Moscow (AFP) – Didier Deschamps has a reputation in France for being lucky, but if he leads his country to World Cup glory on Sunday he will become just the third man in history to lift the trophy as player and coach. Luck, then, is far from the only asset of the man who will […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea finally got their man on Saturday with Maurizio Sarri succeeding Antonio Conte as manager on a three-year deal after the conclusion of protracted negotiations over compensation. The 59-year-old former Napoli head coach becomes Roman Abramovich's ninth full-time manager in his 15 years as owner (with interim bosses that rises to 13) […]

Moscow (AFP) – Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic is prepared to make changes for Sunday's World Cup final against France if some of his players have not recovered from their exertions in reaching football's biggest game. Dalic's men have been forced to go through three periods of extra-time against Denmark, Russia and England to become the […]

Lausanne (AFP) – Faced with a choice between Switzerland, where he was born, and Croatia, the homeland of his parents, Ivan Rakitic made a painstaking decision that will see the midfielder line up against France in Sunday's World Cup final. Swiss football is brimming with players of dual nationality such as former youth international Rakitic, whose […]

London (AFP) – A chainsmoking former banker who doesn't believe coaching a football team is worthy of the term 'work', Chelsea's new manager Maurizio Sarri is certainly not the norm. Sarri was appointed on Saturday on a three contract, less than 24 hours after the sacking of Antonio Conte. The 59-year-old — who becomes Roman […]

London (AFP) – Maurizio Sarri has succeeded Antonio Conte as Chelsea manager on a three-year deal, the club announced on Saturday. The 59-year-old former Napoli head coach becomes Roman Abramovich's ninth full-time manager in his 15 years as owner less than 24 hours after Conte parted company with the club he led to a league […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool have signed Switzerland international Xherdan Shaqiri from Stoke City, the English Premier League giants announced Friday. The Reds said he had signed "a long-term contract", with British media reports saying Shaqiri had arrived at Anfield in a five-year deal for £13 million ($17 million, 15 million euros). The 26-year-old winger's move […]

Moscow (AFP) – France play Croatia in the World Cup final at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday. Here is each team's path to the showpiece match. France Group stage France had a helping hand from the video assistant referee (VAR) in their World Cup opener and a dash of good fortune when Paul Pogba's effort […]

London (AFP) – A chainsmoking former banker who doesn't believe coaching a football team is worthy of the term 'work', Maurizio Sarri, who is reportedly set to take over from the sacked Antonio Conte as Chelsea manager, is certainly not the norm. The 59-year-old — who would become Roman Abramovich's ninth full-time manager in his […]

Moscow (AFP) – A month on and 63 games later, the 2018 World Cup reaches its climax on Sunday as a young France side spearheaded by Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann look to win the trophy for the second time when they take on Croatia in Moscow. It is a final very few people could […]

Mae Sai (Thailand) (AFP) – At the first training session since their teammates went missing in a Thai cave, the remaining "Wild Boars" said they cannot wait to see their friends back on the pitch. The stunning rescue of 12 boys and their coach earlier this week spurred jubilation in Thailand and made the team famous […]

Zagreb (AFP) – Croatia — preparing for a first-ever World Cup final against France — punches above its weight in many sports, with talent, passion and patriotism making up for a lack of resources in the small nation. The nation's footballers, including Luka Modric and Mario Mandzukic, are preparing for football's biggest game in Moscow […]

Moscow (AFP) – FIFA said Friday it issues guidance to TV producers that cameras should not linger on close-up shots of spectators at the World Cup to avoid any "suggestions of sexual connotations". Football's world governing body sent AFP a statement about its policy, which it says it distributed to the suppliers of its TV […]

London (AFP) – Britain's best known football song "Three Lions" topped the British pop charts on Friday — two days after England was knocked out of the World Cup semi-finals by Croatia. The song, by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and the Lightning Seeds, containing the line "Football's coming home", and has become the de facto […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Belgium coach Roberto Martinez praised the "winning mentality" of captain Eden Hazard, with Real Madrid reportedly mulling a move for the Chelsea star after the World Cup. Hazard has been one of the players of the tournament as Belgium reached the semi-finals for the first time since 1986, before losing 1-0 […]