Muamba announces retirement
By David Gold
August 17 – Fabrice Muamba has announced his retirement from football, months after miraculously surviving a heart attack during an English FA Cup tie.
Pitch International signs ten-year deal for Brazil’s friendlies
By David Gold
August 17 – Pitch International has agreed an exclusive deal with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to organise and promote the national team’s friendly games for the next decade.
Park Jong-Woo to be exempt from military service despite FIFA probe
By David Gold
August 16 – The South Korean player who unfurled a controversial sign supporting the country’s claim to sovereignty over the disputed Dokdo islands will continue to be exempt from military service despite being barred from collecting his Olympic bronze medal.
Råsunda stadium plays host to emotional last match
By David Gold
August 16 – Brazil has bid farewell to the famous stadium where they announced their arrival as a world football force at the World Cup in 1958.
Ribéry and Benzema to face judge over teen prostitution allegations
By David Gold
August 16 – French stars Franck Ribéry and Karim Benzema are to be called before a judge to answer allegations that they paid a 16-year-old for sex.
Pelé set to be the global face of Brazil 2014 and Rio 2016
By Duncan Mackay
August 16 – Pelé’s profile, already skyhigh thanks to his position as the world’s best-ever footballer, is set to rocket even higher after he signed a deal that will see him become the face of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Prosecutor launches appeal against Pepe and Bonucci acquittals
By David Gold
August 16 – The prosecutor in the Italian match-fixing scandal has appealed against the decision to acquit Juventus players Simone Pepe and Leonardo Bonucci.
Exclusive: Sports Minister wants British football team at Olympics to continue
By Duncan Mackay in London
August 15 – Sport and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson is refusing to give up on the possibility of Team GB being represented in future Olympic football tournaments despite the Football Association withdrawing its support for the idea, effectively killing it.
Adidas calls on fans to name Brazil 2014 World Cup ball
By David Gold
August 15 – Adidas is asking football fans across the world to vote for the name of the ball that will be used during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Bin Hammam vows to clear name once again slamming FIFA for an “abuse of power”
By David Gold
August 15 – Mohamed Bin Hammam has once again vowed to clear his name after FIFA opened up a new investigation against the Qatari, who has accused world football’s governing body of a “clear abuse of power”.
Spanish La Liga season will begin as planned after rows of television rights
By David Gold
August 15 – The La Liga season will get underway again as planned this weekend after an emergency meeting between league clubs angry at the state of television rights in Spain.
Portsmouth set for liquidation as Chainrai withdraws bid
By David Gold
August 15 – English League One side Portsmouth are on the brink of liquidation after Balram Chainrai withdrew a bid to takeover the cash strapped team.
Malawi cancels Uganda friendly over Ebola scare
By David Gold
August 14 – Malawi have cancelled an international with Uganda which was due to take place tomorrow due to an outbreak of Ebola.
Spanish league calls clubs meeting over threats to delay start to season
By David Gold
August 14 – Following a threat by 13 La Liga teams to delay the start of the season, the Spanish league has called a meeting of all first and second tier teams to take place today.
Mihir Bose: Football, with its herd mentality, could learn from Olympic sports’ willingness to share information
The Olympics always puts football in the box, if only for a brief two-week period.
Indeed, the very nature of football’s participation in the Games, with teams composed of players who hope to aspire to be the best, but are not yet the best, give it the status of an interloper. And as if to emphasise this status, football starts even before the Opening Ceremony. In the wider world, it may be the greatest of all sports,