Golden Soccer 360

Joachim Low's position as Germany head coach is safe even if they suffer an early World Cup exit, says the president of the country's football association (DFB). Germany lost their opening World Cup match to Mexico and only beat Sweden in their second game thanks to a last-minute free-kick from Toni Kroos. They play their final group match against South Korea in Kazan on Wednesday, knowing they need to better Sweden's result against Mexico if they are to book a place in the last 16. Germany have only once failed to progress from the first round of the World Cup, and that occurred 80 years ago in the 1938 tournament in France. But even if the world champions exit at the group stage this year, Low - who signed a contract extension until 2022 last month - will keep his job. DFB President Reinhard Grindel said: "We decided in the DFB executive committee before the World Cup to offer a contract extension. "We believe there will be a transition that wil...

Jermain Defoe made his England debut alongside the golden generation but was still around to play his part in helping the team to this summer’s World Cup. In conversation with Adam Bate, he explains how Gareth Southgate changed the entire England culture… Such is the pride in England's positive start to this World Cup, it is inevitable that it will be compared with what came before. Those golden generations that promised so much only to disappoint have come in for criticism with Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard even leading the way. Why has it taken England so long to approach this challenge with such freedom? Few are better placed to appreciate the transformation than Jermain Defoe. He made his debut for England in 2004 - against Sweden in what turned out to be Gareth Southgate's final appearance for his country. His longevity is such that he was still around to score the opening goal for Southgate's England in a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania last year. Def...