A four-year ban handed to 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova for refusing a doping test has ignited a fierce debate among tennis players, who are now openly sharing their often-distressing experiences with the sport’s anti-doping protocols.

The system, designed to safeguard the integrity of the game, is being described as “grueling” by Serena Williams and has even brought Coco Gauff to tears.

Players are mandated to provide a 60-minute window daily for testing. However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) stipulates that if a doping control officer “locates and notifies a player outside of that hour, they must complete the test.” This flexibility, intended to ensure comprehensive testing, has become a source of significant friction.

“I’m not going to lie, some of them can be pushy, make you feel like you’re doing something wrong,” said Gauff, the No. 7 seed, after her first-round victory at Wimbledon. The 22-year-old American recounted a particularly upsetting incident: “One time she came outside my time slot. But the way she was speaking to me on the phone, it literally made me cry afterwards. I found out I was in the right, and I didn’t have to do anything.”

Australian player Ajla Tomljanovic echoed these sentiments, expressing deep apprehension about the system.

“I’m very scared of the system because it feels broken,” she stated. “I’ve had a few experiences of my own where it was about technicalities and when I speak to people in charge they’re not helpful — I don’t want to say they don’t care — but they weren’t very helpful at all to explain things or just show some sort of compassion when I was nowhere near missing a test or testing positive.”

Tomljanovic revealed she was nearly banned due to technicalities.

“I was new to the whole system. And I was at two fails for a month and I knew if I get a third one accidentally I would be out for at least two, three years,” she explained. “It’s in a way, I won’t say no fault of my own but it’s not to the degree of being banned and smearing your name. In that sense, I think there’s so much to improve on.”

Even tennis icon Serena Williams, making her Wimbledon return, cited the testing regime as a deterrent. The system was “a big reason why I didn’t want to come back either, because it’s just so hard,” she commented.

The controversy centers on the case of Vondrousova, the 27-year-old Czech player who made history as Wimbledon’s first unseeded female champion three years ago.

In early December 2025, Vondrousova refused to take a test after a doping control officer rang her apartment’s intercom at 8 pm. This month, an independent tribunal imposed the maximum four-year ban for a first offense.

The ITIA released a video explainer, noting that Vondrousova challenged the timing of the test, arguing it was outside her designated slot. However, the agency reiterated its policy: “If a Doping Control Officer, or DCO, locates and notifies a player outside of that hour, they must complete the test.”

Vondrousova reportedly described the tester as “aggressive” and said the frequent ringing “triggered a state of distress,” according to the ITIA video. Despite this, the tribunal’s June 22 decision confirmed her refusal and found “no compelling justification for doing so.”

The ITIA emphasized that under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, “test refusals can be sanctioned as severely as positive tests,” a measure intended to prevent athletes from refusing tests to avoid detection.

Last year, the ITIA conducted over 8,000 tests and received only a “handful of complaints,” stating they “take all feedback on board and encourage players to share their views with us.” The agency also noted that tennis adheres to WADA rules, which are slated for a refresh in 2027, involving consultations with athletes globally.

“We understand the system can seem challenging,” the ITIA acknowledged, “but it is there to protect players, not to trip them up. If players are ever unsure about a test, have questions, or would like to provide feedback on their experience, we want to hear about it.”

However, some players view Vondrousova’s four-year ban as excessively harsh. Jessica Pegula, the No 4 seed, expressed sympathy, stating, “I feel, like, for Marketa.”

She added, “For something like that, for four years, you’re ruining someone’s career over something that could have really just been a complete misunderstanding, and I just don’t think that’s fair. I think the sentencing is so harsh.”

Pegula also drew comparisons to other high-profile cases, questioning the perceived disparity. She referenced Jannik Sinner, the defending men’s champion at Wimbledon, who accepted a three-month ban in early 2025 after two positive doping tests from the prior year were attributed to accidental contamination.

Similarly, Wimbledon’s defending women’s champion, Iga Swiatek, received a one-month suspension in 2024 after testing positive for trimetazidine, a heart medication, with the ITIA accepting her explanation of unintentional contamination from a nonprescription medication.

The stark contrast in penalties for refusal versus accidental positive tests continues to fuel the debate over the fairness and efficacy of the current anti-doping system in tennis.

The knockout stage has already lived up to expectations. Three of the opening four Round of 32 ties were decided after extra time or penalties, while Brazil needed a late winner to edge past Japan in regulation time.

Norway look to continue fairytale run against Côte d’Ivoire

Norway have emerged as one of the surprise packages of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after advancing to the Round of 32 despite being drawn in a difficult group. Spearheaded by captain Erling Haaland, who has been in fine goalscoring form, the Scandinavian side will look to carry its momentum into the knockout stage and move a step closer to the quarter-finals.

France begin knockout campaign against Sweden

France enter the Round of 32 as one of the tournament favourites after winning all three of their group-stage matches, scoring 10 goals without conceding. Led by the attacking trio of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, Didier Deschamps’ side will look to continue its dominant run.

Sweden, meanwhile, squeezed into the knockout stage after finishing among the best third-placed teams and will hope to frustrate France with their disciplined defensive setup and strike on the counter through Alexander Isak and Anthony Elanga.

Mexico eye home advantage against Ecuador

Co-hosts Mexico head into the Round of 32 full of confidence after topping Group A with a perfect record and a defence that remained unbeaten throughout the group stage. Playing in front of their home fans in Mexico City, Javier Aguirre’s side will look to continue its impressive run.

Ecuador, however, have shown resilience throughout the tournament, including a statement victory over Germany, and possess enough quality to trouble Mexico in what promises to be a tightly contested knockout tie.

England seek to avoid DR Congo upset

England will start as favourites against DR Congo after finishing top of Group L to set up this Round of 32 encounter. However, DR Congo have already exceeded expectations by progressing as one of the best third-placed teams and will be aiming to produce one of the biggest upsets of the knockout stage.

With a place in the Round of 16 at stake, England will be wary of underestimating an opponent that has proved difficult to break down during the group stage.

FIFA World Cup 2026 RO32: Today’s schedule

FIFA World Cup 2026 RO32: July 1 matches live streaming and telecast details

Which two teams will feature in the first Round of 32 fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on July 1?

France and Sweden will meet in the opening Round of 32 fixture on July 1 at 2:30 am IST.

Which two teams will feature in the second Round of 32 fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on July 1?

Mexico and Ecuador will square off in the second knockout match of the day at 6:30 am IST.

Which two teams will feature in the third Round of 32 fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on July 1?

England will take on DR Congo in the final Round of 32 fixture on July 1 at 9:30 pm IST.

Where to watch the live broadcast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 July 1 matches in India?

The broadcast of the July 1 Round of 32 matches will be available on Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.

Where to watch the live streaming of the FIFA World Cup 2026 July 1 matches in India?

The live streaming of the July 1 Round of 32 matches will be available on the Zee5 app and website for viewers in India.

Just how bad are things going for the 2026 New York Mets?

Look no further than the first batter they faced against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night, where a routine base hit turned into a Little League home run. And Juan Soto, the team’s $765 million man, was at the center of the brutal mishap.

The Mets came into this game 35-49, which has been one of the most shocking pre-All-Star-break stories of the season given their spot as the second-highest payroll in MLB this season, only behind the reigning World Series-champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Juan Soto of the New York Mets walks back to the dugout after striking out in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 16, 2026. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Starting a six-game road trip on Monday night in Toronto, the Mets were hoping to get something going in their favor just days after manager Carlos Mendoza was fired. But the game couldn’t have started off worse for New York, and it ultimately hurt them in a 2-1 loss.

George Springer stepped into the batter’s box against Mets starter Sean Manaea when he served a 2-2 pitch to left field – a routine single is all it should’ve been.

WHY ARE THE METS SO BAD? OFFENSIVE STRUGGLES AND A DISJOINTED CLUBHOUSE LEAD TO WORST RECORD IN MLB

However, Soto misread the ball bouncing off the turf completely, choosing to have an aggressive route toward the ball and potentially catch it on the short hop. Instead, the ball went right underneath his glove and started to roll all the way to the left field fence.

Soto was jogging to the ball, while the veteran Springer was booking it around the basepaths. Soto’s decision not to sprint himself was because rookie center fielder A.J. Ewing was in pursuit already. But things only got worse from there.

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer celebrates with outfielder Nathan Lukes after scoring during the first inning against the New York Mets at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ont., on June 29, 2026. (Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire)

As Ewing looked up to see where Springer was on the bases, he didn’t field the ball cleanly, rather tossing it back to the fence after trying to scoop it up with his glove.

As a result, Springer was waved around third base. By the time Soto picked the ball up and looked toward the infield, Springer was already around third base to score his Little League home run to the delight of the Rogers Centre crowd.

Errors have been among the pain points for the Mets this season, having the third-most in MLB, only behind the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants. It was just five days ago when the Mets committed six infield errors as they were swept by the Chicago Cubs in a doubleheader.

This moment was one Soto tried to explain postgame.

“When you have an outfield like that, that it bounces a lot, you have to be aware because you can give up extra base hits really easy,” Soto told reporters after going 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk in the loss. “So, I would say you got to be aggressive – that was my mindset. Just be aggressive, come through the ball instead of playing it back and let it bounce over my head. But I actually just stopped.”

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer scores after his triple and a Mets fielding error during the first inning of an MLB game against the New York Mets at Rogers Centre in Toronto on June 29, 2026. (Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire)

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This is obviously not what owner Steve Cohen and the Mets had in mind when they began the 2026 campaign, but they find themselves in a hole that seems to get deeper with every game, and plays like this only pile on to the disappointment that continues for the team and its fan base.  

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Manny Pacquiao could be presented with a world title opportunity following the postponement of his rematch with Floyd Mayweather.

Their second encounter was scheduled to take place this September, over a decade removed from Mayweather’s unanimous decision victory over the Filipino.

It was reported last week, however, that Pacquiao has been left without an opponent after his American rival was hit with a $4.65m lawsuit by CSI Sports Events.

As Mayweather attempts to navigate this situation, it remains to be seen whether the ‘Pac Man’ rematch will even take place, let alone be rescheduled for a date in 2027.

In the meantime, MP Promotions CEO Jas Mathur has insisted that Pacquiao is now searching for a new dance partner to face later this year.

One potential opponent could be newly-crowned IBF welterweight champion Liam Paro, who dethroned Lewis Crocker with a unanimous decision victory last week.

In doing so, the Aussie became a two-weight world champion in impressive fashion, with his promoter, George Rose of No Limit Boxing, insisting at the post-fight press conference that he would happily welcome Pacquiao back to Queensland, Australia.

“I think the two best divisions in boxing are the welterweight and junior middleweight divisions … the champions that exist there – Devin Haney, Rolly Romero, Ryan Garcia.

“I would love to have any one of them down here, any day of the week.

“They’ve tossed up the likes of Manny Pacquiao, who is still floating around in the welterweight division wanting to fight. [It] would be great to bring that down here.”

Pacquiao’s last trip to Queensland – at least in a boxing sense – saw him defend his WBO welterweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Jeff Horn in 2017.

With the 47-year-old having never held the IBF title at 147lbs, though, he could be tempted by another assignment Down Under, this time against the 17-years-younger Paro, where a win would see Pacquiao break his own record as the oldest welterweight world champion in history.

Anticipation is building at Wimbledon for Serena Williams’ first singles match in nearly four years.

The 44-year-old Williams is scheduled to play an opponent less than half her age, 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia, in the third match Tuesday on Centre Court – the patch of grass where the American standout won seven of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

“I think everyone’s feeling the same way: Cannot wait to be watching Serena back on Centre Court again,” Sally Bolton, the chief executive of the All England Club, said Monday.

Wimbledon organizers took the unusual step of holding up an eighth and final wild card spot for Williams until she accepted the invitation at almost the last possible moment the weekend before qualifying began.

“We were all sitting there sort of quietly keeping our fingers crossed that that’s what would happen,” Bolton said when asked by The Associated Press how anxious the club was while Williams pondered her decision.

“She is such an icon of the sport and particularly here at the championship she’s one of our most special champions,” Bolton added. “So it really will be the ticket to have tomorrow when she walks back on Centre Court.” 
Whether it was related to Williams or not, the queue (line) of would-be-spectators camping out overnight for the daily batches of Wimbledon tickets on offer had reached 10,000 people by Monday morning.

“We are advising people if they haven’t already set off to travel, not to travel because the queue is effectively full,” Bolton said. “By comparison to last year, it is really busy.” 
Williams will also play doubles with older sister Venus Williams later in the week.

Since Serena last won Wimbledon a decade ago, eight different women have won the title.

“It was needed a wee bit to kind of reinvent the women’s game,” said Lauren Byrne, a 26-year-old spectator at Wimbledon from near Dublin. “She’s definitely going to bring a bit more excitement back.” 
Added Byrne’s father, Anthony: “It’s just great to see her. She still has the appetite, hasn’t she, to play at this level? Age isn’t a barrier.” 
Gibran Chenia, a London resident who described himself as “50-plus,” called Williams “a legend.

“And if she’s half as good as she was, she is going to be great for tennis,” Chenia said. “It’s great to have legends back.

What happened?

For the third straight World Cup, Germany have not made it to the round of 16. They lost 4-3 on penalties to Paraguay in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, after the game finished 1-1 following extra time. Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah missed penalties in the shootout, and even Manuel Neuer’s heroics weren’t enough to save Germany this time.

“Yes, it seems so for sure,” Havertz said after the loss, when asked if Germany had become a second-tier team.

It was Germany’s first ever loss on penalties at a World Cup. Germany had won all four previous shootouts. They have now not won a knockout game at a World Cup since 2014, when they went on to win the tournament. The defeat has been met by shock in much of the national media, with many frustrated that Germany suffered defeat at the hands of a “limited opponent.”

Who is to blame for Germany’s exit?

The reasons for Germany’s exit are varied. 

Firstly, key players did not deliver on the field. Captain Joshua Kimmich underwhelmed. Florian Wirtz appeared to carry his poor club form into the World Cup. Jamal Musiala looked like a player desperately trying to get back into gear after a lengthy injury. It was far too disappointing stuff from far too many players who needed to deliver to keep the group together.

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Collectively, Germany were shaky in defense, and lacked penetration and decisiveness in attack. They did not go a game at this tournament without conceding, and other than against Curacao, failed to transfer promising passages into convincing results.

Injuries certainly didn’t help. Losing Serge Gnabry before the tournament was a blow. To then see Lennart Karl suffer a major injury in Chicago, just days before the tournament began, really stopped Germany in their tracks, as the Bayern teenager looked set to shine down the right-hand side. Nico Schlotterbeck being ruled out for months during the first half of the Ivory Coast game was perhaps the biggest loss of all, though. The Borussia Dortmund defender was an integral part of Germany’s play, particularly in the build-up, which coach Julian Nagelsmann said was “too slow” against Paraguay.

Then there’s Nagelsmann himself. His decision to recall 40-year-old Manuel Neuer did not prove, despite a save in the shootout against Paraguay, to be the factor he made it out to be. His substitutions suggested a coach still searching for his best 11. Against Ecuador, with the group already won, his changes left Germany disjointed and wiped away any hope of maintaining their momentum into the knockouts. Even though this Germany team were not contenders, it would also be fair to say that Nagelsmann appeared to struggle to get the best out of this group.

Did anything go right for Germany at this World Cup?

There were some bright moments. Deniz Undav’s performances off the bench were some of the most magical moments, particularly his last-minute winner against Ivory Coast in Toronto.

Nathaniel Brown, Nadiem Amiri and Jonathan Tah all had largely positive tournaments.

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Coaching wise, Nagelsmann used the hydration break in Houston to turn the tide, and made the right changes in Toronto to bring Germany back into the game. Also, the facilities Germany used at Wake Forest University were top notch and certainly did not contribute to the team’s early exit.

Will Nagelsmann get sacked?

Whether Nagelsmann has a future in his current post is, of course, the pressing question. The performance on the field suggests he’s on thin ice, but recent history suggests that he might well retain his job for Euro 2028. After all, both Hansi Flick and Joachim Löw stayed longer than many expected.

“I’m here to work and if the DFB [German Football Association] decide otherwise then they should tell me,” Nagelsmann said after the defeat. “I’m not the type of person who runs away.”

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If the DFB decide to retain Nagelsmann, he will have a lot of goodwill to earn back. This performance will not have endeared him to Germany fans, especially after his communication troubles around Undav, Kimmich, Neuer and the roles assigned to player.

If they decide to move on, it will prove costly for them because of the contract extension they agreed with Nagelsmann in January 2025. For an association that has only just started to recover from the financial impact of two consecutive World Cup exits, another disappointment on the field combined with another head coach sacking would make balancing the numbers at the end of the year a bit more difficult.

Who could be the next Germany head coach?

If he is replaced, Jürgen Klopp has been touted as the favorite to take over. The former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool head coach, who has been working with Red Bull since early 2025, was quick to shut down any talk of such a move, though.

“I understand that my name is being mentioned, but this is not the moment to talk about it – and especially not with me,” Klopp said afterwards.

Earlier in the tournament, Klopp caused a stir while working as a pundit for MagentaTV, saying: “Luckily, it’s Julian Nagelsmann who’s picking the team,” before adding: “For now.” 

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Those two wordshung over Nagelsmann, and even though Klopp apologized, many feel the 59-year-old is waiting in the wings for the job.

Will any players retire?

It seems likely that many of this playing group will move on. At 40, Neuer’s return was only ever going to be for this tournament. Following Monday’s match he confirmed to German public broadcaster ARD that this had been his last with the national team. Sadly, at 36, it is unlikely that Oliver Baumann, the man who looked set to be Germany’s number one at the tournament, will ever play for his country again.

Captain Joshua Kimmich (31) has endured a torrid time in his international career, and while one might think that a Euros aged 33 would just a bridge too far, he appeared to rule out cutting it short.

“I will always have the energy for a fresh start,” he told reporters. “What I will never do is give up!”

Antonio Rüdiger (33), Leon Goretzka (31), Leroy Sane (30), and Pascal Gross (35) will likely not be back.

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Germany’s next game is against the Netherlands in the Nations League at the end of September. With it comes the start of Germany’s next new era.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold

Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers needed to be carted off the field after a play that could be a candidate for “Catch of the Year” turned scary after he crashed into the fence in Milwaukee on Monday night.

Milwaukee Brewers veteran Andrew Vaughn smashed a ball to center field in the bottom of the fourth inning, and Myers got a great jump as he started to track the ball.

As he sprinted toward the gap, Myers reached up and made an acrobatic catch, but he lost his balance and was too close to the wall when he collided with the fence at top speed. It was a miracle he even held on to the ball considering the collision, but it clearly took a toll.

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Cincinnati Reds’ Dane Myers runs into the wall after making a catch during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Milwaukee on June 29, 2026. (Aaron Gash/AP)

Myers, writhing in pain on the warning track, was bent over when his fellow outfielders came over to tend to him, while Reds training staff started the sprint out onto the field.

Myers was holding his right shoulder, though his collision was head-on with the fence. Trainers looked at Myers for some time, as the crowd was hushed in hopes he would walk away from this somehow.

REDS ROOKIE TYLER CALLIHAN BREAKS ARM CRASHING INTO WALL WHILE TRYING TO MAKE DIVING CATCH

Eventually, a cart came out and Myers rose to his feet with some assistance as the crowd gave him a round of applause for sacrificing his body for his team. TJ Friedl ended up taking his spot in center field.

Myers was taken to a local hospital in Milwaukee for further testing, and it was a good sign that initial X-rays came back negative, according to manager Terry Francona following the Reds’ 5-3 loss to the Brewers. Francona wouldn’t go into specifics on what ailment Myers may be dealing with.

Myers, a 30-year-old Columbus, Texas, native, is in his first season with the Reds, where he serves as a bench outfielder.

Dane Myers of the Cincinnati Reds lies injured after making a running catch and colliding with the wall as JJ Bleday looks on during the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wis., on June 29, 2026. (John Fisher/Getty Images)

He has played in 63 games this season, owning a .256/.358/.385 slash line with a .742 OPS, three homers and 14 RBI across 117 at-bats.

Prior to his time in Cincinnati, Myers made his big league debut with the Miami Marlins in 2023, playing 22 games that year and hitting .269 over 67 at-bats. He spent the next two seasons with the Marlins, though his longest tenure in MLB came in 2025 when he played 106 games and hit .235/.291/.326 with six home runs and 31 RBI with Miami.

Unfortunately for the Reds, they were unable to get the win for Myers in the end. Joey Ortiz’s two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning broke the 3-3 tie at the time in this NL Central bout, which capped a comeback that also saw Brice Turang, who starred for Team USA during the World Baseball Classic, smash a solo home run to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Dane Myers of the Cincinnati Reds makes a running catch before colliding with the wall in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wis., on June 29, 2026. (John Fisher/Getty Images)

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The Reds were up 1-0 at the time of Myers’ injury.

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Enzo Maresca is better equipped to deal with a recurring Manchester City issue than Pep Guardiola was last year

A few weeks ago there were questions over what Manchester City could do with Rodri. A contract offer has gone unanswered and the Spain midfielder was ignoring all talk of his future until after the World Cup as his deal ticks into its final year.

The uncertainty remains but now there is a different feel with the news that the City star is set to miss the start of the new season. As the Daily Mail reported, Rodri looks set for surgery after the World Cup that will sideline him again.

It continues what has been an incredibly frustrating two years for the club and the player since he suffered that ACL injury. After a string of comebacks couldn’t keep him fit, Rodri finally found some rhythm in the first half of this year only to fall down again at a critical point of the season.

City want to be able to rely on Rodri, but it is difficult to. And when you cannot turn to a Ballon d’Or winner, there need to be alternatives for such a crucial position.

Pep Guardiola did not last summer, hence why he arrived in Sicily in August for the club’s only pre-season looking like a man who knew he was in trouble. Rodri wasn’t fit to start games, Mateo Kovacic was injured until October and Nico Gonzalez still wasn’t a No.6.

For the second successive season, that No.6 position was a significant issue that proved costly for City’s hopes of more silverware. And more bad news for Rodri threatens to take that into a third year, with more uncertainty for the midfield.

Enzo Maresca does not have the same scale of problem as Guardiola though because he has a £116m midfielder to drop into that position. Elliot Anderson has even bigger expectations on him in football after such a price-tag and taking on Rodri’s role is not for the faint-hearted.

It remains to be seen how City will use Anderson in the longer term, with some suggestion that he could play further forward as he has done at times for Forest. However, he is seen by Thomas Tuchel in the England team as a No.6 and so has spent the summer playing that role at the World Cup.

If City are not going to be able to rely on Rodri at the beginning of the season, Maresca can at least take comfort in being able to call on one of the best and most consistent midfielders in the Premier League from the last campaign. There is of course also the possibility of signing Moroccan teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi to secure City’s future in the position.

Anderson will have greater competition for a place at the Etihad and will have been warned about the dangers of not being in the team, but a problem for City in the form of Rodri’s fitness looks like securing the £116m signing for a major role at the base of the midfield as his first assignment for his new team.

France coach Didier Deschamps is back with Les Bleus for their round of 32 match against Sweden at the World Cup on Tuesday after traveling to Europe for his mother’s funeral.

Deschamps learned of his mother’s death the day after France’s win over Iraq on June 22, which clinched advancement from the group stage. He missed Friday’s victory over Norway.

“I’m here. I’m good, and it’s good to be busy since Friday evening when I arrived back in the United States,” Dechamps said Monday through a translator.

France swept its group matches for the first time since 1998, joined by Argentina and Mexico as the only nations to win all three games. Seeking their third title after 1998 and 2018, Les Blues would face Germany or Paraguay in the round of 16 if they get past the Swedes.

“For me it was very difficult. And for me and for the French national team it was important that I left. They did what they had to do,” Deschamps said. “And now we’re preparing a competition within the competition.” 
Assistant Guy Stephan led the team to the 4-1 win over Norway in Deschamps’ absence.

“It was somewhat of a shock,” midfielder Adrien Rabiot said through a translator. “He completely trusted in us and we delivered the best way possible. We’re happy that he’s back. I don’t think that it’s so easy to have to grieve in these conditions. This is football and now we have the World Cup and it is the way it is.” 
Deschamps coached France to the 2018 title and to the 2022 final, a penalty-kick loss to Argentina.

Captain of France’s 1998 champions, Deschamps took over as coach in 2012 and said in January he would retire this summer. He is trying to become the second coach to win two World Cup titles after Italy’s Vittorio Pozzo in 1934 and 1938.

“Didier came back with the willpower to go as far as possible in this World Cup. It is something that, of course, will also help him to forget a little bit about these tragic events,” Rabiot said. “He smiled a lot. He tried to be enthusiastic, although I know that he’s very affected by his grief. I think he’s trying not to show it, not to transmit any negative to the squad.” 
FIFA denied France’s request to wear black armbands for coach’s motherFIFA denied a request by the French soccer federation to wear black armbands against Norway in honor of Deschamps mother.

“It doesn’t change a lot for me, to be very honest with you,” Deschamps said. “I didn’t need that to have an additional sign. I already had enough signs as it was, whether it was directly or indirectly.” 
FIFA did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Marcus Thuram to miss match against Sweden and N’Golo Kante uncertainStriker Marcus Thuram won’t be available against Sweden because of a calf injury and midfielder N’Golo Kante is uncertain.

“As far as Markus, no, he has a little issue. It’s not very serious but muscular,” Deschamps said. “As far as N’Golo, it’s not muscular, but maybe it’ll be too tight for him to be in the starting 11 tomorrow.” 
Thuram, a son of 1998 World Cup champion Lilian Thuram, entered in second-half injury time against Iraq in his only appearance so far.

Defender William Saliba went the distance in the first two matches and rested against Norway.

“Of course he has issues with his back, and that is not something new,” Deschamps said. “He’s not at 100%, but if he’s at 99% it’s good for the matches. Everything is good.” 
First-time World Cup meeting between France and SwedenFrance is meeting Sweden at the World Cup for the first time.

Les Blues had the best goal difference in the group stage at plus-8, outscoring opponents 10-2.

“We could have scored more,” Deschamps said. “We did concede two goals, but we did concede too many goal-scoring opportunities.