World Cup updates: Pogba's last World Cup?

Paul Pogba

IMAGE: France's Paul Pogba celebrates scoring their second goal against Australia at Kazan Stadium. Photograph: Toru Hanai/Reuters

France midfielder Paul Pogba said the finals in Russia might be his last World Cup but he hopes he will be fit for more.

"It might be my last World Cup," the Manchester United player, 25, told a news conference ahead of Tuesday's Group C final game against Denmark.

France have already qualified for the last 16 and will secure top spot if they avoid defeat.

 

"I'm realistic, we don't know if I'll be called up, maybe other players will be better than me," added Pogba.

"I hope I'll play more. I've already had the chance to play two, some can only dream to play one."

Modric could be Ballon d'Or winner if he was Spanish or German, says Lovren

Croatia defender Dejan Lovren says team mate Luka Modric would be a contender for the Ballon d'Or award if he was Spanish or German and is under-valued because of his nationality.

Modric scored a superb solo goal in Croatia's impressive 3-0 win over Argentina and he was also on target, from the penalty spot, in the opening win over Nigeria.

The Real Madrid midfielder has formed a strong midfield partnership with Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic but Lovren feels that Modric's ability is under-rated.

"It is a real pleasure to play with Luka Modric, who is one of the best players in the world right now," said the Liverpool defender.

"Modric would probably be getting more attention than he is right now if he was a German or Spanish player. He would maybe even be a Ballon d’Or winner.

"Because we are a smaller country, he does get less attention than he deserves. But we are all football lovers and we know Modric is an incredible player. He is one of the best in the world right now," he said.

No Croatian has ever won the annual award for the world's best player although Davor Suker finished second in 1998, the year Croatia reached the semi-finals of the World Cup.

With Croatia already assured of a place in the last 16, coach Zlatko Dalic has indicated he will field a largely second string side against Iceland on Tuesday as he looks to protect six players who have yellow cards against their name.

A second yellow would lead to a suspension and while Group D rivals Argentina and Nigeria will want Croatia to go all out for a win, Lovren says they have to think of their own needs.

"I fully understand Argentina’s concerns and their wish for Croatia to play a full team for the next game as well. But we must also think about the fact that we should not be playing the players who have yellow cards," said Lovren.

"That’s also our concern we need to keep in mind. The coach is the one who will make the final decision. All of us are ready.

"Our goal of course is to get all nine points and we do not think the win over Iceland will be easy. We have played them in the past and we know they are a team that needs to be respected," he said.

Lovren said that Croatia's reserve players had beaten the first-choice eleven twice in three in-house games.

Rakitic, Ante Rabic, Sime Vrsaljko, Mario Mandzukic, Marcelo Brozovic and Vedran Corluka are the six Croatian players who are one booking from suspension.

Missing Argentina soccer fan in Kerala found dead

The body of a 30-year-old Argentina football team fan was recovered from a river near here today, two days after he left home upset over poor showing of the South American team in the World Cup, police said.

Dinu Alex, an ardent fan of Argentina football team and its captain Lionel Messi, was missing since he left his home in Arumanoor near here on Friday, saying, in a note, he was going to end his life upset over Argentina's 0-3 rout against Croatia in the World Cup.

Police, along with the Fire and Rescue service personnel, were searching for his body in the nearby Meenachil river.

It was found in the river near Illickal Bridge, about 10 km from his village, police said.

In a suicide note, which was found in his room, Alex had said he was upset with Argentina's defeat and was going to end his life.

Alex's father had said his son was a great fan of Messi.

Argentina has just one point from two games in so far in the World Cup in Russia.