Baku (AFP) – Portugal's Euro 2016 final hero Eder made an inauspicious return to competitive action on Thursday as his Lille side were unceremoniously dumped out of the Europa League in Azerbaijan. The French club went down 1-0 to Qabala in the heat of Baku to lose their third qualifying round tie 2-1 on aggregate. […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Senegal defender Lamine Sane has left Bordeaux to join Werder Bremen, the French club announced on Thursday. Bordeaux, where the 29-year-old Sane has been since the start of his career, confirmed that he had passed a medical and penned a contract, although the length of the deal was not disclosed. Sane, who […]

Toulouse (France) (AFP) – Sweden international striker Ola Toivonen has joined Toulouse on a three-year contract from Ligue 1 rivals Rennes, the buying club announced on Thursday. Toivonen, 30, spent the past season on loan at Sunderland but struggled to make an impact, failing to score a single goal as he was limited to 12 […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Outspoken USA women's goalkeeper Hope Solo shrugged off as "fun" the abuse she faced from Brazilian fans angered by extravagant social media posts showing her precautions to avoid the Zika virus at Rio 2016. A two-time Olympics gold medallist with the all-conquering Americans, Solo was roundly booed during the USA's […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho should be sent to prison for bullying and exiling Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, a member of world players' union FifPro claimed on Thursday. Mourinho is keen to sell Schweinsteiger as he puts his mark on United's squad and reports have emerged that the Old Trafford manager has banished the […]

Another round of summer friendlies in the US and Canada has come and gone. And they have once again been a smashing success, both in attendances and TV ratings. This summer was truly an international flavor with teams playing on North American soil from Spain, Germany, Mexico, Scotland, Wales, England, France, Italy as well as […]

London (AFP) – England midfielder Jack Wilshere will miss Arsenal's forthcoming tour of Scandinavia with a knee injury, the Premier League club announced on Thursday. Wilshere, 24, played only three times for Arsenal last season after fracturing his shin in pre-season and then made three appearances in England's doomed Euro 2016 campaign. Chilean forward Alexis […]

East Rutherford (United States) (AFP) – Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti has ruled out a return for Bastian Schweinsteiger, as the German champions finished their US tour. "Schweinsteiger plays no role in our planning," said Bayern's new Italian coach after Bayern's 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid in a friendly in New York. "He is a […]

Brussels (AFP) – Roberto Martinez expressed his delight on Thursday after being named as the new head coach of the Belgium national team. The Spaniard was chosen as the successor to Marc Wilmots on Wednesday, after the former Belgium midfielder was sacked following the side's 3-1 defeat to Wales in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016. […]

In one of the most highly billed matches of the fourth annual International Champions Cup, Real Madrid defeated Bayern Munich in the final ten minutes of an exciting affair Wednesday night. Despite several second half substitutions by both sides, the game was engaging and well appreciated by the 82,012 fans who packed MetLife Stadium in East […]

Berlin (AFP) – Disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has admitted his six-year ban from all football-related activity has taken a toll on his mental health. In an interview with German broadcaster ZDF to be screened Thursday night, the 80-year-old Swiss says the ban has left 'a mark' on him as he continues the fight […]

East Rutherford (United States) (AFP) – Bayern Munich finished their tour of the USA with a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid after a stunning Danilo strike sealed the European champions' friendly victory in New Jersey. In front of 82,012 fans at the MetLife-Stadium, the home of NFL sides the New York Jets and New York […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Diego Maradona has hailed the new Argentina coach Edgardo "Paton" Bauza as a man with a record of sacrificing everything for national glory. Bauza, 58, was appointed Argentina coach on Monday after the departure of Gerardo Martino, who left after disappointing defeats in the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Copa America […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has urged supporters to be patient after they needed a stoppage time penalty to edge past FC Astana in their Champions League third round qualifier. The Hoops earned a 2-1 win thanks to a penalty from Moussa Dembele with the game on the verge of extra time after […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Oscar scored a second half brace as Chelsea cruised past AC Milan 3-1 in the final game of their globetrotting exhibition tour, which took them to Australia, China, England, Scotland and the USA. The Brazilian star scored in the 70th and 87th minutes on Wednesday for Chelsea, who rebounded from a […]