Croissy-sur-Seine (France) (AFP) – N'Golo Kante's inability to claim a regular starting berth at international level sums up the strength in depth France have at their disposal, admits England manager Gareth Southgate. The midfielder won both the Players' Player of the Year and Football Writers' Association award after helping Chelsea land the Premier League title […]

Croissy-sur-Seine (France) (AFP) – Tom Heaton of Burnley will replace Joe Hart in goal for England in Tuesday's friendly against France in Paris, manager Gareth Southgate has confirmed. The 31-year-old Heaton will win his third international cap in the match at the Stade de France, as Hart — criticised following his performance in Saturday's 2-2 […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Tunisia captain Youssef Msakni starred in a 1-0 victory over Egypt Monday that completed the first series of qualifiers for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. The Qatar-based midfielder set up the only goal three minutes after half-time at the national stadium in Rades on the outskirts of Tunis. Msakni […]

Paris (AFP) – A minute's silence will be held prior to France's home friendly with England on Tuesday as a tribute to the victims of recent terror attacks in England, the French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed on Monday. French president Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May are both expected to attend the match […]

London (AFP) – Historic English football club Leyton Orient avoided being wound up on Monday when the Registrar hearing the case dismissed all the bids seeking such a judgement. Orient — whose 112-year stay in the English football league ended in April with relegation from League Two — has had a turbulent time under controversial […]

Milan (AFP) – Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura has warned that failure to get it right against Spain in a crucial World Cup qualifier next September could prove costly. Goals from Lorenzo Insigne, Andrea Belotti, Eder, Federico Bernardeschi and Manolo Gabbiadini in a 5-0 rout of Liechtenstein sent unbeaten Italy to their fifth win in […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Mathieu Valbuena, the France international at the centre of an interminable sex-tape scandal, has agreed to join Istanbul giants Fenerbahce from Lyon, the Turkish club said on Monday. Fenerbahce said in a statement that an agreement in principle had been reached for the 32-year-old attacking midfielder's transfer and the signing would follow […]

Melbourne (AFP) – Diego Souza will replace injured striker Gabriel Jesus and Philippe Coutinho will lead rejigged Brazil in Tuesday's friendly with Australia in Melbourne. A replacement had to be found for Manchester City's Jesus, who has returned home after suffering a fractured eye socket in Brazil's 1-0 Superclasico loss to Argentina at the MCG […]

Milan (AFP) – AC Milan are on the verge of capturing Portugal sensation Andre Silva from Porto as the resurgent Serie A giants continue to build for next season. Television pictures early on Monday showed Silva, often described as the "the new Cristiano Ronaldo", on his way to undergo a medical in Milan. The 21-year-old […]

Melbourne (AFP) – Diego Souza will replace injured striker Gabriel Jesus and Philippe Coutinho is line to lead Brazil in Tuesday's friendly with Australia in Melbourne. A replacement had to be found for Manchester City's Jesus, who has returned home after suffering a fractured eye socket in Brazil's 1-0 Superclasico loss to Argentina at the […]

Beijing (AFP) – China's football-mad President Xi Jinping will meet with FIFA chief Gianni Infantino in Beijing on Wednesday as the world's most populous nation harbours ambitions of hosting the World Cup. Xi will greet the president of football's world governing body Infantino at the palatial Great Hall of the People, the government said, without […]

Moscow (AFP) – Alexei Smertin once denied the existence of racism in Russia but now the former national team captain and Chelsea midfielder is in charge of tackling the problem as the World Cup looms. Back in 2015 Smertin told the BBC that "there's no racism in Russia, definitely, because, you know, it doesn't exist" […]

Mexico City (AFP) – Michael Bradley scored a spectacular long-range goal as the United States battled to a 1-1 draw with arch-rivals Mexico in their 2018 World Cup qualifier on Sunday. Mexico's former Arsenal striker Carlos Vela cancelled out Bradley's sixth-minute chip to give the hosts a point which saw them extend their lead at […]

London (AFP) – By dropping Wayne Rooney and dragging his players out of their comfort zones, England manager Gareth Southgate has attempted to draw a line beneath the team's calamitous 2016 and propel them to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Humiliated by Iceland at Euro 2016, England then saw Sam Allardyce, Roy Hodgson's successor as […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – A year out from the final World Cup of Lionel Messi's prime years, Argentina are just beginning a new era as Jorge Sampaoli attempts to turn around the two-time world champions' faltering qualifying campaign. Sampaoli's first match in charge since leaving Sevilla to answer his country's call gave cause for optimism […]