Paris (AFP) – The pressure is on France as they kick off the Women's World Cup against South Korea on June 7, but while the Koreans, Norwegians and Nigerians are all potentially tricky opponents for the hosts, the format of the group stage leaves them some room to manoeuvre. The first round will eliminate just […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Neil Lennon was on Friday officially confirmed as manager of Celtic a week after he guide the Scottish Premiership club to a historic third consecutive domestic treble. Celtic said in a statement that they have appointed Lennon on a rolling 12-month contract as reward for his success after taking charge of the […]

Paris (AFP) – The United States have dominated women's football for two decades, and although the team arrives in France at war with their national federation, there is little doubt they are favourites. The draw has handed the Americans a favourable group and the format gives strong teams time to find their feet. The first […]

Milan (AFP) – Inter Milan on Friday announced the appointment of former Chelsea and Italy boss Antonio Conte as coach with the ambition of moving the club out of Juventus' shadow. The 49-year-old has signed a three-year contract worth nine million euros ($10 million) plus bonuses with the Chinese-owned club, according to press reports. Conte […]

Madrid (AFP) – Mauricio Pochettino saw the ice-cream from a distance and went ballistic. Espanyol's players were at the airport about to go on a pre-season tour, when young defender Javi Chica was given an ice-cream by one of the coaches. He will still not say which one. "Pochettino saw me and marched over," Chica […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany coach Joachim Loew has been taken to hospital after suffering an injury while exercising, and will miss upcoming games against Belarus and Estonia, the German Football Association (DFB) said Friday. In a statement, the association confirmed that Loew was receiving treatment for a crushed artery and would not be in the […]

Milan (AFP) – Inter Milan on Friday announced the appointment of former Italy manager Antonio Conte as coach with the ambition of returning to the top of world football. The 49-year-old has signed a three-year contract worth nine million euros ($10 million) plus bonuses, according to press reports. He replaces Luciano Spalletti who secured Chinese-owned […]

Madrid (AFP) – Among the rewards for the Champions League winners on Saturday will be silverware, status and history but the greatest prize awaiting Liverpool or Tottenham might be an end to the agonising wait. Combined, it has been 18 years – seven for Liverpool, 11 for Tottenham – since either lifted a trophy, despite […]

Nairobi (AFP) – Liverpool striker Divock Origi and Tottenham Hotspur's Victor Wanyama are the talk of Kenya ahead of Saturday's European Champions League final in Madrid. In football-mad Kenya, a nation of 50 million in East Africa, there is hope the two athletes can shine a positive spotlight on it as fans relish the prospect […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Andy Robertson has warned his Liverpool team-mates their impressive form over the past nine months entitles them to nothing when it comes to trophies. The 25-year-old Scottish left-back has urged Jurgen Klopp's side to be ruthless when they face Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday's Champions League final. Liverpool won plenty of credit for […]

Milan (AFP) – Igor Tudor will remain as coach of Udinese next season after saving the club from relegation for a second consecutive year, the Serie A side said on Thursday. The former Croatian international returned to Udinese in March, with the north-eastern side just a point above the relegation zone. Tudor had already saved […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Lionel Messi still "loves" the Argentine national team despite more than a decade of disappointments, international team-mate Sergio Aguero said on Thursday as the pair prepare for the Copa America in neighboring Brazil. Despite trophy cupboards laden with club accolades, both Messi and Aguero have suffered much heartache with the Argentine […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg warned that there will be some group stage upsets at the Women's World Cup after her side eased to a 2-0 win over Chile in their final warm-up game on Thursday. "Aside from USA, France and the Netherlands, teams like Australia, Canada, Sweden and Norway are also playing […]

Berlin (AFP) – A fortunate goal from Carolin Simon helped Germany cruise to a comfortable 2-0 win over Chile on Thursday in their final warm-up game before the Women's World Cup. Simon found the net with a mishit cross to crown an excellent performance in front of a large crowd in Regensburg. Coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg […]

Berlin (AFP) – Jerome Boateng has hit back at his critics and insisted that he will "not run away" from Bayern Munich amid speculation that he will leave the German champions ahead of next season. "I won't run away, situations can change quickly," he said in an interview with Friday's edition of Kicker magazine. Boateng, […]