Soccer news and stories by mail.com

Soccer

Barcelona earn maximum points in AP football poll
It was difficult to vote for any other team. Barcelona received maximum points in the AP's latest global football rankings on Tuesday, with the team's ...
Free entry to Italian MP's at sports events to end
Italian politicians may have to reach into their pocket and pay for tickets if they want to continue attending sports events in the country.
Michael Owen to retire at end of season
Former England striker Michael Owen will retire at the end of the Premier League season, concluding the 16-year career of a once-prolific forward that ...
Appleton latest manager to leave Blackburn
Blackburn descended into further disarray in its first year out of the Premier League by firing Michael Appleton on Tuesday, leaving the club in ...
Eintracht goalkeeper Trapp breaks hand
Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp has broken his hand while filming a publicity spot with Germany's under-21 team and could miss the rest of ...
Former England goalkeeper banned from driving
Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton has been banned from driving for 20 months after having more than double the legal amount of alcohol in his ...
Sa Pinto hired as Red Star Belgrade coach
Former Portugal international Ricardo Sa Pinto has been hired as Red Star Belgrade coach. The 40-year-old Sa Pinto replaces Aleksandar Jankovic, who ...
Chechen leader screams at soccer ref
Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov has apologized for screaming at a soccer referee over a stadium loudspeaker. The leader of the Russian province, who ...
IOC begins 4-day inspection of Madrid's 2020 plans
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told IOC inspectors Monday that much of the infrastructure needed for Madrid's 2020 Olympic bid is already built, ...
Croatian man guilty in German match-fixing trial
A Croatian man has been convicted in a match-fixing trial in Germany and sentenced to 10 months in prison. Milan Sapina was found guilty of making ...
Deschamps faces dilemma ahead of Georgia game
France coach Didier Deschamps must decide whether to gamble on picking players for the World Cup qualifier with Georgia who are at risk of being ...
Italy's Chiellini has problems with both ankles
Defender Giorgio Chiellini could miss Italy's upcoming matches against Brazil and Malta with injuries to both of his ankles. Chiellini's left ankle ...
Di Stefano may have played football with new pope
Former Argentina and Spain great Alfredo Di Stefano thinks he may have played football against newly elected Pope Francis when the two were children ...
Chechen strongman sorry he screamed at soccer ref
Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov has apologized for screaming at a soccer referee over a stadium loudspeaker. The leader of the Russian province was ...
Debuchy out with injury for Georgia and Spain
France right back Mathieu Debuchy will miss the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Spain because of a thigh muscle injury and has been ...
Kozak added to Czech squad for WCup qualifiers
The Czech Republic has increased its fire power by adding Lazio striker Libor Kozak to the squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Denmark and ...
FIFA fears abuse of anti-inflammatory medicine
The abuse of anti-inflammatory medicine by football players is a bigger problem facing the sport than doping, FIFA medical chief Michel D'Hooghe said ...
Defender Rio Ferdinand out of England qualifiers
Rio Ferdinand's long-awaited return to England duty was put on hold Monday after the defender withdrew from upcoming matches against San Marino and ...
UEFA opens racism case against Inter Milan
UEFA has opened up a disciplinary case against Inter Milan for fan racism and other charges stemming from last week's Europa League match with ...
2 West Ham fans arrested for alleged racism
Two West Ham fans have been arrested on suspicion of alleged racially aggravated public-order offenses during the team's Premier League match at ...
Decision time looms in politics of FIFA reform
In a conclave at FIFA headquarters this week, a group of football leaders will work secretively over two days in their first session of 2013.
FA launches initiative to mark Muamba anniversary
The English Football Association marked the anniversary of Fabrice Muamba's on-field cardiac arrest Monday by making 900 defibrillators available to ...
Kroos, Bender drop out of Germany World Cup squad
Midfielders Toni Kroos of Bayern Munich and Sven Bender of Borussia Dortmund have dropped out of Germany's squad for the World Cup qualifiers against ...
Loew says smaller nations should pre-qualify
Germany coach Joachim Loew would like to see a pre-qualifying round for so-called smaller nations ahead of World Cup and European Championship ...
Benfica extends lead in Portugal as Porto draws
Benfica thrashed 10-man Guimaraes 4-0 to capitalize on FC Porto's 1-1 draw at Maritimo and extend its lead of the Portuguese league to four points.