
The South American championship, with a total of twelve teams taking part (ten South American plus Japan and Qatar), sees the Werkself midfielder playing for the holders – Aránguiz was in the Chile teams that won in 2015 and in the special competition held in 2016 to celebrate the centenary of the South American Football Association (CONMEBOL). Ahead of the tournament, La Roja first have a warm-up game in a friendly against Haiti (6 June) before they start the group stage against Japan on 18 June followed by matches against Ecuador (22 June) and Uruguay (25 June).
Leon Bailey is about to make his international debut for Jamaica. Jamaica have called up the 21-year-old for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the biennial international men's football championship of the North, Central American, and Caribbean region. The Reggae Boyz have a friendly against the USA (6 June) ahead of group matches against Honduras (18 June), El Salvador (22 June) and Curacao (26 June).
Julian Baumgartlinger and Aleksandar Dragovic have also been called up for international duty with the Austria squad. The Austrians have two European championship qualifiers against Slovenia (7 June) and North Macedonia (10 June) – as does Lukas Hradecky with Finland playing Bosnia-Herzegovina (8 June) and Liechtenstein (11 June). Paulinho is part of the Brazil U23 squad at the Maurice Revello tournament in Provence to be held from 1 to 15 June 2019 that involves top youth teams from across the world. Our number seven is set to play in the group stage against Guatemala (2 June), France (5 June) and Qatar (8 June). Isaac Kiese Thelin can now go on holiday. The forward was in the preliminary Sweden squad but has not made the cut. However, he will need to pack his football boots as the 26-year-old is on standby for the European Championship qualifiers against Malta (7 June) and Spain (10 June).
Jonathan Tah, Kai Havertz and Julian Brandt were called up to the Germany squad last week for the European Championship qualifiers in Belarus (8 June) and against Estonia in Mainz (11 June). The Germany senior squad come together in the Dutch city of Venlo on 2 June for a short training camp. After that, Jonathan Tah will take part in the U21 European Championships (16 to 30 June in Italy and San Marino). The Croatia Football Association have already announced that Tin Jedvaj will be in the World Cup runners-up squad for the European Championship qualifier against Wales (8 June) and a friendly against Tunisia (11 June).


With three games to play before the end of the season, the Bayer 04 Women can break one record and equal another at SGS Essen. After three wins on the bounce, coach Roberto Pätzold's team are aiming to maintain the chance of third place in Sunday’s away game (14:00 CEST, Stadion an der Hafenstraße).
Show more
From Ouagadougou to Leverkusen – and back: in March, Bayer 04 travelled with Edmond Tapsoba for a special project in his homeland Burkina Faso. The country where his roots and heart lie. The country where he’s more than a world-class defender: a symbol of hope and a role model for an entire generation. The result is a 45-minute documentary about Tapsoba’s long journey from Africa via Portugal to Leverkusen, which offers extraordinary, one-off and emotional insights.
Show more
Edmond Tapsoba has signed an early extension to his contract with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. With two years left on his current deal, the 27-year-old Burkina Faso international has extended his contract until 30 June 2031. The centre-back joined as a young talent from Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes at the start of 2020.
Show more
A special surprise: during the preview for the 'Fierté Burkinabè' documentary about Edmond Tapsoba, Bayer 04 directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes announced Tapsoba's contract extension until 2031 together with the centre-back. He then spoke to Werkself-TV about his time in Leverkusen so far and future ambitions...
Show more
This evening was deeply moving: At a really special setting, Bayer 04 exclusively presented the specially produced documentary ‘Fierté Burkinabè’ ("Burkinabe Pride") about Edmond Tapsoba on Tuesday. For the preview at the BayArena, the parents of the Werkself player and other close companions travelled all the way from his African homeland Burkina Faso. The 45-minute film shows Tapsoba's extraordinary career from his beginnings in Ouagadougou to Leverkusen as well as the work of his foundation "Fondation Edmond Tapsoba", with representatives from Burkina Faso also present. Fans can watch the documentary free of charge on Werkself TV and YouTube from Wednesday night at 20:00 CEST.
Show more