A Day Before the Match: Euro 2016 Champion Relieved of Duties as Azerbaijan Coach

Azerbaijan faced a disappointing 0-5 loss to Iceland in their first match of the 2026 World Cup qualifier, leading to the dismissal of their head coach.

Details: Fernando Santos has been removed from his position as head coach of Azerbaijan. This announcement was made just a day ahead of their match against Ukraine, which is set for Tuesday, September 9. U21 coach Aykhan Abbasov will now prepare the team for this game.

In the qualifier, Spain’s midfielder Mikel Merino scored a hat-trick, bringing his total to six goals in six appearances for Spain in 2025. He is only the second midfielder in Spain’s history to score three goals in a single match, following Isco’s achievement against Argentina in 2018.

Reminder: Norway national team striker Erling Haaland is gearing up for his team’s next match. He posted a new training photo on his Instagram account.