Lyon (AFP) – Former France international forward Stephane Paille, once a teammate of Eric Cantona, has died at the age of 52 following a "devastating illness", press in the city of Lyon announced on Tuesday. Newspaper Le Progres reported Paille had died in a Lyon hospital on Tuesday morning. Paille won eight caps for France […]

Pozuelo de Alarcón (Spain) (AFP) – Football super-agent Jorge Mendes denied Tuesday he helped creat shell companies for his clients during questioning by a Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Monaco striker Radamel Falcao. He told the closed door hearing in Pozuelo de Alarcon, an upmarket suburb of Madrid where many football stars live, […]

Melun (France) (AFP) – Bayern Munich's French international forward Kingsley Coman will go before a judge later this year accused of domestic violence in an incident involving his ex-girlfriend, sources said on Tuesday. The 21-year-old was arrested and held by police on Monday morning in the Paris suburb of Chessy, the public prosecutor in Meaux […]

Lausanne (AFP) – FIFA on Tuesday released a long-witheld report on the decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup after more leaks deepened the controversy surrounding the vote. World football's governing body had previously declined to publish in full the report into the awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 […]

Sochi (Russia) (AFP) – Miroslav Klose, the all-time top scorer at World Cup finals, is nurturing Germany's latest crop of forwards — who all hope to emulate his goal-scoring prowess in the famous white shirt. Germany face Mexico on Thursday in Sochi in the second semi-final of the Confederations Cup and Klose, now an assistant […]

Milan (AFP) – Italy goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu left Paris Saint-Germain to join Torino on a three-year deal on Tuesday that means he should take over as the club's number one from England's Joe Hart. Sirigu spent the last of his six seasons with PSG on loan in Spain with Sevilla and then Osasuna and, with […]

Kazan (Russia) (AFP) – Copa America champions Chile will try to curb Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in Wednesday's Confederations Cup semi-final with the goal-ace in rich form despite a tax storm brewing in Spain. The 32-year-old converted a penalty in Saturday's 4-0 thrashing of New Zealand to claim his 75th international goal. The Real Madrid […]

London (AFP) – Third tier Shrewsbury have become the first English club to apply for right to install safe standing in their stadium. The League One team want to create a safe standing area, which would have a capacity of around 500, in their Greenhous Meadow arena. Shrewsbury's stadium was built 10 years ago and […]

Berlin (AFP) – A sum of $2 million was sent to the 10-year-old daughter of a FIFA official prior to Qatar being awarded the hosting of the 2022 World Cup, according to Bild. The German daily is publishing from Tuesday American independent investigator Michael Garcia's report into alleged bribery and corruption during the bidding for […]

Pozuelo de Alarcón (Spain) (AFP) – Football super-agent Jorge Mendes arrived in court near Madrid Tuesday for questioning over a probe into striker Radamel Falcao's alleged tax evasion, just one of his clients to fall foul of Spain's judiciary. As Spanish authorities tighten the net around footballers such as Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, another […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Shanghai SIPG told fans to "be free of arrogance and rashness" after angry supporters of the Chinese Super League club lashed out at an eight-game ban slapped on star player Oscar. The Brazilian international was hit with the ban last week for triggering an all-out brawl in a CSL clash at Guangzhou […]

Madrid (AFP) – Football super-agent Jorge Mendes is due to be questioned by a Spanish judge for the first time Tuesday as part of a probe into striker Radamel Falcao's alleged tax evasion, just one of his clients to fall foul of the country's judiciary. As Spanish authorities tighten the net around footballers — with […]

Shanghai (AFP) – New manager Fabio Capello told players to cool it after scuffles marred Jiangsu Suning's 0-0 draw with Beijing Guoan, in just the latest outbreak of violence in the Chinese Super League. Capello, who picked up his first league point with struggling Jiangsu, watched as players came to blows at the end of […]

Lubumbashi (DR Congo) (AFP) – The training pitches and classrooms are fit for one of Africa’s most illustrious football clubs, but the political battles rife in Democratic Republic of Congo have stopped Tout Puissant Mazembe from using their new academy. The teenagers who are meant to be the future stars of African football are losing […]

Donetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) – In its halcyon days, the Donbass Arena in eastern Ukraine was a gleaming temple to football, welcoming some of the sport's biggest names through its portals. But while star players are now lining up in the Confederations Cup tournament across the border in Russia, the Arena is wasting away. Seized by […]