Moscow (AFP) – French club Monaco have made an offer for CSKA Moscow's Alexander Golovin who shone in the home side's run to the World Cup quarter-finals, Monaco vice president Vadim Vasilyev said Monday. "We made an offer to CSKA Moscow for Golovin," he told Russia's Sports Express. "I can't say how much but it […]

London (AFP) – Mesut Ozil will travel with Arsenal for their pre-season tour of Singapore, the Gunners' new head coach Unai Emery confirmed on Monday. Following the shock early exit of Germany from the World Cup, playmaker Ozil has been on holiday and has yet to return to pre-season training, with Emery instead working with […]

Bangkok (AFP) – A Thai court on Monday indicted 15 players, a referee and a linesman for involvement in match-fixing in the domestic football league last year. The announcement follows a lengthy investigation which saw many of the accused arrested and released on bail. The Attorney General's office said in a statement the 15 were […]

Rome (AFP) – Juventus fans gave Cristiano Ronaldo a rousing welcome on Monday as the club prepared to unveil the superstar summer signing they hope will bring the Champions League trophy back to Turin. Hundreds of fans gathered outside the Allianz Stadium in Turin from early morning singing "Ronaldo, bring us the Champions (League)" as […]

Paris (AFP) – Six Paris metro stations were temporarily renamed in honour of France's World Cup winning champions after their 4-2 rollercoaster victory against Croatia. Among the changes, station Victor Hugo became "Victor Hugo Lloris", named after the team's captain and goalkeeper, whose second half mistake gave Croatia faint hopes of a late comeback. The […]

Moscow (Russia) (AFP) – After a thrilling World Cup, AFP Sport reporters have chosen their team of the tournament based on all 64 matches in Russia: Thibaut Courtois Chelsea's giant goalkeeper was a dominant presence for Roberto Martinez's team in Russia. He produced one of the saves of the tournament when he leapt to his […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Brazil's Paulinho swaps the World Cup and Barcelona for the Chinese Super League this week as he returns on loan to rescue Guangzhou Evergrande's flagging bid for an eighth straight title. The powerful midfielder, last seen in action in the World Cup quarter-finals, received a rapturous welcome from Evergrande fans as he […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russia was the target of almost 25 million cyber-attacks during the World Cup, President Vladimir Putin said, though he did not indicate who may have been behind the attacks. "During the period of the World Cup, almost 25 million cyber-attacks and other criminal acts on the information structures in Russia, linked in […]

Moscow (AFP) – Victorious France were set to return to a heroes' welcome on Monday after winning the World Cup for the second time with a rollercoaster 4-2 victory over Croatia which set off chaotic celebrations at home. Teenager Kylian Mbappe applied the coup de grace in Moscow as France, aided by an own goal […]

Moscow (AFP) – Kylian Mbappe and another supremely talented generation of French players may just be getting started after overcoming Croatia to win the World Cup in Russia. While the 19-year-old is the poster boy for France's new crop of talent, the make-up of the squad suggests they have the youth and firepower to dominate […]

Paris (AFP) – Dozens of youths shattered windows at a popular store on the Champs Elysees avenue Sunday while hundreds of thousands of fans celebrated France's World Cup victory, according to an AFP journalist at the scene. About 30 people, many wearing ski masks, broke into the Publicis Drugstore and later left with bottles of […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – A Turin hit by Cristiano Ronaldo fever awaits the striker on Monday as Juventus prepare to unveil the surprise signing, that after the end of the World Cup, puts all eyes on the Italian champions and Serie A. Juventus shirts emblazoned with "Ronaldo" and the number 7 have been selling like […]

Moscow (AFP) – Didier Deschamps' France side have not always won admirers for their way of playing at this World Cup, but that will not matter to the hundreds of thousands celebrating on the streets back home after their final victory over Croatia. France won 4-2 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Sunday, with […]

Moscow (AFP) – A thrilling World Cup came to its conclusion as France beat Croatia in Sunday's final in Moscow, but there have been plenty of unusual incidents on the pitch and on the sidelines in Russia. Here, AFP Sport looks at five of the best offbeat stories from the 2018 World Cup: Maradona's two-fingered […]

Moscow (AFP) – France won their second World Cup title on Sunday with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Croatia in the final at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. Here, AFP Sport picks out some of the best quotes from France's new World Cup winners: "I don't know where I am... I'm very happy, it was a very […]