Costa Rican World Cupper Johnny Acosta, who is East Bengal's biggest signing this season, on Thursday said that he joined the I-League giants because of their reputation and not talk of them jumping ship to the more glamorous Indian Super League (ISL).

Former Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has been named coach of Palmeiras, signing a deal that ties him to the Sao Paulo club until after his 72nd birthday. Scolari replaces Roger Machado, who was sacked after Palmeiras' 1-0 defeat at Fluminense on Wednesday, a result that left them seventh in Brazil's 20-team Serie A standings, reports Xinhua news agency. "Palmeiras have agreed to sign the coach Luiz Felipe Scolari .... (who) has signed a deal with the club until 2020," the club said in an official statement. It will be Scolari's third time in charge of the nine-time Brazilian Serie A champions. He led them to the 1998 Brazilian Cup and 1999 Copa Libertadores title -- South American football's top club trophy -- during his first spell in charge and again lifted the Brazilian Cup during his second stint in 2012. The 69-year-old has not coached in his homeland since the 2014 World Cup, when Brazil suffered a humiliating 1-7 loss to Germany in the semi-finals. He was also in charge of the Brazil team that won the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. Scolari's last coaching job was with China's Guangzhou Evergrande, where he won seven titles before parting ways with the club in November last year.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai said here that voting is the most powerful weapon for change and improve the country and suggested that girls' education should be a priority for every presidential candidate in Brazil's forthcoming elections.

Potential dark horse Belgium eliminated five-time world champions Brazil with a 2-1 triumph here on Friday to book their place in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup only for the second time after a gap of 32 years.

Brazil's talisman Neymar scored one and assisted another in the second-half as the five-time world champions defeated Mexico 2-0 here on Monday to enter the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.

Costa Rican fans and media were bitter after their team was eliminated from the 2018 Russia World Cup, after losing 0-2 to Brazil.

Brazil football star Neymar said the tears he shed following Friday's 2-0 victory here over Costa Rica were an expression of joy and triumph.

Neymar and Brazil will need to step up their game when they take on Costa Rica in a must win Group E FIFA World Cup clash here on Friday.

Switzerland came up with a gritty, fighting performance to hold title contenders Brazil 1-1 in a Group E match of the FIFA World Cup here on Sunday.

At least 20 people were killed on Tuesday when inmates attempted to escape from a prison in northern Brazil, official sources said.