London (AFP) – Wilfried Zaha gave Crystal Palace a huge boost on Wednesday by signing a new contract which will see him tied to the Premier League club till the end of the 2022/23 campaign. The 25-year-old Ivory Coast forward — who is Palace's joint highest Premier League scorer — has been a transfer target […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Players and coaches traipse before the Chinese Football Association (CFA) like naughty school children to plead their innocence, then await their fate. It is rarely good news. With global interest in Chinese football growing, the CFA has been busy dishing out bans, fines or warnings for on- and off-field misdemeanours that would […]

Melbourne (AFP) – Japanese superstar Keisuke Honda revealed Wednesday he planned to retire after the World Cup but decided to keep playing after being inspired by Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat. The former AC Milan striker, one of the highest profile names in Asian football, has signed for the reigning A-League champions for the 2018/19 […]

Paris (AFP) – Croatian World Cup hero and star striker Mario Mandzukic has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 32, the country's national soccer federation said Tuesday. "I think the time has come for me now. I gave my best for Croatia and I have contributed to the greatest success in […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Captain Lionel Messi will miss Argentina's next four friendly matches, according to local press reports on Tuesday. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner previously retired from the national side after their 2016 Copa America final defeat by Chile before returning to help them qualify for this year's World Cup. The two-time world […]

London (AFP) – Patrick Bamford celebrated his first Leeds start with a goal as new boss Marcelo Bielsa extended in his flying start with a 2-1 win against Bolton in the League Cup first round on Tuesday. Bamford, a £7 million signing from Middlesbrough, got off the mark after 27 minutes at Elland Road before […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Kaizer Chiefs' new Italian coach Giovanni Solinas blamed fatigue on Tuesday as a disappointing start to the 2018/2019 South African Premiership continued with a 1-1 draw at Baroka. A Daniel Cardoso own goal gave the home team a 36th-minute lead in northern city Polokwane and South African international Siphiwe Tshabalala levelled direct […]

Paris (AFP) – Brendan Rodgers's Celtic were dumped out of the Champions League by AEK Athens as they slumped to a 2-1 loss in their third qualifying round, second leg in Greece on Tuesday. The Scottish champions had been held to a 1-1 draw despite their opponents playing much of the game with only 10 […]

Rome (AFP) – France international Steven Nzonzi, a World Cup winner in Russia, completed his switch to Roma from Sevilla on Tuesday after signing a four-year deal with the Italian side. The 29-year-old midfielder was greeted by dozens of Roma supporters as he arrived at the airport in the Italian capital, before the club posted […]

Doha (AFP) – Samuel Eto'o sought the advice of Xavi Hernandez and Wesley Sneijder before choosing to play in Qatar, the Cameroon star said as he was unveiled by his new club Tuesday. After a whirlwind transfer — Eto'o was playing in Turkey a week ago — the beaming 37-year-old striker was presented by Qatar […]

Toulouse (France) (AFP) – Cameroonian international Stephane Mbia announced on Tuesday that he will sign a deal to join French Ligue 1 club Toulouse. The 32-year-old midfielder had spent the last two years in the Chinese Super League playing for Hebei China Fortune, but returns to France having started his career at Rennes before a […]

Madrid (AFP) – Centre-back Diego Godin said on Tuesday he wanted to stay with Atletico Madrid "for personal reasons", but that he is yet to extend his contract which expires in 2019. The Uruguayan international had been linked with a move to Manchester United before the English transfer window closed on August 9. "I received […]

Madrid (AFP) – France international Steven Nzonzi, a World Cup winner in Russia, underwent a medical with Serie A side Roma on Tuesday ahead of a proposed move from Sevilla. The 29-year-old midfielder was greeted by dozens of Roma supporters as he arrived at the airport in the Italian capital, before the club posted images […]

Rome (AFP) – A former goalkeeper for Italian Serie A club Cagliari survived the deadly collapse of a motorway viaduct in Genoa on Tuesday despite going down with the bridge in his car and finishing among the rubble. Davide Capello, who made two appearances for the Sardinian side while they were in Serie B early […]

Doha (AFP) – A 23-year-old Nepalese World Cup labourer in Qatar died Tuesday while working on one of the venues for the 2022 tournament, officials in Doha announced in a statement. An investigation has been launched after the man was killed "while working at the Al Wakrah Stadium project site", Qatar's World Cup organising body, […]