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Olivier Giroud has hinted at retiring from international football after Euro 2024 as he labels it the "missing" trophy in his collection.

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Giroud keen to win Euro 2024Desperate to add missing trophy to his cabinetWas cautious in his assessment after Euro 2024 drawWHAT HAPPENED?

The forward was keeping a close eye on the Euro 2024 draw, which unfolded in Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie on Saturday, and saw France being drawn into Group D alongside Austria, the Netherlands, and the playoff winner A (among Poland, Wales, Finland and Estonia). It is one of the tournaments that Giroud is yet to win in his illustrious career and the 37-year-old vowed to keep no stone unturned to finish on the podium on July 14 in Berlin. It could potentially be a milestone match for the former Arsenal hitman as the forward revealed that he is contemplating hanging up his boots after the continental event.

AdvertisementWHAT GIROUD SAID ABOUT RETIREMENT

Speaking to , Giroud said: "I am missing this Euro. If we win it, I will bow out. That might also be the case if we don't make it to the end. I'm enjoying every moment. I said to some guys that if we won the 2022 World Cup, I was withdrawing. But I am hungry for titles with my country. I have a lot of hopes and ambitions. If it goes well, it is possible that it could be a possibility."

GettyWHAT GIROUD SAID ABOUT THE DRAW

Giroud was content with the draw results as he feels they have been placed in a relatively easier group than in 2021, where they had to take on Germany, Portugal, and Hungary in the round-robin stage.

"We know the Netherlands very well, it has always been contested against them. We will wait for the barrage because on paper, Wales and Poland are perhaps more armed. It is perhaps a draw more lenient than the last Euro," he said. "Austria has good young people. There are guys who play in big clubs. We have to move into this group but it won't be easy and it will make for good matches."

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Giroud made his debut for France against the USA in November 2011 and has netted 56 times for Les Bleus, which makes him the all-time leading goalscorer for his national team. he has been in prolific form in this campaign as he boasts of having seven goals in 11 matches for AC Milan in Serie A. He will be back in action against Atalanta on December 9 after missing the fixture against Frosinone due to suspension.

James' switch of positions was one of the bright sparks for Sarina Wiegman as the coach experimented with her selection on Saturday afternoon

England were held to a goalless draw by Portugal in their Women's World Cup send-off on Saturday afternoon. Coach Sarina Wiegman will have taken a lot from the game even if the final result proved frustrating for the Lionesses, who dominated and really should've grabbed the win.

The Dutch coach opted to try out a few new things in her team's final game on home soil before flying to Australia, including an inexperienced centre-back partnership of Esme Morgan and Jess Carter which moved Alex Greenwood out to left-back.

Rachel Daly got the nod up front after a stellar season for Aston Villa and she had two great early chances, one of them particularly well saved by Portugal goalkeeper Ines Pereira. The closest England came in the first half, though, was when Georgia Stanway hit the crossbar from close range after a corner caused problems in the box.

After the break, the hosts ramped things up, with one half time sub, Chloe Kelly, denied by Pereira early on before another, Alessia Russo, saw three big chances go amiss. However, the breakthrough just would not come as the Lionesses signed off with an underwhelming draw.

GOAL rates England's players from Stadium MK…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Mary Earps (5/10):

Had a shaky moment in possession in the second half but otherwise commanded her area well in a game where she had very little to do.

Lucy Bronze (6/10):

Got forward a lot to support the attack but wasn't as influential as often.

Esme Morgan (6/10):

Dealt well with the pace of Portugal's attack when they threatened to expose England.

Jess Carter (6/10):

Showed good strength and anticipation to ensure she wasn't caught out by Portugal's speedy forwards.

Alex Greenwood (5/10):

Got forward a lot but wasn't able to have as much influence on England's build-up from a left-back role before coming off after 45 minutes. Set pieces were not as good as usual, either.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Keira Walsh (6/10):

Solid in possession to help England dominate.

Georgia Stanway (7/10):

Did her bit to help England control the game and got into advanced positions, most notably hitting the bar at the end of the first half. Created a lot for others, too, and delivered good set pieces once Greenwood left the field.

Ella Toone (5/10):

Got close to Daly to offer her support and showed flashes of being a goal threat before being subbed off at the break.

GettyAttack

Lauren James (8/10):

One of England's liveliest performers in the first half, gliding past markers, then went up another level in the second half when moved into the No.10 role and was extremely creative. Made a case to start there this summer.

Rachel Daly (6/10):

Made some excellent runs but wasn't always found. Had two great chances early doors – one very well-saved and another she could've done better with. Came off at half time.

Lauren Hemp (8/10):

Another of England's most creative outlets for large parts of the match, putting some great crosses into the box and causing a ton of problems.

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Niamh Charles (5/10):

Came on at left-back at half time. Struggled defensively at times but did well to get forward and support the attack.

Alessia Russo (6/10):

Came on at the break and had three huge chances, one that was cleared off the line and another two that she really should've hit the target with.

Chloe Kelly (5/10):

Completed the half time triple sub. Had a good early chance that was well-saved by Pereira and delivered a good cross for Russo but was otherwise quieter than usual.

Katie Zelem (6/10):

Came on with just less than half an hour to go and assumed her role well, breaking up play and keeping things ticking over in midfield.

Laura Coombs (5/10):

Had a great chance shortly after coming on just past the hour mark but her first touch took it away from her.

Katie Robinson (N/A):

Came on for the final 10 minutes and couldn't impact the game much.

Sarina Wiegman (7/10):

Used the match as an excellent opportunity to try out a few things, getting a look at several players in different positions. Might not have seen her team produce a statement performance or great result but will have collected a lot of important information going into the World Cup.

Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller has explained his choice in the long-running Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate.

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Argentine & Portuguese superstars are all-time greatsHave broken countless records between themGerman ace favours one over the otherWHAT HAPPENED?

Two eternal rivals have spent their entire careers battling it out against one another for the right to be considered the greatest of all-time. They have won 12 Ballons d’Or between them and broken countless records in domestic, continental and international competition.

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Germany international Muller has lined up against both down the years and has told when asked to make his pick between two modern day legends: “Who is the greatest of all time? The GOAT for me is Messi because he makes people say 'I go to the stadium because of his elegance' and at the same time he is very effective in scoring goals and achieving records and titles. Cristiano is also a strong candidate in two categories which are stats and titles, but Messi is simply more subtle and elegant.”

AND WHAT'S MORE

Messi has scored more goals at club level than Ronaldo – 720 to 715 – and also leads the current Al-Nassr forward when it comes to assists, having teed up 342 efforts for grateful team-mates compared to the haul of 226 from his Portuguese foe.

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Messi has more individual and collective titles than Ronaldo – who has played two more seasons in his senior career – but it is the history-making Portugal international that boasts the most goals for his country and more efforts in the Champions League.

Andre Onana will “make mistakes” for Manchester United despite boasting one “absolutely crazy” attribute, says Andy Cole.

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Cameroonian star acquired for big moneyStill adjusting to life in EnglandBacked to be a shrewd addition for Red DevilsWHAT HAPPENED?

The Cameroonian goalkeeper, who has been recalled by his national team this season, completed a £47 million ($60m) move to Old Trafford from Inter Milan during the summer transfer window. He has endured a testing start to life in England – with a pre-season outing that saw him lobbed from the halfway line being followed by criticism of performances in the Premier League that have seen him concede some questionable goals.

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Onana is, however, still finding his feet and Cole believes that the 27-year-old will prove to be a shrewd addition to the Red Devils squad. He is always going to have an error in him, which may prove costly at times, but his distribution is expected to serve United well as they continue to play out from the back.

WHAT THEY SAID

Former United striker Cole – who formed part of the club’s Treble-winning squad in 1999 – has told of Onana: “His distribution’s absolutely crazy. As a player in a team, regardless of whatever position you play in, you’re going to make mistakes from time to time. That’s part and parcel of football. I watched him during Manchester United’s pre-season tour and his distribution is absolutely ridiculous and he seems like a very commanding goalkeeper. It’s been a difficult start for him as there’s no way he would have thought that he would have conceded so many goals at the start of his Manchester United career, but he’s a very, very good goalkeeper.”

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United have picked up six points from three games in the 2023-24 season, with battling qualities on full display, and they will be back in action on Sunday when taking in a trip to old adversaries, Arsenal.

A number of United States national team internationals are dotted throughout the biggest clubs in Europe in the knockout stage

The Champions League 2020-21 knockout stage has arrived and there are a number of intriguing match-ups as Europe's elite battle it out for supremacy.

Littered among some of the top teams are a selection of U.S. national team stars, with a number of players notably competing across the Bundesliga, La Liga and the Premier League.

Goal takes a look at the USMNT players who are involved in the Champions League last 16 this season.

GettyTyler Adams | RB Leipzig

Tyler Adams made his first-ever Champions League start for RB Leipzig in disappointing circumstances as the Bundesliga side suffered a 2-0 first-leg defeat against Liverpool in the last 16. The midfielder's experience of the competition prior to that point included substitute appearances against the likes of Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain in the group stage.

AdvertisementGettyKonrad de la Fuente | Barcelona

A regular for Barcelona's youth and B teams, Konrad de la Fuente has featured in the Champions League twice this season, coming on as a substitute in victories over Dynamo Kiev and Ferencvaros. The teenage forward is still on the periphery of the first team at Camp Nou, but will be eager to make a mark at the club in the coming months.

GettySergino Dest | Barcelona

Netherlands-born Sergino Dest shone for Ajax in the Champions League in 2019-20 and has been a firm fixture for Barcelona in the 2020-21 edition of the competition. A flying wing-back, Dest scored for the Catalan giants in their 4-0 victory over Dynamo Kiev last November.

The 20-year-old started Barca's chastening 4-1 defeat in the first leg of the last 16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain, but endured a difficult evening as Kylian Mbappe and Co. ran riot. One moment of the game, when Gerard Pique could be heard reminding Dest that Mbappe was right-footed, was a reminder that the right-back still has plenty to learn and he will be keen to improve in the second leg. 

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Getty ImagesWeston McKennie | Juventus

Since making the switch to Juventus from Schalke, Weston McKennie has been impressive and he will be keen to play a part in the last 16 of the Champions League as the Bianconeri take on Porto. McKennie featured prominently enough for Juve in the group stage and even bagged a goal in December's 3-0 win over Barcelona.

Zinedine Zidane has revealed that he is "a big fan" of Real Madrid sensation Jude Bellingham, as he hailed the Englishman's "incredible" performances.

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Zidane revealed himself to be a fan of Bellingham English midfielder shares Zidane's famous No.5 jersey Has scored 20 goals already this season with Los Blancos Getty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

When Bellingham moved to the Spanish capital in the summer, he decided to wear the No.5 jersey at Real Madrid, an iconic shirt previously worn by Zidane himself. While many scoffed at the daring of a 20-year-old, his performances on the pitch have silenced his critics and now the former midfield maestro himself has lavished praise on the youngster.

AdvertisementWHAT ZIDANE SAID

During a chat with , Zidane said: "He’s an unbelievable player who does incredible things. You could have imagined what he was going to do, but he’s surpassed all the statistics with what he’s doing.

"Don’t forget that he’s only 20 years old. He arrived at Real Madrid with a lot of desire, a lot of goals and he is setting the bar very high. He’s just showing everyone what he is and it’s great to see him like that. I’m a big fan of his and now we want him to win trophies with Real Madrid. It’s everything he wanted for himself.”

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Bellingham has become the poster boy of Adidas and has featured in several commercials promoting the new line of Adidas predator boots, which was once worn by Zidane. He first wore those boots against Napoli in the Champions League and also scored the second goal for his team in a 4-2 win over the reigning Serie A champions.

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WHAT NEXT?

Bellingham has 20 goals and eight assists to his name in his maiden campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu. He leads the goal-scoring charts in La Liga and has already surpassed Zidane's tally of most strikes in a season for the club with a brace against Barcelona earlier in October.

Jurrien Timber took a huge step towards making his return for Arsenal as the defender took part in training with his team-mates on Wednesday.

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Timber out since first game of seasonDefender needed surgery on ACL injuryBack in training with fellow GunnersWHAT HAPPENED?

The Dutch defender has been out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury that he suffered at the end of the first half of his Premier League debut. He required surgery on the issue but his rehabilitation appears to be nearing its end as the Gunners confirmed he is back working alongside his co-stars.

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Despite being back in training, the 22-year-old is not yet back in full group sessions with Arsenal, reports. Although he has been involved in some group drills, he is still mainly doing individual work before he can be completely reintegrated to normal training.

DID YOU KNOW?

As well as Timber, Arsenal are also waiting on good news regarding the rehabilitation of fellow injured stars Takehiro Tomiyasu, Thomas Partey and Oleksandr Zinchenko, having already seen Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira return recently.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR TIMBER?

Arsenal's next match is at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United in the Premier League on March 4. That game will likely come too soon for Timber to feature, but Mikel Arteta will hope to have the defender back in the fold soon.

Monaco has had few star players represent them before leaving for pastures new. Which of them will make it into the ultimate XI?

Ligue 1 outfit Monaco are widely regarded as one of the best clubs in the world at developing and improving players.

They also have a reputation for signing potential superstars and later selling them for a huge profit.

A fair few stars of the modern game have turned out for Monaco in the past, including the likes of James Rodriguez, Youri Tielemans, Bernardo Silva, Thierry Henry and more.

And then there are players such as Kylian Mbappe and Layvin Kurzawa who have come out of the Monaco academy.

Of all the stars who have played for the club, who will make it into an ultimate Monaco dream team?

(C)Getty ImagesFabien Barthez | Goalkeeper

The first-choice goalkeeper for the French national team for a long time, Barthez was possibly more known for his stint with Manchester United.

But he played for Monaco before that and made a big impact.

After turning out for the likes of Toulouse and Marseille, Barthez moved to Monaco in 1995, making 189 appearances in all competitions for the club, winning two Ligue 1 and a Trophee des Champions titles.

Characterized by his bald head, Barthez was not a tall goalkeeper, but had good physical ability and amazing reflexes.

He spent five years at Monaco before joining United in 2000.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesMaicon | Defender

In the late 2000s, Maicon was praised as "the world's best full-back" for his overwhelming attacking abilities.

He played at Monaco for two years from 2004 to 2006 and made 81 appearances. Although he failed to win a major title at Monaco, he caught the attention of Inter with his fine performances.

Maicon was known for physicality, speed, and stamina to run up and down the right wing. He also had the ability to send in high-precision crosses and had a powerful shot on him.

During his six years at Inter, he won Serie A four times and won the Champions League.

(C)Getty ImagesLilian Thuram | Defender

Legendary French defender Lilian Thuram, who is famous for scoring two spectacular goals in the 1998 France World Cup semi-final against Croatia, was a Monaco youth product.

He became a regular player shortly after making his professional debut in 1991 and made 186 appearances in all competitions before moving to Parma in 1996.

A defender who could play as a right-back and a centre-back with no issues whatsoever, Thuram was one of the best in the world during the '90s and early '00s.

He ended up playing for the likes of Juventus and Barcelona during his career.

With 142 national team caps, he is still holds the record of having made the most appearances for France.

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(C)Getty ImagesEric Abidal | Defender

Abidal, one of Barcelona's sextuplet winners of 2008/09 season, also played for Monaco in his youth and made his first-team debut at the age of 21.

He was a bit of a late bloomer, though, and only really established himself as a world-class player after leaving the club, impressing for Lille and Lyon before earning himself a move to Camp Nou.

At Barcelona, he played nearly 200 official games between 2007-2013 and was part of Pep Guardiola's great Barcelona side, winning 16 titles.

He had a liver tumor in 2011 that nearly put him on the verge of retirement, but he made a miraculous comeback and continued playing. In 2013-14, he returned to Monaco for one season.

After retiring in 2014, he held several directorial positions at Barcelona.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is giving Jurgen Klopp “a decision” to make, with the Liverpool defender back in training following a hamstring injury.

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Picked up knock against VillaHas sat out four gamesInjury setback for BajceticWHAT HAPPENED?

The home-grown Reds star picked up a muscle complaint during a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa on September 3. He has not played since, sitting out four games in all competitions, but is now back in full training ahead of a Premier League trip to Tottenham on Saturday.

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Klopp is not ruling Alexander-Arnold into his plans just yet, but the 24-year-old is in contention for game time. The Reds boss has said when delivering an update on his buccaneering right-back: “Trent trained yesterday normal. Will train today normal. So then we have to make a decision. But will be in the squad, I’m not a doctor so cannot make that decision, but it looks like he can be in the squad tomorrow and play.”

WHAT THEY SAID

While Alexander-Arnold is ready to return, Stefan Bajcetic has suffered a setback in his recovery from an adductor problem and experienced midfielder Thiago Alcantara – who has not played since April – is working his way back from hip surgery. Klopp added: “Stefan had a little, little, little, little setback. The problem with Stefan, I can imagine everybody wants to see him play more. I want (too) but we have to be really careful. Now, it’s a little, little, little, tiny calf issue. That’s how it is when you’re six months out and we try everything to get him up to speed without pushing him. Train, make a very specific plan for him, but in the end it’s disappointing for him, of course and for us as well. He got another one so we have to take him out for a little bit. He can work on pretty much everything else but not playing. That’s it I would say. Thiago still out, Conor [Bradley] still out. I think that’s it.”

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Liverpool remain unbeaten in the 2023-24 campaign, with 16 points collected from six games in the Premier League while also reaching the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and opening their quest for Europa League glory with a victory away at LASK.

Rising United States star Rokas Pukstas has decided to sign a new contract at Hajduk Split despite interest from other teams in Europe.

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Pukstas agrees new deal with HajdukMidfielder will sign until 2027Impressing in Croatian top flightWHAT HAPPENED?

The midfielder has agreed to extend his stay at the Croatian club. According to, he will sign an extension that keeps him tied to Hajduk until 2027. Pukstas' current deal runs until 2025 but he will put pen to paper on a new contract soon.

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Pukstas' impressive performances for Hajduk and the United States youth teams have reportedly caught the attention of several teams across the continent. The 19-year-old has already scored three goals in seven league games for Hajduk this season, despite having to overcome a cruciate ligament injury.

DID YOU KNOW?

Pukstas joined Hajduk from the Barca Academy in his homeland in 2020 and rose through the youth system to make his first-team breakthrough in 2022. He has made 12 appearance for the USA Under-20s, including in the U20 World Cup this year where they reached the quarter-finals.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PUKSTAS?

Pukstas will hope to maintain his strong form for Hajduk to boost his chances of playing a key role for the national team at the Olympic Games in Paris next year. He will also have his eye on making the cut for the 2026 World Cup with the USMNT.