'Many of us hope that India will soon play well enough to be part of truly global sporting tournaments like the football World Cup and the Olympics,' says Aakar Patel.
Asked to rate Croatia's success in the past four years, Dalic said the 2018 semi-final win over England was so far their biggest match.
Saudi Arabia, FIFA's 51st ranked team and who have suffered 5-0 and 8-0 World Cup defeats down the years, roared back to claim an astonishing 2-1 victory that will go down as one of the greatest shocks in any sport ever.
Images from the opening day's action in the FIH men's Hockey World Cup in Odisha.
Millions of African fans mourned the agonising exit of Ghana, their last hope for World Cup glory, while four more nations stepped up to battle on Saturday for the remaining longed-for semi-final berths.
Germans basked in World Cup glory again when the national team were honoured before attending the premiere of the official movie about their victory in Brazil in July.
Brazil have become the first team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, maintaining their proud record as the tournament's only ever-present side with a little help from Lionel Messi's foul mouth and lightly-regarded Peru.
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.
Rani Rampal's double strike went in vain as India suffered their second consecutive defeat in the women's hockey World Cup, losing 3-6 to Australia in a Pool A match in Rosario, Argentina.
It is hard to image Germany coach Joachim Loew making any changes to the team that demolished hosts Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup semi-final for Sunday's final against Argentina after spending much of the tournament tinkering to find the right mix.
Brazil, who are fifth in the CONMEBOL table with 18 points from 12 games, host Colombia on March 21 and visit Argentina five days later in a match that could see Neymar come up against former Barcelona and Paris St Germain teammate Lionel Messi.
For Argentina players and captain Messi, who netted twice in the 120 minutes before also scoring in the shoot-out, it was the biggest title of their careers.
Pop star Shakira will perform before the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro on July 13, headlining a closing ceremony that includes guitar virtuoso Carlos Santana and rapper Wyclef Jean.
Messi doesn't need to win a World Cup to prove his greatness, feels iconic former Argentine striker Hernan Crespo.
Argentine, somehow, were ready for an emotional, nail-biting encounter, having already gone through a dress rehearsal in the same stadium against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
Argentina are on a 36-match unbeaten run with top scorer and captain Messi playing his fifth and last World Cup in search of the elusive honour
It has been a busy World Cup for Kazan's mural artists and in the early hours of Thursday morning they were back at work again painting the face of Neymar on a wall behind the Brazil team hotel.
Spain and Italy were placed in the same qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, as were the Netherlands and France, but holders Germany were handed a kinder campaign with the Czech Republic their chief rivals in the draw made on Saturday.
Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa put India in contention for a top-five finish at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup of Golf after combining for a brilliant seven-under 65 in the third-round four-ball in Shenzhen, China on Saturday.
Five strikers who surprised us in World Cup 2022.
Argentina won a record 16th Copa America title by beating Colombia 1-0 thanks to an extra-time goal from substitute Lautaro Martinez.
Ace drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat struck a second-half hat-trick as Germany made a sensational comeback after being two goals down to beat Australia 4-3 and enter the men's hockey World Cup final for the fifth time, in Bhubaneswar, on Friday.
The FIFA World Cup at Russia saw a variety of celebrations -- from the weird to some fancy dance moves -- Rediff.com has got it all covered here...
'Everyone now has the technology and the information to prepare games down to detail. Many years ago you used to go to a World Cup and it was a surprise on the day and talent and decisions on the pitch made a bigger difference'
The fourth of a five-part history of the World Cup from Uruguay in 1930 up to the preparations for the 2014 finals in Brazil.
Argentina and Mexico fans lit up the World Cup on Saturday with their vast and vociferous followings creating a thunderous atmosphere in and around Qatar's Lusail Stadium.
An uphill task awaits India in this year's women's hockey World Cup in Argentina where they have been clubbed alongside reigning World and Olympic champions the Netherlands and formidable teams like Germany and Australia.
The World Cup has seen the most talented footballers on the planet. The tournament is also home to the glamorous wives and girlfriends (WAGs) of these players.
'We know it is going to be very difficult to play against them, and that is why we need to trust in our assets and play the perfect game'
At least two of the eight first-round groups of four produced tough obstacles for their participants to progress to the knockout rounds.
Images of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Samuel Eto'o are still festooned on posters all over South Africa -- but sadly for them that's their only involvement as the World Cup reaches its final stages.
The comparison with Maradona for the title of the greatest Argentine player of all time cannot be complete without a world title, which the late Maradona won almost single-handedly 36 years ago.
Former champions France are not among the top three teams at the World Cup and will not lift the trophy on July 11, UEFA president Michel Platini said on Friday. Platini believes Spain, England and Brazil are favourites for the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa.
IMAGES from all the action on Day 8 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday.
Real Madrid have signed 17-year-old midfielder Franco Mastantuono from Argentine side River Plate on a six-year contract, the LaLiga club said on Friday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
For 15 years, Messi and Ronaldo battled like no others. Now, Messi shares what made their rivalry so special.
A diving header from Mario Mandzukic took a deflection off the Nigerian midfielder and crept into the goal for a deserved lead as Croatia dominated the count of chances created in the first 45 minutes.
