Spain and England have experienced very different journeys to Sunday's Euro 2024 final. We look at their path to Berlin below.
With eight teams left in the tournament the numbers around Euro 2024 are becoming clearer, with Spain, England and France all considered likely winners and a race for top scorer that is still very tight.
Real Madrid have signed Alexander-Arnold before his Liverpool contract ended, making him available for the Club World Cup to be played from June 14-July 13 in the United States.
Ronaldo had won his first Ballon d'Or in 2008 while he was playing for Manchester United and still holds the record of the last Premier League player to claim the top prize. Messi won his first in 2009 and was nominated for 16 years.
LaLiga leaders Real Madrid's pursuit of a record-extending 36th Spanish title
England hammered Iran 6-2 on Monday in an emphatic World Cup opener thanks to two goals from Bukayo Saka
A preview of the Euro 2024 Final between England and Spain
Kylian Mbappe bagged his first hat-trick for Real Madrid as the LaLiga champions easily beat bottom-club Real Valladolid 3-0 on Saturday
Images from Sunday's action in LaLiga and Serie A.
The result means Real, on 49 points, are one point clear of Atletico Madrid, who beat Mallorca 2-0, ahead of next weekend's Spanish capital derby at Santiago Bernabeu.
Portugal qualified for the 2026 World Cup on Sunday with a 9-1 hammering of Armenia that included hat-tricks from both Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves.
Bayern Munich made it 16 wins from 16 games this season to underline their credentials as early Champions League favourites, beating holders Paris St Germain 2-1 away as Luis Diaz scored two goals and was shown a red card on Tuesday.
Kylian Mbappe was in inspired form, scoring twice to guide Real Madrid to a comeback 4-1 win over visitors Las Palmas on Sunday.
It was the second goal of the tournament for Kane, 29, who was the top scorer in Russia four years ago with six.
England racked up an eighth successive victory against Wales with a 3-0 cruise in an international friendly at Wembley on Thursday.
Vinicius Jr's remarkable performances at Real Madrid have put the 24-year-old forward as the odds-on favourite to claim his first Ballon d'Or when the award for the best player in the world is announced in Paris on Monday.
Kylian Mbappe could not have anticipated a better start to his Real Madrid career as he scored a debut goal to help his new team win the European Super Cup.
Rodri won the Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world, beating Brazil's Vinicius Jr and England's Jude Bellingham.
That kept Real top of LaLiga on 50 points, one ahead of Atletico in second who missed a chance to leapfrog them. Barcelona, third on 45 points, visit Sevilla on Sunday with a chance to close the gap in the title race.
'We were happy with the win because we played a great game until the 88th minute, when two lapses in concentration led to two goals and we had to suffer a bit more than we should have.'
Several players across the continent are poised to make a name for themselves on the international stage.
Shailesh Karkera picks the Best Players at Euro 24.
Raphinha scored twice as Barcelona overcame a two-goal deficit to secure a crucial 4-3 home victory against rivals Real Madrid in a pulsating Clasico on Sunday, edging them closer to the LaLiga title.
Jude Bellingham converted a penalty and Kylian Mbappe added another goal before halftime to spur Real Madrid to a 2-0 victory over Getafe.
A Jules Kounde goal in the dying minutes of extra-time handed Barcelona a dramatic 3-2 win over fierce rivals Real Madrid in an enthralling Copa del Rey final on Saturday.
That incredible spread of goals has been shared by Marcus Rashford (3), Bukayo Saka (3), Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Jordan Henderson plus Harry Kane.
England, who are gunning for their second World Cup title, have the most valuable squad in Qatar with Jude Bellingham topping a list of over 800 players.
England debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly got new coach Thomas Tuchel's reign up and running as the 18-year-old scored the first goal in a 2-0 home victory against Albania in their World Cup qualifying Group K opener on Friday.
While England boast a formidable attacking threat, there are concerns about their defence which is perhaps why Southgate is prepared to look at new candidates before he has to make his final call for the tournament.
Real were left with 10 men before halftime when Mbappe saw a straight red after taking down Alaves midfielder Antonio Blanco as the referee overturned his initial decision of booking him with a yellow after consulting with VAR.
Villarreal fought back to shock Barcelona 3-2 on Sunday, handing the LaLiga champions their first league defeat since late December.
Germany, once the undisputed kings of European football, enter Euro 2024 with a point to prove
'The football world is not ready to accept a player who fights against the system.'
Lewis-Skelly gets England call-up; Recalls Rashford, Henderson return.
Bayern did not give a timeline on his return to action but said he was "doing well under the circumstances" and sat out of training on Sunday.
Italy face the shocking possibility of failing to reach the World Cup for a third consecutive time.
Ancelotti's second-string players proved they were up to the task as they secured three points for Real and kept them on course for the inevitable LaLiga title celebrations.
Indian club East Bengal produced an utterly dominant show to crush Bangladesh's Bashundhara Kings 4-0 in their AFC Challenge League match in Thimphu on Tuesday.
For months, the 2024 Ballon d'Or seemed to have a clear front-runner, with everyone anticipating the coronation of Vinícius Júnior as the new king of football.
A Dani Carvajal strike in the ninth-minute of stoppage time rescued Real Madrid, earning them a 3-2 comeback win at home against bottom side Almeria on Sunday in a frantic LaLiga tussle that was marked by VAR controversy.
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