Category: Sports

Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid forward and one of football’s brightest stars, has revealed his desire to have played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer and a five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Speaking to BeIN Sports, the 25-year-old praised Ronaldo as a legend of the game and expressed regret that he missed the opportunity to share a team with the Portuguese star.

“I’ve played with great players: Lionel Messi, Neymar, [Antoine] Griezmann, [Paul] Pogba, [Karim] Benzema,” Mbappé said. “It would have been fun to play with Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s going to be very difficult now, but I was fortunate enough to play against him—a true legend of the sport.”

Ronaldo, now 39, departed Real Madrid in 2018 and currently plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Mathias Pogba, brother of football star Paul Pogba, has been sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended, for his role in a blackmail scheme targeting the former Manchester United midfielder.

A Paris court handed down the verdict on Thursday, stipulating that Mathias, 34, will serve the remaining year under electronic monitoring instead of in jail.

The case dates back to 2022, when Mathias and others were accused of attempting to extort £11 million from Paul Pogba, 31, in exchange for “protection services” spanning 13 years.

Paul Pogba disclosed to authorities that the ordeal caused him significant distress, even leading him to consider retirement in 2023.

The high-profile case underscores the challenges athletes can face even within personal relationships.

Rangers International FC has announced that fans will enjoy free entry to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium for their Matchday 18 clash against Shooting Stars.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions explained that this gesture is a way to appreciate their supporters during the festive season.

The much-anticipated match is scheduled for Sunday at 4 PM in Enugu.

Rangers’ coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, will aim to replicate last season’s success, where the Flying Antelopes secured a 2-0 victory over Shooting Stars. Goals from Kalu Nweke and Chukwuebuka Okorie sealed the win in the previous encounter.

Fans are expected to turn out in large numbers to cheer their team as they aim for another memorable performance.

The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) has confirmed the promotion of Honey Badgers and Ibom Angels to the 2024-25 season. Both teams secured their places after finishing first and second in the championship playoffs. The NWFL made the announcement at the Annual General Meeting in Abuja.

Honey Badgers and Ibom Angels will compete in Group B for the upcoming season. The meeting also confirmed the relegation of Sunshine Queens and Royal Queens.

The 2024-25 NWFL season is set to begin on Wednesday, January 15th.

Benjamin Asare, captain of Hearts of Oak, is optimistic that Ghana will secure victory against Nigeria in the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers. The West African rivals are set to face off this month, with the first leg taking place at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, and the reverse fixture scheduled for the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo a week later.

Asare, speaking to Kickgh, expressed confidence in the team’s preparations and called on Ghanaians to come out in large numbers to support the Black Galaxies. He assured fans that the team is determined to deliver a victory. “Preparation has been good. It’s a great opportunity for us representing the Black Galaxies. I will plead with Ghanaians to come in their numbers to support us and we promise to give them victory,” he said.

Former Manchester United forward Dwight Yorke has highlighted two players that new manager Ruben Amorim can count on at Old Trafford: Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo.

Yorke’s comments follow a strong performance by the duo, who helped Man Utd secure a 2-1 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Both Fernandes and Diallo scored in the win, underlining their importance to the team.

Yorke expressed confidence in Diallo as the standout player, suggesting that he will be the first name Amorim relies on for his squad. He described Diallo as a player for the future and someone to build the team around. While acknowledging Fernandes’ contribution, Yorke also pointed out that while he remains a valuable player, he no longer possesses the same impact as Marcus Rashford once did, a player Amorim could previously count on.

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has criticized Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli, claiming that he has taken a step “backwards” under manager Mikel Arteta.

Scholes made the remark while responding to comments made by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, who raised concerns about Martinelli’s development.

Martinelli, who was one of Arsenal’s standout performers during the 2022/23 season with 15 goals in all competitions, has seen a decline in form. Last season, he managed just eight goals, and this season, he has scored only four goals in 22 appearances.

During The Overlap’s latest Fan Debate, Carragher said, “I look at Martinelli and actually think probably three years ago when this team was just getting built, it felt like Ødegaard, Saka, and Martinelli were all at the same sort of level. It looked like they could go on and be top players. I think the other two have, I’m not sure about Martinelli.”

Scholes agreed, saying: “Yeah, it feels like he’s gone backwards a little bit. You thought a year, 18 months ago, ‘wow, what a player,’ and he has stalled a little bit. He’s still young, isn’t he? We said pre-season a centre-forward was always something Arsenal needed, and for some reason, I don’t think the manager did.”

Scholes also pointed to Martinelli’s stagnation and suggested that the team’s overall progress, especially with the return of Ødegaard, could help Arsenal improve moving forward, but questioned Arsenal’s January transfer options.

Former Manchester United captain, Gary Neville, has revised his Premier League top-four prediction, removing his former club from the mix.

Currently, United sits in 13th place after 16 matches, a disappointing position for the team. Meanwhile, their rivals Liverpool are top of the table, two points clear of Chelsea with a game in hand. Chelsea could move to the top if they beat Everton on Sunday, while Liverpool face Tottenham Hotspur later that evening.

Last season’s runners-up, Arsenal, and Nottingham Forest occupy the third and fourth spots, while Manchester City sits in fifth.

In August, Neville predicted Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea to make up the top four, with Arsenal ending their 21-year wait for the title. However, on the latest episode of The Overlap US’ It’s Called Soccer, he changed his stance: “I’m going to go with Arsenal [to win the title] on the basis that I think they’ll hit their form. They’ve got a decent run of fixtures over Christmas, and I think they will hit their form in the new year and win the league this season.”

Neville also revised his top-four picks, stating, “Top four… I’ve not got full faith in Tottenham, Aston Villa, and, to be fair, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, and all the other teams that are in and around it. I think it will be City, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal at this moment in time. It’s the first time I haven’t said United will be in the top four, I think, in about 15 years!”

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has criticized Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli, claiming that he has taken a step “backwards” under manager Mikel Arteta.

Scholes made the remark while responding to comments made by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, who raised concerns about Martinelli’s development.

Martinelli, who was one of Arsenal’s standout performers during the 2022/23 season with 15 goals in all competitions, has seen a decline in form. Last season, he managed just eight goals, and this season, he has scored only four goals in 22 appearances.

During The Overlap’s latest Fan Debate, Carragher said, “I look at Martinelli and actually think probably three years ago when this team was just getting built, it felt like Ødegaard, Saka, and Martinelli were all at the same sort of level. It looked like they could go on and be top players. I think the other two have, I’m not sure about Martinelli.”

Scholes agreed, saying: “Yeah, it feels like he’s gone backwards a little bit. You thought a year, 18 months ago, ‘wow, what a player,’ and he has stalled a little bit. He’s still young, isn’t he? We said pre-season a centre-forward was always something Arsenal needed, and for some reason, I don’t think the manager did.”

Scholes also pointed to Martinelli’s stagnation and suggested that the team’s overall progress, especially with the return of Ødegaard, could help Arsenal improve moving forward, but questioned Arsenal’s January transfer options.

Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has praised his teammates, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka, for their “amazing” performances during the Carabao Cup quarter-final match against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

The duo provided the assists for Jesus’s hat-trick in the 3-2 victory at Emirates Stadium, which secured Arsenal’s progression to the next round of the competition.

In a post-match interview, Jesus reflected on the game, stating, “Obviously, the first half wasn’t our best, but in the second half, we did our job, created more, kept the ball better, circulated it, and made passes. Martin put in two amazing balls, and so did Bukayo, and I was able to finish the action.”

He went on to praise Ødegaard’s vision, saying, “The quality that Martin has is amazing. He’s the type of player that can make those passes and put you in front of the goal. I told him, ‘Martin, I know your qualities, so I’ll make the run. If the space is there, I’ll go, you don’t need to look. I’ll be there.’ He played amazing balls, and I was able to finish.”

Jesus added, “I think everyone today tried their best. In the end, we did our job and won the game.”