Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has launched a scathing attack on the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, calling it “the worst idea ever implemented in football” and warning of dangerous consequences for player welfare. Now head of global football at Red Bull, Klopp’s criticism comes just days after one of Red Bull’s teams, RB Salzburg, was eliminated in the group stage of the newly expanded 32-team tournament in the United…

Paulinho came off the bench to score a brilliant extra-time winner as Palmeiras edged fierce rivals Botafogo 1-0 in a tense all-Brazilian affair to reach the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals. The former Bayer Leverkusen winger cut inside from the right and rifled a low strike into the bottom corner in the 100th minute, securing a hard-fought win in front of 33,657 fans at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia. His second…

England Under-21s clinched back-to-back UEFA European U21 Championship titles after edging Germany 3-2 in an enthralling final that went to extra time in Bratislava. A dramatic header from substitute Jonathan Rowe just two minutes into the added period secured the title for Lee Carsley’s Young Lions, who now join the elite company of successive U21 champions — a feat not achieved since Dave Sexton’s class of 1982 and 1984. This…

Paul Pogba fought back tears as he officially signed a two-year deal with AS Monaco, marking his emotional return to competitive football after serving an 18-month doping suspension. The 32-year-old former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder has been without a club since November 2023, when he and Juventus mutually agreed to terminate his contract in the wake of a provisional suspension. That suspension followed a failed drug test after Juventus’…

South Africa’s national women’s football team, Banyana Banyana, have boycotted training ahead of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title defence in Morocco, citing unpaid allowances and salaries from the South African Football Association (SAFA). The reigning continental champions, who arrived in Morocco on Wednesday in preparation for the tournament set to kick off on July 5, staged a sit-in protest on Friday by refusing to take part in…

Deontay Wilder returned to winning ways on Saturday night, stopping Tyrrell Herndon in the seventh round of a low-profile bout in Wichita, Kansas, that offered more relief than reassurance for the former heavyweight champion. It was Wilder’s first victory since October 2022, ending a streak of three losses in four fights — most recently a punishing fifth-round stoppage at the hands of Chinese southpaw Zhilei Zhang in June 2024. But…

Manchester United have seen their latest bid for Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo rejected, as the West London club stand firm on their valuation of the in-demand forward. United’s improved offer, reportedly worth up to £62.5 million – consisting of £55 million upfront and £7.5 million in add-ons – was turned down by Brentford, who are understood to be holding out for a fee similar to what Wolves received for Matheus…

Gareth Southgate has officially joined football’s most elite ranks after being knighted at Windsor Castle on Wednesday. The former England manager, 54, was honoured for his services to football following his departure from the national team after Euro 2024. The knighthood places Southgate among just six other football managers who have received the distinction: Sir Alf Ramsey, Sir Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Robson, Sir Kenny Dalglish, and…

Disappointment as Al Ahly, Esperance, Sundowns & Wydad crash out in group stage The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States has ended in bitter disappointment for African football, as none of the four CAF representatives managed to progress beyond the group stage in the tournament’s new 32-team format. A Harsh Reality for African Giants African champions Al Ahly, along with Esperance de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Wydad…

Cristiano Ronaldo is on the verge of extending his stay at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, according to local sources who spoke to BBC Sport, despite earlier signs suggesting his time in Riyadh was drawing to a close. The 40-year-old Portuguese icon, who joined Al-Nassr in January 2023 after a high-profile exit from Manchester United, had initially agreed to a deal running through June 2025. However, talks have progressed significantly over…

Nigeria international Moses Simon is on the verge of completing a transfer from FC Nantes to Paris FC, with the 29-year-old winger reportedly passing his medical on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. The deal, valued at €7 million, marks Paris FC’s first major signing of the summer window and a significant step in their ambitions to strengthen ahead of the new season. Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed the development via…

In a seismic development for French football, Olympique Lyonnais, one of the country’s most decorated clubs, has been officially relegated to Ligue 2 due to financial irregularities. The decision was confirmed on June 24, 2025, by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), following a meeting with the National Directorate of Management Control (DNCG), the financial watchdog overseeing professional clubs in France. The ruling marks a significant and historic fall from…