Page 12 - Football

Record January transfers in men's football valued at $2.35B with 6000 deals

Fueled by England and Saudi Arabia, clubs spent a record $2.35 billion on international transfer deals in a booming January trading period for men's soccer, FIFA said Friday. The 5,863 international transfers those between clubs in different countries that are processed by FIFA also was 900 more than the previous highest, which was recorded last year. In January 2024, only one transfer Gonalo Ramos confirming a permanent move to Paris Saint-Germain from Benfica was reportedly valued at more than 30 million euros ($31 million). There were 10 such transfer fees agreed last month, including four to Manchester City, and topped by Colombia forward Jhon Durn's $80 million move from Aston Villa to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Saudi club Al Nassr. Big spendersEnglish clubs collectively spent the most with a $621.6 million outlay on transfer fees and recouped just $186 million selling players to clubs in other countries. The next biggest deficit was Saudi Arabia, where clubs spent more th

UEFA Champions League playoffs: Matches to be played on February 11 and 12

One of the most anticipated matchups in the playoffs pits English Premier League champions Manchester City against defending Champions League winners Real Madrid.

England plans to upgrade training base for its national soccer teams

The English Football Association has announced plans to radically redevelop the training base used by its national teams with a view to making them the best in the world. St George's Park, based in Staffordshire, has been widely credited for improvements that have seen England's women's team win the European Championship and reach the final of the World Cup. The men's team reached back-to-back Euros finals and the semifinals of the World Cup since the base was opened in 2012. England has also enjoyed success at youth level in that time. England is co-hosting Euro 2028 with Ireland, Scotland and Wales when the three-year project is set to be completed. Redevelopment plans include upgrading playing fields and modernizing onsite hotel facilities and meeting rooms. With the honor of hosting a home Euros on the horizon alongside other exciting pathway activities, SGP 2.0 will level up our capacity to deliver an elite experience for players and to give ourselves every possible chance for

Spanish defender Sergio Ramos to resume his illustrious career in Mexico

Eight months after his last competitive match, Spanish defender Sergio Ramos will resume his illustrious career on another continent. Ramos, who will turn 39 in March, will play for Monterrey of Liga MX in Mexico where he will have a chance to play in the next edition of the FIFA Club World Cup. The veteran, who won the World Cup in South Africa 2010, has not played an official match since May of last year when he was playing for Sevilla in the Spanish league. Monterrey, one of the most economically powerful clubs in Mexico, did not reveal the details of the agreement. We have been trying to sign him since last summer, but we did not come to terms and we tried again in this new window, said Monterrey's team president Jose Antonio Noriega. The team needs him, he has quality, enormous experience, enormous personality and he is an undisputed leader. Monterrey, commonly known as Rayados, are one of three Mexican teams that will participate in the first edition of the expanded Club Wor

Transfer news: Willian returns for third spell at Fulham in Premier League

Brazilian winger Willian is back at Fulham for a third spell with the Premier League team. Fulham announced the short-term signing of the 36-year-old Willian on Thursday. He was a free agent after leaving Greek team Olympiakos at the end of December. Willian played for Fulham for the first time in the 2022-23 season, after previous spells in the Premier League at Chelsea and Arsenal. After his one-season contract expired at Fulham, he signed again for another year and played the 2023-24 campaign. This latest move is subject to international clearance and until the end of the season. It's a great opportunity again to play for this club, and I'm fully motivated to get on the pitch and do things well for this club," Willian said. I'm completely happy, my family's happy. We are happy to be back." Fulham is in ninth place in the Premier League. Fulham manager Marco Silva recently lost winger Harry Wilson to a long-term injury.

Lisandro Martinez to miss remainder of season for Man United due to injury

Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez is set for another long spell out of action after Manchester United confirmed he has a cruciate ligament injury on Thursday. Martinez was in tears last Sunday when he was carried off on a stretcher in the 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace in the Premier League after landing awkwardly attempting to tackle Ismaila Sarr. United didn't say how long Martinez would be missing. "Assessment of the injury is ongoing to determine the appropriate course of treatment and the timescale for his rehabilitation," United said. United said the club wishes Martinez "strength for a successful recovery," adding: "We will be supporting him every step of the way." Martinez had an injury-hit campaign last season, including time out with knee ligament damage and a foot problem. Argentina's next games are World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil in March. The Albiceleste are top of the standings for the South American zone, five points clear of Uruguay.

When will new signing Marcus Rashford make his Aston Villa debut?

It has been almost two months since Marcus Rashford was seen on a soccer field. In that time, his dedication to the game has been derided, his status as one of England's most cherished players has been damaged, and he has been ushered out of his boyhood club the team of his dreams in quite brutal fashion. It's time to discover if new surroundings can ignite his career. Fitness permitting, Rashford is expected to make his debut for Aston Villa on Sunday in an FA Cup fourth-round match against Tottenham, a week after completing his loan move from Manchester United. Who knows what shape Rashford is in, physically or mentally, after an unhappy last few months at United where its new coach, Ruben Amorim, accused the striker of not putting in the requisite effort in practice. Amorim even suggested he would rather play his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach than someone who didn't train hard, clearly referring to Rashford. That comment surely marked the end for Rashford at United, at least

LaLiga: First place on the line in Madrid derby with focus on refereeing

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid meet in their second derby of the season with the Liga lead on the line and the focus on refereeing. Real Madrid has spent the days ahead of Saturday's match complaining of mistakes against the club. Atletico Madrid has used the buildup to accuse Real Madrid of trying to put pressure on the referees. Real Madrid enters the match at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium with a one-point lead over Atletico Madrid. The gap between them narrowed in the last round after Real Madrid lost at Espanyol 1-0 and said it was hurt by refereeing mistakes. The defending league champion took the unusual step of sending a strongly worded complaint to the Spanish federation and the nation's top sports authority. The letter sparked widespread reaction across the league, and Atletico Madrid was among those who weren't happy. The club took to social media to alert to what it called Real Madrid's attempt to intimidate refs. Atletico Madrid listed on X what it said were basic ...

Former Real Madrid great Marcelo retires at age 36 to end glorious career

Marcelo, the former Real Madrid and Brazil left back, announced his retirement on Thursday at the age of 36. In a video on X, Marcelo said: My journey as a player ends here, but I still have so much to give to football. Thank you for everything. An attacking left back, Marcelo had one of the most trophy-filled careers in soccer history thanks to his time at Madrid from 2007-22 and his return to boyhood Brazilian club Fluminense across 2023-24. At Madrid, he won the Champions League five times, the Spanish league six times and 25 titles in total. Marcelo is part of the history of Real Madrid and is one of the great legends of our club and of world football, Madrid said. After a brief spell with Olympiakos in Greece, Marcelo moved to Fluminense where he started his career and won the Copa Libertadores. Marcelo played for Brazil at the World Cup in 2014 and '18, and won Olympic medals in 2008 (bronze) and 2012 (silver).

India's ICC elite umpire Nitin Menon opts out of Champions Trophy 2025

India's only representative in the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, Nitin Menon, has opted out of officiating in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan this month due to personal reasons. The ICC on Wednesday announced a list of 15 match officials, including three match referees and 12 umpires for the marquee tournament, scheduled to commence in Karachi on February 19 with the final on March 9. Australian legend David Boon, Sri Lankan great great Ranjan Madugalle and Zimbabwe's Andrew Pycroft were named as match referees for the eight-team tournament. The event will be held at three venues in Pakistan -- Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi --, while India will play all their matches in Dubai, starting with a clash against Bangladesh on February 20, owing to security concerns. "The ICC wanted to put him (Menon) on the Champions Trophy roster. But he decided against travelling to Pakistan due to personal reasons," a BCCI source told PTI. Menon could not have stood in the matches in Dubai as the IC

Real Madrid edge Leganes 3-2 on Garcia's stoppage-time goal to reach semis

Gonzalo Garcia scored in stoppage time as Real Madrid avoided an upset by defeating Leganes 3-2 to reach the semifinals of the Copa del Rey. Madrid had taken a two-goal lead at half-time with Luka Modric and Endrick before the hosts rallied to even the match in the second half. The 20-year-old Garcia, a striker who usually plays with Madrid's B team, sealed the victory with a header three minutes into stoppage time after a cross by Brahim Daz. I'm thrilled, filled with emotions. It has been a dream since I was a child and since I joined the youth teams. I'm happy to have scored the goal that gave us a place in the semifinals," Garca said. It was a perfect cross by Brahim and the ball went in by itself. Another setback would have been troublesome for Madrid after it lost 1-0 at Espanyol in the Spanish league on Saturday for its second defeat in 15 matches across all competitions. Madrid had needed extra time to eliminate Celta Vigo at home in the round of 16 of the Copa last month.

Newcastle beat Arsenal to reach League Cup final, chase 1st title in 70 yrs

Newcastle is back in the English League Cup final for another chance to end its 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy. The Saudi-controlled northeast club beat Arsenal 2-0 in the second leg of the semifinals Wednesday to advance 4-0 on aggregate. Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon scored the goals at a boisterous St. James' Park. Newcastle will play either Tottenham or Liverpool in the March 16 final at Wembley Stadium. Tottenham leads 1-0 after the first leg, with the return match at Anfield on Thursday. For Newcastle, it marks another opportunity to capture a first piece of silverware since being bought by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund in 2021. Newcastle's last trophy was the now-defunct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 and the most recent domestic title was the FA Cup in 1955. Newcastle reached the 2023 League Cup final, but lost 2-0 to Manchester United. Play like that and we can dream big," Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes said after the Arsenal match. It would be amazi

Cheick Tiote's son walks out as mascot at Newcastle-Arsenal clash

The name of one of the mascots for the Newcastle vs. Arsenal match in the English League Cup semifinals on Wednesday brought back some memories of a classic Premier League fixture between the teams. Rafael Tiote, the son of the late Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote, was a mascot for Newcastle at St. James' Park ahead of one of the club's biggest games in recent years. The match came exactly 14 years to the day Rafael's father scored one of the most famous Premier League goals an 87th-minute volley from long range to complete Newcastle's comeback from 4-0 down to draw 4-4 against Arsenal. It was Tiote's only Premier League goal. He played for Newcastle from 2010-17. Tiote, an Ivory Coast international, died in 2017 at the age of 30 after collapsing in training with Chinese team Beijing Enterprises. Rafael Tiote was one of 11 children who walked out with a Newcastle player before the match in a club uniform. Tiote accompanied Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes.

Alexander-Arnold to miss 2nd leg vs Tottenham in EFL Cup SF due to injury

Liverpool right back Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss the second leg against Tottenham in the English League Cup semifinals on Thursday because of an injury sustained at the weekend. Liverpool trails Tottenham 1-0 from the first leg on Jan. 8. The return match is at Anfield, with Liverpool looking to retain its trophy. Alexander-Arnold came off in the 70th minute of the 2-0 win at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday because of a suspected thigh injury. He is going to miss the game tomorrow," Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Wednesday, and we have to see if he is able to play on Sunday. Liverpool plays Plymouth in the FA Cup on Sunday before a Merseyside derby at Everton in the Premier League next Wednesday. Asked for more details about Alexander-Arnold's injury, Slot said: I think you saw that he left the pitch with a bit of pain in his leg, so that's why he misses the game tomorrow. But he is already on the pitch, not with the team but with the rehab coach, so let's se

Premier League refs set to make in-stadium announcements for VAR calls

Referees are set to make in-stadium announcements about the outcome of video reviews in the Premier League from the start of next season and Liverpool manager Arne Slot isn't a fan. The protocol is currently being trialed in this season's English League Cup semifinals, with a first announcement coming in the first leg of Tottenham's match with Liverpool when a goal for Spurs was ruled out for offside. Tony Scholes, the Premier League's chief football officer, told reporters the protocol could now be used in league play, too. Asked for his reaction, Slot said for me, that's not necessary, but he did acknowledge it might benefit match-going fans in the stadium. If the fans like it and it's something nice for the fans, let's do this, said Slot, speaking Wednesday ahead of the second leg against Tottenham on Thursday, which Liverpool goes into trailing 1-0. But I wonder if we are all going to like this. On that occasion in the first leg, referee Stuart Attwell used the public address

Newcastle United vs Arsenal Carabao Cup live match time and streaming

At home, Arsenal were highly wasteful, and Newcastle capitalized on their chances, with Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon scoring to give Eddie Howe's side a commanding lead.

Cristiano Ronaldo's former coach Carlo Ancelloti backs CR7 as 'the GOAT'

Ronaldo's legacy at Real Madrid is undeniable, as he remains the club's all-time top scorer with an astounding 451 goals and 131 assists from 438 appearances.

Why Cristiano Ronaldo can never be overshadowed by old rival Lionel Messi?

While Lionel Messi is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever play the game, there are a few milestones that seem destined to remain solely within Ronaldo's domain.

Birthday boy Ronaldo proclaims himself 'best footballer in history'

Ronaldo holds numerous records in men's international soccer, including the most appearances (217) and the most goals (135).

Why Marseille did not recruit Paul Pogba during winter transfer window?

There was a lot of speculation during the winter transfer window that Paul Pogba would relaunch his career at Marseille. The Ligue 1 club's president Pablo Longoria praised the former Juventus and Manchester United midfielder as an extraordinary player and others at the club, including France international Adrien Rabiot, lobbied for Pogba. But Marseille bought someone else. Once one of the world's top midfielders, Pogba's headlines in recent years have been more for his off-field problems than his on-field abilities. Juventus "mutually agreed" with Pogba last year to cancel his contract despite the 2018 World Cup winner having a ban for doping slashed. The Serie A club never seemed overly enthusiastic about welcoming him back after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 18 months following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Pogba will be free to resume his career in March. Asked on RMC radio why he did not make a move to hire Pogba, Longoria said his suspension unt