Kobe Bryant’s retirement announcement seemed inevitable, yet is no less affecting. The 37-year-old LA Lakers shooting guard confirmed this season will be his last, writing in the Players Tribune: “my body knows it’s time to say goodbye”. His announcement has brought tributes from across the internet, with basketball fans and those who just have an appreciation of […]

11 years ago

Some athletes are so great that they transcend their sport. Michael Jordan was one. Tiger Woods is another. And Kobe Bryant can certainly be mentioned along those names. 1293 x matches32683 x pts5 x NBA championships17 x All-Star selections1 x 81-point game1 x MVP 1 x Kobe Bryant pic.twitter.com/ZLdwhZFr9c — bet365 (@bet365) November 30, 2015 […]

11 years ago

Arsenal’s reluctance to spend big is a thing of the past, and Arsene Wenger could be about to dig into the club’s coffers for John Stones. The England defender was the subject of a big money bid from Chelsea over the summer, but an asking price of around £35m ensured he stayed at Everton. The Sunday […]

11 years ago

If things don’t work out for Remi Garde at Aston Villa, perhaps the club’s fans will call for former captain Olof Mellberg to take over. The Swede, who spent seven years at Villa Park as a player, has begun his managerial career with Brommapojkarna in his homeland. Brommapojkarna will play in the third tier next […]

11 years ago

You know it’s bad when Moyes is mentioned…

11 years ago

Few would have expected Leicester v Man Utd to be a top-of-the-table clash in late November, but this hasn’t been a normal season. The Foxes are top of the tree less than a month before Christmas, sitting one place and one point ahead of the Red Devils. And they have a chance to extend their […]

11 years ago

Clarence Seedorf was as successful as they come throughout his playing career, and reportedly wants to repeat the feat as a manager in England. The former Dutch international won the Champions League with three different clubs, featuring in AC Milan’s midfield when they beat Liverpool in the 2007 final. He also spent 22 games in […]

11 years ago

The will-they-won’t-they saga over the title bout between Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko isn’t over yet. Manchester boxer Fury, who has already threatened to pull out of the fight over a gloves-related issue, has again put the fight in jeopardy over what some might consider a trivial matter. This time the issue is soft canvas, […]

11 years ago

Aleksandar Mitrovic might not have set the world alight in the North-East, but Newcastle fans are warming to him. The £15m man has recovered from early disciplinary problems to become a regular for the Magpies, even if his goal tally leaves a little to be desired. His popularity is clear to see, based on the […]

11 years ago

It’s unlikely that any of us had even heard of Gianluigi Donnarumma six months ago, but now the youngster is apparently worth £119m. That’s not a typo. The 16-year-old goalkeeper, whose professional career is less than 10 games old, has had a huge price tag slapped on him by agent Mino Raiola. Donnarumma has risen […]

11 years ago

Leicester might be surprise leaders of the Premier League, but surely they can’t keep up their current form…right? Fantasy football managers clearly aren’t so sure, with the 54.4% with Jamie Vardy in their team keeping faith in the Premier League’s top scorer to find the net again in the top-of-the-table clash with Manchester United. And […]

11 years ago

Rafa Benitez may have the public backing of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, but it appears to be a very different story behind the scenes. The former Liverpool boss can’t exactly have expected a pat on the pack after Madrid’s 4-0 defeat to Barcelona, but Perez reportedly went full-throttle with his face-to-face criticism of the […]

11 years ago

Former Manchester United captain is not afraid to upset fans of his former club when naming his Premier League favourites. The player-turned-pundit identified Manchester City’s David Silva as his stand-out player in the top-flight, and his favourite manager in the league isn’t the obvious choice either. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Neville admits that he considers Jose […]

11 years ago

Tyson Fury believes victory over Wladimir Klitschko can turn him into a “global phenomenon” on a par with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Manchester fighter is an underdog for his meeting with the Ukrainian, but thinks Klitschko lacks “doesn’t rank up there with the superstars.” “I think he’s taken the heavyweight champion under water a […]

11 years ago

We’ve seen a number of hard-to-explain transfers over the last year or so, but Xherdan Shaqiri’s move to Stoke was one of the more baffling. The Swiss international, who won the Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2013, moved to the Potteries from Inter for a club record £12m over the summer. And the winger, […]

11 years ago

When it comes to overcoming the threat of ISIS, a number of suggestions have been made. But the latest effort is far more achievable than air strikes and the like, and critics of military action will argue it is far more cost-effective. Members of the 4chan messageboard have replaced the heads of Isis fighters on […]

11 years ago

It has been three full seasons since an English club made the Champions League final, but the FA thinks it has a solution to the slump. The governing body will encourage Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore to reduce the number of teams in the top-flight to 18, according to The Times, with recommendations to also reduce the number of […]

11 years ago

Back in 2012, Sir Alex Ferguson famously turned down the chance to sign Brazilian sensation Lucas Moura. The legendary manager’s words at that time – “When somebody’s paying €45 million for a 19-year-old boy you have to say the game’s gone mad” – have already returned to the fore in the light of Manchester United’s […]

11 years ago

Authorities in Belgium have confirmed that a man has been arrested and charged over “terrorist attacks”. While the individual has not been named, prosecutors note that the arrest took place in capital city Brussels and various sources claim the charges relate to the Paris attacks. BREAKING: Belgian prosecutors office says man arrested in Brussels, charged […]

11 years ago

Bring the Fury

11 years ago

Three from us, three from you

11 years ago

Chelsea might be reigning Premier League champions, but looking at the table for the calendar year you might not realise. The Blues’ shocking title defence has left them languishing far closer to the drop zone than the top four this season, and this is reflected in their points tally for 2015 as a whole. Of […]

11 years ago

We’ve waited long enough for Star Wars Episode VII that there would be few things more annoying than having it spoiled for us. Thankfully, there’s a way to stay away from those pesky spoilers that are sure to pop up where you least expect them. The Star Wars Spoiler Blocker is available as an extension on […]

11 years ago

He’s come a long way in the last 12 months, but Jamie Vardy hasn’t forgotten the little guys. The Premier League top scorer has risen to the top since joining Leicester from then non-league Fleetwood Town, and he still keeps in touch with some of his Cod Army team-mates. “I like to look out for […]

11 years ago

Mathieu Valbuena says he will have no problem playing in the same team as Karim Benzema, despite an ongoing legal case involving the France team-mates. Benzema faces charges relating to an alleged blackmail over a sex-tape in which Valbuena is said to feature, but the Lyon midfielder told Le Monde that “the group comes above individuals.” “I’ve never […]

11 years ago

Real Madrid are at risk of a two-window transfer ban, putting their protracted move for Manchester United’s David De Gea in jeopardy. The former Atletico goalkeeper almost moved back to the Spanish capital on transfer deadline day, only for the move to hit a hitch at the eleventh hour. He is thought to have a clause […]

11 years ago

Tyson Fury’s inexperience will count against him when he fights Wladimir Klitschko, according to fellow boxer Chris Eubank Jr. Fury, who has threatened to withdraw from his fight with the Ukrainian, currently holds a record of 24 wins from 24 fights. But according to Eubank, who is due to fight Spike O’Sullivan in December, Klitschko’s experience […]

11 years ago

Every player on a hot streak can credit their surge to something, but Ryan Leonard might be the first to give a nod to Justin Bieber. After he started listening to the former child star, Leonard has fired home three goals in four games for Southend United in League 1 – more than he managed in 42 […]

11 years ago

It’s a given these days that whenever a football club signs a new commercial partnership, its players are gathered around for a photo op. Some are clearly more enthused by the prospect than others, or are at least better actors, as this Chelsea effort shows. The club has inked a deal with Carabao, a Thai […]

11 years ago

Christmas is all about presents, family, and playing FIFA against animatronic reindeer. Right? At least that’s the premise of EA’s latest ad for FIFA 16, which sees Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero take on Donner and Blitzen (or possibly two of their mates) over at the North Pole. We hope they at least split up the teams […]

11 years ago

Picking a team of the season is always tough, and you’re bound to upset a few people along the way. Our selection of the best XI so far actually got a compliment or two. But naturally not everyone was so forgiving. Here are some of the most popular choices from our readers. Mesut Özil Özil […]

11 years ago

Dani Alves knows how to handle himself at a press conference. The Brazilian full-back spoke to the media after Barcelona’s 4-0 Clasico victory…well, not all of the media. After a journalist from Madrid publication Marca asked for the Barça man’s thoughts, Alves quickly dismissed him with a knowing grin, before also clarifying that he wouldn’t speak to another […]

11 years ago

Let us know your picks

11 years ago

After the season they’ve had, you might expect the New York Red Bulls to be on their toes from kick-off. The MLS club broke the league’s record for the fastest ever goal in the competition when Mike Grella scored seven seconds into the game against Philadelphia. But after picking up the Supporters Shield for the […]

11 years ago

If you ever played football as a child, keepy-uppie contests were probably a big part of your life for a little while. There’s something about the blend of skill and competitive spirit that appeals to us all, and the activity can immediately transport you back to the jumpers-for-goalposts games of your youth. Someone else who […]

11 years ago

Brazil’s hit-and-miss form at the last World Cup was characterised by the gulf in class between Neymar and strike partner Fred. The former Lyon striker scored just once in the tournament, leading some to question why he was selected ahead of various other attacking talents. He retired from international football after the hosts’ third-place playoff […]

11 years ago

Blackburn fans don’t have the fondest memories of Steve Kean, but their former manager is doing his best to rebuild his career. The Scotsman relegated the Lancashire club from the top flight in 2012, and they have yet to return. But for all his Premier League struggles, the 48-year-old has plenty of time to show […]

11 years ago

We’ve already established that Bastian Schweinsteiger’s brother Tobias is a huge football fan. The elder sibling, who retired earlier this year, made his name as a goalscoring midfielder in the German lower leagues. So it should probably come as no surprise to see that he has plenty of time for a Premier League star who […]

11 years ago

Steven Gerrard might not be returning to Liverpool as a player, but he still holds his former team-mates very close to his heart. You get the sense that the former club captain still kicks every ball, even if he can’t be out there on the pitch, and things were no different for the victory over Manchester […]

11 years ago

Rivaldo will have enjoyed Barcelona’s crushing Clasico victory over Real Madrid. The Brazilian played in many meetings between the rivals during his time at Camp Nou, and he has now claimed that a former opponent of his is set to take the reins at Barça’s fiercest rivals. Zinedine Zidane joined Real Madrid as a player in […]

11 years ago

Brendan Rodgers did fantastically at Liverpool…up to a point. He took the Reds within touching distance of their first league title in the Premier League era, but there are few who will argue with his sacking. The Ulsterman’s struggles against top sides away from Anfield played a part in his demise, so he’s unlikely to […]

11 years ago

Few were anticipating a Liverpool win at the Etihad. Even fewer thought they would have victory all but wrapped up just after the half-hour mark By the time Roberto Firmino opened his Reds account in the 32nd minute, adding to an Eliaquim Mangala own goal and Philippe Coutinho’s composed second, the visitors were out of […]

11 years ago

Arsenal missed the chance to go top of the Premier League when West Brom came from behind to beat the 2-1 at The Hawthorns. A Mikel Arteta own goal proved decisive as Tony Pulis notched another victory over Arsene Wenger’s men. Arsenal fans showed their frustrations on Twitter, but in truth it felt like just […]

11 years ago

For all their Champions League struggles, Arsenal have been uncharacteristically solid in the Premier League so far this season. But as soon as talk of a legitimate title challenge came to the fore, the old Arsenal have made a return. The Gunners were cruising at 1-0 up against West Bromwich Albion, only to allow Tony […]

11 years ago

Lionel Messi’s return from injury hasn’t come quick enough for him to return to Barcelona’s starting line-up against Real Madrid. The Argentine has been absent since suffering an injury in his club’s La Liga meeting with Las Palmas, but it had been thought that he could return for El Clasico. Barcelona will have to make […]

11 years ago

Brechin goalkeeper Graeme Smith did well to start his club’s match against Stenhousemuir, seeing as he’d originally driven to the wrong stadium. Smith reportedly thought the game was being played away from home and drove the 80 or so miles to Ochilview Park…before having to turn around and return to Brechin. Reports emerging that Brechin's […]

11 years ago

When Ruud van Nistelrooy scored in 10 successive Premier League games in 2003, it seemed like the record might never be equalled. Certainly few expected Jamie Vardy to match the Dutchman’s tally, but the England international has done just that after finding the net for Leicester City against Newcastle United. When Van Nistelrooy set the […]

11 years ago

The worst thing about the international break is the lack of fantasy football. Well, maybe not the absolute worst, but it isn’t fun. Thankfully the wait is over, and we’re back to predicting who’s going to win us some points this week. But first, a quick recap on how our JOE vs The Readers competition […]

11 years ago

Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid career has been hit and miss, but one of his most memorable goals came against the club’s fiercest rivals. The Welshman scored a fantastic solo effort to win the 2014 Copa Del Rey final against Barcelona. And he has opened up about the strike in an interview with Bwin. “It’s definitely […]

11 years ago

Manchester United will face Watford without both Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial due to illness and injury respectively. Louis van Gaal made the admission to MUTV on the eve of the game, adding that Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini and Antonio Valencia will also miss the game. Valencia will be out until the new year with a foot injury […]

11 years ago