Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful Raphinha will help sharpen his team's attack when they face Paraguay at home, the Italian said after blaming poor pitch conditions for Thursday's goalless draw with Ecuador.

For the Bangladesh men’s football team, this word refers to the biggest threat that lies in front of them in their forthcoming AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers match against Singapore at home on June 10, in the form of Singapore’s most potent weapon, their star striker Ikhsan Fandi.

Attacking midfielder Nakamura’s link-up play and ability to unlock defences will test Bangladesh’s structure.

Uzbekistan have tried and failed to qualify seven times since their independence after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, suffering heartbreak in the final stage of continental qualifiers for Germany 2006 and Brazil 2014.

Chinese people "have long been emotionally prepared to be eliminated (from the World Cup)," one supporter said on Weibo.

Pep Guardiola has no plans to leave Manchester City anytime soon but the Spaniard has often thought about what it would be like to guide an international team and says he would love to take on the challenge of a World Cup or Euros campaign.

Carlo Ancelotti might not have gotten the start he had wanted as Brazil coach, but the Italian is definitely gaining the confidence of his players.

Real Madrid have agreed to sign River Plate's young forward Franco Mastantuono for an initial fee of about $45 million, a spokesman for the Argentine club told Reuters on Thursday.

The win secured the top spot for Argentina in the CONMEBOL standings.

Carlo Ancelotti got off to a disappointing start as Brazil coach in Thursday's South American World Cup qualifiers, drawing 0-0 against runners-up Ecuador, putting the Italian manager under considerable pressure.

Yamal bagged a brace while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France's makeshift defence to ribbons.

Australia also stand on the cusp of a place at the finals after Aziz Behich scored the only goal in his side's 1-0 win over Japan in Perth in Group C.

Bangladesh women's football team captain Afeida Khandokar believes their recent matches against Jordan and Indonesia provided crucial experience ahead of the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers which will run from June 29 to July 5.

Coach Tony Popovic said "we've done something special" after his Australia side moved to the brink of next year's World Cup on Thursday while Indonesia ended China's qualifying hopes.

Manchester City are close to a double swoop for Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri in time for the Club World Cup, according to reports on Thursday.

That’s a question only time will answer. But there are other pressing questions we can’t ignore.

The 2026 tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, but most matches, including the final, are scheduled to be played on American soil.

It was football’s way of telling a story without words.

Didier Deschamps expects the Paris St Germain players to be ready after their Champions League success when France take on Spain in the Nations League semifinals, with the manager also backing Ousmane Dembele for the Ballon d'Or.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said on Wednesday he had yet to decide whether captain Lionel Messi would start in their next World Cup qualifier against Chile, as he continues to closely monitor the 37-year-old's fitness.