Kazan Arena (Russia) (AFP) – Teenage star Kylian Mbappe struck twice and earned another goal as France finally found their attacking edge to beat Lionel Messi's Argentina 4-3 and move into the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Saturday. Billed as Messi's chance to reignite stuttering Argentina's hopes, the thrilling last 16 clash in Kazan […]

Kazan Arena (Russia) (AFP) – Teenage star Kylian Mbappe struck twice and earned another goal as France found their attacking edge to beat Lionel Messi's Argentina 4-3 and move into the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Saturday. Billed as Messi's chance to reignite stuttering Argentina's hopes, the thrilling last-16 clash in Kazan instead saw […]

Berlin (AFP) – German fans and former players are unanimous in their support of Joachim Loew remaining as head coach of the national team despite his overseeing their disastrous World Cup campaign. In a survey by broadcaster RTL, 48 percent of Germans say Loew should remain as head coach and 37 percent want him to […]

Kazan (Russia) (AFP) – Colombia defender Carlos Sanchez has insisted the South American side are not favourites against England, "the country that invented football", when they meet in the World Cup last-16 on Tuesday. England coach Gareth Southgate rested eight first-choice players in the last group match against Belgium, which they lost 1-0, setting up […]

Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia) (AFP) – Denmark coach Age Hareide said his side's World Cup last-16 match against Croatia could boil down to who comes out on top in the midfield battle between Christian Eriksen and Luka Modric. The Danes failed to set pulses racing in the opening round, featuring in the first goalless draw of […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Dele Alli will put his hand up for a penalty if England are taken to a shootout by Colombia in their World Cup last-16 match on Tuesday. England have lost six times out of seven on spot-kicks at major tournaments, with their coach Gareth Southgate guilty of missing against Germany at […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russia's World Cup topscorer Denis Cheryshev says the hosts can hurt 2010 winners Spain in the World Cup last 16 on Sunday despite the huge disparity in talent between the two teams. Russia entered the tournament as the lowest-ranked side, at 70th in the world, but comprehensive wins over Saudi Arabia and […]

Krasnodar (Russia) (AFP) – Cesar Azpilicueta is convinced Spain have what it takes to contend for the World Cup title despite a shaky start and the dismissal of coach Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the tournament. The 2010 world champions qualified for the last 16 as winners of Group B ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo's […]

Moscow (AFP) – The world's two greatest players roar into the knockout stage of the World Cup on Saturday, with Lionel Messi's Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal targeting a place in the quarter-finals. Argentina, the beaten finalists four years ago, escaped by the skin of their teeth after a ragged group phase and will rely […]

Moscow (AFP) – Hosts Russia must rebound quickly for Sunday's World Cup last 16 clash with Spain, the 2010 champions who have slipped under the radar after a tumultuous start to the tournament. Resounding wins over Saudi Arabia and Egypt elevated expectations for Stanislav Cherchesov's side before they were dealt a dose of reality in […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russia's last World Cup game against Uruguay brought the overachievers down to earth with a thud. Their next one against Spain might just send them over the moon. The hosts play their most important match in three decades when they face the 2010 champions in Moscow on Sunday in the last 16. […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Croatia head into their World Cup last-16 match against Denmark spearheaded by evergreen midfielder Luka Modric, a player his teammate Ivan Rakitic has compared to Spain's Andres Iniesta. Four years with Iniesta at Barcelona and 11 alongside Modric for Croatia leaves Rakitic in a privileged position to judge two of the […]

Moscow (AFP) – The world's two greatest players and a crowd of pretenders enter the knockout stage of the World Cup on Saturday when Lionel Messi's Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal target a place in the quarter-finals. Argentina, the beaten finalists four years ago, escaped by the skin of their teeth after a ragged group […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Argentine legend Diego Maradona is a controversial idol, worshipped as a god for his World Cup-winning exploits but whose life of excess has left a tormented public back home torn between veneration and derision. The 57-year-old hit the headlines in Russia this week when he was filmed making two-handed middle-finger gestures […]

Sochi (Russia) (AFP) – In Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, Portugal and Uruguay boast some of the greatest goal-scorers in world football, but Sochi could be the scene of a World Cup battle of attrition on Saturday evening. These two small countries with proud footballing traditions face off on Russia's Black Sea coast […]