Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim has dismissed rumors linking him as Pep Guardiola’s potential successor at Manchester City. Guardiola’s contract with the Premier League champions expires next summer, and with no negotiations yet for an extension, speculation has grown about his future. Adding to the rumors is the appointment of Sporting’s Hugo Viana, a close associate of Amorim, as City’s next director of football. However, in an interview with Cabine Desportiva, Amorim clarified: “Hugo Viana and I have different, separate paths. His appointment doesn’t mean I’m going to Manchester City. We maintain a professional relationship, which won’t last forever.”
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
PGMOL chief Howard Webb has stated that there have been only two errors made by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) this season. Since its introduction in the English top flight in 2019, VAR has been a source of controversy, but Webb insists that the technology is improving and that mistakes are being minimized following a rocky start. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Webb remarked, “I don’t think we managed expectations well regarding VAR. We knew it would perform well in clear situations, where it’s obvious something is wrong at first glance.” He added, “We have an independent panel…
Nathan Tella of the Super Eagles has expressed his frustration with Bayer Leverkusen due to a lack of playing time. The Nigerian international transferred from Southampton to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2023 for approximately €23 million. During his debut season, Tella made a significant impact, contributing to the team’s success in winning the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal with 11 goal involvements across 39 matches. However, he has faced challenges securing playing time this season under manager Xabi Alonso, which has also affected his chances of being called up to the national team. Tella revealed that he has had open…
Argentina captain Lionel Messi has equaled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record after netting a hat-trick in a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Bolivia. Messi scored three goals and provided two assists in Argentina’s dominant 6-0 victory. The hat-trick marked the 37-year-old’s 10th at the international level, matching Ronaldo’s record for most international hat-tricks. La Albiceleste are well on their way to securing qualification from South America, sitting three points clear of second-placed Colombia and six points ahead of rivals Brazil. On the same night, Ronaldo failed to score in Portugal’s 0-0 draw against Scotland in the UEFA Nations League, visibly frustrated by…
New England manager, Thomas Tuchel, has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to manage Manchester United. Tuchel was one of the top candidates linked to the Old Trafford role, with Erik ten Hag’s future under scrutiny. The former Chelsea and PSG boss reportedly held discussions with United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe over the summer. However, Tuchel chose to take on the England national team job, becoming only the third non-Englishman to manage the Three Lions. When asked why he accepted the England role instead of waiting for the Manchester United offer, Tuchel said: “The way John [McDermott] and Mark…
Heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang has expressed his support for Daniel Dubois in a potential rematch against Anthony Joshua, confidently predicting victory for the Briton. In an interview with Seconds Out, Zhang voiced his belief that Dubois can replicate his September 21 victory at Wembley, where he knocked out Joshua in the fifth round. “I can’t say I’m disappointed because, as a boxing fan, I look at it from that perspective,” Zhang remarked. “Joshua has been at the top for years, and being at the top of the food chain definitely changes your mentality.” Zhang raised concerns about Joshua’s mental state…
The Nigerian government has refuted claims that it issued an apology to Libya over the mistreatment of the Super Eagles upon their arrival in the North African country for a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. This comes after The Libya Observer published a report on Tuesday, stating that Libya had received an apology. However, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, dismissed the report. In a statement on Wednesday, Tuggar’s Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, called the report a deliberate attempt to mislead football authorities and fans across Africa and gain political leverage. Tuggar clarified…
Kylian Mbappé’s legal team now believes the Real Madrid and France star is a suspect in a Swedish rape investigation. According to RMC Sport, the alleged incident took place in a Stockholm hotel on October 10th, while Mbappé was on a short vacation. That evening, the 25-year-old reportedly dined at a restaurant and later visited a nightclub. Although Swedish prosecutors confirmed that an investigation is underway, Mbappé was not initially named. However, a report from Swedish outlet Expressen later implicated the French international, drawing significant media attention. Mbappé’s lawyer, Canu Bernard, defended the player on French television, stating, “He’s done…
Just a few months after private discussions between Thomas Tuchel and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Manchester United appeared poised to make the bold move of appointing the German as their new manager. During the summer, when it seemed Erik ten Hag might depart, Tuchel was a top candidate for the role. However, Ratcliffe and his group ultimately decided to stick with Ten Hag. With United enduring their worst-ever start to a Premier League season, The Manchester Evening News reported that Ten Hag’s future was again in doubt, leading the club to reconsider Tuchel as a possible replacement. While the club explored…
Thomas Tuchel has been appointed as England’s manager, starting on January 1, 2025. The 51-year-old German has signed an 18-month contract and becomes the third non-British permanent manager of the men’s national team, following Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. Gareth Southgate resigned in July after England’s defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final. Lee Carsley, who has overseen four matches since taking on the interim role in August, will continue as manager for the upcoming Nations League games against Greece and the Republic of Ireland next month. Tuchel, who departed Bayern Munich at the end of last season, expressed…
At least eight countries have secured their spots in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to take place in Morocco. The qualified teams are Congo, Senegal, Egypt, Angola, Cameroon, Algeria, Burkina Faso, and host nation Morocco. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed this in a series of posts on their X account on Tuesday. Congo, Senegal, Egypt, and Angola are the most recent teams to qualify, following victories in their matches today. Congo defeated Tanzania 2-0 at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Angola edged Niger Republic 1-0, Egypt beat Mauritania 1-0, and Senegal secured a 1-0 win…
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has clarified the reason for the cancellation of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match between Nigeria and Libya. The match was initially set to take place at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15. In a statement issued on Tuesday afternoon, CAF announced that the match “will not take place as scheduled tonight” and that the situation would be referred to the appropriate CAF bodies for further consideration. This decision follows the Super Eagles’ difficult return to Nigeria after spending over 14 hours dealing with Libyan authorities. The Super Eagles were originally…
Brentford forward Kevin Schade is no longer eligible to play for Nigeria’s Super Eagles. This change comes after Schade participated in a cap-tying match for Germany against the Netherlands in a UEFA Nations League clash on Monday. By playing for Germany in the match at the Allianz Arena, Schade is now officially tied to the German national team. Consequently, he can no longer represent Nigeria in the future. Born in Potsdam, Germany, to a Nigerian father and a German mother, Schade was eligible to play for Nigeria prior to his cap-tying match with Germany. The 22-year-old received a late call-up…
The English Premier League giants Chelsea will be aiming to return to winning form as they face Liverpool away in their next EPL match on Sunday. After a recent 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is looking for a positive result to improve their position in the league standings. Chelsea is expected to field a strong lineup for their away clash against Liverpool. In Attack: Noni Madueke, who scored the equalizer in the last match, is likely to secure a spot in the starting XI, partnering with Christopher Nkunku and Jadon Sancho. In Midfield: Cole Palmer…
UFC fighter Israel Adesanya recently opened up about a challenging time in his career when he faced severe financial difficulties following his loss to Alex Pereira during his kickboxing days in China. The Nigerian-born Kiwi UFC star and former middleweight champion, known for his flamboyant style and confidence in the octagon, shared his unexpected story of hardship on The JRE podcast. He revealed that after losing to Pereira, the promotion he was fighting for abruptly stopped scheduling fights for him. “When I was fighting in China and I lost to Alex, they stopped giving me fights. At that time, I…
Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is reportedly poised to take over as the new head coach of England’s national team following Gareth Southgate’s resignation after Euro 2024. If confirmed, Tuchel will be the first non-English manager to lead the Three Lions since Fabio Capello in 2012. England Chooses Tuchel Over Top Candidates The Football Association (FA) considered several high-profile candidates for the role, including Pep Guardiola, Eddie Howe, and interim boss Lee Carsley. However, Tuchel emerged as the preferred option due to his familiarity with English football from his time at Chelsea and his recent experience working with Harry Kane…
The Super Eagles retained their position at the top of Group D in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after Rwanda secured a 2-1 victory over Benin Republic in Kigali on Tuesday night. Nigeria was initially set to face the Mediterranean Knights of Libya in Benina tonight, but the match was postponed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The postponement followed concerns over the mistreatment of Super Eagles players by Libyan authorities. In the match between Rwanda and Benin, Andeas Hountondji gave Benin the lead three minutes before halftime at Amahoro Stadium. However, Rwanda fought back with goals…
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has responded to the club’s decision to end the ambassadorial role of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson. In a tweet on Tuesday, Ferdinand expressed his shock, stating, “If Sir Alex can be taken out, then NO ONE IS SAFE at @ManUtd – anyone can get it now. Ineos sending a message to ANYONE at the club?!?” Ferguson will step down from his ambassadorial duties at the end of the season, a decision made as part of a cost-cutting initiative following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a minority stake in the club in February. As…
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has made a final decision regarding the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Libya and Nigeria, officially announcing the postponement of the match. The game was initially scheduled to take place this evening in Libya. However, in an official statement, CAF confirmed that the fixture would not proceed as planned but did not provide specific reasons for the postponement. CAF stated that the matter will now be referred to the appropriate bodies for further consideration. “The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Qualifier fixture between Libya and Nigeria will not take…
Manchester United’s decision to sell Scott McTominay has drawn criticism from Premier League legend Paolo di Canio, according to The Sun. In August, United transferred McTominay to Serie A giants Napoli for £25 million, which helped finance their deadline-day acquisition of Manuel Ugarte, a key summer target. However, Di Canio believes that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team made a mistake. “I would go to Manchester United to confront all the directors—how can you let McTominay go?” he said in a recent interview with Il Mattino. United manager Erik ten Hag had mixed feelings about the player’s departure. While he…