ALPHONSO DAVIES

Writers covering the World Cup for The Associated Press have chosen their standout players at the tournament so far to form a best team of the group stage.

Andrej Kramaric scored a pair of goals and Croatia crushed Canada’s hopes of advancing at its first World Cup in 36 years with a 4-1 victory.

Canada will have to wait a little longer for its first World Cup win.

Thibaut Courtois saved an early penalty and Michy Batshuayi scored the lone goal to give Belgium a 1-0 win over Canada at the World Cup to spoil the North American team's return to the tournament after 36 years.

Lionel Messi returns to the World Cup for a fifth attempt at finally winning soccer’s biggest prize.

Tom Brady says he has no regrets about coming out of his short retirement to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers again.

Spain’s Pedri González will highlight the list of teenagers who could make an impact at the World Cup.

United States forward Timothy Weah was unable to travel to Canada for Sunday’s World Cup qualifier because he did not meet the vaccination requirements to cross the Canadian border.

Liverpool’s match against Arsenal in the English League Cup semifinals has been postponed following a COVID-19 outbreak in the squad that has forced the club to close its training center.

The remade U.S. soccer team quickly got itself into trouble in World Cup qualifying, wasting Brenden Aaronson’s second-half goal when Cyle Larin scored to lift Canada into a 1-1 draw.

AdNesbitt worked 18 MLS games last season, including the MLS is Back tournament final, and was voted the league’s assistant referee of the year. Nesbitt earned a FIFA badge in 2016 and officiated at that year’s Women’s Under-17 World Cup, the 2018 Women’s Under-20 World Cup, and two matches at the 2019 Women’s World Cup. AdNesbitt trained with her for the 2019 Women's World Cup. AdWebb, who refereed both the 2010 Champions League and World Cup finals, hopes the pool of female officials will expand. Webb envisions a woman taking the whistle for a men's World Cup match, with hundreds of millions of people around the globe tuned in.

(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)BERLIN Bayern Munich effectively won the Bundesliga title in November when it appointed Hansi Flick as coach. Bayerns defensive record was its worst since Jrgen Klinsmann was coach in 2008. Kovac had led Bayern to a league and cup double the season before but never had the full backing of the clubs leadership. Bayern is currently on a 14-game winning run including the 3-0 win over Chelsea in London in the Champions League. There are also other reasons Bayern has won an unprecedented eight consecutive title, mostly tied to the clubs financial might.

Thomas Mueller, left, of Munich is challenged by Edmond Tapsoda of Leverkusen during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, June 6, 2020. Alphonso Davies and Thomas Mller have built an effective and affectionate partnership this season, and it's driving Bayern Munich toward a record-extending eighth straight German title. I call him Chef, Davies said in televised comments after Mller broke the German league record with his 20th assist of the season Saturday. Bayern is also eyeing another German double, with Frankfurt again their opponent in the cup semifinal Wednesday, and the Champions League whenever that resumes. The Champions League is set to resume as a mini-tournament this summer.

Bremen's Leonardo Bittencourt celebrates after scoring during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 30, 2020. Because of the coronavirus outbreak all soccer matches of the German Bundesliga take place without spectators. With five games remaining, Bayern moved into a 10-point lead over Borussia Dortmund, which plays at Paderborn on Sunday. Only Bayern's players and staff were there to cheer the kind of dominant win which would normally put Bayern fans in a party mood. Hertha beat Augsburg 2-0 to make it 10 points from four games since the Bundesliga resumed in empty stadiums this month.