South African football news

Willie Kirk has been appointed head coach of WSL 2 side Durham two years after he was sacked by Leicester City Women's team for having a relationship with a player.

• LEI

Mohamed Salah and Lionel Messi will meet in the last 16 of the World Cup on Tuesday with their nations' hopes resting firmly on their shoulders.

• CHE

Our cartoonist looks at the big stories from the World Cup as England reach the last eight but the US slump out Buy David’s cartoons | Some of his favourite works And his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now Continue reading...

• ENG
• MEX

Howe rebuilding side after Tonali and Gordon exits Widely hyped as Amsterdam club’s next De Jong Newcastle are close to completing the signing of Sean Steur from Ajax for about £23m. The two-footed central midfielder is only 18 but has been widely hyped as the Amsterdam club’s brightest emerging midfield talent sinc…

• NEW
• AJA

Liam Rosenior is back in football management with Ligue 1 club Paris FC after being sacked by Chelsea in April.

• CHE

Newcastle United are closing in on the signing of 18-year-old Ajax midfielder Sean Steur.

• NEW
• AJA

⚽ News and previews before the final last-16 match-ups ⚽ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Email us Let’s talk about everyone’s favourite subject: England! What a game that was against Mexico , by the way. I feel asleep about 1am (BST), woke up with England winning 2-1, just before Quansah got sent off and…

• BEL
• USA

Néstor Lorenzo’s side face Switzerland in Vancouver on Tuesday and will be hoping for the same backing that has shocked opponents so far Mexico City, Guadalajara, Miami, Kansas City – Colombia’s World Cup journey has gradually been heading north for three weeks. Thousands of their supporters now descend on Vancouver…

• SWI
• COL
• MEX

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning , Archie Rhind-Tutt , Nick Ames and Sid Lowe as error-prone USA are picked off by Belgium and Cristiano Ronaldo bids farewell to the World Cup for good Continue reading...

• BEL
• USA

Celtic reportedly agree to stump up cash for Qarabag forward as Rangers intend to keep striker.

• KAR
• RAN
• CEL

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Belgium's Nicolas Raskin says Fifa's decision to allow US striker Folarin Balogun to play against them fired them up for the last-16 tie in Seattle.

• BEL

Mauricio Pochettino says he feels "disappointed with too many people" who brought "politics and manipulation" into the game as the US' World Cup exit was dominated by talk of Folarin Balogun's availability.

Belgium ease past a defensively sloppy USA in a match shrouded in controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun's delayed suspension, a scandal that made little impact on the pitch.

• BEL
• SPA
• USA

USA goalkeeper Matt Freese with a huge error in judgement as he gifts Belgium's Hans Vanaken the ball, leaving him with an easy finish that defender Tim Ream could've done more to stop. Errors all around as Belgium take control of the round of 16 tie.

• BEL
• USA

BBC Sport looks at the end of Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup career as he fails to win football's biggest prize.

• BEL
• USA

If Spain are to get their hands on the World Cup trophy again, they may have their defence, rather than their attack, to thank.

• SPA

Having battled back from injury to make the World Cup, the matchwinner’s goal was a deserved payoff for unsung sacrifices And then, suddenly, there was Mikel Merino circling the corner flag again, another marvellous moment to emulate his father Ángel Miguel and embrace his son Marco. To hold those who got him here a…

• SPA

After 10 years as Fifa president, could the Folarin Balogun controversy tip the balance against Gianni Infantino? Don't bet on it.

• POR
• SPA

Spain leave it late as super-sub Mikel Merino scores a stoppage-time winner to send his side into the quarter-finals, ending Cristiano Ronaldo's hopes of World Cup glory.

• POR
• SPA

⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Mail Beau Through four games, Belgium have retained 57% of possession with a 65% field tilt – a possession metric weighing only final-third touches – but haven’t found a way to maximize that advantage. While possession can be a noisy statistic, viewing it in stylistic t…

• BEL
• USA