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• Kroos not feeling nostalgic, aiming to end career with Euro 2024 glory

  Toni Kroos says he is not feeling nostalgic about the possibility of his career ending on Friday when Germany face Spain in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.

  Kroos came out of international retirement to play for Germany on home soil at the European Championships, but announced in May that he would be retiring from football at the end of the tournament.

  The German won LaLiga before earning a sixth Champions League title in his farewell game for Real Madrid and is now aiming to finish his career by lifting the Euros trophy for the first time.

  With a place in the next round not guaranteed, Kroos could play his final game on Friday should Germany lose to Spain, but that is not something he is thinking about.

  "It is the second most important title you can win, and it would have a huge importance for me," he said. "If I did not see having the chance to do it with the team, I would not have [come back].

  "It would be a sensational end, but I have also considered the possibility of it not happening. I am not nostalgic at all and did not bring any treats for [journalists] either.

  "I do not expect it to be my last game, so I assume we will see each other again."

  Kroos has been an influential figure in the side already. In the group stage, he completed 95% of his passes (411/431), the highest completion rate by a player to attempt 300+ passes on record in the competition.

  After a string of disappointing major tournament results in recent years, with Germany being knocked out of the last two World Cups in the group stage, Kroos is confident they can go all the way this time around.

  "There were big doubts about the tournament before it started," he added. "That's normal after the previous tournaments we had.

  "So we've now reached a minimal goal and, whatever the result, we won't be speaking about a tournament catastrophe here. But anything that comes now is not a bonus.

  "We, as a team, have the goal to win the tournament. So, it is not a bonus, but we are at a stage in the tournament we wanted to reach.

  "We should be satisfied, but the demand within the team is to progress further, and we are convinced we can do it."

• Everton sign attacker Ndiaye from Marseille

  Iliman Ndiaye has completed a £16m (€18.5m) move from Marseille to Everton.

  Ndiaye, a Senegalese international, has signed a five-year deal with the Toffees.

  He is Everton's third signing of the transfer window, after the addition of Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa and the re-signing of Jack Harrison, who rejoined the club on loan from Leeds United.

  The 24-year-old only joined Marseille, his boyhood club, last year, having previously starred in the Championship with Sheffield United. However, he netted just three times in Ligue 1 last season.

  Everton, though, will be hoping Ndiaye replicates the form he displayed in the second tier when he propelled the Blades to promotion in 2022-23.

  Ndiaye was fourth-best in the Championship for goal contributions (24 - 14 goals, 10 assists) that season, while his tally of 111 dribbles completed ranked behind only Patrick Roberts (112) and Joao Pedro (116). He converted 20% of his shots.

  "I am so pleased to be an Everton player," Ndiaye told evertontv. "I'm so excited and can't wait to get going.

  "As a player, I like to dribble, show skills and get the fans out their seats. I want to score goals and get assists, but I also like to work hard. I love running, chasing the ball, getting the team high up the pitch. As a striker, you're the first defender. I love doing that bit."

  Sean Dyche's team certainly need an extra attacking threat. They were the league's second-lowest scorers, with just 40 goals, and the competition's biggest expected goals (xG) underperformers, scoring 15 fewer goals than would have been anticipated based on the quality of opportunities they created (40 goals from 54.9 xG).

• Argentina v Ecuador: Sanchez braced for 'another final' against Albiceleste

  Ecuador head coach Felix Sanchez has likened their Copa America quarter-final to a final, as they prepare to take on defending champions, Argentina, in Houston.

  La Tricolor did not make the best start to the tournament with their 2-1 defeat to eventual Group B winners Venezuela.

  However, an impressive 3-1 win over Jamaica, coupled with their goalless draw against Mexico, was enough to see them finish second in the group and qualify for the knockout stage.

  Ecuador have never won the Copa America, but a statement victory over Argentina would surely make them the ones to watch.

  Sanchez is confident his players have what it takes to cause an upset.

  "We know it is an unmatched opponent, and we know how tough it's going to be, and we'll see how that unfolds," Sanchez said.

  "It is yet another final for us, and we will try to compete against the world's champion and the world's best team. I believe that our team is going to be extremely motivated with a very high morale and trying to play a good match.

  "I have full confidence in our players. I know that they are going to give their best as they've done in the three matches. We know how tough it is, and we're going to do whatever we can to win it."

  Argentina stayed perfect through the group stage, winning all three games without conceding a single goal, with Lautaro Martinez providing the spark – he has the lead in the Golden Boot race with his four goals.

  It also looks like they will be boosted by the return of Lionel Messi, who missed their 2-0 victory over Peru due to a hamstring issue, while head coach Lionel Scaloni will be back on the touchline after serving a one-match ban.

  Assistant coach Walter Samuel is still expecting a tough battle though, noting the difficulties that Ecuador's style poses.

  "They are different rivals," Samuel said. "We faced Ecuador in the last friendly. We know them and [they] have a capable coach. The physical part is a big deal, but they have a great technical quality, too. They are playing this tournament well, and it'll be difficult.

  "We have seen many players who had not had game time [against Peru]. We have now used almost the whole squad. Now comes the next round and we need to be ready."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Argentina – Lautaro Martinez

  Only two Argentina players have scored more goals in a single edition of the tournament in the 21st century than Martinez has in this one (four): Juan Roman Riquelme in 2007 and Lionel Messi in 2016, both netting five goals each.

  Martinez leads the way in Argentina's squad for shots (nine), despite only starting one of their matches so far.

  Ecuador – Kendry Paez

  Kendry Paez was an integral player for Ecuador in the group stages as he made the most ball recoveries (19) and attempted the second-most shots (10, behind Salomon Rondon's 13) among all teams in Group B.

  The 17-year-old will join Chelsea next year, and is already displaying the quality that attracted the Blues in the first place.

  MATCH PREDICTION: ARGENTINA WIN

  Unsurprisingly, Opta's model is backing the defending champions to book a place in the semi-final.

  Argentina have never lost to Ecuador at the Copa America, with 11 wins and five draws. However, they have only met once in the knockout rounds, with La Albiceleste advancing in 2021 after a 3-0 win in the quarter-finals.

  In fact, Ecuador have only ever beaten Argentina five times in their previous 40 meetings in all competitions but have not got the better of them since a World Cup qualifier in October 2015, winning 2-0 (drawn one, lost six since).

  Argentina have won their last eight matches, including friendlies, equalling the longest winning streak under Scaloni as head coach; a win in the quarter-finals against Ecuador will set a new record for the Albiceleste since Scaloni's debut in September 2018.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Argentina – 68.1%

  Draw – 17.2%

  Ecuador – 14.7%