France’s captain Kylian Mbappe says he feels “more relaxed” with his life in Madrid than he did in Paris and is in good shape before his nation’s upcoming qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain last season, has confirmed his availability for the international fixtures.
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“The coach [Didier Deschamps] wants me to play. I don’t think there will be a major problem,” Mbappe said on Thursday.
Deschamps added: “It’s not prohibitive; it depends more on his sensitivity regarding his ankle.”
Two-time world champions France will face Azerbaijan in Paris on Friday and Iceland on Monday.
Mbappe had received treatment for a “small niggle” in his right ankle, picked up while playing for Real Madrid last weekend.
The 26-year-old said he has fully settled into life in the Spanish capital since joining the European giants.
“A career can have some slightly more complicated years, years where you have a little more hardship,” he said.
“But in life, I think I’ve adapted well to Madrid. This isn’t an attack on France, but it’s true that I’m more relaxed there. In Madrid, the lifestyle is different. It’s less hectic than in Paris.
“I’ve managed to score goals. But I think that, moreover, in my game I’m also in a good mood, even if I think I can still do better,” he said.
Deschamps urged his players not to underestimate Azerbaijan.
“Certainly, they’re not among the best European teams, but they’re coming off a draw against Ukraine,” said Deschamps.
“Seven of their players play for Qarabag,” which has won its first two Champions League pool matches, added the France coach.
Kate Middleton has given a subtle show of support for Victoria Beckham on the day of her Netflix documentary, wearing a trouser suit in the ‘bold’ colour of the season – olive green
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Princess Kate re-wore her favourite Victoria Beckham suit(Image: Getty Images)
We can always count on Kate Middleton to be ahead of the curve when it comes to fashion, and when she wore an olive green trouser suit back in May, we knew it was going to become an instant hit. And sure enough, as autumn has rolled around, olive green is the top trending colour of the season, which is why Princess Kate thought now was the perfect time to re-wear her chic trouser suit.
During a visit to charity Home-Start Oxford today, the Princess of Wales re-wore the olive green tailored suit that was designed by none other than British icon Victoria Beckham. Whether a happy accident or a subtle show of support to coincide with the release of Victoria’s new Netflix documentary (which launched today) one thing is for sure; Princess Kate’s suit is about to be the must-have look for autumn.
READ MORE: I’m a fashion writer – this is what to buy from Debenhams X Ashish collection with Kim Cattrall
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Whilst Kate’s bold olive green version of the suit is now officially out of stock everywhere, you can still pick it up in a slightly more muted shade of green. The Alina Trousers are available in the shade Oregano for £490, whilst the aptly named Katherine Jacket – which also comes in shade Oregano – is £890.
Currently the trousers are very low in stock, with only sizes eight, 12 and 14 still available to buy. However they’re also available at Selfridges in a much broader range of sizes, with sizes six to 14 still in stock.
Whilst meeting the children at Home-Start, one child accidentally dirtied Princess Kate’s suit during messy play, with one of the children injecting Kate with a toy syringe. The Princess also left with flour on the jacket of her trouser suit and she asked another child “what are you making, are you making a cake? Delicious.”
Whilst we’re a huge fan of Princess Kate’s VB trouser suit – and her love of re-wearing the items in her wardrobe – if it’s a little out of budget there are some other places to get her look without breaking the bank. At Hobbs, the Neava Wide Trousers are currently on sale down from £119 to £101.15 and come in a similar dark green shade. You can also pair it perfectly with the matching Neava Jacket which is now £139.30, down from £199.
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For an even more budget-friendly pick, River Island’s Green Long Sleeve Oversized Blazer is £59, whilst the matching Green Wide Leg Tailored Trousers are £39. The trousers have a more wide leg fit to Kate’s tailored, tapered style, but the suit is a great way to embody her look for less.
Kieran Fox, BBC Sport and Mike Henson, BBC Sport rugby union news reporter
Comments
The battle lines have been drawn.
On one side the established national unions which govern and run rugby union, attracting fans and sponsors while investing millions of pounds back into the sport.
On the other a cohort of former players and established movers and shakers within the game who have become frustrated at a sport’s perceived inability to grow, and who promise big financial backing.
Who will prevail?
“The players decide.”
That’s the view of Roger Mitchell, outlined in a post on social media.
The former Scottish Premier League football chief is now an investor in, and board member of, rugby union’s proposed breakaway R360 league.
“It’s all irrelevant really. This is only about what the players want. And I fear that a lot of traditional sport and its leaders haven’t grasped that fact yet. The players decide,” he wrote in a personal capacity.
1 day ago
10 September
5 days ago
‘In the end it was a fairly simple decision’
The statement from the unions said they welcomed new investment and innovation in rugby, “but any competition must strengthen the sport as a whole, not fragment or weaken it”.
Mitchell believes that the game’s power-brokers were never likely to integrate R360 into the existing calendar.
“I personally advised… that the incumbents would never embrace the positives of R360,” he wrote. “Sadly. I know sport.”
One player has already decided.
This week England and British and Irish Lions fly-half Fin Smith signed a new multi-year contract with Northampton Saints.
So was he tempted by R360?
“It’s something people are aware of. There’s chatter in the changing room here and there about it because it’s something that’s been talked about so much in the media,” the 23-year-old told BBC Sport.
“From my point of view I want to stay in England and give myself the best chance of playing for my country so it’s not something I’ve thought about too much.
“I try not to speak too much to my agent about white noise, so I can focus on what I do on the pitch. I had options and made my decision to stay here and it’s one I’m delighted with.
“Playing in England and playing in a team I feel like I can show what I’m best at here, was right at the top, so in the end it was a fairly simple decision.”
Fellow England, Northampton and Lions back Tommy Freeman admitted the players are discussing the possible opportunities with R360 in the dressing room.
“I’d be lying if I said no,” he said. “It’s come into the picture and you’re going to talk about it.
Getty Images
What is R360’s proposal?
The R360 concept is fronted by Mike Tindall, an England World Cup winner and member of the Royal family, former Bath player and coach Stuart Hooper and Mark Spoors, an executive sports agent.
It proposes a global competition of eight franchises for men and four for women, consisting of the world’s leading players.
Reports suggest it has secured the backing of Dubai-based 885 Capital, a shareholder in the Baller League.
Some start-up tournaments change the shape of the sport forever, such as Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in the late 1970s, or the rebel Indian Cricket League (2007-09), which ultimately led to the establishment of the Indian Premier League.
Some fade into the background such as the International Swimming League, which has yet to resurface after its three seasons up to 2021.
Others, with deep pockets, such as LIV Golf and football’s proposed European Super League – stay around longer and have an impact.
Rugby union has had previous disrupters. The World 12s, a proposed annual 12-a-side tournament with big-name backers such as former All Blacks captain Kieran Read, was due to start in 2022. It didn’t.
For their part the national unions do not deny that there have been meetings about R360.
But they say they have not been presented with the details they need around player welfare and international representation. In response R360 said it would “greatly reduce player load and capture the attention of a new generation of fans globally”.
Getty Images
“I think the battle lines have been drawn publicly and everyone knows where the unions stand,” says sports lawyer Ben Cisneros of Morgan Sports Law.
“The main thing everybody is seeking is a clearer understanding about what the competition looks like and what the future holds.
“If players are going to be entering into new contracts with clubs within this new entity, there are going to need to be a number of assurances that they’ll want to have about the viability of the competition, whether indeed it is going to happen, the opportunity to play and be paid and of course to have assurances around matters such as player welfare issues around anti-doping etc.
“I think all parties are right to be raising those questions, including the unions. They’ve identified that there is a lack of detail out there.”
A ban on players representing their country and playing for R360 is one clear detail, but, could that be challenged?
“What the European courts have said is that if you’re going to have rules about whether new competitions are going to be sanctioned and whether players can participate in them while remaining part of the eco-system, they have to be clear, objective, transparent, proportionate, and non-discriminatory,” said Cisneros.
“That’s something the lawyers will be scrutinising and whether any potential competition law issue could be justified is another thorny question.
“Recent judgements have suggested a tightening up and applying a more orthodox approach to sport from a competition law perspective.
“So if the rules or the lack of rules is found to be an issue from a competition law perspective then it might be quite difficult for the governing bodies to justify bans.
“It wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility that rugby might be headed for legal action.”
A comment below Mitchell’s LinkedIn post suggested the same.
Kieran Fox, BBC Sport and Mike Henson, BBC Sport rugby union news reporter
Comments
The battle lines have been drawn.
On one side the established national unions which govern and run rugby union, attracting fans and sponsors while investing millions of pounds back into the sport.
On the other a cohort of former players and established movers and shakers within the game who have become frustrated at a sport’s perceived inability to grow, and who promise big financial backing.
Who will prevail?
“The players decide.”
That’s the view of Roger Mitchell, outlined in a post on social media.
The former Scottish Premier League football chief is now an investor in, and board member of, rugby union’s proposed breakaway R360 league.
“It’s all irrelevant really. This is only about what the players want. And I fear that a lot of traditional sport and its leaders haven’t grasped that fact yet. The players decide,” he wrote in a personal capacity.
1 day ago
10 September
5 days ago
‘In the end it was a fairly simple decision’
The statement from the unions said they welcomed new investment and innovation in rugby, “but any competition must strengthen the sport as a whole, not fragment or weaken it”.
Mitchell believes that the game’s power-brokers were never likely to integrate R360 into the existing calendar.
“I personally advised… that the incumbents would never embrace the positives of R360,” he wrote. “Sadly. I know sport.”
One player has already decided.
This week England and British and Irish Lions fly-half Fin Smith signed a new multi-year contract with Northampton Saints.
So was he tempted by R360?
“It’s something people are aware of. There’s chatter in the changing room here and there about it because it’s something that’s been talked about so much in the media,” the 23-year-old told BBC Sport.
“From my point of view I want to stay in England and give myself the best chance of playing for my country so it’s not something I’ve thought about too much.
“I try not to speak too much to my agent about white noise, so I can focus on what I do on the pitch. I had options and made my decision to stay here and it’s one I’m delighted with.
“Playing in England and playing in a team I feel like I can show what I’m best at here, was right at the top, so in the end it was a fairly simple decision.”
Fellow England, Northampton and Lions back Tommy Freeman admitted the players are discussing the possible opportunities with R360 in the dressing room.
“I’d be lying if I said no,” he said. “It’s come into the picture and you’re going to talk about it.
Getty Images
What is R360’s proposal?
The R360 concept is fronted by Mike Tindall, an England World Cup winner and member of the Royal family, former Bath player and coach Stuart Hooper and Mark Spoors, an executive sports agent.
It proposes a global competition of eight franchises for men and four for women, consisting of the world’s leading players.
Reports suggest it has secured the backing of Dubai-based 885 Capital, a shareholder in the Baller League.
Some start-up tournaments change the shape of the sport forever, such as Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket in the late 1970s, or the rebel Indian Cricket League (2007-09), which ultimately led to the establishment of the Indian Premier League.
Some fade into the background such as the International Swimming League, which has yet to resurface after its three seasons up to 2021.
Others, with deep pockets, such as LIV Golf and football’s proposed European Super League – stay around longer and have an impact.
Rugby union has had previous disrupters. The World 12s, a proposed annual 12-a-side tournament with big-name backers such as former All Blacks captain Kieran Read, was due to start in 2022. It didn’t.
For their part the national unions do not deny that there have been meetings about R360.
But they say they have not been presented with the details they need around player welfare and international representation. In response R360 said it would “greatly reduce player load and capture the attention of a new generation of fans globally”.
Getty Images
“I think the battle lines have been drawn publicly and everyone knows where the unions stand,” says sports lawyer Ben Cisneros of Morgan Sports Law.
“The main thing everybody is seeking is a clearer understanding about what the competition looks like and what the future holds.
“If players are going to be entering into new contracts with clubs within this new entity, there are going to need to be a number of assurances that they’ll want to have about the viability of the competition, whether indeed it is going to happen, the opportunity to play and be paid and of course to have assurances around matters such as player welfare issues around anti-doping etc.
“I think all parties are right to be raising those questions, including the unions. They’ve identified that there is a lack of detail out there.”
A ban on players representing their country and playing for R360 is one clear detail, but, could that be challenged?
“What the European courts have said is that if you’re going to have rules about whether new competitions are going to be sanctioned and whether players can participate in them while remaining part of the eco-system, they have to be clear, objective, transparent, proportionate, and non-discriminatory,” said Cisneros.
“That’s something the lawyers will be scrutinising and whether any potential competition law issue could be justified is another thorny question.
“Recent judgements have suggested a tightening up and applying a more orthodox approach to sport from a competition law perspective.
“So if the rules or the lack of rules is found to be an issue from a competition law perspective then it might be quite difficult for the governing bodies to justify bans.
“It wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility that rugby might be headed for legal action.”
A comment below Mitchell’s LinkedIn post suggested the same.
South Africa’s Nonkululeko Mlaba’s produces a brilliant delivery to deceive Harleen Deol to bowl her out for 13 before giving her a confident send-off as India fall to 83-2 in their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup match.
FOLLOW LIVE: ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup – India v South Africa
There have been celebrations in Gaza and Israel after news of an agreement on the first phase of a ceasefire deal for Gaza. Here’s a breakdown of how the deal was announced.
