London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli will wear his first name on the back of his shirt this season, rather than his surname, his club announced on Saturday. "I wanted a name on my shirt that represented who I am and I feel I have no connection with the Alli surname," the England […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker has been named as the Premier League club's new captain even though the injured German may not play again this year. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger defended the curious decision and said he will choose from a pool of experienced players to lead the side during Mertesacker's prolonged absence. […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has a tough decision to make before his side's first game of the season against Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup first leg on Sunday. The Catalans travel to the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan to face the Europa League winners in a repeat of May’s Copa del Rey final, which […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Outspoken USA women's goalkeeper Hope Solo labelled Sweden "cowards" after the world champions' bid for a fourth straight Olympic gold ended, whilst Brazil edged past Australia in a marathon penalty shootout despite a miss from star Marta in the quarter-finals. Sweden progressed to their first ever Olympics semi-final 4-3 on […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is grappling with a defensive injury crisis ahead of his team's Premier League opener at home to Jurgen Klopp's buoyant Liverpool on Sunday. Wenger is set to be without his three senior centre-backs at the Emirates Stadium and in Liverpool faces a team who put four unanswered goals […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund host champions Bayern Munich for the German Super Cup on Sunday with Mats Hummels and Mario Goetze set to be scrutinised following high-profile returns to each rival team. The showdown between German league and cup champions Bayern and last season's runners-up Dortmund, who finished second to the Bavarians in both […]

Soccer fans in the United States looking forward to watching the Premier League on US television this August will need to remember an important step. If you've been watching a lot of the Olympics like I have, you may have selected the Olympics Channel on the NBC Sports App (previously known as NBC Sports Live […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Outspoken USA women's goalkeeper Hope Solo labelled Sweden "cowards" after the world champions' bid for a fourth straight Olympic gold ended in quarter-final defeat. Sweden progressed to their first ever Olympics semi-final 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Brasilia as Sweden coach Pia Sundhage ousted the US team […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has hit back at Jose Mourinho's claim that only Manchester United are willing to publicly declare they can win the Premier League. On the eve of the new campaign, Mourinho has set his sights on the English title and poured scorn on the more cautious attitudes of the […]

Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho has pledged to turn Manchester United's underachieving stars into Premier League title contenders with a relentless diet of hard work. Mourinho will take charge of his first league match as United manager on Sunday when his new team kick off their domestic campaign at Bournemouth. It is a […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Boasting perhaps the most compelling cast of characters in its 24-year history, the Premier League resumes this weekend with the duel between Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho taking centre-stage. England's elite have spent big in the hope of usurping champions Leicester City and nowhere will the battle be more intense […]

Paris (AFP) – Layvin Kurzawa scored a second-half winner as four-time reigning French champions Paris Saint-Germain began the defence of their Ligue 1 crown with an unconvincing 1-0 victory at Bastia on Friday. Unai Emery's side demolished Lyon 4-1 last weekend in the Champions Trophy, but PSG were forced to wait until the 73rd minute […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Star striker Lionel Messi will return to play for the Argentine national football team for "love" of his country, despite earlier vowing to retire in frustration, he said on Friday. It was heartening news for the country's demanding soccer fans after Argentina were knocked out of the Olympic Games this week […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United's new signing Paul Pogba is suspended for his side's Premier League opener at Bournemouth on Sunday, England's Football Association announced on Friday. The 23-year-old France midfielder was booked twice while playing for Juventus in last season's Coppa Italia, incurring a one-game ban that has been transferred to England. […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Women's football world champions the United States' bid for a fourth consecutive gold medal was ended by a shock 4-3 defeat on penalties to Sweden after a 1-1 draw in Brasilia on Friday. Defeat is the Americans' first in 15 games at the Olympics and only their third ever in […]