Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona won't put their financial future at risk in negotiating a new contract for Lionel Messi, the club warned on Wednesday, in comments that will encourage his many suitors across Europe. Messi and club captain Andres Iniesta are entering the final 18 months of their current deals at the Camp Nou meaning […]

Doha (AFP) – Oscar insisted on Wednesday that quitting the English Premier League to play in China was not a step down — but admitted that the mind-boggling financial offer was a definite incentive. In his first substantive comments since leaving Chelsea for an eye-catching 60 million euros ($63 million), Oscar said the big-spending Chinese […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City have been charged by the Football Association over anti-doping procedures, the governing body announced on Wednesday. "Manchester City have been charged in relation to The FA's Rules on Anti-Doping," an FA statement read. "It is alleged the club failed to ensure that their 'Club Whereabouts' information was accurate, contrary to […]

London (AFP) – Former France midfielder Claude Makelele has been appointed assistant coach of Premier League strugglers Swansea City, reuniting him with manager Paul Clement. The 43-year-old Makelele, capped 71 times, signed for the rest of the season in what promises to be a tough battle to preserve Swansea's Premier League status — they are […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane once again left Cristiano Ronaldo out of his squad that travels to Sevilla on Thursday holding a 3-0 lead for the second leg of their Copa del Rey last 16 tie. Madrid made light of Ronaldo's absence in the first leg as a double from James Rodriguez […]

Berlin (AFP) – Divers are planning an underwater search of Hamburg's port for missing merchandise manager Timo Kraus, who works for the city's Bundesliga club, local police confirmed on Wednesday. The 44-year-old father of two has not been seen since leaving a riverside bar in the city's port on Saturday night after meeting colleagues. The club […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Wilfried Zaha scored his first goal for African champions the Ivory Coast as they trounced Uganda 3-0 Wednesday in a warm-up match for the 2017 Cup of Nations. The Crystal Palace and former England winger struck with a low shot after a superb solo run during the second half in Abu Dhabi. […]

When the small Caribbean country of Trinidad and Tobago qualified for its first World Cup in November of 2005, the nation’s Prime Minister Patrick Manning declared a national holiday. That same year, when the African country of Cote d’Ivoire qualified for its first finals, the country’s Civil War ground to a halt as its President […]

London (AFP) – England's women's record goalscorer Kelly Smith announced her retirement from the sport on Wednesday. The 38-year-old striker — who scored 46 goals in 117 appearances for England — won five FA Cups with Arsenal, scoring six goals in the showpiece event. She also played in Arsenal's historic 2007 UEFA Cup — now […]

London (AFP) – Former non league player Cohen Bramall has the all round qualities to make it at Arsenal said Gunners manager Arsene Wenger on Wednesday. The 20-year-old defender — who a week ago was facing life on the dole queue after being made redundant by luxury carmakers Bentley — will first be tried out […]

Berlin (AFP) – Struggling Bayer Leverkusen striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez has scotched reports of a transfer move. According to media reports the club are ready to sell the former Manchester United star who has lost his scoring touch. But the Mexican international said no move was on the cards. "Jonas Boldt and Rudi Voeller (Leverkusen's […]

Paris (AFP) – Herve Renard is looking to do something in Gabon that no coach has done before and win a third Africa Cup of Nations title with a third different country. The Frenchman leads Morocco into the tournament having won the title with the Ivory Coast two years ago and with Zambia, the last […]

Southampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to make amends for their FA Cup flop by delivering a dominant display in Wednesday's League Cup semi-final first leg against Southampton. Klopp fielded Liverpool's youngest ever line-up against Plymouth in the FA Cup third round on Sunday and the raw rookies failed to impress […]

Shanghai (AFP) – China's football chief and state media hailed FIFA's decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams from 2026, saying it could help realise the country's "dream" of returning to the sport's grandest stage. Chinese Football Association President Cai Zhenhua called the expansion an opportunity for China, who currently languish at 82nd […]

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – Asia's football chief said the region "deserves more slots" at the World Cup, as FIFA's decision to expand the tournament to 48 teams from 2026 was cheered in countries from China to New Zealand. Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said Asia's size and economic might merited more than its current […]