Two England fans to cycle 2400 Miles to Russia for World Cup

Argentina denied reports Friday that players want coach Jorge Sampaoli sacked before their final World Cup group game against Nigeria after a humbling 3-0 defeat by Croatia.

"It's absolutely false," read a statement from an Argentine team official.

"All that has been said about a players' meeting or anything else, it is all false," the source added.

Following Thursday's match, there were reports in both local and international media of a rift between Argentina players and the coaching staff.

It was also suggested that 1986 World Cup winner Jorge Burruchaga, the team's technical director, would take charge for Tuesday's must-win game against Nigeria.

"They want to sack Sampaoli, bring in Burruchaga and follow Spain's example," Ricardo Caruso Lombardi, who has coached several Argentine clubs, said on Thursday.

Spain dismissed coach Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the World Cup after Real Madrid announced he would replace Zinedine Zidane at the Santiago Bernabeu following the tournament.

Argentina suffered their heaviest first round group-stage defeat at the World Cup since 1958 against Croatia, leaving them on the brink of elimination after an opening 1-1 draw with Iceland.

Real Madrid dressing-room lockers used by legends including Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham have been put on display in London as part of a Sotheby's auction.

Spanish champions Real are auctioning pieces of the club's changing area after rebuilding their iconic Bernabeu stadium.

The 24 dressing-room lockers were used by Ronaldo, Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Sergio Ramos and Luis Figo among countless other stars from 2001 to 2022.

They are being auctioned as they were during the 2021-2022 season, when Madrid won a La Liga and Champions League double with a squad including Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior and Luka Modric.

Bidding opened for two weeks from November 12 and a reserve price of £10,000 ($12,650) has been set on each individual locker.

"These lockers represent an extraordinary period in Real Madrid's history," said George North, Sotheby's Head of Collection Sales.

"This is the first time we've brought an entire locker room to market and it shows the kind of popularity and status of a club like Real Madrid."

The lockers, which are being exhibited in London until November 26, will include a certificate of authenticity and a list of players who used them.

Other items for sale include Real's giant stadium mosaic, measuring approximately three metres wide, with a reserve price set at £12,000.

Some of the proceeds of the auction will go to the club's charitable partner, the Real Madrid Foundation.

 England skipper Harry Kane has hit out at several players who withdrew from the national team ahead of their Nations League matches against Greece and Ireland, saying on Wednesday that country must always come before club football.

England play Greece away on Thursday followed by Ireland three days later at Wembley but nine players, some of them regular starters, who were called up by interim boss Lee Carsley have pulled out due to injuries.

Manchester City's Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, Chelsea's Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill, Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, Southampton keeper Aaron Ramsdale and Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite withdrew from the squad.

Kane said this was never the case when Gareth Southgate was in charge as he created an environment where players looked forward to England camps.

"The joy to play for England, I think he brought that back. Every camp, people were excited to come, people wanted to play for England and that's the most important thing. I think England comes before anything, comes before club," Kane told ITV Sport.

"It's the most important thing you play as a professional footballer. Gareth was hot on that and he wasn't afraid to make decisions if that started to drift from certain players.

"It's a shame this week. Obviously I think it's a tough period of the season and maybe there's been a taking advantage of that a little bit. I don't really like it if I'm totally honest... I think England comes before anything."

While Kane now enjoys a winter break from football following his move to German giants Bayern Munich, players at English clubs have more fixtures to look forward to during the busy festive period.

England's new coach Thomas Tuchel does not take charge until the new year but he will not have a chance to work with the squad until the next international break in March.

Carsley said the withdrawals from the squad represent an opportunity for other players to impress the incoming coach.

"Harry has his opinion but I can only deal with what it is in front of us," Carsley, who will end his stint at home to Ireland on Sunday, told reporters.

"November is a challenging (international) window. It's that period of the season where fatigue and small injuries play a part. But it's a brilliant opportunity for other players who were on the outside of the squad."

England, who are seeking promotion to League A, are second in their group B2 with nine points after losing to Greece at home. Greece have won all four games so far. Only the top team from each group gains promotion to League A.

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham feels he is most effective playing as an attacker but the England international said he is willing to play a more withdrawn role to accommodate his team mates and help the side win.

Bellingham was a key player in Real's Champions League and LaLiga double last season but has not been as effective since being moved to a less attacking role following the signing of Kylian Mbappe.

The 21-year-old got off to a spectacular start in Spain last year, netting eight goals in the first nine LaLiga games, but has just two in nine in this campaign after scoring in back-to-back matches this month.

"It's been like any other adaptation," Bellingham told reporters on Tuesday.

"It changes the dynamic a bit, the style of play and the approach, but I've shown that I can play in different positions. I prefer a bit more up front, but it's not important for me.

"I'm willing to play wherever they put me and I'm not affected by the position. We always set the team up to win ... I joined last summer and the club lost (Karim) Benzema, one of its best players.

"There was a gap and it was a way to compensate for this lack of goals. This year we have signed one of the best players of this generation, who has scored an unbelievable amount of goals. My role is going to change and I'm totally willing to do that."

Real face Liverpool in the Champions League later on Wednesday before hosting Getafe in LaLiga on Sunday.

Diego Maradona has requested a meeting with Argentina's players in an attempt to inspire the struggling squad ahead of their crucial final World Cup group game against Nigeria.

The two-time world champions must beat Nigeria in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday if they are to avoid a premature exit following a disastrous 3-0 defeat by Croatia.

He said he would bring along other Argentina greats of the past for the motivational talk.

"I would love to hold a meeting with them, with (Nery) Pumpido, with (Sergio) Goycochea, with (Claudio) Caniggia, with (Pedro) Troglio, even with (Daniel) Passarella if he wants to come, and with (Jorge) Valdano," Maradona told Venezuelan TV channel Telesur.

"We're going to defend our honour, boys. It cost us too much to be where we are for Croatia to come and hit us for three goals and to leave with our arms crossed without anyone putting a foot in."

Maradona, who has criticised coach Jorge Sampaoli and striker Sergio Aguero in recent days, also took aim at Argentina Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia in his latest outburst.

"I'm furious and very upset inside, because anyone who wore that (Argentina) shirt can't see it being trampled like that by a Croatian team that isn't Germany, that isn't Brazil, that isn't Holland or Spain," he said.

"But there is a guilty party and the culprit is the president of the AFA. Everyone just accepted it when Sampaoli came in with computers, with drones, with 14 assistants.

"I think there is a total lack of authority on Tapia's part."

Javier Mascherano, one of the squad's senior players, denied on Sunday that there was a rift between Sampaoli and the players.