When the small Caribbean country of Trinidad and Tobago qualified for its first World Cup in November of 2005, the nation’s Prime Minister Patrick Manning declared a national holiday. That same year, when the African country of Cote d’Ivoire qualified for its first finals, the country’s Civil War ground to a halt as its President […]

London (AFP) – England's women's record goalscorer Kelly Smith announced her retirement from the sport on Wednesday. The 38-year-old striker — who scored 46 goals in 117 appearances for England — won five FA Cups with Arsenal, scoring six goals in the showpiece event. She also played in Arsenal's historic 2007 UEFA Cup — now […]

London (AFP) – Former non league player Cohen Bramall has the all round qualities to make it at Arsenal said Gunners manager Arsene Wenger on Wednesday. The 20-year-old defender — who a week ago was facing life on the dole queue after being made redundant by luxury carmakers Bentley — will first be tried out […]

Berlin (AFP) – Struggling Bayer Leverkusen striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez has scotched reports of a transfer move. According to media reports the club are ready to sell the former Manchester United star who has lost his scoring touch. But the Mexican international said no move was on the cards. "Jonas Boldt and Rudi Voeller (Leverkusen's […]

Paris (AFP) – Herve Renard is looking to do something in Gabon that no coach has done before and win a third Africa Cup of Nations title with a third different country. The Frenchman leads Morocco into the tournament having won the title with the Ivory Coast two years ago and with Zambia, the last […]

Southampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to make amends for their FA Cup flop by delivering a dominant display in Wednesday's League Cup semi-final first leg against Southampton. Klopp fielded Liverpool's youngest ever line-up against Plymouth in the FA Cup third round on Sunday and the raw rookies failed to impress […]

Shanghai (AFP) – China's football chief and state media hailed FIFA's decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams from 2026, saying it could help realise the country's "dream" of returning to the sport's grandest stage. Chinese Football Association President Cai Zhenhua called the expansion an opportunity for China, who currently languish at 82nd […]

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – Asia's football chief said the region "deserves more slots" at the World Cup, as FIFA's decision to expand the tournament to 48 teams from 2026 was cheered in countries from China to New Zealand. Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said Asia's size and economic might merited more than its current […]

Libreville (AFP) – Ivory Coast want Crystal Palace flier Wilfried Zaha to replace injured Gervinho as they try to become only the fourth country to successfully defend the Africa Cup of Nations title. Egypt have achieved the feat three times in the 60-year-old African football showcase and Ghana and Cameroon once each. But two of […]

Cairo (AFP) – Egypt return to the African Cup of Nations after a seven-year absence with a new generation looking to rekindle the glory days of three consecutive titles before the 2011 uprising exhausted Egyptian football. Watching football has for decades been a favourite past-time for millions of Egyptians, especially with the national team who […]

Paris (AFP) – Herve Renard is looking to do something in Gabon that no coach has done before and win a third Africa Cup of Nations title with a third different country. The Frenchman leads Morocco into the tournament having won the title with the Ivory Coast two years ago and with Zambia, the last […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said he, his players and even the club's supporters will need to raise their game when arch rivals Liverpool visit Old Trafford this weekend. United ground out a 2-0 win against Hull City in Tuesday's League Cup semi-final first leg and it took an 87th-minute […]

Paris (AFP) – Joao Moutinho struck a late equaliser for Monaco as the Ligue 1 title challengers overcame second-tier Sochaux 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to reach the French League Cup semi-finals. Faneva Andriatsima struck on the quarter hour as hosts Sochaux, who dumped Marseille out in the previous round, grabbed the lead […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United's French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin is closing in on a move to Everton, his manager Jose Mourinho confirmed on Tuesday. British media reports claim United have agreed to sell Schneiderlin, who joined the club from Southampton in 2015, for a fee of £22 million ($26.8 million, 25.4 million euros). […]

Madrid (AFP) – Antoine Griezmann struck for the third time in as many games in 2017 as Atletico Madrid secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey 4-3 on aggregate despite losing 3-2 at home to Las Palmas on Tuesday. Griezmann shrugged off the disappointment of finishing third behind Cristiano Ronaldo and […]