Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Last-gasp Italy draw pushes Croatia towards Euros exit as Spain top group

Italy finished Group B in second place with four points, five behind Spain, who beat Albania 1-0 thanks to Ferran Torres’ goal in the 13th minute in Dusseldorf.

Last-gasp Italy draw pushes Croatia towards Euros exit as Spain top group

Mattia Zaccagni kept Italy's European Championship title hopes alive with a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Croatia, as Spain topped the group and eliminated Albania.

Italy reached the last 16 of Euro 2024 after Zaccagni's equaliser in stoppage time in Leipzig. The goal sparked celebrations among Italian fans and a sprint from 65-year-old coach Luciano Spalletti.


Italy will face Switzerland in the next round. Zaccagni, who came on with nine minutes left, scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time following a pass from defender Riccardo Calafiori.

"Nobody believed any more, but the players did," Spalletti told Sky Sport Italy. In a press conference, Spalletti criticised critics and unnamed people within Italy's camp for leaking his team's formation to the media.

Italy finished Group B in second place with four points, five behind Spain, who beat Albania 1-0 thanks to Ferran Torres' goal in the 13th minute in Dusseldorf. Albania's defeat means England, France, and the Netherlands are guaranteed a place in the next round as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Croatia's hopes are slim due to Zaccagni's equaliser. Luka Modric had given Croatia the lead nine minutes after the break, becoming the oldest goalscorer in Euros history at 38 years and 289 days. Modric scored after Gianluigi Donnarumma saved Ante Budimir's header and had earlier saved Modric's penalty.

"It's hard when you lose like this to find the words to describe how you feel," said Modric. Croatia's third-place finish with two points leaves their hopes hanging by a thread.

Misfiring England 'favourites'

England, on four points, can top Group C with a win over Slovenia on Tuesday. Captain Harry Kane supported manager Gareth Southgate despite criticism of his tactics and team selection after sub-par displays against Serbia and Denmark.

Southgate, who has led England to deep runs in the last three major tournaments, has a talented squad. Kane said, "his record speaks for itself". Slovenia coach Matjaz Kek agreed, calling England "one of the favourites, if not the favourites, for the tournament".

If England top the group, they could face Italy in the quarters. Second place would mean playing hosts Germany in the last 16.

France and the Netherlands are vying for top spot in Group D on Tuesday. France coach Didier Deschamps said Kylian Mbappe, recovering from a broken nose, was "eager to play" against eliminated Poland but did not indicate if he would start in Dortmund. France lacked cutting edge without Mbappe in their draw with the Netherlands, and fans are eager for his return.

(With inputs from AFP)

More For You

Cardi B shocks Paris Couture Week with live crow and bold Schiaparelli look

Cardi B poses with a live crow outside the Petit Palais in Paris

Instagram/lamodemagazine__

Cardi B shocks Paris Couture Week with live crow and bold Schiaparelli look

Quick highlights:

  • Cardi B appeared at Schiaparelli’s Autumn 2025 couture show in Paris holding a live crow on her arm.
  • Her dramatic black gown was designed by Daniel Roseberry, Schiaparelli’s creative director.
  • The surreal look paid tribute to Elsa Schiaparelli’s legacy of theatrical, boundary-pushing fashion.
  • The show marked a shift in Roseberry’s aesthetic, away from corsetry towards freer silhouettes.

Paris Couture Week opened on a dramatic note this year as Cardi B made a startling entrance at the Petit Palais wearing a black Schiaparelli gown, with a live crow perched on her arm. The rapper’s appearance outside the venue sent photographers scrambling as the bird flapped and squawked, setting the tone for a show rooted in tension, elegance, and surrealism.

The outfit, crafted by Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli’s Autumn 2025 collection, featured graphic fringe and a towering beaded neckline. But it was the crow, alive, glaring, and restless, that stole the spotlight, embodying the fashion house’s long-standing obsession with the unexpected.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Getty

Starmer is facing a Labour backbench revolt over plans to reform special needs support in schools without guaranteeing existing legal rights. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images)

Starmer faces Labour pushback over SEND reform plans

KEIR STARMER is facing a backlash from Labour MPs over plans to reform special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, after ministers stopped short of guaranteeing legal rights for parents.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the government was committed to reforming the current system, which costs £12 billion a year. However, she did not confirm if legally enforceable rights, such as those provided by education, health and care plans (EHCPs), would remain.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor joins growing criticism of Prada’s uncredited use of Indian design

Getty Images

Kareena Kapoor mocks Prada with her ‘OG Kolhapuri’ post as fashion giant faces backlash over copied design

Quick highlights:

  • Kareena Kapoor posted a cheeky Instagram Story flaunting Kolhapuri chappals, saying, “Sorry not Prada... but my OG Kolhapuri.”
  • Her post follows outrage over Prada’s ‘toe-ring sandals’ resembling the Indian Kolhapuri design.
  • A PIL has been filed in the Bombay High Court against Prada for unauthorised use of the Kolhapuri style without credit.
  • Prada acknowledged the inspiration and agreed to meet Indian artisans for dialogue.

Kareena Kapoor took a subtle yet sharp swipe at luxury fashion label Prada amid growing controversy around its recently launched ‘toe-ring sandals’, a design that closely mirrors India’s traditional Kolhapuri chappals. Without naming the brand, Kareena shared a photo of her feet in silver Kolhapuri slippers during her London vacation and captioned it: “Sorry not Prada... but my OG Kolhapuri ❤️.”

The actor’s post struck a chord with many online, surfacing just days after Prada came under fire for allegedly copying the Kolhapuri design without acknowledgment.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nintendo fans

The new Zelda game for Nintendo Switch 2 is already one of the most highly anticipated releases

Nintendo

Nintendo fans share hopes for new Zelda game on Switch 2

Key points

  • Fans eagerly await announcement of a new Zelda game for the Nintendo Switch 2
  • Discussions centre around combining classic elements with modern open-world gameplay
  • Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom continue to set high expectations
  • Players want improved dungeons, deeper combat, and better weapon durability
  • Some fans suggest Wind Waker-inspired visuals and enhanced performance

Anticipation builds for first new Zelda game on Nintendo Switch 2

As Nintendo Switch 2 arrives in the hands of gamers across the world, fans of The Legend of Zelda series are already looking ahead to what the console’s first original Zelda title might offer. While a new Zelda game has yet to be officially announced for the next-generation system, the fanbase is actively discussing its hopes and expectations online.

Keep ReadingShow less
Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week

iStock

Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London before 30°C heatwave

Key points

  • Heavy rain and thunderstorms drench London at the start of the week
  • Temperatures set to rise with highs of 31°C expected by Thursday
  • Heatwave could be declared by Friday if warm conditions persist
  • Night-time temperatures to remain high, increasing discomfort
  • UV and pollen levels forecast to be very high across the south

Thunderstorms soak London before summer heat returns

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week as heavy rain and overnight thunderstorms swept through the capital. Monday morning saw widespread downpours, leaving commuters reaching for umbrellas and Wimbledon ticket hopefuls queuing in ponchos.

The unsettled conditions followed a burst of thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon and continued into the early hours of Monday, prompting caution across the city. The Met Office has not issued a formal weather warning for thunderstorms, but conditions remain unstable.

Keep ReadingShow less