Berlin (AFP) – Less than a week before he names his provisional Euro 2016 squad, Germany's head coach Joachim Loew has been given a boost by three of his stars. Loew will name his squad at the French Embassy in Berlin next Monday, but has been given good news about injured pair Bastian Schweinsteiger, Germany's […]

Guangzhou (AFP) – When Kin Chai was a boy in 1990s China, his rural school had no football team. Or pitch. Or even a ball. Instead, the children kicked an empty plastic jug around in the street. "It was a small village," he said, "not that developed... we tried to put together village competitions, but […]

Bratislava (AFP) – When Slovakia beat Luxembourg in October to clinch their first-ever Euro spot, captain Martin Skrtel made a very special TV appearance, gatecrashing the Slovak coach's interview with a local channel. "Slovakia, Slovakia," he yelled at the camera, jumping wildly, stripped to the waist, displaying his tattoo slogan "Veni, Vidi, Vici" (I came, […]

Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) – A glance at Wales's record in qualifying for Euro 2016 reveals a glaring truth: stop Gareth Bale, and you have a very good chance of stopping Chris Coleman's team. That Wales are gearing up for a first major tournament since 1958 owes much to the brilliance of Bale, who scored […]

Mexico City (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino opened a meeting of the football body's new council in Mexico on Monday, as UEFA chief Michel Platini's resignation following a sport ban cast a shadow over the event. Infantino, who was Platini's number two at the European football organization before taking over FIFA in February, lamented […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is facing the biggest fight of his 13 year international career to hold onto his England place going into the European Championships. England's talisman ever since he burst onto the scene as a preternaturally gifted 18-year-old at Euro 2004, Rooney has gone to five major tournaments as […]

London (AFP) – Studious and well-travelled, Roy Hodgson has the weighty responsibility of ending England's 50 years of major tournament heartache at the European Championship in France. After a run to the quarter-finals at Euro 2012, less than two months after succeeding Fabio Capello as manager, Hodgson presided over a galling group-phase exit at the […]

Moscow (AFP) – Igor Akinfeev's international name has been marked by a calamitous error at the 2014 World Cup, but he remains Russia's best goalkeeper and he is looking to make amends at Euro 2016. As the clock ticked towards 70 minutes in Russia's opening group match in Brazil, South Korean Lee Keun-ho hit a […]

London (AFP) – Five things about England ahead of the European Championships: Fifty years of hurt This year marks the 50th anniversary of England's only major tournament triumph: victory on home soil at the 1966 World Cup. A team managed by Alf Ramsey, captained by Bobby Moore and inspired by Manchester United midfielder Bobby Charlton […]

Norwich (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Norwich City right-back Ivo Pinto has vowed his side will not give up in their fight against relegation, but accepts their chances of staying in the Premier League are slim. Saturday's 1-0 loss to Manchester United means Alex Neil's men must win their final two games, at home to Watford […]

Mexico City (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino voiced sadness after his former mentor Michel Platini decided to resign as UEFA chief following a sports tribunal's rejection of his appeal against a football ban. Infantino, speaking to reporters after a FIFA Council meeting in Mexico City, said that, as chief of football's governing body, he […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen is desperate for another chance to impress against Chelsea on Wednesday as the fight to feature in the Europa League final hots up. Allen has spent much of the season on the fringes of Jurgen Klopp's starting line-up, but the Wales international has impressed whenever selected and underlined […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Celtic winger Patrick Roberts is setting his sights high after helping to fire the Glasgow giants to a fifth successive Scottish Premiership title. The on-loan Manchester City star grabbed a first half double in the Hoops' 3-2 win over Aberdeen as they clinched their 47th top flight championship. The 19-year-old will be […]

Sunderland (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has warned his side that they are not yet safe as they close in on a fourth consecutive late-season escape from Premier League relegation. The northeast club will secure a 10th successive season of top-flight football with victory at home to Roberto Martinez's drifting Everton on […]

London (AFP) – Jamie Vardy has given Leicester a huge boost by insisting he will stay with the Premier League champions next season. Vardy fired Leicester's miraculous charge to the title with 24 goals and the England striker's blistering form prompted speculation he could be lured away from the King Power Stadium by one of […]