An early goal from Pablo Sarabia earned Spain a 1-0 win in Switzerland on Thursday, their first victory of this year's UEFA Nations League.
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.
Brazil's star centre-back Marquinhos discusses the significance of their FIFA international friendly against India in Kolkata. He views the match as a "golden opportunity" for the Selecao to gain experience and kickstart a new cycle after their disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign. Marquinhos acknowledges India's strong fan base for Brazil and emphasises the team's commitment to every game, regardless of its "friendly" status, as they focus on rebuilding confidence and winning.
Gianni Infantino's position as FIFA president is deemed 'untenable' by the head of Europe's professional football leagues following his failed plan to sell a stake in the World Cup's commercial rights, a move that triggered widespread protest and a loss of confidence from regional confederations.
A round-up of Friday's action in the UEFA Nations League.
Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, has announced his retirement from international football, concluding a career marked by numerous club and international accolades, including multiple Ballon d'Or awards and a World Cup title.
The victory saw Spain finish top of League A4 with 11 points after six games, joining France in the final four tournament, which will take place in October 2021.
Portugal became the first team to qualify for the Nations League semi-finals when they held Italy 0-0 on Saturday, the second time in a year that the hosts have been knocked out of a competition following a goalless draw at the San Siro.
A champions' mentality, a new generation of fearless players are some of the qualities that will have Saudi Arabia wary of the former champions in their upcoming Group H match on Sunday.
Images from the Nations League matches played on Tuesday.
World champions France won the Nations League final with goals from Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe earning them a 2-1 win over Spain at the San Siro stadium on Sunday.
Marcus Rashford's penalty and a deflected strike from Mason Mount helped England come from a goal down to overcome top-ranked Belgium 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday and climb above them in their UEFA Nations League group.
England will head to the World Cup on the back of a six-match winless sequence but with at least some pride and confidence restored after a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Germany in the Nations League on Monday.
A summary of Friday's action in the UEFA Nations League.
The 30-year-old joins Luke Shaw in the treatment room after the left back pulled out of the England squad with an injury on Monday.
Spain began a new era under Luis Enrique in impressive fashion as they came from a goal down to outplay England in a 2-1 win in their Nations League opener at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has acknowledged the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, a move that could significantly alter the sport's economics and logistics, despite opposition from major confederations like UEFA and AFC.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign, accusing the global governing body of 'destroying the football industry' through the expansion of international competitions at the expense of domestic leagues and clubs. Tebas also criticised the handling of a US player's ban and the proposed expansion of the men's World Cup.
Belgium finished five points clear at the top of League A Group 2 and will meet world champions France and former World Cup winners Italy and Spain in the final four next October.
Images from the Nations League matches.
Images from the Nations League football matches played on Thursday.
Images from the Nations League matches played on Thursday.
The Italian Football Federation has appointed legendary former captain Paolo Maldini as its new Technical Director, aiming to leverage his experience to revitalise the national team's international standing after recent World Cup qualification struggles.
World Cup hosts Russia got their Nations League campaign off to a flying start with a 2-1 win away to Turkey thanks to goals from Dennis Cheryshev and Artem Dzyuba on Friday.
Wijnaldum followed up after France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made a fine stop from point-blank range just before halftime and Depay sealed the victory to give the Dutch a chance to win the group when they meet Germany in Gelsenkirchen on Monday.
Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of football's greatest players, celebrated his 39th birthday. The article chronicles his journey from humble beginnings in Rosario to becoming a global superstar, highlighting his unparalleled success at Barcelona, his international triumphs with Argentina including the 2022 World Cup, his individual accolades like eight Ballon d'Or awards, and his current impact with Inter Miami, cementing his legacy as a record-breaking legend.
Klopp and his City counterpart Pep Guardiola were satisfied with their team's displays in a tight, tactical encounter which finished 0-0 at Anfield, but the German was clearly frustrated to now lose his players for international duty.
Real Madrid have signed Spain international Marc Cucurella from Chelsea on a six-year deal, making him Jose Mourinho's first signing since returning to the Santiago Bernabeu as manager.
Paris St Germain players presented their Champions League trophies to the French Open crowd on Monday, two days after winning Europe's premium club competition for the second time in a row.
Portugal rested Cristiano Ronaldo and still overcame new-look Italy 1-0 in their opening Nations League match on Monday, giving visiting coach Roberto Mancini plenty to think about. Forward Andre Silva scored three minutes after halftime in the League A Group 3 game to give the Portuguese their first win over Italy in a competitive match since 1957.
The result shook up League A Group 4, giving Ukraine an outside chance of finishing top of the group with two games remaining.
England ran riot by scoring three first-half goals to stun Spain and earn a 3-2 away win in the Nations League on Monday as they moved back into contention in League A Group 4 with their first victory on Spanish soil for 31 years.
Spain ended European champions Italy's world record 37-match unbeaten run as Ferran Torres scored twice in a 2-1 win at the San Siro stadium in an entertaining Nations League semi-final on Wednesday.
Evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick, including two late goals, to give Portugal a 3-1 win over Switzerland in a Nations League semi-final featuring an extraordinary VAR incident on Wednesday.
Debutant Helder Costa opened the scoring on his international debut for an experimental Portugal who made 10 changes from the team which started the 3-2 Nations League win in Poland on Thursday.
Football legends Thierry Henry, David Beckham, and Rivaldo have lauded Lionel Messi's extraordinary performance in Argentina's dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 comeback against Egypt, with Henry stating Messi is 'not human' for his ability to elevate his game when it matters most.
Three stars-Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, PSG's Ousmane Dembele, and Barcelona's Raphinha-have dominated the season with goals, assists, and match-winning performances.
Portugal's World Cup squad will wear commemorative wristbands in tribute to their late former teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash last year. Midfielder Vitinha discussed the team's approach to the upcoming tournament, acknowledging logistical challenges and expressing his personal ambition to win the World Cup.
England fought back to qualify for the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League as Harry Kane and Jesse Lingard scored late goals in a pulsating 2-1 victory over Croatia, who were relegated from Group A4 after defeat at Wembley on Sunday.
Italian football is experiencing a significant crisis following the failure of its clubs in European competitions and the national team's continued absence from the World Cup.
