Match

Former France international Jerome Rothen has claimed Kylian Mbappe receives “special treatment” which will “cause problems” with his team-mates should they hit a poor run of form. The Real Madrid forward withdrew from Les Blues’ squad ahead of Sunday’s World Cup qualifier with Azerbaijan after picking up an ankle injury in Thursday’s 4-0 win over Ukraine.

Although the goalkeeper rose to the occasion when he was needed most, he could not proceed as he was injured minutes into the second half. After fighting hard to keep the Japanese at bay in the first half, Amajimbos fell early in the second half when they conceded the goals. Despite the result, the youngsters managed to create a sense of national pride after advancing to the knockout stage of the global competition for the first time in their history.

South Africa welcomed Chipolopolo to Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday, November 15, for an international friendly that carried more weight than the scoreboard alone. The clash formed a key part of Bafana Bafana’s build-up, sharpening their readiness and testing combinations ahead of their next challenge in Morocco this December.

England booked their place in the last 16 of the Under 17 World Cup courtesy of a commanding 2-0 victory over South Korea in Qatar. Reigan Heskey, son of former Liverpool striker Emile, was on the scoresheet with a superb header and an own goal eased the Young Lions into the next round in what was ultimately a comfortable win for Liam Bradley's side.

The forward has been an integral part of Hugo Broos' setup and is expected to be named in the AFCON squad. He missed the last continental finals because of a mental health issue. As he hopes to be part of the team in Morocco, he has revealed ambitions he hopes to achieve with Bafana, who finished third in the Ivory Coast.

Germany survived an unsettling evening in Luxembourg as a Nick Woltemade brace proved decisive in a match that will raise far more questions than it answers for Julian Nagelsmann. A 2-0 win was ultimately enough to keep Germany on track in their qualifying campaign for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, but the performance itself was scattered, lethargic and lacking cohesion.

The Inter Miami star provided the assist for the opening goal before scoring the second one late in the second half. This was Messi's first return to Africa in national colours since his appearance at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa. He was on the continent in 2018 with Barcelona when they came to play Mamelodi Sundowns in a friendly match.

Kenya were initially set to face Madagascar and Comoros, but that was later changed, and Equatorial Guinea and Senegal were lined up as their opponents during the international break. After the defeat, the South African legend is expected to receive more criticism, especially after dropping the team's captain, Michael Olunga. Kenya will now dust themselves off before their next game against Senegal on Tuesday.

Lionel Messi bagged a goal and an assist as Argentina earned a hard-fought 2-0 victory away to Angola. The 2022 World Cup winner is coming towards the end of his illustrious career but the veteran's quality was plain to see as he played an instrumental role in this friendly win on Friday. Both he and Lautaro Martinez scored and turned provider as the Albiceleste marched on once more.

Everything you need to know about the NFL match between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys, as well as kick-off time and team news

Costa Rica’s World Cup hopes have taken a severe hit. A 1–0 loss to Haiti has left Miguel Herrera’s side on the brink in the CONCACAF qualifiers, with their direct path now hanging by a thread. Pressure around Herrera grew louder after the match as Los Ticos have a difficult path to next year's tournament.

Broos yet again found himself on the receiving end of intense criticism after he named his final squad to take on Chipolopolo in an international friendly game. The Belgian failed to include a single player from Naturena, even though some Amakhosi players have been doing well in the current season. Khumalo, a Bafana legend, has named a star he believes deserved a call-up because he says the player has been outstanding.

A touching post-match moment inside the Wembley dressing room showed Manchester City star John Stones presenting team-mate Nico O’Reilly with his first England cap, delivering a heartfelt speech in the aftermath of the 20-year-old's dream debut. The exchange came after England’s 2-0 win over Serbia, with cameras capturing O’Reilly’s pride as team-mates applauded the milestone.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns tactician believes the Bucs star is a type of player that can help the national team. However, he has stated that the Sea Robber must be paired with a specific player in order to make him become even more effective. The number 10 position has been giving Broos some headaches, given that his reliable players for that role have been battling injuries.

Santiago Giménez’s future at AC Milan is becoming increasingly uncertain. The club is evaluating changes to its attack for January, and multiple reports across Europe indicate the Mexican striker could be included in a potential swap deal with West Ham for German forward Niclas Füllkrug. With form and tactical fit both under review, a move to the Premier League is emerging as a possibility.

The 38-year-old is enjoying a good run with the Algerian top-tier outfit, The People's Club, hoping to deliver domestically and abroad. His exploits are a strong response to those who doubted his ability to coach outside South Africa, underlining the massive potential to be among the best on the continent.

South Africa coach Hugo Broos has been subjected to pressure from some coaches, fans, and even former players to consider having ex-Mamelodi Sundowns and the Buccaneers attacker in his team for future assignments. The 32-year-old has been consistently delivering for the Botola Pro League outfit, Wydad Casablanca.

Portugal had a "day to forget" on Thursday as their unbeaten run in World Cup qualifying came to a surprising end at the hands of Ireland, coach Roberto Martinez says. The defeat, which saw Cristiano Ronaldo earn the first red card of his international career, leaves them needing a win to seal automatic qualification in their final game of the round.

Bryan Mbeumo cut a heartbroken figure after Cameroon's World Cup hopes collapsed in dramatic fashion, with the Manchester United star storming off alone after a stoppage-time defeat to DR Congo. The Indomitable Lions suffered a crushing 1-0 loss in the CAF play-offs, ending their bid to reach the 2026 tournament and leaving their talisman visibly emotional in the rain.

The 27-year-old quality attacker made his name with the defending Premier Soccer League champions in the prestigious global club competition staged in the United States. He scored one of the best goals for the season as Masandawana collected four points, but narrowly missed making the knockout phase.

The versatile, pacy attacker has not been enjoying a good relationship with a section of the Glamour Boys fans owing to his costly misses in vital matches. He recently failed to convert a sitter in the CAF inter-club competition against a Democratic Republic of Congo outfit, AS Simba, in Lubumbashi, which invited online backlash.

Kylian Mbappe scored a brace and Hugo Ekitike opened his international account as France cruised past Ukraine to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Les Bleus stuttered in the first half, but an outstanding display in the final 35 minutes ripped apart Ukraine's feeble resistance. Didier Deschamps' men have had a near-flawless qualifying campaign as they have won four and drawn one of their games to rack up 13 points from a possible 15.

Cristiano Ronaldo endured a nightmare evening on Thursday as he was shown a straight red card in the second half of Portugal's World Cup qualifier with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium. The hosts took a 2-0 lead in the match, thanks to two goals from Troy Parrott, and their hopes of snatching a famous victory were boosted further when the Portugal superstar was handed his marching orders.

After a valiant fight by the Panthers in regulation time, the Super Eagles ultimately emerged victorious from this 2026 FIFA World Cup African play-offs semi-final battle in neutral Morocco on Thursday. Eric Chelle's men needed extra time to win 4-1 at Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium with the Galatasaray forward grabbing a double. They remain in contention to go to the global competition but still have other hurdles to plain.

The two tacticians have been at the helm of the Glamour Boys in most matches this season domestically and abroad as the Soweto giants work their way back to the top. Despite their arguably impressive performance, the club's executive management has not confirmed whether the duo will stay beyond the current campaign.

The duo has already worked together in South Africa's Premier Soccer League and Morocco's Botola Pro League, and the 38-year-old tactician wanted to have him in Algeria. Nyoso has been a hit for his current club, underlining why his former Masandawana coach rates him highly despite his advancing age.

Álvaro Fidalgo’s chances of representing Mexico appear closer than ever, as Javier Aguirre confirmed he intends to call up the América midfielder once he becomes eligible in March 2026. The Spanish-born playmaker, who has spent nearly five years in Liga MX, is on track to join Mexico’s growing group of naturalized players.

The former Masandawana player has endured a torrid time with injuries, but it seems the storm is over as he continues to dazzle with Sekhukhune United in the Premier Soccer League. The 28-year-old has been influential for Babina Noko since last season, forcing the National Team's technical staff to give him a chance.

The 38-year-old has jumped to Nyoso's defence, hinting he deserves to be part of the squad that will play Chipolopolo in the next couple of days. However, the MC Alger tactician is convinced the Wydad Athletic Club attacker can make the national team in the future if he continues with his exploits for the Botola Pro League outfit.