Two England fans to cycle 2400 Miles to Russia for World Cup

Jude Bellingham is targeting LaLiga and Champions League titles with Real Madrid this season, as well the Euros with England this summer, the 20-year-old said after winning the Breakthrough of the Year prize at the Laureus awards on Monday.

Bellingham has scored 21 goals for Real since signing in the close season from Borussia Dortmund for 103 million euros ($109 million).

The Englishman scored in added time to secure a 3-2 comeback win over Barcelona on Sunday as Real opened up an 11-point lead over their rivals.

"It's definitely something I want to do," Bellingham said of his trophy targets. "We've still got a few more games to wrap up LaLiga and then we've got two very difficult games against (Bayern) Munich (in the Champions League semi-finals).

"For the Euros hopefully we can take our form from the last few tournaments and do one better."

Bellingham's impact at Real has been undeniable. His leadership qualities have been praised by his teammates and he is the league's second-highest goal scorer with 17, one behind Girona's Artem Dovbyk.

Having made his debut in 2020, Bellingham has 29 caps for England and scored three goals. England are grouped with Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia at Euro 2024, which begins on June 14.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta remains adamant that their head coach Xavi could stay on with the side in the following season despite the Spaniard's recent "won't change my mind" statement.

Xavi announced his intention to depart at the end of the season in January. Since that announcement, Barcelona's performance has picked up as they enjoyed a 12-game unbeaten streak, which has triggered efforts from the Barcelona hierarchy to persuade him to reconsider his decision.

However, in a press conference ahead of Barcelona's match against Cadiz last weekend, Xavi reiterated his stance, saying, "I will not change my mind."

Despite that, Laporta remains undeterred and claims that discussions about Xavi's future will take place at the end of the season with everything remaining "open".

"We will discuss this issue at the end of the season. He [Xavi] is doing very well. He expressed himself in the sense in which he expressed himself, I understand that everything is open and everything is revisable," Mundo Deportivo quoted Laporta.

"I understood that there have been circumstances that led him to do what he did. But at the end of the season, we will talk. There is time to talk about it."

France midfielder Paul Pogba said the finals in Russia might be his last World Cup but he hopes he will be fit for more.

"It might be my last World Cup," the Manchester United player, 25, told a news conference ahead of Tuesday's Group C final game against Denmark.

France have already qualified for the last 16 and will secure top spot if they avoid defeat.

"I'm realistic, we don't know if I'll be called up, maybe other players will be better than me," added Pogba.

"I hope I'll play more. I've already had the chance to play two, some can only dream to play one."

Dramatic late strikes by Philippe Coutinho and Neymar gave Brazil their first win of the World Cup against Costa Rica in St Petersburg on Friday and broke Central American hearts by sending them out of the tournament.

The result leaves the five-times world champions with four points from two games after they drew 1-1 with Switzerland in their opening match, and they provisionally rise above Serbia to top Group E.

Serbia play Switzerland later on Friday.

The clock had ticked past 90 minutes when Marcelo crossed from the left and substitute Roberto Firmino headed the ball back across goal to Gabriel Jesus.

Jesus's first touch took the ball away from the defender and Coutinho raced in to poke past Keylor Navas from six metres out and claim his second goal of the tournament.

Neymar added the second with practically the last kick of the game, racing on to Jesus's square ball following a quick counter-attack as Costa Rica were forced to push for the equaliser.

The forward, who thought he had won a penalty in the 77th minute only for the referee to reverse the decision after consultation with the video assistant referee (VAR), was overcome by emotion on the whistle, covering his face as tears streamed down his cheeks.

For long periods Costa Rica's flat-back five kept Neymar on the periphery, with Johan Venegas and Cristian Gamboa both man-marking him out of the game as Brazil found it hard to carve out chances in the first half.

Marcelo's tame shot straight at Navas in the 41st minute was the first effort on target from either side before the break, and the team went into halftime with the boos and whistles of their own fans ringing in their ears.

Celso Borges spurned arguably the best chance of the first period for Costa Rica when he ran on to Gamboa's cut back but shot wide from eight metres out.

The result means Brazil have avoided the ignominy of equalling their longest winless run at the World Cup.

Brazil fans mocked Lionel Messi and celebrated Argentina’s defeat as they were singing `Messi Ciao’ (Goodbye Messi) in St. Petersburg on Thursday night. The Selecao fans parodied the famous Spanish song Bella Ciao (O darling goodbye).

The fans are always interested about how their rivals are doing in tournaments like Copa America and the World Cup.

Lionel Messi cut a lonely figure as Argentina fell to a demoralising 3-0 defeat at the hands of Croatia at which has left their qualification hopes hanging by a thread.

Both Brazil and Argentina drew their opening games at the 2018 World Cup. Brazilians however found something to celebrate as they mocked Argentina’s star player.