Football

Italy's provisional squad for Euro 2024 has been announced, with Gianluca Scamacca earning a spot after his impressive performances for Atalanta. The 25-year-old striker has been in scintillating form, scoring 11 goals and assisting four more since March, helping Atalanta secure a historic Europa League triumph.Scamacca's inclusion is a testament to his resurgence under coach Luciano Spalletti, who had previously criticized the striker for his off-field habits. However, Scamacca's recent performances have forced Spalletti to reconsider, as Italy seeks to address its long-standing issue of finding reliable strikers.Inconsistent Ciro Immobile, a key figure in Italy's Euro 2020 triumph, has been dropped from the squad. Scamacca is expected to lead the line alongside Juventus star Federico Chiesa, who will be joined by surprise inclusion Nicolo Fagioli.Fagioli, a Juventus midfielder, has been included despite missing most of the season due to a gambling ban. His selection is part of a youth movement in the Italian squad, with several veterans from the last Euro victory being replaced.Marco Verratti, Manuel Locatelli, Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, and Lorenzo Insigne are among the notable absentees. Spalletti will announce his final squad on June 6, which will face Spain, Croatia, and Albania in Group B.Italy will play pre-tournament friendlies against Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina early next month.

West Ham United has appointed Julen Lopetegui as its new manager, marking the Spaniard's return to management after a brief stint at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Lopetegui replaces David Moyes, who departed the club at the end of his contract after four and a half years.Lopetegui, a former Real Madrid and Spain coach, expressed his excitement about the opportunity to lead West Ham. "I feel that we have a fantastic platform," he said. "My ambition as a coach is always to be better and better, to achieve more and bigger aims, and to encourage and improve the players, the team, and to compete."Moyes leaves West Ham after a successful tenure that included winning the Europa Conference League last year. However, the team struggled in the second half of the 2022-23 season, winning only four Premier League games since January and finishing ninth.Lopetegui's appointment is expected to bring a fresh perspective to West Ham. The Spaniard is known for his attacking style of play and his ability to develop young players. He will be tasked with improving the team's form and guiding them back into European competition.West Ham's owners are confident that Lopetegui is the right man to lead the club forward. "We are delighted to welcome Julen to West Ham United," said David Sullivan, the club's co-chairman. "He is a world-class coach with a proven track record of success. We believe that he is the ideal person to lead our club into the next phase of its development."Lopetegui's first task will be to prepare West Ham for the upcoming season. The club will be looking to make a strong start under their new manager and challenge for a top-six finish in the Premier League.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has expressed his dismay over Chelsea's decision to sack Mauricio Pochettino, describing it as "harsh" and a "sad" moment for the Premier League. Pochettino was dismissed after just one year in charge, despite guiding Chelsea to a sixth-place finish and securing European qualification.Howe, who has been linked with the Chelsea job, praised Pochettino's managerial abilities and questioned the timing of his departure. "I think Mauricio is a very, very good manager," Howe said. "He's done incredibly well regardless of the club he has managed in various countries. I think it's sad for the Premier League when a manager loses his job, especially when I think it is harsh as his performances have been very strong."Pochettino's tenure at Chelsea was marked by both highs and lows. He led the Blues to a sixth-place finish, securing European qualification, but also faced criticism for inconsistent performances and a lack of attacking flair. Chelsea fans booed the team on several occasions, and Pochettino's side suffered disappointing defeats in the League Cup final and FA Cup semi-final.Despite these setbacks, Howe believes Pochettino was making progress at Chelsea. "The latter part of their season their form was very strong, they pipped us for sixth place," Howe said. "I think he was doing a really good job."Pochettino's sacking is the latest in a series of managerial changes at Chelsea since the club was acquired by Todd Boehly's consortium. Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter were both dismissed before Pochettino, and it remains to be seen who will be appointed as the Blues' next manager.

Atalanta's remarkable journey culminated in a historic triumph as they shattered Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten streak and claimed the Europa League title with a resounding 3-0 victory. Ademola Lookman emerged as the hero, etching his name in the annals of European football with a stunning hat-trick.Lookman's first goal, a clinical finish in the 12th minute, set the tone for Atalanta's dominance. The Nigerian forward, who has found a new lease of life in Bergamo, displayed his predatory instincts, capitalizing on Exequiel Palacios's lapse in concentration.Leverkusen, known for their late fightbacks, found themselves in unfamiliar territory. Their slow start proved costly, and Lookman's second goal, a nutmeg on Granit Xhaka followed by a powerful shot, left them reeling.Xabi Alonso's decision to start without a recognized striker backfired, and the introduction of Victor Boniface at half-time failed to spark a revival. Atalanta's defense, marshaled by Rafael Toloi and Berat Djimsiti, held firm, while their counter-attacking threat remained potent.Lookman completed his hat-trick with another moment of brilliance, skipping past Edmond Tapsoba and unleashing a thunderous left-footed strike into the top corner. The goal sealed Atalanta's triumph and sent their fans into raptures.For Atalanta, this victory represents a culmination of years of hard work and dedication under the guidance of Gian Piero Gasperini. The club, long overshadowed by AC and Inter Milan, has finally achieved continental glory, proving that financial might is not the only path to success.Leverkusen's unbeaten run, which had stretched to 51 matches, came to an abrupt end. Despite their disappointment, they can take solace in their remarkable season, which saw them secure a first-ever Bundesliga title.

Mauricio Pochettino's tenure as Chelsea manager has come to an end after just one season, with the club announcing his departure by mutual consent on Tuesday. The Argentine coach leaves Stamford Bridge after a turbulent campaign that saw Chelsea finish sixth in the Premier League, lose in the English League Cup final, and reach the semifinals of the FA Cup.Pochettino's appointment last summer was met with high expectations, as he had previously led Tottenham Hotspur to the Champions League final and won the French Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain. However, his time at Chelsea was marred by inconsistent performances and a failure to secure a top-four finish, which would have guaranteed Champions League qualification.Despite Chelsea's heavy spending on transfers under new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, Pochettino was unable to translate that investment into on-field success. The club's sixth-place finish in the Premier League was their lowest since 2016, and they were eliminated from the Champions League in the group stage.Pochettino's departure marks the end of a disappointing season for Chelsea, who have now gone two years without a major trophy. The club's hierarchy will now be tasked with finding a new manager who can restore Chelsea to their former glory and challenge for the Premier League title and Champions League.

England manager Gareth Southgate has unveiled his provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024, with notable omissions including Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson.Rashford, who has 60 caps and 17 goals for England, has endured a difficult season with Manchester United, scoring only seven Premier League goals. Southgate explained that other players in his position have had better seasons.Henderson, a former Liverpool midfielder, has also been left out after a disappointing spell with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq. He may now reconsider his international future.Several uncapped players have been included in the provisional squad, including Liverpool duo Curtis Jones and Jarell Quansah, Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton.Southgate will cut his squad to 26 by the June 7 deadline. He faces a difficult task in selecting his final team, given the depth of talent available to him.England are considered favorites for the tournament in Germany, having reached the final of Euro 2020 and boasting a talented squad that includes Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka.However, Southgate has expressed concerns about England's defense, which has been a weakness in recent years. He is considering new candidates in this area, with Quansah, Branthwaite, and Marc Guehi among those included in the provisional squad.Despite being out injured for a lengthy period, Manchester United's Luke Shaw has been included. Southgate has remained loyal to Harry Maguire, while Jack Grealish is still in contention despite admitting to being below his best for Manchester City this season.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary Portuguese forward, will embark on his sixth European Championship campaign at the age of 39. The veteran defender Pepe, now 41, has also been included in coach Roberto Martinez's 26-man squad for the tournament.Ronaldo, who has scored in every Euros since his debut in 2004, has netted an impressive 14 goals in the finals. He also contributed 10 goals in European qualifying matches last year. Despite his age, Ronaldo remains a potent force, as evidenced by his 42 goals and 13 assists in all competitions for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr."Cristiano? It's better to talk about the data," said Martinez. "He's a player who's scored 42 goals in 41 games for his club. That shows his continuity and physical ability to always be fit, as well as the quality he has in front of goal, which we really like and need."Pepe, who has been an integral part of Porto's team this year, will provide experience and leadership to the squad. Despite his age, he remains a formidable defender, as demonstrated by his clean sheets in two games in March."Pepe's role in the dressing room is important, the way he represents the national team shirt," added Martinez. "His communication, his positioning mean that, when he's fit, he's a very important player."The squad also includes nine players from the Premier League, including Ruben Dias, Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Diogo Jota. Goncalo Inacio is the only Sporting player in the squad.

Real Madrid's German midfielder Toni Kroos has announced his retirement from all football after the Euro 2024 tournament. The 34-year-old, who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany, made the announcement on Instagram on Tuesday.Kroos has been a key player for Real Madrid since joining the Spanish giants in 2014, forming a formidable midfield partnership with Luka Modric. He has won the Champions League five times with Real, including the upcoming final against Borussia Dortmund on June 1.Before the European Championship, Kroos has a chance to win the Champions League with Real for a fifth time when they face Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on June 1. He also won the Champions League with Bayern Munich before joining the Spanish giants.Kroos joined Real in 2014 and quickly formed a formidable midfield partnership with Luka Modric. In a statement on their website, Real said Kroos "will go down in Real Madrid history as one of our club and international football's greatest legends".Kroos has also won the Liga title four times. He announced he was quitting international football in July 2021 but reversed his decision in February after talks with Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, who persuaded him to play on till the Euro 2024 on home soil."My ambition was always to finish my career at the peak of my performance level," Kroos said on Instagram. "I am happy and proud that in my mind I found the right timing for my decision and that I could choose it on my own."Kroos was one of the key players when Germany won the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and scored twice when they inflicted a 7-1 defeat on the host nation in the semi-finals. But four years later he was unable to prevent Germany from crashing out in the group stage in Russia.

FIFA: The Governing Body of World FootballThe Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the international governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. Founded in 1904, FIFA is headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, and has 211 member associations.History and FoundingFIFA was founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, by representatives from seven national football associations: Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The organization's first president was Robert Guérin, a French journalist.Governance and StructureFIFA is governed by a Congress, which is composed of representatives from all member associations. The Congress meets annually to elect the FIFA President and Executive Committee, which is responsible for managing the organization's affairs.ResponsibilitiesFIFA's primary responsibilities include:* Organizing and overseeing international football competitions, including the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women's World Cup* Establishing and enforcing the rules of football* Developing and promoting football worldwide* Fighting against corruption and match-fixingControversiesFIFA has faced numerous controversies over the years, including allegations of corruption, bribery, and financial mismanagement. In 2015, several high-ranking FIFA officials were arrested and charged with corruption. The scandal led to the resignation of FIFA President Sepp Blatter and the implementation of reforms to improve transparency and accountability.Key Events* 1930: The first FIFA World Cup is held in Uruguay.* 1991: The first FIFA Women's World Cup is held in China.* 2001: The bankruptcy of International Sport and Leisure, which held media rights to the World Cup, financially sets back FIFA.* 2015: Several FIFA officials are arrested and charged with corruption.* 2016: Gianni Infantino is elected as FIFA President.Impact on FootballFIFA has played a significant role in the development and globalization of football. The organization's competitions and initiatives have helped to spread the sport to new regions and inspire generations of players and fans.