London (AFP) – Manchester United appointed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the club's permanent manager on a three-year contract on Thursday, following a highly successful caretaker spell in charge. The Norwegian has inspired a revival of United's fortunes since taking over from the sacked Jose Mourinho in December, winning 14 of his 19 games and leading […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – England striker Harry Kane is keen to pursue a kicking career in the NFL once his football days are behind him. The Tottenham star told ESPN in an interview Wednesday he believes his dead ball ability could translate to success as an NFL place kicker one day. "That's real," Kane told […]

Doha (AFP) – A 20,000-seat stadium in Qatar capital Doha will be the unlikely setting Friday for the CAF Super Cup showdown between Esperance of Tunisia and Raja Casablanca of Morocco. The annual one-off match pits the winners of the CAF Champions League and second-tier CAF Confederation Cup against each other and has been staged […]

Milan (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo will undergo further tests in Turin on Thursday as he battles to be fit for Juventus's Champions League double header against Ajax after picking up a thigh injury on international duty for Portugal. The 34-year-old pulled up injured after half an hour into European champions Portugal's 1-1 Euro 2020 qualifier […]

Paris (AFP) – Maren Mjelde fired Chelsea into the last four of the Women's Champions League and a clash with all-conquering Lyon after her stoppage time strike saw them squeeze past Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 on aggregate on Wednesday. Norway international Mjelde met Karen Carney's pinpoint pass seconds into added time to snatch the tie and […]

Milan (AFP) – Rising Italy star Moise Kean on Wednesday hit back at claims by his father that Juventus still owe him two tractors as part of an agreement to sign the teenage forward. The 19-year-old has burst into the limelight with two goals in his first two international games, scoring in Italy's Euro 2020 […]

Paris (AFP) – Maren Mjelde fired Chelsea into the last four of the Women's Champions League and a clash with all-conquering Lyon after her stoppage time strike saw them squeeze past Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 on aggregate on Wednesday. Norway international Mjelde met Karen Carney's pinpoint pass seconds into added time to snatch the tie and […]

New York (AFP) – Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will play the first Madrid derby outside Europe in suburban New York next July as part of the pre-season International Champions Cup, organizers announced. The annual matches, mainly in US venues, are staged ahead of the start of European campaigns and give fans worldwide a rare […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA is investigating complaints from Luxembourg and Portugal that Ukraine fielded an ineligible player in Brazil-born Junior Moraes for their recent Euro 2020 qualifiers against the two countries, European football's governing body announced on Wednesday. "Following a protest lodged by the Luxembourg Football Federation and the Portuguese Football Federation, disciplinary proceedings have […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot met with club officials on Wednesday to hear if his suspension from duty could lead to his sacking by the French champions. A decision will be forthcoming in two days' time the club said of the 23-year-old Rabiot, who has been gradually frozen out of PSG since […]

Berlin (AFP) – Atletico Madrid and France defender Lucas Hernandez will join Bayern Munich for 80 million euros ($90m) this summer, the German club announced on Wednesday. The 23-year-old World Cup winner will sign a five-year contract starting on July 1, Bayern said in a statement. The 80 million euro fee makes him the most […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Journalist Rafael Henzel, one of just six survivors of the 77 people on board the plane that crashed carrying the Brazilian football team Chapecoense in 2016, has died of heart attack that struck while he was playing soccer with friends, his employers Radio Oeste Capital announced on Thursday. Henze, 45, […]

Milan (AFP) – Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij will miss Sunday's Serie A game against his former club Lazio after picking up a thigh injury playing for the Netherlands. The 27-year-old underwent an MRI scan which showed "an issue with the adductor muscle in his right thigh", Inter said. "De Vrij will now undergo […]

Berlin (AFP) – Two years ago, Lukas Nmecha fired England to glory at the Under-19 European Championships in Georgia. On Tuesday, however, the Manchester City youngster made his debut for Germany. Nmecha was a second-half substitute in Germany's 2-1 win over England in an Under-21 friendly in Bournemouth on Tuesday, having decided to switch allegiances […]

Berlin (AFP) – The Bundesliga has opened its first office in China, the German Football League (DFL) announced in a statement on Wednesday. The new representative office was opened in Beijing on Wednesday, and is intended to improve communication between the German league and its fans and partners in China, the statement said. One of […]