EURO 2024 – Football Flame

29Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

EURO 2024, Mateo Kovacic, NEWS

Turkey lose in first home game since earthquakes

Mateo Kovacic of Croatia celebrates goal with Luka Modric of Croatia, and Marcelo Brozovic of Croatia during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group D match between Turkey and Croatia at at Bursa Buyuksehir Belediye Stadyumu on March 28, 2023 in Bursa, Turkey.Turkey played their first home international fixture since two powerful earthquakes in the country claimed 50,000 lives. A giant banner paying tribute to those affected was unveiled before kick-off in the Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia in Istanbul. Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic scored twice to secure the win for the visitors. The midfielder struck from close range before firing in from a rebound on the stroke of half-time. It was a little harsh on Turkey, who had started the game as the better side. Kerem Akturkoglu saw an exce...

28Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

EURO 2024, NEWS, Scott McTominay

Terrific Scotland stun Spain in seismic victory

Scott McTominay of Scotland celebrates scoring his second goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group A match between Scotland and Spain at Hampden Park on March 28, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. Sensational Scotland took a seismic leap in their bid to reach consecutive European Championships by stunning Spain in a heroic triumph. Scott McTominay crashed in a deflected opener after just seven minutes, triggering an explosion of noise inside a charged Hampden Park. Steve Clarke’s team rode their luck to stay ahead at the break, only for McTominay to repeat his earlier feat just after the restart to cause chaos in the stands as well as in the bamboozled Spanish defence. Scotland, in their first competitive victory over Spain for 39 years, now top Group A – three points above the ...

28Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

Benjamin Pavard, EURO 2024, FRANCE, NEWS

Pavard hits superb winner as France beat Republic

Benjamin Pavard of France celebrates with teammates Kylian Mbappe and Eduardo Camavinga after scoring the team's first goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group B match between Republic of Ireland and France at Dublin Arena on March 27, 2023 in Dublin, Ireland. The Republic of Ireland made a losing start to Euro 2024 qualifying as Benjamin Pavard’s superb second-half goal gave France victory in Dublin. Having held the French in a first half of few chances, the Republic fell behind five minutes after the restart when Pavard intercepted a Josh Cullen pass and fired past Gavin Bazunu. The Republic put the beaten World Cup finalists under severe pressure late on but fell short as Mike Maignan’s stunning save denied Nathan Collins a late leveller. The Republic’s next qual...

26Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

Cristiano Ronaldo, EURO 2024, NEWS, Portugal

Ronaldo double helps Portugal thrash Luxembourg

Maxime Chanot of Luxembourg and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal in action during the UEFA EURO 2024 Qualifying Round Group J match between Luxembourg and Portugal at Stade de Luxembourg on March 26, 2023 in Luxembourg.Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to help Portugal thrash Luxembourg 6-0 in Euro 2024 qualifying. Ronaldo, 38, broke the deadlock after nine minutes before Joao Felix and Bernardo Silva pulled Portugal further clear. The Al Nassr forward sent his side in with a 4-0 lead at half-time, with substitutes Otavio and Rafael Leao scoring late in the second period. Portugal top Group J after winning their opening two Euro 2024 qualifiers. After scoring two against Liechtenstein on Thursday, Ronaldo further extended his record as Portugal’s leading scorer in European Championship qua...

26Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

EURO 2024, NEWS, Phil Foden

Foden ruled out after surgery to remove appendix

Kyle Walker, Phil Foden, Declan Rice and Jack Grealish of England celebrate victory after the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group C match between Italy and England at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on March 23, 2023 in Naples, Italy. Phil Foden has been ruled out of England’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine on Sunday after having surgery to remove his appendix. Gareth Southgate has chosen not to call up a replacement for the 22-year-old Manchester City midfielder, meaning he has 20 players available for the game at Wembley. Chelsea full-back Reece James withdrew on Saturday with an “ongoing issue”. Luke Shaw is suspended after a red card in the 2-1 win over Italy on Thursday. Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford and Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope initially dropped out,...

26Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

EURO 2024, Lawrence Shankland, Scotland

Scotland call up for Shankland as Adams drops out

Lawrence Shankland during a Heart of Midlothian training session at the Oriam, on March 10, 2023, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Scotland call up Lawrence Shankland for Tuesday’s Euro 2024 qualifier with Spain after fellow striker Che Adams and right-back Anthony Ralston pulled out of the squad. Shankland, 27, has scored 21 times for Hearts this term and has one international goal from four caps. Southampton’s Adams, 26, started Saturday’s 3-0 win over Cyprus but came off injured in the second period. Celtic’s Ralston, 24, was not in Saturday’s squad. Spain also opened Group A with a 3-0 home win, against Norway, on Saturday evening. Scotland squad Goalkeepers: Zander Clark, Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly Defenders: Liam Cooper, Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Aaron Hickey, Nathan Patterson, Ryan P...

26Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

Croatia, EURO 2024, Nathan Broadhead, NEWS, Wales

Broadhead scores on Wales debut to shock Croatia

Wales' Nathan Broadhead celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group D qualifying match at the Stadion Poljud, Split. Picture date: Saturday March 25, 2023. Wales debutant Nathan Broadhead secured a stunning 1-1 draw for Robert Page’s side as they scored with their only shot on target in Split. Andrej Kramaric’s sweetly struck shot on 28 minutes gave the hosts a deserved half-time lead. Wales improved after the interval and might have levelled on the hour, but Dan James’ volley missed the target. Ivan Perisic hit the bar as Croatia sought a second, but Broadhead levelled from close range in injury-time. The goal, after a long throw caused chaos in the Croatian penalty area, came totally against the run of play, but Wales will not care a jot a...

26Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

Dani Olmo, EURO 2024, NEWS, Spain

Joselu scores twice on debut as Spain beat Norway

Joselu Mato of Spain celebrates after scoring their side's second goal with his teammate Yeremy Pino of Spain during the UEFA EURO 2024 Qualifying Round Group A match between Spain and Norway at La Rosaleda Stadium on March 25, 2023 in Malaga, Spain.Former Newcastle and Stoke striker Joselu scored twice in two minutes on his international debut as Spain beat Norway in Euro 2024 qualifying.Dani Olmo scored the opener at Malaga’s La Rosaleda Stadium, turning home Alejandro Balde’s cut-back. Joselu, 32, scored two late goals in under two minutes to seal victory for Luis de la Fuente in his first outing as Spain boss. Spain top Group A alongside Scotland, who beat Cyprus 3-0 on Saturday. Espanyol’s Joselu struggled in a two-season spell at Newcastle, scoring only seven times. He has sinc...

25Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

EURO 2024, Scotland, Scott McTominay

Scotland start Euro campaign with win over Cyprus

Scott McTominay of Scotland celebrates scoring his second goal and Scotland's third during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group A match between Scotland and Cyprus at Hampden Park on March 25, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland.QScott McTominay’s late double secured Scotland a comfortable winning start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign at home to Cyprus. John McGinn’s close-range finish – the Aston Villa midfielder’s 16th goal for his country – was reward for a dominant first-half display. Substitute McTominay eased increased nervousness around Hampden with a clinical 87th-minute finish. And the Manchester United midfielder added his second moments later. Steve Clarke had billed it as a must-win game against Group A’s lowest seeds, who ended the game with 10 men after a late red car...

25Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

England, EURO 2024, NEWS, Reece James

James withdraws from England squad

England's defender Kyle Walker (L) and England's defender Reece James attend a team training session at St George's Park in Burton-on-Trent, central England, on March 21, 2023 ahead of of their UEFA EURO 2024 qualifier football match against Italy.Chelsea defender Reece James will miss England’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine at Wembley on Sunday through injury. The 23-year-old has returned to the Premier League club for what the Football Association says is “assessment of an ongoing issue”. James came on for Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka after 85 minutes of Thursday’s 2-1 win over Italy in Naples. Manager Gareth Southgate has decided not to call up any replacements. James missed last year’s World Cup with a knee injury and picked up another knee problem in December which kept him out f...

25Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

EURO 2024, FRANCE, Kylian Mbappe, NEWS

Mbappe scores twice as France thrash Netherlands

Antoine Griezmann celebrates his goal on the back of Kylian Mbappe, right Adrien Rabiot during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group B match between France and Netherlands at Stade de France on March 24, 2023 in Saint-Denis near Paris, France. Kylian Mbappe scored his first goals as France captain as the World Cup finalists began their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a comfortable win against the Netherlands. The hosts were ahead after just two minutes when Antoine Griezmann curled in from Mbappe’s pass. Defender Dayot Upamecano made it 2-0 six minutes later as he bundled in. Mbappe then got his 37th goal for France when he drove in, before powering home his second late on. Griezmann had reportedly been unhappy at being overlooked for the captaincy role given to Mbappe, but th...

25Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

EURO 2024, NEWS, Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku scores hat-trick as Ibrahimovic returns

Romelu Lukaku of Belgium celebrates with teammate Arthur Theate of Belgium after scoring the team's first goal during the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying round group F match between Sweden and Belgium at Friends Arena on March 24, 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden.Romelu Lukaku scored a hat-trick to lead Belgium to victory against Sweden in their Euro 2024 qualifier and upstage Zlatan Ibrahimovic on his international return. Lukaku headed in a first-half opener before turning in from close range, and then slotted in late on. Ibrahimovic, 41, came on in the 73rd minute to a standing ovation from the Swedish fans. It was his first international appearance for almost a year. At 41 years, five months and 21 days, Ibrahimovic had initially been hailed as breaking the the record, held by Italian goalkee...

24Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

Cristiano Ronaldo, EURO 2024, NEWS, Portugal

Ronaldo scores twice as he sets men’s caps record

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the Group J - UEFA EURO 2024 Qualifying Round match between Portugal and Liechtenstein at Estadio Jose Alvalade on March 23, 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated his world-record 197th men’s international appearance by scoring twice as Portugal thrashed Liechtenstein in their Euro 2024 qualifying opener. The 38-year-old has now scored a men’s record 120 international goals. He made his international debut in 2003 and in Qatar last year became the first man to score in five World Cups. Ronaldo added to his goals tally with a second-half penalty before finding the top corner with a free-kick. The forward – now playing in Saudi Arabia for Al Nassr – had been frustrated in front of...

16Dec

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

EURO 2024, Luka Modric, NEWS

Luka Modric ‘will be there’ at Euro 2024 if Croatia qualify – Zlatko Dalic

Luka Modric of Croatia looks on during the Croatia Training Session at Al Erssal Training Site on December 14, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic strongly believes Luka Modric will take part in Euro 2024, should the national team qualify for the tournament. Modric, 37, has been the lynchpin of the Croatian team in recent years. He helped them to the 2018 World Cup final, where they lost 4-2 to France. At the 2022 World Cup, he led his side to a memorable quarter-final victory against tournament favourites Brazil before falling short against Argentina in the semi-final. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Dalic said he is “quite certain” that the Real Madrid midfielder will continue to be present in the national team in the coming years despite his age. “I hope that h...