#zinedine-zidane

#zinedine-zidane

Bellingham looks to be on the move to Real Madrid / Lukas Schulze/GettyImages Steve McManaman says Real Madrid's aura and ability to offer Jude Bellingham "the all-round package" could be key in persuading him to join the club ahead of Manchester City, adding that the teenager can expect to be treated like a god.

Image: Cao Can/Xinhua/IMAGO For the second time in a row, France are playing the final of the World Cup, and like in 2018, numerous debates surround the national team regarding the origins of its players, especially the ones who have African heritage.Before the semifinals, Italian newspaper La Gazzetta Dello Sport called the game between France and Morocco an "African derby" because of the numbers of French players who are of African descent.

By Julien Laurens French football writer


Last updated on .From the section World Cup  

Host nation: Qatar Dates: 20 November-18 December Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.Day-by-day TV listings  - Full coverage details  

The world really is at Kylian Mbappe's feet.

DOHA, Qatar -- Brazil forward Vinicius Junior praised Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti for his success at the World Cup.Vinicius arrived in Qatar without knowing if he was going to get a chance to start for Brazil, but heading into Friday's quarterfinal match against Croatia no one questions his spot in the lineup or his importance for the team.

West Ham are keen on bringing in Fulham and Portugal defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha, 27, to replace Rice, with Manchester City and England's Kalvin Phillips and Southampton and England midfielder James Ward-Prowse also in the frame.Nice and France midfielder Khephren Thuram, 22, has verbally agreed personal terms with Liverpool.

Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature 1h ago 1h ago Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Pre-match mood setting.Rodri bullishly claims however the good doctor warns but on balance a World Cup winner suggests Pre-match postbag.This should be a good one (cue 0-0 draw).

Just one of the iconic lines, from a distinguished career covering 2,500 games, which marked John Motson out as a legendary football commentator.That summary came at the end of Wimbledon's shock FA Cup final victory over Liverpool in 1988.It was among a highlights reel which ran for 50 years with the BBC, covering 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, 29 FA Cup finals and more than 200 England games.

Oleksandr Zinchenko has compared one of his Arsenal colleagues to Zinedine Zidane following their victory over Chelsea on Sunday.Arsenal were victorious over London rivals Chelsea on Sunday, with Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny coming off the bench late on to help see out the win.Elneny has struggled to find a regular place in the starting eleven due to the excellent form of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka this season, but when he's been given an opportunity he's had a positive impact on the Arsenal team.

By Julien Laurens French football writer


Last updated on .From the section European Football
Sporting history is usually made at the peak of a career or the end of a beautiful season.The outcome of something special.For Paris St-Germain, though, it is the opposite as their historic 11th Ligue 1 title comes despite a difficult, strained and toxic backdrop.

Brazil have dismissed as "unfounded" reports that Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to become their next manager.Ancelotti, 63, is currently with the 14-time European champions in Morocco at the Club World Cup.The Brazilian Football Confederation "The coach chosen will be announced at the right time."

French Football Federation president Noel le Graet is standing down until an investigation into claims of sexual harassment and bullying at the organisation is completed.The French government began an audit in October after being made aware of the allegations, which the FFF denies.Le Graet has previously faced claims of sexual harassment, which he denies.

Gareth Southgate has decided to stay on as England manager, having reflected on his future following the World Cup quarter-final defeat to France.Eddie Howe, 45, also says he wants Southgate, 52, to remain England manager - despite speculation the Newcastle boss could be in line to replace him.Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea target Youssoufa Moukoko, 18, is not close to signing a new contract at Borussia Dortmund, the Germany striker's agent has confirmed.

Host nation: Qatar Dates: 20 November-18 December Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.Day-by-day TV listings  - Full coverage details  

There was only one big story circling before France's game with Denmark.

Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio perhaps hasn't fulfilled his superstar potential, but the Spaniard has nonetheless been a serviceable option in the capital for a number of years.A productive loan spell with Espanyol was succeeded by a promising debut season with Los Blancos before his wondergoal against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup ahead of the 2017/18 season thrust Real supporters into a state of delirium regarding Asensio's talent.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is coming under serious pressure following a third successive defeat to Barcelona in 2023.With Real Madrid more or less out of the title race in La Liga, there is mounting speculation that Ancelotti might not be there next season.Los Blancos were beaten 2-1 by Barcelona on Sunday night, extending the gap between the two to 12 points in Spain.

(Image credit: Getty Images) Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid have publicly supported Zinedine Zidane after the French Football Federation (FFF) president, Noel Le Graet, claimed he would ignore calls from the 1998 World Cup winner if he attempted to phone him.Zinedine Zidane has repeatedly been linked to the France national team manager position in recent years, with the former Real Madrid boss reportedly keen on taking over from Didier Deschamps.

Toni Kroos is approaching the end of his current contract with Real Madrid.According to Fabrizio Romano, his goal is to retire at the club which he joined in 2014 and where he's won four Champions League trophies (in addition to the one he won with Bayern Munich in 2013), playing a total of 396 matches across all competitions so far.

Liverpool has been through a lot this season.New lows are being reached, and humiliating setbacks have become the norm.It is reasonable to state that the club is in crisis, since the present structure is collapsing and the consequences have begun to have a negative impact.The players, as well as the management, are constantly criticized and scrutinized.

Zidane was criticised by the FFF president / Angel Martinez/GettyImages Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappe have both leapt to the defence of Zinedine Zidane after he was the subject of a strange tirade by French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet.Zidane was long considered the frontrunner to replace Didier Deschamps as manager of the French national team following the World Cup, but his former teammate instead opted to renew his contract as Les Bleus boss until 2026.

Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from January 9. Football Gareth Bale announced his retirement from football.Tributes were paid to Bale from around football.Kylian Mbappe and Gary Lineker backed Zinedine Zidane after French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet's disrespect.

Lionel Messi has been named the best player at the World Cup as he picked up the Golden Ball award shortly after leading Argentina to the title.Messi won his first World Cup as Argentina defeated France on penalties to win a dramatic final in Qatar.Messi scored twice in the final, Argentina's first and third goals in the 3-3 draw.

Until now, Geoff Hurst had been the only man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup 2022 final but after seeing Kylian Mbappe equal his record in Sunday's incredible showpiece between France and Argentina, the England legend was magnanimous in his response.French superstar Mbappe, at the age of just 23 and having already won the World Cup as a teenager in 2018, scored a hat-trick as Les Bleus fought back from 2-0 down to force extra time and then battled back from falling a goal behind in the additional 30 minutes to take the final to a penalty shootout.

With concrete blocks painted blue, white and red, Paris police sealed off the French capital's most famous boulevard to traffic on Sunday in anticipation that it will flood with celebrating crowds if France beats Argentina to win its third World Cup title.The Champs-Elysees and some surrounding streets were declared off-limits to vehicles until the early hours of Monday morning.

England face France in a blockbuster World Cup 2022 quarter-final on Saturday, continuing a long footballing rivalry between the near neighbours.Here, we look back at some memorable prior encounters.Sir Alf Ramsey's men won the final game of the group stage to finish a point above Uruguay and set up their route to glory.

It was a day to celebrate a record-breaking No 9. Just not Robert Lewandowski.Now at Barcelona, Poland's highest scorer, a serial marksman in the Bundesliga, standing second only to Gerd Muller in the history of the German top flight and Bayern Munich alike, bowed out of the World Cup, perhaps forever, by doubling his tally at this level.

Zinedine Zidane saw an obvious route back into coaching blocked off when France elected to stick with Didier Deschamps, raising the question of where the former Real Madrid boss could end up.News came through on Saturday of a new deal for Deschamps that keeps him with France through to the 2026 World Cup.

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Chris WrightToe Poke writer



While we do not yet know which one of Morocco or France will be facing Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final, it is already guaranteed that an extraordinary streak dating back four decades will continue when the showpiece kicks off in Qatar on Sunday.At least one player from both 10-time reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and Serie A giants Inter Milan has been involved in every World Cup final since Italy's 3-1 victory over West Germany in the 1982 decider in Spain.

3:44 PM ET



Julien LaurensCorrespondent



DOHA, Qatar -- On Tuesday night, a few minutes after France's victory against Poland, the French players all gathered in their dressing room to celebrate the victory but also to give the perfect welcome to Olivier Giroud.Around an hour earlier, the number 9 scored the opener to become the all time top goal scored in French men football history with 52 goals in 117 caps, which is an unbelievable achievement.

Host nation: Qatar Dates: 20 November-18 December Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.Day-by-day TV listings  - Full coverage details  

The World Cup has been showcasing the best teams in the world on the grandest stage for the best part of a century.

The Hand of God.Zidane's headbutt.Gazza's tears.Many of soccer's most iconic moments have taken place at the World Cup, the latest edition of which starts in Qatar on Sunday.The Associated Press has covered the tournament through the years and followed the world's greatest players, none more so than Diego Maradona and Pele.

A list of all World Cup winners since 1930 when the first global tournament took place.France go into the Qatar World Cup as reigning champions, having won the tournament for the second time in 2018.Brazil is the most successful team in World Cup history, having won the title five times.Here is a list of all previous World Cup winners: 1930 Uruguay  Uruguay hosted and won the inaugural World Cup, defeating Argentina in the final.

Real Madrid 10:55 AM GMT+1 Zidane is set to return to management soon / Angel Martinez/GettyImages Zinedine Zidane has confirmed that he is set to return to management 'soon', with the French national team his most likely destination.Zidane has enjoyed two incredibly successful stints at Real Madrid manager in recent years, winning three UEFA Champions Leagues, two La Liga titles and two FIFA World Club Cups.