Page 32 - Football

$1 billion for Vinicius! Here's why Real Madrid star won't move to Saudi

Vinicius Jr's possible move to Saudi Arabia has been making the rounds on the internet lately, with the Saudi Pro League offering him a whopping $1 billion contract.

Mbappe could make Real Madrid debut in UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta

Kylian Mbappe. Vincius Jnior. Endrick. Jude Bellingham. Rodrygo. Arda Guler. Real Madrid has a slew of world-class forwards at its disposal for the club's first competitive game of the 2024-25 season. And Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperino wants them all to play against his team in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday. You don't know who to hope might not play, Gasperini said Tuesday, soon after arriving at the National Stadium in Warsaw where the match will be played. So I hope they pick their best team because you can only produce your best when you come up against the best opposition. Mbappe is the biggest draw after finally joining Madrid following a drawn-out saga with his former club Paris Saint-Germain. He was introduced to the club's fans at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium last month, after playing in the European Championship with France, but wasn't part of the squad on its U.S. tour. He started training with Madrid last week and is expected to feature for the 15-time European ...

Man Utd sells Wan-Bissaka to West Ham ahead of arrival of Mazraoui, De Ligt

Manchester United sold Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Premier League rival West Ham on Tuesday, ahead of the likely arrivals of two more defenders to Old Trafford. Wan-Bissaka moved for a reported fee of 15 million pounds ($19 million) to end a five-year spell at United. One of the best one-on-one defenders in the English game, Wan-Bissaka will compete with Vladimir Coufal for the right-back spot at West Ham. United appears to have lined up a replacement for Wan-Bissaka in Morocco full back Noussair Mazraoui, who is reportedly close to joining from Bayern Munich along with Netherland center back Matthijs de Ligt. There was footage on Monday of De Ligt heading to Manchester to complete the move. United has already bolstered its defense in this transfer window by signing 18-year-old center back Leny Yoro from Lille for 62 million euros ($68 million). Wan-Bissaka returns to London, having started his career at Crystal Palace.

Top 20 football transfers in 2024 and all-time highest transfer fees

Kylian Mbappe to Alvarez: Check top 20 football transfers in the summer of 2024 in world football here

Man City facing tumultuous season in bid to defend Premier League title

Manchester City's reign of dominance in the Premier League is like nothing previously seen in the 136-year history of England's top division. The Abu Dhabi-owned club is hunting a record-extending fifth straight title under Pep Guardiola and his squad of superstars when the season starts on Friday. The world might be about to discover if it comes with a catch. So much is hanging over City heading into what promises to be a tumultuous year for the serial champions, whatever happens on the field. Can City hold off Arsenal for a third season in a row and perhaps a Liverpool team under a new coach in its post-Jurgen Klopp era? Will this be the final year in charge for Guardiola? The generational coach's latest contract expires at the end of the season and he is wavering about whether to sign a new one. Is this also the last year for Kevin De Bruyne, the playmaker who has bestridden the Premier League for nearly a decade? Perhaps the big question, though, is this: Will City be punis

Premier League: Chelsea sign Pedro Neto from Wolves on 7-year contract

Chelsea has signed Pedro Neto from Wolverhampton on a seven-year contract for a reported transfer fee of 54 million pounds ($69 million). The Portugal international joins Enzo Maresca's team ahead of Chelsea's Premier League opener against Manchester City next weekend. Neto spent five seasons at Molineux, scoring two goals and providing nine assists in 20 appearances last season. He told Chelsea's official website: I feel really grateful to have joined this club. I have worked really hard in my career to be here and I'm looking forward to getting on the pitch with this shirt. The 24-year-old winger was unveiled at Stamford Bridge at halftime of Chelsea's final pre-season match against Inter Milan on Sunday.

Carlo Ancelotti feels his Real Madrid spell could be his last club job

Carlo Ancelotti says he expects Real Madrid to be his last club job and is not so excited about coaching a national team. Ancelotti has a contract at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium for another two years. Last season, Brazil hoped to lure him. However, the 65-year-old Italian is not enamored by the thought of swapping a club for a country. My idea is that Real Madrid will be my last club, he told former Chelsea midfielder Jon Obi Mikel's Obi One podcast. If there is an opportunity for a national team, I don't know. I'm not so excited at coaching a national team because I would lose what I like most, the day to day. I really enjoy what I'm doing. This is my season number 29 as a coach. It's true that I have won a lot but imagine the number of titles I lost. Ancelotti was the first manager to win the domestic titles at Europe's top five major leagues. He's also the most successful coach in Champions League history: Winning with Madrid in 2014, 2022 and 2024 across two stints, and with A

NZ Olympic football team furious with drone flying over training session

New Zealand says it has complained to the International Olympic Committee's integrity unit after a drone flown over a New Zealand women's soccer team training session was found to be operated by a member of the Canadian team's support staff. Defending Olympic champion Canada and New Zealand meet in their opening match at the Olympic tournament on Thursday. The drone incident occurred earlier this week, the New Zealand Olympic Committee said Wednesday. Team support members immediately reported the incident to police leading to the drone operator, who has been identified as a support staff member of the wider Canadian Women's football team, to be detained, the NZOC said in a statement. The NZOC has formally lodged the incident with the IOC integrity unit and has asked Canada for a full review. The Canadian Olympic Committee has apologized to the NZOC and New Zealand Football. The Canadian Olympic Committee stands for fair play and we are shocked and disappointed, the statement said.

Resigning from technical committee as AIFF bypassed panel: Bhaichung Bhutia

Legendary footballer Bhaichung Bhutia on Saturday told the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) executive committee that he is resigning from his membership of the technical committee, alleging that the panel was "bypassed" while appointing the national men's team head coach. Spaniard Manolo Marquez, who is currently in charge of Indian Super League side FC Goa, was on Saturday named India head coach by the AIFF executive committee. He will succeed Croatian Igor Stimac, who was sacked on June 17 after India failed to qualify for the third round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Bhutia, who is a co-opted member of the executive committee as a former player and attended Saturday's meeting here, claimed that under normal practice, the technical committee recommends the head coach of the national team. The current technical panel is headed by legendary IM Vijayan. "I have been chairman of AIFF technical committee in the past (2013 to 2017) and involved in coach appointments like in case o

Messi asked to apologise for Argentina players' racist chant post win

Lionel Messi faced calls to apologize for racist chants made by Argentina's players after they won the Copa America. An Argentinean government official said Messi, who is the team captain, and the president of the country's soccer federation, Claudio Tapia, should apologize after a video was shared on social media showing members of Argentina's triumphant squad singing a racist chant about French players with African heritage. Midfielder Enzo Fernandez said he was truly sorry for the incident and his Premier League club Chelsea said it had begun disciplinary action, describing discriminatory behavior as completely unacceptable. It is unclear from the video if Messi widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time participated in the chant. But Argentina's sports sub-secretary, Julio Garro, said he should say sorry. The national team captain must also come out to apologize for this case. The same AFA (Argentina Football Association) president," Garro said in radio

Messi exits Copa America final in 64th minute with apparent leg injury

Lionel Messi's night ended early during the Copa America final when he emotionally exited the field in the 64th minute with an apparent leg injury. The 37-year-old appeared to suffer a noncontact injury while running full speed on the pitch as defending champ Argentina remained in a scoreless match against Colombia. Messi immediately looked toward the Argentina bench as he went to the ground. He remained down for several minutes as trainers came out. He was helped to his feet and immediately took his shoe off his right foot. As he walked off the field, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner took off his captains armband and threw his shoe to the ground in frustration. An emotional Messi was then shown covering his face, sobbing in his seat. Messi went down in the first half after landing awkwardly when chasing a ball out of bounds. He rolled over several times as he grabbed at his lower right leg. Trainers worked on the area for a few minutes before helping him to his feet. He walked ..

Spain's birthday boy Lamine Yamal wins Euro 2024 & best young player award

Spain's teenage phenom Lamine Yamal won the European Championship and the tournament's best young player award just a day after he turned 17. Yamal earned it mostly while he was still 16, but he crowned his contribution to Spain's success by setting up Nico Williams' opening goal in a 2-1 win over England in the final on Sunday. This is the best (birthday) gift I could have asked for. It's a dream come true, Yamal said. It got tough when they tied the score, but I don't know what this team is made of because we always fight back. England substitute Cole Palmer had equalized for England, but Mikel Oyarzabal clinched Spain's win in the 86th. Yamal set up Williams to score in the 47th by drifting inside Luke Shaw and playing the ball across to the left for the Athletic Bilbao winger to hit first time inside the far post. Yamal also brought two good saves from England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Lamine is incredible, as you've all seen during this tournament, Williams said. The sky'

Players deserve apology, not sanctions: Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa

Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa thinks his players deserve an apology, not sanctions, for going into the stands at Bank of America Stadium and participating in a fight with Colombia fans following his team's 1-0 Copa America semifinal loss. An angry Bielsa criticised tournament organizers for not doing enough to protect the families of players seated behind the Uruguay bench and he justified players taking matters into their own hands to protect their loved ones. "We are in the United States, the country of security," Bielsa said through an interpreter during an emotional 45-minute news conference Friday. "How can you not defend your mother, your sister, a baby? If they did not do it, they would have been condemned by all of us." CONMEBOL, South American soccer's governing body, said on Thursday its disciplinary committee opened an investigation. "It is unacceptable that an incident like this turns passion into violence," the federation said in a statement. Asked if he feared sancti

Euro 2024 Final: How Spain versus England stacks up beyond the football

Over the longer term Spain has a more impressive track record, too, with three European crowns. England has never been victorious

Euro 2024 Final: Spain, England clash more than just a football game

Football is seldom ever just about sports, and that's especially the case in this tournament

Uruguay players defend decision to enter crowd to protect families

Uruguay striker Luis Surez defended his teammates' decision to enter the stands following a 1-0 loss to Colombia in the Copa America semifinals, saying the action was necessary to defend families and supporters. After a physical and emotional game that included seven yellow cards and one red card, players exchanged words and shoves at midfield of Bank of America Stadium on Wednesday night. Uruguay players, including Darwin Nez, noticed an altercation behind the team's bench and about a dozen or so players then climbed into the stands as the melee continued. Some players were seen throwing punches before Charlotte Mecklenburg Police officers and stadium security restored order after about 10 minutes. Obviously when one has your woman, your little child, your father, elderly people you want to go and see if they're OK, Surez said. Here these things, it's an image that no one wants to have created but obviously if someone is attacking your family you want to go and defend them. But t

Dutch see dream of European title slip away as coach disputes penalty

Dutch fans came to the stadium in a rousing march, 100,000 strong. It will feel like a long journey home. When Ollie Watkins' added-time goal sealed a 2-1 win for England over the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semifinals on Wednesday, it ended the orange-clad Dutch fans' dream of a first European Championship title since 1988. A great goal, but then it's over, and that's difficult to accept, Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said. The journey home will not be without some bitterness after a hotly disputed penalty decision in England's favor after Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries made contact with Harry Kane while trying to block a shot. In my opinion this should not have been a penalty, Koeman said through an interpreter. "I think that we cannot play properly football and this is due to VAR. It really breaks football. Until the penalty call that put England firmly back in the game, it had been a party atmosphere for the Dutch fans. The towering South Stand famed as a Yellow Wall for

Euro Cup 2024 semifinal: England beats Netherlands 2-1, reaches final

Three Lions will face the mighty Spain in the final match of the prestigious tournament on Sunday at the Olympiastadion

Euro Cup 2024 semifinal highlights: Spain beats France 2-1, reaches final

After seeing off another one of the pre-tournament favorites to reach the Euro 2024 final, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has warned England or the Netherlands that his team can still improve. Spain reached the European Championship decider with a 2-1 victory over France on Tuesday, with 16-year-old Lamine Yamal becoming the youngest-ever scorer at the continental tournament. France took an early lead when Randal Kolo Muani headed in a cross from Kylian Mbapp, who played without a mask, before Yamal's moment of brilliance in the 21st minute. Dani Olmo scored the clincher four minutes later. We were in a difficult stretch after not expecting to concede so early. I just took the ball and wanted to put it right there. I am very happy," Yamal said. I don't try to think about it too much, just enjoy myself and help the team, and if it goes my way, then I am happy (for the goal) and for the win. Spain, which is chasing a record fourth European Championship title, will play England or the

England defender Luke Shaw ready to go in Euro 2024 semifinal after injury

England defender Luke Shaw says he is fit to start Wednesday's Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands and ready to go after a long-term injury and a long-running debate over his selection for the tournament. Manchester United left-back Shaw played his first game since February when he came off the bench Saturday in England's quarterfinal game with Switzerland, which England won in a penalty shootout. England, the runner-up at Euro 2020, faces the Netherlands on Wednesday in Dortmund in its bid to reach another final. Shaw had repeated setbacks in his recovery from a muscle injury before that and said Monday he'd been itching to get back on the field. Of course, I think I am, but obviously that's solely down to (England manager Gareth Southgate's) decision on what he does. But, I feel fit and I'm ready to go," Shaw said when asked if he was fit to play a full game. Shaw's injury problems made him a much-disputed selection for Euro 2024 as England's only specialist left-back.