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After Modric’s World Cup participation concluded with Croatia’s defeat to France in the final, the Golden Ball winner became a surprise subject of speculation, with Inter reportedly making a move to bring him to San Siro. Inter have not made their interest a secret in recent weeks and some reports have even suggested Modric was willing to listen to offers from the Serie A side. Madrid have insisted throughout that Modric will not be leaving unless someone pays his huge €750million release clause, and Spalletti seems to have accepted defeat in the pursuit....

Sahal came off the bench to score during injury time in India’s 2-1 win over the Afghans in a third-round qualifier for the Asian Cup on Saturday (June 11) at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium. Vijayan feels Sahal’s winner will provide immense inspiration to the young followers of Indian football. The former striker, who hails from Kerala, said: Sahal’s goal on Saturday was cheered on by more than 44,000 fans at the hallowed Salt Lake Stadium, where India are playing this tournament on home soil for the first time in more than two years....

Arthur has been linked with Barca for several months after establishing himself as one of South America’s most promising young players during Gremio’s successful Copa Libertadores campaign last year. Reports of Barca’s interest initially began circulating in December when Arthur was photographed wearing the club’s jersey during a meeting with sporting director Robert Fernandez. Although that moved angered the Brazilian club, negotiations have taken place since and reports have even suggested the two clubs are closing in on an agreement worth an estimated €40million....

Liverpool end Van Dijk interest Mourinho hit out at Smalling last season, suggesting after a November match with Swansea City that the defender was not willing to play through pain, a problem later revealed to be a broken toe. The United boss also hit out at the centre-back and team-mate Phil Jones for the speed of their recoveries after they both suffered injuries in the same training session while on England duty in March....

Both feature in NxGn, Goal’s list of the top 50 players in the world born or after January 1, 1998, and both are as ambitious as they are talented. Top 50 teenagers in world football Indeed, Kluivert already has a stellar career path mapped out for himself, which is perhaps unsurprising, given he is the son of former Netherlands international Patrick. Kluivert’s father announced himself to the footballing world at just 18 by netting the only goal in Ajax’s Champions League final win over AC Milan in 1995....

While the 2005 Games were hosted in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, Japan hosted the 2007 edition in the city of Osaka. The organisation says that the majority of these athletes have not been an active part of competitive sport, having long since retired, saying that ‘very few’ are still active. These revelations come in the wake of a report in the Sunday Times, which obtained classified IAAF data from an anonymous whistleblower regarding suspicious blood test data from several athletes....

Track and field’s governing body has come under the spotlight after unveiling the rules to counteract hyperandrogenism, the medical condition which causes women to produce high levels of male sex hormones. The rules, which the IAAF puts under the heading “Difference of Sexual Development” (DSD), cover events from 400m to the mile because the IAAF’s medical and science department says it has data showing hyperandrogenous athletes have an advantage over such distances....

Sweden needed a win against Belgium in their last group match on Wednesday to keep their Euro 2016 campaign – and Ibrahimovic’s international career – alive. But Radja Nainggolan’s strike secured second place in Group E for Hazard’s side. “Zlatan is a big name in football. He has achieved a lot of things with Sweden, some great things,” Hazard told reporters after the win. “He will have wanted to stay in the tournament a bit longer, but it was our goal to progress....

The Argentina international was snapped up by PSG on a permanent basis last summer after initially impressing on loan. There have been suggestions that he could be on the move again in the next window, as alternative striking options are lined up at Parc des Princes, but the 28-year-old is eager to stay put. What has been said? Icardi told PSG’s official website of his experiences in France: “When I arrived on loan, I did all I could to be able to make a difference and help the team with my goals....

The bowling actions of Sunny and Taskin have been found to be legal, and both bowlers can now resume bowling in international cricket, effective immediately, an ICC media statement said on Friday. Bangladesh announced a 13-man squad for the first two One-Dayers of the Afghanistan series, which starts on Sunday, and left a spot reserved for Taskin in case he gets the nod from ICC. With the ban on his bowling lifted, Taskin is now available for the Afghanistan One-Dayers....

The hearing, which began Monday, will decide whether BCCI is to pay the Rs 447 crore damages sought by the PCB for not honouring a so-called Memorandum of Understanding to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023. The BCCI has maintained that the MOU is not legally binding. “Khurshid’s presence definitely took the PCB by surprise. They were not expecting a former MEA to come in for cross-examination. Also a legal expert....

In his message, Mr Isaac said: “Nelson Mandela was a towering symbol of resistance, a leader, an activist, and a man who recognized the power of sport to inspire and bring people together. “Mr Mandela never compromised his principles and his beliefs in justice and equality. As South Africa’s first black President, Mr Mandela recognised and utilised sport as a mechanism to unite the divided people of South Africa and create a shared national identity and pride....

Match starts 1330 GMT World T20 head to head: Played: 3; West Indies won: 2; India won: 1 West Indies World ranking: Three Squad: Darren Sammy (Captain), Samuel Badree, Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Evin Lewis Coach: Phil Simmons Best overall performance: Champions (2012) Road to semi-final: Beat England by six wickets...

South Africa skipper Tony de Zorzi stayed unbeaten on 100 off 91 balls with seven fours as his team crushed Fiji by 282 runs to give the first-timers a taste of what awaits them in the main tournament. Opener Kyle Verreynne made 59 and Rivaldo Moonsamy smashed 56 as the South Africans piled up 332/7 in 50 overs after electing to bat. Fiji were shot out for 50 runs in 30....

There is no denying in the fact India is one of the most challenging teams at home, however, the status is surely making a shift. The current set of players led by ever-energetic Kohli have made it clear that they are going to make it count irrespective of conditions and venues. One more development that Indian cricket has climbed recently is the improvement in the seam bowling department. The team has been producing strong shows with the ball, which remains an important factor when you travel overseas....

England has been working hard to crack the code to touch the coveted trophy for the first time ever since they were eliminated in the group stage in the 2015 World Cup. They made a lot of changes to the squad and are favorites to win this World Cup. They were ranked #6 in the ICC Rankings in 2015 and now they have risen to being the number one team....

Israel’s National Drone Initiative is a two-year government program that aims to establish a nationwide network built on the capabilities of Israeli drone companies that deliver goods to pick up spots for customers via drone. The program carried out the drill Monday in preparation for large-scale commercial deliveries made by drones to ease pressure on traffic-laden urban roads. Some participants in the experiment are optimistic about the future of drones, including Yoely Or, co-founder of Cando Drones, one of the companies that participated in Monday’s experiment....

The flood of fake applications was prompted by a call to action from Never Again Action, a Jewish political action group campaigning to abolish ICE that draws its name from the “Never Again” slogan invoked in reference to the Holocaust. “ICE is asking the public to apply to be part of their armed vigilante ‘Citizens Academy,’” Never Again Action said in a tweet. “Well, let’s give them what they asked for: thousands of applications!...