London (AFP) – Scotland boss Shelley Kerr has urged her side to embrace the challenge in France after announcing the 23 players who will represent the country at their first ever Women's World Cup finals. Kerr's team will take on England, Japan and Argentina in the group stages and she has backed the squad to […]

Madrid (AFP) – Antoine Griezmann's decision to leave Atletico Madrid has plunged the club into chaos and fired the starting gun for a summer scramble among Europe's elite. Top scorer in each of his five seasons, Griezmann was the stardust of Atleti, offering spontaneity and craft in a team renowned for discipline and grit. But […]

London (AFP) – Georginio Wijnaldum says Liverpool's "wonderful" season deserves to be rewarded with a trophy as they prepare to face Tottenham in the Champions League final after falling agonisingly short in the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp's men missed out on a first league title in 29 years after being edged out by defending champions Manchester […]

Tehran (AFP) – Former Ivory Coast and Belgium manager Marc Wilmots has arrived in Tehran and is set to sign a three-year deal as national coach, state news agency IRNA reported. The official agency said Iran football federation president Kami Rita Sherpa had confirmed the deal and the former Belgian striker would sign a contract […]

New Delhi (AFP) – Former Croatia coach Igor Stimac was named India manager on Wednesday, replacing Englishman Stephen Constantine who quit following the Asian Cup exit. "Igor is the right candidate to coach the Blue Tigers... Indian football is going through a transition, and I am confident his vast experience will guide us to higher echelons," All India Football […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Former Wales manager Chris Coleman was sacked as coach of struggling Hebei China Fortune on Wednesday after the club's fans demanded his firing. The 48-year-old's side have won only once in nine Chinese Super League (CSL) games this season and languish one place off the bottom of the table. A Hebei team […]

London (AFP) – Aston Villa progressed to within one game of a return to the Premier League after edging West Midlands rivals West Brom 4-3 on penalties in the Championship playoff semi-finals on Tuesday. West Brom won 1-0 on the night at the Hawthorns to level the tie at 2-2 on aggregate thanks to Craig […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola edged out Jurgen Klopp to a trophy for the second time in three days as the Catalan claimed the League Managers' Association manager of the year on Tuesday. Guardiola's City retained the Premier League title on Sunday, beating Klopp's Liverpool by a single point at the end […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola edged out Jurgen Klopp to a trophy for the second time in three days as the Catalan claimed the League Managers' Association manager of the year on Tuesday. Guardiola's City retained the Premier League title on Sunday, beating Klopp's Liverpool by a single point at the end […]

Madrid (AFP) – French striker Antoine Griezmann has told Atletico Madrid he will leave them in the close season, the Spanish club said on Twitter on Tuesday. The 28-year-old Griezmann has a contract until 2023 with Atletico, but has a buy out clause of 120million euros ($134million) and has been the target of several approaches […]

London (AFP) – A food bank has been set up to help non-playing staff at troubled Bolton who have gone without pay as the club slipped into administration. Staff of the club and those from the Bolton Whites hotel have gone without pay for six weeks as they await their April salaries. The club's chaplaincy […]

Rome (AFP) – Cagliari have escaped punishment by Italian football authorites for racist abuse directed by their fans at Juventus striker Moise Kean during a league game last month, the Lega Serie A announced on Tuesday. Italian international Kean, 20, was subjected to racist chants from sections of Cagliari support after his late goal during […]

Wellington (AFP) – The New Zealand women's football team has emerged "from a dark place" after a bullying scandal and is determined to make its mark at next month's World Cup, striker Sarah Gregorius says. The national team, known as the Football Ferns, were in disarray last year, with many of the squad in revolt […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Rangers have reacted furiously after defender Jon Flanagan became the latest member of Steven Gerrard's squad to be charged by the SFA with retrospective action. Former Liverpool defender Flanagan faces a two-game ban for an elbow on Celtic captain Scott Brown as Rangers won the Glasgow derby 2-0 on Sunday. Flanagan was […]

Quito (AFP) – Ecuador President Lenin Moreno presented Manchester United stalwart Antonio Valencia with the prestigious National Order of Merit medal in recognition of his decade playing for the Premier League giants. "I've ended a wonderful period in Manchester, but now there's a difficult match ahead and I hope to play well, which is being […]