France midfielder Paul Pogba will miss their World Cup title defense after failing to recover from knee surgery in time for next month's tournament in Qatar, his agent said on Monday.
Pogba had an operation on a damaged meniscus in September but his agent said that, following a medical review, he would not be able to return to the Juventus squad or join up with France before the Nov. 20-Dec. 18 World Cup.
To prepare you for the tournament, The18 has launched team-by-team previews for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Here’s the France World Cup preview — they’ll play in Group D against Denmark, Tunisia and Australia.
World Cup Appearances: 16th
Best Finish: Champions (1998, 2018)
Neymar had another top-tier performance in PSG’s Ligue 1 match and win against Troyes this Saturday.
A comeback topped off with a goal and assist for the former Barcelona man.
Messi ➡️ Neymar.
Will never get tired of this duo
PARIS — Lionel Messi grabbed a goal and assist to inspire Paris Saint-Germain to a 4-3 comeback victory over Troyes on Saturday as the Ligue 1 table-toppers extended their lead to five points.
Troyes had stunned the crowd at the Parc des Princes when Mama Balde volleyed home in just the third minute but PSG midfielder Carlos Soler equalized after a superb pass from Neymar as the two teams went into the break at 1-1.
TROYES TAKE THE LEAD EARLY IN THE GAME! ⚽
0-1
Maccabi Haifa's 30-year-old American goalkeeper Josh Cohen was the toast of Europe on Oct. 11 when making five saves en route to a clean sheet during his side's incredible upset of Juventus in the Champions League.
His mission Tuesday? Do it again, but this time against Lionel Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and PSG at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
This time Cohen faced five shots in the first-half alone and could only watch in agony as four of them found the back of the net.
Cohen couldn't do anything about Messi's opener in the 19th minute.
The 2022-23 UEFA Women's Champions League group stage began Wednesday with a marquee matchup between defending champions Lyon and quarterfinalists Arsenal at Parc Olympique Lyonnais, and the result sent shockwaves around the world.
After firing Real Madrid to a Champions League and LaLiga double with 42 goals in 44 games and returning to the France national team with a Nations League title, Karim Benzema beat Sadio Mané and Kevin De Bruyne to the 2022 Ballon d'Or on Monday. To celebrate the occasion, adidas — which has counted Benzema among its stable of athletes for over a decade now — dropped a new signature cleat for Real's captain.
PARIS - Real Madrid's France forward Karim Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d'Or award for the best men's player in the world on Monday, while Barcelona's Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the women's award for a second time.
Benzema, who played a pivotal role in Real's run to the Champions League title last season, is the first French player to win the trophy since Zinedine Zidane in 1998 and the fifth after Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini and Jean-Pierre Papin.
There was a time, with his contract willfully running down last season, when it looked like a Kylian Mbappé Real Madrid transfer was a foregone conclusion. The World Cup winner had already accomplished everything imaginable in French football at the age of 23 (five league titles, five cup triumphs and three Player of the Year awards), and the realization of Mbappé's childhood dream of playing at the Santiago Bernabéu was promised by Florentino Pérez himself.
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.