…For my final World Cup newsletter (say it isn’t so!!) we’re going all-in on the Beautiful Game, with a wrap-up of our favorite moments, featuring the OffBall team and some of our favorite creators, internet personalities, and a few special-guest athletes. We set out to include 26 in all (because it’s the 2026 World Cup, doi), only, like an airline, we overbooked! Thanks to my colleague, Mason, we got three of the world’s greatest athletes to give us their favorite moments just before the last whistle. And with that, we present OffBall’s inaugural 30 Favorite Moments of the World Cup.

The final two World Cup games (the ‘ship and the third-place game) are this weekend, and boy am I going to miss the general air of jubilation all around me. What the heck am I even going to do with my days? My job????? 

I want to reflect on all the good that we were so hashtag blessed to experience this summer. 

Turn on Vitamin C’s - Graduation or Bone Thugs N Harmony’s - Crossroads or maybe even a song that isn’t 20 years old (surely there is one?), and read through some of the best moments of the World Cup. Most importantly: Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because we got to experience the best World Cup of all-time. And because you know who Djed Spence is now (if you’re curious, his impeccable slide tackle was my personal favorite World Cup moment). Unrelated, if anyone can get me tickets to a Tottenham game, please let me know. 

On to our favorite moments.

Horace Gold, Creator

1. I want whatever dose of Wellbutrin that gives me Mbappé’s immunity to rage-baiting. 2. It’s official: The JFK Jr. glazing is out- Halaand is in. The girls want Nordic giants. 3. The World Cup is actually making me so patriotic, because cheering for Mexico in Echo Park, LA is probably the most Mexican-American thing that’s ever happened.

The Kid Mero, Host + producer + author + everything

My favorite moment was the one I saw in person and with Kaz—ECUADORRRR over Germany. Super turnt up. Listen we're from New York, we seen y’all playing beneath the underpass in Queens. Shoutout to Ecuador.

Ashanti, Host + creator 

The rise of Folarin Balogun and the way he plays the game has def been my fav World Cup moment!

Trinity Rodman, NWSL - Washington Spirit 

Honestly, I just think how much the forwards have shown up and been able to score… I was so impressed by Jude Bellingham and the way he clutched up for his team and the goals he scored, so I would definitely say that impressed me and it was really fun to watch.

Logan Olivia, Creator

I think mine has to be the fans coming together, especially early on. The alliance between the Mexican & Korean fans, following people like Freddy & the Japan buzzball guy, Lamine Yamal’s brother, the Viking Row, & everyone “switching nationalities” when watching different teams. To go with that, Cape Verde & Vozinha will hold a special place in my heart for this World Cup & beyond… The fact that they gathered whoever they could, brought guys out of retirement, recruited on LinkedIn & made it as far as they did is actually INSANE…

Michaela Hammond, OffBall

This was a win for monoculture. As we are more fragmented than ever with hyper-specific algorithms and points of view, it feels even more refreshing when we can all agree on something as simple as the Cape Verdean goalie is awesome, we love Erling Haaland’s Snapchats, and the England-Mexico game was the best thing we’ve ever seen. I love when we are all in love with the same thing and this World Cup was a uniter in a way we haven’t felt in some time.

Colm Dillane, KidSuper founder 

My favorite World Cup moment was Cape Verde's goal vs Argentina in the 103rd minute. Just an absolute banger.

Blake Morgan, Well Played - The Skimm

In the Lord's Year of 2026, the world saw its first all-American women referee trio in the FIFA Men's World Cup — shoutout Kathryn Nesbitt, Brooke Mayo, and Tori Penso. Mayo is the first out LGBTQ+ ref in the men's World Cup, Penso is the first American woman selected as head ref in a men’s FIFA World Cup, and Nesbitt holds a PhD in chemistry. We love women in STEM, and in this case, the "s" stands for both soccer and science.

Adam Faris, Creator

I would say it would have to be either Argentina’s WILD comeback in the round of 16 or Malik Tillman’s free kick ROCKET against Bosnia!

Eileen Gu, Freestyle skier 

Oh my gosh! I had the great honor of going to the Dallas semifinal, it was Spain vs. France, and I was wearing the Spain jersey and it was really special watching that 2-0 win… the ball control and the team chemistry, I feel like everything came together. The defense was so strong. The atmosphere is totally different than anything you could possibly imagine when you’re watching on TV. 

Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker

There is, in soccer, an informal and fanciful way of determining the world champs: Unofficial Football World Championships (UFWC). It works as a boxing belt does, passing from winner to winner, ever since England beat Scotland in 1873. No one would mistake the list of champions for the “best”—every match counts, from FIFA World Cups to friendlies, and the list of winners includes such countries as Kosovo, North Korea, and Sierra Leone. (The current champs are from Turkey, who took the title from the U.S. in their final group stage game.) Still, I love thinking about the transitive power of competition—and never more so than while watching Cabo Verde. How to rank them? They came into the tournament 67th in the world, and tied Spain and nearly — nearly! — knocked out Argentina. That, right there, is the best kind of sports dream logic.

Josh Gondelman, Comedian

I loved the videos of fans from other countries exploring the United States and finding weird little things to love! It’s such a humiliating time to be from here, and watching Scottish people drinking Boston dry or seeing Europeans discover ranch dressing is a reminder that we’ve got some good qualities we can build on.

Lilibeth Rendon, Creator

Ecuador beating Germany, no contest. I went as a fan, we genuinely thought we were out, and beating Germany was absolutely incredible. I cried. We got knocked out the round after, but it didn’t matter, that game was everything. 

Jordan Chiles, Gymnast  

I feel like there’s so many moments within the World Cup that it’s hard to choose, ‘cause when you look at what soccer players do every single day, playing for that long, I don’t know how to do it! I can’t do that! I can barely last a one minute 30 second floor routine, so to me kicking a ball, running for that long — almost two hours, three hours, you guys are all the moments!

Aliya Kisovo, OffBall

DR Congo not only making their first World Cup appearance since 1974, but making it all the way to the knockout stage! 

Daniel-Yaw Miller, OffBall

England vs. Ghana in the group stage. My two nationalities going head-to-head — I was naturally rooting for the underdog, Ghana, but the game itself was so good, with both teams cancelling each other out. People had low expectations for Ghana coming into the game, so seeing them progress through the group, thanks to the big help of that draw with England was a special moment. I was in France watching it late at night with friends on a work trip at the time, and that made it even more special.

Madison Hammond, OffBallFC / NWSL - Utah Royals

Lamine Yamal’s little brother screaming in the stands on the Jumbotron.

Alex Day, Creator

My favorite parts have been polar opposites: the stars, and the underdogs. The way Cape Verde showed out or how unbelievable AFCON was (I believe Africa had nine countries make it out of group stage) was special. And then the stars. Haaland fully introducing himself on the world stage (I got to see him play at MetLife!) and Messi, Mbappé, and Jude putting on a show.

Juju Gotti, Creator

The best moment of the World Cup so far had a bit of everything rolled in to one moment. There was a little boy who dared to daydream at the exact moment that the entire world was introduced to him. Odds are that he was daydreaming about what he would say to a FIFA superstar if and when he was ever given the chance. Suddenly, the boy was abruptly awakened out of his dream with a tap on the shoulder by none other than Erling Haaland of Norway, one of the biggest FIFA superstars in the world. With the entire world still watching and his friends rejoicing, the little boy screamed “Haaland!” as Erling gave him an embrace that is guaranteed to be remembered forever by the little boy and the superstar forever and ever. 

Joon Lee, Journalist

My favorite part of this World Cup has been watching people just be kind to each other, no institution involved. A Colombian and an Argentine fan swapping jerseys on a beach. A Massachusetts neighbor grilling breakfast for Scottish strangers he'd met the night before. Korean and Mexican fans sharing tequila and dancing outside a stadium gate. None of it was organized, none of it needed anyone's permission, and it happened in the middle of maybe the most politically loaded World Cup any country has ever hosted. That's the part that actually gives me hope, that it didn’t matter if the institutions figured anything out, because it didn’t matter if they did.

Aaron West, On-air host

EASILY seeing Cabo Verde go toe-to-toe with Argentina. The joy after every goal, the hope that maybe the craziest shit ever could happen, and just the pure “damn. this is why we love the game” of it all.

Shanon Kelley, OffBall

My favorite thing about the World Cup is all the global hotties. Jude Bellingham, obviously, but also Cho Guesung and the entire Iranian team, just to name a few! And seeing Cardi B out and about with Maduka Okoye is the icing on the cake. Do it for all of us, Cardi! (At this point I guess I should say that I'm happily married). (Editor’s note: how many more times do I need to bring up Djed Spence before he is mentioned in these conversations?)

Brady Crotwell, OffBall

I watched a World Cup game on an iPhone12 propped up on a sushi bar and it was one of the greatest games I’ve ever seen. Mexico vs. England at Estadio Azteca was an all-time classic. The party outside would give even the Tartan Army serious FOMO and this won’t be the last time we see these two squads link up. A new matchup just went straight to the top of the bucket list. 

Meg Reyes, Creator + host 

My favorite match from this World Cup is undoubtedly Mexico vs. England. England played with 10 men at the Azteca?? At 7k feet above sea level?? Jude Bellingham's performance was brilliant. Not just his two goals in two minutes but also his goal-line save. Don't ask me how many times I've rewatched the full match (twice).

Master Tesfatsion, Creator + host 

Nobody did the World Cup better than Mexico. I had the time of my life at the (FREE!!! TAKE NOTES AMERICA!!) Guadalajara Fan Fest — the one with the beer snakes, luchador wrestling and watch parties in the rain.). I got thrown in the air as they chanted “Quiñones” in my (very fly) Adidas EQT Mexico tracksuit, then saw an incredible Colombia/DR Congo match. Take me back. ¡Viva México!

Mason Burgin, OffBall

I believe my favorite World Cup moment was a standalone game — Norway’s win over Brazil. As a newer soccer fan, there was something so special about watching someone (that you've been told is dominant) take over a game. That 90 minutes was Erling Haaland’s true moment of “I’m going to score and there’s nothing you can do about it.” It peaked with him beating a drum and one of the sickest coordinated chants in sports in front of his countrymen.

Bella Santos, OffBall

Lamine’s little brother. Something about sibling love and support will always make me cry (then again, what doesn’t make me cry). That said, Keyne is my MVP of the World Cup — three years old and an absolute icon.

Christian Stone, OffBall

Math. I am going with simple math. Or more specifically, the geometry of the perfectly bent shot that has inspired rom-coms and physics dissertations alike. Immortalized by David Beckham, this technique (for which there is an actual math equation) was appropriated to dramatic effect in this World Cup by Cabo Verde's Sidny Lopes Cabral and Argentina's Julián Álvarez. Off the foot, both shots appear destined for somewhere outside the far post, only to curl, as if touched by a wand, at the very last second into the right corner of the net. It is one of the most strikingly beautiful visuals in all sport, a miracle of spacetime curvature.

Terence Scott, OffBall

The vibes Mexico and South Korea brought. Their fans didn't just show up. They turned every match into a festival. I had a serious case of FOMO because who wouldn't want to be in Guadalajara, surrounded by incredible food, singing, and an atmosphere that felt like one giant fiesta? Missing out on that might be one of the biggest fumbles of my life.