Arsenal and England await Jack Wilshere’s return with a sense of desperation

If the football authorities could have drawn up their ideal prototype for a referee – tall, burly and darkly forbidding, oozing authority and charisma in equal measure, steely enough to keep even the most fractious of temperamental stars in order – then surely they would have come up with something very close to Jack Taylor.

Football Association chairman David Bernstein today insisted he would be against an attempt by Sepp Blatter to extend his reign as Fifa president.

The Spanish media has been heaping praise on their national side following their spectacular 4-0 victory over Italy.

Euro 2012 has seen a return to old values after years of chronic failure

Sweden refuse to go quietly. So stung were they by that rare defeat to the English that they blamed bad luck.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter today labelled penalty shoot-outs "a tragedy" and challenged Franz Beckenbauer to come up with an alternative.

One of the best things about history is that it so regularly submits itself for revision – and never more arrestingly than in Barcelona this week, when the damage to one ultimate superstar's reputation (yes, Lionel Messi's) was maybe balanced by the recall of the great strength of another whose playing career ended 28 years ago.

Birthday greetings for a great but can Barca's young prince hold a candle to Dutch master?

As if reaching a European Cup final in their own stadium were not motivation enough, Bayern Munich will have countless reasons to want to end Real Madrid's European adventure at the Allianz Arena tonight.

The pope is having a very Bavarian birthday, celebrating his 85th milestone at the Vatican with his brother and bishops from his native land.

The Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, insists he would "die" if he witnesses another World Cup goal-line blunder such as Frank Lampard's disallowed goal for England in 2010.

'Der Kaiser' is retiring after 50 years in the game. He tells Andrew Warshaw why the media 'killed' England's 2018 bid, why Beckham could head FA and why Blatter will win the vote

View From The Sofa: Bobby Charlton, BBC2/Champions League, ITV