Orlando (AFP) – Philippe Coutinho struck a spectacular hat-trick and Renato Augusto scored twice as Brazil crushed Haiti 7-1 in their Copa America Centenario Group B match at the Citrus Bowl. The result moves Brazil to four points from two games after they were held to a goal-less draw in their opener against Ecuador. The […]

Paris (AFP) – Swedish legend Freddie Ljungberg says his country can survive Euro 2016's 'group of death' with superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic poised to play his last European Championship finals. Erik Hamren's Sweden open their campaign against the Republic of Ireland at Paris' Stade de France on June 13 and will also face Belgium and Italy […]

Glendale (United States) (AFP) – Luis Suarez will miss Uruguay's second match of the Copa America Centenario against Venezuela after struggling to shake off his hamstring problem, coach Oscar Tabarez confirmed. Uruguay face Venezuela on Thursday in Group C in Philadelphia aiming to bounce back after suffering defeat to Mexico in their opening match on […]

Orlando (AFP) – Philippe Coutinho struck a hat-trick and Renato Augusto scored twice as Brazil crushed Haiti 7-1 in their Copa America Centenario Group B match at the Citrus Bowl. Wednesday's result moves Brazil to four points from two games after they were held to a goalless draw in their opener against Ecuador. The five-times […]

Paris (AFP) – A tortuous build-up dominated by off-field controversy and untimely injuries comes to an end for hosts France when they finally get Euro 2016 underway against Romania in Group A at the Stade de France on Friday. Les Bleus' preparations on the field have been distracted by claims from Real Madrid striker Karim […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal warmed-up for Euro 2016 with a 7-0 mauling of Estonia at Lisbon's Stadium of Light on Wednesday. The Real Madrid star hit the target twice in nine minutes late in the first half. "Today we showed that the team is doing well on all levels. We […]

Chantilly (France) (AFP) – Manchester United defender Chris Smalling paid tribute to former manager Louis van Gaal on Wednesday for helping him to become a first-choice pick for both club and country. United said farewell to defensive stalwarts Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic prior to Van Gaal's arrival in 2014 and when it came to […]

Montpellier (France) (AFP) – Beaten 2012 finalists Italy were given a raucous welcome by fans at their Euro 2016 Montpellier base on Wednesday after arriving in the southern French city from Rome. Italy, who lost the 2012 final 4-0 to Spain, have failed to get past the first round of the past two editions of […]

After 5 days of Copa America Centenario coverage, FOX Sports is averaging 869,286 viewers for its games on FS1. The top 7 matches televised on FOX Sports 1 thus far have been: • USA vs. Costa Rica 1,600,000 • USA vs. Colombia 1,302,000 • Argentina vs. Chile 862,000 • Colombia vs. Paraguay 739,000 • Mexico vs. Uruguay 619,000 • Brazil vs. […]

Dublin (AFP) – Robbie Keane faces a race against time to prove his fitness as the Republic of Ireland's record goal-scorer eyes a glorious last hurrah at Euro 2016. Keane missed Ireland's two friendlies against Switzerland and Slovakia in March after being forced to withdraw from the squad with a knee injury suffered while playing […]

Stockholm (AFP) – Erik Hamren will be bidding to bow out on a high as Sweden coach when he leads the Scandinavian nation into Euro 2016. Hamren, who will turn 59 on June 27, five days after Sweden's final Group E game, announced that he will depart after the European Championship ending a six and […]

Paris (AFP) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic has one of the hottest shots in football and he is not at all modest about it. "One thing is for sure, a World Cup without me is nothing to watch," said the Swedish superstar after his country failed to qualify for Brazil 2014. So it is just as well […]

Milan (AFP) – Antonio Conte has established himself as one of the continent's top coaches going into Euro 2016, but he is a hated figure in his home town of Lecce and prosecutors had chased him with jail threats. After three successful years as Juventus coach, Conte takes the 'Azzurri' to France looking for redemption […]

Lisbon (AFP) – With the rare experience of having coached all of Portugal's big three Porto, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon, Fernando Santos has returned from exile in Greece to try and win the country's first international tournament at Euro 2016. Even a looming touchline ban, reduced from eight games to two on appeal, from an […]

Lisbon (AFP) – For a player that has won almost everything on an individual and collective level, the one honour that agonisingly evades Cristiano Ronaldo is an international trophy with Portugal. Euro 2016 will be Ronaldo's fourth and at 31 possibly last European Championship finals. The previous three have all promised much only to end […]