World champions Germany and perennial also-rans Albania do not share much in common in football but both were united in joy on Sunday when they qualified for Euro 2016 in France along with Romania and Poland.
Wales will move higher than their richer rivals and neighbours England when the new FIFA rankings are announced after Euro 2016, the first sign for what, many predict, will be a bright future after they made history at the tournament. Playing in their first finals since 1958, the Welsh reached the last four of a major tournament for the first time and are expected to move up close to the top 10 countries in the world rankings.
In playing terms, both are the leaders of their teams but they take very different approaches to their role. While Bale is widely acclaimed as an inspiration for his national team, Ronaldo's influence on Portugal is the subject of debate. Gareth Bale is constantly encouraging his team mates and is described by his manager as "the most down-to-earth boy you could meet."
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Monday
Portugal's Nani is poised to make his 99th appearance for his country in a crunch clash with Hungary on Wednesday and has been an automatic choice for the Selecao for a decade, yet there is a feeling the forward has not fulfilled his dazzling potential. Nani, blessed with searing pace, mesmerisingly quick feet and more tricks than a children's entertainer, will turn 30 in November and Euro 2016 could give the Fenerbahce star the platform for a transfer back to one of Europe's elite leagues. Scorer of Portugal's sole goal at the tournament - a neat finish in a 1-1 draw with Iceland - Nani has so far outperformed his captain and former Manchester United team mate Cristiano Ronaldo although he should have added to his tally of 18 international goals in Saturday's stalemate against Austria.
When UEFA decided eight years ago to expand the European Championship from 16 to 24 teams, its then president Michel Platini promised the standard of the tournament would not drop.
The two losses in Blind's first two games left the Dutch floundering in fourth place in Group A, needing to overhaul a two-point deficit on third placed Turkey with two games to play in October to have any chance of reaching the Euro 2016 finals via the November play-offs.
Bigger than ever, the European Championship kicks off in Paris on Friday with a four-week feast of football that promises to elevate the game above the corruption scandals and security fears that have overshadowed its build-up. All eyes will be on hosts France when they get the ball rolling against Romania in the Stade de France -- 210 days after suicide bombers at the same venue triggered a night of horror across the capital which killed 130 people.
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Bigger than ever, the European Championship kicks off in Paris next month with a four-week feast of football that promises to elevate the game above the corruption scandals and security fears that have overshadowed its build-up.
Spain and Italy were placed in the same qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, as were the Netherlands and France, but holders Germany were handed a kinder campaign with the Czech Republic their chief rivals in the draw made on Saturday.
Over the last two years, despite an amnesty scheme, only about Rs 2,500 crore of taxes have been recovered.
A map showing the gender equality across the world as published in the 'Global Gender Gap Report 2014' of the World Economic Forum.
Danny Blind was named the new coach of the Netherlands, replacing Guus Hiddink who resigned this week after a run of poor results.
Guus Hiddink has quit as coach of the Netherlands after spending less than one year in his second spell in the job, the Football Association (KNVB) has announced.
A leak of 11.5 million tax documents has revealed how the rich and powerful use tax havens to hide their wealth.
Victory for the Netherlands in Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier in Latvia would have been seen as practically guaranteed after a successful World Cup in Brazil but a faltering qualifying campaign has precipitated a confidence crisis.
It was the first time the US had beaten the Dutch whose defeat continued a run of mediocre results since they came third at last year's World Cup. It will also heap the pressure on them ahead of next week's vital Euro 2016 qualifier away to Latvia.
Aritz Aduriz scored his first goal for Spain at the age of 35 to give the European champions a fortuitous 1-1 draw away to Italy in a Euro 2016 warm-up for both teams on Thursday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A big hit to China's growth or to Europe's financial system could certainly tip the global economy.
Images from the 2018 World Cup qualifiers played in Europe on Monday
A round-up of the World Cup qualifying matches played on Friday.
The PM of Luxembourg has become the first gay European Union leader to enter into a same-sex union
A report compiled by Sydney-based think tank Institute of Economics and Peace has said that the world became less peaceful over the last one year, with a sharp rise in the number of homicides.
When Netherlands striker Robin van Persie put away a spectacular diving header against world champions Spain on a balmy afternoon at last year's World Cup it set them on the way to a 5-1 win and the promise of glory.
The Dutch, who have not missed a Euro finals since 1984, kept their playoff chances alive with a 2-1 win in Kazakhstan
England defender John Stones has been ruled out of their final two Euro 2016 qualifiers through injury, the FA said in a statement.
Head out to these nations for a warm welcome.
Whether it is Greece's victory at Euro 2004, Denmark's success in 1992 or Iceland's run to the quarter-finals at Euro 2016, the similarities between successful smaller countries and their approaches seem striking.
Top per capita producers are the wealthy nations of Europe.
The French envoy was notified about "discrimination" towards Russian citizens, it said, adding that "further fanning of anti-Russian sentiments" could damage relations between France and Russia.
'No country has moved from bigotry to equality fast, and India, with its leisurely, elephant-like pace for the most non-controversial of things, will only take longer.'
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The Volvo S60 Cross Country is a very capable car that can be handled across all weather and terrain conditions, says P Tharyan.
Celestial views of the Milky Way, Northern Lights, and comets hurtling through space are just some of the incredible images to have made the shortlist for the 2015 Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.
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