Thiago and De Gea left out of Spain World Cup squad
MADRID :Spain included Barcelona's Ansu Fati but left out Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara and Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea from their 26-man World Cup squad on Friday.
Cup Sport News
Serbia World Cup squad
Dragan Stojkovic named his 26-man squad for the Nov. 20-Dec. 18 World Cup in Qatar on Friday. Serbia are in Group G alongside Brazil, Switzerland and Cameroon.
Ansu Fati makes Spain World Cup squad, Sergio Ramos excluded
LAS ROZAS DE MADRID, Spain: Luis Enrique called up Barcelona forward Ansu Fati for the 2022 World Cup as he announced his squad on Friday. The 20-year-old Barcelona forward was not used in September’s Nations League clashes and has not been at his best for his club this season. Fati has four caps for his country and one goal, and has spent the best part of the last two seasons on the sidelines because of repeated knee injuries. Luis Enrique included him in a list of 26 players for the tournament in Qatar, which did not include veteran Paris Saint-Germain defender Sergio Ramos, despite speculation he could return. Ramos, who is Spain’s record appearance-maker on 180 games for the national team, has found fitness and form with his club this season. Luis Enrique, who only brought 24 players to Euro 2020 out of a possible 26, has elected to select his full complement this time around. As well as veteran players like Barcelona duo Sergio Busquets, who was in Spain’s World Cup winning squad in 2010, and Jordi Alba, the coach opted for younger, relatively untested options. Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams and Valencia defender Hugo Guillamon were selected, along with Villarreal winger Yeremy Pino. Luis Enrique has been criticized in the past for not calling up Real Madrid players, but Los Blancos pair Dani Carvajal and Marco Asensio were included.
Fans urged to chant Mahsa Amini name at Iran World Cup games
PARIS: Activists have called on football fans attending Iran’s matches at the World Cup starting later this month to chant the name of Mahsa Amini, whose death in custody sparked nationwide protests. Iran has been rocked by eight weeks of protests since Amini’s death, after her arrest for an alleged breach of the country’s strict dress rules for women based on Islamic sharia law. In spite of a bloody crackdown, the protests that initially saw women burn their hijab headscarves and cut their hair have evolved into a broader movement calling for the end of the Islamic republic.
Spain World Cup squad
MADRID : Spain coach Luis Enrique named his 26-man squad on Friday for the World Cup in Qatar.
Injured Depay and teenager Simons picked for Dutch World Cup squad
AMSTERDAM : Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal included injured Barcelona forward Memphis Depay and uncapped teenager Xavi Simons in his 26-man squad for the World Cup, but left out veteran goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.
France play down World Cup 'favourites' tag before Springboks Test
With less than 10 months to go to the Rugby World Cup hosts France welcome holders South Africa to Marseille on Saturday but the home side are refusing the title of tournament "favourites" despite a record 11-match unbeaten run.
'Dangerous' England face Pakistan in World Cup final but rain threatens
Skipper Jos Buttler believes an "incredibly dangerous" England will be hard to beat in Sunday's Twenty20 World Cup final, but Pakistan say they have "all bases covered" - and then there's the threat of rain.