Final presentations from countries competing to host the 2018 World Cup are being held in Zurich on Thursday morning.
The joint bid of the Netherlands and Belgium, who are bidding against Russia, England and another joint bid from Spain and Portugal, were the first to state their case.
Dutchman Guus Hiddink took to the stage to declare how the 2000 European Championships, which were co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium, demonstrated how well the two nations could handle a sporting event of that magnitude.
Then Netherlands/Belgium bid chief and former Dutch international star Ruud Gullit heralded the virtues of the country s green focus for the World Cup, and said they would provide two million bikes to help fans move around.
This is not a gimmick it…
Prediction: Match to end in 2-2 draw
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Croatia and Poland will lock horns with each other in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League A Group 1 this weekend. The match between Zlatko Dalić’s side and Michał Probierz’s team will be held at the Opus Arena in Osijek and is scheduled to kick off at 7:45 pm UK time on Sunday.
Croatia
Croatia have established themselves as a major power in football in recent weeks. Not only are the Checkered Ones expected to qualify for major international competitions with ease, but they are also backed by many football fans to reach the semi-finals and the finals and perhaps even to win them.
The Blazers reached the final of the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia and reached the semi-finals at the …
Marcus Rashford is hopeful Manchester United can build on their dominant EFL Cup success over Barnsley when they go to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, highlighting the importance of their attackers building positive relationships.
Rashford scored twice as United routed the third-tier side 7-0 at Old Trafford, reaching the fourth round of a competition they won in Ten Hag s first season at the helm in 2022-23.
On Saturday, they return to the scene of one of their most humiliating defeats under the Dutchman, facing a Crystal Palace side that thrashed them 4-0 in May.
Rashford – who also opened his Premier League account for the season in last week s 3-0 victory at Southampton – believes the confidence garnered from United s midweek win could t…
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Looking to extend on their Champions League charge on Saturday evening, Tottenham will travel to Craven Cottage when they meet Fulham.
Fulham
Starting with the hosts, while Fulham might have signed off February with a stunning 2-1 victory away at Manchester United, Fulham have largely struggled with their consistency since opening up the New Year. Last seen falling to a 2-1 defeat against Wolves, Marco Silva’s men almost find themselves sat in Premier League limbo. Facing a real uphill battle in their bid to punch a top-half finish, the former Everton boss has seen his squad win just a trio of their previous 11 showdowns across all competitions. However, although Fulham might have gained somewhat of a reputation for their rugged pe…
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Tottenham Hotspur and Everton will both be aiming to bounce back from disappointing results in their opening Premier League fixtures when they meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Spurs couldn t capitalize on their early control in a 1-1 draw against newly-promoted Leicester City, while Everton endured a frustrating start to their season, suffering a 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton and Hove Albion.
Tottenham Hotspur
At the age of 37, Jamie Vardy continues to prove his worth against the Premier League s top sides, making Spurs pay for missed opportunities with a crucial equalizer at the King Power Stadium. Vardy, who wasn’t expected to feature on Monday, capitalized on Spurs defensive lapses, heading ho…
After a dramatic and turbulent start to the season, Arsenal are now looking for a new head coach following the departure of Jonas Eidevall.
Eidevall resigned as the pressure mounted before reaching an untenable level this week. The Swedish coach has been with the club since 2021, winning two League Cups in his tenure.
Arsenal have had an underwhelming start to the 2024-25 campaign, to say the least, winning only one of four games in the Women s Super League. The Gunners were humiliated in Europe, losing 5-2 to Bayern Munich in their opening game of the Women s Champions League group stages.
However, the tale of Eidevall s demise reaches back further than just the poor start to this campaign, and there have been a number of factors that have led up to this poor ru…
The United States women s team lost to Sweden in the quarter-finals of the Rio 2016 football tournament on Friday, marking the first time since the women s game was added to the Olympic programme that they have failed to make the final.
It took the first-ever penalty shoot-out in women s Olympic football history for the Swedes coached by Pia Sundhage, who led the US to gold in 2008 and 2012 to knock out the Americans after the match had ended level at 1-1 after extra time.
Sweden took the lead in the 61st minute, when Stina Blackstenius beat USA defender Julie Johnson on the counter-attack and slid a shot past goalkeeper Hope Solo.
The US equalised in the 77th minute, Alex Morgan taking advantage of a loose ball in Sweden s area that ricocheted off the …
Even before opening match protagonists Switzerland and the Czech Republic had kicked a ball in anger a growing clutch of the 16 participating nations were seeking a clean bill of health in vain on Saturday.
Poland, facing Germany in their opening game on Sunday, have been hardest hit with two of their squad already having had to pull out while Portugal goalkeeper Quim has succumbed to a hand fracture.
The Swiss also lost their talismanic captain and striker Alexander Frei after just 42 minutes against the Czechs as he had to go off after tangling with Czech defender Zdenek Grygera.
The Czechs themselves had to leave out Zdenek Pospech, the defender suffering from a fever and a virus.
They were dropping like flies on Saturday afternoon when Quim made …
Bayern Munich are Bundesliga champions yet again, as a 4-1 win over Augsburg on Saturday allowed them to round off a sixth record successive title win.
It highlights a brilliant turnaround inspired by Jupp Heynckes, who was appointed for his fourth spell in charge back in October following the dismissal of Carlo Ancelotti.
The Italian had reportedly lost the support of key members in the dressing room by the end of his tenure, but Heynckes returned and galvanised the club, steering them back in the right direction and capitalising on Borussia Dortmund s capitulation under Peter Bosz.
Bayern had been in complete control at the top even before the turn of the year and have gone on to win the title at a canter.
Below, we look at the best Opta stats from t…
Luiz Felipe Scolari insisted the English Premier League title race was still open as his Chelsea side went into 2009 three points behind leaders Liverpool.
The Blues topped the table at the end of November but have faltered since, with Liverpool taking full advantage.
Only once in the last four seasons has a team that led the Premier League at Christmas failed to win the title, but Scolari is adamant the battle is far from over.
The championship is not finished, he said. It will be finished in the last two or three games. It is normal in England. The Premier League is difficult.
We are in a good position. We need to win our games.
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has said the Blues will not be buying any new players during the January t…