Berlin (AFP) – Inter Milan and Manchester United are interested in signing former Germany star Thomas Mueller, who has lost his starting place at Bayern Munich, according to German media reports on Thursday. The 30-year-old has often found himself on the bench this season behind Philippe Coutinho, who Bayern coach Niko Kovac prefers in the […]

Warsaw (AFP) – In a former working class district of Warsaw fans dressed in black cheer on the women's team of AKS Zly, a football club set up with unusual ambitions. Rather than fighting for titles and trophies in a sport troubled too often by homophobia and racism, AKS Zly was founded to promote inclusion […]

Milan (AFP) – Juventus president Andrea Agnelli on Thursday asked the club's shareholders to approve a 300 million euro ($333 million) capital increase to help expand the Italian club's global ambitions. Despite losses of 39.9 million euros ($44m) last season, Agnelli asked shareholders for a major investment as part of a five-year plan to keep […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Christian Pulisic has staked a claim for a starting spot at Chelsea after the winger came off the bench to lay on the winning goal of a hugely impressive Champions League triumph at Ajax. Chelsea's academy graduates have stolen the headlines as a youthful side has rattled off six wins in a […]

Berlin (AFP) – Inter Milan are interested in signing former Germany star Thomas Mueller, who has lost his starting place at Bayern Munich, magazine Kicker reported on Thursday. The 30-year-old has often found himself on the bench this season behind Philippe Coutinho, who Bayern coach Niko Kovac prefers in the attacking midfield role. According to […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos has confirmed he has been fined by Spanish tax authorities for irregularities relating to his image rights between 2012 and 2014. According to the newspaper El Mundo, Ramos was fined one million euros for transferring revenue to his own company Sermos 32 SL, which is based in Spain, […]

Shanghai (AFP) – FIFA has awarded the inaugural edition of its expanded 24-team Club World Cup to China, the association's president Gianni Infantino said Thursday in what he called a "historic decision". The move underlines China's growing clout in football and could be a precursor to the country eventually hosting the World Cup proper. Infantino […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Hotshot Gabriel Barbosa scored a brace as Flamengo hammered fellow Brazilians Gremio 5-0 on Wednesday to secure a place in the Copa Libertadores final against Argentine holders River Plate. Bruno Henrique, Pablo Mari and Rodrigo Caio also got their names on the scoresheet as the Rio de Janeiro giants completed […]

New York (AFP) – Two goals from Alejandro Pozuelo fired Toronto FC to a 2-1 upset over top seed New York City in their MLS Cup Eastern Conference semi-final clash on Wednesday. New York were dumped out of the competition after conceding a dramatic late penalty when defender Ronald Matarrita clumsily brought down Richie Laryea […]

London (AFP) – Revitalised by the appointment of manager Brendan Rodgers and free-scoring form of Jamie Vardy, Leicester City are once again upsetting the applecart of the Premier League's top six. Three years on from a remarkable title triumph that allowed football fans across the world to dream, third-placed Leicester could leapfrog defending champions Manchester […]

Genk (Belgium) (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp admitted his delight for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as the midfielder made the most of a rare start by scoring twice in Liverpool's 4-1 Champions League win over Genk in Belgium on Wednesday. The England international, who missed almost all of last season due to injury and has been used sparingly […]

Paris (AFP) – Liverpool and Chelsea clinched impressive victories on the road in the Champions League on Wednesday as Lionel Messi, Dries Mertens and teenage sensation Erling Braut Haaland claimed impressive goal-scoring landmarks. Defending champions Liverpool defeated Genk 4-1 which saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain score twice while Michy Batshuayi gave Chelsea a 1-0 win at Ajax. […]

Milan (AFP) – Lautaro Martinez and Antonio Candreva scored in either half to boost Inter Milan's Champions League last 16 hopes on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Group F rivals Borussia Dortmund. Argentina forward Lautaro Martinez continued his fine form scoring after 22 minutes in the San Siro, but missed a chance for a […]

Salzburg (Austria) (AFP) – Belgium attacker Dries Mertens beat Diego Maradona's tally of 115 goals for Napoli to help his side beat Salzburg 3-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday. Mertens, 32, who joined the Italian club in 2013, is now just five goals behind Marek Hamsik who has the all-time Napoli goals record of […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – United States women's soccer star Alex Morgan confirmed Wednesday she was pregnant with a baby daughter due to be born in April next year. Morgan, a key member of the US team which won back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019, first confirmed the news in a statement to People magazine. […]