So France is the first major team to bow out of World Cup 2010. The fact that the 1998 champions were not good enough to make it to the second round is a different matter altogether.
France's World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane rebuked his compatriots on Monday for refusing to train after striker Nicolas Anelka was thrown out of the camp for insulting the coach.
Real Madrid returned to the top of La Liga after winning a testing game at Osasuna 3-1 on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo achieved another milestone in his Real Madrid career when he scored his 200th goal at the Bernabeu on Sunday but he looks like failing in his bid to become La Liga's top scorer for the third season in a row.
Bayern Munich won its sixth Champions League crown in Lisbon on Sunday night.
Zinedine Zidane will accept an offer from Jose Mourinho to work more closely with the Real Madrid coach, the former France great has said.
Zinedine Zidane stole the show at a France's training camp on Wednesday in a sign that Les Bleus had a long way to go to erase the memory of their South Africa World Cup disgrace.
Zinedine Zidane's son Enzo has won the chance to be selected for the French Under-19 squad, a potential first step along the path of his father, who rose to international fame winning the World Cup with his country in 1998.
Welcome to the world of Desi Adda, Sony India's latest brainchild to attract gamers with six made-in-India games.
Too many egos! too many individualities! It is not only true for France, but most 'great' teams with 'great players'. Zizou believes that 'the collective spirit must be displayed by the team'. He rightly said: 'A World Cup is very short; many will never play again, forget your ego and work together for the team'.
Zinedine Zidane is unconcerned by suggestions that his Real Madrid side go into Saturday's 'Clasico' against runaway La Liga leaders Barcelona as big underdogs. Real sit third in the table 10 points adrift of Luis Enrique's side, who crushed them 4-0 at the Bernabeu earlier in the season to spark outrage among the Madrid club's fans They vented their frustration on president Florentino Perez and coach Rafael Benitez who was sacked weeks later and replaced by Zidane. The Frenchman, who like his opposite number Luis Enrique played in the 'Clasico' many times, is preparing for his first clash with Barcelona as Real coach and his team, who have won their last five matches in all competitions, head to the Nou Camp in confident mood.
Real Madrid have signed Brazilian midfielder Kaka from AC Milan, the Primera Liga club said on their website (www.realmadrid.com) on Tuesday.
Real Madrid have signed Brazilian midfielder Kaka from AC Milan, the Primera Liga club said on their website (www.realmadrid.com) on Tuesday.
Zinedine Zidane put head before heart on Wednesday and tipped Spain to win the World Cup in South Africa this year.
Former French midfielder Zinedine Zidane is glad he was sent-off for his head-butt in the 2006 World Cup final because he has not had to live with regret over escaping punishment.
Cristiano Ronaldo gave Zinedine Zidane a ringing endorsement as Real Madrid coach after their 1-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid in the city derby at the Bernabeu on Saturday.
France's Euro 2008 squad are missing Zinedine Zidane, playmaker Franck Ribery and goalkeeper Gregory Coupet said on Sunday. Coupet said Zidane's retirement was one of the reasons why France, thrashed 4-1 by Netherlands on Friday after drawing 0-0 with Romania on Monday, were toiling at these finals.
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty as Real Madrid and neighbours Atletico were held to draws leaving Barcelona with an eight-point lead at the top of La Liga and 13 matches left.
Liverpool received a relatively kind draw for the group stage of this year's Champions League
Spain and Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos faced a new setback in a season littered with injury problems when his club said on Tuesday he had tested positive for COVID-19.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Mohamed Salah have been nominated as finalists for The Best FIFA Men's Player Award, world soccer's governing body announced on Monday.
While Aishwarya Rai enjoys a small part in "Asterix at the Olympics", what has us really excited is the charioteer and patron combination of Michael Schumacher and Jean Todt.
Zinedine Zidane is the right man for the job of Real Madrid coach, former team-mate David Beckham said on Monday after the Spanish club sacked Rafa Benitez and replaced him with the French World Cup winner. "Does it get any better than this??," the former England captain, who played with Zidane at Real after joining from Manchester United in 2003, declared on Instagram.
France striker Karim Benzema passed a medical and signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid on Thursday, before being presented in front of about 20,000 fans at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Zinedine Zidane hailed Real Madrid's remarkable strength in depth as the key to his side entering their final game of the season at Malaga on the brink of lifting their first La Liga title since 2012.
Casemiro produced a performance worthy of a top striker by scoring twice in a 2-1 win for Zinedine Zidane's side over Sevilla
"Is he (Gerrard) the best in the world? He might not get the attention of (Lionel) Messi and Ronaldo but, yes, I think he just might be," Zidane was quoted as saying by the Guardian.
There is something of a 'new dawn' feeling about Euro 2008 and it has a lot to do with the absence of some of the great names of European soccer.
Wayne Rooney of England and the Netherlands' Ruud van Nistelrooy continue to lead the goal scorers' list with four goals each at the Euro 2004 football tournament in Portugal after Friday's quarter-final between Greece and France.
The England striker has four goals to his name after Monday's matches at Euro 2004.
Marco Materazzi is taking legal action against three British newspapers over their reporting of the incident in last July's World Cup final when he clashed with Zinedine Zidane.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter hinted that the head-butt on Italy's Marco Materazzi in the World Cup final might cost the France captain the best player's award.
Marco Materazzi's agent said Zidane's head-butt was prompted by the Italian defender's loose comment about the French captain's wife.
FIFA will open a disciplinary investigation into the circumstances surrounding Zinedine Zidane's head-butt on Italy's Marco Materazzi.
Real Madrid's director of football Benito Floro has proposed the club buy Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Inter Milan's Adriano.
Sky reported Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have been in touch with Kane's representatives.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane warned that it was still all to play for in their Champions League last-16 clash against Napoli after the holders strolled to a 3-1 win in the first leg on Wednesday.
The football ace came first in a ranking of France's Top 50 personalities, beating ex-tennis champion Yannick Noah, who came in second place.
Spain coach Julen Lopetegui will take over as Real Madrid manager on a three-year contract after the World Cup, the European champions said on Tuesday.
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