Former Brazil international Miranda on Wednesday announced his retirement from football at the age of 38. “The moment has come to say goodbye,” Miranda said in a video posted on his Instagram account. “If football was a person, after everything I’ve been through, I would say that it’s been emotional, that we went through something … Read more
Dejan Lovren, a centre back who has rejoined Lyon in France, on Friday denied he sang fascist songs after Croatian victories in the World Cup or made homophobic tweets. “I was attacked,” the 33-year-old former Liverpool player told AFP in an interview in Lyon, where he also played from 2010-13. “They distort in a negative … Read more
Argentina edged past France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final, and Lionel Messi won the only remaining trophy in his glittering career. In a tightly-contested summit clash at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, Argentina and France drew 2-2 in regular time and then held each other to a 3-3 scoreline in extra time. It … Read more
After the World Cup earned Qatar both plaudits and censure, the energy-rich Gulf state is now starting a marathon to secure the 2036 Olympics and a place as a pillar of world sport. Even as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo scored goals and shed tears in Qatar’s multi-billion-dollar stadiums, its sports administrators were booking new … Read more
With talisman Lionel Messi rewriting history with La Albiceleste at the grandest stage of them all, his wife Antonella Roccuzzo has penned an emotional note following Argentina’s title triumph in the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup. Argentina defeated defending champions France on penalties after playing out a 3-3 draw in the FIFA World … Read more
Didier Deschamps said Saturday that France were taking “as many precautions as possible” to stop the spread of a virus that is threatening their preparations for their World Cup final showdown with Argentina. “We are trying to take as many precautions as possible, to adapt as necessary and get on with it,” the France coach … Read more
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the 41-year-old Swedish striker who plays for AC Milan , claims that he knows who will win the Qatar 2022 World Cup final and that outcome “is written.” READ | Brazil’s ‘shameless’ fans supporting Lionel Messi’s Argentina “I think it’s already written who is going to win,” Ibrahimovic told reporters ahead of the … Read more
Argentina’s economy may be sinking but the entire country is buoyant, basking in the elation of its football team, led by iconic captain Lionel Messi, reaching the World Cup final. The dream of landing Argentina’s third world title, 36 years after the last one, seems — at least for now — to have let Argentines … Read more
France coach Didier Deschamps admitted he was “immensely proud” after Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Morocco took the holders through to another World Cup final where he said his team would try to find a way of countering a Lionel Messi in “scintillating form” for Argentina. France is aiming to become the first team in 60 … Read more
“What are you looking at, fool? Get lost!” Lionel Messi’s World Cup taunt of Dutch player Wout Weghorst has delighted Argentina, where the phrase has made its way onto mugs, shirts and other products. In a viral video online, soccer superstar Messi is shown being interviewed after Friday’s stormy quarter-final clash with the Netherlands, when … Read more
A protester ran onto the field Monday carrying a rainbow flag and wearing a blue Superman T-shirt that said “SAVE UKRAINE” on the front and “RESPECT FOR IRANIAN WOMAN” on the back during a World Cup match between Portugal and Uruguay. READ | Can Cristiano Ronaldo play for any top club? Bernardo Silva’s take on … Read more
Bernardo Silva said on Thursday he believes Cristiano Ronaldo can still play for a top-level club if he chooses to after the World Cup. The Portuguese forward scored a penalty in his country’s 3-2 win over Ghana in their first group game in Qatar, two days after leaving Manchester United by mutual consent. Asked if … Read more
Football star Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United parted ways with a “mutual agreement” on Tuesday. It took place after Ronaldo’s grave accusations, in a recent interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, against the club and its current manager Eric ten Hag sparked controversy. In the same interview, Ronaldo had also revealed that a Saudi Arabia … Read more
Spain midfielder Gavi’s goal in his team’s 7-0 thrashing of Costa Rica on Wednesday made him the youngest World Cup scorer since Brazil great Pele in 1958. Pele was 17 in Sweden when he led Brazil to their first World Cup title, scoring six goals. Gavi, 18, also secured the game’s MVP award after becoming … Read more
FIFA’s top officials have urged the 32 teams preparing for the most political World Cup in the modern era to focus on the game in Qatar and avoid handing out lessons in morality. A letter urging teams to “let football take centre stage” was sent by FIFA president Gianni Infantino and secretary general Fatma Samoura … Read more