Saint Petersburg (AFP) – France will unleash the attacking talents of Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann against Eden Hazard's gifted Belgium side in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday with a place in the World Cup final at stake. The semi-final matchup of the European neighbours promises to be full of intrigue as France aim to reach […]

Beersheba (Israel) (AFP) – The Israeli desert city of Beersheba may seem to have little in common with the gleaming capitals of Europe, but for the third year running its football club is to play in the UEFA Champions League. The success of Hapoel Beersheba, known as "The Camels", owes much to its pioneering female […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona have confirmed the arrival of Brazilian new recruit Arthur from Brazilian outfit Gremio on a 31 million euros ($37 million) deal. The Spanish champions will pay an extra 9 million in bonuses in the six-year deal struck with the Brazilians for the midfielder, full name Arthur Henrique Ramos de Oliveira Melo. […]

Chiang Rai (Thailand) (AFP) – The eight young footballers rescued from a cave in Thailand after more than two weeks underground are unlikely to be able to take up an offer to attend the World Cup final in Moscow, doctors said Tuesday. The plight of the boys has prompted an outpouring of support from across […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – France will unleash the attacking talents of Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann against Eden Hazard's gifted Belgium side in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday with a place in the World Cup final at stake. The semi-final matchup of the European neighbours promises to be full of intrigue as France aim to return […]

Sheffield (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Football fever is sweeping England as its young team prepares for a World Cup semi-final showdown against Croatia, and nowhere more so than in Sheffield, the proclaimed birthplace of the modern game. Around 150 miles (240 kilometres) north of London, the city has a rich football history that continues today. […]

Bondy (France) (AFP) – In a housing estate in the gritty northern Paris suburb of Bondy, Adama Wagui showed off the stack of trophies he has accumulated during his budding football career. "Best goalkeeper AS Bondy 2016, best goalkeeper Vichy U17 tournament," the tall 16-year-old with the shaved zig-zag footballer haircut said, reading aloud out […]

Manila (AFP) – Shirts are selling briskly, crowds pack sports bars to watch matches and football is front-page news. Whisper it quietly, but basketball-crazy Philippines has finally been afflicted by World Cup fever. For decades, the nation of more than 100 million was on a very short list of global locations that had failed to fall […]

Washington (AFP) – England and Manchester United top career goalscorer Wayne Rooney praised his homeland's "fantastic" World Cup effort on Monday, cheering the buzz and belief their semi-final run in Russia has inspired. Rooney appeared at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new $200 million home stadium of DC United, where the 32-year-old striker makes his […]

London (AFP) – Wimbledon chiefs insisted again Monday that the men's final will start at its traditional time despite clashing with a potential England World Cup triumph but will have no objection if the Centre Court crowd want to take sneak peeks of the action from Moscow on their phones. The All England Club has […]

Moscow (AFP) – "We keep hearing the same question and we give out the same answer", said Croatia's Ivan Perisic last week. Every time a Croatian player appears before the media at this World Cup, he knows a question about Modric is coming, and every time the answer reflects the admiration there is in the […]

Repino (Russia) (AFP) – As excitement builds in England in the run-up to the country's first World Cup semi-final for 28 years, midfielder Dele Alli insists Gareth Southgate's team are keeping a cool head in their tournament "bubble". England's matches so far in Russia have attracted huge television audiences at home and wild celebrations, with […]

Zagreb (AFP) – Croatia's first World Cup semi-final for two decades has revived the memories of the country's football highpoint and raised hopes that Luka Modric's side can go one better than their legendary predecessors. After a dramatic win on penalties against Russia, Croatia will play England on Wednesday in front of 80,000 people in […]

Madrid (AFP) – Sandro Rosell has been charged with alleged tax fraud and will be questioned by a judge in September, prosecutors in Barcelona said Monday, adding to the former FC Barcelona president's legal woes. The 54-year-old is accused of defrauding the taxman of 229,569 euros ($270,000) and will be questioned by a judge in […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Belgium coach Roberto Martinez believes assistant manager Thierry Henry's World Cup-winning experience can give his side an advantage when the Frenchman faces his countrymen in Tuesday's semi-final. Henry, France's all-time leading goalscorer, was a member of the squads that won the 1998 World Cup on home soil and Euro 2000 alongside […]