Oh how things change, oh how things stay the same. The Spanish national team enters this year’s World Cup in Russia in a rather strange state. World champions in 2010 and European champions in 2008 and 2012, Spain are sort of favorites for this year’s tournament, as they’re always expected to do well.
Germany manager Joachim Low announced his preliminary, 27-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup today — a number that will need to be trimmed to 23 before Die Mannschaft open play against Mexico on June 17.
Real Madrid eased towards their May 26 UEFA Champions League final date with Liverpool by thumping Celta Vigo 6-0 on Saturday in league play. With Cristiano Ronaldo nursing an ankle injury until the match in Kiev, it was up to Isco, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema to lead the attack at the Bernabeu.
And so it’s confirmed: German international and FC Cologne left back Jonas Hector is the most likable footballer on the planet. Weeks after committing his future to an already relegated Cologne, despite being able to transfer to pretty much any team on the planet, Hector proceeded to score this worldie against Wolfsburg on Saturday.
A 99-year stay in Germany’s top flight (including a place in the Bundesliga since its foundation in 1963) was brought to a dramatic end for Hamburger SV on Saturday afternoon after the club’s 2-1 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach was rendered meaningless by Wolfsburg’s win against Cologne on the final match day.
The hype surrounding 20-year-old French winger Ousmane Dembele was largely quelled this season after a pair of injuries kept the kid sidelined for 27 games between September and February, but it was only a matter of fitness until the train’s wheels started rolling again.
Last Friday, Istanbul Basaksehir slipped to a disastrous 1-1 home draw with Sivasspor, a result that almost certainly handed the Turkish Super Lig title to either Galatasaray or Fenerbahce with only two matches to play. Leading 1-0 heading into second half stoppage time, Istanbul Basaksehir goalkeeper Volkan Babacan surrendered this calamitous own goal to doom his club’s title hopes.
With Juventus set to take on the MLS All-Stars on August 1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Old Lady legend Edgar Davids was on hand Wednesday to do a bit of scouting for his former club. The 45-year-old also did a bit of what “The Pit Bull” does best: he hammered something.