Germany head coach Joachim Low is considering a dramatic U-turn that would see Thomas Muller and Mats Hummels invited back to the national team.
With the delayed Euro 2020 finals coming up in June, Low wants Germany to be as strong as possible, and a 6-0 thrashing by Spain in November was a result that pointed to a need for a change in direction.
Low s own future has come in for scrutiny, and there have even been suggestions Bayern Munich s treble-winning boss Hansi Flick could replace him.
The 2014 World Cup-winning coach declared in March 2019 that it was time for Germany to move on from the old guard, stating that Muller, Hummels and Jerome Boateng – all world champions themselves – would no longer be part of his plans.
It was a decision that Mul…
Manchester City will face Inter Milan in the Champions League final on June 10. The two clubs have never played each other in a competitive match but manager Pep Guardiola does have some experience of facing the Italians. Here, the PA news agency looks back on those meetings.
September 2009: Inter 0 Barcelona 0 (Champions League, group stage)
All four of Guardiola’s past encounters with Inter came during his Barcelona side’s 2009-10 Champions League campaign, at a time when both clubs were among the most powerful forces in Europe, and pitted him against someone who would go on to become his fiercest rival, Jose Mourinho. The first of those games was a goalless draw at the San Siro.
November 2009: Barcelona 2 Inter 0 (Champions League, group stage)
Barca, the reigni…
Lionel Scaloni empathised with Lionel Messi after the Argentina captain spent another birthday away from home .
Messi, who turned 37 on Monday, and his team-mates are preparing to resume their Copa America title defence against Chile on Tuesday.
The reigning champions, who began their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Canada, celebrated their skipper s big day by presenting him with a cake.
Messi wrote on Instagram: Thank you so much for all the greetings and congratulations! Another year that coincides with my birthday being with the National Team, so celebrating a little bit more and we keep getting ready for our next game.
And Scaloni understands it must be difficult for the Inter Miami forward not to have the opportunity to celebrate with his family.<…
Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo says Spain, Germany and the Netherlands are favourites to win Euro 2012.
The tournament gets underway on June 8 and the 27-year-old touted the trio of nations as the main contenders to lift the trophy.
Spain have a good chance. Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, why not? But the first three have the great chance to win Spain, Germany and Netherlands, Ronaldo said.
We don t have a lot pressure. The pressure is for Spain, Germany, Netherlands, but not Portugal.
We have to enjoy it, to do the best we can, and let’s see what is going to happen. It will be very difficult.
The prolific Real Madrid forward said Group B, which features Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, was the toughest.
For…
While the football has been the focus of attention in Kazan at the World Cup, there has been plenty to enjoy away from the pitch in the Tatarstan Republic s capital city.
Chief among them is arguably the local Sabantuy festival, in which our man on the ground Ryan Benson took part in an egg-and-spoon race, letting his country down in woeful fashion.
The action on the pitch began with Australia losing 2-1 to France, Paul Pogba playing a key role in the winner in front of his family, who enjoyed lots of attention pre-match.
There has also been dancing, vodka and impressive murals enjoy our recap of a hectic week-and-a-bit in Kazan with our Twitter moment below.
…
Clarence Seedorf has achieved virtually everything there is to do in the game. Born in the football backwater of Surinam, he was the child prodigy who played his way into the last great Ajax team, winning the Champions League aged 19 alongside his hero Frank Rijkaard.
He wasted no time in cashing in on his talent with a move to Italy before settling down at Real Madrid where the trophies and glory nights continued to flow. Back to Italy again to add a Scudetto and two more Champions League crowns to his glittering CV and you would think his career would be complete - having just turned 32.
But what has he ever done for Holland ?
Seedorf yesterday made the surprising …
Ilkay Gundogan has announced his retirement from international football after captaining Germany on home soil at Euro 2024.
Gundogan captained Germany in all five of their matches as they reached the quarter-finals of their home tournament, ultimately suffering a 2-1 extra-time defeat against Spain.
The midfielder was initially handed the captain s armband by Hansi Flick in the absence of the injured Manuel Neuer last year, retaining it under new head coach Julian Nagelsmann despite Neuer s return to fitness.
Gundogan played a total of 82 games for his country, scoring 19 goals including two at major tournaments – versus Japan at the 2022 World Cup and Hungary at this year s Euros.
Amid rampant speculation over his future at club level, the Barcelona ma…
Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson believes Manchester United will be completely convinced Jadon Sancho is poised to become one of football s biggest stars.
United and Borussia Dortmund have agreed a deal in principle for the transfer of Sancho, which is worth around £73million and expected to be completed after his involvement in Euro 2020.
Winger Sancho is reportedly poised to make his first start in the competition when England do battle against Ukraine in Rome on Saturday.
Leaked team news ahead of the quarter-final tie suggests Bukayo Saka is struggling through injury and that Sancho will get a chance to start on the right wing, with Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling completing the trio who will provide support to lone striker Harry Kane.
Sancho …
Spain can move a step closer to retaining their European crown when they face France in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 on Saturday.
After years of underachievement on the big stage, Spain finally fulfilled their promise by winning Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.
They went one better two years later, lifting their first FIFA World Cup courtesy of a 1-0 extra-time victory over the Netherlands.
And Vicente Del Bosque s team now have a chance to make history, by becoming the first country to win three successive major international tournaments.
It has been something of an underwhelming start to Euro 2012 for the holders, with Spain coming from behind to draw 1-1 with fellow quarter-finalists Italy in their Group C opener.
They cruised to a 4-0…
Argentina were chosen as hosts of the 2011 Copa America on Tuesday, a spokesman for the South American Football Confederation told AFP.
However Julio Grondona, president of the Argentinian Football Federation (AFA), said there were other priorities ahead of the hosting of South America s most prestigious football tournament.
Our priority is to qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, said Grondona, who recently appointed Argentina legend Diego Maradona as coach of the national side after a faltering start to their qualifying campaign.
After that we can work on the 2011 Copa America.
Grondona also revealed that Argentina would be inviting Japan to the Copa the Japanese guested in the 1999 edition.
We will discuss this invite fo…