Germany Opened the World Cup 7:1, Real Got Cucurella, Vardar Awaits the Draw

Germany Opened the World Cup 7:1, the Netherlands Struggled With Japan

The World Cup in North America started soft, then exploded. Germany crushed Curaçao 7:1 at the stadium in Houston - when the smallest country by area and population ever to play at a World Cup comes out against one of the favorites, the outcome was known before kickoff. Kai Havertz got two goals; Schlotterbeck, Musiala, Brown, and Undav also got on the scoresheet. The Germans last recorded a 7:1 like this in the 2014 semifinal against Brazil. Meanwhile, the Netherlands and Japan played to a draw after a Van Dijk goal and a quick equalizing reply from Nakamura - proof that at a World Cup no group is a walk through a sheet of paper.

Real Madrid Took Cucurella From Chelsea for Over 50 Million Euros

While some play at the World Cup, others are already shaping squads for next season. Real Madrid has agreed to bring in left-back Marc Cucurella from Chelsea for over 50 million euros (43 million pounds), according to Fabrizio Romano. The Spanish international wanted to leave London over Chelsea's inconsistency, and Barcelona and Atlético just watched Madrid win the race. Cucurella returns home after a tough first season at Stamford Bridge - Madrid is betting that in the white shirt he'll return to form. Chelsea has a deep bench, so they probably won't even spend on a replacement.

Tottenham Made a Move for Tonali, Newcastle in No Rush to Sell

The transfer market is a stage where everyone talks and few sign. Tottenham entered the race for Sandro Tonali, Newcastle's Italian midfielder, and Romano claims the player himself is open to the move - even without European competition next season. The price? A package of around 100 million euros (85 million pounds). Tonali is drawn to Roberto De Zerbi's project, while Manchester United and Arsenal consider him too expensive. Newcastle is under no pressure to sell, having already taken 69 million pounds for Gordon from Barcelona. There's plenty of talk - and not a single signature yet.

Vardar Learned the Shortlist of Possible Champions League Rivals

At home, Vardar awaits the draw for the first qualifying round of the Champions League and already knows the shortlist of possible opponents - Gibraltar, Estonia, Wales, Latvia, with names like Shamrock Rovers, Riga, and the Welsh TNS in the mix. None of them is a European giant, which is good news for the red-and-blacks - but also a reminder of how far Macedonian club football is from the real European top, when even Gibraltar is a realistic reckoning. The first step is the first step; it all starts there.

Shkëndija With an Easier European Start, Sileks Facing a Hell of a Draw

The other two Macedonian representatives in Europe got opposite draws. Shkëndija, on the menu, drew an amateur rival in the first round - on paper a passable start for the Tetovo side. Sileks, on the other hand, enters a harder tie, with a hell announced before it even began. Macedonian clubs in Europe usually start with hope and finish early - the question is whether this summer at least one will clear the first wall that regularly stops us. The result, not the draw, will tell.