Franco Baresi, iconic Milan and Italy legend, dies aged 66

Franco Baresi has died at the age of 66, with AC Milan saying their former captain’s “example and integrity will be forever etched into the club’s DNA”. Baresi spent his entire 20-year playing career with the club from 1977 until he retired in 1997, winning six Serie A titles and three European Cups/Champions Leagues. Regarded as one of the greatest defenders to play the game, Baresi captained Milan for 15 seasons, making 719 appearances and scoring 33 goal.

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UEFA vows World Cup boycott as Concacaf rejects FIFA private equity plan

UEFA has said no European nation will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as proposals to create a company to run the World Cup remain alive. FIFA is planning to sell a significant minority stake in a new commercial entity with a valuation of about €17.5 billion ($20 billion). The plan would see FIFA establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a wholly-owned subsidiary consolidating the organisation’s commercial and event operations.

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For one generation, Messi’s World Cup farewell means more

Lionel Messi’s final World Cup wasn’t just the end of an extraordinary career on football’s biggest stage. It marked the closing chapter of the childhood many of us grew up alongside. The man who made us fall in love with the game came face to face not just with a superior Spanish side but with the sands of time.

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Spain dethrone 10 man Argentina to win World Cup

Spain deservedly won a desperately disappointing World Cup final as Ferran Torres’ extra-time strike finally broke the resistance of 10-man Argentina. The European title holders had created the best opportunities against the defending world champions, who mainly resorted to spoiling tactics and had Enzo Fernandez sent off just before the game went into extra-time. Torres was the hero for Spain when he collected substitute Nico Williams’ header to beat Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez with a powerful shot from close range after 106 minutes.

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Saka hat-trick seals bronze for England with win over France in World Cup third-place playoff

The match nobody wanted to play in became the match nobody wanted to end. England’s ‘bronze final’ – formerly known as the third-place play-off – against France descended into chaos with 10 goals, six of them for the Three Lions. And there could easily have been more. And it means England achieved their highest men’s World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966 – and their best-ever result on foreign soil.

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