Sydney (AFP) – Sprint legend Usain Bolt says he's stunned after being handed a drug testing notice despite retiring from athletics and having no professional contract as he bids to launch a football career in Australia. The 100m world record-holder quit athletics last year and is yet to be offered a deal by Australia's Central […]

Sydney (AFP) – Trent Sainsbury has put his hand up to be the new Socceroos captain, but his father-in-law, new coach Graham Arnold, is unlikely to make a long-term decision before their defence of the Asian Cup in January. Australia has only had two permanent skippers over the past decade — Lucas Neill and Mile […]

Chorzów (Poland) (AFP) – Cristiano Biraghi snatched a late victory to give new Italy coach Roberto Mancini his first competitive victory and keep the Azzurri's Nations League hopes alive with a 1-0 win in their League A Group 3 clash on Sunday as Poland were relegated. Defender Biraghi, 26, slid in the winner two minutes […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Gareth Southgate believes English players have been hampered by the Premier League starting so soon after the World Cup. England's top flight began on Friday August 10, less than a month after England had been knocked out by Croatia in the semi-finals in Russia. The first divisions in France and Italy […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Sergio Ramos has hailed Harry Kane as "physically extraordinary" but is still backing Spain to extend the striker's England goal-drought on Monday. Despite scoring six times for Tottenham already this season, Kane is looking to avoid a seventh international match without a goal as England face Spain in the UEFA Nations […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Helder Costa marked his Portugal debut with a goal as the European champions eased to a 3-1 friendly win over Scotland on Sunday. Wolves forward Costa opened the scoring late in the first half at Hampden Park. And despite the absence of Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Santos's side wrapped up a […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany's 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands on Saturday left them bottom of their Nations League group ahead of Tuesday's away match against world champions France. Three months after the World Cup debacle, head coach Joachim Loew is desperate for a win at the Stade de France to ease the pressure as a […]

London (AFP) – Gareth Bale will miss Wales' Nations League clash against the Republic of Ireland after the Real Madrid star returned to Spain to continue his recovery from a groin injury. Bale was sidelined for Wales' 4-1 friendly defeat against Spain in Cardiff on Thursday after aggravating the groin injury while playing for Real […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany defender Jerome Boateng has been ruled out of Tuesday's away Nations League match against France in Paris with the under-fire Germans eager to avoid a record sixth defeat in a calendar year. Boateng picked up a calf injury in Amsterdam as the Germans were hammered 3-0 by the Netherlands on Saturday […]

Paris (AFP) – Thierry Henry has "everything" needed to become a good manager, France coach and former international teammate Didier Deschamps said of the newly-named Monaco coach. "Thierry's ready," Deschamps told TF1. "He has everything" to be a good coach. "He's throwing himself into an exciting, exhilarating project where he'll have to take responsibility. It'll […]

Berlin (AFP) – The German press turned on Joachim Loew after the hammering by the Netherlands left the future of Germany's head coach in doubt with world champions France looming on Tuesday. "Not at the moment," Loew replied in the post match press conference when asked if he can still decide his future following the […]

Washington (AFP) – Russell Canouse's 86th-minute header lifted D.C. United to a 1-0 victory over FC Dallas Saturday and into MLS Cup playoff position with three matches remaining. D.C. United stretched their unbeaten streak to seven matches and moved a point ahead of Montreal into sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They have a […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Joachim Loew is facing the biggest crisis of his 12-year tenure as Germany's head coach after their embarrassing 3-0 defeat away to the Netherlands. Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk gave the Dutch a first-half lead before late goals by Memphis Depay and Georginio Wijnaldum capped a golden night for the Oranje at […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Nigerian Odion Ighalo scored a hat-trick, Moroccan Faycal Fajr spared blushes and Zimbabwean Knowledge Musona was a hero and villain in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Saturday. China-based Ighalo bagged a matchday 3 treble as Nigeria crushed Libya 4-0 in Uyo to continue a Group E recovery after starting with a shock […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk led the Netherlands to a crushing 3-0 win over Germany on Saturday in the Nations League to ramp up the pressure on German coach Joachim Loew. A first-half header by Dutch skipper Van Dijk gave the hosts the lead in Amsterdam. With the German defence in disarray, […]