Paris (AFP) – The doping case that caused Mamadou Sakho to miss Euro 2016 was "horrendous" for the defender, the French football president said Tuesday, days after the Liverpool man was cleared. Noel Le Graet told reporters that the centre-back "wants to get back playing as soon as possible without talking about the case". He […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona have completed the signing of France defender Samuel Umtiti from Lyon in a deal worth 25 million euros ($27.7 million), the Spanish champions announced on Tuesday. Umtiti, 22, will pen a five-year contract with Barcelona which includes a buy-out clause of 60 million euros, the club said in a statement. Barcelona […]

Berlin (AFP) – Joachim Loew ended speculation about his immediate future when he confirmed Tuesday that he would stay on as coach of Germany despite the disappointment of the Euro 2016 semi-final defeat by France. Loew, who took Germany to World Cup glory in Brazil in 2014, said in a statement issued by the German […]

London (AFP) – Prolific Dutch international striker Vincent Janssen signed for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday from AZ Alkmaar for a reported fee of £17 million ($22.3m, 20.1m euros), the buying club announced. The 22-year-old — well known to English football fans having scored in a 2-1 friendly win over England in […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Skipper Wayne Rooney says Jose Mourinho's appointment as Manchester United manager has given him extra motivation for the new Premier League season. Mourinho, tasked with making United title contenders once more after the sacking of Louis van Gaal in May, has signalled that he sees Rooney playing up front — […]

London (AFP) – French star playmaker Dimitri Payet's impressive performances at Euro 2016 will cost potential suitors at least £50million ($65m, 58m euros) David Gold the co-chairman of his Premier League club West Ham told the BBC on Monday. The 29-year-old Frenchman — who sparkled for The Hammers last season scoring nine goals in 30 […]

London (AFP) – Five facts on Italian international striker Graziano Pelle after he became the latest high profile player to move to China signing for Shandong Luneng on Monday from Southampton: Strictly Come Dancing..... Not necessarily the thing one would own up to in the macho world of football but Pelle was a national Under-12 […]

It was a night when history trumped beauty in a European Final that didn’t come to life until late. In time, few will remember the torpid tenor that preceded the late-stage drama. This was a night to join in Portugal’s jubilation at finally breaking through after so many close calls while marveling at France’s missed […]

London (AFP) – Highly-regarded Danish international midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg became manager Claude Puel's first signing for Premier League side Southampton on Monday as he joined from German champions Bayern Munich. The 20-year-old signed a five year deal with Saints reportedly paying £12.8million ($16.6m, 15m euros) for him — £800,000 more than they received for Italian […]

Paris (AFP) – Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will take charge of his first competitive game with the Scottish champions on Tuesday away to Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar in the second round of Champions League qualifying. The former Liverpool boss replaced Ronny Deila at Parkhead in May and is aiming to lead the 1967 European […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona have defended their campaign on social media in support of Lionel Messi after the Argentine superstar's 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud. "We are involved in a controversy in which there is the feeling that FC Barcelona has committed a tax crime whereas that is not the case," said club spokesman […]

FC Dallas is the class of Major League Soccer in 2016, and the club has done it with few – if any – big named players. Excellent coaching, brilliant defending and timely scoring have all pushed Dallas to the top of MLS’s overall points table, three points more than nearest Western Conference rival Colorado Rapid, […]

It was almost fitting that Cristiano Ronaldo, the last vestige of Portugal’s great attacking tradition, only lasted twenty-five minutes before coming off – injured and in tears – at the Euro 2016 final on Sunday. If Portugal were going to win their first major tournament championship at the Stade de France – which they somehow […]

Lisbon (AFP) – After a night of rowdy celebrations Portugal's European champions led by Cristiano Ronaldo returned home to a heroes' welcome on Monday and a country overjoyed by their upset win over France. Tens of thousands of fans took over the streets of Lisbon waving red and green national flags to mark the historic […]

Dark memories of that brutal night in Lisbon 12 years ago have haunted Portuguese soccer ever since. The dying embers of their golden generation sparked one last charge in 2006, but since then Ronaldo’s Portugal hasn’t been able to find the guile and the drive outside of their run four years ago. In these Euros, it […]