Neymar, who has scored twice so far to help Brazil into the World Cup quarter-finals in Russia where they will face Belgium on Friday, has been sharply criticised for a string of exaggerated reactions when clashing with an opponent.
England turn focus to knockout round and the dreaded penalty shootout
England and Belgium, already qualified from World Cup Group G, meet on Thursday in what Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini says could be a "strange match". Depending on the outcome of other games, it may not be an advantage to finish top of the group, but both sides insist they won't take such calculations into account.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini could face disciplinary action from the English Football Association after the Chilean criticised referee Mark Clattenburg in the wake of his side's 2-1 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
The many moods of the fans at the World Cup in Russia
Manchester United teenager Marcus Rashford wrote another chapter in his fairytale introduction to top-flight football, scoring a brilliant goal to secure a 1-0 win in his first derby match against Manchester City on Sunday.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field
Strong start bodes well for Spurs' title hopes, says Lee
Olympiakos Piraeus battled back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 home draw with last year's runners-up Tottenham Hotspur in their Champions League Group B opener.
Images from the World Cup qualifying matches played on Wednesday night.
Jamie Vardy sent a screaming reminder that leaders Leicester City are in the Premier league title race for the long haul with a sensational strike in a 2-0 win over Liverpool on Tuesday.
Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick as free-scoring Manchester City climbed to the top of the Premier League with an irresistible 6-0 victory against Watford on Saturday.
Ajax Amsterdam's Donny van de Beek grabbed an early goal to secure a precious 1-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.
England's Harry Kane scored on his debut less than two minutes after coming on as they brushed Lithuania aside 4-0 at Wembley on Friday.
Tottenham Hotspur's success in claiming a top-four Premier League finish on Wednesday to guarantee Champions League football next season has been a "massive achievement", manager Mauricio Pochettino said.
Sergio Aguero struck twice as Manchester City moved into second place in the Premier League, two points behind leaders Liverpool, with a 3-1 win at Bournemouth on Sunday. Just three weeks into the new season and last year's top two clubs are already perched at the top of the table.
Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d'Or for world player of the year on Thursday for a joint-record fifth time, going level with eternal rival and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi as the player to have won the prize the most times.
The value of an in-form striker was underlined as Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao needed goals from pivotal front men to grab vital wins that booked places in the Europa League last 32 on Thursday.
England's World Cup 2018 team, and remarkable similarities emerge between the XI expected to start the semi-final against Croatia
Images from Sunday's action in the Premier League.
Following is a match by match look at the English Premier League's weekend fixtures:
Vasili Berezutski struck in added time as Russia, second best for long periods, rescued a draw from their UEFA EURO 2016 opener against England in a Group B clash at Stade Velodrome in Marseille.
Tottenham Hotspur missed the chance to move up to provisional fourth place in the Premier League after relegation-threatened Newcastle United held them to a 2-2 draw with a late equaliser from substitute Joe Willock at St James' Park on Sunday. Images from EPL matches played on Sunday.
United youth product Gomes, 18, struck after Spurs' Lucas Moura cancelled out Anthony Martial's first-half opener and gave the 20-time Premier League champions another victory after they beat Perth Glory, Leeds United and Inter Milan.
Lionel Messi lifted Barcelona out of their recent slump with two goals in a vintage display as his side survived a tenacious Tottenham Hotspur fightback to claim a 4-2 victory in Champions League Group B on Wednesday.
Bigger than ever, the European Championship kicks off in Paris on Friday with a four-week feast of football that promises to elevate the game above the corruption scandals and security fears that have overshadowed its build-up. All eyes will be on hosts France when they get the ball rolling against Romania in the Stade de France -- 210 days after suicide bombers at the same venue triggered a night of horror across the capital which killed 130 people.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Former Brazil international Kaka made the most of his first appearance in the Major League Soccer All-Star Game as he helped lead his team past English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on Wednesday.
Chelsea's third successive league win lifted them level on 18 points with Leicester City but are top thanks to a better goal difference. Leicester face Liverpool on Sunday.
Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne put on an attacking masterclass to help City rout Leicester City 5-1.
Real Madrid failed to win their Champions League group for the first time in four years when a late goal by substitute Marco Reus allowed Borussia Dortmund to equalise and clinch a 2-2 draw.
RB Leipzig's Marcel Sabitzer scored two early goals as they eased past last year's Champions League finalists Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 in their last 16 second leg tie on Tuesday to reach their first quarter-finals.
Leicester City's win over Newcastle on Monday not only sent them five points clear of Tottenham Hotspur at the top of the Premier League, it effectively ended the challenge of Manchester City and Arsenal.
Arsenal coach Arteta has said that Granit Xhaka will stay at the London club while United have new headaches with injuries to Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg matches played across Europe on Tuesday
Here are five talking points from the weekend's action:
Trailing 1-0 from the semi-final first leg, Chelsea turned the tie on its head with goals by N'Golo Kante and Eden Hazard in the first half but Fernando Llorente struck for Spurs in an enthralling Stamford Bridge duel.
Here is a look at some of the key head-to-head duels which could prove decisive.
An impressive England advanced to their first World Cup semi-final for 28 years on Saturday after headers by Harry Maguire and Dele Alli gave them a deserved 2-0 last-eight victory over a disappointing Sweden.
The South American possess plenty of talent and their run to the quarter-finals in Brazil four years ago showed they are capable of something England haven't managed in 12 years -- winning in the knockout stage.
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