Roma reject €40m Atletico bid for Koné and set €60m valuation
AS Roma have rejected a €40 million offer from Atlético Madrid for French midfielder Manu Koné and will demand at least €60 million to consider selling the World Cup star.
World Cup semi-finalists confront historical demons as last four confirmed
Spain, France, England and Argentina carry psychological scars from past tournaments as they prepare for defining last-four clashes. The scarcity of World Cup football magnifies every moment.
Infantino hints at 64-team World Cup for 2030
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has suggested expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, adding 24 matches to a tournament already set across six nations and three continents.
Zoff urges FIGC to grant Maldini autonomy after Italy appointment
Dino Zoff has backed Paolo Maldini’s appointment as Italy technical director and urged the federation to grant him full freedom to rebuild the national team.
Spain 2-1 Belgium Analysis: Merino’s Bench Timing, Fabian’s Start and De la Fuente’s Depth Beat Garcia’s Veterans
Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final at Inglewood through Luis de la Fuente’s precise squad management and late-game execution. Fabian Ruiz justified his surprise start ahead of Pedri by opening the scoring with intelligent positioning and vertical passing, while Mikel Merino continued his super-substitute role by netting the 88th-minute winner after substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens spilled Pau Cubarsí’s low strike. The victory eliminated Belgium’s veteran core and set up a semi-final clash with France, though questions remain about whether Spain’s reliance on late goals will suffice against stronger opposition.
France 2-0 Morocco Analysis: Mbappé’s Redemption, Dembélé’s Kill Shot and Deschamps’s Clean-Sheet Machine
France defeated Morocco 2-0 in Foxborough to advance to the World Cup semi-finals against Spain, with Kylian Mbappé converting a second-half finish after seeing an earlier penalty saved, and Ousmane Dembélé sealing the victory six minutes later as Didier Deschamps’ defensive organization secured another knockout clean sheet.
Tuchel-Bellingham tension threatens England focus ahead of Argentina semi-final
Thomas Tuchel’s public criticism of England’s quarter-final display has drawn a pointed response from Jude Bellingham, raising concerns about squad harmony days before the World Cup semi-final against Argentina.
Koné set for France bench as Tchouaméni returns for Spain semi-final
Roma midfielder Manu Koné faces demotion to the substitutes’ bench as France prepare for their World Cup semi-final against Spain, with Aurélien Tchouaméni poised to reclaim his starting role.
France defenders confident of handling Yamal threat ahead of Spain semi-final
Maxence Lacroix and Ibrahima Konaté insist Les Bleus have the quality to contain Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal in Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final against Spain.
Lautaro Martinez escapes suspension to face England in World Cup semi-final
Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez will be available for Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final against England after officials decided not to book him for climbing advertising hoardings during his quarter-final celebration.