Kiev (AFP) – Five-time world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo suggested his time at Real Madrid could be at an end just moments after winning his fourth Champions League in five years with the Spanish giants. Ronaldo, 33, has now won five European Cups in all, but Gareth Bale was the hero for Real […]

Kiev (AFP) – Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said his side's third successive Champions League title was "something crazy" after the Spanish giants defeated Liverpool 3-1 in Saturday's final in Kiev. Gareth Bale scored two goals as a second-half substitute, including an outrageous overhead scissor kick, after Sadio Mane had cancelled out Karim Benzema's opener. […]

Kiev (AFP) – Gareth Bale hinted he will consider leaving Real Madrid after the Wales star inspired their 3-1 Champions League triumph over Liverpool with one of the greatest goals ever scored in the final. Bale blasted an astonishing overhead kick to put Real ahead in the 64th minute and sealed the silverware with his […]

Kiev (AFP) – After a season dominated by injuries and disappointment at dropping down the pecking order at the Santiago Bernabeu, Gareth Bale showed why he was once the most expensive player in the world to win a third consecutive Champions League final for Real Madrid. Bale came off the bench to score twice, including […]

Kiev (AFP) – Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1 in the Champions League final in Kiev on Saturday. Here are three things we learned from Real's 13th European Cup triumph: Tearful Salah rocks Reds When Mohamed Salah slumped to the turf holding his shoulder for the second time in a matter of minutes, the tears began […]

Kiev (AFP) – Gareth Bale came off the bench to score twice, including one of the all-time great goals in a Champions League final, as Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev on Saturday to take the trophy for the third year running. Bale's jaw-dropping overhead kick in the 64th minute put Real 2-1 up […]

Kiev (AFP) – Liverpool suffered the loss of 44-goal top scorer Mohamed Salah to injury as Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid in Kiev was goalless at half-time. The Egyptian forward was forced off by a shoulder injury on 31 minutes after a tangle with Real defender Sergio Ramos, and replaced by England international […]

Kiev (AFP) – Liverpool's hopes of landing a sixth European Cup were landed a huge blow as 44-goal top-scorer Mohamed Salah was forced off with a shoulder injury after just 30 minutes of Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid. Egyptian winger Salah, who has won a plethora of individual awards for his performances in […]

Milan (AFP) – Italy newcomers Daniele Baselli and Rolando Mandragora said Saturday they were determined to seize the opportunity given to them by national coach Roberto Mancini to help rebuild the Azzurri. Mancini, who was appointed six months after Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup finals, will oversee his first game in charge […]

London (AFP) – Fulham hit the Premier League promotion jackpot as Tom Cairney fired his 10-man team to a 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final on Saturday. Cairney struck with a cool finish in the first half at Wembley to earn Fulham a top-flight place worth an estimated £160 million ($213 […]

Madrid (AFP) – With just hours before kick-off in Saturday's Champions League final in Kiev, supporters of Real Madrid began to converge on the Santiago Bernabeu in the hope of witnessing "la decimotercera", a 13th European Cup title. Near to their stadium, which will be packed out with fans watching the match against Liverpool on […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool fans were dreaming of Champions League glory as they turned their city into a sea of red ahead of the hotly-anticipated showdown with Real Madrid in Kiev on Saturday. After a week dominated by the frustration of Liverpool supporters who were unable to travel to the Ukraine for the final of […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan was elected unopposed for a second five-year term on Saturday after former referee Ace Ngcobo withdrew from the vote. Jordaan, who has been fighting sexual assault allegations dating back 25 years, dismissed accusations that the SAFA election was illegal after a court battle to postpone […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Brazil star Neymar has paved the way for a potentially early departure from Paris Saint-Germain by declaring he "really wants to" work under Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola. Speculation that Neymar could leave PSG only a year after signing a record-setting 222 million euro ($264 million) deal with the French […]

Paris (AFP) – Former UEFA president Michel Platini called on FIFA to lift his ban over a 1.8-million-euro payment after Swiss prosecutors said on Saturday they had found no evidence so far to bring charges against him. Platini's lawyer Vincent Solari claimed the former head of European football was now in the clear. "There are […]