London (AFP) – Former West Ham United and England midfielder Scott Parker announced his retirement on Wednesday. Parker began his career at Charlton Athletic before playing for Chelsea, Newcastle United, West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham in a career spanning two decades. The 36-year-old won the 2004-05 League Cup while with Chelsea and was capped […]

London (AFP) – Southampton have warned clubs interested in Virgil van Dijk that the Netherlands defender is not for sale at any price. Van Dijk saw a potential move to Liverpool fall through earlier in the close-season after the Reds were forced to apologise for their pursuit of the centre-back after Saints complained to the […]

Rosario (Argentina) (AFP) – Football and showbiz stars will gather in northern Argentina on Friday for Latin America's celebrity wedding of the decade when Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi marries his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo. Here is what we know from the few details given by Messi's spokespeople as well as media reports and local people […]

Sochi (Russia) (AFP) – Germany are the kings of the penalty shoot-out — but the world champions hope to see off Mexico in Thursday's Confederations Cup semi-final without needing dreaded spot kicks. The Germans have won all five penalty shoot-outs they have faced since 1976 at either World Cup finals or European championships. Joachim Loew's […]

Sochi (Russia) (AFP) – Germany manager Joachim Loew wants the names of any players caught doping to be made public, after Russian football was on Wednesday accused of tampering with urine samples. A year before they host the World Cup, Russian football has come under the spotlight amidst fresh allegations of drug abuse. Canadian lawyer […]

London (AFP) – Senegalese international forward Famara Diedhiou will lead second tier Bristol City's line next season after the Championship side paid a club record £5.3million (5.9m euros, $6.8m) to prise him away from French outfit Angers. The 24-year-old — who attracted City's attention after scoring nine times in 36 Ligue 1 appearances for Angers last […]

Sochi (Russia) (AFP) – Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio warned against underestimating a youthful Germany in Thursday's Confederations Cup semi-final because of the wealth of experience many of them have already gained. Of the eight teams at the tournament the Germans brought the youngest squad to Russia's Confed Cup with an average age of just […]

Berlin (AFP) – Russian football was the target of fresh doping allegations on Wednesday with claims of widespread urine sample tampering levelled by Richard McLaren, author of an explosive report into Russian doping. The Canadian lawyer told German TV channel ARD he had fresh evidence indicating that positive tests taken from Russian players were swopped […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Hulk was hauled before the Chinese Football Association (CFA) on Wednesday as the fallout from an eight-game ban handed to Shanghai SIPG team-mate Oscar rumbles on. SIPG manager Andre Villas-Boas travelled with the Brazilian striker to CFA headquarters in Beijing and another Shanghai player, Wu Lei, was also present, a club spokeswoman […]

Doha (AFP) – Qatar World Cup organisers said on Wednesday that the surprise publication of FIFA's Garcia report "vindicated the integrity" of its successful bid to host the 2022 tournament. In a statement, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy also questioned the timing of the publication, which comes as Qatar faces political isolation from […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Oscar is suspended for eight games after a brawl. Carlos Tevez riles fans with a trip to Disneyland while his club are playing. Ezequiel Lavezzi and Hulk deny being anti-Chinese. As the Chinese Super League (CSL) hits the halfway point of the season this weekend, the megabucks lavished on imported players has […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Italian superstar Francesco Totti, who recently made a tearful farewell to Roma after 25 years at his boyhood club, is wanted by Japan's Tokyo Verdy, officials told AFP on Wednesday. The J-League second division side have made an audacious offer to the 40-year-old World Cup winner, although they face competition from Major […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Juventus full-back Dani Alves has confirmed that he is leaving the Italian champions after a season in Turin in a posting on his Instagram account on Tuesday. "Today our professional relationship ends and I will carry away with me all those who truly make Juve a great club," said the 34-year-old […]

New York (AFP) – Facebook will broadcast Champions League matches for American internet users under a deal with Fox Sports, which will host the livestreams on its pages, the channel said Tuesday. The partnership will involve two group matches per day, four round of sixteen games and the four quarter-finals of the 2017-18 season, in […]

Milan (AFP) – Five-time European Cup-winning footballer Paolo Maldini's tennis career ended abruptly on his debut on Tuesday when the AC Milan legend lost 6-1, 6-1 in a first-round doubles match. Maldini stepped onto the court at the Milan challenger event as its most decorated sportsman. But the 49-year-old Italian football legend — whose tennis […]