London (AFP) – Waistcoat sales at a leading British retailer are booming thanks to England coach Gareth Southgate, whose immaculate dress sense at the World Cup has won praise from fashionistas. Marks & Spencer, the official suit supplier to the England football team, said Monday that sales were up 35 percent across all its waistcoat […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka insists he will not be provoked into getting sent off during their World Cup last-16 match against Sweden on Tuesday. Xhaka has received nine red cards since 2014, with Sweden defender Mikael Lustig admitting they will target the 25-year-old at the Saint Petersburg Stadium. "If you watch […]

London (AFP) – Former Italy Under-21 international full-back Adam Masina signed a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee with Premier League side Watford on Monday, becoming their fourth new arrival in the close season. The 24-year-old Morocco-born defender — capped six times at Under-21 level — made 131 appearances for Bologna, including 99 in Serie […]

London (AFP) – Wimbledon second seed Caroline Wozniacki shouted herself hoarse watching Denmark bow out of the football World Cup, she revealed after breezing through her first round match on Monday. Wozniacki, a keen football fan, was left feeling a little croaky after going through the roller-coaster of her homeland's second round knock-out match with […]

Moscow (AFP) – Colombia coach Jose Pekerman said star midfielder James Rodriguez does not have a serious injury and hopes he will be fit to face England in the last 16 of the World Cup. The South American side take on England in Moscow on Tuesday, but the status of James is unclear after he […]

Abuja (AFP) – Nigeria's government on Monday ordered the country's football association to comply with a court ruling about its leadership, a move that may open up a new confrontation with FIFA. The sports ministry directed the Nigeria Football Federation to comply with a Supreme Court judgment that overturned the election of NFF president Amaju […]

London (AFP) – England manager Gareth Southgate has risked ratcheting up World Cup last 16 opponents Colombia's motivation by fielding a B team in their last group game believing that would earn them an easier route to the final, warns England's 2003 Rugby World Cup winning coach Clive Woodward. England earned the right to play […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic's absence at the World Cup has allowed Sweden's other players to shine, according to their captain Andreas Granqvist. Sweden face Switzerland in the last 16 on Tuesday, with their run in Russia proving there is life after Ibrahimovic, who retired from international football two years ago. After edging out […]

Samara (Russia) (AFP) – Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio believes an unfettered attacking approach can help El Tri beat old rivals Brazil on Monday to advance to their first World Cup quarter-finals since 1986. And if he gets a helping hand from Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi when it comes to monitoring Brazil star Neymar, Mexico's […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russian fans danced in the streets of Kaliningrad on the Baltic and kissed strangers in Vladivostok in the Far East after their team defied all expectations to reach the World Cup quarter-finals. In the Black Sea resort of Sochi, thousands of fans with Russian flags draped around their shoulders watched a giant […]

Tokyo (AFP) – When Japan's Blue Samurai take on Belgium Monday for a spot in the World Cup quarter finals, fans nationwide will pack spots from bars to temples to cheer them on. They are the undisputed underdogs against star-studded Belgium, but Japan weren't even expected to qualify from their group after a chaotic and […]

London (AFP) – Egyptian international Mohamed Salah's signing of a new long-term contract is a major boost for Liverpool's ambitions of delivering trophies, said manager Jurgen Klopp on Monday. Klopp added the fact the 26-year-old striker — who scored 44 goals in just 52 appearances last season — had signed such a deal reflected his […]

London (AFP) – Egyptian international Mohamed Salah's stunning first season with English Premier League side Liverpool earned him a long-term contract with the club on Monday. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said the fact the 26-year-old striker — who scored 44 goals in just 52 appearances last season — signed such a deal reflected his belief […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan's Blue Samurai have defied expectations at this year's World Cup, but coach Akira Nishino admits there's one thing the team hasn't practised: penalties. That's despite both Russia and Croatia relying on heart stopping spot-kicks to secure their places in the quarterfinals on Sunday. "We've never practised penalty kicks as a team," […]

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – They may lack the glitz and glamour of the World Cup, but football clubs for stateless Rohingya refugees in Malaysia offer something more — a 90-minute reprieve from a grinding existence on the fringes of society. Malaysia is home to more than 70,000 people from the Muslim minority who have fled […]