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Germany and the Netherlands scored on consecutive goals as they won their final group match of the week on Monday to earn their place in the World Cup.

German coach Julian Nagelsmann stated to German broadcaster ZDF, “Everyone played well today and worked like a dog.”

To be sure of reaching the world footballing spectacle in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, both European giants needed only to draw. Both went on the attack instead.

In Leipzig, Germany defeated Slovakia 6:0 to take command early on. Before defeating Lithuania 4-0 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands needed to hold on for more than one more game.

Poland, who defeated the Dutch 3-2 in Malta, came out on top of Group G, where Slovakia placed second, and placed second overall.

Although Northern Ireland could not escape third place in Group A with a 1-0 victory over Luxembourg in Belfast, they will still qualify for the play-offs thanks to their Nations League display.

Croatia, who is already in charge of Group L, scored twice in the closing 18 minutes to overcome Montenegro with a score of 3-2. Second place went to the Czech Republic, who defeated visiting Gibraltar 6-0.

Four-time champions Germany, who had a lead in Group A goals, started the night in Leipzig with a point lead over their nearest rival Slovakia. Slovacia, which earlier qualified beat Germany, had some threatening chances of failing to take them.

The Germans took an 18th-minute lead thanks to Nick Woltemade. The hosts had complete control when Serge Gnabry added a second 11 minutes later. Ridle Baku and Assan Ouedraogo were substituted for Leroy Sane in the second half, who scored twice before half-time.

READ MORE: DR Congo Breaks Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup Dream

We’re relieved, we say. Woltemade addressed Germany’s ZDF in a “great moment.” “I’m playing, I’m scoring goals, and I’m hoping to win the World Cup.”

“Tonight, we demonstrated our commitment to this team.” It was enjoyable.

Nagelsmann praised the team’s attitude.

He said, “We pushed ourselves on the pitch from the beginning and showed incredible team spirit.”

Dutch High-Tempo

Ronald Koeman’s Dutch team entertained the 50, 000 spectators in Amsterdam as their fast-paced play kept Lithuania in their own half.

The hosts held the Dutch at bay until the 58th minute thanks to the massed visiting defense and a spectacular first-half display by goalkeeper Edvinas Gertmonas. Tijani Reijnders, who was flawlessly set up by Frenkie de Jong, gave the hosts a 15-minute lead.

In the following four minutes, Xavi Simons and Donyell Malen each scored from the penalty spot, allowing Koeman to substitute five players.

Reijnders, 27, was excited to travel to the World Cup, just like Woltemade. Before the 2022 Qatar finals, he didn’t make his Netherlands debut.

He said, “I sat down at home, slumped on the couch, and wore my Oranje shirt.” It’s obvious that things will be very different for me this time around. Although it will take some time before it arrives, I’m really looking forward to taking part for the first time.

Poland suffered a defeat in Malta, but it ultimately did not lift them out of second place.

After 32 minutes, Robert Lewandowski gave the Poles the lead after being unhappy with his team’s performance that caused a coaching change earlier in the campaign.

Four minutes later, Irvin Cardona responded with a home.

READ MORE: Mbappe and PSG Face Off in a Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit.

After 59 minutes, Lewandowski then gave up Pawel Wszolek, but in the 68th minute, Malta took a wild swing.

A video check revealed that Jakub Kiwior had fouled Cardona in the Polish box at the beginning of the counter-attack, but Karol Swiderski stuck the ball into the net to seal the Polish victory.

Teddy Teuma received a penalty kick.

After 85 minutes, Poland won thanks to Piotr Zielinski’s long-range strike that flew in off the post.

After successfully completing a full practice session with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, LeBron James made a significant recovery from an injury.

The 40-year-old has missed the first few weeks of a season for the first time in the NBA icon’s career because he was diagnosed with sciatica last month and has been laid low for it all.

However, the veteran star is considering returning when the Lakers take on the Utah Jazz at home on Tuesday after a five-on-five practice at the team’s training facility on Monday.

James stated to the media that his recovery from Monday’s practice would determine his schedule.

Throughout the entire process, James remarked, “We’ve been taking it literally one minute, one hour, one step at a time.”

“So, check my mood this afternoon and tonight. We’ll likely have a shootaround when I wake up in the morning. So, we just need to see how the body reacts over the next 24 hours or so.

JJ Redick, the head coach for the Lakers, described James’ status as “TBD” for Tuesday’s game as “TBD,” but he added that his resumption of training was similar to signing “a new player.”

In a 109-108 win over the Spurs, Curry’s 49 points propel the Warriors.

It was great to have him join the group; this was the first time this season that all 14 players had players available for practice, Redick said. “Good to see the group coming back together,” she said.

The coach said, “We’ve got to see how he responds to today, and how he feels tomorrow morning,” and that “I know he’s itching to play, and itching to return.

James, in contrast, acknowledged that missing the campaign’s opening weeks had been difficult for him to accept.

He said, “It definitely stinks.” Never have I not begun the season in my life since I first started playing the game.

“I’ve had a lot of work trying to get myself ready to rejoin the team, but I’m built for it and am mentally and physically ready for it.”

The Lakers are fourth in the Western Conference standings with a 10-4 start to the season.

Kylian Mbappe and his former club Paris Saint-Germain were ordered to pay 440 million euros to the French labor court on Monday following a tense hearing at which the French captain claimed 263 million euros ($304 million).

Both sides provided a lengthy list of grievances with price tags.

PSG claimed that Mbappe rejected a 300 million-euro transfer to Saudi club Al Hilal in June 2023, and that the latter was a contributing factor in their figure.

Mbappe left for Real Madrid on a free transfer the summer after his contract expired.

After the hearing, one of the seven attorneys representing the PSG, Renaud Semerdjian, told AFP, “We are indeed claiming 440 million euros.”

Semerdjian claimed the figure included lost transfer revenue, compensation for negative image effects, and compensation for what the club claimed was a breach of a deal they struck with Mbappe after he turned down a move to Saudi Arabia.

Ethan Mbappe strikes late for Lille, PSG maintains a perfect start to the season.

Mbappe claims he made no representations about the club’s payment in 2023 despite missing on Monday and represented by four attorneys.

The 26-year-old striker initially complained about PSG’s treatment of him at the start of the 2023-24 season in June.

Mbappe claims that the Qatari-owned club forced him to work with players who the club was trying to offload after refusing to accept a new contract and that he was sidelined by them.

The players’ union filed a complaint last year because it is a common practice in France.

Mbappe missed the first game of the 2010-2011 season because he was not invited to participate in PSG’s 2023 pre-season tour of Asia. He was later called back to the team after meeting with the organization.

He claims that his contract with the Parisian club was violated under the wrong French legal classification.

He left PSG and moved to Real Madrid, where he made a reported annual salary of 30 million euros.

In PSG’s 308 games, he scored 256 goals, but the team won the Champions League for the first time last year as a result of the striker’s departure.

Following the Super Eagles’ failure to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) apologized to President Bola Tinubu and the country’s citizens on Monday.

The Super Eagles’ hopes of participating in the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States, and Mexico were shattered by the penalty-acid defeat of DR Congo in a tightly contested African play-off final on Sunday in Rabat, Morocco.

The NFF described the defeat as “a moment of profound sadness for Nigerian football” in a statement posted on its official X handle on Monday.

It noted that the country’s decision to miss the World Cup for a second time in a row represented a bitter setback, carrying “great weight and emotional depth.”

Read more about Tinubu’s request for Super Eagles to concentrate on AFCON following the World Cup.

Following the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, the Nigeria Football Federation apologizes to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), the Federal Government as a whole, and to millions of Nigerians, especially our devoted, passionate football fans.

The Nigerian football team’s loss to DR Congo in the Africa Play-off Final on Sunday is still deeply sad. Missing out on the World Cup for a second consecutive time is a disappointment of great weight and depth for a nation where the Super Eagles represent a symbol of unity, hope, and collective pride.

The players, the technical crew, and the NFF are aware of the urgency of this situation. We fully comprehend the expectations that Nigerians have. Through triumphs and tribulations, we are aware of the passion and sacrifice of a nation that has always firmly supported its team. And we acknowledge that the outcome this country deserved from our collective efforts.

The Nigeria Football Federation apologizes to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), the Federal Government as a whole, and to millions of Nigerians, especially our devoted, passionate football supporters, in full and sincere ways.

After more than two years in exile, Barcelona announced on Monday that they will finally face Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on November 22.

The Catalan giants have been forced to play elsewhere, primarily at the Olympic Stadium on Montjuic hill, since the stadium shut down at the end of the 2022/23 season.

Following a 1.5 billion euro ($1.75 billion) transformation that was hampered by construction chaos, Camp Nou will reopen a year after it was originally scheduled due to a series of delays.

When the top tier is finished, Barcelona will open the stadium with a temporary capacity of 45, 401 spectators and space for 105, 000.

In a test event during the reopening process, they earlier in November held a training session to test the stadium’s capacity for 23, 000 fans.

Barcelona are also hoping to get the UEFA green light to play Eintracht Frankfurt at the Camp Nou on December 9 for the Champions League.

Due to safety concerns, the Spanish champions were forced to play two games in the 6, 000-capacity Johan Cruyff training ground stadium after failing to obtain the Camp Nou permit.

Camp Nou had a capacity of 99,000 when it was constructed in 1957.

Barcelona intends to put a roof on the stadium in 2027, one year after the project was scheduled to be finished.

Jannik Sinner, who defeated rival Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to win the ATP Finals title, cut a delighted figure on Sunday.

Italian Sinner’s supporters in Turin cheered him to a 7-6 (7 / 4) 7-5 victory as they watched their idol end astoried season that included becoming the first of his countrymen to win Wimbledon.

It’s an amazing season, Sinner said to the media, “This year, coming here, winning here, having this big streak in the end of the year, it’s amazing.”

I think this is the most crucial because I think I am a better player than I was last year. It is all a part of the procedure. The results will be there, in my opinion and belief, if you continue to work and strive to be a better player. This was the case this year. ”

INCLUDE   Innner defeats Rival Alcaraz to reclaim the ATP Finals title.

After capturing his first victory at the season-ending tournament, where he hadn’t lost a match since being defeated by Novak Djokovic in the 2023 final, Sinner sat down with a mixture of joy and relief.

The 24-year-old had to come back from a three-month ban that severely reduced the duration of his season despite the World Anti-Doping Agency claiming the Italian had been accidentally contaminated with the banned substance clostebol in March 2024.

I was thinking a lot and not a lot at the same time. Because if I lost that point, the match switches to a tie-break, which created a lot of tension, Sinner said.

I was probably more relieved at the conclusion of the season at that time, though. The feeling I had last year was similar, but it was different.

For a variety of reasons, it was a more powerful feeling this year. It was incredibly emotional. ”

The Spaniard, who won eight tournaments this year and increased his Grand Slam tally to six, was winning for Sinner in a big way for him after losing to Alcaraz at the end of the year.

Alcaraz had to rue missed opportunities in crucial moments of a typically close encounter between the world’s top players, with his backhand failing him when he had chances to strike.

I’m currently thinking about a few points and ideas. I missed the backhand volley, for instance. I was very disappointed that I missed a few backhand volleys, Alcaraz said.

The key, in my opinion, was the backhand volley, which was a really crucial shot that I didn’t do well today because it was a very crucial moment. ”