Didier Deschamps has made it clear he is untroubled by the decision to assign Argentine match officials to Thursday’s World Cup quarter-final between France and Morocco, even though a potential rematch of the 2022 final against Argentina remains on the cards. “We have to accept it,” he stated. “I have faith in the referees. Our […]
Continue ReadingIt is not hard to see why Egypt would be deeply upset after Tuesday’s 3-2 loss. The African team held a two-goal advantage with just 11 minutes remaining, on the verge of reaching their first ever quarter-final. Then everything unravelled as Argentina produced a stunning late rally to flip the contest and score the decisive […]
Continue ReadingEuropean football’s governing body is ready to prevent Russian teams from rejoining international competition, despite the recent decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to conditionally end the nation’s exclusion from global sports. The global football authority has suggested it will reassess its stance after enforcing a prohibition on Russian sides following the comprehensive invasion […]
Continue ReadingIn a landmark move for the women’s game, London City Lionesses have secured the signing of two-time Ballon d’Or recipient Alexia Putellas on a three-year contract, pulling off one of the most stunning captures in the sport’s history. The Spanish midfielder, considered among the sport’s all-time greats, departed Barcelona in May following a 14-year spell, […]
Continue ReadingWhen the match ended, the numbers seemed almost surreal. A nation of just 5.5 million inhabitants, returning to the global stage after nearly three decades away, had just overcome the five-time titleholders to secure a maiden quarter-final berth. During Norway’s triumph over Brazil on Sunday, there was barely a sliver separating the nimble footwork of […]
Continue ReadingMarcus Rashford is poised to be welcomed back into the Manchester United fold after the World Cup, with the current expectation being that he will begin the upcoming season as part of Michael Carrick’s first-team plans. Following a fracture in the relationship between the player and the club, the 28-year-old, whose contract still has two […]
Continue ReadingErling Haaland is set to be the greatest threat to England when they meet Norway in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday (22:00 BST) – yet the situation might have turned out quite differently. The prolific forward for Manchester City was born in Leeds, and could have been in the national squad had he chosen […]
Continue ReadingFollowing England’s victory over Mexico, Thomas Tuchel voiced his dissatisfaction with the standard of officiating at the World Cup, labelling it inconsistent, unpredictable and below the required level. His remarks felt to me like a form of psychological tactics – overall the officials have been acceptable, getting several calls right, though there have also been […]
Continue Reading“Neymar’s consolation penalty against Norway at the World Cup means his first international goal, scored on his first cap, was in the same stadium (MetLife) as his last international goal on his final cap,” writes Griffin Cant. “Are there any other players who have bookended their international career in a similar way?” More than 77,000 […]
Continue ReadingEuropean teams have gradually gathered significant momentum as this World Cup has progressed, though their sluggish start initially caught attention, with seven of the first ten European nations failing to secure a victory in their opening group matches. The high temperatures in North America were a subject of discussion before the tournament began, as several […]
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