AFP, PARIS:  Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill believes France are quite capable of winning the World Cupa after seeing them get the better of his team in a friendly on Monday evening. France won 2-0 on a wet night, with Olivier Giroud and Nabil Fekir scoring the goals in the first…

AFP, MADRID: Spain's recent dominance in club competitions has masked a period of underachievement at international level, but coach Julen Lopetegui…

AFP, KABUL: Teen sensation Rashid Khan will lead a heavyweight spin attack for Afghanistan in the country's first-ever Test against India next month, the Afghan cricket board announced Tuesday. Khan and fellow spinners Mujeeb ur Rahman, Zahir Khan and Hamza Hotak were named in a 16-strong squad…

Bangladesh national cricket team left the country yesterday for Dehradun to play a three-match T20 International series against Afghanistan, a series…

AFP, JERUSALEM: Tickets for an Israel-Argentina friendly in Jerusalem next month with Barcelona star Lionel Messi expected in the line-up sold out within 20 minutes, the Israeli company handling sales said. The Le'an agency said on its website that nearly 100,000 fans applied for 20,000 tickets…

Spin all-rounder Nasir Hossain is scheduled to fly to Melbourne, Australia in Tuesday mid-night to undergo an operation on his injured right knee ligament what he sustained playing football. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) medical department selected Australian renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr David Young,…

AFP, SALTO (Uruguay):  Lucas Motta flicks the ball to a teammate and shouts for a return pass, like every kid in the town of Salto, his dream is…

AFP, PARIS: Monaco midfielder Fabinho will join Liverpool following the World Cup finals in Russia, the French Ligue 1 club and the Premier League giants announced Monday. Brazilian international Fabinho, 24, had agreed at the end of last year’s title-winning campaign to remain one more season…

AFP, MADRID: Spain defender Dani Carvajal is still in contention to play at the World Cup, despite injuring his hamstring playing for Real Madrid against Liverpool on Saturday. A tearful Carvajal had to be substituted during the Champions League final in Kiev, prompting fears the right-back would miss…

AFP, BRAGA (Portugal):  AC Milan striker Andre Silva hit a landmark 1000th goal for the hosts but there was little to celebrate as Cristiano Ronaldo-less Portugal were held 2-2 by Tunisia in a pre-World Cup friendly on Monday. Still smarting from a 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands in Geneva last March,…

AFP, LYON: Rumours might be swirling about club captain Nabil Fekir leaving for Liverpool, but Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas said Monday “there is no urgency at all” in completing any deal. “I do not have a rendezvous with the Liverpool directors,” Aulas said. “We are…

AFP, PARIS: Olivier Giroud and Nabil Fekir were on target as France stepped up their World Cup preparations by beating the Republic of Ireland 2-0 in…

The home of Jules Rimet, the father of the FIFA World Cup, France finally claimed the crown for itself in the summer of 1998. If an unforgettable summer…

AFP, ST. GALLEN (Switzerland): Mario Balotelli got new Italy coach Roberto Mancini off to a winning start by scoring the opener in a 2-1 win over Saudi…