Spain arrived in Qatar with grand dreams of winning a second World Cup, fully convinced in their style of play, but departed early Wednesday, ruminating on an identity crisis.... more »
England manager Gareth Southgate is wrestling with the biggest dilemma of his reign as he tries to plot a way to stop the "sensational" Kylian Mbappe in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final.... more »
The number of hamstring injuries suffered by male professional footballers has doubled in Europe over the last 21 years, a study published on Wednesday has found.... more »
Portugal's hat-trick hero Goncalo Ramos said he had not even dreamt of starting a World Cup knockout match, let alone scoring three in his first start in the tournament.... more »
Goncalo Ramos justified the shock decision to drop Cristiano Ronaldo by scoring a hat-trick on his full debut as Portugal demolished Switzerland 6-1 on Tuesday to power into the World Cup quarter-finals.... more »
Portugal coach Fernando Santos said his decision to leave Cristiano Ronaldo out of his team for Tuesday's 6-1 triumph over Switzerland in the World Cup last 16 had been "strategic and nothing more."... more »
Portugal dismantled Switzerland 6-1 to charge into the World Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday as Goncalo Ramos started in place of Cristiano Ronaldo and scored the first hat-trick of the tournament.... more »
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin said his team had simply been beaten by a better side after Tuesday's 6-1 hammering at the hands of Portugal in the World Cup last 16.... more »
Thousands of Morocco fans descended on the streets of Doha to celebrate their country becoming the first Arab nation to reach the World Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday.... more »
Achraf Hakimi struck the decisive penalty in a shootout to send Morocco into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time on Tuesday as the African side stunned Spain after a goalless draw... more »
With shouts, songs, cries and tears, Moroccans exploded with joy Tuesday as their football team beat Spain to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time.... more »
Morocco coach Walid Regragui said his plan was to let Spain have the ball after his side's dramatic penalty shootout win in their World Cup last-16 match on Tuesday.... more »
England will have to end 56 years of failure against elite opposition in the World Cup knockout stages if they are to end France's reign as champions in Saturday's blockbuster quarter-final.... more »
Luis Enrique wants to stay on as Spain coach but said his future was not yet decided after Morocco knocked La Roja out in the World Cup last 16 on Tuesday.... more »
Sergio Busquets said Spain's 3-0 defeat on penalties by Morocco was a "cruel" way to decide the World Cup last-16 clash on Tuesday, after the teams drew 0-0.... more »
Pele's health is "improving progressively," his doctors said Tuesday, a week after the 82-year-old Brazilian football legend was hospitalized in Sao Paulo amid ongoing treatment for colon cancer.... more »
Olivier Giroud looked back Tuesday at the route he took to become a World Cup winner and record-breaking goalscorer for France and said he had shown younger players that it was possible to be a late developer and still "move mountains".... more »
Former Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o apologised Tuesday for kneeing an Algeria supporter in the face but insisted he was the target of "relentless provocation" by the North African state's supporters since a controversial World Cup qualifier this year.... more »
The Netherlands must beware of Argentina's "quiet" assassin Julian Alvarez when they meet in their World Cup quarter-final on Friday, his Manchester City team-mate Nathan Ake said.... more »
Asian teams came crashing back down to earth in the World Cup last 16 but the region still enjoyed its best-ever tournament to suggest it is closing the gap on the global elite.... more »
