London (AFP) – Turkey has earned the right to host the European Football Championship as it goes head to head with Germany in the battle to stage the 2024 tournament, said federation vice-president Servet Yardimci. Yardimci, who is also on UEFA's executive committee, said the country was the only one of Europe's six biggest economies […]

Florence (Italy) (AFP) – New Italy coach Roberto Mancini on Tuesday said he wanted to restore pride in the national side six months after their shock failure to qualify for the World Cup. "Not going to the World Cup is difficult for those who, like us, have always been cheering for the national team," Mancini […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta says he will decide "next week" whether to continue his decorated career in either China or Japan. The 34-year-old Barca icon is bringing the curtain down on his two-decade stay with the Spanish champions, with his last game for the club he joined at the age of 12 […]

London (AFP) – Michael Carrick is making an immediate switch from Manchester United's playing squad to the coaching team in time for Saturday's FA Cup final against Chelsea. The former England midfielder hung up his boots on Sunday after United's final Premier League game of the season against Watford. The following day he began his […]

Doha (AFP) – Baghdad Bounedjah scored a brace as Qatar’s Al Sadd progressed to the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League at the expense of top Saudi side Al Ahli with a 4-3 aggregate on Monday Al Sadd, who had won the first leg of their last 16 tie 2-1 last week in Doha, held […]

Rome (AFP) – Roberto Mancini will hold his first press conference on Tuesday a day after being handed his "dream" job as Italy head coach with the task of reviving Azzurri fortunes six months after their shock failure to qualify for the World Cup. Italy have been without a permanent coach since Gian Piero Ventura […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan forward Keisuke Honda has slammed former national team boss Vahid Halilhodzic's methods as the fallout from his abrupt dismissal as coach continued in the run-up to the World Cup. The talismanic 31-year-old, who had become a peripheral figure under Halilhodzic, told Japanese broadcaster NHK that he was frustrated at the rigid […]

Sydney (AFP) – Australian football chiefs were forced to deny Tuesday that veteran Tim Cahill was in the country's World Cup squad for commercial reasons after in-form Hibernian striker Jamie Maclaren was axed. The 38-year-old is the Socceroos' most prolific scorer with 50 goals, hitting the net at three previous World Cups. His record speaks […]

Lyon (AFP) – After painful defeats in recent continental finals, Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid are determined to justify their status as favourites in Wednesday's Europa League showpiece against Marseille in Lyon. Atletico lost in extra time to Real Madrid in the Champions League final of 2014, having been seconds away from victory in 90 minutes, […]

Sydney (AFP) – In-form Hibernian striker Jamie Maclaren was axed from Australia's World Cup squad Tuesday as coach Bert van Marwijk trimmed it to 26 players, with Bristol City skipper Bailey Wright also cut. Long-term backup goalkeeper Mitch Langerak was another to miss out in the cut to the initial 32 selected last week, along […]

Madrid (AFP) – When German Burgos was told in 2003 he needed surgery to remove a cancerous tumour on his left kidney, Atletico Madrid's goalkeeper said it would have to wait until after the next game. Now Burgos is preparing to take charge of Atletico's Europa League final against Marseille without Diego Simeone, standing in […]

With the Premier League season coming to an end, Manchester United clinched their spot in second place with 78 points. It's the most points the Red Devils have earned since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. Hats off to Mourinho for this accomplishment. But if a casual football fan sat down and watched […]

The 2018 World Cup kicks off on Thursday 18 June as hosts Russia entertain Saudi Arabia on the opening night, before a weekend packed of action that includes Portugal-Spain on Friday night, France-Australia, Argentina-Iceland and Croatia-Nigeria on the Saturday, and Brazil-Switzerland and Germany-Mexico on the Sunday. England are not in action until the Monday when […]

Modena (Italy) (AFP) – Between eight and ten million packets a day, each with five cards, perhaps including the coveted ones of Lionel Messi, Neymar or Cristiano Ronaldo — as World Cup fever builds the Panini sticker factory in Italy is working flat out. With Panini, Italy are guaranteed not to miss out on the […]

Real Madrid's shirt for the 2018/19 season will feature a classic white and black design from adidas. The new shirt design, which will be officially revealed later this month by Real Madrid and adidas, features the Adidas Climachill template, which has debuted for the 2018 World Cup shirts. With images from the experts at FootyHeadlines, […]