Valladolid defence by an exquisite ball from Pau Cubarsí.
The Valladolid defensive line was penetrated again just four minutes later, with Yamal the architect this time, releasing Lewandowski to rifle home Barcelona’s second. It already looked a long way back for the visitors, though some heart could be taken from the fact that Barça had scored exactly twice in eight of their previous 10 league matches.
Hansi Flick’s men were showing no mercy, however, adding a third in first-half stoppage time when Jules Koundé pounced on a loose ball in the box to fire in with the assistance of the post.
Damage limitation was all Valladolid could realistically hope for after the break, but Barcelona continued to cut through at will. First, Olmo scuffed a gilt-edged chance at the back post before Yamal was denied by Karl Hein and Lewandowski followed his new teammate in smashing an effort against the post.
Los Blanquivioletas would not continue to escape though, falling four behind just beyond the hour mark. A low cross created a chaotic scene in the box, and Lewandowski showed all his experience to scoop the ball to the back post for Raphinha to convert into an empty net. The Brazilian had his hat-trick before long, sliding underneath Hein after being slotted through by Yamal.
Not content with five, Olmo got in on the action to score for a second successive appearance, bursting through the Valladolid defence before curling into the far corner.
The rout continued into the closing stages, with Ferran Torres getting in on the act by directing Raphinha’s cross in at the near post.
Mercifully for the visitors, seven is where the scoring stopped with Barcelona content with the ominous message they’ve sent to their La Liga rivals, most notably Real Madrid who’ve already dropped four points after three rounds.
Portugal head coach, Roberto Martinez, has remained coy about leaving Cristiano Ronaldo out for the last-32 clash against Croatia at the 2026 World Cup.
Ronaldo started all three matches during the group stages and scored only twice – both goals against Uzbekistan.
There have been calls for the 41-year-old to be dropped, over concerns about his effect on the general team play.
But Martinez refused to commit to benching his top goalscorer in the knockouts.
He said: “Cristiano is used to being in the right place at the right time. He is very disciplined in his position, and he also creates space for his teammates.
“His physical and mental condition is not in question. We may need to make changes in the next match, but we base every decision on the information and data we have.”
Nine African nations are in the FIFA World Cup 2026, advancing to the Round of 32, underlining the continent’s growing influence on football’s biggest stage.
The expanded 48-team tournament has opened the door to more African participation, but the continent’s representatives have done far more than merely fill the numbers.
Through disciplined defending, fearless attacking football and memorable upsets, nine teams have earned their place in the knockout rounds, surpassing every previous African record at the World Cup.
South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Algeria, Senegal, DR Congo, Cape Verde and Ivory Coast will all carry Africa’s hopes into the first-ever 32-team knockout phase, giving the continent an unprecedented presence as the race for the World Cup trophy intensifies.
The Round of 32 presents a series of daunting but enticing challenges.
South Africa will launch Africa’s knockout campaign against Canada, while Morocco face European heavyweights the Netherlands after an impressive unbeaten group-stage run. Senegal take on Belgium, Egypt meet Australia, and Ghana clash with Colombia,
Algeria face Switzerland, DR Congo battle England, Ivory Coast square off against Norway, and Cape Verde’s remarkable tournament continues with a blockbuster encounter against defending champions Argentina.
The expanded knockout bracket has ensured that Africa’s path to the latter stages will not be straightforward. Several of the continent’s teams are on a collision course with traditional football powers, yet recent performances suggest they are more than capable of producing further surprises.
Morocco continue to build on the momentum generated by their historic run to the semi-finals four years ago, while Senegal and Egypt have once again demonstrated why they remain among Africa’s most consistent performers on the global stage. South Africa’s qualification has energised home supporters, and Cape Verde’s debut appearance in the knockout rounds has become one of the tournament’s most inspiring stories.
For DR Congo, Ghana, Algeria and Ivory Coast, progression beyond the group stage reflects years of investment in player development and the increasing competitiveness of African football. Their qualification reinforces the belief that the gap between Africa and football’s traditional powerhouses continues to narrow.
Beyond the individual stories, the collective achievement sends a powerful message. Never before has Africa entered the knockout rounds with such numerical strength, providing the continent with multiple opportunities to break new ground in the latter stages of the tournament.
With every match now a winner-takes-all affair, Africa’s representatives have an opportunity to redefine the continent’s World Cup legacy. A place in the quarter-finals is no longer viewed as an extraordinary achievement but as a realistic target for several teams, while dreams of producing the first African world champion remain alive.
England booked their place in the World Cup round of 32 as Group L winners after a dominant second-half display earned a 2-0 victory over Panama, with Harry Kane setting a new national scoring record at the tournament.
After a subdued first-half performance that echoed their goalless draw against Ghana earlier in the group stage, England finally found their rhythm after the interval to secure maximum points and top the group standings.
Jude Bellingham broke the deadlock midway through the second half, reacting quickest to convert from a corner and hand England a deserved breakthrough, according to Reuters.
The midfielder turned provider five minutes later, delivering a pinpoint cross for captain Harry Kane, who powered home a header to double England’s advantage.
The goal saw Kane become England’s highest-ever scorer at the FIFA World Cup with 11 goals, surpassing the previous record of 10 held by legendary striker Gary Lineker.
The victory confirmed England’s progress to the round of 32 as Group L champions, where they will face one of the tournament’s third-placed qualifiers in the knockout stage. – June 28, 2026
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