Yokohama (Japan) (AFP) – Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe saved two spot-kicks in a nail-biting shootout as Canada defeated Sweden 3-2 on penalties to clinch Olympic women's football gold for the first time Friday in Yokohama. Stina Blackstenius scored her team-best fifth goal of the tournament to give Sweden the lead, but Jessie Fleming's penalty in the […]

London (AFP) – Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City will only make a move to sign Harry Kane if Tottenham are willing to negotiate over the England captain's price tag. Kane snubbed his scheduled return to pre-season training with Tottenham this week in a bid to force through a transfer to City. The Tottenham striker went public […]

London (AFP) – Pep Guardiola has ruled out a Manchester City move for Lionel Messi after Barcelona's shock announcement that the Argentina superstar will leave the Camp Nou. City boss Guardiola was Messi's manager at Barcelona for four successful years and the Premier League champions were immediately linked with the forward following Thursday's bombshell news. […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Lionel Messi's Barcelona career has come to an end because the cash-strapped Spanish club cannot afford to keep the Argentinian superstar, club president Joan Laporta said Friday. In a dramatic news conference, Laporta said he was not prepared "to put the club at risk" by renewing Messi's contract, with Barca facing huge […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona's negotiations with Lionel Messi are over and the striker is considering other offers, the club's president Joan Laporta said on Friday. Laporta said in a press conference he was not prepared "to put the club at risk" by renewing Messi's contract, with Barca facing huge financial problems ahead of the start […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says his talks with Paul Pogba have been "positive" amid reports linking the France midfielder with a move to Paris Saint Germain. Pogba is out of contract at the end of the coming season and is yet to agree a new deal with United. The 28-year-old […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Lionel Messi will end his 20-year career with Barcelona after the Argentine superstar and the Spanish giants were unable to overcome "economic and structural obstacles" to a new deal. The announcement on Thursday that a player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time is on the market will spark […]

Madrid (AFP) – AFP Sport takes a look at some of Lionel Messi's finest moments with Barcelona, for whom he played 788 games before it was announced the global star would be leaving on Thursday. – First hat-trick against Real Madrid (2007) – March 10, 2007, a 3-3 draw in La Liga at home to […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Lionel Messi will end his 20-year career with Barcelona after the Argentine superstar and the Spanish giants were unable to overcome "economic and structural obstacles" to a new deal, a bombshell certain to spark a high-stakes scramble for a player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. "Although an […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Barcelona's shock announcement on Thursday that superstar Lionel Messi would be leaving the club is a "bombshell" of global proportions, according to Argentine media. Less than a month after the six-time Ballon d'Or winner inspired his country to end their 27-year wait for a major international title in a 1-0 Copa […]

Barcelona (AFP) – When Lionel Messi won an unprecedented sixth Ballon d'Or in December last year, the speculation had already begun over his career at Barcelona after he sought to trigger an exit clause and leave as a free agent. An April consolation prize of a Spanish Cup success — his 35th club trophy — […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City on Thursday announced the signing of "natural talent" Jack Grealish on a six-year deal from Aston Villa for a British record fee reported to be £100 million ($139 million). City confirmed Grealish will wear the number 10 shirt, which was recently vacated by the departure to Barcelona of […]

Madrid (AFP) – Lionel Messi will end his 20-year career with Barcelona after the Argentine superstar failed to reach agreement on a new deal with the club, the Spanish giants announced on Thursday. "Although an agreement has been reached between FC Barcelona and Leo Messi it cannot be formalised due to economic and structural obstacles," […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich is poised to sign a new bumper contract extension with Bayern Munich, according to media reports. The new Bundesliga starts on August 13 with Kimmich set to line up for defending champions Bayern at Borussia Moenchengladbach. According to several German media outlets, Kimmich, 26, is set to ink […]

London (AFP) – Jack Grealish has reportedly completed his medical at Manchester City as the Aston Villa midfielder moves closer to joining the Premier League champions in a British record £100 million ($139 million) transfer. Grealish was pictured being driven out of City's Etihad training headquarters in a black van following his medical on Wednesday. […]