Neither co-hosts Poland or Ukraine survived the group stage, but still produced memorable moments.
Real Madrid full-back Dani Carvajal was lucky to escape without a red card after he threw a punch at Atletico Madrid forward Mario Mandzukic in Tuesday's 0-0 Champions League quarter-final, first leg draw at the Calderon.
European champions Portugal spurned a two-goal lead against Tunisia, stumbling to a 2-2 draw, as France, one of the World Cup favourites, flexed their muscles with a comfortable 2-0 win over Ireland in warm-up friendlies on Monday.
Following a whirlwind few years, Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka can be forgiven for taking time to reset and relax as the sporting world goes on an indefinite pause due to the coronavirus crisis. Osaka, a two-time Grand Slam winner who also became the first Japanese player to reach world number one, had been preparing for another action-packed summer including her Olympics debut on home soil at Tokyo 2020.
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was used for the first time in a World Cup final to award France a 38th-minute penalty which Antoine Griezmann scored to give them a 2-1 lead over Croatia.
Balotelli made his debut for his hometown club after completing a four-match suspension that he was handed at Olympique de Marseille last season, while the visitors were without Cristiano Ronaldo as he recovers from injury.
Borussia Dortmund have started transfer talks with Bayern Munich over attacking midfielder Mario Goetze's possible return to Westfalenstadion, according to a media report. Goetze won two Bundesliga titles with Dortmund before joining Bayern in 2013 but failed to secure a starting place in three seasons under coach Pep Guardiola, who has since joined Premier League side Manchester City. The 24-year-old has also been linked in British media with a move to former Dortmund boss Juergen Klopp at Liverpool.
Manchester City and Italy striker Mario Balotelli needs surgery on a minor eye condition, first team coach David Platt said.
Italy striker Mario Balotelli was told he was to become a father hours before scoring twice against Germany in the semi-finals of Euro 2012.
With consecutive wins, Kerala now have 14 points from 12 matches.
Death defying stunts at 2,965 metres above sea level!
France overwhelmed Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup final at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium on Sunday to lift the trophy for the second time in 20 years.
'This remains an accident and an accident is not a crime. They do happen, unfortunately.'
Atalanta, who had a fairtytale run, making it to the quarter-finals of Europe's top club competition, were looking good to progress when Mario Pasalic scored the opening goal in the 26th minute to hand the Italians a one-goal lead.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Russia's World Cup dream ended within agonising sight of the semi-finals as they went down 4-3 on penalties to Croatia on Saturday after another gallant performance in front of their fanatical fans which again belied their lowly ranking.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field
London sides Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal made winning starts as did fellow Premier League club Leicester City.
We live in a wonderfully weird world and here's proof of it!
Aseem Chhabra brings you the Best of the Berlinale.
Manchester City's Mario Balotelli escaped unhurt from a car accident in Manchester on Thursday with the striker having received the backing of his manager Roberto Mancini.
Maverick forward Mario Balotelli will be in line for an Italy recall if he can keep up his current scoring spree, coach Giampiero Ventura said on Monday.
Mario Balotelli is tired of being in the eye of a hurricane, the president of the Italian soccer federation (FIGC) said on Monday after the maverick international became embroiled in another row.
Round-up of World Cup qualifiers played on Friday
Germany waited for their last group match at Euro 2016 to field a proper striker in their starting line-up and were rewarded when Mario Gomez did just enough to give them a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.
Germany's Mario Goetze brushed off criticism of his lacklustre performances at Euro 2016 on Sunday and said players were used to being praised one day and knocked off their pedestal the next.
Germany bolstered their back line with the return of central defender Mats Hummels on Thursday but lacked penetration at the other end of the field as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Poland at Euro 2016.
Indian gymnast Yogeshwar Singh finished 14th among 18 competitors in the men's individual all round event final in the Commonwealth Games on Saturday.
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli's agent has rejected talks of the player leaving Anfield to return to Italy this month.
Portugal had to settle for a 0-0 draw at home to Spain in a heavyweight friendly on Wednesday after hammering the crossbar twice and missing a last-gasp open goal.
The country of around 4 million people came to a standstill as Croatians watched the game on screens in squares and cafes.
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
AC Milan scraped a 1-0 win over third tier Alessandria thanks to a Mario Balotelli penalty, his first goal for four months, in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final.
Borussia Dortmund missed a bagful of chances to draw 1-1 at home with Augsburg on Tuesday, as they squandered the opportunity to make up ground in the Bundesliga title race heading into the winter break.
Russian made amends for their opening loss to Belgium as the group remains wide open.
Maverick striker Mario Balotelli has been fined 10,000 euros for making a provocative gesture to rival Cagliari supporters after scoring against them in AC Milan's 2-1 win on Sunday.
American tennis player Taylor Fritz and his doubles partner, Tik Tok personality Addison Rae, won the virtual Stay At Home Slam on Sunday as real-life tennis remains on hold because of the coronavirus crisis. The likes of the Williams sisters, Japanese stars Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori and the recently retired Maria Sharapova competed as their favourite characters from the world of Nintendo to raise money for charity.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Germany forward Mario Gomez, scorer of only one Serie A goal this season, struck twice in the first half hour to help Fiorentina beat Atalanta 3-1 in the Italian Cup on Wednesday.
