Sports

Paul Pogba insisted France must deal with being labelled as favourites to win Euro 2020 after he led the way with a supreme performance against Germany.

Mats Hummels own goal gifted Euro 2016 runners-up France a 1-0 win over Germany in their opening Group F encounter in Munich on Tuesday, putting Les Bleus well on their way to progressing to the last 16.

France – who finished with just one attempt on target – had opportunities to add to their lead, with Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema having goals disallowed for offside, though Joachim Low s Germany ultimately failed to make their luck count as they lost their opening game of a European Championship for the first time.

The winner came in fortuitous circumstances, with Hummels turning in from Lucas Hernandez s…

Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta has announced his retirement from football at the age of 40.

Iniesta, who also played for Japanese side Vissel Kobe, most recently played for UAE Pro League club Emirates and had the option to extend his contract until 2025, but has instead decided to hang up his boots.

The midfielder started his career at Barcelona, joining at the age of 12 before making his senior debut in 2002.

He went on to make 674 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions, the fourth-most in the history of the club, behind Lionel Messi (778), Xavi (767) and Sergio Busquets (722).

Please allow me to be a little emotional today a tearful Iniesta said at a press conference on Tuesday.

I never thought this day would come…

Jose Mourinho recited his famous if I speak one-liner following Fenerbahce s late exit from the Champions League to Lille on Tuesday.

Mourinho s side looked on course to take the tie to penalties after Bafode Diakite s late own-goal levelled the aggregate score in Istanbul.

But there was to be more drama as Jonathan David s long-range shot struck Jayden Oosterwolde s outstretched arm, with a penalty given after a VAR review.

David would step up to score from 12 yards in the 118th-minute, meaning the Turkish side will play in the Europa League next season as Mourinho faces a possible reunion with Manchester United or Tottenham.

Maç sonucu: Fenerbahce 1-1 LOSC Lille

— Fenerbahce SK (@Fenerbahce)

In his post-match assessment, Mourinh…

Raheem Sterling believes he has far more improvement in him under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City after signing a bumper new deal with the Premier League champions.

The England winger has reached terms running until the end of the 2022-23 campaign that could reportedly earn him as much as £300,000 per week.

Sterling joined City from Liverpool in 2015 and has proved himself an integral member of Guardiola s free-scoring side.

Season-on-season at the Etihad Stadium he has been involved in a greater number of goals and, with seven strikes and as many assists to his name this term, the 23-year-old feels the sky is the limit.

There s definitely a lot more to come, he told City TV. There s stuff that I m still working on. There s never a time when I think …

Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d Or for 2016, the fourth time he has been named the world s best player.

The 31-year-old started the year with critics claiming he was past his best, but went on to win the Champions League with Real Madrid and Euro 2016 with Portugal.

The Club World Cup could still follow before the end of the calendar year.

Here, we look at the best numbers from Ronaldo s year, with the help of Opta data:
 

51 – Ronaldo has scored 51 times for club and country in 2016 from a total of 55 appearances.

38 – Of those 51 goals, 38 were scored from 42 matches at club level – 31 in LaLiga and seven in the Champions League.

13 – He netted 13 times in as many games for Portugal in 2016 – his best goalscoring year…

Robin van Persie scored a brace in Manchester United s 4-0 in at Wigan

The Premier League games on New Year’s Day produced a host of goals as usual.

Manchester United remained seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table, after winning 4-0 at Wigan. Javier Hernandez fired the visitors in front in the 35th minute from inside the penalty box, after Ali Al Habsi had saved Patrice Evra’s low effort.

United doubled their lead in the 43rd minute, Robin Van Persie turning Ivan Ramis before curling the ball into the top corner.

Javier Hernandez scored his brace in the 63rd minute, pouncing on a Robin Van Persie free-kick to fire home inside the penalty area.

Van Persie made it four in the 88th minute, when he was left completely unmarked…

With Premier League clubs travelling far and wide to fulfil commercial commitments as well as prepare for the upcoming campaign, the 2023-24 pre-season diary is packed full of fixtures across the globe.

Here, the PA news agency looks at what the top teams will be doing, who they will face and how they will be ramping up to challenge for honours.

Arsenal

D.C. United s Wayne Rooney will coach MLS All-Stars against Arsenal

— B/R Football (@brfootball)

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners will head off to a training camp at adidas headquarters in Nurnberg on July 9 and will face the second-tier side as part of their preparations before travelling to the United States.

The trip includes high-profile friendlies against the MLS All-Stars, managed by Wayne Roone…

Liverpool struck a world-record deal to sign defender Virgil van Dijk from Southampton on this day six years ago.

It was announced on December 27, 2017 that the sought-after Dutchman would move to Anfield on January 1 in a transfer understood to be worth £75million, the highest price ever paid for a defender at that time.

A Southampton statement read: “Southampton Football Club can confirm it has reached an agreement with Liverpool over the transfer of Virgil van Dijk.

— Virgil van Dijk (@VirgilvDijk)

“Southampton have agreed a fee that will set a new world-record for a defender. The club wishes Virgil well in his future when the deal is completed on January 1, 2018.”

Van Dijk had handed in a transfer request during the summer o…

The NFL season is a grueling marathon, which is why the schedule makers hand out bye weeks, giving teams a chance to rest up, get ready for the home stretch, or even reset.

These breaks in the schedule come with advantages and disadvantages for those betting on NFL action each week. Here are some tips for handicapping bye weeks in 2021.

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As the NFL’s preseason schedule gets underway this weekend, we get a meeting between NFC contenders with the Green Bay Packers visiting the San Francisco 49ers on Friday night. 

Those hoping to see two-time reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers take the field will be disappointed, as he won’t put on the pads until Week 3 of the preseason at the earliest. That said, the Trey Lance era gets underway, as the former No. 3 overall pick is expected to be under center at the start of this one.

Does that make the Niners an easy play here? Find out in our free NFL picks and predictions for Packers vs. 49ers.

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