Новости за 03.07.2018

Harry Kane's penalty against Colombia in the World Cup last-16 tie made him the first England player to score in six consecutive internationals since 1939. Having been fouled by Carlos Sanchez, Kane - after a lengthy delay caused by Colombia's protests to referee Mark Geiger - duly kept his cool to break the deadlock from 12 yards. It brought up the Tottenham star's sixth goal of the tournament, and also saw England's captain equal Tommy Lawton's 79-year-old record. Kane's strike also sees the... Читать дальше...

Manchester United have completed the signing of goalkeeper Lee Grant from Stoke City for a reported fee of £1.5million. Grant, 35, is expected to serve as United's number three behind David de Gea and Sergio Romero after agreeing a two-year contract. United sold Sam Johnstone to West Brom in a deal worth around £6.5m earlier on Tuesday, while Portugal youth international Joel Pereira is set to be loaned out for the 2018-19 season. "Moving to Manchester United has been a dream of mine for as long... Читать дальше...

James Rodriguez has been ruled out of Colombia's World Cup last-16 tie against England after failing to shake off a calf problem. The 2014 Golden Boot winner, on a two-season loan at Bayern Munich from Real Madrid, sustained the injury against Senegal in Colombia's final group game on Thursday and is not even fit enough for a place on the bench. England make nine changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Belgium in their last outing with only goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and centre-half John Stones retained from that top-spot decider. Читать дальше...

West Brom have announced the signing of goalkeeper Sam Johnstone from Manchester United in a deal reported to be worth £10million. Johnstone has had numerous loans in the Championship, including spells at Aston Villa, Preston North End and Doncaster Rovers, but failed to make a Premier League appearance for United. And the 25-year-old will now have a chance to continue building his reputation at West Brom, who are reported to have paid an initial £6.5m. Johnstone has signed a four-year deal at... Читать дальше...

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at Russia 2018 and departed without a goal in the knockout rounds of the World Cup to either of their names. It is a staggering fact that underlines how fleeting this window to impress as the world watches is, not to mention how swiftly and brutally it shuts. World Cups build and demolish reputations, embellish and stain careers. This is football under the microscope as the narrative runs in fast forward. Ronaldo and Messi's achievements are obviously... Читать дальше...

Gabi says leaving Atletico Madrid was the hardest decision he has had to make in his career, with the club captain heading to Qatar. The 34-year-old has agreed to join Stars League side Al Sadd, where he will join forces with another LaLiga icon in former Barcelona star Xavi. Gabi announced his move at a news conference on Tuesday and said it was the right time to move on. "It's a difficult and emotional day, thanks for helping me make the hardest decision of my career," Gabi said. "I've been... Читать дальше...

Domagoj Vida and Croatia have set their sights on winning the World Cup as they prepare to face hosts Russia in Sochi on Saturday. Semi-finalists at France 98, Croatia are on track to at least match that feat ahead of their quarter-final showdown with Russia at Fisht Stadium. Boasting the likes of Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Ivan Perisic, Croatia are seen as dark horses to hoist the trophy aloft in Moscow on July 15. And confidence is high within the squad after edging Denmark, according to experienced defender Vida. Читать дальше...

South Korea may have defeatedGermany 2-0 to knock the reigning champions out of the World Cup, but their failure to qualify for the tournament's knockout stages proved too much for some.Upon the squad's return to Incheon airport on Saturday, the players had eggs thrown at them as they stopped for a photo– a traditional 'welcome back' for underperforming teams in the nation.The Korean FA would need to file a complaint if they wished to press charges against the offenders, but the national team havedecided... Читать дальше...

Mesut Ozil has taken the Arsenal number 10 shirt previously worn by Dennis Bergkamp. Ozil has worn 11 since joining the club and switches to 10 following the departure of Jack Wilshere. Robin van Persie and Paul Merson are among the other Arsenal stars to have worn the number 10 in the modern era. But it is a French football icon that Ozil had in mind when opting for a new number. "It has never been a secret how special this number is to me," Ozil told Arsenal's website.  "My childhood idol... Читать дальше...

Andres Iniesta says he spent "many months" thinking about his international future being opting to quit Spain duty after the World Cup. Iniesta confirmed his international retirement after Spain's shock last-16 exit at the hands of hosts Russia on penalties. The former Barcelona captain, 34, will now turn his focus to the next chapter in his career at Japanese club Vissel Kobe. And in a lengthy social media post on Tuesday, Iniesta explained how he came to the decision to stop playing for Spain. Читать дальше...

Nigeria captain John Obi Mikel has revealed he played in his country's World Cup clash with Argentina knowing that his father had been kidnapped. The 31-year-old's father, Pa Michael Obi, was tortured during a week-long ordeal before police secured his release from the kidnappers who demanded a ransom from Nigeria's captain and told him he would be killed if he reported the incident. Mikel told The Guardian that he contemplated withdrawing from the match but opted to play in the 2-1 defeat without... Читать дальше...

44. England 1-2 Iceland (Euro 2016, last 16)Harrowing. England were so complacent about this fixture thatRoy Hodgson took assistant Ray Lewington on a boat ride down the Seine instead of watching potential knockout opponents Iceland in their final group game against Austria– won in the 94th-minute to set up their meeting with the Three Lions.Hodgson's side did take a fourth-minute lead via Wayne Rooney's penalty, though – and then went to bits. When Ragnar Sigurdsson equalised within two minutes... Читать дальше...

Diego Maradona would return to coach Argentina for free after being left hurt by their World Cup elimination. The 57-year-old great was in the stands as Jorge Sampaoli's side slipped to a 4-3 defeat against France in the round of 16 and said his energetic demeanour at the game did not reflect his feelings about the outcome of the match. Argentina reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 2010 with Maradona at the helm and he expressed his desire to take the job again in an appearance on Venezuelan TV network Telesur. Читать дальше...

It’s been six years since Jack Wilshere watched a major tournament at home – but that won’t stop him from cheering on England against Colombia tonight.A member of England’s squads for the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016, Wilshere didn’t make it into Gareth Southgate’s 23 for this summer’s tournament. Instead, he’ll head to a central London pub tonight to cheer on his friends from afar, at an event organised by William Hill.“Personally I think they’ve got the talent and ability to go all the way,” he... Читать дальше...

Luis Suarez admits Uruguay face an anxious wait to see if Edinson Cavani will be fit to face France in the World Cup quarter-final, although he is confident they can cope without him. The Paris Saint-Germain striker suffered a hamstring injury in the last-16 win over Portugal and was the only player not to take part in team training in Nizhny Novgorod on Tuesday. Suarez himself picked up a knock in that session but later appeared in front of the media with no obvious discomfort, which will calm fears he too could miss the clash with France. Читать дальше...

France may have knocked out Lionel Messi's Argentina at the World Cup but they found Presnel Kimpembe impossible to beat in training on Tuesday. The Paris Saint-Germain centre-back turned into a human wall, producing not one, not two but three stunning stops during a small-sided game. He superbly denied Olivier Giroud's acrobatic overhead kick with an outstretched leg, then twice kept out Nabil Fekir from close range while still lying on the ground. Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for Lyon playmaker Fekir... Читать дальше...

The Danish Football Association have reported death threats made towards Nicolai Jorgensen to the police, after the striker was targeted on social media following the nation's World Cup exit. Jorgensen was one of three Denmark players to see penalties saved as they lost a penalty shoot-out against Croatia on Sunday. After the Feyenoord forward had missed his side's fifth kick, Ivan Rakitic converted from the spot to book Croatia's place in the quarter-finals at Russia 2018. With Jorgensen receiving... Читать дальше...

Joachim Low will stay on as head coach of Germany despite their elimination from the 2018 World Cup at the group stage, the German Football Association (DFB) has confirmed. Speculation over Low's future was rife after the world champions finished bottom of Group F and exited the World Cup in the opening round for the first time since 1938. Following the disappointment, the 58-year-old admitted that "big changes" were needed and the announcement that he is to stay at the helm gives him the opportunity... Читать дальше...

The trick when putting together a FFT cover story is to try to predict who and what you, the reader, will want to know about roughly three months down the line. Obviously this is easier said than done, with the myriad problems that can derail a cover story in that time. This is doubly difficult when the issue in question is set to come out midway through a World Cup–like this one.Not only do we not know how England will be getting on as we come out, the World Cup has a way of putting all transfer... Читать дальше...

Adam Nawalka will leave his role as Poland head coach at the end of the month following their World Cup elimination at Russia 2018. Nawalka took over as national team boss in 2013 and guided Poland to their first-ever European Championship quarter-final three years later. They suffered defeat to eventual champions Portugal on penalties in that last-eight match in Marseille, but their World Cup campaign was less successful. Despite qualifying with eight wins from their 10 matches, Poland failed... Читать дальше...

Germany great Lothar Matthaus dubbed Toni Kroos one of the country's "future leaders" and called for the Real Madrid midfielder to stay with the national team after their World Cup disappointment. Kroos gave Die Mannschaft hope of reaching the knock-out stage with his dramatic late free-kick in a 2-1 Group F victory over Sweden, but he was unable to prevent the subsequent 2-0 defeat to South Korea that sent Germany home from the World Cup at the opening stage for the first time in 80 years. The... Читать дальше...

Yuri Zhirkov will continue to undergo treatment on a calf injury as he battles to be fit for Russia's World Cup quarter-final against Croatia. The Zenit defender was substituted at half-time during his country's last-16 tie with Spain last Sunday, with the host nation going on to win on penalties to progress in the tournament. After undergoing medical tests, Zhirkov has been diagnosed with an inflammation of a tendon in his calf, leaving him in a race against time to be ready to play on Saturday. Читать дальше...

Brazil defender Thiago Silva thinks the special attention Neymar is getting from defenders at the World Cup is "normal" because his skills make him difficult to stop. Neymar, who only returned from a fractured metatarsal last month, looked close to his best on Monday when Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 to reach the quarter-finals in Russia. Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar was often at the centre of things, as he scored and played a key role in Roberto Firmino getting the second. But he also received criticism... Читать дальше...

Thomas Meunier said he would be facing the best player he has ever played with when Belgium take on Neymar and Brazil in the World Cup quarter-final, saying of his Paris-Saint Germain team-mate: "I do not know how to stop him." Meunier played the entirety of Belgium's 3-2 round-of-16 victory over Japan, which was settled by Nacer Chadli's stoppage-time strike and set up a quarter-final clash with the highly fancied South Americans. Neymar scored the first goal in Brazil's 2-0 win over Mexico to double his World Cup tally... Читать дальше...