Germany

SKOPJE — Germany became the first European team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup by crushing North Macedonia 4-0 away on Monday to secure top spot in Group J with two games to spare.

A second-half double by Timo Werner and one goal each from Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala secured Germany's fifth win in their fifth game under new coach Hansi Flick and lifted them to 21 points, with Romania in second place on 13.

The decision to host Euro 2020 across multiple European cities brought some truly memorable moments in Copenhagen, Budapest and London, but let’s never do that again. There’s nothing like the staging of a month-long carnival in one country, so it works to maximize the confluence and mingling of fans from different nations as they converge on one shared home base. That's the best sort of party.

Germany great Gerd Müller, widely regarded as one of the game's greatest goal scorers and nicknamed "Der Bomber”, has died at the age of 75, his former club Bayern Munich said on Sunday.

Müller scored 68 goals in 62 international games for West Germany, including the winner in the 1974 World Cup final, and is third in the all-time list of most goals in the competition with 14 goals behind Ronaldo (15) and Miroslav Klose (16).

He also won the European championship in 1972 with them.

LISBON - Former Germany and Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack's 18-year-old son Emilio died in a quad-bike accident near Lisbon on Thursday, Setubal's emergency services said.

A spokesperson for the emergency operations told Reuters Emilio died at 2:17 a.m. in the holiday destination Troia, south of Lisbon. The 18-year-old was involved in a four-wheel crash.

Defending champions Brazil advanced to the quarter-finals of the men's Olympic soccer tournament after a 3-1 victory over Saudi Arabia on Wednesday helped them top Group D while Ivory Coast booked their berth by sending Germany home.

Japan advanced after delivering the knockout blow to 10-man France with a 4-0 win to stay perfect in Group A. Takefusa Kubo, Hiroki Sakai, Koji Miyoshi and Daizen Maeda all scored for the rampant hosts while Randal Kolo Muani was sent off for France.

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Brazil striker Richarlison struck a stunning hat-trick inside 30 minutes as the defending Olympic champions beat Germany 4-2 in their opening Group D game in the men's tournament at the International Stadium on Thursday.

Brazil should have had the outcome decided by the interval given the amount of chances they created but Germany struck twice in the second half, despite going down to 10 men in the 63rd minute.

The German men's Olympic soccer team left the pitch five minutes before the end of their warm-up game against Honduras in Wakayama, Japan on Saturday after defender Jordan Torunarigha was allegedly racially abused.

#SayNoToRacism

We stand with you Jordan Torunarigha. https://t.co/AWAD7bII7l