London (AFP) – Marseille's Belgian international striker Michy Batshuayi has signed a five-year contract with Chelsea, the Premier League club confirmed on Sunday. A 6.5-million-euro signing from Standard Liege in 2014, Batshuayi scored 17 goals in Ligue 1 last season, and 23 times in all competitions. The 22-year-old was part of the Belgium squad at […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Kelechi Iheanacho will miss the Olympics because new Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants him to stay at the English club for pre-season training instead of . The 19-year-old striker was selected in Nigeria’s 35-man provisional squad for the football tournament at next month's Games in Rio de Janeiro. That […]

London (AFP) – Former Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta confirmed on Sunday he has accepted a coaching role under new Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. The 34-year-old Spaniard is retiring after a five-year stint with the Gunners, during which time he won two FA Cups. "Following recent media speculation surrounding my future I can confirm that […]

Paris (AFP) – Poland international midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak has signed for French champions Paris Saint-Germain from Sevilla on a five-year deal, both clubs confirmed on Sunday. The 26-year-old, who started his career at Ligue 1 side Bordeaux, links up again with former Sevilla coach Unai Emery, now at the helm of PSG. He becomes PSG's […]

London (AFP) – Former England manager Glenn Hoddle said Sunday he would be interested in talking to the Football Association (FA) about taking over from Roy Hodgson after the team's Euro 2016 exit to Iceland. Hoddle, 58, previously held the position from 1996 to 1999 when he was sacked following comments he made about disabled […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Italy coach Antonio Conte insisted his battling players left their mark on Euro 2016 but after a quarter-final penalty shootout defeat to Germany he is already looking towards his "new adventure" with Chelsea. "I think the lads really left their mark on this tournament," an emotional Conte said on Saturday after seeing […]

Paris (AFP) – Hosts France have their sights set on a place in the semi-finals of Euro 2016 but must be wary of falling victim to another Icelandic giant-killing when the teams clash on Sunday. Didier Deschamps' side come into the last quarter-final at the Stade de France as the overwhelming favourites against a country […]

For some, the country that has been the most-watched Copa America Centenario team on US television may be a surprise. It's not, as you would expect, the United States as the host country. Others won't be surprised that it's the Mexico national team that was the most popular Copa America Centenario team on US shores. […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Germany moved into the semi-finals of Euro 2016 but their un-German-like inefficiency in a penalty shootout with Italy almost cost them dear before Jonas Hector kept his head. Germany missed three penalties before triumphing 6-5 in a rollercoaster 18-penalty shootout as Hector slotted home his kick under the diving Gianluigi Buffon and […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Tears rolled down the cheeks of Gianluigi Buffon but the legendary Italy 'keeper said there were "no regrets" despite the Azzurri missing a golden chance to beat Germany to a Euro 2016 semi-final spot. "The tears are for my disappointment. It was a magical experience that revived something in all of us […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Manuel Neuer says his determination to stop Leonardo Bonucci's second spot-kick was the key to Germany's dramatic 6-5 penalty shootout win over Italy in Saturday's Euro 2016 quarter-final. Neuer, voted the world's best goalkeeper for the last three years, saved shots from Bonucci and Matteo Darmian in the marathon 18-penalty shootout after […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Jonas Hector, who scored the decisive spot-kick as Germany beat Italy 6-5 in a penalty shootout to reach the Euro 2016 semi-finals on Saturday, admitted his nerves had been jangling. "I knew I had to take one at some point and I had my heart in my mouth," Hector said. "It's hard […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Jonas Hector fired Germany into the semi-finals of Euro 2016 at Italy's expense after an epic round of 18 penalty kicks that saw players from both sides produce stunning misses in Bordeaux on Saturday. World Cup holders Germany won the shoot-out 6-5 after a tense match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Jonas Hector struck the winning penalty as Germany progressed to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 with a 6-5 win over Italy on penalties after a marathon shootout. The match ended 1-1 at the end of extra-time as Leonardo Bonucci's penalty cancelled out Mesut Ozil's opener for Germany.

Bordeaux (AFP) – World champions Germany's blockbuster Euro 2016 quarter-final against Italy went to extra-time in Bordeaux after Leonardo Bonucci's penalty 12 minutes from time cancelled out Mesut Ozil's opener. Ozil made Germany's pressure count when he slotted home Jonas Hector's deflected cross midway through the second-half, but a needless handball from Jerome Boateng inside […]