World Cup, day seven: the things you might have missed

A new record for Cristiano Ronaldo, gritty wins for Portugal and Spain – and early exits for three nations. The going’s getting tough…

Croatia will play to beat Argentina – Dalic

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic thinks it would be useless not to aim for a win against Lionel Messi and Argentina in Thursday’s World Cup clash in Nizhny Novgorod.

Neymar returns to Brazil training after injury scare

Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar has returned to training with Brazil after limping out of Tuesday’s session with an ankle injury.

Salah rejects talk of rift in Egypt camp

Mohamed Salah insists there has been no discord in the Egypt camp despite their impending early exit from the World Cup.

Rakitic wary of ‘uber-motivated’ Messi

Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic expects Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi to be ‘uber-motivated’ when his side face Argentina at the World Cup on Thursday.

Highlights: Costa goal breaks stubborn resistance

A fortuitous Diego Costa goal helped Spain overcome a dogged Iran to secure a 1-0 win in their World Cup Group B clash in Kazan on Wednesday evening.

Costa fires Spain past Iran

Diego Costa scored his third goal of the tournament as Spain clinched a narrow 1-0 victory over Iran in their World Cup Group B encounter at the Kazan Arena on Wednesday evening.

Highlights: Centurion Suarez strikes to send Uruguay through

Luis Suarez booked Uruguay’s place in the World Cup knockout rounds, marking his 100th international appearance with the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia.

Suarez sends Uruguay through, Salah’s Egypt out

Luis Suarez scored on his 100th international appearance as Uruguay claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in their World Cup Group A clash in Rostov-on-Don on Wednesday.

I’m not going to speak to Ronaldo again – Isco

Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick may have saved a point for Portugal, but Isco joked he will no longer speak to him because of it.