Bologna (Italy) (AFP) – Roberto Mancini's first competitive game as Italy coach ended in a 1-1 Nations League draw with Poland, midfielder Jorginho saving Azzurri blushes with a second-half penalty to level Piotr Zielinski's first-half opener in Bologna on Friday. Mancini, 58, was appointed after the four-time winners' shock failure to qualify for the 2018 […]

Trabzon (Turkey) (AFP) – Artem Dzyuba hit a second-half winner as World Cup quarter-finalists Russia opened their Nations League campaign with a 2-1 away win over Turkey on Friday. Hosts Russia were one of the surprises of the summer's World Cup, when they came close to booking a place in the last four before exiting […]

Glasgow (AFP) – World Cup semi-finalists Belgium capitalised on a series of Scotland mistakes with goals from Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard and a Michy Batshuayi double to thrash the hosts 4-0 in a friendly at Hampden on Friday. Roberto Martinez's men showed their class and no hangover from their exertions in finishing third in Russia […]

London (AFP) – New Spain coach Luis Enrique wants his side to evolve from the style that brought La Roja great success in the past decade before growing stale in recent years. The former Barcelona boss takes charge for the first time in Spain's Nations League opener away to England on Saturday after crashing out […]

London (AFP) – England manager Gareth Southgate has challenged his young squad to build on their World Cup success by beginning to beat the world's top nations, starting with their first ever Nations League tie at home to Spain on Saturday. Southgate's men reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 28 years […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Bordeaux midfielder Toma Basic will not turn out for his new club in this season's Europa League group stage, after they forgot to include the young Croatian in their squad list. Stephane Martin, the president of the French side, said Basic had been left out due to "an administrative error" when the […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Manchester City winger Leroy Sane withdrew from the Germany squad "for private reasons" on Friday following a meeting with coach Joachim Loew, the German FA (DFB) confirmed. "Following discussions with head coach Joachim Loew, @LeroySane19 has left the team hotel in Munich for private reasons and will not be available" for […]

Amiens (France) (AFP) – Once a teammate of Neymar and earmarked as a future superstar for Brazil, Paulo Henrique Ganso says he is just looking forward to playing regular football again after being unveiled by modest French club Amiens. "I chose Amiens to come to the French league, which is a very technical league, and […]

Milan (AFP) – Napoli's Algerian international defender Faouzi Ghoulam has been given the all clear to return after more than ten months sidelined with injury, the Italian club said Friday. The 27-year-old tore cruciate ligaments last November and three months later required more surgery after breaking his kneecap in training. Ghoulam was given the green […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Former Netherlands star Clarence Seedorf is among more than a dozen coaches who will make Africa Cup of Nations debuts this weekend in 2019 qualifiers. Despite underperforming in three previous managerial posts, the 42-year-old has been given a four-year contract by reigning African champions Cameroon. His first match in charge of […]

London (AFP) – England captain Harry Kane will wear gold boots in Saturday's Nations League clash against Spain to celebrate finishing as the World Cup's top scorer. Kane will be making his first England appearance since winning the Golden Boot trophy awarded for finishing as the most prolific player in World Cup. Tottenham striker Kane […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Germany are trying to move into a new era after their disastrous World Cup campaign, but Thursday's 0-0 draw with France showed the importance to coach Joachim Loew of keeping faith in the old guard. Loew's starting line-up at the Allianz Arena against the world champions featured five members of the […]

Milan (AFP) – New Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri revealed on Friday that he found out he was sacked as coach of his previous club Napoli on television. Sarri had two years left on his contract after leading his hometown club to challenge champions Juventus for the title last season. But after Sarri asked for more […]

Culiacán (Mexico) (AFP) – Argentine legend Diego Maradona has been hired to coach Mexican second-division football club Dorados, the team announced Thursday, the retired great's latest foray into managing. Maradona's colorful career has included stints coaching the Argentine national team and a series of clubs around the world, and he had just started a job […]

Madrid (AFP) – "This is my style and I don't care if you don't like it," he said. It was April 2016 and Luis Enrique was asked if he felt sorry for berating a journalist, who had been critical of Barcelona's fitness levels. "I have nothing to apologise for," he shrugged. "I didn't show anyone […]