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      England star Luke Shaw laughs off Zinedine Zidane comparison after he gets two more assists for Three Lions

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      LUKE SHAW laughed off comparisons with Zinedine Zidane after continuing his stunning assists record. The England left-back delivered two assists for England in the space of three minutes and 51 seconds at Euro 2020.
      Luke Shaw has been one of England’s star performers at Euro 2020Credit: Getty
      Shaw has made more assists at the European Championships than France great Zinedine ZidaneCredit: Rex
      And that was more than French legend Zidane managed in 14 appearances at the European Championships.
      Shaw set up the second goal for Harry Maguire before crossing for Harry Kane to make it 3-0 in the 4-0 win over Ukraine in the quarter-finals.
      Told about his achievement of overtaking Zidane’s contributions at a Euro, Shaw said: “A very strange stat! A nice one, I think.
      “Obviously, Zidane was one of the best midfielders ever and I can’t compare to him.
      “But the most important thing for me was reaching the semi-final, getting another game at Wembley in front of our own crowd and hopefully making them happy again.”
      Shaw has been impressive for England and so far, has played a part in four goals.
      He is also thankful to boss Gareth Southgate for picking him, despite not being involved in the Euro 2020 qualifiers.
      He said: “My main objective is to help the team as much as possible, attacking and defensively.
      Shaw was one of England’s standout players in RomeCredit: AFP
      “Of course, I could go through a lot of people to thank but I think the most important one is obviously Gareth for trusting me and putting me in the squad and picking me and playing me.
      “But I’ve kept my head down, kept working hard and hopefully I can keep this responsibility up for the manager.”
      England have now not conceded a goal for over 11 hours, spanning more than seven games dating back to a 2-1 win over Poland on March 31.

      Shaw said: “Our foundation is obviously keeping clean sheets and not just the defence.
      “I think you can see it from the whole team. Everyone puts in the hard graft.
      “Of course, we want to create our own history and I think we need everyone to be defensively solid.
      “But I think with the attacking talent we’ve got, we know we’re going to create chances and score goals.”

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      Shaw also had words of praise for Jordan Pickford who has impressed throughout the tournament, although Saturday’s win in Rome was straightforward for the keeper.
      Shaw added: “We don’t want to lose concentration now. I think the concentration in the defence has been unbelievable and of course that starts with Pickers.
      “Pickers has been outstanding, for me. He’s been unbelievable, one of our best players this tournament.”
      Raheem Sterling is ‘world class’ and England’s’ ‘most effective player’ beam Ferdinand and Lampard More

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      England 4-0 Ukraine LIVE REACTION: Three Lions storm into Denmark semi-final after Kane, Maguire and Henderson goals

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      ENGLAND are into the semi-finals of Euro 2020 following a sensational performance against Ukraine. It was a night to remember for the Three Lions in Rome, as Harry Kane netted twice to send them roaring into the semi-finals.
      England will now take on Denmark this coming Wednesday after the Danes edged out the Czech Republic.
      Follow ALL the latest reaction with our live blog below…
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      SANCH-NO DISTRACTIONS
      Jadon Sancho insists he is fully focused on England – despite his £73million transfer to Manchester United.
      The winger, 21, was handed a shock start as the Three Lions crushed Ukraine 4-0 to reach the semi-finals of Euro 2020 barely 48 hours after his Old Trafford switch was announced.
      Sancho was one of the stars of the show with a strong performance, despite only featuring for six minutes in the tournament prior to his Rome display.
      And speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live afterwards, he confirmed his sole attention is on all matters Three Lions with a semi-final against Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday.
      The ex-Manchester City youngster said: “To be fair, I don’t want to talk about Manchester United.
      “Right now I just want to focus on England.
      “I’ve just been focusing on myself while I’ve been at England. I’ve always been ready if I needed to come on.”
      DANE & DUSTED?
      England reached the semi-finals of the European Championship for the first time since 1996 with a 4-0 win against Ukraine in Rome.
      Standing between the Three Lions and the final is an inspired Denmark side, who have a good record against Gareth Southgate’s team.
      Here, SunSport takes a look at England’s record against the Scandinavian nation since the two first met in September 1948.

      WAY TO GO ROME
      Italian police barred 52 fans from entering last night’s England game in Rome due to strict Covid rules.
      Cops prevented the supporters from attending the quarter final against Ukraine at Stadio Olimpico amid fears of the contagious Delta variant of the virus.
      England fans had already been warned that a five day quarantine was in place for anyone coming to Italy who had been to Britain in the previous two weeks.
      Detectives cross checked names of travellers who had arrived in Italy from England and Ukraine with Euro 2020 ticket holders.
      Non-essential travel is also currently banned between Ukraine and Italy.
      Italian cops found some 52 fans who had not complied with quarantine rules and arranged to have their tickets cancelled.
      TV PICK-FORD
      A record-breaking 20.9million tuned in to BBC One to watch England’s 4-0 thumping of Ukraine.
      That means the Euro 2020 quarter-final is the UK’s new most-watched TV show of 2021.
      The 20.9m peak pips the 20.6m from Tuesday – when the Three Lions booked their spot in the last eight by beating Germany.
      And the figure means the BBC One broadcast had a whopping 81.8 per cent share of the audience on Saturday evening.
      On top of that, a further 5.2m live streams of the drama in Rome were watched through the BBC Sport website and the iPlayer.
      That took the overall viewing number to around 26.1m.

      NO SHIR THING
      England fans are struggling to buy an official Three Lions shirt ahead of Wednesday’s big semi-final clash with Denmark at Wembley.
      Gareth Southgate’s men made it to Euro 2020’s final four after eliminating Ukraine in the quarter-finals thanks to a decisive 4-0 thrashing with a brace by Harry Kane and goals by Harry Maguire as well as Jordan Henderson.
      Hopes of a first international trophy since the 1966 World Cup are high and English supporters want to enjoy the ride in style.
      But frustrated fans are finding it difficult to obtain the team’s jerseys, which are selling out.
      RICE KANED
      England star Declan Rice has joked ‘why always me’ after Harry Kane accidentally choked him during a goal celebration.
      The team were celebrating their second goal against Ukraine in their Euro 2020 quarter-final when Rice was caught by his skipper.
      After Harry Maguire doubled England’s advantage, Rice was the first man to catch up with the Manchester United defender as he celebrated his goal.
      Kane was next to the party, jumping on top of Maguire and Rice and accidentally putting the latter in a headlock.
      The West Ham star was held by the captain for a few seconds before the adrenaline faded and Rice could smile again.
      BBC Sport then shared a video of the hilarious incident on Twitter – and the 22-year-old joined in the fun by quote tweeting it.
      Rice joked: “Why always me?”
      BEST ENG SHOW
      SunSport readers have voted England’s Euro 2020 drubbing of Ukraine as their THIRD best match of the last 25 years.
      But the 4-0 demolition job in Rome is still MILES off readers’ favourite game.
      Gareth Southgate produced yet another tactical masterclass as England booked their place in the semi-finals.
      Harry Kane scored twice – with Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson also finding the net – as the Three Lions recorded their biggest-ever margin of victory in a major tournament knockout game.
      The 4-0 victory eclipsed 3-0 wins over Denmark and Paraguay at the 2002 and 1986 World Cups respectively.
      The Roman battering was also the first time England have scored four goals in a knockout game since the 1966 World Cup final win over West Germany.

      ZIZOU ARE YOU?
      Luke Shaw delivered two assists for England in the space of three minutes and 51 seconds at Euro 2020
      And that was more than French legend Zinedine Zidane managed in 14 appearances at the European Championships.
      Shaw set up the second goal for Harry Maguire before crossing for Harry Kane to make it 3-0 in the 4-0 win over Ukraine in the quarter-finals.
      Told about his achievement of overtaking Zidane’s contributions at a Euro, Shaw said: “A very strange stat! A nice one, I think.
      “Obviously, Zidane was one of the best midfielders ever and I can’t compare to him.
      “But the most important thing for me was reaching the semi-final, getting another game at Wembley in front of our own crowd and hopefully making them happy again.”
      SOUTHGATE YOU’RE THE ONE
      Stuart Pearce, former England international and team-mate of Gareth Southgate, has praised his pal for his decision making so far at Euro 2020.
      Pearce cleared up a common misconception about Southgate.
      Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “There was a misconception, potentially, and I’m talking from a footballing aspect, that he’s a soft touch, or whatever.
      “I don’t think there is now because people in the game have [recognised] he’ll make the tough judgement calls and I’ll give you one or two real examples.
      “He put Henderson in the group where a lot of people were saying he shouldn’t be, he’s not good enough for one reason, not fit enough. You can’t take injured players.
      “He knew the worth of Henderson [and Harry Maguire], you saw that last night. Both on the score sheet. I’m absolutely delighted for both of them.
      “But, because he knows what they both give the group he was prepared to wait. Not a popular choice in some quarters.
      “Going into the first game, by the way, there was a lot of people shouting and hollering and rattling about Sterling shouldn’t be playing. Gareth knew his worth.
      “All those people have pulled their necks in now because Sterling has probably carried this team, by the way.
      “He [Southgate] has made judgement calls.
      “Everyone wants Grealish and Foden in, popular choices, they are the sexy choices, but he hasn’t done that all the time. They have played their part as a group member but he picked the team he though was right and credit to him.”
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      SAK BACK, NO JACK
      Gary Neville has picked his England XI for the Euro 2020 semi-final clash with Denmark – with Jack Grealish yet again missing out, writes DAVE FRASER.
      The Three Lions demolished Ukraine 4-0 in their quarter-final clash in Rome with Jadon Sancho given his first start of the tournament.
      The new Manchester United star, 21, looked lively throughout the game and gave England a new dimension in attack – despite being given a bizarrely low 4/10 match rating by L’Equipe.
      Fans have been crying out for Gareth Southgate to utilise Grealish more having played just 115 minutes across England’s five games.
      But Neville reckons the Three Lions boss should turn back to Bukayo Saka over Grealish or Sancho for the semi-final showdown against Denmark.
      The Arsenal whiz, 19, starred in wins over Czech Republic and Germany but missed the Ukraine demolition job with a minor knock.
      And Neville wants him back on the right-wing for the last-four clash at Wembley on Wednesday night.

      LONDON CALLING
      Hundreds of England fans took to the streets after last night’s thumping win over Ukraine.
      Will the Three Lions reach the final next Wednesday?
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      SANTASTIC
      Rio Ferdinand has made a bold prediction for Jadon Sancho’s first season at Man Utd.
      Sancho started his first game a major international tournament for England last night in a 4-0 win.
      And his dazzling footwork left United fans in awe.
      Club legend Ferdinand spoke highly of Sancho on the BBC’s coverage of the game.
      He said: “I’ll tell you one thing, next season at Man United, he’ll have people off their seats.
      “There’s moments in this game where he draws your breath and you think, ‘Oh, wow, that’s different’ — and he’s a fabulous talent, we know that, but mentally he’s very strong and he’s got a desire to be as good as he can be.
      “Players that can up the potential of the game are different and they bring something different to your team in the way that he does. 
      “This is his first game, by the way, in the tournament, and he comes in and plays the way he did and creates moments, it shows you the talent that is there.”

      THREE YEARS LATER
      Harry Maguire has scored at back-to-back major international tournaments for England.

      LAMPARD ON SHAW
      England and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has praised Man Utd left-back Luke Shaw for his fantastic form.
      Shaw registered two more assists last night against Ukraine in England’s 4-0 win.
      Speaking after the game, Lampard said: “Something has clicked with him in the last 18 months.
      “Sometimes you can’t control injury stuff, he wasn’t in the best of shape. Now he can do what you want from him.”
      THREE LIONS RUN RIOT
      Goals from captain Kane, Maguire and Henderson seed a 4-0 win in Rome against Ukraine.
      England will now face Denmark next Wednesday at Wembley in the semi-final.

      FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
      Jordan Henderson got his first England goal in 62 appearances.

      CAPTAIN KANE
      Harry Kane got off to a poor start at Euro 2020, but has since scored three in his last two.
      And left-back Luke Shaw has registered three assists.

      ‘LONG TIME COMING’
      England midfielder Jordan Henderson finally scored his first international goal after 62 appearances.
      And Henderson couldn’t hide his excitement.
      He said: “It’s about time, it’s been a long time coming.
      “I have felt one coming and thankfully I’ve managed to get on the scoresheet.
      “I’m delighted for the lads because overall the performance was fantastic and will give us good momentum going into the next game.
      “I always felt it would come eventually, but I always try to contribute the best I can on the pitch, I never really think about that I need to score goals.
      “There are a lot of other players to do that. I need to concentrate on my job on the pitch, what I need to do, what the coaching staff and payers need me to do.
      “Of course I would have liked to have scored more goals but I can’t complain. I’m here, contributing and managed to get on the scoresheet.”
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      CHOKEHOLD
      Kane had Rice gasping for air!

      ‘ONE OF THE PLAYERS’ OF EURO 2020
      Arsenal legend Ian Wright has praised potential Arsenal target Raheem Sterling as “one of the players” of Euro 2020.
      Sterling has scored three goals for England and set up Harry Kane’s opener yesterday night.
      Wright said: “Raheem Sterling is one of the players of the tournament.
      “He finds Harry Kane with a brilliant pass (for the opening goal).
      “He comes inside. We need players who can run with the ball, progress the ball, into Harry Kane who can take our half-chances. That’s a half-chance.”
      ‘MAN MOUNTAIN’
      England and Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand heaped praise on Man Utd club captain Harry Maguire. 
      Speaking after the game, he said: “He (Maguire) brings composure and sometimes the team looks different when someone wants the ball. 
      “He wants to get on the ball and take pressure off the other players. The team breathes more when he’s in the team. 
      “They are a stronger team and a better when he’s there. He’s so comfortable in international football, some players prefer club level or playing for their country.
      “In an England shirt he looks like a man mountain. He comes out and just picks the right passes. 
      “You saw in his first game back he was threading balls in the lines. He brings someone in and then plays it through. 
      “That’s the difference between him and other centre-backs.”
      ARE YOU SHAW?
      Luke Shaw is finally showing the promise that earned him the big move from Southampton to Man Utd.
      And he’s replicating it well for England, proving to be one of the Three Lions’ most important players.
      Luke Shaw at #EURO2020 [#ENG rank]:21 passes into the box [🥇]8 chances created [🥇]5 chances created from open play [🥇]4 big chances created [🥇]3 assists [🥇]1.57 xA [🥇]Outstanding. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/S2KCjb3mCE— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) July 3, 2021

      WON IN ROME
      England fans were in dreamland last night after the Three Lions scored FOUR times to set up a historic semi-final.
      Millions partied deep into the night in packed pubs, parks and streets across the country – while 5,000 Three Lions fans roared on the team in Rome.
      Jubilant fans sprayed booze and danced on tables as Gareth Southgate’s side cruised to their first Euro’s semi-final in 25 years.
      The win set up a titanic clash with Denmark at Wembley in front of a boosted home crowd of 60,000 on Wednesday night – and PM Boris Johnson hailed an “outstanding performance”.

      UNSUNG HEROES
      Gareth Southgate has paid tribute to the England stars who have yet to feature at Euro 2020.
      He said: “It’s enjoyable but immediately I’m thinking about the players that I didn’t get on the pitch because the likes of Conor Coady, Ben Chilwell, Aaron Ramsdale, Sam Johnstone, Ben White.
      “We’ve had 21 on the pitch but those guys have been as important. The spirit that they’ve created, the togetherness.
      “I regret not getting them on the field and I hate this thing of having to leave three out every match.
      “It takes more energy from me than anything else because none of them deserve to be out of the 26.
      “The fact that the guys have shown the respect that they’ve shown is why we’re in the position that we’re in.”
      NOT DANE YET
      England will need to be at their best to get past Denmark in the Euro 2020 semi-final, Gareth Southgate has said.
      The Three Lions boss commented:
      “They beat us in the autumn, we only drew to them in Copenhagen [in the Nations League]. They’re a very underestimated team.
      “As a football nation they’ve done incredibly well, they’ve produced so many good players considering their population.
      “This is going to be a really tough test and we’ll have to be at our best to get through it.”

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      Thibaut Courtois’ sister apologises to Leonardo Spinazzola for accusing him of time-wasting after Achilles injury

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      THIBAUT COURTOIS’ sister apologised to Leonardo Spinazzola after an ironic statement during Italy’s clash with Belgium.The Azzurri defeated Roberto Martinez’s men 2-1 on Friday at the Allianz Arena thanks to goals by Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo Insigne, before Romelu Lukaku converted a penalty kick.
      Italy star Leonardo Spinazzola was carried off in tears after he ruptured his Achilles tendonCredit: AFP
      At first, Valerie Courtois thought Italy star Leonardo Spinazzola was wasting time
      But Roberto Mancini’s side suffered a devastating loss during the quarter-final clash as Spinazzola ruptured his Achilles tendon and was carried off on a stretcher off in tears.
      While the Roma star was receiving medical treatment on the pitch, Courtois’ sister Valerie immediately shared a story on her personal Instagram account accusing the left-back of time-wasting.
      She posted a picture of the incident and captioned it with: “We call it tricks of the trade.”
      However, Spinazzola wasn’t faking it and it later emerged that he will miss the rest of Euro 2020.
      Upon hearing the news, Valerie, who is a former pro volleyball player, issued another statement apologising for her previous post.
      She wrote: “So sorry to find out Spinazzola’s EC [Euro Cup] finishes like this.
      “I apologise for my reaction in the moment and absolutely hope he has a good recovery.”
      According to Football Italia, Spinazzola is going to be out of action for the next six months.
      Valerie Courtois apologised to Leonardo Spinazzola after her previous statement

      Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina previously said: “I felt very sorry for Spinazzola, because he had been giving so much to this team.
      “I wish him the best of luck for a quick return, because not only is he a great professional, but he has also shown great personal qualities.”
      Italy are now scheduled to take on Spain in the semi-finals on Tuesday at Wembley.
      ⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
      Italy star Spinazzola out of Euro 2020 after breaking Achilles tendon in win over Belgium More

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      Italy vs Spain football results: Head-to-head record ahead of Euro 2020 semi-final

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      ITALY are taking on Spain at Wembley for the prize of a Euro 2020 final against England or Denmark.The two sides are among the continent’s most successful at tournaments and very well acquainted following a number of big clashes over the years.
      Italy will be slight favourites at WembleyCredit: EPA
      Spain have won every tournament when they’ve beaten ItalyCredit: AFP
      Here’s a look at how the sides have fared in clashes against each other.
      Italy vs Spain head-to-head record
      Spain have the edge in head-to-head record against Italy.
      La Roja have won 12, drawn 12 and lost just nine of their matches against the Azzurri.
      And in the 21st Century, they have been even more dominant, winning seven, drawing four and losing only two.

      The two sides last met in World Cup 2018 qualifying with Spain winning 3-0 at the Bernabeu following a 1-1 draw at the Juventus Stadium.
      Those results would turn out to be crucial as Italy finished second in their group and then lost the qualifying play-off to Sweden.
      What are their results in tournaments?
      While Spain enjoy the superior head-to-head record, those stats are flipped on their head for tournament matches.
      The Italians have won four, drawn four and lost just one in World Cup and European Championship games against the Spaniards.
      The two sides first met in the 1934 World Cup when they drew 1-1 in Florence before the Azzurri won the replay 1-0 the following day.
      They would not meet again in tournament football for 46 years, with their next match being a 0-0 draw the San Siro in Euro 1980.
      Eight years later Gianluca Vialli scored the only goal as the Italians triumphed 1-0 in Frankfurt at Euro 88.
      And Roberto Baggio then broke Spanish hearts again when he scored two minutes from the final whistle in Boston to secure a 2-1 victory at World Cup 94.
      Italy triumphed in the teams’ last tournament meeting at Euro 2016Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      14 years later, Spain finally got the better of the Italians by winning on penalties after a 0-0 draw in Vienna at Euro 2008.
      La Roja would go on to win the tournament and numerous squad members stated that the shootout win over Italy was the moment they knew they would lift the trophy.
      The sides would be reacquainted again in the group stage at Euro 2012 when Cesc Fabregas cancelled out a goal from Antonio Di Natale to earn a 1-1 draw in Gdansk.
      Both teams then made it all the way to the final when the result was far more conclusive as Spain ran riot to win 4-0 in Kiev.
      Those results should be a warning to England and Denmark as, statistically, whenever Spain have got the better of Italy they’ve gone on to win a tournament.
      Italy would then earn revenge on Spain in their most recent tournament meeting in Paris.
      Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle bagged the goals as the Antonio Conte’s men ran out 2-0 winners in Paris and ended Spain’s bid for three successive European Championship crowns.

      Which team has won more trophies?
      Spain, along with Germany, are the joint most successful team in the history of the European Championship.
      They won it in 1964 before achieving back-to-back crowns in 2008 and 2012.
      Italy, meanwhile, have only won it once – back in 1968.
      However, Italy are the more successful side in major international tournaments thanks to their incredible World Cup record.
      They won the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006.
      Spain, however, have just one solitary World Cup from South Africa 2010. More

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      Juan Mata’s emotional message to Man Utd team-mate and England’s Euro 2020 hero Luke Shaw from 2019 revealed

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      JUAN MATA’s emotional message of support in 2019 to Manchester United team-mate Luke Shaw has been revealed. Shaw has lived up to Mata’s expectations with a series of outstanding displays during England’s run to the semi-finals of Euro 2020.
      Juan Mata wrote this personal message to Luke Shaw in 2019Credit: Social media
      Manchester United team-mates Shaw and MataCredit: AFP or licensors
      Left-back Shaw produced a sensational performance as England crushed Ukraine in Rome to reach the last-four.
      Shaw provided two assists in the space of less than four minutes as he helped lead England within one game of reaching the European Championship final.
      And United team-mate Mata never doubted Shaw’s talent as he backed him to become a star for club and country.
      Mata signed his book for Shaw with a personal message, predicting the defender would become the best left back in the Premier League.
      It read: “To my friend Luke, you can be the best left-back in the Premier League, believe it!”
      His words have certainly been backed up with Shaw enhancing his reputation during Euro 2020.
      Shaw has made the second most assists at this summer’s tournament, setting up three goals for Gareth Southgate’s side.
      And he has overtaken France legend Zinedine Zidane’s assist haul at a European Championship after his virtuoso display.

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      Shaw is reportedly set to be offered a new contract with United after his exceptional form for England.
      The 25-year-old is contracted at Old Trafford until 2023 with the option of another year.
      But United are keen to offer an extension to Shaw to secure his long-term future.

      Harry Kane vows to avoid repeat of World Cup heartbreak as England face Denmark in Euro 2020 semis More

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      Karim Benzema boards private jet wearing matching Versace tracksuit for holiday after France’s Euro 2020 flop

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      KARIM BENZEMA boarded a private jet dressed in a matching Versace tracksuit as he set off on holiday.The Real Madrid striker failed to get France further than the last 16 in Euro 2020 and is now off for some much needed rest.

      Karim Benzema has jetted off on holiday having crashed out of Euro 2020 with FranceCredit: The Mega Agency
      Benzema, 33, posted a photo of himself climbing the steps to the luxury plane.
      He had matching blue Versace tracksuit bottoms and jacket as he posed for the camera.
      Les Bleus ace Benzema completed the look with a swanky looking watch and a pair of Adidas Yeezys.
      He captioned the post: “Time to rest… here we go. #nueve.”
      It received more than 92,000 likes and 5,800 retweets.
      Lyon born Benzema was a surprise inclusion in France’s squad, having not played for the national team for the previous five years.
      But he could not drive them on to glory as they crashed out in the last 16 to Switzerland on penalties.
      He had not played for the reigning world champions since 2015 following his alleged role in a plot to blackmail Mathieu Valbuena – a claim he denies.

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      Benzema is alleged to have been involved in a plan to blackmail the winger over an X-rated video on his mobile phone.
      The striker is claimed to have acted as a middle-man, convincing Valbuena to deal with the blackmailers himself – with the now-Olympiacos man, 36, instead going to police.
      Benzema’s lawyer, Sylvain Cormier, maintained the striker’s innocence in 2015, saying: “He played no part, I repeat no part, in any blackmail or attempted blackmail.”
      The forward will reportedly go on trial in October, and many – including Arsenal legend and fellow Frenchman Arsene Wenger – had called for him to be recalled to the national team for Euro 2020.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Yarmolenko refuses to let team-mate Yaremchuk shake hands with England ace Harry Maguire in bizarre incident More

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      Liverpool ‘very interested’ in transfer swoop for Portugal’s ex-Swansea flop Renato Sanches with ‘Lille ready to sell’

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      LIVERPOOL are keeping tabs on Renato Sanches and Lille are open to selling the midfielder, reports suggest.Sanches stood out for the Ligue 1 outfit and played a major role in their shock championship triumph last season.
      Lille and Portugal star Renato Sanches has been linked with a move to Liverpool
      The 23-year-old also shone bright during Euro 2020 with Portugal and has reintroduced himself to the world stage following a hapless stint at Bayern Munich, which included a disastrous loan spell at Swansea.
      However, the midfielder’s recent performances have proven he has put the past behind him and is currently attracting interest from a host of Europe’s top bidders.
      According to L’Equipe, Liverpool are among the clubs who are “very interested” in the Portugal international.
      The same source suggests that Arsenal have joined the bidding war as manager Mikel Arteta is looking for someone to team up with Thomas Partey in the middle.
      This comes after Goal reported that Reds manager Jurgen Klopp has drawn a list of potential midfield targets, which includes Sanches as well as Borussia Monchengladbach’s Florian Neuhaus, Aston Villa’s John McGinn, Brighton’s Yves Bissouma and Ajax’s Ryan Gravenberch.
      Lille are reportedly ready to sell the Portuguese ace as they are looking to ‘reduce their workforce’.
      That is why they sold Boubakary Soumare to Leicester, Mike Maignan to AC Milan, Rominigue Kouame to Troyes and Adama Soumaoro to Bologna, while Jose Fonte was released.
      However, the French champions have proven in the past that they know how to get a large sum for their best players.

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      They saw Victor Osimhen move to Napoli for £69.8million and Nicolas Pepe joining Arsenal on a record £72m in the last two summer windows.
      Lille also sold Bissouma and Gunners ace Gabriel Magalhaes for £15.7m and £23.1m respectively.
      The same is expected to happen with Sanches, who could get the opportunity to come back to the Premier League and make up for his woeful stint at Swansea where he only managed 15 appearances.
      ⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog
      Liverpool ‘reach £18m Renato Sanches transfer agreement with Lille – here is why More

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      Yarmolenko refuses to let team-mate Yaremchuk shake hands with England ace Harry Maguire in bizarre incident

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      THIS is the bizarre moment Ukraine captain Andriy Yarmolenko refused to let team-mate Roman Yaremchuk shake hands with Harry Maguire.The West Ham ace intervened as Yaremchuk offered Maguire his hand and made it impossible for him to help the England ace back to his feet.
      Andriy Yarmolenko refused to let his team-mate Roman Yaremchuk shake hands with Harry MaguireCredit: BBC
      The odd incident occurred during England’s 4-0 Euro 2020 win over UkraineCredit: BBC
      West Ham midfielder Yarmolenko was not impressed with the Man Utd aceCredit: BBC
      Maguire was sat on the floor as Yaremchuk offered to help him up.
      The Manchester United centre-back moved his hand away as the pair exchanged words.
      Yaremchuk tried again but as Maguire went to take the hand on offer, Yarmolenko stepped in.
      He shoved Yaremchuk away as the striker shouted at Maguire over his shoulder.
      The referee arrived but Yarmolenko side-stepped him and proceeded to give Maguire a verbal volley while he was still on the ground.
      England were leading 1-0 at the time.
      There were just seconds left in the first half but tensions were already bubbling away with Maguire’s gamesmanship infuriating the Ukrainian pair.
      Harry Kane had put the Three Lions 1-0 up after just four minutes.

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      And just a minute after the break, Maguire leaped like a salmon to thunder a header home.
      Kane doubled his tally with another header on 50 minutes.
      And Jordan Henderson completed the aerial hat-trick when he headed his first ever England goal on 63 minutes and celebrated wildly afterwards.
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