Tokyo (AFP) – Brazil no longer rely on superstar Neymar to win games, manager Tite said Sunday, with an Olympic gold medal-winning generation looking to step up at the World Cup. Neymar underlined his importance to Tite's side by netting the 72nd and 73rd goals of his Brazil career in a 5-1 friendly thrashing of […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Sadio Mane scored a hat-trick as Senegal overcame Benin 3-1 on Saturday in the first match of their Africa Cup of Nations title defence, and hinted that he will not be at Liverpool next season. Speaking to the media before the Group L clash, Mane said: "I will do what they […]

Bologna (Italy) (AFP) – Germany needed a Joshua Kimmich equaliser as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with a much-changed Italy team in the UEFA Nations League in Bologna on Saturday. Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini gave the European champions the lead 20 minutes from time at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium only for Kimmich to […]

Budapest (AFP) – England slumped to their first defeat against Hungary in 60 years on Saturday as the hosts earned a shock 1-0 win in Budapest to launch their Nations League campaign. Dominik Szoboszlai scored the only goal from the penalty spot as Hungary celebrated their first victory over England since 1962. Defeat on penalties […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Former Argentina forward Carlos Tevez, who has been without a club for the past year, announced his retirement from the game on Saturday. "I'm retiring, it's confirmed," the 38-year-old told America TV in Argentina. "As a player I gave everything I had in my heart and that leaves me at peace […]

Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Wales captain Gareth Bale said any sympathy with Ukraine will be forgotten on Sunday as he tries to lead his country to a World Cup for the first time since 1958. Ukraine beat Scotland 3-1 in an emotional encounter on Wednesday in their first competitive match since Russia's invasion to […]

Paris (AFP) – Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has been called up to play for France for the first time with Raphael Varane ruled out injured for the world champions' final Nations League games. Manchester United's Varane picked up a left thigh injury in France's 2-1 defeat to Denmark in the Stade de France on Friday. […]

Paris (AFP) – Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has dropped an appeal against a one-year suspended sentence for complicity in a bid to blackmail former France teammate Mathieu Valbuena with a sex tape, his lawyer said Saturday. Benzema was sentenced in November 2021 and fined 75,000 euros ($82,000) over the 2015 extortion attempt that shocked French […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – French coach Jean-Louis Gasset made a winning debut as boss of the Ivory Coast on Friday when the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations hosts beat Zambia 3-1 in a Group H opener in Yamoussoukro. The first two goals came after corners with captain Serge Aurier poking the Elephants ahead on 67 minutes […]

Paris (AFP) – Substitute Andreas Cornelius scored twice as Denmark recovered from conceding to a brilliant Karim Benzema goal to beat France 2-1 on Friday in the UEFA Nations League at the Stade de France, the first match at the venue since the chaos that marred last weekend's Champions League final. Benzema's stunning strike put […]

London (AFP) – England coach Gareth Southgate said he was "surprised" that 35,000 fans will be in attendance for Saturday's Nations League game against Hungary due to take place behind closed doors in Budapest. Hungary were ordered by both UEFA and FIFA to play matches without crowds after racist behaviour by their fans last year. […]

Madrid (AFP) – Valencia have sacked Jose Bordalas as coach, the club confirmed on Friday, with Gennaro Gattuso being lined up to replace him. Valencia finished a disappointing ninth in La Liga last season, although they did reach the final of the Copa del Rey, which they lost on penalties to Real Betis. The club […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany boss Hansi Flick expects Italy's under-pressure head coach Roberto Mancini to come out firing and inspire the European champions in Saturday's Nations League clash. Italy host Germany in Bologna with the hosts licking their wounds from a 3-0 thrashing by Argentina in Wednesday's Finalissima at Wembley and still reeling after again […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid on Friday demanded an explanation for the way fans were treated at the Champions League final last weekend and said authorities must take responsibility for the ugly scenes in Paris which the club said were "far removed from the values" of the sport. In the statement published "in defence of […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Naim Sliti scored and created two other goals as Qatar World Cup qualifiers Tunisia began a four-match build-up this month by hammering 10-man Equatorial Guinea 4-0 in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Thursday. Sliti broke the stubborn resistance of the Equatoguineans on 56 minutes when, after two failed […]