London (AFP) – The Tottenham Hotspur fan who threw a banana skin onto the pitch at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrated scoring a penalty in front of Tottenham fans will not be charged with a racist offence. Averof Panteli — a 57-year-old grandfather — will face a charge of throwing a […]

Kabul (AFP) – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Tuesday called for an investigation into claims of sexual abuse against the national women's football team, calling the allegations "shocking" and vowing to act immediately. The president's call comes days after the Guardian newspaper broke a story about allegations of sexual and physical abuse of members of the […]

Paris (AFP) – French DJ Martin Solveig apologised and said he was taken aback by the stormy reaction online after he asked the inaugural women's Ballon D'Or winner Ada Hegerberg whether she could "twerk" live on stage. The awards co-host in Paris provoked a torrent of complaints about sexism with his question about the sexually […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho needs to lift Manchester United's morale quickly as a deflating run of performances threatens to throw their season off track completely but he faces a daunting task against a revitalised Arsenal. Mourinho's team have not looked themselves at Old Trafford for much of the season, with their past two […]

Milan (AFP) – Inter Milan's Argentina striker Mauro Icardi won the Serie A Footballer of the Year award at the Gran Gala del Calcio ceremony in Milan on Monday night. The 25-year-old becomes the first player outside Juventus to win the Italian Players' Association award, voted for by his peers, since Zlatan Ibrahimovic with AC […]

Paris (AFP) – Luka Modric saw off competition from France's World Cup stars as the Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder won the Ballon d'Or on Monday to end a 10-year stranglehold on the award by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Modric, 33, was announced as the winner of the prestigious prize in a glitzy ceremony […]

Paris (AFP) – Luka Modric saw off competition from a host of French World Cup stars as the Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder won the 2018 Ballon d'Or on Monday, ending the 10-year stranglehold on the award by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Modric, 33, was announced as the winner of the prestigious prize in […]

Paris (AFP) – Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg said the introduction of a women's Ballon d'Or was a "big step forward" for the game, playing down suggestions her historic victory was overshadowed after being asked to perform a 'twerk' live on stage. The Lyon star — whose prolific form in front of goal helped the French […]

Modrici (Croatia) (AFP) – Luka Modric's journey from Croatian war child to the world's best footballer was celebrated Monday when the Real Madrid midfielder hoisted the Ballon d'Or. A national hero in his home country and crowned the best player on the planet, Modric was rewarded for his key role in Croatia's historic run to […]

Paris (AFP) – Women's Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg has played down suggestions her historic victory appeared to be overshadowed after she was asked to perform a 'twerk' live on stage at Monday's ceremony in Paris. The 23-year-old Norwegian striker was asked if she would perform the sexually provocative dance by the French host DJ, […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola is confident that winger Leroy Sane will sign a new long-term deal with Manchester City despite delays in ongoing contract negotiations between the two parties. The 22-year-old has recovered well from the disappointment of a summer in which he was not selected in Germany's World Cup squad and […]

Milan (AFP) – Arkadiusz Milik came off the bench to snatch a late 2-1 win for Napoli over Atalanta on Monday that consolidated second place in Serie A and reduced the gap on leaders Juventus to eight points. Polish forward Milik scored the winner five minutes from time shortly after coming on after Fabian Ruiz […]

Mexico City (AFP) – Argentine football legend Diego Maradona hurled insults at fans of an opposing team and had to be restrained from attacking them after they jeered his coaching loss Sunday in Mexico's second-division final. Maradona's team, Dorados of Sinaloa, lost Sunday's second-leg championship match to Atletico San Luis in extra-time, missing out on […]

Paris (AFP) – Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg was rewarded for her prolific form with Champions League winners Lyon as she took the first ever women's Ballon d'Or prize at a ceremony in Paris on Monday. The 23-year-old saw off competition from the likes of Danish star Pernille Harder, of German club VfL Wolfsburg, and Brazil's […]

Paris (AFP) – Kylian Mbappe was named winner of the Kopa Trophy for young player of the year at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris on Monday. The Paris Saint-Germain forward, who does not turn 20 until later this month, starred as France won the World Cup and also won the best young player award […]