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    What is Belgium’s national anthem called, and what are the lyrics in English?

    BELGIUM’S national anthem La Brabanconne is sung in three languages, has three verses – and at the Euros this Summer all eyes will be on three of their key players.The trio of Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku hope to fire Belgium to their first major trophy – after they finished third at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

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    Belgium got their campaign off to a superb start with a 3-0 winCredit: Getty
    And after quarter-final disappointment at Euro 2016 the Red Devils will be hoping their holy trinity can help their golden generation deliver on a golden promise.
    What are the lyrics to La Brabanconne?
    Verse 1Noble Belgique, ô mère chérie,À toi nos cœurs, à toi nos bras,À toi notre sang, ô Patrie !Nous le jurons tous, tu vivras !Tu vivras toujours grande et belleEt ton invincible unitéAura pour devise immortelle :Le Roi, la Loi, la Liberté!
    Verse 2O dierbaar België, O heilig land der Vaad’ren,Onze ziel en ons hart zijn u gewijd.Aanvaard ons kracht en het bloed van onze ad’ren,Wees ons doel in arbeid en in strijd.Bloei, o land, in eendracht niet te breken;Wees immer uzelf en ongeknecht,Het woord getrouw, dat g’ onbevreesd moogt spreken,Voor Vorst, voor Vrijheid en voor Recht!
    Verse 3O liebes Land, o Belgiens Erde,Dir unser Herz, Dir unsere Hand,Dir unser Blut, o Heimaterde,wir schwören’s Dir, o Vaterland!So blühe froh in voller Schöne,zu der die Freiheit Dich erzog,und fortan singen Deine Söhne:Gesetz und König und die Freiheit hoch!

    What are the lyrics in English?
    Verse 1Noble Belgium; O, mother dear;To you we stretch our hearts and arms,With blood to spill for you, O fatherland!We swear with one cry, you shall live!You shall live, so great and beautiful,And your invincible unityShall have for device immortal:The King, the Law, the Liberty!
    Verse 2O dear Belgium; O, holy land of the fathers,Our soul and our heart are devoted to you!Accept our strength and the blood in our veins,Be our goal, in work and struggle.Prosper, O land, in unbreakable unity;Always be yourself and serve no other,Faithful to the word that you may speak boldly,For King, for Freedom and for Law!
    Verse 3O, dear country; O, Belgium’s soil;To you our heart, to you our hands,To you our blood; O, native land,We swear to you; O, fatherland!So gladly bloom in beauty full,Into what freedom has taught you to be,And evermore shall sing your sons:To Law and King and Freedom, hail! More

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    What is Turkey’s national anthem called, and what are the lyrics in English?

    TURKEY continue their Euro 2020 adventure against Wales – but there’s nothing they like more than a little bit of competition.Take their national anthem for example – it was put together in 1930 using the best of 724 poems submitted as part of a national contest.

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    Turkey are going for glory at Euro 2020 this summerCredit: Getty
    And instead of turning to a musical maestro they simply launched another competition to find the melody.
    Turkey will be hoping to pull the strings against the Welsh – but in reality could be left singing the blues at the end of 90 minutes.
    What are the lyrics to İstiklal Marşı?
    Verse 1Korkma, sönmez bu safaklarda yüzen al sancak;Sönmeden yurdumun üstünde tüten en son ocak.O benim milletimin yildizidir parlayacak;O benimdir, o benim milletimindir ancak.
    Verse 2Çatma, kurban olayim çehreni ey nazli hilal!Kahraman irkima bir gül! ne bu siddet bu celal?Sana olmaz dökülen kanlarimiz sonra helal,Hakkidir, Hak’ka tapan, milletimin istiklal!

    What are the lyrics in English?
    Verse 1Fear not, the crimson flag, waving in these dawns will never fadeBefore the last hearth that is burning in my nation vanishes.That is my nation’s star, it will shine;That is mine, it belongs solely to my nation.
    Verse 2Oh coy crescent do not frown for I am ready to sacrifice myself for you!Please smile upon my heroic nation, why that anger, why that rage?If you frown, our blood shed for you will not be worthy.Freedom is the right of my nation who worships God and seeks what is right. More

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    Are Euro 2020 groups decided by head-to-head or on goal difference?

    THIS summer’s Euros is underway with 24 teams battling against each other to earn the right to be European champions. All 24 teams have been divided into six groups of four, and each team will play three group games.
    Patrick Schick scores for Czech Republic against ScotlandCredit: PA
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    The top two teams go straight through to the knockout stages of the competition.
    But they will also be joined by four of the best 3rd placed teams.
    Portugal back in 2016, finished 3rd in their group behind both Hungary and Iceland, but qualified for the knockout stages and even went on to win the competition!
    But are the group stages sorted by goal difference or head-to-head? Well, we’ve got you covered.
    Are Euro 2020 groups sorted by goal difference or head-to-head?
    If two or more teams finish level on points after having played all three group stage games, head-to-head record will decide which team finishes higher.
    This means that if three teams finish level on points, their position in the group will be decided exclusively on results against each other, with games against the fourth team being almost irrelevant.

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    Goal difference will only come into play if teams can’t be separated by their head-to-head record.
    The head-to-head system is used to sort teams level on points across all Uefa competitions.
    This is in contrast to the World Cup, and all Fifa competitions, in which goal difference sorts teams level on points. More

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    Wales national anthem lyrics: Land of Our Fathers, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau words for Euro 2020 and Six Nations

    THERE are few national anthems in the world that are sung with the pride and ferocity of Wales’ Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.The song, which translates into English as ‘Land of my Fathers’, is one of the most recognisable in global sport – not least international rugby and football matches.
    Gareth Bale sings the Welsh National AnthemCredit: AP:Associated Press
    The Welsh national anthem will be belted out with more pride than ever during their Rugby World Cup campaignCredit: Reuters
    What are the lyrics to Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau in Welsh?
    USUALLY only the first verse and the chorus is sung at sporting events, but we’ve included the whole lot for you lot keen enough to see the whole thing.
    Verse 1 
    Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,
    Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;
    Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad,
    Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed.
    Chorus
    Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i’m gwlad.
    Tra môr yn fur i’r bur hoff bau,
    O bydded i’r hen iaith barhau.
    Fans raise the roof during a rousing renditionCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
    Verse 2
    Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd,
    Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn, i’m golwg sydd hardd;
    Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si
    Ei nentydd, afonydd, i mi.
    Verse 3
    Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwlad tan ei droed,
    Mae hen iaith y Cymru mor fyw ag erioed,
    Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad,
    Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.
    What are the lyrics in English?
    OBVIOUSLY with the anthem being sung in Welsh, this is only the translation and won’t be belted out during the Six Nations like this.
    But it’s good know what the lyrics mean – and they’re suitably patriotic.
    Verse 1
    This land of my fathers is dear to me,
    Land of poets and singers, and people of stature,
    Her brave warriors, fine patriots,
    Shed their blood for freedom.
    Chorus
    Land! Land! I am true to my land!
    As long as the sea serves as a wall for this pure, dear land.
    May the language endure for ever. More

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    Euro 2020 venues: How many fans are allowed in each stadium, and why is the Puskas Arena in Budapest full?

    EURO 2020 is in full swing after an excruciating wait.And fans watching on the box will have noticed varying attendances across the eleven host cities.
    Wembley will be one of the main venues for Euro 2020Credit: Reuters
    Which cities are hosting Euro 2020?
    This summer’s competition will be hosted in 11 different cities, down from the original 12.
    The stadiums hosting the competition are as follows:

    Wembley Stadium – London, England
    Allianz Arena – Munich, Germany
    Stadio Olimpico – Rome, Italy
    Olympic Stadium – Baku, Azerbaijan
    Krestovsky Stadium – Saint Petersburg, Russia
    Arena Nationala – Bucharest, Romania
    Johan Cruyff Arena – Amsterdam, Holland
    Estadio de la Cartuja – Sevilla, Spain
    Puskas Arena – Budapest, Hungary
    Hampden Park – Glasgow, Scotland
    Parken Stadium – Copenhagen, Denmark

    How many Euro 2020 games are in England?
    Eight. Wembley will host all three England group games, two round of 16 games, two semi-finals and the final.
    How many Euro 2020 games are in Scotland?
    Four. Hampden Park will have two of Scotland’s games and the Croatia vs Czech Republic group game.
    The Glasgow stadium will also host the final round-of-16 game.

    Which countries are still hosting Euro 2020 and how many fans will they allow?
    The following countries are hosting the competition.
    ENGLAND
    Wembley Stadium, London (90,000 capacity)
    Wembley is set to host the Euro 2020 final
    Wembley is set to host all England’s group matches, plus the Euro 2020 semi-final and final.
    The FA have committed to hold their group games at a 25 per cent capacity.
    However, this is likely to increase for the semi-final and final, with talk of a 50 per cent, or even a full capacity for those games.
    The National Stadium will also host the last 16 match initially scheduled for Dublin, which will involve England if they win their group.
    Fans must show a negative Covid test or proof of two doses of an approved vaccine to enter.
    SCOTLAND
    Hampden Park, Glasgow (51,866 capacity)
    Scotland has given Hampden Park the go-ahead for Euro 2020 matchesCredit: PA:Press Association
    After months of speculation, the Scottish FA confirmed that Scotland would be able to host Euro 2020.
    Hampden Park is the venue for two of Scotland’s Euro 2020 group games, plus Croatia’s match against the Czech Republic and one last 16 match.
    It will host games at a 25 per cent capacity.
    Fans in Scotland will not need a ‘vaccine passport’ to enter games at Hampden, but social distancing will be 1.5 metres compared to one metre in England.
    AZERBAIJAN
    Olympic Stadium, Baku (68,700 capacity)
    Baku will host matches at a 50 per cent capacityCredit: Reuters
    Azerbaijan is hosting all three Group A matches not involving Italy, as well as a quarter-final.
    All matches will be held at a 50 per cent capacity.
    DENMARK
    Parken Stadium, Copenhagen (38,065 capacity)
    Copenhagen was the first city to announce it would host Euro 2020 games with fansCredit: Getty – Contributor
    Copenhagen is hosting all three of Denmark’s group matches, plus one last 16 match.
    The Danish capital was the first city to announce in 2021 that it would host Euro 2020 with fans.
    Just stays before their opening match, the Danish FA announced an increase to a 65 per cent capacity for Copenhagen’s games.
    RUSSIA
    Krestovsky Stadium, St Petersburg (68,134 capacity)
    Russia has been holding matches with fans throughout this seasonCredit: AP:Associated Press
    St Petersburg is hosting two of Russia’s three home group games, plus Finland vs Belgium and one quarter-final.
    In addition, it has been handed the three group games that were set to be hosted by Dublin.
    All matches will be played at a minimum 50 per cent capacity.
    Russia has been holding matches at half full stadiums throughout this season, while most of Europe has been playing behind closed doors due to coronavirus.
    ROMANIA
    Arena Nationala, Bucharest (55,600 capacity)
    Romania did not qualify for Euro 2020 but the Arena Nationala will still host gamesCredit: Getty
    Romania failed to qualify for Euro 2020 but their national stadium will still host three matches from Group C and one last 16 match.
    Games at the Arena Nationala was set to host at a capacity of 25-33 per cent.
    However, the Romanian Sports Minister on Thursday, June 10 announced an increase to 50 per cent.
    HOLLAND
    Johan Cruyff Arena (56,000 capacity)
    Amsterdam will be hosting all Holland’s Euro 2020 group gamesCredit: Getty – Contributor
    Netherlands was the second country to announce it would host Euro 2020 games, following Denmark.
    All Holland’s group games, as well as a last 16 game, are being hosted at the Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam with a 25-33 per cent capacity able to attend.
    The country began piloting matches with fans back in March, with the Netherlands’ World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
    HUNGARY
    Puskas Arena, Budapest (67,215 capacity)
    Budapest is expecting to host games at full capacityCredit: Getty
    Budapest will host two of Hungary’s three group matches, plus a repeat of the Euro 2016 final between Portugal and France.
    It will also host one last 16 match.
    The Hungarian capital is the only city to announce that games will be hosted at full capacity, subject to strict entry requirements.
    67,000 fans are packing in for the game between Portugal and Hungary.
    Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been keen to showcase his country on the world stage and reports suggest he has pushed to make sure there is a full crowd in the Puskas Arena.
    He said last Friday: “Everyone who is registered [to come the match] will definitely have been vaccinated, and with their vaccination card will have the opportunity to take part in this event.”
    You may remember that the same stadium was used to host Champions League matches in the latter stages of the tournament.
    The Hungarian FA have hailed the countries vaccine rollout and claimed they want to give “lifetime experience to as many Hungarian fans as possible”.
    ITALY
    Stadio Olimpico, Rome (72,698 capacity)
    Rome has given Uefa the assurances it needsCredit: EPA
    Italy was given extra time by Uefa to confirm that it could host fans at Euro 2020.
    And the Stadio Olimpico in Rome has announced that it will host games at a 25 per cent capacity.
    Rome will host all of Italy’s group matches and a quarter-final which could involve England.
    GERMANY
    Allianz Arena (70,000 capacity)
    Munich was the last of the original host cities to agree to host the tournamentCredit: Getty
    The last of the original host cities to be announced – Munich was only confirmed on April 23.
    The German city has committed to host matches in front of a minimum of 14,500 fans – a 20 per cent capacity – the lowest of all the host cities.
    It will show all Germany group games and a quarter-final.
    SPAIN
    Estadio de la Cartuja, Seville (60,000)
    Seville is a last minute addition as a Euro 2020 co-hostCredit: Reuters
    A last minute addition, Seville will host the games that would have been held in Bilbao after the Spanish FA deemed the Basque Government’s conditions for hosting matches there “impossible” to meet.
    The stadium is well prepared to host games, having been the Spanish FA’s de facto home during the pandemic.
    Estadio de la Cartuja has hosted all Spain games, two Copa del Rey finals and the Spanish Super Cup in the past 12 months.
    Euro 2020 games there will be played at a 30 per cent capacity.
    Which cities have been removed from hosting Euro 2020?
    The following countries failed to give Uefa the assurances they need to host Euro 2020.
    IRELAND
    Aviva Stadium, Dublin (51,700 capacity)
    Dublin is the most likely city to miss out on hosting Euro 2020Credit: PA
    Dublin will miss out on Euro 2020 after failing to give Uefa guarantees that any fans will be allowed to attend matches.
    The Irish capital was set to host three Group E matches and a last 16 game that may well have ended up involving England.
    The three group matches it would have hosted have gone to St Petersburg while the last 16 match will be held at Wembley.
    SPAIN
    San Mames, Bilbao (53,322 capacity)
    The Spanish FA have refused to back Bilbao’s submission to UefaCredit: Reuters
    Bilbao did commit to meet Uefa’s minimum requirement of a 25 per cent capacity, however the Spanish FA refused to back their submission due to the conditions attached.
    The Basque government had stated that it would be able to host games provided 60 per cent of the Basque country and the rest of Spain had been vaccinated and less than two per cent of those in hospital were coronavirus patients.
    But the Spanish FA labelled these conditions “impossible” to meet.
    As a result, Seville will host the matches that were set for Bilbao.

    Will any cities allow fans of other countries to travel?
    The following countries are set to allow away fans to travel.
    AZERBAIJAN
    Azerbaijan has announced that fans of all travelling teams (Wales, Turkey, Switzerland and the two Baku quarter-finalists) will be able to submit a negative PCR test to enter the country instead of quarantining.
    This offer only applies to citizens or residents of the participating countries.
    RUSSIA
    St Petersburg is considering offering exemptions to entry requirements for all foreign residents with match tickets and a negative Covid test.
    However, a final decision has not yet been confirmed.
    HUNGARY
    Foreign ticket holders looking to attend games in Budapest must provide evidence of two negative Covid tests taken in the five days before entering Hungary.
    The Hungarian government will also accept a certificate of previous Covid infection in the 6 months before entering the country.
    ROMANIA
    Romania is considering providing an exemption to quarantine for foreign ticket holders for games in Bucharest.
    This will apply to those who provide proof of a negative Covid test and restrict their stay in Romania to three days or less.
    DENMARK
    3000 Finland fans were allowed into the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen for their Euro 2020 opener against Denmark.
    ENGLAND*
    England will allow Scotland fans to attend the game against the Three Lions at Wembley.
    However, this trip would not involve crossing a border and no exemption is set to apply to fans of Croatia and the Czech Republic from overseas.
    The FA are also reportedly considering allowing fans of the semi-finalists and finalists attend games under a bubble arrangement.
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    Who is Turkey vs Wales referee Artur Soares Dias and what other Euro 2020 matches is he officiating?

    ARTUR SOARES DIAS has been selected as a referee for this summer’s Euro 2020.The Portuguese had served as a VAR official at the 2018 World Cup, so comes into the tournament having been at a big one.
    Artur Soares Dias refereed England’s match against Brazil in 2017Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd
    Who is Artur Soares Dias?
    Soares Dias has been refereeing since 2010.
    The star refereed England’s friendly match against Brazil in November 2017, which ended 0-0.
    He kept his cards close to his chest that night and only booked Jake Livermore for a late tackle on Neymar.

    The 41-year-old has been used an additional assistant referee for several Champions League games.
    He refereed a number of Europa League matches during the 2012/13 season.
    In 2017, the Portuguese official and his family received death threats before he was due to officiate the Primeira Liga match between Paco de Ferreira and FC Porto.
    Artur Soares Dias is refereeing at Euro 2020Credit: AFP
    What other matches will he be refereeing at Euro 2020?
    Dias has yet to receive his matches for the next round of fixtures.
    The tournament concludes on July 11. More

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    What is the offside rule in football, and what is best way to explain it?

    THE offside law is one of the most fundamental rules of football.But at times can be the most controversial ruling that can change the course of a club or countries fortunes with the raising or not of an assistant referees flag.
    The assistant referee will raise their flag to make the referee, players and the fans aware a player is in an offside positionCredit: Getty Images
    The interpretation of the offside rule has changed over the decades to help the attacking team, however the essential body of the ruling has never changed.
    The offside law dates back to football rules made by English public schools in the nineteenth century.
    So what is the offside law and how has it been enforced over the decades?
    Here’s SunSport’s look at the rule and how it works.
    West Broms James Morrison and Liverpool’s James Milner speak to assistant referee as goal disallowed for offsideCredit: Reuters
    So what exactly is the offside rule?
    The laws of football state that a player will be offside if the ball is played forward to them in the opposing teams half, and there no opposing player between them and the opposing goalkeeper during this sequence of play.
    Being in an offside position is not an offence in itself, the moment the player in the offside position plays the ball or attempts to play the ball, then they will be seen as “actively involved in play” and that is when the offence occurs.
    A player can also be flagged offside if the ball is played to them from their own half and the player is standing in the opposing half the moment the ball is played.
    What happens after offside is called?
    Being ruled offside on a football pitch is an offence, but there no individual player punishment for being caught out.
    A player will be flagged but the only sanction is the ball is given to your opponents to restart play in the form of a free kick in their own half of the pitch.
    A player can only be judged to be in an offside position if they are in the opponents half when the ball is played forward.
    Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson arguing with officials after flag raised for offsideCredit: Getty Images
    So when is a player not offside on the pitch?
    A player cannot be offside if they receive the ball in their own half from a team mate or an opposing player.
    An attacking player cannot be ruled offside if an opposing player passes them the ball in the opposing teams half of the pitch.
    If a player is in the opponents half of the pitch and the ball is played backwards to them, regardless of if there are any opposing players between them and the goalkeeper, they are onside and play should continue.
    Regardless of position, there is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, corner kick or a throw-in.

    So has the offside law changed over the years?
    The law has changed to adapt to changes in the game over time to make it more entertaining, understanding for fans and to allow attacking players more opportunities to score goals.
    The game law makers IFAB (International Football Association Board) have adjusted the rule saying a player will be considered to be offside they make a clear attempt to play the ball, be close to the ball and have an impact on the opponent, or to make an obvious action to have an impact of the opponents.
    In other words if you are offside you have to stay still and allow play to continue while you move back into an onside position.
    And now with VAR in play, offside is more clear-cut than it used to be. More

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    Who are Gary Lineker’s ex-wives Danielle Bux and Michelle Cockayne?

    BBC PRESENTER and former professional footballer Gary Lineker is a two-time divorcee to ex-wives Danielle Bux and Michelle Cockayne.Lineker, now 60, married Michelle, now 55, in 1986 and the couple spent 20 years together before going their separate ways in 2006.
    Lineker and Cockayne pictured in 2001Credit: Alamy
    The former couple met when Michelle was 14 and Gary Lineker was an 18-year-old reserve for Leicester City, his home town club.
    Do they have any children?
    They have four sons together, George, 29, Harry, 27, Tobias, 25 and Angus, 23.
    Lineker is very close to his sons, even quitting his role as Champions League presenter for BT Sport to follow Leicester in Europe next season with his four boys.
    Gary Lineker (centre) with sons (from left to right) Angus, Harry, George and TobiasCredit: Splash News
    Why did Gary Lineker and Michelle Cockayne split up?
    The pair’s 20-year-marriage was over in a quick divorce in 2006, on the grounds of Gary’s “unreasonable behaviour.”
    Cockayne claimed that the Match of the Day host had caused her “stress and anxiety” and a judge accepted that his behaviour had irretrievably broken down their marriage.
    Gary Lineker and first wife Michelle Cockayne pictured in 1986
    After splitting from Michelle Cockayne Gary wedded Welsh actress and model Danielle Bux (who is nineteen years his junior) in 2009, with whom he spent seven years married to.
    Why did Gary Lineker and Danielle Bux split up?
    In the past Lineker has revealed that he split from his second wife Danielle because he did not want any more children and she did.
    However in 2019 Lineker told The Mirror that he and Danielle still stay in touch, even describing her as his “best friend.”
    She has since re-married to Nate Greenwald with whom she has a daughter Romy, born in 2017.
    Lineker and second wife Danielle pictured at Wimbledon in 2015

    Gary Lineker is fronting the BBC’s coverage of Euro 2020, and also presents the BBC’s coverage of the FA Cup, major football tournaments and BBC Sports Personality Of The Year.
    The 60-year-old is also host of Match of the Day, a programme he first presented over twenty years ago in 1999.
    As a professional Lineker scored 48 goals in 80 appearances for England between 1984 and 1992 and was also top scorer at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
    Lineker played 194 times for Leicester between 1978 and 1985 More