Moscow (AFP) – FIFA condemned comments by Diego Maradona on Wednesday, after the Argentinian legend claimed that Colombia only lost to England in the World Cup last 16 because of the appointment of referee Mark Geiger for the match. The 1986 World Cup winner said England's win was a "monumental robbery" after Gareth Southgate's men […]

San José (AFP) – Costa Rica's football federation has parted ways with coach Oscar Ramirez after a disappointing World Cup showing by the Central American nation. "Oscar Ramirez will not continue as coach, his contract has expired," the federation's president Rodolfo Villalobos told a press conference. Costa Rica went out of the competition in the […]

Sochi (Russia) (AFP) – Brazil star Willian says he is looking forward to coming out on top when he faces his club colleague Eden Hazard in the World Cup quarter-final between Brazil and Belgium. The teams meet in Kazan on Friday evening with Brazil the favourites, despite the quality in a Belgian side captained by […]

London (AFP) – From Roger Federer debating where his loyalties lie to Gael Monfils revelling in England's beer-soaked celebrations, it's safe to say World Cup fever has broken out at Wimbledon. With Wimbledon's two-week tournament running at the same time as the World Cup, many of tennis's top stars are dividing their time between their […]

Madrid (AFP) – Italian champions Juventus have made an offer of 100 million euros ($116.6 million) for Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, according to various media reports on Wednesday. The 33-year-old, whose Portugal were knocked out of the World Cup last 16 by Uruguay on Saturday, hinted after May's Champions League final victory over Liverpool […]

Moscow (AFP) – Veteran Belgium defender Vincent Kompany said on Wednesday Brazil are the best team at the World Cup but his side are not losing any sleep at the prospect of playing them. The most talented Belgium team for decades face the ultimate test on Friday when they take on the five-time winners in […]

Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia) (AFP) – Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani is likely to miss his side's World Cup quarter-final against France on Friday after suffering a calf injury in the last-16 win over Portugal. The Uruguayan Football Association (UFA) posted photos of Wednesday's training session on social media, with Cavani a notable absentee. After tests on […]

Bogota (AFP) – Juan Camilo Zuniga, the player who ended Brazilian superstar Neymar's World Cup participation four years ago, announced his retirement on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Colombian wing-back was involved in a collision with Neymar in a quarter-final match at the Brazilian World Cup in 2014 that resulted in the forward suffering a broken vertebrae. […]

London (AFP) – Swedish tennis star Robert Lindstedt plans to confine himself to his London hotel room for his fiancee's safety when England and Sweden face off in the football World Cup, while compatriot Rebecca Peterson is feeling the pride. Lindstedt, who is playing at Wimbledon, said he was so loud when Sweden score that […]

London (AFP) – Welsh international goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has not been deterred by Crystal Palace bringing in Spaniard Vincente Guaita, signing a new three year contract with the Premier League club on Wednesday. The 31-year-old — capped 76 times and a key member of the Wales side which reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals losing to […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – England midfielder Fabian Delph is on his way back to Russia to prepare for Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against Sweden after flying back home to attend the birth of his third child. Delph was supported by England manager Gareth Southgate in his decision to leave the camp before Tuesday's tense last-16 […]

London (AFP) – England's World Cup penalty shootout win against Colombia proved to be almost as nerve-wracking for British Prime Minister Theresa May as for Gareth Southgate's players in Russia. The 61-year-old watched some of Tuesday's last-16 match that took place in Moscow, a spokesman said, without specifying which part exactly. England looked on course […]

Moscow (AFP) – As Didier Deschamps plots another World Cup title tilt with France, Kylian Mbappe, who was not even born when his coach lifted the trophy in 1998, has become an indispensable figure for Les Bleus. It was only two-and-a-half years ago that the teenager made his professional debut, but the rise of Mbappe […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona denied on Wednesday that they illegally bought a transplant liver for their former defender Eric Abidal. Contacted by AFP, a Barcelona court said it had investigated a possible crime of organ trafficking for more than a year before deciding not to proceed because of a lack of evidence. "FC Barcelona roundly […]

London (AFP) – The largest British audience for a live sporting event since the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics watched England's dramatic penalty shootout with Colombia as Gareth Southgate's team reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2006. English commercial broadcaster ITV — who share the live rights with BBC […]