Iran sack Skocic with just four months to go to World Cup
July 12 – Iran have fired head coach Dragan Skocic just four months before the World Cup.
Performance
Rooney to return to MLS and D.C. United as coach
July 11 – Former England captain Wayne Rooney has agreed terms to coach D.C. United in Major League Soccer, the club for which he played in 2018 and 2019.
Another ‘new era’ at PSG as Galtier brought in to take the big players to the big prize
By Andrew Warshaw
July 6 – It was the most open of secrets and now it’s official. Mauricio Pochettino’s reign at Paris Saint-Germain is over after Christophe Galtier was appointed the club’s seventh coach in 11 years.
Gareth Bale packs bags for California and LAFC
June 27 – With the summer transfer window in full swing, Gareth Bale, not so long ago the world’s most expensive footballer, has ended months of speculation by surprising almost every football pundit by choosing the MLS as his next destination.
Egypt fire Galal after just three matches
June 17 – Ehab Galal has been dismissed as the head coach of the Egyptian national team after just three matches in charge, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) have confirmed.
Hungary burst England’s bubble as nation tailspins towards Qatar 2022
June 16 – Just a year after reaching the final of the delayed Euros, England slumped to their worst home defeat for 94 years on Tuesday, humiliated 4-0 by Hungary in the Nations League, a result that sent shock waves across the Continent.
Hungary beat Germany 1:1 in Budapest last Saturday; England, again, are next
June 14 – The UEFA Nations League is producing some pretty unexpected results , and all this a few months before the kick-off to the Qatar World Cup. Teams are testing and some cannot be too happy.
Pirlo heads for Turkish Super Lig; Bould takes over at CFG’s Belgian outpost
June 13 – Italian football legend Andrea Pirlo will return to coaching after joining Turkish Super Lig club Fatih Karagumruk.
Saudis extend Renard’s contract through to 2027
June 1 – In a region that historically changes their head football coaches of national teams almost as often as they change their shirts, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) have given French coach Hervé Renard a five-year extension to his contract, taking him through to 2027.
Saint-Etienne fans riot after Auxerre penalty shoot-out win sends them to Ligue 2
May 30 – After an 18-year stay in the top flight, Saint-Etienne, one of France’s most iconic clubs, were relegated from Ligue 1 on Sunday, prompting a pitch invasion by angry fans.
Courtois keeps Liverpool out as Vinicius goal lets Real Madrid in for record 14th UCL title
By Samindra Kunti in Paris
May 28 – Real Madrid won a record 14th European Cup with the narrowest of margins through a second-half Vinicius Junior strike against Liverpool in a Champions League final that failed to deliver on the promise of a great spectacle by the competition’s two finest teams. The final’s kickoff was delayed because of major crowd incidents and security breaches.
Liverpool vs Real Madrid, Salah vs Benzema. Paris set for another big finish
By Samindra Kunti in Paris
May 27 – In a repeat of the 2018 Champions League final, Liverpool will be marginal favourites to defeat Real Madrid and win a seventh European Cup, but the resilience and attacking firepower of the Spanish champions can never be underestimated following an extraordinary run to the final.
Players want limit on games with less than 5 days rest in between, finds survey
May 28 – No fewer than 87% of professional footballers want back-to-back matches limited in order to guard against a heavy workload, pointing out they are “athletes, not machines”, according to a new survey by global players’ union Fifpro.
Bayern boss Bundesliga’s best but Bellingham breaks barriers
May 27 – The CIES Football Observatory has produced a ranking of Best XI player for each of 32 European leagues analysed over the 2021/22 season.
Kane set to keep faith in Conte and Spurs
May 27 – Qualifying for the Champions League under manager Antonio Conte is reported to have made England captain Harry Kane open to new contract negotiations at Tottenham Hotspur rather than leave the club, according to unconfirmed reports.