Thomas Tuchel has leaped to the defence of his England side’s perceived over-reliance on Harry Kane, comparing the striker’s impact to that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Three Lions fell to a 1-0 friendly defeat against Japan at Wembley on Tuesday, with the captain forced to watch from the sidelines after picking up a minor injury in training.
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has condemned the "intolerable" anti-Muslim chants that marred Spain’s goalless draw with Egypt at the RCDE Stadium. The 18-year-old, who is a practising Muslim, labelled the perpetrators "ignorant" and "racist" after local police launched a formal investigation.
Brazil starlet Endrick has opened up on the emotional turmoil he faced before coming off the bench to inspire a 3-1 victory over Croatia. The teenage sensation admitted to feeling a crushing sense of "urgency" before a timely intervention from his wife, Gabriely Miranda, changed his mindset.