Rangers manager Philippe Clement was proud of his players despite their narrow defeat by Benfica.

The Light Blues were in a good position to reach the Europa League quarter-finals following a 2-2 draw in Lisbon last week but they fell just short against the Portuguese champions.

Rangers were caught on the counter-attack as Rafa Silva netted the only goal of the second leg in the 66th minute at Ibrox.

Clement said: “It was a close tie but I’m proud of what my players showed. We played a better game than we did in Lisbon, better on the ball, but you need to be on your toes to compete with this kind of team with a much bigger budget.

“Everyone did that, everybody raised their level. Then you need to take your moments and we didn’t take enough, and they took theirs.”

The goal originated from a Rangers corner. The visitors emerged with the ball on the edge of their box and the home side did not have a player within 20 yards of their own half.

A simple ball forward was headed on by Angel Di Maria and Silva raced clear of Mohamed Diomande before slotting home.

The offside flag was raised but the VAR officials decided Silva was just inside his half when Di Maria headed the ball on.

Clement said: “We made a wrong decision for the goal. If Dio just runs with the attacker then nothing happens.

“But he is a young player who played for the first time at this level and he played a really good game.”

When pressed on why Rangers looked so exposed at their own corners, Clement said: “They have a lot of quality, that’s one thing. The goal against, we made the wrong decision.

“I don’t think they created a lot of chances from that. We also had counter attacks in the first half from set-pieces.”

Rangers struggled to create chances to get back in the game until substitute Todd Cantwell stabbed wide in stoppage-time and Clement admitted his injury list had taken its toll.

“At the moment we don’t have the same impact we had a few months ago,” he said. “All the guys who came in have come out with injury. It’s about hard work now to make them better again.

“Like Todd, if you only have one training session after eight weeks out you cannot expect miracles. You need to be lucky.

“It could have happened. He had one moment at the end which was just past the post. You gamble on that.

“That’s the situation and everyone is working very hard to get a bigger squad fit for the next few weeks and months.”

David Moyes hailed a “brilliant achievement” after West Ham reached another European quarter-final by flattening Freiburg 5-0.

Hammers boss Moyes uncharacteristically named an attacking line-up in a bid to repair the damage of the 1-0 Europa League first-leg defeat in Germany last week.

He was rewarded with a sparkling display as goals from Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen, Aaron Cresswell and two from Mohammed Kudus – including a sensational solo effort – secured a 5-1 aggregate win and a place in a the last eight of a European competition for a third-successive season.

“I’m hugely pleased with the goals and the level of the performance and how well the players have done,” said Moyes.

“We were really unhappy from the first game, the staff and the players. We thought we should not have come out with the result we had. We had to put it right and thankfully we did.

“I think for West Ham to be three years in a row for quarter-finals in European competition, I am not sure it has been done before in the club’s history.

“For where we have come from, to be in another quarter-final is a brilliant achievement. The club has moved on so much. We want to try to make it better if we can.”

Paqueta slid West Ham in front after nine minutes before Bowen celebrated his latest call-up to the England squad in style, shrugging off the attentions of Freiburg captain Christian Gunter before lashing the ball home from 20 yards.

Freiburg still posed a threat, though, with Roland Sallai firing across goal and wide just to let West Ham know the tie was still very much in the balance at half-time.

That lasted until six minutes into the second half, when Bowen’s square ball across the box was deflected out to Cresswell, lurking on the edge of the area.

The left-back, who was the fall guy in Frankfurt two years when his red card in the semi-final against Eintracht cost West Ham dearly, took a touch before leathering the ball inside the far post.

The best was still to come, despite there being little sign of danger when Kudus picked the ball up deep inside his own half.

The former Ajax wideman sprinted around 70 yards, slicing through the heart of the Freiburg defence before casually rolling the ball into the net.

“If anybody can remember dribbling wingers, who used to take people on, snake hips,” added Moyes.

“It was a brilliant individual goal, a Roy of the Rovers type.”

No wonder Kudus felt the need to borrow a photographer’s stool and sit down in front of the delirious home fans as his team-mates celebrated around him.

The rest had clearly done Kudus good, as he promptly collected Bowen’s lay-off and dispatched a low drive from 20 yards to complete West Ham’s five-star display.

As a consequence of their win, the Hammers may have also done some of their Premier League rivals a favour, with the result pushing England ahead of Germany in UEFA’s coefficient rankings, which could mean an extra spot in Europe next season.

An electric first-half display from Rafael Leao steered AC Milan into the Europa League quarter-finals as 10-man Slavia Prague succumbed 3-1 on the night and 7-3 on aggregate.

Just as they had in the first leg, the Czechs paid the price for a red card, Tomas Holes dismissed after just 17 minutes for a dangerous tackle on Davide Calabria.

The Rossoneri cashed in three times before the break, Leao lending a helping hand as Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek netted before bending in a spectacular strike of his own from distance.

Slavia had not lost at the Fortuna Arena all season but were unable to summon a serious battle for their Serie A opponents until Matej Jurasek grabbed a late consolation.

They did manage one attempt before the tie slipped irretrievably out of their grasp, Mojmir Chytil denied by the outstretched boot of Mike Maignan – the goalkeeper’s last real contribution before coming off injured.

Within a couple of minutes, Holes went studs first into a challenge with Calabria and saw red after a VAR check, leaving his side to face the majority of the match at a numerical disadvantage.

Jindrich Stanek kept the hosts in it with a pair of sharp saves but could not hold back the tide when Leao played in Pulisic, who rifled home after turning inside with a smart touch.

With the resistance broken, Milan wasted no time getting another, Loftus-Cheek providing the final touch after Theo Hernandez’s silky one-two with Leao put it on a plate for the Englishman.

With the pressure off, Fikayo Tomori will regret picking up a booking that will rule him out of the first leg of the quarter-finals but the celebrations resumed in added time before the break, the electric Leao letting fly with a beautiful curling effort from 30 yards.

The second half unfolded at a gentler pace, the home side focused on containment and the Italians emptying their bench in acknowledgement that they had wrapped things up.

Chances did occasionally appear, Lofus-Cheek slotting wide and Olivier Giroud aggrieved when he was unable to add his name to the scoresheet just after the hour mark.

To their credit, the Czech side did not lie down, firing a warning shot via Michal Tomic’s breakaway and then getting one back through Jurasek. He had only just come on when he picked up Christos Zafeiris’ pass and picked out the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the area.

David Moyes took the handbrake off West Ham and watched them race into the last eight of the Europa League with a 5-0 win over Freiburg.

Hammers boss Moyes uncharacteristically named an attacking line-up in a bid to repair the damage of the 1-0 first-leg defeat in Germany last week.

He was rewarded with a sparkling display as goals from Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen, Aaron Cresswell and two from Mohammed Kudus – including a sensational solo effort – secured a 5-1 aggregate win and a place in a European quarter-final for a third-successive season.

As a consequence the Hammers may have also done some of their Premier League rivals a favour, with the result pushing England ahead of Germany in UEFA’s coefficient rankings, which could mean an extra spot in Europe next season.

Despite some indifferent domestic form, West Ham – last season’s Europa Conference League winners – seem to come alive on these European nights.

Two years ago, at the same stage of the same competition, they memorably overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Spanish Europa League specialists Sevilla.

There were fears that that crackling atmosphere might be difficult to recreate, with many fans unable to make the match due to the unusual 5.45pm kick-off time.

But the London Stadium was still almost full and it erupted after just nine minutes as Freiburg saw their advantage wiped out.

Cresswell swung in a third-successive corner, Tomas Soucek stooped to flick the ball on and the unmarked Paqueta slid it in at the far post.

Just after the half-hour mark, West Ham had their second as Bowen celebrated his latest call-up to the England squad in style, shrugging off the attentions of Freiburg captain Christian Gunter before lashing home from 20 yards.

Freiburg still posed a threat, though, with Roland Sallai firing across goal and wide just to let West Ham know the tie was still very much in the balance at half-time.

That lasted until six minutes into the second half, when Bowen’s square ball across the box was deflected out to Cresswell, lurking on the edge of the area.

The left-back, who was the fall guy in Frankfurt two years when his red card in the semi-final against Eintracht cost West Ham dearly, took a touch before leathering the ball inside the far post.

The best was still to come, despite there being little sign of danger when Kudus picked the ball up deep inside his own half.

The former Ajax wideman sprinted around 70 yards, slicing through the heart of the Freiburg defence before casually rolling the ball into the net.

No wonder Kudus felt the need to borrow a photographer’s stool and sit down in front of the delirious home fans as his team-mates celebrated around him.

The rest had clearly done Kudus good, as he promptly collected Bowen’s lay-off and dispatched a low drive from 20 yards to complete West Ham’s five-star display.

Rangers were knocked out of the Europa League after conceding the only goal against Benfica at Ibrox to lose 3-2 on aggregate.

Philippe Clement’s side were caught on the counter-attack by a simple forward ball in the 66th minute and Rafa Silva’s goal stood following a VAR check after initially being ruled out for offside.

Rangers had twice taken the lead in Lisbon last week but a penalty and an own goal cost them victory in the first leg and they could not take advantage of several chances in a tighter affair in Glasgow.

The Rangers fans in the Broomloan Stand produced a massive pre-match display that showed their sights were very much on the road to Dublin for the final on May 22 ahead of the last-16 second leg.

But there will be no repeat of the club’s run to the 2022 final and the cinch Premiership leaders must now focus on what could still be a highly successful domestic season with a treble a real possibility.

Benfica had some good early possession but Rangers had the first real chance when Tom Lawrence combined with Fabio Silva and fired a shot which Anatoliy Trubin let through his legs. The visiting goalkeeper was fortunate to see the ball trundle wide after hitting off his leg.

Lawrence soon had another chance when James Tavernier’s clever low corner gave him a free shot at goal 15 yards out but he failed to connect properly.

Jack Butland showed good hands in the slippery conditions to hold Alexander Bah’s long-range strike.

The vast majority of the 50,000 fans, including the Benfica supporters, paid tribute in the 25th minute to young Rangers fan Thomas McAllister, who died while in Lisbon for the first leg.

The first half continued in a more cagey fashion than that 2-2 draw in Portugal.

John Souttar was impressing in central defence for Rangers and his cross almost fell for Cyriel Dessers before Scott Wright slipped in the act of shooting from 22 yards and the ball sailed over.

Rangers survived a dangerous Benfica attack after John Lundstram fluffed a pass inside his own half.

The home side had a great chance on the counter-attack before the break following good work from Wright, but Lawrence picked the wrong option and played in a clearly offside Dessers.

Dessers did get a chance early in the second half after Wright burst past two opponents and played the striker in. The forward might have gone for goal first time but he took a touch and his shot was heading for the far corner but deflected just wide.

The home side kept on the pressure but Benfica worked a good chance for Casper Tengstedt following a slick break. The substitute shot straight at Butland from 12 yards.

Rangers were again exposed from a counter-attack as Benfica took the lead for the first time in the tie.

Angel Di Maria headed on a ball over the top and Rafa Silva raced clear before slotting home. The offside flag went up but a lengthy VAR check decided the goalscorer was just inside his own half when the ball was played on, and the goal was given.

Rangers’ attempts to get back in the game were not helped by the surface water on the pitch slowing the ball down amid a day of incessant rain in Glasgow and Butland saved well from Bah as Benfica looked to finish off the tie.

Lundstram got an effort on target in the latter stages but Trubin saved comfortably and Rangers’ hopes ended when substitute Todd Cantwell stabbed wide in stoppage-time.

In a bid to enhance the skills and capabilities of local football talent, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has handpicked 19 promising female footballers, aged between 16 and 18, to participate in an intensive two-month training programme in China this summer.

The selected players are poised to undergo rigorous technical training aimed at elevating their performance levels, with the ultimate goal of advancing to national teams. The JFF expressed satisfaction with the timing of this initiative, foreseeing its potential to bolster the depth of national squads while aligning seamlessly with both short and long-term development strategies.

Scheduled to depart from the island at the onset of June and return by the end of August, this endeavour marks a continuation of a bilateral sporting agreement established between Jamaica's Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, and the Asian Republic. It signifies a resumption of a program that was interrupted by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with similar contingents having embarked on such ventures in the two years preceding the global health crisis.

The chosen players underwent a rigorous selection process, having participated in multiple training sessions at the UWICHBC over the past three weeks. Their selection underscores their talent and potential, as well as their commitment to honing their skills in pursuit of excellence on the football field.

This training opportunity not only offers a chance for individual growth but also contributes to the broader development of women's football in Jamaica. As these young athletes embark on their journey to China, they carry with them the hopes and aspirations of a nation eagerly anticipating the fruits of their dedication and hard work.

Goalkeeper Shaquan Davis and strikers Kaheim Dixon and Bailey Cadamarteri have been included in Heimir Hallgrimsson's senior Reggae Boyz side for their upcoming Concacaf Nations League (CNL) semi-final contest against United States on March 21.

Though Davis, who represents Mount Pleasant and Dixon, of Arnett Gardens, both made their senior team debut in the recent friendly series against Trinidad and Tobago, it is their first time making the Reggae Boyz Nations League roster, while British-born Cadamarteri is being called to the Jamaican set up for the first time.

The six-foot tall 18-year-old, who plays for Sheffield Wednesday, alongside another Reggae Boy Dishon Bernard, also has Italian and Irish descent, but chose to honour his Jamaican heritage.

In fact, the rising English Championship sensation was interested in playing for Ireland, but doesn’t qualify, as his great grandparents hails from the Emerald Isle.

Still, their loss is Jamaica's gain and Hallgrimsson and company will be eager to put his skills to the test at some point in time in this crucial semi-final contest. 

Cadamarteri burst onto the scene this season with three goals in 11 Championship outings for the Owls and qualifies to represent Jamaica through his father Danny Cadamarteri, who played for Everton in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Meanwhile, a notable absentee from the 23-man squad is Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey, who misses out on a spot in the squad after he was suspended for breaking curfew during the last national camp.

Squad: Andre Blake, Shaquan Davis, Jahmali Waite, Richard King, Damion Lowe, Dishon Bernard, Michael Hector, Dexter Lembikisa, Tayvon Gray, Greg Leigh, Daniel Johnson, Joel Latibeaudiere, Bobby Reid, Karoy Anderson, Kasey Palmer, Renaldo Cephas, Cory Burke, Demarai Gray, Bailey Cadamarteri, Shamar Nicholson, Michail Antonio, Jamal Lowe, Kaheim Dixon

Gareth Southgate would love Kalvin Phillips to fight his way into England’s Euro 2024 squad but felt he had to drop the out-of-sorts midfielder this month as he was not confident about his performance levels.

The 28-year-old has established himself as a key figure in the national team set-up since winning the first of his 31 caps away to Denmark in September 2020.

Phillips was named England men’s player of the year for 2020-21 after shining in the run to the European Championship final, but pressure has mounted on his position since leaving Leeds for Manchester City in 2022.

The midfielder barely made an impact under Pep Guardiola and joined West Ham on loan in January, but a disastrous start there led to his omission from Southgate’s final squad before naming his Euros selection.

“There are times when you know your best players are your best players,” the England boss told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Other people might doubt it but you’re going with them because you know that you can get that level of performance from them.

“At the moment, I couldn’t be confident on the performances Kalvin’s had in the last few weeks that he could go onto the field and do the job we know that he’s capable of.

“So, there’s absolutely no reason why he can’t find that form. Nothing would give us more pleasure than having a Kalvin that’s back in the rhythm of playing and back to full confidence.

“We will be a better team, squad, whatever that might be, if that’s the case, so we’re hoping he can find that.

“Maybe a moment like this where you think, well, that’s perhaps the lowest it can get for him in terms of the last few months, now he can just go for it and be himself.”

Southgate last year warned that Phillips’ place was in jeopardy if he continued to be a peripheral figure at City but believes the “outstanding player” has the attributes to bounce back.

“I think he knows exactly what we think of him,” Southgate at the Wembley press conference. “I think we’ve shown that support.

“A good version of him is an important player for us and that’s why we’ve supported him as we have. We don’t have many players of that profile.

“Unfortunately, his form just hasn’t been good enough. I’ve spoken to him about that, he understands.”

Phillips was omitted from the 25-man squad for March’s Wembley double-header against Brazil and Belgium, which has seen Southgate have to juggle a swathe of injuries among other things.

But setbacks for some means opportunities for others, with Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, 21, and Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon, 23, receiving their first senior call-ups.

“He’s good with the ball, shows good composure, good mentality,” Southgate said of Branthwaite.

“He’s a left footer and we don’t have many left-footed defenders, so he’s in our merit and we’re really keen to work with him and find out a bit more about him.”

On Gordon, the England boss said: “Consistently good performances. He was very close in November, as we said at the time.

“He’s continued his form, he’s scoring, his work for the team is excellent. He competes, which is important, so I really like his attitude.”

Arsenal’s Ben White ruled himself out of a call-up and there was a return from the international wilderness for versatile Liverpool defender Joe Gomez, who won the last of his 11 England caps in 2020.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney is also back at first time of asking, having returned from an eight-month Football Association betting ban in January.

Southgate does not know whether there is enough room in the Euros squad for him and Ollie Watkins to back up Harry Kane this summer, but he wanted to work with the one-cap striker again.

“I think we feel that Ivan is one of the contenders in that role, so it’s important to bring him back in and for him to be able to work with us again,” Southgate said.

“He’s shown straight away, getting back into Brentford’s team the quality and the impact that he can have.”

La Liga will report the “deplorable racist chants” aimed at Vinicius Junior by Atletico Madrid fans to Spain’s legal authorities.

The Real Madrid forward was again the target for abuse by Atletico fans prior to their Champions League last-16 match against Inter Milan on Wednesday night.

The Brazil forward has called on UEFA, which runs the Champions League, to issue sanctions.

European football’s governing body is understood to be reviewing the official match report before making any decision on disciplinary action, but La Liga has acted already even though the match was not under its jurisdiction.

“La Liga will report the deplorable racist chants against Vinicius Jr before Wednesday’s UCL match between Atletico de Madrid and Inter Milan to the Hate Prosecutor’s Office, regardless of the fact that the match was played in another competition and that the chants took place outside the stadium,” a league statement read.

“La Liga is wholeheartedly committed to making football a hate-free space and will continue to work relentlessly to crack down on racism, homophobia, violence and hatred… whatever the competition.”

Vinicius replied to a post on X, formerly Twitter, about the chanting and wrote: “I hope you have already thought about their punishment @ChampionsLeague @UEFA.

“It’s a sad reality that even happens in games where I’m not present!”

Gareth Southgate has revealed in-form Arsenal defender Ben White does not want to be selected by England at the moment.

The 26-year-old has starred for the Premier League leaders this season but has not featured in the national team squad since the 2022 World Cup.

White returned early from Qatar for what the Football Association called “personal reasons” and reports later emerged of an alleged bust-up with England assistant Steve Holland.

Southgate denied any such fall-out on Thursday, when he had hoped to include the defender in his squad for March’s Euro 2024 warm-up friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.

“Look, it’s absolutely the question you should ask because clearly on form I can’t sit here and say he doesn’t deserve to be in,” the England boss said.

“We, (FA technical director) John McDermott, had a call from (Arsenal sporting director) Edu last week to say that Ben didn’t want to be considered for England squads at this time.

“For me, that’s a great shame. He’s a player I really like. He’s a player that we took to a Euros when he was at Brighton, a player that we took to the World Cup.

“I spoke to him post-Qatar because I was keen to pick him and there was clearly reticence on his side. I don’t know fully why that is, but I have to respect that.

“I want to leave the door open for him because he’s a good player and I think he’s a player who can make a difference for England.

“But he’s not available to us and so the only other thing I would say is there is no issue between us at all.

“And also I should say there’s never any issue with Steve Holland because that has sort of been mentioned in articles and I don’t like that.

“People can talk about me, and I have to accept that things get said that are false about me. For whatever reason in this role, you have to almost stomach that.

“But I’m not prepared for that to happen for a key member of my coaching team because that is not the reason Ben is unavailable for selection.”

Southgate handed White his England debut against Austria in June 2021, then drafted him into the squad for that summer’s rearranged Euros as replacement for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The defender did not make an appearance in the run to the final, nor did he play a minute at the World Cup in Qatar.

The bombshell news that White does not want to add to his four England caps came hours after the announcement that he had signed a new and improved contract at the Emirates Stadium.

The 26-year-old agreed a new four-year deal, with the option for a further 12 months, the PA news agency understands, having featured in every Premier League game this term.

White says it is “unbelievable” to have found his home at Arsenal but clearly does not feel as comfortable wearing an England shirt.

“I have to respect it,” Southgate said of the decision. “Look, he’s not the first player that at certain times hasn’t wanted to be available for selection.

“So, I’ve always tried to protect those players because I always want the door to be left open, even though on lots of those occasions I’m the one that gets it in the neck for not picking them and people don’t know the reasons.

“But sometimes as a leader, you have to take the flak for others and allow them time to come through.

“Sometimes we’ve had young players that haven’t felt comfortable coming away with England, when I was with the Under-21s and then as they get older, they get more comfortable with it. So there can be all sorts of reasons for that.

“As I said, I think we should respect that. I repeat: he’s clearly playing very well and has been for a long time but he’s not available.”

Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite hailed his maiden England call-up a dream come true.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with the Toffees, playing 31 times in all competitions after he spent last season on loan at PSV Eindhoven.

Branthwaite has benefited from injuries in the centre of England’s defence to be selected for the March friendlies with Brazil and Belgium, but promised to take in every moment when he links up with Gareth Southgate’s squad for the first time next week.

“It’s a dream come true,” Branthwaite told evertontv. “To represent your national team at any level is a massive achievement but for it to be the senior squad, I’m over the moon.

“I found out in training. The gaffer pulled me and told me I’ve been selected, so I was buzzing when I heard the news.

“You can only affect what you do on the pitch and give yourself the best possible opportunity to be selected and that’s by putting in good performances on the pitch.

“That’s what your only focus can be, really, and that’s been from when I came into the team to now – it’s just to keep delivering that high level and see where that takes me.

“I messaged my dad and he said he’s very proud of me. He said: ‘All of the family is proud’, so it’s a lovely feeling. I just can’t wait to join up with the team.

“They’re obviously really tough fixtures but I’m really happy to just be in the squad, take every moment in and see where it takes me.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by England football team (@england)

Southgate insisted former England Under-21 international Branthwaite had been picked on merit.

He added: “He’s good with the ball, shows good composure, good mentality.

“He’s a left-footer and we don’t have many left-footed defenders. He’s in on merit and we’re keen to find out more about him.”

Steven Naismith believes Stephen Kingsley can still earn more Scotland caps even though the on-form defender did not get the nod to join three of his Hearts team-mates in the latest squad.

Free-scoring captain Lawrence Shankland plus goalkeepers Zander Clark and Craig Gordon were included in Steve Clarke’s 25-man pool for the national team’s pre-European Championship friendly double-header against Netherlands and Northern Ireland later this month.

Kingsley, who won the last of his two caps against Ukraine in September 2022, was also understood to have been in the thoughts of the Scotland boss after returning to his best form at Tynecastle this term.

However, the prospects of the 29-year-old former Swansea and Hull defender – who can play at centre-back or left-back – going to Germany this summer appear slim after he did not make the squad announced earlier this week, with Kieran Tierney, Andy Robertson, Liam Cooper and Scott McKenna the left-sided options preferred by Clarke.

“The fact he’s being talked about as being part of the national set-up, he can be proud of that,” said Hearts boss Naismith.

“You never know what can happen. He’s been in the set-up not so long ago after a long period out, and that’s what he’ll strive for.

“The whole Scotland squad has gone up a few notches so he can take credit from making the last squad he did (in 2022) because the competition at that point was really good.

“Yes, there’s a lot of left-sided players but that versatility Stephen’s got probably puts him in a slightly different bracket. It will be hard work for him to make the Euros squad but he will never give up.

Despite his international omission, Naismith has been hugely impressed with the way Kingsley has asserted himself as one of Hearts’ key men since arriving in 2020 after injuries derailed his career down south following his first Scotland cap in 2016.

“I’d argue he’s in the running for our club player of the year,” said Naismith. “He’s consistent, he’s the ultimate professional and he’s somebody who has had to work really hard in the last five years because of the injuries he’s come through.

“I played with him in the national set-up and to go from how promising that part of his career was to then have such a long period out, your career will go one way or the other so he’s worked really hard to maximise himself.

“He probably came to Hearts at a time when he could have been at a higher level but his (injury) history counted against him. He’s come in here and the fit has been brilliant.

“He’s a leader, he’s versatile and he’s got real quality. I think he’s been one of our best players this season.

“The biggest thing for him is that he’s enjoying everything at the moment, he’s enjoying his football and where he sits within the squad. He’s a big help for me personally.”

Toni Kroos has been recalled to the Germany squad after an absence of almost three years, the country’s football association has announced.

The Real Madrid midfielder revealed last month he was planning to come out of international retirement.

The 34-year-old made himself unavailable for selection after Germany’s elimination from the delayed Euro 2020 tournament but has reversed his decision following talks with new coach Julian Nagelsmann.

Former Bayern Munich boss Nagelsmann, who took charge of the national side last September, has included Kroos in a 26-man squad for friendlies against France and the Netherlands later this month.

This would indicate Kroos, who has 106 international caps and won the World Cup in 2014, is now in the picture for this summer’s European Championship.

Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, the former Germany captain, has also been recalled for the first time since breaking his leg in a skiing accident in December 2022.

Despite a gritty display at home, Suriname's Robinhood failed to progress to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup after they played out a 1-1 stalemate with Costa Rica's Herediano in their second-leg Round of 16 contest, at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion in Paramaribo on Wednesday.

Needing to overturn a two-goal deficit, Robinhood through a stoppage time goal from Don Tuur ended the two-leg tie with some positives to build on, though they lost 3-1 on aggregate. Adrian Garza got Herediano's goal in the 56th minute and confirmed their quarterfinal date with Liga MX side Pachuca.

Herediano largely controlled the first half and registered the only shots on target, although there were moments when Robinhood showed their teeth in transition, which served as a warning that they could be dangerous on the counterattack.

Robinhood came out more positive on the resumption and gradually applied pressure on the Herediano back line in their probe to reduce the deficit, but they unfortunately found themselves further behind.

The Costa Ricans broke the deadlock when Garza received a pass on the right wing and dismissed two defenders before rocketing a shot past Robinhood's custodian Jonathan Fonkel.

Robinhood should have pulled a goal back on the hour-mark when a giveaway led to back-to-back shots in a goalmouth melee, but the Herediano defence stood firm on both occasions to deny their opponents.

From there, Herediano were more threatening going forward and went close to a second in the 68th, but Andy Rojas steered his shot wide.

Robinhood’s Tuur got another good look at goal for the in the 78th off a looping cross, but he also hooked the shot wide.

However, the striker made amends and gave his team and home fans something to cheer about when he turned in a loose ball.

Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has called on UEFA to issue sanctions over racist chants about him by Atletico Madrid fans.

The Brazil forward was the target of chants by Atletico fans prior to their Champions League last 16 match against Inter Milan on Wednesday night.

He replied to a post on X, formerly Twitter, about the chanting and wrote: “I hope you have already thought about their punishment @ChampionsLeague
@UEFA.

“It’s a sad reality that even happens in games where I’m not present!”

UEFA has not commented on the matter at this stage. Official reports from the match will be received and reviewed on Thursday, before any decision is taken regarding disciplinary action.