National Teams

MADRID - Spain have called up four players to take part in a parallel training bubble following captain Sergio Busquets's positive COVID-19 test at the weekend, the national team said on Monday.

The new additions — Rodrigo (Leeds United), Pablo Fornals (West Ham United), Carlos Soler (Valencia) and Brais Méndez (Celta Vigo) — will not stay at Spain's Las Rozas training base or be involved with the rest of the preparations of the squad, who are currently isolating.

Last Thursday, the world’s second-most populated country once again failed to qualify for the World Cup. India had never managed the feat before, and a 1-0 defeat to Qatar confirmed that 2022 wouldn’t mark a maiden voyage for the Blue Tigers.

But there’s one contest that India might yet win, and that’s the personal battle between 36-year-old captain Sunil Chhetri and six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi. 

RIO DE JANEIRO - The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has been removed from office for 30 days by the organization’s ethics commission, it said on Sunday, only a week before Brazil is due to host the Copa América.

Brazilian news reports said Rogério Caboclo was accused of sexually harassing an employee.

The CBF gave few details.

MOSCOW - The Ukrainian football association has caused outrage in Russia by unveiling a new national team shirt emblazoned with a map of Ukraine that includes Crimea, in a move Russian officials called a provocation.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Moscow considers the peninsula part of Russia but it is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine.

The story of the Reyna family is well-known on the pitch. Claudio excelled for the USMNT, winning 112 caps and playing at three World Cups, and his 18-year-old son Gio has already shown early signs of usurping his genius.  

On Sunday evening, Gio scored his third senior U.S. goal in only his seventh appearance. It was his first competitive goal for the USMNT, serving as a 27th minute equalizer against Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League final.

MIDDLESBROUGH, England - A makeshift England side beat Romania 1-0 in their final Euro 2020 warm-up game on Sunday as Marcus Rashford converted a 68th-minute penalty after manager Gareth Southgate made nine changes to the team that beat Austria by the same score on Wednesday.

Rashford left Florin Niță rooted to his line with a perfectly taken spot kick after Tiberiu Căpuşă brought down Jack Grealish but the Romanian goalkeeper did well 10 minutes later when he saved a Jordan Henderson penalty.

England will continue to take a knee during the European Championship and ignore any "adverse reaction" to taking part in the anti-racism gesture, manager Gareth Southgate said on Saturday.

Boos could be heard from sections of the crowd at the Riverside Stadium when players took the knee before England's friendly win over Austria on Wednesday.

South American players should be given the chance to opt out of playing the Copa América this month, the World Leagues Forum (WLF) said in an open letter to FIFA and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) on Saturday.

The WLF, an organisation that represents more than 40 professional leagues and their clubs, said the abrupt decision to move the Copa América to Brazil after Argentina pulled out due to a surge in COVID-19 cases "directly affect(s) leagues, their member clubs and their players."

A year late and thousands of fans short, Euro 2020 is finally here, and we couldn’t have asked for a more intriguing match to kick off the competition. After a year of uncertainty, the opening match is just as unpredictable as the 16 months that preceded it. Any Italy vs Turkey preview or prediction is mere speculation, as the Euro 2020’s first match is sure to enthrall.