Samara (Russia) (AFP) – Brazil will look to keep their bid for a record sixth World Cup crown on track when they face Mexico on Monday with a quarter-final place at stake after seeing Spain join the list of contenders to be eliminated. Monday's other last-16 game sees a much-fancied Belgium take on a Japan […]

Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia) (AFP) – Luka Modric was meant to be the man to win the match for Croatia against Denmark but he almost ended up costing his team a place in the last eight. Billed beforehand as a clash between Modric and Christian Eriksen, his rival number 10 in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday, the […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Shorn of a superstar since Zlatan Ibrahimovic's retirement, Sweden were not expected even to make it to the World Cup but now they are within reach of their first quarter-final for 24 years. After eliminating the Netherlands and Italy in qualifying, Sweden played their part in sending defending champions Germany home […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Robbed of his World Cup dream by injury four years ago, Colombia captain Radamel Falcao has at last realised his childhood dream and has a point to prove against England. Falcao's nine goals in qualifying carried the team to a first World Cup for 16 years in Brazil before an ungainly […]

Rostov-on-Don (Russia) (AFP) – Shinji Kagawa has Belgium in his sights for Monday's World Cup last 16 clash after the Red Devils' Twitter account confused him with Japanese wrestler Shinsuke Nakamura at the weekend. Kagawa is set to lead Japan's attack when the Asian underdogs take on Roberto Martinez's star-studded Belgium in Rostov on Monday […]

Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia) (AFP) – Switzerland have made headlines in Russia for their players' controversial goal celebrations but the team stands on the verge of matching their best-ever run at a World Cup. If Vladimir Petkovic's side beat Sweden in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday, they will become the first Swiss team in 64 years to […]

Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia) (AFP) – Denmark had to substitute a "queasy" Andreas Christensen after he was hit in the face by the ball in the build-up to Croatia's goal, revealed coach Age Hareide. Speaking after the Danes' defeat on penalties, Hareide said they lost the Chelsea defender because of the incident in the fourth minute. […]

Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia) (AFP) – Zlatko Dalic said he wanted Croatia's World Cup adventure to continue past the quarter-finals after his team secured a last eight spot with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Denmark. The Croats won 3-2 on penalties after a tense 1-1 draw, to set up a clash with hosts Russia on […]

Zagreb (AFP) – Thousands of Croatians celebrated their team's dramatic win against Denmark on penalties to reach the World Cup quarter-finals on Sunday. Goalkeeper Danijel Subasic was the hero, saving three spot-kicks after the match finished 1-1 following extra time. "Croatia in a crazy drama broke Denmark with penalties and progressed to the quarter-finals, Subasic […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Spain's World Cup roller-coaster ride finally ground to a halt on Sunday and the finger-pointing began after their third consecutive failure at a major tournament. Following humiliation at the hands of the Netherlands in 2014 and a limp defeat to Italy at Euro 2016, this was perhaps the most gauling exit […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – England have projected this World Cup as a fresh start for a new generation but the team's record of failure in penalty shoot-outs may not be so easy to forget. Penalties have been the death of England at six of the last 12 major tournaments and in that time, they have […]

Madrid (AFP) – The Spanish press turned on Julen Lopetegui, the former national coach who was sacked on the eve of the World Cup, after they were knocked out of the tournament on Sunday. The 2010 winners were eliminated by host nation Russia in a penalty shootout after a match that Spain dominated but failed […]

Moscow (AFP) – Goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was the hero as Russia beat 2010 winners Spain on penalties to set up a World Cup quarter-final against Croatia, who survived their own spot-kick drama on Sunday. Fernando Hierro's Spain totally dominated the match at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, hogging 74 percent of possession, but created few clear-cut […]

Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia) (AFP) – Goalkeeper Danijel Subasic was the hero as Croatia squeezed into the World Cup quarter-finals with a penalty shoot-out victory over Denmark here Sunday. On a night of late, late drama Ivan Rakitic stroked home the decisive spotkick to ensure the Croats advanced to a last eight meeting with Russia after […]

Moscow (AFP) – In a city with a homophobic reputation and just a handful of gay bars, LGBT Muscovites and World Cup guests have found an unlikely new place to socialise — a match-screening area for gay and ethnic minority football fans. As the England-Belgium game played through a projector on Thursday, a young crowd […]