Chicago (AFP) – Former Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger has signed for Major League Soccer side the Chicago Fire from Premier League giants Manchester United, the English club confirmed on Tuesday. Schweinsteiger, a key member of Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning team, heads to the United States after an unhappy stint with Manchester United, where he has […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan's Keisuke Honda has blamed his own shortcomings for sparking debate on his international future before this week's World Cup qualifier in the United Arab Emirates, domestic media reported Tuesday. Once a talismanic figure for Japan, the 30-year-old squeaked into coach Vahid Halilhodzic's squad for Thursday's clash despite being buried deep on […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – World champions Germany host England in a prestige friendly in Dortmund on Wednesday with both coaches primed to give youth its head for one of football's great rivalries. But that is where the similarities end for Joachim Loew and Gareth Southgate, who is in charge for the first time as England's […]

London (AFP) – After a year scarred by scandal and sporting catastrophe, Gareth Southgate will begin his attempt to steer England into calmer waters in Wednesday's friendly against Germany in Dortmund. England began 2016 with a stirring 3-2 win over Germany, but they were humiliated by Iceland at Euro 2016 before new manager Sam Allardyce […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City face a charge of failing to control their players by the Football Association for their surrounding the referee Michael Oliver when he awarded a penalty in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday. Oliver, the same referee who was surrounded by Manchester United players in the fractious FA Cup quarter-final […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich's domination threatens the Bundesliga's reputation and their rivals must show more ambition in order to close the gap, the German Football League (DFL) boss has warned. Bayern's 1-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday left the reigning German champions 13 points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig with just nine games […]

Milan (AFP) – Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura has warned a slip-up against minnows Albania would dent the Azzurri's 2018 World Cup qualifying hopes even before a likely group decider away to Spain. Ventura, who succeeded Chelsea manager Antonio Conte after he led Italy to a commendable quarter-place finish at Euro 2016, has steered Italy […]

Burton-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Veteran striker Jermain Defoe has his sights on a "dream" place in England's 2018 World Cup squad after returning to the fold following a near four-year absence, he said on Monday. The 34-year-old Sunderland player was recalled by manager Gareth Southgate for Wednesday's friendly against Germany in Dortmund and Sunday's […]

Paris (AFP) – France coach Didier Deschamps on Monday called up highly rated Tiemoue Bakayoko for the first time, a week after the young Monaco midfielder played a major part in dumping Manchester City out of Europe. The 22-year-old Bakayoko, who has been strongly linked with a move to Chelsea and Manchester United, replaces United's […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany captain Manuel Neuer has been ruled out of Wednesday's home friendly against England while die Mannschaft's shooting-star Timo Werner is set to make his debut. A calf injury has sidelined Bayern Munich goalkeeper Neuer, who misses both the friendly against Gareth Southgate's Three Lions in Dortmund and Germany's 2018 World Cup […]

Milan (AFP) – Roma president James Pallotta has called on Luciano Spalletti to stay at the club, amid reports the Serie A giants could plug his eventual departure with Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco. "I'd love him to stay, you can see how strategically and tactically well we play with him around," Pallotta told Italian […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United confirmed on Monday they will tour the United States during pre-season. Jose Mourinho's side, currently fifth in the Premier League, will play in five American cities including Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Santa Clara and Washington DC. Dates and opponents for the matches have not been announced, but some of […]

Berlin (AFP) – World champions Germany open their 2017 campaign by bidding farewell to veteran forward Lukas Podolski while rising star Timo Werner is set to make his debut against Gareth Southgate's England on Wednesday. Germany have struggled to settle on a striker to replace all-time top-scorer Miroslav Klose, who scored 71 goals in 137 […]

Maputo (AFP) – A young Mozambican football player was snatched and killed by a crocodile while training along the banks of a river, his club said on Monday. Estevao Alberto Gino, 19, who played for Mozambique's second division club Atletico Mineiro de Tete, lived near the Zambezi river in the western province of Tete. The incident […]

London (AFP) – Beleaguered Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has decided to stay at the club, according to British media reports on Monday. The Daily Telegraph and Daily Mirror said Wenger will inform Arsenal's board he wants to extend his contract, which expires at the end of the season. Wenger, 67, has come under fire from […]