Paul Pogba has hit back at spectators who booed France and Denmark players before, during and after the first goalless draw of the World Cup on Tuesday.

Do you remember the first time?

My attention was caught t’other day by a piece in the paper headlined ‘World Cup: Ten Talking Points From The Midweek Friendlies’.

There has been little else but talk about North Korea’s weapons programme for almost quarter of a century. That may not be true for much longer, says Michael Mandelbaum

I have to say that, all those centuries past, it was very far-seeing and considerate of his ancestors to arrange for the new England manager to come among us in 2016 with a ‘gate’ already appended to his surname, thus sparing journalists the effort of having to add the same four letters if – when? - his reign goes, as it were, south.

Did Britain’s political establishment and the media deliberately frame the Hillsborough tragedy as hooligan-inspired and exploit this falsehood to transform football. Brendan Daly examines the evidence.

It is not often you see grown men cry, particularly the sort of shaven-headed burly blokes with tattooed knuckles that tend to follow West Ham, but there are plenty of tears being shed as the Hammers leave Upton Park after 112 years.

Nobody knows what the Irish ever did to upset the Wisniewski family but whatever it was, they’re still at it — still putting the boot into the Greenshirts after all these years.

The sad news on Thursday of the death of Johan Cruyff sent me back to David Winner’s Brilliant Orange, a book as unconventional and imaginative as the Dutch football culture which it investigates and celebrates.

Jan Olsson, the Swedish defender fooled by Johan Cruyff’s brilliant dummy at the 1974 World Cup, has revealed how he and his team-mates exploded into laughter after witnessing the winger’s most famous skill.

There is never a good reason not to watch a football match, writes Liam Mackey

With Greece teetering on the brink of a eurozone exit there has never been a more pressing time to reform the EU, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

His subtle but succinct skewering of John Delaney grabbed all the attention on this side of the Irish Sea, but closer to home, it was another of Stewart Regan’s observations that stood out from the rest. 

Germany has dismissed Greek demands to pay World War Two reparations after leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accused Berlin of using legal tricks to avoid paying compensation for the Nazi occupation of his country.

The business end of the Champions League has been less sweet 16 and more a knockout for England’s elite this week, another chastening trial for the self-styled ‘greatest league in the world’. 

Criticism of the Greece government’s hard line on debt is based on the idea that Greece expects other euro-zone countries to underwrite their decades of unrestrained profligacy. This is simplistic.

Euro 2016 Group D qualifier

Offaly’s 1964 All-Ireland minor football win would prove the building block for the county’s later success — and Martin Furlong’s input was crucial.

Troubled former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne has said he can overcome the demons which saw him admitted to hospital in a drink-fuelled stupor.

Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta would love nothing more than to win the World Cup in the spiritual home of Brazilian football.

As Germany and Argentina prepare to contest tomorrow’s decider at the Maracana, there is one last opportunity for a sensational World Cup to finally achieve greatness

WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINAL:

Germany 2 Algeria 1 (AET) (Score 0-0 after 90 minutes)

It is almost too cliched to seem possible; the manager of the American national side spending his free time driving a VW camper van driving from beach to beach, looking for the perfect surf spot.

The Algeria World Cup squad have been granted special permission to eat and drink in daylight hours during Ramadan by the Algerian Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Joachim Low has warned Germany they must not underestimate Algeria, who will be looking to settle a 32-year-old score tonight.

Mesut Ozil has brushed aside any suggestions that Germany would be involved in another ‘biscotto’ affair and manufacture a convenient draw against the United States in Recife today.

Belgium 2 Algeria 1

Franz Beckenbauer insisted yesterday he was ready to answer questions from Fifa about an investigation into World Cup bidding by June 27 and believed that should remove any justification for its 90-day ban on him.

It’s time again to dust off the joke book and dig up those old enmities.

England’s repeated failure from 12 yards at World Cups prompted Ben Lyttleton to go in search of the perfect penalty kick.

The World Cup may be a wonderful tournament and this could be one of the best ever, but let’s face it, the group stage can turn into a drag.

The BBC has brought in a team of experts to study all 212 penalties taken at the World Cup to help England take the perfect spot kick.

LIVERPOOL: Time for character as dream turns to nightmare

Having rocked them in the Dáil, as the Sawdoctors had it, Michael D certainly rocked them in the Guildhall, and beyond, when he announced during his visit to London that he would be supporting England at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Ever since Andrea Pirlo lofted a beautiful ‘Panenka’ penalty into Joe Hart’s net at Euro 2012 the audacious shot has returned to prominence.

Uli Hoeness will not appeal against his prison sentence for tax evasion, and said today he is quitting as president of Bayern Munich to prevent damage to the European champions.

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has admitted to evading taxes through an undeclared Swiss bank account at a trial that could send the German football great to prison.