After playing the most soporific game of the World Cup so far, France will feature in a seismic last-16 clash of former champions with a resurgent Argentina on Saturday, and they will have to drastically improve if they are to stop Lionel Messi.
Locals and Argentinian fans started fighting during the playing of the national anthems prompting the Brazilian police to charge the visiting contingent.
A dominant India scored twice in the first and fourth quarters to beat South Africa 5-2 in a classification match and finish joint ninth in the FIH Men's World Cup.
James Rodriguez struck in the second half to give Colombia a 1-1 draw away against Chile in 2018 World Cup qualifying on Thursday as the hosts dropped their first points of the South American campaign.
The Pakistan government has revoked the two-year ban imposed on national hockey team skipper Ammad Shakeel Butt by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), deeming the ban illegal and unconstitutional. This decision follows Butt's criticism of the PHF's mismanagement during the recent Australia tour, which led to logistical nightmares for the team.
Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is not scheduled to play serious football on the 'G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025'.
Spain goalkeeper David de Gea made a rare error which led to his side drawing 1-1 at home to Switzerland in a World Cup warm-up friendly on Sunday which the hosts dominated but failed to make their superior possession count.
Angel Di Maria has claimed his former club Real Madrid put pressure on Argentina not to play him in the World Cup final in another bitter chapter in his departure from the Spanish giants.
Sreejesh accepted that there are a few grey areas which came to light during the recent runners-up finish at the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia.
'I hope Brazil can win. It's a long time since 2002, and I think it's time'
Lionel Messi struggled in the thin air of La Paz, fluffing a gilt-edged chance to end his goal drought against Bolivia, while Colombia marksman Radamel Falcao was kept scoreless in Venezuela on Tuesday.
Satadru Dutta's rise was swift and ambitious. But that journey took a dramatic nosedive on Saturday.
In the first quarter-final of the day, Germany eked out a narrow 3-1 win over Spain via the shoot-out after both the teams were locked at 2-2 in regulation time. Later, Argentina beat the Netherlands 2-1.
Rediff.com takes a look at the 10 big names that flopped at the World Cup 2014.
"On average, the victor outperforms the global market by 3.5 per cent in the first month - a meaningful amount, although the outperformance fades significantly after three months," the Goldman Sachs report says.
Time for you to turn football soothsayer!
Reuters sports writers chose their team of the tournament.
The Netherlands beat New Zealand in a Pool A match to register their second straight win in the men's hockey World Cup, at the Dhyan Chand National stadium in Delhi, on Wednesday.
The many moods of the fans at the World Cup in Russia
Reid submitted his resignation to Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, a day after the conclusion of the World Cup in Bhubaneswar
'At my age, it's only logical to think I might not.'
Quaison fires Sweden to extra-time World Cup playoff win over Czechs
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.
Mario Goetze's superb extra-time volley sealed a fourth World Cup for Germany with a 1-0 win over Argentina in a thrilling final on Sunday as they became the first European team to triumph on South American soil.
From the debate-arousing introduction of VAR to maximum number of Penalties to the superb Ronaldo, here are the A to Z of the ongoing 2018 World Cup
Brazil and Argentina have ousted Spain as the top picks for World Cup champions, according to a global field of 100 football fan economists polled by Reuters.
The 2014 World Cup was a captivating carnival of football with high drama and Germany displayed their credentials as worthy champions.
An inhospitable climate and the smallest population of any World Cup nation have failed to dampen Iceland's burning desire
For long stretches, the atmosphere felt less Mumbai and more Camp Nou. Chants of 'Barca... Barca' and 'Suarez... Suarez' echoed through the stands as Messi interacted with youngsters, celebrities and former India football captain Sunil Chhetri.
Diego Maradona's Argentina finally clinched a place in the 2010 World Cup finals following a tortuous qualifying campaign with a 1-0 away win over bitter rivals Uruguay on Wednesday.
Benjamin Pavard's swerving strike from the edge of the area in France's round of 16 win over Argentina in Kazan has been voted the best goal of the World Cup finals.
Uruguay's 2010 World Cup coach Oscar Washington Tabarez is adamant his team, representing a small country of 3.5 million people, would not dwell on that past when they head to South Africa for the June 11-July 11 finals.
Defending Copa America champions Argentina beat Canada 2-0 in the opening match of the tournament on Thursday.
Lionel Messi has overtaken Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's best player and could take Argentina to the final of the World Cup, coach Diego Maradona said.
Lionel Messi is not only Argentina's key attacking threat but he is also instrumental in helping the defence.
Germany's oracle octopus Paul picked Spain to beat the Netherlands in the World Cup final on Sunday in a live television broadcast watched across Europe.
Ahmed Musa returned to the line-up with devastating effect as he scored both goals for Nigeria to help them resuscitate their World Cup hopes in a 2-0 win over Iceland at the Volgograd Arena on Friday.
A guide to the Croatia starting 11 ahead of the World Cup final against France.
Postal service worker Kristbjorn Hilmir Kjartansson and his friend Gretar Jonsson, a film student, took 14 days to make the trip from Reykjavik to Volgograd.
