The dates for the next Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco remain up in the air amid a potential clash with the new-look Club World Cup, which is set for the mid-2025, Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe said on Friday. The dates for the Cup of Nations were set for mid-year from the 2019 edition in Egypt, changed from the start of the year to avoid the…
Spare a thought for Jesse Lingard. The former Manchester United midfielder is still without a club more than six months after leaving Nottingham Forest as a free agent, and his efforts to tempt a new team into signing him — posting videos of energetic work-outs in the gym — was brutally mocked by another former United star, Paul Scholes, in a searing Instagram comment this week. But while Lingard can’t…
New Brazil coach Dorival Júnior has declared the national team has an “obligation” to win again. Dorival, 61, signed a contract on Thursday with the Brazil Football Confederation (CBF) through the 2026 World Cup. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) “I am here today representing the winningest team on the planet, the one that inspires many around the world,” Dorival said at his unveiling. “And it has an…
Dorival Junior has been officially appointed Brazil coach, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced on Wednesday. The 61-year-old confirmed on Sunday his decision to leave Sao Paulo and take charge of Brazil after the CBF sacked interim coach Fernando Diniz on Friday. “Dorival Junior is the new coach of the men’s national team. He will be presented at a news conference this Thursday at the CBF headquarters in Rio de…
When Bruno Fornaroli was 12, he made the 500-kilometer bus ride from his home in Salto to Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo, to join Nacional — one of the biggest, most prestigious soccer clubs in the country. His parents didn’t want him to go, they said he was too young, but he was insistent; playing for Nacional, he told his father, was his dream. Soon after that ride to the capital began,…
Girona defender David López was handed a four-match ban on Tuesday after he incorrectly accused a referee of being disrespectful towards him during a LaLiga match in October. The 34-year-old, who later apologised for making the accusation, has also been hit with a €601 ($656) fine by the Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) López, who has featured in 15 of Girona’s 19…
For those who saw him play — even just in grainy videos — there’s a single image of Franz Beckenbauer that stands out. Striding out of the back, ball at his feet, head held high, eyes scanning for things only he could see, while worry builds in the eyes of the opponents: that was “Der Kaiser” who passed away on Monday, on the pitch. But there’s far more to him…
As Brazil mourns the great Mario Zagallo, who died on Friday at the age of 92, the contrast becomes sharper between the days of past glory for the national team and the present-day administrative chaos. The five-time men’s World Cup winners have made a stuttering start to their campaign to reach the 2026 tournament. They have lost three of their first six matches including their first-ever home defeat in a…
Franz Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner with West Germany as a player and coach who was regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, has died at the age of 78. German news agency DPA said the family confirmed Beckenbauer’s death via statement. “It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbauer, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded…
LONDON — Liverpool’s 2-0 win at Arsenal to advance deeper into the FA Cup was impressive enough, but if you consider the rollcall of players who weren’t involved at the Emirates, it gives an indication of just why the Reds are serious contenders in four competitions this season. The irreplaceable Mohamed Salah had already departed for Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt prior to this third-round FA Cup tie,…