Gelendzhik (Russia) (AFP) – A blonde Iceland midfielder has become a social media sensation, attracting more admirers than the population of Iceland after a cameo role in the 1-1 World Cup draw with Argentina. Rurik Gislason came on as a second-half substitute on Saturday to win admirers worldwide purring over his cool Nordic looks. Before […]

Kazan (Russia) (AFP) – Huddersfield Town midfielder Aaron Mooy has played down suggestions he could leave the Premier League club if offers come in following his impressive display in a 2-1 World Cup defeat to France. Mooy was one of the Socceroos' standout performers in a tough opening Group C game in Kazan that Australia […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – England midfielder Dele Alli will undergo a scan on Tuesday on the thigh injury he sustained against Tunisia. Alli seemed to be struggling towards the end of the first half in Volgograd but stayed on until the 80th minute, when he was replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Harry Kane's late winner secured […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Egypt are counting on the return of Mohamed Salah on Tuesday as they try to salvage their World Cup against a Russian side who know a win could seal a place in the last 16. Liverpool wizard Salah missed his team's 1-0 defeat to Uruguay on Friday as he struggles to […]

Volgograd (Russia) (AFP) – Harry Kane rose emphatically to the World Cup challenge in England's opening match against Tunisia, scoring a last-gasp winner to give Gareth Southgate's side lift-off in Russia. It was a remarkable World Cup debut for Kane, who bore the added pressure of the captain's armband and the weight of a nation […]

Krasnodar (Russia) (AFP) – Spain players are rallying behind goalkeeper David De Gea as they prepare for their second group game at the World Cup against Iran in Kazan on Wednesday. De Gea endured an evening to forget in Spain's opening match against Portugal on Friday, committing a howling error to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to […]

Vatutinki (Russia) (AFP) – Germany captain Manuel Neuer said Tuesday their two remaining World Cup group games are now effectively "finals" as the holders fight to stay in the tournament. The world champions are under intense pressure ahead of Saturday's second Group F game against Sweden in Sochi and the South Korea match next Wednesday […]

Kazan (Russia) (AFP) – Spanish playmaker Isco say Wednesday's match against Iran will determine their World Cup destiny as they seek to register their first win in Russia following a gripping 3-3 draw against Portugal. Champions in 2010 and among the favourites this year, Spain's World Cup ambitions were kept in check, almost single-handedly, by […]

Ain Issa (Syria) (AFP) – At a camp for the displaced in northern Syria, men and boys huddled near a projector to watch some of the world's best footballers play on the side of a tent. For these soccer enthusiasts uprooted by Syria's seven-year war, World Cup games such as these offer brief respite from […]

Wellington (AFP) – New Zealand Football said Tuesday it had received complaints from members of the women's national team, who are reportedly unhappy about the negative tactics used by their coach. After New Zealand, ranked 20th in the world, lost 3-1 to 11th-ranked Japan this month, coach Andreas Heraf said the game plan was to […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – World Cup hosts Russia face an Egypt side buoyed by the likely return of star man Mohamed Salah on Tuesday knowing a win will all but guarantee a place in the last 16. Liverpool wizard Salah missed his team's defeat to Uruguay on Friday as he struggles to recover from the […]

Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia) (AFP) – For a player who has made so many headlines at the World Cup, it is appropriate that Luiz Suarez will make his 100th appearance for Uruguay at football's biggest tournament. Barring any last minute disasters the Barcelona striker will reach his century of games for the Celeste on Wednesday when […]

Moscow (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo will attempt to follow up his World Cup opening game heroics for Portugal against a Morocco side licking their wounds after a crushing last-gasp defeat. A hat-trick from the five-time world player of the year snatched a thrilling 3-3 draw for the European champions against Spain in a heavyweight […]

Volgograd (Russia) (AFP) – Harry Kane said he hopes World Cup officiating will improve after rescuing England with two goals in a last-gasp 2-1 victory over a physical Tunisia side on Monday. Kane got England out of jail with an injury-time winner at the Volgograd Arena to ensure Gareth Southgate's side claimed all three points […]

Rostov-on-Don (Russia) (AFP) – The plane carrying Saudi Arabia's World Cup team suffered a fire in one of its engines as the players flew to Rostov-on-Don for their next match, the Saudi football federation said Monday. The aircraft landed safely after what one of the Saudi players called a "simple malfunction". "It was a small […]