DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo's precision. Lionel Messi's vision. The speed and power of the original Ronaldo — the one from Brazil.
Kylian Mbappé is elevating his performance to a new dimension at the World Cup.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — France, the reigning World Cup champions, has been warned by coach Didier Deschamps not to underestimate Poland and star Robert Lewandowski in the knockout round Sunday.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Even without the injured Karim Benzema, defending World Cup champion France has plenty of attacking power.
PARIS (AP) — France coach Didier Deschamps picked central defenders Raphael Varane and Prensel Kimpembe, but left out standout goalkeeper Mike Maignan in a World Cup squad announced Wednesday amid injury concerns.
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — France midfielder Boubacar Kamara has been ruled out of the World Cup after sustaining knee ligament damage.
Kamara was injured while playing for Aston Villa in a 1-0 win against Southampton this month.
PARIS (AP) — Amid mounting injuries and off-field problems, France coach Didier Deschamps has one less thing to worry about heading into the World Cup: Aurélien Tchouaméni looks a very good option to start in midfield.
PARIS (AP) — France's last competitive soccer games before the World Cup should be a chance for coach Didier Deschamps to test his best team.
But as France prepares to play Austria in the Nations League on Thursday, tension hangs over the defending champion because of ongoing issues off the field.
PARIS (AP) — A host of injuries have struck France in the leadup to a pair of Nations League matches later this week.
The French football federation on Tuesday added Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne to a long list of injured players ahead of matches against Austria and Denmark.
PARIS (AP) — The French football federation and Kylian Mbappé have toned down their dispute over the use of image rights.
A few hours after the Paris Saint-Germain star said he would boycott a photo session with his teammates, the federation said in a statement late Monday that it will “revise, as soon as possible, the agreement on image rights that binds it to its national team players."
PARIS (AP) — Marseille midfielder Jordan Veretout was called up Saturday for France’s Nations League matches as a replacement for the injured Boubacar Kamara, the day after Kamara had replaced Adrien Rabiot.
PARIS (AP) — Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara was summoned on Friday for France's Nations League matches as a replacement for the injured Adrien Rabiot, only to get injured himself on English Premier League duty hours later.
PARIS (AP) — Olivier Giroud gets another chance to close in on France's scoring record after being recalled by coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday.
Giroud needs three goals to equal Thierry Henry's record tally of 51, and has a chance to stake a late claim for a place in the World Cup squad.
PARIS (AP) — Paul Pogba's knee injury could save France coach Didier Deschamps from having to make a painful choice.
For the midfielder's fitness could prove to be the determining factor in deciding whether he plays at the World Cup, amid an extortion scandal that threatens to disrupt France's preparations for the tournament in Qatar.
PARIS (AP) — Antoine Griezmann's alarming drop in form means his starting place for France at the World Cup is under threat from Christopher Nkunku.
If Griezmann’s struggles continue in two international matches in September, coach Didier Deschamps could select Leipzig’s Nkunku when France begins its title defense in Qatar two months later.
A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Monday:
NATIONS LEAGUE
Defending champion France is under big pressure as it hosts Croatia in a must-win game at Stade de France. Les Bleus have picked up just two points from the first three games in League A, where only the group winner makes it to the Final Four and the last-place team gets relegated.
SPLIT, Croatia (AP) — Titleholder France failed to rebound from its opening defeat in the Nations League after it was held by Croatia to 1-1 on Monday.
Midfielder Adrien Rabiot broke the deadlock after the break and substitute Andrej Kramarić equalized from the spot late for Croatia not to lose to France for the first time in 11 years.
PARIS (AP) — Veteran forward Olivier Giroud was left out of the France squad and uncapped Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara summoned on Thursday for Nations League games.
AC Milan striker Giroud, who is on the verge of winning the Italian league, is only three behind Thierry Henry's national scoring record of 51 goals.
It's been more than three years since Dimitri Payet last played in a France shirt. At 35, his best years are behind him and his legs get tired quicker than they used to.
But with one last chance to play at a World Cup, Payet is doing everything to earn a seat on the plane that will carry the defending champions to Qatar in November.
There couldn't be a better moment for Jonathan Clauss to return to the club which once thought he was not ready for the roughness of the game.
It has been a long road, but the 29-year-old Lens right back ultimately made it to the top level, getting a first taste of international soccer with France’s national team over the past few days.
PARIS (AP) — AC Milan forward Olivier Giroud has been called up to France's national squad for upcoming friendly matches as a replacement for the injured Karim Benzema.
The French football federation said Saturday that Benzema has been ruled out because of a left calf injury.
PARIS (AP) — Lens defender Jonathan Clauss and Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku received their first call-ups to France's national team on Thursday.
Clauss and Nkunku were included in France coach Didier Deschamps' 23-man list of players for upcoming friendly matches.
PARIS (AP) — With Raphael Varane out injured for a few weeks, France coach Didier Deschamps recalled Kurt Zouma on Thursday for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
MILAN (AP) — After a difficult few months, France will be hoping its Nations League victory over Belgium is the spark of a recovery heading into the final against Spain in Milan on Sunday.
An incredible comeback in Turin on Thursday saw France recover from two goals down to beat Belgium 3-2 thanks to a last-minute strike from Theo Hernández.
TURIN, Italy (AP) — Kylian Mbappé redeemed himself with a goal and an assist as France came from two goals down to beat Belgium 3-2 Thursday and reach the Nations League final.
Theo Hernández scored the last-minute winner to complete the comeback and send world champion France through to Sunday’s final against Spain.
MILAN (AP) — Two of the European Championship’s biggest disappointments face each other Thursday in the Nations League semifinal in Turin.
Kylian Mbappé and the France team are looking for redemption in the Nations League, much like its opponent Belgium.
GENEVA (AP) — After Didier Deschamps and Roberto Martinez opposed the plan for a World Cup every two years, Dragan Stojković joined the list on Saturday of European national-team coaches disagreeing with FIFA.
GENEVA (AP) — The president of the soccer federation of men’s World Cup champion France said Friday he is not opposed to FIFA’s push to play the tournament every two years, despite widespread European resistance to the plan.
PARIS (AP) — France coach Didier Deschamps again left out veteran striker Olivier Giroud on Thursday for the Nations League semifinal match against Belgium next week.
Giroud turned 35 on Thursday and is second on France's all-time scoring list with 46 goals, close behind Thierry Henry's record of 51.
PARIS (AP) — Coach Didier Deschamps announced France’s squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers on Thursday with four new players and no place for veteran striker Olivier Giroud.
Giroud is the France team’s second highest scorer with 46 goals, but the 34-year-old AC Milan forward lost his place to Karim Benzema at the European Championship.
The Latest on soccer’s European Championship:
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Belgium held Cristiano Ronaldo scoreless and defeated defending champion Portugal 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals of the European Championship.
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Winning the toughest group at the European Championship wasn’t really a big surprise for the World Cup champions. Winning only one match in that group was, though.
Regardless, it was still enough for France to finish first in Group F and set up a match against Switzerland on Monday in the round of 16.
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — France advanced without kicking a ball, and Portugal can move on as well even with a loss on Wednesday.
Hardly the heavyweight showdown many had hoped for in a match pitting defending champion Portugal against World Cup champion France, and Cristiano Ronaldo against Kylian Mbappe.
MUNICH (AP) — Greenpeace has apologized and Munich police are investigating after a protester parachuted into the stadium and injured two people before Germany’s game against France at the European Championship.
MUNICH (AP) — Mats Hummels’ return to the national team went better for France than it did for Germany.
The experienced defender was recalled by Germany coach Joachim Löw for the European Championship for his leadership qualities, but he ended up scoring an own-goal Tuesday to give France a 1-0 victory.
MUNICH (AP) — Several spectators were treated in the hospital for injuries caused by a protestor who parachuted into the stadium before France played Germany at the European Championship, UEFA said Tuesday.
PARIS (AP) — French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu on Wednesday welcomed the return of striker Karim Benzema to the country's national team following a long exile.
In a surprise move Tuesday, France coach Didier Deschamps recalled Benzema after nearly six years out because of his links to the “sex tape scandal." The Real Madrid forward was included in the coach's 26-man squad for this year's European Championship.
PARIS (AP) — France coach Didier Deschamps recalled forward Karim Benzema after nearly six years out for his alleged part in a “sex tape" scandal, including the Real Madrid star in his squad for the European Championship.
ZURICH (AP) — Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte is switching from France to Spain ahead of the European Championship.
FIFA said Friday it approved the switch of eligibility after the French soccer federation consented to the Spanish federation’s request.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United striker Anthony Martial could miss the rest of the season because of a left knee injury, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said Sunday...