Ecuador secured a stunning 2-1 victory over Germany in a crucial World Cup match, ensuring their qualification for the last 32. Despite an early German goal, Ecuador fought back with goals from Nilson Angulo and Gonzalo Plata to clinch the win.
Germany's 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in the World Cup knockout stage sparked a disagreement between coach Julian Nagelsmann and players Joshua Kimmich and Deniz Undav. While the players felt Ecuador 'wanted it more', Nagelsmann strongly rejected this assessment, urging the team to learn and improve for their next match.
Four-time champions Germany suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in a FIFA World Cup group stage match, marking a historic upset. This loss highlighted Germany's persistent defensive issues, as they have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine World Cup games. Despite an early lead, Germany succumbed to Ecuador's determined comeback, which secured Ecuador's progression to the round of 32.
Germany's World Cup misery continued as Paraguay stunned the four-time champions on penalties in the Round of 32, extending a decade-long decline marked by defensive frailties and major tournament disappointments since 2014.
Germany gave debutants Curacao a reality check, as the former champions won 7-1 to kick-start their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a big win.
Multi-champions Brazil, Argentina and Germany all won their preparatory games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, although by small margins, with former champion England and hopeful Portugal also securing victories.
Sane joined City from Schalke 04 in 2016 and had 39 goals and 45 assists in 135 appearances in all competitions. He was an integral part of their league title winning squads in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Germany secured a place at next year's World Cup by crushing Slovakia 6-0 in their final qualifier on Monday.
Winger Leroy Sane has joined Manchester City from German side Schalke 04 on a five-year contract, the Premier League club said on Tuesday. No financial details of the deal were disclosed, but British media reported that City had paid 37 million pounds ($48.96 million) for the 20-year-old, who is the club's fifth signing of the close season.
Neuer made the squad despite playing in just one official game, a friendly against Austria on Friday, since breaking a bone in his foot in September but talented 22-year-old Sane was the biggest name to miss out.
The official 26-man squads for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Bayern Munich came back from a goal down to beat 10-man Augsburg 3-1 away on Friday and move nine points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, but Jamal Musiala went off injured and looks unlikely to be fit for next week's Champions League quarter-final.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann made two changes to his line-up with Jonathan Tah and Emre Can coming in to the team to face an unchanged Spain in their Euro 2024 quarter-final clash on Friday.
A summary of Friday's action in the FIFA World Cup 2026 UEFA Qualifiers.
England captain Kane headed in either side of the break to take his league tally since joining Bayern in 2023 to 55 league goals, more than any other player in their first 50 games in the league's history.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed he is interested in signing Everton's young centre back John Stones, who has been linked with a 50 million-pounds ($65.72 million) move to the Etihad Stadium.
A round-up of Saturday's action in LaLiga, Ligue 1, Serie A and Bundesliga.
Mainz 05's Lee Jae-sung scored either side of the break as the hosts stunned Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich 2-1 on Saturday.
Barcelona thrashed Real Betis 5-1 on Wednesday to book their spot in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
Second-placed Borussia Dortmund twice squandered the lead as they drew 2-2 at Schalke 04 in the Ruhr derby on Sunday, allowing leaders Bayern Munich to move closer to another Bundesliga title. A gem from Shinja Kagawa and an odd goal from Matthias Ginter put Dortmund ahead but the hosts hit back each time through Leroy Sane and a Klaas-Jan Huntelaar penalty. Bayern, who won 3-1 at VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, are seven points clear of Dortmund with only five matches left to play. Schalke are seventh with 45 points, behind Borussia Moenchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen and Mainz on goal difference. Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel made eight changes to the line-up that drew 1-1 with Liverpool in the Europa League on Thursday as he rotated his side. There was little excitement in the first half where the best chances fell to Schalke as Sane struck the post from 20 metres and Junior Caicara fired a shot across the face of the goal, leaving Huntelaar waiting and furious in the middle. But the game dramatically came to life after the break.
Real, chasing a 15th European Cup, levelled in the 83rd with Vinicius's penalty, after Rodrygo was felled by a clumsy challenge from Kim Min-jae, to set up a mouth-watering return leg in Madrid next week.
Barcelona won 3-1 at Alaves in La Liga on Saturday thanks to goals by Robert Lewandowski, Ilkay Gundogan and substitute Victor Roque, who was sent off after picking up a second yellow card.
Bayern Munich's record signing Harry Kane scored once and set up another goal on his Bundesliga debut to steer the champions to a 4-0 victory at Werder Bremen.
The Liverpool forward was rewarded for his performances which have yielded 41 goals in all competitions since joining from AS Roma last year.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Images from the Euro 2024 Group A match between Germany and Hungary at Stuttgart Arena, Stuttgart, Germany, on Wednesday.
A round-up of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg between Real Madrid and Arsenal, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.
Manchester City tore Arsenal apart for the second time in five days on Thursday, beating them 3-0 on a freezing night at The Emirates to restore their 16-point lead as they close in on the Premier League title.
Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala's second-half goals sent Germany into the Euro 2024 quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Denmark on Saturday after their last-16 clash was delayed by thunderstorm.
A round-up of Saturday's action in the UEFA Nations League group stage matches.
Germany coach Joachim Loew has named four talented youngsters, including three uncapped players, in his preliminary 27-man squad for Euro 2016.
The win moved Spurs up to third but unbeaten Manchester City still looked in a class of their own at the top as Leroy Sane scored twice in a 4-0 stroll over West Ham United.
Barcelona captain Raphinha scored twice as they returned to winning ways in LaLiga for the first time in a month with a 5-1 victory at Mallorca on Tuesday.
A 2018 World Cup finalist, Perisic, who also played for Borussia Dortmund and VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga between 2011 and 2015, will play for Bayern starting on Friday.
Manchester City came out on top in an epic Champions League battle against Monaco as late goals by John Stones and Leroy Sane secured a 5-3 victory in a last 16 first-leg thriller on Tuesday that had goals galore and a missed penalty.
Bayern Munich stumbled to a 1-1 draw against visiting Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday to leave them with only a slim Bundesliga lead after being held for the third game in a row with the same scoreline.
Record-breaking Kane scores hat-trick in Bayern's 7-0 demolition of Bochum
Unstoppable Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick, taking his tally to 10 goals in five Bundesliga games, as the defending champions thumped hapless Eintracht Frankfurt 5-0 on Saturday.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich powered past third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 with an impressive display of high-pressing football on Sunday.
