Brussels (AFP) – Former Ivory Coast and Belgium manager Marc Wilmots signed a contract in Brussels on Wednesday to become coach of Iran following lengthy talks. "The contract was signed at the residence of the (Iran) ambassador between Mr. Wilmots and Mehdi Taj (the president of the Iranian football federation)," a diplomat at the embassy […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Argentine football great Diego Maradona is to have treatment in Buenos Aires on an injured shoulder that forced him to miss a trip to the Cannes Film Festival where a documentary on his life was aired. The 58-year-old, currently the coach at Mexican team Dorados de Sinaloa, wrote a message on […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund pulled off a transfer coup on Wednesday, snatching gifted international midfielder Julian Brandt from the grasp of Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. Brandt, 23, lured from Bayer Leverkusen, joins new signing Thorgan Hazard, the younger brother of Chelsea star Eden, at the club who also snapped up German international defender […]

Budapest (AFP) – Hungarian goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly famed for playing in grey tracksuit trousers, retired Wednesday after a 26-year-long career that included a record 108 international caps and club spells in Germany and England. In a video on his Facebook page Kiraly, 43, puts pair of the trademark sweatpants that gained him a cult following among […]

Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid said on Wednesday that Diego Costa has suffered ankle ligament damage after the controversial Spain striker was stretchered off during their friendly with Beitar Jerusalem. Costa, 30, was carried off the field 24 minutes into Tuesday's 2-1 loss in Jerusalem, his first match since being slapped with an eight-match ban […]

Madrid (AFP) – Sevilla announced on Wednesday Joaquin Caparros would not be in charge next season, although they said he was staying at the club. "Joaquin Caparros will remain with Sevilla FC next season; however, it will not be as the first-team coach," the club said in a statement on their website. "The manager had […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri plans showdown talks with the club's hierarchy after next week's Europa League final to see if they want the Italian to remain in charge next season. Sarri's side recovered from a mid-season slump in time to secure Champions League football next season via a third-placed finish in the […]

Cannes (France) (AFP) – She is notorious as the under-age escort at the heart of a scandal that shook the French football team, but Zahia Dehar has confounded her critics with a startling big screen debut at the Cannes film festival. The former escort who was allegedly paid for sex by French football stars Franck […]

Marseille (AFP) – Rudi Garcia will step down as Marseille coach following this weekend's final round of Ligue 1 matches after the French giants failed to qualify for European football next season. "I've decided to leave. I put forth this solution to my president who accepted it," Garcia said at a press conference Wednesday, sat […]

Guangzhou (AFP) – Former Barcelona star Paulinho edged two-time winners Guangzhou Evergrande into the AFC Champions League last 16 Wednesday, while title-holders Kashima Antlers had to come from a goal behind to avoid an embarrassing group stage exit. The midfielder's second-half header was the difference for Fabio Cannavaro's side in a tense 1-0 home win […]

Kashima (Japan) (AFP) – A quickfire double from substitute Sho Ito gave Japan's Kashima Antlers a 2-1 home win over Shandong Luneng on Wednesday, taking the holders into the Asian Champions League knockout stage. Former Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini headed the Group E winners in front after 10 minutes, the beanpole Belgian powering the […]

London (AFP) – Robin van Persie has urged Manchester United to keep faith with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the under-fire manager's turbulent end to his first season in charge. Solskjaer presided over a miserable conclusion to a campaign that saw United fail to qualify for the Champions League after finishing sixth in the Premier League. […]

Luxembourg (AFP) – A top EU court on Wednesday cancelled a European Commission decision from 2016 that forced Spain to recover 18.4 million euros from Real Madrid because it considered a real estate refund as illegal state aid. "The Commission could not classify the disputed measure as state aid", as it did not "sufficiently demonstrate […]

Berlin (AFP) – Injured La Liga pair Toni Kroos and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are the biggest names missing from the 22-man Germany squad named on Wednesday for next month's Euro 2020 qualifiers. Midfielder Kroos, who has just signed a new Real Madrid contract keeping him at the club until 2023, and Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen […]

London (AFP) – Chris Hughton admits he was "hugely disappointed and surprised" to be sacked by Brighton. Hughton was axed despite keeping the club in the Premier League and leading them to the FA Cup semi-finals. The 60-year-old's surprise dismissal came just one day after Brighton's final game of a season in which they finished […]