WORLD

Spain’s continued reliance on tiki-taka has left Cesc Fabregas bemused, with the 2010 World Cup winner suggesting that pointless passing caused La Roja’s shock exit to Russia on Sunday. During an era of dominance which delivered two European Championships and a global crown, pass and move was very much the order of the day. Chelsea midfielder Fabregas formed part of ...

Croatia beat Denmark in a dramatic penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw to set up a World Cup quarter-finals tie against hosts Russia. It was the second last-16 game of the day to go to a shootout after Russia had earlier shocked 2010 champions Spain. Croatia could have won the game in extra-time but captain Luka Modric had a penalty ...

It didn’t quite have the thrill-a-minute feel of Saturday’s Round of 16 ties, but there was drama aplenty as Russia and Spain battled it out in the capital. In a World Cup known for own goals and set-piece efforts,  Sergei Ignashevich, ticked both boxes when his flick of his heel handed Spain the lead with 12 minutes played. The 38-year-old was ...

ANTHONY MARTIAL’S management have once again called his future at Manchester United into question. The Frenchman is expected to leave Old Trafford this summer after falling down the pecking order under Jose Mourinho. Martial was left out of Didier Deschamps’ France squad for the World Cup earlier this month which did little to dispel speculation surrounding the star’s future. The ...

CHELSEA are bracing themselves for a mega Manchester United bid after turning down Barcelona’s £50m Willian approach. The Stamford Bridge club expect Manchester United to make their move for the Brazil international, with Old Trafford chief Jose Mourinho intent on recruiting Willian this summer, and set to start a bidding war. Mourinho is a major fan of Willian, who was ...

Ethiopia has capped an extraordinary week in which its new prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, pushed ahead with bold reforms undeterred by a grenade attack that sparked fears of backlash by hardliners. Just three days after a blast killed two people at a rally Abiy had addressed in the heart of the capital, the prime minister greeted a delegation from Eritrea, ...

MANCHESTER UNITED have offered Nabil Fekir a deal to join them this summer. French newspaper Le Progres claim the Liverpool target has an offer on the table to head to Old Trafford after the World Cup. They also detail how Liverpool’s move for the playmaker broke down. Liverpool had all-but secured Fekir’s signature and the France international had posed in ...

Gambian President Adama Barrow reshuffled his government on Friday, moving the leader of his ruling party from the foreign ministry to the position of Vice President, according to a statement. Gambia has seen a spate of protests in recent days as the country struggles to reduce debt and drive out corruption since Barrow defeated long-term incumbent Yahya Jammeh in a ...

There are countless methods for predicting World Cup outcomes. Countless methods for predicting group winners and champions. And most, if not all, are nowhere near as accurate as they purport to be. The closest we come is the algorithms. Every four years, with the World Cup approaching, companies such as UBS and Goldman Sachs release picks. FiveThirtyEight and others have ...

Nigerian actor and comedian Benjamin Nwachukwu, known to his fans as Shuga Shaa, has drawn a mixed reaction in the commercial capital, Lagos, for saying he has a relationship with a sex doll named Tonto Shaa. The pampered doll sports a wig polished fingernails and wears jewellery and expensive perfumes – and now has her own car. Shuga Shaa has ...