2018 Fifa World Cup

The new refereeing technology is likely to be adopted, but it’s a long process and won’t be without resistance

The 65-year-old has called time on his management of the national squad

Mbappe became the youngest French goalscorer in World Cup history when he struck in a 1-0 win over Peru in the group stages

Gareth Southgate has gone even younger in his search for the midfield maestro he believes England has lacked since the days of Paul Gascoigne

The Europeans have worked hard to create a new format that won’t bore fans to death

Here are the key moments that culminated in Mesut Özil’s bombshell announcement he was retiring from international football

The Arsenal midfielder was widely criticised and reportedly received threats after he was photographed with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan

"Why are our prospective sports stars, our artists, our scientists, our accountants…appreciated away from Africa?"

A security source told Interfax that the four were delivered to a local police station for questioning after being dragged off the pitch by stewards

How an earwormy, tongue-in-cheek song became an anthem of hope for Three Lions believers

Suddenly, surreally, the prospect of Croatian hands lifting the fabled trophy is plausible.

In London, an initial wave of elation turned to heartbreak as 30 000 beer-soaked fans in Hyde Park watched their team come up short

England’s hopes dashed in semifinal against Croatia.

Ognjen Vukojević, assistant coach and Dynamo Kiev scout, has been sent home from Russia after posting a politically sensitive video on social media.

Can Gareth Southgate now become the first manager to win a World Cup semi-final with England on foreign soil?