National Teams

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.

Norway’s dream of securing World Cup qualification for the first time since 1998 took a massive step forward Monday after the Løvene recorded a 2-0 victory over Montenegro despite the absence of injured Ballon d’Or finalist Erling Haaland.

With the win, Norway gave itself a chance of actually overtaking the Netherlands and earning automatic qualification with two games to play, but a second-place finish and a spot in the playoffs can almost be guaranteed next time out against Latvia on Nov. 13.   

Maybe the USMNT should just stop playing on Oct. 10. It never ends well, and 2021 was no different, the U.S. suffering a pitiful 1-0 defeat to Panama. Reexamining the USMNT vs Panama stats a day later, it’s shocking just how bad Gregg Berhalter’s team was.

Few left feet in the history of the game have been as magical as Lionel Messi’s. But the Messi goal vs Uruguay on Sunday night was something uniquely supernatural. It was as if the Argentine put some sort of forcefield around the ball as he sent it toward goal.

Messi’s strike in the 38th minute sent Argentina on its way to a 3-0 win over Uruguay in World Cup qualifying, maintaining a comfortable second place in the CONMEBOL table behind Brazil. La Celeste barely remain in the top four guaranteed World Cup positions with seven matches left to play. 

The “Berhalter Out” group of USMNT fans had a field day Sunday night watching the U.S. fall to Panama 1-0 at the Estadio Rommel Fernández. The performance from Gregg Berhalter’s team was one of the most uninspiring from an American side since four years ago to the day when the Americans lost to Trinidad and Tobago 2-1. 

The USMNT failed to register a single shot on target as Panama got its first ever victory against the U.S. during World Cup qualifying. The five total shots from the U.S. was lowest number in the team's last 28 World Cup qualifiers.

Some soccer players are not vaccinated against COVID-19 because their opinions could be swayed by conspiracy theories on social media, England coach Gareth Southgate said.

British media reported last month only seven of England's 20 Premier League clubs have squads where more than 50% of players are vaccinated.

Southgate said he is unsure of how many of his current England squad are fully vaccinated against the virus, which has caused more than 5 million deaths globally according to a Reuters tally. 

UEFA Group B in FIFA World Cup qualifying continues to deliver after both Sweden and Greece secured victories on Saturday to put pressure on leader Spain with only three matchdays remaining.

On Saturday, France Football published Lionel Messi’s first wide-ranging interview since joining Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona.