ZAGREB (CROATIA) (ITALPRESS) – The announcement has arrived: Slaven Bilic will replace Zlatko Dalic as Croatia’s coach. This will be a return for him, having previously held the position from 2006 to 2012. The 57-year-old Croatian coach, who made 44 appearances as a player and was part of the squad that finished third at the 1998 World Cup, has been sidelined for two years following the end of his spell in Saudi Arabia with Al-Fateh.

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Prime Minister Robert Abela said Malta’s population will continue to increase in the coming years but at a slower and more sustainable pace, as the country balances economic growth with demographic pressures.

Speaking about population trends, Abela said Malta must continue attracting foreign workers to support expanding industries, while insisting that measures introduced last year to regulate labour migration had already reduced the pace of growth.

Malta’s population reached an estimated 588,254 at the end of 2025, an increase of 2.4% over the previous year, according to figures from the National Statistics Office (NSO).

Net migration was the main driver behind the increase, with 13,906 more people arriving than leaving the country during the year. Non-EU citizens accounted for 78.1% of net migrants.

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Source: medNews

LONDON (UNITED KINGDOM) (ITALPRESS) – After ending their pursuit of Ederson in recent days, Manchester United are now set to make a move for Belgium international Youri Tielemans.

According to British media reports, the Red Devils are prepared to activate the midfielder’s €42 million release clause.

Tielemans has been with Aston Villa since 2023, having joined on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with Leicester City. Since arriving at Villa Park, he has made 134 appearances and scored 10 goals, helping the club secure back-to-back UEFA Champions League qualifications as well as win the UEFA Europa League, scoring in the final against Freiburg.

The 29-year-old Belgian would become United’s second midfield signing of the summer. The club is also set to spend a further €58 million to sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea.

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Chris Fearne has been appointed Chair of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), the body responsible for monitoring member states’ adherence to the principles of the Commonwealth Charter.

Fearne chaired the group’s 73rd meeting, where ministers reviewed political developments in several Commonwealth countries, focusing on challenges to democracy, the rule of law and good governance.

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ROME (ITALPRESS) – “Yamal? Lamine’s best performance is still to come at this World Cup. He is incredibly motivated—you only have to look at his face. He can’t wait to play. We just need to keep his eagerness under control because he must not be overwhelmed by his emotions. He is going through a process of gaining experience and maturity, something that Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland went through a few years ago. He is at that stage now, and we talk about it a lot. He will be a player who leaves his mark from now until the end of the World Cup.” Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente made the remarks to Cadena SER on the eve of his side’s World Cup semi-final against France.

“We have been fully focused on this tournament for 45 days. They have been 45 fantastic days—an extraordinary experience. I want to emphasize that we have spent 45 days together, and that has been wonderful,” De la Fuente added.

“At this stage of any international competition, France, like the other remaining teams, is one of the favourites to win. Reaching the semi-finals of a World Cup is extremely difficult. Every opponent is strong. We, too, are a highly competitive team. A place in the final is very much up for grabs,” the Spain coach continued.

“Compared with the European Championship match two years ago—also a semi-final, which Spain won 2-1—these are two completely different teams. It’s a different challenge, even though many of the players who were in Germany are still here. There will be new playing characteristics and different aspects to consider, both from a footballing and tactical point of view. I believe both teams have improved over the past two years,” the Spain manager concluded.

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Source: medNews

CAIRO (EGYPT) (ITALPRESS) – The Egyptian Football Association is considering submitting an official bid to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations. Hamada El Sherbini, a board member of the Egyptian Football Association, told the radio station Mega FM that the Federation is seriously examining the proposal in coordination with the relevant authorities and with the support of the political leadership.

“We are carefully considering hosting the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations. Our priorities at this stage are focused on this tournament,” El Sherbini stated, adding that Egypt possesses the necessary infrastructure to host major sporting events, including the World Cup and the Futsal World Cup.

The Federation official also explained that the matter was discussed during a Federation meeting, emphasizing confidence in Egypt’s ability to successfully organize the continent’s premier football competition. Egypt has already hosted the Africa Cup of Nations on five occasions: in 1959, 1974, 1986, 2006, and 2019.

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Source: medNews

MONTEVIDEO (URUGUAY) (ITALPRESS) – With the Bielsa era over following the team’s elimination in the World Cup group stage, Uruguay is set to start a new chapter under Diego Forlán. Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Football Association, has confirmed plans to appoint the former striker as interim head coach; he will simultaneously take charge of the Under-20 squad. According to local media, Forlán is expected to remain in the role at least until March 2027—when the federation holds its elections—thereby leading *La Celeste* through upcoming international windows. At that point, the Federation will decide whether to retain him or switch to another coach. A former forward for Manchester United, Atlético Madrid, and Inter, the 47-year-old Uruguayan retired in 2019 and has since had two brief managerial stints: with Peñarol in 2020 (11 matches) and subsequently with CA Atenas in the second division (12 matches) the following year.

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese diplomat Vanessa Frazier has revealed she received a “serious and credible” death threat following a heated exchange with Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations last month.
Frazier is Malta’s former ambassador to the United Nations and currently serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
Speaking to the Times of Malta, Frazier said the New York Police Department investigated the threat.
The incident followed a June UN meeting during which Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon criticised the author of a report on alleged sexual violence involving Israeli forces, accusing her of being “obsessed with targeting Israel”.
Frazier intervened to condemn what she described as a personal attack on her colleague, an exchange that attracted international attention.
She said several death threats followed in the days after the confrontation, but one was deemed particularly credible.
“I received a very serious death threat, a credible one,” Frazier said, adding that the individual had taken deliberate steps to conceal their identity.
According to Frazier, UN security officials referred the case to New York police, who launched an investigation and later detained a suspect.
Following the exchange, Frazier also faced accusations from Danon and several social media users of promoting anti-Semitic content.

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Source: medNews

KANSAS CITY (USA) (ITALPRESS) – Leo Messi gifted his number 10 jersey to Roberto Baggio, who was in the stands in Kansas City to watch the match between Argentina and Switzerland—a game won 3–1 by La Albiceleste in extra time. “Thank you, Leo, for your precious gift and your affection. I love you, my friend,” Baggio wrote on Instagram, posting a photo with the Argentine superstar.

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Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – A patch of turf for sale at 390 euros. A significant amount, yet not excessive for collectors and enthusiasts, considering that the ground will soon be trodden upon by the next world champions. FIFA has listed a presentation box for sale in its official store containing a small piece of the turf from MetLife Stadium, the venue that will host the World Cup final on July 19. “You can own an authentic fragment of football history with an original piece of the FIFA World Cup 2026 pitch, permanently encased in a premium acrylic mount featuring a collectible USB drive. Each unit contains an original fragment of the iconic final match pitch, making it a unique item that celebrates one of the world’s greatest sporting events,” reads the FIFA store website, which notes—naturally—that the item will only be available after the final has taken place. The box comes with a USB drive containing a certificate of authenticity. The starting price is 390 euros, but the British company Keep Stub—which manufactures the collectibles—offers three additional (and larger) versions on its website, priced at 775, 1,035, and 2,585 euros.

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews