Milan (AFP) – Chile forward Alexis Sanchez has undergone surgery in Barcelona after picking up an ankle injury on international duty, his Italian club Inter Milan confirmed on Wednesday. Sanchez hobbled off in the 88th minute of a goalless draw in the friendly against Colombia in Alicante on Saturday. Inter said that Sanchez underwent a consultation […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona captain Leo Messi received his sixth Golden Shoe as the top scorer in the European leagues on Wednesday. Messi won the trophy for a third straight year after scoring 36 goals, three more than his closest challenger, Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain. Messi's sons Thiago and Mateo, presented their father with […]

Berlin (AFP) – At least five German regional football teams face disciplinary action after their players imitated the military salute performed by the Turkish national team during matches last weekend. Germany has a Turkish population of around 2.5 million people and three teams in the Recklinghausen district, near Gelsenkirchen, will face a disciplinary committee after […]

Milan (AFP) – Argentina striker Mauro Icardi said Wednesday he was enjoying the focus being back on football and away from his private life at French club Paris Saint-Germain. The former Inter Milan captain arrived in the French capital on loan this season and after recovering from injury has scored two goals in the Champions […]

London (AFP) – The Women's Euro 2021 could have the same positive impact on women's sport as the 2012 London Olympics, says Football Association executive Marzena Bogdanowicz. The women's game in England has enjoyed a surge in popularity on the back of the success of Phil Neville's national side, who reached the World Cup semi-finals […]

Seoul (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he was "disappointed" after attending a historic but bizarre World Cup qualifier between North and South Korea that had empty stands and no live broadcast. The rare match in the North Korean capital ended 0-0 on Tuesday, with Infantino one of the few people allowed to see […]

Toronto (Canada) (AFP) – Canada defeated the United States for the first time in 34 years Tuesday after goals from Alphonso Davies and Lucas Cavallini delivered a stunning CONCACAF Nations League upset. Bayern Munich teenager Davies pounced in the 63rd minute before Cavallini blasted home deep into stoppage time to seal a deserved 2-0 victory […]

Paris (AFP) – Rodrigo Moreno fired Spain into Euro 2020 with a last-gasp equaliser in Sweden while the Republic of Ireland's chances of reaching the finals are still in the balance after they fell 2-0 in Switzerland. Spain became the sixth team to qualify for next summer's tournament thanks to Rodrigo, who came off the […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid face an anxious wait to see if Luka Modric and Gareth Bale will be fit for next week's Clasico against Barcelona after both players missed training on Tuesday. Modric and Bale each did gym work indoors as they attempted to recover from injuries sustained playing in the Euro 2020 qualifier […]

Paris (AFP) – Rodrigo Moreno fired Spain into Euro 2020 with a last-gasp equaliser in Sweden which while the Republic of Ireland's chances of reaching the finals are in the balance after they fell 2-0 in Switzerland. Spain became the sixth team to qualify for next summer's tournament thanks to Rodrigo, who came off the […]

Vaduz (AFP) – Andrea Belotti scored a second-half brace as already-qualified Italy overran Liechtenstein 5-0 on Tuesday to stretch their perfect run in Euro 2020 qualifying to eight games and match an 80-year Italian record. Roberto Mancini's side were assured of top spot in Group J after a 2-0 win over Greece in Rome on […]

Stockholm (AFP) – Spain sealed qualification for Euro 2020 with two games to spare on Tuesday after Rodrigo Moreno came off the bench to score a dramatic injury-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Sweden. The 2008 and 2012 European champions needed only a point in Stockholm to guarantee automatic progress to the finals and […]

Geneva (AFP) – Haris Seferovic's early effort and Shane Duffy's late own goal kept Switzerland's hopes of automatic qualification for Euro 2020 alive with a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday. Although Vladimir Petkovic's side have already guaranteed a play-off spot via the Nations League the win means they are just a […]

Lausanne (AFP) – UEFA announced on Tuesday that it is opening disciplinary proceedings against Turkey into "potential provocative political behaviour" by their players after making military salutes in their last two matches. In both their Euro 2020 qualifiers against Albania on Friday and France on Monday, Turkish players made the salutes — seen as supporting […]

Berlin (AFP) – Regional footballers in some parts of Germany were warned on Tuesday to expect "heavy penalties" if they imitate the military salutes of the Turkish national team during goal celebrations. The military gesture has become a hot topic after Turkey players saluted to celebrate goals during internationals against France in Paris on Monday […]