France - players.bio

Messi magic guides relieved Argentina past feisty Mexico

LUSAIL, Qatar: Lionel Messi thumped in a 64th minute goal and Enzo Fernandez added another late in the game to give Argentina a 2-0 victory over battling Mexico in their World Cup Group C match on Saturday and reignite their tournament hopes.Messi, who equalled Diego Maradona’s Argentina record of 21 matches and eight goals at the World Cup, was nowhere to be seen for more than an hour before picking up an Angel Di Maria pass, finding just enough space and rifling in from 20 meters.Substitute Fernandez made sure of the three points when he curled a superb shot into the top corner in the 87th minute.The result restored order for the Argentines in Group C after their shock opening 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.Argentina, on three points, can guarantee progress with a win over Poland, top on four, in their final game on Wednesday.“Today starts another World Cup for Argentina,” Messi said.

Eddie Jones defends credentials as England flop against Springboks

Eddie Jones defended his credentials after he watched England produce a rudderless display to end a difficult 2022 with a 27-13 loss to South Africa at Twickenham. Tries from Kurt-Lee Arendse and Eben Etzebeth either side of half-time helped the Springboks ease to a comfortable victory in west London with Faf de Klerk adding an 11-point haul while Damian Willemse kicked two drop goals. World champions South Africa finished with 14 men after Thomas du Toit's 61st-minute red card for a no arms tackle on Luke Cowan-Dickie but Henry Slade's late score was all England could muster during a drab finale to the Autumn Nations Series. It meant Jones' side suffered another defeat, their sixth from 12 Tests in the calendar year, which is their worst run since 2008. The Springboks' dominance across the pitch was reminiscent of their 2019 World Cup final triumph and, despite England going backwards since their runners-up showing in Japan, their Australian head coach insisted they could have a "really good go" at next year's tournament in France. "We want to win. We don't want to get beat by a big score to South Africa and don't want to have the worst record since 2008 so it is a problem but I accept full responsibility for that," Jones said. "Obviously on results we are not happy but I feel like we are building a really good base to have a really good go at the World Cup, a really good go. "A number of young players got great experience today and they'll come back better players for that. We've got other players coming back to form, some of our more senior players and we're not far away. "We need to develop consistently. Test match rugby is all about consistency."

World Cup Podcast: Messi and Mbappe doing Goaty things

Darragh Maloney dials in from Doha to tell Mikey Stafford and James McMahon all about bearing witness to the Kylian Mbappe show at Stadium 974.

Deschamps: Quiet man Mbappe is French spiritual leader

Didier Deschamps hailed "steam train" Kylian Mbappe as France reached the knockout stages of the World Cup.

Saudi Arabia ‘will keep focused and fighting,’ Coach Renard says

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s soccer players will remain focused and keep fighting until the World Cup’s last moments, their head coach said on Saturday after the team’s 2-0 loss to Poland. “I am proud of my players and football is a team sport in which there is success and failure,” Herve Renard told a press conference. “The most important thing is that we have one match (left) and we must remain focused.” After an epic win against Argentina in their opening game, the Green Falcons failed to soar to the same heights against Robert Lewandowski and his Polish teammates at the Education City Stadium in Qatar and so remain on three points in Group C.

Contacts

France Sport News

Messi magic guides relieved Argentina past feisty Mexico

Eddie Jones defends credentials as England flop against Springboks

World Cup Podcast: Messi and Mbappe doing Goaty things

Deschamps: Quiet man Mbappe is French spiritual leader

Saudi Arabia ‘will keep focused and fighting,’ Coach Renard says

In the zone: Fans flock to Mrsool Park for festival of football

Mbappe fires France into last 16 after 2-1 win over Denmark

Magnificent Mbappe has France scoring records in his sights