MANUEL NEUER

FIFA official Arsène Wenger has taken a shot at World Cup teams who tried to make political statements in Qatar.

The gesture was a response to FIFA's effective nixing of seven European teams' plans to wear armbands that were seen as a rebuke to host nation Qatar and its human rights record.

For the second straight tournament, the Germans failed to live up to their favoritism in the first game, falling 2-1 after an incredible comeback by Japan.

Japan pulled off a massive upset in their Group E matchup on Wednesday, defeating Germany 2-1 and putting the Germans on their heels.

Substitutes Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano scored late goals to give Japan a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Germany at the World Cup.

Germany’s players covered their mouths for the team photo before their opening World Cup match to protest against FIFA following the governing body’s clampdown on the “One Love” armband.

The first World Cup in the Middle East finally began Sunday night with a flashy opening ceremony and a loss by host Qatar against Ecuador.

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is set to defy FIFA’s campaign for captains to wear only official armbands with selected slogans at World Cup games. “Yes,” the veteran goalkeeper said Saturday when asked at the Germany training camp about overriding a new FIFA project backed by United Nations agencies.

Lionel Messi is back in supreme form and it’s just in time for the World Cup.

Robert Lewandowski has scored a hat trick on his 100th Champions League appearance to lead Bayern Munich into the last-16 with a 5-2 rout of Benfica.

The decision comes amid anger that Uefa will not allow the Munich stadium to light up in rainbow colours.

German soccer clubs are banding together to display rainbow colors during the country’s match against Hungary at the European Championship after UEFA rejected host city Munich’s plan to do the same.

Bayern's Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring his team's first goal from the penalty spot during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Chelsea at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)MUNICH Robert Lewandowski scored two goals and assisted two more as Bayern Munich cruised into the Champions League quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over Chelsea on Saturday, completing an overwhelming 7-1 victory on aggregate. The coronavirus-enforced suspension of the season didn't interrupt Bayern's charge to the Bundesliga title and it hasn't interrupted its Champions League bid either. Abraham did get a goal for Chelsea just before halftime when Bayern 'keeper Manuel Neuer gifted him the ball when clearing a cross. Corentin Tolisso added another for Bayern in the 76th before Lewandowski headed in the fourth eight minutes later.

(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.

(Lars Baron, Pool via AP)BERLIN Germanys soccer league was marked by gestures against racism and support for the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday as Bayern Munich took another step toward a record-extending eighth straight Bundesliga title. All of Borussia Dortmund and Hertha Berlins 22 outfield players took a knee in the center-circle together before the top tier's late game with no fans present. Bayern's players had Black Lives Matter printed on their armbands, partly covering sponsor Qatar Airways logo on the left arm. Robert Lewandowski scored Bayerns fourth to claim his 30th Bundesliga goal of the season, set up by Thomas Mller, who now has 20 assists. It also had to do without fans, as all Bundesliga games are being played without supporters amid strict hygiene measures against coronavirus.

BERLIN Union Berlin striker Anthony Ujah has encouraged his fellow soccer players to be more proactive in the fight against racism. Everybody in the world of soccer knows who Thomas Mller is. I dont know how to explain, but sports has the power to bring people together, Mller said in a video that also showed other Bundesliga players gestures last weekend. Others, including American players Weston McKennie, Zack Steffen and Tyler Adams also expressed solidarity with social media posts and/or on-field statements. If I manage to get just five or 10 people to change their way of thinking about me, then Ive fulfilled my role, Ujah wrote.

Munich's goal keeper Manuel Neuer gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, May 17, 2020. The German Bundesliga becomes the world's first major soccer league to resume after a two-month suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Hannibal Hanschke, Pool)MUNICH Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has extended his contract at Bayern Munich by two years through June 2023. But talks to reassure Neuer of his place in the club evidently paid dividends with Bayern announcing his extension on Wednesday. Now this has been resolved, I look to the future with great optimism, Neuer was quoted by Bayern as saying on Wednesday.

Robert Lewandowski of Munich celebrates his side's opening goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, May 17, 2020. The German Bundesliga becomes the world's first major soccer league to resume after a two-month suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic. Across eight Bundesliga games Saturday and Sunday, only one ended with a win for the home team, Borussia Dortmund, which beat Schalke 4-0 on Saturday. It was the first home Bundesliga game in 12 years for Cologne without its traditional live goat mascot. Some groups have taken the opportunity to call for changes in how German soccer is run.