Spain Rattled France in the Semi-Final - and Proved Money Doesn't Buy the Midfield

France, with a squad worth as much as a state budget, went out of the World Cup as if it had run out of petrol. Spain won 2:0 in the semi-final and sent home Mbappe, Olise, Dembele and Barcola without a single real shot to scare the „red fury". After the defeat Deschamps blamed the referees, but even his playmaker Rayan Cherki admitted that was grasping at straws. The truth is simpler and more painful for France: they lost in midfield. While Rodri and Fabian Ruiz dictated the game and held the ball as if they owned it, Tchouameni and Rabiot chased after them. When you have nobody to run the engine of the team, not even the most expensive attack in the world helps you.

Kane Chases Immortality, Messi Chases a Final Chapter - and Infantino Is Once Again at the Centre of a Scandal

The semi-final between England and Argentina has every ingredient for a film. Harry Kane reached six goals in six games and, with 73 goals in 64 appearances for club and country, has become one of the main candidates for the Ballon d'Or - a World Cup win would be the crown of his career and England's first title since the distant 1966. On the other side is Messi, who is after one more story for the ending. And over all of it hangs the shadow of FIFA: the organisation FairSquare has asked the International Olympic Committee to investigate whether president Gianni Infantino interfered in lifting the suspension of US international Folarin Balogun - after, as Donald Trump himself admitted, he called Infantino to „look over" the case. Football in which one president's phone call changes a punishment - where have we seen that before?

Romano Claims: Cristian Romero Leaving Tottenham for 50 Million

Argentine defender Cristian Romero, the pillar of Tottenham's defence, is preparing to leave the club this summer, claims journalist Fabrizio Romano. The Londoners have already insured themselves for his departure with the signings of Van Hecke and Senesi, and Romero himself has been offered to Inter in the talks around Djed Spence. The Milan side is interested, but they may end up without him - Tottenham has set the price at 50 million euros. For a player who has just played a World Cup semi-final with Argentina, that does not even sound too steep. The only question is whether Inter will pay or will merely haggle until someone else steps in.

Vardar Eliminated From the Champions League - Fell Twice Before Finland's KuPS

Macedonian champions Vardar ended their adventure in the elite Champions League after just two matches. After a home defeat in Skopje of 0:2, the „red-and-blacks" travelled to Finland and won 3:2 after extra time, but that was not enough for a turnaround against KuPS. Vardar played better in the return leg - an own goal by Magasa and a penalty by Zaharic brought a 0:2 lead, and in extra time Puleho stretched it to a two-goal difference (1:3). Still, the hosts pulled one back to 2:3 and Vardar had no strength left for a third goal. A win with no effect, Pyrrhic in every sense. Balkan football has once again tripped on Europe's doorstep - a familiar story for anyone who has followed our clubs on the continental scene for years.

Next Stop for Vardar: FK Riga in the Conference League

Elimination from the Champions League is not the end of the European road. Vardar continues in the second qualifying round of the Conference League, where the champions of Latvia await - FK Riga. The Latvians, much like Vardar, fell out of the Champions League (to Armenia's Ararat-Armenia) and are now hunting for salvation in the third-ranked European competition. Riga is a young but financially powerful project - founded only in 2014 by merging two clubs, and already with four league titles. Their biggest threat is the Brazilian striker Reginaldo Ramires, who scored as many as 25 goals in 2024. Good news for Cristian Fabiani and Vardar: Riga's goalkeeper is suspended for the first duel because of a red card. The first match is on 23 July at „Todor Proeski" in Skopje, the return leg a week later in Latvia. If Vardar carries the fight from Kuopio and packs the stands, Riga is an opponent you can play against.