England's Lionesses returned to a heroes' welcome on Monday, less than 24 hours after their drama...

England's Lionesses returned to a heroes' welcome on Monday, less than 24 hours after their dramatic penalty-shootout victory against world champions Spain in the Euro 2025 final.Chloe Kelly converted the decisive spot-kick in the Swiss city of Basel as Sarina Wiegman's team successfully defended the European women's crown they won at Wembley in 2022.Supporters, many of whom were dressed in England kits and holding flags, cheered as they waited outside Southend airport, about 40 miles (64 kilometres) east of London.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>In a post on X, the team shared a photo of the trophy draped in an England flag on a seat on the plane, which had "Home" painted in red letters on its side.The aircraft was welcomed with a water salute from two fire engines after landing. Captain Leah Williamson and manager Wiegman were the first off, with the skipper proudly holding the trophy.Among the waiting supporters were twins Poppy and Daisy Macdonald, 11, who were holding a sign asking for a photo with star striker Alessia Russo."We're so proud. They've won it two times in a row and they've worked so hard for it," said Poppy. "They've had a lot of injuries and setbacks but they've done really well."The Lionesses were whisked straight to 10 Downing Street, the working home of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer which was decked out in England flags.The team were hosted by Deputy Prime minister Angela Rayner and Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock while Starmer was in Scotland meeting US President Donald Trump.Rayner told the team they had "made us all so so proud"."Role models like you send such a powerful message, the Lionesses are a shining example of talent and excitement for women’s football," she said.An open-top bus parade will follow on Tuesday, culminating in a celebration in front of Buckingham Palace.Victory in Switzerland was sweet revenge for Wiegman's defending champions, who suffered bitter defeat against the same opponents in the World Cup final two years ago.<h3>Late drama</h3>Victory in Switzerland on Sunday capped a remarkable tournament packed with late drama for England.Wiegman's team were slow out of the blocks, losing their first match against France, before comfortable wins over the Netherlands and Wales in the group phase.They came back from 2-0 down against Sweden in the quarter-finals before winning on penalties, and sealed their spot in Sunday's final with a last-gasp extra-time win over Italy.The defending champions again fell behind against Spain on Sunday but Russo cancelled out Mariona Caldentey's first-half opener and the teams were still locked at 1-1 at the end of extra-time.Two penalty saves by player-of-the-match Hannah Hampton and Salma Paralluelo's miss set the stage for Kelly, who also scored the winner against Germany in the 2022 final.In total, the Lionesses led for fewer than five minutes across the entire Euros knockout stage."I must admit that this is the most chaotic and ridiculous tournament we have played," said Wiegman."The players say we can win by any means, and we just never, ever give up."The Dutch coach, who has now won three European Championship crowns in a row, having led the Netherlands to victory in 2017, said she hoped England's win would boost women's football across the globe."How I've experienced this tournament is that the level went up again, the intensity of the games went through the roof," she said. "That's what we've seen."We've seen it in the games, but also in the data we have. I think this tournament broke every record again and that's great, and I hope that that will boost the women's game everywhere."

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 28: Team Manager Sarina Wiegman holds the EURO 2025 trophy as England Women's National Football Team, the Lionesses, pose outside 10 Downing Street ahead of a reception to celebrate the defence of their European title in London, United Kingdom on July 28, 2025. The Lionesses defeated the World Champions Spain on penalties in the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 final in Basel last night with the celebrations to continue in London with an open top bus parade tomorrow.

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England celebrating Euro glory with Downing Street trip, bus parade

England captain Ben Stokes proclaimed "pain is just an emotion" as he insisted he will do everyth...

England captain Ben Stokes proclaimed "pain is just an emotion" as he insisted he will do everything in his power to feature as a fully-fledged all-rounder in next week's series decider with India.The fourth Test at Old Trafford, which ended in a draw on Sunday, was a personal triumph for Stokes as he became just the fourth England cricketer after Tony Greig, Ian Botham and Gus Atkinson to score a hundred and take five wickets in the same Test.Stokes, 34, is also now only the third man in Test history to have scored 7,000 runs and taken 200 wickets after West Indies' Garry Sobers and South Africa's Jacques Kallis.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But the performance came at a cost for Stokes, whose career has been blighted by hamstring trouble, as he struggled with cramp and more general soreness.Meanwhile a bicep problem in his right arm emerged on Sunday's final day in Manchester.His latest injuries are perhaps unsurprising given a heavy workload that has seen lively fast-medium bowler Stokes already send down 140 overs -- the most he has bowled in any series.However, Stokes, the leading wicket-taker of the series with 17 at an average of 25.2, expects to take the field at the Oval on Thursday as England attempt to seal a 3-1 campaign triumph."Hopefully I will be alright going for the last one," he told reporters."It's just a workload sort of thing. We got a fair amount of overs and everything starts creeping up on you. I’ll keep trying, keep going and as I say to all the bowlers: pain is just an emotion."Stokes, who said "I've physically been better," added: "I'll always try to run through a brick wall for the team."I don't want to eat my words but the likelihood I won't play (at the Oval) is very unlikely."England seemed well set for victory at Old Trafford when India collapsed to none for two before eroding any bit of a 311-run deficit on first innings.But KL Rahul and India captain Shubman Gill kept England at bay with an excellent third-wicket partnership of 188.Stokes, who did not bowl on Saturday, had Rahul lbw for 90 during an eight-over spell on Sunday morning and England hopes were high when Jofra Archer finally removed Gill for 103 on the stroke of lunch.However, Joe Root's drop of Ravindra Jadeja from the next ball proved expensive, with the India all-rounder and Washington Sundar batting out the rest of the day as both left-handers made unbeaten hundreds."When the reality (hits) with where the game drifted towards, there is obviously going to be that comedown," said Stokes."You can get the vibe that we've thrown everything and not been able to get over the line, there is that sense of disappointment and almost heartbreak –- me being a captain, I was as well."But Stokes acknowledged it was also part of his role as skipper to raise England's morale, saying: "I've got to be that upbeat person as well."

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 11: Ben Stokes of England walks off after being dismissed during Day Two of the 3rd Rothesay Test Match between England and India at Lord's Cricket Ground on July 11, 2025 in London, England.

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Chloe Kelly converted the decisive kick as England beat Spain 3-1 on penalties to win the Women's...

Chloe Kelly converted the decisive kick as England beat Spain 3-1 on penalties to win the Women's Euro 2025 after Sunday's final had finished 1-1 at the end of extra time, allowing the Lionesses to avenge their defeat in the World Cup final of two years ago and retain their continental crown.It looked as though Spain would repeat their victory over England in Sydney two years ago as they dominated the game at St. Jakob-Park in Basel and led through Mariona Caldentey's first-half header.But England did not panic, having already trailed against both Sweden in the quarterfinals and Italy in the semis before finding a way to win.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Alessia Russo headed in their equalizer just before the hour mark, and no further goals meant a shootout in which Kelly - who once again had a huge impact off the bench - netted the winner.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
04:52 - <a href="https://twitter.com/Lionesses?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lionesses</a> won <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EURO2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EURO2025</a> despite leading for just four minutes and 52 seconds in the entire knockout stages of the tournament (including stoppage time). Battlers. <a href="https://t.co/oAdXOMuQxb">pic.twitter.com/oAdXOMuQxb</a>— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/OptaJoe/status/1949546705587749244?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>It was an agonizing way to lose for Spain, but they failed to score three of their spot-kicks, with reigning Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati seeing her effort saved.Sarina Wiegman's England are therefore back-to-back European champions, with this triumph coming three years after they defeated Germany in extra time at Wembley to win a first women's major tournament.Defeating Spain here helps make up for the agony of losing that World Cup final in 2023, and the victory also confirms Wiegman's place among the coaching greats.She has now won three consecutive European Championships, having led her native Netherlands to victory in 2017 before doing the same with England three years ago."I just can't believe it. I have a medal around my neck and we have a trophy," Wiegman told BBC One TV. "It has been the most chaotic tournament on the pitch - all the challenges we had on the pitch against our opponent. From the first game it was chaos. Losing your first game and becoming European champions is incredible. Football is chaos."She added: "We said we can win by any means and that's what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible."Spain, meanwhile, fell short in their quest to add a maiden European Championship title to the World Cup they won in Australia.La Roja dominated possession as expected, but ultimately paid the price for not putting the game to bed against an England side who never know when they are beaten.Wiegman's team had been 2-0 down against Sweden in the last eight before scoring twice to force extra time as they eventually won on penalties.Then substitute Michelle Agyemang's 96th-minute equalizer denied Italy in the semifinals in Geneva, when Kelly netted the winner in extra time.England had ultimately not played well during much of their run to the final, but it did not matter.Wiegman had taken a gamble on the fitness of Lauren James which paid off, but not quite as planned - having come off with an ankle injury against Italy, the Chelsea winger did not last until halftime and was replaced by Kelly.By that point Spain were already in front, scoring when Bonmati and Athenea del Castillo combined to set up Ona Battle and her cross from the right was headed in by Caldentey.Montse Tome's Spain, with seven players from Barcelona in their starting lineup, had already been in control before that and it felt like England's best hope was for complacency from their opponents.The best example of that came with the game still goalless, when Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll played a careless short pass to Laia Aleixandri in her own area.Lauren Hemp was alive to the opportunity and pounced, but Coll reacted well to make the save.Yet even at 1-0 it felt like England were still in the game, and they took their chance when it came in the 57th minute when Kelly crossed from the left for her Arsenal teammate Russo to level the scores.England - with more fans on their side in the crowd of 34,203 - now sensed yet another comeback win was on the cards, and it took the fingertips of Coll to prevent a Kelly effort from finding the far corner midway through the second half.Agyemang then came on for Russo, hoping to once again play the role of super sub, while Salma Paralluelo was among those brought on for Spain.Paralluelo found herself in a promising position on several occasions as the game continued into extra time, and from there to the gripping tension of penalties.Beth Mead's first kick for England was saved after she was forced to retake, and captain Leah Williamson also had her effort stopped by Coll.However, Alex Greenwood and Niamh Charles both scored, while Patri Guijarro was the only successful taker for Spain before Kelly stepped up to win it.

England's players lift the trophy as they celebrate winning the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 final football match between England and Spain at the St. Jakob-Park Stadium in Basel, on July 27, 2025.

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England and India drew the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Sunday after a fine rearguard action by...

England and India drew the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Sunday after a fine rearguard action by the tourists.India, who had been 0-2 in their second innings, finished on 425-4 in reply to England's first-innings 669, with skipper Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar all making hundreds before the teams shook hands after tea on the last day.England still lead this five-match series 2-1 ahead of next week's finale at the Oval.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>This match was a personal triumph for England captain Ben Stokes as he became just the fourth England cricketer to score a hundred and take five wickets in the same Test, his 141 on Saturday following a haul of 5-72 in India's first-innings 358.Stokes is now only the third cricketer in Test history to have both scored 7,000 Test runs and taken 200 wickets after outstanding West Indies all-rounder Garfield Sobers and South Africa's Jacques Kallis.But he appeared to be in pain while bowling Sunday, repeatedly clutching the top of his leg -- a worrying sign for England given the all-rounder's history of hamstring trouble.England's Joe Root, meanwhile, leapfrogged former Australia captain Ricky Ponting into second place in Test cricket's list of all-time leading run-scorers while making 150 -- his 38th hundred at this level.Brief scoresIndia 1st Innings 358 (S Sudharsan 61, Y Jaiswal 58, R Pant 54; B Stokes 5-72, J Archer 3-73)England 1st Innings 669 (J Root 150, B Stokes 141, B Duckett 94, Z Crawley 84; R Jadeja 4-143)India 2nd Innings 425-4 (R Jadeja 107 no, S Gill 103, W Sundar 101 no)Result: Match drawnSeries: England lead five-match series 2-1.

England captain Ben Stokes shakes hands with the Indian batsmen at the close of play during day five of the Fourth Rothesay Men's Test at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, UK. Picture date: Sunday July 27, 2025.

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Joe Root has insisted helping England win games rather than surpassing Sachin Tendulkar as Test c...

Joe Root has insisted helping England win games rather than surpassing Sachin Tendulkar as Test cricket's all-time leading run-scorer remains his primary motivation after moving into second place in the standings.Root leapfrogged three greats of the game during his magnificent 150 in the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford on Friday, overtaking Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis before going past former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.Now only Tendulkar, with a mammoth 15,921 Test runs, is ahead of Root, although Ponting is among those who believe the 34-year-old former England captain has time on his side to close the 2,512-run gap to the India great.   <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But Root, who has compiled 21 hundreds since turning 30, is wary of the hype and wants attention turned to the fact England are pressing for a series-clinching win in Manchester at 2-1 up in the five-Test contest"It is easy to get caught up in this stuff but at the end of the day, you’re playing against India in one of the biggest series there is," Root told Sky Sports."It's not about you, it's about winning the game and getting your team in a position where you can follow through on that."Nevertheless, he added: "When you look at the names there on that list, they are all people that, as a kid, growing up, that's who I would try and be in the garden, on the street, on the driveway, at my local club."Even just to be mentioned in the (same) sentence as these guys is a bit of a pinch-yourself moment."Root said a period of reflection during Covid, when he was still England captain, prompted changes to his game that have helped the Yorkshireman amass 5,586 runs at a high average of 56.42 since the start of 2021."I actually went away during that period and asked can I get some footage off Sky and just look at modes of dismissal (to see) if there were any trends," he explained."One thing that I've done within that period is actually try and look at the game slightly differently."At the start of my career, a lot of it was based on my technique. Whereas in this second phase of things, it’s been more about managing risk and thinking how can I eliminate as many modes of dismissal as possible with the highest output?"It's very easy to get caught up, get too emotional, either get too hard on yourself or feel too sorry for yourself."

England's Joe Root bats on day four of the third cricket Test match between New Zealand and England at Seddon Park in Hamilton on December 17, 2024.

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Former Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored as Premier League champions Liverpool were be...

Former Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored as Premier League champions Liverpool were beaten 4-2 by AC Milan on Saturday in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong. Liverpool, with record signing Florian Wirtz making his first start, dominated possession under the closed roof at Kai Tak Stadium but a shaky defence was punished for all four Milan goals.Rafael Leao opened the scoring for the Italian side on 10 minutes with Dominik Szoboszlai's superb strike equalising 16 minutes later to make it 1-1 at half-time <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But Loftus-Cheek, six minutes after the break, and two goals from substitute Noah Okafor, either side of Cody Gakpo's late header, gave AC Milan the victory.Liverpool's Hong Kong fans vastly outnumbered those supporting AC Milan in the 49,704 sellout crowd. They paid a heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota, who passed away earlier this month in a car crash.Flowers were laid by Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish in front of fans, who responded by holding up a mosaic spelling out "DJ20" in honour of Jota's number 20 shirt, which has been retired by the club.Leao, too, remembered his fellow Portuguese player Jota as he offered a silent prayer and formed the number 20 with his fingers after scoring the opener.Wirtz played 45 minutes and looked comfortable directing operations, showing hints of why Bayer Leverkusen were paid a reported British transfer record $150 million for the German playmaker. Other new Liverpool signings left-back Milos Kerkez and right-back Jeremie Frimpong both came on as substitutes at half-time.But Striker Hugo Ekitike, who was signed from Entracht Frankfurt for a reported $92 million, was not ready to take part, having only flown in to join his new teammates two days earlier.Liverpool started without a recognised central striker as Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, who have both been linked to move away from Anfield, were left out of the matchday squad.Liverpool will now fly to Japan to face Yokohama F-Marinos on Wednesday.Liverpool revealed earlier that full-back Joe Gomez had flown home for treatment on a minor Achilles problem.

HONG KONG, CHINA - JULY 26: Noah Okafor of AC Milan (C) celebrates after scoring his goal with Alexis Saelemaekers of AC Milan (L) and Rafael Leao of AC Milan (R) during the Liverpool FC v AC Milan Pre-Season Friendly match at Kai Tak Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Hong Kong, China.

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Former Italy captain Andrea Pirlo has been appointed as United FC coach, the Emirati second-tier ...

Former Italy captain Andrea Pirlo has been appointed as United FC coach, the Emirati second-tier club United FC announced on Friday.The ex-AC Milan and Juventus midfielder has signed a two-year deal with the club, also known as Dubai United, who play in the UAE First Division League, one tier below the country's Pro League.Pirlo, 46, a key player in Italy's 2006 World Cup triumph, has had spells in charge of Juve, Fatih Karagumruk in Turkey and most recently Sampdoria since retiring from playing in 2017. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We are proud to welcome Andrea to the United FC family," United FC president Ilie Cebanu said."He embodies the values and ambitions of our club, and we believe he will be a key figure in taking us to the next level," he added.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 23: Andrea Pirlo of AC Milan looks on during the match between Spurs Legends and AC Milan Glorie at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on March 23, 2025 in London, England.

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Alexander Isak has reportedly told Newcastle he wants to explore a move away as the club confirme...

Alexander Isak has reportedly told Newcastle he wants to explore a move away as the club confirmed he was not part of the squad travelling to Asia for preseason friendlies.The Daily Mail said Thursday that Newcastle bosses "are aware of Isak's wish to consider his options this summer."It came hours after the Saudi-owned Premier League club said the 25-year-old forward would miss the Asia tour "with a minor thigh injury."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Athletic reported that Isak requested not to be part of the tour.Isak's 23 Premier League goals last season made him one of the world's hottest properties and he has been linked with English champions Liverpool.The Mail said Liverpool were still interested in acquiring the Sweden international despite announcing the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike on Wednesday.Ekitike's arrival, for a reported initial fee of £69 million ($93 million), takes Liverpool's spending during the current transfer window to more than £250 million.Isak still has three years left on his contract at Newcastle, whom he joined in 2022 from Spanish side Real Sociedad.He was left out of Saturday's 4-0 defeat in a friendly at Celtic.But Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said at the time he was "confident" that Isak would stay at St James' Park, adding that he expected him to be part of the Asia tour."It's difficult for me to give 100 percent clarity on any player," he said. "I'd never sit here and do that because it's football and you never know what could happen."All I can say is that Alex is happy at Newcastle. He loves the players that he plays with, the staff, the team."Newcastle face Arsenal in Singapore on Sunday before flying to South Korea, where they will play a K League all-star team and Tottenham.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Alexander Isak of Newcastle United reacts during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Everton FC at St James' Park on May 25, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

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Aitana Bonmati netted the only goal of the game late in extra time as world champions Spain edged...

Aitana Bonmati netted the only goal of the game late in extra time as world champions Spain edged Germany 1-0 in their Women's Euro 2025 semi-final on Wednesday to set up a title decider this weekend against England.A tense game in Zurich was ticking down towards penalties when reigning Ballon d'Or Bonmati struck in the 113th minute, surprising the usually reliable German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger at her near post.It was not one of Barcelona star Bonmati's most influential performances, yet she still delivered when it mattered to keep Spain on course to win their first European Championship crown.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We knew that the goalkeeper often leaves her near post open in these situations, so I didn't think twice. I didn't want the game to go to penalties," said a beaming Bonmati.They were also grateful to goalkeeper Cata Coll for some vital interventions, including a spectacular double save to deny Klara Buhl and Carlotta Wamser right at the end of normal time, as Germany were agonisingly eliminated.Spain will now face reigning European champions England on Sunday in Basel in what will be a repeat of the 2023 World Cup decider, when La Roja triumphed 1-0 in Sydney.If Montse Tome's side come out on top again, they will become the first nation to hold both the world and European titles at the same time since Germany almost 15 years ago.Spain had never beaten Germany before, and now they advance to their first ever Euro final, with the chance to cement their status as the leading force in international women's football."We have made history again today, getting to a first Euro final and beating Germany for the first time," said Bonmati."We are proud to be part of this generation of players, but this is not over yet. We can enjoy this and then tomorrow we need to start thinking about England."They should have been the fresher of the two sides here, having played their quarter-final against hosts Switzerland a day before Germany got the better of France on penalties after playing almost the whole game with 10 players.<h3>Tale of two goalkeepers</h3>Germany were also missing three of their starters from that match, with Kathrin Hendrich and Sjoeke Nusken suspended while right-back Sarai Linder was injured.Christian Wuck's team did unsurprisingly have the majority of the 22,432 crowd behind them at Zurich's Letzigrund Stadium, and they also had Berger in goal.A star of the win over France, she made a fine save to keep out a shot from Spain's Esther Gonzalez -- her teammate at Gotham FC in the United States -- just before the midway point in the first half, tipping the ball over for a corner.Spain captain Irene Paredes headed against the post from a Claudia Pina corner and Gonzalez was again denied by Berger before half-time.It was then Germany's turn to have the best chances in the second half, but Coll made a crucial block from Buhl just after the hour mark, and the Bayern Munich star also curled a free-kick just wide late on.Then came the stunning double save from Coll right at the end of the allotted four minutes of injury time, as the Barcelona goalkeeper kept out a deflected Buhl shot that was looping in and quickly got up to stop Wamser's follow-up.That was perhaps a sign that it would not be Germany's night, and they then saw defender Sophia Kleinherne come off in tears early in extra time after overstretching while trying to stop Salma Paralluelo going clean through on goal.Spain's winner then arrived in the 113th minute, as Bonmati let a ball from Athenea del Castillo run past her in the area before beating Berger at the goalkeeper's near post with a shot from a tight angle.There was still time for Coll to excel again, flying to her left to save from Lea Schuller as Spain held on.

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JULY 23: Aitana Bonmati of Spain celebrates scoring her team's first goal with teammates during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Semi-Final match between Germany and Spain at Stadion Letzigrund on July 23, 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland.

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Barcelona cancelled their pre-season friendly against Japanese side Vissel Kobe on Wednesday, cit...

Barcelona cancelled their pre-season friendly against Japanese side Vissel Kobe on Wednesday, citing "serious contractual breaches" by the tour promoter and suggested they may have to scrap upcoming fixtures in South Korea. The Catalan giants were set to play their first game in Kobe against the J-League team retired former Barca star Andres Iniesta also played for on Sunday."Barcelona announces that it has been obliged to suspend its participation in the game scheduled for next Sunday in Japan due to serious contractual breaches on behalf of the promotor," said Barca in a statement. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"Nevertheless, the club will consider readjusting the leg of the summer tour in South Korea, where two games are scheduled against FC Seoul (July 31) and Daegu FC (August 4), if certain conditions are met by the promoter. "If these conditions are met, then the club will travel to South Korea in the coming days. Barcelona regrets this incident and the impact it will have on the many, many Barca fans in Japan." The club had planned to face Italian side Como at their revamped Camp Nou stadium on August 10 for its reopening but after failing to obtain the adequate permits were forced to move the game to the Johan Cruyff stadium by their training ground.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 19: Raphinha of FC Barcelona reacts during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and RC Celta de Vigo at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on April 19, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

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Arsenal kicked off their pre-season campaign with a 1–0 win over Italian giants AC Milan at the N...

Arsenal kicked off their pre-season campaign with a 1–0 win over Italian giants AC Milan at the National Stadium in Singapore on Wednesday.Manager Mikel Arteta started the match with several regulars, including Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Ben White.Christian Norgaard, a new signing from Brentford, made his first appearance for the Gunners, while fellow arrivals Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi started on the bench.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>In front of more than 22,800 fans, Arsenal, who finished runner-up in the last three consecutive seasons in the English Premier League, looked the more lively of the two sides in the first half, dominating possession but failing to convert their chances.Arteta then made six changes at the break, with Arrizabalaga and Zubimendi introduced to the Arsenal faithful.Their breakthrough came just seven minutes into the restart, as England international Bukayo Saka latched onto a cross from defender Jakub Kiwior and slotted the ball home into the far corner.Saka, later named Man of the Match, made way for 15-year-old Max Dowman -- a product of the club academy -- who impressed with his confidence and flair.Arsenal continued to press for a second goal, but Milan's substitute goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani denied Mikel Merino's header with a full-stretch save in the 75th minute.He was called into action again seven minutes later, tipping Leandro Trossard's close-range effort over the bar to keep the scoreline in Arsenal's favour."I'm very happy with the attitude and the domination we had shown throughout the game. But there are always things to improve," Arteta said at the post-match press conference."I have to find that cohesion within the players, and they have to continue to step up to the next level. But we are heading in a good direction."The Londoners next take on fellow Premier League side Newcastle on Sunday.

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - JULY 23: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal gives the team talk in the huddle as captain prior to the Pre-Season Friendly match between Arsenal FC and AC Milan at National Stadium on July 23, 2025 in Singapore.

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Arsenal open preseason with win over AC Milan in Singapore

Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who had been accused of match-fixing, has been cleared of all ch...

Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who had been accused of match-fixing, has been cleared of all charges but given a two-month ban by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the Serie A club said.The FIGC National Federal Court, which met on Tuesday to discuss the charge against Nigerian Okoye, "has excluded any involvement of the player in sports offences, after accepting the arguments of his lawyers", Udinese said in a statement. "During the trial, all charges of alleged sporting misconduct were dropped, and the decision to impose a two-month ban was based solely on a violation of the general principle of fairness (Article 4 of the Federal Sports Justice Code). <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"The club has stated that it is satisfied with the court's conclusion that the player was not involved in the infamous match-fixing theory. The club wishes to reiterate its full support for Okoye, who is awaiting the reasons for the decision. Udinese Calcio reasserts that it is firmly convinced of Maduka's proper conduct."The 25-year-old Nigerian international was alleged to have deliberately collected a booking during his team's Italian league match against Lazio in March 2024. The German-born goalkeeper received a yellow card for time-wasting, after an alleged deal reached with a friend who won 120,000 euros ($140,000) as a result of a bet. The FIGC investigation established that there was no intention to fix the match, which would have been punishable by a four-year fine.However Okoye, who has been with Udinese since 2023, will be suspended from August 18 to October 19. He will therefore miss seven of his team's matches -- six in the league and one in the Coppa Italia.

Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye (40) looks on during the Serie A football match number 37 between Juventus and Udinese at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Piedmont, Italy, on May 18, 2025.

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Udinese 'keeper Okoye banned 2 months after match-fixing probe

Portuguese international Francisco Conceicao, who spent last year on loan at Juventus, has comple...

Portuguese international Francisco Conceicao, who spent last year on loan at Juventus, has completed a full transfer from Porto, the Serie A club has announced. The 22-year-old winger, who has 11 caps for Portugal and scored seven goals in 40 appearances in all competitions for Juventus last season, has signed a deal taking him up to 2030."Juventus announce that they have reached an agreement with FC Porto for the permanent acquisition of Francisco Conceicao," Juve said in a statement released on Tuesday evening. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Juventus, the only Italian club listed on the stock exchange, said it had paid "30.4 million euros ($35.6 million) payable in four annual instalments", in addition to 1.6 million euros in fees and other costs. According to the Italian press, Juventus are also close to finalising the transfer of another player from Porto, Portuguese right-back Joao Mario while defender Alberto Costa is expected to go in the other direction.Juve, now coached by Igor Tudor, have already strengthened their attacking line with the signing of Canadian international Jonathan David from French side Lille.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JULY 1: Francisco Conceição of Juventus FC looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between Real Madrid CF and Juventus Turin at Hard Rock Stadium on July 1, 2025 in Miami Gardens, United States.

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Juventus make Conceicao loan permanent for €32M

Former Tottenham and England midfielder Paul Gascoigne is recovering at home after being released...

Former Tottenham and England midfielder Paul Gascoigne is recovering at home after being released from hospital.The 58-year-old, who lives in Poole, on England's south coast, was admitted to intensive care on Friday after being found semi-conscious by a friend.However, his management company has confirmed he has now been discharged.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"Paul voluntarily went into A&amp;E (Accident and Emergency) on Friday after struggling with a throat condition (not by ambulance) he has had for a while," said a statement from the MNT Agency. "He is already back home and doing well."Gascoigne, who won 57 caps for his country, was discovered by Steve Foster, who works as his driver and personal assistant.He was treated by intensive care staff and later moved to an acute medical unit, where his condition was said to be stable, and he has since been released.One of the most naturally gifted footballers of his generation, Gascoigne played for Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton.He became a global star after his eye-catching performances at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, where England reached the semi-finals, and he also impressed at Euro 96.The midfielder's issues with alcohol addiction and depression are well-documented and he has suffered a series of health problems in recent years.In 2020, Gascoigne said he had turned his life around after having anti-alcohol pellets sewn into his stomach.But last year, he admitted on the High Performance podcast that he was a "sad drunk" living in a spare room at the home of his agent.

Rangers' Paul Gascoigne before the 150th Anniversary match at the Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow. Picture date: Saturday March 26, 2022.

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England icon Gascoigne released from hospital after collapse at home

Last season's Serie A top goal-scorer Mateo Retegui has joined Al-Qadsiah from Atalanta, the Saud...

Last season's Serie A top goal-scorer Mateo Retegui has joined Al-Qadsiah from Atalanta, the Saudi club announced on Monday.According to Italian media Al-Qadsiah have paid more than 60 million euros ($70 million) for the Italy attacker but the length of his deal has not been revealed.The 26-year-old scored 25 goals in the league last season having joined Atalanta in 2024.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"El Matador. Al-Qadsiah's new power," the club said on social media.Argentina-born Retegui replaces ex-Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has reportedly agreed a move back to Marseille.

Reggio Emilia, Italy - June 9: Mateo Retegui of Italy looks on during the FIFA 2026 Qualifier match between Italy and Moldova at Mapei Stadium on June 9, 2025 in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

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Retegui leaves Atalanta for Al-Qadsiah in deal reportedly worth over €60M

Gritty Germany reached the Women's Euro 2025 semi-finals on Saturday after prevailing 6-5 in a pe...

Gritty Germany reached the Women's Euro 2025 semi-finals on Saturday after prevailing 6-5 in a penalty shootout against France after playing with 10 women for almost all of a gruelling match which finished 1-1 after extra time.Ann-Katrin Berger was the hero by saving Amel Majri and Alice Sombath's penalties to secure a last-four clash with Spain. Germany will take on the world champions in Zurich on Wednesday.Germany maintained their record of having never lost to France in a major summer tournament after battling back from going a goal and a woman down in the first 15 minutes to win a bruising encounter in Basel.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"I would have loved to have had the game in 90 minutes and done and dusted," Berger told reporters."I did my part of the game. In 120 minutes they (the team) worked incredibly hard and I think all the credit should go to the team, not me."Maybe it was the decisive moment in the penalty shootout but everyone here should talk about it with him (coach Christian Wueck) now about the performance of the team because that was amazing and incredible."St Jacob's Park was dominated by fierce German support which flocked over the nearby border with Switzerland and roared their team on even after Kathrin Hendrich was sent off and gave away the penalty from which Grace Geyoro opened the scoring.Sjoeke Nuesken -- who also missed a penalty in the second half -- levelled the score 10 minutes later and, after a long battle to hold off France, Berger sent the majority of the crowd wild.France have now fallen at the quarter-finals stage in eight of their last 10 Euros after losing a match in which they had two goals ruled out for offside."I don't think it was down to character, you have to remember that Germany are third in the FIFA rankings. They sat back and it was hard to break them down -- they put in a huge effort against us," said France coach Laurent Bonadei."We couldn't make the difference, we had two goals ruled out for offside... it's a lack of being clinical in front of goal."Germany came into the match already missing key defenders Giulia Gwinn and Carlotta Wamser, to injury and suspension respectively, while star striker Lea Schueller was also surprisingly left on the bench.And the Germans' task was made even harder in the 13th minute when Hendrich inexplicably pulled Griedge Mbock's hair while defending a free-kick.But out of nowhere Nuesken drew a huge roar from the fans when she rose, completely unmarked, to glance home Klara Buehl's inswinging corner.From there Germany were content to sit back and hold France off by fair means or foul, and they were saved from being behind at the break by Delphone Cascarino needlessly straying offside before flicking home Kadidiatou Diani's low cross.That was one of the few decent attacks France managed to conjure up with an extra woman, and they continued to struggle after the break.Even when Geyoro had the ball in the net for the second time, lashing home on the rebound after a fine save from Ann-Katrin Berger, the goal was ruled out as Maelle Lakrar impeded the Germany goalkeeper while in an offside position.And Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved France's skin when she kept out Nuesken's awful penalty in the 69th minute, given for a soft foul on Jule Brand.But it was Berger who made possibly the save of the tournament 12 minutes into extra time when she somehow clawed out Janina Minge's inadvertent header and stopped Germany going out with an own goal.Berger could only watch as Melvine Malard shook the crossbar with almost the last kick of the game before the shootout, in which Majri and Sombath both had weak efforts saved and allowed Germany to win against all odds.

Germany players celebrate after winning the penalty shoot-out during the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 quarter-final match at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland. Picture date: Saturday July 19, 2025.

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Germany overcomes early red card to oust France, reach Euro 2025 semis

Spain reached the semi-finals of Women's Euro 2025 on Friday after battling past Switzerland 2-0 ...

Spain reached the semi-finals of Women's Euro 2025 on Friday after battling past Switzerland 2-0 as the world champions continued their bid for a first-ever European crown.Athenea del Castillo and Claudia Pina scored the goals in the second half in Bern to give La Roja deserved passage to the last four where they will face either France or Germany on Wednesday.But Montse Tome's team didn't have it all their own way as hosts Switzerland put up a brave fight in front of a passionate crowd at the Wankdorf Stadium.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Swiss survived an early scare when Mariona Caldentey shot wide a ninth-minute penalty and from there did a great job in gumming up Spain's usually free-flowing football.Pia Sundhage's players acquitted themselves brilliantly in their home tournament and were given a loud round of applause from the majority of the nearly 30,000 supporters.The Swiss, who finished the match with 10 women after Noelle Maritz was sent off in the final minute, had never progressed past the group stage of a Euros before and in the end Spain proved to be too much for the team ranked 23rd in the world.Spain meanwhile overcame a serious test of patience before their superior quality eventually prevailed, with Alexia Putellas' wasted penalty late on changing nothing.An already raucous home crowd roared with delight when Caldentey scuffed wide her spot-kick after the Arsenal forward was brought down by Nadine Riesen.But that didn't discourage Spain who dealt well with the fervent atmosphere and some fierce tackling but struggled to find a way through the home team's packed defence.The efforts that Spain did have on goal were wayward with a series of potshots and blocked efforts before Irene Paredes headed Pina's corner onto the post two minutes before half-time.The same pattern continued after the break with Spain probing and bumping against both a Swiss wall and the woodwork.Patri Guijarro headed another corner onto the post and in the ensuing scramble Esther Gonzalez somehow contrived to strike the other post in front of an open goal.It didn't look like it was going to be Spain's night but del Castillo finally made the breakthrough in the 66th minutes -- four minute after replacing Caldentey -- collecting Aitana Bonmati's through ball and rolling home the goal which ended Switzerland's spirited resistance.Pina whipped home a wonderful second goal five minutes later and that was that for the Swiss, who at least had one more thing to cheer for when Livia Peng pushed out Putellas' weak spot-kick with two minutes remaining.

BERN, SWITZERLAND - JULY 18: Players of Spain celebrate after scoring the team's first goal during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Quarter-Final match between Spain v Switzerland at Stadion Wankdorf on July 18, 2025 in Bern, Switzerland.

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Spain sees off spirited Swiss to reach Euro 2025 semifinals

Thomas Frank said he wanted to take Tottenham Hotspur to "new heights" during his first press con...

Thomas Frank said he wanted to take Tottenham Hotspur to "new heights" during his first press conference on Friday as the club's manager.The 51-year-old Dane joined from Brentford after Spurs sacked Ange Postecoglou after the Australian guided Spurs to Europa League glory -- their first major trophy in 17 years -- but also presided over the club's worst top-flight campaign since 1976-77.But while Frank was generally upbeat about his desire to improve upon Spurs' dismal 17th-placed finish in the Premier League that included 22 defeats in 38 games, he made no guarantees over the future of Son Heung-min and was guarded concerning the club's pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>He did confirm club skipper Son and vice-captain Cristian Romero, who have both been linked with a move away from Tottenham during the transfer window, would feature in Saturday's friendly at Reading.But Frank added he had yet to decide on the captaincy, despite Son skippering Spurs to their Europa League final win over Manchester United in May."Two top players, Sonny, been here 10 years, finally got his well-deserved trophy in the summer, so important for the team and the club. Cristian Romero, World Cup winner, Europa League winner, Copa America winner, very, very important for us as well," said Frank.He added: "I haven't decided anything on that (captaincy). I have a long list of bullet points I need to get through and I take them in the right order."He (Son) was the captain last year and when we play two 45s (halves of 45 minutes each) tomorrow, Son and Romero will be the two captains, but I haven't made a final decision."As for Gibbs-White, Tottenham were thought to have triggered the £60 million ($80 million) release clause in the England midfielder's contract at Nottingham Forest.But Forest have accused Spurs of contacting Gibbs-White directly before going to the club and his future remains uncertain."I will not speak about players who are not mine," said Frank. "I think I have two exceptions and they are getting older –- (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi."<h3>'More risk in my daily life'</h3>Frank joked he only came to Spurs to be sacked. He also guaranteed they will still lose matches, which was followed by a mention of the unbeaten 2003-04 campaign enjoyed by Arsenal, Tottenham's arch-rivals."One thing is 100 percent sure, we will lose football matches," he said. "I haven't seen a team that is not losing any football matches. There is Arsenal, that we can't mention, in the Premier League. So I made my first rookie mistake there!"He added: "I have the privilege of I have never been sacked before. That is one of the reasons why I took the job. I get a little bit more risk in my daily life."Frank, however, paid tribute to Postecoglou's time at Spurs by saying: "First and foremost, I have said that before, Ange will forever be a legend here at Tottenham. He is one of three who has won a European trophy and the first in 41 years. Unbelievable, fantastic achievement."It is now nearly 65 years since Spurs were last crowned champions of England, winning both the old First Division and the FA Cup in the 1960-61 season."Going into a new season and in football, it's about dreaming and hoping," said Frank. "That's what we do."I'll do everything every day to work towards hopefully taking this club to new heights –- that's the ambition."

BRENTFORD, ENGLAND - MAY 18: Thomas Frank, Manager of Brentford, acknowledges the fans after the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Fulham FC at Gtech Community Stadium on May 18, 2025 in Brentford, England.

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Frank prepared to take Tottenham to 'new heights'

Barcelona abandoned their plan to return to their Camp Nou home in August on Friday, pushing the ...

Barcelona abandoned their plan to return to their Camp Nou home in August on Friday, pushing the stadium's re-opening back further.The Catalan giants had planned to play a friendly match on August 10 as the first game in their stadium after two years of construction work, but blamed difficulty in obtaining a license to partially open the stadium for their decision."Barcelona informs that the first match back at the Spotify Camp Nou has been suspended," said the club in a statement.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"Because of the magnitude of the work done it was impossible to meet all the requirements demanded by the regulations governing the granting of the first occupancy license, despite the club's willingness to open Spotify Camp Nou in sections."The first match at the Camp Nou is now set to be the La Liga game against Valencia on September 13 or 14, with Barca's first three league matches away from home.However Barcelona did not state whether they can guarantee they will be able to open the stadium for the fixture, or potentially a home Champions League tie before then.Barca said the friendly they had planned, reported to be against Italian side Como, will take place instead at the Johan Cruyff stadium beside their training ground.Barcelona have played at the Olympic Stadium on the city's Montjuic hill over the past two seasons during the development at the Camp Nou.The club initially planned to return to the Camp Nou in November 2024 to mark the club's 125th anniversary but the stadium opening has been repeatedly delayed.Capacity at the Camp Nou will be around 60,000 until works are eventually completed, planned to be next summer, with the stadium expanded to 105,000 seats.Barcelona are estimated to be paying 1.5 billion euros ($1.75 billion) for the Camp Nou rebuild project.

A general view shows the construction site of the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on May 23, 2025.

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Barcelona scrap planned Camp Nou return in August

Italian champions Napoli completed their latest signing on Friday with the arrival of Udinese for...

Italian champions Napoli completed their latest signing on Friday with the arrival of Udinese forward Lorenzo Lucca.Lucca's move to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona comes 24 hours after the Serie A club secured Dutch attacker Noa Lang from PSV Eindhoven."Napoli announces that it has loaned Lorenzo Lucca with a purchase obligation," the club confirmed.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Local media report that the deal is costing Napoli 35 million euros including nine million for the initial loan, for the forward who earned the first of his five caps for Italy last October.Lucca, 24, the scorer of 12 league goals for Udinese last season, will be competing for a place alongside Romelu Lukaku, Matteo Politano, Giacomo Raspadori, Giovanni Simeone, and Noa.He joined Udinese in 2023 after spells with Palermo and Pisa in Italy and Ajax in the Netherlands.

FLORENCE, ITALY - DECEMBER 23: Lorenzo Lucca of Udinese celebrates his goal during the Serie A match between Fiorentina and Udinese at Stadio Artemio Franchi on December 23, 2024 in Florence, Italy.

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Napoli sign Lucca from Udinese in deal reportedly worth €35M

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Alexander Isak (INTFR, GERDFBP, BUND, CHLG, UEFA, EURCQ, LIGA, ESPCR, WORLDCUP, NATLEAGUEA, EURC, WCQUEFA, NATLEAGUEB, EPL, ENGCC, ENGFA, NATLEAGUEC, NATLEAGUED, NATLEAGUEFNL)