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Fifa reveals no players have failed drugs tests at World Cup in Brazil
Joe Hart to face competition at Manchester City from Willy Caballero
Playing the tough guy may be decisive factor as Brazil face Germany
British executive of Match arrested in probe into illegal ticket sales
World Cup 2014: Belgium team meet the King and Queen video
World Cup 2014 semi-finals: a key player from each of the four teams
Germanys pragmatism paying off, says Sami Khedira, as Brazil await
World Cup Show 2014: day 26 news - video
Newcastles Mathieu Debuchy prepares for move to Arsenal in £7.9m deal
Joachim Löw must fulfil the promise of Germanys golden generation
World Cup Show 2014: day 26 previews - video
Alfredo di Stéfano was one of footballs greatest trailblazers
The life of Alfredo Di Stéfano - in pictures
Barcelona unveil new signing, Claudio Bravo video
Sunderland target loan signings of Kurt Zouma and Jack Rodwell
Hillsborough commander 'told officers any fighting would be done by police'
World Cup 2014: Howard Webb retained in final group of referees
Hillsborough inquest hears of police commander's transfer before match
Tom Ince signs two-year contract with Hull City
Fifas hospitality partner Match blocks World Cup ticket packages
Martín Demichelis turns his world around to bolster Argentina
Alfredo Di Stéfano obituary
Brazil appeal against Thiago Silvas World Cup semi-final ban rejected
How come best league in the world has hardly featured at Brazil 2014?
World Cup 2014: day 26 as it happened!

Fifa reveals no players have failed drugs tests at World Cup in Brazil

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 02:32 PM PDT

All of more than 1,000 tests have come back negative
Maradona in 1994 was last player caught doping at World Cup

Every player tested for drugs at the World Cup in Brazil has been cleared of doping after more than 1,000 tests came back negative, Fifas medical committee announced on Monday.

Jiri Dvorak, Fifas chief medical officer, told a news conference at the Maracanã on Monday that every player on each of the 32 competing teams 736 in total had provided blood and urine samples.

Joe Hart to face competition at Manchester City from Willy Caballero

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 02:30 PM PDT

Goalkeeper set for move from Málaga for initial £6m
Manuel Pellegrini signed Argentinian for Spanish side Continue reading...

Playing the tough guy may be decisive factor as Brazil face Germany

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 02:30 PM PDT

Neymars absence means hosts could show hard streak again against a side wedded to structure and organisation Continue reading...

British executive of Match arrested in probe into illegal ticket sales

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 02:14 PM PDT

Ray Whelan detained at Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio
Senior executive for World Cup hospitality company Continue reading...

World Cup 2014: Belgium team meet the King and Queen video

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 01:54 PM PDT

The Belgian World Cup squad meet with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde after returning from Brazil. The team pose for a photo with the King and Queen before greeting fans who had gathered outside.Their appearance in Rio marked Belgium's first appearance in a major football tournament in over a decade. Continue reading...

World Cup 2014 semi-finals: a key player from each of the four teams

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 01:15 PM PDT

Germanys Sami Khedira, Brazils Oscar, Argentinas Javier Mascherano and Hollands Wesley Sneijder can all make a difference in the last four

Germanys pragmatism paying off, says Sami Khedira, as Brazil await

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 12:59 PM PDT

Midfielder says caution has led them to World Cup last four
I think our football has become more shrewd, more mature

World Cup Show 2014: day 26 news - video

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 12:52 PM PDT

Nat Coombs takes a look at the 10 things to watch before Brazil v Germany including how Brazil will cope with the loss of Neymar, historical head to heads, key battles and much more Continue reading...

Newcastles Mathieu Debuchy prepares for move to Arsenal in £7.9m deal

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 12:45 PM PDT

France right-back scheduled to undergo medical this week
Costa Ricas Joel Campbell could be used as makeweight

Mathieu Debuchy is expected to undergo a medical at Arsenal this week in preparation for a proposed £7.9m move from Newcastle United. The France right-back will break his post-World Cup summer holiday to finalise the switch from Tyneside to north London with the final transfer fee dependent on whether Newcastle opt to sign Joel Campbell, Arsenals Costa Rica striker, as a makeweight in the deal. With Alan Pardew short of strikers at St James Park, Campbell could well appeal.

Carl Jenkinson, Arsène Wengers reserve right-back, has been mentioned as another part-exchange possibility but Newcastle would prefer to explore other options in that position.

Joachim Löw must fulfil the promise of Germanys golden generation

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 12:21 PM PDT

The German coach has been keeping a diary to help him focus on the tiny details needed for his side to win the World Cup Continue reading...

World Cup Show 2014: day 26 previews - video

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 11:40 AM PDT

Nat Coombs is joined by returning Bosnia-Herzegovina goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to preview the first semi-final between Brazil vs Germany. Asmir highlights his five things to look out for and gives us his take on Tim Krul's penalty antics Continue reading...

Alfredo di Stéfano was one of footballs greatest trailblazers

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 11:05 AM PDT

The former Real Madrid forward, who has died aged 88, set a formidable path for others to follow Continue reading...

The life of Alfredo Di Stéfano - in pictures

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 11:04 AM PDT

Alfredo Di Stéfano won five European Cups from 1956-1960, scoring in each final. He also played for three international teams - Argentina, Colombia and Spain. Here are some of the highlights of his career in pictures Continue reading...

Barcelona unveil new signing, Claudio Bravo video

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 11:01 AM PDT

Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo joins Spanish side Barcelona. Bravo says he is aware of the club's history of good goalkeepers and he knows he will have to play to the best of his ability to win a place in the starting line-up. He says that it is not just players like Lionel Messi that make Barcelona so good but also the way they operate as a team. Continue reading...

Sunderland target loan signings of Kurt Zouma and Jack Rodwell

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 10:56 AM PDT

Chelsea defender and Manchester City midfielder both wanted
Sunderland face competition for both players

Kurt Zouma and Jack Rodwell are on Sunderlands summer shopping list with Lee Congerton, the clubs sporting director, hoping to secure the Chelsea centre-half and the Manchester City midfielder on season-long loans.

The 19-year-old Zouma, who cost Chelsea £12m from Saint-Etienne last season, is regarded as a centre-half of outstanding potential. José Mourinho is understood to be keen to loan him out next season. Zouma would offer Gus Poyet much needed defensive pace along with competition for Wes Brown and John OShea. The Sunderland manager faces competition from Monaco for Zoumas signature.

Hillsborough commander 'told officers any fighting would be done by police'

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 10:48 AM PDT

Police witness at inquest recounts 'battle speech' briefing in car park before semi-final where 96 Liverpool supporters died

The South Yorkshire police officer who commanded the 1989 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough, when 96 Liverpool supporters died, gave an "eve of battle" style briefing at an earlier match, saying "any fighting would be done by the police," the inquest into the disaster has heard.

Inspector Timothy Mitchell, a constable in 1989, told the inquest that chief superintendent David Duckenfield gave the briefing in the car park at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane ground.

World Cup 2014: Howard Webb retained in final group of referees

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 10:38 AM PDT

Webb among 15 referees retained for last four matches
Englishman unlikely to be given another World Cup final Continue reading...

Hillsborough inquest hears of police commander's transfer before match

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 10:28 AM PDT

Police witness at inquest into 1989 disaster denies that 'prank' led to loss of officer with most experience of policing fans

The South Yorkshire police chief superintendent who had experience of commanding football matches at Hillsborough was transferred 19 days before the 1989 FA Cup semi-final, shortly after officers in his division played a brutal "prank" on a probationary constable involving a gun.

The inquest into how 96 Liverpool supporters died at that 1989 match was told that in Ch Supt Brian Mole's F division, four officers had to resign and seven were disciplined after the prank, which occured in October 1988, came to light.

Tom Ince signs two-year contract with Hull City

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 10:20 AM PDT

England Under-21 winger leaves Blackpool after three years
Negotiations over compensation are continuing

Hull City have announced the signing of Tom Ince on a two-year contract. The 22-year-old winger, son of the former England international Paul, has agreed a two-year deal at the KC Stadium.

Compensation with Blackpool has yet to be sorted out and a tribunal may be necessary if a figure cannot be agreed.

Fifas hospitality partner Match blocks World Cup ticket packages

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 09:55 AM PDT

Rio police arrested 11 last week over alleged ticket touting
Match says it blocks packages sold to big-name companies

Fifas hospitality partner, Match, in which Sepp Blatters nephew has a minority stake, has blocked packages it sold to big-name companies including the Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries as part of a police investigation into a $100m illegal ticketing ring.

Other companies that have had existing packages frozen include the long-standing International Olympic Committee partner Jet Set Sports, which resold hospitality packages in the US, Australia, Russia and elsewhere for this World Cup.

Martín Demichelis turns his world around to bolster Argentina

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 09:54 AM PDT

The Manchester City player has risen above the ridicule and is set to play a key role in the semi-final against Holland

Manuel Pellegrini may have been among those affording himself a wry smile as Martín Demichelis stiffened a hitherto shaky Argentina defence on Saturday and helped his country break their quarter-final hoodoo.

When Demichelis was blowing hard and trying in vain to plug the gaping holes in Manchester Citys midfield as Eden Hazard delighted in the freedom of a cold Etihad in early February during a 1-0 Premier League victory for Chelsea, it was hard to imagine the 33-year-old appearing again in a sky blue shirt let alone the famous stripes of the Albiceleste.

Alfredo Di Stéfano obituary

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 09:41 AM PDT

Centre-forward of the all-conquering Real Madrid football team of the 1950s, which won five European Cups in a row Continue reading...

Brazil appeal against Thiago Silvas World Cup semi-final ban rejected

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 09:29 AM PDT

Fifa will not rescind Silvas yellow card from Colombia match
No action against Juan Camilo Zúñiga over Neymar challenge

Thiago Silva will be suspended for Brazils World Cup semi-final against Germany and Fifa has also ruled out action by its disciplinary committee for the challenge by Colombias Juan Zúñiga that left Neymar with a serious injury.

Brazils federation, the CBF, had appealed against Silvas yellow card but Fifas disciplinary committee refused to consider it because appeals against cautions are permitted only in exceptional circumstances.

How come best league in the world has hardly featured at Brazil 2014?

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 08:57 AM PDT

Premier Leagues loudly hyped performers thin on the ground when it comes to handing out the baubles at the World Cup

If you listen carefully at the edges of this World Cup in between the cheers, the roars, the weeping, the sound of Louis van Gaal being right its just about possible to pick up something else beneath all the noise. Yes: its the sound of the Premier League not happening.

Even as those thrilling early stages slide into a more stately endgame, one of the many refreshing things about this tournament is that it has felt so profoundly different from the routine excitements of the English top tier.