Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona have defended their campaign on social media in support of Lionel Messi after the Argentine superstar's 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud. "We are involved in a controversy in which there is the feeling that FC Barcelona has committed a tax crime whereas that is not the case," said club spokesman […]

FC Dallas is the class of Major League Soccer in 2016, and the club has done it with few – if any – big named players. Excellent coaching, brilliant defending and timely scoring have all pushed Dallas to the top of MLS’s overall points table, three points more than nearest Western Conference rival Colorado Rapid, […]

It was almost fitting that Cristiano Ronaldo, the last vestige of Portugal’s great attacking tradition, only lasted twenty-five minutes before coming off – injured and in tears – at the Euro 2016 final on Sunday. If Portugal were going to win their first major tournament championship at the Stade de France – which they somehow […]

Lisbon (AFP) – After a night of rowdy celebrations Portugal's European champions led by Cristiano Ronaldo returned home to a heroes' welcome on Monday and a country overjoyed by their upset win over France. Tens of thousands of fans took over the streets of Lisbon waving red and green national flags to mark the historic […]

Dark memories of that brutal night in Lisbon 12 years ago have haunted Portuguese soccer ever since. The dying embers of their golden generation sparked one last charge in 2006, but since then Ronaldo’s Portugal hasn’t been able to find the guile and the drive outside of their run four years ago. In these Euros, it […]

London (AFP) – Italy striker Graziano Pelle has joined Chinese side Shandong Luneng from Southampton for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club announced on Monday. Pelle, 30, was part of the Italy team that reached the Euro 2016 quarter-finals and scored 30 goals in 81 appearances for Southampton following his arrival from Feyenoord in […]

Paris (AFP) – Didier Deschamps will remain as coach of France and lead them into the looming 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign despite their stunning upset by Portugal in the European Championship final. France turned to Deschamps when the pressure was on and he narrowly missed a triumph that would have made him one of […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich's new coach Carlo Ancelotti said Monday he would stick to his predecessor Pep Guardiola's offensive strategy for the Bundesliga giants, pledging to "try to win every competition". "I come after a fantastic manager ... and I will try to follow (him with) good football, and offensive football," Ancelotti said in […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA on Monday named French forward and tournament top scorer Antoine Griezmann as the best player of Euro 2016, a day after the hosts' 1-0 final defeat to Portugal. "Antoine Griezmann was a threat in every game he played. He works hard for his team and possesses technique, vision and quality finishing," […]

Lisbon (AFP) – The Portugal football team led by Cristiano Ronaldo returned home to a heroes' welcome Monday after their upset triumph over France in the Euro 2016 final. Tens of thousands of fans waited for the team at Lisbon airport when their special flight arrived. There have been joyous nationwide celebrations since the 1-0 […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo's victorious Portugal team prepared to return home to a triumphant welcome Monday after their shock 1-0 win over France in the European Championship final, the country's first international title. The Real Madrid superstar was stretchered off the Stade de France pitch in tears in the first half late on Sunday, […]

Paris (AFP) – The open-top bus for the victory parade was ready and President Francois Hollande said France's success at Euro 2016 was helping the country to heal from the Paris attacks — but the party fell flat. Authorities had braced for mass celebrations if France — a country still on high terrorist alert — […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Central Lisbon was taken over by dancing fans, faces painted red, green and yellow and waving national flags after Portugal's stunning win over France in the Euro 2016 final Sunday. Tens of thousands of screaming supporters flooded the streets to celebrate Portugal's 1-0 victory — the country's first international title delivered even […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Frank Lampard scored his fourth goal in five games but it was not enough to stop New York City FC from slipping to a 3-1 defeat at Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer. Former Chelsea and England star Lampard on Sunday stroked in a 14th-minute equaliser for City after Brazilian midfielder […]

Hong Kong (AFP) – Former Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung on Monday lost his appeal in Hong Kong's top court against a six-year prison sentence for money laundering. The 56-year-old was jailed for six years in March 2014 on five charges of laundering HK$721 million (US$93 million) in a case that gripped the southern Chinese […]