Football

Who: Norway vs Portugal
What: UEFA Nations League 2026-2027, Group A4 match
Where: Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, Norway
When: Sunday at 7:45pm (18:45 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.

Record two-time UEFA Nations League champions Portugal continue their title defence on matchday two with a trip to Oslo against an exciting Norway side.

After starting their campaign with a 1-0 home win over Wales, holders Portugal face their first big test of the competition on Sunday against the Norwegians, who defied expectations with a historic quarterfinal finish at this year’s FIFA World Cup.

Spearheaded by Erling Haaland, arguably one of Europe’s most dangerous strikers, and captained by midfield maestro Martin Odegaard, Norway made a winning start too, beating their Scandinavian rivals Denmark 3-2 in a thrilling opener.

Frustrated after a string of missed chances in the first game, Portugal’s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo will hope to rediscover his form as the team embraces a new chapter under coach Jorge Jesus, whose first game in charge was on Thursday against Wales.

What is the UEFA Nations League?

The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against equally ranked teams.

In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure that features promotion and relegation.

When did Norway and Portugal last meet?

The teams last met in a 2016 international friendly in Porto when hosts Portugal defeated Norway 3-0.

Norway vs Portugal: Head-to-head

• Matches: 11
• Norway’s wins: 1
• Portugal’s wins: 8
• Draws: 2

Norway vs Portugal: Form guide

(Last five games, latest results first)

Norway: W-L-W-W-L

Portugal: W-L-W-D-W

Who are the top players to watch?

Haaland and Oscar Bobb (Norway): A double from Haaland and another goal from Bobb set Norway on course for a winning start, and the attacking pair should be in the limelight in front of their home crowd this weekend. Manchester City’s Haaland, especially, has been in top form this term with an incredible seven goals in as many games across all competitions.

Ronaldo and Joao Felix (Portugal): Portugal’s striking pair of Ronaldo and Felix ought to be careful in the final third this time out after Felix’s lone strike in the opening win in Lisbon. Ronaldo had a goal ruled out and was among the players who missed a flurry of chances as Portugal registered a whopping 23 total shots but with only five on target, of which just one hit the back of the net.

Will Haaland, Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes play?

Both forwards are fit to play, but Portugal will miss the services of their talismanic midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who is injured.

Fernandes has played in all seven of Manchester United’s matches this season and featured from the start for Portugal against Wales before being withdrawn in the 90th minute.

Jesus said he doesn’t want to “risk” the player against Norway.

“Against Wales, we went in with practically everyone physically available and came out with a complicated problem with Bruno Fernandes,” the coach said.

“He’s coming off an injury at United, and he told me he’s been playing with that pain for the last three games, which is hindering him.

“It was one of the factors that prevented Bruno from playing at his best against Wales. I’ve already spoken to him, and I prefer not to risk it in this game, so he’s fully fit for the Denmark match.”

Haaland: The King of the North

Haaland’s double against Denmark on Thursday marked another milestone in the 26-year-old striker’s enviable career. He is now the highest-scoring Nordic man in international football history, surpassing Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Haaland’s goal tally for Norway stands at 64 goals compared with Ibrahimovic’s 62. Incredibly, Haaland has shattered that record in 56 appearances – less than half of the 122 matches Ibrahimovic needed.

“It is not possible to explain nor ‌‌is it possible to learn. He is born with it. It is instinct,” Norway manager Stale Solbakken said about Haaland.

Having made his senior debut in 2019, Haaland boasts a record of scoring more than one goal per game for Norway.

“It’s madness,” midfielder Sander Berge said about Haaland’s talent. “It’s everyday business that Haaland scores goals, so it’s reasonable that he is up there, but it’s ⁠⁠powerful.”

What have the coaches said?

Jesus: “Norway are one of the strongest teams in Europe. They have players we know like Haaland and Odegaard who play at a very high level in England. They will create more goalscoring opportunities against us than Wales, and I hope we have the defensive capacity.

“There’s not much to improve. We’ll evolve the game we’ve already played, but I trust that the team will respond defensively and will be more creative offensively.”

Solbakken: “They changed the coach, and if you look at what he did at his previous clubs and the football they played, the way they played against Wales was a little different to what it was with [Roberto] Martinez. There were players in other positions, and we took that into account in our game plan. Obviously, they have good players all over the field. We expect a close and balanced game. It’s our home game, so we’ll try to stop their biggest assets, but it’s also important for us to play our game and be loyal to the way we’ve been playing in recent years.”

Have Haaland and Ronaldo ever played each other?

No, the 26-year-old and 41-year-old greats have never crossed paths. Norway and Portugal have not played each other frequently either.

Norway vs Portugal: TV channels, livestreaming

• Norway: TV 2 Play
• Portugal: Sport TV Portugal
• United Kingdom: Prime Video UK
• United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX
• India: Sony Sports Network
• Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
• South Africa: DStv Stream

You can find your regional broadcaster on UEFA’s official broadcaster listing.

Norway’s team news and predicted lineup

Norway will be without David Moller Wolfe, who is suspended after picking up two yellow cards in the last game.

Probable Norway XI: Orjan Nyland; Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, Fredrik Aursnes; Odegaard, Sander Berge, Patrick Berg; Bobb, Haaland, Antonio Nusa

Portugal’s team news and predicted lineup

Portugal have a fully fit squad.

Probable Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Ruben Neves; Pedro Neto, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Felix, Ronaldo

Colin Simmons tied the program record with five sacks as top-ranked Texas held off No. 14 Tennessee 20-17 Saturday with President Donald Trump on hand in the Longhorns’ first visit to Neyland Stadium.

Raleek Brown ran for 67 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and his four-yarder with 5:41 left gave the Longhorns the winning margin in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. Giannis Spetic had a pair of field goals.

It was a defensive day with Texas (4-0) dominating with 10 sacks. Simmons’ big day will be remembered for his vulgar celebration after one sack. He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct with the referee saying Simmons was “simulating” using the restroom.

“We took him out, we addressed it and put him back in,” Sarkisian said of Simmons. “At that point, I’m not going to give the guy a death penalty over an unsportsmanlike conduct. We got to fix it though. That can’t continue.”

Quarterback Brandon Faizon of Tennessee (3-1) made it interesting late, capping an 80-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Mike Matthews with 1:22 left. Linebacker Arion Carter recovered the onside kick, and Jelani McDonald batted away Brandon’s pass to Travis Smith Jr. on the final play in the end zone.

Texas’ Arch Manning threw for 201 yards while being sacked six times. He also was intercepted once with the Longhorns needing the smothering defensive performance to help on a day with too many penalties, including two illegal forward passes by Manning.

at No. 2 Georgia 41, Oklahoma 13: Chris Cole scored on a 85-yard fumble return as the Bulldogs (4-0) took advantage of three first-half turnovers by John Mateer and overwhelmed the struggling Sooners in the SEC opener for both schools.

Mateer lost two fumbles, each recovered by Cole, and and had a pass instercepted as Oklahoma, which finished with four turnovers, fell behind 28-0. K.J. Bolden picked off a pass from Mateer in the second quarter.

Gunner Stockton was almost perfect in the first half for Georgia. Stockton completed his first nine passes, including a 35-yard touchdown throw to Talyn Taylor.

No. 3 Notre Dame 49, at Purdue 10: CJ Carr threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score and linebacker Drayk Bowen scored his first career touchdown on a 15-yard fumble return for the Fighting Irish.

Carr was 14-of-22 passing for 237 yards with his first interception of the season.Aneyas Williams carried 14 times for 80 yards with one TD as Notre Dame (4-0) produced a season-high 177 yards rushing. Notre Dame has won 14 straight and will start October with a perfect record for the first time since 2021.

at No. 7 Ohio State 42, Illinois 19: Jeremiah Smith tied an Ohio State record with four touchdown catches and also had career highs with 12 receptions and 217 yards in the rout of the Illini.

According to Sportradar, it is the 23rd time since 2000 an FBS player has had double-digit catches for at least 200 yards and four scores in a game. The last to do it was Western Michigan’s Sky Moore against Northern Illinois in 2021.

It is the fifth time an Ohio State receiver has had four touchdowns. The last time it happened before Saturday was Noah Brown at Oklahoma in 2016.

at No. 11 Texas Tech 49, Sam Houston 14: Red Raiders linebacker Austin Romaine returned two interceptions for touchdowns on consecutive passes thrown by different Sam Houston quarterbacks in the first half of what became a rout.

Texas Tech led only 7-0 before fellow linebacker Brock Gowlas leaped to deflect a pass thrown by Brett Holloway. Romaine, who had also jumped, then grabbed the ball out of the air and ran 15 yards for a touchdown with 14:54 left in the first half. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Bearcats starting quarterback Landyn Locke was back in the game, and his pass on first down was picked off by Romaine. That 31-yard return made it 21-0.

Wake Forest 30 at No. 16 Louisville 27: Connor Calvert kicked three field goals, including a 32-yarder with 6:20 remaining, to lift the Decons (3-1, 1-1 ACC) to the upset.

Gio Lopez threw for 225 yards and a touchdown. on 12 of 19 passing for the Demon Deacons (3-1, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) against Louisville (2-2, 1-1). Carlos Hernandez caught nine of those for 194 yards, just three yards off the career best he set last season against Delaware. Ty Clark III carried the ball 21 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns.

No. 17 Iowa 20, at No. 18 Michigan 19: Hank Brown threw a game-ending, 16-yard touchdown pass to Reece Vander Zee to lift the Hawkeyes to the win in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Iowa (4-0) went 91 yards on the final drive — boosted by an unnecessary roughness penalty against Michigan on a third down at midfield. Brown’s 29-yard pass to Addison Ostrenga set up the final play with two seconds on the clock.

Bryce Underwood threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to JJ Buchanan early in the fourth quarter — their second scoring connection of the game — but the Wolverines (3-1) could not make enough plays on both sides of the ball to hold on for the win.

Etc.

Wayshawn Parker broke a 54-yard run on the game’s opening play from scrimmage for the first of his three touchdowns and No. 15 Utah (4-0) held off host Iowa State (2-2) in the second half for a 31-17 win on Saturday in a Big 12 opener for both teams. … Conner Weigman threw four touchdown passes and ran for two scores, leading No. 25 Houston (3-1) to a 42-28 win over visiting Georgia Southern.

Lee Beebe Jr. rushed for 203 yards, including a 70-yard burst that set up Josh Hoover’s game-sealing one-yard touchdown run with 1:56 to play, and No. 5 Indiana (4-0) held on for a 29-23 over surprising Northwestern (2-1) in the Big Ten opener for both schools on Friday night. …

Mason Heintschel passed for 403 yards and six touchdowns, and host Pittsburgh (4-0) remained perfect by rolling past Bucknell 59-0 on Saturday. … Jeffrey Overton Jr. ran for a 76-yard, go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter as Virginia Tech (4-0) rallied for a 21-14 victory at Boston College (2-2) in an ACC opener for both teams that was played in a nor’easter. …

Lamine Yamal goal opens the scoring, but Spain made to comeback in Nations League win as Harry Kane misses penalty.

World champions Spain came from behind to beat England 3-2 in an entertaining Nations League encounter at Wembley on Saturday, denying the hosts a cathartic win after their painful World Cup exit.

Victory for Luis de la Fuente’s men extends Spain’s astonishing unbeaten run to 39 matches – a record for a European team.

Thomas Tuchel’s men got off to a nightmare start when Lamine Yamal pounced on a gaffe by defender Marc Guehi, and they could easily have been three goals down as silky Spain created multiple chances.

But England, criticised for their ultra-defensive tactics in their World Cup semifinal defeat to Argentina, showed adventure of their own and got their reward in the 36th minute when Barcelona winger Anthony Gordon finished a fine team move.

Four minutes later, the home side were ahead after Kane headed home Nico O’Reilly’s cross via a Marc Cucurella deflection.

Kane had a golden chance to give England a two-goal cushion from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the second half but slipped slightly, crashing his shot against the bar.

Spain, who beat England in the Euro 2024 final, took full advantage, with substitutes Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal putting their side ahead, taking advantage of more sloppy defensive play from the home side.

England boss Thomas Tuchel was adamant ahead of the match that it did not signal a new start, but he will have been dismayed by his team’s nervy start.

Manchester City’s Guehi, with a chance to clear in the second minute, inexplicably turned back towards goalkeeper James Trafford, apparently unaware that Yamal was just behind him.

The teenager collected the ball and curled a left-footed effort off the inside of the post.

Ferran Torres was in the thick of the action, with an effort ruled out for offside and another shot saved by Trafford, in for longtime number one Jordan Pickford.

He also squandered a golden opportunity with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Yamal then set up Dani Olmo, who flashed wide as Spain rued yet another miss.

England, who had shown plenty of promise down the wings, made the visitors pay with an incisive counter-attacking goal after winning the ball back deep in their own half.

Gordon was involved early in the move and surged forward, collecting Jude Bellingham’s pass to steer the ball decisively past goalkeeper Unai Simon.

And, with the atmosphere now totally changed, England were in front when Kane rose to head home.

Tuchel’s men started the second half brightly and had a chance to extend their lead from the spot when they were awarded a penalty for a Rodri foul on Bellingham following a VAR check.

But Kane crashed his shot against the bar, and England paid the price when Baena steered home on the hour mark after O’Reilly had given the ball away to Olmo.

Worse was to come for the home side when Baena turned provider for Oyarzabal, who dinked the ball over Trafford.

FANCY tucking into a tasty full Irish breakfast cooked for you by a former Premier League football star?

Well, that’s firmly on the menu if you check into Causeway Guest Accommodation, on the picturesque County Antrim coast, which is owned and managed by ex-Manchester City and West Ham midfielder Steve Lomas.

Lomas was appointed first team captain at The Hammers and played more than 300 games in the Premier League, in addition to 45 international caps for his beloved Northern Ireland.

After 22 years as a player and manager, he has taken on a new role as maitre d’ and head chef at his family-run B&B in Bushmills.

The 13-bed property is less than three miles from the world famous Giant’s Causeway and roughly five from the renowned Royal Portrush golf course, which hosted the 2019 and 2025 Open Championships.

It is also staggering distance away from the popular Bushmills Whiskey Distillery – the first in the world to triple distill whiskey.

SWISS GRAND TOUR

I went on Europe’s ‘Route 66’ with 46 attractions and beautiful beaches

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

Lomas, 52, said: “The County Antrim coast is a hidden gem.

“The drive from Belfast up the coast to Bushmills is one of the top five or six drives in the whole of the UK for its outstanding beauty.

“Beautiful beaches, beautiful scenery, and the Giant’s Causeway is touted as the eighth natural wonder of the world.

“Game Of Thrones was shot predominantly around Northern Ireland and that has added to the prestige, but you think of Northern Ireland and the first thing that still comes to mind is the Troubles.

“People are still overlooking all the natural beauty we have.

“Fermanagh is regarded as the Lake District of Northern Ireland.

“Across the border in Donegal you have the 1,600-mile Wild Atlantic Way.

“Northern Ireland has moved on.

“More and more tourists are coming but it’s still understated.

“We get a lot of visitors from Spain, Germany, America and China.

“They all come over to see the Causeway.

“I love football and it’s no hardship to talk about it.

“But I’m usually slaving over the stove.

“Occasionally, when I am not cooking I will pop out and have a chat, and when guests check in.”

The B&B features spotless double and twin rooms, all of which have ensuite bathrooms, TVs and tea and coffee facilities.

And then there’s that full Irish breakfast – served in the light, bright kitchen dining room.

Tucking into one of his delicious fry-ups, it’s clear to see that Steve’s talents extend beyond the pitch.

Egyptian FA has decided to rest Salah to protect him from playing on artificial turf, which has a higher risk of injuries.

Mohamed Salah will not travel with ⁠Egypt’s ⁠squad to South Sudan for their second Africa Cup of Nations qualifier because the ⁠match will be played on artificial turf, the Egyptian Football Association said ⁠on Saturday.

Record seven-time AFCON champions Egypt were held to a goalless draw by Angola at Cairo International Stadium on Friday in their opening qualifier.

Two-time African Footballer of the Year, Salah, who ‌joined Turkiye’s Trabzonspor from Liverpool last month, started against Angola but did not complete the match after coach Hossam Hassan substituted him midway through the second half.

“The Egypt national team’s technical staff, led by Hossam Hassan, has ⁠decided to rest Mohamed Salah ⁠for the match against South Sudan scheduled for September 29 because of the playing surface,” the EFA said on social ⁠media.

“It was agreed between the national team’s technical staff and ⁠Mohamed Salah before the Angola ⁠match that he would not play against South Sudan, and the technical staff preferred this approach in order to ‌protect the player,” the EFA added.

Salah has scored 68 goals for Egypt and is just one short of matching coach and ex-player Hassan’s all-time record of 69 for The Pharaohs.

Tuesday’s match between South Sudan and Egypt will be played ‌at ‌Juba Stadium, which has an artificial turf pitch. Such surfaces pose a higher risk of injuries than those with natural grass.

Egypt are in Group B of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers, alongside Angola, South Sudan and Malawi. The 2027 AFCON will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, featuring 24 teams.

Though Egypt are the most successful African side, they haven’t won the championship since 2010.

Manchester City are understood to be ready to appeal any guilty verdict, but could face ‘severe penalty’ says ex-chair.

Former Manchester City chairman David Bernstein said the club could face potentially “drastic” sanctions after reportedly being found guilty on all but one of 115 charges for breaching Premier League financial rules.

The Premier League has not made an official announcement over the case and there is no indication of any possible punishment.

Abu Dhabi-backed City have always strenuously denied the charges and a club spokesperson said the position had not changed.

It is understood City will appeal should the charges be upheld.

“The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence,” the spokesperson said.

City were charged by the Premier League in 2023 following an investigation into alleged breaches of rules between 2009 and 2018.

The club were accused of failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches, as well as breaches of financial sustainability rules.

They were also charged with failing to cooperate with an investigation.

A hearing by an independent commission started in September 2024.

Man City face ‘severe penalty’

Bernstein, who was City chairman between 1998 and 2003, told Times Radio that “money is not sufficient” in terms of a potential punishment, urging a swift appeal process.

“The appeal process cannot go on for year after year, I think that would be a disaster,” he said, “not just for this particular case but for English football generally. The timing is crucial.

“I can’t give a view on the punishment. If they are found, after the appeal, guilty of [the] charges, my beloved club is going to face a very severe penalty.

“All I would say is that money is not sufficient, it would have to be something, unfortunately, more drastic than that.”

Oasis star and City fan Noel Gallagher described his “shock” at the developments.

Speaking on the Let Me Talk podcast, he said: “Surprised because only that the club have assured us all along that they vehemently denied any of these charges.

“So it was a bit of a shock to find out that we’ve been found guilty of all but one. But really overall just quite sad really. Sad for the fans and for the players.”

UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy described the case as “unsettling” for football fans and called for a swift resolution.

In 2020, UEFA imposed a two-year European ban on City as well as a fine for breaking financial fair-play rules, though that ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

If the reported guilty verdicts are confirmed, sanctions could include a severe points deduction and possibly even expulsion from the Premier League.

Everton and Nottingham Forest were both hit by points deductions in the 2023/24 season for single breaches of profit and sustainability rules.

Other Premier League clubs are understood to be taking legal advice about compensation relating to the charges.

Under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour, whose Abu Dhabi United Group acquired the club in 2008, City have become the dominant force in English football.

They have won eight Premier League titles, a Champions League crown and multiple other trophies over the past 15 years.

The latest developments in the case come just months after former City manager Pep Guardiola left the club following a golden decade in charge at the Etihad.

Guardiola always backed the club’s stance on the charges but threatened to walk away if he felt he had been lied to and they were proven to be true.

Ireland are due to play Israel in the Nations League in Hungary on Sunday, but boycott pressure mounts on and off-field.

The Ireland team’s news conference and training session the day before its first Nations League game against Israel have been delayed as pressure to boycott the matches grows.

Journalists in Debrecen, Hungary – where Israel’s “home” game is to be played Sunday – were left waiting Saturday after being told the news conference was being pushed back until after training. That was 15 minutes before it was supposed to begin.

Training was also significantly delayed, however, with Irish broadcaster RTE reporting the players were still in their hotel more than two hours after the training session was supposed to begin.

RTE reported that some players had decided they did not want to play the games.

“And if they stay to their stated ambition that they have to be all in it together, if one or more want to be out, maybe they will all be out,” reporter Tony O’Donoghue told RTE Radio 1.

The team has been coming under increasing pressure in Ireland, where affinity with Palestinians is strong, to boycott the two games – the first on Sunday and the second, Ireland’s “home” game, in Backa Topola, Serbia, on October 4.

Ireland midfielder Jason Knight said after Thursday’s 1-0 loss in Kosovo that the players were in a difficult situation and that he didn’t think the matches should be going ahead.

Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson previously said “we’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel” – drawing a furious reaction from the Israeli football federation, which accused the Icelandic coach of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy”.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) had resisted calls to boycott the matches, arguing the team could be hit by punishing sanctions by UEFA. Ireland is cohosting the 2028 European Championship with England, Wales and Scotland.

More than 160 Irish sportspeople signed an open letter urging the FAI to reconsider its decision to go ahead with the fixtures.

There were protesters outside the team hotel in Dublin last week calling on the players to boycott the games. The SIPTU trade union displayed a huge poster in central Dublin beside the River Liffey asking the players to “Go with your conscience!” and “Don’t play with genocide” beside an image of a blood-splattered ball.

Former Ireland coach Brian Kerr said the FAI had “lost the respect of the Irish people” for going ahead with the games.

“The Irish people and the soccer-going public don’t want the games to be played,” Kerr said. “I think they’ve made their opinions clear over the last year. The FAI back in November actually went to UEFA and requested that Israel be put out of the tournament on principle. And yet they went against that principle.”

Who: England vs Spain
What: UEFA Nations League 2026-27, Group A3 match
Where: Wembley Stadium, London, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, September 26, at 7:45pm (18:45 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.

England begin their new Nations League campaign with a heavyweight home fixture against the reigning world champions, Spain.

Saturday’s clash at Wembley will be a rematch of the UEFA Euro 2024 final, which Spain won 2-1 in Berlin, Germany.

La Roja, the 2023 Nations League winners, are looking to add a second title to their collection, having also finished runners-up to Portugal in the last edition in 2025.

England, on the other hand, enjoyed their best result in the inaugural 2019 edition, finishing third. They return to League A this time after winning Group B2 in their previous appearance.

Competing in the top division of the structured competition, Croatia and Czechia are the other teams in Group A3 with England and Spain.

What is the UEFA Nations League?

The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against equally-ranked teams.

In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure, which features promotion and relegation.

England vs Spain: Predictions

Opta’s supercomputer has handed Spain a 40.2 percent probability of victory, while England have a 33.6 percent chance of winning. The odds of a draw stand at 26.2 percent.

When did England and Spain last meet?

Spain have won six of their last nine meetings with England.

England and Spain last met at the UEFA Euro 2024 final, in which goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal handed La Roja a 2-1 championship victory. That result marked a record-breaking fourth European crown for Spain.

England vs Spain: Head-to-head

• Matches: 28
• England wins: 13
• Spain wins: 11
• Draws: 4

England vs Spain: Form guide

(Last five games, latest results first)

England: W-L-W-W-W

Spain: W-W-W-W-W

Which are the top players to watch?

Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham (England): All English hopes will once again rest on captain and Ballon d’Or frontrunner Harry Kane of Bayern Munich, who recently became the fastest player to 100 German Bundesliga goals. Elsewhere, attacking midfielder Jude Bellingham has made an impressive start under new Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, producing three goals and three assists in seven La Liga appearances.

Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal (Spain): La Roja fans will be excited to see Ferran Torres in the national team colours this weekend after he scored a hat-trick in his first Champions League appearance for new club Paris Saint-Germain. His former Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal, too, is enjoying a strong start this season, with his seven goals rated joint-second-highest in La Liga.

What have the coaches said?

Thomas Tuchel, England coach: “I think the more you analyse Spain and their last matches they played in, you have to admire the way in which they defend. They added this to their game. It’s difficult for every single team in the world to create chances against Spain. But we have a plan, we have ambition, and we want to be the exception to the rule. At the moment, though, they are a very complete team.”

Luis de la Fuente, Spain coach: “I know what these players are made of. We are not satisfied with what we have done so far, I guarantee it. One story is over; now another begins. Another one in which we are very excited. We want to continue doing important things, to continue making records as historic as those that are being achieved.”

England vs Spain: TV channel, livestreaming

• United Kingdom: ITV1
• Spain: RTVE PLAY
• Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
• India: Sony Sports Network
• South Africa: DStv Stream
• United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX

England’s team news and predicted lineup

England are without winger Marcus Rashford, who picked up a knock, and attacking midfielder Cole Palmer, who has a muscle injury.

Probable England XI: Jordan Pickford; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly; Elliot Anderson, Miles Lewis-Skelly; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane

Spain’s team news and predicted lineup

Centre-back Marc Pubill is sidelined with physical discomfort, and goalkeeper Joan Garcia is out with a knee injury.

Probable Spain XI: Unai Simon; Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Dean Huijsen, Marc Cucurella; Fermin Lopez, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Nico Williams

Senegal draw with Mozambique, and Nigeria edge past Madagascar, but Cape Verde beaten by Mali in AFCON qualifying openers.

Former France star Patrick Vieira debuted as Senegal coach by drawing 1-1 in Mozambique, and Nigeria survived a scare to edge Madagascar 2-1 in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Friday.

Cape Verde, admired for holding eventual 2026 World Cup winners Spain and taking Argentina to extra time before bowing out, crashed 3-1 away to Mali.

Egypt were held 0-0 at home by Angola while Morocco and Algeria won comfortably against Gabon and Zambia respectively.

Aston Villa striker Nicolas Jackson put controversial 2026 AFCON runners-up Senegal ahead after 32 minutes with a close-range tap off a low cross.

But Geny Catamo from Portuguese giants Sporting levelled in first-half added time, firing a shot from outside the box through a crowded goalmouth into the far corner of the net.

Senegal had plenty of second-half possession in Maputo, but could not find a way past a well-organised Mozambican defence.

Originally scheduled for Senegal, the matchday one fixture in Group J was moved to Maputo as no stadium in the West African nation currently meets international standards.

Vieira, 50, was a midfielder in the French teams that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship, and also starred for Arsenal.

But he has had less success as a coach with clubs in the United States, France, England and Italy. He left Genoa last November with the club winless and bottom of Serie A.

Dakar-born Vieira has inherited from sacked Pape Thiaw a Senegal team in transition during a dramatic year in which they were stripped of the AFCON title and flopped at the World Cup.

The Teranga Lions temporarily walked off the pitch to protest a penalty awarded in the AFCON final to hosts Morocco, who missed the kick when Senegal returned.

Senegal won 1-0 after extra time only for the African confederation CAF to later award Morocco a 3-0 victory.

An appeal by the West Africans against the decision will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 8.

After losing to France and Norway at the World Cup, Senegal hammered Iraq to squeeze into the round of 32, where they fell to Belgium after surrendering a two-goal lead.

Against Mozambique, Senegal were without recently retired goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and injured striker Sadio Mane. Fellow stalwarts Kalilou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye were on the bench.

Nigeria, shock non-qualifiers for the past two World Cups, fell behind at home to Madagascar when Ehsan Kari scored after 16 minutes in Uyo.

A Super Eagles side lacking injured star striker Victor Osimhen were then rescued by two international debutants.

Saudi Arabia-based George Ilenikhena, 20, burst through to equalise in first-half added time and substitute Moses Usor from Austrian champions LASK snatched the 65th-minute winner.

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, a star at the World Cup, gifted Mali their third goal in the defeat before a wildly excited crowd of 50,000 in Bamako.

He dashed outside his area to control the ball with his chest, then lost possession and Dorgeles Nene struck the loose ball into an unguarded net.

Mali, arguably the strongest football nation never to win the AFCON, dominated from start to finish and led within five minutes through Martial Tia.

Cape Verde levelled when a Sidny Cabral free-kick was deflected into the net. Mali regained the lead as half-time approached through Nene.

Sept. 25, 2026 9:43 PM PT

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

1. SANTA MARGARITA (5-0) did not play; vs. Mater Dei, Friday

2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (4-1) did not play; vs. JSerra, Friday

3. SIERRA CANYON (5-0) def. Oxnard Pacifica, 42-10; vs. Loyola, Friday

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (2-2) vs. De La Salle at Cal, Saturday; at Vista Murrieta, Thursday

5. MATER DEI (4-1) did not play; vs. Santa Margarita, Friday

6. MISSION VIEJO (3-1) did not play; vs. Huntington Beach Edison, Friday

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-2) did not play; vs. Servite, Friday

8. SAN CLEMENTE (5-0) def. Murrieta Valley, 42-13; vs. Yorba Linda, Friday

9 . CHAMINADE (5-0) did not play; vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday

10. PALOS VERDES (5-0) did not play; vs. Long Beach Millikan, Friday

11. JSERRA (4-1) did not play; vs. St. John Bosco, Friday

12. SERVITE (3-2) def. Damien, 28-9; at Orange Lutheran, Friday

13. CORONA DEL MAR (5-0) did not play; at Villa Park, Friday

14. BISHOP AMAT (4-1) did not play; at Gardena Serra, Friday

15. LA SERNA (4-1) did not play; at Warren, Friday

16. CREAN LUTHERAN (3-2) did not play; at Tustin, Friday

17. CARSON (4-1) did not play; vs. Gardena, Friday

18. OXNARD PACIFICA (4-1) lost to Sierra Canyon, 42-10; vs. Oaks Chrisitian, Friday

19. GARDENA SERRA (3-2 ) did not play; vs. Bishop Amat, Friday

20. TUSTIN (4-1) did not play; vs. Crean Lutheran, Friday

21. LA HABRA (5-0) did not play; at Capistrano Valley, Friday

22. HUNTINGTON BEACH (5-0) did not play; vs. El Modena, Friday

23. YORBA LINDA (4-1) did not play; at San Clemente, Friday

24. SAN JACINTO (5-0) def. Aquinas, 20-10; at Temescal Canyon, Thursday

25. ORANGE (5-0) did not play; at El Dorado, Friday

Kylian Mbappe scores the only goal of France’s win in Turkiye, but Real Madrid striker immediately forced off by injury.

Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the game before having to come off grimacing with a knee injury, as France won 1-0 in Turkiye in the UEFA Nations League in new coach Zinedine Zidane’s first game in charge on Friday.

The Real Madrid star was moved out to the left wing by his new coach after being used through the middle of the France attack under former coach Didier Deschamps at the recent World Cup, which he ended as the top scorer with 10 goals.

It was from the left that Mbappe, France’s all-time top scorer, notched his 67th international goal, controlling and firing into the net low at the near post after being set up by Michael Olise.

He winced in pain as his teammates came across to celebrate the goal at the Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit, about 100km outside Istanbul.

Mbappe tried to carry on after receiving treatment, but eventually slumped to the ground and looked concerned as he prodded the outside of his left knee, before walking off to be replaced by Desire Doue.

France and Real will now nervously wait to discover the extent of the injury, with Les Bleus playing three more games over the next 10 days before the club season resumes.

The sight of his star player and skipper coming off overshadowed Zidane’s first match since being appointed coach in late July on a deal to 2030.

The France legend and 1998 World Cup winner is making his return to elite coaching for the first time since his second stint in charge of Madrid ended in 2021.

France, beaten in the semifinals at the World Cup by eventual winners Spain, are in Group A1 of this edition of the Nations League and will now go to Brussels to face Belgium on Monday. Belgium won 2-0 away to Italy on Friday.

Zidane, whose last match as a player came for France against Italy in the 2006 World Cup final, will then make his home debut as coach against the Italians at the Stade de France next Friday.

His first team selection was not dramatically different from the side that regularly played at the World Cup, although Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert was in at left-back while Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki came into the starting XI.

Olise, the Bayern Munich star who lit up the World Cup, was unlucky not to open the scoring late in the first half when his superb strike was tipped over by home goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.

France goalkeeper Mike Maignan responded at the start of the second half as he tipped over an attempt by Abdulkerim Bardakci for Turkiye, who finished bottom of their group at the World Cup, despite a 3-2 win over cohosts the United States.

Mbappe’s goal came shortly after, and the visitors later saw Jules Kounde hit the post before Turkiye were reduced to 10 men late on.

Cakir came flying out of his area to halt Bradley Barcola as the France substitute raced through on goal. German referee Felix Zwayer initially waved play on before undertaking a VAR review, after which he decided the goalkeeper had handled the ball, which meant a red card.

Turkiye, coached by former Italian international Vincenzo Montella, will host Italy next on Monday.

Israel footballer Sayed Abu Farchi was sent off for goal celebration mimicking shooting a gun in match against Austria.

Israel footballer Sayed Abu Farchi was sent off for his goal-scoring celebration when he used the corner flag ⁠to simulate a gun after equalizing against Austria in their UEFA Nations League late on Thursday.

The forward’s goal levelled the match 1-1 early in the second half at Raiffeisen Arena in Linz, Austria, his 55th minute header cancelling out Romano Schmid’s first-half penalty.

The 20-year-old then jogged to the corner, pulled out the corner flag, dropped his right knee to the grass and rested the pole on the back of his left hand before making a firing gesture.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Farchi, who plays his club football in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, was about to simulate a pool cue shot or a weapon, but the action that followed left no one in doubt.

The referee promptly showed the Colorado Rapids forward a second yellow card, just four minutes after his first, leading to a red card.

Under the International Football Association Board Law 12, players can celebrate a goal as they wish, but their celebration “must not be excessive” and a player “must be cautioned for acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way”.

Austria regained ⁠the lead in the 90th minute through Phillipp Mwene, who netted following a cross from ‌Paul Wanner. Sasa Kalajdzic added a third goal in stoppage time with a ‌close-range ‌finish to seal a 3-1 win.

Israel’s participation in the Nations League has prompted fierce backlash from several other competing countries, including the Republic of Ireland, whose football association said its request to avoid future pairings with Israel had been ⁠⁠rejected by UEFA.

A banner with the words “Free Palestine” was also displayed by Austrian fans close to the pitch during Thursday’s match.

Ireland face Israel on Sunday in a match to be hosted at a neutral venue – Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary – before hosting the return fixture on October 4.

Al Jazeera has contacted UEFA and Colorado Rapids for a response to Farchi’s celebratory simulation.

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

City Section

Chatsworth 37, Reseda 0

Collins Family 33, Westbrook 0

Foshay 44, Angelou 8

GALA d. Los Angeles Jordan, forfeit

GALA 41, Dymally 0

Garfield 35, Legacy 0

Granada Hills Kennedy 19, Van Nuys 0

Los Angeles Hamilton 52, LACES 0

Los Angeles Roosevelt 26, South Gate 24

Narbonne 21, Los Angeles Marshall 0

Panorama 27, Van Nuys 0

SOCES 39, VAAS 0

South East 14, Sotomayor 6

Stella 13, USC Hybrid 0

Southern Section

Alhambra 33, Rosemead 6

Anaheim 46, Estancia 0

Anaheim Canyon 20, Crean Lutheran 19

Animo Leadership 25, SEED LA 14

Aquinas 14, Ontario Christian 0

Azusa 8, Sierra Vista 0

Baldwin Park 13, Garey 0

Beckman 32, Mission Viejo 27

Bonita 26, Glendora 12

Burbank Burroughs 19, Temple City 0

Cajon 45, Arlington 0

Century 7, Santa Ana Valley 6

Cerritos 27, Paramount 7

Cerritos Valley Christian 46, Whitney 12

Chino 12, Don Lugo 7

Compton 33, Compton Centennial 0

Compton Early College 20, Environmental Charter 0

Covina 33, Northview 0

Downey 27, Bellflower 6

Edison 6, Newport Harbor 0

El Modena 7, Sunny Hills 0

El Rancho 13, South El Monte 12

Fountain Valley 13, Los Alamitos 8

Garden Grove 21, Segerstrom 20

Garden Grove Pacifica 27, Brea Olinda 13

Gahr 42, Mayfair 0

Glenn 25, Pioneer 0

Godinez 7, Tustin 0

Great Oak 40, Desert Hot Springs 0

Huntington Beach 21, Corona del Mar 20

Katella 12, Costa Mesa 6

La Canada 33, South Pasadena 0

Laguna Beach 14, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 7

Lakewood St. Joseph 21, Bishop Amat 12

La Palma Kennedy 12, Fullerton 6

La Quinta 12, Palm Springs 6

La Serna 19, California 12

La Sierra 6, Miller 0

Lawndale 34, Culver City 6

Loma Linda Academy 33, United Christian Academy 0

Long Beach Cabrillo 41, Dominguez 6

Long Beach Wilson 18, Lakewood 0

Los Amigos 12, Savanna 6

Marina 19, Irvine 7

Mary Star of the Sea 18, Sacred Heart of Jesus 12

Monrovia 20, Gabrielino 6

Montebello 21, Arroyo 0

Mountain View 14, El Monte 0

Nogales 41, Duarte 6

Palm Desert 12, Xavier Prep 6

Placenta Valencia 28, Laguna Hills 6

Pomona 12, Bassett 0

Portola 12, Irvine University 6

Ontario 12, Montclair 0

Redlands East Valley 39, Serrano 0

San Gabriel 15, Bell Gardens 13

San Juan Hills 36, Capistrano Valley 7

San Marino 18, Westridge 13

Santa Ana Foothill 24, Troy 0

Santa Fe 14, Artesia 6

Shadow Hills 31, Indio 6

Sierra Canyon d. Flintridge Sacred Heartt, forfeit

St. Bernard 18, Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary 13

St. Paul 48, St. Monica 12

Vasquez d, Rosamond, forfeit

Village Christian 34, Pasadena Poly 21

Villa Park 21, El Dorado 12

West Covina 20, Hacienda Heights Wilson 0

Westminster La Quinta 13, Saddleback 0

Whittier 21, Norwalk 20

Woodbridge 47, Northwood 0

Intersectional

Long Beach Poly 20, Carson 6

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

City Section

Bell 12, Huntington Park 0

Bernstein 19, Roybal 6

Contreras 14, Mendez 0

Contreras 12, RFK Community 7

Fairfax 6, LACES 0

Foshay 40, Diego Rivera 0

Garfield 20, Legacy 0

Hollywood 26, Bernstein 6

Hollywood 32, Roybal 0

Jefferson 45, West Adams 0

Los Angeles Hamilton 26, Westchester 0

Los Angeles Roosevelt 12, South Gate 0

Manual Arts 19, Santee 14

Maywood CES 6, Marquez 0

RFK Community 12, Mendez 6

Sotomayor 32, Maywood Academy 6

Torres 13, Elizabeth 0

Venice 26, Palisades 13

Southern Section

Agoura 49, Calabasas 0

Antelope Valley 83, Littlerock 0

Burbank Providence 43, SEED LA 0

Camarillo 33, Simi Valley 12

Canyon Country Canyon 31, Valencia 13

Castaic 7, Hart 0

Chaminade 18, Harvard-Westlake 13

Channel Islands 47, Del Sol 6

Dos Pueblos 35, Rio Mesa 0

El Segundo 14, West Torrance 0

El Toro 20, Aliso Niguel 0

Highland 12, Knight 0

Lancaster 6, Eastside 0

Mater Dei 34, Linfield Christian 26

Ontario 22, Chaffey 13

Peninsula 12, North Torrance 0

Quartz Hill 43, Palmdale 0

Redondo Union 20, Palos Verdes 0

Royal 55, Oak Park 14

San Juan Hills 36, Capistrano Valley 7

Santa Barbara 26, Buena 0

Santa Monica 38, Hawthorne 0

Santa Paula 62, Cate 0

Saugus 6, Golden Valley 0

South Torrance 32, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 12

Sunny Hills 45, Oxford Academy 0

Thousand Oaks 19, Newbury Park 7

Torrance 13, Mira Costa 7

Ventura 6, San Marcos 0

Westlake 37, Oaks Christian 13

Woodbridge 46, Santa Margarita 6

Intersectional

JSerra 32, Menlo 12

Eagle Rock d. Los Angeles Wilson, forfeit

DR Congo beat Equatorial Guinea, while Ivory Coast cruise by Ghana and Cameroon beat Comoros as AFCON qualifiers begin.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo followed up their World Cup exploits ⁠with a 2-0 ⁠home win over Equatorial Guinea on the opening day of the group qualifiers for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Captain Chancel ⁠Mbemba headed home the opening goal in the fourth minute, and Yoane Wissa added a second 18 minutes from time in Kinshasa on Thursday, although ⁠the scoreline might have been more emphatic after they twice struck the woodwork and also had two efforts ruled offside.

It was the first game for the Congolese after advancing through the first phase of the World Cup for the first time ‌and running England close in their last-32 tie in Atlanta in July.

However, there was no opportunity for home supporters to celebrate their achievement as the size of the crowd at the Stade des Martyrs was restricted to 20,000 after sanctions for fan violence that followed defeat by Senegal in World Cup qualification one year ago.

Mauritania and Namibia were also winners ⁠in Thursday’s early games, while Libya netted a last-gasp penalty ⁠to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Botswana behind closed doors in Tripoli, where the stadium was also banned because of previous supporter violence.

Botswana striker Tumisang Orebonye scored a double ⁠in the first half to put his side on course for a rare away win before Maruwan Alhibeeshi thrashed ⁠home from the edge of the area to ⁠pull one back in the 87th minute.

Botswana substitute Mothusi Cooper gave away a stoppage-time penalty with a clumsy challenge, allowing Ezoo El Mariamy to rescue a draw.

Mauritania won 3-1 over the Central ‌African Republic in Casablanca, Morocco, which included a superb chipped effort over the goalkeeper from Dawda Camara, while Bethuel Muzeu scored the only goal as Namibia ‌edged ‌Congo.

Ivory Coast beat Ghana 2-0 in a derby in Bouake in a Group C encounter.

A stunning strike from Malick Yalcouye opened the scoring from outside the box in the first half, although the Ghana keeper, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, will feel he should have done better at his near post.

Franck Kessie gave the Black Stars stopper no chance as he sent his opponent the wrong way with a side-footed second-half penalty.

Ghana, who failed to qualify for the 2025 edition of AFCON, are left to reflect on a match where they failed to register a shot on target until the 75th minute. They also conceded 61 percent of possession to their hosts.

Cameroon beat Comoros 3-1, while Tunisia were held to a 1-1 draw by Uganda in the pick of the other ties.

Who: Turkiye vs France
What: UEFA Nations League
Where: Kocaeli Stadium in Izmit, Turkiye
When: Friday, September 25, at 9:45pm (18:45 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up from 15:45 GMT.

Zinedine Zidane was asked if taking charge of his first France game on Friday will feel just as special as his playing debut for Les Bleus more than 30 years ago.

“Even more so, maybe,” a smiling Zidane said on Thursday ahead of a Nations League game in Turkiye. “I feel an immense emotion being at the head of this France team.”

Zidane’s dream was realised when he replaced Didier Deschamps after the 2026 World Cup. His former teammate Deschamps was in charge for 14 years, winning the World Cup in 2018 and losing the 2022 final.

Now it’s Zidane’s chance to make his mark on a team he once starred for.

Affectionately nicknamed “Zizou”, his face was beamed onto the Arc de Triomphe in Paris the night France celebrated its first World Cup triumph in 1998.

Zidane scored two headers in the final in a 3-0 win over Brazil and later that year he won the Ballon d’Or. Two years later, he was instrumental in France winning the European Championship.

His rise to the top seemed almost fated, for his international career began brilliantly in 1994 with two stunning goals against the Czech Republic after coming on as a substitute.

He then won league titles with Juventus and Real Madrid and scored a brilliant volley to help Madrid win the Champions League in 2002.

Zidane understands expectations are high, given his achievements as a player and how he led Real Madrid to three straight Champions League titles as a coach.

“It’s something new. I’m taking over as head coach so people are talking about it,” he said. “That makes sense.”

After facing Turkiye, France plays Belgium away on Monday before hosting Italy on October 2, and Belgium three days later, with both those games at the Stade de France.

Mbappe given all clear for France’s trip to Turkiye

France’s all-time top scorer Kylian Mbappe is set to captain the side, having shrugged off a minor injury.

Zidane was asked why, given that Mbappe is captain, he was not present at Thursday’s pre-match news conference. Instead, it was midfielder Adrien Rabiot who spoke to the media.

“The obligation is to have one player and the coach,” Zidane said. “[Mbappe] is fine. He will be ready to play tomorrow.”

Rabiot is one of France’s vice-captains along with forward Ousmane Dembele and right back Jules Kounde.

Rabiot said the huge attention placed on Zidane gave the players a welcome back seat.

“His aura means he commands a lot of attention,” Rabiot said. “In a way, it’s a good thing that the focus is more on the coach than the players. It gives them a bit more peace and quiet.”

Zidane understands the limelight but does not seek it.

“You have to accept how things are. But I’m not here for that,” he said. “Winning matches is what interests me the most.”

What happened the last time Turkiye played France?

The sides shared a 1-1 draw in Paris in 2019 in a qualifier for Euro 2020.

Olivier Giroud gave the home side the lead in the 76th minute before Kaan Ayhan levelled for Turkiye five minutes later.

Head-to-head

This will be the seventh meeting between the nations, with France claiming four wins to Turkiye’s one in the previous encounters.

Turkiye team news

Turkiye will be without the services of Hakan Calhanoglu and Kenan Yildiz due to injury. Real Madrid starlet Arda Guler, however, is available despite fears of a knock.

Turkiye predicted starting lineup

Cakir; Celik, Demiral, Bardakci, Elmali; Ozcan, Kokcu, Yuksek; Guler, Yilmaz, Akturkoglu

France team news

Zidane can choose from six new faces in his squad.

Striker Esteban Lepaul (Rennes), defenders Leny Yoro (Manchester United) and Jeremy Jacquet (Liverpool), midfielder Lucas Da Cunha (Como), Andy Diouf (Inter Milan) and Guillaume Restes (Toulouse) are set for their debuts.

“I’m happy with what I’ve seen so far. The French team is open to everyone,” Zidane said. “We’ve got a good squad, some veterans, some newcomers.”

France predicted starting lineup

Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Lacroix, Truffert; Camavinga, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Doue; Mbappe

Chelsea target Bournemouth‘s Alex Scott, Bayern Munich are interested in Dani Olmo and Jude Bellingham denies Manchester City interest.

Chelsea will head the queue if Bournemouth‘s English midfielder Alex Scott, 23, becomes available in January. (Mail – subscription required), external

Bayern Munich are eyeing a potential January move for Barcelona forward Dani Olmo, 28, with a valuation of about £60m for World Cup-winning Spaniard. (Sky Sports), external

England midfielder Jude Bellingham, 23, will extend his contract at Real Madrid and is not interested in a move to Manchester City. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Atalanta and Italy defender Giorgio Scalvini, 22, is the subject of interest from Tottenham, Newcastle and Chelsea. (Caught Offside), external

Chelsea and Aston Villa do not have a January exit clause in the deal that took Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, 22, to the Midlands club on a season-long loan at. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Liverpool are considering a move to bring 23-year-old English midfielder Tyler Morton back to the club from Lyon, with Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Brighton also keeping tabs on him. (Teamtalk), external

Chelsea are one of four Premier League clubs keeping a close eye on Manchester City and Uzbekistan defender Abdukodir Khusanov, 22. (Caught Offside), external

Juventus could be set to reignite their interest in Brazil goalkeeper Alisson, 33, whose future at Liverpool is in doubt. (Football Italia) , external

Barcelona will need to sell players in January to fund any incoming transfers, with Inter Milan and Italy defender Alessandro Bastoni, 27, on their shortlist. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Follow updates, build-up, team news and lineups, from our live text commentary stream coverage as Yan Diomande stars.