Nice (France) (AFP) – Northern Ireland have recorded a "massive achievement" just reaching the European Championship finals, coach Michael O'Neill said Saturday ahead of the team's biggest game in 30 years against Poland. Northern Ireland will make their Euro debut in Nice on Sunday against their Group C rivals powered by feared Bayern Munich striker […]

After the first week of Copa America Centenario matches, the TV ratings show a clear winner in the United States with Univision averaging 2.8 million viewers per game compared to FOX Sports, which is averaging 831,100 viewers per game on FOX Sports 1 (and an average of 716,417 when combined with FOX Sports 2 ratings). It's […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – Germany boss Joachim Loew is adamant the world champions cannot blame bad luck with injuries if they fail to match their Brazil success from two years ago at the European Championship finals. Marco Reus, Ilkay Gundogan and Antonio Ruediger all missed out on Loew's 23-man squad — the youngest of any […]

La Paz (AFP) – President Evo Morales complained bitterly Saturday that Bolivia was "robbed" one day after a controversial loss to Chile at football's Copa America Centenario tournament. "Congratulations to our football team, excellent battle," the Bolivian leader wrote on Twitter. "Unfortunately we were robbed" during the penalty kick to break a one-one tie, Morales […]

Marseille (AFP) – Football fans fought pitched battles for the third day in the French city of Marseille ahead of England's European Championship clash with Russia on Saturday. Bare-chested English and Russian supporters hurled bistro chairs and bottles in the historic Vieux-Port district where the cobbled streets were littered with broken glass and debris. The air […]

Lens (France) (AFP) – Fabien Schaer's powerful header gave Switzerland a narrow 1-0 win over 10-man Albania on the second day of the European Championship finals on Saturday. The Group A match, in the spotlight with brothers Granit and Taulant Xhaka playing for opposing sides, was decided by the sending off of Albania captain Lorik […]

Nearly five years ago, Jurgen Klinsmann took charge of his first game as the US Men’s National Team head coach against Mexico at Lincoln Financial Field. Now he returns for the first time since then to that stadium with the prospect of advancing to the Copa America Centenario knockout stages. His tenure has been marked […]

It wasn’t France’s day. Struggling under the immense and unique pressure of trying lift a tense and nation at a home tournament, and struggling against a Romania side that came to play, Les Bleus looked destined to open Euro 2016 at the Stade de France with a disappointing 1-1 draw. Enter Dimitri Payet, the little […]

Lens (France) (AFP) – Albania captain Lorik Cana became the first player to get a red card at the European Championships in just the second game against Switzerland on Saturday. Cana was on the edge of the penalty area when he fell and first headed the ball in an attempted clearance and then pushed it […]

Marseille (AFP) – Roy Hodgson's England enter the fray at Euro 2016 on Saturday bidding to end a 50-year wait for a major title and hoping their fans are not involved in more clashes. England take on Russia in Marseille where beer-swilling English hooligans have fought with police for two nights in scenes reminiscent of […]

Foxborough (United States) (AFP) – Arturo Vidal scored a controversial penalty deep into injury time as holders Chile snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory over Bolivia to keep their Copa America Centenario campaign alive. Bayern Munich star Vidal struck from the spot in the 10th minute of time added on after a hugely debatable penalty was […]

Chicago (AFP) – Lionel Messi scored a magical hat-trick in 19 minutes as Argentina cruised into the Copa America Centenario quarter-finals with a 5-0 rout of Panama on Friday. Messi had been forced to delay his debut in the tournament after a slow recovery from a lower back injury, with Argentina coach Gerardo Martino surprisingly […]

The US Men's National Team averted disaster on Tuesday night when they smashed Costa Rica 4-0. Now the task is very straightforward: win and the US moves on to the quarter-finals, lose and they are knocked out, and if the US draws there are several different scenarios. It’s going to be a gripping game when […]

Paris (AFP) – With France heading for disappointment, Dimitri Payet unleashed a sensational goal to rescue the European Championship hosts who claimed a 2-1 win over Romania in an emotional opening match. In a packed Stade de France surrounded by thousands of police guarding against a repeat of the Novermber 13 attacks on Paris, coach […]

Evian (France) (AFP) – With nine members of their squad playing for foreign clubs, world champions Germany have never had so many internationals based abroad, a trend which has generated criticism at home. Joachim Loew's Germany can not even claim to be the team at the Euro 2016 finals with the most players from the […]