football news

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

RC Lens have made history by winning the Trophée des Champions for the first time, defeating Paris Saint-Germain 1–0 at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis despite playing with ten men for almost an hour. A Historic Night for RC Lens RC Lens lifted the Trophée des Champions on Sunday evening after defeating reigning French champions Paris Saint-Germain in a tense opening match of the 2026/27 season. The home side secured a narrow 1–0 victory, with Florian Thauvin scoring the decisive goal in the first half.

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

Qatar and Morocco are among six Arab football associations that have publicly expressed support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, despite growing criticism of his leadership following the collapse of a controversial private investment proposal. Six Arab Federations Express Support The football associations of Qatar, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan and Mauritania issued a joint statement backing Infantino and reaffirming their confidence in his leadership. The statement highlighted the role of Arab football in strengthening cooperation and bringing communities together, while praising Infantino's efforts to

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

Neymar has become the latest football icon to reach out to Lionel Messi following the death of the Inter Miami captain’s father, joining an outpouring of support that began moments after Messi shared an emotional farewell letter on Instagram. The Brazilian, a former teammate of Messi’s at Barcelona, left a short message of solidarity in the comments: “Lots of strength to you and your family. A big hug,” Neymar wrote. The two spent several seasons together at Barcelona, forming part of a celebrated

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring for the European champions in the 20th minute before 17-year-old Brian Madjo equalised shortly before half-time. Désiré Doué restored PSG’s lead in the 61st minute, with the goal awarded following a VAR review after an initial offside flag. Villa, appearing in the fixture as UEFA Europa League holders, pushed the Champions League winners throughout an energetic contest at Stadion Salzburg. Unai Emery’s side continued to threaten late in the match, but PSG protected their advantage to secure 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

LIVERPOOL — Liverpool’s pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola appears to be gathering momentum, with fresh reports suggesting the France international is open to an Anfield move while discussions over a potential transfer continue. Barcola has returned to PSG following his post-World Cup break and has been included in the French club’s travelling squad for the UEFA Super Cup. His involvement does not end the transfer speculation, however, with Liverpool continuing to be strongly linked with the 23-year-old. Barcola Reportedly Open to

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and his long-time partner Georgina Rodriguez have officially married, marking a new chapter in their relationship. Ronaldo, 41, confirmed the marriage through a photograph shared on his Instagram account showing the couple’s hands wearing their wedding rings. He captioned the post simply: “C ❤️ G.” Wedding Held in Portugal The couple exchanged vows at a ceremony in Cascais, a coastal resort near Lisbon, Portugal. Their five children were also present for the special occasion, making it an important family

After a prolific debut season in Munich, the Colombian winger has become a central part of Vincent Kompany’s attack alongside Harry Kane and Michael Olise. Speculation surrounding Luis Díaz’s future has created an obvious question for Bayern Munich: should the Bundesliga champions consider cashing in on the Colombian winger, or keep one of their most productive attacking players? On sporting grounds, the argument for keeping Díaz is compelling. His first season in Germany demonstrated how quickly he could adapt to Vincent Kompany’s system

South Korea’s national football association has apologised after a media report alleged that foreign referees were provided with inappropriate entertainment, including alleged sexual services, during visits to the country more than a decade ago. The Korea Football Association (KFA) issued the apology on Saturday following a report by South Korean broadcaster JTBC, which detailed allegations dating back to 2011 and 2012. Allegations Date Back to 2011 and 2012 According to JTBC, the KFA allegedly provided inappropriate entertainment to foreign referees on several occasions

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

Madrid: Atletico Madrid have reportedly taken a significant step in their pursuit of Cristian Romero, with the Argentine defender agreeing personal terms with the Spanish club as speculation intensifies over his future. The development could complicate Inter Milan’s reported interest in Romero, potentially setting up a transfer battle for the experienced centre-back. While an agreement on personal terms would represent progress for Atletico, a transfer would still depend on negotiations between the clubs and the completion of the usual contractual and medical procedures.

Madrid: Real Madrid have reportedly improved their contract offer to Vinícius Júnior as the Spanish giants step up efforts to secure the Brazilian forward's long-term future amid continued interest from Arsenal. Club officials are now awaiting the player's final decision after fresh negotiations with his representatives. According to multiple reports, the revised proposal would increase Vinícius' annual salary to around €22 million, up from his current deal, as Madrid look to end months of uncertainty surrounding one of their biggest stars. However, the

Newcastle: Newcastle United have officially appointed Matthias Jaissle as the club's new head coach, ending weeks of speculation and ushering in a new era at St James' Park. The 38-year-old German succeeds Eddie Howe and takes charge just weeks before the start of the 2026/27 Premier League season. Jaissle joins Newcastle from Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli, where he enjoyed considerable success, including leading the club to back-to-back AFC Champions League titles. Before his move to Saudi Arabia, he established himself as

Taif, Saudi Arabia: Al-Nassr Women were crowned champions of the 2026 West Asian Women's Clubs Championship after defeating Al-Hilal of Syria in the tournament final, securing another major regional title for the Saudi club. Al-Nassr delivered a composed performance throughout the final, controlling possession and creating the better scoring opportunities before sealing victory to lift the championship trophy. The triumph marks another significant milestone for Al-Nassr's rapidly developing women's football programme, which has emerged as one of the strongest teams in the region