Johannesburg (AFP) – England-born Stuart Baxter, the last coach to win a trophy at famed South African club Kaizer Chiefs, was rehired on Wednesday by the club, who are facing a sixth season without silverware. The only chance the Soweto outfit have of lifting a trophy is to win the CAF Champions League, but they […]

Rome (AFP) – While Lazio have not officially announced a new coach, a cryptic tweet on Wednesday made clear that the Serie A club was planning to hire former Chelsea and Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri. Sarri is a former banker and a notorious chain smoker who wears a track suit on the sideline. The Lazio […]

Seoul (AFP) – South Korea paid emotional tribute to late World Cup hero Yoo Sang-chul as they smashed Sri Lanka 5-0 to take charge of their World Cup qualifying group on Wednesday. With Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min watching from the bench, Shanghai Shenhua striker Kim Shin-wook scored twice in the Group H romp in […]

London (AFP) – The six rebel English clubs that signed up to the European Super League have reached a financial settlement with the Premier League worth a combined £22 million ($31 million), reports said on Wednesday. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham announced themselves as founder members of the competition in April […]

Madrid (AFP) – Spain have set up a "parallel" squad of 17 reserves for Euro 2020 who may have to play if the Covid-19 infections among its players spread, team management said on Wednesday. In a decision announced just hours after Spain defender Diego Llorente became the second player to test positive for Covid-19, the Spanish […]

New Delhi (AFP) – India's Sunil Chhetri said Wednesday comparisons with Lionel Messi are misplaced after overtaking him in number of goals, and added he remains a huge fan of the Argentine star. Chhetri surpassed Messi's tally of 72 international goals in India's 2-0 win over Bangladesh on Monday to stand behind top-ranked Cristiano Ronaldo […]

Stockholm (AFP) – Sweden's Euro 2020 squad will be subjected to stricter Covid measures after two players, star forward Dejan Kulusevski and midfielder Mattias Svanberg tested positive, the Swedish FA said Wednesday. "Since two players have now tested postiive a meeting was held on Tuesday evening with the medical team and team coaches where different […]

London (AFP) – England manager Gareth Southgate has spoken of how his grandfather's service in World War II shaped his own identity and values, expressing his pride in representing his country on the eve of Euro 2020. Southgate's side launch their campaign against Croatia at Wembley on Sunday, with the manager aiming to build on […]

Sao Paulo (AFP) – New doubts gathered Tuesday over the Copa America five days from kickoff, as Brazil's Supreme Court agreed to consider blocking the troubled tournament and the Brazilian national team's players said they were against holding it. Organizers are battling the odds to pull off the South American football championships this year despite […]

Sao Paulo (AFP) – Brazil's national footballers said Tuesday they are against hosting the troubled Copa America, but will not boycott the tournament. The regional championship is being organized on Brazilian soil in a last-minute, pandemic-defying rush after organizers withdrew it from Argentina over a Covid-19 surge. "We are against organizing the Copa America, but […]

Montevideo (AFP) – Neymar scored one goal and created the other as Brazil maintained their perfect start to World Cup qualifying with a 2-0 win over Paraguay on Tuesday. Substitute Lucas Paqueta sealed the win deep into injury time in Asuncion as Brazil opened up a six point lead at the top of South America's […]

Montevideo (AFP) – Miguel Borja scored four minutes into stoppage time to rescue a 2-2 draw for Colombia in a World Cup qualifier against Argentina in Barranquilla. Argentina were off to a flying start, helped by woeful home defending, to move 2-0 up inside eight minutes through goals by Cristian Romero and Leandro Paredes. But […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Thousands of fans are set to descend on Russia's former imperial capital Saint Petersburg for Europe's biggest football extravaganza, Euro 2020, even as coronavirus cases are surging in the city. Russia's second city has been selected to host seven matches — including a quarter-final — in June and July after the […]

Madrid (AFP) – Spain defender Diego Llorente on Tuesday became the second player from the country's Euro 2020 squad to test positive for Covid-19 after captain Sergio Busquets, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced. "The RFEF regrets to announce that central defender Diego Llorente has tested positive in the latest PCR tests carried out this […]

London (AFP) – Phil Foden has thanked England manager Gareth Southgate for giving him a second chance after he was sent home from his first international camp in disgrace in September. The Manchester City star had just made his England debut against Iceland when details emerged that he and Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood had […]