China have included Brazil-born midfielder Serginho in their squad for crucial World Cup qualifiers, less than a week after he obtained Chinese citizenship. In recent years China’s struggling national team has followed some other countries by turning to naturalised players, with limited impact on results. Also named in Branko Ivankovic’s 27-man squad is Liverpool-born former […]
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi side Al Nassr were on Monday, drawn against last season’s runners-up Yokohama F-Marinos of Japan in the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League. Veteran former Real Madrid and Manchester United attacker Ronaldo has won the UEFA Champions League five times but has never triumphed in Asia’s top club competition. The 40-year-old Portuguese […]
Global sportswear giant PUMA has signed a major agreement with the Premier League, becoming the league’s Official Ball Supplier from the 2025/26 season. This partnership marks a significant step in PUMA’s strategy to elevate its brand and solidify its reputation in the world of elite football. Announced on Monday, the deal will see PUMA provide […]
Thomas Tuchel said his England team must reflect the physicality of the Premier League as he hopes to inject more “intensity” into the Three Lions. The German’s appointment as the third foreign manager to take charge of England has raised the pressure on Tuchel to deliver a first major trophy since 1966 at next year’s […]
Barcelona battled back from two goals down to beat Atletico Madrid 4-2 and land an important blow in the Spanish title race on Sunday. Lamine Yamal struck in the 92nd minute and Ferran Torres in the 98th to help take the Catalans back top of the table after Real Madrid beat Villarreal on Saturday to […]
International football gets underway in Europe for the first time in 2025 as the Nations League moves into the quarter-finals stage and the continent’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign gets underway. Nations League promotion/relegation play-offs are also on the cards in a week where all the European big guns are in action. AFP Sport looks […]
Liverpool boss Arne Slot admitted his team had been extremely fortunate in their 1-0 win away to Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League last 16 first leg on Wednesday as he heaped praise on goal-scoring hero Harvey Elliott. “If we had a draw over here we would have already been the lucky one. That is […]
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said keeping a cool head would be the secret to making his side’s recent dominance of Bayern Munich count in the Champions League last 16. Managing in the top flight for just a second full season, Alonso may be inexperienced in coaching terms, but the Spaniard knows a thing or […]
Liverpool manager Arne Slot will be absent from the touchline for Wednesday’s home game against Newcastle after receiving a two-match suspension and a hefty fine for his actions during the Merseyside derby. The controversy arose after James Tarkowski’s stoppage-time equaliser secured a 2-2 draw for Everton at Goodison Park on February 12, leading to chaotic […]
Atalanta co-owner Stephen Pagliuca has acknowledged that head coach Gian Piero Gasperini ‘made a mistake’ with his comments about Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman but insists the Italian remains a ‘great and passionate coach.’ The controversy stemmed from Gasperini’s public criticism of Lookman after the forward missed a crucial penalty against Club Brugge in the Champions […]
