‘Dark day for German football’ after World Cup elimination

Everyone was waiting for Germany to score another late World Cup-saving goal.

It never came.

Instead, the Germans have become the fourth defending champions in the last five tournaments to be eliminated in the group stage following a 2-0 loss to South Korea on Wednesday.

The four-time champions allowed a pair of injury-time goals while knowing a 1-0 victory would have been enough to advance because of the result in the other group match.

From India to Russia: A cyclist's dream of meeting Argentina's Lionel Messi

After a shock 3-0 loss to Croatia and only one game left to redeem itself, could Argentina be out of the World Cup? Clifin Francis certainly hopes not.

After all, the 28-year-old mathematics teacher from southern India has cycled more than 2,900 miles to Russia to get his bike signed by Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi.

While Francis initially planned to ride his bike all the way from his home town in Alappuzha, difficulties in getting a Pakistani visa forced him to start his journey in Iran.

Brazil leaves it late to beat Costa Rica 2-0 at World Cup

After more than 90 minutes of aggravation and exasperation, Neymar and Brazil finally broke through Costa Rica’s smothering defense.

Philippe Coutinho scored in the first minute of stoppage time, and Neymar followed six minutes later to give Brazil a 2-0 victory over Costa Rica on Friday at the World Cup.

Unlike Argentina and Lionel Messi, Brazil is still in a good position to advance to the round of 16. Costa Rica has been eliminated.

Early penalty helps Japan beat Colombia 2-1 at World Cup

Yuya Osako had a surprise in store for those who gave Japan little chance of competing with Colombia at the World Cup.

Osako’s gritty determination to set up one goal and his 73rd-minute header from Keisuke Honda’s corner kick lifted Japan to a surprising 2-1 victory over the Colombians on Tuesday.

Osako won a bouncing ball to begin an early sequence that led to a penalty, put Colombia a man down and gave Japan a 1-0 lead when Shinji Kagawa converted from the spot.

World Cup

In this June 17, 2018 photo tourists visit the Motherland Calls monument as the portrait of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin is seen on the wall in front during the 2018 soccer World Cup in Volgograd, Russia. The monument commemorates the victims of the Battle of Stalingrad, in which the Red Army turned back Nazi Germany’s army in Volgograd.

Technology helps France beat gritty Australia 2-1 in Group C

Technology twice helped France at the World Cup on Saturday as the 1998 champions labored to beat a gritty Australia 2-1 in their opening game.

The French team was given a controversial penalty kick, eventually converted by Antoine Griezmann in the 58th minute, after the referee watched the replay of a foul on the sideline.

Paul Pogba later scored the winning goal in the 81st minute, and goal-line technology was used to confirm the ball had crossed the line after bouncing down off the crossbar.

Ronaldo scores hat trick, Portugal draws 3-3 with Spain

Cristiano Ronaldo used the World Cup to show everyone he’s the GOAT.

Ronaldo rubbed his chin after scoring minutes into Portugal’s opener against Spain, implying he is the Greatest of All Time. Then he scored two more goals, including a perfectly placed 88th-minute free kick that gave his team a 3-3 draw Friday.

FIFA to expand World Cup to 48 teams in 2026

FIFA will expand the World Cup to 48 teams, adding 16 extra nations to the 2026 tournament that is likely to be held in North America.

President Gianni Infantino's favored plan — for 16 three-team groups with the top two advancing to a round of 32 — was unanimously approved Tuesday by the FIFA Council.

It meets Infantino's election pledge of a bigger and more inclusive World Cup going beyond European and South American teams, which have won all 20 titles.

Germany World Cup heroes return to huge fan party

Germany World Cup heroes return to huge fan party

Germany's World Cup-winning team returned home to share the country's fourth title with huge crowds of cheering fans on Tuesday.

The team's plane touched down at Berlin's Tegel Airport midmorning after flying low over the "fan mile" in front of the landmark Brandenburg Gate.

Captain Philipp Lahm led the team off the aircraft with the trophy held aloft, to cheers and a chorus of "Football's Coming Home" from fans on the airport's viewing terrace.

World Cup title ends 10-year project for Germany

The World Cup title for Joachim Loew and his "golden generation" crowned a process that was 10 years in the making. With a talented crop of new players coming through, the future looks bright for Germany.

The 1-0 victory over Argentina at the Maracana that gave Germany its fourth title and made it the first European team to win the championship on South American soil completed a circle for Loew that began in 2004, when he became Juergen Klinsmann's assistant.

AP PHOTOS: "All of Germany is the world champion"

United Germany stands at the top of the world

United they stand, right at the top of the football world.

And right on South American soil.

Germany won its fourth World Cup title on Sunday, but its first since a country torn apart by political divisions at the end of World War II was finally glued back together.

Fan on pitch stops play at World Cup final

The World Cup final was interrupted for nearly a minute by a spectator running on to the Maracana Stadium pitch.

Germany and Argentina were level at 0-0 when the incident happened in the 82rd minute.

Stars of politics, sport, music at World Cup final

Vladimir Putin chatted with Angela Merkel, and David Beckham hugged Pele at the World Cup final on Sunday.

Tom Brady looked on from the VIP seats when his wife Gisele Bundchen brought the trophy on the field before the game.

Messi wins award as best player at World Cup

Lionel Messi has received the award for best player of the World Cup, minutes after his Argentina team lost the final 1-0 to Germany.

Kramer head injury revives concussion concerns

Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer's head injury in the World Cup final on Sunday has revived concerns about the way football deals with concussions.

It was the latest in a series of head injuries at the World Cup that raised questions about the sideline medical checks.

Goetze scores late to give Germany the World Cup

Mario Goetze produced the piece of individual skill that Lionel Messi couldn't muster.

With two quick, deft touches, Goetze ended Germany's 24-year wait for another World Cup title with an extra-time winner against Argentina on Sunday — denying Messi the one title he needs to forever take his place among the game's all-time greats.

It was the moment of brilliance that ensured Germany's 1-0 victory in a tight and tense final.

Germany wins terrifically entertaining World Cup

Germany won the World Cup. Host Brazil won a world of new friends.

The now four-time champions, the first European team to win the World Cup on Latin American soil, earned the honor of lifting the most recognized trophy in sports with a tooth-and-nail 1-0 victory in a final as terrifically entertaining as the tournament itself.

Dejected Argentine fans, elated Germans in Brazil

Thousands of Argentine football fans gathered on the golden sands of Copacabana beach gasped and then fell into silence when Germany scored a stunning extra-time goal to claim the World Cup title on Sunday.

More than 70,000 Argentina fans packed into Rio de Janeiro in recent days, many traveling upward of 40 hours by car and seemingly all wearing their team's sky-blue jerseys and chanting day and night.