Speculation regarding the future of Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and his outburst following his substitution against South Korea were in sharp focus on Monday ahead of their World Cup last-16 game against Switzerland.
The forward, who left Manchester United by mutual consent last month following a controversial interview, was linked with a potential move to Saudi Arabia but Portugal coach Fernando Santos said he knew nothing about it.
"I have not spoken to him about this," Santos told a news conference ahead of Tuesday's game against the Swiss. "I don't know about this. It is his decision. I did not even know about this and I heard about this when I arrived here."
Ronaldo's future is unclear with several clubs around the world reportedly interested in signing him.
"We are focused on the World Cup. I don't know anything about this other issue," the coach said.
Santos had to continue answering questions about his player, however, including his outburst following his substitution in the final group match against South Korea with Ronaldo having said it was not directed at his coach but triggered by an opponent's comment.
"Yes, I did not like it, not at all. I really did not like it and from that moment on that issue is finished," Santos said.
The coach also refused to comment on speculation back home about whether Ronaldo would feature in his line-up against the Swiss on Tuesday or would start on the bench.
"I do not read this type of information. I am focused on my team. We are focusing on training and not paying attention to any polls," Santos said. "What I have always done is focus on the immediate match. I am not worried if information is right or wrong."
FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez, Diego Godin, Fernando Muslera and Edinson Cavani after the players angrily confronted the referee following their win over Ghana on Friday.
Uruguay beat Ghana 2-0 in their final Group H game but were angered that referee Daniel Siebert did not award them penalty kicks in the contest. Another goal would have sent Uruguay into the last 16 in place of South Korea.
At the final whistle, the Uruguayan bench erupted against the referee who decided not to award penalties for tackles on Darwin Nunez in the opening half and Cavani in the dying minutes, with striker Luis Suarez saying FIFA was "against Uruguay".
FIFA also opened proceedings against the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) over potential breaches of fair play rules.
"Separate proceedings were opened against Uruguayan players Gimenez, Cavani, Muslera and Godin," FIFA added in a statement.
The AUF has 10 days to reply to FIFA, as per AUF vice-president Gaston Tealdi's comments to Uruguayan newspaper Ovacion.
Bukayo Saka believes England have nothing to fear as they prepare to take on reigning champions France in the World Cup quarter-finals.
England booked their place in the last eight with a comfortable 3-0 win over Senegal on Sunday but the task ahead is a daunting one.
But Saka, who scored England's third against Senegal, said at a press conference: "If you look at our first four games, we had three clean sheets. That shows how solid we are at the back and we have scored the most goals as well.
"I feel we have just got to prepare the best gameplan and go there with confidence. We are playing really good right now.
"There is no doubt about the quality we have in our team. We are blessed with an amazing front line. There is so much quality attacking players.
"When you are selected, it shows how much confidence the boss has in you so that gives you that extra confidence to go out and shine. Last night we were able to do that."
Saka was one of the players to miss from the spot when England were defeated on penalties by Italy in the Euro 2020 final.
That experience was a difficult one for the Arsenal forward but he feels he has come through it well and feels confident enough to take another penalty should it be necessary.
The 21-year-old said: "Obviously, I have matured and progressed a lot since that moment. I wouldn't have stepped up the number of times I have for Arsenal if I was not confident.
"If the moment comes and I am selected to take it, I will be more than happy to."
Raheem Sterling has left the England camp to return home following a break-in at his home.
Saka said: "He wished us the best yesterday as he was going back. I've messaged him and hopefully he'll get back to me later. I just hope he and his family are OK."
Achraf Hakimi was born in Madrid but will have little hesitation plotting the downfall of Spain when he and his Moroccan team-mates take on the 2010 World Cup winners on Tuesday.
The flying full-back is one of the key players in the north African outfit whose last-16 match in the Qatar World Cup against Spain, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, gives them a chance to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
Hakimi could even have been on the opposite side, as he was called up when still a teenager for Spain's junior team.
"I felt it was not the right place for me, I did not feel at home. It was not for anything in particular, but it was not how I lived at home, which is the Arab culture, being Moroccan," he told Spain's Marca newspaper in the build-up to Tuesday’s clash.
Hakimi’s father was a vendor on the streets of Madrid and his mother cleaned houses.
Their son was signed by Real Madrid at the age of seven, broke through to the first team, went to Borussia Dortmund on loan, won the Serie A title with Inter Milan and is now playing alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe at Paris St Germain.
He is still only 24 years old.
It will not be the first time he plays against Spain. Hakimi was in the side that almost beat them in Kaliningrad in 2018, giving up an injury-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw at the last World Cup in Russia.
"Four years of experience since have meant I’ve come with a more mature mentality," he said.
"Spain are a top five team and always come to the World Cup to win. But our coach has also taught us to have a winning mentality; it doesn't matter who we are up against. We are going to try to play our way and try to beat them.
"We finished first in the group and I think we deserve a little respect. I think that Spain knows that and that they have to be a little afraid of us. And why can’t we pull off a surprise again?", he wondered out loud.
Spain coach Luis Enrique is convinced his players can overcome Morocco in the World Cup last 16 on Tuesday and deal with the pressure of a penalty shootout if they need to.
At last year's European Championship, Spain were involved in two shootouts, beating Switzerland in the quarter-finals before they were knocked out by eventual champions Italy in the semis.
"Over a year ago, in many national camps we told players, 'You have homework ahead of the World Cup. You must take at least 1,000 penalties with the club'. You can't just train them when they're with the national team'," Luis Enrique told reporters on Monday.
"I don't think it's a lottery. If you train often, then the way you take penalties improves. Obviously, you can't train the pressure and tension, but you can cope with it.
"It doesn't depend on luck, the goalkeeper is key in the shootout. All three of our keepers are good at them. In our sessions we have players taking penalty kicks, it's homework we've taken into account."
In the last four World Cups, Spain have only got past the last 16 once -- when they were crowned champions in 2010.
"I couldn't care less about the result, I want to control what I can control as a coach. I encourage my players to forget about the result too, the result will come," Luis Enrique said.
"Football is not always a fair game. I'm convinced we have more merits than Morocco. If we don't, I'll be totally fine.
"Our philosophy is the same. We try and entertain the fans so they have fun watching us. We shouldn't just go and get the victory, we need to entertain the spectators."
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