RIO
1.4670
Former Manchester United and Dutch international striker Ruud van Nistelrooy will rejoin the Netherlands coaching staff in the run-up to the World Cup, the national association announced on Friday.
Arne Slot said he would welcome Mohamed Salah back at Liverpool even if he had 15 attackers as the Egypt forward nears a return from the Africa Cup of Nations.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen said he's keen to get to grips with the new car Red Bull unveiled on Thursday for a 2026 Formula One season of massive change.
Iga Swiatek said Friday it would be a dream to complete a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open but "grinding" through the first round was the Polish star's focus.
Rival 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final coaches in Rabat on Sunday, Walid Regragui of Morocco and Pape Thiaw of Senegal have both experienced the heartbreak of losing a title decider as players.
A pumped-up Amanda Anisimova said Friday she will use expectation as motivation at the Australian Open after a breakthrough 2025 saw her make back-to-back Grand Slam finals.
Defending champion Nick Taylor carded eight birdies without a bogey to share the first-round lead with Kevin Roy on Thursday in the US PGA Tour's season-opening Sony Open in Hawaii.
There have been 32 Africa Cup of Nations finals and AFP Sport selects five of the most memorable ahead of the 2025 title decider between hosts Morocco and Senegal in Rabat on Sunday:
World number one Aryna Sabalenka insisted Friday that the race to the Australian Open title was wide open and not just between herself and Iga Swiatek.
Olympic swim stars Summer McIntosh and Leon Marchand cruised to 200m individual medley victories as US great Katie Ledecky impressed again on the second day of the Pro Swim Series in Austin, Texas, on Thursday.
Jannik Sinner said Friday a three-month doping ban last year made him stronger as a person and more relaxed on court as he prepares to defend his Australian Open title.
Michael Carrick has the chance to make a fine first impression to his short-term stint as Manchester United manager by derailing local rivals Manchester City's Premier League title challenge on Saturday.
Sam Darnold loves listening to birds. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback even has an app, ready to identify the call of the northern mockingbird at a moment's notice.
Australian snowboarder Belle Brockhoff announced her retirement Friday just weeks away from the Winter Olympics with a series of major injuries forcing her out.
Bruised and battle-hardened, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills face Denver on Saturday as their star quarterback seeks to reach his first Super Bowl and add the NFL's biggest prize to his list of accolades.
German forward Franz Wagner hit his stride late to help the Orlando Magic rally for a 118-111 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday in the first NBA regular-season game ever played in Germany.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes says he's aiming to be ready for week one of the 2026 NFL season after knee surgery in December.
Adrien Rabiot made sure that AC Milan stayed three points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan with a brilliant brace in Thursday's 3-1 win at high-flying Como, a victory that had a distinct French flavour.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday a planned European basketball league must "respect the traditions of European basketball", while confirming talks with EuroLeague side Real Madrid about the proposed competition.
Thomas Frank believes Tottenham Hotspur are making progress, albeit with small steps, as he expressed his delight at the arrival of the "unbelievable" Conor Gallagher during the January transfer window.
Former UEFA boss Michel Platini says FIFA president Gianni Infantino "has become more of an autocrat" and is too interested in the rich and powerful, in an interview with The Guardian on Thursday.
Cycling's most prestigious race, the Tour de France, will begin in 2027 by showcasing the beauty of the Scottish Borders and England's Lake District, organisers revealed on Thursday.
Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has warned every player must earn their place as he refused to confirm goalkeeper Robert Sanchez will remain number one at Stamford Bridge.
Hosts Morocco and Senegal will fight it out in a heavyweight Africa Cup of Nations final this weekend after tense last-four victories on Wednesday, but Mohamed Salah is left wondering if his dream of winning the title will forever remain unfulfilled.
Sweden's Mattias Ekstrom won the car section of the 11th stage of the Dakar Rally on Thursday, while American Skyler Howes clinched a maiden victory in the motorbikes.
Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said he has no doubts about his team despite their shock 1-0 French Cup defeat at home to newly-promoted city rivals Paris FC before a return to Ligue 1 on Friday.
England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir has joined Derbyshire on a two-year deal, the County Championship club announced on Thursday.
In the space of just four days, Real Madrid lost a final to bitter rivals Barcelona, sacked coach Xabi Alonso and were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by a second division team, leaving them hurtling into a crisis.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday sacked a senior official after their leading men's cricketers went on strike, escalating a crisis that has already seen the nation refuse to tour India for next month's T20 World Cup.
The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the season, starts on Sunday in Melbourne.
Roger Federer said on Thursday that Carlos Alcaraz winning the Australian Open to complete the career Grand Slam aged just 22 would be "crazy".
An erratic Madison Keys struck nearly 50 unforced errors Thursday as the Australian Open champion crashed out of her final warm-up for this year's opening Grand Slam to teenager Victoria Mboko.