London (AFP) – Gareth Bale believes Wales' contrasting experiences at Euro 2016 and in failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup will prepare them perfectly for Tuesday's decisive Euro 2020 qualifier with Hungary in Cardiff. Win and Wales will be guaranteed their place at next year's tournament, four years on from a remarkable run […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United's failure to qualify for the Champions League is beginning to erode the club's finances, but increased commercial income helped the English giants post revenues of £135.4 million ($174 million) for the first quarter of the 2019-2020 season on Monday. That represents a £400,000 increase on the same period for the […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga relegation candidates Mainz have announced Achim Beierlorzer as their new head coach, just nine days after the 51-year-old was fired by fellow strugglers Cologne. Beierlorzer, who led Cologne to promotion as caretaker coach last season, was sacked earlier this month after a three-game losing run which started with defeat to Sandro […]

Rome (AFP) – Former UEFA president Michel Platini has slammed the use of VAR technology, the introduction of which he has always opposed, as a total nightmare, in an interview on Italian television. "It would take half an hour to explain why it doesn't solve problems," the former France international told the "Che tempo che […]

Brussels (AFP) – Netherlands international Memphis Depay called upon UEFA to act after racist chants halted a Dutch second-division match on Sunday. The incident occurred at a Dutch second-tier game between Excelsior Rotterdam and Den Bosch, with Excelsior winger Ahmad Mendes Moreira walking off the pitch after hearing racist chants from the stands. The referee […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Bristol City forward Famara Diedhiou overshadowed Liverpool star Sadio Mane on Sunday by scoring a hat-trick as Senegal crushed eSwatini 4-1 in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying. Mane failed to score in successive Group I matches spanning five days, but it did not matter as the Teranga Lions also won comfortably against […]

Luxembourg (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 99th international goal as reigning champions Portugal secured their place at the Euro 2020 finals on Sunday with a 2-0 victory away to Luxembourg. Bruno Fernandes struck the opening goal on 39 minutes before Ronaldo tapped in a scrappy second late on to clinch second place in Group […]

Tirana (AFP) – Two months after Albania's footballers were left furious when the wrong national anthem was played at a Euro 2020 qualifier in France, the French anthem was roundly booed in the return match on Sunday. France played the Andorran anthem by mistake at the Stade de France in September. After the angry Albanians […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo admitted on Sunday that he is not at "100 percent" after reacting angrily to twice being substituted by Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri earlier this month. The 34-year-old scored his 99th international goal on Sunday as reigning champions Portugal qualified for Euro 2020 with a hardfought 2-0 win in Luxembourg. "I […]

Tirana (AFP) – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin on Sunday made light of his predecessor Michel Platini's return to football next week, saying the Frenchman could take any role except that of a player. Four years after Platini's ban from all football-related activities for financial wrongdoing, the former UEFA boss is free to work in the […]

Pristina (AFP) – England wrapped up their impressive Euro 2020 qualifying campaign with a 4-0 rout of Kosovo on Sunday as maiden international goals from Harry Winks and Mason Mount ensured they will be among the top six seeds in next year's tournament. Gareth Southgate's side booked their Euro 2020 berth by thrashing Montenegro 7-0 […]

Luxembourg (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 99th international goal as reigning champions Portugal secured their place at the Euro 2020 finals on Sunday with a 2-0 victory away to Luxembourg. Bruno Fernandes struck the opening goal on 39 minutes before Ronaldo tapped in a scrappy second late on to clinch second place in Group […]

Brussels (AFP) – Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk will miss Tuesday's Euro 2020 qualifier against Estonia for personal reasons, the Dutch federation announced on Sunday. "The manager Ronald Koeman will not be able to call up Virgil van Dijk on Tuesday against Estonia", the federation said on its website. "The Dutch captain has had to […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – The South African Premier Soccer League (PSL), boosted by a lucrative TV deal, posted record revenue of more than one billion rand last season. A statement said TV rights and sponsorships from banks, telecommunication and engineering companies were responsible for the 1,005 billion ($68 million/62 mn euros) bonanza. "The results are […]

Zagreb (AFP) – World Cup runners-up Croatia rounded off a rebuilding mission by booking their place at Euro 2020 with a 3-1 win over Slovakia but they are unlikely to sneak under the radar again at next year's finals. Croatia secured top spot in Group E, a section also including Hungary, Wales and Azerbaijan, […]