New York (AFP) – A 56-year-old Argentine banker pleaded guilty in New York on Thursday to transferring more than $25 million in bribes in the massive FIFA corruption scandal that has rocked world soccer. "I deeply regret what I did. I am ashamed and I wish I could express in words what I feel," Jorge […]

Abidjan (AFP) – Around a thousand fans and some twenty international teammates were present at Abidjan airport on Thursday to pay their respects as the body of football star Cheick Tiote, who died in China earlier this month aged 30, was brought home. A key member of the Ivory Coast team which ended a 23-year […]

Rome (AFP) – AC Milan were left fuming Thursday when their highly-rated 18-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma said he would not sign an extended contract with the Italian giants. Considered the heir to Italy and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, Donnarumma is a target for a number of top clubs and making him the pillar of the […]

Nantes (France) (AFP) – Former Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri, the architect of the Foxes' fairytale Premier League triumph, has signed a two-year deal to become the coach of Nantes, the French club confirmed on Thursday. "FC Nantes are delighted to announced the arrival of Claudio Ranieri," the club said on its website as the […]

London (AFP) – Everton made Jordan Pickford Britain's most expensive goalkeeper on Thursday as they signed the Sunderland star in a deal worth up to £30 million ($38 million, 34 million euros). England Under-21 international Pickford will cost Everton an initial £25 million, surpassing the £10 million Southampton paid to sign his international colleague Fraser […]

London (AFP) – Leicester signed Hull defender Harry Maguire for a reported fee of £17 million ($21 million, 19 million euros) on Thursday. Maguire was keen to leave Hull following the club's relegation from the Premier League last season and he has agreed a five-year contract with Leicester. The 24-year-old becomes Leicester's first signing since […]

London (AFP) – Son Heung-Min could miss the start of Tottenham's pre-season preparations after his club revealed the South Korea forward will have surgery on his fractured arm on Friday. Son suffered the injury after landing awkwardly following an aerial challenge during South Korea's World Cup qualifying defeat with Qatar on Tuesday. Scans showed the […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Lionel Messi vowed to "keep fighting" as Argentina attempt to overcome their World Cup qualifying struggles and seal their place in next year's tournament in Russia. The two-time world champions are fifth in South American qualifying, with only the top four teams guaranteed a place in the 2018 World Cup. "365 […]

London (AFP) – Former Spanish international Thomas Christiansen is the new manager of fallen English football giants Leeds United, the second-tier club announced on Thursday. The 44-year-old — born in Denmark but who qualified to play for Spain through his Spanish mother — replaces Garry Monk, who shocked the club by rejecting a new contract […]

Madrid (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo reacted to accusations that he evaded paying taxes of 14.7 million euros ($16.4 million) by saying that remaining silent was the "best answer". "Sometimes the best answer it's to be quiet," the Real Madrid star forward said on Instagram with a photo of himself in a Portugal polo shirt and […]

Seoul (AFP) – South Korea axed coach Uli Stielike on Thursday after a shock defeat to Qatar left their World Cup qualification hanging in the balance. Stielike, who has been in charge since 2014, paid the price for a run of poor results including qualifying defeats to China and Iran. The 62-year-old German was South […]

Seoul (AFP) – Tottenham striker Son Heung-Min will have surgery this week after breaking his right arm during South Korea's World Cup qualifying 3-2 defeat to Qatar, the Korean Football Association said on Thursday. The 24-year-old left the field in obvious pain in the 33rd minute of Tuesday's match in Doha, clutching his right forearm […]

London (AFP) – Claude Puel was sacked as Southampton manager on Wednesday after just one season in charge, the English Premier Club announced. Puel, 55, took Southampton to a respectable eighth-place finish in the table and to the League Cup final where they were defeated by Manchester United. "Southampton Football Club can today confirm that […]

Paris (AFP) – At just 18 years of age, Kylian Mbappe is the hottest property in football and the French sensation admits that he has been surprised by how quickly his star has risen. "I always had lots of imagination when I was little, so I am not going to say that I hadn't imagined […]

Paris (AFP) – The president of the French Football Federation has said he expects Zinedine Zidane to eventually manage France. "That is a logical continuation. It is likely that one day he will be interested," Noel Le Graet told RMC radio on Wednesday when asked about the prospect of Zidane coaching Les Bleus in the […]