Berlin (AFP) – South Korean attacking midfielder Jae-sung Lee has signed for Bundesliga side Mainz on a free transfer after narrowly missing promotion last season with ex-club Holstein Kiel. The 28-year-old banged in 23 goals in 104 games over four years with second-tier side Kiel, who lost a two-legged play-off against Cologne last May to […]

London (AFP) – England fans are looking forward to a first major tournament final in 55 years as their team prepare to face Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley on Sunday. Three years on from their defeat by Croatia in the World Cup semi-final, Gareth Southgate's men overcame Denmark 2-1 in extra time […]

London (AFP) – Ancient wounds, modern political divisions and the perceived arrogance of its supporters will see England's neighbours in the United Kingdom largely rooting for Italy in Sunday's Euro 2020 final, even if many recognise a likeable team. While cities and towns across England erupted in joy after the men's team on Wednesday advanced […]

Rome (AFP) – Dino Zoff sees similarities between Roberto Mancini's Euro 2020 finalists and the Italy team he captained to World Cup glory in 1982, he told AFP. The Azzurri will face England in the final at Wembley on Sunday, bidding to win their second European Championship title and first since Zoff helped the team […]

London (AFP) – Five years after Gareth Southgate was thrown into the role of England manager after Sam Allardyce's 67-day reign ended in disgrace, the Three Lions have reached their first major tournament final for 55 years. Southgate, initially appointed on an interim basis, was seen as the squeaky clean role model the Football Association […]

London (AFP) – When Roberto Mancini leads out Italy for Sunday's Euro 2020 final at Wembley with his cherished friend Gianluca Vialli in close proximity, both men will inevitably think back to their most crushing disappointment as players on the same ground. The two were born just a few months apart and they were known […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Neymar will line up opposite each other in Saturday's Copa America final looking to end a hoodoo that has also affected some of their countries' greatest players. Like Brazil's Pele and Diego Maradona of Argentina before them, neither Messi nor Neymar has ever won […]

Through the quarterfinals (48 matches), UEFA EURO 2020 on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 has delivered an average audience of 1,146,000 viewers, a 25 percent increase compared to the same matches in 2016 on ESPN and ESPN2 (917,000 viewers). An average audience of 2,018,000 viewers watched the four quarterfinal matches on ABC and ESPN on Friday […]

Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has extended his contract until 2024, the La Liga champions announced Thursday. The Argentinian, who won the domestic double in 1996 with the club during a five-year spell as a player and arrived at Atletico as coach in 2011, has signed through until June 30, 2024. During […]

Rome (AFP) – Jose Mourinho on Thursday launched into life with new club Roma, saying his latest challenge is very much a work in progress but vowing that trophies will follow in due course. The 58-year-old Portuguese arrives back in Serie A 11 years after leading Inter Milan to an unprecedented treble of the Champions […]

Dhaka (AFP) – Police in a rural Bangladesh district have banned gatherings for Sunday's Copa America final between Brazil and Argentina following clashes between rival fans. Longstanding rivalry between followers of the South American giants boiled over after Brazil's semi-final win over Peru to set up the final against Lionel Messi's Argentina, police said Thursday. […]

London (AFP) – Denmark's run to the Euro 2020 semi-finals was even more of a fairytale for the nation of five million people after their near-tragic start to the tournament. On the opening weekend of the Euro, Christian Eriksen, his country's star player for the best part of a decade, collapsed on the field against Finland […]

Paris (AFP) – Sergio Ramos, the former Real Madrid stalwart considered one of the best defenders in the world, has signed a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, the French club said Thursday. Ramos, 35, won the Champions League four times with Real and is a World Cup winner and a two-time champion of Europe with […]

London (AFP) – England fans woke up bleary-eyed on Thursday to the reality of a first major tournament final in 55 years after a momentous win against Denmark set up a Euro 2020 showdown with Italy. Three years on from their defeat to Croatia in the World Cup semi-final, Gareth Southgate's men overcame the Danes […]

Paris (AFP) – Sergio Ramos, the former Real Madrid stalwart considered one of the best defenders in the world, has signed a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, the French club said Thursday. Ramos, 35, won the Champions League four times with Real and is a World Cup winner and a two-time champion of Europe with […]