"Everything we have done will be forgotten in a few years. Nobody will remember this national team which gave absolutely everything."Listening to Andrea Barzagli's tearful words after Italy's penalty shoot-out defeat by Germany on Saturday night felt like a punch in the stomach. It hurt especially because the veteran centre-back is probably right. Simone Zaza and Graziano Pellè's spot-kick mishaps will likely obscure what was otherwise a wonderful campaign from the Azzurri. That would be wrong, though, because Italy had a great tournament despite coming up one penalty short of the world champions in Bordeaux....
Football Update
Tickets for the UEFA EURO 2016 semi-finals
SF1: Portugal v Wales – Wednesday 6 July, 21:00CEST (Lyon)Tickets are sold out.SF2: Germany v France/Iceland – Thursday 7 July, 21:00CEST (Marseille)Tickets go on sale on Monday, with fans invited to join the queue here at 13:45CEST. Tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Do it in styleFor information on Corporate VIP Hospitality, which delivers fine dining and premium seating in the stadium, visit the UEFA EURO 2016 Hospitality website.WarningFans are remi...
Wales in ‘incredible position’ after Belgium win
Chris Coleman, Wales managerYou dream about nights like this. You're never sure if you're going to be good or lucky enough to be involved in a night like this. It's indescribable really to experience it.Four years ago we were as far away from today as you could be. It's a great example of believing and working hard enough. That's what we've done and we find ourselves in an incredible position. Once Hal Robson-Kanu is in that mood, he's up for everything. Physically he's a defender's nightmare. He was full of enthusiasm, he put in so much work and I'm delighted he got his goal. He
Italy of ’06 in numbers
Haircuts, concerts, birthplaces, resting places and a mad dash feature in our look at the statistics surrounding the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. So, grab yourself a Cappuccino, Espresso or Latte and let FIFA.com deliver you the intriguing numbers behind Italy’s conquering of the 18th FIFA World Cup. 70,000 fans is what Marcello Lippi’s players performed in front of during in the second full week of July – but it was not in Berlin and there were only two squad members present. Only two days after helping Italy overcome France in front of 69,000 at the Olympiastadion, Mick Jagger welcomed Alessandro Del Piero and Marco Materazzi on to the ...
Neymar’s new Barcelona deal: Top Brazilians
The value of Neymar to Barcelona is clear after the 24-year-old agreed a new contract until 2021 with the club he joined three seasons ago from Santos.While Neymar came to the Camp Nou with a big reputation, he has only enhanced it since, with a UEFA Champions League winner's medal in 2014/15 – the Brazilian finishing joint top scorer with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – added to be UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup successes plus Spanish doubles in the last two seasons.Neymar has 85 goals in 141 Barcelona appearances, including 17 in 31 UEFA Champions League matches, while forming one part of the Blaugrana's 'MSN' front three with Messi and Luis Suárez that...
McGinn and Weeks make Thursday night running
Niall McGinn experienced the grit to go with the glamour as he scored in Aberdeen's 3-1 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round opener at home against Fola Esch just five days after playing in Northern Ireland's 1-0 loss to Wales in the UEFA EURO 2016 round of 16.McGinn put his side 2-1 up with the first of two added-time goals for the Dons, his strike coming just 14 days after he scored his nation's second in a 2-0 win against Ukraine in the EURO group stage. Meanwhile, on the night that he featured for his nation in a shoot-out loss to Portugal (though he did not take a penalty), 19-year-old wonderkid Bartosz Kapustkas' club in Poland – Cracovia – lost
#EUROfantasy: Bank on Wales’ Bale
Wales' progress to the quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2016 is by no means down to one man – although Gareth Bale has undeniably been the star of the show.The talisman of Chris Coleman's side is currently leading the goalscoring chart with three goals and an assist from his four games. That has earned him 23 points in McDonald's Fantasy Football for the 51% of people that share Coleman's faith in the Real Madrid star. You get what you pay for, and while Bale is a significant investment at €10.5m, he is a proven points-gatherer and set to be an integral