Croatia

Euro 2024 qualifying groups: Italy faces England, France lands the Netherlands

FRANKFURT, Germany - Defending champions Italy will face England in their Euro 2024 qualifying group, a repeat of last year's tournament final, following the draw on Sunday in Frankfurt's Festhalle.

The Italians, who beat England 3-2 on penalties at London's Wembley stadium in 2021 to lift the trophy will also play North Macedonia, who prevented Roberto Mancini's side from reaching the World Cup, and Malta in Group C.

Team-By-Team Guides: 2022 World Cup Previews

To prepare you for the tournament, The18 has launched 2022 World Cup team previews for each of the 32 nations competing in Qatar. 

Below you will find each team listed along with a link to those previews that have been published. Check back throughout the buildup to the 2022 World Cup as we publish a complete list of World Cup team previews, updated with the latest on each team participating in the greatest men's soccer tournament in the world. 

Just How Hot Is Qatar? Hot But Not Sweltering Temps Will Be The Norm At World Cup

Scorching temperatures are one of the many reasons Qatar is the most controversial World Cup host of all time. During June and July, the months in which the World Cup is traditionally held, temperatures in the Arab nation peak around 120 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature at which, unsurprisingly, it is simply unsafe to play a 90+ minute soccer match.

The Top 9 Best Midfielders Playing At The 2022 World Cup

Midfielders are the heartbeat of any soccer side. They control the pace of play, create chances, contribute to attack and defense and oversee the transition between the two. With technique, creativity and intelligence, a world class midfielder is a joy to watch.

From iconic legends to up-and-coming stars, the 2022 Qatar World Cup is filled to the brim with exceptional midfield players. Who rises to the top? Without further ado, here are the ten best 2022 World Cup midfielders, ranked.  

The Groups Are Drawn — Here’s How Likely Each Concacaf Team Is To Make The Knockout Stages

The World Cup groups are ready to go and boy oh boy are there some tantalizing games awaiting the soccer world this winter. In case you missed the draw, here is how the eight groups look.

Investigating The Most Egregious Ballon d'Or Winners Of The Last 20 Years

After a decade-plus of domination by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, fans expected Ballon d'Or voting to bring some different results in 2021.

The obvious choice was Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, who was coming off a record-breaking 41-goal campaign in the Bundesliga. 

Instead it was Messi — seemingly entering the twilight of his career — who won the award for the seventh time. "Surely something must be done," the people exclaimed at this perceived injustice. "He still can't be the best player in the world."

Late Own Goal Sees Croatia Reach World Cup Finals At Russia’s Expense

SPLIT, Croatia - Croatia clinched an automatic berth in next year's World Cup finals in dramatic fashion as a late Fyodor Kudryashov own goal gave them a 1-0 home win over Russia in their crunch Group D qualifier on Sunday.

Croatia, the 2018 World Cup runners-up, jumped above Russia to top the standings on 23 points from 10 games, one more than the second-placed Russians who will head into the March playoffs.

The Best (And Worst) Fans From Euro 2020, So Far

While the Euros roll on through the knockout rounds, we have plenty of wild fan interactions already. From fans showing up to support their team in the wrong country to pitch invaders wielding rainbow flags, anything goes as fans are enjoying their time back. Football fans were kept from stadiums and fully supporting their teams for over a year by the Covid-19 pandemic, diminished to yelling at screens instead of faces, so we wouldn't expect anything less extravagant than what has been happening. Let's take a look at the best Euro 2020 fans so far. 

Rating All Nine Own Goals At Euro 2020 So Far Based On How Awful They Were

If it seems like there have been a lot of own goals during Euro 2020, it's because they have been occurring at a rate unlike anything seen at an international tournament before.

The first European Championship was contested in 1960, and in the 15 tournaments up to now, there have been nine own goals. Through the first 41 matches at this summer's European Championship there have been nine own goals. 

Un Feo Autogol, Prórroga Y La Revancha De Morata: España Avanza A Cuartos En Una Locura De Partido

En un partido antológico, maravilloso, impresionante y fantástico, España venció en la prórroga a Croacia y avanzó a los cuartos de final de la Euro 2020. Fue un 5-3 que será difícil de olvidar.

Los españoles llegaban al enfrentamiento tras una decepcionante fase de grupos, pero que alcanzó a salvar en su último duelo con un magnífico 5-0 ante Eslovaquia.

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