Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho offered genuine congratulations to the referee despite his team’s second derby defeat of the season. Mourinho’s side saw their five-game winning run end in Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Besiktas. The Portuguese, who has been punished in the past for criticising referees, had nothing but praise for the officiating of Mehmet Türkmen. “If we have referees like this one in every match of the title contenders, the…
Former Portugal winger Nani, who won four Premier League titles and the Champions League with Manchester United, announced his retirement from professional football on Sunday. The 38-year-old began his career at Sporting CP before he was signed by legendary former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in 2007 and left to join Fenerbahçe on a permanent deal in 2015. Nani played for 10 clubs in total during his 19-year career, plying…
Every top head coach is only as good as the sporting director charged with building the squad from which they select their team. So Manchester United’s decision to part ways with Dan Ashworth, just five months after hiring him from Newcastle United, highlights how much of a hurry the club are in to become competitive under new boss Ruben Amorim. One source told ESPN that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s minority…
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said Manchester United will need to take “difficult and unpopular decisions” if the club is to restore its place at the top of English and European football. Ratcliffe acquired a 27.7% stake of United earlier this year and later said he wished to break Manchester City and Liverpool’s recent dominance. However, it has proved a difficult year at Old Trafford, with manager Erik ten Hag sacked…
Wrexham moved level on points with Wycombe after Elliot Lee’s goal direct from a corner kick earned the Welsh club a narrow win away at Burton Albion.
LIVERPOOL, England — The distance between Everton’s iconic stadium, Goodison Park, and Liverpool’s Anfield home measures at little more than half a mile. Separated only by Stanley Park — where Everton played during the club’s most formative years — Merseyside’s footballing giants have spent more than a century as neighbours, bonded by a sense of territorial kinship, even as the fortunes of the two clubs have veered in drastically different…
Mikel Arteta has insisted that Arsenal “want to be the kings of everything,” urging his side to build on their set-piece prowess. Arsenal are leading the Premier League in set-piece goals since the start of last season with 22 after adding two more to their collection in Wednesday night’s 2-0 win over Manchester United. Jurriën Timber and William Saliba got the goals from corners, with United — seemingly like many…
César Robledo has work to do, but wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a bit before seven o’clock on Saturday evening and the big yellow bus he drives has just rolled into the Vall d’en Bas hotel in the Catalan countryside. His passengers, footballers for Union Deportiva Las Palmas, have got off, leaving him to clear up. The picnics, individually prepared in paper bags with squad numbers penciled on,…
Just over a week ago, Marta — perhaps the most famous name in the women’s game, and a forward for the newly crowned NWSL champion Orlando Pride — said hers is the “best league in the world.” Given Orlando won the Supporters’ Shield for having the best regular-season record as well as all three playoff games in 90 minutes, yeah, they can probably safely say they’re the best team in…
In the span of six months, Lily Yohannes experienced the full gamut of reaction from fans of women’s international soccer. In June, Yohannes was celebrated as she scored on her international debut for the U.S. women’s national team against South Korea, making her — at the age of 16 — the third-youngest player to score for the USWNT. Because the appearance came in a friendly, though, it didn’t commit her…