Hosts France kick off Euro 2016 against Romania at Stade de France on Friday, with Didier Deschamps men rated as the favourites to win the tournament.
Two-time winners France are hoping to match Germany and Spain – teams who represent their main rivals for glory this year by winning a third continental title.
Les Bleus are looking to become the first host nation to triumph in the competition since they achieved the feat themselves in 1984, but recent editions have seen them fail to make it beyond the quarter-finals since winning their last title in 2000.
France come into the event in fine form having won nine of their last 10 matches after rounding off their preparation with a 3-0 win over Scotland last Saturday.
Deschamps has a key selection dilemma in…
Pep Guardiola has described Jack Grealish suffering an injury on the eve of the season as a blow , but he has not given up hope of the Manchester City man facing Chelsea on Sunday.
Grealish was absent as City beat Manchester United to win the Community Shield on Saturday, triumphing 7-6 on penalties after Bernardo Silva s late header salvaged a 1-1 draw.
Guardiola has now revealed Grealish suffered from discomfort in training ahead of the match, in another blow after he was left out of Gareth Southgate s England squad for Euro 2024.
That omission came after Grealish endured an injury-hit 2023-24 campaign, making just 10 starts across all competitions after playing a key role in securing the treble one season earlier.
However, Guardiola has given Grealish …
The Club World Cup begins on Wednesday as seven teams compete to become world champions.
Representatives from each confederation will take part over 11 days in Morocco, with Real Madrid favourites to end up lifting the trophy.
That is not to disrespect any of the other participants, but Europe s stranglehold on the competition simply cannot be denied.
Although South American teams won the first three editions in its current format, the only occasion in the last 15 where the Champions League winners have not triumphed was in 2012 when Corinthians defeated Chelsea in the final, the last time Europe s best did not succeed.
With four-time Club World Cup winners Madrid present, can anyone realistically stop Carlo Ancelotti s men? Stats Perform has taken a look…
Eddie Howe insists Newcastle United’s dream of regular success may take a little longer than anticipated after a disappointing transfer window.
After the Magpies’ Saudi-backed takeover in 2021, Amanda Staveley claimed they could win a first Premier League title within 10 years of that.
But Newcastle’s failed pursuit of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi has shown where they are in the market, welcoming just five new faces at St James’ Park and keeping much of the squad that missed out on European football last year.
And ahead of this weekend’s meeting with Tottenham Hotspur, Howe urged supporters to trust the process and back the team when they take to the pitch on Sunday.
I don t think the dream dies, necessarily, but I think it takes a lot longer,…
“Obviously you can imagine what it will mean. More than just winning a title but the belief will be back, the trust between the players and the staff and the fans and the whole club,” the Spaniard, who played over 300 times for the Gunners, told the PA news agency.
“The family that was there when I was there will be back, the moments of ‘we are strong and we know we can win’; at the moment it is a little bit ‘are we ready are we not’?
“If they can manage to win the first one, I believe it could become a constant threat for Arsenal to be challenging for all the top titles.”
Arteta, whose side drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday, came under pressure at the start of his tenure as his project took t…
Nick Cushing said his New York City players must use the pain from recent results to progress as a team when they head to the Lower.com Field to face Columbus Crew this weekend.
The Pigeons returned from an impressive Leagues Cup display with a 2-2 draw against Chicago Fire but were left disappointed with the result after squandering a two-goal lead to share the spoils thanks to Brian Gutierrez’s late penalty.
NYCFC are now without a win in the MLS in their last five fixtures, with Cushing describing the mood in the dressing room as “flat” following their latest setback.
Despite their run of form, Cushing’s side sit fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, and he is looking for his team to show character during the difficulties they are experiencing.
Vincent Kompany says Burnley have no choice but to go all out in their final two games of the Premier League season, needing to win both to have any chance of avoiding relegation.
The Clarets approach Saturday s trip to Tottenham in 19th, five points adrift of 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, who they face at the City Ground on the final day.
To tee up a winner-take-all clash with Nuno Espirito Santo s team, Burnley must win at Spurs and hope Forest lose to Chelsea later on Saturday, given the Clarets possess a vastly inferior goal difference.
With Burnley facing up to the prospect of a fourth relegation from the Premier League, Kompany says they have nothing to lose.
Let s just go all out. Let s have a good go and do ourselves proud, he said.
Th…
Even though there are still several months left before the start of the 2019 Copa America, it s never too early to start analysing what s going to happen in the tournament. The Brazil-based tournament will have the hosts as one of the top candidates. But there are other squads worth mentioning ahead of this event. Chile, Argentina and Uruguay all look like potential title contenders. And other sides such as Colombia, Paraguay and even Peru might make more noise than expected.
Without further ado, here is an in-depth analysis of each group heading into the 2019 Copa America.
Group A: Brazil undoubtedly sit at the top dog
Brazil might not have won the Copa America title since 2007, but could anyone disagree with them being one of the top candidates to lift the trophy thi…
Franz Beckenbauer, who has died aged 78, was one of the greatest players and most influential figures in the history of German football.
Nicknamed ‘Der Kaiser’ because of his commanding style of play as a midfielder or attacking sweeper, Beckenbauer led West Germany to World Cup success as both a captain and manager.
He also enjoyed a hugely successful club career, mostly with Bayern Munich.
VIDEOWe feature Franz , who made his debut at here:
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup)
He went on to become a football administrator and remained a national hero even though later years were overshadowed by allegations of bribery and corruption relating to Germany’s hosting of the 2006 World Cup.
Franz Anton Beckenbauer was born in war-torn …
Two second-half goals by veteran striker Andriy Shevchenko gave co-hosts Ukraine a 2-1 win over Sweden on Monday.
AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic put Sweden ahead in the 51st minute, side-footing home from close range after Kim Kallstrom s shot.
Shevchenko levelled for the co-hosts four minutes later, connecting with Andriy Yarmolenko s cross to head past Andreas Isaksson in the Sweden goal.
And it took just another six minutes for the 35-year-old to put his team ahead, nodding home a near-post corner.
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