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  • 2026 World Cup: France in Pot 1 for the qualifying draw on December 13

    Thanks to their status as quarter-finalists in the Nations League, Les Bleus are protected for this draw.

    The summer of 2026 is still far away, but it is getting very close. In any case, it will enter the minds of the players of the French team, who will defend their World Cup final, reached in December 2022 against Argentina. 

    On December 13, the first step: the draw for the qualifiers. The procedure and the seedings were made official this Thursday, and the Blues will be protected.

    Because logically, they are part of pot 1. Winners in 2018, finalists in 2022, Didier Deschamps’ men will therefore avoid all the European big names for the qualifiers. The eight quarter-finalists of the Nations League are in this first pot, and are joined by the four European nations best placed in the FIFA world rankings: England, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria. This same ranking determined the composition of the other four pots.

    Twelve groups will therefore be drawn on December 13. While the Blues will avoid strong teams like Spain, England or Germany, they will still be able to meet Ukraine, Turkey, Greece or Norway. Only the top teams in each group will qualify directly for the competition.

    The draw pots:

    Pot 1: France, Spain, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Croatia, Switzerland, Denmark and Austria

    Pot 2: Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Romania, Greece, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Norway

    Pot 3: Scotland, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Israel

    Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Belarus, Kosovo, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia and Lithuania

    Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein and San Marino.

  • Europa League: Nice implodes against Glasgow Rangers (1-4) and remains at the bottom of the table

    Crushed by Glasgow Rangers and weakened by too many absences, Nice has sunk and remains stuck in 35th place out of 36. It will take a miracle to avoid being eliminated prematurely.

    Miracles are for others. Nice remains stuck at the bottom of the Europa League table. Against the Scottish team Glasgow Rangers, the absence of too many Aiglons proved prohibitive. Because Nice is hit by a cascade of absentees for this match since in addition to the suspensions of Bombito and Diop, Franck Haise had to deplore the injuries of Dante, Clauss, Mendy, Sanson, Moffi or Orakpo. On his bench, the Nice coach had called up five youngsters who had never played a single minute of play in an official match…

    At first, Nice thought they had obtained a penalty but the Var took charge of overturning the referee’s decision (7th). And then, the troubles will arrive in squadrons on the heads of the Nice. First with the premature exit due to injury of captain Youssouf Ndayishimiye (19th). As if there weren’t enough players on the flank already. Gradually, the Scots grew bolder and opened up a huge gap in the last ten minutes of the first half.

    After a cross from Sterling on the right, the ball came back to Cerny, who took his chance. His shot was deflected twice and wrong-footed Bulka (0-1, 35th). Another cross from Sterling made the difference again three minutes later as he found Diomandé whose left-footed shot crucified Bulka (0-2, 38th).

    Completely demotivated, the locals sank into nonsense. Abdelmonem didn’t press hard enough on a back pass to Bulka, which benefited Igamane (0-3, 45th + 3). After the break, the latter took advantage of another gift. This time, it was Rosario who lost a ball and then a duel at the edge of the area. And Igamane only has to open his foot (0-4, 54th).

    In the stands of the Allianz Riviera, already sparsely filled, the spectators, disgusted, leave the stadium in handfuls. They will not see the direct free kick from Bouanani reducing the score at the end of the match (1-4, 83rd). Nice is 35th out of 36 teams in the Europa League. The rank of the bad ones. Its true place in this competition.

  • Football: Ronaldinho’s exceptional free kick in the top corner during a Barça-Real match between old glories

    The Brazilian had a great time in a gala match held on Thursday in Doha.

    He may be 44 years old and have had a sometimes eventful post-career, but Ronaldinho has lost none of his touch on the ball. Invited like several former glories of Spanish and European football to Doha for a Barça-Real clasico between old glories, “Ronnie” delighted with a touch of the paw that he has the secret.

    On a free kick close to the edge of the area, a little off-center, the former PSG or Barça striker found the perfect trajectory, just above the wall, to find the skylight of Paco Buyo, the former Real Madrid goalkeeper.

    And if Paco Buyo, 66 years old, did not make the slightest gesture, we are quite curious to know what a goalkeeper in the prime of life could have done faced with such a gesture. In any case, this goal allowed Barça to lead by two goals, before finally winning on penalties.

    Other very prestigious names took advantage of this moment with Ronaldinho: Ludovic Giuly and Eric Abidal for the French, but also Luis Figo, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert and Rivaldo for the world’s elite.

  • Former UFC fighter challenges Ronaldo to a fight: “He seems like a big, tough guy. I’d like to see his strength”

    Cristiano Ronaldo is a fan of combat sports. He has been seen at several events in Saudi Arabia, such as boxing and MMA.

    Darren Till, former UFC fighter, launched an unusual challenge to Cristiano Ronaldo. And how about a fight between the two?

    The man who will face Tommy Fury on January 18, 2025, in Manchester, in a boxing fight, was asked which personality he would like to face in the Octagon.

    “With Gary Neville, because we already had an argument on Twitter. He doesn’t like me and we had this little disagreement. I don’t hate him, but I would probably choose him or Cristiano Ronaldo. Because Cristiano seems like a big, tough guy. I would like to see the speed and his strength. He seems to be very explosive.

    Cristiano Ronaldo is a fan of combat sports. He has been seen at several events in Saudi Arabia, such as boxing and MMA.

    Darren Till is preparing to switch from MMA to boxing. His first fight will be against Tommy Fury, younger brother of world champion Tyson Fury.