European Super Football

"Champions League Varane..." Raphaël Varane is a former French professional footballer who played as a centre-back for Real Madrid, Manchester United and the France national side. Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football Varane playing for France. Photo credit -  Xavier NALTCHAYAN | Flickr The start of his career with Lille Varane began his career at French club Lens, starting with their youth team. Ahead of the 2010–11 season, he began training with the senior squad and appeared on the bench in several league games. He made his professional debut in 2010 at just 17 years old.  Becoming an iconic defender at Real Madrid After one season as a professional, he joined Real Madrid, where he spent ten years, from 2011 to 2021, winning eighteen trophies. These included three La Liga titles, a Copa del Rey, four UEFA Champions League titles , and four FIFA Club World Cups.  Known for his pace, composure, and partnership with Sergio Ramos , many fans believe that he was in

Arsenal 2 - 0 PSG Arsenal claimed their first victory in the revamped Champions League, defeating Paris St-Germain in North London. Mikel Arteta's men built on their initial draw with Atalanta by taking charge early, thanks to two first-half goals: Kai Havertz's well-timed header and a cleverly placed free-kick from Bukayo Saka that slipped past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Although PSG had their chances, most notably when Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves struck the woodwork either side of the break, Arsenal's dominance in the first half set the stage for their triumph. Havertz opened the scoring after 20 minutes, beating Donnarumma to Leandro Trossard’s inviting cross and nodding it home. Saka added a second, catching the PSG keeper off guard with a long-range free-kick that found its way into the net through a crowded penalty box. PSG, now in a period of transition without their former stars like Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, and Neymar, applied more pressure in the

France 2 - 0 Belgium France picked up their first victory of their Nations League campaign with a comfortable win over Belgium.  After losing 3-1 to Italy in their first League A Group 2 match and they faced a tough challenge against Belgium.  Kylian Mbappe, the France captain, started on the bench for this game as he had played the full 90 minutes against Italy.  France's coach, Didier Deschamps, decided to change the entire forward line for this match. Belgium had a bright start but fell behind just before the half-hour mark when Kolo Muani scored his sixth goal for France after pouncing on a loose ball.  Ousmane Dembele, Muani's teammate at Paris St-Germain, made it 2-0 after the break with a well-struck shot. Mbappe came on in the second half and had two good chances but was unable to score. Click here for more news and stories from across France What next for Belgium? They opened their Nations League campaign with a 3-1 win against Israel - with De Bruyne scoring t

Spain 2 - 1 France Lamine Yamal's breathtaking goal helped Spain secure a 2-1 victory over France in the Euro 2024 semi-final.  Dani Olmo netted Spain's second goal after Randal Kolo Muani initially put France in the lead. A closer look at what happened Yamal became the youngest player to score at a European Championship or World Cup, surpassing the record previously held by Brazilian legend Pelé. His remarkable goal came when he shifted the ball onto his left foot and curled a stunning shot in off the post from 25 yards out during an electrifying first half. Earlier in the match, France took the lead with Randal Kolo Muani heading in a superb cross from Kylian Mbappé , who played without a mask after recovering from a broken nose sustained earlier in the tournament. Yamal's brilliant strike shifted the momentum in Spain's favour, and the comeback was complete soon after when Dani Olmo fired a low shot into the net off defender Jules Koundé, following excellent cont

Portugal 0 - 0 France France win 5-3 on penalties Theo Hernandez scored the decisive penalty for France after Portugal's Joao Felix hit the post in the shootout following a goalless draw, sending Didier Deschamps' team into the Euro 2024 semi-final against Spain. This time, there were no tears from Cristiano Ronaldo,  who had been overcome with emotion during Portugal's last-16 victory over Slovenia.  Despite converting his penalty, the 39-year-old's final Euros campaign ended in defeat. He was left to console his outstanding 41-year-old teammate Pepe at the end. Ronaldo was mostly on the periphery of what turned out to be a cautious match. Both teams had chances to win in the second half. France's Mike Maignan made sharp saves to deny Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha and then smothered Ronaldo's backheel attempt. At the other end, Randal Kolo Muani's shot was blocked by Ruben Dias, and Eduardo Camavinga missed from close range. Substitute Ousmane Dembele hit

France 1 - 0 Belgium A late own goal by Jan Vertonghen sent France into the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 at Belgium's expense. A game that had lacked quality and excitement for much of its duration seemed destined for extra time. However, a shot by substitute Randal Kolo Muani deflected off Vertonghen with five minutes remaining, ultimately sealing a French victory at Düsseldorf Arena. There was a fantastic atmosphere before the match France had missed several opportunities before that, with their lack of finishing touch once again letting them down. Even captain Kylian Mbappe squandered chances that he would normally convert. Belgium nearly took the lead themselves before France's late goal. Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne charged into space through the middle, but his shot was pushed behind by Mike Maignan. That had been the underwhelming Belgians' only decent opportunity as France saw out the final few minutes to progress to the last eight, where they will

France 1 - 1 Poland A masked Kylian Mbappe scored his first Euro 2024 goal, but France were held to a draw by an already-eliminated Poland, resulting in a second-place finish in Group D. France needed a win to secure the top spot, but Robert Lewandowski's penalty in the 79th minute cancelled out Mbappe’s earlier goal, scored from a penalty 11 minutes into the second half. Ralf Rangnick's Austria put on a brilliant performance to beat the Netherlands 3-2, topping the group, while the Dutch finished third. France, now in the same half of the draw as Portugal, Spain, and Germany , will face the runner-up in Group E. Mbappe, returning to the starting line-up with a protective mask after breaking his nose, finally scored his first European Championship goal to put France ahead. Ousmane Dembele was fouled in the area by Poland and Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior, allowing Mbappe to score from the spot. However, France seemed to relax after the goal, and Dayot Upamecano's clumsy

Netherlands 0 - 0 France The Netherlands and France played to a stalemate in Leipzig, leaving both teams level on four points at the top of Group D. Pre match scenes at Netherlands v France The group remains wide open heading into the final matchday, with little to separate the Netherlands and France. Defenders took centre stage in this encounter, with Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk standing out as he effectively neutralised France's formidable attacking threats. The 1988 champions almost took the lead within the first minute, as Jeremie Frimpong displayed blistering speed to latch onto a through ball, only to have his shot turned away by France's goalkeeper Mike Maignan. France's captain Antoine Griezmann appeared poised to break the deadlock in the 15th minute after Adrien Rabiot set him up perfectly close to goal, but he failed to control the ball in time. Griezmann also curled a shot wide shortly after. Both sides had opportunities to win Marcus Thuram

Austria 0 - 1 France France began their tournament with a composed 1-0 victory over a spirited Austria. The match was decided by a first-half own goal.  Didier Deschamps’ team played within their capabilities, exploiting Austria’s right-side defence whenever Kylian Mbappé, who finished the game with a broken nose, accelerated down the wing. Starting slowly and conserving energy, this French team displayed their confidence and experience. Not much has changed since the 2022 World Cup. They maintained their familiar 4-3-3 formation, embodying Deschamps' philosophy with athleticism and technical prowess in every position. Mbappé remains a constant threat, always poised to deliver a decisive moment. France’s manager will be pleased with the midfield control offered by Adrien Rabiot and the dynamic performance of N’Golo Kanté , who rolled back the years with his display. By the end of the match, one thing was evident: France remains the team to beat. Their victory seems almost inev

Kylian Mbappe has signed a contract to join Real Madrid on a free transfer once his current deal with Paris St-Germain expires on 30th June.  The French striker had agreed to the move in February and confirmed his departure from PSG in May.  Mbappe, who is 25 years old, has finalised the terms with Real Madrid and will be moving to Spain when the La Liga transfer window opens on 1st July. The official announcement of the deal is expected to be made by Real Madrid over the next few days. Mbappe will be formally presented at the Bernabeu   after Euro 2024.  Since joining PSG from Monaco in 2017, Mbappe has become their all-time leading goalscorer with 256 goals. He has agreed to a contract with Real Madrid until 2029, with an annual salary of 15 million euros (£12.8m), a signing-on bonus of 150 million euros (£128m) to be paid over five years, and a share of his image rights. The best reaction Ana, a Real Madrid fan now living in England, told us: "This is a player that will real

The end of an era in French football  Olivier Giroud has announced his intention to step down from international duty with France after Euro 2024. The AC Milan striker is that nation's all-time top scorer, with 57 goals in 131 appearances and won the World Cup in 2018. The former Arsenal and Chelsea forward has been named in Didier Deschamps' provisional squad for the Euros, which start next month in Germany. A key player for this golden generation of French football? Despite playing 465 minutes at the 2018 World Cup, Giroud did not score or have a shot on target. However, many of those around him have spoken about the massive impact he had. He scored four at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This included a late winner against England in the quarter-finals. France went on to reach the final, where they were beaten on penalties by Argentina. Giroud is out of contract at AC Milan next month and has agreed to join American Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC after this summer&

Borussia Dortmund 1 - 0 PSG Niclas Fullkrug scored a brilliant goal in the first half as Borussia Dortmund beat Paris St-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. You watch the highlights of the match in the video below. The footage is from the TNT Sports YouTube account. The German international used his right foot to bring down a long ball before firing home with his left foot to give Dortmund a 36th-minute lead. That would prove to be the only goal of the night. After a poor first half which perhaps lacked the quality of the previous night's semi final, PSG missed several chances to equalise in the second. Kylian Mbappe curled an effort off the inside of the post before Achraf Hakimi narrowly missed his chance a few minutes later. There were still opportunities for PSG to equalise and take a 1-1 draw back to Paris buf they lacked a bit of quality at times. Mbappe looked determined throughout and he clearly wants to end his time in France with PSG

  Barcelona 1 - 4 PSG (Aggregate: 4-6) Kylian Mbappe scored twice as his Paris St-Germain side thrashed Barcelona to turn around a first-leg deficit and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below . Footage from the TNT Sports YouTube account. The French side had trailed 3-2 after the first leg but they reached the last four for the first time since 2021 after what can only be considered a chaotic encounter in Spain. PSG will face Borussia Dortmund in the semi-final after they beat Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate in what was another thrilling encounter. Where did it go wrong for Barca? It was actually the Catalan side who struck first when Lamine Yamal drove down the pitch, beating Nuno Mendes and clipping over for former Leeds United star Raphinha to score. The Barcelona fans and players assumed it was all going according to plan. Things were to go very wrong in the second-half. Things started to unravel when Rona

A potential transfer saga is potentially about to be concluded Kylian Mbappe has made the decision to join Real Madrid this summer, after informing PSG of his intention to leave when his contract expires in June. While Mbappe hasn't yet put pen to paper with Real Madrid, the agreement is likely to be formalised once it's certain that the two clubs won't face each other in the current season's Champions League.  This move comes as Mbappe stands as PSG 's top goal scorer, boasting a record 244 goals for the club. Keen to resolve his future before March, Mbappe held discussions with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi on 13th February, revealing his decision to join Real Madrid. Following reports of his departure last Thursday, Mbappe was omitted from the starting lineup in Saturday's match against Nantes. Despite this, he still made an impact coming off the bench, scoring a penalty as PSG secured a 14-point lead at the summit of Ligue 1. The impending deal sees M

Let's explore the key results and stories as the Champions League returned this week Lazio 1 - 0 Bayern Munich Ciro Immobile scored a penalty to give Lazio a surprising victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie. The penalty was scored from the spot midway through the second half after Dayot Upamecano was sent off for a foul on Gustav Isaksen. Bayern featured the likes of Harry Kane but they were unable to respond in an underwhelming display. This was another low point in a bad few days for Bayern after their poor result and performance against Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. Highlights below from TNT Sports:  Immobile Sinks 10-Man Bayern 😳 | Lazio 1-0 Bayern Munich | Champions League Round Of 16 Highlights - YouTube Paris Saint Germain 2 - 0 Real Sociedad  Kylian Mbappe put in a great performance for PSG as his side took control of their Champions League last-16 tie against Real Sociedad. Mbappe, who has reportedly requested a move to

France 2 - 0 Republic of Ireland The Republic of Ireland's slim hopes of qualifying for Euro 2024 were dented as France ran out comfortable winners at Parc des Princes. Aurelien Tchouameni's stunning 19th-minute goal put the hosts ahead at the break. Substitute Marcus Thuram ensured a home victory early in the second half as the French made it five wins from five. For the Republic,  it is the third defeat in four games, leaving them fourth in the group. The chances of the Irish qualifying for next summer's finals in Germany are remote, but they must regroup quickly and look to revive their campaign against the Netherlands on Sunday. Euro 2024 Qualifying When France visited Dublin in March, Didier Deschamps' side escaped with a 1-0 win. They were put under intense pressure by a spirited Republic team, with French goalkeeper Mike Maignan in inspired form. But it was a different story in Paris with Thuram's goal taking the sting out of the game and paving the way

 Auxerre 1  - 2 PSG Paris St-Germain are on the verge of another Ligue 1 title after two goals from Kylian Mbappe secured victory over the struggling Auxerre on Sunday. There is a big additional question that we ask at this end of this match report. What does the future have in store for PSG?  They are six points clear of second-placed Lens, and require just one point from their last two games to guarantee the title. Top scorer Mbappe netted twice in the opening eight minutes for the visitors. Lassine Sinayoko responded for Auxerre, who remain in relegation trouble. Click here to find more football news and stories from across France. Mbappe has scored 40 goals and contributed nine assists in 41 matches this season. The France international displayed great footwork as he twisted and turned in the box to create space for the opener, before bending in a sublime first-time strike two minutes later. PSG, who have won eight of the past 10 Ligue 1 titles, equalled Marseille and Saint-Et

 It's time to explore another football icon. This time it's Patrice Evra A brief summary He is a French football coach and former professional player. Originally a forward, he mainly played as a left-back.Evra served as captain for both Manchester United and the France national team. His former manager Sir Alex Ferguson praised Evra for his leadership, also describing him as one of the best left-backs in Europe. <Click here to read about more icons> The start of Evra's career Evra was born in Senegal and arrived in Europe when he was a year old. Evra started his career with the Italian club Marsala. The following season, he joined Monza but returned to France a year later to play for Nice where he was converted into a full-back. In 2002, he joined Monaco and was part of the team that reached the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final.  Becoming a Manchester United legend Evra's performances for Monaco culminated in a move to English club Manchester United in January

As the Summer Transfer Window gets closer, let's explore some of the more interesting rumours. It's already looking like it's going to be a busy Summer.  Bayern Munich interested in Mason Mount Reports across the UK and Germany suggest that Bayern are considering taking advantage of Mason Mount’s contract stalemate at Chelsea by making a move for the England international this summer. Mount will have only one year remaining on his deal at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. Thomas Tuchel, the newly appointed Bayern head coach and former Chelsea fan, is said to be a strong admirer of Mount.  Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Manchester United want Harry Kane Manchester United are preparing to make an £80m bid for Tottenham and England forward Harry Kane after Richard Arnold sanctioned a potential deal. Kane has had a remarkable few months and is Tottenham's all-time highest goalscorer, as well as being the highest scorer for the England natio

 France 4 - 0 Netherlands Kylian Mbappe scored his first goals as France captain. The World Cup finalists began their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a fine win against the Netherlands. France were ahead after just two minutes when Antoine Griezmann curled in from Mbappe's pass. Defender Dayot Upamecano made it 2-0 six minutes later as he bundled in. Mbappe then scored again for France when he drove in, before powering home his second late on. Griezmann had reportedly been unhappy at being overlooked for the captaincy role given to Mbappe, but there were no signs of friction between the pair as they celebrated Mbappe's first of the night in the 21st minute. There is a lot of positive team spirit amongst these players.  We can also see that they have recovered from the heartbreak of losing the World Cup Final.  World Cup: Argentina triumph after classic final (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Kylian Mbappé has now scored more goals for France than Karim Benzema. He's