The Qatar FA has said Yusuf Abdurisag did not use discriminatory language against a player from the New Zealand team, who abandoned their friendly at half-time on Monday in protest at an alleged racist slur. Qatar’s soccer governing body said on Tuesday that Abdurisag had an exchange of words “in the heat of the moment” where he was the victim of racial slurs. New Zealand said on Monday that their…
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first men’s footballer to play 200 international matches during Portugal’s European Championship qualifying win over Iceland on Tuesday. The Portugal captain, who made his international debut in 2003, achieved the milestone at Reykjavik’s Laugardalsvollur stadium and scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory against Iceland. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) “I’m so happy. To reach 200 caps is the kind of moment…
Son Heung-Min has announced his intention to stay at Tottenham despite receiving a lucrative offer to join Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad. ESPN revealed on Monday that the 30-year-old had become the latest high-profile player to be targeted by Saudi clubs with Al Ittihad offering the forward a four-year deal worth €30 million ($32.7m) per season. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) A source close to negotiations…
The Brazilian Football Association (CBF) are considering appointing Carlo Ancelotti’s son, Davide, in a coaching role with the national team, sources have told ESPN, to help with the transition as they wait to appoint Ancelotti himself in June 2024. CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues has repeatedly stated that Ancelotti is his preferred choice to take charge of Brazil following the departure of Tite after the 2022 World Cup, but the Real…
Bournemouth have sacked manager Gary O’Neil, despite the fact that he guided them to Premier League survival last season, and hired Spanish coach Andoni Iraola in his place, the club announced on Monday. O’Neil took over from Scott Parker on an interim basis in August before being handed the job officially in November. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) He steered Bournemouth to a 15th-placed finish in the…
Eden Hazard has joked that he’s been “resting for three years” following an injury-hit spell at Real Madrid — but insisted he isn’t thinking about leaving football altogether, after retiring from the Belgium national team. The forward, 32, left Madrid this month by mutual consent after his contract at the Bernabeu was terminated a year early. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Hazard retired from international football after…
The summer transfer window is open for some leagues in Europe and there’s plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals! Manchester City defender Kyle Walker is eager to join Bayern Munich permanently, with advanced talks taking place between him and German champions, reports Sky Sports Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg. It has been reported that the 33-year-old…
A project using artificial intelligence to track social media abuse aimed at players at the 2022 World Cup identified more than 300 people whose details are being given to law enforcement, FIFA said Sunday. The people made “abusive, discriminatory, or threatening posts [or] comments” on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, soccer’s governing body said in a report detailing efforts to protect players and officials during the tournament…
European clubs should not be afraid of a player exodus to Saudi Arabia, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said on Sunday, suggesting the country was making a mistake investing in stars at the end of their careers. Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have been paid record-high contracts to join Saudi Arabian clubs this year, and similar offers were made to Lionel Messi and Luka Modric. They have combined to win every…
England manager Gareth Southgate said he plans to give Trent Alexander-Arnold more opportunities in midfield after the Liverpool right-back starred in his new international role during Friday’s 4-0 victory over Malta in their Euro 2024 qualifier. Alexander-Arnold thrived in a hybrid midfield role for Liverpool in the final months of the 2022-23 season and was at his creative best against Malta in his first international start for a year, scoring…