Thomas Muller needs time to decide his international future after Germany s early World Cup exit, the Bayern Munich star said on Sunday.

A surprise defeat to Japan in Germany s opening game in Qatar was followed by a 1-1 draw with Spain, with elimination confirmed despite a 4-2 victory over Costa Rice in their final group match.

It represented the second group-stage elimination in a row for Germany at the World Cup, having fallen at the same hurdle when defending their title in Russia four years ago.

Muller heavily hinted at retirement from Germany duty after the team s latest elimination, and he has now stated he has begun the process of dealing with the events.

Muller posted a lengthy message on Instagram that read: The sting is brutally deep, felt deep…

Market: Cape Verde win

Odds: 2/5 @

Getting their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign back underway on Thursday evening, Cape Verde will welcome Botswana to Praia.

Starting with the hosts, while Cape Verde might have got their qualifying adventure underway with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of African giants Egypt last month, the Blue Sharks claimed an immediate response. Getting their first victory on the board as they clinched a routine 2-0 victory at home against Mauritania, Bubista’s camp should take plenty of positives away from what has been an eye-catching run since opening 2024. Despite suffering Africa Cup of Nations heartbreak back in February as they fell to a penalties defeat against South Africa at the quarter-final stage, Thursday’s hosts have…

Nick Pope made some superb saves and Alexandre Lacazette missed an open goal as Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw by lowly Burnley at Emirates Stadium.

Playing in the Premier League for the first time since a defeat to Manchester City on January 1, Arsenal could have moved into the top four with a victory over a side that had conceded six goals across their last two away games.

Yet Pope s resistance and Lacazette s profligacy saw Sean Dyche s team come away with a potentially vital point in their bid to stay up.

Mikel Arteta s side, meanwhile, are now without a win in five games in all competitions as they failed to bounce back from their EFL Cup loss to Liverpool.

Aaron Ramsdale was somewhat caught cold for Liverpool s goals in Thursday s defeat, but Arsen…

Leeds United are on the verge of signing Joe Rodon from Tottenham Hotspur on a permanent contract, according to David Anderson.

The Daily Mirror journalist has claimed that Rodon, who spent last season on loan at Championship club Leeds on loan from Premier League side Tottenham, will cost £10 million in transfer fees.

Anderson wrote on : “Joe Rodon is returning to Leeds from Tottenham in a permanent £10m deal as Archie Gray inches closer to completing his move to Spurs which willl be worth a potential £40m.”

Rodon made 45 starts and one substitute appearance in the Championship for Leeds last season. The Wales international central defender also made four appearances in the FA Cup.

Leeds are aiming to finish in the top two of the Championship tab…

Manchester United have an opportunity to prove their Premier League title pedigree with victory in Sunday s match at Liverpool, according to full-back Luke Shaw.

Erik ten Hag s side trail Arsenal by 11 points ahead of the leaders match against Bournemouth on Saturday, with the Red Devils also holding a game in hand.

United are still in the hunt for three more trophies this season, having already won the EFL Cup last week, but they realistically cannot afford to drop any points at Anfield.

Having been talked up as outside title challengers, Shaw wants United to lay down a further marker with a first league win away at Liverpool since 2016.

They re always big, big games, Shaw told Premier League Productions. I think if we want to be challenging for the tit…

Ellen White has hailed Sarina Wiegman as “a proven winner” and tipped the England manager to guide the country to World Cup glory this summer in Australia and New Zealand.

White – the Lionesses’ all-time leading goalscorer – talked up Wiegman’s impact and admitted she is “fascinated” by her former boss as England’s opening group game of the tournament against Haiti rapidly approaches.

And after winning last year’s European Championship, Wiegman is looking to make it consecutive wins in major tournaments this summer.

“It would be unheard of wouldn’t it? (winning the World Cup),” White said.

“She (Wiegman) won the Euros in 2017 with the Netherlands, she got to the final in 2019, she won the Euros with England and what if she went…

Ousmane Dembele has told Barcelona that he wants to leave to join Paris St Germain, according to manager Xavi.

The Ligue 1 side have made the 26-year-old an offer that Barca “cannot match” and he has informed his manager that he wishes to move.

The France international has a £43million release clause in his contract which PSG have reportedly triggered, shortly before the terms of his deal stipulated the figure would rise to £86m.

Xavi: “Dembélé came and told me he wanted to leave. He has an offer from PSG that we cannot match.”

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)

Talks have taken place between the parties and Dembele has made up his mind that his future lies away from Barca, whom he joined from Borussia Dortmund for £125m in 2017.

…

World Cup chief Hassan Al-Thawadi admits improvements have to happen after estimating between 400 and 500 migrant workers died working on projects related to Qatar 2022.

The awarding of the competition to the Gulf state in 2010 has only grown more controversial in the years since due to its chequered past on human rights issues, its treatment of migrant workers and the illegality of homosexuality.

The official count for those to have died on World Cup sites is 37 among non-work related deaths and three from work-related accidents. However, it was reported by The Guardian last year the overall figure may surpass 6,500 deaths.

FIFA has constantly reiterated it is fully committed to protecting the rights of workers on projects such as constructing stadia, while pres…

Rob Edwards has called on Luton to play “like our lives depend on it” in Tuesday’s Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final second leg against Sunderland.

The Hatters’ dreams of reaching the Premier League for the first time in their history suffered a setback on Saturday after Sunderland hit back from an early deficit to claim a 2-1 win at the Stadium of Light.

And Luton boss Edwards has stressed the need for his side to combine a red-hot desire with ice-cold thinking if they are to book a place in the play-off final against either Middlesbrough or Coventry at Wembley later this month.

Ready to go again tomorrow. |

— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown)

“We have got to be calm because we need 11 players on the pitch, but we need fire and th…

Joe Hart says there is no point in England going to Euro 2016 without the conviction that they can win the tournament.

Roy Hodgson s side qualified with a perfect record of 10 wins from 10 and will face Russia, Wales and Slovakia in Group B in the finals in France.

England have only reached the semi-final stage of the European Championship once when they were beaten by Germany on home soil in 1996 and their triumph at the 1966 World Cup remains their only major trophy win.

Hart, however, insists the team are full of confidence heading into this year s tournament.

We ll have to go for it. We ve got three weeks to mould ourselves, know each other inside out and be ready to hit the ground running, he told BBC Sport.

We believe it, there s no point …