Brazil legend Ronaldo says that all the memes going around on social media making fun of Brazil superstar Neymar’s exaggerated reactions to fouls during World Cup matches are fun but not important and also admits that he is a huge fan of the 26-year old attacker.

Japan's football chief take aim at critics of the Blue Samurai after the team's World Cup return and confirms he is on the lookout for a new coach.

Eden Hazard leads his team into Friday's World Cup quarter-final match against Brazil on a stage built to showcase his talent but whether Belgium get the full benefit of his mercurial ability is to be seen.

Brazil winger Willian praises his team mate Neymar who returned from an injury before the World Cup as he says that the 26-year old attacker is still improving at the showpiece event and admits that the star striker possesses the ability to determine the fate of a game at any moment.

Friday’s World Cup quarter-final against Brazil in Kazan is a defining game for Belgium’s talented generation of players, according to defender Vincent Kompany.

FIFA condemns comments by Diego Maradona on Wednesday, after the Argentinian legend claimed that Colombia only lost to England in the World Cup last 16 because of the appointment of referee Mark Geiger for the match as he called it to be a "monumental robbery".

Juan Camilo Zuniga, the player who ended Brazilian superstar Neymar's World Cup participation four years ago, announced his retirement on Wednesday.

Former Brazil striker Ronaldo came out in support of his countryman Neymar on Wednesday as criticism mounted against the pundits who have condemned his diving but ignored the fakery of other players.

Brazil winger Neymar is a world class footballer who does not need to exaggerate when his is fouled because it does not earn him any sympathy with the fans, former Germany captain and World Cup winner Lothar Matthaeus said on Wednesday.

The World Cup joke around Russia is that goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev has the "Foot of God".

The piercing sound of horns and cheers of Colombia's football fans fell silent after their World Cup dreams were shattered in a nail-biting last-16 loss on penalties to England on Tuesday.

The largest British audience for a live sporting event since the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics watched England's

Argentine great Diego Maradona said England perpetrated a "monumental robbery" in their World Cup victory over Colombia and accused referee Mark Geiger of not being up to such a game.

Colombia's efforts to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the second straight time were hampered by refereeing interruptions and

Mocked by Belgium's Thibaut Courtois for being too small for a top-class goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford stood tall when England needed a penalty shootout hero to end years of pain from the spot.

"Just Diernamite!" screamed the Sun after Eric Dier ended England's penalty hoodoo in Russia, slotting home the decisive spot-kick to beat Colombia and qualify for the World Cup quarter-finals.

England midfielder Fabian Delph is on his way back to Russia to prepare for Satur-day's World Cup quarter-final against Sweden after flying back home to attend the birth of his third child.

Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani is likely to miss his side's World Cup quarter-final against France on Friday after suffering a calf injury in the last-16 win over Portugal.

We have been in Russia for the last 24 days and have already travelled to five cities. Unfortunately, we could muster very few Russian words, being limited to da (yes), nieth (no) and pasiva (thank you). One Bangladeshi expat, who has been living in Russia since 1996, told us that it's not a tough language to understand 'if you have the understanding of Sanskrit'.

Europe and South America will do battle again for soccer supremacy in the World Cup quarter-finals but with many of the usual combatants having already exited, there is a fresh feel to a line-up that promises a new or long-absent finalist.