Toulouse (France) (AFP) – Hungarian midfielder Laszlo Kleinheisler says Hungary could one day again be called the "Magical Magyars", the nickname given to the all-conquering team of the 1950s, but not yet. "I believe that one day we will be similar to the great teams of the past," the 22-year-old Werder Bremen player told reporters […]

Saint-Étienne (France) (AFP) – Poland coach Adam Nawalka has rejected comparisons between his misfiring striker Robert Lewandowski and Portugal's superstar Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Saturday's Euro 2016 last 16 clash against Switzerland. Hot-shot Lewandowski was the top scorer in the Euro 2016 qualifiers with 13 goals. The Bayern Munich star scored 42 goals in all […]

Paris (AFP) – Chris Coleman said it would be dangerous for Wales to look beyond Saturday's last-16 clash with Northern Ireland despite the open nature of their half of the Euro 2016 draw. With title-holders Spain, world champions Germany and hosts France on a collision course with each other, the stage is set for an […]

Now that the Group Stage of the 2016 European Championship has concluded, it's time to take a look at the job that ESPN has been doing since the opening weekend of the tournament. Overall, despite several major obstacles, ESPN has raised the bar on its coverage of a major international soccer tournament. So much so, that […]

Montpellier (France) (AFP) – Key defender Giorgio Chiellini insists Italy's confidence remains intact as the beaten 2012 finalists prepare to beat their "bogey team" Spain to a Euro 2016 quarter-final spot on Monday. "It's a shame we're meeting each other so early in the tournament," Chiellini told journalists on Friday. "But it will be a […]

Evian (France) (AFP) – Germany have built a reputation as a tournament team under Joachim Loew and two below-par years since their World Cup triumph, he is relishing the business end of Euro 2016. After a flattering scoreline in the 2-0 win over Ukraine and an unimpressive goalless draw with Poland, Germany booked their last […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – While Robbie Brady stole the headlines with his dramatic winning goal against Italy at Euro 2016, his childhood friend Jeff Hendrick again displayed his importance to the Republic of Ireland in that game. The 24-year-old Derby County midfielder put in another superb shift from his position wide on the right, earning […]

Montpellier (France) (AFP) – Italy's plans for a smooth build-up to their crunch Euro 2016 clash with Spain on Monday suffered a blow after World Cup-winning coach Marcelo Lippi walked away from a key post with the Italian football federation (FIGC). Lippi, who led the Azzurri to their fourth World Cup triumph in 2006, was […]

Montpellier (France) (AFP) – Alvaro Morata is joint top scorer at Euro 2016 but doesn't care who hits the net if Spain beat a familiar Italy side to a coveted quarter-final place in their last 16 clash on Monday. "I couldn't care less about the top scorer's chart if we lose," Morata said after the […]

Paris (AFP) – Two small British nations clash for the momentous prize of a Euro 2016 quarter-final berth on Saturday when Gareth Bale's Wales meet Northern Ireland in a post-Brexit clash in Paris. Wales (population 3.1 million) and Northern Ireland (1.8 million) have never previously appeared at a European Championship finals, but they find themselves in […]

Lens (France) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo awoke from his Euro 2016 slumber in time to rescue Portugal from an early exit, but faces a greater challenge against a classy Croatia side that Portugal coach Fernando Santos called "sharks". Ronaldo made history as the first player to score in four European Championships with a double in […]

Saint-Étienne (France) (AFP) – Experience forged in the German league will help Switzerland's Bundesliga stars when they face Robert Lewandowski's Poland in the last 16 at Euro 2016 on Saturday. Switzerland and Poland have both qualified for the knockout phase of a European Championship finals for the first time. But Adam Nawalka's Poland have reason […]

Paris (AFP) – Two small, British nations clash for the momentous prize of a Euro 2016 quarter-final berth on Saturday when Real Madrid star Gareth Bale's Wales meet Northern Ireland in Paris. Wales (population 3.1 million) and Northern Ireland (1.8 million) have never previously appeared at a European Championship finals, but they find themselves in the […]

Chantilly (France) (AFP) – England captain Wayne Rooney says that he is more relaxed than at any previous major tournament because he no longer feels like the only match-winner in the squad. The Manchester United skipper will equal David Beckham's record of 115 caps for an England outfield player when Roy Hodgson's side tackle minnows Iceland […]

It has been hard to determine how the U.S. Soccer Federation is using the Copa America Centenario to grade its men's team's progress leading up to the 2018 World Cup. Depending on who you ask and when, the measuring stick was reaching the semifinals, or simply playing the games, or the even more ambiguous total […]