Phenoms

France forward Kylian Mbappe has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and will miss this week's Nations League international against Croatia, the French football federation (FFF) said on Monday.

"Given that the result of his COVID-19 test carried out by UEFA on Monday morning showed up as positive, he was removed from the rest of the squad after the results came through following training, and then returned to his home later in the evening," the French football body said on its website.

England manager Gareth Southgate said both Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood will play no part in Tuesday's Nations League game in Denmark after breaching COVID-19 protocols in Iceland.

Speaking at a news conference, Southgate said they had both been isolated from the rest of the squad and would travel back from Iceland to Britain separately.

Last Thursday, 17-year-old Barcelona phenom Ansu Fati was handed his first Spain appearance as a second-half substitute during a 1-1 draw with Germany. On Sunday, Fati was given his second cap and first-ever start as Spain welcomed Ukraine to the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium in Madrid.

If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, here’s the La Masia graduate’s opening 45 minutes.

France intend to give 17-year-old Eduardo Camavinga his first caps over the next week when they meet Sweden and Croatia in the Nations League, coach Didier Deschamps said on Monday.

The teenage midfielder, who earned rave reviews in his first full Ligue 1 season with Rennes, received a call-up for Saturday’s match in Stockholm and next Tuesday’s clash at the Stade de France after Paul Pogba withdrew after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Whenever Zinedine Zidane decides he’d like to spend more time in Ibiza on his yacht and less time fielding questions about Gareth Bale’s short game, Real Madrid can rest easy with a “next man up” mentality given the early managerial success of legendary striker Raúl at the youth level.

On Tuesday, Raúl made history by becoming the second person to win the UEFA Youth League as both a player and manager after Real’s U-19 squad defeated Benfica in the 2019-20 final.  

Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappé could start Tuesday's Champions League semifinal against RB Leipzig, as the French club target their first appearance in a Champions League final.

Mbappé came off the bench for the last half hour against Atalanta last week to set up the winning goal, and Thomas Tuchel told a news conference the France World Cup winner had suffered no reaction to his injured ankle.

Missing a Borussia Dortmund match in 2020-21 is going to be a form of sacrilege. We already knew, heading into last season, that Jadon Sancho was a pièce de résistance sort of footballer capable of uplifting your weekend. By January, Erling Haaland had proclaimed himself as Paul Bunyan’s only begotten son, increasing the joy of having BVB on your television set.

Tyler Adams has not had the best of seasons with RB Leipzig. In and out of the lineup with injuries, fitness concerns and just not being picked, the 21-year-old American had appeared in just one Champions League match prior to Thursday. Looking healthy and eager, he made it count.

Adams scored an 88th-minute winner — his first career Champions League goal — to lift RB Leipzig to a dramatic 2-1 win over Atlético Madrid on Thursday. The strike sent the German side to the semifinals of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time. 

The18’s Prodigal Son returns. Five years, two months and 19 days since Norway’s mischievous sprite sent Cristiano Ronaldo to the substitutes’ bench with a tender hug, Martin Ødegaard is set to the return to the Bernabéu with Zinedine Zidane ready to hand him his second LaLiga appearance for Los Blancos.

Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho left with his team for a pre-season training camp in Switzerland on Monday with the German club saying the talented player would stay after a contract extension to 2023.

Sancho has been the target of several top clubs with ongoing speculation of a possible transfer to the English Premier League.

"We plan on having Jadon Sancho in our team this season, the decision is final. I think that answers all our questions," Dortmund sports director Michael Zorc told reporters in Switzerland.