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Lionel Messi was understandably distraught following Argentina's defeat by France in the last-16 of the World Cup on Saturday. The Barcelona legend notched an assist on the day, but was unable to inspire a victory, as Les Bleus ran out 4-3 winners over the two-time champions of the tournament. Antoine Griezmann opened the scoring from the penalty spot for France, after man of the match Kylian Mbappe was pulled down in the box by Marcos Rojo. Angel Di Maria leveled the scores with a wonder strike before Gabriel Mercado latched onto a Messi shot to beat Hugo Lloris in the France goal, and put Argentina in front. Benjamin Pavard then netted a wondergoal of his own to level the scores once more before an Mbappe double won the match for France. Sergio Aguero bagged a late consolation, reducing the deficit to a single goal, but it was too little too late for Argentina. After the match a number of Argentina players burst into tears on the pitch. Paul Pogba was then see

The 1998 champions won 4-3 and looked a totally different side from the one that struggled to find their cutting edge in the group stage, pouring forward with pace and purpose to stretch the ageing Argentine defence in Kazan. Antoine Griezmann gave France the lead from the penalty spot but the South Americans levelled with a sweet hit from Angel Di Maria and edged ahead shortly after half-time through Gabriel Mercado. But defender Benjamin Pavard equalised with a thunderous strike to pull France level and once more change the complexion of the game. That set the scene for 19-year-old Mbappe, who netted two goals in four second-half minutes to become the first teenager to score at least twice in a World Cup match since Pele in 1958. Sergio Aguero gave Argentina late hope but they ran out of time and head home after a rollercoaster ride in Russia that ultimately ends in bitter disappointment for the two-time former champions. "I'm very happy, and it's flatt

The World Cup knockout stages get underway as heavyweights France and Argentina go head-to-head at the Kazan Arena. Argentina scraped through to the knockout stages following a dramatic victory over Nigeria in their last group match, finishing as runners-up to Croatia. Les Bleus, meanwhile, came top of Group C after two wins and a draw. Today could be the final time we see Lionel Messi on the World Cup stage, unless the maestro can mastermind a win against one of the pre-tournament favourites. The winner of today’s bout will play either Uruguay or Portugal in the quarter-finals on Friday July 6 at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. LATEST FRANCE 4 - 3 ARGENTINA - GRIEZMANN (13) DI MARIA(41) G. MERCADO (48) PAVARD (57) MBAPPE (64',68') AGUERO (90+3) France XI: Lloris, Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez, Kante, Pogba; Mbappe, Griezmann, Matuidi, Giroud. Argentina XI: Armani, Mercado, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico, Mascherano, Enzo Perez, Banega, Pavon, Messi, Di Ma

"Leo has such clear vision when it comes to football that he allows us to see things that, sometimes, only a true genius sees," said Sampaoli. "It's often difficult to be at the level of such a great player. He's a shining light for us all and we have to do our very best to all try to be at his level." Messi’s campaign has been as bipolar as the rest of the Argentina team. He missed a penalty in the 1-1 draw with Iceland in the opening Group D game. He was as absent as the rest of the side during the 3-0 loss to Croatia in the second game in Nizhny Novgorod but was menace incarnate during the 2-1 defeat of Nigeria which led to qualification for the last 16. Sevilla midfielder Ever Banega claimed Messi had hit his stride. "It's only normal - he wasn't relaxed. We didn't start the tournament as well as we should have. "Now, I see him a lot more comfortable now. He helped us win, and that makes a big difference." Samp

His future might have been under the microscope this summer after a difficult debut season but the striker has appeared to commit his future to the Blues. The 25-year-old netted just 11 times in 24 starts and seven substitute appearances in the Premier League, while he also netted just once in the Champions League and League Cup, with two strikes in the FA Cup as well. Having only joined Chelsea last summer there had been some question marks over whether or not Morata would be keen to carry on next year, with some links of a return to Juventus or even Borussia Dortmund. However, Morata has taken to his Instagram page to send a message to the Blues supporters about where his near future is going to lie and what he hopes to achieve next season. Morata lost his starting spot to Olivier Giroud towards the end of the previous campaign, with the Spaniard also missing out on a spot in his country's World Cup squad. Next season the Blues will have a number of strikers to p

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon bid a final farewell to Juventus on the last day of his contract. The 40-year-old did not renew his deal in Turin and will leave Juve after 17 seasons, nine Serie A titles and four successive domestic doubles. Buffon has made 176 appearances for Italy and is reportedly set for a move to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain. However, the iconic World Cup-winning keeper's attentions were solely on Juve as he brought a lengthy and decorated chapter in his illustrious career to a close. "Seventeen years in black and white end today," Buffon posted on Twitter on Saturday. "Seventeen years of friends, team-mates, tears, victories, trophies, words, anger, disappointments, happiness and many, many emotions. "I will never forget anything. I will always carry everything with me." Juve have signed Mattia Perin to compete with Wojcech Szczesny to start between the posts for Massimiliano Allegri's team in 2018-19. Buffon tur

The Stamford Bridge outfits are close to agreeing a deal to sign Daniele Rugani from Juventus, according to reports in Italy. The 23-year-old centre-back has been heavily linked with a move to the Blues this summer, and now reports suggests a deal could be done that is worth around £35m. It is understood that Rugani is keen to seal the move as he eyes a reunion with Maurizio Sarri, who he worked with while on loan with Empoli. Sarri is expected to take charge at Chelsea in the near future, following widespread speculation during the course of the summer that he will succeed Antonio Conte in the Stamford Bridge hotseat. However, no confirmation has yet been made from the club over Conte's departure or Sarri's arrival in west London, despite the fact that players will be returning for pre-season training in the coming days. But Rugani is understood to be one of Sarri's main targets to sign as Chelsea boss, having previously worked with the defender at Empoli.

Chelsea and Leeds United have agreed upon the transfer of England Under-21 star Lewis Baker. The 23 year old becomes new manager Marcelo Bielsa’s first signing since taking over at Elland Road. The ex-Sheffield Wednesday, MK Dons, Vitesse Arnhem, and Middlesbrough loanee will be looking to revitalise his career having fallen out of favour at Boro under Tony Pulis last term. Baker is renowned for his ability from set-pieces and was prolific in the Eredivise with Vitesse, winning the KNVB Cup during his time with the Dutch club. He is, though, yet to make a Premier League appearance for parent club Chelsea.

Fellaini agrees to stay at the English giants by finally agreeing to a new deal after several weeks of being linked with Arsenal and a host of other clubs. In a club statement released on the official club website, earlier today; "Manchester United is delighted to announce that Marouane Fellaini has signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until June 2020, with the option to extend for a further year". Fellaini, 30, joined United in 2013 and has made 156 appearances and scored 20 goals. During his time at the club he has won the FA Cup, EFL Cup, UEFA Europa League and Community Shield. Marouane Fellaini said: “I am pleased to be continuing my journey as a Manchester United player. I made this decision because I am very happy here. Also, I feel like this team, under Jose, still has a lot we want to achieve. “I would like to say a special thank you to Jose for the faith he has always shown in me. My focus now is on the World Cup and I am looking forwa

Argentina scraped through to the knockout stage following a dramatic victory over Nigeria in their last group match, finishing as runners-up to Croatia. Les Bleus, meanwhile, came top of Group C after two wins and a draw but both countries have failed to light up the tournament so far. Already qualified, France played out arguably the worst match of the competition so far - and the only 0-0 draw - against Denmark but all three group performances led to criticism in some quarters. And Tottenham goalkeeper and French captain Lloris accepts his team will now have to raise their game in Kazan if they are to reach the quarter finals. “This is going to be a big match, and a difficult one, we are going to have to step up our level,” he said at a press conference, broadcast by FIFATV on YouTube. Pavon “This is going to be a big match, and a difficult one, we are going to have to step up our level” Hugo Loris “We should go beyond our limits, have to be full of energy, bet on ou

Paul Pogba and Lionel Messi take centre stage as the World Cup shifts into high gear at the weekend with the start of the knockout matches in the loaded top half of the draw. Football heavyweights France, Argentina, Portugal and Brazil are all clustered in one section of the competition, with only Spain among recent winners in the other half. The unbalanced nature of the knockout phase increases the chances of an unlikely team reaching the semi-finals -- and of the big guns cancelling each other out. That scenario sparked debate ahead of Thursday's England-Belgium group match -- was it better to win and enter the tougher side of the draw or lose and face potentially easier fixtures down the line? In the event, third-ranked Belgium won 1-0, adding even more firepower to the top half, while if England can get past Colombia they will fancy their chances of reaching a potential semi-final against 2010 winners Spain. The first phase in Russia featured just one goalless draw an

Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Finish International Female footballer Engman as earlier announced by both clubs to be completed next month. The 23-year-old forward, who has won 32 caps for her country, has agreed to join the double winners from Swedish club Kopparbergs/Goteborg. Engman started out in her homeland with Aland United, scoring 63 goals in 113 games before moving to Sweden in 2015. She will become the Blues' fifth signing of the close season when the deal is finalised in July

It had been viewed as the game no-one wanted to win but Adnan Januzaj's fine finish early in the second half gave Belgium a 1-0 victory over England to secure top spot in Group G as both sides made wholesale changes to their lineups. The result means Belgium, who won all three of their group games to finish on nine points, will face Japan in the last 16 while England, who finished second with six, take on Colombia. All the pre-match talk had been about whether second place might offer an easier path to the semi-finals, given that the group winners could face Brazil in the last eight. If that was a consideration then Gareth Southgate's England side can take some consolation from the defeat given that it offers a potential quarter-final against Sweden or Switzerland rather than Brazil or Mexico, who could await Belgium. There is, though, something presumptuous about such talk and Colombia, a team with plenty of talent, certainly won't appreciate being considered part of an

Chelsea FC have suffered a blow to their hopes of signing Kostas Manolas this summer after the defender decided to stay at AS Roma, according to reports in Italy. Italian outlet Calciomercato, as quoted by Metro, is reporting that the highly-rated Greece centre-half has opted to stay at the Italian club beyond the summer transfer window. The same report says that Manolas had been attracting interest from Chelsea FC as well as their local rivals Arsenal in recent months. However, it is claimed in the same story that the 27-year-old has been persuaded to stay at AS Roma after buying into the long-term future at the Stadio Olimpico. According to the same report, AS Roma chief Monchi is happy with how talks have progressed with the defender, and he is no longer concerned that he could leave this summer. Meanwhile, Chelsea FC are yet to confirm any new signings this summer as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of next season. The Blues are believed to be on the look

Jose Mourinho has put pressure on the Manchester United board to complete a deal for the AC Milan and Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci, reports say. Mourinho is keen to bolster his defensive options during the summer transfer window and Bonucci, 31, has emerged as a top target in recent days. Toby Alderweireld was strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford earlier in the summer but any deal involving the Tottenham and Belgium star will have to wait until after the World Cup. The Red Devils have also expressed interest in signing Jerome Boateng, but Bayern Munich have slapped a £50million price-tag on the German’s head. Bonucci could be signed for cheaper as UEFA prepare to impose sanctions on the Italian giants for breaching Financial Fair Play Rules. Corriere dello Sport say Mourinho is a huge admirer of Bonucci and wants Manchester United to secure his signature imminently as he knows an auction could take place which will raise his fee. Jose Mourinho is keen to bolster his defen

Alvaro Morata wants to quit Chelsea after just one season, according to reports. The Spanish forward will reportedly tell Stamford Bridge chiefs that he has his sights set on leaving for a new club after a difficult campaign in the Premier League. Italian journalist David Amoyal claims that Chelsea will sit down with Morata over the next week to decide his future. Chelsea would reportedly ask potential suitors to stump up between £65million and £70million for his services. That would mean the Blues would recoup the money they paid for his services last summer. Morata has failed to live up to expectation at chelsea since replacing fellow spanish striker Diego Costa at Stamford bridge and now demands a move away from the London club in a bid to resurrect his football career elsewhere possibly in Italy with Juventus.

DC United new boy Wayne Rooney says he had always planned on giving MLS a try at some point in his career. The former England captain has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal which will be finalised on July 10 - and has arrived in Washington ahead of a news conference on Monday. The 32-year-old says he is excited about what the future has in store. "An exciting chapter in my career, so I am looking forward to it. "I think it has always been part of my plans to come here (to America) at some stage in my career, and the time is now. "I have been really excited with the project DC have put together and what they presented to me - so that was the reason to come to DC." However, DC United are currently bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference, with just two wins from their first 12 games. Asked if that league placing presented a challenge, Rooney said: "Yes it is, but a lot of the games have been away from home. "A lot of games now coming up at

It's a sight very few Chelsea fans thought they would ever see again - John Terry in Blues kit, at their Cobham training ground. Terry posted a series of videos to Instagram on Thursday of him at Chelsea, doing running drills while wearing official club training gear. The former Chelsea centre back was joined by a defensive successor, Ethan Ampadu, and Karen Carney, the England winger who plays for the women's team. There is no suggestion of Terry making an unlikely return as a player to Stamford Bridge; it is more feasible that a player lauded in a banner reading 'captain, leader, legend' has an open invite to use club facilities. The videos and pictures posted show Terry, Carney and Ampadu jogging to warm up, with the former England captain also showing how he fueled his session, with a picture of his breakfast - porridge with berries, brown toast, avocado, scrambled eggs and orange juice. Terry also teased his return to Cobham with a picture of his boo

Liverpool and Chelsea have come to an agreement over the fee for striker Dominic Solanke. The England Under-20 World Cup winner signed for the Reds in July 2017 but as 20-year-old Solanke's Chelsea contract had expired, the fee was due to be set by a tribunal. That has been avoided, although the terms of the deal remain undisclosed. It was reported at the time Liverpool wanted to pay around £3m but Chelsea were looking for £10m. Solanke made five starts and 16 substitute appearances during his debut season on Merseyside, scoring once - on the final day in a 4-0 win over Brighton.

Wayne Rooney's new shirt number has been revealed – and the date he is expected to make his American debut. Everton have reached an agreement with DC United over the transfer of Rooney who will officially join the Major League Soccer outfit on July 10. DC United have earmarked the 32-year-old making his bow four days later at the club's new Audi Field stadium against Vancouver Whitecaps. And Rooney , who has signed a three-and-a-half year deal, has been given the No9 shirt. Rooney will become the team's Designated Player and his move will be rubber stamped next month and upon the receipt of an International Transfer Certificate. The boyhood blue will be hold a press conference in the States on Monday at 5pm UK time.

Wednesday in the World Cup, but perhaps nothing captures the implausibility more than one simple fact: Germany, the defending champion, took its earliest exit from the tournament since 1938, when Adolf Hitler was the country’s leader and only 15 teams participated. Germany, a four-time World Cup champion perceived as a dynamic soccer machine that rarely sputters, broke down in an inglorious way, giving up two goals in extra time and losing 2-0 to South Korea. The result allowed Mexico to advance despite a 3-0 loss to group winner Sweden 500 miles away in Yekaterinburg. “It’s a dark day for German football,” Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said. The Germans entered injury time tied 0-0, knowing a 1-0 victory would have been enough to advance. Instead, Kim Young-gwon and Son Heung-min scored — the latter after Neuer had vacated his goal to press forward as an extra attacker. The disappointment of being eliminated is just huge,” said coach Joachim Loew, who said the team deserved to go

An Egyptian television commentator has died after suffering a heart attack soon after the finish of his team's 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia at the World Cup. Abdel Rahim Mohamed was reportedly due to deliver on-air analysis after the match on Tuesday, but Egypt Today says he suffered a cardiac arrest instead and died later in hospital. Ahmed Fawzi, a former Egypt national team goalkeeper, was at the studio and said Mohamed - considered one of the country's premier football analysts - looked "exhausted" and "affected" by the squad's defeat. Egypt's World Cup campaign ended in disappointment, with the team losing all three matches in Russia and star player Mohamed Salah ineffective with a serious shoulder injury.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick was still somewhat downcast wednesday, but has assured that heartfelt disappointment over elimination from the FIFA World Cup finals has given way to fresh determination of ensuring qualification for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles lost narrowly 1-2 to perennial bogey team Argentina in Saint Petersburg, even when it appeared they were cruising with five minutes left in the encounter. Pinnick said the depression was more about getting so close to a place in the knockout rounds and yet having to go home early from football’s biggest houseparty. “It was sad losing out when it appeared easier to progress from the group stage. I believe the players did their utmost and wanted to get the better of Argentina for the first time at the World Cup. Losing that way, with few minutes to go, really dampened the spirit. “We apologize to all Nigerians from far and near, those who came to Russia to s

Bests of all time Victory in football's biggest tournament would play a huge role for either player's legacy, particularly in the long-term, and it looks incredibly likely that the 2018 edition will be the final attempt for both men. As a result, there was always going to keen interest in exactly how Ronaldo and Messi fare. And, well, three games in and their form is diametrically opposed. Ronaldo is in the running for the Golden Boot after scoring four goals in his opening two fixtures, including a stunning hat-trick against a hotly fancied Spain team. MESSI VS RONALDO DEBATE Meanwhile, Messi just found the back of the net in Russia only in his last outing vs Nigeria and missed a vital penalty in the 1-1 draw with Iceland. These developments led to a spike in support for Ronaldo to be considered the greatest of all time, with this summer exemplifying his brilliant form over the last few years. BALAGUE has some answers One of the most interesting tweets, t

Harvey Neville Joins United Harvey follows dad Phil - the England women's manager - and uncle Gary after signing on his 16th birthday. The Neville brothers made a combined 664 league appearances for the Old Trafford side. "I am very proud and excited to have signed for the club I have supported my whole life," Harvey wrote on Instagram. In his own Instagram post, dad Phil said: "Proud of you Harvey. Go follow your dreams." Harvey - who plays as a midfielder or winger - started his youth career at United before moving to rivals Manchester City. He then played for Valencia's youth team while his father was briefly assistant manager at the La Liga side, with Gary going on to manage the senior team. Harvey's aunt, Tracey, is head coach of the England netball team that won Commonwealth Games gold in April.

Man. Utd Epl Fixtures Manchester United's fixtures for the 2018/19 Premier League season have been announced. The Reds kick off the season at home to Leicester City on 11 August. It's the first time we've met the Foxes on the opening weekend since 15 August 1998, when a late David Beckham free-kick rescued a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford at the start of the Treble-winning season – and, of course, we mark the 20th anniversary of that historic campaign in 2018/19. United's first away game is against Brighton & Hove Albion on 18 August and our first encounter with one of the newly promoted teams is a 22 September home clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Manchester derbies take place on 10 November (away) and 16 March (home), while Jose Mourinho's men face Liverpool on 15 December (away) and 23 February (home). During the Christmas period, United host Huddersfield Town on Boxing Day and Bournemouth on 29 December, and visit Newcastle United on New Year

Fomer united star Javier Hernandez Former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez emulated his football hero on Saturday when he joined him in the ranks of players who have scored 50 goals or more for their country. Speaking to MUTV ahead of the last World Cup in 2014, Chicharito revealed that Brazil icon Ronaldo was his favourite player and explained the reasons why. “France '98 was the first World Cup I remember, and my biggest idol was playing,”said the Mexican. “I must say Ronaldo, the Brazilian one, was an unbelievable no.9. A complete player. He could do the unexpected on the pitch. He was very, very talented and such a good player.” Ronaldo looks on at the end of the 1998 World Cup final defeat to France. “Brazil were the favourites in '98 after winning at USA '94 and they reached the final again. It was a very good tournament. I remember the schedule and some of the games meant I needed to finish my classes at school quickly because I wanted to go

Marcus Rashford sees similarities between Manchester United team-mate Romelu Lukaku and former Old Trafford favourite Cristiano Ronaldo. The Red Devils snapped up the Belgium international for £75 million ($99m) in the summer of 2017 and saw him offer a 27-goal return in his debut campaign. He is now replicating that form on a World Cup stage, with the target found four times in two outings to date. An untimely ankle issue has cast his involvement in a meeting with England on Thursday into doubt, and Rashford will be among those pleased to see the 25-year-old miss out if he does not recover in time. The United forward has seen his club colleague up close in 2017-18 and believes his talent and work ethic is comparable to that of Real Madrid icon Ronaldo. Rashford told R io Ferdinand’s YouTube channel : "He's a beast. "He's a massive threat, he'll be tough to deal with [at the World Cup]." Asked about Lukaku’s Premier League form, Rashford added: "

The Telstar Mechta will replace the Telstar 18 The Telstar Mechta will replace the Telstar 18, the Adidas ball which has been used throughout the group stage in Russia. Mechta translates as "dream" in Russian and the ball comes with a new vivid red design, said to be inspired by the colours of the host nation as well as "the rising heat of knockout stage football". "The Telstar 18 was a huge step forward technically when it came to official match balls," said Dean Lokes of Adidas. "With the Telstar Mechta we have taken that same innovative design and re-imagined it, creating a ball that perfectly suits the pressures and opportunities of the FIFA World Cup knockout stage." The Telstar Mechta's brand-new panel design features a metallic print execution and texture graphic effect and, like the Telstar 18, has an embedded near-field communication (NFC) chip. The chip enables consumers to interact with the ball using a smartphone. Each ball g