England have nothing to fear against France, says Bukayo Saka
The World Cup has reached the quarter-final stage but Cristiano Ronaldo’s name dominates the headlines despite Portugal thrashing Switzerland in the last 16.
Fernando Santos opted for Goncalo Ramos, who hit a hat-trick in the 6-1 win and the Selecao boss insists Ronaldo may now have to accept a different role in the team: “That is still something that has to be defined.”
England meanwhile look to recover and prepare for a massive quarter-final tie with France and Gareth Southgate has a number of decisions to make over how to combat the threat of the in-form Kylian Mbappe, who now leads the Golden Boot race.
Follow the build-up to England vs France and the latest from Qatar below:
Fifa president Gianni Infantino hails World Cup group stage as ‘best ever’
The opening phase of the tournament featured some incredible shocks, with Saudi Arabia’s win over Argentina the first major upset.
Japan also beat Germany and Spain to finish top of their group, while Morocco saw off Belgium and drew with Croatia to finish top of their pool.
There was also drama in the final round of matches as qualification for the last 16 went right to the wire in some of the groups, and Infantino says there has never been a tournament to match it.
The opening phase of the tournament featured some incredible shocks
Morocco take over a World Cup that should always have been theirs
Morocco at last have their World Cup. The country that has spent so long trying to host the competition have probably gone one better and made themselves the story of this one.
It was a quite beautiful thing at Education City, that bore witness to a nation-making moment. That was what was most of all symbolised by the victorious Moroccan players bowing in front of their exuberant supporters, a moment of communion.
“When you have a heart, energy and love, you win matches,” mastermind head coach Walid Regragui said.
Morocco have long tried to host the world’s biggest football tournament but have made themselves the story of this one with their performances in Qatar
World Cup’s glass ceiling cuts off chasing pack from promised land of quarter-finals
In Mexico, they call it “la maldicion del quinto Partido”. The curse of the fifth game. The curse being, in fact, that there isn’t a fifth game for El Tri, the side with the unwanted record of going out of the World Cup in the last 16 on the most consecutive occasions. This year, it was the curse of the fourth game: for the first time since 1990, Mexico were not found in the knockout stages.
But others can testify to the curse. Since they were quarter-finalists in 2002, the United States have gone out in the first knockout round three times. Japan can beat that, falling at the same hurdle in 2002, 2010, 2018 and 2022. South Korea were semi-finalists on home soil 20 years ago; abroad, however, they cannot reach the last eight. Switzerland, too, could progress further in front of their own crowds but, since hosting the tournament in 1954, they have five last-16 exits, including the last three in a row.
“We had great plans, we wanted to make history,” said Switzerland manager Murat Yakin. In one respect, his side did: they lost 6-1 to Portugal. Yet perhaps the outcome of half of the first eight knockout matches was inevitable: a quartet of sides go out when they always do.
For winning any knockout tie in a World Cup, against anyone, anywhere, anyhow can seem fearsomely difficult
Eden Hazard announces Belgium retirement after group stage exit at World Cup
Eden Hazard has announced his international retirement for Belgium after a group stage exit at the Qatar World Cup.
The Real Madrid forward follows coach Roberto Martinez in walking away from the Red Devils.
A desperately disappointing campaign saw Belgium lose to Morocco and draw with Croatia in the final game to finish third in Group F.
And now the former Chelsea star has confirmed he will walk away from international football after 14-year career with 126 caps and 33 goals.
The 31-year-old said: “A page turns today, thank you for your live. Thank you for your unparalleled support.
The Real Madrid star ends a 14-year career representing the Red Devils, with 126 caps and 33 goals
Raheem Sterling: Two arrested after break-in at England winger’s home
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary following reports of a break-in at the home of England winger Raheem Sterling.
Surrey Police said the arrests were made last night and two men are currently in custody. Officers are investigating whether there is any connection between the arrest and the break-in at Mr Sterling’s Oxshott home.
In a statement, the force said: “Following reports of suspicious activity around 6.40pm, a number of resources were deployed, including the dog unit and the police helicopter. Our colleagues from British Transport Police also provided assistance.
“Enquiries remain ongoing to establish whether there are any links between these arrests and the break-in reported to us over the weekend.”
Second burglary in Chelsea star’s village also under investigation
Xherdan Shaqiri apologises to Switzerland fans after World Cup thrashing by Portugal
Goncalo Ramos scored a hat-trick, with Pepe, Raphael Guerreiro and Rafael Leao also on the scoresheet as Portugal put Switzerland to the sword to storm into a first World Cup quarter-final since 2006.
Fernando Santos benched Cristiano Ronaldo and was rewarded with a far slicker and more artful display from his team than anything they had shown in the group stages as Switzerland were outplayed in every part of the pitch.
“Today we have to apologise to all Switzerland fans in the name of the team. That was not our true face tonight,” Shaqiri said.
Portugal put Switzerland to the sword to storm into a first World Cup quarter-final since 2006
The next World Cup will jump to 48 teams. Is bigger better?
The next World Cup will be the biggest ever after world soccer body FIFA took the leap from a 32-team field to 48 teams in 2026.
It means more of soccer’s so-called “little teams” that didn’t make it to Qatar will be given a chance of a lifetime when the tournament is hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
That could be great news for everyone who was entertained by Saudi Arabia’s stirring upset of Lionel Messi’s Argentina at this World Cup, Japan‘s two wins over former champions Germany and Spain or Morocco‘s humbling of star-studded Belgium and Spain on its way to an unexpected quarterfinal run. More surprises surely await in four years.
Still, it’s not clear to everyone that bigger is better.
The next World Cup will be the biggest ever after world soccer body FIFA took the leap from a 32-team field to 48 teams in 2026
Callum Wilson absent from England training due to minor muscle strain
Callum Wilson did not join England’s other non-starters at training on Monday due to a minor muscle strain.
The Newcastle striker has made two substitute appears in Qatar and was an unused substitute in Sunday’s 3-0 World Cup last-16 win against Senegal.
England’s starters worked inside the following day at their Al Wakrah Sports Complex base, where the rest of the group worked outside with Gareth Southgate and his coaches.
Wilson was the only absentee from the session for non-starters, with a slight niggle meaning the striker sat out as a precaution.
The Newcastle striker has made two substitute appears in Qatar.
Enjoying the Qatar World Cup? Here is the reality hiding in plain sight
It is a description that was almost overlooked at the time, but that Qatar was highly attuned to, and warrants mention every day of this World Cup.
“Consultations and reports in Qatar reveal that racial and ethnic stereotypes operate in both the public and private spheres, according to which, for example, sub-Saharan African men are presumed to be unsanitary, sub-Saharan African women are presumed to be sexually available, and certain South Asian nationalities are presumed unintelligent. The Special Rapporteur received credible reports that, on the other hand, North Americans, Europeans and Australians are presumed superior, and whites in general are presumed to be inherently competent in various contexts, such as hiring and promotion decisions.”
While the football dazzles in Qatar, one of the most dominant controversies in the build-up is now rarely mentioned, reports Miguel Delaney
New generation, same old problems: How Spain’s World Cup fell apart
For Spain, this World Cup was supposed to be about optimism for the future, but it has only ended up recalling the pessimism of the past.
Even worse, the defeatism of it recalled the fatalism of Spanish football history, as if the glory era of 2008-12 had never happened.
So much of this is interconnected, though, and why it should influence the future. It was Spain’s academy revolution that was the primary reason for that glory era, directly creating players like Xavi and Andres Iniesta. The conveyer belt has only continued, especially in their successors in Pedri and Gavi. A problem is nevertheless that the process has become so defined that Spain produces too many of this type of player at the expense of everything else.
This tournament was meant to be about optimism for the future, but the pessimissim of the past has reemerged after a shootout defeat by Morocco in the last 16
