Madrid (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo signalled his intention to keep playing for 10 more years after rounding off a "dream year" by signing a bumper new five-year contract with Real Madrid on Monday. The deal, expected to protect Ronaldo's status as the world's highest paid footballer, will keep the Portuguese tied to the European champions […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Dutch striker Robin Van Persie on Monday calmed fears for his eyesight after an ugly injury picked up playing for his Turkish club Fenerbahce at the weekend had sparked concern. After colliding with a defender during Sunday's clash with Akhisar Belediyespor the 33-year-old was stretchered off the pitch with a plaster covering […]

Here are the ten things we learned from the second leg of the Conference Semifinals in the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs. 1. The Playoffs Have Underwhelmed There’s no getting around it. Thus far, the playoffs have been terrible. Sunday should have been the best day of MLS of the year. It featured four back-to-back-to-back-to-back playoff […]

Doha (AFP) – Holding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is a "done deal", a confident head of the Gulf state's tournament organising committee said Monday, shrugging off ongoing corruption and human rights concerns. Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary-general of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, told the local Arabic daily Al-Sharq newspaper that football's biggest […]

Burton-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England's interim manager Gareth Southgate will check on the fitness of Harry Kane before deciding if the striker can start Friday's World Cup qualifier against Scotland, he said on Monday. Kane, 23, made a goal-scoring return from a seven-week lay-off with ankle ligament damage in Tottenham Hotspur's 1-1 Premier League […]

Burton-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England's interim manager Gareth Southgate believes it will be fitting for his and Scotland's players to wear commemorative poppies during Friday's World Cup qualifier at Wembley, he said on Monday. The football associations of England and Scotland have vowed to defy world governing body FIFA, which bans players from wearing […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Montreal and Toronto put paid to New York's MLS Cup hopes with Eastern Conference semi-final wins, as the Los Angeles Galaxy bowed out in the West in what was likely Steven Gerrard's MLS swansong. Until Sunday, a Canadian team had never booked a spot in the MLS Cup conference finals. Now […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Colorado goalkeeper Tim Howard made two saves in a penalty shootout to advance the Rapids over the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Major League Soccer playoffs. The Rapids on Sunday won 3-1 on penalties after a 1-0 victory in the second leg of a two-match MLS Cup Western Conference semi-final series […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger does not believe the teams free of Champions League commitment have an advantage in the Premier League despite both Liverpool and Chelsea outstripping his side. Liverpool are top after crushing Watford 6-1, with Chelsea a point back in second following a scintillating 5-0 win over Everton, and neither […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri admits that Japanese international striker Shinji Okazaki is his preferred option for Premier League outings rather than England star Jamie Vardy. Vardy was left on the bench for the second successive Premier League fixture on Sunday as the champions were beaten 2-1 by West Brom. Okazaki […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged his players to “be cool” after his side went top of the Premier League for the first time since he arrived at Anfield. Klopp watched Liverpool produce one of their most emphatic displays of the season as they thrashed Watford 6-1. Sadio Mane scored twice while […]

Swansea (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at the Manchester United players he fears might not have the right attitude to guide his side back into the Premier League title race. Mourinho saw first half goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba help United to only a second league victory in […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Mark Warburton says Rangers must be more clinical in front of goal as they slipped up in the Scottish Premiership for the seventh time this season. Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw away to bottom of the table Ross County, who remain the only team in Scotland's four divisions never to […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Colorado goalkeeper Tim Howard made two saves in a penalty shootout Sunday to advance the Rapids over the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Major League Soccer playoffs. The Rapids won 3-1 on penalties after a 1-0 victory in the second leg of a two-match Western Conference semi-final series left the teams […]

Chicago (AFP) – US coach Jurgen Klinsmann named a veteran lineup featuring Jozy Altidore and Bayern Munich's Julian Green on Sunday for a showdown with Mexico to open the final phase of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying. The Americans will entertain Mexico on Friday at Columbus, Ohio, in the opening match in the "hexagonal," the […]