Berlin (AFP) – Liverpool-bound Naby Keita has hit the headlines for allegedly using a forged driving licence in Germany, but he is RB Leipzig's midfield engine who one day hopes to play for Barcelona. The 22-year-old box-to-box midfielder was a key component in Leipzig's stunning first season in the Bundesliga when they briefly kept Bayern […]

London (AFP) – With both squads beset by injuries, Friday's Wembley friendly between England and Germany represents an opportunity for fringe players and untested youngsters to stake claims to World Cup places. Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling are among the players to have withdrawn from England's squad, while world champions Germany are without […]

London (AFP) – After reaching a low point in his Manchester United career last season, Ashley Young is savouring the turnaround that has seen him end a four-year exile from the England squad. Young was scarcely seen at United during Jose Mourinho's first season as manager, making only eight Premier League starts and missing out […]

Athens (AFP) – Olympiakos owner Vangelis Marinakis said Wednesday that he will step down from his job as club president "for a few months" to fight charges of match fixing. Greek media reported Tuesday that Marinakis is among 28 people who are to be brought to trial for corruption in Greek football. "I am certain that […]

London (AFP) – New West Ham boss David Moyes warned his under-performing players to "step it up" or face the axe as he appeared before the press for the first time on Wednesday. The former Everton and Manchester United boss replaced Slaven Bilic on Tuesday and faces a tough task to turn around the fortunes […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany's World Cup-winner Mario Goetze hopes to use Friday's friendly against England at Wembley to kick-start his international career after a year on the sidelines. The 25-year-old wrote himself into German footballing folklore by volleying home the winning goal in extra time for a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the 2014 final. […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur hotshot Harry Kane will be fit to face arch rivals Arsenal on November 18, manager Mauricio Pochettino said on Wednesday. Kane sustained a knock during Spurs' 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend and withdrew from the England squad for their friendlies against Germany and Brazil. But in a boost […]

London (AFP) – Premier League leaders Manchester City announced record revenues of £473.4 million ($619.9 million, 534.5 million euros) for the past financial year on Wednesday. The figures published in City's annual report for 2016-17 mark an increase of 21 percent on the previous year's revenues and represent the third successive year the club's revenues […]

Paris (AFP) – The last burst of qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup allows some nations a chance to dream, but for football aristocrats Italy, the next few days are a potential nightmare. The last nine places in Russia will be settled in seven frantic days starting on Thursday. There are four berths up […]

Florence (Italy) (AFP) – Daniele De Rossi expressed relief on Tuesday that Sweden no longer have Zlatan Ibrahimovic among their ammunition as Italy prepares for the first leg of their World Cup qualifying play-off. The 34-year-old De Rossi is one of Italy's three 2006 World Cup-winning veterans — alongside goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, 39, and 36-year-old […]

Paris (AFP) – Marseille's American owner Frank McCourt said Wednesday that Patrice Evra's kung-fu kick on a supporter was "unacceptable" but he also pointed the finger at the fans involved. Evra's future at the French club hangs in the balance after the attack on a fan who he said was abusing him before Marseille's Europa […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany will be without World Cup-winning defender Jerome Boateng for Friday's friendly against England at Wembley. The German camp confirmed on Wednesday that the Bayern Munich star is struggling with a muscular injury and will sit out the international in London. However, the 29-year-old will stay with the squad for the friendly […]

San Felipe del Progreso (México) (AFP) – Guadalupe Garcia, an indigenous Mexican woman, was working as a maid when she fell in love — not with her boss, like a hackneyed telenovela plot, but with football. Garcia, a petite but powerful athlete with a sharp mind and wide smile, was not allowed to play football […]

Geneva (AFP) – The UN's labour agency on Wednesday closed a probe into the alleged mistreatment of foreign workers in World Cup 2022 host Qatar, praising a reform plan agreed by the emirate. Activists and leading international labour unions had accused Qatar of subjecting migrant workers to slave-like conditions on jobs that included infrastructure projects […]

Zagreb (AFP) – Croatia will hope Real Madrid star Luka Modric can carry the nation to the World Cup finals as they go into the first leg of a tricky play-off with Greece on Thursday. The 32-year-old captain has faced a tumultuous year, with his shining reputation tarnished by a scandal in June over allegedly […]