Gareth Southgate has questioned the “unusual environment” around the England team after they booed off against Slovenia despite topping Group C and urged supporters to back the team “however they feel towards me.” The Three Lions mustered just four shots on target in another underwhelming performance at these finals, but still left Cologne as group winners thanks to Denmark playing out their own stalemate with Serbia. England were booed at…
Ukraine manager Serhiy Rebrov doesn’t like talking about individuals. Asked why he picked 22-year-old goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin over Andriy Lunin for their second match of Euro 2024, he deflects and talks up the ability of all three of his goalkeepers (the other being Georgiy Bushchan) instead. Another question after Ukraine’s 2-1 comeback win over Slovakia about the exciting young core of his team gets the same treatment. But he does,…
Italy coach Luciano Spalletti praised the never-say-die attitude of his players in rescuing a point with a 98th-minute equaliser against Croatia on Monday to book a European Championship round-of-16 place, but said there was much room for improvement. Substitute Mattia Zaccagni earned the 1-1 draw in Group B as holders Italy set up a clash with Switzerland in Berlin on Saturday but Spalletti seemed to take offence at several questions…
LEIPZIG, Germany — His expression when posing with the UEFA Man of the Match Award said it all. Part medieval oil painting — the suffering peasant who thought he’d escaped the Black Death only to find his village burned to the ground — part battle-weary warrior turned to stone by the Basilisk’s gaze, part “I’m chucking this stupid piece of metal out the window because it’s meaningless now that we’ve…
Palestinian soccer player Ahmad Abu al-Atta and his family were killed in their home by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) said. Abu al-Atta who played as a defender for the Gaza Strip team Al-Ahly Gaza, died along with his wife Ruba Esmael Abu al-Atta, a medical professional, and their two children after the airstrike hit their home in Gaza City, the PFA said in a…
Prince William gave the England team a pep talk immediately after Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Denmark in Frankfurt. The Prince of Wales, who is also the president of the Football Association, visited the dressing room after the final whistle and told the players “it’s not the end of the world,” after the team was booed off by disgruntled England fans at Deutsche Bank Park. Harry Kane scored the opening goal…
DORTMUND, Germany — Cristiano Ronaldo is still the selfie king, even at 39 years old, 20 years after appearing at his first major tournament for Portugal. But it’s probably a sign of his waning influence on his national team that he registered more selfie attempts from picture-chasing fans than significant contributions for his country during Saturday’s 3-0 win against Turkey. Six supporters — four during the Group F match in…
FRANKFURT, Germany — Scotland’s recurring failure at major tournaments has become so etched into the nation’s psyche that songs have been written about it. They are arguably the unluckiest team in world football, so they lend themselves to ballads of broken dreams. When the Scots qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup — their last appearance at the competition — the Glasgow band Del Amitri penned the team’s official song…
Euro 2024 is underway! Our daily files give you the latest reporting from around the tournament as well as betting lines, what to watch for and best reads. Check in with ESPN throughout the tournament as we bring you the latest from Germany all the way up to the final on July 14. DÜSSELDORF, Germany — Ukraine played this match under incredible pressure. From a footballing perspective, defeat against Slovakia…
Copa América, South America’s continental competition, has kicked off in the United States for the second time after it hosted in 2016. There are plenty of storylines, from World Cup champions Lionel Messi and Argentina defending their title, the USMNT using this as a warmup for the 2026 World Cup which it will co-host, and Brazil looking to rediscover their form. As we prepare for the next few weeks of…