Rather than lurid decorations or mawkish TV ads, we choose to believe the true arbiter of the beginning of the festive season to be the annual Rooney family Christmas card.

With dad Wayne back in the UK for his international swansong recently, mum Colleen seized the chance to take the kids along to her photographer of choice and get the 2018 card done.

The four Rooney boys -- Kai, Klay, Kitt and Cass (from oldest to youngest) -- clambered into their matching pyjamas and posed for several suitably...

When it comes to England and semifinals, it's a bit like the old London buses cliche: You wait 20 years for one and then two come along at once. OK, so the joke is beyond corny, and yes, a UEFA Nations League semifinal is a wholly different animal. However, there is no denying that the England team are buzzing in a way we have not seen in a long time.

There are plenty of holes you can pick in the 2-1 win over Croatia, which opened the doors of the final four to Gareth Southgate's crew. Until Harry...

LONDON -- Three thoughts on England's 2-1 win vs. Croatia in League A, Group 4 of the UEFA Nations League.

1. England gain some revenge on Croatia

Four months after an agonising World Cup semifinal defeat in Moscow, England optimism again looked set to be punctured by Croatian resilience and experience. However, Gareth Southgate's team, as we are finding out, do not follow the same old scripts and engineered a stirring comeback that enhanced the feelgood factor and did much for a burgeoning competition's...

Manchester City were searching for a third goal at Cardiff back in September and, as Leroy Sane advanced towards the area, there was no room for Raheem Sterling to make one of his blistering runs in behind. Sane offloaded the ball to Ilkay Gundogan and Sterling, occupying a harmless space between five home defenders with his back to goal, barely moved. When he did, it was to take two small steps forward into the "D" before he and City sprang to life.

A quick gesture to Gundogan, a sharp ball into...

LONDON -- In the week leading up to this game, Wayne Rooney could have been forgiven for wondering whether it was worth all the hassle.

His patience was nothing short of remarkable as he indulged endless stony-faced questions about the merits of his England farewell. Did he deserve it? Had he deprived a younger player of a valuable opportunity? Would it devalue that most precious commodity in all the world, an England senior cap?

The debate was as utterly inevitable as it was tedious. Rooney...

LONDON -- England disposed of the United States 3-0 in an international friendly on Thursday. Goals two minutes apart from Jesse Lingard and Trent Alexander-Arnold put the home side 2-0 up at halftime. Callum Wilson celebrated his international debut with England's third goal toward the end.

Here are three thoughts from the match.

1. U.S. no match for ruthless England

On a night when Wayne Rooney was being honored one final time, the U.S. faced a daunting task against an in-form England...