BRUSSELS (AP) — Jaana Mettala was six months pregnant and on her way to work when the bomb exploded in the heart of Brussels' European Union quarter. She suffered severe burns, but Mettala and her baby survived — 32 other people did not.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — His eyes welling up, Roberto Martinez said his goodbyes and left, his next whereabouts unknown.
It is the end of an era for Belgium’s golden generation. But for the man who led it to third place at the 2018 World Cup, it is the beginning of something new.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — The ball reached Romelu Lukaku right in front of goal with seconds remaining. Score, and he'd send Belgium into the round of 16 of the World Cup.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Walid Regragui stood in the middle of a team huddle as his players reached out and patted him vigorously on the head. Then they threw their coach in the air, almost as if they had already won the World Cup.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Roberto Martinez is leaving as coach of Belgium’s national team following Thursday’s World Cup exit.
“That was my last game for the national team,” the Spaniard said after a 0-0 draw with Croatia led to the team's elimination from the tournament in Qatar.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Whether or not Belgium wins its decisive World Cup match against Croatia on Thursday, whether or not the Red Devils go on to finally win a major tournament, coach Roberto Martinez believes the legacy of the team’s “Golden Generation” is already firmly established.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — His nation on the verge of reaching the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time since 1986, Morocco coach Walid Regragui downplayed his role.
“There are other coaches that like to make you think that they’re magicians, they’re the ones, they’re puppeteers,” Regragui said through a translator on Wednesday.
DOHA , Qatar (AP) — When Belgium’s “Golden Generation” meets Croatia’s accomplished veterans in a decisive World Cup match on Thursday, there won’t be much room on the field for younger players.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — John Herdman wants to remain as Canada's coach through the 2026 World Cup in North America after leading the nation to its return to soccer's top tournament.
“Eleven years of work in this country and I've been pioneering for a long period of time, and you'll not find anyone as passionate as I am about this program or about these players or about this staff," Herdman said Wednesday.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Belgium’s squad held a meeting where players aired their “honest” views about how the team can salvage its World Cup campaign, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said Tuesday.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — While Canada is understandably disappointed to be heading home following the World Cup’s group stage, in a way the team's work is just beginning with an eye toward 2026.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Law enforcement authorities in six different countries have joined forces to take down a “super cartel" of drugs traffickers controlling about one third of the cocaine trade in Europe, the European Union crime agency said on Monday.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Riots broke out in several Belgian and Dutch cities after Morocco’s 2-0 upset win over Belgium at the World Cup Sunday.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Morocco pulled off yet another World Cup shock on Sunday, and Belgium’s aging “Golden Generation” took the hit this time.
The 2-0 upset left Kevin de Bruyne and the 2018 semifinalists in peril of a group-stage exit at what is likely the final World Cup for a highly-talented Belgian group that haven't managed to convert their promise into prizes.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — A bit of trash talk meant to inspire Canada instead motivated Croatia.
Canada coach John Herdman had tried to boost his team following a loss to Belgium to open the team’s first World Cup appearance in 36 years — using colorful language that Croatia took exception to.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou mysteriously disappeared before kickoff of his team's shocking 2-0 World Cup win over Belgium on Sunday.
Bounou lined up with the Morocco team for the national anthems and then went to speak to coach Walid Regragui, who embraced him and turned to speak to his reserve keeper.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Canada had just lost its first World Cup match in 36 years, outplaying Belgium for much of a 1-0 defeat, and an emotional John Herdman revealed in the on-field interview what he had just told his players during a postgame huddle.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne knew he didn't play well in his team's opening World Cup game.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — For Kevin De Bruyne, playing for Belgium at the World Cup feels a lot different to playing for Manchester City in the Premier League.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — O Canada, the wait remains.
Alphonso Davies had the chance to score his nation’s first-ever World Cup goal, to grab a quick lead on Belgium. As Davies readied for the spot kick in the 11th minute after a hand ball, red-clad Canadian fans at the other end of Ahmed bin Ali Stadium buzzed in anticipation for a moment decades in the making.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Kevin De Bruyne threw his hands up in disgust as another pass went astray. Eden Hazard was easily knocked off the ball. Michy Batshuayi was hauled off by his angry coach after a lazy flick to no one at all.
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Belgium’s foreign minister wore a “One Love” armband when she met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino at her country’s World Cup match against Canada on Wednesday.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Alphonso Davies will make his World Cup debut in a boost for Canada, which returns to soccer's biggest stage for the first time since 1986.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Many Canadian soccer fans have been waiting for this moment their entire lives.
Long an afterthought behind hockey in their home country, Canada’s soccer team is back in the World Cup for the first time since 1986 and opens Wednesday against a daunting opponent: second-ranked Belgium, a 2018 semifinalist.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku will miss his nation's World Cup opener against Canada on Wednesday night and also could be sidelined for the second match against Morocco.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Canada winger Alphonso Davies is fully fit and on track to start his nation's World Cup opener against Belgium on Wednesday night after he recovered from a strained right hamstring.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — FIFA has denied Belgium’s request to wear team jerseys with a “Love” label at the World Cup in Qatar because of a commercial link to a rave festival.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Canada coach John Herdman spoke of the thrill that striker Alphonso Davies felt arriving this week in Doha — Canada's first appearance in the World Cup in 36 years.
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Morocco has added winger Anass Zaroury to its World Cup squad to replace the injured Amine Harit.
The Moroccan team announced late Wednesday that Zaroury was replacing midfielder Harit, who was taken off the field by stretcher with a left knee injury on Sunday playing in the French league for Marseille.
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Belgian soccer federation has scrapped plans to set up a World Cup fan zone where supporters could follow Belgium games live on big screens amid a lack of fervor for the tournament in the football-mad country.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian authorities said Friday that the lone assailant who killed one police officer and wounded another in a stabbing attack had been on a counterterrorism list of potential extremists.
Romelu Lukaku was selected in Belgium's 26-man squad for the World Cup on Thursday despite coach Roberto Martinez not expecting to be able to call on the injured striker until after the group stage.
SYDNEY (AP) — Rafael Nadal and world No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek were among the top players who had their pre-Australian Open tournament destinations set when the draw was held for the new United Cup mixed teams event on Thursday.
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Workers walked off the job in Greece and Belgium on Wednesday during nationwide strikes against increasing consumer prices, disrupting transportation, forcing flight cancellations and shutting down public services in the latest European protests over the rising cost of living.
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — The veteran core of Luka Modrić, Ivan Perišić and Marcelo Brozović were included in the 26-man team that Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić announced for the World Cup on Wednesday.
American left back Sam Vines injured a leg and needed surgery, eliminating him from consideration for the U.S. World Cup roster.
Right back Sergiño Dest missed his second straight match for AC Milan with what the club called adductor fatigue earlier in the week.
LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) — Club Brugge missed out on winning its Champions League group after being held to a 0-0 draw on Tuesday at Bayer Leverkusen.
Brugge had already secured a place in the last 16 as the first Belgian club to reach the knockout stage since Gent in 2015-16.
MILAN, Italy (AP) — Romelu Lukaku has sustained another hamstring injury, Inter Milan said Monday, in a major concern for Belgium ahead of the World Cup.
BRUGGE, Belgium (AP) — Porto punished Club Brugge's defensive mistakes to hand the Belgian champion its first defeat in the Champions League this season and reach the knockout stage with a 4-0 win Wednesday.
Now 31 years old and going to his third World Cup, Kevin De Bruyne is one of the great players whose careers lack true international acclaim.
The Belgium playmaker is beloved at Manchester City by his teammates and manager Pep Guardiola, and admired by opponents in England who voted him player of the year in two of the past three seasons.
TOKYO (AP) — Japan's goal at the World Cup will be to break the round-of-16 hex.
The Japanese will be appearing in their seventh consecutive World Cup, and three times the team has reached the round of 16.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium’s most successful club Anderlecht has fired coach Felice Mazzù after just 22 matches in charge, a day after angry fans forced a league game against big rival Standard to be abandoned.
ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Felix Auger-Aliassime won his second title in as many weeks, beating Sebastian Korda 6-3, 6-4 in the European Open final on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Canadian, who won at Florence last weekend, stretched his winning run to eight straight matches.
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Belgium right back Thomas Meunier will be out for several weeks after surgery on a broken cheekbone but is hopeful of returning in time to play at the World Cup, Borussia Dortmund said Thursday.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Former Belgium international Radja Nainggolan has been suspended until further notice by Royal Antwerp after he was caught smoking an electronic cigarette on the bench.
The Belgian club also cited Nainggolan's performances and how his behavior can negatively affect the squad.