UEFA needs to save Champions League from boring finals - ESPN
See if you can remember the last time both teams scored in the UEFA Champions League final: What rings a bell?
Norway Sport News
European MEPs urge FIFA to probe Infantino over Trump ‘peace prize’
LAUSANNE: Fifty members of the European Parliament have urged FIFA’s ethics committee to investigate their president Gianni Infantino for awarding a ‘peace prize’ to US President Donald Trump. The MEPs signed a letter, supporting a complaint by British-based sports human rights lobbying group FairSquare in December. The letter, dated June 29 and released on Thursday night by FairSquare, said that FIFA’s code of ethics required Infantino “remain politically neutral.” The letter made clear that the 50 MEPs from 13 European countries were echoing FairSquare. It quoted the NGO’s request that FIFA’s “ethics committee investigate whether the decisions to introduce an annual FIFA peace prize and then award the prize to President Trump were taken by the FIFA Council or by the bureau of the council or unilaterally by Mr.Infantino himself.” The MEPS added: “This complaint represents an opportunity for FIFA to prove its commitment to political neutrality, transparency, and accountability.” Of FIFA’s 211 member nations, only Norway, whose football federation in June wrote a letter calling for an investigation, has so far joined criticism of the ‘peace prize’. FairSquare said in an accompanying press release that the letter was “the most significant intervention by European policymakers into misgovernance and rulebreaking at the top of the world game since the European Parliament called on Infantino’s predecessor Sepp Blatter to resign in 2015.” Blatter announced his resignation in June 2015, shortly after he was re-elected president. The 50 MEPS are primarily Social Democrats, Liberals, and Greens.
Have Brazil lost aura that made them defining World Cup team? - ESPN
Brazil are preparing for a FIFA World Cup round-of-16 clash with Norway on Sunday. It's hardly uncharted territory for them.
Croatia coach Dalic slams 'bad refereeing' in 2-1 loss to Portugal
TORONTO, July 2 : Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic was unhappy with what he called the "bad refereeing" in his team's 2-1 loss to Portugal in their round of 32 clash on Thursday that eliminated them from the World Cup but said he did not want to use it as an excuse.
Norway shirts in short supply at home ahead of World Cup clash with Brazil
VANCOUVER, July 2 : Sitting beside FIFA President Gianni Infantino as her side beat Ivory Coast at the World Cup on Tuesday, Norway football federation president Lise Klaveness was wearing the hottest fashion item of the summer back home - the team's red shirt.
World Cup penalty spot becomes football's newest classroom
NEW YORK, July 2 : Penalty shootouts have always been football’s cruellest mind game — a nerve-shredding walk into noise, doubt and national dread. What has changed over recent years is not the pressure, but the preparation — and at this World Cup, players, coaches and goalkeepers are increasingly treating penalties less as a lottery than as a specialist discipline with enormous rewards.
Endrick sleeps easy over Brazil bench role, placing trust in Ancelotti
BASKING RIDGE, New Jersey, July 2 : Endrick has had to be patient at his first World Cup, picking up minutes from the bench rather than commanding the spotlight, but the 19-year-old Brazil striker said on Thursday he was "at peace" with coach Carlo Ancelotti's decisions.
Recovery question worries Norway fans before Brazil clash
July 2 : As Norway prepare to face Brazil in the last 16 of the World Cup this Sunday - an opponent they have never lost to - managing player fatigue has become a central focus.
Belgium pulls off stunning comeback to eliminate Senegal - ESPN
SEATTLE — Youri Tielemans scored from the penalty spot in stoppage time of extra time, and Belgium came back from two goals down to beat Senegal 3-2 Wednesday in the Round of 32 at the World Cup.