Soccer

Echo dark moments in history: Biden condemns Amsterdam attacks on Israelis

His statement comes a day after Israeli soccer fans were assaulted by young people in hit-and-run scooter attacks

FIFA says no to outright suspension of Israel, will investigate claims

FIFA stopped short of suspending the Israeli soccer federation on Thursday, but asked for a disciplinary investigation of possible discrimination alleged by Palestinian soccer officials. A senior FIFA panel overseeing governance will separately investigate the participation in Israeli competitions of Israeli football teams allegedly based in the territory of Palestine, soccer's governing body said after a meeting of its ruling Council. The Palestinian soccer federation has consistently asked FIFA for more than a decade to take action against the Israeli soccer body for incorporating teams from West Bank settlements in its leagues. The compromise decisions came more than four months after Palestinian officials had urged FIFA to suspend Israel's membership at a meeting in May. The request to FIFA's congress in May also cited international law violations" in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas conflict and directed the soccer body to its statutory commitments on human rights and against ...

Mauricio Pochettino in talks to become new coach of US soccer team

Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. Soccer Federation are working toward a deal for him to become the men's national team coach, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Pochettino, the former Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain coach, has agreed to take over as the U.S. coach but the deal is not complete, the person said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not finalized. Pochettino would succeed Gregg Berhalter less than 22 months before the Americans host the 2026 World Cup. The USSF declined to comment. A 52-year-old Argentine, Pochettino would become the first foreign-born coach to head the U.S. since Jurgen Klinsmann from 2011-16. He has coached Espanyol in Spain (2009-12), Southampton (2013-14), Tottenham (2014-19) and Chelsea (2023-24) in England and Paris Saint-Germain in France (2021-22), leaving after winning a Ligue 1 title. Matt Crocker, the USSF's sporting director in charge of the search, was Southampto

Olympics 2024: Spain beats Morocco 2-1 in men's soccer, reaches final

Juanlu Sanchez came off the bench to fire Spain to a record-equaling fifth Olympic men's soccer final. Sanchez struck in the 85th minute at Stade de Marseille to seal a 2-1 win over Morocco and set up a final against France at the Paris Games. The moment passed so fast that I didn't even realize it, but then when you realized that you scored the goal that puts your team in the final, well, I'm really happy," Sanchez said. Morocco led 1-0 at halftime after the tournament's leading scorer, Soufiane Rahimi, converted a penalty in the 37th. Spain evened the score in the 65th when Fermin Lopez showed quick feet in the box and hit a left-footed shot low in the bottom corner. The Barcelona midfielder then provided the assist that set up Sanchez to sweep his winning goal into the far corner. I think that my goal changed a bit the match, and I think it was a great match for the whole team and we deserved it," Lopez said. "And here we are. Spain, which won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympi

Israel's national anthem jeered before Olympic soccer match against Mali

Israel's national anthem was loudly jeered before its soccer team kicked off play at the Paris Olympics against Mali on Wednesday night. The game began with a massive security presence outside the stadium amid an increasingly strained international climate that has Paris' safety efforts squarely in the spotlight. The Israel team arrived under a heavy police escort, with motorbike riders at the front and about a dozen riot police vans following behind. Armed police officers patrolled the Parc des Princes stadium, one with a rifle resting on his shoulder. France's Interior Minister, Grald Darmanin, and Paris police chief Laurent Nunez arrived at the stadium at about 7:30 p.m. "We owe this security to the whole world," Darmanin said. "The threats to our country are the threats that concern the western world." The atmosphere outside the venue was calm, however. Fans from both countries mingled, holding up flags and posing for photos. Mali fans sang proudly when their anthem was playe

Canada women's soccer coach to step aside because of drone incidents

Canada women's soccer coach Bev Priestman said Wednesday she'll step away from the team's opening game against New Zealand at the Paris Olympics in the wake of a pair of drone incidents. New Zealand complained to the International Olympic Committee's integrity unit after it said drones were flown over practice sessions earlier in the week. Two staff members assistant coach Jasmine Mander and Canada Soccer analyst Joseph Lombardi were sent home, the Canadian Olympic Committee said Wednesday. I am ultimately responsible for conduct in our program, Priestman said in a statement. Accordingly, to emphasize our team's commitment to integrity, I have decided to voluntarily withdraw from coaching the match on Thursday. In the spirit of accountability, I do this with the interests of both teams in mind and to ensure everyone feels that the sportsmanship of this game is upheld. The Canadians are the defending gold medalists. In her statement, Priestman also apologized to New Zealand. On .

Paris Games 2024: Welcome to weird world of men's soccer at Olympics

Kylian Mbapp wanted to be there. France coach Thierry Henry wanted it too. In the end, not even French President Emmanuel Macron could pull enough strings to free up his country's finest soccer player to compete in the Paris Games. Welcome to the weird world of men's Olympic soccer. The world's most popular sport occupies a strange space at the Games confused by compromises and contortions that appear designed to ensure it remains a part of the roster so long as it provides the least possible disruption to teams, players and authorities, whose priorities lie elsewhere. It's become a complete mishmash over the years from being something that was quite important... to something that quite a lot of people would like scrapped because the calendar is so clogged up, soccer author Steve Menary told The Associated Press. Men's soccer has been part of the Olympics since the 1900 Games, also in Paris. The only time it hasn't featured since then was in Los Angeles in 1932 to help promote th

UEFA fines Albania, Serbia for nationalist fan banners at Euro 2024 games

UEFA fined the Albanian and Serbian soccer federations 10,000 euros ($10,700) each on Wednesday for fans displaying banners with nationalist maps at European Championship games. Each federation was charged with transmitting provocative messages not fit for a sports event because they are responsible for the conduct of their fans at stadiums. Albania fans displayed a banner with a map of their country extending its borders into the territory of neighboring countries. It was shown during the 2-1 loss against Italy on Saturday in Dortmund. Serbia fans' banner included the independent territory of Kosovo and a slogan No Surrender at a 1-0 loss against England in Gelsenkirchen. A case was prosecuted by FIFA at the 2022 World Cup when players were photographed with a similar banner in their locker room ahead of a game against Brazil. UEFA also opened a separate investigation into alleged discrimination by Serbia fans. The Kosovo soccer federation field a formal complaint with UEFA. The

Serbia hit with UEFA charges and inquiry for fan misconduct at Euro 2024

UEFA filed one disciplinary charge and opened a separate investigation into alleged discrimination by Serbia fans at the European Championship game against England. The details were not specified by UEFA on Monday but followed a formal complaint by the soccer federation of Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008 that its neighbor has never recognized. UEFA's disciplinary panel will consider a charge against Serbia of its fans transmitting a provocative message unfit for a sports event and throwing objects during England's 1-0 win on Sunday at Gelsenkirchen. Serbia fans displayed a national flag which included in its borders the territory of Kosovo, its former republic. Kosovan soccer officials alerted UEFA to flags, chants and banners which they said contained political, chauvinistic and racist messages against their country. The charges should be judged before Thursday, when Serbia plays its second Euro 2024 game against Slovenia in Munich. A fine would typically

Rise in global transfers, fees show increasing options for women in soccer

One of the most striking signs of the global rise of women's soccer is the growing international transfer market and the fees club teams are shelling out for players. Case in point was the record transfer fee of $788,000 paid by National Women's Soccer League expansion team Bay FC for Zambian forward Racheal Kundananji this year. The Orlando Pride acquired fellow Zambian Barbra Banda for a $740,000 fee. More international movement shows not only that players have more options, but that women's clubs have more resources. "I thinks it's really cool that now you're seeing it go both ways, you're seeing players going to Europe and major clubs, and those players getting a massive deal like at Bay FC," said U.S. captain Lindsey Horan, who plays professionally in France for Lyon. I think that's incredible. It says a lot about the women's game right now and that's what we want. We want it to grow. We want players to want to come to the NWSL, we want players to want to go to Europe. Other U

French security officials foil plan to attack soccer events during Olympics

The French interior minister said Friday that security authorities have foiled a plan to attack soccer events during the Paris Olympics. Gerald Darmanin said in a statement that an 18-year-old man from Chechnya was arrested on May 22 on suspicion of being behind a plan to attack soccer events that will be held in the city of Saint-Etienne, southwest of Lyon. The Paris Olympics will run from July 26-Aug 11. Soccer matches will take place in cities across France before the final in Paris' Stade de France.

McDonald's becomes French soccer league's title sponsor for 3 seasons

McDonald's will become the title sponsor of the French league from July for the next three season, the league said on Thursday. The fast-food chain is succeeding Uber Eats as the title sponsor of Ligue 1. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. According to L'Equipe newspaper, which did not specify its sources, McDonald's will pay 30 million euros per season ($33 million). The sports outlet said the food delivery service Uber Eats currently pays about 16 million euros ($17.5 million) per season. This partnership marks the coming together of two major institutions that are deeply rooted in the daily lives and collective imagination of the French people, the French league said. Through its national network of 1,560 restaurants, McDonald's will enable Ligue 1 to get even closer to its fans across the country.

The Total trinity

Footballing greats Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer leave an enduring legacy, revolutionising the game's tactics and shaping its modern era

FIFA threatens to suspend Brazil over CBF president's removal by court

FIFA warned Brazil it could suspend its national teams and clubs from international competitions if an intervention by its soccer body leads to the election of a new president in January. FIFA said in a letter to a Brazilian soccer executive that the country's soccer body CBF could face suspension if it does not heed its call to wait and instead holds a swift election to replace Ednaldo Rodrigues as president regardless. The document was obtained by The Associated Press. A Rio de Janeiro court removed Rodrigues and all his appointees at CBF from office on Dec. 7 due to irregularities in his election last year. Brazil's two highest courts upheld that ruling last week. Soccer's governing body FIFA historically rejects government and third-party interference in its member associations, which ultimately could leave five-time World Cup winners Brazil out of major competitions until the crisis is solved. The Rio court ruling also named Jos Perdiz, the head of Brazil's top sports court, a

German soccer fed limits Facebook comments after racial slurs at players

The German soccer federation has had to limit comments on the Facebook page of its junior teams following a slew of racist and discriminatory comments against its Under-17 players. The federation posted a picture of four players from the Germany U17 team, all Black, celebrating Tuesday's 3-2 win over the United States in the round of 16 at the U17 World Cup in Indonesia. But the post was met by a torrent of racist comments from a host of Facebook users about the players Charles Herrmann, Almugera Kabar, Paris Brunner (all from Borussia Dortmund) and Fayssal Harchaoui (Cologne). The federation responded by switching off comments and posting a statement of its own. We're proud of the diversity in our Under-17s, who are currently playing their hearts out in Indonesia, the federation said. The commitment to diversity is firmly anchored in the federation's statutes as are the values of tolerance and respect. If you don't share these values, please unfollow us. Discriminatory and racis

Ronaldo to Neymar: Saudi Arabia is changing football one player at a time

Saudi Pro League has signed at least 22 big names from European football since January. The contracts are also bigger than usual. How is it doing so, and why?

Ronaldo breaks Gerd Muller's record, tops the chart of most headers

Ronaldo has broken the record of Gerd Muller and now has the most number of goals with his head. Ronaldo reached the spot on Tuesday, playing against US Monastir in the Arab Championships Club

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

What can Cristiano Ronaldo expect from Saudi Pro League football, Al Nassr?

As Cristiano Ronaldo was quick to point out, he has spent his storied career playing for the "most important" clubs in Europe. That also meant playing in the most popular leagues in the world in England, Spain and Italy for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. His move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, however, signals a step into the unknown. The Saudi Pro League is unlikely to have been on the radar of the majority of his loyal following, but it is where the next and likely last chapter of his career will be played out after signing a two-and-a-half-year contract with Al Nassr. He will also hope to compete in the Asian Champions League next season if his new club qualifies for the biggest competition in Asian soccer. "In Europe my work is done," Ronaldo said when presented by Al Nassr in Riyadh on Tuesday. But what can the 37-year-old five-time Champions League winner expect from Saudi soccer? "I know the league is very competitive. People don't know that, but I know bec

Brazil prepares to bury soccer legend Pele in city he made soccer Mecca

Forty-five years after Pel played his last game, it's hard to imagine modern soccer, or Brazil, without him. Geovana Sarmento, 17, waited in the three-hour line to view his body as it lay in repose at the stadium where he played for most his career. She came with her father, who was wearing a Brazil shirt with Pel's name. I am not a Santos fan, neither is my father. But this guy invented Brazil's national team. He made Santos stronger, he made it big, how could you not respect him? He is one of the greatest people ever, we needed to honor him, she said. Pel will be buried Tuesday in the city where he grew up, became famous, and helped make into a global capital of soccer. A Catholic Mass will be celebrated at the Vila Belmiro stadium before his casket is ushered through the streets of Santos to a nearby cemetery. Brazil's newly inaugurated President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva, who was sworn in for a third term Sunday after a comeback victory, is expected to come to Vila Belmiro short