Author: Barkha Roy

Eden Hazard, who is just 31-year-old has announced he is stepping down from international football. The Real Madrid attacker captained Belgium at the ongoing World Cup in Qatar. Belgium were eliminated from the tournament in the group stages after a 1-0 win over Canada, a 2-0 loss to Morocco, and a 0-0 draw with Croatia. Hazard has now followed manager Roberto Martinez out of the team following the team’s dismal World Cup performance. He retires with 33 goals in 126 appearances for the Red Devils since his debut in 2008. “A page turns today… Thank you for your love. Thank you for…

The 2010 World Cup champions were beaten on penalty shootouts in the last 16 by advance to the quarterfinals after a 0-0 draw on Tuesday. Spain was eliminated from the World Cup on penalties for the fourth time, and the second time in a row. https://twitter.com/OptaAnalyst/status/1600173183566348288 Luis Enqirue’s side dominated possession in the first half but couldn’t break through a tenacious Moroccan defence. Nayef Aguerd headed over from close range with the best chance of the half. La Roja had more than 75% possession and completed nearly 800 passes but were unable to find a breakthrough within 90 minutes, forcing the game into extra…

SL Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos started in place of Cristiano Ronaldo and scored three goals as Portugal cruised into the World Cup quarterfinals with a 6-1 victory over Switzerland on Tuesday. Following a disagreement in their previous match, head coach Fernando Santos made the brave decision to bench Ronaldo, but the 2016 Euro winners proved to be free-scoring without him, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Morocco on Saturday. Ramos opened the scoring at the Lusail stadium with a rocket strike inside goalkeeper Yann Sommer’s near post before veteran defender Pepe became the oldest scorer in a World Cup knockout game with a thumping…

The five-time world champions turned on the style, dancing their way to a 4-1 World Cup round-of-16 win over South Korea on Monday at Qatar’s Stadium 974. Vinicius Jr, Neymar Jr, Richarlison, and Lucas Paqueta all scored in a dominant first half as Brazil advanced to the quarterfinals. Neymar, who had missed Brazil’s final two group games due to an ankle injury, suffered against Serbia, and Danilo returned to the starting XI for Tite, as the Selecao pursued a sixth World Cup title. Vinicius Jr wasted no time putting his side ahead, settling a cross from Raphinha that found him unmarked at the back post and…

The Croats to the World Cup quarterfinals after defeating Japan in a penalty shootout on Monday, following a hard-fought 1-1 tie in regulation time. Just before halftime, Japan took the lead at Al Janoub Stadium when Daizen Maeda pounced on a deep free-kick into the opposing penalty box. Croatia responded with a spectacular header from Ivan Perisic on 55 minutes, setting up a tense final half-hour, but neither side could find a winner inside 90 minutes or in extra time. https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1599823999227551744 Dominik Livakovic saved three penalties before Mario Pasalic scored to send Croatia to the quarterfinals, where they will face Brazil, who defeated South Korea 4-1. The game was more open…

Germany team director Oliver Bierhoff has become the first casualty of the team’s first-round World Cup exit in Qatar, agreeing to step down two years before his contract expires, the DFB announced on Tuesday. Former Germany international Bierhoff, who had been team director for the previous 18 years, was widely chastised following their second consecutive early World Cup exit. “Oliver Bierhoff has won a lot of merits for the DFB. Even if the last few tournaments lagged behind the sporting goals that had been set, he will be associated with big moments,”DFB President Bernd Neuendorf said in a statement.  Bierhoff played a…

According to reports in Brazil, Pele has been moved into ‘end-of-life care,’ as the three-time World Cup winner is no longer responding to treatment for colon cancer. The 82-year-old was taken to the hospital on Tuesday night due to concerns for his well-being and is now in palliative care. The footballing world has been waiting for word on Pele’s health after he was admitted to Albert Einstein Hospital on Tuesday with generalised swelling and decompensated heart failure. Pele’s family has attempted to assuage fears about his health, with his daughter Kely Nascimento stating on Instagram that ‘there was no emergency,’ while the…

Argentina captain Lionel Messi scored the opening goal with a sublime effort in his 1,000th career match before Julian Alvarez scored in the second half to set up a quarter-final tie against the Netherlands and knock Australia out of the tournament, as the Socceroos were unable to build on their fortuitous late goal. Despite Argentina’s firepower, Australia managed to keep the early proceedings calm, with neither side asserting dominance. However, the Socceroos’ defence was breached on 35 minutes when Messi demonstrated his undeniable talent by scoring his first goal in the World Cup knockout stage. https://twitter.com/OptaJoe/status/1599156257784442880 The Paris Saint-Germain forward…

With two first-half goals, the Dutch demonstrated their firepower, leaving the young US team with an insurmountable mountain to climb. Despite cutting the deficit in half in the second half of the game at Khalifa International Stadium, hopes of a USMNT comeback were dashed when Denzel Dumfries scored the Netherlands’ third goal, knocking Gregg Berhalter’s team out of the tournament. Concerns about the fitness of star Christian Pulisic were put to rest before the match when the Chelsea forward was named to Berhalter’s starting lineup despite being forced off injured against Iran on Tuesday. The Chelsea attacker almost put the US ahead…

According to the Express, Germany central defender Antonio Rudiger got into an argument with a teenage FIFA volunteer after his team was eliminated from the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Die Mannschaft defeated Costa Rica 4-2 in their final Group E game on Thursday, but Japan’s victory over Spain forced the 2014 world champions to withdraw from the tournament. Rudiger’s tensions erupted as he walked down the tunnel following the victory over the South American side. A teenage FIFA volunteer approached the Real Madrid centre-back and allegedly yelled at him: “Off home!” The player came to a halt and reportedly responded to…