Ronaldo STARS as Portugal win trophy!
Football: Ruben Neves scored the decisive spot kick as Portugal beat Spain 5-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw on Sunday in Munich to claim their second Nations League title.
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News.com.au
3 hours ago
- News.com.au
Brazil, Ecuador book World Cup berths, Uruguay on brink
Brazil booked their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America on Tuesday with a lackluster 1-0 home victory over Paraguay, the first win of Carlo Ancelotti's reign. The five-time world champions punched their ticket to the finals in Canada, the United States and Mexico thanks to Vinicius Jr. The Real Madrid star poked in from close range in the 44th minute in Sao Paulo after a cross from new Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha. It was the perfect gift for the Italian Ancelotti on his 66th birthday, having seen his new side held 0-0 by Ecuador last week in his first game as coach. Former Real Madrid boss Ancelotti praised his team's "commitment" and "attitude". "It was a good match with a very good first half, although obviously we suffered a bit because Paraguay are very solid opponents and we slowed down a bit in the second," he said. Uruguay's 2-0 win over Venezuela in Montevideo had raised the prospect of qualification for both Brazil and Paraguay at Corinthians Arena. Paraguay needed only a point to qualify while Brazil knew they could advance with a win. In the event it was Brazil who seized the opportunity presented by Venezuela's loss with Vinicius scoring the only goal just before half-time. Brazil had struggled to create many chances up until that point, with Cunha squandering a golden chance in the 35th minute after heading wide from point-blank range. Cunha made up for it with a key part in the goal, capitalizing on good work from Raphinha to dart into the box and whip in a low cross for Vinicius, who stabbed home the finish. The win lifted Brazil into third place in the South American standings with 25 points from 16 games, guaranteeing them a top-six finish and an automatic qualifying berth. Looking ahead to next summer, Ancelotti said he had "a very long list" of 70 players in mind, including Neymar, who was missing with injury. He added: "I really liked those who were with me in this squad for their commitment, their attitude, and the atmosphere." The defeat left Paraguay with 24 points, meaning they need one point to secure their first World Cup appearance since 2010. - Ecuador book place - Surprise package Ecuador joined Brazil by sealing qualification with a point following a 0-0 draw with Peru in Lima. In other games, Uruguay edged closer to qualification with their win over Venezuela while Chile were eliminated with defeat to Bolivia. Goals from Rodrigo Aguirre and Giorgian de Arrascaeta secured all three points for Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay to leave the two-time world champions firmly on course for a place in next year's finals. Like Paraguay, Uruguay need only a point from their final two games to qualify. Venezuela, who are bidding to reach the World Cup for the first time in the nation's history, are seventh with 18 points from 16 games. Argentina, who have already qualified, came from behind to frustrate Colombia with a 1-1 draw in Buenos Aires. Liverpool star Luis Diaz fired Colombia into the lead with a superb 24th minute goal, and the Colombians were given a further boost midway through the second half when the world champions were reduced to 10 men after Enzo Fernandez's dismissal. But Colombia's hopes of a vital win were dashed nine minutes from time when Thiago Almada weaved into the box and found the target to level. The top six finishers in South America qualify automatically for the World Cup, with the seventh-placed team advancing to an intercontinental playoff. Bolivia defeated Chile 2-0 to end the former South American champions' hopes of qualification. It is the third straight World Cup that Chile have missed out on. The loss continues a dramatic fall from grace for "La Roja", who won back-to-back Copa Americas in 2015 and 2016.
SBS Australia
3 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Dauphiné, or the Art of looking ready, without being "totally ready"
This week, the SBS cycling podcast team dives deep into the action-packed Criterium du Dauphiné. The crew dissect the impressive performances of Tadej Pogačar, whose explosive start of the race and his sky-high win rate have made him the rider to watch. The conversation heats up around Jonas Vingegaard and the shifting tactics of Jumbo-Visma. With Vingegaard's aggressive moves potentially signalling a bold new strategy, the team debates whether this could be the winning formula to topple Pogačar. The tactical mind games are already underway, and every attack seems to carry Tour-level significance. The podcast also discusses the Tour of Britain and the rise of talents like Ally Wollaston, as well as the importance of the upcoming Tour de Suisse, and the return of Sarah Gigante.
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
A step too far? New Club World Cup set to have far-reaching impact on football
FIFA's expanded Club World Cup which gets underway in the United States this weekend is a controversial addition to the global football calendar and one that could have a far-reaching impact on the sport in the years to come. The 32-team tournament, with one billion dollars in prize money on offer, has been crammed into an already overloaded schedule leading to concerns it will push elite players to breaking point. It also threatens to upset the balance of domestic and continental club competitions, giving competing teams huge financial advantages over rivals. Consider the leading clubs in Europe, which is sending 12 teams including Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea. The chances are high that some will go deep into the Club World Cup, with a maximum of seven games to be played up to the July 13 final. The riches on offer are extraordinary, up to a possible $125 million for the top-performing European team. "The Club World Cup model affects the ecosystem of national leagues, especially in Europe," Javier Tebas, the president of Spain's La Liga, told radio station Cadena Cope. But while the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona will not be in the United States and so will miss out on the cash prizes, they will be able to give players a much-needed rest. "I think it will have a huge impact and it will give Liverpool and Arsenal a huge advantage in the next season to not be there," said England manager Thomas Tuchel when asked about the consequences for the Premier League. - Lavish sums - Those clubs are already among the world's wealthiest without taking into account the sums being lavished by FIFA, but what about teams elsewhere. It will become harder for clubs in South Africa to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns once they leave with a guaranteed minimum of almost $10 million -- the equivalent of the prize money for winning nine domestic titles. The amateurs of Auckland City already dominate in Oceania before being handed over $3.5 million just as an appearance fee. But if taking part here will be perhaps the ultimate career highlight for their players, it just adds to the demands on those at top clubs. The introduction of the competition was met with opposition in Europe, and global players union FIFPro has warned that the wellbeing of many of its members is being threatened by the huge workload they face. - Too many games? - Portugal midfielder Vitinha has played 52 matches for PSG this season, including the Champions League final win over Inter Milan on May 31. There have also been eight games for Portugal, including the Nations League finals last week. Now he is off to the United States with PSG, with potentially no holiday until mid-July. The next French season is then due to start in mid-August, at the same time as the Premier League and La Liga. And at the end of next season Vitinha should be back in North America with Portugal at the expanded 48-team World Cup. Such demands on leading stars are why player unions in Europe last year raised the threat of strike action in a bid to cut down on the number of matches. "The problem is the accumulation of excessively long and intense seasons back to back," said Maheta Molango, chief executive of England's Professional Footballers' Association. "Players don't think just about the summer, they think about how they are not going to have a holiday for the foreseeable future." Meanwhile, domestic leagues do not see why they should change to accommodate FIFA's new tournament. "International organisations and especially FIFA have increased the number of matches they organise, so now we have a calendar that is beyond saturation," said Mathieu Moreuil of the Premier League. Other competitions are being devalued because the Club World Cup is taking place at the same time, like the CONCACAF Gold Cup, also being played in the United States. USA coach Mauricio Pochettino is unable to call on leading players like Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah because they are at the Club World Cup with Juventus. "That is the circumstance that we have and we need to adapt," said Pochettino, the former PSG coach who may disagree with the view of Luis Enrique, currently in charge of the French side. "I think it is an incredible competition," he remarked looking ahead to the Club World Cup. as/jc
