European Super Football

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...

Spain 5 - 4 France Spain edged a breathless nine-goal contest against France to book their place in the Nations League final, with 17-year-old Lamine Yamal stealing the spotlight in Stuttgart. Author | Jack L Stadium | MHPArena The Barcelona prodigy struck twice in a dazzling performance as Spain raced into a commanding 5-1 lead. Yamal, already being tipped as a Ballon d’Or contender, won and converted a penalty, before adding a smart finish to cap a stunning attacking display.RE Goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Merino had put Spain 2-0 up before Yamal's spot-kick, while Pedri added a fourth after a slick move involving Williams. Kylian Mbappé responded for France from the penalty spot after Pedro Porro was penalised. READ MORE |  Portugal reach Nations League final Yamal’s second seemed to have killed the game, but France mounted a remarkable late comeback. Substitute Rayan Cherki announced himself on debut with a spectacular volley from the edge of the box, before a Dani Vi...

Mallorca 0 -  3 Barcelona Marcus Rashford made his competitive debut as Barcelona opened their La Liga title defence with a win at Mallorca, who finished the match with nine players. Author | Jack L Stadium |    Estadi Mallorca Son Moix Barcelona on the attack Raphinha headed in the opener from a precise right-wing cross by Lamine Yamal , before Ferran Torres added a second as Mallorca captain Antonio Raillo lay injured in the box after blocking a Yamal shot. Manu Morlanes was then booked for dissent following the incident and received a second yellow shortly after for a foul on Yamal. Vedat Muriqi was sent off for a high boot on debutant goalkeeper Joan Garcia , a decision upgraded from a yellow after a VAR review . Barcelona took until the 60th minute plus stoppage time to score their third, with Yamal hammering in the goal near the final whistle.  The home fans backing their team despite defeat What impact did Marcus Rashford have? Rashford entered in the 69...

Barcelona 3 - 3 Inter Milan Barcelona twice came from behind to earn a draw against Inter Milan in a pulsating six-goal Champions League semi-final first leg, leaving the tie finely balanced ahead of next week’s return fixture in Milan. Author - Jack L Stadium - Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys The visitors stunned the hosts within 30 seconds when Marcus Thuram diverted Denzel Dumfries’ low cross into the net with a deft backheel, registering the fastest goal ever scored in a semi-final of the competition. Dumfries then doubled Inter’s lead after 20 minutes with an acrobatic volley that silenced the Montjuïc crowd and left Barcelona facing an early uphill task. However, the irrepressible Lamine Yamal soon dragged his side back into the contest. The teenager weaved inside from the right, jinking past several defenders before curling a sublime left-footed shot in off the post to halve the deficit. READ MORE: Champions League news and stories Yamal remained at the centre of Barcelona’s a...

Opinion: We think he's a worthy winner Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior has been crowned Men’s Player of the Year at the FIFA Best Awards. Author - Jack L Picture from  Real Madrid | Flickr Vinícius was instrumental in Real Madrid’s success during their 2023-24 campaign, which saw them clinch both the Champions Leagu e and La Liga titles. He contributed an impressive 24 goals and 11 assists over the season. Earlier in the evening, Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí was named Women’s Player of the Year, securing the award for the second consecutive year. This marks Vinícius’ first win at the FIFA Best Awards, offering a more positive end to the season following October’s Ballon d’Or snub. The Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best Awards are widely regarded as the two most prestigious accolades in football. Prior to this year, Lionel Messi had claimed the FIFA Best title for two consecutive years, with Robert Lewandowski winning the two before that. This award, covering performances between August...

Barcelona 3 - 1 Benfica (Barcelona won 4-1 on aggregate) Lamine Yamal stole the show once again as Barcelona booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a composed victory over Benfica. Author - Jamie P Stadium - Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys The teenager produced a moment of brilliance to set up Raphinha for the opener before outdoing himself with a stunning strike to restore Barcelona’s lead on the night and extend their aggregate advantage to 3-1. Nicolás Otamendi’s towering header had briefly given Benfica hope after cancelling out Raphinha’s opener, but Yamal’s magic proved decisive. Raphinha then sealed the win with a clinical finish into the bottom corner. There was a moment of confusion over the Brazilian’s second goal, as it appeared play had been pulled back for an Otamendi foul on the edge of the area. But after a VAR review, the goal was given and Otamendi’s yellow card was rescinded. Barca v Benfica highlights from TNT Sports youtu.be/jlshweWf...

Spain 5 - 1 Northern Ireland Northern Ireland's unbeaten streak of three games came to an end with a 5-1 loss to Spain at Son Moix Stadium. Michael O'Neill's team made an early impact with Daniel Ballard's header putting them ahead in the second minute. However, Spain's superior quality shone through, particularly in the first half when they scored four goals. Sixteen-year-old Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal continued to impress, and it was Pedri who equalised for Spain just ten minutes after Northern Ireland's opener. Spain's Alvaro Morata, another goal from Pedri, and Fabián Ruiz had them leading 4-1 by half-time, with substitute Mikel Oyarzabal adding the final goal in the second half. Click here more news and stories from Euro 2024 Iconic moments from previous European Championships  Luis de la Fuente's squad now shift their focus to Euro 2024, starting their campaign on 15 June against Croatia. The match marked the international debut of St Mirr...

Spain 1 - 0 Italy Spain secured their spot in the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a scintillating performance against defending champions Italy in Gelsenkirchen. They created countless chances and were utterly dominant, but won by a narrow scoreline thanks to an own goal by Riccardo Calafiori in the second half. After being kept at bay by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for almost an hour, Alvaro Morata's flick-on was poked in by the knee of the unfortunate Calafiori. There was no response from Italy, who were comfortably second best, despite playing their part in a captivating match. Two European giants meeting in the group stage of the tournament meant there were high hopes and it lived up to its billing with an electric opening half. Spain delivered most of the eye-catching play, moving the ball around beautifully with intensity and creativity, while Italy succeeded in keeping them out - but only just. At the Arena AufSchalke (Veltins-Arena) this evening, watching the Spain v ...

Spain 3 - 3 Netherlands The match finished 5-5 on aggregate. Spain won 5-4 on penalties Author - Paul Woods Stadium - Estadio de Mestalla Spain had twice taken the lead in normal time, both courtesy of Real Sociedad striker Mikel Oyarzabal. But Memphis Depay marked his 100th Netherlands cap with a penalty early in the second half, before debutant Ian Maatsen’s thunderous strike forced extra time. Yamal restored Spain’s lead with a stunning solo effort, curling a beauty into the far corner, but Xavi Simons hit back with another Dutch penalty after Simón had brought him down in the box. The shootout saw Lang rattle the crossbar before Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen kept out Yamal. However, Simón produced the crucial stop from Malen, allowing Pedri to send Spain through to a last-four clash with France. The victory extends Spain’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 18 matches, and they haven’t lost in the Nations League since a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in September 2022. A...

Barcelona 4 - 0 Borussia Dortmund Raphinha matched Lionel Messi’s long-standing club record for goal involvements in a single Champions League season as Barcelona dismantled Borussia Dortmund to seize control of their quarter-final tie. Author - Paul Woods Stadium - Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys The Brazilian winger was instrumental throughout, scoring once and providing two assists to bring his tally to 19 goal involvements in this season’s competition, equalling the mark set by Messi during the 2011–12 campaign. Barcelona took a deserved lead midway through the first half, with Raphinha on hand to finish from close range after Pau Cubarsí’s effort squirmed past goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. The 27-year-old’s 12th goal in Europe this season came after a chaotic set-piece that began with Karim Adeyemi conceding a free-kick for pulling Jules Koundé’s hair. Robert Lewandowski extended Barça’s advantage early in the second half, converting Raphinha’s header from a yard out after a sweeping...

It's time to explore the stars of Euro 2024. Who was your favourite player from the tournament? We asked some of our contributors what they thought and examined how their careers might develop over the next few years.  Nico Williams - Spain Athletic Bilbao's talented winger stood out in Spain's 1-0 victory over Italy. He scored a powerful goal in their 4-1 win over Georgia and netted a brilliant finish in the final against England. Throughout the summer, he has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona, as they reportedly consider him their top target. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - Georgia Georgia's 23-year-old striker Kvaratskhelia made a significant impact for Georgia during Euro 2024, and there are rumours that PSG is interested in signing him. Despite his side losing in the last 16, Kvaratskhelia has gained more admirers. His club Napoli have set a value of £85.2m for him, which might be too high for PSG. There are also reports linking Liverpool to the player. Ho...

Barcelona 2-4 Girona Barcelona finished the weekend in fourth place in the La Liga table and are now seven points off the top thanks to a painful 4-2 loss. Throughout this match, Girona dominated and made a statement about their title credentials as they convincingly won this Catalan derby.  Highlights Check out the highlights from the match in the video below.  FC BARCELONA 2 vs 4 GIRONA | LALIGA 2023/24 MD16 (youtube.com) The opening 45 minutes were just as wild and entertaining as any neutral could hope for, with both teams playing really well with the ball and taking big risks in possession that left them extremely vulnerable at the back. The home side started as the better side and could have taken the lead within the first 10 minutes. However, one bad pass in midfield allowed Girona to counter-attack and Viktor Tsigankov gave Artem Dovbyk an easy tap-in to put the visitors in front.  The 2023 La Liga winners answered quickly after a great corner taken by Raphin...

Girona 1 - 4 Barcelona Lamine Yamal netted twice as Barcelona continued their dominant start to the season with a commanding 4-1 victory away at Girona. The 17-year-old Spanish winger opened the scoring in the 30th minute, capitalising on a mistake by David Lopez deep in Girona's half, before expertly lifting the ball over goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga. Yamal added his second just seven minutes later with a composed first-time strike from the edge of the box, following a rebound from Raphinha's free-kick. Click here for more La Liga news and stories Girona, who finished third last season, thought they had been awarded a penalty after Bryan Gil's header struck Inigo Martinez's arm, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review. Dani Olmo became the first player since Cesc Fabregas in 2011 to score in his first three league games for Barcelona, finding the net with a precise finish from a tight angle in the 47th minute to make it 3-0. Seventeen minutes later, midf...

Inter Milan 4 - 3 Barcelona (Inter won 7-6 on aggregate) Inter Milan staged a remarkable late comeback to beat Barcelona in one of the most thrilling Champions League semi-finals in recent memory. Author - Josh T Stadium - San Siro With just two minutes of stoppage time remaining, Inter were trailing 3-2 on the night and facing elimination. But veteran defender Francesco Acerbi powered a cross into the roof of the net to draw the tie level, tearing off his shirt in celebration as the San Siro erupted. Moments of high drama continued into extra time, where substitute Davide Frattesi curled a superb left-footed shot into the bottom corner to win it for the Italian champions. He climbed a security fence to celebrate with Inter’s fans, who had witnessed an astonishing turnaround. Barcelona had appeared set for their first final in a decade, having come from 2-0 down on the night to lead 3-2, echoing their fightback in the first leg. Teenage forward Lamine Yamal came close to forcing pe...

Valencia 1 - 2 Barcelona A win over Valencia kicked off Barcelona's La Liga campaign under new manager Hansi Flick. Author - Paul Woods Former Germany boss Flick's team had to come from behind after Hugo Duro scored from a Diego Lopez cross past Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The first half started slowly, but Duro opened the scoring in the 44th minute, sparking the match into life. Duro had a chance cleared off the line, but Robert Lewandowski then equalized from a Lamine Yamal pass. Valencia had a strong first half, but Barcelona showed their superiority in the second half, taking the lead through veteran striker Lewandowski's penalty in the 49th minute after Raphinha was fouled in the box. Yamal was a constant threat with his dribbling on the wings, causing problems for Valencia. Despite Valencia's strong counter-attacks and Barcelona's midfield errors, Flick's team ultimately proved to be of a higher class, managing the game well and neutralizing Valencia's...

Barcelona 1 - 2 Las Palmas I found myself in Barcelona for the weekend and witnessed a La Liga shock. Author -  Liam Chadwick The word to describe Barca’s first-half performance was wasteful. From the very beginning, the home team spoiled several promising attacks due to poor decision-making and execution up front, often opting for the wrong pass or missing easy opportunities to put their forwards in prime goal-scoring positions. Very few anticipated the upcoming drama after that dull 45 minutes. The Barcelona manager brought on Lamine Yamal at halftime to try and find a spark for the home side.  Before Yamal could make an impact on the game, the hosts found themselves trailing. Las Palmas executed a fantastic build-up from a goal-kick, successfully breaking through Barça's high press. They located Sandro Ramírez, who was all alone on the right wing, and the forward unleashed a powerful shot into the bottom corner, scoring against his former club just four minutes into the...

Spain 4 - 1 Georgia Spain secured a highly anticipated quarter-final clash with hosts Germany by overcoming an early own goal to defeat Georgia 4-1 decisively. Spain and Germany have been standout teams in Euro 2024, and they are now set to face each other in the last eight in Stuttgart.  Georgia briefly looked poised to follow up their remarkable win over Portugal by eliminating the 2008 and 2012 winners. For a brief moment, that appeared possible when Robin Le Normand inadvertently redirected a cross into his own net. Giving Georgia the lead against the run of play. Spain, having started the game strongly, remained undeterred and continued to challenge Giorgi Mamardashvili's goal with 17 shots in the first half. Their persistence paid off when Rodri equalised with a precise strike. Kvicha Kvaratskhelia almost restored Georgia's lead with a clever attempt from his own half, but Spain completed their comeback just minutes later. Fabian Ruiz headed in a superb cross from L...

  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 t...

Netherlands v Spain Preview Spain, the reigning UEFA Nations League champions, head to Rotterdam for the first leg of their quarter-final clash against the Netherlands. Author - Ajay Feyenoord's stadium will host the match The winners of this two-legged tie will progress to the semi-finals in June, where they will face either Croatia or France. After being knocked out by England in the Euro 2024 semi-finals last summer, the Netherlands secured second place in League A Group 3 of the Nations League, picking up nine points from six matches (W2 D3 L1) in the latter half of last year. Since the competition's inception in 2018, the Dutch have twice come close to lifting the trophy—finishing as runners-up to Portugal in 2019 before losing the third-place playoff to Italy in 2023. READ MORE: What's the point of the UEFA Nations League Manager Ronald Koeman will be looking to shore up a defence that struggled during the group stage, conceding seven goals—the most of any team at...

England 1 - 2 Spain It just wasn't meant to be for England. England's hopes of ending 58 years of pain and disappointment were dashed as they lost to Spain in the Euro 2024 final at Berlin's Olympiastadion. Gareth Southgate's team suffered heartbreak once again, falling to a late goal by Mikel Oyarzabal, which left them unable to end the long wait for success for the men's team in a second consecutive European Championship final. Spain took the lead just two minutes into the second half when Lamine Yamal set up Nico Williams, who beat England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with a powerful low shot. England's captain, Harry Kane, struggled to find form and was substituted after an hour. Cole Palmer, who came on for Kobbie Mainoo, briefly revived hopes of a comeback with a composed left-footed strike in the 73rd minute. However, Spain ultimately clinched victory, as Oyarzabal converted Marc Cucurella' s cross four minutes from time, leaving England once again...