Spain defender Marc Cucurella fulfilled his promise by getting a tattoo of World Cup‑winning coach Luis de la Fuente. The tattoo, featuring the coach holding the trophy, was revealed on social media shortly after Spain’s 1‑0 victory over Argentina in the final. The gesture highlights Cucurella’s close bond with the national team staff.
Motherwell travel to the Faroe Islands for the Conference League second‑leg tie against HB Torshavn, holding a 2‑0 advantage from the first leg. Manager Alfred Johansson urged caution, famously telling his players to “go home and eat barbed wire” to stress the difficulty of the away match. The squad also welcomes the return of forward Tawanda Maswanhise, who missed pre‑season with a jaw injury.
Chelsea FC Women are preparing to sign 19‑year‑old Italian international Giulia Dragoni from Barcelona. Dragoni, who spent two seasons on loan at Roma and has already earned 24 caps for Italy, will become Chelsea’s fourth summer signing as they aim to reclaim the Women’s Super League title.
Zinedine Zidane has been unveiled as the new head coach of France, succeeding Didier Deschamps after the 2026 World Cup. The former Real Madrid manager signed a four‑year contract and will begin his tenure in September, with his first matches slated for a Nations League trip to Turkey followed by games against Belgium and Italy.
The Women’s League Cup has been rebranded as the Players Cup and will adopt a new regional league format for the 2026-27 season. The change excludes teams in the Women’s Champions League, giving lower‑ranked clubs more matches and a chance at a first‑time winner, with points awarded for shootout results.
Andrea Pirlo withdrew from the race to become Italy’s national team head coach after politicians and public figures criticised his ties to Russian betting company Fonbet. The controversy has also put pressure on FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini and sparked debate over the future direction of Italian football.
During a friendly between French club Metz and Dutch side Fortuna Sittard, referee Mathilde Demoncay was injured after being knocked down while attempting to intervene in a player melee. She suffered a concussion, briefly continued as an assistant referee before leaving at half‑time. Metz went on to win the match 3‑1.
Belgium have named former Netherlands captain Mark van Bommel as the new head coach, signing him on a deal that runs until Euro 2028. He replaces Rudi Garcia after the Red Devils’ quarter‑final exit at the 2026 World Cup and will take charge from 15 August, assisted by Boudewijn Zenden, Maarten Martens and Reinier Robbemond.
England’s men’s amputee football team, the reigning Nations League champions, risk missing the upcoming World Cup in Mexico because they have only raised £32,427 of the £50,000 needed. Former coach Scott Rogers called the funding shortfall “criminal” and goalkeeper Thomas Atkinson highlighted the disparity with fully professional nations.
England captain Harry Kane will begin formal negotiations with German champions Bayern Munich to extend his contract, which expires at the end of next season. The 32‑year‑old joined Bayern in 2023 for a reported £86m and has already helped the club win two league titles and a German Cup, while other clubs, including Barcelona and Saudi teams, remain interested.