Author: Timi-Zacchaeus Oluwaferanmi

Malaysia’s football scene has been rocked by scandal after FIFA accused the country of falsifying citizenship documents for seven foreign-born players on its national team. In a damning report released Monday, world football’s governing body alleged that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) forged birth certificates to make it appear that the players’ grandparents were born in Malaysia, enabling them to qualify under FIFA’s “grandfather rule.” The rule allows players to represent a country if their parents or grandparents were born there, ensuring eligibility remains based on genuine heritage rather than convenience. FIFA said Malaysia’s actions “constitute, pure and simple,…

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has signed an improved contract at the Emirates Stadium, cementing his place as one of Mikel Arteta’s most trusted players. The Spain international, who has been crucial in Arsenal’s rise under Arteta, agreed to a pay rise earlier this summer, reflecting his growing influence and consistency since joining from Brentford. Although the new deal does not extend beyond the original expiry date of 2028, it significantly improves Raya’s salary from his reported £100,000 per week. The club has also retained an option to extend the agreement further, ensuring long-term stability between the posts. Recognition for Key…

Novak Djokovic admitted he “suffered a lot” as he survived a hard-fought second-round clash against Marin Cilic at the Shanghai Masters, securing a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 victory in one hour and 54 minutes. The 38-year-old Serb, playing his first tournament since the US Open and his first non-Grand Slam event since May, faced a stern test from the 37-year-old Croatian. The combined age of 75 years and 139 days made this the oldest-ever matchup in an ATP Masters 1000 main draw. A tense first set The opening set was a tightly contested affair. Both players held serve consistently, with little…

Florian Wirtz arrived at Anfield this summer in a blaze of anticipation, hailed as one of Europe’s brightest young attacking talents and signed for a staggering £116m. Yet, after nine appearances in red, Liverpool fans and pundits alike are beginning to ask the same question: why hasn’t the German prodigy clicked yet? Wirtz’s early form has been described as underwhelming. He is yet to score a goal for Liverpool and his only assist came in the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace. Former England striker Wayne Rooney went so far as to claim that the 22-year-old “damages the balance” of…

Former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye has warned that Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup remain precarious, despite a recent points deduction handed to South Africa by FIFA. The ex-international, who was part of Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad, expressed his concerns on social media, noting that qualification is now out of the Super Eagles’ direct control. South Africa’s setback Nigeria’s fortunes appeared to improve earlier this week when FIFA confirmed that South Africa had fielded an ineligible player during their 2-0 victory over Lesotho in March. Midfielder Teboho Mokoena was suspended after accumulating…

Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal has been ruled out of Spain’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers after aggravating a groin injury, deepening a growing club-versus-country row over the teenager’s workload. The 18-year-old winger, who has already established himself as one of Europe’s brightest prospects, will miss around two to three weeks of action, according to Barcelona. That timeframe excludes him from Spain’s matches against Georgia and Bulgaria next week and sidelines him from Barça’s La Liga clash with Sevilla this weekend. Injury setback Yamal initially suffered the groin problem while on international duty in September, missing four games for Barcelona as a…

Nottingham Forest’s board have offered Ange Postecoglou their public backing, but the Australian coach knows Sunday’s Premier League clash against Newcastle United could be pivotal for his future. The 60-year-old has endured a difficult start to life at the City Ground, failing to win any of his first six matches in charge across all competitions. Forest’s 3-2 Europa League defeat to Danish side Midtjylland on Thursday brought frustration from supporters, with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” echoing around the stands. Yet, despite growing discontent from sections of the fanbase, Forest’s hierarchy are urging patience. Insiders at the…

Jude Bellingham has been named England Men’s Player of the Year for the 2024-25 campaign, capping another milestone season in what is already proving to be an extraordinary career for the 22-year-old midfielder. The Real Madrid star finished ahead of Declan Rice and Harry Kane in the supporters’ vote, further underlining his growing influence on the international stage. It marks the first time he has received the honour, and he becomes just the second player in history to win it while representing a club outside of England, following Owen Hargreaves’ success in 2006 during his Bayern Munich days. Impact on…

As planning intensifies for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico, kick-off times are becoming a growing point of contention. FIFA officials are expected to schedule matches involving Europe’s leading nations after midnight UK time, in a bid to protect players from the extreme heat that plagued this summer’s Club World Cup. During that tournament in the United States, players and managers repeatedly raised concerns about soaring pitch-side temperatures. Matches in Los Angeles, played under blistering midday sun, saw Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique lament the near-40 degree heat, while Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández…

Paris Saint-Germain produced a statement victory in the Champions League as Gonçalo Ramos’ dramatic 90th-minute winner sealed a 2-1 triumph over Barcelona at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. It was the first time an away team had ever scored a last-minute winner in European competition against Barcelona, and it underlined PSG’s intent to defend the treble they captured last season. Early Promise for Barcelona Barcelona started brightly, fuelled by the pace of Marcus Rashford and the trickery of 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal. The home crowd was rewarded after 19 minutes when Rashford burst down the left and delivered a superb…