Enzo Fernandez enters the FIFA World Cup 2026 as one of the tournament’s top players, one of Argentina’s most crucial cogs, and as a defending champion.

The World Cup 2022 was a transformative one for the midfielder; a relative unknown before the competition in Qatar began, Enzo became an increasingly prominent figure in Argentina’s engine room, ultimately playing the entire 120 minutes of the nail-biting 3-3 final with France, which was eventually decided by penalties.

Fernandez won the tournament’s Best Young Player award and in the subsequent January transfer window completed a £107m transfer to Premier League club Chelsea.

Since then, Fernandez has developed from a deep-lying and tenacious defensive protector into an all-round midfielder, often operating as a No.8 or No.10 in Chelsea’s midfield and finishing the 2025/26 season with 15 goals at club level.

If Argentina are to become the first country to successfully defend the World Cup since their great rivals Brazil in 1962, the 25-year-old will play a crucial role.

GIVEMESPORT’s senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs held an exclusive interview with Fernandez, in which he discussed his move to Stamford Bridge and the now-infamous racism scandal involving a song directed towards the France national team.

As part of that discussion, the midfielder also revealed his thoughts on the 2022 World Cup, and his hopes for the 2026 edition in North America.

What Playing at World Cup 2022 was Really Like

Carl Recine via Reuters

Tell us about your first World Cup

“It meant so much to me on a personal level. It was my first World Cup. I felt so pleased to play in it first of all, and then to win it as well. It meant everything to me and the squad. It was a target that Argentina hadn’t achieved in many years and now we can’t wait for the next one.”

How did you feel making your debut?

“I was excited to make my competition debut and be able to tell my children or even grandchildren one day that I played at the World Cup. I finally fulfilled a longstanding dream. I felt so proud to represent my country at the World Cup.”

Was it a shock losing 2-1 to Saudi Arabia?

“It was such a disappointing moment for us because we knew how important it was to kick off with a win, but we showed our togetherness as a squad and we spoke about it internally while staying focused on the clash against a tough Mexico side next. We couldn’t disappoint our families or everyone who came to Qatar to support us, especially after such a long flight, so that was our mentality. We discussed the loss internally, and then it all turned out for the best.”

What was it like to score your first World Cup goal against Mexico?

“It was my first World Cup goal. I never imagined actually doing that, so scoring that goal was such a thrill for me.”

Winning the World Cup Final

Paul Childs via Reuters

What do you remember about the World Cup final?

“It was a crazy World Cup final. It was an incredible game. We had it all under control until the 80th minute and then we saw what football is like and how everything can change in the blink of an eye. It was an emotional rollercoaster, so being part of it, playing in the game and winning was so exciting.”

How important was Emi Martinez’s save to deny Randal Kolo Muani late on?

“Emi Martínez saved us during a key passage of play in the game. He’d already shown his quality in other games. He was so important for us at the World Cup. He came to the rescue with just a few minutes left thanks to that historic save that will never be forgotten.”

Did you expect to win Young Player of the Year?

“I didn’t expect that award and didn’t even know it existed, so it was a big surprise to receive it during the final. I’m so proud to have won it because the best players take part in the World Cup, including youngsters, so I feel exceptionally proud. It was a unique moment because they called me up and I didn’t know which trophy I was going to receive. It was so strange for me. I remember the moment when they handed me the award as they also gave Messi the trophy for the best player at the World Cup and Emi Martínez received the Golden Glove. We all stood alongside each other. I have the trophy and my medal in my office.”

How has winning the World Cup changed you as a footballer?

“I’ve developed a lot individually. Regardless of winning the World Cup or not, you naturally develop in football. You keep improving and working on your weak points, so I certainly feel more mature and like more of a leader. I’ve been working on all that on a personal level and the club [Chelsea] gives me belief to implement that day-in, day-out. I’m happy with my role and hope to keep improving by showing what I’m doing in every training session with the passion that I transmit to my team-mates.”

What does it mean to be not just a World Cup winner, but also a Copa America champion?

“On a personal level, it means so much to win two major trophies with my country and to represent Argentina. As a boy, I always dreamed of winning something with the national team and getting to represent our people. Having done so at such a young age and being part of such big achievements is something for me, my family and the people who love me to be proud of. I’ll always want to win and compete for my country at the highest level.”

Doing it for Lionel Messi

Hannah McKay via Reuters

Were you intent on winning it for Messi?

“We were fully motivated because our team grew up watching Leo [Messi] at home on TV. Winning the World Cup with him was incredible and something that I’ll always carry with me in my heart.”

What was it like to be part of the celebrations with Lionel Messi?

“The World Cup means so much and even more so given that Argentina hadn’t won it in many years. We’d lost a final a few years earlier in 2014. We’d been fighting for it for many years and Messi had unfinished business. I’m so proud that I was able to share that moment with him and win the World Cup alongside him, knowing what it meant to him and all of us, of course. We all wanted to do it for him because it was the only sporting achievement missing for him.”

What makes Messi special?

“He’s different. He’s the greatest of all time, so it’s a privilege to share the dressing room with him. It’s a huge thing for me and I’m really enjoying it. I try to make the most of every moment spent with him. Of course, it made an impact on me because he’s always been my idol going back to my childhood and everything I’ve lived through. I always dreamed of playing with him, so he did make a big impression on me when I first saw him. As the years passed and I got to know him, it became more normal. He’s a great person and I’m so proud to share these moments with him.”

Has Messi given you any advice?

“No, we never speak about advice. We share moments together and we might speak about things outside of football, but he never gives me advice or anything like that.”

Enzo’s Hopes for World Cup 2026 and Beyond

Agustin Marcarian via Reuters

Can Argentina win the World Cup again?

“We’ll try to defend it and win it again, which is what this national team have to do. The Argentine people are so passionate and we always want more. Our mentality is that we deserve to defend our World Cup crown and have a great tournament, which means winning it. Winning the World Cup in 2022 is in the past now and we’re focused on what lies ahead. We know it could be Messi’s last World Cup, so we’ll be there to defend our crown from Qatar as a team. We’ll do our best to retain it.”

Do you dream of captaining Argentina one day?

“On a personal level, of course, I dream of captaining Argentina, but that decision doesn’t come down to me. It’s up to the coaching staff. Of course, I dream of being the Argentina captain. I don’t know when it might be. Time will tell and it’s up to the coaching staff to make the decision. It’s certainly one of my dreams and I’d be honoured to wear the captain’s armband.”

For a sustained period, Belgium boasted one of the most talented squads on the planet. It was a golden generation that were consistently among the favourites to win any major tournament they showed up to but ultimately left every trip to the World Cup and European Championships empty-handed.

With much of the squad that finished third at the 2018 World Cup either retired or coming to the end of their careers, the peak of that particular cycle appears to have passed.

But the country’s contribution to the game stretches further than one generation of players. The Belgian sides of the 1980s were no less formidable in their own right, reaching the semi-finals of the 1986 World Cup and finishing as runners-up at Euro 1980.

Some incredible talents have pulled on the nation’s shirt for the Red Devils, a lot of them coming over the span of the last decade or so. It begs the question: who are the greatest Belgian players of all time?

15

Axel Witsel

Career Span: 2006-Present

Axel Witsel was the glue that held Belgium’s midfield together for the best part of a decade. While many of the names on this list tended to grab the headlines ahead of him, Witsel quietly got on with the job, providing the balance that allowed his more attack-minded teammates to flourish.

His career saw him play for some of Europe’s big boys, spending four years at Borussia Dortmund before a three-year stint at Atletico Madrid. He earned well over 100 international caps and was rarely the first name opposition fans feared, but he was almost always the first name on the team sheet.

14

Dries Mertens

Career Span: 2006-2025

After 33 combined goals and assists in a single Eredivise season, Dries Mertens moved to Italy and became a Napoli icon, and is their all-time leading scorer with 148 goals. No small feat at a club that once had Diego Maradona on its books.

At 5ft 7in, he was never the most imposing figure in an attacking line, but he more than made up for it with intelligent movement, technical brilliance and an impressive goal catalogue. He was equally important in a Belgium shirt, representing his country over 100 times, appearing at multiple World Cups and European Championships.

13

Michel Preud’homme

Career Span: 1977-1999

Michel Preud’homme is one of the finest goalkeepers Belgium has ever produced. Commanding in the box and blessed with sharp reflexes, he was a dominant presence for both Standard Liege and Mechelen, but a match-fixing scandal in the early 1980s cost him six months of his career.

After spending the early portion of his international career behind Jean-Marie Pfaff, Preud’homme would go on to be a regular starter for the next seven years. His crowning international moment came at the 1994 World Cup, where his performances were so impressive that he was given the tournament’s Golden Glove award and voted as the world’s best goalkeeper by The International Federation of Football History & Statistics that same year.

12

Mousa Dembele

Career Span: 2003-2022

Mousa Dembele rarely courted the spotlight, but those who played alongside him or against him knew exactly what they were dealing with. The midfielder possessed a rare combination of power, balance and technical ability that made him almost impossible to dispossess, and at his peak many regarded him as one of the most naturally gifted players in Europe.

His time in the Premier League with Fulham and Tottenham showcased those qualities, and he was a valued presence for Belgium across several major tournaments. He likely deserved more recognition than he got, but that’s rather fitting for a player who never asked for it.

11

Jan Ceulemans

Career Span: 1974-1992

Long before Belgium’s golden generation emerged, Jan Ceulemans was setting the standard for those who would follow. The powerful attacking midfielder earned more than 90 caps for his country, captained the side through one of their most successful periods and was central to the run that took them to the semi-finals of the 1986 World Cup, knocking out the Soviet Union and Spain.

At club level, he near-enough spent his entire career at Club Brugge, winning multiple league titles and becoming one of the most celebrated Belgian players ever.

10

Enzo Scifo

Career Span: 1982-2001

A four-time Ballon d’Or nominee, Enzo Scifo’s lesser-known career was one of the kickstarters to the rich vein of talent seen emanating from Belgium ever since his prominence in the 1980s. Enjoying spells with the likes of Inter and AS Monaco across his 18-year career, it was home club RSC Anderlecht wherein he enjoyed the majority of his success.

Debuting for the team as a 17-year-old in 1983, Scifo made over 100 appearances for the side across his four-year spell, marking his name out as one of the hottest young players in Europe after helping the side to three straight league titles.

Further respectable spells with Inter, Monaco, Auxerre and Torino followed, with Scifo enjoying a decent goal record across his career. Having made his debut for Belgium aged just 18, he went on to make 84 appearances for his country, scoring 18 goals. An under-appreciated and lesser-known player with a remarkable career path and depth of talent.

9

Toby Alderweireld

Career Span: 2006-2025

Having burst onto the scene as a 19-year-old for Dutch side Ajax, Toby Alderweireld might just be one of the most underrated centre-backs to have played the game. Having made over 100 showings for the Dutch giants, a debut for his country and subsequent move to Atlético Madrid followed for Alderweireld. After struggling to break into the Atleti first team, he was loaned to Premier League side Southampton, where his impressive season took him to Tottenham on a permanent deal.

Alderweireld would go on to become ever-present in the Spurs team, and although he may not have picked up any trophies in his time there, he played a big part alongside compatriot Jan Vertonghen in reaching the 2019 Champions League final, where they were defeated cruelly by Liverpool. Alderweireld and Vertonghen’s partnership transcended club level, with the pair making well over 100 appearances each for the Red Devils in a golden age for Belgian centre-backs, with a certain Vincent Kompany in the offing as well.

8

Jean-Marie Pfaff

Career Span: 1971-1990

The goalkeeper of the tournament in Belgium’s semi-final run in the 1986 World Cup, Belgian Bayern icon Pfaff was one of the most unique goalkeepers to grace the game.

Though not the tallest goalkeeper around, standing at 5’11, Pfaff was still an incredibly confident, commanding goalkeeper who was renowned for his incredible shot-stopping ability and composure with the ball at his feet.

El Simpatico’s 300+ appearance-laden time across his ten-year spell at home club Beveren eventually earned a call from Bayern Munich, where Pfaff would go on to play a further 156 games in between the sticks for the Bavarian giants, earning himself the right to call himself one of Belgium’s best ever goalkeepers, and one of the best in the world in his prime.

7

Paul Van Himst

Career Span: 1959-1977

Voted the best Belgian footballer in the 20th century, Paul Van Himst’s career may not have been a particularly mainstream one, but his time at Anderlecht will forever be the stuff of legend, for them. Spending nearly his entire career with the Belgian giants between 1959 and 1975, Van Himst was an incredibly prolific and efficient goalscorer, recording double-digit seasons for ten campaigns in a row, as well as becoming the clubs highest appearance maker with 457 showings for Anderlecht.

He was renowned in Belgium for his pace and creativity, being just as effective in creating goals as he was at putting them away. His loyalty to his beloved Anderlecht may have prevented his career from hitting the mainstream, but Van Himst likely doesn’t care as he became one of the most legendary players in Anderlecht’s history.

6

Jan Vertonghen

Career Span: 2005-2025

Nearly everything that can be said in regards to long-term partner Alderweireld applies to Jan Vertonghen too. He holds the record as Belgium’s most-capped player with 157 and shared the pitch with his teammate on over 350 occasions for club and country. A 2012 signing from Ajax, Vertonghen spent almost a decade with Tottenham in the Premier League, being another vital piece to the puzzle that came inches away from a remarkable Champions League success.

Vertonghen’s calmness on the ball and proficiency going forward outed him in his prime as one of the better ball-playing defenders in the world, and his aforementioned partnership with Alderweireld was formidable, though it may not have brought home any trophies.

Spanish footballer Rafa Mir has been sentenced to eight and a half years. The 28-year-old has been on the books at Sevilla since 2021, although spent last season on loan at Elche.

He was tried on 28 May on charges of sexual assault and causing bodily harm, and has now been found guilty by a Valencia court. The striker is known in England, having spent three years at Wolves between 2018 and 2021, during which time he also spent a season on loan at Nottingham Forest when both clubs were still in the Championship.

Mir and his friend and fellow footballer Pablo Jara were both arrested in September 2024 after two women accused them of sexual assault at Mir’s residence. Jara was also sentenced to two years in prison for sexual assault and a further six months for an offence against moral integrity, as well as ordering him to pay a €6,280 fine.

Rafa Mir Found Guilty of Sexual Assault

In a statement confirming that Mir had been found guilty, a Valencia court announced on Monday, via ESPN:

Mir will also have to pay €64,000 as compensation to the victim.

Rafa Mir To Appeal Count Ruling as Sevilla Make Statement

The sentence is not final, however, and Mir has confirmed that he will appeal. He maintained his innocence during the one-day hearing in Valencia on 28 May, insisting the two women consented to having sexual relations with him.

After the ruling, he posted on Instagram:

Sevilla have released their own statement, condemning ‘any type of violence, abuse, or sexual assault’. In full, the statement read:

“On the ruling of the Provincial Court of Valencia regarding Rafa Mir.

“The club, in light of the judgment issued by Section Four of the Provincial Court of Valencia in which footballer Rafa Mir—currently on loan at Elche CF until June 30—is sentenced to eight and a half years, states its utmost respect for judicial proceedings and expresses our firm and unequivocal condemnation of any type of violence, abuse, or sexual assault.

“Such conduct has no place in our society or in the values promoted by sport.”

Mir was playing on loan at Valencia from Sevilla at the time when the crime is alleged to have taken place, while Jara was with lower division club Alcantarilla FC.