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Luis de la Fuente is excited by his squad’s variety and says his 16-year-old forward was ‘touched by God’s wand’ Luis de la Fuente is losing sleep and it’s only getting worse, yet it isn’t panic, it is preparation. Spain have known for five days where and when they are going to play their last-16 tie – Cologneon Saturday night – but not who they are going to play against, only that it will be someone who finished third in Group A, D, E or F. By they time they find out, a week will have passed since they secured their passage. When they reached the dressing room in Düsseldorf after their final group game , 11 different teams could still be their next opponents; the reward for excellence is uncertainty. “If we’ve only slept two, three hours a night so far, we’re going to have to go a few with almost no sleep at all because we’ll have to study more opponents and be ready for anything until we know for sure,” Spain’s coach said. “It will be Wednesday night before we do but there’s no oth

Style, celebrity and sport combine for fashion’s unofficial Olympic launch – and a reinvention of a potent brand Paris has a lot going on right now. With one week to go before the first round of voting in elections that could radically redraw French politics, the country is a tinderbox. Pre-Olympic nerves are frayed; high water levels on the Seine after weeks of heavy rain have forced the postponement of a rehearsal for the ambitious opening ceremony, due to be conducted on barges sailing through the city. Football fans are on tenterhooks on the eve of a crucial Euro 2024 encounter with Poland. But Paris is never too busy for a fashion show. Especially one with supermodels Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner on horseback, Bad Bunny rapping, Sabrina Carpenter channelling Brigitte Bardot and Katy Perry in a leather harness, US actor Jeremy Pope dancing to Eartha Kitt, and iconic French ex-footballers Djibril Cissé, Blaise Matuidi and Emmanuel Petit taking a lap of honour under a photogenic m

The sport has not come to terms with his celebrity status. After the pitch invasion drama, Uefa must deal with it There was something disconcerting about the man being grabbed and jostled and hauled away by security guards on the concrete causeway below the executive boxes half an hour after full-time at BVB Stadion Dortmund on Saturday night. For one thing the man seemed unusually well groomed, brilliantly ear-ringed, dressed in full shiny Portugal tracksuit. He was also beaming relentlessly, shouting things such as “Big Love” and “Say Hi to Georgina”, doing the heart gesture with this hands even as three men in hi-vis jackets grabbed him by the elbows. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/k5SyoKx

Defeat could mean early elimination for Italy Croatia must win to have chance of progress The Italy centre-back Alessandro Bastoni has promised that they will cast fear to one side when they try to avert the embarrassment of an early exit from Euro 2024. A defeat against Croatia would almost certainly mean the reigning champions have to sweat on the shakedown of third-place finishers, with the chances high that more than four teams will finish on three points. They could even finish bottom of Group B if Albania simultaneously record an unlikely win against Spain, who outplayed Luciano Spalletti’s side on Thursday. It promises to be a knife-edge evening given only a win will do for their opponents and Bastoni believes a no-regrets approach will help banish any lingering disappointment. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GaSTQqj

Senior Tories call for suspension of those being investigated and Labour demands to know names in gambling circle Rishi Sunak is facing a growing clamour to come clean about the betting scandal engulfing Westminster after a fifth figure was drawn into the row. Senior Conservatives were among those calling for candidates and officials to be suspended pending the result of investigations, while the prime minister was urged to get a grip on the drip-drip of revelations. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/7lOnBHD

Foden: ‘We expect more from ourselves’ Stones backs City teammate to produce against Slovenia Phil Foden has said that the intensity in training has gone up as England look to build their physical condition before facing Slovenia on Tuesday. Gareth Southgate raised concerns about the level of England’s pressing after their disappointing 1-1 draw with Denmark but Foden has been encouraged by the preparations for the team’s final match in Group C. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VF93uLE

Coach calls for consistency after Germany controversy Both teams need to win final Group A match The Hungary head coach, Marco Rossi, has called for officials to be “consistent” during the Group A clash with Scotland, as the fallout from his team’s loss to Germany on Wednesday continues. Rossi remains adamant Hungary should have been awarded a free-kick in the lead-up to Germany’s opening goal in the tournament hosts’ 2-0 win. He was asked what he expected from Facundo Tello, the Argentinian referee, and referenced what he believes is the favouring of larger nations at the Euros. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/O4NUc1W

On a clammy, boisterous afternoon in Dortmund Portugal ensured they will now top Group F with a disarmingly low pulse rate 3-0 defeat of an outmatched Turkey. This was a statement victory for Portugal, not because of what they did, but because of what they didn’t have to. At times it felt a bit like watching a team of grown-ups strolling past the local primary school XI. The biggest obstacle Roberto Martínez’s team experienced here was an excessive number of spectators (five of them) running on to take stolen selfies with Cristiano Ronaldo. If Portugal were able to play in battery-saver mode it is tribute to the coherence of the-set up here, a 4-3-3 with strength in every position and a beautifully fluid sense of control in the centre. Many English pundits seem to be convinced England’s hand of talent is the envy of the world. Portugal have a stronger team man for man, a more natural balance, a Portuguese way of playing that everyone comes in understanding. Continue reading... from

This game was supposed to be the moment when Robert Lewandowski marked his arrival but an ultimately comprehensive defeat to Austria means Poland’s stay at this tournament is all but over. Marko Arnautovic capped victory from the penalty spot after Wojciech Szczesny upended Marcel Sabitzer, giving them hope of qualifying from Group D when they meet the Netherlands here on Tuesday. On the eve of this game Szczesny told how Lewandowski’s presence would spook these opponents, but arguably Poland’s greatest export did not appear on the pitch until the hour and his impact was minimal at best, 11 forgettable touches. A peculiar event, at least a lesser-spotted thing, happened with 24 minutes showing on the big screens on three sides of this stadium, the Marathon Gate at one end, once home to the Olympic flame, meaning a fourth is logistically tricky if not impossible. Austria led 1-0 and appeared in total control. Within seconds of kick-off Sabitzer earned a throw-in high down the left flan

“England, England, It’s Never Coming Home.” The chant from the Denmark support – to the tune of Yellow Submarine – had been heard outside the stadium in the hours before kick-off and it would reverberate around it during a highly stressful 90 minutes. On this evidence, it was the understatement of Euro 2024 so far. Gareth Southgate can highlight the point, which moved England closer to the job done territory of qualification for the last 16. It must be said there is precious little jeopardy around that. Who exactly does not advance? Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/mDMzBqZ

With general election result appearing to be a foregone conclusion, some have suggested that people may not vote The devil may yet be in the detail, but the polls are clear about one thing: Labour is heading for a large, possibly very large, majority when results come in on 5 July. But what might this mean for turnout at the general election? Does a result that seems to be a foregone conclusion mean people might think their vote doesn’t matter? On a winter’s day in December 2019 turnout was 67%. Down a little on 2017, but substantially up on a low of 59.4% for the UK general election in 2001. With an allegedly uninspiring campaign, a clear signal of the winning party and high levels of voter distrust, some have suggested that a summer’s day in 2024 might not tempt voters to the polling station. Paula Surridge is professor of political sociology at the University of Bristol Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/JfZGeua

Denmark’s goalscorer Morten Hjulmand was the pick of the players as lacklustre England disappointed once again Kasper Schmeichel (GK) Beaten at close range by Kane when England took the lead. Fine save from Watkins. 6 Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/w46O7GJ

Grace Wales Bonner and Bianca Saunders both reference vintage, mid-century Caribbean style and visual sensibilities With her razor-sharp tailoring and highbrow references, Grace Wales Bonner is a high-fashion favourite. But her eponymous London-based label has now scored wider attention, thanks to her collaborations with Adidas. The recent Samba boom can be traced back to a silver version of the shoe she designed. And she was also responsible for the popular kits worn by Jamaica’s female footballers at the 2023 World Cup. Her show in Paris on Wednesday evening provided further examples of how she is able to please both connoisseurs and customers. Designs included a take on the classic mac, satin suiting, and knitwear subtly flecked with colour, worn with red swimming trunks. But there was also a tracksuit with shorts, and some new trainers – including a Superstar – that are bound to spark excitement online. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/NzdlcVh

Deschamps optimistic forward will feature in tournament Mbappé broke his nose in France’s first match Kylian Mbappé returned to France training on Wednesday – for the first time since breaking his nose in their Euro 2024 opener – but Didier Deschamps confirmed his captain will require surgery at some point, most likely after the tournament. France are sourcing a custom-made mask for Mbappé, who trained alone at their base in Paderborn before joining in a finishing drill with the rest of his teammates. Mbappé wore wound-closure strips across his nose and was limited to non-contact exercises. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CmtNczG

Oh, what fun we had. What an occasion this was, what noise, what a night. Played in the middle of a biblical storm, water cascading off the roof of the Westfalenstadion, the Euros best night fit the weather somehow: a wild, wonderful, wide open match that had everything: 38 shots, three efforts that hit the woodwork and four goals. One was historic, Georges Mikautadze scoring Georgia’s first ever at a tournament; two were ridiculous, comic book belters from Arda Guler and Mert Muldur, and the other was scored with the last touch of an astonishing evening Kerem Akturkoglu running 70 yards and rolling the ball into an empty net. Right there, with the bench emptying and everyone heading after him, the place erupting yet again when you thought it could hardly erupt any more, Turkey had the victory and this game had the ending it deserved. Or one of them anyway. Just seconds before, Georgia had a 96th-minute chance to equalise – their third opportunity in added time – which would have been

BMA to lobby next government to change limit, which is one of the highest in Europe Doctors have called for England’s drink-driving limit to be reduced to the equivalent of a small glass of wine or beer, in a proposal supported by a number of medical and road safety organisations. England’s legal limit for getting safely behind the wheel is one of the highest in Europe at 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, a law established in 1967. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/sioTq0J

Labour leader says projected rise in number of children hit by policy is ‘powerful’ reason to ditch it but refuses to set timeline Keir Starmer has said he is “not immune” to the powerful argument for scrapping the two-child benefit cap, after experts said the number of children affected by it would rise by a third in the next five years. The Labour leader refused to set out a timeline for when he would scrap the policy, despite previously saying he would ditch it if he could. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/jUYiX0b

Hayward Gallery, London From a hut that plays music as if it’s history’s jukebox to a rocket fuelled with sugarcane, the Bahamian makes art freighted with history and peopled by the overlooked and flawed ‘You belong here,” reads the neon sign high on one of the Hayward Gallery’s exterior walls, in a curving handwritten script. But where are we and what does belonging mean? That’s what Bahamian artist Tavares Strachan asks in There Is Light Somewhere , which fills the building. Origins and arrivals, disappearances and sudden returns have a big part to play in Strachan’s art. Along the way, the artist has walked to the north pole, following Black polar explorer Matthew Henson, and taken a block of arctic ice back to the Bahamas. He has trained as an astronaut in Russia and blasted a sugarcane-fuelled rocket into the stratosphere, as part of a programme to interest young Bahamians in science and technology, and to further whatever dreams they have of escape. Referencing sports and regg

Piece by piece the gilt is flaking off what’s left of Belgium’s golden generation. An abundance of talent, sometimes functioning, sometimes not, but a team without cohesion or an abiding idea, they were picked off by an unheralded Slovakia side who had everything their lustrous opponents did not. But boy, a fair amount happened along the way. An unerring finish by Ivan Schranz after a defensive aberration was the decisive moment in the match and came after just six minutes. Just as notable were the moments of inaccuracy that piled up for Belgium and, in particular, on the broad shoulders of Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian No 9, wearing No 10, missed enough chances for two hat-tricks and had not one but two goals disallowed. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/S7YsZcK

Following in his father’s footsteps, Edward Iordanescu has helped the team emerge from a dark period with fresh hope A smile spreads across Anghel Iordanescu’s face as he considers his incorrigible bequest to Romanian football. “I go to Edi’s house for a glass of wine,” he says. “But he just wants to show me some analysis he has done. I tell him: ‘Be careful, you’ll get stuck in front of that computer!’” The 74-year-old is talking about Edward, his son, who has dragged the national team out of the mire and into Euro 2024 . Thirty years ago Anghel took them to the World Cup quarter-finals with an intoxicating attacking style that has remained an impossible benchmark ever since. Hagi, Dumitrescu, Raducioiu, Petrescu, Popescu: the memories are magical and perhaps, at last, a country whose football scene had descended into corruption and hopelessness is ready to forge some more. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/kIEBa3u