Eden Hazard surprised fans by returning to football just eight months after announcing his retirement. The Chelsea legend made his comeback with Royale Union Tubize-Braine, a third-tier Belgian team, in a friendly match against top-tier giants Anderlecht. Wearing the captain’s armband for Tubize, Hazard showcased his enduring skills on the field. Despite Tubize suffering a 4-1 defeat, Hazard’s performance stood out, particularly when he scored in the 94th minute. His goal, reminiscent of his glory days at Chelsea, demonstrated his ability to navigate through Anderlecht’s defense and calmly place the ball into the far corner of the net. At 33…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
UEFA has removed referee Gil Manzano from Euro 2024 following reports from Spanish outlet Carrusel Deportivo. Manzano, who officiated the group stage match between France and Austria, where he issued a caution to Kylian Mbappe for reentering the pitch without instruction, will no longer be involved in the tournament after just one game. Initial reports suggested Manzano’s departure was due to an urgent need in Spain’s arbitration commission. However, Relevo reported that UEFA dismissed him based on his performance at Euro 2024. Manzano, known for his experience in high-profile matches such as El Clasico, has been involved in controversies before.…
The future club of Victor Osimhen remains a prominent topic in European football circles. The Nigerian striker, celebrated for guiding Napoli to their first Serie A title in 30 years in 2023, is poised to depart the Partenopei during the upcoming summer transfer window. Despite signing a contract extension in December 2023, Osimhen reportedly holds a gentleman’s agreement allowing him to leave Napoli for an appropriate fee this summer, as noted by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The 25-year-old has garnered interest from several clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain and English Premier League sides like Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal. However, while…
Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal, clarifies his choice of Spain over Morocco. Lamine Yamal, a rising star at Barcelona, recently explained his decision to represent Spain over Morocco, despite being eligible for both national teams due to his heritage. The 16-year-old, currently showcasing his talent at the European Championships with Spain, emphasized in a recent interview before the Round of 16 match against Georgia that his lifelong aspiration had always been to play for Spain. Yamal, whose father is Moroccan and mother is from Equatorial Guinea, had the option to choose between Morocco and Spain. While the Royal Moroccan Football Federation…
Darwin Núñez and his Uruguayan teammates cruised past Bolivia’s defense to secure a commanding 5-0 victory on Thursday night, edging closer to securing a spot in the Copa America quarterfinals. Facundo Pellistri opened the scoring in the eighth minute, followed by Núñez doubling the lead in the 21st minute with his 10th goal in his last seven national team appearances and his 13th overall in 25 matches. Maximiliano Araújo added Uruguay’s third goal in the 77th minute, while Federico Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur sealed the win with goals in the 81st and 89th minutes, respectively. This marked Uruguay’s first five-goal…
Al-Hilal forward Neymar Junior has singled out the United States as the “surprise team” of the 2024 Copa America. Neymar also praised United States captain Christian Pulisic, describing him as a great player. “I know Pulisic, I watched the Brazil vs United States game and the U.S. team surprised me a lot because they ran a lot, they played great defense against Brazil,” Neymar said (via GOAL). “[Pulisic] is a great player, he spent a long time at Chelsea. The U.S. will surprise during the Copa America. From what I saw in the game against Brazil, they have everything to…
Napoli’s new coach, Antonio Conte, has affirmed that Victor Osimhen, the Super Eagles striker, intends to depart from the club this summer. Speaking at a summit alongside Napoli’s president Aurelio De Laurentiis this week, Conte confirmed an agreement between the club and Osimhen allowing his departure. “I’m aware of his situation. I know there’s an agreement with the club, so it’s a different case compared to others,” Conte stated. “There’s a pact between Victor and Napoli regarding his future, and I have accepted that.” Reports have circulated for months linking Osimhen away from the Italian club, and it is now…
Waldemar Anton has opted to join Borussia Dortmund as his next club, despite interest from Liverpool under new head coach Arne Slot. Anton gained prominence in the 2023/24 season by captaining Stuttgart to a second-place finish in the Bundesliga and their first Champions League qualification since 2009. He also made his debut for the German national team in March at the age of 27 and is currently part of their squad for Euro 2024. Reports earlier this month suggested Liverpool had inquired about Anton’s availability, with a €22.5 million (£19 million) release clause in his Stuttgart contract, agreed upon in…
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez defended Cristiano Ronaldo after the forward displayed frustration by kicking a water bottle following his substitution during their surprising 2-0 loss to Georgia. Ronaldo, playing for Al Nassr, was substituted just over an hour into the match as Martinez sought solutions to goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze, replacing Ronaldo with Goncalo Ramos. Despite this change, Portugal was unable to recover, suffering what statistically stands as the biggest upset in European Championships history against a Georgia side ranked 66 places below them in FIFA’s global rankings. Before taking his place on the bench, Ronaldo’s frustration…
England manager Gareth Southgate has indicated his intention to have a conversation with midfielder Jude Bellingham to address his challenges during the group stage of Euro 2024. Bellingham, who arrived at the tournament with high expectations following a stellar debut season with Real Madrid, impressed in England’s opening win against Serbia but struggled in subsequent matches against Denmark and Slovenia. Amid calls for Bellingham to potentially be benched for the last-16 clash with Slovakia, Southgate emphasized his focus on finding solutions to improve England’s offensive performance. “I will discuss those matters with [Bellingham] privately rather than discuss them publicly,” Southgate…
Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua is poised to seize the opportunity to reclaim the heavyweight championship for the third time, following Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate his IBF title. Usyk received an exemption from defending his belt to face Tyson Fury last month, ultimately becoming the undisputed champion with a split decision victory over Fury in Saudi Arabia. Usyk has now agreed to a rematch with Fury on December 21 but will not defend the IBF title in that bout. He confirmed his decision to vacate the IBF belt via social media on Tuesday night, paving the way for Joshua…
Chelsea is poised to break the Premier League transfer record with an offer for Alexander Isak from Newcastle United. Discussions have already occurred between the clubs, and Chelsea is prepared to exceed the £115 million they spent on Moises Caicedo last summer. Having overcome injury setbacks that hindered his progress in recent years, Isak enjoyed a standout season with Newcastle last year. The 24-year-old striker concluded the campaign with an impressive tally of 25 goals, solidifying his status as one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards. While Newcastle is reluctant to part with one of their key assets, they are currently…
England’s Phil Foden has left the Euro 2024 camp in Germany to attend the birth of his third child, confirmed the English Football Association on Wednesday. In April, Foden and his partner Rebecca Cooke announced on Instagram that they were expecting their third child. The couple already has two children: five-year-old son Ronnie and two-year-old daughter True. The Football Association stated that the Manchester City star needed to address a “pressing family matter.” They expressed hope that Foden would rejoin the squad by Sunday, ahead of England’s last-16 match scheduled for 17:00 BST. Foden played a crucial role in Manchester…
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is currently seeking a new head coach for the Super Eagles following Finidi George’s resignation. While there is debate over whether a local coach should be given the opportunity, Afrik-Foot outlines compelling reasons why an expatriate coach could be the team’s best choice: 1. Trust and Support: Historically, the NFF has demonstrated a higher level of trust and support for expatriate coaches, citing their proven track record of success. Coaches like Gernot Rohr have delivered notable achievements with the team, benefiting from substantial financial backing. This backing enables them to build strong squads and implement…
Al Hilal forward Neymar has cited his compatriot Thiago Silva as the most formidable opponent he has encountered in his career. Neymar and Silva were teammates both at Paris Saint-Germain and with the Brazil national team, and also faced off in memorable UEFA Champions League clashes when Neymar represented Barcelona and Silva played for PSG. During a recent interview with VIVA Sport, Neymar was asked about the toughest player he has faced, to which the 32-year-old promptly responded, “Thiago Silva.” Silva, known for his stints at AC Milan, PSG, and Chelsea, recently departed Chelsea for Brazilian club Palmeiras as a…
Ademola Lookman has excelled at Atalanta since joining two seasons ago. The Nigerian international has scored 32 goals and provided 18 assists in 78 appearances for La Dea. However, he grabbed headlines with a stunning end to last season, scoring a hat-trick to lead Atalanta to a resounding 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Europa League final. Recently, there have been rumors linking Lookman with a return to the English Premier League, two years after leaving Leicester City. According to reports from Got Offside, both Manchester United and Liverpool are interested in signing Lookman this summer. Liverpool aims…
Lionel Messi has expressed his discomfort with Pep Guardiola’s training methods during their time together at Barcelona, describing them as confusing. The Argentina captain criticized the way Guardiola’s tactics were imposed on young players at La Masia, feeling it restricted their natural abilities. Messi, speaking in an interview with JP Varsky on Clank Media, highlighted that children as young as six were taught to play with two touches and at a faster pace, which he believes hindered their spontaneity on the field. He suggested that instead of such structured training, kids should learn to comprehend the game, develop their movements,…
Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos has honored Nacho Fernandez following his departure from Los Blancos on Tuesday. Ramos, who played alongside Nacho, expressed joy for his compatriot. Earlier that day, Real Madrid announced Nacho’s departure after 23 years with the club. The 34-year-old is expected to join a team in Saudi Arabia. In response, Ramos shared a photo of himself with Nacho on his Instagram story, writing: “Dear Nacho, although you’re leaving, you’ll always be part of @realmadrid’s history. Congratulations on an outstanding journey. It was a pleasure sharing the dressing room and experiencing countless successes and unforgettable moments together.…
Spain’s Supreme Court has ruled that a kiss without “tacit consent” can constitute sexual assault, a decision upheld following a case in Andalusia where a police officer was convicted for kissing a woman in custody. The court emphasized that any non-consensual kiss, even fleeting, represents an invasion of bodily autonomy, stating that consent is paramount and a “no” from the victim is not required to establish a lack of consent. This ruling comes just ahead of the trial of former football federation chief Luis Rubiales, accused of kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent during a World Cup medal ceremony.…
The president of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, has been provisionally suspended by FIFA from all football-related activities at national and international levels for a period of 90 days. This follows disciplinary proceedings initiated against him on August 24. Additionally, he has been directed by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee not to contact or attempt to contact Spanish national team player Jenni Hermoso or her close associates. FIFA has communicated these directives to Rubiales, the RFEF, and UEFA to ensure compliance, emphasizing its commitment to upholding the integrity and rights of all individuals involved.