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Tottenham Hotspur will unveil Vincent Janssen as their new striker today after a 22 million Euro ($24.46 million) move from AZ Alkmaar, Dutch media said. 
 
According to a report, the 22-year-old Dutch international has signed a four-year contract with an option for two more years at White Hart Lane and will earn between 10 and 15 million Euros in four years. 
 
AZ agreed the move with the London club last week and personal terms and a medical have now also been completed, the daily De Telegraaf said. 
 
AZ paid 400,000 Euros to Almere City for Janssen&rsquo;s services last year. He had played at the second division team after failing to make the grade at Feyenoord. 
 
Janssen scored for the Netherlands in his second international cap against England at Wembley in March and now has three goals in five appearances. 
 
(Reuters)

Vincent Janssen has signed a four-year contract with an option for two more years at White Hart Lane

Tottenham Hotspur will unveil Vincent Janssen as their new striker today after a 22 million Euro ($24.46 million) move from AZ Alkmaar, Dutch media said. According to a report, the 22-year-old Dutch international has signed a four-year contract with an option for two more years at White Hart Lane and will earn between 10 and 15 million Euros in four years. AZ agreed the move with the London club last week and personal terms and a medical have now also been completed, the daily De Telegraaf said. AZ paid 400,000 Euros to Almere City for Janssen’s services last year. He had played at the second division team after failing to make the grade at Feyenoord. Janssen scored for the Netherlands in his second international cap against England at Wembley in March and now has three goals in five appearances. (Reuters)

Spurs to unveil Janssen as new signing today: report

Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger today announced his retirement from international duty with immediate effect. The 31-year-old Manchester United midfielder, who won his 120th and final cap in Germany&#39;s 2-0 defeat to France in the semi-finals of Euro 2016, revealed the news on his official Twitter account. 
 
He retires from die Mannschaft with his Old Trafford future in the balance having reportedly been told by United&#39;s new coach Jose Mourinho that he is one of nine players free to leave the club. Schweinsteiger still has two years left to run on his United contract. 
 
A knee injury in January flared up again in March, restricting him to just a handful of matches before he played at the European championships, netting a goal on his return against Ukraine in Germany&#39;s opening pool game. The defensive midfielder said now was the right time to retire from the national team ahead of Germany&#39;s first qualifier for the 2018 World Cup against Norway on September 9, four days after a home friendly against Finland. 
 
&quot;I have just told the national head coach (Joachim Loew) to no longer consider me for selection in the future, as I would like to retire,&quot; wrote Schweinsteiger. &quot;I would like to thank the fans, the team, the German Football Association and the coaches. In 120 internationals, I have been allowed to run out for my country and experience moments which were indescribably beautiful and successful.&quot; 
 
Schweinsteiger&#39;s finest moment in the famous white shirt was his battling performance in the 2014 World Cup final in Rio. He absorbed everything the Argentina midfield threw at him to help Germany secure a 1-0 extra-time victory as Mario Goetze&#39;s winning goal gave die Mannschaft a fourth title. &quot;Winning the 2014 World Cup was a historic and emotional moment for us, which will not be repeated again in my career,&quot; said Schweinsteiger. &quot;Therefore, it is the right time and sensible to finish now, and to wish the national team all the best for the qualifying stage and the 2018 World Cup. Finally, I just want to say to our fans, &#39;it was an honour to have been able to play for you, many thanks for everything that I was able to experience with you.&#39;&quot; 
 
Schweinsteiger said that he regrets Germany&#39;s Euro 2016 exit to France, as Antoine Griezmann netted twice in the hosts&#39; 2-0 semi-final win in Marseille, before losing the final 1-0 to Portugal in Paris. &quot;Jogi Loew knew what the Euro 2016 in France meant to me, the title I absolutely wanted to win, which hadn&#39;t been brought to Germany since 1996. &quot;It wasn&#39;t meant to be and I have to accept that.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The defensive midfielder said now was the right time to retire from the national team, before Germany's first 2018 World Cup qualifier

Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger today announced his retirement from international duty with immediate effect. The 31-year-old Manchester United midfielder, who won his 120th and final cap in Germany's 2-0 defeat to France in the semi-finals of Euro 2016, revealed the news on his official Twitter account. He retires from die Mannschaft with his Old Trafford future in the balance having reportedly been told by United's new coach Jose Mourinho that he is one of nine players free to leave the club. Schweinsteiger still has two years left to run on his United contract. A knee injury in January flared up again in March, restricting him to just a handful of matches before he played at the European championships, netting a goal on his return against Ukraine in Germany's opening pool game. The defensive midfielder said now was the right time to retire from the national team ahead of Germany's first qualifier for the 2018 World Cup against Norway on September 9, four days after a home friendly against Finland. "I have just told the national head coach (Joachim Loew) to no longer consider me for selection in the future, as I would like to retire," wrote Schweinsteiger. "I would like to thank the fans, the team, the German Football Association and the coaches. In 120 internationals, I have been allowed to run out for my country and experience moments which were indescribably beautiful and successful." Schweinsteiger's finest moment in the famous white shirt was his battling performance in the 2014 World Cup final in Rio. He absorbed everything the Argentina midfield threw at him to help Germany secure a 1-0 extra-time victory as Mario Goetze's winning goal gave die Mannschaft a fourth title. "Winning the 2014 World Cup was a historic and emotional moment for us, which will not be repeated again in my career," said Schweinsteiger. "Therefore, it is the right time and sensible to finish now, and to wish the national team all the best for the qualifying stage and the 2018 World Cup. Finally, I just want to say to our fans, 'it was an honour to have been able to play for you, many thanks for everything that I was able to experience with you.'" Schweinsteiger said that he regrets Germany's Euro 2016 exit to France, as Antoine Griezmann netted twice in the hosts' 2-0 semi-final win in Marseille, before losing the final 1-0 to Portugal in Paris. "Jogi Loew knew what the Euro 2016 in France meant to me, the title I absolutely wanted to win, which hadn't been brought to Germany since 1996. "It wasn't meant to be and I have to accept that." (AFP)

Bastian Schweinsteiger retires from Germany duty

Iceland&#39;s footballers received a heroes welcome on returning home on Monday following their astonishing run to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals in France. 
 
Their plane flew low over the capital Reykjavik before landing at Keflavik airport where the local fire services gave them a fire hose guard of honour with shooting water creating a rainbow. 
 
Striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, who scored a consolation goal in the crushing 5-2 defeat to the hosts at the Stade de France on Sunday, said he was happy to be home. 
 
&quot;It was a dream come true to get that support,&quot; he said of the estimated 30,000 fans - some 10 per cent of the population - who followed the nation to France. 
 
&quot;We experienced something simply wonderful, it was a dream come true and we are proud to have brought such cheer to our country,&quot; he said, adding that the friendly behaviour of the fans had done the country proud. 
 
The players were then paraded through the streets of the capital on a double decker bus in the direction of Arnarholl Park, to celebrate with their fans and sing the famous huh - the Viking war chant - which is actually Scottish, punctuated by hand clapping. 
 
&quot;Fairy tales still exist! It&#39;s rare - if indeed this has ever happened - to unite us Icelanders as you did on the football pitch,&quot; Prime Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson told the team in downtown Reykjavik, to the resounding cheers of tens of thousands of supporters. 
 
&quot;You are a national treasure!&quot; he added as fans waved flags and team jerseys, and children held aloft cards with their favourite players. 
 
To the delight of the crowd, the heroes of the day sang the huh watched emotionally by Swedish coach Lars Lagerback who hailed a &quot;team performance&quot; and confided he felt &quot;at home&quot; whenever he was in Iceland. 
 
Many present had also followed the team to France. &quot;They react with pride even after defeat. They did not give up, they did not stop, they return as heroes,&quot; said August Ingi Kristjansson, a 23-year-old who was present in Stade de France on Sunday. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m just so proud!&quot; added Sverrir Gardarsson. &quot;What will happen next? We will rule the world!&quot; 
 
Iceland drew with Hungary and Portugal, then beat Austria to book a last-16 place, where they then defeated England 2-1 to set up a quarter-final with France. 
 
(AFP)

The team plane landed at Keflavik airport where the local fire services gave them a fire hose guard of honour with shooting water

Iceland's footballers received a heroes welcome on returning home on Monday following their astonishing run to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals in France. Their plane flew low over the capital Reykjavik before landing at Keflavik airport where the local fire services gave them a fire hose guard of honour with shooting water creating a rainbow. Striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, who scored a consolation goal in the crushing 5-2 defeat to the hosts at the Stade de France on Sunday, said he was happy to be home. "It was a dream come true to get that support," he said of the estimated 30,000 fans - some 10 per cent of the population - who followed the nation to France. "We experienced something simply wonderful, it was a dream come true and we are proud to have brought such cheer to our country," he said, adding that the friendly behaviour of the fans had done the country proud. The players were then paraded through the streets of the capital on a double decker bus in the direction of Arnarholl Park, to celebrate with their fans and sing the famous huh - the Viking war chant - which is actually Scottish, punctuated by hand clapping. "Fairy tales still exist! It's rare - if indeed this has ever happened - to unite us Icelanders as you did on the football pitch," Prime Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson told the team in downtown Reykjavik, to the resounding cheers of tens of thousands of supporters. "You are a national treasure!" he added as fans waved flags and team jerseys, and children held aloft cards with their favourite players. To the delight of the crowd, the heroes of the day sang the huh watched emotionally by Swedish coach Lars Lagerback who hailed a "team performance" and confided he felt "at home" whenever he was in Iceland. Many present had also followed the team to France. "They react with pride even after defeat. They did not give up, they did not stop, they return as heroes," said August Ingi Kristjansson, a 23-year-old who was present in Stade de France on Sunday. "I'm just so proud!" added Sverrir Gardarsson. "What will happen next? We will rule the world!" Iceland drew with Hungary and Portugal, then beat Austria to book a last-16 place, where they then defeated England 2-1 to set up a quarter-final with France. (AFP)

Euro 2016: Iceland returns home to cheering crowds and Viking war chants

Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have been training on a larger than normal pitch to prepare for Wednesday&#39;s Champions League Group E opener against Monaco at their adopted Wembley Stadium home. 
 
The club have opted to play their European home games at the 90,000-seater national stadium this season as their White Hart Lane ground has a reduced capacity owing to building work on an adjacent new ground. 
 
This is the club&#39;s first match back in the competition after five years. 
 
More than 80,000 tickets have been sold. 
 
Wembley&#39;s pitch is significantly bigger than Tottenham&#39;s usual home turf, a potential problem as Mauricio Pochettino&#39;s players try to stick to their usual high pressing game. 
 
&quot;We feel good at White Hart Lane because it&#39;s our home and we need to feel good at Wembley,&quot; Pochettino, who masterminded Tottenham&#39;s first domestic title challenge for decades last season, said at a news conference. 
 
&quot;With two pitches (at the training ground) we designed the same dimensions as Wembley. We change between the pitches to keep the grass at a good level. 
 
&quot;We use different pitches on different days during the week. You have more space to play, it&#39;s more difficult for the opponent to press you when (there are) more meters to run, but the same for both.&quot; 
 
Tottenham have won only once in five visits to the new Wembley, while Arsenal&#39;s decision to play Champions League matches at the old venue in the late 1990s backfired as they never managed to turn it into a fortress. 
 
Pochettino is not concerned that advantage will be diminished by playing &#39;away&#39; from home. 
 
&quot;We trust in us,&quot; he said. &quot;We believe in the way we play but we need to adapt our game.&quot; 
 
&quot;We need to go to Wembley and play, behave naturally and not try to find an excuse, that&#39;s never good,&quot; he added. 
 
Dembele has missed the first four games of Tottenham&#39;s Premier League campaign because of a domestic suspension for violent conduct at the end of last season against Chelsea. 
 
Left-back Danny Rose will miss the game though because of a hamstring injury. Welshman Ben Davies will deputise. 
 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)

They have opted to play their European home games at Wembley Stadium as their White Hart Lane ground has a reduced capacity

Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur have been training on a larger than normal pitch to prepare for Wednesday's Champions League Group E opener against Monaco at their adopted Wembley Stadium home. The club have opted to play their European home games at the 90,000-seater national stadium this season as their White Hart Lane ground has a reduced capacity owing to building work on an adjacent new ground. This is the club's first match back in the competition after five years. More than 80,000 tickets have been sold. Wembley's pitch is significantly bigger than Tottenham's usual home turf, a potential problem as Mauricio Pochettino's players try to stick to their usual high pressing game. "We feel good at White Hart Lane because it's our home and we need to feel good at Wembley," Pochettino, who masterminded Tottenham's first domestic title challenge for decades last season, said at a news conference. "With two pitches (at the training ground) we designed the same dimensions as Wembley. We change between the pitches to keep the grass at a good level. "We use different pitches on different days during the week. You have more space to play, it's more difficult for the opponent to press you when (there are) more meters to run, but the same for both." Tottenham have won only once in five visits to the new Wembley, while Arsenal's decision to play Champions League matches at the old venue in the late 1990s backfired as they never managed to turn it into a fortress. Pochettino is not concerned that advantage will be diminished by playing 'away' from home. "We trust in us," he said. "We believe in the way we play but we need to adapt our game." "We need to go to Wembley and play, behave naturally and not try to find an excuse, that's never good," he added. Dembele has missed the first four games of Tottenham's Premier League campaign because of a domestic suspension for violent conduct at the end of last season against Chelsea. Left-back Danny Rose will miss the game though because of a hamstring injury. Welshman Ben Davies will deputise. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Pochettino confident Wembley will not snag Tottenham's style

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney admits the arrival of Jose Mourinho has given him added motivation for the season ahead. 
 
Former Chelsea boss Mourinho has suggested he preferred to play Rooney in a more attacking role, rather than see him pull strings from midfield as he did under predecessor Louis van Gaal. 
 
Rooney will be looking to forge a formidable strike partnership with new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, after a dearth of goals under the Dutchman last season. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m really excited to be working with Jose this season,&quot; the 30-year-old told the club&#39;s official magazine. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s one of the best managers in the world and it&#39;s an exciting time for Manchester United.&nbsp;I&#39;ve always respected him both as a man and a manager.&nbsp;I like to think I&#39;m always motivated as a player, but I&#39;d be lying if I said I wasn&#39;t a bit more motivated when a new manager comes in.&nbsp;He&#39;ll bring all these qualities with him and I&#39;m sure he&#39;ll have his own ideas, but one of the biggest assets will be his experience.&quot; 
 
United begin their Premier League campaign with a trip to Bournemouth on August 14. 
 
(Reuters)

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has suggested he'll play Rooney in a more exciting, attacking role

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney admits the arrival of Jose Mourinho has given him added motivation for the season ahead. Former Chelsea boss Mourinho has suggested he preferred to play Rooney in a more attacking role, rather than see him pull strings from midfield as he did under predecessor Louis van Gaal. Rooney will be looking to forge a formidable strike partnership with new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, after a dearth of goals under the Dutchman last season. "I'm really excited to be working with Jose this season," the 30-year-old told the club's official magazine. "He's one of the best managers in the world and it's an exciting time for Manchester United. I've always respected him both as a man and a manager. I like to think I'm always motivated as a player, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit more motivated when a new manager comes in. He'll bring all these qualities with him and I'm sure he'll have his own ideas, but one of the biggest assets will be his experience." United begin their Premier League campaign with a trip to Bournemouth on August 14. (Reuters)

Rooney looks forward to playing under new manager and alongside Ibrahimovic

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane confirmed today that Spanish forward Jese Rodriguez is in talks over a move away from the club to sign for Paris St Germain. 
 
The 23-year-old has one season remaining on his contract with the Champions League winners, but the desire for more playing time appears to be the motivation for a possible transfer to Ligue 1. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s not a done deal but negotiations are going well,&quot; Zidane told the club&#39;s official website ahead of the pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich in New Jersey today.&nbsp;&quot;Once we return to Madrid, we will know more about this issue.&quot; 
 
Jese scored six goals and assisted on six more in 39 appearances for Real in the 2015-16 campaign, but only started 12 of those games.&nbsp;The return of Spanish forward Alvaro Morata after two seasons with Italian champions Juventus will further limit Jese&#39;s playing time in an already star-studded attack that includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. 
 
Zidane believes a move to PSG would be the best option for the player. 
 
&quot;I think it&#39;s the ideal place for him because it&#39;s a good team and he will score many goals there,&quot; Zidane added. &quot;It&#39;s an important club.&quot; 
 
A Real Madrid youth product, Jese was promoted to the first team in 2013 and scored eight goals in 31 appearances in his first season with the side. However, a knee injury limited him to just 23 appearances in the following campaign. 
 
Spanish sports daily Marca reported this week that Jese has agreed to sign a four-year deal with the French champions and would move to Paris for a fee of 25 million Euros ($27.98 million). 
 
Zidane did give a strong indication that Real may include a buy-back clause in Jese&#39;s contract, just as the club did when Morata joined Juventus two years ago. 
 
&quot;I hope that everything goes well for him and that he returns to Real Madrid, which is his home,&quot; Zidane said.&nbsp;&quot;Perhaps it will be a year and he then comes back.&quot; 
 
Spanish coach Unai Emery, who replaced Laurent Blanc at PSG last month, recently declared his admiration for Jese, a player he previously attempted to acquire during his three-and-a-half year stint with Sevilla.&nbsp;Should the deal be completed, Jese will become the first player from Real&#39;s first team to leave the club this off-season 
 
(Reuters)

Rodriguez was promoted to the first team in 2013 and scored eight goals in 31 appearances in his first season with the side

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane confirmed today that Spanish forward Jese Rodriguez is in talks over a move away from the club to sign for Paris St Germain. The 23-year-old has one season remaining on his contract with the Champions League winners, but the desire for more playing time appears to be the motivation for a possible transfer to Ligue 1. "It's not a done deal but negotiations are going well," Zidane told the club's official website ahead of the pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich in New Jersey today. "Once we return to Madrid, we will know more about this issue." Jese scored six goals and assisted on six more in 39 appearances for Real in the 2015-16 campaign, but only started 12 of those games. The return of Spanish forward Alvaro Morata after two seasons with Italian champions Juventus will further limit Jese's playing time in an already star-studded attack that includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. Zidane believes a move to PSG would be the best option for the player. "I think it's the ideal place for him because it's a good team and he will score many goals there," Zidane added. "It's an important club." A Real Madrid youth product, Jese was promoted to the first team in 2013 and scored eight goals in 31 appearances in his first season with the side. However, a knee injury limited him to just 23 appearances in the following campaign. Spanish sports daily Marca reported this week that Jese has agreed to sign a four-year deal with the French champions and would move to Paris for a fee of 25 million Euros ($27.98 million). Zidane did give a strong indication that Real may include a buy-back clause in Jese's contract, just as the club did when Morata joined Juventus two years ago. "I hope that everything goes well for him and that he returns to Real Madrid, which is his home," Zidane said. "Perhaps it will be a year and he then comes back." Spanish coach Unai Emery, who replaced Laurent Blanc at PSG last month, recently declared his admiration for Jese, a player he previously attempted to acquire during his three-and-a-half year stint with Sevilla. Should the deal be completed, Jese will become the first player from Real's first team to leave the club this off-season (Reuters)

Jese Rodriguez in talks to join PSG, confirms Real Madrid Coach

Romania face mounting injury problems ahead of their decisive Euro 2016 tie with Albania following a bruising 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Wednesday. The result means Anghel Iordanescu&rsquo;s men can still qualify for the last 16 from Group A, provided they can win against tournament debutants Albania on Sunday. 
 
However, Romania&rsquo;s prospects appear grim after central midfielder Mihai Pintilii and talismanic left back Razvan Rat hobbled off with injuries at Parc des Princes on Wednesday night. 
 
&ldquo;Pintilii has some physical problems. I don&rsquo;t know if he will be ready for the next game,&rdquo; Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu told a news conference. &ldquo;Rat asked to be substituted. It&rsquo;s difficult to say whether he will play.&rdquo; 
 
Iordanescu, in his third stint in charge of the national team, said Rat&rsquo;s second-half replacement Steliano Filip was also hurt, while goal scorer Bogdan Stancu was suffering from muscle pains. 
 
Romania began well against Switzerland, taking the lead through Stancu&rsquo;s 18th-minute penalty, but they tired after half-time as the Swiss equalised via Admir Mehmedi&rsquo;s fierce 57th-minute half-volley. The Swiss continued to push for a winner that would have guaranteed Vladimir Petkovic&rsquo;s men a place in the knockout rounds, but it was not to be. 
 
&ldquo;We went through two completely opposite halves. First half we controlled the ball, linked play and &hellip; created some other chances,&rdquo; added Iordanescu. &ldquo;We suffered a lot during the second half and were facing huge pressure from Switzerland.&rdquo; 
 
Switzerland again lacked ruthlessness in front of goal, converting only one of their 19 attempts, of which six were on target. 
 
Striker Haris Seferovic, who has struggled at Eintracht Frankfurt this season, wasted two simple chances in the first half. The effort from the rest of the team also seemed patchy.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t say we&rsquo;re very happy with the result,&rdquo; said man-of-the-match Granit Xhaka. &ldquo;It was one of the best performances our national team has shown, we have created so many chances but unfortunately we couldn&rsquo;t win because we didn&rsquo;t finish.&rdquo; 
 
A point against France in their final group match would lift Switzerland to five points, guaranteeing a top-two finish. 
(Reuters)

Central midfielder Mihai Pintilii and left back Razvan Rat had to hobble off the field

Romania face mounting injury problems ahead of their decisive Euro 2016 tie with Albania following a bruising 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Wednesday. The result means Anghel Iordanescu’s men can still qualify for the last 16 from Group A, provided they can win against tournament debutants Albania on Sunday. However, Romania’s prospects appear grim after central midfielder Mihai Pintilii and talismanic left back Razvan Rat hobbled off with injuries at Parc des Princes on Wednesday night. “Pintilii has some physical problems. I don’t know if he will be ready for the next game,” Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu told a news conference. “Rat asked to be substituted. It’s difficult to say whether he will play.” Iordanescu, in his third stint in charge of the national team, said Rat’s second-half replacement Steliano Filip was also hurt, while goal scorer Bogdan Stancu was suffering from muscle pains. Romania began well against Switzerland, taking the lead through Stancu’s 18th-minute penalty, but they tired after half-time as the Swiss equalised via Admir Mehmedi’s fierce 57th-minute half-volley. The Swiss continued to push for a winner that would have guaranteed Vladimir Petkovic’s men a place in the knockout rounds, but it was not to be. “We went through two completely opposite halves. First half we controlled the ball, linked play and … created some other chances,” added Iordanescu. “We suffered a lot during the second half and were facing huge pressure from Switzerland.” Switzerland again lacked ruthlessness in front of goal, converting only one of their 19 attempts, of which six were on target. Striker Haris Seferovic, who has struggled at Eintracht Frankfurt this season, wasted two simple chances in the first half. The effort from the rest of the team also seemed patchy. “I can’t say we’re very happy with the result,” said man-of-the-match Granit Xhaka. “It was one of the best performances our national team has shown, we have created so many chances but unfortunately we couldn’t win because we didn’t finish.” A point against France in their final group match would lift Switzerland to five points, guaranteeing a top-two finish. (Reuters)

Romania face injury woes after draw with Switzerland

Germany defeated old rivals Italy 6-5 in a penalty shootout at Euro 2016 with a winning spot kick from Jonas Hector after the game finished 1-1 following extra time on Saturday to reach the semi-finals. 
 
They will now face the winners of the other quarter-final between hosts France and Iceland, who play today. 
 
Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, who had experienced a quiet tournament so far, was in the right place to open the scoring in the 65th minute when he turned in Jonas Hector&#39;s cutback after good work from Mario Gomez down the left. 
 
The Italians, however, levelled with a 78th minute penalty from Leonardo Bonucci after Jerome Boateng handled the ball. 
 
Germany, who had not conceded a goal in their previous four tournament matches here, took their time to get going against a well-oiled defence with Thomas Mueller having their best chance before Ozil broke the deadlock after more than an hour. 
 
Bonucci gave Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer no chance 13 minutes later with a well-placed penalty as Italy, who eliminated holders Spain in the last 16, refused to buckle and sent the game into extra-time and a penalty shootout. 
 
(Reuters)

They will now face the winners of the other quarter-final between hosts France and Iceland, who play today

Germany defeated old rivals Italy 6-5 in a penalty shootout at Euro 2016 with a winning spot kick from Jonas Hector after the game finished 1-1 following extra time on Saturday to reach the semi-finals. They will now face the winners of the other quarter-final between hosts France and Iceland, who play today. Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, who had experienced a quiet tournament so far, was in the right place to open the scoring in the 65th minute when he turned in Jonas Hector's cutback after good work from Mario Gomez down the left. The Italians, however, levelled with a 78th minute penalty from Leonardo Bonucci after Jerome Boateng handled the ball. Germany, who had not conceded a goal in their previous four tournament matches here, took their time to get going against a well-oiled defence with Thomas Mueller having their best chance before Ozil broke the deadlock after more than an hour. Bonucci gave Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer no chance 13 minutes later with a well-placed penalty as Italy, who eliminated holders Spain in the last 16, refused to buckle and sent the game into extra-time and a penalty shootout. (Reuters)

Euro 2016: Germany beat Italy 6-5 in shootout to reach semis

Jose Mourinho was unveiled as the new Manchester United manager on Tuesday, insisting he was a winner who aims to return the club to its traditional position of dominance. 
 
The 53-year-old former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter Milan coach said he did not want the players to think improving on last season&#39;s fifth place would be sufficient. 
 
&quot;For United fans, for many years, success was just routine. In the last three years, I want to forget,&quot; the Portuguese manager told reporters at Old Trafford. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t want the players to think we need to do better. What is to do better? Finish fourth. Finishing fourth is not the aim. We want to win. 
 
&quot;I want everything. I want to win matches, I want to play well. I want to score goals, I don&#39;t want to concede goals. I want everything.&quot; 
 
Mourinho&#39;s first game in charge will be a friendly against Borussia Dortmund in the International Champions Cup at Shanghai Stadium on July 22. United&#39;s first Premier League game is at Bournemouth on August 13. 
 
(Reuters)

Jose Mourinho was unveiled as the new Manchester United manager on Tuesday, insisting he was a winner who aims to return the club to its traditional position of dominance. The 53-year-old former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter Milan coach said he did not want the players to think improving on last season's fifth place would be sufficient. "For United fans, for many years, success was just routine. In the last three years, I want to forget," the Portuguese manager told reporters at Old Trafford. "I don't want the players to think we need to do better. What is to do better? Finish fourth. Finishing fourth is not the aim. We want to win. "I want everything. I want to win matches, I want to play well. I want to score goals, I don't want to concede goals. I want everything." Mourinho's first game in charge will be a friendly against Borussia Dortmund in the International Champions Cup at Shanghai Stadium on July 22. United's first Premier League game is at Bournemouth on August 13. (Reuters)

Mourinho is unveiled at ManU, he insists he is a winner

Argentinian striker Lionel Messi became his country&#39;s all-time top goalscorer on Tuesday when he scored in the Copa America semi-final against the United States to take his international tally to 55 goals. 
 
The five-time world player of the year scored in the 32nd minute of the match in Houston to give Argentina a 2-0 lead. 
 
The goal in his 112th international lifts him above Gabriel Batistuta, who scored 54 goals in 78 games for the two-time world champions. 
 
Messi&#39;s goal was a glorious free kick from 25 yards out that gave U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan little chance. He took the kick after being cynically felled as he burst forward by Chris Wondolowski, the American receiving a yellow card. 
 
It doubled Argentina&#39;s lead after Ezequiel Lavezzi put them one up in just three minutes. 
 
The Barcelona striker now has five goals in the Centenary Copa America and is one behind Chilean Eduardo Vargas in the race to become the tournament&#39;s top goalscorer. 
 
He has achieved his tally despite not starting in Argentina&#39;s first three games because of a back injury. 
 
His form has nevertheless been outstanding with the 28-year old scoring a hat-trick in 19 minutes after coming on as a substitute in a 5-0 win over Paraguay last week. 
 
Argentina are hot favourites to win the Copa and end a trophy drought that extends back to 1993, when they won the Copa in Ecuador. 
 
They reached the finals of the Copa America in 2015 and the World Cup in 2014 but narrowly lost both matches. 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The goal in his 112th international lifts him above Gabriel Batistuta who scored 54 goals in 78 games

Argentinian striker Lionel Messi became his country's all-time top goalscorer on Tuesday when he scored in the Copa America semi-final against the United States to take his international tally to 55 goals. The five-time world player of the year scored in the 32nd minute of the match in Houston to give Argentina a 2-0 lead. The goal in his 112th international lifts him above Gabriel Batistuta, who scored 54 goals in 78 games for the two-time world champions. Messi's goal was a glorious free kick from 25 yards out that gave U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan little chance. He took the kick after being cynically felled as he burst forward by Chris Wondolowski, the American receiving a yellow card. It doubled Argentina's lead after Ezequiel Lavezzi put them one up in just three minutes. The Barcelona striker now has five goals in the Centenary Copa America and is one behind Chilean Eduardo Vargas in the race to become the tournament's top goalscorer. He has achieved his tally despite not starting in Argentina's first three games because of a back injury. His form has nevertheless been outstanding with the 28-year old scoring a hat-trick in 19 minutes after coming on as a substitute in a 5-0 win over Paraguay last week. Argentina are hot favourites to win the Copa and end a trophy drought that extends back to 1993, when they won the Copa in Ecuador. They reached the finals of the Copa America in 2015 and the World Cup in 2014 but narrowly lost both matches. (Reuters)

Messi becomes Argentina's all-time top goalscorer

Philippe Coutinho grabbed a hat-trick as Brazil ramped up their Copa America campaign with a resounding 7-1 win over a hapless Haiti yesterday. 
 
Renato Augusto scored a brace and substitutes Lucas Lima and Gabriel also goaled for Brazil while James Marcelin put in Haiti&#39;s consolation goal. 
 
The scoreline, identical to Brazil&#39;s nightmare 7-1 defeat by Germany in the World Cup semi-final two years ago, took Brazil to the top of Group B with four points, ahead of the game between Peru and Ecuador. 
 
Coutinho got Brazil off to a positive start in the Camping World stadium with a goal after 14 minutes when he skipped past a defender and hammered home from 20 metres out. 
 
He doubled Brazil&#39;s lead 15 minutes later thanks to Jonas, who was on hand to poke a loose ball across goal and leave the Liverpool player with the simplest of tap-ins. 
 
Renato Augusto made it three in 35 minutes when he rose unmarked to head home a cross from the right. 
 
Although the eight-times Copa America champions appeared to take their foot off the pedal in the second half, they still created chances at will against 74th-ranked Haiti. 
 
Gabriel scored the fourth just 13 minutes after replacing Jonas at half-time and his Santos team mate Lucas Lima nodded home a Dani Alves cross eight minutes later. 
 
Haitian striker Marcelin delighted the Caribbean contingent in the Orlando crowd by hammering in a rebound but Renato Augusto restored Brazil&#39;s five-goal advantage when he seized on a loose pass and side-footed home from 20 metres. 
 
Coutinho completed his hat-trick in the final minute of injury time with a trademark 25-metre strike. 
 
Brazil, who were held 0-0 by Ecuador in their opener, next face Peru on Sunday. Haiti, who also lost their opener to Peru 1-0, will take on Ecuador.

The scoreline took Brazil to the top of Group B ahead of the game between Peru and Ecuador

Philippe Coutinho grabbed a hat-trick as Brazil ramped up their Copa America campaign with a resounding 7-1 win over a hapless Haiti yesterday. Renato Augusto scored a brace and substitutes Lucas Lima and Gabriel also goaled for Brazil while James Marcelin put in Haiti's consolation goal. The scoreline, identical to Brazil's nightmare 7-1 defeat by Germany in the World Cup semi-final two years ago, took Brazil to the top of Group B with four points, ahead of the game between Peru and Ecuador. Coutinho got Brazil off to a positive start in the Camping World stadium with a goal after 14 minutes when he skipped past a defender and hammered home from 20 metres out. He doubled Brazil's lead 15 minutes later thanks to Jonas, who was on hand to poke a loose ball across goal and leave the Liverpool player with the simplest of tap-ins. Renato Augusto made it three in 35 minutes when he rose unmarked to head home a cross from the right. Although the eight-times Copa America champions appeared to take their foot off the pedal in the second half, they still created chances at will against 74th-ranked Haiti. Gabriel scored the fourth just 13 minutes after replacing Jonas at half-time and his Santos team mate Lucas Lima nodded home a Dani Alves cross eight minutes later. Haitian striker Marcelin delighted the Caribbean contingent in the Orlando crowd by hammering in a rebound but Renato Augusto restored Brazil's five-goal advantage when he seized on a loose pass and side-footed home from 20 metres. Coutinho completed his hat-trick in the final minute of injury time with a trademark 25-metre strike. Brazil, who were held 0-0 by Ecuador in their opener, next face Peru on Sunday. Haiti, who also lost their opener to Peru 1-0, will take on Ecuador.

Brazil hammer hapless Haiti 7-1 in Copa America massacre

The two most expensive players in football go head-to-head on Wednesday when Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal against club teammate Gareth Bale and Wales in a Euro 2016 semi-final which could lead one to unprecendented glory. 
 
Bale is junior partner when the two line up for Real Madrid, despite winning two Champions Leagues in three years since arriving in Spain for a world record fee to team up with Ronaldo. 
 
However, his performances and three goals in France in leading Wales to their first semi-final in a major tournament, allied to his starring role at the end of Madrid&#39;s season, suggest Bale at 26 is in line to take over from Ronaldo now 31. 
 
The key to Bale&#39;s and Wales&#39; success has been built upon a remarkable unity which their star man fosters. 
 
&quot;With our team spirit, it&#39;s like being with your mates on holiday,&quot; said Bale last week, clearly more at ease with the joviality in the Wales camp than the pressure cooker Madrid dressing room. 
 
&#39;Together stronger&#39; has been the moto of Wales&#39; historic campaign. A unity captured perfectly in the goal that kick-started their run after Bale smashed a free-kick into the Slovakia net just 10 minutes into their first match at a major tournament in 58 years. 
 
With much hype and the expectations of a nation resting on his shoulders, Bale wheeled away in celebration and headed straight into a pack of adoring teammates and coaching staff by the Wales bench. 
 
&quot;Balo is just a nice guy, a nice human being, a family guy. He&#39;s livelier on the pitch than off it because he doesn&#39;t say a lot. He&#39;s very much one of the lads. He&#39;s quiet, unassuming - that&#39;s just his personality,&quot; said Wales boss Chris Coleman. 
 
&quot;He has matured a bit more as he got older, but he has always been the same person really &ndash; very quiet and it doesn&rsquo;t float his boat, all the attention he gets.&quot; 
 
Despite the quiet nature, Coleman insists that Bale is a leader in his own right by setting standards for his teammates to match. 
 
&quot;He could be a little bit more demanding because of his game. But that&#39;s why he has got so much respect of the players because he&rsquo;s not like that.&quot; 
 
&quot;They automatically want to gravitate that way to where he is. And that&rsquo;s how it should be, you know. It&rsquo;s not bringing him down to where we are, and myself included, because he is a special talent.&quot; 
 
Ballon d&#39;Or in play 
 
Ronaldo&#39;s road to a third Euros semi-final has been more testing. 
 
Frustrated by Iceland in an opening 1-1 draw, the three-time world player of the year lashed out at the Atlantic islanders&#39; &quot;small mentality&quot; - an outburst at odds with the widespread fondness for Iceland&#39;s fairytale run. 
 
A missed penalty against Austria was papered over by a double against Hungary, which saw him become the first player to score at four European Championship finals. 
 
Ronaldo has subsequently been kept quiet by both Croatia and Poland in the knockout stage, but will still never have a better chance to cap a glorious career with a maiden international triumph as Portugal have progressed to the last four without winning a match in 90 minutes. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve always said, and I don&#39;t hide it, that I would love to win a title with the national team. We&#39;re on the right road,&quot; he said after squeezing past the Poles on penalties. 
 
However, Ronaldo will also have his eyes on the individual prize when facing Bale in Lyon. 
 
With both having contributed to Madrid&#39;s 11th European Cup win in May - and hot on the heels of Lionel Messi&#39;s retirement from international football - whoever emerges victorious from Ronaldo and Bale&#39;s personal duel will be favourite to win the Ballon d&#39;Or as the world&#39;s best player for 2016. 
 
&quot;Ronaldo is a cannibal. He wants it all. Even in a situation where it seems so difficult to focus on the personal objective like this, he doesn&#39;t lose sight of achieving it,&quot; said Madrid sports daily Marca on Sunday. 
 
&quot;He is not just playing for the first (tournament win for Portugal), but also his fourth (Balon d&#39;Or).&quot; 
 
By contrast, Coleman insists a Zurich gala in January will be the furthest thing from Bale&#39;s mind in Lyon. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think that is in Gareth&#39;s head. Of course he&#39;s a human being. Thoughts will run through his mind, but he&#39;ll be thinking about how we perform in the next game and nothing beyond that.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Bale's recent performances suggest he is in line to take over from club teammate Ronaldo

The two most expensive players in football go head-to-head on Wednesday when Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal against club teammate Gareth Bale and Wales in a Euro 2016 semi-final which could lead one to unprecendented glory. Bale is junior partner when the two line up for Real Madrid, despite winning two Champions Leagues in three years since arriving in Spain for a world record fee to team up with Ronaldo. However, his performances and three goals in France in leading Wales to their first semi-final in a major tournament, allied to his starring role at the end of Madrid's season, suggest Bale at 26 is in line to take over from Ronaldo now 31. The key to Bale's and Wales' success has been built upon a remarkable unity which their star man fosters. "With our team spirit, it's like being with your mates on holiday," said Bale last week, clearly more at ease with the joviality in the Wales camp than the pressure cooker Madrid dressing room. 'Together stronger' has been the moto of Wales' historic campaign. A unity captured perfectly in the goal that kick-started their run after Bale smashed a free-kick into the Slovakia net just 10 minutes into their first match at a major tournament in 58 years. With much hype and the expectations of a nation resting on his shoulders, Bale wheeled away in celebration and headed straight into a pack of adoring teammates and coaching staff by the Wales bench. "Balo is just a nice guy, a nice human being, a family guy. He's livelier on the pitch than off it because he doesn't say a lot. He's very much one of the lads. He's quiet, unassuming - that's just his personality," said Wales boss Chris Coleman. "He has matured a bit more as he got older, but he has always been the same person really – very quiet and it doesn’t float his boat, all the attention he gets." Despite the quiet nature, Coleman insists that Bale is a leader in his own right by setting standards for his teammates to match. "He could be a little bit more demanding because of his game. But that's why he has got so much respect of the players because he’s not like that." "They automatically want to gravitate that way to where he is. And that’s how it should be, you know. It’s not bringing him down to where we are, and myself included, because he is a special talent." Ballon d'Or in play Ronaldo's road to a third Euros semi-final has been more testing. Frustrated by Iceland in an opening 1-1 draw, the three-time world player of the year lashed out at the Atlantic islanders' "small mentality" - an outburst at odds with the widespread fondness for Iceland's fairytale run. A missed penalty against Austria was papered over by a double against Hungary, which saw him become the first player to score at four European Championship finals. Ronaldo has subsequently been kept quiet by both Croatia and Poland in the knockout stage, but will still never have a better chance to cap a glorious career with a maiden international triumph as Portugal have progressed to the last four without winning a match in 90 minutes. "I've always said, and I don't hide it, that I would love to win a title with the national team. We're on the right road," he said after squeezing past the Poles on penalties. However, Ronaldo will also have his eyes on the individual prize when facing Bale in Lyon. With both having contributed to Madrid's 11th European Cup win in May - and hot on the heels of Lionel Messi's retirement from international football - whoever emerges victorious from Ronaldo and Bale's personal duel will be favourite to win the Ballon d'Or as the world's best player for 2016. "Ronaldo is a cannibal. He wants it all. Even in a situation where it seems so difficult to focus on the personal objective like this, he doesn't lose sight of achieving it," said Madrid sports daily Marca on Sunday. "He is not just playing for the first (tournament win for Portugal), but also his fourth (Balon d'Or)." By contrast, Coleman insists a Zurich gala in January will be the furthest thing from Bale's mind in Lyon. "I don't think that is in Gareth's head. Of course he's a human being. Thoughts will run through his mind, but he'll be thinking about how we perform in the next game and nothing beyond that." (AFP)

Bale and Ronaldo to go head-to-head

Boateng was injured during Germany's final group win against Northern Ireland

Germany will decide on the eve of their Euro 2016 round of 16 match against Slovakia on Sunday whether defender Jerome Boateng can help them to another clean sheet en route to what they hope is their fourth continental crown. Boateng did not train with the team on Friday, undergoing an individual session involving cycling and jogging as he battles to overcome a calf muscle injury. The central defender sustained the injury in their final group win over Northern Ireland, with coach Joachim Loew forced to wait until the eve of Sunday's game in Lille to find out if he can play. Boateng has been crucial for the German defence which has yet to concede a goal in this tournament. He had renewed his World Cup-winning partnership in the central defence with Mats Hummels, with both players only recently back from injury. They will need all the defensive prowess they can muster if they are not to replicate the mistakes that led to their 3-1 loss to the Slovaks in their friendly international on a rain-drenched pitch in May. A new pitch has been laid in Lille after heavy rain and frequent play had damaged it irreparably. Germany, who won the tournament in 1972, 1980 and 1996, are prepared for the game, keeper Manuel Neuer said. "We have to keep a clean sheet," Neuer told reporters on Friday. "We know that we can concede goals as well. But so far we have defended well and in knockout games we want to keep a clean sheet." Slovakia's Marek Hamsik and Vladimir Weiss will have their work cut out against the solid German backline, with full backs Jonas Hector and Joshua Kimmich in fine form. Hamsik has been in equally stellar form, drilling in one goal and setting up another in their 2-1 victory over Russia in the group. He had scored a similarly spectacular long-range effort against the Germans in their friendly victory last month but it is unlikely the world champions will give him so much space again. "You just have to look at a Youtube video with his goals," said Neuer of Hamsik. "It will be important that our holding midfielders stop him early and he does not get a chance to shoot." Slovakia's much bigger task, however, will be to somehow slow down their opponents' quick passing game that on a good day can rip any defensive plan to shreds. Despite having yet to find their perfect mix in attack, Germany have more than double the efforts on goal than their opponents in the entire tournament. With average possession of 65 'per cent and passing accuracy at a staggering 91 'per cent, Germany are expected to maintain their pressure throughout the game as they look for a last eight spot. "The huge euphoria is maybe not there yet (in Germany) but if we beat Slovakia and then play against a big opponent then we can say we have arrived at the tournament," Neuer said. (Reuters)

German defender Boateng faces fitness test before Slovakia

Messi has won pretty much everything, apart from a major tournament title with Argentina. That could change early tomorrow at the Copa final

Lionel Messi will bid to gild his legacy as the greatest footballer of his generation here Sunday by ending Argentina's 23-year wait for a major title in a dream final against holders Chile in the Copa America Centenario. For Messi's many millions of admirers, the five-time world footballer of the year has already achieved enough in his glittering career to be considered in the same bracket as Pele and Diego Maradona. Yet the only hole in the Barcelona superstar's CV -- a major tournament title with Argentina -- is invariably, and somewhat unfairly, cited as a justification to delay his elevation to football's pantheon. That could all change on Sunday before a sell-out crowd of 81,000 at East Rutherford's MetLife Stadium, the home of the NFL's New York Giants, when Argentina face the Chileans in a rematch of last year's Copa America final. It is the third final in as many years for Messi and his teammates, who suffered agonizing defeats in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany and to the Chileans on penalties in Santiago last year. On each occasion, Messi has borne the brunt of the backlash from critics in Argentina who trot out a familiar laundry list of grievances. He has no passion. He doesn't sing the anthem. He doesn't "feel" the shirt. Barely a ball had been kicked in this Copa America before Maradona, a regular sniper, accused him of lacking "personality" and "leadership." Maradona amped up the rhetoric this week shortly after Argentina booked their place in the final with a 4-0 demolition of the United States. "We will certainly win on Sunday... and if we don't win, they shouldn't come back," Maradona told an Argentinian television network. Messi is not above being angered by the criticism. "I get annoyed by the people who attack you without thinking," he said in a recent interview. "We got to two finals. We didn't win. What can you do? But we got to the final. It's not like we lost in the last 16." So far in the United States, Messi has shown no sign of being overburdened by the pressure to end Argentina's wait for a title. After missing Argentina's opening group match, a 2-1 win over Sunday's opponents Chile,,he scored an electrifying 19-minute hat-trick against Panama after coming on as a substitute before going on to equal Gabriel Batistuta's Argentina goals record in the 4-1 quarter-final win over Venezuela. Against the US on Tuesday, he scored a magnificent curling free kick to become his country's leading international goalscorer with 55, while setting up two more goals in a magical all-round display. He even found the time to sign the shirt of an autograph-hunting fan who sprinted onto the pitch at the start of the second half. His smiling, laidback demeanor however masks a fierce determination to lift the title, revealing that Argentina have become a more formidable unit since suffering the pain of multiple final defeats. "It's been almost a year since the last Copa America, and I think that made us stronger as a group, and as a team," Messi said. "We grew a lot, in a lot of ways, and above all, even though we didn't win, it helped us." Yet while Argentinian fans and many neutrals will be willing Messi to victory, Chile have shown that they are more than capable of pulling off another ambush. Since the opening loss to Argentina on June 6, the Chileans have improved with each game to compile their best run of results since Juan Antonio Pizzi replaced Jorge Sampaoli as manager in January. They humiliated Mexico with a 7-0 thrashing in the quarter-finals and polished off Colombia 2-0 in the semi-finals. "They attack and defend with great intensity, and if you make a mistake they can punish you," Colombia coach Jose Pekerman said after the semi-final loss. A dynamic, combative midfield led by Bayern Munich star Arturo Vidal will ensure that Argentina's skilled attackers such as Messi, Nicolas Gaitan and Ever Banega have nothing like the freedom to operate they have enjoyed so far. And Chile's razor sharp attack, which features tournament top scorer Eduardo Vargas (six goals) and Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez, should also pose more questions than Argentina's back four has been required to answer en route to the final. (AFP)

The final frontier

A US judge has delayed until January 27 this week&#39;s planned sentencing of disgraced former Honduran president Rafael Callejas in the sweeping corruption scandal rocking world football. The 72-year-old was scheduled this Friday to become the first defendant sentenced in the FIFA scandal in New York after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering and wire fraud. 
 
But Judge Raymond Dearie has accepted a request from the defence, with consent from government prosecutors, to adjourn until January 27, a court document showed. No reason was publicly stated. 
 
It is the third sentencing to be adjourned, following former FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb and Argentine-Italian marketing executive Alejandro Burzaco, delayed until November and December respectively. 
 
Callejas has been free on a $4 million bail in the United States since leaving Honduras by private jet last December to face justice. He served as president of Honduras from 1990 to 1994. He was head of the country&#39;s football federation from 2002 to 2015, and is also a former member of FIFA&#39;s Television and Marketing Committee. 
 
He originally faced eight charges of racketeering, fraud and money laundering, to which he pleaded not guilty on December 15. He subsequently pleaded guilty to two counts on March 28. 
 
US prosecutors in New York have indicted 40 football and sports marketing executives over allegedly receiving tens of millions of bribes and kickbacks in the largest corruption scandal in the history of soccer. The corruption investigation precipitated the downfall of longtime FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his former heir apparent, Michel Platini, who have both been banned from the sport for six years for ethics violations. 
 
(AFP)

After pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Callejas was to become the first defendant sentenced in the FIFA scandal on Friday

A US judge has delayed until January 27 this week's planned sentencing of disgraced former Honduran president Rafael Callejas in the sweeping corruption scandal rocking world football. The 72-year-old was scheduled this Friday to become the first defendant sentenced in the FIFA scandal in New York after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering and wire fraud. But Judge Raymond Dearie has accepted a request from the defence, with consent from government prosecutors, to adjourn until January 27, a court document showed. No reason was publicly stated. It is the third sentencing to be adjourned, following former FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb and Argentine-Italian marketing executive Alejandro Burzaco, delayed until November and December respectively. Callejas has been free on a $4 million bail in the United States since leaving Honduras by private jet last December to face justice. He served as president of Honduras from 1990 to 1994. He was head of the country's football federation from 2002 to 2015, and is also a former member of FIFA's Television and Marketing Committee. He originally faced eight charges of racketeering, fraud and money laundering, to which he pleaded not guilty on December 15. He subsequently pleaded guilty to two counts on March 28. US prosecutors in New York have indicted 40 football and sports marketing executives over allegedly receiving tens of millions of bribes and kickbacks in the largest corruption scandal in the history of soccer. The corruption investigation precipitated the downfall of longtime FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his former heir apparent, Michel Platini, who have both been banned from the sport for six years for ethics violations. (AFP)

Judge delays sentencing for former Honduran president in football scandal

Argentina head coach Gerardo Martino resigned on Tuesday, deepening the chaos in the frustrated squad a month before the Olympics after its star striker Lionel Messi also quit.&nbsp;In a statement published by the Argentina Football Association (AFA), Martino said he and his coaching staff quit due to management disputes in the body and difficulties in getting the squad together in time for the Olympics. 
 
The blow came less than two weeks after Messi said he was quitting following defeat to Chile in the Copa America Centenario, sparking demonstrations by fans desperate for him to stay.&nbsp;The crisis in the national squad laid bare managerial squabbles in the AFA that are blamed for disrupting the organisation of Argentina&#39;s favourite sport. 
 
Martino&#39;s decision was &quot;due to the lack of clarity in the naming of new leaders for the association and the serious inconveniences in forming a squad to represent the country in the coming Olympic Games&quot;, the statement said. 
 
Argentine media said Martino was frustrated at clubs not releasing players for the national squad. Key players such as Paulo Dybala of Juventus and Mauro Icardi of Inter have not been released. 
 
Former Barcelona coach Martino, 53, took over the Argentina team in the wake of the 2014 World Cup, in which they were beaten 1-0 by Germany after extra time in the final.&nbsp;He guided Argentina to 29 wins, seven draws and three defeats.&nbsp;He led the team to the Copa America final last year and again last month in the centenary edition. They were beaten both times by Chile on penalties. 
 
The June 26 defeat this year was Argentina&#39;s third consecutive loss in a major international final. They have gone 23 years without a major title.&nbsp;&quot;Losing again is too great a pain,&quot; Martino said after that defeat. 
 
Martino comes from the same northern city as Messi, Rosario.&nbsp;As well as clubs in Spain, Ecuador and Chile, he played briefly for Argentina but was eclipsed by his contemporary Diego Maradona.&nbsp;He guided Paraguay as far as the quarter finals of the 2010 World Cup as its national coach. 
 
He returned as coach to his first club, Newell&#39;s Old Boys, and won the Argentine league with them in 2013 before a trophy-free season with Spanish giants Barcelona.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the AFA is in crisis and its management has been criticised by the likes of Messi and Maradona. 
 
Before leaving for the Copa in the United States, Martino said that the AFA owed him six months&#39; pay.&nbsp;Former AFA head Luis Segura quit last week amid a dispute over how the leagues should be organised.&nbsp;Major clubs want to break away and form a &quot;super-league&quot; to get bigger broadcasting revenues. 
 
The president of the Argentine Olympic committee, Gerardo Werthein, warned on the radio shortly before Tuesday&#39;s announcement that there was &quot;50 per cent chance&quot; Argentina would miss the Olympic football competition.&nbsp;The Olympics run from August 5 to 21 in Rio de Janeiro, following which the country will look to the World Cup in Russia in 2018. 
 
Argentina&#39;s great rival Brazil has also switched coaches just ahead of the Olympics.&nbsp;They sacked coach Dunga after their group-stage exit from the Copa America and replaced him with ex-Corinthians boss Tite. But Olympic coach Rogerio Micale will take them to the Games. 
 
(AFP)

Gerardo quit due to management issues in the Argentina Football Association and difficulties in getting a squad together for Rio 2016

Argentina head coach Gerardo Martino resigned on Tuesday, deepening the chaos in the frustrated squad a month before the Olympics after its star striker Lionel Messi also quit. In a statement published by the Argentina Football Association (AFA), Martino said he and his coaching staff quit due to management disputes in the body and difficulties in getting the squad together in time for the Olympics. The blow came less than two weeks after Messi said he was quitting following defeat to Chile in the Copa America Centenario, sparking demonstrations by fans desperate for him to stay. The crisis in the national squad laid bare managerial squabbles in the AFA that are blamed for disrupting the organisation of Argentina's favourite sport. Martino's decision was "due to the lack of clarity in the naming of new leaders for the association and the serious inconveniences in forming a squad to represent the country in the coming Olympic Games", the statement said. Argentine media said Martino was frustrated at clubs not releasing players for the national squad. Key players such as Paulo Dybala of Juventus and Mauro Icardi of Inter have not been released. Former Barcelona coach Martino, 53, took over the Argentina team in the wake of the 2014 World Cup, in which they were beaten 1-0 by Germany after extra time in the final. He guided Argentina to 29 wins, seven draws and three defeats. He led the team to the Copa America final last year and again last month in the centenary edition. They were beaten both times by Chile on penalties. The June 26 defeat this year was Argentina's third consecutive loss in a major international final. They have gone 23 years without a major title. "Losing again is too great a pain," Martino said after that defeat. Martino comes from the same northern city as Messi, Rosario. As well as clubs in Spain, Ecuador and Chile, he played briefly for Argentina but was eclipsed by his contemporary Diego Maradona. He guided Paraguay as far as the quarter finals of the 2010 World Cup as its national coach. He returned as coach to his first club, Newell's Old Boys, and won the Argentine league with them in 2013 before a trophy-free season with Spanish giants Barcelona. Meanwhile, the AFA is in crisis and its management has been criticised by the likes of Messi and Maradona. Before leaving for the Copa in the United States, Martino said that the AFA owed him six months' pay. Former AFA head Luis Segura quit last week amid a dispute over how the leagues should be organised. Major clubs want to break away and form a "super-league" to get bigger broadcasting revenues. The president of the Argentine Olympic committee, Gerardo Werthein, warned on the radio shortly before Tuesday's announcement that there was "50 per cent chance" Argentina would miss the Olympic football competition. The Olympics run from August 5 to 21 in Rio de Janeiro, following which the country will look to the World Cup in Russia in 2018. Argentina's great rival Brazil has also switched coaches just ahead of the Olympics. They sacked coach Dunga after their group-stage exit from the Copa America and replaced him with ex-Corinthians boss Tite. But Olympic coach Rogerio Micale will take them to the Games. (AFP)

Argentina coach Martino resigns over Olympic chaos

Antoine Griezmann&#39;s double for France in Thursday&#39;s 2-0 semi-final win over Germany at Euro 2016 broke die Mannschaft&#39;s 50-year winning streak against host nations at major tournaments. 
 
The French victory in Marseille was the first time Germany had lost to the hosts at a major finals since their famous 4-2 defeat to England in the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley. 
 
Germany had enjoyed half a century of ending host nations&#39; involvement in their own tournament until their defeat at the Stade Velodrome. 
 
Germany knocked Brazil out of the 2014 World Cup in emphatic style with a 7-1 thrashing in the semi-finals. 
 
And six years before that, Germany beat co-hosts Austria 1-0 in the group stages of Euro 2008 to end their opponents&#39; chances of reaching the knockout stages. 
 
Previous to that, the Germans dumped out South Korea after the co-hosts&#39; surprise run to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup. 
 
It was also Germany who dashed England&#39;s dreams at Wembley in the semi-finals of Euro &#39;96 - the last time Germany won the European Championship - in a nail-biting penalty shootout. 
 
At the 1992 European Championship in Sweden, the home nation was beaten 3-2 by the Germans in the semi-finals before Denmark pulled off a shock 2-0 win in the final. 
 
At the 1982 World Cup, a 2-1 win by Germany against hosts Spain in the second round ended the Spaniards&#39; hopes of progressing. 
 
Likewise, Mexico&rsquo;s party at the 1986 World Cup was over in the quarter-finals on penalties as Germany went on to lose the final to a Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina. 
 
At the European Championship in 1972, Germany beat Belgium 2-1 in the Antwerp semi-final, following that up four years later with a 4-2 extra-time victory against Yugoslavia in Belgrade in the last four of the 1976 tournament. 
 
(AFP)

This is the first time Germany has lost to the hosts at a major finals since their 4-2 defeat to England in the 1966 World Cup at Wembley

Antoine Griezmann's double for France in Thursday's 2-0 semi-final win over Germany at Euro 2016 broke die Mannschaft's 50-year winning streak against host nations at major tournaments. The French victory in Marseille was the first time Germany had lost to the hosts at a major finals since their famous 4-2 defeat to England in the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley. Germany had enjoyed half a century of ending host nations' involvement in their own tournament until their defeat at the Stade Velodrome. Germany knocked Brazil out of the 2014 World Cup in emphatic style with a 7-1 thrashing in the semi-finals. And six years before that, Germany beat co-hosts Austria 1-0 in the group stages of Euro 2008 to end their opponents' chances of reaching the knockout stages. Previous to that, the Germans dumped out South Korea after the co-hosts' surprise run to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup. It was also Germany who dashed England's dreams at Wembley in the semi-finals of Euro '96 - the last time Germany won the European Championship - in a nail-biting penalty shootout. At the 1992 European Championship in Sweden, the home nation was beaten 3-2 by the Germans in the semi-finals before Denmark pulled off a shock 2-0 win in the final. At the 1982 World Cup, a 2-1 win by Germany against hosts Spain in the second round ended the Spaniards' hopes of progressing. Likewise, Mexico’s party at the 1986 World Cup was over in the quarter-finals on penalties as Germany went on to lose the final to a Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina. At the European Championship in 1972, Germany beat Belgium 2-1 in the Antwerp semi-final, following that up four years later with a 4-2 extra-time victory against Yugoslavia in Belgrade in the last four of the 1976 tournament. (AFP)

France break Germany's 50-year trend of beating host teams

The Football Association (FA) might struggle to convince top managers to take the England job, chairman Greg Dyke has said. 
 
Former manager Roy Hodgson resigned following the team&#39;s ignominious Euro 2016 exit to Iceland on Monday. A three-man panel of FA staff has begun the job of finding his successor. 
 
England under-21 coach Gareth Southgate has been linked by British media with the job, amongst a list that includes Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, Bournemouth`s, Eddie Howe, Hull City&#39;s, Steve Bruce, and former England manager, Glenn Hoddle. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s got to be somebody who really knows English football,&quot; Dyke, whose term ends in July, told British media. 
 
&quot;But there&#39;s loads of them now, more of them than there are English. The harder question is why anybody would want it. 
 
&quot;They get media pressure that no one else in football gets.&quot; 
 
However, David Bernstein, a former FA chairman, backed Sunderland manager, Sam Allardyce, to succeed Hodgson. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m not saying we should have an English manager. But, of the English managers, I actually would go for Sam Allardyce,&quot; Bernstein said. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s a very powerful character. I think he has got the personality, the strength, he&#39;s a good technical manager, he&#39;s very experienced and he&#39;s someone who perhaps could imbue confidence.&quot; 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

After the harsh defeat against Iceland and coach Roy Hodgson's resignations, England struggles to find its new manager

The Football Association (FA) might struggle to convince top managers to take the England job, chairman Greg Dyke has said. Former manager Roy Hodgson resigned following the team's ignominious Euro 2016 exit to Iceland on Monday. A three-man panel of FA staff has begun the job of finding his successor. England under-21 coach Gareth Southgate has been linked by British media with the job, amongst a list that includes Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, Bournemouth`s, Eddie Howe, Hull City's, Steve Bruce, and former England manager, Glenn Hoddle. "It's got to be somebody who really knows English football," Dyke, whose term ends in July, told British media. "But there's loads of them now, more of them than there are English. The harder question is why anybody would want it. "They get media pressure that no one else in football gets." However, David Bernstein, a former FA chairman, backed Sunderland manager, Sam Allardyce, to succeed Hodgson. "I'm not saying we should have an English manager. But, of the English managers, I actually would go for Sam Allardyce," Bernstein said. "He's a very powerful character. I think he has got the personality, the strength, he's a good technical manager, he's very experienced and he's someone who perhaps could imbue confidence." (Reuters)

'Finding new coach for England not an easy job'

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko said allegations that he had helped cover up a top footballer&#39;s positive doping test were silly. Mutko added that he and Russia were being smeared as payback for winning the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. 
 
Mutko, who is battling to end a doping scandal that has placed a question mark over Russian athletes&#39; right to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was responding to allegations against him made by German public broadcaster ARD/WDR. 
 
The German broadcaster, whose reports led to the suspension of Russia&#39;s track-and-field athletes, said an alleged internal sports ministry e-mail exchange discussing a footballer&#39;s failed test said the matter should be forwarded to &#39;VL&#39;.&nbsp;That, it said, referred to Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko. 
 
&quot;Initials could be interpreted in a different way,&quot; Mutko was quoted as saying today by the TASS news agency. &quot;How could I help to hide this? Destroy it myself? This is silly stuff, unconvincing.&quot; 
 
After being suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) last year, Russia is trying to convince sports authorities that it is serious about rooting out cheats in time for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August. 
 
The IAAF will decide whether Russia has done enough to have that ban overturned at a meeting in Vienna on June 17. 
 
&quot;One of the reasons for the doping scandal with Russian sportspeople is the desire to dredge for compromising information with regard to the 2018 World Cup,&quot; he was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency. 
 
&quot;First they tried through FIFA but didn&#39;t succeed,&quot; he said. &quot;Now they are investigating the laundering of bribes, they are trying to get in from the other side.&quot;

German public broadcaster ARD/WDR's report had led to the suspension of Russia's track-and-field athletes

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko said allegations that he had helped cover up a top footballer's positive doping test were silly. Mutko added that he and Russia were being smeared as payback for winning the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Mutko, who is battling to end a doping scandal that has placed a question mark over Russian athletes' right to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was responding to allegations against him made by German public broadcaster ARD/WDR. The German broadcaster, whose reports led to the suspension of Russia's track-and-field athletes, said an alleged internal sports ministry e-mail exchange discussing a footballer's failed test said the matter should be forwarded to 'VL'. That, it said, referred to Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko. "Initials could be interpreted in a different way," Mutko was quoted as saying today by the TASS news agency. "How could I help to hide this? Destroy it myself? This is silly stuff, unconvincing." After being suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) last year, Russia is trying to convince sports authorities that it is serious about rooting out cheats in time for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August. The IAAF will decide whether Russia has done enough to have that ban overturned at a meeting in Vienna on June 17. "One of the reasons for the doping scandal with Russian sportspeople is the desire to dredge for compromising information with regard to the 2018 World Cup," he was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency. "First they tried through FIFA but didn't succeed," he said. "Now they are investigating the laundering of bribes, they are trying to get in from the other side."

Russian sports minister says doping cover-up stories are silly revenge

Two goals from Antoine Griezmann helped hosts France overcome world champions Germany 2-0 on Thursday to reach the final of Euro 2016, the first competitive victory over their old rivals in 58 years. 
 
Twice winners France will face Portugal in Sunday&#39;s final in Paris after defending stoutly against a Germany side who dominated possession but conceded a needless first-half penalty before being picked off on the break in the second period. 
 
The opening goal arrived in stoppage time when Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli spotted Bastian Schweinsteiger had handled as he challenged Patrice Evra in the air and the tournament&#39;s top scorer Griezmann stepped up to blast the ball home. 
 
Griezmann then poked in his sixth goal of the competition with 18 minutes remaining, after keeper Manuel Neuer flapped at a cross, as France wrapped up their first win over Germany at a major tournament since the 1958 World Cup. 
 
(Reuters)

France will now face Portugal in Sunday's championship match

Two goals from Antoine Griezmann helped hosts France overcome world champions Germany 2-0 on Thursday to reach the final of Euro 2016, the first competitive victory over their old rivals in 58 years. Twice winners France will face Portugal in Sunday's final in Paris after defending stoutly against a Germany side who dominated possession but conceded a needless first-half penalty before being picked off on the break in the second period. The opening goal arrived in stoppage time when Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli spotted Bastian Schweinsteiger had handled as he challenged Patrice Evra in the air and the tournament's top scorer Griezmann stepped up to blast the ball home. Griezmann then poked in his sixth goal of the competition with 18 minutes remaining, after keeper Manuel Neuer flapped at a cross, as France wrapped up their first win over Germany at a major tournament since the 1958 World Cup. (Reuters)

France beat Germany 2-0 to reach Euro final

Barcelona thumped English Premier League champions Leicester City 4-2 in a pre-season friendly in Sweden on Wednesday but Claudio Ranieri&#39;s side was given hope by a second-half brace from new boy Ahmed Musa. 
 
Lionel Messi&#39;s sumptuous pass set up the first of Munir El Haddadi&#39;s two first-half goals while Luis Suarez netted in between as the Spanish champions exposed the Foxes&#39; defence. 
 
Nigerian winger Musa, signed from CSKA Moscow, came out with all guns blazing as one of seven second-half changes for Leicester to score after a lightning 50-yard solo run and shot on 47 minutes. 
 
He then won and converted a penalty after 66 minutes. 
 
But with the scores at 3-2 Barcelona then sealed the International Champions Cup tournament match with a late winner from Rafa Mujica. 
 
The English side who shocked the football world with their fairytale run to the Premier League title last season were beaten 4-0 last weekend by Paris Saint-Germain. 
 
(AFP)

Messi's grand pass resulted in the first of the two first-half goals, second of which was secured by Luis Suarez

Barcelona thumped English Premier League champions Leicester City 4-2 in a pre-season friendly in Sweden on Wednesday but Claudio Ranieri's side was given hope by a second-half brace from new boy Ahmed Musa. Lionel Messi's sumptuous pass set up the first of Munir El Haddadi's two first-half goals while Luis Suarez netted in between as the Spanish champions exposed the Foxes' defence. Nigerian winger Musa, signed from CSKA Moscow, came out with all guns blazing as one of seven second-half changes for Leicester to score after a lightning 50-yard solo run and shot on 47 minutes. He then won and converted a penalty after 66 minutes. But with the scores at 3-2 Barcelona then sealed the International Champions Cup tournament match with a late winner from Rafa Mujica. The English side who shocked the football world with their fairytale run to the Premier League title last season were beaten 4-0 last weekend by Paris Saint-Germain. (AFP)

Barcelona take over Leicester at 4-2 in Sweden

Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas has given a strong indication that he will retire from international footbal after 16 years. 
 
The 35-year-old did not play in any of Spain&#39;s four games at Euro 2016, with national team coach Vicente del Bosque picking Manchester United&#39;s David De Gea in goal. 
 
Casillas, who made his debut in 2000 and is Spain&#39;s most capped player with 167 appearances, posted a video on his twitter account (@casillasworld) of a Rambo film with the dialogue saying: &quot;I don&#39;t know where but I&#39;m going.&quot; 
 
He then posted a message which said: &quot;I&#39;m proud to feel the love of the people today and as always, everyone together for the national team.&quot; 
 
De Gea made a string of saves to keep Spain within striking distance of Italy on Monday before Antonio Conte&#39;s men got a late second goal for a 2-0 second-round win. 
 
The goalkeeper also expressed hope for the future of the national team. He tweeted on @D_DeGea: &quot;Losing is part of the sport as well as getting up after a defeat. We&#39;ll come back!&quot; 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The 35-year-old did not play in any of Spain's four games at Euro 2016

Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas has given a strong indication that he will retire from international footbal after 16 years. The 35-year-old did not play in any of Spain's four games at Euro 2016, with national team coach Vicente del Bosque picking Manchester United's David De Gea in goal. Casillas, who made his debut in 2000 and is Spain's most capped player with 167 appearances, posted a video on his twitter account (@casillasworld) of a Rambo film with the dialogue saying: "I don't know where but I'm going." He then posted a message which said: "I'm proud to feel the love of the people today and as always, everyone together for the national team." De Gea made a string of saves to keep Spain within striking distance of Italy on Monday before Antonio Conte's men got a late second goal for a 2-0 second-round win. The goalkeeper also expressed hope for the future of the national team. He tweeted on @D_DeGea: "Losing is part of the sport as well as getting up after a defeat. We'll come back!" (Reuters)

Spain football veteran Casillas hints at retirement

Lionel Messi scored his 55th international goal to become his country&#39;s all-time leading scorer as Argentina thrashed hosts the United States 4-0 to ease into the final of the Centenary Copa America on Tuesday. 
 
Many of those in the 70,858 crowd in Houston had come to witness the Barcelona star etch his name in the history books and he did not disappoint, curling a sensational free kick past Brad Guzan after 32 minutes to put Argentina 2-0 ahead. 
 
Messi had been chopped down by Chris Wondolowski 25 yards from goal as he burst forward and the ensuing strike moved him clear of previous record holder Gabriel Batistuta&#39;s 54 goal tally. 
 
&quot;I am happy to have surpassed Batistuta&#39;s record and I want to thank my teammates, it&#39;s theirs as well,&quot; Messi, who turns 29 on Friday, told reporters. 
 
The win, meanwhile, advanced Argentina into Sunday&#39;s final against either Colombia or reigning champions Chile, who meet in Chicago on Wednesday. 
 
&quot;We needed to get back in a final but we can never get ahead of ourselves,&quot; Argentine coach Gerardo Martino assed. &quot;We&#39;ve always taken it one game at a time. We are pleased with our general production (so far).&quot; 
 
Martino started Ezequiel Lavezzi up front in place of the injured Angel Di Maria and it took the China-based winger just three minutes to make his mark when he got on the end of a Messi chip to head over a stranded Guzan. 
 
Argentina dominated the first half and Messi&#39;s goal was just reward for their superiority but if the home side thought they could stage a second-half fightback, they were sadly mistaken. 
 
US coach Jurgen Klinsmann made two changes at the break but Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain scored a third goal just four minutes into the second half. The US enjoyed more possession as the match progressed but never managed a shot on goal for the entire game as Argentina exposed the gulf in class between the very best South American and North American sides. 
 
Messi, who captained the side in his 112th international, almost grabbed a second eight minutes from time but Guzan turned his shot around the post for a corner. 
 
However, the mercurial forward was on hand to have a say in the fourth goal, when his pinpoint pass set up Higuain to complete the rout with a simple tap in after 85 minutes. 
 
The result means Argentina have scored 18 goals in five games and conceded just two as they power towards what they hope will be their 15th Copa America title, and first since 1993, to take them level with all-time leader Uruguay. 
 
The win would also cap Messi&#39;s international career after years of disappointment. Argentina reached the finals of their last two tournaments, the Copa America in 2015, and the World Cup in 2014, but were narrowly beaten in both. 
 
&quot;When you concede a goal after three minutes against such a team... that&#39;s when you&#39;ve already lost your mental battle,&quot; Klinsmann lamented. &quot;Once they have a lead they&#39;re not giving that lead away.&nbsp;It&#39;s a special team Argentina,&quot; he added. &quot;You saw tonight why they are the number one team in the world. I told the guys there&#39;s nothing to be ashamed of.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Argentina routed USA 4-0 in their semi-final encounter which saw Messi become the country's all-time leading scorer

Lionel Messi scored his 55th international goal to become his country's all-time leading scorer as Argentina thrashed hosts the United States 4-0 to ease into the final of the Centenary Copa America on Tuesday. Many of those in the 70,858 crowd in Houston had come to witness the Barcelona star etch his name in the history books and he did not disappoint, curling a sensational free kick past Brad Guzan after 32 minutes to put Argentina 2-0 ahead. Messi had been chopped down by Chris Wondolowski 25 yards from goal as he burst forward and the ensuing strike moved him clear of previous record holder Gabriel Batistuta's 54 goal tally. "I am happy to have surpassed Batistuta's record and I want to thank my teammates, it's theirs as well," Messi, who turns 29 on Friday, told reporters. The win, meanwhile, advanced Argentina into Sunday's final against either Colombia or reigning champions Chile, who meet in Chicago on Wednesday. "We needed to get back in a final but we can never get ahead of ourselves," Argentine coach Gerardo Martino assed. "We've always taken it one game at a time. We are pleased with our general production (so far)." Martino started Ezequiel Lavezzi up front in place of the injured Angel Di Maria and it took the China-based winger just three minutes to make his mark when he got on the end of a Messi chip to head over a stranded Guzan. Argentina dominated the first half and Messi's goal was just reward for their superiority but if the home side thought they could stage a second-half fightback, they were sadly mistaken. US coach Jurgen Klinsmann made two changes at the break but Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain scored a third goal just four minutes into the second half. The US enjoyed more possession as the match progressed but never managed a shot on goal for the entire game as Argentina exposed the gulf in class between the very best South American and North American sides. Messi, who captained the side in his 112th international, almost grabbed a second eight minutes from time but Guzan turned his shot around the post for a corner. However, the mercurial forward was on hand to have a say in the fourth goal, when his pinpoint pass set up Higuain to complete the rout with a simple tap in after 85 minutes. The result means Argentina have scored 18 goals in five games and conceded just two as they power towards what they hope will be their 15th Copa America title, and first since 1993, to take them level with all-time leader Uruguay. The win would also cap Messi's international career after years of disappointment. Argentina reached the finals of their last two tournaments, the Copa America in 2015, and the World Cup in 2014, but were narrowly beaten in both. "When you concede a goal after three minutes against such a team... that's when you've already lost your mental battle," Klinsmann lamented. "Once they have a lead they're not giving that lead away. It's a special team Argentina," he added. "You saw tonight why they are the number one team in the world. I told the guys there's nothing to be ashamed of." (Reuters)

Goal-machine Messi leads Argentina to Copa final

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain has become the&nbsp;world&#39;s&nbsp;third most expensive player after the 28-year-old signed a five-year deal at Juventus Football Club, and moved to Napoli, an Italian Champions club,&nbsp;for $99 million.&nbsp;

&quot;Juventus can confirm that it has purchased the registration rights of Gonzalo Higuain for &euro;90 million, payable in two financial years,&quot; said a statement on the Juventus website.&nbsp; 
 
Higuain&#39;s transfer fee is the third highest paid, after Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for 100 million euros in 2013,&nbsp;and Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Spaniards from Manchester United for 94 million euros in 2009. 
 
Higuain&#39;s move could create a ripple effect in the market amid speculation that Paul Pogma may be on his way out to Manchester United from Juventus.&nbsp;The 23-year-old Pogba left United on a free transfer in 2012, but is likely to make&nbsp;the move back to the Premier League this summer. 
 
Higuain won the Capocannoniere - Serie A&#39;s golden boot - last season after scoring a league record-equalling 36 goals as Napoli finished runners-up to his new club. 
 
The news that he was poised to join Juventus caused anguish among Napoli fans, who gathered in Naples city centre on Saturday to tear up pictures of the Argentine and set fire to replicas of his number nine shirt.

The former Napoli player has become the third most expensive player after Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain has become the world's third most expensive player after the 28-year-old signed a five-year deal at Juventus Football Club, and moved to Napoli, an Italian Champions club, for $99 million. "Juventus can confirm that it has purchased the registration rights of Gonzalo Higuain for €90 million, payable in two financial years," said a statement on the Juventus website. Higuain's transfer fee is the third highest paid, after Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for 100 million euros in 2013, and Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Spaniards from Manchester United for 94 million euros in 2009. Higuain's move could create a ripple effect in the market amid speculation that Paul Pogma may be on his way out to Manchester United from Juventus. The 23-year-old Pogba left United on a free transfer in 2012, but is likely to make the move back to the Premier League this summer. Higuain won the Capocannoniere - Serie A's golden boot - last season after scoring a league record-equalling 36 goals as Napoli finished runners-up to his new club. The news that he was poised to join Juventus caused anguish among Napoli fans, who gathered in Naples city centre on Saturday to tear up pictures of the Argentine and set fire to replicas of his number nine shirt.

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain joins Juventus for $99 million

Swansea City striker Bafetimbi Gomis has joined French side Olympique de Marseille on a season-long loan, the two clubs said on today. 
 
The 30-year-old will return to Ligue 1 having begun his career at St Etienne. 
 
He joined Swansea on a free transfer in 2014 following six years at Olympique Lyonnais. 
 
&quot;Today is an important day in my career,&quot; Gomis said on Instagram. 
 
&quot;I am proud to wear to wear the colours of Olympique de Marseille. One of the great clubs in the French League.&quot; 
 
Gomis enjoyed mixed fortunes at Swansea. He scored 17 goals in 71 games, but frequently flattered to deceive. 
 
He arrived at the Liberty Stadium boasting an impressive scoring record at Lyon and brought physicality to the Swansea frontline. 
 
The France international was expected to become a focal point in the Welsh club&#39;s attack when striker Wilfried Bony left to join Manchester City in January, 2015 but his form remained patchy. 
 
He scored four goals in his first four league games last season, but managed just two more in the remainder of the campaign. 
 
(Reuters)

Bafetimbi Gomis joined Swansea City on a free transfer in 2014 following six years at Olympique Lyonnais

Swansea City striker Bafetimbi Gomis has joined French side Olympique de Marseille on a season-long loan, the two clubs said on today. The 30-year-old will return to Ligue 1 having begun his career at St Etienne. He joined Swansea on a free transfer in 2014 following six years at Olympique Lyonnais. "Today is an important day in my career," Gomis said on Instagram. "I am proud to wear to wear the colours of Olympique de Marseille. One of the great clubs in the French League." Gomis enjoyed mixed fortunes at Swansea. He scored 17 goals in 71 games, but frequently flattered to deceive. He arrived at the Liberty Stadium boasting an impressive scoring record at Lyon and brought physicality to the Swansea frontline. The France international was expected to become a focal point in the Welsh club's attack when striker Wilfried Bony left to join Manchester City in January, 2015 but his form remained patchy. He scored four goals in his first four league games last season, but managed just two more in the remainder of the campaign. (Reuters)

Swansea's Gomis joins Marseille on loan

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and ex-secretary general Jerome Valcke, already banned from football for ethics violations, are facing a fresh investigation over the salaries and bonuses they received in office. 
 
In a separate decision, former FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb was given a life ban from any soccer-related activity and fined one million Swiss francs ($1.02 million). 
 
FIFA&#39;s ethics committee said its investigators had opened formal proceedings against both Blatter and Valcke, along with former finance director Markus Kattner, for possible ethics violations which included bribery and corruption. 
 
The suspected violations were &quot;in the context of salaries and bonuses paid to Mr Blatter, Mr Valcke and Mr Kattner as well as other provisions included in the contracts of these three individuals,&quot; it said. 
 
They are also suspected of having breached rules on general conduct, loyalty, conflicts of interest and &quot;offering and accepting gifts and other benefits.&quot; 
 
Valcke&#39;s lawyer declined comment while Blatter and Kattner could not immediately be reached although they have previously denied wrongdoing. 
 
Blatter has said his earnings were in line with top officials from professional sports leagues around the world. 
 
Soccer&#39;s global governing body is attempting to recover from the worst graft scandal in its history which has seen 42 people, including former FIFA executive committee members, indicted in the United States since May last year. 
 
Criminal investigations are also under way in Switzerland, where FIFA has its headquarters. 
 
Those 42 include Webb, ex-president of the confederation covering North and Central America and the Caribbean, who has pleaded guilty in the United States to offences linked to racketeering, fraud and money laundering. 
 
FIFA&#39;s ethics committee has conducted its own investigation into the Cayman Islander and announced on Friday that was guilty of breaking ethics violations, including bribery and corruption. 
 
FIFA said in June that an internal investigation revealed that the three officials had received 79 million Swiss francs ($81 million) in compensation over five years, calling them &quot;massive payouts&quot;. 
 
FIFA&#39;s lawyers Quinn Emanuel, which conducted the investigation, said the evidence revealed a coordinated effort by the three to &quot;enrich themselves through annual salary increases, World Cup bonuses and other incentives.&quot; 
 
Blatter, 80, who led FIFA from 1998 until 2015, has already been banned for eight years, later to reduced to six following an appeal. 
 
The ban was imposed for ethics violations related to a payment of 2 million Swiss francs that FIFA made to then European soccer boss Michel Platini with Blatter&#39;s approval in 2011 for work done a decade earlier. 
 
He has appealed to sport&#39;s highest tribunal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and is awaiting a verdict. 
 
Valcke was fired in January and has since been banned for 12 years, reduced to 10 on appeal, for ethics violations which included using FIFA expenses for sightseeing trips and destruction of evidence. 
 
Kattner, who took over as acting secretary general after Valcke&#39;s dismissal, was fired by FIFA in May. ($1 = 0.9735 Swiss francs) 
 
(Reuters)

The possible ethics violations include bribery and corruption

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and ex-secretary general Jerome Valcke, already banned from football for ethics violations, are facing a fresh investigation over the salaries and bonuses they received in office. In a separate decision, former FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb was given a life ban from any soccer-related activity and fined one million Swiss francs ($1.02 million). FIFA's ethics committee said its investigators had opened formal proceedings against both Blatter and Valcke, along with former finance director Markus Kattner, for possible ethics violations which included bribery and corruption. The suspected violations were "in the context of salaries and bonuses paid to Mr Blatter, Mr Valcke and Mr Kattner as well as other provisions included in the contracts of these three individuals," it said. They are also suspected of having breached rules on general conduct, loyalty, conflicts of interest and "offering and accepting gifts and other benefits." Valcke's lawyer declined comment while Blatter and Kattner could not immediately be reached although they have previously denied wrongdoing. Blatter has said his earnings were in line with top officials from professional sports leagues around the world. Soccer's global governing body is attempting to recover from the worst graft scandal in its history which has seen 42 people, including former FIFA executive committee members, indicted in the United States since May last year. Criminal investigations are also under way in Switzerland, where FIFA has its headquarters. Those 42 include Webb, ex-president of the confederation covering North and Central America and the Caribbean, who has pleaded guilty in the United States to offences linked to racketeering, fraud and money laundering. FIFA's ethics committee has conducted its own investigation into the Cayman Islander and announced on Friday that was guilty of breaking ethics violations, including bribery and corruption. FIFA said in June that an internal investigation revealed that the three officials had received 79 million Swiss francs ($81 million) in compensation over five years, calling them "massive payouts". FIFA's lawyers Quinn Emanuel, which conducted the investigation, said the evidence revealed a coordinated effort by the three to "enrich themselves through annual salary increases, World Cup bonuses and other incentives." Blatter, 80, who led FIFA from 1998 until 2015, has already been banned for eight years, later to reduced to six following an appeal. The ban was imposed for ethics violations related to a payment of 2 million Swiss francs that FIFA made to then European soccer boss Michel Platini with Blatter's approval in 2011 for work done a decade earlier. He has appealed to sport's highest tribunal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and is awaiting a verdict. Valcke was fired in January and has since been banned for 12 years, reduced to 10 on appeal, for ethics violations which included using FIFA expenses for sightseeing trips and destruction of evidence. Kattner, who took over as acting secretary general after Valcke's dismissal, was fired by FIFA in May. ($1 = 0.9735 Swiss francs) (Reuters)

Blatter and two others facing FIFA investigation over salaries

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