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Paris Saint-Germain suffered a shock 1-0 Club World Cup defeat against Brazilian side Botafogo on Thursday in a hard-fought battle between the reigning champions of Europe and South America.&nbsp;A first-half goal from Brazilian international Igor Jesus proved the difference as Botafogo all but sealed a place in the knockout rounds in front of a 53,699 crowd at the Pasadena Rose Bowl.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-basketball-los-angeles-lakers-to-be-sold-in-record-breaking-10bn-deal-report-1750306093556">Los Angeles Lakers to be sold in record-breaking $10bn deal - Report</a>&nbsp;French champions PSG are widely regarded as one of the favourites for FIFA's 32-team tournament after a dazzling season which culminated with a scintillating 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final last month.&nbsp;But their hopes of securing a victory which would have seen them become the first side to reach the last 16 were stymied by a resilient performance from their opponents from Rio de Janeiro.&nbsp;"A lot of people wondered, but we showed how strong Botafogo is," goal scorer Jesus said after the win. "It was a difficult game, and we had to defend well, and we did our job and scored a goal.&nbsp;"We're really happy -- we knew how important this game was. One team was the champion of the Champions League, the other team was the champion of South America," added Jesus, who had been strongly linked with a move to English Premier League side Nottingham Forest earlier this year before opting to stay with the Brazilians to play in the Club World Cup.&nbsp;"I think I made the right choice to stay in Botafogo," Jesus quipped.&nbsp;Paris Saint-Germain picked up where they had left off in Sunday's 4-0 Group B rout of Atletico Madrid, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia testing Botafogo goalkeeper John with an early curling effort after just two minutes.&nbsp;But that early effort was as close as PSG came to scoring in a scrappy first half punctuated by a series of niggling fouls that prevented the European champions from settling into their passing game.&nbsp;Botafogo's midfield trio of Marlon Freitas, Gregore and Allan worked tirelessly to close down Vitinha, denying the skilful PSG playmaker time and space to launch attacks despite dominating possession.&nbsp;Instead, it was Botafogo who took the lead with a goal against the run of play on 36 minutes.&nbsp;Jefferson Savarino's perfectly weighted through ball split the PSG defence and sent Jesus racing through on goal.&nbsp;The Botafogo striker did brilliantly to wrongfoot the covering Willian Pacho before sweeping a shot that took a slight deflection past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma on its way into the net.&nbsp;PSG continued to dominate possession through the second half, and spent long periods camped in the final third.&nbsp;But Botafogo's defence held firm and the result leaves the Brazilians firmly on course for the last 16, with a final group game against Atletico Madrid to come in Pasadena on Monday.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Brazilian side Botafogo stun Champions League winner PSG in Club World Cup

Paris Saint-Germain suffered a shock 1-0 Club World Cup defeat against Brazilian side Botafogo on Thursday in a hard-fought battle between the reigning champions of Europe and South America. A first-half goal from Brazilian international Igor Jesus proved the difference as Botafogo all but sealed a place in the knockout rounds in front of a 53,699 crowd at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. Also read | Los Angeles Lakers to be sold in record-breaking $10bn deal - Report French champions PSG are widely regarded as one of the favourites for FIFA's 32-team tournament after a dazzling season which culminated with a scintillating 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final last month. But their hopes of securing a victory which would have seen them become the first side to reach the last 16 were stymied by a resilient performance from their opponents from Rio de Janeiro. "A lot of people wondered, but we showed how strong Botafogo is," goal scorer Jesus said after the win. "It was a difficult game, and we had to defend well, and we did our job and scored a goal. "We're really happy -- we knew how important this game was. One team was the champion of the Champions League, the other team was the champion of South America," added Jesus, who had been strongly linked with a move to English Premier League side Nottingham Forest earlier this year before opting to stay with the Brazilians to play in the Club World Cup. "I think I made the right choice to stay in Botafogo," Jesus quipped. Paris Saint-Germain picked up where they had left off in Sunday's 4-0 Group B rout of Atletico Madrid, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia testing Botafogo goalkeeper John with an early curling effort after just two minutes. But that early effort was as close as PSG came to scoring in a scrappy first half punctuated by a series of niggling fouls that prevented the European champions from settling into their passing game. Botafogo's midfield trio of Marlon Freitas, Gregore and Allan worked tirelessly to close down Vitinha, denying the skilful PSG playmaker time and space to launch attacks despite dominating possession. Instead, it was Botafogo who took the lead with a goal against the run of play on 36 minutes. Jefferson Savarino's perfectly weighted through ball split the PSG defence and sent Jesus racing through on goal. The Botafogo striker did brilliantly to wrongfoot the covering Willian Pacho before sweeping a shot that took a slight deflection past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma on its way into the net. PSG continued to dominate possession through the second half, and spent long periods camped in the final third. But Botafogo's defence held firm and the result leaves the Brazilians firmly on course for the last 16, with a final group game against Atletico Madrid to come in Pasadena on Monday. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

A first-half goal from Brazilian international Igor Jesus proved the difference as Botafogo all but sealed a place in the knockout rounds in front of a 53,699 crowd at the Pasadena Rose Bowl.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said Lionel Messi would be fit to face Porto at the Club World Cup on Thursday, despite showing signs of discomfort in training.&nbsp;A video emerged of Messi touching his left leg during the session on Wednesday, but Mascherano confirmed the veteran forward was ready for Miami's second Group A match in Atlanta.&nbsp;"On the trip from Miami to Atlanta, I saw that came out in some places, but Leo is fit, he trained, he completed the whole session," Mascherano told reporters.&nbsp;"He was touching his leg, sometimes people touch themselves, but there's no problem, he's fit and obviously he will play tomorrow."&nbsp;The coach said Messi's former Barcelona team-mate Jordi Alba was available after missing the opening 0-0 draw against Al Ahly due to injury.&nbsp;"We'll evaluate what's best for us, if he starts or not," said the coach. "Actually, I already know, but I won't tell you."&nbsp;&nbsp;Mascherano, meanwhile, said retaining possession would be the key against Portugal's Porto, regular Champions League participants who are likely to provide the MLS team with a stern test.&nbsp;"We have players who feel much more comfortable when they're in possession, dominating, and having control of the game through the ball," said the Argentine.&nbsp;"Of course, we're facing a team that also is used to doing that, who are a high-level side.&nbsp;"But on the pitch we're 11 against 11, we'll try to shut down their strengths, expose their weaknesses and try to have a great game to get a good result."&nbsp;Inter Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets, a member of Spain's 2010 World Cup-winning side and one of Messi's former Barcelona teammates, admitted his team would be up against it at the Mercedes-Benz stadium.&nbsp;"They have very good players, they have reinforced, and we know that it will be very difficult," Busquets told reporters.&nbsp;"They are a team that compete every year for their league, against other great teams like Sporting and Benfica.&nbsp;"We will try to be as solid as possible, stick close together and try to do the best we can as a team.&nbsp;"If we get chances, we have the individuals (who can finish them), but above all, we have to be solid and keep a clean sheet."

Messi fit to play Porto in Club World Cup, confirms Inter coach Mascherano

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said Lionel Messi would be fit to face Porto at the Club World Cup on Thursday, despite showing signs of discomfort in training. A video emerged of Messi touching his left leg during the session on Wednesday, but Mascherano confirmed the veteran forward was ready for Miami's second Group A match in Atlanta. "On the trip from Miami to Atlanta, I saw that came out in some places, but Leo is fit, he trained, he completed the whole session," Mascherano told reporters. "He was touching his leg, sometimes people touch themselves, but there's no problem, he's fit and obviously he will play tomorrow." The coach said Messi's former Barcelona team-mate Jordi Alba was available after missing the opening 0-0 draw against Al Ahly due to injury. "We'll evaluate what's best for us, if he starts or not," said the coach. "Actually, I already know, but I won't tell you." Mascherano, meanwhile, said retaining possession would be the key against Portugal's Porto, regular Champions League participants who are likely to provide the MLS team with a stern test. "We have players who feel much more comfortable when they're in possession, dominating, and having control of the game through the ball," said the Argentine. "Of course, we're facing a team that also is used to doing that, who are a high-level side. "But on the pitch we're 11 against 11, we'll try to shut down their strengths, expose their weaknesses and try to have a great game to get a good result." Inter Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets, a member of Spain's 2010 World Cup-winning side and one of Messi's former Barcelona teammates, admitted his team would be up against it at the Mercedes-Benz stadium. "They have very good players, they have reinforced, and we know that it will be very difficult," Busquets told reporters. "They are a team that compete every year for their league, against other great teams like Sporting and Benfica. "We will try to be as solid as possible, stick close together and try to do the best we can as a team. "If we get chances, we have the individuals (who can finish them), but above all, we have to be solid and keep a clean sheet."

A video emerged of Messi touching his left leg during the session on Wednesday, but Mascherano confirmed the veteran forward was ready for Miami's second Group A match in Atlanta.

Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal at the Club World Cup in new coach Xabi Alonso's first game in charge on Wednesday, after Manchester City got off to a winning start.&nbsp;In the late game, Juventus thrashed Al Ain 5-0 in Washington after visiting US President Donald Trump at the White House.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-premier-league-manchester-united-arsenal-headline-blockbuster-opening-day-1750235356235">Premier League: Manchester United-Arsenal headline blockbuster opening day</a>&nbsp;Federico Valverde had a stoppage-time penalty saved as Real were forced to settle for a point in the Group H match in Miami, having taken the lead.&nbsp;It was a disappointing outcome for the large contingent of fans of the Spanish side in the crowd of 62,415 at Hard Rock Stadium.&nbsp;"The first half wasn't as good as the second one. In the second half, we had better chances, better control. For sure, we have the principles to start building something, but we could have won," Alonso told broadcaster DAZN.&nbsp;The former Bayer Leverkusen coach gave debuts to new signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen in defence, but Real were missing Kylian Mbappe through illness.&nbsp;Gonzalo Garcia started in his place, and the 21-year-old seized his chance as he opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark from a Rodrygo assist.&nbsp;Al Hilal hit back in their new coach Simone Inzaghi's first game on the bench with Ruben Neves levelling before the break from the penalty spot following a Raul Asencio foul.&nbsp;Real had the chance to claim victory in stoppage time after Mohammed Al Qahtani was ruled to have put his hand in the face of Fran Garcia in the box.&nbsp;However, Valverde's spot-kick was saved by Yassine Bounou to give the Saudi team a draw after a hugely creditable performance.&nbsp;RB Salzburg took the lead in Group H with a 2-1 win over Mexican outfit Pachuca in Cincinnati.&nbsp;The match was suspended early in the second half with the Austrian team leading 1-0 because of a storm, resuming 97 minutes later.<h2>Foden stars</h2>&nbsp;In Philadelphia, Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku scored first-half goals as Pep Guardiola's City eased to a 2-0 win against Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in Group G.&nbsp;City gave debuts to new signings Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki, but it was Foden who opened the scoring inside two minutes.&nbsp;Doku converted the second goal from a Foden corner shortly before the interval in a game played in sweaty early afternoon conditions in front of 37,446 fans at Lincoln Financial Field.&nbsp;The afternoon was slightly marred for City as Rico Lewis was sent off for a dangerous tackle late on, but Guardiola was satisfied with the winning start as his side looks to turn the page following a difficult last season.&nbsp;"It is so hot. The humidity is not easy. We had good moments, many new players. The first game in this group stage is always really, really important. I saw many, many good things," said Guardiola, who suggested he will make sweeping changes for the next match against Al Ain in Atlanta on Sunday.&nbsp;"We are going to train well in the next few days and then fresh legs for the next game to try to improve things," Guardiola added.&nbsp;“We have a lot of new players, injured players back, and step by step, we will get to the right tempo.”<h3>Juve dominant</h3>&nbsp;Juventus, who sent a delegation to the White House earlier in the day to present Trump with a club shirt, surged to the top of Group G with a crushing triumph over the UAE team Al Ain at Audi Field.&nbsp;On loan Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao both struck twice, while Kenan Yildiz was also on target.&nbsp;"I'm delighted for my goals but first and foremost for the team's win," Conceicao, on loan from Porto, told DAZN.&nbsp;"We started the game well and that's what we wanted to do, to win this opening match, and now we need to kick on."&nbsp;The second round of group games begins on Thursday, with matches including Lionel Messi's Inter Miami against Porto and European champions Paris Saint-Germain facing Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Club World Cup: Real Madrid held as Manchester City, Juventus triumph in openers

Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal at the Club World Cup in new coach Xabi Alonso's first game in charge on Wednesday, after Manchester City got off to a winning start. In the late game, Juventus thrashed Al Ain 5-0 in Washington after visiting US President Donald Trump at the White House. Also read | Premier League: Manchester United-Arsenal headline blockbuster opening day Federico Valverde had a stoppage-time penalty saved as Real were forced to settle for a point in the Group H match in Miami, having taken the lead. It was a disappointing outcome for the large contingent of fans of the Spanish side in the crowd of 62,415 at Hard Rock Stadium. "The first half wasn't as good as the second one. In the second half, we had better chances, better control. For sure, we have the principles to start building something, but we could have won," Alonso told broadcaster DAZN. The former Bayer Leverkusen coach gave debuts to new signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen in defence, but Real were missing Kylian Mbappe through illness. Gonzalo Garcia started in his place, and the 21-year-old seized his chance as he opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark from a Rodrygo assist. Al Hilal hit back in their new coach Simone Inzaghi's first game on the bench with Ruben Neves levelling before the break from the penalty spot following a Raul Asencio foul. Real had the chance to claim victory in stoppage time after Mohammed Al Qahtani was ruled to have put his hand in the face of Fran Garcia in the box. However, Valverde's spot-kick was saved by Yassine Bounou to give the Saudi team a draw after a hugely creditable performance. RB Salzburg took the lead in Group H with a 2-1 win over Mexican outfit Pachuca in Cincinnati. The match was suspended early in the second half with the Austrian team leading 1-0 because of a storm, resuming 97 minutes later. Foden stars In Philadelphia, Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku scored first-half goals as Pep Guardiola's City eased to a 2-0 win against Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in Group G. City gave debuts to new signings Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki, but it was Foden who opened the scoring inside two minutes. Doku converted the second goal from a Foden corner shortly before the interval in a game played in sweaty early afternoon conditions in front of 37,446 fans at Lincoln Financial Field. The afternoon was slightly marred for City as Rico Lewis was sent off for a dangerous tackle late on, but Guardiola was satisfied with the winning start as his side looks to turn the page following a difficult last season. "It is so hot. The humidity is not easy. We had good moments, many new players. The first game in this group stage is always really, really important. I saw many, many good things," said Guardiola, who suggested he will make sweeping changes for the next match against Al Ain in Atlanta on Sunday. "We are going to train well in the next few days and then fresh legs for the next game to try to improve things," Guardiola added. “We have a lot of new players, injured players back, and step by step, we will get to the right tempo.” Juve dominant Juventus, who sent a delegation to the White House earlier in the day to present Trump with a club shirt, surged to the top of Group G with a crushing triumph over the UAE team Al Ain at Audi Field. On loan Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao both struck twice, while Kenan Yildiz was also on target. "I'm delighted for my goals but first and foremost for the team's win," Conceicao, on loan from Porto, told DAZN. "We started the game well and that's what we wanted to do, to win this opening match, and now we need to kick on." The second round of group games begins on Thursday, with matches including Lionel Messi's Inter Miami against Porto and European champions Paris Saint-Germain facing Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Federico Valverde had a stoppage-time penalty saved as Real were forced to settle for a point in the Group H match in Miami, having taken the lead.

Liverpool will kick off their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on Friday, August 15 while Arsenal head to Manchester United in a blockbuster clash on the opening weekend.&nbsp;Arne Slot's champions have the chance to secure the first points of the new season at Anfield as they launch the 2025/26 campaign.&nbsp;Following the Bournemouth game they have tricky fixtures at Newcastle and at home to Arsenal.&nbsp;Thomas Frank's first match as Tottenham boss will come on August 16 at home against newly promoted Burnley, while Sunderland make their return to the top flight against West Ham on the same day.&nbsp;The third newcomers, Leeds, play Everton on Monday, August 18.&nbsp;Ruben Amorim's Manchester United, who will be desperate to make a strong start after a terrible league campaign last season, have been handed a hugely challenging test with a home game against Arsenal on August 17.&nbsp;The final day of the season falls on May 24, with matches including Manchester City against Aston Villa.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Liverpool will kick off their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on Friday, August 15 while Arsenal head to Manchester United in a blockbuster clash on the opening weekend.

Liverpool will kick off their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on Friday, August 15 while Arsenal head to Manchester United in a blockbuster clash on the opening weekend. Arne Slot's champions have the chance to secure the first points of the new season at Anfield as they launch the 2025/26 campaign. Following the Bournemouth game they have tricky fixtures at Newcastle and at home to Arsenal. Thomas Frank's first match as Tottenham boss will come on August 16 at home against newly promoted Burnley, while Sunderland make their return to the top flight against West Ham on the same day. The third newcomers, Leeds, play Everton on Monday, August 18. Ruben Amorim's Manchester United, who will be desperate to make a strong start after a terrible league campaign last season, have been handed a hugely challenging test with a home game against Arsenal on August 17. The final day of the season falls on May 24, with matches including Manchester City against Aston Villa. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Liverpool will kick off their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on Friday, August 15 while Arsenal head to Manchester United in a blockbuster clash on the opening weekend.

Premier League: Manchester United-Arsenal headline blockbuster opening day

Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw against Monterrey in their FIFA Club World Cup Group E opener in Pasadena on Tuesday.&nbsp;Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez scored a well-worked equaliser to cancel out Sergio Ramos's opener for Monterrey in a hard-fought tussle in front of 40,311 fans at the Rose Bowl.&nbsp;Inter, playing their first game since being thrashed 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final earlier this month, were left ruing their failure to turn their dominance of possession and territory into goals.&nbsp;The Italian giants were in complete control almost from the kick-off, Benjamin Pavard the first to threaten with an eighth-minute shot that flew over the bar.&nbsp;Matteo Darmian should have done better in the 22nd minute but shot over after clever work down the left from Nicolo Barella.&nbsp;Yet despite the early onslaught, Inter were rocked in the 25th minute when Monterrey scored from one of their few forays into the Italians' half.&nbsp;Midfielder Oliver Torres swung a corner in from the right and the 39-year-old former Real Madrid and Spain star Ramos -- who had lost Francesco Acerbi on the edge of the six-yard box -- steered his header into the bottom corner.&nbsp;Inter were soon back on the offensive and only a point-blank save by Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada from Sebastiano Esposito prevented an equaliser.&nbsp;Martinez also went close after 36 minutes, and Inter had a strong penalty appeal when Pavard's header struck Ramos on the arm inside the area.&nbsp;VAR found in favor of Ramos and Monterrey escaped.&nbsp;Three minutes later Inter drew level with a wonderfully worked free-kick routine.Albanian international Kristjan Asllani shaped to shoot from 25 yards out but instead flighted a delicate chip behind the Monterrey defence.&nbsp;Brazilian international Carlos Augusto timed his run to perfection and squared into the path of Martinez, who tapped in for 1-1.&nbsp;Monterrey almost regained the lead against the run of play on 64 minutes, Sergio Canales unleashing a low shot that cannoned off the post.&nbsp;Inter had a Martinez goal ruled out for offside moments later as the Italians continued to threaten.&nbsp;But it was Monterrey who came closest to grabbing a winner in stoppage time when Colombian midfielder Nelson Deossa got behind the Inter defence but could only shoot into the side netting.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw against Monterrey in their FIFA Club World Cup Group E opener in Pasadena on Tuesday.

Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw against Monterrey in their FIFA Club World Cup Group E opener in Pasadena on Tuesday. Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez scored a well-worked equaliser to cancel out Sergio Ramos's opener for Monterrey in a hard-fought tussle in front of 40,311 fans at the Rose Bowl. Inter, playing their first game since being thrashed 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final earlier this month, were left ruing their failure to turn their dominance of possession and territory into goals. The Italian giants were in complete control almost from the kick-off, Benjamin Pavard the first to threaten with an eighth-minute shot that flew over the bar. Matteo Darmian should have done better in the 22nd minute but shot over after clever work down the left from Nicolo Barella. Yet despite the early onslaught, Inter were rocked in the 25th minute when Monterrey scored from one of their few forays into the Italians' half. Midfielder Oliver Torres swung a corner in from the right and the 39-year-old former Real Madrid and Spain star Ramos -- who had lost Francesco Acerbi on the edge of the six-yard box -- steered his header into the bottom corner. Inter were soon back on the offensive and only a point-blank save by Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada from Sebastiano Esposito prevented an equaliser. Martinez also went close after 36 minutes, and Inter had a strong penalty appeal when Pavard's header struck Ramos on the arm inside the area. VAR found in favor of Ramos and Monterrey escaped. Three minutes later Inter drew level with a wonderfully worked free-kick routine. Albanian international Kristjan Asllani shaped to shoot from 25 yards out but instead flighted a delicate chip behind the Monterrey defence. Brazilian international Carlos Augusto timed his run to perfection and squared into the path of Martinez, who tapped in for 1-1. Monterrey almost regained the lead against the run of play on 64 minutes, Sergio Canales unleashing a low shot that cannoned off the post. Inter had a Martinez goal ruled out for offside moments later as the Italians continued to threaten. But it was Monterrey who came closest to grabbing a winner in stoppage time when Colombian midfielder Nelson Deossa got behind the Inter defence but could only shoot into the side netting. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw against Monterrey in their FIFA Club World Cup Group E opener in Pasadena on Tuesday.

FIFA Club World Cup: Inter Milan held by Monterrey to start campaign

Four Atletico Madrid ultras have been handed suspended jail sentences for hanging a dummy of Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior from a bridge in what police deemed a "hate crime", judicial sources said on Monday.&nbsp;A dark-skinned effigy wearing the Brazil forward's jersey was hung by the neck from a highway bridge near Real Madrid's training ground in January 2023, ahead of the club's match against Atletico.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-fifa-club-world-cup-2025-psg-cruise-over-atletico-bayern-thrash-auckland-1750043532580">FIFA Club World Cup 2025: PSG cruise over Atletico, Bayern thrash Auckland</a>&nbsp;Police in May 2023 arrested four men -- all of them members of Frente Atletico, one of Atletico Madrid's ultra fan groups -- who were suspected of being responsible.&nbsp;Under a plea deal with the prosecution, which still must be confirmed by a court, the four pleaded guilty to the crimes of making threats against the player and infringing his fundamental rights, the judicial sources said.&nbsp;Three of the men accepted a sentence of 14 months, while one was given a 22-month sentence for also distributing images of the act online.&nbsp;The four will not serve jail time since in Spain it is customary for those sentenced to under two years for non-violent crimes to have their sentence suspended if they have no criminal record.&nbsp;Public prosecutors had asked they each be slapped with a four-year jail term.&nbsp;The four have signed a letter of apology addressed to Vinicius, Real Madrid, La Liga and the Spanish football federation, and will be required to complete a training programme on equal treatment and non-discrimination, La Liga said in a statement.&nbsp;They were also fined and barred from coming within 1,000 metres of the Brazilian player or any stadium for more than five years, the statement added.&nbsp;"This ruling marks a strong step forward in the fight against hate and discrimination in sport," La Liga said, noting it had filed the original complaint following the incidents.&nbsp;Real Madrid welcomed the ruling, saying in a separate statement that the four bring to 14 the total number of people convicted for racist attacks against their players.&nbsp;&nbsp;The club pledged to continue efforts to "eradicate any racist behaviour in the world of football".&nbsp;The black Brazilian forward, who testified via videoconference in the case last month, has been the target of numerous racist incidents since arriving in Madrid in 2018, sparking public outrage and resulting in several court convictions.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Four Atletico Madrid ultras get suspended jail for hanging Vinicius’ dummy

Four Atletico Madrid ultras have been handed suspended jail sentences for hanging a dummy of Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior from a bridge in what police deemed a "hate crime", judicial sources said on Monday. A dark-skinned effigy wearing the Brazil forward's jersey was hung by the neck from a highway bridge near Real Madrid's training ground in January 2023, ahead of the club's match against Atletico. Also read | FIFA Club World Cup 2025: PSG cruise over Atletico, Bayern thrash Auckland Police in May 2023 arrested four men -- all of them members of Frente Atletico, one of Atletico Madrid's ultra fan groups -- who were suspected of being responsible. Under a plea deal with the prosecution, which still must be confirmed by a court, the four pleaded guilty to the crimes of making threats against the player and infringing his fundamental rights, the judicial sources said. Three of the men accepted a sentence of 14 months, while one was given a 22-month sentence for also distributing images of the act online. The four will not serve jail time since in Spain it is customary for those sentenced to under two years for non-violent crimes to have their sentence suspended if they have no criminal record. Public prosecutors had asked they each be slapped with a four-year jail term. The four have signed a letter of apology addressed to Vinicius, Real Madrid, La Liga and the Spanish football federation, and will be required to complete a training programme on equal treatment and non-discrimination, La Liga said in a statement. They were also fined and barred from coming within 1,000 metres of the Brazilian player or any stadium for more than five years, the statement added. "This ruling marks a strong step forward in the fight against hate and discrimination in sport," La Liga said, noting it had filed the original complaint following the incidents. Real Madrid welcomed the ruling, saying in a separate statement that the four bring to 14 the total number of people convicted for racist attacks against their players. The club pledged to continue efforts to "eradicate any racist behaviour in the world of football". The black Brazilian forward, who testified via videoconference in the case last month, has been the target of numerous racist incidents since arriving in Madrid in 2018, sparking public outrage and resulting in several court convictions. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

A dark-skinned effigy wearing the Brazil forward's jersey was hung by the neck from a highway bridge near Real Madrid's training ground in January 2023, ahead of the club's match against Atletico.

Paris Saint-Germain laid down an ominous marker on their march towards global domination at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday as Bayern Munich showed no mercy to Auckland's amateurs with a ruthless 10-0 walloping.&nbsp;The first full day of action at the inaugural edition of the 32-team club tournament saw newly crowned European champions PSG produce a scintillating 4-0 rout of Atletico Madrid after Bayern's double-digit drubbing of Auckland City.&nbsp;The New Zealand minnows are one of the Cinderella stories of the tournament, made up of amateur players who had to take unpaid leave to travel to the United States.&nbsp;But Bundesliga Goliaths Bayern were in no mood to indulge the Davids from the Oceania region, and duly ran riot in Cincinnati.&nbsp;Jamal Musiala scored a second-half hat-trick after coming off the bench while Kingsley Coman, Michael Olise and Thomas Mueller all netted twice.&nbsp;Sacha Boey scored the other goal in a Group C game that amounted to target practice for Bayern, who will face tougher tests ahead in the tournament against Boca Juniors and Benfica.&nbsp;"We have to remain modest but it was important to be able to say that we took the game seriously," said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany.&nbsp;"It was a good first match at the tournament, but of course challenges are going to grow and it's going to become more difficult."&nbsp;Auckland's interim coach Ivan Vicelich admitted that his team had run into the "reality of football against one of the world's top teams."&nbsp;"It is a dream for players coming from an amateur level to play in this environment," Vicelich said.&nbsp;"We knew it was going to be a very difficult game, playing against one of the top teams in the world, potentially one of the favourites for the Club World Cup, so we are just really proud of the players' efforts."<h2>Hungry PSG rout Atleti</h2>While Bayern were left satisfied with a clinical opening, PSG delivered a statement win over Atleti in front of an 80,619 crowd at a sun-baked Pasadena Rose Bowl -- the venue for the 1994 World Cup final.&nbsp;The French champions shrugged off searing heat -- temperatures reached 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 Fahrenheit) shortly after the midday kick-off -- to produce the kind of adventurous, attacking display which became their calling card en route to their dazzling Champions League triumph earlier this month.&nbsp;Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha gave PSG a 2-0 lead by half-time before Senny Mayulu and Lee Kang-In sealed an impressive Group B win with late goals against an Atleti team who struggled to cope with the French side's multi-faceted attacking play.&nbsp;PSG are bidding to crown a superb season which saw them win four trophies at home and in Europe with a fifth title.&nbsp;On Sunday's evidence, few would bet against Luis Enrique's side from being crowned world champions.&nbsp;"We had the objective of making history this season, but this is a new chapter," Luis Enrique said in his post-match news conference.&nbsp;"It's a nice challenge for the players and the team, to want to keep winning."The club is hungry, the fans are hungry, the players and the team are hungry, and that's a good feeling. We have the same objective as in other competitions, which is to go as far as possible and try to win it."&nbsp;Atletico manager Diego Simeone refused to cite the heat as a factor in his team's defeat."I cannot blame it on the heat -- we both played in the same weather conditions," Simeone said. "They played much better than we did. They have amazing players and that's why they've just won everything."&nbsp;In other games on Sunday, Brazil's Palmeiras drew 0-0 with Portuguese giants Porto in Group A at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.Another Brazilian side, Botafogo, face the Seattle Sounders in Group B later.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Saint-Germain laid down an ominous marker on their march towards global domination at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday as Bayern Munich showed no mercy to Auckland amateurs with a ruthless 10-0 walloping.

Paris Saint-Germain laid down an ominous marker on their march towards global domination at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday as Bayern Munich showed no mercy to Auckland's amateurs with a ruthless 10-0 walloping. The first full day of action at the inaugural edition of the 32-team club tournament saw newly crowned European champions PSG produce a scintillating 4-0 rout of Atletico Madrid after Bayern's double-digit drubbing of Auckland City. The New Zealand minnows are one of the Cinderella stories of the tournament, made up of amateur players who had to take unpaid leave to travel to the United States. But Bundesliga Goliaths Bayern were in no mood to indulge the Davids from the Oceania region, and duly ran riot in Cincinnati. Jamal Musiala scored a second-half hat-trick after coming off the bench while Kingsley Coman, Michael Olise and Thomas Mueller all netted twice. Sacha Boey scored the other goal in a Group C game that amounted to target practice for Bayern, who will face tougher tests ahead in the tournament against Boca Juniors and Benfica. "We have to remain modest but it was important to be able to say that we took the game seriously," said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany. "It was a good first match at the tournament, but of course challenges are going to grow and it's going to become more difficult." Auckland's interim coach Ivan Vicelich admitted that his team had run into the "reality of football against one of the world's top teams." "It is a dream for players coming from an amateur level to play in this environment," Vicelich said. "We knew it was going to be a very difficult game, playing against one of the top teams in the world, potentially one of the favourites for the Club World Cup, so we are just really proud of the players' efforts." Hungry PSG rout Atleti While Bayern were left satisfied with a clinical opening, PSG delivered a statement win over Atleti in front of an 80,619 crowd at a sun-baked Pasadena Rose Bowl -- the venue for the 1994 World Cup final. The French champions shrugged off searing heat -- temperatures reached 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 Fahrenheit) shortly after the midday kick-off -- to produce the kind of adventurous, attacking display which became their calling card en route to their dazzling Champions League triumph earlier this month. Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha gave PSG a 2-0 lead by half-time before Senny Mayulu and Lee Kang-In sealed an impressive Group B win with late goals against an Atleti team who struggled to cope with the French side's multi-faceted attacking play. PSG are bidding to crown a superb season which saw them win four trophies at home and in Europe with a fifth title. On Sunday's evidence, few would bet against Luis Enrique's side from being crowned world champions. "We had the objective of making history this season, but this is a new chapter," Luis Enrique said in his post-match news conference. "It's a nice challenge for the players and the team, to want to keep winning. "The club is hungry, the fans are hungry, the players and the team are hungry, and that's a good feeling. We have the same objective as in other competitions, which is to go as far as possible and try to win it." Atletico manager Diego Simeone refused to cite the heat as a factor in his team's defeat. "I cannot blame it on the heat -- we both played in the same weather conditions," Simeone said. "They played much better than we did. They have amazing players and that's why they've just won everything." In other games on Sunday, Brazil's Palmeiras drew 0-0 with Portuguese giants Porto in Group A at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Another Brazilian side, Botafogo, face the Seattle Sounders in Group B later. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Saint-Germain laid down an ominous marker on their march towards global domination at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday as Bayern Munich showed no mercy to Auckland's amateurs with a ruthless 10-0 walloping.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: PSG cruise over Atletico, Bayern thrash Auckland

Gennaro Gattuso was named Italy's new coach on Sunday and will be tasked with helping the Azzurri qualify for the 2026 World Cup after replacing Luciano Spalletti. The 47-year-old was part of the 2006 World Cup-winning side and won 73 caps for the national team as a player.&nbsp;The Italian football federation (FIGC) said Gattuso would be presented to the media on Thursday.&nbsp;"Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football," said FIGC president Gabriele Gravina. "The blue shirt is like a second skin for him. His motivation, his professionalism and his experience will be essential.&nbsp;"(He is) Aware of the importance of the objective we want to achieve. I thank him for the total dedication with which he has accepted this challenge."&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-mauricio-pochettino-defends-christian-pulisic-omission-says-i-m-not-a-mannequin-1749962291516">Mauricio Pochettino defends Christian Pulisic omission, says 'I'm not a mannequin'</a>&nbsp;Four-time champions Italy have failed to qualify for the past two World Cups and started their bid to reach next year's tournament in North America with a 3-0 loss to Norway last week.&nbsp;Gattuso is an experienced coach and was last in charge of Croatian club Hajduk Split, helping them qualify for next season's UEFA Conference League.&nbsp;His other former clubs include AC Milan, for whom he made 468 appearances as a player, Napoli, Valencia and Marseille.&nbsp;Italy are next in action in Group I of qualifying with games against Estonia and Israel in September.&nbsp;Spalletti was sacked after the Norway defeat, and Monday's win over Moldova was his last match in charge.&nbsp;Italy missed out on the 2018 World Cup in Russia after losing a play-off to Sweden and then also failed to qualify for the 2022 finals in Qatar, suffering a shock exit from the play-offs at the hands of North Macedonia.&nbsp;Gattuso has had a mixed coaching career since retiring as a player in 2013.&nbsp;His only major trophy as a head coach was the 2019/20 Italian Cup with Napoli.&nbsp;He lasted only 22 and 24 matches in charge of Valencia and Marseille, respectively, while an announced deal with Fiorentina was rescinded just two weeks before his contract was due to begin in 2021.&nbsp;According to Italian media, former Italy defenders Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci will join his coaching staff.&nbsp;Former boss Cesare Prandelli is expected to take over the youth teams.&nbsp;The FIGC had been turned down by both Claudio Ranieri and Stefano Pioli before appointing Gattuso.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso replaces Luciano Spalletti as new Italy coach

Gennaro Gattuso was named Italy's new coach on Sunday and will be tasked with helping the Azzurri qualify for the 2026 World Cup after replacing Luciano Spalletti. The 47-year-old was part of the 2006 World Cup-winning side and won 73 caps for the national team as a player. The Italian football federation (FIGC) said Gattuso would be presented to the media on Thursday. "Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football," said FIGC president Gabriele Gravina. "The blue shirt is like a second skin for him. His motivation, his professionalism and his experience will be essential. "(He is) Aware of the importance of the objective we want to achieve. I thank him for the total dedication with which he has accepted this challenge." Also read | Mauricio Pochettino defends Christian Pulisic omission, says 'I'm not a mannequin' Four-time champions Italy have failed to qualify for the past two World Cups and started their bid to reach next year's tournament in North America with a 3-0 loss to Norway last week. Gattuso is an experienced coach and was last in charge of Croatian club Hajduk Split, helping them qualify for next season's UEFA Conference League. His other former clubs include AC Milan, for whom he made 468 appearances as a player, Napoli, Valencia and Marseille. Italy are next in action in Group I of qualifying with games against Estonia and Israel in September. Spalletti was sacked after the Norway defeat, and Monday's win over Moldova was his last match in charge. Italy missed out on the 2018 World Cup in Russia after losing a play-off to Sweden and then also failed to qualify for the 2022 finals in Qatar, suffering a shock exit from the play-offs at the hands of North Macedonia. Gattuso has had a mixed coaching career since retiring as a player in 2013. His only major trophy as a head coach was the 2019/20 Italian Cup with Napoli. He lasted only 22 and 24 matches in charge of Valencia and Marseille, respectively, while an announced deal with Fiorentina was rescinded just two weeks before his contract was due to begin in 2021. According to Italian media, former Italy defenders Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci will join his coaching staff. Former boss Cesare Prandelli is expected to take over the youth teams. The FIGC had been turned down by both Claudio Ranieri and Stefano Pioli before appointing Gattuso. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Four-time champions Italy have failed to qualify for the past two World Cups and started their bid to reach next year's tournament in North America with a 3-0 loss to Norway last week.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his decision to omit Christian Pulisic from recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland on Saturday, saying he alone was responsible for choosing his squad.&nbsp;AC Milan star Pulisic has been at the center of a simmering controversy over his request to be excused from US duty in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which kicked off on Saturday.Former US international players including Landon Donovan have criticised Pulisic's decision, questioning his commitment to representing the United States.&nbsp;Pulisic hit back at his critics on Thursday, revealing that while he had asked to skip the Gold Cup he had been willing to play in the warm-up games &nbsp;-- only to be denied by Pochettino.&nbsp;The winger said that he had accepted Pochettino's decision but did not "understand" it.Asked about his decision to leave out Pulisic on Saturday, Pochettino said it was not for players to pick and choose which games they wanted to play in.&nbsp;"He explained why he only wanted to be involved in two games," Pochettino said of Pulisic. "And I respect and I understand him. I understand him. But I don't need for him to understand our decision. Because my position is, I am 53 with a lot of experience in football."&nbsp;"If he performs well and he is the best, it's normal he's going to have a place in the national team.&nbsp;"It's not because a player [is saying]: 'I want to play.' 'I want this.' 'I want that.' I signed my contract with the federation and I am the head coach -- I am not a mannequin."The USA open their Gold Cup campaign against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his decision to omit Christian Pulisic from recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland on Saturday, saying he alone was responsible for choosing his squad.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his decision to omit Christian Pulisic from recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland on Saturday, saying he alone was responsible for choosing his squad. AC Milan star Pulisic has been at the center of a simmering controversy over his request to be excused from US duty in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which kicked off on Saturday. Former US international players including Landon Donovan have criticised Pulisic's decision, questioning his commitment to representing the United States. Pulisic hit back at his critics on Thursday, revealing that while he had asked to skip the Gold Cup he had been willing to play in the warm-up games -- only to be denied by Pochettino. The winger said that he had accepted Pochettino's decision but did not "understand" it. Asked about his decision to leave out Pulisic on Saturday, Pochettino said it was not for players to pick and choose which games they wanted to play in. "He explained why he only wanted to be involved in two games," Pochettino said of Pulisic. "And I respect and I understand him. I understand him. But I don't need for him to understand our decision. Because my position is, I am 53 with a lot of experience in football." "If he performs well and he is the best, it's normal he's going to have a place in the national team. "It's not because a player [is saying]: 'I want to play.' 'I want this.' 'I want that.' I signed my contract with the federation and I am the head coach -- I am not a mannequin." The USA open their Gold Cup campaign against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his decision to omit Christian Pulisic from recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland on Saturday, saying he alone was responsible for choosing his squad.

Mauricio Pochettino defends Christian Pulisic omission, says 'I'm not a mannequin'

Tottenham hired Brentford's Thomas Frank as their new manager on Thursday as the Dane replaced the sacked Ange Postecoglou.&nbsp;Frank agreed a three-year contract with Tottenham and becomes the north London club's fourth permanent boss since June 2021.&nbsp;"We are delighted to announce the appointment of Thomas Frank as our new head coach on a contract that runs until 2028," a Tottenham statement said. "In Thomas, we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game.&nbsp;"He has a proven track record in player and squad development, and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead."&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-great-kevin-de-bruyne-joins-italian-side-napoli-on-free-transfer-1749786177551">Manchester City great Kevin De Bruyne joins Italian side Napoli on free transfer</a>&nbsp;Tottenham set their sights on Frank after chairman Daniel Levy axed Postecoglou last week, just 16 days after he won the Europa League final against Manchester United to end the club's 17-year trophy drought.&nbsp;Frank is the 14th permanent manager of Levy's 24-year tenure.&nbsp;Levy made an official approach to Brentford earlier this week, with the deal concluded after Tottenham agreed to allow the Dane to hire his Bees assistant coach Justin Cochrane.&nbsp;Frank's Brentford contract was set to run until 2027, with a reported release clause of about £10 million ($13.6 million).&nbsp;The 51-year-old led Brentford back to the top flight in 2021 after an absence of 74 years and has established the west London club in the Premier League.&nbsp;Now he will be tasked with lifting Tottenham back among the Premier League's elite.&nbsp;Tottenham will play in the Champions League next season thanks to their Europa League success in Bilbao, where they beat Manchester United 1-0.&nbsp;Tottenham's first European trophy for 41 years delivered on Postecoglou's boast that he always wins silverware in his second season.&nbsp;However, the Australian paid the price for a miserable Premier League season as Tottenham finished 17th after losing 22 of their 38 games.<h2>‘Emotional intelligence’</h2>&nbsp;Tottenham finished seven places and 18 points below Frank's Brentford.&nbsp;While Postecoglou was criticised for an overly attacking game plan for much of his two-season reign, Frank has been credited with a tactically flexible approach and a deft man-management style.&nbsp;Frank will also bring head of performance Chris Haslam and first-team analyst Joe Newton with him from Brentford, while another assistant coach, Andreas Georgson, arrives from Manchester United.&nbsp;Georgson spent a year at Brentford as a set-piece coach, while Tottenham's technical director, Johan Lange, worked with Frank at Lyngby in Denmark.&nbsp;Brentford director of football Phil Giles saluted Frank's role in his club's remarkable rise.&nbsp;"From the moment he replaced Dean Smith, he understood what we were trying to build, and his wisdom, coaching ability, and emotional intelligence have helped transform the club," Giles said.&nbsp;"But it's not just what you see on the pitch. He forged a special connection with our fans, helped develop and improve players, and was instrumental in implementing the culture that has seen Brentford go from strength to strength."&nbsp;Frank began his coaching career in the youth set-up of the Danish national team before a three-year stint at Brondby.&nbsp;He initially joined Brentford as an assistant coach before stepping in to replace Dean Smith seven years ago.&nbsp;After losing out in the 2020 Championship play-off final, Brentford bounced back to win promotion through the play-offs a year later.&nbsp;Since then, the Bees have finished 13th, ninth, 16th and 10th despite consistently selling some of their best players.&nbsp;Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is the bookmakers' favourite to replace Frank at Brentford.&nbsp;Frank will manage Tottenham for the first time competitively on August 13 in the UEFA Super Cup against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.&nbsp;

Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur sign Thomas Frank as new manager

Tottenham hired Brentford's Thomas Frank as their new manager on Thursday as the Dane replaced the sacked Ange Postecoglou. Frank agreed a three-year contract with Tottenham and becomes the north London club's fourth permanent boss since June 2021. "We are delighted to announce the appointment of Thomas Frank as our new head coach on a contract that runs until 2028," a Tottenham statement said. "In Thomas, we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game. "He has a proven track record in player and squad development, and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead." Also read | Manchester City great Kevin De Bruyne joins Italian side Napoli on free transfer Tottenham set their sights on Frank after chairman Daniel Levy axed Postecoglou last week, just 16 days after he won the Europa League final against Manchester United to end the club's 17-year trophy drought. Frank is the 14th permanent manager of Levy's 24-year tenure. Levy made an official approach to Brentford earlier this week, with the deal concluded after Tottenham agreed to allow the Dane to hire his Bees assistant coach Justin Cochrane. Frank's Brentford contract was set to run until 2027, with a reported release clause of about £10 million ($13.6 million). The 51-year-old led Brentford back to the top flight in 2021 after an absence of 74 years and has established the west London club in the Premier League. Now he will be tasked with lifting Tottenham back among the Premier League's elite. Tottenham will play in the Champions League next season thanks to their Europa League success in Bilbao, where they beat Manchester United 1-0. Tottenham's first European trophy for 41 years delivered on Postecoglou's boast that he always wins silverware in his second season. However, the Australian paid the price for a miserable Premier League season as Tottenham finished 17th after losing 22 of their 38 games. ‘Emotional intelligence’ Tottenham finished seven places and 18 points below Frank's Brentford. While Postecoglou was criticised for an overly attacking game plan for much of his two-season reign, Frank has been credited with a tactically flexible approach and a deft man-management style. Frank will also bring head of performance Chris Haslam and first-team analyst Joe Newton with him from Brentford, while another assistant coach, Andreas Georgson, arrives from Manchester United. Georgson spent a year at Brentford as a set-piece coach, while Tottenham's technical director, Johan Lange, worked with Frank at Lyngby in Denmark. Brentford director of football Phil Giles saluted Frank's role in his club's remarkable rise. "From the moment he replaced Dean Smith, he understood what we were trying to build, and his wisdom, coaching ability, and emotional intelligence have helped transform the club," Giles said. "But it's not just what you see on the pitch. He forged a special connection with our fans, helped develop and improve players, and was instrumental in implementing the culture that has seen Brentford go from strength to strength." Frank began his coaching career in the youth set-up of the Danish national team before a three-year stint at Brondby. He initially joined Brentford as an assistant coach before stepping in to replace Dean Smith seven years ago. After losing out in the 2020 Championship play-off final, Brentford bounced back to win promotion through the play-offs a year later. Since then, the Bees have finished 13th, ninth, 16th and 10th despite consistently selling some of their best players. Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is the bookmakers' favourite to replace Frank at Brentford. Frank will manage Tottenham for the first time competitively on August 13 in the UEFA Super Cup against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Frank agreed a three-year contract with Tottenham and becomes the north London club's fourth permanent boss since June 2021.

Kevin De Bruyne has signed for Napoli as a free agent after being released by Manchester City, the Serie A champions' president Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed on Thursday.&nbsp;Film mogul De Laurentiis posted a picture of himself shaking hands with De Bruyne on social media with the message "welcome Kevin!"&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-poland-coach-michal-probierz-resigns-after-robert-lewandowski-boycott-and-2026-fifa-world-cup-qualifier-loss-1749727014608">Poland coach Probierz resigns after Lewandowski boycott and WC qualifier loss</a>&nbsp;Belgium midfielder De Bruyne has reportedly signed a two-year deal with an option for a third at Napoli, where he will join up with international teammate Romelu Lukaku and former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay.&nbsp;The 33-year-old left City at the end of this past season after a trophy-packed decade in Manchester, where under Pep Guardiola he won six Premier League titles and in 2023 the Champions League.&nbsp;He has, however, suffered from a series of physical problems in recent seasons, with two hamstring injuries causing him to miss significant chunks of the last two campaigns.&nbsp;Napoli have brought in one of Europe's top midfielders as the Italians try to bolster a squad which next season will defend the Scudetto while also having the extra fixture pressure of the expanded Champions League.&nbsp;Antonio Conte's Napoli beat Inter Milan to the Serie A title on the final day of the season, their second league crown in three years.&nbsp;But they had no European football clogging up their calendar, unlike Inter, who got to the Champions League final only to be thumped 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Manchester City great Kevin De Bruyne joins Italian side Napoli on free transfer

Kevin De Bruyne has signed for Napoli as a free agent after being released by Manchester City, the Serie A champions' president Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed on Thursday. Film mogul De Laurentiis posted a picture of himself shaking hands with De Bruyne on social media with the message "welcome Kevin!" Also read | Poland coach Probierz resigns after Lewandowski boycott and WC qualifier loss Belgium midfielder De Bruyne has reportedly signed a two-year deal with an option for a third at Napoli, where he will join up with international teammate Romelu Lukaku and former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay. The 33-year-old left City at the end of this past season after a trophy-packed decade in Manchester, where under Pep Guardiola he won six Premier League titles and in 2023 the Champions League. He has, however, suffered from a series of physical problems in recent seasons, with two hamstring injuries causing him to miss significant chunks of the last two campaigns. Napoli have brought in one of Europe's top midfielders as the Italians try to bolster a squad which next season will defend the Scudetto while also having the extra fixture pressure of the expanded Champions League. Antonio Conte's Napoli beat Inter Milan to the Serie A title on the final day of the season, their second league crown in three years. But they had no European football clogging up their calendar, unlike Inter, who got to the Champions League final only to be thumped 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Belgium midfielder De Bruyne has reportedly signed a two-year deal with an option for a third at Napoli, where he will join up with international teammate Romelu Lukaku and former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay.

Poland coach Michal Probierz, who had been feuding with star striker Robert Lewandowski, has resigned for "the good of the national team", the country's football federation said on Thursday.&nbsp;"I have come to the conclusion that in the current situation, the best decision for the good of the national team will be my resignation from the position of selector. Performing this function was the fulfilment of my professional dreams and the greatest honour in my life," Probierz said in a statement from the Polish Football Federation (PZPN).&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-unrest-over-ticket-prices-cloud-premier-league-record-6-3bn-revenue-report-says-1749699303815">Unrest over ticket prices clouds Premier League’s record £6.3bn revenue, report says</a>&nbsp;Lewandowski's announcement on Sunday that he would boycott the team while Probierz remained coach was followed by a 2-1 loss away to Finland that knocked Poland off the top of their European World Cup qualifying group.&nbsp;The striker was not part of the Polish squad in the recent international window. According to the Polish news agency PAP, the Barcelona player had asked to be excused to rest.&nbsp;Lewandowski was unhappy that he had been stripped of the captain's armband by Probierz.&nbsp;"Taking into account the circumstances and a loss of trust in the coach, I have decided to resign from playing for the Poland national team for as long as he remains in charge," Lewandowski wrote on social media.&nbsp;"I hope I will still have another chance to play again for the best fans in the world," he added.&nbsp;The 36-year-old Lewandowski made his Poland debut in 2008 and has been captain since 2014. He holds the Polish record for caps, with 158, and goals, with 85 -- 37 more than the country's next highest scorer, Wlodzimierz Lubanski.&nbsp;Probierz had been the coach since September 2023. He led Poland to the Euro 2024 finals, where they failed to win a game and were eliminated in the group stage.&nbsp;In his 21 matches in charge, he won nine, drew five and lost seven.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Thank you, of course, to all the footballers I have had the pleasure of meeting along the way," he wrote in the PZPN post. "I will keep my fingers crossed for all of you, because the national team is our common national asset."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Poland coach Probierz resigns after Lewandowski boycott and WC qualifier loss

Poland coach Michal Probierz, who had been feuding with star striker Robert Lewandowski, has resigned for "the good of the national team", the country's football federation said on Thursday. "I have come to the conclusion that in the current situation, the best decision for the good of the national team will be my resignation from the position of selector. Performing this function was the fulfilment of my professional dreams and the greatest honour in my life," Probierz said in a statement from the Polish Football Federation (PZPN). Also read | Unrest over ticket prices clouds Premier League’s record £6.3bn revenue, report says Lewandowski's announcement on Sunday that he would boycott the team while Probierz remained coach was followed by a 2-1 loss away to Finland that knocked Poland off the top of their European World Cup qualifying group. The striker was not part of the Polish squad in the recent international window. According to the Polish news agency PAP, the Barcelona player had asked to be excused to rest. Lewandowski was unhappy that he had been stripped of the captain's armband by Probierz. "Taking into account the circumstances and a loss of trust in the coach, I have decided to resign from playing for the Poland national team for as long as he remains in charge," Lewandowski wrote on social media. "I hope I will still have another chance to play again for the best fans in the world," he added. The 36-year-old Lewandowski made his Poland debut in 2008 and has been captain since 2014. He holds the Polish record for caps, with 158, and goals, with 85 -- 37 more than the country's next highest scorer, Wlodzimierz Lubanski. Probierz had been the coach since September 2023. He led Poland to the Euro 2024 finals, where they failed to win a game and were eliminated in the group stage. In his 21 matches in charge, he won nine, drew five and lost seven. "Thank you, of course, to all the footballers I have had the pleasure of meeting along the way," he wrote in the PZPN post. "I will keep my fingers crossed for all of you, because the national team is our common national asset." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Lewandowski was unhappy that he had been stripped of the captain's armband by Probierz.

The combined revenue of Premier League clubs rose to a record £6.3 billion ($8.5 billion, 7.5 billion euros) in the 2023/24 season, but fan unrest and worsening competitive balance are cause for concern, according to financial experts Deloitte. The rise in income for England's 20 top-flight clubs was fuelled by commercial income surpassing £2 billion for the first time and a rise in matchday revenue beyond £900 million.&nbsp;English clubs continue to enjoy a huge financial advantage over their European rivals.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tuchel-wants-bellingham-s-intimidating-fire-to-be-directed-at-opponents-and-not-teammates-after-senegal-loss-1749665137933">Tuchel wants Bellingham's 'intimidating fire to be directed at opponents and not teammates' after Senegal loss</a>&nbsp;Spain's La Liga, the second-highest revenue-generating league, earned just over half that amount at 3.8 billion euros, almost 50 per cent of which came from Real Madrid and Barcelona.&nbsp;However, fan protests have become a common sight at Premier League stadiums over rising ticket prices and the squeezing out of local supporters to make way for more tourists willing to spend more for a special matchday experience.&nbsp;"There can be no doubt that the system in English football is under strain," said Tim Bridge, the lead partner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group.&nbsp;"Repeated reports of fan unrest at ticket prices and accessibility demonstrate the challenge in the modern era of balancing commercial growth with the historic essence of a football club's role and position in society: as a community asset."&nbsp;There is also uncertainty over the implications of an incoming independent regulator for England's top five leagues.&nbsp;And for the past two seasons, all three promoted clubs from the Championship have been immediately relegated back to the second tier.&nbsp;"The financial implications of the 'yo-yo effect' on clubs, their spending, and overall competitiveness are major factors to address in order to continue attracting high levels of investment across the system," added Bridge in Deloitte's Annual Review of Football Finance.&nbsp;Total revenue of European clubs rose by eight per cent in the 2023/24 campaign to 38 billion euros, boosted by increased commercial revenue and stadium developments.&nbsp;The women's game also continues to grow commercially, particularly in England's Women's Super League (WSL).&nbsp;Collective revenues in the WSL rose 34 per cent to £65 million in 2023/24 and are projected to reach £100 million in the upcoming season.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Unrest over ticket prices clouds Premier League’s record £6.3bn revenue, report says

The combined revenue of Premier League clubs rose to a record £6.3 billion ($8.5 billion, 7.5 billion euros) in the 2023/24 season, but fan unrest and worsening competitive balance are cause for concern, according to financial experts Deloitte. The rise in income for England's 20 top-flight clubs was fuelled by commercial income surpassing £2 billion for the first time and a rise in matchday revenue beyond £900 million. English clubs continue to enjoy a huge financial advantage over their European rivals. Also read | Tuchel wants Bellingham's 'intimidating fire to be directed at opponents and not teammates' after Senegal loss Spain's La Liga, the second-highest revenue-generating league, earned just over half that amount at 3.8 billion euros, almost 50 per cent of which came from Real Madrid and Barcelona. However, fan protests have become a common sight at Premier League stadiums over rising ticket prices and the squeezing out of local supporters to make way for more tourists willing to spend more for a special matchday experience. "There can be no doubt that the system in English football is under strain," said Tim Bridge, the lead partner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group. "Repeated reports of fan unrest at ticket prices and accessibility demonstrate the challenge in the modern era of balancing commercial growth with the historic essence of a football club's role and position in society: as a community asset." There is also uncertainty over the implications of an incoming independent regulator for England's top five leagues. And for the past two seasons, all three promoted clubs from the Championship have been immediately relegated back to the second tier. "The financial implications of the 'yo-yo effect' on clubs, their spending, and overall competitiveness are major factors to address in order to continue attracting high levels of investment across the system," added Bridge in Deloitte's Annual Review of Football Finance. Total revenue of European clubs rose by eight per cent in the 2023/24 campaign to 38 billion euros, boosted by increased commercial revenue and stadium developments. The women's game also continues to grow commercially, particularly in England's Women's Super League (WSL). Collective revenues in the WSL rose 34 per cent to £65 million in 2023/24 and are projected to reach £100 million in the upcoming season. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The rise in income for England's 20 top-flight clubs was fuelled by commercial income surpassing £2 billion for the first time and a rise in matchday revenue beyond £900 million.

England manager Thomas Tuchel is determined to harness Jude Bellingham's "fire" to his side's advantage rather than the Real Madrid star intimidating team-mates or raging at referees.Tuchel suffered his first defeat in four games as England boss on Tuesday when Senegal became the first African side to ever beat the Three Lions in a 3-1 friendly win.Bellingham thought he had made it 2-2 late on at Nottingham Forest's City Ground only for the goal to be controversially disallowed before Senegal broke away for a third in stoppage time.Tuchel had to restrain Bellingham's protests at the decision at full-time and said it is a balancing act to retain the 21-year-old's fight without it bubbling over.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-destroyed-indian-football-former-captain-bhaichung-bhutia-slams-kalyan-chaubey-after-latest-debacle-1749641083536">Destroyed Indian football! Former captain Bhaichung Bhutia slams Kalyan Chaubey after latest debacle</a>"He has a certain something and brings an edge. It's needed if we want to achieve big things," Tuchel told talkSPORT."It needs to be channelled towards the opponent and towards our goal, and not to intimidate team-mates or be aggressive towards team-mates or referees but always on winning."He has the fire -- I don't want to dim that, he should play with that as that's his strength."But the fire comes also with some attribute that can intimidate team-mates. Sometimes you see the explosion towards referees and the anger in his game."If he can channel this in the right way he has something that we need and that edge is hard to find."Tuchel, who won the Champions League at Chelsea and league titles with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, was hired with the task of ending England's wait for a major tournament victory since 1966.Under Gareth Southgate they reached the final of each of the last two Euros, plus a quarter-final and semi-final of the past two World Cups.Tuchel has a richly talented squad to choose from but has so far failed to find the right blend in three underwhelming World Cup qualifying wins over Albania, Latvia and Andorra before the Senegal defeat."I already have an idea of what to do," he added with one year to go till the 2026 World Cup begins."We did some experiments in the second camp, not everything was bad, we did some good things but the two games were not good enough."It was a good learning and it brings clarity. Each game is a learning situation and helps us mould the team and find solutions."Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Bellingham thought he had made it 2-2 late on at Nottingham Forest's City Ground only for the goal to be controversially disallowed before Senegal broke away for a third in stoppage time.

England manager Thomas Tuchel is determined to harness Jude Bellingham's "fire" to his side's advantage rather than the Real Madrid star intimidating team-mates or raging at referees. Tuchel suffered his first defeat in four games as England boss on Tuesday when Senegal became the first African side to ever beat the Three Lions in a 3-1 friendly win. Bellingham thought he had made it 2-2 late on at Nottingham Forest's City Ground only for the goal to be controversially disallowed before Senegal broke away for a third in stoppage time. Tuchel had to restrain Bellingham's protests at the decision at full-time and said it is a balancing act to retain the 21-year-old's fight without it bubbling over. Also Read - Destroyed Indian football! Former captain Bhaichung Bhutia slams Kalyan Chaubey after latest debacle "He has a certain something and brings an edge. It's needed if we want to achieve big things," Tuchel told talkSPORT. "It needs to be channelled towards the opponent and towards our goal, and not to intimidate team-mates or be aggressive towards team-mates or referees but always on winning. "He has the fire -- I don't want to dim that, he should play with that as that's his strength. "But the fire comes also with some attribute that can intimidate team-mates. Sometimes you see the explosion towards referees and the anger in his game. "If he can channel this in the right way he has something that we need and that edge is hard to find." Tuchel, who won the Champions League at Chelsea and league titles with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, was hired with the task of ending England's wait for a major tournament victory since 1966. Under Gareth Southgate they reached the final of each of the last two Euros, plus a quarter-final and semi-final of the past two World Cups. Tuchel has a richly talented squad to choose from but has so far failed to find the right blend in three underwhelming World Cup qualifying wins over Albania, Latvia and Andorra before the Senegal defeat. "I already have an idea of what to do," he added with one year to go till the 2026 World Cup begins. "We did some experiments in the second camp, not everything was bad, we did some good things but the two games were not good enough. "It was a good learning and it brings clarity. Each game is a learning situation and helps us mould the team and find solutions." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Bellingham thought he had made it 2-2 late on at Nottingham Forest's City Ground only for the goal to be controversially disallowed before Senegal broke away for a third in stoppage time.

Tuchel wants Bellingham's 'intimidating fire to be directed at opponents and not teammates' after Senegal loss

Indian football saw another low on Tuesday (June 10) as they lost 1-0 to Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualification. The defeat has seen India set a new low as they now face a tough task to even book their place in the continental showpiece. In the aftermath of the defeat, the blame game has started to take place with former captain Bhaichung Bhutia slamming All India Football Federation (AIFF) chief Kalyan Chaubey, claiming he has destroyed Indian football.<h2>Bhaichung Bhutia slams Kalyan Chaubey</h2>"It's very painful to see we're now struggling to even qualify for the Asia Cup, which we had been regularly making it to," Bhutia told PTI, his frustration mirroring that of fans across the country.&nbsp;"Countries like Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Jordan have qualified for the World Cup, and we're still battling for a place in the Asia Cup. It's very unfortunate," he added, pointing to India's stagnation in comparison to their Asian peers.&nbsp;Playing at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong, India conceded a 94th minute winner, meaning the Blue Tigers sit bottom of the table. After failing to qualify for the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, India have now gone winless in the two qualifying matches, raising question marks on the quality of football in the nation.&nbsp;After a stale 90 minutes at the newly constructed Kai Tak Stadium, it was a 94th minute penalty that settled the contest. A late penalty converted by Stefan Pereira decided the match after Indian goalkeeper Vishal Kaith fouled Hong Kong’s Michael Udebuluzor in the box.&nbsp;The defeat leaves more questions than answers for the Indian football, who now sit bottom of the standings in the Asian Cup qualification.&nbsp;At the time of writing, India have lost one and drawn one and have the same number of points as Bangladesh. With each team set to play six matches in the qualification phase, India’s qualification will be in jeopardy if they fail to win in their upcoming matches.&nbsp;The Indian team recently lost to Afghanistan in a World Cup qualifier match, which ended their path to the 2026 tournament. That was followed by a draw against Bangladesh, who now have football stars like Hamza Choudhury.

Indian football saw another low on Tuesday (June 10) as they lost 1-0 to Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualification. 

Indian football saw another low on Tuesday (June 10) as they lost 1-0 to Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualification. The defeat has seen India set a new low as they now face a tough task to even book their place in the continental showpiece. In the aftermath of the defeat, the blame game has started to take place with former captain Bhaichung Bhutia slamming All India Football Federation (AIFF) chief Kalyan Chaubey, claiming he has destroyed Indian football. Bhaichung Bhutia slams Kalyan Chaubey "It's very painful to see we're now struggling to even qualify for the Asia Cup, which we had been regularly making it to," Bhutia told PTI, his frustration mirroring that of fans across the country. "Countries like Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Jordan have qualified for the World Cup, and we're still battling for a place in the Asia Cup. It's very unfortunate," he added, pointing to India's stagnation in comparison to their Asian peers. Playing at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong, India conceded a 94th minute winner, meaning the Blue Tigers sit bottom of the table. After failing to qualify for the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, India have now gone winless in the two qualifying matches, raising question marks on the quality of football in the nation. After a stale 90 minutes at the newly constructed Kai Tak Stadium, it was a 94th minute penalty that settled the contest. A late penalty converted by Stefan Pereira decided the match after Indian goalkeeper Vishal Kaith fouled Hong Kong’s Michael Udebuluzor in the box. The defeat leaves more questions than answers for the Indian football, who now sit bottom of the standings in the Asian Cup qualification. At the time of writing, India have lost one and drawn one and have the same number of points as Bangladesh. With each team set to play six matches in the qualification phase, India’s qualification will be in jeopardy if they fail to win in their upcoming matches. The Indian team recently lost to Afghanistan in a World Cup qualifier match, which ended their path to the 2026 tournament. That was followed by a draw against Bangladesh, who now have football stars like Hamza Choudhury.

Indian football saw another low on Tuesday (June 10) as they lost 1-0 to Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualification.&nbsp;

Destroyed Indian football! Former captain Bhaichung Bhutia slams Kalyan Chaubey after latest debacle

Palestine’s dream of making it to their maiden <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/fifa-worldcup">FIFA World Cup</a> came to a painful end on Tuesday (June 10) at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman as Oman scored late in the AFC Qualifiers.&nbsp;Just when it looked like<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/palestine"> Palestine</a> would get over Oman in their 2026 FIFA World-Cup qualifying game, their journey was cut short in the 97th minute after Essam Al-Subhi equalised to end the match 1-1.&nbsp;Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-another-low-for-indian-football-blue-tigers-condemned-to-embarrassing-defeat-in-asian-cup-qualification-by-hong-kong-1749615976258">Another low for Indian football, Blue Tigers condemned to embarrassing defeat in Asian Cup qualification by Hong Kong</a>&nbsp;After a hard-fought 2-0 win over Kuwait, Palestine had a ray of sunshine left in them to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That victory kept them just one point away from the playoff positions, with everything depending on their final group match against Oman.&nbsp;On the final matchday, Palestine needed a win over Oman and stay alive in the World Cup qualification race. Oday Kharoub opened the scoring for Palestine in the crucial match in the opening minutes of the second half. However, that lead did not last as the war-prone nation conceded a late equaliser, which ended their pursuit of a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.&nbsp;Despite their strong grit and determination, they couldn't get the result they needed. Oman held on to their fourth-place spot, ending Palestine’s historic run and playoff hopes.&nbsp;The heartbreak comes after several thrilling performances from Palestine, including a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Iraq in March. The team fought hard and played with passion but in the end, it just wasn’t enough to get over the line.&nbsp;<h2>Two Asian teams qualify for their First FIFA World Cup 2026</h2>Earlier, the June international window brought high drama in AFC World Cup qualifiers. Several teams made history, including Jordan and Uzbekistan, both qualifying for the World Cup for the very first time.&nbsp;Jordan sealed their spot with an impressive 3-0 win over Oman, sparking wild celebrations across the country. While Uzbekistan's goalless draw against the UAE was enough for them to book a ticket to the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

Palestine’s dream of making it to their maiden FIFA World Cup came to a painful end on Tuesday (June 10) at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman as Oman scored late in the AFC Qualifiers.

Palestine’s dream of making it to their maiden FIFA World Cup came to a painful end on Tuesday (June 10) at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman as Oman scored late in the AFC Qualifiers. Just when it looked like Palestine would get over Oman in their 2026 FIFA World-Cup qualifying game, their journey was cut short in the 97th minute after Essam Al-Subhi equalised to end the match 1-1. Also Read | Another low for Indian football, Blue Tigers condemned to embarrassing defeat in Asian Cup qualification by Hong Kong After a hard-fought 2-0 win over Kuwait, Palestine had a ray of sunshine left in them to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That victory kept them just one point away from the playoff positions, with everything depending on their final group match against Oman. On the final matchday, Palestine needed a win over Oman and stay alive in the World Cup qualification race. Oday Kharoub opened the scoring for Palestine in the crucial match in the opening minutes of the second half. However, that lead did not last as the war-prone nation conceded a late equaliser, which ended their pursuit of a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite their strong grit and determination, they couldn't get the result they needed. Oman held on to their fourth-place spot, ending Palestine’s historic run and playoff hopes. The heartbreak comes after several thrilling performances from Palestine, including a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Iraq in March. The team fought hard and played with passion but in the end, it just wasn’t enough to get over the line. Two Asian teams qualify for their First FIFA World Cup 2026 Earlier, the June international window brought high drama in AFC World Cup qualifiers. Several teams made history, including Jordan and Uzbekistan, both qualifying for the World Cup for the very first time. Jordan sealed their spot with an impressive 3-0 win over Oman, sparking wild celebrations across the country. While Uzbekistan's goalless draw against the UAE was enough for them to book a ticket to the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

Palestine’s dream of making it to their maiden FIFA World Cup came to a painful end on Tuesday (June 10) at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman as Oman scored late in the AFC Qualifiers.

Late Oman equaliser officially cut shorts Palestine's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification dream

The Indian football team suffered yet another low point on Tuesday (June 10) as they lost 1-0 to Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualification. Playing at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong, India conceded a 94th minute winner, meaning the Blue Tigers sit bottom of the table. After failing to qualify for the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, India have now gone winless in the two qualifying matches, raising question marks on the quality of football in the nation.<h2>India suffer embarrassing defeat to Hong Kong</h2>India headed into the Asian Cup Qualifiers as the higher seed with a world ranking of 127th against Hong Kong on Tuesday. However, that did not a word difference for Hong Kong who are ranked 153rd in FIFA World Men’s rankings. After a stale 90 minutes at the newly constructed Kai Tak Stadium, it was a 94th minute penalty that settled the match.A late penalty converted by Stefan Pereira decided the match after Indian goalkeeper Vishal Kaith fouled Hong Kong’s Michael Udebuluzor in the box.&nbsp;The defeat leaves more questions than answers for the Indian football, who now sit bottom of the standings in the Asian Cup qualification.&nbsp;At the time of writing, India have lost one and drawn one and have the same number of points as Bangladesh. With each team set to play six matches in the qualification phase, India’s qualification will be in jeopardy if they fail to win in their upcoming matches.&nbsp;The Indian team recently lost to Afghanistan in a World Cup qualifier match, which ended their path to the 2026 tournament. That was followed by a draw against Bangladesh, who now have football stars like Hamza Choudhury.&nbsp;As things stand, it doesn’t look like there is light at the end of the tunnel with plenty of structural changes needed. India next take on table toppers Singapore in October, where a defeat will put them on the brink of elimination from the Asian Cup Qualification.

The Indian football team suffered yet another low point on Tuesday (June 10) as they lost 1-0 to Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualification. 

The Indian football team suffered yet another low point on Tuesday (June 10) as they lost 1-0 to Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualification. Playing at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong, India conceded a 94th minute winner, meaning the Blue Tigers sit bottom of the table. After failing to qualify for the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, India have now gone winless in the two qualifying matches, raising question marks on the quality of football in the nation. India suffer embarrassing defeat to Hong Kong India headed into the Asian Cup Qualifiers as the higher seed with a world ranking of 127th against Hong Kong on Tuesday. However, that did not a word difference for Hong Kong who are ranked 153rd in FIFA World Men’s rankings. After a stale 90 minutes at the newly constructed Kai Tak Stadium, it was a 94th minute penalty that settled the match. A late penalty converted by Stefan Pereira decided the match after Indian goalkeeper Vishal Kaith fouled Hong Kong’s Michael Udebuluzor in the box. The defeat leaves more questions than answers for the Indian football, who now sit bottom of the standings in the Asian Cup qualification. At the time of writing, India have lost one and drawn one and have the same number of points as Bangladesh. With each team set to play six matches in the qualification phase, India’s qualification will be in jeopardy if they fail to win in their upcoming matches. The Indian team recently lost to Afghanistan in a World Cup qualifier match, which ended their path to the 2026 tournament. That was followed by a draw against Bangladesh, who now have football stars like Hamza Choudhury. As things stand, it doesn’t look like there is light at the end of the tunnel with plenty of structural changes needed. India next take on table toppers Singapore in October, where a defeat will put them on the brink of elimination from the Asian Cup Qualification.

The Indian football team suffered yet another low point on Tuesday (June 10) as they lost 1-0 to Hong Kong in the Asian Cup qualification.&nbsp;

Another low for Indian football, Blue Tigers condemned to embarrassing defeat in Asian Cup qualification by Hong Kong

Brazil booked their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America on Tuesday with a 1-0 home victory over Paraguay, the first win of new coach Carlo Ancelotti's reign.&nbsp;The five-time world champions -- the only team to appear in every edition of the World Cup -- punched their ticket to the finals in Canada, the United States and Mexico thanks to Vinicius Jr.&nbsp;The Real Madrid star fired Brazil into the lead in Sao Paulo, bundling home from close range in the 44th minute after a cross from new Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha.&nbsp;Uruguay's 2-0 victory over Venezuela in Montevideo earlier Tuesday had raised the prospect of qualification for both Brazil and Paraguay at the Corinthians Arena.Paraguay were left needing only a point to qualify after Venezuela's defeat, while Brazil knew they could advance with a win.&nbsp;In the event it was Brazil who seized the opportunity presented by Venezuela's loss with Vinicius scoring the only goal just before half-time.&nbsp;A lacklustre Brazil had struggled to create many chances up until that point, with Cunha squandering a golden chance in the 35th minute after heading wide from point-blank range.&nbsp;But Cunha made up for that miss with a key part in the goal, capitalising on good work from Raphinha to dart into the box and whip in a low cross for Vinicius, who stabbed home the finish.&nbsp;The win lifts Brazil into third place in the South American standings with 25 points from 16 games, guaranteeing them a top-six finish and an automatic qualifying berth.The defeat leaves Paraguay with 24 points, meaning they need one point to secure their first World Cup appearance since 2010.<h2>Argentina thwart Colombia</h2>Ecuador can join Brazil by sealing qualification with a point against Peru in Lima later Tuesday.&nbsp;In other games, Uruguay edged closer to qualification with their win over Venezuela while Chile were eliminated with defeat to Bolivia.&nbsp;Goals from Rodrigo Aguirre and Giorgian de Arrascaeta secured all three points for Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay to leave the two-time world champions firmly on course for a place in next year's finals.&nbsp;Like Paraguay, Uruguay need only a point from their final two games to qualify.Venezuela, who are bidding to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in the nation's history, are seventh with 18 points from 16 games.&nbsp;World Cup holders Argentina, who have already qualified, meanwhile came from behind to frustrate Colombia with a 1-1 draw in Buenos Aires.&nbsp;Liverpool star Luis Diaz fired Colombia into the lead with a superb 24th minute goal, and the Colombians were given a further boost midway through the second half when the world champions were reduced to 10 men after Enzo Fernandez's dismissal.&nbsp;But Colombia's hopes of a vital win were dashed nine minutes from time when Thiago Almada weaved into the box and found the target to level.&nbsp;The top six finishers in South America qualify automatically for the World Cup, with the seventh-placed team advancing to an intercontinental playoff.&nbsp;Elsewhere, Bolivia defeated Chile 2-0 to end the former South American champions' hopes of qualification.&nbsp;It marks the third straight World Cup that Chile have missed out.The loss continues a dramatic fall from grace for 'La Roja', who won back-to-back Copa Americas in 2015 and 2016.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The five-time world champions -- the only team to appear in every edition of the World Cup -- punched their ticket to the finals in Canada, the United States and Mexico thanks to Vinicius Jr.

Brazil booked their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America on Tuesday with a 1-0 home victory over Paraguay, the first win of new coach Carlo Ancelotti's reign. The five-time world champions -- the only team to appear in every edition of the World Cup -- punched their ticket to the finals in Canada, the United States and Mexico thanks to Vinicius Jr. The Real Madrid star fired Brazil into the lead in Sao Paulo, bundling home from close range in the 44th minute after a cross from new Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha. Uruguay's 2-0 victory over Venezuela in Montevideo earlier Tuesday had raised the prospect of qualification for both Brazil and Paraguay at the Corinthians Arena. Paraguay were left needing only a point to qualify after Venezuela's defeat, while Brazil knew they could advance with a win. In the event it was Brazil who seized the opportunity presented by Venezuela's loss with Vinicius scoring the only goal just before half-time. A lacklustre Brazil had struggled to create many chances up until that point, with Cunha squandering a golden chance in the 35th minute after heading wide from point-blank range. But Cunha made up for that miss with a key part in the goal, capitalising on good work from Raphinha to dart into the box and whip in a low cross for Vinicius, who stabbed home the finish. The win lifts Brazil into third place in the South American standings with 25 points from 16 games, guaranteeing them a top-six finish and an automatic qualifying berth. The defeat leaves Paraguay with 24 points, meaning they need one point to secure their first World Cup appearance since 2010. Argentina thwart Colombia Ecuador can join Brazil by sealing qualification with a point against Peru in Lima later Tuesday. In other games, Uruguay edged closer to qualification with their win over Venezuela while Chile were eliminated with defeat to Bolivia. Goals from Rodrigo Aguirre and Giorgian de Arrascaeta secured all three points for Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay to leave the two-time world champions firmly on course for a place in next year's finals. Like Paraguay, Uruguay need only a point from their final two games to qualify. Venezuela, who are bidding to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in the nation's history, are seventh with 18 points from 16 games. World Cup holders Argentina, who have already qualified, meanwhile came from behind to frustrate Colombia with a 1-1 draw in Buenos Aires. Liverpool star Luis Diaz fired Colombia into the lead with a superb 24th minute goal, and the Colombians were given a further boost midway through the second half when the world champions were reduced to 10 men after Enzo Fernandez's dismissal. But Colombia's hopes of a vital win were dashed nine minutes from time when Thiago Almada weaved into the box and found the target to level. The top six finishers in South America qualify automatically for the World Cup, with the seventh-placed team advancing to an intercontinental playoff. Elsewhere, Bolivia defeated Chile 2-0 to end the former South American champions' hopes of qualification. It marks the third straight World Cup that Chile have missed out. The loss continues a dramatic fall from grace for 'La Roja', who won back-to-back Copa Americas in 2015 and 2016. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The five-time world champions -- the only team to appear in every edition of the World Cup -- punched their ticket to the finals in Canada, the United States and Mexico thanks to Vinicius Jr.

FIFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Carlo Ancelotti helps Brazil book final berth, Uruguay on brink

Crystal Palace forward Daichi Kamada scored twice for Japan and Paris Saint Germain's Lee Kang-in netted for South Korea as the Asian giants rounded off successful World Cup qualifying campaigns in style on Tuesday.Japan romped to a 6-0 thrashing of Patrick Kluivert's Indonesia in Osaka, while South Korea cruised to a 4-0 win over Kuwait in Seoul where fans were treated to a late appearance by their idol Son Heung-min.FA Cup winner Kamada struck twice in the first half for already qualified Japan, who finished as Group C winners.Takefusa Kubo, Ryoya Morishita, Shuto Machino and substitute Mao Hosoya were also on target against Indonesia, who came fourth in the group and moved on to a further qualifying round.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-one-formula-one-madrid-adds-to-barcelona-as-spain-to-host-two-grand-prixs-in-2026-calendar-1749539189197">Formula One: Madrid adds to Barcelona as Spain to host two grand prixs in 2026 calendar</a>Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu has set the ambitious target of winning next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.His side will play friendlies against teams from outside Asia over the next 12 months and Kamada is looking to learn from the experience."Playing against Asian teams and against the kind of European teams who will be at the World Cup is totally different," said the 28-year-old."As we play these games, we will start to see a lot of areas where we need to improve. We need to come together as a team and overcome these problems when they crop up."Moriyasu said his players need to keep improving "in all departments" and praised their attitude against Indonesia."The challenge for the players is to break past their limits and grow," he said.China consolation Wang Yudong's 90th-minute penalty enabled already eliminated China to avoid finishing bottom of Group C with a consolation 1-0 win over Bahrain in Chongqing.Second-placed Australia will face third-placed Saudi Arabia later in Group C in Jeddah to decide the final Asian qualifier from this round.Iran and Uzbekistan are already through to next year's finals from Group A and Jordan will finish second in Group B to South Korea, who secured qualification last week with a game to spare.Jeon Jin-woo, who plays in the K-League for Jeonbuk, gave South Korea a 1-0 half-time lead against Kuwait in Seoul.The Koreans took control after the break with strikes from European-based trio Lee Kang-in of PSG, Oh Hyeon-gyu of Belgium's Genk and Lee Jae-sung of German Club Mainz 05.Tottenham's Son Heung-min, who has been struggling with injury, came on as a 75th-minute substitute to an ovation from the home fans but could not add to the 4-0 margin.Third and fourth-placed teams in each of the three groups go into a fourth round of Asian qualifying with two more places up for grabs.Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.&nbsp;

Japan romped to a 6-0 thrashing of Patrick Kluivert's Indonesia in Osaka, while South Korea cruised to a 4-0 win over Kuwait in Seoul where fans were treated to a late appearance by their idol Son Heung-min.

Crystal Palace forward Daichi Kamada scored twice for Japan and Paris Saint Germain's Lee Kang-in netted for South Korea as the Asian giants rounded off successful World Cup qualifying campaigns in style on Tuesday. Japan romped to a 6-0 thrashing of Patrick Kluivert's Indonesia in Osaka, while South Korea cruised to a 4-0 win over Kuwait in Seoul where fans were treated to a late appearance by their idol Son Heung-min. FA Cup winner Kamada struck twice in the first half for already qualified Japan, who finished as Group C winners. Takefusa Kubo, Ryoya Morishita, Shuto Machino and substitute Mao Hosoya were also on target against Indonesia, who came fourth in the group and moved on to a further qualifying round. Also Read - Formula One: Madrid adds to Barcelona as Spain to host two grand prixs in 2026 calendar Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu has set the ambitious target of winning next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. His side will play friendlies against teams from outside Asia over the next 12 months and Kamada is looking to learn from the experience. "Playing against Asian teams and against the kind of European teams who will be at the World Cup is totally different," said the 28-year-old. "As we play these games, we will start to see a lot of areas where we need to improve. We need to come together as a team and overcome these problems when they crop up." Moriyasu said his players need to keep improving "in all departments" and praised their attitude against Indonesia. "The challenge for the players is to break past their limits and grow," he said. China consolation Wang Yudong's 90th-minute penalty enabled already eliminated China to avoid finishing bottom of Group C with a consolation 1-0 win over Bahrain in Chongqing. Second-placed Australia will face third-placed Saudi Arabia later in Group C in Jeddah to decide the final Asian qualifier from this round. Iran and Uzbekistan are already through to next year's finals from Group A and Jordan will finish second in Group B to South Korea, who secured qualification last week with a game to spare. Jeon Jin-woo, who plays in the K-League for Jeonbuk, gave South Korea a 1-0 half-time lead against Kuwait in Seoul. The Koreans took control after the break with strikes from European-based trio Lee Kang-in of PSG, Oh Hyeon-gyu of Belgium's Genk and Lee Jae-sung of German Club Mainz 05. Tottenham's Son Heung-min, who has been struggling with injury, came on as a 75th-minute substitute to an ovation from the home fans but could not add to the 4-0 margin. Third and fourth-placed teams in each of the three groups go into a fourth round of Asian qualifying with two more places up for grabs. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Japan romped to a 6-0 thrashing of Patrick Kluivert's Indonesia in Osaka, while South Korea cruised to a 4-0 win over Kuwait in Seoul where fans were treated to a late appearance by their idol Son Heung-min.

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Japan, South Korea end campaigns with huge wins

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will take place in the United States, starting on June 14 as 32 teams will compete in the extended format. The curtains will&nbsp; be raised by Inter Miami as they face Egypt’s Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida. The final match will be held on July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. &nbsp;In total, 32 teams will compete in 63 matches throughout the tournament. Here are the details on the format, qualified teams, prize money and venues for FIFA Club World Cup 2025 –&nbsp;<h2>FIFA Club World Cup 2025&nbsp;Format</h2><ul><li>A group stage composed of eight groups of four teams per group playing in a single-game round-robin format.</li><li>The top two teams per group progress to the round of 16.</li><li>A direct single-match knockout stage from the round of 16 to the final.</li><li>No third-place play-off.</li></ul><h2>Qualified Teams</h2>Group A:&nbsp;SE Palmeiras (BRA), FC Porto (POR), Al Ahly FC (EGY), Inter Miami CF (USA)Group B:&nbsp;Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Atlético de Madrid (ESP), Botafogo (BRA), Seattle Sounders FC (USA)Group C:&nbsp;FC Bayern München (GER), Auckland City FC (NZL), CA Boca Juniors (ARG), SL Benfica (POR)Group D:&nbsp;CR Flamengo (BRA), Espérance Sportive de Tunis (TUN), Chelsea FC (ENG), Los Angeles FC (USA)Group E:&nbsp;CA River Plate (ARG), Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN), CF Monterrey (MEX), FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)Group F:&nbsp;Fluminense FC (BRA), Borussia Dortmund (GER), Ulsan HD (KOR), Mamelodi Sundowns FC (RSA)Group G:&nbsp;Manchester City (ENG), Wydad AC (MAR), Al Ain FC (UAE), Juventus FC (ITA)Group H:&nbsp;Real Madrid C. F. (ESP), Al Hilal (KSA), CF Pachuca (MEX), FC Salzburg (AUT)<h2>Prize Money&nbsp;</h2><ul><li>FIFA Club World Cup 2025 winners to earn up to 125 USD million.</li><li>USD 1 billion prize money to 32 participating clubs.</li></ul><h2>Venues&nbsp;</h2>Atlanta&nbsp;– Mercedes-Benz StadiumCharlotte&nbsp;– Bank of America StadiumCincinnati&nbsp;– TQL StadiumLos Angeles&nbsp;– Rose Bowl StadiumMiami&nbsp;– Hard Rock StadiumNashville&nbsp;– GEODIS ParkNew York-New Jersey&nbsp;– MetLife StadiumOrlando&nbsp;– Camping World StadiumOrlando&nbsp;– Inter&amp;Co StadiumPhiladelphia&nbsp;– Lincoln Financial FieldSeattle&nbsp;– Lumen FieldWashington, DC&nbsp;– Audi Field&nbsp;<h2>Live Streaming Details</h2>DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, has been confirmed as the exclusive global broadcaster of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.&nbsp;

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will take place in the United States, starting on June 14 as 32 teams will compete in the extended format. 

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will take place in the United States, starting on June 14 as 32 teams will compete in the extended format. The curtains will be raised by Inter Miami as they face Egypt’s Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida. The final match will be held on July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In total, 32 teams will compete in 63 matches throughout the tournament. Here are the details on the format, qualified teams, prize money and venues for FIFA Club World Cup 2025 – FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Format A group stage composed of eight groups of four teams per group playing in a single-game round-robin format. The top two teams per group progress to the round of 16. A direct single-match knockout stage from the round of 16 to the final. No third-place play-off. Qualified Teams Group A: SE Palmeiras (BRA), FC Porto (POR), Al Ahly FC (EGY), Inter Miami CF (USA) Group B: Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Atlético de Madrid (ESP), Botafogo (BRA), Seattle Sounders FC (USA) Group C: FC Bayern München (GER), Auckland City FC (NZL), CA Boca Juniors (ARG), SL Benfica (POR) Group D: CR Flamengo (BRA), Espérance Sportive de Tunis (TUN), Chelsea FC (ENG), Los Angeles FC (USA) Group E: CA River Plate (ARG), Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN), CF Monterrey (MEX), FC Internazionale Milano (ITA) Group F: Fluminense FC (BRA), Borussia Dortmund (GER), Ulsan HD (KOR), Mamelodi Sundowns FC (RSA) Group G: Manchester City (ENG), Wydad AC (MAR), Al Ain FC (UAE), Juventus FC (ITA) Group H: Real Madrid C. F. (ESP), Al Hilal (KSA), CF Pachuca (MEX), FC Salzburg (AUT) Prize Money FIFA Club World Cup 2025 winners to earn up to 125 USD million. USD 1 billion prize money to 32 participating clubs. Venues Atlanta – Mercedes-Benz Stadium Charlotte – Bank of America Stadium Cincinnati – TQL Stadium Los Angeles – Rose Bowl Stadium Miami – Hard Rock Stadium Nashville – GEODIS Park New York-New Jersey – MetLife Stadium Orlando – Camping World Stadium Orlando – Inter&Co Stadium Philadelphia – Lincoln Financial Field Seattle – Lumen Field Washington, DC – Audi Field Live Streaming Details DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, has been confirmed as the exclusive global broadcaster of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will take place in the United States, starting on June 14 as 32 teams will compete in the extended format.&nbsp;

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: All you need to know about format, prize money, venues, qualified teams and other details

Belgium held off a battling Wales and Italy gave sacked coach Luciano Spalletti a winning send-off in World Cup qualifying on Monday.&nbsp;Elsewhere Manchester City star Erling Haaland's goal lifted Norway past Estonia, Luka Modric was among the scorers in Croatia's 5-1 rout of the Czech Republic, and the Faroes Islands left it late to down Gibraltar 2-1.&nbsp;Giacomo Raspadori and Andrea Cambiaso scored in each half as Italy beat Moldova 2-0 to inject a smidgeon of pride back in the Azzurri camp after last week's 3-0 thrashing by Norway which cost Spalletti his job.&nbsp;The Italians trail Norway by nine points in European qualifying group I by nine points and are at risk of missing out on a third straight World Cup.&nbsp;Even though they have played two games less their ticket to the United States, Canada and Mexico next year is far from certain.&nbsp;Only top spot in each group guarantees automatic qualification with Italy's best hopes appearing to rest on finishing second and reaching the play-offs.&nbsp;"When you're the national team coach you have no excuses, it's you who selects the squad," said Spalletti to public broadcaster Rai.&nbsp;"It's the coach who has to make the difference and unfortunately I wasn't able to do that."Over in Brussels Belgium raced to a three-goal lead over Wales courtesy of Romelu Lukaku, Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku inside half an hour.&nbsp;Wales, though, rallied through a Harry Wilson penalty, Sorba Thomas and Brennan Johnson to stun the side ranked eighth in the world.&nbsp;But De Bruyne rode to his nation's rescue, as he has so often in a stellar career, by steering in Tielemans' perfect cross in the 88th minute.&nbsp;It left Wales sitting second in Group J, one point behind North Macedonia, 1-0 winners over Kazakhstan, and three in front of Belgium, who have two games in hand.&nbsp;This was Wales manager Craig Bellamy's first defeat in his first 10 matches in charge.Wales captain Ben Davies told the BBC: "Getting back as close as we did is probably why it's as painful as it is.&nbsp;"We knew we could do a lot better. You could see in the second half, we managed to nick a goal before half-time and it gave us something to hang on to and we pushed them close.&nbsp;"We have plenty more games we just have to focus on ourselves and hopefully results go our way."&nbsp;On Tuesday the Netherlands host Malta in Groningen hoping to make it two wins from two and close the gap on Poland, who have a stiff test in Finland, in Group G.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Belgium held off a battling Wales and Italy gave sacked coach Luciano Spalletti a winning send-off in World Cup qualifying on Monday.

Belgium held off a battling Wales and Italy gave sacked coach Luciano Spalletti a winning send-off in World Cup qualifying on Monday. Elsewhere Manchester City star Erling Haaland's goal lifted Norway past Estonia, Luka Modric was among the scorers in Croatia's 5-1 rout of the Czech Republic, and the Faroes Islands left it late to down Gibraltar 2-1. Giacomo Raspadori and Andrea Cambiaso scored in each half as Italy beat Moldova 2-0 to inject a smidgeon of pride back in the Azzurri camp after last week's 3-0 thrashing by Norway which cost Spalletti his job. The Italians trail Norway by nine points in European qualifying group I by nine points and are at risk of missing out on a third straight World Cup. Even though they have played two games less their ticket to the United States, Canada and Mexico next year is far from certain. Only top spot in each group guarantees automatic qualification with Italy's best hopes appearing to rest on finishing second and reaching the play-offs. "When you're the national team coach you have no excuses, it's you who selects the squad," said Spalletti to public broadcaster Rai. "It's the coach who has to make the difference and unfortunately I wasn't able to do that." Over in Brussels Belgium raced to a three-goal lead over Wales courtesy of Romelu Lukaku, Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku inside half an hour. Wales, though, rallied through a Harry Wilson penalty, Sorba Thomas and Brennan Johnson to stun the side ranked eighth in the world. But De Bruyne rode to his nation's rescue, as he has so often in a stellar career, by steering in Tielemans' perfect cross in the 88th minute. It left Wales sitting second in Group J, one point behind North Macedonia, 1-0 winners over Kazakhstan, and three in front of Belgium, who have two games in hand. This was Wales manager Craig Bellamy's first defeat in his first 10 matches in charge. Wales captain Ben Davies told the BBC: "Getting back as close as we did is probably why it's as painful as it is. "We knew we could do a lot better. You could see in the second half, we managed to nick a goal before half-time and it gave us something to hang on to and we pushed them close. "We have plenty more games we just have to focus on ourselves and hopefully results go our way." On Tuesday the Netherlands host Malta in Groningen hoping to make it two wins from two and close the gap on Poland, who have a stiff test in Finland, in Group G. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Belgium held off a battling Wales and Italy gave sacked coach Luciano Spalletti a winning send-off in World Cup qualifying on Monday.

UEFA 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: Belgium battle past Wales, Italy secure vital three points against Moldova

Thomas Tuchel said he is impatient to see improvement from his England side and believes there is no need to "sugarcoat" criticism after an underwhelming 1-0 victory over minnows Andorra on Saturday.The Three Lions came under fire for their sloppy performance in the World Cup qualifier in Barcelona, where Harry Kane scored the only goal early in the second half.They were booed after struggling to break down a team ranked 173rd in the world even though they extended Tuchel's winning start to three games."I'm impatient and want to do better," the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss said ahead of Tuesday's friendly against Senegal in Nottingham.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/novak-djokovic-retirement-should-he-call-time-heres-what-record-suggests-since-winning-last-grand-slam-us-open-2023-1749465545319">Should Novak Djokovic retire? Here's what his record suggests since winning US Open 2023 - his 24th grand slam</a>"We are thinking about giving the players a little bit more freedom in the structure -- let's see."Tomorrow we face a more physical and demanding team. On paper it might not look as offensive as we were against Andorra but will give the players more freedom to express themselves and hopefully we see that on Tuesday."A serial winner of major titles, Tuchel was appointed as the third foreign coach of England to great fanfare, but he has so far failed to deliver on the exciting brand of football he promised.His reign began with a 2-0 win over Albania and 3-0 victory against Latvia in March.England captain Kane conceded the Euro 2024 finalists had "got away with one" given their lacklustre performance in front of a small crowd at Espanyol's RCDE Stadium."I think there was commonsense straight after in the dressing room," said Tuchel."We underperformed clearly in the physical input in the game which you could see on the sideline and the data. We didn't run enough."The German said he believed in brutal honesty."I protect my players, I said no names of players," he said. "We as a team didn't match our standards."I didn't like the last 10 minutes, I felt on the sidelines. We didn't play seriously enough to win it in the end and what we needed to do in a World Cup qualifier."Everything I say here I say to the players, why should I sugarcoat? There is no harm done, we can have criticism and I believe a group of players in football can speak honestly to each other."I always include myself in that -- now it's on us to do better. The attitude towards training and the camp and commitment is outstanding. Everybody wanted to be there and be involved, they wanted to start and wanted to play. We will analyse and try to do better."Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Three Lions came under fire for their sloppy performance in the World Cup qualifier in Barcelona, where Harry Kane scored the only goal early in the second half.

Thomas Tuchel said he is impatient to see improvement from his England side and believes there is no need to "sugarcoat" criticism after an underwhelming 1-0 victory over minnows Andorra on Saturday. The Three Lions came under fire for their sloppy performance in the World Cup qualifier in Barcelona, where Harry Kane scored the only goal early in the second half. They were booed after struggling to break down a team ranked 173rd in the world even though they extended Tuchel's winning start to three games. "I'm impatient and want to do better," the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss said ahead of Tuesday's friendly against Senegal in Nottingham. Also Read - Should Novak Djokovic retire? Here's what his record suggests since winning US Open 2023 - his 24th grand slam "We are thinking about giving the players a little bit more freedom in the structure -- let's see. "Tomorrow we face a more physical and demanding team. On paper it might not look as offensive as we were against Andorra but will give the players more freedom to express themselves and hopefully we see that on Tuesday." A serial winner of major titles, Tuchel was appointed as the third foreign coach of England to great fanfare, but he has so far failed to deliver on the exciting brand of football he promised. His reign began with a 2-0 win over Albania and 3-0 victory against Latvia in March. England captain Kane conceded the Euro 2024 finalists had "got away with one" given their lacklustre performance in front of a small crowd at Espanyol's RCDE Stadium. "I think there was commonsense straight after in the dressing room," said Tuchel. "We underperformed clearly in the physical input in the game which you could see on the sideline and the data. We didn't run enough." The German said he believed in brutal honesty. "I protect my players, I said no names of players," he said. "We as a team didn't match our standards. "I didn't like the last 10 minutes, I felt on the sidelines. We didn't play seriously enough to win it in the end and what we needed to do in a World Cup qualifier. "Everything I say here I say to the players, why should I sugarcoat? There is no harm done, we can have criticism and I believe a group of players in football can speak honestly to each other. "I always include myself in that -- now it's on us to do better. The attitude towards training and the camp and commitment is outstanding. Everybody wanted to be there and be involved, they wanted to start and wanted to play. We will analyse and try to do better." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Three Lions came under fire for their sloppy performance in the World Cup qualifier in Barcelona, where Harry Kane scored the only goal early in the second half.

England coach Thomas Tuchel 'impatient and want to do better' after underwhelming Andorra win

A spectator was killed after falling from the stands at the Nations League final between Portugal and Spain in Munich on Sunday, UEFA confirmed to AFP subsidiary SID.&nbsp;&nbsp;The fan fell from the central tier during the first period of extra time into the press box in the lower tier. Paramedics and police rushed to the scene to assist the fan.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-cristiano-ronaldo-portugal-beat-spain-on-penalties-to-win-second-nations-league-2025-title-1749451665587">Ronaldo’s Portugal beat Spain on penalties to win second Nations League title</a>&nbsp;A UEFA spokesperson said there had been a "medical emergency" and confirmed that a fan had "sadly" died during the match.&nbsp;&nbsp;Representatives from both sides expressed their sympathies after the match, won 5-3 by Portugal on penalties after the game finished 2-2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made a statement to express his condolences to the fan at the post-match press conference.&nbsp;"I want to show my deepest condolences because a fan has died. It reminds us, of what is important in life."&nbsp;A representative of the Portuguese team made a similar statement of condolences, saying the death "casts a shadow on our victory today."&nbsp;Portugal coach Roberto Martinez echoed the sentiments, saying it was "extremely sad news."&nbsp;The supporter is estimated to have fallen around eight metres. How the fan fell or under what circumstances is unclear.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Fan killed after falling from stands during Nations League Final between Portugal and Spain

A spectator was killed after falling from the stands at the Nations League final between Portugal and Spain in Munich on Sunday, UEFA confirmed to AFP subsidiary SID. The fan fell from the central tier during the first period of extra time into the press box in the lower tier. Paramedics and police rushed to the scene to assist the fan. Also read | Ronaldo’s Portugal beat Spain on penalties to win second Nations League title A UEFA spokesperson said there had been a "medical emergency" and confirmed that a fan had "sadly" died during the match. Representatives from both sides expressed their sympathies after the match, won 5-3 by Portugal on penalties after the game finished 2-2. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made a statement to express his condolences to the fan at the post-match press conference. "I want to show my deepest condolences because a fan has died. It reminds us, of what is important in life." A representative of the Portuguese team made a similar statement of condolences, saying the death "casts a shadow on our victory today." Portugal coach Roberto Martinez echoed the sentiments, saying it was "extremely sad news." The supporter is estimated to have fallen around eight metres. How the fan fell or under what circumstances is unclear. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The fan fell from the central tier during the first period of extra time into the press box in the lower tier. Paramedics and police rushed to the scene to assist the fan.

Ruben Neves scored the decisive spot kick after Alvaro Morata missed as Portugal beat Spain 5-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in Munich on Sunday to claim their second Nations League title.&nbsp;Portugal twice went behind in regulation time but twice fought back to level the scores.&nbsp;"Our fighting spirit and togetherness were decisive today," Bruno Fernandes, who converted his penalty, told RTL. &nbsp;"When we stay together like this, we're very difficult to beat."&nbsp;After 21 minutes, Martin Zubimendi took advantage of some sleepy Portugal defence to put Spain in front.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-qualifiers-luciano-spalletti-to-step-down-as-italy-coach-after-norway-hammering-says-moldova-game-to-be-his-last-1749400042774">Luciano Spalletti to step down as Italy coach after Norway hammering, says Moldova game to be his last</a>&nbsp;The brilliant Nuno Mendes levelled things up five minutes later.&nbsp;Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain's goalscorer in the Euro 2024 final and the 2023 Nations League final, put La Roja back in front just before the break.&nbsp;Cristiano Ronaldo, quiet as he had been before scoring the winner against Germany in the semis, equalised with 61 minutes gone, adjusting quickly after a Mendes cross was deflected into the air, muscling past Marc Cucurella and volleying the dropping ball home.&nbsp;Ronaldo was subbed off before full-time with a cramp. Even though Portugal had the better of extra time, the match went to penalties.&nbsp;Both sides converted their first three spot kicks. Mendes buried Portugal's fourth, before Morata stepped up and shot straight at Diogo Costa.&nbsp;&nbsp;Neves nervelessly converted in front of the red and green of the Portugal fans.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the sidelines, Ronaldo could not watch the final penalty, burying his face in a teammate's back. Once Neves converted, the Portugal veteran fell to his knees and was embraced by players and staff.&nbsp;&nbsp;The victory was just Portugal's second competitive win over Iberian rival Spain in their long history.&nbsp;&nbsp;Portugal's only other win over Spain in a competitive fixture was a 1-0 victory, which booted the Spaniards out of Euro 2004, with a 19-year-old Ronaldo on the left wing.&nbsp;Portugal became the first two-time winner of the Nations League, launched in 2018. It was Portugal's third major title, along with Euro 2016.&nbsp;&nbsp;Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said the match was "equal".&nbsp;&nbsp;"We did a lot well, but in football, sometimes things happen and the opponent is able to beat you," he said.<h2>Portugal equalise twice</h2>&nbsp;While Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal's fluid movement troubled the Portuguese defence early in the match, La Roja's opener was scrappy.&nbsp;Yamal chipped from outside the box, and the Portugal defence froze, botching a clearance which fell to Zubimendi, who leathered the ball into the net.&nbsp;&nbsp;The goal was just rewards for Spain's early dominance, but Portugal hit back almost immediately.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mendes, put through by Pedro Neto, drilled a low shot across the goal and in.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just before halftime, Spain picked Portugal's pocket in their own half before advancing. Pedri linked with Oyarzabal, who threaded the ball past Diogo Costa.&nbsp;Oyarzabal's goal meant he has scored in three international finals&nbsp; -- against England at Euro 2024, which Spain won, and the 2023 and 2025 Nations Leagues, which Spain lost.&nbsp;Ronaldo had done little other than encourage the heavily Portuguese crowd until that point, but would pick his moment to strike.&nbsp;&nbsp;With 61 minutes gone, Mendes shed a defender and whipped in a cross. The ball took a deflection and Ronaldo outmuscled Cucurella before lashing a volley home.&nbsp;&nbsp;The goal was Ronaldo's fourth in 10 matches against Spain. The previous three all coming in a wild 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup.&nbsp;Limping in the dying stages of regulation time, Ronaldo fell to the turf with three minutes left and signalled to the bench that his night was over.&nbsp;Spain may have been confident when the match went to extra time, having won on penalties in 2023, but Portugal were faultless, Neves stepping up and converting to send his teammates, including a hobbled Ronaldo, streaming onto the pitch.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Ronaldo’s Portugal beat Spain on penalties to win second Nations League title

Ruben Neves scored the decisive spot kick after Alvaro Morata missed as Portugal beat Spain 5-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in Munich on Sunday to claim their second Nations League title. Portugal twice went behind in regulation time but twice fought back to level the scores. "Our fighting spirit and togetherness were decisive today," Bruno Fernandes, who converted his penalty, told RTL. "When we stay together like this, we're very difficult to beat." After 21 minutes, Martin Zubimendi took advantage of some sleepy Portugal defence to put Spain in front. Also read | Luciano Spalletti to step down as Italy coach after Norway hammering, says Moldova game to be his last The brilliant Nuno Mendes levelled things up five minutes later. Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain's goalscorer in the Euro 2024 final and the 2023 Nations League final, put La Roja back in front just before the break. Cristiano Ronaldo, quiet as he had been before scoring the winner against Germany in the semis, equalised with 61 minutes gone, adjusting quickly after a Mendes cross was deflected into the air, muscling past Marc Cucurella and volleying the dropping ball home. Ronaldo was subbed off before full-time with a cramp. Even though Portugal had the better of extra time, the match went to penalties. Both sides converted their first three spot kicks. Mendes buried Portugal's fourth, before Morata stepped up and shot straight at Diogo Costa. Neves nervelessly converted in front of the red and green of the Portugal fans. On the sidelines, Ronaldo could not watch the final penalty, burying his face in a teammate's back. Once Neves converted, the Portugal veteran fell to his knees and was embraced by players and staff. The victory was just Portugal's second competitive win over Iberian rival Spain in their long history. Portugal's only other win over Spain in a competitive fixture was a 1-0 victory, which booted the Spaniards out of Euro 2004, with a 19-year-old Ronaldo on the left wing. Portugal became the first two-time winner of the Nations League, launched in 2018. It was Portugal's third major title, along with Euro 2016. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said the match was "equal". "We did a lot well, but in football, sometimes things happen and the opponent is able to beat you," he said. Portugal equalise twice While Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal's fluid movement troubled the Portuguese defence early in the match, La Roja's opener was scrappy. Yamal chipped from outside the box, and the Portugal defence froze, botching a clearance which fell to Zubimendi, who leathered the ball into the net. The goal was just rewards for Spain's early dominance, but Portugal hit back almost immediately. Mendes, put through by Pedro Neto, drilled a low shot across the goal and in. Just before halftime, Spain picked Portugal's pocket in their own half before advancing. Pedri linked with Oyarzabal, who threaded the ball past Diogo Costa. Oyarzabal's goal meant he has scored in three international finals -- against England at Euro 2024, which Spain won, and the 2023 and 2025 Nations Leagues, which Spain lost. Ronaldo had done little other than encourage the heavily Portuguese crowd until that point, but would pick his moment to strike. With 61 minutes gone, Mendes shed a defender and whipped in a cross. The ball took a deflection and Ronaldo outmuscled Cucurella before lashing a volley home. The goal was Ronaldo's fourth in 10 matches against Spain. The previous three all coming in a wild 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup. Limping in the dying stages of regulation time, Ronaldo fell to the turf with three minutes left and signalled to the bench that his night was over. Spain may have been confident when the match went to extra time, having won on penalties in 2023, but Portugal were faultless, Neves stepping up and converting to send his teammates, including a hobbled Ronaldo, streaming onto the pitch. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Spain may have been confident when the match went to extra time, having won on penalties in 2023, but Portugal were faultless

Italy coach Luciano Spalletti has said that Monday's World Cup qualifier against Moldova would be his last. Spalletti had come in for criticism after the Italian side lost 3-0 to Norway in their opening World Cup qualifying match last week.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-kylian-mbappe-scores-and-assists-in-france-win-over-germany-for-nations-league-bronze-1749399594385">Mbappe scores and assists in France’s win over Germany for Nations League bronze</a>&nbsp;"We spoke with the president of the Italian federation on Saturday, and I was told that I would be relieved of my duties as coach of the national team," Spalletti told a press conference on Sunday. "I'm not happy about it. Given the relationship we have, I had absolutely no intention of leaving. Especially when things aren't going well, I would have preferred to stay and do my job.&nbsp;"But this is a dismissal, and I have to accept it. I've always seen this role as a service to the country, and I want to facilitate the future of the national team. I think it's right to strive for the best."&nbsp;Spalletti, 66, took over from Roberto Mancini as Italy coach in August 2023.&nbsp;In his time as head of the Nazionale, the team won 11 times, drew six and lost six.&nbsp;Spalletti's dismissal came only hours after he had been stoutly defended by the same man who then fired him, Federation president Gabriele Gravina.&nbsp;Gravina, who is not without his own critics,&nbsp; said earlier on Sunday Spalletti "was an extraordinary person," adding he "believed in the team and (Spalletti's) project", which he declared was "amazing."&nbsp;"He is a noble soul. The attacks on him are not merited," said Gravina.&nbsp;Gravina had conceded the manner of the defeat to Norway was "unacceptable", though he intimated Spalletti would be responsible for leading the recovery.&nbsp;"We have to face difficult times with our heads held high, and we have to get back up immediately."&nbsp;Two names have popped up on a regular basis as to who would replace him. AS Roma's experienced Claudio Ranieri, 73, most famous for guiding Leicester City to the unlikeliest of Premier League titles in 2016, is one of them.&nbsp;The other is Stefano Pioli, presently the coach of Saudi outfit Al-Nassr, but prior to that, the 59-year-old won the 2022 Serie A crown with AC Milan.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Luciano Spalletti to step down as Italy coach after Norway hammering, says Moldova game to be his last

Italy coach Luciano Spalletti has said that Monday's World Cup qualifier against Moldova would be his last. Spalletti had come in for criticism after the Italian side lost 3-0 to Norway in their opening World Cup qualifying match last week. Also read | Mbappe scores and assists in France’s win over Germany for Nations League bronze "We spoke with the president of the Italian federation on Saturday, and I was told that I would be relieved of my duties as coach of the national team," Spalletti told a press conference on Sunday. "I'm not happy about it. Given the relationship we have, I had absolutely no intention of leaving. Especially when things aren't going well, I would have preferred to stay and do my job. "But this is a dismissal, and I have to accept it. I've always seen this role as a service to the country, and I want to facilitate the future of the national team. I think it's right to strive for the best." Spalletti, 66, took over from Roberto Mancini as Italy coach in August 2023. In his time as head of the Nazionale, the team won 11 times, drew six and lost six. Spalletti's dismissal came only hours after he had been stoutly defended by the same man who then fired him, Federation president Gabriele Gravina. Gravina, who is not without his own critics, said earlier on Sunday Spalletti "was an extraordinary person," adding he "believed in the team and (Spalletti's) project", which he declared was "amazing." "He is a noble soul. The attacks on him are not merited," said Gravina. Gravina had conceded the manner of the defeat to Norway was "unacceptable", though he intimated Spalletti would be responsible for leading the recovery. "We have to face difficult times with our heads held high, and we have to get back up immediately." Two names have popped up on a regular basis as to who would replace him. AS Roma's experienced Claudio Ranieri, 73, most famous for guiding Leicester City to the unlikeliest of Premier League titles in 2016, is one of them. The other is Stefano Pioli, presently the coach of Saudi outfit Al-Nassr, but prior to that, the 59-year-old won the 2022 Serie A crown with AC Milan. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Spalletti, 66, took over from Roberto Mancini as Italy coach in August 2023.

Kylian Mbappe bagged a goal and an assist as France beat Germany 2-0 in the Nations League bronze-medal match in Stuttgart on Sunday.&nbsp;Mbappe wove his magic in a heavily changed France squad.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-mauricio-pochettino-plays-down-spurs-return-rumours-after-tough-start-to-life-as-us-coach-1749369583451">Mauricio Pochettino plays down Spurs return rumours after tough start to life as US coach</a>&nbsp;Germany dominated the opening half but Mbappe provided the breakthrough just before half-time, carving a shot through a crowded penalty box to bring up his 50th goal in France colours. Late in the second, with the hosts desperately looking for an equaliser, Mbappe snatched a poor Germany pass on the halfway line and rampaged forward, before setting up Michael Olise.&nbsp;&nbsp;The French showed their incredible depth, while Mbappe again demonstrated his finishing and pace.&nbsp;&nbsp;For Germany, who lost two straight straight matches for the first time since 2023, questions remain over how much they have truly improved under Julian Nagelsmann.&nbsp;In the lead-up to Sunday's encounter, France coach Didier Deschamps admitted the Nations League clash with old rivals Germany "isn't the most important game for us," with a clear focus on next year's World Cup.&nbsp;&nbsp;Deschamps made eight changes from the semi-final loss to Spain, with only captain Mbappe, goalie Mike Maignan and midfield veteran Adrien Rabiot keeping their starting spots.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagelsmann also rotated heavily, making four changes, including bringing striker Niclas Fuellkrug back into the starting XI.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Germans had a wealth of chances in the opening half. Karim Adeyemi won a penalty, but it was overturned by VAR for diving with. Florian Wirtz hit the post.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mbappe struck just before half-time. The Real Madrid man collected a pass which floated over the 1.77-metre tall Joshua Kimmich's head, took a touch and hammered a shot home with his preferred right foot.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nagelsmann replaced rookie striker Nick Woltemade with Deniz Undav at half-time. The move seemed to have paid immediate dividends. Undav had the ball in the net, but his effort was chalked off for a foul in the build-up by Fuellkrug.&nbsp;Germany dominated possession and field position, but that left them vulnerable on the break to France's lightning-fast forwards, led by Mbappe.&nbsp;&nbsp;Marcus Thuram hit the post on 58 minute. Then Mbappe and substitute Olise, who plays in Germany for Bayern Munich, combined to seal the match for France.&nbsp;&nbsp;The French captain pounced on a poor Robin Koch clearance on the halfway line and ran goalwards, squaring for the onrushing Olise to tap home with six minutes remaining.&nbsp;&nbsp;Later on Sunday, reigning Nations League and Euros champions Spain face Portugal in Munich to decide this year's crown.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Mbappe scores and assists in France’s win over Germany for Nations League bronze

Kylian Mbappe bagged a goal and an assist as France beat Germany 2-0 in the Nations League bronze-medal match in Stuttgart on Sunday. Mbappe wove his magic in a heavily changed France squad. Also read | Mauricio Pochettino plays down Spurs return rumours after tough start to life as US coach Germany dominated the opening half but Mbappe provided the breakthrough just before half-time, carving a shot through a crowded penalty box to bring up his 50th goal in France colours. Late in the second, with the hosts desperately looking for an equaliser, Mbappe snatched a poor Germany pass on the halfway line and rampaged forward, before setting up Michael Olise. The French showed their incredible depth, while Mbappe again demonstrated his finishing and pace. For Germany, who lost two straight straight matches for the first time since 2023, questions remain over how much they have truly improved under Julian Nagelsmann. In the lead-up to Sunday's encounter, France coach Didier Deschamps admitted the Nations League clash with old rivals Germany "isn't the most important game for us," with a clear focus on next year's World Cup. Deschamps made eight changes from the semi-final loss to Spain, with only captain Mbappe, goalie Mike Maignan and midfield veteran Adrien Rabiot keeping their starting spots. Nagelsmann also rotated heavily, making four changes, including bringing striker Niclas Fuellkrug back into the starting XI. The Germans had a wealth of chances in the opening half. Karim Adeyemi won a penalty, but it was overturned by VAR for diving with. Florian Wirtz hit the post. Mbappe struck just before half-time. The Real Madrid man collected a pass which floated over the 1.77-metre tall Joshua Kimmich's head, took a touch and hammered a shot home with his preferred right foot. Nagelsmann replaced rookie striker Nick Woltemade with Deniz Undav at half-time. The move seemed to have paid immediate dividends. Undav had the ball in the net, but his effort was chalked off for a foul in the build-up by Fuellkrug. Germany dominated possession and field position, but that left them vulnerable on the break to France's lightning-fast forwards, led by Mbappe. Marcus Thuram hit the post on 58 minute. Then Mbappe and substitute Olise, who plays in Germany for Bayern Munich, combined to seal the match for France. The French captain pounced on a poor Robin Koch clearance on the halfway line and ran goalwards, squaring for the onrushing Olise to tap home with six minutes remaining. Later on Sunday, reigning Nations League and Euros champions Spain face Portugal in Munich to decide this year's crown. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

For Germany, who lost two straight straight matches for the first time since 2023, questions remain over how much they have truly improved under Julian Nagelsmann.

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