Page 59 - Football

Lionel Messi spurns $400 mn Saudi offer to join David Beckham's Inter Miami

Lionel Messi plans to join Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, turning down a deal from Saudi Arabia that would have paid him $400 million annually

AC Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic announces retirement from football at 41

Known as a consistent trophy collector, Ibra amassed more than 30 trophies over his 24-yr professional career. He made over 900 appearances at both national and club levels and scored over 500 goals

FIFA U20 WC: Italy see off Colombia to advance to 3rd successive semifinal

Jhojan Torres gave Colombia a lifeline with a superb curling effort from just outside Italy's penalty area, but it proved to be a mere consolation

FIFA U20 WC: Debutants Israel knockout Brazil by 3-2 to enter semifinal

Israel will now play the winner of the match between USA and Uruguay in the semifinals

Lionel Messi leaves team amid boos after final match: Club website

Lionel Messi didn't care about the boos in his final game for Paris Saint-Germain as the French league champion lost to Clermont 3-2. Disrespectful PSG supporters booed Messi when the Parc des Princes announcer read his name on a warm evening. A few minutes later, Messi walked onto the field with a smile on his face, holding his three children's hands before the team photo and kissing them on their foreheads before kickoff. I would like to thank the club, the city of Paris and its people for these two years. I wish you all the best for the future, Messi told the club website. In two seasons at PSG, Messi won two French leagues and the French Champions Trophy and notched 32 goals and 35 assists in all competitions. Messi scored in a 1-1 draw at Strasbourg a week ago to help PSG clinch a record-extending 11th French league title. By notching a 496th career league goal, the Argentine genius also broke Cristiano Ronaldo's scoring record for Europe's top five leagues. The World Cup wi

Cristiano Ronaldo reveals his biggest challenge in Saudi Premier League

One of the best striker in the past decade, Cristiano Ronaldo revealed the challenges he had to face in Saudi Arabia after he joined Al Nassr in January

PSG coach Galtier confirms Messi's departure, says to leave after season

Lionel Messi is to play his last match for Paris Saint-Germain against Clermont on Saturday, as the club's head coach Christophe Galtier confirmed his departure at the pre-match press conference

Kylian Mbappe named Ligue 1 Player of the Year for fourth consecutive time

Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe takes home the trophy -- Ligue 1 Player of the Year -- for the record fourth consecutive year.

Serie A: AC Milan beats Juventus 1-0 to secure spot in Champions League

AC Milan secured its spot in next season's Champions League by winning 1-0 at Juventus -- barring any off-field developments. Olivier Giroud's goal late in the first half on Sunday was enough for Milan to secure a spot in the top four in Serie A as it left the Rossoneri six points above fifth-place Atalanta with just one match remaining. Milan also moved eight points above Juventus. However, the Bianconeri could still appeal the 10-point penalty it was given for false accounting. Coming into the match, Juventus was the only side that could possibly replace Milan in the top four in the Italian league. But its hopes had imploded last week after the points deduction and a 4-1 loss at Empoli. Milan knew a point would be enough and both sides had chances before Giroud broke the deadlock, five minutes before the break, when he peeled away from his marker to head Davide Calabria's cross into the far bottom corner. Juventus almost snatched an equalizer late on as Danilo's volley from a c

PSG goalkeeper Sergio Rico hospitalized after being hit by a loose horse

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Sergio Rico was hospitalized with a head injury after being hit by a loose horse in an accident in Spain. The player's representatives said in a statement that the accident happened near the southern Spanish city of Seville on Sunday, where Rico used to play for Sevilla. Sergio is in good hands, fighting to recover, the statement said, adding that the next 48 hours will be important to determine the progress of his recovery. The statement said Rico had just arrived from France and was headed to a mass with his relatives when the accident happened. Earlier media reports said Rico was horse-riding at the time of the accident. French champion PSG said it remains in constant contact with his loved ones. PSG won the French league on Saturday. Several clubs and players sent messages of support for the 29-year-old Spanish keeper.

High-spending kicks

Today, the Red Devils are a tragic shadow of their former selves, but during Sir Alex Fergusson's 26 years in charge, they won the Premier League 13 times

Football: India qualify for FIFAe Nations Cup for second straight season

The tournament is considered the pinnacle event of FIFA esports among the Member Associations of the governing body of world football

AIFF to avoid holding competitions in hot months of April and May in future

The Super Cup and Indian Women's League (IWL) were held in April and May this year but the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Wednesday said it will try to avoid holding competitions in these two hot months in future. The Super Cup, competed among I-League and Indian Super League clubs, were held in Kerala from April 3 to 25 while the ongoing IWL in Ahmedabad began on April 26 and will end on Friday. "This month, after the end of women's league (IWL), the football season will end. It will be our endeavour how, considering the weather in our country, we can avoid holding football competitions in April and May," AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said here during the draw ceremony of next month's SAFF Cup to be held in Bengaluru. "We do not want our players to struggle against the tough weather." Another AIFF official told PTI that the 2022-23 season spilled over to May as the calendar was crowded due to the coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chaubey said by the end of the South A

India set for Round 2 draw for AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament

The Indian women's football team has been placed in Pot 4 along with Iran and North Korea for the final draw of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Round 2

AIFF takes strategic steps to reform grassroots football in India

As per the AFC definition, grassroots football is defined as "all football that is non-professional and non-elite"

Pakistan will participate in SAFF football tournament in Bengaluru

Pakistan has confirmed its participation in the South Asian Football Federation Championships in Bengaluru in June-July and the AIFF does not see any problem with the players of the neighbouring country travelling to India. The international tournament will also see participation of Lebanon and Kuwait as the SAFF executive committee in March decided to feature teams from outside the south Asian region with a view to make the championship more competitive. "We don't see any problem in the coming of players from Pakistan to India to participate in the SAFF Championships," All Indian Football Federation secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran told PTI. He was asked if there could be any problem on the issue of granting visas to the Pakistani players in view of the political tension between the two countries. "I think the Indian bridge team recently took part in a regional tournament in Pakistan and so we don't expect any issue on their (Pakistan's) participation," he added. The eight-tea

AIFF's Shaji Prabhakaran elected as AFC's executive committee member

Dr Prabhakaran, on being elected an AFC Executive Committee member, expressed his gratitude, and shared his vision to take Asian football forward

English Premier League: Relegation rivals Leicester and Everton draw 2-2

Leicester and Everton remained in serious relegation danger in the English Premier League after their thrilling 2-2 draw. Alex Iwobi's 54th-minute volley on Monday secured a point for Everton, which stayed in next-to-last place with four matches left to play as the team bids to extend its 69-year stay in the top division. Leicester, the league champion only seven years ago, moved out of the bottom three but only on goal difference ahead of Leeds and Nottingham Forest, with all three teams a point clear of Everton. Forest dropped into the relegation zone. Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted a penalty he won himself after getting barged in the back by Timothy Castagne to put Everton ahead in the 15th minute. Caglar Soyuncu equalized in the 22nd, hooking in a finish as he slipped after fellow center back Wout Faes headed the ball back across the face of goal. Leicester took the lead for the first time in the 33rd when James Maddison slipped in Jamie Vardy, who ran behind Everton's defens

Serie A: Salernitana postpone Napoli's title celebration after drawing 1-1

Napoli should have secured their third Scudetto on Sunday night, but the celebrations were ruined by Salernitana as the Partenopei were held to a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

La Liga: Atletico Madrid tops Valladolid, continues pursuit of Real Madrid

Atletico Madrid won't slow down in its pursuit of Real Madrid for second place in the Spanish league. Atletico continued its strong push on Sunday by picking up its eighth win in nine matches with a 5-2 victory at Valladolid. Third-place Atletico scored three times in the first half and added two late goals in a result that kept Diego Simeone's team two points behind city rival Madrid with six rounds remaining. Madrid beat Almeria 4-2 on Saturday at home. Second place is especially important because it guarantees a spot in the lucrative Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. Atletico's only recent setback was a 1-0 loss at leader Barcelona at Camp Nou two rounds ago. Barcelona beat Real Betis 4-0 at home on Saturday and has a comfortable 11-point lead over Madrid entering the final stretch. "We have good momentum, we've been competing very well, Atletico defender Jos Mara Gimnez said. There is still a lot of league left and we have to stay on this path. Atletico scored through Nahuel