Berlin (AFP) – Former West Germany captain Lothar Matthaeus has described Argentina legend Diego Maradona, whom he faced in the 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals, as his "best opponent" ever. The abrasive Matthaeus heavily marked Maradona in the 1986 final in Mexico City, yet the diminutive Argentinian, who died from a heart attack on […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool, Chelsea, Brighton and West Ham will be able to allow fans into their stadiums next month under a new tier system to tackle the spread of coronavirus in England. The Premier League clubs are within tier-two areas, meaning clubs can welcome up to 2,000 fans. The Premier League is yet to […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – A cry goes up outside the San Paolo Stadium in Naples, where since daybreak Thursday tearful mourners have been laying candles and messages for football great Diego Maradona. "Diego, Diego, Diego!" chants the crowd which gathered where scarves and shirts in Napoli's blue and white have been hung on the fence, […]

Cairo (AFP) – The 2020 CAF Champions League final in Cairo Friday between Egyptian giants Al Ahly and Zamalek will be the first pitting rivals from one country against each other. The match, to be held behind closed doors under the slogan "no to fanaticism", will bring together clubs whose clashes have long dominated local […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Thousands of Argentines filed past Diego Maradona's coffin in Buenos Aires on Thursday after the country and the world of football was plunged into mourning by his death at the age of 60. Mourners, many in tears, and many wearing the World Cup winner's number 10 Argentina jersey, gathered at the Casa […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – The defining moment in Diego Maradona's playing career came in Mexico at the 1986 World Cup, and the high point in his less distinguished career as a coach possibly also came there more than three decades later. The Argentine legend spent nine months between 2018 and 2019 in charge of Dorados […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Hundreds of people on Thursday began filing in to see the coffin of Diego Maradona in Buenos Aires' Casa Rosada after the football legend died at the age of 60. At a slow pace, people passed in front of the coffin that was draped with the Argentine flag and his number […]

Kannur (India) (AFP) – Even in the land of cricket, Diego Maradona's death came as such a shock that one Indian state declared two days of official mourning and fans flocked to a hotel room where the football deity once slept. The Argentine footballer, who died on Tuesday at the age of 60, is so […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Millions of fans paid tribute and Argentina was sent into mourning on Wednesday as Diego Maradona, one of the greatest footballers of all time, died aged 60 after years of drug and alcohol problems. Thousands of mourners, many in tears, and many wearing the World Cup-winner's number 10 Argentina jersey, gathered […]

London (AFP) – Diego Maradona who died aged 60 on Wednesday possessed "greatness but not sportsmanship" said former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton who was was victim to the infamous "hand of god" goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final. Shilton told the Daily Mail he did not like that the Argentina football legend had never […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Few places will mourn the death of Diego Maradona as much as Naples, the downtrodden, gritty Italian city that clasped the troubled Argentine to its heart at his time of need and was repaid with the best years of perhaps the greatest footballer to ever play the game. Buildings around Naples […]

Tunis (AFP) – Tunisian former referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated the 1986 World Cup quarter-final in which Diego Maradona scored his famous double against England, hailed the Argentinian as a "genius" following his death, aged 60, on Wednesday. Bin Nasser admitted that he doubted the validity of Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' goal, but […]

Paris (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski set Bayern Munich on the way to a 3-1 Champions League win over Salzburg on Wednesday as the holders joined Manchester City in qualifying for the last 16 with two group games to spare, while Liverpool went down to defeat and Marseille are now the owners of an unwanted record. […]

Milan (AFP) – Real Madrid closed in on the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday with a 2-0 win that pushed 10-man Inter Milan to the brink of elimination from the competition. Eden Hazard put Real ahead after just seven minutes at the San Siro as Zinedine Zidane's side brushed off the absence of captain […]

London (AFP) – Brazilian great Pele led global tributes to Diego Maradona, whose death was announced on Wednesday, saying one day they would "play soccer together in the sky". Renowned for inspiring Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, Maradona was most loved at club level for his spells with Boca Juniors in his homeland […]