Football

Michael Carrick insisted there were positive signs for Manchester United despite their disappointing 1-1 draw against Fulham on Sunday. United were moments away from suffering a third consecutive defeat before Matheus Cunha rescued his side with a deflected effort. The result came after defeats to Manchester City in the Premier League and Brighton in the League Cup. Martinez Own Goal Puts Fulham Ahead Manchester United fell behind in the 63rd minute after a bizarre own goal from Lisandro Martinez. The defender's attempted clearance

Liverpool piled more pressure on struggling Tottenham Hotspur with a convincing 3-1 victory in the League Cup third round at a rain-soaked Anfield. Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai were on target for Liverpool as Tottenham suffered another disappointing result following their difficult start to the Premier League season. Tottenham have failed to win or score in their opening four league matches this season, recording two defeats and two draws. Their only victory so far came in the League Cup against

Arsenal teenager Max Dowman delivered a remarkable performance as the Gunners defeated Ipswich Town 4-2 in the Carabao Cup third round. The 16-year-old scored twice, helping Arsenal secure their place in the competition’s fourth round. Dowman’s impressive display attracted attention as he showed confidence, creativity and composure despite his young age. Max Dowman Makes the Difference for Arsenal Arsenal started strongly and took control of the match early. Dowman opened the scoring in the seventh minute after making a promising attacking move and

The Ballon d’Or 2026 nominees have been announced, setting the stage for another major battle for football’s most prestigious individual prize. Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal are among the biggest names included in the 30-player shortlist. Ballon d’Or 2026 Nominees: Messi Makes His Return Lionel Messi's inclusion is one of the biggest talking points from this year's shortlist. The Argentine superstar, who has already won the Ballon d’Or eight times, is back among the nominees and will

FC Barcelona made a statement in their opening Champions League match of the 2026/27 campaign, cruising to a convincing 5-1 victory over Feyenoord at Camp Nou. Raphinha led the way with two goals, while Karim Adeyemi, Lamine Yamal and Gabriel Jesus also found the net as Hansi Flick’s side delivered another impressive attacking display. Barcelona Make a Flying Start in Europe Raphinha Sets the Tone Early Barcelona wasted little time taking control of the contest. Raphinha opened the scoring early after combining with

Lionel Messi is reportedly preparing for another major move in Spanish football, with the Argentina and Inter Miami star reaching an agreement in principle to acquire CD Eldense, a club competing in Spain’s second division. The proposed deal would further expand Messi’s growing involvement in football ownership. Messi Moves Closer to Buying CD Eldense According to reports, Messi has reached a verbal agreement with Eldense’s current owners to become the club’s majority shareholder. The final transfer is expected to take place after the

Lionel Messi, one of the greatest footballers in history, has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 39. The Argentina captain shared the emotional news on social media on Monday, bringing an end to an extraordinary 20-year journey with the national team. The decision was clearly not an easy one for the legendary forward, who admitted that saying goodbye to the national team still hurts deeply.  Messi explained that he had been thinking about retirement since Argentina’s defeat to Spain

One of the most popular and successful footballers in the world is Cristiano Ronaldo. The story of his journey from a young boy on the Portuguese island of Madeira to becoming a global footballing icon is one of talent, hard work, discipline and unwavering determination. Over the course of his career, Ronaldo has represented all four of football's giants: Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus & Al-Nassr. And he has helped lead to worldwide success for the Portugal national team too. He

Xabi Alonso enjoyed a winning start to his tenure as Chelsea manager as the Blues edged Fulham 3-2 in a thrilling west London derby at Craven Cottage on Monday. Joao Pedro scored after just 31 seconds before Morgan Rogers netted on his Chelsea debut. Cole Palmer added a third after half-time, while Fulham's Josh King and Gonzalo Garcia scored to keep the hosts in contention. Pedro Gives Chelsea Dream Start Chelsea needed only 31 seconds to take the lead. A move involving Levi

FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour has left the organisation, just weeks after publicly criticising President Gianni Infantino’s controversial proposal to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup and other tournaments. FIFA confirmed that Lamour’s working relationship with the governing body ended on August 17, 2026, without providing further details. Lamour Leaves FIFA After Criticising Infantino Plan Lamour joined FIFA’s senior leadership team in November 2024 after previously being part of Infantino’s campaign team during his successful presidential bid

Barcelona have reached an agreement with Manchester City to sign Spain midfielder Rodri, with the transfer expected to become official in the coming days. Barcelona Reach Agreement With Manchester City A source from the Catalan club told AFP that Barcelona and Manchester City have agreed on a deal for the 30-year-old midfielder. Reports indicate that Barcelona will pay around €75 million ($87 million) for Rodri. A Barcelona source said an official announcement is expected in the coming days, paving the way for the

Cristiano Ronaldo has raised fresh questions about his future by suggesting that the upcoming year could be the final season of his extraordinary playing career. Ronaldo Calls Time on Career Potentially Near The 41-year-old Portugal captain said his retirement could be approaching as he reflects on more than two decades at the highest level. “This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” Ronaldo said in an interview with Vogue. The statement has intensified speculation about

Arsenal made a strong start to the new season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the FA Community Shield in Cardiff. The result gave Mikel Arteta’s side the first silverware of the campaign and provided several early talking points. Arsenal Make Early Statement With Silverware Arsenal wasted no time making their mark, scoring after just 23 seconds — their fastest goal across 668 matches under Mikel Arteta. The dominant performance delivered an emphatic victory and could prove an early psychological

Florian Thauvin’s first-half goal was enough for Lens to defeat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 and lift the Trophée des Champions for the first time in club history. Thauvin Gives Lens the Lead PSG started brightly and looked to control the match, but Lens struck first in the 32nd minute. Abdallah Sima linked up with Matthieu Udol, whose delivery found Florian Thauvin at the far post. The forward finished past Matvey Safonov to put Lens 1-0 ahead. Lens Reduced to 10 Men The game changed

The Royal Dutch Football Association confirmed the appointment on Wednesday, ending its search for a successor to Ronald Koeman. Xavi, 46, returns to management for the first time since leaving Barcelona in 2024. The Spaniard described the role as a tremendous honour and said his football education at Barcelona, shaped by the ideas of Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels, had given him a special connection to Dutch football. Xavi said the Netherlands’ tradition of attacking, possession-based football strongly appealed to him. While winning

Lionel Messi made an emotional return to Inter Miami on Wednesday, only days after the death of his father, but it was not enough to keep the club in the Leagues Cup: a 3-2 defeat to Club León at Nu Stadium sent the Herons out of the tournament. Named among the substitutes, the Argentine captain was introduced at halftime with Miami leading 1-0, replacing Dániel Pintér — the scorer of the home side’s opener — and drawing a thunderous standing ovation from the

MIAMI — Lionel Messi has been given time away from Inter Miami following the death of his father and longtime representative, Jorge Messi, with the MLS club confirming there is currently no timetable for the Argentine captain’s return. Jorge Messi died in Argentina at the age of 68 after a prolonged illness. Messi subsequently returned to Rosario to be with his family, while Inter Miami players, coaches and staff publicly expressed their support for their captain. No Timetable for Messi’s Return Inter Miami

Argentine football star Lionel Messi has returned to his home country following the death of his father and longtime agent, Jorge Messi, who passed away aged 68. Messi, 39, travelled to Argentina for his father’s funeral after Jorge’s death was reported in Rosario. Messi’s childhood club, Newell’s Old Boys, confirmed the news and paid tribute to Jorge’s important role in the footballer’s career. Newell’s Old Boys Pay Tribute to Jorge Messi Newell’s Old Boys described Jorge as a key figure behind Lionel Messi’s

Leverkusen: Bayer Leverkusen are reportedly considering a summer move for Konstantinos Mavropanos as the Bundesliga club explores options to strengthen its defence ahead of the new season. The Greek international centre-back has emerged as a potential target for Leverkusen, with his previous experience in German football making him an intriguing option for the club. Mavropanos is currently with West Ham United, but speculation surrounding his future could intensify as clubs begin shaping their squads for the upcoming campaign. Leverkusen Consider Defensive Reinforcements Leverkusen

Lionel Messi made a successful return from injury as Inter Miami battled to a 2-2 draw against Columbus Crew in a thrilling Major League Soccer (MLS) encounter, marking the Argentine superstar's first appearance after missing several matches. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner returned to the starting lineup after recovering from a muscle injury, receiving a warm welcome from fans as he helped Inter Miami earn a valuable point in a hard-fought contest. Messi Back in Action Messi had been sidelined in recent weeks,