Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin has assured his side will cause England problems ahead of their Euro 2024 quarter-final meeting in Dusseldorf on Saturday.
The Swiss reached their fifth-ever major tournament quarter-final following their triumph over Italy in Berlin last week thanks to goals from Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas.
Yakin's side have impressed at the tournament so far, finishing second in Group A and drawing with co-hosts Germany in their final group fixture.
Switzerland are hoping to create history by reaching the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time in their history.
However, they come against an England side yet to sparkle in Germany but have lost just one of their last 24 meetings with the Swiss in all competitions (W17 D6).
But Yakin is confident his side can rip up the script and carry the momentum from their win over the Azzurri into their clash with the Three Lions on Saturday.
"We are happy just to be in this moment, to be doing this," Yakin said.
"We have played well and we were able to create problems for big opponents.
"We are in good shape, we have a lot of self-confidence, and we have shown in several games that we can play against big teams.
"We played against the defending champion, we played well against the hosts, Germany. And so we will cause problems for the English."
The winner of the encounter will face either the Netherlands or Turkiye in Dortmund next Wednesday.
The Orlando Magic have locked up one of their young core players for the foreseeable future by reportedly agreeing to a five-year, $224 million extension with forward Franz Wagner.
ESPN reports Wagner's new deal, which will begin during the 2025-26 season and runs through 2029-30, could be worth up to $269 million should he make an All-NBA team.
Wagner, the eighth overall pick of the 2021 draft, has been a mainstay in the Magic's starting lineup since his rookie season while quickly developing into a cornerstone two-way player. The 22-year-old has averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.96 steals while starting all 231 of his career games.
The native German set career highs in points (19.7), rebounds (5.3) and assists (3.7) per game this past season.
Wagner's emergence and the play of 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero were major factors towards the Magic winning 47 games in 2023-24, the franchise's highest win total in a season since 2010-11, and returning to the play-offs following a three-year absence.
The former University of Michigan star's new max contract comes just days after the Magic re-signed his older brother, Moritz, to a reported two-year, $22 million deal.
He's also the first Magic player to receive a maximum extension on his rookie contract since Dwight Howard in 2007, though Banchero is expected to join that group when he becomes eligible next summer.
Wagner's extension continues what has been a busy free agent period for Orlando. The Magic previously pried coveted veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from the Denver Nuggets on a three-year, $66 million deal and gave forward Jonathan Isaac a five-year, $84 million extension.
England manager Gareth Southgate is satisfied with UEFA's "common sense decision" to hand Jude Bellingham a suspended ban.
Bellingham was fined €30,000 on Friday, while being hit with a one-match ban, which is suspended for a year dependent on good behaviour.
That was Bellingham's punishment for an overzealous celebration after he scored a stunning overhead kick to restore parity in England's Euro 2024 last-16 tie with Slovakia.
The Three Lions went on to win 2-1 after extra time, with Bellingham insisting on social media that the celebration had not been meant to cause any offence.
And while UEFA has punished the 21-year-old, Southgate believes the governing body has handled the situation well, with Bellingham available for England's clash with Switzerland on Saturday.
"I thought it was a common sense decision," Southgate said.
"When you score a goal of the quality that he did, at the age that he is, you are going to get a rush of adrenaline.
"There was no intent in the gesture towards anybody but communication he has with his family.
"From our perspective, we thought it was a sensible outcome."
It has been reported England, who have limped their way through the tournament so far, will switch to a three-at-the-back system against the Swiss.
Southgate, though, was giving little away.
He said: "We're always considering the best way to approach a game.
"We're always trying to prepare to give our opponents the best possible game."
Southgate, who will manage his 100th England game on Saturday, knows the Three Lions have more to give.
"You obviously want to play well as a team, your ambition is to play as well as you possibly can," he added.
"Every team wants to excite, every team wants to score goals. We've played opponents who have made it very, very difficult for us.
"And there's been a lot of expectation on the team in the early part of the tournament especially, so I feel that the team even in training now look in a different place mentally. They look more fluid, and I'm expecting us to play well."
Southgate confirmed Luke Shaw was fit and available for selection, though did not reveal whether the left-back would feature.
Emma Raducanu enjoyed herself on Centre Court as she stormed into the fourth round at Wimbledon by beating Maria Sakkari.
Raducanu made light work of the ninth seed on Friday to claim a statement win, triumphing 6-2 6-3.
The 21-year-old, who was handed a wildcard into the event, has now matched her best run at the All England Club.
Raducanu was in dominant form against Sakkari, as she continued her run of having not dropped a set at the tournament.
The 2021 US Open champion saved all seven of the break points she faced, and reflecting on her display, Raducanu said it was one of her most enjoyable experiences.
"Today was really up there with the most fun I’ve had on a tennis court," she said.
"I was telling myself, 'How many times in your life are you going to have in front of a full Centre Court?'"
Qualifier Lulu Sun is next up for Raducanu, as she aims to beat her run from the 2021 tournament, which set the tone for her incredible success at Flushing Meadows.
Data Debrief: Best of British
At the age of 21 years and 234 days, Raducanu is the second-youngest player from Great Britain in the past four decades to defeat a WTA top-10 ranked opponent at a grand slam.
The youngest player on that particular list is Laura Robson, who defeated Li Na at the US Open in 2012.
The rhythmic hum of wheels on the track, the exhilarating speed, and the fierce competition are nothing new to Nicholas Paul. Yet, as the Trinidad and Tobago cyclist prepares for a second-consecutive Olympic Games appearance, his excitement and determination are as fresh as ever.
At 25, Paul has already cemented his place as one of Trinidad and Tobago's premier athletes, as his dazzling career –filled with challenges, triumphs, and an unwavering commitment to excellence –has been nothing short of remarkable.
In fact, it is Paul’s relentless drive and unwavering passion that has brought him to this point where he not just races for medals, but more importantly, races to inspire a nation and leave a lasting legacy in the world of cycling.
“To compete at the Olympics Games is the pinnacle of every sport and one of an athlete’s greatest dreams. So it is really an incredible honour for me to qualify to represent my country Trinidad and Tobago on the world stage once again. It's definitely a proud moment and a great milestone in my cycling career that I am looking forward to,” Paul told SportsMax.TV.
“I firstly, always give thanks to God for the talents that he has given me, as well as my family, coaches, support staff, teammates and all my supporters for their support along my journey. It is the hard work, discipline and dedication combined with the assistance my support team that has attributed to my successes over the years and even now as I prepare to head to the Olympics,” he added.
A series of unstoppable performances on the International Cycling Union (UCI) circuits in Canada and Germany, followed by a classy display at the PanAm Elite Track Cycling Championships in Argentina, Paul's journey to the top has been marked by numerous milestones.
He also won three medals –gold, silver and bronze –at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, with another double medal-winning performance –gold and silver –coming at last year’s Pan American (PanAm) Games in Chile.
For many, that would more than represent a successful cycling career, but for Paul, this is only the beginning.
Despite the many successes which showcased his exceptional, Paul still views his career as a work in progress, possibly because he is still hunting that one prize or moment to really define things and that is the Olympic Games medal.
During his debut performance at the 2020 Tokyo Games, Paul demonstrated his mettle by making the quarterfinals in the men’s sprint event, and while he missed out on a medal, his performance was a testament to his skill, speed, and resilience.
Having taken those lessons to heart, Paul is now hoping to write the wrongs when he again graces the global multi-sport stage in Paris this summer.
"The experience in Tokyo was invaluable. Competing against the best in the world always taught me so much about myself and so I’ve worked tirelessly to improve every aspect of my training and preparation,” Paul shared.
“Whenever I compete and represent my country Trinidad and Tobago, I always want to win and put my best foot forward. My mindset for this Olympic Games is the same as well, but it is all about targeting one race at a time,” he added.
That said, the modest twin island republic cyclist pointed that his charge towards Olympic success will be a blend of physical conditioning, technical refinement, and mental fortitude.
“The Olympic Games is the biggest goal scheduled on my calendar and so I have been working very hard on and off the bike preparing myself mentally and physically for the challenge at hand. My training has been going well and I'm looking forward to participating at the Games in the best form possible,” Paul declared.
"The key is to stay disciplined and keep pushing forward, no matter what obstacles come your way. Every race, every training session, is a step towards achieving my dreams, and like I said earlier, I’m grateful for the support of my coaches, my family, and my country – they motivate me to give my best every single day,” he noted.
Looking ahead, Paul is determined to build on his past experiences and deliver a performance that will make his country proud. With eyes set on the podium, Paul embodies the spirit of perseverance and excellence that defines Trinidad and Tobago’s sporting legacy.
“It’s just another set of races for me, I know I have been putting in the work, so I just have to believe in myself and execute to the best of my ability,” he said with an air of confidence.
“My overall ambition is to continue putting Trinidad and Tobago on the map in search of that historic Olympic medal in the sport of cycling, as the aim is to let the entire world know that we are a small island but we have a lot of talent,” Paul ended.
Mikel Merino's last-gasp header sent Spain into the semi-finals of Euro 2024 as La Roja beat hosts Germany 2-1 after extra time.
Florian Wirtz's 89th-minute strike had cancelled out Dani Olmo's calm finish in a frantic encounter in Stuttgart on Friday.
Yet having had the best chances of extra time, Germany became the first Euros hosts to lose a quarter-final when Merino brilliantly headed home Spain's latest ever goal in the competition in the 119th minute.
Niclas Fullkrug's header was just inches away from rescuing Germany and setting up penalties, but Luis de la Fuente's team, who had Dani Carvajal sent off late on, held on to tee up a clash with either Portugal or France.
Pedri's early injury saw Olmo come on, and the substitute sparked a slow-burner of a contest into life in the 51st minute.
After seeing Alvaro Morata lash over from close range, Olmo made no mistake when he side-footed home from Lamine Yamal's cutback.
Simon made a fantastic save from Robert Andrich's drive, before the post came to Spain's salvation when Niclas Fullkrug's effort clipped off the right-hand upright.
Germany should have been level when Simon made a calamitous clearance soon after, but with the goal at his mercy, Havertz chipped over.
But Havertz's blushes were spared by Wirtz, who drilled in off the post after latching onto Joshua Kimmich's knockdown.
Wirtz had the best chance of the first half of extra time, sending a low effort just wide, before chaos broke out.
Germany saw a penalty appeal turned down after Jamal Musiala hit Marc Cucurella's arm, and Simon saved a fantastic Fullkrug header.
With penalties beckoning, Spain broke clear, and La Roja were in ecstasy as Merino planted in from Olmo's inch-perfect cross.
Ferran Torres' poor finish moments later could have proved costly had Fullkrug's attempt been half a yard to the left, but it was not to be for Germany, even though Spain were reduced to 10 for the final minute after Carvajal picked up his second booking.
Spain call on the super-subs as Lamal sparkles again
Olmo is now the first Spain player to score two goals as a substitute at a single edition of the Euros, and third at any major tournament, after Fernando Morientes at the 2002 World Cup and Morata at the 2022 edition of that competition.
The RB Leipzig attacker is also the second player to have scored in two consecutive knockout stage appearances for Spain at the European Championships, after Chus Pereda way back in 1964.
And Merino's winner meant Spain have now scored two goals from substitutes in a single Euros match for just the second time, after the Euro 2012 final against Italy.
There has been no such scoring luck so far for Yamal at Euro 2024, with the youngster having had 13 shots without finding the back of the net (only Cristiano Ronaldo, with 20, has had more attempts and not scored at this tournament).
However, he again showcased his creative talents, laying on three chances and taking his tally of assists for the tournament to three. He is the first-ever teenager to record three assists at a single edition of the Euros or World Cup.
Musiala cannot find the magic touch
Jamal Musiala went into Friday's tie having scored in three of Germany's four previous games, and aiming to move clear at the top of the Euro 2024 scoring charts and match Wayne Rooney (at Euro 2004) as the only player to score four goals at a single edition of the tournament while aged 21 or younger.
Yet the Bayern Munich playmaker struggled to wield his usual influence on proceedings, creating only one chance, and though his fellow youngster Wirtz shined, it was not enough for the hosts.
There will be more major tournament opportunities for Musiala and Wirtz, but at the other end of the age spectrum, Toni Kroos made his final appearance before retirement. The 34-year-old finished the match with 83 passes attempted, the most on the pitch.
Turkiye will show even more passion after the "unfair" suspension handed to Mehdi Demiral, so says coach Vincenzo Montella.
Demiral scored both of Turkiye's goals in their 2-1 last-16 win over Austria at Euro 2024 on Tuesday.
That victory teed up a quarter-final with the Netherlands, but Turkiye will have to go up against the Dutch without their key defender Demiral.
The centre-back was handed a two-game ban by UEFA on Friday, due to having celebrated with a 'wolf salute', which is associated with a far-right extremist group Grey Wolves.
Montella hit out at that decision in his pre-match press conference.
He said: "We consider it unfair, this ban because it was not a political gesture. It was interpreted as such, but it was just something that was not properly understood.
"But this will not put a break on the Turkish pride. Actually, we will be more passionate, more proud.
"We want to make the country proud, and I'm sure we will all be highly motivated, and this goes for the fans as well.
"Our fans have been extraordinary so far, full of passion. They really have conveyed to us all the passion and love, from the hotel to the stadium, back to the hotel.
"We have always been very correct as well. And that's what I expect from them tomorrow – great support."
Turkiye have reached the quarter-final of a major tournament for the fourth time, and for the first time since Euro 2008, when they reached the semis.
Montella has given six starts to teenagers at Euro 2024 – three for Kenan Yildiz and three for Arda Guler – a joint-record in a single edition of the finals, along with Spain at Euro 2020.
Guler has been one of the stars of the tournament, but Montella knows that his young team must keep a lid on their emotions against the Dutch.
"They must show Turkish pride, they must be close to the team and support us, even when we are having hard times. Now regarding Merhi, we have to manage our emotions before the match, during the match, internal emotions, external emotions," he said.
"We are the youngest team at the tournament, and emotions factor in when you play these matches," Montella added.
"Some players are more experienced, they're used to playing certain matches, they're used to preparing for these matches and they have a bit of an edge.
"So we must be able to manage all of this emotional sphere and transform it into energy and field it because we're younger, and in a way we can have more energy, and this can give us an edge."
Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay are the only team capable of stopping Argentina from defending their Copa America crown, so says Sergio Aguero.
First, though, Uruguay will have to overcome nine-time Copa America champions Brazil.
Uruguay, who topped Group C with nine points from their three games, face the Selecao in Las Vegas on Saturday. They scored nine times across those three group contests, which is three goals more than any other team in the competition.
Brazil finished second in Group D, behind Colombia, drawing two and winning one of their matches. Not securing top spot means they now have to overcome a huge quarter-final test.
Former Argentina striker Aguero feels that Uruguay, not Brazil, are the favourites to challenge the reigning champions, who scraped past Ecuador on penalties to reach the last four.
In an interview with Stake.com, Aguero said: "I think Uruguay have a lot to give now with Bielsa. They should go far in the tournament.
"I think Argentina are their own biggest threat, and we shouldn't be overconfident. But Uruguay are the only team that could beat us, because Bielsa knows Lionel Scaloni very well.
"Let's not forget that Uruguay is the only team that has beat us since becoming world champions."
As well as beating Argentina in World Cup qualifying, Uruguay have also defeated Brazil.
And their achievement in winning 100% of the available points in the group stage was the first time they had done that in the Copa since 1942, when they won all six of their matches and were crowned champions.
In a further boost to Bielsa's team, Brazil's talisman Vinicius Junior will miss the game due to suspension.
"Vini is a top player who can win games for us," Brazil defender Danilo said.
"But we have other players with a lot of quality and potential, and let's try to make up for Vini's absence."
Real Madrid forward Vinicius is Brazil's leading scorer at the tournament, with both of his goals having come in the 4-1 win over Paraguay on Matchday 2.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Uruguay - Sergio Rochet
Goalkeeper Rochet has kept a clean sheet in six of the last seven matches he has played for Uruguay across all competitions.
The only team that managed to score against him during this period was Panama, in Uruguay's 3-1 victory in the group stage.
Brazil - Raphinha
Raphinha scored Brazil's goal in their 1-1 draw with Colombia last time out, and with Vinicius out of action, the onus will be on the Barcelona man to provide the spark in attack.
Against Colombia, he attempted six dribbles, completing three of them, with both figures being team highs. His direct free-kick goal was the first scored by a Brazil player since 2019.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW (IN 90 MINUTES)
We have already had one penalty shootout in the Copa America quarters, and Opta's model is suggesting we could have another, with the supercomputer finding it hard to separate these sides.
Brazil and Uruguay are two of the three teams who have not fallen behind at any point of the tournament, alongside Argentina, so it may not come as a surprise to see the system predicting a tight contest.
Uruguay have lost only one of their 10 quarter-final matches at the Copa America (W4 D5), since this round was first played in 1993. Half of these games have been decided by penalty shootouts, with Uruguay winning two of those.
This will be the first knockout meeting between these nations at the Copa America since the 2007 semi-finals, when Brazil won on penalties en route to becoming champions.
Knocking out Brazil is no mean feat. They have never lost a knockout match against Uruguay in the Copa America, with two wins and three draws (W2 L1 of the penalty shootouts).
And, in a streak that is ongoing since 2011, Brazil have not conceded more than one goal in any of their last 24 Copa matches.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Uruguay - 35.6%
Brazil - 37.4%
Draw - 27%
Lionel Messi was fearful ahead of his return to action for Argentina at the Copa America.
Messi sat out Argentina's win over Peru in the group stage, but despite Lionel Scaloni saying the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was a doubt to feature against Ecuador in the quarters, he started on Thursday.
The 37-year-old had just 32 touches in a 1-1 draw, marking his fewest touches in a competitive match for his country in which he has played 90 minutes since 2011.
Messi subsequently missed his penalty in the shootout, but goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez spared his blushes in a 4-2 victory for the defending Copa America champions.
When asked how he had been feeling ahead of the tie, Messi told reporters (via The Athletic): "The truth is bad.
"With a lot of uncertainty, with lots of fear when I was training, a lot of desire to be here and doing everything possible to be able to play.
"I was able to be here and [help] the team."
Messi explained it was no surprise to Argentina that they faced such a stern challenge from Ecuador.
"The truth is it was a difficult match, which was very hard to play," Messi added.
"We knew it was going to be that way because they’re a great team, a hard team who press well, who have intense, dynamic players, and when they have the ball they do damage as well.
"We expected this kind of game."
Argentina have now extended their unbeaten streak against Ecuador to 17 matches at the Copa America (W11 D6). This is the third longest unbeaten run for La Albiceleste against a single opponent in the competition, following a 30-match run against Chile (W22 D8, excluding penalty shootouts) and 26 against Paraguay (W20 D6).
Messi and Co. will face either Canada or Venezuela in the last four.
Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare as the defending champion won a five-set thriller against Frances Tiafoe to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon.
Tiafoe came into Friday's third-round match on Centre Court with low expectations due to what has been a difficult 2024 so far, but he won the first and third sets, before coming within a tie-break of causing a huge upset.
Alcaraz ultimately prevailed 5-7 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 in just under four hours to book a fourth-round meeting with either Brandon Nakashima or Ugo Humbert.
There were few signs of the drama that would follow when Alcaraz broke to take a first-set lead, but Tiafoe – who shocked Rafael Nadal at the US Open in 2022 – fought back with two breaks of his own to claim the opener and threaten another grand slam scalp.
A superb backhand winner clinched a comfortable second set for Alcaraz, but 29th seed Tiafoe produced an extremely impressive response, rallying the crowd when he confidently moved 2-1 in front having barely been troubled on serve in the third.
There were no break opportunities for either player in a keenly contested fourth set, but, with the pressure firmly on, Alcaraz produced a brilliant tie-break to send the contest into a decider, then taking his turn to celebrate with the fans.
The Spaniard made a crucial early breakthrough in game three and Tiafoe soon began to realise his opportunity had gone when Alcaraz consolidated his lead with a second break. He sealed the victory with a beautiful drop shot, with his relief and joy clear to see after getting over the line.
Data Debrief: Ten in a row for Carlos
Alcaraz is becoming a consistent grass-court performer and has now made the last 16 or better at Wimbledon for three consecutive tournaments, a run which includes his triumph last year.
The victory also means he has won 10 straight Wimbledon matches, with this surely being one of the toughest in that sequence.
Having also achieved that feat at the US Open, he is the third-youngest player to do so at both of those majors, with only Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander doing so at a younger age.
Despite a difficult afternoon on Centre Court, Alcaraz still racked up some impressive numbers, finishing with 16 aces and 55 winners.
After two long days without any Euro 2024 action, the quarter-finals got going on Friday.
There were two mouthwatering ties on offer as Spain played Germany, while Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo went head-to-head for France and Portugal.
And what about the action online?
Here is the best of the social media posts from Thursday and Friday at Euro 2024.
New look?
The hosts have already caught the eye with their performances en route to the quarter-final.
And now, Robert Andrich has caught attention with a bold new style, possibly inspired by Germany's away kit at the tournament.
Ultimately, Andrich did not get a chance to debut his new look from the start of Germany's clash with Spain, as he was named on the bench.
Walker the cheerleader
Before starting training for the day, Kyle Walker took some time to check in on how the goalkeepers were preparing for England's tie against Switzerland.
John Stones tagged along with his Manchester City team-mate, and almost got themselves into trouble after getting a little too invested in the session.
Spanish goalkeepers put to the test
Things can get a little hectic in the penalty area during set-pieces with both teams desperate to get on the ball.
Spain have figured out an impressive way to give their goalkeepers an in-game experience during training.
Although, some of those shirt tugs would likely catch the referee's attention...
The Portuguese take over Hamburg
The Portuguese fans were out in full force before their round of 16 penalty shootout victory in Frankfurt.
They have now taken to the streets in Hamburg, with the hopes that their side can recreate the magic of the Euro 2016 final, when they beat France 1-0 to lift the trophy.
Back to their roots
France's squad is full of household names, with their players spanning the globe for their various clubs.
In a special photo shoot, they instead looked back to their beginnings, each donning the shirt of their first-ever club, and they gave a glimpse behind the scenes to see how it all came together.
The competition heats up
The Netherlands produced their best performance so far at Euro 2024 on Tuesday when they booked a place in the quarter-final with a 3-0 victory over Romania.
And their competitive spirit stretches past the pitch and into the game room at their training base.
While Nathan Ake showed off his interesting technique for a new high score, tensions were on the rise at the ping-pong table.
The Bahamas will look to move one step closer to their dream of competing in Basketball at the Paris Olympics this summer when they tackle Lebanon in the semi-finals of Olympic Basketball Qualifying Tournament 1 in Valencia, Spain on Saturday.
The other semi-final will see hosts Spain taking on Finland, who the Bahamians defeated in the group stage.
The winner of the tournament will advance to the Paris Olympics.
The Bahamians booked their spot in the final four with a 90-81 win over Poland on Wednesday.
18-year-old Valdez “VJ” Edgecombe Jr, a projected top-5 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft who has committed to Baylor University, led the way with an efficient 21 points on 13 shot attempts. He also pulled in six rebounds and had one steal and one block.
Portland Trailblazers center Deandre Ayton was also solid with 18 points and nine rebounds while Eric Gordon missed just one of his six shot attempts on his way to 12 points.
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Poland.
Lebanon booked their spot in the semis with a 74-70 win over Angola, also on Wednesday.
Former Villanova and Golden State Warriors big man Omari Spellman dominated with 22 points and 13 rebounds for Lebanon and will need to be given extra attention by the Bahamians on Saturday.
Thomas Christiansen is challenging Panama to keep springing surprises at the Copa America when they face off against Colombia in the quarter-finals.
After losing their opening game of the tournament 3-1 to free-scoring Uruguay, Panama dug in to cause an upset for host nation United States, coming from behind to win 2-1.
A comfortable 3-1 victory over Bolivia followed secured second place in Group C as Panama booked their place in the knockout round of the Copa America for the very first time.
Former Leeds United boss Christiansen challenged his team to be the surprise package, but says this result is years in the making.
"When we were going to leave for the United States, I said I would like to be the surprise [of the tournament], like Morocco in the [2022] World Cup [who made it to the semi-finals]," he told reporters.
"Well, now we're through to the next round. I am happy. Super happy.
"It's constant, really, what we have been doing, what we have been reaping in these almost four years.
"[Is it a] coincidence? I don't believe in coincidences. You have to work. You have to fight for it. Luck alone isn't enough."
Colombia were the winners of Group D, beating Brazil to top spot.
Wins over Paraguay and Costa Rica put Colombia in the driving seat before they held Dorival Junior's side to a 1-1 draw in the final match.
While that may be a surprising outcome on the face of it, Colombia are the form team in South America and are on a 26-game unbeaten streak.
Integral to their success has been James Rodriguez, who is often their talisman at major tournaments, having first come into the spotlight in the 2014 World Cup.
"I feel comfortable, there is still a long way to go, we still have to play on Saturday, but I felt good," the ex-Real Madrid star said.
"I am going through a good phase here; we are going step by step. Panama will be difficult, but we will play with a lot of quality."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colombia – James Rodriguez
James has been a driving force for Colombia at the tournament, having already recorded three assists.
Colombia had the best crossing accuracy at the Copa America group stage, completing 41% of their crosses (20/49). James was responsible for 11 of their successful crosses – the most of any player in the tournament.
Panama – Jose Fajardo
Out of players who attempted more than five shots in the Copa America group stage, Jose Fajardo boasts the second-highest shot conversion rate.
He scored with 29% of his attempts (2/7), bettered only by Argentina's Lautaro Martinez (44%), who is the tournament's leading scorer.
MATCH PREDICTION: COLOMBIA WIN
Colombia stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to 26 matches with their draw against Brazil, and the Opta computer has backed them to continue that here.
Colombia are playing in their sixth consecutive Copa America quarter-final, with each of their last four going to penalties. Los Cafeteros have won twice (against Peru in 2016 and Uruguay in 2021) and lost twice (against Argentina in 2015 and Chile in 2019).
Panama have won four of their seven competitive matches in the 21st century against opponents from CONMEBOL (losing the other three).
Two of those victories were against Colombia when they faced each other in the group stage (1-0) and the semifinals (3-2) of the 2005 Concacaf Gold Cup.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colombia – 61.6%
Draw – 19.6%
Panama – 18.8%
Jan Vertonghen has confirmed his retirement from international football.
The 37-year-old ends his Belgium career as the nation's most-capped player.
Vertonghen, who made his Belgium debut in 2007, made 157 appearances for his country.
He helped the Red Devils reach the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, a quarter-final at Euro 2020, and also played at the World Cup in Qatar.
The former Tottenham defender's final four appearances came at Euro 2024, as Belgium reached the last 16 – they were knocked out by France on Monday.
Vertonghen is a free agent ahead of the 2024-25 season, with his contract at Anderlecht having expired.
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