Author: INDEPENDENT

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Bruno Fernandes said the criticism that followed Portugal’s 2-1 defeat by Croatia at the weekend was a reflection of fans’ elevated expectations ahead of Euro 2024.Portugal won all 10 of their qualifiers but their preparations for the June 14 to July 14 tournament in Germany have been far from perfect with losses to Slovenia and Croatia in recent friendlies.“I don’t want anyone to think that we came to this point thinking that everything was done and there…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsDr Michael Mosley said he did not want to die “early” like his father, who lived to 74 years old, in a tragic interview given just before his death at age 67.The TV star died of natural causes last week after he went missing on the Greek island of Symi. His body was found on Sunday in a rocky area near Agia Marina beach.Speaking at the end of April the 67-year-old revealed his healthy lifestyle…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter If you missed Trent Alexander Arnold’s performance against Bosnia and Herzegovina last week, picture Marco van Basten volleying the skin off a high ball from a tight angle into the far corner; picture Hakim Ziyech swerving a 60-yard pass onto his teammate’s big toe; picture Lionel Messi’s invisible throughball to slice open Netherlands. Alexander-Arnold did all of that in one night.Even allowing for a little journalistic hyperbole, and noting that he was up against the plucky but…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsTragic details have continued to emerge about Dr Michael Mosley’s final hours after he disappeared on the Greek island of Symi, with his body discovered five days later. After police officers, firefighters and a helicopter scoured the rocky hillside, he was found at the foot of a fence near a beach bar at the Agia Marina resort. Doctor and broadcaster Michael Mosley was found near a fence on Sunday (Avalon/channel4/PA) (PA Media)His body was discovered…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Manchester United confirmed they had accepted an £80million bid from Real Madrid for Cristiano Ronaldo, on this day in 2009.A world-record deal was expected to be completed by the end of June.Real president Florentino Perez had already vowed to do “everything possible” to sign FIFA world player of the year Ronaldo and – unlike 12 months earlier – United boss Sir Alex Ferguson did not even attempt to talk Ronaldo round, knowing the former Sporting Lisbon forward…

Zelensky says China trying to undermine Ukraine peace summitFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsA Russian military plane has breached Finnish airspace for the first time since the country joined Nato, flying at least 2.5km inside the country’s territory, officials in Finland said.Russia confirmed that it had multiple bombers and missile carriers operating in the Baltic region but did not specifically comment on the alleged airspace breach.Finland’s defence ministry said one of the aircraft entered Finland’s airspace for approximately two minutes…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Real Madrid have officially confirmed that they will partake in Fifa’s expanded Club World Cup despite manager Carlo Ancelotti appearing to rule out such a possibility.The new-look competition is to be played across June and July next year and will include 32 clubs from across the globe instead of the usual seven major league champions. All but three of those 32 slots have been filled, with Real Madrid guaranteed a place as the reigning Champions League winners.…

Local cameraman details spotting body during search for Michael MosleyFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsDoctor Michael Mosley likely died at around 4pm on the day he disappeared, according to the initial findings from the autopsy into his death.Greek media reports say he may have rested just yards away from the safety of a restaurant before collapsing.Initial investigations suggested that foul play was not suspected although the condition of his remains made it difficult to establish the exact cause of death,…

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Interim boss John O’Shea will once again lead the Republic of Ireland in Tuesday evening’s testing friendly against Euro 2024 finalists Portugal.The former Manchester United and Ireland defender, who took charge of March’s friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland, will hope to build upon last week’s 2-1 win over Hungary when he sends his team into battle with Cristiano Ronaldo and company in Aveiro.Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding…

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekdayYour briefing on the latest headlines from across the USAn off-duty security guard in Seattle has been charged with murdering teenage boy who was returning a defective airsoft gun to a sporting goods shopHazrat Ali Rohani, 17, was visiting a Big 5 branch in Renton, Washington with his friends last Wednesday evening when 51-year-old Aaron Brown Myers approached the group with a real gun in his hand, according to court documents.Even though he had not been hired to protect the store and had no authority…