Newly-appointed FC Barcelona's Spanish coach Xavi Hernandez waves to supporters during his presentation ceremony at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on November 8, 2021.

LaLiga returns with all eyes on Xavi's first game at Barca

New manager Xavi Hernandez will take charge of the team in the Catalonia derby against Espanyol on Saturday.

3 years ago

Concern deepens for Chinese tennis star's safety after email

Doubts were quickly flagged about the language used in the purported email from Peng, which Twitter users noted had a cursor visible in the screenshot posted by CGTN. ...

3 years ago

Sports

Dutch reach World Cup, Turkey, Ukraine into play-offs

The Dutch, with injured coach Louis van Gaal watching from the stands in Rotterdam, only needed a point to top Group G and came through a nervy encounter to finish two points clear of second-placed Turkey, who pipped Norway to a play-off spot. ...

3 years ago

The Latest

France's forward Karim Benzema (left) celebrates scoring with France's forward Kylian Mbappe during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualification Group D football match between Finland and France at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, on November 16, 2021.

Sports

Mbappe and Benzema inspire France to 2-0 win against Finland

The French attack stuttered until Benzema came on as a second-half substitute and Mbappe set him up for the opener.

3 years ago

Japan's Kento Momota eyes a return against Denmark's Viktor Axelsen during their men's singles final match at the Malaysia Open badminton tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Jan. 12, 2020.

Sports

Axelsen, Momota lead badminton's return to Indonesia for season finale

Olympic gold medallist Viktor Axelsen of Denmark is seeded to meet Japan's Momota in the final of this week's Indonesia Masters, which also features Tokyo bronze winner and home favourite Anthony Ginting.

3 years ago

England's forward Harry Kane runs with the ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualification Group I football match between San Marino and England on November 15, 2021 at Olympic stadium in Serravalle, San Marino.

Sports

England seal World Cup spot as Kane hits four in 10-0 rout of San Marino

In truth England needed only a point against the world's 210th and lowest-ranked footballing nation to guarantee top spot above Poland in Group I so the only real question was how many goals they would deliver to mark the occasion.

3 years ago

Manchester United's Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo reacts at the final whistle during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on November 6, 2021.

Sports

Manchester United back in doldrums after City defeat

Solskjaer's side never looked like being buried as they were in a 5-0 loss to Liverpool a fortnight ago but the defeat was just as hard to stomach for the home fans, thousands of whom headed for the exits before the end.

3 years ago

People wearing face masks sit at a coffee shop in Hanoi.

Sports

SEA Games in Vietnam rescheduled for May 2022

The regional Olympics were scheduled to take place in Hanoi and 11 other locations in Vietnam from November 21 to December 2.

3 years ago

Argentina's Lionel Messi holds the trophy for Best Player of the Copa America, a distinction shared with Brazil's Neymar, after winning the Conmebol 2021 Copa America football tournament final match against Brazil at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 10, 2021. Argentina won 1-0.

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Retire? It has not crossed my mind, says Messi

The six-time Ballon D'Or winner will be 35 by the time the World Cup -- a trophy that has eluded him through his stellar career -- comes round in Qatar next year.

3 years ago

Manchester United's Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo shoots to score a second goal but after a VAR (Video Assistant Referee) review it is disallowed during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on October 30, 2021.

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Ronaldo: Help or hindrance for Manchester United?

But is it more complicated than that? Is the presence of the Portuguese superstar at the fulcrum of the attack helping or hindering the team, who have made a stuttering start to the season?

3 years ago

Sports

Ronaldo hails 'unbelievable' Manchester United performance against Spurs

United came into the contest in north London on the back of a 5-0 hammering by their bitter rivals Liverpool that heaped the pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but goals from Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford sealed a comfortable win.

3 years ago

Manchester United's Norwegian manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reacts at the end of the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Manchester United at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on October 16, 2021.

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Solskjaer fights for Manchester United job as top three flex muscles

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is clinging to his job after United's humiliating 5-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool last week. His side have taken just one point from the past 12 on offer.

3 years ago

Dutch coach Ronald Koeman arrives at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, Barcelona, Spain - August 18, 2020

Sports

Barcelona sack coach Koeman after poor run of results

"FC Barcelona has relieved Ronald Koeman of his duties as first team coach. The president of the club, Joan Laporta, informed him of the decision after the defeat against Rayo Vallecano," the LaLiga club said in a statement.

3 years ago

Barcelona's Spanish defender Gerard Pique falls down during the Spanish League football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on October 24, 2021.

Sports

Mediocrity setting in at Barca as Clasico leaves them adrift in La Liga

This was a victory that sent Madrid five points clear of their opponents, a healthy gap even at this early stage of a La Liga season that has 29 games to go.

3 years ago

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Solskjaer hanging on after Manchester United's historic humiliation

Jose Mourinho was sacked in December 2018 following a 3-1 defeat at Anfield that left United sixth in the Premier League table.

3 years ago

Manchester United's Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo reacts to going four down just before half-time in the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 24, 2021.

Sports

United fans deserve better, says Ronaldo, after drubbing by Liverpool

Egypt forward Mohamed Salah scored a hat-trick as Liverpool humiliated United, who are now without a win in their last four games and have slipped to seventh on the Premier League table, eight points behind leaders Chelsea.

3 years ago

Cricket fans hold a placard with the picture of India's captain Virat Kohli (R) as they perform rituals wishing the victory of the Indian cricket team ahead of their ICC T20 World Cup 2021 cricket match against Pakistan played in Dubai, in Kolkata on October 24, 2021.

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Fans pray for 'peace' ahead of India-Pakistan clash

The arch rivals will lock horns in Dubai in one of the biggest games of the tournament with an expected television audience of up to one billion people.

3 years ago

Formula One F1 - 70th Anniversary Grand Prix - Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Britain - August 9, 2020 Race winner Red Bull's Max Verstappen during the press conference after the race.

Sports

Verstappen edges Hamilton for US Grand Prix pole position

Verstappen claimed his ninth pole of the season with a time of 1min 32.910sec, two tenths faster than the British driver.

3 years ago

Bayern Munich's Polish forward Robert Lewandowski (left) is is tackled by Moenchengladbach's German defender Matthias Ginter vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match FC Bayern Munich v Borussia Moenchengladbach in Munich, southern Germany on May 8, 2021.

Sports

Lewandowski scores to keep Bayern Munich top of Bundesliga

Having claimed a record 41 Bundesliga goals last season, Lewandowski has picked up where he left off.

3 years ago

Players from Indonesia pose with the trophy and their medals after winning the Thomas Cup men’s team final against China in Aarhus, Denmark, on Oct. 17, 2021.

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Indonesia wins the first Thomas Cup in 19 years but without flying the national flag

Indonesia is barred from raising the country's flag in international sporting events due to being sanctioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for noncompliance with drug-testing rules.

3 years ago

Japan's Sayaka Takahashi reacts as she plays against China' He Bing Jiao during their Uber Cup women's single match in Aarhus, Denmark, on October 16, 2021.

Sports

Japan lose to China in Uber Cup women's team final

Akane Yamaguchi overcame Olympic gold medalist Chen Yu Fei 21-18, 21-10 in the opening women's singles match, but Japan dropped two doubles matches and Sayaka Takahashi was beaten by He Bing Jiao 21-9, 21-18 in the second singles match at Ceres Arena.

3 years ago

France's forward Kylian Mbappe (left) and France's forward Karim Benzema (right) celebrate with the trophy at the end of the Nations League final football match between Spain and France at San Siro stadium in Milan, on October 10, 2021.

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Mbappe and Benzema show Spain exactly what they lack

France beat Spain 2-1 in Sunday's final at the San Siro stadium with goals coming from two of the finest forwards in the modern game -- Karim Benzema, who struck a beautiful shot into the corner and Kylian Mbappe who showed outstanding composure for the winner.

3 years ago

US challenger Deontay Wilder (right) and WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury of Great Britain (left) fight for the WBC/Lineal Heavyweight title at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 9, 2021.

Sports

Fury knocks out Wilder to retain WBC crown in heavyweight classic

In an epic battle in front of 15,820 fans at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, both fighters were knocked down on multiple occasions in a contest full of improbable twists and turns as the two rivals traded blows.

3 years ago

Sports

Indonesia, Thailand want WADA to reconsider non-compliant doping ruling

WADA announced on Thursday that the National Anti-Doping Agencies (NADOs) of North Korea and Indonesia were ruled to be non-compliant for not implementing effective testing programs.

4 years ago

Japan's defender Maya Yoshida (right) vies for the ball with Saudi's midfielder Sami al-Najei during the 2022 Qatar World Cup Asian Qualifiers football match between Saudi Arabia and Japan, at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium in Jeddah, on October 7, 2021.

Sports

Japan skipper Yoshida accuses Saudi fans of 'discriminatory gestures'

Japan's captain had angry words with a section of the home fans after the qualifying defeat in Jeddah on Thursday, after they were seen taunting him during a post-match interview.

4 years ago

A man wearing a protective face mask passes near an advertisement of the Newcastle United Football Club, as the spread of the COVID-19 continues, in Newcastle, Britain, April 25, 2020. A bid by a Saudi Arabian state fund to secure ownership of Newcastle United is drawing scrutiny, but even if it succeeds it is unlikely that the petrodollars will transform the Premier League club into a powerhouse in the near future.

Sports

Saudi owners must give Newcastle fans hope again, says Shearer

The Premier League announced on Thursday that Newcastle had been sold to a group consisting of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media.

4 years ago

Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo gestures towards the stands after the UEFA EURO 2020 Group F football match between Portugal and France at Puskas Arena in Budapest on June 23, 2021.

Sports

US judge recommends dismissing Ronaldo rape case

Kathryn Mayorga, a former model, alleges Ronaldo attacked her in a hotel room in 2009.

4 years ago

France's forward Kylian Mbappe controls the ball during the UEFA Nations League semi-final football match between Belgium and France at the Juventus stadium in Turin, on October 7, 2021.

Sports

France rally for 3-2 win over Belgium in Nations League semis

In a crazy end to the game Belgium thought they had won the pulsating contest minutes earlier but Romelu Lukaku's late effort was ruled out for offside by VAR.

4 years ago

A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace on Thursday, shows Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attending a video meeting with the Shura council in the capital Riyadh.

Sports

Saudi takeover of Newcastle set to go ahead despite rights concerns

A consortium featuring Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), PCP Capital Partners and billionaire brothers David and Simon Reuben struck a deal worth a reported £300 million ($408 million) to buy the club from unpopular owner Mike Ashley in April 2020.

4 years ago