British football's record signing Angel di Maria says he tore up a letter sent on the morning of the World Cup final by his then club Real Madrid telling him not to play for Argentina against Germany.

The 26-year-old -- whose £59.7 million ($98 million, 75 million euros) transfer to English Premier League giants Manchester United last month set a new British transfer record -- did not play in the 1-0 defeat by Germany on July 13 in any case as he failed to recover from a groin injury he suffered in the quarter-final win over Belgium.

Neymar scored on a second half free kick as Brazil beat Colombia 1-0 Friday in their first game since their humiliating exit from their home World Cup in July.

A record 73,429 spectators turned out for the friendly at SunLife Stadium. It was the largest crowd ever to see a soccer match at the south Florida venue.

Brazilian legend Ronaldinho made a surprise move to Mexico's first division Friday, joining the White Roosters of Queretaro on a two-year deal.

The 34-year-old former World Cup winner and two-time world player of the year had been without a club since leaving Brazilian outfit Atletico Mineiro in late July.

Serena Williams will fight for an 18th Grand Slam title against Caroline Wozniacki after sweeping past Ekaterina Makarova 6-1, 6-3 on Friday to reach the U.S. Open final.

World number one Williams, winner of the past two titles at Flushing Meadows and five overall, will try to match Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on 18 career major titles when she faces her good friend Wozniacki on Sunday.

Ahead of the start of the qualifying competition for the 2016 European Championship in France on Sunday, AFP Sports casts a glance over all nine groups:

Group A

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic can set up a dream U.S. Open final on Saturday but standing in their way are the unlikely figures of Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori.

Federer, the 17-time major champion who is chasing a record sixth U.S. Open title, is back in the semi-finals for the first time since 2011 and looking for a return to the final which he last graced in 2009 when his five-year winning streak was snapped by Juan Martin del Potro.

After a sensational sprint double at the Diamond League finale, American Justin Gatlin admitted Tom Hanks' film character Forrest Gump had been an inspiration as he battled back from a four-year doping ban.

Gatlin rolled back the years to scorch to a rare 100-200m double on Friday and immediately stated he wanted to establish a rivalry with Jamaican star Usain Bolt, who has already called time on his season after a short-lived comeback from injury.

England midfielder Jack Wilshere has hit back at the “reckless” critics who claim the Arsenal star is failing to make the most of his talent.

Wilshere was tipped as England's most promising young players when he made his international debut four years, but he has struggled to live up to that billing.

Italy scored twice in the opening 10 minutes and Antonio Conte got the better of Guus Hiddink in their coaching debuts as a 10-man Netherlands was beaten 2-0 in a friendly on Thursday.

Ciro Immobile scored his first international goal three minutes in, and Daniele De Rossi added a penalty in the 10th.

Spain's rebuilding following its shambolic World Cup got off to a bad start, failing even to manage a shot on target as France coasted to a 1-0 win in their friendly on Thursday.

France had an effort from Karim Benzema ruled out for offside early in the second half and scored in the 72nd minute when winger Mathieu Valbuena set up substitute Loic Remy for his sixth international goal.