Gelsenkirchen (Germany) (AFP) – Germany coach Joachim Loew says his priority is getting captain Bastian Schweinsteiger and key defender Mats Hummels fit for Euro 2016, following Saturday's 2-0 confidence-boosting friendly win over Hungary. Schweinsteiger played the last 23 minutes in Gelsenkirchen after three months sidelined by a torn medial knee ligament, while Hummels is out […]

On Friday night, the United States stepped onto its biggest soccer stage since the end of the 2014 World Cup against Belgium: The Copa American Centenario opener against Colombia at a sold-out Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The US felt they were ready. The emergence of Christian Pulisic and Darlington Nagbe, along with several […]

Seattle (AFP) – Peru striker Paolo Guerrero overtook Teofilo Cubillas as his country's top goal scorer, scoring a diving header to sink Haiti 1-0 in their Copa America Centenario clash. Guerrero, a talismanic figure for the Peruvians who was tournament top scorer in both the 2011 and 2015 editions of the Copa America, pounced on […]

Kiev (AFP) – Ukraine forward Andriy Yarmolenko is one of a host of players hoping to use Euro 2016 to get a ticket out of his crisis-hit country to England's Premier League but he may have to calm his temper. Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton and Stoke City are among clubs linked to a 32 million euro […]

Orlando (AFP) – Paraguay's Argentine coach Ramon Diaz slammed the decision of Copa America organisers to schedule Saturday's game against Costa Rica during the day as "crazy" after a 0-0 draw played in intense heat. The temperature at the 5pm local kick-off time in the Citrus Bowl was around 92 degrees fahrenheit (33 degrees celsius). […]

Santa Clara (United States) (AFP) – The Copa America Centenario is facing a mounting injury crisis involving its biggest stars after James Rodriguez joined Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez amongst the ranks of the walking wounded. A tournament billed as a gathering of world football's biggest names has been hit by a series of injuries […]

Orlando (AFP) – Two-times South American champions Paraguay were held to a goalless draw by Costa Rica in sultry conditions at the Citrus Bowl on Saturday in Copa America Centenario Group A. Costa Rica ended the game with 10 men after defender Kendall Waston was sent off in injury time for a wild challenge on […]

Palo Alto (United States) (AFP) – Chile captain Claudio Bravo says Lionel Messi's fitness will have no bearing on how the Copa America champions prepare for Monday's heavyweight showdown against Argentina in Santa Clara. Bravo's Barcelona team-mate Messi is uncertain to line up for the Argentines as he struggles back to fitness after suffering a […]

Metz (France) (AFP) – Scotland manager Gordon Strachan believes the chastening 3-0 friendly defeat to Euro 2016 hosts France on Saturday can prove to be a positive experience for his side. Having missed out on a place at the European Championship finals, Scotland's taste of the French summer began and ended in the rain in […]

Metz (France) (AFP) – Olivier Giroud fired another riposte to his critics with a brace as Euro 2016 hosts France brushed aside Scotland 3-0 in Metz on Saturday in their final friendly ahead of the tournament. The Arsenal centre-forward was booed by a section of the France support prior to last Monday's 3-2 win against […]

Gelsenkirchen (Germany) (AFP) – Bastian Schweinsteiger admits he is unlikely to play Germany's opening Euro 2016 match in eight days' time after making his comeback from three months out in Saturday's 2-0 win over Hungary. A first-half own-goal by Hungary defender Adam Lang and a second from Thomas Mueller in Gelsenkirchen gave the Germans a […]

Gelsenkirchen (Germany) (AFP) – Germany laboured to a 2-0 friendly win over Hungary on Saturday in their final Euro 2016 warm-up match as captain Bastian Schweinsteiger returned after three months out with injury. A first-half own-goal by Hungary defender Adam Lang and a second from Thomas Mueller in Gelsenkirchen gave the Germans a confidence boost […]

London (AFP) – Gareth Bale believes Wales have it in them to cause an upset at the forthcoming European Championship in France by topping a group that also includes England. The main aim for Wales, appearing in their first major tournament finals since the 1958 World Cup, will be to get out of a group […]

Usually when major soccer tournaments come to new regions, one of the barometers of success is in the form of ticket sales. One of the pillars of a future US World Cup would be that major ticket sales would fill up gigantic stadiums across the country. This Copa America Centenario tournament, with 16 teams including […]

Rennes (France) (AFP) – The word "racist" was daubed on the wall of a house owned by Didier Deschamps days after the France manager was accused by Karim Benzema of bowing to "pressure from a racist part of France". The Real Madrid striker made the accusation after being left out of Deschamps' squad for the […]