News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Cristiano Ronaldo's agent has defended the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner after he was criticised for throwing a lavish 30th birthday party on Saturday hours after Real Madrid's 4-0 La Liga drubbing at Atletico.
England's miserable week took another turn for the worse on Friday with the publication of the FIFA world rankings
Netherlands will be hoping the teenager known as the Messi of women's football discovers her scoring touch as they seek an upset win over Japan at the Women's World Cup on Tuesday.
India's FIFA U-17 World Cup team coach Luis Norton de Matos on Saturday refused to predict his side's chances in the upcoming tournament, saying that instead of thinking about the results the country should take it as "a first step for the future".
The Italian federation (FIGC) is determined to complete the season and its president Gabriele Gravina has been presenting new ideas on an almost daily basis of how that can be done. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan in Central Asia is set to resume its soccer season with spectators at the weekend, making it only the second country in the world to let fans attend matches as the new coronavirus shuts down almost all of world football.
Cristiano Ronaldo has suggested Real Madrid should offer him a 10-year contract to ensure he sees out his career at the Spanish club. "If I were the president of Real Madrid, I would give myself a 10-year contract," Real's all time top scorer, now 31, told reporters after scoring on his return from injury in a 5-2 La Liga win over promoted Osasuna. Ronaldo's current contract runs out in 2018.
Football legend Pele has termed Argentine forward Lionel Messi as the "best in last 10 years", but also spoke highly of his fellow Brazilian Neymar and Portugal's Ronaldo.
England form and Pickford saves made the difference, said Sweden's coach
FIFA say managers cannot dictate to doctors over injuries.
In the week of his 31st birthday, Messi was again a largely anonymous figure as they lost 4-3 to France in a thrilling last-16 match in Kazan.
Uruguayan striker Emiliano Alfaro struck twice, including one in the final minute of the game, as FC Pune City staged a remarkable fightback to beat Mumbai City FC 2-1 in the Indian Super league (ISL) in Pune on Wednesday.
A decision to include Japan and Qatar as the invited sides to this year's Copa has also done little to generate faith in the new leadership, with the tournament usually featuring the 10 South American nations plus two invited teams, although they are generally from elsewhere in the Americas.
Belgium's World Cup clash against England on Thursday could feel like a Tottenham training ground for players on both sides but defender Jan Vertonghen insists there will be no joking around.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos dismissed the suggestion that his team relies too much on Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sweden's preparations may have been hit by illness and injury but team captain Andreas Granqvist still believes that his side can score a first competitive win over Germany since 1958 to send the defending champions home early from the World Cup.
'I was never Mad Max. I was just Max who was trying to get the best result for the team'
Rhian Brewster struck a sensational hat-trick, his second in as many matches, as England handed pre-tournament favourites Brazil a stunning 3-1 defeat to cruise into their maiden FIFA U-17 World Cup final, in Kolkata, on Wednesday.
The Manchester United keeper let a tame shot from Cristiano Ronaldo through his arms for Portugal's second goal on Friday and has been criticised in Spain for his badly positioned defensive wall when Ronaldo struck the late equaliser.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic says he will turn to his Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic for ideas on how to stop Argentina's Lionel Messi in Thursday's Group D match between the two teams.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
"We are not going to deviate one iota from our footballing concepts," the distinguished former Spain defender Hierro said.
New Spain coach Fernando Hierro plans to carry on Julen Lopetegui's good work as he prepares to lead his country into their World Cup opener against Portugal on Friday.
Their bid for a fourth title halted by England in the semi-finals, Brazil will seek a consolation victory when they take on Mali in the third-place play-off of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Kolkata on Saturday.
United States striker Abby Wambach has apologised for her suggestion the referee targeted certain American players for yellow cards.
Belgium struck early and held off a late Brazil fightback to send the five-time champions tumbling out of the World Cup with a 2-1 victory in an end-to-end thriller on Friday that earned them a semi-final against France.
Ending speculation around the merger of Indian Super League with I-League, the All India Football Federation on Tuesday virtually recognised ISL as the country's premier league as per a new roadmap, which will have three more seven-month leagues in a hierarchical system from 2017 onwards.
The consequences of failure are nowhere more devastating than at a World Cup, where two previous finals and five semi-finals have been decided by the gut-wrenching lottery of penalties.
Salvadorian businessman approached the players with financial inducements before they travelled to Canada for the match at the weekend.
World champions Germany are to meet Ukraine, Poland and Northern Ireland in Group C.
The 44-year-old Pires was a member of the French side and teammate of current national manager Didier Deschamps that won the tournament for the first time at home in 1998.
Six players including Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo were shortlisted on Thursday for FIFA'S inaugural Gillette Best Young Player Award at the World Cup.
The Indian football team will play against China for the first time in 21 years, and the first time away from home, in an international friendly in October, continuing its preparation for the prestigious Asian Cup next year.
A third place finish at the World Cup on Saturday leaves a strong legacy for Belgian football, coach Roberto Martinez said
Croatia have no major injury concerns going into Sunday's World Cup final despite having played three 120-minute matches
Croatia will need their big-game players to step up.
The country of around 4 million people came to a standstill as Croatians watched the game on screens in squares and cafes.
Goalkeeping howlers have been scarce at the World Cup but Fernando Muslera's mistake proved fatal for Uruguay in their 2-0 quarter-final defeat by France on Friday just as much as a brilliant stop from Hugo Lloris kept his side ahead.
Sweden's success at this year's World Cup has been built on defensive organisation and clinical counter-attacks.
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