France is in the World Cup semi-finals and after the final signal it was noisy in several places in Europe.
At the same time, a virus is ravaging the English national team ahead of the quarter-final against Norway.
Here are the headlines from last night’s WC.
France–Morocco 2–0
Franrkike are in the semi-finals after knocking out Morocco in a World Cup knockout match for the second championship in a row.
It took several minutes for Kylian Mbappé to hit his penalty from the time it was awarded, and then he blew his chance. But the French star got his revenge when he accounted for a goal and an assist in the quarter-final against Morocco.
In the semi-finals, France will face either Belgium or Spain.
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Disturbing pictures of the star
With a quarter of an hour left to play, Kylian Mbappé lay down on the grass and was replaced immediately. The attacker was then seen sitting with an ice pack wrapped around his foot. In an interview after the match, he confirmed that he had been hit on the ankle but that it should not be anything serious.
– In that situation, JP (Mateta) was more suited than me to play the last 15 minutes, so I went out, he says.
► Read more here.
Egg thrown at the police
Ahead of the quarter-finals, Paris had barricaded itself to progress, as chaos erupted in the French capital on more than one occasion following a previous footballing success.
But in Paris it was comparatively quiet. Instead, reports came from elsewhere in Europe. On the streets of London, Antwerp and Amsterdam, among others, chaos broke out after the final whistle.
In London, a police officer has been taken to hospital with injuries after the riots, according to The Sun. Four people have been arrested.
“We will not tolerate such disorder on our streets, or attacks on our police officers.“, writes the London police in a statement.
In Antwerp, fireworks were aimed at police cars and seven people were arrested. None are said to be injured, writes Belgian Nieuwsblad. In Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht reports De Telegraaf that bottles, eggs and fireworks were thrown at Dutch police.
In total, there are close to a million people living in the Netherlands and Belgium with Moroccan roots.
Not allowed to play quarter finals
Belgium’s back-rower Zeno Debast is not allowed to play the quarter-final against Spain. The reason is that his club team, Sporting Lisbon, is stopping him.
According to the Belgian Football Association, there were differences of opinion regarding his match form after a long injury.
“The assessment differs from that made by our medical team as well as Fifa’s medical team and insurance efforts,” writes the Belgian federation in a statement according to The Athletic.
► Read more here.
English main concern before the Norway match
England face Norway in the quarter-finals on Saturday. Last night came heavy news for England, when Fifa chose to extend Jarell Quansah’s suspension. This means that the right-back misses the quarter-final against Norway, as well as a possible semi-final.
On the night of Friday came the next bang. Manchester City’s Marc Guehi, who was injured in the round of 16 against Mexico, is still not recovered and now risks missing the Norway match.
In addition, Arsenal star Declan Rice is said to have been infected with a virus. He has not trained in two days and is being kept in isolation.
► Read more here.
14th national team captain resigns
Never before have so many national team captains resigned after the World Cup. Last night came the news that South Africa’s Hugo Broos, 74, is resigning despite an unusually successful championship.
On the one hand, South Africa had not played a World Cup since it was held on home soil in 2010, and on the other hand they had never before reached the playoffs.
– Football will no longer be my life around the clock, Broos says according to Belgian Voetbalnieuws and continues:
– My wife is happy that I’m quitting.
Broos was the national team captain for five years.
They have been fired or left during the WC
1. Marcelo Bielsa (Uruguay)
2. Jamal Sellami (Jordan)
3. Ronald Koeman (Netherlands)
4. Carlos Queiroz (Ghana)
5. Roberto Martínez (Portugal)
6. Steve Clarke (Scotland)
7. Sebastian Beccacece (Ecuador)
8. Javier Aguirre (Mexico)
9. Hong Myung-bo (South Korea)
10. Julian Nagelsmann (Germany)
11. Miroslav Koubek (Czech Republic)
12. Sabri Lamouchi (Tunisia)
13. Herve Renard (Tunisia)
14. Hugo Broos (South Africa)
