On the field, defending champions England began their Euro 2025 campaign with a 2-1 defeat to France, while Wales were beaten 3-0 by the Netherlands.
Chelsea’s progress to the semi-finals of the Club World Cup has not all been plain sailing for boss Enzo Maresca.
Liverpool say goodbye to Jota
Liverpool’s squad were united in their grief as they said farewell to team-mate Diogo Jota at the forward’s funeral in Portugal.
A service for the 28-year-old father-of-three, who married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso almost a fortnight ago, and his brother Andre Silva was held at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar church in their home town of Gondomar, near Porto, following their deaths in a car crash on Thursday.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson each carried a floral tribute in the shape of a red shirt bearing the respective numbers of the two brothers.
Head coach Arne Slot and the majority of the squad were present, as were Michael Edwards – the man who signed Jota from Wolves in 2020 when he was sporting director and is now chief executive of football for owners Fenway Sports Group – current sporting director Richard Hughes and head of physiotherapy Lee Nobes, who would have spent many hours with the player during his injury lay-offs.
Many of Jota’s former team-mates also attended, including ex-Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, who on Friday laid flowers at the makeshift shrine outside Anfield, James Milner, Thiago Alcantara, who signed in the same transfer window as Jota, Caoimhin Kelleher, Fabinho and former Wolves and Portugal team-mate Joao Moutinho.
Title defence starts with defeat for England
Defending champions England were beaten by France in their Euro 2025 opener in Zurich, despite Keira Walsh’s late consolation.
Lauren James returned to Sarina Wiegman’s starting XI and England thought they had struck first against the 2022 semi-finalists but had an early Alessia Russo effort chalked off after a VAR check.
Instead Marie-Antoinette Katoto fired in a 36th-minute opener before Chelsea’s Sandy Baltimore doubled France’s lead three minutes later.
Late substitutions sparked the Lionesses into life in the closing stages and Walsh gave them hope, halving the deficit in the 87th minute, but they could not salvage a point.
In the other game in the group, Wales’ major tournament debut ended in defeat as Vivianne Miedema scored her 100th international goal for the Netherlands.
Unhappy players can go – Maresca
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has told any player unhappy at the club they can leave.
It is proving a busy summer at Stamford Bridge, with recent signings Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr now joined by Jamie Gittens, and Estevao Willian arriving before the new season.
Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix, Axel Disasi and Ben Chilwell are not with the squad at the Club World Cup and are among those who could move on, while there has also been speculation Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson.
Maresca said: “My message to the players and to the club is that I want just players that are happy to be with us. The ones that are not happy, they are free to go.
What’s on today?
There is an all-Scandinavian clash at Euro 2025 as Norway take on Finland.
In the other game hosts Switzerland face Iceland.
