Romania stormed to a 3-0 win over Ukraine in their Euro 2024 opener on Monday, with Nicolae Stanciu, Razvan Marin and Denis Dragus scoring in their first victory at the European Championships for 24 years.

Ukraine dominated possession early on but a loose pass from Andriy Lunin put them in trouble after 29 minutes. Dennis Man intercepted and found Stanciu on the edge of the area, and the Romania skipper shaped a wonderful first-time effort into the top-left corner.

Sanciu later clipped the crossbar directly from a corner as Romania grew in stature, and they had their second goal seven minutes into the second half.

Marin came onto a loose ball and struck a low shot from 25 yards out, which Real Madrid goalkeeper Lunin allowed to squirm under his dive and into the bottom-right corner.

Ukraine's problems worsened within another four minutes, as Dragus stayed onside to tap Man's cross into an unguarded net following a short corner routine.

Roman Yaremchuk hit the crossbar with a lobbed attempt in stoppage time, but that was as close as Ukraine came to a goal, as Romania recorded their first win at the Euros since a memorable 3-2 victory dumped England out of the 2000 tournament.

Data Debrief: Dennis is the Man

There were standout performances throughout the Romania lineup, with Dragus leading the line superbly and Tottenham's Radu Dragusin looking every inch the modern ball-playing centre-back. 

However, it was Man who played the starring role with two assists. He is the first Romanian player to tee up two goals in a major tournament game since the great Gheorghe Hagi against Colombia at the 1994 World Cup.

Napoli insist Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is not on the market after his agent Mamuka Jugeli claimed he is looking to leave the club. 

The Georgia international, who is preparing for his country's Euro 2024 opener against Turkiye on Tuesday, has been linked with a move to both Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona in the current transfer window. 

Kvaratskhelia scored 11 times in the league in 2023-24, as the Partenopei finished 10th in what was a disappointing defence of their third Serie A crown. 

"We want to leave Napoli, but now we're all waiting for the Euro 2024," Jugeli told Sport Imedi last week. "With [Antonio] Conte, Napoli have big plans.

"I'm sure they will qualify for the Champions League again next season and fight for the Scudetto. But that doesn't mean Kvaratskhelia wants to stay there, I don't mean it.

"I didn't talk with Khvicha about this issue, the most important thing for him is the national team. Our goal is the team that plays in the Champions League.

"The worst thing is that if he stays here, Khvicha will lose one year because of that… we are worried."

However, Napoli have hit back with a statement of their own, citing the fact Kvaratskhelia has three years remaining on his contract at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. 

It read: "In reference to the statements of Kvaratskhelia's agent, Mamuka Jugeli, and his father Badri, Calcio Napoli reiterates that the player has a contract for another three years with the club.

"Kvaratskhelia is not on the market. It is not the agents or fathers who decide the future of a player under contract with Napoli but the club!!! End of the story."

Manuel Neuer has called on Germany to stay grounded after their flying start to Euro 2024, warning Wednesday's clash with Hungary in Stuttgart will be a step up.

Germany recorded the biggest ever win in the opening game of a European Championship last Friday, thumping Scotland 5-1 with Florian Writz, Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can all on target.

It was also Germany's largest victory at the Euros, as they underlined their credentials after a turbulent build-up to their home tournament.

They will be heavily favoured against a Hungary side well beaten by Switzerland in their first game, but Neuer – who is playing at his eighth major tournament – says Julian Nagelsmann's squad will not get carried away.

"The trust is what's important and the trust among us as team-mates and the coaching staff is very high," Neuer said on Monday. 

"We have started preparations for the Hungary game and the focus and concentration is increasing.

"Against Scotland we dominated from the start. We scored after 10 minutes and that did us a lot of good, but we have our feet on the ground. 

"We have some self-confidence now but Hungary will be a different level. This is a warning for us and we will not underestimate them."

If Neuer appears at another game at these Euros, he will pass Hugo Lloris outright for the appearance record among goalkeepers at World Cups and European Championships combined. The duo are currently level with 35 apiece. 

Hungary were distinctly second best in their 3-1 defeat to Switzerland on matchday one and may need a result against the hosts to have a realistic chance of progressing. 

Coach Marco Rossi knows they face a mighty task, claiming Germany are favourites to win the tournament. 

"I dare anybody to bet one Hungarian Forint on us. As of today that looks impossible," Rossi said. 

"Germany are a different team than the last Euros, they proved it against Scotland. In my opinion, they are the biggest favourites for the European Championship."

Reflecting on the Switzerland defeat, he added: "We had some shortcomings in individual performances. 

"There aren't many strategies to stop individual mistakes. It's hard to say anyone did well apart from two or three performances."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Germany – Toni Kroos

Kroos began his final tournament with a metronomic performance against Scotland, completing 101 of his 102 passes for the highest pass completion rate (99 per cent) of any player to ever attempt 100 passes at a Euros match.

He also made 31 line-breaking passes in that match – more than any Scotland player completed passes in total, with Kieran Tierney leading the way with 30.

 

Hungary – Barnabas Varga 

Varga briefly got Hungary back into the game against Switzerland, and he now has seven goals in just nine starts for his country across all competitions.

Should he find the net on Wednesday, he would become just the second Hungarian to score on his first two European Championship appearances, after Ferenc Bene in 1964.

MATCH PREDICTION – GERMANY WIN

Given the rampant nature of Germany's victory over Scotland, it is difficult to look past them in their second match.

Hungary have only kept one clean sheet in their 12 total matches at the Euros, in a 2-0 win over Austria back in 2016. They have conceded the opening goal in seven of those 12 games, going on to lose on six of those seven occasions (one draw).

They are also without a win in seven European Championship games and could lose two matches at a single edition of the tournament for just the second time, after 1972.

Germany, meanwhile, had five different goalscorers last time out, more than they had in the entirety of Euro 2020 (three). Only in 1996, 2016 (both six) and 2012 (eight) have they had more at a single edition of the finals (excluding own goals).

Nagelsmann's team are strong favourites to win their first two matches at a fifth edition of the Euros, after doing so in 1972, 1980, 1996 and 2012. 

They won the trophy on three of those previous four occasions, only falling short when they exited in the semi-finals in 2012.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Germany – 71.2%

Hungary – 12.1%

Draw – 16.6%

Sergio Ramos is leaving Sevilla following a one-year return to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, the club have confirmed.

Ramos came through Sevilla's youth system before joining Real Madrid for €27million as a 19-year-old in 2005, going on to win LaLiga on five occasions and the Champions League four times with Los Blancos.

Following an injury-hit stint with Paris Saint-Germain, Ramos returned to his boyhood club as a free agent last September, 18 years on from his initial departure.

Ramos played 28 times in LaLiga last term, scoring three goals and contributing to seven clean sheets as Sevilla pulled away from the relegation zone to end a turbulent season in 14th.

In a statement released on Monday, the club confirmed Ramos was to depart and said he would speak at a farewell news conference on Tuesday.

Sevilla added: "The club wishes to thank Sergio for the commitment, leadership and dedication that he has demonstrated this season, and wishes him the best for future."

The former Spain international is not thought likely to call time on his glittering career just yet, with MLS expansion team San Diego FC having been linked with a move.

Ralf Rangnick says self-belief will be vital as his Austria side hunt a major scalp in their Euro 2024 opener against France on Monday.

France are viewed among the favourites to win the tournament, having won the 2018 World Cup and finished as runners-up at Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup under Didier Deschamps.

However, Les Bleus have been tasked with a tough draw, with Austria tipped as potential dark horses and the Netherlands beating Poland 2-1 in Group D's first match on Sunday.

Austria finished just one point behind Belgium in their first qualification campaign under former Manchester United boss Rangnick, who has needed little time to implement his preferred high-pressing style.

Austria allowed their opponents fewer passes per defensive action (8.3 PPDA) than any other team during qualifying, also attacking with the fastest direct speed, moving the ball upfield at a speed of 2.03 metres per second.

Rangnick plans to take the game to France in Dusseldorf, telling his players there can be no inferiority complex if they are to earn a result. 

"That is crucial, that we will be courageous, that we are convinced of our own strength," Rangnick said at his pre-match press conference.

"What's really vital is the way that we perform, not the way that France plays, or whether they are a little bit better or a little bit worse, it's only about us.

"We prepared for over two years for this day. It's finally starting for us. We're really excited. There's joy above everything else."

One of Austria's most pressing tasks will be to shut out Kylian Mbappe, who has scored 12 goals in his last three international tournaments (four at the 2018 World Cup, none at Euro 2020, eight at the 2022 World Cup).

Harry Kane is the only European player to match that figure, and the England man was also the only player from Europe's top five leagues to equal Mbappe's 44 goals in 2023-24. 

However, Rangnick says Austria cannot afford to focus entirely on any one player, such is the strength of the France squad.

"With our style of playing we have to counter him and the whole French team, we have to make sure that he doesn't receive as many balls as he likes," he said.

"We know from our own strengths that we can win this match."

 

Marcus Rashford's poor form for Manchester United meant he could have no complaints about being left out of England's Euro 2024 squad, believes his club boss Erik ten Hag.

Along with Manchester City's Jack Grealish, Rashford was a surprise omission from Gareth Southgate's party for the tournament in Germany.

Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze and Jarrod Bowen were among the wide players preferred to Rashford, who had been a mainstay in the Three Lions' squad since making his first tournament appearance at Euro 2016.

Rashford scored just seven goals in 33 Premier League appearances in 2023-24 as the Red Devils limped to an eighth-place finish – their lowest in the competition's history.

Only in 2015-16, 2016-17 (both five) and 2021-22 (four) has Rashford scored fewer goals in a top-flight campaign. 

 

Speaking in his role as a pundit for NOS on Sunday, Rashford's club manager said the forward had not done enough to be considered for his country.

"Grealish and Rashford were both lacking this season. And when you are lacking, you risk not getting picked for your country," Ten Hag said.

Ten Hag's job was thought to be under threat as United enter their first full season under the Jim Ratcliffe regime, but it was confirmed last week he will stay at the helm.

He was asked on Sunday whether he had any desire to manage the Netherlands in the future, but he maintains he is content at Old Trafford.

"I've never been chasing anything," Ten Hag said. "I'm very happy with where I am now. And I want to make the most of it."

Harry Kane offers more to England than simply goals, says Kieran Trippier, who is not concerned about the striker's lack of touches in Sunday's 1-0 win over Serbia.

Jude Bellingham's goal was the difference as England recorded a hard-fought victory to open their Group C campaign, meaning they have started all four of their major tournaments under Gareth Southgate with a win. 

However, their performance attracted criticism from some quarters as England managed just five shots to Serbia's six, accumulating a total of 0.52 expected goals (xG).

Kane was a victim of the cagey nature of the contest, recording fewer touches (24) and successful passes (nine) than any other England starter. 

Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at least doubled both of those tallies, having 48 touches and completing 25 passes.

Kane did go close to giving England a two-goal cushion in the second half as he saw a header tipped onto the crossbar by Predrag Rajkovic, but Trippier says he should not be judged purely on goals.

"Obviously it was difficult because they played five at the back, but what people don't realise is what Harry does off the ball," Trippier told reporters in the mixed zone.

"Of course, he scores goals but what he did for the team today was incredible, holding the ball up and bringing other players into play. 

"People just focus on goals with Harry but internally, as team-mates, we appreciate what he does off the ball."

England have, however, kept five successive clean sheets in group-stage matches at the Euros, the longest such run in the competition's history.

 

"I would say it's about managing the game," Trippier continued. "There will always be moments in games where the opposition will have a spell of 10 or 15 minutes of possession. 

"It's about being nice and compact and not conceding. We have got experienced players in the group like [Kyle] Walker, Harry, myself, players that can help the younger players manage the games. I thought we did that tonight."

Fans were hoping to see a free-flowing England display after watching Germany and Spain kick off with resounding wins, but their figure of 0.52 xG is the fourth-lowest of any team to have played at Euro 2024 thus far, after Scotland (0.02), Serbia (0.18) and Albania (0.51).

However, Jarrod Bowen – who teed up Kane's big second-half chance – is not worried about the performances of other nations.

"We are so focused on ourselves and what we can do, other teams are irrelevant. They are their countries and we are England," he said.

"We focus on ourselves and our focus was to win the game not because other teams won, but because it was a statement for us to win the first game going into Thursday.

"That was our mindset coming into this game and that will be it, full focus on us."

Serbia wing-back Filip Kostic is feared to have suffered ligament damage during his team's 1-0 defeat to England at Euro 2024, coach Dragan Stojkovic has revealed.

England made a winning start to their Group C campaign on Sunday as Jude Bellingham's early header was enough to decide a cagey game in Gelsenkirchen.

It was a challenge involving Bellingham that led to the end of Kostic's game, the Juventus man requiring treatment after falling awkwardly and being substituted after 43 minutes.

Serbia now face Slovenia and Denmark in their remaining group-stage games, but Kostic is a major doubt to continue at the tournament and could be set for a long spell on the sidelines.

"Kostic felt a strong pain in the outside part of his left knee and we fear that he could have ligament damage," Stojkovic said at his post-match press conference. "He will undergo medical tests on Monday, let's hope it's not as bad as it looks."

Though England held Serbia to just six shots (one on target) amounting to 0.18 expected goals (xG), Stojkovic felt his team deserved to take something from the match.

"We managed to corner the English team and I think we didn't deserve to lose," Stojkovic said. 

"I told my players I was proud of their performance and about everything but the result. Now all we can do is to rest and get ready for what is probably the most important match of the group stage against Slovenia."

Day three at Euro 2024 brought plenty of action.

Jude Bellingham was the main man for England as the Three Lions beat Serbia 1-0.

Earlier in the day, Denmark drew 1-1 with Slovenia, and the Netherlands came from behind to beat Poland.

But there was also plenty of action on social media, and not just on the pitch. Here, we round up the best posts from Euro 2024.

 

Wolfpack

Bellingham celebrated his goal for England with Trent Alexander-Arnold, and the pair debuted a new "wolf" celebration.

They embraced before they each got down on one knee and placed a hand over their face.

Explaining the celebration, Bellingham told BBC Sport: "When we play Wolf, one of the staff loves that face when he doesn't have a clue what's going on! So that was kind of, a little group celebration for the wolf crew!"

Man on a mission

Bellingham may have grabbed the headlines, but Declan Rice was vital for England in midfield.

Indeed, only Bellingham (92) had more touches than Rice (90), while the Arsenal man led the team for passes (81), accurate passes (78) and interceptions (two, along with Alexander-Arnold and Kyle Walker).

And the official England account made sure to give Rice some love. 

Harry Haaland?

At half-time in the England match, pundit and former Three Lions defender Jamie Carragher posted on X that Harry Kane was "playing the Haaland role".

By that point, Kane had only touched the ball twice, and the captain would go on to finish with 24 touches, exactly half the amount of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who ranked 10th in that metric of the 11 England players to start the game.

Carragher suggested that, like Erling Haaland at Manchester City, Kane was being instructed to stay high and wait for the ball to come to him, though does not feel that role suited him.

Kane, who was making his record-breaking 23rd appearance for England at a major tournament, nearly scored in the second half, but saw a header saved onto the crossbar.

How to save a life

A genius idea in the fan zones in Germany, is that there are CPR training units set up, so that supporters can learn the basics if they need to act quickly.

UEFA broadcast this on their official account.

Eriksen's emotional Euros return

The need for CPR training is only hit home when thinking about Christian Eriksen.

June 12 marked the third anniversary of Eriksen collapsing on the pitch in Copenhagen, during Denmark's opening game of Euro 2020.

Thankfully, and due to the swift actions of the medical staff that day, Eriksen survived the cardiac arrest he suffered, and on Sunday, matters came full circle as the 32-year-old scored his nation's opening goal against Slovenia.

Dress sense

Some managers go for a tracksuit. Others go for a smart casual look. Plenty wear a suit.

Poland boss Michal Probierz falls into the latter category, but he made sure to stand out with his bold choice in Sunday's clash with the Dutch.

Probierz went for an eye-catching tweed waistcoat and a brown blazer, drawing the attention of the Men In Blazer's X account, and in turn, their post was picked up by Poland's official team account too. 

What do you think of the look?

Memphis' new look

Speaking of making a statement, Memphis Depay is not exactly shy when it comes to what he wears.

And for Euro 2024, it would appear the Netherlands' forward has a new look, with the 30-year-old donning a headband.

It's usually a look reserved for basketball, not football, but Depay will do what Depay wants to do. Not that it greatly helped his performance levels. The former Manchester United attacker had four shots, but didn't get any of them on target.

Jude Bellingham "has everything to win the next Ballon d'Or", Serbia skipper Dusan Tadic insisted after his side fell victim to England's star midfielder.

Bellingham was the hero with his first-half header ensuring Gareth Southgate's side got off to a winning start at Euro 2024, as they edged out the Eagles 1-0 in Gelsenkirchen.

The Real Madrid midfielder built on the momentum from his memorable debut season with Los Blancos, for whom he scored 23 goals and helped win LaLiga and the Champions League.

The second player after Michael Owen to score at the World Cup and European Championship before turning 21, he is also the first to do so for the Three Lions while playing his club football outside of England.

And Tadic, who appeared as a second-half substitute in Serbia's first match at the European Championship as a unified nation, paid tribute to the 20-year-old.

When asked whether he thought Bellingham was the difference in the Group C contest, the Eagles skipper told reporters: "Yes, definitely. I think he is a great player and a great personality. I think he has everything to win the next Ballon d'Or.

"I think everything that he did was great today, he showed personality, he took England to the next level. He was always asking for the ball and I think he had a great game.

"What I think is most important for such a young player is that he always takes responsibility. That is amazing to see, and you can see he is very hungry."

Erik ten Hag revealed his Manchester United future was settled whilst on holiday in Ibiza, though he is yet to agree a contract extension at Old Trafford.

The Dutchman's future with the Red Devils was in doubt following a disappointing 2023-24 season, in which they recorded their lowest Premier League finish of eighth.

Although Ten Hag, who has a year remaining on his existing contract, did lead United to FA Cup glory following a 2-1 victory over rivals Manchester City in the final at Wembley.

The club's new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe reportedly spoke to several candidates to potentially replace the Dutchman, including former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel.

Ten Hag confirmed this, before United officials visited him to confirm he would remain in charge, and they would extend his stay at Old Trafford.

"The club management came to me while I was on holiday in Ibiza," he told Dutch TV channel NOS. "They suddenly showed up on my doorstep and told me they wanted to continue with me."

"Ineos took their time. They are new to football; it's normal to reflect on the season. It's no secret that they talked with multiple candidates.

"In the Netherlands, that is not done. You are not even allowed to talk to another club if there is a current manager there. But in England, the rules and laws are different.

"Manchester United have told me that they spoke with Tuchel, but they eventually came to the conclusion that they already have the best manager.

"We had a good discussion and various topics were discussed. One of the conclusions is that we will extend the contract, but we still have to reach an agreement."

Dorival Junior has stuck with the same 26-man squad he provisionally selected for Brazil's 2024 Copa America campaign.

Juventus' Bremer, Atalanta midfielder Ederson and Porto forward Pepe were all called up when CONMEBOL announced the squads were being expanded from 23 players to 26.

The Brazilian had already had to make changes after Manchester City's Ederson was ruled out due to an injury sustained at the end of the Premier League season, with Rafael brought in to replace him.

Lucas Paqueta also keeps his place after the Brazilian Football Association (CBF) confirmed he would be allowed to stay with the squad despite being charged by the England Football Association (FA) for allegedly breaching betting rules.

Casemiro, Gabriel Jesus and Thiago Silva had already been left out of the provisional squad announced in May, while Richarlison and Neymar are both missing due to injury.

Brazil are nine-time winners of the Copa America and will begin their campaign against Costa Rica on June 24 before also facing Paraguay and Colombia in Group D.

Final Brazil squad: Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Atletico PR), Rafael (Sao Paolo), Beraldo (PSG), Bremer (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Gabriel (Arsenal), Marquinhos (PSG), Danilo (Juventus), Yan Couto (Girona), Guilherme Arana (Atletico MG), Wendell (Porto), Andreas Pereira (Fulham), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Ederson (Atalanta), Joao Gomes (Wolves), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham), Endrick (Palmeiras), Evanilson (Porto), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Pepe (Porto), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Savinho (Girona), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid).

Raphinha has responded to Kylian Mbappe's claims that the Euros are harder than the World Cup by reminding the Frenchman who beat them in the 2022 final.

In an interview, Mbappe noted that France had not won the European Championships in 24 years, which is something he will be looking to change this year.

That observation then led to him saying, "The Euros is a difficult competition, more than a World Cup. All the teams know each other, and the style of soccer is similar. Group stages are difficult."

However, Brazil's Raphinha was not happy with the 25-year-old's comparison, pointing out that Argentina prevented them from winning the World Cup in 2022.

"Unfortunately for him and fortunately for us, he lost a World Cup against a South American team," Raphinha said in a press conference ahead of the Copa America.

The Barcelona winger also referenced other comments made by Mbappe from a couple of years ago. The new Real Madrid star implied World Cup qualification was easier in South America than in Europe, and suggested the football "wasn't as advanced".

Raphinha added, "I would like to see the European teams playing in the South American qualifiers on the fields where we play. That's when I'd see if it's easy or hard."

Brazil begin their Copa America campaign against Costa Rica on June 24, while France will face Austria in their Euro 2024 opener on Monday.

Aleksandar Pavlovic has signed a contract extension which will keep him at Bayern Munich until 2029.

Pavlovic's current contract was due to run out in 2027, but the club have chosen to trigger a two-year extension.

The 20-year-old enjoyed an impressive breakout campaign in 2023-24, in which he made 22 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and providing two assists.

Pavlovic joined Bayern as a seven-year-old and was handed his debut for the first team in November last year when he came off the bench to assist Harry Kane in a 4-0 victory.

His club form earned him a call-up to Germany's squad for Euro 2024, but he was forced to withdraw after coming down with tonsillitis days before the opener against Scotland.

"Unfortunately, this tonsillitis has denied me my dream of playing in the European Championship on home turf, which is very disappointing – but I'm thrilled that my contract with FC Bayern has been extended until 2029," Pavlovic said.

"It shows the club has trust in me, which I'm eager to repay. FC Bayern is my home. I'm proud, happy and grateful, want to win trophies with the team and continue my personal development."

Pavlovic made 19 appearances in the Bundesliga this season, winning 15 of those, with the team scoring 54 goals in the process.

In the 15 games that the midfielder missed in the league, Bayern won just eight times, conceding 14 more goals.  

Ronaldinho has declared he will never "abandon" Brazil, rowing back on his previous claim that he will not support the Selecao at the upcoming Copa America.

Brazil are gearing up for a tilt at a 10th South American title, with Colombia, Paraguay and Costa Rica awaiting Dorival Junior's team in Group D.

Just 10 days prior to their opening game against Costa Rica in Los Angeles, Selecao great Ronaldinho said he has "had enough" with the team and would not watch any of their matches at the tournament.

The 2002 World Cup winner said the current Brazil squad displayed a "lack of love for the shirt and lack of grit", adding: "I've never seen a situation as bad as this."

However, Ronaldinho has now suggested those comments were simply reflecting the stance of many fans and were not his own feelings.

In a video posted to his Instagram account, he said: "I would never abandon Brazilian football, ever. I'd never say those things you see… 

"Actually, these words came from real Brazilian fans, they are real comments that I saw on the internet. 

"Imagine listening to these messages before you play? Motivation goes down... fan support makes a huge difference to the players. I know what I'm talking about. 

"What our boys need is support at this time. The more confidence we show, the more confidence they will have on the field."

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