Poland coach Paulo Sousa on Monday named his squad for next month's European Championship that begins on June 11 with winger Kamil Grosicki the biggest name to miss out on the 26-man squad.
Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski is set to lead the team while 17-year-old midfielder Kacper Kozłowski made the cut after making his debut in March. The Portuguese coach also named four reserves.
LONDON - Last November, players of Venezuelan first division football team Trujillanos took to the pitch with a banner demanding their long unpaid salaries and then stood still for a minute in protest once the game kicked off.
Since then, the head coach has left to manage the U-20 national team and their three best players moved to clubs in Brazil, Colombia and Canada for next to nothing.
ZAGREB - Striker Bruno Petković is expected to fill Mario Mandžukić's big boots at Euro 2020 as Croatia aim to reach the last 16 at the June 11-July 11 tournament, coach Zlatko Dalić said as he named his 26-man squad on Monday.
Mandžukić, who scored an extra time winner in a 2-1 victory over England in their 2018 World Cup semifinal, is one of several stalwarts who hung up their international boots after Croatia were beaten by France 4-2 in the final.
BRUSSELS - Belgium’s Axel Witsel was included in the squad for next month’s European Championship with coach Roberto Martínez gambling the influential midfielder will be fit in time for the tournament.
Witsel, 32, had surgery on an Achilles tendon injury suffered with Borussia Dortmund in January and has not played since but has been a key part of Belgium's lineup, winning the last of his 110 caps against England last November.
“Witsel is recovering well and working really hard to be completely fit and is ahead of his recovery schedule," Martínez told reporters on Monday.
HONG KONG - The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed on Sunday that North Korea has pulled out of next month's qualifying tournament for the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.
The move comes after the country had already withdrawn from the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer because of concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
South Korea is due to host the remaining matches in Group H of the second round of Asia's preliminary tournament in June, but North Korean officials informed their southern counterparts of their intention to withdraw this month.
With 103 caps accumulated at multiple World Cups, multiple Copa Américas and having achieved both Olympic and Confederations Cup glory, there’s a lot of potential options for Neymar when selecting his personal favorite game with the Canarinho.
So it was somewhat surprising to learn — via GQ Style — that Neymar's favorite memory with the national setup is still his debut, which was a 2010 friendly against the USMNT in New Jersey.
International players Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams lead the 40-man provisional roster submitted Monday for the CONCACAF Nations League, but longtime team standards Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore are not on the list.
HONG KONG - China head coach Li Tie has included five overseas-born players in his 26-man squad ahead of the resumption of their World Cup qualifying campaign later this month.
The former Everton player has selected England-born duo defender Tyias Browning and midfielder Nico Yennaris as well as Brazil-born forwards Elkeson, Alan Carvalho and Fernandinho.
Browning, Elkeson, Carvalho and Fernandinho are among seven Guangzhou FC players in the squad, with the eight-time Chinese Super League champions dominating the selection.
FIFA decided to postpone the qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup for the African teams, which were to take place from June to November of this year and March of next year, according to the organization's statement.
Breaking: CAF Emergency Committee FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers. Press release here pic.twitter.com/PYwh02YQUw
— Mpho Motaung (@Mph__Motaung) May 6, 2021
Vlatko Andonovski is trying to form an unstoppable USWNT squad and several young players have clearly been on his radar. While many of these youngsters have worked their way into the senior squad, they've bumped off some familiar faces in the process. Competition at the national team level is fierce and the best of the best will earn their spot, but for those that have not made the cut they must now work their way back under immense pressure.
Hopefully USWNT fans haven't forgotten about a few of these players that've not been consistent additions to Andonovski’s roster.