Los Angeles (AFP) – Major League Soccer attendances climbed to record levels for a third straight year this season, putting the US top flight above Italy's Serie A and France's Ligue 1 in average gates, figures showed Monday. The 340 games of the 2016 regular season drew a total of 7,375,144 fans, an average of […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp says that Loris Karius is now his first-choice goalkeeper after the young German replaced Simon Mignolet during the Reds' run up the Premier League table. Mignolet will be back in action for Tuesday's EFL Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur but the competition has long been used by leading clubs to […]

Paris (AFP) – Leicester City heroes Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, stars in their team's fairytale run to the Premier League title, have been named on a 30-player longlist for the 2016 Ballon d'Or. Vardy — who has enjoyed a meteoric rise from amateur football to rub shoulders with the game's biggest names — is […]

For the 2016 MLS regular season, the average attendance was 21,690, which is an 0.66% increase compared to last season. The 21,690 number is the third year in a row that Major League Soccer has broken its own attendance record. And it means that the league now has a greater average attendance than Argentina's Primera […]

Paris (AFP) – Three-time world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo will have to take on Real Madrid teammate Gareth Bale for the Ballon d'Or. Both were on the 2016 longlist announced Monday which also featured Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, Borussia Dortmund's Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Juventus veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Manchester United's Swedish […]

Seven games from Round 4 of the League Cup will be shown live in the United States including the Manchester derby, Liverpool against Spurs as well as Newcastle versus Preston and much more. Three of the seven games will be shown on television, while four of them are available online only for viewers in the […]

Here are the ten things we learned on Decision Day as the 2016 MLS regular season drew to a close. 1. The Timbers’ Title Defense Goes Up In Flames Despite enduring a 2016 season with more turbulence than anyone in Portland could have imagined, the defending champion Timbers entered the final day of the MLS […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea's 4-0 win over Manchester United is a sure sign of their readiness to mount a bid for the Premier League title, according to Pedro Rodriguez. The Spain winger opened the scoring after just 30 seconds at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with further goals from Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United's Juan Mata believes remaining "mentally strong" will be vital to their hopes of bouncing back against Manchester City in Wednesday's derby clash following a thumping defeat by Chelsea. Sunday saw United's six-game unbeaten run in all competitions come to a spectacular end as Chelsea won 4-0 in the Premier League […]

London (AFP) – Kelechi Iheanacho has urged Manchester City to maintain their "focus" as the Premier League leaders bid to end a run of frustrating results. City started the season with 10 straight wins under new manager Pep Guardiola. But their 1-1 draw with Southampton at Eastlands on Sunday means City, top of the table […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho and Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte refused to divulge the content of a terse touchline exchange between them after the London club's 4-0 win. Prior to walking down the tunnel following Sunday's game, stony-faced former Chelsea manager Mourinho cupped Conte's head and spent a good while whispering in […]

New York (AFP) – Reigning MLS Cup champions the Portland Timbers missed out on a playoff berth as the regular season concluded Sunday with a welter of matches that included a big win for New York City FC. Portland needed a win against the Vancouver Whitecaps to reach the post-season, but fell 4-1 to their […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola face off for the second time this season when Manchester United entertain holders Manchester City in the English League Cup fourth round on Wednesday. Guardiola's City took the spoils when he and Mourinho resumed hostilities in September, winning 2-1 at Old Trafford through goals from Kevin De […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers heaped praise on his players after they booked their place in the Scottish League Cup final with a 1-0 win over Old Firm rivals Rangers. Moussa Dembele's 87th-minute winner was the difference at an intense Hampden Park on Sunday, with Rodgers now hoping to lead his side to […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho and Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte refused to divulge the content of a terse touchline exchange between them after the London club's 4-0 win. Prior to walking down the tunnel following Sunday's game, stony-faced former Chelsea manager Mourinho cupped Conte's head and spent a good while whispering in […]