FIFA releases 'ball heartbeat' evidence to clear Jude Bellingham's co…

Florida [US], July 12 (ANI): England midfielder Jude Bellingham praised his teammates for their resilience and fighting spirit after the Three Lions defeated Norway 2-1 after extra time to book their place in the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Bellingham, who scored both of England’s goals and was named Player of the Match, credited the entire squad for their tireless effort and determination in securing another hard-fought victory.

“All the players have put in a very tough shift. So my thoughts and appreciation goes to the players who are out there who put in a great shift yet again. It’s character and perseverance. Even when things weren’t working, we found a way to win the game again. Whether it’s in 90 or 120, we’ll give everything we’ve got," Bellingham said in his post-match interview with ITV, as quoted by The Athletic. asg-reflektory.pl

The Real Madrid midfielder also praised the impact of England’s substitutes, saying every player contributed to the team’s success.

“Whoever was ready to come on, came on and smashed it. I’m so proud of this team once again in a World Cup semi-final," he added, said in his post-match interview with ITV, as quoted by The Athletic.

Coming to the match, Bellingham fired a brace as England fought back from a goal down to defeat Norway in extra time.

The Real Madrid midfielder struck a late equaliser in the first half before netting the decisive goal in extra time to complete a 2-1 comeback victory for Thomas Tuchel’s side.

Norway made the brighter start and took the lead in the 36th minute through Andreas Schjelderup, who finished clinically after Erling Haaland had earlier tested England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with a header.

England responded just before the break when Bellingham surged forward and calmly slotted home the equaliser. Harry Kane appeared to have put England ahead moments later, but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Norway thought they had regained the lead before the hour mark when Torbjorn Heggem found the net, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review, which penalised Haaland for a foul on Elliot Anderson during the build-up.

The Norwegians continued to threaten, with Kristoffer Ajer hitting the crossbar, while England also came close through Djed Spence after a mistake by goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. With neither side able to find a winner in normal time, the contest went into extra time.

Bellingham proved the difference, reacting quickest after Nyland spilled a powerful effort from substitute Morgan Rogers to score from close range and send England into the last four.

England will now face either defending champions Argentina or Switzerland in the semifinals at Atlanta Stadium on July 15.

Bellingham was named Player of the Match. He and captain Harry Kane have now scored six goals each at the 2026 World Cup, marking the first time two England players have netted at least five goals in a single edition of the tournament.

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also achieved a major milestone, making his 18th FIFA World Cup appearance to become England’s most-capped goalkeeper in World Cup history, surpassing Peter Shilton’s previous record of 17 matches.

For Norway, the defeat ended a memorable campaign that included their first-ever appearance in a FIFA World Cup quarterfinal. Their previous best performances had been Round of 16 finishes in 1938 and 1998, alongside a group-stage appearance at the 1994 World Cup. (ANI).

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Rome [Italy], July 12 (ANI): The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has appointed former captain and legendary defender Paolo Maldini as its new Technical Director, bringing one of the country’s most celebrated football figures back into the national team setup as Italy looks to rebuild its fortunes on the international stage.

The federation announced the appointment through its official channels, confirming that Maldini will work alongside Leonardo, who has been named as an advisor, according to FIFA.

“It is with great pleasure that the FIGC President, Giovanni Malago, announces that Paolo Maldini has accepted the role of Technical Director of the Federation. Paolo Maldini will carry out this role alongside Leonardo, who will serve as an advisor," the federation said in a statement.

Maldini’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Italian football. While the Azzurri celebrated UEFA EURO 2020 success under Roberto Mancini, the national side has struggled to maintain its standing in world football, having failed to qualify for the last three editions of the FIFA World Cup.

One of the greatest defenders to have played the game, Maldini represented Italy 127 times during an international career that spanned more than a decade. He captained the national team from 1993 until 2002, with his final appearance coming in Italy’s Round of 16 defeat to Korea Republic at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Renowned for his leadership, consistency and longevity, Maldini remains one of the most iconic figures in Italian football. His experience extends beyond his playing career, having enjoyed success in football administration as sporting director of AC Milan.

During his tenure with the Serie A club, Maldini played a key role in rebuilding the squad that ended Milan’s long wait for the league title by winning the 2021-22 Serie A crown, according to FIFA.

The FIGC will hope Maldini’s wealth of experience, football knowledge and leadership can help shape the future of Italian football as the federation aims to restore the Azzurri to the highest level of international competition. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

India cricket team’s worst nightmare finally came to an end as England completed a 4-0 sweep in the T20I series. The Men in Blue lost their fourth consecutive match, and as a result the number 1 rank in T20Is as well. With a review being called by the BCCI, the Gautam Gambhir-led support staff could also witness changes in the near future. Meanwhile, India women’s cricket team find themselves in the driver’s seat in the historic one-off Test at Lord’s. On that note, let’s take a look at the top headlines from Saturday.

India dethroned by England as no.1 team

Under Gautam Gambhir, India stooped to a new low. England have completely obliterated India to record their first-ever clean sweep win in T20Is. After a historic period of 1605 days, which is basically around 4.4 years, India have been toppled in the ICC rankings. It is not a mean feat for England, who will cherish breaking the ultimate record set by a magnificent Indian team. Read more here.

Kranti Gaud makes it to Lord’s honour board

India pacer Kranti Kaud has created history of sorts, after claiming her maiden fifer in Tests, that too at the Lord’s first-ever women’s match. The 22-year-old returned with figures of 5/37 to crush England in their first innings, and restrict them to 170, in reply of India’s 285 — handing the visitors a lead of 115 runs. The young pacer picked up key wickets throughout the 2 sessions of the second day — Maia Bouchier, Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alice Capsey, and Lauren Bell being her victims. Read more here.

Changes in Team India support staff?

It looks like the India cricket team coaching staff is likely to witness some changes ahead of the next Test series against Sri Lanka. As per reports, some members of the Gautam Gambhir-led support staff are likely to exit the coaching setup due to various reasons. It is pertinent to point out that these potential exits aren’t because of the series loss against Ireland and England, but because of issues that have been brewing since the series loss to South Africa at home last year. Read more here.

Latest cricket news

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  Heather Knight announces retirement: Ex-England captain to bid adieu after India Test at Lord’s
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  DRS, July 12: India no longer no.1 team, changes in Gautam Gambhir-led support staff, Kranti Gaud bags fifer at Lord’s
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  India lose face, pride and World No.1 spot to England after Gautam Gambhir endures another cleansweep

KCL 2026 auction

The auction for the third edition of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL 2026) has ended in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday (July 11). 156 players have registered for the auction and went under the hammer in a bid to find new homes. Sibin Gireesh was the most expensive buy in the auction at Rs 11.80 lakh followed by veteran Sachin Baby at Rs 10 lakh. Sanju Samson did not take part in the KCL 2026 auction after being released by the franchise. Read more here.

Ro-Ko practice for ODIs

Team India has officially started preparations for the India vs England ODI series. With just three days left for the 50-over assignment to begin, six Indian players arrived at the Edgbaston Stadium for practice. Virat Kohli, who lives in England, joined the squad, while others like Rohit Sharma had arrived a few days earlier. In fact, Rohit had already been practicing in the nets upon his arrival. Read more here.

Ravi Bishnoi replaces Varun Chakravarthy

Varun Chakaravarthy, who suffered a hamstring injury during the India vs England T20I series, is expected to be ruled out of the India vs Zimbabwe T20I series as well. The Men in Blue will travel to Harare to play 3 matches against the Chevrons from July 23 to 2026, but the mystery spinner isn’t expected to recover in time. The BCCI has decided to replace Chakaravarthy with Ravi Bishnoi. Read more here.

The post DRS, July 12: India no longer no.1 team, changes in Gautam Gambhir-led support staff, Kranti Gaud bags fifer at Lord’s appeared first on Inside Sport India.

Argentina and Switzerland are taking on each other in the quarter-final of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. The clash sees defending champions Argentina taking on Switzerland in the Kansas City Stadium, and both sides will look to put in their best performance. It is worth noting that Argentina are coming on the back of a thrilling win over Egypt in the round of 16 stage, and it could be interesting to see how they fare in the upcoming game.