Spain's Rodri warns Portugal best yet to come at World Cup

Dallas: Spain captain Rodri warned Portugal on the eve of Monday's World Cup last-16 clash that the European champions can still get a lot better. newsbetting.cv

Spain, one of the favourites in North America, were held to a shock 0-0 draw with debutants Cape Verde to open their title charge.

They then beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 and Uruguay 1-0 to top their group, before a statement 3-0 win over a dogged but limited Austria in the last 32.

That impressive performance served notice to their rivals, and midfield general Rodri said that was just the start.

"Spain's evolution (at the tournament) has been gradual," the 30-year-old Manchester City ace told reporters on Sunday ahead of the meeting with Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in Texas.

الأخبارإدارة التحكيم تشرح تعديلات قانون اللعبةتبدأ إدارة التحكيم بالاتحاد القطري لكرة القدم مرحلة جديدة من الاستعدادات للموسم الرياضي 2026-2027، من خلال تنظيم سلسلة من الاجتماعات التوعوية مع ممثلي الأندية المشاركة في دوري ن...فتح →

"Obviously in a sense that is normal -- in the first games you try to adapt to a different environment, different pitch, different type of teams you face, it is never easy.

"So I think in a gradual way, always growing and always knowing that the big things are coming now."

Spain's goalless stalemate with Cape Verde came as a huge surprise, but Rodri said: "We didn't lose our heads, we stayed calm, and I think right now we still have a big gap of improvement."

Philadelphia, United States: France needed a second-half Kylian Mbappe penalty to break down a stubborn Paraguay side on Saturday, winning a niggly World Cup last-16 clash 1-0 to set up a quarter-final showdown with Morocco.

Paraguay's efforts to get under the skin of France's superstars worked for three quarters of a game played in front of 68,324 fans in Philadelphia in heatwave conditions.

However, the quality in the French ranks eventually shone through, with Mbappe converting from the spot on 70 minutes after Desire Doue was brought down.

This was not an attacking masterclass by the French like they had produced in their previous games, but Paraguay did not allow them to play that way.

It was very much a mismatch, though, with Les Bleus having almost all of the ball and Paraguay not managing a shot on target until the 90th minute.

Mbappe's brilliant World Cup on a personal level continued as he rejoined Lionel Messi as the tournament's joint-top scorer with seven goals.

The Real Madrid striker now has 19 World Cup goals in total -- from 19 appearances -- meaning he is just one behind Messi's overall record of 20.

Didier Deschamps' team will now return to their Boston base to prepare for a last-eight clash in nearby Foxborough next Thursday against the Moroccans, who beat Canada 3-0 earlier.

It was a sweltering day in Philadelphia, with temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) and extreme weather warnings in place in case of storms.

France's last visit to Lincoln Financial Field, during the group phase, was affected by storms, as rain and thunder led to a two-hour delay during their 3-0 win over Iraq.

July 4 celebrations

This time there were no interruptions to a game played on the 250th anniversary of US independence, and in the city where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.

A pre-match concert on the pitch featured a rendition of the US national anthem by the actress Idina Menzel, a performance by hip-hop band The Roots, and a US Air Force flyover.

A fireworks display in the city to mark July 4 was not due to take place until later, and the anticipated French pyrotechnics on the pitch were contained for long spells by the Paraguayans.

Ranked 41st in the world, Paraguay had ousted Germany on penalties in the last round and were aiming to claim another huge scalp here.

They played with a back five, defended with a low block, and were quite happy to live up to some South American stereotypes with a cynical approach at times.

That led to Mbappe's frustrations getting the better of him as he got involved in a shoving match with Andres Cubas. Moments later, Matias Galarza had a little lash out at the France captain off the ball.

France had practically all of the ball but struggled to do anything with it, being restricted to shots from long range.

Manu Kone had one attempt deflected just wide midway through the first half and another tipped over by Orlando Gill not long after the restart.

Paraguay's attempts to frustrate France were working, but the dark arts would only get them so far.

While Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele were struggling to influence the game, Deschamps opted to remove Bradley Barcola and put Doue on the left wing in his place.

That was just after the hour mark, and Doue quickly made an impact.

When he attempted to dribble his way through a sea of Paraguayan defenders, he went down under contact from Diego Gomez. The foul was clear and the Uzbek referee pointed to the spot after a review.

Dembele protected the penalty spot as several Paraguay players tried to rough it up. Mbappe then stepped forward and slotted in.

Having won on penalties in the last round, Paraguay's resistance was broken by one this time.

It was not a vintage France performance, but Mbappe almost scored again in stoppage time, and they have taken another step towards their goal.

In 1998 they needed a golden goal to beat Paraguay at the same stage of the competition. And they went on to win that World Cup.

تأهل منتخب المغرب لكرة القدم اليوم السبت إلى الدور ربع النهائي بعد فوزه على منتخب كندا بثلاثية نظيفة ضمن مواجهات الدور الـ 16 لمنافسات نهائيات كأس العالم لكرة القدم 2026 المقامة في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.

وفي بداية اللقاء دخل صاحب الأرض والجمهور منتخب كندا بضغط كبير باحثا عن هدف التقدم مبكرا لكن الحارس المغربي ياسين بونو تصدى لعدة هجمات حقيقية ليساهم بسحب الضغط من زملائه ويحافظ على شباكه دون تلقي أي أهداف لينتهي الشوط الأول مع أفضلية واضحة للمنتخب الكندي.

ومع انطلاق الشوط الثاني وبعد لعبة متفق عليها لم يمهل المغاربة خصمهم عندما مرر أشرف حكيمي تمريرة من كرة حرة لزميله عز الدين اوناحي ليسددها قوية من اعتاب منطقة الجزاء بالشباك الكندية معلنا تقدم المغرب بالدقيقة 50 ليعود نفس اللاعب ويضيف الهدف الثاني له ولفريقه بالدقيقة 82.

وفي الدقيقة 98 من الوقت بدل الضائع سجل المهاجم المغربي سفيان رحيمي الهدف الثالث إثر هجمة مرتدة منظمة وبهذا الانتصار بلغ منتخب المغرب الدور ربع النهائي مع انتظار الفائز من مواجهة غدا الأحد والتي تجمع منتخب فرنسا مع منتخب باراغواي.

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Doha: Qatari clubs have begun preparations for the 2026-27 season with domestic training camps ahead of overseas preseason camps, which will be held in several European countries during July and August.

Following the announcement by the Qatar Stars League of the fixture list for the new season, which kicks off on Aug. 20, clubs now know the dates and venues of their matches, allowing coaching staff to finalize their preseason plans before the start of what is expected to be a long and demanding campaign.

Players and coaching staff reported back to their clubs at the beginning of July and began undergoing comprehensive medical examinations at Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, a mandatory procedure designed to assess players' physical and medical readiness.

The examinations include cardiac and respiratory screenings, muscle and joint assessments, as well as fitness, body fat and muscle mass evaluations.

The tests are intended to determine players' condition following the summer break and help coaching staffs tailor individualized training programs based on the results.

Some international players who represented Qatar at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will miss the opening phase of preseason after beginning their summer vacations later than their teammates. They are expected to join their clubs' training camps at a later stage.

The overseas camps in Europe represent the most important phase of clubs' preparations ahead of the new season, with teams hoping to begin the campaign in improved form and compete for honors.

Coaches regard the camps as the cornerstone of preseason preparations, with teams undertaking intensive twice-daily training sessions, tactical work and a series of friendly matches that allow technical staffs to evaluate players' performances.

The camps also provide an opportunity for new signings, both domestic and foreign, to integrate with their teammates, while giving younger players a chance to prove themselves ahead of official competition.

The second phase of preseason preparations will begin during the second week of July, with most clubs traveling to Europe. The period is considered crucial for rebuilding fitness levels after the extended offseason and preparing players physically and tactically for the start of the league campaign.

Defending Qatar Stars League champion Al Sadd will hold its training camp in Austria from July 13 to Aug. 8. Al Sailiya will also train in Austria from July 18 to Aug. 7.

Al Arabi will conduct its camp in Estepona, Spain, from July 19 to Aug. 7, while Al Gharafa, the reigning HH the Amir Cup champion, will train in Bratislava, Slovakia, from July 16 to Aug. 3.

Al Shamal has chosen the Netherlands for its training camp, scheduled from July 18 to Aug. 6, during which the club plans to play five friendly matches. Al Wakrah will hold its camp in Rennes, France, from mid-July until the first week of August.

Qatar SC will travel to Murcia, Spain, for a training camp from July 16 to July 31 that will include several warm-up matches. Al Shahania will also train in the Netherlands from July 16 to Aug. 8.

Newly promoted Lusail SC, which secured promotion to the First Division, has selected the Netherlands for its overseas training camp from July 13 to Aug. 1 as it seeks to reach peak condition ahead of the new season.

The remaining clubs are expected to announce details of their overseas camps, training programs and friendly match schedules in the coming days as they continue to finalize their summer transfer business.

London: Novak Djokovic earned another slice of Wimbledon history as the seven-time winner advanced to the fourth round, while defending champion Jannik Sinner powered past Jenson Brooksby on Friday.

Djokovic beat French 25th seed Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7/4) on Centre Court to equal Roger Federer's men's singles record for most match wins at Wimbledon.

Martina Navratilova (120) is the only player to have won more singles matches at Wimbledon than Djokovic and Federer.

Djokovic also tied Federer for most appearances in the last 16 of the men's singles at Wimbledon in the Open era, making the fourth round for the 18th time.

"To be able to make history of this sport is a huge honour and privilege, especially here," Djokovic said.

"It's always been a dream tournament for me here. I propose a match-up between Roger and me for 106, let's stop it here and call Roger to come!"

Djokovic is only the fourth man in the Open era to make the last 16 at Wimbledon aged 39 or older after Federer, Pancho Gonzales and Ken Rosewall.

He arrived at Wimbledon targeting a record 25th Grand Slam singles crown, which would break a tie with Margaret Court and draw him level with Federer's record eight titles at the All England Club.

Winning Wimbledon would also make Djokovic the oldest man to lift a Grand Slam trophy in the Open era.

He meets Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin, who beat Brazilian Joao Fonseca in straight sets, for a place in his 66th Grand Slam quarter-final and 17th at Wimbledon.

Sinner has never lost a Grand Slam match to a player ranked as low as world number 81 Brooksby and he delivered an imperious display on Court One to keep that streak intact with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win.

The 24-year-old is into the last 16 for the fifth time, equalling Nicola Pietrangeli's record for most Wimbledon men's singles fourth-round appearances by an Italian.

In the last 16, he will face Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki -- a surprise third-round winner against Spanish starlet Rafael Jodar.