Los Angeles (AFP) – Alphonso Davies was ruled out of the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Friday after suffering an ankle injury in training, Canada Soccer said in a statement. The Bayern Munich star, who played for Canada at both the 2017 and 2019 tournaments, has returned to Germany for treatment, the governing body said. The […]

London (AFP) – England captain Harry Kane expects Sunday's Euro 2020 final against Italy to go down to the wire because the teams are so evenly matched. England and Italy head into the Wembley showdown as the tournament's two stand-out sides. Four-time world champions Italy, who last won the Euro in 1968, made a flying […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Raja Casablanca of Morocco and JS Kabylie of Algeria take impressive CAF Confederation Cup unbeaten records into the final in Benin economic capital Cotonou on Saturday. Neither team have lost since the play-offs last February in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League. Raja have gone 10 matches since an […]

London (AFP) – Wolverhampton Wanderers have signed left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri on a permanent deal from Angers, the Premier League club announced Friday. The Frenchman has signed a five-year contract after impressing on loan at Molineux last season. Ait-Nouri, 20, who made 24 appearances for the Midlands club under former manager Nuno Espirito Santo last season, […]

London (AFP) – England defender John Stones has challenged his team to make their Euro 2020 "dream" come true when they face Italy in Sunday's final. Gareth Southgate's side have reached the country's first European Championship showpiece after 55 years without a major final appearance. England will win just the second senior international honour in […]

Milan (AFP) – Jose Mourinho's trophy cabinet may be bulging but new Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri said Friday that counts for nothing as the former Chelsea managers prepare to share the Stadio Olimpico next season. Mourinho will coach Roma while Sarri takes charge of city rivals Lazio, both housed in the same stadium in the […]

Rome (AFP) – Defender Leonardo Bonucci warned that Italy were not scared of taking on hosts England on home soil in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday. Italy are targeting a second European title after 1968 while England have never won the continental tournament, with their only major trophy the 1966 World Cup which they […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Rio de Janeiro, one of the Brazilian cities hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, on Friday gave the go-ahead for thousands of fans to attend Saturday's Copa America final against Argentina at the Maracana stadium. The city has decided to allow a crowd of up to 7,800 people, ten percent […]

It’s no secret that Arsenal are in need of an overhaul this summer. After all, the Gunners fell desperately short in their efforts to qualify for the Champions League after finishing the 2020/21 Premier League campaign in eighth place. While buying new players is certainly necessary, the amount of moves the club can make will […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Bordeaux took a step back from the abyss on Friday when city officials approved rental guarantees for the cash-strapped club's city-owned Matmut Atlantique stadium from would-be club owner Gerard Lopez. "We either place our confidence in Gerard Lopez, or else it's curtains for the club," city metropolitan council leader Alain Anziani had […]

Berlin (AFP) – South Korean attacking midfielder Jae-sung Lee has signed for Bundesliga side Mainz on a free transfer after narrowly missing promotion last season with ex-club Holstein Kiel. The 28-year-old banged in 23 goals in 104 games over four years with second-tier side Kiel, who lost a two-legged play-off against Cologne last May to […]

London (AFP) – England fans are looking forward to a first major tournament final in 55 years as their team prepare to face Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley on Sunday. Three years on from their defeat by Croatia in the World Cup semi-final, Gareth Southgate's men overcame Denmark 2-1 in extra time […]

London (AFP) – Ancient wounds, modern political divisions and the perceived arrogance of its supporters will see England's neighbours in the United Kingdom largely rooting for Italy in Sunday's Euro 2020 final, even if many recognise a likeable team. While cities and towns across England erupted in joy after the men's team on Wednesday advanced […]

Rome (AFP) – Dino Zoff sees similarities between Roberto Mancini's Euro 2020 finalists and the Italy team he captained to World Cup glory in 1982, he told AFP. The Azzurri will face England in the final at Wembley on Sunday, bidding to win their second European Championship title and first since Zoff helped the team […]

London (AFP) – Five years after Gareth Southgate was thrown into the role of England manager after Sam Allardyce's 67-day reign ended in disgrace, the Three Lions have reached their first major tournament final for 55 years. Southgate, initially appointed on an interim basis, was seen as the squeaky clean role model the Football Association […]