Germany's teenage sensation Jamal Musiala on Monday credited his England youth period for helping him develop his creative game that has quickly turned him into one of the rising stars of the sport.

USA take on a Gareth Bale-led Wales in their opening fixture. The 2021 CONCACAF Nations League champions will bank on some bright young players to take them over the line against a stubborn Wales side.

Strike bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will definitely miss the much-awaited three-match Test series against England starting next month after being left out of the 18-man squad announced by Pakistan on Monday.

Cristiano Ronaldo believes his explosive TV interview, in which the Manchester United forward said he had been betrayed by the club and was being forced out, had not been a distraction in the Portugal changing room in the World Cup.

As the Netherlands return to the World Cup after missing out in 2018 they will be up against the champions of Africa, Senegal, who will be without the services of their talismanic skipper Sadio Mane.

Taking selfies from the stands and sitting on the grassy pitch, thousands of migrant workers gathered in a Doha stadium to watch the opening match of the first World Cup in the Middle East.

Nearly three million World Cup tickets have been sold, FIFA said Sunday, as the governing body's president revealed the tournament had helped push revenues over the past four years to a record $7.5 billion.

Bangladeshi chemist Abu Kowsir says South Korea gave his family prosperity -- so the least he can do is cheer on his benefactors when they begin their World Cup campaign this week.

England kick off their World Cup campaign against Iran desperate to take the final step after twice falling just short of winning the country's first major trophy in more than half a century. But a resilient Iran would be looking to better their best campaign, which saw them narrowly miss out in the knockout stage in the 2018 World Cup where they won against Morocco and drew against Portugal.

Captain Enner Valencia extended his cult status in Ecuador to wider international acclaim with a first-half double that propelled the South Americans to a comfortable 2-0 win over hosts Qatar in the opening game of the World Cup on Sunday

Defender Ibrahima Konate admitted Sunday that the France squad were tucked up in bed when news broke during the night that Karim Benzema had been forced to pull out of the World Cup with a thigh injury and so only found out in the morning.

Qatar coach Felix Sanchez said his team "felt supported" even though thousands of fans left early as the World Cup hosts slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Ecuador in Sunday's opening game.

Qatar became the first home team to lose their opening World Cup match as Ecuador cruised to a 2-0 victory over the hosts, with Enner Valencia scoring twice in the tournament curtain-raiser on Sunday.

Yesterday marked the beginning of the quadrennial global circus that is the men’s football World Cup.

Qatar’s ruler opened the World Cup on Sunday with a call for people of all races and orientations to put aside their differences before the hosts put on a visual feast for fans.

Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said Sadio Mane’s absence from the World Cup will be felt by fans across the globe, after the forward was ruled out of the tournament with a leg injury.

The United States and Wales will head into Monday’s World Cup clash knowing that victory could decide one of Group B’s two qualifiers, with England fancied as heavy favourites to advance as group winners.

The identity of the Netherlands goalkeeper for their opening World Cup match on Monday remains a closely guarded secret, highly anticipated by supporters as coach Louis van Gaal keeps his cards close to his chest.

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said his side are keen to deliver like never before as they prepare for their World Cup opener against Senegal on Monday.

England kick off their World Cup campaign against Iran on Monday desperate to take the final step after twice falling just short of winning the country’s first major trophy in more than half a century.