Nico Williams, Kilian Mabappa, and Cristiano Ronaldo (Getty Image)

Just nine months away with the next World Cup, European champions Spain and other heavyweight are finally shutting down their qualifying operations this week. France, Germany and Portugal are also starting their journey, targeting a place in the tournament to be held in North America. Somewhere else, the picture looks very different. With the World Cup holders Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador, they have already sealed their spots from South America. In Asia, six teams have booked their tickets. There are 16 slots available in Europe, directly for group winners with 12 and four more will be decided through play-offs.

Pedari, Nico Williams and Spain Lamin Yamal (Photo by Alex Grim/Getty Image)

Spain, who finished second in the world behind Argentina, starts his campaign for Bulgaria before facing a difficult exam in Türkiye. Under the leadership of Youngsters Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, and promoted Rodari’s return from injury, they are considered one of the favorite. But coach Luis de La Futen has urged to be cautious, indicating that giants like Italy have also missed the World Cup in the past. France is looking at one last big run under Didia Deschamps, which is expected to step down after 14 -year -old in -charge. Les Blasses are stronger in a group featuring Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan. Deschamps have put forward Liverpool for the first time Hugo Acritic and reminded fans that the qualifying is never straight.

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Coach Roberto Martinez (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Image)

Start life after Portugal’s tragic losses Diogo jotaRoberto Martinez promised to respect his memory. Cristiano Ronaldo, now 40, a young woman looks determined to lead her country in search of the World Cup.

Germany, led by Julian Nagelsman, is expecting a bad run in major tournaments. They begin against Slovakia and Northern Ireland, offering Hope with new stars Florian Vartz and Nick Voltame.

Thomas Tochhel, England head coach, England’s Jude Belingham and Noni MaduK (photo by Carl Ricine/Getty Image)

Italy is in trouble after a 3–0 defeat for Norway in June. Gannaro Gattuso has now taken over as a coach and has faced Estonia and Israel, with no place for slip-up. Meanwhile, England have made a stable start under Thomas Tuchal and looks comfortable in their group, while Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland and Sweden are also expected to firmly challenge in their pools. The first 48-Team World Cup road has started, and in Europe, every slip can prove to be expensive.

Diaogo Jota (left) and Ruben Neo celebrating Portugal’s Rashtra League Triumph; Neo’s tattoo is paying tribute to his late friend.

Portugal’s first international camp since the tragic death of Diogo Jota was marked by a deep emotional gesture with his close friend and team partner Ruben Neo. The 28 -year -old midfielder unveiled a striking tattoo on his left foot back, hugging him Jota, a moving tribute to Liverpool, who lost his life in a car accident in Spain on 3 July.Go beyond the border with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!The tattoo, which shows the navs holding Jota in his iconic “Dogo J22” shirt, is inscribed with words: “You will never forget. We are 23+1.” It has become viral since then, which has become a symbol of the sorrow and unity of the Portuguese team.“More than friendship, we are family,” Neos said in a video shared by the Portuguese Football Federation“When we are on the table, in the locker room, or in the plane, you will still be with us.”Neo, who played with Jota for Porto, Volves and Portugal, helped to take his coffin at the funeral and will now wear the number 21 jersey in his memory. Manager Roberto Martinez explained: “Number 2 Jersey will go to Raben Navs, because, this number will remain on the field and all of us. He had a very close relationship to represent them and is an ideal person representing him.”Earlier, the national team joined Jota’s family, widow root cards, agent George Mendes, and Portuguese leaders President Marcello Rebello de Sosa and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro at an official ceremony. Portugal shirt, a bronze frame affecting Jota on Jota’s No. 21 on training basis in Lisbon, was unveiled.Cristiano Ronaldo And the team partner, dressed in the suit, stood completely in tribute because Neo gave a handwritten letter to his late friend: “Life brought us together and can not break that bond anything … From today onwards, from today, you will step on the pitch with us.”

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal team fellow were present at the ceremony. (AFP Photo)

Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur in Bangalore (Image Credit: Manuja Veerappa/TOI)

Fitness, Yo-Yo and Bronco have become a buzzword in Indian cricket circles because the prominent names were Control board for cricket in India‘S (BCCI) The Center of Excellence (COE) undergoes fitness evaluation after a long break and before the next assignment.From Rohit Sharma Arshdeep Singh, cricketers gave their fitness account in Bengaluru. However, it is firmly learned that Bronco – new strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Rukes – was not part of the drill.Go beyond the border with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!The players performed basic health checkups, regular mobility and agility tests before calling a day with the Yo-Yo test. Why was Bronco not included then? A well -kept formula suggests, “This can occur when the squads assemble in Dubai for the Asia Cup. The team will start leaving late (morning of 4 September) tonight and will have their first session at the ICC Academy on 5 September. So if management and S&C want to assess Bronco, it can happen in Dubai. If it happens. ,Are these tests a selection criteria? No, they are not, but every centrally contracted players and even targeted players need to prove their match fitness especially after a long break and before the start of the season. In this case, the players playing Tests in England got a long break and some of them were selected for the Asia Cup starting this month.Just after the Asia Cup, India began their home season with a test against the West Indies before the tour of Australia for white-ball assignment.In a chat with Timesofindia.comFormer S&C coach Soham Desai explained how these tests keep changing according to man’s comfort and familiarity.“during Virat KohliAt the time of Ravi Shastri, he instructed Shankar Basu to get fitness at the leading level in the 2019 World Cup. Those numbers were agreed with all the stakeholders involved and they wanted to have a serious relationship so that people visiting the 2019 World Cup would come to a special level and then we play the World Cup. That was the whole vision. So those numbers were agreed and shared and it became a selection norm.“But after that, we have conducted a yo-yo test three times a year for almost all contracted players. But it was never a selection criterion. It is a fitness assessment parameter where we as a coach, as people working in NCA (COE of BCCI), get a snapshot about their fitness,” he explained.